Guide to Green Cleaning Products

These days there is definitely a trend towards using environmentally-conscious products, and for good reason. While modern cleaning products are effective at removing dust, allergens, and microscopic debris from our homes, certain products can present health and environmental concerns. Some products contain chemicals that are linked to skin and respiratory irritation, as well as other health issues. Concentrated forms of cleaning products can be especially dangerous, and some are even classified as hazardous, making their use, handling, and disposal a delicate task. Reducing the risks of using these cleaning products will effectively cleaning your areas is a fine line to walk, and we aim to give you a few tips with this guide.

 

Why Go Green

Before we go into the nitty-gritty of how to keep your cleaning products green, let’s talk about why you should go green. Choosing less harmful products will improve the health of your cleaning workers and building occupants, reduce water and air pollution, and improve the air quality of your building. Buying green also reduces energy expenditure causes during transportation and packaging, and buying less hazardous cleaners reduces costs when it’s time to dispose of them. For example, certain cleaners can be toxic to aquatic species, and if it gets introduced to their environment, it could disrupt the ecosystem (source).

 

What You Can Do

When deciding which cleaning products to use for your home or business, you should take into account the product’s price, effectiveness, and environmental impact. You should look at a few different options for different cleaning products and then make the best decision out of those options. Also note that there are many eco-friendly cleaning products available online that are not available in stores, so conducting a quick Google search will be beneficial. If all this is too much work, just hire a professional carpet cleaning service like The Torrance Carpet Cleaners to take care of it for you. They use eco-friendly cleaning products and make sure to leave your home with a quality clean.

 

Specific Product Characteristics

To make an informed purchasing decision, you’ll need to know what kind of products to stay away from. Here are some harmful product characteristics you should be aware of:

 

  • Stay away from products with harmful chemicals such as:
    • Corrosive or irritating substances
    • Substances known as or likely to be human carcinogens
    • Ozone depleting compounds
  • Use products made from renewable resources, such as solvents from citrus, vegetable, seed, and pine oil.
  • Low flammability
  • Designed for use in cold water (this conserves energy)
  • Biodegradeable
  • Recycleable packaging (then recycle it!)
  • Refillable containers (then refill it!)
  • Concentrated formulas

 

We hope this short guide gives you some insight into how you can keep your home or office a green space.

What is Zoning?

Zoning is a tool used by municipalities to control what kinds of buildings can be erected around their zone of governance. For example, buildings can be zoned as “residential,” “commercial,” or “industrial,” and zoning differentiates between buildings of different sizes, how they relate to their surroundings, other buildings, open spaces, and the street. Zoning is a tool to separate buildings of different purposes to different sections of town. Can you imagine if a factory plopped itself down right in the middle of a suburban block of residential houses?

 

This kind of zoning is known as Euclidian Zoning, named after the U.S. Supreme Court case Euclid v. Ambler. In the case, the town of Euclid, Ohio prevented Amber Realty from developing land in town for industry with zoning regulations. Ambler sued the city, yet the Supreme Court held that the court’s zoning ordinance was constitutional, and was not an unreasonable extension of the town’s power. This was a huge victory for towns nationwide, to which zoning ordinances were a new concept (1926). Not every city or town has zoning ordinances, for example, at the time of writing, Houston, TX is the largest un-zoned city in the United States.

 

After World War II, mass produced automobiles and favorable bank loans for single-family homes caused the suburban population of the United States to explode. This suburban sprawl is not always celebrated, some people  criticize it on economic, environmental, and health levels. Zoning practices now aim to diversify and improve communities on all these levels. For example, including different kinds of houses to serve different kinds of families, or different transportation options so people don’t have to rely on cars, are a couple ways that zoning can affect a city. As mentioned earlier, creating a separate zone for industrial properties also makes sense. Sometimes these zones clash, like when a concrete contractor Santa Rosa starts to work on a new construction project in a residential area. Nevertheless, these activities are often temporary, and Euclidian zoning is widely used around North America.

 

While Euclidian zoning is popular, there are other kinds of zoning out there. Performance zoning using goal-oriented criteria to review parameters for new development projects. This allows for flexibility, rationality, transparency, and accountability in the zoning process, which counters the arbitrary, fixed nature of Euclidian zoning. There is also incentive zoning, which uses a reward based system to encourage goals that are beneficial to the community. While this method of zoning can be effective, it is complicated to implement. Countries around the world have different zoning systems, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. But the consensus is obvious: zoning is a useful and necessary urban planning tool.

How to Fight a Parking Ticket

There are few things more annoying than returning to your car to find a parking ticket. Whether justified or not, it’s likely that some rule was broken somewhere, and now you have a two to three digit fine to pay the local government. Here are some quick tips for things you can do to defend yourself and hopefully save some money.

 

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure

This goes without saying, but the best way to avoid getting a parking ticket is to avoid getting one entirely. Make sure to pay attention to posted street signs and leave plenty of money in the meter so you aren’t overstaying your welcome in a parking spot. Paying a little extra money here and there will outweigh the financial cost of a parking ticket, so it’s well worth it. It’s also helpful to leave early for your appointments so you have time to circle the block and find suitable parking. If you are in a densely populated area, you can also park in a garage or paid parking to avoid getting a fine from the city.

 

Document Everything

After receiving your ticket, make sure to take a close look at it to see what rule you broke. Also pay attention to when you need to appear for court to contest the ticket, any deadlines for contesting the ticket, and any potential mistakes like a misspelled license plate number. While you might be in this position because you broke a rule or two, now is the time to make sure you follow all instructions to a T.

 

When you are contesting your ticket you’re going to need evidence to be persuasive. Take pictures of your parked car, the parking signage in the area, and anything else you might find relevant. It will be in your favor if the signage is confusing, faded, covered with foliage, overlapped with graffiti, or is otherwise unreadable. Also if your car is barely in the “red zone,” take a picture of that too.

 

Pick an Inconvenient Court Date

While this is a bit of a sneaky tactic, you can pick an inconvenient court date to discourage the officer who wrote you the ticket from attending. If the officer doesn’t show up to the court appearance, chances are the ticket will be thrown out. Inconvenient dates include holidays and weekends.

 

Be Persistent

There will be a number of hoops you need to jump through to contest your ticket- but that’s part of the process. The local government is counting on the fact that most people won’t follow these procedures, but if you do, chances are you will be rewarded for your efforts. Make sure to fill out all required paperwork and get it in before the deadline, and you’ll give yourself a great shot at contesting the ticket.

 

Have a Great Attitude

When you show up in court, be honest, apologetic, and respectful to everyone there. If you own up to your mistake, say that you’ve learned your lesson, and are humble and respectful (especially to the officer who gave you your ticket), you’ll have a great chance at reducing your fine.

 

This post was brought to you by San Bernardino Handyman,  the premiere handyman service in San Bernardino, CA. We hope these tips were helpful to you!

The Importance of Environmental Sustainability

Environmental sustainability is a topic that has become more and more prevalent in our national conversation these days. Many people believe that we our earth is seeing more and more extreme natural events these days, and it is because humans are consuming a tremendous amount of the planet’s resources. Sustainability is defined as the study of a how a natural system functions, remains diverse, and produces everything it needs for the ecology to remain in balance. Sustainability also considers that humans rely on natural resources to support our modern civilizations, and how we can live in harmony with nature and prevent it from destruction.

 

Even 10 years ago the idea of sustainability was not taken as seriously as it is now. If you are interested in helping to protect the planet, here are a few things you can do:

 

  1. Recycle – Recycling is one of the most widespread, and beneficial things you can do to promote sustainability. Recycling allows you and other consumers to use consumed materially over and over, limiting the amount of waste created on a regular basis. It reduces the pressure on raw materials, the need to mine for more, fuel, and landfill space.

 

  1. Minimize Waste – An estimated 50% of food in the United States doesn’t even make it to our tables. This food is lost during transportation, packaging, and marketing, and even when the food does reach our tables, as much as 40% of it is thrown out as well. Besides the waste of food, think about all the energy, gas, water, and fuel used to transport and carry this waste that is never used. Eating more of of your food can drastically reduce this major toll on our environment. Only buy what you need or plan to use in the near future, and reuse as much as you can. When you are doing a major cleanup,  use a great dumpster company that is environmentally responsible so you know your trash is being disposed of properly.

 

  1. Compost – After you’ve eaten as much of your food and leftovers as you can, you can additionally promote sustainability by composting. Any of the unusable food waste in your house can be used as fertilizer for your garden. This will not only make your garden healthier, but you will be reducing landfill waste at the same time.

 

  1. Carpool or Use Public Transportation – Automobile carbon emissions is a hot topic both in congress and in environmental circles around the country these days. If you carpool via an app like Uber or Lyft, or opt for public transportation, you’ll be reducing your carbon emissions and protecting the environment.

 

  1. Support Sustainable Companies – Choosing to support sustainable companies instead of ones that have no regard for the environment sends a powerful message to corporations that the environment matters. Some companies that are known for their sustainable practices are Adidas, BMW, and Chegg.

 

  1. Reduce Your Utility Bills – Conserving energy and minimizing waste will not only save you money, but it reduces the resource strain on the environment. If your bills seem unusually high, look for leaky pipes, faulty wiring, or old appliances. Turning off your lights and air conditioning when you aren’t home is another easy way to reduce your bill without even noticing it.

 

We hope this article gave you some ideas for how you can promote environmental sustainability.

Advice for Hiring a Licensed Contractor

Advice for Hiring a Licensed Contractor

 

When it comes to home projects, there is a lot of merit to the do-it-yourself approach that many homeowners take. While it saves you money, gets your hands dirty, and leaves you with a sense of accomplishment, sometimes there are some tasks that simply require a professional. Whether you are about to hiring a plumber or a general contractor to undergo a home remodel, here are a few tips to make the process go smoothly.

 

  1. Interview a few candidates

You’ll want to speak to a few different contractors before selecting one to get an idea of your options, especially if your project is expensive. Speaking with a few candidates has a number of benefits: you’ll get a range of quotes, you’ll learn more about the work that is to be done, and you’ll get a feel for which contractors you get along with. When selecting the contractor, go with your gut feeling. You’re going to want to be comfortable and get along with the person that you choose, because you could be working with them for a while.

 

  1. Make sure the contractor is licensed

You can perform a quick google search to check your local regulations to see if contractors need to be licensed in your area to perform the work they are going to do for you. Insurance documents are also important, having a license and insurance minimizes your risk because it shows that they are experienced and credible. If the contractor doesn’t have insurance, if one of their workers gets injured on the job, you could be held liable.

 

  1. Get a contract in place

Having a contract in place will protect you in case the contractor shirks their responsibilities or goes over budget. The contract should spell out everything, no detail is too small.

 

  1. Find out who will be performing the work

Many times contractors hire other contractors to actually perform the work, this is called subcontracting. Large jobs like remodels often require general contractors to hire electricians, concrete contractors, or other professionals to get the job done, so this is completely normal. Regardless, this is often a good thing, as these specialized professionals are more knowledgeable about their respective fields. This again goes back to picking a good contractor from the beginning – one that you trust to hire the right subcontractors.

 

  1. Clearly Set Expectations

Before beginning your project, clearly lay out your limits and expectations with your contractor. You have the right to let them know when you want them to show up, when you want them to wrap up for the day, and when you want the project completed by. These requests will naturally affect the project timeline and costs, so it’s important to get this clear upfront so your contractor can work with you and set expectations for the project.

First Time Dumpster Rental Tips

If this is your first time hiring a dumpster rental company, here are a few tips that will save you time, money, and potential headaches. Luckily the dumpster rental process is pretty easy and is meant to be a convenience to you when you need to dispose of large amounts of waste.

The first step is to figure out precisely what you need to get rid of, and how much of it you have. If you are moving out or doing a spring cleaning, a 10 or 20 yard dumpster is likely to be all you need. You can dispose of most household materials in a dumpster, but note that hazardous materials like gasoline, chemicals, medical waste, oil, are usually prohibited. Items like drywall, branches, shrubbery, trash bags, pieces of furniture (that fit in the dumpster), stale food, and other pieces of household junk are typically fine.  An easy way to estimate the size of dumpster you’ll need is to estimate how many trash bags you would need to clean up everything. Estimate that a dumpster can hold about 1.5 trash bags per cubic yard, so just divide the estimated number of trash bags by 1.5 to figure out approximately which size of dumpster you’ll need.

 

If you are undergoing a construction project and need to throw out heavier items like roof shingles, concrete, or demolition waste, you will need a dumpster with a higher weight limit like a 30 or 40 yard rental. Naturally, larger dumpsters cost more money, and it’s important to note that you likely won’t save any money for unused space, but you will definitely be charged if you go over the dumpster’s weight limit. Note that the “size” of the dumpster actually refers to how many cubic yards of waste it can hold, so a dumpster nearly half the size of a football field won’t be showing up to your house!

 

Properly loading the dumpster can allow you to get much more value out of your rental. You want the densest materials at the bottom of the dumpster, so load those in first. If you are getting rid of dirt also make sure to put that in the dumpster early, because if it lies too close to the top then it could fly up and get in your eyes. You’ll need to make sure that everything is securely in the container and not overflowing before the company picks up your rental, so it’s best to load unwieldy items early as well. 30 or 40 yard rentals frequently have doors so that you can easily walk in large items. Try to break down any especially large items like tree trunks, branches, or pieces of wood to make loading the dumpster easier.

 

Renting a dumpster is meant to make your life easier, and chances are good that it will. If you have any questions, simply reach out to your local dumpster rental company and they will very likely be able to help you.  

Industrial Waste: Why Is It Important To Make The Correct Disposal?

Routine waste management and the proper disposal of industrial waste is crucial for the success of any company. This routine begins with the development of a waste management plan, in which the types of waste existing in the company will be identified and classified as hazardous or non-hazardous, recyclable waste, and that which is environmentally sound.

Concern for the proper disposal of industrial waste is corporate responsibility in relation to the protection of the environment and public health. But in addition, when the company doesn’t dispose of the waste properly, it can have implications that will affect its business, such as loss of customers or legal punishment.

The industrial waste consists of production leftovers, often of mixed composition, which we cannot dispose of without specific control due to the negative impacts they may cause. Therefore, it is important to make a correct diagnosis of the waste generated and certify that the carrier, handler or company hired to dispose of their waste complies with environmental legislation.

What are the consequences of incorrect disposal?

When disposed of improperly, industrial waste causes several negative impacts on the environment. These impacts are so worrying that it has led to the elaboration of rules and laws, with the aim of regulating and guiding the procedures necessary for correct handling, transport, and destination. All to protect the environment and the community from the consequences of improper disposal. Below we list the main consequences of incorrect disposal of industrial waste.

Environment Pollution

Many industrial wastes are toxic and hazardous. Improper disposal causes changes in soil and water characteristics, pollutes and contaminates the environment.

Loss of Financing

The company may lose funding to invest in a project if it does not comply with environmental legislation regarding waste disposal. Many financial institutions require environmental licensing and verify the principles of social and environmental responsibility.

Customer Dissatisfaction

Customers are increasingly demanding to purchase products from companies that understand their responsibility towards the environment and work on the principle of a clean and green environment. To avoid losing market share and increase profits, organizations must seek alternatives for their waste and not break environmental laws.

What about the benefits of proper waste disposal?

When disposed of correctly, there is no harm to the environment or human health. Disposal being done in a way that is less impacting on nature brings several benefits not only to society but also to companies. Here are some of the key benefits that a company will get after disposing of the waste at the right place and in a proper manner.

Sustainability

When industrial waste is reused, natural resources are re-used. The reuse contributes to sustainable development, as less waste will be discarded that would take years to be decomposed by nature and less natural resources would be extracted.

Green Marketing

Meeting environmental obligations can be a great business opportunity. Concern for the environment is increasing. People are now giving preference to suppliers and companies that commit to the environment and care about sustainability. Environmental concern improves the company’s image towards customers, consequently increasing its profitability.

Therefore, we now know the importance and benefits of proper disposal of industrial waste. We can see that it is essential to maintain a routine of waste management within a company. This is not just an environmental or public health concern, but a responsibility and a legal requirement, which can have consequences for the company’s image and also affect its business with the loss of customers or legal sanctions.

 

Advantages/Disadvantages Of Public Procurement With Purchase Orders

This type of public contract has a certain number of advantages for the public that has difficulty in quantifying its need for services. This type of contract also entails constraints for the public body, and we are going to discuss both sides just to have a better idea of the subject matter.

Advantages And Inconvenience Related To Public Procurement With Purchase Orders

The public purchase order contract is a contract “concluded with one or more economic operators and executed when the purchase orders are issued”.

A buyer can thus make purchases with a repetitive nature, by organizing a single complete procedure of competition of the potential suppliers.

The public contract can be concluded without a maximum or minimum, which gives more freedom to the public purchaser who is not obliged to guarantee a minimum of expenses.

However, it is always in the interest of the contracting authority, if possible, to conclude purchase order contracts with a minimum and maximum value or quantity.

This allows it to obtain economically more advantageous offers:

  • The setting of a minimum allows economic operators to secure their order books and, consequently, to rationalize their production tool, by anticipating economies of scale or by guaranteeing the financing of the investments necessary for its extension.

  • By fixing a maximum, it is possible to indicate to economic operators the level of mobilization of their production tool, where appropriate, the conditions of availability of this tool in order to meet the demands of other customers.

In return, the contracting authority will have to bear the contractual consequences of the more favorable conditions, which may be granted to it.

  • If the public purchaser does not reach the minimum stipulated in the contract, he will have to compensate the other party for the damage suffered.

  • If the public purchaser exceeds the maximum, he cannot compel his co-contractor to assume the corresponding share of the services, without making an amendment to the contract. The holder of the contract is, in fact, only committed to the maximum. Any additional order is therefore subject to his approval. Like any amendment, the contract holder cannot upset the general market economy by altering its object or scope.

There are more advantages of government procurement with public order, but the concerned parties must ensure that everything they want is mentioned in the contract so as to avoid any confrontations later on.