As children around the U.S. begin the back-to-school transition, parents are scrambling to gather needed school supplies and shopping for those coveted back to school outfits.
Many of the clothes that were worn just a few short months ago no longer fit the rapidly growing bodies of our children. They seem to shoot up like weeds during the summer months and end up leaving a trail of clothing that no longer fits behind.
Times have changed since the 1980s, and Americans are buying five times as much clothing today. Only about 15 percent of used clothing is being recycled or donated. About 10.5 million tons of clothing head to landfills in the US each year.
Sharing gently used clothing with siblings, friends, or extended family is a simple way to reuse unwanted clothing, but at times this isn’t an option. Rather than tossing used clothing into the trash, why not try one of these innovative ways to put your clothing to good use.
Here are a few ideas to give your old clothes a second life.
Bring in your unwanted clothing or shoes to any US Levi’s store or outlet for recycling, and get a 20% off voucher.
The well-known American denim brand has a recycling program in place in all of its US locations, including outlets. Customers can drop off unwanted clothing or footwear from any brand and the items will be either “re-worn, repurposed, or recycled” by its clothing collection partner, I:CO. Customers who bring in an item of clothing to be recycled will receive a 20% off voucher good on any regular-priced Levi’s in-store product.
Adidas Outlets partner with Project Sole for “Refresh Your Sole“.
Wondering what to do with your old shoes? Donate a pair of gently worn shoes of any brand at an Adidas Outlet through August 30, 2015 and receive $10 off a new Adidas shoe purchase. Project Sole takes the used shoes and sorts, packs and prepares to ship them to impoverished and disaster stricken communities throughout the world. You can also mail your worn-out sneakers directly to the Project Sole warehouse and they will distribute them to someone in need.
Patagonia and Yerdle team up to encourage recycling.
If you own a well-used Patagonia product that you no longer need, you can return it to Patagonia and they’ll recycle it into something new, or repurpose what can’t be recycled.
As an added incentive they’ll pay for the postage or you can drop it off at your nearest Patagonia retail store. Since 2005, they’ve taken back over 82 tons of clothing for recycling.
Patagonia has also partnered with Yerdle, a site that encourages the sharing economy by providing a simple way for people to share items and put goods back into circulation rather than throwing them out. Their mission is to reduce the number of new things we all have to buy by 25%. The concept is simple: download the app, post a photo of the clothing and/or other items you’re no longer using. You earn Yerdle Dollars once something is given away to another customer. You can then use those Yerdle Dollars to shop for what you want. The only cost involved: the buyer pays low-cost ($3 to $4), flat-rate shipping to wherever they live in the U.S.
The next time the opportunity arises to toss your used clothing into the trash take the time to think about other ways you can put your clothing to good use. There are plenty of options out there!
Category: Lifestyle
Categories
Take a Hike … for Your Health!
Hiking is one of the most popular outdoor activities around, with millions of people heading out to walk a trail on a regular basis. But in addition to providing us with great views and a chance to get back to nature, did you know that hiking can also be really good for your health too? Here are some important benefits you can gain simply by taking a hike.
It’s a Good Workout
Since hiking is usually seen as a recreational activity that most of us enjoy it isn’t generally viewed as a workout in the traditional sense. But believe it or not, taking a stroll in the woods is actually a solid alternative to a day in the gym. Not only does hiking work the cardiovascular system, it can also help to strengthen your core, and build muscles in your legs and hips too. Spend a full day trekking on a local trail, and you’ll soon come to realize just what a good workout hiking can actually be.
It’s Great for Your Overall Health
In addition to being good exercise; hiking is great for your body in other ways too. For instance, it has been shown that hikers are less susceptible to heart disease, diabetes, and both colon and breast cancer. Hiking can also lower your blood pressure and drop your cholesterol numbers too. All of that leads to much better health in general, which often translates to more energy and a longer life.
It’s a Calorie Burner
Many of us are constantly on the lookout for ways to burn calories and lose some weight. Hiking can definitely help in that category, as a vigorous hike can burn as many as 500 calories per hour depending on speed and the difficulty of the terrain. That’s a surprisingly high number that puts hiking almost on par with activities such as running or cycling. That would explain why we’re always so hungry right after we get off the trail.
It’s Good for Your Mental Health Too!
Hiking doesn’t just provide benefits for the body; it can have a positive impact on the mind too. Taking a walk outside can help reduce stress levels dramatically and has been shown to improve a person’s overall mood as well. Additionally, hiking can lessen anxiety and bring higher levels of happiness, which research has shown is a common side effect that comes from regular exposure to nature.
It Will Help You Sleep Better
Hiking is a good cure for insomnia and will help you to sleep much better too. The physical nature of a hike will obviously tire out the body, but exposure to fresh air, sunshine, and nature all contribute to a better mental state, which in turn leads to a deeper, more sound, sleep. That alone will have a positive impact on your mental state and quality of life.
It’s a Good Break From the Routine
Taking a hike is a good way to break out of your normal workout routine while still managing to stay active at the same time. If you find yourself stuck in a rut, and not enjoying your usual exercise regimen, mix in a hike or two to not only change up the schedule, but give your body a breather as well. You will probably be amazed at how good the change of pace will feel, and when you do return to the your regular workout it will be with renewed zest.
Anyone Can Do It!
Unlike some forms of exercise, pretty much anyone can go for a hike and receive positive benefits. While not everyone can run or ride a bike, most of us can at least walk, and walking on a trail is a healthy alternative to taking a stroll around the neighborhood. Best of all, hiking is a good activity for people of all ages, which means you kids can join you on your treks and you can continue to do it later in life too.
As you can see, just heading out to your favorite trail can provide some incredibly positive benefits to your health. On top of that, it happens to be a fun activity that you can do with friends and family too. What more could you ask for?
National Honey Bee Day is in August. Honey bees; an animal I usually disregard but take advantage of on a daily basis.
As a child, one of my favorite cereals was Honey Nut Cheerios. That sweet tang was just enough to get me to eat breakfast. As I’ve grown older, I’ve relied heavily upon local honey to help relieve my seasonal allergies. I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve taken this sweetener for granted. I mean, why not slather copious amounts of this sweet nectar onto my dry toast? Then, I began hearing and reading horror stories of how honey bees are on the brink of extinction and how our food supply will quickly dwindle if this is the case.
I recently had the privilege to chat with Edward Spevak, the Curator of Invertebrates at the Saint Louis Zoo, regarding honey bee health, our ecosystem, and how pollination is essential to the food we consume. Spevak has not only devoted his time to the zoological park of Saint Louis, but he is also the Director of the Center for Native Pollinator Conservation and Bumble Bee Programme Officer for the International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission Bumblebee Specialist Group. Needless to say, he was the exact person I wanted to speak with about the latest “bee scare.”
In 2006, Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) was identified. We still do not know the exact cause because, at the end of the day, there are a plethora of reasons why the collapse has been happening: pesticide use, loss of flower resources with habitat loss, and diseases are just some of the situations occurring. There’s a lot going on at once (United States Department of Agriculture).
Many issues stem from the bee collapse. One of the bigger problems manifesting itself is that commercial beekeepers are having a harder time providing adequate pollination services. Most crops rely on bees, but a lot of times there are not enough native bees to get the job done. So, beekeepers place honeybees in boxes and transport them wherever pollination is needed. When the number of hives a beekeeper maintain collapses then the number of crops being pollinated is severely reduced, which greatly reduces the crops we have for our consumption.
The process of bee pollination is largely instrumental in giving us nutrition. The plants that supply us with vitamins, minerals, lipids…they’re all dependent on bees. Many people don’t understand just how reliant we are on bees. To put it in perspective, 75% of our crops require pollinators. One out of every three bites we take relies on bees. We typically think that bees are pollinating flowers, but flowers are the crux to most crops that we eat: rice, oats, barley, and other grains.
We’ve made it a priority to expand our agriculture, but we’re not keeping a suitable habitat for pollinators. It’s impossible for us to survive on wind-based foods (essentially plants that receive their pollination via wind), since they will not provide us with the proper nutrition that is crucial for a balanced diet.
In addition to expanding our crop production, we’ve created a huge problem – habitat loss.
Habitat loss is a major issue that most wildlife is experiencing, but it’s not just occurring in and around our corn fields, it’s happening in our own backyards.
The current trend in suburbia is the desire for manicured lawns; the greener the better. But lawns are a biological desert. There are no wildflowers for pollination or trees to support other insects. Although the majority of people find lawns to be aesthetically pleasing, it is not sustainable for a healthy environment. The same goes for the roadsides. Commuters want roadsides to be mowed due to an aesthetic aspect, but milkweed and other wildflowers that are crucial for pollinators are being eliminated. States, such as Iowa, are developing roadsides specifically for pollinators. In fact, a presidential memorandum was released in 2015 that directs all federal departments to develop a pollinator plan since the decrease in bees can quickly affect the agriculture of our country.
It’s not just government policies that are beginning to make changes to secure the safety of the honey bees. The Saint Louis Zoo is a prime example of an organization that is not only protecting but is also raising awareness for the plight of these magnificent creatures. Their Monsanto Insectarium features honeybees and lets visitors take a peek inside a working beehive to show how these insects help pollinate our crops. Not only do they have a stunning information center but they have a meadow outside their butterfly house where a variety of bees is encouraged to pollinate in safety. Information plaques litter the Missouri Meadow so viewers can understand that there is more than one type of bee (STL Zoo).
In addition to the habitat loss, job security has been on a slow decline. Job security is firmly rooted in the access and livability of pollinators. Take, for example, almond trees. Almond trees only require pollination during the bloom period, and this is a very short time-span. Native bees are more than capable of pollinating almond trees, but there is nothing else in these regions to sustain the native bees year-round. Therefore, native bees have left these areas of California that play host to almond trees. And the same goes for blueberry plants. They have a fairly decent bloom time, but bees don’t have anywhere to be active before and after the bloom period. If you’re wanting to keep native bees around these plants, or any other seasonal plant, you’re going to need to cultivate a year long flowering garden (Beyond Toxics).
However, most agricultural producers don’t have the time or resources to create flowering gardens large enough to sustain the amount of bees that they need to pollinate their entire crop. Since native bees aren’t available for pollination, bee colonies are rented. Originally, honey bee rentals were about $30-35 per hive, but now hives are costing upwards of $200 because of the demand. Each year bees are driven in to pollinate seasonal plants so that farmers can yield a profitable crop. After pollination has occurred these bees are then shipped out to the next location. To put the gravity of the situation into perspective, about 1.7 million colonies of honey bees are placed in California almond orchards each year. That’s a frightfully large cost for pollination (Almonds).
Another economic issue that farmers are running into is that 50%, 60%, all the way to 80% of beehives have been lost by individual commercial beekeepers. You can split hives to make up for the loss, but you have to build them up. Unfortunately, this is a costly endeavor because of the efforts put in by the beekeepers and the increase in the total amount of crops that are requiring pollination services.
Aside from an economic perspective, the U.S. is finding a greater increase in obesity levels as well as people who are undernourished. Essentially, the lack of pollinators is creating a nutritional obstacle. Products that are dependent upon pollinators are going to provide long-term health benefits since we won’t have to rely so heavily on supplementary care. And if we take heed to the USDA food pyramid and follow it then it would be much healthier to rely upon crops that need pollination.
The implications from the loss of bees start off as economic and health-related. However, if we look beyond our U.S. borders, bees can create a national security issue as well. Loss of pollinators means that there may be food scarcity, which in turn can create civil unrest, propelling people to migrate to different countries. The U.S. is known for aiding countries in times of crisi
s, and if people are rioting over the lack of food or flooding to other borders then it is somewhat inevitable that military deployment may occur.
So far we’ve been looking at the loss of bees as a concern to a human’s well-being, but bees are crucial to other animals’ existence as well. Twenty-five percent of bird species are dependent upon fruits and nuts that require pollination as well as bears, mice, a
nd other wildlife. Additionally, many trees and other plants that create wildlife habitat, and provide other environment services require pollination as well. If this doesn’t sound the alarm for the need to protect a sustainable environment then I don’t know what will.
However, the takeaway from this discussion should not be that honey bees are the best or preferred pollinators. For instance, let’s take bumble bees. They are the only species, in the entire world, that can pollinate tomato plants. Then there are squash bees, alkali bees, and alfalfa bees, just to name a few. The native species that cover the globe is dizzying and puts the loss of one bee into perspective.
Although honeybees aren’t about to go extinct, native bees are becoming endangered through the loss of their habitat.
Bees are one of the greatest creatures you can become familiar with. As long as we have a demand for fruits and vegetables, which we will, then the importance of bees will be even more visible to the naked eye. And to put those of you at ease who are scared of getting stung, Spevak makes a great point: when a bee is on a flower all they’re thinking about is food. The only time we should be concerned about getting stung is if we’re interfering with a colony. If the bees believe that their queen is in danger then they will attack. Bees are generally a solitary animal so chances are you’ll be fine.
Finding information about bees is easier than you’d imagine. The Saint Louis Zoo isn’t the only zoo in that has a fantastic program. Go to your local zoo or nursery and just strike up a casual conversation. In the span of five minutes, you’ll learn invaluable tools on how to respect our planet and help it thrive. So next time you’re hesitant to plant flowers because you’re worried of bees now you can remember they’re not there to harm but to help.
Minnesota might not be the first place to come to mind when you hear the words sustainability or environmentalism. However, the Land of 10,000 Lakes recently completed an incredible green initiative.
Webber pool in northern Minneapolis is the first naturally filtered pool in the country open to the public. The pool doesn’t use chemicals such as chlorine to cleanse the water. Instead, the pool is filtered and cleansed with a piping filtration system and a “regeneration basin.” Every 12 hours the water in the pool (around 500,000 gallons) slowly drains in and out of the basin. It utilizes more than 7,000 aquatic plants, gravel, and limestone.
The plants consume bacteria and nutrients in the water, while anything remaining sticks to the gravel. It’s a rather ingenious, and natural, approach to creating a hygienic pool. A cleaning crew and a vacuum system help to keep the surface of the pool clean, as well. The pool itself consists of 21,000 square feet of swimming space and features shallow and deep ends, a wading pool, diving area, and lap area.
Since the pool relies on natural processes for filtration, the water looks more akin to to a lake or pond than the crystal clear pools to which most Americans are accustomed. It can take some getting used to for some swimmers. The benefits are probably worth it, though. Taking chlorine out of the equation eliminates many of the irritating side effects of a traditional pool such as red eyes, dry hair and skin, and bleached swimsuits.
Pools like Webber have been popular in Europe for some time. The first natural pools were built in Austria and Germany in the 1980s. Currently, there are 20,000 natural pools in Europe, 100 of which are public pools in Germany. In the U.S., natural pools have been mostly reserved for a handful of well-off private citizens. Opening natural pools to the public has been difficult due to a number of state-mandated regulations on the use of chemicals to treat bacteria.
The Webber project certainly faced its share of obstacles.
The pool was supposed to open in 2013, but construction delays, equipment failure, unexpected wildlife migrations, and other issues pushed the completion date to 2015. There have been financial issues as well. When the project started the pool was estimated to cost around $4 million. However, it was completed for more than $6 million.
Jayne Miller, superintendent of the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board, said sometimes you have to pay a price for innovation.
She told Upworthy, “You do something new and innovative like this, there are risks. … But we’re getting a ton of coverage on this nationally, and a lot of people are paying attention. I suspect this will be the beginning of many more natural pools in the U.S.”
With ideas like this, it’s easy to see why Minneapolis and St. Paul have the two top-ranked park systems in the country.
Hopefully, this ground-breaking project will be an example to other states and municipalities around the country!
Categories
Are Activity Trackers Worth It?
It seems like everyone uses an activity tracker these days. And since everyone seems to want them, everyone is making them. FitBit, Jawbone, Nike, Garmin, Withings, Moov, Apple, and many others are pumping out the newest version of their own activity tracker in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors.
Even Swarovski has a blinged-out tracker called the Swarovski Shine, complete with a variety of interchangeable pieces of jewelry to hide the device in. I just finished wiping the drool off my computer after discovering their amazing collection for the first time myself.
While I’ve only been using activity trackers for the last couple of years, they’ve been around for a long time. The first activity tracker came out way before any of us ever heard of them. Believe it or not, Leonardo da Vinci envisioned the first pedometer for military use. Who knew? In 1780, the pedometer was made a reality by a guy I’ve never heard of (Abraham-Louis Perrelet of Switzerland) and later introduced to the United States by someone I actually have heard of (Thomas Jefferson).
Nearly 200 years later in 1965, a pedometer called Manpo-kei (meaning 10,000 steps meter in Japanese) was manufactured and said to be the world’s first device to measure steps. It took another 20 years of research to prove that 10,000 steps a day was the proper balance of caloric intake and activity to maintain a healthy body. However, it still didn’t really take off until Stanford University researchers shared results from 26 different studies showing pedometer users were more active.
Why the history lesson? Honestly, because the devices we take for granted took hundreds of years to develop–and they’ve continued to evolve over the last eight years or so, going from a cheesy plastic clip-on step counter you get free at health fairs to a pricey (and pretty) wearable wristband. It’s an amazing device, and now we can all have one. Thank you, Leonardo da Vinci!
But does wearing this fancy-shmancy computerized bracelet really improve your fitness?
How It Works
I’ve had the privilege of testing a variety of activity trackers over the last couple of years. While I couldn’t tell you how the actual electronics work, I can explain what it does (or is supposed to do).
The basic idea behind an activity tracker is to make you more aware of your activity (or lack thereof). Most devices monitor basic activity like steps taken, approximate calories burned, and quality of sleep, which then syncs with your smartphone or computer. Some devices allow you to track more information, like caloric intake, heart rate, stairs climbed, and distance traveled. Some models offer features like an alarm clock or an alert when you’ve been too sedentary.
Fit Or Flop?
The million-dollar question is does wearing an activity tracker make you more fit? Well, wearing the bracelet obviously doesn’t magically make you lose body fat or improve your blood pressure, but it does seem to have an interesting effect on the user. What type of effect depends on the person wearing the tracker.
First up is the curious user. This person has bought every fitness device on QVC in hopes of getting fit. They know they need to get healthy, and buying next best thing seems to be a good plan. They may not actually intend to increase their activity, but buying a new gadget like the fitness bracelet always makes them feel healthier (and they may be in for a shock when they see just how inactive they really are).
Next is the competitor. Competitive people treat the bracelet like it’s an opponent, and their whole mission is to beat the bracelet. I guess I would fall into this category: I have been known to bang out 100 jumping jacks bare naked in the bathroom before bed because I hadn’t quite made my daily goal. This person is also devastated when they realize their tracker died in the middle of their five-mile run. Yes, the tracker can be quite addictive to some–including me.
Then there is the gadget fanatic. My dad is this guy. Oh, who am I kidding? This is me too! The gadget fanatic just has to have the latest electronic toy, even if they are not interested in exercising. The great thing about the gadget fanatic is they typically need exercise more than anyone since they are more apt to be glued to a computer most of the day. They also tend to enjoy collecting data, and the data they collect will likely result in a rude awakening when they see just how sedentary they really are.
Let’s not forget about the motivation seeker. This person is dying for motivation and help. So they get an activity tracker, hoping it will give them just the inspiration they need to get off their big fat lazy tail. Since most trackers are linked with a community of users who are able to connect with each other, this makes joining the tracker world even more appealing. Now they have the tracker–and a bunch of people–to hold them accountable. Before they know it, they are seeing how active everyone is. This can lead to a little bit of guilt and shame, which may just motivate them to actually step it up–literally.
Last is the health nut. This person is all about fitness. They want all the information they need to improve their health and be their best. This person probably syncs their activity tracker with their calorie counter and their running app–and any other app that will connect with their cute little fitness bracelet. Unlike the other users, these people are less likely to be surprised with inactivity and will just enjoy the confirmation that they are on the right track.
No matter what personality type drives you to purchase one of these wearables, you can benefit from the information you receive while tracking you activity. This increases overall awareness and acts as a reminder to move more. Whether you are just curious or competitive, the information seems to have a way of getting under your skin so you move a little more than you would if you didn’t wear one.
Do they have their downside? Absolutely. They are not extremely accurate. Calories and steps vary depending on your gait, fitness level, and activity of choice. Some exercises don’t register as accurately as others, but you get a good general idea of what’s going on. Some devices still have glitches, but most companies are very good about replacing malfunctioning products.
So what is my final answer? I’d have to say activity trackers are definitely a Fit. While there are plenty of people out there wearing activity trackers who haven’t lost one pound, the fact that they’ve invested in fitness at all is a good sign and definitely a great step in the right direction.
Jogging strollers seem like such an unnecessary added expense when you’re first starting out with a child. They’re hard to navigate because of their bulk, are terrifyingly heavy, and don’t have all the cool gadgets that traditional strollers possess. But ladies, those fears and stories are a thing of the past. It shouldn’t come as too big of a surprise that there are now fantastic running strollers that can keep up with your daily routine, essentially replacing the traditional stroller in no time.
Why Purchase A Running Stroller?
You may be wondering to yourself why a jogging stroller is even necessary? Well, once you’ve gotten over the initial postpartum recovery you start feeling cooped up in your own home. When you step outside with your little one you may even be reminded that there’s this thing called The Sun. When you run errands it’s much easier to strap your infant to your chest or leave them in their carrier. Pretty quickly you’ll find that strollers are fairly pointless at this stage, but not running strollers. Running strollers are a fantastic way to get out of the house and be active. They give you the capability to access terrain that would ordinarily be inaccessible for a new mom. Plus, many jogging strollers have the capability where your infant carrier can snap right in!
Studies show that exercise is HUGELY beneficial to the postpartum recovery.
It can:
– Help revive and restore muscle strength and strengthen the abdominal muscles
– Aid in postpartum weight loss
– Improve mood, reduce stress, and help relieve postpartum depression
– Provide energy from increased blood flow (Better Health)
So, with all of that said, I’m sure you’re ready to jump on that jogging stroller train. Fortunately, it’s 2015 so you don’t have to worry about the price being astronomical or the jogging stroller weighing more than you!
Tips And Tricks For Finding The Perfect Fit
There are certain jogging stroller features that are vital, and then there are others that are an added bonus. It’s important to make sure your stroller has some of these features and that these features are efficient. It’s important when you’re shopping that you take them for a test drive around the store. Fold them up, place your child in them, or even roll them down the stairs (with your kid out of the stroller, obviously) to test out its sturdiness.
Jogging Stroller Must Haves
Wheels
Obviously you need wheels, but you may think a wheel is a wheel. But not so fast. For one, jogging strollers only have three wheels instead of four, and they’re much larger in diameter. Jogging stroller wheels aren’t made from tough plastic or solid rubber but are literally a bicycle tire…just on a smaller scale. <ake sure to keep your wheels properly inflated because if they start getting low this can cause back pain and other bodily ailments. Another important point is the options for your front wheel, two to be precise: fixed or swivel.
A fixed wheel is for those joggers that are more serious. It’s perfect when running or jogging over rocky terrain as it won’t veer the stroller off course, but the one downside is you have to lean the stroller on it’s back two wheels to actually turn it.
Then there is the swivel wheel, which enables you to easily turn from left to right. This is ideal for the casual runner who also plans to use their jogging stroller in grocery stores, malls, and other compact places (There are some brand of strollers now coming with the capability to lock and unlock the front wheel, providing the best of both worlds).
Personally, I prefer the swivel wheel as I like going from the park to the farmer’s market. The swivel wheel is a lot more forgiving, and there’s no way I’ll be marathon training anytime soon!
Brakes
Brakes also have options that need to be considered. For the serious joggers, there are hand brakes that will assist you in slowing down when you’re tackling a steep decline. Then for the casual runner you’ll find that the brakes are on the base of your stroller. You’ll either have a break on either wheel or a foot operated brake that prevents you from bending over.
It’s crucial that you remember to brake your stroller anytime that you’re stopping, especially if you’re leaving it unattended for even a moment. Remember, regardless of the front wheel you choose, jogging strollers are meant to glide forward easily. So even the smallest of inclines will cause your child to go rolling ahead.
Shock Absorbers
Shock absorbers are the crutch of a running system. You’ll find coils right behind your two rear wheels, and these are what form parts of your stroller’s suspension system. Shock absorbers absorb any of the bumps and cracks you may bounce over, preventing the stroller and your baby from getting jostled. Beware as some cheaper models of jogging strollers don’t come with any type of suspension system. So, if you’re wanting your baby’s ride to be smooth and for them to just sit back and relax double check to make sure you have those coils (Parent).
Seat
Again, this is a feature that has multiple options. There are three different aspects of the seat you want to consider: the seat cushions, reclining capability, and the seat belt. Seat cushions should obviously be plush, but you also want to make sure you can easily remove and clean them. This will be such a life saver for your time and mental health! Also, a seat that can recline will change your life big time. When those big eyes begin to get droopy just drop that seat back so they can snooze the ride away. Also starting the recline off pretty far back is your best option when you first place them in there, as they most likely will not have gained a grasp on balancing yet. And on those days where you HAVE to check out that sale, why not do it over their nap? Lastly, your seatbelt should really be a safety harness. The most common harness is the 5-point harness, which secures the upper and lower half of your child. Ones that come with padding is just an additional bonus.
Folding / Weight
A big concern for mothers, especially those who are just getting back into fitness, is the ease of lifting and storing a jogging stroller. They’re typically bulkier, but manufacturers have created a “quick fold technology” which enables women to fold it in one quick movement. Jogging strollers used to be anywhere upwards of thirty or more pounds, but now they can be as light as twenty pounds. Ease of storing a stroller can make or break a woman’s quest to fitness (Baby Gear Lab).
The strollers that have the “quick fold technology” are genius because they’ll even balance upright, but the downfall is they’re incredibly bulky. The option for a more compact device is purchasing one where you can remove the wheels and fold it into a smaller space, perfect for storing in your car!
Canopy
It’s crucial to have a canopy that can be adjusted to different covering stages in order to protect your child from sunlight and other elements. Some jogging strollers have a plastic or mesh opening so that when your canopy is fully extended you’re able to clearly see your child.
Jogging Stroller Added Bonuses
Now that you know the nitty gritty about life with a jogging stroller, lets get to the fun part.
How many of you want to store your phone or ipod somewhere other than your arm? Well, some strollers now have a section in between the cupholders (whoa, cupholders!) where
you can easily secure a smartphone or other music device. And if you’re getting really fancy, you may even be able to hook them up to built in speakers! Now that’s VIP running for sure.
A pedometer is a handy addition, as it’ll tell you just how far you’ve traveled. And to go along with that pedometer, a wrist strap is such a life saver as it’ll keep your stroller from getting away from you on that rocky slope.
Fit For Life
So, what are you waiting for? Running strollers are the perfect choice for your first or next stroller. These hybrid city/running strollers are revolutionizing the way women and men spend their time with the kiddos. Exercise is crucial to a healthy and happy life, and having the right instruments to make this possible is key. Take a look at your local baby store to find the right fit for you!
More and more consumers are spending a little extra cash on organic foods. From ensuring that your produce isn’t doused in pesticides, to avoiding genetically modified foods, hormones, and antibiotics, health conscious consumers are choosing organic.
But according to a recent study, your health isn’t the only reason to choose organic foods. Researchers recently found that organic farming is also beneficial to the local flora and fauna.
Organic farming is good for biodiversity, according to a recent study published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B- Biological Sciences. Researchers found that organic agricultural fields have more local biodiversity in terms of wild plants, which offsets the lack of biodiversity on conventional fields. Researchers at Swansea University compared organic winter wheat fields to conventional winter wheat fields in the Charente region of France.
“Wild plants are important for birds, bees and other farmland species. Organic farming has advantages in maintaining these,” said Dr Luca Borger of the Department of Biosciences at Swansea University, reported on Global Agriculture.
Conventional herbicides and pesticides kill off local weeds, which in turn, impact the local animals that feed on them.
“Even a mixture of organic and non-organic farming in an area can help maintain this biodiversity. Even only 25% of fields being organically farmed can make a difference,” said Dr Luca Borger.
Pesticides Kill Off Biodiversity
This study proves a theory that organic enthusiasts already know. When you apply tons of pesticides to crops you do more than kill a few weeds, you impact the entire habitat. This is the problem with genetically modified crops. Roundup Ready corn, soybeans, and cotton for example are modified to be immune to Roundup so farmers can dump an onslaught of the pesticide on their crops. But by using too many pesticides, farmers poison the soil, the earth, wildlife and everything that surrounds the farm including animal habitats.
In some parts of the country, toxic chemical runoff from conventional farms is so big that dead zones are being created in bodies of water like the Gulf of Mexico. That dead zone, or low oxygen water, at times can be as big as the size of Connecticut (around 5,052 square miles). This is significant because sea life can’t survive in low oxygen water. They either have to migrate or die.
Another example is the Monarch butterfly, a species of butterfly that feeds on milkweed. As a result of the overuse of pesticides, milkweed is disappearing across the Midwest which means Monarch butterflies are disappearing too. Habitats and their built-in biodiversity work in concert, and by killing off parts of the circle of life, the cycle ceases to work. Not to mention that pesticides pollute the soil and groundwater, which further kills off biodiversity.
The Living Soil and Crop Diversity
A biodiverse landscape helps organic crops grow. For example, clover is used as a cover crop to help suppress unwanted weeds and balance nitrogen levels to create a nutritionally rich soil and help control diseases. Predatory insects are often introduced to help control other unwanted pests. Ladybugs, minute pirate bugs, and other beneficial insects add to the biodiversity. Compost and manure are also added build a rich soil.
Crop rotation is an important part of organic farming. By rotating crops year after, the soil is kept in balance by feeding it the required nutrients crops need to support and grow robust and sustainable crops.
Conventional farms on the other hand are often monoculture farms where one crop like sugar beets, wheat, or corn, you know the ones that are grown as far as the eye can see, which depletes the soil of vital nutrients year after year. This dependence on one crop can cause a monoculture farm to become even more dependent on toxic chemicals to grow their yearly crops because of their nutritionally deficient soil.
Many weekend gardeners already know that organic farming allows the environment to thrive while conventional farming, and all the pesticides that go along with it, work against the environment. Organic farming uses methods that have been used since humans started farming. It’s about keeping the soil healthy and utilizing cover crops, bugs, and natural fertilizers to promote a healthy growing environment and a healthy planet. When land is nurtured in this fashion, you can grow clean food year after year.
Nearly one quarter of consumers today report reading nutritional labels to avoid artificial additives, so in an effort to appease a more modern, health conscious customer, food companies are dropping artificial ingredients. It’s a widespread movement that includes some of the biggest names in the food industry. General Mills is removing artificial flavors and colors from all of its cereals and Kraft ditched the artificial colors and preservatives from its iconic mac and cheese.
But what does this really mean for the consumer? Is it a true menu facelift or a marketing ploy?
Food Companies Are Taking Baby Steps
Food companies are making positive moves in the right direction but many are still taking baby steps. It’s important to read between the lines. How many of their products are actually changing considering how huge these companies really are in the first place? How far reaching are these changes in terms of products?
For example, General Mills said that 90 percent of its cereals will be free of artificial flavors and colors by the end of 2016. This is great news, but General Mills is way more than just cereal, it’s baked goods, pizza rolls, and prepared meals. The company owns a host of other processed food brands including Betty Crocker, Bisquick, Pillsbury, Hamburger Helper, and Totino’s. What is it doing to make these brands healthier? How many products still contain artificial ingredients?
While Kraft Foods removed artificial colors and preservatives from its Original Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, what about its numerous other products like JELL-O, Cool Whip, and Stove Top Stuffing? Does Kraft plan to change up these products as well?
What’s Being Added To the Ingredient List?
As these companies begin to remove artificial ingredients, what are they replacing them with to keep the flavor consistent? Are natural flavors that much better than artificial flavors? It helps to understand what exactly artificial flavors are in the first place.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) defines artificial flavors as substances that impart flavor and are not “derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof.”
Natural flavors, on the other hand, are sourced from “a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root” and so on. And while that may seem innately healthy, a number of not-so-healthy substances can be derived from nature. Natural flavors can still contain dangerous ingredients. For example, natural wood smoke flavor is made from liquid smoke. Liquid smoke is captured, condensed, and filtered smoke that’s mixed with water after burning wood at a high temperature. But liquid smoke contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are known carcinogens. Then there’s castoreum, a mixture of the anal secretions and the urine of beavers, which is used to make natural vanilla and raspberry flavorings.
These flavors, whether natural or artificial, are created by professional flavorists and do not have to be fully disclosed on food labels. If the label reads natural flavors, you could be eating a supposedly natural ingredient made of beaver urine.
That’s pretty gross.
What’s more, the Environmental Working Group, which rates the health of food based on a number of criteria including genetic modification, pesticide residue, processing, and ingredients, gives foods with natural and artificial flavors the same rating because it says that one is no better than the other.
So when a food company claims it’s replacing artificial flavors with natural flavors, be wary. Read the ingredients label carefully and look for ingredients that you recognize. If you can’t find the ingredient in your pantry, you may want to put the product back on the shelf.
The good news is that food companies are responding to consumers and removing unhealthy ingredients. Panera, for example, changed its entire menu by removing over 80 additives and clearly defining the changes on its website. Food companies are taking steps to make real food from real ingredients, but we as consumers still have to be vigilant about reading labels. If the ingredient panel resembles a novel rather than a sentence, think twice about purchasing the product.
You have the power to help create change in our food system by using your American dollar to purchase only clean and real food products at your local markets.
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Eating Locally is Easier Than You Think
The farmer’s market is the place to see and be seen in my hometown. Yes, it’s a place to buy local foods, but it’s also a place to meet friends, have coffee or listen to some great music. On Wednesdays and Saturdays in Los Angeles if you’re not at the farmer’s market, you’re missing out. But eating local is about way more than just hitting up the farmer’s market. Dive a little deeper into your local foods community.
1. Join a CSA
Community Supported Agriculture, or CSAs are a great place to start. At the beginning of each season, you can buy a share of the harvest. While it’s more expensive when you’re getting started, buying produce in bulk like this is a more economical way to go. Organic CSAs are available as well if you’re concerned with the use of pesticides.
CSAs give farmers the support they need to thrive in your local community. CSAs also help educate you on what’s really in season locally. When it’s stone fruit season you can uncover and test every applicable recipe and when there’s a bumper crop of squash, you learn how to put the excess to work in your kitchen.
2. Join an Animal Share
In addition to CSAs, if you’re a conscious carnivore, you can also become a member of an animal share. When an animal is slaughtered, you split a portion of the meat with other community members. This way, you’re eating the animal from head to tail and not letting any of it go to waste. What’s more, you’re supporting the producers that raise animals. And by getting to know your farmers and producers personally, you can learn firsthand how your foods are grown and raised. You can ensure that animals are raised humanely, lived a happy life (hopefully on the open range) eaten their real natural diet Mother Nature intended them to eat and not given hormones and antibiotics. I’ve even heard of fish shares in some oceanside communities where you pay a fisherman upfront for a certain lot of seafood. In return, you get a certain amount of points and when the catch comes in, you pay with points. The amount of points you pay depends on the price of the fish.
3. Learn to Cook Like a Locavore
Farmer’s markets and harvest shares give you access to great local food, but learning how to prepare your local eats is crucial. I started off by simplifying the recipes I choose and letting what’s available locally dictate the menu, rather than the other way around. Local eating is more than fruits and vegetables, it’s about eggs, honey, herbs, butter, milk, and so much more.
Not only should you simplify recipes, learn to cook in big batches and freeze the rest for next month. Soups and casseroles are great for freezing. What should you do with the huge batch of heirloom tomatoes? Think creamy tomato bisque. What about some turnip green casserole? Enjoy it tonight and in a month’s time. It means you don’t have to cook and you’re not wasting the local bounty.
4. Grow a Kitchen Garden
Supplement what you can’t find at the farmer’s market or in your CSA with a kitchen garden. Your kitchen garden can be home to all kinds of herbs so you don’t have to waste cash at the grocery store on those tiny plastic containers of basil and mint. I also recommend growing at home what’s expensive at your local market like lemons (If your growing zone will support it).Your pocket book will thank you and it’s incredibly rewarding!
5. Preserve, Preserve, Preserve
Freezing is the easiest way to preserve a bumper crop. If you have tons of melon from your CSA, cut it up and freeze for a smoothie down the road. But the ultimate way to preserve an over allotment of produce is to can it. My friends and I have canning parties where one friend who is well versed in how to can, shows us how to get started. That way, it’s not so intimidating.
6. Support Restaurants That Buy Local
When you go out to eat, remember to support restaurants that support your community as well. Farm to table restaurants are more common than over. A restaurant in Los Angeles is taking it a step further. Forage has a program that allows you to get certified as an approved food source for restaurants and markets so you can bring in food that you’ve grown at home and get paid for it. If you bring in a huge batch of melons, Forage will give you money toward a meal at the restaurant. It’s a win-win for all involved.
Local eating is about celebrating your local eats and the changes that the seasons bring. It’s also about investing and supporting your local community farmers and producers. And it’s one more excuse to love where you live.
The original Star Trek series took place in the mid-2200s, and to the television audiences of the 1960s, the technology in the show was pure, jaw-dropping science fiction. But in the 50 years since Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) of the U.S.S. Enterprise first uttered the immortal words, “Beam me up, Scotty,” a lot of what then seemed like fantastical technology has actually materialized—200 years early.
Those communicators the crew used every day? You’ve probably got a better one in your pocket right now–and so does everyone you know. Phasers set to stun? We call them tasers now and they do pretty much the same thing. Computers that respond to voice commands and speak to us? Just say “Siri,” “Cortana,” or “OK Google” and you’re on your way. The universal translator is still a ways off, but there’s plenty of software that does a pretty good job of translating to and from a variety of languages. Want to put someone from another ship or planet “on screen”? No problem; Just fire up Skype or Google Hangout or FaceTime. Tricorders and diagnostic beds? Between MRIs and a variety of handheld diagnostic devices, we’re nearly there. Oh, and let’s not forget about GPS, Bluetooth headsets, touchscreen computers, and even floppy—and jump drives—all of which were pipe dreams in the 60s but yawn-inducingly common today.
At least two pieces of Star Wars tech have stubbornly remained out of reach: warp drives and transporters. But a third, the replicator, which produced meals and objects on demand, is here now and has the potential to save millions of lives. We call it 3D printing.
3D 101
3D printing (sometimes also called additive fabrication) has actually been around for decades and was used in manufacturing to produce complex prototypes. Most non-engineers had never heard of it, but when Cody Wilson, a student at the University of Texas showed off the Liberator—a 3D-printed, working handgun—everyone started to pay attention, and the technology is getting cheaper and better every day.
On its most basic level, 3D printing uses a digital 3-dimensional model of an object, and “prints” it by applying hundreds or thousands of incredibly thin layers of material (often some kind of quick-drying liquid plastic or metal) on top of each other until the object is complete. The applications are endless—3D printers can now print almost anything you can imagine (including personalized bobbleheads based on pictures you take) using gold, silver, chocolate, wax, ceramics, and even animal and human cells. These last bits—the cells—have the potential to quite literally change the world we live in.
Let me give you some examples of the absolutely amazing ways doctors and scientists are using 3D printing to improve—and save—lives. We’ll start with “that’s cool,” move on to “wow!” continue through “awesoooooome,” touch on slack-jawed, stunned silence, and finish up with a look into what’s in the pipeline.
Training
A 5-year old boy in Barcelona, Spain had a tumor that was dangerously close to an artery. After two attempts, the surgeons thought it was inoperable. But, unwilling to give up, they 3D printed a detailed model of the tumor that they used to develop—and practice—a new approach. The third surgery was a success. Doctors around the world have used similar modeling to practice dangerous and highly complex surgeries on fingers, hips, optic nerves, heart valves, and others.
Tuning
Scientists treating cancer in the UK have begun using CT scans to print exact replicas of patients’ tumors. They then fill those models with liquid and are able to see how chemotherapy drugs would flow through the tumor. This one’s not quite ready for prime time, but the hope is that oncologists will be able to use this technique to precisely target the best places to deliver those drugs.
Bracing Yourself
Have you ever seen anyone using Invisalign—an alternative to traditional metal braces? Orthodontists create a model of the patient’s current bite, then 3D print a series of clear plastic “aligners” that gradually—and more aesthetically—move his or her teeth to where they’re supposed to be.
Other Braces
Scoliosis patients often have to wear back braces for hours every day. Until recently, those braces were bulky, uncomfortable, and impossible to disguise—a highly embarrassing combination that keeps many young people from wearing them enough to see the benefits. It’s now possible to print up a lightweight, breathable brace that fits the patient’s body perfectly. And it’s so thin that it can be worn under the clothing so it’s less visible. The same basic technique is being used to create splints and casts.
Skull and Bones
Surgeons in several countries have used 3D printing to create skull segments and facial bones that don’t exist (such as a jaw in a baby who was born without one) or have been badly damaged by trauma (like a motorcycle accident) or disease. They use the patients’ own intact bones as models to create replacements that perfectly match the patient’s face or skull. Sometimes the 3D printers use titanium, but they often use calcium phosphate, one of the major ingredients in our natural bones. That helps the implant fuse together with the surrounding bones.
Iron Man and Beyond
Very few people use prosthetic limbs to make a fashion statement. But thanks to 3D printing, a boy born without an arm now has a prosthetic one that looks just like Tony Stark’s, responds to movements, and even has a superhero grip. How cool is that. Making a prosthetic limb the soon-to-be-old-fashioned way can take weeks, but with 3D printing, we’re talking days. Regular prosthetics also tend to be expensive, routinely costing thousands—sometimes tens of thousands—of dollars. That’s a particularly big obstacle when a child is the patient, since kids outgrow their devices and regularly need new ones. Printed prosthetics typically cost hundreds, not thousands. Patients around the world are now wearing prosthetic arms, legs, hands, and feet. 3D printing is also being used to produce lifelike skin, noses, ears, and other external appendages that have been lost to disease, trauma, or birth defects.
Inside Out
It’s a lot easier to print replacements for bones or external body parts than internal ones. Putting any foreign object inside the body involves the risk of infection or rejection. But scientists and doctors are on the case and have already made amazing progress. Researchers have developed 3D printers that print with the patient’s own cells. Using that technique, they’ve successfully grown—and then implanted—veins, bladders, a trachea (a procedure that saved a baby’s life) and a few other not-very-complex organs.
The Holy Grail
In the U.S. alone, there are about 120,000 people on organ transplant lists. Every day, 79 people receive a transplant, but 22—more than 8,000 per year—die. Being able to print customized, rejection-proof organs is the ultimate goal for man researchers. But with complex organs like livers and kidneys, one of the biggest challenges is replicating an organ’s vascular structure (the system of veins and capillaries that keep it supplied with blood and oxygen). If you don’t get that right, the patient dies. But the advances are coming fast and furious. Labs in China and the U.S. have printed miniature, fully functional livers and kidneys (they’re great for research, but we’re still pretty far from human trials). It’s all about when, not if.