Some Amazing Facts on Nature

 

Do you know that:

• In one year, the average tree gives off enough oxygen to allow four people to breathe for a year. You breathe 6 liters of air per minute.

• One tree can filter up to 27 kg of pollutants from the air each year.

• Trees get about 90% of their nutrition from the atmosphere (carbon dioxide, etc), and only about 10% from the soil.

• The average size tree can provide enough wood to make 170,000 pencils.

• Bamboo trees fall under the group of woody perennial evergreen plants. Interestingly, giant bamboo species form the largest members of the grass family. Bamboo is the fastest growing woody plant in the world. Some species of bamboo achieve a growth rate of an astonishing 3-4 feet per day

• 97.2% of the Earth’s water is salt water.

• The biggest known star has a diameter of 1800 million miles, making it 2000 times bigger than the Sun.

• The largest living thing on the face of the Earth is a mushroom underground in Oregon, it measures three and a half miles in diameter.

• It takes eight and a half minutes for light to get from the sun to earth.

• The oldest living thing on earth is 12,000 years old. It is the flowering shrubs called creosote bushes in the Mojave Desert.

• Honey is the only food that does not spoil.

• It takes a plastic container 50000 years to start decomposing.

• Broccoli is a vegetable with a nervous system. Primitive though it may be, it CAN feel pain.

• Tomatoes and cucumbers are fruits.

• All known vitamins are found in eggs except vitamin C.

• Salt is a wonder. Salt is composed of two poisonous substances. How is it possible that salt, which is necessary to life, is composed of sodium and chlorine, either of which, if taken individually, would kill you?

• Water is a wonder. Its chemical formula is H2O. That means it has two parts of hydrogen for each part oxygen. Oxygen is flammable; hydrogen readily burns. unite hydrogen and oxygen into water and you put out fires with it!

• The largest pearl ever found was 620 carats.

• Pearls are delicate and require care. They must be worn frequently and close to the skin or they fade and die. These pearls are kept “alive” by human contact.

This is an on-going post.  Your comments will be highly appreciated.  Should you have encountered other amazing facts on nature, please don’t hesitate to share your knowledge. Also please include the URL of the source of information.

-myong

 

Resources:

http://www.funolicious.com/fun_facts/nature_facts.html

Thank you Lord for the journey

Yeah! It’s my birthday!

I’m supposed to start my day by planting a tree.  But the preceding week was so occupied that I forgot to prepare the place where I planned to plant my birthday tree.

The family is complete because Kiko (my son who’s working in Cebu) and Kikay (my daughter who’s working in Manila) are home for a triple celebration –Kiko’s wedding and our 32nd wedding anniversary last September 1, and my natal day. We had so much fun bonding together as a family (that’s getting larger!).

Today, let me share with you my birthday prayer.

“Lord, thank you so much for the 59 productive and colorful years you’ve given me. I sincerely appreciate the valleys, the hills and the mountains You allowed me to come across. Yes, You brought me to these places, but You also gave me patience as I walked through the valleys, and strength as I climbed the hills and mountains of life.

Through it all, You were with me all along…offering Your hand whenever I fall…holding my hand for me to enjoy the journey…carrying me through whenever my strength is consumed that I may be able to rest and regain vigor.

Yes, I understand you are building my endurance so I may victoriously conquer the peak of every high mountain that You’ll bring me to…and enjoy the serenity of being with You. THANK YOU LORD FOR THE JOURNEY.”

-myong

It’s Earth Day 2013!

Today is Earth Day, how do you intend to celebrate today’s worldwide environmental celebration?

Actually, there are many little things  we can do to show care for our environment.

My favorite? PLANT A TREE!!!

Below are just a few that we can easily practice.

• Whenever practicable, open windows to allow air and sunlight to enter your house.  This will not only cut your electricity bill, but most especially prevent the burning of fossil fuels.  Fossil fuels are fuels formed by natural processes and are non-renewable resources.  They take millions of years to form. The rapid depletion of fossil fuels is a universal concern.

• Conserve energy.  Use electricity only when needed.  Using less electricity reduces the demand for electricity which indirectly causes a reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.

• Avoid using plastic bags.  Make it a habit to always bring with you reusable bags. Plastic is non-biodegradable and can survive for thousand years.  In many instances, canal clogging were attributed to plastics.

• Practice solid waste management.  Segregate your waste! There’s money in cans, bottles, plastic containers, papers and boxes. You can either sell them or give them to scavengers.

• Water your plants in the early morning or late afternoon.  This practice reduces water evaporation. Thus  saving on water consumption.

• Whenever practicable, opt for paperless transactions.  Print emails and attachments only when necessary. Just leave your files on your computers.  You do not  only help in minimizing waste, but most of all you help save trees. Trees, as you well know, is the main raw material in making papers.

• For short distances, hike or bike!  It’s a great exercise! It’s not only an excellent wellness practice, but you also help lessen the emission of greenhouses gasses.  Greenhouse gasses greatly affect the temperature of the earth.   The burning of fossil fuels and clearing of forests have intensified the natural greenhouse effect, causing global warming.

• Whenever practicable, ride mass transport systems.  Similarly,  you help lessen emission of greenhouse gasses. 

• Patronize organic products.  Organic products are healthy and are free from toxins dangerous to your health.

• Plant, plant, plant  trees!  Trees are considered the lungs of the planet. They  breathe in pollutant carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen. Trees can do amazing things for the environment. It is said that a single tree will quarantine a ton of carbon dioxide in its lifetime. If your homes no longer have available space to plant new trees, you can join groups that have tree planting activities.

• Most importantly, teach kids about the environment.  It is advisable that we teach kids how to appreciate nature and take care of their environment at their early age.  Get them involved in environmental protection activities. But for us to effectively teach them, we should walk our talk!  We ourselves should show genuine concern for the environment by consistently practicing environmental protection measures.

For more information, visit http://www.earthdayphilippines.org

I know you have other tips to share. Feel free to write your thoughts below.

Have a great Earth Day!

–myong 

“Fertilizer Sure Helps!”

One of the Our Daily Bread devotional materials I’ve read last week shared about a Sunday school teacher who asked her pupils, “Who made these beautiful flowers grow?’ … while pointing to a flowering plant. And one of the boys quickly answered, “God did!”

But before the teacher could  express her affirmation, another boy shouted, “But fertilizer sure helps!”

What an insightful reality!  Isn’t it?  God created the world and ALL the growing things in it. BUT He also created MAN to nurture it … so that man may enjoy His creation to the fullest.  And God filled the earth not only with growing things but also with awesome nature which makes us see and appreciate the greatness of the Creator. For man, however, to fully enjoy the benefits of the Almighty’s creation, I’ve got to … you’ve got to … and we’ve got to be responsible beneficiaries/recipients of His wonderful gifts.

When you give someone a gift, a gift that is well thought of and carefully chosen, you would want the recipient to not only appreciate your gift but also use it and take good care of it.   Similarly, God gifted us with nature and He wants us to enjoy His creation to the fullest. But we’ve got to be responsible recipients, conscientious beneficiaries.  We’ve got to take good care of God’s creation!  We’ve got to actively do our part in protecting and preserving the environment!

My friend, what about sharing your practices and thoughts on protecting and preserving God’s creation?

-Myong 

Plant a Tree on Your Birthday!

Have you joined your high school reunion(s)?  Yeah!!! Real fun!!! If you haven’t, I strongly suggest you join and cooperate should another reunion of your batch be called.

I am so lucky and proud to belong to St. Michael’s College high school batch ’72 where most of the graduates are still actively connected.  We had a great time together last week as we celebrated our 40th anniversary. Ooooooops!!! that emphasizes my age.

A number of our classmates from across the globe went home for the celebration.   We really had great time singing popular songs of the 70’s, dancing to the tune of the 70’s, storytelling, outing, swimming, ballroom dancing  and of course EATING to our hearts’ content…erasing meantime the terms carbohydrates, sweets, fats, cholesterol and the like from the dictionary.

But what touched me most was Gina’s announcement of promoting tree planting as our batch’s project. Specifically, she wanted to promote “Plant a Tree on Your Birthday Movement” or PTYBD Movement.  My heart leaped with so much JOY. Thank you so much Gin for verbalizing your concern for Mother Earth. Gina Aberilla was our batch Salutatorian and one of the active organizers of our batch reunions.

The image used in this blog was taken at the Cardona Residence where we held our Saturday lunch. Aside from mouth watering food, the venue is very impressive…awesome landscaping…well manicured grass…beautiful tall trees.  I know these trees were as happy as I am having heard that announcement from Gina.

Our past reunions, which were held every 5 years,  were jointly planned and undertaken with  the La Salle Academy High School Batch’72.  Next reunion will be on 2017 and we’ll have 2 citizenship by then…Filipino citizenship and SENIOR citizenship.

And know what?  I am excited to hear them say -no matter how few they are- that they enjoyed planting and nurturing a tree.

What do you think my friend?

–myong

Happy Mothers Day Dearest Mader!

“Mader”, that is how I fondly call my Mom…from the word “mother”.  I am currently in Iligan City to join our High School Reunion.  I sneaked for a while and, together with my siblings, visited Mama Nene’s grave early morning of Saturday,  a day before Mothers Day.

Nice memorial park…nature-rich…full of trees…overlooking Iligan Bay. I can’t help but thank God for the gift of nature and the privilege of having Papa Maning and Mama Nene interred here at Maria Cristina Gardens.

Maria Cristina Gardens, overlooking Iligan Bay

We enjoyed a native breakfast here while reminiscing  our fun moments with our late parents. Papa Maning and Mama Nene were among the victims of killer typhoon Sendong.

As early as Friday, members of our clan -especially the grandchildren- already shared fun memories on what Mama Nene used to do during Mothers Day.

She’ll order lots of  “suman”, a native delicacy, and distribute to her children and friends. I and my siblings never forget to give her an early Mothers Day greeting call. Flowers and cakes flood… and of course CASH gift…small-medium-large in amount.  Michelle, one of her granddaughters, never missed to give her a flower arrangement during this special day.

Recollecting what she usually do with the money she received made us cry. Rachelle, a granddaughter who grew with Mama Nene and Papa Maning , shared that Mama Nene will immediately go to the wet market and stuff their refrigerator with one week provision. But those stuff won’t last that long because she will share these stuff NOT ONLY with her children BUT ALSO with her cell group members and others.

Yes, Mama Nene was VERY GENEROUS, a character she will always be remembered of not only by us, her children, but also by her relatives and friends. She was always willing to share her last rice and her last P20.00 to whoever comes to ask for help. Papa  Maning was at first adverse to this kind of generosity, but eventually learned to appreciate this trait of Mama.

I thank God for my generous Mader and I thank Him for the blessing of enjoying the gift of nature even in times of visiting dear loved ones who went ahead of us.

–myong

Why Plant Trees?

As you may very well know, trees can do amazing things for the environment. A single tree will quarantine a ton of carbon dioxide in its lifetime.

Carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, is the main pollutant that is warming Mother Earth. Though living things emit carbon dioxide when they breathe, carbon dioxide is widely considered to be a pollutant when associated with cars, planes, power plants, and other human activities that involve the burning of fossil fuels such as gasoline and natural gas.

And trees, which are considered the lungs of the planet, breathe in this pollutant carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen.

Besides removing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen, trees can:

• reduce contaminants from the air
• be used to prevent erosion
• help cool our homes especially in summer
• act as a windbreak
• reduce noise pollution

Yes, trees can significantly improve our mental and physical health.

The great thing is that YOU and I can play an active role in protecting Mother Earth.  If our backyards no longer have enough spaces to plant trees, we can get involved in local tree planting activities.

What about that dear friend?

–myong

Planting Birthday Trees

Today is Krysha’s 5th birthday.  She’s  our only grandchild…as of this time.  As a family tradition, a tree is planted during a family member’s birthday.  Last year Krysha planted a tambis tree (Syzygium Aqueum). The seedling of that tambis tree was given by Auntie Polding, my Mama Nene’s youngest sister.

This time Inshang, that’ s how we fondly call Krysha, planted an antipolo tree.  Jessie assisted Inshang plant her birthday tree along the westside boundary of AtsYaKayKoy Hill, our little paradise. She planted it between the antipolo trees planted by Mommy Jeselle and Tita Kikay.

 I searched about antipolo tree and I learned that it’s  scientific name is  Artocarpus blancoi.  It’s my  first time to know also  that antipolo’s seeds could be cooked.  For more information about antipolo tree, visit http://philippinenativeforesttrees.blogspot.com/2010/05/antipolo-tree-and-not-capital-of-rizal.html.

Planting a tree during a family member’s birthday is our family’s simple way of helping preserve the environment and Mother Earth.  Trees serve as lungs of the planet because they breathe in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen.

Dear friend, let’s join hands in helping preserve Mother Earth by planting trees.

Myong

Hello World! It’s Earth Day!

WELCOME to my blog site on nature, an expression of the environmentalist side of me.  I deliberately launch this site today in time of the Earth Day celebration.

This site, actually, is a relaunch of my first blog site “Myong and Nature”.  What happened to that  blog site? It got SUSPENDED by WordPress.com for certain blog titling violation.  SORRY WordPress.com.

WordPress.com  emailed me to consider rephrasing the title of one of my blogs. I failed, however, to open my mails in the email add I assigned for the myongandnature blog site. I was overtaken by events…my site was already out of the web when I attempted to change the title of the blog WordPress.com commented.  The blog was about the commemoration of my Papa and Mama’s third month death anniversary.

What a devastating feeling!!! Got no files of my blogs!!! The time, effort and emotion I invested and poured for the site all went to waste!!!

BUT that didn’t discourage me to start anew and continue blogging. MY INSPIRATION?  THE GIFT OF NATURE.

Let me share with you this poem that I wrote sometime in 2007.

The Gift of Nature

One of the best gifts God has given us is the gift of nature.

All around us we see nature’s grandeur.

The mountains, the fields, the tress, the flowers,

the birds and the bees, the seas, the oceans,

the caves are just some that fascinate me.

                                ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Nature gives me a sense of beauty which makes my life worthwhile.

It gives me comfort and consolation whenever I’m sad and weary.

It gives me joy and happiness as I enjoy watching its beauty.

Nature simply amazes me.

                                ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Nature certainly is a manifestation of God’s great love.

In nature…I find contentment

In nature…I experience real peace,

In nature…I am made closer to God.

Nature makes me ponder of God’s awesome love.

                             ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Thank you Lord for the gift of nature!