FitSugar

Yummy Links: From Guy's New Show to the Top Chef Reunion

partysugar — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 07:00:46 PST

Guy Fieri will host Perfect 10, an upcoming game show on NBC. - Grub Street NY
A look at all the food blogs that got book deals in 2009. - Eat Me Daily
More bad news about plastic water bottles. - The Atlantic
Are table manners important when dining abroad? - The Epi-Log
How the food world has changed since 1999. - Chow
What did you think of Gordon Ramsay's live cookalong? - Serious Eats
Learn the easy way to seed a pomegranate. - Food Wishes
Eight observations from the Top Chef Vegas reunion show. - Eater

Thirsty For Change? US Mayors Tap Tap Water, Ban the Bottle

LibertySugar — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:15:18 PDT

The US Conference of Mayors, meeting in Miami, banned bottled water this week. The cities will no longer use municipal funds to purchase water bottles.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who proposed the resolution along with 17 other big-city mayors, said:

"Cities are sending the wrong message about the quality of public water when we spend taxpayer dollars on water in disposable containers from a private corporation."

But Newsom isn't exactly the first person on the tap-water train. Sixty American mayors have already canceled their hydration contracts, and some places in Canada have also banned the bottle.

Rejecting plastic water bottles is more environmentally and financially sustainable. Millions of bottles a day do not get recycled, and the plastic takes at least 1,000 years to biodegrade.

The American Beverage Association feels betrayed. In a statement, the association reminded those ready to turn on the bottle that private companies come to the rescue during emergencies that compromise public water systems. The statement also notes that plastic bottles are 100 percent recyclable.

Should thirsty city workers be subjected to tap water? First plastic bags, now plastic water bottles, whatever will we do?! Well, here are some great alternatives to the plastic water bottle.

Source

Get in Gear: Pink Ribbon Water Bottle

FitSugar — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 15:45:00 PDT

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I wanted to tell you about this Ribbons Within a Ribbon Water Bottle. It's being sold on the Breast Cancer Site Store, and for each bottle purchased, the organization will fund 1 percent of a mammogram for a woman who otherwise couldn't afford one.

The unique design is a multitude of small pink ribbons that make up one big pink ribbon, to symbolize how individuals can join together to make a difference.

This 28 oz. water bottle has a screw-on lid that won't leak, and it has indented textured finger holds for easy gripping. The wide-mouth makes it easy to clean with a sponge, or you can also put it in the dishwasher. When you buy this water bottle ($9.95) from the Breast Cancer Site Store, you can feel good about helping women get screened for breast cancer, and you'll also be helping the environment with this reusable bottle.

Plastic Water Bottles: Really Bad for the Environment

FitSugar — Tue, 15 May 2007 11:00:00 PDT

You all know I am all about hydration. I even made a cool little water calculator so you can compute how much water you should be drinking! Now, if you drink a lot of bottled water, I am urging your to take a minute and weigh your convenience against the environmental impact of all that plastic.

Most folks drink their bottled water on the go and there is no convenient way to recycle the plastic bottles. In 2003, about 40 million bottles a day went into the trash, or even more unfortunately became litter. These billions of bottles take up valuable landfill space, leak toxic additives into the groundwater and take a whopping 1,000 years to biodegrade, if ever.

The high price of bottled water is not the water but, in actuality, the cost of the bottling, packaging, shipping, marketing, retailing and transporting it all over the globe. When calculating your carbon footprint, you might want to consider the carbon footprint of the bottled water you drink. Next time you pick up a bottle of Fiji Water, think about the distance the bottle and the water have traveled before it hits your lips.

It is true that tap water is more regulated than bottled water, so you should drink from the tap. Want to read about some alternatives to drinking plastic bottled water? Then read more.

Keep BPA Away: 3 "Healthy" Foods to Avoid (and 3 Safer Alternatives)

Jenny Sugar — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 22:47:00 PDT

With the BPA scare of '08, just about everyone I know ditched their plastic water bottles for a Klean Kanteen, Lifefactory, or BPA-free Nalgene. Reusable water bottles aren't the only things to be wary of - there's BPA lurking in other everyday products. Although the FDA believes low levels of BPA exposure aren't harmful to people, it's not clear how much exposure that means. To minimize your contact with BPA as much as possible, start with these foods.

Canned Foods
Canned beans, tuna, tomatoes, and soup - these foods are generally healthy, but unfortunately most of the cans they come in are lined with plastic containing BPA. To compound the issue, acidic foods (like tomatoes) can break down the plastic, leaching BPA. In addition, any heat exposure during food processing can also break down the plastic. Organics company Eden makes a BPA-free can, and other brands like Fig Food Company offer boxed beans and soups. In general, look for food packaged in BPA-free pouches, boxes, and glassware.

Soda and Other Canned Beverages
Yep, aluminum-canned beverages are also lined with BPA-containing plastic. Since the acid and alcohol in beer can make leaching more likely, choose glass containers when possible. Canned seltzer like Polar also contains low levels of BPA in their lining, so if it makes you feel more comfortable, choose its BPA-free plastic bottles instead or invest in a seltzer maker.

Watercooler
Pour yourself a glass of H20 from the watercooler and think you're doing your body good? Unfortunately those enormous plastic jugs contain BPA. Whenever possible, fill a reusable bottle at home with filtered water instead.

Your Diaper Bag Must Haves

LilSugar — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 07:46:50 PDT

You've got the baby, the stroller, now you need the goods for your diaper bag. What to stash may seem like a daunting task, so we've streamlined the process for you. The below necessities are all you really need, and it's a good idea not to overstuff your bag to the point of it becoming a backbreaker (remember, you've also got a little person to tote around). As for the extras, pick and choose what's important for you.

The Necessities

Diapers: Follow the rule of always bringing a few more than you think you'll need.
Wipes: Stock up on travel-sized packages so that you'll always have some ready to go.
Diaper Cream: Save any sample-size tubes that you get from the pediatrician or baby store, and keep them in your bag.
Changing Pad: Most diaper bags come with them, so only purchase an extra if it's necessary.
Change of Clothes: You never know when a diaper's going to explode or spit-up's going to become a mess.
Sealable Plastic Bags: These become trash bags in a pinch.
Bottle, Formula, or Snacks: Pack accordingly, depending on the length (or potential length) of your outing.

The Extras

Bottled Water: For you to drink, to use with powdered formula, or to rinse off any other surprises that may come your way.
First Aid Kit: It can never hurt to be prepared . . .
Toys and Other Distractions: You know your baby best! If there's a go-to stuffed animal or "lovey" that he or she can't live without, bump this up to the "necessities" category.
Sling or Wrap: If your baby prefers to be carried, this may save tears when you arrive at your destination.
Blanket: To serve as a shade, nursing cover, changing pad, or burp cloth in a pinch.
Hand Sanitizer: If you're looking to streamline, wipes can do double-duty here. Otherwise, a little bottle doesn't take up much room.

Diaper Bag Pictured Above: StorkSak Isabella Nylon in Black ($235)

21 Disposable Products You Can Reuse

Wise Bread — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 09:00:39 PDT

Even when the product is supposedly "disposable," you can always reuse it. Wise Bread shares awesome ways to reuse these 21 disposable products.

It’s said that we live in a disposable society. But the word "disposable" is a misnomer. Disposable is considered throwaway, something you use once and dump, regardless of the life that may be left in it. As a frugal shopper with a concern for the state of our environment, I think that just won’t do.

I often reuse many so-called “onetime-use” items, and I asked friends, family, and colleagues to tell me which disposable items they squeeze more life from. Here’s my list, including some of the surprising ideas I was given.

RELATED: 25 Things to Throw Out Today

1. Butter Wrappers

If you’re like most people, you unwrap your butter, pop the stick into your handy holder, and throw the wrapper away. But wait a second - instead of trashing the wrappers, keep them in a sandwich bag. The next time you need to grease a baking tray or dish, you’ve got something all ready to go.

Read on for more.

The Siku Cam: A Live Show So Cute We Can't Bear It

Sara Yoo — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 06:00:00 PST

Siku fever has hit, and we'll admit it: we're afflicted! The lovable baby polar bear is just 3 months old, but he's already claimed the hearts of animal lovers, environmentalists, and fans of cute. We've seen plenty of adorable photos, but if like us, you just can't get enough, now through a joint effort between Explore.org and Polar Bears International, you can watch Siku live!

Every day from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. EST, the un-bear-ably cute baby polar will appear live via high-definition video from his home at Denmark's Scandinavian Wildlife Park. The live cam's backers hope that he will become an ambassador for his roughly 25,000 relatives remaining in the wild whose survival is threatened by the melting of polar ice. Siku, whose name means "sea ice," would like us all to remember to shrink our carbon footprint in the hopes of saving the polar bears' Arctic home!

For five easy ways you and your pet can help reduce carbon emissions, just keep reading.

NurturMe's Caroline Freedman: An Easy Way to Get Lil Ones to Eat Their Fruits and Veggies!

Kate Stahl — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:02:14 PST

As a soon-to-be first-time mom, a pregnant Caroline Freedman was obsessed with all things baby (sound familiar?), including what she would eventually feed her new lil one once she advanced past breast milk and bottles. "I was shocked at how little innovation there had been since I was a baby. It was still Gerber jarred foods," says Austin, TX-based Freedman, now mom to a 3-year-old and a 4-month-old. "Considering how parents are eating a lot differently now, it seemed so out of sync."

Freedman, along with her business partner Lauren McCullough (a former culinary arts teacher) decided to do something about the discrepancy. The result: NurturMe, the first certified organic, all-natural, gluten-free baby food made from quick-dried fruits and veggies. If a dehydrated baby food isn't inventive enough - each pouch is light as a feather and makes about 2.5 ounces of baby food when mixed with water, breast milk, or formula - NurturMe has yet another selling point: it's also an easy way to sneak fruits and veggies into older tots' meals. Keep reading for more from our interview with Freedman.

5 Things Not to Bring to the Gym

FitSugar — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 02:03:10 PST

If you want to make the most of your gym time, there are certain things you shouldn't take with you. To stay healthy and centered during your workout, leave these five items at home:

Reading material. It's important to stay focused while you're at the gym, not only for safety reasons, but also to maximize the benefits of your workout. If you're focusing on the latest issue of your favorite magazine, you're probably not paying attention to your body. Read outside the gym to zero in on your training.
Energy drinks. Stick to zero-calorie water to stay hydrated. The amount of caffeine in different energy drinks varies, but you should steer clear while you're working out to avoid becoming lightheaded. Prefer something with a bit of flavor? Try adding electrolyte enhanced flavor packets to your water.
A plastic water bottle. Refilling and reusing old plastic water bottles can be dangerous to your health - and the environment. Go green and invest in a stainless steel option instead.

Keep reading for two more things to leave at home.