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It takes a decade to get oil from new reserves into your gas tank.  Similarly, nuclear power plants cannot be constructed in months or even just a few years.  Rather than fretting about those numbers, it’s time to act!  Please feel free to add your suggestions by viewing the complete post.

Image courtesy of MiniUSA

Here are ten things you can do now to help protect your future and the future of your children and grandchildren:

• Learn to dress correctly for your climate.  In winter, an extra layer of clothing can allow you to drop the thermostat 10 degrees without any loss of comfort.  Come summer, wear clothing that wicks perspiration away from your skin to keep you cool
• Replace your central AC or furnace with modern, more efficient models
• Avoid using space heaters
• Urge local politicians to change zoning laws to allow smaller home and lot sizes
• Urge local politicians to expand bike trails
• Replace incandescent bulbs with fluorescents
• If purchasing a new vehicle, ask yourself how much car or truck you really need
• If not, keep your vehicle properly maintained.  When changing oil, use one of the new 0w30 synthetics.  Replace air and fuel filters religiously, and keep your car clean and waxed to protect the finish and reduce drag.  Keep tires properly inflated
• Resist the urge to purchase large screen televisions
• Replace your tank water heater with a tankless unit

American style tank water heaters are rare in much of the world, and for good reason. Storing heated water in a large tank doesn’t make sense. As energy prices climb, paying a little extra up front for a tankless water heater will save money over the long term while reducing energy consumption.

Image courtesy of Rinnai.us

Central computer-controlled tankless heaters from Takagi, Rheem, Rinnai and Noritz heat water on demand, eliminating the need to store heated water. Since tankless heaters are smaller and safer than tank heaters, they may be placed in any room with access to an outside wall.

The most popular advantage of tankless water heaters is that you will never run out of hot water. This is because tankless water heaters heat water on demand, and that means no storage or shortage of hot water. Imagine the luxury of always having hot showers or filling up a Jacuzzi hot tub and still having endless supply of hot water for the rest of your household needs.

Crafted from wood and handmade Japanese koso paper by Rasmus Fenhann, these lights are sure to be a conversation piece in any setting. Fenehann, who hails from Denmark is well known for his hand-crafted furniture and design, and has been featured in several prominent European magazines.

Image courtesy of Rasmus Fenhann

If only there were a North American distributor!

Calfee Design of La Selva Beach, California has a line of bamboo frames that are as beautiful as they are strong. A natural advantage of a bamboo frame is the compliant ride which is especially important for commuters and older riders.

Continuing with the sustainable theme, the frame is joined with hemp cord, and due to the natural light weight and strength of bamboo, frames start at just 4 pounds.

Image courtesy of Calfee Design

Calfee is also involved in the Africa Bamboo Bikes project which seeks to build affordable bicycles for underpriveleged Africans in rural areas. You may learn more about the Bamboo Bike project here:
http://www.bamboobike.org