A new year is unfolding – like a blossom with petals curled tightly concealing the beauty within. ~Annonymous

New Beginnings

Kindness is like snow - it beautifies everything it covers. ~Annonymous

Alone in the Snow

Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn. ~Elizabeth Lawrence

Foresaken Seat

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. ~George Eliot

Golden Maple

There will be times when you will be in the field without a camera. And, you will see the most glorious sunset or the most beautiful scene that you have ever witnessed. Don't be bitter because you can't record it. Sit down, drink it in, and enjoy it for what it is! ~DeGriff

Fleeting Path

You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection.~Buddha

Serenity

The flower is the poetry of reproduction. It is an example of the eternal seductiveness of life. ~Jean Giraudoux

Luscious Kaleidoscope

And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. ~Anais Nin

Vintage Beauty

Have compassion for all beings, rich and poor alike; each has their suffering. Some suffer too much, others too little. ~Buddha

Red Cup of Hope

15 Positive Actions for Change

The 40th anniversary of Earth Day is on April 22, 2010. While this is a perfect time to raise environmental awareness and inspire everyone to take positive action, I believe Earth Day should be celebrated everyday. I have a great love for Earth - the only home we all share - and I feel great sorrow each time I think of the environmental state of our planet. Carl Sagan said it best when he related his thoughts on a Pale Blue Dot, a photo of Earth taken by Voyager1:

Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there--on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.

The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of this pixel on the scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner, how frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds.

Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe, are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves.

The Earth is the only world known so far to harbor life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. Visit, yes. Settle, not yet. Like it or not, for the moment the Earth is where we make our stand.

It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known.

-- Carl Sagan, Pale Blue Dot, 1994

Our actions, however small or large, have an impact on a global scale, not just within our own immediate environment. Although each of us cannot solve the tremendous environmental issues facing our planet, we can all play a role in making a difference.



So in honor of Earth Day, here are my 15 suggestions for positive actions we can all undertake to help our planet everyday:

1. Reconnect with nature by getting outside - walk barefoot in the grass or on the beach – remind yourself what you are trying to preserve and protect.

2. Plant a tree in honor of someone special - make sure it’s indigenous to your area.

3. Clean up litter when you see it - especially on beaches and riverbanks.

4. Reduce, recycle, reuse - donate clothes, games, books to the goodwill.

5. Use eBilling for credit card statements and utility bills; don't print emails - save a tree.

6. Set your computer and printer to energy saving mode, and turn off equipment and lights when not needed.

7. Turn off your monitor when not in use: 75% of energy used by your computer goes to the monitor.

8. Unplug chargers for laptops and phones when not being used.

9. Cook using locally produced, sustainable foods with minimal environmental impact - use organic ingredients whenever possible.

10. Reduce your consumption of meat to lessen carbon emissions from the livestock industry.

11. Don't use plastic bags or disposable items - switch to reusable totes, reusable coffee mugs, reusable water bottles, dishtowels.

12. Use rechargeable batteries.

13. Turn off the water while doing the dishes or brushing your teeth.

14. Walk, bike or carpool whenever possible.

15. Spread the word and share your Earth Day tips with others - I'd love to hear your ideas!

So pick one, pick them all or share your actions for change. Each step we take, no matter how small, has an impact if we all participate - everyday.

Life is like a rainbow. You need both the sun and the rain to make its colors appear. ~Annonymous

Laughter in the Rain

Although each season brings a unique perspective to the world, spring is one of my favorites. I love the freshness in the air, the smell of the warming soil, the buzzing of the bees, and the blooms of crocuses, daffodils, cherry blossoms and tulips. Spring brings the promise of rebirth and new beginnings. A time to start fresh, to begin anew and open yourself to all the opportunities the world has to offer.

Spring officially arrives on March 20th, but I thought I would share a sneak peak with those of you longing to shed the clothing layers and throw away the snow shovels.

Yesterday I read one of the most honest, refreshing and entertaining posts I have seen in a long time; Confessions of a So-Called Pro by David duChemin. This one hit home with me on so many levels, I just had to share it with all of you. A great reminder not to take ourselves too seriously! I hope you enjoy and share your thoughts and confessions.

As part of my commitment to help humanity and our planet, 50% of all proceeds from my image downloads and print sales are donated to CARE International and World Wildlife Fund. Have a look at some of my featured images and help support the work of these amazing organizations fighting to end poverty and to protect wildlife and endangered species. Thanks for your support!

Featured Images - Images by Wenata Babkowski

Shortly following the horrific Haiti earthquake, I became aware of an amazing group of individuals who founded Images Without Borders. With help from Photoshelter who donated the host web site (a great service I use myself) and donated images from world-class photographers; they worked tirelessly to raise money for Haitian relief for Doctors Without Borders (MSF). However, what started as a result of the crisis in Haiti has continued to support the daily work of Doctors Without Borders in their efforts to help the suffering and for any future crises that may occur (such as the recent earthquake in Chile).

What an amazing win-win opportunity this has created: buyers receive a spectacular art print from a world-class photographer, while all proceeds (with the exception of printing costs) go directly to those most in need. Each image offered is a limited edition of ten, which when sold, are retired from this special edition and price. Gallery image size prints are offered at $50 and $100, while iPhotography image size prints are offered at $20 and $36. A deal that can't be beat for a cause that is priceless!

I feel very fortunate to be able to contribute some of my gallery images to this fabulous cause, which I want to share with you here. I hope you will support our efforts and those of Doctors Without Borders by buying a print and inviting your friends to view the website. Thanks for your support!