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New Health Policy: Encourage Friendships?

couple-under-beach-umbrella-eating-sunstar

couple-under-beach-umbrella-eating-sunstarHaving good social relationships — friends, marriage or children — may be every bit as important to a healthy lifespan as quitting smoking, losing weight or taking certain medications, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday.

People with strong social relationships were 50 percent less likely to die early than people without such support, which correlated to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, said the team at Brigham Young University in Utah.

They suggest that policymakers look at ways to help people maintain social relationships as a way of keeping the population healthy.

(READ the full story at Reuters)

Logging On Helps People Lose Weight

Photo by tlf-nightmare, via morguefile.com

Photo by tlf-nightmare, via morguefile.comIt seems like we’re all searching for that “magic bullet” to help us lose weight but here’s an idea that might really help: Logging on. Yes — to your computer.

Sitting in front of your computer is unquestionably a sedentary activity, and one many of us do way too much.

But researchers at Kaiser Permanente say when patients regularly logged on to an Internet weight loss support group, they increased their chances of staying active and managing their weight.

(READ the full story at NPR)

FedEx On the Move Saving Gulf Sea Turtles

turtle-egg-transporting

turtle-egg-transportingTo help thousands of endangered sea turtles survive the oiled Gulf waters, wildlife experts have begun lifting turtle eggs out of the sand and packing them in Styrofoam nest boxes that will be transported for free by FedEx across the state of Florida to the eastern beaches.

FedEx drivers in special cooling trucks will be working over the next four months on what may be their most important delivery yet — saving a species.

Hatchlings from one nest were released in mid-July. Most are still incubating and will be released on Atlantic beaches as they hatch.

WATCH the videos below, part 1 and part 2, or visit MSNBC

FedEx On the Move Saving Gulf Sea Turtles

turtle-egg-transporting

turtle-egg-transportingTo help thousands of endangered sea turtles survive the oiled Gulf waters, wildlife experts have begun lifting turtle eggs out of the sand and packing them in Styrofoam nest boxes that will be transported for free by FedEx across the state of Florida to the eastern beaches.

FedEx drivers in special cooling trucks will be working over the next four months on what may be their most important delivery yet — saving a species.

Hatchlings from one nest were released in mid-July. Most are still incubating and will be released on Atlantic beaches as they hatch.

WATCH the videos below, part 1 and part 2, or visit MSNBC

Ship Made of Plastic Bottles Completes Epic Pacific Voyage

Plastiki boat made of plastic bottles and recycled material

Plastiki boat made of plastic bottles and recycled materialAfter 130 days and 8000 nautical miles, a boat crafted from thousands of plastic bottles sailed into Sydney Harbor on Monday, completing an epic trans-Pacific voyage to highlight the benefits of recycling.

The “Plastiki” catamaran, made from 12,500 bottles and the brainchild of an heir to Britain’s Rothschild banking fortune, was greeted by hundreds of well-wishers as it ended its 15,000-kilometre (9,000-mile) journey.

The Plastiki’s bottles are lashed to pontoons and held together with recyclable plastic and glue made from cashew nut husks and sugarcane, while its sails are also made from recycled plastic.

The catamaran has been home to 10 members of crew over the 4 month journey, all of whom witnessed the polluted waters of the Pacific while highlighting solutions to protect our oceans and beat waste.

Watch their videos and explore their boat (and mission) and take the pledge at: www.theplastiki.com.

(READ the full story in the Sydney Morning-Herald)

Ship Made of Plastic Bottles Completes Epic Pacific Voyage

Plastiki boat made of plastic bottles and recycled material

Plastiki boat made of plastic bottles and recycled materialAfter 130 days and 8000 nautical miles, a boat crafted from thousands of plastic bottles sailed into Sydney Harbor on Monday, completing an epic trans-Pacific voyage to highlight the benefits of recycling.

The “Plastiki” catamaran, made from 12,500 bottles and the brainchild of an heir to Britain’s Rothschild banking fortune, was greeted by hundreds of well-wishers as it ended its 15,000-kilometre (9,000-mile) journey.

The Plastiki’s bottles are lashed to pontoons and held together with recyclable plastic and glue made from cashew nut husks and sugarcane, while its sails are also made from recycled plastic.

The catamaran has been home to 10 members of crew over the 4 month journey, all of whom witnessed the polluted waters of the Pacific while highlighting solutions to protect our oceans and beat waste.

Watch their videos and explore their boat (and mission) and take the pledge at: www.theplastiki.com.

(READ the full story in the Sydney Morning-Herald)

Her Mission is Helping Senior Dogs Who Need a Home

muttville slogan

muttville sloganA San Francisco hairstylist developed a passion for older dogs: those last to be adopted, and first to be euthanized, so she founded the non-profit Muttville in 2007.

“What I wanted to do was rescue senior dogs, so I started taking them home one at a time and cleaning them up and finding them homes,” says Sherri Franklin.

(READ the story or WATCH the video at CBS 5, San Francisco)

See the dogs up for adoption at Muttville.

Families Open Homes to Pets Impacted by Oil

NBC video feaatures dogs adopted in Gulf since oil spill

NBC video feaatures dogs adopted in Gulf since oil spillHundreds of families facing hardship in the Gulf were forced to give up their pets to a local shelter. After an NBC News report last week, thousands of pet lovers in all 50 states called the shelter and are in the midst of adopting pets to give them new homes.

Now, dogs like Lucky, pictured here on his way to Kentucky, are wagging their tails once again, making fast friends with loving families.

WATCH the video below, or at MSNBC

Families Open Homes to Pets Impacted by Oil

NBC video feaatures dogs adopted in Gulf since oil spill

NBC video feaatures dogs adopted in Gulf since oil spillHundreds of families facing hardship in the Gulf were forced to give up their pets to a local shelter. After an NBC News report last week, thousands of pet lovers in all 50 states called the shelter and are in the midst of adopting pets to give them new homes.

Now, dogs like Lucky, pictured here on his way to Kentucky, are wagging their tails once again, making fast friends with loving families.

WATCH the video below, or at MSNBC

Pittsburgh Woman Behind Anonymous Acts Of Kindness Reveals Herself

Laura Miller's slogan in graphic art

Laura Miller's slogan in graphic artAn anonymous woman that has been practicing random acts of kindness around Pittsburgh has revealed her identity, saying that she can now “organize in a bigger way.”

Laura Miller gave herself the name Secret Agent “L” on her blog and in the note cards, gifts and flowers she gave out to strangers around the city. Now, she can be known as Laura Miller.

“I want to get out there in the community as a real person and see what I can do to spread kindness and make this world better, because we have a lot of hurt out there and I want to help that,” she said.

Her blog shows that she has been brightening people’s days by leaving small gifts behind at random places to make perfect strangers smile.

(READ more at her blog)

Volunteers Help Injured Baby Raccoon to Recover

orphan raccoon ABC News video

orphan raccoon ABC News videoVeterinarians and rehabbers give their time to a baby raccoon, orphaned and paralyzed shortly after birth. One brain scan and spinal operation later, and this once injured animal is running around with a friend, preparing to be returned to the wild. 

WATCH the video below, or at ABC local

Report: Illegal Log Trade Drops Dramatically

amazon-forest-river

The Amazon rainforestGlobal efforts to fight the illegal logging trade are paying off, according to a report that found production of illegal timber declining by 22 percent overall since 2002, but with dramatic drops of more than 50% in the Amazon rainforest.

The report, by London’s Chatham House, an independent policy research group, states that the illegal log trade in the last decade has plummeted  by 50 percent in Cameroon, by 75 percent in Indonesia, and between 50 and 75 percent in the Brazilian Amazon.

The reduction, documented in three of the five tropical regions studied, has prevented the degradation of up to 65,600 square  miles of forest, an area larger than England and Wales combined (17mil. hectare).

Report: Illegal Log Trade Drops Dramatically

amazon-forest-river

The Amazon rainforestGlobal efforts to fight the illegal logging trade are paying off, according to a report that found production of illegal timber declining by 22 percent overall since 2002, but with dramatic drops of more than 50% in the Amazon rainforest.

The report, by London’s Chatham House, an independent policy research group, states that the illegal log trade in the last decade has plummeted  by 50 percent in Cameroon, by 75 percent in Indonesia, and between 50 and 75 percent in the Brazilian Amazon.

The reduction, documented in three of the five tropical regions studied, has prevented the degradation of up to 65,600 square  miles of forest, an area larger than England and Wales combined (17mil. hectare).

Fans Pining for Old Tiger Stadium Weed the Grounds in Memory

Tiger stadium, by Steve Thomas, DetroitAthletic.com

Tiger stadium, by Steve Thomas, DetroitAthletic.comA few nostalgic baseball fans make weekly pilgrimages to the place where their beloved Tiger Stadium once stood in Detroit, to weed and clean up the grassy field that remains. 

“He’s doing what the city couldn’t do. He’s getting done what the city couldn’t get done, and it’s really encouraging. I mean, talk about power to the people. It’s really amazing to see what he’s doing.”

Between chores a game of catch might break out…

(READ the story at MyFoxDetroit.com)

Tiger stadium, by Steve Thomas, DetroitAthletic.com

Superman Comic Saves Family From Foreclosure

superman-comic-1

superman-comic-1In the nick of time, the Man of Steel saved a family’s home … for real. A couple facing foreclosure found the collateral they desperately needed with the discovery of an Action Comics #1 (aka, the Holy Grail of comic books) in their basement.

Action Comics #1 is the most significant comic book because it contains the debut of Superman — and an original in excellent condition can fetch a million dollars at auction.

The fortuitous find occurred when the anonymous family began the painful process of packing up their home of 50 years due to a bank’s foreclosure proceedings.

(READ the story at Asylum.com)

New Video Series: Portraits of Inspiring Lives

Jack Canfield

Jack CanfieldMany years ago, a $600-million-dollar man changed the life of Jack Canfield, who later became America’s #1 success coach and co-author of the most successful book series in history, Chicken Soup for the Soul.

Canfield reveals who that man was, and what his teachings contained, in a new video series by the Gaiam company called, ENCOUNTERS: Portraits of Inspiring Lives. In an “up-close and personal film”, Canfield reveals little-known stories about his early childhood, lifelong dreams, and personal philosophy.

For more than 30 years, he has researched what makes successful people flourish and now he reveals their secrets to a wider audience.

The Spiritual Cinema Circle debuts the new Gaiam series this month in their DVD club. In this first installment of the exclusive Encounters biography series, the Chicken Soup for the Soul creator shares his personal stories of transformation and his practical wisdom on how to live your life’s “soul” purpose. (Watch below)
“Take ownership of the fact that you can actively participate in the creation of your own future,”  he reminds us.

In the video, he also speaks to an in-studio audience, sharing everything from how to do your own “joy review” to clarifying your vision for the future.

Also Learn about his passion to help people break out of their “self-imposed limitations”; the essential philosophy that keeps him happy and balanced; and the divine connection behind the creation of the title “Chicken Soup for the Soul.”

Thanks to the Spiritual Cinema Circle, you can receive this video of Jack Canfield, along with the feature film, Broken Hill, and two short films, for free — except a small shipping fee.

WATCH the trailer below, and start your free trial at their website

(Available through August 14, 2010, your first DVD will include these four inspiring films: Sweetener, Jeanine, Jack Canfield: Live a Life of Purpose, and Broken Hill. Click to read more.)

canfield-cinema-circle-banner

New Video Series: Portraits of Inspiring Lives

Jack Canfield

Jack CanfieldMany years ago, a $600-million-dollar man changed the life of Jack Canfield, who later became America’s #1 success coach and co-author of the most successful book series in history, Chicken Soup for the Soul.

Canfield reveals who that man was, and what his teachings contained, in a new video series by the Gaiam company called, ENCOUNTERS: Portraits of Inspiring Lives. In an “up-close and personal film”, Canfield reveals little-known stories about his early childhood, lifelong dreams, and personal philosophy.

For more than 30 years, he has researched what makes successful people flourish and now he reveals their secrets to a wider audience.

The Spiritual Cinema Circle debuts the new Gaiam series this month in their DVD club. In this first installment of the exclusive Encounters biography series, the Chicken Soup for the Soul creator shares his personal stories of transformation and his practical wisdom on how to live your life’s “soul” purpose. (Watch below)

GM Plans ‘Green’ Air-conditioning Refrigerant for 2013 Model Cars

cars-driving-at-sunset

photo by GeriGM is planning to keep drivers and passengers of 2013 Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac cars cool with a sustainable air-conditioning refrigerant that lingers in the atmosphere for only days instead of years.

Honeywell has designed a new refrigerant that lingers in the atmosphere for just 11 days, a 99.7 percent improvement over current emissions for global warming potential.

(READ the story in CNET News)

200,000 Solar Panels Mounted on Utility Poles in New Jersey

photo credit: Petra Solar

photo credit: Petra SolarAT&T announced Wednesday an agreement that will provide the communication network for 200,000 solar panels being installed on utility poles throughout New Jersey for supplying renewable electricity directly to the grid.

Petra Solar, a company that makes photovoltaic panels especially for utility poles, is currently installing their products on existing state poles, outfitting each location with the smart grid technology that eventually will deliver energy efficiency and cost-savings to consumers’ homes via the NJ utility company.

200,000 Solar Panels Mounted on Utility Poles in New Jersey

photo credit: Petra Solar

photo credit: Petra SolarAT&T announced Wednesday an agreement that will provide the communication network for 200,000 solar panels being installed on utility poles throughout New Jersey for supplying renewable electricity directly to the grid.

Petra Solar, a company that makes photovoltaic panels especially for utility poles, is currently installing their products on existing state poles, outfitting each location with the smart grid technology that eventually will deliver energy efficiency and cost-savings to consumers’ homes via the NJ utility company.