Transcript for I will be a hummingbird - Wangari Maathai

An inspirational woman, Wangari Maathai, shares her philosophy about dealing with the world's environmental problems. May her spirit continue to live in the lives that she has touched and in the hope that she has passed on to all the little hummingbirds out there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGMW6YWjMxw&feature=player_embedded

I will be a hummingbird
00:11 → 00:14	We are constantly being bombarded by problems
00:14 → 00:17	that we face
00:17 → 00:20	and sometime we get completely awkward.
00:20 → 00:23	The story of hummingbird is about
00:23 → 00:26	this huge forest being consumed by a fire.
00:26 → 00:29	All the animals in the forest come out,
00:29 → 00:32	and they are transfixed
00:32 → 00:35	as they watch the forest burning,
00:35 → 00:38	and they feel to be awkward
00:38 → 00:42	they are powerless
00:43 → 00:45	except this little humming bird, it says
00:45 → 00:47	I am going to do something about the fire.
00:47 → 00:50	so it flies to the nearest stream
00:50 → 00:53	takes some drop water, and puts it on the fire
00:53 → 00:56	and goes up and down, up and down,
00:56 → 00:58	as fast as it can
00:58 → 01:01	In the mean time, all the other animals,
01:01 → 01:04	much bigger animals, like the elephants,
01:04 → 01:06	with big trunk, could bring much more water,
01:06 → 01:09	they are standing there helpless,
01:09 → 01:11	and they are saying to the humming bird:
01:11 → 01:14	What do you think you can do ?
01:14 → 01:16	Your are too little ! This fire is too big !
01:16 → 01:19	Your wings are too little, and your beak is so small,
01:19 → 01:22	only can bring a small drop of water at a time !
01:22 → 01:25	But as they continue to discourage it
01:25 → 01:28	it turns to them without wasting any time,
01:28 → 01:31	and tells them:
01:31 → 01:35	I am doing the best I can.
01:35 → 01:38	And that to me is what all of us should do,
01:38 → 01:39	..
01:39 → 01:42	we should always flew like a hummingbird.
01:42 → 01:44	I may feel insignificant,
01:44 → 01:47	but I certainly don't want to be
01:47 → 01:50	like the animals watching
01:50 → 01:52	as the planet goes down the drain.
01:52 → 01:55	I will be a humming bird.
01:55 → 01:59	I will do the best I can.

my second speech - What can you do to help save our planet?

---the message "small actions lead to big results"---

the beginning

Do you know that there is a giant raft of plastic, twice size of Texas, floating around in the ocean? I'm talking, about a huge mass of plastic rubbish that's been cast out by us and left to "disappear" in the big wide oceans...well it doesn’t just disappear. (dramatic pause) This plastic raft has entrapped many animals and caused some to die of starvation. More disturbing is that these plastic toxins get eaten by tiny animals that get in turn eaten by fish and these fish are eaten by humans…does that leave a bad taste in your mouth?

Have you ever heard of of reduce, reuse and recycle and upcycle?

the middle

There are many organizations that will come fetch your paper/magazines/glass/plastic - such as the oasis home for the physically and mentally disabled. They don’t charge and they will make a small profit from your recycling, this provides sustenance and employment for these individuals in our society.

Woolworths plastic packaging is now made up of 30% recycled plastic!! Using pet plastic recycled bottles, they covert these into containers for ready to eat food! The technology is there to make your waste live another life!

Throughout history, communities that have very little, make use of every resource that they have and make sure that they get full use out of every item...so they will use items again and again in different ways. have you seen those beautiful bowls made with paper labels, pilchard and lion brand...---mention some others here if time---

What about being creative and using old wrapping paper and egg cartons to make some fun cards/gifts for your family events. Time spent on making these things could be qualtiy bonding time for you and your family. And who doesnt love a hand-made and tailor-made card?!

the end

I urge you to start with one thing and build on that. it is really simple and it's becoming easier and easier as more people take part. recycle, reuse, reduce or upcycle.

I urge you to make your rubbish immortal.

My first speech – Machu Picchu beckons – by Caren George

so this is my first speech that I made on Tuesday...

Picture Harrison Ford running up the side of a mountain in South America, after scaling 2500m of rugged terrain, battling altitude sickness, wild animals and the local inhabitants, wiping the sweat from his brow, he looks up and sees the most spectacular and awe-inspiring site in the world.

Like a script of from Indiana Jones, only real and more beautiful than anyone can describe, Machhu Picchu beckons to be discovered.

Built in the 15th century, by the local inhabitants called the Incas, this city sits on a mountain ridge in the Urubamba Valley in Peru. At the height of the empire, it was home to inhabitants who lived there for approximately one century and

The remote location of the estate ensured that this wonder of the world was kept a secret and only "discovered" by the outside world until 1911, when Hiriam Bingham, was led up to the site by a local boy. HE was the first person to tell the world about Machu and this Yale historian spent many years studying Macchu Picchu. He dubbed it the Lost City of the Incas.

I remember first hearing about the Lost City of the Incas when I was a teenager and being intrigued by the beauty of the site. Later on as I read up about the wonder, I became more aware of the architectural and anthropological depth/meaning/significance of the site. A really interesting fact about the architecture is that the technique of stone laying, ashlar, cuting of stone so that they fit exactly into each other, is such that it gives more stability during earthquakes as opposed to the technique which included using mortar.

With all the different theories about the purpose of the city, my favourite, as postulated by Reinhard (2007). He states that it is a sacred religious site which follows/forms part of sacred geometry of the area, as it is located on and around mountains of significant religious importance.

Left this part out due to timing---Recently, I found myself reading a book called the Celestine Prophecy (about a year ago), and found the book to be really intriguing and to my surprise the protagonist's adventure/spiritual trip in Peru culminates in him arriving at Macchu Picchu. A nice co-incidence for me. ---

NOW A unesca world heritage site with hundreds of thousands of people visiting, Macchu Picchu holds different experience for each individual. With so many questions, so many answers yet to be discovered...

Picture yourself running up the side of a mountain in South America, scaling 2500m high mountain and wiping the sweat off your brow to see the most amazing site you'll ever see in your life, Macchu Picchu. So hopefully, I will be taking my spiritual adventure to the next level and seek out Macchu Picchu. I've dreamed it, and will do it, will u?

i fucking love this song!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oBRgXtyKeE

bucket list

So, as of the 02 December 2010, this is my bucket list.


Before any of these can happen, I must first relinquish the chicken in me.


1. Do the Inca Trail - and arrive at Machu Pichu on the 21 Dec 2012

2. Travel to India and live in an Ashram

3. Live near the beach - as in, open my french doors and roll out onto the sand *sigh* That would be lovely.

4. Be at peace with the world i.e. myself

5. Own three dogs, a chiuaua, a labrador and a great dane. Named small, medium and large (i kid)

6. Find my passion

7. Trad climb Table Mountain

8. Go scuba diving and or snorkelling in the Great Barrier Reef

9. Paraglide off Lion's Head on an awesome summer's day

10. Become a yoga master

11. Stay vegetarian

12. Invent an awesome tasting cupcake recipe that doesn't make you fat

13. Same as above but with chocolate

14. Grow a beautiful garden

15. Design and decorate my own house and interiors - obviously super green :)

16. Earn a living doing something that I love.

17. Oh yes, of course, fall in love with an awesome dude who will worship the ground that I walk on. And possibly have a child, or adopt one or both. And not kill each other in Gugs!

Ok, that's it for the moment, will be updating and editing as I think of more.

Also, I've done a couple of things that would have been on my bucket list. They are the following.
Travel to Antarctica and the Southern Ocean.
Be in a huge storm at sea in the middle of nowhere and survive. :)
See the Grand Canyon
Put my feet into the Pacific , Indian, Atlantic, Southern Ocean and the North Seas.
Live on an island and look after birds, turtles and cetaceans.
Live in London and walk the streets singing "I'm an alien, I'm a legal alien"
Travel to Europe - still lots to see though
Travel to Canada - still want to live in Montreal

road ragamuffins

So i was on my way to work this morning, merrily dodging oncoming traffic when I found myself glancing at a van with the company name displaying "Knobs and Knockers"! wtf? (and i don't men what the frikkadel). It made me giggle for half of my journey. Thanks going out to Knobs and Knockers!! :)

i love cape town tv!

so i was watching this documentary last night about farming and how genetically modified seeds are being used more and more these days. a specific seed "manufacturer" owns a specific gene of these plants!! this is mind-boggling! i am currently researching this and will blog about this in much greater detail. it was just too shocking to not share immediately. and yes, cape town tv was the broadcaster of this documentary! :D growing more love for this tv station day by day. (this morning, they had a doccie on why chocolate is good for you!!)