I have been writing about once a month, it seems, trying to get people to publish their own video and photos to The Telegraph Web site.

So far, video is coming in slower than photos. Some are getting the hang of sending photos. But video, well, my theory is some are simply afraid to give it a try.

Here is what to do to send video:

1. Go to thetelegraph.com.

2. Click on Start Here under latest submitted videos.

3. Create a free Brightcove account by following - the on screen directions.

4. Select a video from your hard drive and click upload video.

It’s that simple, folks. I can think of 100 different video topics for people to send items. One would be video from a child’s activity. Another could be upcoming graduation videos. Another might be a video from summer recreational baseball or softball. How about video from a school or church musical?

When we have breaking news events like a car crash, a fire, and a contributor obtains video, those would also be something people would view. Breaking news video attracts more views than any other.

I challenge those in the area to respond and take advantage of an excellent free service we offering. Once the video is published, it will be there for all your friends and family to see.

If you have problems sending, contact Everett Hicks, of The Telegraph, at (618) 463-2594 and he can walk you through the process.

Today is Earth Day nationwide, a special event.

I think we often overlook the importance of the Earth and the environment in general. Many politicians and business leaders don’t see that we have to start thinking of the future for our children and our children’s children. I hope that changes as the years unfold.

My own children, Savannah and Sierra, have both made me think more frequently about how fragile the Earth and its atmosphere is today. Thanks to my girls, I am more conscious about recycling. The other day, I tried to throw a milk carton away, and Savannah wouldn’t let me. She said, “Dad, we need to recycle it.” She was already in the process of pouring out what remained of the milk in the sink and rinsing the carton. I thought for a second and replied, “You are right.”

I am proud that I now recycle all discarded paper in my office. The two city editors that work with me do the same. Between the three of us, we generate a lot of recycled paper each week.

We have started using a logo for stories about the environment called “Environment and Nature.” We have been averaging about a story or two a week under this heading, led by reporter Jill Moon. I admire Moon’s concern for the environment and nature, and she is doing an excellent job covering these issues. Moon has been a leader on The Telegraph staff in this regard, and I think her efforts are paying off with the staff and in the region. I also think there is a lot of interest in these issues in our area.

Alton became a “Cool City” last week, when the Alton City Council gave approval at its meeting for Mayor Don Sandidge to sign the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. Alton became the first city in the Metro East and the 31st in Illinois to sign the agreement, which calls for the city to adopt more green practices.

The goal in the Sierra Club’s national “Cool Cities” plan is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 7 percent below 1990 levels by 2012. I think we have to start moving in that direction, or the Earth as we know it won’t exist in another 100 years.

We have the technology in place to develop automobiles that would reduce emissions and also operate more on battery power. I hope that move comes in full force from here on, especially with gasoline prices hitting record highs.

What are your thoughts about Earth Day and the environment? Please respond.

The fiery crash of a tractor-trailer off a Canadian overpass was captured on video, and it has created quite a stir.

It seems the driver — 25-year-old Mark Santos — may have suffered a severe hypoglycemic reaction. Santos apparently had been diabetic since his childhood and had encountered some seizures that may have led to the problem.

Witnesses to the incident in Edmonton, Alberta, had reported that the driver looked frantic behind the wheel, and he spent several minutes driving in the wrong lane with a large truck.

If Santos was having a diabetic seizure, that could have happened. A seizure of this nature occurs when the blood sugar dips too low, probably a reading of 45 or below.

I have Type I diabetes, the same condition that Santos contended with in his life. In Type I diabetes, a person’s pancreas does not function at all, producing no insulin. That means in order to process food, a person with Type I diabetes typically has to take insulin injections before eating. One of the potential worries with taking insulin injections can be blood-sugar lows.

I am on the insulin pump, which I think is the only way for a person with Type I diabetes to function. It controls the blood sugar lows and helps with stability. I don’t know this for sure, but I wonder whether Santos was on the insulin pump? I haven’t seen it anywhere that he was on the pump.

The insulin pump provides continuous insulin flow to the body, which is one of the keys to the success with it.

Do you have thoughts on the Santos case? I’m sure you might have an opinion if you are insulin-dependent.

Respond back to my blog if you have an opinion.