Does Eco Friendly Mean the End For the Tumble Dryer?

On April 22, 2012, in Home And Family, by admin
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As Global Warming and Climate Change start to show us that they are indeed a real advent of our modern society, when do we get to a point and say, well some things just have to change!

Our kids demand of us we leave this planet in the best shape we can if they say so or not, its our own moral duty that can actually save us money when we go about it. Some key points that are discussed here revolve around the availability of environmentally friendly products that can be used to dry any amount of household washing.

The main environmental aspect of using these eco friendly products is that your homes eco foot print is minimised, as the CO2 emissions produced for powering tumble dryers are reduced or eliminated altogether.

One of the largest consumers of energy in the home is the electric or gas fired tumble dryer, and I often wonder how big a change could be made if everybody got behind the removal of these energy suckers from the planet.

This also has a flow-on effect in the home as your electric and energy bills are reduced, your clothing smells better plus lasts longer, and you have more money in your back pocket to spend how you please, not just pour into ever increasing utility bills.

Right at your very feet in your local hardware or on the net, you will find a selection of eco friendly products to dry clothes in all sorts of situations.

Products available today include ones such as ceiling mounted clothes airers that utilise the heat trapped in your home or your homes heating to dry washing.

On sunny days outdoor washing lines like folding frame and wall mounted lines plus rotary lines are free to run and can dry clothes in a very short period of time, especially when you have a small breeze blowing.

Washing lines, drying racks and airers provide many ways to dry clothes wether inside or out, and in all countries throughout the world.

If the world changed overnight and the electric dryer was gone, I would shed no tear as these types of products are not needed with the technology available to us today!
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Eco-friendly lawn alternatives?

On April 16, 2012, in Garden & Landscape, by admin
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I’m finishing up on construction now, but we are left wil no lawn at all. I got to thinking about lawn alternatives. Does anyone have any ideas? I have 2 kids and a dog, so the clover route won’t work since it get 8″ high. Thanks for any ideas,
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Eco-Friendly Promotional Items

On April 12, 2012, in News And Society, by admin
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The threat of global warming hangs above us like Damocles’ sword, and now, doing our share in keeping our lifestyles sustainable has become more important than ever.

Going green isn’t just a fad. It’s a way of life. Our choices of shopping bags, wardrobe, food products, and even cosmetics affect the environment, either contributing or lessening our carbon footprint. Leading an environment-friendly lifestyle starts with every individual, but corporations can take this a step further by promoting green practices in the workplace.

Here are some ways to encourage green practices in the office:

Reduce carbon footprint by going energy-efficient. Promotional eco-friendly items like solar-powered calculators and crank-up flashlights offer practical benefits while encouraging users to conserve energy.

Run green promotional campaigns. Eco-friendly logo items such as recycled notepads, rulers, stadium cups, screen dusters, office clips, picture frames, and mugs build brand visibility sans the environmental impact.

Encourage employees to leave the car at home one day a week. It involves much personal sacrifice to give up the convenience of driving and taking public transportation, but doing so means lesser contribution to global warming. If leaving the car home is difficult to do, how about . . .

Make one day a week a bike-to-work day. Not only is biking a good form of exercise, it also does not emit carbon dioxide, which contributes to climate changes. Instead of driving out of town for a company outing, why not explore the locality on a bike? It’s a good way to bond while getting close to nature.

Choose recycled any time. Your purchase of recycled items supports the supply chain while saving landfill space and new resources to manufacture new products. For promotional campaigns, eco-friendly home items like handy caddies, primary care thermometers, swatters, and pails are effective in building brand recognition.

Spread the word. Overhauling our high-impact lifestyle starts with one but will escalate with the support of minions. Get backup from everyone in the office. Give out promotional stickers and similar items imprinted with eco-friendly tips to people you meet. Make it a conscious effort to choose green products and encourage others to do the same.

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Peak Oil Moments

On April 12, 2012, in News And Society, by admin
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During one hour meeting between the Saudi King Abdullah, and the UN representative on Saturday June 14, 2008 both parties agreed upon lowering the cost of the oil barrel which is drilling holes in the pockets of US citizens and other nations all over the world lately.

With all the recent development in the renewable energy resources, nations are looking forward to meet there energy need through, green and natural resources such as wind, solar, geothermal and biomass. Unfortunately all these very productive and free resources are being kept out of the reach of the common man. In United States, and Europe some subsidy is being provided by the governments if one tends to install any type of renewable energy source for domestic energy production. For example in FL & CA, they offer about 50% subsidy in form of cost sharing which is not bad at all, while its even batter in Germany, France and Spain. Just recently San Francisco decided to take the largest solar initiative. But unfortunately in the third world countries in Asia and Africa installation of solar panels or wind turbines is not really some thing common man can consider affording. Although local use of Biogas plants using dung digesters to produce methane gas is getting common in rural settings.

Monopolistic Capitalists have developed there web of financing R&D of renewable energy resources and patent them to ensure an earning out these natural resources, turning the concept of free green energy into a dream. So what should be done about it and how can we get out of the control of these oil giants, answer simply lays in adopting sustainable living. In other words we need to reduce our dependability on the fossil fuel and cut down our energy needs.

A change in social and individual behaviors is needed, walk or maybe ride your cycle to the market instead of pulling your gas guzzling vehicles out for a 10 min journey, some argue about how to carry the shopping, well pull your four wheel drive out, but not the one with an engine, I am talking about your own shopping cart. How about insulating the water tank with black colored insulation in winters to harvest passive solar energy and with silver and white insulation in summers to reflect light to prevent heating. Last year I pasted CD’s on my water tank in summers to reflect the sunlight, but never considered a base between the tank and the CD’s so the difference was not considerable, this year I’ve place some hardy shrubs on and around the tank in large earth pots and they are being watered with the excessive water pumped to the tank and off course rain, reflecting CD’s along with the plants are keeping the water inside the tank cool. Consider a tower of potatoes made out of large rubber tires placed on top of each other five such towers produce enough potato to feed a family of 6 for 6 months, and can be placed easily on a terrace at a sunny spot. Every electric switch left open and plug left in the socket use vampire voltage, all those appliances the have a small red light on them but we think they are turned off are consuming vampire voltage, and these vampire voltage contribute significantly towards our electricity bill every month. With a little care and we can reduce our dependability on the barrels that are pulled out every day to feed our hunger of consumption topped with our convinces.
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Save Money With Eco Friendly Driving

On April 10, 2012, in Automotive, by admin
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The credit crunch and fuel prices have rarely been out of the news recently. When you combine this with the stark environmental warnings regarding CO2 emissions, it puts motorists under more pressure, both in terms of finance and conscience.

Clearly it’s just not practical for everyone to use public transport on a daily basis, so when you have to use your own car or a work vehicle, there are a number of steps you can make to your driving style that can help the environment and your wallet at the same time.

Eco-friendly driving is a term that’s been used more frequently in recent years. It covers a whole range of different aspects that are easy to implement into your daily journeys. The first of these is driving at a more even speed. Every day on the roads you’ll see people in urban areas accelerating harshly only to be stopped in their tracks by a set of traffic lights around the corner or a vehicle that’s obeying the limit. This rapid burst of speed of course means that they have to use their brakes more fiercely than normal too. Driving in this way only ever really achieves two things: wasting fuel and wearing down your car’s controls.

Driving at a consistent and even speed whenever possible results in less CO2 being pumped into the atmosphere as well as preserving your fuel and brake components. By planning ahead and anticipating both the conditions and other road users, you can tailor your speed accordingly and also be in a position to brake more evenly and progressively rather than slamming them on at the last available moment.

There are other simple eco-friendly driving habits you can adopt, such as ensuring you’re in the correct gear for your speed, changing into neutral when you’ve stopped at traffic lights – even switching off your engine if you’re in a jam, and it’s clear you won’t be moving for a few minutes. Other things like driving with weight in the boot that you don’t need to be carrying, poorly inflated tires, and even having the radio on when you’re not even listening to it will all increase your fuel consumption and the more you use, the more your emissions will be.

Another area where you can make a significant environmental impact is by switching fuels. Regardless of what fuel your vehicle uses just now, you can have it converted to use Liquefied Petroleum Gas or LPG and petrol. By using LPG you will cut down your emissions considerably and without affecting the performance and miles per gallon rate. Changing your vehicle to one with a smaller engine, can also help with emissions and put a smile on your face when buying road tax or getting a car insurance quote.

These are just some of the key areas where you can improve your driving, help the environment and save yourself money too. By implementing these small steps, you can bring about a lot of positive changes.
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Planning a Bridal Shower Party

On April 9, 2012, in Relationships, by admin
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If you are planning a bridal shower party for the bride-to-be, there are several steps that must be followed.

First, it’s necessary to prepare a guest list-be sure to contact the bride about whom she’d like to go. Next, decide on a date for the event, keeping in mind which guests may be able to make it. Finally, choose a location that will take into account the size of the guest list. However, most importantly, it is essential to keep the bride informed at all times during each step-after all, this party is for her!

Choosing a Guest List

It may be expected that many of the people on the bridal shower’s guest list will be attending the party. The exceptions here are the bride’s colleagues; while the bride may invite some of her closest coworkers to the wedding, most brides tend not to invite the entire office, boss included. Thus, it is okay to invite coworkers of the bride to the bridal shower without their expecting to attend the wedding. You might want to check with the bride, though, because many offices throw bridal showers of their own for the bride.

It’s good to keep the guest list fairly small, so that the bride doesn’t feel overwhelmed (she’s busy and stressed enough) and so that she may interact with every single guest. Include the bride’s close friends, close female relatives (try contacting the mothers of the bride and groom for other relatives to invite), or have a couple’s shower, and include the groom and his friends also.

Finding a Date

Choose a date that will take into consideration any guests traveling long distances or guests who work long hours. Usually, bridal showers are set on weekend dates, and thrown in the afternoon or evening. If your event is outdoors, be sure to check ahead to ensure that it will not rain; in such a case, keep a rain date prepared. When picking a date, it is most important to consult constantly with the bride, making sure that she will not be too stressed for the party. Remember-the party is all for the bride, so make sure she’ll have fun!

Picking a Location

Finally, you must pick a location for your bridal shower. Is it to be inside or outside? What are the surroundings like? Do you want a soft, gentle party with soothing music and quiet conversation, or a loud party with guests laughing uproariously? Be sure to ask the bride her preferences, and consider throwing the party in a park or in the yard if the number of guests is greater than twenty-five. Remember to order enough food for the amount of guests, and be sure to set up tents if the party is outside, in case of rain. You may also have some sort of activity, such as hiking or cycling, so plan accordingly. Be sure to rent places far in advance (but after notifying the bride)!

Everything will work out fine as long as the bride is kept informed-guests will usually have fun regardless of activities planned. So be sure to remain organized when planning a bridal shower party, and keep in mind that you’re throwing the party for the bride.
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How to Live a Sober Life

On April 9, 2012, in Self Improvement, by admin
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How can we live a sober life?

For the true alcoholic, this is a mind bending question; an almost unreachable proposition. People who are trapped in a cycle of addiction find it extremely difficult to visualize the sober life. They might start to envision such a life, but the illusion immediately breaks down for them, because they know that they would not be happy living that way. So they try to rearrange their vision and find some way to make it work, but they cannot. The fear of facing life sober is too great, so they continue to drink. Even if an alcoholic is basically miserable, they picture a life of sobriety to be far worse, and they cannot imagine themselves ever being truly happy without being drunk.

So there are really two issues here: one is how to live a sober life, and the other is how to even go about getting there.

Living a sober life – this actually has very little to do with the idea of not drinking. Of course, if you are living a sober life, you’re not going to be drinking. But for the true alcoholic, how can this ever be sustainable if they are miserable while gritting their teeth in order to avoid alcohol at any cost? Of course it is not sustainable, as most any alcoholic will return to the bottle before they reach a suicidal level of desperation. And please understand that for a true alcoholic, suicidal desperation can be a very real thing.

Alcoholics are passionate people. They love to drink and it really does flip that special switch for them and it truly electrifies their life. The problem is that it eventually quits working as their tolerance increases and it becomes impossible to “get happy” anymore. Because they are passionate people, they need a passionate solution for recovery. If you simply strip away the booze and the drugs then an alcoholic is left with a hollow shell of a life; they cannot elicit any passion or excitement about themselves without returning to the bottle.

Because of this level of passion, it stands to reason that any alcoholic who is living a sober life must live it with passion. This is the solution. Not behavior modification or counseling on Tuesdays and Thursdays or even 12 step programs. Passion.

Passion is what makes the sober life a success.

Understand that 12 step programs can still work great for some alcoholics, as long as they are passionate about the program and about their life.

Do this test: ask any successful recovering alcoholic if they are as passionate about life in recovery as they were about drinking. They will always tell you that yes, they are. Otherwise they would not be sober. They would be drunk.

As we live and breath we are expending our life energy and our passion and we need something to direct that towards. If you take away the booze then you need to find a passion to replace that with. This is what defines the creative life in recovery. This is what makes for a sober life. Not just quitting drinking or going through the motions of some program and sharing about how your day went. Instead you need to find passion and purpose in your life in order to truly overcome alcohol.

Of course it is one thing to define the sober life in recovery, but quite another thing to actually claw your way out of the grip of addiction and get there.

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Planning For Your Wedding Budget Wisely

On April 5, 2012, in Relationships, by admin
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A wedding is becoming more expensive nowadays. This is probably because people are now catering for something more special and unique. Yes it is very true that every bride would like to make her wedding special and unique. Yet you still need to think about the costs and it is very important for you to plan your budget wisely.

In your wedding, you will need to consider a lot of details. You will also need to consider the budget of all these details. Your wedding venue may probably be the most important part in your wedding. On the other hand, your wedding invitation may only be a small part in your wedding when you budget is concerned. However, you will still need to think about it even if it will only be a very small part of your wedding budget.

Since the wedding venue will probably be the most expensive item in your wedding, you may first of all think about it. In fact, the number of guests you are going to invite will affect the amount of money you will spend on your wedding venue. If you are going to invite 200 guests, you will certainly need a bigger venue and this will certainly cost you more money. On the other hand, if you are going to host a very small wedding and have it at your home. The amount of money you need to spend can be as low as zero and in this case you can allocate your resources to other parts of your wedding.

Then you will probably need to think about your reception catering. Depending on the kind of food you are planning to serve to the guests, the cost per head can be as low as $50 per guest. However it can also be as high as $200 per guests. You will need to know how much you are planning to spend before you make this decision. If you would like to save money on this item, you may consider cooking yourself. In this case it can be certain that you will be able to save quite a large amount of money. Of course you have to consider it carefully before you make this decision since it is not easy to prepare the food for your reception yourself.

As mentioned, the cost of your wedding invitation will probably be only a small part of wedding. However, the fact here is that a card can be as cheap as $0.50 per card. For more expensive invitations, it can go to something like $10 per card. Again, it will depend on the type of invitation you choose.

The wedding favor is also somehow similar to your wedding invitations. It can be very expensive. Of course there are also a lot of budget options. If you tend to believe your guests will not keep your wedding favor at home, you will probably go for the budget option.

The last thing you may need to consider is your wedding photography. The range of prices can be something between $300 and $4000. Again, if your budget does not allow, you may need to go for a budget option.
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The Perfect Cap Gains Shelter

On March 30, 2012, in Investing, by admin
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Wouldn’t it be satisfying to shelter every penny of your Capital Gains from an Investment… Like a dream come true.

I just don’t like giving up hard earned Capital Gains to taxes and I bet you don’t either! Well I have good news for you…



There is another way…

In fact, there is an investment technique that will let you shelter 100% of your Capital Gains from any asset sale and allow you to roll from one investment to the next without paying any taxes at all. You are completely in control of where and when you pay taxes …. Perfect!

First things first…

First you have to forget about Wall Street, Stocks and Bonds and look at the investment class always present in the portfolio of the sophisticated investor. I am talking about direct ownership of Commercial Real Estate. Here’s why…



Only Commercial Property Investment offers you these three unique tax benefits.

- Yearly tax write offs no matter how much income you make

- A legitimate source of 100% Tax Free Income

AND the subject of this paper … Complete shelter of Capital Gains



This Cap Gains Shelter only has three steps…

- Purchase a cash flowing income Property

- Use your property managers skills to drive up the income. [There are literally hundreds of ways to do this on both the income and expense side of the ledger]

- When you get ready to sell your appreciated property make sure you take advantage of Treasury Regulation Section 1031.



The 1031 Exchange

When you purchase property number two using profits from property number one through a 1031 Exchange, you completely shield your Capital Gains from taxation. You still make income from each property and can be taxed on the income but your Cap Gains are 100% sheltered.

The Daisy Chain – You can transfer from property to property over time rolling larger and larger gains into larger and larger properties

- You can roll from one big property into multiple smaller ones

- You can roll from multiple smaller properties into one larger one

- You can even use your Estate Plan to roll Cap Gains into a position where they generate income in perpetuity and are never taxed on the gain.

You are in control here… You choose how you roll the exchange, safe in the knowledge that you will not be taxed. And you will find any number of exchange facilitators to take care of the details. Just search “1031 Exchange” on Google to check it out.

The 1031 is the Perfect Cap Gains Tax Shelter and just one of the reasons Commercial Real Estate deserves a prominent place in Your Portfolio.

Feel Free to share this article.

You may not edit, remove or change text. Copyright 2008, Investortours University. All Rights Reserved Worldwide www.investortours.com
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Ideas For Planning a Vintage Wedding

On March 21, 2012, in Relationships, by admin
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The resurgence of vintage-styled clothes, dances and songs has renewed the interest of brides-to-be on this wedding theme. What would it take to have your very own vintage wedding? Here are a few ideas.

Wedding gowns

You do not need to spend much to have a vintage wedding gown. If you are resourceful enough, you can ask your mother or even your old aunt to let you rummage in her old clothes chest, who knows what dresses you will find in that box? You can also look for vintage gowns in second hand shops or garage sales. A lot of women who got married in that era still have their wedding gowns and you can either buy it or rent it from them at a lower price. Look for heavy satins and you will not go wrong.

Suits for the groom

For the theme to be complete then both bride and groom should wear vintage. But while vintage wedding dresses are easy to find, a suit for the groom can be a little problematic. There are however shops that specialize in sewing men’s suits in this style.

Music

Your theme would not be complete without matching vintage music so go ahead and ask your grandparents or your parents about the music they played during their younger years. Looking for very old church pieces can be a problem if no one can sing them during your wedding. If this is not possible then settle for the traditional church hymns but make sure you have old pop songs playing during the reception. Better yet, find a good band that can recreate a stylish play list for you.

Period clothing for the guests

Your entire theme may be thrown if your guests arrive in very modern attire. So why not include the details in your invitation? A simple request for your guests to wear something vintage can help matters a lot.

Choosing a theme for your wedding makes your day more special and makes it stand out from all the other events that you and your guests may have attended. The only thing needed to make the whole thing successful is proper planning and adequate communication.

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