Month: April 2021

2021-04-06T11:01:01

(BPT) –

The last year has demonstrated how much everyone is connected on this planet, and how significant one action can be in making a global impact. From a worldwide pandemic to climate disasters, these events highlight the urgency of slowing climate change and protecting the place where we all live. You may wonder, what can you do to help? The answer is, quite a lot.

To celebrate Earth Month and to ensure your actions matter, here are simple ways you can make a positive impact in the fight against climate change, right from the comfort of your own home. There’s much more you can do every day beyond recycling and sorting your trash!

1. Feed yourself, and the planet

Consider how the food you eat — and where it comes from — impacts the planet. Eating locally-produced food helps support your community’s economy and it saves on carbon emissions from shipping or importing food. That means eating more seasonal, sustainably grown food from local farms by buying from farmer’s markets or CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture), or even by growing some of your own!

Do what you can to use and eat what you buy, cook or order. Rotting waste in landfills emits methane, and wasting less food also means reducing the resources used to transport food to stores, homes and businesses. And, be mindful of the plastic waste often associated with food packaging. Recycling has long been a top-of-mind solution for living in a more environmentally-friendly way, but it’s no longer enough! Consider the amount of materials that you’re tossing in the recycling bin and figure out a solution or alternative for those. It’s time to cut back on plastic consumption and prioritize reusable materials. Repurpose those leftovers, and save your kitchen scraps or veggies past their prime for your compost pile to help nourish your home garden.

2. Be a virtual climate activist

Use social media to share suggestions and ideas that you learn about sustainability — including purpose-driven brands you may buy from — and how to reduce carbon emissions. Counter disinformation with facts about how the world is impacted by climate change, and offer tools to help your friends and family join your efforts. Get involved in local social and political initiatives aimed at fighting disinformation and public apathy.

Rally your community to take action with you on social media, or download a Zoom background for your next video call to promote the cause. Get your whole company involved! Organizations like Cool Effect have created complimentary Earth Month toolkits to demonstrate your commitment and raise awareness in honor of Earth Day.

3. Rethink your shopping habits

Take a look at your buying habits and consider the impact of shipping for online purchases. Help reduce carbon emissions by cutting back on online shopping and instead shop locally. If you must shop online, consolidate your orders and group them in single shipments. Mostly, avoid overnight shipping which drastically increases carbon emissions because it is generally shipped via air rather than ground. Remember, too, that “fast fashion,” or cheaply made garments, contribute to the amount of fossil fuels burned to produce and ship those products around the globe.

4. Travel better

Most consumers and businesses have probably already reduced their carbon footprint by reducing travel. As COVID restrictions are lifted and we start to move around, consider easy ways to reduce your impact. Whenever possible, opt for video conferencing instead of traveling for in-person meetings. If we all take one less flight, the cumulative reduction will have a positive impact on the planet. When you do fly, choose airlines that use biofuels and consciously reduce waste from food and drinks. Pack only what you need because the heavier the plane, the more fuel it will burn. Try to take a nonstop flight as the majority of emissions happen during take-off and landing. If you travel by ground, consider public transportation or an electric vehicle.

5. Prioritize energy efficiency

See if the energy provider for your home or business offers 100% or other combinations of renewable energy. Other environmentally-friendly choices that can help save energy include installing solar energy panels for your home or business, making sure to turn off lights when leaving a room, unplugging appliances that are not in use, replacing old windows with energy-efficient alternatives, using less hot water, or swapping old lightbulbs for LEDs.

6. Support high quality offsets

No matter how much you reduce, some emissions are unavoidable. Consider offsetting them through an organization like Cool Effect, a nonprofit dedicated to reducing carbon emissions by allowing individuals and businesses to take measurable impact by purchasing scientifically verified carbon offsets from the world’s highest quality projects. Cool Effect returns over 90% of each donation directly to its project partners, helping its projects receive compensation for three million tonnes of emission reductions since 2015. Examples of projects supported by Cool Effect include:

• Community tree-planting in Africa that fights deforestation, drought and poverty
• Installing biogas digesters in rural China that decompose organic waste, turning it into clean fuel to replace the need to burn coal or wood
• Building improved cookstoves across rural Honduras that cut the amount of wood burned in half
• Planting and preserving mangrove forests in Myanmar that save shorelines and rejuvenate ocean ecosystems

The Cool Effect team has reviewed hundreds of carbon reduction projects since its launch, and after a rigorous vetting and selection process, around 15 projects are supported on the platform at any given time.

To learn more about how to offset your carbon footprint, visit CoolEffect.org. To learn more about how a business or organization can work with Cool Effect, contact business@cooleffect.org.

2021-04-06T11:01:01

(BPT) – You may have heard the story about how penicillin was discovered by accident: A Scottish researcher studying the influenza virus came back from vacation to find mold on a culture plate that actually prevented the growth of staphylococci bacteria. And this is not the only case in history of a scientist discovering one thing when they were searching for something else.

One kind of research leads to new discoveries

In 2014, healthcare company Illumina was conducting a study involving blood tests from around 150,000 pregnant women, hoping to learn how to identify chromosomal abnormalities in the fetuses they were carrying from DNA fragments in the mothers’ blood. Armed with that information, researchers could potentially detect genetic disorders from Down syndrome to cystic fibrosis.

While conducting that research, however, they discovered something else — DNA abnormalities in about 10 of the blood samples that a pathologist could not interpret. A pathologist working on the test shared her findings with the company’s chief medical officer at the time, Dr. Rick Klausner, who is also a former director of the National Cancer Institute.

“I studied the samples,” Klausner recalled, “and I realized these women had cancer. I didn’t know anything else that changes the genome in that way.”

The research team followed up with the women to find that one had already been diagnosed with cancer after her blood test, and the others turned out to have cancer, as Klausner predicted, although they hadn’t yet shown symptoms and appeared healthy.

That led to the development of Galleri, a new multi-cancer early detection test from the healthcare company GRAIL, spun off from Illumina in 2016, with Klausner as a cofounder. The new test, expected to become commercially available by the summer of 2021, could potentially revolutionize cancer screening. And early cancer detection has the potential to lead to major reductions in both expense and mortality rates.

The beauty of machine learning

Up until now, in the U.S., there have been early-screening tests for only 5 types of cancer:

1. PSA test for prostate cancer
2. Colonoscopy for colorectal cancer
3. Mammography for breast cancer
4. Pap smear for cervical cancer
5. Low-dose CT scan for people at high risk for lung cancer

But dozens of other cancers — ones for which no screening tests are available — are often detected only after they’ve begun to spread, making treatment more difficult.

Although the science behind the Galleri test is sophisticated, the underlying premise is straightforward. It uses a single blood test that can detect multiple types of cancers from DNA fragments found in the blood. In fact, an earlier version of Galleri demonstrated the ability to detect more than 50 types of cancers, as defined by the American Joint Committee on Cancer Staging Manual. It can also indicate where the cancer is located in the body, which can help physicians determine the appropriate diagnostic workup.

Scientists have long known that cancer cells shed DNA fragments into the bloodstream, but until recently, they were unable to discern those signals from background noise. Galleri uses machine learning — essentially algorithms — to filter out the background noise. This use of algorithms means that the test may also improve over time, such as detecting additional types of cancer.

“As more people use the test, the data gathered will improve our ability to interpret the test for the next people,” Klausner explained. “So Galleri is probably going to be much better in the future. That’s the beauty of machine learning.”

The company’s models estimate that by adding Galleri to diagnosis by existing cancer screening tests, the test has the potential for earlier-stage detection of nearly 70% of cancers that result in death within five years, which translates to the potential to avert 39% of deaths that would otherwise be expected if not for early detection.

A path to early detection

As the company prepares for Galleri’s launch, Klausner explains the intentional balance of enthusiasm with a bit of skepticism. “The company has been set up from day one to be its own harshest critic, because we don’t want to emphasize hype over promise,” he says. “We’ve done large, rigorous clinical studies. We’ve put skeptics on our Scientific Advisory Board. But I feel very comfortable saying we’ve begun to break the back of this holy grail of cancer, which is early detection.”

To learn more about this groundbreaking test, visit www.grail.com/galleri.

2021-04-06T08:03:02

(BPT) – There’s something calming about a clean and tidy home. Particularly after a dirt- and dust-busting spring cleaning session, it can feel like a total reset for the entire home. In fact, 90% of people feel more relaxed when their home is clean, and the positive feelings don’t stop there.

The 2021 Bona Spring Cleaning Poll found a strong connection between positive emotions and a clean home. When asked how respondents feel when cleaning the home, the top four responses were productive, relieved, happy and peaceful. And when prioritizing spring cleaning to-do’s, the survey respondents placed de-cluttering/organizing and floors at the top of the list.

With spring cleaning in full swing, consider channeling some of these positive vibes. Here are a few tips for tackling these top priorities so you can get back to enjoying the budding spring.

Step 1: De-clutter then organize

Start by scanning the room and assess if anything can be recycled or donated. Clearing away clutter will immediately make space for organizing and allow better access for dusting and cleaning. When possible, move items off the floor to allow for easier cleaning.

Step 2: Clean top to bottom

Start with the tops of bookcases, ceiling fans and tables, then work your way down to the floor. During the de-cluttering process, you may have moved around books or pictures so be sure to dust or clean all the surface areas.

Step 3: Dust the floors

Prior to cleaning any hard-surface floor (from hardwood to laminate), it’s important to first remove dust, pet hair and debris with a microfiber mop. Vacuums are great for carpet and sometimes for laminate, but be careful on hardwood or luxury vinyl surfaces as the extra weight and wheels of the vacuum can scuff or damage the floor.

Step 4: Clean the right way

Clean floors with a cleaning solution formulated for that surface. Make it easy by using an all-in-one spray mop and microfiber cleaning pad. For hardwood floors, consider a solution with extra cleaning power like the Bona PowerPlus Hardwood Floor Deep Cleaner which has an oxygenated formula that loosens and removes heavy dirt build-up, providing a deep, powerful clean. Avoid DIY vinegar solutions or steaming hardwood floors since both can damage the finish, leaving it looking dull and cloudy.

For sealed, hard-surface floors like stone, tile, laminate or vinyl, try Bona’s PowerPlus Antibacterial Hard-Surface Floor Cleaner. This ready-to-use antibacterial cleaner is uniquely formulated to powerfully clean, effortlessly remove stubborn stains, and kill household germs when used as directed.

Step 5: Add something special

Now that the space is de-cluttered and cleaned, add something extra special to complete that satisfied feeling. An extra bright throw pillow, new space organizer or simply a vase of fresh flowers can go a long way to bringing happiness into your tidied space.

Spring cleaning doesn’t just make your home look great, it can help you feel good, too. These five simple steps will make it easy to organize your space and clean your hard-surface flooring the right way so you can enjoy your house to the fullest.

2021-04-05T13:03:01

(BPT) – Summer vacation planning is already in full swing and it appears the great outdoors are calling. According to travel site Expedia.com, national parks and other outdoorsy destinations are among the most popular for the upcoming travel season. Making up more than 84 million acres, national parks throughout the United States offer plenty of room to experience nature at its most beautiful. But where exactly should a would-be park explorer begin? Take some advice from the experts at Expedia.

Narrow down your destination

When planning your national park escape, there are a lot of things to consider. Would you prefer to drive or fly to your destination? Are you an avid camper or in need of more luxurious accommodations? Not all national parks have the same offerings, so do your research or even take a virtual visit to a park. Expedia’s travel guide videos are a great resource to see the basic setup and highlights of each park.

Don’t miss out on detours

When planning park visits, look at what is along the route or nearby and add some detours for an even more memorable trip. For example, if Yellowstone National Park is your chosen destination, consider adding a day or two at Grand Teton National Park, too. It’s just to the south of Yellowstone and offers 300,000 acres of scenic landscape home to elk, moose, bison and soaring birds of prey.

Save stress and money

National parks are a hotspot for the upcoming summer, which means prices are going up and availability will be limited. But there are still smart ways to save on your trip, without sacrificing on quality or location. Just by bundling your travel on a site like Expedia, you can save up to hundreds of dollars. That means booking your flight plus rental car, or hotel and flight at the same time unlocks savings. Also, make sure to choose flexible rates that allow free cancellation or waive change fees, so you can lock your plans in early without worrying if something comes up.

Utilize the visitor center

No matter where you go, parks will have visitor centers loaded with helpful information and experienced staff ready to help you. This is key so you don’t miss out on any of the top highlights and hidden gems a park has to offer. For example, learn the best time of day to see the vista at Bryce Point, or which trails are family-friendly.

Get the kids involved

Most national parks have a Junior Ranger program targeted toward kids ages 5-13. This can be a fun way to engage children during your trip! For example, as you explore the world’s oldest and largest sequoia and redwood trees at Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park, your Junior Rangers will also learn about the history and biology of the park. As they complete a series of activities and share their answers with a park ranger, they’ll receive an official Junior Ranger patch.

Ask about accessibility

Planning ahead can help make for a seamless trip, so in addition to packing sunscreen and comfortable shoes, ask ahead of time about parking and special needs. For example, Sprague Lake at Rocky Mountain National Park is wheelchair accessible and perfect for families. It is in high demand during peak tourist season, so make use of the free park shuttle and you don’t have to stress over parking. Plus, use Expedia’s Accessibility search filters to find lodging with the right amenities for your travel crew.

Plan for variable weather

Seasonal changes can impact how you should dress, so make sure you have appropriate clothing for your park visit. Even in the dead of summer, hikers may encounter extremely cold weather due to elevations. When in doubt, pack light layers, a head covering and pay attention to the park’s weather forecasts and advisories. What’s more, research interesting drives and indoor activities, so if it rains, your exploration can continue.

2021-04-01T10:07:00

(BPT) – Have you ever struggled with sleep? Many people know what it feels like to have jet lag when traveling, or to toss and turn at night when they’re anxious and overwhelmed by life. But how do you know if your sleep problems have turned into insomnia? Read on to find out.

What is insomnia?

Insomnia is a common, yet complex medical condition that can make it hard to fall asleep, stay asleep, or make people feel like they’re not getting the amount of sleep they want. If you have any of these symptoms at least three nights per week for at least three months, you may have chronic insomnia.

Up to 48% of older adults experience insomnia, and Dr. Michael Breus, PhD, a board-certified clinical psychologist and sleep specialist, knows how frustrating it can be to struggle with sleep night after night.

“Unfortunately, in today’s fast-paced, high-pressure world, many adults are unable to get the sleep they need,” explained Breus. “While life events and lifestyle habits may be a factor, it’s important to know that there can also be a physiological component that’s due to a miscue between the sleep and wake systems in the brain. As we age, our sleep cycles change, causing the wake signals in the brain to override the sleep signals. This leaves your brain in an overactive state and could result in insomnia.”

Although insomnia is more common in older adults, it doesn’t have to be accepted as a normal part of aging. Sleep hygiene can help, but sometimes changing habits isn’t enough to improve sleep. You should speak with a health care professional about other ways to tackle your sleep problems.

Tips for better sleep

If you regularly struggle with sleepless nights, follow these tips to help get back on track:

Adjust the lights: For two hours before bedtime, avoid using digital devices because the type of light from computer, television, smartphone, and tablet screens can change your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. Instead, consider doing something relaxing such as reading a book. Also, at bedtime, the less light in the bedroom, the better. Keep your bedroom as dark as possible while you sleep.

Ignore the clock: Focusing on the sleepless minutes ticking away can cause more concern about being awake. For a simple fix, turn the clock around so you can’t see the time.

Get up and leave the bedroom: Lying in bed worrying about falling asleep may cause your brain to be more active. It may also start to link your bedroom with feelings of frustration instead of sleep. To avoid this, try a relaxing activity in another room, such as reading a book or listening to soothing, instrumental music. When you start feeling sleepy again, go back to the bedroom.

Consider lifestyle changes: Eating and exercise habits can also affect sleep. Try not to eat large meals before bedtime that can cause indigestion and avoid coffee and alcohol within three hours before bedtime. In addition, while exercise is beneficial, you shouldn’t exercise within three hours of going to bed.

Talk to a health care professional: Lifestyle changes might not be enough for some people, so don’t hesitate to talk to a health care professional about your insomnia. They can create a personal plan to help you get more sleep, that may include lifestyle changes, taking medication, or both.

Learn about behavioral therapy: A type of therapy called cognitive behavioral therapy can help you recognize your thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes toward sleep.

Don’t sleep on insomnia. Visit WhySoAwake.com to learn more about sleep and how to work with a health care professional to find an insomnia treatment plan that works for you.

2021-04-01T12:01:01

(BPT) – With your mind on the changing season, you may be purging closets, vacuuming floors and washing windows — but there’s one crucial area of the house to keep in mind: your medicine cabinet. Every year, unused prescriptions and expired over-the-counter medicines clutter bathrooms, kitchen cupboards and drawers, posing a danger to everyone in your household. Now is a great time to clear out this safety hazard from your home, and do it in a way that’s also environmentally responsible.

The dangers of unused medications

Americans are prescribed billions of medications, but according to Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, approximately two-thirds of those pills go unused. Leaving unfinished prescriptions in your home poses a danger not only to children, but also to adults or teens who may be tempted to try the medications, or give or sell them to others. Nearly half of adolescents 12 and over who report misusing prescription pain relievers took or received the drugs from a friend or relative.

Over-the-counter medications also pose a hazard, especially to children. The CDC reports that approximately 60,000 young children are brought to the emergency room each year because they accessed medicines that were within reach or not disposed of properly. Make sure medications and supplements are safely stored up and away, in child-proof containers. Check all medications, including vitamins and supplements, for expiration dates, as expired medications may not only be ineffective, but potentially unsafe.

Safest disposal methods

There is a lot of misinformation about how to dispose of prescription and over-the-counter medications without causing harm to people or the environment. Some counties sponsor drug take-back days or offer drop boxes, that allow you to bring in medications that you want to discard.

Unfortunately, not everyone has access to a drop-off site; that’s where at-home disposal is a useful option. If you want to safely and easily discard old medications and render them harmless at the same time, Deterra Drug Deactivation System Pouches are the only at-home medication disposal system that permanently deactivates over-the-counter and prescription medications. It is the safest, most effective choice to destroy and dispose of unused and expired medications. The pouches use activated carbon and tap water to render any medications inactive.

Environmentally sound disposal methods

Concerned about the environment while you clear out your prescriptions? In the past, many thought disposing of medications by flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash was acceptable. However, it is clear that many ingredients in medications can pollute water and soil.

Activated carbon is organic, chemical-free and, once used, makes medication safe for disposal in normal household trash. Plus, it prevents harmful medications from contaminating landfills and water systems. Deterra pouches themselves are USDA-certified biobased, made from 50% or more plant-based material and manufactured in a factory using 100% wind generated power.

When you’re discarding your medications, don’t forget the bottles. Check containers for a recycling symbol, and consult your local recycling service for guidelines. Remove or obscure personal information on prescription labels, then rinse and dry containers to remove any residue before recycling.

A campaign to get rid of unused medications — for good

Since 2020, Deterra has partnered with SAFE Project, a national nonprofit working to end addiction, on the Gone for Good campaign, a pouch giveaway to help prevent medication misuse and increase access to at-home disposal resources. Admiral James and Mary Winnefeld founded SAFE Project after the tragic loss of their 19-year-old son Jonathan to an accidental opioid overdose.

“It’s so important for families to be aware of this issue, and to do whatever they can to keep family members safe,” said Admiral Winnefeld. “Regularly removing substances that could potentially be misused is one way to help protect everyone in your household from this very real danger.”

The April 2021 Gone for Good campaign will distribute 20,000 free at-home drug disposal pouches to U.S. households. Anyone in the continental United States can request a free pouch be mailed to them at DeterraSystem.com/SAFE.

2021-04-01T11:01:01

(BPT) – Today, consumers are beginning to use one more guideline to determine how to spend their food dollars: sustainability. The public is increasingly curious about where and how their food is produced and what impact it has on the environment — and for good reason. The world’s population is rapidly expanding and it’s estimated there will be over 9 billion people on the planet by 2050.

A healthy diet should include food choices that respect future accessibility to nutritious food and overall global health. Over the past several years, the interest in plant-based foods has skyrocketed, and it’s not just from vegans and vegetarians. A new crop of consumers, dubbed Flexitarians, have emerged and are changing the way newer generations are eating.

From meatless meals to plant-centric plates, there are many ways to eat more sustainably without loss of flavor. Gone are the days of tasteless vegetarian offerings; instead, both professional chefs and home cooks are experimenting with adding more fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains to traditional meat-centric dishes. One example is that of The Blend, a cooking technique that blends finely chopped mushrooms with ground meat. This is a culinary trend that appeals to health professionals and conservationists alike. It’s sustainable, nutritious and delicious, making it healthier on the plate and gentler on the planet.

If it seems like mushrooms are everywhere, it’s because they are. In addition to popular cooking techniques like The Blend, mushrooms are seemingly the star of almost every new food product from jerky and chips to tea and coffee. And it’s not just an ingredient in new products. In 2020, few produce items surpassed the popularity of mushrooms. Their taste, accessibility and health benefits have made them popular with Generations X, Y and Z as well as a top seller at grocery stores across the country.

So why is it that mushrooms are the poster child for sustainable nutrition? It starts on the farm. Mushrooms have a unique growing process unlike any other produce item where they require zero light, require merely 1.8 gallons of water and generate only .7 pounds of carbon dioxide per pound for production. In addition, the annual average yield of mushrooms is 7.1 pounds per square foot — meaning up to 1 million pounds of mushrooms can be produced on just one acre.

Often grouped with vegetables, mushrooms provide many of the nutrient attributes of produce, as well as attributes more commonly found in meat, beans or grains. According to the USDA’s FoodData Central, one serving (5 medium/90g) of white, raw mushrooms contains 20 calories, 0g fat, 3g protein and is very low in sodium (0mg/<1% recommended daily value). Few foods naturally contain vitamin D, and mushrooms are unique in that they are the only food in the produce aisle that contain vitamin D. Specifically, one serving of raw, UV-exposed, white (90g) and crimini (80g) mushrooms contains 23.6mcg (118% RDA) and 25.52mcg (128% RDA) of vitamin D, respectively.

For more sustainably delicious and nutritious recipes, like the Classic Blended Burger, visit MushroomCouncil.com.

Classic Blended Burger

8 ounces white button mushrooms, finely chopped

1 pound lean ground beef

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

4-6 buns

Add chopped mushrooms, ground beef and salt into a large bowl and mix until combined. Form into 4 large patties or 6 slider-size patties. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the burger patties approximately 4 minutes per side, or to your preferred level of doneness. Remove burger patties from heat and toast buns in the same skillet. Assemble burgers with your favorite toppings and condiments.

The Blend Hot Tip: For extra flavor, saute the chopped mushrooms first with 1 tablespoon olive oil, chopped garlic, salt and pepper. Let briefly cool before blending with meat and forming into patties.

2021-04-01T08:03:00

(BPT) – People typically think of spring cleaning as a time to polish up their homes. However, spring is also a great time to evaluate if your technology is working for you and make smart choices to set you up for a successful year.

Creating a smart home with Alexa and Ring can help make your life simpler, more convenient and give you peace of mind. Here a few tips and tricks for refreshing your technology this spring.

1. Adopt the latest & greatest smart home tech

Taking care of your home can be a lot of work, as all of the little chores tend to pile up. Plus, everything from finding the remote to searching for your favorite recipe can add up over time. But with smart technology, you can cut down these tedious tasks and put more focus into things you enjoy.

With a built-in smart home hub, the new Echo Show 10 is a great first step to building your dream smart home. The device moves with you, so whether you’re making a video call, following a recipe or watching Netflix, multitasking will be a breeze.

2. Add even more convenience with Ring & Key By Amazon

If you’re working from home, running to answer the doorbell can be a distraction and throw a wrench in your productivity.

With the new Ring Video Doorbell Wired, you can feel at ease with all of its essential features like 1080p HD video, two-way talk, Advanced Motion Detection and real-time alerts. No matter where you are in your home, you’ll be able to see, hear and talk with visitors through your phone or Alexa-enabled device.

Plus, with Key by Amazon In-Garage Delivery, you can ensure that all your packages are safe from bad weather, damage and theft. Available in over 4,000 cities, Key In-Garage Delivery provides secure, convenient and contactless package delivery inside your garage and you can track everything within the Key by Amazon App. You can even watch the delivery live by connecting a Ring Cam.

3. Spring clean your privacy settings

Smart devices can make your life easier while protecting your privacy, and Amazon makes understanding and personalizing your privacy settings easy.

Give your privacy settings a refresh by saying, “Alexa, review my privacy settings,” and you’ll receive a link via the Alexa app directing you to helpful privacy resources. You can also visit the Alexa Privacy Hub to find how-to guides and more information about your Alexa experience.

Echo smart speakers are also designed with privacy in mind, including a microphone off button that electronically disconnects the microphones. Echo devices with a camera also have a button that allows you to turn off both the camera and microphone, and most Echo Show devices also include a built-in shutter that allows you to easily cover the camera. Find these controls on your device today.

4. Prepare to keep your home and family safe

Smart devices provide convenience, but did you know they can also provide peace of mind? Your family and home are both important and protecting the place and people you love matters. Alexa Guard Plus offers 24/7 access to an Emergency Helpline you can call with just your voice. With Guard Plus, simply say, “Alexa, call for help” to speak with trained agents who can request the dispatch of emergency responders.

When you have Guard Plus, if Alexa detects the sounds of a potential intruder — like footsteps, a door closing or glass breaking — you’ll receive a mobile notification and Alexa can play a siren on your Echo. Alexa can also notify you about the sound of smoke alarms or carbon monoxide alarms.

5. Cut the cord and declutter your space

Spring cleaning is a great time to declutter the area where you watch TV, especially if you have multiple wires laying around. If you’re looking to create space and cut down on wires, you can start by getting rid of the cable and clutter by cutting the cord. With a Fire TV Stick 4K, you can kiss clutter goodbye, as the device easily plugs into the back of your TV. With access to countless TV shows, movies and streaming services, the Fire TV Stick 4K gives you wider access to entertainment without taking up much space. Plus, the all new UI has been redesigned to make it easier to sift through the endless list of content choices to deliver personalized recommendations on what to watch. Now your TV is organized from the inside and out.

Discover more of what Alexa and Amazon Devices can do for you at amazon.com/top-alexa-picks.