Let's send a kid to camp....

After a successful weekend at the Detroit Green Festival held this past weekend at the headquarters of the Horatio Williams Foundation we now turn the page as we prepare for the Salvation Army Camp in North Oakland County.... also known as Echo Grove.   These two events may seem far apart on the surface... yet nothing could be further from the truth.

Let me start by saying that meeting Horatio Williams just a few weeks back was a great experience AND an eye opening one at that.  Many of us today take for granted the things we enjoy in part of our daily life such as family, support structure, mentors, and access to recreational opportunities.   In fact Horatio's first words to me were "We're just trying to do things for the kids.... ".
It seems that with the state of the financial situation in many of our urban centers... especially in Detroit... it has effected every aspect of services that used to be provided through traditional sources AND that includes parks and recreation opportunities for youth.  As a result we continue to hear and read about youth who have gone to other places for the sense of family and that place is often times not always the best choice.  Gang activity and violence is at unspeakable levels and when one examines the root cause... it seems to come back around to no support structure or a weak one that is not able to keep kids on a promising path.  Enter groups like The Horatio Williams Foundation.

http://horatiowilliamsfoundation.org/about/founder.html

  In 1992, Horatio Williams formed On Time Transportation Inc., a non-emergency medical transportation firm that provides 24/7 service for clients suffering various injuries. Horatio notes, “The obstacles of my accident led me to this business and it’s been a blessing.”

With 17 vehicles, he has serviced over 3000 clients and employed 32 people. He went from signing autographs as a college basketball star to signing checks…helping people provide for their families. “While I still miss playing basketball,” says Horatio. “Working with my clients and providing jobs has been an honor and I thank God for the opportunity.”

He established the Horatio Williams Foundation which has provided additional charitable contributions to the community. In April he sponsors the “Second Chance Basketball Game” so that high school seniors who did not receive college scholarships have an opportunity to play in front of scouts & coaches from across the country.

In June, he sponsors a free 2 week basketball camp for over 100 youth. In August, he sponsors a free trip to Cedar Point for over 400 youth. In September, he sponsors a back to school uniform clothing drive to provide school clothing for underprivileged youth

Williams is determined to expand his youth outreach, provide more programs and reach more kids. He is currently working on providing academic (tutorial) assistance to those students needing additional in all subjects and ACT/SAT testing preparation. As he says, “Life is about learning and I believe that kids can achieve their greatness if they are given an opportunity…I feel it’s my responsibility to provide them with a chance”

 The Horatio Williams Foundation is currently seeking support to win a grant through Art Van Furniture here in Detroit and you can help in their effort simply just by casting a vote for them on line.  That would be a great start to help support a group who is getting it done!

http://artvancharitychallenge.com/vote-today/

"Shift into Green..." at the Lake St Clair Water Festival

This week we were pleased and honored to be invited to present our "Shift into Green..." presentation at the Lake St Clair Water Festival held at Macomb Community College (MC3) North Campus.  It was kind of a homecoming of sorts in more than one way.  Personally.... for me it was going back to where I came from in the sense that I was raised in the suburban community of Sterling Heights, Michigan from early childhood until leaving the nest as a college bound teen.   Returning after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Education... with an emphasis on science... I accepted my first full time teaching position as a middle school science teacher in Roseville Community Schools... also located in Macomb County.

http://www.lakestclairwaterfestival.org/

 So it is with that brief history that today after a 23 year absence from the classroom that I returned to where I started.... at MC3.... into the classroom.... loaded with science tools and materials.... back to where I came from.  But there is more to this story.  Being my first time presenting at this event I really did not know what to expect in the way of the format.  My hopes and expectations were fully met in that the MC3 classrooms were fully equipped with the technology I hoped would be there to connect my lap top to the internet and display my presentation links to the various sites relevant to the day.  Keep in mind that none of these tools even existed for classroom use when I left my educational career to start my own business in 1990.

http://www.statefarm.com/agent/US/MI/Oxford/Don-Sherman-BFLZL1YS000

Now let me get to the real irony of this day.  My first group arrived just slightly ahead of schedule.  As I looked through the agenda of the 4 morning groups scheduled to come through my "Shift into Green..." presentation I noticed an unfamiliar name of an elementary school.... but since the group arrived early I had little time to research their background.... so I began my presentation with kind of an opening probing approach to find out a little background information on my first group.  "Tell me a little bit about you before I start to tell you more about me and our topic of discussion...."  As the hands popped up... I learned some names,  favorite colors, favorite sports, and then leading them into the points I needed to know.... I discovered they were from Roseville Community Schools.  "Really?  I said... this is interesting to me".  Back to where I came from... picking up where I left off 23 years ago.... teaching a science lesson to students from.... Roseville Community Schools?    Planned?  Ironic?  Fate?

As the day went on and group two arrived.... it became clear to me that my morning schedule in fact was booked with kids from Macomb County... of course.... but specifically from Roseville Community Schools.  What an irony?  As the third group came and went... I began feeling like it was a divine intervention experience and each group revealed more new information to me about their new school... 2 years old.... Michigan Green School.... kids even knew my old teaching Buddy Dan Crow who is still in the district as an Assistant Principle or Principle last we talked.  

The bottom line for me was that this was a very meaningful day in many ways that literally took me back home for the better part of the day.  In fact... my Mom and Dad are still in the area not far from the campus.  You may have seen a post I put up with a photo of my Dad working with me at the Michigan Green Schools event in Macomb County a few weeks back.   On this day I took the time to make a call... "Mom... It's Don... are you home?  OK... I'm on my way over to see you.... OK?"  "Sure"... she said and off I went.  Now I tell you this as I begin to wind down the story of "coming home" to Macomb County.   I am lucky in so many ways and in this case... that I had taken the time to do what many of us take for granted.  I admit... I have taken for granted the assumption that they are going to be here for ever... I can always make time to stop in... and... then you realize that isn't true.  So... the moral of the story today?  Take the time... your busy... you have more to do than you can possibly deal with... how can you take the time or make the time?  Do it.  While you can... while there here... put all else aside for just this one day.... and go back home while you still can!  ;)                  

MGS Oakland County Event

First... I'd like to recognize John Carlos of Greeningdetroit.com for a special award that we received together last week at Davenport University in Grand Rapids Michigan.  It was an honor to share the stage with John and be recognized as one of the 101 Best and Brightest Sustainable Companies in Michigan by Corp Magazine,  The Grand Rapids Press, and Davenport University.  Congratulations John.... he is the "James Brown"... the hardest working man in the green business.

We listened to Key note speaker ,  Fred Keller of Cascade Industries talk about his companies mission and goals of being a designated B Corporation which adds a level of commitment on the organizations part to reach their business goals while being a good steward of the earth, community and company at the same time or Triple Bottom line standards.  This is significant in that they are not only working toward profitability for the company... but doing so in ways that go far beyond effecting the bottom line.  Fred talked about the efforts his company puts forth to use recycled content in the products they create and demand the same from their supplier base.  He talked about innovative programs that went beyond the bottom line and into effecting social causes like unemployment, underemployment and event prisoner release to work programs.

I am honored to be here with you all today to celebrate in your achievements and to be recognized for your efforts within your schools to meet the Michigan Green Schools Standards of achievement this year in 2012.  

 It is with the B corp model in mind that I created Greenfundraiserstore.com  just over a year ago in April 2010.  Last year we engaged in an effort to raise awareness, educate and raise funds for Michigan Green Schools of Oakland County.  We did so through the promotion of a simple tool...small yet significant... that many of you purchased for use in your home.... a simple old idea made new again that we learned from our grand parents in their garden years ago... composting.  This compost bucket is simply a new twist on an old idea.  Focusing our efforts on sorting biodegradable and compostable materials out of the regular waste stream and back into our own gardens.  This bucket contains a special corn starch based liner that allows for simple, no smell, no mess under the kitchen counter composting.  The bag and its contents can go right into your yard composting barrel or in my case right into the compost pile... contents and bag right back into the earth.   Last year we were able to provide Debbie Dunn with a check for $200.00 from the proceeds of the sale of those buckets to help offset her costs for last years program and to show our capabilities as an organization committed to education, awareness, and advocacy of "green shifts" in the course of daily living.

This year.... we decided to back to the original fund raising concept of an Eco Tee Shirt.  After working through the politics of use of the logo... why does that always come up?  We were able to gain approval to move forward with the project.   With Debby's support the word of the partnership made it out to the MGS schools in Oakland County.  This year we had 10 school districts engage with us on the first wave of Eco Tees that are here today for delivery.

But... there is more to the story.  The first shirt we selected... we found upon going to place the order... wasn't going to be available until May.  Well... that just wasn't going to work well for us since we wanted the shirts ready for today's event and other events in Macomb, Washtenaw, Huron, and Wayne Counties that were planned in April.  Interest in the project was gaining support in other counties... but the request was clear....  they were interested in a shirt not only that met our eco standards of being organic cotton and eco friendly imprint... but also made in the USA.  That is a pretty important issue today AND believe me when I tell you I was raised in a GM family with a  buy American... buy local attitude at an early age.

And so... we found the perfect match in the Royal avocado Eco Tee.  Our promise on this partnership is simple... we do the labor of creating and implementing the project.  We cover our overhead costs and costs of production, imprinting, AND then share in the proceeds with our partners. in this project 25% of the proceeds go to the partnering schools AND 25% of the proceeds go the the MGS at the administrative level.

Today I am happy to present Debby Dunn with a check for $150 to make good on the promise of that partnership.   Thank you Debby for your support and continued partnership on this project.  Checks will be mailed out to the partnering schools at the end of the month.

FYI....  we are accepting orders for the next wave that will conclude at the end of this month.    See us at our display in the lobby for more details on your way out today.

Last thing... Rochester High School... You Rock... You were by far the biggest supporter on this project with 39 tees ordered for your group alone.  Thanks for your support!

Michigan Green Schools Events 2012

Most people get excited about certain days on the calendar mostly because there is something in it for them so to speak.  Children love Christmas... for obvious reasons.... and get excited about birthdays and really that goes without saying.  ME?  I am not so big on these for my own personal reasons.   I think Christmas has lost focus on the true reason and has become a retail bonanza AND personally I believe that the mother who birthed the child should get the cards, cake, and presents... I am the father of 4 and witnessed each of the blessed birthing events... MOM's deserve gifts!

So... it will come as no surprise that I will tell you that on the eve of Earth Day... I am excited and patiently waiting to celebrate the gifts that the earth is springing forth to us.   As I write this blog I can catch a scent of the beautiful flowers my wife has harvested and placed in a vase in our family room.  In spite of allergies...the perfume scent is intoxicating.  The birds have returned and are singing in their finest tune... Twitter... move over for the real deal!

Each year for the past couple now I have selected a song to post on Earth Day that I find meaningful to the continued need to bring focus to the natural gifts provided to us in this world... that for 354 days of the year many just take for granted.   So this year.... I have selected a song from my youth...  all the really good songs have already been written... right?  And... to that point the ultimate statement to that is when a young and upcoming star finds it necessary to rip off the success of the past and create a "re-do" of the glories of the past.  I find this somewhat disturbing... since most of the youth today have not idea that this musical "borrowing" from the past has actually taken place.

This year.... I want to share a blast from the past from non other than....

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3bPXXfDr-I&feature=my_liked_videos&list=LLV95GJ2w72r5CN7O_CjWv0A

Yes... Joni Mitchell... Big Yellow Taxi... which I have always known as "Pave paradise, put up a parking lot...".  The words ring true now today more than ever.... in light of the ever expanding desire to develop and expand into natural places.... deforestation and abandonment of used up urban spaces in the name of creating new places in the ever cheaper ring of suburbs.  One upside of a terrible down economy of the past 5 years in Michigan has been the abrupt pause of this expansion... which gives us time to pause and reconsider how we will proceed in the next expansion.   Will we go back into those places we have abandoned to "reuse, recycle, and reduce" OR will will continue to live in the bigger, better, more mentality of the past decade?  

This year Greenfundraiserstore.com has been blessed with the gift of opportunity in the partnership with the Michigan Green Schools program AND the creation of the MGS Eco Tee.  This iconic tee shirt is made of 100% organic cotton and uses a special non toxic imprinting technique to create a truly ecological tee shirt.  This only makes sense since it has been produced by our sister company known as The Ecological Tee Shirt Company.

The real story behind the story on this project has to do with the original selected organic cotton tee.  We selected the tee back in January and our supplier had shown it on their web site as available.... until we went to place the first wave of orders.    The explanation we got was that the tee was unavailable until May... which is a full month until after our project was set to go... and so we started on a search for an alternative.

Many of the would be partners said... "We like the idea... but frankly we want to know where the tee was made... would really would prefer a tee made in the USA" .  Now... as a relative new comer in the clothing market....I have found that the majority of clothing products are not made here and all you have to do is look through your closet to find out where they are being made.  Pretty much.... anywhere in the world... but here in the USA... right?

Enter... Royal Apparel... Let me give you the highlights below...

So... without saying too much... which I usually do....  I will leave you with this link to Greenfundraiserstore.com and the partnership with Michigan Green Schools.  We are providing 25% of the proceeds of this partnership to the schools who engage in ordering with us AND and additional 25% to the MGS at the administrative level.   Last year we partnered with Oakland County and promoted the compost bucket and corn starch liner. 

http://www.greenfundraiserstore.com/index.php?

page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=155&category_id=26&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=133

 We were able to provide a check to the Oakland County MGS program for $250 to help them offset their costs for their program.   This year with the encouragement from the Oakland County Coordinator Debby Dunn... we reached out to the leadership of the Michigan Green Schools program and proposed the concept for the expansion throughout the State of Michigan.  With presistance, patience and the spirit of co-operation....  we received a nod of approval and the program spread to Macomb, Wayne, and Washtenaw Counties.  Later... it has made it's way to all the coordinators throughout the State of Michigan.  

This year's program is really giving us leg's AND allowing us a forum to showcase our capabilities.  The real traction so far has been right here in Oakland County AND on Tuesday this coming week I will proudly provide a check to Debby Dunn for the over 250 Eco Tees we have sold so far in over 20 Oakland County Schools.  Each partnering school will receive a check for their participation in the project... and we will have fulfilled our promise.  It all comes full circle now back to the "small, yet significant" changes we can do to make a difference....  ;) 

Last thing.... Thank you to those who nominated Greenfundraiserstore.com for the 101 Best and Brightest Sustainable Companies in Michigan Award.  We were honored to take the stage with some of Michigans Very Best and Brightest... Herman Miller, Steelcase Furniture, The Grand Travese Resort... just to name a few.  Please see the full list in this article link below: 

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/michigans-101-best--brightest-sustainable-companies-to-be-recognized-april-18-144892715.html

HAPPY EARTH DAY!  

The gift that keeps on giving... Flowers by my wife Lisa... they come up every year and each year it is a wonderful surprise and gift!  

Greenfundraiserstore.com Spring 2012

Spring has arrived in Michigan.... even though the calendar says it is winter for another week.... nature will not wait!  For the past few weeks... winter has really already left.  My snow plow sits there on the driveway with a sad rusty grin.... no work in March!  However.... while the plow may feel unappreciated... my wifes garden is already coming to life like never before!  Yes... there are little purple flowers already fully developed in the grown cover AND full ripe buds on other plants that I don't know the proper name for that are ready to burst open any minute.  The birds are up at 5:30.... HOO, HOO and Chirp...Chirp... so.... am I.  I live for this time of year.... up early and usually exhausted by sundown... the way it was meant for us to live.

This past week has been without a doubt the most significant week in the development of the Greenfundraiserstore.com life cycle.  May I tell you about it?   After careful consideration and a lot of contemplation about an implied threat of sorts.... I am going ahead with the 2012 fund raiser for the Michigan Green Schools Eco Tee.   I know you've heard this before... nothing in life worthy of doing is easy.... and that is the case here.  Last year we created an idea for an iconic tee that would help promote, celebrate, educate, and raise money for schools all over Michigan who are involved in the Michigan Green Schools program.  

http://michigangreenschools.us/

Those of you who follow GFS will recall that picture of the presistant young lady who would not take "NO" as an answer from me at our display.  I created one sample shirt with the MGS logo as an idea to pitch to the various MGS groups throughout the area.  Along the way... I was told that someone claims to own the rights to the logo and that I should refrain from using it for fear of repercussions.   Because of the timing of the process I decided to go with a gift or promotional give away that did not include the beautifully done logo and simply went with a congratulatory message to the MGS school recipients branded on an jar opener made from recycled tire rubber.   That was indeed the one and only MGS shirt and now it is owned by a proud young lady in the Southfield School district.


http://www.oakland.k12.mi.us/Departments/CapitalBuildingProjectsandFacilityOperation/MichiganGreenSchools/tabid/2638/Default.aspx

Fast forward to Michigan Green Schools 2012 and again.... the activity is reaching a frenzied level!  This is the time of year when the schools engage in their focused green activities... and rightfully so.  Time to be respectful of the beauty that is unfolding all around us in the annual renewal of spring and the beauty of the up-welling of new life and renewal.   This year I feel differently about the MGS Eco Tee project and have enough time and experience behind us to take it to launch.  We carefully analyzed the potential good will VS implied threat of the project and have decided that there is so much good that will come from this activity that I simply cannot let an implied threat stand in the way.  The logo has no visible trademark, registration or copyright markings that would have been placed there to prevent use.  That in of it self speaks volumes over the implied threat of use.

We stopped to consider other symbols and representations that might parallel this concept.  For example.... if we flash the peace symbol.... do we need to fear the original hippy who may stake claim to own it?  OR... if we show the chasing arrows of the recycling symbol... will the original stake holder show up to prevent this?  How about the American Flag?  Will the Ross family show up to claim that Betsy is the controlling interest here?   We considered all of it and came out with this final conclusion.
We are promoting a cause in the Michigan Green Schools program, we support their mission,  we are in turn educating/creating awareness/advocating their cause,  AND we are able to raise funds for partnering schools own green efforts.   That is plenty of up side... with little down side.  And... that is a risk we will take in doing good.

So... keep an eye out for more information from your school and if you don't see any out reach from them... then take this PDF to them and get involved.   Our program will run through the end of March for those who want to engage and have delivery before the arrival of Earth Day 2012.  Our goal is to have the Eco Tees delivered to the schools in time for the Michigan Green schools Awards ceremony in April.

Enjoy the early spring... and support your schools MGS efforts!      

Rise and Shine Detroit -- National Geographic Traveler

Rise and Shine Detroit -- National Geographic Traveler

This article appeared today and I could not just read it and leave it... so please read the story that is hitting the March/April Nat Geo with the now famous Chris Roddy. I was recently in the city visiting with some fellow Board Members from my suburban community of Oxford and we walked right into the Guardian and there here was. Christopher in his full humble glory waiting for us to meeted and greeted. He charmed the ladies in our group with his well... charm... and then offered to give us a tour... that is before... his job called him to the attention of a elderly visitor who had collapsed and was in need of medical attention. This humble servant of Detroit made his way to world wide attention... if only for a brief glimpse (two seconds at second 39-40) ... from his short video appearance in last years Super Bowl smash hit commercial featuring Marshal Mathers attempt to lift Chrysler Corporation on his back to resurrect the brand rising up from the ashes of the complete collapse of bankruptcy.

http://greenfundraiserstore.blogspot.com/2011/02/chrysler-eminem-super-bowl-commercial.html?spref=bl

Yes... I just revisited this blog from February 2011 and I am willing to admit that it still gives me the goose bumpy chills when I watch it on YouTube. Funny how a year has passed and now that Marshall Mathers message of "This is the Motor City and this is what we do...." has been attempted to be topped  with another super star... from a different era... in Clint Eastwood and the "It's Half-time..." ad. Again... I will admit that this was again a goose bump spot on commercial.

http://www.youtube.com/chrysler

I was not sure what to expect when I heard that Clint Eastwood had been hired in to do the spot this year. In fact... I missed it completely due to some running around and transporting kids that occurred at my own household half time. I did see the Madonna show... missed the bird that got flipped and then missed the Chrysler spot. Thank goodness for YouTube as my son and I cued it up the next morning and... again... a strong message that I did not think was as powerful as the Marshall Mathers message... but then again... Marshall is from Detroit or now lives out in the extended suburbs not too far from my neighborhood.

I was taken back a bit by the storm of controversy that followed the next day and has just now started to settle down this week. It appears that there are all types of conspiracy theorists at work on the hidden messages and meanings of this ad. The most outrageous one I have heard has to do with the theory that this is somehow Chrysler paying back Obama for the bail out loans that occurred. The theory is that "half-time" represents the half way point in Obama's attempt for re election for the next 4 year term.... and that somehow Clint Eastwood is paying it forward to Obama in this ad.

I heard an interview with local Detroit radio host Paul Smith and Sergio Marchionne on WJR Radio the Monday following the Super Bowl. Later that morning the dissection began taking place of the interview and some of the further conspiracies that were quite laughable. Marchionne is the head of Chrysler... who is now joined with Fiat... and this leads into the European influences on the entire ad campaign.

One thing I learned later that day... it appears that the NFL forced Chrysler to remove the ad since they had apparently violated some type of agreement and used a term that was either trademarked or propitiatory in the use of the words.... "Half Time". First Boise State threatens our local high school stating they have the rights to the words... "Blue Turf" and now the NFL says they own "Half Time"? Very soon we will not be able to say a word without infringing upon someones ownership rights to the words!

http://www.allpar.com/news/index.php/2012/02/marchionne-talks-with-wjrs-paul-w-smith-about-super-bowl-ad

I will finish with one of my favorite catchy little toons that I think summarizes the entire Spirit of Detroit.... Sammy Davis Jr... we miss you!

"Hello Detroit" ... is a song that Sammy Davis Junior wrote about the D back in the day when he apparently felt pretty good about his experiences here in the Motor City. I don't know the story about how that song actually came to be... but Sammy belted it out and here it is...

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

Update:  March 8th, 2012

I caught this article on a local Facebook page for Digg Detroit from a visiting journalist who was in town to cover the Romney event at Ford Field.  He saw something in our city that many journalists have failed to see.... hope of a real sustainable recovery.  Please check it out....

  Two cities: two works in progress....

And... my reply to the comments posted....

donaldman
posted 2 days ago

Thank you Richard for you thoughtful comments about your recent visit to Detroit. It is refreshing to see some more positive light being shined on a city on its knees. You see as an advocate for the fair City of Detroit...I read, watch and hear plenty of the bad news and poor coverage of the city. I caught your story on a Facebook page known as Digg Detroit and I recommend a visit there to get a vibe on what I am about to try to explain to your readers. As the first Chrysler superbowl ad said...most critics have never even set foot here. How can you pass judgement on something you know little or nothing about? Some of your reader comments are kind in thought but lack prespective from some current facts. I will direct you to some great web places for fuether thoughts on what is happening at the grass roots level... Visit Lemonaide Detroit and Google search Dan Gilbert...Quicken Loans owner and his continued investment in city gems long ago abandoned and under redevelopment. There is an entrepenurial renassance taking place very quietly and the nation needs to understand what happens when you have gone to hell and back...again quoting Chrysler super bowl ad last year.... You had better learn from the past mistakes or plan for the final chapter. Please also visit National Geographic online March April edition for a great story in 3ise and Shine Detroit...and see my favorite gem in the Guardian trust building...alive and well in 2012 dating back to the pre first depression boom and unfolding of the automotive explosion in the making. 5eroit was then known as the Paris of the midwest due to its ever expanding deco skyline. Now donkt let me leave you with the idea that I am not in touch with the facts...as was stated in the article...we have COMPLEX issues that are mind blowing. Last month each week a new more horrifying story surfaced of chilren being murdered...one baby shot to death while sleeping on a sofa in a drive by...40 plus shots into a house...gang drug related. Those are deep dark issues that go way beyond any revitalization plan. Sorry about the typos...I am doing my best with Blackberry. Check my FB for more pictures and my personal committment to find the beautiful things in the D!

February 1st 2012... In balmy Michigan

I just tore off the sheet on my old fashioned paper calendar for January 2012.  It occurred to me that although January is the first in the line of 12 months on the calendar... I'm never sorry to turn the page to February.  Now some might say that we can just chuck February and March too... because if your from Michigan... and you prefer lets just say... the "other" months... the first part of the year can be down right blahh.
Enter the new climate conditions for 2012... throw out the rule books, trade in your snow thrower, and let's break out the shorts and flip/flops (did you know some Michiganders actually never put them away?) cause spring comes in February  now.  Yes... the ground hog has been fired... no need for old PA Phil to tell us about winter and spring anymore.

You know your in Michigander when...

Number 1:  You drop the top on the convertible... and its partly cloudy and 45.
Number 2:  You decide to swap out the car for the motorcycle... partly sunny and 50.
Number 3:  You start calling around for tee times at the golf course... overcast and 49... remember in April you'll likely complain about windy and 58.
Number 4:   No worry kids... but the snow board aside for the long board... I see my neighbor kids hitting the rolling hills in the hood today...no jackets of course...
Number 5:  You start to complain about a string of too many nice days in a row... it upsets your inner Michiganian.

Now... keep in mind that just 36 hours ago we were blanketed in 3-4 inches of snow and we even had the threat of a dreaded... "snow day..." .  Funny how your perspective on this changes as you become a parent.

So... to all those local community event planners... sorry about it... Tip up Town... the annual winter event that brings winter enthusiast out onto the ice with their Ice Shanty's and Tip up's... not gonna happen.  Right through the ice and into the drink.   Fire and Ice... how about smoldering embers and slush?  Winter Blast?
Change it to Spring fling.  It is really hard to plan for winter events and it is always risky at best.

http://tip-up-townusa.com/

At the same time.... I hear about record snow in Alaska and cold in the UK... hard to figure it out and that is because... you can't.   It's called climate change... because the climate... is always changing.  This article in the Detroit News kind of explains the science of "Why".... theoretically.

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120202/NATION/202020398/Winter-largely-dodges-large-swaths-U-S-?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|p

Earlier this year I swear I could even smell it.  Yes... in our local area there was chatter about that unusual smell in the air.  What was it?  Never had it before in the winter... I though perhaps it was the smell of... climate change.  My theory was based on the temperatures staying above freezing for so long that we were catching the hint of a moldy smell in the air.  Once person I talked to theorized a proliferation of "Winter mold" caused by above average temperatures.  Others speculated it was from a manufacturing facility that had just recently went back on line after a long shut down.  Others pointed to the local landfills and truth be told my sniffer caught this every time I was in the vicinity of these places.  Problem is... the manufacturing facility is located right in between the two growing mounds of rubbish.   Something happened... and not sure what... but the smell is gone now and were not sure to this day where it was coming from or what caused it... or why it went away.  It just smelled like... climate change to me!

So... keep the faith... keep doing the small yet significant things you can do in your course of daily living.  It all counts as we learn each and every day.   I want to share this link I discovered from a green minded friend this week and I think is the ultimate in "reuse".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-Fpsw_yYPg&feature=share

Let's just say... it sheds some light on a new way to use a plastic Pepsi bottle.

One last thing... we are still showing world wide interest in Greenfundraiserstore.com  with 56% visitation from China in January and a host of others around the globe.  We've had groups contact us from placed like the Philippians to talk about partnering with their fair trade farmers, missionaries in India to share their need for support,  a Spanish club on the east coast, and several non profits in Detroit, Michigan.

There seems to be a strong connection about wanting to "do the right thing" when it comes to taking care of mother earth... but it is not necessarily universal.  There are still many who really don't think they can effect the outcome and choose to do nothing.   Our target is really not necessarily them... but their children, grand children, nieces and nephews.   If we can get the attention of the grass roots level... and work up from there... I think that is the most effective way to go.   Going at it from top down is a road that can be... just impassible.   Coming at it from the roots up... well that just is a more effective and efficient process.   I might not be able to convince a firmly entrenched  curmudgeon to recycle plastic... but I bet his grand daughter will... ;)    

Cities Visits %
CN: 5,725 56.36 %
US: Coldwater 1,214 11.95 %
US: Seattle 732 7.20 %
US: 687 6.76 %
RU: 401 3.95 %
CN: Beijing 318 3.13 %
US: Mountain View 208 2.05 %
UA: 124 1.22 %
UA: Kiev 74 0.73 %

US: Palo Alto 52 0.51 %
US: Fremont 38 0.37 %
US: Atlanta 35 0.35 %
US: Dallas 30 0.29 %
US: Washington 24 0.24 %
US: Rochester 22 0.22 %
US: Clarkston 17 0.17 %
DE: 15 0.15 %
US: Sartell 14 0.14 %
GB: 14 0.13 %
US: Ypsilanti 13 0.12 %
DE: Bremen 12 0.12 %
PH: Manila 8 0.08 %
Other 321 3.16 %
Total 10,158 100.00 %
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