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5 Reasons To Recycle

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Recycling is one of those activities that we’re taught at a very young age, but it somehow didn’t seem to catch on with a lot of people. Mostly due to convenience, many opt to simply throw items away without much regard for recycling. In fact, only about one in every three Americans actively recycles. That’s still a massive increase from the one out of 20 there were a half century ago, but it’s still not enough. Here are a few reasons why you should be helping to increase that number today.

5. It Saves You Money

There are some people that believe recycling their items is more expensive than simply throwing them in the trash, leading them to avoid recycling. However, when playing the long game, you’re saving yourself money by recycling. More recycling leads to more businesses saving money on materials and not having to increase costs. You can also make pocket change for yourself by recycling cans or papers. This is especially true in the state of Michigan where you get a $0.10 refund on a deposit per can or bottle that’s recycled.

4. Helps You Breathe Better

Naturally, to have better air quality, we need more trees since they take in carbon dioxide and then use it to release the oxygen that we breathe. In the past few decades, though, trees have been cut down left and right for the sake of paper and other material goods. Even though the newspaper isn’t the most popular form of media anymore, recycling all of the newspapers in the United States each year alone would help to save around a quarter billion trees.

3. For Your Health

The alternative to recycling is to simply discard anything and everything into the environment, and it can lead to some nasty side effects. This is especially true of toxic liquids that are being poured into bodies of water, and the entire community can feel its presence. With less water, land and air pollution, the amount of diseases in areas that recycle more are reduced drastically. Zurich, Switzerland was found to be the least polluted city in the world, and the life expectancy is 84 years, which is also among the tops in the world.

2. Job Creation

We’re all feeling the crunch in today’s economy, and a lot of people are currently left without jobs. It has been shown through studies, though, that recycling creates a lot of jobs, with over 750,000 in the United States alone. If people recycled at a ¾ rate in the country, then there would be more than 1 million new jobs created within the next decade. This amounts to almost 10 times the amount of jobs that are created by landfills, and billions of dollars would be put back into the economy.

1. Our Future Depends On It

Simply put, our atmosphere is heating up so fast due to global warming that experts are predicting that catastrophic events will continue to happen until it’s too late. If you want to set up the world for future generations, then you should be recycling immediately. This will help to cut down on greenhouse gasses and emissions as we cut down on new production. “Any time you use renewable resources, or secondary resources, there’s less carbon emitted than if you use primary sources,” says author Adam Minter.

5 Signs You’re Becoming A Tea Snob

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No matter what sort of thing that you get into, you can just as quickly turn into a snob on the subject. Sports, beer, movies, you name it. If it can be widely enjoyed, there’s always someone that might turn up their nose and try to prove that they know more about any given topic. When it comes to certain beverages, tea isn’t really one that’s considered to have a big population of “snobs,” at least not in the United States where we have coffee snobs. It’s more of a United Kingdom thing, but there are still plenty. You might be among them and not even know it, though! Here are some signs that you may be in the ranks of the tea snobs.

5. Scoffing at Coffee

One of the telltale signs that you’re a tea snob is by completely denouncing that coffee has its benefits in any capacity. You’ll tell people that there’s simply too much caffeine in coffee, that it’s too expensive, that it tastes so bad that it needs creamer and sugar just to be consumed, etc. That’s if you even go to a coffee shop to judge people, though. Most tea snobs will be disgusted by the sight of a place like Starbucks.

4. Flavors are for Noobs

When it comes to being a snob about anything, you always want to handicap yourself for some reason. Gamers always want to set the hardest difficulty and talk about the good old days when games weren’t so easy, and tea drinkers prefer to have zero added flavor to their tea. For snobs, it’s just them, boiled water and your average tea leaf. It doesn’t matter if they like it or not, they just want to be seen as purists.

3. Microwhats?

Some people like to make their tea in the microwave since it’s quick and easy. For the snobbiest of tea purists, though, you may as well be insulting their family members. You won’t catch a tea snob dead without their kettle since it hits just the right spot. What would they do without their kettles? Nobody wants to find out.

2. You Know the Spots

For your casual drinker, they have no problem settling down at a spot where tea is served as they just want the caffeine and the flavor. If you’re on the extra snobby side of things, though, you must have a particular spot where you get your tea. It doesn’t matter if it’s eight miles out of the way or even the best. That’s your spot and they know your name and order by heart. You even know the best places to go that aren’t even in your city as you know “that charming little spot in Des Moines, Iowa.”

1. You Display Your Teas

Finally, one way that you know you’ve converted to full tea snob-ism is when you have your own little museum of teas that you’ve collected. You might not plan on drinking any of them, but you don’t want to let the packaging go to waste. When this happens, you’re the tea world’s version of the person that collects vintage action figures and other toys. Will these teas be worth something one day? Like the Beanie Baby, we doubt it, but it at least it looks good.

5 Personal Development Principles To Help You Excel In Your Career

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There was once a time where you would go into the job market, get an entry level position with a company and then spend the rest of your working years with that company slowly moving up the ladder. Things are far different in today’s society, though, as people are bouncing from company to company thanks to advanced networking and new higher paying opportunities. You have to have a certain mindset to excel in your career to get those opportunities, and here are five personal development principles that will help you along the way.

5. You Have to Leave the Comfort Zone


Have you ever met someone that has been in the same job position for years and years, not wanting to leave because they’re comfortable? If they’re truly happy and don’t want to spend more hours at work, then that’s completely fine. If you’re someone that wants to excel and advance in your career, though, you can’t get stagnant. Don’t be afraid to leave your comfort zone. Try things that you normally wouldn’t do at work to get that experience and notoriety that will set you apart.

4. Failure Will Happen


While ideally we might think that the path to career success is a gradual hill, it’s more like a roller coaster at a county fair. There are going to be so many ups and downs in your professional life that it can leave you dizzy. Accept that failures are going to happen at various points in your life, and it will make things much easier to handle when they do happen. Remember that when one door closes, another door opens. Many have been distraught with what was a perceived failure in their careers that ended up being a blessing.

3. Be Present

Some of us tend to drift through life mentally, and our average work day is no exception. People can lose focus quickly and start daydreaming or simply stare off into space. To change this, you’ll want to be mentally present at all times when working. Observe where you are and what you’re doing. Remember to breathe and take in the moment while actively listening to what others are saying. People will notice right away if you’re present, and this will help your career more than you know.

2. Assess Your Time

Though it doesn’t have a price tag on it, time is the most valuable thing in your life. You don’t know how much of it you have on this Earth, so it’s important to use it wisely. Fairly often, you should assess how you’re spending your time. Do you spend too much of it procrastinating or not enough time getting rest? Try to break down your time to the best of your abilities and see where changes can be made. 

1. Seek Support

One problem that a lot of people have is that they don’t want to ask for help, and that’s not just with a career, that’s in any situation. Stubbornness in your career can end up being what’s holding you back from success. If you’re struggling with staying on task, keeping a schedule or really anything else, seek out support. Get advice from those that have been through similar situations to see how they handled things. Sometimes just hearing some small tidbits of advice can help you in the big picture.

5 Principles For Dealing With Change

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While it might be nice to know exactly what to expect from any given day, that’s not going to be the case in life. More often than you might think, life will throw you curveballs that you probably weren’t ready for. Whether it be a new or ending relationship, a change in your job status or moving to a new city, there are changes all around us that happen every day. It’s not easy to deal with these changes, but there are ways that you can make it easier. Here are five principles to live by when dealing with changes in your life.

5. Plan for Change

The best way to adapt to change is knowing that it’s going to come in the first place. Have a contingency plan in place to make things easier on yourself. Especially in today’s economy, you never know where your job might take you. Operations could move your job to a different city or terminate your position altogether. With that in mind, it’s best to have money saved while you search for another job. Also, accept that relationships, friendships and partnerships may not last forever. Accept that changes happen, hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

4. Focus on Your Health

Nothing can stress you out more quite like an unexpected change in your life. This is especially true if it’s regarding a career or relationship. During this time, it’s easy to let things slip in terms of your health. Changes can lead to depression, causing you to not take care of yourself. This results in a lack of sleep and exercise, poor eating and perhaps even substance abuse/addiction problems. Keep your physical and mental health at the forefront no matter what the change may be.

3. Keep Routines As Much As You Can

While one major aspect of your life can change in an instant, it’s important to keep the rest of your life in place surrounding that change. If you’re one of those people that takes an hour out of your day to read, exercise or another one of your favorite hobbies or activities, make sure that remains part of your life. One of the best ways of dealing with change is treating everything else in your life as business as usual.

2. Lean on People

Some changes are positive and you don’t need support from anyone, which is great! However, a lot of changes affect our lives negatively and we need to have a support system in place to keep us going. Look to friends, family members or trusted colleagues to get you through these times of change. These may end up being the people who prop you up enough to get back on your feet and back into the groove of things while you try to manage your new way of living.

1. Embrace the Positivity

With every door or window that closes, a new one opens up. This is the mindset that you should have with any form of negative change. When it comes to positive change, keep your mindset in the mood that got you to your new destination. Positivity is all around us, even in our darkest days. When you embrace that positivity, change is much easier to deal with and sometimes it’s even welcomed.

5 Ice Breakers For One On One And Group Situations

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Meeting new people in or out of the office can be hard, as you might not have a clue on what to say to them. A first impression is extremely important, and you want to make sure that it’s a good one. With that said, there are some icebreakers that you can use to make things much easier for all parties involved, whether you’re in a group or a one on one setting. Here are some of our favorites.

One on One

5. What is your favorite team building activity?

You may be fresh out of ideas for a fun group activity, so why not ask someone individually? You may find a game you’ve never heard of or an activity that truly gets everyone involved. 

4. What’s the last movie/TV show you watched?

There’s no easier ice breaker in the world than asking someone about their favorite shows or movies. For those of us going through adult life, it’s basically the biggest non-work or family related thing in our lives.

3. What is your favorite karaoke song?

You can tell a lot about somebody based on their music choices, but even more so when they tell you what song they aren’t afraid to belt out in front of a crowd. 

2. What is something you want to try for the very first time this year?

Whether it be sky-diving, leaving the country for the first time or any other adventurous topic, there’s something that everyone hasn’t tried for the first time. Get people to step out of their comfort zone just a little bit and ask them what they want to finally try and get motivated to do so.

1. What activity makes you forget what time it is?

Asking someone what their favorite hobby is usually results in an “umm,” but if you ask someone what makes them truly lose track of time, it’s a better way to phrase that question.

Group

5. What’s one thing nobody can beat you at?

Everyone has a hobby or interest, and some of those people are really, really good. Let people showcase their skills and promote some friendly and healthy competition to lighten the mood.

4. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

In a work setting, this question is one that always inspires a lot of conversation and soul searching. You’ll be able to get the background for many of your fellow employees and also get some great advice for yourself in the process.

3. What is your ultimate dream job?

While the go-to answer for a lot of people will be “the job I have right now,” make sure that they aren’t afraid to keep climbing that ladder. There could also be some great fits within the company that they might not have known about previously.

2. Are you a morning person or a night person?

Some people may be very sluggish in the morning and get things done. If you know everyone’s tendencies, you can understand more about their productivity and can make schedule adjustments if needed.

1. Where in the world do you want to visit the most?

Asking this question is fun, but could also help that person’s career. If you’re in a large company setting, there may be job opportunities in that place that they wanted to visit.

The Facts About Screen Time And Your Kids

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With every generation, we are becoming more dependent on electronics, it seems. It started with the television, then evolved into computers and handheld devices as time went on. Because of this, many are glued to their screens every day, and children are the most likely to spend the larger portions of their days with screen time. How is this affecting your children? Let’s take a look at some of the facts about screen time and what it means for your child’s life.

5. Social Problems

When your kids are spending too much time on social media, they’re much more likely to spend less time being social in real life and it affects your child’s behavior. Studies have shown that children who spend more time on their phones are more likely to feel lonely. “Parents should encourage kids to hang out with peers in person, as this is protective against loneliness and depression,” said study leader Dr. Jean Twenge of San Diego State University. “And is good for mental health and developing friendships.”

4. Academic Performance Suffers

When your children are locked onto their screens, it’s obvious that they’ll spend less time studying and focusing on schoolwork. Sure, technology can be a fantastic teaching tool, but kids are more likely to be playing video games, watching YouTube videos or hanging out on social media. Two to four hours per day is the sweet spot for academic success, actually. Studies showed that the worst grades came from those that had seven or more hours per day. The second highest grades came from those that spent 0-2 hours.

3. Lack of Sleep

Even as adults, we’ve all heard about how you should limit screen time leading up to when you’re going to sleep. This is true for children, as well, as parents should be limiting the amount of blue light that they’re getting in the two hours before bed. Screen time has been linked to the severity of insomnia, with people spending seven or more hours per day getting the least amount of sleep. It’s tempting to play on your phone or laptop in bed, but it should be very limited at nighttime.

2. Screen Time Linked to Obesity

Think about what you do when you’re eating. Typically, you’ll sit down and watch something on television or perhaps on YouTube. Your children are doing the same thing, and it actually affects them more. When children are watching video after video, they’re more likely to mindlessly munch on convenient foods. It’s not usually apples, unfortunately, as kids are prone to grabbing potato chips and other fattening snacks. Try to get your kids moving, which leads us to our last point.

1. Double the Outdoor Time

Studies have shown that these days, children are spending more than twice as much time on their screens than they are outdoors. “Until recently, children spent many hours every week on this sort of physical, imaginative, social play,” said education expert Sir Ken Robinson. “‘Real play’ like this is not only enjoyable; it is vitally important in young lives.” Kids need to be active, make friends and focus on their health overall, and getting outdoors is a great way of doing just that.

5 Crazy Facts About Tea

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People are absolutely crazy about their tea, and for good reason. Not only does tea taste great, but it’s also packed with health benefits. You probably know how much tea you drink on a regular basis and how much you’re spending on it, but there are some interesting facts about tea that you may not have known. Let’s take a glimpse into the world of tea and see what makes this drink tick.

5. The Price of Tea

The average cost of tea is about $0.25 to $0.40 per cup, which is one reason why it’s so popular. What if you wanted to go all out and spend some big bucks on tea, though? Among the most expensive teas in the world, you’ll find Tieguanyin, vintage Narcissus, PG Tips and Panda Dung Tea that range from $1,500 to $35,000 per pound. The most expensive tea, though, is Da Hong Pao, which goes back to the Ming Dynasty and is valued at $600,000 per pound.

4. Iced Iced Tea Leaves

Tea is great on its own, but there are many people that prefer the iced version of the drink. In fact, nearly 70 million Americans drink iced tea every single day, but where did it come from? The earliest known documentation of iced tea came from the 1820s, and became more popular in print during the 1860s and 70s. It wasn’t until the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, Missouri that iced tea really started to take off in the United States after being introduced by Richard Blechynden.

3. Inception of Tea

Tea is one of the oldest drinks in the world, and the origins of tea are somewhat documented if not left to legend. The most widely accepted origin of tea comes from 2,737 BC from Emperor Shennong of China. The legend reads that Shennong had a servant who was boiling drinking water when a tea leaf fell into the water and he enjoyed the taste. In terms of full documentation, tea goes back to around 2nd century BC with writings at the time saying that tea use went even further back.

2. Tea Types

When you think of how many types of tea there are, you probably consider the handful of main types such as oolong or green tea. While there are the primary types, there are many different subtypes, and the amount of them might be surprising. All in all, there are over 3,000 different types of tea in the world. Think of tea the same way you do peppers, with very specific types not being too well known.

1. British Consumption

In Great Britain, there’s an estimated 67.2 million people. How many cups of tea do you think that translates to in a day? 10 million? 20 million? Not even close. Every day, Brits consume 100 million cups of tea. It doesn’t matter what age someone is in Great Britain, everyone is seemingly drinking at least one cup each day. This translates to 36 billion cups of tea every year, with three quarters of Brits drinking tea regularly and only 12 percent saying that they never drink tea. 58 percent are drinking two cups or more.

5 Surprising Benefits of Drinking Tea

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Doctors around the world are getting on board with getting people to drink more tea on a regular basis, and it’s easy to see why. You probably know that tea is good for your overall health, but do you know exactly what it can do for you? Tea can help in more ways than you might think, and in every part of your body. Don’t believe us? Here are five surprising benefits that you get from ditching soda and making the switch to tea.

5. Save Yourself Money

Before we get into the health aspects of drinking tea, we first have to stress how much money it can save you compared to drinking soda. It’s estimated that the average household in the United States spends nearly $900 on soft drinks, with most of that coming from soda and a total of $65 billion from the country as a whole. Tea is a cheaper alternative as one pound of loose leaf tea can make nearly 200 cups.

4. Sleep Better

Getting a good night’s sleep is one of the best things that you can do for your body, but a majority of people aren’t getting enough. Many people might not think that tea is good for promoting sleep due to the natural caffeine that’s found within, but the amount that you’ll find isn’t as nearly as much as it is in sugary sodas or energy drinks. In fact, tea will help you sleep thanks to the theanine content that promotes relaxation and healthy brain function.

3. Weight Loss

There’s one reason why many people are putting their sugary sodas away for good and switching to regular glasses of tea. It’s not just the reduced cost, but also the reduced waistlines and reduced numbers on the scales. Green tea is a natural metabolism booster according to studies. In one major study in Taiwan, men who drank green tea every day burned up to 200 more calories daily than those that didn’t. It might not seem like a big difference, but over the course of a whole year it adds up.

2. A Healthier Smile

Many of us think that good oral health comes from avoiding too much sugar while brushing and flossing on a daily basis. On top of all of that, drinking tea regularly helps maintain your tooth and gum health. Certain types of tea (especially green and black tea) contain a healthy amount of fluoride, which has been shown to prevent decay. Harmful bacteria in your mouth can be eliminated with tea, with the British Dental Association saying that tea is “non-erosive” and a great alternative to other drinks.

1. Great for the Skin

Because of its antioxidants, tea is great for your skin thanks to the elimination of free radicals that can cause aging and even skin cancer. Those that drink green tea on a regular basis have been shown by studies to have lower skin cancer rates, but you don’t even have to drink tea to get the great skin benefits. Using a scrub that’s comprised of green tea leaves helps to eliminate blackheads and relieves oily skin. Even placing tea bags on your eyes can reduce aging and bags.

5 Countries Which Excel at Tea

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There aren’t many things that everyone around the world can agree upon, but one of those things is our love for tea. Whether you’re in a country where drinking tea several times a day is the norm or if it’s something that you sip once in a while, tea has a big presence in every country. There are certain countries where tea just means more, though. We’re not just talking about tea being a global export, though, as the countries we have in mind 

5. Morocco

Morocco’s tea is so good that the country’s official website has an entire page dedicated to the tradition of their tea making. For Moroccans, it is a tradition “that signifies hospitality and friendship, and is carried out with great care,” the country says. Tea preparation is a bit different in Morocco and is considered to be more sweet, as sugar is added to their tea in very liberal amounts. Moroccan tea is also mintier, packing a strong taste into every cup.

4. Turkey

Just like Morocco, the tourism board of Turkey is so dedicated to tea that they tell you exactly how to make their style of tea at home. This includes using lime-free water and a tea kettle for the right temperature and when you should drink your cup. Turkish tea is withered to around 50 percent water content during its production and there are a lot of different flavors. You’ll notice that Turkish tea isn’t the minty type, opting for a red color that tastes amazing. On average, Turks drink more tea than all but three countries worldwide.

3. India

India is one of the first countries that comes to mind to even the most casual tea drinker, since tea that comes from there is known as Chai tea. Chai tea is spicier than most types and is served piping hot. Of course, sugar and milk are added to the tea, giving it a nice blend of spice, sweet and temperature heat that’s consumed multiple times per day by most Indians. The tea that’s native to India is enjoyed around the world, and the climate makes it unique.

2. Sri Lanka

Just like India, its neighbor Sri Lanka has its own type of tea and has become one of the most popular types in the world. We’re talking about Ceylon tea, which was first introduced in the second half of the 19th century. Since then, people have been blown away by Sri Lankan tea, which has a brighter color with a taste that’s both bold and brisk with hints of chocolate and citrus. It’s a perfect tea for relaxation, and there are six regions in the small country that grow this amazing tea. 

1. China

You can’t talk about tea without bringing up the country that far and away has the richest history and the biggest global footprint, and that’s China. There are all types of tea grown in China due to the country’s size that allows for different climates, and this includes green, red and many more. There’s really no wrong Chinese tea that you can pick from the list as they all taste amazing and have more health benefits than you can shake a stick at.

How To Eat When You Have IBS

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If you’re someone that has experienced constant bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation or a slew of any other digestive ailments, you may be one of millions that suffers from irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS for short. It’s estimated that about 10 to 15 percent of people in the United States have IBS, with a maximum of 45 percent of people around the world. It can be debilitating at its most severe, so you have to be very careful about what you eat or drink if you’ve been diagnosed because there is currently no known cure.

Thankfully, IBS is not known to be a disease that will affect your lifespan, but it can negatively affect your quality of life. Depending on what your symptoms are with IBS, there are some different foods that you should try. Let’s take a closer look at which ones work the best.

Diarrhea

For those that constantly get diarrhea that’s brought on by IBS, it’s likely that you’re getting too much fiber in your diet. You may also be lactose intolerant, eating too many fatty foods or chugging carbonated drinks that include alcohol. Try to control your portions so that you’re eating smaller meals throughout the day and stick to whole grains and dried fruits. There’s also a matter of temperature balance, trying to keep both your beverages and food around the same temperature if you’re eating and drinking at the same time.

Constipation

People that suffer from the constipation side of IBS are more prone to be eating processed foods regularly and refined grains instead of whole grains. Unlike those with diarrhea, you should be focusing on increasing your daily fiber intake. Drinking more water is always a good thing, and try to add some prune juice, as well. Similarly to diarrhea sufferers, though, dried fruit will go a long way in helping you maintain comfortable regularity. 

Other Tips

You don’t want to go without eating a proper amount of protein in your diet, so make sure that you’re adding the recommended amount. To do this, try to stick to leaner meats such as chicken and turkey and be mindful of how you’re preparing these meals. Baking, roasting or air frying will help relieve your IBS symptoms no matter what they are.

While they do have overall health benefits, people with IBS want to be careful with how often they’re eating vegetables that can cause gas. The obvious one on the list is legumes (beans), but there are other ones such as broccoli, brussels sprouts and chickpeas. This can cause severe abdominal pain if you’re eating these foods too often.

At this point, you can probably guess that a diet that’s filled with alcohol and fried foods won’t be good for your digestive system, and you’d be right. Try to limit these as much as possible, and cutting them out completely is suggested even if it doesn’t sound fun. Lastly, check with your doctor to make sure that you don’t have celiac disease or lactose intolerance, as many people confuse IBS with gluten intolerance. Your doctor can also provide a diet that you can stick to and enjoy a happy and healthy life.