GUESTS

Keisha Harris and Hal Schuler came by to tell us about "Lights Out Twin Cities."  Part of a global initiative called, "Earth Hour,"  to raise awareness about reducing our energy use.  The concept of “Earth Hour” began in Australia with a group of Sydney residents asking how to inspire people to take action on climate change. Their conclusion was to ask the people of Sydney to turn off their lights for 60 minutes, one hour – Earth Hour.

On 31 March 2007, 2.2 million people and 2,100 Sydney businesses participated. Sydney icons, including the Harbour Bridge and Opera House, went dark. Businesses showed their support by holding candle-lit events. The world noticed.

Inspired by the 2007 Sydney event, many other cities embraced Earth Hour in 2008, turning a local symbolic event into a global movement. Go to www.earthhour.org for a list of participating U.S. cities. The World Wildlife Fund adopted Earth Hour as a cause. Their panda and Earth Hour logos have become event icons.

Lights Out Twin Cities is a volunteer effort to raise awareness of energy use and climate change and encourage more efficient energy use by everyone every day. Local coordinators are currently working with local businesses to make Earth Hour 2009 a success right here in the Twin Cities. We urge you to consider joining with other businesses and households not just in the Twin Cities Metro Area, but around the world, to participate by turning off your non-essential lights and unplugging appliances for one hour beginning at 8:30 PM on Saturday, March 28th, 2009. This is a small step that will have a huge impact. Our planet and all its residents would greatly appreciate your participation.

HERE ARE SOME "LIGHTS OUT TWIN CITIES" and "EARTH HOUR" LINKS:

Lights Out Twin Cities Face Book Page

EarthHour.Org

Organic Bob is a local expert when it comes to organic lawns, gardens, and permaculture design.  He's got a lot to say on today's show and fields a caller question.  Here's a bit from Organic Bob's website about how "Organic Bob" was born:

I was raised on a family farm near Early, Iowa. My parents taught me to “care for the land and it will care for you”. My mother won awards for teaching soil conservation as an elementary school teacher. My dad and both grandfathers reluctantly used agricultural chemicals on their farms. Later, I watched my dad, grandfather and many of Dad’s friends die of cancer.

In 1986 I became grounds manager for a children’s psychiatric hospital and I had a problem: How could I care for the playground grass without exposing the kids to toxic lawn chemicals? The solution was organic lawn care methods and products.

After three years of organic treatments, the playground looked better than the rest of the grounds treated with conventional chemicals and it took less work. Employees of the hospital began to ask me to do their lawns and Organic Bob was born.

Visit Organic Bob's website at www.organicbob.com