How not to be a hoarder

Ever noticed that your older family members are hoarders?

There is no magic potion, except to organize, sort, and clean every six months.

1. Make a to-do list of every room in the house, and include the garbage, shed, and basement. Every six months sort through things; feels like xmas every time since you don't remember what you own anyway. If you knew everything you owned it would blow your mind.

2. If you lost weight, get rid of your "fluffy" clothes - donate them to freecycle, Goodwill, neighbors, garage sale, whatever; just say bye bye. If you never worn the item, get rid of it.

3. If you haven't used the item in a year, get rid of it. Give it to someone who may be looking for one.

4. Check the expiration dates, the item may be too old to consume.

5. Own several of the same item, keep one or two and donate the others.

6. Go through your shoes; any too tight, too loose, ugly, or plain suck, get rid of them.

Trust me, it is great fun giving away items that other people need.

Hani Yaafouri writes on escalating food prices and food shortages

Hani Yaafouri, Graduate student at Sturm College of Law, lays out the reasons behind the escalating food prices and the shortages in food supply in the developing nations. In its state of security report in 2006, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FOA), estimated that 854 million people worldwide suffer from hunger and malnutrition including 820 million in developing countries due to shortages in food supply.

The increase in food prices is due to several factors. First, economic growth in some developing nations like China and India is straining our natural resources as demand for food has reached historic levels. Second, the rapid rise in petroleum prices due to constant unrest in the oil rich Middle East (Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Syria) and the escalating cost of shipping food supply across the globe are putting an unprecedented pressure on food prices due to the increase in transportation costs. Third, continuous increase in temperature due to climate change has impacted fresh water supply which is affecting crop production and supply. Fourth, the unprecedented demand from the biofuels sector is also affecting food prices.

Food shortages and escalating food prices are serious threats facing our world. The main reasons are attributed to unprecedented demand on our natural resources from the developing world, continuous increase in oil prices and the huge demand from the biofuels sector for agricultural lands. In order to mitigate these challenges, we need new agricultural policies and a new sustainable food frame work that increase the participation of developing nations in order to mitigate these challenges.

Hani Yaafouri Masters of Resources Law Studies program graduate

The environment's future

While watching Rachel Maddow Show and The Ed Show, learned that Eric Cantor and Republcans are trying to rid of the EPA to "save" money. Our health and the environment we live in is at risk folks.

Plastic Polution is real folks!

The 5 Gyres team has covered over 20,000 miles across the North Pacific, North Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and South Atlantic Gyres to study plastic pollution.

The 5 Gyres where plastic pollution and other garbage is located.

Welcome to Knowourplanet.com

Hi folks, 

I am Julie, Founder and Environmental Correspondent for Knowourplanet.com. As a researcher, I enjoy writing and chatting about environmental issues, plastic pollution, sustainability, water pollution, and whatever else harms this planet.

Cheers.