Goal For The Green

Guest Post by Amanda Green

There are lots of factors that contribute to the changes in the cost of energy by region. Some of them are basic: homes in temperate climates require less energy for heating and cooling their homes and offices. Others are more complicated, like the lines have to be run through hard to reach areas. Usually, the first 500 feet of line is allowed, after that you are charged by the foot of additional line needed to connect to your power source. Across the board, though, both the federal government and the state government are getting involved and finding ways to reduce the near astronomical costs of energy.

The Northeast

In the Northeast, many states are jumping on the natural gas bandwagon. The federal government is giving homeowners tax breaks if they switch from fuel based energy to natural gas. Natural gas is also less regulated than traditional power supplies which mean that people have more choices as far as which companies they’d like to do business with. Websites like www.ohiogascompanies.com and others like it have been built to help consumers figure out which company and energy option is right for their homes and companies.

The South

The south is a particularly problematic area. It looks fine on the outside—mostly flat lands, it’s easy to get around, and the cost of living is cheap. Unfortunately the weather systems in the south make keeping energy flow consistent difficult. Hot and humid temperatures force families and businesses alike to spend lots of money on the cooling of their homes.

This part of the country is also famous for its residents’ denial of the existence of climate change so energy consumption is at an all time high. This has led to the development of the Southern States Energy Board, which is made up of government officials from across sixteen different southern states and is working on finding efficient and environmentally sound ways to get power to the states in this region.

The West

The west coast has earned a reputation for being “super green”. With Hoover Dam in Nevada, massive wind farms in Washington, Oregon, California and the formation of the Western Governors Association (which is working to find environmentally safe and friendly energy sources for nineteen states as well as three US island territories). The reputation for being “green,” has been well earned. In 2009 the group used US stimulus funds to develop and expand on alternative energy futures and the creation of “Western Renewable Energy Zones.”

A lot is being done all over the country to slowly but surely reduce the country’s need for oil and petroleum based electricity, while bringing renewable and alternative energy sources into areas that have traditionally shunned them. It’s slow work but it’s steady. Every day, thanks to efforts like these, we are working toward many better tomorrows, as the country gets greener and greener.

Guest Post by Amanda Green

One of the most popular New Year’s Resolutions is “I am going to eat better.” This typically refers to starting and, hopefully, maintaining a healthy diet. It can even go as far as to mean eating only organic foods. Of course this is easier said than done. The process of successfully overhauling your diet is more complicated than you might think. Here are some tips to help you out.

1. Plan for food costing more than it use to. Organic food is, across the board, more expensive than its processed counterparts. This can be problematic if you’re used to living with a really tight food budget. Of course, as someone who is use to budgeting you’ve probably already done the high interest savings accounts comparison. Why not use some of your compounded interest to help you pay for your first few rounds of groceries?

Health (Photo credit: 401(K) 2012)

2. If you are serious about your goal, you might think about using a credit card (make sure to do your research so that you can find the best credit card rates and perks) to fund your initial ventures into healthier eating. Buying the tools you need to cook your ingredients properly can make the transition even more fun!

3. Go slowly. Trying to overhaul all of your eating habits at once is too much of a shock for your system. You might feel good for a couple of days but after that first week, you’ll be a lot more likely to fall off of your organic and nutritious wagon. By going slowly and changing out processed foods for organic and healthier options one or two at a time you’ll allow your body to get used to your new diet and you won’t have to worry that you’ve spent a bunch of money on food you don’t actually like to eat.

4. Switch up your eating habits by taste. For example if you typically reach for a bag of Skittles when your energy starts to wane, sub in a peach instead. The fruit is better for you and will raise your blood sugar and energy level in a healthy way (that won’t lead to a crash). If you’re craving pasta, why not make your own with whole wheat flour? From there you can make the sauce from scratch—this way you know that you’re getting healthy ingredients but you’re still satisfying the craving you’re having.

It is important to remind yourself, particularly when the cost of eating well starts to bum you out, that the money you’re spending now might seem like a lot, but it is much lower than the cost of the doctor bills and potential hospital stays you’d be in for if you kept up the unhealthy eating habits you’ve been use to using.

Guest Post by Amanda Green

In today’s world, the investment arena has changed drastically compared to what it was just a few years ago. While there are still plenty of people focusing on putting their money into traditional stocks and bonds, many other investors are looking for legitimate alternatives to put their money into. As some natural resources on the planet are becoming more scarce, investors are realizing the opportunity in front of them. Investing in natural resources is an endeavor unlike any other, and it has vast potential for everyone involved.

English: Natural Resources GIS (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Why Invest in Natural Resources

Investing in natural resources is a strategy that makes a lot of sense from a financial standpoint. When you put money into something that has a limited quantity, you know that the value of your investment will eventually increase. Many investors are putting money into precious metals like gold and silver because of the uncertainty in the fiat currency markets now. As governments continue to print paper money, the value of this currency continues to deflate. By putting money into gold, silver, and other precious metals, investors are hedging their bets.

In addition to investing in precious metals, many investors are also putting money into other natural resources like oil and natural gas. As the population on the planet increases, more people are going to be in need of these resources. This will lead the price to increase over time.

Ways to Invest

For those who are interested in investing in natural resources, there are a lot of different ways to do it. On Reed Cagle’s blog, he discusses a lot of different strategies that can be used by investors to profit from natural resources. For example, you could buy stocks of mining companies or of companies who drill for oil.

In addition to buying stocks of these companies, you could also trade futures contracts on them. When you trade futures contracts, you actually speculate on the prices of commodities themselves. Another option is to simply buy the commodities yourself. For example, you could buy gold or silver bullion and keep it.

Regardless of what strategy you employ, investing in natural resources carries with it a lot of promise. You are investing in tangible assets in limited quantities. This is quite different from putting money into theoretical assets like stocks or bonds. Just make sure that you do your homework before choosing which natural resources to invest in.