Julie Callaway » Environment and Green

Today is Earth Day – April 22

Julie — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 00:00:12 +0000

There were some Earth Day presentations going on today at the local library at noon, so I went there to see them during my lunch break. I couldn’t find anyplace to park, so I eventually gave up and went back to work, disappointed. I feel strongly that we need to pay closer attention to what we are doing to the Earth and do a lot more to protect it from the harm that industry is doing to it, and to do whatever we can to repair the damage that has already been done.

What Happened?

Julie — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 21:02:54 +0000

It seems that we got short changed with the much anticipated Spring weather that we were all so looking forward to enjoying. It has been in the 90′s for several weeks now and I’m sick of it. Can’t have any fun in that type of heat. It is only June, we should still be in the 70′s and 80′s for Pete’s sake!

It’s About Time

Julie — Fri, 07 May 2010 20:52:37 +0000

We are finally experiencing some nice weather around here. It had been such a terribly long hard winter that most people were getting pretty crabby and really needing a break from all that goes along with the cold winters. I know I’m getting anxious to get my hands in my garden and get on with Spring time!

Clean Up the Grill

Julie — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 17:58:51 +0000

With Spring almost here, I decided to bring the grill out of the garage and clean it up. As soon as it is warm enough to be outside without a jacket, I will be using the grill to cook dinner. I love food cooked on the grill – it adds a special flavor to the meats that you just can’t duplicate on the stove or in the oven. I also like to use marinades on the meats if i am going to be grilling. So I will have a much larger variety of flavors for all the different meats very soon.

Earthquake

Julie — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 17:02:15 +0000

This morning I saw on the TV news that there was a devastating earthquake in Chile early this morning. Sadly, the earthquake happened about 3:30 in the morning, so obviously most people were sound asleep by then. This is too soon to know how many injuries and fatalities are the result. I hope that the numbers are low and that we can send humanitarian help right away.

New job market

Julie — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:24:02 +0000

I’ve been reading a few articles lately about how one of the things that is going to “save” the planet, and the economy, is “green jobs.” “Green jobs” are jobs that are jobs related to work that are going to have a positive impact on our environment. Yet none of the articles are specific as to exactly WHAT those green jobs are going to be – they are very vague.

The last article that I read indicated that they don’t have to be manual labor jobs, but “green collar jobs” are being considered manual labor jobs. And the article indicated that people would be making at least $15 an hour to start. Well, that’s not the BEST money in the world, but it is pretty good starting pay for someone who is just starting out, so I’d like more information on that! It would be really nice if we could start to see more information about these “green jobs” and how people might get “into” a “green job” whether it is manual labor or otherwise.

Drinking water

Julie — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:22:35 +0000

I was reading an article on the LATimes website that a recent study of bottled water has shown that in many cases the bottled water is no safer than regular tap water. The article did not say what brands of water was tested (and I sure wish it HAD said that) but it indicated that in the ten brands tested there were contaminants such as bacteria and 38 chemicals. The chemicals include caffeine, acetaminophen, fertilizer, solvents, plastic ingredients and strontium (which are radioactive.)

That freaks me out! Bottled water with strontium in it? I’m not sure I’ll ever buy bottled water again! I think I’m better off buying soda if I’m “out and about” and thirsty and without my own refreshment!

Jobs in the Green Market

Julie — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 20:40:28 +0000

I was reading on the Forbes.com news website that the “hottest” job trends are in the “green” market. The article indicates that Washington DC, Boston MA, Houston TX, San Fransisco, San Diego and Las Angelas are all going to be huge markets for “green” industries.

I sure hope that’s true. We could use some job growth around here! Lately it seems to have been all “doom and gloom” news about the economy and people losing jobs. We sure need more jobs, and better jobs right here in the area!

Fall foliage drive

Julie — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 01:29:52 +0000

We decided to go for a fall foliage drive this weekend; we heard that the fall foliage was near peak, and we wanted to have a little bit of relaxation and enjoy the scenery. So we packed up a picnic lunch and headed out for a short but scenic drive out Route 211 into the mountains. With the price of gas so high we couldn’t drive too far, but we found a nice scenic overlook spot with a picnic table and enjoyed a nice lunch of cheese, bread, apples, and sparkling cider. The weather cooperated, it was a warm, beautiful clear day and we could see for miles! All in all it was a very pleasant day today. I’d like to make an annual event of doing this! I hope the price of gas doesn’t make it impossible to do next year!

Happy July 1st!

Julie — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:39:45 +0000

Where does the time fly? The turning of the calendar page from June to July was a shock to me this morning; I barely even noticed June was happening! And now the dog days of July are upon us. I don’t like the excessive heat and humidity that July brings upon us; it is the summer month that I try to hide inside as much as possible, trying to stay in air conditioned comfort as much as possible. The weatherman says that the next couple of days will be unusually cool for July, and I’m glad to hear that.
One of the things that I dislike so much about July is that it is impossible to dress appropriately. It is so hot out that you want to wear short sleeves and short pants, but if you go into an office building or store or movie theater the air conditioning is cranked up so high that you need to wear long pants, long sleeves AND a sweater! So I end up wearing long pants, long sleeves and carrying a sweater and I feel like a real dufus doing it. With the big focus on the cost of fuel and the economy it seems to me that the offices, stores, and movie theaters would set their thermostats just a little bit warmer! Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want them set at 78 or 80, but 76 would be nice!