Jacobs First Christmas

Unfortunately Jacob lost his sister Bella two weeks ago however he did not have to celebrate Christmas alone. I made sure to hang a stocking in his honour and fill it will kitty treats and a toy for his height. He is such a sweetie and has already received one call from a family this afternoon interested in adopting him! Lets hope the meeting goes well and he will be with his forever family shortly!

xoxox

nicole

Meaningful Gifts!

*Christmas morning with my Caribbean Conservation Corp. gifts*

During this Christmas I was able to give and receive some very meaningful gifts that were not only heartfelt but also would help save the planet! Take a look at some of the various gifts that gave back to conservation organizations!

*Michael colouring his Mono Titi*

For Christmas, I gave my three little cousins adopted animals that they could put into the scrapbook I made for them last year. In the past I had given them sea turtles and manatees but this year I decided to adopt a tree for the mono titi's in Costa Rica through Kids Saving The Rainforest. My cousins received a certificate of adoption for their tree as well as a picture of the critically endangered Mono Titi monkey for the region of Manuel Antonio. The kids really enjoyed putting the certificates into their scrapbook as well as decorating the pages with the stickers and markers I provided. There are now two more trees in CR in honour of these two little human monkeys!

*My godson Nicholas with his scrapbook*

*Michael proud of his accomplishments!!*

Christmas morning I also received an adopted Marmot through the Vancouver Island Marmot Foundation which helps to save Canada's most critically endangered specie. My cousins Paul and Maria also adopted a baby gorilla for me through the Dian Fossey Gorilla Foundation! These were amongst some of my favourite gifts this Christmas!!

xoxox

n

Merry Christmas To All!

*"Jacob" my foster kitten dressed at Kris Kringle*

It has been a wonderful year for conservation and environmental awareness. Even though we did not get what we truly wanted in Copenhagen we at least know the door has been opened and the word is out. The governments around the world cannot ignore us anymore! Tonight I will be surrounded by my family for Christmas Eve dinner and again tomorrow for Christmas but my thoughts and prayers will sincerely be with all the children and animals around the world and in my own backyard who will be without love, food and shelter these next couple of days. We must all remember those who have less than us and do what we can to help those in need. Monetary donations as well as hours volunteered can go a long way in making someone or something feel extra special.

*"Rambo"- 7 yrs old available for adoption at the OSPCA*

I visited the Hamilton/Burlington OSPCA yesterday to give some extra love and kisses to the animals who will not be spending Christmas in a warm home by the fireplace surrounded by love and laughter. However I truly believe their luck will change in 2010, just as Jacobs did, and next year they will find their forever families!

*A very sweet-sad eyed Beagle available for adoption at the OSPCA*

To all, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy 2010 for all of your family, friends and furry loved ones!

xoxox

love always,

Nicole

A Great Read!!

I just finished reading Jeff Corwins "100 Heartbeats" and I Love LOVED this book! I never knew too much about Jeff Corwin but I am now a huge fan of

his! He is a true conservationist and is out on the front lines trying to save wildlife! I would recommend this book to anyone that is passionate or wanting to learn more about conservation! It doesn't just focus on sad extinction stories but also shows us how humans can and have to save our species! Thanks Jeff for a great read! I also hear that he will be releasing a DVD or will be having an Animal Planet special focusing on stories from this book!

xoxoxoxo

nicole

Disney Oceans Trailer Is Out!

I honestly can't wait to see this documentary in theaters! Last year my friends and I went to see "Earth" its opening weekend and thoroughly enjoyed it. Not only did Disney planet a tree for each individual who went to see it opening weekend but it also opened up peoples eyes to the beauty of out planet. I am sure Disney will not fail with "Oceans" and I hope it inspires the public to respect the place that so many mammals and fish call home!

Money Is In & Donations Received!!

Well after four very long and hectic weeks my stainless steel water bottle campaign is officially over as I retuned the unsold bottles to warehouse today! Overall it was a very succesful campaign and I could not be happier with the hundreds of dollars that have been raised for various conservation and environmental charities!! At the high school I work at we sold 48 bottles and raised $140.00 CAD!!! We are all so proud of ourselves and I was so impressed at the amount of students who forked over their hard earned money to buy something that would help the planet! The Green Team and I met Wednesday afterschool and we decided to divide and donate the money as following:

The first thing we wanted to donate to was an organization that helps protect and reforest the rainforest! After a lot of research we have chosen to donate $25.00 USD to the The Rainforest Trust which works to protect the rainforest and magnificent jaguars Brazil!! We hope our money will help them to buy much needed land which will otherwise be sold to farmers for cattle ranches and/or logging companies.

Protecting our native Canadian wildlife is also very important for us that is why we decided to donate $25.00 CAD to the Canadian Marmot Foundation which helps to restore the critically endangered marmot population on Vancouver Island. With only 100 remaining in the wild only a few years ago the foundation has made great strides in helping to save these adorable creatures! We are very proud to help them out again this year!!

Everyone knows that Sea Turtles are some of my favourite animals so its no surprise that my students decided to donate to a foundation that helps preserve and protect them!! This time we decided to donate $25.00 USD to WIDECAST - The Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network which has various projects on many different islands and countries!

Last but not least we chose the Orangutan Foundation through Wildlifedirect.org to give our final donation to. We were able to put together $30.00USD to support these amazing apes that are very endangered due to habitat loss and poaching. Who can resist these little red apes! We must do everything we can to protect them and their habitat now!!!

xoxoxo

nicole

Climate Change Rally & Vigil

Last night I attended my very first climate change rally and candlelight vigil and had a great time!! I first arrived at the Earth Sciences U of T building at about 3:30. I was happy to see many different individuals from all ages and races sitting in the auditorium. On the big screen on the stage was a live feed from Copenhagen featuring Canadian activists from Greenpeace and other organizations who were attending the events and rallies that were currently taken place in Denmark. Unfortunately all of the activists and speakers were not happy with the talks that were being said and they expressed concern regarding Stephen Harpers (Canada's Prime Minister) stance on climate change. He is said to not be taking a serious position on this very important cause and is not setting a proper example for the developing world. Fortunately Australia and Japan have stepped forward and have set higher standards for themselves as developed Nations. They have set their own emission caps above and beyond what the current Kyoto Protocol calls for.

During the 3 hour rally we were treated to guest speakers from EcoSanity, Greenpeace, The Toronto Climate Campaign and music!! One of my favourite moments from the event was when members from EcoSanity.org came out dressed in red bras and sang a climate change anthem! It really got the crowd going and we all joined in signing along.

After the rally we all headed out with candles and banners to march toward Queens Park singing "Copenhagen Carols" and chanting different slogans! We got some great supportive honks and cheers!

(thats me in the hate holding the "green jobs now" sign)

The candlelight vigil was very inspiring especially after learning that there were over 300 events taking palace around the planet at the same time. We all took a 350 second moment of silence to commemorate the safe amount of carbon dioxide scientists say is allowable for our planet.

As you can see it was an awesome turnout and I am so thankful to everyone who organized this wonderful and very important event!!

xoxox

nicole

Tonight's Gonna Be a Good Good Night................

I will be on my way downtown in about an hour. Just got to feed the kittens and change their litterbox before I leave. Tonight it the climate change candlelight vigil taking place in Queens Park at 7pm. I will also be stopping by the Earth Sciences Auditorium in the University of Toronto to watch a Live Feed of whats going on in Copenhagen. I believe there will be guest speakers and loads of activists so I can't wait!! I will definitely takes lots of photos and post asap!

xoxox

n

New Video Of My First Family!

As you may, or may not know, I am a HUGE Irwin family fan! I have loved Steve, Bindi, Terri and then Robert since 2001 when I first saw a Crocodile Hunter episode on Animal Planet while vacationing in Florida! I can remember my cousin begging and yelling at me to join her on the beach however I couldn't budge until this crazy man named Steve and his beautiful wife Terri were finished educating me on various reptiles and wildlife. Thats when my love affair with the Irwins began and it has never faltered for one moment.

I can remember dragging my best friend Serena with me to the movies to watch "Crocodile Hunter Collision Course" on the silver screen and I still have Steve, Terri and Bindi's Oprah episode recorder on a VHS in my basement. The Irwin family are my heros and I will always be grateful for what they have instilled in me. I am the wildlife warrior I am today because of them! My dream is to one day meet Bindi and Robert. I had the incredible opportunity to meet Wes and Terri back in 2007 when they visited Toronto for an Australian Tourism Gala......unfortunately Bindi and Robert were already up in their hotel room sleeping away. I know one day I will have the chance to meet those two incredible children and I can't wait to meet them in person!!

Please enjoy the video. It was recorded last week right after Robert's 6th Birthday!!

xoxox

nicole

My New Babies

As I sit hear at my laptop all I can hear is "MEOW, MEOOOW.......MEOOOOOOW" hahaha

Even though it does get a bit annoying it is still great to hear these two siblings being able to sing loud and proud. These two little guys whom I have named Jacob (orange long hair) and Bella (black) are so lucky to be out of the shelter alive. Unfortunately Jacob isn't feeling too well and is having a bit of diarrhea. I have been syringing him some A/D which will hopefully bind his tummy and give him some extra needed calories. Of course they should still be with their mama as they are only around 4 to 5 weeks of age but they came in as strays without any mother to care for them. Bella is running around and has lots of energy, I just hope Jacob will begin to hop around just as much! Wish me luck AND sleep!!

xoxox

nicole

New Site!

Well I think I have just come across my new favourite website! It is called "Green Is Sexy" and features many different things such as green places, films, products and recipes. Not only do they advertise many great things they also have a section where they give the latest green tips. The site is run by three awesome Torontonian friends and its nice for me to see and hear about local events and places. Keep up the great work ladies!!

Check out the site for yourself: http://www.greenissexy.org/

Candlelight Vigil in Toronto!

Ughhhh first of all I want to apologize for my lack of updates in the past week. I have been extremely busy at work and home selling stainless steel water bottles for conservation charities. My campaign ends tomorrow and I will have a full list of how many bottles were sold and how much money was raised for Animal-Kind International, The Endangered Wildlife Trust and The Orangutan Foundation! Just as a little teaser, I am extremely pleased with how well the campaign has gone and I must say that "kids" have outdone the adults this time which gives me GREAT hope for the future.

For all of my Toronto readers I wanted to let you know that there will be an upcoming candlelight vigil taking place on Saturday December 12th from 7pm-9pm at Queens Park downtown. I am VERY excited that I will be able to attend! This will be my very first candlelight vigil and I couldn't be happier about the cause. Hundreds of us will be joining together to take a stand on tackling climate change and encourage our Canadian leaders to take action and be a role model for developing countries to curb their emissions. I promise to take lots of photos and report back on how it was! If you live in Toronto please consider taking two hours out of your Saturday night on the 12th to let your voice be heard!

New Canadian Citizens!

I am so excited and proud to tell you that Thena, Pheobe and Ted arrived safely into Toronto's Pearson Intl. Airport after a loooong flight from Greece! The dogs did great and were met at the airport by Ted's wife, Dianne and her husband from Greek Animal Rescue Canada and other well wishers! Apparently the girls are settling well into their new safe, warm and VERY loving home!

We wish them well and hope they enjoy their first Canadian Christmas in the next few weeks!!

xoxox

nicole

Update From Greece........

After the TV crew finished their job interviewing Ted and me and making shootings with him and Thena II in the front yard, of the shelter, we left with the hope that we would find her in Loutraki. Giorgos was expecting us, another rescuer was on her way from Athens to Loutraki and behind my wretched Fiat the TV crew was following us :-) They wanted to make shootings of Ted searching for Thena I. Actually no one believed that we would find her, but we thought it was our duty to try once again.

We parked both cars across from the Casino and we walked towards the town, passing in front of the main entrance of the Casino, where we met a very friendly white with brown patches female dog who decided to join us. Peggy, maybe you will remember that short driveway at the side of the Casino, leading to the beach and to the back side of the Casino, probably a delivery entrance? There, on the beach we saw something that could have been a rock, or a plastic bag, or a dog curled up. Ted and I looked at each other and we walked towards the "rock". Ted was whispering ,"I think it is Thena, yes it is Thena". I stayed back fearing that I might scare the dog. The TV cameraman walked towards Ted and Thena, keeping a safe distance after my sharp "stay out of the way and don't scare the dog off".

It was amazing. Thena recognized Ted! At the beginning she was reluctant but didn't run off. She was looking at him, waging her tail reluctanly and as the seconds ticked by, she became all the more confident that "yes, this is him". Funny was the other dog who insisted on getting some treats from Ted and poor him, he was throwing pieces of dry smoked chicken he was holding as far as he could, to keep the female dog out of the way. Thena had come very close to him and he attached the leash to her collar and slowly, whispering encouraging words, he led her to the car. He was hugging her and petting her and she was in a bliss :-)

We helped her sit on the back seat, Ted sat next to her and we left Loutraki. We first passed by Kifisia and stopped at one of our vets who took blood from her and examined her. Heart, lungs, gums and teeth are perfect. She still has some small scars on her face and head and her front leg has healed by itself. The bone is a bit thicker where it was broken and she has a very slight limp. Minor case .... she might have some arthritis later in life. On our way to the shelter we passed by the lab and left the blood samples and when we arrived at the shelter we were all three wiped.

Peggy, the outcome is that Ted comes back home bringing to you two Thenas as a Christmas present :-) All worries are history and you can start searching for a name for the one of the two dogs :-) I am very sorry I didn't make more pictures, though I am a photograph freak. I was so thrilled that, though I was holding the camera in my hand, I didn't think of taking pictures. The first one is when Ted went close to Thena for the first time and the second female insisted on getting some treats; and the second is after the two of them sat in the back seat of my car and we were about to leave Loutraki.

Peggy, he sends happy greetings and he said, before you leave to pick him up at the airport, you should empty the car and remove the back shelf, otherwise there will be no room for the two crates of the girls.

Hugs from an exhausted but happy Vana :-)

YAY!!! I AM BOUNCING OFF THE WALLS SO HAPPY THAT NOT ONLY WILL TED BE BRINGING HOME HIS BELOVED THENA TO CANADA!!! I HEAR TED AND THE TWO "THENA'S" ARE ON THEIR FLIGHT TO THEIR FOREVER HOME RIGHT NOW! THEY WILL ALL BE LANDING IN TORONTO TOMORROW AFTERNOON!! HOOOORRRAAAAYYYYY!
XOXO
NICOLE

Cute Sandals!

I just came across these eco-friendly ultra cute flip flops made by Planet Flops. According to the website they were created by Dr. Sylvie, a podiatrist in Beverly Hills, who wanted to make super comfy yet environmentally friendly flip flops. The flops are manufactured in Brazil and made out of natural rubber. "The harvesting of natural rubber occurs by harmlessly "tapping" into the tree to remove a milky sap from the bark. This does not affect the health of the tree". They come in very cute colours such as licorice, watermelon, blueberry and plum (just to name a few). The website also claims that the flip flops are recyclable once you can no longer wear them. My favourite colour is cherry (above)

Of course many of you know that flip flops are piling up by the thousands on countless beaches around the world. In Watamu, a small island off of the coast of Kenya, the Watamu Turtle Watch saves all of the flip flops that wash ashore and recycle them in various ways throughout the island. The picture below shows a volunteer at the program making them flip flops into a sign at their headquarters.

And according to Sea Turtles Forever, "1041 lost soles were collected out of our nesting area for the Lance Ferris Challenge. We could all stand to do some sole searching. I stated that I could probably find 1000 shoes in our nesting area, I hate it when I'm right. Lance Ferris was a leader in marine plastics research on the front lines of conservation".

I unfortunately saw first hand all the sandals, flip flops and high heels that had washed ashore in Tortuguero Costa Rica. Now I can feel a bit better purchasing the Planet Flops and knowing that I can recycle them once they have been worn and torn to no tomorrow!

xoxox

nicole

A Very Exciting Story From My Friend..............

"Well, it's been somewhat of a crazy week. Just to bring everyone up to date .... Ted Davidson from Kingston flew back to Greece on Monday, Nov 9th to look for a dog he formed a bond with back in September. This dog, who he named 'Thena', was not doing well on the streets as she's very timid and is stressed 24/7 by all that's going on around her. But, although very timid, Ted was able to befriend her for a very short time and she obviously touched him deeply. He didn't see her for a couple of days but in the very early morning when he was leaving for home, he spotted her hiding behind a bench. She looked as if she'd been hit by a car with her front leg injured and a few other scrapes. She let Ted sit beside her and pat her and put out her leg to him, as if asking for his help. The whole time she was trembling. It broke his heart but he had to leave.

Jump forward to November ........ Ted approached Tails from Greece Rescue to see how he could get back to find Thena. Even though I told him it would be very expensive and he may not even find her, as the dogs move to new areas once the people go away, he was persistent. So, Vana from the KAZ Shelter (the main shelter I rehome dogs for) met Ted on arrival at the Athens airport on Tuesday morning and they drove the +2hr drive to Loutraki and got him checked into a hotel. No sign of Thena until Thursday, the 12th. Ted was very disappointed not to have sighted her and wehn he finally did, unfortunately 5 male dogs wouldn't let them near her as she was in heat.

They had to give up. But, while pursuing Thena's rescue another stray dog befriended Ted and he decided to slip a collar on her. Fifi, the President of KAZ, drove to Loutraki to pick Ted and Thena II up and take them to the KAZ Shelter where they would have this dog vetted and prepared for travel with Ted on Wednesday, the 18th.

Thena II was not well; her white blood cells were high and she had a fever. Ted must have been wondering what he'd got himself into by this time but he didn't flinch and has been so comforting to Thena II during her treatment of antibiotics and IV fluids etc. He had his wife Peggy reschedule his return flight home for this Sunday, the 22nd as she needed time to get well before travelling. It was a tough few days for everyone but this morning she was much better. Vana said it was so cute .... Thena II was sleeping on the bed wrapped in a fleece coat and Ted was sitting at the foot of the bed reading his book!

Now, on Thursday, the 19th, Ted and Vana will go back to Loutraki to look for Thena I again, with the help of the man who feeds the strays. The Greek media (Skai TV) will be following them during their search. Poor Ted isn't too thrilled about all the media attention this has generated as he's a very quiet man.

If they're so lucky to get Thena I this time, she'll go back to the KAZ Shelter and be fully vetted to receive any vet care she might need before joining Ted's family here. And, here's hoping that Thena II keeps getting better between now and Sunday so she can travel with Ted. As well, Victoria, another dog from KAZ will be travelling with Ted to join her new family. And, although it's been very disappointing not to catch Thena I yet, she's actually made a difference to two other stray dogs --- Thena II would have died from her infection not being treated and Victoria gets to come to her new family without too much expense to the KAZ Shelter as she's travelling on Ted's ticket too, not as straight cargo (far more expensive). I've also attached a copy of some media attention we received."

Dianne

Tails from Greece Rescue
Charity Reg'n #82538 8614 RR0001
www.tailsfromgreecerescue.com

A New Look!

One of my FAVOURITE organizations, Animal-Kind International, has just completely re-vamped their website and I wanted to give them the credit for it on my blog. I think it looks just fantastic! Animal-Kind International is run by an amazing women - Karen Menczer who wanted to make a difference for abused, neglected and dying animals from around the world. Through her non-profit and completely volunteer run organization, she supports nine animal welfare groups and shelters throughout the world. All of the shelters she supports are located in impoverished and high-poverty countries such as Botswana, Armenia, Honduras and Bosnia (to name a few). I am looking forward to visiting the Ugandan shelter and deliver supplies, toys, leashes and food when I travel to the country in July 2010. I am also hoping that I will have a few days to volunteer at the shelter and relieve the staff a bit. Please visit the Animal-Kind International website and support a wonderful organization that is in need of all the support they can get! Please read "Hope's" story it will melt your heart!

xoxox

nicole

A Great Christmas Gift!

I had to bring my dad to St. Mikes Hospital today for kidney stone treatment and while I was waiting I decided to check out the gift shop. As I browsed all the usual baby blankets, housecoats and magazines I came across these awesome, funky looking little stuffed animals. Upon closer look at the tag I realized that they were made from 100% recycled plastic bottles! The brand is called "Fuzz That Wuzz" and is created by the Mary Meyer company in Vermont. I thought it was so cool and original so I purchased a little grey cat. The price was a little steep at $19.99, however I wanted to support such an eco-friendly item. If interested in finding out more please visit Mary Meyers website

xoxox

nicole

Sustainable Gifts!

Now that I am 25, I am noticing that many of my friends are now getting married and moving into their own houses. I am so happy for them all but of course I can't help but wonder how many un-environmentally friendly and useless gifts they are going to receive for house warming parties, wedding showers and birthdays. I can't change everyones views but of course when it comes to my gift giving I feel as though I can make a difference. My best friend for 21 years, Melissa, had just moved into her new beautiful home with her fiancee Ryan. Rather than going out to Pier One or Home Outfitters and purchasing an item or two that they may hate and stow away in the basement or won't even go with their decor I decided to put together an eco-friendly gift basket full of essential items that they would need to buy and use regardless if they received them as gifts.

I decided to purchase a basket that was the same colour as her floors (espresso). I knew she could re-use it in a bathroom and fill it with rolled-up towels. I then filled the basket with the following:

Two 3x Concentrated Liquid Laundry Detergent by Nature Clean

One Fabric Softener by Nature Clean

Two Hand Washes By Method (one gel and one foaming)

One Toilet Bowl Cleaner by Green Works

One OMOP Wood Floor Care Kit By Method

And of course a bottle of wine to drink!!

I am proud of the basket I put together! I think it looked really cute, had no additional packaging/wrapping, it was full of useful/environmentally friendly products and also supported companies who really care about the planet. I hope this post inspires others to think about the gifts they purchase and that every-time we buy something we are voting for that product!

xoxox

nicole

My Babies Have Been Adopted!!

Yay!! My little "London Trio" have all found their forever homes and I couldn't be happier! Big Ben has been adopted by a wonderful McMaster University student who has been wanting a kitten for a very long time! By next week, Big Ben will be learning all about Biology and staying up late helping her new mom study! Big books may be in Big Ben's future for quite awhile because his mummy is going to be applying to Med School next year!! WOO HOO!

Windsor went home today with a wonderful young family. Mum is a veterinary assistant (bonus!), and he will be sharing his new home with two young girls, a daddy and a fun, furry doggy!! Couldn't have been any better for Windsor!!

Last but not least Chelsea went home last night with a wonderful lady who works from home!! How cool is that!! Chelsea will hardly ever be alone and will get all the attention she absolutely deserves!!

A big thank you to the three individuals who decided to adopt rather than buy from a petstore! A big thank you to PetSmart who had hosted the adopt-a-thon this past weekend!!

To view additional cats and kittens for adoption please visit Toronto cat Rescue

xoxox

nicole

Third Time's A Charm!

NBC’s “Green is Universal” initiative is kicking off its third-annual “Green Week” of environmentally-themed programming starting this Sunday! Color me surprised that this campaign is still alive and kicking three years after its launch.

The centerpiece of this year’s “Green Week” is the “Green Counts Here” campaign, a cross-platform initiative that invites NBC Universal audiences to make green count, by pledging to make small green changes in their daily lives. The sum of these pledges will illustrate to consumers’ the collective impact of their environmentally friendly actions.

Shows receiving the greening treatment this year include Heroes, The Biggest Loser, Community, The Office (Yes!) and 30 Rock (Yes! Yes!). The Jay Leno Show will feature Ed Begley, Jr. in the “Green Car Challenge,” as well as a green-themed “Jaywalking” segment and a green comedy piece with correspondent Brian Unger.

Of course, Green Week doesn’t just effect NBC’s programming, but all the networks under it’s NBCU brands. MSNBC will speak with Jeff Corwin on the release of his new book “100 Heartbeats”, The Weather Channel will air segments on climate change (giving John Coleman additional heart attacks in the process), Bravo will re-air environmentally themed episodes of shows like Top Chef, and even Martha Stewart will get in the spirit highlighting “green tips and gardening techniques that highlight the importance of cultivation and conservation.”

Get ready for the green peacock. Green Week runs November 15-22nd.

Taken from Ecorazzi

No Chance At All......

*Fonzy*

I feel for ALL the cats that are stuck behind bars at the Hamilton Animal Control but nothing gets me more upset than to see babies, some just 4 weeks old, that will NEVER have a chance at life simply because people did not spay and neuter their cats. It isn't fair!! It just isn't fair that these little angels have never known what it feels like to be in a warm home, cuddled on a bed or simply get a pat on the back. For example, here are Fonzy and Huckleberry who are waiting on a cold stainless steel cage. They do not know that Thursday night will be their last sleep and Friday morning will bring them death.

*Huckleberry*

If by some miracle Windsor, Big Ben and Chelsea get adopted by Thursday night I will run out Friday morning and rescue these babies. In the meantime I pray a foster home or rescuer will come forward and save these two as soon as possible!

Feeling Frustrated!

I felt so frustrated walking around my work/schools cafeteria today during my lunch's supervision. Everywhere I looked there were teens drinking from or holding plastic water bottles. If that wasn't enough, maybe only one out of ten actually recycled the bottle......the rest simply threw it in the garbage without any thought. Of course me being the eco-freaka that I am, instead of glaring at them I would run over and explain that if they do have a plastic water bottle they should be recycling and an even better option would be to purchase a stainless steel bottle and filling it up with "free" safe and clean tap water!! Well I am sure this little talked = big embarrassment!! Hahaha oh well what can I do!?! I HAVE to help educate these kids on being more environmentally friendly. Thankfully I am very well liked at the school by all the students as I am seen as "cool" by them given my age, taste in music and nothing ever really gets me mad. They all keep me laughing all day long! I even had some naughty students come up to me last week bragging to me that they were going to throw 1000 balloons into the ocean to kill all my precious leatherbacks! Instead of getting angry I actually felt proud that I had gotten through to them in regards to sea turtles being killed by plastic and garbage floating in the ocean! Obviously I knew they were totally joking and trying to get my attention and these fifteen year old boys wouldn't harm a mouse!

In response to the amount of plastic bottles that are still being used, my high schools Green Team and I will be selling stainless steel bottles again this year just in time for the holidays!! We will be teaming up again with OneBottle which is a fantastic company based in Toronto dedicated to eliminating plastic bottles in out fantastic city! They personally donate $1 from each bottle sold to the World Wildlife Fund and my Green Team donates all profits to various environmental and conservation charities around the world! Last year we donated over $400 to Orangutans, Gorillas, Marmots and of course Sea Turtles!!!

Great Video!

This video is for all of those people who believe that

an outdoor cat is a happier cat:

Keep Animals Safe - The best home videos are here

I honestly can't imagine allowing any of my pets to wander alone outside and I always make sure that all of my foster kittens who are adopted are going to homes that will keep them as indoor cats only!!!

Please feel free to share this video on facebook/twitter or email!

Ready To Go...........

My little kitten babies are now ready and up for adoption through Toronto Cat Rescue. These past four weeks fostering the "London Trio" (Windsor, Big Ben and Chelsea) have been a breeze compared to what I went though with poor Gisele. There have been NO sniffles, sneezes or lethargy and this is all because Penny at the Hamilton Animal Control kept the kittens out of the main shelter area for the night until I could rescue them.........and thank goodness for that!

Each day they have been eating and pooping TONS but I'm not complaining! As long as their happy and healthy thats all that matters!! Now its just thewaiting game.......waiting for a wonderful individual, couple or family to come forward and adopt one or two OR ALL THREE!!! YAY!!!

Featured On Green Blogs!

Very exciting news!!! My site was featured on the main page of "Green Blogs"! I was so happy to see this and I hope it introduced all of my thoughts and views to many different people!! Please comment on my posts if you have anything you want to let me know!! Thanks!

xxoxox

nicole

Leatherback Freed Off The East Coast Of Canada!!

My dad just read out a fantastic news article to me which was written in todays Toronto's Sunday Sun newspaper and I wanted to share it with you:

SYDNEY, N.S. -- The coast guard has freed a tangled leatherback turtle caught in fishing gear off Inverness, N.S., after a local resident spotted some bobbing buoys in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Chris Basker called the department of fisheries and oceans and they called the coast guard. Capt. Bill Hardy of Sydney, N.S., said they found a pair of buoys attached to an anchor and a large leatherback turtle with its right front flipper caught in the rope.

"We estimated it was 600-700 pounds," he said. "I reached over with my pocket knife and cut him loose. He took off like a shot. We were ecstatic."

-The Sunday Sun

Isn't that just wonderful to read a HAPPY story rather than a sad one. For once I hear of a turtle being saved and having a happy ending rather then 'an autopsy will be performed to find out how much plastic was floating in its belly' or 'the poor innocent turtle had no chance once the fishermen speared its side and sliced open her belly searching for eggs'. Yes I know I can be quite cynical sometimes but there are more often sad stories than happy endings AND THIS WAS DEFINITELY A HAPPY ENDING!! Who knows......maybe it was one of the girls I was fortunate enough to meet and protect while volunteering in Panama!!

**Please note that the above picture does not represent the story that took place in Nova Scotia, rather it was taken in 1995. Credit goes to: Nova Scotia Turtles but describes the same situation of a leatherback tangled in net**

Fill The Hill Canada!

Tomorrow, Saturday October 24th 2009, thousands of Canadians will be descending upon Ottawa (Canada's Capital) to "Fill The Hill" in support of the Canadian government taking a direct and responsible approach in Copenhagen this December. Unfortunately I cannot personally make it but I will be there in spirit. Around 2pm there will be a flash dance and Sharkwaters own Rob Stewart will be present filming the event and interviewing individuals for his upcoming documentary called "Rise Again". I hope everything goes GREAT tomorrow and I pray the rain will hold off!!!

Al Gore Is Coming To Toronto!!

I am very excited to announce that one of my favourite Eco Warriors, Al Gore, is coming to my hometown of Toronto on November 24th!! Woo Hoo!! This is super exciting, however I am disappointed to find out that he will only be speaking at a forum which will be only open to certain companies because it pertains to "Business and the Environment". Nevertheless he is still coming and I will definitely be putting on my boots and mitts and hopefully find him somewhere in my beautiful city and get a "pic with". Haha thats what I call a picture of me with a celebrity. Anyways keep your fingers crossed for me. I am sure it will be a mission but I will try my very very best! Wish me luck!!

And Life Goes On.........

Since my last post there has been some death and new life occurring around me. Unfortunately Gisele did eventually pass away from her Upper Respiratory Infection that she valiantly fought. Even though her life was so short I do continually tell myself that she did experience love and a warm home rather than dying by herself in a cold stainless steel cage. During the last couple of weeks I also celebrated my 25th birthday!! Ughhhh I am getting so old and not looking forward to what the future holds in terms of wrinkles! hahaha I have to say out of all the wonderful gifts I received my favourite of all was the little black kitten swarovski crystal my dad bought for me in honour of Gisele and all of the other black animals who never get adopted and die so quickly in shelters across the world. In other good news I had the opportunity to go back to animal control last night and rescue three precious 4 week old babies who were going to be euthanized immediately because they require a little extra care. They are so teeny and sweet I still dont know the sexes yet and have not named them! Once they get a little bit bigger I will post some more pictures!! I guess in one way Gisele passed yet gave room for more life!

xoxoxo

nicole

Sweet angel

This was a picture of Gisele just three days ago and unfortunately now she can barely keep her head up. Since I rescued her from imminent death at a shelter she had been sneezing but did not show any signs of a serious upper respiratory infection. Now she can barely keep her head up. I don't know why or how God chooses certain lives to live or die but this situation is just cruel. Like I have said before, black animals are the last to be rescued and first to be euthanized in humane societies and shelters due to the fact that most times they do not show well in photos on websites promoting the animals. I only have Gisele and Ridley in my care right now but of course Gisele is the one getting all of the attention. I have been syringing Pedialyte into her mouth every couple of hours. Thankfully she is swallowing the liquid but when it comes to wet food there is absolutely no interest. She is currently in the bathroom as my dad takes a shower. In these situations we keep the doors and windows closed that way the shower can create a lot of hot steam which will hopefully open up Gisele's airways and unplug her stuffy nose. Poor thing is breathing through her mouth right now. Upper respiratory infections are extremely contagious and almost all kittens I rescue from the shelter have it (ie: sneezing) but unfortunately it hits some much harder than other, in this case it was Gisele and not Ridley. I will keep continuing to fight for her and do all I possibly can to keep her alive and if anything comfortable if these are the last hours of her life. If there is any consolation to the short life she may have, she will at least pass away in a loving, warm home rather than a cold stainless steel shelter cage! Please pray for Gisele and all the other black angels!

xoxo

nicole