January 2nd, 2012
GUEST POST by Marcia Wyatt
Ashley Montagu summed it up best when she said, “The idea is to die young as late as possible.” Now who wouldn’t want to do that? Who doesn’t want to stay or feel young … forever if possible?
More importantly, how can we do that? How can we possibly get older yet still feel young?
Our bodies age and change naturally. We get wrinkles and aches and pains and wobbly thighs. As we get older, the sense of vitality that we once felt usually lessens. As natural as it is to age, it is also equally natural to dislike and want to stop the process – and amazingly enough, the proven very best way to combat the aging process is all natural, too.
First off, reduce your stress. It causes physical changes in your body that speed up the aging process. Meditation helps great with stress reduction, but if you’re not into that, try yoga or running. Consume the right kind of fat. Omega-3 fatty acids help you inside and out. They help steady moods and keep skin radiant while also helping with keeping bones strong. Salmon, walnuts and seeds (among other foods) contain Omega-3s. Exercise helps your body stay fit and also your mind. It’s proven to help people think more clearly. These are just some of the natural ways that you can fight the natural process of aging that so many of us naturally dislike.
yoga
Tags: aging, yoga
Posted in Nature | No Comments »
December 4th, 2011
Sapphires are one of the world’s four precious gemstones which include emerald, diamonds and rubies. They are a type of corundum and its colours are determined by the concentration of certain elements such as iron, titanium of chromium.
Colour
Although Sapphires can come in many colours the most famous is red, which of course we call ruby. The value of a sapphire is largely determined by colour, clarity, cut and carat although where it was found is also an important indicator.
The major indicator of value in a blue sapphire is how true blue the sapphire is. Most sapphires have a secondary hue., usually shades of purple or green. The primary blue hue must be at least 85% blue for a sapphire to be considered good quality.
Pink sapphires are the most valuable shade other than blue. Pink sapphires become more valuable as they approach the colour of ruby, without actually becoming ruby. They have recently become more common on the market due to a new technique called lattice diffusion.
Shape
The most unusual sapphire is the star sapphire which causes an odd star like reflection called an asterism. The largest sapphire with this odd reflection is called the Black Star of Queensland which is 733 carats. There is also the Star of India which is the more traditional blue colour and weighs 563.4 carats.
Rare sapphires even change colour depending on the light. These sapphires may look blue in outdoor light and purple in artificial light. There are other types that may look pink outside and green inside.
Jewelery
Sapphire can be used in jewelery to make necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings. Check out some of these sapphire earrings from QP Jewellers.
Like most gemstones sapphires are often treated to improve their clarity. This is usually heat treatment at up to 1700 degrees centigrade in air which will improve the colour, but also remove inclusions (trapped rock etc). You would think that would be a good thing but it shows that the gem is not 100% natural. 100% natural stones will often come with a certificate to prove so.
One of the oldest sapphires is the Stuart Sapphire which was mounted on Queen Victoria’s state crown. Even though it is slightly flawed it dates back to 1214 and can be seen in the Tower of London.
sapphire earrings
Tags: sapphires
Posted in Blog | No Comments »
October 26th, 2011
Carbon Catchers? Yes!
There’s a UK company that’s pioneering carbon capture in the UK.
How do they do that?
They study each client’s energy use, and determine the best products to help not only reduce their carbon footprint but lower their utility bills at the same time.
recycling center
Just look at these photos of the before and after of a recycling company (already a green business). Big difference right?
You bet it was!
Carboncatcher.org.uk installed a IP65 low energy lighting system enabling the recycling center to save 46% in their energy costs! The expected payback? About 2 1/2 years.
That’s a great deal!
They help not just big warehouses, but office buildings, and new commercial construction too. But wait! They didn’t just stop with lighting, no, Carboncatcher.org.uk also looks at the entire operation and submits suggestions to lower energy costs.
Such as:
Switching to a near paperless system
Car Sharing systems
Alternative transportation methods
and more…
Carboncatcher.org.uk is a great model for all of us to follow, whether we’re based here or overseas.
Tags: carbon catcher, commercial, Energy Conservation
Posted in Energy Conservation | No Comments »
