You can receive Featurettes by e-mail daily, weekly or monthly by request. We can e-mail by your choice of topic or all stories as you may prefer. To make it even more convenient for editors to use our stories, NAPS has added an RSS syndication feed to our Web site. Simply hit the RSS button on our site for automated updates on available content. Please contact us to arrange to receive Featurettes in the format that works best for you at (800) 222-5551 or e-mail your request to us at printmedia@napsnet.com. We can provide Featurettes on CD-ROM or you can download it online at www.napsnet.com. Gary Lipton Media Relations Manager Phone: 1-(800)-222-5551 Fax: 1-(800)-990-4329 Web site: www. napsnet .com e-mail: printmedia@napsnet.com #2474 North American Precis Syndicate, Inc., 350 Fifth Avenue, 65th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10118-0110 Live Life With Heart A Cool Roof Is Hot Right Now (NAPSA)—Having the right color roof could save you some green on your energy bills. The roof on your house is the first line of defense against the elements. And so just as wearing a lighter-color shirt instead of a black one keeps you cooler during hot weather, so too does a lightercolor roof absorb less of the sun’s harsh rays. To put that at its most extreme: Flat roofs covered with a black asphalt roof membrane absorb about 70 percent more solar energy than a lighter-colored “cool roof”—causing them to reach temperatures as high as 170 degrees on sunny days, forcing air conditioners to work harder and pushing utility bills into stratospheric territory. “Most people don’t think of their roof when they’re looking to cut energy bills,” says Emily Cavanagh, marketing manager at GAF Materials Corporation, the nation’s largest roofing manufacturer. “But the right roof can save you money in cooling costs.” Greening Up GAF offers a line of energyefficient shingles—aptly called Cool Colors, which come in an attrac t iv e va r i et y o f l i gh te r shades like cool antique slate, cool weathered wood and cool barkwo o d — t h a t c a n h el p cu t your utility bills while still maintaining the durability and beauty of a traditional roof. They work by slowing heat buildup through highly reflective roofing granules that bounce back the sun’s rays a nd mo r e e f f ec ti v el y r e le a s e absorbed heat. What’s more, since they’re rated by the Cool Roof Rating Council and meet Energy Star performance levels, some energy companies even provide rebates to The right type of shingles could cut roof temperatures up to 60 degrees and lower cooling costs. customers who use them on their home. (The shingles also carry a UL Class A fire rating, the highest rating possible, and a ltd wind warranty up to 110 mph.) And what of those homes—or buildings—with those completely flat roofs mentioned earlier? GAF also offers several white, energysaving roof options that might also help reduce what’s known as the “heat island effect”—a phenomenon in which reflected heat from roofs and asphalt causes surrounding outside air temperatures to rise. The effect has been linked to health threats such as heatstroke, as well as an increase in smog and energy used in cooling. Green Value Green benefits aside, GAF says the Cool Color shingles offer homeowners resale value. The shingles are part of the Timberline Prestique High Definition line, North America’s No. 1-selling architectural shingles. And potential buyers might be drawn to their 40-year limited warranty, which can be transferred to new owners without a fee should you sell your house. To see what the shingles might look like on your home, visit www.gaf.com. The site also includes helpful information on choosing energy-saving roofs and more. Savoring S’mores (NAPSA)—Although s’mores are traditionally made over campfires on warm nights, they can be enjoyed anytime—toasted on the grill, baked in the oven or even melted in the microwave. S’mores are a great dessert for a backyard barbecue, big game tailgate or even a quiet family dinner. These tempting treats are simple to make, featuring Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bars, graham crackers and marshmallows. If you don’t have a campfire, con- S’mores can be enjoyed yearround. sider assembling s’mores ahead of time and wrapping each in foil. Place on a warm grill for two minutes for a quick dessert or snack. For “s’more” fun, try experimenting with different tastes. Use Hershey’s Special Dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate, add banana slices, coat one of the graham crackers with peanut butter, substitute sugar cookies for the graham crackers or put a maraschino cherry on top. To view a variety of s’mores recipes from the Hershey’s Kitchens, to share your favorites and for year-round preparation tips, visit www.smoresfun.com. (NAPSA)—Girls’ nights with your old college roommates. Long weekends with the grandkids. Holidays with the entire family. Date night alone with your husband. It’s moments like these that warm the heart and make life so special. And it’s moments like these that make you realize how important it is to keep your heart healthy. When it comes to heart health, it’s about small, simple steps that add up to daily feelings of accomplishment. Smart Start cereal is empowering women to take charge of their heart with its new Smart Start Strawberry Oat Bites cereal, which contains whole-grain oats, potassium and low-sodium, ingredients that promote heart health.* A healthy diet, together with simple, everyday lifestyle changes, give women ways to get one step closer to a strong heart. “Heart health is a journey that requires people to set their own goals and define success for themselves,” said Jennifer Garrett, Ph.D., director of nutrition marketing, Kellogg Company. Smart Start’s Strawberry Oat Bites cereal is one easy step along the way to accomplishing those goals. Do It With Heart Heart-health expert Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum urges women to take an active role in their heart health. “Small changes to promote heart health can add up to big results. And you don’t have to go out of your way to make these small changes. You’d be surprised at how many heart-health activities you can easily incorporate into your daily routine,” Steinbaum said. In addition to eating a hearthealthy breakfast, you can also take simple steps to make your heart one activity stronger: Everyday lifestyle changes, including a nutritious breakfast, can help promote heart health. • All the world’s a gym. Become one chore stronger, you choose how. Dance around the house for a few minutes while you’re dusting or do some lunges while you’re vacuuming. • Put some muscle into it. Replace your electric mixer with a whisk and stir as fast as you can until the job’s done. • Take a friend. Whether it’s a girlfriend or a furry friend, enlisting the help of someone else is a great way to get motivated. Ask your girlfriend to go on a walk with you. Don’t have that much time? Give Fido a break and fetch the paper yourself! • Play time. Whether it’s hopscotch or kickball, don’t be afraid to join in on the fun with your kids or grandkids. • Just keep moving. Take the stairs, park farther away from the store, keep moving, keep breathing…just keep going. For more information, visit www.SmartStart.com. * Diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol that include 3 grams of soluble fiber per day from rolled oats may reduce the risk of heart disease. One serving of Smart Start Strawberry Oat Bites provides 1 gram of this soluble fiber. Diets containing foods that are a good source of potassium and low in sodium may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke.
