Upcycling Projects for Your Home

The average person generates 4.3 pounds of waste daily. Some of this waste production can be reduced by composting and doing other small things like bringing reusable bags to the store.  Another way to reduce trash produced by household items is by upcycling. Upcycling is taking something that would normally be thrown away and turning it into something useful that is potentially even better than the original.

CDs and DVDs

As we move into a time when most of our movies and music are either streaming or downloaded, CDs and DVDs are becoming virtually obsolete. There is a plethora of crafts that can be made from discs that are no longer needed or are unplayable.

One idea for reusing old CDs is to paint and stencil them to be made into coasters. If decorative painting is not your strong point, you may also use contact paper to cover the disc. Simply trace around the disc, cut it out, and carefully place it on the surface while avoiding air bubbles. Small felt coaster pads can be added to the back to avoid scratching your table.

Courtesy of Pexels.com

Old Suitcases

Vintage suitcases can be used to capture the essence of “shabby chic” decorating. One way to repurpose them is to stack them next to your bed and top off with a vintage mirror to make an end table. Another fun idea is to add some feet and put a soft cushion inside to make a bed for your dog. If these two ideas aren’t what you are looking for, there are many more on Pinterest.

Recycling Mismatched Flatware

The unique shapes and patterns of old flatware can be utilized to to make projects for your home such as lighting fixtures, coat hooks, and even curtain tie-backs. Flatware is relatively easy to cut, bend into shapes, and drill holes into. Be sure to exercise proper safety when you are using tools such as drills and hacksaws.

Courtesy of Pixabay.com

Repurposed Glass Jars

Mason jars have become a trendy accessory. Instead of purchasing a package of them new, you can replicate the look of mason jar crafts by using pickle jars or jelly jars. Once you have clean, empty jar, you can paint it using specialty paints, wrap it in old twine or ribbon, or simply use it as is. Recycled jars make great storage for small items such as buttons or coins. You can cluster them together to hold fresh flowers or floating candles. Another stunning idea is to turn them into pendant lights or even a chandelier.

Endless Possibilities

Once you open your mind to how used or even broken items can be repurposed around your home, you begin to see how things can be given a new life rather than simply discarded to take up space in a landfill. The internet is a vast resource for ideas and tutorials. Home stores have jumped on the trend of upcycled furniture and accessories. You will often see newly produced items that are made to look like they are are old and repurposed. You can avoid the high prices by taking these inspirations and making them yourself.

If you are lacking in materials, local salvage yards and thrift stores are a great place to look for the perfect piece of “junk” to complete your DIY project. Also, if you have items that you can’t seem to find a purpose for, consider donating them to a non-profit thrift store rather than throwing them in the trash. There may be another DIYer out there there that may be able to make it into something useful.

Paul Denikin began learning about DIY home repair projects after his daughter, Maggie, was born with special needs. He has learned a lot through trial and error as he has worked to make his family’s home safe and accessible for her. Today, he shares his DIY knowledge on DadKnowsDIY.com, a website that offers home improvement project how-tos and other accessibility information.






Thank You for stopping by the Green Blog. If additional information in needed or you have a question let me know by posting a question or comment. Together we can make a difference and create a future that will benefit everyone.
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Ways to make your bathroom greener

TheShelvingStore.com offers a wide selection of shelves, shelving units, wire shelving units, and much more to help you get and stay organized.

How much time do we spend in the bathroom each day? The mornings are probably the most busy bathroom times in any house, followed closely by right before bed. But do you know the burden your bathroom can put on your house's overall carbon footprint?

By Diane Kuehl

Most people probably don't think about it, but the fact of the matter is that the bathroom is an incredibly wasteful place. Between lighting and water usage by the various plumbing fixtures, we're wasting with every second we're in the bathroom.
Here are a few ways you can help to "greenify" the bathrooms in your home – you'll thank me later.

LIGHTS

Lighting is one of the easiest ways to help reduce your carbon footprint. In fact, it's one of those that is probably already done in other areas of your home if you are green-inclined.

LED and CFL bulbs (see link for a lot more information on LED and CFL bulbs) can actually reduce your energy output 5 to 10 times, if you change from your traditional light bulb. And with how much time you spend with the lights on in the bathroom, this is definitely going to help you go a little bit more green. But don't forget – this is a great option for the whole house, as well.

There are no extra steps in installing LED or CFL light bulbs, so it's an easy switch. Just be sure to turn off the lights before installing.

FAUCET

Faucets may not seem like a huge burden to your water bill or your carbon footprint, but look at it like this: faucets use about 2.5 gallons of water per minute. Now, think about how much you use a faucet in your home each day. Now multiply that by the number of people living in your house.

It adds up, doesn't it?

There are high-efficiency faucets that use 1.5 gallons of water per minute, which will help reduce the toll on your hot water heater. (By the way, did you know that hot water heaters are the single biggest part of our home's carbon footprint?)
You can also invest in a water-saving aerator, flow restrictor, or some type of water filtration unit to help reduce the amount of water your use with each turn of the faucet.

SHOWERHEAD

Showers account for about 20 percent of the total water used in our homes each day. This number can go up depending on how often your shower, for how long, and what type of showerhead you use.

But let's be honest – you probably haven't thought about water consumption now that you've got that massive showerhead that massages as it cleans, have you?
Here's a thought: The typical shower uses about 2.5 gallons of water per minute. If you take a 30 minute shower, like me, then you are using 75 gallons of water per shower. Now, imagine that you've got four other people taking 30 minute showers in your house. That's 375 gallons of water per day in shower use. For those keeping score at home, that's a lot of water.

Ultra-low-flow showerheads use less than two gallons of water per minute, which will effectively cut 70 percent of your water usage for a single day.

TOILET

How often do you flush the toilet? Hopefully often enough… Toilets account for about 30 percent of the water usage in our homes, which means it is quite the water hog – the biggest one in our homes.

Each flush can use up to six gallons of water. So, let's assume you flush about 25 times per day. That's 150 gallons of water per day.

But, with high-efficiency toilets and other eco-friendly toilets becoming more and more popular, you've got plenty of options.

Dual Flush Toilets: Dual flush toilets operate around the premise that it takes a lot less water to flush liquid waste (no. 1, as my kids say). So, these toilets give you the option of flushing for either liquid or solid waste. This can reduce your water usage by half with each flush.

Composting Toilet: If you like outhouses, you'll love composting toilets. These toilets (typically) don't use any water and store the waste in a tank. Don't worry, though. The waste is mixed with vegetable matter, sawdust, coconut coir, and peat moss to help with processing and that putrid waste smell. Some models even have a vent.

High-efficiency Toilets: These toilets are the ones labeled WaterSense at your local home improvement store. They use 1.3 gallons of water per flush. The EPA also says that it helps save about 4,000 gallons of water per home per year. That's a lot.
Because green technology has caught up with today's current style trends, it's easy to find fixtures that fit your particular bathroom décor. So don't worry, you can be stylish and green all at the same time.

So go do it. Your home (and your wallet and the environment) depends on it.

Diane Kuehl is a home improvement professional and owner of DIY Mother. She lives in Springfield, Illinois with her husband and two kids.

Guest Post provided by Scotty-

Scotts Contracting,St Louis Renewable Energy

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How To Save Money And Make Your Business Sustainable

For businesses large and small, there is a continuing quest to make operations more eco-friendly and sustainable as part of the growing clamour to be a leader in social responsibility. In many cases, running a more sustainable operation means that there are also significant money savings to be made. What are the best options available to both large and small businesses, which will reduce their carbon footprint as well as make their bottom line look healthier?

Guest Post courtesy of Scotts Contracting, St Louis Renewable Energy

Premises

One of the growing trends in building design is that of the ETFE roof. As well as being prominent in many modern designs, the understanding of the impact an ETFE roof can have on a business has seen it become a highly sought after solution by many business owners. Whether it is building their own premises or renting a commercial property, ensuring the building has an ETFE roof can lead to many ecological and financial benefits for a business.

Benefits of using an ETFE roof include:

· Cheaper and greener construction than glass, as well as weighing only 1% of the equivalent area of glass, meaning other environmentally damaging construction materials do not need to be used as much in supporting the roof structure.

· Much higher levels of light transmission than glass, meaning the building can benefit from much lower lighting costs – both an environmental and financial plus!

· An ETFE roof acts as a natural insulator for a building, so similar to the last point, a building will see their heating usage and subsequent bills reduced massively. With most heat from buildings lost through the roof, ETFE could well be the answer you need.

Owners of small business are often paralysed by the feeling that they are unable to have any wide impact on the overall environment; however by choosing a premises with an ETFE roof they will be doing exactly that. The financial benefits also associated with ETFE roofing can also be a huge incentive to new businesses looking to reduce costs.

Alternatives

There are other many widely used alternatives that business owners can use to save money. Building a premises, or renting one, with an ETFE roof is not always possible, so what are the other options available?

· Cut down carbon emissions caused by journeys to work – are any of your team able to work from home? Even considering a property with an ETFE roof, do you need a premises at all?

· Use energy monitoring and saving appliances throughout your business to reduce usage and costs.

· Ensure you recycle as much as possible.

By carrying out these small, simple, yet massively effective steps, you can potentially save your business a lot of money moving forward. Try and affiliate yourself with an environmental awareness group or another that produces certifications, so you can build your credibility as an environmentally aware and friendly business, while all the time continuing to grow profits.

URL: http://www.vector-foiltec.com/
Keywords: ETFE roof


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What Are The Effects of Changes to Solar Energy Feed-In-Tariffs?

Feed-in-tariffs are the biggest driving force behind integration of renewable technologies into public and private building in the last 10 years; it has caused the huge uptake of solar panels across the world. In recent years changes in silicon production have severely reduced the cost of solar cells technology, making solar technology a great investment. The uptake of solar technology across the world has really caused a huge expansion of the industry from 2010 – 2011, however with many governments deciding to remove grants and reduce Feed-in-tariffs many people have stopped investing in solar energy.

Most solar suppliers and installers understand that some grants and feed-in-tariffs must decrease due to the large strains on public finances over the coming years, though many experts are beginning to see potential problems in the future as investment dwindles.  A great example of this is the recent changes in the UK feed-in-tariffs.

The UK Governments changes to the feed-in-tariffs have affected the solar energy industry with lots of high profile clients either reducing the number of solar panels been installed or completely postponing the solar panel projects.  A great example of this is the 500 Cambridgeshire council homes that have had solar panels installed. This is less than 25% of the original 2300 homes the authority planned in early 2011.

With solar feed-in-tariffs changed on April 1st, many solar panel companies are looking to diversify into other possible renewable solutions. Some of the major solar panel companies are been forced to expand into new markets aboard or reduce costs. The second option which I fear many solar installers will be forced to make will lead to a massive cut in staff numbers and skilled workers in the industry. Further information is required before the full effect of all the government's plans will be known.

For more information on the solar panels in Cardiff or renewable technologies, such as ground source heat pumps visit WDSGreenEnergy.com

Guest Post by: Lewis MacNulty wdsgreenenergy@gmail.com

Guest Post Provided by Scotty, Scotts Contracting St Louis Renewable Energy

If you are interested in Green Building on an Investment Property Check out the Benton Gut Rehab Blog Series-Benton Gut Rehab Green Blog Series

Part 1: History

Part 2: Stone Foundation Repair

Part 3: Tuckpointing the Brick Walls pt 1

Part 4: Tuckpointing the Brick Walls pt 2

Part 5: What were they thinking?

Part 6: Paint Pro Tip #35

Part 7: Repairing Water Damage-Exterior Wall

Part 8: 1st Floor Weatherization

Part 9: See the Difference a Little White Paint Makes

Part 10: Interior Framing-Plumbing-Laundry Room

Part 11: Kitchen Framing Tip #36-Benton Rehab Project

Part 12: Water Main Repair- Benton Rehab

Part 13: Benton Rehab Project Drywall Installation and Tip: Number 1172

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Green Home Renovation Tips for Fire Safety - Guest Post

Green Home Renovation Tips for Fire Safety-

Guest Post by: Ms Sally Davison 

When it comes to sustainable home construction and renovation, fire safety should also be a concern. Preventing fires is a green practice in itself, because fires present a serious threat to the environment in terms of emitting toxic smoke and chemicals and creating hazardous debris and waste. Firefighters also have to use a considerable amount of water to fight a fire, and this water can turn into dangerous runoff containing various chemicals.

Here are some areas of green home renovation that will make your home fire-resistant.

Insulation – Spray-foam insulation uses green products, saves energy, and resists fire. It is made from agriculturally based materials like soy and doesn't emit toxic vapors. It creates a perfect seal with no gaps in the wall, which keeps heat from leaking out and mold from growing. The materials are fire-resistant, and the air-tight seal keeps out oxygen that could feed a fire.

Natural Lighting – The use of natural lighting such as skylights and large windows can reduce the need for electric lighting in the day time. This saves energy and reduces the risk of something catching on fire near a hot light bulb.

Appliances – Old and poorly-maintained appliances pose a significant fire risk. Appliances that use lots of heat such as stoves, dryers, and microwaves should be in good working order. You may want to consider replacing some of your appliances with Energy Star certified ones, as these will use less energy and pose less of a fire risk.

Carpeting – Normal carpet fibers can quickly ignite from just a dropped cigarette or match. However, wool carpeting is flame retardant, difficult to ignite, and has low heat-release properties. It also emits fewer toxins and is a biodegradable, renewable resource.

Windows – Windows made with heat-reflective glass can significantly reduce the amount of heat that enters the home, which saves energy. They can also reflect up to 90 percent of the heat from a raging wildfire outside the home.

Roofing – Metal roofing made from materials such as aluminum or steel are sustainable and fire-safe. These types of materials are non-combustible and will not support a fire. They will also last a lifetime. Vegetative roof systems, which have a layer of soil and vegetation on the roof, can be fire-resistant if they are watered regularly. However, a roof with dry vegetation will actually increase the fire risk for a home.

Landscaping – Just by establishing a fire-safe landscape around your home, you will create a "green belt" to protect you from outside fires like wildfires. Remove all dead trees, shrubs, and plants at least 30 feet around your home. Eliminate low-hanging branches and shrubs growing under trees. Replace highly flammable plants and trees with fire-resistant ones like succulents, hedging roses and honeysuckles, and hardwood trees. Keep your landscape well-watered, especially during the dry season.

This article was written by Sally Davison. She owns the site Fire Science Degree [update7/11/2013-Good day to you, My name is Mark, and I'm writing as a representative of FireScienceDegree (dot) com. We recently acquired this domain and will, in the near future, begin editing and updating the content. If you look, the most recent blog post is from September 2011. Before we remove everything, I wanted to email as many of the webmasters and bloggers linking to us as possible. You found this information useful once, so I didn't want you caught with missing resources.] Sally is an experienced EMT and loves to write various articles about health and safety.

Guest Post Provided by: Scotts Contracting-St Louis Renewable Energy

Bokashi For Students-Guest Post

Bokashi For Students

Composting is an increasingly popular habit that helps individuals, the environment and even the economy. For busy students in graduate programs online, who are often living in small housing like apartments or dorms; many methods of composting are unfortunately impractical due to space and time constraints. Bokashi offers a quick and convenient composting solution for students with little time and space.

Bokashi is the Japanese word for fermented organic waste. The microorganisms found in Bokashi break organic matter down quickly, compactly and in an odor-free way. Although it is referred to as composting, what is really happening is the microorganisms are fermenting the food waste in a Bokashi bin. Bokashi is a mixture that is added to food scraps. The mixture contains one of several different types of carriers such as bran, rice hulls or sawdust along with the effective microorganisms (commonly referred to as EM). The Bokashi mixture aids in the fast fermentation of the food scraps and helps significantly speeds up the process of composting, which will really help make the process faster for students.

Because composting is so beneficial to the environment, using a system like Bokashi is a great solution for students or others who need a compact and easy way to dispose of kitchen scraps in an environmentally friendly way. Here are some of the reasons Bokashi is ideal for busy students who wish to compost:

Location and Space

Those who use traditional composting techniques must carefully consider location when starting a compost pile. An article from The University of Illinois outlines some helpful tips for homeowners who would like to begin composting. The article suggests choosing a location with good drainage and avoiding too much direct sunlight or wind. Bokashi composting, however, can be done anywhere. Students can use any bucket or purchase a specially designed Bokashi bucket and place it almost anywhere.

Time

Turning the compost pile, watering and even monitoring temperature are all common suggestions for those trying to succeed at composting. For busy students, Bokashi is ideal because none of this is required. Kitchen scraps are added to the bucket, followed by a sprinkling of Bokashi. The only additional step is to drain the liquid from the bucket every few days. The liquid can them be diluted and added to plants. The simple process is repeated until the bucket is full at which point students can use their compost to grow their own apartment garden or donate it to someone else with space to garden. Materials can take months to break down into compost using other mehods, making Bokashi the quick alternative.

Money

Students will find that Bokashi composting is cost effective in a number of ways. The only equipment required is a bucket and Bokashi; no other special tools are required. Students can dispose of many types of kitchen scraps and create high quality compost quickly and easily. Students who would like to grow a small garden can even use their Bokashi to fertilize a small patio garden.

Students can choose to use any large bucket or make an initial investment and purchase a convenient Bokashi bucket. Students have two options when it comes to obtaining Bokashi to add to their food scraps. The least time consuming method is to buy pre-mixed Bokashi and simply sprinkle it on the layers of food scraps. This will require regularly purchasing bags of Bokashi, or you can mix your own. There are step by step processes for making Bokashi to mix with your food scraps. In this case the carrier Wheat Bran is mixed with warm water, molasses and EM (the microorganisms). A number of variations can be used like using sawdust or rice hulls as a filler. The requirement is that a carrier be mixed with the composting microorganisms to be effective.

Making an Impact

Students interested in reducing waste and helping the environment will find that Bokashi is the ideal way for them to do so. The Bokashi process allows users to compost almost any kitchen scraps, including meat and dairy that cannot be used in regular composting. Students will feel good knowing they are producing less waste and reducing pollution by using the Bokashi fermenting method to dispose of food waste.

Pest Free

Bokashi composting is odor free and contained in a small container; therefore it does not attract rodents and other undesirable pests the way regular composting can. For students who often rent or live in dormitories this is important.

With the many personal and larger environmental benefits that can be realized through composting; it is appealing to many people, including students. Unfortunately many students are not aware of this simple and versatile way to compost kitchen scraps and believe that composting is not practical for typical college living situations. Bokashi makes composting possible for people like students who would not otherwise be able to participate.

Anthony recently completed his graduate education in English Literature. A New Mexico native, he currently resides and writes in Seattle, Washington. He writes primarily about education, travel, literature, and American culture. garciaanthony39@gmail.com

See Collection of Guest Posts on St Louis Renewable Energy

Guest Post Provided by: Scotty, Scotts Contracting

If you are interested in Green Building on an Investment Property Check out the Benton Gut Rehab Blog Series-Benton Gut Rehab Green Blog Series

Part 1: History

Part 2: Stone Foundation Repair

Part 3: Tuckpointing the Brick Walls pt 1

Part 4: Tuckpointing the Brick Walls pt 2

Part 5: What were they thinking?

Part 6: Paint Pro Tip #35

Part 7: Repairing Water Damage-Exterior Wall

Part 8: 1st Floor Weatherization

Part 9: See the Difference a Little White Paint Makes

Part 10: Interior Framing-Plumbing-Laundry Room

Part 11: Kitchen Framing Tip #36-Benton Rehab Project

Part 12: Water Main Repair- Benton Rehab

Part 13: Benton Rehab Project Drywall Installation and Tip: Number 1172

Energy Saving Dryer Net UP-DATE

Two Senior citizens from Washington, MO have developed a new filter for an electric dryer.  Jim and Sandy Atkinson were driving around and saw steam coming out of the side of homes.  They thought, "What a waste of heat!"

So, they started experimenting with different products and were not satisfied with any of them.  They decided to develop their own product.  They named it, Dryernet;  It filters the air coming out of the dryer so well, you can hardly smell anything. It filters down to .5 microns and removes all the contaminants.  Jim's physician says it filters down to the bacteria level.

The original thought was to save on heat to cut expenses but they have discovered added benefits to the product.  It adds much needed moisture in the winter, you don't have to have a humidifier going since the Dryernet adds moisture.  With the added moisture, Sandy doesn't have to use skin moisturizer.  It makes it easier to breathe at night cutting down on that dry mouth feeling in the morning. It cuts down on static electricity.

They found out that if your dryervent is longer than 10 feet, the dryer dries the clothes faster due to increased airflow.  So that saves energy too. Overall, Jim and Sandy saved about $20.00 a month on their heating bill.  If you use your dryer more than 4 times a week, you'll save more.  Many house fires are caused by a clogged dryer vent, not with the Dryernet!

How often does a "Green" product pay for itself in a month and a half?  If  ten percent of the electric dryers used the dryernet, over 1 Billion dollars in energy use would be saved, each year.

We have been featured on Fox news in St. Louis, KOLR-TV in Springfield, MO and KOMU in Columbia, MO. 


CHECK IT OUT AT: dryernet.com 

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Guest Post Provided by:*Scott's Contracting*

Green Me UP-Scotty
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Go green with your building project

– How to build your green building business –

In the building industry, green business is the only good news that is left for the consumers. Are you a promoter who is looking for constructing buildings and still struggling within the sluggish market conditions? Though traditional buildings may no more seem to be a hot cake anymore, you must try your luck in going green. Sustainable business firms can boost your profits as it has been said that getting into green building can certainly boost your income during tough economic times. Here are some green home building tips that you must consider if you're interested in going green with your building.

1. Do enough research: Every salesman wants to know about the most important skill that he may need in order to make extra profits. You have to make a market research so that you get to know what the actual things are that are needed in order to boost their profits. See what your competitors are doing so that you may get an idea regarding your faults and try to make your weaknesses your strengths.

2. Know what is selling in the market: The recession has got a very diverse impact on every part of the economy and you must make sure that you clearly know what are the products that are selling in the market so that you may comprehend the inabilities of the market and the according steps that you're supposed to take in order to make the most out of the market situations.

3. Specialize in the subject: When you're looking for ways to start off with green home building, you must always make sure that you specialize in this particular field so that you do not fall short of ideas that can make your building a sustainable one. You must get to know all the details that can help you with the business project and make you earn better returns.

4. Get yourself certified: After you have all the plans in your head, you need to get yourself certified and getting the Green Advantage certificate is a necessity. Remember that doing green things doesn't make your house green and thus you have to be a witty and a better builder in order to be a true green builder.

Therefore, if you're planning a sustainable home building project, make sure you follow the tips mentioned above. Every bank and financial is adopting green methods so as to save money and energy. Green building is an important way of handling your talent and using it to its best.

 Article by: Mr Peter Harper

Regards,
Peter Harper
Marketing Head & Editor
Chicago, Illinois – 60607, USA
Phone :  9167458161
Skype name : peterharper99
mail : peterharper99@gmail.com

Guest Post provided by Scotts Contracting

Future Fighters

 Sustainable Living Education at Unity College

Say the words, "renewable energy" or "sustainable living" to the average person on the street, and you are liable to get a furrowed brow, and a cobbled together response about the environment and solar energy.  Most people have a vague idea of what those terms mean, but very little understanding of how those terms can apply to their daily lives.  A growing number of people, however, are beginning to recognize the importance of actively seeking out forms of renewable energy and ways to lower humanity's impact on the Earth.  A number of these people are young men and women in their late teens and early 20s, who, unlike generations before them, recognize that if they do not care for the planet, it might not be able to sustain the lives of their future grandchildren.  This generation of young environmentalists are actively seeking ways to understand and positively alter the world around them.  Enter Unity College, a small liberal arts college in Unity, Maine that is wholly dedicated to the study and practice of sustainable living.

Unity College was founded in 1965, and is tucked away in a small community surrounded by a lake, lots of trees, and not much else.  The 500 students and 60 staff members of Unity College like this relative isolation, as they are free to experiment, innovate, and create on the 225 acres of farmland that make up the campus.  The school is invested in sustainable living and environmentally sound practices from the ground-up, utilizing low-impact housing, solar energy, growing their own food, and helping all students retrofit their cars to run on grease from the dining hall, among other initiatives.  The college recently opened its first Passive House dorm facility and they are committed to going carbon neutral as well.  Rather than a standard orientation experience, relaxing in catnapper recliner in the lounge and doing the occasional "community building" activity, first year students spend a week in the woods together, hiking, camping, and discussing environmental issues as they apply to the region where they will be spending their next few years.  They perform trail maintenance, do research, and began to formulate a more concrete idea of the direction they hope to take their studies while at the school.

The academic program is wide-ranging, and more majors are being offered each year.  There are currently 22 majors at the school, along with study abroad, Outward Bound, and seasonal law enforcement options for those seeking a career in park ranger service.  The school also offers certifications in a number of wilderness preparedness and survival skills.  Courses of study at Unity include, Wildlife; Wildlife Biology; Wildlife Conversation; Adventure Education Leadership; Adventure Therapy; Parks, Recreation, and Ecotourism; Sustainable Design and Technology; Teaching and Learning; Agriculture, Food, and Sustainability; Aquaculture and Fisheries; Forestry; Landscape Horticulture; Marine Biology; Captive Wildlife Care and Education; Conservative Law Enforcement; Ecology; Environmental Writing; Environmental Science; Environmental Policy and Law; Environmental Education; Environmental Biology; Environmental Analysis; and Ecology.

The need for people versed in environmentally conscious practices is growing, and consequently,Unity College alumni have gone on to quite successful careers in a number of environmentally related fields, including serving as resident biologists, resource analysts, educational and environmental directors, forestry technicians, and a host of other positions as related to sustainable living.  One of the few colleges of this type in the world, Unity College is devoted to creating a generation of men and women who consider the environment as important as turning a profit.

Solar economics- A whole new ball game

One of the things that drives alternative energy advocates up the wall about trying to explain the benefits of these energy sources is that some people simply don’t understand the economics of alternative energy. Nowhere is this more obvious than with solar power. The average solar panel is actually an economic asset as much as a planet-saving technology, but naturally the media and its five second attention span never mention this very basic fact.

Getting the solar message across

As the dino-fuels become more expensive and interfere with the bottom lines of more businesses and family budgets, the economic message will eventually sink in. The alternative energy industries, however, could be doing a lot more to get their message across in hard dollar terms. It’s important to recognize that the levels of unfamiliarity about alternative energy sources aren’t so much selective ignorance as a case of simply not getting the facts communicated effectively.

It’s critically important to make sure that the message that alternative energies are costs savers and game-changers for the bottom line gets through to the public, economists and governments. Arguing about environmental principles is too easy. Arguing with figures is a lot more difficult. Solar power can do a respectable job of proving its values at spreadsheet level, so it’d be nice to see some publicists getting to work on the subject, preferably ASAP.

The solar economic overview

In economic terms, solar power as an energy source is almost unprecedented. Being a passive energy source puts it in the same class as old water wheels and windmills, a type of energy technology which doesn’t have an equivalent in modern economics. There simply isn’t an economic model to assess the effect of universal solar power usage. That’s one of the main reasons economics as a science is dragging the chain on assessing the global values of solar power.

Solar power comes with some massive economic benefits

A comparatively short, competition-based supply chain: The logistics of solar are pretty much entirely contained in the assembly process. At end user point, the most that’s likely to ever be required is some maintenance. This short supply chain means that real costs to the economy are very low overall, particularly if assessed over time and in relation to competition for consumer dollars.

Flexibility and adaptability: Spreading cities have exposed the Achilles heel of the grids. Real cost factors are building up to the point at which only developers can afford to expand traditional grids. Solar simply doesn’t have that problem. 

Solar power generation has real community dollar values: Individually, a solar power generation system produces X amount of power at a measurable cost. Collectively, particularly if fed into a grid system, solar power values increase exponentially, across the entire grid. Solar power needs to be seen as a community asset as much as a household asset.

Commercially, solar power is a true cost saver: The overheads of running an office or a factory can be colossal in terms of power costs. Anything which impacts those costs positively, particularly on a large scale, directly affects the entire economy. The solar panels springing up in New York’s notoriously thrifty schools aren’t there solely for fashion reasons, either, and this is another commercial/social community solar asset that needs recognition.

When you’re installing solar panels for your home, consider for a moment your own economic issues- If it makes economic sense to install solar in your home, how about the world? Interesting thought, isn’t it?
  

Mortgage Interest Deduction-Guest Post

This post was removed or lost I left the contact name below of the Author.

The mortgage interest deduction helps make home ownership more affordable by allowing homeowners to deduct the interest that they pay on the mortgage for their home when calculating their annual federal income tax.

Guest Post: Contact: ruth@savemymind.info

USED WIND TURBINES FOR SALE? USED WIND TURBINES WANTED?

Are you planning to repower? Want to sell your exisiting wind turbines? Want to achieve the best sales price? Are you searching for a used wind turbine?...Post Continues

Read complete Guest Post at:  http://stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com/p/guest-posts.html

health-Healthcare-Associated Infections

Guest Post: Healthcare-Associated Infections

When someone develops an infection at a hospital or other patient care facility that they did not have prior to treatment, this is referred to as a Healthcare-Associated (sometimes hospital-acquired) Infection (HAI).

Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) are a global crisis affecting both patients and healthcare workers.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), at any point in time, 1.4 million people worldwide suffer from infections acquired in hospitals.

A Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report published in March-April 2007 estimated the number of U.S. deaths from healthcare associated infections in 2002 at 98,987.

The risk of acquiring Healthcare-Associated Infections in developing countries is 2-20 times higher than in developed countries.

Afflicting thousands of patients every year, HAI often leads to lengthened hospital stays, increasing the likelihood of readmission, and adding sizably to the cost of care per patient.

Financially, HAIs represent an estimated annual impact of $6.7 billion to healthcare facilities, but the human cost is even higher.

About Not on My Watch Prevention Campaign

To protect patients by reducing the risk of HAI, healthcare professionals must continually update their knowledge of infection management.

As part of an ongoing commitment to quality care and infection prevention, nationwide doctors and hospitals are partnering with Kimberly-Clark to deliver continuing education programs on Healthcare-Associated Infection (HAI) prevention to staff and management. As simple as education sounds, busy doctors and nurses on the front lines of delivering care can find it difficult to find the time to take advantage of scheduled programs within their hospitals.

The HAI Education Program is part of a national infection awareness campaign for healthcare professionals called "Not on My Watch" and will provide the facility with a toolkit that contains informational flyers, patient safety tips and posters.

The "Not on My Watch" campaign provides accredited continuing education (CE) programs based on best practices and guidelines as well as research available on reducing the incidence of Healthcare-Associated Infections.

For details about the "Not On My Watch" campaign, and the HAI Education Bus please visit www.HAIwatch.com.

Join the community of healthcare professionals concerned with preventing Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), which at any given moment seriously affect 1.4 million hospitalized patients worldwide. The HAI WATCHDOG* Community forums are intended to provide a place for healthcare providers to discuss issues and best practices related to Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs).

Kimberly-Clark is committed to helping win the battle to prevent HAIs. As part of that effort, we are pleased to sponsor this community site for healthcare providers to discuss HAIs without mention of product-specific information.

Barbara Dunn

Barbara Dunn
barbara@haiwatchnews.com
www.haiwatch.com
 

guest post: provided by Scotty, Scotts Contracting who wishes everyone: Health, Wealth, and Wisdom.

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Scott's Contracting
scottscontracting@gmail.com
http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com
http://scottscontracting.wordpress.com