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(Originally Written For Repellem Blog)

Since 1929 Catalina Island has been a popular hideaway for those in Hollywood seeking a secluded vacation without having to travel halfway across the globe. With hotels and resorts spread all along its beaches, the island has now become a popular tourist attraction with as many as 10,000 people coming over from the mainland every weekend.  Now it seems as if those days may be over. A wildfire that broke out Thursday night has now consumed 4,000 acres in just 48 hours. One witness to the massive fire told CNN “It was like a nightmare when we left. You couldn’t breathe, and ash was falling like snow.” 

The islanders aren’t the only ones trying to survive the deadly flames; the island is also home to the once endangered Catalina Island Fox. In fact the majority of the 76 square mile island is used by the Catalina Conservatory Group for the specific purpose of saving the fox and other animals such as bison and the bald eagle. It was only 17 years ago that the fox was saved from extinction after a deadly disease wiped out most of its population. The fox, which has lived on the island for over 4,000 years, was nearly wiped out several years ago by a severe case of distemper and its numbers plummeted from a thriving 1,300 to little over 75. Though it’s not clear exactly how the Catalina Fox ended up on the island some speculate that they floated on over on debris during severe weather.

With the fires still raging out of control, the extent of the damage to the Fox’s habitat and it’s effect on their population may not be known for years. As for when the fire will be contained, reports are saying that it is just now at 10% and that Marines stationed at Camp Pendleton have been called in to help. Governor Schwarzenegger even went as far as mentioning the animals as a major concern this afternoon when his said “Everyone is working very hard to make sure that the people are safe and the animals are safe.”

(Written For Repellemblog.com)

Wind power isn’t something you normally think of when you think alternate energy sources. Generally when somebody mentions that their home is ran by clean energy the mind immediately takes you down the path of solar power. At least mine does. What I definitely don’t think about is a home with a windmill in the backyard. Ok maybe I can see one of those ornamental things twirling away near the garden in the shape of something along the lines of two guys sawing a log or a duck flying south with it’s wing twirling a mile a minute. Either way a home powered by wind isn’t something many people consider. However now that several states have started offering up tax incentives for switching to wind power, the environmentally conscious all across the country find themselves…well chasing windmills.

According to the American Wind Energy Association sales of wind systems climbed 62% last year and now average around $17 million a year!! If that’s not amazing enough, they also say that windmills are powering over 100,000 homes. Windmills are quickly turning into a very cool alternative to relying on city ran utilities. Just ask Tom Rhamy. Rhamy owns a 3000-watt wind turbine on his home in Kern County California and says “I just love the feeling I get when I watch my electricity meter spin backwards, because the more often my meter spins backwards, the less I have to pay Southern California Edison”

The $30k price tag is a draw back for some and probably does make wind power hard to acquire for those living on a budget, but with the systems paying for themselves in less than 5 years (through savings on your utility bill) if you can swing it why not? And don’t worry about not having enough wind; the turbines can be raised to over 70 feet where they are practically guaranteed to catch the breeze.

 (Written For LogHomesJournal)

AAAAANNNNDDD That’s it!! Christmas 2007 is gone in the blink of an eye. Those stockings that were hung with care were ripped to shreds in seconds leaving nothing but empty cardboard boxes and scraps of wrapping paper in their wake. The tree in the corner everyone couldn’t wait to decorate now becomes a task nobody is looking forward to dealing with. Which begs the question what exactly do we do with the skeletal remains of our tree now that all the Christmas cheer has left the building? For those that opted for plastic, taking the tree down is just a matter of bending branches and putting it back in its box. But what about the 35 million real deal trees that are sold each year? Do you simply haul it to the curb and let the G-man do what he does or is there a way to prolong the life of your Christmas tree by giving it another purpose? The answer of course is recycling.

Tips On Treecycling:

• Trees can be used as shelter for animals. By putting your tree in the backyard, you are giving birds, squirrels, and other animals some shelter from the harsh winter. If you have left over food such as popcorn, nuts, or even cranberries poor them over the tree so that they can be sure to get a good meal.
• For those lucky enough to have a pond, how about sinking your tree? The tree will provide shelter and good feeding grounds for the fish living in it.
• Turn that tree into mulch!! Shred your tree and sprinkle it around your flower beds. This way the tree mulch can help reduce weeds while at the same time keeping the ground moist.
• Make some potpourri. Mix the needles with some cinnamon sticks, cloves, and other natural aromas. Throw them all in a pot with ¼ cup of water, sit them on low heat on the stove, and enjoy the fantastic smells.
• If none of the above works for you, call around to different city offices and inquire as to if your city has a Treecycling program.

The point is instead of just dumping your Christmas tree remains on the side of the road; find a way to put back in the Earth what was taken away. And don’t just stop with Treecycling, start a new tradition of planting a tree once a year so that you are essentially replacing the one you will be proudly displaying in your home.