How Do I?: Shoveling & Easy Ways to Go Green

Protect Myself Shoveling

The snowy winter months mean shoveling your walkways. This task can be daunting and dangerous. There are guidelines for minimizing your risk of injury while shoveling snow. Make sure to follow them this winter when making your property’s walkways safe.

• Get a head start by removing the snow in thin layers rather than waiting until all of the snow has fallen.
• Make sure that you have a shovel that is not too heavy.
• Take your time.  Shoveling snow is like lifting weights. It increases your heart rate and blood pressure dramatically.
• Shovel fresh snow while it is light and powdery.
• Push the snow as you shovel. It is easier on your back than lifting snow off your walkways.
• Don’t pick up too much snow at once. 
• Lift with your knees bent. Keep your back straight. Lifting this way will put less stress on your back and spine.
• Do not work to the point of exhaustion. If you run out of breath, take a break. If you experience tightness in your chest, stop immediately.
• Dress warmly. Don’t forget that your nose, ears, hands and feet need extra protection in the cold weather.
• Wear slip-resistance shoes to help avoid falls.
• Do not throw the snow over your shoulder or to the side. The twisting motion involved may stress your back.

Recycle This

With the start of the new year, you should be thinking of ways you can improve life for you, your family and the world. One thing you can do to help our planet improve is to recycle.

There are several ways, big and small, that you can “go green.” Most of us participate in our community’s recycling program and donate usable items we no longer need but there are many other easy ways to go green and make a bigger impact.

One simple way is to have Meatless Mondays. A family of four that has one meat-free meal each week has the same impact on the environment as driving a hybrid car. This is because of the amount of natural resources it takes to provide meat to consumers.

Speaking of meat, shopping for sustainably-raised meat is another way to go green. Sustainably-raised meat means that the animal was raised well, given enough room to roam and wasn’t treated with hormones or antibiotics. Search for where to shop for this type of meat at www.eatwellguide.org.

If you get a lot of junk mail, you can get off junk mail lists by visiting www.dmachoice.org and registering. After about three months, you should see a reduction in the amount of junk mail you receive. You can also pay your bills online and set up automatic payments to reduce the amount of paper being used. This also means your bills are paid on-time.