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It is a shocking fact to discover that contaminated water claims more lives than guns. The need to supply clean drinking water to the poor of the world is more of a pressing problem than stopping armed conflict in the world.

The planet we live on might be described as blue but only 2% of the water is suitable for drinking. Of that 2% about 1% is trapped at the poles and is not available to use. That is until Global Warning makes catastrophic changes to the geography of the world.

We have so little fresh water to live on. Already 66% of all fresh water consumed is used for irrigation of crops. Many of these crops such as coffee and cotton are for money and not for food.

It is simple to realize that as the world population grows there will be more pressure on the scant remaining water supplies. As water runs out water utility prices will increase and in some parts of the world armed conflict to seize water supplies will inevitably result.

If you want to save money and save the planet from drought and water wars the sensible thing to do is to start conserving water in the home. This can be achieved by a number of means.

Firstly rainwater should be collected to use in the garden and to clean the car. Secondly, the right mental attitude should be encouraged –squandering water is wrong. Obviously swimming pools are an unnecessary luxury.

In the home a good way to reduce water use is to buy a low flow toilet or to put something in the toilet cistern to cut down flush volumes. Another good idea is to use a low flow showerhead. This is a showerhead that mixes air with water to cut by half the gallons per flow rate.

A similar idea is to put faucet aerators around the home. These are simple attachments to faucets that again mix air with water to cut down flow rates. The great thing about aerator technology is that it doesn’t affect cleaning power or spray strength.

These are just a few easy to implement ideas for reducing water use in the home. As I have already mentioned the right attitude is just as important as the technology. As soon as we come to realize the true value of water the sooner we will realize its power to give life and to cause conflict when it is running out.

A memory foam topper will definitely help you to sleep better. But if you only have a limited budget, should you save up so that you can buy the best? Frankly, I think that is not necessary. The best best memory foam mattress topper is way over-hyped, and does not offer much marginal improvement over the cheapest memory foam mattress. After all, why pay $500 if $50 will get you 90% of the same effectiveness?

Of course, you do need to know how to use your memory foam mattress pad right. If you buy, say, a 2″ memory foam mattress topper (the cheapest thickness still available in the market), it needs to be used on top of a firm mattress. If you do not currently have a firm mattress in good condition, you will have to factor in this extra cost into your budget. In this situation, you may prefer spending a bit more to buy a 4″ memory foam topper pad which can be used on its own.

These are points you only need to think about if you are keeping your old bed. If you intend to replace your old bed and mattress, you may want to consider splurging on an 8-inch double memory foam mattress. This is thick enough that you can lay it directly on the ground and still sleep on it comfortably. Because memory foam is a good insulator, you do not have to worry about the floor leaching heat away from your body when you sleep. If you look around patiently, you should be able to find one on sale for under $200.

But why save money on the bed frame to buy a double instead of the usual single? Why not choose a 12-inch mattress instead? Frankly, the bed frame is only useful to raise your mattress of the floor. With a normal mattress, and especially an inner spring mattress, this is necessary. These normal mattresses have large air spaces and allow lots of ventilation to cool the mattress down. If you lay them directly on the ground, they will leak your body heat through into the floor.

As for choosing the double over the single, that is because the full/double-sized mattress gives you more space to stretch out. A single is a bit cramped, isn’t it? And why (only) 8 inches rather than something thicker? Because an eight-inch memory foam mattress is good enough, and a 12-inch mattress is more expensive than warranted.

When buying your memory foam mattress or topper, it is not necessary to spend more than necessary. Pay for the basic type, and if you have many left over, see if you can buy a thicker or larger model.

A popular topic of discussion these days has been the use of solar power, or perhaps the lack of use. It is always interesting to have a discussion about the value of something, but ordinarily it is only worthwhile when put into practice. Environmental concerns can lead to solar energy taking on a major role in our future. Since the time of our forefathers, solar power has been employed as a heating source. There are several alternative power sources but solar may be the most practical of all of them. However, practical hands-on knowledge is still hard to get. Many people like to start small, such as with a small pond pump. You may wonder is it possible to make a solar pump for a small pond? Well, yes it is, and a small pond pump is a great starter project.

The problems seen with energy supplies has increased the demand for solar energy. We have seen for many years that there are people’s dwellings fitted with panels that provide solar power. Houses have been powered in this manner even if it is alongside conventional sources of energy. It is becoming more typical for people to be running their whole home with their solar panels. Batteries can give power each night as opposed to when you have the benefit of the daytime. Doing this, non-renewable energy is not at all used.

For a lot of homeowners, the main reason they have solar energy is to power a hot water heater. How this works in practice varies depending on the method used. Either passive energy, with the sun warming up a tank full of water, or solar collectors with the sun heating fluids to be transferred. For this method, tubes are put on the back of the solar panel installation. The sun heats up fluids inside the tubes. Water is heated up as the tubes are found alongside the water tank.

Pools require heating up and this is one more use for this. The swimming pool takes in water that the sun has heated while it was inside the tubes. Energy prices are consequently reduced for anyone who owns a pool. As solar power becomes more mainstream, there will continue to be those who look for more modern ways to tap into this. Not too long ago, a portable solar panel was created that can be used on RVs and has become popular among people who enjoy going away on vacations. Solar has furthermore been integrated with laptop and mobile phone technology. Another curios application: solar energy is frequently stored and used to power efficient L.E.D grow lights in northern climates.

As energy costs increase, the marketplace will have more of this type of product. The planet will be helped even with a gradual increase in the use of solar power. If we do not make the switch from the sources of energy we have always used then the global environment will continue to be in danger. The safety of later generations depends on us living greener lifestyles now.