Safer For Your Home And Self

Now is a great time to look ahead and plan what you want your 2009 to be. Do you want more health? More free time? More income? How about a sense of balance with your JOB, family, children and of course YOUR own time?

Sometimes we have to sacrifice something to put something else into motion. I know years back as I ventured into my work at home business I had to give up something. You know what it was? It was sitting in front of the TV for hours and hours each and every evening! What a waste of my time, as I look back. We all need to sit and “chill” but I decided an hour of TV and and an hour or 2 towards my future was a more logical use of time.
Today I am able to work PART TIME out side my home ( benefits come with my part time outside the home job). The decision to give up something has generated me an extra income of more than $70,000 cash in my pocket. Did you know that just an extra $300 a month to the average family would have stopped 50% of the bankruptcies!
Perhaps you are looking into generating an extra income. I am here to tell you to just “DO IT”. Maybe my venture with TriCountyMoms is for you. I do invite you to look and see!

Have a wonder day and PLAN for a better 2009!

Today I meet a terrific person, a real go getter! She, Dara, invented a product and has started her own company. You know the internet is a world of knowledge at our finger tips, so use it!
I met her online and found out we were local. Today we did the “Starbuck’s meet” and I must say she is awesome. She is a wife, a mom, a music teacher and an entrepreneur! Please check out her invention. I think it is a fantastic concept, one that has children “wanting” to make the right choices!

Dara to your successful business!!!

Ah, that new car smell, that eau de car-logne; it does an ego good while it does a wallet bad. And now it turns out, it can do bad things to your health, too.

Air freshners can contain aldehydes, esters and ketones, industry spokesman says.

All these years, while we were being offered safety first, last and front, side and rear ways, hardly anyone in the vehicle industry had given much thought to what actually was in that perfume de profit, the new car smell that car buyers sought and bought.

As everyone knew, pollution related to vehicles originated from the exhaust pipe, not the shifter knob. It was spewed out the back of the rear, not the back of the rear view mirror. Well, what everyone thought they knew was wrong.

It turns out — take a deep breath — that most of that new car smell is not some carefully-compounded, luxury, feel-good incense to the Mammon gods. But the new car smell comes from toxic gases.
Not only that, but like a two dollar cologne, the effects can linger and linger for years, stinking up not only your shiny new car, but the reputation of the entire vehicle industry itself.
Take a HealthyHomeTour

Who says so? Just about everyone in the vehicle business these days. But the initiator was The Ecology Center (EC), a membership-based, nonprofit environmental organization based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. AOL Autos: 10 most fuel-efficient new cars

In a 2006 industry-awakening report entitled “Toxic At Any Speed: Chemicals in Cars and the Need for Safe Alternatives”, this independent green organization declared that much of the material in most car interiors that produce that new car smell is made with toxic chemicals known to pose major public health risks.

The report went on to say that not only are vehicle drivers and passengers breathing toxic air, but are also in constant physical contact with dangerous chemicals leaching from just about every interior surface of a new vehicle. The report says these chemicals give off gases that not only contaminate the air, but also coat interior surfaces with toxic “fog,” generally seen as that new car film common to new car interior windshields and windows.

These are the same type of chemicals that are, “linked to birth defects, impaired learning, liver toxicity, premature births and early puberty in laboratory animals amongst other serious health problems,” according to EC.
Fake is probably as bad as real. The companies that market those “new car smell” products that are sold at car washes and auto accessories stores generally will not reveal product contents. One fragrance industry spokesman indicated they can contain artificial leather odor, plus aldehydes, esters and ketones, which are all organic or chemical compounds.

Back to real. We are not speaking of plastic doodads here. There is an average of 250 pounds of plastic in new cars, the largest portion used for interior seat cushions, arm rests, door panels, steering wheels, dashboards, wire insulation and the plethora of aircraft-type knobs and switch controls throughout a car’s cockpit.
In addition to acettonitrile, decanol, formaldehyde, naphthalene and carbon disulfide used in foams, adhesives and fabrics, the two major problem chemicals in most new vehicles are (a) the PBDEs, which are used as fire retardants throughout the industry and (b) phthalates, which are widely employed to soften PVC plastics. AOL Autos: Best financing deals of the month

Extended research by the Ecology Center covered samples from model years 2000 to 2005 made by 11 manufacturers. Part of the research showed significantly higher levels of PBDEs in those vehicles as compared to those levels in homes and offices that had been measured in previous studies, making in-car pollution a major source of indoor air pollution and health danger. In the resultant table of contamination levels, Hyundai rated lowest and Mercedes highest in PBDEs. Volvo rated lowest and Hyundai highest in phthalates.

Not only are these toxic elements dangerous in any situation, but the combination of higher temperatures caused by the surrounding glass of windshields and windows and UV exposure from the sun can cause PBDE flame retardants to become even more dangerous with solar exposure, up to five times higher than in homes and offices.

Imagine the gas chamber you’re creating by also smoking in the car, Jack.

Report coauthor and EC’s Clean Car Campaign Director Jeff Gearhart wrote, “We can no longer rely just on seatbelt and airbags to keep us safe in cars. Our research shows that autos are chemical reactors, releasing toxins before we even turn on the ignition. There are safer alternatives to these chemicals … ”

The Ecology Center called for these actions:

Manufacturers: Should phase out PBDEs and phthalates in auto material parts.

Government: Should provide phase-out guidelines and provide technical assistance and research to vehicle manufacturers for development of alternatives. At a most recent count, nine states have passed laws banning two forms of PBDEs with at least six more coming aboard.

Vehicle occupants: Should minimize health risks by using solar reflectors, ventilating car interiors with open windows and non-recirculating air conditioning and parking out of direct sunlight whenever possible. In other words, get rid of that new car smell.

Although the automotive industry took notice of the report, there was no instant fire drill to rectify the status quo. Reaction to the report was slow-growing, but due to things green busting out all over, just about every vehicle manufacturer began to initiate research and development to reduce or eliminate built-in passenger compartment pollution.

Actually, research on toxic chemical reduction and elimination had been underway for some time in the electronic and electrical industries. As far back as 2003, the European Union had passed legislation requiring the phase-out of PBDEs. Companies like Apple, Dell, HP, IBM, Panasonic and Sony have already eliminated PBDEs from their products.

Addressing progress or lack of same in its recent Second Annual Report, the Ecology Center graded the country’s eight leading car manufacturers on their plastics policies and practices.

The report said that Ford and Honda had made the most significant improvements since the original findings and had joined Toyota as the three leaders in using “safe” plastics for indoor auto parts by (a) use of bio-based materials, (b) improving interior air quality and (c) reducing the use of PVC.

Bio-based materials

Toyota led the group with a ‘B’ grade by developing an eco-plastic made from sugar cane or corn and building a pilot plant to produce it. DaimlerChrysler came in second through increased use of renewable materials, and Ford came in third for developing a soy-based foam and a bio-fabric for seating.

Interior air quality

Ford headed this group with a B for having four vehicles certified to an independent allergy-free standard. Toyota got a C+ in this group for its goal to reduce in-cabin VOC (volatile organic compound) levels in all vehicles globally by 2010, but it’s noted that Toyota didn’t say to what levels they would be reduced.

PVC reduction

Honda was tops with a B for removing PVC from most applications in its products. Also cited were Hyundai, Toyota and DaimlerChrysler for replacing PVC parts in some lines.

But not all is mountain fresh air in vehicleland. While these studies show progress, vehicle manufacturers still have miles to go before the interiors of their offerings are safe from “new car smell.”

When grading the manufacturers that account for 94% of total vehicles in sales in the US, it resulted in the highest overall grade of a C+ for Toyota and a C for Ford, while the lowest score in this group overall was a D- for Volkswagen.

Much of Ford’s good grading came from its Volvo component. Volvo, which had the Ecology Center’s lowest emissions of phthalates and a lower incidence of the flame retardant PBDE than in most other cars, actually led the Ecology Center to encourage other car manufacturers to follow Volvo’s example.

“Safety is more than crumple zones and air bags,” said a Volvo spokesman. “All of our interiors comply with Oeko-tex 100, probably the toughest cabin standard being used today.”

Oeko-tex 100 is an international environmental standard for textiles which demands that seat belts, carpets, thread and fabrics contain no harmful substances, that leather upholstery undergoes chromium-free tanning with natural plant substances and even smaller parts, such as handbrake buttons and steering wheel emblems, be tested as possible contact allergy sources.

Finally, the greenies also found their share of doubting Thomases, or in this particular case, Hermanns or maybe Hanses. A group of German scientists decided to conduct their own tests of indoor vehicle pollution. They ran tests of volatile organic compounds originating from the interiors of vehicles and concluded that there was no evidence of toxic effects when they exposed human lab cell cultures to cabin pollutants.

Although they declared their research showed no evidence of any health harm, the scientists didn’t explain why so many people derive such pleasure from inhaling new car smell, which comes from alky benzenes, alkanes, formaldehyde and acetone. Or could it be that inhaling those fumes could lead the mind to such wondrous suggestions?

Either way, now that you have the facts about that once-desirable, now-controversial new car smell, you can breathe easier. Well, maybe not.

Well today I got my new iPod with some great tunes and set our for my 2 mile walk. ( No I am not a serious walker, just a beginner really). It was 8:00am a bit hot but suuny!

While I walked I planned in my head my day. Walking is a great tool to “clear” ones head.
After a 30 mins at a fast pace I was drenched in sweat and off to meet a neighbor for a business lead.

My day will be a good one because I feel great!

Horticultural Therapy - Create an Enabled Garden by Joyce Schillen

Gardening is an activity I take for granted every now and then. I don’t have to think twice about bending over to pull a weed or squeezing the handles on a pair of pruners. Not everyone is so fortunate, as I am reminded when occasional twinges here and there remind me that joints do wear out.

For many people, what once were simple tasks can become obstacles to practicing favorite activities such as gardening.

Arthritis, back injuries, disabilities caused by accidents, and other health problems can make gardening difficult if not impossible for some people to do without special consideration. The ironic thing is that people with health problems are the ones who could benefit most from working in a garden.
The therapeutic benefits of gardening have been well documented for some time now. Formal programs called horticultural therapy recognize and use the physical, mental, and spiritual benefits of gardening to help their patients. What about you when you come home after a hard day? Doesn’t it feel good just to hang out in the garden, putter with a few plants, rip weeds from the pathways?

Fortunately for people struggling with possible limitations, gardening is an activity that can be adapted for all sorts of special needs, from raised beds for people in wheelchairs or using walkers, to gardens for the blind that appeal to the other senses.

Common sense will help you design an “Enabled Garden” that is easily accessible to all.

First of all, keep the garden in scale with the enabled gardener’s preferences, motivation, and skill level. Something on the smaller side usually works best at first so as to not be overwhelming or discouraging.

For people in wheelchairs or using walkers, provide smooth, wide pathways and beds built high enough to reach into easily. Design beds so that the center can be reached comfortably without stretching.

Twelve inches is a good depth for planting boxes, but remember that wet soil is heavy. Construction must be sound. Shallower boxes are sufficient for many plants such as annual flowers and herbs.

Provide a place for tool storage that is close to the garden, either a small shed, a cabinet, or even a large mailbox mounted on a fence or fencepost, or on the edge of an elevated garden bed. Adapt tool pouches into hanging pouches that can be hung from wheelchairs, walkers, and the edges of raised beds.

Keep an eye out for tools that make tasks easier. Garden centers, gardening catalogs, and specialty catalogs are good places to look for specially adapted hand tools.

Use drip irrigation or soaker hoses and mulches around plants to cut down the time required for general maintenance such as watering and weeding. Provide a convenient source of water close by the garden.

And maybe most importantly, furnish a resting area where gardeners can find respite from the sun and simply enjoy being in the garden.

Many of you Stay Home Moms have visited my site www.TriCountyMoms.com . YOu then are aware of “my mission”. Stop harming our environment by using the products that have the harmful chemicals. Using a grocery store brand IS NOT in the best interest for your health or the environment.
Please take a look at this information I found. See how YOU can make a difference by making a few of these changes within your own home.
Environmental Action Checklist

Save Energy!

Conduct an energy audit of your home and workplace. Turn off unnecessary lights. Insulate well. Purchase energy-efficient appliances. Install compact fluorescent light bulbs.

Start an environmental training group in your community center, favorite club or religious home to encourage others to make their homes more energy efficient. You and the group could distribute healthy-environment materials from this web site and other sources, sponsor workshops and help install energy-saving materials in the homes of your friends, colleagues and other people who need assistance.

Drive less. Carpool or use mass transportation. This saves gas, reduces pollution and cuts down on traffic.

When you buy a car, select an energy-efficient model.

Recycle. It is especially important to recycle aluminum.

Advocate for community, city, state and national recycling programs if your area does not yet have them.

Support and encourage local energy utilities to promote energy efficiency and increase use of renewable energy. If your utility companies do not offer energy audits and discounts for energy-saving measures, encourage them to do so.

Support government policies and legislation that promote energy efficiency and renewable energy.

Fight Air Pollution, Acid Rain, and Global Warming!

Use energy-efficient appliances and heating and cooling systems in your home.

Encourage energy audits in your businesses, religious institutions, schools, and other locations. Your local utilities may help and may have lists of companies that will refit facilities to be energy efficient.

Plant trees. A healthy community has 40% tree coverage on its land. How does your community score?

Keep your car well-maintained and perform regular emissions inspections to reduce pollution and cut gas bills. Encourage your business, community school and other institutions with vehicles to do the same.

Maintain your lawnmower. Badly maintained lawnmowers are responsible for a significant share of air pollution. If possible, use non-gasoline-powered landscaping and gardening equipment.

Support mass transit and other alternatives to single-passenger, gasoline-powered cars for commuting in your community and region.

Reduce junk mail. Producing junk mail uses energy and trees, causes pollution and requires energy to dispose of. Reduce the amount of junk mail you receive by as much as 75%! Request that your name be removed from lists and not be sold to new mailing companies. Send your request to:

Mail Preference Service - U.S., Direct Marketing Association, 11 West 42nd St., PO. Box 3861, New York, NY 10163-3861

Mail Preference Service - Canada, Canadian Direct Marketing Association, 1 Concorde Gate, Suite 607, Don Mills, Ontario N3C 3N6

Urge the government to invest in the research and use of renewable and non-polluting energy sources.

Take and interest and protect your planet!!
Linda

U.S. Motherhood Trends: More Moms Stay at Home
By Brittanie Morris - 16 Apr 2007

In the past 30 years, the average age of women who give birth for the first time has risen nearly four years. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the current average age is 25.1 percent.

Other motherhood trends have seen changes in the past 30 years as well.

Among these is the increase of single mothers living with children under 18, currently at 10 million, up from 3 million in 1970.

But most significantly listed among trend changes is the number of mothers in the labor force with infant children.

The number of working mothers with infant children was recorded at 55 percent in 2002, down from a record 59 percent in 1998.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, this decrease marks the first significant decline in this rate since the Census Bureau began calculating this measure in 1976, when 31 percent of mothers with infants were in the labor force.

In recent years, more women are staying at home to raise their children. The U.S. Census Bureau reported 5.4 million women were “stay-at-home moms” as of 2003.

Trine Krueger, 22, a senior majoring in communication disorders, and mother of a 9-month-old daughter, said being a stay-at-home mom is the most important thing she could do for her child.

“I didn’t realize how wonderful and awesome it [being a mother] would be,” Krueger said.

Krueger is grateful for the opportunity to teach her daughter the things she values in life. Krueger said she thought she would give up a lot of what she wanted when she became a mother, but has found that’s not the case.

“Now I think, ‘What did I do before you came?’” Kruger said. “I can’t imagine life without her. She is the greatest blessing in my life besides my husband.”

Shirley Klein, associate director of the School of Family Life, agreed that being a mother is a rewarding role, but said motherhood and the workplace is a complex issue.

“There are so many variables involved in why mothers work,” Klein said. “Each woman has to figure it out for herself.”

Klein said all mothers generally want to have enough time with their children, but often this is more complicated than simply choosing to stay at home.
****************************************************************************************
I say staying home with your children or being a mom who wants to be there when your children are home from schools is a serious decision. Now a days the extra income is needed to survive. So if you want to stay home then helping out or providing the income is crucial. That is why so many have started working from their homes. Partner up with companies or start your own! Which ever is your decision I would suggest start looking for your “ticket” to stay home now. This search may takes months. (It took me 9 months) You need to find the company that has the same beliefs and interests as you. One who respects moms and is willing to have them create their own work schedule. So start your search. I would suggest checking out the company I partnered with 6+ years ago. They may or may not be for you but you have to start your search some where.
www.ImaginePerfectBalance.com

Nationwide Goal to Walk 24,900 Miles – Equivalent to Taking One Full Lap around the Earth

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Are you looking to “Live the Change?” On Wednesday, March 21, LIME (www.lime.com) — the #1 multi-platform healthy living/ green brand that provides information and entertainment for those seeking a healthier, greener and more balanced lifestyle — is rolling out a nationwide campaign called LIME’s Live the Change. This campaign is a company-wide platform that serves LIME’s mission to encourage, inspire, and build awareness about living a healthy and “green” lifestyle.

To kick-off the campaign, LIME is launching a viral initiative called “Live the Change and Walk Out.” Americans are being encouraged to take simple steps (literally!) to live the change they want to see in the world. Whether you are at work, taking your kids to school, commuting or at home, LIME is asking everyone to take a few minutes a day to make an effort to take a walk. For each minute walked, LIME asks users to log-on to www.lime.com/walkout and input the number of minutes walked each day. Those minutes will be converted into the number of total miles walked and calories burned among the entire LIME community. LIME will convert the number of minutes walked, via a real time calculator on their website, into the number of newly planted trees required to offset the carbon emissions created if that distance had been driven. The ultimate goal is for all participants to help LIME users reach a collective goal of 24,900 miles – or one full lap around the Earth.

In addition, the LIME community is asked to share their own videos, photo essays, blogs, and comments about how they Live the Change on a daily basis. The audience will find it easy and accessible to post their own user generated content to share with the LIME community on the site directly.

“The idea behind this campaign is to bring awareness to people nationwide of the importance of living a healthy, green and more balanced lifestyle,” said C.J. Kettler, Founder and CEO, LIME. “This initiative is essentially a “call to action” and reminder to all that small steps can lead to big results and changes. We hope that our small step in launching this campaign will lead to big results and we surpass our goal of walking the distance around the earth – I’d love to see us exceed our goal and log enough miles to walk to the moon!”

LIME chose walking as the first viral initiative in their overall Live the Change campaign because it is truly a simple step towards reaching a greater goal. Consider these useful facts that underscore the universal yet basic benefits of walking:

FOR A HEALTHIER OUTLOOK:

Walking one mile a day burns 100 calories. You could lose 10 pounds in a year without changing your eating habits.
The experts agree, walk 6,000 steps a day to improve your health, and 10,000 steps a day to lose weight.
An average city block is equivalent to 200 steps. One mile is about 2,000 steps, or a 20-minute walk. In your lifetime, you will walk about 65,000 miles—that’s three times around the earth!
FOR A GREENER PLANET

Reducing just 10 miles of driving every week would eliminate 500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year.
The 1995 National Personal Transportation Survey (NPTS) found that approximately 40% of all car trips are less than 2 miles in length–which represents a 10-minute bike ride or less than 40 minutes of walking.
The cost of operating a car for one year is approximately $5,170. The cost of operating a bicycle for a year is only $120. Walking is free!
FOR A MORE BALANCED MIND

Duke University Medical Center found that a brisk 30-minute walk or jog around a track three times a week was just as effective as antidepressant medication in relieving the symptoms of major depression in middle-aged and elderly people.
A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine last year showed that older women who walked regularly were less likely to develop memory loss and other declines in mental function than women who were less active. Those who walked 18 miles or more per week fared best.
Walking increases the blood flow to the brain. A 1999 study of people over 60 found that walking 45 minutes a day at 16-minute mile pace increased their thinking skills.
Log on to www.lime.com/walkout for more information on LIME’s “Live the Change” campaign.

About LIME

LIME (lime.com) is a multimedia lifestyle brand with multiple platforms devoted to delivering entertaining and insightful content to the growing worldwide community focused on leading a healthier, greener, and more balanced lifestyle. LIME is currently available on broadband television, SIRIUS Satellite Radio channel 114, on demand with cable providers nationally, and at lime.com on your PC and mobile phone. LIME is owned by Revolution Living LLC and is headquartered in New York City.

Revolution Living (revolution.com), a majority investor in LIME, is a subsidiary of Revolution LLC, which builds innovative companies in sectors that are ready for dramatic change. The common theme linking Revolution’s businesses is that they provide consumers with greater control, choice and convenience. Revolution partners with companies in the early growth stage and manages them for long-term growth. The Chairman and CEO of Revolution is Steve Case, best known as the entrepreneur who made the Internet accessible to millions of people by co-founding AOL.

Linda

As I look through the listing of counties across our country I see there are groups of moms called Tri County Moms! Alabama, South Carolina and Florida are to name a few. Moms gathering together to help one another in the hectic but special role of mom is what we all have in common.
Stay home moms and work outside the home moms all want to learn from others and then share their own experiences.
My group of TriCountyMoms focuses on creating an income from home, raising a family and eliminate debt. WE ARE SUCCEEDING at our goals and reaching our dreams through a TEAM effort! As a team we are here to help one another reach THEIR goals. The health of our family through environment healthy alternatives is our passion. For those moms ( and dads too) that are concerned about toxic chemicals in products, how they ARE hindering our health I invite you to take a look.

www.TriCountyMoms.com

By Rachel Kubicek

There are no black and white answers when it comes to the question of how to be an organized mom.

There are too many sticks in the spokes of life to plan for life to run smoothly all of the time.

Still, there are ways to be more organized and less stressed throughout the day, according to local author and speaker Cindy Sigler Dagnan, and stay-at-home mom Amy Wheeler.

Make time for yourself

“That is one of the weakest areas for any woman, whether she works outside the home or not. It’s our nature to be a nurturer,” said Dagnan.

She recommends using nap time to take time for yourself, which is easier when you get the kids on the same nap schedule.

“The No. 1 thing I tell moms is to take your nap first and then when you get up you still have an hour and 15 minutes to yourself. Use that time to do aerobics, sit on the porch with the baby monitor or read,” Dagnan said.

Wheeler, of Joplin, feels she has a better attitude and is a nicer mom when she takes time for herself.

“I usually try to do something I don’t get to do very often just to make it worth my time. I like to work out to have that as my own time,” she said.

Plan for dinner

Dagnan suggests posting a menu on the refrigerator and planning ahead before going shopping.

“If you are a coupon user, make your list on a business-size envelope and put your coupons inside,” she said. “I keep things to make spaghetti on hand all the time and buy the huge family pack of ground beef at Sam’s and cook it all at once and freeze it so it’s ready. That eliminates the most time consuming part of cooking.”

Wheeler will write down different meal ideas each week and will leave two evenings open so the family can run out and grab something. “Sometimes I will use the slow-cooker, depending on what we have going on for that day,” she said.

Bedtime routine

Dagnan said that young children thrive on routine.

Her kids go to bed at 7:45 p.m. and lights out isn’t until 8:15, so they can read and unwind.

The Wheelers have a certain bedtime for the kids also.

“The youngest is at 8 p.m. and the oldest is at 8:30 p.m., then it’s our time,” said Wheeler.

Take time with your spouse

“Your No. 1 earthly priority is your husband,” Dagnan said. “You can’t just put it on auto-pilot until the baby is grown.”

She suggests that couples plan a date night once a month.

“Dress up and cuddle at the movies,” she said. “It’s really important to take that time and connect.”

Limit activities

Dagnan said her kids are allowed to choose one activity per semester. Limiting activities also allows the family to keep a scheduled bedtime.

“We have dinner together six out of seven nights and a once a week family time, which is sacred,” she said.

Wheeler says it helps when her husband, Starbuck, helps out with their 3-year-old’s activities.

“When you are married, it’s a partnership to raise the kids,” she said.