Backyard Adventures

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Offsetting Your Carbon Footprint

At Tropic World Inc., our belief is that climate change will only be addressed if each and every one of us takes responsible steps to reduce CO2 emissions, so hold your breath. We do realize that for some individuals, businesses, organizations, and Hollywood elite (i.e. Al Gore in his 20-room home, pool house, and private jet), that avoidance of all CO2 emissions will be almost impossible. In this case, Tropic World Inc. plays a vital role.


What is Offsetting?

Each of our everyday actions consume energy and produce carbon dioxide emissions, e.g. taking holiday flights, driving our cars, commuting to work, forced public transportation, ineffective use of carpool lanes, and heating or cooling our homes. Carbon offsetting is a way of compensating for the emissions produced with an equivalent carbon dioxide savings. It is a plan that all of us can help save the planet in these trying times.

How do I Offset?

Plant a tree? Well as you know, planting is a very difficult process. It takes a shovel and some prime agricultural soil, and it isn’t very easy to do. Especially if you have a fifteen-gallon tree you want to plant and your back is sore that day. And with limited space these days, you just can’t plant trees just anywhere. So, we would like to offer another solution, which is much simpler. The process of Carbon offsetting involves two steps – first a calculation of your carbon footprint, how much you consume, how much you drive, and how much you eat. If you eat a lot of spicy foods, your Carbon offset will be much higher. Please take that into consideration when using our on-line real-time calculator. For businesses and organizations, we offer a service tailored to your businesses needs. Please contact us for your free carbon footprint appraisal. Please send $19.95 for your free evaluation, which will be monitored monthly, with enrollment in the Saving-The-Planet program.

The second step involves buying Carbon offset credits from emission reduction projects. This includes trips to the Orange Box, which can consume an excessive amount of fuel. Remember, it isn’t a good project unless you have to go to the Box at least once. Buying Carbon offset credit projects will prevent, have prevented, or have removed an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide throughout the world. Bangladesh is an excellent example of how much we have saved the planet. As CO2 emissions are distributed across the world, it does not matter whether you make the reduction in Malibu or Dhaka. The positive effect on the environment will be the same; reduce, reuse, and recycle and the world will be a much happier place.

What types of offsets can I buy and what are their benefits?

Tropic World Inc. offers a broad range of products that fall into two categories that we call Certified Carbon Credits and Voluntary Carbon Credits. These products derive from international climate exchanges, are fully traceable and are made by companies that would otherwise be traded to meet their emissions targets. By retiring credits you will encourage industry to take active steps to reduce emissions, rather than relying on efforts of others. You will also be encouraging companies that save CO2 to continue their efforts, both helping to address climate change and reducing repugnant gases from high smoke stacks. When you purchase our carbon credits, the CO2 savings will have already been made. By buying, you are encouraging organizations to continue to make savings of CO2, and pushing the market to make it increasingly expensive for polluting companies to buy more credits. A polluting company is a bad company as you know. Certified Carbon Credits are energy-saving offsets, which are purchased for you by Tropic World Inc. and are overseen by international climate exchanges. Please click here for a price and commodity schedule.

Voluntary Carbon Credits are products we include with our international protesting programs. Our programs are independently monitored and fully traceable. As many scientists know, trees reduce CO2 by a process known as carbon sequestration. Our products and programs are more effective, in that they incrementally reduce the Carbon footprint by the use of voluntary protestors, which use a very effective political tool, Hot Air - breathe in CO2 and exhale harmless O2, while standing in a large mob in front of public institutions. Our team of protestors are owned and managed, where they are protected by local and state legislation.

Examples of some recent speeches by our kind and courteous speakers: "I have a dream that one day even the state will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I will use solar, not drive an SUV, and I will take the bus to work. I will use expensive light bulbs, I will drive a Prius, I will not mow my lawn with a gas-powered lawn mower, I will stop barbequing on weekends, and I will voice my opinion to people that are wasteful and water their lawn too much. I will prevent you from consuming, tell you how to run your life, and I will scare you. I will not let you go to Wally World, the Orange Box, or let you buy beef. I will tell you what to do…"

We also have international energy saving projects, which will enhance your CO2 emission credits by donating clean technologies ( e.g. low energy light bulbs. I love these things. They are nine dollars a piece and very affordable if you buy them in bulk from the Orange Box) to developing countries. Again further benefits are raising awareness of climate change and encouraging sustainable living in developing communities and further humanitarian benefits. One main donation is for Third World residential fire suppression such as India and Iraq, and most recently Mexico. Our team focuses on household fire-burning, which adds to the daily Carbon footprint of the globe. Our international projects, including protesting programs are independently monitored by third parties to ensure integrity of the protest, location, and sustainability of the issue.

How do I buy?

Simply visit our blog daily and send money to Tropic World Inc. We offer financial incentives if you would like to put up an ugly windmill on your house, really expensive solar panels, or our organization will contribute to the protection of birds on giant windmill farms to reduce the mortality of these precious creatures, contribute to the demolition of dams in the western United States, and enforce the clean-car mantra. A donation to our organization is the best way for you to reduce your carbon footprint today.

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Sunday, February 25, 2007

Travel Room Complete, Done, Finished



Day Time, Picture 1
Tongariro National Park Picture in the Background
Very cool crown moulding








Day Time, Picture 2
Cool Tiki Room Picture in the Background
I love the tropical palm fan (by request from the folks)







Night Time, Picture 1
Very cool lighting effect, huhh?







Night Time, Picture 2
Sean, did you make the bed?
Is it sunrise already?

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Monday, February 19, 2007

The Big Scoop!!!!!

"The Big Scoop" at the California Railroad Museum
What is Sean hiding in that lunch bag?
Treats?
Did I really carry it throughout the museum?
I want to see what is inside, Sean!


Do tell me the "Big Scoop?"

Do you want to see my pretty ring?

The Ring!
We are Engaged!!!!!!!!
See you at Christmas for the big ceremony?

Celebrating Our Engagement at Fat City, Old Town Sacramento!

Our Sacramento Pictures and Engagement Day!
Did you see my pretty ring yet?

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Thursday, February 15, 2007

Today’s Opinion Favorites



Awaiting the Dishonor Roll
Congress "supports the troops" while emboldening the enemy
By the Wall Street Journal





Libertarians in America - Free to choose, and a good thing too
By John Fund






A Lack of Will - Senate GOP Leaders Fold on a Spending Bill
By Robert D. Novak

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Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Happy Valentine's Day!


Look what I found on the Valentine wall at school this morning:


And this:


And look what I found on my desk:


I confess that I love him-
I rejoice that I love him-
I thank the maker of Heaven and Earth that gave him me to love-
The exultation floods me.
-Emily Dickinson


Happy Valentine's Day, My Love!

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Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day

New Ceiling Fan Installed
Mouldings this Weekend

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Saturday, February 10, 2007

Airport Encounters

Sean and I started a tradition that whenever we are travelling through Dallas/Fort Worth, we find a soldier to thank. It wasn't hard. As soon as I got off the plane in Dallas, I saw a young female soldier on crutches who was waiting for someone who had been on my flight. I thanked her for her service, and she beamed a smile my way. I called Sean to let him know I'd accomplished the task.

Then, as I was waiting in line to board my flight home, I found myself next to a young soldier in ACU's. I asked him if he was on his way home, and he flashed a huge grin. He told me how he'd been in Iraq 18 months and that with the 4 months of training, his tour was 22 months long. He was just 22 years old, and eager to get back to his biggest fans--his wife and his mother. He bubbled over with stories of his time in Iraq and some of the things his unit had accomplished, stories about how his mama was so angry when his unit was held over that she called his commander, stories about the wound that earned him a Purple Heart--TMI! :) He seemed so thrilled that I asked about his tour, and talked on and on enthusiastically--and it was such a small thing really. I'm glad I did. There were actually 3 servicemen on my flight--a soldier who just finished basic training, traveling home in his class A's; an airman in his dress blues, and PFC B., in his ACU's. A safe flight to be on, I'd say.

I came across a touching post today (with the same name!) at A Rose By Any Other Name

I hope PFC B. and his family are enjoying a wonderful homecoming!

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Roses--Week 4

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Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Running Out of Fossil Fuels?


Thirty years ago the alarmists were saying it was just a matter of a few decades before we run out of fossil fuels. That may still be the case, but with the increased consumption of the developing countries like China, the situation is probably worse than they anticipated. But if we run out of fossil fuels, we will directly reduce the CO2 that we put in the atmosphere. Hence global warming will be solved automatically. No more fossil fuels, no global warming. As a side benefit, we will have no more wars in the Middle East, Chaves and Ahmadinejad will be run out of office, and we will be energy independent because the oil rich countries won’t have any oil to peddle. The future is bright!
R

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Monday, February 05, 2007

Mouldings Drying!

The crown mouldings are drying and are almost ready for installation. The cloud idea in the previous post was a bust... But the ceiling (ok sky) paint is still a pretty blue!

Next, the ceiling fan and plug, then moulding and rope lighting! Project done!

Will it be a five-trip orange box project? The more trips you go to the hardware store, the better the project right?

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Sunday, February 04, 2007

Roses--3 weeks from pruning

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Saturday, February 03, 2007

I'm So Blue


I'd rather be blue thinking of you
I'd rather be blue over you
Than be happy with somebody else
Blue over you, I'd rather be blue over you
Than be hap-hap-hap-happy
With somebody else...

See our new Blue Travel Room - Phase One

Stand by for Phase Two, Three, Four
Ceiling Fan, Molding, Banner Wallpaper...

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Thursday, February 01, 2007

Celebrating...


1000 Visitors!!!

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Beannachti Na Feila Brighid!


Today is the feast day of St. Brigid of Ireland, patron saint of scholars, poets, babies, blacksmiths, milkmaids, and midwives. I admire St. Brigid for her kindness, her merry spirit, her love of scholarship, her generosity to the poor and sick, her feistiness—and this quote: "I would like a great lake of beer for the King of Kings. I would like to be watching Heaven's family drinking it through all eternity."

On this first day of Irish Spring, you can celebrate by eating ice cream, or having a beer!

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