This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Zenni Optical for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

ZENNI uses the latest modern materials, manufacturing and marketing systems for eyeglasses. They bring their product direct from their factories to you. There is NO middlemen, no retail overhead, and practically no advertising budget. At ZENNI, their satisfied customers spread the word. They do not pay for or sell expensive, or even inexpensive, brand names, but only their own manufactured brand, ZENNI.  Therefore, they are able to offer trendy and stylish eyeglasses at an affordable price.

Eyeglasses are definitely a personal fashion and style item, that expresses you and your personality. At ZENNI, they strive to provide a fashionable and stylish product, that works for you and any member of your family.  By offering cheap eyeglasses , at affordable prices, you can have several pairs of stylish glasses for yourself, or outfit several family members, for what you would normally pay for just one pair of glasses.

More importantly, the folks at ZENNI feel prescription eyeglasses, are a health item necessity for most wearers. So, they take considerable pride in being able to bring a very high quality product of great durability, safety and comfort at truly reasonable and affordable prices, to anyone who needs eyeglasses.

This is the pair of eyeglasses I am considering as my backup pair.

I have a special eye condition that requires glasses, for close-up work and reading.  For the first time, that I can remember, I lost my main pair of glasses, in September.  They must have fallen out of the case, and after days of searching, I resorted to my back-up pair, that didn’t even have the correct prescription in them.  They are wire frames, and the lens fell out one day while, I was online.  I had them fixed NO charge, but they are not worth updating, or using on a daily bases.

I was hoping to get by until February, when I go for my early exam.  Well, that didn’t work out, so I just got a new pair at the beginning of this month.  I have NO insurance, for my visual needs, so the cost was out of pocket.  It will only cost me $35, to update the prescription or replace them if I loose them. However, I wish I would have known about Zenni.  I think I could have gotten at least half of my Christmas shopping done, with the money I could have saved with ZENNI .

Pesticides in our Food

Recently, a new infographic was  produced for ecomom.com , on the unexpected  pesticides in our food and health risks associated with the use of these pesticides. At a time when we are all looking for ways to eat healthy, and save money, I wanted to be sure and share this valuable information with you.  I think you will enjoy this visual guide to uncovering the truth about pesticides being used on common fruits and veggies, we usually eat. It may give you cause to ditch these pesticides and health risks associated with pesticide use in our food, and go organic.

You will want to visit and read ecomom’s full size  infographic article entitled 

Unexpected Chemicals in Your Food: The Health Risks of Pesticides

Pesticides in our Food- a good visual look

Once you are at the ecomom.com site, just click on the infographic, for an easy to follow full size chart of how much pesticides are in many of the foods we eat. It is a good visual look on the amount of pesticides that are in the foods we regularly consume, and how to avoid pesticide health risks, to the food you eat and purchase for your family.

Also, be sure to click through on any of the graphics, anywhere on the chart, for this article or pertinent information on how pesticides effect our everyday lives and health. There is much to learn at ecomom.com, besides the graphics on the chart.  We are all effected by what is in our food, and products we use regularly.  Perhaps, most at health risk to pesticide exposure, are our children and grandchildren.

I found this to be a very eye opening chart, on how pesticides are in our food and much of what we eat.  Yes, it may take a bit of getting use to, when it comes to buying organic, and or wholesome whole foods and non processed food items. However, your health and that of your children and family, is most important.  Therefore, organic is the safest option to avoid the risk of pesticides in your food.  It is safe to say, that the less we are exposed to pesticides in our food, the healthier we will all be.

Pesticides in our food is a cause to go organic

When it comes to our food and our health, it makes sense to know what is in the food we eat, especially when is comes to how much pesticides are in that food. Perhaps, it is time to consider going organic, because even washing of the fruits and vegetables, is not enough to remove the pesticide residue that causes risk to our health.

If you are short on space, or unable to grow your own fruits and veggies, consider making the switch to organic, or frozen options.

While, many local farmer’s markets are closed now, there are some areas that are trying to have fresh local grown fruits and vegetables available year round. Be sure to check your local newspapers and markets, for what is available in your area.  Remember, when at all possible, organic and fresh is best and safest for your health!  Here, also are other articles on the topic of pesticides and the risk of pesticides to our health.

Related articles

• What are the effects of pesticides on human health (wiki.answers.com)
• How pesticides affect in food chain (wiki.answers.com)

Are You Up for a Challenge?

This post is to call your attention to an online Challenge.  The Challenge, calls for YOU, the public to create innovative, environmentally sustainable projects that will impact your community and the world. The Challenge is to show “Who cares about this Planet?”  YOU do!

iQ, manufacturer of innovative and sustainable cleaning products, is hosting the “Who cares about this Planet?” Challenge.  They are accepting submissions through mid-November on their Facebook page here .

Image via Wikipedia

Are You Up for the Challenge? We love to help spread the word as much as possible, and get creative, sustainable minds like yours, thinking of new ways to help your local communities and the Planet. Sounds like a lot of fun, and a great way to get yourself out there, with your great ideas.

How to accept the Challenge

Below is the Press Release with everything you need to know, to get your creative juices flowing..and show Who cares about this Planet?

Planet People Launches the “Who cares about this Planet?” Challenge!

Up to $5,000 Grand Prize- to be awarded for an innovative environmentally sustainable project!

October 14, 2011 – Planet People, the manufacturer of innovative and sustainable cleaning products, is proud to launch the” Who cares about this Planet?” Challenge,  It’s a video contest urging both individuals and groups to challenge, convention, and inspire environmental change.

The “Who cares about this Planet?” Challenge, asks for submissions of creative and innovative environmentally sustainable project ideas that can make a sustainable impact within their communities.

To accept the Challenge, contestants need to create and upload a video of their idea to iQ’s Facebook page, where 10 finalists will be selected by an Advisory Committee. The 10 finalists will then share their videos across social networks, asking viewers to vote for their favorite project. Each vote will count towards $1 that will be awarded to the grand prize winner (up to $5,000). The video with the highest number of votes will receive the grand prize.

What inspired the Who cares about this Planet Challenge

The Challenge follows the company’s 2011 launch of iQ, a line of household cleaning products that questioned conventional cleaning with innovative packaging that allows consumers to reduce plastic waste by over 80%. Submissions are now being accepted in the US and Canada at the contest hub,Facebook page .  Following the entry period, an Advisory Committee will select the top 10 entries eligible for the voting process.  The Advisory Committee will consist of leaders in the Green Space, that are highly recognized for their commitment to the environment.  Judges will select finalists based upon criteria that includes innovation, creativity, and sustainable impact at a community level.

“Inspired by our experience with iQ, we hope this Challenge will encourage others to also challenge, convention, and develop creative and innovative green solutions to foster sustainable change in our communities. “We want people to realize that with the right ideas, we can actually make a difference,” said Ami Shah, iQ brand director at Planet People.

Voting for the winning ideas will begin mid November 2011, and the grand prize winner will be announced the following month. To learn more, visit the Facebook page.

About iQ®

The iQ cleaning system is a revolutionary approach to cleaning.  The patented iQ REFill® (Reduced Environmental Footprint) reduces the plastic waste associated with traditional cleaners by 80 per cent.  They do this, by packing all the non-toxic cleaning concentrate into a small, recyclable cartridge. To make a bottle of cleaner, consumers just fill the re-usable iQ bottle with their own tap water and drop in the no mess REFill® cartridge.

By combining the most advanced green cleaning formulas with an award winning packaging system, that was recently honored with both the Best of Show and Gold Award from the PAC Sustainable Packaging Competition, iQ has the potential to dramatically make a sustainable impact on our environment.

iQ products are available in Canada at Wal-mart, Loblaws, London Drugs, Whole Foods and a number of natural food retailers, and in the US at Hannaford, Sweetbay and Spartan Supermarkets. They are also are available online at www.drugstore.com and alice.com.  For more information on iQ cleaning products, please visit www.iQclean.com.

About Planet People™

Planet People, a division of Siamons International Inc., is a manufacturer of innovative, sustainable products that offer high-performance cleaning to consumers and professionals. The company’s brand portfolio includes Concrobium Mold Control®, Gloves Off® and iQ®. For more information about Planet People, please visit www.planetpeopleco.com.  So, show us that YOU are up for the “Who cares about this Planet.” Challenge.