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Spring 2008

Happy Earth Day- Make Every Day Earth Day!

Recycle. This is a no brainer and most everyone already does this. Besides cans, bottles, and plastic, you can also set aside a box to recycle junk mail, newspapers, office paper, magazines, cardboard boxes and paperboard. You will be amazed how much your trash is reduced. You can also recycle ink cartridges, old cell phones and please buy recycled paper.

Light bulbs. Gradually go around your house and replace your old bulbs with energy efficient ones. Not only are you helping the environment but you will also save on your power bill!

Use canvas shopping bags. Buy a few reusable bags at the grocery store or elsewhere and use them for your shopping. They are sturdier then plastic and hold more. If you use the plastic bags, return them to the grocery store to be recycled.

Go Organic! Organic foods taste better and are better for our health overall. Many grocery stores are now offering their own line that is very affordable. The fewer ingredients on a label, the better for you!

Buy Green products. Now that Going Green has become a media sensation, it is easier then ever to find earth friendly products. Clorox makes an entire line of cleaning products called Greenworks. They clean just as well, have no chemicals and smell wonderful. You can always make your own products too, but I think the easier you make it on yourself the more apt you will be to do it.

Make a portion of your yard a wildlife habitat. As our habitats increase, our wildlife struggles to find suitable habitat. Provide an area of your yard/land that has cover using native plants and trees, a water source and perhaps some bird feeders. Go to www.nwf.org for more ideas on backyard habitats.

Teach kindness to animals. Adults and children that are kind to animals are in turn kind and caring to their fellow people as well. Avoid smushing bugs and teaching children to do so, it conveys that some animals are important and some aren’t. Chasing ducks at the pond or chickens at the farm might seem harmless but for the birds it is downright scary. Letting them feed their own pets or brush their own pets is a great way to help them nurture their furry friends and it makes our little ones feel good that they were able to give the dog or cat something that he needed.

For the kids. The children are the future and it is for them that we need to care and make a valiant effort to tread lightly on this earth. No matter how young, get children involved and excited. Go on nature hikes, dig up worms and let your children feel them wiggle, point out beautiful birds, groundhogs and deer. Look for bugs under rocks and logs. Plant a children’s garden where they can pick what they plant. Let them help recycle. Visit nature centers, gardens and zoos. Get excited about nature and they will too!

October 2005

Fall is finally here and we are back in to school assemblies and fall events. We had some new arrivals this year, both furry, feathered and scaly. Sophie and Kelly probably get the most "awwwws" at shows with their huge ears and their whopping weight of 3 pounds. So what are they? These two sisters are fennec foxes that arrived here in March and have brought so much to our educational program. Among our other newcomers are "Beast" a very docile boa constrictor with some nasty scars from a previous home and "Billy" a dutch bunny that came here from the Loudoun County Animal Shelter.

One of our new animals was hatched here at Animal Ambassadors. "Fuzzy" has become a very special chicken. She hatched here in July and for some reason the flock singled her out and injured her pretty badly. After an emergency trip to the vet hospital and four staples in her head, things were surprisingly looking up for this little chick! Our two year old adopted her immediately, named her and we even had to take her with us on vacation this summer. Saved from a bad situation, Fuzzy is eternally grateful and loves people. She will be a great addition to our preschool programs this year.

Our year was full with wonderful programs including all the Fairfax County libraries, and some of our yearly favorites- Lucketts Fair and the Loudoun County 4-H Fair. We also had the opportunity to donate some of our shows to outstanding charities. We wish those people all the best!

If you'd like to meet some of our wonderful ambassadors, call us today to schedule an outstanding animal adventure!