Hello, I’m Tiffany, the Official Spokesdog for Dogs For The Earth and a bone-carrying member of U Gotta Go Green!

Dogs For The Earth is dedicated to spreading the word about an all natural, eco-friendly lifestyle for pets.

At Dogs For The Earth we know sometimes it’s not practical to do everything completely organic & eco-friendly; we say as long as everyone is doing their best, that’s all that matters.

My job is to help you help your dog (and cats, too!) make good choices for the environment and healthy choices for themselves. You can ask me questions about anything: flea control, food, vaccinations, training, even poop. (I can give you the real poop on poop!) Anything that has to do with pet care is fair game...I can help you go 'au natural' and become a greener, cleaner pet!  That’s what I do. So ASK TIFFY now, I'm at your beg and call!

My friend Kathy Splawn, co-founder of DogsfortheEarth.com will be doing all the typing for me since her paws are more adept on the keyboard. Kathy began her animal training as a Junior Zoo Keeper at the age of 12. From there she gained her Zoology degree at the University of Texas. Following 8 years at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, she received her Masters Degree as a Marine Scientist from the University of South Florida. Kathy's passion now is to help dogs! As an animal behaviorist & nutritionist, scientific reasoning supports all her advice. Certified by the red cross, Kathy is an active environmentalist & her ambition is to educate dog owners about the importance and availability of organic, natural products & lifestyles for pets.

So post your questions below and let’s get started: the sooner you know, the sooner your pet will become the healthiest & happiest pet in town! ASK TIFFY NOW!

Our latest question is one that many of us humans can relate to and comes from Little Gracie:

Hello Tiffany, Can you help me?

I am a tiny 6 year old poodle called Gracie.  Sometimes when I get up in the morning I have a  hunched up back.  I don't cry or wince when it is touched but I keep it hunched up.  My vet took x-rays but my back looked fine so he gave my mom some pain killers for me but we don't like pills in this house.  I saw on your web site you support natural and organic solutions to problems.  Can you help me & my hunched up back?  My mom is very worried & it makes me worry, too!

Thank you Tiffy!

Tiffy explains how to put a smile on your dog's face when getting up out of bed!

Hi Gracie,
 
Isn't it great to be a dog!!!  We really have a lot in common.  I have the same back issue.  Not every day, but often enough for me to be able to give advice.  Mine is from an old sports injury.  I got it surfing off the coast of Australia in the Great Barrier Reef.  Okay, truth be told, it was in the backyard in my swimming pool, but like fish stories, sports injuries get bigger everytime you tell them.  How did you get yours?  Was it skydiving, mountain climbing or playing touch football with the Big Dogs?  Well however it happened, I'm sorry you have to go through that.

Here's some great tips that I think will help.

• When you awaken in the morning, after potties and breakfast of course, have your Mom help you with some stretching.  Lay on your side and she can lightly grab your front legs with one hand and your back legs with the other.  Slowly stretch your body to full extension and hold for a couple of seconds.  Start out slowly the first few days and work your way up.
• Doga (doggie Yoga) is another great way to learn some great exercise.  Ask your Mom to find a local class in your area.  Make sure you get plenty of exercise.  You don't want your back to get used to staying in one position.   Don't overdo it or you might find you have another injury "tail" to tell. 
• Tell your Mom to turn a heating pad on LOW and place a small towel on your back with the heating pad on top for 3-4 minutes.  It really feels great.  I LOVE it.
• There are also some great Organic, Natural  Joint and Back supplements that are great for imflammation.  These are the two that I use: 

 
1. Seven Forests Liquidambar 15--A chinese herbal remedy that invigorates your meridians and stimulates your vessels to help get blood flow to your back area. 
Your meridians are the pathways of the energy power, which carries some of the communitcation between different parts of the body.  Cool, Right?? 
 
2. Newton Homeopathic Rheumatic Joint Care--Relieves discomfort in mucles, tendons and joints. 
 
One more thing Gracie, let me know if you live in the Naples area.  I would love to start a Doga class.  I'm not trained in Doga, but my friend Ali is and I'm sure she would be more than happy to be our teacher.  Please, no more skateboarding or waterskiing for now.
 
Namaste!!
 
Puppy Hugs and Kisses to you!!
Tiffy the Earthdog over and out for DogsfortheEarth.com
 

I know you have all been itching to hear the answer to our next question from Cali!

Hi Tiffy, First of all let me say, you sure are cute and look very smart, so here is my question for you.  I am a Schnauzer mix named Cali and although my Mom takes special care to wash all my bedding, somehow it is still itchy.  Can you help me?  I know she'll do whatever she can, so I am looking for some good advice.

Hi Cali.  First of all, I want to wish you and your human family Peace, Prosperity and a Problem-free 2011!  Isn't it true, that itchy bedding leads to itchy skin and it always seems to itch worse right in the middle of your back where you find yourself spinning around in circles trying to get that one spot!  Instead of making yourself dizzy, lets see if I can help.   It sounds like it could be your detergent.  Some detergents have dyes and fragrances in them and some are just too harsh for your sweet delicate skin.  I have a friend that is a schnauzer and she tells me that her breed has very sensitive skin, so ask your human family to buy you a detergent that is free of dyes and fragrances.  It would be better for her as well, but maybe she just wants to try it first on you and then she'll see how great it really works.

I know here at Dogs for the Earth headquarters we use "Seventh Generation" free and clear laundry detergent (available at your local supermarket). It is tough on dirt and stains, is hypoallergenic and best of all, it's biodegradable, so it won't harm this beautiful planet either.  It's a win, win situation for all.  By the way, did you know that if every household in the U.S. replaced just one bottle of petroleum-based laundry detergent with a plant-derived product like Seventh Generation, we could save 185,000 barrels of oil...enough to  heat and cool 10,600 U.S. homes for a year! Come to think of it, "Seventh Generation" should ask us to do a commercial for them...it works so well on my bedding they should call it "dogtergent". 

I think we've found your solution, so keep in touch and let us know how your new dogtergent works for you!

And in the New Year, please keep in mind this Iroquios quote from which Seventh Generaton derived its name..."In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations".

 
Puppy Hugs and Kisses to you!!
Tiffy the Earthdog over and out for DogsfortheEarth.com

We were so happy to hear from Liz with a great question about how much activity and exercise smaller dogs should have...

Tiff how much time does my owner need to walk me each day.  I am a petite Yorkie and I don’t know if my mom is walking me like she should.  How long should each walk be??  Besides I like being outside so I can show off to all the other breeds

Love,  Katie

Hi Tiffy,

Finally!  I was really excited when I came across this site.  I can never trust the answers I get at the pet food store or even my Vet because they just don’t think along those lines.  Also, just a short year or so ago, me and my wife started eating and drinking as many organic products as we could in the way of substitution for other products.  We found out early on that you have to be very careful about the word ‘organic’!  If that’s true for people food it’s true for pet food too. So again, I’m so glad I now have a real source to get the true scoop on what’s really healthy for pets.  Dogs in my case.

I have two Bernese Mountain Dog/Golden Retrievers’ that are about 100 lbs. each. According to the Vet they are both in healthy weight ranges for their sizes. They have no current medical issues. They get a good walk everyday but for the most part are home by themselves during the work week.  So, the basics then Tiffy, what dog food and treats do you recommend?  Also, what about flea/tic and worm medicine?  What’s the best of these for my particular dogs?
I look forward to hearing from you!
Thanks,
Walt

Wow Walt, you sure have a lot of questions and I am doggone happy to answer them.  It sounds like your dogs are already very happy and healthy.  You are right about their food....my FAVORITE subject by the way.....organic and natural ingredients are always the way to go, I mean who wants to eat a bunch of pesticides and preservatives anyway.  I prefer my steak without those nasty chemicals I can't even pronounce.

When I first arrived at my people's home, I was actually 2 Yorkies in one.  I weighed almost 14 lbs.  WOW, that was a lot of extra weight to carry around.  I have my own line of Organic Dog Food that has really helped me in the last couple of years.  Now, I am at a perfect 7 lb., slim and trim weight and I never felt better.  I always say " if you take care of your body, it will take care of you".  Same goes for the Earth, by the way. 

There is a really good website, www.onlynaturalpet.com and they have many good foods (almost as good as mine) that are only natural and organic as well.  The same goes for treats.  Just make sure they don't have any sugar or salt in them....we don't really need any in our diet and quite frankly, I'm sure my human friends could cut down a little as well!   One last thing about food (I could go on forever),  please get a couple of varieties, because just like you, we don't like to eat the same thing every morning and night.  We like to mix it up.  So, you are always welcome to try my Organic Dog Food (we send samples) or find other ones that are equally as healthy for your pet.
 
Fleas and Ticks and Worms, oh my!!  I think their only purpose in life is to bother me and all my furry friends.  I haven't had one in a while, but when I first moved to sunny Florida, whew, they really loved to bite me.  I learned the most important thing to do is to treat your environment.  A female flea can lay up to 300 eggs a day....can you believe it...300!  She must not do anything else all day but lay eggs!!!  There are a lot of products available that are not harmful to any of us but those pesky fleas.   Have you ever heard of diatomaceous earth?  It dehydrates the fleas and will NOT harm me or you.  It comes in powder form and you can even sprinkle it on your carpet and outdoor areas.

Also, www.onlynaturalpet.com, mentioned above, carries a line of shampoos and conditioners that you can use simultaneously to rid your self of those nasty little buggers.  Also, if you get some garlic and brewers yeast tablets to mix in with your food, it really helps.  You know they say "Garlic keeps the Vampires Away" and for us dogs, fleas = vampires! Oh and one last think that you may want to consider, there's this really cool thing called a tic-clip that goes on your collar and sends out electromagnetic waves.  Not only will you look cool wearing your own piece of futuristic jewelry, but the fleas will be stopped by your super force field.  How about that??
 
Well Walt, I hope I was able to answer your questions and could you please send me your two dog's names along with a picture to my executive assistant at Kathy@DogsfortheEarth.com so they can join me in the fight for a cleaner Earth.  Now, I'm off to take a catnap.  Yes, dogs take them too.
 
Puppy Hugs and Kisses to you!!
Tiffy the Earthdog over and out for DogsfortheEarth.com
 

Officials look into
U.S. 41 shift

 Written by

Denes Husty III
dhusty@news-press.com

11:37 PM, Feb. 9, 2011|

1:10 A.M. — City and county officials
agreed to work together Wednesday to
eliminate what is called “the Berlin Wall in
Naples” — otherwise known as U.S. 41.

The bustling, six-lane highway traveled by
40,000 to 50,000 vehicles a day
effectively divides Naples into west and
east zones, said Naples Councilwoman
Margaret Sulik.
Council members and county
commissioners at a joint meeting will now
have their staffs study the possibility of
relocating U.S. 41 to the parallel
Goodlette-Frank Road, Sulik said.

What is now U.S. 41 — also known as Ninth
Street — would revert to a local route that
would create a business district friendlier
to pedestrians and motorists, Sulik said.
Two lanes could be eliminated to provide
parking for easier access to businesses,
she said.

Currently, trying to walk across the road at
what is known as the Four Corners — the
intersection where U.S. 41 North, U.S. 41
East, Ninth Street South and Fifth Avenue
South meet — “is like playing chicken,”
Sulik said.

“I think it’s worth looking into. More parking
would be perfect. There is no parking
here,” said Patty Kirk, owner of Captain
Kirk’s Stone Crabs Inc. in the Fifth Avenue
shopping district.

No specific timeline has been set on the
project, but both council members and
commissioners hope to have detailed
reports ready to present by the summer.
Additional turn lanes would be needed for
through traffic, and signs would be posted
to turn Goodlette-Frank Road into U.S. 41
from Golden Gate Parkway south to U.S. 41
East, Sulik said.

“It’s a need that has to be addressed for
pedestrians, bicyclists and vehicles. A lot of
county residents don’t go to the downtown
area because of the traffic,” said local
resident Michelle Avola, who represents a
coalition of some 3,000 city and county
residents who support the plan.

Other options include better signs directing
traffic destined for Miami or Marco Island
to use alternate routes and pedestrian

overpasses above U.S. 41, officials said.
They said state and federal governments
would have the final say on whether U.S. 41
is moved.

What's your opinion??  Let us hear from you and tell us what you think...place your comments below and let's get a dialog started!! We're working on a Transportation Transformation in this region...please check out http://www.ugottagogreen.com/post/takin_it_to_the_streets_-_9_days_of_transportation_transformation_in_s/ and start thinking about ways in which you can get involved!! This is gonna be BIG!

Keep your eyes and ears open for more news related to this research and what is being proposed to address the issues brought to light.  Below you will find a Naples Daily News cached article covering the presentation of the report as well as an excerpt from the actual document explaining the “Impacts of Climate Change in Collier County”.

Ms. Waterfield is the founder of Twenty-fifty.com a scientific research and consulting company that helps organizations and individuals optimize the environment in their daily operations and long-term business goals.  It is optimistically named Twenty-Fifty because it’s been hypothesized that “Halving Carbon Dioxide Emissions By 2050 Could Stabilize Global Warming”.  The following information is taken from their website which you can visit by clicking on this link: Twenty-fifty.com.

So what will Twenty-fifty be able to do for you? Provide practical guidance on how to consider the environment in your daily operations and to…

Save money and help save the planet.

Twenty-fifty provides comprehensive sustainability strategies to help you navigate the new green economy. They develop simple, adaptable plans to help municipalities, businesses and homeowners assess their environmental footprint (including greenhouse gas emissions), reduce waste, minimize resource use and educate residents, staff and clients. They identify and maximize the environmental attributes of your operation and grow new profit centers through green marketing.

Concern for the environment is at an all-time high and set to climb as more and more consumers recognize the importance of being environmentally and socially responsible, and are willing to pay for it. With just a few simple changes you can maximize the efficiency of your home or place of work and send the profits where they should be, instead of out the window or down the drain.

Twenty-fifty’s network of environmental professionals in south Florida and the Caribbean. can offer assistance in the following areas of expertise:

• Energy efficiency
• Environmental education
• Greenhouse gas management
• Waste and water minimization
• Sustainable building design
• Native landscaping design
• Green marketing and communications
• Field biology (monitoring/mapping tropical habitats)
• Environmental Impact Assessment
• Environmental Management Plans

Twenty-fifty is based here in Naples, Florida, and they have project and academic links throughout south Florida, The Bahamas and Caribbean.  There is a growing advisory board with decades of experience in environmental operations, education and sustainability issues.

Cloe Waterfield, Twenty-fifty in the News:

Here's a few excerpts from a Naples Daily News article that appeared 12/02/09:

...Florida, with its miles of coastline, is the most vulnerable state in the nation to the effects of sea level rise, one of global warming’s biggest threats, environmental consultant Cloe Waterfield, who wrote the county audit, told commissioners this week. “I think that puts Collier County, right on the tip of peninsular Florida, at the forefront of those impacts,” she said.

...With Collier’s future at stake, Waterfield said, the county should consider setting even higher targets for the community. Commissioners took no action on the recommendations in the report, which had been awaiting a hearing since July. The audit acknowledges progress county government has already made to cut its own energy use, but the effort must extend to the county’s homes and businesses, the audit says.

...More than $3 million in economic stimulus money the county received this year to promote energy efficiency and conservation will add up to only a “drop in the bucket,” Waterfield said.

Check out this article for more information: Collier’s carbon footprint a long way from 10 percent reduction goal » Naples Daily News

And here is an excerpted section of the comprehensive report that Ms. Waterfield furnished to the county outlining the “Impacts of Climate Change in Collier County” (see Pew, 2009);

A brief summary of the anticipated effects of climate change include:

•Continued global temperature rise,
•Continued rise in global sea levels (related to temperature rise as oceans warm and expand and glaciers and icecaps melt). Mid-range projections are for a rise of 2-3 feet by 2100.
•Changes in marine and terrestrial habitat zones (for plants, including agricultural species, and wildlife). Further loss of coral reefs from bleaching and more frequent harmful algal blooms like red tide will occur, all exacerbated by rising temperatures.
•Alterations in marine species lifecycles and distributions as CO2 is absorbed by the oceans leading to reduced Ph (acidification).
•More intense and sporadic rainfall (flooding in some locations, drought in others) with additional pressure on aquifer water resources (from continued saltwater intrusion as seas push inland). Water will become more expensive as it becomes harder and more energy intensive to extract and treat it.
•The potential of climate refugees, forced to flee inundated coastal areas.
•Spread of vector borne disease.

For Florida, particularly low lying tourism dependant coastal areas, the ramifications are potentially very serious. Governor Charlie Crist has described Florida as the most vulnerable state in the nation to the effect of climate change. The Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council and Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program released a draft climate change vulnerability assessment in June (Beever et al, 2009) which asserts that not only is climate change already underway in our region, but that of the study area (Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee and Collier Counties), Collier has the greatest area and percentage of total land vulnerable to sea level rise. The report identifies alteration of hydrology as the region’s most critical issue. A report from Tufts University (Stanton and Ackermann, 2007), estimated the financial loss to various sectors of the Florida economy at $92 billion by 2050.

We are pleased to welcome Cloe Waterfield as one of our distinguished contributors. If you have the opportunity to engage the services of  Twenty-fifty, please let them know that you read about them on UGottaGoGreen.com and let us know about your experience with their business.

Heidi Van Korff a LEED certified Engineer, Designer and President of the firm, Sustainable Civil, took to the road in the middle of last year and travelled 9000 miles during a 4-month period on a “Sustainability Tour” taking her all over North America.

She is a “Green” mover and a shaker wherever she goes and has been coordinating the Green Drinks Group here in the SWFL area. The “Green Drinks” program operates all over the country in an effort to convene interested parties in dialoging, communicating and learning more about sustainable building, design and living.

The group meets monthly on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at the Coconut Point Hyatt Regency which is a 2-Palm certified hotel.  “Green Drinks” presents a great opportunity here in SWFL to get to know other professionals, business owners and service providers who work in fields related to the environment, green products or services or simply have passion for helping to forward sustainability initiatives.

It is an easy-going group with plenty of lively conversation about a range of interesting issues and there’s often a short presentation on some related topic to kick things off. It begins at 6:00 and usually runs until about 8:00 p.m. There is usually a host sponsoring nice array of some free appetizers.

So mark your calendars now and come out and meet, mingle and network with others every month who share your concern for the environment and our future sustainability. Click here for a map and directions to the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point.

For more information: Heidi Van Korff -  352-207-8052 or heidi@sustainablecivil.com

Check out: Green Drinks Meet and Mingle - U Gotta Go Green ! (Naples, FL) - Meetup.com

Here’s a brief excerpt from a great article that was published in December 2009 in the Charlotte Florida weekly that highlights Ms. Van Korff’s adventure and speaks to the issues of sustainability.

Going Green

BY EVAN WILLIAMS ewilliams@floridaweekly.com

In an attempt to track down a recent copy of Consumer Reports at a local library, the reference desk aide wondered what search term to plug into the computer. She was looking for an article on solar hot water heaters, as it wasn’t available free online.

“Would it be under alternative energy?” her co-worker wondered out loud. “Solar power? Water heater? Green?”

The silver-haired librarian wrinkled her nose at the last suggestion. “That’s kind of ambiguous,” she said.

The meaning of “green” is vague because it has been used loosely to describe almost any environmental topic or claim. It has been used by newspapers, magazines, marketers and public speakers everywhere to refer to solar power, “clean coal,” building codes, organic cotton pants, a brand of paper towels, recycling, eating leftovers and many other things…

For the Full Article: Charlotte Florida Weekly.

“Civil Engineering is more than standard designs and plans.  It is about creating unique design and construction practices that are cost-effective, healthier, and easier to maintain. Sustainable Civil is committed to developing smart, innovative designs that protect our natural environment.”

We are pleased to welcome Heidi Van Korff as one of our distinguished contributors.  If you have the opportunity to engage the services of Sustainable Civil, please let them know that you read about them on UGottaGoGreen.com and let us know about your experience with their business.
 

Target Pledges All-Sustainable Seafood by 2015

October 14, 2011 Environmental Leader

Target has announced that it will sell only sustainable and traceable seafood in its stores by 2015, through a partnership with non-profit FishWise.

The retail chain defines sustainable and traceable seafood as the sourcing of seafood products that are caught or raised in an environmentally sensitive manner and maintain the company’s business needs without jeopardizing the affected ecosystems.

Target said the commitment will apply to all of its fresh and frozen seafood products.

To Read the Full Article Click Here

The “Green Drinks” program operates all over the world in an effort to convene interested parties in dialoging, communicating and learning more about sustainable building, design and living.

The group meets monthly on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at the Coconut Point Hyatt Regency which is a 3-Palm certified hotel.  “Green Drinks” presents a great opportunity here in SWFL to get to know other professionals, business owners and service providers who work in fields related to the environment, green products or services or simply have passion for helping to forward sustainability initiatives.

It is an easy-going group with plenty of lively conversation about a range of interesting issues and there’s often a short presentation on some related topic to kick things off. It begins at 6:00 and normally runs until about 8:00 p.m. There is usually a host sponsoring nice array of some free appetizers.

So mark your calendars now and come out and meet, mingle and network with others every month who share your concern for the environment and our future sustainability. Click here for a map and directions to the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point.

For more information: Tessa Lesage -  239-533-2240 or tlesage@leegov.com And also check out http://Meetup.com/UGottaGoGreen/calendar for listings of more green events!

Here are some of the logos for different Green drinks groups around the world.  Which of the following appeals to you the most? Which do you think is the Most creative? Funniest? Most captivating? Best design? Most interesting? Let us know your opinion!

Here's a fantastic way to rid yourself of unwanted items, to help others in need and to RECYCLE, REDUCE, and REUSE all at the same time!

As a direct outgrowth of the proliferation of *"STUFF" that we all collect and often find only contributes to clutter, disarrray, disorganization and excess, "Really, Really Free Markets" have been springing up all over the country for years and we are now fortunate enough to have one crop up in Naples!! 

The RRFM (Really, Really, Free Market) will be held the first Saturday of every month out on the green at Fleishmann Park - come check it out and divest yourself of your "excess baggage"!

No money. No Barter. No trade. Everything is FREE!

Here is the description of the Really, Really free Market taken directly from their website:

About the RRFM (Really, Really Free Market)

Because there is enough for everyone

Because sharing is more fufilling than owning

Because corporations would rather see landfills overflow than anyone get anything for free

Because scarcity is a myth constructed to keep us at the mercy of the economy

Because a sunny day outside is better than anything money can buy

Because "free trade" is a contradiction of terms

Because no one should have to do without food, shelter, entertainment, and community

Because life should be a picnic, but it only will be if we make it happen

Have you ever picked up something you found on the sidewalk? Or saved your neighbor from throwing away something useful?

A Really Really Free Market is like a potluck for whatever you want to give or take away. Have you ever brought one dish to a potluck and gone away with a full belly and a balanced meal? Everybody brings something and goes away with more.

We all have skills, ideas, objects, smiles, talents, friendship, excitement, discussions, and many other things to share. If we bring them all together at the Really Really Free Market, we can provide more balanced and full lives for everyone.

As a community we have many more resources than we do as individuals. If we share our resources we won't need to buy as many new ones. This uses fewer of the Earth's resources, and fewer of our working hours, leaving us more time to devote to ourselves and our communities.

Would we all work forty hours a week at one job if we didn't feel we had to? What if instead we worked at improving our individual skills and talents and shared them with each other? We would all spend more time doing things we enjoyed.

The Really Really Free Market is an attempt to put these ideas into practice for four hours every month.

Please help us keep the Really Really Free Market a 100% FREE and non-commercial event.

Once a month, let's come together and forget about trading, bartering and money. Leave the business cards at home and remember the joy of giving for the sake of giving.

The idea is to gather once a month to share everything from useable items, skills, ideas, resources, MUSIC, smiles, talents/performances, crafts, games, plants, discussions and anything else. The most beautiful aspect of this event is to witness the friendships blossom and the community growing together.

Everyone is welcome at this free event, where all are encouraged to give, receive, and create on their own terms.

To find more information here about our Naples Really, Really Free Market started by Melissa Plotkin, check out these two links:

NaplesReallyReallyfree.Wikispaces.com/

Naples Really, Really Free Market on Facebook

* Watch Annie Leonard's "Story of Stuff" video to gain more of an appreciation for the unneccessary STUFF that we often unthinkingly and unwittingly clutter up our lives and our planet with.

Naples Council leaning toward rerouting U.S. 41

By TRACY X. MIGUEL

Posted May 18, 2011

The state-controlled Four Corners intersection in downtown Naples is one step closer to becoming a pedestrian-friendly main street controlled by the city.

After a six hour discussion about the future of Four Corners — where U.S. 41 intersects with Fifth Avenue South — Naples City Council decided Wednesday to move forward on the proposal to redirect U.S. 41 to nearby roads and change its concurrency policies, which dictate how the state and city work on road projects.

Supporters say the plan would create connectivity, and enhance safety for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists, while supporting the economic development of Four Corners.

Wednesday was the first time council discussed the options of rerouting U.S. 41.

“I think it will be better for business and connectivity and just make it a bigger and more enjoyable downtown experience,” said Michelle Avola, executive director Naples Pathways Coalition.

However, some business owners along U.S. 41 are concerned they would lose customers if traffic was rerouted away from their storefronts.

“The decision we make will reshape Old Naples for years to come,” Mayor Bill Barnett said.Connect with Tracy X. Miguel at www.naplesnews.com/staff/tracy_x_miguel/

© 2011 Naples Daily News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

For Full article:

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2011/may/18/naples-council-leaning-toward-rerouting-us-41/ 

United Nations: 10 Billion People by End of Century

The United Nations released its revised population projections this month, and the news is not good. Global human population -- previously projected to peak at 9 billion in 2050 and then begin declining -- is now projected to hit 10 billion by 2100. Previous estimates of stabilizing and falling fertility rates have not panned out, largely due to overly optimistic hopes of contraceptive use and availability. Whatever the engine of continued growth may be, there is no doubt that 10 billion people on this planet will spell disaster for countless species of plants and animals already struggling to survive the current extinction crisis.

Unfortunately, the latest estimates from the U.N. come as no surprise. Funding for international family-planning programs has been flat for several years, and more than 200 million women around the world who want access to contraception still don't have it. The U.N. report makes it clear that stabilizing runaway human population growth will not happen by itself. It will take a renewed commitment and increased funding for reproductive health and family-planning programs, as we pointed out in last month's Pop X with a piece on the "Million for a Billion" campaign. Check it out, and sign the petition if you haven't already done so.

For more information on the U.N. report, visit the United Nations website and read a story in The New York Times.

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/overpopulation/index.html

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"RECYCLING CHALLENGE WINNERS ANNOUNCED"

To identify more opportunities to improve recycling efforts, The School District of Collier County formed a partnership with Collier County Solid Waste Management, The Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and Sunshine Recycling Services, Inc. From that partnership was born the Collier County School Beverage Container Recycling Challenge. The challenge, now in its fourth year, contains an embedded competition called "Recycle, We've Got Plans for Your Bottles and Cans." Staff and students from across the district battle for trophies, plaques, and certificates in the following categories: art, recycling videos, TV commercials, and school vs. school recycling.

Art – Winning and runner-up art will be featured on the 2012 School Calendar.

(For details, see news release dated 5/17/11 for "Keep Collier Beautiful" calendar contest.)

Recycling Videos – Winners receive a plaque.

1st place – "Recycling Benefits" – Jimmy Stamps, Naples High School – Teacher, Tom Rife

2nd place – "Make a Wave" – Esslyn Alvarado, Hunter Erickson, Lindsey Lindheim, Jennifer Meulenberg, Naples High School – Teacher, Tom Rife

3rd place – "Recycle Water Bottles" – Daniel Acosta, Pablo Gastaldi, TK Okubo, Naples High School – Teacher, Tom Rife

Creative Recycling – "If the Earth Could Speak" – Madison Absher, Dakota Doyle, Mary Leslie, Gulf Coast High School – Teacher, Scarlett Lavite

Elementary School – "Recycle Dance" – Laurel Oak Elementary School – Teacher, Amy Gaillard

School vs. School Recycling – Winners receive a traveling trophy. (Other schools and students will have a chance to win the recycling trophies and plaques next school year).

Naples High School

Manatee Middle School

Palmetto Elementary School

Special Category – Winners will receive an award.

Top Recycling Average Per Student – Everglades City School. Averaged 7.31 pounds of recyclable materials per student, per month.

Honorable Mention – Alternative Schools, Immokalee Technical Center, and Lorenzo Walker Institute of Technology for their efforts to increase recycling at their schools.

According to the school district’s Director of Security and Environmental Management, Phil Reid, "Leadership and support for this challenge is always critical to its success. Remember, increasing recycling saves the Earth’s vital resources."

To learn more please contact Reid at 377-0356 or via e-mail at Reidph@collier.k12.fl.us.