In 2007, more than two million Sydney businesses and households turned off their lights for
one hour - Earth Hour - sending a powerful global message that it’s possible to take action on
climate change.
Just one year later, Earth Hour reached more than 50 million people in 35 countries across 18
timezones, and the campaign shifted from a Sydney event to a global sustainability movement.
In 2009, Earth Hour aims to reach one billion people in 1000 cities worldwide. If you want to
bring Earth Hour to your town or city on 28 March 2009 at 8:30pm, this will help you get
started!

Your Goal

Get the most people, businesses and government involved in Earth Hour and get them to turn
off their lights for one hour at 8:30pm on March 28, 2009.

Because of global warming, pollution, diminishing forests, and a limited supply of natural resources, people are becoming more aware of the importance of protecting the environment. Waste in the environment affects the air, water, land, animals, plants, and humans. When we use the environment as a waste dump, we take away land from wildlife, pollute the environment, and deplete natural resources. One way people are doing their part to protect the environment is adopting the Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle Waste Program. The 3R program reduces the amount of garbage going into landfills thereby protecting and conserving our environment.

Reduce: People reduce by purchasing items that are durable and last a long time. By purchasing long lasting products with very little packaging, you will decrease the amount of waste entering a landfill. Other ways of reducing waste include:
- Buy products that do not require a lot of energy and resources to manufacture. Look for products that contain environmentally friendly packaging.
- Reduce car use by riding your bicycle, carpooling with friends, walking, or taking the bus.
- Composting is a great way to dispose of kitchen waste. It is healthy for the soil and less waste will go into the landfill.
- Turn off lights that you are not using and use energy efficient light bulbs.
- Turn off the taps when brushing your teeth.

Reducing will help with conservation efforts and decrease landfill waste and energy use. Reducing results in less pollution and a cleaner environment. It also helps conserve natural resources.

Reuse: You can reduce waste by reusing products. Reusing methods include repairing damaged items, donating items to a worthy cause, or finding another way to use them. Some reusing tips include:
- Use cloth grocery bags instead of plastic bags. They can be used repeatedly.
- Use reusable lunch bags.
- Metal cans and plastic containers can be used for storing items.
- Donate old clothes, furniture, and toys to a charity.
- Use silverware and dishes instead of plastic utensils and plates.
- Store food in reusable plastic containers.

Another way to reuse is to hire a junk removal service. Except for hazardous materials, junk removal companies will come and remove just about any type of waste. This includes furniture, appliances, electronics, and construction refuse. Many junk removal businesses donate items to charities, repair items, and recycle.

Recycling: This process involves making new products out of old products. This means potential landfill waste becomes a new product. You can protect the environment by buying products that contain recycled materials. Many of the things we use every day are recycled. Recycled products include: paper towels, toilet paper, paper bags, beverage bottles and cans, milk cartons, and much more. Most products have the recycle label on the package.

Many towns and cities have recycling programs. Some places even have mandatory recycling programs. Junk removal companies are actively involved in reusing and recycling. These companies are very aware of the public's concern for the environment so they make reusing and recycling a big part of their business. Make sure you ask a junk removing company how much they recycle. You will feel good knowing that not all of the junk you are getting rid of will end up in a land fill.

Reducing, reusing, and recycling helps lessen our impact on the environment and benefits the community. With the help of environmentally conscious companies such as junk removal companies, we are decreasing the amount of waste going into landfills. By participating in the 3R program, you will feel good knowing that you are doing your part to leave a healthier planet for your children.

By: Andrew Chan

Puppy training is a very vital aspect, regardless of whether it is your first puppy or your twentieth. In order to let your puppy be a valued member of your family and your community, you need to let it be properly trained and socialized.

In certain ways, it is easier to train a puppy than to train an adult or adolescent dog. This is because the puppy basically starts from "zero base", as they are are untroubled by past training techniques and other issues. On the other hand, in some ways, the puppy is a bigger challenge than an older dog.

One challenge to training a new puppy is that puppies are more easily distracted than adolescent and adult dogs. Everything is new to a puppy, and every new experience provides a new chance for distraction. For this reason, it is best to keep training sessions short when working with a puppy, and to end each training sessions on a positive note.

It is essential to allow the puppy more than enough time to play and to socialize with other puppies and dogs. Socialization training is really important to letting your new puppy become a good "doggy" citizen, as canine aggression is a growing problem in many areas. A properly trained dog will learn how to play and interact with other dogs, for overly aggressive play is often punished by other dogs in the play group.

This kind of play learning happens naturally among siblings in litters of puppies. As the puppies play with one another, they start to learn what constitutes proper behavior and what constitutes improper behavior. Improper behavior, such as hard biting or scratching, usually results in punishment by other members of the play group or the mother do, or both

The unfortunate thing that usually happens is that many puppies are removed from their mothers and sold or adopted before they have the chance to fully socialize. Thus, puppy play sessions are a very essential part of any session on puppy training. Most credible puppy preschool training programs provide time in each session for this type of interaction among puppies and older dogs.

Letting your puppy have enough of new experiences and introducing them to new locations is an important part of puppy training. Training your dog to obey and respond to you, even in the face of distractions, is vital when training dogs and puppies.

One great way to socialize your puppy both to new people and new dogs is to take it on a trip to your local pet store. Many major pet store chains, and some independent ones as well, allow pet parents to bring their furry children, and these stores can be great places for puppies to get used to new sights, sounds and smells. Of course you will want to make sure the store allows pets before heading over.

It is important for puppy owners to structure their pet's environment so that the puppy is rewarded for good behaviors and not rewarded for others. One good example of this is jumping on people. Many people inadvertently reward this behavior because it can be cute. While it is true that jumping can be cute for a 10-pound puppy, it will not be so cute when that puppy has grown into a 100-pound dog.

Try rewarding the puppy for sitting instead of jumping. Simply ignore it when it jumps on people. This type of positive reinforcement will result in a well behaved adult dog that is a valued member of both the family and the community at large.

This type of reinforcement can also be used in potty training the new puppy. For instance, teaching a puppy to use a unique surface such as gravel or asphalt is a good technique. The theory is that the puppy will associate this surface with going potty, and therefore be reluctant to use other surfaces (like your kitchen carpet for instance) as a potty.

By: Sophia Munoz

Stopping dog barking seems to be a very common concern for dog owners. To stop dog barking you can apply very simple techniques. Here is a quick outline of some of the strategies you can use.

The question on everyone's lips is: What would we stop such a spontaneous behaviour? To stop a dog from barking deprives him from a very natural response. Dog barking collars are not always recommended as they use chemicals.

Instead, an advanced proven strategy to stop your dog from barking now consists in determining the reason why your dog is barking. In most cases, your dog is barking for attention and it is absolutely essential to understand that attribute: your dog is accustomed to getting attention without having to deserve it.

You need to send a clear message to your dog: barking for attention does not work, barking does not trigger any reaction from you and most importantly barking does not result in any yelling from your part.

Here is a very simple example: when you leave your place in the morning for work, do not make a big fuss out of it. If you do, your dog will see your absence as a very lonely and difficult period and will undoubtedly jump on you when you get back to start barking. Instead, if you ignore him in the morning he will think that everything is normal and will not analyze your absence as a stressful time: this is a very easy-to-apply strategy to stop dog barking!

Another essential proven method when it comes to dogs barking for attention is to stop showing your dog you are angry by screaming at it. This display of emotions will betray you: if you yell and shout at your dog to ask him to stop, you dog will interpret your shouting as a form of reaction and will think "ok, barking from me entails being yelled at so at least I trigger a reaction from my owner, regardless of what the reaction is".

If, on the contrary, you ignore his reaction you will quickly notice that the barking will stop. You need to rapidly make clear that your dog's barking does not have any effect on you and you do not respond. Do not let his barking control your reactions.

Now don't get me wrong. Dogs are absolute gems and you need to reward them and make them feel special at times. However, right from the start, you need to establish the hierarchy in place: in the long run your dog will respect you and treasure your presence.

Keep in mind that the very important point you need to assert is: barking for attention does not work!

Now, if you really run out of ideas and can't stop your dog from barking, maybe you should look into buying a Basenji dog...

Chinese Astrology - Is This Relationship Doomed? The Chinese horoscope has been used in China for thousands of years. It has over time spread through out the world as one of the leading ways to consult the astrology charts for matters of the heart, health, wealth, prosperity and fate.

Chinese astrology is based on the lunar cycle which takes 12 years to complete. It incorporates into the cycle the date of birth along with the hour, the five elements, your ascending sign (which determines your personality at heart), along with yin and yang. With that it can determine who are your friends and foes, compatible life mates, good and bad days/months/years and the ability to better manage ones fate.

Although we cannot change fate, we can certainly prepare for, and remedy the less desirable periods of time in our lives.

The 12 animal signs are attributed to a legend of Lord Buddha. He summoned all the animals to come bid him farewell before he departed. Only 12 showed up. To these animals; as a token of appreciation; he named a year for each animal in the order of its arrival. The animal that rules the year of your birth is said to exercise a profound influence over ones life. "This is the animal that hides in your heart."

Along with these 12 animals there is also a secondary animal - your ascendant sign. This is much like the western rising sign philosophy. It is based on the hour, day, month and year (4 Pillars of destiny) in which one is born. It is then divided into Heavenly Stem, Earthly Branch, and Hidden Stems.

The first breath you take also comes with it, a profound effect on your life. It is combined with the five main elements; metal, water, wood, fire and earth. Then it is divided into active and passive sides; yin and yang. Through this process, Chinese astrology can help to develop a deeper, better understanding of yourself and others. Along with it, those you are most compatible and incompatible.

The relationship between Feng Shui and Chinese astrology go hand in hand to help to determine the best balance in your home and in your relationships. Along with achieving balance in ones environment, also comes with it the understanding and balance of each individual living within that environment.

Certain signs of course offer greater potential for success and for a lasting and loving relationships. Certainly, if yours signs show signs of compatibility, then the odds of success increase. However, you can never truly predict how things will turn out. If you are willing to work at it, willing to give and take and willing to truly understand each other and what drives you both, then it is possible for even the least compatible signs to make it work!