Eco-friendly home tech solutions are still carrying a stigma from when they first emerged. They generally required a big capital outlay and many years to earn the cost back. However, eco-friendly house technology has been developing at a rapid rate, and there are now many solutions that provide decent savings for a much smaller initial investment. With energy prices slowly creeping up, and eco-friendly tech prices dropping, we’re now at the point where the savings can far outweigh the cost.
Below are some modern solutions worth considering for your home.
Solar Panels
What most people think about solar panels is now completely outdated. While big solar panels are still available, you can now replace some of your existing roof tiles with ones that produce electricity. They’ll feed the power directly into your home, and you’ll only use power from the main grid when solar power is depleted. Modern solar panels are much more efficient, and many states offer subsidies or tax breaks for those spending money in an environmentally friendly way.
Briquetting Machines
Briquettes are a great way to turn waste into eco-friendly high calorific fuel. They are an efficient way to produce energy. A large percentage of the waste we produce will end up at the dump, and briquetting offers homes a way to be proactive about recycling their waste into something they can use to generate electricity and save money. You can read more about briquetting here if you want to find out more. I’m sure you’ll agree it’s a great way to save money and cut down on the number of resources you use, too.
Modern Appliances
Using older inefficient appliances can greatly increase the energy and water usage of your home. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and the U.S. Department of Energy have set up the Energy Star program to help consumers. Selecting an Energy Star appliance every time you replace one of your old appliances is good for the environment and your wallet. All products with the Energy Star rating must meet strict standards for efficiency and energy consumption.
Backyard Wind Turbine
These miniature versions of full-size wind turbines are becoming an increasingly popular way to reduce energy bills. The tech is dependent on the average wind speeds in your area, as most turbines need an average speed of 5mph or more to generate a meaningful amount of electricity. Residential wind power is unlikely to provide all the electricity you need to run your home, but it can supplement the amount you need to draw from the mains, reducing your energy bills.
Solar Hot Water Heater
Heating a huge tank of water can be costly. Water tanks are insulated to try to maintain the temperature for as long as possible, but they’re still not the most efficient system. A solar hot water heater will use the suns energy to heat the water instead. Many of them also use a backup system to ensure that if the solar energy is depleted you still have hot water.
All of the above systems can be integrated into a home still connected to the mains grid, so homeowners never need to worry about not producing enough power. They can just sit back and look forward to far lower energy bills.
It is no easy feat to make serious changes in any business field. However, some people are making big waves. The last few years have seen so many industries be disruptive with new technology, new ways to deliver products and services and micro businesses.
The tech industry has skyrocketed, to heights that no one saw coming. There are many people driving change in their own sectors too. Let’s take a look at some of the game-changing women of the last few years.
Elsa Bernadotte – Eco Queen
Zero waste is not only a buzzword, but it is also entirely possible. The founder of the Karma app, Elsa Bernadotte connects grocers, cafes and restaurants to customers who want to buy food products at massively discounted prices.
It has been labelled as one of the hottest startups in Europe and with good reason. Not only does this mean that the food waste created by the food industry is kept low (if they’re using the app, of course,) but it means people have to spend a little less on their own food shop and can cook and eat fresh food every day.
Unsold food is still fresh, but it no longer adheres to food standards set for many establishments, the Karma app fixes that.
Shao-Ning Huang – Funding Angel
The co-founder and chief angle for AngelCentral. The big name in making angel investments to smaller start-up companies. AngelCentral works across Southeast Asia. This Singapore based company has well over 500 angel investors that have been linked to start-ups. Of those startups, most, if not all, are aimed at making positive global changes.
Not only is she making a significant impact on many a start-up with funding and finances, she also is a consultant to tech startups. AND, an avid supporter or women-founded companies.
Belinda Stronach – Sports Mover and Shaker
If you know about millionaires, billionaires and some canadian congress you have likely heard of Belinda Stronach. If not then her latest endeavour is set to change the face of the horse-racing industry might ring a bell. As a lifelong businesswoman, she has a tenacious appetite for a challenge and a lot of smarts. This breast cancer survivor is the chairman and president of the Stronach Group (owners of Pimlico). She aims to bring Preakness, and then the entire industry into the 21st century. Which is no small feat. Implementing innovation and modernizing a sport will make a global impact and last change.
Ayah Bdeir – Inspiration For Younger Generation
LittleBits is the little innovation in around 70 countries right now, across 20,000 schools that are making a big impact. Ayah understood that children are forever learning and has created what is essentially electric building blocks. She aims to get more girls interested in Science, Maths, Engineering and Technology by getting creative and building what they want. Instilling confidence in kids that they can make things that they can imagine, and an impressive 40% of LittleBits users are currently girls.
If you search online for tips on starting up your own business, you’ll get a lot of results about business ideas that you can get off the ground with relatively little money. That’s great for people that have limited funds and want to start their own company. But what if you’ve got a lot of money to invest in a new business and you want to start a company that is going to generate a lot more revenue? There isn’t as much advice out there for people who have the spending power to start a more expensive business. If you’ve got a lot of money to invest and you want to put it into a new business, these are some of your best options.
A construction company that has the equipment and manpower to take on large projects can be very lucrative. Often, when people are starting a construction business, they’ll focus on residential properties to start with because they don’t have the capital to invest in the machinery and the employees that they’ll need to work on bigger projects like constructing office blocks or housing developments. But if you’ve got a lot of money to put into a construction business, you can invest in equipment and staff and start taking on the bigger contracts. The payout on these contracts is a lot higher and your profit margins will be a lot larger, but most construction start-ups simply aren’t equipped to handle them. The only issue that you might face is competition from established construction companies that have good relationships with the clients that offer these kinds of contracts, but as long as you market yourself effectively and your prices are competitive, there will be work out there for you.
Boat Sales
If you want to earn the most money, you need to go after the high profile clients who have got the most cash to spend. That’s why boat sales is a good business to go into because you can charge a premium for a good quality boat. However, it’s an expensive business to set up because, if you want to get the high level clients, you’ll need to pay for a good marine architect to design your boats and then cover the manufacturing costs as well. You could also consider buying from an existing boat manufacturer and selling them on, but you won’t make as much money this way.
Manufacturing
If you can set up a good manufacturing operation that has the capability to make a wide range of products, you can find contracts from so many different businesses. There is always a need for good manufacturing facilities so you won’t be short of work. But manufacturing equipment is so expensive that most people can’t afford to get started in this industry. If you’re going to start a manufacturing business, it’s important that you consider market trends. For example, it’s probably not a good idea to set up a facility that manufactures plastic packaging, because people are moving away from that in the majority of industries.
If you have the money to make a large investment in a new business and you want to see a big return on that investment, these are some of your best options.
If you ever find yourself going from your house to your work and back again and the amount of outdoors and nature you see daily is only in passing, you might be stuck in an urban jungle. Now some people would not mind at all, the mere thought of not having the modern comforts at a throwing distance would make them break out in sweat. Other people would look at their urban jungle as somewhat as a prison. If you are part of the latter group, it’s time to put on your outdoorsy boots and get going. Here are the top five pursuits for intrepid adventurers.
The first on the list is obviously hiking. All you really need is a good pair of hiking boots, a daypack with some water and food and a general plan of where you are going. You can choose to just go hike in the local woodlands area, or you can plan a bigger adventure out on rolling plains. Hiking can be as cheap or expensive as you want it to be.
The next big outdoorsy adventure for most is fishing. There is something truly mesmerizing about being at a lake, with just your thoughts and a fishing rod to keep you company. In a busy world with our always-on always-reachable devices in our pockets, this is a great way to unwind and slow down. Ditch your phone in your fishing backpack and go find your center again.
While you go hiking and fishing down, you might as well go camping. A tent, a spot for a campfire and some marshmallows are all you need. Nothing beats waking up in your tent, emerging to a smoldering campfire, starting the fire up again and boil some water on it for your hot cup of coffee. All while you feel one with nature. Doubly so when nature indeed calls, and you have to figure out what to do.
If camping is just a step up for you, consider climbing. Obviously, you will need some proper training before you even attempt to climb, it’s not something you can just jump into. Also, you will need some gear to be able to climb whatever your target is. With some patience, training, equipment and a decent amount of rational thinking, climbing might be your thing. Just don’t jump into freestyle climbing straight away. Not all of us can pretend to be Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible.
And if climbing isn’t hardcore enough for you, try spelunking. Again, not for the fainthearted or ill-prepared, but spelunking will genuinely open a whole new world. Many miles away from your regular office cubicle. Still, as with climbing, you will need patience, training, and gear. Consider going on courses and guided tours for a while. Even if you think you are ready to do it without an instructor or guide, make sure you have people with you. And if you ever decide to go solo, let people know what you are doing and where you will be.
Many people struggle through problems when it comes to their physical and mental health. In some cases, this is the way forward. Time can heal most things. Sometimes, however, problems with your health won’t simply disappear if you wait them out. Sometimes, you have to directly address those problems if you want to make a positive difference to your life. If your wellbeing is suffering with no sign of improvement then your lifestyle might be due a change. Here are some ways in which you could achieve that change.
One way in which you should try to improve your lifestyle and overall wellbeing is to start developing healthier eating patterns. Regardless of your current waistline size, eating healthily could massively improve your overall wellbeing. The food in your gut even affects your mental state; it changes the way we think. Weight is only a small factor when it comes the food we eat. Being slim doesn’t necessarily equate to eating well, and this is the problem with so many fad diets. Denying your budy the sustenance it needs isn’t good for you. Instead, you need to focus on cutting junk food out of your diet and replacing those bad food options with healthier alternatives. Whole foods such as fruit, vegetables, beans, and whole grains are examples of healthy natural food.
The less processing is involved with the food you eat, the better it’ll be for your body. The goal is to ensure your meals have high nutritional value. You shouldn’t be scared of calories; just avoid empty calories. Remember that being underweight is as bad for your physical and mental wellbeing as being overweight. A filling diet is key to long-term healthiness. You might achieve your weight goals more gradually, but you’ll maintain that healthy weight because you’ll be following a diet that can be sustained in the long run. It’s about getting into a healthy eating pattern rather than trying new !quick fix” diets every couple of weeks.
Say goodbye to damaging habits.
We talked about developing good habits in the previous point, but it’s also important to say goodbye to damaging habits if you want to change your lifestyle in a way that benefits both your physical and mental wellbeing. We talked about this in terms of cutting junk food out of your diet, but damaging habits can come in many forms. Some people can moderate their intake of junk food, alcohol, and other treats that are fine on occasion. But if you consume such things excessively then it might be time to cut them out of your daily routine. If you’ve been struggling to do so then you should seek help from loved ones or even a therapist. Addictions can damage more than just your physical and mental wellbeing, after all; they affect those around us. If excessive drinking has put you behind the wheel and caused an incident then you might want to seek help from a defense attorney. It’s important to resolve your issues on all levels if you want to make a lasting change to your lifestyle and overall wellbeing.
Every day, you should allow yourself 20-30 minutes of relaxation. Allow yourself more if you have time, but that should be the initial goal you set for yourself. You might be a busy modern-day adult, but don’t underestimate the importance of taking time to unwind on a daily basis. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Even relaxing on the couch whilst you watch sports could have a hugely beneficial impact on your mental state. It could be a chance to invite some friends over too. You should set aside some relaxation time for socializing with your buddies, family members, and new people. Talking to others and having a laugh is essential to your health.
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