Earth the great giver. What can we learn from the Earth? The world celebrates earth day in different ways. In the United States of America, it is observed on the 22nd April, while the international earth day is celebrated on the day of Vernal Equinox .

The day is observed to make all of us aware of our responsibilities towards our mother earth. The way we have been taking all that we can from the earth will one day finish all the coal and hydrocarbon from the earth. Same with all the minerals. We are extracting what all we can. The earth is our greatest friend but we earthlings behave as if we are the masters. The earth supports us in all the ways. It gives us the atmosphere to breathe, the water to drink, and food to eat. It gives us thousands of varieties of plants and it gives us the place to make our home. The earth gives its all to us without any protest.

We are the selfish ones. We want still more from what all we get. We are not happy merely watching at the great natural marvels. The ice, the great plains, the tall mountains, thousands of different animals, insects, birds, the oceans and the marine life. The earth gives us all and it should be very satisfying to us. But unfortunately most of us have forgotten the spirit of thanking. We thank our friends for the smallest favor but forget to thank the earth. We take care of ourselves, our family and our friends, but fail to care for the earth. That is very surprising but very true.

One lesson we can immediately learn from this is – if you don’t protest, you will keep on getting exploited. The second lesson – unless you act miserly, no body will respect your big heartedness. Had the earth been miserly, we would been very careful. But since it gives in abundance, we are never bothered. The third lesson we all must learn is – the spirit of giving to make others happy. That is what the earth does. If we become as giving in our life, a lot of misery can be wiped out. But first all of us must learn to give and not to ask. That is the great message of the Mother Earth.

Among the most versatile and cool lights, the light-emitting diode or LED lights are new, tough, and seem to last forever. You can find them in mini-flashlights, in jewelry, penlights, and dozens of small applications. Larger bulbs are quite expensive because they are such a new technology, but the small bulbs give a significant amount of light, and in larger displays can light an area quite brightly.

LED lights seem to last forever. Regular incandescent bulbs only last about a thousand hours, and fluorescent about 10,000 hours. LEDs last for up to 100,000 hours. Thats more than eleven years, with continual use! LEDs also use about a tenth the electricity of an incandescent bulb because they produce almost no heat. The red LED bulbs are as much as 90% efficient. Compare that with a standard incandescent light bulb, in which only about three percent of the energy used is transformed into light, while the remaining 97% becomes heat.

LED lights have been used more and more over the last few years, in decorations, in small flashlights and night lights, even in novelty ice cubes and license-plate holders. The most popular use for LED lights is illumination for specific things how neat would it be to have LED lights in your fish tank? LED earrings and body jewelry are common at raves.

But its also becoming more common for LED lights, with their clear, long-lasting illumination, to be used in special fixtures for lighting rather than decoration. For instance, LEDs make great travel and book lights, with their low power requirements and tiny size. LED lights used in outdoor spotlight-type illumination last so long, it makes sense to put them up in the hardest to reach spots. LEDs in light bars are being used in ATM machines and other places where bright, stable light is necessary in public areas. If you use a prismatic diffuser or other method for scattering light, an array of LED lights provides excellent indirect lighting for medium or large areas.

Still, the most common use for LED lights is in decoration. And why not? These pinpoints of light can be used in your hair, in tongue studs, on clothing. Magnetized LED lights will stick literally anywhere on your clothing. And many LED lights arent limited to only one color but instead change strobe or change colors, depending on how theyre designed.

When looking for decorative lighting or for stable, long-lasting light, LED lights should be on your list of options to investigate. The cool factor is unbeatable, the energy efficiency incredible, and the light that results from these little lights is anywhere from usable to excellent. As time passes, look for LED lights to be used more and more frequently in applications from kitchen lighting, to dance and rave light shows. Still, the best use found so far for tiny LED lights is the pinpoint light you need to find keyholes in the dark. The keychain LED flashlight is unbeatable.

By Lucien Beauley

Article Word Count: 614

6:25 PM 5/14/2006

With energy waste on the minds of many Americans these days, high gasoline prices to run the inefficient engines that power our vehicles help move the majority of us to cut energy costs in as many areas as possible, some of us are even beginning to ration our lighting usage. Is there an answer to our increasing lighting costs ? Granted, much of the cost is being passed on by the utility suppliers and with recent increases in oil prices, this amount is being noticeably felt in each of our monthly utility budgets. Energy costs are governed by the varying costs of fuel and with our major source of lighting today being the incandescent light, our lighting bill is much too high. Is there a developing technology today that shows a promising hope for our immediate future ?

We must roll back about 35 years and refresh ourselves some history when a small pea size lamp was introduced to the America’s. It was the Light Emitting Diode, more popularly known as the LED, a lighting source that emitted light through a clear molded plastic housing using a small current flow between two solid state junctions that were extended to facilitate an electrical connection. At the time of its introduction, the LED did not emit very much light, as a matter of fact in normal daylight, some were barely visible. At the time of its release to the world, the LED efficiency to produce light was very low. In the early days of the LED development, their use was fairly limited and sold for use on instrument panels where light intensity was not an issue. It would take the better of 20 years of gradual development before they began to find their way into the main stream of use in areas where contemporary lighting was truly dominant. The LED would eventually begin to show its uniqueness for applications in our lighting world.

The LED found its prime application in our traffic lighting system in the late 1990’s, where it began to replace the totally dominant use of the incandescent lamp that had been used for decades and since the inception of the system. Soon, LEDs were replacing the original incandescent lamps in many parts of the world. The electric power energy savings have been extremely high…in a few cases an average of 90 %. We must also keep in mind that there is also the ongoing savings from a much lower upkeep because the LEDs will last as much as ten years(when running 24/7). LEDs will not shatter under high vibration as do the incandescent lamps, negating their need for replacement from these causes of failure. With much of the world looking for ways to save our remaining fossil fuels, this lighting source has the definite ability to show us the way. We could say, “what about the CFL(fluorescent) lamp ?” Couldn’t they become our knight in shining armour ? The question ? Can the CFL emit an infinite number of colors ? Negative…and they are far from shatterproof. Their longevity is also several times less than the LED.

Having praised the LED for just a few of its merits, it can be seen that it is totally practical for the world’s present needs and many believe all our needs in this field in the years to come. Even in its present stage of development, It is well suited to lessen our present energy consumption overload. At the present time, the nations of the world must adopt methods of lighting which are the most efficient to lower energy use, but unless the consumer follows this same trend, our nation and the world’s efforts will be in vain.

The scientists from all over the world have reached the verdict: the world is in a continuous warming due to pollution. The most dangerous air polluter is considered to be the carbon dioxide. Along with other air polluters the carbon dioxide accumulates into the atmosphere and makes up a blockage against the suns heat, leading to the planets warming up. The main source of carbon dioxide is: the coal-burning power plants and the automobiles.

Nature is trying to warn us about the consequences of our mistakes and is sending us signs that the global warming is installing. These early warning signs are: heat waves and unusually warm weather; the ocean has warmed up in the last few years, the sea level has been in a continuous rise and the coasts have been flooded; glaciers are melting and the Arctic and Antarctic are warming up. This is only the beginning as consequences will be seen soon: diseases will spread, the spring will arrive earlier, plant and animal range will shift and population will change; coral reef bleaching; in some parts of the world flooding, downpours and heavy snowfalls will follow and in other parts droughts and fires will dominate.

In order to protect ourselves, our economy, and our planet from the consequences of climate change, we must consider reducing emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Such a transformation needs the involvement of all humans, over the near and long-term, in order to protect our planet. In the beginning we must understand that small measures like: recycling plastic and glass, saving water and conserving power will make a difference is everybody will adopt them. Until now greener ways of producing energy have been considered, like using solar panels, producing gas from rotting rubbish and using the water for new energy.

Taking care of the nature does not need so much effort from us, but things…(read the full article at the link below)

Keeping up with seasonal trends in home comfort is often a time- and money-consuming challenge. There are a few trends that are here to stay, however, and some of those options can also help reduce your energy bills year after year.

The company that brings you Tempstar brand heating and cooling products has the following suggestions to help you save money now and for years to come.

* Heating and cooling: Today’s air conditioners and heat pumps can be up to 40 percent more energy efficient than older, less efficient units. The money homeowners can save in reduced energy bills by purchasing a new, high-efficiency system is often worth the investment. The Tempstar SmartComfort 2400 high-efficiency air conditioner operates at 14 SEER efficiency to help you save money while you keep your home comfortable.

* Electronic air cleaners: A good air cleaner can help trap many of the pollutants that may be traveling through the home. As part of the heating and cooling system, the new line of Tempstar electronic air cleaners filters indoor air to help improve indoor air quality. To ensure years of service, Tempstar indoor air quality products are backed by a five-year parts limited warranty.

* Humidifiers: Moisture levels in the home can affect your family’s comfort and the quality of your wood furniture and flooring. Humidifiers add moisture to the dry air in your home, which helps your body stay hydrated and comfortable. They can also help protect wood furniture and floors by maintaining the right levels of indoor humidity to prevent damage caused by dry indoor air. For information about Tempstar humidifiers, contact your local Tempstar installer.

* Programmable thermostats: A programmable thermostat can help you reduce your energy bill by cooling your home only when you need it. With a programmable thermostat, your cooling system can work at a more cost-efficient temperature while you’re away from home and lower the temperature to cool your home just before you return. To find a heating and cooling contractor near you, go to www.tempstar.com and click on the Dealer Locator button.

Evaluate your home today to find out if you can make some money-saving improvements that could be worth their cost in energy savings and improved comfort. Chances are, you can. – NU