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	<title>gettingoffgrid.com &#187; green living</title>
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		<title>Sustainable Planning &#8211; Keys to a Simpler Future</title>
		<link>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/10/21/sustainable-planning-keys-to-a-simpler-future.html</link>
		<comments>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/10/21/sustainable-planning-keys-to-a-simpler-future.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 21 Oct 2010 21:53:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sally Lever</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[going  green]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health and well-being]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[green living]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sustainable]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/10/21/sustainable-planning-keys-to-a-simpler-future.html</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It can be said that there are only two certainties in our lives - that we will die and that there will be change. The beginning of a new year is traditionally a time for planning but sometimes planning at any time can seem futile when life can be so unpredictable. How do we come up with a plan for our business or our personal life that is sustainable? How do we ensure that our plans are flexible enough to be worth spending any time on? [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p id="top" />
<p>It can be said that there are only two certainties in our lives &#8211; that we will die and that there will be change. The beginning of a new year is traditionally a time for planning but sometimes planning at any time can seem futile when life can be so unpredictable. How do we come up with a plan for our business or our personal life that is sustainable? How do we ensure that our plans are flexible enough to be worth spending any time on?</p>
<p>The good news is that there is an easy solution. Sustainability in every aspect of our lives is about simplifying. Somehow we&#8217;ve come to associate progress with more sophistication, in our technology, in how we communicate, how we look after ourselves, how we raise our children. And yet, simplicity is often the more elegant solution and the more sustainable. Think of the difference between creating energy from a nuclear power station or a wind turbine. Think of the difference between steering an ocean liner or a rowing boat. The simpler and less sophisticated the system, the more maneuverable, flexible and sustainable it is likely to be.</p>
<p><b>In Our Homes &#8211; fewer, multipurpose tools.</b></p>
<p>De-cluttering is a term in common usage these days. It seems to me to be an essential step towards simplification. I&#8217;ve found, in my own down shifting ventures, that de-cluttering is best treated less like a &#8220;spring clean&#8221; and more like &#8220;brushing your teeth&#8221;. By that I mean that simplicity requires daily rather than annual attention and involves a deliberate decision to maintain or reduce items rather than accumulate. This can apply to paperwork, gadgets, toys and games, clothes. One way to reduce the number of items you need is by using fewer multipurpose tools. For example, in the kitchen, when your food processor wears out, you could replace it with a good quality cook&#8217;s knife. Similarly with our clothes, we can decide to keep fewer, simpler, more flexible items that can be mixed and matched. If more specialised items are required, for example for a special occasion such as a wedding, we can choose to hire an outfit rather than buy it.</p>
<p><b>In Our Businesses &#8211; simple systems, health and heart.</b></p>
<p>In my experience, most business owners who love their work have a strong, well defined vision and a few simple and robust business systems. For most of us, there will be several ways in which we can earn a living. The reason, other than money, that we do what we do is our business purpose &#8211; our vision that drives us forward and adds meaning to what we do. When we have a strong, well-defined vision for our business then we have something congruent and steadfast with which to align our decisions. This usually makes decision making simple and straightforward. It also makes designing and creating robust business systems simpler, more sustainable and less time consuming to manage.</p>
<p>Your continued and sustained good health and wellbeing are as much assets of value as the material items you believe you need for your success. It&#8217;s a good idea to make sure that your business plan leaves spaces for you to look after yourself.</p>
<p>Sustainable businesses place a heavy emphasis on people and relationships. When we communicate from the heart we value honesty over manipulation, cooperation over competition and authenticity over propaganda. This is simpler and less energy draining than trying to force ourselves, our employees or associates to behave in a way that&#8217;s not authentic for them.</p>
<p><b>With Our Children &#8211; individuality and exploration.</b></p>
<p>What is our vision for our children? What kind of parents do we aspire to be?</p>
<p>We can teach our children to live in simplicity and in alignment with their values by modelling it ourselves. Expecting them to lead a heavily timetabled life, controlled mainly by adults is just leading them to believe that a rat race existence is normal and healthy.</p>
<p>Whatever our views might be about the need to control children, they will in the end walk their own path. Our children are not just smaller versions of us, but have their own preferences and their own strengths and weaknesses. It is usually simpler for all concerned when we acknowledge and accept this early on rather than battling with it.</p>
<p>When we consult children on decisions that affect them and show them that we value their input then they feel respected and are easier to be with and to plan with.</p>
<p><b>Conclusion</b></p>
<p>Plans for our future, whether at home, in our businesses or with our children, can be easy to create and to follow when we emphasise simplicity and a well-defined vision. Having such a focus allows for flexibility in the face of unforeseen events and sustainability in our actions.</p>
<p> Sally Lever 2008  <a target="_new" href="http://www.sallylever.co.uk">http://www.sallylever.co.uk</a></p>
<p>Sally Lever is a Sustainable Living Coach who specializes in encouraging and inspiring those who are down shifting or otherwise moving towards a more sustainable way of life. She offers one-to-one coaching, teleclasses in &#8220;How to step off the Treadmill&#8221; and a free email newsletter.</p>
<p>Author: <a href="http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sally_Lever">Sally Lever</a><br />Article Source: <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?Sustainable-Planning---Keys-to-a-Simpler-Future&amp;id=1069287">EzineArticles.com</a><br /><a href="http://ywywy.com/q/">Digital economy, mobile technology</a></p>
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		<title>How to Improve Energy Efficiency With Better Circulation</title>
		<link>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/10/10/how-to-improve-energy-efficiency-with-better-circulation.html</link>
		<comments>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/10/10/how-to-improve-energy-efficiency-with-better-circulation.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 10 Oct 2010 09:07:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sok K Verdery</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[energy conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eco-friendly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[energy star]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[getting off grid]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[green living]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Installing the proper ceiling fans can increase circulation throughout your home by as much as 20%. Here's how it can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars annually. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p id="top" />
<p>When people discuss energy savings and a way to reduce their electric bills during the heat of the summer there are several strategies that are usually mentioned. A few of the more popular beliefs are to run air conditioning during daylight hours then open windows throughout the evening, while others are in favor of setting their thermostats a few degrees higher than normal and keeping the home at a constant temperature so the compressor does not run as often. Even more will tell you that investing in a programmable thermostat is the best way to experience energy savings within a cool home, and although all three of these tactics will help save a little bit of cash over the summer the actual biggest money saver of them all is hardly ever mentioned.</p>
<p>The most cost effective way to cool your home throughout the summer is by utilizing energy efficient ceiling fans throughout every room within your residence. While these units do not necessarily cool or remove humidity, by keeping the air currents within the room constantly circulating it will give the feel of an air conditioner. Since warm air naturally rises, as long as your ceiling fan is spinning counter clockwise all of the heat will be trapped up near the ceiling and the cool air will be allowed to circulate freely, which means your air conditioning unit will have to work much less to achieve the same results it normally does. As the sun sets the cool air moving throughout your residence will continue to keep you comfortable even with the air turned off, so the combined savings can be dramatic when everything is taken into consideration. During the winter the same technology can be applied backwards, and by reversing the motor on your ceiling fans warm air will be forced downwards to provide comfort through the room.</p>
<p>The even more impressive news is that the newer Energy Star ceiling fans are so efficient that they require less power than what a standard 150 light bulb would drain. Bellacor, the authority in energy efficient products available for residential consumers, has some of these new models so reasonably priced that is it possible to place one in every room throughout the home, and since they also produce an average of 20% more circulation when compared to conventional ceiling fans your air conditioning will hardly ever be required during the spring and fall seasons. With only running the air for a few months during the hottest hours of the day in June and July, these models can save consumers hundreds or even thousands of dollars off their annual utility bills without sacrificing comfort or a decent night&#8217;s rest.</p>
<p>So the next time the great debate over how to save money during the summer comes up, hopefully you can now share the correct answer. Throw away those old power draining box fans, turn the thermostat up several degrees, and prepare to open the windows for several months out of the year to let the great outdoors flow through your home and keep everyone comfortable. Energy Star ceiling fans are definitely the way to go when it comes to saving money, and once their technology becomes more popular everyone will eventually make the necessary conversion to them.</p>
<p>Tip: For more savings on ceiling fans, look for <a target="_new" href="http://www.couponshack.com/stores/show/635/Bellacor">Bellacor Coupons</a> from <a target="_new" href="http://www.couponshack.com/">CouponShack.com</a></p>
<p>Sok has been helping every day people save money since 2001. It began as a objective to learn how to save money with coupons for online purchases every now and then but has since evolved to a lifestyle. Now Sok spends his time, both online and offline, not only looking for coupons but also how to go beyond just coupons to get extreme savings on every day items. &#8220;Don&#8217;t under-estimate the value of a coupon&#8221;</p>
<p>Author: <a href="http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sok_K_Verdery">Sok K Verdery</a><br />Article Source: <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Improve-Energy-Efficiency-With-Better-Circulation&amp;id=4314434">EzineArticles.com</a><br /> <a href="http://www.myropcb.com/">Make PCB Assembly</a></p>
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		<title>Going Green For Those Who Want to Save Some Green &#8211; 10 Ways to Get the Biggest Bang For Your Buck</title>
		<link>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/10/06/going-green-for-those-who-want-to-save-some-green-10-ways-to-get-the-biggest-bang-for-your-buck.html</link>
		<comments>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/10/06/going-green-for-those-who-want-to-save-some-green-10-ways-to-get-the-biggest-bang-for-your-buck.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 07 Oct 2010 03:11:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Djuna Woods</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[going  green]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eco-friendly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[energy star]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[green living]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[recycle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reduce]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reuse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sustainable]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/10/06/going-green-for-those-who-want-to-save-some-green-10-ways-to-get-the-biggest-bang-for-your-buck.html</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Have you ever stood in the supermarket comparing the cost of an organic apple with a non-organic apple and then walked away from the organic apple because it is too expensive? If so, this article is for you. Many people want to help the planet but don't necessarily want to pay more money to do so. This article discusses 10 ways to go green that are cost effective and actually do have a big impact on the environment. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p id="top" />The process of going green is sometimes viewed as being a bit of hassle and even expensive. If you have found yourself wondering when it is worth it to spend money on green products and items and when it is better to simply save your money, read on to discover the best way to have the biggest impact when spending your money.</p>
<p>1. Always make sure you read the label of any product you consider buying. Never rely simply on packaging or advertising claims. Sadly, there are some companies who try to make a buck by marketing to those of us who want to do something positive for the planet. Such packaging typically uses phrases such as &#8216;all natural&#8217; and &#8216;earth friendly.&#8217; Reading labels can help you to get past the claims and to the heart of the matter to determine whether the product is truly earth friendly and worth the investment of your money.</p>
<p>2. Buy local items whenever possible. As fuel and energy prices continue to soar, the cost that is involved in transporting goods and items over long distances rise as well. You can help to change this by supporting local businesses and farmers.</p>
<p>3. Make the change to compact fluorescent light bulbs. The cost per bulb is now about $2 each. Although that is higher than incandescent light bulbs, you will find that you energy savings over time more than makes up for the difference in unit cost.</p>
<p>4. Change to cold water when doing your laundry whenever possible. Up to 85% of the energy expended when washing clothing is comprised of heating the water.</p>
<p>5. Change your shower head to a low-flow unit. These units do not cost much money and the money you save on energy and water will quickly pay for the small investment you make in this initiative.</p>
<p>6. Purchase a water filter and use that to purify your tap water for drinking rather than buying bottled water. Not only is bottled water more expensive but it also requires a tremendous amount of energy for its packaging as well as the resulting plastic container waste.</p>
<p>7. Begin giving some thought to the items you purchase. Every item you purchase can have an impact on the environment. To reduce the amount of impact you have on the environment, think about purchasing pre-owned items. You will likely be able to save money as well as reduce your impact on the planet. Buying items in bulk is another great way to have an impact while also saving money. When you buy in bulk, you help to save on packaging.</p>
<p>8. Recycle electronics to keep them out of the trash. Electronic items contain mercury as well as other toxics that can negatively impact the planet. First, try to keep your electronics as long as they are usable rather than investing in new upgrades frequently. When the items have reached the end of their useful life, instead of tossing them in the trash, recycle them responsibly.</p>
<p>9. When you need to buy a new item, spend the extra money to purchase an item or product that is high quality and which will last much longer. While high quality items cost more money in the beginning, you will spend less money over the long-term when the item does not need to be replaced as frequently. In addition, you will help to save on waste.</p>
<p>10. Finally, when you need to purchase a new appliance, look for appliances that are produced with energy savings in mind, such as Energy Star products.</p>
<p>Djuna Woods writes the popular blog Simple Ways to Help at <a href="http://simplewaystohelp.com" target="_new">http://simplewaystohelp.com</a> where she discusses simple ways to help the planet that are cheap and easy.</p>
<p>Author: <a href="http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Djuna_Woods">Djuna Woods</a><br />
Article Source: <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?Going-Green-For-Those-Who-Want-to-Save-Some-Green---10-Ways-to-Get-the-Biggest-Bang-For-Your-Buck&amp;id=1282884">EzineArticles.com</a><br />
<a href="http://digitalcameratimes.com/">Digital Camera News</a></p>
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		<title>Make Your Home Energy Efficient and Save Money</title>
		<link>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/10/01/make-your-home-energy-efficient-and-save-money.html</link>
		<comments>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/10/01/make-your-home-energy-efficient-and-save-money.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 01 Oct 2010 08:23:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>laurarose</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[energy conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[greenovating]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[energy star]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[getting off grid]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[green living]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Summer is a great time to remember all the ways you can make your home more energy efficient. Here are some tips, advice, links and resources for energy efficiency. A metal roof is a great home improvement that will pay you back year after year in energy savings. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p id="top" />
<p>When the temperature starts soaring in the summer months, you start noticing your energy bills soaring right along with the thermometer. You and your family need to keep cool, but the rising energy costs may be stressful to an already stretched personal budget.</p>
<p>This is a great time to remember all the ways you can make your home more energy efficient. There are small things you can do to help, such as:</p>
<p>
<ul>
<li>keeping the house a degree or two warmer,</li>
<li>maintaining a consistent temperature on the thermostat,</li>
<li>making sure all lights and fans are turned off when not in use,</li>
<li>replacing traditional light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs,</li>
<li>keeping windows and doors shut tight,</li>
<li>and closing the blinds or curtains during the daytime.</li>
</ul>
<p>There are also bigger investments you can make to help your home become more energy efficient. These investments can provide a bigger payoff in the long run. A few of these improvements include:</p>
<p>
<ul>
<li>installing new energy efficient windows and doors</li>
<li>installing solar panels</li>
<li>using energy efficient appliances</li>
<li>following the ENERGY STAR&#8217;s recommendations for <a target="_new" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=heat_cool.pr_hvac">Heating and Cooling Efficiently</a> </li>
<li>installing a new metal roof</li>
</ul>
<p>Metal Roofing is an energy efficient choice for your home, especially if you choose an ENERGY STAR certified roofing product. A metal roof reflects more of the sun&#8217;s energy compared to asphalt shingles or traditional roofing material. It also emits solar radiation back into the night sky.</p>
<p>These characteristics of a <a target="_new" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.advancedmetalroofing.com">metal roof</a> help prevent heat from entering your home through the attic and allow your air conditioning unit to do less work in order to effectively cool the house. This type of conservation addresses the root of our energy use and ultimately leads to burning less fossil fuels.</p>
<p>You can not only save energy with a metal roof, but you can save money by reducing energy consumption in your home plus you can help protect the environment by reducing your contribution to burning fossil fuels.</p>
<p>James Kenton is owner of Advanced Metal Roofing, a residential metal roofing company offering the exclusive MetalMan Roofing System. Every <a target="_new" href="http://www.advancedmetalroofing.com">metal roof</a> comes with a transferable, limited Lifetime Warranty, a 42% Energy Savings Pledge, and has the government ENERGY STAR seal of approval.</p>
<p>Author: <a href="http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Kenton">James Kenton</a><br />Article Source: <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?Make-Your-Home-Energy-Efficient-and-Save-Money&amp;id=4544039">EzineArticles.com</a><br /><a href="http://betterdollar.com/duty-tax/duty/">Canada duty tariff</a></p>
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		<title>Organic Baby Gift Sets</title>
		<link>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/10/01/organic-baby-gift-sets.html</link>
		<comments>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/10/01/organic-baby-gift-sets.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 01 Oct 2010 05:56:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>laurarose</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[health and well-being]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eco-friendly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[green living]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/10/01/organic-baby-gift-sets.html</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Colors have special, subconscious meanings that evoke an emotion or conjure a state of mind. Colors encourage us to think and feel a certain way. The color and word "green" means something too. Find out how green and organic baby gift sets relate. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p id="top" />
<p><b>What does green mean?</b></p>
<p>Green&#8211;what does it mean to you? Is it just another color in the spectrum or does it take on a special meaning? Green could be your favorite color, what you wear during St. Patrick&#8217;s Day or Christmas, or green could be a way of life. There is the idea of living green&#8211;a more natural, organic lifestyle that promotes living at one with nature, doing what we can to go about our days while preserving resources to the best of our abilities. Some people think that if you &#8220;go green&#8221; you&#8217;re going to have to give up shopping or go without.</p>
<p>That&#8217;s not necessarily true. Actually, you can live an environmentally friendly lifestyle by choosing to purchase earth friendly products like organic baby gift sets for a new baby, organic material for bedding, recycled paper for your printer, and so much more. You&#8217;ve probably even seen eco-friendly detergents. The point is, you can live the life you want and still be nice to the planet.</p>
<p><b>What is a green gift?</b></p>
<p>So what will you do when it&#8217;s time to go your friend&#8217;s baby shower and you need to buy a gift? Will you just buy something off the registry just to get it out of the way without putting very much thought into the gift? Or will you choose to buy an organic baby gift similar to an item on the registry because it&#8217;s simply the right thing to do-supporting a company that advocates for the environment?</p>
<p>What do organic baby gift sets even look like? They&#8217;re not alien or out of this world weird. They&#8217;re like anything else on the market: cute and adorable, pretty in pink or blue. Bodysuits, stuffed animals, books, blankets, even bath accessories can all be organic or eco-friendly and included in a baby&#8217;s special gift set.</p>
<p>So what will a &#8220;green&#8221; baby gift represent to the proud new parents? Most of all, it will tell them that you are celebrating this new life with them, just as any baby gift does. But it can also send a positive, subtle message about taking care of the environment. If the parents are already quite invested in going green, an eco-friendly gift can be a great way to show you support or at least to let them know that you respect their choices.</p>
<p>Green is a color that represents harmony and peace, and &#8220;green&#8221; gifts can carry a measure of this too. It&#8217;s a way of letting the new parents know that you wish the same for their newborn &#8211; a harmonious and peaceful life, full of good, wholesome things.</p>
<p>Annette Salucien writes consumer reviews for family friendly products including <a target="_new" href="http://greentots.net/gifts.aspx">organic baby gifts</a> for friends and family and for <a target="_new" href="http://greentots.net">eco-minded parents</a> too.</p>
<p>Author: <a href="http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Annette_Salucien">Annette Salucien</a><br />Article Source: <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?Organic-Baby-Gift-Sets&amp;id=4910609">EzineArticles.com</a><br /><a href="http://netbookzen.com/">Netbook, Tablets and Mobile Computing </a></p>
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		<title>LEED Homes Are Becoming More Popular Across the Country</title>
		<link>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/09/23/leed-homes-are-becoming-more-popular-across-the-country.html</link>
		<comments>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/09/23/leed-homes-are-becoming-more-popular-across-the-country.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 Sep 2010 05:26:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>laurarose</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[greenovating]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[carbon footprint]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eco-friendly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[getting off grid]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[green living]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[green planning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LEEDS Homes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[recycle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reduce]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reuse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sustainable]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/09/23/leed-homes-are-becoming-more-popular-across-the-country.html</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[With more people wanting to take an active role in "going green", there is growing interest in the concept of LEED homes. This nationwide green building program can apply to any structure, from corporate buildings to private residences. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p id="top" />With more people wanting to take an active role in &#8220;going green&#8221;, there is growing interest in the concept of LEED homes. This nationwide green building program can apply to any structure, from corporate buildings to private residences. There is a very precise certification system that allows a home to qualify as a green structure, and it can be an expensive endeavor. For many, the upfront cost can be a deterrent, but for anyone that cares about the environment; it&#8217;s a small price to pay to make the world a better place.</p>
<p>Understanding the long-term benefits of a LEED home encourages many Floridians to take the plunge and go green. In fact, Miami has ranked in the top 50 cities in the country for LEED structures for several years. It is expected that in the next few years green homes, like hybrid cars, will become more common. As popularity rises, upfront costs to go green will go down, allowing more people to enjoy the benefits of living this way. To achieve certification, a home must meet many criteria and be rated by a professional in the LEED industry. They will ensure that the home will operate under certain guidelines before they can deem it a green home.</p>
<p>Some of the qualities necessary to becoming a LEED home are water efficiency, energy efficiency, indoor environment quality, and innovation in design. It&#8217;s also important that the home meet certain sustainability standards, meaning it is built on land that was already developed and doesn&#8217;t impact the environment in a negative way. Going green is something people all over the country are considering, and the Sunshine state is in the forefront of the movement to go green. With so much opportunity for solar energy, it&#8217;s no wonder Miami and Fort Lauderdale continue to see more people opting to build LEED homes.</p>
<p>The benefits of a green home are numerous. For many people, the fact that they are making a positive impact on the environment is incentive enough, but it&#8217;s nice to consider the other things that one can enjoy with a LEED home. Lower energy bills, less risk of certain toxins, and improved resale value are some of the benefits. It&#8217;s no wonder so many people are trying to go green in all areas of their lives. From recycling to living green, you can save money and have a clear conscience at the same time.</p>
<p>Sunny Realty of South Florida features technologically advanced and Internet savvy realtors. They specialize in Sunny Isles real estate, <a href="http://www.sunnyislesmiamirealestate.com" target="_new">Miami real estate</a> and luxury condominiums. SunnyIslesMiamiRealEstate.com provides instant access to the best in <a href="http://www.sunnyislesmiamirealestate.com" target="_new">Miami Beach condos</a>.</p>
<p>Author: <a href="http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=L._Belenky">L. Belenky</a><br />
Article Source: <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?LEED-Homes-Are-Becoming-More-Popular-Across-the-Country&amp;id=4829393">EzineArticles.com</a><br />
<a href="http://ywywy.com/q/">Digital economy, mobile technology</a></p>
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		<title>Going Green &#8211; Have You Considered Making the Alternate Energy &amp; Consumer Lifestyle Change?</title>
		<link>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/09/22/going-green-have-you-considered-making-the-alternate-energy-consumer-lifestyle-change-21.html</link>
		<comments>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/09/22/going-green-have-you-considered-making-the-alternate-energy-consumer-lifestyle-change-21.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 Sep 2010 02:06:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michelle Houser</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[eco waste management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[energy conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eco pets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[energy star]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[green living]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/09/22/going-green-have-you-considered-making-the-alternate-energy-consumer-lifestyle-change-21.html</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[These days I think we are all taking a second look at our choices and the way we are living our lives. It's not like we haven't thought about saving energy before or sorting and recycling our trash, but now with the economy in the dumper we are all looking for new options that we can implement in our lives to save money. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p id="top" />Everywhere we turn there are signs that our society is switching gears in terms of the way that we are treating our planet. You cannot open a magazine, newspaper or turn on the TV without seeing or hearing the phrase &#8220;Going Green.&#8221; So what exactly does &#8220;Going Green&#8221; mean to us as everyday citizens and how can we start to practice this new lifestyle in our everyday lives?</p>
<p>My first suggestion would be to start slow. Start small with everyday things like sharing rides to work, walking or riding your bike to lower how much fuel you are consuming and lower your contribution to air pollution. Change the light bulbs in your home to the smaller fluorescent bulbs. Regular light bulbs can really increase your monthly bills and the newer ones will last a lot longer. This adds up to big savings for you over time.</p>
<p>Another approach is to do a little maintenance around the house. Start caulking any gaps around the doors and windows and seal up any opening. This will help keep out drafts that cost you money.</p>
<p>Another big tip is if you want to spend a little money &#8211; insulate, insulate, insulate! You will always make your money back on insulation. Having a well insulated home cuts down on those high energy cost in the wintertime. The more insulation, the less your furnace or heater will turn off and on costing you less.</p>
<p>One thing I hadn&#8217;t thought much about before was my appliances until my washer started to go crazy. If you have older appliances, they are probably eating your lunch in energy. It&#8217;s true! I couldn&#8217;t believe how much difference there was just in the ten years difference since I had bought my old one. You will actually save enough on your monthly bills over time to pay for a new energy efficient appliance. So if your spouse has been complaining about that old frig or washer, surprise them and replace it for them and save some money. (hint hint honey)</p>
<p>Of course, one of the most obvious &#8220;Going Green&#8221; changes that most of us have been exposed to since we were young is recycling. The bonus is that many vendors and manufacturers are making it easy for us. Watch for the recycling emblem when purchasing products. Buy more than one trash can so that you can separate out your paper, metal, glass and plastic.</p>
<p>These are all excellent ideas that you can utilize to start your &#8220;Going Green&#8221; lifestyle. Should you decide to pursue even bigger ideas&#8217; there are many resources and a large amount of information available.</p>
<p>I started researching &#8220;Green Energy&#8221; and Home Alternate Energy as a way to save money on my electric bill. The result has been a driven need for more information and perhaps a way to indulge my passion to learn to market on the internet.</p>
<p>I also have a passion for my dogs Maddie and Rodeo and love to use my background in the pet industry to share information with you. Check out the following site for healthy dog food information.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.love-your-dog-food.com" target="_new">http://www.love-your-dog-food.com</a></p>
<p>Author: <a href="http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michelle_Houser">Michelle Houser</a><br />
Article Source: <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?Going-Green---Have-You-Considered-Making-the-Alternate-Energy-and-Consumer-Lifestyle-Change?&amp;id=2523600">EzineArticles.com</a><br />
<a href="http://foodtocure.com/">Healing food: natural way to cure cancer</a></p>
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		<title>THE 3 Rs &#8211; Lazy Ways to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle</title>
		<link>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/09/21/the-3-rs-lazy-ways-to-reduce-reuse-and-recycle.html</link>
		<comments>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/09/21/the-3-rs-lazy-ways-to-reduce-reuse-and-recycle.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Sep 2010 02:32:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>laurarose</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[going  green]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eco-friendly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[green living]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[recycle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reduce]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reuse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sustainable]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/09/21/the-3-rs-lazy-ways-to-reduce-reuse-and-recycle.html</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The 3 Rs (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle) is no longer simply a mantra for environmental activists, it's a ticket to saving you money while you consider the planet. The 3Rs ask you to buy less, reuse more, and recycle products at the end of their useful life-wonderful guiding principles for reducing our environmental footprint and bringing our lifestyles into balance with nature. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p id="top" />The 3 Rs (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle) is no longer simply a mantra for environmental activists, it&#8217;s a ticket to saving you money while you consider the planet. The 3Rs ask you to buy less, reuse more, and recycle products at the end of their useful life-wonderful guiding principles for reducing our environmental footprint and bringing our lifestyles into balance with nature. But in practice, how many of us are really willing to cut back on the stuff we want to own, to reuse what we&#8217;d like to throw out, and to recycle when doing so is often incredibly inconvenient? Fortunately for budget-conscious Lazy Environmentalists, the 3Rs are receiving a twenty-first-century facelift, making them easy to implement and even easier on the wallet.</p>
<p>Reduce, the first of the 3Rs, releases you from the hassle, expense, and waste of unwanted stuff while helping you use less energy and create less trash. And while most of us can&#8217;t imagine life without our most prized four-wheeled possession, the first place to embrace Reduce is with our cars. That&#8217;s because our automobiles generate about half of our personal greenhouse gas emissions-the other half comes from our homes.</p>
<p>Today, you can enjoy the freedom of being in the driver&#8217;s seat while eliminating all of the expense of owning-or leasing-and maintaining a car by joining a car-share service. Zipcar is leading the way. Available in more than 40 U.S. cities, Zipcar lets members locate cars conveniently parked at designated spots around the city and reserve them for an hourly fee (typically between $10.50 and $16.50). Members arrive at the parking spot, swipe their membership card over the windshield sensor to unlock the door, hop in, and go. There&#8217;s no need to pay for gasoline or insurance; Zipcar has got you covered. You won&#8217;t sacrifice your ride either; Zipcar lets you choose from models like the BMW 325, Mini Cooper, Honda Fit, Volkswagen Jetta, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid, Volvo S40, Mazda 3, and Subaru Outback. According to the company&#8217;s surveys, over time Zipcar members reduce their car usage by as much as 50 percent. Zipcar estimates that each of its cars removes the equivalent of about 15 privately owned vehicles from the road. Other car-sharing services are popping up across the country and around the world. Visit Carsharing.net for a comprehensive list.</p>
<p>Reuse-the middle child of the 3Rs-has been a part of our lives before we were &#8220;eco&#8221; anything (eco-conscious, eco-savvy, even a tentative eco-curious). Think about it: Every day, we reuse items like T-shirts, cereal bowls, and underwear without a second thought. We don&#8217;t toss them after one use. We reuse. The secret to twenty-first century Reusing is to discover how to reuse other people&#8217;s really cool stuff as well as our own.</p>
<p>Reuse logic is in effect at Goozex.com, where gamers gather to swap their video game. Visit the website, create an account and list the games you own that you&#8217;d like to trade. Then Goozex quickly locates other gamers who want them and makes instantaneous matches for you. With each game you mail, you earn Goozex points, which you can then use to acquire the games you want from other members. Instead of spending lots of money on new games (and paying for all that packaging waste), you&#8217;ll pay Goozex $1 each time you receive a game. Whether you&#8217;re partial to Xbox, Wii, Nintendo, or many other gaming platforms, the Goozex trading community has got you covered. Get your reused copy of Call of Duty 2 or NCAA Football 09 today.</p>
<p>Swapping websites are emerging in all kinds of categories. Bookworms can browse more than two million titles available for trade at Paperbackswap.com. Movie collectors can visit Swapadvd.com to trade both new and classic DVD titles. CD fans (you know you&#8217;ve still got &#8216;em) can tap into more than 130,000 titles available at Swapacd.com. And new and expecting parents can trade for baby strollers, bibs, bedding, bumpers, and more at Zwaggle.com.</p>
<p>Recycle, the last of the 3R trio, is the most transformative of the Rs. When we recycle, we&#8217;re giving used products the chance to be reborn as something new. That&#8217;s especially the case thanks to companies like Preserve that has partnered with Stonyfield Farm to recycle its yogurt cups-from organic yogurt, of course-into ergonomic plastic toothbrushes, razors, and an assortment of colorful kitchenware (and now also does the same with Brita pitcher filters).</p>
<p>TerraCycle, another green innovator, is on pace to redefine much of America&#8217;s relationship with trash. The company that began with its signature Plant Food-made from worm poop, packaged in empty Pepsi bottles and sold at the likes of Home Depot and Wal-Mart-has evolved into an innovation powerhouse that continually introduces new products made entirely from waste. Take the E-Water Trash Cans and Recycling Bins available at OfficeMax for $10.99 each and made from crushed computers and fax machines (that would otherwise end up in a landfill). Or the rain barrels and composters made from Kendall-Jackson oak wine barrels that sell for $99 each at Sam&#8217;s Club. They&#8217;re both prime examples of a company that sees opportunity where others see garbage. In so doing, TerraCycle helps us make attractive choices that are mindful of the planet and our wallets.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.lazyenvironmentalist.com/pages/2005/06/about_josh_dorf.php/" target="_new">Josh Dorfman</a> is an environmental entrepreneur, media personality and author of The Lazy Environmentalist: Your Guide to Easy, Stylish, Green Living. He is also the founder and CEO of Vivavi, a retailer of modern, green furniture and home furnishings. His latest book, The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget: Save Money. Save Time. Save The Planet, is now available. For more information, please visit: <a href="http://www.lazyenvironmentalist.com" target="_new">http://www.lazyenvironmentalist.com</a></p>
<p>Author: <a href="http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Josh_Dorfman">Josh Dorfman</a><br />
Article Source: <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?THE-3-Rs---Lazy-Ways-to-Reduce,-Reuse-and-Recycle&amp;id=2199762">EzineArticles.com</a><br />
<a href="http://betterdollar.com/payment/">Creditcard Currency Conversion Fee</a></p>
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		<title>Organic Vegetable Gardening &#8211; Ten Tips to Save Money</title>
		<link>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/09/20/organic-vegetable-gardening-ten-tips-to-save-money.html</link>
		<comments>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/09/20/organic-vegetable-gardening-ten-tips-to-save-money.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 Sep 2010 02:32:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>laurarose</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[food & garden]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[composting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eco-friendly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gardens for food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[green living]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rain gardens]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rainbarrels]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/09/20/organic-vegetable-gardening-ten-tips-to-save-money.html</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Do it yourself: Don't pay someone else to dig, plant, cut and prune for you. In addition to saving money, the exercise will make your feel better. If working in the yard makes you grown - get over it. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p id="top" />1. Do it yourself: Don&#8217;t pay someone else to dig, plant, cut and prune for you. In addition to saving money, the exercise will make your feel better. If working in the yard makes you grown &#8211; get over it.</p>
<p>2. Set your mower deck higher: set it at its highest setting (or at lease higher than you do now. Don&#8217;t bag..leave the clippings where they fall. You save on fertilizer and your lawn will look better. Clippings don&#8217;t cause thatch, fertilizer does.</p>
<p>3. Make your own weed killer: vinegar, salt and dish soap, evidently boiling water kills weeds, and gin dish soap and vinegar. Evidently the vinegar kills the weed, salt keeps it from growing back, and soap sticks to the weed so the first two things can work. Amounts vary from recipe to recipe (or is it a formulation&#8230;again I digress) and do not appear to be very important. As the salt sticks around for a bit, you need to wait a little before replanting. [Didn't someone sale fields in the bible or something?]</p>
<p>4. Get your tools at yard sales and use hand tools. Never pay retail. Good tools last forever. Power tools use gas, stink, pollute your yard and the world at large, and leave you smelling like gasoline after you are done. Oh yeah, they are expensive too.</p>
<p>5. Compost. Make your own dirt. Don&#8217;t buy a bin, you don&#8217;t need one. Dig a hole. Make a pile. If you just pile up everything that was once once alive [and not an animal] that is left over from your kitchen, you will have compost in six to nine months. If you follow the rules and mix your compose and turn it, you can have some super dirt in two to three months.</p>
<p>6. Make your own mulch. Shred your leaves with you lawn mower. Contact a tree service and ask for chipped branches. You may get them for free since you will save the company the dumping fee. Be prepared though, it doesn&#8217;t look as nice as bought mulch but it works great on your garden and saves money. You may also consider stones or pebbles, the initial outlay is higher but they don&#8217;t have to be replaced. A truck load of local stone costs less than you think.</p>
<p>7. Divide plants, share seedlings, ask you neighbors. Talk to you neighbors and see if they have any plants that need dividing. Join a garden club or plant exchange. Look for sale by garden clubs and botanical gardens.</p>
<p>8. Watering. Get a rain barrel. You don&#8217;t need some expensive system. Contact your water department or look for recycled plastic barrels. Use soaker hoses in your beds and garden; you will use much less water. Water deeply once or twice per week. Daily, short watering make for shallow roots and unhealthy plants.</p>
<p>9. Grow Vegetables and Herbs. The saving will take to be realized but you can save a lot of money growing your own food. The savings will only increase over time. Especially if you follow the above tips. See my previous post for a calculator on gardening savings.</p>
<p>10. Cancel your cable and get outside in your yard.</p>
<p>John C. Shelton is a recovering attorney, husband, father of two, and newbie blogger. After 15 years in the wilderness (lawyers, on whole are a cranky lot) he is looking for health, happiness, and satisfaction. He started baking his own bread and gardening somewhat late in life.</p>
<p>DaddyBakesBread [http://www.daddybakesbread.com/?page_id=11] Click it&#8230;.Click it&#8230;you want to click it.</p>
<p>Be sure to check out MY GARDENING BLOG [http://www.gardening.daddybakesbread.com].</p>
<p>Author: <a href="http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_C_Shelton">John C Shelton</a><br />
Article Source: <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?Organic-Vegetable-Gardening---Ten-Tips-to-Save-Money&amp;id=2058690">EzineArticles.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.myropcb.com/">Lowest price PCB Prototype</a></p>
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		<title>Is Your Home As Safe As You Think?</title>
		<link>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/09/19/is-your-home-as-safe-as-you-think.html</link>
		<comments>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/09/19/is-your-home-as-safe-as-you-think.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 20 Sep 2010 02:26:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>laurarose</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[health and well-being]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[biodegradability]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eco-friendly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[green living]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/09/19/is-your-home-as-safe-as-you-think.html</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Creating a healthful home environment is not just about using 'natural' products. Our homes can still contain many harmful toxins that contribute to allergies, disease and general health problems. Once you know about them, you can begin to make wiser daily choices to make your home much safer. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p id="top" />Many of us know that we are living in an increasingly toxic world, and some of us try to make choices that will help keep our homes and our families relatively safe. We choose natural cleaners, use water filters and only select natural pesticides in our gardens. Then why are so many of us suffering from symptoms of toxic overload: fatigue, mottled or dull skin, joint pain, swollen feet or legs, bad breath, foggy brain, poor immunity etc.? My experience in environmental medicine has taught me that most people, even many who aware of environmental issues, live in toxic homes without even knowing it.</p>
<p>Let us take a closer look at your home environment. Do smooth wool carpets greet you at your front door? If yes, then you get a dose of permethrin, a chemical used to treat most top-quality floor carpets, blankets, mattresses at the factory. If your carpet is synthetic, your body&#8217;s bioelectrical system probably gets statically charged as you walk over the carpet to the bathroom.</p>
<p>You take a shower, removing your skin&#8217;s protective acid mantle with a cleansing soap, massage in toxic chemicals as you shampoo your hair, and inhale chlorine fumes released from your shower water by heat. As brush your teeth with one of those fluorides toothpaste, you neatly kill off the oral flora that naturally fight bacteria and maintain the health of your mouth. Then you spray a bit of formaldehyde and aluminum under your arms to stop you from perspiring (incidentally, preventing your sweat from carrying toxins out of your body). Then you immerse yourself in a cocktail of chemicals as you rub in body lotion, apply hair spray, mouthwash and cosmetics. You get dressed. Most of your clothes are made from textiles that were manufactured from chemical substances, improved industrially and exposed to a number of chemicals during the production process.</p>
<p>Next, you go to the kitchen. Hmm. What can I eat fast? Oh yes, here is a packaged instant meal. You microwave it (destroying any surviving nutritive elements), stir it and it&#8217;s ready. If you took time to read the ingredients, you might find that some raw protein and vegetable oil blended with some mono sodium glutamate, &#8216;natural&#8217; aromas and colorants were about to land in your stomach. You prefer eco-nutrition? Are you more into stuff like enriched minerals and vitamins? Nice! What exactly do you choose&#8230;additives that are produced chemically, or genetically modified ones?</p>
<p>You clean the stove and kitchen counter. Hardly any cleaning agents nowadays are produced naturally even if they claim &#8216;natural&#8217; on the label. If you open a cabinet with cleaning agents, you see a chemical mini-plant in front of you. The workers who produced these cleaners in the factory wore gloves and a mask to protect them, but like most homeowners, you don&#8217;t, so you breathe in the fumes and chemicals leach into your skin. And let&#8217;s not forget the mold that can easily develop behind the panels of your lightweight, prefabricated home or in damp places.</p>
<p>Your stomach is now full; the weather is good, so you relax on your terrace with a glass of wine. You are probably sipping sugar in the form of glucagons, and a little sulphur. You&#8217;d rather have a cup of tea? There can&#8217;t be anything wrong with that! However, tea and many spices are usually sterilized chemically or radioactively. Perhaps your tea is sterilized with heat. That&#8217;s good. So sit back and enjoy the fresh outdoor air. You know that your garden is free of chemicals, and you are indeed fortunate to live in the country.</p>
<p>From a distance, you watch your neighbor tending his garden, spreading chemical fertilizers and happily spraying herbicides around all the weeds and trees. A gentle breeze carries them to you, and you innocently breathe them in. Even though you do not use insecticides, they are utilized everywhere, by farmers, city council workers, and home gardeners like your neighbor.</p>
<p>We are often forced to breath in a toxic mix of fumes, toxic particles, and chemical gases. And even those people who consciously try to make good choices cannot always avoid the ecological and health impacts of omnipresent toxins. No matter how healthy your lifestyle, it can be difficult to eat only organic foods, and to breathe only pure air.</p>
<p>Imagine how many hazardous substances your body may already have absorbed, and how many have accumulated there because your body cannot get rid of them all. Sooner or later, like a rain barrel collecting water, your body cannot take any more, and just one more drop causes the barrel to overflow. Your key detoxification organs and natural barriers, including the intestines, skinl, and respiratory system, can become overwhelmed, unable to cope with the toxic load, and toxins spread and collect in different organs and tissues, and around your cells. Your immune system goes into a state of full alert, and may begin to attack the body it was designed to protect, resulting in a pattern of chronic allergies or autoimmune disease. Eventually, your immune system can become exhausted, and you become prone to infection, allergies, and chronic disease.</p>
<p>How can you avoid or correct toxic overload? By doing three things:<br />
1. reduce your exposure to toxins from any source<br />
2. cleanse your body of toxins with a program like Renew You&#8217;s 7 Day Eco-Detox System, and<br />
3. eat raw whole foods (as much organic as possible), especially lots of fresh, raw vegetables and fruit, and probiotic foods to assist your body&#8217;s natural detoxification and elimination processes. Goodness in&#8230;Bad out!!!</p>
<p>Bojan Schianetz is Australia&#8217;s Allergy Relief Guru and developed the revolutionary BioFast Allergy Free System, which allows to treat multiple allergies in one single session. This new system has helped thousands of children and adults to regain control of their life in under 30 days. Find out more at my website <a href="http://www.RenewYouJourney.com" target="_new">http://www.RenewYouJourney.com</a></p>
<p>Author: <a href="http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bojan_Schianetz">Bojan Schianetz</a><br />
Article Source: <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?Is-Your-Home-As-Safe-As-You-Think?&amp;id=1251158">EzineArticles.com</a><br />
<a href="http://intriguingnews.com/virtually-t-touch-able/">Tissot virtual reality</a></p>
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		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>

