A round-up of this week’s environmental, green and ecofriendly news and updates.
Yo-yo dieting – we all know it’s not ideal. But it seems there are significant side effects. Losing weight by going on a diet, then gradually putting the weight back on (and then some more) is often called yo-yo-dieting or weight cycling.
Your skin is more prone to wrinkles, loses elasticity and ages faster. Post-menopausal women are more likely to suffer coronary heart disease. And it can lead to depression.
Advice from the experts? Make lifestyle changes that you’ll maintain, rather than going on (another) diet.
How much time do you spend in front of a screen – phone, tablet, computer or TV?
(I know I spend too much time working on my own websites).
But just how much screen time is too much? And are there different times for adults and kids? Find out here – you’ll be glad you did!
I’ve been saying it for years in my various blogs – but all the experts were saying otherwise. Full-fat dairy products have a bad reputation.
I said – eat a little of the full-fat products, they don’t have all the extra processing nor the nasty additives of fat-free or low-fat options.
The experts said that full-fat dairy led to heart disease. And weight-conscious people liked the idea of low-fat options. They’re hugely popular around the world.
But now a new European study shows that you’re no more likely to suffer heart disease with full-fat dairy (in moderation, of course) than with fat-free. Hooray!
Of course, the study is looking at dairy from a different angle – heart disease – while I base my recommendations on avoiding additives such as aspartame, and avoiding extra processing (I like to keep food as simple as natural as possible – it’s more ecofriendly that way).
But whatever the reason, I’m glad I’m no longer alone.
Even so, I’m sure fat-free products will remain hugely popular everywhere.
I’m sure I’d be a millionaire by now if I had a dollar every time someone asked me if climate change is real. (Although I can’t imagine anyone actually giving me a dollar for that). 🙂
What do you say if you get into a discussion about climate change? Is it easy to prove – or is it very complex? And what about “common sense”? Is global warming a hoax? You’ll find some interesting answers when you click here
Global Green News:
Although I’m Irish, I don’t always keep up-to-date with Irish news because I’ve been out of Ireland for so long – but this headline certainly got my attention: “Lost Irish Beach Returns after 33 Years“.
Achill Island (off the West coast) used to have a lovely sandy beach – but a wicked storm in 1984 stripped away the sand, leaving only rocks. This was a problem for the hotels and guesthouses in the area. But last month, the ocean gave back what it had once taken away. A strong tide coupled with winds from the north deposited tons of sand in Dooagh Bay. Naturally, locals were absolutely thrilled that the golden sands had finally returned, and they report increased tourism and visitors to the area. Amazing! (You can see a video of the beach here).
US Green News:
Leopard sharks are unusual, beautiful – and dying in large numbers (again) in San Francisco Bay. There are man-made lagoons in Foster City and Redwood City, and the sharks like the shallow waters there. But the tide gates are closed during low tide in the summer and pollution causes fungal blooms that suck out the oxygen and poison the fish.
I always enjoy reading about Portland, Oregon’s green initiatives – it’s such a progressive city! It’s new “poop-to-power” scheme will take methane-rich gas from sewage treatment plants and convert it into fuel which can be used instead of diesel. It may not be the first city to do this, but the plans are ambitious – Portland aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 21,000 tons annually and power the equivalent of 154 sanitation trucks for a year. It hopes to bring in at least $3 million per year from sales of the fuel. Some of the methane from the sewage is already collected and used to generate electricity – but the rest is flared off – with horrible side-effects. Now that won’t happen any longer!
What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.
Please spread the Green word and share this info.
And if you’re on Twitter, get a daily green tip by following me – @EcoExpert1 . See you there!
