NOAA forecasters say a near-normal Atlantic hurricane season is most likely this year. However, as with any season, the need to prepare for the possibility of a storm striking near you is essential.
“Today, more than 35 million Americans live in regions most threatened by Atlantic hurricanes,” Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said. “Timely and accurate warnings of severe weather help save lives and property. Public awareness and public preparedness are the best defenses against a hurricane.”
In its initial outlook for the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June through November, NOAA’s National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center calls for a 50 percent probability of a near-normal season, a 25 percent probability of an above-normal season and a 25 percent probability of a below-normal season. Global weather patterns are imposing a greater uncertainty in the 2009 hurricane season outlook than in recent years. Forecasters say there is a 70 percent chance of having nine to 14 named storms, of which four to seven could become hurricanes, including one to three major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5).
“This outlook is a guide to the overall expected seasonal activity. However, the outlook is not just about the numbers, it’s also about taking action,” said Gerry Bell, Ph.D., lead seasonal hurricane forecaster at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. “Prepare for each and every season regardless of the seasonal outlook. Even a near- or below-normal season can produce landfalling hurricanes, and it only takes one landfalling storm to make it a bad season.”
Shaping this seasonal outlook is the possibility of competing climate factors. Supporting more activity this season are conditions associated with the ongoing high-activity era that began in 1995, which include enhanced rainfall over West Africa, warmer Atlantic waters and reduced wind shear. But activity could be reduced if El Nino develops in the equatorial Eastern Pacific this summer or if ocean temperatures in the eastern tropical Atlantic remain cooler than normal.
NOAA’s seasonal hurricane outlook does not project where and when any of these storms may hit. Landfall is dictated by weather patterns in place at the time the storm approaches. For each storm, NOAA’s National Hurricane Center forecasts how these weather patterns affect the storm track, intensity and landfall potential.
“NOAA strives to produce the best possible forecasts to help emergency officials and residents better prepare for an approaching storm,” said Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “I’m pleased to have the Administration’s support for an additional $13 million in next year’s budget request to continue the trend of improving hurricane track and intensity forecasts.”
Tropical systems acquire a name – the first for 2009 will be Ana – upon reaching tropical storm strength with sustained winds of at least 39 mph. Tropical storms become hurricanes when winds reach 74 mph, and become major hurricanes when winds increase to 111 mph. An average season has 11 named storms, including six hurricanes with two becoming major hurricanes.
NOAA scientists will continue to monitor evolving conditions in the tropics and will issue an updated hurricane outlook in early August, just prior to what is historically the peak period for hurricane activity.
NOAA understands and predicts changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and conserves and manages our coastal and marine resources.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Three Tips to Increase Your Google Page Rank
A friend of mine started a website about a year ago, and he tried all sorts of advertising to get people to visit. Some of it worked, some did not, but at what cost and was it worth it? If you ask him he will say no and I tend to agree.
I agree because his website was for the sole purpose of selling products online and he was not a brick and mortar type business. When he came to me for some advice I told him to scrap the advertising costs, landing page development costs and so on. I told him what he really needed to do was get a higher PR. He said “are you talking about public relations?” I said no, what PR in the internet world means is page rank, specifically Google Page Rank.
He stood there like a deer in headlights and had no idea what I was talking about. I am going to tell you what I told him. First get to know what the Google PR is. The Google Page Rank, PR for short, is the scale that ranks a website from zero to ten (with ten being the highest) as its importance for the topic (or the topic that Google deems it to be) it is about. The higher your PR the higher up the ladder of search results you will appear when someone searches on keywords that are on your site.
He said, “ok I understand, but how do I increase it?” I told him there are a variety of ways to do this but I recommend you do the three following exercise since they take up very little of your time and have the biggest impact.
The first way is to exchange links with similar websites or websites that are at least in the same realm of what you do. For instance, he sold power tools for woodworking; therefore he should be exchanging links with woodworkers, websites about woodworking, and websites about how to use tools and so on. Exchanging links means that you will put a link to someone else’s website on your website and they will do the same for you. It is more commonly known as a reciprocal link exchange. I told him to contact no less than 5 websites everyday and request a link exchange and do not be surprised if you receive a no for an answer or do not get a response at all. It’s just the nature of the internet.
Next I told him to partake in online discussions about woodworking, power tools or anything else related to the field. I told him to visit message boards, social networks, and trade show websites. When you join any of these sites chances are they allow you to have a signature line. In that signature line you can enter in something like, “Joe is the owner of XYZ power tools and can be found online at {web address here}”. Every time you engage in a discussion and submit your post your signature goes along with it. This does two things it gets a link to your website out there more often and allows others in the discussion group to take a look at your site. If they like it, your prices or whatever it is your website is about, they will tell their friends and now your website has just gone viral.
The final thing I told him was to become a writer. He looked at me strangely and asked what I meant. What I said was each day you need to write an article about power tools. The article should informational and educational such as safety procedures for a table saw, or ten cool things to build with a router. At the end of each article you will create what is called a resource box. In this resource box (just like your signature line in discussion groups) you will let people know who you are and how they can get a hold of you. Once that is complete submit your article to article directories. They are free and they crave your articles because they have tens of thousands of visitors daily looking for your information.
So how do these three tips help increase your Google Page Rank? Well simply put Google rates a website based its popularity around the Internet. The more people talking about your website and more specifically, linking to it, the more favorably Google looks upon it and in turn your PR will increase.
There are a variety of tools out there where you can check what your Google Page Rank is at anytime. Just do a search in Google for page rank checker and you will find a number of them. They all basically work the same. Just keep in mind Google indexes websites 2 to 4 times per year so do not be surprised if in January you are a PR of 2 and come May you are still a PR 2. The Internet is large and it takes time for Google to index every single website.
Article Source: http://www.upublish.info
About the Author:
Bruce A. Tucker
About the Author:
Mr. Tucker is a regular contributor on Bukisa, an online community for writers where they can submit their articles.
I agree because his website was for the sole purpose of selling products online and he was not a brick and mortar type business. When he came to me for some advice I told him to scrap the advertising costs, landing page development costs and so on. I told him what he really needed to do was get a higher PR. He said “are you talking about public relations?” I said no, what PR in the internet world means is page rank, specifically Google Page Rank.
He stood there like a deer in headlights and had no idea what I was talking about. I am going to tell you what I told him. First get to know what the Google PR is. The Google Page Rank, PR for short, is the scale that ranks a website from zero to ten (with ten being the highest) as its importance for the topic (or the topic that Google deems it to be) it is about. The higher your PR the higher up the ladder of search results you will appear when someone searches on keywords that are on your site.
He said, “ok I understand, but how do I increase it?” I told him there are a variety of ways to do this but I recommend you do the three following exercise since they take up very little of your time and have the biggest impact.
The first way is to exchange links with similar websites or websites that are at least in the same realm of what you do. For instance, he sold power tools for woodworking; therefore he should be exchanging links with woodworkers, websites about woodworking, and websites about how to use tools and so on. Exchanging links means that you will put a link to someone else’s website on your website and they will do the same for you. It is more commonly known as a reciprocal link exchange. I told him to contact no less than 5 websites everyday and request a link exchange and do not be surprised if you receive a no for an answer or do not get a response at all. It’s just the nature of the internet.
Next I told him to partake in online discussions about woodworking, power tools or anything else related to the field. I told him to visit message boards, social networks, and trade show websites. When you join any of these sites chances are they allow you to have a signature line. In that signature line you can enter in something like, “Joe is the owner of XYZ power tools and can be found online at {web address here}”. Every time you engage in a discussion and submit your post your signature goes along with it. This does two things it gets a link to your website out there more often and allows others in the discussion group to take a look at your site. If they like it, your prices or whatever it is your website is about, they will tell their friends and now your website has just gone viral.
The final thing I told him was to become a writer. He looked at me strangely and asked what I meant. What I said was each day you need to write an article about power tools. The article should informational and educational such as safety procedures for a table saw, or ten cool things to build with a router. At the end of each article you will create what is called a resource box. In this resource box (just like your signature line in discussion groups) you will let people know who you are and how they can get a hold of you. Once that is complete submit your article to article directories. They are free and they crave your articles because they have tens of thousands of visitors daily looking for your information.
So how do these three tips help increase your Google Page Rank? Well simply put Google rates a website based its popularity around the Internet. The more people talking about your website and more specifically, linking to it, the more favorably Google looks upon it and in turn your PR will increase.
There are a variety of tools out there where you can check what your Google Page Rank is at anytime. Just do a search in Google for page rank checker and you will find a number of them. They all basically work the same. Just keep in mind Google indexes websites 2 to 4 times per year so do not be surprised if in January you are a PR of 2 and come May you are still a PR 2. The Internet is large and it takes time for Google to index every single website.
Article Source: http://www.upublish.info
About the Author:
Bruce A. Tucker
About the Author:
Mr. Tucker is a regular contributor on Bukisa, an online community for writers where they can submit their articles.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
U.S. Department of Justice Makes Available $1 Billion in Recovery Act Funds for COPS Program
WASHINGTON – U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced today that the Department of Justice is now accepting applications for $1 billion in Recovery Act Funds for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Program. Approximately 5,500 law enforcement officer jobs will be created or saved in law enforcement agencies across the country through funding provided by the Department of Justice.
"This investment of Recovery Act funds will pump new resources into our communities through a program with a proven track record," said U.S. Attorney General Holder. "We will not just create and preserve jobs, but also increase community policing capacity and crime-prevention efforts."
Funds awarded to law enforcement agencies by the COPS Office provide 100 percent of entry-level salary and benefits for each officer for three years. All jurisdictions that receive funding must plan to retain COPS-funded officer positions for at least one year after the grant ends.
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1995, COPS has awarded more than $10 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,300 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of nearly 117,000 officers. In addition to funding law enforcement positions, the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services has been the catalyst for innovations in community policing, and the broad implementation of this effective law enforcement strategy. Currently, departments that employ community policing serve 87 percent of American communities.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (H.R.1) includes $4 billion in Department of Justice grant funding to enhance state, local, and tribal law enforcement efforts, including the hiring of new police officers, to combat violence against women, and to fight internet crimes against children. The Justice Department also recently announced the allocation of $2 billion in Recovery Act funding for state and local law enforcement and criminal justice assistance through the Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. Similar to the JAG awards, COPS Recovery Act funds can also be used to hire new officers or rehire recently laid off officers, fill unfunded vacancies and help prevent scheduled layoffs within law enforcement agencies.
Unlike JAG funds, COPS funds are allocated directly to the local level governments and law enforcement agencies and provide a three-year period of funding. COPS hiring grants will be awarded through a competitive application process that will take into account the impact of the current economic crisis on applicant agencies, as well as crime statistics and plans for initiating and advancing community policing. The procedure for allocating JAG grants is based on a formula of population and violent crime statistics, in combination with a minimum allocation to each state and territory.
Attorney General Holder's Remarks at the National League of Cities Conferen
"This investment of Recovery Act funds will pump new resources into our communities through a program with a proven track record," said U.S. Attorney General Holder. "We will not just create and preserve jobs, but also increase community policing capacity and crime-prevention efforts."
Funds awarded to law enforcement agencies by the COPS Office provide 100 percent of entry-level salary and benefits for each officer for three years. All jurisdictions that receive funding must plan to retain COPS-funded officer positions for at least one year after the grant ends.
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1995, COPS has awarded more than $10 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,300 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of nearly 117,000 officers. In addition to funding law enforcement positions, the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services has been the catalyst for innovations in community policing, and the broad implementation of this effective law enforcement strategy. Currently, departments that employ community policing serve 87 percent of American communities.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (H.R.1) includes $4 billion in Department of Justice grant funding to enhance state, local, and tribal law enforcement efforts, including the hiring of new police officers, to combat violence against women, and to fight internet crimes against children. The Justice Department also recently announced the allocation of $2 billion in Recovery Act funding for state and local law enforcement and criminal justice assistance through the Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. Similar to the JAG awards, COPS Recovery Act funds can also be used to hire new officers or rehire recently laid off officers, fill unfunded vacancies and help prevent scheduled layoffs within law enforcement agencies.
Unlike JAG funds, COPS funds are allocated directly to the local level governments and law enforcement agencies and provide a three-year period of funding. COPS hiring grants will be awarded through a competitive application process that will take into account the impact of the current economic crisis on applicant agencies, as well as crime statistics and plans for initiating and advancing community policing. The procedure for allocating JAG grants is based on a formula of population and violent crime statistics, in combination with a minimum allocation to each state and territory.
Attorney General Holder's Remarks at the National League of Cities Conferen
Monday, March 16, 2009
Solar Panels for Homes – Use Homemade Solar Energy To Halve Your Electricity Bill
Sunlight is the greatest gift from Mother Earth. Solar panels are designed to capture the energy from the sunlight and channel it into useable electricity. Simply put, the panels when set up correctly, will absorb the UV wavelengths and convert the imminence of the sun into heat and power for your home. One mistake that many people make is that it is believed that you are not able to generate sufficient energy on cloudy days. The way solar panels work is that even on cloudy weather, they are able to capture sufficient energy, as it is actually the UV wavelengths of light that the panels capture. Hence, you should be clear that most work well in sunny and cloudy days, but with sunny days, the panels work better.We are very lucky to be living in this age when environmentally friendliness is no longer ignored. Solar energy development has taken off in our quest to be self sufficient with renewable energy and lift us off high electricity bills. Nowadays, it has become a common sight to drive by town and see solar panels on roof tops, window panels and even standalone slabs. Making your own solar energy and constructing your own solar panels have much easier with comprehensive step by step guides which comes with full instructions, step by step videos, designs, and information needed to accomplish the task. Good guides even tell you where to find the components for a fraction of their costs. It is no wonder that do it yourself homemade solar panels systems are increasingly becoming very popular. The guides usually do not exceed the cost of a good meal and your set up costs are kept below 200 dollars. When you have built a good number of solar panels and put to the test, you will realise a great difference in you electricity bills. This is a process which might take some effort at the beginning when you set it up, but will become sustainable thereafter throughout its lifespan. The fact that people who have bought the guides and created their own solar energy systems implies that you do not actually need specialist knowledge nor be technically inclined. There is absolutely no need to pay through the nose for professionals from solar companies to build solar panels for you. You may not know this but you are just minutes away from building your very own homemade solar energy system and achieving long term savings from your ever escalating electricity bill. Solar and Wind Renewable energy guides are available on the internet, in the form of manuals packaged with DVD videos and complete with design diagrams in easy to follow instructions. In fact, such packages are also available at your friendly neighbourhood hardware stores. When you decide to embark upon building your own homemade solar panels, you are not only starting to save on recurring electricity bills, but also a commitment to many generations of green living.
Article Source: http://www.upublish.info/
About the Author:Joey L JonesJoin the thousands of families tapping on Free Renewable Energy. Build Your Own Solar Panels for Home and Half Your Electricity Bills. Visit SolarWindEnergyDIY.com for Your Complete Solar Power Guide Review
Article Source: http://www.upublish.info/
About the Author:Joey L JonesJoin the thousands of families tapping on Free Renewable Energy. Build Your Own Solar Panels for Home and Half Your Electricity Bills. Visit SolarWindEnergyDIY.com for Your Complete Solar Power Guide Review
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Ways On Putting Aside Gas Money!!
By: Kelvin Young
Gas is an everyday expense. You can’t get through anywhere without it. If that isn’t enough dilemmas, there is the higher of price gas to think about. Making ends meet is one of the ways you just have to deal with all the time. However, there are ways on how to save money on gas. If you just have to make some changes here and there, you won’t have a hard time in spending gas money. Your life will be easier that way. To get you through a money-saving process, follow these simple procedures and soon, you’ll be realizing why you didn’t think of it sooner. • Drive less You don’t have to reach every destination with your car. If you bring your car on a short trip, that would be ridiculous on your part. That won’t help you upgrade your savings at all. For short distances, walk or ride a bike. Both require physical activity and you’ll be getting exercise as well. But if the trip is a bit farther than your home, then take a bus or engage your neighbors to do carpooling. That will encourage them to save money on gas as well. • Choose for a better gas deal Never opt for those expensive ones. If your car can handle any diesel, then choose the cheaper ones. It wouldn’t really matter if the gas you bought is cheaper; you still arrive at your destination no matter what. Just make sure to read your owner’s manual if your car requires a specific kind of gas such as diesel. Also, look out for the gas station that offers lower gas prices. Check for the listings of your local gas station, and monitor the change within forty-eight hours. • Your car must be in good condition Whoever said that driving a beat-up car is good? Of course it isn’t! Think of the time wasted if you drive such car? Always check your car for repairs always. Maintain and clean it once in awhile to avoid accidents later on. Keep in mind that a car in good condition gives added points to your personality, as well to your pocket. You might think that maintaining a car is costly, but it actually saves you a whole lot, especially on gas. • Be a designated driver It’s always safe to drive smoothly. If you want to live a longer life and not harm the people around you, then be a smart driver. Don’t drive fast, overtake, accelerate, or over speed; that will waste your gas mileage. It’s totally un-cool to parade a dented car on the streets. To avoid further embarrassment, drive smart. These are just purely common sense if you seriously want to save money on gas. Have a positive attitude and change your ways… for good. For more info see: www.gascardsusa.com
Article Source: http://www.upublish.info
Gas is an everyday expense. You can’t get through anywhere without it. If that isn’t enough dilemmas, there is the higher of price gas to think about. Making ends meet is one of the ways you just have to deal with all the time. However, there are ways on how to save money on gas. If you just have to make some changes here and there, you won’t have a hard time in spending gas money. Your life will be easier that way. To get you through a money-saving process, follow these simple procedures and soon, you’ll be realizing why you didn’t think of it sooner. • Drive less You don’t have to reach every destination with your car. If you bring your car on a short trip, that would be ridiculous on your part. That won’t help you upgrade your savings at all. For short distances, walk or ride a bike. Both require physical activity and you’ll be getting exercise as well. But if the trip is a bit farther than your home, then take a bus or engage your neighbors to do carpooling. That will encourage them to save money on gas as well. • Choose for a better gas deal Never opt for those expensive ones. If your car can handle any diesel, then choose the cheaper ones. It wouldn’t really matter if the gas you bought is cheaper; you still arrive at your destination no matter what. Just make sure to read your owner’s manual if your car requires a specific kind of gas such as diesel. Also, look out for the gas station that offers lower gas prices. Check for the listings of your local gas station, and monitor the change within forty-eight hours. • Your car must be in good condition Whoever said that driving a beat-up car is good? Of course it isn’t! Think of the time wasted if you drive such car? Always check your car for repairs always. Maintain and clean it once in awhile to avoid accidents later on. Keep in mind that a car in good condition gives added points to your personality, as well to your pocket. You might think that maintaining a car is costly, but it actually saves you a whole lot, especially on gas. • Be a designated driver It’s always safe to drive smoothly. If you want to live a longer life and not harm the people around you, then be a smart driver. Don’t drive fast, overtake, accelerate, or over speed; that will waste your gas mileage. It’s totally un-cool to parade a dented car on the streets. To avoid further embarrassment, drive smart. These are just purely common sense if you seriously want to save money on gas. Have a positive attitude and change your ways… for good. For more info see: www.gascardsusa.com
Article Source: http://www.upublish.info
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Going Green - Five Green Steps to Take Today to Improve Your Health, Finances & the Environment
By now, most people have GREEN on their radar. From political campaigns to the daily news, we're hearing more and more every day about why it's important to start preserving as opposed to consuming.
Of course, we can't stop consumption. This isn't the idea. We all need things. We need food, clothing, shelter and we need to enhance our lives with beauty and our personal sense of style. What we can do is make smarter choices. We can re-use things. We can do-it-yourself ... make your own products as opposed to buying chemically enhanced products. We can use or support clean energy to reduce gas costs (Yes, this really DOES make a difference).
But what are the first steps?
For many of us, we want to make the switch, but knowing how to start is the hard part. We like our lives the way they are, and struggle with the idea of change. We don't want a drastically different lifestyle.
The good news is that as going green becomes more popular (and necessary), there are more options that in fact enhance our lives rather than disrupting them. Going green is a gradual, progressive process. There are actions that we can easily take today, and then there are concepts that take a little more work - ideals that we can strive for.
Top 5 things you can do today:
1) Unplug it!
Did you know that "phantom energy" is a major consumer of expensive (for you and the country), non-necessary energy? And that you are most-likely consuming phantom energy right now, as you read this?
Picture your house or apartment before you go to bed at night. You're relaxed, and it's dark outside. Are the lights on? Probably not. But is your cell phone plugged in, even though it's fully charged? Is there a power tool or toaster plugged in that you're not using?
These devices that are plugged in are vampires, consuming energy even when they are turned off.
The biggest energy wasters in homes are cell-phone chargers, digital camera chargers, major appliances and power tool chargers. These devises absorb power whenever they're plugged into an outlet, whether or not the device is charged or connected.
This wasted energy (aka "phantom energy") is a significant percentage of home electricity use (about 5%). If you multiply this across all American households, it adds up to about 65 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity each year. What does that number mean? This phantom energy costs consumers more than $5.8 billion each year. What does that mean for you? It could be costing you hundreds a year - not to mention the effect on the planet.
2) Organic vs. Local food
Most of us have access to organic food in our grocery stores. In some places, it's more accessible than others.The movement to make organic food economical is still in progress. But more and more chain stores are stocking organic food, with affordable prices.
Next time you go grocery shopping, look for the food isle in the grocery store. You might be surprised to find that organic is not always more expensive. Many chain grocery stores are stocking generic organic products.
But perhaps just as importantly is buying local. Do you see that produce stand on your way home from work? Fresh blueberries and zucchini? Has it occurred to you that there aren't any expensive fuel costs in getting that food from its origin to your kitchen, and that most likely local farms don't need to use the harmful pesticides that commercial farmers need to keep produce "Fresh" ? The best option is organic AND local. But if you can't find organic, choose LOCAL. Most likely, they use safer farming practices than commercial farms. Stop at the next produce stand you might otherwise pass by.
3) Smart lighting!
Do you cringe when you see your monthly energy bill, all the while knowing you could do something to reduce your payment not to mention your impact on the planet? But you don't know exactly how. What can you do?
Well, you can buy energy-efficient light bulbs. Not only are they cheaper than their conventional alternatives (check them out at Costco!) but will last 10 times as longer. They will initially cost more but you will save money and not have to buy light bulbs for months longer than their counterparts. Your cost savings? HUGE. Your effect on the planet if enough of us make this choice? PRICELESS.
4) Re-use!
There are so many objects that can be reinvented. Your imagination is the limit. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
* Re-use baby food jars as votive candle holders for a country living look. Remove the labels, of course.
* Re-use egg cartons as seed planters
* Re-use wine bottles as flower vases
* Re-use wine bottles as rolling pins
* Re-use coffee grounds as plant fertilizer
These ideas can spark many more. Use your imagination!
5) Recycle!
Do you recycle? If not, maybe it's because the process seems confusing and time consuming. What do you recycle and what do you throw away? In our busy society, we simply don't have time to separate all our waste - especially when the benefits are often vague and unknown. Did you know that recently, many of the biggest cities in the U.S. have taken this into consideration? They have actually made it much easier on us.
Yeah! Really! In Portland, OR, for instance, all residents are given a huge, closed recycling dumpster that is bigger than their garbage bin.To top it off, residents can combine most everything - except for glass and motor oil - into ONE BIN. We can throw our paper and cottage cheese containers and pop cans into one huge dumpster - no separating. Just put your glass on the side. That's it. Easy right? RIGHT. The Powers-That-Be are starting to recognize that we need a solution to our consumption and waste problem. If you're not recycling, the next time you get your garbage bill, go to their website and check for information on larger bins. If they're not offering them already, believe me, you're not the first person to ask. BE VOCAL.
Written by Elizabeth Johnston, creator of http://www.organic-baby-and-mom.com/"Pampering Babies and Moms with the Best of Nature"Visit us today for organic products for parenting, organic news and all-natural living articles. http://www.organic-baby-and-mom.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elizabeth_Johnston
Of course, we can't stop consumption. This isn't the idea. We all need things. We need food, clothing, shelter and we need to enhance our lives with beauty and our personal sense of style. What we can do is make smarter choices. We can re-use things. We can do-it-yourself ... make your own products as opposed to buying chemically enhanced products. We can use or support clean energy to reduce gas costs (Yes, this really DOES make a difference).
But what are the first steps?
For many of us, we want to make the switch, but knowing how to start is the hard part. We like our lives the way they are, and struggle with the idea of change. We don't want a drastically different lifestyle.
The good news is that as going green becomes more popular (and necessary), there are more options that in fact enhance our lives rather than disrupting them. Going green is a gradual, progressive process. There are actions that we can easily take today, and then there are concepts that take a little more work - ideals that we can strive for.
Top 5 things you can do today:
1) Unplug it!
Did you know that "phantom energy" is a major consumer of expensive (for you and the country), non-necessary energy? And that you are most-likely consuming phantom energy right now, as you read this?
Picture your house or apartment before you go to bed at night. You're relaxed, and it's dark outside. Are the lights on? Probably not. But is your cell phone plugged in, even though it's fully charged? Is there a power tool or toaster plugged in that you're not using?
These devices that are plugged in are vampires, consuming energy even when they are turned off.
The biggest energy wasters in homes are cell-phone chargers, digital camera chargers, major appliances and power tool chargers. These devises absorb power whenever they're plugged into an outlet, whether or not the device is charged or connected.
This wasted energy (aka "phantom energy") is a significant percentage of home electricity use (about 5%). If you multiply this across all American households, it adds up to about 65 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity each year. What does that number mean? This phantom energy costs consumers more than $5.8 billion each year. What does that mean for you? It could be costing you hundreds a year - not to mention the effect on the planet.
2) Organic vs. Local food
Most of us have access to organic food in our grocery stores. In some places, it's more accessible than others.The movement to make organic food economical is still in progress. But more and more chain stores are stocking organic food, with affordable prices.
Next time you go grocery shopping, look for the food isle in the grocery store. You might be surprised to find that organic is not always more expensive. Many chain grocery stores are stocking generic organic products.
But perhaps just as importantly is buying local. Do you see that produce stand on your way home from work? Fresh blueberries and zucchini? Has it occurred to you that there aren't any expensive fuel costs in getting that food from its origin to your kitchen, and that most likely local farms don't need to use the harmful pesticides that commercial farmers need to keep produce "Fresh" ? The best option is organic AND local. But if you can't find organic, choose LOCAL. Most likely, they use safer farming practices than commercial farms. Stop at the next produce stand you might otherwise pass by.
3) Smart lighting!
Do you cringe when you see your monthly energy bill, all the while knowing you could do something to reduce your payment not to mention your impact on the planet? But you don't know exactly how. What can you do?
Well, you can buy energy-efficient light bulbs. Not only are they cheaper than their conventional alternatives (check them out at Costco!) but will last 10 times as longer. They will initially cost more but you will save money and not have to buy light bulbs for months longer than their counterparts. Your cost savings? HUGE. Your effect on the planet if enough of us make this choice? PRICELESS.
4) Re-use!
There are so many objects that can be reinvented. Your imagination is the limit. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
* Re-use baby food jars as votive candle holders for a country living look. Remove the labels, of course.
* Re-use egg cartons as seed planters
* Re-use wine bottles as flower vases
* Re-use wine bottles as rolling pins
* Re-use coffee grounds as plant fertilizer
These ideas can spark many more. Use your imagination!
5) Recycle!
Do you recycle? If not, maybe it's because the process seems confusing and time consuming. What do you recycle and what do you throw away? In our busy society, we simply don't have time to separate all our waste - especially when the benefits are often vague and unknown. Did you know that recently, many of the biggest cities in the U.S. have taken this into consideration? They have actually made it much easier on us.
Yeah! Really! In Portland, OR, for instance, all residents are given a huge, closed recycling dumpster that is bigger than their garbage bin.To top it off, residents can combine most everything - except for glass and motor oil - into ONE BIN. We can throw our paper and cottage cheese containers and pop cans into one huge dumpster - no separating. Just put your glass on the side. That's it. Easy right? RIGHT. The Powers-That-Be are starting to recognize that we need a solution to our consumption and waste problem. If you're not recycling, the next time you get your garbage bill, go to their website and check for information on larger bins. If they're not offering them already, believe me, you're not the first person to ask. BE VOCAL.
Written by Elizabeth Johnston, creator of http://www.organic-baby-and-mom.com/"Pampering Babies and Moms with the Best of Nature"Visit us today for organic products for parenting, organic news and all-natural living articles. http://www.organic-baby-and-mom.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elizabeth_Johnston
Buying Property? Florida is a Great Location to Consider
If you’re thinking about buying property in Florida, then this article is for you as it will give you an overview on Florida, USA and the property market. Florida, the Sunshine State, enjoys warm and pleasant summers, while the winters are mild, with only occasional cold spells. The state has over 1100 miles of beaches and extremely good resorts, spas, restaurants and facilities for snorkeling, surfing and golfing. There is always plenty to do in Florida as it is home to a number of tourist attractions, such as the Kennedy Space Centre, Disney Animal Kingdom, Busch Gardens, Sea World, and Gatorland. There are a number of festivals and events periodically taking place in Florida, and all in all it makes Florida a fun place to live in. A major portion of Florida’s population consists of Americans, African-Americans and Hispanics, with English being the most commonly spoken language. Florida is extremely well connected to other parts of the world by air, road and rail, and has a number of reputed universities and colleges. There are number of different areas within Florida to consider when buying property: Orlando: Life in Orlando is fun, with several beaches, golf courses and nightspots, and the famous tourist attractions of Sea World and Disney World. Most of the available properties are condominiums and villas, and the prices are rising; according to the Orlando Business Journal, family homes were priced at above $1 million in 2006. Kissimmee: The city of Kissimmee has rapidly developed in recent years due to tourism, as it is centrally located to Sea World, Walt Disney World Resorts and Universal Studios. Kissimmee is experiencing double digit growth in property sales. Miami: There is hardly anyone who is not aware of the beauty of the Miami beaches. The population of Miami is cosmopolitan, and is a friendly, warm place for a relaxed peaceful vacation. Its scenic beauty makes it an ideal place for buying property and then using it as a rental home for the never-ending supply of tourists. Jacksonville: Jacksonville is a beautiful city in the north-east part of Florida, where the majority of the population is young. It is one of the largest cities in Florida and is well equipped with medical and educational facilities. Jacksonville has a comparatively low cost of living, and offers good facilities for sports, eating out, and shopping. The region has a nice combination of urban and rural life, with certain areas being extremely well developed, and other areas retaining their old-world charm. Statistics indicate that the average cost of buying property in Jacksonville was about $211,000 in 2005, which was lower than most Florida cities. Tampa: The city of Tampa has excellent financial, medical, educational, sports, cultural, and entertainment facilities. In spite of all this, the cost of living is comparatively low, making it an ideal place for property investment. Property prices in Tampa are relatively low compared to other cities in Florida. As you can see there are a number of excellent destinations to think about when buying property in Florida, and they are just the tip of the iceberg. To help you with your property purchase, agents in Florida would be glad to assist you; however you do need to exercise caution and discretion when appointing a professional agent. As per law in Florida, the transfer of ownership of property is carried out by Title Companies, and not by lawyers, which makes the process less risky and easier when buying property. Florida has a lot to offer everyone, whether they are a holiday maker or a resident of the states, and is an excellent place to buy a property for a second home or an investment property.
Article Source: http://www.upublish.info
About the Author:Trevor PageTrevor Page wrote the article 'Buying Property? Florida is a Great Location to Consider' and recommends you visit http://www.homesoverseas.co.uk/buying-property-in-usa/1180 for more information on buy properties for sale Florida.
Article Source: http://www.upublish.info
About the Author:Trevor PageTrevor Page wrote the article 'Buying Property? Florida is a Great Location to Consider' and recommends you visit http://www.homesoverseas.co.uk/buying-property-in-usa/1180 for more information on buy properties for sale Florida.
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