Green Tips

Green Tips: Fight the Common Cold Naturally and Win

Exposure to cold germs is inevitable and most people get at least one or two colds per year. Besides following a healthy diet to maintain a strong immune system, the key is to attack it with natural remedies the minute you feel those initial symptoms.

Exposure to cold germs is inevitable and most people get at least one or two colds per year.  My husband and I recently felt the symptoms of the common cold coming on--scratchy throat, sneezing, slight headache, runny nose--and we stopped it dead in its tracks. Besides following a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables to maintain a strong immune system, the key is to attack it with natural remedies the minute you feel those initial symptoms. The first thing I do is take Coldcalm, a homeopathic medicine you can buy at CVS. Follow the directions exactly.  I also take extra Vitamin C (from supplements and Vitamin C rich foods) and Echinacea to boost my immune system.  American Indians chewed Echinacea root for centuries to treat colds …

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Green Tips

Green Tips: Organic Bedding A Healthier Option

Need an unusual and green holiday gift idea? Consider giving organic or natural fiber sheets and blankets.

Need an unusual and green holiday gift idea? Consider giving organic or natural fiber sheets and blankets.  We spend one third of our life sleeping, so go for the healthier option. Permanent press, easy care, no iron and cotton/polyester blends have usually been treated with formaldehyde, which has been linked to cancer, asthma and other ailments. Some sheets are labeled formaldehyde-free, but most do not indicate whether or not they contain formaldehyde. Conventional cotton is often bleached and treated with dyes and is one of the most heavily sprayed products, accounting for up to 25 percent of insecticides used worldwide. Organic cotton, linen, hemp or bamboo are all natural alternatives free of toxic chemicals, minimizing environmental…

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Green Tips

Why Processed Foods Are Bad For You

Processed foods are foods that have been altered from their natural states in order to extend their shelf life. They are often poor quality and usually cheap.

Processed foods are foods that have been altered from their natural states in order to extend their shelf life. Many foods that come in a box, can, bag or carton are processed. They are often poor quality and usually cheap. About 90 percent of the money Americans spend on food is used to buy “edible foodlike substances” as Michael Pollen, author of "The Omnivore’s Dilemma," calls them. Processed foods have been implicated in most of today’s chronic diseases and health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. What makes processed foods so bad? Many processed foods contain trans fats (or hydrogenated), a dangerous type of fat that raises the bad cholesterol and lowers the good.   Most processed foods are extremely high…

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Ways to Have a Greener Thanksgiving

Green Tips columnist Betsy Wild shares some ideas on her blog for being more eco-friendly this Turkey Day.

Green Tips

Greener By The Glass: Wine on Tap a New Trend

An interesting new eco-friendly phenomenon is happening with wine by the glass, as restaurants are starting to serve wine on tap.

An interesting new eco-friendly phenomenon is happening with wine by the glass. Restaurants are starting to serve wine on tap. Wine-by-the-keg has been around for at least a decade in the United States and abroad (I actually bottled my own wine from a keg when I lived in France in 1982), and restaurants in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Atlanta, New York and Detroit are doing it. With keg wine, wineries save money on production, packaging and shipping costs, by reducing the need for bottles, labels, corks, capsules, cardboard boxes, storage area, etc. These cost savings can be ultimately passed on to the consumer. Ecologically, the carbon footprint of the winery is greatly reduced.   Keg wine provides ecological and cost savings …

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Question of the Day: Should Needham Go Green?

Share your opinion in the comments.

The Green Communities Study Committee has been diligently researching the potential benefits and impacts of having Needham become a state-designated Green Community. Among the steps to get to that designation is passing the Stretch Energy Code, which requires builders to be more energy-conscious and eco-friendly when starting new construction or doing major renovations. Proponents of the move say becoming a Green Community could attract residents to the town and also would make Needham eligible to receive certain grants under the Green Communities Act. And many around town already adopt a "green" attitude when it comes to home operations and maintenance. However, passing the Stretch Energy Code could mean higher expenses for builders, and …

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