Sunday, March 27, 2016 | The Newnan Times-Herald — 1D
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Earth Day is great teaching opportunity for parents Earth Day has been around for more t h a n 4 0 yea rs , and during that time, it has inspired millions of people to increase their awareness of, and their appreciation for, the environment. Since the dawn of the twenty-first century, people increasingly have adopted eco-friendly lifestyles and attitudes, and the continued embrace of environmentally friendly practices and principles has made the struggles of Earth Day pioneers, like former United States Senator Gaylord Nelson, more than worth it. Nowadays, children grow up learning about the environment in school and at home. For example, many households participate in their community’s recycling programs, and such households are raising eco-conscious children, perhaps without even recognizing they’re doing so.
require. In addition, encourage kids to turn the lights off when they leave a room to better conserve energy.
W hile a tra nsition to a more eco-conscious lifestyle might not be seamless, it’s far easier than many might suspect and even easier for kids who have yet to develop a lifetime of habits that might not be so eco-friendly. With Earth Day on the horizon, the following are a few ways parents can get their kids involved in activities or lifestyles that benefit the environment.
kids. Shopping locally provides another opportunity for parents to involve food when teaching kids about the environment. Explain to kids that shopping locally reduces reliance on fuel because products don’t need to be shipped, be it through the air or on the ground, to your commu n it y, m i n i m i zi ng f uel consumption.
Address Eating Habits O ve r t h e l a s t s e ve r a l years, the opportunities to eat in an eco-friendly manner have increased dramatically. Organic foods have grown more and more popular, and parents can use this growing trend to teach their kids about the environment. When shopping for groceries, choose organic products that weren’t grown with pesticides or harmful chemicals and explain this difference to
Teach Conservation Con ser vat ion prov ide s another easy opportunity for parents to instill eco-friendly ideals in their children. Conservation is about reducing waste, so conservation techniques don’t involve sacrifice. Instead, they involve being more responsible when it comes to using our resources. Pa rents k now f u l l wel l the constant reminders kids need when it comes to dental hygiene. But use these
P urchase Recycled Products Recycling is a practice that many of today’s kids grew up with, and as a result, many of them might take it for granted, failing to fully realize the positive impact they’re making whenever they recycle. If recycling is as natural to kids as breathing, then it’s no surprise they might not recognize its impact. One way pa rents ca n address this issue is to purchase products made from recycled materials. A host d a i l y r e m i n d e r s a b o u t of products are made from brushing and flossing as an opportunity to impart a lesson about the environment. Instead of keeping the faucet running while brushing Though Earth Day is your teeth, turn the faucet off sy nony mous w it h proand encourage kids to do the tecting the environment, the holiday can trace its same. When they ask why, roots to an environmenexplain that this helps contal disaster that occurred serve water, and show them in Southern California in how it’s just as easy and effec1969. Over a 10-day period tive to clean teeth without the that began on January 28, water running as it is when 1969 just six miles off the the faucet is on. This teaches coast of Santa Barbara, Calif., roughly 80,000 to kids that conservation is sim100,000 barrels of crude ple and often just requires oil spilled into the Santa minimal effort to make a big Barbara Channel and onto difference. the beaches of Santa BarThere are additional lesbara County. Thousands of son s about con ser vat ion birds and marine animals, that parents can impart. For including dolphins, elephant seals and sea lions, instance, when grocery shopwere killed as a result of ping, always make a list before the spill, which at the time leaving the house and explain was the largest such spill to kids that you do this so you to ever occur in United don’t have to make two trips States waters (it is now the to the store and waste the gas third-largest spill after the that the second trip would
recycled materials, from the paper you put in the printer to the toys under the tree on Christmas morning. Explain to kids why you’re choosing these products, and let them know such products wouldn’t be possible without their own recycling efforts. Another way to help kids realize the value of recycling is to make crafts from recycled products. For instance, make a papier mache globe to celebrate Earth Day by using old newspapers as your primary material. Such lessons show kids their efforts make an impact and increase the likelihood they’ll continue this eco-friendly lifestyle well into adulthood.
Did you know? Deepwater Horizon spill in 2010 and the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill). Though devastating, the Santa Barbara oil spill proved inspiring to Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, who is today considered the founder of Earth Day. Senator Nelson used the sense of social consciousness that prevailed throughout much of the United States in 1969 and the outrage at the Santa Barbara oil spill to infuse energy into a growing movement to raise awareness about air and water pollution. His risk paid off, as more than 20 million Americans took to the streets on April, 22, 1970 to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment.
Play it safe on prom night
Natural ways to beat seasonal allergies T he a r r iva l of wa r mer weather changes the landscape completely. Animals come out of hiding and hibernation while trees and flowers bloom anew. The spring season can be an exciting time for naturalists and lovers of the great outdoors because they can immerse themselves in the sights, sounds and smells of nature. But for many people, spring also marks the start of allergy season and spending time outdoors can become downright uncomfortable for them. The American College of
Prom is a memorable and enjoyable event for high school students. A chance for teenagers to insert some glamour into their lives, p r o m a l s o p r ov i d e s a n opportunity to make lasting memories with friends before high school ends and college begins. While prom should be fun, that revelry should not come at the expense of safety. Prom night is most enjoyable when it is safe and memorable for all the right reasons, and teens and parents
can take the following steps to know where their kids to ensure prom night goes will be before, during and after the prom. In addition safely. • At te nd pr om w it h to establishing an itinerary, trusted friends. Plan to accept curfews established by parents and make sure arrive to and depart from the mobile phones are turned on party together. Each friend to accept calls from parents should do their best to look who may need reassurance. out for each member of their Choose activities that do not group’s well-being. involve drinking or irrespon• Establish an itinerary. sible behavior. Once prom Teens should work with their has ended, enjoy a movie friends to plan an itinerary together as a group or play a for prom night and share round of mini golf. Or go for that itinerary with parents and guardians who will want PROM, page 3D
Make prom night a safe and fun memorable event.
How to lower blood-sugar levels without medication
Allergy, Asthma & Immunology says nasal allergies affect approximately 50 million people in the United States. Allergic diseases, including asthma, are the fifth most prevalent chronic diseases among people of all ages and the third most common in children. Allergic rhinitis, or hay fever, can occur in spring, summer and/or early fall. People who experience hay fever often can attribute their symptoms to sensitivity to pollens from trees, grasses,
Diabetes is a disorder in which the body cannot properly store and use the energy found in food. To be more specific, diabetes compromises the body’s ability to use glucose. According to MediLexicon International, type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the body wrongly identif ies and then attacks pancreatic cells, which causes little to no insulin production. Those with
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type 1 diabetes usually must rely on insulin shots to remain healthy. Ty p e 2 d i a b e t e s involves insulin resistance or insufficient insulin production and is the more common form of diabetes. The pancreas may still produce insulin, but not enough to meet the demands of the body. Insulin resistance occurs in some cases because a consistent high blood-glucose level causes cells to
be overexposed to insulin and then makes cells less responsive or immune to its effects. D i a b e te s t re at ment can include a combination of strategies, including the following nondrug remedies. • Diet: Diabetics can work with their doctors and nutritionists to come up with a diet that will be
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Spring Sinus Allerg y and Asthma Relief Eugene S. Hurwitz, M.D. • John Vickery, M.D. • Diane O`Connor, FNP-BC 37 Calumet Pkwy., Bldg. F, Ste. 201 1975 Hwy. 54 W., Ste. 255 NEWNAN, GA •
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