Chasing Clean Air

Sandhill Crane Festivals

Who doesn't love dancing Sandhill Cranes?

While considering the August 26 -28, 2016 Sandhill Crane Festival in Fairbanks, Alaska, I received an email, highlighting Nebraska's March 2016 Sandhill Crane Festival.

600,000 Sandhill Cranes congregate on Nebraska's Platte River. And you're invited to watch. The cool thing is the festival organizers set up a CRANE CAM to enable us to watch the birds - without flying, driving, or leaving our living room. I just tried the Crane Cam but didn't see cranes, though I heard sweet bird song. I'll try the Crane Cam again further into spring at the recommended optimal viewing times - sunrise and sunset. And I'll save the carbon pollution by not flying to Nebraska.

Fairbanks, Alaska. I'm not so sure. I'm so in love with Alaska, which happens to be Pacific Flyaway's largest birding paradise. To read my article about Oregon's Winter Wings Festival where I saw bald eagles up close and personal, click here. 

If you haven't made spring or summer vacation plans yet, consider a birding festival. Very interesting. And birds are beautiful to watch. 

Until next time breathe easy and make life an adventure!

To stay connected with my search for clean air, LIKE Chasing Clean Air on Facebook and subscribe to the Chasing Clean Air blog feed. Want more? I write newspaper travel articles for Creators Syndicate, highlighting wildlife and habitat preservation.

Photo courtesy of Audubon

Hillsound Trail Crampon Ultra To Be Safer With Icy Conditions

Don't fall on that ice!

With a large swath of North America suffering severe cold weather with snow and icy conditions, and those of us on the west coast (80s this week!), escaping heat for the snow-capped mountains - consider packing Hillsound's Trail Crampon Ultra to stay safe while walking on icy ground. Its super traction and support should keep you safe. Certainly, safer.

I only recently became aware of the Hillsound brand but always wear crampons during winter trips like my last white winter trip to Yosemite. I remember walking the icy path in photo below, and feeling safe due to wearing crampons.

Because I have't been in icy conditions lately (rather wearing sundresses this Los Angeles winter), I have not personally tried the Hillsound Trail Crampon Ultra. Yet I was immediately interested in the technology for my next white winter trip and to pass along the information to friends and family in order to be safer when ice is an issue.

According to Hillsound, 18 spikes offer traction on any icy surface and distribute pressure to withstand wear. Double-sided chains keep a tight grip on shoes to prevent any shifting of the traction device. A larger heel plate offers secure traction and stability for descents and trail running. A Velcro strap fastens over the top of the foot adding stability and a secure fit. So next time you to take to the snow, or step out your icy front door, consider minimizing a chance of a fall with crampons.

 To learn more about Hillsound Trail Crampon Ultra click here.  

To follow my search for clean air and explore air pollution solutions together, LIKE Chasing Clean Air on Facebook or subscribe to the Chasing Clean Air RSS feed!

San Luis Obispo Wineries Blaze Trail to Clean Air

The wild west was conquered by cowboys armed with blind courage. Trial and error, their guide. Today, San Luis Obispo (SLO) pioneers are consciously using common sense, education and solar panels to improve lives.

Located half-way between Los Angeles and San Francisco, SLO offers more than great tasting wine and rolling hills. Committed to clean energy, sustainability, and good ol' fashioned kindness, San Luis Obispo pioneers embody traits worth emulating.

Take Jim Efird.

Prioritizing sustainable business practices in the Edna and Arroyo Grande Valleys on California's pristine central coast, I met Jim of Tolosa Winery, making clean air priority number one. His 100% solar-powered wine-making facility has solar panels placed along rows of grapevines, facing the sun.

A short walk to the left and Jim's water system reclaims, cleans, and reuses water on the vineyard, eliminating water waste.

This conscious trailblazer educated me:

• California has the most stringent pesticide control regulations in the world. If followed the chance of pesticide residue is zero!
• A Tolosa vineyard has fewer pesticides applied to it than the average suburban lawn that kids play on.
• Tolosa wines' water is far purer than that coming out of most taps or bottled spring water.
• All Tolosa Winery waste is recycled, composted or recovered.
• In 30 years, the solar power system is expected to displace more than 32 million pds. of carbon dioxide (smog/dirty air), which is the equivalent of removing more than 2,600 cars from the road.

Jim Efird, like many in his community, is forward-thinking though this wine-maker put clean energy and clean air center stage like no one else I met. I hope more businesses learn from Jim and Tolosa Winery and take action. To read about Tolosa's sustainability practices, click here. 

To follow my search for clean air and explore air pollution solutions together, LIKE Chasing Clean Air on Facebook or subscribe to the Chasing Clean Air RSS feed!

(Looking back through my articles, I found this one, which I wrote exactly five years ago on Feb. 7, 2011. The information is still relevant, and I hope helpful to you or someone you may know.)

 

Valentine Gift Ideas for the Traveler

Relaxing, uplifting music with Kristin Hoffmann - Today I drove along Sepulveda in West Los Angeles when the disc changer clicked and the most beautiful music wafted to my senses. A calm draped over me. It was Kristin's angelic voice accompanied by melodic soft music on her CD, Unfolding Secrets: A Symphony of the Heart.

New Age?

Original.

By chance, I met Kristin on the Marin Airporter bus last year, and she kindly shared her CDs. What a gifted young lady with a special, open energy. If you love gentle beautiful sounds, consider Kristin's CDs - The Human Compass and Unfolding Secrets. If you live in New York City, Kristin will be performing on Valentine's Day. To listen and purchase her CDs, click here. 

Lurk perfumes - Made with 100% pure essential oils - free of synthetic and chemical preservatives - Lurk uses whole ingredients to create androgynous fragrances. Cedar, Tuberose, Rose, and a hint of spice blend in Lurk perfume AS01, which I'm enjoying now. Check out this Made in America brand here.

Safari - An illustrated travel book by worldwide travel pioneer and entrepreneurial genius, Geoffrey Kent. The CEO of Abercrombie & Kent, a luxury travel company that takes trekkers to wild frontiers, writes gripping tales of adventures in his personal life, the world, and business. From sharing a camp in Masai Mara, Kenya with Richard Burton, who shares anecdotes from a life with Liz Taylor, to Mr. Kent's business ventures around the globe, this is an entertaining and inspiring read! Truly, out of the ordinary. Buy it here.

To stay connected with my search for clean air, LIKE Chasing Clean Air on Facebook and subscribe to the Chasing Clean Air blog feed. Want more? I write newspaper travel articles for Creators Syndicate.

Until next time, breathe easy and make life an adventure.