Goal For The Green

Just when you thought you had this month’s budget under control, here comes the electric bill. You’re not sure if the rates increased or your attention to shutting off lights decreased, but you’re not thrilled with the super-high bill either way. Rather than going off the grid or vowing to use only candles at night, you can make some simple switches around your home that can cut down on the amount you’re forced to shell out for electricity every month.

Image by Flickr user remcovandermeer

Chill Out with Laundry

The way you do laundry may be piling up charges on your electric bill. If you have a hot water heater that’s fueled by electricity, switching to cold water loads only can help you cut back and save some cash. Regardless of how your water’s heated, you’ll save money in general if you only use your washing machine if you have a full load. To conserve even more energy and cash, go au naturel when it comes to drying the load by skipping the dryer and hanging the clothes in a well-ventilated area or outside.

Switch the Light Bulbs

Retiring the old-school incandescent bulbs in favor of energy-efficient light bulbs can improve your lighting as well as your electric bill. The more light bulbs you replace, the more you can save. Energy.gov estimates that replacing 15 of the incandescent babies with their energy-saving counterparts can cut down on your bill by about $50 per year.

Choices include the spiraled compact florescent light bulbs (CFLs), which use up to 35 percent less energy and last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs, and LED bulbs, which use up to 75 percent less energy and last 25 times longer. Switching any light bulb off when you’re not using it, of course, will also help cut down your bill even further.

Mind Your Modem (and Router)

Like your entertainment center, your modem and router are two of those sneaky little things that can be using up electricity even when they’re not officially in use. Shutting off your modem and router after every Internet session might not be all that feasible, but switching to an energy-saving modem-router combination can be. If you still have a cable Internet connection, you may be fueling both a modem and a router.

Switch to a DSL connection, with services from sites like http://www.dsl.com, and you can instantly cut your energy in half with a single small appliance that combines a modem and router into one. Connect even deeper with savings if you opt for a specialized DSL modem-router designed to be green.

Plug in the Surge Protector

Any electrical appliance you leave plugged in is constantly gobbling electricity, even if it’s not turned on. This counts for your TV, DVD player, stereo and anything else with a plug attached that happens to be sticking into your wall. Surge protectors can be savvy energy savers since you can shut down the electricity flowing to all devices connected to the protector with the simple flip of a single switch.

Surge protectors can be particularly helpful for shutting down electricity-eating entertainment centers and desks stocked with computers, printers, scanners, MP3 players and smartphone chargers.

Whether you are actively pursuing a fulfilling career as a land development specialist or you are drafting up the important documents as a planning policy and law advocate, your role in developing the world’s land and accommodating the growing population is one of the most critical jobs in the world today. Perhaps you have thought about the prospects of international affairs overseas or are looking to expand your career and work as a program expert in geographic information systems and planning. If you are looking to get ahead in the workplace, an urban planning degree from a top online school can expand your career in ways you never imagined.

a zone model (urban planning) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Most of the top schools are now offering an online master’s degree in urban planning, and you can complete your degree in as little as three years. These schools recognize the importance of your industry, and their professional educators design curriculums to reflect the current demands of your trade. They also recognize the importance of your busy schedule and that your job often requires overtime and imposes an inflexible schedule. The University of Florida is a great example of a school that offers a self-guided curriculum, a diversified program, knowledgeable professors, flexible financing options and an opportunity to choose from a variety of specializations within your field.

As a student in the master’s degree program, you will engage with other like-minded professional students from all over the world and utilize the latest 3-D mapping systems and web applications to enhance your expertise. You can choose to study day or night, weekends or weekdays, and you will always have access to unlimited resources, advisors and staff to assist you at any time.

Spatial analysis, advanced planning systems and geographic information systems have become extremely important aspects of the planning and development field as our digital technology continues to grow and change. With a master’s degree in urban planning, you can be on the cutting edge of the technology. You can have an active voice in creating the programs that developers use, and you can spear head major global projects and be in the boardroom during huge corporation expansions. Whether you are looking to move up in your current company or you are looking for an entirely new area of expertise within the industry, an online master’s degree in urban planning will give you the confidence and skills needed to excel in an ever-changing industry.

Native Americans for generations tried to treat the land with care and give back so that nature could continue giving. Thomas Jefferson had a great admiration for native plants and trees and he tried to incorporate as many of them as possible in his Monticello estate.

This photograph is of the grave site of Thomas Jefferson, which is located at Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

However, the general art of landscaping began long ago as kings and emperors hired the best gardeners and architectures to design fabulous gardens on the grounds of their palaces. Through the centuries, tried and true styles and techniques for landscape architecture have developed. Today, many skilled landscape designers and architects are also incorporating sustainable techniques for eco-friendly landscapes like the Park Slope Design, that use native plants along with hardscapes and irrigation that cooperates well with the natural environment.

Contemporary society is increasingly interested in landscaping that improves and gives back to nature. Habitats are respected and parks and gardens are established with the natural world in mind. As more governments, corporations, small businesses and individuals are interested in sustainable landscape architecture, professional landscape architects specialize in eco-friendly methods and design.

In fact, on the local television as well as on radio and the web, landscape design businesses that create sustainable landscapes advertise locally. Although the economy of local regions and countries do significantly affect the landscaping industry, parks, businesses and individuals desire to improve the outdoor surroundings on their properties. The popular trend for eco-conscious landscape architecture to improve the outdoor environment for the present and for future generations will continue into the decades to come.