Earth Blog

What do soda and cigarettes have in common besides their ability to kill you? They both can alter the way your brain works.

There was a British study earlier this year that reported prospective memory loss in smokers and yesterday a UCLA study reported that a diet heavy with foods that contain fructose, specifically high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) like soda and practically everything else we like to eat- because it’s a preservative- can slow the brain. This slowing affects memory and the ability to learn but there is a way to lessen the damage.

Yesterday, in what can only be considered an odd coincidence, several media outlets reported via the Associated Press that in 2010 a 30-year-old New Zealand woman died because of a soda addiction.  Natasha Harris suffered a heart attack and that heart attack has been attributed to excessive soda consumption.

Meanwhile, stateside, prestigious Cleveland Clinic’s Wellness Institute and equally prestigious Harvard University released an article about their research that linked over-consumption of soda, sugar-sweetened and low-calorie, to an increased risk of stroke.

In the vintage Merrie Melodies cartoon titled “Wabbit Twouble” Elmer Fudd merrily motors his way to Jellostone National Park for a “westful wacation in the mountains.” He sets up his campsite only to be incessantly pestered by Bugs Bunny: a known “wascal”.  During the trip Fudd also accidentally riles a grizzly bear and Fudd is forced to leave in an angry huff. On his way out of the park he takes his aggression out on the entrance sign with an ax and lands in jail. But he is satisfied the solitude of confinement will provide him: “west and wewaxation at wast!"

Fudd may have been better off if he had chosen a seaside destination according to new research from Europe that was presented this week at the British Psychological Society Annual Conference in London.

Common wisdom has taught us the first step to recovery is admitting that you have a problem. This same wisdom also tells us good habits will likely prevent future addiction.

Ever since “G-T-L” (gym-tan-laundry) entered the lexicon on a tidal wave off the coast of the Jersey Shore leaving in its wake: Snooki, sky-high heels, the faint scent of liquor, and weekly (if not daily) trips to the tanning bed, doctors have come forward against the practice.

Tanning wasn’t always popular and it was once considered a sign of being poor. Cultural lore thinks the tanning craze may have started when Coco Chanel returned from a vacation sunburnt and the tan became a sign of the sporty, upper-class and the season’s must- have accessory.

Doctors will say you need a little bit of sun but to apply sunscreen and other barriers to prevent cancer. Doctors do not suggest lying out for extended periods of exposure or overuse of tanning beds.

Have you weened yourself off chemically fortified cleansers thanks to our tips? Switched to new greener brands or tried to clean with just one all-purpose cleaner? Are you making your own household cleaners yet ? No worries if you haven’t because companies are racing to meet demands for eco-friendly products. But before companies can rush products to the shelves they have to be developed by scientists in labs. If only mountain fresh soap was really harvested fresh from a mountain.

Grocery stores, cafeterias and restaurants, all shapes and sizes, must abide by federal laws to stay in business. Most of these companies also set in-house policies to boost sales and provide superior service and products. These directives and laws could be seen as a hinderance to workers but the core of these policies are the same: to lead consumers in the right direction and to the cash register.

Last week, Walmart debuted their “Great for You” label, a green stamp of approval for healthy groceries, and it was even applauded by First Lady Michelle Obama who said, “Just over a year ago, Walmart committed to save shoppers a billion dollars in their cost of fruits and vegetables and the fact that Walmart exceeded this number is a real accomplishment and a milestone in our efforts to support families eating better. In addition, the healthy seal will be another tool for parents to identify the best products for their kids. Giving parents the information they need to make healthy choices is a key piece of solving childhood obesity.”

Marjory Wildcraft is well-known among people who grow their own food and are interested in homesteading or self-sufficiency. She knows people garden and raise animals for several reasons but she is more interested in sharing her knowledge to help the confused who don’t know where to start in their own backyards.

"I came from a business background and could not keep one house plant alive. But now I grow more than half of what I eat. I've learned what works and what doesn't," Wildcraft says.

How would you like to buy a bottle of wine and know that a portion of the proceeds were going to a good a cause? A cause more fantastic than simply supporting your favorite winery so more wine could be made. Now by purchasing wine you can provide clean water for Ethiopian citizens or citizens of several other emerging countries faced with drought and little or no access to clean water through the non-profit organization Wine to Water (WTW).

While sustainable agricultural practices have received a copious amount of exposure over the past decade in relation to conventional food's environmental impact, something often overlooked by consumers is supportable organic clothing. Among health concerns and other issues related to fabric being tinkered with by scientists and engineers on a molecular level, the farming methods used by conventional fiber producers are wreaking havoc on the Earth.