12 Unexpected Green Around the World
Green grass, green leaves and fruits, those are common greens we see every day, but how about unusual greens? From naturally green dogs to rivers and sandy beaches turning green, here are the most fascinating things about green you want to know.
12 Green Superstitions
While green is the color of hope and immortality in many ancient cultures, you have heard the phrase, green with envy, right? even the Grinch is green! And, what about green affecting your driving? There have been many superstitions among race car drivers that nothing green can be used before a race. A good example is race car driver Mario Andretti who would never sign an autograph with green ink! Apparently, it all began with freak accidents involving green race cars… in 1911. driving instructors apparently believe the same and frequently would ask if the unexpected accident involved a green car. Major brands are changing that green bias by paying lots of money to those who would drive race cars sporting green logos like Folgers decaf coffee, John Deere or H&R Block.
11 The Green Born Pup
When we see a new born puppy or kitty green is not a color you would imagine you’ll ever see. Although very, very rare, there have been accounts of green puppies being born! It’s not magic and the puppies will eventually fade into their original hue. As the pup is being born, a mixture of amniotic fluid and green vile pigments in the placenta called biliverdin, mix together coloring the puppy green. Biliverdin in humans is responsible for the green colored bruising and jaundice in babies.
10 Green Food’s Benefits
When walking at the farmers market, smoothies are what you will see the most among the fresh vegetables and plants for sale. And what about other green foods? green tea, although comes from the same plant as black, oolong and white, green tea had the highest amount of vitamin c, can improve your memory and even repel mosquitoes!. Also, seeing the color green has a calming effect on your body and mind yet it also is invigorating! Paraphrasing Yoda who is also green, The Force is strong in this one!
9 Green-Free Life Hack
Have you ever swum in a pool and after a while the blond or light-colored hair gained a green tinge? There is a solution... red!, ketchup can be used for more than over French fries, is used to remove the chlorinated green of your hair. It works like a charm!
8 Glow In The Dark
As children, many of us had the glow in the dark stars and animals attached to the selling but Have you ever wondered what a glow in the dark pet would look like? It first started with glow in the dark insects, then fish, and even pigs where genetically altered to produce the glow. Researchers at the mayo clinic started mixing jellyfish genes with a common cat, the result where enlightening to say the least. Maybe a nice way to keep track of your feline and not trip on it at night! Some animals have their own natural glow thou, the parchment tube worm has a slime that is bioluminescent! The mucus is what produces the light as its released into the sea water.
7 The Growing Green
If someone what to get pregnant, In Celtic, roman and Greek traditions, green is associated with the goddess of fertility, marriage and love. And on the same wavelength, green is for the heart chakra. According to experts, green not only helps growth, like trees and nature but should be avoided in color and light therapy if suffering from cancer, as it stimulates cell growth.
6 The Green Masquerade
If you were a critter worried about being eaten by a bigger predator, what would you look like? This caterpillar has the answer. Looking, moving and acting like a snake, this central American hemeroplane triptolemus has developed a way to protect itself. Other animals sporting green are the garfish that has green bones, while the grasshopper has green blood!! And if you thought Easter eggs where fake, the Chilean Araucana chicken or “Easter Egg Chicken produces green, pink blue and brown eggs! And if you head to the down under, In Australia There are green ants and people like to eat, apparently, they have a lemon taste!
5 Lucky and Charmed
Shamrocks, leprechaun, Ireland… Have you ever wondered why all the green fuss is all about? Green is for the Irish hills and of course leprechauns wear green, for good measure and luck, the 4-leaf clover or shamrock is a must. The most famous saint in Ireland, St. Patrick, is known for not only converting Ireland into Christianity but legend says he drove the snakes out of the island. The celebrations are so vast around the world that the Chicago river is dyed green to celebrate the saint’s day.
4 Green Around The World
There are many interpretations to the color green. When you go to japan, you will see that green is viewed as the color of eternal life, like an evergreen tree. In Portugal hope and in Iran, green is paradise. The prophet Mohamed wore a green turban and cloak making green a beloved color for Muslims. Catholics also use green on the altars during Sunday mass. In India the festival of Holi signifies the victory of good vs. evil. This festival of colors or of love is celebrated in the spring. Green is predominant in the celebration as it represents new beginnings and it’s a festive color for any Indian celebration.
3 Green Dangers
Most greens in nature are a healthy sign, like leaves on a tree sprouting in the spring or the unique sandy Papakolea beach in Hawaii where the sand is green due to olivine, a volcanic rock. But not all green is a good thing. Specially in bodies of water like the ocean or lakes… green in this case means, run away, the cyanobacteria also known as blue green algae is dangerously spreading around and its very toxic to humans and animals, and from personal experience, I can tell you, it’s very smelly. When you travel to Florida, stay away form the beach if the red tide is in bloom! But not all green lakes are due to algae. When traveling Indonesia, head to the Lakes of Mount Kelimutu. These lakes change colors anywhere from red to white and green and according to some, the colors change due to volcanic gases and minerals mixing together and the changes can occur at any moment.
2 Northern Lights
After discovering green dogs, festivals and superstitions, we cannot leave with out talking about one of the most enchanting natural phenomena, the auroral lights. Aurora borealis in the northern hemisphere and Aurora Australis in the south. What happens is that the sun releases electrically charged particles that when entering the atmosphere, create the lights. They can have different colors depending on what those particles collide with. If its with oxygen, green or yellow. And if it collides with nitrogen, reds, pinks and blue.
1 Flag it Green
Green is associated with go, as in traffic lights and motor racing flags, and there are many countries who have green on their flags, like Mexico, Brazil as well as many African nations and Italy but none are solid green like the flag of Libya until 2011. When the flag was redesigned to reflect the changes of the nation. And speaking of nations, in Syracuse NY, there is the only traffic light in the world where the green is above the red, at the intersection of Tipperary Hill, apparently honoring the Irish heritage of the city since the 1920s!.
Green discovered, what other colors would you like to explore
