Goal For The Green

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Archive for the ‘Energy’ Category

Compostable Bowls

Jul-4-2015 By Barbara Zak

Modern life is filled with modern conveniences. Unfortunately, many of those conveniences come with a price we would rather not pay. They can provide a low quality experience when you use them and, very often, you also get to feel guilty about the environment afterwards.

Let’s say your boss has tasked you with throwing a soup party at the office, There is no means to wash a bunch of dishes afterwards. Besides, these are your co-workers, not your children. Cleaning up after them is not really part of your job duties, even if when you are asked to organize an event. There is a modern convenience to solve this problem: Disposable bowls.

The problem is that if you get Styrofoam bowls and put hot soup in them, you can actually see how the Styrofoam melts from the heat and you can taste how it has contaminated the food. Even if you do not believe that has negative health consequences, who on earth actually likes the taste of Styrofoam? It makes for a lousy dining experience to have your soup with a little bit of Styrofoam flavoring. Afterwards, you get to feel guilty about what you are doing to the environment.

Alternately, you could get plastic bowls. They are more heat tolerant in that they are less likely to melt or off-gas. They also have no insulation, so holding a disposable plastic bowl full of hot soup is a good way to get burned. They also do not solve the issue of guilt. Plastic is also something that will do bad things to the environment after it arrives at a landfill.

Another alternative is paper bowls. They are better insulated than plastic, will not leave behind a chemical taste, and there is some hope they will properly biodegrade when they go to the landfill. This sounds like a winner, until you actually throw your party and discover that paper has a bad habit of not holding up well when wet. This is a potential disaster of a party.

The superior answer here is compostable bowls made from sustainable materials like bamboo. They will hold up well when filled with hot soup. Like paper bowls, they have natural insulation to protect your fingers from the heat, and there will be no chemical taste added to your food. Furthermore, when they get to the landfill, they will properly and fully biodegrade. Problem solved.

Questions To Ask Cleaning Companies

Mar-18-2015 By Barbara Zak

When searching for carpet cleaners Brooklyn homeowners use, there are some questions that you need to keep in mind in order to find the best service possible. The first thing that you should find out about is whether the company offers a free estimate or if you have to pay a fee for someone to come to the home to examine the area that needs to be cleaned. If you have to pay a fee, then it should be deducted from the total price of the cleaning.

Most companies will stand by the quote that they give you. If the company does offer an estimate and you decide to use the services, then you need to make sure you have a document stating what will be done, the average of how long it could take and how much it will cost. You also need to ask about any warranties or if damages are covered by the company. Find out how long it takes to clean an area of the home and how many people will be doing the job. Another thing to keep in mind are the kind of materials used when cleaning. If you have any allergies or young children, then you need to make sure the products used are safe.

Some companies will have large pieces of equipment that are used to clean the carpets in the home. Find out if you will need to provide any of the cleaning products or if the company will supply everything. If there is a specific scent that you want used, then ask if you can provide the items. The company might take a small amount off the total price if all the workers have to do is clean instead of provide all of the supplies.

See if the technicians are certified in the work that is done. Ask to see any kind of references that will give you enough assurance to know that the company provides the best work possible. When you hire the company, you should probably be at the home for the first few times that the technicians clean if you plan on using the company on a regular schedule just so that you can see how they operate.

 

 

Solar panel systems are getting more popular in the Brisbane area. Solar panels are affordable, better for the Earth and they make society less dependent on traditional sources of energy. But don’t forget that these systems need regular care. Are you unsure about cleaning them? Cleaning too often wastes money but not doing it often enough could reduce efficiency. Fortunately there are professional solar panel cleaners in Brisbane who know what to do and here are three reasons why you should hire an expert to clean your solar panels with proficiency and care:

1. Clean at the right time
Certain seasons cause more dirt to be deposited, but that’s not the only way to judge when to do a cleaning. Brisbane solar panel cleaning experts will know when your panels need to be cleaned so the system works efficiently. Avoid cleaning too often, as that simply wastes money.

2. No one wants to create further repair jobs
Panels that are properly maintained won’t have to be fixed. Avoid having a layperson try to do the cleaning because the system is made up of delicate parts that could be damaged. Solar panel experts know how to handle the job and you won’t have to worry about repair costs.

3. Safety comes first
Cleaning the panels means using a ladder and working on the roof. Since that can be very dangerous if not done correctly, you must hire a professional who has been trained to do the work.
If taken care of properly, solar panels don’t need to be worked on that often to provide energy for your home. Don’t forget to get cleanings done on a regular basis.
Solar panel owners rely on Solar Service Guys for efficient, reliable and professional standard solar cleaning for Brisbane homes.