Monday, March 30, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Weekly Green Tip
From my "Page A Day" Green Tips calendar...
"A rechargeable solar flashlight is a brilliant alternative to one that eats up conventional batteries. Buy one- or two or three- from www.sunnightsolar.com, and the company will match your order, for people who need them desperately. (Nearly two billion people worldwide have only one option for lighting at night: a dangeous, expensive kerosene lantern.)
"A rechargeable solar flashlight is a brilliant alternative to one that eats up conventional batteries. Buy one- or two or three- from www.sunnightsolar.com, and the company will match your order, for people who need them desperately. (Nearly two billion people worldwide have only one option for lighting at night: a dangeous, expensive kerosene lantern.)
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Weekly Green Tip
Pollinator Week this year is June 22-28th, and www.pollinator.org is already keeping us up-to-date with events as different states announce them!
http://www.pollinator.org/pollinator_week_2009.htm
Is your state listed as participating?
If not, BEE sure to write to your governor!
The link above provides all the information you will need to get in touch with your governor and even includes a sample letter.
Let's bring some awareness to our local pollinators! If your state has no events listed, how about getting the wheels turning to organize one? Last year, Whole Foods grocery stores participated in several areas. If you've got stores that sell local products, especially local honey, most likely they'd be willing to run some sort of promotion that week. Even if you just print out some information about local pollinators, and drop it off for the store to display during pollinator week, it's creating a lot of awareness that otherwise wouldn't be out there!
You can contact local beekeepers and see if they are doing anything to celebrate pollinator week. Maybe you can coordinate something fun with them.
You can put together a local craft show, and rent spaces for a fee, then donate part of the proceeds to a pollinator charity such as www.pollinator.org.
There are lots of things you can do, and I know June seems soooo far away- but organization takes time (contacting people, doing research, staying in touch, coordination) and it would be great to start now!
http://www.pollinator.org/pollinator_week_2009.htm
This same link also has a plethora of information you can use in organizing your own Pollinator week event.
If the idea of organizing an event seems intimidating, that's okay! If you start putting out feelers to others in your community (beekeepers, gardeners, crafters, organic food markets, farmers markets, etc.) who might be interested in doing something, chances are you'll get other ideas and offers from people to help and before you know it, you'll be up and running!
(image courtesy of www.pollinator.org - to get your own, click here!)
http://www.pollinator.org/pollinator_week_2009.htm
Is your state listed as participating?
If not, BEE sure to write to your governor!
The link above provides all the information you will need to get in touch with your governor and even includes a sample letter.
Let's bring some awareness to our local pollinators! If your state has no events listed, how about getting the wheels turning to organize one? Last year, Whole Foods grocery stores participated in several areas. If you've got stores that sell local products, especially local honey, most likely they'd be willing to run some sort of promotion that week. Even if you just print out some information about local pollinators, and drop it off for the store to display during pollinator week, it's creating a lot of awareness that otherwise wouldn't be out there!
You can contact local beekeepers and see if they are doing anything to celebrate pollinator week. Maybe you can coordinate something fun with them.
You can put together a local craft show, and rent spaces for a fee, then donate part of the proceeds to a pollinator charity such as www.pollinator.org.
There are lots of things you can do, and I know June seems soooo far away- but organization takes time (contacting people, doing research, staying in touch, coordination) and it would be great to start now!
http://www.pollinator.org/pollinator_week_2009.htm
This same link also has a plethora of information you can use in organizing your own Pollinator week event.
If the idea of organizing an event seems intimidating, that's okay! If you start putting out feelers to others in your community (beekeepers, gardeners, crafters, organic food markets, farmers markets, etc.) who might be interested in doing something, chances are you'll get other ideas and offers from people to help and before you know it, you'll be up and running!
Monday, March 16, 2009
Return of the Honeybee documentary
For the past two years Hive Mentality Films (made up of me and my co-director George Langworthy) have been traveling the world in service to the bees and their plight. We;ve traveled to more than ten states as well as Australia, England, France and Germany.
We are now about to launch into our final edit. (we recently pre-viewed a rough version of our film for the opening night of the Environmental Film Festival in D.C. where 500 people showed up.) This film will be seen in theaters all around the world as we believe that education is the best way for people to realize the crucial role these beneficials play in our lives. Our film also addresses big agriculture and the need to return to a way of bee-ing where nature presides over economy.
For the first year George and I were paying things out of pocket and placing things on credit. We now have matching funds of $150,000 but we are still in need of monies to finish with post production. Part of our mandate will be to eventually offer this film online for free. We are also going to create a special 30 minute version to offer kids during a school tour.
And we are also going to start an outreach program Hive in Every Home and Bee Loving Etsians could help in these efforts. Our film offers solutions and we speak to Jay Feldman from Beyond Pesticides as well as Michael Pollan.
We need your help! Please spread the word and if you know anyone who can donate, every dollar is matched and is tax deductible since we have non profit status.
We have a fundraiser coming up Mill Valley on April 3rd where we will be showing excerpts of our film and offering a yummy meal. Let me know if you'd like the invite.
I've been keeping a blog for two years on CCD and our adventures. www.vanishingbees.com
You can also come and see our trailer www.vanishingbees.com/trailer.html
thank you!
maryam
maryam@vanishingbees.com
We are now about to launch into our final edit. (we recently pre-viewed a rough version of our film for the opening night of the Environmental Film Festival in D.C. where 500 people showed up.) This film will be seen in theaters all around the world as we believe that education is the best way for people to realize the crucial role these beneficials play in our lives. Our film also addresses big agriculture and the need to return to a way of bee-ing where nature presides over economy.
For the first year George and I were paying things out of pocket and placing things on credit. We now have matching funds of $150,000 but we are still in need of monies to finish with post production. Part of our mandate will be to eventually offer this film online for free. We are also going to create a special 30 minute version to offer kids during a school tour.
And we are also going to start an outreach program Hive in Every Home and Bee Loving Etsians could help in these efforts. Our film offers solutions and we speak to Jay Feldman from Beyond Pesticides as well as Michael Pollan.
We need your help! Please spread the word and if you know anyone who can donate, every dollar is matched and is tax deductible since we have non profit status.
We have a fundraiser coming up Mill Valley on April 3rd where we will be showing excerpts of our film and offering a yummy meal. Let me know if you'd like the invite.
I've been keeping a blog for two years on CCD and our adventures. www.vanishingbees.com
You can also come and see our trailer www.vanishingbees.com/trailer.html
thank you!
maryam
maryam@vanishingbees.com
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Weekly Green Tip!
After a temporary break (busy schedule), I'm back with a green tip for this week!
This is similar to the gray water tip, as it has to do with watering your plants...
You can keep a bucket outside to collect rainwater for your houseplants, or small individual outdoor plants. Since Spring is coming, it's usually a time of a lot of rain and showers for most people, so if you put your bucket(s) out soon, you'll be collecting water in no time!
You can use an old 5-gallon bucket (make sure it didn't contain any harsh chemicals though, like chlorine- unless you're using this on a plant you HATE), or an old tub from a product (such as margarine) to collect a little bit of water, or even an old drinking glass. Any container will work! When my container filled up and I didn't need all of the water, I just stored it away for later- in an old gallon bottle with a lid or something like that.
At my old house, I kept a bucket under a place where our gutters had a leak. That bucket filled up with even just a little bit of rain! So if you've got a gutter issue and need a LOT of water, that may be a good place for your collecting.
This is similar to the gray water tip, as it has to do with watering your plants...
You can keep a bucket outside to collect rainwater for your houseplants, or small individual outdoor plants. Since Spring is coming, it's usually a time of a lot of rain and showers for most people, so if you put your bucket(s) out soon, you'll be collecting water in no time!
You can use an old 5-gallon bucket (make sure it didn't contain any harsh chemicals though, like chlorine- unless you're using this on a plant you HATE), or an old tub from a product (such as margarine) to collect a little bit of water, or even an old drinking glass. Any container will work! When my container filled up and I didn't need all of the water, I just stored it away for later- in an old gallon bottle with a lid or something like that.
At my old house, I kept a bucket under a place where our gutters had a leak. That bucket filled up with even just a little bit of rain! So if you've got a gutter issue and need a LOT of water, that may be a good place for your collecting.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
New HoneyBee Helpers Team Challenge
We are starting a new Challenge today and entries will be accepted through Thursday, April 23rd. That gives us almost two months to create! Voting will start the following day, on Friday, April 24th and will end April 30th, 2009. This time, there will be a thread on the Etsy Forum so that other Etsians can vote on our entries as well. I think this will add an additional element of excitement and exposure for our team. The winner will receive a small gift from me and also gets to pick the next challenge theme.
My pick for this month is "Spring" and everything that typically relates to spring, like blossoms, daffodils, tulips, butterflies and, of course, bees... baby chicks and bunnies (Easter) and anything you would like to add that represents a new beginning.
Spring is a wonderful and exciting season! I always enjoy looking at the young green little leaves pushing through and the delicate blossoms on the trees...it's a marvelous time to be alive!
REMEMBER to post your entry on Ning here:
http://etsyhoneybeehelpers.ning.com/forum/topics/honey-bee-helpers-team
Good luck and have fun with this challenge.
On your marks, get set, go........!!!!!
Monday, March 2, 2009
CONGRATULATIONS to our Challenge Winner Doris!!
Doris created "Buzz the Spiffy Caller" for the "Love" themed team challenge and won by popular vote!!
Doris gets to pick the theme for the next challenge, and will be receiving a bee-themed bracelet in the mail as her challenge prize!
Congratulations Doris!!
Let us know what our next theme will be! :)
Doris gets to pick the theme for the next challenge, and will be receiving a bee-themed bracelet in the mail as her challenge prize!
Congratulations Doris!!
Let us know what our next theme will be! :)
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