From the Soap Box

Day 74

My sister inspired me for the debut of this new column. A couple of days she listed a few pet peeves and it got me thinking. And I am feeling a little cranky today so this might be a perfect match!

I am cranky because I had to wake up early and go get some blood work done. It was all my choice and no, nothing is wrong. I am taking part of another study at Utah State University. This study will not be as intensive as the last one but should be interesting. We are taking a product called ASEA. ASEA is a liquid dietary supplement that is currently available on the market, and is sold through independent distributors. It is comprised of water and sodium chloride that has been electrolyzed. The company claims that drinking ASEA has health benefits that support the immune system, and they have anecdotal information that consuming ASEA might lead to a rise in blood levels of antioxidants (carotenoids are considered to be antioxidants). So, the purpose of this study is to determine if consuming ASEA actually has any effect on blood levels of carotenoids, lipids, and vitamin E. If accepted I have to take it for two weeks and get more blood work done.



This combined with the air quality in the valley has made me a little cranky. My town has the #1 Worst Air Quality in the nation! Check out the map and now you can see where I live! The air has made my throat sore and my stomach feeling a little queasy. Our air during the winter does get bad from time to time but this year has felt like the worst.



Anyway, that is not what I wanted to blog about today even though I am annoyed. One of my biggest pet peeves has to do with littering and smoking. I am not a smoker but that is not why this pet peeve ticks me off so much. If you want to smoke, more power to you. I have no problems with people who choose to smoke. What really annoys me are people who throw their cigarette butts out of their car and to the ground. I have a few problems with this.

First of all, are you that lazy that you cannot take care of your own trash? If you don't want it in your car, what makes you think that everyone else wants it on the ground? It is plain lazy. There is no excuse for this. Besides, littering of any kind is against the law.

Cigarette butts are NOT biodegradable. The filters can take many years to decompose. One of the biggest excuses I have heard is that a cigarette butt is so small that it cannot possibly pollute or harm the environment. That is probably true if it was ONE cigarette but we are taking millions of cigarette butts. Be part of the solution instead of being part of the problem.

And it is dangerous. A relative of mine was riding his motorcycle on his way to work and passed a car right when the driver of that car tossed out his cigarette. It landed in her lap and burned a small hole in his pants. He was lucky enough to grab it and put it out and then carried it to his work and properly disposed of it. Another time my dad and I were driving along the highway and we saw a small fire on the side of the road. It was small enough that we were able to stamp it out and pour what water we had on it to put it out. On the side of the road, in the gravel were a bunch of cigarette butts. Now I don't know if they were the cause for sure but just think about it. It could have easily caused the fire.

So if you are smoker, fine. Go ahead and smoke, I have no problem with that, just dispose of the butt when you are done okay?



Kindly pick up your butts!