Hellmann’s Vs. Just Mayo – The Very Interesting Battle Within the Mayo Industry

Hampton Creek, a tiny food company that specializes in plant-based products, has received word from the FDA that their Just Mayo line of vegan spreads does not meet the standards set for mayonnaise and needs to change its misleading labels. Normally this wouldn’t be news at all, but there are a few factors here making this more important than the average case of the FDA enforcing labeling laws.

Just Mayo is available virtually everywhere that food is sold in the United States, from Walmart, to Whole Foods, to 7-Eleven convenience stores. And since the product doesn’t include eggs, it is perfectly positioned to take advantage of the recent egg shortage caused by avian influenza, a shortage The American Egg Board predicts could last for more than a year.

The New Kid on the Block

Just Mayo is obviously not the first vegan mayonnaise available for purchase at grocery stores. It is, however, the first one to seriously threaten conventional mayonnaise’s spot in the marketplace.

Before a lawsuit was filed by Unilever in late 2014, Hampton Creek was enjoying its status as a startup darling, supported by tech and food luminaries like Bill Gates and Andrew Zimmern. It was perfectly positioned to take advantage of the cultural shift towards healthier, more eco-friendly food options.

Their promotional materials include the amount of water saved, square feet of land preserved, grams of carbon emissions prevented, and the amounts of sodium, cholesterol, and saturated fats avoided with the use of Just Mayo. All of those allures sit on an even more appealing bottom line – CEO Josh Tetrick claims he’s able to provide all those benefits 30% cheaper than traditional manufacturing.

Within less than a year of its launch date, Just Mayo became the leading mayonnaise brand on shelves at Whole Foods and appeared on Walmart and Target shelves. When a new product takes off that quickly, the established leaders in the market sit up and take notice. In the case of Just Mayo, that notice was delivered on October 31, 2014 in the form of a lawsuit from Unilever, the corporate giant that manufactures and sells Hellmann’s Mayonnaise.

It Begins to Get Ugly

The lawsuit filed by Unilever alleges that Just Mayo does not fit the FDA standards for mayonnaise and that it is ruining the “entire product category” since it does not contain egg yolks in its ingredients. More importantly, they claim it is causing “serious irreparable harm to Unilever.” As a punishment for Hampton Creek’s deceptive packaging and false advertising, Unilever has a simple fix in mind: all Just Mayo products should be removed from store shelves, and Just Mayo should pay Unilever damages for irreparable harm.

David vs. Goliath

If we take Unilever at their word, this is serious, but the history and current industry labeling realities don’t really back Hellmann’s histrionic claims. For example, popular vegan companies like Earth Balance already have the word mayo prominently displayed on their vegan mayonnaise packaging.

Unilever, itself, is not as rigid in their own labeling as they are trying to force Just Mayo to be. When Hampton Creek’s CEO conducted a publicized search through Hellmann’s website, Unilever scrambled to edit and take down pages that could prove their products and labels to be as non-compliant as those they were targeting.

Not every company that makes vegan mayo has aroused Unilever’s ire. Just Mayo seems to be their only target, one that wasn’t on their radar until they successfully expanded into mainstream stores and became a viable competitor. It’s easy to see that the irreparable harm Unilever is claiming has more to do with their loss profits than concern over misleading labels.

The Actual Label

The label that’s causing all the controversy is a fairly simple one. It is a natural brown color with text saying Just Mayo and the picture of a plant seedling surrounded by the outline of an egg. While the label does list the product as egg free, it isn’t immediately clear that Just Mayo is a vegan product. Is this deceptive marketing? It could be seen as such, but it clearly wasn’t an issue for the FDA until Unilever became upset.

Circumstances Favor the Bold

With a major lawsuit pending that is funded by the deep pockets of one of the world’s largest corporations, most new companies would be probably be forced to bow out gracefully. Companies facing major lawsuits frequently see investors and markets draw back support. Hampton Creek, however, got a big break in May when avian influenza devastated farms in the Midwest, leading to the death of roughly 38 million chickens, 85% of which were laying hens. With egg production projected to be down more than 5% in 2015, Just Mayo is considered a hot commodity.

FDA Finally Gets Involved

After more than a year and a half of having no issues with Hampton Creek and their Just Mayo product, the FDA has made it clear that they will support the interests of big business on the issue of the Just Mayo label. Ironically, this action comes on the heels of former Hampton Creek employees revealing a blatant FDA violation – lemon juice concentrate was incorrectly labeled as lemon juice.

The FDA sent Hampton Creek a letter citing the misleading Just Mayo label as problematic and adding the fact that several of the ingredients in Just Mayo (pea protein, beta-carotene, and modified food starch) are not allowed in mayonnaise. The company was given three weeks to address these concerns.

Health Ridiculousness

The FDA also claims that the fat content in Just Mayo is too high for the product to claim it’s heart-healthy. The fact that the agency responsible for regulating our food supply makes such outdated claims is as upsetting as the fact that they are holding companies operating in today’s food culture to standards virtually unchanged since 1957 (when the mayonnaise definition was set). Fats have been portrayed as equal opportunity villains for years, but anyone paying attention to modern nutrition and health knows that when it comes to fat, quality makes a bigger impact than quantity.

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats from whole food sources provide the body with energy, protect cell membranes, help you absorb essential vitamins and minerals, help blood clotting, and give protection against heart disease. These two types of fats are essential to life functions, and institutes of medicine the world over urge people to incorporate these fats into their diets as much as possible. But rather than listen to the research and focus on growing in their field, the FDA is content to conduct business as usual.

It’s All Business

It’s easy to see this clash like a modern day food fairytale version of David and Goliath. Ideally, Hellmann’s is picking on the saintly, vegan small company because they’re making progress in the conventional marketplace. But like anything Big Business touches, there are more layers beneath the surface.

Unilever is undeniably a bully in this situation, but there are legitimate concerns with Hampton Creek’s labeling practices. In the past, they have been caught mislabeling the lemon juice concentrate in their product. The actual design of the label gives no indication that this is anything other than conventional mayonnaise. The inclusion of the egg and the extremely simple name actually reinforces the idea that this is mayonnaise in its purest form…leaving the discovery of its lack of eggs to the discerning customer who reads the fine print.

There’s also the issue of the oil chosen by Hampton Creek. Canola oil, the very basis of Just Mayo, is flawed from both a health and an environmental perspective. Even when the canola oil is non-GMO and expeller pressed, it’s still highly processed. Canola oil studies with animals have shown that canola has adverse effects on a cellular level, and no studies on the long-term safety of canola oil in humans have been conducted.

That being said, we are talking about a vegan mayonnaise that is not only available to anyone and everyone regardless of their food location, but one that also competes with and possibly surpasses conventional mayonnaises. A large part of that may be due to the label, as there is nothing in the packaging that would suggest that this is anything but traditional mayonnaise. But the timing and specific complaints from Unilever more than suggest that this is a lawsuit about business.

Even when it seems that there’s a product on the market that can impact the country’s health in a positive way, there are always issues. Big corporations are unwilling to allow serious competition, and serious threats are not only met with legal action, they are also met with the flexing of government muscle. Once again we see that Big Business exerts undue influence upon our government. And the FDA, the government authority in this conflict, has once again shown itself to be an unreliable bully for hire rather than the protector of our food and health.

Since they chose to use canola oil, lied about the lemon juice concentrate (and were outed by their own employees), and used deceptive packaging, it also feels like Hampton Creek is just another Big Business wannabe, more concerned with marketing and positioning than true health. Even their eco-friendly claims were contrived for marketing. Their greener footprint isn’t due to their manufacturing practices, it’s due to the fact that they do not use eggs. One cannot help but wonder if Hampton Creek and its products were conceived, marketed, and positioned so that it, too, can someday become just another big business that will in turn discourage small competitors with its own lawsuits.

Sources:

 



Boost Health Without Sacrificing Yum – A Conversation With Food Babe, Vani Hari

How can you lose weight while still eating what you crave? Where can you find cheap options to eating healthy and yummy? What 6 simple habits can dramatically improve your overall wellbeing and help you lose weight naturally? In this interview, Food Babe, Vani Hari, will en”lighten” us.

Vani Hari is a revolutionary food activist, the creator of FoodBabe.com, the author of the #1 bestselling book, The Food Babe Way, and was named one of the Most Influential People On The Internet by Time Magazine. In her work, Hari has influenced how food giants like Kraft, Subway, Chipotle, Chick-fil-A, and Starbucks create their products, steering them towards more healthful policies. Vani teaches people how to make the right purchasing decisions at the grocery store, how to live an organic lifestyle, and how to  travel healthfully. The success of her writing and investigative work can be seen in the way food companies react to her uncanny ability to find and expose the truth. She lives in North Carolina and travels around the world to speak about health and food awareness. She is currently planning her next campaign.

Cortney: On my first trip to Europe, 20 years ago, I was stunned by the almost total lack of obesity. Now historically fit populations–Europe, Japan, you name it–are catching up to the U.S. What would you say is the number one cause of this increase in obesity throughout the world? Toxic food, sedentary lifestyles, or something else?

Vani: Worldwide obesity is influenced by a number of things, including those that you mentioned. Obesity rates are going up all across the globe, and we need to ask more questions about the food we are eating and the chemicals that are polluting our environment as these may play a role. Certain chemicals that have infiltrated our food have been coined “obesogens”, and many of them are not listed on ingredient lists.

Obesogens include such things as pesticides, antibiotics, and food packaging materials, like plastics, that can leach chemicals into our food. As I explain in detail in my new book, The Food Babe Way, obesogens can trigger our bodies to store fat even though we might be restricting calories. The effects are complex. Some of these chemicals increase the number of fat cells, others expand the size of fat cells, and still others influence appetite, cravings, fullness, and how well the body burns calories. I’ve made it my mission to teach people to take a closer look at what they are eating, to read ingredient labels, know where it comes from, and to demand transparency from the companies that are feeding the world.

Tip #1: Read Ingredient Labels & Know What You’re Eating

Cortney: One of the things I love about The Food Babe Way is that it urges us to do more of what fit populations have always done; they eat simple, nutritious food at home. Could this one simple habit be the answer to the problems we were just talking about and the key to dramatically improving the quality of our lives and health?

Vani: No matter where you live, you have the choice to take your health into your owns hands or hand it over to food manufacturers. People who eat more food prepared in their homes avoid thousands of unnecessary food additives that they would otherwise be exposed to. I encourage everyone to prepare as many meals at home as possible. When I make food at my house it is far more nutritious and tastes way better than anything I could find at a restaurant. I created The Food Babe Membership Program for this reason, to provide anyone looking for extra guidance with an easy plan to follow for making healthy food at home.

Tip #2: Prepare Your Own Healthy Meals As Much As Possible

Cortney: My sister, who lives in suburban Illinois, tells me about how difficult it is to find a variety of toxic-free food nearby and how she has to pay more for fewer options. How can the right food choices at the right price point be made available to the majority?

Vani: Thankfully, more affordable organic food choices are becoming available in conventional grocery stores like Walmart, Target, and Kroger. However, I know that sometimes this isn’t even an option. Use Local Harvest to find local farmer’s markets, co-ops, and family farms, which are great sources of organic produce, grass-fed beef, fresh herbs, and other organic goodies. There are online organic grocery stores with competitive prices, such as Thrive Market, which is similar to a Whole Foods Market, but available to anyone with an Internet connection. Also, consider starting your own garden. You might think this is a crazy suggestion, but hear me out. Growing your own food isn’t as hard as you might think and it’s definitely the cheaper route to having access to healthy eats all the time. My mother has always had a large vegetable garden. She takes great joy in cultivating her vegetables and preparing meals with them. She always encouraged me to have my own garden, too.

Tip #3: Grow Your Own Food & Take Advantage of Locally Grown Healthy Options

Cortney: Another obstacle to eating right is when we don’t listen to the needs of our bodies. How is that connection lost, and–more importantly–how can it be regained?

Vani: Many of us are living a fast-paced lifestyle, eating meals on the run without taking the time to consciously consider how the food we are eating could impact our bodies. This leads to weight gain and sickness, which I know from first-hand experience. Several years ago while I was working as a management consultant, I let my work life take over and that’s when I had my wake up moment. I was sick, overweight and looked horrible. It was then that I made a conscious decision to avoid processed food. If there was something I really wanted to eat that I knew was filled with additives, artificial ingredients, or other questionable substances, I would make it at home with my own organic ingredients so I could indulge. And then something dramatic happened. All the issues I had as a child—asthma, eczema, allergies went away. I was on six – eight different prescription drugs depending on the season and I’m on zero today. My weight normalized, and I actually lost another 5 pounds on top of that! I began to have more energy than I had when I was years younger! All you have to do is clean up your diet and be more conscious of not putting unnecessary chemicals in your mouth. The way you treat yourself, the way you treat your body, what you put in it, can make a HUGE life changing difference.

Tip #4: Listen to & Love Your Body

Cortney: In his book, Integrative Nutrition, Joshua Rosenthal talks about the difference between primary and secondary nutrition. Primary foods include thriving relationships and purpose-driven careers, while secondary foods are what we put in our mouth. I’ve met many fit, vibrant people who do not eat well. Can we chalk these examples up to great primary nutrition?

Vani: It all comes down to your beliefs and the practices those beliefs generate. For example, when I stopped thinking of food as “good” or “bad” and started asking questions like, “Is this going to serve my cells, my body, my health?” that shift in focus let me dismiss any disordered thinking so that my body and mind were able to receive the primary and secondary nutrition they needed to function at optimal levels. It’s about learning to accept and love yourself. Louise Hay’s work helped me a lot in creating and aligning new, positive thought patterns and self-talk with my purpose. And those perspective shifts allowed me to look and feel great without the struggle.

Tip #5: Change Your Beliefs, Change Your Body

Cortney: Speaking of primary nutrition, the Blue Zones–areas in the world where people live into the 100s–are historically known for higher levels of health and vibrancy. Could we apply what these micro populations are doing to create a health plan for the rest of the world?

Vani: Studies on the Blue Zones have shown that overall these people have strong relationships with their friends and families, and simply enjoy their life. I try to take time out every day to spend time with my loved ones, and also to exercise (outside if possible), meditate, and get out to meet new people. Personal relationship building is imperative to good health – no doubt about it! This is an area of health that many of us do not give much weight, but we should pay more attention to it. Of course, I think the local diets of the Blue Zones contribute to longevity as well. When food hasn’t been processed or packaged for a long shelf life, and hasn’t traveled miles to get to you, it is better for your health. That’s why I encourage people to get out and meet local farmers, go to farmer’s markets, and take advantage of the food that is grown locally in your area.

Tip #6: Take Time Every Day to Connect with Loved Ones, Exercise, & Meditate

To learn more about Vani Hari and her work check out her website or  purchase her book through Amazon: The Food Babe Way. To find alternative grocery stores, try The Local Harvest.

Recommended Reading:

Recommended Reading:



How Monsanto Took Over Our Food – Infographic

The information starts with a history of Monsanto company, which was started in 1901 by John Francis Queeny and gave the company his wife’s maiden name. The company was started to manufacture saccharin then moved to vanilla and caffeine. By 1915 the company had made its first million and it kept on growing. Most people associate Monsanto with disease and bug resistant crops and rBGH for increased milk production, but the company is also linked to the production of the U.S. atomic bomb, agent orange, and Roundup weed killer which could be resulting in the decline of honeybees.
Infographic and written content courtesy of Top masters In Health.
Today Monsanto reports a revenue of nearly $16 billion. 93% of the U.S. soybeans and 80% of U. S. corn grown today are patented products of Monsanto. Also, there are a total of 282 million acres of farmland worldwide that are growing Monsanto crops and 404 facilities worldwide. In the United States, 40% of all crop acreage is using Monsanto products.

What price does someone pay to use Monsanto seed? There is a license agreement printed on every bag which some may find to be overstepping boundaries in the fact that it allows Monsanto to sue farmers for not following Monsanto procedures, or investigate the farmer’s fields anytime it chooses. Monsanto also has a hotline set up for neighbors to call if they suspect Monsanto seed is being used without a license.

How Monsanto Took Over Our Food

Further Reading:
Source:


Cooling Foods for a Hot Summer Pregnancy

The cure for a fever used to be more cowbell. But what’s the cure for an unending, unrelenting season of hotter than average summer weather, especially if you’re pregnant? Whether this is your first little one or you’ve been down this road before, figuring out how to efficiently solve problems is crucial. Why not take the same approach to how you cool down, using nutrient-rich and healthy foods to streamline your body’s cooling functions? Some of the best foods for a much-needed break from the heat also provide other pregnancy-related benefits. Here are some of the best two-for-one deals that you can nibble on through the last (and possibly hottest) months of summer. And you don’t have to be pregnant, or even female, to benefit from these foods!

Cool Down With Watermelon

Let’s start with the big guns here – watermelon. For many people, sweet and juicy watermelon is the ultimate summer fruit. Watermelon is a natural diuretic that helps with swelling while still replacing important nutrients. Approximately 75% of pregnant women suffer from some degree of fluid retention, and vitamins B, C, beta-carotene, and folic acid in watermelon are ideal for flushing that excess water while cooling you down. As an added side benefit, watermelon can also help regulate bowel movements. Pregnancy hormones and shifting organs can disrupt a regular elimination routine. Watermelon is a delicious summertime treat that can help you get back on track. Watermelon can be added to salads, but for maximum cooling and eating benefits, just leave yours in the fridge and enjoy it as soon as it cools down.

Stay Hydrated With Berries

Staying hydrated is key in surviving a hot summer, especially while pregnant. Berries also help you stay hydrated. Now is the time to be buying fresh berries, as the peak of summer makes them more plentiful and more delicious than ever. Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and cranberries are potent sources of antioxidants, which repair stress damage in the body. They are considered to be a cooling food in Chinese medicine, and their high water content can help promote alkalinity in the body. For a pregnant lady craving something sweet, berries are a great way to indulge that desire. They contain fiber, which slows down your body’s absorption of the sugar. The “more sugar, bigger baby” theory might be an old wives’ tale, but why not choose something sweet that comes with some cooling powers and a heaping side of nutritional benefits as well? Use berries as a snack throughout the day to help with the perpetual hungry feelings or try them in a creamy, healthy smoothie.

Benefits of Dark Leafy Greens

Dark, leafy greens provide cooling summer hydration along with other great health benefits. These bad boys are composed of 80 to 95% water (depending on which green it is) and though they might not have an immediately noticeable cooling effect, they could actually increase the body’s ability to regulate itself long term. The body’s temperature regulations occur in the brain, and greens like spinach and collards have been found to protect the brain from premature aging and stress damage. These greens are power packed with nutrients like vitamins A, C, K, and folic acid. Folic acid is an often discussed pregnancy nutrient, as it makes a difference in preventing birth defects, but some medical professionals disagree as to whether using folic acid supplements is actually doing more harm than good. Up your daily dose of dark greens for a little piece of mind and a more efficient summer cooling system!

Healthy Tea

Iced tea during a hot summer isn’t just good hospitality, it’s practically a cooling-off requirement. Since cutting back on any kind of caffeine like that in black or green tea is a pretty standard recommendation for any pregnancy diet (and caffeine can dry out the skin anyways), a good herbal tea is the solution. Red raspberry leaf is a great herb for pregnant ladies to know about. It contains vitamin B, iron, calcium, and magnesium and has been shown in research to reduce the time spent in the second stage of labor, improve circulation, and strengthen uterine muscles. There have been women who report red raspberry leaf has helped induce their labor, so it’s a good idea to do some research before you take it. Red raspberry (not the leaf) is a common ingredient in many readily available pregnancy teas, but to get the benefits from it, buy quality red raspberry leaf in herb or tea form from a company you trust. Mountain Rose Herbs has a great organic pregnancy blend that adds spearmint for that extra refreshment factor.

The Hotter the Cooler?

It might sound crazy, but spicy foods like hot peppers can also help you cool off. Yes they make you sweat more…but that’s actually the body’s way of expelling heat. We are always producing heat and your ability to remain cool depends on how fast you can sweat off that excess warmth. This method is most effective at cooling down the skin, and peppers also have other benefits. You’ll feel more alert, experience better digestion, and use the calories you consume more effectively. As peppers have been identified as a cause of heartburn (which some women experience during pregnancy), it’s important to take it slow and know what spice level is comfortable for you. Adding a little bit of cayenne to cranberry lemonade combines the benefits of berries and hot peppers and wraps it up in a refreshing summertime package.

Of course, these aren’t the only cooling foods available to you. It’s easy to fantasize about consuming one ice cream bar after another in an attempt to stop the sweaty madness, but after the short term buzz you’re left with an inner cooling system that is less able to reliably do its work. Choosing a cooling snack that pairs something nutritious with the heat relief you’re seeking is an efficient way to make your life (and baby’s!) a little easier.

Recommended Reading:
Sources:


6 Ways to Cut Energy Costs This Summer

As the dog days of summer visit your area, it’s difficult to ignore the sizzling temperature in your indoor space. No one likes to be hot and sweaty, so it’s natural for homeowners to turn up their AC and let the cool air circulate through the home. While using your AC to maintain your indoor temperature will undoubtedly make you feel comfortable, the solution becomes less attractive when you receive your electric bill at the end of the month. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, Americans spend approximately $40 billion annually on air conditioning, which translates to the stunning figure of over 183 billion kilowatt-hours. However, keeping your home comfortable doesn’t need to cost you a bundle. Try these tricks to slash back your energy costs this summer while staying cool and happy.

1) Operate Your Thermostat Strategically

The first way to lower your utility bill is by keeping the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures minimal. Program your thermostat in such a way to reflect your daily routine so that it automatically turns off when you are gone. U.S. News & World Report has found just doing these two things can reduce your annual cooling bill by 30%.

2) Plant Tall Trees around the House

Reduce direct contact of solar heat with your roof by improving plantings around your home. Because most of the heat is transferred through the roof, you want to plant leafy, 15 to 20 feet trees to shade your home. If the shade also covers your air conditioner, your AC’s efficiency can be boosted up by approximately 10%, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

3) Quick, Easy Cooking

Cooking takes up heat and energy which can dramatically warm up your house. Turning on the oven heats up the rest of the house and forces your air conditioner to go into overdrive. Instead of using the oven or making a big fancy meal, consider using your outdoor grill. If you still need to make something indoors, a toaster oven or the stovetop are  better alternatives because they give off less heat than the oven.

4) Keep Your Cool Air Concentrated

It takes much more energy to cool down the entire house than it does to cool a specific area. During the peak heat, try to restrict your activity to certain areas in the house. Close the doors and the vents of any unused rooms to enjoy a cool indoor space without overworking your AC.

5) Dress up Your Windows

Stop the sun rays from penetrating your windows by using awnings, drapes, and other shades. Additionally, solar screens, or mesh-like window screens can intercept up to 70 percent of solar energy. Keep your windows tightly shut to prevent heat infiltration and cool air loss.

6) Use the Fans

Use your ceiling fans to circulate the cool air around the house. According to CheatSheet.com, “Fans use a lot less electricity than an air conditioner. If you strategically place your fans in your house, it can keep cool air circulating in the house, preventing your home from getting too warm.”



Five Easy Home Improvements To Make Your Home Green And Healthy

In an ongoing effort to “go green” and “save the planet,” people are looking for easy, affordable home improvement projects to make their homes greener, healthier, and sustainable.

Home Insulation

Before starting on any project to ensure energy efficiency, it’s wise to get started with an energy audit first. A professional inspection by a company or even one’s utility company will give homeowners a starting point to know where they are leaking valuable energy–and dollars. Starting prices for energy audits can free upward to $300.

Experts agree that approximately 50 percent of the homes in the United States have inadequate insulation, if at all. Why is this important? Simply put, a well-insulated home, whether in a room, an attic area, or a room above a garage, can prevent the transference of heat and help reduce a home’s energy needs.

It may help maintain some warmth during the winter and keep a room or section cooler during the summer. That being said, a thorough insulation job for ceilings, attic, and walls should be effective all year round.

Other energy-guzzling culprits are older windows and doors that have cracks in the frames. By simply filling the cracks, one’s interior temperature remains stable and is more affordable than replacing windows and having to possibly buy new frames.

Water Saving Improvements

The are various methods a homeowner can use to save on water consumption: tankless water heaters, energy-efficient toilets, water reducing filters throughout the home, and even recycling water from sinks, baths, and showers to water gardens and lawns.

While all the rage in many areas, tankless water heaters do cut water heating bills by up to 30 percent. However, this may not be the best route to go as the sudden surge in power that an energy on demand appliance generates may off-set any savings.

According to the EPA, a family of four saves roughly 20,000 gallons of water on an annual basis by simply replacing standard shower heads and faucet heads to low-flow faucets. Low-flow fixtures guarantee reduced water bills without sacrificing personal hygiene.

Much the same can be said for replacing your standard toilet with energy-saving one; however, there is an ongoing debate as to the effectiveness of said models to flush down waste with the first rush of water. Many times, a second flush is required.

Installing an HVAC System For Air Purification

There is nothing like using air conditioning for both air cooling and keeping the air pure and recycled. There are some expenses involved, such as checking air ducts for leaks that waste roughly 20 percent of the air traveling through them, making your system work harder.

Semi-annual maintenance routines will have to be scheduled; however, manufacturers and utility companies offer rebates on new installations that help make your purchase of equipment more affordable.

Programmable thermostats can save you up to 5-15 percent a year by simply setting them to a cooler temperature at night and setting a higher temperature during the day. That being said, if you set and reset a thermostat manually, there is no need to buy a digital thermostat that typically runs from $75 to $250.

Smarter Flooring

With some people subject to allergy problems and respiratory illnesses, a hard flooring such as linoleum, and not vinyl, may be the way to go. According to environmental experts, vinyl flooring is made from dioxin and phthalates that can be major causes of health issues; however, authentic linoleum is constituted from linseed oil and is a better option to vinyl covering.

Cork, bamboo, and recycled wood are other eco-friendly alternatives that are healthier choices than carpet.

Window Replacements

Besides providing your home with light, warmth and ventilation, windows have a great effect on your home’s energy efficiency. By replacing your old windows with energy efficient ones, you can significantly reduce energy consumption and lower your energy bills.

If your budget is tight, applying a reflective window film is a more affordable way to reduce energy costs. The film helps block heat gain by cutting sun glare and allowing rays to bounce off the window. Effectiveness depends on window size, orientation, climate, and insulation.

Home improvement and hardware stores carry DIY kits to help homeowners make the change without replacing the existing windows.

Conclusion

While not being totally free of expenses, by simply implementing the above-mentioned measures in one’s home, you can begin to quickly enjoy savings and a healthy, greener lifestyle. Not only this, but a possible return on investment(ROI) may be generated if you later sell your home.

Further Reading:
Recommended Reading:


Ebola Is Back in the News – Stats, Scares, and a Vaccine

Ebola is back in the news with an American who traveled to West Africa hospitalized in Birmingham, Alabama due to “Ebola-like symptoms.” The firefighters who helped him were placed under observation and his family was isolated with police. Two new cases were reported in Sierra Leone in an area where the disease outbreaks had stopped, and Merck’s Ebola vaccine, tested in New Guinea, “shows promising results.”

Ebola, formerly known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever, can cause disease in humans and other primates. It is a virus of the Filoviridae family and the Ebolavirus genus. Of the five virus species, four cause disease in humans, the fifth causes disease in non-human primates. Researchers believe infection originates from bats.

The disease is spread from direct contact of body fluids from a person infected with the disease or one who has died from the disease. There is also concern that men who have recovered from Ebola may spread the virus through semen.

On average, symptoms appear 8-10 days after exposure but can appear anywhere from 2-21 days. Symptoms include fever, severe headache, muscle pain, weakness, fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and bleeding or bruising.

Birmingham Possible Ebola Case – Not Ebola

Less than 12 hours after his hospitalization, patient test results (along with family members and rescue workers) were negative for Ebola.

The unidentified patient, who was on a watch due to his travels, alerted authorities when he began running a temperature. It is reported, however, that he was considered low risk because he had no known contact with Ebola patients while in Africa, nor did he engage in any high-risk activities.

Neighbors were told to stay in their homes while firefighters responded to the patient’s residence. The patient was moved while wearing a mask. The hospital ER was temporarily shut down while the patient was being received.

Firefighters

One report says four firefighters who responded to the call were quarantined in order to go through decontamination procedures. When completed, they were isolated at a firehouse.

Another report said additional rescue workers were under quarantine or observation.

Family Exposed

The two exposed family members were isolated in their home with police remaining on the scene until test results came back negative.

Neighborhood Quarantine

What at first appeared to be a neighborhood quarantine was lifted after the patient was transported. Everyone was told to remain in their homes while rescue workers they assessed the situation and transported the patient. The entire block had been closed to traffic, but the authorities opened up the street around 11 p.m.

Response

The response to this Ebola scare was both preemptive and well orchestrated. UAB Hospital and the patient were both monitoring the patient’s temperature twice a day and watching for Ebola-like symptoms due to the fact that the patient had visited an Ebola-stricken country. This standard protocol was followed with the patient self-reporting when he developed a fever.

The hospital reports that a large number of employees had been undergoing training for more than a year, preparing for such an event. Although it is reported that no firefighters came in direct contact with the patient, authorities erred on the side of caution with decontamination and isolation protocols.

Sierra Leone

After an Ebola death last week in the Tonkolili district, an area that had been free of Ebola for months, authorities quarantined 500 people. The two new cases of Ebola are family members of the man who died.

Ebola Vaccine

Initial results of Merck’s Ebola vaccine report 100% vaccine efficacy in trials, results so promising that the vaccine trials will be changed. Initially, two randomized groups were receiving the vaccine, one that receives the vaccine immediately after exposure and the other that received it 21 days after exposure. Due to the high fatality rate and the initial trial results, researchers are now administering vaccines upon initial exposure.

Current Statistics in Africa

According to current information from the CDC (August 4th, 2015), two countries continue to record widespread cases.

  • Guinea: 3,784 total cases (suspected, probable, and confirmed), 3,327 confirmed cases, 2,522 deaths. 
  • Sierra Leone: 13,406 total cases, 8,695 confirmed cases, 3,951 deaths.

The outbreak in Liberia appears to be under control with only 6 cases reported and confirmed since June 28th. The devastation left in its wake, however, is enormous.

  • Liberia reports 10, 672 total cases, 3,157 confirmed cases, 4,808 deaths.

Current Statistics in Other Countries 

  • Nigeria: 20 total cases, 19 confirmed, 8 deaths
  • Senegal: 1 case, confirmed, 0 deaths
  • Spain: 1 case, confirmed, 0 deaths
  • United States: 4 total cases, 4 confirmed, 1 death
  • Mali: 8 total cases, 7 confirmed, 6 deaths
  • United Kingdom: 1 case, confirmed, 0 deaths
  • Italy: 1 case, confirmed, 0 deaths

This totals 36 total cases, 34 confirmed, with 15 deaths.

Conclusion

We can only hope the reality of the threat is recognized and American children are not faced with another mandated vaccine.

Hospital and emergency worker protocols in place due to the fear of Ebola have provided necessary training for professional response in the event of any type of pandemic. The response to this situation is a far cry from the fumbling efforts with America’s first Ebola patients.

Sources: