Insulation helps control how much heat is absorbed in summer in your home, and how much is lost during winter. Many homes built before the 1970s have little or no insulation. Insulation is made from various materials and is rated in terms of a R-Value which measures the insulation’s resistance to heat transfer. A higher value is better. R-30 is about 7 inches thick, R-19 is about 6 inches thick.

The attic should be insulated to R-30, R-19 on exterior walls and lower floors, ducts and connectors to R-6. A priority is the attic, just adding insulation there will save you money on your energy bills and make your home more comfortable. Check your attic for presence of insulation and thickness level. You can remove an outlet box in the wall to see if there is any insulation.

Most insulation was made with carcinogenic formaldehyde in the past. Here is some green insulation for your home improvement projects. The primary raw material use in  Bonded Logic’s UltraTouch denim insulation is…

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Famed director Francis Ford Coppola is working with ecotourism groups to further his resorts’ commitment to sustainable travel.

His two award-winning, Coppola Resorts properties in Belize – Blancaneaux Lodge and Turtle Inn –  have each joined the Sustainable Tourism Program led by the Rainforest Alliance as well as Sustainable Travel International’s global Sustainable Tourism Eco-Certification Program (STEP).

“The Coppolas see their role as that of a conservator,” said Serena Lightner, vice president of Coppola Resorts. “We’re grateful for the opportunities to work with the Rainforest Alliance and Sustainable Travel International. Each of these organizations is a world-renowned sustainable tourism specialist. We look forward to working with each organization to further our commitment to ecotourism and carry out the Coppolas’ dedication to Belize’s pristine environment.”

Inspired by experience

The unique, award-winning Coppola Resorts draw upon…

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A frequent debate for folks planning on a whole house, kitchen, or bathroom remodel is to use Granite versus Quartz on their counter tops.  More people are leaning towards using Quartz solid surface materials such as CaesarStone and Chroma and moving away from the use of Granite.  Why you ask?  Check out these advantages to [...]

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http://www.paolodesigngroup.com/blog/designer-tip-granite-vs…

A new report found that with policy support, renewable sources of energy could meet 80% of global energy demand by 2050. Learn more.

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By David Andrews, Ph.D., EWG senior scientist

Most people are - by now - well aware that overexposure to formaldehyde is unsafe. From the FEMA trailer fiasco (remember Katrina?) to the Obama administration’s recent decision to classify formaldehyde as a known human carcinogen, it’s hard to not know you should avoid formaldehyde-laced products.

On June 28th, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel, a self-policing body created by the mainstream cosmetics industry in hopes of averting federal regulation, belatedly declared formaldehyde to be unsafe in “cosmetic products that will be heated.” That’s code for formaldehyde-based hair-straighteners, the best known of which is Brazilian Blowout. Salon workers use hot flatirons and blow dryers to force the chemical mixture to penetrate the hair, where it forms chemical bonds, allowing the hair to be reshaped stick-straight (which people are getting sick for).

EWG investigation details straightener dangers
As Environmental Working…

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Oregano that has spread through a bed

I have been gardening now for five years and I hardly consider myself an expert on the subject.  My gardening experience lies in my mistakes.  And boy have I made them.  So, I decided to do an article of invasive plants that you shouldn’t plant in the garden since they will run wild. They are just wolves in sheep clothing.  They would make Tony Soprano cry like baby with diaper rash.

Here are my top five garden plant thugs. (And on Tony Soprano’s hit list.)  Add yours as well in the comments.

Fennel, the Bully:

I planted bronze Fennel, the herb, four years ago, and I can’t get rid of this plant. (There is a difference between the herb and the fennel bulb.  The herb is a perriennel plant.)

Why do I hate fennel?  It bullies the other plants especially dill.  Don’t plant them close to each other.  They will cross pollinate each other and you will get “FennelDill.”  This means it looks like dill but smells like…

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When you are in the task and in the mission of reinventing the interiors of your place, you might want to consider the purpose of the Light bulbs. The purposes differ from each other when the lights were placed in the various spots in the homes. If it’s a restroom, lamps may be incompatible, as well as in the kitchen. However if it is any of these rooms a person is considering, sunny wall or ceiling fixtures can be just the thing.

Neither a cook, nor a woman putting her cosmetics on wants to work in the dim, so some choices are eradicated here likewise. Select fittings that are going to help start the rest of the tone for everything else that are chosen and placed in the room. The entry of the lighting is just so inevitably essential.

When talking about the bedrooms and refuges all options are accessible, so select with great prudence. Lamps with vivid light bulbs are almost fundamental in a bedroom and this is apersonage’spreserve and haven so any sensitivity can actually work….

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We know this is a radical, radical departure from our last two postings, which involved river nudity and toilet seat positions (!!!).  How is this post different?  For one thing, the photo involves an image with someone who is fully clothed.  For another it has nothing to do with toilet seats…

But (ahem) now to today’s post.

By the way: we know we lost some of you at that introduction, and you’ve already dallied back to look for the river nudity.  Welcome, er, back.

Here are some interesting statistics:

93% of CEOs believe that sustainability issues will be critical to the future success of their business.

72% of CEOs cite “brand, trust and reputation” as one of the top three
factors driving them to take action on sustainability issues. Revenue growth
and cost reduction is second with 44%.

72% of CEOs see education as the global development issue most critical to
address for the future success of their business. Climate change is second
with 66%.

58% of CEOs…

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http://www.earthpm.com/2011/06/un-global-compact-ceo-study/

While we wouldn’t recommend fly fishing naked, too many sharp hooks flying around, this photo, by J. Johnson, does capture your attention.  This comes from Patagonia’s website.

Those of you who know our book, know that Patagonia is one of those companies at the “Top of Their Game” when it comes to sustainability.  Also, those of you who use the products probably know the story of how Patagonia got started when founder Yvon Chouinard felt that the current pitons were harming the rocks he was climbing and invented a more environmentally friendly piton.  But what you may not know relates to fly fishing.

Well, you may ask, “Why is fly fishing relevant to me?”  It may not be per sec, but while Rich and I are both fishermen, I am a fly fisherman bordering on fanaticism and obsession.  Fly fishing may also be why I was drawn to project management or vice versa.  You see, fly fishing to me is about the process; fly tying, getting ready for a trip, the precision gear, the…

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