Celebrating Earth Day with Target

photo credit: as tagged 

Being earth-friendly need not carry a price tag every time you attempt to be on the "green" side! We must admit that sometimes the "green" stuff or the once that have already been recycled are more expensive than the generic items we see on shelves and groceries. But each and every time we could help Mother Nature, and be frugal at the same time, I'm all for it! 

One of my favorite stores would have to be Target, and they are reported to not only promote Earth Day, but they're gonna give away some free stuff to help its consumers for awareness.

Read on! 

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Target to Celebrate Earth Day with Giveaway of 1.5 Million Reusable Bags

 

What:

In honor of Earth Day, Target® (TGT) will give away 1.5 million reusable bags at stores across the country, as well as sustainable product coupon books that offer over $40 in savings. Of the 1.5 million reusable bags, 250,000 will also contain samples of sustainable products, including method Dish Soap, Annie’s Bunny Grahams, Seventh Generation Laundry Detergent and Burt’s Bees Moisturizing Cream. Target's Earth Day giveaway encourages guests to take advantage of Target's five-cent reusable bag discount and experience a selection of products that are environmentally friendly, while effectively balancing price, performance and convenience.

By providing guests free reusable bags and rewarding them with each use, Target helps guests save money and make small changes that add up to make a big difference. Target is committed to helping guests lead more sustainable lifestyles by providing the right information, tools and incentives to make it easy. Learn more here.

Who:

Target guests and team members

When:

While supplies last on Sunday, April 21, beginning at 10 a.m.

Where:

Target stores across the U.S. (click here to find a store near you)

Visual:

Target team members giving away free reusable bags, and guests shopping with their reusable bags and sampling sustainable products.

Contact:

Target Public Relations

Jessica Stevens, 612-761-6351

or

Target Media Hotline, 612-696-3400 

via: @yahoofinance 

Earth Hour 2010 Tonight!

It's time.

In a few hours, our household will once again experience complete darkness not because of the infamous rotating brownouts in the country, but because it is our own little way of showing support. Still clueless? Well, tonight is Earth Hour night.

Now on its third year, the Earth will experience an hour of darkness in the hope of raising climate change awareness. As we know, the Philippines has been greatly affected by climate change as felt in the current El Niño phenomenon that destroyed billions of crops and ecosystems, resulting to deaths for thousands of cows, chickens and marine life.

But if you're in the mood to celebrate with a bunch of people, here's the info: 

Earth Hour actually started in Sydney, Australia when 2.2 million homes and businesses turned their lights off for one hour to make their stand against climate change. Only a year later, Earth Hour had become a global sustainability movement with more than 50 million people across 35 countries participating. Now, there are 122 territories participating the cause.

Earth hour takes place every 27th of March at 8:30pm (local time) where individuals and establishments participate by turning off lights for an hour as a form of supporting mother nature and against climate change. 

To show your support and for more information, clicky: 

Tsunami Safety Rules

Everything taken from: http://wcatwc.arh.noaa.gov/about/safety.php. Let us all help each other. Stay safe everyone! Prayer is always the best weapon.

A strong earthquake felt in a low-lying coastal area is a natural warning
of possible, immediate danger. Keep calm and quickly move to higher
ground away from the coast.

All large earthquakes do not cause tsunamis, but many do. If the quake is
located near or directly under the ocean, the probability of a tsunami
increases. When you hear that an earthquake has occurred in the ocean
or coastline regions, prepare for a tsunami emergency.

Tsunamis can occur at any time, day or night. They can travel up rivers
and streams that lead to the ocean.

A tsunami is not a single wave, but a series of waves. Stay out of
danger until an "ALL CLEAR" is issued by a competent authority.

Approaching tsunamis are sometimes heralded by noticeable rise or fall
of coastal waters. This is nature's tsunami warning and should be heeded.

Approaching large tsunamis are usually accompanied by a loud roar that
sounds like a train or aircraft. If a tsunami arrives at night when you can not see
the ocean, this is also nature's tsunami warning and should be heeded.

A small tsunami at one beach can be a giant a few miles away. Do not
let modest size of one make you lose respect for all.

Sooner or later, tsunamis visit every coastline in the Pacific.
All tsunamis - like hurricanes - are potentially dangerous even
though they may not damage every coastline they strike.

Never go down to the beach to watch for a tsunami!

WHEN YOU CAN SEE THE WAVE YOU ARE TOO CLOSE TO ESCAPE.

Tsunamis can move faster than a person can run!

During a tsunami emergency, your local emergency management office,
police, fire and other emergency organizations will try to save your life.
Give them your fullest cooperation.

Homes and other buildings located in low lying coastal areas
are not safe. Do NOT stay in such buildings if there is a tsunami
warning.

The upper floors of high, multi-story, reinforced concrete hotels can
provide refuge if there is no time to quickly move inland or to higher
ground.

If you are on a boat or ship and there is time, move your vessel to deeper
water (at least 100 fathoms). If it is the case that there is concurrent
severe weather, it may may safer to leave the boat at the pier and physically
move to higher ground.

Damaging wave activity and unpredictable currents can effect harbor
conditions for a period of time after the tsunami's initial impact. Be
sure conditions are safe before you return your boat or ship to the harbor.

Stay tuned to your local radio, marine radio, NOAA Weather Radio, or
television stations during a tsunami emergency - bulletins issued
through your local emergency management office and National
Weather Service offices can save your life.

A Timely suggestion in the unlikely occurence of an EARTHQUAKE (repost)

FROM DOUG COPP'S ARTICLE ON THE 'TRIANGLE OF LIFE'
Edited for MAA Safety Committee brief



My name is Doug Copp. I am the Rescue Chief and Disaster Manager of the American Rescue Team International (ARTI), the world's most experienced rescue team. The information in this article will save lives in an earthquake.

I have crawled inside 875 collapsed buildings, worked with rescue teams from 60 countries, founded rescue teams in several countries, and one of the United Nations experts in Disaster Mitigation for two years.. I have worked at every major disaster in the world since 1985.

In 1996 we made a film, which proved my survival methodology to be correct. We collapsed a school and a home with 20 mannequins inside. Ten mannequins did 'duck and cover,' and the other ten mannequins used my 'triangle of life' survival method. After the simulated earthquake, we crawled through the rubble and entered the building to film and document the results. The film showed that there would have been zero percent survival for those doing duck and cover; and 100 percent survivability for people using my method of the 'triangle of life.'

This film has been seen by millions of viewers on television in Turkey and the rest of Europe, and it was seen in the USA, Canada and Latin America on the TV program.

The first building I ever crawled inside of was a school in Mexico City during the 1985 earthquake. Every child was under its desk. Every child was crushed to the thickness of their bones. They could have survived by lying down next to their desks in the aisles.

At that time, the children were told to hide under something. Simply stated, when buildings collapse, the weight of the ceilings falling upon the objects or furniture inside crushes these objects, leaving a space or void next to them. This space is what I call the 'triangle of life'. The larger the object, the stronger, the less it will compact.. The less the object compacts, the larger the void, the greater the probability that the person who is using this void for safety will not be injured.

The next time you watch collapsed buildings, on television, count the 'triangles' you see formed. They are everywhere. It is the most common shape.

TEN TIPS FOR EARTHQUAKE SAFETY

1. Almost everyone who simply 'ducks and covers' when buildings collapse are crushed to death. People who get under objects, like desks or cars, are crushed.
2. Cats, dogs and babies often naturally curl up in the fetal position. You should too in an earthquake. It is a natural safety/survival instinct. You can survive in a smaller void. Get next to an object, next to a sofa, next to a large bulky object that will compress slightly but leave a void next to it.
3. Wooden buildings are the safest type of construction to be in during an earthquake. Wood is flexible and moves with the force of the earthquake. If the wooden building does collapse, large survival voids are created. Also, the wooden building has less concentrated, crushing weight. Brick buildings will break into individual bricks. Bricks will cause many injuries but less squashed bodies than concrete slabs.
4. If you are in bed during the night and an earthquake occurs, simply roll off the bed. A safe void will exist around the bed. Hotels can achieve a much greater survival rate in earthquakes, simply by posting a sign on the back of the door of every room telling occupants to lie down on the floor, next to the bottom of the bed during an earthquake.
5. If an earthquake happens and you cannot easily escape by getting out the door or window, then lie down and curl up in the fetal position next to a sofa, or large chair.
6. Almost everyone who gets under a doorway when buildings collapse is killed. How ? If you stand under a doorway and the doorjamb falls forward or backward you will be crushed by the ceiling above. If the doorjamb falls sideways you will be cut in half by the doorway. In either case, you will be killed!
7. Never go to the stairs. The stairs have a different 'moment of frequency' (they swing separately from the main part of the building). The stairs and remainder of the building continuously bump into each other until structural failure of the stairs takes place.. The people who get on stairs before they fail are chopped up by the stair treads - horribly mutilated. Even if the building doesn't collapse, stay away from the stairs. The stairs are a likely part of the building to be damaged. Even if the earthquake does not collapse the stairs, they may collapse later when overloaded by fleeing people. They should always be checked for safety, even when the rest of the building is not damaged.
8. Get near the Outer Walls Of Buildings or Outside Of Them if possible. It is much better to be near the outside of the building rather than the interior. The farther inside you are from the outside perimeter of the building the greater the probability that your escape route will be blocked.
9. People inside of their vehicles are crushed when the road above falls in an earthquake and crushes their vehicles; which is exactly what happened with the slabs between the decks of the Nimitz Freeway. The victims of the San Francisco earthquake all stayed inside of their vehicles. They were all killed. They could have easily survived by getting out and sitting or lying next to their vehicles. Everyone killed would have survived if they had been able to get out of their cars and sit or lie next to them. All the crushed cars had voids 3 feet high next to them, except for the cars that had columns fall directly across them.
10. I discovered, while crawling inside of collapsed newspaper offices and other offices with a lot of paper, that paper does not compact. Large voids are found surrounding stacks of paper.

Spread the word and save someone's life.

Your Typhoon Survival Kit

Being prepared is always one step towards survival. Here are some things that we think is important to have during times like these. Prepare them beforehand and keep them in a safe place at all times. Better yet, keep them with you, or in an area that is easy to reach and won’t get in the way of raging floods, etc.

YOUR TYPHOON SURVIVAL KIT

1. Clean drinking water. Good enough for a week. Consider having at least 1 gallon per person.
2. Other drinks. Consider: juices in packs, carbonated drinks, coffee.
3. Food. Also good enough for a week. Consider:
   • Snacks that are easy to store and carry (biscuits, cookies)
   • Non-perishable canned food (corned beef, tuna, pork and beans, vienna sausage, etc.)
   • Candies to maintain sugar in body and keep acidity at bay
   • Bread that will last for a few days, for carbo load
   • Instant noodles, if you have the means to cook
   • IMPORTANT: food for babies and the elderly if you have some staying with you
4. Food utensils. 
   • Spoons, forks, knives, paper plates, drinking cups
   • Non-electric can opener
   • Cooking stove and fuel, if possible
   • Plastic bags
5. Medicines. Consider having medicines for the following:
   • Fever and nausea
   • Coughs and colds
   • Hypertension
   • Diabetes
   • Diarrhea
   • Anti-tetanus
   • Anti-leptospirosis
   • Other prescription drugs that you need to take
6. First Aid kit. Must contain band-aids, gauze, tweezers, alcohol, antibiotic ointment, hydrogen peroxide, bandage scissors, absorbent dressings, antiseptic wipe packets, cold compress, gloves and thermometer.
7. Sanitation kit. Make sure that you have tissue wipes, toilet paper, sanitary napkins, diapers.
8. Toiletries. These include toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap.
9. Blankets, towels, comforters, pillows. You can put them in large garbage bags to keep from getting wet.
10. Extra clothes and underwear. Put them in plastic bags to avoid from getting wet. If you can, pack something that will last you for a few days.
11. Jackets, sweaters, socks, caps. And anything else that will keep you warm and dry.
12. Emergency lights and flashlights
13. Fresh batteries. Have reserves for batteries of different sizes, especially for radios and flashlights.
14. Radio. Must be portable, battery operated, has functional AM station.
15. Mobile phone. Make sure the battery is fully charge, and that you have a spare one, too, in case of emergency. Also consider walkie-talkies.
16. Cash. Banks and ATMs might not be available so make sure that you have cash with you.
17. Keys. Have copies of keys to the front door, back door, garage, car keys, etc.
18. Items for pets. Consider also having a leash, muzzle, cage and food for your pets.
19. Umbrellas and tents
20. Water pails and dippers
21. Floatation devices like life jackets, styrofoams, old tires, etc.
22. Rope

IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS TO PROTECT

Many people have died trying to go back for these things, so it’s important that you are well-prepared already at this point in time. Keep these documents in a water-proof container:

1. Birth certificates
2. Insurance records
3. Medical records
4. SSS, Pag-ibig and Philhealth records
5. Identification cards
6. Bank account numbers and records
7. Emergency contact numbers
8. Contact numbers of family, friends and loved ones

It is important that you have an ID with you wherever you go. Also, a list of people to contact in case something happens to you. If you can, put your emergency contacts on speed dial.

If you have more suggestions, please leave them in the comments section.

source: http://bayanihanonline.wordpress.com/2009/10/01/your-typhoon-survival-kit/