Green Valentine

Valentine's Day is coming. Traditionally, we associate the red color to this day. Red is the colour of the heart. Is the colour of love.

But this year, we can turn red into green. Green is also a colour of love, the love for our planet.

So, here's a few suggestions for your Green Valentine's Day:

• Buy your gifts made with recycled material and from local artists. Buying local cuts the costs (environmental and financial) of transporting;
• Better, make your own gifts wjth recycled material. Use dried flowers, for example;
• Wrap your gifts with recycled paper;
• Instead of buying roses, plant them for your loved one;
• For your valentine dinner, buy local products. If you going to have candles, make sure their are eco-friendly. Beewax candles are biodegradable and smoke-free;
• If you're going to have sex with your partner, turn off the lights or do it during the day;
• Afterwards, take a bath together. You'll be saving some water.

Happy Green Valentine Day!

Surgical castration in the EU

The Czech Republic, a EU member since 2004, is practicing surgical castration in sex offenders.

According to the Czech government, it reduces repeated offences and prisoners have to request the intervention and it has to be approved by a committee of experts. The castration is considered for those who cannot manage their sexual instintcs and are aggressive.

A report published by the Council of Europe's Anti-Torture Committee claims that some patients said that the treatment sexologist indicated them that this was the only option available and that the refusal would mean a life detention. It was also reported that some "significantly" mentally retarded were also subject to this intervention. It's "invasive, irreversible and mutilating", said the Anti-Torture Committee. It condemned the practice as "degrading".

You can read a news story about this at CNN: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/02/05/czech.castrate/index.html?eref=edition