Archive for February, 2009

Save Money, Save Energy

energyWith the volatile economy Americans are looking for ways to lower energy bills and extend natural resources now more than ever. Because petroleum is ingrained in our everyday lives – from transportation and tires to computers and every day goods such as diapers – many Americans are interested in options that will help reduce dependence on foreign oil as well.
Here are a few helpful tips to lower energy bills and increase energy efficiency both at home and at the pump.
Don’t Warm Up Your Car
The best way to warm your vehicle is to drive it. Idling gets you zero miles to the gallon. More than 30 seconds of idling on cold days wastes fuel and increases emissions.

Conduct Regular Car Maintenance
Simple things such as properly inflated tires can improve gas mileage by about 3 percent. Replacing clogged air filters can improve gas mileage by as much as 10 percent. It also is important to use your car manufacturer’s recommended blend of motor oil. Using a different oil can decrease gas mileage by 1 to 2 percent.

Fill Up With Ethanol
Using gasoline with 10 percent ethanol is a key component to lowering high gas prices and stretching petroleum supplies. Experts recently noted that ethanol has lowered gas prices by 15 percent, saving drivers some $70 billion at the pump this year alone. The production of just one barrel of ethanol replaces 1.2 barrels of petroleum. In total, the use of ethanol in gas and E-85 will displace the equivalent of 52 large oil tankers filled with imported crude this year. The production of ethanol and the abundance of corn positions corn growers to lead America’s transition into a new era of energy based on alternatives to fossil and imported fuels. Check your owner’s manual to find out about ethanol usage.

Hybrid or Flex Fuel Vehicles
The interest in highly fuel efficient vehicles will not go away anytime soon. Save money at the gas pump and help the environment by investing in a hybrid or a vehicle that runs on E-85, an 85 percent ethanol blend.
February 17, 2009 Posted Under: Family, Friends, Life   Read More

Help for the Sandwich Generation

caringforgenerationsCaught in the Middle
H
elp for the Sandwich Generation

Twenty million American adults are caring for aging parents at the same time they’re raising young children. Known as the Sandwich Generation, they are feeling the stress.

A recent study of “sandwichers” reports that:

* 53 percent feel forced to choose between caring for their children or caring for their parents at least once a week
* 20 percent feel they must choose to care for one or the other every day of the week

The American Psychological Association’s 2007 Stress in America survey found that mothers in the sandwich generation, ages 35 – 54, feel more stress than any other age group as they try to manage caring for growing children and aging parents.

The pressures of taking care of family members, as well as the worry over parents’ health, putting children through college and saving for retirement takes a big toll. So what’s a sandwicher to do?

February 10, 2009 Posted Under: Family, Friends, Life   Read More