The University Guide

Archive for the ‘Health’ Category

At home, at work and at school, Americans have successfully engaged in recycling programs–and one of the best success stories is paper.

In 2005, a record-high 51.5 percent (51.3 million tons) of all paper consumed in the U.S. was recovered for recycling. The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) hopes to increase that number and has set an ambitious goal of 55 percent recovery by 2012.

Every American can do his or her part. Although each community’s recycling programs may be different, you can generally recycle newspapers, corrugated containers (cardboard), direct mail, magazines and catalogs. Check with your local municipality to find out what you can and cannot recycle.

The AF&PA Recycling Awards were created to recognize outstanding individual, business community and school paper recycling efforts. In 2006, the program was expanded to include a category for schools.

This year’s award winners are:

Ed Hurley Memorial Paper Recycling Award (for individual achievement)

• Joel Ostroff, Macon County, North Carolina

AF&PA Business Leadership Recycling Awards

• Small Business: Bluegrass Regional Recycling Corporation, Richmond, Kentucky

• Large Business: Brewer Science, Inc., Rolla, Missouri

AF&PA Community Recycling Awards

• Small Community: North-field, Minnesota

• Large Community: Seattle, Washington

AF&PA School Recycling Awards

• Classroom: Heber Springs High School, Heber Springs, Arkansas

• Schoolwide: Mountain Home High School, Mountain Home, Arkansas

• College & University: tie between the University of Colorado at Boulder in Boulder, Colorado, and the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon

“This year’s Recycling Award winners have exhibited innovation and social responsibility,” said AF&PA President & CEO W. Henson Moore. “Their accomplishments in recycling have set new precedents.”

Have you ever wondered what is floating through the air in your home? Just because you can’t see something doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Millions of particles, pollutants, gases, bacteria, and allergens are roaming your house with no way to get out making the air inside your home up to 100 times dirtier than outside air. Sure, opening a window to let in fresh air may get that stale smell out, but it is only an open door to invite more particles inside your home.

This contaminated air circulates through your home and either settles on flat surfaces in the form of dust or is breathed in by you and your family.

Fortunately, your house does not have to fall victim to these airborne pests. Air purifiers are more common and affordable today than ever before. If you do not have an air purifier, knowing the different types of air filtration devices will help you before you buy your own.

1. HEPA filters: Short for “High Efficiency Particulate Air filters”, these devices use a cloth-like filter which can trap more than 99.97% of particles in your house. The filter lasts a couple of years depending on the condition of the air and can actually trap more pollutants than other filters. The downside is the HEPA filter is noisier than its competitors and does not eliminate gases or odors

2. Ionic Filters: Ionic filters purify the air by sending our ions which oppositely charge the particles so they stick together and collect on magnetic plates inside the filter (much like how your hair sticks to a balloon after it has been rubbed on your head). These devices are often a favorite among customers because of how silent they are. They are even effective enough to clean viruses, gases, allergens and bacteria out of your household air.

3. Carbon air filters: These devices are, by far, the most effective odor removers on the market. They work though a system of highly absorbent pores which trap molecules by forming a strong chemical bond. They don’t, however, trap any airborne allergens or germs.

4. Ultra-Violet Light filter: Ultra violet light haven been proven to sterilize micro-organisms if they are exposed to the right amount of light for a certain length of time. Alone, there is some doubt to the effectiveness of these filters because micro-organisms may not be exposed to the light long enough while they are passing though the air. In order for ultra violet work to be successful, HEPA is used to capture the air long enough to be sterilized by the light. While ultra violet kills microorganisms, HEPA can rid your house of allergens.

5. Hydroxyl Radical filter: Hydroxyl radicals occur naturally in the earth’s atmosphere and are powerful cleansing agents. They are, in fact the most powerful method of sanitizing mold and other harmful bacteria.

These five types of filters are the most popular and dependable on the market. Now that you have a firm understanding of how these filters work and what exactly they clean out of household air, do your homework. There are many great filter providers online which can lead you to the best filter for your budget.

The world of online nursing can be a wonderful, yet frightening experience to anyone who has not taken an online class or who has limited computer skills. In an online nursing program, people are expected to read assignments and complete projects online. This may mean a person will need to know more about their computer before enrolling in an online program. Be sure that basic skills like opening documents, saving files, and downloading images and text area able to be completed. These are skills that any person would need when trying to pull information off the computer.

Once a person is comfortable with their computer, they can choose a nursing program that will suit their needs. The world of online nursing is expanding. With so many people in need of quality care, a nurse should not have any problem finding a job or moving up in their career. There are many jobs that require a bachelor’s or master’s degree in nursing. Obtaining this type of degree online is a great way to learn many new skills, improve computer skills, and discover new techniques and procedures. This is especially necessary for those who have not gone back to school in a long time. Medical advances are rapidly changing the face of nursing.

After a few weeks, the world of online nursing will become familiar. Turning in assignments, taking tests, and getting grades will seem routine. Many online programs are only one or two year programs. This means in a short amount of time, a person could be working in a new career they can be proud of. Upon completion, a person will receive a diploma that is similar to one given at a university. With this diploma, a nurse now has many options. The University of Obama classes have hopefully given them the foundation they will need to succeed in any area of nursing. Overcoming one’s fears and taking classes over the internet will help a person feel more confident and in control of their lives.