Advocate for the Arts

Federal: Urge Congress to Restore NEA Funding and Reinstate Arts Education

Write Your Legislators Now!

Last month, Congress passed a stop-gap funding measure for Fiscal Year 2011 to keep the government operational while they work on a final appropriations bill for the rest of the fiscal year. This legislation made significant cuts to federal education programs. Among the programs terminated in this legislation was the $40 million Arts in Education program (AIE) through the U.S. Department of Education which supports model and professional arts education grants and funds VSA and the Kennedy Center arts education program as well.

This termination of the Arts in Education program is alarming, and all the more so because of the drastic cuts the National Endowment for the Arts underwent a few weeks earlier in the House legislation that would reduce its budget by 26%, the largest cut in 16 years!

We need to let Congress know that these cuts and terminations are unacceptable, and they should restore them in the next phase of FY 2011 funding legislation which Congress will attempt to finalize these by April 8th. Use our customizable form to contact your members of Congress now and let them know that the arts and arts education funding is a priority for you!

via Advocate for the Arts.

Introduce Kids to Healthy Foods in School Meals – The Petition Site

Introduce Kids to Healthy Foods in School Meals

* Target: USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack

* Sponsored by: Kids’ Safe and Healthful Foods Project

Kids need nutritious meals to help them grow strong and healthy and avoid long-term health risks such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancer.

Unfortunately, more than 90 percent of schools serve meals that do not meet current nutrition standards. Based on the strong recommendations of the National Academies’ Institute of Medicine and the federal government’s own Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the USDA has issued a new proposal that would substantially improve the quality of school lunches and breakfasts.

The proposal includes common-sense standards to improve school meals: more fruits, vegetables and whole grains; fat-free and low-fat milk; less sodium and fewer unhealthy fats and calories.

But the USDA needs to hear from all of us by April 13 to put these good ideas into action. Please join the Kids’ Safe and Healthful Foods Campaign, a joint project of the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, in supporting the proposed standards and let USDA know you want healthier school meals for all students.

Read more and sign the petition via Introduce Kids to Healthy Foods in School Meals – The Petition Site.

Have a Party . . . A Henna Party! | Southern Bride Magazine

 

 

Have a Party . . . A Henna Party! | Southern Bride Magazine.

Here’s an article about my fantastic friend Beth. She’s a henna artist… a really good one. She’s cool too! She’s one of my oldest friends. Well, not in age…in years! We’ve been friends since high school! Love her. Get some henna. She’s done my leg and my hands! Both times I loved it and got sooo many compliments!

Developer preview of Lion arrives with more new features | Operating Systems | MacUser | Macworld

Apple on Thursday released a developer preview of Mac OS X Lion, the next incarnation of the Mac operating system. The new version sports a number of features that weren’t showcased when Apple offered a sneak preview of Lion back in October.

Leading the new feature charge is AirDrop, which sounds like a Dropbox alternative. In press materials announcing the developer release, Apple describes AirDrop as “a remarkably simple way to copy files wirelessly from one Mac to another with no setup.”

Read the entire article via Developer preview of Lion arrives with more new features | Operating Systems | MacUser | Macworld.

Apple’s Calendar for the Next 6 Months: Apple News, Tips and Reviews «

There are always rumors floating around about Apple’s next move, especially when it involves the iPhone and, more recently, the iPad. But what if we could see Apple’s calendar of what they intend to announce and release? Here’s an overview of what I imagine that calendar looks like for the next six months.

February

Public release of iOS 4.3. The latest beta of iOS 4.3 is beta 3, which has been available for around two weeks now. In the past, incremental upgrades to iOS have only had 3 betas before going to Gold Master (GM) and then on to the public release. I give it less than a week before we see the GM, and a couple of weeks after that, we’ll see the public release of 4.3. That puts the date around Feb. 28. Given there’s a press event rumored for this week, I’d say there’s a good chance the GM will be released then, with the public release date announced during the event.

March…..MacBook Pro refresh.

Keep reading via Apple’s Calendar for the Next 6 Months: Apple News, Tips and Reviews «.

20 money-saving ways to reuse old pantyhose | Yahoo! Green

Silk stockings are of course as long gone as my dear grandmother; truly sad to say, in both cases. But here are 20 creative ways to repurpose today’s worn-out nylon pantyhose, even if you’re not planning to rob a bank:

* Gift wrap storage: Keep rolls of gift paper neat and tatter-free by storing them in old pantyhose — one roll per leg — and hanging them in the closet.

* Green Cheapskate soap on a rope: Put bath soap slivers in the foot of a pair of pantyhose to get every last bit of suds out of them in the shower. Rub-a-dub-dub, there’s a cheapskate in my tub. (See more “Recycling Oddities.”)

* Plant ties: Use lengths of pantyhose to stake up tomatoes and other plants in the garden; because of its elasticity, it’s easier on tender plants than string.

* Mold and mildew stoppers: Partially fill pantyhose with kitty litter and place in shoes, luggage, closets, dressers, etc., to absorb moisture and reduce mold and mildew.

* Panty-pantry storage: Store onions, potatoes, and garlic in pantyhose and hang them in the pantry to promote good air circulation and keep them from rotting.

* Sweet smelling sachets: Fill lengths of pantyhose with potpourri, tie off at both ends, and use to keep closets and dressers smelling sweet. They also work well when filled with cedar shavings or moth-repelling herbs to prevent damage to clothing in storage.

* Pillow stuffing: Cut pantyhose into strips and use to stuff throw pillows or toys.

* Repair torn pair in a pinch: If she has a run in the left leg and a matching pair with a run in the right, my wife sometimes cuts off her bad legs (so to speak) and doubles up, wearing two layers of panties with a good leg attached to each. (God I love that frugal woman.)

Read on via 20 money-saving ways to reuse old pantyhose | Yahoo! Green.

How Much Power Will a Home Wind Turbine Produce? | Care2 Healthy & Green Living

A strong wind gust and attractive rebates may not add up to a good deal on residential wind power. Several factors affect the amount of power generated by a home wind turbine. Homeowners should avoid general ratings and carefully study the potential power-generating capacity of a wind turbine on a specific site. 

 

Power Ratings

Most turbines have a power rating in kilowatts (kW). The rating is somewhat like a car’s horsepower figure. It shows which engine or turbine is bigger, but isn’t a direct measure of the machine’s full energy output. The number of “horses under the hood” doesn’t indicate the fuel efficiency or top speed without vehicle weight, driving conditions and other stats. At least most car buyers have already owned a car, so they have a rough idea how to translate horsepower figures. However, homeowners are typically buying their first turbine, so they have nothing for comparison.

Utility bills are measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh) — power usage multiplied by time. For example, a 100-watt light bulb left on for 10 hours uses one kWh. Many companies and industry groups say a 10 kW system will generate about 10,000 kWh per year (equaling the average power usage in a U.S. home), but the real output will be higher or significantly lower. The turbine puts out a maximum of 10 kW under perfect conditions, so it could theoretically generate 10 kW for 24 hours a day 365 days a year, or 87,600 kW per year. With soft breezes, it will generate just a handful of watts…

Read more 

 

 

via How Much Power Will a Home Wind Turbine Produce? | Care2 Healthy & Green Living.

Clutter…Be Gone The Green Way! | Care2 Healthy & Green Living

If a home could talk, we might want it to greet us at the door like this:

“Welcome! I am healthy and happy because someone takes good care of me. Can I take good care of you?” 

 

If clutter is lurking in the nooks and crannies of your home, I’m sad to report, your home will not say this. But, there is hope. When it comes to cleaning and decorating my nest, I rely on the guiding principles of green and this simple equation:

Cleaning + Detox + Downsizing = Decluttering

Do the math using this eco-friendly bag of tricks, and say good-bye to clutter!

Reduce

Reducing your stuff goes hand and hand with lowering your consumption. If clutter has taken over your space, maybe you have too much stuff? Purge to downsize the excess items and reclaim space. Sell, donate or repurpose items. Floor bins of stuff, and piles on surfaces take up valuable real estate. Think vertical storage to free up floor space. Put items you don’t use often up high. Don’t forget that the best way to declutter is to not buy more stuff.

Reuse

Some of the unwanted items you’ll want to donate, sell or give away. Once you’ve decided to keep something, make sure you love it. If it no longer works in your living space, give it a new life. If you repurpose an old item, you’ll eliminate the need to produce a new one and the need to dispose of the old. That’s an eco-win. Create a designated space for items you want to keep and reuse. Furnishings that do double duty help minimize clutter. For instance, a closed chest that holds linens can double as a coffee or end table.

Recycle

Create spaces for storage systems and recycling centers. Don’t forget to get your whole family on board. Kids bring home a ridiculous amount of papers. Have a system for papers that can be tossed in three bins: 1. to use the other side of the paper or for scrap paper, 2. to be filed, and 3. to be recycled. Lead by example and teach your family to put away things after they are finished. This can be a difficult learning lesson that may require consistency, but think of the alternative…clutter.

Get Reinspired: Here’s a dose of decluttering inspiration and 10 more ways to reduce it in your home.

If all else fails, use your head and Reimagine how fabulous it will feel to live in a clean home that welcomes you with uncluttered arms.

Ronnie Citron-Fink is a writer and educator. Ronnie regularly writes about sustainable living for online sites and magazines. Along with being the creator of www.econesting.com, Ronnie has contributed to numerous books about green home design, DIY, children, and humor. Ronnie lives in the Hudson Valley of New York with her family.

More on EcoNesting (153 articles available)

More from Ronnie Citron-Fink (265 articles available)

via Clutter…Be Gone The Green Way! | Care2 Healthy & Green Living.

My trip to Memphis

So I’m sitting at one of my fav pizza joints here in Memphis waiting for one of my oldest and dearest friends to join me. I’m visiting for the weekend to help with the UPTA auditions at Playhouse on the square along with the bonus of playing with my friends. Being here reminds me of how my life was for so long. All the art and culture I’ve left behind. I could allow this to depress me…but I choose not to. Instead, I find it inspiring (which is the reason I choose that life to begin with). Talking with the people who know me so well has really helped shed light on who I am and the possibilities for the future. This was exactly what I needed. Life is a collaboration, and I just need to find my new collaborators. They are out there!
So that’s my new goal. Stay tuned…

I’m changing…can you tell?

As you can see, I’ve updated the name and look of my blog. Since being “self-employed”, I’ve done lots of web surfing, designing and watching tv. I have to admit, I’ve suffered from a complete lack of direction. One day I want to start a web design business, the next day I want to be a copy writer and some days I want to be a recycled artist. It’s different every day, and when I try to commit…I get bored really fast.

So, I’ve been doing some soul-searching and applying some patience. I’ve allowed myself to do what I want without feeling the need to accomplish anything and trying to just be present. Of course, I’m doing this in the hope that a pattern will emerge and a light bulb will go on in my head. I’m waiting for an ‘a-ah’ moment.

made from an office chair and a table...that's my godkitty Miata lounging on it

I’ve found myself drawn in by ecofriendly subjects, especially within the context of home construction, renovating, construction products and recycled art.

This really doesn’t surprise me. I do, of course, have a background in similar activities. I’ve created recycled furniture, my family has a sustainable organic herb farm and I was a vegan chef at a ‘hippie heaven’ deli and market.

Alright, so now that I’ve noticed this pattern, what do I do with this new knowledge? Well, step one is this blog – silly! I’m still not ready to totally commit…but I think I’m ready to start holding hands.

We’ll see what’s next…