Because Mondays are hard and sometimes we need a little inspiration…
Remember to take time to disconnect. Whatever is on your phone can probably wait, but sometimes what’s right in front of you can’t. Don’t miss it.
Tag Archives: Nature
Inspiring Instagrams: Accounts That Are Making An Impact All Over The World
While there are many superficial aspects surrounding Instagram and social media, both are powerful ways to reach an enormous audience and spread awareness. I’ve gathered a cornucopia of accounts that are currently inspiring me. What I love about all of these accounts is that they don’t just present you with problems, but rather solutions and an outlet to get involved. They spread awareness in a positive and unique way. Check em’ out, stir up some awareness, donate if/when possible, and get ready to get inspired.
National Geographic (@natgeo): “Life is an adventure—enjoy the ride and the world through the eyes of the National Geographic photographers.”
I learn something new about world cultures, animals, and the environment every day from the National Geographic Instagram feed. It brings attention to environmental causes, human rights issues, and endangered species while posting breathtaking images from remote locations around the world. But this feed not only spreads awareness to global issues, but also shows you what people and charities are doing to solve these problems.
Charity Water (@charitywater): “We’re bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in need around the world.”
Of all the charity Instagram’s I’ve checked out, Charity water is my favorite. Charity Water brings clean, safe drinking water to people around the world. Their Instagram does a great job of showing their incredible impact while also teaching you about the importance of clean water access. Their feed shows how your donations directly impact people’s lives.
National Wildlife Foundation (@nationalwildlife): “Home of #wildlifeselfies — a series of silly and close-up wildlife photos. Working to inspire people to protect wildlife and enjoy the outdoors.”
If you don’t think this account is adorable, then I question whether or not you have a soul. Cute animals, funny captions, what more does an Instagram account need? The feed is also peppered with tips on how you can do your part to support their mission to protect wildlife and enjoy the great outdoors.
Humans of New York (@humansofny): “New York City, one story at a time.”
On this account, photographer Brandon Stanton captures photos of people on the streets of New York and asks them questions about themselves to generate a caption for the photo. Whether the stories are happy, sad, funny, or inspirational, it generates a sense of community and support that reminds you of the good in the world.
Although most pictures are taken in New York, Stanton’s recent trip to Pakistan has helped raised over $2 million for an activist who is trying to end slavery in the brick making industry. This is an issue prior to HONY, I knew nothing about. Check out this article to learn more about how HONY changes lives.
Happsters (@happsters): “to create, dream & spread happiness. Science of Happiness graduate.”
Need a pick me up? Check out the Happsters. This account is committed to spreading happiness, which is surely a worthwhile cause. This account posts inspirational quotes daily. I like to screenshot my favorites and save them for a rainy day. If you like my Monday Motivation posts, then this account will be right up your alley.
What inspiring accounts do you follow on Instagram? I love hearing about what inspires others so feel free to leave your suggestions in the comments section below.
I Come From The Land of the Ice and Snow…
I went to Iceland! Did ya miss me? I sure missed blogging. While I was away I thought of so many ideas for future posts and I can’t wait to get started. But first I would like to share a little about my trip and see how many times I can write the word “Iceland” without annoying everyone.
Right now you might be thinking, “Annie, what does Iceland have to do with your blog?”. I promise it relates. Icelanders are very conscious, environmental, and sustainable folk. You have to be when you live in such an isolated place where it can snow for 75% of the year.
First, I would just like to say that my trip to Iceland was an extremely fun and beautiful and inspiring experience. I highly recommend going on an adventure in Iceland if you get the chance. There are so many things to do and beautiful things to see and fascinating places to explore. I got to walk on a glacier, snorkel between tectonic plates (yes, the water was absurdly cold), hike in gorgeous national parks, trek through an ice cave, relax at a geothermal spa, ride a zodiac through a iceberg ridden lagoon, eat delicious local food, explore cities, and see more sheep, waterfalls, and rainbows than I have in my entire life.
I traveled around Iceland on the Ring Road, which follows the perimeter of the island. It is about 1,332 kilometers (828 miles) and we did it in 9 days. Some days we drove three hours and others we only drove one. The driving wasn’t even bad because: a) there isn’t any traffic and often times you go miles without even seeing another car and b) the sights are incredible. It was cool to see how the geography changed from region to region. I really feel like I was able to get a good feel for the entire country.
Here are a couple pictures I took that’ll show you just how pretty this country is. It was so impossibly hard to narrow the pictures down to just a few from the 300 that I took…
Kirkjufell and Kirkjufellsfoss. Foss means waterfall in Icelandic. So many fosses in Iceland!
That white part on the mountain is a glacier. It is a part of the biggest glacier in Iceland, Vatnajokull. Jokull means glacier in Icelandic.
They gave us axes to use during the glacier walk. We were suppose to use them for support if we needed them, but I think they were mostly just for show. Naturally I had to test mine out. It worked. Oh and the black/gray stuff on the ice is ash from past volcano eruptions.
Iceberg dead ahead! The ice is a pretty blue because when the ice breaks off of the glacier it is super compact and all of the air is super compressed. So when light enters the ice all but the blue light waves are dissipated. Science. It works like the blue in the sky.
And the pictures don’t even do the landscape any justice! You really have to see in person to experience the actual beauty.
All the people we met had a distinct respect and appreciation for nature and the beauty of their environment. Most of our local guides were excited about the volcanoes erupting, which is the exact opposite reaction I was expecting. Before I left when I told people I was going to Iceland they all asked if I was worried about the volcanoes. So I assumed Icelanders would also be freaking out about an eruption. And in some ways they were, but it was excitement freaking out and not worried freaking out. They talked about watching the eruption streaming live online and how areas around the volcano have to be blocked off during the eruptions because people will literally walk miles and miles (or kilometers and kilometers) to catch a glimpse of the volcano and sometimes they get a little too close. They have such a passion for the land and its geology and preserving the environment around them. It’s admirable.
On top of that, nearly 100% of Iceland is powered by renewable energy. Hydro and geothermal energy are responsible for powering almost the entire island. I got the see the largest geothermal energy plant and man did it smell! The stink is from the hydrogen sulfide in the steam collected from the geothermal reservoir.
Imagine the stench of 100 rotten eggs. Now multiply that by the area of this plant. That’s how bad it smelled.
Although Iceland might seem like the environmental dreams, it is also suffering from the effects of global warming. When I did a glacier walk, I learned that the glaciers are melting faster than ever before. It is natural for glacier to through cycles of growing and shrinking, but the rate at which the glaciers are currently melting is unnatural. And what would this world be without giant chunks of ice in Iceland?
Icelanders are also very conscious when it comes to food. I went to Iceland expecting to have some to have some interesting meals. I’m a fairly picky eater and had read a few articles about strange and gross Icelandic food (sheep head, no thanks!), which worried me. Would I be able to eat? Huge concern. But I’m hear to tell you not to believe any of that hoop-blah! Sure they eat fermented sharks and eggs, but I don’t think those foods really represent Iceland. I literally didn’t have a bad meal while I was there. Everything was incredibly fresh and delicious. I had some of the best seafood of my life and I live in Maine!
Because of Iceland’s small populations, high environmental consciousness, strict government regulations, and geographic isolation, the meat and seafood are some of the healthiest and purest in the world. Om nom nom!
LIttle sheep butts covered all the hills, valleys, and fields.
Another cool thing: in the summer they all let the animals roam free. We saw mostly sheep and horses wandering around. The animals are kept in a certain area by natural barriers such as rivers and mountains. Then at the end of the summer all the farmers from each town get together and heard all the sheep together then sort out whose is whose. Total teamwork.
So have I convinced you to go to Iceland yet? Maybe? Well if you’re on the fence, just check out this song. You are guaranteed to hear it 100 times while you’re there. I have no idea what the words mean, I just hope it’s nothing bad. Can’t you just picture yourself driving through the country with that infectious beat? I promise you won’t get sick of it at all….. ok maybe a little.
And if you have any questions, I would be more than happy to help!
7 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day
Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike. Guess what day it is. EARTH DAAAAAYYY! If you didn’t already know, tomorrow (April 22nd) is Earth Day!!! And in honor of it, I have put together a list of 7 awesome things you can do to celebrate.
1. Walk/Bike/Carpool- Choose today to be conscious of your transportation. Walk to school. Or skip the gym and go for a bike ride. Or get all your work friends together and set up a carpool to work. I recommend listening to Backstreet Boys at full volume during your ride because nothing gets you pumped up for the day like belting out “I Want it That Way”.
2. Change yo light bulbs- If you don’t already use eco-friendly light bulbs, ride your bike (or drive if you must) to the nearest Home Depot and check out their light bulb selection. They have light bulbs that use up to 85% less energy than regular bulbs. That means you will be saving precious energy and $$$$$. Win win.
3. Buy a piece of the rain forest- When I was in 2nd grade we did a big unit on the rain forest. We learned about its importance and made up songs about unique rain forest species. At the end of the unit we put on a concert for our parents where we sang all the songs we wrote and at the very end we sang Amazon by The Nylons (I encourage you to take a listen HERE). Our teacher even brought in tissues because she said in the past the song had been so powerful it has made parents cry. I was oddly excited by the idea of making adults cry and belted out my part as emotionally as I could, but unfortunately no water works. Listening to the song now, I realize how powerful the words actually are. With that being said you can purchase and protect your own little piece of the rain forest HERE.
4. Go vegan for the day- Meat production generates large quantities of greenhouse gasses, which are bad for the environment. Therefore, cutting back on meat consumption is good for the environment. I will award bonus points if you are able to make all your vegan meals without any electricity! Did you know Oreos are vegan…
5. Block your junk mail- Too many trees are being cut down and used to annoy everyone. But alas! There is a way to end the madness! TrustedID is an online service that can help you get your name omitted from mass marketing mailing lists. You can sign up and learn more HERE.
6. Plant something cool- I feel like planting a tree is the most common Earth Day activity. But this year, add a little flare and check out these crazy cool plants for some inspiration.
7. Donate to the Earth Day Network- Earth Day is more than just a day. It is also a network of over 22,000 partners around the world that organize, extend, and encourage the environmental movement. The current core programs they focus on today are: Greening Schools and Promoting Environmental Education, Accelerating the Global Green Economy, A Billion Acts of Green, The Canopy Project, Earth Day India, Campaign to protect the Asian Elephant, and The Green Cities Campaign. You can read more about these projects on their website. And if you would like to make a donation to the Earth Day Network click HERE.
So there you have it. Go out and have some fun while making the world a healthier place! And if you have some activities that were not on the list, feel free to leave them in the comments!
For the Greater Goods 