INPUT ARTICLE: Article: This might not be an option for everyone, but reducing the places where allergens can live in your home can help reduce your eczema symptoms.  This includes removing or reducing carpets or area rugs.  But it also includes replacing fabric curtains with non-fabric window coverings. Pet dander can be the cause of allergic reactions in many people, and could potentially be a trigger for your eczema.  There are several things you can do to help reduce the amount of allergens spread by your pets around your house.  Create an allergy-free zone in your house where your pets are not allowed to go, possibly your bedroom.  Install a HEPA air cleaner in that room to help further reduce allergens. Bathe your pets once a week using pet-specific shampoo (or as directly by your veterinarian).  Just like humans, baths help to eliminate dead skin cells on your pet’s skin, which is the cause of most allergies. Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States, yet it is fairly easy to protect yourself from the sun on a daily basis.  Reduce the amount of time you’re exposed to the sun during the peak hours of 10 am to 4 pm.  This includes days when it’s cloudy, as up to 80% of the UV rays from the sun can get through the clouds. Wear clothes that will protect as much of your skin as possible if you’re outside, including long-sleeve shirts and pants.  Always wear a hat, especially one with a brim, to protect both your head, face and neck. Wear sunglasses when you’re outside, all year round.  Sunglasses protect your eyes and they also protect the skin around your eyes from sun damage.  Sunglasses should protect from both UVA and UVB rays, and do not have to be expensive. Use sunscreen on any exposed portions of skin, including your face, hands and lips.  Use sunscreens that are considered "physical blockers" (which contain zinc or titanium) rather than chemical sunscreens (which contain benzones, amino benzoic acid or cinnamates) as they are less likely to cause an eczema flare-up. Select a sunscreen that has at least 30 SPF and protects against a broad spectrum of UV rays.  It is also very helpful to select a sunscreen that is water-resistant so it doesn’t need to be constantly reapplied.

SUMMARY: Install hardwood or tiles in your home. Reduce allergens from your pets. Protect yourself from the sun.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Double-check to make sure that there are no spent rolls or remnants of tape inside the chamber of the dispenser. These obstacles can prevent a new roll of tape from unwinding smoothly. The plastic at the center of most office tape is white, which makes it easier to spot inside black and colored dispensers. The tape core is the small cylinder in the middle of the dispenser that allows the roll to rotate freely as it’s pulled. Most standard desktop dispensers have a button or latch you can press to disengage the core. Others simply slide out from one side. Removable cores will be the easiest to load, as you can simply slide the core through the new tape roll and replace it. Make sure the loose end of the tape is on the top of the roll with the sticky side down. Otherwise, the tape will be facing the wrong way and you’ll have to start over.  Guide the roll onto the core so that it sits right in the middle. Tape comes in many different styles and widths. Be sure to buy tape in a size that fits your dispenser. On a dispenser where the core is removable, lower the loaded core into the chamber until it clicks into place. For dispensers with one-piece sliding cores, push the core from the end through slot on the opposite side. If the core isn’t reinserted into the chamber all the way, it won’t be able to turn. Begin unwinding the tape a few inches to get the roll started and test the dispenser. Take note of how fluidly the roll moves. If it’s getting jammed or you’re struggling to budge it, you may have loaded the dispenser incorrectly. Avoid touching the underside of the tape too much. This can cause the adhesive to wear off. Keep stretching the end of the tape until it hangs over the teeth-like blades at the end of the dispenser. Pull down sharply on the piece you’re holding to remove the excess. The tape will now be in the right position to grab and shear quickly. Watch your fingers around the dispenser blade—even though it’s not especially sharp, accidents have been known to happen.

SUMMARY: Start with an empty dispenser. Remove the tape core. Place a new roll of tape onto the core. Insert the core back into the dispenser. Pull out the loose end of the tape. Drape the tape over the blade.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Cutting the bananas into slices will make it easier to blend them later on, so it doesn't have to be exact. 2- to 3-inch (5.8 to 7.62 centimeters) thick slices will be enough. If you are in a hurry, you can freeze them for an hour an a half. This will give you softer ice cream in the end. This will allow the bananas to soften up a little, and make it easier to blend them. During this time, you can set up your food processor with a metal blade. From time to time, you will want to open up the food processor, and push down on the banana pieces with a spatula so that they don't collect on the sides. Don't worry if the bananas start to form crumbs; keep pulsing and stirring them until they are smooth.  It is possible to do this in a blender, but the bananas will be more likely to clump up then.  Hold off on adding the chocolate chips, if you are using them; you will add them later on. Try to find vegan chocolate chips, if you can. You can also use baking chocolate chips; they are made from cocoa and a little bitter, but they do not contain any dairy. You can use an empty ice cream container or even a plastic box with a lid. If you want to make individual servings, scoop the mixture into a greased muffin tin. The ice cream is perfectly edible sooner, but freezing it will give it that ice cream texture and allow it to hold its shape longer. You can serve the ice cream plain, or you can add goodies to it, such as more chocolate chips, crumbles nuts, strawberries, etc. If you froze the ice cream in a muffin tin, simply pop the ice cream "muffins" out and serve them. You can store the rest in between sheets of parchment paper in your freezer.

SUMMARY: Peel and cut 4 to 6 ripe bananas into slices. Place the bananas into a plastic bag, and freeze them for 6 hours. Take the bananas out of the freezer and let them sit for about 5 minutes. Add the bananas into the food processor, and blend until smooth, like soft ice cream. Stir in the chocolate chips with a spatula. Scoop the mixture into a container. Freeze the mixture for 1 to 2 hours. Scoop the ice cream out using an ice cream scoop, and serve. Finished.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Place a compost bin in your workplace kitchen or break room and your encourage workers to add their lunch scraps to it. Charge one employee with emptying your compost bin into an outdoor container on a daily or weekly basis. To make your business a greener place, put a well-labeled recycling bin next to every trash can. Put extra recycling bins in the break room, by the copy machine and in the mail room to encourage your employees to recycle rather than just throwing stuff away. Place a memo above the recycling bin telling employees what items should go in the recycling bin. This will both help prevent confusion and will inspire recycling. You will need the participation of your staff in order to become a green business. Some easy things to start recycling are paper, plastic, and aluminum cans. Make sure your staff knows where they can find the recycling bins and what goes in them by holding a staff meeting that explains the benefits of recycling in the workplace and the expectations of all employees to participate in company recycling.

SUMMARY:
Provide an indoor compost bin. Make recycling easy. Educate your staff on ways they can recycle at the office.