save the rainforest.

I'll be the first to admit I don't know much about deforestation of the Amazon rainforests... other than it being a very serious issue and one of it's main causes is to create land for grazing cattle and other animals. Ugh. Anywho, I came across these photos on thedailygreen.com, and holy cow! (no pun intended). The difference in deforestation in 8 years is alarming, and apparently a few shoe companies are doing away with cattle products coming from the region - Nike and Timberland will now require its suppliers to certify that leather is not coming from the Amazon. Below is a list of companies that are still using leather and beef coming from the Amazon... maybe think twice about where you purchase beef or items containing leather (if you intend to buy them at all!)

Deforestation of Amazon - 2000

Deforestation of Amazon - 2008

U.S. brands that continue to source leather and beef from ranches in the Amazon (put down those designer handbags, ladies!):

• Adidas
• Boss
• Clarks
• Geox
• Gucci
• Hilfiger
• IKEA
• Kraft
• Louis Vuitton
• Prada
• Wal-Mart
• Reebok

update.

Good gracious it's been so long since I've posted. Didn't mean to neglect... just tied up with holidays, vacations, and other fun summer stuff. We got home Sunday from a week-long road trip to Lake Travis, Texas to celebrate my grandmother's 90th birthday. Yup, I said 90... and she's frickin' amazing. We had 100+ temps all week, but were blessed with a fabulous air conditioned lakehouse, and lots of games and good food, so we managed to get through just fine.

I got a quick taste of what a bikram yoga class would be like (a class purposfully held in 95-100 degrees). One afternoon I went onto the sun-filled west-facing deck to do yoga. I only lasted 20 minutes, and can only imagine what a 90-minute class would be like! Makes me sweat just thinking about it.

It was such a great get-away, and Lake Travis is beautiful. Definitely a perfect way to celebrate such a monumental event, and to spend quality time with my amazing family. I miss them already!