Showing posts with label planet earth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label planet earth. Show all posts

18 June 2021

Save the Trees and Save Planet Earth: Trees Have Benefits

This article briefly touches upon a selection of trees chosen for two reasons. (1) To highlight and emphasize the contributions made by trees to sustain our life force. (2) Because these particular woody plants have interesting history associated with them that can be gleaned from the Bible and it makes for interesting reading. 



  • Acacia: The acacia trees are large thorny trees. Their orange-brown hard-grained wood repelled insects. Research indicates that there are 500 species of the acacia tree. It is valued as a timber tree and used in shipbuilding. In some biblical translations, acacia trees are called shittim. Acacia wood was also used in the building of the first tabernacle (a portable “tent of meeting” where the Jews worshiped during the Exodus). Most students of the Bible know that acacia wood was used to build the Ark of the Covenant.


  • Almond: The almond tree is a stunning pinkish-white-flowered tree and it is prized for the high protein nut that it yields. (Some say fruit; some say nut.) Not only are the nuts delicious to eat, but the oil extracted from the nut can be used medicinally or as a lubricant, in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and as food flavoring. Because the almond contains very little starch, it is recommended as a flour substitute for diabetics. Aaron was the brother of Moses, who helped his brother lead the children of Israel at the time of the Exodus from Egypt and he served as high priest to the Jews. Among the contents of the Ark of the Covenant was Aaron’s rod. According to the Old Testament scriptures, though this rod had miraculous power, it was nothing more than an almond branch or twig.  


  • Balsam: From the balsam tree, one can produce balm, an aromatic resinous gum used for medical purposes. Balm of Gilead, balsam of Gilead, and balsam tree are common names. It has even been called balsam of Mecca. In Genesis, the story is told of Joseph who was sold into slavery by his jealous and envious brothers to a passing caravan of Ishmaelites. The Ishmaelites were traders on their way to Egypt to trade slaves, spices, myrrh and balm from Gilead. The Queen of Sheba brought balm as a gift for King Solomon.

Interesting? Well hopefully, the facts also make it plainly evident that trees are not just the stuff of bible stories and legends. They have a crucial role in making the earth a livable planet.  

Benefits ( http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/tree_benefits.aspx ) include: medicinal applications, delicious edible fruits, gorgeous flowers that give off a variety of pleasant fragrances, foliage that shade from a scorching sun, etc. The urgency of preserving, maintaining and cultivating trees should not be understated and can not be oversimplified.

There are environmental activists called “tree sitters” who will risk being arrested and feel compelled to literally protest by sitting in a tree, to protect it from being cut down. This passionate stand (or rather, sitting) can be considered an act of civil disobedience which sometimes results in forcible removal of the protestor from the tree. Citizens of earth should imitate the zeal of these activists, or at least support them.

By the sixth century A.D., beautiful groves of the famed cedars of Lebanon had been destroyed and these days only a precious few remain. Reforestation campaigns are underway. There are some who advocate that reforestation can reverse effects of global warming and world hunger in one step. Although global warming is a topic that seems to be on everybody’s radar, not many understand its real impact on the environment. But almost everyone knows or can hazard an educated guess as to the impact careless destruction of trees would have on our lives.


Content also appeared also at TreasurePen, Feb 1, 2014 and Express Yourself!, my Tumblr blog.  One site got hacked and the other got deleted.  It's my content so I salvaged it.  Found a copy shared via RedGage.  God bless backup copies! ☺

   

12 May 2021

The Benefits of Space Exploration

A satellite is a celestial body that revolves around a planet. Moon is the earth’s satellite. Saturn has 82 satellites. Humans also have made artificial satellites. The purpose of these artificial satellites is to the orbit around the planet, gather information, and send the information in visual form back to the earth. Scientists then analyze and study the information to understand the planet better.

The Beginnings of Space Exploration

  • In October 1957, the Russians (their country known then as the U.S.S.R. or the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) launched the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, into space.
  • Determined not to be outdone or left behind, the USA or the United States of America launched its first satellite, Explorer 1, in January 1958.
It was the Americans who discovered the Van Allen radiation belts, two concentric rings of energetic particles surrounding Earth. The inner belt is composed of protons, and the outer belt is composed of electrons. James Van Allen was the scientist who supervised not only the design of the instruments which collected the data, but the study of the radiation data which was gathered. In 2018, NASA celebrated the 60th Anniversary of the launching of Explorer 1.

January 1958 was a historic month and year in the history of space exploration but it was in July 1969 when American astronaut Neil A. Armstong became the first human to set foot on the moon.

The Progress of Space Exploration

Star Trek is Fiction

Since the 1950s, those who have engaged in space exploration set out to accomplish many goals. The popular television series, Star Trek, which made its debut September 1966, may have led many to believe that the goal was “To boldly go where no one has gone before!” and “to explore strange new worlds.” But the reality is that from the late 1950s to the present day 2020, human life or humanoid life or any life form on other planets have never been found and likely never will be. None of the other planets – Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, or Pluto ~ are suitable for sustaining human life. These are the conclusions reached by scientists who have thoroughly investigated information and data collected by means of satellites, and also acquired as a result of numerous lunar and planetary missions, using both manned and unmanned spacecraft.

Space Research Yields Facts

In fact, the myriad goals of space exploration, right from the very start, were primarily for the purpose of improving our life ON planet Earth. Although there are some scientists who are committed to researching whether or not certain planets can be colonized, or at minimum, whether the soil on other planets can be used to grow food for we earthlings.

Their commitment, while it may be futile (my opinion), is understandable. After all, the cries and warnings of the environmentalists and the preservationists are not being heeded. The resources of the Earth are not unlimited. They paint a bleak picture of the future of life on Earth. That’s why there are so many books and movies depicting what life would be like for humans living in a post-apocalyptic world. Those committed scientists have reasoned and rightly so, that it doesn’t really take much to keep us alive. All we need is nonpoisonous food, breathable air, and drinkable water. How hard can it be to truly create a Class-M planet? To quote George Bernard Shaw: “Imagination is the beginning of creation.” So? I guess. If you can imagine it; it can become a reality. Right?

But so far, none of the other places in the universe that have been explored have the air and water that we need. So some scientists reason that perhaps these planets have dirt! There are edible plants that do not require a lot of oxygen or sunlight to grow. It could be worth further examination.

The Benefits of Space Exploration

  • Even though there are those who are still waiting in anticipation and hoping that one day we will make “first contact” with “new worlds”, many of the scientific endeavors related to space exploration have yielded numerous benefits for the world we live in.
  • Communication satellites were used to enable remotely located or isolated communities to listen to the radio and watch television, and learn about the world, albeit on the same planet, beyond their borders.
  • Space-based sensors help predict the weather and forecast hurricanes and the movement of other storms, warning people ahead of time so that they can gather a few survival essentials and seek shelter.
  • High-intensity flashlights which were originally developed for use on spacecraft to imitate sunlight are also used for search-and-rescue missions and even by campers to spend the night in the woods.
Space exploration has provided valuable information and helped us develop a knowledge and understanding of the natural processes that regularly occur on Earth. The application of space technology has improved our daily everyday life in so many ways.

But at what price?


Original source

22 March 2021

Public Protests: Is Tree Sitting Really Necessary?

In the midst ... was there the tree of life ... and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. - Revelation 22: 2

John the Apostle had been banished to the island of Patmos for preaching the Christian gospel message, and there he had a vision wherein he saw what heaven looked like. The full text of Revelation 22: 2 reads:
“In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all tree leaves could be used for the healing of nations? What would the earth’s landscape be like were it not for trees? Can you imagine?



No need to imagine. It would be like Saturn, Jupiter, Mars or any of the other planets. But this glorious blue and green planet earth is adorned by these tall (some small) woody plants; from magnificent forests that grow naturally to individual trees planted by proud parents to honor the arrival of a new family member.

Some tree leaves have proven to have medicinal applications. But even if they don’t heal all the nations.  Trees supply creature comforts in so many ways. Trees bear delicious edible fruits. Trees have branches with foliage that provide shade from a scorching sun. When they sway in a gentle breeze it can create a feeling of calm and inner peace. Some trees have gorgeous flowers. Their blossoms are a treat to the senses of sight and smell, as they are an incredibly amazing range of petal shapes and colors, and give off a variety of pleasant fragrances.

Like most American children, from a Judaeo-Christian background, I was taught the biblical account of creation as recorded in Genesis. I have always thought, based on the account, that in the beginning, mankind was supposed to be vegetarian.

Because the scripture says:

“And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.” (Gen 1: 29).

To take my thought process a step further, the animals were also supposed to be vegetarian (next verse) and to my mind that would certainly make the world a better place. Watching programs on channels like Animal Planet about predatory animals that kill other animals for food, and occasionally enjoy a meal of human flesh, create a very unnerving feeling for me.

But, the purpose of this article is not to try to persuade meat-eaters to convert to a vegan diet. This article is about trees. Because I believe the biblical account of creation and the vivid imagery of John’s vision, the scriptural references are used simply to point out that trees have been an integral part of our existence since the creation; and will continue to be a part of our lives in the afterlife. That being said, the Bible mentions close to one hundred plants (bushes, shrubs and trees).

Below are short descriptions of just a few trees of Biblical importance. This article reflects composite research, i.e. information gathered from both secular and religious sources.

Acacia:

There are the acacias of Egypt and Arabia; and then there is the acacia tree, native of North America, which was introduced into Europe. Research indicates that there are 500 species of the acacia tree. In the United States, it is valued as a timber tree and used in shipbuilding. The Europeans found similar uses. Most students of the Bible know that acacia wood was used to build the Ark of the Covenant.

The acacia trees were large thorny trees. Their orange-brown hard-grained wood repelled insects. In some biblical translations, acacia trees are called shittim. Acacia wood was also used in the building of the first tabernacle (a portable "tent of meeting" where the Jews worshiped during the Exodus).




Almond:

The almond tree is a stunning pinkish-white-flowered tree and it is prized for the high protein nut that it yields. (Some say fruit; some say nut.) Not only are the nuts delicious to eat, but the oil extracted from the nut can be used medicinally or as a lubricant, in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and as food flavoring. Because the almond contains very little starch, it is recommended as a flour substitute for diabetics.

Almond trees grow in various parts of the world but it thrives in Syria. Ayurveda is a form of alternative medicine in Western society, but a system of traditional medicine native to India. According to ayurvedic prescription, almonds serve as an aphrodisiac and aids in the production of semen and reproductive fluids. Men are encouraged to consume almonds after ejaculation. There are sweet almonds and bitter almonds. Both are good for you! Aaron was the brother of Moses, who helped his brother lead the children of Israel at the time of the Exodus from Egypt and he served as high priest to the Jews.

Among the contents of the Ark of the Covenant was Aaron’s rod. According to the Old Testament scriptures, though this rod had miraculous power, it was nothing more than an almond branch or twig. Per Numbers 17: 8, the rod “brought forth buds, bloomed blossoms and yielded almonds”.




Balsam:

“There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole” are words from a Christian hymn. [Note 1] The balsam tree was indeed very valuable in biblical times.

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia states: It was an ingredient in the anointing oil of the priests (Ex 25:6; 35:28).

The Queen of Sheba brought it as a present to Solomon (1 Ki 10:2) in large quantity (1 Ki 10:10) and of a finer quality (2 Ch 9:9) than that brought as a regular tribute by other visitors (1 Ki 10:25).” [Note 2]

From the balsam tree, one can produce balm, an aromatic resinous gum used for medical purposes. Balm of Gilead, balsam of Gilead, and balsam tree are common names. It has even been called balsam of Mecca. In Genesis, the well-known story is told of Joseph who was sold into slavery by his jealous and envious brothers to a passing caravan of Ishmaelites. The Ishmaelites were traders on their way to Egypt to trade slaves, spices, myrrh and balm from Gilead.

Balsam is very difficult to cultivate, so it is only rarely grown. Usually it is cultivated in the regions bordering the Red Sea. Ancient Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, Arabs and Turks all treasured the balm of Gilead. The Greek term balsamon means ‘fragrant oil’.




Sycamore:

People often make a distinction between the sycamore of scripture and the sycamore tree of Eurasia and North America. The “true sycamore” (as some refer to it) is the tree that Zacchaeus, the tax collector, climbed up into in order to see Jesus. He was a man of small stature and could not see Jesus because of the crowd, so he climbed up into a tree to get a better view. Luke 19: 1 – 10 presents the detailed account.

The biblical sycamore tree grew in Palestine and in Egypt. It bore small yellow edible fruit which was clustered and resembled a fig. The prophet Amos gathered the fruit of this tree for a living. Egyptian mummy-coffins are made out of this durable wood. The thick-branched wide-spreading tree has heart-shaped leaves with a downy underside which are very fragrant.

But, just because the sycamore trees of Eurasia and North America have no biblical significance, it doesn’t mean they aren’t just as delightful. The sycamore of Eurasia is a deciduous maple tree which has greenish flowers, winged fruits, and palmately lobed leaves (i.e. the leaves have five or more lobes arising from a single point and spread like fingers from a hand). The sycamore of North America is valued for its timber; but is also widely planted as a shade tree.




Fascinating Fact:

“The Tree of Life in Bahrain is one of the mysteries of world which is bound to be in the list of most unusual trees around the globe! This four-century-old mesquite tree survives in the midst of desert without the availability of water. The mystery of the survival of the tree has made it a legend and the name 'tree of life' is absolutely appropriate for the tree, truly representing the magic of life. A legend is also attached to the site where the tree is located. The local inhabitants believe with heart and soul that this was the actual location of the Garden of Eden.” [Note 3]




Tree Sitting

Tree sitting is when a protester sits in a tree, to protect it from being cut down. It is an act of civil disobedience that sometimes results in forcible removal of the protestor from the tree. Zacchaeus was not a tree-sitter. This article only briefly touches upon an arbitrary selection of a few trees mentioned in the Bible, and one legend created around a Bible story.

The famed cedars of Lebanon were not included because by the sixth century A.D., most of the beautiful groves had been destroyed and these days only a precious few remain. But hopefully this subjective medley, in a roundabout way, made it apparent that trees don’t just provide creature comforts and they’re not just the stuff of bible stories and legends.
Trees are of critical importance to our environment. 

The urgency of preserving, maintaining and cultivating trees can not be overstated or simplified. So heed the words of environmental activists and don’t be so quick to have them hauled off by hired tree-sit extractors. All the trees on our planet are “trees of life” and they can all contribute to healing the world.

******


Notes:

[1] "Oremus Hymnal: There Is a Balm in Gilead." Oremus. Web. 25 Sept. 2011.

[2] "Bible History Online - International Standard Bible Encyclopedia.Bible History Online Images and Resources for Biblical History. Web. 24 Sept. 2011.

[3] "10 Strangest Trees on Earth" ZuZuTop. 19 Jan. 2010. Web. 24 Sept. 2011.


Primary References:

Scriptural references can be easily researched online at Bible Gateway.

Youngblood, Ronald F., F. F. Bruce, and R. K. Harrison. Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Nashville: T. Nelson, 1995.

"Trees - All about Palm Trees, Oak Tree, Pine Tree, Fruit Tree, Maple Tree and More!" 20-20 Site | Trees - All about Palm Trees, Oak Tree, Pine Tree, Fruit Tree, Maple Tree and More! LoveToKnow Corp. Web. 24 Sept. 2011.


Recommended Read:

Chapot, Hank. "Tree-Sitting, Since 1930.The Berkeley Daily Planet. 26 June 2008. Web. 25 Sept. 2011.


♦♦♦
Blog Publisher's Note:  This is my original content which first appeared at Suite101 (later Suite.io), Jan 2013.  The site is no longer online and my articles becames unpublished.  Various excerpts of this article can be found elsewhere around the web.It was a long and diligent search but I finally located a backup copy of my complete articles.  I have republished it here at this blog because the content is still relevant TODAY.  Trees are important to sustain life on planet earth!! That fact will never change.


31 July 2020

Don't Breathe! Parts of the world to avoid? That's Easy! Unless you live there!!

This post was first published in June 2017.  It is now July 2020 and the content is due for an UPDATE.  Information presented below the 3 highlighted asterisks (* * * ) was presented in 2017 and it was based on a map dated 2014.  I have been able to determine that the map has changed since 2014.  I also determined that something else of interest to all of mankind has happened since 2014/2017.

Here is UPDATE for this post.
In 2020, the World Health Organization officially announced that "we" are all in the midst of a COVID-19 pandemic.  "We"?  That means EVERYBODY IN THE WORLD!!  As horrific as that sounds, believe it or not, there's a bright side.

Because of the pandemic, people have been required to shelter in place, at home, to prevent the spread of the disease.  As a result?  The air is more breathable!  Who would have thunk it!

Check out these headlines.




Some scientists are saying these effects are short-term and won't last.  No, of course, they won't!  Because humans are not going to be locked down FOREVER!  (At least "We" hope not!)


RECOMMENDED READING:

Informative Data Showing the Impact of Pollution: Hannah Ritchie (2017) - "Air Pollution". Published online at OurWorldInData.org. Retrieved from: 'https://ourworldindata.org/air-pollution' [Online Resource]

A map has been updated for 2020.  Sadly, there are some countries who bumped the other countries and have moved into the Top Ten List for "Worst Air Quality".
This chart compares the 2014 data with the 2019 ranking.
20142019
UkraineBangladesh
IndiaPakistan
ChinaMongolia
IndonesiaAfghanistan
RussiaIndia
GhanaIndonesia
NigeriaBahrain
BangladeshNepal
AzerbaijanUzbekistan
ZambiaIraq

* * *
Cities listed by mapsoftheworld.com in 2014 as “the most polluted places around the world having either the worst air or water quality due to industrial, chemical, and waste processing”:
  1. Chernobyl, Ukraine
  2. Delhi, India
  3. Baoding, China
  4. Citarum River, Indonesia
  5. Dzerzhinsk, Russia
  6. Agbogbloshie in Ghana
  7. Norilsk, Russia
  8. Niger Delta, Nigeria
  9. Hazaribagh, Bangladesh
  10. Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
  11. Sumgayit, Azerbaijan
  12. Kabwe, Zambia
  13. La Oroya, Peru
  14. Matanza-Riachuelo, Argentina
  15. Ahvaz, Iran
“The World Health Organization had named the city of Ahvaz in western Iran as one of the most polluted cities in the world.”




"Around the World : Pollution Around the World." Maps of the World. Compare Infobase Ltd., 22 Sept. 2015. Web. 05 June 2017.

♦ ♦ ♦
Being the typical selfish arrogant ignorant American, I checked the list of places with the worst and the best air quality. USA was not on either list. However, Bloomberg did say that the air quality in New York is the best it's ever been in 50 years. I don't know how to interpret that statement. I'm just glad I don't live in New York!

I New York.  I just don't want to live there. 😊

Do you sometimes wonder if earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters are God's way of cleaning the environment?  It's not as if we can load planet earth into a washing machine.


NOTE:  I am not a scientist and I don't track air quality.  If you see anything in this post that warrants correction and/or updating, feel free to call me out. PLEASE!! 

13 February 2018

Happy Tree Tuesday!

It's Tree Tuesday. YAY!! Something they do on Google Plus. Don't know if you have a profile or page on G+, however, if you do, let me know. Maybe we can hook up. Let's not get off track. Trees are the reason earth is the best and ONLY planet for humans to inhabit. You can follow the space explorers on their trek adventures to try to see if Mars and Venus (or wherever) can be colonized. That's your decision. But my efforts will be lent to any campaign that supports saving the trees! 

 

My contributions to Tree Tuesday (click here) are not consistent or regular, but they have been substantial enough so that whoever it was that invented this G+ posting practice or tradition can know that this initiative has my backing two thousand percent!! Let the global public recognize that i heart trees




* * * 
Content first published at PersonaPaper, Feb 17, 2015.

Love tree
© Photographer: Hakan Ertan | Agency: Dreamstime.com


 


21 June 2017

From Africa to Alabama? That's Quite a Trip! | DYNAMIC AFRICA (Reblog)

English: Great Seal of The State of Alabama
English: Great Seal of The State of Alabama
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Totally cool and interesting. Worth a reblog or share. 250 million years ago? You don't say!!


#EarthDay: Geoscientists have identified a chunk of Africa stuck onto the southeastern United States.





A long mysterious zone of unusual magnetism that stretches from Alabama through Georgia and offshore to the North Carolina coast appears to be the suture between ancient rocks that formed when parts of Africa and North America were pressed together 250 million years ago. ...


Read on. #EarthDay: Geoscientists have identified a chunk... | DYNAMIC AFRICA



http://dynamicafrica.tumblr.com/post/83522160168/earthday-geoscientists-have-identified-a-chunk

♦ ♦ ♦

Enhanced by Zemanta

22 April 2016

Happy Earth Day! 2016 and Beyond! Beyond!! Yes? Save the Planet! Right?

In 2014, Earth Day was on a Tuesday and so the celebration of Tree Tuesday could be combined. Being an ardent tree lover, made a special effort to publish this post:



Image credit: © Photographer: Francy874 | Agency: Dreamstime.com


Last year, 2015, NASA celebrated the 45th annual Earth Day, but for me the day came and went. Nevertheless, determined to make some sort of mention this post ("Talk to the other NOAA.") was shared via my Google Plus profile page and to my surprise, fellow Plussers were interested on making comments for posterity.




This year 2016, making it point to carry on the tradition of celebrating Earth Day.  Because really ... Mars (or any other planet) is not a better place.  We need to save this planet!  One World!  That's all we got!

Click to view an infographic depicting "NASA's Plan to Put Thousands of People in Space Colonies" (click on image to enlarge if necessary). Infographic from Space.com.


13 December 2014

Subscribe to Mother Nature Network

Receive these updates via eMail. If you don’t subscribe to Mother Nature Network please consider getting on their mailing list. They are a consistent reminder of the celebration of life on this wonderful planet that we take for granted. Seems we would rather spend our energy, money, etc. on trying to colonize Mars instead of maintaining Earth. (Don’t want to go on a rant. But it’s one of my pet peeves! GRRR …!!) :) Here’s what came in the mail this morning!

Happy Saturday! For my cat loving family and friends,

Happy Caturday!!

Stay safe and enjoy the holiday season!



snow pic

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! And indeed, what would the holidays be without snow? It’s what gives Frosty his bulk and what makes Christmases white, putting the “wonder” in winter wonderland. But for all its bright sparkly beauty, snow has a dark side, too. Like when there’s too much of it! And you’re in the thick of it. And you can’t get out! Would you know what to do if you were stranded in the snow?

More interesting and informative reading:
10 vivid maps that show Earth in a whole new light
Why countries with the nicest people are the greenest
7 things to know before you buy a fitness tracker



glitter-graphics.com

DIDN'T FIND WHAT YOU WERE LOOKING FOR? SEARCH THE ENTIRE WEB