Guest Post by Amanda Green

One of the most popular New Year’s Resolutions is “I am going to eat better.” This typically refers to starting and, hopefully, maintaining a healthy diet. It can even go as far as to mean eating only organic foods. Of course this is easier said than done. The process of successfully overhauling your diet is more complicated than you might think. Here are some tips to help you out.

1. Plan for food costing more than it use to. Organic food is, across the board, more expensive than its processed counterparts. This can be problematic if you’re used to living with a really tight food budget. Of course, as someone who is use to budgeting you’ve probably already done the high interest savings accounts comparison. Why not use some of your compounded interest to help you pay for your first few rounds of groceries?

Health (Photo credit: 401(K) 2012)

2. If you are serious about your goal, you might think about using a credit card (make sure to do your research so that you can find the best credit card rates and perks) to fund your initial ventures into healthier eating. Buying the tools you need to cook your ingredients properly can make the transition even more fun!

3. Go slowly. Trying to overhaul all of your eating habits at once is too much of a shock for your system. You might feel good for a couple of days but after that first week, you’ll be a lot more likely to fall off of your organic and nutritious wagon. By going slowly and changing out processed foods for organic and healthier options one or two at a time you’ll allow your body to get used to your new diet and you won’t have to worry that you’ve spent a bunch of money on food you don’t actually like to eat.

4. Switch up your eating habits by taste. For example if you typically reach for a bag of Skittles when your energy starts to wane, sub in a peach instead. The fruit is better for you and will raise your blood sugar and energy level in a healthy way (that won’t lead to a crash). If you’re craving pasta, why not make your own with whole wheat flour? From there you can make the sauce from scratch—this way you know that you’re getting healthy ingredients but you’re still satisfying the craving you’re having.

It is important to remind yourself, particularly when the cost of eating well starts to bum you out, that the money you’re spending now might seem like a lot, but it is much lower than the cost of the doctor bills and potential hospital stays you’d be in for if you kept up the unhealthy eating habits you’ve been use to using.

Prospects for Recovery in HVAC Manufacturing Look Strong in 2013,
According to a New Research Report

PRESS RELEASE

Rockville (MD), December 6, 2012 — Economic prospects are looking brighter for the HVAC industry approaching the New Year 2013, as companies involved in heating, ventilation and air conditioning, and related industries see potential for growth.  A resurgence in the housing market, coupled with consumer interest and investment in “green” HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning)  equipment, is evident according to a new report from energy market research publisher SBI Energy.

English: A huge double HVAC exhaust of an office building. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

HVAC market showing signs of recovery

The U.S. market for HVAC manufacturing is recovering from a period of economic setback that started in 2008. HVAC manufacturers had previously enjoyed a period of steady growth between 1997 to 2006, when equipment sales for heating systems and air conditioners increased 41% and 45%, respectively.

But, the economic downturn led to a depressed real estate selling market, a reduction in homeowner remodeling, and a virtual stoppage of new residential and commercial construction. This trend eventually led to layoffs and temporary work stoppages at factories that manufacture HVAC equipment.

HVAC- manufacturing is impacted by the recovery in the housing market

“Growth of the industry will begin to accelerate by 2015,” says Darren Bosik, analyst with SBI market research publishing, “when the impact of government-funded initiatives is felt in U.S. construction and housing industries, most notably the movement to construct zero-energy buildings (ZEB).” Critical to the growth of HVAC manufacturing, is the resurgence of U.S. household remodeling and the recovery of new construction and housing, as well as, related industries such as steel.

HVAC demand will increase with an expected boom in construction projects

Driving the total HVAC equipment manufacturing growth to 2017, will be heat transfer equipment (4.4% CAGR) and air source heat pumps (4.9% CAGR). The two categories are characterized by lower unit costs, and demand will increase with an expected boom in construction projects that require replacements of these products.

Sustainable technologies and products, including electric air source and geothermal heating pumps, and a trend toward constructing ZEB’s – buildings that produce as much energy as they consume – will further fuel a return to growth in the HVAC market. SBI Energy projects the total shipment value of HVAC manufacturing products to reach $14.5 billion in 2012, growing to nearly $17 billion by 2017.

HVAC, 3rd Edition from heavy industry and energy market research publisher SBI analyzes products, manufacturers and trends in the U.S. market for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC). The report contains comprehensive data on U.S. shipments, imports and exports, and end-use markets, and the growing market for high efficiency, green HVAC equipment such as geothermal units, remote monitoring and control devices, programmable thermostats, and smart cooling fans. It also identifies key issues and trends affecting the marketplace. The report profiles major manufacturers and includes market projections and expected growth rates for the period 2012 to 2023.  Follow this link on the HVAC 3rd Editon report   for more information.

About SBI Energy

SBI Energy, a division of MarketResearch.com, publishes research reports in the industrial, energy, building/construction, and automotive/transportation markets. SBI Energy, also offers a full range of custom research services. To learn more, visit www.sbireports.com

It is encouraging to know that there are signs that the housing market is recovering. With an uneasy and unpredictable climate , it is also nice to know that HVAC systems will be readily available for both new construction and remodels.  Both industries should be showing positive signs of job growth, in the near future.  The future is looking brighter, as we are working toward better and greener tomorrows!

Guest Post
by Johnathan Rivers

Tired of not knowing what your energy bill is going to be each month? Retail energy providers in Texas, and other states nationwide offer a sort of flat rate monthly energy plan. Your bill is calculated based on your average energy usage, and what you pay is more or less the same each month. This enables you to budget better and more accurately gauge your energy usage so you can focus even more on living green.

If you don’t live in a state that has flat-rate energy costs, you can still take steps to make your monthly energy bill more predictable while striving to reduce your consumption. Start with your climate control unit and your washing appliances.

1) Change the thermostat when the seasons change

Lux Products' Model TX900TS Touch Screen Thermostat. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The first thing most people do when Summertime rolls around is crank down their thermostat, when in fact, they should be doing the opposite. Instead of setting the thermostat to 65 in the Summer time – a temperature that your home may not even reach in 90 degree weather unless it’s extremely well insulated. Instead – set it to 74-78.
The difference in temperature between your home and outside should be the focus. A 74 degree home in 90 degree weather feels relatively similar to a 65 degree home in 80 degree weather. In other words, your body reacts differently to a room’s temperature depending on how relatively warm it is outside.

For colder seasons, take the same approach but from the opposite end of the spectrum. Instead of setting the thermostat to 78, set it at 68 and wear a pair of long pajamas or a hoodie inside if you’re more on the cold-natured side.
Allowing your thermostat to work at a similar level throughout the year, and thus consume roughly the same amount of energy, is an easy to way to make your energy bill more predictable.

2) Develop a schedule for washing clothes and running the dishwasher
Not only do your washing machine and dishwasher use electricity to run, they also pull from your hot water heater, which can further affect your electricity or gas costs.

For most people, running these energy-intensive appliances is sporadic. They use them when they need to do so.  But, when you consider that no other devices in your home – besides your air conditioner and perhaps your refrigerator – use more energy than your washing appliances, it’s worth looking at developing a schedule for washing clothes and dishes to help make your monthly bill more predictable.

A dishwasher containing clean dishes (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Instead of using your dishwasher after every dinner, consider rinsing dishes off and waiting until it gets full before operating it. Create a protocol for when you wash – for example, commit to running the dishwasher every Sunday night and Wednesday night. Do the same for washing laundry. Designate two nights a week (or less if you’re single or don’t have kids) to wash laundry. If you have the same number of wash cycles each month for your big appliances, you use roughly the same amount of energy. The outcome is, you’re rewarded with a more consistent and predictable power bill each month.

Do you want more consistent energy bills, so you can better plan your budget? Start with making these adjustments and being consistent when it comes to your home’s most energy intensive appliances. It’s easy, and you can start today.