(NaturalNews) Schools in at least eight states have reported confirmed cases of students being infected with the “superbug” known as methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) following the death of a 17-year old Virginia student late last year, and the deaths of a New Hampshire preschooler and an 11-year-old from Mississippi a week earlier. MRSA, it seems, is taking hold in the U.S. population.

In addition to the cases in those states, schools in North Carolina, West Virginia and Connecticut have reported…………….

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Responsibility is not a burden. It is the key that enables you to exercise control over your own destiny. Only by taking responsibility are you able to move life in the direction of your own dreams and visions. Responsibility fully engages the best of who you are.

Responsibility can be difficult, time-consuming, unfair, inconvenient and uncomfortable. Yet it also brings you to a level of empowerment that cannot be reached in any other way.

At the heart of true achievement is responsibility. An essential element of meaningful fulfillment is responsibility.

Every great opportunity is an opportunity to take responsibility. Whatever the situation, the most successful way forward is to act with responsibility.

No matter what has happened, or who is to blame, or how it all came to be, choose to take full responsibility for your life. For that is the first step in making it great.

– Ralph Marston

Inspiration for the day

Posted by Su Avasthi

A friend and I have an ongoing debate about Nalgene plastic water bottles and we’ve staked out opposite positions: I am definitely concerned that they are dangerous. He adamantly insists that I’ve got no cause to worry.

So, when I read the New York Times article saying that the Canadian government is poised to label them as toxic, I emailed it to him as conclusive evidence.

The article noted that an independent panel of scientists found that the compound called bisphenol-a, or B.P.A., used to make the popular Lexan polycarbonate bottles, may leach into the water and disrupt our hormonal systems.

My friend — a stickler for details — was unfazed. He immediately fired back with this: “Interesting, but it didn’t say anything about cancer or birth defects. It just said BPA causes ‘changes in the body.’ Heck, water causes changes in the body!”

The irony is that I’ve never seen him with a Nalgene bottle.

I, however, own several in many colors, all of which were purchased before Nalgene announced that they would make B.P.A-free bottles from now on to avoid being called toxic.

My hand is practically fused to the bottle loop. I tote them to the gym, to yoga, to walk my dogs, to run errands, to any place that I work on my computer (they’re spill-proof when the cap is on). I even bought a bag because it had a specific pocket that’s perfectly sized for a water bottle (to smuggle them into movie theaters, among other things.)

Last year, I made a serious effort to break my habit and switch to a safer water bottle. I splurged on a metallic SIGG bottle, but the water always tasted a little metallic to me and you know what they say about old habits.

So, I (nervously) returned to using my scratched, slightly abused Nalgene bottles, though I did stop washing them in the dishwasher. I just rinse them out now, because the detergents are thought to leach out harmful chemicals.

Still, it’s a bad sign when an entire country decides to issue a warning that this kind of polycarbonate plastic is toxic. I think it’s time I heed the warning. And dust off my cool-looking SIGG bottle, then actually use it until water no longer tastes metallic.

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Posted by Su Avasthi

At ATMs, gas stations and any time a machine asks me if I want a receipt, I always hesitate for a second, and then punch “yes.”

Part of me — a very retro part of me — is comforted by that little scrap of paper that may prove I only withdrew $50, on the off-chance my bank informs me I withdrew $500. Even though that has never happened in the history of my ATM experiences.

It’s the same reason I routinely ignore the emails from my bank, utilities and credit card companies urging me to switch to paperless statements.

Somehow, I think that paper — actual, tangible paper — can protect me in case of showdown with giant corporation later on down the line.

Trouble is, I cram those scraps of paper in my wallet until the mess gets too unmanageable at which point I eventually lose them or toss them out. And, since I bank and pay bills online, I wind up tossing out filler and extra envelopes by refusing to switch to e-statements and paperless options.

In other words, I’m part of the problem.

I never really gave this much thought until I checked out Grist’s Guide to How to Green Your Investments. In their comprehensive list, they note that some 8 million times a year, Americans go their ATMs, and those tiny scraps of paper are now one of the top sources of litter on earth.

In fact, Market Watch calculated that if we taped together all of these slips of paper, we’d get a roll more than 2 billion feet long — enough to circle the equator 15 times. Talk about a paper trail.

So, from now on, I’ll live the change and just press “no” button when the ATM or gas station asks if I want a receipt. After all, it’s easy (and litter-free) to keep an eye on my account via online banking.

At the same time, I think it’s time to tell my bank, credit card company and utilities to switch me to paperless statements. As the Grist feature points out, paying bills and managing statements from banks, credit card companies, mutual fund and brokerage groups and other financial institutions not only saves mega-tons of paper, it also saves time, stamps, mail-related fuel costs and the legs and backs of our tireless mail carriers.

Speaking of mail, another bonus is knowing I won’t see any more bills when I open my mailbox.

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Posted by Jessica Harlan

The first of my mommy-friends are starting to have their second babies, so the rest of us are mobilizing the forces and descending upon their households bearing meals. And I never know what to prepare for these occasions. Does her family have any food allergies or aversions? Will they eat the meal right away, or will they freeze it? And, most importantly, are there certain foods or nutrients that a new mother should be eating?

I can’t recall what I myself ate in the weeks following the birth of my daughter… probably whatever dishes my kind family members bestowed upon me. But since I’m slotted to prepare a couple of meals on the food trees that have been put together for my post-partum friends, I decided to do a little research into the foods that are best for not only the recovery of childbirth, but that will help produce nutrient-rich breast milk to nourish a newborn.

Colorful Fruits and Vegetables: Antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables will not only help the body recover, but will also pass along vitamins and nutrients to the baby through the breast milk.

Protein and Fiber: Both are nutrient-dense and will help feeling full for longer.

Calcium: Lactating women need even more calcium per day than when they were pregnant, and it should be consumed throughout the day since the body can only absorb a certain amount at a time.

Iron: Postpartum depression has been found to be linked to low iron levels, so foods rich in iron, like red meat, spinach and nuts, are important.

Zinc: Essential for a healthy immune system and tissue growth and repair, zinc can be found in meat, poultry, legumes, eggs and fish.

Essential Fatty Acids: For breastfeeding moms, these nutrients found in cold-water fish, nuts and seeds, can help build baby’s brain power.

Breastfeeding mothers need about 600 more calories a day than before their pregnancy.

For my first dinner-delivery I ended up preparing a Turkey-Spinach Lasagna recipe from Cooking Light magazine. With iron from the spinach and turkey, calcium and protein from the mozzarella and cottage cheese, and nutrients from the tomato sauce, I felt like it was a good, nourishing choice.

After delivering my meal (and cuddling the new baby), I went home to eat the dish of lasagna I’d prepared for my family. I may not be recovering from childbirth, but I have to admit… it hit the spot.

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Posted by Belinda Miller

I have always had a weak spot for Target, but since I’ve become a bit more aware, and since Georgia has become more difficult in stores designed to lure her into a consumer-kid-frenzy, we just don’t go there anymore. I always found it very hard to resist some fabulous-looking thingamajigg when all I really needed was toilet paper. And since I am trying to teach Georgia about need vs. want, and how stores, ads and marketing are targeting us, I find it much easier to avoid a store that manages to snare me every time!

So when I found out that Target is now selling Seventh Generation products, my first thought was, “Cool! I can go to Target again!” Followed immediately by “Wait a minute! They almost got me again!” True, I suspect Seventh Generation products will be cheaper at Target than at my beloved, expensive, green-leaning local grocery store, but I surely will end up spending more on things I absolutely do not need, rendering the savings moot.

I had an argument with a pal who insists that Seventh Generation should not have their products at Target at all — it’s a sell-out, and they should suffer the wrath of the true environmentalists who got them where they are. Which left me wondering if ecologically-minded products should be harder to come by. A greener lifestyle is not the easiest life to choose, so what happens when products that make our greener lives easier become available to the masses?

While I do think it’s important to shop locally, and continue to support the companies who brought green products to us in the first place (our own Gaiam for one), it’s not a bad thing to have green products in a place that caters mainly to people who aren’t accustomed to thinking sustainably. I don’t think green companies should have to toil away in relative obscurity to remain pure. And I know there is a lot of greenwashing to be wary of, and that huge conglomerates are not turning the green tide because they have had a change of heart. They have million-dollar marketing teams demographing every subculture; they know that lots of people are looking for greener choices, or organic or fair trade or toxin-free choices. And they want that green money.

And frankly, I don’t think your average shopper driving her SUV to Target cares that much. But having the choices in front of her face is a first step. I remember, long before Georgia was born, shopping at the tiny health food store in Manhattan and seeing Seventh Generation toilet paper for the first time. I had never really thought about toilet paper before, but I grabbed an individually paper-wrapped roll and read the copy on the side. I didn’t know about the hazards of dioxin bleaching back then, and I learned a lot from that TP roll! I also first experienced the feeling of making a difference by just buying toilet paper. It mattered, in a tiny, humble way. And it helped me start paying attention. So now I obsess about ingredients and where things come from, and how my purchase affects the world. It’s exhausting, and it might be nice to be oblivious, but if having green products in big stores sparks more people to pay attention, and to care, then it will, ultimately, make my life easier. If more people start putting their money into greener products and organic foods won’t the bar be raised for the good of everyone?

I am ever the optimist, so I think the answer is yes. What do you think?

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Posted by Kimberly Delaney

You may think the toilet or trashcan is the dirtiest spot in your home, but believe it or not, your drains have them beat. Yet, we never really think about — much less clean — all that scary bacteria, hair, skin and myriad of other scummy drain inhabitants until it backs up.

Unfortunately, commercial drain products can contain sodium hydroxide, also known as lye, and sodium hypochlorite, code for bleach. Both of these chemicals are designed to eat away whatever is clogging your sink and are highly caustic. That means they can burn your respiratory system, skin and eyes. Using them in your bathroom or kitchen exposes you and your family to these chemicals. When you send them down the drain you are also polluting the waterways.

Fortunately it’s easy to keep your drain clean and clear by using just a few products that you may already have in your home. The key to greening this area of your cleaning is to be proactive in your drain maintenance and to treat the clog when it starts to slow down instead of waiting until it’s fully stopped up.

Weekly maintenance
To kill bacteria and melt soap and other fatty materials that can build up and cause clogs, pour a teakettle of boiling water down the drain every week. This act alone may eliminate clogs completely so you won’t have to do anything else. For glass or vitreous china sinks that can crack, use hot (but not boiling) water.

Slow-running or stinky drains
Sprinkle a ½-cup baking soda followed by a ½-cup vinegar down the drain. Cover the drain with a wet rag and let the baking soda and vinegar fizz for 5 minutes. Flush with boiling water.

Clogged drains
If it’s too late and the sink is already backed up, try a plunger without any cleaner at all. This may unclog the drain all by itself. Then you can follow with the above step for slow-running drains.

Smelly garbage disposals
You can deodorize and sharpen the blades of your disposal all at the same time. Pour white distilled vinegar or lemon juice in an ice cube tray and freeze. Put 4 or 5 of the cubes in the drain and run your garbage disposal. Save the rest for another time or use your extra lemon cubes in your vodka tonic.

So the next time your spouse or roommate requests that you shave off all your hair to keep the drains clear, tell them that a little prevention and these common household ingredients can handle the clogs just fine.

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Posted by Jessica Harlan

The other day I was shopping at Whole Foods and I spied one of my favorite springtime delicacies: fiddlehead ferns. If you have access to a good produce store, you’ve probably seen these strange-looking greens; they’re flat, tight coils, wrapping around tiny budding leaves.

Fiddlehead ferns always remind me of a trip to Alaska I took four years ago. It was memorable because I got engaged during that trip, but I’ll also never forget the tiny reindeer sausage stand that we came across in the little Denali village of Talkeetna (most famous for being the town in which the television show Northern Exposure was set). With your reindeer sausage you could have French fries or fiddlehead ferns. It was August, so the season was long over for them, but the woman who ran the stand told me that in the springtime she had harvested a good 60 pounds of them, blanched them, and froze them to serve at her stand all year round.

So to me, fiddlehead ferns always taste like Alaska, and of the excitement of a new life with the man I love.

Sorry to get sentimental. If you don’t have such halcyon memories associated with fiddleheads, they’ll probably taste grassy and slightly bitter. People liken their flavor to asparagus and artichokes, a comparison that I think is apt. I think they’re best sautéed in a little butter or olive oil, and either eaten on their own, or atop risotto or pasta.

The fiddleheads I bought at Whole Foods were from Oregon, but they’re also common in the Northeast. In Maine, they appear in April and May, the new-growth fronds of any fern plant, but usually the ones that we eat are from the ostrich plant.

When you find them, you should choose small, tightly coiled ferns that are bright green in color and firm, not limp. They don’t keep well, so you should cook them as soon as possible after you’ve bought them. Rinse them well under running water, and rub away any brown residue inside of the coils.

There have been reports that people have gotten food poisoning from eating fiddlehead ferns, so it’s recommended that they are blanched for at least 10 minutes before eating.

As for me, I sautéed my stash of fiddleheads in butter, along with one of my other favorite springtime indulgences: morel mushrooms. Try my recipe here.

What is your favorite springtime treat?

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