When you really think of it, green living is something that can have a huge impact depending on the situation.
A new business you likely have never heard of unless you are really interested in green living is Harvest Power. The company is an organic waste management business that gathers green waste, scraps of food, leftover wood, and other organic waste products, transforming them into syn gas or bio gas. Transforming into natural gas, heat and electricity are all possibilities. It is to be hoped that Harvest Power signals the growth of a new corporate sector, targeting the production of renewable energy, with compost as a byproduct. It can only benefit the planet if some more companies like this start to efficiently utilize organic waste as a valuable resource. (more…)
Summer has unofficially started — and it’s a season where increased outdoor activities can be the source of cuts, bruises, scrapes, dehydration and sunburn.
Cuts and scrapes: Clean wound with cold water and mild soap. Apply crushed yarrow leaves or flowers to the injury to stop bleeding. An ice pack can help bring down swelling and reduce pain.
Bruises: Arnica Montana taken both as homeopathic sublingual pellets and applied externally to the bruise, will reduce swelling and assist with rapid resolution of “black-and-blue” discoloration.
Insect bites: Apply a compress with two to three teaspoons of dried, crushed flower buds of Calendula officinalis (a.k.a. marigold) steeped in hot water, to reduce inflammation and itching. Alternatively, a small amount of tea tree oil can be used for its antiseptic properties, or lavender oil to reduce itching at the site.
Poison ivy or poison oak: Prevention is key! If you knowingly come into contact with these plants, take these steps within 10 minutes of exposure:
- Use rubbing alcohol to remove urushiol, the chemical in the sap that is the causes of the rash.
- Thoroughly rinse the area with water.
- Follow by washing with soap and water.
To relieve the rash and itch if more than 10 minutes have passed:
- Combine one teaspoon of tea tree oil with 6 teaspoons almond oil in a small bowl. Moisten a cotton ball and apply to the affected area.
- Sweet fern tea: Steep leaves in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes, cool, and apply to the affected area with cotton balls.
Heat exhaustion and heat stroke: Heat exhaustion occurs when a person loses excessive body fluids through sweating, resulting in dehydration and causing the body to overheat. Heat stroke is a life-threatening medical condition that results when heat exhaustion is left untreated and the body loses its ability to cool down.
Never underestimate the power of a hot summer day to induce dehydration and heat exhaustion. If you are on blood pressure medication, drink coffee, or other caffeinated beverages regularly or are elderly your risk of becoming dehydrated on a hot day is dramatically increased. The best medicine is prevention.
Sunburn: Sunburn increases your risk for developing skin cancer and prevention is key. Use waterproof sun block to protect your skin. Summer is the time to stock up on vitamin D stores and follow my safe sun-exposure tips before applying sunscreen.
Visit the Environmental Working Group’s 2011 Sunscreen Report for tips on safe and appropriate sunscreen.
If you do get sunburned, combine the following ingredients for an all-natural spray to help soothe and cool the skin. Ice packs or cool towels are also helpful for more severe cases.
Holistic sunburn spray
4 – 6 ounces (100 percent) aloe vera liquid extract
20 drops lavender essential oil
20 drops tea tree essential oil
20 drops peppermint essential oil
Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle and shake to mix well. Spray sunburned skin several times a day. For an extra cooling effect, keep spray in the refrigerator.
Simple summer tips:
- Drink plenty of water; you need more water in the summer, so aim for two liters a day and more if you exercise outdoors.
- Replenish electrolytes naturally with coconut water.
- Avoid outdoor exercise during peak-heat hours, usually between noon and 3 p.m.
- Cool down in the shade after physical activity.
- Keep extra water on hand.
- Add water breaks to outdoor play for children.
Good Morning America: Natural Remedies for Summer Injuries with Dr. Pedre
Vincent Pedre, M.D. is an Integrative, Holistic General Practitioner and Board-Certified Internist in private practice in New York City. Follow Dr. Pedre on Facebook.
More from ecomii:
In spite of all the information and all the prescriptions offered by modern diets, American people just keep getting fatter. In my mind, this suggests that our knowledge about metabolism is missing something — perhaps some of the old wisdom that kept hundreds of generations of people slender and strong. Of course, having access to modern scientific knowledge is enormously helpful too. The key lies in integrating these two bodies of wisdom, and then applying them to get a better understanding of our entire physiological landscape.
Diet and Nutrition
Food supplies us with nutrients that are critical — for healthy metabolism, and for health in general. Vitamins, minerals, essential amino acids, essential fatty acids and probiotics are all essential nutrients, many of which cannot be produced by the body and must therefore be ingested from an outside source. Missing even one essential nutrient from your diet could have a devastating effect on your metabolism and overall health, so it’s important to understand how they work.
Minerals
Minerals (such as calcium, magnesium, copper and zinc) are critical for all tissue structures, including bones, skin and hair. They also play vital roles as electrolytes, which regulate the body’s electrical charge. That electrical charge is necessary for all cellular metabolic functions, but especially for the assimilation of nutrients and the elimination of toxins.
Proper mineral balance helps moderate our body’s sodium levels, preventing water-retention, inflammations and bloating. It also maintains our body’s proper acid/alkaline balance (overacidity leads to sluggish metabolism and makes the body more vulnerable to infection and disease). Minerals even help protect the body from radioactive toxins.
Because mineral deficiencies are related to serious metabolic problems (with symptoms such as indigestion, headaches, nervousness, depression, exhaustion and impotence), it is wise to eat plenty of mineral-rich foods, including fruits and vegetables grown in mineral-rich soil, as well as seafood and especially sea vegetables.
Ford Motor Company is going to increase the number of electrified vehicles it builds to more than 100,000 units annually in 2013; three times the current level of production.
Ford will be producing five different EVs in 2013, including the Transit Connect Electric van, the Focus Electric, which begins reaching customers later this year, plus the two new C-MAX vehicles (C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid), and a fifth, as-yet unnamed hybrid.
While this is still only a small part of Ford’s total production (Ford produced 1.9 million vehicles in 2010), it is becoming more than a fraction of a percent of the company’s effort. If Ford built the same number of vehicles overall in 2013, it would mean that more than 5% of its production would be electrified vehicles.
By Steve Graham, Hometalk.com
Do you really need a pantry full of cleaning chemicals? Or can ice, boiling water, baking soda, and vinegar clean most everything?
We put a few temperature-based house cleaning methods to the test, and found most of them work. Some of these cleaning solutions are widespread urban legends.
Others are from an exhaustive list of alternative cleaning methods provided by the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County, Illinois. The agency acknowledges it simply compiled the list without testing any of the methods.
That’s where we come in. Here is our verdict on eight boiling and freezing cleaners, with four extra tips thrown in for good measure.
1. Boil away microwave splatter
Verdict: Success
To clean off microwave grime, we tried boiling four tablespoons of lemon juice in a cup of water for about five minutes. We used a wide bowl to allow lots of steam to condense on the microwave. After carefully taking out the bowl, we easily wiped out splattered stains that typically require some elbow grease, a scrubbing sponge, and all-purpose cleaner.
On a related note, we recommend sterilizing wet kitchen sponges regularly in the microwave. We don’t have the scientific equipment to verify the findings, but researchers at the University of Florida found that two minutes in the microwave can kill most bacteria and viruses on sponges. However, for safety, be sure the sponge is very wet and contains no metal. Also, take care when removing the hot sponge after sterilizing.
Becoming a member of a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) is an increasingly popular way to buy local, seasonal produce directly from a farmer. With a CSA, you buy “shares” from a farmer who you pay for up front to cover the anticipated costs of the farm operation. In return, you get a box of fresh vegetables that is usually delivered each week.
Depending on the area you live in, and where the farm is, i.e., urban vs. rural, you can either pick up the box at the farm, or the farm has pick-ups or deliveries from a central location or locations on specific days and times.
While CSAs are a great way to support your local farmer and get involved in a community farm, CSAs are not for everyone. Here are some things to think about and some questions to ask yourself before you join one.
How many fruits and vegetables do you really eat each day? Each week? While you may want to eat more and are working towards that goal, ask yourself honestly, “How much do I actually eat?” Is it worth the added expense to join if you are not going to eat all that you get?
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