I FOUND THIS ONLINE (DIDN'T WRITE IT MYSELF)
Cleaning Your Home:
Consider the products you or your housekeeper are using to clean your home. Did you know that on cleaning day the air pollution at your home could be up to 10 times worse than in busy cities? Best is to use eco-products or even make some of your own.
Typical household cleaners are petroleum based, which contain toxins. With all the major brands rushing to the shelves with their own environmentally-friendly labeled products, make sure that what you're buying is truly “eco” and not just a marketing tactic. You can quickly determine the recycled content and scan the packaging for a seal from a third party certification organization like Green Seal. If you can't use rags for cleaning, try to purchase 100% recycled paper towels. Also, double-check products with vague terms or sweeping claims like “natural” or “environmentally safe.”
Or, using a few simple and cheap ingredients, you can create your own products.
* Window cleaner: 1:1 ratio of white vinegar and water. Add a drop of dish detergent to remove residue from previous glass cleaners.
* All-purpose cleaner: Castile soap (soap made from olive or vegetable oil) and water.
* Disinfectant: 1 tsp of tea tree oil to 2 cups of water.
* Oven cleaner: Baking soda mixed with water. (it needs to sit overnight)
Directions and Rules for a Vacation Rental
It might be a good idea to send some general environmental guidelines to guests with directions. Or simply post them with other information at the home. For example, you could provide instructions for recycling or where to throw out organic trash that can be used for composting. You might want to talk about ways to keep the wildlife healthy in your area, like reminding renters not to go near dolphins if you are on the beach. Without going overboard and micro-managing your guests' stay, you can gently suggest ways to help the environment while they are on vacation.
Grilling and Eating
A favorite pastime is grilling out on the deck or patio. To be more environmentally conscious, use natural gas or propane for a cleaner burn. Avoid lighter fluid and charcoal.
When purchasing food to eat, keep in mind: seasonal, sustainable, organic, and local.
* Seasonal: Not only do seasonal products taste better when they are in season, but it is actually healthier for you and the environment. A typical meal travels 1500 miles from farm to fork, emitting a lot of greenhouse gases along the way. Eating “seasonally” will also help to keep local farmers in business. Fortunately many vacation properties are located in areas that have farmstands and farmer's markets. Highlight these in your guest handbook or directions so the renters can easily find them.
* Sustainable: Our salmon and shrimp supply, for example, is depleting. Suggest recommended fish in your area.
* Organic: This has become a popular buzz word, but some people are confused by the definition. This means that what you're eating is simply food grown without chemical pesticides. Again, this is better for us and for the planet and can be supplied by some local farmers. Point your renters to local grocery stores and food stands that carry organic food and products.
* Local: Help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by purchasing locally. Chances are the renters will also like the authentic experience of purchasing local foods from the towns they are visiting.
Enjoying the Water
Renters might want to experience all that their vacation home and destination have to offer. However, being unfamiliar with the area, they might not be aware of how their actions could affect the environment. Here are a few more tips to offer if you are on or near a lake or ocean.
* Sunscreen: Sunscreens have parabens that are absorbed into the skin and can be hormone-altering. When we go into lakes with these products on our skin, the marine life can be affected (scientists have seen evidence of gender bending.) Zinc products sit on the skin and repel water. Plus there are clear zinc products nowadays — no more white strip down your nose like in the "olden" days!
* Soaps and shampoos: Some people might want to get back to nature by bathing in a nearby lake. However, using soaps and shampoos in the water is not healthy for our planet. They need soil to be truly biodegradable, so it is best to stick to the showers. You can even provide eco-friendly soaps and shampoos for your guests to use as an added touch.
If you have a vacation rental, remember to suggest these tips gently, though, so as not to be overbearing. If the renter sees your concern and care for the environment without taking control of their vacation, they should be happy to comply.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in the same way again.
Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fibre. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.
Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.
But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.
Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.
PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.
hemoglobin Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.
Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.
Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school (England) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.
Constipation: High in fiber including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.
Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.
Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.
Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.
Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.
Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.
Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.
Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.
Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a 'cooling' fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.
Smoking &Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.
Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!
Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!
So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, 'A banana a day keeps the doctor away!'
PS: NEVER put your banana in the refrigerator!!!
Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.
But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.
Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.
PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.
hemoglobin Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.
Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.
Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school (England) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.
Constipation: High in fiber including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.
Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.
Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.
Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.
Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.
Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.
Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.
Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.
Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a 'cooling' fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.
Smoking &Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.
Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!
Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!
So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, 'A banana a day keeps the doctor away!'
PS: NEVER put your banana in the refrigerator!!!
Monday, July 4, 2011
THE WINNER OF THE DRAWING OF THE FREE WEEK
Drum roll please! The winner of the free week is... Barbara Louise of Ohio!
Mahalo to everyone who "liked" the new business page on Facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Castle-in-Hawaii/207732132583111?sk=wall
Stay tuned for more fun and exciting things to come. Tell a friend!
Mahalo to everyone who "liked" the new business page on Facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Castle-in-Hawaii/207732132583111?sk=wall
Stay tuned for more fun and exciting things to come. Tell a friend!
Friday, July 1, 2011
Looking forward to drawing a winner for our free week! Stay tuned and good luck to all who "liked" the new Castle Business Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Castle-in-Hawaii/207732132583111?sk=wall
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