Worms are my Friends

One of the things us Eco Maniacs like to do is recycle everything we can, reduce waste, upcycle when possible (skateboard jewelry) and reuse, reuse, reuse. Last summer, I came into temporary possesion of two red-belly slider turtles, that had been in captivity all of their lives, never learning how to catch live food. I tried to feed them things like crickets, earthworms, meal worms and red wiggler worms. They liked the crickets and mealworms, but not the earthworms or the wigglers. Now, the earthworms could go back in the yard where they came from. But the wigglers? They came out of a container that I purchased at the pet store, they were hybrids, and as far as I know, not native to my backyard, therefore, could not be released.

So what do I do with these worms? A situation not to be taken lightly! My friend and co-worker, Shannon, suggested a worm composting bin. Ok, so how hard could that be? Not hard at all.

I took one of those big tupperware type containers, some newspaper, dirt, leaves and my worms. I started by just throwing in bits and pieces of lettuce every few day. I'm now adding in banana peels, coffee and tea, lettuce, apple peels and more. I have happy worms. Who knew? Eventually, they will make baby worms and by summer, I should have a nice little pile of compost for my garden. And even if it's just a little bit of food staying out of the trash can, it truly is the compilation of little things that counts. Check out the links on the home page of http://www.ecomaniaccompany.com/

Going Green, Thinking Pink

When a friend of mine was first diagnosed with breast cancer, of course, the emotions ran high. But she wasn't going to let it get her down. Instead, during a brief brainstorming session, I decided to dedicate a page from www.ecomaniaccompany.com to breast cancer awareness and research. I mean, why not? I do it for the sea turtles! So, I searched out some pink items for the page, and my friend, who has much more artistic talent than myself, agreed to hand paint some reusable canvas bags as well.
If you know anything about chemotherapy (which I didn't), there is a span of days after each treatment, which can be referred to as the dark side. I've tried to get her to paint during this time, things that represent how much this whole process sucks. My thought was that people who are going through this same ordeal, may be appreciative of the truth, rather than the pretty pink ribbons. Alas, she didn't think the outcome would be good and is continuing to paint beautiful designs that will be appreciated my many.
Please help us "Save The TaTa's", "Find the Cure", "Think Pink" all while going green, Eco Maniac Style!

Balloons found on sea turtle nest patrol on the Sandbridge beach section of Virginia Beach. Thanks Peg!

Kermit is released

Kermit, a green sea turtle, found stranded in Virginia Beach after ingesting pieces of plastic, balloon and paper, is released after nine months in rehab. http://www.wvec.com/news/vabeach/stories/wvec_top_062209_turtle.1745877c.html

Balloons found at Fisherman's Wharf Marina in Virginia Beach on June 17, 2009. (Thank you Colleen(s) for collecting them!)

Eastern Shore of VA trip, June 11, 2009

June 11, 2009 These pictures are of balloons found during a boat trip from Wise Point to Cape Charles on Virginia's Eastern Shore. We found 3 mylar balloons and 4 latex balloon, including one from Red Robin (the closest Red Robin is in Virginia Beach on the western side of the Chesapeake Bay). What goes up, will come down...

So, if you were a seaweed-eating sea turtle, would this "biodegradable" balloon look like a tasty snack to you? Yes, many latex balloons are biodegradable. But they don't disappear overnight. In fact it can take months. While they are biodegrading, they start to shred (like in this photo) and can start to look like seaweed or squid, the natural prey items for many animals that live in the ocean. And if the strings are attached? They don't biodegrade for a much longer time, if at all. So ingesting a balloon is bad enough, but with string in tow, there is a really good chance that that animal is going to have some serious intestinal issues!