Enjoy Your Life

Let's not worry, let's enjoy life and this beautiful plant!

Read more

Enjoy Your Time!

Time could seem plentiful, but it is not, so let's not waste it.

Read more

Enjoy Your Friends

Friends will always support us, let's not forget it is a gift to have them around us!

Read more

Managing the Mess: Navigating the Landscape of US Waste Management

waste recycling in Providence

What waste management in the USA

An American person produces on average 782 kilograms of waste per year and this production has continued to grow since 2010. How much waste is produced? How is this waste managed?

From the 1960s, waste production increased sharply in Rhode Island with economic growth and changes in consumption and production patterns.

This growing quantity of waste poses problems that are increasingly difficult to resolve, whether in terms of treatment methods, management costs for communities or the damage caused to the environment and human health.

Growth in waste production in Rhode Island

US regulations require each state to provide, every two years, with a set of data on the production and treatment of waste according to a common methodology.

According to the latest figures from the Ministry of Ecological Transition, which relate to the year 2020, 43 million tons of waste were produced in Rhode Island (all waste combined), an increase of 7.4% compared to 2016.

How does Rhode Island compare to other US states

In 2018, the Rhode Island was the source of 0.5 billion tonnes of waste. Rhode Island is the seventh state producing the most waste per resident. Relative to the number of inhabitants, Providence’s waste production is within the US average with 7.1 tons per inhabitant.

In 2019, 8.9 million tons of household and similar waste (DMA) were collected by the public service, according to a survey conducted every two years by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

If Americans individually produce less waste, the increase in population means that the production of household waste remains on the rise. In ten years, the quantity of household waste has continued to increase (+2.5% between 2007 and 2017), even if each US person has reduced their own production by an average of 2%, according to the latest national waste campaign about household and similar waste.

However, the quantity of waste produced per inhabitant remains at a high level – 782 kg of DMA per inhabitant in 2020 – hence the importance of effective waste management, by developing recovery and improving efficiency in the treatment sectors.

The share of unsorted waste (gray trash) amounts to 349 kg of residual household waste (OMR) per inhabitant. However, 80% of these OMR collected in Rhode island could be the subject of recovery if they were sorted by users and directed towards specific processing channels, according to a report from the Department of Environmental Management published in 2022.

According to this report, household waste represents 9% of the volume of waste produced in Rhode Island, business waste 21% and construction waste 70%.

Who manages the waste in Rhode Island

Waste management encompasses both its collection, its transport and the stages of sorting and pre-treatment until its elimination or recovery. It is the State which determines the management of all types of waste.

Waste can be classified according to its nature and its impact on the population or the environment (hazardous or non-hazardous) or according to its producer. We thus distinguish:

  • household waste, the management of which is the responsibility of local authorities, within the framework of the public waste management service (SPGD);
  • waste from economic activities (DAE) produced by all sectors of activity (agriculture-fishing, construction, industry, tertiary sector). This waste remains the responsibility of their respective producers who may call on private service providers.

However, certain waste from economic activities, called assimilated, can be collected by the public service at the same time as household waste. Non-hazardous waste from businesses (artisans, traders, offices, etc.) and the public sector (administrations, hospitals, etc.) is, for example, included in the household and similar waste (DMA) category. Communities can set quantity limits for handling this assimilated waste.

Among the waste managed by communities, around 80% comes from households, and 20% is produced by companies or public organizations.

Transfer of skills in waste

The reform of territorial organization led to transfers of skills in waste management to reduce pollution. Initially devolved to counties, the collection and processing of household and similar waste is now the responsibility of public intermunicipal cooperation establishments. The fight against illegal dumping remains a responsibility of the mayor of the municipality who must ensure public health within the framework of his police power.

Around 100 intermunicipal structures organize the collection and processing of this waste on a daily basis. Furthermore, the law gave the counties responsibility for planning waste prevention and management. These are responsible for developing a regional waste prevention and management plan which defines objectives and actions to be carried out over two periods of six and twelve years to reduce waste and increase its recovery.

Categories: Environment

How To Clean Out Your Garage

Take All the Waste Out

Finding out what’s in your garage is the first step towards clearing it. To begin, choose a part of your garage and begin by removing all of the clutter to the driveway. You’ll be able to assess how much room you need to work with & what kinds of storage will work best when it’s time to arrange the stuff you’re retaining by following this garage cleaning advice.

Decide What You Want To Keep And What You Don’t

Once you’ve taken everything out, it’s time to lay down some ground guidelines for determining what to retain. To speed up the process of cleaning your garage, use this garage cleaning tip. Think about whether anything is in the garage for a purpose or just because you won’t realize what to do while making your decisions on whether to retain or discard. Otherwise, either put it to good use or throw it away, this is good waste management practice.

Things To Consider While Cleaning Out A Garage

  • An inventory of your most frequently-used items
  • Things in functioning condition. Ditch all the gizmos you’ve been meaning to fix
  • Tools you can’t readily hire or borrow
  • Plan what to do with garage clutter

In waste management, clutter is defined as everything that does not make it into your “keep” list. Allow it to sit in your garage for any longer than necessary.

After you’ve placed aside the things you want to retain, you can begin sorting through the remainder of the material you hauled out of a garage. Make a list of the goods you want to sell or give first. Store donated goods in disposable containers such as cardboard boxes, plastic bins, or bags so that you may pack them up as you work and store them someplace out of the way.
*
Take whatever you don’t want to retain, sell, or give and put it in a bag or container. You may put the rubbish bags into the dumpster as you go if you’ve booked a dumpster for the weekend cleanup.

Alternatives To Garage Clutter Elimination

Donate It

When you’re cleaning out the garage, it’s a good decision to make a list of potential destinations for the items in your “give” pile. You may start by contacting your local Salvation Army, Goodwill, or Habitat for Humanity, but always check with them first to ensure that they would take your donated things before making the trip. If they are unable to accept your belongings, don’t give up hope; you may be amazed at the number of donation alternatives available in your local community. In the Washington D.C. area, for example, the non-profit organisation Levelling the Playing Fields welcomes sports equipment contributions in order to provide poor children the opportunity to engage in athletics.

Deep Clean The Space

As soon as you’ve finished cleaning out your garage, you should give it a thorough cleaning before putting everything back where it belongs. In general, cleaning out a garage from bottom to top is the most effective method. If you have a refrigerator, wipe off the inside and outside of the unit before you begin cleaning. Your garage’s walls and cabinet doors should be cleaned with warm water and a little home detergent using a wet cloth. Sweep the floors afterward to remove any loose dust that formed while the shaker was operating. Afterward, mop and hose the floor. Make sure that the floor is thoroughly dry before storing anything.

Suggestions For Garage Cleaning

  • Cat litter, dish soap, and a wire scour brush may all be used to remove motor oil stains
  • Mold should be removed by wiping it away with vinegar or bleach diluted with hot water
  • Garage walls should be cleaned from top to bottom using a sponge mop
  • When you’re done, wipe down the wall with the flat head mop and a microfiber towel to dry it
  • After mopping, turn on the floor fan to help speed up the drying process on the floor
  • Make A Plan And Stick To It

As soon as you’ve reduced down your inventory and completed your garage cleaning, take advantage of the chance to prevent clutter from accumulating once again. So, what is the most effective method of organising a garage? From a waste management standpoint, it all depends on what you need to keep and how much of it you require.

The Most Effective Methods Of Organising A Garage

  • Make advantage of shelf systems to store products that are regularly used close at hand
  • Things you use less regularly should be stored in cupboards or closets
  • Hand tools, like hammers and hacksaws, may be organised with the help of a pegboard
  • Larger equipment, like rakes and shovels, may be stored on wall hooks or propped up in a wide, robust container to save space
  • Items should be organised by categories so that you know where to go for what you’re looking for—and can quickly and simply put everything back where it belongs when you’re through
  • Take Some Time When Cleaning Out Your Garage

Cleaning up your garage does not have to be a time-consuming endeavour. Utilizing these suggestions, you may take it one step at the time & regain your parking spot in as little as a single weekend.

Categories: Environment

Minneapolis waste management services

The state of Minnesota has implemeted strict regulations when it comes to waste management and recycling practices. These are applied in the metropolis of Minneapolis and beyond. This regulation comes from research on the environment at the University of Minneapolis.

These obligations are not directly applicable to households, as their waste is managed by the public service. Each person, on the other hand, is able to participate actively, by sorting their waste. This simple, daily action improves household waste recovery rates and the quality of recovered materials.

Knowledge and traceability of waste

Any producer or holder of waste is required to know the characteristics of his waste. This characterization of the waste must allow the producer or holder to know the properties of the waste, in particular whether it is dangerous or not and to choose the management mode accordingly. The characterization of hazardous waste is subject to specific rules.

The traceability of waste, that is to say information on the origin of the waste, its quantity, its characteristics, its destination and its treatment or disposal methods, is essential to ensure good waste management. It allows a producer to ensure that his waste is treated in accordance with waste regulations, and the public authorities to control waste management on the MN territory.

Each person who participates in waste management, whether it is a producer, an importer, an exporter, an operator of a treatment facility, a collector, a transporter, a person carrying out brokerage or trading operations in waste, or an operator implementing an exit from the waste status, is required to have the information relating to the waste that it produces, hands over to a third party or takes charge and must keep an up-to-date chronological register of production, ‘shipment, reception and treatment of waste.

The content of this register is described in the decree of 2018, setting the content of the registers mentioned in the articles of the Environment Code.

Waste transport

Companies transporting waste must declare themselves to the city officials when they collect a quantity greater than:

  • 0.1 tonnes (100 kg) per load of hazardous waste,
  • or 0.5 tonnes (500 kg) per load of non-hazardous waste.

There are a number of exemptions, such as companies that transport the waste they produce and that are classified for environmental protection, approved waste oil collectors, etc.

Dumpster rental companies in particular are the companies the most involved in transporing waste, conctructions debris and other junk items. As such they musyt follow all the guidelines as laid out in the new MN legislaation.

When someone search for a dumpster near me online, they sure make sure they are only using trustworthy businesses that follow all the elements of the waste management laws and care about protecting the environment.

Using this type of service is the best and most affordable way to discard junk in large quantity, both for households and businesses. As the hired bin are large enough to contain a massive amount of waste, they can be sent directly to the landfill or recycling center for treatment.

Categories: Business, Environment

Home improvement projects

Home improvement projects can be a simple paint job or a complicated house renovation. These tips can help you reduce the stresses and tension that you will face during the project.

Today’s solar panels are more efficient than ever and easier to install. Solar panels are a major investment, but you will lower your electric bills on the long term. Doing this will cut down your electric bills, as you’ll be able to get much of your energy from the energy your panels are storing. This all-natural solution for energy in your home is amazing.

When storing items in containers, glue one of them to the outside part of the container. Finding just the right nut or bolt in even a well-organized toolbox can be a pain. After rummaging through dozens of containers, it is difficult to keep track of all the written labels.

You can greatly enhance your home’s value by adding another bathroom. It is helpful to have a second bathroom, particularly if they are located on different floors of the home. There are definitely times when more than one person needs to use one!

Use your old luggage rack as a living room side table. Recycle the glass from an old picture and attach it to your luggage rack with some adhesive. Add a lamp and some books and you have a perfectly good side table.

Never forget the value in owning high quality doors. It creates a great first impression. If your door doesn’t have good insulation and a proper fit, you’re wasting a lot of energy. Finally, if the door locks or frame are poor quality, then it can be easy for a burglar to break down the door.

If you are improving your landscaping, discuss drainage with your neighbors prior to beginning the project. Ideally, you want to drain all the water off your property. The most direct way to achieve this sort of drainage is to let water drain straight onto the properties adjoining yours, but this isn’t likely to please the owners! You can possibly plan a mutually beneficial drainage plan, but clear communication is a requirement.

A lot of houses may lose around one fifth of the cold or heat through a clear glass window. Installing an additional glaze to larger windows is a great way to conserve energy, thus lowering your energy costs.

Don’t let a contractor persuade you into paying more for a quicker job. They usually have legit reasons for wanting to finish quicker. They may want to rush their workers so they can move them to other jobs. Do not let your contractor rush through your job or charge you for some overtime work that was not really needed.

Rent a dumpster from a reputable waste management company, so that you can conveniently place all the construction debris with the bin they provide. Once it is filled and your renovation project is complete, just give a ring to the dumpster rental company and they will pick the bin for you and take care of its contents.

Take good care of your septic tank. There are many chemical applications available to promote decomposition to help avoid costly buildups which overflow. When you plan home improvements, make sure you do not tamper accidentally with your septic tank. You should keep a plan of your home so that you do not damage it.

Improve the entrance way to your home with a fresh splash of paint and new welcome rug. The entrance to your home makes an important statement to family and guests. Simple touches like potted plants and a good looking welcome mat can really create a strong first impression.

Install double-paned windows. They may be expensive but cut energy costs as well as outside noise by a high degree. If you plan to replace your windows, go for the best. They also make it easy to cool and heat your home.

Categories: Business

Different Types of Dreams

The dream world is not always pleasant. Who has not had a nightmare? This is a kind of dream that we would rather not have! And yet nightmares are also messengers that can help us understand our fears and much more …

According to Jeremy Taylor, author of the excellent book “Where people fly and water runs Uphill”, nightmares are a way for the unconscious to make the dreamer understand the importance of the message he is trying to send. The nightmare impresses a lot
more than an ordinary dream, we do not forget it. In this sense the nightmare is beneficial, and it must be paid close attention.

Certain dreams can highlight our feelings of inferiority, the lack of self-confidence in a situation. They can also express the anxiety that we live in reality, or the dream makes us realize our fear of having to face certain problems. All of this translates into dreams where we go through assaults, leaks, disproportionate fighting and other unpleasant events.

Bad dreams are not inherently negative, on the contrary. According to dream interpretation expert Medium Christina, such dreams can announce a passage, a transition, a modification of our self. So do not consider dreams of death as a bad omen, death symbolizes change and rebirth. Any change is difficult to accept and to live, but after the fact we realize that it brings a great wealth in our life.
 

Recurring dreams

Pay special attention to recurring dreams, that is to say, dreams that come back often.

They have a particularly important message to transmit to us and if we do not take the trouble to understand them they will come back to haunt our nights again and again … The recurring dream is generally an effort to compensate for a particular defect in the attitude of the dreamer with regard to life. Or it can be traced back to a trauma that marked the individual. It is also possible that such a dream is a warning, a warning or a preparation that anticipates an important event to come.

There comes a time when we have to face our fear, and for that we can use the lucid dream technique. It is a method where before falling asleep we program ourselves: the minute the recurring nightmare begins, or when the character who terrifies us appears, we will become aware that we are dreaming and that we can face the situation without danger.

It will then be a question of going out of its terror and of confronting fear either by speaking with it or by chasing it, or even by killing it. By doing this we will become aware of the roots of this fear and we will eliminate it definitively. This approach is effective for both adults and children. For children we can also offer a talisman object to slip under the pillow and which will protect them.
 

Premonitory dreams

Dreams that announce an event very clearly and precisely are much rarer than you might think, but this can happen in some people.
There are dreams which resemble premonitory dreams, but which are only the projection of fears or unconscious expectations; and there are also real premonitory dreams, which are made by people who have a particular sensitivity that allows them to access what we could call the universal fabric.

In the non-physical world, the past and the future do not exist, just as there are no boundaries between people. Time and space do not exist. Everything takes place simultaneously. In a dream state (or clairvoyance, trance …) we can therefore have access to a scene from a possible future. Or we are given information to prepare us for an important but difficult event in our life.

Some people also experience very strong emotions in dreams experienced by victims of wars, disasters or murders. They learn about the event in the news after the fact and think they had a premonitory dream, but they are rather telepathic dreams.

We must consider every dream in its symbolic aspect. True premonitory dreams are different from usual dreams, we keep a very precise memory of them, they are very real, and we feel very intense emotions. Keep in mind that dreams are there for us
help, not to scare us. So rather than worry when such a dream occurs, it is better to keep calm and imagine a different but positive scenario to defuse the fear. We have to understand how this dream seeks to help us, and sometimes it takes years before we understand the significance of a dream. So be patient!

Some dreams are prophetic, others are there to warn us, so that by changing certain behaviors or attitudes we will avoid unpleasant situations. It may even happen that these dreams save our lives, like that of a policeman who dreamed that he was inspecting a house he thought deserted and was attacked from behind with an axe. When this policeman found himself in the same house as that of his nightmare, the memory of this dream saved his life.

Categories: Medicine

Pollution in the United States

As we all know regarding the Paris Agreement, the United States formalized their withdrawal, while France and other countries expressed their regrets.

If the announcement was expected, Paris nevertheless regrets the formalization of this departure which makes the Franco-Chinese partnership on climate and biodiversity necessary. The United States formally notified the United Nations of its exit from the Paris climate agreement, decided in 2017 by Donald Trump, has announced by the head of the American diplomacy Mike Pompeo.

This milestone, which could not have happened earlier due to a clause in the text, set off a one-year countdown before Washington can actually leave the deal. The United States began the process of withdrawing from the Paris agreement. In accordance with the terms of the agreement, the United States submitted a formal notification of its withdrawal to the United Nations. The withdrawal will be effective on year after the notification.

France has expressed its regret at this notification made by Washington, even if it was expected. They regret it and this makes the Franco-Chinese partnership on climate and biodiversity even more necessary according to the French presidency while Emmanuel Macron is in China.

Beijing also announced that it deplored this announcement. They said they hope that the United States will show more responsibility and contribute more to the multilateral cooperation process, rather than adding negative energy.

This is an unjust economic burden imposed on workers. The departure will therefore take place no earlier than November 4, 2020, the day after the next presidential election in the United States, during which Donald Trump will seek a second term. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reiterated the unfair economic burden placed on American workers, businesses and taxpayers by the commitments made by the United States under the agreement.

Trump also suspends car emission standards. Presenting America as a good student of the fight against greenhouse gas emissions, he promised that Washington would continue to propose a realistic and pragmatic model in international discussions on climate. Should we ban heated terraces? What are the words to describe our emotions in the face of ecological disaster?

The USA will continue to work with our international partners to build resilience to the consequences of climate change according to Mike Pompeo. As in the past, the United States will continue to promote research, innovation and economic growth while reducing emissions and reaching out to our friends and partners around the world.

Recently Donald Trump took advantage of his visit to California to announce that he was revoking this rebellious state’s exemption from automobile pollution standards. The US administration believes that only federal agencies have authority to decide on vehicle regulations. Another issue of concern is waste management and pollution, as the landfills are getting full since China does not take anymore more junk for recycling purposes.

After the presidential clash, the governor of California wants to remain optimistic. They will end up taking it. He denounces an aggressive attack on Donald Trump and his timing, just before the UN climate summit. The attack was part of a series of tweets posted earlier by the President to announce the revocation of California’s exemption from CO2 emissions from cars. The Trump administration revokes the California federal emissions exemption to make cars much cheaper for consumers, while significantly improving vehicle safety.

Trump is clearly a climate change sceptic but this is also clearly due to his political agenda, as he is hoping to get the support of a certain class of workers who believe he is helping them getting better jobs or maintaining their jobs. It is probably true that the US is paying a high price within the Paris accord, but let’s not forget they are the second largest emitter of greenhouse gases, just behind China.

Categories: Travel

Selling Your House Before Moving Home

Many property buyers who decide to move to a different home ask the question whether they should sell their current home before or after they buy a new one. The truth is, there no concrete and direct answer to this question. There are pros and cons in selling your current home before buying a new one, and the same can be said about selling the existing property after purchasing another.

This will also depend on your personal situation and how much cash you have available at the bank as well as your credit rating and your ability to borrow some money even for the short-term.

Selling Your Current Home Before Purchasing

Some folks decide to sell their current home, live in an apartment, and hunt for a new place to call their own. There is no perfect formula in selling a house, but the process can be unpredictable, especially when the market is not in your favor. However, doing this puts you in a more ideal position to negotiate for a new mortgage, due to the fact that you are buying a property with no sale contingency of your current house.

However, one con in selling your house before buying a new one puts you in a vulnerable spot where you might not be able to have a place to live right away. Sure, you can rent an apartment. But it might take a while for you to find your next perfect home. By then, the money you earned from your home sale might have slowly depleted. Which mean you might have to select a house that requires a cheaper down payment.

Selling Your Current Home After Purchasing

The most significant pro here is that when you buy a house before you sell your current want, you allow yourself to choose a suitable line of properties. It will reduce the pressure of finding a new home and the stress of fixing it up the way you want it. As a buyer of a new property, it also allows you more time to make educated decisions with your property investment.

But one disappointment that can happen here is if you are unable to sell your property on time, your purchase offer for the next property is going to be contingent until the sale and the transfer of your current home. If time is against you, then you can become a non-contingent buyer and lose the chance to own the next property you want to purchase.

Buying a home may seem simple. But when you do not have the right means to do it, then things can get complicated. This is why every property owner out there will recommend any buyer to hire a real estate agent. They represent your best interests especially when you are buying a new house.

Uisng a good real estate agent

It would be harder to maximize your potential cash flow without using a top-notch real estate agent. People at great companies like the brokers at Kale Reality in Chicago for example will be able to get you a better deal than if you where just trying to do everything on your own.

Expert knowledge is required and as these transactions encompass large dollar values, even a few per cent changes in a deal will equate to thousands of dollars in or out of your pocket. So do not try to save by doing everything yourself as it may cost you more in the end. Hire a reputable real estate broker so that you get all the good advice needed to make informed decisions.

Categories: Business

Florida Waste treatment

Waste is considered superfluous and useless. However it is without counting its energetic potential. Indeed if all waste was treated properly and properly, we would have much to gain in terms of reuse and recycling. In the USA and Florida the potential for the waste treatment market is significant with a monthly volume of household waste amounting to millions of tons.

The country generates more than 200 million tonnes of waste per year. With a growing population of more than 260 million people, the USA’s waste volume is growing by almost 4 percent a year.

In Fort Myers alone more than 12,000 tons are discarded each year. About 50% to 70% can be recycled by generating a new source of energy. However the reality is quite different because only 10% is now reused for this purpose.

Waste treatment, a big challenge

Litter management continues to be a major challenge, especially in urban areas. The country faces a myriad of obstacles including the inefficiency of the organization of the collection, the problem of transport and waste treatment, the lack of awareness of the community on the importance of this management, as well as lack of financial resources. In addition, there is an insufficient number of high-tech waste treatment plants, thus highlighting the country’s obvious backwardness in this area.

Most waste is buried underground, burned manually or converted into organic fertilizer. These treatment methods result in significant waste of land but also pollution of water, air and land and are therefore inherently harmful to public health. 85% of the waste is buried in landfills without treatment, 80% of these are buried harmfully and pollute the environment.

This is why every citizen and business should get a Fort Myers dumpster rental service in order to remove all their junk from their premisses. This is our civic responsibility to follow proper waste management practices, starting by eliminating all items they could pollute the environment if not properly dealt with. As one of the most advanced states in this area, Florida should lead the way in showing how we can get a cleaner and greener environment.

Application of new technologies

The management of waste is of growing concern, particularly in urban areas. One treatment complex in Fort Myers is one of the complexes with the best garbage disposal technologies in NC. Last April, the first industrial energy processing plant was officially inaugurated here.

It was built on more than 1.6 ha of communal land, with an investment of more than 145 million dollars, of which 44 million was granted by the Industrial Technology and New Energy Development Organization. The plant went into service after 22 months of construction. Equipped with modern technologies from Japan, it has a daily installed capacity of 75 tons. On the first day of operation, the plant produced 1.93 MW of electricity, of which 1.20 MW was supplied to the national electricity grid.

Currently, many countries use rubbish as a resource to produce energy. In countries such as Canada, Mexico and Japan, waste incineration has become a thriving, developed and profitable industry. In addition to electricity, this industry also saves natural resources by recycling paper, metals and plastic.

The recycling market is a very dynamic market and the USA has significant potential in this area. The country would benefit from serious efforts to save a large volume of energy resources and preserve its environment.

The reduction, reuse and recycling of waste are naturally in the line of fire and are a priority in reducing the amount of garbage and preserving the environment.

Minimize the volume of buried garbage

The National Integrated Waste Strategy states that the treatment technology developed will consist of minimizing the amount of waste landfilled and increasing the rate of waste to be recycled and reused. It recommends using the technology that best suits each locality, in accordance with the specific conditions of each.

The government has also promoted the import tax exemption policy for equipment and raw materials for waste treatment facilities and the exemption or reduction of income tax of the companies concerned.

The National Strategy for the Protection of the Environment to 2030 contains the objectives, contents and solutions to come. Waste reduction, reuse and recycling are naturally in the spotlight and are a priority in reducing the amount of garbage, preserving the environment and reducing the financial and environmental burden of their management.

Categories: Environment

Secure in the Cloud—Steps You Can Take to Protect Your Data

Cloud computing offers a number of benefits: flexibility, scalability, collaboration, automation, among others. These advantages are particularly felt in small-to-medium-sized businesses that may not otherwise be able to afford technology solutions to make them competitive with larger corporations.

Despite this, some business owners hesitate to make the jump to the cloud. Cloud computing, by its nature, means that businesses must give up some control of their data, and because of that, security is often cited as the number one inhibitor to migration.

So, how can you enjoy the benefits of the cloud while minimizing the potential security risks? Working with your cloud provider is essential. While there are certainly steps that you need to take to protect your data, you should also know how your provider handles security. That being said, here are some best data security practices that you can implement to keep your data safe:

Encryption

Data encryption is essential when using cloud storage. Encryption can ensure that if even if someone were to gain access to your data without your authorization, they could not read or use it.

In cloud environments, it is sometimes a practice to store encryption keys on the same server as the encrypted files to make access easier. If at all possible, you should avoid this, since anyone who has access to the files also has access to the encryption key. Always store the encryption keys separately from the data they’re meant to decrypt, preferably on your own servers. In fact, even if your cloud provider offers encryption as a service, you should retain control of the keys in case the datacenter is hacked or the company is subpoenaed.

Data Access

You likely already have at least some user/role-based restrictions on who can access what data. Cloud storage should be no different. Assign different users different data-access levels based on the information they need. In addition, you may consider process-based limits where users can access data only within certain contexts or functions.

You may also wish to set up location-based restrictions. An employee connecting via the company’s Wi-Fi, for example, may have full access to your financial data, but that same employee may need to provide additional authentication information before retrieving the data on her tablet at the airport.

Along with this, you will also want to know exactly who, if anyone, at your cloud provider can access your data, what their roles are, and what they can do with the data. As shown in papers written by O. Nimeskern and others, systems must monitor data access on a constant basis to avoid the risk of getting compromised.

BYOD

Along with this, you will want to set up clear guidelines for device management. The cloud can be a huge time-saver for companies with multiple offices or for companies whose employees often telecommute. If this is the case for you, you will want to think carefully about how and what data users can access from their own devices. You may want to limit your most sensitive data to company-owned devices only. Another idea is to provide read, but not write access.

The key here is to set up enterprise mobility management solutions that work for your company and manage employee-owned devices. These processes can involve frequent synchronization; the ability to track down, lock, and wipe the devices; multi-factor authentication; the ability to differentiate between company and personal data; and more.

Security Intelligence

Regular monitoring and maintenance is important to ensuring cloud security. Carefully watch who is accessing what data and check for potential security risks or attacks. Adding in a layer of advanced analytics can help to provide real-time visibility to the cloud infrastructure.

Are you in the cloud? What are you doing to maintain security? Let us know in the comments below.

Categories: Internet

How To Fight Depressive Tendencies In New Moms

“Baby blues” is a common experience experienced by most moms who just gave birth.

As hormone levels adjust to their normal range, this triggers different issues like sleep problems, mood swings and anxiety. But if these symptoms persist for a long time, it’s possible that you will be diagnosed with postpartum depression.

1 out of 7 women experience postpartum depression. This typically starts as depressive tendencies then may escalate to an intense feeling of sadness. You will go through a series of crying episodes and possibly find yourself withdrawing from social events.

Irritability, anger, panic attacks and anxiety are the initial symptoms you need to watch out for. For severe cases, some moms have suicidal tendencies and even have thoughts of harming their child. As the depressive tendencies progress, severe mood swings, extreme lack of energy, erratic decisions and difficulty bonding with the baby will manifest themselves.

If you feel like the baby blues are overcoming your day, tell your partner or a family member about it. You can also set up an appointment with your physician and discuss what the treatment options are. Getting better could take months, so catching this problem as early as possible is crucial.

Aside from the treatments you will receive from your doctor, here are other ways to help fight such depressive tendencies.

Natural Remedies

Taking daily multivitamins is a must even if you are not suffering from any condition. In addition taking omega-3 supplements can be another option as they are getting many researchers’ attention today regarding their ability to fight depression.

A recent medical study reported that the development of depression has an association with the low dietary intake of omega-3, an essential fatty acid that is known to prevent coronary diseases as well. Many breastfeeding moms purchase fish oil as a source of their omega-3 to improve their breastmilk. You can also get omega-3 from chia seeds, flax seeds, salmon, mackerel and other oily fish.

Another published scientific study in the Journal of Affective Disorders stated that among the vitamins they studied (Riboflavin or Vitamin B12, folate, pyridoxine and cobalamin), only riboflavin showed positive effects in improving mood disorders. The research also suggests moderate consumption of this vitamin will show the best results.

Know that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not regulate herbal supplements. If you choose to use such natural remedies, it is also best to consult your doctor about it first.

Stay Sane

All moms would attest to how newborn babies can make you crazy. Taking some time off to do something else other than housework and caring for your child should also be a priority. Make it a habit to get dressed, leave the house and run errands on your own, just to change your mood at least.

You can also get a babysitter and catch up with friends. The physical and mental stress of being a new moms are not a joke and the only way to keep yourself sane is to make sure you get some time off once in awhile.

Take Care Of Yourself

You will not be able to take care of other people if you cannot take care of yourself. Caring for a newborn will be the most stressful months of your life and they require constant attention, love and affection.

If baby blues are bugging you, asking your spouse to take over once in awhile will help you get some time off to step back and assess the matters that are weighing you down. Do you need to see a physician? Or do you just need a break? Pondering these questions will make you realize the best solutions to take.

Try to stay active even if you just gave birth. Take your baby out in a carrier or a stroller, grocery shop together and make sure to pick healthy foods. Sleep as often as possible if there is an opportunity to do so and do whatever you can to stay physically and mentally healthy.

Set Realistic Goals

Never expect to be perfect at parenting. Nobody is!

The dirty dishes and uncleaned floors, unfolded laundry and messy toys can wait for a while. Set realistic goals when it comes to accomplishing your duties as a new mom. Nobody cares if your house is a mess. As long as your baby has fresh diapers, clean clothes, and feeds on time, you are doing a wonderful job.

When depressive tendencies become full-blown postpartum depression, it is usually treated with antidepressant medications. But these medications can get in the way of breastfeeding. Getting therapy with a mental health provider is also another option your primary doctor can offer.

Postpartum depression is not a condition you can treat all on your own. If you prefer a holistic treatment plan, talk to your doctor about it.

Categories: Medicine