Go Green In 2014: Why You Should Replace Your Old Appliances

Replacing older home appliances is one of the most practical and effective steps a homeowner can take to reduce energy consumption. Not only is it great for the environment and means you do your bit to help save the planet it also means you save the pennies by replacing a few main appliances in the home and going for a newer, more energy efficient version.
With the new year looming, why not make it one of your New Year resolutions and upgrade your appliances? Check out the list below to see examples of appliances you should consider investing in.
An Eco Kettle
Kettles actually use a tremendous amount of energy to power them and many of us are guilty of overfilling our kettle, it’s estimated that in the UK, £68m is wasted a year from doing this. By investing in an eco-kettle, it cleverly measures the amount of water required for a single cup of tea or coffee so you don’t have to worry about wastage and you’ll be helping to cut down on your energy costs.
Water Efficient Toilets
Many newer properties will have installed toilets fitted with a ‘short-flush’ option. We use up 30% of our water every time we use the toilet so if you have an older model it makes sense to upgrade. Newer toilets are very competitively priced and you’ll be saving 2 to 3 litres of water every time you flush.
Energy Saving Washing Machines
The most efficient washing machines will use 33litres of water for a standard load; the least efficient machines use 72 litres. This does vary between machines even with the same energy rating so make sure you find out the performance of the washing machine before you buy. Try to limit the amount of times you run a pre rinse cycle and only use your machine on a full load to save wasting water, lowering the temperature can also help to cut energy bill costs.
Eco-friendly Shower Head
It’s well known that having showers as opposed to baths saves a lot of water and is better for the planet. Getting an eco-friendly shower head can help you to reduce water wastage even further by giving the same ‘feeling’ of a power shower, thanks to adding air into the stream of water coming from the shower and it does this using less water than a conventional shower. They are cheaper than most power shower systems and simple to install.
Refrigerator Thermometer
Fridges are not cheap so if you can’t justify purchasing a new one, consider buying a fridge thermometer. They can be hung inside the fridge thanks to the attachment or just placed inside the fridge thanks to its flat base. It can be adjusted to the optimum temperature to tell you when your fridge or freezer is too cold so that you can save valuable money and energy.
30 Minute Timer
It’s estimated that we spend up to 1.3 billion a year every single year by leaving our appliances on standby; this is up to 16% of our household energy usage.
A 30 minute timer when plugged into a multi-socket extension lead automatically turns off the power to appliances left turned on after a 30 minute period. This drastically reduces the risk of fires and other hazards in the home as well as keeping your energy bills lower.  This is particularly useful for things like an iron which can significantly overheat if it is left plugged in unattended.
Eco-Toaster
Toasters waste a lot of energy in the home as they are often left plugged in and as with most conventional toasters do not allow you to toast just one slice at a time. An eco-toaster has a slot that makes this possible which can help you make an energy saving of up to 50%.
Pro Energy Cylinder Cleaner
Consider getting rid of your old vacuum cleaner and replacing it for an energy saving vacuum cleaner. These have different settings depending on whether you’re using the hoover on carpet, flooring or even upholstery which means you get maximum performance while saving 50% on energy.
This article was written by Amy Elliott from Appliance City. The team at Appliance City like to promote a green way of living and believe that inveting in eco-friendly appliances will in time help to save the environment and money. Amy writes for them in her spare time so as to spread the message of green living.

Importance Of Teaching Kids About Agriculture

Teaching agriculture and good farming practices to school kids instils knowledge on how plants grow, live and die. There are many lessons kids learn from agriculture and gardening including knowledge on how food gets to the table, how clothes get onto store shelves and how seeds germinate. Teaching kids about farming helps them get perspective of their lives and the world around them.

Basic Science

Teaching agriculture to school kids introduces them to basic scientific knowledge and how to apply the lessons in their daily lives. For example, through the lessons kids learn about how bees make honey, how fruits develop, how trees grow and how oil is obtained from corn. Agriculture combines the concepts of chemistry, physics and biology and puts them into everyday application.

School Gardens

School gardens help kids learn important lessons about farming and the environment. Planting different crop varieties allows kids to learn how things grow, live and die. Gardens help young people develop social skills by working in groups. In addition, it helps them put their agricultural knowledge into practical dimensions.

Nutrition

Agriculture lessons educate kids about nutrition, where foods come from, what kinds of foods are beneficial and the importance of eating the right kinds of foods.
Leadership and Team Building
Farming lessons help kids develop skills in communication, leadership, team building and civic engagement among others. Through agriculture lessons, kids learn about the importance of farming to the community and how to work together for the common good. They also learn about how communities provide food to their members.

History Of Farming

Civilisation came about when people figured out ways to domesticate plants and animals in their surroundings. This made people adopt the farming lifestyle. Farming created a shift from hunting and gathering to settling in one place. The first towns and cities developed around areas that had consistent food supplies. With time, farmers began to perfect their farming practices. The agricultural revolution made many people realise they can get more food on less land. Modern farming innovations such as use of synthetic nitrogen, pesticides, machines and rock phosphates have led to some of the largest crop yields in history.

Features

Today, subsistence farmers are at the bottom of the farming food chain. These farmers use small portions of land to produce small amounts of foods enough for their families. Intensive farmers have huge tracts of land and use the latest farming techniques to produce food. They can produce foods for large populations. Most large scale farms use technologies that produce high yields.

Types

Most of the foods we eat including wheat, corn, rice, milk, fruits and grains are obtained from farming. Many farms deal with the production of non-food substances such as cotton, hemp and flax among others. The increased need for cleaner energy has made many countries to invest in biofuel farms to produce ethanol, methane, biomass and biodiesel.

Potential

There is growing competition among industrial farms. The never-ending demand for food has led to a new kind of agricultural revolution. Today's farmers use agricultural chemistry and advanced mechanisations in farming. Some of the new techniques used in farming include use of chemical fertilisers, insecticides, hydroponics, gene manipulation, plant breeding and hybridisation.
Warning Industrial farming comes at a cost. Large-scale farming and poor agricultural practices have detrimental effects on the environment including deforestation, soil erosion and air pollution. Pesticides pollute water bodies where people get their drinking water. Although many countries have set strict regulations to minimise the harmful effects of industrial farming, the regulations are often hard to monitor and enforce.
Farming is a worldwide Practice. Modern farming techniques allow farmers to produce massive quantities of food to feed billions of people. It is important to teach kids about farming and its significance in our lives.
John Dickson is a farmer who works for upuindustries.com. When he’s not on the farm he contributes to agricultural blogs.

The Three Best Ways To Protect The Planet

The planet we live on is changing and as a result of our actions its lifespan is reducing dramatically. There are so many different companies out there nowadays that then profess to offer ways to reduce the damage we are causing but in truth these methods are often born out of fantasy and are extremely difficult to implement.
Moving forward, naturally a focus on renewable forms of energy will be extremely beneficial and have an extremely positive effect but these methods have to be much more affordable and relative to the environment they are contained within.
As I have mentioned before, we live in the internet age and there is an abundance of research data available online that can help us understand and engage with the problem at hand. Protecting the environment should be high on the agenda for our governments as it is the simplest and most effective way to put in place mass changes on a vast scale, quickly and efficiently.

Renewable Energy

This is pretty much the best way to protect the planet in the long term. There are so many companies out there that have the technology we need but it is simply a question of cost. It cannot be disputed that renewable energy is both expensive and difficult to install.
The fact that it is a form of energy that is reliant on the weather makes it almost impossible to universally apply but in certain countries renewable forms of energy can be a brilliant way to generate efficient and cost effective energy.
The non-renewable forms of energy are going to run out one day, that is something that cannot be disputed and therefore governments must be looking towards renewable forms of energy to create the basis for an energy efficient future.
Instead of investing time and money in wars that are wholly unnecessary, why not invest in the future of the planet that has given us this wonderfully unique and rare opportunity.

 

Utilities

This is another simple yet effective way to protect the planet and save yourself a lot of money personally too. We all waste so much energy in our homes and that in turn costs us a lot more money each week on our bills. It is a vicious cycle but I do agree it is something that is extremely tough to quantify.
Energy is so abundant nowadays and people can be forgiven for being a little frivolous but with just a little education, we can nationally save a hell of a lot of cash. There are companies out there such as Agua Flux that sell great accessories designed to save you water in your house for example and must be looked into.

 

Recycle

This is the simplest and the most widely used method of protection and conservation but again it isn’t that efficient nor effective. Naturally, recycling is better than not recycling but I think there are a lot better and more effective methods or protection. Spend a little time researching and start taking care of this fragile planet we all share.

Featured images:

•  License: Creative Commons image source 

Marcus Jackson is a writer with a love for the environment. He writes articles with the sole intention of raising awareness about the damage we cause on a day to day basis and ways to protect the planet.

Orlando Welcomes 1st Community Solar Farm

 

As the world continues to face problems such and climate change and fossil fuel shortages, finding and implementing alternative energies becomes increasingly important. All over the United States a new type of power plant is popping up: the solar farm. Most recently, Orlando Utility Commission (OUC) welcomed the first solar farm to Central Florida and are now building a community solar farm. So what exactly is a solar farm and what are the implications for the areas economy and carbon footprint? This article will explain all of that and more.

What is a Solar Farm?

When most people hear the phrase solar farm, they are left in a complete state of confusion.  A solar farm is a large group or array of solar panels built to collect the suns energy and turn it into usable electricity for the everyday person.  Solar farms are currently being built large enough to power over 20,000 homes.

How it Works

One may ask, “How this is achieved with certain places not getting full sunlight all year?” A common misconception is that the solar panel at a farm or even on your own roof will directly power the appliances and electronics in your home.  On the contrary this power is actually supplied to the electric grid and then credited toward your bill at the end of each billing cycle.
Much of the power collected by a solar array happens during the afternoon when the sun is at a peak point in the sky.  Most people are working during the day and not using electricity.  Therefore a lot of potential energy absorbed by the solar panel would be wasted.  So, instead, this power is sent back to the electric grid for those who are pulling power to utilize.

Orlando’s Community Solar Farm

With the new community solar farm, consumers have the ability to purchase some of the panels to get a return on their investment for cheap power.  This new project offers 500 kW of power and people are already signing up to purchase the solar power.  Many of these solar arrays have a dual purpose and serve as parking lot canopies and other types of infrastructure.
Solar technology can now be obtained at competitive costs with natural gas and other energy sources.  This means that more and more people will be able to reap the benefits of cheap and clean power in the Orlando area as more of these farms are built.

Who else is doing this?

Utility companies nationwide are adopting solar as a power source.  Solar farms being built in Western Tennessee are boasting 5 mW of power being generated annually.  These farms are popping up all of the country from the West coast the East coast up and down the country.  As the cost of solar power continues to decrease more and more of these farms are being built as a direct power source to utility companies, who in turn will sell it back to the public.  These solar arrays will be able to power hundreds of homes and continue to do so into the foreseeable future.

Featured images:

•  License: Creative Commons image source 

This article was written by Nick Quinlan.  Nick graduated from UCF in 2009 with a degree in electrical engineering and works on the side creating content for Bob Heinmiller Solar.

How To Live In An Environmentally Friendly Way

Do you sometimes reflect on the way you live and end up feeling bad about the impact your existence is having on the environment? Is so then you are like most of us but feeling bad won’t get you or the environment anywhere, decisive action is needed. You can make today the first day that you begin to live a greener life but you’ll need a guide to show you how. Well you’re in luck; let’s take a look at how you can live in a more environmentally friendly way.

Use Natural Products

Are you removing household stains and odours with bleach, vapour sprays and other mass produced cleaning agents? The answer to that question for most of us will be yes but have you considered using natural products instead? Why? Because they can do just as a good a job, they don’t contain toxins that will pollute the environment and it’s cheaper. Try removing a stain with a mixture of vinegar and water or some baking soda and you will see that they are just as good as the products you usually buy and without having to buy them you will be reducing the amount of rubbish you amass.

Eat Less Meat

The amount of land and resources which used up to sustain the demand for meat throughout the world is huge. If we all did our bit and just had 1 0r 2 days a week when we didn’t eat meat we could greatly reduce these figures freeing up more land for us to enjoy and less destruction of areas to create farm land. When was the last time you went a whole day without eating meat?

No More Plastic Bags

This is one that we will all be familiar with. You’re probably sick of being asked if you want a bag every time you go shopping but you really should consider bringing your own canvas bag which will last for years and eliminate the need for plastic bags. Think about how many plastic bags you throw out each week and then think about how long they take to decompose, the number is staggering.

Snuggle More

Do you have you heating blasting for most of the night? Try using it much less and when you’re cold put some extra layers on and snuggle up to a loved one (that includes the dog). Reducing the amount of oil or gas you use will greatly reduce your carbon footprint and as we all know these resources are on the decline.

Consider The Alternatives

Get some information on alternative energy sources and how you can utilise them. Renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power are going to be the ‘must haves’ of the future so why not get in their early. Many governments offer incentives to people who use solar energy and your electricity bills will be greatly reduced so find out more about your options.

Plant A Tree

This is one of the simplest solutions out there but it really does help reduce your carbon footprint. Try planting a tree in your garden which will produce more oxygen for the environment, it’s that simple. Not only will it produce oxygen but it will use the carbon that you produce which will set you well on your way to living a much more environmentally friendly life.

Learning about the environment in the Early Years

It's widely publicised that play and learning outdoors have a positive impact on children's well-being and their development. Outdoor learning is fun, giving children room to explore and investigate nature, improving physical abilities and experiences the sights, sounds, smells and movement. Being outdoors also introduces young children to our environment with first hand experiences with weather, seasons and the natural world.

Playing outdoors provide children from birth to 5 years old with the following opportunities: 

• be excited, energetic, adventurous, noisy, messy
• talk, listen, interact, make friends
• imagine, dream, invent, fantasise
• create, invent, construct, de-construct
• investigate, explore, discover, experiment with their own ideas and theories
• make sounds and music, express ideas and feelings
• find patterns, make marks, explore different media and materials
• investigate concepts and ideas
• be active, run, climb, pedal, jump, throw
• dig, grow, nurture, cultivate
• hide, relax, find calm, reflect
• take risks
• have responsibility, be independent, collaborate with others

A popular activity for learning about the environment is gardening; it helps children to develop to greater understanding of the world around us with gardening in containers or outdoor spaces. Planting fruit and veg, weeding and sweeping leaves are some activities that promotes care and concern for the environment.

Early Years Resources based in the UK provides an excellent range of outdoor learning resources and equipment such as gardening equipment for children, nature exploration kits and weather resources.

5 Reasons Every Business Should Have an Eco Policy

If your business is in the green sector — a supplier of solar panels or a recycling clearance services provider, for instance — it makes obvious sense for your company to have a policy on ecological and environmental friendliness.

What if you're in a sector that's largely unrelated to green issues — do you still need an eco policy?

It's tempting to assume that you don't. After all, why would you take time and resources away from your core business in order to develop a policy that, at first blush, appears to have nothing to do with what your enterprise is about? Ignoring the growing public interest in environmental concerns or the role these play in consumer choice is a mistake, however.

There are many hidden benefits to having a solid and well-planned environmental policy for your company.

Here are some of the five top reasons why you should start thinking about your eco policy today.

1. Consumer Interest

Simply put, customers care about the environment. Maybe not all of your customer base is strongly concerned about the environment but a sufficient segment of it is likely to be somewhat interested in green issues to make a difference to your business. Some customers will be interested enough to choose you over a competitor.

Many sectors that were previously divorced from environmentalism have begun to embrace green issues as a way of wooing new customers. One example is the insurance industry. By offering discounts for homeowners who have invested in solar panels or other green improvements — typically a lower insurance risk in any case — some insurance providers have carved out a niche for themselves as "green" companies.

2. Green Relief

Discounts on business rates and other economic advantages are another good reason to look into setting up an eco policy. An example is the Government's new Green Deal, which rewards businesses for adopting energy-saving policies.

You probably already know that green enhancements can save you money; reducing your energy consumption will cut your company's fuel bills, for instance. You may also find that some of the companies you rely on for supplies and services offer incentives to go green. As mentioned above, there are some cases where going green can pay off in terms of reducing insurance premiums. This is true for businesses as well as households. If your policy includes physical upgrades to your premises, this may lower your risk profile in the eyes of an insurer and result in lower premiums once improvements are completed.

3. Promotional Opportunities

Opportunities for business promotion in eco-friendly media are more numerous if you establish some green credentials. Making a name for yourself as a company with an environmental conscience can pay dividends in terms of good publicity. As well as making green media more interested in accepting advertising for your firm, you can use your new policy as the springboard for a publicity drive. Sending out a press release that details your eco policy is potentially a way to get your company featured in reporting from green and eco-aware outlets.

Some environmental charities offer awards or certification for businesses that make a firm and demonstrable commitment to becoming more environmentally friendly. If you can show that you've established a meaningful company policy on green issues and that you are following through with real change and measurable improvements, you might be eligible for this kind of recognition. Such an award can be a source of excellent publicity and an opportunity for promotion in green media, as environmentally-oriented outlets often report on the winners of such plaudits.

An eco policy can also offer a way to break into conventional media. Increasingly, green stories attract mainstream attention. Your firm's story could be one of them. Local media might be particularly interested, especially if your policy affects the environment in their area of interest. The news that your new policy will mean less pollution in the local air or water will definitely be seen as newsworthy by many outlets.

4. Public Relations

It makes a business look good if the general public can see that you are taking steps to build a more environmentally-friendly business. Sometimes representatives can be wrong-footed if they're quizzed over green concerns without having any policy guidance to refer to.

Prospective or current customers who get in touch with your company for information regarding environmental issues will be much more impressed if your representatives can quote confidently from a solid eco policy instead of seeming vague or uninterested. If your company gets a reputation as one which cares about the environment on a local as well as a global scale, this often translates into more business and greater loyalty from your existing clients.

5. Real-World Benefits

As well as helping you look good, establishing an eco policy for your company genuinely is good for the planet. Cutting down on waste, reducing the amount of energy your business consumes, eliminating pollution that originates with your company — all these are genuinely good news for the environment.

Even relatively small changes, such as replacing lighting with energy-efficient alternatives, arranging to recycle office waste and offering paperless billing for your customers, can make a big difference to the environmental impact of your enterprise.

Get Involved!

It's fair to say that whatever sector your enterprise is active in and no matter what size your company may be, you need an eco policy. Your policy will need to be tailored to your company's activities. Possible areas to look at might be:

• Investing in more energy-efficient premises
• Offering greener services, such as paperless billing
• Adopting sustainable energy sources
• Switching to more environmentally-friendly raw materials
• Offering discounts and incentives for customers who adopt greener approaches themselves.

The more companies get on board with the green revolution and try to change their practices, the better it is for our world as a whole. Get involved!