Category: Green Living

Sleep Your Way to the Top

Post author By Eric Hahn
Post date May 15, 2014
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Ever wonder why your teenager is always moping around the house, lazy as ever, and seemingly distant? Maybe its because they are staying up all night texting and talking and crying and writing bad poetry instead of getting the sleep that they need. Not to discourage the social order of children and teens in this day and age – because lets face it, there will always be the social hierarchy no matter where you go – and not to discourage the making of the next Sylvia Plath – because lets face it, Lorde can’t take her place forever – but teens do need the most sleep out of all ages. Teen-hood is when our bodies are struggling through puberty and our brains are trying their damnedest to push past the constant pain of wishy-washy hormones. The fact that school begins before the break of dawn in most places does not help out the cause of our reckless youth at all – in fact, it could be making them more anxious, more reckless, more defiant.

Parents – except not just parents because as a teen you are old enough to call some shots yourself – should be assuring, or at least recommending that their child get the proper amount of rest each night in order to perform their best the next day. Teens should be getting at least 8 1/2 hours of sleep each night (although 9 is ideal) but many don’t go to bed until one and wake up by six in the morning. Sure, I’m not saying that school schedules should be adjusted for those who do go to bed at one because they’re up all night socializing, that’s their own choice; however, a little slack granted upon those who try their hardest to sleep at least 7 hours a night should be rewarded, perhaps school can be adjusted to start a half an hour later, that’s a whole extra half an hour of sleep.

Also, it’s a treacherous thing to set that alarm clock for the earliest possible time and then press the snooze button five times after it has gone off. I used to think that this was a good idea, I would set my alarm for six and then press snooze until it was six thirty, I thought it would be the perfect way to ease me into my waking state. I was wrong. Doing this screws with your sleep cycle in odd ways. It makes one more groggy because in those five to ten minutes before your alarm rings again you might tread the thin line between sleep and consciousness, which is hurtful to a persons sleep-wake cycle when they are so rudely awakened once more by that more-than-annoying alarm clock (because even the radio can be a nuisance in the AM.) I now set my alarm for six thirty and press snooze only once before I force myself out from underneath the impeccable, insatiable, immaculate comfort that lies in the arms of my wool comforter. I’m melting just thinking about it, if there is one thing that the stiff morning hours bring is the grief of waking up only to be thrust into the wild hallways of my high school (#thankGodforGraduation), which in turn reminds me to be thankful for all the small luxuries in my life (i.e. my wool comforter!)

What a refreshing experience that a good nights sleep actually is. When I wake up after getting at least seven hours of sleep (because yes, with our busy schedules in this day and age, even I can’t be expected to always get the recommended eight hours of sleep – unless its a weekend.) And why do you have to go and make things so complicated by running yourself insane with sleep deprivation? Just turn off the lights and shut your eyes! Sure, I know you want to get caught up on your favorite TV show, and you will, in time. But watching TV before bed can be just as damaging to our sleep as anything else. The light that radiates from the TV screen/computer screen/smartphone/tablet/PSP screen is detrimental to our bodies natural production of melatonin, which aids in the process of falling asleep when necessary. My best advice is – if you’re tired, and it’s past eight, then it’s time for bed. And who can honestly resist the warm comfort that an organic mattress entails? Who can escape the sweet seduction of a cuddle-ready mattress and other various natural bedding? Who needs a cuddle buddy when you have your La’Noodle pillow (because they don’t steal your blankets from you, and they won’t kick you in their sleep.)

So once again, I stress the fact that one must attain the proper rest in order to perform at their peak and take the world by storm.

As Arianna Huffington quotes that she “slept her way to the top,” quite literally, and there may not be any other way to get there.

Studies show that sleeping helps our brain process information quicker so that we can spend more quality time doing the things that need to be done. Even taking a short nap mid-day can help one think clearer. Instead of giving up sleep how about we give up other vices, such as that midnight margarita. I’m not trying to preach about giving up your social life and locking your doors every night at eight-o-clock because its bedtime. If its a weekend and your friends want you to go out, carpe diem, but when its time to work the best thing that you can do to get the best results is to clock in some quality sleep.

I saw these guys in concert the other night and thought that I might post this video (yes, I took my own videos but I also took them on my phone and the video is actually pretty good for the whole one pixle in it) because this song is so beautiful. Turn out all the lights, close your eyes, and drift away. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYs_mEiquy8

And remember to get the best sleep that you can each night so that one day you might be as talented as these guys, or any one else that you might aspire to be like when you grow up – because your always going to be growing up, don’t ever let age stop you from following your dreams.

Eric is currently a student and part-time team member for Norfolk, VA based business Organic Comfort Zone, manufacturers of CozyPure organic bedding and mattress. For more information visit organiccomfortzone.com or cozypure.com or call 757.480.8500.

Tags adolescent, adult, creative, importance of sleep, portugal. the man, quality vs quantity, sleep, Sleep better, sleep forever, snooze forever, teenager

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When Choosing Your Latex Mattress

Post author By Eric Hahn
Post date May 14, 2014
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Before buying your next mattress you must keep some very important things in mind on your search. First of all, you have to wonder whether or not you are going to want – or need – to buy a new mattress, once again, within the next ten years. If the answer is yes, and you think that buying a mattress every ten years is a good idea, then you have been sleeping on the wrong mattress’ for far too long. If your bed starts to wear down within a couple of years, overcome by dust-mites and destroyed by time and erosion, then you are either a.) having TOO much fun on your mattress, or b.) your mattress plain sucks. Durability is a sure sign of whether or not you have succeeded in purchasing a quality bed – or anything for that matter, and lets face it, they just aren’t making things these days like they used to. In fact, many mattress’ these days are made so that they can break down in only a matter of years, and therefore the company can sell more product once the customer once again goes into the market.

Believe me when I say that a mattress is not a product that you want to be looking for the cheapest version of. The thing about your bed is, that whether you like it or not, you are going to be spending up to one third of your entire life on it with your face pressed against the pillow, with your body matted to the cushion, so you are going to want to invest in something that is, I don’t know, worth the investment… Try looking for key words such as “quality” versus “cheap” and “organic” over “synthetic”. The reason you want to buy the best quality product is, of course, in case you didn’t see the word the first couple of times that I used it, because of the QUALITY! You don’t want to spend money on something that is going to break down because then you’ll just be spending money on money trying to find a product to replace it, so why not just bite the bullet and buy something that will last for years the first time around. Also, spending money on petroleum based products just sounds icky, especially in the case of your bedding which your face is pressed up on all night and your lungs inhaling the fibers around you.

There are many different mattress’ to choose from, and in those mattress’ there are many things that you yourself can do in order to make it fit your own needs. You can order a triple layered mattress or you can order a core, its your choice. Ordering a mattress with more layers gives you the option to remove them if necessary, and ordering a core foundation gives you the option to order pieces to place on top of your mattress. Its good to keep your options open, on the bed, off the bed, in the bed, its always good to have options no matter which way you might spin it. “Zoning works by providing more density (firmness) where you need it most (center of the bed). We created lateral zones which are symmetrical so the head and foot are the same, and the shoulder and lower-leg zones are the same, with the large middle section in the center third of the mattress acting as the most expansive zone. This allows easy rotation of your mattress keeping the more critical zones in-tact (shoulder area and mid-section).”

A flame retardant mattress is a good mattress. Nowadays mattress’ must be manufactured to meet federal guidelines, which ensure that one’s mattress won’t, you know, burst into flames at any given moment (not that mattress’ are particularly known to spontaneously com bust or anything, but there is always the odd cigarette fire and what not.) Many people resort to meeting these guidelines by adding more chemicals to cancel out the other chemicals that will aid in igniting the fire. A popular method among natural latex bedding that is used to combat flames is the use of wool batting either in the latex itself or in the mattress casing. Also, the great thing about the use of organic cottons and wools in one’s bedding is that these components are good for wicking away moisture, which you might find will keep you from waking up in a puddle of your own sweat at night. These materials also enable air flow, unlike synthetic fibers they ‘breathe’ with your body.

Tags bedding, latex, mattress, organic, organic comfort zone, sleep, sleep forever, wool

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Live Longer, Live Healthier, Live Happier

Post author By Eric Hahn
Post date May 6, 2014
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The goal to achieve is that of immortality. Once you have made it there, you have made it to the top. What I mean by this is that living forever can be significant in many ways, in one way, the likelihood of you ever being forgotten is diminished. Also, it sounds nice to be young forever, the question is, will you truly be young forever? A recent study has shown that the introduction of young mouse blood into that of an older mouse, can significantly improve their health. I know right, Twilight might just be real after all and perhaps we do need to consume blood in order to live infinitely. However, I am not going to get into any of that right now.

What is interesting, though, is the thought that people do not realize the potential life span that is inside of all of them. Looking back on our history, the human lifespan has expanded by more than a decade in the past hundred years. That’s impressive. So why is it that we give into so many vices that in the end will kill us? I’m not talking about the occasional cigarette or the glass of wine at the end of the night, instead I am speaking of the lack of interest in fitness and other healthy activities that can improve one’s quality of life. Our indulgence in the unnecessary will be our undertaker. Because we do not know what it is that helps us live longer, we choose not to take the precautions that will benefit our heart and our health. The first of these things is a healthy mind.

Carrying a positive outlook throughout the day and throughout life will do one tons of good. Instead of seeing the glass half empty the majority of the time try instead to see it half full, and do whatever you can to sip is slowly and enjoy every drop of it. Life is a bumpy ride, whether is be five years from now or six months, most likely you are going to end up in a different place, taking a different step, and trying in some way to change your life. It is in our nature, as human beings, to always be on the lookout for the next thing that will make us happy. Try instead to look around and realize that you’ve got everything that you need, so long as you have your wits and a good attitude, the journey through life won’t be half as terrifying. Take a leap, take a chance, and take your time.

Like I said in the above paragraph, take your time. Sure, there will always be races to win and finish lines to cross, but that does not mean that for every occasion one must be seeking out their next ultimate opportunity. While jumping at any given opportunity is likely to lead to good things, this does not mean that everywhere that you turn you must be seeking out your next big break. Remember that you must actually take a break, breathe in the fresh air that surrounds you, enjoy the sun, and smell the roses before you get too excited and begin to pour over every small detail imaginable. Relax. It’s summertime, when the living is eeh-zee.

Keep in mind that a day without laughter is a day wasted. The grass is always greener when you are looking at it through smiling eyes. Take life with a grain of salt and a sense of humor, never forget that you are not perfect, and neither is anybody else. Looking for perfection in everything and everyone is a bore, don’t take yourself too seriously and grace the world with your humility. There is no shame in being shameless – to a degree, after all self respect and modesty are both key in keeping one’s social game up to par, and with our obsession to never be alone, our social game is one that we must not overlook. I try not to take shame when I wear sweatpants out in public, but I also try to brush my hair in order to remain approachable, you see, there is a balance that must be reached in both our modesty and our boldness.

Meditate when stress needs to be managed. Meditation can help one in the power of manifesting the dreams that they work hard to achieve every single day, and it can also help one prevent stress. There are many ways to meditate, or, in other words, to clear your mind. Some people turn to a cup of tea or a glass of wine at the end of the night. Some people light a candle and run a bath, while other turn down the lights, close their eyes and chant nonsensical words over and over. I myself exercise. Because my days tend to be so busy, juggling school and work and exercise is hard enough, and that there just is not enough time in the day to take personal time to think things over. I figure that because exercise is a necessity in the first place, and because it does, for the most part, have the effect of releasing endorphins, that the gym is also the perfect place to sort through one’s life choices. If you can find any amount of time in your day, go for it because everybody needs their ‘me’ time, their time to focus on themselves and sort through the problems that face them daily and get through their own plights. In the end it will relieve stress, and in the end you might just be happier.

While sleeping is important for your health, I have gone over it enough times on this blog, so I won’t bore you right here with facts about how much your sleeping will improve one’s health. However, sleeping is not the only thing that a mattress is for. That’s right, sex is an optimistic component in improving one’s lifespan. Studies have shown that getting down and dirty two to three times per week will increase the longevity of a person’s life span. Not only can it be a good workout, but it also nurtures the side of a person that must be held and must be loved. We all need to feel ecstasy, and this is only one of the many healthy ways that a person can achieve that feeling. We are hot-blooded people and there is no need to shy away from our needs, so enjoy every day that you have got up until the very last moment.

Tags fitness, happiness, Health, life, longevity, stress relief

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Take More Steps In The Healthy Direction

Post author By Eric Hahn
Post date April 29, 2014
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It takes dedication, perseverance, and above all, sacrifice in order to be the best and healthiest person that you can be. In the same way that it depends just as much as what you put on your plate in staying healthy and how much workout time that you clock in each day, there are other contributing factors such as sleep and stress relief can also have a large impact on your health. Never forget that being yourself is what drives your world and that the deeper you dig inside of yourself the more that you will find you are capable of.

To be healthy you must not only feel it in your own body, but also in your mind. Without confidence in yourself, and determination in what you are doing, the harder that it will be to become the healthiest that you can. Trying new and exciting things is a great way to keep you on your toes and an even better way to find out all that you are made of. Sometimes there is just nothing better than that adrenaline rush that you get the first time that you jump off of a cliff and into the water below, that spike in your blood pressure that jolts yours steady, beating heart into a whole new life cycle. Moving in for that kiss or finally letting someone with a strong impression on your life know exactly how you really feel – whether they be a good influence or a bad influence, the best thing to do sometimes is to get it off of your chest. You’ll realize that the more that you do this, the more that you let yourself go and stop caring what the world thinks, the freer that you will become. The happier your mind will be, and the healthier your entire being will become.

Stay active. I know you’ve heard it a million times, but getting off of your butt and actually moving is a great idea. Movement at any time of the day is really great, but a decent walk after a big meal or a fatty meal is ideal. This helps with the digestive process as well as speeding up one’s metabolism. A great way to blast fat, though, is to shoot for a High Intensity Interval Workout. These workouts, in which you go as hard as you can for thirty seconds to a minutes, and then rest for the same amount of time is excellent in boosting one’s metabolism and shredding fat quickly. Remember not to give up just because you do not notice results immediately (if results are what you are looking for ) because all of the best things in life are worth sweating for.

Remembering to not only keep up with your fitness but to also track what goes inside of you is also a big part of maintaining health. Beefing up on fruits and vegetables has been burned into the minds of children all over the world, and yet these are the things that so many of us hate. I remember myself despising spinach in my youthful years, but that was because I despised steamed spinach. I had never been introduced to the spinach salad until my late tweenhood, and thus never knew what I was missing. It was like eating a salad with lettuce, only healthier. Don’t forget to introduce yourself and those around you to new recipes as much as you can. You will never know what kinds of foods you might love or hate until you actually try them, and even then, you might never know until you try it multiple times cooked different ways.

Drink plenty of fluids, and by that I mean water. Eliminating sodas and other sugary drinks from your diet will help reduce the risk of heart disease dramatically and can also have a slimming affect on the tummy. Drinking a bottle of water or two before any meal can significantly decrease the amount of calories consumed in one sitting due the the filling effect that the water can have on a person’s stomach. This is not to say that every small choice must be weighed drastically each time that they must be made. If you are going to a bar then of coarse you aren’t going to drink bottles upon bottles of water, but it also doesn’t imply that you must consume baskets upon baskets of cheese fries. Everything is good in moderation, including those sugary drinks and those beers and margaritas that you love to enjoy on the beach. These things only become a problem when a person becomes dependent upon them.

Lastly you want to assure that you are not only getting the best sleep possible, but that you are sleeping in the best environment possible. This means turning down the lights, turning down the Nirvana, and creating a peaceful place that you can associate with rest, and comfort. A great way to assure that you are getting the healthiest sleep imaginable is by assuring that you are getting the greenest sleep possible. It’s hard enough to fall asleep with all the bustling and buzzing of today’s society, but adding in a toxic waste bin underneath your head at night is the worst part of it all. With all the chemicals pumped into our bedding these days it is hard to know which bed is worse for you. So why not choose which one is the best! Choose natural latex and enjoy the sleep of the Gods because you deserve it and your health can depend on it.

Tags happy, healthy, mind, peace, sleep

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Comforter Vs. Bedspread

When trying to determine whether you would like to buy a bedspread or a comforter, it might be a good decision to leave style out of the question. If you don’t like how a comforter looks compared to a bedspread, choose a duvet cover that you can slip over the comforter so that you can enjoy how it looks and how it feels. Bedspreads can end up being scratchy and uncomfortable, and typically do not provide the same kind of insulation as a comforter will.

Also, just because you live in a warmer climate, this does not mean that a comforter is not a worthy asset – after all, we never know when the next ice age could happen… Anyways, wool comforters tend to breathe with ones body, allowing for you to enjoy your rest in no matter what climate you are in. Sure, if its 100 degrees and unimaginably humid and your air conditioning just HAD to break that night, a wool comfortable might not be the best idea. But there is no harm in having a comforter handy for those chilly nights. The best part about natural wool comforters made with organic cotton is that they aren’t scratchy or uncomfortable on one’s skin. You can sleep in the nude and it will still be oh-so soft on you. Personally, I myself still use my comforter in the hot summer months, but hey, that could be just me!

Some people worry about their blankets not being able to cover their entire mattress and then some. Some people want their bedspread or comforter to flow all the way down to the floor. I wonder why people want this, though. When your sheets and such touch the floor they most likely will pick up dust and other debris from your floor. Nobody should want to sleep in a mess of dust and dirt, this is the twenty-first century. And again, if it comes back to being a style thing, why not purchase a bed skirt. That way you can use the bed skirt to cover up whatever ungodly mess that you might be trying to hide underneath of your mattress, while also being able to use whatever blanket that you choose, no matter what length it may be.

In conclusion, bedspreads typically are strictly for the use of aesthetics; however, some people do enjoy the use of these items as blankets. There are other options, though, if you definitely DO NOT want to purchase a comforter. Sheets and other various cotton and sateen blankets can be made to fit your style. Typically, sheets won’t have a person suffering through the night in a hot sweat no matter how hot it is and they provide that layer of safety that some people need to feel in order to fall asleep. If you’re still sweating through the night perhaps you need to see a specialist.

Tags bedspread, cold, comfortable, comforter, green sleep, hot, organic comfort, sleep, warm

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Azodicarbicannotbelieveweareeatingthis

Post author By Eric Hahn
Post date April 7, 2014
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Remember when Subway had plastic in their bread? It turns out that they’re not the only ones, but at least they have promised to discontinue their line of plastic bread. It is not that the bread is actually made from plastic (because that would be insane), however, the product did contain a certain chemical – Azodicarbonide – which was used as a bleaching agent in breads, is also the same chemical used in plastic as a foaming agent. Seeing as many people throw plastic to the wind these days, for our environment to choke on, its pretty ironic that many are actually munching on the product themselves in the comfort of their own living rooms and kitchens.

You see, many products sold from the grocery store contain Azodicarbonide, and many fast food places still create their munchies with the ingredient. In fact, the chemical is found in nearly 500 products, including Wonder Bread, Little Debbies, and White Castle’s microwavable hamburgers.

Experts say that there is not enough of the ingredient added into the bread to make it toxic to us humans. That sentence alone has so many things wrong with it. The fact that a toxic chemical – in any dosage – is being administered into our food is disgusting. Repulsive! Steer clear of your white bread, that stuff will kill you. Stay away from that Pillsbury Dough-boy because you know that wherever he goes trouble is sure to follow. Hostess honey buns are OUT of the question! My goodness, what will we survive off of?

I don’t know why it irks me so much that they are putting chemicals into our food products – oh wait, maybe it’s because they are putting chemicals into our food products! And it is saddening that our society as a whole has been resorting to this kind of grotesque processing in almost every product. Fabrics and bedding dipped in petroleum and formaldehyde. Pesticides. The list goes on and on. It gets worse, though. We, as a society, give in to this kind of stuff. We purchase these products so that they can be made again and again, not thinking about the harm that it is inducing on us and our environment. Luckily here at CozyPure we don’t dip our products in oil and ship them off to our ‘happy’ customer, knowing that every night they are putting their heads on a fire hazard.

Of course, there are always the healthier, non-toxic foods on our supermarket shelves. Some of these foods include locally grown fruits and vegetable, whole wheat breads (although certain brands must be watched out for) and meats such as poultry and fish (preferably free range, but not necessary.) Quaker Oats, Simply Organic, and Peppridge Farm products tend to stay away from the use of Azowhatever in their breads. So next time that you are at the store, keep this in mind: you never know what you’re eating until you actually read the ingredients – and you never REALLY know what you’re eating until you are able to pronounce the ingredients.

Tags chemical, food, harmful, organic, plastic, toxins

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Remodeling the Green Way

Remodeling in a green light is on the rise in the United States. Many houses are even built in a green manor nowadays. If you are look good some good remodeling/decorating tips, look no further. Here are five tips to help you get started on your green home improvement project.

-Lots of open windows will bring in lots of natural light, which will help one cut down on electricity expenses and things of the sort. Not only is natural light green, but it is also beautiful, giving your bedroom/living room/whatever room and open feel, giving the impression of less clutter. Motes of dust swimming in the sunlight can even be considered elegant if looked at in the right angle. Polished surfaces such as hardwood floors or mirrors can also help introduce ample lighting into a room. Reflective glass tiling in one’s kitchen or bathroom is a great idea to incorporate light into your rooms, and the kitchen, above all, should receive ample light. After all, it is the heart of the home.

-Assure that your heating and air conditioning (among other essential living utilities) are of good quality. No need in spending extra money over time because your heating and air isn’t working the way it should be, no need to waste surplus energy that could be saved by checking your ventilation/insulation. Solar and wind energy is also very effective, if you can afford to install it. This is not to say that it does not come at a bargain, it’s just that you have to know where to look and whether or not you will have the means to do it.

-Keep a realistic budget in your sight at all times. There is no use in trying to do a whole bunch of big things that will run your wallet into the ground. Start small, begin with manageable things, DIY kind of things. Demolish those walls yourself, save money on contractors, this way you will have the savings to implement those solar panels or new windows with better insulation. It is all about how you spend your money, how far you can stretch your bargain, and how necessary some of your remodeling might be. Some things might need to be taken from your list in order to make room for others. This is OK! Going into a project expecting everything to get done on a budget that is only so big is never a good idea. Stretch your buck and save yourself.

-Reduce, Reuse, Recycle! I can not stress this enough. Remodeling, redecorating, whatever you are doing, it is always a great idea to reuse old things. Thrifts stores and antique shops are great places to find bargains that will make a great addition to your home. Be on the lookout for things all around your neighborhood – old driftwood, furniture, antiques, etc. – there are SO many things that you can do with things that have been lost or thrown away. Always keep in mind that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

-Landscape with native plants. grow your vegetable garden with seasonal crops. Rotate your soil. Compost. Keeping your garden alive and well is important not only for the environment but also for the aesthetic of your home. Would you rather sit out on your porch overlooking a yard full of dried up grass and soil or a garden full of life, thriving. Not only will this help with your home’s aesthetic, but it might also give you something to be proud of, something to keep you entertained, and off of those drug infested street corners.

Don’t forget that a greener mattress is not only a good redecorating decision that will help aid the environment in the long run, it is also an investment in natural, organic comfort.

Tags eco-friendly, Environment, green, Green America, green energy, green living, healthy, healthy sleeping, organic bedding

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Spring Into Green

Spring is FINALLY here! And so are all of the things that it entails: new life, new beginnings, and cleaning. That’s right, it’s finally time to de-clutter that mess that you call a house and make room for all of the new things that life might throw at you this year. Not all things will be good, and not all things will be bad, but of course you probably figured that as you rummaged through all of your 2013 paraphernalia, looking at the things that collected dust on your shelves as the year stormed by with all of it’s frigidness. However, now its finally time to scrap all of that old stuff and bring in some fresh air, its time to start a new.

The first thing that you must remember when spring cleaning is the age old motto: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Remember to reduce the amount of cleaning products being used because you might be surprised at how much one wipe can take when cleaning off counters and tables. Also, instead of using harmful deodorizers, instead open all of your windows, let the sun and fresh air sweep through your household, put the fan on, and let nature do the deodorizing. Recycle all of the old plastic and newspapers that you never got around to reading, no need to promote landfills when the materials can be used again. Also, don’t forget to purge your closet and give all of your old garments to a local thrift store. Reuse the things in your house that aren’t past their prime yet, this can promote environmental safety while also saving you a buck in the process. Restrain from using harmful chemicals when cleaning your house and remember to blast your jams as loud as they will go, you know, to bring in the good vibes, maaaannnnnn.

Like a previous post, I’m going to put in the idea that biking or walking to work can be great for your overall fitness, wallet, and ecosystem. Carpooling or public transportation are both great, green options that can help one get to work (remember that with carpooling you can use the HOV lane!) If you’ve tried all of this and none of it works out in your favor, it might be time to trade in your old car for one that is better on gas, which is ultimately the greener choice anyways.

It’s spring time! What better time of year is there to start your fresh herb garden, or garden in general. Sure, there are some seeds that you should have planted back in October that would be blooming now, but don’t dwell on the past. it’s time to plant some of your other favorite plants, be it flowers, trees, grass (bamboo!), vegetables, or fruit. There is no better time to begin than now, when the breeze is cool but the sun is hot. Seize the beautiful day, we’ve gotten so few of them thus far this year. Don’t forget to begin composting if you haven’t already.

Now that you’ve been briefed on some fun ways to begin your spring cleaning go and try them out. Also, remember that there is no better way to clean out your dusty bedroom (with old mattress’ ridden with dust, etc.) than by going organic. CozyPure’s natural latex is dust mite resistant and last for years and years on end, no need to worry about having to replace it because it is musty and certainly no need to replace it because its old anytime soon.

Tags eco-friendly, green living, healthy, healthy sleeping, natural, natural bedroom, organic bedding

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Green to Work

In this day and age people all over are looking for ways to be greener, and if you are reading this blog right now you have already taken one giant step in the right direction. However, being green can be more than buying non-GMO foods and recycling plastic water bottles. In the case of what you drive to and from work each day you can either choose to be green, or you can choose not to be. However, although it may seem expensive to spend money on cars such as the Prius or the Fusion (both of which are great for going green) there are many other ways to save money and live green on the way to work.

First of all, if you can manage it and you want to stay in shape, it might be time to start biking or walking to work or to school. If the day is sunny and the weather nice, biking or walking is a great method of getting to work. it saves gas money, seeing as there is no gas involved in the process, and it’s great exercise too. Many people forget about the biking option because, of course, many people are too lazy to do it. This is not true in all cases, though. Some people don’t have the bike lanes in their city that promote safety for the bikers themselves. Some people live too far away from work and some people just don’t have time. That’s OK, there are other options.

Like I said in my first paragraph, the option to trade in your car for a car with better mileage, perhaps a Hybrid, would be a wonderful idea. However, it does not have to be a Hybrid, there are plenty of cars on the market that are much cheaper than Hybrids and still have excellent gas mileage. A car with 30 or more miles per gallon will typically save you money and help save the environment in the process. It’s not a bad idea to get a Hybrid, though, and in the end the gas savings that come from purchasing one will add up to be worth the amount of money that you spent on the car itself.

Another option is public transportation. If you live in a city where it is accessible and efficient then you should definitely go for this choice. It is typically cheaper than driving your own car to and from work everyday so long as you buy a pass that lasts for a month or a week. Public transportation includes anything ranging from the bus to the light rail to the subway. Most cities at least have a bus system that is capable of taking people where they need to go, so why not use it if you have it?

You can carpool with someone who works with you or goes to school with you. Carpooling saves a person from having to use more gas than needed as long as a good friend or co-worker can help you out with a ride. There should be no problem with it so long as you’re comfortable with the person whom you are riding with. Work out some details with them and you will be green to go.

Tags CozyPure, eco-friendly, Environment, Green America, green energy, healthy, natural, organic, renewable energy

Green Living Healthy Lifestyles Miscellaneous Organic Comfort Organic Mattress & Bedding Sleep Tips

Eat, Breath, and Sleep: Happy

Post author By Eric Hahn
Post date March 28, 2014
1 Comment on Eat, Breath, and Sleep: Happy

We, as people, tend to overlook the simple things in our life, the things that, if looked at in the right light, should be making us happy. Some of these things include: Having a place to sleep at night, having food to eat, and having people around to support you through tough times. It is understandable why we might overlook some of these things in life, because it is human nature to strive to be better, to look for the next best thing, to shake things up. Our tendency to become unhappy is all in the way that we look at our life. For example, a child who receives a Christmas present that was at the top of their list will enjoy the gift until, of course, they grow out of it. At which point the child will begin to look for something new that might satisfy them.

In order to be happy, we must first learn to appreciate all of the good that we have in our lives. An easy way to do this is by actually taking the time out of your day to smile at the little joys. Countless people in my life continually complain about the most common things, like getting a zit or getting a flat tire. Now, getting a flat tire might make a person angry in the heat of the moment, and will most likely put a damper on their day, but by no means should it keep you awake at night, angry at the world. Things happen because things happen, there may be a reason behind them, and there may not be. In the case of us humans, it is best not to read into every small thing that happens to us in our live because eventually they might add up. Instead, we must find a balance, and perhaps what we can do when we get a flat tire is to get out of the car, walk away from the vehicle, and take a deep breath. Let the angst out, and then return to your car and do what needs to be done. Simple things like this can reduce stress and ultimately keep us from pondering the bad things for too long.

Getting out in the sun, walking through the park, showing and receiving affection, smiling more, these are all things that, although so very simple, can make people happier in their day to day lives. Science has proven that the release of endorphins, which react with brain receptors to reduce pain. Endorphins are released through a surplus of activities, including exercise, dancing, gardening, and all of the above mentioned. The release of endorphins can also strengthen your heart, lower blood pressure, and increase your energy.

Another thing that will improve your happiness is, wait for it….SLEEP! Sleep has been proven to help us focus and keep our heads on straight, for the most part. But more sleep can make us less sensitive to negative emotions. When you wake up grumpy, of course your negative emotions are still intact. On weekdays you may wake up to an alarm clock that disrupts your dreams and pulls you out from your slumber like a punch to the face, the sunlight peeking through the windows can screw itself. On the weekends, though, after having slept ten hours straight and waking up on your own accord you might find the sunlight that streams in through your windows is beautiful in the way that it peeks through the curtains and the blinds, letting you know that today is the first day of the rest of your life. Organic bedding makes your mattress even more of a sanctuary in that you are not sleeping on harmful chemicals such as petroleum and other harmful toxins.

So, maybe its time that we stop overlooking all of the good things in our lives, the people and things that surround us, and instead overlook the bad things, the flat tires that try and keep us from getting along with our day. Instead of seeing sticky situations as a mess, look at them as a way to challenge your wits, and come out of every experience a new person. Never forget to learn from your mistakes, and love always, because “what it all comes down to, is that everything is going to be quite all right.”

Tags be happy, happy, sleep, smile