A Preservative

Introduction

      Do you own any lotions or creams? If you do, check the ingredients list. There are probably a lot of ingredients, but there is one in particular that I will be talking about. Parabens. The most used types are methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, isobutylparaben, butylparaben, and benzylparaben. Quite the mouthful. The point is, they all end with paraben. There has been some controversy on whether or not parabens are safe. It is true that things can be preserved naturally by rosemary extract and other things. However, there has been no way to naturally preserve lotins or creams, yet. Who knows? By the time you read this the information could be out of date. If it is not, read on.

   

Opinion

    I have to admit, I had a really bad opinion on parabens before doing my research. They are in a literal ton of things. Though, the preservative before the paraben was much worse. Formaldehyde. Parabens are much safer than synthetic preservatives before it. They are found in anything from sunscreens to shampoos. I guess I don't mind though. The FDA and European Union figure, after testing, that they are safe. Avoid them if you can, though. Synthetic preservatives aren't the safest thing ever.

Final Thoughts

   The source for the information is http://www.care2.com/greenliving/parabens-easy-greening.html. Be careful when choosing a product for personal care. Learn the good and bad ingredients, and try to avoid the worst ones. So, how do you feel about parabens? Good? Evil? Angel? Demon? Answer in the comments below.

Technology Overload

 Introduction

      Did you know that too much use of technology can affect our ability to store information? Kind of shocking. There have been some arguments on whether or not technology is helping or hurting us. I think all our devices are hurting us because kids are choosing technology instead of friends, it keeps us from focusing on the task at hand, and keeping us from relationships in our own homes.

Paragraphs

        Most kids now are using more time to surf the web or listen to music on their iPod than hanging out with their friends. This is definitely not good. It has actually happened to me before, and the end result was not pretty. This can weaken the bond with your friend significantly. Sure, computers and social networks can allow us to stay in touch with friends across the the country. However, they can also push your friend that lives next door to you away. Your friends on Facebook might not even be friends. You can't really get to know all 1,000 of them very well. They could even be someone else, just faking their identity. At least you really know who your friends are because you have met them in person.

        Think about it, if you are trying to do math homework while watching the newest episode of Glee, are you really focusing on your homework? Probably not. Though, this is the case for most kids, having to multitask to no end. It causes us to usually not do  our very best work, and it could become quite the problem. Grades could start to drop because you can't focus on the assignment. Our brains could be affected negatively because of this multitasking. It could leave us only able to focus on tasks for short amounts of time. That is terrible with the standardized tests that we have which take more than 15 minutes to do.

       Spending time in your room surfing on the internet instead of eating with your family is not exactly good. It could even weaken the bonds within your family. Technology could distance you quite a bit from your family.  Words could even become insincere, sending a text instead of talking or even giving a call. The little things show you care. Taking time to listen and talk with each other is bonding right there. Your cell phone breaks these hard to earn relationships.  

Closing

     Technology isn't the best thing ever because it keeps us from our friends, keeps us from focusing, and keeps us from relationships. I feel this way due to the fact that all of my technology has been affecting me in a bad way. It is an outlet for my procrastinating and overall laziness. I have to get over it. I don't want other people to have the same problems. So, how do you handle technology? If you handle to much, try to unplug for a while.

     

Animal Shelters

Introduction

    Dogs, cats, and more. Plenty of animals end up in shelters every year. Fortunately, they have a place to stay before someone comes to take them to a new home. Unfortunately, not all will  be adopted. Older dogs, cats, etc. usually stay there until they die or are put down. Why? The answer is quite simple. People want "cute" and young puppies or kittens. However, people do still adopt adult or senior dogs and cats. Stories are different for other animals. The thing is, more and more older dogs are being put in shelters. Eventually, there gets to be too many dogs or cats and the oldest ones (often times) are first to be put down. Though, this is quite unfair. Want to learn more, read on.

Opinion

     Animal shelters are both good and bad places, is what I think. They do give salvation to dogs or cats that have been abused or worse. However, for most dogs and cats in shelters they stay there for the rest of their lives. People buy from puppy mills, places where dogs are raised in horrible conditions, pet stores or breeders. Getting a shelter pet is saving a life because some shelters kill the pets there. The pets in shelters will die in a cage with no one wanting them if people continue to not even consider getting one. This is the sad truth. So give them a chance at a new life! You'd be surprised at how they can still trust even though someone betrayed them.

Final Thoughts

     I'm pretty happy with how many animals are being saved. Not so happy with how many are being adopted. Though, baby steps right? Would you adopt a shelter pet? Why? Answer in the comments below.