Filed under: Uncategorized
Donna’s Healthy Living Tips has grown and has found not one but TWO new homes.
For gluten-free information you can find posts at: www.HowToGoGlutenFree.com
For healthy living tips you can find posts at:
All posts are migrating over to those two sites as well as new posts are being added weekly. Stop by for a visit regularly! See you there!
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
Filed under: prevention, supplements | Tags: alternative migraine treatment, natural headache prevention
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 Good luck!
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.
As Keith and I have travelled back and forth to Tennessee to visit his parents over the last 16 years I can see the incremental changes we have made to create a more environmentally conscious trip. In the process, the trip has also become more relaxing and pleasant for us as well. Whether you are commuting to work or driving across the country, these ideas may help you to also have a more pleasant and green road trip as well.
- Keep the car in good repair. There is no question that a well-maintained car has better gas mileage and lasts longer.
- Do a few last-minute checks on the car including: oil and other fluid levels, and tire pressure. Keith and I travel with a portable air compressor (this would be a good gift for the right person) that works by plugging it into the power outlets in the car.
- Use green cleaners inside and outside your car. You will want clean windows for driving but you will also be inhaling the air of your car for the duration of your trip. Please get rid of the traditional ammonia and butyl cellosolve window cleaners and try some Basic H2. If you want a free sample, send me an e-mail with your name and address and I will give you one to try. You will be impressed at how well it works. My e-mail address is: keithdonnnacopeland@sbcglobal.net
- Plan ahead for meals. We tend to avoid restaurants on our trips to Tennessee for four purposes: 1) Our dog doesn’t do so well being left in the car by herself. 2) It is more expensive to eat in restaurants. 3) With me being gluten-free and vegetarian it is complicated to try to get a well-balanced and safe meal. 4) Restaurants (especially fast food) have a lot of trash and waste that gets produced. Keith and I will take a cooler of food as well as a bag of snacks (nuts, trail mix, gluten-free crackers, fresh fruit, etc) to keep us going on the trip. If we do stop for a meal we usually choose Chipotle because they have a good vegetarian and gluten-free option while being one of the more environmentally-conscious fast food choices at a reasonable price.
- Clean out the fridge. We pay special attention to purchasing perishables and we eat the foods that don’t travel so well. We will also freeze extras that we won’t be able to consume before we go or give the extras to someone who will use them. Once the fridge is empty we put pitchers or bottles of water in the fridge to fill up the empty space because a full fridge uses less electricity and the water will help the fridge to maintain its temperature.
- BYOB. Keith and I also travel with our own water from home in reusable water containers. I like to stop for a cup of coffee and I am working on remembering to bring a reusable travel mug. I will also travel with my favorite tea bags and a thermos of hot water which stays remarkably hot for the 12 hour drive.
- Watch the speedometer. There is a significant increase in gas mileage when you go over 55 miles per hour. Keith and I have found a comfortable speed limit is right around 60 mph. That way you can stay in the right lane and you rarely need to pass anyone (the trip is much less stressful) yet you aren’t going so super-slow that it feels unsafe.
- Bring along cloth napkins, rags, and recyclable wipes. You know there are going to be spills in the car so plan ahead by bringing a few washable napkins and rags and for those things that need a cleaning agent, I love our Basic H wipes because they are so very convenient and great to use in the car. When I get to our destination I put them in a recycling bin.
These are a few tips for you to consider for your next road trip. If you have your own suggestions of what you do to make your road trips more green, I would love to hear them. If you are interested in green driving solutions for more fuel saving tips and strategies, go to: www.GreenDrivingSolutions.com and check out their DVD. Don’t forget to e-mail me if you want that free sample of Basic H2 (please put “free sample of Basic H2″ as the subject line). Drive safely!
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who is paid a commission by Shaklee when people purchase products through her or her website. She enjoys sharing tips and techniques that she has picked up over the years and sharing them to help make other’s lives safer and more enjoyable. You can go to her website (there is a money-back guarantee on all products) at: www.DonnaCopeland.MyShaklee.com Donna is not paid in any way by Green Driving Solutions to endorse their products.
BPA, or bisphenol A, is an endocrine disruptor and one of the most disturbing chemicals found commonly in plastics. It has been linked to a variety of diseases and other issues including breast and prostate cancer, diabetes, and attention deficit disorder. (See my post from October 14, 2009 for more details). The good news is that BPA is NOT an essential ingredient in plastic so there are plastics available that are BPA-free. The bad news is that it isn’t only plastics we need to look out for. BPA may be also found in printer ink as well as canned foods and soft drink cans.
I don’t think it is realistic to completely remove every trace of BPA from our lives. To do that we would need to never eat out or in other people’s homes, always contact manufacturers before we purchase their products, and in general live an almost militant existence that will affect every aspect of our lives. Neither do I propose that we throw our hands in the air and say, “It is outside of my control, there is nothing I can do about it.” You need only to look at the plethora of green products that are in the market today (yes, some of them are questionably green, but green is big any way you look at it) to know that we have a lot of control in the marketplace. We get to vote with our dollars and when enough of us start voting against BPA, the manufacturers will take notice and make changes.
To avoid increasing your exposure to BPA from items you may already have in your home:
- Avoid temperature extremes. For heaven’s sake do NOT stick that plastic in the microwave or freeze that water bottle. Those types of temperature extremes have been shown to increase the rate that BPA transfers from the plastic into the food. Just because a plastic says “microwave safe” doesn’t mean it won’t transfer harmful chemicals, it simply means it won’t melt when heated. It is good to remember that distinction.
- Save those canned foods for emergencies. I keep a stockpile of canned vegetables in case of emergency but I don’t use them for everyday meal preparation (although I don’t want you think I am super-human…I do resort to canned foods when the pantry or freezer is bare of alternatives…I guess that is an “emergency”). In general I try to prepare my meals from whole foods that look like what they did when the farmer brought them in from the field.
- Put plastics marked #3 or #7 in recycling and don’t use them any more. Those two numbers are the most likely to contain BPA. Sometimes new #7 will say “BPA-Free” and in that case, feel free to keep them. Sevens are the wild card of plastics.
- Store hot foods in glass or ceramic. There are many great options with lids available. The holidays are coming and that would be a good gift idea.
- Recycle plastics that are scratched or cloudy.
- Bring your own BPA-Free containers to restaurants for your “doggy bag”. My husband and I started doing this to avoid all the styrofoam containers we were accumulating and then realized the benefit for avoiding BPA as well.
In addition, contact the manufacturers of items you use, such as plastic wrap, and ask them if their products contain BPA. You will be doing two things when you call: 1) You are educating yourself on what products are safe. 2) You are letting the manufacturer know that there are consumers out there who care about things like that. Manufacturers figure that for every person who calls there are ten others who have the same concern who don’t call…pick up the phone and let them know you care.
Most of the information in this article came from Mother Earth News, August/September 2009 edition “Plastics: What’s Dangerous, What’s Not.” There is a lot of information there that isn’t included here. Continue to educate yourself and make conscious choices for your own good, the good of your family, and the good of the planet.
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who enjoys educating herself and sharing the information she learns with readers of her healthy living tips. Before Donna even knew what BPA was or that it was a danger, Shaklee assured her that their plastics and inks are all BPA-Free. Donna is paid a commission by Shaklee on sales from her website. You can go to: www.DonnaCopeland.MyShaklee.com She is not paid a commission by Mother Earth News to endorse their magazine.
Filed under: Green Living, prevention | Tags: BPA, dangers of bisphenol A
Maybe you have seen the warnings: “Avoid plastic because of BPA” or “Make sure your plastics are BPA-free”. I don’t remember the first time I heard of BPA (bisphenol A) because it probably went right over my head. More and more I started hearing the warnings but I still didn’t know what the problem was. If you have found yourself in the same boat, grab an oar and I’ll share what I have learned.
Most of my information from this article (particularly any studies mentioned) come from “Mother Earth News” August/September 2009 on page 70: “Plastics: What’s Dangerous, What’s Not.”
Bisphenol A is one of the most widely produced and used chemicals around the world. One of the greatest concerns is how easily it travels from what it started in (such as a plastic bottle) to whatever that surface touches. Some things make it “migrate” faster including:
- Heat
- Acids (any kind including citrus, vinegar, soft drinks)
- Alkaline (the other end of the spectrum!)
- Repeated washing
BPA is found not only in many plastics but in an assortment of the lining of pop (soda) cans and other canned foods, certain dental procedures, inks, and water pipes, to name a few. Because it is in many inks, most recycled paper contains BPA; it sure sounds like a stubborn chemical. To add to our concerns, it can also be inhaled and it can be absorbed into our bloodstream through our skin.
A study done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found 95% of urine samples had BPA in them. One of my greatest concerns is that the research seems to correlate the side effects of BPA with the increases we have seen in the past several decades with human health. Here are a few things that research has shown are related to BPA:
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Infertility
- Breast Cancer
- Prostate Cancer
- Obesity
- Autism
- Attention Deficit Disorder
- Cardiovascular disease
BPA produces an “estrogen-like” response in our bodies that causes trouble. This is a synthetic estrogen (also called xenoestrogens) that can increase our risk for hormonally-related cancers, make PMS symptoms more severe, and likely affect other parts of our lives and health that we don’t yet comprehend.
I will blog again on how to reduce your own exposure to BPAs. I am on the same path as I am looking at replacing reusable water bottles and finding better food storage alternatives. Think twice before you put that plastic container in the microwave, would you?
Donna Copeland is an Independent Distributor for Shaklee. Shaklee is committed to NOT using BPA, in any form, in our products and packaging. Donna is paid a commission if you purchase products through her or her site. She is not paid to endorse Mother Earth News. You can explore Donna’s website at: http://www.DonnaCopeland.MyShaklee.com
Filed under: prevention | Tags: breast cancer early detection, thermography
My previous post was about my own breast cancer scare and information about breast fibroids (which is what I was diagnosed with after the lump was removed). At that time I had never heard of thermography (also called thermology and infrared mammograms) but I have since become educated and know that thermography is now my first line of early detection for breast cancer.
When I first wrote the previous line, I considered if thermography would be my first or second line since breast self-exams are encouraged as our first line of detection. In reality, a practiced hand can find a lump as small as a marble or maybe a little smaller. By comparison, thermography can find a cancerous spot that is the size of the tip of a pen. One example that was shared at the Holistic Moms presentation I attended last Thursday was about a woman who had a thermography screening and the cancer was detected two years in a row. However, when she had a mammogram and ultrasound, there was nothing there. Twelve years later (she had moved away from the area), she called the clinic to say she now had detectable breast cancer in the exact area the thermology screen detected it.
Thermography has been around for decades and has had been studied and verified in independent scientific studies. The person who spoke was from Birmingham, Michigan and their clinic has been doing thermography for 37 years. I had no idea it had been around that long. I am not saying to never get a mammogram. I would get a mammogram and ultrasound if my thermography results were off. I just don’t plan to subject my body to more mammograms (I have already had two and I’m not yet 39) if there is a better diagnostic tool available.
Here is how it works:
- No referral or prescription is needed.
- A special heat-sensing camera takes a series of pictures of your breasts. There is no direct contact made (no mashing or squashing, no radiation).
- Cancer creates heat and if cancer is present, it will show up as a hot spot.
- Cancer creates its own blood supply and those new blood vessels also put off heat and they appear different from regular blood vessels.
- Special techniques are utilized to discern between heat caused by other sources (such as an infection or irritation) and the heat caused by cancer (because the cancerous blood vessels also respond differently).
- The images are examined by a skilled person who writes a report of the findings.
- If there is anything uncertain they will likely have you back in four months, otherwise they will suggest you come in next year.
Here are some cautions:
- Do some research on the clinic’s reputation and track record.
- What kind of equipment do they use? (some clinics are using the same grade of equipment that is being used to look at heat loss in houses)
- How long has their staff been doing thermography?
- Who reviews their results and creates the report?
The cost of a thermography scan in Birmingham, Michigan is about $120 (less than my last dental visit for my six month cleaning). It is not covered by most insurances but I plan to make the investment in myself. In fact I was thinking it would be fun to get a group of friends (or my mom and sisters) together to make a day of it. We could do lunch and some shopping while looking out for ourselves at the same time. How about you? Want to join me?
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who enjoys sharing what she has learned with others. She is paid a commission by Shaklee if you purchase products from her or her website: www.DonnaCopeland.MyShaklee.com She is not paid to endorse nor does she have any affiliation with thermography clinics. The Birmingham clinic’s website is: www.thermascan.com She is also not paid to endorse the Holistic Moms group (they are nationwide). Their website is: www.HolisticMoms.org
You may not know that I had a lump removed from my breast in 2007. My dad had been diagnosed with cancer about six months earlier and I remember walking into the appointment thinking, “I don’t want to be cancer buddies.” Fortunately the lump was benign and falls into the classification of “Fibrocystic Disease”; unfortunately they couldn’t tell it was benign by mammogram or ultrasound.
What they could tell me was verify that they could see a lump where I had been able to feel it. The lump was about the size of a marble and the surgeon told me that is about as small as most women are able to detect. He also told me I could expect more of these in my lifetime because women who seem prone to them tend to get a lot more.
I spoke to my doctor and we did a few things with my supplements (like increase my vitamin D) and I am thankful that I haven’t had another lump appear since then (knock on wood).
Last night I was at a very interesting presentation of the Metro Detroit Chapter of Holistic Moms (www.HolisticMoms.org) where they had a speaker from Therma-Scan of Birmingham (Michigan) speak on using Infared Mammography (also called Thermography and Thermology) speak about using that tool to detect breast cancer. I will do another post on breast cancer and Thermology. Today I want to address breast fibroids.
One thing that was said last night is that fibro-cysts (it appears there are about a dozen words for the same condition…benign breast lumps) is that there has been an increasing incidence of these lumps in the past thirty years. The reason? Xenoestrogens. These are synthetic estrogens that are in our environment that stick around in our bodies and wreak havoc.
How do we get exposed to them? Here are a few ways:
- Plasticisers
- Chemicals (in the air and food)
- Antibiotics (not all)
- Oral Contraceptives (not necessarily all)
- “New Car Smell”
You might think that because these imitation estrogens are foreign our bodies would expel them but it appears the opposite is true and they actually hang onto them for very long periods of time. I think there is a lot we can do to support our bodies in getting healthier including trying to avoid exposure to more xenoestrogens, increase our intake of pure foods, pure water, and pure supplements, and help our bodies detox through our various natural detox systems (another blog).
In the meantime, chew on this: The presenter shared that breast cancer appears to get its start in a person’s body about 14-20 years before it actually is visible by mammogram or ultra sound. Consider what choices you were making 14-20 years ago and understand that having a family history of breast cancer accounts for very FEW cases of the disease, most women diagnosed with breast cancer have no significant family history of the disease.
The good news is the same things we would do to prevent breast cancer we can do for all types of cancer. Stay tuned for more information and consider Thermology for early detection (which, by the way, CAN tell the difference between a benign lump and a cancerous lump). You can find more information at: http://www.thermascan.com
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who enjoys sharing healthy living tips she picks up from a variety of sources with you. You can check out her Shaklee products (yes, she does get paid a commission by Shaklee if you go to this site and purchase products; she isn’t getting paid by Holistic Moms or Therma-Scan of Birmingham) www.DonnaCopeland.MyShaklee.com
Filed under: Green Living | Tags: energy conservation, how to conserve energy
When I speak to people about energy conservation I often get one of three responses:
- Is it really an issue? Why should we conserve energy, I don’t think global warming is an issue.
- I know I should be doing more but I’m not sure what to do or where we should put our efforts next.
- 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:
- 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).
- 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).
- 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.
- Track your results and celebrate the difference you have made.
- 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
