Conserve Water---Don't Be a Drip

Living in the good 'ol USA and with modern technology and all---well, we take a lot for granted. Over a hundred years ago when people in this country, like some people still do in other countries, had to get their water from a well, stream, or brook, they knew that water was precious, as in, if they don't use it and conserve it wisely then they have to haul themselves back to the lake complete with a bucket like Jack and Jill who went up a hill to fetch a pail of water. Sing it with me now. So those folks were right more thoughtful of how they used their water. Well, thanks to modern revolution and all, we don't have to traipse on up a hill and haul back with buckets of heavy water. I tell you what though, those folks--and their kids too---were in shape and had muscles and knew that in order to have water, they had to make the concerted effort to go to the lake and get some. What if the lake was froze over? What if it was snowing and a blizzard? I mean, that would make it even more of a reason to conserve water. After all, who wants to go back-and-forth to fetch water--- or rather, ice---in a blizzard, right? Kids helped with the family chores and did their part. There was no parental shelter from routine survival chores lest the kids grow up and leave the nest and have some sense of being responsible for their own lives and not dependent on mommy and daddy and... I mean---OK, that is a subject for another rant---I mean blog. But my point in this rather exasperatingly winded intro is that just because we have modern conveniences at our disposals that doesn't entitle us--- yes, there is that overly used and rather accurate word for our 21st century attitude that many folks have these days---it doesn't entitle us to just turn Mister Faucet on full blast and let the entire Pacific Ocean into our kitchen sink. I mean, I tell you what. I can't believe how people will literally let the water flow and flow and flow out of their faucet as though the Hoover dam broke loose. Really? You needed that much water just so you could rinse a dish with a few toast crumbs on it so it's clean for your fangle-dangle dishwasher to run 6 gallons of water per cycle--4 gallons, depending if you have an energy star rated dish washer---on it? I think, OK, so you don't care if we're in the longest drought since before God had Noah build an ark. Go ahead and just turn on the faucet and let 'er rip.

Well if anyone cares to take a little extra dose of pride and concern with handling our natural resources with a tad bit more respect, then you best take heed to these water conservation tips.

Here is a link to National Geographic and their commonsense tips to sparing water.
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/water-conservation-tips/

Like, don't run the water when you're shaving or brushing your teeth. What benefit does that accomplish? Other than not wanting to take that extra moment to turn off the faucet and then turn it back on again when needed. Even fixing that incessantly annoying dripping faucet.

• one gallon of water is 15,140 drips
• one liter of water is 4,000 drips

Brush up or wash up with some water education on:
http://water.usgs.gov/edu/

It's really simple.
Why not take the Water IQ Quiz? First a lesson in Water 101:
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/freshwater-101-quiz/

I only got one right on it so I wasn't as smart as I thought. But the second time around I got a whooping 90% on it. I paid attention to the answers, somewhat.

These sites are user friendly and speak in layman's terms so you don't have to worry about a bunch of science jargon being thrown your way and boring you to tears, which would be a waste of your own water. 

So don't be a drip and help restore fresh water ecosystems and save the Colorado River and do your part to return water to the River.

Remember, only you can prevent a parched land. Hey, see what I did with that? Thanks for the line inspiration, Smokey. 

A/C Tips For A Healthier Longevity To Your Hard-Working A/C Unit

We know how hot it's been here in SoCal. Unbelievably hot!!! So what happens when it gets this hot? People crank up the A/C. They also turn it off when they leave for the day because they know that by the end of their electrical billing cycle, they are going to see one ginormous bill. So they mistakenly believe that turning off their A/C all day and turning it back on to freezing temperatures when they return home for the day, will save them oodles of money. NOT!!! Talk about setting your A/C up for failure---of the mechanical nature, that is.

As a hairdresser for more than 20 years, I have had the pleasure of speaking with many different people in many different occupations---one being plumbing, heating and air conditioning. These guys would tell me that they are constantly fixing air conditioners in the summer because people will shut off their air during the day and then blast it when they get home by putting it down to something crazy like 30 degrees, thinking that it will cool the place off quicker than if they set it at 70 degrees. It won't cool it down any quicker but rather the unit is in a constant state of running, which can burn out the motor. The harried repairmen would tell me that the units freeze over and shut down because the demand for power is too much at once, which is taxing on the unit. A few times of playing the up-and-down thermostat game is not appreciated by Mister A/C.

The answer: Set your A/C on a desired temp, such as 70-75 degrees, then when you go out for the day and you're not at home---OK, increase the thermostat to 80-85 degrees, so when you get home and you arrive to a hot house you can lower the thermostat back down to 70-75 degrees and your A/C unit won't have to work so hard to catch up. Also, this will help lower your electrical bill because it won't be requiring as much energy power at once to lower the temperature. Some folks don't believe it will lower your electricity bill, but I can just tell you that our bill has been lower since following the practices set forth in this infomercial post that I humbly share with you. At any rate, you will save yourself a lot of money, time and headache not to mention on your pocketbook, by not getting a new A/C unit prematurely by sending yours to its electrical grave, AKA the landfill, before it's full life span.

The most efficient way to have your thermostat adjust to the comfortable temperatures you want is by having a programmable thermostat, that way you can set it to the desired time you want the temperature to be at a desired setting rather than having to manually do it daily, all day long.

Also, having ceiling fans or additional floor fans helps to circulate the cool air your A/C is cooling your place down with. Note: During the summer, ceiling fans should be blowing the air in the downward direction, but in the winter, the fans should be blowing in the reverse upward direction at a much lower speed.
 
And use common sense---

• Close all the outside doors and windows when your A/C is running. Even if it's not running, you don't want to let in oven-hot air in your humble abode.

• Close shades, drapes and blinds. You know, make your house dark and cool.

• Avoid placing appliances that give off heat such as lamps or TVs near a thermostat.

• Make sure you are cleaning the filter of the A/C at least every three months. 

The more the A/C is run the dirtier the filter gets and the more often it needs to be clean. Keep a log taped to the door where your filter is located and note the date you changed the filter. It's not always something you remember you did last---change an A/C filter, that is--- but paper never forgets.

For more information, click on the energy saving tips for air conditioners, link.
http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/tips-air-conditioners

Graffiti Removal...I mean...Publically Displayed Unsolicited Graphic Design Removal

You know, it seems like walls, freeways, buildings, structures, signs, buses and trains get the nasty ugly ink the most. It's crazy how some aspiring artists think that if there is a bare space that it's an open field day to anyone who has a can of spray paint that they can just go create some sordid design that may or may not be art. After all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Regardless, if it's not your property then go write and mark up your own belongings. All the world is not your canvas beckoning your call to create your self-proclaimed work of art.

While nearly every city should provide graffiti removal at no additional cost, I say, 'No additional cost," because we all pay for that service out of taxpayer money. But if you see a mass mess of ink on some public city-owned property, please---call your local city hall and ask for their graffiti removal hot line.

Usually you start the website search with, "City of Podunk Pun" or whatever the city the lovely piece of unsolicited artwork may be featured, and then it will be under their maintenance or public works or simply, "Graffiti Removal" section of that city's web page. Then give 'em a holler and tell 'em that someone didn't do their parenting job very well and forgot to give their kid a piece of paper and crayon so all of that penned up creative energy is being splish splashed all over your town and you want it removed before it encourages other wannabe da Vinci artists to display their form of art next to or right over the newest edition. You know this line of work is highly competitive.

Nothing makes a town or neighborhood more shotty than to see this sort of eyesore. So expedience to get this taken care of is of the utmost importance. Especially since our hard-working tax dollars don't have to go to special graffiti removal services more than absolutely necessary. What this means is if we as concern citizens for a more aesthetically pleasing neighborhood or town make so much as a phone call to notify our city that this graffiti exists, just as soon as you see it, like run don't walk to your nearest phone and make that call today. It will be handled quickly because the city doesn't want to have to clean up more graffiti than it has to and it will have a lot more to deal with, which means a lot more manpower and a lot more expense, if the existing piece of artwork doesn't get removed, like yesterday, ---then today and tomorrow, other aspiring taggers will add to the existing pieces of talent to compete for first place.

In the meantime, I provided a link to a company who is in the biz of getting rid of the "artwork" with industrial strength product. They even have volunteer kits for those of you who would consider yourselves, "Citizens for an Aesthetically More Appealing Planet." Whatever the case may be, do your part and step up to clean up any mess, even though you didn't do it and there are other people who get paid to do it...Yeah, yeah, sure, sure. Or at the very least don't delay make that call today. Instead of complaining, we need to do our part to keep our towns and areas clean and visually appealing not inviting some self-proclaimed Michelangelos to decimate any wall, bus or what-have-you, at random.

This has been a Public Service Announcement for Grounding Graffiti and showing no mercy to it. As far as to its creators or "Taggers" as they are often referred. They can get fined, jailed and more. But this link explains how graffiti affects and hurts people, prevention and enforcing laws that are made and passed to deal with this problem, which again, it ain't cheap, folks.

Here's a link to those consequences and how this is a serious problem that is not to be written off....yes, pun was intended. Da da da---


http://www.graffitiremovalinc.com/

http://www.graffitihurts.org/getfacts/faq.jsp