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(NAPSA)—Although shoppersare more aware of which foodsand supplements contain naturalingredients, they may not readlabels quite as carefully when itcomes to choosing personal careproducts.In a recent assessment of in -

gredients in 15,000 selected cos-metics and personal care prod-ucts, the Environmental WorkingGroup, a nonprofit focused onthreats to public health and theenvironment, found that 22 per-cent of all conventional productsmay be contaminated with harm-ful ingredients. That’s 3,300 com-monly purchased items.According to Natural Solutions

magazine and the retailer WholeFoods, five of the top toxic ingredi-ents most commonly found in per-sonal care products are parabens,polyethylene glycol (PEG), petro-chemicals, sulfates and syntheticfragrances.Side effects caused by these

chemicals may include hormonedisruption, pore clogging, skinrashes, eye irritation or damage tothe reproductive system. Many times a product may be

marketed as “natural” on the frontlabel, but this can be misleading.That’s why it’s important to alsoread the list of ingredients.An example of a safe personal

care alternative is Glimpse™ Intu-itive Skin Care by XanGo. Theproduct is made from select botan-ical ingredients that are free fromharmful ingredients. The cold process used to create

this product preserves the man-gosteen fruit and other activeingredients, optimizing the anti -oxidant power while minimizingthe carbon footprint of the manu-facturing process.The Compact for Safe Cosmet-

ics, a national coalition striving to

phase out the use of chemicals inhealth care products, now sets thestandard in the personal careproducts industry. Members of theCompact pledge that their prod-ucts meet European Union (EU)formulation standards, which aremuch stricter than U.S. regula-tions concerning the use of chemi-cals in health care products.XanGo has signed the Compact

as all their products are free ofharsh chemicals. You can also findthe company listed among phthal-ates-free cosmetic organizationson ThinkBeforeYouPink.org. TheWeb site is a project of BreastCancer Action that encourages theuse of products free of chemicalsknown or strongly suspected ofcausing adverse health conditions.In addition, Glimpse Skin Carecarries the Natural Products Asso-ciation seal of approval on itspackaging.To learn more, visit www.

glimpseskincare.com.

How Green Is Your Beauty Regimen?

Recent market research showsthat 64 percent of women arechoosing natural over conven-tional beauty products.

(NAPSA)—Here’s hot news:You can reduce greenhouse gasemissions and take advantage offederal tax credits by upgrading tonew propane appliances. Energy-efficient propane appliances canqualify homeowners for a combi-nation of federal tax credits, statetax credits and other incentives.For the millions of homeowners

who live beyond the natural gasmain, propane can be the key tocreating a green home with thecomfort and amenities they want.At the same time, homeownerscan reduce their homes’ energycosts and emissions for years tocome.As part of the American Recov-

ery and Reinvestment Act, (alsoknown as the stimulus package),federal tax credits for qualifiedhigh-efficiency furnaces and waterheaters are available at 30 percentof the installed cost, up to $1,500.Additional incentives are availableat the state level through a varietyof programs, including appliancerebates from state propane associa-tions in some states.According to the U.S. Depart-

ment of Energy, home heating andwater heating represent two of thebiggest draws on home energyuse, so improving efficiency inthese two areas can mean signifi-cant savings.Environmental Benefits ofPropane Appliances

In addition to providing relia-bility, comfort and versatility,energy-efficient propane offersenvironmental benefits:• Natural gas and propane fur-

naces are the lowest emitters ofgreenhouse gases. Electric heatpumps, fuel oil furnaces, electricbaseboards and electric furnacesall produce significantly highergreenhouse gas emissions.• Energy Star-qualified pro -

pane furnaces are 15 percent moreefficient than standard electricmodels and emit nearly 70 percentless CO2. A propane furnace canheat air up to 25 degrees warmerthan electricity and last 15 to 20years—five to 10 years longer thanthe average electric heat pump.• Each propane tankless water

heater that replaces an electric-powered storage water heatereliminates 35,000 pounds ofgreenhouse gas emissions over 10years. In addition, according toEnergy Star, expected energy sav-ings over the lifetime of a tanklesswater heater can reach $1,800.

How to Get the CreditThe tax credits won’t be around

forever. According to the PropaneEducation & Research Council,here is how to make sure yourefficiency upgrade qualifies:• The improvement is to your

principal residence;• The appliance is “placed into

service” before the end of 2010;• You claim no more than

$1,500;• You must have a signed man-

ufacturer certification statement.Learn More

To find out how much you cansave with an energy-efficientupgrade, visit www.usepropane.com.

How Homeowners Can Take Stimulus Dollars Further

Homeowners who want to enjoycost, tax and energy savings canupgrade their home-heating andwater-heating systems.

(NAPSA)—In today’s economy,the concept of retirement israpidly changing. Boomers reportthat they are taking a more prac-tical approach to retirement, opt-ing to gradually shift from work-ing full-time to spending theirtime on leisure activities. Active adult communities are

seeing homebuyers who comparelifestyle opportunities when theydecide to relocate to a new neigh-borhood or an entirely new part ofthe country. For example, for the past four

decades, Robson Resort Communi-ties has been creating upscalecommunities in Arizona andTexas, with resort-style amenitiesfor the active adult homebuyer.These resort communities provideopportunities for residents to eas-ily expand their interests.“It is not just a new home,” said

VP of Marketing Alina Hushka.“We know that baby boomers arelooking to move to places wherethey can meet new people, startnew hobbies and be more physi-cally and mentally active.” Some residents describe living

in an active adult community asspending every day on vacation orat summer camp, where you havemany options to do new thingswith new people. Robson Resort Communities is

known for building luxurioushomes in a resort setting withoutthe resort price. The company pro-vides multimillion-dollar recre-ation facilities, including golf

courses, sports and aquatic com-plexes, recreation centers, perfor -mance theaters and restaurants.Robson recognizes that baby

boomers want the best architec-tural craftsmanship as well asenergy-saving features. Thecompany sets a high standardwhen it comes to the design andconstruction of their homes andprovides a variety of homedesigns. To demonstrate its belief that

future homeowners should trybefore they buy, the companyoffers a Preferred Guest Pro-gram. For a minimal cost, poten-tial residents can spend a fewdays at a community, enablingthem to experience the activeadult lifestyle firsthand.For additional information on

Robson Resort Communities andthe Preferred Guest Program,visit www.robson.com/boomers orcall (800) 732-9949.

Boomers Choosing New Lifestyles

For many people, retirement pre-sents an opportunity to enjoygood weather and an active adultlifestyle.

(NAPSA)—For centuries, themen and women of the U.S. armedforces have volunteered to protectthe United States. But did youknow that thousands of veteransare now volunteering to assistother veterans to receive the bene-fits they have earned. Approximately 140,000 volun-

teers annually give more than 13million hours in service to veter-ans through the Veterans Affairs(VA) system. And among those vol-unteers is a group that hasalready given on the battlefield:the Military Order of the PurpleHeart (MOPH). The MOPH is made up entirely

of veterans wounded in combatand who, for their sacrifice,received the Purple Heart medal.Last year, almost 700 volunteersfrom the group donated some83,000 hours at 97 medical facili-ties providing assistance to otherveterans. Its Ladies Auxiliarydonated an additional 18,000hours to the VA Voluntary Ser vice(VAVS) program. Jeff Roy, the group’s National

Commander, intends to increasehis organization’s role even fur-ther. He’s set a goal of boosting itsvolunteer hours by 15 percent andhas helped develop a Youth Schol-arship Program to reward youngpeople who volunteer. If you’d like to help a veteran

in the area, here’s what youshould know:

The Role Of Volunteers Volunteers play a number of

roles within the VA. They can

work in hospital wards, at nursinghomes and pharmacies, and inveterans outreach centers. Somevolunteers serve as drivers whohelp bring patients to and frommedical appointments. Some par-ticipate in recreational activities,birthday celebrations or holidayevents. And some simply visitwith veterans, helping improvetheir overall quality of life.

Making A Difference You can donate time, money

and even a car to help veterans.In fact, over 500,000 people havemade a vehicle donation to theMOPH since the inception of theprogram. You may also contactDel “Bulldog” Turner, MOPHNational VAVS Director, byphone at (256) 891-0592 or by e-mail at dplusk@aol.com. Formore information on the MOPHVAVS program or to join in ourother volunteer efforts, visitwww.purpleheart.org.

Volunteering To Assist America’s Veterans

Americans gave more than 13million volunteer hours to helpveterans in just one year.

***It is generally agreed, that fewmen are made better by afflu-ence or exaltation.

—Samuel Johnson ***

***If you work just for money, you’llnever make it, but if you lovewhat you’re doing and youalways put the customer first,success will be yours.

—Ray Kroc ***

***Money made through dishonestpractices will not last long.

—Chinese Proverb***

***You know you are on the roadto success if you would do yourjob, and not be paid for it.

—Oprah Winfrey ***

***Beware of little expenses; asmall leak will sink a great ship.

—Benjamin Franklin***

***There is no moment of delightin any pilgrimage like the begin-ning of it.

—Charles Dudley Warner***

***Life is either a daring adven-ture or nothing.

— Helen Keller***

The youngest president wasTheodore Roosevelt, who was 42when sworn in after WilliamMcKinley’s death in 1901.

President Clinton was bornWilliam Jefferson Blythe IV, buttook his stepfather’s last name ofClinton at the age of 14.