Poultry Arks Gain Popularity

Poultry Arks


Following Jamie Oliver's tirade against factory farming of chickens, a Worcestershire garden and landscape company is hoping to lay a golden egg.

M&M Timber of Upper Sapey has just launched a new range of  "poultry arks" specially aimed at those who want to keep chickens in their own back gardens.

Launched at the Garden Centre Annual conference in Manchester last month, the poultry arks are expected to be the biggest sellers in M&M Timber's new pet and poultry housing range, which will soon be available at all major garden centres throughout the country.

Sales director Ian Rickhuss said: "We have heard from council officials that there has been a marked increase in the number of city dwellers seeking advice on keeping chickens at home."

"We are anticipating a huge demand for our new poultry arks this coming spring and have already begun deliveries to some of the larger garden centres."

"We are confident customers will appreciate the big difference in the build quality of our products, compared to inferior and often over priced foreign imports."

Collapsing Cooling Towers

It's time to move on. Our country needs to move from a fossil fuel past to a renewable energy future!

The STIHL Tour des Trees

Ride The 2012 STIHL Tour des Trees

Here's a great idea for a fun and fit family vacation activity and you still have time to plan! Just think of the amazing scenery all along the way as well as teaching your children the importance of sustainability! 

The STIHL Tour des Trees is the signature annual fundraiser of the TREE Fund and is a week-long, 500-mile cycling event. The Tour des Trees, recognizing its 20th Anniversary in 2012, has raised more than $5 million for the TREE Fund and its mission to support research, scholarships and educational programs in the fields of arboriculture and urban forestry.

The 2012 STIHL Tour des Trees will launch from Portland, Oregon on August 5th and pedal 585 miles through Oregon’s rich coastline, vineyards, high desert and Columbia River Gorge looping back to Portland. Tour riders return year after year, joining their “Tree Family” to spread the message of the TREE Fund and for the camaraderie of their fellow riders.

There are a number of ways to get involved in the STIHL Tour des Trees:

•  Ride the entire Tour
•  Partially ride the Tour
•  Donate to a rider
•  Volunteer
•  Or, join the Tour on its final day during the Ride for Research.
•  For more information on how to get involved; Please visit http://www.stihltourdestrees.org./

Cutting ‘Fixed’ Overhead and Going Green

Cutting ‘Fixed’ Overhead and Going Green

On-site wind power is part of the energy savings mix for one Arizona station

A drive to reduce costs and go green led the owners of a Flagstaff, Ariz. service station to find new ways to reduce utility energy consumption. Late in 2009 the station owners installed small-scale wind turbines and have since made energy efficiency upgrades, cutting utility energy use by a total of about 20 percent.

The Chevron station, one of nine stations owned and operated by Hallum Inc., sits on the heavily traveled U.S. 89, a major route to the Grand Canyon. Two Skystream 3.7 wind turbines, made by Southwest Windpower, sit atop 33- and 45-foot high poles at the site. In addition to generating clean energy, the spinning turbines next to the highway draw plenty of attention from customers and passing motorists.

Cutting overhead

The wind turbines are part of Hallum’s long-term strategy to reduce costs. “Station owners look at electric bills as a fixed cost that you can’t do anything about. But you can. You just have to be proactive about it,” says vice president David Hallum. “Anything you can do to reduce long-term costs should be on the table. We took a look at our overhead and asked ‘what can we do with the resources available to us now?’”

Hallum Inc. engaged the local Southwest Windpower dealer to assess the company’s sites, and settled on the U.S. 89 location for its abundant wind and high visibility. The dealer provided trenching and concrete work, completed the electrical connections, assembled the turbines and raised the towers. The total installation process took just a couple of days, not including concrete cure time.

The owners also invested in new interior upgrades for better efficiency, with the help of Supermarket Energy Technologies, a firm specializing in efficiency retrofits. New refrigerator fan motor controllers and defrost sensors reduce running time by 80 to 90 percent. The station also saves with new lighting fixtures, LED cooler lights and restroom light motion sensors.

Visible green energy

Small-scale wind power can be an affordable and attractive alternative to other green energy options, such as buying carbon offsets. The spinning blades seem to capture people’s attention and differentiate the station from others in the area.

President Steve Hallum got interested in wind turbines largely as a cost-savings measure, but a green image also played a roll in his decision. “Part of it is making a statement to the public about being environmentally conscious. Wind power makes that statement,” he says.

David agrees. “I’m a firm believer. The use of wind energy at the station sends a message to everyone who sees it that we’re taking steps in the right direction. The more ways we can find to get away from conventional energy sources, the better,” he says.

The station manager notes that drivers often stop in to ask questions about the wind turbines that often spin as commuters and tourists pass by.

Small-scale technology

Today’s small wind turbines aren’t like the large turbines associated with wind farms that can stand well over 100 feet high. These are much smaller. And they’re not like old farm windmills either. Small-scale modern systems, with sculpted designs, composite blades, embedded software and wireless connectivity, deliver quiet, optimized performance in a variety of wind conditions.

Southwest Windpower developed Skystream 3.7 in conjunction with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to provide quiet, affordable wind energy systems to home and business owners worldwide. Today Skystream is available with solar panels and a sun tracking mechanism attached to the same tower, which delivers more consistent energy than either solar and wind power alone.

Although the Flagstaff project was undertaken independently by the station owners, Chevron Technology Ventures, the venture capital arm of Chevron., is an investor in Southwest Windpower.

Incentives reduce up front investment

Business owners of small-scale wind systems enjoy federal, state and local incentives, depending on their locations.

Hallum Inc. took advantage of a 30 percent federal tax credit, which was applied to the total installed cost the first year and $1,000 per year thereafter. Arizona Pubic Service, the local electric utility, also offered a $6,000 per turbine incentive, lowering the installation cost significantly.

Many states offer rebate or tax credit programs to encourage the adoption of wind and solar power systems. Some of the best incentives are offered in Arizona, California, Nevada, New York, Hawaii and Massachusetts. An up to date listing of incentives is available online at www.dsireusa.org.

Can your station benefit?

Because wind power is a site-specific technology, it’s not suited to every location. Ideal sites are in high wind areas without many obstacles like structures or tall trees. Usually locations like open plains, along coastlines, or on high ridges deliver the best performance.

Even the placement of the turbines in relation to the service station’s structures can have effects. Southwest Windpower recommends that any small wind turbine be situated on a tower that reaches at least 20 feet above any obstacle within 250 feet.

Any business investigating wind or solar projects should carefully consider whether local wind and sun resources will provide enough energy to make the project worthwhile. Online wind and sun estimating tools can help start the process, and a Southwest Windpower representative can follow up with a live site visit.

Mother Earth

MESSAGE TO THE CORPORATE POLLUTERS, THE GOVERNMENTS THEY ALMOST ENTIRELY CONTROL, AND THE MEDIA WHO PEDDLES THEIR FRAUDULENT SALES PITCHES.

What is the Main Ingredient of WD-40 ?

WD-40


Before you read to the end, does anybody know what the main ingredient of WD-40 is? Don't lie and don't cheat.

I had a neighbor who bought a new pickup. I got up very early one Sunday morning and saw that someone had spray painted red all around the sides of this beige truck (for some unknown reason). I went over, woke him up, and told him the bad news. He was very upset and was trying to figure out what to do.... probably nothing until Monday morning, since nothing was open. Another neighbor came out and told him to get his WD-40 and clean it off. It removed the unwanted paint beautifully and did not harm his paint job that was on the truck. I'm impressed!


WD-40 Who Knew?

'Water Displacement #40'. The product began from a search for a rust preventative solvent and degreaser to protect missile parts. WD-40 was created in 1953 by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company. Its name comes from the project that was to find a 'water displacement' compound.. They were successful with the fortieth formulation, thus WD-40. The Convair Company bought it in bulk to protect their atlas missile parts. Ken East (one of the original founders) says there is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you... When you read the 'shower door' part, try it. It's the first thing that has ever cleaned that spotty shower door. If yours is plastic, it works just as well as glass. It's a miracle! Then try it on your stove top ... Viola! It's now shinier than it's ever been. You'll be amazed!

WD-40 Uses:

1. Protects silver from tarnishing.

2. Removes road tar and grime from cars.

3. Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.

4. Gives floors that 'just-waxed' sheen without making them slippery.

5. Keeps flies off cows.

6. Restores and cleans chalkboards.

7. Removes lipstick stains.

8. Loosens stubborn zippers.

9. Untangles jewelry chains.

10. Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.

11. Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.

12. Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing.

13. Removes tomato stains from clothing.

14. Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots.

15. Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.

16. Keeps scissors working smoothly.

17. Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes.

18. It removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor! Use WD-40 for those nasty tar and scuff marks on flooring. It doesn't seem to harm the finish and you won't have to scrub nearly as hard to get them off. Just remember to open some windows to help with the smell!

19. Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car if not removed quickly! Use WD-40!

20. Gives a children's playground gym slide a shine for a super fast slide.

21. Lubricates gear shift and mower deck lever for ease of handling on riding mowers...

22. Rids kids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises.

23. Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open..

24. Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.

25. Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers.

26. Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.

27. Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans

28. Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling.

29. Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly.

30. Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools.

31. Removes splattered grease on stove.

32. Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging.

33. Lubricates prosthetic limbs.

34. Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell).

35. Removes all traces of duct tape.

36. Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain.

37. Florida 's favorite use is: 'cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers.'

38. The favorite use in the state of New York , WD-40 protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.

39. WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a little on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time. Also, it's a lot cheaper than the chemical attractants that are made for just that purpose. Keep in mind though, using some chemical laced baits or lures for fishing are not allowed in some states.

40. Use it for fire ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch.

41. WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag.

42. Also, if you've discovered that your teenage daughter has washed and dried a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick spots with WD-40 and rewash. Presto! The lipstick is gone!

43. If you sprayed WD-40 on the distributor cap, it would displace the moisture and allow the car to start.



P.S. The basic ingredient is........... FISH OIL.

Skystream 3.7 at Capitol Building!

In May 2008, SWWP collaborated with the U.S. Botanic Gardens to bring the Skystream to the nation’s Capitol for display at the Garden’s summer “One Planet- Ours!” exhibition in Bartholdi Park’s outdoor display area. Southwest’s involvement furthered the interests of sustainability not only in a landscape sense, but also how citizens can lead a more sustainable life. Thousands of people viewed the Skystream 3.7 and became exposed to small-scale wind power. :)