FitSugar

Link Between Cutting Calories and Cutting Carbon Dioxide

FitSugar — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 02:30:00 -0800

While you may think that America's obesity epidemic and global warming might not seem to have much in common, new research has found that we can cut calories and carbon dioxide at the same time.

If all Americans between the ages of 10 and 74 walked just half an hour a day instead of driving, then:

We would cut the annual U.S. emissions of carbon dioxide, the chief greenhouse gas, by 64 million tons.
About 6.5 billion gallons of gasoline would be saved.
Americans would also shed more than 3 billion pounds overall.

Just something to think about.

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Cows and Climate Change

FitSugar — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 13:30:00 -0700

Here is yet another reason to avoid red meat. This is no joke but a reduction in livestock flatulence could possibly slow climate change. Or so says a recent study published in the medical journal The Lancet, in their special energy and health series.

Cows, goats and sheep produce methane gas when they pass gas - methane really is a gas! Experts suggest decreasing our global consumption of steaks and hamburgers by 10 percent, would cut the gases emitted by livestock that contribute to global warming. They strongly recommend limiting beef intake to an average of 3 ounces per day (that's about 90 grams) to prevent an increase in these gasses. We already know that diets high in red meat contribute to breast cancer, heart disease and obesity so now there is another reason to avoid red meat!

Next time you think about ordering a burger, or making a steak, think about your personal health and the health of the planet then change your meal plans accordingly. I don't know about you, but the concept of meatless Mondays has definitely stuck around at my house (even though it is sometimes meatless Tuesday or Wednesdays, but we have a thoroughly meatless day once a week).

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Hikers Beware: Poison Ivy Thriving with Global Warming

FitSugar — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 02:00:00 -0700

It pays to know your enemy especially when it can give you a crazy rash. Yep, I am talking about poison ivy. Seems that the evil weed is thriving as carbon dioxide levels rise.

According to a study published in Weed Science Journal the slight elevation in carbon dioxide levels that we have experienced since the 1950s have caused poison ivy plants to double in size. Not only that, but the itch causing substance "urushiol" is more concentrated these days too. Yikes! Talk about a one-two punch. With all that, it is not a surprise that severe poison ivy induced rashes are on the rise.

Careful when you are out on the trails and if you are not sure you can identify the plant read: Know Your Enemy: Poison Ivy.

Take Part in LIVE EARTH

FitSugar — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 12:30:00 -0700

Since FitSugar readers care so much about the Earth, I wanted to let you know that on this Saturday, on 7.7.07, you can take part in Live Earth. It's a 24-hour, 7 continent concert series that will bring together more than 100 music artists and 2 billion people to trigger a global movement to solve the climate crisis.

Live Earth marks the beginning of a multi-year campaign led by the Alliance for Climate Protection, The Climate Group and other international organizations to drive individuals, corporations and governments to take action to solve global warming. Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore is the Chair of the Alliance and Partner of Live Earth.

There are some simple things we all can do to help combat global warming: turn off lights when you leave a room, unplug appliances that are not in use, take shorter showers (heating the water takes energy), walk or ride your bike more and drive your car less (if that's not possible, carpool or take public transportation), plant a tree, keep windows covered on a hot day so you don't have to use the AC as much, and dry washed clothes outside instead of in a dryer.

You can also check out the Live Earth concerts. If you want to find out where they'll be and some of the artists, then read more

Giants Stadium in New York: Kelly Clarkson, Smashing Pumpkins, The Police, John Mayer, Dave Matthews Band, Bon Jovi, Alicia Keys, Melissa Etheridge, KT Tunstall
Wembley Stadium in London: Beastie Boys, Black Eyed Peas, James Blunt, Foo Fighters, Pussycat Dolls, Madonna, Red Hot Chili Peppers
Aussie Stadium in Sydney: Jack Johnson, Crowded House, Eskimo Joe
Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro: Lenny Kravitz, O Rappa, Macy Gray, Jota Quest
Maropeng at the Cradle of Humankind in Johannesburg: Joss Stone, UB40, Soweto Gospel Choir, Zola, Baaba Maal
Makuhari Messe in Tokyo: Rihanna, Ayaka, Ai Otsuka, Michael Nyman
The Steps of the Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai: 12 Girls Band, Sarah Brightman, Evonne Hsu, Soler
HSH Nordbank Arena in Hamburg: Chris Cornell, Snoop Dogg, Shakira

If you can't make it to a show, Live Earth concerts will be broadcast to a live worldwide audience by MSN at www.LiveEarth.MSN.com.

10 Easy Ways to Help the Planet This Summer

FitSugar — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 15:45:00 -0700

Our amazing planet Earth is the only home we humans, animals, and plants have. It's precious to us, so we need to do what we can to preserve it. Here are 10 easy ways you can help:

Don't use paper or plastic plates, cups and silverware - that's a ton of waste! For your BBQ, use the stuff you already have from your kitchen. If you're worried about it breaking or getting ruined, purchase reusable plastic plates, cups, and utensils You can also use cloth napkins.
Grow your own vegetable garden. Not only is it fun and exciting to watch your veggies grow, but think about all the gasoline that trucks use to carry veggies from other states - you'll be preventing all that air pollution and global warming. If you can't grow your own garden, support local farmers in your area.

Dry your clothes outside on a line instead of in a clothes dryer. You'll be saving a lot of energy (not to mention money). If you have allergies to pollen - hang your clothes on a drying rack inside.
Use your air-conditioner consciously. Don't blast it when you're not home all day, and close blinds and curtains during the day to keep out the heat. At night, use window fans to draw the cooler air in.
Walk or ride your bike whenever you need to go somewhere. If that's not possible, try to carpool or use public transportation - it supports the fight against global warming.

There are 5 more. Want to hear them? Then read more

Since you'll be drinking lots of water, get yourself a reusable water bottle. It's great to recycle those disposable water bottles, but re-using is even better!
If you shave your legs in the shower, turn off the water while you do your thing. It'll save lots of water. Do the same thing when you brush your teeth - no need to let the water run.
Compost your kitchen scraps, leftover food, and grass clippings.
If you own a home, use a human-powered push lawn mower instead of one powered by gasoline.
Use reusable glass or plastic containers to pack leftovers in. If you bring your lunch to work, get one of those cute reusable lunch bags.

Fit's Tips: Be sure to share these tips with friends and family. If you have any other tips, tell me about them below.

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Natalie Portman: Sexy Vegetarian

FitSugar — Tue, 08 May 2007 11:45:00 -0700

What do Natalie Portman and Alicia Silverstone have in common? They are both big time vegetarians.

Here's what Natalie has to say about her food politics:

“I am a very strict vegetarian ... I just really, really love animals, and I act on my values.”

Did you know that for every one vegetarian more than 100 animals each are saved from suffering? There are amazing health benefits to sticking to a plant based diet, too. Vegetarians are less likely to develop heart disease, cancer, Type 2 diabetes, or high blood pressure than meat-eaters. Another cool tidbit - on average, vegetarians are up to 20 lbs lighter than meat-eaters. So maybe moving towards a meatless week, month and year might be a more powerful lifestyle change than just a meatless Monday.

A balanced vegetarian diet full of legumes, whole grains, fruits and vegetables is extremely healthy. It's low in dietary cholesterol and saturated fat, so it's a great option if you are worried about high cholesterol. There are plenty of meat alternatives that taste like the real thing, but are much healthier for you, like Gardenburgers.

Being vegetarian is also good for other people. It takes tons of crops and water to raise farm animals - up to 16 lbs of grain to get just 1 lb of meat. All that plant food could be used more efficiently to feed people directly, and stop world hunger (that is we could all share). Not only that, but the meat industry creates tons of pollution, waste, and adds to global warming.

Fit's Tips: If you have been thinking about becoming a vegetarian, check out the GoVeg website for information. It is chock full of helpful information.

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"ACT"ivism: Canada Life CN Tower Climb

FitSugar — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 02:00:00 -0700

Canada has its fair share of great ways to get active while getting involved as well. So how about climbing The CN Tower?

When you climb the 144 flights of Toronto's CN Tower you'll be helping WWF-Canada, a global conservation organization, in the fight against global warming. What's more? By joining the climb you're helping the environment, having fun and getting a great cardio workout. You can join the public climb which is non-competitive (April 28, 2007) or the team climb, which is competitive (April 26, 2007). Donations are welcome and appreciated. For more information and to sign up, visit wwfcentral.ca.

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Stop Global Warming Virtual March

FitSugar — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 11:15:00 -0800

Join the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Sheryl Crow and Shaun White (Snowboarding Gold Medalist known as the Flying Tomato), among others in the Stop Global Warming Virtual March and become part of the movement to demand solutions to global warming now.

Leo's mission statement is:

Thousands of climate scientists agree that global warming is not only the most threatening environmental problem, but one of the greatest challenges facing all of humanity.

Why do I care? If we don’t act to curb global warming, names like Malaria, Dengue Fever and Encephalitis will be common place in America's hospitals. As temperatures rise, disease-carrying mosquitoes and rodents spread, infecting people in their wake. Doctors at the Harvard Medical School have linked recent U.S. outbreaks of dengue (‘breakbone’s) fever, malaria, hantavirus and other diseases directly to climate change.

Fit's Tip: Want to do more? Buy the Stop Global Warming Bracelet (pictured above, made from 100% recycled scrap leather) for $5.00 on Rootsdirect.com and 100% of the proceeds go to the Stop Global Warming Fund.

Today Is World Vegetarian Day!

FitSugar — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:00:46 -0700

Grab your broccoli and tofu because today, Oct. 1, is World Vegetarian Day. It kicks off Vegetarian Awareness Month: 31 days devoted to celebrating this plant-based diet and teaching others about its benefits.

If you ever contemplated going vegetarian, here are some things you may want to consider. Ditching meat from your diet can help:

Reduce your risk of heart disease, strokes, and certain cancers since vegetarians tend to consume less cholesterol and saturated fat.
Promote weight loss since a healthy vegetarian diet is mostly made up of low-calorie fruits and veggies.
Promote regularity since a sensible vegetarian diet is chock full of fiber.

There are more reasons to eat a plant-based diet, so keep on reading.

Weekend Well-Being: Celebrate Earth Hour

FitSugar — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 03:00:00 -0700

Saturday, March 28, at 8:30 p.m. - local time wherever you are on the planet - switch off your lights for 60 minutes and take part in Earth Hour. Consider your hour without lights as a vote for our planet and a sign of your participation in the fight against global warming. It is a kind of in-house environmental demonstration to let the powers-that-be know you feel new legislation curbing greenhouse gases is vital to saving our environment.

There are plenty of ways to enjoy an hour with no light, and you can take care of yourself while you help out the planet. Here are a few suggestions:

Practice yoga by candlelight. The soft glow of candles can make your yoga practice quite soothing and surprisingly focused.
Take a nighttime stroll with friends. Go out on the town and gab while walking around, counting all the other dark homes to see who else is participating.
Unplug everything and chill out. Turn off your TV and your computer. Switch off your cell phone too. Take some time to just hang out with friends, family, loved ones, or to simply chill out alone.
Soak. Use this hour to take a relaxing bath and just listen to some tunes as you soak away stress.
Free rub down. Take turns swapping massage with your partner. A relaxing massage has many health benefits.

What will you be doing during Earth Hour? Share your ideas in the comment section below.