When I saw the first snowfall on the night of Dec 7, 2006, I almost cried. I had been longing for snow since my paddling season was over. I have planned many winter activities on my calendar and shaken off the dust on my ski boots. However, the first snowfall hasn’t gotten any followers. Maybe now it’s time to cry.

This winter has been very odd – oddly warm. Therefore we have been skating, biking, rock climbing, and I almost went kayaking in December. It was great to be out, and it was fine not to have a white Christmas. I just don’t feel funny anymore when I recalled the story told by a friend from New Zealand that on their Christmas cards Santa either enjoys his sun bath in beach shorts or rides a dolphin and races with a shark.

As a runner, I own two pairs of running shoes. I also learned that I get to shop for a new pair when I have accumulated 500 ~ 600 miles on my current pair. However, with today’s manufacturing technique, at the time my shoes are ready to retire, they will still look quite in shape. So, here is the dilemma: Running injuries or green Earth?

Luckily, retired running shoes can be recycled, and this is a cool thing that Nike does. Right now they run their “Reuse-a-shoe” program in the US, UK, Australia and Japan. From their site I found out one of the drop-off location in Philadelphia is City Sports which I visit quite often. I also called just now to confirm it.

My two pairs of running shoes have registered 180 and 258 miles respectively. Although it will take another several months for me to take action, it’s nice to know what to do with them, because it will make my new shoes shopping more pleasant.

Bush’s refusal on signing the Kyoto treaty has provoked not only the environmentalists but also the whole world. Reacting upon the pressure, Bush presented an alternative – to put more efforts and budget on new technologies. However, he is still strongly against any Kyoto-style protocol because it hurts “our [American] economy.” When I read the news, I couldn’t help but wonder “are developing new techs and tackling global warming mutually exclusive?”

I love to live in the United States. After I came to this country, I have expanded my horizon and have met lots of nice people who after all became my good friends. I can see how great this land is and how the term “American dream” is coined. And as a foreigner, I especially understand why there are plenty of people outside this land who hate this country. The United States minds too much internal business of other countries, and when other parts of the world ask the United States to share responsibilities toward the Earth, the president simply behaves coldly and refuses to cooperate.

The United States is one of the strongest countries and as well one of the most wasteful countries. I wish that China, the rising country, will not repeat the footsteps of the United States, and other countries on the Kyoto treaty will not compromise with Bush.

As obesity has become a widespread problem, airlines right now would watch the size of passengers in addition to that of their luggage.

I found it interesting and especially surprising that obesity can be linked to the environment so closely when I read the article “The Fat of the Air” in the latest AMC Outdoors magazine. It said “overweight American passengers had caused airlines to burn 350 million extra gallons of fuel in 2000.” As a result, it had an impact on the environment:

U.S.: Fat Fliers Swell Fuel Costs
Gov’t Study: Obese Passengers Pushing Up Cost of Flights

The article also mentioned that Southwest Airlines enforces “customer of size” and requests over-sized customers to buy extra seating, which won the company “protests rang out across the country.”

I personally haven’t figured out whether it is fair to ask a big person to purchase an extra seat, but I certainly do not enjoy the feeling of being sandwiched by two bulky bodies.

Every other week, the city of Philadelphia collects recycling material from the streets. Recycling is a good thing, but what bothers me is that the city does not recycle everything, at least “plastic” is not on the list. It seems to be a natural idea to recycle plastic; at least, my guests usually throw their empty spring water bottles in my blue recycle container, and my husband and I have to pick them out and throw them in the trash bin which makes us feel guilty.

Another source of sin is throwing away batteries. I am educated to recycle batteries since I was a kid. The reason to recycle batteries is simple: batteries contain heavy metals, which would pollute the soil and water if treated as land fill. However, recently I learned that it is OKAY not to recycle non-rechargeable batteries, and efforts have been made to recycle rechargeable batteries.

Let me quote a paragraph from an article “Assault with Batteries: Charging toward a greener future” in the latest AMC Outdoors Magazine. The author Jim Motavalli wrote, “Following the Battery Act of 1996, most batteries no longer contain significant amounts of the heavy metal mercury, but rechargeable batteries still contain other toxic substances.” Also the website of Streets Philadelphia seems to backup this idea, “Note: household batteries size D, C, AA, AAA and 9 volt are not considered hazardous.”

It seems that I could feel relieved to drop those non-rechargeable batteries now, but how come in my country Taiwan, the government still pushes very hard to recycle all kinds of batteries? I learned from the news (for example) that in Taiwan we have not passed any strict law such as the Battery Act, therefore lots of battery manufacturers sell those batteries which are rejected in Europe and the States.

Lots of Asian countries have become the paradise of evil industry that pollutes the environment. However, there is no way to separate lands if they are under the same sky, so who will pay?