Posts Tagged ‘lifestyle’

Organic Gardening Tricks

Thursday, July 15th, 2010

Organic gardening is the way of growing vegetables and fruits with the use of things only found in nature.

Why would one want to indulge in organic gardening?

- One can easily make compost from garden and kitchen waste. Though this is a bit more time-consuming than buying prepared chemical pesticides and fertilizers, it certainly helps to put garbage to good use and so saves the environment.

- Organic farming does not use chemicals that may have an adverse affect on your health. This is especially important when growing vegetables. Chemical companies tell us that the chemicals we use are safe if used according to direction, but research shows that even tiny amounts of poisons absorbed through the skin can cause such things as cancer, especially in children.

On the average, a child ingests four to five times more cancer-causing pesticides from foods than an adult. This can lead to various diseases later on in the child's life. With organic gardening, these incidents are lessened.

Remember, pesticides contain toxins that have only one purpose - to kill living things.

- Less harm to the environment. Poisons are often washed into our waterways, causing death to the native fish and polluting their habitat.

- Organic farming practices help prevent the loss of topsoil through erosion. The Soil Conservation Service says that an estimated 30 - 32 billion tons of soil erodes from United States farmlands every year.

- Cost savings. One does not need to buy costly chemical fertilizers and pesticides with organic gardening. Many organic recipes for the control of pest and disease come straight from the kitchen cupboard. Sometimes other plants can be grown as companions to the main crop. An example of this is the marigold, which helps to repel aphids from vegetables.

Mixing 1 tablespoon of liquid dishwashing soap and 1 cup of cooking oil can make a cheap garden pest spray. Put 3 tablespoons of this mixture in 1 quart of water and spray on plants.

- A simple mulch of pine needles will help to suppress the growth of weeds as well as keeping the moisture in.

- Organic gardening practices help to keep the environment safe for future generations.

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Related Blogs

    Tips On Replacing Bathroom Faucets

    Monday, June 7th, 2010

    There is nothing more frustrating than a leaky bathroom faucet or leaky water pipes. In many cases, it may be just a washer that needs replacement. However, sometimes you may need to replace the entire bathroom faucet. The good news is that when you know the steps, it is not that difficult to replace a bathroom faucet. Bathroom faucets are available in an assortment of styles and finishes, and prices. Many bathroom faucet kits come with all of the components needed to properly replace the faucet.

    The following are a number of tips to replacing a bathroom faucet:

    1. To prevent water from flowing all over the floor, you have to switch the water supply off. You can turn it off by either using the stop valves which you will find under the sink or you can turn off the central water supply. Remove everything from under the sink.

    2. Behind the bathroom faucet, you will find the water lines. Remove them.

    3. You will need a basin wrench to properly take the faucet out of the sink. First, you must remove the washers and nuts from the faucet. Then, lift the old faucet and the pipes directly out of the sink. Examine the pipes to see if they are damaged. If they are damaged, you will need to replace them with new pipes. They will come with the appropriate nuts and end fittings.

    4. Before installing the new faucet, it is important to give the sink a thorough cleaning where the old faucet was positioned. You want to make sure you get rid of all of the gunked-up foreign matter so that the new faucet will fit properly.

    5. Where the original faucet was removed, do what a qualified plumber would by putting in the new faucet by placing and positioning it in the hole. Depending on the faucet you purchased, it may have come with the appropriate nuts and washers. Use a wrench to tighten and secure the washers and nuts. As well, you will likely have to seal areas with caulk.

    6. Install the water pipe, hose, and drain to the faucet. Test the faucet and water pipes by running the water for a few minutes. Make sure that you check for leaks. If everything is fine, then the job is complete. If there are leaks, tighten the fittings a little more and check for leaks again.

    You can buy a basin wrench at any home building or plumbing supply store. When working under the sink, it is important to have enough lighting so you can see what you are doing. If your drain pipes are cracked or worn, you should consider replacing them. As well, if the extensions are copper, do not twist the copper because it will ruin the faucet. If the extensions are chrome, do not bend them.

    Whether your old faucets are leaking or archaic, it is easy to replace them when you have the right tools and knowledge. If you care concerned you may not install them properly, you can enlist the services of a plumber who can correctly install the faucet.

    Searching for plumbers in Newmarket? Then call the plumbing & drains Vancouver experts at Mr.Rooter, the leader in providing the highest quality and professional Markham plumbing services in all of Canada.

    How To Replace Broken Flint Wheels On Lighters

    Wednesday, May 26th, 2010

    Your lighter is the key to enjoying that smoke, whether you enjoy cigars, cigarettes or pipes. However, if you do not maintain your lighter (and even if you do), you'll find that you need to occasionally replace parts on it. While rare, some lighters will eventually need the flint wheel replaced. This is an excellent reason to buy Zippo lighters, as they come with a full lifetime warranty. If the wheel needs to be replaced, you can simply mail the lighter in and the company will replace it at no charge to you.

    Other manufacturers offer warranties as well, but not all of them do. If your lighter does not have a warranty, you need to know how to proceed with repairs and replacement. First, you should locate the lighter's serial number. Usually, this is found stamped on the bottom of the outer case. However, you might find it located on the inside of the outer case, or even on the insert somewhere. Once you have the serial number, you will need to order replacement parts from the manufacturer. This can usually be done online, though not always.

    Sometimes, you can find a similar lighter and use it for spare parts. Look at the mounting method used to affix the flint wheel on both lighters. If they are the same and the wheels are of the same dimensions, you should have no problem fitting the wheel from the donor lighter to your own.

    The process of removal and installation can vary quite a bit, though. You'll find that some manufactures use steel bars, others use plastic bars while even more use metal rivets to hold the flint wheel in place. Before you start removing any parts, you need to make sure that you have the tools for the job on hand.

    The most common means of affixing flint wheels is a rivet. If you have a pair of needle-nose pliers and a pop rivet gun, as well as a replacement rivet, you can take the flint wheel from your donor lighter and put it on yours without much trouble. If you do not have these tools or the replacement rivet, don't attempt the installation. Instead, find or borrow the required tools to ensure that the replacement is done correctly. Incorrect installation can result in damage.

    Brian is a consultant for an online specialty lighters store and has expert knowledge of cigar accessories, including Colibri lighters.