Recreation

Author

Brett Olson

greenroutes.org

With the environmental impacts of long distance and international travel, consider a local and eco vacation this year. Here are some itineraries from Green Routes for the family, a solo trip or a romantic getaway all in the great state of Minnesota! Green Routes is made up of destinations that subscribe to a "triple bottom line" business strategy. They are peer reviewed and user certified weighed by their environmental and social benefits as well as their economic positive impact in their community.

Author

Gail Buhl

Education Program Manager, The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota and Independent Permitted Wildlife Rehabilitator

The Raptor Center and other wildlife rehabilitators in Minnesota receive hundreds of phone calls every year regarding injured wildlife. We also receive numerous phone queries on what to do because some species of wildlife have become a "nuisance" animal to someone. I say "nuisance" because a nuisance animal to one person may not be so to another. For example, some people purposefully feed tree squirrels in their yard, while others loathe them and would like to eliminate them.

Resources

On the Web!: 

The Raptor Center

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Endangered Species Program

Read Up!: 

The Sibley Guide to Birds of Eastern North America, by David Allen Sibley, Knopf, 2003.

Wild Neighbors: The Humane Approach to Living with Wildlife, by The Humane Society of the United States. Fulcrum Publishing, 1997.

Wild Neighbors: The Humane Approach to Living with Wildlife, by The Humane Society of the United States. Fulcrum Publishing, 1997.

Author

Gail Buhl and Luis Cruz-Martinez, DVM

The Raptor Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota

What is lead?

Lead is a heavy metal naturally found in several minerals around the world. It is soft, melts easily, has a high density and is cheap. For over three thousand years, human societies have used and crafted this metal inexpensively with relatively simple equipment. Lead has played an important role in industrial, scientific and military progress resulting in a wide range of products manufactured from lead.

Resources

On the Web!: 

2008 Lead Ammunition Conference

Department of Natural Resources

Non-lead ammunition manufacturers and retailers

Read Up!: 

"Poisoning in bald eagles: Analysis of possible lead sources, a retrospective study. Ingestion of spent lead ammunition: Implications for humans and wildlife," by P.T. Redig, L. Cruz-Martinez, D.R. Smith. Lead, 2008.

"Sources and implications of lead-based ammunition and fishing tackle to natural resources," by B.A. Rattner, J.C. Franson, S.R. Sheffield, C.I. Goddard, N.J. Leonard, P.J. Wingate. Wildlife Society Technical Review, Bethesda, Maryland: The Wildlife Society, 2008.

"Bullet fragments in deer remains: Implications for lead exposure in avian scavengers," by W.G. Hunt, W. Burnham, C.N. Parish, K.K. Burnham, B. Mutch, J.L. Oaks. Wildlife Society Bulletin 2006;34(1):167-170.

Author

Compiled by Erika Rood and Ami Voeltz

Do It Green! Minnesota

ST. PAUL (ranked #4) & MINNEAPOLIS (ranked #19), MN

Voted in the Top 25 Greenest Cities in National Geographic's Green Guide, www.thegreenguide.com

MINNEAPOLIS (ranked #11) & ST. PAUL (ranked #12), MN

Voted in the Top 50 of America's Greenest Cities in Popular Science Magazine (February, 2008), www.popsci.com/environment

Author

AMANDA BARIBEAU

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

One area where anglers can make a difference is in what they choose for tackle. Lead is a toxic metal that has adverse effects on the nervous and reproductive systems of mammals and birds. Found in most fishing jigs and sinkers, this metal is poisoning wildlife such as loons and eagles.

When lead fishing sinkers are lost through broken line or other means, birds can inadvertently eat them. Water birds like loons and swans often swallow lead when they scoop up pebbles from the bottom of a lake or river to help grind their food. Eating just one lead sinker can poison a loon. Eagles

Footnotes/Endnotes

ON THE WEB!

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency,
pca.state.mn.us/oea/reduce
/sinkers.cfm

Lead Free Fishing Sinkers
to Make at Home,
ezinearticles.com (search for "lead free sinkers")

Author

AMI VOELTZ

Do It Green! Minnesota

Going green with sports may not be the first thing you think about when it comes to being eco friendly. As it happens, there are more ways to play green than you may think. Aside from the obvious, "Leave No Trace" rule when you are visiting state parks or camping, there are other important environmental factors to consider when playing your sport. The green sports industry has boomed in the last few years, now offering those of us with active lifestyles a few new eco options when it comes to workout clothes and even equipment.

Footnotes/Endnotes

ON THE WEB!

Eco Friendly Sports Clothing:

greatgreenlist.com/Eco-Friendly-Sports-Clothing-69.html

fairtradesports.com/gearshop

playitagainsports.com/

patagonia.com

rei.com/gear/feature/search/rei_home/Eco-Sensitive+Product

Author

JESSIE HOULIHAN

Do It Green! Minnesota

The convenience of tourism, complete with tiny non-recyclable toiletries, gas-guzzling airplanes and over-packaged fast food, leads to an accumulation of waste. In order to revamp travel into a more sustainable practice, we must abandon the traditional idea of tourism and adopt a new goal to become an ecotourist. As ecotravelers, we must strive to explore with a higher consciousness of our surroundings and the environmental impact of our decisions instead of purchasing waste generating fast food and supporting big

Footnotes/Endnotes

ON THE WEB!

Green Routes, greenroutes.org

Ecotravel Magazine, ecotravel.com

Read Up!

Green Travel: The World's Best Eco-Lodges & Earth-friendly hotels, Fodor's Travel Publications, 2008.

The Eco-Travel Guide, Alastair Fuad-Luke, Thames and Hudson, 2008.

Author

GREENLIVINGIDEAS.COM

popular website

The more time we spend in urban environments, the more important it is to get away from life as we know it and venture into the great outdoors. Outdoor sports and recreation do much more than simply promote mind and body wellness. Being out and active in nature facilitates our connection with the world around us, even if our time investment extends to just a few moments every day. 

Author

MayDay Parade and Festival
(1st Sunday in May)
612-721-2535
www.hobt.org
Make puppets, participate in the parade or just come to watch the puppets float to life.

Halloween Harvest Outdoor Puppet Extravaganza
(Last week in October)
Bare Bones Productions
www.bedlamtheatre.org
A unique, handmade, nighttime spectacle with giant puppets, stilters and fire dancers.