Tuesday 30 April 2013

Monday 29 April 2013

Friday 26 April 2013

Thursday 11 April 2013

50 Things You Can Recycle

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1. Old bricks, worthless? No, those bricks can be recycled, and are very valuable to some people!


2. Use reclaimed wood for your next project at home. Use your own, or find some on freecycle, Craigslist, at your local transfer station, or recycle.net.


3. There are many places you can exchange or recycle your old electronics.


4. Sell off or post an ad for free metal scrap to be recycled.


5. If you have enough, your old VHS tapes can be recycled


6. Packing tape and stickers cannot be recycled, so use these sparingly in the first place.


7. Tools are very valuable items on eBay. Try selling them in lots to save time, shipping waste, and energy.


8. Empty propane tanks may be able to be taken as scrap metal, or properly disposed of at hazardous waste facilities. Reuse these whenever you can!


9. Even large items like BBQ grills can be recycled as scrap metal once the propane tank has been removed.


10. Kids toys have a new life when they’re donated to thrift stores like Salvation Army or local churches.


11. Recycle your old prescription bottles, they have a million uses.


12. After they’ve been used up, recycle your old batteries.


13. How about other plastic numbers, what do those mean? You may be able to recycle some of them.


14. Flip flops can be recycled and repurposed a number of creative and unique ways.


15. Can’t figure out what to do with your old lamps, wall decor, or knick knacks? If you can’t eBay them, donate them to a thrift store for charity purposes. Craigslist and Kijiji are good alternatives, too.


16. Recycle your shipping styrofoam or reuse it.


17. Window treatments have the chance to live again as you recycle your curtains into pillows.


18. Carpet can be recycled if it is clean and usable.


19. Donate it, sell it, or recycle your television.


20. Stop by an Aveda location to recycle your bottle caps.


21. The rumor has been floating around that aluminum can’t be recycled. While the rules may differ per town, you can still reuse it a few times by giving it a cleaning.


22. Reuse your old jeans in these 25 ingenious methods.


23. Why trash it? Your shower curtain is a great drop cloth or apron.


24. Your ink cartridges are accepted at many different locations online and in person, like Staples.


25. You might be able to trade in your old printer for a credit on a new one. They’ll recycle it for you..


26. Tires are a must to be recycled, and it’s very easy.


27. Learn how you can recycle your roof shingles to become part of our roads.


28. Make sure when installing a new car battery that the mechanic will recycle it.


29. Cardboard boxes can be taken at your local recycling station, or sent curbside if they’re small enough in most instances.


30. Save your old packing peanuts and recycle them by giving them to your local shipping company. They will gladly take them off your hands.


31. Your gently used clothing can be resold on eBay, or donated.


32. Good news! #5 plastics can be recycled at many Whole Foods locations.


33. Potato chip bags and those other foil packaging that often are used to wrap up junk food can be recycled.


34. Used (many times) ziploc containers and similar disposable plasticware can be recycled usually as #1 plastics.


35. Shaving cream metal cans are accepted in most recycling facilities with other metal cans.


36. Can tabs can be recycled with your cans. Don’t pull them off, that kidney dialysis machine time rumor is false.


37. You couldn’t have enough options to recycle your cellphone


38. Blankets can be recycled by donating them to animal shelters (if clean).


39. Recycle your own scrap wood and furniture by reusing it, or donate it.


40. Save that box and make some Pizza box art, or maybe just recycle it.


41. Mattresses, aerosol cans, even washing machines can be recycled.


42. Bread twist ties will be your new best friend after you read these creative uses.


43. Reading glasses can be recycled and donated, and are always in demand.


44. Old books can be sold on Amazon, donated to thrift stores, donated to schools, and to hospitals. There’s always the yard sale option, too.


45. Freecycle your old sports equipment.


46. Did you know your old aluminum siding could be worth a lot of money?


47. Your old greeting cards can even be recycled creatively.


48. Wrapping paper is just paper and has many ways to be reused or recycled.


49. Don’t forget all types of glass bottles can be recycled — wine bottles, jelly jars, colored glass… these are all accepted at most recycling facilities.


50. Your old screened doors have many ways that they can be recycled.




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Friday 5 April 2013

How Do I Eat Healthy & Organic?


  
Although well worth it in terms of your health, eating healthy and organic foods can initially be tricky and time-consuming. You have to kick the junk food habit. You may need to upgrade your store of nutritional knowledge. Stopping to read labels can be critical in identifying organic foods, lengthening your grocery shopping trips. Most importantly, you have to get your taste buds on board, taking the time to savor the natural nosh of the moment, because a love of good food is the key to healthy eating.
Step 1:
Stock your kitchen pantry and refrigerator with healthy and organic foods. Whole grains such as brown rice, whole wheat and quinoa contain the fibrous grain coating that provides dietary fiber for your digestion, plus many B vitamins and essential minerals as well. Use more fresh and unprocessed foods, including raw fruits and vegetables, to maximize nutrition. Keep in mind the following tips: Increase your fresh produce intake; mix up your vegetable color scheme to get a variety of nutrients; eat protein such as lean meat, poultry, seafood, legumes, soy and nuts; and eat no-fat or low-fat dairy products. Verify that your fresh produce, dairy and other foods are organic by checking the labels for the USDA organic certification. Select those healthy and/or organic groceries that make your mouth water for best results.
Step 2:
Plan your week’s menus. Having a plan on paper will help you stick to a healthy, organic diet. Search for healthy recipes that call for the ingredients you have on hand, or be creative with your own menu ideas. Adapt recipes for your favorite foods to make them healthy. For example, rather than eating french fries prepared in hot oil, cut fresh potatoes in wedges, season them with herbs and bake them in the oven. Seek out new recipes each week to keep your menus varied and interesting.
Step 3:
Cook your own meals. You don’t have to be a trained chef. Tossing together a Saturday night salad is a simple matter of combining your fresh greens with other ingredients you like. For example, saute some skinless chicken in a nonstick pan and chunk it up as a salad topper. Add toasted walnuts, a few slivers of cheese, halved grapes, diced apples, radishes and cucumbers. Steam some brown rice for a side dish. Garnish with a glass of milk or herbal tea. If you run out of creative, fresh ideas, find out what other people are eating for good health.
Step 4:
Start your own organic mini-farm. One of the drawbacks of buying organically certified foods is that, due to the stringent USDA guidelines under which they are grown, they typically cost more than their conventional counterparts. Instead, economize and eat organic produce from your own garden. The primary requirements, as stated in the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990, are avoiding synthetic soil amendments and chemical insecticides. Even apartment dwellers can organically grow herbs and vegetables in patio containers. Taking pride in your own homegrown organic garden produce makes it more enjoyable than ever to eat healthy.