How to stop the flood of election junk mail?

Wherever you live in the world, whether it is a Presidential, Local Council, State or Federal election, your mailbox will groan with the weight of materials aimed at winning your vote. It may be the electronic age, but it seems that a pamphlet in your letterbox is still considered the most effective way of getting a message across.

While an informed electorate is important for the democratic process, there appears to be a glut of over-sending of junk mail for political purposes – and no clear way on how to fix this. What’s worse, the content of most of the political flyers is simply mudslinging about their opponents with little to no substance. Is anyone else reminded of children in the playground?

How can you help stop this unnecessary waste of paper? Imagine the strain on our environment and the large volume of greenhouse gases generated from all the trees cut down, electricity and transport of the materials. Grab a cup of tea or your water bottle and let’s get down to it.

We know in Australia that material deemed to be political, educational, religious and charitable is exempt from “No Junk Mail” signed letterboxes according to standards developed by the Australian Catalogue Association. So there is no way to stop it being dumped in your letterbox along with the other junk mail catalogues enticing you to buy all sorts of things you don’t really need. It is likely the same in other countries.

Step 1. Incorrectly addressed political mail
A lot of of your mail may be addressed to former occupants of the house. You need to “return this to sender” with the note “no longer at this address”.

Step 2. Contact every political party or politician that is mailing you
There is no central database so you will need to call the office of each individual sender and ask to be removed from their mailing list. Remember to be nice! You catch more bees with honey than vinegar.

Step 3. National Standard to stop political junk mail
Write a letter to the Electoral Commission asking them to implement a National Standard to curb the volume of pieces each political party is allowed to put in each household’s letterbox.

Step 4. Polling day
Don’t forget to recycle any materials you are given on the day – often the Greens Party has a box at the booths for such materials on polling day!

Written by Tracey Bailey, Director of Biome Eco Stores in Brisbane, specialists in water bottles and eco friendly, reusable choices for your home, body and lifestyle.

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April 24, 2012Permalink Leave a comment

Solar Power Panels – Save Money While You Save the Environment

It’s no surprise that eco-friendly methods of energy are setting the benchmark for electricity generation. Solar power is only one of the sources home owners are investing in and using. Although it has been around for several years, finding a practical method to harness the sun’s energy has been elusive until recently. In fact, the very first solar cell was invented in the 19th century, but the idea lacked interest from the public at large.

Modern solar power panels are merely a light-collecting device that converts light into an electric current. The environmental movement and science community have patiently awaited the acceptance of solar energy by the masses, however, it has been slow to become accepted for many reasons. One of the main reasons solar power didn’t become widely used initially was because of the high demand of coal-based fuels. Coal was widely available and relatively inexpensive for many years. A developing industrial nation such as the US, found coal to be readily accessible and cheap to convert into useful fuels, but the future of fossil energy would soon be in doubt.

The release of studies that suggested carbon-based pollution was at the core of worsening environmental conditions caused law makers -and public perception- to alter. The gas shortage of the 1970′s was the real beginning of the end for the use of coal as a sustainable source of energy. Rising gas and oil prices have many calling to have more oil wells drilled, while others wish to have put in place solar power panels sooner rather than later.

There are many advantages to using solar energy. For one, it will help to reduce carbon emissions, which will lead to a far purer environment. The other compelling reason to utilise solar power is the cost savings average consumers will experience. The most popular way to harness solar power currently is by having solar panels installed on your roof. You may have noticed houses with one or two rows of panels on the sunny side of rooftops. Many home builders have offered the installation of solar panels to entire communities, where each has solar power panels incorporated into the infrastructure.

It’s often believed that these residential solar panels collect energy to supply the individual’s electrical demand. This is not usually the case. When you have panels installed on your home, it actually becomes part of the larger power supply in the surrounding area. You’re collecting energy and then transferring most of that energy back into the grid for use when it’s needed the most. Because you are providing electricity to be sent back into the grid, you are given substantial discounts on your monthly power account.

It’s true that you could collect and use solar energy only for your home’s use, but this requires an investment of back-up batteries and systems to store and deliver the power. This might be okay for a smaller home or holiday property with small electrical needs, but a standard home would not be supported without having a large bank of solar power panels. This isn’t ideal for most homeowners as there isn’t the space or desire to set up a large number of panels.

Saving money is an effective motivation for encouraging people to take action, but when you can save money and be environmentally-friendly at the same time, you provide many more reasons to help advance solar technology into our everyday lives.

Solar power from solar panels is becoming an acceptable way of saving money on electricity over the long term. If you want true value solar systems, see what is offered by Todae Solar.

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April 6, 2012Permalink Leave a comment

Perth Stone Walls and Stone Veneer

Increasingly, Perth stone veneers are created using CraftStone. Our product is also used in external applications as stone cladding but there has been a push for the stone veneer to be fitted in houses and businesses as an eye-catching stone feature wall. CraftstoneOz have supplied a number of high profile companies with CraftStone such as international franchises like Subway and Nandos, as well as many houses across Australia. It’s lightweight nature and ease of use makes it an ideal product for interior design, as there is no need for structural support that is associated with real stone products, which reduces costs and construction time.

Manufactured stone is extremely versatile and can be adapted to most environments, with minimal limitations. Possible internal uses include pillars, wall features, fireplaces, chimneys and kitchens.

CraftStone has been used around fireplaces and chimneys as it is not vulnerable to heat, also adding aesthetic appeal. Now the standard for new construction, CraftStone is also the ultimate choice for renovations, such as old fireplaces as it can easily be applied to older brickwork. With plenty of profiles and colours, there is an option to suite any style or request. The unique corner system allows almost any situation to be clad with CraftStone and remove untidy joins.

Traditional stone requires extremely long labour and craftsmanship to install, which comes at an exaggerated cost, sometimes more than the actual stone itself. CraftStone is designed to be placed on a wall and can even be fitted by an experienced DIY enthusiast. With a 25 year warranty, CraftStone is a premium, durable product that you can rely on.

CraftstoneOz sell the product nationwide throughout Australia. Make an enquiry to the friendly team at CraftStone to find out how you can use CraftStone to create a Perth Stone Wall. CraftstoneOz offers numerous accessories to compliment our Stone Veneer range, thus enabling you to create a better stone feature wall. To view them, visit CraftstoneOz.com.au

For stone veneer and Stone cladding Sydney, Stone veneer and Stone cladding Melbourne and Stone veneer and Stone cladding Perth contact your local Craftstone Oz distributor.

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March 10, 2012Permalink Leave a comment

Perth Stone Walls and Stone Veneer

Increasingly, Perth stone veneers are created using CraftStone. Our product is also used in external applications as stone cladding but there has been a push for the stone veneer to be fitted in houses and commercial enterprises as an eye-catching stone feature wall. CraftstoneOz have supplied a number of high profile companies with CraftStone such as international franchises like Nandos and Subway, as well as many houses across Australia. It’s light weight and ease of use makes it an ideal feature for interior design, as there is no need for the structural support that is associated with real stone products, reducing costs and construction time.

Manufactured stone is widely versatile and can be adapted to most environments, with a minimum of limitations. Possible internal uses include pillars, wall features, fireplaces, chimneys and kitchens.

CraftStone is used around fireplaces and chimneys as it is not vulnerable to heat, also adding aesthetic appeal. Now the standard for new construction, CraftStone is also the ultimate choice for renovations, such as old fireplaces as it can easily be attached to older brickwork. With numerous profiles and colours, there is an option to suite any style or taste. The unique corner system allows almost any area to be clad with CraftStone and eradicates untidy joins.

Traditional stone requires long hours of labour and craftsmanship to install, which comes at an outrageous cost, sometimes more than the actual stone itself. CraftStone is designed to be placed on a wall and can even be fitted by an educated DIY enthusiast. With a 25 year warranty, CraftStone is a quality, durable product that you can rely on.

CraftstoneOz distribute their product nationwide throughout Australia. Make an enquiry to the experienced team at CraftStone to find out how you can use CraftStone to create a Perth Stone Wall. CraftstoneOz offers numerous accessories to compliment our Stone Veneer range, thus enabling you to create a better stone feature wall. To view them, visit CraftstoneOz.com.au

For stone veneer and Stone cladding Sydney, Stone veneer and Stone cladding Melbourne and Stone veneer and Stone cladding Perth contact your local Craftstone Oz distributor.

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March 8, 2012Permalink Leave a comment

Exterior House Cladding Toowoomba

Exterior House cladding in Toowoomba has never provided so many colours to choose from. Today, there are many vibrant colour options that will stand up to the harsh effects of our sun and provide a fantastic look for your home’s exterior. In fact, there has never been a more diverse spectrum of vinyl wall cladding colours in Toowoomba, including darker options featuring bold, rich earth tones, sunflower yellow, mountain blues, cypress greens, and more.

In the past, lighter colours like whites, linens and beiges were the most popular choices for wall cladding in Toowoomba. Not only are they strong against fading like darker colours, but they also provided a bright, clean, and warm home exterior.

While lighter colours still remain a popular choice today, darker shades are starting to appear in newer, more modern homes. Darker cladding is being mixed with other materials, like brick or stone, to create a unique look. Blue and brown coloured vinyl cladding in particular is becoming an increasingly popular choice for vinyl cladding colours.

Listed below are the basic colour choices that are now available. Each of these colours is equally resistant to the effects of the sun and environment.

Linen – White – Beige – Heather – Sand – Sterling – Wicker – Soft Maple – Sahara Sand – Sage – Pebble Clay – Mountain Blue – Cypress – Sunflower

Looking for House Cladding Toowoomba? How about Exterior wall cladding Toowoomba? For Cladding Toowoomba, contact Prestige Exteriors today.

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March 8, 2012Permalink Leave a comment

Osteopaths Brisbane – Skills and Training

An osteopath investigates and treats the underlying cause of such problems, which sometimes originate from the musculo-skeletal system. Osteopathy is a holistic therapy that uses a series of gentle, manipulative movements and pressure to release tension in the body and align the muscles, joints and bones correctly. It aims to remove the underlying causes of various pains in the body and aims to improve the overall functioning of bodily. The treatment is suitable for all ages, from babies to the elderly.

In the human body, bones and muscles (musculo-skeletal system) perform an essential function of bracing the other body organs and giving the body its shape. Sometimes this system becomes mis-aligned and fails to function correctly, and this can cause myriad problems such as aches and pains, digestive disorders, depression and general ill health.

Osteopathy has increased in popularity in recent years and numerous people have used it to successfully treat problems like migraines, stiff and aching neck, joint pains, lower back pain, and fatigue among many others. If you are a resident of Brisbane who has sought treatment for the mentioned problems without success, consider seeking out an osteopath in your area. Search the internet for “osteopaths Brisbane”. All you need to do is go to a search engine page and type “osteopaths Brisbane” and the results will come up instantly. Additionally, you can check the yellow pages or directory under the section “osteopaths Brisbane.” Whichever method you use, you will get lists of qualified, registered practitioners to choose from.

Once you book an appointment with an osteopath, you will have a consultation session that may last around 30 minutes or more. The osteopath will inspect your medical history, lifestyle, work, emotional health and so on. Generally, the number of visits to the practitioner or length of treatment depends on the issue and the course of treatment is tailored to suit each individual’s needs. Simpler problems will require fewer sessions. The more difficult cases may require ongoing long-term treatment.

Osteopathy is a growing profession and with demand for osteopathy services increasing, the profession is set to offer more opportunities and good career prospects for those who choose to study it. To qualify as an osteopath, one is required to complete a four to five-year full-time program successfully after which one is eligible for registration with the State Registration Board. One can choose a three-year degree in clinical science that is followed by a two-year Master in Health Science or a degree in Applied Science and Osteopathic Science.

The training course varies with different institutions. However, the undergraduate program includes most of the supervised clinical courses taught in medicine alongside other osteopathic subjects. The difference with medicine is that there is less of surgery, pharmacology and biochemistry and more emphasis on hands on training. Those who qualify as osteopaths are required to complete at least 30 hours of postgraduate training every year.

Osteopathy offers a rewarding career to those who enjoy helping patients lead healthier lives. One can join an existing practice and work with other practitioners or start a new practice. For osteopaths Brisbane, visit osteopathsbrisbane.com

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March 8, 2012Permalink Leave a comment