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Green Living
Non Organic Poisonous Cookware
It has been said hundreds of times that what does not kill you makes you stronger. Well, that statement may be true for love, laughter and life but it definitely is not true for the chemicals, toxins and other dangerous substances that we come in contact with on a daily basis, no matter how inadvertently it may be. And to think that many of these harmful materials are commonly used around the house! Information on PFC One of these common materials is perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which belongs to the perfluorochemicals (PFC) group of chemicals. Again, despite the tongue-twisting names, these are actually found in many common items. On one hand, PFCs are used in numerous consumer products and industrial applications ranging from personal care products and home décor items to firefighting foams and in manufacturing processes. On the other hand, PFOAs are used for consumer products like carpets and carpet cleaning liquids, floor waxes and sealants, apparels and dental floss, and non-stick cookware. Negative Consequences These chemicals have their uses, of course, but the effects on the environment and on health for both human and animals are very disturbing. And the fact that their applications are widespread makes it even more necessary to take action. ...- Bookmark :
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Amazing Uses of Bamboo
Bamboo is a really amazing material. It can grow incredibly quickly in all kinds of environments, and it's very resilient. There are nearly a thousand and a half species of bamboo, with lots of differences between them. However, most kinds have a few things in common. They need much less water than many other crops, can grow in bad soil, and are pest resistant. Bamboo usually brings thoughts of Asia to mind, but around five hundred of the bamboo species are temperate, with several species native to the Eastern and Southeastern US, as well as Australia. This is the world's fastest growing plant, and under the correct conditions, some species can add as much as a foot of height per day. There's a lot of uses for it, too, and we just keep finding more. Traditionally, bamboo has been used to make baskets, cookwear, in construction, and for all kinds of other day to day items. It can take the place of steel rebar in concrete, and can be laminated together to create planks used for flooring, paneling, or furniture. Bamboo can be pounded and spun to produce silky soft yarns, and woven to make fabrics. It's even edible. There's a good ...- Bookmark :
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Solar Power Inverters
One of the best things about solar power is its relative simplicity. Add that to the independence you get and the clean renewable energy that comes from it, and you've got a winner. After all, you need a solar panel or panels, wiring, a regulator/charge controller, an inverter, and in some cases a deep cycle battery. The inverter is one of the most important, but also one of the most frequently overlooked components. It's what helps you turn energy from your solar panel into usable power. That's because solar panels usually put out twelve or twenty-four volt direct current. There are a number of camping appliances out there that can use this form of power, and many older off grid homes use entirely DC devices, but most home appliances need one hundred ten to two hundred forty volt AC (alternating current) power. Inverters are what helps you make the chance from DC to AC and ramp up the voltage. DC current flows continuously in one direction, while AC alternates in direction. The oldest electrical installations ran on DC, but greater efficiency of transmission is gained by using AC. That's why, despite the fact that many appliances actually run on DC, they receive ...- Bookmark :
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Recycling Styrofoam
Styrofoam, or polystyrene, is a plastic that's all around us, and is very hard to recycle. Most programs just won't take it. This petroleum-derived material is also responsible for a significant amount of benzene production, takes a long time to break down, is highly flammable, and can kill animals which accidentally eat it. For some of us, it's surprising that this substance is still used in so many different sectors, including food packaging. Some products are made from polystyrene, but don't appear to be, as well. You can tell by looking for the number six stamped in the recycling triangle somewhere on the item. Since it'll probably be a long time before we as a society stop using polystyrene, it's important to know what to do with it. After all, while you can avoid buying products that use it, you can't stop other people from shipping you items with polystyrene "peanuts" or other filler. To avoid throwing this material into the landfill, you may wish to investigate recycling options. However, for many of us, this is harder than it sounds. Most curbside programs don't take polystyrene, and it's bulky and hard to store. There are recycling options, though. About ten to twelve ...- Bookmark :
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Green Living: Telecommuting and The Workplace
Lots of people dream of working from home, and for many, the dream is coming true. So many of our jobs are now computer related, so telecommuting is getting a lot more popular. After all, it saves everyone time and money, and it reduces our demand for oil. It also reduces traffic problems and damaging emissions from the daily commute. There are plenty of great things about telecommuting. If you have only a fifteen mile daily commute, you're among the people with a shorter drive to work. However, over the course of a year, you'll end up driving more than five thousand, five hundred miles. That takes a lot of fuel, even if you use more efficient methods, such as taking the bus or train. Plus, most of us don't like the time we have to spend on the commute. That's a lot of hours you'll never get back. Telecommuting isn't all fun and relaxation, of course. There's a lot of work to be done, and some real challenges to conquer. However, staying at home and sending work in instead of commuting every day saves a lot of money, time, and resources. If you save just a gallon of fuel per week, ...- Bookmark :
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