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Entry bubble Gas Prices to Go Up this Summer

By: Colleen | February 24, 2010 | Category: Travel

I am very fortunate that throughout my life I've had many opportunities to travel. prices

One thing in all my adventures remains consistent. Whether I've gone to the moon, or to the Jersey shore for a few days, my parents ask me the same two questions, without fail, upon my return.

1. What'd you eat?

2. What was the price of gas there?

With summer approaching, gas prices are expected to rise. Experts are saying it will likely go into the $3 - $3.25 range. It's not supposed to be as bad as last year when prices reached over $4 in some parts of the country.

Somewhat relieving is that the price increase is not due to American consumption - it's because of the price of crude oil, for which the demand continues to go up from places like China.

Since our economy is still, well, nothing to brag about, do you think this forecasted price increase will impact you? How will it change your daily life? Or summer vacation plans?

Luckily, there are some tips to save on gas. Check these out.

 

| Post a Comment | View Comments [10] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: colleen   gas   gas_prices   gasoline   saving_money   vacation  

 

Entry bubble Deadly Radon in Your Home?

By: Joanne | January 12, 2010 | Category: Home and Family

Feet of a baby girl wearing green socks. Text reads "Living Healthy and Green Starts from the ground up. Test your home for Radon. www.epa.gov/radon"

January is National Radon Action Month. I know that your home radon level is not the fun kind of thing you want to think of every day, but it’s one of those things you need to give a little attention to if you want to protect your health and the health of your family.>/p>Radon is an odorless, tasteless and invisible gas produced by the decay of naturally occurring uranium in soil and water. It accumulates in homes, buildings and drinking water, and causes lung cancer. It is responsible for an estimated 21,000 deaths per year in the United States.

That’s the bad news. The good news is that if you have radon in your home, like I did, you can correct the situation. If you’re wondering if there’s radon in your home, first you need to test your home. The tests are very inexpensive and simple to perform. Just open the canister and walk away from it for a few days. You send the canister off to the lab and they mail you your results. We were shocked to learn that our home had pretty high radon levels, so we wasted no time in contacting a local certified radon mitigation company. The installation of the mitigation equipment took a little less than a day, so that wasn’t so bad.

The best part is knowing that we can breathe easy in our (virtually) radon-free home. So if you don’t know what the radon levels are in your home – get testing!

| Post a Comment | View Comments [5] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: cancer   gas   joanne   radon  

 

Entry bubble Is Radon Lurking in Your Home?

By: Stephanie | September 05, 2008 | Category: Health

radioactive symbolDid you know that the number one cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers may be lurking in your home? The culprit—elevated levels of radon—is estimated to be found in nearly one out of every 15 homes in the United States, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Some 20,000 people will die this year due to breathing too much radon without even knowing it. Among smokers, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas found in nearly all soils. It can leak through cracks into your home, where it can get trapped and build up. You can't see radon, and you can't smell or taste it. Any home can have a radon problem—new and old homes, well-sealed and drafty homes, and homes with or without basements.

The EPA and the Surgeon General of the United States have recommended that all houses be tested for radon. I thought that my house had a radon tester, but while researching this post, I learned that it’s just a monitor—which sports the recommendation to test for radon every two years.

Luckily, many states offer free or discounted radon test kits; you can check your state’s program on EPA’s map. Radon test kits are also available by calling 1-800-SOS-RADON (1-800-767-7236), and from some local or state American Lung Associations and home improvement stores.

If you have elevated levels of radon in your home, professionals can help fix the problem, often for about the same cost as other common home repairs.

For more facts on radon, visit EPA's general information, its citizens' guide to radon, and its consumers' guide to radon reduction. Pueblo.gsa.gov also offers information on the deadly gas, and the National Institutes of Health and USA.gov offer useful links to more information on radon.

| View Comments [3] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: gas   home   house   killer   lung_cancer   radioactive   radon   safety   stephanie   test  

 

Entry bubble I Like to Bike

By: Joanne | August 12, 2008 | Category: Fun

Red vintage bicycle with basket and flowers leaning on a fence on a sand duneJust about every morning before starting to work I get on my bicycle and go for a ride. I ride about 5 miles a day, which isn’t very much, but it’s all my schedule allows. Biking is great exercise, helps me manage stress, and strengthens my problem knees.

Last week, we were in vacation in Avalon, NJ and it was bicycle heaven. Avalon is on a 7 mile long island and the island has a bike lane on one of the main roads. It was fun to ride the 14 mile loop around the island and it was really wonderful to see so many people out in the morning riding bikes, running and walking. We’d even use our bikes to avoid driving in the car to pick up milk or yummy treats from the bakery. What a pleasant way to save gas.

When I was a kid I rode my bike all the time – to school, to the pool, pretty much wherever I wanted to go. Back in those days we didn’t think so much about safety – when we fell off our bikes we cracked our heads open, and we liked it! Just kidding, traumatic head injury is really no joke and that’s why I always wear a helmet now. And if you want it to really protect your head, wear your helmet correctly.

There are lots of opportunities to ride your bike. If you want to save money on gas, you can consider biking to work or to do your errands. If biking to work isn’t an option, try a ride in your neighborhood or in a park. Many federal parks have paths and trails just for bikes.

| View Comments [8] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: bicycle   bike   exercise   gas   joanne   save  

 

Entry bubble Think Local

By: Nancy | June 05, 2008 | Category: Home and Family

As much as the national and world news get splashed across our TV screens, when it comes down to it, what seems to matter most in our lives is what's going on at home, in the neighborhood and around town. We honor our local heroes, passionately discuss local politics and are rediscovering that some of the best food we can get may be right in our own backyard or around the corner.

Keeping it local, USA.gov has a wonderful section to help you locate in-person services near you.

couple walking through neighborhoodIf you're the kind of person, like my mom, who prefers to do business with the government face to face, you can find links to locate local offices of federal agencies like Social Security, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and passport offices.

Have a consumer complaint? Find your local consumer protection office or check out contractors with your local Better Business Bureau before you hire them.

Looking for a doctor or dentist nearby you can trust? Search the National Institutes of Health's online directory. You can also find other health resources, like mammography facilities, nursing homes and your nearest Red Cross chapter, so you can help counteract the summertime donation shortfall and give blood.

Save time and gas by doing a little research online before you run errands. You can find out which service station in your town has the cheapest gas prices and check the hours of places like your local post office or division of motor vehicles.

From finding the nearest pet rescue and adoption center to locating the closest place to get the installation of your child's car seat checked, you can find some really unexpected and extremely helpful local links in USA.gov's "Locate In-Person Services Near You" section.

Now...what are we missing? What other kinds of local services or resources would you like to see us list and link to on USA.gov?

| View Comments [1] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: consumer   doctor   gas   local   nancy   services  

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