Lake Michigan is a natural resource that not only provides us beauty but also a bountiful source of fresh water. As the population grows our resources become strained and we need to find ways of using what we have more efficiently. When we install new kitchens and baths, water saving features are built right into the products. Toilets use less water to flush and faucets limit the amount of water coming out of the spout. You may not be in the market for a remodeled kitchen or bath but that doesn’t mean you can’t conserve water in your house right now. Here are a few suggestions that will not only save water but also save you some money!

1. Check faucets and pipes for leaks
A small drip from a worn faucet washer can waste 20 gallons of water per day. Larger leaks can waste hundreds of gallons.

2. Don’t use the toilet as an ashtray or wastebasket
Every time you flush a cigarette butt, facial tissue or other small bit of trash, five to seven gallons of water is wasted.

3. Check your toilets for leaks
Put a little food coloring in your toilet tank. If, without flushing, the color begins to appear in the bowl within 30 minutes, you have a leak that should be repaired immediately. Most replacement parts are inexpensive and easy to install.

4. Use your water meter to check for hidden water leaks
Read the house water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter does not read exactly the same, there is a leak.

5. Install water-saving shower heads and low-flow faucet aerators
Inexpensive, water-saving, low-flow shower heads or restrictors are easy for the homeowner to install. “Low-flow” means it uses less than 2.5 gallons per minute.
Also, all household faucets should be fit with aerators. This single best home water conservation method is also the cheapest!

6. Put plastic bottles or float booster in your toilet tank
To cut down on water waste, put an inch or two of sand or pebbles inside each of two plastic bottles to weigh them down. Fill the bottles with water, screw the lids on, and put them in your toilet tank, safely away from the operating mechanisms. Or, buy an inexpensive tank bank or float booster. This may save ten or more gallons of water per day.
Be sure at least 3 gallons of water remain in the tank so it will flush properly. If there is not enough water to get a proper flush, users will hold the lever down too long or do multiple flushes to get rid of waste. Two flushings at 1.4 gallons is worse than a single 2.0 gallon flush.
For new installations, consider buying “low flush” toilets, which use 1 to 2 gallons per flush instead of the usual 3 to 5 gallons.

7. Insulate your water pipes.
It’s easy and inexpensive to insulate your water pipes with pre-slit foam pipe insulation. You’ll get hot water faster plus avoid wasting water while it heats up.

8. Take shorter showers.
One way to cut down on water use is to turn off the shower after soaping up, then turn it back on to rinse. A four-minute shower uses approximately 20 to 40 gallons of water.

9. Turn off the water after you wet your toothbrush
There is no need to keep the water running while brushing your teeth. Just wet your brush and fill a glass for mouth rinsing.

10. Rinse your razor in the sink
Fill the sink with a few inches of warm water. This will rinse your razor just as well as running water, with far less waste of water.

11. Use your dishwasher and clothes washer for only full loads
Automatic dishwashers and clothes washers should be fully loaded for optimum water conservation. Most makers of dishwashing soap recomend not pre-rinsing dishes which is a big water savings.
With clothes washers, avoid the permanent press cycle, which uses an added 5 gallons for the extra rinse. For partial loads, adjust water levels to match the size of the load. Replace old clothes washers. New Energy Star rated washers use 35 – 50% less water and 50% less energy per load. If you’re in the market for a new clothes washer, consider buying a water-saving frontload washer.

12. Minimize use of kitchen sink garbage disposal units
In-sink ‘garburators’ require lots of water to operate properly, and also add considerably to the volume of solids in a septic tank which can lead to maintenance problems. Start a compost pile as an alternate method of disposing food waste.

13. Keep a bottle of drinking water in the fridge.
Running tap water to cool it off for drinking water is wasteful. Store drinking water in the fridge in a safe drinking bottle.

14. Put a layer of mulch around trees and plants
Mulch will slow evaporation of moisture while discouraging weed growth. Adding 2 – 4 inches of organic material such as compost or bark mulch will increase the ability of the soil to retain moisture. Press the mulch down around the dripline of each plant to form a slight depression which will prevent or minimize water runoff.

15. Deep-soak your lawn
When watering the lawn, do it long enough for the moisture to soak down to the roots where it will do the most good. A light sprinkling can evaporate quickly and tends to encourage shallow root systems. Put an empty tuna can on your lawn – when it’s full, you’ve watered about the right amount.

16. Water during the early parts of the day; avoid watering when it’s windy
Early morning is generally better than dusk since it helps prevent the growth of fungus. Early watering, and late watering, also reduce water loss to evaporation. Watering early in the day is also the best defence against slugs and other garden pests. Try not to water when it’s windy – wind can blow sprinklers off target and speed evaporation.

17. Don’t run the hose while washing your car
Clean the car using a pail of soapy water. Use the hose only for rinsing – this simple practice can save as much as 150 gallons when washing a car. Use a spray nozzle when rinsing for more efficient use of water.

Water conservation comes naturally when everyone in the family is aware of its importance, and parents take the time to teach children some of the simple water-saving methods around the home which can make a big difference.

Haba Na Haba

Loosely translated this Swahili phrase means “little by little.” For the poor in Africa, just a little can fill a pot, just a little can further an education, just a little can make life better. You are invited to an evening of Music, Drink, Food and Fun. Please join Family Hope Charity and Gerry Aylward, Rory Cooney, Gary Daegle, Theresa Donohoo, Dave Kunzweiler (owner Cabinets Plus) , Marcy Weckler Barr & Paul Wood for an evening of music.

Saturday, February 11^th, 2012

7:30 pm

St. Thomas of Villanova

Rowley Activity Center

1201 E. Anderson Drive

Palatine, Il. 60074

$25.00 donation (Includes 2 drink tickets and a sampling of Kenyan Food)

$10.00 students-young children are free

Let’s help those who have so little

www.familyhopecharity.org

Winter in Chicago always brings about heavy cases of cabin fever, but never fear; www.choosechicago.com has put together this wonderful checklist of activities, unique to our beloved city, to get you and your family out of the house & out on the town!

• Visit the Tallest Building in North America at the Willis Tower and step out onto The Ledge; a suspended glass box at Skydeck Chicago, more than 1,000 feet in the sky.
• Submerge yourself in the U-505 German Submarine at the Musuem of Science & Industry, the largest science museum in the western hemisphere.
• Find yourself deep in space at the Adler Planetarium’s Grainger Sky Theater. As the world’s most advanced digital theater, the Grainger boasts images that are eight times sharper than your digital camera.
• Dive into a coastal environment of Beluga whales, dolphins, sea otters, and seals at the Shedd Aquarium’s 3-million gallon saltwater Oceanarium, the largest indoor marine mammal habitat in the world.
• Pay a visit to the largest, most complete, and best preserved T-rex ever discovered. You can meet the dino named Sue at Chicago’s own Field Museum. Don’t worry…she doesn’t bite.
• Take pleasure in one of the world’s finest and largest collections of French Impressionist art at the Art Institute of Chicago. While you’re there, explore the architecturally stunning Modern Wing, which allows the Art Institute to house great collections of modern & contemporary art.
• Look up at the world’s largest Tiffany art glass dome in the Chicago Cultural Center for a sparkling masterpiece created with nearly 30,000 pieces of stained glass.
• Roar with the lions at one of the nation’s last free zoos. Offering an unforgettable wildlife experience amid Chicago’s stunning skyline. The Lincoln Park Zoo is open to the public for free every day of the year.
• Ford the Chicago River by boat tour and explore Chicago’s architectural wonders on the only river in the world that flows backwards. The reversal of the Chicago River was a pioneering, massive public works effort that saved the Chicago region from waterborne diseases in the early 1900′s.
• Feel the power of Chicago’s dazzling, knee-slapping, and thought provoking theater scene. As the nation’s only city to have five regional Tony Award-winning theater companies, Chicago delivers unforgettable performances every day of the week.
• Ride the ferris wheel at Navy Pier. It’s modeled after the very first ferris wheel build for Chicago’s 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. Rides, shops, restaurants, and boat tours abound at the Midwest’s number one attraction.
• Explore Chicago’s lush Millennium Park that is home to the famous Cloud Gate (better known as the “bean” sculpture), Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Lurie Garden, and the Crown Fountain that spouts water from digital faces. Millennium Park is constructed on top of a railroad yard and expansive parking garages, making it one of the largest green roofs in the world.
• Indulge in some cheesy goodness at one of Chicago’s famous pizzerias. Serving up our award-winning deep dish style pizzas, there’s no doubt that Chicago has the best pies.
• Honor Chicago sports legend Harry Caray at Harry Caray’s Italian Steakhouse for a mouth-watering selection of signature cut steaks.
• Smell the wonders of Chicago’s famous Chicago Mix before you even reach the storefront door at Garrett Popcorn Shops. While you might feel like it’s the longest line in the world for popcorn, the intriguing blend of caramel and cheese popcorn is well worth the wait.

While simplicity may still be trending upwards in kitchen design, the hottest appliances today feature technology that is anything but simple. Indeed, today’s appliances do everything from sensing when food is fully cooked to self-diagnosing with repair needs.

Yet technical innovations today aren’t just about the wow factor: Instead, consumers seek out technologies that add practicality and value, whether that takes the form of quieter operation, greater food longevity or increased design flexibility and convenience.

Below are some of the hottest trends in appliances today, as reported by Kitchen & Bath Design News magazine.

• Smart technology is on the rise, with smart features more readily available at many price points. Popular high-tech features include LCD and LED displays on control panels, improved sensor technology, quieter operation and innovations that help with troubleshooting.
• Value remains a hot buzzword, with consumers increasingly focusing on reliability and innovations that are useful, such as refrigerators that keep food fresh longer, ranges and cooktops that simplify cooking and clean up and range hoods and dishwashers that minimize noise.
• Appliance drawers have grown in popularity, both for the design flexibility they provide and the convenience factor.
• Style wise, the clean look of stainless steel remains popular, though integrated appliances are also a growing trend.
• Practicality has replaced status and excess as today’s “must have” feature, with consumers increasingly buying appliances to use, not just to impress their friends.
• Tying into the practicality trend, appliances are showing up in smaller sizes which mirrors the trend toward smaller, more efficient spaces.

With spring around the corner, this is the time when the number of homes for sale begin an upward climb. Is your home one to be on the market soon? If so, keep this in mind: According to real estate market statistics, proper home staging when putting your house on the marker can reduce one’s listing time by an estimated one-third to one-half the time versus non-staged homes and could net as much as 10 percent more than a residence that was either empty or not staged.

Today we recap the most strategic moves for staging your home for sale, and how make it stand out from others in your community, as read in the January edition of enLightenment Magazine.

In all rooms of your home, keep in mind that lighting is crucial. A bright home looks bigger, and therefore, sells faster. Dark corners make a room appear smaller. Torchieres are an easy, handy way to boost brightness. Also, keep your walls neutral. Light sage greens and all shades of taupe create calm and airy spaces, and mirrors are a great prop to use to make a room look bigger & reflect more light.

In your family room, define a focal point, like a fireplace or comfy sitting area. You might need to move the sofa around the room to ultimately create a sense of roominess. Additionally, when evaluating a home to purchase, people tend to prefer one that is not so personalized. For that reason, put away family photos, mementos, and awards. Subconsciously, photos and plaques make potential home buyers feel like they’re visiting someone else’s house, instead of envisioning it as their own.

To effectively stage your kitchen, remove as much clutter off the countertops as you can. Put away all countertop appliances unless they’re extremely common, like a coffeemaker, which is something potential buyers probably own & therefore will find it familiar. Again, in regards to lighting, undercabinet lighting really enhances the kitchen. If you don’t want to take on the cost of hardwiring undercabinet lighting, consider a plug in model.

In large areas with no architectural details (such as a finished basement or game room), it’s best to create gathering spots and use accessories that can tap into a home buyers emotions. How about setting up a game board or putting out a bowl of popcorn? Allow the future owners to be able to visualize themselves really living in the space.

Above all, it’s recommended to stage your home to make someone feel comfortable in that house. Whether through lighting, props, or furniture, It’s all about creating emotional connection points.

Did you ever notice that your mother’s boxy old refrigerator from the 1950′s ran like a champ for what seemed like a very long time? Despite its reliability, however, chance are it cost her a mint in energy bills and was bad for the environment to boot.

Thankfully, today’s space-age silver appliances have replaced the pastels of the 50′s and, in addition to asesthetics, appliance technology has come a long way. Just look at the recent high-style, four-door refrigerator models with increased capacity, or the faster, front-loading laundry machines as examples of how far we’ve come. Contrarily, the life expectancy of modern washers, dryers, refrigerators, and dishwashers has dropped precipitiously, according to the January 2012 edition of The Retail Observer. In the last 10 years, product lifespan of appliances for the kitchen & laundry room has gone from 15+ years, to about half that.

Among other factors, shortened product life is in part due to the consumer requirement that modern appliances be energy effcient. As green living becomes more and more mainstream, this mass conscientiousness is reflected in everything from how long our showers last, to the detergent we buy, to the type of dishwasher or refrigerator we purchase. Most consumers do not suspect, however, that to obtain energy effciency, these products are in fact running a lot more. For example, a compressor that would have powered a refrigerator two decades ago might have been actively working 20 to 30 percent of the time. However, current energy-effcient models are “on” quite a bit more to create a more even, consistent temperature as opposed to a hot-cold scenario in which the compressor is intermittently powered on and off.

Simply put, this means that refrigerators and other appliances are being worked a lot more than those of yesteryear. And in turn, that means that they don’t last as long. The wear and tear is more significant, and, on the occasion of a product failure, these appliances are dramatically more expensive to fix than older models. Therefore, an appliance that may have been fixed before might be replaced for a new model today, effectively ending that product’s life. Just go to any junkyard and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

Happy 2012, everyone! We trust you all had a safe and fun new year’s celebration. Now it’s time to get back to the business of readying your home for another year. This week, we discuss ways to spruce up your bathroom.

• Clean all the aerators on your bath faucets. You can tell it’s needed if the water seems to flow off to one side or doesn’t seem to have as much pressure in the past. We found a link that can help you with this chore: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9Du7vEA4oM
• Remove the sink pop up and clean out the drain. If your sink seems to run slow or back up, this could be the issue.
• Remove your tub drain and clean out the debris using a drain stick. It’s an eco-friendly way of removing hair and gunk without harsh chemicals. Here’s a video link to get you started: http://www.dannylipford.com/video/cleaning-a-tub-drain/
• Check your caulk and grout. Are there areas where your caulk or grout are missing? Have you got a mold or mildew issue in your tub/shower? Replacing caulk will not only make your tub or shower look new, it can stop water leaks that could cost you lots of money down the road. Don’t forget to re-calk that shower door. Missing or cracked grout lines can also be a problem. It’s a spot where water can penetrate and cause potential problems.
  Like most jobs that you don’t tackle very often, you may want to call your
  favorite handy man for these tasks.