Saturday, May 19, 2007

Conspicuous Consumption

While researching "environmental weddings" for a client who wants a website, I came upon this article in The Independent, a UK newspaper. It reveals how much carbon is released when vast amounts of money are spent on totally unnecessary luxuries:

"Liz Hurley's long-haul wedding has produced a carbon footprint so large that it would take the average British couple more than 10 years to contribute as much to heating up the planet as she and Arun Nayar have done in little over a week. It would take a typical Indian couple a massive 123 years."

I love it that the details of how much carbon was emitted by a celebrity's celebration is able to be calculated and revealed to us. This sort of thing will go a long way towards making people understand the role that they play in climate change:

"Best Foot Forward says the biggest polluter is the Learjet, which will emit more than 70,000kg on its 12,000-mile round-trip. Accommodation in India adds 18,605kg, and food and drink 18,000kg. Flying in flowers produces 28,250kg, and flying three chefs to India adds 2,377kg. Guests and staff travelling to Gloucestershire released 30,000kg. The bride's flight to Milan for a dress fitting added just 215kg."

I am baffled by how our media continually discusses industry along with carbon emissions. If we stop buying so much, in particular if we stop buying from "black list" industries, then they will have to change. If we stop reading magazines that showcase celebrities and their conspicuous consumption, then slowly but surely, the magazines and the celebrities, the advertisers and the industries will begin to get the hint. It all rests in OUR hands. It must become uncool to be a consumer.

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Tulips

Usually I do not even bother to try to take pictures of flowers when the sun is shining. Anything the sun reflects off of results in a white area. However I thought I would give a try with the tulips below, when I saw the interesting shadows that were created. It would be a nicer picture if I went to the trouble to fade the edges, which would get rid of the distracting background.

Florissa Tulip

Friday, May 11, 2007

Dicentra spectabilis 'Gold Heart' - Bleeding Heart

Iowa Gardening Woman and Nickie were absolutely correct in identifying the mystery flower as bleeding heart. Well done! I can see I am going to have to be much more devious if I want to fool anyone again. You two got it very quickly!

Here are more shots of one of the "pride and joy" plants in my garden. I have also noted that this is one plant I located correctly my very first try. I planted it about 8 yrs ago and have never moved it!

Dicentra spectabilis 'Gold Heart' - Bleeding Heart

And here it is full-size

I have found this plant to be very easy to grow in my Zone 5 climate in southern British Columbia. It needs to be kept watered, but doesn't need an excessive amount of irrigation but that may be because mine is in dappled shade all day. In full sun I think it would need a lot of water.

It doesn't die down in the summer.

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Mystery Flower


Who can tell me the name of this flower?

Sunday, May 06, 2007

More pics of Daydream

Daydream, about to open

I guess an appropriate comment to make right now would be "Its MY blog and I can post as many shots of Daydream as I want!" LOL

Daydream, as dark as it gets

Thursday, May 03, 2007

Daydream Tulip

Daydream Tulip

I was very disappointed in this tulip when I first saw pale lemon coloured blooms. I wondered why I would have bought it and to make it worse, it was blooming with the daffodils, which are a much brighter yellow. Then after a few days I noticed some orangey-coloured tulip blooms and realized that the color was changing with age.

This is Daydream too!

Daydream is a Darwin hybrid. Previously I had not been excited about the hybrid tulips because I thought they were a little boring and because they pretty much die out after one year.

Darwin hybrids are different in that they are supposed to come back year after year and still look great. I sure hope so!!