The wintertime is a time of cold weather, wherever you are. This is obvious, but battling the winter chill in order to maintain the comfort level that you are accustomed to within your home can often feel a bit more difficult. Fortunately, homeowners all over the United States and abroad have come up with a good idea or two for protecting your home and family from the cold weather just beyond your windows in order to keep them comfortable, a toasty atmosphere that you are seeking for your home.

Keep up your home maintenance routine throughout the year.

Home maintenance tips for wintertime begin early in the colder season. In order to protect your family and home from the cold weather in December and January, it’s essential to consider upgrades and repairs during fall that comes beforehand.

Planning for air conditioning repair in the months that come before the downturn in temperatures is the best way forward when prepping for this inevitable time of the year when furnaces start to burn and chimneys begin to see their highest period of usage. If you are worried about your family’s ability to stay warm all winter then you should begin to seek out AC repair technicians in your local area today in order to get ahead of any problems that may be headed your way in the near future. Hiring a contractor with years of experience in the industry is the best way to secure your family’s peace of mind as the temperature outside drops and the limits of your heating system are tested.

Regular maintenance is crucial to a properly working system, especially considering that your air conditioning unit is designed to last for fifteen or more years – barring any damage from extreme weather conditions, of course.

Add space heating capabilities throughout your home.

Heating elements have come a long way from the antiques that you may have seen in old, grainy pictures of your grandparents. These days, homeowners can take advantage of floor heating solutions, space-saving radiators, and portable electrical heaters that provide intense warmth that rivals a fireplace or traditional heating system. Used in tandem with your existing heater, you can expect warm air to circulate throughout your home for the duration of this coming cold period, giving your family a warm and cozy living condition.

Creating this safe and comforting space is particularly important this year as we continue to battle the coronavirus pandemic. With the virus continuing to rage out of control around the United States, and indeed the entire world, we are finding ourselves spending far more time at home than we might otherwise. Therefore, the need to create a comfortable living space that can function as a workable office or classroom for your job requirements and children’s educational needs makes your HVAC system far more important during these colder months than in any year prior.

One important thing to remember when installing new heating systems in your home is to maintain your windows as well. These panes provide the best opportunities for heat to escape out into the open air beyond the confines of your home, so replacing seals, adding additional caulk, or replacing the windows altogether if they are aging beyond their expiration date is an essential component of winterizing your home. Without this additional step, you will end up running up a massive energy bill as your system heats a buffer around your home as well as the interior space.

Preparing for winter starts months before the temperature begins to drop. Prepare for the colder time of year with a plan this time around in order to make the most of the winter season and colder months.

The wintertime is a time of cold weather, wherever you are. This is obvious, but battling the winter chill in order to maintain the comfort level that you are accustomed to within your home can often feel a bit more difficult. Fortunately, homeowners all over the United States and abroad have come up with a good idea or two for protecting your home and family from the cold weather just beyond your windows in order to keep the comfortable, toasty atmosphere that you are seeking for your home.

Keep up your home maintenance routine throughout the year.

Home maintenance tips for wintertime begin early in the colder season. In order to protect your family and home from the cold weather in December and January, it’s essential to consider upgrades and repairs during fall that comes beforehand.

Planning for air conditioning repair in the months that come before the downturn in temperatures is the best way forward when prepping for this inevitable time of the year when furnaces start to burn and chimneys begin to see their highest period of usage. If you are worried about your family’s ability to stay warm all winter then you should begin to seek out AC repair technicians in your local area today in order to get ahead of any problems that may be headed your way in the near future. Hiring a contractor with years of experience in the industry is the best way to secure your family’s peace of mind as the temperature outside drops and the limits of your heating system are tested.

Regular maintenance is crucial to a property working system, especially considering that your air conditioning unit is designed to last for fifteen or more years – barring any damage from extreme weather conditions, of course.

Add space heating capabilities throughout your home.

Heating elements have come a long way from the antiques that you may have seen in old, grainy pictures of your grandparents. These days, homeowners can take advantage of floor heating solutions, space saving radiators, and portable electrical heaters that provide intense warmth that rivals a fireplace or traditional heating system. Used in tandem with your existing heater, you can expect warm air to circulate throughout your home for the duration of this coming cold period, giving your family a warm and cozy living condition.

Creating this safe and comforting space is particularly important this year as we continue to battle the coronavirus pandemic. With the virus continuing to rage out of control around the United States, and indeed the entire world, we are finding ourselves spending far more time at home than we might otherwise. Therefore, the need to create a comfortable living space that can function as a workable office or classroom for your job requirements and children’s educational needs makes your HVAC system far more important during these colder months than in any year prior.

One important thing to remember when installing new heating systems in your home is to maintain your windows as well. These panes provide the best opportunities for heat to escape out into the open air beyond the confines of your home, so replacing seals, adding additional caulk, or replacing the windows altogether if they are aging beyond their expiration date is an essential component of winterizing your home. Without this additional step, you will end up running up a massive energy bill as your system heats a buffer around your home as well as the interior space.

Preparing for winter starts months before the temperature begins to drop. Prepare for the colder time of year with a plan this time around in order to make the most of the winter season and colder months.

Body image is key to self esteem and identity. It’s easy to get down about our bodies with constant messages from social media about what makes someone beautiful or not. Instead of listening to all that and allowing it to hurt you, having a body-positive attitude is one of the greatest acts of self-care around. If you’re working toward body positivity, congratulations! Celebrate it. The world will be a better place when there are more people like you who celebrate body-positivity.

For those looking to celebrate themselves and the shapes and sizes they sport, there are easy ways to do that starting with rolling out that body-positive attitude. Here are five ways to celebrate not only your body but the fact that you are perfectly beautiful too.

1. Surround yourself with positive people.

The journey toward how to be more comfortable in your own skin wasn’t likely an easy one. Learning how to be more comfortable with your body takes some people a lifetime. But if you’re there, stay there. Do what you can to surround yourself with others like you. Join support groups to celebrate and encourage each other along the way. It never hurts to have reminders that you’re perfect and beautiful just the way you are, and having a support network will be great, not only to celebrate, but to remind you to stay positive on the bad days too.

2. Have a photoshoot.

If you’re finally where you’ve fought so hard to be and feel great about yourself, schedule that sexy photoshoot. Whether you do it in lacy undergarments, a bathing suit, or fully dressed in a fabulous gown, the only rule is to give yourself permission to be free about it. Have fun with it. Much like the effects of smoking a CBD cigarette, you should feel relaxed and stress free. This moment is about you, and whether you take the pictures yourself or have a friend or even professional help out, you want to create memories here too.

3. Dress to celebrate yourself.

Let’s face it. Not all clothes are made the same. Sometimes, it’s good to let our fabulous bodies dictate how we dress. The perfect demi bra will give you lift and help show off those curves. Being body positive doesn’t mean you have to feel great wearing a burlap bag or tent. Instead, find the kind of undergarments and that perfect dress that make you feel your prettiest. There’s nothing vain about it. Instead, you’re putting your best foot forward and granting other women the excuse to do the same.

4. Choose relationships carefully.

Not all people operate in modes of kindness. For this reason, to celebrate your happiness with your body, you want to make sure that the people in your life are body positive too. Especially in a romantic relationship, look for partners who love you just the way you are and who want to celebrate you and your body. Staying with someone who insults you or tries to micromanage your image and self-esteem can be toxic. You’ve come too far to stay with someone negative about what a beautiful person you are.

5. Start a body positivity blog or group.

When you know you’re in a place to help others, consider celebrating this by starting a blog, online or in-person support group, or posting about your journey on a platform like YouTube or Instagram. Too many other people are out there feeling bad about themselves and their bodies. You could counteract those media messages about what beauty is if you use your own story to spread body positive awareness.

Regardless of how much we plan our lives, we all find ourselves facing trying times sooner or later. There’s simply no way around it. Even the best planners can’t be completely ready for a natural disaster, or a sudden illness, or an accident, or financial ruin. Not that any of us would wish these events on anyone, but we still need to be aware that they are a part of life. The question is not whether we will encounter disaster over the course of our lives. The question is only how we will handle it when it comes knocking.

Whether you’re religious or not, it’s a good idea to have a robust spiritual community that can support you in your times of need. This may mean close friends and relatives, it may mean a psychotherapist or counselor, and it may mean a priest, rabbi, imam, or any other religious leader with who you feel comfortable. We are not islands; we need other people to help us endure the hardship and celebrate the joyous moments. To that end, if you are connected to a religious tradition it’s a good idea to find a corresponding community that will stand by you through the good and the bad.

Do some research about local religious events.

There are so many churches and other religious institutions out there that you may not even know where to begin looking for the right one for you. Maybe you were raised in a Baptist church, but the one nearby is a Seventh Day Adventist community. Or maybe you’re more connected to an Episcopalian tradition but are interested in the philosophies of a Unitarian church. It can all get a little bit confusing.

The good news is that you can do some research, have some conversations, and make an informed decision on something that works for you. Religious leaders tend to be very open to speaking with potential congregants, and you should be able to set up meetings with local pastors, clerics, or priests with very little trouble. If you just want to sit in on a church event to see if it feels like the right atmosphere, check out local church bulletins for information about events that may be of interest to you. After all, you’ll want to know if the community feels welcoming or not.

Find like-minded groups to join.

Sometimes you may want advice about how to handle a particular situation, but you don’t have quite the right friends to turn to. For example, if you’re looking for advice for planning a family when you’re older you might be concerned that your friends may be judgmental or misunderstand your motives for having a child. You also might just not have friends with useful expertise on the topic.

Many local religious institutions host group sessions for people who are facing similar situations. Whether that’s a TTC (trying to conceive) support group, mommy and me classes, Alcoholics Anonymous, or any other group that may be of use to you, take a look online at what your local church is offering. It may help to talk things through with someone, or a group of people, with a similar spiritual outlook.

Consider therapy as an option for support.

Religious leaders can provide a great deal of support to their followers, but sometimes it’s time to call in someone who has expertise in the human psyche. Contrary to many stigmas surrounding mental health treatment, a psychotherapist or psychiatrist can actually do a great deal of good for someone who is struggling or going through a hard time. Even your priest or minister will likely tell you to call a therapist or counselor if they believe that the situation is dire.

You may be nervous or unsure of what to expect during your first therapy session, and that’s completely natural. It can be nerve-racking to open up to a stranger about your traumas, or grief, or desires, or secrets. Remember, you can take it as slowly as you’d like. Also, the first therapist you work with may not be the right fit. You may go to a few different sessions before you feel like you’ve found a person who you can work with. What’s important is to take the first step towards healing.

Reach out to those in need.

Sometimes, following the Golden Rule is a great way to feel better about the crises you may be facing. By doing for others as you would want them to do for you in your time of need you’re opening yourself up to human connections. Plus, you’re helping out others in need. By setting that example you’re sure to feel better and to make someone else feel better as well. It’s a win-win situation.

For example, you could join a program that writes letters to incarcerated people. You may not know this, but people in jail love reading letters. Many incarcerated individuals face a great deal of isolation; some may be hundreds of miles from their family members, making it nearly impossible to receive visitors. Others may be estranged from loved ones due to the circumstance of their arrest and conviction. Regardless of how the incarcerated person has ended up all alone, receiving some kind words from another person can breathe life and hope back into their lives. By reaching out to a person in jail you may find the connection you didn’t know you needed, and you’ll be giving another person the gift of friendship. There is truly no greater gift you can give.

Understanding that, eventually, hardship visits us all can be a hard pilot swallow. Nevertheless, it’s a truth we must bear. Instead of burying your head in the sand and hoping you never need to call upon a religious or spiritual community to keep you afloat during the hard times, act now. Find a person or a group of people who you can feel a connection to, reach out to a spiritual or religious leader who you can trust, and consider finding therapy to work through underlying issues standing in your way. You won’t regret it.

Climate change refers to significant shifts in weather patterns. It isn’t synonymous with global warming, although these terms are often used that way. Climate change includes global warming. Human activities that produce greenhouse gas emissions cause global warming, which changes the climate.

The effects of changes to the climate are widespread and catastrophic. As glaciers melt, sea levels rise. Temperatures are rising, and frost-free seasons are increasing. Consequently, more regions are suffering from droughts and prolonged fire seasons, which led to some of the worst fire seasons on record in California and Australia in 2020. Warmer temperatures are also enabling more hurricanes to form and strengthen and preventing hurricanes from breaking up once they reach land. The number and severity of storms are increasing, with 2020 producing the highest number of tropical cyclones on record. Environmental damage has severe implications for people and the planet, but you can take some crucial steps to do your part to slow climate change.

1. Support organizations dedicated to protecting the environment.

Join organizations that are fighting to improve the climate. Get involved with the Climate Leadership Council. The founding members include environmental leaders such as theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking and Christiana Figueres, the former Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Climate Leadership Council focuses on supporting a viable climate solution to reduce greenhouse gases. Their membership includes business leaders, underscoring the importance of working with businesses to find practical solutions to environmental issues without shutting businesses down or significantly increasing operating costs. Whether you’re interested in volunteering or providing financial sponsorship, you can help slow environmental damage from global warming by supporting organizations dedicated to the cause.

You can also invest in mental health support for individuals affected by the repercussions of global warming. Farmers experience stress and financial hardship when crops are destroyed by drought. Individuals who’ve lost their homes to floods and wildfires also suffer from emotional strain. When people are affected by threats to their livelihood or primary needs, such as shelter, it can be hard for them to focus on environmental issues. Find therapists who understand the implications of climate-related disasters and offer in-person therapy, teletherapy, or online therapy sessions. Promote these counselors to people who are adversely affected by environmental issues. If you’re able, you may also be able to finance therapy for individuals who can benefit from counseling.

2. Protect natural habitats, plant trees, and keep oxygen-producing plants.

Pollution causes global warming. Burning fossil fuels produces carbon dioxide. When carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere rise, they absorb solar radiation. Without a buildup of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases, solar radiation would drift into space. When toxins accumulate in the atmosphere, they trap the radiation in, which causes temperatures to rise. In turn, growing seasons increase, which also affects air quality. Longer growing seasons result in more pollen being produced. Tropical storms cause flooding, which produces mold that’s circulated in the air. Consequently, more people have asthma and other respiratory illnesses.

Low oxygen levels are also contributing to global warming because oxygen typically creates a protective barrier that reduces the amount of sunlight that reaches the earth. When oxygen levels are low, more sunlight breaks through the atmosphere. The sunlight produces water vapor—which is a greenhouse gas—because it causes water to evaporate.

Keeping potted patio plants and houseplants is an effective way to improve air quality and increase oxygen levels. Plants such as Lady Palm, Umbrella Plant, and an assortment of palm plants are some of the plants that most effectively improve air quality. Plants absorb carbon dioxide, which means they reduce the carbon dioxide levels in the air.

They also absorb light and water, which reduces the amount of sunlight trapped inside the earth’s atmosphere and water volume that vaporizes. As a result, investing in potted patio plants is one of the best ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Plants also produce oxygen. The extra foliage can also shield your windows from sunlight. Fill your patio with plants to reduce the amount of full sun that enters your home. This will help keep your home’s temperatures cool in the summer. If you’re a homeowner, care for your trees or add trees and annuals, such as geraniums, to your outdoor space. By extracting harmful elements from the air, plants improve air quality and prevent environmental damage from greenhouse gases.

Deforestation increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the air and reducing oxygen volume. Trees ingest carbon and store it. Like plants, trees also produce oxygen. This means you can reduce carbon dioxide levels in the air by planting trees.

3. Reduce the amount of energy you use.

Your energy consumption is one of the primary ways you contribute to global warming, which is why reducing your energy consumption is one of the most effective ways you can protect the environment.

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems that heat and cool your home consume a lot of energy. You can reduce your heating bills by investing in energy-efficient windows. Search for “Grand Traverse window replacement” to find a window installation company in your area that specializes in energy-efficient window replacement. Old windows are drafty, and the unwanted airflow increases the demand for heat in the winter and cool air in the summer. Replacing your windows will prevent unwanted airflow and reduce the amount of time your HVAC unit operates, which will save you money and reduce the number of fossil fuels you’re burning.

You can expand your energy conservation by reducing your hot water tank’s temperature by 20°F. Use cold water when you’re brushing your teeth and washing clothes. These steps will decrease the volume of hot water you use, which will reduce the amount of time your water heater will need to operate. You can expand your savings by decreasing showers by one minute per person per shower, which will conserve water and further reduce your hot water consumption.

Conserve more energy by focusing on cold meals, such as salads, during the warm summer months so you don’t have to run appliances that will heat your home. You can also use a barbecue for cooking outside. Barbecuing food will decrease the amount of time you run your stove and oven, which will reduce the amount of time your AC unit needs to run to cool your home.

4. Invest in renewable energy and energy-efficient appliances.

Renewable energy is more affordable than ever, and you can help slow climate change by switching to renewable energy sources. Although this could mean investing in solar panels, it can also mean researching energy companies to find companies focusing on renewable energy sources. Solar and wind power are the leading sources of renewable energy. When you purchase your energy from companies using solar and wind power, you’ll decrease fossil fuel demand. This helps reduce the volume of carbon emissions and reduces global warming.

Additionally, you can expand your impact on the environment by investing in energy-efficient appliances. Energy-efficient appliances use less energy than older appliances.

5. Reduce your carbon footprint.

Every person produces greenhouse gases. The amount of greenhouse gases you create is your carbon footprint. You can help the environment by reducing the size of your carbon footprint.

One way to reduce your carbon footprint is by recycling. When people recycle, they decrease the demand for resources, preventing deforestation, and the environmental damage caused by drilling for oil and manufacturing products. Recycling also reduces the volume of materials entering landfill sights, which can cause environmental damage and produce greenhouse gases.

Reducing food waste can also reduce your carbon footprint. Plan meals carefully and reduce the amount of food waste you create by freezing leftovers. When you do have food waste, compost it instead of adding it to the garbage going to the landfill. Bagged food waste rots in the bag and produces methane gas, which is a greenhouse gas. Composting allows the soil to absorb the nutrients, and the food doesn’t rot and produce greenhouse gases.

Supporting organizations devoted to protecting the environment, growing plants and trees, reducing energy consumption, investing in renewable energy, and reducing your carbon footprint are effective ways of slowing climate change. You can have a significant impact on the environment with some simple lifestyle adjustments. While you’re helping the environment, you can enjoy the benefits of cleaner air and reduced energy expenses.