Earth Day 2023 April 22. We really need to take care of this Earth because we don’t have another one to move to after we mess this one up. Today’s lesson: The difference between Biodegradable and Compostable. As caring people, we want to make planet-conscious decisions, and do what is right for the environment, but sometimes we just don’t know what to do, or how to do it properly. Biodegradable products break down VERY SLOWLY decaying into smaller pieces of the material that they were made of. Compostable goes one step further in protecting the environment, because once they have broken down, the decay supplies the earth with nutrient-rich materials and the process takes much less time. Look for a leaf and arrow-shaped tree or the actual word “compostable” on the packaging itself. Yes, compostable is the way to go – I just ordered compostable trash and poop bags.

You have to hold yourself accountable for your actions, and that’s how we’re going to protect the Earth. – Julia Butterfly Hill

I thought of Chappaquiddick on this one. Last week, a woman was pulled from a partially submerged Jeep, only 40 feet from a boat ramp at Lake O’ the Pines, about 8 miles west of Jefferson, Texas. A local fisherman reported the vehicle and 18 minutes later deputies determined it was too dangerous to wade out, so they waited for a wrecker to arrive. The fisherman then took the wrecker employee out in his boat to attach a hook and cable to pull the vehicle out of the water… at which point they found a woman inside. An alive woman. The fisherman and the wrecker employee managed to get the woman out of the car and into the boat (while the deputies, hmmm, watched, I suppose because… it was dangerous, so close to the boat ramp). The woman said she had been in the submerged vehicle for several hours, was then treated for hypothermia, and transferred to the hospital. That was one lucky girl to have the fisherman and the wrecker employee. Wouldn’t you love to know the rest of the story? Was she drinking or on her phone? Was she mad at her husband, perhaps mad at the Jeep, or just following her GPS? Turn left in 200 ft. So many unanswered questions. But I did learn that if that ever happens to us – you or me – and you don’t have one of those seatbelt cutter window-breaking safety hammers in your glove box, then pull out your headrest and use the metal rods which are actually built to be window breakers. Hmmm. Never heard that before. I can only hope that all law enforcement in that county now require swimming lessons, or at least inflatable arm floaties in all vehicles. I did hear that law enforcement served cookies and coffee to all involved. Just saying. Evidently Myth Busters did a few episodes on how to save yourself from a submerged vehicle. Old crank windows might be handy.

The 45-year-old California dermatologist accused of poisoning her husband, after he secretly put home surveillance cameras in their kitchen, now says that she was mixing drain-clearing chemical lemonade cocktails (Drano) to kill ants, not her husband. The husband first noticed a chemical taste in his hot lemonade, then was diagnosed with ulcers, gastritis and esophagitis. He put the cameras in place. Once he covered his lemonade with plastic wrap – she removed the plastic wrap, spiked the drink and replaced the plastic covering. The wife will only face a maximum of eight years and eight months in prison if convicted on all counts. That’s not enough.

OK – this one was important enough for me to remove part of my column so I could get this information to you today. NBC is paying tribute to our beloved comedian and actor Carol Burnett, on the occasion of her 90^th birthday, with 90 Years of Laughter + Love which will air on her birthday, April 26^th and stream the next day on Peacock (which I don’t have but may have to get). It’s a two-hour special for our dearest Carol Burnett. Sounds like one heck of a big party and celebration, full of big stars paying tribute, interviews, the world’s funniest clips (YES!), music, and more. Just thought you might want to know.

RECENT BIRTHDAYS: Actor Christine Lahti of Chicago Hope is 72. Writer-producer David E. Kelley of Ally McBeal, The Practice, Doogie Howser, M.D., Picket Fences, Chicago Hope, Boston Legal, is 66. Magician David Blaine is 49. Bassist Mel Schacher of Grand Funk Railroad is 71. Original Mouseketeer Darlene Gillespie is 81. Actor James Roday Rodriguez of Psych is 46. I loved the hyper-observant consultant detective, fake psychic, Shawn Spencer. Singer Allan Clarke of The Hollies is 80. Actor Brad Garrett of Everybody Loves Raymond is 63. Actor Steven Seagal is 71. Singer-guitarist Dave Edmunds is 80.

Actor Ron Perlman is 73. Beauty and the Beast. Actor Robin Wright is 56. Singer Pat Travers is 69. Musician Herbie Hancock is 83. Musician John Kay of Steppenwolf is 79. Singer J.D. Nicholas of The Commodores is 71. Actor Andy Garcia is 67. Actor Claudia Cardinale of Pink Panther films is 85. Actor Emma Thompson is 64. Composer Bill Conti (Rocky film theme song) is 81. Guitarist Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple is 78. Carol Burnett is 90.

When we show our respect for other living things, they respond with respect for us. – Arapaho Proverb

National Oatmeal Cookie Day
April 30^th. According to the Farmers’ Almanac this is the BEST EVER OATMEAL COOKIE.
3 sticks salted butter, not fully softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar (packed)
1 extra large egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon (a pinch) ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups old fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
1 cup dried fruit, raisins, chopped dates, mission figs, (I might do dried cherries)
¾ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Preheat oven 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment.
Cream butter and sugar using a stand mixer or hand mixer. Add egg and vanilla, mix. Scrape sides of bowl.
In separate bowl mix dry ingredients except oats and whisk or sift together to distribute evenly. Add dry ingredients to the wet, a bit at a time. Then add oats, a bit at a time. Add dried fruit and nuts and mix briefly. Drop by heaping tablespoon onto prepared cookie sheets. Slightly dampen (not wet) fingers, flatten into disks. Edges can be somewhat irregular.      Leave at least an inch or two between cookies, because they spread. No more than a dozen cookies on the sheet at a time. 4 rows of three. Bake 11-13 minutes, or until golden brown. Set a timer! Cookies will rise, then flatten out and brown. Watch carefully. Rotate pan during baking for even browning. Cool on wire rack. Makes about 36 cookies.

What we are doing to the forests of the world is but a mirror reflection of what we are doing to ourselves and to one another. – Chris Maser

Elon Musk has a company called The Boring Company, listed as an American infrastructure and tunnel construction services company – working towards electric car-based underground public transportation systems. Musk wants to work quickly to dig underground tunnels for freight, utility and transportation, in order to help eliminate carrier congestion. I’m not sure how that would work but it sounds invasive to me. In the process of building these underground tunnels, he would be releasing around 140,000 gallons of treated wastewater into the Colorado River near Bastrop, every day. The Boring Company set up a construction site in Bastrop two years ago; the company now known for violating regulations, housing people in mobile homes without sewage facilities, installing silos without permits, building without approval, and ignoring state safety laws, just doing things his way. Residents of Bastrop are skeptical about him releasing wastewater because the community uses the river for recreation, and farmers and ranchers use the water on crops and livestock that feed you and me. They’re all worried that it would harm the water quality. Hmmm. You think? One resident has suggested they reject the permit unless Elon Musk and his kids agree to go swimming in the Colorado River every day, with another stating even billionaires need to follow the law. It might be important to mention that some of the water being dumped would come from a different SpaceX site. Hmmm. Would it be in MacGregor, 17 miles outside Waco? or Boca Chica Village near Brownsville (once a haven for retirees, snowbirds and outdoorsy people) where the maiden voyage of SpaceX Super Heavy rocket and Starship spaceship was postponed this week, to April 20th because of a problem with a frozen valve.

McDonalds’s plans to improve the Big Mac and double cheeseburger with softer, pillowy golden-brown buns, hotter gooier cheese and a juicier, caramelized taste since the onions will be placed on extra-seared patties while they’re still hot on the grill. There will also be more Big Mac sauce.

Several nutritionists were asked to share information about one drink that they never or rarely drink. Their list included diet soda, regular soda, energy drinks (one 8-ounce can of Red Bull has 27 grams of sugar, more than a woman should have all day), fruit drinks – not fruit juice (almost as much sugar as the Red Bull – just grab an orange – whole fruit has fiber), alcoholic drinks – (4 ounces of margarita mix can have 26 grams of sugar – just like the Red Bull). They stressed that there is room for all beverages in a healthy diet, but some drinks should not be consumed very often at all. See above.

Leaked documents say Egypt is now supplying up to 40,000 missiles to Ukraine after talks with senior U.S. officials, abandoning an original secret plan to send them to Russia. Whoa. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has been found to have quite a few errors in his financial disclosures. The “World” generated a record 10% of its electricity from wind and solar in 2021 and clean sources accounted for 38% of total power supply – even more than coal. Apple and Facebook provided customer data to hackers pretending to be law enforcement officials. Hmmm.

Land really is the best art.- Andy Warhol

If someone said to you, “mammoth meatball”, you would probably imagine a giant ball of savory meat, seasonings and breadcrumbs sitting on top a bed of steaming pasta. Nah. An Australian cultured meat company, Vow Food, which cultivates meat from animal cells without the slaughter of animals, has produced a meatball that incorporates DNA from the extinct woolly mammoth. I just report what I read. I could never make up stuff like this.

Since there is only one of me, does that make me endangered or a limited edition? Have a great Earth Day. Hope you plant a tree, a garden, or build a spot to compost your vegetable scraps. If everyone will do their part…

Lisa

Send comments to Lisa Baker at lisa@thesourceweekly.com