An Introduction to Dumpster Diving

Intro image CC via Flickr

What, you’ve never heard or partaken in a spot of dumpster diving? What in god’s name have you been doing all your life? Your sheltered life needs some form of excitement in it and dumpster diving is definitely the way to go. Ok, we’re joking; you’re not really a weirdo if you’ve never jumped into the hobby of dumpster diving, but you’re intrigued by what it could be, aren’t you? Well then, you'd better read on!

Ok, so dumpster diving. It’s basically what it says it is: diving into dumpsters. That’s a bin for any of you not accustomed to American parlance. Of course you don’t literally dive in though, that would be ridiculous and dangerous.

The idea around it comes from this new-age concern for trying to stop waste. In the west, we tend to discard a lot of food, clothing and basic items because we’re used to such a luxurious lifestyle of abundance. The US, for instance, wastes 40-50% of its food produce due to government-imposed ‘use-by’ dates, so it’s no wonder that dumpster diving has started to catch on.



Basically, you’ll find yourself a skip or rubbish bin and, as you can imagine, just start wading through it to find items of worth. It sounds disgusting, smells probably horrendous, but there are a lot of companies out there who bin a lot of perfectly usable items – and people have started to realise this.

Supermarkets, for instance, are legally forced to bin items which have passed their sell-by or use-by date. But, in theory, these food items – like cereal – would be fine to eat as long as they didn’t contain any dairy or ingredients which tend to go-off or become mouldy. Dumpster divers will poke their head and hands into the supermarket’s skip and take home their winnings – all for free.

Sounds good, doesn’t it? You’re coming around to the idea and you want some of that dirty rubbish all in and around your face. The thought of cutting down on your bills every month with a spot of dumpster diving appeals and you’re not ashamed who knows it. But wait! There is a bit of a legal issue.



Firstly, you’re trekking onto private property, so in theory you’re trespassing. Likewise, you’re taking something which you didn’t pay for. Ultimately it’s a bit of a grey area. While you’d be technically subject to prosecution should the owner of the dumpster in question want to press charges, the likelihood of them doing so is low since most people don’t really care about the stuff they throw away. That’s why they threw it away.

Supermarkets have been less happy with the divers in recent years as they feel like there’s huge scope for the diver to take plenty of produce which they have paid for. And, if you think about it, the image it portrays for the supermarkets is extremely negative. Would you want to shop at a store which has dozens of people searching through their bins every night?

So be careful out there. Dive responsibly, be respectable to each individual company and don’t take cheese and milk.

Of course, if you're looking for a way to kickstart your finances that doesn't involve wading around in waste, there's always forex trading from www.IronFX.com!

Activists Trespass to Save Environment and Wildlife

People can show their love for the environment in different ways. Ordinary individuals can help by not contributing to global warming. They can choose to patronize Earth-friendly products, for instance. Other individuals can start conserving resources, segregating rubbish, or using fuel-efficient machines. Each person can help save the environment in his own way. However, such conservative efforts are often not enough to fight off the huge detrimental environmental impacts that large companies continue to cause. Forests and wildlife remain unsafe from modern developers, and fishes and other endangered marine life continue to be at risk. It seems hopeless that momentous changes that will positively impact the world will occur. This is why many individuals have taken it upon themselves to become stewards of the Earth.

Stewards of the Earth or the environment are the people we commonly know as environmental activists. They are the courageous people who put their very lives on the line to protect the environment. But these environmental warriors aren't the only ones who are called activists. Anyone who does something for the good of the environment, whether it is just by segregating waste or planting a tree, is recognized as a protector of the world.

Common Strategies Used by Environmental Activists
To gain support and to increase people's awareness as regards current environmental issues, most activists use a variety of traditional tactics. They boycott products known to have been tested on animals or reject items made from endangered wildlife, such as fur coats or ivory statues. They also encourage people to sign petitions, and they pen letters to policy-makers as well. When these things are not enough, they can also stage protests. Most of these things won't send people in jail. However, there's one activity that can land someone in prison, and this is the direct-action approach.

Direct Action
There are three (3) possible goals a direct action movement. One is to expose a problem or to make an issue public. Second is to recommend an alternative, while third is to put forward a solution to an existing problem. These things can be accomplished as direct action efforts often get a lot of media coverage. A few examples of direct action attempts are strikes, sit-ins, graffiti and destruction of property. Many environmentalists have also been known to chain themselves to trees to prevent these from getting cut, or they sneak into private properties to expose a nasty problem or protest something. Just recently, Lucy Lawless, an actor who appeared in popular television programs, like "Xena: Warrior Princess" and "CSI: Miami", was caught on a Shell drillship in efforts to help save the Arctic. She pled guilty and is waiting sentencing, which is in September. She is facing a trespass suit that can land her in jail for about 3 years.

Trespassing
Defense The crime of entering and remaining in another person's or group's property after being warned or prohibited is known as trespassing. A person could trespass in a house or any residential property, a building or any commercial property, as well as a boat and grounds that are owned by a private citizen or run by a business or government group. There are several defenses that a person can use, including consent, wherein the trespasser was given permission in actions or words to enter a property. Another is trespassing to recover land or chattel, which may occur after an uncontrollable event, such as a storm or flood. Third is private necessity, wherein someone trespasses to protect another from grave injury or harm. This also includes protecting a place from major destructive elements. Fourth is public necessity. This pertains to trespassing done in order to protect a community from more serious harm. In other words, a trespasser invades a private property to protect the public good.

Citations:

• Photo courtesy of ponsulak at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

The article is by Claire Duvall. She writes for a Massachusetts Trespassing Lawyer. She also blogs for several online law websites, tackling issues related to personal injury and criminal law.

Black~Legged Ticks in Ontario

Black~Legged Ticks, formerly known as Deer Ticks, carry an infectious disease called Lyme Disease and if left untreated can prove to be fatal.

Over the past few weeks I have noticed, via my Facebook feed, that several people are complaining about ticks and the increase in people seeing them on their persons over other years has been staggering.  It is because of this I decided to bring awareness to the situation and mayhaps, giving some of you the information you require to get help before it becomes a health problem.  If you love nature, such as I do, your going to need to know such information in order to better equip yourself before traversing into the wild.

Ticks are closely related to spiders...shiver...and are typically small when unfed, at all stages of their growth blood is needed in order to survive their design.

Ticks cannot fly and are quite slow and they usually sit upon tall grasses and bushes waiting for a host, such as people or animals, to brush against them and allow them to attach themselves to you.

They can take up to several hours to find a suitable place to infest your body and the bite is quite painless, so often you do not even realize they have attached themselves to you.  One good thing to note, but you can never be sure, is that, many of the ticks do not carry the Lyme disease, however, who wants to play Russian Roulette with an insect?

In Ontario, Black~Legged Ticks are more often found in rural areas, along the shores of Lake Erie, Ontario and the St. Lawrence River.  The boundaries of tick populations are not easily defined and it is believed that contamination into other neighbouring areas is inevitable.

The nymphal stage usually begins in the summer months and it is at this time that is more likely for one to contact Lyme disease via a tick bite than any other.  Even though Ontario has a higher risk of Lyme disease than any other location, the chances of actually contacting the disease is slim.

Ticks feed on blood by inserting their mouthparts and not their whole bodies into the skin of its host.  They feed slowly and their bodies will actually enlarge as they eat, making it more visible for the eye to see.  It usually takes about three to seven days for a tick to complete its meal.

If a tick has bit you that does carry the Lyme disease it is important to note that it usually takes about 24 hours after it has begun to feast for the infection to set it, this is why it is imperative to always check your person after an outing with nature.  The bacteria infection takes time in order to migrate from the tick's stomach to its salivary glands and it is because of this delay that buys you time from infection.

Now let's assume you have been infected, symptoms usually begin to appear within three days to one month.  If you show signs of fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, fatigue and a skin rash, especially one that has a red bull's eye, you should seek medical advice.  And please note, not all show the red ring rash.  Antibiotics will help clear any early signs of Lyme disease.

In order to avoid ticks, some handy things to remember are to wear light coloured clothing, it makes it easier to see the offending creatures.  Wear long pants and long sleeved shirts, with closed footwear and socks.  If you are able, tuck your pants into your socks for added protection.  If you know you live in an area that has had reported Lyme Disease then it is important to have tick repellents that have DEET as well as, using tick and flea collars on your pets.

Do not put anything on the tick or try to burn it off, though I did hear if you soaked a cotton ball in some liquid dish detergent and gently dab it upon the area for a few seconds, it will draw the tick out.  I have never applied this but it may work, especially for those hard to reach areas~!!

Remember where you found the tick if at all possible and report it to your public health workers.

Clean the bite site thoroughly with rubbing alcohol and soap and water.

Blood tests should conclude whether or not you have contracted the disease and further medical treatment can be decided upon then.

I love and adore nature and wouldn't want these tiny insects to spoil my enjoyment nor would I wish for it to spoil yours~!!  If you hear of any in your area, please share your story below, help keep us all informed~!!

Asia’s Great Water War

The Tibetan plateau is one of the richest sources of fresh water in the world, with its melting ice sheets and rainwater run-off supplying over a billion people with fresh water. But who does this water belong to? As China attempt to take control of Asia’s water source, what will the results be for its downstream recipients?

China has plans to divert the major rivers flowing off the plateau, and hydro-engineers are fast moving in, causing disputes between China and its thirsty neighbors. Chinese engineers are hoping to dam the vast Brahmaputra River in Tibet, to create two monstrous hydroelectric plants that will each deliver twice the power of the world’s current largest dam, the Three Gorges on the Ganges. These plans are upsetting India and Bangladesh, who both lie downstream of the Brahmaputra. For Bangladesh in particular, the results could be disastrous – the country relies on the river for two thirds of its water, with 20 million farmers dependent on the Brahmaputra for irrigation.

In the past, China has dammed rivers that are within its borders – however, as the super power’s energy and irrigation demands increase, so Chinese engineers are looking to rivers outside of the country. China has in fact already started damming projects on some of the Brahmaputra’s major tributaries, with the $1 billion Zangmu dam aiming to be completed in 2014, and two dams in Tsangpo canyon that will together deliver 80 gigawatts of power.

And it is not just India and Bangladesh that have cause for concern – China is also planning 13 major damming projects in Burma, and further west in Northern Pakistan, construction is beginning on the 7 gigawatt Bunji dam on the Indus river. This move has both angered India, who own the territory, and made the locals fearful, as the dam is situated near the epicenter of a major earthquake that killed over 100 000 people in 2005.

But do China’s neighbors have real reason to be concerned? Many may argue that these dams may be more beneficial and harmful, as hydropower is crucial for countries such as India and China as an energy source that is sustainable. Evidence either for or against such developments is thin, but an environmental impact report recommending against the development of the Myitsone dam in Burma has recently come to light, that claims that the dam may cause flooding of important forest ecosystems. 

The best evidence that dams can cause harm come from the Mekong River in China itself, which has been extensively dammed. So far, China has constructed 4 of 8 planned hydroelectric dams along the Mekong, including the Xiaowan Dam that is higher than the Eiffel Tower. The dams capture monsoon flood flows, and the United Nations Environment Program have warned that the effects could threaten ecosystems downstream of the river. The lower flood levels have been found to destroy rice paddies in the region, as wall as the fish nurseries that have made the Mekong Delta one of the world’s largest fishing regions. 

Serge is the founder of Edictive and is a seasoned production professional as well as a leading technology product and project management leader. 

Tree Disease in Eastern Ontario ~ Oak Wilt

Oak Wilt is a fungal disease, quite similiar to Dutch Elm Disease,  though more easily manageable, left unattended it can easily and quickly kill off your trees.  It affects all Oak types but is highly susceptible to the Red Oak family of trees who offer the disease the least resistance.

It was first discovered in 1944, in Wisconsin, and its highly believed that it originated in the USA as no other countries have been able to track the path of origin to any other source.  Though reputed to have been around since the early 1900's, it wasn't until the mid~1980's the the threat began to gain a firm foothold into the Oak tree family, as more people turned to building their homes in Oak woods.

Beetles that carry the Oak Wilt fungus do not have chewing mouth parts and they require some method of an open wound entry so that they can invade.  Hardwood vascular wilt diseases prevent water from essential areas of the tree by blocking the system needed to transport nutrients.  Oak trees will often produce tyloses, those balloon~like growths found on the tree which aid in blocking off of pathogens and prevent infections from spreading, doing such, inadvertently destroys the tree as essential nutrients are also blocked from reaching their source.

Fungus Mat

Early symptoms include wilting leaves from the top of the tree which will spread downwards, oftentimes the leaves will turn bronze in colour, appear water~soaked at they begin to fall off their branches, as well as, discoloration of the vascular tissue, brown streaks or spots that can be seen under the bark into the sapwood.  Depending upon the environment and Oak tree type, a normal death will usually occur within two to six months.

OWF is spread in two ways:  the transfer of spores from diseased to healthy trees by insect vectors and the transferal of the disease by root grafts.  If the conditions are right, after the tree dies, spores are created on fungal mats that form under the bark of the tree.  A~sexual spores called endoconidia, which are barrel shaped produced in chains, will form waiting for compatible mating types.  When this performance occurs sexual spores called ascospores are produced, which because of their fruity fragrance, draws certain types of sap beetles to visit, feed and breed, thereby picking up the fungal spores.  The symbosis between fungus and insect acts in the transmission of infecting otherwise healthy areas of trees that are unable to be affected by root grafts.

Root grafting is the number one method of the diseases' spreading, as trees within 50 feet of an infected tree can easily be infected, creating a chain~reaction that can only be broken with proper care and treatment.

If you believe you have discovered this disease in your Oak trees, please call a professional tree specialist to handle your needs.  The cutting and removal of the Oak tree can cause devastating affects on the other Oak trees you may have in your area by accelerating the root grafting; without the host to continue feeding, the disease will find the next source and this could become costly on many levels as whole groves of trees can become infected and die.

Tree Disease in Eastern Ontario ~ Blue Stain Fungus ~ Future Threat~??

Pine trees killed by BSF

Blue Stain Fungus is a detriment to Pine and Fir trees as the Mountain Pine Beetle wrecks carnage via a structure located on top of the beetles head.  This enables the Fungus to attach itself to the beetle and then be transported from tree to tree via this method.  This almost symbiotic relationship between the two allows for the fungus to attach itself to the tree, effectively stopping the tree from producing resin, which enables the beetle to infest an area by laying eggs, avoiding the trees defenses.  This partnership, of sorts, can be seen dwindling Pine/Fir populations all the way from Mexico to Canada.

When the Blue Stain Fungus spores germinate, they produce a "thread~like" mass (mycelium) that conquers the hosts phloem and sapwood.  Because of the sticky substance of the spores, they do not blow away like most, but remain to eventually block out all streams of nutrients that feed the tree causing the tree to starve to death.  

Many experts believe that the overly warm winters are causing the population explosion to occur and as weather continues to warm across the country, you can be sure that this disease will definitely spread as reports gather of it being seen in Alberta and Saskatchewan.  In order to effectively maintain the over infestation, an area needs a cold snap of about two weeks with temperatures ranging -20 degrees or lower.  

Roughly 16 million hectares, which is about twice the size of New Brunswick or 32 MILLION FOOTBALL fields of Pine/Fir trees have been destroyed by this oncoming, widespread devastation in British Columbia alone and its spreading east very quickly.  Think of that on a global carbon balance scale, if this threat continues to invade, the air we breathe will continue to become stagnant and poisoned with the emission build ups that are no longer being processed by the natural air filter eco~system that is being destroyed.

This plight has recently been seen in Eastern Ontario, this is how amazingly fast it can spread...left to the unknown, it will continue to grow.  If unsure whether your Pine/Fir trees suffer from Blue Stain Fungus, do not take any chances...call a professional arborist who will explain the measures you must take in order to save your trees from this oncoming and VERY possible threat.  

Tree Disease in Eastern Ontario ~ Emerald Ash Borer

Ash Tree Infected with EAB

Emerald Ash Borer

The Emerald Ash Borer is a green beetle native to Asia and is an highly invasive species to Ash trees in its host range.  Its natural range encompasses Russia, northern China, Japan and Korea; it was first discovered in Canton, Michigan in 2002, and it is suspected that it came via overseas shipping crates being delivered to Yazaki North America, an automative parts distributor.  Since its introduction into Canada in the 1990's, it has killed over 100 millions trees in its population growth and destruction, while threatening to kill over 7.5 BILLION Ash trees in North America.

While Green and Black Ash trees are their preferable host, there is no Ash tree that is resistant to the pursuit of the EAB, however, the Blue Ash does hold off the longest in its resistance.

The life cycle of an EAB can take up to two years in its completion, depending on the health of the tree, the deposit of the eggs and temperature.  Normally a female can lay up to 100 eggs in her two month life span and if one egg~laying female enters an Ash tree,   56% of these eggs are, on average, female; now, if they all lay eggs, within ten years you will have over 50 trillion Emerald Ash Borer's...enough to wipe out a nice sized forest of Ash trees.

The newly hatched larvae will burrow through the bark to the outer layer where they will feast on the new sapwood until the colder weather prevails, usually in the Fall.  In the Fall, they shape into a "J~shape" larvae while excavating pupal chambers where they wait for Spring.  In the Spring, they will eat their way out of the bark through D~shaped exit holes and are capable of flight upon emergence from the tree.  Smaller larvae may require the summer to continue their growth rate and the larger larvae will emerge during the Spring.

Become aware of your Ash trees as you notice the symptoms that usually prevail such devastation.  There will be a dieback of leaves in the upper third half of your tree upon onset and it progresses down over time.  They may be vertical splits in the tree bark, S~shaped channels found underneath the tree bark, D~shaped exit holes in the bark usually indicates a recent emergence, heavy woodpecker activity, especially in the winter months, epicormic shoots (water sprouts) that appear at the trees trunk and worm~like larvae that can grow up to an inch long found under the tree's bark.

A professional Arborist will know the proper requirements in which to effectively and safely remove or treat your Ash tree, if you have any questions, I would recommend calling one in your local area for an assessment.  As of today, only one treatment option has been approved by Canada and that is the use of TreeAzin, a biological insecticide, made from a natural product of Neem trees.  It is delivered to the tree via a special tree injection system and may only be administered by professionals.

In looking for the proper tree service company, individuals should keep in mind that a good tree care specialist will offer a wide range of services, including, pruning, removal, fertilizing, cabling/bracing, pest control and others, and not just tree removal.  NEVER use climbing spikes on healthy trees and NEVER remove a healthy tree...removal should ALWAYS be the last resort.

Tree Disease In Eastern Ontario ~ Dutch Elm Disease

Infected English Elm 

Dutch Elm Beetle

Dutch Elm Disease was first thought to have originated in feline feces from Asia and is spread through the sexual acts of the Elm Bark Beetle which causes a fungus to grow and infect the trees.  Bark Beetles love to lay their eggs in the inner bark of the dead or dying trees, a perfect playground for the fungus to fester and grow.

There are now three known species recognized as Ascomycete Fungi which are causing the destruction of the Elm trees in many areas of the world.  The Native Elm Bark Beetle, the European and the Banded Elm Bark Beetle have found a solid foot hold in the Elm trees and bring their destruction as they continue to migrate and destroy all in their path.

As the disease spreads throughout the tree, the trees natural defense mechanism kicks in to destroy the virus that has infected it.  However, in doing so, the tree is inadvertently killing itself off as it blocks the needed nutrients from reaching sections of the tree and as those areas begin to fail, the whole eco~system of the tree fails and death is its ultimate sacrifice for survival.  

A tree will react by trying to block its own xylem with gum and tyloses, a kind of a growth that extends on the xylem cell's walls.  Now as the xylem delivers water and nutrients to the rest of the tree, these "blocks", prevent them from travelling up the trunk resulting in the tree's demise.

DED was first introduced into North America in or around 1928 in a shipment of logs believed to have come from the Netherlands, which were destined as Veneer for an Ohio furniture industry.  The disease slowly spread west and south completely destroying whole forest growths of Elm trees in its wake.  

During the Second World War, DED was introduced to Canada and found its way to Ontario in 1967, Manitoba by 1975 and Saskatchewan by '81, British Columbia has recorded great success in their DED removal, while Alberta remains DED free to this day.  Of all the major cities to try and find a solution for this growing problem, Toronto has been hit the hardest, losing almost 80% of her Elm trees to DED.   On another interesting note, Winnipeg has the honour of being home to the largest surviving urban forest with close to over 200,000 Elm trees remaining free of the disease.

If your wondering if your trees are suffering from Dutch Elm Disease, some good measures to pay attention to are the upper branches, the leaves will usually turn yellow, brown as they begin to wither.  This usually begins to occur in late June to early July and will progressively kill off other branches as the tree begins to die from starvation as the roots suffer without the nutrients from the leaves.   You may also notice small holes, the diameter of a pencil lead and/or sawdust around the bark, may be an indicator that the tree has beetles burrowing within.

To solve the situation can become costly to some and not feasible to others.  One can have the tree cut, removed and burned to avoid further contamination.  Chemicals such as insectides DDT and Dieldrin offer some a solution, however, this is not an option I would recommend as you must think of the birds and animals that have to suffer the poison produced from such methods, one solution does not always bode well with the outcome.  Dead branches and trees should be removed from the area as they are perfect breeding grounds for Bark Beetles.  Please remember to keep your healthy Elm trees well watered to help prevent invasion.

DED is spread by a fungus, not the beetle itself and there are three ways in which it is transmitted.  One method is by beetle vectors which carries the fungus from tree to tree; through the connection of healthy tree roots with those that are infected and by pruning healthy trees with blades that have been used to cut diseased trees.  One could say its almost like a zombie disease amongst the trees.  It is imperative that you should be very careful in what companies you use to prune your trees and to make sure you use reliable, professional arborists who understand the necessary procedures to process  trees so that your remaining trees remain alive and healthy.

DED Tree Removal ~ Gibson Tree Care

Do You Need Bicycle Insurance?

Cyclists face bicycle liability issues. Therefore, they are finding that insurance is a wise protection to have. Bicycle insurance will cover a variety of occurrences such as when the cyclist is the cause of an accident or damage to another user of the road.

Basic Insurance Coverage
Third party claims can be expensive, but cyclists can feel confident on the road when they have bicycle insurance. With a basic plan, riders can safeguard as many as three bikes for coverage up to $15,000. Cyclists may also buy insurance to cover their specific needs. For example, riders who often compete overseas may add protection for foreign locations. Another optional coverage is public liability, which will protect other road users.

Personal Cycling Insurance
Riders may choose to protect their bike along with personal injuries. Cyclists will have coverage against theft, damage and third party accidents. Most insurance plans will allow riders to select the exact coverage they’ll use without paying for protection they won’t need. For example, if a cyclist’s home insurance covers bicycle theft that happens on the property, then they may opt for third party protection along with personal injury coverage and cancel theft protection.

Coverage for Athletes
Cyclists who participate in events such as triathlons, ironman competitions and cycling races should consider specialized protection. Often, a security requirement during a race is that competitors must lock their bicycle while competing. However, some events will allow insured racers to forego this requirement. Thus, a time penalty is avoided during the race.
Additional benefits for athletes to become covered include the ability to pay for bicycle insurance monthly and an opportunity to renew coverage and make changes online.

Additional Bicycle Protection and Benefits
With bicycle coverage, riders can choose to add roadside recovery. This service will rescue riders during a cycling accident or when a bicycle is vandalised and requires repair. An incident such as this may cause the cyclist to become stranded. Roadside recovery will pick the rider up and take him or her along with their bicycle to a repair shop, car rental agency, residence or railway station along with a requested overnight lodging locale.

In most cases, the incident will need to be more than a mile away from the cyclist’s personal residence to qualify for service.

Depending on the bicycle insurance company, cyclists may receive added benefits such as a loyalty bonus for renewed membership. Also, cyclists may cover up to three additional bikes as long as the primary insured party uses them. Riders may choose to protect other family members such as their spouse and children.

Prior Claims
With car insurance policies, the insured will often have concerns that the cost of the policy will increase after a ticket or an accident. This is typically not the case with bicycle insurance. However, cyclists must advise their insurance company when incidents occur as coverage may become invalidated due to a non-reported accident.

Bicycle insurance is a safeguard for cyclists. Furthermore, it will provide peace of mind and allow riders to enjoy their preferred form of transportation, leisure activity or competition.

Ryan is the owner of a chain of Adelaide bike shops. He recommends all of his customers take out some form of bike insurance just as a precaution. Ryan plans to expand his business throughout Australia in the next few years.