That's Fit

Think you're making a pretty good attempt at going green? You might want to think again. Sunday's Parade Magazine tells readers that just because something is marketed as green doesn't mean it actually is. Take paper shopping bags. Pick them over plastic and you're doing a great thing, right? Not exactly. They are biodegradable but it still takes four times more energy to manufacture paper than plastic, leading to even more air and water pollution. Oops. Opt for sturdy, reusable totes and you'll be doing the planet a favor.

Have you been picking up organic processed snacks at the store lately? If so, then stop. These processed treats require hugs amounts of energy to produce, pack, and ship. Snacking on whole foods that are locally or organically grown is so much better.

Are you a fan of recycling your plastic water bottles. Good for you, if you are. But even better than using these bottles in the first place is to sip tap water from a safe reusable metal bottle. Why? Because we dispose of about 70 million plastic bottles every day. Fewer than 15 percent are recycled.

Surprising stuff? There's more right here -- like how to redecorate your house in the greenest way possible, how to buy the best green car, and what eco-friendly duds to wear.

As much as I enjoy splurging from time to time on pricey beauty products, I also really like trying out simple, DIY beauty items. Not so long ago I wrote about home-made hair care -- using foods like mayonnaise and beer to soften and brighten your hair. I think what I like about at-home beauty is that, since the tips are usually cheap, barring any major disasters you can figure out which products you like without having to waste a tonne of money on stuff that turns out to be not so great.

I was pretty excited to find this list of 10 great budget beauty products that you can make at home. They're all really simple, containing only a few ingredients each. In addition, a number of the 'recipes' include a lot of the same ingredients -- like essential oils and rubbing alcohol, so you only have to buy a few things and can still try most of the ideas. All you need is a range of empty bottles and containers and you're good to get started.

Ever seen those big plastic beverage bottles that are used when working out a lot? They are practically indestructible, but some people are worried the bottles could pose a health hazard. These plastic containers are made with bisphenol A. The BPA compound is known to disrupt hormonal systems due to its mimicking nature.

Products made with this chemical are said to be harmless by the FDA and plastics industry. But others believe the small amounts used in bottles such as Nalgene could be an issue after all. The claim comes from evidence citing that Americans are exposed to more BPA than what's already considered harmful for lab animals.

Considering the publicity lead has gotten due to product composition, bisphenol A could become the next whipping boy. Companies may want to consider safer alternatives in the future. Some stores, such as Mountain Equipment, may decide to halt restocking the popular bottles. We'll keep an eye on this to see how the issue develops.

I did a little investigative reporting the other morning while walking the hills in my neighborhood. It happened to be trash morning and black cans and blue and orange recycling bins lined the streets. Call me nosy, but I made it my business to peek in those bins -- they are open-topped bins so I only had to look in their direction, no actual snooping -- and check out just what my neighbors are consuming. It was an eye-opening experience.

My neighbors seem to be drinking many of their calories -- and sugar too. Coke, Mountain Dew, Dr. Pepper, and hoards of wine and beer bottles overflowed from the bins. Also present were empty ice cream containers, sugary cereal boxes, kiddie snack packages, and more. I did come across an occasional healthy neighbor whose trash consisted mostly of empty water bottles but for the most part what I saw was junk.

The trash truck that collects this weekly waste boasts an inspiring statistic on its side -- something about how great amounts of recycling are saving great amounts of trees. Super! Until you consider that we are saving trees at the expense of our health. How about cutting down on the crappy food. Less recycling will occur as a result. And the trees will still come out victorious. So will we.

Yes, the truth is in the trash. What do your bins say about you?

If you're into health and fitness then you're pretty much automatically into drinking fluids and staying hydrated. I saw this article over at FitSugar about how all the water bottles are piling up in the landfills and harming the environment, and that alternative re-usable bottles are a much better idea -- and I couldn't agree more. The idea that plastic water bottles are so bad isn't completely new, but it's one of those things that is unfortunately easy to dismiss. I can honestly say I kinda "spaced it" for awhile.

But it really is worth taking this to heart, because if you exercise regularly how many bottles are you going through in week? A month? A year? If you're already using a green-friendly bottle then kudos to you! And if you're not, well then this is one bandwagon you should be on. There are countless brands and types of reusable bottles out there, but I think mysigg.com is a fun place to start because you can design your own.

I honestly can't decide if I think this gadget is handy or hilarious. On one hand, a "tool belt" for water bottles does sound nifty, but how many separate beverage options do you really need in the average workout? It could be used for the added weight I guess, and of course if you're training for something like a marathon -- but wouldn't it all get warm and gross after awhile? I honestly have never trained for any extreme long-distance sports, so maybe this is appealing to people who have? And after all, if Fergie likes it...

The 6-Bottle Terminator FuelBelt holds six 7oz bottles for your choice of liquids or gels, for a total of 42 oz. of hydration. The bottles are evenly distributed around the entire belt, and it's fully adjustable with lumbar support. All that for about $32.

via FitSugar