By now, many people have heard about the dangers of BPA, otherwise known as Bisphenol A. The most well-known source of this chemical is in plastic containers, many of which release BPA in our food and beverages. This chemical release is aggravated by significant temperature changes. The potential danger is why we have been warned not to microwave our lunch in plastic containers or freeze our water bottles for a colder drink.

If we look around the major city near where we live, we can probably find that one eyesore that seems to bring down our community. Perhaps it’s an abandoned warehouse or an outdated old gas station. Besides the unattractive nature of the building, there may be reasons why investors have avoided this property and opted to build outside the city instead.

Getting the best tan is no longer limited to sun bathing. Instead of exposing yourself to the sun’s rays, numerous alternatives are available. Of course each has its own pros and cons. Evaluating the differences between your sunless tanning choices is a worthy of a little time, so read on.

From time to time, almost everyone spends too much time in the sun. The resulting burn is the body’s natural reaction to the over exposure. As ozone depletion increases, ultraviolet (UV) radiation increases. Light from the sun is the primary source of UV radiation (UVR) and over exposure is much more common. Damage to skin cells happens in much shorter time frames and has lead to an alarming increase in occurrences of skin cancer.

Let’s face it; we live in a polluted environment. Groundwater becomes contaminated when man-made by-products mix with the water supply. These products include gasoline, oil, road salts, and heavy metals. They come from septic systems, storage tanks, landfills, fertilized fields, highway runoff and the list goes on and on. Once these pollutants mix with groundwater, it is no longer fit for direct consumption without additional treatment.

Modern conveniences are growing as almost every household has air conditioners, computers, multiple cellular phones, PlayStations, refrigerators, televisions, and many other cool gadgets. And how many of our modern conveniences are made of plastic? In fact, if you look around you might be surprised to find you’re surrounded by it! And what about cars, can you look outside without seeing at least one? What do all of these things have in common? And can we create a sustainable urban lifestyle?

It is a simple fact of life that things get dirty and we need cleaners, solvents, powders, sprays and the like to stay on top of it all. Many of these chemicals carry warnings and cautions on how to properly store them. Large varieties of these products are petroleum based and have warnings stating that they are flammable and/or poisonous. People have come up with some strange, and even dangerous, storage places.

Everybody wants to live a long healthy life. People look for products that can bring them more protection from germs, bacteria, and other health-adverse microorganisms. As an answer to this consumer demand, manufacturers started producing antibacterial soaps and disinfectants. These products have become fairly popular since killing bacteria and disinfecting germs sound like a good idea.

While using a deodorant or antiperspirant may be important to maintain the social network that you desire, you may also want to be careful about the ingredients used in the hygiene products you choose. Prolonged exposure to harmful ingredients generally contained in these products might cause some ill health effects.

Switching from traditional light bulbs to CFLs is an effective, accessible change that everyone can make right now to reduce energy use. Lighting accounts for close to 20% of an average home’s electric bill. ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs use up to 75% less energy and last up to 10 times longer than incandescent light bulbs. They also have a small up front cost and provide a  quick return on investment. That all sounds great: so what's the catch?