Review – Dr. Oz’s Green Drink – A Glass of Fresh
When Dr. Oz was on Oprah on November 5, 2007, discussing anti aging, he made his “green drink” for Oprah.
When Oprah tasted the green drink, she commented, that it tasted like a glass of “fresh”.
The drink intrigued me, so I decided to try it.
The recipe is as follows:
Dr. Oz’s Green Drink Recipe:
Two handfuls of fresh spinach
1 apple, remove stem, and core, do not peel
1/2 cup of fresh parsley
Fresh ginger, peeled, 2-3 slices
1 cucumber, do not peel
4 Stalks of celery
The juice of one fresh lemon
Wash the fruits and vegetables.
Place all ingredients in a blender.
Blend until smooth.
Do not strain the drink. Many nutrients are in the fiber/pulp.
When adding the ingredients to your blender, cut them in chunks.
Do not place all ingredients in your blender at one time. “Puree” one or two ingredients, then add another. Continue pureeing, until all ingredients are added.
I had a problem with my blender pureeing the ingredients, so I added 1/2 cup of water. More or less water can be added, based on the desired thickness of the drink.
I did not have fresh ginger, so I used “pureed” ginger, which I buy in the supermarket. It comes is a tube, and I find it in the produce section. I used one tablespoon of the pureed ginger.
The drink made approximately two cups.
I drank one cup, and refrigerated the other, for later.
My review: The drink is very pleasant tasting. The apple adds enough sweetness, therefore, additional sugar isn’t required
None of the ingredients are overpowering.
If you are one who does not consume enough fruits and vegetables, this is a great way to add fruits and vegetables to your diet.
Dr. Oz’s green drink is something I will definitely make often.
I like the fact that it is very healthy, and the ingredients are fairly inexpensive.
Cheers! 
For more information and links to Oprah and Dr’ Oz’s real age website, check out previous articles titled:
Dr. Oz on Oprah – Anti Aging Tips and Green Drinks
Oprah and Dr. Oz Discuss The Effects Of Aging
Dr. Oz on Oprah
Oprah and Dr. Oz Discuss The Effects Of Stress
Did you see Oprah on November 1, 2007?
Dr. Oz, who has become a familiar face on Oprah, made another guest appearance.
The premise of the show was built around a new book written by Dr. Oz and Dr. Mike Roizen, called : You: Staying Young: The Owner’s Manual for Extending Your Warranty
Speaking of aging, Dr. Oz stated that stress is the number one “ager”.
Dr. Oz gave the audience methods of reducing negative stress, which included: breathing correctly, using meditation, prayer, and practicing techniques such as tai chi or chi-gong (similar to tai chi).
Obviously, diet and exercise, were added to the list of stress reducers.
Check out Oprah.com , for great links to more information on the show. Learn how to stay young, reduce stress, and to sharpen you mind.
What surprised me, was when Dr. Oz stated, that if we do what we love, our stress levels decrease.
One more reason to follow your passion. 
For more information on Dr. Oz and his “Real Age Test”, check out a previous article of mine, titled:Dr. Oz on Oprah, which includes a link to the real age test.
UPDATE: On 11/5/07, Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen returned to Oprah, to elaborate on their anti aging techniques. For more information, here’s a link to my article that recaps the show: Dr. Oz – Oprah – Anti Aging Tips and Green Drinks
Recycling May Slow Down Global Warming
Filed under: Archives, At Work, Business Opportunity, Making Money, Recycling
These days, we are hearing a lot about global warming. By some accounts, it is believed, that recycling may help in decreasing the speed of global warming. Buying recycled products also aids in the slow down of global warming.
We all contribute to global warming. If we do not recycle, we are helping to create more green house gases. Landfills are known to produce millions of tons of carbon dioxide and methane. These are two prominent green house gases, that some scientists attribute to global warming.
To quote the EPA:
Leading businesses and corporations are evaluated on many aspects of their performance, including product quality, ethics or standing in the community. These leaders can provide a powerful example promoting greenhouse gas reduction strategies through corporate incentives such as financial assistance for employees who use public transportation, car-pooling and even telecommuting. Other “green” practices such as recycling and purchasing recycled materials also contribute to emissions reductions
Recycling is great for the environment. Recycling is also a great business opportunity, as well.
Knowing what is recyclable is easy. A quick search online will produce a lengthy list. Among the common things that can be recycled are:
Paper, of all types, including newspaper and telephone books
Cardboard (non waxed)
Car and truck tires
Used oil
Batteries
Wood products, including tree limbs, construction and demolition debris
Yard Debris, including grass clippings, leaves, and brush
Steel, brass, copper, tin, aluminum and other metal products
Glass containers
Aluminum containers, such as pop cans
Appliances
Computer and Office Equipment
Cell Phones
Printer Cartridges
Eyeglasses
Plastic bottles and milk jugs (without lids)
Asphalt
Many of these items can be recycled and used to create more of the same. Whereas as, an item, such as wood and yard debris, can be ground up, and the end product becomes compost, or a biomass fuel.
Used tires are often ground up, and used as a playground ground cover.
If recycling and global warming are issues that tug at your heart strings, think about what part you can plan in stopping these items from ending up in landfills. It may be as simple as utilizing curbside recycling bins, or it may inspire you to create a business opportunity.
A business opportunity in recycling, may make an impact on global warming, while ensuring a sustainable future, for the next generation, as well.
For additional information on wood recycling, (a business opportunity, I have first hand knowledge of), read a previous article of mine, titled: “Wood Recycling – A Green Opportunity”.
Tags: aluminum, aluminum containers, biomass fuel, brass copper, buying recycled products, carbon dioxide and methane, copper tin, corporate incentives, demolition debris, glass containers, grass clippings, Green, green house gases, greenhouse gas reduction, milk jugs, oil batteries, pop cans, reduction strategies, telephone books, truck tires, waxed car, yard debrisWood Recycling – A “Green” Opportunity
Filed under: Archives, At Work, Business Opportunity, Making Money, Recycling
- Image via Wikipedia
Wood recycling comprises of grinding brush, stumps, tree limbs, and scrap building products, etc… By grinding these wood products, you are creating a reusable product…..wood chips.
Here’s a short quote from www.p2pays.org, regarding the importance of wood recycling:
A variety of wood wastes are generated from construction, demolition, and land clearing operations. Wood wastes consist of: tree trimmings, scrap wood, pallets, lumber, and shipping containers. Wood wastes are often classified as Construction and Demolition (C&D) debris. Wood wastes can be diverted from landfilling and used in a number of applications. Such applications include lumber reuse, mulch, fibers for manufacturing, animal bedding, and biomass fuel. Wood wastes can also be used in composting operations. Wood wastes can be applied to cleared areas for dust suppression and runoff control. Such wastes can also be reused for small construction and hobby projects.
Wood wastes can be reused in home heating or construction. Although this diversion strategy is cost-free, it is often difficult to reuse all of the waste products. If the wood wastes cannot be reused or taken offsite by a recycler, the next viable diversion step is size reduction. Grinding is the most common method used to reduce the size of wood wastes. Wood tub grinders are used to reduce wood wastes into smaller particles. No screening is necessary. The larger-sized output material from the tub grinder can be used as a biomass fuel or as a bulking agent to balance high nitrogen loads in composting operations. The smaller-sized material can be composted or used as mulch. However, according to the Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center, it is not recommended to grind or compost wood covered with lead-based paint. During grinding this paint will generate a toxic dust cloud , where the lead can leach into the compost. Wood wastes that are chipped or ground will decompose more readily. Composted wood wastes can be used as a soil amendment or fertilizer. The reduced wood wastes can also be used as mulch and help grow grass at municipal and commercial landscape applications, such as highway projects and golf courses. Mulch can also be used to control weed growth.
Wood tub grinders are not limited in opening size like smaller chippers or shredders. The grinders can process large and odd shaped wood including stumps, pallets, and waste lumber. Material that is pressure treated, chemically treated, or creosote contaminated should not be composted. Such wood contains chemicals that inhibit plant growth or are toxic to the environment. Avoid plywood or particle board since they contain glues which might be hard on machinery, difficult to compost, and contain undesirable chemicals for land application.
We engaged in wood recycling for over six years. We set up in a permanent location and began to accept brush, stumps, tree limbs, and some construction waste. To grind these products, we used a WHO P-12 tubgrinder, with a grapple, which was operated by a person who sat in the cab. As the brush was loaded into the tub, the hammermill would chomp on the wood, and spit it out, onto a conveyor belt. The piles of wood chips were then moved away from the tub grinder, with a loader.
Another area, we included in the wood recycling operation, was for demolition jobs. If a house was being demolished, parts of the house were able to be recycled. We would not take any windows, fixtures, carpeting or pad, wiring, anything painted with lead paint, or asbestos. We were very careful to not grind any product that could contaminate our topsoil or compost products. Customers who tried to bring in loads of unacceptable products, were refused. More time was required on our part when we accepted loads of house demo, thus, customers were charged a higher rate to have the house demo, recycled. It was with house demo, that we would end up with some waste products that were not recyclable. These products were stacked in a separate location, and when we had a truck load, it was taken to the local landfill.
With our stacks of wood chips multiplying, we decided to begin composting a percentage of them. Since we were also getting in grass clippings and yard debris, we began combining these products, and making compost. Obviously, the larger wood chips would take longer to compost, so we installed smaller screens in the tubgrinder, and produced a small chip. By doing this, we sped up the composting process.
Wanting to take recycling to the next level, we purchased a Wittco brand classifier. This is often called a trommel, but the Wittco that we have, also includes a 6000 gallon “bath”. This piece of equipment worked perfectly for processing the dirty material that was accumulating.
- Image by Getty Images via Daylife
With the classifier, product is loaded onto a conveyor belt. It then goes through a 28 foot (x 6′ diameter) trommel screen. As the trommel turns, product is released through the predetermined size screens. Anything larger than the screens, passes onto the bath. The bath contains two underwater conveyor belts. The top belt (since wood floats), takes the wood products, and dispenses it outside of the bath (on the front side of the classifier, and can be taken to the tubgrinder for grinding). The rocks, that sink to the bottom of the bath, are picked up by the second conveyor belt, and are ejected out, to the rear side of the classifier.
The trommel, or classifier, is operated by a person who sits in a “control tower”. The operator can stop the trommel at any time, or set the speed of the trommel. If they see a problem, they can stop the trommel from turning, and correct the problem.
With the classifier, we were able to mix, or blend, the dirt with the composted, recycled wood products. Hence, a blended topsoil product was created. Ironically, as the blended topsoil sat in piles, it continued to compost even further (or “cook” as they say). Several times we had the blended topsoil tested, and the results came back showing we had created a fantastic topsoil product, full of nutrients.
For several years, we took the larger wood chips, which were not composted, and sold them as hog fuel. When the demand for hog fuel declined, we chose to compost them as well.
When composting, watering and turning the piles is essential. Again, we used the loader and backhoe, although a compost turner can also be used.
So, with one tub grinder, a classifier, a loader, and sometimes a backhoe, we had a complete recycling operation. To create additional income, we also used our dump truck, to either pick up products for recycling, or to deliver the “end” products to other contractors or home owners.
Our list of resalable products included wood chips for hog fuel, animal bedding, or ground cover; blended top soil, compost, and firewood. If we had any unprocessed dirty material, we had that available for sale, as a “fill” material. We contemplated mixing “special blends” of top soil, but the need never arose. With the classifier, that would have been an easy task.
The blended topsoil was our biggest “mover”. Living in an area where good topsoil was non existent, we were able to fill a need. Landscapers loved our product, and we had many testimonials of how the lawns and flower beds they put in, would flourish.
Being able to use varied sizes of screens in the classifier, we also contemplated bagging our topsoil product, and selling it locally. This would have been another great income stream, however, due to time constraints, that plan never materialized.
When we began our recycling operation, we charged our customers $3.00 a cubic yard for all brush, limbs, scrap wood, grass clipping, and yard debris. Stumps were charged out at $9.00 per cubic yard. At the time, these prices were based on what the market could bear, however, since then, prices have increased.
We worked on a “honor system”, and used a three part invoice. We set up a mail box, where the invoices were kept. When the drivers would bring in a load of recyclables, they would fill out the invoice and keep one copy. When their company was billed, a second copy was attached to the invoice. We would do spot checks, and at times would find discrepancies. If that were the case, the driver and/or company were notified, and a correction was made to the invoice. A few people, “dumped and dashed”, but that was a rare occurrence. The honor system worked fine for our set up, however, for a larger operation, it may be necessary to set up a “booth”, where loads can be being viewed, and the invoices are being completed by an individual, hired by the company.
For loads of product coming in to us, we also made a 4×8′ “map” of the recycling yard. This directed the drivers as to which area we wanted the products dumped. By notifying the drivers where to dump the different products, we were able to keep our recycling yard more organized, thus eliminating the need to handle a product more than once.
Mostly due to health issues, we stopped our wood cycling operation. Our biggest joy, was knowing we had done something good, for the environment.
Wood recycling is a great way to create a “green” business. Most communities have a need for this. If no one recycles wood products, these products either end up in the landfills, or are getting burned. It’s sad to see this, as the landfills end up filling up fast, costing the community a much unneeded financial burden.
Wood recycling, combined with composting, completely recycles a product, and creates byproducts that are great for resale. There is very little waste.
If wood recycling is a business you would like to venture into, in addition to setting up a legal business entity, it may be necessary to also get permits from your local or state governments. Depending on the size of your operation, DEQ (Department of Environmental Quality), may also require you to apply for a permit.
As mentioned in an earlier post, (Free Information For government Grants ), I had also researched the possibility of Federal grant money for the recycling operation. Some state governments also offer a tax credit for the purchase of recycling equipment. Visit your state’s website, to see what programs they may offer.
We have since put the classifier and tub grinder up for sale. Although the tub grinder is for sale, we still use it for occasional on site recycling jobs. The portability of it, makes moving it rather simple. It can be pulled behind a semi tractor, with the use of a fifth wheel.
The classifier is a specialty item, and will take a special buyer. It is a large stationary piece of equipment, and would be best used for an wood recycling operation that has a permanent location and/or debris yard.
If you have read this article, and are interested in purchasing and/or obtaining more information on the tub grinder or classifier/trommel, please fill out my contact form ( Or,click on “contact” in the header of this page). Please include your telephone number. By submitting the contact form, I will receive an email, and from that point, will be in contact with you.
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Free Information For Government Grants
Filed under: Archives, At Work, Finances, Free Stuff, Governmental Grants
Finding Federal government grants for a business endeavor can be difficult. There is Federal grant money available to businesses, however, finding the right website, can take a considerable amount of time. I’m going to provide you with the free link, to the website, which lists all grants available through the Federal government. It all starts with a short story.
Years ago, we expanded our business, and began wood recycling. Friends mentioned that we may be illegible for Federal grant money, since wood recycling was a “green” type business. Thus, I began my research, to find Federal grant money, to subsidize the wood recycling part of our business.
I spent hours researching online. Many of the sites would offer Federal grant sources, for a fee. Granted (no pun intended ), these individuals had spent many hours compiling this information, but I knew, there had to be a Federal site that would offer available grant information, for free. And……….there is. (Keep in mind, with the Federal, State and city governments, this data is free public information…you just have to know where to look)
The name of the site is Grants.gov. Here’s a free link to it: Grants.gov
On the “Grants.gov” site, the information is ever changing. Sure, you can bookmark the site and check it often, but, by registering, you can get emails (on almost a daily basis), of all Federal grant opportunities. To register, you first need a DUNS number (from Dun and Bradstreet), and you must also be registered with the CCR (Central Contractor Registry). By clicking on the following link, you will be taken to: Grants.gov-Get Registered.
Once you are on this page, you can follow the links to Dun and Bradstreet, the CCR (Central Contractor Registry), and acquire information of how to gain access to email alerts. This process will take a little time to complete, but if you’re interested in finding potential Federal grant money for your business, your efforts could “pay off”.
When the emails listing the available grants begin arriving in your inbox, Grants.gov, provides a link to each grant opportunity.
If you find a grant that is suitable for your business, and are not comfortable with the application process, you might consider hiring a “grant writer” to complete the application.
After researching hundreds of Federal grant opportunities, what I observed was that most Federal grant money is only available to individual states and cities. There are grants available to individual businesses, however, you must meet the criteria. My research for Federal grant money, also lead me to a State program, that offered a tax incentive program for wood recycling businesses.
If you are anxious to see what grants are currently available, there is a link on the Grants.gov homepage on which you can click. This will take you to a list of the current grants. Keep in mind, grants are only available for a predetermined period of time. When applying for a Federal grant, time is of the essence.
Our wood recycling business “took off” pretty fast, so I gave up on my search for Federal grant money.
Even though we have since closed our wood recycling and composting operations, I continue to get updates from Grants.gov. One never knows when another opportunity will “knock”.
To read a tutorial on using a tub grinder for wood recycling, click here.
Tags: amount of time, business endeavor, central contractor registry, city governments, daily basis, dun and bradstreet, duns number, federal government grants, federal grant money, federal grant opportunities, Green, money, public information, type business, wood recyclingRecycle – Recycle – Recycle
Filed under: Archives, At Home, At Work, Recycling
Recyling is a great “circle” to be a part of. If you’ve ever noticed, the “logo” for recycling is in the form of a circle. It’s a great way to sustain natural resources.
In an office, a lot of the paper that crosses your desk can be recycled. Remember to destroy the confidential information (preferably with a cross cut shredded-read my previous post).
Now that I’m blogging, I find that I print off a lot of information so I can get away from the computer screen, and read it at my leisure. When I’m done reading what I printed off, and have no further need for the information, only one side of the paper is used. I have a stack of “reuseable” paper. When I decide to print off more of my research information, I just grab my stack of “reusable” paper and flip it over. When I’m done reading that, I can then put it in my recycle bin (provided there is no confidential information on it), and know I am doing something good for the environment.
A lot of things can be recycled. A short list includes, but is not limited to: tires, brush, trees, grass clippings, used motor oil, steel, brass, copper, tin, wood products, cardboard, and paper.
Composting has also become a popular way to recycle household food scraps (don’t put meat or other protein products into your composter), and the end product is great for use in your garden or as a lawn “dressing”.
There’s a lot of great articles on the internet about composting and recycling. Also, check your local yellow pages for a recycling center near you, and do your part to help protect the environment.
Read my tutorial on using a tub grinder for wood recycling, here.
Explore, enjoy and protect the planet. Join the Sierra Club today.
Tags: blog, brass copper, brush, cardboard, composter, Composting, computer screen, confidential information, copper tin, cross cut, environment, grass clippings, Green, household food, motor oil, natural resources, paper, planet, protein products, recycling center, Recyling, sierra club, tires, trees, tub grinder, wood recyclingLife Saving Tips
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