Oh no! You forgot your dad's birthday or Mother's Day, and by the time you remember, it's the day before! To get your gift there on time, you'll need overnight shipping, right? That's true, but see if Dad or Mom will be forgiving if you send them their gifts via ground delivery. Why? Because overnight shipping is so much worse for the environment. Here are some reasons why. Extra Packaging Overnight shipping often involves extra packaging materials. Items intended for next-day delivery need to be in a special box or envelope, and the package is usually padded extensively. Overnight packaging is generally not reusable, having seals that require destroying the packaging to open them. Bleached paper is commonly used to make boxes and envelopes intended for overnight shipping. Emissions Airplanes use a lot of fuel, and they produce a lot of emissions. Being so high up in the atmosphere, airplanes deliver their combustion emissions directly into the higher areas of the atmosphere. Currently, airplanes account for only 2% of total global CO2 emissions. By choosing delivery methods besides overnight air, the total can be even lower. Airplane fuel is expensive, too, which partially explains why overnight shipping costs so much. Faster Is Not Always Better You choose overnight ...

A "microwave" is a wave of electromagnetic radiation. These waves are shorter than radio waves, and, besides their use in microwaves ovens, are used in radar and transmitting data. In a microwave oven, these waves pass through the food, which is heated via dielectric heating. This basically means that the molecules in the food are agitated in order to align themselves with the frequency of the microwaves. But do the microwaves stay in the oven, or do they radiate throughout the room? Should you be concerned? Human Exposure to Microwave Radiation If the human body is exposed to high levels of microwave radiation, the waves will be converted into heat, just as with food. The eyes and brain are most vulnerable to damage from this type of heat, because these organs can not cool themselves as efficiently as other organs. The cornea and lens of the eye do not have the blood vessels necessary to remove heat. The inner ear, too, has been known to sustain damage from microwave radiation, particularly as it is used in radar. Parts of the inner ear expand in response to the heat, causing clicking or buzzing sounds that interfere with normal hearing. Some effects of excessive exposure are ...

Men and post-menopausal women need about 10 milligrams of iron daily, and pre-menopausal women need 15 milligrams. It's not a large number, but it is an important mineral. There are two basic sources of iron: heme and non-heme. "Heme" sources are those of animal origin. "Non-heme" refers to vegetable sources of iron. Some experts say that the iron in vegetables and fruits is not as easily absorbed by the body. Here are two lists of the top sources of iron - a list of ten heme sources and ten non-heme sources. Heme Sources 1. Oysters - One-half cup of oysters has 8 milligrams of iron. 2. Steamed Clams - Four ounces of steamed clams have 3 milligrams of iron. 3. Venison - A 4-ounce serving of venison has 8 milligrams of iron. 4. Liver - Both chicken and beef liver are high in iron. Four ounces of chicken liver has 10 milligrams of iron, and the same amount of beef liver has 6.5 milligrams. Calf's liver has 16 milligrams per 4-ounce serving. 5. Beef - In a 4-ounce serving, beef contains 3.5 milligrams of iron. 6. Lamb - Cooked lamb has almost 2 milligrams of iron per 4-ounce serving. 7. Eggs - One whole chicken egg has 1 milligram of ...

Most pet owners want their pets to be happy and healthy. While accidents and illness can happen even with the best care, there are some things you can do to give your pet the best chance at a happy, healthy life. Here are some tips. 1. Finances When you fall in love with the sweet animal, whether it's a dog, cat, rabbit, iguana, or whatever, your heart can get the better of your head. So before you pull out the credit card, think for a moment about the long-term costs of owning an animal. Here are some expenses involved in keeping an animal for its entire life: * Flea and tick control * Heartworm medication * Spaying and neutering * Vaccinations * Veterinary check-ups * Bedding * Food * Grooming * Boarding (for when you are out of town) * Housing (such as rabbit hutches or dog crates) * Accoutrements (such as scratching posts, leashes, collars, toys, etc.) You can't raise a healthy animal without investing in some or all of these expenses. So keep that in mind before you buy. 2. Time You need to invest time in your pet for it to be happy and content. Dogs are perhaps the neediest in this regard, and you need to be prepared to meet your dog's ...

Sometimes called the "dirty dozen," there are twelve fruits and vegetables that are the most contaminated by pesticides and/or fungicides. Here is a list of the most contaminated produce in loosely descending order and the pesticides used on them. 1. Bell Peppers - Of vegetables contaminated with neurotoxic pesticides, bell peppers came out the winner (or loser, depending on how you look at it). They have a higher level of such neurological toxins than any other crop that has been tested. 2. Apples - Apples have substantially higher pesticide residues than other fruits and vegetables. They also have one of the greatest numbers of chemicals on their skins - at least thirty-six in one large test. 3. Strawberries - Fungicides like captan and iprodione are a problem on these vitamin C-rich fruits. These chemicals are probable human carcinogens according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Endosulfan is a pesticide that is related to DDT, and is commonly used on strawberries. Endosulfan, as the name implies, affects the human endocrine system, specifically the production of estrogen. 4. Spinach - The pesticides found on the leaves of spinach - permethrin and chlorothalonil to name two - are probable carcinogens. And they are found in high levels ...