photo credit: goldberg

Back to school… Having lice in your hair is not fun. The Centers for Disease Control estimate that six to 12 million children, ages three to 12, get lice each year. Some experts believe that these statistics are inflated. Some lice diagnoses is wrong, as dandruff or food crumbs can be confused for head lice.

Kids in School and Head Lice

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Al Borland (Richard Karn) from Home Improvement is advertsing the EdenPURE home heater. He is the new spokesman for the 2013 $372 EdenPURE Heater.

Prior to this, it was known as: Bob Vila money saving EdenPURE portable heaters are being advertised nationwide in newspapers and  supplements again, with the headline “Bob Vila ranks new 2011 EdenPURE portable heater #1 in North America”, “Bob Vila’s #1 money saver for 2009″ “U.S. designed and engineered GEN 4 uses new Sylvania heat source and EdenFLOW(TM) direct air technology.” We decided to investigate.

Anytime we see a call to order within 10 days to get a $75 discount and free shipping, we have to wonder. Suarez Corporation makes the product and has an A- Better Business Bureau record but 254 complaints.

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We are doing some research into replacing an aging outdoor deck.  The costs to repair it and repaint it are so high that it makes sense to simply recycle the old deck and replace the old redwood.  One of the first decisions when redoing a deck is what type of material to use, real wood or a composite decking material. Both materials cost about the same, with composite material slightly more expensive.

Eco-friendly FSC Certified Wood

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an independent nonprofit group started in 1993, who gives a seal of approval to commercial forests that meet strong environmental and social guidelines. They use independent auditors to ensure compliance. If you look on the back of many major catalogs, you will see the FSC logo certifying the paper.

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We were recently stuck in traffic behind a big rig spewing noxious exhaust while out bicycling. This provoked us to think about how the health benefits of cycling can be negated by pollution. While we prefer mountain biking out in the wilderness with no cars around, coexisting on roads with vehicles is a reality most of us have to endure.

It is interesting that several articles discuss some health issues with cyclists who commute in big cities. Some cyclists wear face masks while cycling in the city. Pollution from diesel engines in particular are worrisome. Respiratory problems can arise and other adverse health effects may ensue.

As we move into the future, there should be more vehicles emitting less pollution. Hybrid technology, electric vehicles, low sulpher fuels, and other advancements will help reduce pollution levels.

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We were looking for a PC low power consumption PCI Express video card for Windows 7. No need for the latest super fast gaming video card,  just one that has good performance for Windows 7 and its fancy new user interface.

If you are buying or building a new PC, consider a machine utilizing the Intel Ivy Bridge processor. The processor is more efficient and incorporates graphics processing that is significantly faster than previous processors. It is difficult to create a PC that uses less power with an add-in video card. A recent review using a Intel Core i7 – 3770k showed that it uses about 8 watts less power than a low power ATI Radeon HD 5450 PCI Express video card.

Low power consumption ATI Radeon Video cards

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Why do people purchase organic fruits and vegetables?

• Belief that they are healthier
• No use of pesticides or chemicals
• Better treatment of the land and workers
• More nutritious than regular produce

A study in 2012 by Stanford Researchers found that organic produce and meat was not more nutritious, but did possess a 30% fewer risk of pesticide contamination. Clearly organic produce is more expensive and less available than traditional produce. Some consumers like ourselves believe in this farming methodology and are willing to pay a premium.

USDA Pesticide Residue Study

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Housing accounts for 20% of total US energy use with heating and cooling consuming a whopping 44% of residential energy use. US Energy Information Administration predicts heating oil, electricity, and natural gas will cost 2% to 10% more this winter.

Brought about by high fuel costs, single-family homes built with environmentally friendly features surged to 16% last year from 2% in 2006 according to McGraw-Hill Construction, a market research firm in New York. The cost of green homes are approximately 2% to 10% higher than a typical home.

Roadmap to lowering home’s energy cost

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Just in case you have not joined the wave.  Replacing incandescent light bulbs with Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs or CFLs can save you lots of money. 90% of energy used by traditional incandescent lightbulbs is wasted as heat.

How Energy Efficient?

How does a regular incandescent bulb compare to a compact fluorescent one? CFL’s use about 66% less energy and last about 10x longer. The estimated amount of savings is up to $39 over the life of the CFL. PG&E advertises that replacing a 100 watt incandescent bulb with a 25-watt CFL will save at least $90 in energy costs over the life of the bulb. A typical house may have over 60 light bulbs.

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California is facing another drought, and so are many other states.  Water use may be curtailed causing water rates to go straight up. Summer is when our water bill goes ballistic with >$100 months commonplace. Gardens use a lot of water. Lawns can easily use 50-80% of  a household’s water. Our garden uses close to 75% of our water, probably because we conserve so much. Drought Tolerant Plants, drought resistant plants, and Xeriscaping, help you by saving water in garden.

Xeriscaping

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New LADWP rebates have been added for 2012.

Local utility LADWP – LA Department of Water and Power Energy has cash rebates and ways to go green and save money. Here are some LADWP – LA Department of Water and Power Energy Efficiency Rebates:

• Free water conservation showerheads and aerators
• LADWP Energy efficient appliance $65 rebate – Qualifying Energystar Refrigerator,  $85 High Efficiency Clothes Washers – Expires December 31
• $50 back on Refrigerator or Freezer recycling
• $2/sq ft of Energy star Window products, $0.30 per sq ft of cool roofs
• Solar Energy rebates
• $50 for Energy star Air conditioner, Upto $120 per ton for central air conditioner or heat pump
• Up to $200 on Whole House Fan
• $80 per weather based irrigation controller, $25 per station. $3 per rotating sprinkler nozzle
• Up to $300 for Energy-Efficient Natural Gas Furnace
• $500 for Energy-Efficient Variable Speed pool pump and motor
• $100 for a high efficiency toilet

If you live in California, be sure to check out the up to $8000 Energy Upgrade California Energy Efficiency Rebate

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