Vertical Farming: Have You Heard About This Yet?

Over at The Vertical Farm, they've got some very interesting info for you.  For instance, these folk are advising that within the next 40 years, we'll be facing the basic need of feeding around 3,000,000,000 (three billion) mouths. 

We can't do it with the farmland we've got now.  Problem.  Unless we get creative and farm differently.  One solution: vertical farming. 

Which, yes, is something a lot more complicated that the Baker's Rack Vegetable Garden I tried to grow long ago on the apartment balcony -- but at least I got that footprint idea right ....

It sounds pretty darn smart - especially the recycling aspects, and the idea of safe water and safe food.

For more info, watch this:

June is National Safety Month

The National Safety Council is hosting events across the country as part of June being National Safety Month. This year, they are focusing on five specific areas of safety concern:

June 1-6 = Prescription Drug Overdose Prevention
Death caused by taking drugs in unintentional overdoses, many involving chronic pain medications, e.g., oxycodone and hydrocodone.


June 7-13 = Teen Driving Safety
According to the NSC, 17 teens die each day in car crashes in this country.

June 14-20 = Preventing Overexertion at Work & at Home
Pushing yourself past your limits means injury; the NSC reports 40% of injuries at work and at home are due to overexertion.


June 21-27 = Dangers of Cell Phone Use While Driving
Taking and texting while driving remains a serious problem - though Oprah is doing her part to stop it.

June 28-30 = Summer Safety
Here in Texas, we are all too aware of how heat can become life-threatening for children and seniors.

For more information about how you or your organization can get involved in National Safety Month events, check out the National Safety Month page or contact Julie Ford, NSC Development Manager, at julie.ford@nsc.org or 630-775-2104.

Jean-Michel Cousteau Explains the Oil Spill. It's very scary. (Video, too.)

Thanks to FoxNews.com for sharing this video with us.

January is National Radon Action Month. Check Your Home! 1 in 15 Homes Have Too Much Radon

January is National Radon Action Month.  Radon is a gas that you cannot feel, smell, taste, or see -- but it can be present in your home, condo, or apartment and is a lot more common than most folks realize.

Radon kills people. It is a cancer-causing radioactive gas. According to the Surgeon General, RADON is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. Who knew, right?  

So where does it come from? Radon comes into your dwelling via the ground underneath your home; or through the groundwater (waterwells can be a source of radon), or via building materials. Radon decays over time.

Have You Ever Thought about Shopping at a Pawn Shop?

Yeah, I know. Pawn shops always sound a little shady -- and there's always some sinister fact that reveals itself in a pawn shop everytime they pop up in any Law & Order episode I've ever seen.

Still, I've just learned that pawn shops not only sell used merchandise that is in perfectly good condition (they test it), but that they are a great place to buy jewelry (it's usually about 40% of what you'd pay at the swanky store) and they also offer new merchandise, too.

Plus, they've got things you might not think they have. Lawnmowers. Bicycles. Jigsaws.

So, while you're out and about this holiday season trying to think of ways to save on your shopping budget -- stroll through a pawn shop in your area. You might be tickled pink at what you find.

(Plus, reusing things that other people don't want is not only good for our throw-away environment, it's all part of that whole simplicity concept. So, wander over to that pawn shop feeling like the wise and savvy shopper that you are!)

CHECK OUT THE EATING GREEN CALCULATOR

Here's something fun, free, and educational to do online: check out how your diet is impacting not only your health, but also your environment online.

It's over at the Eating Green Calculator.

You're asked how much you eat in a week, according to categories (How many eggs? How much yogurt? etc.). Then, press a button and voila -- you learn:

• the environmental burden of the animal products you eat in a year (number of pounds of manure in a year is interesting to know); and
• the estimated daily nutrient intake from the animal products you consume (calories, fiber, saturated fat, cholesterol).

It's fast. Check it out.

Make Your Own Water Out of Thin Air

This gizmo may seem expensive (price is a little over $1000), but boy does this sound like a great thing to have. And, the possibilities it has for helping some third world countries is phenomenal -- as well as addressing those water shortages we keep hearing about ....

The Liquid-Air Water Generator literally takes the air surrounding it, and turns it into pure drinking water while cleaning up the air, as well. Use it indoors, you've got a nice water supply. Use it outdoors, you'll triple your volume.

Of course, this works better the more humid your environment. Those living along the Gulf Coast may fare better than someone in Phoenix, obviously.

The quality of the water generated by the Liquid -Air Water Generator is excellent, too: a series of filter remove dust, air particles, chemicals, and odors from the water -- and it automatically recycles whatever you don't use.

Considering this as an alternative to buying bottled water, and the cost doesn't seem as high.

Plus, think of how much this can help -- in 2002, a Houston firm contracted with the Liquid-Air manufacturer to ship a bunch of these WaterMakers over to Africa, at half-price. In Houston, they get around 4 to 6 gallons from a machine; in Africa's high humidity, estimated daily production per machine is 10 to 12 gallons. Wow. WOW.

Six Ways to Keep Your Home Cooler For Less

1. Plan meals to avoid using the oven. Invest in more than one size of slow cooker, as well as toaster ovens, George Foreman grills, and/or Panini presses, all of which avoid heating the entirety of the kitchen. Grilling outside is another option, and it’s fun, too. And, remember, whether you’re cooking indoors or out, always make more than you need so you can use the leftovers during the week.

2. Rearrange your rooms to fight the heat. Warm air is less dense than cool air, and it rises. Your second floor will be warmer than the ground floor, and your ground floor will have more warm air than the basement. Then, there’s the sunlight bombarding your house to consider. Insulation from the heat keeps interior rooms cooler than the ones exposed to sunlight; plus, the room sharing a wall with the garage will be warmer than any interior room. Fight the heat by finding which rooms are naturally located to remain somewhat cooler than the rest. Consider rearranging your rooms accordingly: if the formal living room will be cooler than the great room next to the garage, then start using the living room for everyday activities. If the guest room is located better, cooling-wise, than the home office, ponder switching those two rooms. Make it a family habit to keep doors shut between rooms, so you can have some rooms cooler than others, and block off vents for rooms that are not needed every day. Don’t let the traditional uses for your rooms control your thinking: it’s your house, do what’s best for your family even if it’s unconventional.

3. Position furniture to maximize cooling. Move your furniture to maximize airflow: a sofa pulled away from the wall will get more air circulation than one backed against it. Bookshelves, filing cabinets, armoires, entertainment centers, even tapestries and a wall of framed photos provide added insulation for a room.

4. Use stand fans and box fans. Incorporate stand fans, or box fans, where you'll spend the most time. Stand fans usually come with remote controls and multiple speeds. Some are generic white plastic, but more and more stand fans are becoming available in designer treatments (Cottage, Art Deco). The new ones are much quieter, too. Why fans? Flowing, moving air will make you feel cooler.

5. Heat-proof your window treatments. It can be hard to sacrifice that great view through a big, clear window or patio door, but glass is far from the best insulation – even if it is double-paned. Covering windows can make a big difference in keeping rooms cooler, and it doesn’t have to cost a lot to do so. Mini-blinds can be purchased for less than five dollars per window, and can make a big difference on how cool room will be on a hot afternoon. For a little more, you can buy mini-blinds that are specifically made to help with heat, as well as draperies specifically designed to block a blinding hot sun blaring into a room on a hot, summer afternoon. The room will be darker, and you may lose that view, but the goal of keeping the room cooler before you start spending your budget’s electricity dollars will be met.

6. Use room air conditioners instead of the central system. Use room air conditioners, or portable air conditioners, rather than a central air-conditioning system, cooling only the rooms that you actually use. These units come with timers and thermostats, which allow you to coordinate cooling the rooms only when it will be needed. For example, bedroom room air conditioners can be programmed to start up and run for approximately 2 hours before bedtime, with the thermostat automatically controlling the air temperature of the room throughout the night. Portable air conditioners can also be used in the den and home office when needed. The central system can be ignored, or its thermostat set much higher than in previous years: 88 degrees, for example, with only the den and the bedrooms kept at 78 degrees in the evenings with room air conditioners, and unused rooms having closed-off vents, is a comfortable environment and much less expensive than the central system being used for all your square footage.

For more information:

How to Cook 3: Slow Cookers

Personal Post 9: Cut Electric Bill by Half

Just thought I'd share my efforts in cutting the electric bill -- of course, the real test will be the next few months, when the hot Texas summer kicks in. (Today, we're going to be in the mid-90s for a high.) So far, I'm proud to report that the electric bill is half what it used to be.

Yes, folks, HALF.

1. I've started buying the CFL bulbs, one or two at a time, during the major grocery run. The plan is to stagger replacement of the bulbs throughout the house, starting with those used the most to those used the least. This is still a work in process.

2. Any appliances that aren't used daily have been unplugged. In my home office, for example, the electric 3-hole punch (which I love) is a fantastic help, but I don't need it everyday. Other examples: table lamps in the living room, a corner lamp in the den, and we just got rid of the electric can opener flat out. (Standby consumption by each of these appliances can equal leaving a lamp on with a 75 watt conventional bulb.)

3. The chargers don't get plugged in unless it's time to charge something.

4. Using room air conditioners instead of central air - for as long as possible (this is Texas, after all). And, using them only when necessary -- the house is well-insulated and the roof is protected from full sun by shade trees; it averages 10 degrees cooler in the house than outside as a general rule.

5. Using fans instead of any air conditioning. Fans give a nice breeze, they're comforting in an odd way, and they really can keep you cool.

6. Washing all the laundry in cold water (learned this trick from watching Kate doing laundry on the reality show Jon & Kate + 8).

7. Drying lots of things on a little clothes hanger set up in the laundry room instead of throwing everything in the dryer (and always changing the lint filter before every load, too).

8. Handwashing the dishes instead of using the dishwasher except on weekends, and then waiting to run a full load -- and choosing air-dry for those loads.

9. Hung heat-resistant mini-blinds and heavier drapes in the den (where there are two big sets of floor to ceiling windows) - this has really helped keep the den more comfortable than past years.

10. The ever-popular rule: turn the light out when you leave the room ....

For more information:

NRDC

EHow.Com

ConEd's 100 Tips

Those Funny Light Bulbs - Are CFL Bulbs Worth the Price?

You've seen those strange light bulbs at the store - they aren't the normal round light bulb; instead, they're a glass coil - and they cost a lot more than the standard bulb (about three times as much). Officially, they're called "CFL" bulbs, which stands for "compact flourescent light," and they tout themselves as being better for the environment and cheaper on your pocketbook.

Personally, I had walked on by those CFL displays at the grocery, because they did cost so much more than the regular bulbs and I couldn't believe that changing out a couple of bulbs could make that big of a difference.

Could be, I was wrong.

Several folk have reported on the web that they've cut their electric bill in half by replacing the bulbs in their home with CFL bulbs. That's right: HALF.

How can this be? Well, it seems that CFLs do not use heat to make light, and a 13 watt CFL will give you the same results as a standard 60 watt bulb. Less watts mean less cost. The more bulbs you replace, the more savings you'll see.

It's recommended that you begin the transition by changing out the bulbs in your high-use areas: the kitchen, the den, the bedroom - you'll begin to see the biggest difference on your electric bill with these changes, and you can avoid the immediate outlay for enough CFL bulbs to replace every bulb in the house.

There is a hitch, though. Seems these CFLs contain mercury. When they burn out (which takes a lot longer than the standard bulb -- a CFL purportedly lasts 10 times as long as a standard incandescent bulb), you need to dispose of them properly. Don't let that mercury get hauled with the rest of the trash, over to the landfill. Call 1-800-CLEANUP for info.

For more information:

18seconds.org
City of Chicago
Fox News, "Are Compact Florescent Light Bulbs Good for the Environment?"