Virginia A. Spiegel

Boundary Waters 34 (The Red Mug)
Collection of Susan Arnold

It’s October 15 which means my blog takes a little time out to particpate in Blog Action Day.  This year’s topic:  Clean Water.

Of course, I’m concerned about clean water.  Where would I be without my journeys in the Boundary Waters?  It’s one of those local/global issues that concerns us all.

The one fact shared by the Blog Action Day Team that really struck home with me is that African women walk over 40 billion hours each year carrying cisterns weighing up to 18 kilograms to gather water, which is usually still NOT safe to drink.

That puts a little perspective on any whining about household drudgery, no?

What can we do?

The Blog Action Team shares great organizations working on solutions and new tools that empower people to do their part to address the water crisis:

*Building Wells:  Organizations like Water.org and charity: water are leading the charge in bringing fresh water to communities in the developing world.

*Technology for Good: Do you want to measure how much water it took to make your favorite foods? There’s an app for that.

*Conservation Starts at Home: The average person uses 465 liters of water per day. Find out how much you use.

*Keeping Rivers Clean: We can all take small steps to help keep pollution out of our rivers and streams, like correctly disposing of household wastes.  Find out how here.

Blog Action Day is an annual event that unites the world’s bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day. Our aim is to raise awareness and trigger a global discussion.

Climate change affects us all and it threatens more than the environment. It threatens to cause famine, flooding, war, and millions of refugees.   Given the urgency of the issue of climate change and the upcoming international climate negotiations in Copenhagen this December, we think the blogosphere has the unique opportunity to mobilize millions of people around expressing support for finding a sustainable solution to the climate crisis.

Moose and Calf

Would it be the Boundary Waters if we didn’t see a moose?  Although this post isn’t strictly fiber related, you all know that the Boundary Waters (the whole package) is a lodestone of inspiration for me.

The above photo is from an extraordinary trip in which we saw thirteen moose. There is concern, however, that rising temperatures are adversely affecting Minnesota’s moose population.  I am a firm believer in research and so I was happy to report our lone moose from our latest trip to the Moose in Minnesota research project at the University of Minnesota.

You can read the entire Moose Advisory Committee report to the Minnesota DNR, but their conclusion states:

While climate change is a long-term threat to the persistence of moose in Minnesota, we do not know the rate and extent of change over the next 50 years. Under worst-case scenarios the threat would be serious. However, the MAC believes that moose are likely to persist in MN for the foreseeable future, at least in the NE. The substantial cultural and ecological significance of moose should prompt a major effort to retain the species among Minnesota fauna.

I couldn’t agree more.

For a more directly fiber-related Blog Action Day post, please visit Leonie Hartley-Hoover’s Omnium Gatherum for a great article on textile waste and what we can do about it.

It’s not too late to join this one day call-to-action for all bloggers to be held October 15. Learn more here. Last year’s topic was poverty.  When you register your blog for this year’s event, you are able to vote on next year’s topic.

Blog Action Day is an annual event that unites the world’s bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day. Our aim is to raise awareness and trigger a global discussion.

Climate change affects us all and it threatens more than the environment. It threatens to cause famine, flooding, war, and millions of refugees.   Given the urgency of the issue of climate change and the upcoming international climate negotiations in Copenhagen this December, we think the blogosphere has the unique opportunity to mobilize millions of people around expressing support for finding a sustainable solution to the climate crisis.

I’m not sure what I will be writing about on Thursday, but do let me know if YOU post a Blog Action Day post related to fiber and I will be sure to link on October 15.

Blog Action Day asks bloggers everywhere to publish posts today that discuss poverty in some way. The goal: By all posting on the same day we aim to change the conversation that day, to raise awareness, start a global discussion and add momentum to an important cause.

Quilts have a long history as vehicles for fundraising and compassionate assistance to those in need. If you have fabric, you can help!

One good resource is Jake Finch’s new book, Comfort Quilts From The Heart. Included in the book are “12 quick projects to take care of others.” Patterns are given for wheelchair quilts, quilted bed shawl with pockets and a walker bag as well as quilts meeting other specific needs.

The book also includes guidelines for groups making quilts, a resource guide for “Who Needs the Help?” and a section about fundraising with quilts featuring both Fiberart For a Cause and Ami Simm’s Alzheimers Art Quilt Initiative.

In addition to the nationwide organizations accepting donations, why not think globally, but act locally? There are always local nursing homes, VA hospitals, hospitals, rehab centers, etc. who need quilts and other items made from fabric that can really make a difference in the daily lives of those in need.

You can also check online here (links to an organization providing fabric sleeping bags to the homeless) and at this Good Works page.