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Post by ZandraJoi on Feb 26, 2021 9:44:36 GMT -5
"On the fourth Friday in February, The Coral Keepers ask you to consider a different way on National Skip the Straw Day! For thousands of years, humans have enjoyed slurping a refreshing beverage through a cylindrical tube. If Marvin Stone (the inventor of the first paper straw in 1888) were alive today, he might be shocked to know of the five large areas of the ocean, called gyres, where plastic garbage collects. The sea’s currents create vortexes trapping plastics, and in the collection are plastic drinking straws.
Straws and other plastics cause harm to marine life in many ways. Birds, fish and other sea life consume plastics accidentally or when they mistake it for food. Plastics don’t biodegrade. They break down into smaller and finer, microscopic pieces. When plastics break down, they produce bisphenol A (BPA) which interferes with reproductive systems in marine life. It also produces styrene monomer which is a suspected carcinogen.
According to the National Park Service, Americans use 500 million drinking straws daily! So, on National Skip the Straw Day that’s potentially 500 million fewer straws that don’t end up in landfills or the ocean.
We can give you all sorts of other statistics to convince you to Skip the Straw on National Skip the Straw Day (and on other days), but we would rather show you how."
My notes: We don't need to use straws. We WANT to. If people WANT to, opt for reusable ones. Bring your own. I already bring canvas bags to stores, containers to restaurants. It's not that hard.
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Post by ZandraJoi on Feb 26, 2022 9:27:44 GMT -5
"February 26th recognizes all things pistachio and National Pistachio Day is the day to celebrate! Pistachio lovers rejoice as they eat their favorite nut all day long. For those who do not eat pistachios, buy some and give them to someone who does. Crack them open and eat them up or enjoy them in ice cream or your favorite pistachio dessert!
Pistachios arrived in the United States sometime in the 1880s, but they have been cultivated in the Middle East since Biblical times.
The pistachio tree grows to about 20 feet tall needing little or no rain and must have high heat. Amazingly, in Iran, they claim to have 700-year-old pistachio trees! A new tree takes between 7 and 10 years to mature and bear fruit.
Pistachio Facts:
All pistachio shells are naturally beige in color. Some companies dye nuts red or green if nuts are inferior or for consumer demand.
California produces about 300 million pounds of pistachios each year, accounting for 98 percent of America’s production.
Pistachio shells typically split naturally when ripe.
The kernels are often eaten whole, either fresh or roasted, and either salted or unsalted.
In the Middle East, people call the pistachio the smiling nut.
In China, people call the pistachio the happy nut.
Health Benefits
“Pistachios are an excellent source of vitamin B6, copper, and manganese and a good source of protein, fiber, thiamine, and phosphorus. Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces (42.5g) per day of most nuts, such as pistachios, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.” US Food and Drug Administration, July 2003
A Great Thing To Do — Recycle the Pistachio Shells!
The empty pistachio shells are useful for recycling in several ways. If unsalted, the shells need not be washed and dried before reuse, but washing is simple if that is not the case. Practical uses include as a fire starter; kindling to be used with crumpled paper; to line the bottom of pots containing houseplants for drainage and retention of soil for up to two years; as a mulch for shrubs and plants that require acid soils, as a medium for orchids; and as an addition to a compost pile designed for wood items that take longer to decompose than leafy materials (it can take up to a year for pistachio shells to decompose unless soil is added to the mix).
Shells from salted pistachios can also be placed around the base of plants to deter slugs and snails. Many craft uses for the shells include holiday tree ornaments, jewelry, mosaics, and rattles. Research indicates that pistachio shells may be helpful in cleaning up pollution created by mercury emissions."
My notes: They are nuts, a food, easily compostable. No different than creatures eating nuts in the wild.
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Post by Bob on Feb 26, 2022 18:51:55 GMT -5
Love salted pistachios!
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Post by lainee on Feb 27, 2022 15:45:51 GMT -5
I like salted pistachios, too...and they're good for you!
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Post by ZandraJoi on Feb 26, 2023 9:50:27 GMT -5
"Every year on February 26th, National Letter to an Elder Day encourages putting pen to paper and writing to an elder you know. The day serves to remind that loved ones enjoy hearing from us and that a simple letter brightens their day.
Everyone knows that writing is a powerful way to stay connected. If you’ve ever received an unexpected letter, you know what a pick-me-up it can be. Letter to an Elder Day takes that unexpected gift one step further and delivers that love to the elders in our life or those who may be isolated from others."
My notes: Take the time today to write a letter to a loved one.
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Post by Steve on Feb 26, 2023 14:15:31 GMT -5
Yea, somebody write me a letter!  The sentiment of the day is important though. Elderly loved ones often feel left out of family communications so please let them know how important they are to you. |
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Post by ZandraJoi on Feb 28, 2023 12:17:43 GMT -5
Yea, somebody write me a letter! The sentiment of the day is important though. Elderly loved ones often feel left out of family communications so please let them know how important they are to you. Dear Steve,
Hello! I hope all is well with you & your family. I look forward to more correspondence with you.
I will send this off to get it into the mail.
Sincerely,
ZandraJoi
How's that? 
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Post by Steve on Feb 28, 2023 16:40:14 GMT -5
Perfect! (smarty-pants)  |
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Post by ZandraJoi on Feb 26, 2024 8:54:01 GMT -5
"On February 26th, have a happily ever after kind of day. It is National Tell A Fairy Tale Day! What were once oral histories, myths, and legends retold around the fire or by traveling storytellers, have been written down and become known the world over as fairy tales. Origins of Fairy Tales The origins of most fairy tales would fail today's standards of the Association of Fairy Tales. They told unseemlily tales and would be rated as inappropriate for children. Most traveling storytellers told fairy tales with dramatic detail to make children behave, teach a lesson or pass the time much like ghost stories around a campfire today." My notes: What is your favorite fairy tale? I like Aesop's Fables with morals to the story. Members may like this thread detailing Nursery Rhymes. |
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