Discarded, Expired Pharmaceuticals end up in Americas Waterways

The average American may be shocked to know just how much expired, unneeded, spoiled and/or unwanted pharmaceuticals end up in our waterways. Most would think why is this a worry... a few pills tossed down the toilet is a quick and easy way to dispose of leftover or unwanted prescription medications, and what can the harm be?

Sadly the huge amount of pharmaceuticals being flushed down the drain by individuals and care facilities are quite possibly causing minuscule concentrations of Rx medications in our drinking water. Over the years, researchers have alerted us that even extremely, extremely diluted concentrations of pharmaceuticals harm fish, frogs and other aquatic species. And it's not a stretch that these diluted concentrations may affect humans as well...

And in my eyes, all of this is so unnecessary. I encourage you to contact your local town hall and find out when your medication disposal days are, so you can safely discard your unwanted, expired and unneeded medications.

Fast Food, Take 2: Five Guys Burgers & Fries

Okay, so I'm not a big take-out, fast food fan or eater.

I follow the saying "I can eat anything I want, as long as I've taken the time to make it myself from scratch." French fries, apple pie, decadent desserts, you get the picture. I feel that I can indulge every once in a while, as long as I make it myself and don't make it a regular habit. But what if hubby and the kids are starving as you're heading home from vacation...

Recently my family and I stopped at Five Guys Burgers and Fries, a Zagat rated fast food chain. They've won numerous Zagat awards and hubby couldn't wait to visit. According to their literature they have no freezers on the premises, just coolers to keep the meat fresh, and each burger is made and served to order that day.

And wow, what a pleasant surprise. The fries were hot and crispy and the burgers were moist and juicy and made with our choice of toppings! Each burger a special order made your way! Everyone left feeling full and satisfied and I felt better that it was all freshly prepared.

We still won't be headed to a fast food place, even one that's Zagat rated on a regular basis, but it's nice to have found a chain where the food is made fresh. And next time I'll remember to order a little Five Guys burger as the regular burger was actually a double burger -- not that my dog complained.

And I hope the success of Five Guys spurs other fast food places to prepare fresher (and healthier) foods.