Debbie Rumsey

Veteran's Day is this Wednesday, November 11th, 2009.

I would like to personally thank all of the men and women who serve our country. I appreciate and respect the fact that they will fight for me and my country unselfishly. I don't think our military personnel can be thanked enough so I would like to stand up and yell THANK YOU again for the sacrifices you all make!

There are events going on around San Diego county honoring those who serve in the military or have in the past.

http://www.nctimes.com/entertainment/attractions/article_e20e6186-86c2-5e7c-b64f-b99f72d4d100.html

Get out and enjoy the day, you deserve it!!

AN EASY WAY TO SAVE ENERGY

I don't know about the rest of you, however, I am on my computer multiple hours a day and can't even imagine how much energy is used while I am working on it. A blog was done in 2007 which pondered the thought of "what if" our screens background were black with white writing....would it save more energy since it is believed that a white screen uses more energy than a black screen?

Enter www.blackle.com created by Heap Media which does exactly that. It is the search engine that uses a black screen with white writing and is powered by the Google search engine. To date, Blackle states that it has saved 1,513,189.071 Watt hours by using this search over the typical Google search.

Remember, small changes add up and each step we make is a giant step collectively for our environment.

Try Blackle.com today and do your small part!

RUN! DON'T WALK!!

TO THE SAN DIEGO CONVENTION CENTER

TODAY!!

2PM TO 8 PM

This FREE event is put on by Hope Now, Neighborhood Works and Making Home Affordable to help you, the homeowner, with loan modifications and educate you as to what options you may have to stay in your home.

You have the opportunity to bring your paperwork and meet FACE TO FACE with your lender to discuss your personal situation!

Go to Hope Now to see the list of papers you need to bring to this event and print the flyer. Tell your friends, neighbors, etc. and GO!!!

"HOPE NOW is an alliance between counselors, mortgage companies, investors, and other mortgage market participants. This alliance will maximize outreach efforts to homeowners in distress to help them stay in their homes and will create a unified, coordinated plan to reach and help as many homeowners as possible. The members of this alliance recognize that by working together, they will be more effective than by working independently." (Taken from the Hope Now website.)

It's that time once again in Southern California

......Fire Season.....

when the air is dry and the Santa Ana winds begin to pick up. We've been through devastating fires in the past years and hopefully we have learned ways to protect ourselves and our homes from being a target to help fuel the fires.

Here are 10 ways to help prepare you and your family for minimizing your properties risk and keeping your family safe in case of fire.

• Check your smoke alarms - Make sure you have an alarm on each floor of your home and located in each bedroom. Check batteries regularly and replace batteries every year.
• Register your mobile phones with Alert San Diego emergency alert system - go to ReadySanDiego.org and register cell phones. You will receive a call in the event of an emergency in your area and be given instructions as to what you should do. Many of us received calls a few years ago and were told when to evacuate and where to go.
• Have fire extinguishers located throughout your home - Make sure to have a fire extinguisher in your kitchen, garage, and one on each floor of your home. Check frequently to make sure they have not expired. Know how to operate them.
• Replace wood shake roofs - This is a must as they are very flammable. It is expensive but could save your home in the long run.
• Have an escape route for your family - Every family should have an emergency plan and escape route with clear instructions. If you have to escape out an upper window make sure each member of your household knows where to find the escape ladder and how to use it. Have a meeting place in case all family members are not home and memorize all phone numbers in case your cell phone is left behind.
• Install an interior sprinkler system - The newer systems can sense where the fire is and only come on in that particular room.
• Create a 100 foot defensible space around your home - This is especially true if you live next to open space, canyons, etc.
• Plant fire resistant plants by your home - Try iceplant which has a high moisture content or any other plants that hold moisture.
• Keep flammables away from your home - Store wood away from your home as well as gasoline tanks, propane tanks, gas barbecue grills, etc.
• Clean your roof and gutters - Make sure debris is not sitting on your roof and gutters because it makes great fire starters for any embers that may fall on them.

Another thing you should do is to walk around your home with a video camera and document your belongings in case you need to make an insurance claim. Keep the video in a safe place as well as copies of your insurance papers, vital records and any other item of value that can not be replaced.

Most of all, remember, things can be replaced, YOU CAN'T! Don't try to be a hero or try to save things when your life is in danger. Get Out and Get Your Family Out Safely! The rest is just STUFF!

The Environmental Protection Agency says chemicals from building materials, furniture and even air fresheners can make indoor air toxic, however, houseplants can help!

PEACE LILY

This plant removes toxins in your home including acetone, benzene, alcohols and ammonia. Not only does it clean the air, it flowers as well! Make sure to wash the leaves regularly to keep pests off. Water when the soil is dry to the touch.

RHAPIS PALM

Clears the air of chemicals, including ammonia and is highly resistant to insects. Cut any brown parts off leaves.

RUBBER PLANT

Helps get rid of formaldehyde and is very hardy. This plant tolerates cool temperature and low light but needs to be watered well.

NASA performed a study of plants and how they help remove chemicals in our air and the below were there findings:

TOP 10 plants most effective in removing:
Formaldehyde, Benzene, and Carbon Monoxide from the air

• Bamboo Palm - Chamaedorea Seifritzii
• Chinese Evergreen - Aglaonema Modestum
• English Ivy Hedera Helix
• Gerbera Daisy Gerbera Jamesonii
• Janet Craig - Dracaena "Janet Craig"
• Marginata - Dracaena Marginata
• Mass cane/Corn Plant - Dracaena Massangeana
• Mother-in-Law's Tongue Sansevieria Laurentii
• Pot Mum - Chrysantheium morifolium
• Peace Lily - Spathiphyllum
• Warneckii - Dracaena "Warneckii"

It is recommended that you place two 10" to 12" potted plants in every 100 square feet of living area to help purify the air around you and eradicate the toxins that we breathe in our homes.

A great book to read is "How to Grow Fresh Air" by B.C. Wolverton PhD