Going green these days has almost become a cliché. But it is a trend worth paying attention to since it moves us toward helping our planet, and ourselves, get healthy again. Just like the planet, our bodies require some help to be its healthiest. Going green takes adjustment so why not get the whole family involved? Going green together will create ways to bond and gives each member extra support in their efforts.
One way the whole family can practice greener methods while also vastly improving health, is committing to using alternative transportation when possible. If you live close enough, have the kids ride their bikes or walk to school. Accompany them if your schedule allows and you'll get some exercise and family bonding time in before you've fully digested your breakfast. On weekends, you can promote activities that don't require driving anywhere. Ride bikes to a local movie theater, walk to a nearby park for a picnic or take the bus to a museum together.
If you have the capacity and time, start a family garden in your yard. Not only will you be producing healthier, cleaner produce for the family to eat, the whole family will learn valuable lessons aside from gardening. You'll get to spend time together maintaining the garden. To make your garden as healthy as possible, start with composting your leftover, appropriate food material. You'll cut down on your trash by as much as 30% and could help save water and save money on watering bills if you use your composted soil in your garden. It maintains moisture better and infuses all its vitamins and minerals directly into what you're growing. You'll be amazed at the differences you notice when eating foods rich in nutrients. The planet can never have enough gardens and humans can never have enough vegetables.
If you don't have the room or time to have a vegetable garden, consider adding some house plants for the family to take care of. It's been proven that taking time out of the week to focus on plants improves mental health. House plants purify the air and create more oxygen so even the air you breathe will be healthier with some house plants around.
Or simply start planning weekly meals using only organic and naturally-produced local food. Your health and the planet's health will both benefit if you eat locally and organically. Make it a game with your family to see who can create the best meals with what's available in your area and season.
If your family is healthier than ever using these and other tips, you may find that other needs in your life won't seem as important. You may realize you're paying ridiculous insurance rates to protect a wholly healthy family. You can probably think of a thousand different ways you could spend a portion of the money currently devoted to insurance rates. You can always look into new insurance options. With all the information available online, you can get quotes, find information and see insurance rates. You'll even find that you get a temporary health insurance quote if year-round insurance isn't affordable.
Keeping your family healthy is a top priority so why not get the whole family involved? Once everyone sees the difference in their own bodies, you could start making your house more eco-friendly together. Make a pact to reduce water, electric, and trash waste. You'll feel better all around and so will the planet.
There are many types of diet plans followed by people for particular reason. Those reasons may be weight loss, weight gain, muscle gain, flat belly etc. some of diet plans available are low carbohydrate plan, vegetarian plan, low Gi plan, detox plan, premier plan, flat belly plan. Each plan comes with its own benefits. The premier diet plan can deliver constant energy with fat burning foods. In vegetarian plan, one can get natural recipes along with rich nutrients like proteins, minerals and more. In low carbohydrate diet plan, one can maintain muscle and also balanced carbohydrate content. The low Gi plan relegates the craving towards food items. Mediterranean diet plan is able to reduce the weight in short period of time. All types of meal plans have their own way of improving health and also their own way of functioning.
Even there are many restrictions in the recipes vegan; there are still many food items available to complete the vegan recipes as a healthy diet meal plan. The source for cheap vegetables and fruits is the supermarket. Here, you can find all the types of vegetables and fruits what are you looking for. The major benefit in supermarket is that you have variety of options to choose from. Also you can try new healthy dishes with vegetables that you have not tried yet.
The next place to get fresh fruits and vegetables is the farmer’s market. In this market, you can get all fruits and vegetables directly from the farm. You can also make healthy juices using fruits.
There are various benefits you can get from recipes vegan. The first one is the healthy body. With vegetarian diet meal plan, the risk of disease will be lessened and also you can have a strong and immune body. Fresh fruits and vegetables are rich in nutrients that are must factors for body to be healthy. Some vegetables are rich in fiber content. The main function of fiber is to clean the body toxins. Therefore, fiber rich content is also important for the body. Many people follow vegetarian diet plans because this meal plan reduces the overweight and also lessens the fat content in the body. This is because; the contents in this plan are of less calories and rich in fiber. Also the components of this vegetarian plan have fresh fruits and vegetable which are rich in Omega 3. Omega 3 is very essential for heart.
Along with proper diet and regular exercise, you can easily achieve a slim body. You can do a little research in internet to find the various recipes and food items that can keep your body healthy and free from diseases. You can also read health related magazines which are helpful to find the useful tips to be used in your diet plan. Also there is a major advantage in vegetarian meal plan is that fresh fruits and vegetables are cheaper than the meat. Also fruits and vegetables are fresh and natural. You can also save a lot of money in buying these fruits and vegetables.
Posted on
April 2, 2012 10:21
by
Clay Miller
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Do you want to live a greener life? If so, you're not alone. Millions of people are starting to actively seek ways to minimise their carbon footprint and conserve resources. Living a greener lifestyle helps everyone, from your family right through to the wider world. Individual actions may be small but together they combine to create real impact. So if you're looking for inspiration on living a greener lifestyle, here are some tips.
Recycle
Households throw away millions of tons of rubbish each year, most of which heads straight to landfills. Taking the time to separate recyclable materials, such as paper and cans, from everyday household waste will significantly reduce the amount of rubbish you produce.
Composting
Making your own compost is a really easy way to make use of food waste such as vegetable peelings, coffee grounds and eggshells. Compost will help the plants in your garden to thrive and it is completely natural. Unlike commercial fertilizers, compost contains no petroleum-based compounds, so isn’t harmful to the environment.
Grow Your Own
With all that compost for your garden, why not try growing your own food? The process of growing your own fruit and vegetables is not only a great way to reduce your carbon footprint, it’s also incredibly satisfying. There’s nothing better than tucking into a freshly picked salad that you’ve grown yourself! Even a small patio can accommodate grow bags of peppers and courgettes, trailing hanging baskets of cherry tomatoes and window boxes of herbs. You'll vastly cut your carbon footprint, as supermarket freighted foods often clock up thousands of food miles, adding to global warming.
Shop Locally
When you do need to buy food, shop locally at farmer's markets. This supports your local economy and reduces fuel costs and carbon emissions. It also makes food shopping fun. Think about the open-air markets of mainland Europe and you'll get a sense of how enjoyable seasonal food shopping can be. Local markets also use far less packaging than supermarkets, so you'll pay less and produce less waste.
Re-use
Plastic carrier bags are often discarded as soon as we unpack our shopping, but they can take over 100 hundred years to break down. Instead, aim to reuse these carrier bags you already have, or alternatively, invest in a couple of stronger canvas shopping bags, which can accommodate a lot of groceries and won’t break after a few uses.
Volunteering
There are plenty of organisations desperately seeking help and support from volunteers. The number of jobs in the green sector is growing, with alternative energy and wind jobs on offer, as well as roles in education, organic farming and biofuels. Volunteering in the green sector can also line you up for a future career. Being green involves more than simply reducing carbon outputs and becoming more environmentally conscious. It means embracing community and playing an active part in the place that you live. Volunteering can be a powerful way to achieve this.
Water
Reducing your water waste is one of the biggest ways you can live a greener lifestyle and there are so many ways you can do this. Simply boiling just the amount of water you need when making tea or cooking vegetables, rather than filling the whole kettle, can make a huge difference to the amount of water and energy you waste on a daily basis.
Another very simple way of saving water is making sure that the top is off while brushing your teeth. If every household in England and Wales did this every day, it could save enough water to supply nearly half a million homes.
Cleaning
A lot of cleaning products contain toxic chemicals and bleaching agents which, once rinsed away down the plughole, can be extremely harmful to plants and aquatic life. Instead, try using environmentally friendly Ecover products, or even make your own cleaning substances from bicarbonate of soda and lemon.
Home Furniture and Appliances
When you need to replace an appliance, opt for an A-rated model. These are the most energy-efficient appliances as they are designed to use less electricity. Some old appliances, such as fridges, contain CFCs, which are a major contributor to the hole in the ozone layer. When purchasing wooden furniture, such as tables and chairs, look out for items which feature the Forest Stewardship Council logo, which shows that wood has been sourced through sustainable forestry.
There are so many ways to be green and these are just a few. Even the smallest of changes, such as using less water and recycling, can make a big impact in the long run; if we all made these changes, think how much of a difference it would make!
This guest post was written by Francesca, a freelance writer and blogger who enjoys sharing her knowledge about a variety of subjects, from green living and environmental issues, to travel and food. She currently writes on behalf of En-spiral.
As many of us have become well aware, humans have had a sizable impact on their natural environment. From how we move between places to how we wash our dishes, many of our everyday decisions have an environmental impact of varying sizes. This is especially the case when traveling. While traveling itself is inherently not very eco-friendly, as energy costs increase as one travels further, there are nevertheless several simple practices that can significantly reduce your environmental impact. Interestingly enough, you actually might find that you get more out of your trip through some of these green travel tips.
Take Buses
If you need to travel long distances, forget taking a plane. Such transportation has a major impact on the environment through the high consumption of energy (ie, jet fuel consumption, luggage transportation, etc). Instead, try taking a bus to your destination. Taking a bus uses much less energy than flying, and as a result the environment will be receiving less greenhouse gases and less of an impact. Fortunately for your comfort, many buses are now either equipped with beds or seats that can recline very far back, so even though the trip takes longer than on a plane, you will likely be more comfortable on a bus. Additionally, you can actually see different parts of the world up close through the window of your bus, rather than having to observe it all from miles above.
Eat Locally Grown Food
Locally grown food is not only fresher and oftentimes cheaper than packaged foods, but it has a lower impact on the environment when consumed. Because the distance between the farm and your dinner plate is relatively small with locally grown goods, much less energy is being spent transporting them. If you are traveling in a rather foreign region, eating the local food may even give you a glimpse into the various cultures of that area.
Walk
Thinking about spending money on a taxi? Try spending some time walking through the area instead. If you're looking to get somewhere less than a couple miles away, consider putting on some comfortable shoes and taking a stroll. Replacing motor transportation with walking greatly lessens your environmental impact and also greatly increases your familiarity with the area. Because it takes more time to walk than to drive somewhere, you have more time to take in all of the different senses around you, allowing you to understand and appreciate the area much better. And, if you need to get somewhere that is a little too far to walk, ride a bike! Biking provides similar environmental and personal advantages as walking does, in addition to being a fun form of exercise.
Take Public Transportation
If it's too far or difficult to walk to wherever you need to go, try using whatever sorts of public transportation are available. Whether they are local buses, trains, or shared mini-vans, these modes of transportation cut down on energy costs for each rider, in turn reducing one's environmental impact. From a tourist perspective, using public transportation has another significant benefit. Similar to walking, navigating an area's public transportation lines allows one to understand the area at a deeper level. Plus, you might be able to impress locals with your ability to navigate their hometown!
Pack Lightly
If you had to carry 15 kilogram weights in your hands all day, you would be using more energy to carry those than if you didn't have to carry them at all. The same logic applies to luggage. Everything you pack when preparing for a trip will need to be carried to wherever you go. The lighter your luggage, the less energy is required for you to carry it. When you put your luggage in a plane, bus, car, or any other transportation vehicle, you are making that vehicle use more energy to carry the weight. So, lose some of the weight, and you'll lose some of that environmental impact! Think about what you are packing when you prepare for a trip. Do you need that extra pair of shoes? What about that sweatshirt?
Take Short Showers
Taking long, hot showers can be very tempting, especially to a tired traveler. However, resist that temptation by taking shorter showers, and you will be saving a great deal of water, reducing your environmental impact. Water is increasingly becoming a scarce natural resource throughout the world, and cutting down your water usage in any way can help provide water for someone who may need it more. Time your showers. See how long you take, and then try to cut that time down by a minute. Reducing your shower time by one minute reduces your water consumption by nearly 1000 gallons per year. Keeping your shower time under five minutes is ideal. A particularly good way to save water is to turn the shower off while you lather up and to turn it back on once you are ready to rinse. This is a particularly popular eco-friendly practice.
Stay in an Eco-Hotel
Hotels and other accommodation options that have adopted certain environmentally friendly characteristics in order to reduce their impact on the environment have become an increasingly popular trend among travelers these days. If you choose to stay in an eco-hotel, you will likely encounter various “green” luxuries like 100% organic cotton sheets, towels, and mattresses, renewable energy sources (like solar power), recycling bins, energy-efficient lighting, organic and local-grown food, gray water recycling, and a number of other environmentally friendly practices. Hotels can be major culprits when it comes to wastefulness, so eco-hotels are taking a commendable step in reducing their negative impact on the environment.
Next time you take a trip, think about these seven quick and simple green travel tips to help reduce your environmental impact. Though it is ideal, of course, you don't have to employ all of these practices. Even doing a few of them will have a positive impact on not only the environment but also your traveling experience!
This blog post is by Rick Kirk, travel expert and environmental enthusiast. Rick is the owner of Chester hotels, a guide to hotels and travel for the lovely city of Chester, England.
There are 2 major trends happening in the world right now – firstly, people want to save money, since this whole recession thingy has made everyone a bit short – and secondly, people want to start caring about the environment, though often only if it’s no hassle.
So this post will help you to do both, you can do your bit for nature and keep a little bit more cash in your pocket all in one fell swoop. Cool huh?
Shop Local / Eat Local
You ever noticed how most foods are available to purchase all year round, regardless of season? Well, next time you go to buy a punnet of strawberries in the middle of winter, think about where they have come from.
Eating locally produced food means eating what is in season, many would argue that this is healthier; it is certainly more natural, it reduces carbon miles and you may well find that your food is better and cheaper.
Grow Your Own
This is the logical progression from eating locally grown food – you can’t get much more local than a planter outside your back door. You can grow food practically for free, sure it takes time, but it’s fun to do and the quality will make it all worthwhile.
You can grow seasonal veg and even freeze it to make it last all year. Save some seeds for next year too.
Own Less Stuff
If you look around your home you will no doubt find a whole load of stuff that you don’t need and probably never really did. Learning to stop buying this stuff will do your wallet a great service and also reduce the demand for materials as well as saving the eventual landfill space.
If you only buy stuff you really do want or need you can afford to spend more on it, which means you get nicer stuff and your home is less cluttered.
Save Your Energy
Heating and electricity bills are probably one of your bigger monthly expenses right now, so wouldn’t it be nice to save some cash? There is so much that you can do to save energy; turn lights off, don’t leave stuff on standby, wash clothes at night etc...
All of these things make small differences which can really add up.
Renewable Fuels Rule
There are all sorts of ways to make electricity and lots of ways to heat a house too – some are green, some not so much. Depending on where you live, you can probably switch to green energy without costing you any more than you are already spending.
Consider getting a wood burning stove or fireplace that you can burn wood on – if you happen to live near some woods you can probably find enough fallen wood that you will rarely have to buy any – this can save you a ton on your heating.
If you shop around you can also find an electricity supplier who uses green energy sources; this is unlikely to save you money, but it needn’t cost you and it’ll make you feel warm inside too.
Doing Your Bit
So as you can see, sometimes being green is win-win – for your wallet and Mother Nature. It doesn’t have to be a chore; it can actually be a lot of fun.
