CONTINUATIONS March 12,2008 2 Green cont. from pg. 1 save energy and money. • To go even green er, unplug an appliance when it's not in use so that it doesn't con tinue to pull from the grid. Most appliances draw about 40% power from the socket even when they're turned off. Be sure to unplug hair tools when you’re not using them.* • Use your printer wisely by printing on both sides of the paper, using the backs of drafts and cutting down on the number of documents you print. • Use the newer, eco-friendly fluo rescent light bulbs. Although the bulbs cost more, they will last a good deal longer and will save you money in the long run. If you live in a dorm, try to cut down on using the overhead lighting. Purchase and use smaller area light ing instead. • Use eco-friendly canvas bags instead of plas tic or paper bags when you go to the grocery store. • When using your computer, make sure the power settings allow the computer to go into sleep mode more quickly when not in use. If possible, all elec tronic equipment should be plugged into the same power strip and turned off at night to save money and energy. • Try using cosmet ics made with organic ingre dients. Organic products are grown without pesticides, which can seep into the soil or your skin. The USDA Organic Seal must contain at least 95% organic ingre dients.* Did you know? • For every ton of paper that is recy cled, the following is saved: 7,000 gal lons of water; 380 gallons of oil; and enough electricity to power an aver age house for six months. • You can run a TV for six hours on the amount of electricity that is saved by recycling one aluminum can. • By recycling just one glass bottle, you save enough electricity to power a 100-watt bulb for four hours. • Plastic takes 1000 years to decom pose. • Paper bags use 14 million trees per year. • Americans throw away almost 100 billion plastic bags each year; only 1 to 3 percent is recycled. • If all U.S. house holds received and paid their bills online, it would eliminate more than 800,000 tons of waste each year. '^Cosmopolitan, November 2007 Visit gogreeninitiative. org for more information. Patrick's Day is CI.oming. f^on't orget to C^O Sleep cont. from pg. 1 slipping away, so cover it up so that you carmot see it. 4. Exercising late in the afternoon will increase metabolism and temperature; dur ing the night they decrease. Many sleeping problems, come because of the metabolism and temperature not dropping enough. By exer cising a few hours before going to sleep, your metab olism and tem perature will drop faster.and will allow better sleep. 5. Other ways to slow your metabo lism at night are to avoid caffeine and unhealthy foods. Drink milk, or herbal teas. Avoid alcohol, coffee, tobacco, and any stimulants. 6. NO ALL NIGHTERS! Losing so much sleep does not help the body and can actually hurt you in the long run. A good night's sleep is the key to succeed on a test, relaxing the mind and allow ing it to regener ate. 7. Relax before bed: light reading, a simple hobby like knitting, doing yoga, or just lying in the dark is great before sleeping. 8. Bright light ther apy: fresh bright light, like sun light, helps stimu late the mind and activate the brain. And when falling asleep, avoid light. Sleep is a necessary and essential requirement of the body to function at its most optimal level. Personality, productiv ity and our relationships are all affected by sleep deprivation. During college, due to student schedules, exams, living environments and other demands, college stu dents are at risk for sleep deprivation. However, this is also a wonder ful opportunity in our college life to develop healthy sleep habits. Obtaining better sleep will benefit us not only now but also later in life when we face new . challenges. Our overall health, both physically and mentally, will ben efit from better sleep hygiene. Just sleep on the idea! Do you have any useful tips to share? Send them in to the Herald. Email your tips to herald@meredith. edu. Va&ina Mencleaues Kback! The perfcrmance >vill be beld in the Studic Theater tc^ ni&ht and to- merrcw nifiht atSn.m. yen dcn't >vant t€ miss this