Tag Archives: colors

How to Read Water – Tristan Gooley

by Myrna Posted on March 23, 2018

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How to Read Water

Clues and Patterns from Puddles to the Sea

Tristan Gooley

Genre: Nature

Price: $9.99

Publish Date: September 11, 2016

Publisher: The Experiment

Seller: Workman Publishing Co., Inc.


A New York Times Bestseller A Forbes Top 10 Conservation and Environment Book of 2016 Read the sea like a Viking and interpret ponds like a Polynesian—with a little help from the “natural navigator”!   In his eye-opening books The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs and The Natural Navigator , Tristan Gooley helped readers reconnect with nature by finding direction from the trees, stars, clouds, and more. Now, he turns his attention to our most abundant—yet perhaps least understood—resource.   Distilled from his far-flung adventures—sailing solo across the Atlantic, navigating with Omani tribespeople, canoeing in Borneo, and walking in his own backyard—Gooley shares hundreds of techniques in How to Read Water . Readers will:  Find north using puddlesForecast the weather from wavesDecode the colors of pondsSpot dangerous water in the darkDecipher wave patterns on beaches, and more!

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How to Read Water – Tristan Gooley

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Reactions – Theodore Gray

by Myrna Posted on December 28, 2017

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Reactions

An Illustrated Exploration of Elements, Molecules, and Change in the Universe

Theodore Gray

Genre: Chemistry

Price: $2.99

Publish Date: November 7, 2017

Publisher: Hachette Books

Seller: Hachette Digital, Inc.


The long-awaited third installment in Theodore Gray's iconic "Elements" trilogy. The first two titles, Elements and Molecules , have sold more than 1.5 million copies worldwide. With Reactions bestselling author Theodore Gray continues the journey through our molecular and chemical world that began with the tour de force The Elements and continued with Molecules . In The Elements, Gray gave us a never-before-seen, mesmerizing photographic view of the 118 elements in the periodic table. In Molecules , with the same phenomenal photographic acumen, plus beautifully rendered computer generated graphics, he showed us how the elements combine to form the content that makes up our universe, from table salt to oxygen to the panoply of colors and smells that surround us. At last, we've reached Reactions, in which Gray once again puts his photography and storytelling to work demonstrating how molecules interact in ways that are essential to our very existence. The book begins with a brief recap of elements and molecules and then goes on to explain important concepts the characterize a chemical reaction, including Energy, Entropy, and Time. It is then organized by type of reaction including chapters such as "Fantastic Reactions and Where to Find Them," "On the Origin of Light and Color," "The Boring Chapter," in which we learn about reactions such as paint drying, grass growing, and water boiling, and "The Need for Speed," including topics such as weather, ignition, and fire.

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Reactions – Theodore Gray

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Green Your Tailgating, No Matter Your School’s Colors

by ClaritaINAJ Posted on September 6, 2017

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What happens when you get 92,000 people together in one place on a Saturday before a football game? Tailgating is one of the most fun parts of watching a football game (both college and pro), but it isn’t one of the most environmentally friendly. Have you ever seen what those parking lots and lawns look like after a game?

Image source

Even when trashcans are provided, trash is littered everywhere. The residents, cities and schools end up spending lots of time trying to clean up the trash from the event. Even with recycling programs in place, all the recyclables never seem to end up in the right collection bin.

However, there are some practical ways that fans can green their tailgating and still have fun. Ready to find out how? Green 32, green 32 … set … hike.

1. Reusable plates, utensils and cups

Even the red Solo cup has a reusable cousin. Recycled plastic plates, reusable utensils and cloth napkins can be used for tailgating, and you can save them and use them again at the next game. These products are more durable than the traditional disposable products and can be tossed in the dishwasher when you get home.

2. Recycle at home

Keep a bag or box in your tailgate area and take your empty cans and bottles home to recycle, or drop them off on your way out of town at the local recycle center.

3. Low-waste or zero-waste food

Avoid individually packaged foods, buy in bulk and bring fresh food whenever possible. This will cut down on the amount of waste that you have to dispose of at the end of the day. Food scraps can be composted; just toss them in a bag to take home and compost.

4. Take an extra trash bag and share with a neighbor

Perhaps a neighboring fan forgot to bring their own trash bag. By sharing, you are helping keep the area clean. Before you leave for the day, perhaps you could pick up just a few pieces of trash from the surrounding area for any fans who may not be as tidy (or may be too intoxicated to realize what they’ve done).

5. Leave only footprints, take only memories

It’s a pretty easy concept, really — take everything you brought with you. Don’t leave any games, broken chairs, tables or trash behind. When thinking about souvenirs for the day, consider the items carefully and make sure they are durable.

It amazes me just how bad these parking lots and lawns can look after a game. We all know better, so let’s enjoy the football season sustainably.

What “green” tailgating tips do you have to share? Leave them in the comments.

Feature image courtesy of Daniel X. O’Neil

About
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Calley Pate

A self-described eco-junkie, Calley Pate is the owner and editor of

The Eco Chic

blog covering eco-friendly living, cloth diapers, parenting, photography, and life in general. Her passion growing up was the arts and the ocean. After working as an environmental contractor, Calley took the leap into blogging full time in 2011.Calley is also Marketing & Social Media Manager for Kelly’s Closet cloth diaper retailer.

Latest posts by Calley Pate (see all)

Green Your Tailgating, No Matter Your School’s Colors – September 6, 2017
9 Eco-Friendly, Upcycled Thanksgiving Decoration Ideas – November 20, 2015
The Upcycled Office Space – November 9, 2015

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The Science of What to Feed Your Kids

by anunturigratuiteonlinebucuresti Posted on September 9, 2016

Mother Jones

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Bite is Mother Jones‘ new food politics podcast. Listen to all our episodes here, or by subscribing in iTunes or Stitcher or via RSS.

Almost eight months into my parenting adventure, I’ve developed a tolerance for dirty diapers, sleepless nights, and countless rounds of “Itsy Bitsy Spider.” Here’s what I still can’t stomach: the mommy blogosphere clickbait slideshows that keep appearing on my Facebook feed. I’ve been treated to no shortage of grammatically and factually wanting roundups of foods my kid (and I) should “never” eat. So junky are these pieces that I refuse to dignify them with a link.

So imagine my delight when Bite co-host Maddie Oatman and I interviewed a pair of parenting experts whose opinions on kids’ food is backed up by actual science. How refreshing! Journalists Tara Haelle and Emily Willingham, are the authors of The Informed Parent: A Science-Based Resource for Your First Four Years. The book covers many of the most controversial aspects of child-rearing, from sleep training to spanking, but we at Bite, of course, were interested in food. Below are Haelle and Willingham’s thoughts on a few hot topics.

On drinking the occasional glass of wine during pregnancy: “We will never know precisely how much alcohol may or may not affect a particular embryo or fetus because there are genetic markers that will determine that, and you won’t know in advance what your embryo or fetus’ genetic makeup is or which genes are flipped on or off in certain ways. It will also depend on your own metabolism.

However, I will say in the in vitro studies, where you’re looking at the impact of alcohol on embryos in petri dishes, where you see what alcohol does to those developing cells and then you imagine that any alcohol you consume goes straight through the placenta to the fetus—there’s no barrier there—it could be diluted to the point where it doesn’t have any affect, or it could be right at the moment where this crucial group of cells is turning into this other crucial group of cells, and we don’t have any way of knowing that. At the same time, I would say that women who have had several drinks and then find out they’re pregnant should not freak out, because the odds are still in their favor that there are not going to be any serious issues.

But I think we need to avoid the complacency of saying, ‘Oh a few drinks here, a few drinks there, no big deal’…There is no good evidence that even a small amount of alcohol is okay, and there is adequate in vitro evidence to suggest that even small amounts could have adverse effects, and it’s not possible to know how or when those effects will occur.”—Tara Haelle

On eating your baby’s placenta because of its supposed health benefits: “Right now, we can say, if you want to eat your placenta, be safe about it. Follow food-handling guidelines. But don’t expect that it’s going to have anything more than a placebo effect. The one thing I will say that’s very serious: If you are trying to eat your placenta or take placenta pills to ward off postpartum depression, the risk in that is that you might not notice when you are experiencing postpartum symptoms that need to be addressed. Beyond that, we can’t say it does or doesn’t help you.”—Tara Haelle

On whether it’s worth it to shell out for organics for your kid: “In my opinion, no. It’s kind of a luxury that lacks a solid evidence base. The science seems to come down on the really important factor: to make sure that they get foods that are high in nutrients that children need. And whether they’re conventionally or organically grown doesn’t seem to affect the nutrient profile in any way that’s significant. I think it places pressure on parents to spend more than they have, and it’s more important to focus on a variety of colors and a variety of foods that are fresh and as little processed as possible than whether they are conventionally or organically grown.”—Emily Willingham

Hear more fascinating facts—how what you eat during pregnancy can shape your kids’ tastes, the link between screen time and obesity, how long to breastfeed—in the full episode.

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The Science of What to Feed Your Kids

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Rainbow satellite image shows Antarctica’s ice fleeing into the ocean

by SueStilwell9 Posted on May 11, 2016

Rainbow satellite image shows Antarctica’s ice fleeing into the ocean

By on May 11, 2016Share

Hello, Antarctica, you’re looking more colorful than ever! But wait — you’re ice, and colorful ice seems bad.

European Space Agency

It is. The colors on this satellite image from the European Space Agency (ESA) correspond to the speed at which Antarctica’s ice is shifting. The warmer the color, the faster that ice is breaking off and floating away. Red indicates movement of up to three feet per day, whereas blue indicates about an inch per day.

Thanks to the pull of our old friend gravity, ice sheets are constantly in motion. But warmer ice is weaker, and weaker ice moves faster. Take a look at the peninsula’s coasts, where higher temperatures have increased melt and sped up glacial movement, causing ice to slip into the sea.

Looks like we’ve got an Antarctica on the rocks. (That sounds like a pretty good drink, actually.)

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My Experience With a Menstrual Cup

by TheronAngel7 Posted on January 23, 2016

There is a product on the market right now that holds twice as much menstrual fluid (blood) than a tampon. That same product has little to no risk of health risks such as toxic shock syndrome. Its true, menstrual cups are slowly gaining traction as a viable alternative to menstruation care. In addition, using tampons and pads each month can be both expensive, wasteful, and in many cases are tested on animals. If youre looking to break out of the usual menstrual routine, there might be a perfect product for youthe menstrual cup.

What is a menstrual cup?


Credit:WikiCommons/Menstrual Cup

Menstrual cups are small devices made from soft medical grade silicone and similar safe materials such as latex. It does exactly what the name says, it is a cup for menstrual blood. The cups come in a large variety of colors, shapes, and sizes.

There are some extremely informative instructional videos I highly suggest watching before making any type of decision about a menstrual cup. Knowing about your body and vagina is the first step when thinking about purchasing a menstrual cup. Is your flow light, medium, heavy, or a combination of all of these? Do you have a long or short vagina? Where does your cervix sit? All of these questions will affect whether or not you want to try a menstrual cup and exactly which cup will be the right fit for your body and your lifestyle.

How does it work?

The soft cup can be folded in a few different ways and is then inserted into the vagina. It should work the same as a tampon and feels just the same. Because the cup collects fluid and doesnt absorb it, it doesnt need to be changed nearly as often. Most cups hold about 1 ounce, but some can hold a little bit more. Just to give you an idea, that is about twice as much as a regular flow tampon.

I have been using a fold in which I push one side of the cup down into itself to create a smaller applicator. This seems to work better for me than the U fold in which the cup is simply folded in half. However, it just takes some practice. I may end up switching folds later on once I have a little more experience.

I personally havent had too much trouble getting the cup inserted. However, I have definitely found that I unknowingly tense my muscles a bit, which can definitely give some resistance. So, just remaining calm and relaxed is definitely the key. Another tip I’ve heard is to find some unscented water-based lubricant to help with insertion. Of course, this is not mandatory, but if you’re having trouble with insertion, this might be a good option for you.


“How to use a menstrual cup” by User:QOC2011, http://menstrualcup.co via Wikimedia Commons

Once the cup has been inserted it will open on its own, but every so often it may need a tiny bit of help. It’s suggested to run your finger along the outside of the cup in order to make sure the seal has formed. Other cups also say rotating the cup one full rotation (360 degrees) after it has been inserted will allow any corners to fully open and create a proper seal. This way the user wont experience any leaks while using the cup.

Menstrual cups can be worn for up to 12 hours straight, but can be removed and inserted as many times as needed. When it’s time to remove the cup, pinch at both sides tightly in order to break the seal inside of the vagina and slowly pull out the cup. The fluid can be dumped right into a toilet and flushed. Then rinse out the inside of the cup thoroughly and it’s ready for another insertion. At the end of every day of use the cup should be washed well with unscented soap and either left to dry or patted dry with a cloth. Most cups come with a small cloth carrying pouch for discreet storage as well.

Are there any health risks?

As with any product that is inserted into the vagina, there are some small risks involved. If the item is not cleaned properly, an infection could develop. So, making sure the hands are clean before touching, inserting or removing the cup is an absolute necessity. The cup should always be cleaned thoroughly at the end of every day of use and be allowed to fully dry.

“Rubycup4” by Ruby Cup – www.ruby-cup.comvia Wikimedia Commons.

Studies have shown that using the cup does not increase risks of infections such as yeast infections. Whats more, because the cup does not absorb vaginal fluids or menstruation, it does not disturb the natural pH balance and healthy bacteria that naturally clean the vagina.

The cup can be safely worn for up to 12 hours, which is a huge advantage to tampons or pads. Not only for the sake of having to worry about leaks, but also for the possibility of toxic shock syndrome, which occurs when bacteria (the staphylococcus aureus or streptococcus bacterium) enters the body and produces a deadly toxin. Toxic shock syndrome has been linked to tampon use because of the fact that tampons can harbor bacteria when inserted into the vagina and can become a breeding ground for harmful infections. Toxic shock syndrome is very rare and is usually found in usage of super absorbent tampons, but is still a risk nonetheless.

My conclusions/advice about menstrual cup use.

Pros:

Saves money each month.
Creates no waste. So the cup is better for the environment!
Can be worn for long periods of time (up to 12 hours).
Feels no different than a tampon. I cant feel mine at all.
Lowers risk for bacterial infections.
I have had no leakage issues.

Cons:

There is a small learning curve when initially using a menstrual cup.
It costs more money up front. Mine was about $40, but they range from about $20 and up. In my personal opinion spending a little extra on your cup is worth it. Getting something that is better quality will last much longer.
Can be a bit messy. I have found that it’s no messier than a tampon (I have a pretty heavy flow). However, I have been a little clumsy and have gotten blood on myself once or twice.
It can be tricky to remove. As with the rest of the instructions, there is very detailed information and videos about how to combat this issue. Although understandably, this can cause panic in new users.
Positioning can be important. My body does not seem to like when my diva cup sits too low. It seems to affect my ability to urinate. I can still urinate just fine, but I can feel that there is pressure on my urethra and the urine escapes a little slower. However, when I sit the cup up a little higher into my vagina that problem is gone.

There is not a doubt in my mind about menstrual cups. I will continue to use my cup for as long as I possibly can. I have enjoyed learning more about my body and feel I am now more in control of my body than ever before. I feel that most, if not all, of the negative aspects of the cup can be completely eliminated by proper education. Although, every body is different, everyones feelings are different, and menstrual cups might not be the right thing for every person.

Photo Credit: MichelleTribe

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

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9 House Plants That Make Great Gifts

by TheronTracey5 Posted on December 11, 2015

Plants make great gifts because they last all year round. You don’t need to wrap them in anything fancy, other than maybe a bow. And depending on the plant you give, it will flower every year around December, reminding the person who receives it of you and your love or friendship.

Here are 9 house plants that make great gifts because they’re inexpensive, hardy, easy to care for, and either flower or smell great. Note: Poinsettias are not on this list, mostly because they don’t last very long and they really are mostly a Christmas plant.

1) Amaryllis Bulbs – These giant bulbs grow into magnificent flowers (pictured above) on stalks that may be over 2 feet tall. You can usually find them in grocery or hardware stores, in a box that comes with a pot as well as a “soil” disc. Put the disc in the bottom of the pot and add a couple of cups of warm water. The disc will absorb the water and expand to fill the pot. Bury the bulb so about a third peeks out at the top, water, and set in bright but not direct sunlight. Then watch the magic happen. Tall stalks will form first, followed by beautiful blooms. When the plant is finished blooming, you can cut off the stalk and store the bulb for next year.

2) Christmas/Thanksgiving Cactus – This plant will develop many flower buds and keep getting larger the older it gets. The flowers come in a variety of colors, from white to deep pink to flaming red and gorgeous coral. You’ll have to put it away in a darkish spot after it flowers, but then bring it back out in the fall next year and watch the flowers bloom again.

3) Rosemary Mini Bush – This is one of my favorite gifts, to either give or receive. You can get rosemary in a small bush, maybe 18 inches tall and 12 inches around. Pick from it all winter long whenever you need some rosemary to cook from. Dry it and put it into small jars you can take as a hostess gift when you go somewhere for dinner. Plant it in your own yard in the spring. It’s got many uses, all of them good!

4) Spider Plant – This plant is one that NASA determined was particularly effective in helping to purify the air. Plus, it’s just cool to watch it send out shoots that turn into mini plants. You can also cut off those shoots, pot them, and give them to someone else as a gift. Available in a variegated or striped life, or solid green.

5) Peace Lily – This plant, also known by its Latin name Spathiphyllum, is perfect for homes that don’t get a lot of direct sunlight, but still want to add some greenery to a living space. It’s also another plant NASA suggests is good for air purification. A couple of times a year, it will send up a shoot that turns into a beautiful white or pink blossom.

6) Indoor Windowbox Mini Herb Garden – This is a great gift for someone who enjoys cooking with fresh herbs. You can either buy an herb gift set, which comes with seeds, soil and little pots; or, you can make up a gift set yourself. One option is to box up three packs of different seeds; a small bag of soil; and three small pots that you can put on a tray or on a small saucer so they won’t leak when watered. Another option is to go ahead and plant the guide seeds in the pots so whoever gets them just has to put them in a sunny window.

7) African Violets – These beauties prefer indirect light, so they’re perfect for many households that don’t have a sunny window. Give one in a beautiful pot; or give three that have different kinds of leaves and varying flower colors. You may need to get some special fertilizer for this plant, and you need to water it so the leaves don’t get wet. You’ll find other growing instructions here.

8) Cyclamen – This plant is another fall and winter bloomer. It’s deep pink flowers make a gorgeous statement against the mottled green leaves. It will go dormant in the summer, but as long as you don’t overwater it, and you repot it in the spring, you should have a lovely plant for many years.

9) Ferns – Ferns have a way of filling up drab corners and bringing them to life. If you’ve thought ahead, you could have potted some ferns from your own garden to give as gifts. Otherwise, garden centers and even some big box stores will have a variety of ferns on hand that you can give as gifts. Caution: Before taking them out in the cold, even if you’re going from the store to your car, cover them lightly or put them in a bag so they won’t suffer shock from the elements. Here’s a good list of the 9 top ferns to grow as houseplants.

Related
15 Handmade Gifts for Animal Lovers
Feminist Holiday Gift Guide

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

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9 House Plants That Make Great Gifts

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Crayola Has At Least 16 Different Names For What Most of Us Would Call ‘Orange’

by Bob Hurley Posted on July 9, 2013

Image: The-Tim

You probably grew up envying the kid who had the big box of crayons. He had colors you had never even heard of. Tamborine Green? Razzle Dazzle Rose? You weren’t sure what to color with those colors, but you wanted them anyway.

Crayola is the master of colors. Sort of. In fact, what they’re actually the master of is color naming, and renaming. This list of Crayola colors has 745 entries. But it doesn’t actually have 745 different colors. Instead, it’s a great lesson in marketing.

Take black, for example. How many different names for black are there? If you’re Crayola, a lot. There’s Kitty Cat Black, Leather Jacket, Licorice, Black Hole, Muscle Shell Black (Black), New Sneakers, Starry Night, Storm Cloud Black, Cosmic Black, Shades of Black, Allen Iverson’s favorite – black, Illinois Abe Lincoln’s Hat, Cleaner Coal Black, Eerie Black, Carbon Black.

But they’re all the same color—what an average person would call…well, Black.

And it’s not just black either. Here are the names for basic blue:

Birdie Blue, Blueberry, New Car, Blustery Blue, Deep Sea, Galaxy Blue, Hetty the Duck Blue, Mole Blue, Overalls Blue, Bell-Bottom Blue, Derrick Coleman’s favorite – blue, Matt Harpring’s favorite – blue, Speedy Claxton’s favorite – blue, iron man blue, liberty blue, Blue Cheese, Bushkill Blue, America the Blue-tiful, Clearwater Blue

And for orange:

Jack “O” Lantern Orange, Tulip, Cyberspace Orange, Grandma’s Perfume, Huggable Bear Orange, Jupiter Orange, Shrimp (Orange), Solar Flare (Orange),Damone Brown’s favorite – orange, Jack-O-Lantern Orange, go O’s, Dreamy Creamy Orange, Orange you glad you’re in America?, Evolution Orange, Orange Soda, Smashed Pumpkin

And for brown:

Van Dyke Brown, Bunny Brown, Chocolate, Mouse Brown, Asteroid Brown, Ocean Floor (Brown), Pet Shop, Whoo Brown, Woodstock Mud, Chock-A-Lot Shake, Portobello, Mississippi Mud Pie, Brown Sugar, Mother Earth Brown, Sweet Brown

A lot of what Crayola does is take classic colors, give them fun names and remarket them in different combinations. Even Burnt Sienna has pseudonyms like Baseball Mitt and Massachusetts Boston Tea Party.

Some colors tell us a little bit about culture and social change, too. The light pink crayon, for example, is no longer called “Flesh.” In 1962 they changed the name to “Peach,” to acknowledge that there are in fact more flesh tones than pink, and now it’s possible to buy a special set of “multicultural crayons.” In 1999, Crayola renamed “India Red” to ensure that kids didn’t think it referred to the skin color of Native Americans. (In fact, the color was named after a pigment that originated in India.)

And clearly their marketing of a million colors has worked. In 2011, Smarty Pants ranked Crayola as the top brand among mothers, and in the top 20 among kids. According to a Yale study, a box of crayons is the 18th most recognizable smell to American adults.

But at least you can now feel a little bit better about being the kid that didn’t have the 64-color crayon set, since while those crayons had fancier names, they were really just the same colors you had.

More from Smithsonian.com:

The Colors of Childhood
Colorful Kindergarten Lessons Throw Color-Blind Kids Off Their Game

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Crayola Has At Least 16 Different Names For What Most of Us Would Call ‘Orange’

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Barns Are Painted Red Because of the Physics of Dying Stars

by Remona86L Posted on May 10, 2013

Image: Loring Loding

Have you ever noticed that almost every barn you have ever seen is red? There’s a reason for that, and it has to do with the chemistry of dying stars. Seriously.

Yonatan Sunger is a Google employee who decided to explain this phenomenon on Google+ recently. The simple answer to why barns are painted red is because red paint is cheap. The cheapest paint there is, in fact. But the reason it’s so cheap? Well, that’s the interesting part.

Red ochre—Fe2O3—is a simple compound of iron and oxygen that absorbs yellow, green and blue light and appears red. It’s what makes red paint red. It’s really cheap because it’s really plentiful. And it’s really plentiful because of nuclear fusion in dying stars. Sunger explains:

The only thing holding the star up was the energy of the fusion reactions, so as power levels go down, the star starts to shrink. And as it shrinks, the pressure goes up, and the temperature goes up, until suddenly it hits a temperature where a new reaction can get started. These new reactions give it a big burst of energy, but start to form heavier elements still, and so the cycle gradually repeats, with the star reacting further and further up the periodic table, producing more and more heavy elements as it goes. Until it hits 56. At that point, the reactions simply stop producing energy at all; the star shuts down and collapses without stopping.

As soon as the star hits the 56 nucleon (total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus) cutoff, it falls apart. It doesn’t make anything heavier than 56. What does this have to do with red paint? Because the star stops at 56, it winds up making a ton of things with 56 neucleons. It makes more 56 nucleon containing things than anything else (aside from the super light stuff in the star that is too light to fuse).

The element that has 56 protons and neutrons in its nucleus in its stable state? Iron. The stuff that makes red paint.

And that, Sunger explains, is how the death of a star determines what color barns are painted.

More from Smithsonian.com:

“Stormy Sunset at Moulton Barn”
Weathered barn doors

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