Xof1 "Pull for the Environment"

May 1 to May 28, 2012 - "Pull for The Environment" Walk from Toronto to Ottawa

We'll be pulling our world record holder and many world first solar car by hand on a 475km (295miles) journey, from Toronto to Ottawa making stops and presentations at communities along the way. This inspirational walk will take 28 days to complete. During the walk we'll be challenging everyone to change something, anything to help reduce their own impact on the environment for 28 days.

From the remote, small community of Huaraz, high up in the mountains of Peru to major cities across the world like Madrid, Spain - Sao Paulo,Brazil, Vancouver, Canada, and many more. Individuals, families, Schools, communities, cities will be challenging themselves as individuals and as a group to change something, anything for 28 days to help the environment.

Why 28 days?

If you can break a cycle for 28 days with a new positive habit, chances are the new habit will became a life long change. Let's kick old habits and start new ones to help us develop a balanced co-existance with nature.

Challenge yourself, your family, loved ones, friends, co-workers, parents, kids, teachers, students, politic representatives to join you. Ask them, "What are you going to do for 28 days to help the environment?". Make it fun and exciting!

Change something in your life, change the world!

”What are you going to do for 28 days to help the world?”

Start with a random act of kindness towards the environment, anything, every day.

  • Reduce, reuse, recycle, compost.
  • Use a refillable water bottle instead of plastic bottles, refill it at home with filtered water.
  • Take short showers
  • Use your own mug or thermos instead of using disposable coffee cups.
  • Use reusable shopping bags.
  • More examples below.

    • "this river I step in is not the river I stand in"

    A drop of rainwater takes 204 years to make its way from Lake Superior through the Great Lakes system and along the St. Lawrence River to the ocean, says Environment Canada. Using the same analogy, One would think the pollution particles in the air today that are falling on the water and on the land would take a long time to manifest, right? Not really. As a matter of the fact, it's cumulative effects are already happening, penguins and polar bears are now contaminated with pollutants like PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyl). Fish and humans are contamidated with all kinds of toxins, from pesticides to heavy metals. The liver, fatty tissue, and milk of polar bears and whales from many parts of the Arctic have shown an increased level of chemicals from modern pesticides and herbicides.

    The average Canadian uses about 329 liters (86.9 gallons) of water per day, a little less than Americans but more than twice as much as Europeans, much of this water use is wasted. That is 120,085 liters (31,723 gallons) of water per year.

    In North America the average shower uses 57-114 liters (15-30 gallons), brushing teeth (water running) 3.75-7.51 liters (1-2 gallons), shaving (water running) 38-57 liters (10-15 gallons), Washing dishes by hand 75 liters (20 gallons), washing dishes in dishwasher 34-45 liters (9-12 gallons), Flushing toilet 19-26 liters (5-7 gallons).

    There will never be a better time to act then now!

    Here are some suggestions of what you can do for 28 days

    • Start with a random act of kindness to environment, anything, every day.
    • Become vegetarian or reduce animal products and animal byproducts consumption.
    • Turn off lights, illuminate on the areas you are using.
    • Eat what your body need, not what your eyes want.
    • Replace fireworks a light show with music, fireworks contanimate the environment with heavy metals.
    • Buy local products.
    • Buy organic instead of products laced with pesticides
    • Reduce waste and save money, buy in bulk.
    • Use reusable shopping bags.
    • Consume seasonal local food.
    • Buy what you need, not what you want
    • Walk, bike or take public transit.
    • Go one day without electronics (TV, Computer, cell phones, etc...) and perhaps challenge yourself to go more days.
    • Use tooth pastes and deodorants without aluminum.
    • Take from nature only what you need and use what you have.
    • Walk, bike or take public transit.
    • Maintain your vehicle properly.
    • No iddling.
    • The possibilities are endless, join us on Facebook, make a suggestion and tell us what are you going to do for 28 days to reduce your impact on the environment.

Inspiring and provocative videos

HOME

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

Internationally renowned photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand makes his feature directorial debut with this environmentally conscious documentary produced by Luc Besson, and narrated by Glenn Close. Shot in 54 countries and 120 locations over 217 days, Home presents the many wonders of planet Earth from an entirely aerial perspective. As such, we are afforded the unique opportunity to witness our changing environment from an entirely new vantage point. In our 200,000 years on Earth, humanity has hopelessly upset Mother Nature's delicate balance. Some experts claim that we have less than ten years to change our patterns of consumption and reverse the trend before the damage is irreversible. Produced to inspire action and encourage thoughtful debate, Home poses the prospect that unless we act quickly, we risk losing the only home we may ever have.

11th Hour

A look at the state of the global environment including visionary and practical solutions for restoring the planet's ecosystems.

The Story of Stuff

The Story of Stuff will take you on a provocative tour of our consumer-driven culture — from resource extraction to iPod incineration — exposing the real costs of our use-it and lose-it approach to stuff.

Real Food

Robyn O'Brien shares her personal story and how it inspired her current path as a "Real Food" evangelist. Grounded in a successful Wall Street career that was more interested in food as good business than good-for-you, this mother of four was shaken awake by the dangerous allergic reaction of one of her children to a "typical" breakfast. Her mission to unearth the cause revealed more about the food industry than she could stomach, and impelled her to share her findings with others. Informative and inspiring.

The Story of Bottled Water

The Story of Bottled Water, released on March 22, 2010 (World Water Day) employs the Story of Stuff style to tell the story of manufactured demand—how you get Americans to buy more than half a billion bottles of water every week when it already flows from the tap. Over five minutes, the film explores the bottled water industrys attacks on tap water and its use of seductive, environmental-themed advertising to cover up the mountains of plastic waste it produces. The film concludes with a call to take back the tap, not only by making a personal commitment to avoid bottled water, but by supporting investments in clean, available tap water for all.

Water

Wars of the future will be fought over water as they are over oil today, as the source of human survival enters the global marketplace and political arena. Corporate giants, private investors, and corrupt governments vie for control of our dwindling supply, prompting protests, lawsuits, and revolutions from citizens fighting for the right to survive. Past civilizations have collapsed from poor water management. Can the human race survive?

The Story of Cosmetics

The Story of Cosmetics, released on July 21st, 2010, examines the pervasive use of toxic chemicals in our everyday personal care products, from lipstick to baby shampoo. Produced with Free Range Studios and hosted by Annie Leonard, the seven-minute film by The Story of Stuff Project reveals the implications for consumer and worker health and the environment, and outlines ways we can move the industry away from hazardous chemicals and towards safer alternatives. The film concludes with a call for viewers to support legislation aimed at ensuring the safety of cosmetics and personal care products.

A Farm for the Future

The premise of this 48-minute movie, which was originally presented on BBC's Natural World series, is that oil will soon peak, and that this will have enormous implications for agriculture. Exploring this linkage is not new among peak oil films, but A Farm For the Future moves quickly past the framing of the problem to spend most of its time exploring how the food and farming issue can be solved.


The Story of Electronics

The Story of Electronics, look at the high-tech revolution's collateral damage—25 million tons of e-waste and counting, poisoned workers and a public left holding the bill. Host Annie Leonard takes viewers from the mines and factories where our gadgets begin to the horrific backyard recycling shops in China where many end up. The film concludes with a call for a green 'race to the top' where designers compete to make long-lasting, toxic-free products that are fully and easily recyclable.

300 Years of FOSSIL FUELS in 300 Seconds

Fossil fuels have powered human growth and ingenuity for centuries. Now that we're reaching the end of cheap and abundant oil and coal supplies, we're in for an exciting ride. While there's a real risk that we'll fall off a cliff, there's still time to control our transition to a post-carbon future.

Earthlings

EARTHLINGS is an award-winning documentary film about the suffering of animals for food, fashion, pets, entertainment and medical research. Considered the most persuasive documentary ever made, EARTHLINGS is nicknamed “the Vegan maker” for its sensitive footage shot at animal shelters, pet stores, puppy mills, factory farms, slaughterhouses, the leather and fur trades, sporting events, circuses and research labs. The film is narrated by Academy Award® nominee Joaquin Phoenix and features music by platinum-selling recording artist Moby.

Story of Stuff

http://www.storyofstuff.com