It’s just one of the accolades that the company has accumulated — the EcoBuilders also have partnered with Southern Living for the magazine’s eco-friendly 2008 Idea House to be built near Sandy Mush, as well as having been featured in This Old House and The New York Times among others. Those with an interest in supporting our local contingency on their mission in New Orleans are invited to volunteer their skilled and unskilled labor, supply construction services, fishing materials and equipment, as well as contribute to housing and food for volunteers. For more information, visit extremeneworleans.com. For more information about the EcoBuilders, go to greenishere.com.

AnimalPlanet.com

Having just recently watched Growing Up Black Leopard, some perusing of the Animal Planet Web site was in order. What I found was a boundless supply of entertainment ranging from the Pet Picker Quiz (apparently I should own a rabbit rather than three cats and a dog), to Animal Mah Jongg (a must for anyone who spent time on the Apple 2e), the Cuddle Corner (as ridiculously cute as it sounds) to the Endangered Species Guide. It’s an educational place to kill some time or do some research about your backyard wildlife as spring is slowly approaching and the natural world awakening.

Leaving town

You don’t have to plan an expensive vacation to get the benefits of just getting the heck outta town for a bit. Get out a map, pick a town about two hours away, book a decent hotel room and just go. Even a night will do. Have dinner out at a place you don’t have at home, make it back to the hotel for a swim in the pool and gentle boil in the hot tub. Watch some late night TV, sleep in the next morning, eat more than you should of the continental breakfast muffins and orange juice and then take your time heading home. Maybe hit a museum or do a little shopping before actually getting on the road. It will refresh your spirit and go easier on your wallet than that big, labor intensive, family trip to the Grand Canyon.

— By Sarah Kucharski