Friday, October 19, 2007
Make a cool hologram illusion!
Make a cool hologram illusion!
This instructable will show you how to easily make a convincing floating head hologram.
It's a great addition to your Halloween decorations!
step 1Supplies
You only need a couple of things for this illusion:
1. A piece of glass.
The size of the glass is relative to the size of the area where the illusion will be viewed.
2. A monitor (and computer, of course).
Either an LCD or CRT monitor will work. CRT monitors tend to give a better reflection, but an LCD monitor can be used in a much smaller spot.
The LCD monitor I used had a removable stand. That made it much easier to hide in the cabinet.
3. Floating head movie.
I recommend Big Scream TV.
step 2Location, Location, Location
This illusion works well, but the monitor must remain out of view of the spectator.
For this instructable, I used a bookshelf/cabinet and the front window of my house for the trick-or-treaters to enjoy.
Projectors are relatively cheap these days. You could easily project the image onto a piece of glass 30 or 40 feet away. The projector would need to be located very close to the path of the intended viewer, however.
A great example of using a projector would be on an eave of your house. The glass could be suspended at an angle towards the front of the house, and then the image would be projected on it from a hidden spot on the roof. As the trick-or-treaters walked up to the house, they would be greeted with a creepy floating head on your roof.
step 3Display Setup
To keep from giving away the source of the image, adjust the brightness to the lowest setting and the contrast to the highest.
The goal is to make the background as dark as possible. Play the movie you want to use full screen, then adjust as needed.
For the cabinet configuration, suspend the LCD monitor above the viewing area. Then create a Halloweenish looking scene inside, and then place the glass over it at an angle that will reflect the image to the viewer.
For the windows configuration, set the monitor on the floor pointing up, create your scary scene, then place a much larger piece of glass over it at an angle that will reflect the image towards the window.
In either setup, the bottom edge of the glass should be as close to the bottom edge of the monitor as possible. That will make the image float in front of your scene, instead of behind it.
Adjust the angle of the glass to control the height of the floating head.
step 4Turn it on
Once it gets dark, turn it on and adjust as needed.
Once again, the camera doesn't do this illusion justice. It looks very good in person.
Watch the video to get an idea of how it looks:
This instructable will show you how to easily make a convincing floating head hologram.
It's a great addition to your Halloween decorations!
step 1Supplies
You only need a couple of things for this illusion:
1. A piece of glass.
The size of the glass is relative to the size of the area where the illusion will be viewed.
2. A monitor (and computer, of course).
Either an LCD or CRT monitor will work. CRT monitors tend to give a better reflection, but an LCD monitor can be used in a much smaller spot.
The LCD monitor I used had a removable stand. That made it much easier to hide in the cabinet.
3. Floating head movie.
I recommend Big Scream TV.
step 2Location, Location, Location
This illusion works well, but the monitor must remain out of view of the spectator.
For this instructable, I used a bookshelf/cabinet and the front window of my house for the trick-or-treaters to enjoy.
Projectors are relatively cheap these days. You could easily project the image onto a piece of glass 30 or 40 feet away. The projector would need to be located very close to the path of the intended viewer, however.
A great example of using a projector would be on an eave of your house. The glass could be suspended at an angle towards the front of the house, and then the image would be projected on it from a hidden spot on the roof. As the trick-or-treaters walked up to the house, they would be greeted with a creepy floating head on your roof.
step 3Display Setup
To keep from giving away the source of the image, adjust the brightness to the lowest setting and the contrast to the highest.
The goal is to make the background as dark as possible. Play the movie you want to use full screen, then adjust as needed.
For the cabinet configuration, suspend the LCD monitor above the viewing area. Then create a Halloweenish looking scene inside, and then place the glass over it at an angle that will reflect the image to the viewer.
For the windows configuration, set the monitor on the floor pointing up, create your scary scene, then place a much larger piece of glass over it at an angle that will reflect the image towards the window.
In either setup, the bottom edge of the glass should be as close to the bottom edge of the monitor as possible. That will make the image float in front of your scene, instead of behind it.
Adjust the angle of the glass to control the height of the floating head.
step 4Turn it on
Once it gets dark, turn it on and adjust as needed.
Once again, the camera doesn't do this illusion justice. It looks very good in person.
Watch the video to get an idea of how it looks:
World's Oldest Surviving Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce For sale - Venerable old car, only three previous owners. Offers around 2 million pounds ($4m). But this is no ordinary -- albeit expensive -- car. It is the world's oldest surviving Rolls-Royce, a star in the automobile enthusiasts' firmament.
Built in 1904, car 20154, a small 10 horsepower open-topped two-seater, is only the fourth vehicle produced by the landmark cooperation between Charles Rolls and Henry Royce and the oldest one still running.
How to Calculate the Distance from Lightning
You know how it is - a thunderstorm is approaching, and suddenly you hear an absolutely deafening clap of thunder. Whoa, that sounded close! But how close is the lightning, really? It is difficult to determine the distance of a lightning bolt just by looking at it, and the volume of the thunder isn’t a good way to tell either. Read on for a simple, potentially life-saving method you can use to approximate how far away lightning is.(4)Steps:
1. Watch the sky for a flash of lightning.
2. Count the number of seconds until you hear thunder. If you have a watch with a second hand or a digital watch that has seconds, begin timing as soon as you see the lightning and stop as soon as you hear the thunder start. If you don’t have a watch, do your best to count the seconds accurately. Say "One one thousand, two one thousand etc." in your mind for each second.
3. Divide the number of seconds by 5 to calculate the distance in miles (or divide by 3 for kilometers). In other words if you counted 18 seconds from when you saw the lightning, the strike was 3.6 miles (6 kilometers) from your location. The delay between when you see lightning and when you hear thunder occurs because sound travels much, much more slowly than light. Sound travels through air at about 1100-1200 feet (330-350 meters) per second (depending on altitude, relative humidity, pressure, etc.), which is a little more than one mile per five seconds (one kilometer per three seconds). In comparison, the speed of light is 983,571,058 feet (299,792,458 meters) per second.
For example, if lightning strikes a point 1 mile away, you will see the strike approximately .00000536 seconds after the strike while you will hear it approximately 4.72 seconds after the actual strike. If you calculate the difference between these two experiences, a person will hear a strike approximately 4.71999 seconds after the strike actually occurred. Therefore, 5 seconds per mile is a fairly robust approximation.
4. Seek shelter immediately if a storm is approaching.
Tips:
* If a lot of lightning is occurring close together, it may be difficult to approximate how far away a given flash is, since it will be hard to tell which clap of thunder "belongs" to which flash of lightning. In this case, you’ll need to keep trying the steps above until you can finally be certain that a given bang resulted from a given flash. Of course, if safety is your primary goal, start counting from the last flash you see. This way it won't matter which flash was closest (or furthest), you will know how close the nearest flash was to you irrespective of which flash it was or how bright the flash was, assuming of course that no other flashes interrupt your count.
* If you are in an area with a lot of background noise (if you are on a busy city street, for example, or working around heavy machinery) you may not be able to determine when thunder starts, if you can hear it at all.
* Sound travels through air at slightly different speeds depending on air temperature and relative humidity (density). The difference is fairly small, however, and won’t substantially affect your calculations. For more information, see the sound speed calculators in the external links section below.
* If you have a map and compass, try plotting the location of each lightning strike by drawing a line on the map in the direction of the lightning, and a cross at your calculated distance along this line.
* Tell people about this method. Many people still believe the myth that the number of seconds you count is equal to the number of miles away the lightning is.
Warnings
* This is not an exercise to perform outside. If there’s lightning around, get to shelter immediately.
* Lightning can be deadly. These instructions can help you avoid danger, but only if you take action when lightning is near. See the related wikiHow article for more information on staying safe in a thunderstorm.
* Storms can travel very fast, and lightning frequently strikes up to 10 miles from a storm (occasionally up to 50 miles). Thus, even if you determine that the lightning is quite far away, you should seek shelter, as the next strike could be much closer.
* Due to the way sound travels and how various objects, such as mountains and buildings, interact with soundwaves this is not the most reliable way to predict lightning distance. Don't let your life depend on it. Listen to local weather authorities.
* If you do not see the lightning strike directly, the sound you hear may be a reflection off a building or a mountain, which adds time between the two events (the flash and the bang, thus making the lightning seem farther away than it really is. Consider the effect of nearby (especially large) objects/obstructions, as sound must "bend" around and bounce off of them. Any indirect path must be larger than the distance which you are trying to calculate.
22 Natural Ways to Prevent Colds and the Flu
The flu season is just around the corner. And while those flus won’t kill you, they can weaken your immune system to the point that other, more dangerous, germs can take hold in your body. Just think how many times your cold turned into bronchitis or a sinus infection. And given that the average adult suffers two to three colds a year, that’s a lot of opportunities for serious illness — and just as many to prevent one!Now I can’t promise you’ll never get hit with another cold or endure another bout of the flu, but you can increase your odds of staying well with these natural strategies. If you do get sick, I’ve also included some great tips for getting better faster.
1. Get gargling.
Japanese researchers found that a daily gargling with water reduces your cold risk. People who gargled with water were 36 percent less likely to be struck down when compared with non-garglers. The study suggests that simple water gargling is effective to prevent upper respiratory tract infections.
2. Drink, drink, drink!
Hot liquids like fruit teas and lemon drinks will ease any nasal congestion you feel coming on and prevent dehydration. A dried-out respiratory system will leave you more prone to infection.
3. Take a Sauna.
Researchers aren’t sure exactly how it works but a German study found that people who got steamed twice a week got half as many colds as those who didn’t. It may be down to the fact that sauna air temperatures are too hot for cold and flu viruses to survive.
4. Stop the blaming.
Believe it or not, blaming yourself makes you more likely to catch a cold! At least, that’s what Austrian researchers found when they studied more than 300 workers over three months. Even those who had control over their work were more likely to begin sneezing if they lacked confidence or tended to blame themselves when things went wrong. Researchers expect such attitudes make people more stressed on the job, and stress, as you know, can challenge your immune system.
5. Microwave your toothbrush.
Run your toothbrush through the microwave on high for ten seconds to kill germs that can cause colds and other illnesses. You think it gets your teeth clean — and it does. But once you’re done brushing, your toothbrush is a breeding ground for germs. Sterilize it in the microwave before you use it, or store it in hydrogen peroxide (rinse well before using), or simply replace it every month when you change the page on your calendar and after you’ve had a cold.
6. Crack open a window.
Leave the windows in your house open a crack in winter. Not all of them, but one or two in the rooms in which you spend the most time. This is especially important if you live in a newer home, where fresh circulating air has been the victim of energy efficiency. A bit of fresh air will do wonders for chasing out germs.
7. Focus on one word.
Once a day, sit in a quiet, dim room, close your eyes, and focus on one word. You’re meditating, a proven way to reduce stress. And stress, studies find, increases your susceptibility to colds. People experiencing emotional stress have weakened immune systems and are twice more likely to catch a cold than their calmer counterparts.
8. Wash you hands!
And do it often. Most cold and flu viruses are spread by direct contact. The Naval Health Research Center conducted a study of 36,000 recruits who were ordered to wash their hands five times a day. The recruits cut their incidence of respiratory illnesses by 45 percent.
9. …twice is even better.
When Columbia University researchers looked for germs on volunteers’ hands, they found one handwashing had little effect, even when using antibacterial soap. So wash twice if you’re serious about fending off colds.
10. Public restrooms’ strategy.
Studies find a shockingly large percentage of people fail to wash their hands after using a public restroom. And every single one of them touches the door handle on the way out. So after washing your hands, use a paper towel to turn off the faucet. Use another paper towel to dry your hands, then open the door with that paper towel as a barrier between you and the handle. It sounds nuts, but it’s an actual recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control to protect you from infectious diseases like cold and flu.
11. Use your knuckle to rub your eyes.
It’s less likely to be contaminated with viruses than your fingertip. This is particularly important given that the eye provides a perfect entry point for germs, and the average person rubs his eyes or nose or scratches his face 20-50 times a day.
12. Eat that yogurt.
Researchers from University of California found that individuals who ate one cup of yogurt — whether live culture or pasteurized — had 25 percent fewer colds than non-yogurt eaters. Start your yogurt eating right away to build up your immunity before cold and flu season starts.
13. Inhale air from your blow-dryer.
It sounds nuts, I know. But one study conducted at Harvard Hospital in England found that people who breathed heated air had half the cold symptoms of people who inhaled air at room temperature. Set the dryer on warm, not hot, and hold it at least twenty inches from your face. Breathe in the air through your nose for as long as you can — 20 minutes is best.
14. Go garlic.
When 147 volunteers received either one garlic supplement a day or a placebo for twelve weeks between November and February, those taking the garlic were not only less likely to get a cold, but if they did catch one, their symptoms were less intense and they recovered faster.
15. Getting z’s = no flu.
The fact that a certain amount of sleep is required in order to remain healthy cannot be repeated enough. Not only does sleep help you stay alert throughout your day, but it also helps your immune system stay strong. Try to get at least seven hours of sleep a night, and you’ll be less susceptible to the flu.
16. Water does the body good.
How many times have you heard that eight glasses a day is good or you? Probably every day. This habit is a good one for your body in many ways, as it washes out your system, and is needed in order to maintain a healthy diet and a clear, healthy complexion.
17. Get some exercise.
Exercise is very healthy for your body, in many ways. By exercising regularly, you’re not only developing muscle mass and strength, you’re also making your immune system a heavyweight champion.
18. Lower the heat.
Lower the heat in your house 5 degrees. The dry air of an overheated home provides the perfect environment for cold viruses to thrive. And when your mucous membranes (i.e., nose, mouth, and tonsils) dry out, they can’t trap those germs very well. Lowering the temperature and using a room humidifier helps maintain a healthier level of humidity in the winter.
19. Wipe, don’t blow.
Your cold won’t hang around as long, according to a University of Virginia study. Turns out that the force of blowing not only sends the gunk out of your nose into a tissue, but propels some back into your sinuses. And, in case you’re curious, they discovered this using dye and X rays. If you need to blow, blow gently, and blow one nostril at a time.
20. Sneeze and cough into your arm.
Whoever taught us to cover our mouths when we cough or sneeze got it wrong. That just puts the germs right on our hands, where you can spread them to objects — and other people. Instead, hold the crook of your elbow over your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough if a tissue isn’t handy. It’s pretty rare that you shake someone’s elbow or scratch your eye with an elbow, after all.
21. Don’t pressure your doctor for antibiotics.
Colds and flu (along with most common infections) are caused by viruses, so antibiotics — designed to kill bacteria — won’t do a thing. They can hurt, however, by killing off the friendly bacteria that are part of our immune defenses. If you’ve used antibiotics a lot lately, consider a course of probiotics — replacement troops for friendly bacteria.
22. Doctor, doctor.
All these are simple ways to help you avoid the flu — but they are not substitutes for medical treatment or advice.
Remember that the flu is something that everyone gets once in a while, and there is no 100% guarantee to prevent it. But if you want to decrease your chances of being stuck at home with a pesky flu, use these tips. That doesn’t mean you can’t still call in sick once in a while…
9 Bolts Caught at a Time
It was taken from somewhere up in the hills overlooking Paphos, a coastal city in the southwest of Cyprus, during the storms in winter 2006
Thursday, October 18, 2007
How to Charge any Battery Survival-Style
My camera shut down from low battery just when I needed to take some pictures.
The light was perfect. I suddenly remembered where I'd left the charger - 3000 miles away.
Everyone's had this experience, or the similar experience of spending one's vacation searching for a cellphone charger for someone.
Here's how to charge any battery enough to keep doing the important stuff.
This is the battery to my Canon S30. It's got three terminals, labeled "+", "-", and "T".
I've clipped alligator-clips onto the two obvious ones.
You don't need clips, you can just hold wires on it for as long as it takes to charge, that's probably better anyway, so you can tell if anything is going wrong.
Warning! Wear eye protection and if anything weird happens don't breathe the fumes!
step 1Hands on Charging
What was that other terminal marked "T" for? TIMMY of course, just like in the nursery rhyme!
It's for Timmy to check how hot the battery gets when you charge it.
Actually it's "Thermistor" or similar names. Temperature sensor. To see how hot the battery gets when you charge it.
Instead of a computer to keep track of temp, weve got a Timmy handy to hold his finger on the battery. If it gets hot you're doing something wrong.
"Digital sensor, huh?" would be a running joke back when Americans knew Greek and knew that digits are fingers. But then numbers got so much use we forgot about counting on fingers, and now people barely know how to do anything with their hands.
Anyway, here's a finger used as a digital thermometer. Which reminds me of the joke about the doctor...
step 2Current and Voltage
Want to be totally mystified? Look up "battery charge control".
Add keywords like "li-ion" for further obfuscation.
That stuff is important if you want to fully charge your battery, make it survive many charge cycles, or avoid lawsuits.
We just want to take pictures or talk on the phone. So here's what we do:
Go find a dc powersupply. Nice ones usually live next to people with names like "electronics guy". If you can find one like this that displays current and voltage, it's really easy.
If you can't, there's still hope, hang in there til later.
Turn the current and voltage knobs all the way to the left. Turn on the powersupply and
hook it up to your battery, bearing in mind that red and black wires can possibly be plugged into the wrong sockets. Read the labels and unplug anything that seems to be arcwelding on your battery.
Turn up the voltage and current limit knobs until 500 milliamps (0.5 amps) is flowing into your battery. If you feel like being careful look up how much current the experts use.
But half an amp for a few minutes won't damage any battery that's big enough for a modern camera or phone.
step 3Time Limit
We're not going to fully charge the battery because we don't know how, and we're in a hurry.
We're just going to charge it enough to go back to our regular jobs. The phone or camera will tell us roughly how charged the battery is after we start using it.
So we're only going to charge it for ten minutes or so.
This battery has 1200 milliamp/hours of capacity. So if it's fully discharged and we charge it at 500 milliamps per hour, it would take more than two hours to fully charge it.
Some types of batteries can be badly damaged by overcharging. Some are just damaged a little.
Here's how my golf cart avoids overcharging. There's a built in appliance timer that turns off the charger automatically. It won't let you charge for more than 24 hours without re-setting.
step 4Christmas Tree Lightbulbs as Improvised Current Regulators
If you can't find a nice variable powersupply like our electronics guy has, you can still charge
a battery.
Hopefully you own an electrical meter.
Find a source of DC electricity. Look at the voltage of your source, the voltage of your battery, and use Ohm's law to figure out what kind of resistor you need to put between the two to get the right current to flow. Then go find that resistor. A piece of a heating element from a toaster or hair dryer can work. That clothes iron in the photo worked for a certain battery and a certain dc source.
The best improvised current regulator is usually a small lightbulb. The bulb is great because the resistance goes way up when the filament gets hot and limits the current. And you can only put an amp or so through one of these without burning it out, so it acts as its own fuse. And they're free gifts from garbage Santa.
Here I'm using two bulbs in series to limit the current going into a gelcell. Use your multimeter to measure what current goes through your bulb at different voltages. Or you can just cowboy it and use one tiny bulb for a few minutes, while feeling to see if the battery gets hot or not.
Wear eye protection and don't breathe the fumes!
The light was perfect. I suddenly remembered where I'd left the charger - 3000 miles away.
Everyone's had this experience, or the similar experience of spending one's vacation searching for a cellphone charger for someone.
Here's how to charge any battery enough to keep doing the important stuff.
This is the battery to my Canon S30. It's got three terminals, labeled "+", "-", and "T".
I've clipped alligator-clips onto the two obvious ones.
You don't need clips, you can just hold wires on it for as long as it takes to charge, that's probably better anyway, so you can tell if anything is going wrong.
Warning! Wear eye protection and if anything weird happens don't breathe the fumes!
step 1Hands on Charging
What was that other terminal marked "T" for? TIMMY of course, just like in the nursery rhyme!
It's for Timmy to check how hot the battery gets when you charge it.
Actually it's "Thermistor" or similar names. Temperature sensor. To see how hot the battery gets when you charge it.
Instead of a computer to keep track of temp, weve got a Timmy handy to hold his finger on the battery. If it gets hot you're doing something wrong.
"Digital sensor, huh?" would be a running joke back when Americans knew Greek and knew that digits are fingers. But then numbers got so much use we forgot about counting on fingers, and now people barely know how to do anything with their hands.
Anyway, here's a finger used as a digital thermometer. Which reminds me of the joke about the doctor...
step 2Current and Voltage
Want to be totally mystified? Look up "battery charge control".
Add keywords like "li-ion" for further obfuscation.
That stuff is important if you want to fully charge your battery, make it survive many charge cycles, or avoid lawsuits.
We just want to take pictures or talk on the phone. So here's what we do:
Go find a dc powersupply. Nice ones usually live next to people with names like "electronics guy". If you can find one like this that displays current and voltage, it's really easy.
If you can't, there's still hope, hang in there til later.
Turn the current and voltage knobs all the way to the left. Turn on the powersupply and
hook it up to your battery, bearing in mind that red and black wires can possibly be plugged into the wrong sockets. Read the labels and unplug anything that seems to be arcwelding on your battery.
Turn up the voltage and current limit knobs until 500 milliamps (0.5 amps) is flowing into your battery. If you feel like being careful look up how much current the experts use.
But half an amp for a few minutes won't damage any battery that's big enough for a modern camera or phone.
step 3Time Limit
We're not going to fully charge the battery because we don't know how, and we're in a hurry.
We're just going to charge it enough to go back to our regular jobs. The phone or camera will tell us roughly how charged the battery is after we start using it.
So we're only going to charge it for ten minutes or so.
This battery has 1200 milliamp/hours of capacity. So if it's fully discharged and we charge it at 500 milliamps per hour, it would take more than two hours to fully charge it.
Some types of batteries can be badly damaged by overcharging. Some are just damaged a little.
Here's how my golf cart avoids overcharging. There's a built in appliance timer that turns off the charger automatically. It won't let you charge for more than 24 hours without re-setting.
step 4Christmas Tree Lightbulbs as Improvised Current Regulators
If you can't find a nice variable powersupply like our electronics guy has, you can still charge
a battery.
Hopefully you own an electrical meter.
Find a source of DC electricity. Look at the voltage of your source, the voltage of your battery, and use Ohm's law to figure out what kind of resistor you need to put between the two to get the right current to flow. Then go find that resistor. A piece of a heating element from a toaster or hair dryer can work. That clothes iron in the photo worked for a certain battery and a certain dc source.
The best improvised current regulator is usually a small lightbulb. The bulb is great because the resistance goes way up when the filament gets hot and limits the current. And you can only put an amp or so through one of these without burning it out, so it acts as its own fuse. And they're free gifts from garbage Santa.
Here I'm using two bulbs in series to limit the current going into a gelcell. Use your multimeter to measure what current goes through your bulb at different voltages. Or you can just cowboy it and use one tiny bulb for a few minutes, while feeling to see if the battery gets hot or not.
Wear eye protection and don't breathe the fumes!
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Mr Wang caught a Sea Bass with Two Mouths
Mr Wang caught a Sea Bass while fishing with his friends near the Liaoning costal area in China. The fish appears to have two mouths. He checked with veteran fishermen in his area but nobody has ever come across such an unusual find. He has kept the fish in the freezer hoping that someone will be able to give him an explanation in future.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
10 Simple Ways You Can Save the Planet and Money
The growing global warming crisis is turning most of us into cost-effective, energy-saving crusaders.
Most of the power plants in the world use fossil fuels that create an enormous amount of pollution, endanger the environment, and since they are of a limited supply they threaten energy security.
In reaction, a number of firms offer their consumers “green power,” which is a cleaner-burning energy source that provides power similar to that of fossil fuels. These clean-power generators specialize in producing electricity using renewable resources. Additionally, in some countries consumers are allowed to select their power provider the way one might pick a long-distance provider.
Unfortunately, these greener energy sources will not appeal to a wider audience until they become a cheaper alternative, and currently they are not. Until those prices come down and availability goes up, you can still save a considerable amount of money every year, as well as spare the environment any added grief. The fact is that if we all made a few simple, small changes to the way we live, we could make a huge difference for ourselves and future generations.
1. Fight the light!
Don’t leave lights on when no one is in the room. If you are going to be out of the room for more than ten minutes, turn off the light. If you know of a light that everyone forgets to turn off, make a sticker or a sign to hang next to the switch that says “Lights Out!” or “Don’t Forget!”
Where possible, use compact fluorescent light bulbs. Those funny-looking bulbs produce the same amount of light by using 3/4 less electricity. Plus, they last for years and years without burning out.
2. Pull the plug.
It’s not enough to turn your tube off with your remote — to make sure that your devices aren’t draining trickles of electricity, you should unplug them. In fact, if you have any doubt about this “trickle” try listening to your cell phone charger when it’s plugged in — it makes a very quiet buzzing sound. If that sounds like a lot of faff, invest in a Bye Bye Standby (or something similar) — it’s a unit that allows you to switch all your equipment off with one easy switch, which can be placed next to the light switch on the wall.
3. Take note.
Check the seals on your refrigerator and freezer by sticking a dollar bill in the door — if it doesn’t stay exactly where it is, you need to get your seals replaced. Dodgy seals waste energy by allowing warm air into the fridge and cool air out. And check your fridge-freezer location too — if it’s near heat-emitting appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines or cookers, it can use up to 15 percent more energy each year.
4. Wasting water wastes electricity.
Why? Because the biggest use of electricity in most cities is supplying water and cleaning it up after it’s been used.
About 75 percent of the water we use in our homes is used in the bathroom. Unless you have a low flush toilet, for example, you use about 5 to 7 gallons of water with every flush. A leaky toilet can waste more than 10,000 gallons of water a year. Drippy faucets are bad, too. A faucet that leaks enough water to fill a soda bottle every 30 minutes will waste 2,192 gallons of water a year.
Another simple way to save water and energy is to take shorter showers. You’ll use less hot water — and water heaters account for nearly 25 percent of your home’s energy use.
5. Get filtered.
If you find yourself overfilling your kettle in order to avoid pouring the crunchy limescale swimming around the bottom into your lovely cuppa, get a filter kettle. There are lots of different brands to choose from.
6. Turn it down.
Ninety percent of the energy used by washing machines is in water heating, so the best way to save energy is to use cold water and cold water detergents. Turn the setting to 40 degrees on your washing machine for heavily soiled clothes, and wash lightly soiled clothes at 30 degrees. The wash cycle will also usually take less time as there’s less need to heat water.
7. Get cozy.
Make your house a home by installing insulation to make sure you keep the heat where it belongs — inside your house. Even though it’ll cost you to get it done, it could save you several hundred dollars a year. And, in winter, your house will be the only one on the street with snow still on its roof — a sure sign of excellent insulation. I can’t think of a valid reason as to why having snow on your roof is something to be glad about… but it’ll certainly look awesome in your family Christmas photos!
8. Wait for the heat.
It’s tempting to constantly raise and lower your thermostat throughout the day, but it’s a huge waste. Because homes and apartments take time to heat and cool down, pick a good temperature and let the thermostat do the work. If you’re always adjusting your room temperature, your heating system is constantly at work which, in the end, requires more electricity.
9. Shocking news about batteries.
Did you know that Americans use an average of about eight batteries a year per person? Batteries that are thrown away produce most of the heavy metals — dangerous substances like lead, arsenic, zinc, cadmium, copper, and mercury — that are found in household trash. These metals are toxic. They can be harmful to humans and wildlife.
When discarded batteries from our trash wind up in landfills, these dangerous metals can seep into the ground water and eventually into the food chain. So, instead of throwing batteries in the trash, we should all take them to a toxic waste disposal area, if at all possible.
Turn off the toys and games (like GameBoys) that use batteries when you are not playing with them. That makes the batteries last longer, and you won’t need as many of them.
10. Save outside the house.
Remember how saving water saves energy? Use a broom instead of a hose to clean off the driveway, patio or deck — this will save hundreds of gallons of water each year. If you only have a small lawn, consider getting a manual push mower. It doesn’t use any energy except your own. Pushing the mower spins the rotating wheels, which spins the cutter. Consider it good exercise!
Don’t use an electric or gasoline leaf blower. Instead, use a rake. If you need to leave a security light on over night, change the incandescent bulb to a compact fluorescent. It will last months and maybe years and save you energy and money. Some compact fluorescent bulbs even come in yellow so they won’t attract bugs.
Saving energy isn’t hard and, while there’s always room for improvement, it doesn’t have to be a task that consumes you. Try some of these tips and check next month’s bill; you’ll find that you can save money on energy almost without thinking about it. And remember: Conservation not only holds down utility bills, but also prevents increases in the greenhouse gases that cause global warming.
“Don’t blow it - good planets are hard to find.
Most of the power plants in the world use fossil fuels that create an enormous amount of pollution, endanger the environment, and since they are of a limited supply they threaten energy security.
In reaction, a number of firms offer their consumers “green power,” which is a cleaner-burning energy source that provides power similar to that of fossil fuels. These clean-power generators specialize in producing electricity using renewable resources. Additionally, in some countries consumers are allowed to select their power provider the way one might pick a long-distance provider.
Unfortunately, these greener energy sources will not appeal to a wider audience until they become a cheaper alternative, and currently they are not. Until those prices come down and availability goes up, you can still save a considerable amount of money every year, as well as spare the environment any added grief. The fact is that if we all made a few simple, small changes to the way we live, we could make a huge difference for ourselves and future generations.
1. Fight the light!
Don’t leave lights on when no one is in the room. If you are going to be out of the room for more than ten minutes, turn off the light. If you know of a light that everyone forgets to turn off, make a sticker or a sign to hang next to the switch that says “Lights Out!” or “Don’t Forget!”
Where possible, use compact fluorescent light bulbs. Those funny-looking bulbs produce the same amount of light by using 3/4 less electricity. Plus, they last for years and years without burning out.
2. Pull the plug.
It’s not enough to turn your tube off with your remote — to make sure that your devices aren’t draining trickles of electricity, you should unplug them. In fact, if you have any doubt about this “trickle” try listening to your cell phone charger when it’s plugged in — it makes a very quiet buzzing sound. If that sounds like a lot of faff, invest in a Bye Bye Standby (or something similar) — it’s a unit that allows you to switch all your equipment off with one easy switch, which can be placed next to the light switch on the wall.
3. Take note.
Check the seals on your refrigerator and freezer by sticking a dollar bill in the door — if it doesn’t stay exactly where it is, you need to get your seals replaced. Dodgy seals waste energy by allowing warm air into the fridge and cool air out. And check your fridge-freezer location too — if it’s near heat-emitting appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines or cookers, it can use up to 15 percent more energy each year.
4. Wasting water wastes electricity.
Why? Because the biggest use of electricity in most cities is supplying water and cleaning it up after it’s been used.
About 75 percent of the water we use in our homes is used in the bathroom. Unless you have a low flush toilet, for example, you use about 5 to 7 gallons of water with every flush. A leaky toilet can waste more than 10,000 gallons of water a year. Drippy faucets are bad, too. A faucet that leaks enough water to fill a soda bottle every 30 minutes will waste 2,192 gallons of water a year.
Another simple way to save water and energy is to take shorter showers. You’ll use less hot water — and water heaters account for nearly 25 percent of your home’s energy use.
5. Get filtered.
If you find yourself overfilling your kettle in order to avoid pouring the crunchy limescale swimming around the bottom into your lovely cuppa, get a filter kettle. There are lots of different brands to choose from.
6. Turn it down.
Ninety percent of the energy used by washing machines is in water heating, so the best way to save energy is to use cold water and cold water detergents. Turn the setting to 40 degrees on your washing machine for heavily soiled clothes, and wash lightly soiled clothes at 30 degrees. The wash cycle will also usually take less time as there’s less need to heat water.
7. Get cozy.
Make your house a home by installing insulation to make sure you keep the heat where it belongs — inside your house. Even though it’ll cost you to get it done, it could save you several hundred dollars a year. And, in winter, your house will be the only one on the street with snow still on its roof — a sure sign of excellent insulation. I can’t think of a valid reason as to why having snow on your roof is something to be glad about… but it’ll certainly look awesome in your family Christmas photos!
8. Wait for the heat.
It’s tempting to constantly raise and lower your thermostat throughout the day, but it’s a huge waste. Because homes and apartments take time to heat and cool down, pick a good temperature and let the thermostat do the work. If you’re always adjusting your room temperature, your heating system is constantly at work which, in the end, requires more electricity.
9. Shocking news about batteries.
Did you know that Americans use an average of about eight batteries a year per person? Batteries that are thrown away produce most of the heavy metals — dangerous substances like lead, arsenic, zinc, cadmium, copper, and mercury — that are found in household trash. These metals are toxic. They can be harmful to humans and wildlife.
When discarded batteries from our trash wind up in landfills, these dangerous metals can seep into the ground water and eventually into the food chain. So, instead of throwing batteries in the trash, we should all take them to a toxic waste disposal area, if at all possible.
Turn off the toys and games (like GameBoys) that use batteries when you are not playing with them. That makes the batteries last longer, and you won’t need as many of them.
10. Save outside the house.
Remember how saving water saves energy? Use a broom instead of a hose to clean off the driveway, patio or deck — this will save hundreds of gallons of water each year. If you only have a small lawn, consider getting a manual push mower. It doesn’t use any energy except your own. Pushing the mower spins the rotating wheels, which spins the cutter. Consider it good exercise!
Don’t use an electric or gasoline leaf blower. Instead, use a rake. If you need to leave a security light on over night, change the incandescent bulb to a compact fluorescent. It will last months and maybe years and save you energy and money. Some compact fluorescent bulbs even come in yellow so they won’t attract bugs.
Saving energy isn’t hard and, while there’s always room for improvement, it doesn’t have to be a task that consumes you. Try some of these tips and check next month’s bill; you’ll find that you can save money on energy almost without thinking about it. And remember: Conservation not only holds down utility bills, but also prevents increases in the greenhouse gases that cause global warming.
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