I'm JoAnn and I love giving back to my community by helping where I can and volunteering my off-Mom hours for helping others transition to a greener lifestyle. Check out my other lenses on travel and living an eco-friendly life! Shoot me an email if you'd like to know more! http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/KadabaCo Wed, 20 Aug 2008 22:28:17 -0600 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.squidoo.com/copperopolis You can imagine the funny looks (or giggles) I get when I tell people where I live. I pause after I say it just to give people time to ask, "Copper-what?" I like to reply, "Yes, it's where Snuffalufagus is from!" (Remember him? Big Bird's imaginary friend?) Copperopolis, California is located about 45 minutes East of Stockton, Ca and about 90 minutes from Yosemite National Park. It's an old gold rush era town but isn't known for it's gold....it's known of course, for it's Copper mines. Copperopolis, California was founded in 1860 by William K. Reed, Dr. Allen Blatchly, and Thomas McCarty, at the site of the second big discovery of copper ore in the region (the first was nearby Telegraph City). The town grew rapidly, as the need for copper during the Civil War to make bullets was great. Several brick structures remain in Copperopolis. The largest was once the Federal Armory and served as headquarters for the 3rd California Infantry soldiers and the Copperopolis Union Guard, a military company organized of volunteer miners during the Civil War. After the war ended, the expense of mining and shipping copper proved to be too high and the population dwindled as the mines closed. However, a Boston company purchased the mines in the 1880s and mining operations resumed. The town went through boom periods during the two World Wars, when demand for copper went up again. By the time the mines closed in 1946, according to the U.S. Bureau of Mines, they had produced 72,598,883 pounds of copper worth over $12 million. No copper mining has been done since, but the town has built it's reputation further as the gateway to nature's wonderland! Come See! travel Sat, 16 Aug 2008 19:59:02 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/eco-converts As Kermit The Frog puts it "It's not easy being green." Or is it? What is an Eco-Convert? The phrase "eco convert" has a religious conotation, doesn't it? I had coined the phrase awhile back when I was feeling a "calling" toward making healthier choices in life. There should be another name for going through this phase in life, just like a mid-life crisis. I think it's the realization of mortality. That's when those things your mother always said about eating right, taking vitamins, etc. comes into your head. When you're thinking of health, it's full circle and the planet is part of that circle. Do you think you're in that phase? Are you ready to be an eco-convert? education Thu, 14 Aug 2008 13:58:25 -0600