Space for Species

Adult incontinence, according to statistics, affects over 25 million Americans today. Worldwide that number more than doubles. Whether it’s caused by stress, muscle weakness, medication use or related to age, adult incontinence is a symptom that can be treated and managed. For those suffering from this condition, adult incontinence products are a great solution to help those lead normal lives. However, with so many people using such products as pads, liners, adult diapers and pull-ups to manage their incontinence, improper disposal of such items can be detrimental to our landfills and in large our environment.

In today’s eco-friendly world, major manufacturers of incontinence products are now using materials that are biodegradable. Landfills will benefit from this decision only if the proper measures are taken by consumers of these products.

Let’s look at the math. As statistics suggest, 25 million Americans have some type of incontinence. Each person more than likely uses 3 or 4, at minimum, incontinence products daily. Products could be a couple of briefs and a bed incontinence pad. So, that is anywhere from 75-100 millions products being used a day. And once they are used, or soiled, they have to be disposed of. Where do they go? The landfills. And if they products aren’t biodegradable, the piles just add up and up daily. Luckily, the manufacturers have decided to take a “green” approach to their products. However, the burden of protecting our environment has shifted now from the manufacturers to consumers. We are now the problem.

Incontinence products users need to be more responsible when it comes to throwing away their used products. However, it’s not just users but the caregivers of nursing facilities that take care of patients that are incontinent. Having worked in such facilities, I have seen many caregivers flush pads and briefs down the toilet in lieu of tossing it in the trash because they didn’t want to deal with the smell leading to water contamination and more than likely plumbing issues. For those incontinence sufferers who travel a lot on business or vacation, soiled products are simply tossed into a plastic bag you may get from the grocery store and then put in the dumpster. Plastic bags aren’t degradable!

What’s the Solution?

It’s not enough for just the material the incontinence products are made of to be biodegradable, but the trash bags they are disposed in need to be as well. Using plastic bags are convenient when you are traveling but defeat the purpose of saving the environment. So what’s the solution?

Purchase disposable bags that are made for the specific use of throwing out soiled incontinence products properly. Adult incontinence disposable bags (which of course can be used for baby diapers and feminine products) are not only biodegradable, but are also made to solve the odor issue. When a caregiver was asked, “why did you throw that brief down the toilet?” her answer was because of the smell. Disposable bags, from companies such as Golden Group International, not only breakdown after a year or two at the landfill but also have drawstrings that lock in the odor. Making it okay to leave them in the trash for awhile. Travel packs are also available so they can be easily packed to take on trips.

The manufacturers of the best adult diapers brands have done their part. We just need to do ours in order to save our landfills and more importantly, our planet.

Africa is an amazing continent of stark contrasts, a 12 million square mile area of astounding beauty and wonder with some truly exquisite sites to behold, such as Mount Kilimanjaro and Victoria Falls.

The magnificent wildlife that can be found throughout Africa still entices hundreds of thousands of visitors every year from around the world, who are keen to catch a glimpse of some of the rarest and most beautiful animals on the planet.

On the other hand it is a continent of great deprivation and poverty, one where the quality of healthcare leaves a lot to be desired.

A huge area of concern is the high level of maternal mortality rates that still exist throughout much of Africa.

Africa’s Health

According to the World Health Organisation , the maternal mortality rate is 49 per 10,000 live births, equivalent to 4.9% – or 4 times the rates of maternal mortality in the United States and Europe.

African nations account for 19 of the top 20 countries in the world with the highest maternal mortality rates which is a very worrying figure and something of a statement on the current affairs of African healthcare.

As you can see from the graphic, maternal mortality rates in Africa are a huge issue and in comparison to the rest of the world seem to be an abnormality.

It is painful to see that in this day and age that the second largest continent in the world still has access to such primitive and unreliable healthcare solutions.

There are a number of factors that influence the availability of healthcare and inhibit access, such as the remote locations that some Africans live in, the poor living conditions and properties as well as regional conflicts and the many other troubles that face a lot of countries in the developing world.

The creation of health centers in many locations as well as enabling access to improved drugs and medication has combated a lot of the health issues associated with much of the continent, but despite this and despite the downward trend in maternal mortality rates, the figures are still abnormally high and continue to cause concern.

Unfortunately I am afraid that many people are still unaware, despite the constant advertisements and calls to arms from some of many charities aiming their efforts towards Africa, of the high rates and maternal deaths throughout Africa.

It does pose the question however of ‘where is the money going’ ?

Western governments have been donating millions of dollars over the last few decades with much of it being misspent and allocated incorrectly.

That all being said and despite all of the negativity, there is some promise and it seems that there may be a light at the end of the tunnel given the seemingly downward trend indicated by the image of above.

With increased awareness it may be possible to overcome the problem and many international businesses have already pledged money to the plight, companies such as The Big Lottery Fund and property development companies keen to invest in countries such as Sierra-Leone.

So it’s been a few months since the new year and I’m happy to say that I’ve been able to stay on track when it comes to my health and exercise regime. One of my goals this year, no doubt many others as well, is to eat a little healthier and to get in some exercise. My February report: I’ve stayed on course!

For my exercise routine, I’ve been mixing in some weight lifting, high intensity cardio and some low intensity cardio like walking and bike riding. I’m actually getting really great results from following a program called Visual Impact Muscle Building, click here for details, but there’s still nothing quite like being able to get out into the fresh air (although sometimes a bit cold) to get my exercise! My favorite trail is up in the mountains but there have been many times when I have to take some paths here in town. But guess what – I’ve noticed that there is a lot of trash, water bottles and cigarettes all along many of the walkways and even bike paths … which is one of the reasons I’m so fond of the Keep America Beautiful organization.

What bums me out is that many people probably feel like they’re taking care of themselves and that if they sacrifice the earth a little, well that’s just the way it is. Not true! Throwing water bottles on the side of the road doesn’t do yourself or the earth any good. For one, we all live on the earth and so will our children and their children. So taking care of ourselves at the expense of mother nature simply doesn’t make sense.

Instead of consuming water through a chemical-filled, plastic water, why not go green?

“Just say no to one-time use plastic water bottles. It’s time to commit to using refillable water bottles for workouts and everyday hydration. Using a refillable bottle means less waste in landfills and more money in your wallet.” – Earth Share

What I’ve found is that I don’t miss those plastic water bottles at all. In fact, one of my favorite water bottles is an old pickle jar. No, my water doesn’t taste like pickles … anymore it did for the first two or three times but after using and washing it all the pickle taste has gone away and the water is clean and good. Plus, no wasted plastic or chemicals going into my bottle while I’m working out. If you ask me, it just makes sense!

So next time someone tells you that they’re going to get healthy, follow an exercise program, or whatever else and they have a water bottle next to them, you’ll probably think of me and my pickle jar. Just remember though, leaving a small footprint is healthy for the earth and the earth is going to be our children’s home in the not-so-distant future. So why not take it’s health into account when considering your own.

There’s really no reason we can’t leave a small footprint and still do everything we need to do.

What you do today might affect tomorrow, but could affect on your future. We only have 1 Earth, so why not do our part (big or small) to preserve it.

It is good to see how much of popularity going green and caring for the Earth has become over the last few years, but could we do a little more?

Recently my neighborhood dropped off recycle cans to every house in the subdivision, which is a great step in the right direction! Having a special trash can for recycled items makes it very easy and they city comes by once a week to collect all the recycle items throughout the neighborhood.

There are multiple benefits from this service: we are able to recycle easily, more people will get involved in recycling, adds value to our community and we do not have to hassle with hauling it off.

Being a trashcan, there is only so much you can fit in there. So what do you do about larger recycling items? Such as appliance, old bed frames, or old car parts? There is no way it will fit in the trash can right?

No it won’t fit in the can, but you don’t want to put there any ways! Why? Because it is scrap metal and you can make money off it!

Did you know that there are many different types of metals that you can recycle which helps the environment, but also helps the your bottom line.

You can scrap iron, aluminum, copper, brass, and many more. One thing you should is that each metal has a different price it that it brings. Price is calculated per pound, for example according to MetalPriceLine.com, aluminum is $ 0.78 a pound. If you had a few trash bags of old coke cans weighing 10 pounds, you could bring in $ 7.80!

How do you go about finding a local scrap yard? You can Google “Your City Scrap Metal” and find one in your area. For a few bags of aluminum cans or a few old rolls of copper wire, they are not going to come all it off and pay you. You will need to deliver it to get paid.

All you have to do is get you a good load of scrap metal and make your trip and collect cash!

To make extra money and help maintain your neighborhood, you could check with your neighbors or even put out flyers in your area offering to come and pick up their “junk” and haul to the scrap yard. This is a win – win for both parties. Most people do not want to hassle with loading and hauling the scrap metal off or do not realize the potential value in it.

How much money can you make doing this? That is up to you! It depends how much scrap you have and how hard you hustle to find more. It is possible to make millions dollars off of it! This exactly how 1-800-Got-Junk got started.

What are you waiting for? To a cleaner Earth and fatter bank account!

You all probably know that I like to stay green. However, I don’t have a very elevated idea of “greenness.” I don’t think of it as some lofty idea that happens mostly on a global or cultural scale (although it certainly does happen on those scales; I just can’t do much about that aside from voting). My family and I think about greenness on the every-day scale – the little tiny things we do every day that help us help the planet.

And this is important! Why? First, it helps to teach kids that they have agency – they can make a real difference. It’s very difficult for most kids to understand the politics that go into our generational struggles to reverse the harmful effects of climate change. But it’s very easy for them to see that turning off a light saves energy for everyone, including the earth.

Second, it contributes on an individual level. And this is important because change has to start somewhere. If we really want to make a dent in global climate change, we have to act how we’d like everyone in the world to act. So, I do all these little things that put tiny pieces of energy back into the grid – increasing my personal sustainability and reducing my carbon footprint – because if every single person on earth adopted the same habits, we’d be in much, much better shape.

Long story short, I think it’s very important to stay green in small ways, and personally, I really enjoy sharing that journey with my family. So, I wanted to share some of that stuff with you as well. Here are just a few simple things my family and I do to stay green.

• Recycle. Duh, right? Recycling never gets old. It never goes out of style because it’s one of the best things any person can do to help save the planet. And we do it with everything we can. We have a recycling bin and a garbage bin, and we try to fill up the recycling bin first. We donate all our clothes instead of throwing them away, and try to buy as many biodegradable things as we can.
• Have no-gadget time. A few years ago, I bought my whole family good, high-quality watches. I didn’t go nuts or anything; I stayed under a hundred bucks (we havea big family, after all). And let me tell you, it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! Especially my kids’ watches, which they love to tinker with. In addition to being able to have random, fun time-based family games (Who can get dressed first?!), we all have our watches set to a certain time; and when that alarm goes off each day, we turn off all the gadgets – TV, iPads, etc. – and spend some time together totally unconnected. Sometimes we play a board game; sometimes we go outside; sometimes we just talk. This one is highly recommended.
• Take outdoor vacations. This one is pretty self-explanatory. Instead of taking a trip to Disney World, opt for camping or a similar outdoor activity instead. In addition to helping your kids form a relationship with the earth, you’ll be consuming much, much less energy.

What did we miss? Do your family have any tips for staying green?

When it comes to losing weight we all know that two things need to happen. We need to eat fewer calories than we burn and we need to do this for a long enough time to see the results. In fact, it is essential to burn as much of calories as we can to make the most impact.

Focus on Calories Burned for Weight Loss

The only way to lose a pound of unwanted body fat is to create a calorie deficit of 3,500 calories. Basically, this means that your body needs to burn off at least 3,500 calories more than you eat.

The best way to do this? Diet!

But are there reasons to be worried about the earth and the footprint we leave on it while do so? I believe so! My thoughts are that we should try to eat as natural and as organically as possible. This cuts back on the amount of chemicals being used and it’s actually more healthy for us.

After your diet is dialed in then it’s time to focus on exercise. But again, diet really is the most important factor. So you may want to limit going out to eat as that can make organic eating next-to-impossible.

“The problem is that this can absolutely ruin a diet. John gives 10 simple and effective tips to implement when you go out to eat that make it perfectly acceptable.” – http://extremelysimplefatloss.org

Okay, so assuming your diet is dialed in, then it’s time to move onto exercising.

There are many options out there. You can consider taking a 30 minute walk each day. This will equal approximately 120 calories burned for each individual walk. This means that over the course of 30 days, you will have burned off an additional 3600 calories.

You can escalate your fat loss results by walking more every day, or increasing the intensity by walking on an incline, or at a faster rate of speed. In addition, you can also incorporate eating less food every day.

On average, the typical body requires between 1800 and 2200 calories just to get up, move around, breathe, eat, digest food and sleep at night. By eliminating 500 calories every day, you can lose an additional pound every week, or 7◊500 calories equals 3500 calories, or a single pound of unwanted fat.

Lift Weights

An easy way to create a serious dent in the best weight loss exercise workout regimen is to lift weights through strength training exercises. Strength training combines free weights and weight machines to build long-lasting muscle strength and increase muscle mass.

Increase muscle density requires more energy, even while the body is at rest.

“The bodies of people who are larger or have more muscle burn more calories, even at rest.” – http://www.mayoclinic.org/metabolism/art-20046508

Add in Some Cardio

When determining the best weight loss exercise, you need to consider performing cardio to lose weight. This is because cardio exercises creates an environment where you work inside your ìtarget zoneî, where your body burns significantly more stored fat than any other work out. The number of beats of your heart per minute and your age determines the zone. When working out inside the zone, the body is racing to release stored fats to convert into energy, to meet the demands you need to perform the exercise.

Typical cardio exercise routines can include working on a treadmill, elliptical machine, bicycle, or stair stepper. It can also be accomplished by jogging or running.

Either way, it’s best to workout for about 45 minutes per session. This will help maximize your weight loss efficiency, especially when blended with strength training.

Overall, yes – there are some things that are better for the earth and for us than others when it comes to losing weight. Always eat organic when possible and get in as much exercise as you can.

In today’s American society, there is a very alarming rate of growing obesity in children. We allow them to eat extremely unhealthy while allowing them to play video games, watch television and many other types of extremely lazy and unrewarding behaviors on a daily basis. Now more than ever it’s becoming extremely important to have them all unplug, gear up and find a way to spend some time each day outdoors playing some type of activity to make sure they can live longer, happier and more well-adjusted daily lives.

Our children are not the only culprits of living a relatively easy and non-physical lifestyle. All of us as parents have also become more accustomed to watching long hours of television, movies and other activities that are unhealthy. Just like with our children, now more than ever, there are many ways we can stay fit. We have outdoor activities, physical exercise and weightlifting, and we even have certain fitness products that will aid us in muscle growth.
Below is a breakdown of the top 5 activities you can do as a family to stay in shape:

1. Play a sport: Pick up a sport as a family. Take the children down to the park and get them engaged and running around in soccer or basketball. Even take a set of golf clubs down and teach them all how to putt or chip. There are many sports you can play that will give you and your kids daily activity so you remain healthy.

2. Take them Hiking: Take a trip to the great outdoors. Kids not only usually love camping, but they will respond very well to the outdoor activity. They will not only get a great cardiovascular workout, but they will get strength gains as well as enjoying some time out in the sun if you take them hiking outdoors together as a family. Taking your kids on an outdoor excursion is also a great way for you to get in shape too. When you pack your lunches, there are even nutrition products and other supplements (like the examples here) that you can take with you to make it easier for you to prepare for a longer hike.

3. Ride a Bike: Bicycle riding is a great way to exercise your entire body and your heart. Your legs and core will get extremely toned while you burn fat due to the extra cardio push that it will give you to drop those pesky pounds. Your kids will also learn to ride a bike early on and it will be one less skill you have to teach them down the road.

4. Go Swimming: Swimming is probably some of the best cardiovascular exercise you can actually do. It will make your heart strong, build and tone your core along with really toning your entire body during the process. You will get well developed muscles and your kids may even get good enough to join a swim team giving them a great tool or resource to improve their overall fitness levels.

5. Go for a Walk: This is extremely simple, but even just going for a 20 minute walk per day can get your kids into the habit of walking on a consistent basis. This will help them get where they need to be fitness wise and will improve their overall health. Plus it gets the entire family outside and enjoying nature.

Hopefully you can take some of these activities to heart and get your family engaged in outdoor fitness activities before it’s too late. Fitness is an integral part of everyday life and if your family can actively engage in these activities daily, it will lead to a healthier life and strong bonds between you and your kids.