Green Living

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Conserve Energy: Why and How?

April 19, 2010 in Green Living by donna | No comments

When I speak to people about energy conservation I often get one of three responses:

1. Is it really an issue? Why should we conserve energy, I don’t think global warming is an issue.
2. I know I should be doing more but I’m not sure what to do or where we should put our efforts next.
3. We practice energy conservation techniques and would love to connect with you about what you do, we could always learn more.

So to start with, whether or not you believe in global warming, everyone knows that there is a finite amount of fossil fuels that the earth has to work with. The faster we use them up, the harder we make it on the people who come behind us. Imagine for a moment that you are at a large wedding reception. The food is being served buffet style and there are these huge containers of all kinds of food. There is enough food for the 500 guests present.

Now imagine that the people in line take way more than they are going to eat and as they are going through the line they randomly throw large spoonfuls of food on the floor or on neighboring tables. By the time the 400th guest is going through the line the pickings are pretty slim and there is a huge mess to be cleaned up. That is one way to look at wasting our natural resources.

“How” to conserve energy gets more challenging as there are so many considerations around budget, return on investment, daily living comfort, inspiring other members of your household to buy-in, and making daily conscious choices. Today, more than ever, there are simple and inexpensive things you can do that will make a big difference on your bottom line. The greatest challenge is that many people don’t track their bottom line so they have no idea how much energy they are currently using. Aren’t you glad the utilities do? Here are a couple simple steps to implement:

1. Know where your starting place for the various seasons of the year has been in the past (not for cost of your bill but actual uses of individual units of energy).
2. Meet as a household unit and determine what people would be willing to support trying to see if it makes a difference. Encourage everyone to do at least one thing and it doesn’t need to be the same thing for everyone. (See some suggestions below).
3. Attend an energy conservation training or look on-line for energy conservation techniques. You may want to do this before your household meeting. Try to involve as many members of your household as you can.
4. Track your results and celebrate the difference you have made.
5. Repeat steps to add another way to conserve energy.
Possibilities for energy conservation:
• Turn down the thermostat (or for A/C, turn it up).
• Turn down the thermostat on the hot water tank.
• Insulate the hot water lines.
• Take four minute showers (or turn off the water in between getting wet/soaping/and rinsing).
• Install a low-flow shower head.
• Unplug electronics when not in use, especially charging stations and laptops.
• Increase recycling efforts (recycling typically takes less energy than creating that product from raw materials).
• Invest in alternative lightbulbs. I am excited about LEDs becoming more popular and seeing their cost come down in the future.
• Shop at your local farmer’s market.

There are so many more possibilities to look into. One resource that is in my backyard is a storefront called “Energy Outlet” in Ypsilanti’s Depot Town on Cross St. They are open most days 11-6 and have a variety of energy conservation devices as well as offering lots of inexpensive classes. Their website is: http://www.cec-mi.org/ and they have all kinds of information on classes, tax incentives, and other programs.

Together we can all make a difference. Thank you for doing your part to make sure that there is enough for future generations. By the way, if anyone is looking for holiday gift ideas for me…the Energy Outlet has a very cool solar computer bag that you can recharge your laptop with the bag that would be a lovely gift

Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who enjoys sharing her journey and lessons learned to make the world a better place. One of her reasons for choosing Shaklee as her company is the green-ness of Shaklee’s corporate mission and values. You can choose to support companies that are truly green and vote with your dollars. Find out more about Shaklee at: www.DonnaCopeland.MyShaklee.com

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Tags: Green Living, home energy conservation

Helping Kids Enjoy Nature

March 19, 2010 in Green Living by donna | No comments

I had the privilege this past fall of volunteering for a fundraiser at the same camp that I attended as a camper, with my Camp Fire group, and with my family at weekend “Mix-N-Fix” weekends. The camp is located in Holly, Michigan and is called “Camp Wathana” (the middle “A” is a long “A” pronunciation) which means “Beautiful Place.”

It was a rather rainy, drizzly day and I said that I would help out with old-fashioned games and relay races. We set up for the old-fashioned games by having an assortment of activities available on the lawn in front of one of the cabins. The kids and adults would come by and try one, or in most cases, all of the activities. I didn’t hear a single child say, “I’m bored” or “Where is the T.V.?” The kids didn’t complain about the rain or the mud. They jumped in and tried new things. Here are a few of our activities:
• Hoops: This game dates back to the 1800’s and is played with a large hoop (ours were wood), about three feet across, and a short stick or dowel (about six to eight inches long). You run alongside the hoop while keeping the hoop moving with the dowel on the top of the hoop.
• Graces: This game also dates back to the 1800’s and was a favorite of the participants. Normally played with two people, each person has two dowels which are pointed at the end (18-24 inches long). There is a small hoop, about six inches across that has ribbons wrapped on it. One person starts with the hoop encircling both of their dowels and the dowels crossed in an “X”, pointing the ends of the dowels toward the other person. That person opens the “X” like scissors and thrusts the hoop across to the other person who attempts to catch it with both of the dowels then return it as quickly as possible. When you get good, you can add a second small hoop so each person throws at the same time.
• Stilts: There was a pair of “starter stilts” that were about four inches off the ground and had a nice wide base to walk on. For those who conquered the easier stilts they could graduate to the stilts that were about eight inches off the ground and had about a two inch square post to walk on.
• Pick Up Sticks: While you don’t normally think of Pick Up Sticks as an outdoors game, it really went well when we played it on a brand new garbage bag so we could kneel on the ground without getting wet. Most of these kids had never played Pick Up Sticks but they really enjoyed the challenge.

One key to the kids having such good spirits was the encouragement and good spirits of the adults. If the adults hadn’t been willing to get out there and be active, take photos, and participate as well, the kids would not have had as great of a time. We all would do well to remember how contagious our attitudes are.

Another key to having the kids participate was the cards they were given upon check in. The cards had a list of the activities available and as the children participated, the adult at the activity would use a hole punch to denote that they had tried the event. At the end of the day the kids turned in their punch cards and were awarded a ribbon according to how many activities they tried throughout the day. That extra reward gave some kids the push to try something new so they could get another hole punched on their card.

At the relay races we had to deal with slightly damp earth so we modified some of our plans. We also did a tug-o-war which the kids really got into and I found the toughest time balancing the teams so they were equal in strength. They did a three-legged race, a sack race, and a balancing race (they had a rubber ducky they needed to keep balanced on a serving spoon while they went up and down the course). All in all it was a great time.

Consider the next time you are with kids and you all could have some free time, encouraging everyone to go outside for a game of catch or do some impromptu relay races. Try taking your kids outside in all kinds of weather, not just on the sunny days. The first step to enjoying and appreciating nature is actually being IN nature.

Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who credits her days at Camp Wathana as her earliest inspiration for her Shaklee business, a company that protects the earth and provides all natural supplementation and green cleaners. You can learn more about the Shaklee products at: www.DonnaCopeland.MyShaklee.com You can learn more about Camp Wathana at www.CampWathana.org

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Hair Coloring Concerns

February 20, 2010 in Green Living by donna | No comments

Raise your hand if you still have your natural hair color. Anyone? Actually I know quite a few women and men who have maintained or are switching back to their natural hair color. I call my little streaks of grey in my hair my “highlights”. I colored my hair once or twice in my early twenties but I didn’t like the maintenance it required to keep the roots from showing and it was money that I would rather spend on other things.
Let me start by giving credit to my source for this information, “Green Goes with Everything” by Sloan Barnett. It is a very educational book on everything from organic food, cosmetics, energy use, and toxins in our homes. She writes in a personable style and backs up her information with research studies.
In 2001 in the International Journal of Cancer there was a research study by the University of Southern California around hair dyes. They found that women who use permanent hair dye monthly for a year or longer are twice as likely to develop bladder cancer as women who are not exposed. For hairstylists and barbers who were exposed to hair dye on the job for just one year they would be 50% more likely to develop bladder cancer and if they worked in the field for ten years, would experience a 500% increase in bladder cancer compared with people not exposed.
A different study done by the Harvard School of Public Health found that women who used hair dye regularly had twice the likelihood of developing ovarian cancer.
The main suspected culprit in most hair dyes is “PPD”, p-phenylendiamine (which may be known by other names as well), which is found in practically all available hair dyes and is suspected to be cancer-causing. There have been other studies that have shown a more questionable link between hair dyes and cancer so I think each person needs to make their own informed decision and perhaps make some modifications in their choices.
You may choose to have your hair colored less often or try out some of the safer alternatives who have drastically or completely reduced PPD, ammonia, and peroxide. Some of the brands that Sloan recommends are:
• Vegetal Colour www.herbavita.co.nz
• Logona www.logona.com or www.bewellstaywell.com
• Light Mountain Natural www.iherb.com
• Naturcolor by Herbaceuticals www.naturcolor.com
However you choose, make it a choice, not a default. And one final tip that is more of a personal thought is that as we age our skin tone changes and as such if we do color our hair we should begin coloring it lighter so we don’t have that unnatural contrast. (That doesn’t mean you need to go blond, just go to a medium brown if you have been a dark brown.)
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who cares about the health of the people and planet. As she learns ways we can all live safer lives she likes to share that information here. She does not receive any compensation from any hair coloring company listed in this blog. She does receive compensation if Shaklee products are purchased through her or her website: www.DonnaCopeland.MyShaklee.com

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Tags: hair coloring dangers, hair dye toxins

Natural Treatment of Headaches and Migraines

January 20, 2010 in Green Living, Healthy Nutrition, Supplements by donna | No comments

One of the most common health concerns that I hear is that someone has a headache. And not just a once-in-a-while headache, but often, these folks have headaches very regularly and they end up doing one of three things: 1) Live with the pain and go about their business as best they can. 2) Medicate themselves to deal with the pain. 3) Become incapacitated by the pain and remove themselves from daily life while the pain subsides.

That is no way to live. If you are ready for another option…read on…

Please remember that I am not a health professional, I am merely sharing what has helped other people and made a huge difference in their lives. I have not personally suffered from migraines or headaches so I cannot speak to the effectiveness of this program. I can tell you that there is a money-back guarantee, so what have you got to lose?

In the interest of full disclosure I am an Independent Shaklee Distributor and if you choose to order products through me or my website I will receive a commission. There is a reason I chose to distribute Shaklee products and that is because of their extreme attention to quality, third party testing, and consistent results.

STEP ONE:

To start with, headaches are often tied to a body that is overrun with toxins. The first step is to detoxify the body by doing the following:

Consume purified water
Take DTX to detoxify the liver
Take Alfalfa to purify the blood
Take HerbLax to cleanse the colon and bladder
Take Optiflora to support the digestive tract and to provide good bacteria to support the detox
Increase fiber consumption (may be able to decrease Herb Lax).

Continue the above program until the body is having two bowel movements per day (no constipation, no diarrhea) and urinating several times per day.

STEP TWO:

The second step is to create a consistent regimen of giving your body what it needs to be strong and healthy. Don’t be surprised if in addition to decreased headaches you also have more energy and other health complaints may decrease as well. Make sure you are eating a healthy diet and continuing with purified water. Take the following:

VitaLea 3x/day
B-Complex 6/day
Herb Lax 2-4/day
Energizing Soy Protein 3 tablespoons daily
Vitamin C (sustained release) 6/day
Calcium/Magnesium 6/day
Alfalfa 12-15/day
OmegaGuard 6/day
GLA (gamma linolenic acid) 6/day
Optiflora 1 each/day

Investigate if there may be a food you are consuming that is causing the headaches including:

Chocolate
Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
Food colorings
Fruits such as bananas, plums, or pineapple
Wheat
Dairy
Alcohol (especially red wine)
Pickled herrings

EMERGENCY RELIEF:

For a migraine that is coming on, have these packets ready to go to take to head it off (take one packet per hour until you experience relief):

2 B-Complex
2 Cal/Mag
2 GLA
4-5 Alfalfa
2 OmegaGuard
Drink 1-8 oz. glass of Performance (Shaklee’s sports nutrition rehydration beverage)

If you are a regular reader then you know that I do not usually push Shaklee products on you. In this case, I need to tell you that if you choose to use other company’s products you will likely not experience the same results. Shaklee products are consistent quality and tested to make sure they actually get absorbed into your bloodstream. Take a chance and give it a try. As I mentioned before there is a money-back guarantee. Wouldn’t it be great to have had your last headache or migraine? Please feel free to contact me at: keithdonnacopeland@sbcglobal.net to get more support. You can place orders at: www.DonnaCopeland.MyShaklee.com I am paid by Shaklee for products purchased through me or my site. Good luck!

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Tags: headache treatment, natural headache prevention

Headaches: What to Check For

January 18, 2010 in Green Living, Healthy Nutrition by donna | No comments

I have had a few times in my life where I have been plagued by regular headaches and I can tell you it is no fun. Thankfully I have been able to identify where the source of my headaches was coming from and fix the problem. For some people, it isn’t that simple; they may have migraines that come on out of the blue with seemingly no triggers or they may experience a dull headache pretty much 24/7.

I thought it may be helpful if I share some of the causes of headaches that I am aware of that you may want to discuss with your health professional to see if any of them may be the cause of your headaches. Please know that this is not a complete list and that I am not a medical professional. Always seek the advise of a health professional to diagnose and treat your particular symptoms.

Now that the disclaimer is out of the way…causes of headaches:

Dehydration: This is likely the number one cause for headaches in the world. Many of us are walking around dehydrated on a daily basis and we don’t even realize it. If the majority of your fluids come from coffee or other caffeinated beverages or carbonated beverages, you are likely dehydrated. If you feel a headache coming on, try to consume a full glass or two of water and wait fifteen minutes to see how you feel before taking any medication.
Blood Sugar: You don’t need to be a diabetic to suffer from fluctuations in blood sugar. A very common response (besides moodiness) is headaches. We can all follow the same advice that diabetics receive which is to consume regular meals and to include good, absorbable sources of protein at each meal; avoid simple sugars and simple carbohydrates; include a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains every day.
Brain Tumors: Not a pleasant consideration and a lot more complex than drinking more water, brain tumors can most definitely cause headaches and anyone who experiences headaches consistently needs to get tumors ruled out as a possibility.
Aneurism: There was a man I worked with back in the mid-90’s and his wife died very abruptly of a brain aneurism. The primary sign was terrible headaches that came on regularly in the days leading up to her death. Sudden, serious headaches are nothing to ignore.
Physical Stress: This is my number one cause of headaches. Sitting in front of the computer too long (while hunching over the cat so he can sit in my lap while I reach for the keyboard) is the most likely reason for me to get a headache. Stretching, massage, regular exercise, and practicing good posture will all help to avoid these headaches. I can identify the cause of mine because the tightness starts in my shoulders and works its way up.
Emotional Stress: We can all relate to the pressure of reaching a deadline or having a family crisis and that resulting in a headache. Meditation, relaxation techniques, and good communication skills coupled with effective boundary-setting are all tools that can help you to deal with and avoid headaches from emotional stress.
Lack of Sleep: Here is a good reason to fit a nap in or get a few extra hours on the weekend. If you suffer from sleeping challenges, there are a variety of suggestions to create an excellent night’s sleep. I will do another blog in the future on creating great sleep.
Eye Strain: Make sure you have adequate lighting for the tasks you are doing. I have also found that consciously thinking about relaxing the muscles around my eyes makes a huge difference when I am focusing on a very visual task. Also, take regular breaks and focus your eyes on a variety of distances to reduce eye strain.
Food or other allergies: I found that when I discovered gluten was an itolerance of mine that my headaches went away when I removed gluten from my diet. For seasonal allergies a tremendous amount of help can come by increasing water consumption and strengthening the immune system.

So there you have it…some of the most common causes of headaches. Do any of them ring true for you? A headache can really take you down a peg or two so if we can avoid them, we will all be better off. Take good care of yourself!

Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who enjoys helping others to live healthier lives naturally. You can visit her website at: www.DonnaCopeland.MyShaklee.com to find out more about the products and business opportunity of Shaklee. Donna is paid a commission by Shaklee for sales done through her organization.

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Tags: headache causes, headache prevention

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Green Living

Conserve Energy: Why and How?

Helping Kids Enjoy Nature

Hair Coloring Concerns

Natural Treatment of Headaches and Migraines

Headaches: What to Check For

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