This is on the Missouri Department of Conservation's website, which is reminiscent of the old "Foxfire" books in terms of learning how to take care of yourself with resources Nature provides. Good survival info too.
Since I'm getting into this barefoot running thing, I thought moccasins would be perfect protection until I'm ready for the real thing. Being an artsy-geeky person, I thought making a pair would be fun to do, maybe add running lights.
The highest grade any part of America's infrastructure receives is C, "mediocre". How safe do you feel on that bridge? How 'bout those PG&E gaslines? Do you know the "state of your state"? Find out here. We spend 2.4% on infrastructure, as opposed to 9% in China. Newt Gingrich says we should be more like China, where they also have jobs (ours) developing alternative fuels and refining our steel and lumber (our resources). Our infrastructure, however, is 100% U.S.A. How freakin' pathetic is that? Does anyone know how to make water or air yet?
From governing.com. Subscribe to GOVERNING, email & hardcopy--for people in government or private sector working with/in government (media and bloggers too).
From CERES, California Natural Resources Department database. Do you know what your watershed is? What entity--public or private?--owns your water? If you live in California and don't know the answers, you need to enlighten yourself so you can act in your own best interests and hopefully those of your community. If you really care, get a seat on the advisory committee.
In every county, there are advisory committees for everything from aviation to
women's issues; there's always openings somewhere. Serving on an advisory committee is a low-stress but important way to get involved in your community, meet like-minded people and start learning how politics works in your county just by focusing your interest in one specific issue. A great first-step for anyone who thinks they'd like to get into politics...or for people like me who are sick to death of politics but have to do something about something...