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Archive for March, 2010
Role of Bees in Human Survival
Food and Bees
Little things do matter and this is all too-true in nature, of which bees immediately come to mind. This point was brought to us by the box-office hit animated movie titled "Bee Movie" starring Jerry Seinfeld and Renée Zellweger, among other stars. In that movie, bees played an important role in food production, which drastically suffered when the black-and-yellow insects ceased to be busy making honey, literally.
Role of Bees in Human Survival
We should all be concerned when the likes of the bee colony collapse disorder affect our little friends. After all, bees are essential not only for their honey and beeswax but, more importantly, for their roles in food production for humanity's benefit.
Many of our food crops for both man and animals depend on bees for pollination. Thus, many apiarists make a brisk living taking their swarms of bees from one farm to the next especially in areas known for being not so bee-friendly.
Just to name a few of the crops relying on bees for pollination, you have forage and legume crops (alfalfa and clover), fruit crops (apples and berries), nut crops (almonds and chestnuts), oilseed crops (cotton and ...
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Get in Shape While Helping the Environment
If you like to multi-task, then getting in shape while helping the environment should be the next thing on your bucket list. Better yet, make it a daily habit for, indeed, every little thing that we do for the environment goes a long way towards ensuring our survival on the planet we call home. Walk the Talk Well, if you are going to talk about doing your part in environmental conservation, you might as well walk the talk, literally. Instead of driving your car for a few blocks, you should walk to your destinations. You will get your exercise, save the air from more noxious fumes coming from your car and set aside the money on fuel, toll and parking fees. Did we mention saving yourself the hassles of being stuck in traffic? Run, Forrest, Run If you are running late, then you should run. This is an extension of walking the talk although you will be burning more calories over the same distance. Besides, running is free on public areas like Centennial Park so take advantage of the sunshine, fresh air and green grass. Now, contrast that with running on an expensive treadmill. Ride Your Bike For longer distances, you can ride your bike. Again, ...- Bookmark :
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How Food Labels Lie to Us
Eating healthy is the doctor's orders. So you stock up on bottled juices, cereals, milk, and low salt crackers. You think that you are doing right because the food labels scream that these are fortified with vitamins and minerals and the cereals are whole grains. But how sure are you that these food labels aren't lying through their glues? Beware of Food Labels If you have been buying the same old products of your youth, the familiar cereals, muffins, and juices, the stuff must be good though these are loaded with bad fat, salt and sugar. At least your mom knew what she was buying for your breakfast. These days, supermarket shelves are lined with new products convincing you that these are healthier alternatives. If you know what's behind those labels, you might reach out for the breakfast cereals of your childhood. Here's why. These days, in the grim competition for the largest market share, food products are packaged to catch your eye and the food label disguises fact with fictional facts. What is supposed to be honest-to-goodness whole grains is merely fiction. What is inside the package is unbleached flour, tons of it while whole wheat flour is just an addition, not the ...- Bookmark :
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How to Save Some Trees
Joyce Kilmer must have had a prophetic eye. She wrote a beautiful poem about a tree and extolled its beauty as lovelier than a poem but that was then when trees grew abundantly in forests and the countryside. Today, the forests are groaning from the wanton rape of its treasures - trees. Do Your Part, Use Less Paper Trees and only trees can be used to make quality paper. If you don't know it yet, the world uses an estimated 93 percent of paper and a ton of paper requires two to three times its weight in trees. Sadly, it takes 55 percent of cut trees to supply the world with paper and it takes years before a seedling grows to maturity. Can you already imagine the magnitude of it all? If you use paper like there is no tomorrow and shoot a lot of paper to the trash bin, it is about time to think about the implication of your actions on the environment. Now, if there were millions of paper consumers like you, how would the paper story end? It does not take so much of your time and energy to do your part to save the trees. Minimizing the use of ...- Bookmark :
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Eco-friendly Methods: How to Stop an Ant Problem
In many cultures, ants form an integral part of cuisine, rituals and medicine as well as in biological pest control. However, these very small insects are also considered invasive pests especially inside residential structures. If you have ants for house visitors, you need not use the store-bought insect repellant and start spraying each and every corner of the house. You should consider the many eco-friendly ways to prevent ants from making your home theirs, too. Ant Deterrents If the ants in your home are still trying to get a foothold, you may apply milder ant deterrents. You have many choices in the matter, of which the most common, most effective and yet the most affordable can be found in your kitchen pantry. You may choose liquid or solid materials as ant deterrents depending on what works the best for your case. Start with the liquids like vinegar, which can be sprayed on the areas where ants have access like doorways and windows. You can even add a small drop of honey to the vinegar for greater efficacy. You should also consider other acidic liquids like lemon juice, citrus oil and a pureed blend of water and orange peel placed on the ant trails. The rationale ...- Bookmark :
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