The Hollywood dream factory is a nightmare for animals

Yesterday a very famous bear caused a very big tragedy. Rocky, most recently seen wrestling Will Ferrell in the movie “Semi-Pro”, killed one of his trainers with a quick bite to the neck.

Stephan Miller was a skilled and experienced trainer, and Rocky was a skilled and experienced bear. But there is one huge difference between the two: Rocky is a wild animal whose actions cannot be predicted like those of humans.

Stephan’s death is extremely tragic; there is no disputing that. But there are other tragedies here. One is that Rocky is kept for human amusement and a big paycheck for Randy Miller, who owns the training facility where Rocky resides. One is that there is a very real possibility that Rocky will be put to death for doing something instinctual. Another is that Rocky has never lived a free life in the wild of the sort that bears are meant to have.

Virginia McKenna, founder of the wildlife charity Born Free, said it best:

"The movie industry urgently needs to use its technological and creative imagination to put an end to the use of live wild animals in commercials and movies. Hollywood is a dream factory -- this time the dream has become a nightmare."

A nightmare for everyone involved -- for Stephan Miller, for his cousin Randy and the rest of Miller’s family, for Rocky, whose short life will also probably come to an end soon, and for all wild animals kept in captivity for non-conservation purposes.

Leo DiCaprio buys a green NYC condo

Leonardo DiCaprio doesn’t just tout green causes -- he walks the walk. In addition to driving a Prius, having solar panels placed on his LA home and serving on the board of directors of Global Green USA, Leo just purchased a green condo in NYC’s Riverhouse.

Riverhouse, an eco-friendly community overlooking the Hudson River in the Battery Park City area of Manhattan, is slated for occupancy this summer. The complex features a 264-unit condominium glass tower overlooking the river and a park, low emission paints, a 24-hour fresh filtered air system, a water treatment facility and rotating solar panels.

According to the property’s website, residents receive the following green benefits:

1. Clean air - Fresh air is filtered twice before entering residences. Indoor humidity levels are adjusted seasonally.
2. Pure water - Water purification is provided by an on-site filtration system.
3. Healthy interiors - Local, renewable materials and non-toxic, low- or non-pollutant paints, sealants and adhesives are used throughout the buildings.
4. Solar energy - A custom photovoltaic grid caps each building, maximizing the amount of energy captured for clean, usable energy.
5. Green roofs - 75% of roof space will be planted with greenery, creating parks in the sky.

But green doesn’t come cheap, at least not on this property. Prices start at $895,000.

Recycling printer cartridges

Part 7 in a series on recycling. This originally appeared as part of a larger piece written by your truly that appeared on SheKnows.com.

Forget about those “refill-at-home” kits. Not only are they incredibly messy, but they use up nearly as much plastic for packaging as a new cartridge would. Cartridges can be recycled so the manufacturer can refill and reuse -- same with toner cartridges. Ecycle Group is an example of a great way to get this done, and make a little cash along the way!

Recycling electronics

Part 6 in a series on recycling. This originally appeared as part of a larger piece written by your truly that appeared on SheKnows.com.

Do not toss that old TV, cell phone, or computer in the trash. Not only is it a wasteful practice, but it is also illegal in most places. Electronics often contain heavy metals like lead, dioxins, PCBs, cadmium, chromium, radioactive isotopes, and mercury -- stuff we definitely don’t want hanging around our environment. Some cities have collection services for such items, and organizations like PC Disposal can take care of proper disposal and recycling of your equipment while ensuring your personal information is secure.

Better yet, find a way to reuse these items. Donate your old computer to a local school or non-profit job training facilities. Battered women’s shelters gladly accept old cell phones so their residents always have a line to safety. Check out Collective Good for some great programs.

Recycling kitchen waste

Part 5 in a series on recycling. This originally appeared as part of a larger piece written by your truly that appeared on SheKnows.com.

Food scraps are biodegradable, but they still take up lots of room in our landfills. Reduce this waste and improve your garden by composting. You can also compost paper soiled with food products, like napkins and paper towels -- just make sure they are dye-and-fragrance-free and were not used with any toxic household cleaners.

The Treeless Squirrel

There's few things sadder than a treeless squirrel. Why not celebrate Earth Day (April 22) and Arbor Day (April 25) by planting a tree?

Recycling glass

Part 4 in a series on recycling. This originally appeared as part of a larger piece written by your truly that appeared on SheKnows.com.

Like aluminum, glass can be recycled indefinitely as long as the mix is not contaminated and weakened. Recycled glass is remade into bottles and jars, or road paving material. As mentioned above, make sure you remove lids from glass bottles before tossing them in your bin.

Pyrex and sheet glass can not be recycled. Pyrex kitchenware pretty much lasts forever anyway, so just pass it along to your favorite cook or donate to a soup kitchen. Mirrors usually can’t be sent to recycling facilities because of their foil backing, but your local artist’s guild might like them.