The Buzz: Your Daily Dose of Outdoor News

Sunblock is today’s Buzz Of The Day

The temperatures are heating up and the sun is blazing full power for much of the United States.  What better time to discuss how we protect ourselves from the heat.  Many people use the words ’sunscreen’ and ’sunblock’ interchangeably.  This is the stuff we rub on our bodies to protect ourselves from the sun.  What you may not know is that both of these products are different and unique from one another.  Sunscreens actually absorb ultraviolet light, while sunblock actually blocks these harmful rays.  That is a big difference and one that could actually save your skin in years to come.

Sunblock has also come under some scrutiny of late, especially at Yankee Stadium, where it has actually been banned from the stadium.  An alert was put out that terrorists may be harboring explosive substances inside the bottles.  Yankee Stadium casually banned sunblock without alerting the many fans coming to the games.  Now you have your choice of an SPF 15 sunscreen that you must buy from a Yankee Stadium vendor.  Luckily, with the outcry of paying $5 for a 1 oz. bottle of sunscreen, Yankee Stadium quickly changed it’s policy.

So when do you use sunblock and how often do you apply it?  A new gadget has come out that actually clues you in to this information.  The U.V. Monitor actually tells you when the UV rays are the worst.  You can also program in your sunblock type and UV rating.  After the programing, the UV monitor quietly counts down and let’s you know when it is time to reapply.  Gadgets-we gotta love’em!

The next sunblock is a bit different.  This comes by way of the Hiking Backpacks blog and features U.S. Outdoors Today columnist Olivia, and a recent opportunity she had to photograph a solar eclipse while Hiking in India.  It is a beautiful photo and well worth the mention.  Go check it out.

Today’s News Of The Strange: This is an update on another ‘News Of The Strange’  post I made a couple of days back.  This is in regards to a stray 44 pound cat being found in New Jersey.  This cat is now up for adoption!  That’s right, now you, too, could witness the amazing feats of a 44 lb feline. that is destined to add to your grocery bills.  Who wants it?

Today’s Fishing Focus:  Which is better, the fly fisherman, the Bass fisherman, or perhaps the salmon fisherman?  Othmar Vohringer takes a look at this debate in a truly Othmar fashion–honestly.  Go check out this great article on Othmar’s BC Fishing blog, then join in on the conversation.

Today’s Hunting Highlights:  Steve Creek Outdoors takes an interesting look at a wild deer species not found in this neck of the woods.  The Formosa Sika deer is native to Asia, and does have a very unusual look to it.  It is always nice to see an international species, but it might cost you some cash to bring one in.  I am sure import fees are ridiculous and that is only if these things can be legally hunted!  If the Formosa is going to be a problem, perhaps you could sign up to take lessons on how to hunt alligators.

Today’s Conservation Consortium:  The New River Gorge National Park has been given the ok to purchase 100 acres of land in an effort to add to their holdings.  This is actually a small part of a much broader picture, where another 600 acres may be purchased in the near future from local landowners.

Sight unseen, Striker and other superintendents before him were always interested in buying all of the land within the park’s boundaries. When Congress created the park in 1978, they drew lines on a map, but not all of the land within the marks belonged to the government. Over the years, federal officials have been acquiring land, but they still do not own all the land within the park’s boundaries.

“We are definitely interested in buying it,” Striker said of the 100 acres. “It has so much potential for park visitors.”

Visit the Charleston Gazette to read more about this recent purchase.

Today’s Green Tip of The Day:  We all like to water our lawns, but too many people water their lawns without ever thinking about the weather. Your lawn only needs about one inch of water a week. Therefore, instead of watering your lawn everyday, just water it once in the week and pay attention to the weather reports. If rain is called for, don’t water your lawn. If you go a few days without rain, then water it a bit. Paying attention to the weather will help you save water and keep your lawn green.  (tip courtesy of AboutMynePlanet)

Today’s Blog Of The Day:  Family Affair Outdoors–Go Check It Out!

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