(NewsUSA) – Cash back. Product rebates. Tax incentives. These are phrases we love to hear when purchasing large home appliances. The real bonuses start if you purchase energy-efficient solutions, because homeowners continue to save every month by using less energy and lowering utility bills.
Carrier, a leading manufacturer of air conditioning, heating and refrigeration systems, regularly offers incentives to customers who purchase energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, such as the Infinity system.
This same equipment may also qualify for rebates from one of Energy Star’s 600-plus local utility partners, located throughout the United States, or tax incentives provided by the federal government.
To save the most money on your next heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) purchase, it’s important to understand which energy-efficient products qualify for specific incentives, how to apply for those incentives and how much money to expect in return.
The experts at Carrier suggest that those planning to install energy-efficient technologies talk to a local contractor about potential HVAC purchases and take a look at www.energy.gov/taxbreaks.htm or www.dsireusa.org to learn about the rebate programs available in their area.
That’s just the beginning. Energy-efficient products can save you money every time you use them. For example, upgrading from an 80 percent efficient furnace to a 98 percent efficient Infinity furnace from Carrier will significantly reduce monthly utility bills.
The same is true when switching to a high-efficiency air conditioner. When paired with other cooling methods, high-efficiency AC can reduce a home’s energy use by 20 to 50 percent.
For more information on selecting the optimal furnace, air conditioner, heat pump or HVAC system for your home, check out www.residential.carrier.com.
Start Saving With Energy-Efficient Upgrades
Hunkering Down With Home Improvement: 3 Sensible Projects
(NewsUSA) – With many Americans watching their budgets, heating homes has become an unwanted, though necessary, expense.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, many American homes will experience higher heating costs this winter due to increased fuel prices. Thankfully, simple behavior changes and energy-efficient appliances can help homeowners cut their heating bills and still enjoy the same level of comfort.
“Energy-efficient heating means that you use less energy to heat the same space,” said Phil Weeks, chief operating officer of Rinnai America Corporation, a company that manufactures gas heating appliances. “This saved energy translates into reduced utility costs for homeowners.”
Some energy-efficient heating devices, like Rinnai’s hydronic furnace, which works in conjunction with the company’s tankless water heater, can heat a home while still conserving energy. Featuring a high-efficiency motor that offers up to 48 percent better efficiency than a comparable traditional motor, the hydronic furnace is powered by Rinnai’s gas-modulating tankless technology, so it uses only the energy needed to maintain a room’s desired temperature. Because the unit utilizes hot water from the tankless water heater to heat air, the heat it provides is less dry than that of a typical forced-air furnace.
Another efficient heating option is to forego a traditional furnace in favor of a direct vent wall furnace. These ductless units are capable of comfortably heating whole homes or specific zones, depending on the need, and save energy by constantly adjusting heat output and blower speed to meet current demand. Rinnai’s gas-modulating direct vent wall furnace also can serve as a supplementary heat source for basements, guest rooms, room additions and generally hard-to-heat areas, thus reducing the demand placed on a home’s central heating system.
Of course, homeowners can take steps to help their current heating units operate on less energy. Consider the following efforts:
* Seal and weather strip doors and windows to prevent heat from escaping the home.
* Reverse the direction of ceiling fans (so they turn clockwise) to push warm air down from the ceiling.
* Minimize the use of bathroom and kitchen hood fans as they can quickly remove heat from the air.
For more information, visit www.rinnai.us.
Lighten Up to Combat SAD Symptoms
(NewsUSA) – Now that the days are getting shorter, the reduction in natural daylight makes many feel glum. For those who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), the symptoms of depression are more acute at this time of year. According to the American Lighting Association (ALA), there are some things homeowners can do to counteract the effects of SAD.
It’s clear people need bright days and dark nights, a finding confirmed by a report by the Lighting Research Center in New York. Consumers might have seen “light boxes” promoted as a solution; however, using a light box is not a do-it-yourself project.
“It’s easy to use the light boxes improperly,” says Terry McGowan, director of engineering and technology for the ALA. “Light therapy — just like any other drug or treatment regimen — should be prescribed by a physician. Part of that ‘light prescription’ will involve how much light, when it’s to be provided, and for how long.”
McGowan’s research and concern about combatting the symptoms of SAD are personal as well as professional. “My wife is affected by SAD,” he reveals. “We live in northern Ohio, which has many cloudy days and weeks of gloomy weather during November and December. In the dining room and kitchen, the use of indirect lighting brightens the room and supplements the daylight through skylights and large windows.”
There are some options regarding light bulbs that can help, in addition to natural light. Brian Creeley, director of residential sales for light bulb manufacturer Bulbrite, suggests switching out standard incandescent bulbs with versions that mimic the effects of “full spectrum lighting, leaving you with lighting that has the same effect that you get from sunlight.”
These specialty bulbs are readily available at ALA-member lighting stores. If an existing home or condo doesn’t have much natural daylight, McGowan offers these tips to brighten rooms:
* Maximize any available morning daylight.
* Use light colors for room surfaces.
* Use high-reflectance white paint for the ceiling.
* Incorporate an indirect light source into your room.
* Use accent and spot lights to add focus on plants, decorations or feature areas, creating an effect similar to sunshine and shadows.
A visit to a nearby ALA-member lighting showroom for professional consulting will result in a personally tailored solution. For more details, visit www.AmericanLightingAssoc.com.
Cut Heating Costs by Winterizing Your Home
(NewsUSA) – In the Horn of Africa, barren landscapes and dirt fields surround large riverbeds that are totally dry. Herds of goats and camels, tired and emaciated, walk through parched lands in search of food and water. It’s the worst drought the region has seen in 60 years.
As ChildFund International continues its drought emergency operations across this region, it also remains focused on long-term development projects aimed at minimizing food crises.
In Kenya’s Turkana region, the Food for Assets program, operated by ChildFund International in conjunction with the U.N. World Food Program, is producing crops in a desert.
“In the vegetable gardens, women tend spinach, tomatoes, green peppers, okra, watermelons, kale, maize and cowpeas,” said Anne Lynam Goddard, president and CEO of ChildFund. “It’s amazing to see how smart farming practices have transformed this community. In the midst of drought, we’ve discovered the Garden of Eden — it’s green everywhere!”
Six communities in the region are involved in the Food for Assets program, which sustains 3,000 households by teaching pastoralist communities techniques for irrigation and farming. The program provides families with food and goods in exchange for their work to build irrigation systems and community gardens.
Improved access to water for both humans and livestock increases crop production, reduces environmental degradation and improves pasture for livestock. In areas that lack access to permanent rivers, people are taught to use special pans to catch water that is used to grow crops like maize and sorghum.
Long reliant on food aid, people enrolled in the Food for Assets program receive their food rations for one year while they learn to utilize their new skills to provide food for themselves. Food aid is then reserved for the most vulnerable.
“Food for Assets is not an emergency relief effort,” Goddard said. “It’s a long-term development intervention that helps reduce a community’s vulnerability to future droughts. We’re strengthening communities and giving people the resources and training they need to rely on themselves.”
3 Ways to Cut Your Energy Bill
(NewsUSA) – Polar bears are loved by people of all ages, all around the world. These magnificent, powerful animals live nowhere else except the Arctic, and they need our help.
Coca-Cola and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) are joining forces to help protect the polar bear’s Arctic habitat. Together they are raising awareness and funds for conservation efforts to create a safe haven for the polar bear. The program is called “Arctic Home.”
To call attention to the cause, for the first time ever, Coca-Cola is turning its iconic red Coke cans white. Shoppers will find these limited-edition cans on store shelves this holiday season. Bottle caps of many other Coke products will also be white.
Coca-Cola is making an initial donation of $2 million to WWF, but they need everyone’s help to protect the bears’ home. To get involved:
* Text the package code to 357357 to make an individual $1 donation to WWF. Coca-Cola will match donations made with a package code by March 15, 2012, up to $1 million.
* Donate and receive a virtual Arctic parcel at ArcticHome.com. You can explore your parcel, take part in video chats with WWF scientists and track virtual polar bear sightings.
* Visit ArcticHome.com to experience and learn more about the polar bear and its habitat.
Family Fun Alert: Go to the Park. Play. Vote.
(NewsUSA) – Is there a park in your neighborhood that holds fond memories for you and your family? Are you heading to a state or national park this summer for a family vacation? If so, being active in your favorite park this summer could help it win big in the America Is Your Park campaign. Afterall, the title of “America’s Favorite Park” and up to $100,000 are up for grabs!
For a second year, America Is Your Park encourages families to get active outdoors in parks across the country. People can also vote to help their favorite park win the title and a $100,000 recreation grant made possible by the Coca-Cola Live Positively initiative. So, if you like rollerblading, biking, running, playing ball or just walking the dog, there’s no better place to enjoy these activities than at the park. And you decide which park wins by voting online at LivePositively.com, taking and uploading photos and videos in your favorite park and checking in via Facebook Places.
Think it’s not that simple or that your favorite park is too small to win? That wasn’t the case for last year’s winning park, Bear Head Lake State Park in Ely, Minnesota. The park received more than 1.6 million votes and beat out hundreds of other parks for the title of “America’s Favorite Park.” This was made possible by support from people who care about their parks and spread the word, conducted voting drives and energized their online social networks.
You, too, can help your community get involved using some of the tools on LivePositively.com. So spread the word by posting a status update on Facebook about why you love your park, or send emails to your friends and family urging them to vote. Or simply get out in the park with your friends and family this summer and check in via Facebook Places.
America Is Your Park was developed in collaboration with the National Park Foundation, America’s State Parks and the National Recreation and Park Association. In addition to the top park receiving a $100,000 recreation grant, Coca-Cola will also award a $50,000 grant and a $25,000 grant to the second- and third-place parks. These grants will help restore, rebuild or enhance recreation areas in parks where people can play and be active.
Could your favorite park be crowned “America’s Favorite Park” this summer? It’s up to you — so get outdoors, play in the park and don’t forget to vote!
Why Are Your Water Bills Increasing?
(NewsUSA) – It’s a common question. If consumption of water remains constant, or even goes down because of conservation, why does your rate go up? Unfortunately for consumers, there is no simple answer.
A number of factors contribute to fluctuating water bills. The primary reasons include the need to repair and/or replace aging water system infrastructure (the tens of thousands of miles of pipes buried underground) and stricter environmental regulations. These factors are coupled with decreases in federal and state funding.
While substantial federal support had been available for water and wastewater infrastructure in the past, this support has dropped significantly. This leaves the costs associated with maintaining and expanding drinking water systems to the utilities and their ratepayers.
Water utilities, and their
customers, face an enormous price to replace old pipes, many of which are 50 years old or older. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates the cost to replace old water distribution systems nationwide to be $400 billion over the next 20 years.
At present, the U.S. loses nearly two trillion gallons of clean water annually, at a cost of $2.6 billion, to broken and leaky pipes. Pipes in this poor condition also increase the risk of exposure to water-borne diseases.
Providing safe and affordable drinking water is at the heart of every water utility’s mission. This commitment, along with increasingly stringent federal and state water-quality standards, has improved drinking water but also increased the cost of providing that water.
Water utilities understand the need to keep rates as low as possible. That’s why hundreds of utilities across the country are members of organizations such as the Water Research Foundation (www.waterrf.org). The Foundation provides the opportunity for utilities to pool their resources to conduct drinking water research.
By keeping abreast of emerging treatment and delivery methods and sharing best practices, utilities can continue to provide the highest-quality water.
Integrated Pest Management: Pest Control Made Easy
(NewsUSA) – Small household pests are no small problem. The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) warns families that cockroaches are a leading trigger of allergies and asthma attacks. The pests’ saliva, droppings and decomposing bodies contain allergen proteins known to trigger allergies and increase the severity of asthma symptoms, especially in children. Small rodents can chew through electrical wiring, increasing the potential risk of fire. And ants, which are not only unsightly, can contaminate food.
One of the best ways homeowners and pest professionals can work together to prevent and control pest infestations is to employ a method called Integrated Pest Management, also referred to as IPM.
IPM is a process involving common sense and sound solutions for controlling pests. The focus is upon finding the best strategy for a pest problem, and not merely the simplest. Pest professionals never employ a “one-size-fits-all” method in IPM but rather utilize a three-part practice: inspection, identification and treatment by a pest professional. Treatment options in IPM can vary from proactive measures like sealing cracks and removing food and water sources to reactive measures, such as utilizing pest products, when necessary.
The “integrated” in Integrated Pest Management does not merely describe the three-part practice of inspection, identification and treatment. It reflects the joint commitment between homeowners and pest professionals to stop pests before they invade. The two parties work together to identify the causes and risks of invasions and to devise treatments for when they do.
When it comes to IPM, prevention can be as important to pest control as treatment. It’s important to find a qualified professional that can identify and point out a home’s vulnerabilities and offer prevention tips for homeowners. Here are a few pest prevention techniques in an IPM program:
* Repair any leaky pipes, especially in areas under sinks where pests can often go unnoticed.
* Seal up cracks and holes around pipes and wiring.
* Keep all foods in sealed containers, including pet food.
* Keep tree branches and other plants cut back from the house.
* Eliminate sources of moisture or standing water.
* Wipe counters, floors and other surfaces frequently.
* Store garbage in sealed containers and dispose of it regularly.
* Vacuum often.
To find a pest professional, or to learn more about IPM, visit www.pestworld.com.
Tips to Plan a Socially Conscious Wedding
The selfish bridezilla might soon face extinction – many blushing brides now plan weddings that benefit others. From donating leftover food to renting “green” venues, couples are finding creative ways to improve lives as they start new lives together.
CharityChoice, a nonprofit organization that promotes charitable giving, offers the following tips for couples hoping to give back even as they celebrate their union:
Rules of Engagement: What to Know Before Popping the Question
 NewsUSA) – An engagement ring symbolizes your promise to love and cherish your partner forever, and shows the world your commitment to your fiancée. Many women dream about their engagement ring their entire lives, so choosing the right style is of utmost importance.
Here are some tips to ease the pressure of finding the ring and proposing: It’s Not Only About the Diamond A ring’s setting is as important as its diamond because the setting is what displays and secures the stone. Platinum provides an ideal setting as it is stronger than other precious metals, which means that you don’t have to worry about losing the center stone with everyday wear. Also, platinum is a naturally white metal, allowing the diamond to sparkle even brighter. Did you know that a platinum engagement ring will last forever? Since platinum is so durable and loses little metal over time, the ring will undoubtedly become a family heirloom that can be passed down for generations to follow. And platinum engagement rings are surprisingly affordable. Contrary to popular belief, they are available in a wide range of price points, starting at around $1,000 at BlueNile.com. Know Her Style Before you go to the jewelry store, know your future fianceé’s style, personality and lifestyle since there is a ring to suit her perfectly. For example, a woman with a hands-on job, like nursing, might prefer a simple band with a secure setting, while a woman who has a less active job might want something more intricate. A woman with classic style will want a different band design than a trend-setting fashionista. “A classic polished platinum band from Michael Barin will suit a girl with more traditional tastes, while a birth stone of colored diamonds on an embellished band like one from Suna Bros. will look bold and unique,” says jewelry and style expert Michael O’Connor. “To figure out her ring size, press one of your girlfriend’s rings in a bar of soap until it leaves a mark. You can also put one of her rings on your own hand, mark where it falls on your finger and have the jeweler measure that area,” suggests O’Connor. How to Propose Some women want a public proposal in front of friends and family, while others want something private and special. In either case, your fiancée will remember the day for the rest of her life. Think about what your fiancée likes, and where and how you met. For more tips on proposing marriage or choosing an engagement ring, visit www.engagementguide.com or www.preciousplatinum.com. |
