Why so emotional, Chris Brown?

You can’t do that at the World Cup.

7 ways to boost your energy mid-day.

Mel Gibson is one classy guy.

Watch: the Facebook movie trailer.

53 sexy swimsuits that will slim you down.

I knew I just couldn’t lie to the intelligent ladies that you are, so I scrapped the article and came up with this.

Here are some of the worst snack options and their greener replacements to reduce your environmental impact… and your waistline. Seriously, think about this next time you go shopping; we’re all probably doing more harm than we even know.

Culprit #1: Tyson
Why it sucks: Tyson is one of the largest companies in the meat industry.  According to the movie Food, Inc. (which you all should see!), such large scale farming contributes to pollution, greenhouse gases, depletion of resources, antibiotic resistance and illness in workers and consumers, and poor employee treatment.
Don’t eat: Tyson’s fried chicken fillet sandwich. For so many reasons. Gross.
Eat instead: Gardenburger’s Original Veggie Burgers

Culprit #2: Smucker’s
Why it sucks: In environmental impact scores, Smucker’s ranks a lowly 463^rd out of 500 U.S. companies with a score of 7.8 out of 100.  I think if you got a 7.8% on a test you’d officially get an F-.
Don’t eat: Smucker’s Goober Jam/Peanut Butter sandwich
Eat instead: Trader Joe’s Organic Peanut Butter and banana sandwich

Culprit #3: Dr. Pepper Snapple Group
Why it sucks:  This beverage company, like most, use large amounts of plastic to make single-serving bottles of soda and juice.  Not only is soda linked to obesity and diabetes, but the plastic is also very energy intensive to make and often end up in landfills.  Yeah, Best Stuff on Earth, my a**.
Don’t drink: Dr. Pepper, Hawaiian Punch, Snapple, or any of that crap.
Drink instead:  Club soda with a squeeze of lime.

Culprit #4: Hormel
Why it sucks:  All of their products are heavily packaged in unnecessary amounts of plastic and glass, both of which use a lot of energy to make and never decompose.
Don’t eat: Hormel Compleats Microwave Meals
Eat instead: Amy’s Microwave Meals

Got an opinion on the food industry or specific corporations?  Have your say in the comments section!

Mmmm. Caffeine. And wrinkles.

College is stressful. And stress makes us do some pretty crazy things for the sake of a good grade, such as harming our bodies without even knowing it.

Don’t know what I’m talking about?
Let me break it down.

Do you ever finish a decently long paper around 2 a.m. saying, “I am so ready for bed,” then lying there staring at the ceiling for the next three hours wide awake?  Yeah, me too.

You know you should be tired, but somehow your brain just doesn’t want to turn off. Could it be anxiety…or could it be those 2 Red Bulls and venti latte you pounded between the hours of 11 am and 9 pm?

You know you needed them to get through the day, but do you have any idea what all that caffeine is doing to your body? Even more, do you even have any clue how much caffeine you even ingested?

According to the LA Times, most people have no idea how much caffeine we’re really consuming each day.  “Caffeine turns up in expected places, in unexpected amounts. And recent years have seen an explosion in the number of caffeinated products on the market: energy drinks, of course, but also chewing gum, candy bars and (for a brief while) potato chips.” Not only that, but none of these products tell us how much caffeine they contain, so most of us are getting more than we think and way more than we should be.

Now, as a college student like most of you, I don’t really have time to give a flying fudgesicle bar about how much caffeine I’m taking in. If it helps me get through that essay (or perks me up before that big party), I’ll drink it. And then I’ll get a refill. But after doing some research, it seems that maybe I should care. Just look what caffeine does to your body:

* Insulin spikes caused by caffeinated beverages create a blood sugar roller coaster, which leads to a crashing effect. (That can’t be good for marathon study sessions.)
*  Our blood vessels constrict, reducing the flow of oxygen to important areas like your brain (up to 30%) and your extremities.
* Digestion and the immune system are impaired or suppressed.
* The production of DHEA and other anti-aging hormones is decreased.
* Coffee consumption leads to a loss of Calcium and Magnesium

So what does that all mean?

Well, in a chocolate-and-peanut-butter-covered nutshell, it means that we all gotta be more careful. First, you gotta know how much caffeine is recommended per day. Most doctors say people should have a maximum of 300 milligrams. Next, we gotta know how much caffeine is in the things we drink and eat and re-evaluate our caffeine choices. Most products don’t share that information (and that’s the major problemo), but it’s safe to say that starting your morning at Starbucks, taking a Mountain Dew break at lunch and downing a few Jager Bombs post dinner is not going to bode well for your body. Or that soft, ageless skin of yours.

Looks like Starbucks isn’t the answer to all your problems, after all.

Give to those who need it most. And who are really cute.

With the holidays comin’ round the bend, I’m sure most of us are starting to think of gifts both for ourselves and for others.  And although receiving is arguably the most enjoyable part of the gift giving tradition, we must not forget others that need our help during this time.  Giving money or volunteering with any charity is awesome regardless of its cause, but I am an advocate of environmentally-geared charities.  Here are some of the top causes and their most reliable charities to get you in the giving mood this holiday season.

Forest Preservation: Because what would the holidays be like without trees covered in snow (or twinkle lights, if you hail from California as well)?  Forests form important ecosystems for many species of wildlife and plants.  Plus, trees are a great source of oxygen and an effective method of carbon sequestration which can lower greenhouse gas levels in the air.  Some of the top rated charities in this arena are: American Forests, The Pachamama Alliance, and Trees, Water, and People (TWP).

Ocean Protection:  The ocean is the world’s last frontier.  There are thousands of species that we do not fully understand or even know about yet.  The ocean exemplifies diversity in an ecosystem and is very essential to our life on earth.  Plus, dolphins are just adorable.  Help protect them and their habitat by donating to one of these charities: Oceana, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, The Surfrider Foundation, and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS).

Endangered Species:  Biodiversity is key to the survival of our planet.  Each animal serves a crucial role in its respective ecosystem by being both predator and prey for another animal.  For some reason that I just don’t get, the most endangered species are probably the cutest ones as well.  Pandas, polar bears, jaguars, sea otters, pygmy rabbits, and foxes are all either threatened or endangered species.  Protect our furry friends by donating to The World Wildlife Fund, Fauna and Flora International, or the Africa Wildlife Foundation (AWF).

Renewable Energy:  If you don’t know by now that sustainable energy is important, then you really haven’t been reading my articles.  For those of you who haven’t done your homework (tsk tsk), let me drive the point home.  Renewable energy diminishes the amount of oil that we use, reducing air pollution, habitat destruction, and economic dependency on other nations.  Most of us don’t have the power to throw a bunch of solar panels on our roof, but we can compensate by funding charities that do such as the Environmental and Energy Institute, Union of Concerned Scientists and Global Green USA.

Charity donations can be a great gift idea for one of those people that has everything.  Instead of buying something they’ll probably just end up throwing away, make a donation in their name.  Also keep in mind that these charities are just suggestions; it doesn’t mean that every other one is bad.  If you  have a particular charity in mind, go to www.charitynavigator.org first to make sure that your money’s going to where they say it’s going.  Happy gift giving!

Veev:  An excellent substitute for vodka, Veev is actually manufactured from acai berries which are packed with antioxidants and anthocyanins.  What makes this drink even better, however, is the company’s commitment to the environment.  Veev donates $1 towards the Brazilian rainforest for every bottle sold, preserving their sustainable acai supply.  Veev is also the first carbon-neutral liquor company, powering all of their distillers through renewable energy.  Pass up the Smirnoff  and throw one of these back with friends (but don’t forget to toast to the Brazilian rainforest first!).

OneHope Sauvignon Blanc: I bought this baby on a whim at BevMo (5 cent sale, anyone?) and felt an instant karma boost.  With every bottle sold, OneHope donates 50% of the profits to the American Forest, a charity aimed at protecting, restoring, and enhancing our native trees and forests.  If you’re not a sauvignon blanc fan, there are several other wines to choose from, each with their own cause.  Drink chardonnay for breast cancer, merlot for AIDS, or zinfandel for our troops overseas.  Whichever you choose, you can bet you’ll feel a little buzz of goodness with every glass.

New Belgium beer:  This brewery from Fort Collins, Colorado has a long list of environmental actions and achievements.  I am not going to go through the whole list here because, well, I’m lazy.  Here are the most notable ones of the bunch:
* Decreased energy usage in their brewing and in the facility itself due to efficient lighting, sustainable building materials, and efficient brew kettles.
* Wind power and waste water are used to produce renewable energy for the factory.
* Encouragement of bike transportation by hosting an annual bike festival and giving every employee a free bike after 1 year of employment.
* Member of 1% For the Planet, meaning that they give 1% of their revenue to environmental non-profits.

ModMix organic mixers:  The name says it all – ModMix creates a line of fully organic mixers for your favorite cocktails.  This means no chemicals, no synthetic pesticides, and no harmful substances.  You can use ModMix for pretty much any drink you could imagine.  Their products include mixes for citrus margaritas, French martinis, lavender lemon drops, mojitos, pomegranate cosmos, and wasabi bloody marys.  Just be sure to mix these babies with a sustainable alcohol such as Papagayo organic rums, 4Copas tequila, or TruVodka.

Let’s hope she’s not the Yoko Ono of the Yankees.

Levi Johnston prepares to show his Johnson.

Does it really matter who the Idol judges are?

Rock the sequins this fall.

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Need to wake up? Try these tips.

Now, I’m not asking to start lighting candles in lieu of your desklamp, but there are lots of options that are sleek, convenient, and help make the change towards a greener lifestyle.  Here are some of my top picks:

IKEA solar desk lamp:  I was pretty sure before, but now I am absolutely certain, IKEA sells pretty much everything you could ever want.  Looking for a solar-powered desk lamp?  They got it.  Want some LED lights that consume 70% less energy than normal light bulbs?  Yep, they’re included.  But these babies aren’t just eco-friendly, they’re also super cute and come in every color of the rainbow.  Stick one on your desk and instantly feel the academic juices flow.

Belkin’s Conserve Surge Protector:  Recently I discovered something known as “phantom” power (who gave it that name, I don’t know.)  Phantom power is the standby power used when you keep your appliances plugged in after you’re done using them.  This “phantom” is estimated to take up as much as 15% of your overall energy use.  Eliminate your phantom by turning to this Belkin surge protector.  It comes with a remote so that you can turn off the surge protector (without having to crawl behind your TV stand) when you’re no longer using your appliances.  For those of us that need the essentials (i.e. blackberry and laptop) to be charged at all times, there are 2 “always on” outlets for your convenience.

The SodaStream:  The soda stream is a personal carbonator that makes your own personal-sized fizzy water in your own home (!).  Not only do you save plastic bottles from ending up in the landfill, but you also spare the energy used to synthesize and transport the bottles to your local supermarket.  Plus, “hand-made” fizzy water doesn’t contain any sodium, which can intensify bloating (ew) and water retention.  It’s a little pricey, but if you’re a soda water fiend like I am, it will definitely make up for it in the end.

The Snuggie!:  Okay, so maybe the Snuggie isn’t the best choice as far as eco-friendly fabrics go, but at least now I know I’ve gotten your attention.  As Autumn nears and the temperature gets cooler, we all run straight for our thermostats.  But why turn up the heat and your electric bill when you can snuggle up with your very own blanket (sleeves optional).  Of course, I recommend any blanket made from organic fibers, such as this throw made with regenerated fibers, but any old fleece blanket will to the job.

Here are some of the most well-known college kid characteristics and how you can change them to better our earth:

We are constantly glued to our laptops. And no matter whether you’re Facebooking or researching the native crops of Haiti, you’re still using lots of energy.  Now I’m not stupid – I wouldn’t dare suggest that you cut down your Skype time just to save the Earth.  Really all you have to do is cut down your energy usage when you’re not actually on the computer (i.e. sleeping or boozing).  How do you do this?  Unplug your electronics!  Computers practically use as much energy when they’re in standby mode as they do when they’re actually in use.  So if you’re leaving the room for a good amount of time, turn off your computer and unplug all of the plugs in your outlet if possible.

We are messy and we have our clothes to prove it. I don’t know about you, but I can’t seem to eat or drink anything without staining whatever I’m wearing.  This is especially tragic when you happen to be wearing one of those “dry clean only” numbers, which of course, are always the cutest.  But don’t run off and spend last night’s tips on pricey dry cleaning before you try some other easier, cheaper, and more eco-friendly tactics.  Believe it or not, some “dry clean only” garments (such as silk and wool) can actually be hand washed with cold water.   Of course, give it a test run before you wash and potentially ruin your favorite silk dress.  If that doesn’t work, seek out “wet cleaning” or “green dry cleaning” locations by searching at GreenEarth Cleaning’s website.

We pull all nighters to finish those last minute term papers. But don’t make the environment suffer alongside you!  Use your paper wisely – double side it (you can change the feature on your printer) for drafts and even for your final paper.  Most professors don’t really care whether your paper is one or double sided.  You can save even more paper, ink, and moolah by simply reading over your paper carefully before you print it out.  I’m sorry, but printing out a paper 50 times just because you keep forgetting to use spell-check is just ridic.

We fund America’s red cup industry. I will bet that 9 out of every 10 parties you attend you can be found with a red cup in your hand.  However, using a different red cup with every drink can be pretty wasteful.  What’s more, you never really know where those cups have been before they reach your lips.  I don’t know about you, but I’m not really down to catch the Swine.  Solve all these problems before they start by bringing your own cup.  Think about it – you can decorate it your own way (helloooo, Pimp Cup!), you don’ t have to share it with any creepy randos, and you’ll look far less suspicious when your grandma decides to check out your drunken facebook pics.

So why aren’t we celebrating?? Get into the spirit! Be environmentally friendly. Throw a party hotter than global warming. Make your friends green with envy. Reduce your work load…. Okay, you get the idea. Now get out there and get ready to celebrate with these Earth Day ideas.

1. Skip the morning shower and go for the hippie-chic look instead.

2. Break out some candles, some home-made booze and throw an Amish theme party! Who conserves energy better than people who don’t believe in it?

3. Reward your favorite eco-hottie with a global-warming make out sesh.

4. Talk the local produce guy into giving you an Earth Day discount, then invite your friends over for an earth-friendly veggie fest.

5. Recycle the mountain of Coors Light cans you’ve been stashing.

6. Make hemp jewelry with your favorite stoner friend.

7. Boycott your classes. Do you know how wasteful college campuses are?

8. Don’t go anywhere you can’t get to on a bike. Work is too far away? Darn, looks like you’ll have to take off for Earth Day.

Instead of grabbing a cigarette or another cup of coffee, use exercise this year as a way to alleviate the overwhelming feelings that come with cramming a semester’s worth of information into a few study sessions.

Clinically proven, exercise naturally decreases the amount of stress hormones your body produces and counteracts your body’s normal stress response. By working out regularly, your body will better be able to handle finals week and allow you to get in the amount of studying you desperately need. It will allow the burden of 2 tests in one day seem much less daunting than it really is. It will make the inevitable ‘F’ seem like a very doable passing grade.

So just take a deep breath and put on those sneakers before you hit the books.

How else can exercise help?

-Well obviously you’ve all seen Legally Blonde, right? So then, you know, “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people don’t shoot their husbands. They just don’t!” Having a little oomph in your step will make the time go by faster and reduce the miserables.

-Exercise also acts like a time-out period for meditation. It helps you forget about the events during the day while you focus on one task: getting through the workout. This will ultimately allow you to later focus all your attention on your studies instead of any other drama (roommate? BF?) you may be dealing with.

-Lastly, exercise also helps lower symptoms of mild depression and anxiety while raising your self esteem. If you are not depressed, you still can benefit from this trick because who doesn’t need a little confidence in themselves when it comes to finals week?

Now that you are aware of how to combat stress, college life should seem like a cake walk. Right? If you only had the time to get that workout in…

Well, lucky for you I’ve got the best and quickest workouts for reducing stress. From one move to just 4 minutes, you have no excuse to not exercise.

1. Here is a mood boosting exercise you can do anywhere before you hit the books! It’s called a “hand walkout” and is a body weight move. It’s quick, it’s easy to learn and it’s great for your bod. Depending on your flexibility you can start with knees bent or straight and put your hands palms flat on the ground. Now walk your hands out until you are in plank position, then walk them back up to your toes. Watch the video to see how it’s done!

2. Try this energy boosting exercise that will wake up your entire body and help get you get focused for your study session. It is a yoga inspired exercise that opens up your chest and really recharges your body. If you love yoga, this move is a must before the heading to the libs.

3. If you have 10 minutes, try this fat burning ab workout that will have your entire body burning while working your core.

4. If you have just 4 minutes to spare, try The World’s Fastest Workout. It can burn as many as 800 calories after the workout is completed! How? It basically lights your metabolism on fire for the rest of the day! If you’re going to be at the gym, try this 4 minute workout on a bike that will burn just as many calories!

Instead of looking at this time as dreaded exercise, pick something you love (walking, tennis, basketball, or even dancing) and reap the mental and physical benefits. Focus on getting about 30 minutes minimum each day and you will be feelin’ good in no time.

Have a question? Follow me on Twitter as @DietSarah. Want more articles featuring free fitness workouts from around the internet? Visit my blog and subscribe to my feed!