Life+Gear is doing our part to help keep everyone safe from dangerous chemicals in products people use everyday.

A very dangerous chemical, called dibutyl phthalate, is a common ingredient in glow sticks. Kids, animals and adults have all reported run ins with the dangerous glowing substance, and it has sparked a lot of concern with parents and health officials alike.

Life+Gear believes being environmentally friendly AND chemical free is extremely important, which is why our glow sticks are 100% chemical free. Life+Gear glow sticks come in all colors and are very popular for fun and safety.

Check them out below!

Evacuations. They are more common than one may think. Evacuations can be due to natural diasasters, pandemics, blackouts and other reasons. Most people find themselves unprepared for an evacuation when it happens.

Life+Gear wants to make sure you are always prepared for the unexpected.

Follow these tips to ready yourself for an evacuation:

1) Create a family communication and evacuation plan, so everyone will know where to meet and how to get there.

2) Ensure you have an emergency kit you can "grab and go" for each family member with 3 days of food, water and supplies, along with plenty of flashlights and lanterns to bring along.

3) Have a plan for your pets if you cannot bring them along.

4) Keep at minimum a half of a tank of gas in your car at all times.

5) Locate and follow recommended evacuation routes for safety reasons.

Before a Winter Storm:

1) Ensure each family member has an emergency kit packed and ready with at least 3 days of food and water.

2) Store plenty of flashlights and extra clothing/blankets around the house in case of a power outage.

3) Get your rock salt and shovels ready in order to clear walking paths and driveways.

4) Arrange alternative plans if you need to travel. Ask your employer ahead of time if you can work from home, and change/cancel any flights if possible.

5) Make a family communication plan to ensure you are all on the same page.

6) Listen to the weather stations and track the storm as it approaches.

7) Bring pets INDOORS and ensure they are prepared in the case of evacuation or emergency situations.

Remember: Some floods can be predicted, but the most common type of flood, a flash flood, is completely unpredictable.

If in your home:

-Turn off all utilities in the home.

-Grab each family members emergency backpacks and waterproof flashlights.

-If time, bring outdoor furniture indoors.

-Position sandbags, like these sandless sandbag, at entrances of home to stop water from entering.

-Move essential items to higher ground in home.

If you must leave your home:

-Do not forget your emergency kits and waterproof flashlights.

-Do not walk through moving water. It only takes 6 inches to knock a grown man down.

-Do not drive in flooded areas. Move to higher ground and abandon your car if necessary.

The scary truth about floods is that some can form in just a matter of minutes, in what is called a “flash flood.” Flash floods can be caused from rainstorms, levee or dam breaks, or a sudden release of water from a blockage. Other floods can be caused from within the home from situations like a water pipe breakage. Because little to no warning is given in the instance of a flood, it is important to be prepared ahead of time.

To Prepare Before a Flood

-Have an emergency kit ready for each family member, in case you lose power or have to evacuate.

-Prepare a Family Communication Plan, so the entire family knows exactly what to do in the instance of an event like a flood.

-Have sandbags (like these easy to store sandless sandbags) in your storage that can easily be used outside doors and around your property.

-If buying, building or renting, try to avoid finding a home in a location where it is in a low ground area.

-Locate your electrical breaker and know how to quickly turn off your electricity in the case of a flood to avoid electrocution.

-Elevate your furnace, water heater and electric panel.

Safe safe. Be prepared. 

Last week we covered how to be prepared for a tornado before they strike. But what happens if little, or no, warning is given? Because tornadoes develop so rapidly, little or no advance warning is possible. Some are clearly visible, while others may be invisible to the eye when hidden in a low hanging cloud. A good warning sign of a tornado about to strike is if the wind dies down and the air becomes very still.

This week we are focusing on what to do if you find yourself in nature's most violent storm.

In a Structure:

1) Go to a predesignated safe spot or shelter, such as basements, storm cellars or the lowest possible level of the building. The inside of closets or hallways away from windows, outside walls and doors is best.

2) Find shelter under something sturdy, such as a table or bench if possible. Cover your head and neck.

3) Do not open windows. Put on sturdy shoes and clothes that cover your body if time.

If in a Mobile Home:

1) Leave the mobile home and find shelter in a building immediately on the lowest level.

2) Even tied down mobile homes are not safe and secure. A sturdy building is the best option if possible.

If Outside:

1) Get in your car and drive to the closest shelter if possible.

2) Pull your car over if you cannot make it to shelter. Stay in the car with your seatbelt on and your head down below the windows. Cover your head and neck.

3) If lower ground (lower than the level of the roadway) is close by, get out of you car, lay flat in that area and cover your head and neck.

Notes: Do not try to outrun a tornado. Staying in your car is safer than under a bridge or overpass. Watch for flying debris. Flying debris is the number one cause of fatalities and injuries from tornados.

Stay safe and be prepared!

Today is the Chinese New Year! And what better way to celebrate than with your own homemade Chinese Lantern? Life+Gear has create a fun and easy to create Chinese Lantern  to use with any of your Life+Gear glow sticks!

So go ahead and give it a try! You can download a printable version of the lantern here!  Chinese Lantern

Happy Chinese New Year!