The use of vegetable oil to power vehicle engines is gaining popularity. It is also gaining viability as the technology improves. There are both pros and cons involved in using vegetable oil to power vehicle engines, however. Here are some to consider. Pros 1. Abundant - Vegetable oil is everywhere, especially if you include used cooking oil from restaurants. Even conversion kits, which allow you to convert vegetable oil for use in a standard diesel engine, are easily obtained. 2. Cleaner - The burning of vegetable oil does not emit the greenhouse gases that fossil fuel combustion does. 3. Sustainable - Unlike fossil fuels, vegetable oils are a renewable energy source. 4. Efficient - Vegetable oil can provide far greater mileage per gallon that gasoline. It has been said that a car fueled with a combination of diesel and vegetable oil can go nearly 1000 miles between fill-ups. 5. Cost - Vegetable oil can be extremely cheap - free, in fact. This is not only due to the lengthy mileage, but also due to the fact that waste oil can be filtered and used. Cons 1. Cost - Yes, this was a pro but it's also a con. The potential problem is that the cost of vegetable oil ...

If you are looking for a safe, non-toxic cleaner and overall household helper, look no further than white vinegar. This humble substance can be used in a variety of ways to clean and disinfect your home. Here are some ideas for how to use this inexpensive liquid. 1. Deodorizer Vinegar can help remove odors from clothes and drains. For drains, pour about 1 cupful of baking soda into the smelly drain. Then pour in about 2 cups of vinegar and leave overnight. In the morning, flush with hot water. For removing odors from clothes, add 1/4 cup of white vinegar and 1/4 cup of baking soda to your laundry. You can add this at the beginning of the wash cycle or during the rinse cycle. This mixture has a fabric-softening effect as well. 2. Drain Clog Remover In addition to eliminating drain odors, vinegar can help unclog drains. Follow the steps in #1 above. The foaming action dislodges many clogs. 3. Toilet Cleaner To clean and disinfect your toilet bowl, sprinkle in about a cup of baking soda. Then pour in 2-3 cups of white vinegar. (You will find your kids more willing to help you clean if it involves a fizzy toilet!) When the fizzing dies ...

While undercooked meat and eggs tend to raise red flags among restaurant-goers, salad bars may actually pose just as much if not more risk of food-borne illness. This is not necessarily the result of the owners and employees of the salad bar (although sometimes it is); often, lettuce becomes contaminated during processing, before it ever reaches the salad bar. And customers' unsanitary behavior also contributes to making the salad bar unsafe. Salad Bar Recycling Recycling is a good thing, but not necessarily with regard to produce. Many salad bar operators remove the trays of food at the end of the day and, rather than throwing out the old food and beginning with fresh food in the morning, the trays and containers are stacked in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, the same food is pulled out and placed back on the salad bar. Generally, the salad bar is not completely re-stocked with fresh food more than once a week. This "recycling" is a bit of a concern when you consider the unsanitary practices of salad bar customers: ducking their heads under the "sneeze guard," handling food items with their hands rather than using tongs, and returning to the salad bar for seconds without ...

This can be quite a dilemma. On the one hand, you don't want to be wasteful and throw out something that could be repaired. On the other hand, you don't want to repair something only to have it break again...and again. The key is always to try to fix something first, then consider other options only when repair is not feasible. Here are some ideas and items that you may be trying to decide to repair or replace. 1. Car - It's nearly always less expensive to keep your old car than to buy a new one. Of course, if your car is totaled in an accident or otherwise damaged beyond repair, it's time to replace. But you can replace it with another used car if you want to keep waste to a minimum. 2. Smoke Detector - These should always be replaced, not repaired. If you are concerned about the waste of throwing yours away, consider recycling it. There are programs for recycling electronics. 3. Computer - As long as your computer is getting the job done, just upgrade it rather than replace it. If it crashes beyond repair, or simply doesn't meet your needs, then it's time to get a new ...

"Unschooling" is an interesting term that has a tendency to defy a precise definition. Like "unchaining" or "unleashing," unschooling is an "un" with a positive connotation. Essentially, unschooling is an unconventional approach to educating children that does not follow the institutional school model. Unschoolers do not use a traditional curriculum like homeschoolers do. The core belief of unschooling is that children have a natural curiosity and drive to learn - they are always learning and the unschooler's job is to encourage them. To understand better what unschooling is, here are some things that unschooling is, and some things it is not. What Unschooling Is Not * Neglectful - The one who unschools his kids is in frequent interaction with them. He is well aware of laws and requirements that his children will have to answer to, and unschools accordingly. * Passive - Unschooling is actually even more active than the traditional school model. The unschooler is engaged with her kids, constantly teaching and listening to her students. The unschooler must know her children, because unschooling is primarily led by the children's natural readiness to learn. * Lazy - It's impossible to be lazy and truly unschool! In fact, unschooling requires more work in some ways because ...