Can All Metal Buildings Withstand An Earthquake

July 4th, 2009 Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off


In certain areas of the world, it is crucial to build structures to withstand the massive shock and damage associated with earthquakes. Unfortunately, science has not yet developed an early warning system that can give immediate notice when an earthquake is imminent. Thus, we are completely at nature’s mercy to survive an earthquake, and buildings must be built to withstand an earthquake at any time.

Much research and study has been devoted to learning which types of structures fare best in an earthquake. Generally speaking the consensus is that metal buildings fare better than concrete.

However, one might ask: does this mean that all metal buildings can withstand an earthquake?

The answer is no. Just because a building is metal does not mean it will automatically do well in an earthquake.

Metal structures are more likely to survive earthquakes because they are more ductile — they can bend and flex without breaking. This characteristic is crucial in a serious earthquake.

The most common type of metal used to build earthquake-safe buildings is steel rebar. Steel rebar has the ductility that is critical to absorbing earthquake and is very strong, making it the best and most effective option for building in an earthquake zone.

Steel rebar has proven to be an excellent building material that can withstand earthquakes, but it is not fool-proof in and of itself. It must be applied with the correct engineering and architectural principles to maximize its effectiveness. If you are considering using steel rebar to build an earthquake-resistant structure, be absolutely sure your plans and methods are correct, or hire a builder who is familiar with such structures.

Other types of metal buildings are far less resistant to earthquakes, and can be quite unsafe in earthquake-prone areas. Many metal modular homes are not constructed to withstand the tremendous shock of an earthquake. These types of buildings would be very unsafe in an earthquake zone. Also, sheet metal buildings are very fragile and highly likely to collapse during an earthquake. Experts do not recommend either of these types of structures to be placed in an earthquake zone. Some zoning laws forbid them altogether.

Another very important factor that influences whether a building will survive an earthquake is the distribution of weight. A building that is top-heavy is more likely to fall than a building that is lightweight at the top. An earthquake-safe building not only should be constructed with steel rebar. It should be framed with lighter materials in the upper floors and have a heavily reinforced lower section.

The most important lesson to learn from this discussion is that just because a building is made of metal doesn’t necessarily mean it is earthquake proof. To be fully earthquake proof, a building needs to be built with the correct materials (like steel rebar) and be built according to the correct standards.

If you are building a commercial facility, you owe it to yourself, your customers, and anyone who uses the building to use the best materials and techniques available to you. You want to get the most out of your investment, so give it the attention it merits.
Steel buildings offer durability and protection for your storage needs. Choose from pre-fabricated steel buildings or customize to meet your storage needs. http://www.futuresteel.com/

Natural Born Mold Killers Can Save You And Our Environment From Chemical Exposure

July 3rd, 2009 Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off


While there are a lot of different commercial chemicals that are used to kill mold, a lot of people do not like to use a lot of household chemicals in their homes.

There is a belief that the more we use chemicals in our daily lives, the more harm they will end up doing us and since there may be some truth to this, some people have found other ways to kill mold besides the cleaners that we find in department and grocery stores.

Three natural ingredients have been found to kill mold quite effectively, but two of them are quite expensive and one is, well, kind of stinky.

The most widely available and inexpensive of the three natural ways to kill mold is vinegar. It is by far the cheapest natural method and the most simple to use. Distilled white vinegar is the best kind to use because it has no color to it and there is no risk of discoloring anything you might put it on.

Vinegar will reportedly kill around 82 percent of molds in your home. While it will not kill all kinds of mold, it will kill most of the kind that you find indoors and if it does not kill it, you will most assuredly know.

All you have to do is put the mold into a spray bottle, spray it on the area of mold and if you can stand the smell, let it stay on the surface without rinsing it. The smell should go away after a few hours and the mold should have died soon after.

Another way to kill mold, even if it is a bit expensive, is tea tree oil. You can find this at most health food stores and it has a little more broad of a spectrum of fungi that it will get rid of than vinegar.

Combine 2 teaspoons of tea tree oil with 2 cups of water in a spray bottle. Shake it up to blend the two and spray on anything that has mold on it. Do not rinse it off. This should make about two cups and it should last indefinitely.

The last way to do this is by using grapefruit seed extract. The advantage of this is that grapefruit seed extract has no smell to it. 20 drops of the extract and two cups of water in a spray bottle should do the trick. Follow the same directions for the tea tree oil.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality Miami water damage restoration companies and mold remediation companies across the united states.

Ski Resorts Fear Greenhouse Will Melt Away 2008 Tourists

July 2nd, 2009 Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off


With ski holidays increasing in popularity over the last twenty years, Andorra has been increasing her visitor numbers to over ten million per annum for ski holidays and happily investing for the future to ensure she remains as one of Europe’s top ski destinations but that came to a screeching halt this year when the one thing a ski destination really needs didn’t arrive - snow.

The Andorra authorities are hoping that the lack of snow which kept so many regular visitors as well as new ones away this year is a one off, and that snow in November will mean a normal level of bookings for the new 2007/8 season.

But if this year is a sign of things to come for the European ski industry as a result of global warming, Andorra is considering a future with little snow, and having to diversify.

Andorra is a tax free country, and benefits from high employment in the financial services and banking sectors, but reports from the country suggest that revenue raising via a new corporate tax is being considered. But according to a local travel guide for Andorra this is unlikely.

‘Introducing a corporation tax could be counter-productive as a revenue raiser, they say. Continuing ‘Andorra is along with Monaco Europe’s most complete tax haven, and it would give high net worth individuals who would be looking for residency in Andorra and spending money in the country second thoughts. The Andorra authorities know that they can’t start introducing personal income tax because that really would kill the goose that lays the golden egg. Take away Andorra’s ski industry and the country’s in trouble - take away her tax haven status too and it would decimate her economy.’

Andorra has invested heavily in new infrastructure and facilities for the ski tourist in recent years, which would make a second successive poor season particularly hard to bear.

This year Andorra opened a new family friendly ski park in Arinsal, moving away further still from her old image of a cheap and cheerful ski holiday for 18-30 year olds to one that caters well for all. The snow park includes a conveyor belt and a game zone, designed to give children confidence before they ski and use the chair lifts.

Well known ski villages in Andorra include Soldeu, Ordino as well as Arinsal.

Other new developments in Andorra for the 2007 ski season included a 540 space underground car park in La Massana close to the cable car, and an extension of the beginners area in Arinsal.

Commenting on the new facilities, the travel guide for Andorra claims that should the snow levels return to normal it will allow Andorra to compete with other ski areas in Europe for the future.
For ski holiday information about Andorra, including the village of Ordino visit YourAndorra.com YourAndorra.com includes ski holiday to Andorra information and reviews for hotels in Barcelona

Why Buy Energy Efficient Appliances

July 1st, 2009 Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off


When purchasing a new home appliance, a lot of people have the tendency to go straight to the discount department and select the cheapest models available. Sometimes the difference in price can be indeed significant, but is it really worth it?

You have to be aware that most of the time, the cheapest models of appliances are far from being the most energy efficient ones, which is why is highly recommended to select the model which is likely to produce future benefits, rather than just having a reduced price on the shelf. In other words, if you end up by buying a fridge that is more expensive than the discounted models, but has, on the other hand, the energy saving option available, you will discover that it is worth the extra money because the energy costs will be reduced.

In order to make sure the appliance you are about to purchase has the right kind of features there are some simple steps to follow: carefully read the label or the user guide; try to compare the energy consumption for apparently similar models; do not forget to consider both the price and the estimated energy consumption when deciding on a specific model.

The main reason, however, for which you should turn towards an energy efficient model, is related, first of all, to the amount you pay for your utility bills. However, it is as well, very important to keep in mind the fact that the use of all these appliances help reducing the pollution in the air and conserving natural resources.

Despite the fact the majority of the home appliance brands available on the market do meet energy conservation standards, you have to be aware that some models are more energy efficient than others, which is why you should not hurry into taking any decision, before reviewing all the possible options.
Detailed information about energy saving, including tips on household savings and environmental issues, are available at http://www.energyshack.com/

How Much Can a Stay at Home Mom Really Do For the Environment

June 30th, 2009 Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off


Why is it that when women talk about being a stay at home mother, many describe themselves as being “just” a stay at home mom? I’ve always felt that there’s nothing so simple about it. As a stay at home mom you have the power to make a big difference for your family or even for others.

I like to think about the environment, for example. There are plenty of things you can do around the home to make sure that your family lives in a more environmentally friendly way. Some of it can even save money, which is often near and dear to the stay at home mother’s heart.

You’re always home, so that probably means you’re always using some electricity. But at some times of the year you can cut down on your electricity usage by something as simple as opening the blinds during the day and letting the sun light the house. This may not work in the dead of winter or when it’s so hot during the summer that you’d have to turn on the air conditioning, but it can be effective.

You can think about the cleaning supplies that you use. Cut out the harsh chemical cleansers that probably aren’t all that good for your family anyhow and pick ones that are more environmentally friendly.

Think about how you’re cooking for your family. Some cooking methods are far more energy efficient than others. If you like, you can even cook multiple meals at once to save energy.

Remember that when you have the time to cook for your family, you don’t need to waste money on fast food, which also produces a lot of garbage. You can also avoid more prepared foods, thereby avoiding the excess packaging and preservatives.

You can drive less. Being at home means that if the school is within walking distance, you can walk the kids to and from school. Great exercise as well as not using your car.

For that matter, you may be able to walk to the store. I’ve been known to go to the grocery store, kids in a wagon, lock up the wagon outside the store just like a bike, then haul the load home. It does work. You just have to be sure that the store is close enough for this to be a comfortable activity for you.

You can plant an organic garden. Not only is this a great way to have fresh vegetables without pesticides, it’s a delightful way to teach your children about where food comes from. Sometimes the hardest part is keeping the kids away from the garden long enough to get the produce to the table.

There’s more you can do, of course. This is just a quick list off the top of my head to get you thinking. As a stay at home mom I find there are lots of little things I could do that would be much harder if I weren’t at home.
Stephanie Foster blogs at http://www.greensahm.com/ about being a stay at home mom trying to be more environmentally friendly. Read about how she’s helping her family go green at her site.

Going Green In Your Office The Easy Way

June 29th, 2009 Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off


Many of us want to be responsible citizens of the Earth. We think about the effects our lifestyles have on the environment. We are concerned about global warming. We want to ensure our children’s future on this planet is one that still has clean air to breathe, an abundance of trees and wildlife, and clean water to drink. However, many of us also think that the sacrifices might be too great to “go green” in our own office. Good news. It’s not as difficult as you think.

There are 3 areas where you can make a significant impact without significant expense or inconvenience: paper, lights, and electronics.

The average American office worker throws out about 150 pounds of paper per year. Paper manufacturing contributes to the deforestation of the planet and in America is responsible for 35 million tons of CO2 a year. So what can you do? Buy recycled paper. Make full use of that paper by printing on both sides and/or using paper that is only printed on one side for scratch paper. Do your proofreading and edits on your computer before printing to reduce the number of prints you make. Re-use file folders by placing new labels over the old ones. All of these changes are easy to make but have a big impact. Pretty painless, right?

Another way you can go green in your office is as easy as changing a light bulb. In fact, it is changing a light bulb. Incandescent bulbs use 4 times more energy than is necessary to produce light. Halogen lights can get as hot as 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s hot enough to cook an egg! Alternately, Energy Star certified compact fluorescent lights (CFL’s) use 75% less energy to produce the same amount of light, last 10 times longer and produce less heat. If you feel like you need even more reason to switch to CFL’s, consider that you will also save money over the lifetime of the bulb. Once you have made the switch to energy efficient bulbs, make sure lights are turned off when they are not needed. A great way to ensure that this happens is with motion sensors that will turn the lights off when everyone has left the room.

38% of all of the carbon dioxide emissions come from the electricity we generate. That electricity is used to power all sorts of things. A major drain on our electricity is all of our office equipment such as computers, copiers, printers, and fax machines. When going green with your electronics, you need to look at 3 factors. You need to consider the waste that is created in the manufacturing of the products, the effects on the environment when you use the products, and the waste that is created when you are done with the products. That may seem like a lot to think about but if you follow these simple guidelines, you will be able to minimize the negative impact your office equipment has on the environment.

The manufacturing of electronics uses a lot of resources including electricity, raw materials, and water. Electronics also account for billions of pounds of municipal waste each year. Just a few of the contaminants that electronics create are toxic heavy metals, lead, PCB’s, mercury, and various acids. To lessen your office’s affect on the number of new pieces of equipment that are manufactured, as well as end up in land fills, buy all-in-one machines that combine multiple functions into one. Whenever possible, get rid of machines completely by using services such as Internet fax. With an Internet fax service you get rid of the fax machine completely, as well as reduce the amount of paper and ink that gets consumed. Another way to decrease waste is to recycle machines that are no longer working and donate those that do to charities where they will stay in use.

25% of the total electricity used by all commercial buildings in the US is consumed by office buildings. When buying any new office equipment, look for Energy Star certified machines. This will make a huge difference in the amount of electricity that is used to run your office. For example, an Energy Star certified computer is going to be 52% more efficient than a standard one. Laptops also use a lot less energy than desktops, so consider whether this is a viable option for your office. Energy efficient machines are also going to have stand by options that will power down or go into sleep mode to conserve energy when not in use. Once the office is closing for the day, make sure that all equipment is powered off.

Taking these steps will get you on your way to going green in your office. And as I promised, they will help you make a significant impact without significant cost or inconvenience to you and your employees. And you thought going green was going to be hard.
Brandi Cummings is an expert author on various topics relating to small and home based businesses. Take the first step to going green in your office and visit www.Fax800.com for Internet fax solutions.

How Much Can a Stay at Home Mom Really Do For the Environment

June 28th, 2009 Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off


Why is it that when women talk about being a stay at home mother, many describe themselves as being “just” a stay at home mom? I’ve always felt that there’s nothing so simple about it. As a stay at home mom you have the power to make a big difference for your family or even for others.

I like to think about the environment, for example. There are plenty of things you can do around the home to make sure that your family lives in a more environmentally friendly way. Some of it can even save money, which is often near and dear to the stay at home mother’s heart.

You’re always home, so that probably means you’re always using some electricity. But at some times of the year you can cut down on your electricity usage by something as simple as opening the blinds during the day and letting the sun light the house. This may not work in the dead of winter or when it’s so hot during the summer that you’d have to turn on the air conditioning, but it can be effective.

You can think about the cleaning supplies that you use. Cut out the harsh chemical cleansers that probably aren’t all that good for your family anyhow and pick ones that are more environmentally friendly.

Think about how you’re cooking for your family. Some cooking methods are far more energy efficient than others. If you like, you can even cook multiple meals at once to save energy.

Remember that when you have the time to cook for your family, you don’t need to waste money on fast food, which also produces a lot of garbage. You can also avoid more prepared foods, thereby avoiding the excess packaging and preservatives.

You can drive less. Being at home means that if the school is within walking distance, you can walk the kids to and from school. Great exercise as well as not using your car.

For that matter, you may be able to walk to the store. I’ve been known to go to the grocery store, kids in a wagon, lock up the wagon outside the store just like a bike, then haul the load home. It does work. You just have to be sure that the store is close enough for this to be a comfortable activity for you.

You can plant an organic garden. Not only is this a great way to have fresh vegetables without pesticides, it’s a delightful way to teach your children about where food comes from. Sometimes the hardest part is keeping the kids away from the garden long enough to get the produce to the table.

There’s more you can do, of course. This is just a quick list off the top of my head to get you thinking. As a stay at home mom I find there are lots of little things I could do that would be much harder if I weren’t at home.
Stephanie Foster blogs at http://www.greensahm.com/ about being a stay at home mom trying to be more environmentally friendly. Read about how she’s helping her family go green at her site.

The Pros and Cons In The Work Of A Cultivator

June 27th, 2009 Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off


A cultivator is a person who is involved in the cultivation and supervision of a land, whether he may own the land or not.

They play a vital role to the development of agriculture all throughout the world. Since agriculture is one of the most important of all existing industries, these cultivators provide the world with the most basic necessity which is food.

If these all of the world’s cultivators decided to stop plowing their crop, majority of the world’s population would be stuck of panic and a world-wide hunger would occur. In the end, their country and the world depends mostly upon their services.

There are many benefits and disadvantages on working as a cultivator.

Since the beginning of time, the cultivator does their own tilling of the soil, planting and after a while, harvesting of the crops.

Many of the traditional cultivators still use this process. But, because of recent scientific discoveries on agriculture, studies on soil, high-tech machinery, and modern fertilizers, the cultivators’ job becomes more stress-free.

Because of these up to date discoveries, further learning on machineries and knowledge on their soil and fertilizers should be taken into consideration for all cultivators. They have to know how to take care of the machines to be able to go to work instantly.

The efforts of a cultivator may be very disappointing when the forces of nature are beyond the cultivators’ control. Because agriculture depends on the weather conditions, extreme rain, sunshine, or frost may cause the entire crops of the farmer to get ruined. The total year-round work wasted with a few days of weather calamity.

Other factors like plant diseases and insect pests are another factor for the downfall of a cultivators’ work. These factors could be dealt with the advice of experts from the government which updates these cultivators on what to do.

For the cultivator to start his own farm, a considerable amount of money is needed for the business capital. Not anybody could afford buying a large area to be planted on, so the farmers resort to taking care of other landlord’s farm.

Plus, the market of the products is unstable depending on the location of your farm. If the transportation costs exceed the returns he gets from his harvest, the work is not worth it.

A farmer is independent in his work. The cultivators’ boss is his own. He has the control of his daily routine, whether he prefers heavy or light work for the day. He will decide the modernization of his own land if it needs innovations.

He could try anything he likes on his farm. If he has studied on a modern variety of tomatoes, he could experiment on his own and grab success or fall on his own mistake. His farm is always a work on progress.

The best advantage of all cultivators is his work cannot be studied on books and research alone. The more experience one farmer has on the field, the knowledgeable he becomes on the end product of his crop.

But, it wouldn’t harm the farmer to study about new technologies that could help raise his profession into a new level. This would make his job a lot easier and a better opportunity for market.

Many professions and trades are available in the competitive working force. But one trade stands out, which is agriculture, because nothing can replace food than food itself. The cultivator, who produces the world’s food, is a worker whom the world couldn’t manage without.
James Monahan is the owner and Senior Editor of CultivatorBase.com and writes expert articles about cultivator.

An Overview Of Energy Efficiently

June 26th, 2009 Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off


While we often think of energy efficiency as the way to save our environment, we also often consider it a costly endeavor. Did you realize, however, that your homes energy bill might be reduced by up to 30 percent through energy-efficiency that includes the purchase or energy efficient appliances and other products? In other words, you can save yourself money while you do your part to save the planet.

Every time you buy a new air conditioning unit, a new washer or dryer, a new refrigerator, microwave, or piece of office equipment, you are affecting the environment, either positively or negatively depending on your choices. Smart choices of products designed for energy efficiency help the air we all breathe and reduce your energy bill each month.

Here is some basic information about how energy efficiency works and why its helpful. A great deal of the energy you consume in your home is produced by local power plants that must burn fossil fuel to create the energy. These fossil fuels might be natural gas, coal or oil.

These fossil fuels also create pollution. This pollution harms not only the environment but ultimately the people, as it causes smog, acid rain and respiratory diseases. Fossil fuel pollution is also a strong factor in changing the climate of the globe.

While we hear a lot about the harmful gas emissions that emanate from vehicles, what we dont hear much about is the fact that your home probably produces twice as much of these emissions as the average automobile.

Opting for energy efficiency through your choice of products that are energy efficient is one of the best ways you can reduce your consumption of energy and thus your distribution of harmful emissions of greenhouse gas. Any household that buys equipment designed for energy efficiency puts a big dent in harmful emissions of carbon dioxide.

In fact, over the lifetime of one of these energy efficient appliances or other products you will have reduced pollution the equivalent of what would be saved by one fewer vehicle for seven years. The use of energy efficient household products reduces nitrogen oxides too, which contribute extensively to acid rain and smog.

The average U.S. household spends about 1500 each year on energy. Energy-efficiency can reduce this bill by 400-450 annually. If youre concerned about energy efficiency and wish to not only save the environment but save yourself some money it will help to know which appliances account for what portion of your energy use and bill.

The biggest, which probably comes as no surprise, is your heat and air conditioning. This is a whopping 45 percent of your energy bill. Your water heater uses up 11 percent of your energy, and your washer and dryer 10 percent. The lighting for your home is seven percent of your energy costs, while your refrigerator is six percent of your bill.

Your dishwasher, computer, monitor, TV, VCR, DVD player and similar equipment each use up about two percent of your total energy consumption. Stoves, microwaves and other smaller appliances generally account for the rest, though at less than two percent of the total each.
James Copper is employed by newcareerskills.co.uk who help people to become a qualified energy assessor.

The Pros and Cons In The Work Of A Cultivator

June 26th, 2009 Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off


A cultivator is a person who is involved in the cultivation and supervision of a land, whether he may own the land or not.

They play a vital role to the development of agriculture all throughout the world. Since agriculture is one of the most important of all existing industries, these cultivators provide the world with the most basic necessity which is food.

If these all of the world’s cultivators decided to stop plowing their crop, majority of the world’s population would be stuck of panic and a world-wide hunger would occur. In the end, their country and the world depends mostly upon their services.

There are many benefits and disadvantages on working as a cultivator.

Since the beginning of time, the cultivator does their own tilling of the soil, planting and after a while, harvesting of the crops.

Many of the traditional cultivators still use this process. But, because of recent scientific discoveries on agriculture, studies on soil, high-tech machinery, and modern fertilizers, the cultivators’ job becomes more stress-free.

Because of these up to date discoveries, further learning on machineries and knowledge on their soil and fertilizers should be taken into consideration for all cultivators. They have to know how to take care of the machines to be able to go to work instantly.

The efforts of a cultivator may be very disappointing when the forces of nature are beyond the cultivators’ control. Because agriculture depends on the weather conditions, extreme rain, sunshine, or frost may cause the entire crops of the farmer to get ruined. The total year-round work wasted with a few days of weather calamity.

Other factors like plant diseases and insect pests are another factor for the downfall of a cultivators’ work. These factors could be dealt with the advice of experts from the government which updates these cultivators on what to do.

For the cultivator to start his own farm, a considerable amount of money is needed for the business capital. Not anybody could afford buying a large area to be planted on, so the farmers resort to taking care of other landlord’s farm.

Plus, the market of the products is unstable depending on the location of your farm. If the transportation costs exceed the returns he gets from his harvest, the work is not worth it.

A farmer is independent in his work. The cultivators’ boss is his own. He has the control of his daily routine, whether he prefers heavy or light work for the day. He will decide the modernization of his own land if it needs innovations.

He could try anything he likes on his farm. If he has studied on a modern variety of tomatoes, he could experiment on his own and grab success or fall on his own mistake. His farm is always a work on progress.

The best advantage of all cultivators is his work cannot be studied on books and research alone. The more experience one farmer has on the field, the knowledgeable he becomes on the end product of his crop.

But, it wouldn’t harm the farmer to study about new technologies that could help raise his profession into a new level. This would make his job a lot easier and a better opportunity for market.

Many professions and trades are available in the competitive working force. But one trade stands out, which is agriculture, because nothing can replace food than food itself. The cultivator, who produces the world’s food, is a worker whom the world couldn’t manage without.
James Monahan is the owner and Senior Editor of CultivatorBase.com and writes expert articles about cultivator.

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