How to Organize a Car Pool to Reduce Gas Expenses

Today we are continuing our topic this week - ways to save gas (remember, saving gas not only saves you money, but also helps the environment, and the people who live in it!)

Image by Wildebeast1 via FlickrWho would not want to spend less money at their local gas station every week?  It would be hard to find someone who is not interested in conserving gas, but doing so is much harder than it would seem to be, at times.  One of the most obvious ways to reduce fuel expenses is to simply not drive, but for many people, that is really not feasible.  After all, most people have responsibilities that require them to be at specific places at certain times, and this in turn requires them to operate a motor vehicle to get there.

However, many people are not taking advantage of the somewhat popular practice of car pooling.  Car pooling has been around for years now, and while it has steadily increased in popularity, it still is not as widely used as it should be.  The reasons vary, as some people simply prefer to drive by themselves to and from places, and others do not know anyone that lives near them, or do not want to coordinate a regular car pool.  The reality is, however, if you want to save money on gas, there are few better ways to do so than by participating in a car pool.

Organizing a car pool can be fairly simple.  For instance, it can be as easy as posting a sign up at your work, or asking around to see if anyone who shares your place of employment lives near you.  If they live along your route to work, you can also simply pick them up every day, in exchange for a little monetary contribution towards the expense of gas.  This will not cause you any major inconvenience, but it will save you a lot of money spent on fueling up your car each week!

Image via WikipediaMany people only think of car pooling as a way to get to and from work, but there are many other times when a car pool is an equally great idea.  For instance, you can form a car pool with people that live near you for things such as going to the gym, shopping at the grocery store, or heading out to the mall.  If you are planning on taking a vacation, it can be a very expensive endeavor, especially if you will be driving.  However, if you pair up with a couple that you enjoy being around, you can all take one car and cut your gas costs literally in half!

It may not always be convenient to car pool, but the barriers are usually not that serious.  What you really have to consider is whether it is worth it to you to have the comfort of driving in silence and solitude, even if it means that you will pay the full cost of gas all by yourself.  Most people would rather have a little company, all while saving some money at the fuel pump.  That is why car pools continue to be a fairly common thing, even to this day.  If you have never tried car pooling before, give it a shot!  With gas prices being so high, there really has never been a better time than now to give car pooling a chance.  You never know, you may even enjoy the company and make a new friend or two!

Easy Methods of Saving Gas

Gas prices are a hot topic once again these days, as they have once again begun an upward climb.  Many drivers are understandably frustrated, as they are being squeezed hard by the high prices, and seem to have no way to make gas more affordable for themselves.  Since it may be foolish to expect a drop in gas prices anytime soon, one of the best ways to deal with the ridiculous price of gas is to look for whatever ways you can to reduce your gas usage.

Image via WikipediaMany of the best methods for reducing gas usage are also among the very easiest!  This is very fortunate for those who do not have mechanical expertise or extra money to invest in products that make exaggerated claims of increased fuel efficiency.  If you number yourself among the many that are growing tired of spreading themselves thin because of gas prices, take a look at some of these very simple and free ways to free yourself of some of the cost of gas.

Of course, it is obvious that when you do not drive your car, you use no fuel, which is easily the most affordable option of them all.  However, if your car stays parked at home, so do you!  (At least in areas with insufficient public transportation as well as walking friendly neighborhoods - which sadly, is most of America....) What are the alternatives when you have places to go and people to see?  Well, a car pool is a great option, if you can make it work.  Car pools have been around for years and are quite common.  With a car pool system, you can reduce your impact on the environment while you also reduce the impact of gas prices on your wallet!

Image by Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com via FlickrMost people think of car pools as a way to get to work, but if you know someone who lives near you that has other places to go, you can still car pool!  If you have to go to the mall, for instance, check and see if one of your neighbors wants to go, as well.  Maybe next time, they will return the favor.

Smart trip planning is another weapon that consumers have to fight the roaring albatross that is gas prices.  To swing this deadly blade and slay the beast, simply plan ahead when you go out to make sure that you consolidate all of your shopping and errand-running needs into one trip.  If you live in a small town and must take the highway to get shopping done, it is even more important to plan your trips well to avoid excess driving!

One big “no-no” that is easily avoided is leaving your car’s engine on when you are not going anywhere.  This can include when you run in quickly to the store or gas station, or when you are waiting for a friend to come outside so you can go somewhere together.  In most cases, it will make much more sense to simply turn your engine off.  If you are not currently moving, there is really no reason to have your engine on.

Finally, avoid having excess weight in your car when you are driving around.  This means that you do not want to leave items that you do not need in your car for long periods of time, particularly if they are somewhat heavy.  This also means that you probably want to make friends with very light people!  Well, that may not be true, but it is important to reduce the weight in your car, since every 100 pounds can cause you a loss of 1 or 2 percent of your fuel economy.

It is plain to see that increasing your vehicle’s fuel efficiency does not have to be a complicated or expensive process.  It is important to remember that there are alternatives to simply staying home and not driving if you want to save money on gas.  The trick is simply to be a bit smarter about where, when and how you drive.

Healthy Detox Recipes for your Body

You probably know by now what detoxification is and many of the ways that it can be done. A detox diet provides the simplest way to detoxifying yourself. A rule of thumb in detox diets: the more fiber and water, the better. Eat lots of vegetables and fruits, beans and nuts. On the other hand, steer clear of caffeine, carbonated drinks, sugars like chocolates, alcohol and yeast.

Image via WikipediaDr. Kiki Sidhwa recommends going on a monotrophic diet after a three-day fast. By monotrophic, we mean eating only one type of fruit for every meal. Example, for breakfast, you can eat apple. For lunch, try out oranges or pineapples. Eat until your hunger is satisfied. You can squeeze in a grapefruit juice at around 4 pm for your snack. And in the evening, eat only apples, pears, grapes or bananas.

Of course, this is only just one of the do-it-yourself diet plans that you can try when you’re on a detox program. For most people, however, detox recipes are the best way to go. These detox recipes are especially designed to provide you with the necessary nutrients for the body and at the same time, provide you with the necessary antioxidants and substances that will cleanse your body from toxins.

For more fluid intake, you can try Ginger Healing Tea with Turmeric. What you need are the following:
2 cups of water
½ teaspoon of powdered ginger
½ teaspoon of tumeric
1 tablespoon of maple syrup and lemon extract.

To make your special healing tea, add powdered herbs to boiling water and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the tea into a mug and add maple syrup and lemon extract. Stir and drink.

Image via WikipediaFor breakfast, you can try the Vegetable Super Juice. This juice gives you the needed energy boost for your senses, wakens your digestive system and can keep you going until lunchtime. For starters, you need 1 whole cucumber, 4 celery sticks, 2-4 handfuls of spinach, 8 lettuce leaves. You can also add other green vegetables like parsley and fresh alfalfa sprouts. The process is easy and simple, juice all ingredients and add distilled water. You can also add lemon juice for better taste.

And now for lunch, try the Alkalising RAW Soup. All you need are
1 avocado
2 spring onions
½ red or green pepper
1 cucumber
2 handfuls of spinach
½ clove of garlic
100 ml of light vegetable Bouillon
lemon or lime juice and Bragg Liquid Aminos for added taste.

Just like our vegetable juice, the recipe is simple and easy to do. Blend the avocado and stock to form a light paste. Add other ingredients and blend. And eat - the essence of health, and also quite tasty!

Our dinner treat is Warm Broccoli Soup. You will need:
½ avocado
6-8 small broccoli heads
1/3 red onion
1 celery stalk
a big handful of spinach
1-inch of root ginger (peeled)
Cumin and Bragg Liquid Amino for added taste.

Lightly steam the broccoli for 5-6 minutes. After steaming, blend all the ingredients together and add garlic and pepper to taste. This is perfect for a cold winter night!

Feeling hungry still? These recipes are just few of the hundred other detox recipes available on the net. (Or try some from the books suggested below.) The key here is to pack yourself with enough water and nutrients to keep you going without ingesting a plateful of additives, sugars and food preservatives. So what are you waiting for? Start eating healthy, and clean your body at the same time! 

Other Good Detox Recipes:
 

Gentle Ways to Detox the Body

When your mind is drained, your body aches and your energy levels are close to zero, it's time for a body detox.

Imagine yourself having clearer skin, a sharper mind, more energy, a stronger immune system and feeling healthy inside out - - these are the things that you can enjoy by undergoing a detoxification program.

Cover of Detox (Natural Care Handbook)Detoxification basically means blood cleansing through eliminating impurities from the blood in the liver, through kidneys, lungs, intestines, lymph and skin. Sometimes reading information on full-body detox programs can sound pretty scary. And while these comprehensive types of programs can certainly be helpful (if you choose the right ones, and in the right order), getting started with removing toxins from your body can entail just a few simple steps.

Taking your first step:

First, you have to reduce the levels of toxins already in your body. Try to cut down on the following: cigarettes, alcohol, coffee, eating foods with saturated fats and refined sugars (cola and ketchup contains a lot) - these acts as toxins in your body and as a hindrance to your healing development.

The use of household cleaners that are chemical-based and personal health care products such as shampoos, toothpaste, deodorants and cleansers should be reduced as well. These chemicals accumulate inside us due to daily use; we never really fully eliminate them unless going through a process of detoxification. We recommend switching entirely away from these products, and using only 100% natural (and organic, where you can find them) products, such as those found at http://www.newholisticliving.com/toxicload.html.

There are many ways to detox the body. It’s up to you to choose which suits your lifestyle and preference.

•    Juice fasting

Drinking only fresh fruits and vegetables such as carrot, spinach, celery, cabbage, apple, pineapple and cranberry (avoid citrus fruits). An effective way of discharging toxins, it also provides loads of nutrients as well as enzymes to lessen the intensity of the cleansing process to an easier and gentler experience.

Fast weight loss is another main benefit from juice fasting. A person may drop 30-40 lbs on a 30-day juice fast. By juice fasting, a person gains self-confidence and feels light and clean.

However, the recommended duration of juice fasting is usually 1-3 days. Medical administration and careful assessment is required for longer fasting.

•    Water fasting

Only water is consumed during a water fast. Water lets the digestive tract and organs rest completely, allowing all of your energy to self-repair and strengthen damaged organs. It also eliminates toxin build-ups.

Water fasting not only eliminates obstructions and aids in self-healing, it is also revitalizing and motivating to make a fresh start.

Here are some other gentler and safer ways to detox your body that you can try out or incorporate different methods as part of your routine.

1. Change in diet.

Whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables instead of packaged and fast foods that are high on fats and sugar can become part of your daily lifestyle in maintaining good health. (We recommend home-grown, or locally grown and organic where possible.)

Image via Wikipedia2. Sauna.

The sauna is widely used by many cultures as a regular part of detox. It is a great method of removing chemicals buildups in fat cells. Saunas are usually combined with diet, exercise and nutritional supplements.

3. Skin brushing.

Again, with the combination of diet, exercise and nutritional supplements, skin brushing is also a gentle way of detoxing. It removes old skin cells, stimulates the lymph system and draws out toxins through the skin. A dry skin brush made of soft vegetable bristles should be used.

Before taking a shower, lightly brush your skin from head to toe in a circular motion towards the chest area for a minute or two.

4. Yoga.

Through controlled breathing combined with exercise, the bloodstream thoroughly oxygenates thus giving energy and improving the body’s physical processes. Different positions lightly massage the internal organs and stimulate them to slowly discharge toxins.

These cleansing methods are just a guide to what it can do to improve your health. It is necessary to know why detox is important and understand the different ways on how to detox the body before you begin with the different programs.


As always, we recommend you consult with your natural healthcare practitioner before beginning any detox program.

5 Reasons Why You Should Buy a High End Home Air Purifier

Are you looking to buy an air purifier for your home?  If you are, you will soon see that you have a number of different options.  There are a number of brands to choose from, as well as a number of price ranges.  One type of home purifier that you will want to examine is a high end air purifier.  Did you know that there are a number of benefits to owning high end air purifiers?  There are and a few of these reasons are highlighted below.

1 – Better Brands

Most the makers of high end home air purifiers are well known.  Since you do have a number of different options when looking to buy high end home air purifiers, you may be wondering how you can go about finding the best.  You may find the best luck with doing research online, as it can be done quickly and easily.  You can also get a number of good ideas, in terms of quality, yet affordable brands.  To get started, perform a standard internet search with phrase such as “best air purifiers,” “top ten air purifiers,” or “high end air purifiers.”

Image via Wikipedia2 – Better Results

High end home air purifiers are known for producing better results.  These results include cleaner air.  Unfortunately, many individuals wonder how you can tell that an air purifier will produce better results.  The good news is that you do have a number of different options.  For starters, check ratings and reviews online.  This can be done by visiting online stores that allow ratings or reviews or websites that are based solely on rating products.  Both of these website types can be found with a standard internet search.

Another great and relatively easy way to tell if a high end air purifier can produce better results is by examining the Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR).  This is the rate in which an air filter can deliver clean air.  Most times, high end air filters and purifiers have high CADRs. 

3 – Last Longer

High end air purifiers are known for their strength and durability.  This means that many are able to last longer, especially when compared to the cheaper alternatives.  In fact, a large number of high end air purifiers come with warranties or you should have the option to purchase an extended warranty plan.  This can help to give you comfort in knowing that you are purchasing an air purifier that will be able to keep your home’s air clean for years to come.

4 – Come In a Number of Different Formats

All air purifiers, including those that are considered high end air purifiers come in a number of different formats.  In addition to different makes and models, there are also different sizes.  Another common difference or choice that many have involves filter or filter-free air purifiers.  They both have their own pros and cons.

Filtered air purifiers are preferred by many buyers.  One of the reasons for that is because they can actually see that the air is being cleaned.  Many like to see the dirt, toxins, and other pollutants that have accumulated on their air filter.  For many, this serves as proof that they did make the right purchase decision.  As for filter-free air purifiers, they are convenient and they can help to save money over time, even though they do cost more upfront.

5 – They Are Easy to Find and Buy

High end air purifiers are available for sale both locally and online.  Due to their increased cost, many discount stores and department stores do not sell high end home air purifiers, but most home improvement stores do.  If you are looking for the largest selection of affordable, high end air purifiers, the internet is also a good place to look.  As previously stated, you can use the internet to compare prices.  You can even make your purchase right online, through a number of reputable sources.

A few high-end air purifiers:
 

Air Purifier Reviews - Video

Air purifiers can be very helpful for reducing toxins in your home, and increasing the health of its inhabitants. However, they also can be expensive, and how can you be sure they are really working and doing what they claim to do?  This quick video news report discusses the results of testing several air purifiers, and also offers a couple of tips for improving the air in your home before you take the extra step of buying an air purifier.

Which Air Purifiers Work Best?
Consumer Reports tested out several air purifiers.


Here is the air purifier which came out the best in the Consumer Reports tests (not only did it work well and emit no ozone, it also costs quite a bit less than some of the other leading brands):

 

Do You Need An Air Purifier?

It is estimated that each year millions of Americans think about purchasing an air purifier for their home or their business. Are you one of those individuals?  If so, have you purchased an air purifier yet?  Unfortunately, a large number of individuals think about purchasing an air purifier, but not everyone ends up making that purchase. One of the reasons for that is because many individuals wonder whether or not they really need one.

Image via WikipediaWhen it comes to owning an air purifier, anyone can own one.  You do not necessarily have to meet certain criteria to be able to benefit from the use of an air purifier. Honestly, you could just be someone who is looking to breathe clean air.  If that is the case, you could definitely benefit from the purchase of an air purifier.  Despite the fact that some individuals have no set reason for wanting or needing an air purifier, there are others who do.  If you find yourself one of these individuals, as described below, you may want to seriously think about purchasing an air purifier for your home or your business.

Air purifiers work to clean the air. They do this by preventing harmful particles from passing through their collection grids or filters.  These particles may even include dust particles.  For that reason, if you have allergies associated with dust, you may very well find that an air purifier works to remove or completely eliminate your allergy symptoms.  In turn, this may make your days and nights more pleasant and enjoyable.

In addition to reducing allergies associated with dust, air purifiers can also help those with allergies that are related to pets.  You will find that multiple air purifiers not only trap pet hair, but they also trap the air particles created by pet droppings.  These dangerous particles are not only harmful to those who have allergies, but to everyone else who is in the home. In addition to eliminating particles created by pets in the home, you could also use an air purifier if you have a business that is centered on pets. These types of businesses include pet grooming shops and vet offices.

You may especially want to think about purchasing an air purifier if you have young children at home.  Children tend to be more susceptible to illness. With cleaner air, your child’s health may improve quite a bit, especially if your child spends a lot of time indoors.  In addition to being used in traditional homes, you may also want to purchase an air purifier if you run or operate a daycare center.  An air purifier may not only improve your health, but the health of all of your children.  Essentially, this will make for happier and healthier children, which is extremely important when running a daycare business.

Image via WikipediaAn air purifier may also be ideal for those who are smokers. Even if you are not a smoker, there may be someone inside your home who is.  If this is the case, you will want to seriously consider purchasing an air purifier.  Most air purifiers, especially those designed specifically for smoking households, may help to reduce secondhand smoke.  Secondhand smoke is bad for everyone, but it is especially bad for children.  Of course, you will want to try and not smoke around your children, but if you do, you will want to purchase an air purifier, if not for your own benefit then for the sake of your children.

As mentioned above, those operating a business centered on pets or kids could benefit from the use of an air purifier; however, they are not the only types of businesses who could benefit. If you are business owner, whether you run a small retail store or an office, you may want to think about getting an air purifier.  As mentioned above, air purifiers help to keep the air clean. In reality, this means that your employees will be healthier. In addition to better performance, you may also find that an air purifier helps to reduce the illnesses being spread throughout your building.  In turn, this may not only result in better performing employees, but employees who end up requesting less sick time. 

If any of the above mentioned examples are true for you, you may want to consider purchasing an air purifier.  Whether for your home or your business, you will reap an unlimited number of benefits to owning and using one.

Examples of some popular air purifiers: