This is Mr. "Who's Line is it Anyway", comedian Greg Proops, who came by the studio bright and early this morning. Look at how fancy he looks. He made us radio folk look pretty bad by comparison. He had to do, as he said, "Good Day Roseville." Catch him tonight (1/3) for his podcast, tomorrow (1/4), and Saturday (1/5) at the Punchline in the Howe 'Bout Arden shopping center.
Letâs face it. Underwear is one thing we never think of recycling, yet a new trend has started in Japan that may soon gain support (pun totally intended) with the rest of the world, namely, recycling bras into solid fuel. Yep - women in Japan are being encouraged to recycle their used bras to be converted into solid fuel for industrial use. Major Japanese underwear manufacturer Wacoal started a recycling program in 2008 where metals are removed from donated bras and remaining materials are converted into a type of fuel used for boilers and power generation facilities. The company said it has since collected enough bras produce 17.9 tons of the fuel - a collection of bras, the length of which, if hooked together, would be three times the height of Mt Everest!  Bras are typically made from fabrics and metal wiring, and their construction can make it difficult to separate component materials for recycling. Converting used bras into a fuel classified as ârefuse paper and plastic fuelâ (RPF) helps make use of fabric material that otherwise cannot be recycled. More good news â the cost of the bra-based fuel is about one-fourth that of coal, and demand for RPF is increasing.
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com
At Germanyâs Munich Zoo, you can watch the courtship rituals of the banded mongoose, hear the morning song of the scarlet ibis or visit the Indian elephants, who help keep the lights on with electricity generated from their poop. They can âdooâ this because Munich Zoo has harnessed "poo power" - energy stored in animal waste, which can be converted into a fuel known as "biogas."Â Hereâs how it works - the zoo has built three large containers, each capable of holding about 100 cubic meters of animal waste, or about a weeks worth of dung collected from all the vegetarian animals in the zoo. Once inside the containers, it's mixed with warm water and the bacteria in the dung is left to decompose in an oxygen-free environment for 30 days â yummy!
The resulting biogas rises naturally through vents in the ceiling to a corrugated hut on the roof where it's collected in a big balloon.
The biogas is then fed into a gas-powered engine that's used to generate electricity which is used to warm the gorilla enclosure. And warm gorillas are happy gorillas, right?
A mature elephant can eat about 100 kilograms of fruit, vegetables and pretzels (?) a day, producing a mountain of dung. Â Â All the zoo animals together create roughly 2,000 tons of the stuff every year, or enough to power about 100 Munich households.
No S**t!
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com
The garden snail. They are formidable pests which have tormented gardeners for generations. There are more and less environmentally friendly ways of getting rid of garden snails. How about turning them into a gourmet meal?  Sure - why not feast on them before they feast on your produce? Snails are close relatives of clams and oysters, so try substituting snails in recipes that call for other mollusks.
Keep your appetite in check while you do your prep work:
You need to deslime snails before using them in recipes (see what I mean?).  Soak them in water with 1 tbsp. of vinegar and 2 tbsp. of salt for every dozen snails. Change the solution several times. After soaking, rinse the snails then boil in just enough water to cover them for 10 minutes.  Pick the snails out of the shell with a needle or nut pick, or simply crack the shell between your thumb and forefinger to remove the snail. Cut off the intestines and black parts. Also remove the tail, cartilage and gristle, if desired.
You can buy reusable shells, which are sold in import or gourmet shops as "coquilles". Stuff two garden snails in each shell and press herb butter into the opening. Bake at 425 degrees until the butter bubbles.
Go on -Â embrace the garden snail with open arms and an empty stomach. From now on if you catch a snail eating your lettuce, eat the snail! Â Simple, sustainable, effective and delicious.
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com
Wanna know how important Facebook is to some people? Apparently itâs really, really important â more important than flushing toilets! Â Thatâs according to a new survey that found while sunshine is more important that Facebook, it also found a disturbing number of pretty significant items to be less important that Facebook.
The Top 10 responses from the survey of things people couldn't live without:  Sunshine, internet connection, clean drinking water, refrigerators, FACEBOOK, health  insurance, stoves, e-mail,  flushing hte toilet, and cell phones.
So Facebook is more important health insurance? Wow. Farther down on the âless important than Facebookâ list are items such as air conditioning, your wedding ring, push up bras, shoes and â¦â¦.chocolate????? If this resonates with you at all, time to log off for a bit. Please?
Solar cooking is the simplest, safest, most convenient way to cook food without consuming fuels or heating up the kitchen. The first solar cooker we know of was invented by Horace de Saussure, a Swiss naturalist experimenting as early as 1767. Â A solar cooker is like a hot box, in which we can cook our food without any cooking gas or kerosene, electricity, coal or wood. Solar cooking is not only fun but it's a great educational tool. Solar box cookers, constructed using cardboard, newspaper, aluminum foil, and a piece of glass will typically cook at temperatures between 225 - 275 F. Â Box solar cookers have the advantage of slow, even cooking of large quantities of food. Variations include slanting the face toward the sun and the number of reflectors. With box cookers, the food will cook more quickly if it is divided into several smaller pots instead of having it all in one large pot. A good first food to try is a small quantity of rice, since it is fairly easy to cook and looks very different cooked than it does raw. Chicken or fish is also very easy to cook. There's no need to rotate the oven to follow the sun, though it will improve cooking times. Bon Appetit!
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com
Hereâs a trend we hope wonât catch on: a divorce ring! Yes, because there are few things we women enjoy more than a piece of jewelry to commemorate life's milestones â engagements, babies, graduationsâ¦but a divorce ring? REALLY?
Yep! For a cool $3200, your ex can buy you a âsorry it didnât work outâ ring in the shape of a broken gold heart separated by a line of diamonds.
But still --a ring you wear every day on your wedding ring finger to remind you of partnership that didnât work?
Of course, maybe receiving something like this DURING the marriage would've prevented the need for a divorce ring altogether. Right?
A new workout trend is gaining in popularity down in San Diego â yoga on the ocean. No, not on the beach, on the ocean. Katherine Alfredo teaches a stand-up paddle board yoga class off the coast of Coronado. She says, âDoing yoga on a mat is one thing but when you create an unstable surface, like doing it on a paddle board, you're firing way more muscles to stabilize. So like a down dog if you've been doing it for years and years, all the sudden becomes a more challenging pose all over again.â Ya think?  Alfredo said anybody can do it, just as long as youâre able to swim. Rightâ¦I know â what could possibly happen?
Brooklynn Olivia Bird, of Folsom, CA, was crowned the World Championship Baby after she was born closest to nine months since the San Francisco Giants won the 2010 World Series. Baby Brooklynn born at 8:02 p.m. on Aug. 1 -- exactly eight minutes and nine months to the day that the Giants beat the Texas Rangers at 7:54 p.m. on Nov. 1. Brooklynn's parents, Jennifer and Robert Bird, had entered CSN Bay Area's World Championship Baby search in July when the sports network was looking for a baby who may have been made during a "private" celebration for the Giants' win. Brooklynn beat 929 contestants who entered from as far as Arizona, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Nevada, New York, Oregon and Rhode Island, contest officials said. The winning Bird family will receive a birth certificate signed by the Giants, a commemorative brick at AT&T Park engraved with Brooklynn's name, a $2,010 gift card, and the brag-worthy title of "Comcast SportsNet 2010 Giants World Championship Baby."
Mom and Dad are serious fans - Jennifer and Robert married on Oct. 23, 2010, the night the Giants won the pennant to get into the World Series.
The Iowa State Fair is selling deep fried butter on a stick this year. Yep, a quarter pound butter stick -  on a stick -  dipped in batter, deep fried, and drizzled with more butter, then cut into slices.  With fat oozing out of its thick cinnamon and honey batter and sugary icing being drizzled over the top, just looking at this new state fair snack might make you feel sick. This new delicacy of deep-fried batter on a stick has become a hit for the vendor selling them at the Iowa State Fair. It has been described as âbig, doughy, arm, butter- filled deep fried goodnessâ. But at over 400 calories and more than 45 grams of fat from just the two ounces of butter even before it is put in the deep fat fryer for three minutes and covered in glaze, this 'treat' is unsurprisingly going to do nothing for your waistline. Or your thighs.  Or your heart.  Or your arteries. Or your cholesterol.  Or your â well, you get the ideaâ¦.
A group of guys have created a humanitarian group called Beer Bongs for World Peace. BBFWP sells beer bongs and their "Bear+Deer = Beer" shirt online, while donating the profits to feed hungry children. They claim that buying a beer bong feeds four children -- and buying a tee shirt feeds eight. Yes, party animals, making the world a better place, one drunken debacle at a time. Check out their website BeerbongsForWorldPeace.org
Raise your thermostat to 78º. This is the number one way to conserve energy.
When you are away from home for more than eight hours, raise the thermostat setting and you can expect to see a 1% savings for each degree of setback. This will reduce the amount of energy used to cool your home while you're away.
Keep shades closed when the air conditioner is on. Sunny windows account for 40 percent of unwanted heat and can make your air conditioner work two to three times harder.
Check and clean filters. Cleaning and replacing air conditioning filters monthly allows the system to run more efficiently.
Install ceiling fans. Don't underestimate the importance of ceiling fans. Moving air over the body provides a cooling effect. The use of ceiling fans can mean savings of around 25% on cooling costs and can make the temperature seem 10 degrees cooler.
Make sure ceiling fans are blowing down. Most fans have a switch to change the fan direction. Make sure ceiling fans are blowing downward (in a counter-clockwise direction) to send air past your body.
Run appliances with large energy use late in the evening. Use the dishwasher and clothes washer late in the evening. When used during the day, these appliances produce additional heat, causing your air conditioner to work harder.
Use cold water to wash dishes and clothes. This will save on water heating costs.
Unplug equipment not in use. Electric chargers, televisions and audio/video equipment use electricity and produce heat even when they are not in use. Running an older refrigerator can use up to three times the energy of a modern one. Unplug any appliance when it's not in use.
Turn lights off when exiting a room. Consider replacing incandescent bulbs with energy efficient compact florescent lights.
A breast cancer charity has encouraged women to name their boobs. Yep, a name for the left one and a name for the right one. The logic is that, with names, your boobs become your friends, and youâre more likely to check each month for lumps. Ya gotta love the name of the organization too. Itâs âCoppafeelâ! The groups sends texts messages to members, reminding them to, well, cop-a-feel! The founder is a 25 year old woman named Kristin Hallenga, who says that one member named her boobs âPinkyâ and âPerkyâ. Each month, she gets a text that reads: How are Pinky and Perky today?â  Coppafeel waits for a reply, and resends the text reminder within three days if they donât hear back from âPinkyâ & âPerkyâ.
I say, whatever works! After all, guys have been naming their âjunkâ since the beginning of time, right?
The website is Coppafeel.org
There's an organization called the "Global Soap Project" that seeks to recycle slightly used bars of soap from hotels and then give them to less fortunate people around the world. Everyday, millions of bars of barely touched soap are thrown into the garbage. We Americans expect to find freshly wrapped soap in our hotel rooms. But once we leave, the soap is tossed. Now, the idea is to collect them, re-sterilize them and create seemingly fresh bars of soap for Third World nations. As the Global Soap Project organizer Derreck Kayongo puts it, "Are we really throwing away that much soap at the expense of other people who don't have anything? It just doesn't seem right".  For more information, visit www.globalsoap.org
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com.
This past July 1st, the fun & friendly town of Madeira, Ohio  made a sound heard around the world. Yes, the City of Madiera, in celebration of its "back-to-back" ranking as the #1 Community in the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area (according to something called Cincy Magazine), knows the only REAL way to celebrate is to grab the cow by the horns, or rather, by the COWBELL!
Thatâs why the townâs Mayor declared July 1stâ¦wait for itâ¦âCowbell Awareness Day".
Over a thousand people set the Guinness World Record for the Largest Cowbell Band! The Band performed in conjunction with Madeira's Independence Day Celebration on Friday July 1st, 2011. FYI, the cowbells were "Liberty" Cowbellsâ¦.
Why did we do the town of Madiera do this? Well, obviously, they had a fever, and the only prescription was More Cowbell! Besides, there aren't a lot of towns (like none) that have a World Record featuring the Cowbell. And now Madeira is the official Cowbell Center of the Universe, and your city isnât.
Forget the mile-high club -- The U.S. Sex Census national survey  - yes there is such a thing -  by condom maker Trojan found that 48% of Americans say "the most exciting place theyâve have had sex " isâ¦. in a car! Yep, vehicular sex easily beat the second most titillating location, which was - yikes - someone else's bed .  FYI, the survey did not specify whether sex in the car was better in your own or someone else's rideâ¦.
Interestingly, sex on a plane showed up more as fantasy rather than fact : When asked where they'd like to have sex but haven't yet tried, 33% of men picked the mile-high club, while the top choice for women had nothing to do with transportation: It was sex on the beach or sea â the motion of the ocean?
So remember folks: Children in the front seat cause accidents. Accidents in the back seat cause children!
More proof that we live in wondrous times: a fashion designer has created a bikini with solar panels. Yes, you can now sunbathe by the pool and still listen to your iPod or power your phone. Designer Andrew Schneider says (quote) âWe were going around the table with ideas. As a joke I said that I wanted to do a bikini that could cool your beer at the beach. A couple weeks later, I realized I could do it. The real challenge was to get enough surface area to actually power something. The bikini was meant to be small and sexy. Solar power wants all the surface area it can get.â
How have we survived without this all these years?????
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com
Father's Day is coming up this weekend. And, just in time for Dadâs big day comes a new cologne that smells like, well, barbecue.
Yep, thereâs a new fragrance out there created by the guys at "Pork Barrel BBQ." Simply called "Que," the scent is described as "smoked meat and sweet summer sweat." Ewwwâ¦.
One of the designers says the idea was pretty basic: When people get their barbecued beef, one of the first things they say is, "'Wow, that smells good." So they bottled it and will sell it, so that your guy can slather himself in it with the hopes of folks telling him that he smells really good. A two-ounce bottle will set you back $25.
Pork Barrel BBQ has three award-winning sauces and now the so-called "fragrance." Letâs hope for their sake that at least their   sauces continue to be award winning
University students in England are being encouraged to change their ways and recycle through a project in which tiny cameras are fitted into garbage cans. Scientists at Newcastle University say the "BinCams" were placed in kitchen garbage cans in five student households. The tiny sensor, attached to a camera phone, takes a picture every time the trash lid slams shut and uploads the image onto Facebook, allowing the students to monitor what they are throwing away. The Facebook page adds an element of competition, allowing the student households to compare how their recycling efforts are going. The project targets students because research has shown that, surprisingly, people aged between 18 and 34 recycle less than other age groups. And initial results suggest that the experiment was a success. Early images showed pizza boxes, beer cans and other trash that could have been recycled. But after two weeks, the experiment showed that the garbage can was emptied less frequently as less garbage was thrown away and more was recycled.
The students said they felt like the garbage can was watching them and that it definitely made them think twice about what they were throwing away. OK, yeah, maybe a little creepyâ¦..
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com.
With the weather FINALLY almost feeling like summer, the vacations will soon be in full swing. Â Guys often complain that we women âpack too muchâ for summer vacations. Fair enough, since you guys are usually the ones stuck carrying the luggage. A new survey, though, shows that it should be women complaining that guys âpack too littleâ. For a one-week vacation, men say theyâll toss into their suitcase only 3 pairs of underwear. For that same 7-day trip, the typical woman will carefully select at least 10 undies â yes, one for every potential occasion, and some extras too!
Guys might argue that if you apply âGuy Mathâ to this situation - 3 pairs of underwear, worn the right way, then inside out, then backwards, - you do, in fact, have 9 pairs of underwear. Sighâ¦.
America's colleges, where recycling is hip, are turning another green leaf: they are sending off their graduates in caps and gowns made from eco-friendly materials. Yep â some students are picking up diplomas in gowns made from recycled plastic bottles, and others are using ones made from wood pulp. More than 250 institutions have ordered the attire this year from Virginia-based Oak Hall Cap & Gown, where it takes an average of 23 plastic bottles to make each GreenWeaver gown set. A handful of other U.S.-based companies, seeing bottom-line green in the eco-conscious world of higher education, have also entered this booming market within the past three years. Some donate a small fraction of the proceeds to participating colleges.
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com.
Hereâs an interesting story about a secret underworld of parents who smoke marijuana. The kids donât know, and their neighbors donât either. They argue that a little puff doesnât hurt. Taken to another level, a group of moms explain how their  Monday yoga class is dubbed the âStoga Partyâ.  They say the relaxation of yoga mixed with weed is a deeper level of bonding and that is has  become a group journey.
Not the type of "joints" I usually focus on in yoga but hey....
In the near future, the worldâs largest chocolate makers in Switzerland will market a new candy bar to fight wrinkles!!!! Are those angels I hear singing?   The plan is to mix the chocolate bar with âanti-oxidantsâ - the super-drug that supposedly reverses the aging process and reduces your chance of cancer. âAnti-oxidantsâ have been compared to natural sponges that soak up all the toxins in your body. The result: Look younger by eating chocolate.
More proof that we do, in fact, live in wondrous times!!!
Guys â ya might want to cross your legs and take a deep breath before you read onâ¦..San Francisco voters in November will be asked to weigh in on what was until now a private family matter: male circumcision. City elections officials have confirmed that an initiative that would ban the circumcision of males younger than 18 in San Francisco has received enough signatures to appear on the ballot. The practice would become a misdemeanor. Supporters of the ban say male circumcision is a form of genital mutilation that should not be forced on a young child. But opponents say such claims are alarmingly misleading, and call the proposal a clear violation of constitutionally protected religious freedoms. The initiative's backers say its progress is the biggest success story to date of a decades-old nationwide movement to end circumcision of male infants in the United States.
So, will there be a huge spike in demand for circumcisions in nearby Daly City?
France's latest fashion statement has nothing to do with haute couture and a lot to do with saving the streets of the city of Paris from the scourge of cigarette butts. Paris student Flore Garcia Bour, 22, has been picking up butts by the hundred from the streets and stitching them painstakingly into a dress in an effort to draw attention to the smelly detritus degrading the city's streets.
Bour says, "I have always been revolted by the number of butts dropped on our streets while it would be simple to change habits and to put them into a rubbish bin," She hopes her butt dress shocks smokers and plays a role in making them more aware of the damage they do by throwing their butts away. She started stitching the dress on April 26 with cigarette butts collected in jars from all over the city then treated to remove the evil smell.
Which begs a new twist to an age old question: âDoes my butt look big in these butts?â
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com
Donald Trump is finally coming clean on one of the more enduring follicular mysteries of the modern age: his hair. In an interview with Rolling Stoneâs Erik Hedegaard, The Donald, who is considering a 2012 presidential run, offered a detailed, breathy explanation for how exactly it is that his hair comes to look the way it does everyday. "OK, what I do is, wash it with Head and Shoulders. I don't dry it, though. I let it dry by itself. It takes about an hour," Trump said matter-of-factly. In the meantime, he reads the papers and watches TV, counting Fox News and "Morning Joe," among his favorites. "I then comb my hair. Yes, I use a comb," Trump explained. "Do I comb it forward? No, I don't comb it forward." Pushing the "flying wing of his hair back," Hedegaard wrote, the reality star revealed his hairline, which has been the subject of speculation for years. "I actually don't have a bad hairline," he declared. "When you think about it, it's not bad. I mean, I get a lot of credit for comb-overs. But it's not really a comb-over. It's sort of a little bit forward and back. I've combed it the same way for years. Same thing, every time."
I think the hairdresser that has allowed this style to go on for so long should hear Trumpâs famous words from The Apprentice : âYouâre Fired!â
It may not be the best look, but scientists claim that unwashed hair is environmentally-friendly. When compared to freshly-shampooed hair, they found that the gamey, unwashed mop-tops absorbed 7-times more âozoneâ, which is a chemical compound that has been linked with cancers and smog pollution. (So, less shampoo equals fewer cancers? Hmmm..) Doctor Glenn Morrison reasons (quote) âOzone is probably reacting with components of hair oil. For dirty hair, the ozone concentration around your face is likely to be substantially lower than the level elsewhere in the room.â
So skipping a shampooing or two may put a wrench into your social life, but the planet will thank you!
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com
The idea of the oversized purse has grown to new proportions at Whatcom Museum in the Washington state city of Bellingham. Industrial artist Ries Niemi has installed his 14-foot-tall "World's Largest Walk Thru Handbag" sculpture at the museum. The open metalwork of the stainless steel handbag is decorated with images of consumerism and wealth: metal dollar signs, diamonds and $100 bills. It includes openings on each side to walk through and is accessible to the public without paying for entry to the museum.
My husband swears I already have a purse this big in our closet, and there STILL isnât room for lipstick in itâ¦â¦
A company has figured out a way to infuse their candy with beer.Beercandy was created  by homebrewer Steve Casselman and comes in different forms -- beer-fueled, chocolate-covered caramels and hop-oil flavored hard candy. Huh? A 12-pack of caramels can be had for $18.50 and eight ounces of hop drops cost $15.00 -- much, much more expensive than actual beer and candy, so â¦.
Which side of your towel did you last use to dry off your face, and which side did you use on your... nether regions? Â Well, folks who may lose sleep over which body part their bath towel touched lastnow have a new tool to help them out -- a towel printed with instructions on how to dry yourself. Â Yes, the "True Clean Towel" is marked to show what part of the cloth should be used for each part of the body. It features the outline of a body that resembles the universal figure seen on restroom signs. The figureâs head is labeled top and its âprivate areaâ is labeled bottom so as to easily guide bathers through the toweling off process. This way, you don't dry your face with the part of the towel you used to dry your butt the day before.
Of course, if you passed showering 101 and you were thorough with the business end of a bar of soap in the first place, this should be a non issue..
A professor at the University of Maine has developed prototypes of biodegradable golf balls - made out of lobster shells! Instead of dumping the shells at landfills, the idea is to add value to the product, which hopefully will funnel back into the industry.
Lobster processors dispose of tons of lobster shells that are left over after the meat is removed. Industry leaders have long wondered if there might be a way to make money from the part thrown away. The University of Maine professor developed a golf ball using ground-up lobster shells mixed with a glue-like substance for its core. The ball is the same size and weight as a standard golf ball but is intended for use on cruise ships or at driving ranges that are on lakes or the ocean. Dumping golf balls into the sea is prohibited under international convention because they are made of plastic and donât break down, but the lobster golf ball is biodegradable and disintegrates in the water in about three weeks.
With an iron, the ball flies nearly the same distance as a standard ball. With a driver, itâll go 60% to 70 % of the distance. There are other biodegradable golf balls on the market, which sell for about $1 each. The raw materials for the lobster golf ball cost about 19 cents per ball, which could make it competitive in the open market. The university has filed a provisional patent for the lobster-shell mixture.
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com
Frenchman Dr. Laurent Helewa has designed a biodegradable portable toilet. The lightweight, easy to construct and carry toilet was developed after Hurricane Katrina, when thousands of displaced people were crammed into a stadium for a week, with hardly any access to facilities.
As Helewa puts it, "It's a taboo subject, but necessary in case of natural disasters," pointing to the earthquakes in Japan and Haiti that displaced tens of thousands of people.
Weighing about 4.4 pounds, his invention is essentially a piece of cardboard that folds into a boxed seat in a minute, and comes with plastic bags that each contain an absorbent pad to soak up liquids. Helewa claims that the heavy-duty version is able to withstand a weight of 440 pounds (!) and usage of 20 hours a day.
Iâm not sure my toilet at home could stand up (or sit down) to those claims!
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com
Worried about how many calories you are going to consume in that slice of pizza, chocolate cake or bag of fries? A new iPhone application may help.
After taking a picture of the meal with the phone, the app gives a calorie read-out almost instantly. The app is called MealSnap. Supposedly, within minutes of taking a picture of a meal and matching it to a database of some 500,000 food items, the app sends users an alert with a range of calories for the meal that was photographed. The database can quickly help identity the food, how many calories there are, proteins, fat, carbs, vitamins, whatever you may want to know.  The creator say itâs like a food journal, but easier. All you do is take the picture. MealSnap is available on the iTunes store for $2.99.
Now all we need is an app that makes you burn calories just by scanning a picture of the gym equipment that you  intend to work out on, so you can spend that time multi tasking by sitting on your couch and watching more TVâ¦....
A Russian doctor claims that âSexual satisfaction works unimaginable miracles on the human bodyâ. Doctor Alexander Poleyev encourages all of his patients to have regular sex. Now thereâs a fabulous way to get fit & healthy. According to Dr. Poleyev, breast cancer rates decrease among women who have sex at least 3 times a week. And for the men, the ones who âget busyâ on a regular basis live longer and are less likely to get prostate cancer. Finally, a few minutes of rolling between the sheets burns as many calories as half an hour of jogging on the treadmill.
Now thereâs a workout you can commit to!
Turns out that the term âCrackBerryâ is for real. Researchers in 10 countries tested college students and found they were very often âaddictedâ to technology. They canât take their hands & eyes off phones, laptops and games. In fact, many students experienced classic âwithdrawal symptomsâ after losing their phone â things like prolonged moments of anxiety, irritability, and panicking. Researchers found ânearly four-in-five students had significant mental and physical distress, confusion and extreme isolation when forced to unplug from technology. Even if just for one day.â
OK, step away from the computerâ¦â¦.
Americans may be clipping money-saving coupons and delaying buying a new home, but a new survey says that when it comes to their pets they're spending more than ever! Between trips to the vet, specialty foods, treats and toys, pet insurance and even parties, Americans have no compunction about opening up their wallets to keep Rex, Rover or even the house lizard healthy and happy.
Flying in the face of economic woes, according to the poll, between two and five percent of pet owners said they spent more on their pets last year. Americans are so concerned about their pets that 16 percent of dog owners and 13 percent of cat owners said their animal's medical treatment would take priority over their own. About 73 million U.S. households, or about two-thirds of the total, have one or more pets, with dogs and cats accounting for about three-quarters of pets.
Pet owners are projected to spend a whopping $12.2 billion on veterinary cares in 2011, up from $11 billion last year and $8.2 billion five years ago.
Doggie-gift spending was up a reported 30 percent, from $56 million to $73 million, while nearly 10 percent of owners said they had hosted parties for their beloved canines.
Folks without pets might be scratching their heads, but the rest of are simply smiling and nodding our headsâ¦
According to research out of London, new diets for cows and sheep could reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Apparently, feeding the animals  maize silage, naked oats and higher sugar grasses could reduce the amount of methane they produce. By some accounts, agriculture accounts for around nine per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions. Most of this comes from sheep, cows and goats.  In Britain, where the research is being done, farming accounts for 41 per cent of that countryâs overall methane emissions, which are harmful to the environment.
I know a few humans who could benefit from this dietâ¦â¦
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com
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Hitting stores this week? A brand new deodorant which promises to not only make your underarms smell fresh, but actually make your shaved pits look prettier. Huh? Yes, Doveâs âUltimate Go Sleevelessâ claims to have a unique moisturizing formula that supposedly makes a womanâs underarms both softer and smoother within 5 days. Apparently, this matters. A lot. Â 93% of women surveyed believe their arm pits âlook uglyâ. Â Â Who the hell knew?? On the flip side, 1 in 3 of the women in the survey said they feel more confident when their pits are in good condition.
Wow â never underestimate the power of a pretty pit!
A new study finds that â surprise! - men are far more likely to ignore directions given by their GPS systems than women. Talk about perpetuating the stereotype that men hate asking for directions. While 83 percent of male drivers regularly rebel against their sat navs, less than three-quarters of women disobey the devices.
Over one third of drivers said their navigation system had led them between one and five miles astray, while more than half said directions provided by global positioning systems had triggered an argument with a passenger. You know what else can trigger an argument? Getting hopelessly lost because the man behind the wheel wonât ask for directions- not even from a machine.
One man explains it this way - "A GPS should aid your own navigational abilities rather than replace them."  No word on whether the man answered to the name Magellanâ¦.
A book urging dentists to learn from a fearsome Mongol warrior has won Britainâs quirkiest literary award, the Diagram Prize for the year's oddest book title.
"Managing a Dental Practice: The Genghis Khan Way" by Michael R. Young has won this yearâs the not-always-coveted prize.
It beat finalists including "8th International Friction Stir Welding Symposium Proceedings" and romance novel "The Italian's One-Night Love Child."
Organizers said the winning book took more than half the votes in an online ballot. Its rules say the books must be serious and their titles not merely a gimmick.
Previous champions include "Living With Crazy Buttocks" and "Bombproof Your Horse."
Gotta find these on my Kindle!!!
A modern art festival in Helsinki plans to present a film it says is the longest ever screened.
The 240-hour (!!!) film titled "Modern Times Foreverâ was created by a Danish art group called Superflex. It is reportedly the worldâs longest movie. Ya think?
The description says the film âShows the Stora Enso headquarters in Helsinki fall into a dilapidated state as time speeds into the future and past the extinction of the human race, leaving the building to be battered by time and the elements.â Â Sounds like it would make for a rather boring two hour flick. But for 240 hours? 10 days? Come on!
As Marshall McLuhan once said, âArt is anything you can get away with.â
On the surface, cleaning products are great at what they do - repelling dirt, dust, and grime with nothing more than a spritz and some elbow grease. But many cleaners contain toxic ingredients that, while safe in small amounts, could have unknown long-term side effects--like phthalaltes, which help products hold onto fragrances, but may cause birth defects; volatile organic compounds (VOC'S), which lower indoor air quality and can be connected to respiratory problems; phosphates, which break down dirt but can also affect algae when they enter the water supply; petrochemicals, or petroleum-based by-products that have been linked to cancer; and chlorine bleach, which disinfects but can cause serious health problems.Since the EPA doesn't require manufacturers to list every ingredient in a household cleaner, it can be hard to know exactly what you're getting. Look for supplies or kits that are plant-based and fragrance-free, and that promise to not contain the chemicals listed above. Products that don't test on animals are a plus, as are ones that are biodegradable as well as biocompatible (biodegradable means they'll break down into their original ingredients, which is fine unless those ingredients aren't natural; biocompatible products break down into water that's safe for reuse). And be wary of companies that claim their product is "99% natural"--there's no way of knowing what might be in that unlisted 1%.For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com
What makes a woman the perfect girlfriend, huh? Well recently, over 3000 bachelors (an important word here) were asked that question. Generally, these gentlemen agreed that their âperfect womanâ has a super-charged sex drive, can drink beers with the guys, and gets ready for a night-on-the-town in less than 10-minutes. Hmmm... They went on to describe their dream date, which had to have âperky breastsâ and a âbouncing bootyâ. She also needed to be slender, shorter than him (even in heels), with long luscious hair, and enough confidence to leave the house without any make-up. Really? Finally, when it came to entertainment, the guys said that the bouncy, perky, jiggly, skinny, beer swilling, sex-crazed perfect girl also needs to enjoy watching college basketball â all weekend long.
Any big surprise that these guys are still single?
Stressed out law students at Yale University now have some relief at the library. A border terrier mix named âGeneral Montgomeryâ is available for check-out. Students can take the dog out to play for up to 30-minutes at a time. A memo went out to Yale law students explaining that the  library was intending to run a 3 day pilot program during which students will be able to âcheck outâ their certified library therapy dog, Monty.
Oh no! The dog ate the stuff that I checked out from the libary! Â Oh wait - Â the dog IS what I checked out from the library - never mind....
Apparently, a million dollars just ain't what it used to be. According to a new survey, more than four out of ten American millionaires say they do not feel rich. In fact, many say they would need to have at least $7.5 million in order to feel they were truly rich. REALLY? REALLY?
42 percent of the more than 1,000 millionaires surveyed said they did not feel wealthy. Respondents had at least $1 million in investable assets, excluding any real estate or retirement accounts.
The average age of respondents was 56 years old with a mean of $3.5 million of investable assets. The threshold for "rich" rose with age. Still, millionaires are slightly more optimistic now than they were in 2009, when 46 percent did not feel wealthy. Well, hooray for thatâ¦.
Singapore is aggressively promoting a solution to the water scarcity that challenges countries worldwide: recycling toilet water to drink. It's an idea that many people find revolting (including me).  But, in Singapore at least, the nearly 5 million residents seem to have accepted it as necessary. Once heavily dependent on neighboring Malaysia for its water supply, Singapore is unapologetically recycling sewage and other wastewater in a way that the city-state believes will help make it self-sufficient. The treated water â which Singapore claims is nearly as pure as distilled water â is used largely for industrial purposes. But increasingly, it's also running out of Singaporeans' taps. Wastewater has long been recycled for agricultural and industrial purposes. But only a few places in the world, including Singapore, have been bold enough to add it to the drinking water supply. The technology â if it gains wider public acceptance â could change the face of potential water-rights disputes in places such as China, Vietnam,   Egypt andâ¦wait for itâ¦.the United States.
Clearly, something needs to be done. The World Health Organization claims that roughly 884 million people â 1 of every 8 in the world â still lack access to safe drinking water.
Not surprisingly, the " gross-out factorâ is a big barrier. But despite the not-so-pleasant nickname â "toilets to tap" â given to the technology, only about 10% of household wastewater typically comes from toilets, while the rest comes from showers, sinks and laundry machines. Â People have misgivings because they think they're flushing the toilet and the next thing they know, it's in the tap. Treated wastewater typically doesn't go directly into the tap, but is piped into the ground, lakes or reservoirs. It mixes with water from other sources, and may be cleaned further to meet drinking water standards before being funneled to consumers' taps, often months later.
Oh. Well, in that caseâ¦
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com
California's ferret owners are tired of being criminals. They live in the only U.S. state besides Hawaii that bans residents from keeping ferrets as pets, forcing an untold number of Californians to keep their beloved weasels hidden from the public. But these renegade ferret lovers have no plans to abandon their long, furry friends. Instead, they're ramping up their campaign to persuade lawmakers, wildlife regulators and the public that it's time to overturn a ban that's been in place for nearly 80 years. Despite the ban, California is believed to have more ferrets than any other state. The pet industry estimates that about a quarter of the nation's ferret care supplies are sold in California, where ferret owners can have their pets confiscated and be prosecuted for a criminal misdemeanor.
A member of the weasel family, ferrets are playful carnivores that are believed to have been domesticated more than 2,000 years ago. Many U.S. states used to prohibit ferrets, but most of those bans were lifted over the past 25 years as the slinky-like creatures became increasingly popular pets.
California's community of underground ferret owners is fighting to changing that. Â Many owners have had their ferrets confiscated by law enforcement after an angry neighbor, co-worker or family member reported them to state authorities.
California ferret owners have been pushing for legalization for more than 20 years, but so far have failed to convince state wildlife regulators and lawmakers to take ferrets off the list of prohibited wild animals.
At the request of wildlife officials, the legalization campaign commissioned a recent California State University, Sacramento study, which concluded ferrets pose little danger to the state's wildlife, environment or people. Â The 177-page report found that domesticated ferrets can only survive in the wild a few days, no feral colony has been found in the U.S. and ferrets are much less dangerous than dogs.
But the fish and game commission said the study did not meet the standards for triggering a formal review of legalization.
California ferret owners say they have no plans to give up their beloved pets. Ferrets make great pets, and there is no logical reason to ban them. Maybe  thatâs why California doesâ¦
Lots of us know that leaves convert sunlight into energy efficiently to stay alive through photosynthesis. Now scientists are trying to create â wait for it - artificial leaves and trees to power our lives as well. A team in London is trying to build leaves that mimic photosynthesis to generate clean fuels such as hydrogen and methanol.
Another group of researchers are in the research and development stage of building artificial trees fitted with "nanoleaves" that generate electricity from sunlight and heat. In addition, piezoelectric generators (no idea) capture energy from the wind, sound and rain. In theory, the trees will blend in with their surroundings, while providing an aesthetically appealing source of energy.
As long as they are more realistic looking than theâTreeâ cell towers that SO donât  look like treesâ¦.
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com
So, who are the âSmelliest Animals on the Planetâ? We humans, that's who!  According to new research, the âpungent body odorâ from a sweaty adult is due to the release of our own stink â and all those little animals living on our skin. Seems all of those microorganisms  - critters - on human skin use the materials in our sweat for their own metabolism. The microorganisms convert non-smelly compounds into stinky ones.  The research goes on to say that men sweat more than women. The concentrations of smelly, volatile âcarboxylic acidsâ are basically the same for men and women. Itâs just that a manâs sweat contains more water.
Actually, we women do not sweat. Nope - we glisten, we glow - Â but we do not actually sweat. Which means that men, not ALL humans, are the smelliest animals on the planet, right? Â Right?
A specialty ice cream parlor in England has begun serving up breast milk ice cream and says people should think of it as an organic, free-range treat. The breast milk concoction, called the "Baby Gaga" - oh my -  will be available at the Icecreamists restaurant in London.
The breast milk was provided by mothers who answered an online ad.
The Baby Gaga recipe blends breast milk with Madagascan vanilla pods and lemon zest, which is then churned into ice cream. One patron described the breast milk ice cream as, â⦠very nice, it really melts in the mouth."
According to Icecreamist founder Matt O'Connor, âSome people will hear about it and go, 'yuck' but actually it's pure, organic, free-range and totally natural,"
So, by âfree rangeâ, do they mean that the women who donated the milk didnât wear bras?
Eric Fitch is fulfilling the dream of beer lovers everywhere by recycling the stuff: The MIT-trained mechanical engineer has invented a patented device that turns brewery waste into natural gas that's used to fuel the brewing process. His â anaerobic methane digesterâ  extracts energy from the spent hops, barley and yeast left over from the brewing process - and it processes the plant's wastewater. That saves the brewer on waste disposal and natural gas purchasing  The 42-foot tall structure, which cost about $4 million to build, sits in the back parking lot of Magic Hat's brewery, where it came online last summer. Brewers big and small have wrestled with waste issues since the dawn of beer-making. In recent years, they've turned to recycling - both as a cost-saver and for environmental reasons. Anheuser-Busch, which makes Budweiser, uses a bio-energy recovery system in 10 of its 12 U.S. breweries to convert wastewater into natural gas that's then used to fuel the brewing process. Coors' breweries sell ethanol from their brewing process to refineries in Colorado. Some European breweries dry their spent grain and then burn it, using the heat and energy in their manufacturing process. Most operations dispose of their spent grain by selling it - or giving it away - to farmers, for use as cattle or animal feed. Fitchâs digester is the first in the world to extract energy from the spent grain and then re-use it in the brewery, and all in one place.  Cheers!
For more ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com
Why not try something different this Valentine's Day and practice green gift giving. Eco-friendly gift ideas offer a present not only for the recipient, but also for the planet. Choosing items that are sustainable, natural, and have the well-being of the Earth in mind is a way to express love and appreciation for your loved one, but also for the environment that everyone shares. Try any of these green gift ideas for Valentine's Day to enjoy a more environmentally-friendly holiday.
One great option for green gift giving this Valentine's Day is eco-friendly jewelry and clothing. There are endless unique and high-quality options available if you look online or through smaller boutique shops. Handmade jewelry, creative artisan accessories made from recycled or sustainable materials, and clothing made from natural fibers are all excellent eco-friendly gift ideas. Not only are they green, but they are likely to be original, durable, and more interesting then conventional products.
Another option: the best Valentine presents are homemade and from the heart. With a little creativity and a free afternoon there are so many eco-friendly gifts you can make yourself for your loved ones. Think green and use natural, sustainable, or used materials to make an Earth-friendly craft as a gift for Valentine's Day. Consider the following ideas or come up with some of your own:
Use old clothing to put together an easy sewing project such as a travel pillow or a bag. Decorate with buttons, pins, zippers â use what you already have to create an extremely unique, individualized Valentine's Day present.
Make homemade beeswax candles as a non-toxic, green gift.
Bake brownies, fudge, cookies, or candies with organic ingredients and give them to all of your loved ones this holiday.
Make homemade bath salts by blending sea salt and epsom salt with your choice of essential oils. Try an essential oil with aphrodisiac properties such as jasmine or ylang ylang,
Eco-friendly gift ideas are not only beneficial for the Earth and your Valentine, but also for you. Consider green gift giving as an opportunity to learn about what sustainable products are out there, to find out new ways to go green, and to discover how easy it is to make products yourself rather than buying them.
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com
Facebook users are being asked to vote on whether one of the most iconic US couples ever should be reunited after a seven-year split. Â Barbie and Ken, two half-century-old dolls marketed by the world's biggest toy company, Mattel, split on Valentine's Day 2004 after 43 years together, and now the public is being asked to weigh in on whether they belong together.
Apparently, after the big break-up, Barbie began a dalliance with an Australian surfer dude-doll named Blaine, and Ken dumped his role as Barbie's eternal sidekick, went on to win critical acclaim for his role in Toy Story 3, and also made appearances at Fashion Week in New York.
But the folks at Mattel say that even as he basked in his new-found celebrity, Ken's aim was always to win back Barbie.
Having explored the singles scene after his starring role in Toy Story 3, seems that Ken now knows Barbie is the only doll for him. He is even making some pretty "epic romantic gestures" to win back his girl.
One of those gestures is by professing his love for Barbie on billboards in New York and Los Angeles, one of which reads: "Barbie, We May Be Plastic But Our Love is Real."
Mattel is now asking fans of the two dolls, who have retained their youthful good looks and seamlessly changed with the times, to vote on either doll's Facebook page or on barbieandken.com to determine if they should get back together.
Ken reportedly wants to win back Barbie by Valentine's Day, in a week's time.
Instead of the Girl Scout Cookie box you're familiar with, one type of Girl Scout Cookie will have a brand new look. Yep, the Girl Scouts and ABC Bakers have decided to go "green" by eliminating the outer box from the Thanks-A-Lot Cookies to reduce waste. The Thanks-A-Lot packaging is part of a pilot program. The plan is to eventually transition all Girl Scout Cookies to this form of packaging. Locally, during last year's sale Girl Scouts in the Sacramento, Modesto and Stockton areas sold more than 13,000 cases of Thanks-A-Lot Cookies; if girls sell the same amount of Thanks-A-Lots in 2011, they will be eliminating more than 156,000 cookie boxes from the local waste stream. Nationally, 150 tons of paperboard will be eliminated by changing the Thanks-A-Lot packaging! Thereâs more: eliminating the box not only reduces waste but allows more cookie packages to fit in a delivery truck. This smaller sized package will yield an energy saving equivalent to 30,000 gallons of gasoline.
So help reduce waste and fund programs that build girls of courage, confidence and character by purchasing Girl Scout Cookies. Yum! Â Girl Scout Cookies are on sale through March 20.
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com
While Britain has a public holiday to celebrate Prince William's wedding to Kate Middleton, one company is taking the party one step further with souvenir condoms. Yes, all manner of predictable unofficial souvenirs such as tea towels, chinaware and postcards have been rushed out by manufacturers, and now  condoms have joined the ranks. Crown Jewels Condoms of Distinction is producing special celebration packs that bear the slogan: "Like a royal wedding, romance with a loved one is an unforgettable occasion". Presented in regal-looking purple and gold, each pack bears a picture of the couple gazing into each other's eyes (see photo). A spokesman for Crown Jewels Condoms of Distinction insisted they were "a unique way to remember this great British occasion".  I think Iâll stick with a commemorative postcardâ¦..
Small tweaks in your lifestyle can have a huge impact on the environment. So if you havenât made your contribution to the planetâs health, you can start right now by taking steps to make your workouts environmentally friendly.
Reduce WasteEight out of 10 plastic water bottles in the United States end up in landfills or become garbage. Use refillable bottles for water and sports drinks to reduce waste.
Buy Environmentally-Friendly Exercise Clothes
Buy workout gear made from organic cloth and recycled materials. Or scrounge around second-hand stores, and yard sales to find previously used exercise clothes.
Conserve Resources
To minimize the use of electricity-sapping treadmills and elliptical trainers, use stationary bikes, or jog around the neighborhood instead. Also, join a gym close to home so you can ride a bicycle, or walk instead of wasting gas driving. To conserve water, cut your post- workout shower-time in half.
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com
A guy in New York named Till Krautkraemer is the founder of  "MeatWater", a beverage company that creates hearty -- and obviously meaty -- meal supplement drinks in highly unusual flavors like cheeseburger, barbecued chicken wings and Italian sausage.  Krautkraemer has just released four new offbeat offerings that are vegan-friendly and devoid of animal byproducts. The new flavors in his MeatWaterVOID line include Poached salmon salad -  which supposedly tastes like a piece of salmon over lettuce, asparagus and mustard seeds -- and grilled chicken salad, a green-colored beverage said to taste like grilled chicken, spinach and onions, complete with a balsamic vinegar dressing. Then there's grilled Thai beef salad, a dark reddish, "mildly spicy but SUPER beefy" flavor that supposedly tastes like flank steak, red leaf lettuce, cucumber and garlic.  And, finally, there's Krautkraemer's favorite: Caribbean shrimp salad,  a light-pink concoction designed to taste like grilled shrimp, mixed greens and raspberries.
To really sink your teeth into the funky flavors, Krautkraemer advised drinking the beverages slightly warm. Like a fine wine,  he said, the aromas and savory flavors are heightened when the drinks are served this way. OKâ¦.
According to Krautkraemer, the current top seller is Hungarian goulash, a reddish-brown thirst-quencher meant to taste like the authentic Hungarian stew dish comprised of beef, onions and paprika. Other MeatWater varieties inspired by international fare include Peking duck,  tandoori chicken, liverwurst sandwich and bangers 'n' mash.  Yum. Thirsty yet?For those with a taste for the finer things in life, the company also offers "luxury" flavors such as escargots and moule frites, a Belgian delicacy containing mussels and french fries. No fancy restaurant required.He's accepting flavor recommendations online now through March 22 through his "Who the F*** Pulled the Pork?" contest. Those with the best submissions will win their own supply of MeatWater. Passâ¦..
âAustralia Dayâ - January 26th - is very similar to our 4th of July. Itâs a national holiday where everyone barbecues and goes to the beach and this year, the â6th Annual Australia Day Thong Challengeâ will look to attract the biggest crowd to take to the water on thong-shaped floats. More thong related activities that have nothing to do with underwear?  All day in Australia, the entire nation is throwing thongs â flip flips! The Thong Toss is another tradition of âAustralia Dayâsâ celebrations.  Last yearâs âThong Throwingâ champ was David Cosentino, who tossed his thong 183 feet, about the length of half a football field. So, whatâs his secret? David says (quote) âBending the piece that goes between your toes over the back of the thong - it becomes more aerodynamic.â   I guess the other kind of thong could be pretty aerodynamic tooâ¦.
Professors in the Netherlands say all you need to do to save the rainforest, improve your diet, better your health, cut global carbon emissions and slash your food budget is eat bugs. Yep - scientists claim that mealworm quiche, grasshopper springrolls and cuisine made from other creepy crawlies is the answer to the global food crisis, shrinking land and water resources and climate-changing carbon emissions. They even have plans for a cookbook to make bug food a more appetizing prospect for mature palates. The professors at Wageningen University in the Netherlands say insects have more protein than cattle per bite, cost less to raise, consume less water and don't have much of a carbon footprint. Â Yeah, maybe per foot, but when youâre eating something with dozens of feet, that carbon footprint starts to add up, now doesnât it? Thatâs my story and Iâm sticking to it!
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com
When Leviâs washes its jeans, itâs not to get them clean. Itâs to make them soft. So who needs water?  Leviâs has began offering a denim collection that reduces the amount of water used in the finishing by an average of 11 gallons per pair. The company claims a total of 4 million gallons saved for its spring collection now in stores. The denim is still âwashedâ with stones, but the water has been removed from the process, and the number of wet-washing cycles has been cut by combining steps.  Parent company Levi Strauss & Co. is using the launch of their Waterless Jeans as a starting point for a conversation with its consumers, manufacturers, retailers and even its competitors about doing business in a more eco-friendly way. The hangtag that goes home with the jeans also encourages less washing at home, use of cold water and line drying.
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com
Technology is advancing at an incredible rate. It's difficult to imagine a world without Google, cell phones and debit cards. Seriously, how did people meet up in the 1980s? Now imagine what the kids of today will remember about OUR technology. They won't remember much -- if anything. Yahoo Finance has come up with a list of things babies born in 2011 will never know:
It's great to indulge here and there......but  a hamburger that costs thousands of dollars? Oh yes, there is such a thing. Forbes recently compiled a list of the world's most extravagant meals from Vegas to Shanghai.
Now back  to that burger:
The $5,000 Fleur Burger - Las Vegas. Created by Fleur de Lys chef Hubert Keller,  this burger contains kobe beef, truffles and foie gras  (see photo).  The real cost, though, comes with the concoction's accompaniment -- a bottle of 1995 Chateau Petrus from Bordeaux.
Are you craving Italian? How about:
Nino's Bellissima Pizza - New York. There's nothing special about the sauce or the crust. This pizza earns its $1,000 price tag with its toppings. Nino's loads down this pie with caviar and fresh Maine lobster. There's also some salmon roe and a little wasabi.
And for dessert:
$1,000 Sultan's Golden Cake - Istanbul. Upon request the pastry chef at the Ciragan Palace Kempinski will prepare a "golden cake" that has been flavored with fruits marinated for years in Jamaican rum, vanilla beans from French Polynesia and French wheat. But what makes this the ultimate bakery bling is the dusting of 24-karat edible gold.
Wow â at these prices, after maybe a year or two of saving, I might be able to afford an appetizerâ¦..
When somebody mentions museum what is the first image that comes to your mind - paintings, sculptures, and ancient artifacts? Yeah, been there, done that. But who says museum visits have to be all about the art? Here is a list of museums dedicated to your favorite drink - cheers!
Vodka Museum, Moscow -- Three cheers for the free samples.
Wine Museum, Paris -- Featuring limestone quarries dating back to 13th century.
Scotch Whisky Experience, Edinburgh -- What better place to learn about scotch than ... Scotland?
Bacardi Rum Distillery, Catano -- Learning how to mix a Mojito while in Puerto Rico ... Now that's something you can tell your grandkids about.
Sake Museum, Tokyo -- There are more than 6,000 different brands of sake available to choose from.
Heineken Experience, Amsterdam -- You can get your own personalized bottle of beer and actually experience what it feels like to be brewed and bottled in 4D.
Guinness Storehouse, Dublin -- The building is shaped like a pint. What's not to like?
It was the best of times, it was the weirdest of times: Here are some of the more random stories that colored the news in 2010:
** A Copenhagen bus company put "love seats" on 103 of its vehicles for people looking for a partner. "Even love at first sight is possible on the bus," said a spokesman for the British owned Arriva company to explain the two seats on each bus that are covered in red cloth and a "love seat" sign.
**Shoppers at an international luxury fair in Verona, Italy, found a cell-phone-equipped golden coffin among the items on display. The phones will help "the deceased" contact relatives if they have been buried alive by mistake.
** Paul the octopus (see photo), who shot to fame during this year's football World Cup for his flawless record in predicting game results, died peacefully in his sleep in an aquarium.
** A Mozambican prisoner who had been released on parole broke back into jail after discovering he didn't like life on the outside.
** A robber in New York came up with a disarming way to pull off his latest bank heist, approaching the teller's window with a large bouquet of flowers and handing over a hold-up note.
**A Kuwaiti MP proposed state-aid for male citizens to take second wives, in a bid to reduce the large number of unmarried women in the oil-rich emirate.
**A Frenchman who lost all his limbs in an electrical accident successfully swam across the Channel, a challenge he had been preparing for two years.
** A set of dentures made for Britain's war-time prime minister Winston Churchill known as "the teeth that saved the world" sold for nearly 28,000 dollars at auction.
**The strongest and most expensive beer ever created sold out within hours, a Scottish brewery said, as they courted controversy by packaging the bottles inside the bodies of stuffed squirrels.
** Two Australian men needed surgery after shooting each other in the buttocks during a drinking session to see if it would hurt.
It did.....
A six-foot tall marijuana plant decorated as a Christmas tree was confiscated from the home of a man in Munich, Germany. He is now facing a drug possession charge. The plant had been put in a Christmas tree stand and decorated with a string of lights. When asked, the treeâs owner  told officers that he had intended to add more decorations to the 'tree' and place the presents under it, according to tradition.
Santa's cookies wouldn't have lasted five minutes in that house....
A New York University arts professor might not have eyes on the back of his head, but he's coming pretty close. Wafaa Bilal has  had a small digital camera implanted in the back of his head â all in the name of art. Bilal said that he underwent the procedure for an art project that was commissioned by a new museum in the Arab Gulf. The camera will capture his everyday activities at one-minute intervals 24-hours a day and then be transmitted to monitors at the museum  The camera is 2 inches in diameter and less than an inch thick. Bilal said he chose to have it put in the back of the head as an allegorical statement about the things we don't see and leave behind.
A great idea, except that that this fellow forgot that we Moms ALREADY have eyes in the backs of our heads!
A German sniffer dog called Lucky turned out to be anything but for a 21-year-old man in Munich arrested with a homemade Advent calendar with cannabis behind each little door instead of chocolate. Police say that behind every little door on the calendar was a small amount of cannabis in a matchbox, wrapped up in a colourful bow. The young man was released but now faces charges of possessing drugs.
OK, 2 things: First, this might actually have worked here in California. And second, too bad there wasnât pot AND chocolate behind each little doorâ¦.
This year, consider giving thoughtful gifts that are not resource-consuming. Some of the most favored and remembered gifts are those we can make ourselves. Avoid the trap of âHow much should I spend?â
Look for gifts that are unpackaged or minimally packaged, without unnecessary plastic wrap or cardboard backing.
Evaluate the gift for simplicity and durability.
Buy durable gifts with long-term warranties.
Know the store's return policy and include tags or receipts for easier exchange or return.
Consider the impact of your gift: Is it environmentally friendly and safe for children? Will it be reusable?
Is it recyclable or made from recycled materials?
Purchase holiday cards made from recycled paper or make your own from items found around the home.
Help someone recycle â give a can crusher, a set of recycling bins or a recycling cart.
Draw names or share the cost of a gift with a sibling or friend.
Give an experience (for example, a ride in a hot air balloon or day trip on a train).
Make a giant edible cookie holiday card; put on a personal greeting with icing.
Give a garden! Seeds, gloves, tools, etc.
Create a family recipe book.
Give yourself or your children time to simply enjoy the season.!
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com
A company which makes the world's biggest knickers has been forced to make even larger underwear - for women who are a size 74 with 105 inch waistlines. The Big Bloomers Company was set up by mother and daughter Dianne and Laura Mannering earlier this year making underwear up to XXXXXXXXL for 490 pound women.  But they were inundated with calls from obese women around the world claiming that the 8XL panties were too small. So the pair have developed their latest range - which are a staggering XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXL - to fit 630 pound women who have a 8.75 foot waistline (105 inches around) and a dress size of 74. Yep, size 14XL. Women from New Zealand, France and Australia have already been clamoring for the garments, which have been flying off the shelves since going on sale.
Want to make your holidays greener? How about making your own wrapping paper! Most mass-produced wrapping paper you find in stores is not recyclable and ends up in landfills. Instead, here's a great chance to get creative! Wrap presents with old maps, the comics section of a newspaper, or children's artwork. Or use a scarf, attractive dish towel, bandana, or some other useful cloth item. If every family wrapped just three gifts this way, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields!
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com
Gals - usually, purchasing a push-up bras implies you're looking to give your boobs a lift, but retail analysts say you may be giving the economy a boost too. Retail analysts are noticing a nice bump in sales of luxury goods like Victoria's Secret Bras, as opposed to last year's hot sellers like diapers, coffee makers and winter coats. A shift back to "want it" gear and away from "need it" gear is a good sign that the economy is ramping up again. Specifically, they note that since the pricey "Miraculous" bras at Victoriaâs Secret are flying off the shelves, shoppers are once again willing to splurge and buy more items for themselves than in the past two holiday seasons. The bras, which launched last year, range from $49.50 to $250.
November 19th is World Toilet Day - a day to celebrate the importance of sanitation and raise awareness for the 2.5 billion people (nearly half of the world's population) who don't have access to toilets and proper sanitation.
Even though there is a serious message, World Toilet Day canât help but bring out the potty humor in all of us, right? To that end, according to TheSmokingJacket.com, here's a rundown of some of the best porta potty company names in America:
Honey Bucket,  Happy Can,  Leprecan,  Doodie Calls,  Potty Queen,  Spanky's,  Blow Bros., Gotugo,  Ker Plunk, and my favorite -  Yesterday's Meals on Wheels.
The Trans-Siberian Orchestra comes to the Arco Arena this Saturday for 2 shows. Not only is this an amazing, over the top, $20 million-plus holiday production that really defies description, but these great folks also donate 1 dollar from every ticket to local non-profit organizations! How cool is that? The Sacramento shows benefit the Domestic Violence Intervention Center of Citrus Heights and the Me-One Foundation, which provides cost free weekend getaways for local adult cancer patients and their families. Wish more artists did this....so go see a great show and feel good knowing you are helping others in your community! Tickets are available at the Arco Arena Box Office or at Ticketmaster.com. See you there!
London department store Harrods is giving a  luxurious new spin to the humble Christmas advent calendar by unveiling a one-million-dollar version featuring a speedboat and a designer kitchen. The calendar, worth $995,000 dollars, is one of five available worldwide, one for each continent. Instead of the traditional piece of chocolate, behind the 24 windows of the calendar are a galaxy of luxury gifts aimed at bringing festive joy to the Christmas-loving bizzillionaire.
Three highlights include a chronograph watch, a designer kitchen and of course, the 28-foot speedboat. Â All good and well, but I would still need chocolate....
According to a new study, two tons of CO2 are emitted per person simply byâ¦.eating? Yep, researchers calculated this huge "carbon footprint" -- and also concluded that activities related to human food consumption amount to 20 percent of yearly CO2 emissions. The activities that hurt the planet the most include the production of meat and dairy products, followed by activities related to human waste - sewage treatment and toilet paper, soap and water consumption.
The calculations included agricultural and animal production, food processing, sale and distribution, cooking and preparation, packaging, food waste, and human excretion â including breathing (really?!) and waste water treatment.
We gotta save the planet! We gotta stop eating! You go first!
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com.
A French company called âLingerie Dementâ sells undies and bras which pretty much seem specially designed for men. Why? Theyâre attached with magnets. A bra and panty set will cost you around $220. The front-closure on the bra is not a hook, but a magnet. And the waistband of the undies comes with magnets on both sides. This either makes it easier to disrobe in the heat of passion, or helps klutzes who find bra hooks impossible.
By the way, âLingerie Dementâ loosely translates from French to mean âInsane Underwearâ. No argument there.
There's a story behind the blue, white and green plastic covering the surface of the Pacific Ocean vacuum cleaner. They're tiny bits of plastic collected from one of Hawaii's dirtiest beaches, Kahuku, where waves dump trash from the Pacific all day long. The machine made by Electrolux AB is fully functional and can suck up dirt from a rug like any other vacuum. But the company said it wants the device to serve as an object that provokes a conversation about the large volumes of plastic trash that are polluting the world's oceans. The Stockholm-based company has also made four other vacuums, each from plastic trash collected in the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean, North and Baltic seas. None of the five are for commercial sale.
Many groups are doing their best to clean the ocean and beaches of plastic. But the problem keeps growing because people continue to consume more plastic without recycling it afterward. Â Electrolux received its Pacific Ocean plastic from a Hawaii-based volunteer group that cleans up Kahuku beach once a week. The remote shoreline is one of Oahu's dirtiest, in part because current flows tend to deposit trash on that side of the island. Garbage also quickly accumulates at Kahuku because the beach is behind two private properties and can't be easily visited by beachgoers who pick up trash on Hawaii's more populated shorelines every day.
Plastic breaks down into smaller pieces slowly over time but doesn't ever completely disappear. In the ocean, currents carry the small bits to areas where massive gyres of plastic garbage have formed. Seabirds eat the plastic bits â particularly ones that are a bright red or orange â thinking they're squid, fish eggs or other food. In fact, Electrolux's Pacific vacuum has only a few red or orange pieces because marine animals have eaten most of the brightly colored plastic trash pieces before they wash ashore.
The ultimate solution is going to be in stopping this stuff from getting into the ocean in the first place. In the mean time, this is a creative, colorful, unique way of addressing the problem on some level.
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com
New Yorkers can now drop their dogs off at Manhattan's first dog disco when they spend a night on the town. Â The Fetch Club, in New York's Financial District, features a disco ball, stain-resistant carpeting and a sheepskin rug where dogs can get a massage when they're all danced out. When the canines are done cutting the rug, they can dine on barbecued-squirrel treats or even dog sushi. The pampered pups can also curl up on luxurious day beds scattered around the floor, and if they're dog-tired they can head over to the sheepskin for their mutt massage.
Wow â if THATâS a dogâs life, sign me up!!!
Parents across the country are checking the forecast for this weekend. Not only is rain unpleasant for trick-or-treating children, but the annual âNaked Pumpkin Runâ can be downright, well, frigid. Â Every Halloween the âNaked Pumpkin Runâ is planned for Seattle, Boulder, and several cities in California. It requires a pumpkin larger than your headâand not a whole lot more. Runners are completely naked, and disguise themselves with a carved pumpkin over their face. Â A poster advertising the event describes it this way: âWithout a pumpkin, it would just be streakingâ.
The toilet paper roll is about to undergo its biggest change in 100 years: going tubeless. Kimberly Clark, one of the world's biggest makers of household paper products, will begin testing Scott Naturals Tube-Free toilet paper in stores throughout the Northeast. If sales take off, it may introduce the line nationally and globally â and even consider adapting the technology into its paper towel brands. No, the holes in the rolls aren't perfectly round. But they do fit over TP spindles and come with this promise: Even the last piece of toilet paper will be usable â without glue stuck on it. Big green news in the $9 billion â but stagnant â toilet paper market!
The 17 billion toilet paper tubes produced annually in the USA account for 160 million pounds of trash, and could stretch more than a million miles placed end-to-end. That's from here to the moon and back â twice. Most consumers toss, rather than recycle used tubes.
Environmentalist applaud the move, calling it a positive example of how companies are seeking creative ways to reduce environmental impact.
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com.
Ladies - If you're anything like me, when you're heading out for the night you're always trying to find the tiniest purse to fit three very important items: your keys, lipstick and cell phone, of course. And even when you find the right purse, you still have to deal with carrying it around all night, which is not what you want to be worrying about while you're out having fun. Good news: One company has solved that issue for us with the invention of a dress that also doubles as a cell phone. This innovative dress designed by Cute Circuit, aims to be elegant yet convenient, by allowing you to spend a night on the town without any extra baggage but also giving you the capability to make and receive phone calls- directly from your dress. Simply slip your sim card into the label of the dress and you're all ready to begin dress dialing. Different ringtones can be assigned so that you always know who is calling, however the dress is limited to calling only a few pre-programmed numbers.
Of course this may lead to new pick up lines such as "Could I borrow your...phone?"
If the high price of gasoline has you worried, this car may be just what you're looking for. An entrepreneur in Virginia has developed a vehicle that can go 100 miles on just one gallon of gas. The Edison2 Very Light Car, Â weighs just 830 pounds. It's so light, chief designer Ron Mathis can push the vehicle with his thumb. And not only is the car light, its sleek, aerodynamic design allows it to move at a pretty good clip down the highway. "It will run at about 120 (mph)," Mathis said. "It cruises very happily at about 85." The car is only a prototype, so amenities and other creature comforts will be built into later versions. The Edison2 isn't likely to ever have power windows or other power driven accessories that add weight and decrease fuel efficiency in cars. So at what point will American car buyers be willing to trade luxury for efficiency? "Right around the time gas hits five bucks a gallon, this is going to start to seem like a really good idea," says Mathis
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com
Have you ever wanted to whack cancer with a club? Well, here's your chance! The Me-One Foundation is hosting their 2nd Annual Tee'd Off at Cancer Golf Classic on Monday, November 1st at Granite Bay Golf Club.  Come out and hit the links with proceeds from the day benefiting the Me-One Foundation's Camp Challenge. It's an awesome, free weekend getaway fro adult cancer patients and their families. l know - talk about a great reason to play hooky, huh? Here's your chance to play Granite Bay, a gorgeous, private course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. And after an epic day of fairways and greens, you'll dine on a feast of offerings from some of the hottest restaurants in town. So bring you best game and maybe a few of your best pals to Granite Bay Golf Club on Monday, November 1st, and help provide a free vacation for families that are fighting cancer everyday.  Here's your shot to take a crack at cancer, and this time, we'll even put it on a tee for you. It's the 2nd Annual Tee'd off at Cancer Golf Classic benefiting the Me-One Foundation, keeping life's scoreboard at:  Cancer - Zero, Me- One.  For more information, log on to www.me-onefoundation.org
A New York woman who purchased a McDonalds Happy Meal six months ago says the uneaten burger and fries are in as good shape as they were the day she bought them.The claim, backed up by a seemingly indestructible Happy Meal sitting in artist-photographer Sally Davies' Manhattan apartment, has amazed people around the world. The burger has been featured on television shows and become the subject of intense speculation as people wonder how fast food can apparently show barely a trace of age after six months on a plate.
On April 10th Davies bought one hamburger and  began photographing it. âIt smelled for one day, and it stopped," she said. The burger has shrunken a little, but is mold-free and visually the same as one delivered in one of McDonald's famous boxes. As Daives says, there is no odor. Her two dogs walk past without showing the slightest interest. The Happy Meal's endurance has puzzled and worried many, wondering whether food lasting so long can be healthy. McDonalds declined an interview request, but said in a statement that "menu items are freshly prepared in our restaurants.â
Ever miss your childhood days riding around in a red wagon? A Wasilla, Alaska, couple has the answer: A full-sized pickup that has been converted into a giant red Radio Flyer. Fred Keller and Judy Foster worked on the vehicle for 11 months, using the base of a 1976 Mazda B1600 pickup truck. The basic structure of the wagon is marine plywood, foam, fiberglass cloth and epoxy resin. Many components of the Mazda are still in the flyer: instrument panel, steering column, levels, frame and engine. Keller completed the frame, added smaller wheels, hubcaps painted white and used old laundry detergent caps for the hubs. He also constructed the 8-foot tall handle from PVC piping wrapped in fiberglass, which rises from the front bumper high over the windshield. The steering wheel is also anhomage to all things wagons, a wheel that could be used on a wagon or cart. There's no storage space on the wagon, so Fred made an especially wide and deep glove compartment. The wagon was completed in August after making a few adjustments required by the state motor vehicles department (windshield, mudflaps, more lights) to make it street legal.
Since then, it's been an instant hit whether they're driving around Wasilla or taking the 50-mile trip to Anchorage!
Here are three  - OK, maybe two - simple ways to save water and money on your utility bills. Create âplaytimeâ in the bathtub and have your young kidlets bathe all at the same time. Also, you can reduce the amount of time you spend in the shower by singing your favorite song. When the song ends, so should your shower. Then thereâs the idea of couples sharing their shower time, ostensibly to converse water. But guess what? A new study has found that, surprise! Showering together doesnât necessarily make the shower time any shorter. Couples can often get, well, distracted, and end up spending even more time in the shower than the average length of two individual ones.  Pass the soap.
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com
For anyone diagnosed with the popular condition commonly known as Bieber Fever (symptoms include: uncontrollable screaming, replaying the same songs over and over and tweeting like c-r-a-z-y), this is the perfect fix for you!
Justin Bieber has his own doll! Make that dolls. There is an entire line and each one is different â whether it's adorned with a different outfit, shade or bling.
One steady? The hair. Each one has The Biebs' shaggy signature 'do.
As if that alone isn't enough to make your kids (or you â who am I to judge?) Â scream "Baby, baby, baby!" a select few of the higher-priced dolls sing 30-second snippets of Justin's songs.
The mini-Justin's range in price from $17.99 to $27.99 and will debut â surprise! -  just in time for holiday shoppers.
And if Bieber the boy has it bad for older women like the Kardashians, Bieber the doll might want to cozy up to a cougar named Barbieâ¦
A Lonely Planet editor came up with an unusual substitute for a guidebook to Atlantic City: He found his way around town using a Monopoly Board! The guidebook publisher's U.S. travel editor Robert Reid made an amusing video of his effort to use Monopoly as his guide, walking around town carrying a game board and the property cards bearing familiar street names. Standing on St. James Place with the corresponding card, he said, "A lot of people don't realize that the places â Oriental Avenue, Ventnor Avenue, St. Charles Place, Park Place and this, St. James Place, are real and they can be visited here in Atlantic City." He then walked into a small hotel, the Inn of the Irish Pub, and told the man at the desk that according to his Monopoly card, he could buy the hotel for $100 plus four houses!  Yeah, didnât happen⦠but the owner DID accept $30 in Monopoly money to pay for Reid's night at the inn!
It's good to be a Barbie girl in this Barbie's world! A custom-designed Barbie doll is donning a necklace featuring a 1-carat pink diamond. She's being offered Oct. 20 at Christie's auction house in New York for an estimated $300,000 to $500,000. At that selling price, Christie's says she would be the world's most expensive Barbie. All proceeds will benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation in support of breast cancer awareness month.
And if you think for a minute that Ken had anything to do with this - no, no he did not....
Solar power is coming to President Barack Obama's house. The most famous residence in America, which has already boosted its green credentials by planting a garden, plans to install solar panels atop the White House's living quarters. The solar panels are to be installed by spring 2011, and will heat water for the first family and supply some electricity.
Former Presidents Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush both tapped the sun during their days in the White House. In the late 1970s Carter spent $30,000 on a solar water-heating system for West Wing offices. Bush's solar systems powered a maintenance building and some of the mansion, and heated water for the pool.
Obama, who has championed renewable energy, has been under increasing pressure to lead by example by installing solar at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, something White House officials said has been under consideration since he first took office.
As Solar Energy Industries Association President Rhone Resch put it, "Putting solar on the roof of the nation's most important real estate is a powerful symbol calling on all Americans to rethink how we generate electricity,"
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com
DC has officially licensed the 1966 Batmobile for real, full-scale car production. Yes,  you can actually buy this car now, to drive legally in all countries where it's legal to drive  fire-spitting cars in spandex suits. For just $150,000,  the folks at Fiberglass Freaks Replicas will get you a full, exact copy of the 1966 Batmobile with:
⢠Rocket exhaust flamethrower works (YES!)
⢠Show-car quality paint job.
⢠Car sports Radir wheels with accurately shaped bat spinners.
⢠Brand new GM 350 crate engine and brand new transmission.
⢠Center console aluminum trim
⢠Five light flasher, steering bezel, door sill chevron plates, "chrome-painted seat buckets, and even the very knobs, buttons and T handles are molded from vintage equipment."
⢠Five highly-polished aluminum roll top dashboard doors that glide open.
⢠Red beacon light.
⢠Batbeam antenna grid raises between the front windshields.
⢠Detect-a-scope radar screen glows green.
⢠DVD player that plays on the LCD screen in the dash.
⢠Hood and trunk raise and lower with actuator switches.
⢠High-end stereo to play back the original Batman theme or the Prince one.
Apparently the boyish sidekick is not includedâ¦.
It may not come in time for Oktoberfest, but the world's first beer to be certified for consumption in space will soon undergo tests in weightlessness to see if it is brewed with the right stuff. Astronauts4Hire, a non-profit space research corporation, will conduct the tests on an Australian beer that has been brewed specifically for easy drinking in both microgravity environments as well as here on Earth.
The development of space beer is intended to coincide with the burgeoning space tourism industry, and as the market expands, industry leaders are anticipating a demand for such products. So how do you test space beer without a rocket? Drink it, of course. Testing for the new space beer is set to begin on board Zero Gravity Corporation's modified Boeing aircraft, which flies a series of parabolic arcs that simulate environments of weightlessness.
Data will be collected on the taste of the beverage and its drinkability during weightlessness. Other studies have examined the type of container that would be needed to maintain the drink's carbonation in spite of the extreme pressure and temperature changes that accompany a ride into space.
Yeah, because if itâs packaged in clear plastic bags, it would look a bit too much like beerâs âby-productââ¦
Your dog's poop needn't go straight into the trashcan -- it can be used as an energy source. So says  Matthew Mazzottawho developed a methane digester that turns pet waste into enough electricity to power a light in a Cambridge, Massachusetts dog park.
The concept is based off of technology being used in India and China. It takes cow manure, puts it into a tank and makes the perfect environment for the little microbes in the manure to put off methane, and this methane can then be used to cook or heat spaces."
All summer long, people have been disposing of their pet's poop by placing it in a biodegradable bag and then putting it in the methane digester. The waste was then converted to energy to power a lamp post in the dog park. The hope is one day this type of recycled refuse will be a viable source of renewable energy. And with dogs creating tons of poop in cities everywhere, the idea of using its untapped power has a much more broad appeal than say, stepping in itâ¦.
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com
Ladies â there is now a way to turn your cute little car into an even cuter, more feminine looking ride â Car Lashes! Yep â eye lashes for your headlights! A company called CarLashes.com has not only created thick black eyelashes, but also colorful pink eyeliner to go with your carâs new fake eye lashes. They cost about $25 and are apparently a huge hit among girly women.  And gentlemen â compared to guys who drive around town in trucks with plastic testicles hanging from the trailer hitch, this, really, is nothingâ¦..
Women on college campuses are making a quick 500 bucks. KFC is paying them to wear the KFC logo on their butt cheeks â they have KFC sweatpants with âDouble Downâ written across the seat. Seems college-age men love the âbunlessâ Double Down sandwich. Yes that one â made with two chicken breast fillets with bacon strips, two cheeses and KFC sauce in between. And although the Double Down doesnât come with buns, at 540 calories, 32 grams of fat and 1380 milligrams of sodium, it may very well end up on YOUR buns!
British researchers say a firm handshake could be a sign of a longer life expectancy. Scientists found that elderly people who could still give a firm handshake and walk at a brisk pace were likely to outlive their slower peers.
They found simple measures of physical capability like shaking hands, walking, getting up from a chair and balancing on one leg were related to life span, even after accounting for age, sex and body size. Of 14 studies dealing with grip strength, the researchers found that those with the strongest hand grasps tended to live longer than those with limp grips.
The death rate over the period of the studies for people with weak handshakes was 67 percent higher than for people with a firm grip.
All this in case you need another reason to lose the limp, wet fish handshake â eeeewww!!!!!!
Who knew you could use urine to power a battery? The Pee Battery uses the ions in human urine to keep 1.5 volts streaming for 90 minutes, and its makers say it can be tweaked to last even longer. The basic principle is that a mixture of magnesium and carbon reacts when mixed with a liquid to produce, in the case of the AA battery, up to 500 milliamp-hours of life. Each time the battery is recharged it has a lower power level than the time before and the life cycle allows for about 3 to 5 recharges before disposing of the battery. Each battery can potentially keep its charge for up to 10 years which could be great for many life saving devices in remote locations. Since the battery does not contain mercury and other harmful materials, it can be easily disposed of without worry for the environment. They're even saying that all other bodily fluids work equally well. Sounds like an unpleasant way to get that iPod working again....
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com
An artist named Laura Ann Jacobs has created an exhibit of bras created out of seashells, antlers and broken glass â ouch!  Unless youâve got some type of a weird fetish, these bras are designed to be hanging on walls or showcased in galleries. As the artist puts it, âThey would be very limiting if they were designed to be worn.â Thereâs an understatement. One of her sculpted lingerie pieces is called âBras that pinchâ. Why? Because itâs constructed fromâ¦.lobster claws!
Passâ¦
The makers of high fructose corn syrup want to sweeten up its image with a new name: corn sugar. The bid to rename the sweetener comes as Americans' concerns about health and obesity have sent consumption of high fructose corn syrup, used in soft drinks but also in bread, cereal and other foods, to a 20-year low. The Corn Refinerâs Association plans to apply  to the Food and Drug Administration to get "corn sugar" approved as an alternative name for food labels.
Renaming products has succeeded before. For example, low eurcic acid rapeseed oil became much more popular after becoming âcanola oilâ in 1988. Prunes tried to shed a stodgy image by becoming "dried plums" in 2000.
Yeah, but âcorn sugarâ sounds more healthy, more nutritious, more calorie conscious â how?
A guy in Texas has figured out a way to deep fry beer. Mark Zable, who has, in the past, come up with dishes like chocolate-covered strawberry waffle balls and jalapeño corndog shrimps, saysthat his process of taking ravioli packets, filling them with Guinness, then quickly dunking them in hot oil (370 degrees for 20 seconds) took him three years to perfect. When you take a bite, the hot beer mixes with the dough, resulting, according to Zable, in a delicious taste sensation (that's them in the photo). The deep-fried beer will be unveiled in a fried food competition at the Texas state fair later this month and the Texas Alcoholic Commission has stated that those who want to try it out have to be over 21 years.
"Nobody has been able to fry a liquid before. It tastes like you took a bite of hot pretzel dough and then took a drink of beer," says Zable.
Of course the other option would be to in fact take a bite out of a hot pretzel and then take a drink of beerâ¦..
The warmth generated by human bodies in the Parisian metro will soon help heat a public housing project in the city center. The building is being renovated in an environmentally friendly way by a group called Paris Habitat. The building is connected to the city's Metro System through a staircase. The calories emitted by passengers, around 100 watts per person, combined with the heat from trains moving along tracks and the underground location of the metro mean that corridor temperatures are 14-20 degrees Celsius all year around. The project, which is based on geothermal technology, aims to draw heat from subterranean passages and move it to heat exchangers before supplying heating pipes - brilliant! The project should slash carbon dioxide emissions by a third compared to using a boiler room connected to district heating. Let's just hope those metro users shower regularly.....Â
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.org
Close to 50 carrot growers have banded together for a $25 million marketing campaign to get people to consider carrots instead of junk food for those lunch-boxes.  The growers have hired an ad agency  to come up with an ad and branding campaign that will make baby carrots just as hip and  appealing (or more so) than junk food ads for children's lunches. The new campaign sees baby carrots packaged in Doritos-like bags.  Theyâll be putting catchy slogans on billboards and packs: " Baby carrots: the  original orange doodles."  There are even plans for a phone app powered by the sound of folks munching carrots in real time.  The campaign will also air TV spots that tout baby carrots as extreme, futuristic and even sexy.  Sexy?
And finally, there will even be special seasonal tie-ins. This Halloween will introduce us to "scarrots."  Yikes! And as the family that gives out baby carrots instead of candy on Halloween, start saving up for the therapy your child will undoubtedly needâ¦
Pedal power is gaining traction as thousands of bikes and elliptical machines are retrofitted to produce electricity. Â Gyms are using sweat equity to help power their facilities. A Brooklyn eatery uses it to make smoothies. Female inmates at a Phoenix jail pedal to power their TV to watch soap operas. Actor Ed Begley Jr. bikes to run his toaster.
"Business is really taking off," says Jay Whelan, CEO of The Green Revolution, a Connecticut-based company that retrofits bikes for spinning classes. Since April 2009, he has added devices to nearly 1,000 bikes at 60 gyms that convert the direct current created by pedaling into alternating current to be sent to the power grid.Â
ReRev, a Florida company, has added similar devices to more than 300 elliptical trainers at 23 gyms in a dozen states since June 2008. It's a low-cost way to get into the renewable energy game. Who  would ever have thought we'd capture energy from a workout?
Pedal power cannot run factories, but Whelan estimates a spinning class of 20 people over a year could light 72 homes for a month. A 30-minute workout on an ellipticals generates about 50 watts, enough to run a laptop for an hour or charge a cell phone six times. "We're not going to solve global warming, but we're trying to help in any way we can," Whelan says.
At the Habana Outpost restaurant in Brooklyn, N.Y., it takes about a minute of bike pedaling to power a blender. "You get $1 off if you pedal your own smoothie," says Elvis Rosa, a manager. Most customers saddle up.
Maricopa County, Ariz., Sheriff Joe Arpaio sees such bikes as a solution for couch potatoes. In April, to get overweight inmates to exercise, he hooked one up to a TV in the women's section of his Tent City jail in Phoenix. The 19-inch TV works only if an inmate pedals.
All the women in that section of the jail signed up for the "pedal-vision program," he says. "Give them access to their favorite soaps and cop shows," he says, "and they'll pedal till the cows come home."
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com
Remember vuvuzelas? Those obnoxious horns that buzzed endlessly during this year's soccer World Cup? Well now the plastic trumpet has earned a place in the Oxford Dictionary of English. Yes, God help us, vuvuzela is among 2,000 new words and phrases added to the third edition of the dictionary, which is compiled from analysis of two billion words used in everything from novels to internet message boards.
The credit crunch features heavily in this year's additions, with terms such as "overleveraged," having taken on too much debt and "quantitative easing," the introduction of new money in to the money supply by the central bank, among those included. "Staycation," a holiday spent in one's home country, and "bargainous," costing less than usual, also reflect the hot topic of belt-tightening among consumers during the economic downturn.
The rise of "social media," itself a new term, has spawned several additions, including "defriend," removing someone from a list of friends or contacts on a social networking site, and "tweetup," a meeting organized via posts on Twitter. Other words include:
Bromance: a close but non-sexual relationship between two men
Buzzkill: a person or thing that has a depressing or dispiriting effect
Cheeseball: lacking taste, style or originality
Chillax: calm down and relax
Frenemy: a person with whom one is friendly despite a fundamental dislike or rivalry
Interweb: the internet
Wardrobe malfunction: an instance of a person accidentally exposing an intimate part of their body as result of an article of clothing slipping out of position
So congratulations to all of the new words headed for the Oxford Dictionary. All of them, except for "Vuvuzela."Â I can't go there....
The Japanese have an easy, unique way to beat the summer heat: Refrigerated underwear. Yes, they sell brand new undies from cooled vending machines. So, on the very hottest of days, you can now slip into something comfortable and cool â brilliant!  The underwear gained popularity in adult stores - surprise! - where the chilled underwear apparently sold 10 times faster than the room temperature pairs on the store shelves.  So right there, next to the Coke machines, you slide in your bill and out pops cold, clean panties in a chilled container. The plastic dispenser looks very similar to a yogurt cup - minus the bacteria, one would hopeâ¦
This year, think about adding a little bit of extra  excitement to your kidsâ back-to school anticipation by attempting to make their school year as eco-friendly as possible. Here are some easy green back to school ideas :
Take the Bus, Carpool, Bike or Walk
Taking the bus is often one of the easiest ways to make going back to school eco-friendly. School busses are timely in most cases, air conditioned, and a good way to get to know people. If your family lives close to school, walking or biking are great options. In respect to treating the environment well, biking and walking are head and shoulders above driving. Plus, that little bit of healthy exercise could really benefit todayâs stagnant youth. If driving is your favorite option, carpooling with some nearby friends saves on money and carbon emissions.
Bring an Eco-Friendly Lunch
The simple solution to this challenge is, of course, to send your students off to school with sack lunches. Brown paper bags are a better option than plastic, but the best choice for the environment is a bag that wonât ever be thrown away. From Spider Man lunch boxes to bento boxes to homemade fabric lunch sacks, the options are fun and endless. Â There are some great selections of environmentally-friendly lunch containers out there, including some made from old juice packs. Packaging inside a lunch sack can be eco-friendly as well if you ditch plastic sandwich and snack bags and choose small storage containers that can be washed and reused. Include some silverware (if necessary) that can be used more than once, and your familyâs school lunches will be uber-green!
BuyGreen SchoolSupplies
It may sound silly, but writing utensils with a little extra pizzazz probably wonât be lost as fast. Whether that means buying special monogrammed pens or decorating one yourself, a pen with a little bit of sentimental value is less likely to be treated like itâs disposable. Also, itâs  easier than ever to find a notebook and paper made from recycled materials.  Office Depot and Staples sell recycled paper notebooks, and OfficeMax sells a 100 percent recycled printer paper.
Encourage Your School to Do More
Individuals and families can make a big impact on the environment by being more responsible consumers, but schools collect tons of waste on their own. Students and parents can talk to school officials about decreasing waste and recycling. Tell your school and friends about your green back to school ideas. Sometimes a single voice can make a big impact.
For more gree ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com
Fed up with the costs at the pump? Why not take a cue from Fred Flintsone?  While the HumanCar Imagine PS won't have you motoring to work using your bare feet like the cartoon character, you could soon be "rowing" your car on your morning commute. The car is a four-seat vehicle powered by hand cranks that can take hills at 30 miles per hour and exceed 60 mph on flat terrain. Based in Eugene, Ore., HumanCar Inc. is preparing to start producing the human-powered car and is now accepting pre-orders.  According to  Autoblog Green, the lightweight Imagine PS (the PS stands for Power Station) is street legal and, if four people are cranking inside, can run on human power alone. The car also has electric plug-in capabilities, allowing it to be run with just one person handling the hand-crank in a rowing-like motion. According to HumanCar's website, the chassis is adaptable, and can work with different kinds of batteries and technology in the future without requiring an entirely new vehicle. The HumanCar site says the car will cost $15,500 when it goes on sale next year.  Yaba daba doo!
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.comÂ
Most young Americans starting college this year can't write in cursive, think email is too slow, that Beethoven's a dog and Michelangelo a computer virus. Yep, to  students who will get their bachelor's degrees in 2014, Czechoslovakia has never existed, Fergie is a pop singer, not a duchess; Clint Eastwood is a sensitive movie director, not Dirty Harry; and John McEnroe stars in TV ads, not on the tennis court. All this according to Beloit College's "Mindset" list which was first compiled in 1998, for the class of 2002, by Beloit humanities professor Tom McBride.   The list was intended as a reminder to faculty at the university that references quickly become dated, but quickly evolved to become a hugely popular annual list that gives a snapshot of how things have changed, and chronicles key cultural and political events that have shaped a generation.  The list is a mirror of how rapidly perceptions can change: to the class of 2013, boxer Mike Tyson was "always a felon" but to students who graduated five years earlier, Tyson was "always a contender." And for US students who got their bachelor's degrees this year, Germany was never divided, professional athletes have always competed in the Olympics, there have always been reality shows on television and smoking has never been allowed on US airlines.
I feel really, really oldâ¦.
 In an economic downturn, it might be tough to get your head around this: rare sheets of $100,000 bills, fabulous gold treasures dating back to the California Gold Rush era, rare coins including those tied to the first stirrings for America's independence and federal government securities worth more than a billion dollars. All that and more was the backdrop of the country's premier money show, the World's Fair of Money, which brought together about 1,000 coin dealers and hundreds of collectors to Boston. Held d in a sprawling hall monitored by armed uniformed and undercover police officers, federal agents, private security contractors, and electronic surveillance equipment, the fair featured seldom-seen gold treasurers brought from the Smithsonian Institution's vaults including America's first $20 gold coin â valued by independent experts at $15 million today â and its last $20 coin. It also included sheets of America's largest denomination currency, the $100,000 bill, which is said to be worth about $1.6 million today. Â
Can you imagine asking for change for $100,000 at the grocery store? No, me neitherâ¦.
During the summer driving season, CalRecycle is promoting a message that can help save people money, make our roads safer, and protect the environment. CalRecycle (www.calrecycle.ca.gov) is the state agency in charge of all of Californiaâs recycling and waste reduction efforts. It works in partnership with local government, industry and the public to reduce and manage the approximately 93 million tons of waste generated each year.  The Just Check It campaign encourages drivers to properly maintain their tires by checking their tire inflation levels once a month, inspecting the tireâs treads and rotating and balancing their tires every 5,000 to 8,000 miles. Properly maintained tires save people money by improving gas mileage and extending the life of their tires. They also make our roads safer by reducing tire failure and will help to reduce the 44.4 million waste tires that are generated each year in California. The Just Check It website (www.justcheckit.info) has easy to follow tips and videos on how to care for tires and other background information. Something as simple as checking your tires can make a huge difference in protecting people and the environment.
For more green informations, log onto www.onethingsacramento.com
A Pop Tarts âcafeâ has opened in Times Square.  The 3,200-square-foot store pays homage to the famous breakfast pastry. And granted, Kelloggâs fourth restaurant may not be a place for great nutrition, but if youâve got a sweet tooth, hold onto your fillings!  Customers will be able to order a customized pastry or create a custom box filled with a mix of their favorite flavors. They can suggest new types of Pop-Tarts, select a Pop-Tarts T-shirt made by specialty artists or get "frosted" and "wrapped in foil" by a light show â ooohhh!!!  Pop-Tarts â two layers of pastry with sweet filling â have been a Kellogg mainstay for nearly 50 years;  about 2 billion sell each year. The menu at Pop Tart World includes everything from Fluffer Butter - butter marshmallow spread sandwiched between two Pop-Tarts frosted fudge pastries (!) â to Pop-Tarts Sushi  (Hmm - sounds kinda weird..) Anyway you toast it, though, suffice to say that there will be some pretty seriously sugar infused kids (and adults) bouncing around Times Square!
More than 100 naked people jumped on a roller-coaster to set a new world record recently in England. The ride on the Green Scream rollercoaster was for a cancer charity â the riders raised more than $50,000 â and, OK, for a little notoriety too. The riders kicked naked butt on the previous records which was 70 people riding a roller coaster in their birthday suits.  Hundred of photographers gathered for the event, and now get to decide which photos they can actually publish. One spectator said she wasnât sure whether all of the high pitched screaming was from the dangerous heights, the fast speeds or the sight of over 100 middle aged naked people. ARGHHHHH!!!!!!!
A woman in Connecticut has been painting and selling her works of art on eBay for years. What makes her paintings special? She paints with her size-38DD breasts. Yes, 34-year-old Kira Ayn Varszegiuses a mixture of colors, and angles her boobs in various different directions to create her eye-catching pieces (yeah, the paintings are the eye-catching part of this, right?). Â According to her website, she's been "specializing in museum-quality breast paintings since 2001. I enjoy working with different mediums and finding new ways to get paint on to a canvas. My intention is to provoke emotion through my art, make living spaces more beautiful, spark conversation, and most importantly, make people smile. I think my art raises more than a few smiles.â Â Â
Good to know that itâs smiles that she's hoping to âraiseâ with her art....
A 60-foot sailboat built largely from 12,500 recycled plastic bottles docked on July 26th in Syndey Harbor, Australia, after four months crossing  8,000 nautical miles of the Pacific Ocean on a trip meant to raise awareness of the perils of plastic waste.  The designers also wanted to prove that waste can be used as a resource through design and construction. The crew of the Plastiki, named in honor of the original Kon-Tiki voyage in 1947, weathered fierce storms after leaving San Francisco on March 20. The 130-day voyage was reasonably trouble free with the craft standing up well to big seas and strong winds of over 60 knots.  The expeditionâs leader, David de Rothschild, said he was inspired by a 2006 United Nations report that said pollution, particularly plastic waste, threatened the worldâs oceans. He wanted to prove that trash could be effectively reused. The Plastiki, he said, is powered by solar panels and windmills. An organic glue made of sugar cane and cashews holds the bottles together, and the mast is recycled irrigation pipe.
The craft has been recycled one more time, this time into an exhibit. The "Plastiki" will spend the next month at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney.
For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com
More proof that we live in miraculous times? Well no, but apparently you can now sit back, relax with your family and enjoy a sumptuous can of .....sandwich? Yep, a "CANDWICH." Think of it: no more having to peel off those pesky plastic wrappers on the individual cheese slices, no more wiping off crusty condiment squeeze bottles. And, c'mon, those bread twist-ties are enough to give you carpal tunnel! The Candwich comes in three flavors: peanut butter and strawberry jam, peanut butter and grape jam, and, the most terrifying of all, BBQ Chicken. This ingenious cuisine is brought to you by Mark One Foods, and plans for Pepperoni Pizza and French Toast Candwiches are in the works. And, somewhat disturbingly, there is more: The yellow circle on the left side of the can says, "Candy Surprise Inside." Not clear whether the candy is in the sandwich itself or a bonus side item, but either way I think we can agree that there should be no surprises in a sandwich in a can. Come to think of it, there probably shouldn't even be a sandwich that comes in a can in the first place...   Â
Proof that we live in miraculous times? It is now possible to get zero tan lines without going to a nude beach. Thereâs alternative swimwear that allows an all-over tan. The secret is in the fabric, which is called âTransolâ. It allows almost 80% of sunlight to penetrate what appears to be an ordinary swimsuit.  This is a good news/bad news scenario, however: the first time you go out in âTransolâ swimwear, youâll need to apply sunscreen. Everywhere.  Otherwise, you risk burning yourself, well everywhere, including âwhere the sun donâtâ shineâ, at least not up until nowâ¦Â
When you think recycling, newspapers, plastic bottles and aluminum cans probably come to mind. But one researcher wants to add cigarette butts to the list. Jun Zhao, a Ph.D. student in the School of Energy and Power Engineering at Xiâan Jiaotong University in China, found that extracts of cigarette butts that have been submerged in water can help prevent steel from rusting. The study claims that application of the cigarette material to a certain type of steel could save millions of dollars a year that oil industries spend on steel repair. Zhao explains that application of cigarette butts as a corrosion inhibitor could reduce the use of chemical materials applied to steel today and cut down on cigarette pollution. According to the study, 4.5 trillion cigarette butts pollute the environment every year â yuck!!! Cigarette butts are a major contributor to marine debris, and theyâre generally considered the most commonly found piece of litter in beach cleanups. They pose a hazard for species that choke on butts or are killed by the toxins. Zhao acknowledges that cigarette litter is widespread and that it would be difficult for individuals or groups to organize litter collection, but he is hopeful that garbage collection agencies may one day lead an initiative focused on cigarette butt recycling.
Businesses tear through copy paper at an estimated annual rate of 10,000 sheets for each office employee. Â Even if paper is relatively affordable, the cost of using it is many times higher. The real cost includes maintaining printers and copiers, mailing correspondence, storing records and handling office paper. Â While recycling office paper is a good idea, the most cost-effective waste management strategy is reduction. Attacking paper waste can reduce operating costs and result in savings in waste collection, transportation and processing. In addition to reducing whenever possible, keep valuable resources in use by purchasing paper with the highest percentage of recycled-content material for printing, copying, faxing and general office use. Â Here are some easy ways to reduce paper use:
Print and copy on both sides
Use e-mail to exchange documents and memos instead of printing or faxing.
Adjust fonts, margins and spacing to fit more text on a standard sheet.
When copying, reduce size to fit two pages of a report, book or periodical on one standard sheet.
Reuse paper printed on one side for internal memos, "draft" documents or scratch pads.
Use electronic data storage instead of hard copy files.
Use e-mail to exchange documents and memos instead of printing or faxing.
Eliminate mail list duplications from databases.
Use recycled-content, chlorine-free paper products, and use soy or other agri-based inks for printing projects.
This weekend, over 70 major cities around the globe will play host to the odd - and painful â âWorld Naked Bike Rideâ. The clothing-optional protest is dubbed the âcraziest, wildest and most insane event of the yearâ. Riders join for 3 reasons: they hate over-paying for gasoline, they want to take a stand (seat?) against Global Warming, or they just like to go naked in public. Organizers say itâs a âbare-as-you-dareâ event.  Outfits range from your basic birthday suit, to thong and body paint, to fanciful costumes, to street clothes (boring!) Event coordinators warn that exposed private parts or female nipples may make you a target for arrest. Even naked butts could be risky. Northern California cities participating in the June 12th World Naked Ride include Berkeley, San Francisco and Santa Cruz.
And for those of us who have always wondered where guys put all of their âpieces partsâ when they ride a bike - where does it all go? â this event might be the place to find out once and for all...
A new, locally produced Pink Tequila is aimed at the âSex and the Cityâ crowd. When you think about it, most bars are loaded with brown and yellow tequilas which are big sellers among guys. In fact, tequila is one of the few liquors considered in many circles to be a âmanâs drinkâ. Well now, for the ladies, comes Mejor Pink Tequila. Angel Penilla, who is part of the family that distills the stuff says, âVodka is the go-to drink for women, but we want to make it easy for gals to make that jump to tequila. Our pink tequila is for the happy hour culture. And pink always sell with the ladies.âÂ
No matter what color it is coming back up?
The age old dilemma about what brides should do with their wedding dress once their honeymoon is over appears to have been solved by scientists. British researchers have developed an environmentally friendly garment that can simply be dissolved in water after being worn.  Fashion and engineering students at Sheffield Hallam University developed the wedding dress, which contains polyvinyl alcohol, a biodegradable substance that is used in laundry bags and washing detergents. This enables the dress to be dissolved into water without harming the environment.  Their creation is part of an exhibition titled âA Sustainable Marriageâ.  The students wanted to challenge the notion that a wedding dress should only be used once and aimed to explore modern society's attitudes towards throwaway fashion.
But the payoff for the bride wearing this dress would be that they would need to carry an umbrella to their nuptials if rain was likely to spoil their big day. Then there are people like me who spill on themselves. A lot. Can you say âWardrobe Malfunction?â
I really do try to do my part to look and feel my best - I eat right and work out almost everyday, but no matter how many bizillion sit ups and crunches I do- thereâs that flabby mid section. I know - sounds familiar, right? What the heck! Well, I started to think that it might be time to do something more. Something more....for me.
I talked with Doctor Charles Perry at Chrysalis Cosmetics and he told me about procedures like lipo-suction and tummy tucks that would permanently remove that unwanted fat. I donât know about you, but when I feel good about how I look, I feel better in general. My husband has always known that my "poochy tummy" bothers me - if you know a mom in your world who, like me, has always wished she could "upgrade" something on her body, just think what an awesome Mothers Day present a visit to Chrysalis Cosmetics could be!
Doctor Perry and the folks at Chrysalis Cosmetics encourage you to live a healthy and vibrant life,  but for the things you canât control with exercise and diet - like the "life saver hoop" around my waist- they're there to help.
Find out more about Doctor Perry and Chrysalis Cosmetics at www.916cosmeticsurgery.com or call them at 916-273-7435.
Lots of us love our books and find them incredibly hard to part with. But if you've made up your mind to declutter your shelves, here are some tips to help you pass along your treasures to new homes without an ounce of guilt or trash!
1.Throw a book swap party. Get a few bottles of wine and get together your friends, family or neighbors for a book-swapping party.
Donate your books to your local library. You can feel great knowing your old books will be read by hundreds more people.
Take them to your local charity, thrift or goodwill shop. Profits raised from your books can help other people benefit from a better life.
Sell them on the Internet. Make some money on eBay, Amazon or in a second-hand bookshop.
Share the love. A local hospital or hospice would love to take your old books from you for patients to enjoy.
Educate others. Take children's books to a local school and specialist textbooks to a local college or university.
When you consider that only 24 books are produced for every tree felled, it makes sense to spread the love by passing our books on to other people.
For more green ideas, visit www.1thingsacramento.com
The folks at Cosmo magazine are trying to make it easier for you to groom âdown there.â They provide a 4-step plan to give yourself a homemade Brazilian Wax (!) complete with  specially-designed stencils. You can choose from stencil shapes such as  âLove Triangleâ, âSweetheartâ, âThis Way for Funâ and the âLanding Stripâ.  Apparently, you punch the stencil out of the magazine, then âHold it up to the center of your V zone, and trace around it with an eyeliner pencil.â The final step is mixing hot wax and applying it to your sensitive regions.Â
Oh, I donâtâ think soâ¦.for so many reasons, I just donât think soâ¦..
Youâve all probably heard of vodkas infused with different flavors â citrus, berries, even vanilla flavored vodka. Well, here are some actual, really, really weird infused vodka flavors that I, personally, could go my whole life without tasting: Â
Scorpion Vodka -- This comes from Thailand where they use it as an aphrodisiac. Ewwwâ¦.
Bacon Vodka â OK, I love bacon, and I like vodka, but that doesnât necessarily meanâ¦.
Snake Blood Vodka -- It's a Vietnamese specialty, which comes paired with a fancy meal (I hear champagne also works well in this situation). Â Â Some guests are actually provided with the snake's beating heart as a chaser â bottoms up! Â
Horseradish Vodka -You know that piercing feeling that overtakes your brain when you put too much horseradish in your mouth? You know -- the one that makes you want to die, cry and curl up in a ball all at once?  Add that sensation to the burn of vodka and donât be surprised if your hair stands on end (or falls out).   Â
 Pickle Vodka - Vodka Garant, a Russian distillery that makes all sorts of quirky vodkas, has created -- and patented -- pickle-infused vodka. As Garant boasts on their website, âThe vodka has the famous taste of pickles and is characterized by the unforgettable aroma of brine.The bottle contains pickles and garlic, which make it especially attractive."  Reallyâ¦.
Hot Dog Vodka âNothing says âcheers!â quite like the combination of rubbery, mixed animal parts and liquor that burns your throat (see photo).
 "Weeniecello" anyone?
I recently did some preventative health work. There are lots of things a basic physical canât tell you that a heart scan can! My experience at Sacramento Heart Scan was easy and painless. Click on this link to check out my heart scan!
See My Heart Scan Video
Can you believe itâs already Spring? Well, with the longer, warmer days, itâs time to throw open the windows and get some fresh air inside. An annual ritual in many households is to jump start the new season with some (green) spring cleaning.
1. Use lemon, baking soda, toothpaste and vinegar instead of harsh cleaning chemicals. Youâll save time, money, packaging and have a much nicer smelling home at the end!Â
2. Cold water wash and hang to dry. If itâs still too wet and cold outside, get some clothes drying racks to save energy indoors.
3. Avoid dry cleaning pillows, draperies and bedding. Spot clean, then freshen them with baking soda and a 2-hour âsun bath.â
4. Open windows to freshen the air, rather than using sprays and plug-in products. If that doesnât do the trick, consider clipping some fresh herbs (lavender, lemon thyme etc) and placing them in a small vase.
5. Clean out your closets and repurpose, recycle and upcycle!
6. Organize your drawers and recycle old cell phones, chargers, batteries and other tech gadgets. Chances are, there is a donation program in your town that will send your gadgets to servicemen and women, or help a needy segment of the population..
7. Keep it tidy! The indoor air quality at your home can be significantly improved by just frequently removing dust build up (a soft, very lightly damp cloth is very effective). Wash and dry damp clothing to prevent mold and mildew growth - especially towels!
Now that the place is clean and green⦠get outdoors and have some fun!
For more green ideas, visit www.1thingsacramentocom
Believe it or not, many doctors and clinics across the country are running March Madness specials ... for vasectomies.
These specials include pizza, mugs, March Madness memorabilia and even remind men of the required days off work that they will get for having the procedure. Â The idea is that recovering from a vasectomy requires guys to stay home and off their feet. What better time is there than March Madness to just sit around watching TV, avoiding the honey-do list, deadlines or hectic schedules â doctorâs orders!
In the past two years, more and more doctors across the nation have jumped on the tournament as a prime opportunity to get men, as one advertisement put it, "take care of the equipment and lower your seed for the tourney."    Niceâ¦..
A solar cooker is pretty much what it sounds like. It is used to cook food and sterilize water. Most people do not even know they exist, but they are an effective way to cook from both an economic and efficiency point of view. The basic idea with a solar cooker is to create a box like structure that the sun heats up dramatically. If youâve sat in a car in rush hour during the summer, you know the sun can generate a lot of heat. Instead of cooking you in a car, a solar cooker focuses on food.
So, how do we cook with it? The box structure is created with dark paneling and then covered with a clear glass or plastic top after pots and food or water has been inserted. The structure is then sealed. Much like a car, the sunlight beats through the clear top and heats the interior of the box. As the heat rises, it cooks the items inside. Yes, it produces more than enough heat to do the job. It really is as simple as that.
There are three general types of solar cookers. A box solar cooker works as described in the previous paragraph. A panel solar cooker uses reflective surfaces to focus sun on a pot to create heat and cook the material inside. A parabolic solar cooker is designed to focus the sunlight into the bottom of a concave area upon which sits pots.Â
 While a solar cooker is a way to use the sun to cook water and food, it is also a potential solution to providing basic conveniences to poorer nations at a fraction of the cost of traditional ovens.
For more green ideas, visit www.1thingsacramento.com
Now on the market is a color-changing âlip glossâ which reveals when youâre in the mood for sex. It works with a girlâs body chemistry and turns a brighter shade when sheâs aroused. When you first put it on, the âMood Lip Glossâ is perfectly clear. But when her emotions become stronger, the âMood Lip Glossâ darkens into a brilliant shade. The Mood Swing Emotionally Activated Lip Gloss is the ultimate date ice-breaker. But using it every day could get embarrassing. Would you really want the man next to you in line at Starbucks to know if youâre turned on?
Â
 An Australian underwear maker for men has launched a new line of tightie-whities which are woven from banana fibers. No joke. The design department at âAussieBumâ decided to make these briefs as eco-friendly as possible. Beyond the typical cotton threads and elastic Lycra in the undies, one-quarter of the fabric is made of bananas, without smelling like them. Apparently, the underwear is not only lightweight but also very absorbent. 27% banana fiber is as high as they can go, because as one spokesperson put it,â naturally, you canât really add anymore banana fiber than that because it might be a bit squishyâ. Niceâ¦
By the way - AussieBum wonât comment if their underwear looks like bananas...
Remember back in the day when we concertgoers held up our Bic lighters and waved them from side to side during certain songs or to request an encore? Then when lighters went away, for a while, those lame glow sticks were used. Well now, the Bic lighter company wants to reclaim its rightful place at rock concerts but in a 21st century way. Bic has released a free Bic Concert Lighter app for iPhones, Google Androids and BlackBerries. Users can actually flick their Bic (complete with the authentic âflickâ sound of a Bic lighter) on their phone and hold it above the crowd. Rock on!
It would seem that the environmental message has even reached the hallowed halls of Maranello. Over the next decade, Ferrari will introduce a host of new technology that will make its cars lighter, smaller and more aerodynamic in a bid to improve their fuel efficiency.  Ferrari said it took the wraps off its green prototype "in recognition of growing interest in North America in alternative sources of energy."  They say the "ultimate aim" is to cut fuel consumption and emissions on the car by 40 percent by 2012. Ferrari's green machine shows that the company "can offer the technological solutions the market demands without impinging on the distinctly sporty, high-performance character and supreme driving pleasure of the unique cars it builds at Maranello.
As a Ferrari spokesperson put it, âIf the Prancing Horse is to live to be a hundred, then it must breathe cleaner air. This is the future of Ferrari.â
For more green ideas, sisit www.1thingsacramento.com
10 to the 27th power is a colossal number, but will it be accepted as being hella big?  Seems the slang word coined here in Northern California has been proposed as a worthy entry into the field of scientific measurement when calculating enormous numbers. Austin Sendek, a physics student at UC Davis, wants the number of 10 to the 27th power -- a trillion trillions -- to officially become "hella" big. Ya gotta love this! Along the lines of using the "kilo" prefix for kilometers or "giga" for gigabyte, Sendek is petitioning the International System of Units (SI) to use the term "hella" to describe really, really big measurements; such as the size of the universe. (now THATâS big!) "The diameter of the universe is 1.4 hellameters," Sendek said. "You know if someone says that's 'hella meters' you know exactly what they're talking about." Under Sendek's proposed terminology, you would say the mass of the earth is six hellagrams, and the power of the sun is 0.3 hellawatts.  Sendek started an online petition on his Facebook page. He now has more than 23,000. Though the idea started partially in jest, Sendek said it would be a great way to give "props" to Northern California. "It's another way to honor Northern California colloquialism and turn it into actual science," said Sendek.
Hella coolâ¦..
Exciting news for folks who take frequent trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Now thereâs âGlow-in-the darkâ toilet paper! Yes, the soft florescent glow of the toilet tissue makes it easy to find the roll when ya gotta go in the dark. Â Convenience, however, has its price â weâre talking almost ten bucks a roll! Â One reviewer of the florescent TP gushes, âItâs actually the most useful glow-in-the-dark product ever! Â If you plan on going camping make sure you take a couple of these rolls. This way youâll be properly prepared should the call of nature visit you in the middle of the night.â
And if you take a night hike,  be sure to step over anything that glowsâ¦
Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is natural, economical and in almost every kitchen. It can safely replace many expensive products that are also potentially harmful to the environment. The following are eight of the most practical uses for baking soda.Drain cleaner and deodorizer: Put ¼ cup of baking soda in the kitchen or bathroom drain. Pour ½ cup white vinegar. Let the mixture bubble for 30 seconds before pouring ½ cup warm water in the drain. Let stand for 10-15 minutes then run  cold water down the drain for 10 seconds. Doing this every 3-4 weeks will keep your drains deodorized and will minimize clogs.
Â
Household cleanser: Baking soda will clean tile, porcelain, stainless steel and plastic surfaces without scratching or leaving harmful residue. Sprinkle baking soda on the surface to be cleaned then with a wet cloth or sponge, scrub and rinse. You donât need a lot to get the job done, it doesnât leave behind harmful residue and it doesnât pollute the water system. Safe for cleaning baby toys, high chairs, etc.
Fire extinguisher: Every kitchen should have a container of baking soda near the stove. It effectively puts out cooking fires. If flames appear, quickly throw baking soda at the base of the fire. Be sure to stand at least an armâs length from the flames.
Fruit cleaner: Wax and surface pesticides on fruit are concerns for many people. By sprinkling baking soda on the fruit skin then, with damp fingers, rubbing and rinsing, you can enjoy clean, fresh tasting fruit without paying for commercial fruit cleansers.
Hand and face wash: Make a mixture of three parts water to one part baking soda. Use this paste to scrub away stubborn hands stains like paint and grease or strong odors like fish and garlic. The same mixture can be used to naturally exfoliate and soften your face after washing away surface dirt with soap and water. For more sensitive skin, make the mixture four parts water to one part baking soda. Baking soda in the tub helps to relieve stress and soften skin. Add ¼- ½ cup to your bath. This is safe for most skin allergies and doesnât leave behind oily residue that many bath oils and detergents can.
Heavy duty dish cleanser: To clean dishes with baked or burned on food, Â use baking soda to ease the cleansing without harsh steel wool or detergents. Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda on the tough-to-clean area. Let stand for five minutes. Then add hot water and stand for 10-15 minutes. Wash as usual and the stuck-on food will wash away easily without excessive scrubbing.
Tooth and denture cleaner: If you ever find yourself without toothpaste, baking soda is an excellent alternative. Put a little on a damp toothbrush or the end of your finger and rub against your teeth. It helps remove food and stains and freshen your breath. For dentures, make a paste from baking soda and warm water then clean as usual. Or, for overnight soaking, use one part baking soda to four parts water. Rinse in warm water the next morning.
Acid indigestion and heart burn remedy: You can naturally neutralize painful stomach acids by adding ½ teaspoon of baking soda to an 8-ounce glass of water. Stir until completely diluted then drink.
For more green ideas, visit www.1thingsacramento.com
Congratulations to Sacramento International Airport which has scored the top rating among California airports in a national customer satisfaction survey. Our airport bested the likes of airports in San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego. The findings come from the annual J.D. Power and Associates' 2010 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, which is based on 24,000 surveys filled out by fliers at airports in 2009. It focused on airport accessibility, baggage claim, check-in process, security checkpoint, food and retail, and overall facilities, andâ¦.Sacramento International Airport kicked butt!  So next time you travel, look around our find facility and know you are surrounded by greatness â and Cinnibons, and Governator T Shirts, oh yeah, and the suitcase structure down in baggage claimâ¦..
Any skater will tell you a sleek, clean ice rink is heaven. No bumps, no tears, no shavings that stick to your blade. Unfortunately, getting ice so smooth and beautiful is not a green practice. Typically a diesel or gas or propane belching box of a machine rolls along the ice . Â If a rink is resurfaced once an hour--which is not uncommon--the space fills with carbon monoxide and other particulate matter. It also just takes a lot of energy to make the things work. The 2010 Vancouver Olympics will use electric grooming machines to clean the ice. The Olympic Committee made a commitment to be as green as possible. In doing so they asked the two major grooming companies to come up with electric equipment. The cost for one is double what a diesel machine costs, but it can clean the ice for about .25 and one charge can power 30 cleanings. Â Here's to a green ice rink!
For more green info, visit www.1thingsacramento.com
Drunken pub fights in England are set to get safer with the invention of a strengthened beer glass that health authorities hope will cut the huge bill for treating inebriated brawlers.The traditional pint glass has been redesigned so it is harder to smash, and even if the new models do get cracked over someoneâs head, Â the dangerous shards of glass are held together by a layer of resin. Apparently, glass attacks cost health authorities an estimated $2.7 billion annually, and official figures put the number of attacks each year at around 87,000. Englandâs Home Secretary Alan Johnson praised the new models and said the properties of the current pint glass are to blame for much of the country's alcohol-related violence.
Wait â the glasses are to blame?  Seriously? What about the drunk humans?
There's no denying that roses, those Valentineâs Day staples, convey a romantic mood, but unfortunately, most conventional blossoms are grown using loads of pesticides, then shipped from South America to retail outlets around the globe. Consider presenting a single stem instead of a dozen. It'll make a dramatic impression, while reducing your impact for the day. If you're a think-ahead type, ordering online through outlets that carry organic buds is another smart option. Look for the VeriFLora certification, which indicates sustainable growing. Worldwide, approximately one billion Valentines Day cards are sent out each year-that's a lot of virgin paper that ends up in the trash. But who doesn't get verklempt when a card's sappy sentiments brings a tear to the eye? This year, skip the fuzzy-puppy-hugging-a-heart approach, pick up your desk scissors, and channel your inner school child. It's time to go old school and ride out the workday by creating an original Valentine from the scrap paper and magazines lying around the office.
For more green ideas, visit www.1thingsacramento.com
According to Cosmo magazine, âThe Thong is Deadâ.  Believe it or not (guys) the thongâs popularity seems to be fading. Recent sales show that the ever-popular Boy Shorts are taking over - yay! Women who never quite understood "Team Thong" would describe the floss like piece of material as neither flattering  nor comfortable â a permanent wedgie at a premium price.  In the current issue of Cosmo, they write an obituary for the most uncomfortable undergarment that man ever created. Because,you KNOW a woman would never invent have invented thongs!
Many women are trying to be eco-friendly within their everyday life. One most important eco-friendly decisions is makeup! What exactly is eco-friendly makeup though? It can range from makeup that isn't tested on animals to makeup made straight from corn. Many brands are eco-friendly and you might not even realize it.
Eco-friendly brands include: Afterglow, Cargo PlantLove, Mark. Makeup, Avon, Tarte, Â and Medusa's Makeup
The Animal Testing Free Makeup- Rats, rabbits, and mice are all used for makeup testing. It has been a big hit for makeup companies to ban animal testing and now they actually pay women to test their products and review them. One of the first companies to become animal testing free was Avon Inc. They became one of the first in the world to take this eco-friendly choice in 1993. Next time you buy makeup, make sure you check to see if they are testing on poor little Rascal or Max. If they are, set it down and move on because putting lipstick on the pig is never pretty.
If more women wore eco-friendly makeup animal cruelty rates would decrease and the healthiness of the plant can be restored. There are many different types of makeup with different ecological benefits. Usually it's hard to find an all-over eco-friendly makeup line. The most common type of eco-friendly makeup is animal cruelty free, meaning they don't test on animals. This is a big issue throughout the makeup industry because it's cheap and easy to test on animals. Taking the step with eco-friendly makeup is a small, yet helpful, step to a healthier earth.
For more green ideas, visit www.1thingsacramento.com
Leave it to the folks at Mattel  to market âPuppy Tweetsâ for your dog. No, not for a toy dog - your living, breathing, slobbering dog! Puppy Tweets will allow your pets to automatically participate on social networking sites, for folks who care that your dog is scratching himself, eating your shoe, or digging up your petunias. The motion sensor âPuppy Tweetâ collar tag has several pre-programmed Tweets. So whether your dog is sleeping under the bed, playing in the dog park, or chasing a squirrel, Mattel has already written a Tweet for that occasion. The price tag for this gadget? 30 bucks.  Of course, taking a scene from âUpâ, a dog tweet could easily be âHungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungryâ â¦.. all day,everyday..
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Have you ever wondered whether dishtowels are better for the environment than paper towels, or if cloth napkins are greener than paper napkins? Some argue that the energy used to make and repeatedly wash a dishtowel may exceed that used for the manufacture of a paper towel, and many argue the other way around.
If you are hugely careless in your treatment of cloth napkins and dishtowels (like running a load of hot-water wash for a few barely-soiled napkins), paper can be the more eco-friendly option. But if you approach your cloth towels and napkins conscientiously, cloth is the greener option. Some say that washing cloth must be more energy-intensive than using paper, but electric dryers are actually twice as energy efficient as the manufacture of paper towels. When you factor in all of the components of making a paper towel or napkins (harvesting the material, processing and bleaching it, packaging it, shipping it, stocking it at a supermarket, transportation to and from the store to purchase it, etc). all for a single use, you find that the paper towels and napkins are about twice as energy-intensive and create more greenhouse gases overall.
A cloth napkin or dishtowel may go through similar processes to get to your kitchen drawer, but it will stay there for many, many years, rather than being sent directly to the landfill.
For more green ideas, visit www.1thingsacramento.com
A new study claims that shopping is good for you â it burns calories! One estimate shows that the average woman will burn 48,000 calories per year while shopping.   Thatâs  equivalent to losing 14 pounds!   One nutrition expert points out that women always seem to be searching for the perfect fitness regime and most women love to shop â bingo! What better way to get into shape than to engage in some serious retail therapy.  Why hit the gym when you can hit the mall?Â
And remember â all Food Court calories are negated when washed down with a Diet Cokeâ¦
A couple in Spokane, Washington is hoping to pay for their entire $5000 wedding with the cash they get from recycling cans! Â Andrea Parish and Peter Geyser estimate that itâll take about 400,000 used and crushed cans to earn the cash. The self proclaimed âEnviron-Geeksâ are using Twitter to further their cause, plus theyâre asking everyone they know to recycle cans and put the money toward their June wedding. Â Their efforts have even caught the attention of aluminum giant Alcoa, which has agreed to donate 150,000 cans â about $1700 â toward the big day. Bride to be Andrea says that wedding guests will get a small departing gift commemorating the event - theyâre going to hang aluminum cans on each car bumper!Â
Check out Andrea and Peterâs website at www.weddingcans.com
There truly is a buyer for anything out there! Folks have paid out big money for bizarre celebrity artifacts. Time.com looked at some of the totally out-there celebrity keepsakes fans have paid big bucks for:
** Justin Timberlake did a radio interview in 2000 where he left two pieces of French toast uneaten. Staffers put the leftovers on eBay and one 'N Sync fan paid just over 1,000 bucks for the food!
**Back in 2004 there were 20 or so eBay listings for bits of Britney Spears' gently-used chewing gum (ewwwâ¦). They ended up going for up to $100 a âpopâ.
** At a 2007 auction, the Hard Rock in Vegas paid an undisclosed sum of money for Cher's black bra.
** Comedy writer Joe Wilson and a friend went to the 2005 premiere of Mr. & Mrs. Smith so they could bottle Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's exhaled oxygen. Oh you laugh, but they put the breath into a one-quart jar and sold to a collector for $529.99!
And finally â drum rollâ¦â¦
** In 2006, William Shatner auctioned his kidney stone  (pictured) for $25,000, and God help us, someone bought it!!!
There are few things more inviting on a chilly winter night than a blazing fire in your fire place. It even looks comforting and cozy! The problem is, fireplaces can be expensive and inefficient endeavors. Most folks donât know that a fireplace sends most of the heat in your house straight up the chimney, emitting as much as 24,000 cubic feet of air per hour to the outside! There are, however, ways that n limit the loss of heat when enjoying a quiet evening by the fire.
Reduce heat loss by opening dampers in the bottom of the firebox (if provided) or open the nearest window slightly - only about an inch - and close doors leading into the room.
Install tempered glass doors and a heat-air exchange system that blows warmed air back into the room.
Check the seal on the flue damper and make it as snug as possible.
Use grates made of C-shaped metal tubes to draw cool room air into the fireplace and circulate warm air back into the room.
Keep your fireplace's damper closed when you aren't using it.
Consider a gas fireplace if you are planning to install a new one. These provide the enjoyment of looking at flames but can be 70% more efficient than regular fireplaces.
When you think about it, Christmas is not only warm, fuzzy and nurturing, but it involves lots of planning and organization ... which means a woman has to be in charge of it!
With tongue firmly in cheek, here are some other reasons why Santa can't possibly be a man:
Men can't pack a bag.
Men would rather be dead than caught wearing red velvet.
Men would feel their masculinity is threatened ... having to be seen with all those elves.
Men don't answer their mail.
Men would refuse to allow their belly to be described as a "bowlful of jelly."
Men aren't interested in stockings unless somebody's wearing them.
Having to do the "Ho Ho Ho" thing would seriously inhibit their ability to pick up women.
Being responsible for Christmas would require a commitment.
Christmas has always been a great time of the year to make all the wonderful goodies our friends and families love. Unfortunately, it is also one of the worst times of the year for resource consumption. This year we can all do our part to correct this problem by reducing the amount of resources we each use. When planning and preparing your family's holiday meals try to use these simple suggestions to help reduce your consumption.
1. Use less meat. It takes a many more resources to produce a pound of meat than a pound of vegetables. This year make sure that the turkey or ham, or whatever you are making, is properly sized. Bigger isnât always better! Â Add a bigger variety of vegetable options to your table. Not only will you help reduce resources used on meat production you will also be offering a healthier menu.
2. When you go to buy your wine this season try to favor those made locally. It takes a huge amount of resources to ship wine all over the place. By buying locally you will not be contributing to unecessary transportation. Also choose wines that are stopped with a real cork as opposed to a plastic one. These can be used later in decorating or they go great in a compost heap as well.
3. A great number of dishes require that you boil food in water, so use only the amount of water necessary. The water will boil faster, your food will cook a little quicker, and you will have saved water and electricity or gas, depending on the type of stove you use.
4. Instead of leaving your food on low heat to keep it warm, try putting on the lid and wrapping the pots in dish towels. This will insulate your cookware and allow your food to stay warm for hours without the use of extra energy.
For more green ideas, visit www.1thingsacramento.com
Time to buckle down and start knocking out some of that Christmas shopping. For the friend or relative that you want to mess with, consider hooking them up with a fake gift box called the Prank Pack.
The idea of every Prank Pack is to make friends and family squirm with discomfort with what appears to be a bad gift. Each fake gift box depicts ridiculous products created by clueless companies. Some stuff being offered up includes:
1. The Beer Beard (see photo) --Â Going to the big game, a concert, or an art show? Just fill the Beer Beard with up to 72 ounces of your favorite beverage, strap it on and chug in peace.
2. Motorized Rolling Pin -- An honest-to-goodness rechargeable, 1/16th horsepower microwave-safe rolling pin.
3. Wake & Bake Dream Griddle -- It's an alarm clock ... and a pancake griddle. Appropriately, it has a convenient Snooze/Preheat function and a built-in carbon monoxide detector.
Check out these and more random gifts at: www.prankpack.com
BEER 101
 'Tis the season for parties -- and even if you don't overeat, the alcohol alone can wreck your diet! Men's Health helps out with this list of best and worst beers for your waistline:BEST:Â
MGD 64: 64 calories, 2g carbs
Beck's Premier Light: 64 calories, 4g carbs
Michelob Ultra: 95 calories, 3g carbs
Amstel Light: 95 cal., 6g carbs
 WORST:Â
Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Ale: 330 calories, 32g carbs (double the calories in a glass of wine or light beer!)
Samuel Adams Winter Lager: 200 cal., 14g carbs.
 Just Asking ... What's your favorite holiday cocktail? Do you worry about the calories in your beverages? Do you eat less so you can drink more? Me? A good champagne will keep me smiling through the Holiday.
T- minus to the New Year! So, got any New Yearâs resolutions? Well, along with the usual âlose weight and manage my money betterâ promises, how about committing to a few of these earth friendly resolutions: Â
Use only cloth cleaning towels.
Install water-saving devices in your toilet and shower.
Walk or bicycle at least one car errand weekly.
Use reusable cloth shopping bags (keep reusable shopping bags in your car so they will always be handy).
Use a reusable coffee cup at work.
Switch to compact fluorescent lights to save energy.
Turn down the thermostat at night.
Recycle bottles, cans, newspaper, office paper, plastic and cardboard.
Buy recycled products.
Compost.
Plant at least one tree.
Turn off the shower while you soap to save water.
Use biodegradable laundry soap rather than petroleum-based detergents.
Reduce use of pesticides and other hazardous household chemicals. Use safer substitutes instead.
Write or call legislators, store managers and others to let them know how you feel about environmental issues.
A new survey finds that buying all the presents in "The 12 Days of Christmas" carol would cost nearly 400 dollars more than last year, with the prices of gold rings and French hens up sharply. The Christmas Price Index, a tally of how much it would cost to buy everything from the partridge in a pear tree to the 12 drummers drumming, was up just 1.8 percent or 385.46 dollars from last year. The total price tag would be 21,465.56 dollars this year. The two items in the Christmas classic that saw the sharpest price rises were five gold rings -- which would cost just under 500 dollars this year, up from 350 dollars in 2008 -- and three French hens, which have gone up in price by 50 percent, to 45 dollars.
Overall, though, bird prices were down, and that had a big impact on the index because birds make up half of the gifts in 'The 12 Days of Christmas'. Â Seven swans-a-swimming fell by 6.3 percent, from 5,600 dollars last year to 5,250 dollars in 2009.The partridge in a pear tree package -- for the bird and the tree -- fell by 27.3 percent year-on-year: the partridge went for 10 dollars this year, a savings of 50 percent compared to 2008, while pear trees cost around 150 dollars this year, a quarter less than in 2008. Six geese-a-laying would cost a true love 37.5 percent less this year than last, while four calling birds held steady year-on-year, costing in the ballpark of 600 dollars.
The only birds other than the French hens to increase in price were the two turtle doves, which rose 1.8 percent to nearly 56 dollars.
On the human side of the index, the cost of hiring women -- whether the unskilled eight maids-a-milking, whose pay-rate was determined using the US federal minimum wage, or highly trained nine ladies dancing, went up. Hiring the other performers on the index -- who with the exception of 10 lords-a-leaping could be male or female -- stayed the same. The maids-a-milking would cost 58 dollars to hire this year, or around 11 percent more than in 2008, while the ladies dancing cost 5,473 dollars this year, up from 4,759 dollars in 2008. Twelve drummers drumming, 11 pipers piping and 10 lords-a-leaping saw no change in their take-home pay, earning 2,475 dollars, 2,285 dollars and 4,414 dollars respectively
This "True Love"  dude seriously needs to consider gift cards â¦
Itâs party time! Lots of holiday get togethers will be held over the next few weeks. Having a great party and being kind to the planet donât have to be mutually exclusive. These suggestions can really reduce the amount you have to throw away after the festivities:
Buy baking goods and snack food in bulk or large volumes.
Use reusable tableware; if you don't have enough, ask to borrow reusable tableware from friends or family.
Rent dishes, napkins, cups and saucers, tablecloths and glasses instead of using expensive disposables.
Cut up last year's holiday cards and use them as place cards.
Use outdated calendars taped together to make a unique New Year's tablecloth.
Place easily identifiable recycling containers at your celebration so guests can recycle their pop cans, bottles, etc.
Encourage host or hostess to reuse and recycle bows, wrapping paper, cans, glass, etc.
Point out the ways your party demonstrates waste reduction and recycling, and SPREAD THE WORD!!! Â
Last year, a new law made it legal in Michigan to grow marijuana for medical treatment. Now, a 24-year-old entrepreneur Nick Tennant has launched âCannabis Collegeâ. The 6-week class teaches people how to legally grow weed. The class costs $500, which can easily be covered by selling the first crop. The final test includes drying the plants, rolling them into joints and smoking them. Cannabis College:  lending a whole new meaning to the termâ¦.âhigher learningâ.  And to think, some of you were apparently auditing a class back in college and didnâtâ even know it!
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Tis the season to deck those halls! Here are some easy ways to decorate your home in an environmentally friendly way:
Buy a living Christmas tree and plant it outside after Christmas. Make sure you dig the hole before the ground freezes.
If you do buy a cut Christmas tree, take it to a tree collection center so it will be recycled for mulch for use in cityâs parks and does not become part of a landfill. When decorating the tree, minimize the size and amount of electric lights to save energy. Use decorations like strings of popcorn or dried cranberries, which can be fed to birds after the holidays. Operating lights for no more than six evening hours a day keeps energy use and costs under control. Timers are a simple and safe way to turn lights off. For safety, always unplug lights before going to bed or leaving home. Use energy efficient lighting. LED light strings use one-tenth the energy of incandescent lights. New âicicle-styleâ lights use more lights per linear foot than regular light strands and use more energy.
The new solution to snoring is an injection up the nose â yikes! Doctors claim they can solve the worst of snoring with a quick treatment they have dubbed âsnoreplasty". Itâs similar to a ârhinoplastyâ which is the medical term for a nose job. Kinda hard to hear about, though: a chemical is injected into the roof of your mouth. The idea is to reduce vibrations. Seems snoring isnât very different than driving at high speeds with your windows halfway down. All that wind rattles the car and the noise is unbearable. The same concept happens with snoring, only at slow speeds, and while youâre trying to sleep. So if you or your bed partner snores, here's a new option. There are still, of course, the options of rolling them off their backs, breathe right strips, and my husband's favorite technique to use on me, the method shown......
One of the best ways to take good care of the environment is to vote with your dollars and buy products that are environmentally friendly. With the holidays right around the corner, here are some great, green gift ideas:
**Avoid gifts that will be thrown away, use excessive packaging, or are made from environmentally sensitive materials, particularly tropical wood such as mahogany, teak, or rosewood.
**Buy gifts made from recycled materials or use natural materials such as unbleached cotton or beeswax.
**Choose durable, energy-efficient gifts that use wind-up power or use rechargeable batteries. Give energy-saving products such as florescent light bulbs or low-flow shower heads.
**Give recycled gifts such as antiques, family heirlooms, or personal items.
**Give non-material gifts such as tickets to an event, dance lessons, spa visit, or membership to a museum or gym. Offer your time for babysitting, dog walking, or car washing.
**Make edible gifts such as breads, cookies, dried fruits, or nuts. Package them in reusable tins, baskets, jars, or decorative bags or boxes. Sew, knit, or paint a homemade gift. Tape a personal message for family and friends.
**For kids, consider giving an environmental excursion, such as whale-watching or camping trip or make a gift to charity in a loved one's name.
According to the Use Less Stuff Report, Americans increase their trash by 25 percent each year between Thanksgiving and New Yearâsâapproximately 1 million extra tons of trash per week. If every household reused just two feet of ribbon each year, the resulting 38,000 miles of ribbon could tie a bow around the Earth. To wrap your gifts, buy recycled wrapping paper or add a personal touch by using old maps, sheet music, newspaper comics, or colorful ads from old magazines. Use useful items for wrapping such as scarves, dish towels, or handkerchiefs. Use popcorn or newspaper for packing and reuse your packing materials. You can also reuse boxes, baskets, bags, and tins. Old cards can be recycled into gift tags. Send e-mail holiday greeting cards. According the Environmental News Network, Americans send 750 million greeting cards each year. They estimate that a 10 percent reduction could save an estimated 30,000 trees.
For more green ideas, visit www.1thingsacramento.com.
Two Harvard Business School graduates know exactly how expensive a wardrobe can be. So Jennifer Carter Fleiss & Jennifer Hyman established a new company called âRent the Runwayâ. For just a fraction of the actual price, a woman can ârentâ a high fashion gown for a weekend event. In the first month theyâve been in business, 20,000 women have already established accounts.  âRent the Runwayâ is easy to use: you click on the gown you want and select the size and color. âRent the Runwayâ ships it overnight to your front door. The dresses rent for $50 to $200. The gown is due back in 4 days. âRent the Runwayâ pays for the shipping and dry cleaning costs. One question: WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THIS???
You donât have to depend on toxic pesticides to get a handle on your petsâ mobile flea population! Some of the best natural flea deterrents can be found in your kitchen or herb garden . . .
If your dog or cat is suffering from fleas, make a âteaâ of lemon peel and water, and let it steep overnight. Citrus naturally repels fleasâif you sponge the tea on your flea-infested pet, the fleas will die instantly.
Rub your pet all over with tansy, fennel, basil or mint, pennyroyal, or another strong smelling herb. You can also grow these herbs, as well as wormwood, rue, pyrethrum, or marigolds around kennel areas or parts of the yard where your pet likes to play or bask in the sun.
Add salt to the water that you bathe your pet in to kill fleas.
Add brewerâs yeast to your petsâ foodâanimals that eat brewerâs yeast are distasteful to fleas. This natural âadditiveâ will give them a shiny coat to boot!
To keep fleas at bay in your home, sprinkle 20 Mule Team Borax on carpets, sofas, and under furniture and cushions. Be sure to first test the product on a small, unobtrusive area to make sure it is safe to use on your fabric.
When it comes to people's sex habits, nothing should surprise us anymore. But, there are some novelty condoms out there that are just downright weird.The website WillyWardrobe.com has taken novelty condoms to a new level, offering customers the opportunity to wrap their privates in condoms resembling such things as: bananas, crocodiles, beer mugs, zebras, gas masks, pigs, elephants, dragons (see photo - yikes) and many more.Â
Willy Wardrobeâs tag line? âDress to impress!â Gas Masks? Beer Mugs? Really?
There are some traditions that you can't sway the family to forgo - like a big, juicy Thanksgiving turkey. Though recent studies have found that the livestock industry produces more global greenhouse gas emissions than transportation, trying to coerce the family to a no-meat dinner may be in vain. For those who just have to have it, there are eco-friendly alternatives besides a âTofurkeyâ. Natural, organic and free-range turkeys are your best alternatives to the average frozen bird. Fortunately, there are farmerâs markets that not only sell these kind of turkeys during the holidays, but pasture-raised beef, pork, poultry, eggs and dairy products all year round.
Buying an organic turkey, however, can be pretty expensive when you're expecting a large crowd, so if necessary, compromise by buying a conventional turkey and make the rest of your meal using local and/or organic foods.
For more green ideas, visit www.1thingsacramento.com Â
I think we can all agree that guys love to see women in Halloween costumes that are sexy versions of actual professions. The sexy police officer, the sexy librarian, the sexy nurse, etc. But, can all professions be sexied up? Well, no, not according to Maxim Magazine, which claims that there are some professions which simply cannot be âsexifiedâ. They've compiled a list of 10 professions that not even the hottest women can make sexy. They are ...
           Â
The sexy crossing guard
The sexy bathroom attendant
The sexy Subway sandwich artist
The sexy speech therapist
The sexy Jihadist
The sexy transit worker
The sexy modern-day pirate
The sexy Pope
The sexy women's studies professor
The sexy cable technician Â
That last one, the sexy cable technician, might work, what with the obligatory butt crack and allâ¦
Looking for a mate is a complicated business. There are hundreds -- if not thousands -- of factors to consider when looking for a mate. Folks look for potential partners who seem to be reasonably mentally sound and have decent jobs. Guys might be all about ample breasts. Some women really care about teeth. Others have a thing for certain hair colors. You get the idea.
Then there all of the biological factors underneath the surface that never even make it to our conscious brains -- like our body odor. Well, according to researchers, dating websites will soon be able to compare partners in terms of whether the personal body odor of another person will be pleasant to them.
If the start-up company Basisnote gets their way, mate seekers will soon not only be able to match looks and interests in the profile of a potential partner with their own preferences -- but also biological smell. (Scientists behind the scenes will check to see if it's a âsmell matchâ, even before going on the first date.)
One biologist working on the concept puts it this way: "If everything fits, you have the same interests, lots to talk about, but you can't stand their smell, then a love affair doesn't stand a chance."
Reason number 4,673 why Iâm so glad that Iâm marriedâ¦..
Going green doesn't have to cost a lot of⦠green! When it comes to your music, movies and books, there are some great web sites that can help you make a positive impact on the environment while keeping your wallet intact. This is easy - even for the laziest of environmentalists!
 Exchange CDs, DVDs and books instead of buying. Now you can avoid purchasing new products without forfeiting your entertainment needs. At swapacd.com, they help music fans swap, trade and exchange used CDs. Mail a CD. Get a CD. Every time you ship a CD to another member, you can request one for yourself having it delivered directly to your door! Any album you request is yours to keep, share or trade. A similar program can be found at swapadvd.com, where membersswap, trade and exchange DVDs with each other for free. No late fees. No processing charges. No hidden charges. Every time you mail a DVD to another member, you can request one for yourself. And at paperbackswap.com itâs the same deal with books. They have over 4 million books, and theyâre not just paperback. You can also trade hardbacks, audio books, textbooks and more!
For more green ideas, log onto www.1thingsacramento.com
You might love your car or truck, but you've got to know there's always something better out there.  For example, there's a luxury Russian armored vehicle that is supposedly the world's strongest, most expensive and most luxurious car on the planet (see photo). It has Kevlar coating, white gold gauges, controls encrusted in gold, diamonds and rubies, gold-plated bulletproof windows and â drum roll - three bottles of the world's most expensive vodka (ya gotta love my people). Oh, and the upholstery? It's leather made fromâ¦.whale penis. No joke!  Apparently, penis is the only skin of a whale that can be tanned and turned into leather â but then you knew that, right? And the price tag? $1.5 million! A steal - especially when you factor in that âspecialâ upholsteryâ¦.
The best way to âgreen upâ your kitchen is to tame that roomâs biggest energy hog: the refrigerator. First, make sure the temperature isnât too low. The fridge should be at 37 degrees, and your freezer should be at three degrees. Next, practice a little fridge feng shui: donât stuff, it but make sure itâs adequately stocked so it doesnât have to work hard to cool empty space. Need to go shopping?  Fake a full fridge â and save energy â by putting a few pitchers and bowls of water on the shelves. Â
For more green ideas, visit www.1thingsacramento.com
A Massachusetts artists has taken recycling to new heights. Ingrid Goldbloom constructs underwear and bras from soda cans. Her artwork includes G-strings, garters and corsets. âRipleyâs Believe It or Notâ has just asked Ingrid to donate several items from her collection. Each piece takes almost a week to construct. One aluminum soda can is sliced into strips, which are woven together into a metal fabric. You could almost wear her âtrashy lingerieâ, if it wasnât for all the pinching. And Ingridâs soda can lingerie makes a weird noise when you walk. You might be mistaken for the âTin Manâ.
For more green ideas, visit www.1thingsacramento.com
Halloween can be a scary time for the green-minded, and it has nothing to do with the community haunted house or spooky movie week on TV.
The days and weeks leading up to Oct. 31 can be a minefield for anyone trying to celebrate in an environmentally friendly manner. All those five-pound bags of "fun-size" candy (all those wrappers!). All those inexpensive ghost and skeleton decorations for the Halloween party (all that paper waste!). All those elaborate children's costumes hanging from racks in the big-box stores (all that plastic and fabric for one night's use!).
Sure, every holiday poses its unique challenges when you're trying to avoid waste, support eco-friendly businesses and make sustainable choices. But Halloween -- with its focus on lots and lots of goodies handed out to lots and lots of kids -- can seem especially tricky. Here, then, are some ideas for celebrating an Oct. 31 that's both good fun for everyone ... and better for the environment:
Costumes. Rather than spending $10, $25 or $50 on a costume you or your child will wear only once, dig through your closets or roam the vintage-clothing stores, resale shops and flea markets for Halloween gear.
Treats. This is a part of Halloween that poses a special quandary for green-minded adults. You'd like to give out healthful, low-waste treats (think granola bars or home-made fruit leather), but you know most kids will leave those goodies rotting at the bottom of their Halloween bags while they inhale the collection of brand-name chocolate bars, gummy candies and sugary gum. Plus, many parents who check their children's treat bags before letting the kids eat anything tend to throw away unwrapped, obviously home-made or other "weird" looking snacks.
Fortunately, a growing number of environmentally aware companies are producing small treats like fair-trade chocolate, organic cookies and other treats appropriate for Halloween giving. If you'd prefer not to give out candy of any kind, you have plenty of other options. Some people choose to hand out coins, while others stick with pencils, stickers, small coloring books, seed packets or other trinkets.
Food and decor. Try to decorate your home with locally grown pumpkins, gourds, Indian corn or attractively colored, natural fall leaves; they're more attractive than most cheesy plastic and paper decorations, and can continue to provide season-appropriate spirit all the way through Thanksgiving. For party food, think organic-pumpkin pumpkin pie, sweets made with local apples, and other dishes that emphasize ingredients of the season where you live.
For more green ideas, visit www.1thingsacramento.com
Check out my pink hair extensions! Fringes, a hair salon at 1900 Douglas Blvd (near Rocky Ridge) is offering pink hair extensions for Breast Cancer Awareness Month!  Your $10 dollar donation per extension will go directly to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. So come by Fringes on Tuesday, October 20th and get your pink hair extensions. Oh, and if you want to get them before the 20th, just tell âem Kat said it was OK!!!  Give Fringes a call at 916-772-4141.  Show your support â go pink for the cure!
There are more than 500 million used cell phones in the U.S. sitting in people's drawers or worse, in our landfills, and another 130 million will be added this year alone! One in three Americans will replace their cell phones this year, adding to the pile of phones currently waiting to be discarded or recycled. Cell phone recycling and wireless recycling programs keep valuable materials out of landfills, including tons of precious metals from circuit boards, and enough copper from phone chargers to recover the Statue of Liberty, twice!
The potential human health and environmental impacts of cell phone waste is grim. Cell phones contain lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic. If thrown in the trash and sent to incinerators or landfills, environmental contamination can occur from combustion and leaching into soil and groundwater. Sadly, less than 2% of old cell phones are being recycled today â you can help make a difference!
Recycling cell phones helps the environment by saving energy and keeping usable materials out of landfills. Cell phones and PDAs are made of precious metals and plastics-all of which require energy to mine and manufacture. Recycling conserves these materials so they can be turned into new products. Donating your working cell phone or PDA can benefit your community. When cell phones and accessories are in good working order, some programs donate them to worthy charities or sell them at a discount to those in need. Â Cell phone collection programs can be accessed from almost everywhere in the US. Many organizations, such as cell phone manufacturers, retailers, network carriers, charities, and state or local solid waste programs offer cell phone donation and recycling programs. Â And of course there are often e-waste collection fundraisers. Â
Before you drop off or mail in your old cell phone, make sure that you have terminated your service contract for the phone and erased any data in the phone.
For more green ideas, visit www.1thingsacramento.com.
Engineers who invented a bra that converts quickly into a gas mask, pathologists who determined that beer bottles can crack your skull even when empty and Irish police officers who mistakenly wrote tickets to "Driver's License" all won this yearâs "IgNobel" prizes recently.
 The award is a play on the name of the Nobel prizes awarded every October from Stockholm and Oslo, and are given out by the Harvard-based humor magazine Annals of Improbable Research. The Public Health prize went to the designers of a bra that can be quickly converted into a pair of gas masks, one for the brassiere wearer and one to be given to some needy bystander (see photo). Ireland's police won the literature prize from writing more than 50 traffic tickets to a frequent visitor and speeder named Prawo Jazdy. In Polish, this means "driver's license".
A pathologist in Switzerland won for a study they did to determine whether an empty beer bottle does more or less damage to the human skull than a full one in a bar fight (turns out the empty bottle is more sturdy and packs a better wallop) .
A guy from right here in  California was honored for a lifelong, experiment in which he cracked the knuckles of his left hand but never his right for more than 60 years to prove that cracking your knuckles does not cause arthritis.
Other winners included farmers who showed that naming your cows makes them give more milk, researchers who used panda droppings to break down household trash and a scientist who calculated why pregnant women do not fall over â who knew?
If you are trying to be eco-savvy, take the next step and apply your green practices to your clothing to help them last longer. Here are eight tips to help you along:1. Dry your clothes on low. Not only will this save energy, but it also extends the life of your clothing.
2. Sew up holes ASAP. A little hole isnât such a big deal, but a little hole will become a big hole. Sewing up a hole as soon as you see it will make your clothing last longer.
3. Save your buttons. Â If your shirt comes with an extra button, save it. Also, if some clothes are so ragged that they cannot be reused, snag the button(s). This way, if you lose a button, there is a good chance that youâll have a matching button on hand.
4. Wash clothes in cold water. Most clothes wash just fine in cold water, and fabrics hold up better this way. This also saves energy
5. Zip up your zippers before washing. You know how chickens eat gravel to digest food in their gizzards? Well, washing an unzipped zipper is kind of like gravel in a chickenâs gizzard. Those zippers will flap around the washer and dryer, tearing at your other clothes.
6. Wash your clothes less often. Unless you have stinky teenagers, you might not need to wash your clothes just because you wore something once. Be brave! Give it a sniff test and maybe wear it again!
7. Cut out tags. Donât tear. The labels in shirts make me crazy the way they tickle my neck! Â But resist the urge to pull them out. Gently cut it out with scissors, instead. You can cause a hole if you yank.
8. Use a front-loading washing machine. Front loaders are gentler, plus they are more energy-efficient than top loaders.
For more green ideas, go to www.1thingsacramento.com.
Even as they help us pick up dirt and dust, many modern cleaners irritate our skin, eyes, and lungs. They can also leave toxic residues or pollute the water when we rinse them down the drain. But keeping our homes clean and avoiding toxic cleaners don't have to be mutually exclusive. Several companies now produce âgreenâ cleaners that avoid ingredients that are toxic or don't biodegrade. Green cleaners can also be made from a range of safer substances we might already have around the house. Simple things you can do?
**Stock up on a few safe, simple ingredients that can be used in most cleaning situations. Soap, water, baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, borax, and a coarse scrubbing sponge can take care of most household cleaning needs.
**Instead of using a standard drain cleaner, which likely contains lye, hydrochloric acid, and sulfuric acid, try pouring a quarter cup of baking soda down the clogged drain, followed by a half cup of vinegar. Close the drain tightly until fizzing stops, then flush with boiling water.
**For an effective glass cleaner, use a mixture of half white vinegar and half water.
**Baking soda and cornstarch are both good carpet deodorizers.
**To clean up mildew and mold, use a mixture of lemon juice or white vinegar and salt.
**A paste of baking soda, salt, and hot water makes a great oven cleaner.
**In the rare instance you need to use a hazardous product, use as little as possible and dispose of it in a way that will cause minimum harmâfor example, by bringing it to a hazardous waste recycling or treatment center.
For more green ideas, visit www.1thingsacramento.com.
How would you like to sleep in a giant seashell, wine barrel, prison cell or castle? These are just a few of the incredible lodging options featured in "Bed in a Tree and Other Amazing Hotels Around the World". The author, Bettina Kowalewski slept in each one of the 27 unusual accommodations described in the book, from a bed in a cave in Turkey, to a bed in the Ice Hotel in Sweden. She also found a hotel designed like a giant doghouse in Idaho. Thereâs another in Germany's Rhine Valley where huge wine barrels have been outfitted with two beds each, and a converted prison in Lucerne, Switzerland, where you can sleep in a jail cell. On Isla Mujeres, off the coast of Cancun, Mexico, there are two giant white manmade seashells, outfitted with beds and bathrooms, and in Scotland you can stay in a castle. The place that "Bed in a Tree" is named for is a roofless, open-air bed with a mosquito net in a platform in a tree in the South African bush. Sweet dreams!
Trying to change your lifestyle to be more "green" is easier than you think! Â Fall is a great time for holding a yard sale, or for searching for goodies other people are getting rid of. When you think about it, garage sales are green! Instead of a final resting place in a landfill, our old stuff gets a second chance as someone's treasure and you get a little "green" in your pocket too! If you plan to have a yard sale remember a few things:
**Fridays and Saturdays are the BEST days.  Sundays? Not so much...
**Place lower priced items toward the front to lure folks into your garage sale!
**Mark every item clearly, and price it higher than you think you can get for it! Â Lots of people like to haggle.
**Clothing should be hung up and priced
**Have a few bins marked with signs like "all items 99 cents!" Garage sale goers love to rummage  through boxes for a bargain!
**Keep a lock box with plenty of change.
**Have a bin of penny toys for the kids.
**Be sure to donate or recycle the items you do not sell - have fun!!!
For more green ideas, visit www.1thingsacramentocom.
Jason Castro was in the building yesterday! For those of you who don't watch American Idol, he was on a couple of seasons ago - the guy with the dreadlocks and the voice of an angel - sigh... what a treat! He sang a couple of singles from his upcoming first album and then he sang "Hallelujah" which brought the house down when he sang it on "Idol"!!! Â So great to have teen aged daughters to use as my "reasons" for wanting to meet Jason Castro, when it was really Mama Kat over here who was needing to control herself.....
Toilet paper is a staple of almost any household. Sure, it wastes paper, but the alternative is far worse. We should thank toilet paper from the bottoms of our....well, bottoms, for the service that it provides. There are ways, however, to green your TP use. Here are some of those ways.
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Tear from the top. Someone actually did some thinking, applied some science and found that toilet paper pulled from the top instead of under saves a few squares on every TP application.
Use recycled toilet paper. No, not recycled THAT way! There's no point in using freshly killed trees for the dirty job this paper is about to undertake. Any paper made from mostly recycled content is favorable.
Use toilet paper that hasn't been bleached with chlorine. Chlorine can react with paper to produce dioxins.
Switch to one-ply.
Vie for toilet paper that doesn't come with each roll individually wrapped. Save on packaging waste.
There are scented toilet papers out there. Why do they make scented toilet paper? It's probably a marketing strategy. Toilet papers of equal absorbency will often seem "more absorbent" when they are scented. Don't be fooled!  These scents can cause headaches, allergies or asthma in the chemically sensitive. They can also diminish the air quality in your home. Plus, they are unnecessary.
Buy toilet paper in bulk. Another way to save packaging waste.
The more squares per roll the better. This also saves packaging waste.
Recycle your old toilet paper tubes. There are endless arts and craft ideas that they could be used for!                                                                                                                     Â
As football season kicks up, tailgating is on many a mind. Just as the coaches are tinkering with their playbooks, it may be time to work out the kinks in your tailgating plans. Thankfully, Lighter Footstep has come up with five handy tailgating eco-tips to help you get ready for the months of beer and burgers ahead.
1) Use propane - Sure, propane is a petroleum product -- but it burns a lot cleaner than charcoal or wood fires. Propane also leaves behind less waste, and is particularly convenient when you're cooking away from home. Â If you are a charcoal diehard, consider checking out the eco-friendly kind, and "skip the charcoal starter".
2) Try the veggie dog instead of the brat. You can make your veggie dog a true tailgate dog by piling on the peppers and onions!
3) Switch that Bud Light for a tastier organic beer. Organic beer has really taken off in the past few years. Even big players like Anheuser-Busch have gotten into the act, which means organic brew may very well be sold wherever you normally buy groceries.
4) Bring reusable outdoor dishes instead of the disposable kind. It's really not much of a hassle to bring some dishes from home. Picking up a set of lightweight plastic place settings is a great outdoor investment, and you can probably find them secondhand for next to nothing at a garage sale or thrift store.
5) Â Crank it up. A crank radio is the perfect way to listen to the pregame commentary and get in the cheering mood.
For more green ideas, visit www.1thingsacramento.com
Waste prevention, also referred to as "source reduction," means changing habits to reduce the amount of trash created every day. Putting reduce into practice is one of the best ways to help your community decrease the amount of material that goes to the landfill. Here are a few tips to help make less garbage and save money and resources :
**Pack zero waste lunches by using reusable storage containers and beverage containers instead of plastic sandwich bags and drink pouches.
**Purchase products in bulk sizes to reduce packaging waste.
**Purchase products with packaging made from recycled and/or recyclable materials (glass, plastic jugs, etc).
**Buy and use products in refillable containers and use reusable drink cups.
**Use reusable shopping bags instead of disposable paper or plastic bags.
**Trade books and magazines with friends and family.
**Compost your organic waste.
In addition, you can eliminate unwanted mail by removing your name from national mailing lists.
For more gree ideas, visit www.1thingsacramento.com
According to a controversial report out of London, condoms are the cheapest way to reduce carbon emissions. The UK's Optimum Population Trust claims that stopping global population growth would be five times cheaper than any other method of tackling the world's greenhouse gases. Every five dollars spent on condoms for the next 40 years would supposedly reduce global CO2 emissions by a ton. It would cost 25 dollars to achieve the same result with low-carbon technologies. So it seems that by preventing one type of emission, you can reduce another type - sorry....
For more green ideas, visit www.1thingsacramento.com   Â
I love bacon! It should be its own food group. Well now, there's a new company - J&D's Foods - that makes everything taste like bacon, and they do mean everything.  Their newest product is Baconnaise - yes, bacon flavored mayonnaise. There is also Bacon Salt - salt flavored like a salty meat - wow. Other products include Bacon Lip Balm (ewww) and Bacon Lube, which they explain with the following quote: "We think meat flavored personal lubricants may just be the future of our business."  Or not.....
Eating fewer animal products is a good choice for the environment. When and if you choose to eat animal products you can make a significant difference for your health and the environment. Choosing to support farms that caretake the environment and the animals they raise in an ethical manner, is a very positive way to spend your food dollar. Animal agriculture produces surprisingly large amounts of air and water pollution, and causes 80 percent of the world's annual deforestation. It also requires large amounts of water, and livestock worldwide consumes half the world's total grain harvest. By supporting local, sustainable and organic farms in your local community you also support the larger community of which we are all a part. Our region has some awesome farmer's markets! Â By eating animal products raised on such farms you provide the healthiest choice for your family and support the farms that support healthy and ecological neighborhoods.
For more green ideas visit www.1thingsacramento.com
Recycling sneakers might sound a little out there, but it wasn't so long ago that throwing yesterday's news into today's trash wasn't just normal, but the only thing to do with it. Well now, Nike's Reuse-A-Shoe program at www.letmeplay.com/reuseashoe accepts old sneakers (any brand) and recycles them into courts for various sports so kids around the world have a place to play.  Just think - your worn-out sports shoes can live on in something new: a track, a basketball court, a playground!  You can drop them off at a Nike store, other participating retailers, athletic clubs and schools around the country (check the website for locations). If your sneakers are still in reasonable shape donate them to needy athletes in the United States and around the world through www.oneworldrunning.com.
For more green ideas, visit www.1thingsacramento.com
Weekdays 5am - 10am
Exciting news for folks who take frequent trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Now thereâs âGlow-in-the darkâ toilet paper! Yes, the soft florescent glow of the toilet tissue makes it easy to find the roll when ya gotta go in the dark. Â Convenience, however, has its price â weâre talking almost ten bucks a roll! Â One reviewer of the florescent TP gushes, âItâs actually the most useful glow-in-the-dark product ever! Â If you plan on going camping make sure you take a couple of these rolls. This way youâll be properly prepared should the call of nature visit you in the middle of the night.â
And if you take a night hike,  be sure to step over anything that glowsâ¦
Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is natural, economical and in almost every kitchen. It can safely replace many expensive products that are also potentially harmful to the environment. The following are eight of the most practical uses for baking soda.Drain cleaner and deodorizer: Put ¼ cup of baking soda in the kitchen or bathroom drain. Pour ½ cup white vinegar. Let the mixture bubble for 30 seconds before pouring ½ cup warm water in the drain. Let stand for 10-15 minutes then run  cold water down the drain for 10 seconds. Doing this every 3-4 weeks will keep your drains deodorized and will minimize clogs.
Congratulations to Sacramento International Airport which has scored the top rating among California airports in a national customer satisfaction survey. Our airport bested the likes of airports in San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego. The findings come from the annual J.D. Power and Associates' 2010 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, which is based on 24,000 surveys filled out by fliers at airports in 2009. It focused on airport accessibility, baggage claim, check-in process, security checkpoint, food and retail, and overall facilities, andâ¦.Sacramento International Airport kicked butt!  So next time you travel, look around our find facility and know you are surrounded by greatness â and Cinnibons, and Governator T Shirts, oh yeah, and the suitcase structure down in baggage claimâ¦..
Any skater will tell you a sleek, clean ice rink is heaven. No bumps, no tears, no shavings that stick to your blade. Unfortunately, getting ice so smooth and beautiful is not a green practice. Typically a diesel or gas or propane belching box of a machine rolls along the ice . Â If a rink is resurfaced once an hour--which is not uncommon--the space fills with carbon monoxide and other particulate matter. It also just takes a lot of energy to make the things work. The 2010 Vancouver Olympics will use electric grooming machines to clean the ice. The Olympic Committee made a commitment to be as green as possible. In doing so they asked the two major grooming companies to come up with electric equipment. The cost for one is double what a diesel machine costs, but it can clean the ice for about .25 and one charge can power 30 cleanings. Â Here's to a green ice rink!
For more green info, visit 
Drunken pub fights in England are set to get safer with the invention of a strengthened beer glass that health authorities hope will cut the huge bill for treating inebriated brawlers.The traditional pint glass has been redesigned so it is harder to smash, and even if the new models do get cracked over someoneâs head, Â the dangerous shards of glass are held together by a layer of resin. Apparently, glass attacks cost health authorities an estimated $2.7 billion annually, and official figures put the number of attacks each year at around 87,000. Englandâs Home Secretary Alan Johnson praised the new models and said the properties of the current pint glass are to blame for much of the country's alcohol-related violence.
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There's no denying that roses, those Valentineâs Day staples, convey a romantic mood, but unfortunately, most conventional blossoms are grown using loads of pesticides, then shipped from South America to retail outlets around the globe. Consider presenting a single stem instead of a dozen. It'll make a dramatic impression, while reducing your impact for the day. If you're a think-ahead type, ordering online through outlets that carry organic buds is another smart option. Look for the VeriFLora certification, which indicates sustainable growing. Worldwide, approximately one billion Valentines Day cards are sent out each year-that's a lot of virgin paper that ends up in the trash. But who doesn't get verklempt when a card's sappy sentiments brings a tear to the eye? This year, skip the fuzzy-puppy-hugging-a-heart approach, pick up your desk scissors, and channel your inner school child. It's time to go old school and ride out the workday by creating an original Valentine from the scrap paper and magazines lying around the office.
For more green ideas, visit 
According to Cosmo magazine, âThe Thong is Deadâ.  Believe it or not (guys) the thongâs popularity seems to be fading. Recent sales show that the ever-popular Boy Shorts are taking over - yay! Women who never quite understood "Team Thong" would describe the floss like piece of material as neither flattering  nor comfortable â a permanent wedgie at a premium price.  In the current issue of Cosmo, they write an obituary for the most uncomfortable undergarment that man ever created. Because,you KNOW a woman would never invent have invented thongs!
Many women are trying to be eco-friendly within their everyday life. One most important eco-friendly decisions is makeup! What exactly is eco-friendly makeup though? It can range from makeup that isn't tested on animals to makeup made straight from corn. Many brands are eco-friendly and you might not even realize it.
Eco-friendly brands include: Afterglow, Cargo PlantLove, Mark. Makeup, Avon, Tarte, Â and Medusa's Makeup
The Animal Testing Free Makeup- Rats, rabbits, and mice are all used for makeup testing. It has been a big hit for makeup companies to ban animal testing and now they actually pay women to test their products and review them. One of the first companies to become animal testing free was Avon Inc. They became one of the first in the world to take this eco-friendly choice in 1993. Next time you buy makeup, make sure you check to see if they are testing on poor little Rascal or Max. If they are, set it down and move on because putting lipstick on the pig is never pretty.
If more women wore eco-friendly makeup animal cruelty rates would decrease and the healthiness of the plant can be restored. There are many different types of makeup with different ecological benefits. Usually it's hard to find an all-over eco-friendly makeup line. The most common type of eco-friendly makeup is animal cruelty free, meaning they don't test on animals. This is a big issue throughout the makeup industry because it's cheap and easy to test on animals. Taking the step with eco-friendly makeup is a small, yet helpful, step to a healthier earth.
For more green ideas, visit 
Leave it to the folks at Mattel  to market âPuppy Tweetsâ for your dog. No, not for a toy dog - your living, breathing, slobbering dog! Puppy Tweets will allow your pets to automatically participate on social networking sites, for folks who care that your dog is scratching himself, eating your shoe, or digging up your petunias. The motion sensor âPuppy Tweetâ collar tag has several pre-programmed Tweets. So whether your dog is sleeping under the bed, playing in the dog park, or chasing a squirrel, Mattel has already written a Tweet for that occasion. The price tag for this gadget? 30 bucks.  Of course, taking a scene from âUpâ, a dog tweet could easily be âHungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungryâ â¦.. all day,everyday..
 
Have you ever wondered whether dishtowels are better for the environment than paper towels, or if cloth napkins are greener than paper napkins? Some argue that the energy used to make and repeatedly wash a dishtowel may exceed that used for the manufacture of a paper towel, and many argue the other way around.
If you are hugely careless in your treatment of cloth napkins and dishtowels (like running a load of hot-water wash for a few barely-soiled napkins), paper can be the more eco-friendly option. But if you approach your cloth towels and napkins conscientiously, cloth is the greener option. Some say that washing cloth must be more energy-intensive than using paper, but electric dryers are actually twice as energy efficient as the manufacture of paper towels. When you factor in all of the components of making a paper towel or napkins (harvesting the material, processing and bleaching it, packaging it, shipping it, stocking it at a supermarket, transportation to and from the store to purchase it, etc). all for a single use, you find that the paper towels and napkins are about twice as energy-intensive and create more greenhouse gases overall.
A cloth napkin or dishtowel may go through similar processes to get to your kitchen drawer, but it will stay there for many, many years, rather than being sent directly to the landfill.
For more green ideas, visit 
A new study claims that shopping is good for you â it burns calories! One estimate shows that the average woman will burn 48,000 calories per year while shopping.   Thatâs  equivalent to losing 14 pounds!   One nutrition expert points out that women always seem to be searching for the perfect fitness regime and most women love to shop â bingo! What better way to get into shape than to engage in some serious retail therapy.  Why hit the gym when you can hit the mall?Â
And remember â all Food Court calories are negated when washed down with a Diet Cokeâ¦
A couple in Spokane, Washington is hoping to pay for their entire $5000 wedding with the cash they get from recycling cans! Â Andrea Parish and Peter Geyser estimate that itâll take about 400,000 used and crushed cans to earn the cash. The self proclaimed âEnviron-Geeksâ are using Twitter to further their cause, plus theyâre asking everyone they know to recycle cans and put the money toward their June wedding. Â Their efforts have even caught the attention of aluminum giant Alcoa, which has agreed to donate 150,000 cans â about $1700 â toward the big day. Bride to be Andrea says that wedding guests will get a small departing gift commemorating the event - theyâre going to hang aluminum cans on each car bumper!Â
Check out Andrea and Peterâs website at 
There truly is a buyer for anything out there! Folks have paid out big money for bizarre celebrity artifacts. Time.com looked at some of the totally out-there celebrity keepsakes fans have paid big bucks for:
** Justin Timberlake did a radio interview in 2000 where he left two pieces of French toast uneaten. Staffers put the leftovers on eBay and one 'N Sync fan paid just over 1,000 bucks for the food!
**Back in 2004 there were 20 or so eBay listings for bits of Britney Spears' gently-used chewing gum (ewwwâ¦). They ended up going for up to $100 a âpopâ.
** At a 2007 auction, the Hard Rock in Vegas paid an undisclosed sum of money for Cher's black bra.
** Comedy writer Joe Wilson and a friend went to the 2005 premiere of Mr. & Mrs. Smith so they could bottle Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's exhaled oxygen. Oh you laugh, but they put the breath into a one-quart jar and sold to a collector for $529.99!
And finally â drum rollâ¦â¦
** In 2006, William Shatner auctioned his kidney stone  (pictured) for $25,000, and God help us, someone bought it!!!
There are few things more inviting on a chilly winter night than a blazing fire in your fire place. It even looks comforting and cozy! The problem is, fireplaces can be expensive and inefficient endeavors. Most folks donât know that a fireplace sends most of the heat in your house straight up the chimney, emitting as much as 24,000 cubic feet of air per hour to the outside! There are, however, ways that n limit the loss of heat when enjoying a quiet evening by the fire.
When you think about it, Christmas is not only warm, fuzzy and nurturing, but it involves lots of planning and organization ... which means a woman has to be in charge of it!
With tongue firmly in cheek, here are some other reasons why Santa can't possibly be a man:
Christmas has always been a great time of the year to make all the wonderful goodies our friends and families love. Unfortunately, it is also one of the worst times of the year for resource consumption. This year we can all do our part to correct this problem by reducing the amount of resources we each use. When planning and preparing your family's holiday meals try to use these simple suggestions to help reduce your consumption.
1. Use less meat. It takes a many more resources to produce a pound of meat than a pound of vegetables. This year make sure that the turkey or ham, or whatever you are making, is properly sized. Bigger isnât always better! Â Add a bigger variety of vegetable options to your table. Not only will you help reduce resources used on meat production you will also be offering a healthier menu.
2. When you go to buy your wine this season try to favor those made locally. It takes a huge amount of resources to ship wine all over the place. By buying locally you will not be contributing to unecessary transportation. Also choose wines that are stopped with a real cork as opposed to a plastic one. These can be used later in decorating or they go great in a compost heap as well.
3. A great number of dishes require that you boil food in water, so use only the amount of water necessary. The water will boil faster, your food will cook a little quicker, and you will have saved water and electricity or gas, depending on the type of stove you use.
4. Instead of leaving your food on low heat to keep it warm, try putting on the lid and wrapping the pots in dish towels. This will insulate your cookware and allow your food to stay warm for hours without the use of extra energy.
For more green ideas, visit 
Time to buckle down and start knocking out some of that Christmas shopping. For the friend or relative that you want to mess with, consider hooking them up with a fake gift box called the Prank Pack.
The idea of every Prank Pack is to make friends and family squirm with discomfort with what appears to be a bad gift. Each fake gift box depicts ridiculous products created by clueless companies. Some stuff being offered up includes:
1. The Beer Beard (see photo) --Â Going to the big game, a concert, or an art show? Just fill the Beer Beard with up to 72 ounces of your favorite beverage, strap it on and chug in peace.
2. Motorized Rolling Pin -- An honest-to-goodness rechargeable, 1/16th horsepower microwave-safe rolling pin.
3. Wake & Bake Dream Griddle -- It's an alarm clock ... and a pancake griddle. Appropriately, it has a convenient Snooze/Preheat function and a built-in carbon monoxide detector.
Check out these and more random gifts at: 
BEER
T- minus to the New Year! So, got any New Yearâs resolutions? Well, along with the usual âlose weight and manage my money betterâ promises, how about committing to a few of these earth friendly resolutions: Â
A new survey finds that buying all the presents in "The 12 Days of Christmas" carol would cost nearly 400 dollars more than last year, with the prices of gold rings and French hens up sharply. The Christmas Price Index, a tally of how much it would cost to buy everything from the partridge in a pear tree to the 12 drummers drumming, was up just 1.8 percent or 385.46 dollars from last year. The total price tag would be 21,465.56 dollars this year. The two items in the Christmas classic that saw the sharpest price rises were five gold rings -- which would cost just under 500 dollars this year, up from 350 dollars in 2008 -- and three French hens, which have gone up in price by 50 percent, to 45 dollars.
Overall, though, bird prices were down, and that had a big impact on the index because birds make up half of the gifts in 'The 12 Days of Christmas'. Â Seven swans-a-swimming fell by 6.3 percent, from 5,600 dollars last year to 5,250 dollars in 2009.The partridge in a pear tree package -- for the bird and the tree -- fell by 27.3 percent year-on-year: the partridge went for 10 dollars this year, a savings of 50 percent compared to 2008, while pear trees cost around 150 dollars this year, a quarter less than in 2008. Six geese-a-laying would cost a true love 37.5 percent less this year than last, while four calling birds held steady year-on-year, costing in the ballpark of 600 dollars.
The only birds other than the French hens to increase in price were the two turtle doves, which rose 1.8 percent to nearly 56 dollars.
On the human side of the index, the cost of hiring women -- whether the unskilled eight maids-a-milking, whose pay-rate was determined using the US federal minimum wage, or highly trained nine ladies dancing, went up. Hiring the other performers on the index -- who with the exception of 10 lords-a-leaping could be male or female -- stayed the same. The maids-a-milking would cost 58 dollars to hire this year, or around 11 percent more than in 2008, while the ladies dancing cost 5,473 dollars this year, up from 4,759 dollars in 2008. Twelve drummers drumming, 11 pipers piping and 10 lords-a-leaping saw no change in their take-home pay, earning 2,475 dollars, 2,285 dollars and 4,414 dollars respectively
This "True Love"  dude seriously needs to consider gift cards â¦
Itâs party time! Lots of holiday get togethers will be held over the next few weeks. Having a great party and being kind to the planet donât have to be mutually exclusive. These suggestions can really reduce the amount you have to throw away after the festivities:
Last year, a new law made it legal in Michigan to grow marijuana for medical treatment. Now, a 24-year-old entrepreneur Nick Tennant has launched âCannabis Collegeâ. The 6-week class teaches people how to legally grow weed. The class costs $500, which can easily be covered by selling the first crop. The final test includes drying the plants, rolling them into joints and smoking them. Cannabis College:  lending a whole new meaning to the termâ¦.âhigher learningâ.  And to think, some of you were apparently auditing a class back in college and didnâtâ even know it!
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Tis the season to deck those halls! Here are some easy ways to decorate your home in an environmentally friendly way:
The new solution to snoring is an injection up the nose â yikes! Doctors claim they can solve the worst of snoring with a quick treatment they have dubbed âsnoreplasty". Itâs similar to a ârhinoplastyâ which is the medical term for a nose job. Kinda hard to hear about, though: a chemical is injected into the roof of your mouth. The idea is to reduce vibrations. Seems snoring isnât very different than driving at high speeds with your windows halfway down. All that wind rattles the car and the noise is unbearable. The same concept happens with snoring, only at slow speeds, and while youâre trying to sleep. So if you or your bed partner snores, here's a new option. There are still, of course, the options of rolling them off their backs, breathe right strips, and my husband's favorite technique to use on me, the method shown......
One of the best ways to take good care of the environment is to vote with your dollars and buy products that are environmentally friendly. With the holidays right around the corner, here are some great, green gift ideas:
According to the Use Less Stuff Report, Americans increase their trash by 25 percent each year between Thanksgiving and New Yearâsâapproximately 1 million extra tons of trash per week. If every household reused just two feet of ribbon each year, the resulting 38,000 miles of ribbon could tie a bow around the Earth. To wrap your gifts, buy recycled wrapping paper or add a personal touch by using old maps, sheet music, newspaper comics, or colorful ads from old magazines. Use useful items for wrapping such as scarves, dish towels, or handkerchiefs. Use popcorn or newspaper for packing and reuse your packing materials. You can also reuse boxes, baskets, bags, and tins. Old cards can be recycled into gift tags. Send e-mail holiday greeting cards. According the Environmental News Network, Americans send 750 million greeting cards each year. They estimate that a 10 percent reduction could save an estimated 30,000 trees.
For more green ideas, visit 
Two Harvard Business School graduates know exactly how expensive a wardrobe can be. So Jennifer Carter Fleiss & Jennifer Hyman established a new company called âRent the Runwayâ. For just a fraction of the actual price, a woman can ârentâ a high fashion gown for a weekend event. In the first month theyâve been in business, 20,000 women have already established accounts.  âRent the Runwayâ is easy to use: you click on the gown you want and select the size and color. âRent the Runwayâ ships it overnight to your front door. The dresses rent for $50 to $200. The gown is due back in 4 days. âRent the Runwayâ pays for the shipping and dry cleaning costs. One question: 
You donât have to depend on toxic pesticides to get a handle on your petsâ mobile flea population! Some of the best natural flea deterrents can be found in your kitchen or herb garden . . .
When it comes to people's sex habits, nothing should surprise us anymore. But, there are some novelty condoms out there that are just downright weird. The website WillyWardrobe.com has taken novelty condoms to a new level, offering customers the opportunity to wrap their privates in condoms resembling such things as: bananas, crocodiles, beer mugs, zebras, gas masks, pigs, elephants, dragons (see photo - yikes) and many more.Â
Willy Wardrobeâs tag line? âDress to impress!â Gas Masks? Beer Mugs? Really?
There are some traditions that you can't sway the family to forgo - like a big, juicy Thanksgiving turkey. Though recent studies have found that the livestock industry produces more global greenhouse gas emissions than transportation, trying to coerce the family to a no-meat dinner may be in vain. For those who just have to have it, there are eco-friendly alternatives besides a âTofurkeyâ. Natural, organic and free-range turkeys are your best alternatives to the average frozen bird. Fortunately, there are farmerâs markets that not only sell these kind of turkeys during the holidays, but pasture-raised beef, pork, poultry, eggs and dairy products all year round.
Buying an organic turkey, however, can be pretty expensive when you're expecting a large crowd, so if necessary, compromise by buying a conventional turkey and make the rest of your meal using local and/or organic foods.
For more green ideas, visit 
I think we can all agree that guys love to see women in Halloween costumes that are sexy versions of actual professions. The sexy police officer, the sexy librarian, the sexy nurse, etc. But, can all professions be sexied up? Well, no, not according to Maxim Magazine, which claims that there are some professions which simply cannot be âsexifiedâ. They've compiled a list of 10 professions that not even the hottest women can make sexy. They are ...
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Looking for a mate is a complicated business. There are hundreds -- if not thousands -- of factors to consider when looking for a mate. Folks look for potential partners who seem to be reasonably mentally sound and have decent jobs. Guys might be all about ample breasts. Some women really care about teeth. Others have a thing for certain hair colors. You get the idea.
Then there all of the biological factors underneath the surface that never even make it to our conscious brains -- like our body odor. Well, according to researchers, dating websites will soon be able to compare partners in terms of whether the personal body odor of another person will be pleasant to them.
If the start-up company Basisnote gets their way, mate seekers will soon not only be able to match looks and interests in the profile of a potential partner with their own preferences -- but also biological smell. (Scientists behind the scenes will check to see if it's a âsmell matchâ, even before going on the first date.)
One biologist working on the concept puts it this way: "If everything fits, you have the same interests, lots to talk about, but you can't stand their smell, then a love affair doesn't stand a chance."
Reason number 4,673 why Iâm so glad that Iâm marriedâ¦..
Going green doesn't have to cost a lot of⦠green! When it comes to your music, movies and books, there are some great web sites that can help you make a positive impact on the environment while keeping your wallet intact. This is easy - even for the laziest of environmentalists!
 Exchange CDs, DVDs and books instead of buying. Now you can avoid purchasing new products without forfeiting your entertainment needs. At 
You might love your car or truck, but you've got to know there's always something better out there.  For example, there's a luxury Russian armored vehicle that is supposedly the world's strongest, most expensive and most luxurious car on the planet (see photo). It has Kevlar coating, white gold gauges, controls encrusted in gold, diamonds and rubies, gold-plated bulletproof windows and â drum roll - three bottles of the world's most expensive vodka (ya gotta love my people). Oh, and the upholstery? It's leather made fromâ¦.whale penis. No joke!  Apparently, penis is the only skin of a whale that can be tanned and turned into leather â but then you knew that, right? And the price tag? $1.5 million! A steal - especially when you factor in that âspecialâ upholsteryâ¦.
The best way to âgreen upâ your kitchen is to tame that roomâs biggest energy hog: the refrigerator. First, make sure the temperature isnât too low. The fridge should be at 37 degrees, and your freezer should be at three degrees. Next, practice a little fridge feng shui: donât stuff, it but make sure itâs adequately stocked so it doesnât have to work hard to cool empty space. Need to go shopping?  Fake a full fridge â and save energy â by putting a few pitchers and bowls of water on the shelves. Â
For more green ideas, visit 
A Massachusetts artists has taken recycling to new heights. Ingrid Goldbloom constructs underwear and bras from soda cans. Her artwork includes G-strings, garters and corsets. âRipleyâs Believe It or Notâ has just asked Ingrid to donate several items from her collection. Each piece takes almost a week to construct. One aluminum soda can is sliced into strips, which are woven together into a metal fabric. You could almost wear her âtrashy lingerieâ, if it wasnât for all the pinching. And Ingridâs soda can lingerie makes a weird noise when you walk. You might be mistaken for the âTin Manâ.
For more green ideas, visit 
Halloween can be a scary time for the green-minded, and it has nothing to do with the community haunted house or spooky movie week on TV.
The days and weeks leading up to Oct. 31 can be a minefield for anyone trying to celebrate in an environmentally friendly manner. All those five-pound bags of "fun-size" candy (all those wrappers!). All those inexpensive ghost and skeleton decorations for the Halloween party (all that paper waste!). All those elaborate children's costumes hanging from racks in the big-box stores (all that plastic and fabric for one night's use!).
Sure, every holiday poses its unique challenges when you're trying to avoid waste, support eco-friendly businesses and make sustainable choices. But Halloween -- with its focus on lots and lots of goodies handed out to lots and lots of kids -- can seem especially tricky. Here, then, are some ideas for celebrating an Oct. 31 that's both good fun for everyone ... and better for the environment:
Costumes. Rather than spending $10, $25 or $50 on a costume you or your child will wear only once, dig through your closets or roam the vintage-clothing stores, resale shops and flea markets for Halloween gear.
Treats. This is a part of Halloween that poses a special quandary for green-minded adults. You'd like to give out healthful, low-waste treats (think granola bars or home-made fruit leather), but you know most kids will leave those goodies rotting at the bottom of their Halloween bags while they inhale the collection of brand-name chocolate bars, gummy candies and sugary gum. Plus, many parents who check their children's treat bags before letting the kids eat anything tend to throw away unwrapped, obviously home-made or other "weird" looking snacks.
Fortunately, a growing number of environmentally aware companies are producing small treats like fair-trade chocolate, organic cookies and other treats appropriate for Halloween giving. If you'd prefer not to give out candy of any kind, you have plenty of other options. Some people choose to hand out coins, while others stick with pencils, stickers, small coloring books, seed packets or other trinkets.
Food and decor. Try to decorate your home with locally grown pumpkins, gourds, Indian corn or attractively colored, natural fall leaves; they're more attractive than most cheesy plastic and paper decorations, and can continue to provide season-appropriate spirit all the way through Thanksgiving. For party food, think organic-pumpkin pumpkin pie, sweets made with local apples, and other dishes that emphasize ingredients of the season where you live.
For more green ideas, visit 
Check out my pink hair extensions! Fringes, a hair salon at 1900 Douglas Blvd (near Rocky Ridge) is offering pink hair extensions for 
There are more than 500 million used cell phones in the U.S. sitting in people's drawers or worse, in our landfills, and another 130 million will be added this year alone! One in three Americans will replace their cell phones this year, adding to the pile of phones currently waiting to be discarded or recycled. Cell phone recycling and wireless recycling programs keep valuable materials out of landfills, including tons of precious metals from circuit boards, and enough copper from phone chargers to recover the Statue of Liberty, twice!
The potential human health and environmental impacts of cell phone waste is grim. Cell phones contain lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic. If thrown in the trash and sent to incinerators or landfills, environmental contamination can occur from combustion and leaching into soil and groundwater. Sadly, less than 2% of old cell phones are being recycled today â you can help make a difference!
Recycling cell phones helps the environment by saving energy and keeping usable materials out of landfills. Cell phones and PDAs are made of precious metals and plastics-all of which require energy to mine and manufacture. Recycling conserves these materials so they can be turned into new products. Donating your working cell phone or PDA can benefit your community. When cell phones and accessories are in good working order, some programs donate them to worthy charities or sell them at a discount to those in need. Â Cell phone collection programs can be accessed from almost everywhere in the US. Many organizations, such as cell phone manufacturers, retailers, network carriers, charities, and state or local solid waste programs offer cell phone donation and recycling programs. Â And of course there are often e-waste collection fundraisers. Â
Before you drop off or mail in your old cell phone, make sure that you have terminated your service contract for the phone and erased any data in the phone.
For more green ideas, visit 
Engineers who invented a bra that converts quickly into a gas mask, pathologists who determined that beer bottles can crack your skull even when empty and Irish police officers who mistakenly wrote tickets to "Driver's License" all won this yearâs "IgNobel" prizes recently.
 The award is a play on the name of the Nobel prizes awarded every October from Stockholm and Oslo, and are given out by the Harvard-based humor magazine Annals of Improbable Research. The Public Health prize went to the designers of a bra that can be quickly converted into a pair of gas masks, one for the brassiere wearer and one to be given to some needy bystander (see photo). Ireland's police won the literature prize from writing more than 50 traffic tickets to a frequent visitor and speeder named Prawo Jazdy. In Polish, this means "driver's license".
A pathologist in Switzerland won for a study they did to determine whether an empty beer bottle does more or less damage to the human skull than a full one in a bar fight (turns out the empty bottle is more sturdy and packs a better wallop) .
A guy from right here in  California was honored for a lifelong, experiment in which he cracked the knuckles of his left hand but never his right for more than 60 years to prove that cracking your knuckles does not cause arthritis.
Other winners included farmers who showed that naming your cows makes them give more milk, researchers who used panda droppings to break down household trash and a scientist who calculated why pregnant women do not fall over â who knew?
If you are trying to be eco-savvy, take the next step and apply your green practices to your clothing to help them last longer. Here are eight tips to help you along:
1. Dry your clothes on low. Not only will this save energy, but it also extends the life of your clothing.
2. Sew up holes ASAP. A little hole isnât such a big deal, but a little hole will become a big hole. Sewing up a hole as soon as you see it will make your clothing last longer.
3. Save your buttons. Â If your shirt comes with an extra button, save it. Also, if some clothes are so ragged that they cannot be reused, snag the button(s). This way, if you lose a button, there is a good chance that youâll have a matching button on hand.
4. Wash clothes in cold water. Most clothes wash just fine in cold water, and fabrics hold up better this way. This also saves energy
5. Zip up your zippers before washing. You know how chickens eat gravel to digest food in their gizzards? Well, washing an unzipped zipper is kind of like gravel in a chickenâs gizzard. Those zippers will flap around the washer and dryer, tearing at your other clothes.
6. Wash your clothes less often. Unless you have stinky teenagers, you might not need to wash your clothes just because you wore something once. Be brave! Give it a sniff test and maybe wear it again!
7. Cut out tags. Donât tear. The labels in shirts make me crazy the way they tickle my neck! Â But resist the urge to pull them out. Gently cut it out with scissors, instead. You can cause a hole if you yank.
8. Use a front-loading washing machine. Front loaders are gentler, plus they are more energy-efficient than top loaders.
For more green ideas, go to 
Even as they help us pick up dirt and dust, many modern cleaners irritate our skin, eyes, and lungs. They can also leave toxic residues or pollute the water when we rinse them down the drain. But keeping our homes clean and avoiding toxic cleaners don't have to be mutually exclusive. Several companies now produce âgreenâ cleaners that avoid ingredients that are toxic or don't biodegrade. Green cleaners can also be made from a range of safer substances we might already have around the house. Simple things you can do?
**Stock up on a few safe, simple ingredients that can be used in most cleaning situations. Soap, water, baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, borax, and a coarse scrubbing sponge can take care of most household cleaning needs.
**Instead of using a standard drain cleaner, which likely contains lye, hydrochloric acid, and sulfuric acid, try pouring a quarter cup of baking soda down the clogged drain, followed by a half cup of vinegar. Close the drain tightly until fizzing stops, then flush with boiling water.
**For an effective glass cleaner, use a mixture of half white vinegar and half water.
**Baking soda and cornstarch are both good carpet deodorizers.
**To clean up mildew and mold, use a mixture of lemon juice or white vinegar and salt.
**A paste of baking soda, salt, and hot water makes a great oven cleaner.
**In the rare instance you need to use a hazardous product, use as little as possible and dispose of it in a way that will cause minimum harmâfor example, by bringing it to a hazardous waste recycling or treatment center.
For more green ideas, visit 
How would you like to sleep in a giant seashell, wine barrel, prison cell or castle? These are just a few of the incredible lodging options featured in "Bed in a Tree and Other Amazing Hotels Around the World". The author, Bettina Kowalewski slept in each one of the 27 unusual accommodations described in the book, from a bed in a cave in Turkey, to a bed in the Ice Hotel in Sweden. She also found a hotel designed like a giant doghouse in Idaho. Thereâs another in Germany's Rhine Valley where huge wine barrels have been outfitted with two beds each, and a converted prison in Lucerne, Switzerland, where you can sleep in a jail cell. On Isla Mujeres, off the coast of Cancun, Mexico, there are two giant white manmade seashells, outfitted with beds and bathrooms, and in Scotland you can stay in a castle. The place that "Bed in a Tree" is named for is a roofless, open-air bed with a mosquito net in a platform in a tree in the South African bush. Sweet dreams!
Trying to change your lifestyle to be more "green" is easier than you think! Â Fall is a great time for holding a yard sale, or for searching for goodies other people are getting rid of. When you think about it, garage sales are green! Instead of a final resting place in a landfill, our old stuff gets a second chance as someone's treasure and you get a little "green" in your pocket too! If you plan to have a yard sale remember a few things:
**Fridays and Saturdays are the BEST days.  Sundays? Not so much...
**Place lower priced items toward the front to lure folks into your garage sale!
**Mark every item clearly, and price it higher than you think you can get for it! Â Lots of people like to haggle.
**Clothing should be hung up and priced
**Have a few bins marked with signs like "all items 99 cents!" Garage sale goers love to rummage  through boxes for a bargain!
**Keep a lock box with plenty of change.
**Have a bin of penny toys for the kids.
**Be sure to donate or recycle the items you do not sell - have fun!!!
For more green ideas, visit 
Jason Castro was in the building yesterday! For those of you who don't watch American Idol, he was on a couple of seasons ago - the guy with the dreadlocks and the voice of an angel - sigh... what a treat! He sang a couple of singles from his upcoming first album and then he sang "Hallelujah" which brought the house down when he sang it on "Idol"!!! Â So great to have teen aged daughters to use as my "reasons" for wanting to meet Jason Castro, when it was really Mama Kat over here who was needing to control herself.....
Toilet paper is a staple of almost any household. Sure, it wastes paper, but the alternative is far worse. We should thank toilet paper from the bottoms of our....well, bottoms, for the service that it provides. There are ways, however, to green your TP use. Here are some of those ways.
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As football season kicks up, tailgating is on many a mind. Just as the coaches are tinkering with their playbooks, it may be time to work out the kinks in your tailgating plans. Thankfully, 
Waste prevention, also referred to as "source reduction," means changing habits to reduce the amount of trash created every day. Putting reduce into practice is one of the best ways to help your community decrease the amount of material that goes to the landfill. Here are a few tips to help make less garbage and save money and resources :
According to a controversial report out of London, condoms are the cheapest way to reduce carbon emissions. The UK's Optimum Population Trust claims that stopping global population growth would be five times cheaper than any other method of tackling the world's greenhouse gases. Every five dollars spent on condoms for the next 40 years would supposedly reduce global CO2 emissions by a ton. It would cost 25 dollars to achieve the same result with low-carbon technologies. So it seems that by preventing one type of emission, you can reduce another type - sorry....
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I love bacon! It should be its own food group. Well now, there's a new company - J&D's Foods - that makes everything taste like bacon, and they do mean 
Eating fewer animal products is a good choice for the environment. When and if you choose to eat animal products you can make a significant difference for your health and the environment. Choosing to support farms that caretake the environment and the animals they raise in an ethical manner, is a very positive way to spend your food dollar. Animal agriculture produces surprisingly large amounts of air and water pollution, and causes 80 percent of the world's annual deforestation. It also requires large amounts of water, and livestock worldwide consumes half the world's total grain harvest. By supporting local, sustainable and organic farms in your local community you also support the larger community of which we are all a part. Our region has some awesome farmer's markets! Â By eating animal products raised on such farms you provide the healthiest choice for your family and support the farms that support healthy and ecological neighborhoods.
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Recycling sneakers might sound a little out there, but it wasn't so long ago that throwing yesterday's news into today's trash wasn't just normal, but the only thing to do with it. Well now, Nike's Reuse-A-Shoe program at 