Youth Are Awesome, commonly referred to as YAA, is a blog written by youth for youth.
YAA provides the youth of Calgary a place to amplify their voices and perspectives on what is happening around them.
Youth Are Awesome is a program of Youth Central.
Any views or opinions expressed on this blog belong solely to the author and do not represent those of people or organizations that the blog may be associated with, unless explicitly stated. All content is for informational purposes only.
This minuscule bird is a natural wonder. Its looks so fragile and beautiful, yet it can put any other creature in the animal kingdom to shame when comparing strength. The hummingbird is the epitome of energy, vitality and raw power. Here are some examples of its amazing capabilities:
The hummingbird cannot walk, as it has poorly developed feet. However, it makes up for this with its tremendous wing muscles, which make up 25% to 30% of its total body weight, thus allowing for rapid flight. The smaller the hummingbird, the faster its wings beat. The range is from 10 to 80 beats per second, fastest when hovering in mid-air. Humans couldn’t beat that even if it were only our fingers that were flapping!
If one were to calculate the daily energy output of a hummingbird, (including sleeping, perching, eating, flying, hovering, etc.,) a human man around 170 pounds trying to match the mighty bird, would have to have a total energy output of around 155,000 calories.
It is the only bird that can fly backwards, and can rotate its wings in a circle – it can also fly up, down, sideways, and upside down, as well as hover on the spot. Curious…
The award for tiniest bird on Earth also goes to a species of hummingbird: the bee hummingbird. It can happily sit on the end of the pencil, and is only two inches long.
Each bird visits around 1,000 to 2,000 flowers a day, playing an essential role in pollination, along with bees.
If a human were to expend the same amount of energy as a hovering hummingbird, he or she would have to give out 40 horsepower.
The “delicate” ruby-throated hummingbird migrates from its breeding ground in Eastern North America to its wintering grounds in Mexico or central America, a distance of at least 2,000 miles. Not to mention, it also crosses the Gulf of Mexico, which is 500 miles without food or rest. And this is a bird that’s barely three inches, we’re talking about!
The Christmas season only comes around once a year. We prepare for it for all of December, then the climax of Christmas comes, and all of the preparation seems like it was worth it during the heat of the festivities. Family and close friends sit at the dinner table as the turkey is carved. Dinner is done and all of the delicious desserts are beautifully presented. Guests leave, hosts clean. The day is done as everyone tucks themselves into bed.
"Live the life"
Christmas is one day of the year out of 365. It is a day that gives families a reason to all get together and celebrate. But for those families that have lost someone, it is a tough time of year. This year there was one extra spot at the dinning room table at Christmas dinner. There was a new turkey carver chosen. There was one less stocking hanging over the fire place.
“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
It is so hard to accept the death of a loved one, whether a friend, a mother or a grandparent. Most people in society do not want to die, and do everything they can to live to see another day. In some countries death and sorrows are an every day occurrence, and is to be expected.
“Death is not something that I fear. I look at it as something that comes to those who need to be taken away and saved. Those who are scared of life are scared to live their lives. If people are always worried about the consequences of their actions for if worst comes to worst then they will never be able to do what they want to do. Death for many people is something that is holding them back from doing great things.” – Anonymous
As New Years is just around the corner, I am starting to look back at all of the things that I did not accomplish this year. I have started to get myself down and feel sad as I look at everything that I wanted to accomplish but didn’t. Every year we do this to ourselves and feel bad because we didn’t do everything that we wanted to do. But this year, I am going to try something different. I’m not going to look at my New Years resolutions, or leave it to my imagination to come up with everything that I have not done, but am going to make a list of everything that I have accomplished. I want to feel good about what I did this year, and I encourage everyone to do the same.
“Sometimes you have to take the leap and build your wings on the way down.”
I still believe in writing New Years resolutions, as it gives you something to reach for and the motivation needed to have new experiences, but as I review it this year, I am not going to beat myself down with everything that I haven’t done, but record everything that I have and continue to strive to do more and to be a better person.
“The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up”
We all know parents can be utterly insane, with no sense of judgment – although they won’t admit it. It’s their generation that has kept some of the tackiest, most ridiculous crazes alive, after all. Here are some that top the list:
1. Troll Dolls
Would you want to buy an ugly plastic doll with creepy, glassy eyes, and a wild, tangled mess of hair? Apparently, Americans did. Through 1963 to 1965, Troll Dolls became the biggest toy craze to hit the stores, even undergoing brief relapses throughout the 1900s. The first Troll Doll was created by Danish sculptor Thomas Damm as a gift for his daughter. The then handmade, wooden doll caught the attention of the owner of a toy shop, and the Troll Dolls were born. Soon, the massive hairdos and cheeky grins were introduced to plastic and mass production. Even Lady Bird Johnson carried one of these Troll Dolls around as a lucky charm!
We're watching you...
2. Lava Lamps
Oooh...pretty...
Also known as Lava Lites, this combination of colourful floating wax and incandescent liquid was an instant hit. Within five years of the early 1960s, 2 million Lava Lites had been sold in the United States alone. Although it’s pretty, this novelty item is nothing but a kitsch. However, you have to take into account that they provided many hours of amusement for the easily entertained human race. 🙂
3. Polyester Leisure Suits
Hip and Happenin'
This fashion faux pas has scarred the eyes and minds of many. However, the brightly colored leisure suits were perfect for a night at the disco party. If anyone you know actively wears one of these fluorescent horrors, immediately sever relations between them. Your image is at stake here!
4. Pink Flamingos
“Place in garden, lawn, to beautify landscape.” Those were the exact words in the Sears mail-order catalog, raving about the Pink Flamingo. These tasteless lawn ornaments were introduced in 1957 by the Union Products of Leominster, Massachusetts, and designed by artist Don Featherstone. The authentic flamingos, which are complete with the Featherstone signature under their tails, and only come in pairs, are no longer on the market. However, don’t worry about these birds going extinct anytime soon – cheap knockoffs will ensure their survival for years.
Such elegance and poise!
5. The Pet Rock
“Mom, dad, may I please have a pet?” For those poor children who didn’t have the privilege of owning a cute little animal to call their own, their losses were supplemented by the Pet Rock. This 1970s fad rocked the United States, having sold over 1 million units in six months. To put it simply, the Pet Rock was just a gray rock contained in a cardboard box with a bed of straw. But, this wonderful pet was sure worth your $3.95; it also came with an instruction manual. The price to construct one of these units? Less than 10 cents. Have fun teaching your Pet Rock how to shake your hand!
Boxing Day 2011 at Chinook Centre - Image courtesy Calgary Sun (Brendan Miller)
Boxing Day used to be about filling up boxes with gifts and money for servants and tradespeople. Nowadays, some still follow the original tradition by providing gifts for children living in poverty and to less fortunate families. However, most of us – tens of thousands of us – are waking up at 7 a.m. (some even earlier) to get our hands on discounted clothes, games, electronics…you name it!
So here we are, approaching the beginning of the end. The beginning of the end of another year. 2011. When we reminisce the past, it seems as though time has flown by too fast for our liking. Where did those times go? How did it go by so quickly? It makes us realize that memories are all about how certain events or certain people have made us feel, not about some trivial details that will fade away and be forgotten in the long run. We think about the smiles, the laughs, the jokes and adventures we’ve shared with our family and friends. School is out for break and we can finally put aside the textbooks and focus on the people around us.
For myself personally, I’ve gained and lost a number of friends. I’ve gained a friend whom I can share every single one of my secrets with. I’m thankful for all the things I’ve learned from this friendship and for all the wonderful things to come. I’ve lost a friend whom I used to call my best friend. I’m not bitter about it. In fact, I’m thankful for all the things this friendship had to offer me. And I’m thankful for all the times I’ve spent with this friend. And finally, I’ve regained a friendship that I lost before. I’m thankful for all the memories this friendship gave me and I’m thankful that I was given another chance. For me, this was my Christmas miracle.
I’m not proud of myself for being grateful only around this time of year. But then again, it’s better to be grateful at all, than not at all. Just as the once in a lifetime Nov 11, 2011 at 11:11 a.m. is not going to revisit us, this year will never come back. In fact, the very seconds you spent reading this blog will not come back. But we all know that already.
We’re constantly making memories everyday. And we’re constantly changing, even by the slightest degree, everyday. If I had to name some of the things I will always remember this year, it would be remembering all the friends I made at the beginning of Grade 12. Knowing that I have only so little time left of youth, it makes me want all the more to spend every day the best I can. And of course, it’s been half a year blogging with YAA. In the beginning I had no idea what I would write about. I was afraid that I would run out of things to say by week three or four. But over time, the very opposite happened. I had so many things I wanted to say. Blogging gradually became a weekly duty to something I eagerly anticipated. It became my escape.
So all in all, I would have to say 2011 was great. Although I’d like to, ideally, take the time to reflect and think of ways to improve myself whenever I can, I wouldn’t say no to doing such things around New Year’s. Goodbye to the beginning of the end, and here is to a new beginning!
This being my second time in Las Vegas, I truly did not know what to expect from this city so well known for gambling and parties – more for the over 21 crowd. You know you’ve arrived in Vegas when you hear the slot machines ringing at McCarren International Airport.
However, there’s more than just gambling in Vegas – you also have the opportunity to experience amazing shows in nearly every hotel. Being busy, I’ve – sadly – missed the chance to see Cirque du Soleil’s OvO in Calgary earlier this year (click here for a review and pictures if you missed it too!) The highlight of my trip was certainly Cirque du Soleil’s “O” at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino.
Photo courtesy of Cirque du Soleil
The show had amazing acrobatics that revolved around water features. The stunts are truly dazzling, amazing… and well, just breath-taking, knowing that people can actually perform these tricks. There was also a really interesting scene where a man was lit on fire for the longest time.
What really confused me, however, was the plot of the performance – if it had one at all. The characters seem to be doing different things in different scenes and not sticking to their “role.” This was perhaps the only thing that was flawed; other than that, I would totally recommend for others to go see it if you have the chance!
What makes romance movies and love stories so popular? It’s the fact that people, especially women, want or expect the love in their lives to be found this way. The truth of the matter is that though these movies are sweet, romantic and the guy is always perfect, in real life, it just doesn’t happen that way.
Movies: For the most potent love you either have to be supernatural or you have to fall in love with someone supernatural.
Life: As far as we know the supernatural do not exist so we are going to have to be happy with loving a human or be greatly disappointed when no
matter how many vampire dating sites you’ve signed up for, all of people you’ve come across are hopelessly human.
Movies: To attract a superhero you must act totally helpless and repeatedly get involved in situations you constantly need to be saved from.
Life: The “superheroes” who have superpowers, like the supernatural, do not exist! There are real-life superheroes around us everyday, from the search and rescue force to the kid you gives up their seat to an old woman on the bus every morning, and I don’t think they would find constant helplessness an attractive trait. Constantly putting yourself in dangerous situation you need to be saved from is not going to win you the love of your life, it’s just going to get you seriously injured or killed. In this day and era, self empowerment and self reliance are qualities people are attracted to.
Movies: When you find out the love of your life is at the airport about to leave the city and you haven’t confessed your undying love for them, you race down to the airport to catch them just in the nick of time and stop them from leaving.
Life: First of all, you could have saved yourself a lot of effort and just called them on their cell phone. Second, just because you confess your love for them doesn’t mean that they are going to give up the life, job, holiday, etc that they are leaving in the first place for. Third, they may not feel the same way about you that you feel about them.
Movies: Time will slow down the first time you lay eyes on the man/woman of you dreams. The second you make eye contact you both will fall desperately in love with each other.
Life: You may find someone attractive but there is no way you can fall in love with them at first sight. For true genuine love to occur you have to get to know the person and they, you.
Movies: Extremely klutzy girls will cause men to fall in love with them by tripping and falling into their open arms or spilling a drink in their lap.
Life: Although klutziness isn’t a bad thing, if you do fall it probably won’t be into a someone’s arms. If someone does manage to catch you it will more likely cause embarrassment then a love connection. This goes for spilling drinks as well.
Movies: To attract the attention of your crush who has ignored you and brushed you off every time you talk to them, get a makeover. Of course, after you attract their attention and you go on several dates they will admit to liking the pre-makeover you better.
Life: If you have to get a makeover to attract someone then they obviously are not the kind of person worth being with. The love of your life should be someone who loves you for who you are, not what you look like.
First of all, Merry Christmas/ Happy Holidays to all of you!
In commemoration of the winter and festive season, Google has created the ability for you to turn your computer screen into a winter wonderland! All you have to do is go to www.google.com using Safari, Firefox, or Google Chrome (sorry Internet Explorer users) and type in ‘let it snow’.
You can even draw on the page like it's a frosted window!
Some more cool things you can do with Google:
Google gravity: Ever wondered what Google would look like in a gravity-free world? Type google gravity into the search bar and press “I’m feeling lucky.”
Barrel Roll: And you thought airplanes that did this were cool. Type do a barrell roll in the search bar.
Google Sphere: Watch out, you might get dizzy! Search images and watch them orbit Google. Type google sphere in the search bar and press “I’m feeling lucky.”
Blackle.com <– This is an energy saving version of Google. It cuts the energy consumption of computer monitors by reversing the colour schemes of search-result pages to show light coloured text on a black background. Awesome site for all you environmental supporters out there!
The recently released first person shooter Battlefield 3 for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC has astonishing graphics. Finally, there is something to prove that the hugely successful Call of Duty series is overrated and that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is just a $60 add on to its predecessor. The game was so anticipated that it made some Call of Duty fanboys switch over and try it. And the result is people playing the game like Call of Duty, which is not how you play it.
Battlefield 3 is a team based game where a single person being good can’t make the whole team win online Call of Duty. Every player has their own class and responsibility. So here are some tips at playing this game.
Play the objective
People making the switch from COD often forget that just killing people won’t make your team win. Play the objective! In the Rush game mode, while attacking, go arm the bombs and help your team move up. Don’t forget to cover it once you aim because it can be defused. If your teammates are arming the bomb already don’t just go prone beside him. Cover him so that enemies can’t kill him. While defending use recon class to shoot faraway enemies, engineer to destroy their vehicles and support and medic to further help your team.
Do Your Job
The loadouts in this game come with kits which are only for itself. When using the assault kit, don’t forget to throw around some medic boxes and revive enemies. Using the engineer class, use the rocket launchers to shoot down enemy vehicles. While land vehicles are fairly easy to disable, airborne vehicles will require some skill and practice, so never give up. Using the support class, give those ammo boxes to your teammates and use those powerful guns to get some kills. In the recon class, try not to run around a lot and use the C4s and plant them around your objectives. Dont forget to use the strikes as they get a lot of easy kills. Playing your part is very helpful to your team and also helps you level up and unlock better guns.
Spot the Enemy
This can be done in any class. If your gun doesn’t have good range to get the target, just spot by spressing the spotting button on your console. This shows your teammates the player on the map so they can kill them. You even get bonus points!
Squad
Battlefield 3 is a team based game so its always good that you have one or two friends in your squad. This makes communication easier. Everything you do with your squad will get you more bonus than doing it with other teammates. Try to stay together and have one goal and everybody have different jobs. For example, the assualt reviving other squatmates, the support giving ammo and the engineer repairing vehicles.
I think I speak for all of us when I say we’ve been victimised by those Facebook games that require repetitive planting, building.. the list goes on. They were pointless and time-wasters. Yet we keep coming back. Why? Because they’re simple and fun. Well, there’s a (somewhat) new game called WeTopia and in all honesty it’s just like those other games, except with a twist. The points you earn, called “joy,” are used to give to real causes, donating to charities that you get to pick! So how about that: another mindless game that you can actually feel good about playing.
It works by having sponsors as well as implementing Facebook Credits to fund for the projects. It’s ingenious really, to have masses of people all play games to procrastinate on their side of the world and have other children in impoverished countries receive good out of it. Currently there is a major focus revolving around Haiti; trying to bring over proper nutrition as well as education. May our guilty pleasures turn into a child’s much needed necessity. I’m sure it’s possible, with over 160,000 users and growing, the masses of people will surely bring a bright future to kids in need. WeTopia MIGHT just be the best game you can find on Facebook. It’s so great that Ellen Degeneres has reached out to her fans about it and they’ve previously crashed the game because so many players were on at once. I think that’s what’s normally called dedication to the cause.
So go ahead, waste spend some time playing this game and help contribute to building better futures for kids that deserve it.
Premier Alison Redford is starting to announce her wide-ranging plan to crack down on youth smoking, satisfying the promises she made earlier this year in a survey from an anti-smoking group. She’s discussed that she will be implementing stricter policy-planning, as Redford said in Calgary. In the survey from Campaign for a Smoke Free Alberta, she committed to raising taxes for cigarettes, making it harder for children to buy cigarettes and banning the sale of addictive flavoured tobacco.
She also promised during her leadership campaign to ban smoking in cars and trucks with children. She still hasn’t clarified when it would be released. There have been many activists who have spoken out about the mishandling the youth smoking problem from the side of the government. I agree and I think that it is a huge problem in youth today, it is unacceptable that we are not taking appropriate action to actually get cigarettes out of the hands of kids. I think that another part of the problem is the fact that we obviously don’t have a good enough prevention policy if we still see that students are taking up smoking. Taxes and regulation are one thing, but educating youth on why not to smoke is an entire different approach which I think will be more effective in the long run.
What do you think? Do you think that this policy is going in the right direction?
A few weeks ago, you might have heard a massive crash outside. You probably thought it was the sound of the stock market crashing again, or maybe the Euro losing its value, or maybe even another earthquake. But no, that was the sound of the collective grades and free time of millions of boys across the nation being dropped in favor of playing Bethesda’s newest addition to The Elder Scrolls saga; Skyrim.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is the fifth in a series of role playing video games developed and published by Bethesda. The main story takes place in the land of Skyrim two hundred years after the game’s predecessor; Oblivion. Skyrim is currently in the midst of a civil war after the assassination of the High King. The character’s efforts revolve around defeating Alduin, the firstborn of Tamriel’s primary deity Akatosh.
Now if you’re not familiar with the early story like I am, those names probably mean nothing to you. But not to worry! That’s really what makes Skyrim so dang fun to begin with; complete emersion.
The Open World
Skyrim. Is. HUGE. If you’ve played games like Mass Effect, Fable, or even the previous Elder Scrolls games, you will not be disappointed by the truly colossal nature of the landscape. Some whiz out there calculated that if Skyrim existed to scale in real life, the environment would take up approximately 40 square kilometers, that’s about four Nose Hill Parks.
You might then be thinking, “Well I don’t want to walk around see? Walking around is for squares see! I don’t have time to walk around, I want to do quests see!”… Well at least that’s how people talk in my head. Fear not! Just like its predecessor, Skyrim offers a fast travel option (by map) as well as horses that can be bought. You can also sprint… I feel like Aragorn crossing the plains of Rohan whenever I play.
The other thing that strikes me is that the map has a purpose. It’s not like other games where you just slog your way over from point A to point B, cursing the game designers trying to make the game bigger just by adding longer routes. All along the routes there are dungeons, NPCs, and quests.
The only problem I have with travel is the horses is that it’s pitiful how little health they have, and how slow they can go at times. In all honesty you’re better off sprinting, running out of stamina, healing yourself, and then sprinting again. At least that way you don’t lose your expensive horse. That being said, horses do help you fight off enemies, so there’s a bonus.
Skyrim Map - ~40 square km
Quests
If you have a tendency to be OCD about keeping your quest log clean, this game might not be for you. The game actually has infinite quests. And even before it gets to the infinite point, there are still hundreds upon hundreds of meaningful and entertaining quests. You don’t even have to touch the main storyline. I’ve played 72 hours and I’ve done NO main quest lines. I haven’t even scratched the surface!
The best part is, the quests are progressive. They are purposeful, and you don’t really feel like you’re grinding for levels. The storyline is also fantastic. Every NPC peasant has something to talk about, and more often than not, even more quests to give. Be it fetching something from a ruin, raiding a dungeon, or beating some ruffian senseless, it never really seems to get old… except for when it does.
The biggest problem with quests I’ve seen thus far is two-fold. One, the infinite type quests are repetitive, and don’t really seem to serve a purpose. Fetch item X from place Y. Kill person A at location B. You get the idea. The other problem is that for every single faction you join (thus far), you inevitable end up becoming leader of that faction. Join a mage guild, three hours later you’re the arch mage. Join the thieves’ guild, four hours later you’re thief lord. It’s still fun, but it ruins the immersion a bit.
Skyrim Quest Log
Combat
The sheer level of variety you can employ in taking down enemies is staggering. A multitude of skill trees allows you to be whatever you want to be! Currently I’m a battle mage ninja assassin. My buddy is a Nordic Viking who charges head on into enemies with his battleaxes and heavy armor. My other friend is 100% assassin; he sneaks in the shadows and kills people without them even realizing he’s there. There are tons of weapons in the game (think Borderlands or more!) and tons of spells. The possibilities are endless, and endlessly fun.
The problem with combat is also two-fold, and lies with the AI, and the UI. I’ll discuss the UI later, and the qualms I have with the AI are minor. But the AI is pretty easy to figure out, they run at you, swing once, and then turn around a swing again. Once you discover this you can sprint past them as they are in mid swing and bomb them with fireballs. Rinse and repeat. Bosses however, still remain very interesting and are separate from the generic enemy AI.
Combat vs. Frost Troll
Skills and Trade
Just like with combat, the possibilities for skill trees are vast. You can choose enchanting, leatherworking, blacksmithing, and alchemy. Each one is incredibly complex and offers diverse rewards once you max out.
As far as trade goes, it’s surprisingly realistic in that shop keepers have both a set amount of money, and a set amount of items. If you want to sell 54 iron daggers, the merchant might not have enough money to buy all of them!
Skills however, have a massive bug. It is possible to power level your character all the way to 90 just by doing blacksmithing and enchanting! To put this in comparison, getting to level 21 took me 30 hours normally. This needs to be fixed.
Skill Tree
Dungeons
Dungeons are simply fascinating. Each one is different and unique in terms of both mobs, and dungeon events. There are hundreds (okay maybe a bit less) of dungeons each with their own risks and rewards. Only drawback is that certain elements are re-used (buildings, pathways). It’s not really noticeable though, I don’t mind, and the graphics are… breathtaking.
Dungeon Gameplay
Graphics and UI
I won’t spend too long on the graphics, but if your rig can run it, ultra graphics are breathtaking. Though it’s no Crysis 2, I would still absolutely recommend it. Kudos to Bethesda for making the realm large without detracting from the beauty. And now… for the UI.
Blegh. That’s all I can say. Since Skyrim is a console port, it is natural to expect that the UI is lacking, but it is lacking so much that it hurts. It is what changes Skyrim from a 10/10 to a 9/10 or lower. For me, the UI ruins combat immersion.
I encounter an enemy; bombard it with an ice bolt. The enemy is slow so I switch to fireball. Wait, hold on a second, the hotkey I hit replaced the spell in the arm with the ice bolt, I want to keep that! Oh well I guess I’ll double fireball and then switch to swords. Wait, I can’t switch to swords, because the UI is glitchy and unbinds everything whenever you dual wield. Hit the item menu button… find swords… hmm… where is it… ah here it is. Alright bound! Drat! My sword is out of energy and I’m low on health, better ice bolt him to slow him down and heal myself *pushes hotkey button* ARGGHHHHH.
Yes you get used to it, but it really, REALLY, detracts from combat. Especially if you want to spec in multiple trees like me. The character UI is terrible too. No little manikin to help you put armor on, no organizing items by weight, price, or alphabet. You have to hit esc to access the quest menu, but you have to hit tab to access items, magic, and everything else. It’s a total mess and really brings the game down.
HD Graphics, Gameplay FootageRubbish UI
Well that’s that, until the video review at least. Hopefully I didn’t miss anything. So overall:
Pros:
The world is HUGE
Dungeons and quests variety is great
Skill trees and combat styles are diverse and fun
Graphics are phenomenal
Cons:
UI is tripe
Some AI styles and bugs make combat easy at times
Infinite quests are repetitive, and quest lines follow the same mold
Horses suck
Now, all that being said, I am very confident Bethesda will fix this bugs. And if not Bethesda, mods will always be released. PC may be the weakest platform for Skyrim right now, but I’m sure it will soon be the best.
Mayor Nenshi came up with this amazing idea to get citizens involved just a few months ago. Here are the three things that I would do in order to make Calgary an even better city:
1. Get to know someone:
How many times have you stood waiting for a bus for several minutes with a stranger but never talked once?
I know that it can be very awkward to just say hello to someone but trust me, it is worth the effort to start a conversation with someone. Make small talk about the weather, maybe hockey and get to know them a little bit. Believe it or not, something like that can light up someone’s day. Plus, it is good to get to know someone; I have heard several very interesting stories from people that got me thinking.
2. Carpool:
If you drive to work or school, consider carpooling with someone. This is one of the best things you can do to reduce the traffic on Calgary’s roads and help reduce the pollution level. If you have not already done so, I encourage you to visit Carpool. This website helps you find people who live to close and go to work close the place where you do.
3. Switch to CFL bulbs:
If you did not already know, CFL bulbs can save around one third of energy compared to a traditional incandescent bulb. They also have a life that is 8-10 times longer. More and more Canadians are switching over to CFL bulbs and they have good reason to do so. This is something very basic that everyone of us should go do. Any time a bulb goes out, be sure to replace with a CFL and not an incandescent bulb.
