October 2nd's Tip
Electric Blankets: With temperatures starting to drop, you may be thinking of getting an electric blanket to keep warm. There are better options.
Electric blankets put out EMFs, or electromagnetic fields. While there is controversy over the danger of EMFs, they may be connected to diseases such as cancer. EMFs are better known for coming from places such as cell phones, computers, and power lines. On another safety related issue, electric blankets are responsible for thousands of fires each year.
Besides the health and safety issues, using an electric blanket is an electricity waste, especially if you sleep with it on.
There are much better options to keeping warm than electric blankets.
Throw on a sweater. Heck, throw on two or three sweaters, if you need to. If it's cold, nobody is going to care if you look ridiculous, especially in your own home.
Put on extra socks. My go-to for foot warmth is 2 pairs of socks and a pair of slippers. You can also pick up some of those extra thick socks made just for cold weather.
Cuddle up. No better excuse to cuddle up under a blanket with a loved one than it being cold out! Pile the blankets on, if you need to.
Drink/eat something warm. Hot cocoa, soup, etc.
Exercise. Moving around, despite how silly it may seem to come out from under your blanket at first, can easily warm you up, and last beyond your exercise time.
What I love about cool/cold weather... in the summer, you can only take so much off to get cool. In the winter, the layering possibilities are almost endless. You can always put on another pair of socks or another blanket!
Contribute
We are looking for reader submitted tips for Eco-Friendly Friday so we can share some even we may have not heard before. If you've got a unique or informative tip and want to contribute to Eco-Friendly Friday, shoot us an email. Be sure to include your URL if you want a link to your site included with your tip!
4 Responses
1
Austin Divorce Attorney
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Electric Blanket is also a no no for me, I might be paranoid thinking that it might have some side effect but its better that way.
2
Lauralee Hensley
October 2nd, 2009 at 5:35 pm
My friend, who was a nurse was sleeping in bed one night with an electric blanket on. She was getting to roll over and opened her eyes slightly. Out of the corner of her eye she saw something red reflecting in her bedroom window where the curtain wasn't quit closed all the way. So she started to get up to see what it was, when she realized it was the bottom corner of her blanket that was on fire that she saw. I was using an electric blanket around that time too. She told me at work what had happened and said she'd never sleep with one again, she said if she hadn't gotten up when she did, she could have gotten burned or worse.
3
Mom
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:23 pm
SORRY this doesn't have anything to do with electric blankets. I/we just wanted to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! (10/3). WE LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU! Hope that you get you're "endless pasta" tonight. LOVE YOU LOTS! Mom & Dad
PS.This is the last one in misery.Nest year will be in CT.(fingers crossed)
4
Lucky Smith @ garage door
October 5th, 2009 at 3:10 am
Electric Blankets? Is this good? I have my options here choosing to have hot coffee and hot soups. It will make me feel better.