Monthly Archives: March 2008

Earth [h]our

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Shadow of moon upon earth during eclipse

  • Shadow of moon upon earth during eclipse

    • Voluntarily plunging into an hour of darkness….no, this isn’t a thrill-seekers adrenaline boost. It is Andy Ridley’s idea for raising awareness about global warming.

    Some 2.2 million people participated in last year’s ‘Earth Hour’ in Sydney, cutting the central business district’s energy usage by more than 10 percent.

    It is hoped that the movement would expand in 2009, which would be a particularly significant year since it is the deadline for United Nations talks to determine action going forward on the topic of climate change, as set after the Kyoto Protocol.
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    A simple gesture of thanks

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    The gesture starts with your hand on your heart as if you’re about to do the Pledge of Allegiance. And then you just bring the hand down and out in front of you.

    It actually means ‘thank you from the bottom of my heart.’

    Scott Truitt, of Seattle, Washington, says many Americans want to express their gratitude to members of our military, but most aren’t really sure how to proceed. He started the Gratitude Campaign in 2007, using a modified American Sign Language gesture for thank you to help him, and us, say thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

    “I think there’s a lot of politics wrapped around the military and that can get confusing for a lot of people,” he said.

    We hope his Gratitude Campaign will continue to spread across the country since its beginning in 2007. The idea is even if soldiers don’t know exactly what the gesture means, they’ll realize if it originates on the heart, its got to be good.

    Get Over It Already: Cures for the Common Cold Part 1 of 2

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    comon cold symptoms

    I’m a smoker, I don’t always wash my hands before or after handling food or other sources of bacteria, and I take care of my friends when they’re sick without gloves or a mask – I do just about everything “wrong” in terms of not getting sick…

    And yet, I can’t remember the last time I had a cold or the flu. It was probably something like 5 years ago, but I can’t be sure.

    Although, last week my boyfriend had a massive case of food poisoning for 6 days. The day after he came down with it, I prayed at the porcelain god once (as compared to his hourly “confessions”), slept most of the day, and felt fine after that.

    Here’s my secret: I don’t take medicine.

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    Troubled Water

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    You might have seen the article in your local paper last week: AP Probe Finds Drugs in Drinking Water or Drugs in Your Drinking Water. The Associated Press National Investigative Team found pain killers, hormones, psychotropics, bronchial dilators, antibiotics, and even veterinary medications in 24 major metropolitan areas out of only 28 water providers tested (although 62 were contacted). Some of the more common drugs were ibuprofen, aspirin, caffeine, nicotine and Salinomycin (a growth hormone for farm animals), with 56 pharmaceutical chemicals found in Philadelphia’s water supply. More than 41 million Americans from Louisville to Detroit to Northern New Jersey are effected by the waters tested.

    “Members of the AP National Investigative Team reviewed hundreds of scientific reports, analyzed federal drinking water databases, visited environmental study sites and treatment plants and interviewed more than 230 officials, academics and scientists.” AP

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    Grilling season begins

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    Grill tofu

    The 19th Annual Weber GrillWatch Survey says 31 percent of American grill owners are grilling meat more than they were a year ago because they are “trying to eat healthier.” Nearly 40 percent said they are grilling leaner meats, more vegetables (38 percent), more poultry (34 percent) and more fish (22 percent) than they did a year ago. Meanwhile, six percent indicated they are grilling more meat substitutes such as veggie burgers and tofu, and 5 percent are grilling more fruit, although women are more likely to do so than men.

    Grilling is growing in popularity, evidenced by the following factors, among others:
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    Overheard at breakfast: cinnamon should be your new normal

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    For Cobbler Lovers … The easiest recipe on earth.

    Mmm…the smell of cinnamon! The written words alone are enough to evoke mouth-watering, feel-good sensations of delicious comfort foods. Odors and emotions are processed in similar brain structures, so this shouldn’t be a surprise. Research at the University of Chicago published last year shows the human brain may be more adept at distinguishing smells than previously thought. The work comes from studies in the laboratory of Leslie Kay, Assistant Professor in Psychology at the University.

    Smell is often an undervalued sense because people are more aware of the visual aspects of their perceptions

    I went to WebMD and searched for “cinnamon,” reaping 352 results ranging from patient hand-outs, including cinnamon-as-aphrodisiac, to a top ten list of superhealing herbs (cinnamon is #2 after turmeric) to a few recipes that look worth a try.

    Cinnamon tea is a great way to reap the health benefits of cinnamon. You can buy cinnamon tea but it’s quite easy to make your own with the following recipe.
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    Wal-Mart Turns Over a Green Leaf

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    Attention Wal-Mart Shoppers: Don’t feel So Guilty!

    Wal-Mart has taken a bad rap the last several years for being environmentally and socially unconsious. It represents all that has gone wrong with commercialism, right? Maybe not. Wal-mart might actually be a leader for a people-centered form of environmentalism. While green technology is often blamed for being overpriced, Wal-Mart has brought prices way down on flourescent bulbs and solar lights, recycle bins, and EnergyStar appliances. In fact, they have a “Earth Friendly Products and Budget Friendly Prices” link of their website. Even the buildings themselves are becoming more environmentally friendly.

    A few years ago, Wal-Mart conducted a detailed study that showed shoppers bought significantly more products when natural light showed on the area. Other researchers have found that natural lighting increases morale and health in the workplace. As a result, skylights might be coming to a Wal-Mart near you. They have also been playing with more environmentally friendly buildings. A new supercenter in Las Vegas boasts a 45% decrease in energy use compared to other Wal-Mart supercenters. They are also endorsing a Kids’s Recycling Challenge, in which participating schools earn $5.00 for every 60-gallon collection bag filled with plastic grocery bags they bring to a local Wal-Mart store for recycling by March 31, 2008.

    Daylight (Energy) Savings

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    Still trying into the hour spring forward? So are environmental researchers! Traditionally, daylight saving has been seen as a positive switch for the environment because of the decreased need for artificial lighting, which, with small appliances, accounts for 25% of United States’. In fact, the installation of daylight savings has always been for energy saving reasons (although not always environmental). According to the California Energy Commission, 1% of California is saved by each day daylight savings. New research that took place in Indiana indicates, however, that energy use increases just after daylight savings. Lara Grant and Matthew Kotchen, researchers at the University of California in Santa Barbara, conclude that electricity consumption increase 1 to 4 percent as a result of Daylight Savings Time.

    According to the dates of DST practice prior to 2007, we estimate a cost to Indiana households of $8.6 million per year in increased electricity bills. Estimates of the social costs due to increased pollution emissions range from $1.6 to $5.3 million per year. (Does Daylight Savings Time Save Energy?)

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    How to Naturally Repel Mosquitoes

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    mosquito natural organic repellant

    I was born and raised in Florida – the lightning, and (may as well be) mosquito capital of the world – but rarely has a mosquito dared come close to me. My brother and sister however, fresh and sweet from Illinois, are apparently irresistible.

    Am I lucky? …nah. I just have bad breath.

    Making an effort to repel mosquitoes the natural way is far better than the alternative – such as mosquito borne disease and chemical repellent side effects.

    Unfortunately: most of the stuff they sell in stores is made to fail. Fortunately: you’re about thirty seconds from knowing what does work, but doesn’t harm you.

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