Love is in the air

It’s February, and everyone has love on their mind. This year, how about showing some love for your environment, and your neighbors too? 

A Drop At A Time

It feels like it never really left, but spring, the REAL spring, is on the way, and with it is going to come skyrocketing water usage. Now is the perfect time to get those last few indoor home upgrades before the really nice weather comes. So consider replacing shower heads with low-flow versions, replacing any washers in dripping sinks and changing out old 3.5 gallon toilets with 1.6 gallon models. A family of 4 will save an average of 11,000 gallons of water a year just by changing out their toilet!

Another great way to conserve water this summer is to install a rain barrel or two around your property. Rain barrels come in many looks and styles, and install easily under gutter downspouts and that water can be used for gardening chores come summer instead of letting the hose run. The water you save will show you love your environment, and the money you save can be used on things you, and your family, will love!

Share The Wealth

It’s still a tough economy, and most of us feel like we don’t have much to give, but, in fact, almost all of us have something to give that’s priceless. We can give the opportunity to survive to thousands of our friends and neighbors by doing something as simple as getting your cheek swabbed. This February, show your love for your community by contacting the New York Blood Center’s bone marrow program. Bone marrow transplants can often be the last hope for patients with leukemia, aplastic anemia and other fatal blood diseases. Potential bone marrow donors first enter the NMDP, a network of transplant centers, donor centers, collection centers and recruitment groups assisting in the facilitation of patient transplants all across the world, by doing a cheek swab that is used for HLA (human leukocyte antigen) testing. If a volunteer’s HLA type is a preliminary match for a patient, he/she is contacted for additional testing, a physical examination and counseling. If all is satisfactory and the donor still wants to donate his/her bone marrow or blood stem cells, a donation procedure of bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells may be scheduled. This is an absolutely amazing way to help out your neighbors without spending a penny, and by bringing your family along to get swabbed, you’re setting a fantastic example for your children about concern for their neighbors and the power of community.

For information about donor locations and more on the procedure, please contact the New York Blood Center at 1-800-NY-BLOOD ext# 2.