Category Archives: Health

26 Aug

Plastic Freedom: Clever Ways to Cut Down Your Plastic Use

Nice ways to reduce our plastic consumption


Plastic pollution is flooding our lives and the oceans. It is a scourge for marine diversity but also for us human beings.

Why should we reduce our plastic consumption

  • Plastic is generally not recyclable. If it is, it is only once, unlike glass or aluminum.
  • It degrades very badly. At sea, it breaks up into microparticles and becomes a danger to marine animals.
  • Its production (via oil) and its incineration or burial as waste pollute enormously.
  • Several substances present in plastic are endocrine disruptors. They have a long-term effect on your health, which can lead to all kinds of problems (fertility, hormones, etc.).
  • Reducing your plastic consumption is making a gesture for the planet but also for your health! Give and take. So, what are the small gestures that are easy to apply on a daily basis?

In your bathroom

  • No more cotton swabs. In any case, they will be banned for sale in France from January 1, 2020.
  • Opt for reusable make-up remover cotton pads. You can even make them yourself.
  • Switch to the wooden hairbrush.
  • Choose clothespins and wooden hangers. They are also more resistant.
  • Use Head&Shoulders in its bottle made from 25% recycled plastic collected on the beaches.

In your kitchen

  • No more plastic straws, super polluting. The metal, bamboo or even pasta versions are just as nice.
  • Stop using plastic dishes (cutlery, glasses and plates).
  • Drink water from a glass bottle and go everywhere with your stainless steel water bottle.
  • Store your leftovers in glass or stainless steel containers.
  • Get started with homemade compost. It’s super easy, even on a small balcony in town!

In your house

  • Switch to online invoices and refuse advertising in your mailbox. It is often wrapped in plastic.
  • Choose wooden games for your children.

For your shopping

  • Remember to always have a reusable bag with you.
  • Buy in bulk, cut for cheese, meat and fish or directly from the producer.
  • Create your own fabric bulk bags. You can thus transport your fruits and vegetables easily but also rice, pasta…

All of these tricks are also a good way to save a few pennies.

How about renting a dumpster in Kentucky

If you live and want to recycle more in Kentucky such as in Lexington, one way to reduce your plastic waste and pollution is to rent a dumpster. This way you acn bring all your old plastic junk to the nearest recycling facility, all in one go! This can limit waste issues, such as creating a garage free environment.

The cost of renting a dumpster in Kentucky can vary widely based on several factors, including the size of the dumpster, the type of waste you’re disposing of, your location within the state, and the duration of the rental.

In Kentucky, for a small 10-yard dumpster, you might expect to pay anywhere from $250 to $400 for a one-week rental. If you require a larger dumpster, like a 20 or 30-yard container, prices can range from $350 to $600 or more. These are general estimates, and prices may differ from one rental company to another.

The type of waste you’re disposing of can significantly impact the cost. Household or general debris is often less expensive to dispose of compared to construction materials or hazardous waste. Specialized disposal requirements can lead to additional fees. Location also plays a role in pricing. Dumpster rental costs can vary from city to city and even between rural and urban areas in Kentucky.

Rental duration is another variable. Most dumpster rental companies offer standard weekly rentals, but if you need it for a longer period, you’ll likely incur extra charges.

To get an accurate quote, it’s recommended to reach out to local dumpster rental companies in your specific area of Kentucky, such as Same Day Dumpster Rental Lexington. They can provide you with detailed pricing based on your unique needs and circumstances. Additionally, inquire about any available discounts or promotions to save on your rental costs.

12 Jun

Waste Issues in Oklahoma

The Environmental Impact of Waste Disposal

The environmental impact of waste disposal is a critical issue that affects our planet in various ways. Improper disposal of waste, whether it is solid, liquid, or hazardous, can lead to severe consequences for ecosystems, human health, and the overall well-being of the planet. One of the primary concerns is the pollution of land, water, and air.

Land pollution occurs when waste is improperly dumped in landfills or left in open areas. As waste decomposes, it releases harmful gases and leachate, a toxic liquid that can seep into the soil and contaminate groundwater. This contamination affects the quality of drinking water and can have detrimental effects on both humans and wildlife. Additionally, the accumulation of waste in landfills takes up valuable land space and contributes to the loss of natural habitats and biodiversity.

Water pollution is another significant consequence of improper waste disposal. When waste is dumped into rivers, lakes, or oceans, it introduces harmful chemicals, pathogens, and toxins into aquatic ecosystems. This pollution can result in the death of aquatic organisms, disruption of food chains, and the destruction of coral reefs and other sensitive habitats. Furthermore, when contaminated water is consumed by humans or animals, it can lead to serious health issues, including gastrointestinal problems, infections, and even long-term diseases.

The impact of waste disposal on air quality is primarily associated with the incineration of waste. When waste is burned, it releases harmful gases and particulate matter into the atmosphere. These emissions contribute to air pollution and can exacerbate respiratory problems and cardiovascular diseases in humans. Moreover, the combustion of certain types of waste, such as plastics, releases toxic substances like dioxins and furans, which are persistent organic pollutants that can bioaccumulate in the environment and pose long-term risks to ecosystems and human health.

To mitigate the environmental impact of waste disposal, it is essential to adopt sustainable waste management practices. This includes reducing waste generation through recycling, composting, and minimizing consumption, as well as implementing proper waste treatment technologies. Waste-to-energy facilities that employ advanced emission control systems can help reduce the environmental impact of incineration.

Additionally, promoting awareness and education about responsible waste disposal practices is crucial in encouraging individuals, communities, and industries to take an active role in waste reduction and recycling efforts. By addressing the environmental impact of waste disposal, we can work towards a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable future for our planet.

Waste management issues in the state of Oklahoma

The state of Oklahoma faces several waste management issues that require attention and effective solutions. One of the prominent challenges is the disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW). With a growing population and urbanization, the volume of MSW generated in Oklahoma has been steadily increasing. However, there is a lack of adequate infrastructure and resources to handle this waste effectively. Many smaller communities and rural areas struggle to establish proper waste management systems, leading to improper disposal practices such as open dumping or limited recycling options.

Another significant waste management issue in Oklahoma is the disposal of hazardous waste. The state is home to various industries, including oil and gas, agriculture, and manufacturing, which generate hazardous materials that require special handling and disposal. Improper management of hazardous waste can lead to serious environmental contamination and health risks. While there are regulations in place to govern hazardous waste disposal, enforcement and monitoring efforts need to be strengthened to ensure compliance and prevent illegal dumping or mishandling of these materials.

Additionally, electronic waste (e-waste) management poses a growing concern in Oklahoma. As technology advances, the disposal of outdated electronic devices, such as computers, smartphones, and televisions, becomes a challenge. Improper disposal of e-waste can result in the release of toxic substances like lead, mercury, and cadmium, which can contaminate soil and water sources. To address this issue, it is crucial to promote e-waste recycling programs and raise awareness among businesses and individuals about the importance of responsible e-waste disposal.

To tackle these waste management issues, Oklahoma needs to invest in infrastructure development and waste management facilities. This includes the establishment of more recycling centers, composting facilities, and hazardous waste treatment plants. Collaborative efforts between the government, private sector, and communities are necessary to implement comprehensive waste management strategies.

Education and outreach programs should also be implemented to raise awareness about waste reduction, recycling, and proper disposal practices. By addressing these challenges, Oklahoma can work towards a more sustainable and environmentally friendly waste management system.

Further Reading

26 Apr

Getting responsible for our own health


Is it too big a challenge?

We are experiencing a transition from our health model. The system as it was designed in the 1950s no longer works. But there are ways to break the deadlock.

We are facing great changes. The first concerns what we could call the enlightened patient or augmented patient, the second focuses on new health technologies, connected health or e-health, and the third on epigenetics, the science that demonstrates how human behavior affects gene expression. These three elements create a new possibility of measurable prevention and making people responsible for their health, which the pharmaceutical industry is beginning to understand.

Enlightened patients

Enlightened patients are people who are increasingly connected to social networks and who can find information about their health on search engines. They discuss together, exchange and are more and more informed and concerned. Many doctors today assure that they appreciate dealing with patients who ask them the right questions, even if they can go as far as contradicting their prescriptions.

Digital plays a decisive role in the evolution of health models. The health applications available on smartphones are increasing exponentially today. The tools are not only portable, but also wearable. Like watches, for example, which measure a certain number of parameters on the skin, making it possible to visualize the results or the alerts on a personalized health dashboard, the screen of your smartphone for example, results that you can download elsewhere or send to your doctor.

Towards new models of health through subscriptions

Our behaviors will change and especially the relationship with our doctor. The latter will increasingly become a life counselor and not just a prescriber of prescription drugs.

To maintain good health, five behaviors must be respected: exercise, nutrition, stress management, pleasure, social and professional harmony. These five behaviors influence the expression of our genes and cause some to slow down, inhibit, or express themselves even more. We can somehow become the conductors of our own body, keep it in good health and slow down aging.

Prevention is not deprivation, it is a pleasure to do good!

The pharmaceutical industry has already become aware of this development. Some Big Pharma companies are already moving towards health maintenance programs. Even today, these companies live on the margins made by pharmacy sales of drugs prescribed by doctors and reimbursed by health insurance. However, we are starting to see that pharmaceutical groups associate with insurance companies and offer pharma-insurances: that is to say subscriptions to programs that ensure good health. This is what I call the health maintenance program or abbreviated PMS.

In this way some believe that the pharmaceutical industry will make more profits by subscriptions than by margins made on drugs sold in pharmacies. Besides, we can check on the Internet that the most successful companies are those that have many customers subscribed to their service and their products. Whether it’s music, subscriptions to renewable energy production systems, transportation, or housing.

It is in these new health models, possibly by subscription, that what is called 4P medicine comes into play, which means: Personalized, Predictive, Preventive, and Participative medicine. It is not only a question of curing when one is sick, but above all of not getting sick.

But these new practices risk creating a form of uberization of health. Companies have created the disintermediation of traditional structures by offering more personalized services and products, more quickly, in the face of systems that are too heavy, too expensive, too complex. Thanks to digital, we can reconcile supply and demand. These disintermediation companies, like GAFA, are disruptors who reverse the classic and traditional model that we know. In health too. This risk exists.

The doctor of tomorrow can be assisted by digital or AI tools.

Predictive medicine thanks to AI

With artificial intelligence (AI), which some now prefer to call auxiliary intelligence, we can increase human intelligence. No doctor can read and assimilate all the scientific reviews, all the studies, suitable for treating a pathology. On the other hand, who can correlate all the information already published to make predictions or improve diagnoses? Watson, IBM’s artificial intelligence program, does it in minutes.

Google is developing an AI usage support program, Kubeflow. The doctor of tomorrow can be assisted by digital or AI tools, to devote more time to his patients. Many are already experimenting with it, since you can download Watson on your smartphone.

The most important question for the future is the role that individuals will play in the prevention of their health, thanks to an improved knowledge of the fundamental principles of nutrition, of the fight against pollutants that we inflict on ourselves like cigarettes, or which are present in the environment due to a lack of efficient waste management systems.

The ministries of health of many countries realize today that the biggest savings on the health insurance system will be made thanks to the participation of people in improving their health capital and the permanent investment in this capital thanks to the basic rules of good living that are nutrition, exercise, or stress management. Hence the importance of education and especially of co-education in families and schools to make young people understand the fundamental bases of balanced nutrition and permanent reinvestment in their health capital.

We can already see that the major magazines, in addition to specialized magazines, and even the daily newspapers devote more and more important spaces to the explanation of these fundamental principles of balanced nutrition and moderate exercise. These trends will only get stronger in the future, given the economic challenges represented by healthcare systems around the world and the transition to more economic and more democratic models.

11 Apr

The Healthiest Fish You Can Eat


The fact that you’re reading this article means you already know by now that including fish in your diet twice a week is needed for optimal health and weight.

Fish is a lean piece of protein that are packed in healthy vitamins, minerals and omega-3 fatty acids. With the variety of fish sold in the market, there are only a couple of them that are exceptionally good for you. Yes, not all kinds of fish deliver the omega-3 fatty acids your diet requires.

Fish is not just a healthy way to add protein to your diet, it is also a protein that can reduce the risk of developing diabetes and other heart-related diseases.

When choosing this protein, you need to make sure they are fresh. One way to look at it is that the eyes shouldn’t be bloodshot, and the gills should be a vibrant reddish pink. One factor to consider is its sustainability. As we have a responsibility to maintain the environment, choosing a sustainable fish will not only be beneficial for the entire community, but to the fish’s habitat as well.

Here are the 4 of the healthiest sustainable fish you can easily find in your market:

Purse Seine (Atlantic Mackerel)

This is a strong-flavored fish packed with heart-healthy omega-3s that works really well with bold seasonings. You can get 20 grams of protein in a fillet of 30 grams – not bad as a lean source of protein. Atlantic Mackerel is also a sustainable kind as they can repopulate easily and can handle frequent amounts of fishing. The gear used to fish them is a regular fish net, this makes the way of catching them efficient and environment friendly.

Freshwater Salmon

Salmon is widely used in many Asian cooking. Known for its use in sushi platters, salmon is typically caught wild. However, to maintain its sustainability, many freshwater farms have raised salmon to cater to the demands, especially in the United States.

To be specific, freshwater coho salmon is a farmed fish that got a Super Green Rating. This means they are deemed fresh, healthy and contain no contaminants at all. There are still other farms today that are still on the “avoid” list – that’s another information worth checking. The only downside of getting freshwater salmon is its susceptibility to parasitic infections. There are times that these fish are exposed to antibiotic treatments which many consumers are put off by.

Wild Caught Salmon (From Alaska)

Alaska’s Salmon fishery is considered to be one of the strictest fisheries around the world. Biologists are stationed at river mouths to ensure that wild fish comes back to reproduce again.

As soon as the number of fish depletes, the fishery closes down until it raises up the reference threshold again. Alaskan salmon contains 1,210mg of omega-3 for every 3 ounces of serving. Wild caught salmon, unlike freshwater salmon, contains less contaminants and are less likely to get parasites.

Wild Caught Sardines

Compared to salmon, tuna or just about any other fish in the market, this inexpensive and tiny fish contains 1,950mg of omega 3 for every 3 ounces of serving, making its was as one of the superfoods that you should have in your kitchen. Rich in vitamin D, sardines are also one of the most sustainable fish as they reproduce quickly.

Eating fish on a regular basis is a healthy habit. Not just that, you may also lose some weight if you replace your meat and junk food with fish, as you will feel full almost as fast but with much less calories intake.

The importance of including healthy fatty acids in your diet is a must. Always remember that not all fish contains the right amount of omega-3 and there are those out there that can do more harm than good for your health. Be mindful of contaminated fish and those that are high in mercury content.