The steps are pretty simple. Once you load your picture onto Facebook, be it either from your phone, or from your camera to your computer, the steps are all the same.

1. Run your mouse over the picture. When you do, a few words will come up on the bottom underneath the picture you just loaded up. ‘Tag Photo’ is the one you want to click on.
2. Once you click ‘Tag Photo’, your mouse arrow will change to a ‘+’ shape.
3. Move that around until you are on top of the item/face that you would like to tag.
4. When you click on your picture, a white box will appear framing the person, or product you wanted to tag.
5. A column will appear and a blank space for you to start typing who that person is, or what the product is.
6. Repeat steps 3-5 until all your tagging is complete, then select the option ‘done tagging’ and your screen will go back to normal.

If you tagging a business, product or a musical artist, and you have not ‘liked’ their Facebook Page yet, no worries, you can still tag them.

If you’re a visual learner, check out this page on Facebook – they have some very helpful photos on the topic.

If you’re not on Instagram, after reading my Top 10 List, I promise you will want to be. It’s the who’s who of the photo sharing world. And without further ado….

1. Oscar PR Girl – Instagram: @oscarprgirl – Anyone in the fashion social media world knows Oscar PR Girl is the one to follow. With over 45,400 followers on Instagram, fashion lovers get a sneak peek into her fabulous life: getting ready for events, her style inspirations, and of course an insider’s look into one of the greatest fashion houses in the world…Oscar De La Renta.

2. Barack Obama – Instagram: @barackobama – Run by the Obama 2012 staff, who can’t get enjoyment out of a President who utilizes social media the way Barack Obama does? He tweets, pins, instagrams, and still finds time to slow jam the news.

3. Zooey Deschanel – Instagram: @zooeydeschanel – The original quirky girl, there is probably no one in the world better suited for this hipster-friendly app. Check out pictures from her everyday life as well as shots from the set of her show The New Girl.

4. Kevin Systrom – Instagram: @kevin – What would you post if you were the founder and CEO of Instagram? Follow Kevin Systrom to find out! Take a peek at the daily life and inspirations of this technology leader.

5. Kim Saigh – Instagram: @ksaigh - A former LA Ink tattoo artist who is into creepy antique finds, taxidermy, yoga, and of course, ink. Check her out if you’re looking to check out of the ordinary.

6. Kelly Oxford – Instagram: @kellyoxford – If you still want more Kelly even after her famous tweets and blog, and we all do, you can check her out here. Pictures of this Canadian housewife/mother/screenwriter/hilarious woman are nothing short of enjoyable.

7. Graffuturism – @graffuturism – Whether you are a die hard street art lover or just enjoyed Exit Through the Gift Shop, check out Graffuturism. Run by Poesia, a street artist from San Juan, Graffuturism shows the works of artists on the street and in galleries from all around the globe.

8. Jamie Oliver – @jamieoliver – And you thought your friend’s brunch pictures looked delicious….

9. Starbucks Coffee – @starbucks – Boy oh boy do we love our coffee here at Java Social Networking. We feel a little more awake just looking at these pictures. The shots come straight from the Starbucks in Seattle, WA. Check them out over your morning coffee.

10. Snoop Dogg – @snoopdogg – He’s Snoop. He gets my breed. One of the first celebrities to use Instagram, enjoy pics from the daily life of this tremendous musical artist and all his celeb pals.

Until next month,

Baxter Freemont

p.s. Snoop…call me….let’s chill. – Baxter.

 
1. Treehugger has an app that offers its users news and podcasts from its main website, and also provides Tweets with the most up-to-date environmental information. This app is especially helpful in that it categorizes areas such as: business, science, food, beauty, design, health, and gives the eco-friendly perspective for the current news related to each.

2. GreenYou has an app that allows users to track their carbon footprint and offers a customizable program called Green Plan. Green Plan gives users the information needed to monitor their carbon footprint, and suggests ways in which that footprint can be reduced. Anyone will benefit from this app—learning about your individual effect on our environment is a great tool and motivator for change.

3. iRecycle’s app takes news from Earth 911 to keep users well-informed of the different types of recyclable items they may be using, as well as the many recycling resources in their area. This app gives locations of the nearest recycling centers and also allows users to organize their materials to be recycled beforehand.

4. Locavore is a great tool that shows the locations of farms, farmers markets, and other sites at which fresh, locally-grown food can be purchased. This app gives detailed information about fresh foods that are in season, and also tells users the different ways fresh food can be prepared. Locavore is able to inform users of the importance of personal and environmental health.

5. Fragile Earth is a unique app that shows users the ever-changing face of our planet. The pictures catalogued are beautiful and sometimes startling, as the app allows you to drag across the screen to view exactly how the scene has changed over the years. The categories are as follows: “Wild Weather,” “Deserts and Droughts,” “Warming World,” “Water’s Power,” “Man’s Impact,” and “Natural Phenomena.” Understanding the power of man and nature through photography serves as another great motivator for everyone to not only be green-minded on Earth Day, but every day.

Anyone can join the Olympic Athlete’s Hub community to follow all of their favorite athlete’s social feeds. The Hub provides an easy to search list of athletes and links to their Facebook and Twitter accounts. By participating and engaging in the Hub community, fans have the opportunity to unlock badges and rewards, win prizes, see what athletes their friends are following, and share their favorite athletes with friends. Once the games begin, the Hub will launch a new section where fans can read athlete’s social commentary in real time. The plan is for the Hub to keep evolving during the events and release new features throughout the games.

It comes with surprise that these pro-social games have some very anti-social policies. Athletes are not allowed to share photos from inside the athlete’s village, and the can only Tweet in the first person. They are also banned from photographing themselves with products that are not Olympic sponsors. Fans may also not be allowed to share photos and videos of themselves on Facebook or YouTube without the threat of being charged with a criminal offense.

Twenty-five main companies will be sponsoring the events. Big names like BMW, Coca-Cola, Visa, and UPS paid close to an estimated $1.6B simply for the right to sponsor the games. For many London 2012 sponsors, digital media advertising can account for 15-20% of their budgets with Olympic campaigns costing upwards of an estimated $30M. While some of these brands have a stronger social media presence then others, social media marketing is still going to be off the charts for the games. There will be heavy Facebook marketing campaigns and some brands plan to include Tweets from athletes in the advertisements.

Sunday April 22^nd will be the 43^rd Annual Earth Day celebration. Earth Day is a day when everyone takes a moment to consider how they are living and how they could help their environment. For some, this is an every day occurrence and lifestyle – for others, it is not something they think about regularly. It’s nice to have a special day to celebrate and help our communities and our environment.

Social media has been contributing to the awareness of our environment as a whole and Earth Day specifically. During the entire month of April people have been celebrating ‘Earth Month’ with festivals, events, discounts, deals, seminars, and gatherings within their communities. Social media is bringing some of these events to a larger audience.

Earth Day & Social Media

The Nature Conservancy has organized a Picnic for the Planet asking people spend time outside this Friday – the social media twist? They are also asked to share their Earth Day photos online by tagging them: #picnic12. Find a picnic meetup near you: click here.

Ladies have been asked to recycle their bras for women in need, there is already a social media following: Facebook & Twitter.

Groupon.com is known for its daily deals and they are promoting hard with Earth Day Groupons right now. These are some of the current deals:

• Envirosax Designer Reusable Bags
• Bike and Roll NYC
• DIY Home Energy-Saving Kit
• Portable Solar and USB Charger
• ReUsies

Mashable.com created a wonderful list of ways to celebrate Earth Day 2012 online. I wanted to share a couple of their options.

• Aveda has set up a campaign on their Facebook Page.
• African Cats, a new Disney movie, will be giving a portion of their proceeds for this coming week’s ticket sales. The money they raise will be donated to the African Wildlife Foundation.
• MLB will be helping us all celebrate in a variety of ways, including: “The Indians and Twins will wear green caps during their game Friday night at Target Field; the Mariners will introduce a new environmental mascot called Kid Compost; the Reds will host a major e-waste drive; and the Pirates will host an energy-free day at PNC Park.” More MLB info.

For Mashable’s full list, click here.

Other Freebies and Deals:

• RetailMeNot.com has a list of special Earth Day Deals and Coupons.
• Target stores nationwide are giving away free reusable bags on Earth Day.
• Lowe’s Stores have partnered with Earth911 this year to help you find your nearest recycling center, and will offer Earth Day sales.
• All 397 National Parks will be offering free admission on Earth Day to celebrate.
• Word on the street: Starbucks will be giving away a free cup of coffee or tea to those to bring in their reusable mug to be filled.

What can you do to start living green?

Our ‘Living Green’ blogger Tina has a few ideas (and blogs) on the topic:

• Start canning your food.
• Use reusable shopping bags.
• Buy locally grown food.
• Have you considered composting?
• Grow fruits and veggies in your own backyard greenhouse.
• Consider an alternative to driving.
• Relieve your stress in a Eco-friendly way.

Looking for Earth Day events? SocialTimes.com created a great list of events that might help.

Greenhouses are a great way to start some of your plants early to ensure that you maximize the growing season. There are many benefits to a portable pop up greenhouse:

• They are affordable for the back yard gardener.
• They are easy to set up & take down.
• They can be moved as needed.
• You can start your own certified organic seeds rather than purchasing starter plants that you’re unsure of their gmo or organic certification.

Here are a few tips to help with your garden oasis:

1. Ventilation – Proper ventilation will ensure that temperatures aren’t too high or low and that moisture levels are just right. Too much moisture in the air can lead to disease and lack of growth. Manual ventilation can often times be a hassle and investing in a non-electric solar powered vent is often much less labor intensive.

2. Know your Light Levels - Some crops such as leafy greens will require much less light than other crops, such as tomatoes. Understanding this will help you to decide which plants to put on the top shelves of the greenhouse and others that could easily be on the lower shelves. This will help you utilize the space more efficiently.

3. Shading - The amount will depend on your location. Be sure to use the least amount of shade necessary. The basic rule is to shade the greenhouse on the top and partially down the south wall from 9a-5p in order to help with temperature control.

4. Read the Packet - This seems obvious but many people get so excited and skip reading the directions. The back of the packet will tell you which plants can be started in the greenhouse and which prefer direct sowing. Some can be transplanted more than once and others prefer not being handled too much.

5. Treat your seeds before planting – Soaking certain seeds overnight in water and scratching off the surface of the hard shell will help speed germination.

6. Read, read and re-read - Arm yourself with all of the knowledge you can about container gardening. By understanding the proper techniques of watering, soil and
fertilization you can ensure that your greenhouse will be a success.

7. Cultivate the Proper Soil – Not all soil is created equal. A basic mixture that will work well with most plants is: 3 parts organic matter (peat, humus or sawdust) and 1 part sand, perlite or vermiculite. If you are growing tropical plants, newly rooted cuttings or acid loving plants be sure to make a soil composition that will fit their specific needs.

8. Plant Outside at the Appropriate Time – Each variety has a time at which they are hardy enough to be planted out of the greenhouse. Know when your last frost date is for your area and you can then calculate backwards of forwards from that date. Be sure to not plant to early or late as it will effect the growth.

9. Harden Plants Before Transplanting to the Garden - Hardening entails placing the pots of flats out side for several hours a day in a protected location and returning then to the greenhouse for evening hours. Increasing this time daily over a couple of weeks will increase the light they receive to appropriate levels.

10. Protection - Once seedlings are in the garden be sure to protect them from frost, heavy winds and hard rains. They are still small and fragile and a hard frost could easily mean disaster.

“Who loves a garden loves a greenhouse too” – William Cowper

As a dog blogger, it only makes sense that I pay homage to other blogs, and this month I will be highlighting my favorite dog blogs. You may remember a while back I wrote about my favorite dog Tumblrs, but this month, any dog related blog is fair game. Now, without further ado I give you Baxter’s Top 10: Magnificent Dog Blogs.

1. Celebrity Dog Watcher - ‘Digging up celebrity dog news’

Celebrity dogs, they’re just like us! Do you know whose dog this is? It’s Brangelina’s pup Jacques. I think we could be friends.

2. The Natural & Holistic Dog Care Blog – “The Natural & Holistic Dog Care Blog keeps you up-to-date with all the latest additions to the Organic Pet Digest website. “

Organics are very important around the house, in fact, my roommate Tina writes all the living green articles for this blog. Information on everything from food and treats, to remedies and wellness can be found on The Natural & Holistic Dog Care Blog, it’s a great resource for pups living green.

3. Dog Reflections – “A dog blog for doggie lovers”

I’m a sucker for their daily videos of everything from heroic dogs saving the day to adventurous dogs surfing in Australia.

4. Dogblog – “As I walk around San Francisco, I encounter dogs tied to things, take their pictures, and offer them up to the world with whatever commentary springs to mind. Enjoy.”

It’s like the Mystery Science Theater of dog blogs, cute pictures and clever commentary. Very entertaining.

5. Pop Dog Blog – ” ‘Rover Reporter’ Simba blogs on all things dog!”

A dog discusses the pup related art projects his “HM (human mom)” has been working on. There’s a dog fashion show, paintings, and cool silhouettes. Great for creative inspiration. You can find many of her dog artworks at her Etsy shop.

6. Rescue Me – “From All-American to purebreed, we will feature a dog in need, every day, in hopes of bringing awareness to pups that need help throughout the United States.”

A great blog for anyone looking to adopt a pup. There are daily posts about dogs that need to be rescued and loved, a full list of breed rescue organizations, and animal rescue news.

7. Pet MD – The Daily Vet – “Your daily dose of veterinarian knowledge”

Humans have Web MD, we have Pet MD. They are oddly similar all the way down to the symptoms checker. Pet MD has 5 blogs on its site, some of which have articles expertly written by veterinarians.

8. The Other End of the Leash – “Welcome to an ongoing inquiry about the behavior of people and dogs. I would like this to be a forum for people who are both intellectually and emotionally fascinated by the behavior of the animals at both ends of the leash. My hope is that it will become a place for an informed and thoughtful consideration of the amazing relationship between people and dogs—my two favorite species.”

This smart dog blog looks at the relationships between dogs, humans, training, understanding, and more. It reflects on studies that have been done and gives great insight into the dog and human relationship.

9. Animal Communication Blog – Exploring Animal Communication with Stories, Insight and Thoughts.

Another intelligent blog that addresses important topics like emergency care for your pet, tips for learning how to talk to animals, and how to bring a new pet into your home.

10. Obama’s Dog – “Tails from the White House Lawn”

Yes, I saved my favorite for last, a blog dedicated to the First Dog, Bo.

Until next month….

xo,

Baxter Freemont

9. Clumber Spaniel Training—Clumber Spaniels are one of my favorite breeds. I hope you like getting to know this one.

8. Great Dane & Frog—This Dane is a persistent guard dog…they are great protectors!

7. Pit Bull & Bunny Bath—Sometimes you find friendship in the least likely places…I had to include this in our top 10 list!

6. Newfoundland Groceries—Who doesn’t love a helping hand now and then? Newfoundlands are a great breed, and this video shows one more reason why that is.

5. IW Greeting—Irish Wolfhounds are my favorite dog breed, so I had to include a video featuring an IW. They are often referred to as ‘Gentle Giants’ and this clip really shows one of
their most common traits across the breed: relaxed.

4. Pug Laser—As a past owner of a Pug, I couldn’t let this one pass me by. Pugs are charming and entertaining in general, but this one is especially so.

3. Dachshund Bathtub—Babies, toys, and man’s best friend create a great combination for laughs in this video!

2. JRT Sliding Door—I have never met a Jack Russell, but word on the street is that they are a quirky breed, to say the least. I hope you enjoy this one’s tactics!

1. Bubbles and Dancing—I had to choose this dog video for my number one spot. You actually get a 2 for 1 special here because Ellen presented them as a package deal. Enjoy!

Facebook recently released an animated infographic showing how the social networking site is taking small and large scale initiatives to be green. Their overall objective is to use the Facebook platform to protect the environment, and since 2010, Facebook has consciously been making sustainability efforts. As for the present and moving into the future, “2012 – and beyond – represents great promise for Facebook and our sustainability initiatives, with a commitment to continue pushing our company – and industry – forward.” Facebook breaks their sustainability efforts down into three categories: The Facebook Platform, Sustainable Technology, and Everyday Green.

The Facebook Platform

Social networking is a great device for educating on the environment, calling to action, and bringing environmental awareness to people all across the globe. The number of people Facebook can reach is hard to match in other ways. Facebook even has it’s own green page with 115,000 followers. The page features posts about their personal green focus and achievements, campaigns like World Water Day, and eco-friendly businesses including California’s Green Toys.

Sustainable Technology

Last year, Facebook opened a data center in Pineville, Oregon with a focus on sustainability. In October, their efforts were recognized when the building was awarded a LEED® Gold Certification. Facebook has also announced they will be opening their first ever international data center in Lulea, Sweden. Lulea’s location, in close proximity of the Arctic Circle, means the data center will be powered almost exclusively by hydropower.

As for the energy used on the actual Facebook site, Facebook is mindful of its energy usage and has created systems to keep energy output low. All the way down to the bare bones of the site, Facebook even utilizes a special coding system so the site requires fewer servers, which saves on energy. Have you ever thought about the billions of photos uploaded onto Facebook and where that information lives? Facebook uses a special infrastructure called Haystack to merge photo serving with storage and keep the energy use from photo sharing low.

Data Center – Pineville, Oregon

Everyday Green

Facebook practices what it preaches and is currently pursuing a LEED® Gold CI™ certification for their entire new Menlo Park, CA home. The campus will include a solar hot water and electricity system for the fitness center and kitchens. The green efforts aren’t just limited to time spent on the campus, 47% of Facebook employees use alternative means of transportation to get to and from work. The company provides options like commuter shuttles and Zimride, a social network friendly carpool service, to keep carbon footprints low.

Keep up the good work Facebook.

We are all faced with some level of stress in our lives. No matter how much we’d like to eliminate stress completely, that is nearly impossible. Stress can come in many forms including physical, mental or emotional. The prolonged reaction to stress created an imbalance in the body’s natural equilibrium. When the body is out of balance it is more vulnerable to disease, clouded clarity and illness.

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is a natural way to manage and reduce stress. Aromatherapy uses the sense of smell along with pure therapeutic grade oils to heal the body and balance emotions. Essential oils are extracted from the plant through distillation. These vapors contain the healing properties and energies of the plant. The vapors are then inhaled and carried through the blood stream to the parasympathetic nervous system and parts of the brain that control hormone release and emotions. The parasympathetic nervous system takes over and your body can rest and re-energize.

Benefits

Aromatherapy has a variety of effects that are very unique to each individual. Mentally it will clear your brain and give you more focus. Physically it reduces cortisol levels, oxygenates the blood and relieves headaches and body aches. Emotionally it will balance you by either a calming sensation or uplifting sensation. Spiritually the oils will lift you to a higher cellular vibration. The fact that oils are fun, easy to use and provide immediate relief makes aromatherapy a great natural way to relieve stress.

Applications

There are a few ways to use the oils. Inhalation is the most popular. Many times people will diffuse the oil into the air or put a few drops on something near them while they relax. Topical application is also a nice alternative. You can put a drop or two on your wrists, chest or soles of your feet and it will penetrate and sooth your nerves. Incorporating the oil into a carrier such as jojoba or almond oil will make it more useful when doing a massage or adding it to a hot bath.

Which oils to try

Here are a few of the things that tend to stress people out the most, as well as the oils that are best for their relief. One key point is to make sure the oils are pure not chemically processed. The synthetic oils do not have the same benefits what so ever. Also remember that relief should be immediate so continue experiencing different aromas until you find the one that works best for you.

Depression & Guilt- Lavender, Bergamot, Geranium, Jasmine, Ylang Ylang, Rose, Vetiver, Sandalwood, Nutmeg, and Grapefruit

Helplessness- Lavender, Rosemary, Neroli, and Grapefruit

General Anxiety- Lavender, Bergamot, Chamomile, Basil, Geranium, Frankincense, Melissa, Jasmine, Juniper, and Cypress

Insomnia- Lemon, Vetiver, Valerian, Chamomile, Neroli, Ylang Ylang, and Marjoram

Exhaustion- Peppermint, Jasmine, Lavender, Sage, Nutmeg, Sandalwood, Lemon, Cinnamon, Rose, and Basil

Nervous/Tense- Frankincense, Palma Rosa, Sage, Lavender, Bergamot, Sandalwood. Cedarwood, Cinnamon, Jasmine, and Vetiver

A Few of My Personal Favorites

Lavender- Lavender is also known as the “King of all oils”. It’s great at balancing many different areas. Try a little on your pillow before bed because it has been found to help with insomnia.

Frankincense- This oil has been around for a long time and is great for helping with spirituality matters. Try using it while meditating – it will certainly lift you up.

Peppermint- If you’re looking for an aroma to get you going in the morning, peppermint is one of the best. The oxygenating properties of this oil help awaken all of your senses. Peppermint is wonderful at relieving even the worst of migraines and clearing your mind as well as your sinuses.

Jasmine- Jasmine smells amazing and is very calming, great for anxiety and depression. It’s also nice combined with the warming aroma of vanilla.

Caution:

• It is important to note that certain oils should not be used during pregnancy.
• Always avoid eye contact with oils as most are very potent.
• Oils are not to be ingested and are for topical use only when diluted in a base.
• It is recommended to speak with a qualified medical professional specializing in this area before getting started.

Sometimes we get so busy in life “doing things” that we forget to take the time to care for ourselves. When it comes to your overall well being, taking this much needed rest is critical to relieve stress and re-energize your mind and body. Do yourself a favor and take a couple of 5-10 minute breaks to close your eyes and breathe deeply while enjoying your favorite aromas.