Help Your Planet

Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico - What's Happening & How to Help

Tuesday April 20th Beyond Petroleum's (BP PLC), formerly British Petroleum, offshore oil rig, the Deepwater Horizon, exploded killing 11 people. The Deepwater Horizon was drilling 50 miles offshore the Louisiana coast which is now creating one of the worst oil spill disasters in history.

Experts say that it could take three or more months to stop the Deepwater Horizon's spill. The costs could range from $2 billion to $8 billion athough it is way too early to even estimate the total cost yet.This disaster is already poised to pass the scope of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska,which ironically enough I did a paper on in college.

In addition to the 11 lives lost,sea turtles & fish are now starting to wash up along the Mississippi coastline. Necropsies are being performed to determine whether or not these animals died from a direct impact of the spill.

BP is entertaining several approaches to stop the oil leak including chemical sprays & drilling another hole to release pressure. The later could take up to 3 months.

If this leak continues to discharge the amount of 5,000 barrels of oil per day as it is now, it will eclipse the Exxon Valdez disaster within 50 days. People here locally in Florida are preparing to assist in clean-up & rescue efforts if needed, including myself. Anyone located along the Gulf of Mexico are encouraged to help out when & where they can by contacting Not-For-Profit groups such as Save Our Seabirds at http://www.saveourseabirds.org or The Suncoast Seabird Sanctuaryathttp://www.seabirdsanctuary.com

Please register with them to help in anyway you can. Thank you! - Jennifer

White Wave International Laboratories Inc. to Sponsor The Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project

There are approximately 740 Mountain Gorillas left on the Earth; they live only in two small parks in the boderlands of Uganda, Rwanda and the Congo. With such a fragile population, the effects of illegal trapping, illnesses, and transmitted viruses (animal and human) are drastically magnified, and, if left unchecked, could lead to complete extinction.

The Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project monitors the health of these gentle giants, offers gorilla orphan care, and provides life-saving medical attention when needed. Please join White Wave International Laboratories, Inc. and MGVP in their efforts to protect this critically-endangered species.

Please donate today by visiting theirsite at:

http://gorilladoctors.org/

The Importance of Being Educated on the Products You Buy

Palm oil is a yellowish white fatty oil that is especially from the crushed nuts of African Palms. Palm oil is used to manufacture everything from soaps, cosmetics, candles and even chocolate.

Unfortunately, palm oil is one of the main drivers of deforestation and the horrifying decline of orangutan populations. Over 43 million tons of palm oil is produced worldwide.

Palm oil is often found in the personal care industry being used in formulations for mascaras, eye shadows, moisturizers, tanning lotions, cleansers and lip/eye liners.

White Wave International Laboratories, Inc. is proud to follow other large personal care companies in the search for renewable sustainable palm oil (RSPO). According to the World Wildlife Federation (WWF), only 1% of sustainable palm oil has been purchased.

Educate yourself on the foods and cosmetics you purchase by always checking the ingredient listing. Palm oil can be listed on the label as palm oil, hydrogenated palm oil or palm kernel oil.

Please, if you have a moment, take the time to watch the video below. Together we can commit to conservation. Thank you - Jennifer Sunday

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qv8NlidN2wg

For additional information please click on the following link:

http://www.worldwildlife.org/who/media/press/2009/WWFPresitem12330.html

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Recycling Your Empty Bronxing Mist Cans

It's O.K. to spray! Aerosol products ARE recyclable, just like any other empty aluminum container. Given the public's concern about solid waste disposal, the aerosol industry teamed upto promote the collection of empty aerosol cans in recycling programs nationwide. Thousands of communities now include aerosol product recycling in both household residential and curbside buy-back and drop-off programs.

For a list of recycling centers in your area that may accept aerosol cans, please visit www.earth911.org

Aerosol products, like all other personal care and household product containers, should be disposed of properly. Recycling is the best way to dispose of an empty aerosol container. Make sure to empty the can before recycling your can. Never dispose an aerosol container in roadside dumps or open trash fires.