Consumerism and the Poster Boy

This is a video about Poster Boy, a vigilante artist and about the consumerism that he tries to stop. If we do not stop consumerism, it will destroy the planet.

We should complain to the companies, but how can we do that? Here are some ideas:

• You can send them letters or emails asking them to use less packaging, and to protect the environment.
• If they don't listen, you can stop buying their stuff and put them out of business.

What else can we do?

• Buy less stuff.
• Buy stuff in larger packages instead of single serving sizes.
• Use things longer than just six months.
• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Leave a comment with your ideas and suggestions for ways we can help stop consumerism.

Please enjoy this visual aid.

Here are two more visual aids:

Consumerism! The Musical - This is a funny video about a world-class jerk who is a slave to consumerism - he loves to buy stuff.

The Story of Stuff - This video talks about how consumerism is good for big companies, but not for the environment or even people. It's all about the "curse of consumerism."

And one more about a photographer who is working to save an island:

Technorati Tags: consumerism

Tracks, Games, And Snowshoes

It was a horrid morning - windy, icy, and snowy.  Gray clouds lingered across the sky as the boys of Cub Scout Pack 529 prepared for a long, frigid walk at Dyken Pond.

We were going for a snowshoe trek through Dyken Pond in Upstate New York on a chilly January morning.  To prepare, we dressed warmly in boots, snow pants, coat, hat, and some other layers.  When we got to the park, the dads helped us put on snowshoes so that we could stand on the deep snow.

The plan was to find and identify animal tracks.  A female leader led  us through the woods and over the lake to help us locate the animal tracks.  She told how to identify whether a track is a dog track or a cat track.  Cat tracks have long toe nails, and dogs don't.

While on this trek, we went over the lake to play an Eskimo Game by running around in a big circle and trying to not get caught by the person who was it.

It was treacherous journey where we feared frostbite and homicidal chipmunks and deer with laser eyes.  Good thing we didn't find any.

Instead, we found the tracks of squirrels and the greatly feared phantom dog Yoohoo.  The real highlight of the trip was when we found fox tracks.  We knew that they were a kind of dog track, and the leader said that they were most likely fox tracks.

After a long walk we finally made it back to the car alive.  This was a fun, exhausting, and educational trip.

Submitted to the Bear Den News - A Pack 529 Publication.

Celebrating Groundhog Day

I think Groundhog Day should be celebrated by watching TV, eating chocolate ice cream, and playing any Groundhog Day game on the computer.

If you want, leave a comment on how you think we should celebrate Groundhog's Day. I'll judge them, and then I'll write a blog post on the best suggestions.

Many will enter, few will win.

Click here for an online Groundhog's Day Game: http://spedr.com/5uqqz

The Scientifically Sounding Report

There are many mysteries of life, but I've taken the liberty to study one in particular - the key to survival.

Scientists wonder what is life and how to make it.  But, I've studied how to keep it.  Different species have different needs.  For example, humans need food, water, and shelter.  But, mealworms need food, moisture, and darkness.

Based on Mealworm and Earthworm Science Studies.

Diary Of A Wimpy Kid Review

YouTube - Interview Show - Diary of a Wimpy Kid

The latest book in Jeff Kinney's series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, just came out.  It's called, Diary of a Wimpy Kid - The Last Straw.

This is the best book ever!  I recommend it for everybody.

 

Kayla and Alex's Interview Show - Diary of a Wimpy Kid

In this video, my sister interviewed me to find out why I love this series.  I also wrote a blog post where I reviewed the first book in the series.

The second book was awesome too!  From my LibraryThing Review:

In this book, Greg's friendship with Rowley is in jeopardy. You have to read the book to find out more. I recommend this book to anyone who wants a good laugh.

These books are so popular that they're going to make a movie soon.

E.O. Wilson: The Ant Whisperer

E.O. Wilson is a naturalist who has greatly expanded our knowledge of ants. As a kid he was a geek who liked to look at nature’s creations. His first interest in nature sprouted when he was on a beach and found a Sea Nettle Jellyfish. He observed it for hours. Over time, as he matured, his interest turned to ants. He overcame several disabilities to make his award-winning discoveries about ants.

As a young man, E.O. Wilson, or as I like to call him, the Ant Whisperer, fought many obstacles. One of his disabilities was that he became partially deaf. Another disability is that he had dyslexia; this might make it hard to focus. The biggest obstacle to becoming a naturalist, someone who observes nature, is that he lost sight in one eye in a fishing accident. This destroyed his ability to see in 3D. After the fishing incident, he found out that he could see small things such as ants really well. It seems that he was destined to study ants.

In his studies, E. O. Wilson found out how ants communicate. They leave a trail of a chemical pheromone that the other ants follow. He also learned that the ants figure out if the other ants are alive or dead by detecting the Carbon Dioxide that the live ants respire. The dead ants emit Oleic Acid from their decomposing bodies instead of Carbon Dioxide. He also figured out that ants go crazy when invaders attack because they bring a mix of chemicals called propaganda pheromones. He shared all this information and more in the Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Ants.

E. O. Wilson overcame many obstacles, defeated many challenges to teach us about ants. He became world-famous for his discoveries that are important to understanding ants and the diversity of life. All in all, E. O. Wilson is an inspiring person and naturalist.

Source: E.O. Wilson - Ant Man.  Odyssey: Adventures In Science.  A Cobblestone Publication, April 2007.

Still Life That My Mom Forced Me To Do

We read I Am an Artist by Pat Lowery Collins and illustrated by Robin Brickman.

Alex, “I am NOT an artist and my mom made me read this book. I hated it, but if you're an artist you should read it.”

Mom's Note - The illustrations are absolutely beautiful. This is an inspiring book for almost any child (and parent!)