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Bear bile farming is a reality today. Although it is unnecessary to bile a bear, it is still very much a common practice in some places today. It causes extreme pain to the bears. During the process, it can be observed that bears gnash their teeth, bite their cages, moan, and even chew their own paws because of the pain.

Bile Extraction - Bile extraction is done in the crudest manner, and without any form of sanitation. The persons conducting it are unskilled and the process is not up to modern veterinary standards. Most of the bears die during or soon after bile extraction. If they live, they suffer from liver cancer, as a result of chronic inflammation and infection of the gall bladder and liver. Generally, farmed bears live only up to 4 years.

Why People Bile Bears - Bile is a digestive liquid produced by the liver and stored in the gall bladder. Bile gathered from bears has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for at least three thousand years for a variety of purposes. It is used in Chinese physiotherapy, to cure inflammations and to dissolve gall stones and kidney stones. Also, it is thought to help detoxify the liver and improve eyesight. And according to research, bears are the only mammals that produce the bile salt ursodeoxycholic acid, which is effective in treating some liver diseases.

Before, bear bile was gathered by killing wild bears and removing their gallbladders. In recent decades, when wild bears became increasingly rare, bile became prohibitively costly for most Chinese. But then, during the year 1980, the Chinese bear bile farming industry adapted a technique first developed in North Korea. This involved extracting bile from captive bears without having to kill them.

Bear Cruelty - The bears are housed in cages hardly large enough to hold the animal itself. To get the bile, an incision is made in each bear’s abdomen and a catheter (which is basically a plastic or rubber tube) is then inserted into the gallbladder. The bile is drained through the catheter and then gathered for sale.

How is the process done? To gather the bile from the gallbladder, a connection from the gallbladder (located deep inside the body) to the surface has to be established. The connection, which is medically called fistula, is made in any of the three ways: insertion of a metal tube, insertion of a plastic tube, or creation of a tissue bridge between the gallbladder and skin. The connection is conducted by untrained and unskilled individuals who do not observe modern veterinary standards.

To gather the bile, some bears wear a “metal jacket”. It is worn around their bodies and it has a collection container attached to it. There are bears forced to lie on the floor of their small cages so the bile will drip downward. Keep in mind that their crush cages are extremely small. The floor is made up of iron bars so the bears cannot stand or lie down on firm ground. This results in neck and back injury. Since a bear’s body will try to exclude the inserted metal or plastic tube or close the tissue bridge, scarring and damage is done to both the inside and outside of the bear. Sometimes, to prevent the closing of the incision, hot pieces of metal are inserted without any form of sedation or anesthesia. Bile is collected twice a day, and this goes on for the rest of their lives.

Why Bear Farming is Useless - This is all very unnecessary. There is no need to make poor bears undergo such abuse. The use of bear bile is obsolete. There are at least 75 herbal medicines that can be used as an alternative to bear bile. Of which, 54 are proven to work. These alternatives are a lot cheaper and more convenient.

Now, synthesized bear bile that contains UrsoDeoxyCholic Acid (the active constituent in bear bile) is available. All these alternatives are just as effective without the deaths of innocent bears. Let us put a stop to bear bile farming. It causes unnecessary torture to poor bears.

People are beginning to turn to green living practices, to help save the planet for their descendants, as global warming continues to pose a danger for the planet’s future. All aspects of our lives, including driving to work and mowing our lawns, can be incorporated into to living green.

It’s a daunting prospect to switch to green living all at one time, and this might actually scare some people away from taking on these most important earth friendly changes. However, you can start slowly, so that you ease into green living and will still help positively impact the earth’s environment.

Some cities have a big problem with smog and air pollution, and much of it can be traced to manufacturing plants. However, that’s not the only contributor to the problem. Cars and trucks, traffic congestion and long commutes add considerably to the pollution.

With so many vehicles making their way through the streets, the sheer volume of pollutants being produced is wiping out the atmosphere’s ozone layer. If you would like to do your part to preserve the environment, consider car pooling, cycling or walking to work, taking public transportation, or even purchasing a new hybrid vehicle that’s less damaging to the air you breathe.

Even small changes like this can provide substantial environmental relief and help to ensure our world is here for many generations to come. If you examine your home, you will find various ways to include green living in your life. Which brand and type of bulb do you use?

Typical incandescent bulbs add up to higher electricity costs and more carbon dioxide. If you exchange even a few of these light bulbs for compact fluorescent bulbs, you can help save the environment and also save money on your electric bills.

You can also seal any gaps around your windows or doors to keep any cool drafts from going into the house. This can cost you more money. Your house should be well insulated so that you can cut down on energy “escapes,” especially during the wintertime. The better insulated your house, the less your furnace will have to run, which will save you money and will save energy, too.

Next, examine your appliances to see if they’re consuming excessive energy. If you have older models, it’s likely that they’re not very efficient. While some of the changes are in the appliances that you use, other ways to go green involve your own habits and actions.

For instance, do you find yourself opening your oven door frequently to see if what you are preparing is done? How hard an appliance has to work is directly proportional to how hard it is on the environment. Continually opening the oven door will result in the temperature dropping almost 25 degrees. The oven will have to work again, even harder, to bring the temperature back to the level at which it originally was.

Recycling is an excellent way to save our environment. Try to buy as many products as you can that can be recycled. Avoid the non-recyclable items such as Styrofoam cups. The less trash that has to be burned - or buried into our soil - the better off our planet will be.

These may seem like small changes, but they can have a huge impact on the environment. Simply put, if everyone does them, this has a huge impact in a positive way on the environment. Every little bit everyone can do will go a long way toward preserving our planet for future generations. Pay attention to the environment and get involved so that you, too, begin to positively impact the environment through green living practices that will only benefit the earth.

Bono (of the band U2) and his wife Ali put me in business, and did not even know it. I could have never done it without them. My new cartoon t-shirt business is eco-friendly, thanks to them. The great irony is, they probably will never read this, and will never know what they did for me. But what they are doing for the planet, with Edun Organics is not only a business they launched, of organic cotton textiles to make eco-friendly clothing, but (at the risk of sounding overly-dramatic) a gift to humanity.

In the late 1990’s, after working for twenty years in the corporate world, I faced unemployment due to health issues which would eventually disable me. I could no longer do the work I had been trained to do and worked very hard to rise through the ranks in my chosen field, which has nothing to do with what I do now at age 53.

As time went by, I became a cartoonist and freelance writer. I put up a cartoon site and it became more or less a hobby, with eventual small sales to publications. By 2005, I had been doing this from my home like a robot, I never really looked up to see the achievement. But I was now getting requests from major charities to send them autographed cartoons for their celebrity auctions. I was getting requests to buy cartoons from magazine, website, and Ezine publishers. Manufacturers wanted to license my images. I was surprised to see I had over 8000 original cartoons on my site now, over 3 million annual visitors, and highly rated on Google and Alexa among other analytical sites. Now I had thirteen stores yet something was missing. I had always been aware of the environment and how fragile our planet is. Even though my products were selling wonderfully on such items as tees, mouse pads, coffee mugs, hoodies, and the like, something was bothering me.

A great movement was happening on our planet. It was becoming earth-friendly, not just with foods, but now with products like clothing that affected us and the environment. I felt I was being left behind, even though I had always tried to live my life that way. So I started my search for organic cotton manufacturers and though I found a number of them, the minimum order was just too much. Then I came across a POD (Print On Demand) established firm called Zazzle and noticed they handled men’s and women’s organic cotton tees that uses a totally nontoxic dye process. Not only that, but all I had to have was the graphic, and place it on the product digitally, and they did the rest, from producing the product to shipping it. No minimum. I could sell them individually, or deep discounts if bought in quantities.

Bono’s manufacturing firm is Edun Oganics. Edun is “Nude” backwards. I created my organic cotton tee store last month and discovered I was the first cartoonist, I’m told, to “go green” and I’m printing on Edun products. Today, I read that Edun was launched and is owned by Bono (of the band U2) and his wife Ali. Chances are they will never see this article, and that is alright. I will write them a thank you note. They leveled the playing field for me. I finally was able to align my actions with what was/is in my heart, thanks to someone who had already brought me much joy with his music, and his wife, Ali. Thank you Bono and Ali, in case you ever see this. You made this cartoonist, who was once considered disabled, a very happy man, and I finally get my chance to give something back to our fragile world, and I sleep better at night, thanks to Zazzle, Bono, and Ali.

It’s true that today’s rising gas prices are something we all hate. However, we really have only ourselves to blame. In fact, they’re just one example of how our reliance on nonrenewable and polluting fossil fuels can ruin not just our standard of living, but earth itself.

Of course rising gas prices are inconvenient and may even put us in the poor house. But the damage we do with these energy sources both to ourselves and to the environment is even worse than the damage we’ve done to our own sense of financial well-being. It’s time we did something better.

If we can’t depend on nonrenewable and polluting fossil fuel sources such as gasoline to fulfill our energy wants, what should we do?

Well, there’s water fuel. Water fuel conversion technology isn’t new, but its benefits are finally something we can no longer ignore. You can run your car at least partially on water fuel and give yourself significant savings if you utilize this technology; further, you’ll be significantly impacting the environment in a positive way as well.

When you do water fuel conversion, your gas mileage will about double over what you’re getting now. You and your family will also be helping the environment very positively. You’ll be adding much less carbon dioxide and monoxide to the atmosphere every time you take your car out.

Perhaps best of all, water fuel technology is quite inexpensive. The conversion kit is going to cost you about $100, but you’ll save that very quickly by using less gas. This should mean that you’ll be able to make back your initial investment very shortly, for more fuel and cash savings - an advantage for you and your family.

This may even make you and your family able to resist a recession, because the savings will give you a financial cushion others may not have. In addition, the government also gives you a tax write off when you use this type of technology, which is yet another opportunity to save some money.

Instead, your children can see you take steps to help the environment by helping alleviate global warming and other negative environment effects as they grow up. In turn, this can teach them lessons that making carry with them as adults. Then they, too, can live their lives knowing that their actions impact the environment and living accordingly.

Utilizing water fuel conversion technology is just one smart way among many to be both financially and environmentally conscientious.

Kitchen remodeling is one of the most popular home remodeling projects. The kitchen is one place in the home that is the most lived in. It seems to always be a busy spot and often needs updated with newer appliances. Most home owners dream of a nice kitchen that is comfortable and functional. Remodeling is something that can turn an old kitchen into a dream kitchen.

The kitchen bar area makes for a very nice kitchen, but remodeling it can be a hassle. Having a bar area in your kitchen often ends up as just one more place for clutter. In order to make your kitchen bar remodeling a success you have to start by thinking about what you do and do not like about its current state.

The Function of the Kitchen Bar

The kitchen bar can have many functions. It can be an eating space, a serving space, a cooking space or a catch all. You should think about how your bar is utilized. Do you like the way it current is being used or do you want to make it used for something else? If your bar seems to be the place where mail, notes and other clutter congregates and you really do not enjoy that, then that should be at the top of your list of things to change. However, if you like the way it is being used, then you can leave that area alone and focus on other parts of the kitchen.

Declutter

Often in a home remodeling project clutter is the top of the list of things to change. It can be so easy for messes to pile up when things do not have a proper place. When you have a place for everything to go it makes it much easier and convenient for people to put it in its proper place. Your remodeling project should keep this in mind. You want organized areas. You should install hangers for pots, pans and kitchen utensils. You may want to add a wall organizer for keys, papers, and writing utensils. Make sure that everything has a place.

Most people who have a kitchen bar are very happy with the idea of having a kitchen bar, but they are not using it in the right way. Letting clutter take over the kitchen bar can just make it an eyesore. Once you clean up the bar you may even realize that you do not even need to remodel. You may be able to get by with just updating appliances, painting and maybe some new flooring.

Home renovation prices can halt home remodeling. However, there are some ways to cut down on the cost of renovations. Here are some tips for lower cost renovations.

Upon glancing at your home, you may see a couple things you are interested in changing. A couple of remodeling projects and your home could be close to what you want it to be. However, to make major changes that will create your dream home, you will need to invest in some major renovations. This is where the issue becomes money. Renovations can be extremely costly but sometimes you can save costs by finding free wood carvings or interior accessories.

In some cases, often when older homes are involved, there is a plethora of utility work to be completed before the actual renovations can begin. Of course, the trade off of going with renovations and paying the price is the they will benefit the property in the long run. Your home value will increase and it will become more desirable. When you go to sell it, the renovations will make a big difference.

Small improvements like new countertops or fixtures in the kitchen and bathroom sink can add value to your home. A new floor covering can make be a great addition when it comes time to sell the home. Having some home renovation costs can make change the market value and help you selling it faster. Buyers are more apt to purchase a house that does not need a lot of work.

DIY home improvements are a good idea when the improvements are small and you know what you are doing. The best home renovations are ones that are completed properly the first time. Whether you have the skill produce them or if you need to contractor out the work, have the improvements done. If you hire a contractor with a complete team or a tiny company that has just a few workers the price can be steep. You will be able save on some of the home renovations if you are able do complete some of them yourself.

Some contractors are okay with the homeowner doing some of the renovations. Others are not comfortable with that approach. Removing old walls or tossing out old flooring is not terribly difficult. These little jobs can take some of the cost off of renovations. Cut costs where you can but know when it is time to spend the big bucks.

Having new kitchen cabinets and sink put in is a job that you should spring for. Go with classy, not low cost faucets. If the best merchandise is not in your budget right now, take the time to look for stellar deals on well known and respected brands. Cutting cost on the units that you have installed in your home is not wise. This is where you need to spend the money.

While there are always more things to spend money on and different things which we need in one form or another, it’s interesting how little attention we pay to something so essential in our homes like our floors! Without a floor we would be walking the plank on the beams of our homes construct and while they should not be something that we need to replace often, when they are replaced we should not short change the program else we decrease the value of our home and also hasten the time when we will need to replace them again.

Keep It Within Your Budget

By the same token of you not shortchanging your floor situation you also shouldn’t spend too much money. You don’t want to have to go into default on your mortgage just because you spent too much money on your floor! If you are able to walk the tightrope of being able to have a decent floor replacement like linoleum without getting so egregious that you are broke at the end, then you have truly won.

Another thing that you can do to really improve the quality of your home flooring situation is do the replacement yourself. While this is not something someone with two left feet should attempt to undertake, if you are able to wield a hammer and follow instructions, replacing the floor is something you can do yourself. If you do this you will be able to get better components and you will also be able to make sure that things are done to your own specifications. An added insurance against any potential hazards would be if you employ that “friend” of yours who is very handy.

Chew the Fat and Make Your Floor the Best

If you are able to winnow away the outside influences which only seek to drive your project into the gutter and you are able to cut through the clutter you should be alright. If you need to employ the assistance of an expert one way to do it on the cheap is call in for a consultation. An honest person would be up front and say that they have no intent on using the services of the professional but would pay them for their time; the less honest of us may enter into the agreement with gray terminology and unclear intentions. But that’s up to you.

The garage is a wonderful storage area. Even though the space is limited, it still presents great storage opportunities. The garage is a great choice when it comes to improving on storage space. There are many ways to go about this task.

One way is to purchase a modular storage kit that has parts and components that you can switch up to assist in solving many storage issues. Or find work bench plans to add work space to your garage. Another choice is to add to the garage. If you have too much stuff stored in your garage, a modular storage kit may not give you the needed solution. Reduce the clutter of seasonal items and items by placing some of them in a basement.

Some of the solutions that are available are cabinets, storage units and more shelving. . If items need to be protected from dust and moisture then cabinets are perfect. Shelves will give you more space and they are less expensive than some of the other options. Nifty clear containers for storage can be purchased for very low prices.

Think of how great it will be the next time you are thinking about pulling out your bike and you don’t have to search for it in the garage. Consider what it would be like not having to get up an extra hour early just to locate your fishing equipment in the garage. Just think about how great it will feel to walk into the garage and know exactly where things are. Imagine all of the time and stress you can eliminate by cleaning out the garage.

Put like items with like items. This is the best way to keep things in their place. By separating everything into categories you will be able to go into the garage and know that whatever you are looking for will be in a certain spot.

Use you imagination when deciding what to do with your garage. It is a great place for storage but it can be so much more. Clean out the garage and find that extra space you have been longing for. Change it into a place of relaxation or a neat storage area.

When you are cleaning out your garage, toss out those items you never use. Do not flip through every magazine or search through old bags of clothes you haven’t seen in years. All of the stuff that you have not used in the past year should be thrown out. If you have not seen it in a year, you really do not need it. This can be a difficult part of the organizing process but once you do it, you will feel so much better. Months later you will have forgotten all about whatever it was you threw out.

You’ve gotten the company’s light bulbs changed to the more energy efficient types, started a recycling project for all those discarded newspapers, old faxes and photocopies and you’re always encouraging everyone to use public transportation or carpool to work. But still you know your company is contributing more carbon dioxide than you’re offsetting…

So what next? What are you going to do to bring your company to a carbon neutral position? There are a few ways you can go about this, but the most interesting, unique, and worthwhile ways is a project in Ireland which aims to reforest the countryside of that wonderful country.

It is generally agreed that for every two trees you plant, you offset a ton of carbon. This is why the ethos behind Rooted in Ireland is so good. They plant oak trees for you, you offset your carbon footprint, and Ireland gets more trees to replace the ones taken from it by centuries of destruction…..whats not to like?

Did you know that Ireland has the least percentage of trees of any country in Europe?

Situated just outside Armagh, the Rooted in Ireland Memorial Oak Tree site overlooks the “city of saints and scholars,” the historic center of St. Patrick’s congregation and the burial place of great military leader and High King of Ulster, Brian Boru.

Imagine the satisfaction you can have knowing that you’re not only offsetting your company’s carbon footprint by having memorial oak trees planted through Rooted in Ireland, but you’re also bringing back an important part of the natural history to a proud and beautiful region through your donation.

For just under $100 you can offset approximately one-half ton of your carbon emissions through the planting of a single memorial oak tree at the Rooted in Ireland site. These trees will live complete lives where they are planted in Ireland. They will not be cut down, but will stand as living memorials to your dedication to stop global warming. To remind you of your company’s part in the fight to reduce carbon emissions, you will receive a certificate, a photograph of the site and a personalized letter. Your name will be entered into our ledger and as people visit, they will also be reminded of your contribution.

Even though it doesn’t matter how you offset your carbon footprint, just as long as you do something about it, surely you can take an extra bit of pride in knowing that you are also helping to reforest that beautiful country - the Emerald Isle?

Fight global warming and help plant oak trees - visit the Rooted in Ireland Oak Planting Project website today!

Before beginning do-it-yourself home improvement projects you need to be sure you have stocked up on tools. You will need less than you might think to get started. All you will need are some of the basic items such as a saw, nails, power tools and sanding equipment.

There are five items you must have if you plan on building or fixing anything. Hardware store shelves are packed with various pieces of equipment. You will find tons of power tools at different prices. The thing to keep in mind is that most of the fancy equipment you see in stores perform the same basic functions. By purchasing five basic things you will have everything to carry you through most of your home improvement projects.

The first thing you want to get is a circular saw. This is a valuable piece of equipment that you can use to cut in straight lines or large curves. Put a board on top of two sawhorses and you will have a nifty work space where wood can be cut.

When dealing with larger wood working projects you will need a radial arm saw or table saw. If you are interested in cutting picture framing or crown molding for your home, you will need a table saw. These saws will let you make degree miter cuts.

An electric sander is a must have for any efficient workshop. Sanding can be done by hand but an electric sander gives wood a professional look. Table tops and edges will be in good shape for painting.

The fourth item you need is a router. The router is a handy woodworking tool that can be used to make woodworking patterns. Ordinary pieces of furniture can be turned into elegant items. Use routers to create beautiful shapes and grooves.

A grinding wheel or knife sharpener is important for sharpening knives and saws. Proper maintenance of blades will keep them sharp for precise cutting. Well kept, sharp blades also make cutting safer.

Stick with the brands that are known for great quality. Makita, Rigid, Hitachi, Ryobi, Sears Craftsman, Rockler, Rockwell and Snap-On are all top quality brands. Variance of price among these brands is small. All of them offer great service so you can safely choose from the different brands.

As you grow in your building endeavors, you can pick up a few of the non basic items. There are additions and items that simplify certain jobs. Gluers, clamps and electrical nails are handy when you are completing projects on a regular basis. However, in the beginning when you are working on very simple project, you will only need a few bare necessities. Build your workshop accordingly once you are working on more projects. Jump start yourself with the basics.