Monday, August 19, 2013

Make your own non-toxic sunscreen

Can you find a non-toxic sunscreen at your conventional pharmacy, department store or grocery retailer? Probably not as most of the commercialized versions are filled with toxic additives and preservatives. Even children’s sunscreens contain many dangerous chemicals. Here is an excellent recipe for a non-toxic sunscreen that contains natural ingredients and will keep your skin healthy and glowing while protecting you from the sun just long enough so you won’t burn with moderate sun exposure.
New York Times Best selling author, Sophie Uliano of Gorgeously Green and her new book DO IT GORGEOUSLY, shows you how to make your own non toxic sunscreen in less than 4 minutes.
NOTE: Please omit zinc oxide from the recipe to make a truly natural and toxic free version of this sunscreen, especially during preparation. Zinc oxide can affect the lungs and reproductive system if inhaled. Replace the zinc oxide with 1 tablespoon of avocado oil which helps increase the sun protection factor (SPF).
Recipe: (SPF 6-8)
2 tablespoon Virgin Coconut Oil
1 tablespoon Shea Butter
1 tablespoon Avocado Oil
1/2 teaspoon Sesame Oil
1/2 teaspoon Aloe Vera Gel
Keep in mind that this recipe will not allow you to stay in the sun for hours without burning, even if you have darker skin. If you have pale skin and are prone to burning in very short periods, this recipe will only modestly protect you when UV rays are at their highest strength. Intermittent periods spent in the shade are highly recommended to balance the UV dose you receive.

Read more at http://www.realfarmacy.com/how-to-make-your-own-non-toxic-sunscreen/#pWaYwtRRh0m21WCQ.99 

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Frozen Mojitos Recipe

http://lifemadedelicious.ca/en/recipes/f/frozen-mojitos

With this drink mix in the freezer, you are ready hours before the party or ready to serve drop-in guests a refreshing beverage.



.Frozen Mojitos


Ingredients:
3 cups (750 mL) water
1 cup (250 mL) sugar
3/4 cup (175 mL) fresh lime juice (from about 5 limes)
3/4 cup (175 mL) light rum
1/2 cup (125 mL) lightly packed fresh mint leaves
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) ginger ale

Method:
  • In 1 1/2-quart saucepan, heat water and sugar over medium heat about 2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
  • In 8-cup blender, place sugar, water, lime juice, rum and mint leaves (if smaller blender, do in batches). Cover; blend on high speed about 20 seconds or until mint is finely chopped.
  • Pour mixture into 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish. Freeze 4 to 6 hours, using fork to break apart ice crystals every 2 hours.
  • To serve, spoon 1/2 cup mixture into each glass; pour 1/4 cup ginger ale over each. Stir. If desired, garnish with mint sprigs.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Caution Residents on Handling Raccoons and Other Wildlife

City & Country Pest Control, Toronto’s Leading Pest Control and Wildlife Removal Company, Cautions Residents on Handling Raccoons and Other Wildlife

(www.cityandcountrypestcontrol.com), the leader in residential, industrial, and commercial pest eradication and humane wildlife and bird removal, cautions residents of the Greater Toronto Area about handling raccoons and other wildlife.



“While there is no official count, the Ministry of Natural Resources estimates there are as many as 100 raccoons per square kilometre in Toronto. At roughly 641 square kilometres, that translates into 641,000 raccoons,” says Horacio Parreira, owner of City & Country Pest Control. “It should be no surprise to learn that Toronto has also been dubbed the unofficial raccoon capital of the world. And summertime is their active season.” (Sources: thegridto.com, “Midnight Marauders,” June 12, 2013; http://www.thegridto.com/city/local-news/midnight-marauders/; cbc.ca, “Raccoon Nation,” April 21, 2013; http://www.cbc.ca/documentaries/natureofthings/2011/raccoonnation/.)

While many residents in the Greater Toronto Area may see raccoons as pests and want to get rid of them, due to Ministry of Natural Resource guidelines and the fact they can be quite unpredictable, aggressive, and carry rabies, removal should be left to trained pest control professionals.
Raccoons may have adapted well to city life in Toronto, but that doesn’t mean people can take matters into their own hands, says Horacio. In fact, doing so could lead to fines and charges: earlier this spring, a Toronto man pled guilty to a charge of cruelty to animals for hitting several raccoons with a shovel. After 19 court appearances before the Crown, he was given a conditional discharge that included 100 hours of community service at a humane society shelter. He also had to pay $1,365 to a local wildlife centre, where one of the raccoons he hit was treated for a broken leg. (Source: thestar.com, article, “Man who attacked raccoons with a shovel pleads guilty,” March 12, 2013;
 http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/2013/03/12/man_who_attacked_raccoons_with_shovel_pleads_guilty_to_animal_cruelty.html.)
“When it comes to animals we consider pests, it’s important to remember that it’s illegal to fire a gun in Toronto. And any form of lethal force must be humane,” Horacio adds. Ministry of Natural Resources guidelines state that using body gripping traps can result in provincial charges with fines up to $5,000, and placing poison out to kill animals can result in criminal charges.” (Toronto, “Wildlife in the city: Raccoons,” http://www.toronto.ca/animal_services/raccoon.htm, last accessed July 31, 2013.)

The experts at City & Country Pest Control recommend proactive measures, including not feeding raccoons, trimming back trees located close to houses, using metal or durable plastic trash contains, and manicuring property to eliminate debris and shelter. But while these methods can help keep raccoons at bay, they might not keep them away entirely.

“When it comes to raccoons, the two most important components are removal and keeping them from returning,” Horacio concludes. “At City & Country Pest Control, we humanely solve raccoon and wildlife problems in the Greater Toronto Area and animal-proof your home or business.”

Fully licensed by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and fully insured, City & Country Pest Control has been successfully providing pest eradication and humane animal and bird removal for residential, commercial, and industrial clients since 1989. Serving clients in the GTA, Golden Horseshoe, Southwestern Ontario, and all of Durham region, City & Country Pest Control prides itself on its quality work, personalized customer care, effective and proactive pest control programs, and exceeding its customers’ highest expectations. For more information on City & Country Pest Control, visit the company’s web site at www.CityandCountryPestControl.com, contact them by e-mail at sales@cityandcountrypestcontrol.com, or call (905) 455-1102.

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

VELUX Introduces New Flat Roof Skylights in Canada

Increased natural daylight now available to any flat roof building thanks to innovative technology
 – The world’s leading skylight and Sun Tunnel provider has introduced a highly efficient solution that will bring more natural daylight through a flat roof than ever before. VELUX, has developed an energy efficient glass roof window combined with a protective curved cover that sheds precipitation so that the skylight can be installed flat – with no slope required.

The latest innovation from Europe now brings Canadians the chance to transform dim rooms into bright and inviting spaces with a skylight or Sun Tunnel. Now flat roof homes, workplaces and businesses can install a solution that will provide up to two times as much natural daylight as a typical vertical window.   Studies show that the effects of good lighting are responsible for an 8 per cent increase in productivity, 16 per cent improvement in task performance and a 52 per cent reduction of accident rates in the workplace.
 “Whether you are looking to install a flat roof Sun Tunnel, a fixed curb mounted skylight or even a flat roof exit - which provides access to your flat roof and lets natural light and fresh air in - VELUX offers great options to property owners,” says Russell Ibbotson, Building Industry Consultant at VELUX Canada. “The double glazed window with protective polycarbonate cover doesn’t require a sloped surface for installation like a traditional skylight would and has excellent sound insulation from rain and hail.”
With a range of options for flat roofs – all designed to keep heat loss to a minimum – VELUX skylights will help Canadians make the most of an increase in natural daylight, which has many proven positive effects on overall health and well-being.

For more than 70 years VELUX has brought innovation and artful-design to builders, architects, merchants and consumers seeking natural light in their homes. Renowned for the No Leak Skylight™, VELUX is the market leader in the manufacturing of skylights, Sun Tunnels® and roof windows complemented by a complete range of blinds, electronic accessories and flashings. 
 For more details, visit www.VELUX.ca

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Modern technology has brought us many benefits, including mosquito traps that cost hundreds of dollars, but sometimes we overlook simple solutions to difficult challenges such as mosquito control.




 When it comes to controlling pests, research tends to focus on chemicals or concepts that can be patented. Unless someone can make a profit from an idea, the public may never become aware of it.