Helping Our Earth Article

I have started a new venture in addition to my business I decided to write some articles on Associated Press, what fun it was to take an assignment, do research for it and have it published. 

The article I chose was about Volunteer opportunities in Illiniois that help improve our Earth.
How appropriate for all of my Blog readers.

I hope that each of you are looking at each day as an opportunity to give back whether it is to your neighbor, a friend or even a stranger in need.

We all can make a difference in someone elses life.

To read my article please go to Article Link

I hope to publish more and would love for you to share this link with others.  Thank you in advance!

Waste of Tax Dollars Please Help

WE NEED YOUR HELP

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/hunt-the-deer-of-will-county-forest-preserve

OVERPOPULATION OF WHITETAIL DEER

Will County, Illinois' Forest Preserve officials have recommended a massive culling of native deer herds because of deer overpopulation. In an area that could sustain 20 deer per square mile the deer are at levels over 150 per square mile.
They are trying to figure out if we the people of Will county would like to pay for sharp shooters or allow Hunters to accomplish the task at no cost to the County.

SOME FACTS ABOUT OVERPOPULATION OF WHITETAIL DEER.

Many expanding suburban communities, and even some cities, face a dangerously expanding deer population. In backyards, they graze on shrubbery and feud over territory

While they still have some predators in the Northeast, mostly coyotes or bobcats, their main animal predators, wolves, are gone.


Man is now a deer's most-feared predator, but the number of hunters is declining, especially among teen-agers who today have more options to fill their time.

Today's high deer population may shape how the country's forests look decades from now. The animals are reducing the number of trees and seedlings and affecting which species will survive, forestry experts say.

In areas of overpopulation, deer cause an over browsing affect called a "browse line". In areas with a browse line, most plant species below the browse line are stripped bare damaging the habitat for many species. These brows lines can be from four to six feet high.


Deer establish a territory and will not leave it.

Deer are known to starve rather than leave their domain.

Just 2 deer without predation can produce a herd of up to 35 deer in just 7 years.

Deer can live up to 11 years in the wild.

Under optimal conditions without regulating factors like predators or hunting, deer populations can double in size annually.

Two of the considerations used when establishing a deer management plan are Biological Carrying Capacity (BCC) and Cultural Carrying Capacity (CCC).


DEER DAMAGE

A recent survey of U.S. farm leaders revealed that as many as 56% believed they had suffered crop damage by wildlife and the Whitetail deer was named as the primary culprit.

Pennsylvania farmers suffer crop damage of an estimated $30 million annually, Wisconsin estimates it's farmers are hit for $37 million annually.

Back in 1995, conservative estimates place deer-car collisions in the us at over 500,000 annually. Vehicle damage is in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

The annual damage in New Jersey alone is estimated to exceed $10 million dollars. These accidents resulted in thousands of injuries and over 100 deaths.

Suburban home owners spend thousands of dollars on replacing landscaping plants defoliated or damaged by deer.

In 1995, Lyme disease was considered to be the fastest growing infectious disease next to AIDS. Some scientists see a strong link between high deer densities and Lyme disease.

In Pennsylvania, a state that tracks deer-vehicle collisions, there are over 40,000 deer-vehicle collisions annually.

Based on Pennsylvania's experience, VDGIF conservatively estimates the annual vehicle damage caused deer-vehicle collisions to exceed 25 million dollars.

Even more important is the cost in human life. During the 1985-1994 period, 12 fatalities were reported as a result of deer-vehicle collisions in Virginia.



Please sign this petition so that our voices can be heard on April 1st.


We need  alot more signatures!

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/hunt-the-deer-of-will-county-forest-preserve

Earth Day

One of my favorite times of the year!

A time to give back a time to start fresh and a time to get outdoors.

Yes, it's Earth Day!!

APRIL 22nd mark your calendars and start a family or group tradition.

This is the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day!

Here are some ideas for the entire family:


•Never throw things away unless you use a trash container

•If you see trash on the street, pick it up and throw it away

•Organize a clean up day near your school with classmates

•When you no longer need a toy or clothing, give it away to someone who can use it

•Have a yard sale with your family or friends

•Use cloth napkins instead of paper napkins

•Buy recycled paper products whenever possible

•Use paper instead of plastic

MORE IDEAS:

• Adopt a park or forest preserves where you go to often to pick up trash
• Plant a tree
• Start a community garden
• Support eco-friendly companies
• Ask your company to start being more responsible with their waste of paper

HAVE FUN & HAPPY EARTH DAY!!

If you have an event you want to post on here for Earth Day please feel free to post it.

"Mackenzie's Pages of Hope"

"Mackenzie's Pages of Hope"

Thank you for your interest in this very special charity.

About 2 years ago, when Mackenzie was 10, she was telling her mom about a Girl Scout project she wanted to do.  They started with purchasing books from school book orders to donate to a local children's hospital in Springfield, IL.  A local TV station did a story this past December on her and her family delivering the first batch of 80 books to the hosptial and rom there it quickly started to grow bigger than any of them had imagined.

Her local hospital is part of the Children's Miracle Network. The books you are so graciously donating here in Naperville, will go to Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago, which is also a CMN hospital.  Eventually, Mackenzies goal is to provide books to all 177 Children's Miracle Network Hospitals in the country!

Per hospital regulations, the books must be new.  Our targeted age group is infant through 10 years old but we do need books for teens, too.  Our goal is to have 500 books by March 1, 2010.  Thank you for helping Mackenzie's dream become a reality... her dream to share her love of reading!

Books are being collected at:

Thomas Orthontics

3124 S. Route 59

Suite 132

Naperville, IL

630-904-7600