Innovative Parking

Innovative Parking in Birmingham, England

Innovative parking may clear traffic and pollution in the skies. The city of Birmingham, England they are beginning an experimental phase where they plan to reduce congestion in inner cities and make them more livable. The proposed plan will hopefully reduce the congestion that is in turn affecting the economy, local businesses, and citizens. Software will help the city better understand the parking patterns of the city that will allow officials improve parking efficiency and make it easier to find parking in the inner city.
They have implanted ultra low sensors in a 10 block diameter, to begin, that will detect the presence of someone in a parking spot. This collected information will be given to city officials and drivers alike. Citizens will be able to download an application on smart phones that will give them the ability to see availibilty, pricing, and guidance back to their parking spot. This Smarter Parking trial will allow the city to continue it's latest advances in technology to benefit it's citizens and improve city services.

Tresemme Shampoo

THURSDAY, JANUARY 17, 2013

Tresemme Shampoo!

Tresemme Shampoo 

Ingredients:

sodium laureth sulfate

cocamidopropyl betaine

ammonium chloride

imidazolidiny urea

dmd hydantoin- 5-7 hazard

fragrance

quaternium 22

tetrasodium edta

polyquaternium 10 and 39

butylphenyl methypropional

citric acid

limonen

        I chose to look at my shampoo, which is Tresemme. I found that many of the ingredients actually did not have hazard to them at all but if they were used in a different product or different way they could be harmful. I searched all of the ingredients and the most toxic of them was DMDM Hydantoin, which is an antibacterial formaldihyde. The largest problem this ingredient has is that it can release or be contaminated  the carcinogan formaldehyde. lt also has a skin,  eye, and lung irritant. Lastly, it has been known to trigger an immune response that can include burning, itching, blistering, or scaling of the skin. 

        My shampoo bottle is currently nearing it's end but will be sure to definitely check for this preservative in the future of buying my shampoo. With this ingredient being in nearly all of the major shampoos, this could be difficult but if I am unable to find a suitable product I will continue to poison my hair with this formaldehyde. I would love to remove it from my daily life for sure, but if it's not plausible I'm not going to forgoe washing my hair. This assignment definitely opened up my eyes to what really could be inside my daily hygiene products and may have to do more side research before I purchase my next round of items!

Going green

My Footprint!

Wow, it would take 4.4 Planet Earth's to sustain my lifestyle I currently live? That seems a bit ridiculous if I don't say so myself. There are definitely ways I can change to reduce these outputs. Before this class, my day to day life rarely considered how much i truly am using every minute. I hope to be far more aware of my energy footprint by the end of this course and setting goals for myself is a great way to begin. 

1) For one, with the largest piece of the pie being services I will attempt to reduce this to begin. I can do so by reducing my water output, energy usage, and other ways I live. The water output that I use mostly on a daily basis is from showering, washing dishes, and using the restroom. I will eliminate my water output by reducing the times we run the dish washer and attempt to wash dishes by hand, reuse our drinking glasses, and just use less dishes in general! I usually tend to shower two times a day, I don't see myself taking one shower a day due to my regular workout routine, my roommates may not like me too much...After hearing some suggestions in class, I would like to get all of my roommates to attempt to only flush the toilet when necessary! 

2) In regards to food, I have been wanting to buy more locally anyhow so this is a good time to do so. I will begin to shop at co-op's or just keep a keen eye in Fred Meyer's or Haggen's. Buying locally will keep my footprint down because the more local I buy, the less it takes to transfer and package the food that I am consuming. Becoming more prone to buying grass fed beef will also play a role this quarter rather than eating the stuff that is pumped full of all types of bad things. I will also make a modest attempt to not eat out as much as I have been because I would assume this meat that is used is not produced locally.


3) I will also make an attempt to walk to class if the weather is conducive to do so to decrease my mobility pie chart. Wa