Archive for December, 2008
Merry Christmas! Be safe and enjoy family and friends on this joyous holiday.
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The Holidays
Published December 17, 2008 Getting Organized , Holidays Leave a CommentTags: Holidays, Personal
The Holidays are upon us! Time to make cookies and treats, wrap gifts, and send out cards.
Do you feel stressed at the holidays? Most of us do. Here are some tips to consider to alleviate the holiday rush stress.
- Do your shopping all year, especially right after Christmas. Wow, what deals!
- Wrap gifts as you purchase them.
- Keep a list of your purchases and who they are being given to.
- Place gifts in a special plastic box/tub for safekeeping.
- Have all shopping done by Thanksgiving and wrapped!
- Make out holiday cards in October or November, but before Thanksgiving.
- Make holiday cookies and treats the week after Thanksgiving and freeze.
When Christmastime arrives, you’ll be all done and ready for the holidy festivities! A great New Year’s Resolution!
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Today I would like to talk about Accountability. Yours, mine and ours!
Have you ever heard, “Somebody has to do something about this.” ?
Have you stopped to think, “who is somebody“?
Case in point: We live in a sub-development with over 100 homes with what our town terms a “park district”. The park district is put into effect by a very small group of folks in developments such as ours. In our case, two individuals who took it upon themselves (accountability) to start a petition for a park district to handle bids for the lawn care of our front entrance and common areas within the development.
The park district fee is separate from our property taxes which is an additional fee tacked onto our property tax bill. Please don’t confuse park district with an “association fee” as we do not have an association. Each year, bids are solicited through our Town.
One of the residents wanted an area mowed that was not considered a common area, therefore, not part of the bid process. She touted that she paid enough in taxes to cover this. Unfortunately for her, this just isn’t the case .
So it made me think about accountability and how “somebody has to do something about this”. Somebody usually is the Government. If the Government gets involved, we all know that means – more taxes, more bureaucracy, more red tape, and on and on and on.
If we ALL took accountability and took on just a bit more, we wouldn’t need to pay the Town that extra $60-100/year. Remember folks, only only only adds up every day, every year. Think about it!!!
Here’s a great website where I go often for a reality check…. www.qbq.com.
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Be Eco-Wise with LED Lights
Published December 3, 2008 Going Green , Personal Leave a CommentTags: Going Green, Holidays, LED Lights
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ith more and more people concerned about the environment, building and decorating green has never been more popular. One of the easiest ways for homeowners to limit their environmental impact is to consider replacing the lighting inside their home.
Incandescent bulbs waste energy and burn out quickly, and when the more energy-efficient fluorescent bulbs outlive their usefulness, they pollute the earth with the toxic mercury they contain. A new lighting revolution is giving homeowners an innovative option.
The LED Difference
Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology provides homes with beautiful illumination while reducing the negative environmental impact of traditional bulbs. Here’s why it is fast becoming the leading eco-friendly choice:
¨ LED lights are long lasting: 20 times longer.
LED provides uncompromising light that will last 20 times longer than a traditional incandescent bulb and five times longer than a compact fluorescent bulb (CFL). You may never have to change your bulb again because each light is estimated to last 50,000 hours.
¨ LED lights use less energy: 85 percent less.
Incandescent and fluorescent bulbs consume substantially more energy than LED’s. You can easily observe this based on the amount of heat they give off. LED options generate almost no heat and consume a whopping 85 percent less energy than incandescent and 50 percent less than fluorescent. For example, eight LED retrofit replacement bulbs consume only 96 watts and provide enough light for an entire room.
If every U.S. homeowner replaced one incandescent bulb with an LED, it would have the same effect as having 4 million fewer cars on the road.
¨ LED lights produce less waste: No hazardous toxins in your home.
Because the LED lights last so long, there is less waste going into landfills. Unlike compact fluorescent bulbs, these lights do not contain dangerous mercury. You won’t have to worry about disposing of the bulbs properly or having toxins in your home.
Adding LEDs to Your Home
Homeowners are using LED lights anywhere they have 6-inch recessed cans installed. Check GreenHomeExperts.com for options that will seamlessly fit into the architecture and lighting needs of any home. LED retrofit replacements are easy to install and can be screwed into existing recessed lighting fixtures. Some existing fixtures or housings may require minor modification. Although you may want to hire a handyman to help with installation, many homeowners are able to complete the task themselves. An expensive electrician should not be required.
Visit www.GreenHomeExperts.com to help green your home and save money with high quality, energy-efficient LED lights.
- Courtesy of ARA Content
