Posts Tagged ‘home’
With Laxmi’s eBook you will cook with recipes that is Genuinely Indian. It is the food that we Indians make in our homes not the food that we eat in 5 Star Restaurants. Laxmi will show you the art of making Indian curry that is Healthy, delicious & tasty.
Laxmi’s Authentic Indian Home Cooking 700 Recipes
Electronic equipment
Maximise natural lighting by using the sun’s energy to brighten your office. You don’t need any building permissions to install this Solar Mate panel (£239.99) from Nigel’s Eco Store. Even in dreary old Blighty, it will store between 8-11 hours of light for its bulb. Screensavers save the screen, not energy, so switch off your monitor (which uses twice the energy of your PC) altogether when you go for lunch, as well as the PC itself. British Eco make it easy with these Bye bye standby plugs (£19.99 for intrdouctory pack), which allow you to control your equipment wirelessly from up to 30 metres away. Handy for those forgetful days.
Make business calls on this Siemens Gigaset digital cordless phone (£49.95) from John Lewis, which claims to use up to 60% less energy than regular cordless phones. For more ideas, read the Eco-design handbook for homes and offices (£16.95) from the Design Museum shop and get up to speed with what else you can do.
Junk Mail
Almost 50% of all catalogues sent by post are never opened, yet nearly 62 million trees and 28 billion gallons of water are used every year to produce them. Get yourself removed from junk-mailing lists by registering with the Mailing Preference Service.
Printing and paper
Print only the information you really need from a document, and also print double-sided, using the smallest font you can and switching your printer to ‘draft’ output to save ink. Make sure you recycle your print cartridges using one of the many post-it-back schemes, and use chlorine-free recycled paper. For every tonne of paper that is recycled, we save 17 trees, 42,000 kilowatts of electricity, 26,000 litres of water and 27 kilograms of air pollutants. Do your filing and store documents in these award-winning recycled lever arch files (£2.45 each) from the Natural Collection.
Meetings and communication
Install video-conferencing facilities (easily achieved via the use of a webcam), so you can keep in touch with clients and the office without having to travel.
Electrical efficiency
Use energy-efficient, compact fluorescent bulbs, which use 75 per cent less energy and last 10 times longer than traditional bulbs. For desk lamps, choose miniature compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) or light-emitting diodes (LEDs). This Ocean energy saving lamp (£95) from Hidden Art not only looks stylish enough to impress clients. Choosing electrical equipment with an energy-star label could cut your electricity bill by up to 80 per cent. The Energy Star logo means that the energy consumption of an appliance is below an agreed level in stand-by mode.
Don’t leave chargers running
Switch off the charger for your mobile phone, batteries, camera and other equipment when you’ve finished charging. If you don’t it will draw almost as much energy as when it is charging, and you will generate 35-70 kilograms of avoidable carbon dioxide each year. It’s estimated that 95% of the energy used by mobile-phone chargers in the UK is energy wasted in this way. Charge mobile phones instead with this Trevor Bayliss eco-pro charger (£21.95) from Ethical Superstore. Environmentally-friendly laptop chargers are currently in development – watch this space for Samsung’s fuel-cell dock, which promises to power a laptop running eight hours a day for an entire month without recharging.
Cut heating costs
Working from home might seem like a good, green idea, but extra carbon emissions created by heating and powering your home office may outweigh the savings you make by not commuting. Research suggests that a full-time home-worker emits 2.3 tonnes of CO2 annually, compared to 1.7 tonnes for the average office worker, partly due to the additional use of electricity and heating. So in those months where you can’t enjoy working in the garden, make sure you only have lights switched on in the room you are using, and use a portable heater rather than keeping radiators on all over the house.
Love gadgets? Don’t let them spoil the environment. Read our guide to buying the latest tech toys that happen to be green too. Get a stylish office with classic Florence Knoll furniture she revolutionised the post-war coporate look in the US.
Annie Deakin is a fashion expert and editor at mydeco.com dining table, garden furniture and crockery.
Chances are that you’re not going to swap out the CPU. But you can renovate your system and save beaucoup watts (and dollars, too) by making the following changes:
Replacing energy-draining components with more efficient models:
If you’re still using an old CRT monitor, trading it for an LCD monitor is a good bet. Your graphics card can also use a lot of energy if you’re a gamer, use graphics-intensive programs like Photoshop or Photoshop
Elements, or watch a lot of movies on your computer. Many graphics card manufacturers have stepped up the efficiency of their products in recent years, so you’ll find it worthwhile to take a look.
Increasing RAM and storage capacity: RAM (Random Access Memory) stores the programs and files you open and work with during a single work session. When you turn the computer off, whatever is stored in RAM goes away (the actual program and your saved data file remain in storage on your hard disk, however). Computers that don’t have enough RAM run slowly and spend a substantial amount of time retrieving information and updating memory; this causes more processing and increases wear and tear on the system. If your computer is running slowly, redrawing the screen at an agonizing rate, and chewing on even simple changes for a long period of time, adding RAM to your computer can help speed up things and reduce the processing power your computer is using.
If your computer is pretty quick with programs and files, but turns sluggish when you hop online, your Internet connection (not your RAM) may be the culprit. Flip to Chapter 4 for help on testing and upgrading your Internet connection.
Storage memory, on the other hand, reflects your computer’s capacity to store files such as photos, documents, home movies, software, and more. If you’re considering replacing your computer because you’re running out of room, check out the section “What’s a Terabyte among Friends?” later in this chapter, which explains just how easy replacing your hard drive or adding an external hard drive can be.
Choosing an earth-friendly laptop battery: The first step, of course, is to use the one you’ve got as long as you can and then dispose of it properly when it begins to bow out. When you’re ready to shop for a new
battery, look for green batteries like the Boston Power Enviro battery available for 18 different HP laptops. The Enviro can be charged 1,000 times (average laptop batteries begin to show a drop in quality after 100
to 150 charges) and is made from earth-healthy materials.
Swapping your old power supply for a greener model: Most power supplies pump out one steady rate of power whether your system uses the whole amount or not. You can check out the 80 plus program (www.80plus.org) to find a power supply that delivers only the amount of power the computer and peripherals are drawing. All power supplies certified for the 80 Plus program are also lead free, making them environmentally friendly, too.
No home is perfect. Taking steps to make your home green is a hugely commendable effort. I operate a site that overviews the easy ways to take your home to the next level of eco friendliness www.easygreenhomeplans.com.
Best Price Grab – Enter your office at home is green, you can help improve the environment as well as cutting their own costs and productivity. Here are some ways you can transform your home office in a working environment.
1. Perform energy audit Most local utilities offer free energy audits. Due to the professional assessment of energy in your home, you can determine the efficiency of heating, cooling, and more valuable tips to save money. You can also measure the power your devices on their authority to control the P3 International Kill-A-Watt.
2. Investment in Energy Star electronics joint program between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency U. S. Department of Energy, Energy Star energy-efficient home and business products, such as a definition for desktop computers, printers, scanners and monitors that can significantly reduce energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. Printers, which help the green in your office printers include Xerox, which depend on solid ink sticks, but disposable cartridges, printer and duplex unit, which saves the cost of printing on both sides of the paper. What kind of car you choose, fill it with recycled, such as Boise Cascade Aspen EarthSave 20-pound or Office Multiple copies recycled paper. Remember not to keep recycling boxes or bags placed comfortably in his office.
3. Despite the digitization of the workflow completely paperless office may not be realistic, will significantly reduce paper consumption in digital technology. First, install the software, like Adobe Acrobat and GreenPrint help reduce paper consumption. You may also be a multifunction printer, copier, fax, scanner, such as the HP Officejet 5610, investing blocks unwanted faxes and scan to e-mail, allows you to share electronic documents.
4. Office Equipment Use a power strip as a central switch off “when you are done with the team. Even when turned off, electronic and IT equipment often use a little electricity. For office equipment, a standby or “phantom” load of a few watts to as much as in the range of 20 or even 40 watts for each device. Use an extension cord for your computer and any peripherals you can disconnect the power cord from the power source, eliminating standby power consumption. Saving energy and space with the ENERGY STAR Multi-function device that combines several functions (printing, faxing, copying, scanning). Avoid using a screen saver when your computer monitor is not active (not in order to sleep or turn off the monitor.) Turn off appliances when not in use (fax machines, printers, scanners, copiers.) Disconnect the charger and the adapter if the computer is fully charged or disconnected from the charger. Look for the ENERGY STAR when purchasing products for the Home Office. They consume less energy without sacrificing quality or performance. See ENERGY STAR Office to learn in the video, like the ENERGY STAR office equipment can help you save energy, money and protect the environment.
5. Power management ENERGY STAR energy management monitors the position of the devices and low-power “sleep” mode after a certain period of inactivity. Simply touch the mouse or keyboard “wakes” monitor your computer in seconds. Activating the sleep saves energy, money and protect the environment. There are many ways to activate the function of sleep in a computer network, including solutions using free software with open source and / or tools you probably already have at their disposal. In addition, some commercial software packages offer a feature-rich solution for a fee, and may be able to save more energy.
To maximize energy efficiency, the EPA recommends setting computers to standby or hibernate after 30 to 60 minutes of inactivity. To save even more, set monitors to sleep mode after 5 to 20 minutes of inactivity. To lower the value of saving energy. password for laptops, do not enable these settings, display in the profile of the AC power – not just the DC (battery)
6. Select Refurbished Electronics: Consider buying refurbished equipment can save, resources and money, while the highest level of performance. Before buying a home office, however, that the study of the local regulations for proper disposal of their products and Electronics Recycling Center located in your area.
7. Functions smart Lighting Lighting can make more than 25% of energy in his office and office lights at home, often for many hours a day on the account. ENERGY STAR compact fluorescent lamps or table lamps (CFLs) provide high light output, uses 75% less energy and last up to 10 times longer than traditional bulbs, saving money on energy costs and replacement costs. By simply replacing conventional bulbs with compact fluorescents or LED lights can disrupt your energy consumption and the cost right away. Low cost, low technology to store colored lights in his office bright colors reflect light better, installing controls overhead lights, lamps, timer and main interior and exterior. Remember always to the lights when leaving the room!
8. Set the thermostat is the most important contribution to the heating and cooling in the selection of a programmable thermostat, which can significantly reduce heating costs when used properly. Installing ceiling fans can help, and heating and cooling.
If you want to know more about Best Price Grab Green The best price comparison then feel free to visit Best Price Grab
The Wireless Home of the Future – The Third Home Wireless Network – Smart and Green
by Cees Links, CEO and Founder of GreenPeak –
“Delivering the Smart Green home of the Future.”
http://www.greenpeak.com
For many years – decades even, we have been waiting for the automated “smart” house – a house that is as technically advanced as our automobiles. For decades, we have been able to remotely lock and unlock our car doors, raise and lower our car windows, adjust temperatures for different parts of the car seating areas, and even clean the back and front windows.
Why can’t we do that with our houses? Why are our homes dumb?
Why are most homes still living in the tech dark ages? Gurus and tech-evangelists have long been promising the smart home – the automated home with devices that talk to each other, with appliances and central home systems that can be controlled from a home dashboard or over the internet. Except for a few hobbyists and early innovators, most homes today are still stupid.
However, with the arrival of the new third home wireless network, this is beginning to change. Most homes already have two wireless networks – the cordless phone network for communication and the data network – usually WiFi. Both are very effective for high bandwidth, power gulping applications like watching internet videos and talking on the phone.
However, for many less data intensive communications, the new ultra low power networks – based on the 802.15.4 standard and new ZigBee standards (including ZigBee RF4CE and ZigBee Green Power) promise to not only make our homes smart, but to do it in a way that is both green and maintenance free.
This year, large consumer electronic manufacturers, cable set top box makers and service providers will start rolling out systems for our homes that will finally make our homes as smart as our cars. This revolution is going to start small, starting with the remote control we use to control our TV and set top box. However, in the coming years we will see new capabilities added to that remote.
Based on using a RF powered remote control, it will become possible to monitor and control all the home’s systems from a single central dashboard – your remote control. By using RF (radio frequency) instead of the old fashioned IR (infrared), this central mobile dashboard can be used in any room to control systems based in other parts of the home. RF transits through walls, through doors, and through furniture. Because RF supports interactivity, not only can the home owner control other systems, but s/he can monitor the systems as well by using the display on the remote.
While sitting in the home office, s/he can monitor and control the temperature in different rooms, set up recording on the VCR in the living room, turn off the lights in the kids’ rooms after they go out and play. She can even capture a digital image from the front door camera to see who is ringing the doorbell.
And if the kids do grab the remote and somehow lose it, she can go to one of the controlled appliances – like the flat screen TV, and press the “Find Me” button. The remote control will start beeping, playing a song, whatever it takes to make it easy to find again.
Yes, these technologies can be cobbled together now but they are expensive and need technical expertise to make them all play well together. Because of the new ZigBee/RF4CE standard, vendors are creating systems and devices that will be less expensive and will be able to interact with each other. In addition, the new ultra low power capabilities make these devices maintenance free and GREEN by greatly reducing the amount of batteries needed to operate the various sensors around the home, as well as in the remote itself.
Batteries are one of the more hidden polluters of the planet. Even though they are small, each contains heavy metals and toxic chemicals. In addition, there is a heavy carbon footprint involved in the mining and refining of the raw materials, as well as in the actual manufacture and distribution of batteries, as well as in the final re-cycling and disposal of batteries.
GreenPeak Technologies is one of the leading developers of these new standards for the Third Wireless Home Network. By using GreenPeak’s new ultra low power wireless technology, consumer electronics manufacturers are now starting to rolling out remote controls that use a lot less power and never need to have the batteries changed or charged.
For example: with a typical remote control, one has to change the batteries at least once a year. Open it up, pull out the old ones and put in new AA batteries. If it is an old remote, you probably need to replace the duct tape or rubber bands holding it together.
If you have battery powered sensors in your home for security and temperature control, you already know the repeated irritation for tracking down the beeping and having to change batteries (and why do these battery powered sensors always run out of power in the middle of the night?).
By reducing the power draw and enabling the battery to last for the product’s lifetime (ten years or more), it is possible to reduce the overall number of batteries needed by 90%. This means billions fewer batteries need to be made – billions fewer batteries tossed into landfills.
By not requiring the user to open up devices to replace and/or recharge batteries, these devices also become essentially maintenance free which enables the makers to design remote controls and sensors that do not require battery compartments and lids. No more duct tape and rubber bands.
By using these new ZigBee RF4CE networks, we are improving our overall ecology as well as making our lives a lot more convenient. No more having to point and shoot with remote controls to change the channel, to set up recording on our DVRs. No need to hike downstairs to adjust the thermostat or to turn off lights after everyone has left the room. Because this new technology is based on a standard – ZigBee RF4CE – companies and manufacturers worldwide can build cost effectively design and solutions that will interact and talk to each other.
The new Third Wireless Network is coming this year – bringing with it the long awaited promise of the smart home – a home that is as automated and easy to use as the car that is parked in the home’s garage. Parents often say that that watching TV makes you stupid. That may be. However, because of ZigBee/RF4CE and the third Home Wireless Network, your TV set’s remote control will at least make your house a lot smarter.
Cees Links is CEO and founder of GreenPeak Technologies, based in Utrecht, The Netherlands. Cees ["case"] Links is a pioneer of the wireless data industry, a visionary leader bringing the world of mobile computing and continuous networking together. Under his guidance, the first wireless LANs were developed which ultimately became house-hold technology integrated into the PCs and notebooks we are all familiar with. He also pioneered the development of access points, home networking routers and hotspot base stations, all widely used today.
He
How To Start A Secretarial Service Business And Get Legitimate Freelance Typing & Data Entry Work From Home.
Secretarial & Typing Work From Home.
One of the great privileges of direct selling profession is being able to work from home. But with the freedom of your career, also come the challenges. The sink is full of dishes, your son left his crayons /on your desk, and the laundry is piled up in the corner. A well designed home office help you transition from the role of domestic goddess to high power entrepreneurial executive. Just like Clark Kent changes in the phone booth to become Superman, as you enter your office space, you turn into queen of your home business empire. Instantly your mind shifts from the laundry list of household chores, to strategies for earning that big check next month and enjoying a hard earned Hawaiian vacation.
But how can you plan the perfect workspace; one that keeps you organized, inspires you, and boosts your productivity? Here with some rules of thumb to follow when designing your home office space.
Plan a space that meets your needs.
• Space: Imagine your dream space. You have the freedom to create the space of your dreams Where is it? What items do you need to have in it? Some questions to ask yourself are: what equipment you’ll need, what things you’ll have to store, and how much privacy you’ll need. Do you need to stay close so you can keep an eye on the kids? Do you need a meeting space? Will you have customers or other consultants stopping by?
• Location. Choose a space in your home that best supports those needs. Whether it’s a space bedroom, a corner of the living room, a large closet, an attic or a converted garage; find a room that that has enough space for the equipment and furniture you need.
• Storage. While not every direct seller needs to keep inventory on hand, those that do know that having an organized space to store product is critical. Make sure that space you choose has ample room for shelving and storage. Think about the items you handle on a day to day basis in your business. Now make a list of the items. Do you need a bookshelf or wall holders for catalogs and brochures? With the proper space and containers too keep your office tidy and you’ll have a clutter free, organized work space.
• Furniture. Next it’s time to outfit your work space with a desk, bookcase, and filing cabinets. Today with the boom in home based careers, there is such a variety of office furniture to choose from. Whether it’s a simple desk, an office armoire, or a complete L-shaped unit, make sure you’ll have the desktop space you need to keep key items at your fingertips. Dare to splurge a little on getting yourself a comfortable and ergonomically supportive chair. It’s a back-saving and worthwhile investment.
• Equipment. Plan a spot to put your computer, phone, and fax. Buying an all-in-one printer/scanner/fax machines is a smart choice that saves you desktop space and money!
Put it together it a way that makes sense.
• Placement. Decide What Goes Where. Place key equipment in a way to flows with the way that you work.
• Organization. One great way to stay organized is to create centers for the tasks you frequently perform. For instance you might want to put all your brochures, order forms, and catalogs together in one place. Other “centers” may include a mailing center, a faxing center, and a printing center. Boxes and bins are great for keeping smaller office supplies organized.
• Ergonomics. Place your keyboard, lighting, and monitor at proper heights. By being good to your body, you can function at peak performance without tiring as quickly or getting injured from incorrect positioning.
Create an inspiring atmosphere you’ll love.
• Personalize. Now’s the chance you have been waiting for to create the office of your dreams. Make your office a space that truly inspires you. Little things make such a difference. Choose a paint color that brings you joy. Pamper yourself with treasured photos, candles, and artwork on the wall. Add a touch of romance and a dash of color with a potted plant or vase with flowers on your desk. Finally, having inspirational quotes, a dream map, and visual reminders of your goals can be powerful tools to keep you motivated and on the track to success.
• Clean and tidy. There’s nothing like starting the day with a clean desk. Try to get in the routine of either cleaning your desk at the end of the day, or doing a 5 minute tidy first thing in the morning. By having a place for everything and everything in its place, it’s easy to stay organized and be more efficient.
• Lighting. Don’t skimp on lighting. In addition to creating ambiance in the room, proper lighting keeps you from straining your eyes. In addition to having enough overhead lighting, you’ll also want task lighting. Today there’s a wonderful selection of stylish and functional lamps to choose from.
Start your Dream Office Today!
What are you waiting for? Get a jumpstart on your home office now by taking the following actions in the next 48 hours.
• Walk around your home and visualize your office. What space feels good and inspiring to you? Where can you see yourself spending a lot of time and loving it? Choose the perfect space and clear it out.
• Flip through catalogs and magazines. Clip pictures of furniture, décor, and items you’d like to include in your dream office. By getting crystal clear on the intricate details of your perfect workspace, it makes it easier to spot those items as you come across them.
• Shop around and look for smart buys. Scan the newspapers, store fliers, and online office store coupons for sales and special offers.
Kristie Tamsevicius, is the author of “I Love My Life: A Mom’s Guide to Working from Home”! Thousands of aspiring entrepreneurs have used her step-by-step home business system to earn money working from home. Get a free ecourse Home Business Success Secrets at http://www.webmomz.com/ilovemylife1.htm
Purchasing a house could sometimes get stressful and confusing, especially if you are trying to look for a green home. Obviously, these days there is a great market for green or eco-friendly homes with various styles to choose from. Below is a checklist for that dream, green home.
1. The first step for you to do is to get a good help. With today’s increasing eco-awareness and prices of energy soaring up, more people are worried about things like the indoor air quality and energy efficient homes. When screening potential realtors, be sure to find out how much they know about eco-friendly homes and other environment related issues that matter to you. If you need help in finding a green home realtor, there are several online sites such as the Modern Green Living and other green residential websites.
2. You can perform a search for a green home on your own. You can determine by looking around. Try to examine the heating and cooling systems of a home and make sure that they are suitably sized and are in good working condition. Check out if the windows are single or double paned and check the doors if you feel a draft coming around their edges. Take note on inadequate or missing insulation or signs of molds. To have better information, you can hire a professional to perform an energy audit. These professionals use tools like infrared cameras for heat loss and special fans to pressurize a home to find out if it is energy efficient. This helps to determine if your prospective home needs any expensive efficiency upgrades.
3. Choose your location thoroughly. While the countryside is more your taste, it is necessary to consider the distance in commuting, local facilities nearby and what are your means of getting around. Find a place where all your daily needs are available within a half-mile radius from your home. You can search online through Walk Score to locate restaurants, parks, groceries and other business and amenities within walking distance from your potential home.
4. The space is another environmental factor to be considered. A smaller space means lesser energy needed to heat and light it. The less spent on utilities could mean extra money to spend on things you enjoy. With careful and thoughtful interior design, you can create a beautiful living environment from surprisingly smaller spaces.
5. You can do home improvements by your own. Try adding fresh coat of paints with low VOC to help improve the air quality. Look over pipes and paints to get a better idea of the changes you want for a greener and healthier home.
Most important of all is to ask before you buy a home. Although not every single home possess all of the ecological features listed, at least you will get a transparent picture of what the prospective home has to offer. Go ahead and look for that green home, this home is definitely healthy to the environment and beneficial to homeowners.
Uncover the best of the lone star state in
Real Estate for Sale in Dallas TX, houses that preserves the natural resources in
Green Housing in Dallas TX and an opportunity to protect the planet in
Green Homes in Flower Mound TX
50% Commission Per Sale. Hot Product In An Exciting And Popular Niche. Easy Converting Product On How To Make Great Perfumes For Next To Nothing And Sell Them For Big Bucks. Ideal Home Business
Guide On Making Perfumes From Home – High Converting
It’s oft said that the world is getting smaller, and whilst we can be fairly sure that the planet is not actually shrinking in physical size, it’s certainly easier and cheaper to travel to other countries than ever before. In fact, with more airports and more flight routes offering passage abroad, getting to foreign soil can cost less than a trip within your homeland.
More and more people, especially young people leaving school or university are taking advantage of this golden era of travel and are jet-setting off to far away lands in search of adventure as soon as their studies are done.
But just because you’re trekking through Nepal, teaching English in Taiwan or skiing the slopes of New Zealand doesn’t mean you have to forget your less fortunate friends and family at home. The internet era that has given us email, blogs, shared photo hosting sites like Flickr and other personal pages like Myspace and Facebook means that those left at home can still keep up with your adventures abroad.
However, there’s no substitute for actually speaking to your loved ones, so it’s no surprise that phoning home still remains the primary method of keeping in touch, and here’s where the internet comes to the rescue yet again. Traditionally, travellers would have to use a call box to phone home and either buy a prepaid international phone card or watch their coins being very quickly devoured by a hungry pay phone.
But in recent years, making calls over the internet using VOIP (voice over internet protocol) has allowed travellers the ability to make very cheap, or even free international calls. As more and more people are living for extended periods of time away from their home country, the ability to make cheap internet calls is allowing people to stay in touch almost as easily as they would if they were still at home.
And using the internet to phone home also has other benefits; with a cheap webcam, video calls are easy, and cameras have come a long way from the jerky models of yesterday. Many internet cafes in popular traveller destinations cater for internet callers – providing a headset, a webcam and sometimes even personal computer booths for extra privacy.
In short, there’s no longer really any excuse for not keeping in touch with friends and family from home; even the most remote outposts in the world seem to have internet access these days, and with cheap or even free calls abroad via VOIP, there’s nothing but the time difference to stop you from phoning home.
Adam Singleton is an online freelance journalist from Scotland. His hobbies include travelling and hiking.