Volunteers & Positive Eco-News!

-- Quote of the Day --

“Volunteers, like I do, find deep joy and meaning in this work. We require volunteers to be 12 years old… some of the work is very heavy, such as in the barn – you know, bales of hay can weigh 40lbs. But there are a million and one things that people can do to help. …Some of our older volunteers will write thank you notes, a lot of the men will help with carpentry and vehicle maintenance and road repair. ...People sign on a 4-hour shift for the same day each week. …What I’ve had to learn (as director) is have my eye on a bunch of things at once. We now have 6000 members in 48 states, members in 18 different countries; we have up to 150 volunteers and 10 staff. I find the very best person for the various roles – my job is to support them, clarify the expectation and support them, be encouraging be there for them – and to ensure that everything that we do is in line with the focus. …We have a 9-page waiting list because of the economy – so who is going to die if they don’t come here? …We also help people understand about what they eat and where it comes from.”

~ Dec 8, ’09 – Kathy Stevens

Today's quote was excerpted from the Conscious Discussions Talk Radio interview that aired on Dec 8, 2009 - when we learned about the Catskill Animal Sanctuary. Check it out by clicking on the hyper-link above, or look to the right side of the blog for recent Conscious Discussions Talk Radio episodes.

-- Recommended Resources --

The MatrixRadio.com site has some excellent environmental information and resources: http://www.thematrixradio.com/environ.htm

Recent episode of Missa's Urban Home Radio titled - Recycle Your Christmas Trash:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/missadxon/2009/12/27/missas-urban-home

Spiral Gardens focus is to create healthy, sustainable communities by prooting a strong local food system and productive use of urban soil: http://www.spiralgardens.org

-- Positive Eco-News --

Mikuni Construction Co. in Kitakyusyu City, southern Japan, announced that it would be launching a business that focuses on renting goats for weeding/mowing services starting in April 2010. This unique service does not require any machinery, and therefore reduces both air and noise pollution.

I would imagine that one would have to fence off areas where you would want the goats to stay out of, like landscaping and garden areas. Perhaps the goats are tethered... also, I imagine some concern could be raised about goat waste. Perhaps the waste is compostable like rabbit and chicken manure or small enough to break down quickly with the power of water spraying from a hose. The cleanliness and friendliness of the individual animals may also be a concern to some. However, this seems like a very eco-friendly idea and a very unique business opportunity for others to join in on.

Find Dave & Lillian Brummet, excerpts from their books, information about their radio shows & free resources & articles at www.brummet.ca