Climate Change Education, Oscars & Ball Gowns, Dolphins & Tim DeChristopher: It’s a wRAP

Did you watch the Oscars this year; Anne Hathaway and James Franco helping or hurting the show? Even if you didn’t watch, you probably heard that the “big winner” was the movie, The King’s Speech. You may also have heard that Collin Firth, the “King” won this year’s Best Actor award. What you might not know though, is that Collin’s wife, Livia, also deserved an award for the best and most “sustainably” dressed. According to EcoRazzi, Livia wore a gown by Gary Harvey that was fashioned from pieces of 11 reclaimed dresses, FROM THE PERIOD of the Kings Speech. Only in London perhaps, could you find all those special dresses! Power to Livia for showing us that the idea of reclaiming and reusing can be fashionable, creative and amazing!

NPR and other News agencies has been reporting over the past few weeks on the unprecedented number of dead dolphins washing up on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, half of which – over 35 – have been babies. The babies would have been conceived just before the oil spill last April; dolphins have a 10-11 month gestation period. Somehow, just as all the oil that spilled into the Gulf has sunk from our view, so too has the uproar and the inquiry about where all that oil is and what damage it has done. Scientists are still waiting for autopsy reports to confirm what has caused these deaths, but we wouldn’t be surprised if somehow it’s related to either the oil dispersants and/or the oil itself. What do you think?

Have you been following the story of Tim DeChristopher? In case you haven’t, here’s a quick overview. Mr. DeChristopher was found guilty t on two felony charges for disrupting a government auction on land and oil leases on Utah wilderness sites. These land lease auctions were pushed through in the final days of the Bush administration. According to DeChristopher supporters, the leases were then later overturned by the Obama administration because the government at the time, “had failed to complete the analysis required by federal law for the protection of cultural and natural resources.” Mr. DeChristopher didn’t have the money to pay for the leases, yet knowingly bid on them to stop the exploitation of lands and drilling for oil. He now faces a jail sentence of up to 10 years. You might may want to discuss this with the kids in your life under the broad heading of “non-violent” protest and “how far” we should go for our beliefs. Our friends at the The Huffington Post ask if Mr. DeChristopher deserve a medal, or a jail sentence? Thoughts….

In the News this week we look at an opinion piece in the Washington Post, along the lines of Mr. DeChristopher’s protests, but from a more individual perspective. In Climate Mama News, we share with you the Top Ten ways to save money and energy at the same time! Our new featured Campaign this month is EARTH HOUR. Check out our homepage and the Earth Hour site for more information; be part of the action on March 26th and beyond.

Cheers, and with something to think about….

Yours,

Climate Mama