Feed: Going Green Tips - AggScore: 46.7

Wood Products, American Made – Choosing The Best, For You, The Country, And The Environment

There is something innately beautiful in the grain of a quality wood.  Different types of wood will show varying levels of grain texture, as well as a wide range of hues.  Wood working enthusiasts and carpenters are intimately familiar with the feel of Brazilian rosewood as opposed to a block of black palm.  Wood products can be crafted from just about any type of wood, but quality woods will provide heightened visual interest and durability.  In addition, some are easily and quickly renewed like Bamboo, so the environment is cared for too!  Choosing America made products carved from quality woods provides an heirloom while keeping production and jobs in the United States.  

The sales of America made wood products help to keep hard working citizens of the United States employed and provided for, even in these tough economic times.  The creation and sustaining of jobs for Americans is just one benefit of an increase of sales of products made in America by Americans.  A demand for high quality craftsmanship in wood working also helps to move forward the art of carpentry and wood working.  When talented master carpenters can continue to create a variety of innovative and traditional products, like beautiful handcrafted wooden pens they continually innovate and improve the craft as a whole.

Some of today’s most commonly used products are currently disposable.  However, by choosing a carefully fashioned wooden version of these common items, you can save space in landfills.  When you go green, you can also enjoy the feel of luxurious wood products that are America made.  Common products that are also crafted from dynamic woods include pens, fountain pens, key chains, coasters, bowls, letter openers, and even ice cream scoops.  These are great everyday items to have in your home or office.  They are also very impressive and meaningful gifts for special occasions.  

Decorative wood products, such as hand-turned candlesticks, are an excellent wedding present that can become a family heirloom.  When you choose America made items, you have a legacy of your country’s artisans as well as a beautiful addition to your home.   Here at www.MadeInAmericaByAnAmerican.com, we offer a variety of types of wood and different products for personal use, your home, and your office.  America made wooden items by a master carpenter are created with outstanding quality, so you can treasure whatever products you choose.  We can even do custom work to accommodate your specific needs and design ideas.

Simple Ways You Can Do Your Own Home Improvements!

If you own a home and want to make it all your own, home improvements will be needed! These can teach you a lot about building and help you create a home you absolutely love. It’s important to learn how to build and fix things so you don’t always have to hire someone else to do it for you. This can give you a new hobby and help give your home some personality!

How to make your home more energy efficient?

One of the easiest ways to make your home better is by making it energy efficient. The first way to do this is by replacing the windows. Double paned windows that are Energy Star rated are the best choices. These will keep the indoor temperature constant since they don’t let outside air come in. For example, do you ever notice that your windows are freezing cold during the winter? Double paned windows will actually stay warmer because they don’t directly touch the air outside. This will save you money on energy bills during the summer and winter! Search for double glazing companies in your area, for example double glazing derby, and make sure you do your research in finding a reliable and reputable company.

In addition to this, you can also install solar panels if they are within your budget. These are easy to have installed and there are government incentives available as well. These can save up to 30% on heating and cooling bills each month! Energy certified appliances can also save you money and make your home more efficient.

How to make the outside of your home look better?

A new door can make all the difference with the appearance of your home. There are a lot of really nice doors available that can give the house a classy and elegant appeal! New doors with new weather stripping can also keep the air outside from coming in.

Power washing your home is another thing to consider. This is much easier than painting and will actually result in the same appearance! Power washing uses pressurized water to clean the outside of the home to get rid of mud and dirt. Doing this on your porch or deck will help make it look a lot better as well, especially with the start of a new season.

Planting flowers and plants is another great idea if you want to add curb appeal to the front of your home. This can also be done in your backyard if you have a large lawn! Some people even choose to install conservatories on the sides of their homes. These look nice and actually add a lot of value to the property as well.

How to make the inside of the home look better?

Even something simple, like a coat of warm coloured paint, can make all the difference. Decorate all rooms of the home to give them a warm feeling that shows your personality. If you need to change something out, don’t assume you have to make a purchase. Sanding and painting can save you thousands on everything from cabinets to counters!

There are tons of home improvements websites to visit. These can help you throughout your journey of making your home look better. The list of improvements you can do goes on and on!

How to Double-Glaze Your Old Property

Old houses are suddenly in vogue again. Maybe it’s that the vintage styles are coming back into fashion, maybe it’s because they remind us of more prosperous times, or maybe it’s simply because they don’t make them like they used to. Some of these old houses have stuck around for over a century, while people living in new builds sometimes wonder if their house will last the week.

However, moving into these older properties comes with its own problems. When these houses were built people weren’t worrying too much about global warming or energy efficiency, so if you don’t want to pour a tonne of money into your heating bills, you’re going to have to make some pretty hefty investments in insulating your home.

Which brings us to double glazing. For most houses double glazing pretty much comes as standard these days, but what about older properties? With older buildings, many homeowners worry that installing double-glazing will ruin the character of the building, and worse, that with old houses double glazing may not even provide much in the way of actual savings.

Fortunately the government has introduced an Energy Performance Certificate that has been designed to let you assess an individual property’s energy efficiency. When it comes to old houses, savings can show massive amounts of variation. Usually though, replacing the single-glazed sash windows you find in many older properties with at least B-rated double glazing will give you back £200 a year in heating bills.

Despite the energy saving issues, however, it’s understandable that you might worry about double glazing will affect the look of your house. Indeed, this is a source of huge debate.

One solution is to provide secondary glazing to your single glazed windows, giving you the benefits of double glazing without changing the appearance of your home. It’s a popular approach for listed buildings or homes in conservation areas.

However, with the old windows still in place, energy efficiency can be compromised. Double glazing providers such as Anglian Windows and Everest Windows have put a great deal of effort into creating windows that can blend seamlessly with old properties.

Whether you’re looking for small, cottage-style panes, decorative glass or just old-fashioned vertical-sliding sash windows on Victorian terraces, glaziers have ways to reproduce that effect with modern double glazing.

While addressing the look however, always remember, you’re installing these windows to save on heat. Make sure you get the best performance possible. If money is tight, do a few windows at a time, rather than doing the whole house for cut-price products.

Double Glazing Forum one of the UK’s leading information sites for the UK’s glazing industry, featuring profiles and news on companies such as Anglian Windows and Everest Windows. 

6 Simple Tips to Saving Energy at Home

Whether you’re looking to save a few dollars on your electricity bill or want do your part in keeping the planet green, there are a few fundamental steps you can take to save energy at home.

The main thing to recognize is saving energy doesn’t require massive sacrifice. It’s all about being conscious of how valuable a resource energy is, and taking practical steps to use what you need but only what you need.

As well as learning about how to save energy, it’s a great idea to do a five minute home energy audit every couple of years.

Saving energy and doing your part for the planet can be as simple as taking a few steps here and there to cut back on what you don’t need. Below are six simple but effective tips that you can use to start reducing your energy consumption today.

1. Energy Efficient Appliances

Choose energy efficient appliances that have the Energy Star stamp of approval, and turn off appliances when they are not being used.

Energy Star is a joint program between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.

Its mandate is to increase access to, and awareness of, energy efficient technology for homes and businesses. This system has been implemented in several countries around the world.

2. Heating

If it’s as cold as Siberia outside, you don’t need to make it a tropical paradise inside.

Keep the thermostat set to a temperature that you are comfortable with in a few layers of warm clothing.

Turn down the thermostat before you retire to bed and compensate by snuggling under a warm blanket.

3. Hot Showers

As a general rule, water heating accounts for around 30% of household power consumption.

Insulate your hot water cylinder with a cylinder wrap. Just like wall and roof insulation, cylinder wraps give huge benefits in blocking heat-radiation, meaning your cylinder element doesn’t have to work as hard and doesn’t use as much electricity.

Also, turn your water temperature down a notch to save energy. Not only does too-hot water take extra energy to heat, it can be detrimental to the health of your skin and hair. It can be dehydrating in cold weather, when most people are already prone to having dry skin.

4. Alternative Heating

Instead of using traditional home heating methods, you could go with other options.

If you live in an area that’s sunny during the day and chilly at night, consider investing in a solar water heater.

Solar water heating is the most cost-effective (and lowest capital investment) form of residential green energy.

Also, use a traditional fireplace with real wood during the winter. Not only will you save on electricity, but the authenticity of a real fireplace gives a cozy atmosphere during winter.

Using a fireplace can be much less environmentally abusive than relying on coal-produced energy sources if you choose a clean-burning local wood and make sure it’s been adequately dried.

If you’re building a new home or commercial building, consider a design that incorporates passive heating and cooling. This basically involves designing the structure to retain heat in winter, and stay cool in summer.

Passively heated buildings often actually cost less to construct as they don’t require expensive appliances such as air conditioners and heat pumps – not to mention the enormous power bill reductions.

5. Lights

Although many people feel far more comfortable in a well-lit home, don’t forget that the more lights you have on, the more energy you are burning.

Only have the lights that you need on, and switch off lights if you are the last to leave a room.

Switch to energy efficient bulbs, which consume less energy and provide brighter light.

Consider installing sensor activated lights in your hallway. You don’t have to remind yourself to turn them off, because they automatically turn on as you walk up the hallway, and turn off five minutes later.

As well as automated energy savings, sensor lights are a very cool feature, especially if you choose something like wall mounted splash lights. Plus you won’t have to fumble around for the switch in the middle of the night – particularly good if you’ve got young children.

If you’re building, research lighting design and “daylighting.” This is building that makes use of natural light flows, as well as things like placing lighting at the optimal height (to get sufficient light with less lighting fixtures) or in the optimal proximity to walls.

6. Washing Clothes And Dishes

Make a conscious effort to start the dishwasher only when it’s full – more work gets done using the same amount of energy.

When washing clothes, use cold water whenever possible – particularly for things like towels.

Most of the energy it takes to run a washing machine goes to heating the water.

7. Fix Drafts

Install caulking to make sure there are no air leaks within the home.

This will simply result in you spending less on heating and air conditioning.

Most older homes have some level of draft gaps, which means heating has to run continuously in order to compensate for outgoing hot air and incoming cold drafts during winter, and vice versa during summer.

Learn more about finding energy-drain areas of your home and complete your own home energy audit checklist.

Now You Have The Power

By implementing the above energy saving tips in your home, you will not only cut down your electricity bill, you will also reduce your carbon footprint, and in so doing, contribute to a greener planet.

Sustainable energy supplies have recently become a hot-topic and have garnered alot of public and political awareness and support.

Up until this urgency became windspread, the common focus was solely economics and growth. The great developments of the Industrial Revolution introduced a not-so-great belief that energy resources would be infinitely provided by the earth – void of any consequences.

Today we have a much more indepth understanding of literally everything under the sun, including the knowledge of how to live more harmoniously with the environment. The pieces of the puzzle to solving global problems can come down to many individual choices, which aren’t limited to but include taking a look around your home or office to identify small areas for energy improvement.

Wind Forecast Improvement Project

wind forecast improvement project noaa doe academic collaborative project improve forecasts for all including wind energy industry
Video Rating: 4 / 5

PART 17 DUAL PERMANENT MAGNET ROTOR AXIAL FLUX WIND TURBINE

PART 17 DUAL PERMANENT MAGNET ROTOR AXIAL FLUX WIND TURBINE DESCRIPTION: IN THIS VIDEO, WE MAKE THE MAGNET ROTOR TEMPLATE FOR PLACING MAGNETS ON THE ROTOR. THEN WE TAP THE HUB AND DRILL THE JACKING BOLT HOLES AND TAP THEM. AND SHOW THE HUB , SPINDAL, AND BEARING SET UP. AND DISCUSS A FEW THINGS ABOUT KEEPING BALLANCE THROUGHOUT THE UNIT. AND WE SHOW HOW TO TAP THE HOLES THE RIGHT WAY, ALSO WE DISCUSS THE REASON FOR USIN A 27/64ths INCH DRILL BIT SO THE INNER DIAMETER OF THE THREADS IS NOT LOST. IF WE USED A 1/2 INCH DRILL BIT, THERE WOULD BE NO THREADS TO MAKE. THANKS! MUDDy

President Obama Speaks on American Energy

President Obama talks about an all-of-the-above American energy strategy at a Daimler manufacturing plant in North Carolina that’s making trucks that run on natural gas. March 7, 2012.
Video Rating: 4 / 5

25 Wind Farms on Google Earth

www.AENews.info Slideshow of 25 wind farms as seen from satellite via Google Earth.
Video Rating: 5 / 5

Importance of AWEA Membership

AWEA CEO Denise Bode explains what membership with the American WInd Energy Association can mean for your business.
Video Rating: 5 / 5

How to Evacuate a Wind Tower

In order to work as a wind tower technician, you have to be certified to be able to evacuate from the nacelle in case for whatever reason you can not escape down the main tower. Of course no one has ever had to do this within the company I’m working with (will remain unnamed) or in the history of modern wind towers. If there is any chance of a storm, no one climbs the tower. But, because by law we have to know how, we are certified before we are allowed to work full time as a technician. In this video you see one person above the hatch where he will repel out of the tower. Normally, he would only be attached to the rope his hand is on. Because this is practice, belaying is used as a backup (safety first!). The person to the left in the video is the belayer. I’m the person videotaping the exercise.
Video Rating: 5 / 5