7 Ways to Live More Eco-Friendly Starting Today

We often talk a lot about going green, but we never actually find the time to make some real changes in our lives.

The truth is we don’t need to make such a big effort in order to see big changes. Often the smallest changes can produce the most valuable results.

We all need to start from somewhere and then improve over time until we’re satisfied with how we’re living our lives and we are happy with how much we are contributing to saving our environment.

A recent study showed that most people don’t realize that they can make a big change in the way they live and impact the environment by implementing a few small changes in their daily routines.

Here are 7 small changes you could make in order to live a more Eco-friendly life, starting today!

1. Recycle and Up-cycle

Believe it or not, there are some things that are even more important than recycling. Sure, it’s important that we recycle everything that is recyclable, but what’s more important is to try and reuse or upcycle the items we already have in our home.

By up-cycling we can create new and beautiful pieces of home and garden furniture and much more, from old, worn out pieces, like old clothes, tyres, pallets, water bottles, boots, suitcases, or basically anything else you have lying around in your home.

So the next time you’re doing some spring cleaning and are planning on throwing away things you no longer use, think about the ways in which you can improve or remodel them so that you can give them new life with a wonderful new twist.

That way you’ll have items that nobody else has, and you’ll be lowering your carbon footprint by not buying new items that you can actually make yourself from items you already own.

2. Borrow, Share and Reuse

Rather than let your house sit empty while you are on vacation bring in some house sitters. They can care for your pets, plants and ensure the house is secured the whole time. Not only that you provide a place for someone to stay rather than renting a hotel room. You can save a lot of money house sitting, so check out the best house sitting websites, sign up and started saving.

You’re invited to a vintage wedding and you don’t have a suit or a dress to wear? Instead of going shopping right away, why not see if you can borrow something from a friend or a family member?

We are all used to buying new clothes for each occasion and leaving them to sit in the closet forever. So if you cannot find something to borrow, you should at least try to buy clothes that you can wear on multiple occasions not just for that one wedding.

How many people do you think have worn a suit or dress just once and then never again?

3. Get Rid of Chemical Cleaning Supplies

You can go green when cleaning as well, by making your own eco-friendly cleaning products that are not only good for your family’s health but are great for the environment as well.

Get rid of those toxic chemical cleaning supplies, and try some fantastic alternatives.

Biodegradable and Eco-friendly detergents can be found in most supermarkets and can be easily made at home, using ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. For example, you can clean up a minor mold issue using these homemade/natural/environmentally-friendly methods.

Not only will you avoid those harsh chemical smells, but you can also rest assured that your home will be clean and fresh!

As a side note, Business Insider recently wrote a post about everyday Eco-friendly products that you can easily switch to using.

For example, you could use a mixture of baking soda and vinegar to clean the kitchen and bathroom tiles instead of using a harsh chemical based one. You might be surprised at how impressive the results are.

4. Skip Buying Plastic Items

We are all surrounded by plastic everywhere we look. Everything comes in a plastic container today that it’s basically impossible to avoid buying any plastic, but once you start thinking about the sea life and everything else that suffers from our excessive use of plastic, you start finding ways to avoid it as much as possible.

Here’s what you can do:

Skip water bottles altogether and use reusable glass bottles.
Buy products that are packed in Eco-friendly materials such as PCR and paperboard containers, paperboard jars and tubes, black PIR jars, recycled materials, hemp clothes or zipper bags, glass bottles or jars and so on.

5. Bring Your Own Bag When You Go Shopping

There are a lot of countries in the world that have already banned or taxed the use of single-use plastic bags, which have contributed a lot in the drop of the amount of plastic bags strewn into the ocean and landfill sites.

The first time that the bag taxes were introduced was in 2003, in Denmark and Ireland, and it became effective in England in 2015 as well.

Even if you don’t have bans or fees in your country, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t bring your own bag when you go grocery shopping, so that you can avoid using plastic bags altogether.

6. Cut Down on Meat

Want to have a healthier, more Eco-friendly diet? One way of doing that is by reducing your meat consumption, cutting out meat completely or choosing meat which has a lower carbon footprint.

Eating less meat is crucial for a healthy lifestyle and a healthy planet. Research shows that meat-heavy diets lead to obesity, heart disease and even cancer, which is quite alarming.

That’s not even the scariest thing.

Meat consumption makes our planet sick as well. Believe it or not, raising chickens, cows and pigs actually generate as much greenhouse gas emissions as all cars, automobiles and trucks combined, and that’s not the only way it’s affecting our planet.

Millions of square km of forests are cut down in order to build farms and pastures for the farm animals, which leaves an even bigger carbon footprint.

If we decide to consume less meat, or even avoid it altogether, we’d be contributing both to our health and the health of our planet.

7. Walk, Ride Your Bike or Use Public Transport

This last rule one is pretty obvious one, yet there are a lot of us who don’t live by it.

We all love the convenience that comes with taking the car to work, school, when shopping, going out, or basically everywhere else, and even though there are many situations where a car is more than necessary, that’s not always the case.

Bike riding, walking or even taking public transport has huge benefits for the environment, and it not only lowers greenhouse gas emissions, but it also minimizes pollution and helps save our planet, one walk or bike ride at a time. We all have the power to reduce our carbon footprint easily.

Imagine if every person in the World swapped just one car journey a day for public transport, walking or riding their bike. There are over 7 billion people in the world, including over 1.3 billion in China and another 1.3 billion in India…That would make a huge impact on global pollution.

Here’s what you need to look for in a front door lock

The last resort of locksmiths, though it’s their most effective tool, is drilling through locks with power drills. Drilling through deadbolts destroys the locks’ pins, tumblers, and other components, thereby rendering keys ineffective. Deadbolts with drilled-through locking mechanisms can still be turned with nothing more than a finger, pencil, or similar object.

Make sure you search reviews of locks prior to buying one. Your front door lock’s deadbolt should not be able to move if its mechanism is destroyed via drill.

When your front door’s lock is installed, long, thick, high-quality screws should be used. As long as the screws have something solid to anchor to, your lock will become exponentially safer.

Lastly, having a secure front door frame will also effectively deter burglars. Top-tier, Fort Knox-quality door frames make it virtually impossible for burglars to strong-arm their way into homes.

When you’re buying a new lock there’s a few things to consider, the first is of course where the lock is going to be. If it’s for a door inside your house, that’s of course of less importance then for your front door. Usually a good run of thumb is that you want to get the best possible lock for your front door. You never want to be in a situation where your front door lock gets kicked in. You also have to keep in mind how long you need your lock to hold up, with an inside door being of much less important then your front door.

Many locks have something called grading system where they’re graded based on how well they will stand up. This is the first part of your research, where you need to look into which locks will hold up better then others, always ask about the grading system for your lock.

Another option is to speak to a certified locksmith who has the knowledge and expertise you need to make sure you pick the right lock for you. Many people think to go to their local hardware shop and pick whichever front door lock is cheapest, but this is where you can fall down and make a terrible mistake. Make sure to work with a locksmith who has experience in the grading of different locks, and is able to help you determine the best lock for you.

How to Make an Eco-Friendly Home and Life for Your Pet

Being environmentally conscious is very important these days, thanks to phenomena like global warming. And that means you should take an environmentally friendly stance in all parts of your life including your home. If you have a pet who lives with you at home, you can incorporate eco-friendly products and processes to ensure your pet is well cared for, and that he makes little impact on the environment as possible.

Here are some ways you can make an eco-friendly home for your pet.

Invest in an Eco-friendly Pet House

Your dog may want a pet house or Portable Dog Fence he can hang out in outside, or when he needs a place to hide away inside. Consider investing in an eco-friendly dog house so you don’t choose a shelter made from materials that tax the environment. Consider a dog house made from salvaged wood or a plastic one made from recycled materials. Buying a green dog house will ensure that your dog’s little shelter didn’t use unnecessary resources.

Compost Your Pet’s Poop

Instead of tossing your dog’s poop in the trash, consider composting it (just not for your edible plants!) This ensures that the poop and the plastic bags you might otherwise use to pick it up with are not going to clog up a landfill.

Feed Your Pets Food That Is Sustainable

When you think about what you’re going to feed your pet, make sure you only consider food that’s from sustainable sources. You can find a dog food that is made by companies who only use sustainable ingredients, or you can consider making your own dog food and treats using food from local, sustainable farms and markets or even by growing your own food!

Adopt Your Pet

Rather than going to a pet store or a breeder to buy your beloved animal, head to a shelter instead and adopt a pet. By adopting a pet, you can reduce the chances that places like puppy mills will continue to operate and this will ultimately reduce the number of resources those businesses require. Adopting a pet is also a generally good way to ensure that all animals already alive are cared for and that none have to be put down by a kill shelter because they couldn’t find a loving home.

Get Your Pet Spayed or Neutered

Make sure you get your pet spayed or neutered so they don’t get end up getting pregnant (or getting someone else’s pet pregnant), and contributing more to the world’s animal population. By making sure your pet doesn’t add more animals to the world, you can help reduce the number of animals that end up requiring resources to stay alive — and those that end up creating more waste in the world. When you take your animal to the vet for a regular treatment like the top Heartgard plus for dogs, ask about getting him or her spayed or neutered — your vet can give you all the information you need to know about how and when to have it done.

If you want to have a pet but also make a minimal impact on the environment, you should try to focus on creating a green pet home. By taking some eco-friendly steps to create a comfortable pet environment, you can enjoy your furry friend while also having the knowledge that you haven’t harmed the planet while caring for him.

The Environmental Impact Of Decreasing Bee Populations

As a species, human beings are beginning to wake up to the importance of insects to our planet and our ecosystem. And most importantly, people are gradually leaning that bees, in particular, are vital to the human race and our world. But why are bee populations decreasing?

Reports of bees dying off are becoming more and more frequent, and a lot more alarming in recent years. Bees are an important part of global food production, so for them to die out would be a huge problem. This is why pest control experts like Catch-it in East London, when carrying out stinging insect pest control, will typically just relocate bees’ nests, and not exterminate them.

Distribution maps of bees are showing major decrease in the range of bees covering the planet, and in some places they are completely extinct. There are more and more reports of widespread die-offs, with honeybee hives being abandoned after colony-collapse disorder. But why are the bees dying, and what will the consequences be?

A diet without any bee related, insect-pollinated food would be short on a lot of nutrients, and make life pretty boring. And there are some reasons for why this may become an issue in the future.

Worldwide, there is less land available to support the bees. Farmland is being stripped of everything but the crops that will make the cash, so there is no flowery food for bees. In many developed countries there’s just nowhere left for bees to go.

Another problem is that honeybee diseases are spreading. Hives are being shipped all over the world, and stowaway bacteria, fungi and parasites go with them. These diseases lead to colony-collapse disorder.

Intensive farming using fungicides herbicides and pesticides has also affected the bees. At certain doses, particular pesticides can be incredibly harmful to honeybees, even causing death.

A combination of all of these problems are causing a worldwide loss of bees. More and more studies are being done so that we can save the honeybee from going completely extinct. A lot of what is to blame will remain a mystery, but if we can change some of the problems then the honeybee can be saved.

The Effects Of Pesticides On Bees Worldwide

A particular pesticide group called neonicotinoid (NNI) has made its way onto crops worldwide. Whilst these pesticides protect the crops, and are most commonly used on rape seed, the impact of them may be affecting the bees. Pest control should be for pests, and bees are far from it.

When these chemicals are applied to crops, they are absorbed into the plant, making everything including the pollen and nectar poisonous to insects. However scientists have said the NNI have had a great environmental impact on plants and animals.

The loss of bees is potentially damaging to the agriculture because of the role they play in pollinating our plants. The chemical NNI was being used a lot in the 2000s, but the EU banned it from April 2013. Whilst Britain comply with this ruling, they don’t agree with the science behind the problem.

Concern has been mainly focused at the honeybee because their population has declined by around 25% in the last few years. Numerous studies have directly linked bee death to the use of NNI. Loss of habitat and changing land can also be attributed to the bee population decreasing.

Researchers claim that neonicotinoids interfere with a bee’s brain, which limits their ability to learn and remember what food they should be eating. The pesticide has been linked to a sort of bee epilepsy, and breeding activity has also been reduced.

Critics have claimed that a ban on the use of NNI would put crops at risk and harm the economy. Chemical firms think it is unnecessary, and they don’t want to lose out on profits.

In light of the government not being too keen on the ban of these bee-killing pesticides, who knows what legislation may come into play over the next few years. One thing is for sure, bees need to be protected and saved.

4 Helpful Things You Can Say to a Suicidal or Depressed Friend

They were celebrities at the pinnacle of achievement in their fields. Legions of fans and industry insiders worldwide respected them, yet both took their own lives last week.

No one is immune to suicidal thoughts — not even a successful public figure like Anthony Bourdain or Kate Spade. Suicide and depression know no boundaries of race, class, gender identity, sexual orientation, or national origin. Statistically, it’s likely you know at least one person who struggles with suicidal thoughts. In a typical high school classroom of 20 students, at least 3 have seriously considered taking their lives in the past year.

What to say when a depressed friend reaches out

This concerns most of us who question our ability to respond to someone in need. Will we know what to say if that friend, neighbour, or student reaches out to us? Will we be able to help?

As a trusted confidant, you can show someone who’s struggling you care with only a few simple words.

Are you thinking of taking your life right now?

If your friend has already put together a suicide plan or is about to take their life, immediately call 911 and get emergency assistance. You should let trained professionals help rather than try to handle it yourself.

When did you start feeling this way?

When a suicidal person reaches out for help, they really want someone to hear their story. Asking open-ended questions — and listening — lets them do that. Don’t be judgmental or dispense advice. Simply pay attention and affirm their experience.

You’re not alone. I care about you, and I’m here to help.

Why would someone struggling with suicidal tendencies reach out to us? They’re in a battle for their lives, and they don’t want to fight it alone any more. Telling them that we’re there, we care, and we want to help assures them they’re not alone any more. It also opens the door for them to be more specific about how you can help.

Have you considered getting professional help?

When someone confides to us about their personal battle with depression and suicidal tendencies, it shows they trust us, so many friends and teachers wonder if they should keep this information secret. The answer is emphatical NO.

In fact, the goal of any discussion with a suicidal person is to get them to seek professional help. If our friend had malignant cancer, we would encourage them to go to the hospital, even if they were reluctant at first. It’s the same with a life-threatening condition like suicide.

We shouldn’t give up if the person resists. We can tell them we’re asking because we care. We can offer to help them find and schedule an appointment with a mental health counsellor. We can go with them.

What to do if your friend doesn’t reach out directly

Many times, a depressed or suicidal friend won’t approach you directly and ask for help. Recent studies have uncovered a correlation between excessive time online and depression. If you notice a significant change in someone’s behaviour (if they seem habitually withdrawn, down, disengaged, or angry) you might want to initiate a conversation with one of these leading questions.

4 Questions to Break The Ice When You Notice a Change in Someone’s Behavior

You don’t seem yourself lately. [Add observational details]. Are you all right?
I’m concerned because I’ve noticed a change in you. [Add observational details]. What’s going on, and what might help you feel better?
You seem upset. Do you need to vent? I’m here for you, and I’ll listen.
You seem to be going through something tough. Can I do anything to support you right now?

Keep Your Pest Control Green With These 10 Tips

Doing home pest control is something that we will all need to do at some point in our lives. No matter how clean your home is or how much you do to keep pests away, you’ll always end up having an infestation eventually. When this happens, you need effective solutions to make the problem disappear.

Now when you think of pest control, you may think of the nasty chemicals that go with many common pest control techniques. This isn’t true though. You can control pests using green methods that keep the environment cleaner and your home safer for pets and children by using natural repellents.

London based experts Empire Pest Control have advised us on some of the best green pest control tips that work on getting rid of pests in a friendly way. And they don’t cost too much either.

1. Know what you’re dealing with

Knowing exactly what pest you dealing with goes a long way in successfully exterminating them. It’s important to know what pest you’re dealing with because one method of pest control is not universal to all pests. What works for one may not work on another.

2. Pest proof your home

If you don’t ever want to use chemical pest control, it’s important to keep your home as clean as possible. For instance, this pest control company in Boise uses eco-friendly products which can’t harm yours or your pet’s health. Making your home impenetrable to pests mean you won’t have a problem with infestations. There are multiple ways you can pest proof, such as disposing of rubbish properly. All bins should be kept far away from your home, and emptied as often as possible to deter pests.

3. Keep everything dry

Pests are always on the hunt for great water sources. Don’t provide them with one. Make sure that you don’t have any standing water or water leaks around your home. This includes in your garden, where they may be pests lurking that you don’t know about.

4. Do some home maintenance

Providing pests with entry points into your home is a big no-no. Look around the house and any cracks, holes, and leaks should be fixed. These are the access points pests will use to get into your home easily.

5. Try some green pest products

Although they may not be as effective as professional pest control, there are green pest control products available to buy. This may be citrus spays, plant-based sprays, clothes moth traps or insecticidal soaps. These methods do cost more money, but if you are in a hurry to treat a problem it may be the best solution.

6. Use some cedar oil

This essential oil is a brilliant insect repellent and a completely green option. Much like citronella, it can be applied to lots of different surfaces around the home. You can even bathe your pests in it to ward off fleas. It’s effective against pests like bed bugs and spiders. It smells nice and has no harmful effects on the skin.

7. Non–lethal traps

For more furrier pests like mice and rats, you can use non-lethal traps to catch them without having to kill them. You later can release them far away from your home. There’s a lot of non-lethal traps available to buy, each for different types of pests.

8. Soapy water

A bit of soap with some water has been a long-time favorite to exterminate ants. If you have frequent ant problems, you can pour it along the affected areas. Or you can use a spray bottle to control smaller infestations when they appear. It’s also cheap which makes it even more appealing.

9. Use food as part of traps

A lot of different green pest control methods often really on plants and foods you can buy in the shops. Using herbs like mint leaves really deters pests such as flies from your home. You could even plant natural pesticide herbs in your garden to really ward off the pests. Then you have your own herb garden and a pest barrier.

10. Use some citrus

There are a lot of pests that hate the smell of citrus and won’t go anywhere near it. Using a little citrus oil in a spray bottle with water will repel a lot of pests from getting into your home. Plus you can spray it anywhere in your home, and you’ll be left with a nice lemony scent.

Sustainable Shopping: How to Reduce Your Fashion Footprint

Image source: Unsplash

Fashionistas across the globe spend their lives in search of trademark, on-trend pieces that they can welcome into their wardrobe. The unfortunate truth, though, is that seasons come and go – and with them, trends are left behind (creating unnecessary waste from the remnants of once-loved garments).

As environmental consciousness continues to make its way into the fore, becoming the universal concern it should always have been, we’re breaking down some simple and effective ways you can change how you shop in order to make eco-friendly decisions when it comes to your wardrobe. Earth-loving fashionistas unite: it’s time to reduce the world’s fashion footprint.

Shop local

In your quest for greener shopping habits, the first crucial step is to forego high-street giants in favour of smaller independent stores. Finding a local shop that sells sustainably sourced or vintage clothing – or, better still, donates a portion of its proceeds to a relevant charity or conservation project – means doing your bit for the little guy, and for the planet.

Supporting your local community is a truly noble endeavour, but the same ethos can also be applied online – with smaller businesses (selling their own goods or curating those of other brands) needing your custom and valuing your loyalty more than major outlets and international market leaders.

Shop for quality

One simple and powerful way to not only reduce the ecological footprint of your shopping behaviour, but also allow you to budget effectively is to shop less frequently, but focus your spending on high-quality items that have longevity on their side.

For example, rather than paying the bare minimum for a serviceable but ultimately poor quality pair of shoes or pants, instead invest in a pair of hard-wearing women’s boots or some designer men’s jeans – items that mean paying more up-front but offer dependable quality for years to come. This way, you can lower your fashion footprint and the associated price tag in the long run.

Image source: Unsplash

Shop vintage

Naturally, one of the most popular sustainable shopping habits is buying secondhand rather than brand new. As such, rummaging through vintage clothing outlets and thrift stores in search of preloved gems provides a fun, budget-friendly and environmentally conscious alternative to the norm.

Searching these treasure troves for statement garments made from quality fabrics gives you a chance to save money and enjoy the satisfaction of striking gold when you find a unique retro item that has ‘you’ written all over it. Complete the cycle by donating your own vintage favourites to your local thrift store once you’re ready to release them back into the wild.

Shop for a lifetime

Being a sustainably-minded fashionista means never saying goodbye to a garment unless absolutely necessary. It’s important to know that an item which has temporarily lost its sparkle doesn’t necessarily have nothing more to give. In the face of holes, scuffs, worn fabric and outdated designs, crack open your craft kit, pick up your needle and thread and get to work!

Whether you’re embellishing an uninspiring dress, patching up an old jacket or adding a whole new layer to a once-loved item (such as a new lace collar or hem), the options are practically endless when it comes to upcycling your clothing. There’s also the option to repurpose the fabric for an interior DIY project and create a stylish new home accessory from the remains of the piece in question.

Shop mindfully

Finally, to create a long-term habit out of your newfound quest for sustainable shopping options, the key is to have your passion for ethical and eco-friendly brands permeate your online browsing behaviour. It’s fair to say that you may struggle to simply stumble upon green clothing companies by chance – making it important to do your research, and it’s online that this research will be most rewarding.

From brands that source materials sustainably to those that swear by plastic-free packaging and guarantee their staff fair wages and working conditions, there are a diverse range of factors which contribute to an ‘ethical’ brand – but the information is out there and, by making this your deal-breaker as a consumer, you can take one big step towards reducing your fashion footprint forever.

Image source: Unsplash

Must Try Essential Oils Recipes For Summer

The use of essential oils and the ways to use it during the summer.

We use our essential oils all summer to keep us balanced and in control of our body, mind, and soul. When summer rolls around, we change the oils to help us through the changing season. This is a magical time. Spring and summer are when a lot of essential oils are made from the fresh plants that are coming in. While the oils work well year-round, there is something about using a summer oil that sparks us to life.

Summer challenges

The summer days are longer, and the warm sun beacons us to the outdoors. As our schedule fills with fun things to do with friends and family, we must address common issues that cause us problems. Here are a few of them:

Allergies
Change in sleep patterns
Insects
Sunlight
High-energy activities
Change in diet

How Do they work?

One of the most common uses for essential oils in the summer is the oils that promote energy. Essential oils are steam-distilled or pressed in the process that extracts the oils from plants. These oils are concentrated and have proven to have amazing benefits medically and even emotionally. These properties date back centuries.

Note: Essential oils are safe but, they are powerful. It is important that you treat them with respect.

When trying a new essential oil, only try one new addition at a time. The reason for this is if you have an allergic reaction to an oil, you will be able to identify it and eliminate it.

It is also important to research the oils you are using and educate yourself in using them properly. You will be able to make recipes that give you energy and help you stay calm. But you may have to adjust the ingredients to ensure you do not use oils that naturally sedate you or help you sleep. This would render your daytime and nighttime oils less effective.

Essential oils for energy

Citrus

Generations of people have used lemon as an energy booster. You can use a mixture of lemon oil and orange oil for an instant boost. Rub a little on your wrists or the bend of your elbow to release the scent throughout the day. If you want to adjust the smell try a few drops of grapefruit in your mix. All of these are great for energy and a clear mind.

Bonus: put lemon oil, olive oil, and orange oil in a spray bottle of water and use it to clean your home. It gives your home a great smell, repels insects, and makes cleaning a breeze.

Herb oils for energy

French or exotic basil oils can be used to stimulate the human adrenal glands. This helps relieve mental tiredness. Add a few drops of rosemary to enhance your focus and concentration levels.

Summer sun

Sun worshippers understand the dangers of the summer sun on our skin, lips, and hair. A sunburn can be anything from a minor issue to a life-threatening problem. It is important that we protect our skin from the sun either with organic sunscreen or not.

Some people make their own sunscreen and natural deodorant with oils and add scents from essential oils for insect protection and a feeling of well-being. You can get a list of SPF protection ratings from some essential oils here.

You will notice that there are natural SPF protections in the oils. However, many people do not feel they get enough sun protection with the oils alone. It is a personal choice. You can buy an over the counter sunscreen and boost its powers by adding these all natural products. You may also combine various oils until you find the mixture that works well for your skin type.

Here are some basic oils that you should consider.

Peppermint essential oil – SPF 7
Holy basil essential oil – SPF 7
Lavender essential oil – SPF 6
Sweet orange essential oil – SPF 4
Eucalyptus essential oil – SPF 3
Tea tree essential oil – SPF 2
Rose essential oil – SPF 1

Essential oils for sunburn and dry lips

Here is a list of essential oils that work well for dry, burned, and cracked lips. These same oils work to heal skin that has been burned. For the lips, you can simply rub a drop of the oil of your choice directly on the lips. To use it for skin care, you can dilute the oils with water or add them to an aloe vera base (or use the aloe vera alone).

Citrus Peel Oil (Orange Peel Oil)
Coriander Oil
Jasmine Oil
Chamomile Oil
Lavender Oil
Blue Tansy Essential Oils
Peppermint Oil
Jasmine Oil
Aloe Vera Oil
Rosehip Seed Oil
Coconut Oil
Olive Oil
Mustard Oil
Almond Oil

Finally, it is important that you stay well and healthy during your summer months. Nothing is worse than going on vacation and catching someone’s bug in the plane or car.

The summer months are full of little problems that can ruin your day. Itching bug bites, foot fungus, stings, rashes, eye infection and other annoyances are easily taken care of with your travel kit. Here is a “must have” list. Set up a kit and throw it in your overnight bag, You will be ready for anything that comes your way.

Stress

Orange and Lavender
Roman Chamomile
Frankincense

Stay Awake

Peppermint
Rosemary

Bug bites, stings, and rashes

Lavender
Frankincense
Tea tree
Calendula
Roman chamomile

Germ protection

Clove
Cinnamon
Tea tree oil
Eucalyptus
Lemongrass

You can use these oils by rubbing them on the skin while in the plane or hotel. But, if you keep them in a diffuser in your home, they will help keep you well. Everyone knows it is easier to stay well than to get well.

There is no question that essential oils are your summertime friend. Be cautious when using citrus oils in the sun. Be aware of how long you have used it and how long you are expecting to be in the sun. Common sense goes a long way with any preventative. So grab your oils and hit the beach. Summer is waiting.

Here are some of the best essential oils recipes to try this summer:

1. How to Make Putty – The Best Stress Putty Recipe

2. What are the Best Essential Oils for Bruises?

3. Homemade Lip Balm

4. Green for Beauty – All Natural Cosmetics to Try This Spring

5. DIY Natural Deodorant with Coconut Oil

6. DIY Vegan Lip Gloss Recipe

7. 3 Aloe Vera Cream Home Remedies

8. 6 DIY Essential Oil Beauty Recipes for Glowing Skin

9. DIY After Sun Skin Care Spray for Under$5

Do you have anything to add to the list? Do you use essential oils and what for?

I’d love to hear from you so make sure to drop me a line!

Staying Healthy Throughout The Season

Young gymnasts always aspire for perfection. Staying healthy is key in helping achieve this goal. Here are some tips that will help to keep you healthy all through the gymnastics season:

Good Flexibility is necessary

Though you need to be flexible to succeed as a gymnast, the average gymnast is more flexible on one side. For instance, your left side might be split down all the way but your right side is not. If you are only flexible in one part of the body but not all, you might end up suffering from back pain or joint pain.

Often times, gymnasts think that their backs are very flexible, but this might not be entirely true. Tight shoulders will strain your lower back when performing back walkovers and bridges, so you should stretch your shoulders before you start any routine. Just remember that not all gymnasts are born flexible and you have to work on your flexibility.

Take Conditioning Seriously

Gymnastics is an activity that requires a lot of strength, so you need to condition to ensure that you get stronger. Conditioning will help you to reduce the number of injuries that you sustain, which allows you to perform harder and improve your skills drastically. Doing home exercises daily might help you a lot to improve your flexibility and muscles strength. In gymnastics, you will perform many repetitive movements and this will have an impact on your body.

Conditioning helps you to protect your joints: ankles, wrists, and knees. To keep your body strong, you should listen to your coach and do the right number of repetitions. No matter how tired you feel at the end of the day, you should take the time to do some conditioning exercises.

Stay Balanced

Gymnasts are some of the strongest athletes, but their strength does not come overnight. They spend many hours conditioning and training to strengthen their muscles enough so that they can support their joints. However, this does not mean that every muscle in your body is strong because you are a gymnast.

Strength training has many health benefits and it’s highly recommended around the world. Most gymnasts have weak hip muscles, which can lead to knee, lower back, and hip injuries. You might favor one side of your body but you need to use both sides equally to develop strength and maintain good balance. Using both sides also helps your body to develop a sense of where it is in a space. Therefore, you should ensure that you do turns, jumps, and leaps on both sides to improve your body symmetry.

Fuel the Body

You need to pay attention to your nutrition if you want to keep your body well fueled and strong. Make sure that you plan for snacks every 3 to 4 hours and start drinking plenty of water throughout the day. Before practice, you should avoid fried foods and eat high-carbohydrate foods. Drink or eat foods with calcium every day to keep your bones strong.

You should balance your meals with 2/3 carbohydrates and 1/3 protein. Look for foods that are high in good fats, such as olive oil, peanut butter, and soy nuts. Do not forget to give your diet top priority if you want to achieve your gymnastic goals.

Be Good Communicators

Pain is the body’s way of telling you that something is wrong. If you are unable to practice because of pain, you should tell your coach and he will recommend the best course of action. If you feel sharp stabs and cramping in your body, you should seek medical help. Waiting to seek help might result in serious injuries that could end your career.

If you manage your pain properly, you will be able to stay in the gym and adjust your routines to allow the injured parts to heal while working out the rest of your body. When returning to practice after healing, you should keep the lines of communications open and report any fears to your coach. He will help you to make a gradual transition back into practice as you regain your confidence.

If you are looking for t-shirts to wear as you practice, you should consider custom ones such as personalized t-shirts to ward off the chill.

How to Get Rid of Your Unwanted Mattress (Without Destroying the Earth)

So your mattress has reached the end of its life…

Find the next destination of your old, unwanted mattress and avoid the landfill at all costs. Based on the condition of your mattress, we will help you decide if it should be recycled or donated – never dumped.

Twenty-million mattresses are improperly disposed of every year in the United States – meaning they end up in a landfill. To put this into perspective, the number of mattresses dumped in a landfill could circle the earth. What a shame considering 85% of the materials in a mattress can be recycled!

This information might sound shocking, but think about how many unwanted mattresses you’ve come across in your own neighborhood. You’ve probably seen many a mattress dumped on the curb for the trash collectors.

Have you ever thought about what you would do with your old mattress? Probably not. After all, the average lifetime of a mattress is 7 to 10 years – so it’s not a regular habit to get rid of your mattress like it would be to take out the trash. That’s why no one really knows what to do with their old mattress.

We are here to tell you that there are options! Contrary to popular belief, there are responsible ways to dispose of your mattress.

Before you ask yourself, “Why to bother?”, consider these consequences:

You could be fined for illegally dumping your mattress
Mattresses take a decade to decompose
Some materials in mattresses are non-biodegradable chemicals that can seep into drinking water
Mattress springs get caught in equipment, causing damage and imposing costs
They can create flammable air pockets

Here’s how to get rid of your mattress without getting fined or destroying the earth:

Option 1: Donate Your Mattress

Before tossing your old mattress, consider giving it to someone in need!

Keep in mind, this is a more conditional option. For a mattress to be donated, it must be free of any rips or stains. (If that’s the case, check out option two below about recycling your mattress.)

For those of you still with us, you should know there are many laws about donating and reselling mattresses. So even if your old bed is in decent condition, there may not be any place to donate it in your area.

Donating your mattress is easy. All you have to do is call your local charity and ask if they accept mattress donations. If they do, most of the time they will come pick it up at your house for free! If not, load it up in the car and drop it off.

Almost all donated mattresses are taken to be sanitized before they are offered to someone in need. For more information, check out Mattress Advisor’s guide to donating your mattress.

Option 2: Recycle Your Mattress

Okay, so your mattress has reached the end of its life – or so you thought! Although it’s life as a bed is over, consider all the ways it can be repurposed. For example, as carpet underlay, yarn, mulch, clothing and much more!

Source: mattressadvisor.com

If recycling sounds like a good option for your situation, check out this guide to recycling your mattress. It will tell you everything you need to know about how, why and where to recycle your mattress.

Once again, the process of recycling a mattress varies from state to state and sometimes city to city. To get you started, find places to recycle your mattress near you:

Earth 911
Bye Bye Mattress – for those of you in California, Rhode Island and Connecticut
Sleep on Latex – 100 recycling facilities nationwide that accept mattresses
Keep America Beautiful

A word of caution

There is the option to call a junk removal service such as 1-800-GOT-JUNK and College Hunks Hauling Junk. Just make sure to call and ask where they take the mattresses in your area. Oftentimes, they take them to the landfill – which we are trying to avoid! However, sometimes they DO recycle. Just make sure you know where your bed is going, and try to avoid the landfill at all costs!