Leslie Pratch Fuel Sources By Rebecca Twigg

It has never been more important for houses to be heated with renewable sources of energy than now. Fuel prices are subject to increases and carbon dioxide emissions are a real concern. Cutting fuel consumption and costs are an increasing priority for most. The good news is that many buildings can utilise things such as triple glazing, ground-source and air-source heat pumps, solar panels and wood burning stoves to save both the environment and cut down on bill costs.

There are two main ways of using wood to heat a home. The first option is a stand-alone stove that can be used to heat a single room, and the second is a boiler for the central heating system powered by wood, pellets or chips.

Wood as an energy source is a low carbon option. The carbon dioxide given off when wood fuel is burned is the about the same amount as the tree actually absorbed during growth. New trees are planted when the older ones are chopped down and so the wood is carbon neutral. Obviously the more locally the wood can be sourced the better.

Ground source and heat source pumps are also a good source of sustainable energy for the home. Ground source heat pumps can be used throughout the year and use pipes buried in the garden to extract heat from the ground. They are used to heat water for radiators and underfloor heating systems. Because the ground stays at a constant temperature, a ground source heat pump can be used throughout the year. In the UK, the average soil temperature remains consistently at 10-13 degrees centigrade at a depth of only one metre.

The pump circulates a mixture of water and food-friendly glycol around a ground loop (a loop of pipe buried in the garden). When the liquid travels around the loop it absorbs heat from the ground. The longer the loop, the more heat can be drawn. The heat pump requires an increase of only a few degrees of the water mix to work. The liquid is then put through a series of heat exchangers and a compressor, concentrating the heat, so that temperatures up to 65 degrees centigrade are achieved. They run on electricity, so there’s no need to pay for gas, oil or solid fuels and they work best with underfloor heating or warm air heating systems rather than radiators.

Air source heat pumps work on similar principles to the ground source heat pumps but extract heat from the air rather than the ground. They can be fitted outside a house or in the roof and they generally perform better at warmer air temperatures.

There are two main types of air source heat pump. An air-to-water system uses the heat to warm water, and an air-to-air system produces warm air that is circulated by fans to heat the home.

Air source heat pump systems are compact and require no storage space for fuel but they are less efficient than ground source pumps and they do make a small amount of noise so need to be sensitively situated.

Both ground source and air source heat pumps produce less heat than traditional boilers, so buildings using these need to be well insulated and draught proofed for the heating system to be effective. This is where triple glazing comes in.

Solar water-heating systems are another way of using renewable sources of energy I the home. They work by using the sun’s energy to heat water and can supply approximately half of a home’s annual hot water. Solar panels can be positioned on the roof or ground, absorbing heat from the sun’s rays and transferring it by pump or gravity, to a water cylinder from where it can be used. Solar panels work best on south-facing roofs, but can be situated elsewhere.

Leslie Pratch
Leslie Pratch
Leslie Pratch
Leslie Pratch
Leslie Pratch

Leslie Pratch Natural Energy Resources By Ezra Drissman

You have heard about how important it is that we, as a people, start to figure out how to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle. This will go into buying more energy efficient products, recycling as much as we can, and reducing the amount of natural resources which we consume. All of these factors will come together to help make a major difference in the world, although a renewable energy program is going to play an even more important role than we may think. You may want to stop to consider if a renewable energy program is going to actually be the right step for you to take.

A renewable energy program is a system that you bring into your home or business which can help you to generate your own electric power. The two most typical options come from solar or wind power, which can use natural elements to help generate the electric power which can power your home. Most typical households can generate nearly all of the energy which they need simply through installing a renewable energy program into their typical routine. You may find, through research, that one of these units is going to be wise for you to look into.

The biggest problem that comes with a renewable energy program is the cost of installing the program into your home in the first place. The equipment itself will cost money as will the installation process. Nearly all homes or businesses are built with a typical electric hookup, so new methods will need to be employed if you are going to use a renewable energy program to give yourself power. Once you have this installation completed, however, it will not be difficult to start making the most of the new energy methods you have on hand.

The renewable energy program which you decide on is going to generate enough power during any given month to either pay completely for your electric bill, or to greatly reduce it. Some homes will require a small electric input through the standard method, although most can use a renewable energy program for the bulk of their power generation. Either way, using a renewable source is going to be the right decision for you to make because you will save money and you will be taking steps to make the world a better place. In the end, you’ll see that making the switch is going to be affordable and the wisest choice that you could make.

Leslie Pratch
Leslie Pratch
Leslie Pratch
Leslie Pratch
Leslie Pratch

By Stephanie Barker

Just like any landlord, our planet will not tolerate our irresponsibility when it comes to being residents. We’re messy, we don’t pick up after ourselves, we are unfriendly to our neighbors and we were never even required to pay a security deposit. In this case we both lose.

It’s not news that the state of our planet has been swiftly deteriorating. Is it any surprise? We have not been environmentally friendly residents of earth and it is beginning to retaliate. We see it in the escalating frequency and intensity of natural disasters all around the globe - the tsunamis, the hurricanes, the earthquakes, etc. These cataclysmic occurrences will continue as we keep destroying the earth’s equilibrium.

Our environmentally UN-friendly behaviors have thrown the planet off balance. If you thought the natural disaster were bad, think about the biological disasters we could be creating. The greater our negative impact, the greater the chances of more deadly diseases sprouting up and spreading around the world. Look at our third world countries, more disease is the last thing we need.

Speaking of the third world, as we continue to use up all our planet’s resources, war and terrorism will prevail as we need to fight for what has become scarce. We need to support our third world countries and discover the resources and knowledge they hold that could potentially save humankind.

“Might it not be cheaper to make friends of potential enemies than to defend yourself against them later?” - Bono

Mother Nature holds a grudge but she also possesses remarkable healing powers. If we take immediate action to reverse the way in which we are now poisoning the planet and sowing the seeds of our own demise, her restorative qualities will prevail and she will continue to take care of us with the bounties of her blessings.

By Andrew Regan

We all want the younger generation of today to enjoy a brighter future - a desire that’s exemplified, in part, by current actions in favour of environmental issues. After all, the planet will soon be in your children’s hands, and you want them to be able to enjoy it rather than have to work solely to fix problems created by generations before.

But of course, you can’t just hope that today’s younger generation will respect the environment in future years. Indeed, such a way of thinking must be refined throughout their young lives and into their adult years, so that as working adults, they’re prepared to make wise choices for their planet.

So what can you, as parents and teachers, do to instill an environmentally conscious way of thinking in your children and students? Of course, day-to-day practices in the home and in school - such as recycling, energy conservation and waste management - are a big part of the process. Children need to grow up knowing that they can ultimately make a big difference by way of day-to-day actions. But there’s even more you can do to teach youngsters about preserving the planet - and the opportunities are increasing by the day.

There are now countless education programmes designed not only to educate children and young adults about the current environmental issues, but also to give them the skill sets necessary to consider answers and devise solutions for the future. From in-class curriculums and clubs to after school activities, there are many opportunities for teachers and school officials to implement programmes in the classroom.

However, there are also many educational tools - such as computer programmes and games - that both parents and teachers can use when considering environmental education for their kids. What’s more, there are countless opportunities for children and young adults to take part in challenges and competitions regarding environmental issues, ultimately encouraging them to be even more proactive regarding such issues in the future.

By Lacey Savage

Take a moment to think about the week that just passed. Are your first thoughts of long hours at work, driving your kids to every kind of practice imaginable, hurrying to make dinner, clean the house, do laundry, vacuum and wash dishes? Is it any wonder that in today’s busy world, more and more women suffer from stress-induced anxiety than ever before?

If you often find yourself struggling with the effect stress has on your physical and emotional well-being, follow the following 5 steps to stress relief:

1. Acknowledge it. It sounds simple, doesn’t it? It might even sound futile. But taking a moment to admit to yourself that something is stressing you out is the first step in letting go of it. As women, studies show that we often take on more than we can handle. By acknowledging that an extra activity will put more added stress on an already hectic lifestyle, you can balance out the pros and cons and make a decision that’s right for you.

2. Get a massage. I don’t mean one of those extravagant, $200 massages with a hunky Swiss masseuse (though that might be something to put on your birthday list!), but the kind of stress-relieving, muscle-relaxing rubs that husbands and boyfriends are great at providing. And don’t underestimate the power of bribery in obtaining these… “If you rub my feet for 10 minutes, I’ll… [insert pleasurable activity of choice] for 15.” No man can resist!

3. Laugh. You’ve just had a huge argument with your boss. Your mother called for the third time this week to ask if you’re pregnant yet. Your son’s teacher called you in to discuss his habit of peeing on walls. When you’re stressed, even the smallest annoyance can seem like one more added pressure that you’re not able to cope with. So forget about it for a while. Grab a good friend or family member and watch a funny sitcom together. Or a romantic comedy. Or a cartoon. Read the funny pages, or share a good joke. The more you laugh, the more mood-enhancing endorphins you’ll produce!

4. Sleep. Not getting 8 hours of sleep every night? You should. If you’re already exhausted when you head in to work, you’ll be less likely to be able to handle whatever life might throw at you that day. If you have small children, sleeping through the night might seem like a luxury you don’t have. Try napping during the afternoon when they do, even if it’s just for half an hour. It’ll do wonders for your mood, your stress levels, and your patience.

5. Pamper yourself. Do something that makes you feel good, something only for you. Buy a new romance novel and curl up with it after everyone else is asleep. Garden, scrapbook, paint, write. Do whatever brings you joy.