Repentance, reflection and self-sacrifice are observed in the days of Christian Lent. These 40 days symbolize the time that Jesus spent in the desert and “resisted Satan’s temptations,” as described in the Bible. And while some people give up chocolate, wine, French fries or gossip web sites, the Hartford Courant reports that others are using Lent to give back to the environment.The Rev. Jane White-Hassler is a priest at Grace Episcopal Church in Newington, Conn. For her, a green Lent could mean “thinking about the environment and doing things to save it for yourself and those who come after us.” White-Hassler’s church has been undergoing eco-friendly renovations and is even considering solar panels.But the Rev. White-Hassler is not the first religious leader to suggest going green for Lent. In 2008, the Church of England focused on its worshippers’ carbon footprint by offering a list of 40 green actions, one for each day of Lent. These actions could have been unplugging phantom energy about the house or replacing light bulbs with CFLs. You could plant a tree in your backyard, stop buying bottled water, buy local produce from a farmers market or get involved in a community garden.Tom Washburn is a Catholic priest and Franciscan friar who completed a green fast in 2008. He wrote about it on his blog, A Friar’s Life. He turned off the church’s exterior and walkway lights, some of which were on past midnight. He unplugged his cell phone charger and did not let the water run when he brushed his teeth. Washburn told the Hartford Courant that he wasn’t able to do all 40 steps, but said “he did enough to become hyper-aware of his environment and basic wastes of resources.” After his fast, Washburn was so impressed by his green doings that he traded in the church’s SUV for a Honda hybrid.Washburn sums up his green Lent with the following: “In the Gospel, the core of Jesus’ message was that the kingdom of God is at hand. So we are stewards of that kingdom … It’s not just a good ecological approach; it’s a good spiritual approach.”Katherine Butler, a regular contributor to the Mother Nature Network, writes from Los Angeles.Related Articles on Mother Nature Network:
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Man’s dog suddenly becomes protective of his wife, Internet clocks the reason right away
The online community came through in a big way.
Reddit user Girlfriendhatesmefor’s three-year-old pitbull, Otis, had recently become overprotective of his wife. So he asked the online community if they knew what might be wrong with the dog.
“A week or two ago, my wife got some sort of stomach bug,” the Reddit user wrote under the subreddit /r/dogs. “She was really nauseous and ill for about a week. Otis is very in tune with her emotions (we once got in a fight and she was upset, I swear he was staring daggers at me lol) and during this time didn’t even want to leave her to go on walks. We thought it was adorable!”
His wife soon felt better, butthe dog’s behavior didn’t change.
Otis knew before they did. Canva Girlfriendhatesmefor began to fear that Otis’ behavior may be an early sign of an aggression issue or an indication that the dog was hurt or sick.
So he threw a question out to fellow Reddit users: “Has anyone else’s dog suddenly developed attachment/aggression issues? Any and all advice appreciated, even if it’s that we’re being paranoid!”
The most popular response to his thread was by ZZBC.
Any chance your wife is pregnant?
ZZBC | Reddit
The potential news hit Girlfriendhatesmefor like a ton of bricks. A few days later, Girlfriendhatesmefor posted an update and ZZBC was right!
“The wifey is pregnant!” the father-to-be wrote. “Otis is still being overprotective but it all makes sense now! Thanks for all the advice and kind words! Sorry for the delayed reply, I didn’t check back until just now!”
Redditors responded with similar experiences.
Anecdotal I know but I swear my dog knew I was pregnant before I was. He was super clingy (more than normal) and was always resting his head on my belly.
realityisworse | Reddit
So why do dogs get overprotective when someone is pregnant?
Jeff Werber, PhD, president and chief veterinarian of the Century Veterinary Group in Los Angeles, told Health.com that “dogs can also smell the hormonal changes going on in a woman’s body at that time.” He added the dog may “not understand that this new scent of your skin and breath is caused by a developing baby, but they will know that something is different with you—which might cause them to be more curious or attentive.”
The big lesson here is to listen to your pets and to ask questions when their behavior abruptly changes. They may be trying to tell you something, and the news may be life-changing.
This article originally appeared last year.
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14 images of badass women who destroyed stereotypes and inspired future generations
These trailblazers redefined what a woman could be.
Throughout history, women have stood up and fought to break down barriers imposed on them from stereotypes and societal expectations. The trailblazers in these photos made history and redefined what a woman could be. In doing so, they paved the way for future generations to stand up and continue to fight for equality.
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Why mass shootings spawn conspiracy theories
Mass shootings and conspiracy theories have a long history.
While conspiracy theories are not limited to any topic, there is one type of event that seems particularly likely to spark them: mass shootings, typically defined as attacks in which a shooter kills at least four other people.
When one person kills many others in a single incident, particularly when it seems random, people naturally seek out answers for why the tragedy happened. After all, if a mass shooting is random, anyone can be a target.
Pointing to some nefarious plan by a powerful group – such as the government – can be more comforting than the idea that the attack was the result of a disturbed or mentally ill individual who obtained a firearm legally.
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The Tsimané people of Bolivia have almost no dementia. Scientists say modern life is our problem.
She tipped a dollar on a $5 coffee and the barista called her out in front of the whole café. The internet couldn’t agree on who was wrong.
A bride collapsed during her own rehearsal dinner toast. The detective who burst in explained everything.
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