Life with Dylan

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  • If you must buy bottled water, look for this on the bottle

    I am a huge fan of drinking water, but not a huge fan of plastic water bottles. Sure, I recycle all the cans and bottles that my family uses, but why even make plastic bottles at all?

    A few months ago I voted on some artwork for Icicles Premium Frozen Yogurt – they were choosing a design for a new product – bottled water. We love Icicles and go there all the time because the store is just down the street from us, so I choose the label I liked best. I had no idea that I would actually be the one randomly chosen to win a $50 gift card and an entire case of the new bottled water.

    I was happy about the gift card, but not too excited about a case of bottled water. I try my best not to purchase plastic bottles. At least I will recycle the bottles and the water tastes pretty good.

    When I opened the case of water, I noticed something different about the bottles. They looked different and they felt different. It wasn’t just the shape of the bottle, which by the way fits very nicely in your hand, but it was the feel of the plastic. Then I looked closely at the bottle.

    So this is why it feels so good in my hand …

    The bottle is made from 100% recycled plastic. Unlike other plastic bottles of water that have a recycle symbol someplace small and out of sight, these bottles show it proudly. Not to mention the bright green background telling you that the bottle is made from recycled plastic.

    Wait, that’s not all, the bottle even says this

    This means that all those plastic bottles we recycle were used to make this bottle. RPET stands for Recycled  Polyethylene terephthalate and the amount of energy saved making bottles from RPET is amazing. Aside from not filling landfills, bottles made from 100% RPET can reduce the carbon footprint by 65% compared to non-recycled plastic bottles.

    So, if you must buy bottled water (and I know sometimes it can’t be helped) look for 100% RPET on the bottle and always recycle your plastic bottles. 100% RPET is the eco-friendly way to drink bottled water and I applaud Icicles for doing their part in keeping the planet green.

  • It’s Global Tiger Day!

    Celebrate the beauty of the tiger, the strength of the tiger, and the innocence of the tiger.

    Take a moment to learn about the challenges tigers face and the conservation efforts being made to save them. Today is the day to spread the word and create awareness. 

    In honor of Global Tiger Day, I have a challenge for you. I will personally donate $1 for every new “like” Life with Dylan gets on Facebook today, with a maximum of a $250 donation, to the Tiger Trail Challenge at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.


    Are you up for my challenge? 

    It’s quite simple … Just “like” Life with Dylan on Facebook, share the challenge with your friends, and the tigers could get $250 toward their new home.

  • 6 Ways you can support Global Tiger Day

    This Sunday is Global Tiger Day – a day of celebration for one of the world’s most beautiful cats.
    A day created to raise awareness for the tigers and for people around the world to support the conservation efforts being made to save the tigers.

    Christopher, a Malayan tiger at the San Diego Zoo

    As I have said before, one person can make a difference. Here are a few ways that you can help support Global Tiger Day and raise awareness for the tigers.

    Most importantly, spread the word and create awareness!


    Share what you will doing to celebrate and support Global Tiger Day in the comments below. 



  • ZooBorns New Interactive App brings animals and children together

    If your children love animals and you have an iPad or an iPhone, then you need this new app from ZooBorns. Using three of the five senses – sight, sound, and touch – children can interact with some of the cutest baby animals from zoos and aquariums all around the world.


    Just like the ZooBorns website, the ABC ZooBorns app has pictures and videos, but also includes age-appropriate spoken animal facts and interactive scenes. Children can enjoy exploring so many animals from Aardvark to Zebra and learn something about animal conservation at the same time.


    The app includes over 50 interactive scenes with touch activities and over 100 videos where children can see and hear real baby animals. The word association is also great because it will help the younger ones associate letters with the animals and get a jump start on their vocabulary. (The pictures to the left are screen shots from the app)


    According to the information in the App Store, all videos have been screened and approved by parents. So no need to worry about what your child be be seeing. It’s all G-rated.


    The app only costs $2.99, which I think is a bargain because the app not only entertains, but it educates. I was so excited when I found this app the other day – My only wish is that they had this app when Dylan was younger. He would have loved it!


    Here is a video that lets you see a little bit of what the ABC ZooBorns app has to offer.

       

    For more information on the ABC ZooBorns app visit the ZooBorns website. 



  • Fire in the sky

    Sunset or fire in the sky? What do you think?

  • The conservation efforts of non-profit organizations depend on our help

    The cornerstones of conservation efforts are the numerous non-profit organizations that depend on our donations to survive. We all get the mailings, the emails, see the shares on Facebook, and the tweets on twitter. Save the planet, save the oceans, save the rain forests, save the animals.
    They are all doing good and it can be hard to choose just one. $25 here $10 there … does it really do anything?

    Some may argue and say yes, that $10 does help an organization. However, after many years of spreading my money to a variety of non-profit organizations I decided to make all of my contributions to just one this year. To help conservation efforts on a local level, where I can see what my money is doing, and also on a global level where I can help make a difference for animals across the globe was my goal. There are so many great non-profits and I want my money going to an organization that I can personally relate to.

    Ultimately, my decision was based on the local level. When I saw first hand what my money was doing, there was no doubt in my mind. My monthly contributions would go to San Diego Zoo Global.

    This amazing video shows all that San Diego Zoo Global does for the animals, planet, and the people who come to visit the parks.

    Each month I give a specified amount to San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy as a Wildlife Conservancy Hero.  When extra funds are available, rather than give $10 to another organization, I help out by buying something on the monthly wish list. This is a wonderful way to make $5 – $10 go a long way because the wish list will tell you exactly what the money will buy. Items tend to go quickly, so I always check within the first few days of the month for the best selection – toward the end of the month the items left on the list are a little higher priced than I can afford.

    I have fed a condor for a week, fed a Manchurian brown bear for 3 days, and supplied various enrichment toys for animals. My donations have helped in conservation efforts across the globe. So sure, that $10 does make a difference – but think of the difference hundreds of dollars can make for San Diego Zoo Global.

    Do you make donations to non-profit organizations?  If so, what organization do you support?

  • Instagram Summer

    I can’t believe my summer vacation is over in one short week. Where did the time go? 

    When I look back I think we didn’t really do that much – and then I scroll through my Instagram pictures and realize we did. 
    Days at the beach – impromptu trips for ice cream and frozen yogurt – visits to Aquarium of the Pacific, San Deigo Zoo, and his birthday at San Diego Zoo Safari Park – raising over $1,000 for the tigers – lazy days by the pool – sailing – time spent drawing – basketball at the park – Nighttime Zoo – Reptile Walk – Behind the Scenes Safari
      

    Not bad for a summer vacation. This week we have another trip to the San Diego Zoo, a final trip to Legoland, and of course time by the pool and beach. 
    The best part was that we spent time together. Late nights watching Animal Planet and NatGeo Wild were the best, but no Instagrams of that. 
    Dylan still has another month of summer vacation (lucky kid) and I’m sure he will have fun at Nature Camp and with Grandma. I’ve been having so much fun on my vacation that I never got around to my to do list of chores, but that’s ok, I’m sure they will all be there waiting for me next month. 
    What have you been up to this summer?

  • Why conservation is important to me

    Everyone has something they hold close to their heart. Something they are passionate about and that somehow connects with them on a personal level. As you have probably figured out, I am passionate about conservation and preserving what the earth has to offer for our future generations. 

    We recently lost an animal known as Lonesome George. He was the last of his species and now my family will never get to see this La Pinta Island giant tortoise. When my son and I read about this loss, we cried. Some may think crying over an animal you’ve never met is ridiculous. Others may think there are hundreds of other Galapagos tortoises – you see them at the zoo. These are the people that don’t get it. They don’t get the big picture and I would say that only a third of them ever will.

    I will probably live longer than the Northern White Rhino species. My sons children will probably never get a chance to see a Northern White Rhino. Why? Because these animals are hunted and killed … Just as the tigers and elephants are hunted and killed. When I read stories about this in the news, like the one I read today, it makes me sad and angry. I sit here racking my brain trying to figure out how I can help. These animals can’t talk. They can’t ask for help. So it is up to people like me, people who call themselves conservationist, to bring awareness to others about the plight of these animals and the importance of keeping them alive. Not just for our children and grandchildren to see, but for the survival of the animal world.

    When I see a picture of an endangered animal or one at the zoo or read a sign at the zoo that says only 39 left in the wild, I literally stop and catch my breath. These animals are so beautiful and I fear that too many people take them for granted.

    Don’t assume that because you can see an animal at a zoo today it will still be there in 20 years. Zoos educate us about the animals and let us see them up close, but the best way to ensure a species survival is for the species to thrive in the wild.

    Once you come face to face with an endangered animal, you will do whatever it takes to save them. I am proud to call myself a conservationist. I will continue to be an advocate for the environment and wildlife because one person can and does make a difference.

    Con·ser·va·tion·ist
    Noun: A person who advocates or acts for the protection and preservation of the environment and wildlife.

  • Baby jaguars love to play

    We have watched these two grow up and each time we visit the San Diego Zoo they just get cuter and cuter. In this video clip, Tikal and Maderas play with their mom Nindiri and at times seem to be fighting for her attention. It’s hard to believe they will be 3 months old next week. Too cute!

    You can learn more about the jaguar cubs on the San Diego Zoo’s blog.

  • Wordless Wednesday – You’re invading my space

    I gave Dylan my old camera to use at the zoo last week and I think he may have annoyed this Golden Bellied Mangabey. The monkey came leaping from the tree and jumped at the window numerous times.

    At first Dylan was scared, although he would never admit that, and then he began to show his teeth to the monkey. This went on for a few minutes and my only regret is that I didn’t get it on video.