How to Have Safe New Years Eve Fun

New Year's Eve is an exciting time. Many anticipate a night of fun with family and friends, all while being safe. Unfortunately, because of the long history of drunk-driving tragedies and accidental shootings, New Year's Eve is a day that requires a few basic safety precautions. There are many fun New Year's Eve possibilities that consist of staying indoors and being safe.

A Safe New Year's Eve

1. Step 1

   The most effective way to ensure safety on New Year's Eve is to stay off of the roads. Once you have reached the destination where you will be celebrating, remain there until the next day. It is important to not drive on the roads because there is a risk that drunk drivers will be on the road.

2. Step 2

   Stay indoors. Because some individuals celebrate New Year's Eve by shooting guns in the air and using dangerous fireworks and explosives, staying indoors is the most safe option. Although most shootings on New year's Eve are accidental, use precaution to protect and prevent injury from stray bullets. Staying indoors is the safest option.

3. Step 3

   Rent a room at a hotel to celebrate. This idea is becoming extremely popular. Hotel celebrations are most often indoors. Additionally, when the celebration is over, guests can walk to their hotel suite without the risk of driving on the roads. Another added bonus to the hotel celebration is that security is always on site.

4. Step 4

   Staying at home for New Year's Eve is another option. Close family and friends can remain at your home until the next day. Ordering movies, dancing, watching New Year's Eve countdowns on television, playing games and ordering some of favorite foods are all great suggestions for spending New Year's Eve at home.

source: www.e-how.com

How to Have A Greener Christmas

It is Christmas time again everyone! Time to get out that old tree and the Christmas decorations again. Isn’t it exciting to be celebrating Christmas again? Doesn’t it set your heart-a-fluttering when you see the Christmas themed table spreads, napkin holders or the presents and cards lying underneath the Christmas trees? Yes, this is the merriest time of the year. But did you know, while we joyously celebrate this occasion, Mother Earth is crying out for help?

The season is not only one the biggest consumer events of the year but also the most environmentally destructive. Thousands of tons of paper are used for cards and wrappings; lots of ‘unsuitable’ presents are bought, electricity and water are also used very generously. It is time we wake up and make a conscious effort to help the planet survive the festive season.

Here are some tiny, practical suggestions of what you can do to be more environmental-friendly.

1. Use energy saving bulbs and natural candles for your Christmas lighting. Not only will it save electricity, it will give a cozier ambience!
2. Ask what your friends or family like for a present, so it won’t end up in the bin, or get them gift vouchers so they can get things that they actually like!
3. Use e-cards. Letters and mail are things of a bygone era. Why not send e-cards out as well this season? But for the really special, really traditional people like your darling old granny who might love to get real card, get your kits out (preferably with eco-friendly materials) and make one for her yourself!
4. Buy fair trade goods and support farmers and small communities in the third world. The goods: teas, coffees, chocolates, dried fruit and craft work are available at all leading supermarkets and charity shops.
5. Use organic ingredients. Baking the cake and roasting the turkey can be a nice family event; using organic ingredi­ents also makes it a nice global event.
6. Provide real, cloth napkins instead of paper serviettes and tissue. They look more elegant and are much more environmentally friendly. The same goes for dishes and cutleries as long as environmental friendly detergent is used. Also, try ‘topping up’ glasses rather than replacing them.
7. Show off your kids’ talents! Get them to draw and create ornamental pieces from leftover materials. Hang it around the house for friends and relative to see.
8. Place real flowers and fruits around the house for a natural scent-sational whiff (and also great as decor pieces), instead of using home fragrances.
9. Try not to use wrapping paper. Make use of newspapers and old magazines pages. Then tie them up with beautiful color ribbons that are reusable. If you must, buy ‘recycled wrapping paper’ and reuse any of the wrappings that you may have.

With this is mind, deck your home with wonderful, Christmas decorations and share the warmth and joy with all far and near knowing we haven’t destroyed anything on earth.

Here’s wishing you a Merry Christmas!

source: http://healthy-lifestyle.most-effective-solution.com/

How Do You Start To Live Green?

Here are some tips that will help you to start to live green. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how easy most of these are to implement.

• > Re-use your grocery store bags. Or better yet, get a "bag for life" and use that each visit.

• > Is your car journey really necessary? Or could you walk instead?


• > Turn off un-needed lights and appliances. "Standby" is useful but you'd probably be shocked at how much power it uses. Turn appliances off at the socket instead.


• > Turn off your computer's monitor when you're not using it. Screensavers only save the screen from having a pattern burned into it. Energy saving options in Windows still use energy - switch it off (the switch is likely accessible and easy to find!)


• > Eat local food. And rediscover the seasons! We've got a wide range of food available year round but should you really be eating a bowl of strawberries that have traveled half way round the world in the middle of December? If you've got a farmer's market locally, give your taste buds a treat and shop there.


• > Buy what you need when you're shopping. The supermarkets exist to tempt us into buying more than we need with constant special offers, designed to load up our houses with unnecessary extras. Take a list when shopping and stick to it. You'll throw less food away and have a clearer kitchen as well as a clearer conscience.


• > Car share where possible. Talk to your neighbors or colleagues at work - there's a high chance you're making the same journey at about the same time. Share the car and the gas costs.


• > Adjust your heating and air-conditioning. Even a degree will make a difference to your bills and after a day or so, you won't notice the temperature difference.


• > Replace worn out appliances with more energy efficient ones. But unless your current one is really bad, don't buy a new appliance just to save in the future.


• > Recycle your waste. Most areas have recycling schemes. But don't make a special journey just to recycle.


• > Use rechargeable batteries. The initial cost will soon be outweighed by a lower toll on your wallet as well as on the environment.


• > Wash your clothes at a lower temperature. Better yet, throw out the detergent and use EcoBalls instead. I've been using them for several years now and always get good results.

Source: http://www.squidoo.com

What is Green Living???

Green Living is a life philosophy. Proponents of green living aims to conduct their lives in such a way that they have an all encompassing awareness of saving the earth and its environment.

As a supporter of Green living, you carry out your life in an eco-friendly and responsible manner, an attempt to minimize the size of your ecological footprint. Green living includes the conservation of resources, recycling, sustainability, green construction, alternative energy, organic food choices and other environmental topics.


Green Lifestyle - Each choice you make requires a consideration of the consequences of the choice, and the way that the decision will affect the environment and all living things within it. Ecological consciousness and care for the earth are of paramount importance in the decision-making process.By minimizing their "ecological footprints" - the extent to which they create an environmental impact, proponents of green living hope to preserve the earth for future generations of human beings and other life.

Green Technology - Green technology is essential for the conservation of energy, soil health, green building, environmentally preferred purchasing, green chemistry and green nanotechnology.Developing green technology includes toxic-waste-eating trees, smart electricity grids and floating environmental sensors. Then there is the alternative-energy home fueling station that could jump-start the long-awaited hydrogen economy. This technology may seem far out-but it will probably be here a lot sooner than we think.

Green Building - Green building is basically the practice of using eco-friendly building materials and designing homes and offices to be more energy efficient.A zero-energy building has no net energy consumption when measured across a year's time. It uses alternative energy sources like solar and wind power. Both zero- and low-energy buildings are great for green living.

Green Energy - Green technologist aims produce energy without burning all the world's coal and using all the world's fossil fuels and natural resources. Alternative energy is related to green living as it includes energy alternatives to traditional fossil fuels. The main drive behind alternative energy is to find renewable, eco-friendly sources of energy like solar or wind power.

Organic Food - Organic food refers to food items that are produced, processed and packaged without using chemicals. Organic food is increasingly becoming popular due to its perceived health benefits over conventional food. Droves of people are turning to organic produce as a way to feel safer about the foods they eat. People are worried about the foods they put into their bodies. With all of the reports of food poisoning from fruits and vegetables, many people are worried about what they are eating.

Renewable Energy - Strictly speaking, renewable energy is energy that is replenished at the same rate it's used. As the center of green living, renewable energy encourages use of solar, wind, and other alternative forms of energy.

Solar Energy - Solar energy is the conversion of the sun's rays to energy, very good for green living. Active solar technology uses electrical or mechanical equipment to convert the sun's rays into usable energy for heating or whatever. Passive solar technology does not use any outside non-solar energy.

Sustainablility - Sustainability, central to green living, is about preserving the environment and natural resources for years to come. It is the process of maintaining a small ecological footprint so that one's life has no permanent detrimental effect on the earth. There are specific fields within it like sustainable architecture, sustainable agriculture, and sustainable development.Green living habits are worthwhile no matter what our circumstances - privileged or not.

By Paul Hatta, taken from http://www.swindonclimate.org.uk