7 Amazing Eco-Friendly Building Materials

Eco-friendly building materials have become extremely popular in the last few years. You can go eco-friendly in two ways. The first is by using materials that are recycled that does not put more strain on the environment. The second way is by using materials that make you consume less energy and thereby helping you control climate change and other issues. These eco-friendly building materials provide you with all the characteristics and are strong, durable and some are even good insulators. These various types of eco-friendly material can be used in different construction depending on the type of environment and usage.

Here are seven amazing eco-friendly building materials:

1. Recycled wood

When you use wood as a building material, you are essentially cutting more trees in order to construct your building putting more strain on the environment. Using recycled wood for construction gives you all the benefits of using wood and is eco-friendly as you’re using wood from trees that have already been cut. You can use this kind of wood to make homes or even use it for flooring and giving your house a unique look. Make sure you inspect the wood thoroughly before using it for your building.

2. Sheep Wool
We have been using sheep wool for years to protect us through the harsh cold climate. In the same way, sheep wool acts as an excellent insulator while building a home. They are fire resistant and require a very small amount of energy to produce. They are also less harmful can be easily installed without much protection. They are completely natural resource that can be replaced very easily. They can also be used to cancel out unnecessary noise. Sheep wool is sustainable, natural and they provide a number of benefits making them better than other material.

3. Recycled Steel
Steel is a resource that is made from the iron cores extracted from the earth. In order to make steel, iron ores are burned in huge furnaces with carbon which emits a high amount of heat into the environment. Steel also requires a huge amount of energy to transport since it is a heavy material. Using recycled steel means you’re not going through the entire process of mining and burning. You’re using steel that is already in existence. This type of steel can be used to build metal garages (www.steelbuildinguk.com/sub/metal-garages/), roofs, etc. It is highly durable, strong and is a great eco-friendly material.

4. Bamboo
Bamboo is a plant that grows extremely fast, making is very eco-friendly to use. It can grow up to three feet in a day and is found in almost every continent of the world. Being present in abundance, it is vastly used in construction. They are light weighted and have a good amount of strength. They are also fire resistant and are used extensively in places where earthquakes are common. They are not at all harmful to your health and are cheap.

5. Straw Bales
Straw bale is basically a waste product that can be put to great use in your construction of buildings. Since they are easily available in abundance and do not harm the environment in any way, they are said to be extremely eco-friendly. They are perfect insulators for your home and are usually placed in your walls. They protect you through the cold and heat. There are also resistant to fire when they are packed tightly and can be customized to fit your wall. Since they are a natural product, they hardly put any pressure on the environment for their production.

6. Earth
Earth is a sustainable and eco-friendly material. Using earth in its natural form has been the practice for many years. There many types of earth that can be used in construction; cob, rammed earth, light straw, earth bricks, etc. They are easy to work with and are an excellent insulator. They are also fire resistant and durable. They can be made waterproof. Like straw bale, they keep you warm in winter and cool in summers. They are easily the most eco-friendly building material.

7. Wood-plastic composite (WPC)
This is an eco-friendly material because it used recycled products. Recycled plastic lumbers and recycled wood are mixed to make wood-plastic composite which is then used for construction. They give you the strength of wood and the flexibility of plastics. It is slip resistant which makes it a good choice for deck flooring. It does not need much maintenance and is rot resistant. The harsh climate does not affect it and it is resistant to fire.

The vast variety of eco-friendly product makes them used for a great amount of construction. Depending upon their properties, these products are used in different type of construction. They are easy and healthier to use and helps us to do our bit in saving the environment.

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Weekend Activities Your Whole Family Will Enjoy

Happiness is a topmost privilege of cultivating a garden. Aside from that, one can also indulge from other benefits in nutrition, mental and physical health, social interactions, budget and time management as well as to the environment. However, whether it’s a landscape, flower, vegetable or any kind of plot; every person is prone from getting an injury caused by a garden-related accident encounter bring about limitless pains and injuries. The most common types of these misfortunes are carried out by most gardening tools such as lawnmowers, electric hedge trimmers, spades as well as garden forks, canes and sticks.

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Meanwhile, we do not have to trade our gardening advancements to merely avoid any kind of harmful related situation. Aside from cleaning the house, the kitchen worktops UK, the couches, and the appliances, you will find joy in doing gardening. Fortunately enough for the gardeners, it is of no one’s obligation to endure being affected from it. Here are some effective tips on how we could prevent garden accidents from happening:

• Wear safety gears of high quality during work. Before working, it is a mandatory precaution to have any protective clothing, appropriate type of shoes and shields for eyes and ears worn. Most of all, a good pair of gloves should not be demeaned by anyone because gardening involves the usage of our hands above anything else.
• Know the proper way of using garden tools. Most accidents involving different tools are caused by irresponsible handling represented by a wrongful act of ignoring the importance of manufacturing instructions because we are so eager to start trying it out. This practice should take a permanent halt. Indeed, product instructions are present to appropriately guide us.
• Keep the elders, children and pets distant. Gardening is for everyone to enjoy. Although, because of the preceding harms occurred when working in these plots, elders, children and pets should not join gardening if the task requires one to use such radical tools.
• Do not use electric-powered tools on wet surfaces. Since plants need water, gardens are usually wet during a couple of hours in a day. Using some electric-powered lawn tools like cultivators, push mowers and even snow throwers should not be done when the surface is filled with water. By doing so, we can avoid electric shock as one form of garden-related accident.
• Have ample knowledge regarding poisonous plants. When choosing plants for a garden, one must do a detailed research about these living things to avoid cultivating them. In particular, parts from poisonous plants accidentally eaten can make a victim sick and, worst of all, wrongfully die. Preparedness on how to overcome related accidents is sensible.
• Store pesticides and other chemicals in a safe place. These substances are commonly toxic and can perpetrate extensive injuries to anyone if it’s wrongly used and exposed to a victim. Even if there are non-toxic pesticides, it’s better to consider storing it in hard to reach areas especially since kids have their tendencies to play with these garden necessities. Also, ensure that you don’t store them in your kitchen worktops UK or in any place near food products.
• Make sure that the garden structure is safe. Most importantly, allotting enough efforts, time and money to create a garden that encompasses a good slope and well-maintained components is excellent.

Gardens are intended for great advancements in life. Applying the basics of safety while gardening could save one from being troubled by these abovementioned unwanted accidents. As observed, most pains and injuries that have been acquired by people who turned out as victims of these garden spaces only arrive in such situation because they somehow lack carefulness at that time. Even the best tools need proper handling to avoid hurt of any kind.

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3 Profitable Skills Students Can Learn Over the Summer

For many students, the summer season is slow and uneventful. Without school in session, students may feel like they have nothing to do. For those who cannot work over the summer, it is a prime time to develop some useful life skills and hobbies that could help them to earn some side income throughout life.

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Fishing & Equipment Maintenance

Fishing is a fun hobby, and it is a great way to bring home fresh food. People who love to fish could even barter their catches with friends and family for items that they need, as many people may not fish due to the cost of equipment and licenses, as well as the time invested. In addition to this income, students who are serious about fishing could also dabble in equipment maintenance and repair. If someone has a broken reel, students can order fishing reel repair parts and fix it for them for a fee.

Gardening & Plant Propagation

For students who love to garden and grow food, growing plants is an excellent way to exercise their green thumbs and make extra money. Some flowers, perennial bushes, and trees are in high demand; by propagating plants, whether through seeds or cuttings, students can increase their plant inventory and sell off the extras. Students must be careful with certain plants though, as some are protected by patents. This hobby could also produce excess fruit or vegetables that the student could sell, as well as seeds.

Carpentry & Woodworking

Working with wood is both relaxing and productive, as students could learn how to build their own shelves, beds, dressers, and even intricately carved tables. Carpentry is a very valuable skill to develop. Even if a student doesn't need an additional dresser or shelf, they could be sold to friends or family members. This money could be reinvested into the student's business, or saved for upcoming expenses.

When summer rolls around, students don't have to laze the days away. Instead, they can be learning valuable, fun trades with little investment required.

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