When They Become “Tech Trash” (NAPSA)—It’s hard to imagine what life was like before gadgets. Cell phones, portable e-mail, digital cameras, gaming systems, notebook computers, flat-panel televisions—the average consumers readily use multiple devices that help them do more, in less time, while making their lives easier and more fun. It is expected that consumer electronics will be among the hottest holiday gifts this season. As people unwrap the newest gadgets, the current devices they use quickly become obsolete “tech trash.” According to the Environmental Protection Agency, roughly 2 million tons of “tech trash” enter the U.S. waste stream each year. These materials are not appropriate for the trash can; many contain hazardous waste and, in some cases, they may still contain sensitive personal information. The good news is that many of the materials used in these devices can be recycled, refurbished or even donated to a good cause. But first, personal information needs to be protected. Before recycling or donating an old computer or external hard drive, consumers should take two simple steps to protect their personal information: 1. Save. Use a flash drive or CD-ROM to capture data that you want to save off the old computer. 2. Clear. Erase your data from the computer’s hard drive and drill holes in it to prevent theft of any sensitive personal information. Here are a few safe, responsible ways for consumers to get rid of tech trash: Recycle. To help keep personal devices and other used electronics out of landfills, many companies have started to provide consumers with recycling options. For exam- A top electronics retailer is leading the way in recycling consumer goods and conserving resources. ple, over the past seven years, the 800-plus U.S. stores of electronics retailer Best Buy Co., Inc. have served as consumer electronics “take back” locations. Each store offers free recycling kiosks for cell phones, rechargeable batteries, and ink-jet cartridges. The company also offers customers haulaway programs for old televisions and appliances when new purchases are delivered. Donate. Consumers can donate obsolete technology to various charitable organizations. Check out donation Web sites such as www.freecycle.com (an online auction site of tech donations) and www.perscholas.org, which provides refurbished computers to low-income families at low cost. Some nonprofit organizations, such as Goodwill or the Salvation Army, may accept donations; consumers should call local chapters before dropping off items. Refurbish. The life of some devices may be extended through upgrades. Adding a memory card to an old computer, for example, can significantly increase its processing speed and data storage capabilities. Taking You Up, Up And Away (NAPSA)—There are gifts that are perfectly adequate and then there are gifts that soar above the others. One that soars is the gift of silent flight—which can be drifting in a gondola of a beautiful hot-air balloon, or soaring quietly in a sleek world-class glider or floating to earth under a parachute. According to the experts at Soaring Adventures of America, here’s what’s involved: • The Hot Air Balloon Ride ascends and floats between 500 Giving someone the gift of soaring like a bird is a gift that will never be forgotten—and it can be surprisingly affordable. and 1,000 feet wherever the wind takes it. On landing, there’s a champagne or fruit juice toast, an old French tradition. • The Soaring Seagull Glider lesson package includes three takeoffs, flights and landings with dual-controlled joysticks. • In the Tandem Skydiving Ride, the gift recipient and the instructor board the jump plane and skydive in tandem from over 10,000 feet. If you can’t decide which to buy, you can order an Interchangeable Flight Ticket. For more information, visit www.800soaring.com or call (800) SOARING, or (800) 7627464. Superior Picture Quality, Lower Prices And A Host Of New Channels And Shows Are Making Consumers Say: “I Want My HDTV!” (NAPSA)—It’s official. HighDefinition television, or HDTV, is no longer just a flight of fancy for tech-heads and the rich. This year, for the first time, HDTV sets will outsell their standard-definition counterparts. Why? Well, if you’ve ever seen a movie or one of your favorite TV shows in standard definition and then switched over and watched it in HD, you’ll know. The sound and picture quality is simply stunning. But like moving from a dial-up Internet connection to a high-speed connection, people quickly get used to that higher standard and it’s difficult to go back. For those people who still struggle with understanding what makes HD so special, here are three major differences between standard TV and HDTV, courtesy of www.thehdguru.com, a Web site created by the HD experts at Discovery HD Theater: 1. The Difference in Picture Quality HDTV offers an increase in picture quality by providing an image resolution of more than two million pixels. That’s six times the resolution of standard-definition televisions. 2. The Widescreen Difference HDTV is formatted in a 16:9 aspect ratio, similar to the dimensions of a movie screen. That’s one third wider than standard television screens, which have a 4:3 aspect ratio. 3. The Difference in Sound Quality HDTV offers 5.1 channels of surround sound offering a crisper, higher-quality audio experience. Still, despite magnificent picture and sound, price has been a barrier for consumers. But like all new technologies (remember when you couldn’t touch a home computer for One of about 20 high-definition channels, Discovery HD Theater is airing a special “World of HD” Week beginning January 1. less than $2500?), once more units can be produced and sold, the costs come down. Today, a 37-inch flatscreen HDTV set sells for under $800. That same set would have been about $2000 a year ago. With set sales on the rise, a number of HDTV channels have cropped up over the past few years too, offering an array of programming in HD. One of the earliest channels on the scene was Discovery HD Theater, which launched in 2002. In anticipation of a heavy holiday buying season, a number of HD channels are airing special programming for viewers experiencing HD for the first time. Discovery HD Theater, for example, will be airing a World of HD Week beginning on January 1 with a marathon of their global series DISCOVERY ATLAS HD, followed by six nights of special premieres and a sneak peek at PLANET EARTH, an unprecedented portrait of the natural wonders of our planet. Whether it’s movies, sports, documentaries or your favorite drama and comedy series, more and more is available in highdefinition. For a complete lineup of shows and information about Discovery HD Theater, visit http://dhd.discovery.com. Use Only Water In Sippy Cups Or Increase Cavity Risk AAPD Highlights Importance of Proper Use of Toddler Drinking Device (NAPSA)—Businesses are now getting a big hand from a government Web site that makes the search for compliance information a lot easier. To learn more, visit www.business.gov. *** Temperature can affect your vehicle’s tire pressure. Log on to www.checkmytires.com to check your weather and test your knowledge of tire pressure. *** Gift cards are an easy way to give the perfect gift without spending endless hours shopping. The Gift Card Mall has over 80 brands and can be found at many grocery, drug and convenience stores. *** Respiratory syncytial virus is a microbe that causes respiratory tract infections in children and adults. The new QuickVue RSV test allows for the rapid, qualitative detection of RSV. For more information, visit quidel.com. *** When packing to move, label boxes containing kitchen items by zones such as cooking, food preparation, food storage and cleaning zones, say the experts at Merillat Cabinetry. For more storage ideas, visit www.merillat.com. *** A book called “Leonard Maltin’s 2007 Movie Guide” (Plume, $20) features reviews of more than 17,000 movies—including more than 300 movies that were not featured in any of the book’s previous editions. Each movie review includes comprehensive information on date of release, running time, cast and crew and MPAA ratings. It also features Maltin’s “Fifty More Films You May Have Missed.” For more information, visit www.penguin.com. *** To learn about United Behavioral Health, visit www.unitedbe havioralhealth.com. (NAPSA)—Most parents are well aware of the importance of taking care of their children’s teeth, so it comes as a shock when they learn their toddlers have cavities during a checkup. Tooth decay among young children is on the rise—and many experts believe that sippy cups containing sugary beverages are responsible. The Misuse of Sippy Cups Because sippy cups prevent spills, they’re often used by children for long periods of time over months and years—rather than as a transitional drinking device, a purpose for which they were intended. “Sippy cups were created to help children transition from a bottle to drinking from a regular cup, but they’re too often used for convenience,” says American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) President Philip H. Hunke, D.D.S., M.S.D. “When kids sip for extended periods on sugared beverages, they’re exposed to a higher risk of decay. Sippy cups should only contain water unless it’s mealtime.” In fact, a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) comparing the dental health of Americans in 1988-1994 and 1999-2002 found that while cavities decreased 9 AAPD Sippy Cup Tips To help parents reduce the risk of cavities in children, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry offers parents the following guidelines on using sippy cups properly: • The sippy cup is a training tool to help children transition from a bottle to a cup. It shouldn’t be used for a long period of time – it’s not a bottle and it’s not a pacifier. • Unless being used at mealtime, the sippy cup should only be filled with water. Frequent drinking of any other liquid, even if diluted, from a bottle or no-spill training cup should be avoided. • Sippy cups should not be used at naptime or bedtime unless they only have water in them. For more pediatric dental care tips or to locate a pediatric dentist in your area, visit www.aapd.org. among older children, cavities in two- to five-year-olds actually increased 15.2 percent. A Child’s First Visit Hunke views the misuse of sippy cups as just the symptom of a larger issue—the fact that many parents wait too long before taking their children to the dentist for the first time. The AAPD recommends that a child’s first dental visit occur shortly after the first tooth erupts and no later than the child’s first birthday. But according to the 2005 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH), only 10 percent of 1-yearolds and 23.8 percent of 2-yearolds had been taken for a preventive dental care visit in the past year. At the first visit, the pediatric dentist provides information about proper sippy cup use as part of the presentation of a complete program of preventive home care. The dentist also checks the child’s teeth to make sure they’re developing properly. “Studies show that children with poor oral health perform worse in school and have less success later in life,” says Hunke. “Establishing the right oral care habits early helps get kids headed on the path to a lifetime of good oral health.” For more information about how to keep children’s teeth healthy or to locate a pediatric dentist in your area, visit www.aapd.org.
