Puma’s Glow in the Dark Bike

1000 Green Steps was browsing on the net to find you a cool gadget when this super cool bike showed up. 1000 Green Steps bet you all had understood how important biking to your job is important for our environment, and maybe some of you have night shift which might caused a problem because we know bicycle are not equipped with a lamp. Whoever forgot to put the lamp there better say thanks to Puma, to manufacture this awesome glow in the dark bike which could also help you become healthier. Looks like a great day to go green and stay safe all in the same stroke. Forget the yellow vest and invest in a bike that will keep you glowing.

Happy Green Living!

Samsung E1107 Solar Cell Powered Cell Phone

You’ve seen Green Roof, you’ve seen Electric Drive Transportation, you’ve seen solar panels, and you’ve seen wind energy already.

However 1000 Green Steps was wondering if you’ve heard about SOLAR-POWERED CELL PHONE? This is the latest innovation released by Samsung Mobile starting from June 2009 at India, Europe, Southeast Asia, Southwest Asia, and Latin America. This dual band phone has its own solar panel at the back just like at the picture.

It has many usual features such as FM Radio, MP3 Player and Games. What makes it special is that this Samsung Crest E1107 Solar-Powered Cellphone contains some unusual features such as a powerful torch light, mobile tracker (sends out an SOS in an emergency, and notifies you when the SIM card is changed), and a fake call feature so you can quickly get away from people you don’t like.

This phone is available in your local gadget stores starting from $59!

Happy Green Living!

Lowering blood cholesterol decreases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Good eating habit is an important part of a healthy lifestyle that can prevent heart disease and reverse atherosclerosis.

1. More plant foods

A diet of fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, plus some fish and poultry can significantly lower the risk of a heart attack compared to a diet rich in sweets, fried foods, refined grains and red processed meats.

Plant foods are often high in fiber and plant sterols that lower cholesterol. They are also rich in antioxidants, which prevent LDL from oxidizing.

2. The good fats

Saturated fat, dietary cholesterol and trans fats raise blood cholesterol. The first two come from animal products. Trans fats are processed vegetable oil and found in margarine, crackers and processed snacks.

Monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats are good fats and help lower LDL. They can are in canola oil, olive oil, peanut oil, safflower, sesame and sunflower seeds, soybeans, nuts, etc.

3. Oats, beans and amaranth.

They all lower cholesterol. Oats also lower blood pressure.

4. Purple grapes and berries.

Blue, purple and red berries and grapes contain bioflavonoids, which are strong antioxidants that repair damages on artery linings.

Enjoy red wine too, which also contains this antioxidant. However, while moderate drinking has a protective effect, heavy drinking increases heart attack risk.

To read the original article, click here.  Also see Control Your Cholesterol (1) — Basics, (3) — Other Lifestyle Changes, (4) — Other measures.

The Eco House

After having an ecotourism, purchasing eco-friendly gadgets by buying cell phone with eco-brands, this option sound a lot more interesting for you. 1000 green Steps had handpicked some beautiful design and came up with this stunning house. The Eco House is located in Spain, which has a roof line which sits wing-like above the building line. The roof form and distance from the building is key, it holds the solar panels at the correct angle to maximize effectiveness whilst also hiding them from view. A rainwater reclamation system will be installed and a photovoltaic system will supply the electricity to run a radiant heating system within the floor. Sounds like luxury, doesn’t it? It absolutely does to 1000 Green Steps.

Happy Green Living!

1000 Green Steps are going to tell you today’s new green step to reduce your own carbon footprint. No, 1000 Green Steps are not going to tell you about some BIG STEPS on the journey, but SMALL STEPS that everyone can do anytime and anywhere.

You can start your green steps simply by trying to avoid an air round-journey. Because do you know that one air round-trip between San Francisco and New York creates about the same amount of carbon emissions as the average American home’s electricity use for four and one-half months? That’s a pretty significant reduction. Take your green steps now, folks!

Happy Green Living!

If you have a bicycle and you live close to grocery stores or other facilities, you will be able to do your grocery shopping as well as running other errands by bicycle. It is a great way to save energy, protect the environment and exercise your body.

One or two bicycle baskets will make it easier to carry things around. But sometimes, bicycle baskets can be either expensive to buy, or not working too well.

Cindy Stavenhagen in Salem, Oregon had a great idea of making cheap, practical bicycle baskets from small (16-quart), rectangular plastic wastebaskets.

She drilled holes under the rim along one side and a few in the bottom for drainage. Then she mounted the baskets to the rear rack of the bicycle with nylon rope. The baskets work great and are easy to tilt up to be emptied.

Adapted from MotherEarthNews.com

Organic matter added to the soil includes fallen leaves, dead plants and animals, droppings of animals, etc.

All kinds of soil organisms are breaking down organic matter and passing energy among levels of the soil food web. The energy of the sun is constantly added to the system by photosynthesis. Therefore, with all the nutrients captured by soil organisms, the fertility of the soil is getting better and better.

Soil organisms not only feed on dead organic materials, they also have a relationship with living plant roots. Some plants form association with bacteria, others, fungi. Sugar produced by the plants gets released into soil to feed the organisms. In turn, the organisms provide the plants with nitrogen, minerals and other nutrients.

The relationship between plants and soil organisms are very complex. But the end result is humus, the final residue of the organic materials.

Although humus is no longer the food source for soil organisms, it helps with water and nutrient retention and makes them more available to plants.

Some soil organisms also help to increase the pore sizes between soil particles, which increases air and water flow, and reduces soil erosion.

To keep soil organism diversity is the key to keep your plants healthy.

Read more, click here.

If you cannot stand the crowd pushing each other bodies (literally) inside the busses or subways, you might like 1000 Green Step’s cheap solutions for you. First, walk and only visit places within the reach of walking distance. If that is also not possible to be done, you can try our option number two which is buying an eco-friendly car, and make use of it as a car pool for your region.

If you don’t feel like buying anything expensive, you should try buying a bike. Bicycles are not only good for our environment, but also good to manage the ‘exercise’ schedule to keep up your body health. So why not buy an infestation?

~Happy Green Living!~

Ride an electric bike or scooter, you will never need to buy gas again. Meantime you are saving the environment.

Electric-assist bikes have two types: pedelecs, which you have to pedal to activate the electric assist, and e-bike, which does not require pedaling.

How powerful the motor is determines how much pedaling you have to do. The more powerful, the less pedaling.

There are many makes and models with very different quality when it comes to e-bikes.

When shopping for an electric-assist bike, go for quality, that is, performance, reliability and workmanship. Choose a manufacturer who is standing behind its products and has good track record . It may cost more initially, but will be worth it.

You can also convert your regular bike into an electric one by using a “do-it-yourself” kit. Make sure you get a high quality kit too, which will last you for a long time.

Happy E-biking. Also see Green Riding (2) — E-scooters.

For more information, click here.

Besides lifestyle change, nasal flushing and immunotherapy, there are some natural plants or plant extracts that work well to treat or prevent allergy symptoms.

Quercetin

Quercetin is a natural compound derived from plant. It is a natural antioxidant that can be found in citrus fruits, onions, apples, parsley, tea, tomatoes, broccoli, lettuce and wine.

Quercetin supplements can prevent allergy attacks. It is best to start using it six weeks before allergy season.

Allergy Fighting Foods

Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids help alleviate allergy symptoms. Omega-3s can be found in cold-water fish, walnuts, flaxseed oil, grass-fed meat and eggs.

Also, add spices such as horseradish, chili peppers or hot mustard to your food. They act as natural decongestants.

Stinging Nettle

Stinging nettle (see image) acts like many of the drugs sold to treat allergies. But it has the advantage of not causing the side effects like dry mouth and drowsiness.

You can make your own tinctures or teas with stinging nettle. Or you can use stinging nettle extract capsules.

Butterbur

Butterbur is another plant used to treat allergies. It is as effective as the drug cetirizine,  the active ingredient in Zyrtec. However, butterbur doesn’t cause drowsiness.

Also see Natural Remedies for Allergy (1). Read more, go here.