save earth sunday!

SAVE EARTH SUNDAY IS AN EVENT I MADE TO HELP THE PLANET. EVERY WEEK ON SUNDAY I WILL POST ECO TIPS WE CAN ALL USE DAILY TO HELP IMPACT THE EARTH. TOGETHER WE CAN make a difference and CHANGE THE WORLD! FEEL FREE TO POST YOUR OWN ECO TIP(S) AS WELL AND DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE ME A LINK TO YOUR POST SO I CAN DO IT TOO. so i encourage all of you out there to do something. :) peace be with you guys. 

Landfills everywhere are running out of room, and the EPA estimates that roughly 25% of the garbage in the U.S. is made up of yard trimmings and food scraps. That's over 60 million tons each year! Instead of watching your local landfill get bigger and more expensive to maintain each month, try composting.

This weeks tip:

Composting is a great way to save money and trash from piling up in landfills. Plus if you're a gardener like me, your plants will thrive in rich soil that you practically got for free. All you need to get started is a composting pail/ bin! For more info follow the link below. 

http://greenliving.about.com/od/thegreenyard/tp/compost.htm

Divergent by Veronica Roth book review

Synopsis by Goodreads.:
Beatrice "Tris" Prior has reached the fateful age of sixteen, the stage at which teenagers in Veronica Roth's dystopian Chicago must select which of five factions to join for life. Each faction represents a virtue: Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. To the surprise of herself and her selfless Abnegation family, she chooses Dauntless, the path of courage. Her choice exposes her to the demanding, violent initiation rites of this group, but it also threatens to expose a personal secret that could place in mortal danger. Veronica Roth's young adult Divergent trilogy launches with a captivating adventure about love and loyalty playing out under most extreme circumstances.


Rated by me: 4 out of 5 stars!


My thoughts: 
Usually I do not like dystopian novels, but to my surprise this one was very awesome and well written! :) The book seems a little intimidating with almost 500 pages but the time flies when you first open it up. This book was recommended to me by my cousin and for some reason I tend to dislike books when I am forced to read them. ( like in school) But try as I might I couldn't get myself to hate this book. Though the main character, Beatrice, was a little annoying, I found myself able to look past her tendencies and was overall able to enjoy this book as a whole. 

13 Reason Why by Jay Asher * 5 out of 5 stars!*

Love Love Love Love this book! I thought it was a fantastic story that was very well written. At first I was hesitant to read this book because it was about suicide. Lets admit it, it's a scary topic and no one really wants to talk about it. But in 2007, suicide was the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S. with more then 30,000 deaths according to nimh.nih.gov. This book, "13 Reasons Why" by Jay Asher takes us into the world of Hannah Baker, where we are able to experience her thoughts and reasoning for killing herself. This book shows us that our actions, no matter how small, does effect others; for better or worse. I highly recommend everyone to read this book, I thought it was fantastic. The author, Jay Asher, makes me want to change the world. I really hope he writes more books in the future. :)


Here is the synopsis from Goodreads.

 Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list.

Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

Follow Friday/Blog Hop!

So since we have to find giveaways this week I discovered this giveaway.
The Reader Bee is giving away the book, The Goddess Test (autographed too, that's like double points!) Follow the link here to her blog: The Reader Bee.

Now onto follow Friday!
Here is this weeks question.
Q: "What is the worst book that you've ever read and finished?"

A: This is a hard one because I've read so many terrible books! But if I had to choose one, it would be Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols.
I was so excited to read this book because of all the hype surrounding it, but once I picked it up, I wanted to build a time machine so I could go back and warn myself not to. I didn't like the main character. A lot of people really enjoyed reading this and I want to like it but I can't. What makes it worse is that I bought it. :(

You have to be 21 to buy sparklers at Wal-Mart!?

Hey everyone, I hope that you are all fantastic this evening. Well today I decided to stop by Wal-Mart to buy some sparklers to celebrate my patriotism for this great country, but no way jose, they wouldn't let me because I wasn't 21. I thought this was a little ridiculous because I am 18. Like hellooooo I can go buy cigarettes and kill people with second hand smoke, but I can't hold a sparkler. I don't know but I was very upset when I left that store. No worries though because I do have good news! After I left Wally World, I went across the street to Target (good ol' awesome Target) and got myself a bunch of sparklers (same exact ones they sold at Walmart), which I was able to without questions asked. :) 

Hooray!!! So now it's time to celebrate!! :))

So just to be safe here is a little tib bit I found on safety prevention with sparklers.

Fireworks Safety During July 4th Celebrations

For many in New Hampshire, fireworks have become a way of life during the holidays – beautifully colored sparks flying through the air in concert with loud rumbling explosions. As exciting as this may seem, people often forget that they are playing with dangerous chemicals and combustibles that can destroy property and injure people. These deceptively simple objects explode, throw hot sparks through the air, and can often reach temperatures hotter than 1,200 degrees.
According to the NFPA and the Consumer Product Safety Commission, in 2008 fireworks were the cause of 30,100 fires, 7,000 injuries, and 7 deaths. From June 20th to July 20th, 2008, devices such as sparklers, fountains, roman candles and novelties accounted for 40% of injuries; another 18% were caused by firecrackers. Shawn Murray, President NH Association of Fire Chiefs warns firecrackers due to their high injury rates are illegal in New Hampshire. Bill Degnan NH State Fire Marshal advises if you plan to shoot your own fireworks make sure they are legal to use in your community and pay particular attention to safety tips to help reduce the chances of a destructive fire and/or injury:

• Only purchase fireworks from a licensed dealer that sells New Hampshire permissible fireworks.
• Avoid buying fireworks that come in brown paper packaging, as this is often a sign that the fireworks were made for professional shows and could pose a danger to consumers.
• Never allow young children to play with fireworks.
• Adults should always supervise fireworks activities. Parents often don't realize that sparklers have caused more injuries to children under age five than any other type of firework. Sparklers burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees – hot enough to melt some metals.
• Never have any portion of your body directly over a firework device when lighting the fuse. Move back a safe distance immediately after lighting.
• Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not fully functioned. Douse and soak with water and throw them away.
• Never point or throw fireworks at another person.
• Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap.
• Light one item at a time, and then move back quickly.
• Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in metal or glass containers.
• Avoid the combination of alcohol, drugs and fireworks.

Shawn Murray, President NH Association of Fire Chiefs suggests "The safest way to enjoy fireworks is by attending a public fireworks display,". Enjoy the July 4th celebration safely and remember to practice fire safety every day said Degnan and Murray. Plan your escape, install and maintain smoke alarms and residential fire sprinklers. The life they save may be yours!

Save Earth Sunday :)

Hey everyone, I hope that you are all enjoying your 4th of July weekend! In the mist of all this fun and excitement I urge you to also be respectful of our environment. I found this little snippet called, "8 Ways to Green Fourth of July," by 
Michelle Talsma Everson.

The Fourth of July is arguably summer’s most popular and celebrated holiday. And, like most occasions, you can take steps to make sure you and your fellow party goers remember to keep Mother Nature in mind while you celebrate.
So, whether you’re hosting a backyard barbecue or traveling to see your local fireworks show, remember some of these helpful tips to stay green this 4th of July.

When determining if your disposable dishes can be recycled, take into consideration the following: If food can be cleaned from the product (in the case of some plastic tableware), and if it has a plastic recycling symbol that is accepted by your community, generally it can be recycled. Photo: Rubbermaid.com

1. Pass on Plastic Party Ware

They’re popular and easy: Plastic, ready-to-go plates, cups and utensils are convenient for parties with a lot of guests. The down side, they’re not so convenient for the environment.
To avoid this, do your best to use normal tableware that can just be washed and reused. If you must go the disposable route, clean them up (they’re often washable) and use them at your next big gathering.
Also, make sure to recycle your plastics when they’re not usable anymore. Check the resin number (#1-#7) to see if it’s accepted by your curbside recycling program. If not, check out our recycling search for drop-off locations near you.  Be aware, if paper plates are more your style, they will have to be thrown out or composted due to food residue.

2. Take the Celebration Outdoors

Even though temperatures might be soaring, most Fourth of July parties don’t get exciting until the evening.  So, take advantage of the cooler evening weather and throw your party outdoors. It’s a great way to enjoy nature and reduce the energy costs of using indoor facilities.

3. Green Your Menu

For barbecue lovers, there’s nothing better (or more traditional) than grilled food on the Fourth of July. But, instead of heading to your traditional meat and veggie aisles, consider using locally grown organic food this holiday.
It might surprise you, but nearly everything on your menu can be replaced with its organic cousin. It’s a great way to introduce family and friends to delicious organic foods while helping the environment by reducing chemicals used in processed foods and the transportation costs that usually come with shipping non-local food products.

4. Save (and Reuse) Your Decorations

If you’ve hosted Independence Day celebrations before, you know the décor is often the same: streamers, party favors and table toppers all in bold red, white and blue. Sadly, most people often use these decorations once and then throw them out. But they can be reused year after year! So, this year, after the party’s over, take the time to store and save your decorations. You or someone you know can use them again next year, which helps to save on a bit of unneeded trash.

Fireworks also release heavy metals like lead into the air. If you do put on a backyard show, opt for fireworks rich in nitrogen. These may cost a little more, but you’ll have less smoke.Photo: Associatedcontent.com

5. Eco-Friendly Fireworks

Fireworks are hardly an environmentally friendly activity, but they’re an unwavering Fourth of July tradition. If you’re setting off your own fireworks this year, be sure to use fireworks rich in nitrogen. They often cost a bit more but put out less smoke into the environment.
Another option is to gather your group and go see your local fireworks display. It’s a great way to see a much bigger fireworks show and negates you from harming the environment with your own personal display.

6. Barbecue with Propane

To help reduce your grill’s carbon footprint this Independence Day, make sure to grill with propane – it burns the cleanest, which causes less smoke. It can also help to keep a fire going longer, which is obviously a classic grilling goal.
To be even more earth friendly with your grilling, make sure to recycle your propane tanks once it’s empty.

7. Gather in Large Groups

This may seem like a no-brainer for such a popular holiday, but the larger a group you gather (preferably outdoors), the less energy you use at individual parties that may take place indoors. Plus, the more people to help prepare and purchase food, the less of a cost it is to each individual. Just make sure your fellow party goers know these green tips!

8. Use Large Water Containers

Plastic water bottles are convenient, but like other disposable goods, they can add up fast. In lieu of individual plastic bottles, store water for your family or guests in large containers so they can re-fill their reusable water bottles or reusable cups. If you must use plastic water bottles, be sure to encourage your guests to recycle them.