Green Condos & Bear Awareness

 -- Quote of the Day --

“You have to trust yourself, 
Be what you are and do what you ought to do 
The way you should do it. 
You have got to discover you, 
What you do, 
And trust it”.

~ Barbara Streisand

-- Tips for August Outdoor Safety --

Bears, especially Black Bears, are now getting ready for winter, putting on lots of fat for the long weeks of hibernation ahead of them. So make a lot of noise when you are on the trails, especially those near water-ways - where there are bound to be berry patches, and other things that bears are looking for right now. 

Clapping your hands every 8 min or so is a good idea, always having a person with you, and talking regularly are things that will let the bears know you are around. Keep in mind that rushing water, heavy winds and canyon like conditions can greatly influence how far sound will travel.... and you definitely want the bear to hear you coming. 

Carry a sport whistle with you, somewhere handy to reach in a panic, so you can make a lot of noise if you see one. It is important to scare the bear off so that they do not become complacent around humans. Having a dog with you is a great comfort since they will let you know if anything is in the area, but if they are not on leash they  might just try to scare off the bear themselves - and end up infuriating the creature instead. Imagine the scared dog running to you for help... with bear in tow. 

Be sure to refrain from carrying smelly food items while on the trails, and that you pick up waste along the trail as well. Food wrappers carried by the wind for instance to the trail area can attract animals with greater smelling abilities than ours... like bears, and skunks and others. 

-- Green Construction --

Source: japanfs.org 

Mitsubishi Estate Co., a major real-estate company, opened a model condominium that is designed with a solar power generation system; this is expected to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 30,000 tons per year. Because of the success of this test project, the company plans to increase the number of eco-condominiums that have a measurable impact on reducing CO2 emissions from the residential sector.

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