Water is a precious natural resource. Though rain provides a fresh source of water that can help us to replenish our supply, much of it is not captured, as it falls onto roofs, and on asphalt, and onto the pavement. A lot of water is funneled through the sewer or ditches and is not usable.

However, you can help to capture some of that precious water for your home by setting up a rainwater collection system. You won't be able to use this water for drinking (unless you set up an expensive purification system), but you can use it for watering your lawn and garden, cleaning your car, and cleaning your home. You can even use it to supply the toilets in your home. Here are a few tips about how you can set up a rainwater collection system for your home:

Start with a Quality Tank

You can buy many barrels that are specially designed for collecting rainwater, or you can use your own barrel in which you have cut the needed holes for your water lines and faucets. The key is to select a barrel that is made of food-grade plastic so that it does not degrade or leach harmful chemicals or other materials into your water. Even though you won't be drinking the water, it will be irrigating your yard and your garden, and the chemicals in it could find their way into your food.

Make Sure It's Covered

Standing water can attract all kinds of pests and become a breeding ground for mosquitos, bacteria and other harmful elements. If you do not buy a commercially available rain barrel, then make sure that whatever tank or barrel that you set up is covered. There should be a tight seal on the container to keep the water inside safe.

Attach the Collection Lines

Now you'll need a way to get the rainwater into your barrel. The easiest way to do this is to attach drainage pipes directly to your gutters. When the rain comes down, it will be funneled through your gutters, into your pipes, and into your rain barrel. You can attach as many pipes as you like to the barrel, or you can set up multiple barrels. Just be sure that you properly calculate how much a barrel is likely to get from each rainfall and how much water you are likely to use from it.

Make Sure There is Overflow Release

You may get a downpour or you may end up using less water than you thought you would, and in both cases, your rain barrel could start taking in more water than it is putting out. Make sure you have a mechanism in place to release any overflow. This is usually a pipe or tube that runs out of the top of the barrel and onto the ground. When the barrel becomes too full, the rainwater will gush out through the pipe.

Install a Pump or Faucet

The last step is to find a way to get the water out of the barrel and into your garden. This is most often accomplished by adding a pump or faucet to the side of the barrel. You can then turn it on the way you would the faucets on your house. You can even attach a hose to it.

If that seems to complicated for you, you can also just attach hoses or irrigation pipes directly to the barrel and run them through your yard or garden. As the tank fills, the water will naturally run out the pipes and irrigate your yard and plants.

Collecting rainwater for your home is not difficult. Doing so will help you to reduce your consumption of water, helping you to preserve this precious natural resource and lower your bills. This is especially important if you experience a drought, but being more mindful of your consumption of natural resources all year round is important to being a good global citizen.

Bio: Amber Satka writes on financial topics, such as her look into low interest auto loans. Amber is a former office manager and current mother and writer.

If you’re going to be laid up in a hospital, then you need some form of entertainment and keeping busy. The type of entertainment patients used fifty years ago is incredibly different than the plethora of games and technology we use today... Let’s take a closer look at how entertainment has changed and shaped patient fun in hospitals over the years!

#1. Fifty Years Ago

The world fifty years ago was much different than it is today. While in a hospital, you can ensure people weren’t as technological savvy as todays booming world of smart phones and gaming. You may not have seen a MAC or iPhone, but you would have seen other forms of entertainment. You would have seen people lounging about playing their favorite game of cards, or laughing around in a circle enjoying board games such as LIFE and Monopoly. Patients were also more likely to flip on the radio and listen to some good tunes while simply appreciating each other’s company.

#2. Forty Years Ago

Music and television were widely used as forms of entertainment for patients all over the country forty years ago, today. Of course, not every hospital had the luxury of owning radios and televisions throughout the facility. Kids had special ways of keeping themselves busy by playing with some of the most popular toys at the time. In the 70’s, Legos was a popular pick of game; kids built cool homes and pretend towns from the colorful pieces and interesting shapes..  Another favorite among children were Nerf toys, as well as everyone’s favorite friend— the Slinky! The value of a good book was also a popular form of entertainment. If a patient were to spend a lot of time in a hospital, they were probably spending most of it cuddled up with a spectacular book!

#3. Thirty Years Ago

If you found yourself in the hospital in the 1980’s, then you probably had a pile of different ways to have fun and keep yourself entertained. During this time, hospitals were becoming more technologically advanced, so more televisions began popping up in facilities all over town. Of course, we can all remember Michael Jackson’s gaining popularity throughout the 80’s, so it’s no surprise that listening to some Michael Jackson mix tapes was a favorite past time among patients everywhere.  

#4. Twenty Years Ago

About twenty years ago, cell phones began becoming extremely popular; just about anybody and everybody had to have one. However, there may not have been much to do on a cell phone back then, but actually talk on it! Computers were also starting to become a much more popular, household item. Whether or not patients could have these devices in their hospital rooms, however, is still questionable. Considering the growing popularity of cell phone uses and household computers, people still read, played board games, and still even wrote their thought, experiences, and feelings down in journals and diaries.

#5. Today

Entertainment has been changed by the use of superior technology in today’s hospitals. Patients have access to cable television in their rooms, as well as the ability to bring their cell phones and laptops right into bed with them. Patients can even Skype with family members who may not be able to come visit them during their stay in the hospital; video chatting to catch up on the latest gossip, or just chatting up to keep each other some company. High tech devices like the ONYX-BE185, allows the patient to stay connected to the outside world with a web camera, analog phone, and Bluetooth technology. Patients no longer feel alienated and out of touch with the latest news and events.

Conclusion:

As you can tell, fifty years ago till today, entertainment has changed quite a bit. Patients went from being able to play solitaire with actual cards to playing it on their iPhones and laptops! In the 1950’s it was a long distance phone call to tell Aunt Sally you were having emergency surgery. Now she can see you via video chat after surgery! It’s safe to say while life, entertainment-wise, was a little bit simpler fifty years ago; it’s incredibly hard to be bored nowadays during your stay in a hospital room.

Written by: Written by the Technical Consultant Team at Onyx Healthcare, a professional Medical IT company.

3D printing is a new process where layers of plastic are added to build a solid object on the basis of a digital plan. So far, 3D printing has only been used for unique, individual items on a small scale. However, the current development of the 3D printed car ‘Urbee 2’ by the engineering group ‘KOR EcoLogic’ is fuelling hopes for an utilisation of ‘plastic printing’ for the mass production of various products. Currently, the new printing technology is facing some limitations, which may be resolved soon paving the way towards digital manufacturing.

3D Printing in Automotive Industry: Limitations and Challenges

The 3D printing technology is one of the marking factors, which next to the utilisation of renewable energy and networking technologies in production, may build up a new industrial revolution. With the implementation of new technologies and sustainable energy options, industry workers and designers may experience a simplification and acceleration of their working procedures, which demands for an adjusted skill set.

For instance, next to KOR EcoLogic, the first car manufacturers such as Audi, GM and Jaguar have also discovered the new printing technology for their production. As a result, engineers must be prepared for the technological changes their sector holds for them. Consequently, current industry entry requirements (researchable here: intech automotive engineering jobs) are subject to constant change.

However, there are limitations to this new printing technology. The creators of the ‘Urbee 2’ have already experienced design challenges, as plastic cannot be used to display tiny details. Furthermore, once the tolling is produced and paid for, injection moulding widely used in car production, is much faster and cheaper.

Additionally, relatively long 3D printing phases – the body parts of the Urbee 2 needs a 2,500 hours printing period - compensates the appraised fitting related time savings of printed cars. These points may be the reason why the printing technology is in the moment a far cry from its implementation into mass production processes. Industry professionals at iNTECH Recruitment believe that this fact makes the technology rather useful for under-hood parts, prototypes and for the production of new moulds.

However, what makes the Urbee 2 so ground breaking is its lightweight construction and in turn fuel efficiency – factors which may help the 1,200 lbs vehicle setting a new Guinness world record. Its designers built the prototype of only 40 3D-printed ABS-plastic components. Clearly, the car’s chassis, engine and the roll cage around the driver are still made of metal – measures to adhere to security and stability requirements. However, using mainly plastic has weight, processing and stability advantages when compared to the steel-dominated conventional cars and their production.

Furthermore, the 10 horsepower engine of the three-wheeled, 2 passenger hybrid car can potentially run on biofuel such as Ethanol. Apparently, this fuel efficient car is the answer to shrinking fossil resources and global warming in a digitalised world. Fourteen people all over the world believe in these advantages and placed their order for one exemplar costing $50,000 already – clearly not a revolution. However, with progress made in terms of cost-effectiveness and speed, the relevance of the 3D printing technology may be rising significantly in the future.

About the Author: Perl Watson is a freelance blogger.

Keeping employees motivated during tough times is the duty of a manager. Simply telling someone to chin up isn’t always the most effective motivation. Let them learn and gain inspiration from those who came before them. Inspirational quotes can boost morale and completely revitalize a waning work environment. And why not combine them with funny quotes to make them stick in the mind? Nobody said they had to be boring and stale.

Coming up with quotes might not be your forte. To help you out with this, here are five quotes for keeping your employees motivated.

Monica Fish

“Life isn’t about learning how to weather the storm; it’s about learning how to dance in the rain.”

This quote by Monica Fish works during times where the work just keeps flooding in. It relieves the pressure caused by having to work constantly without a break. Employees in this position become stressed quickly. This allows them to form a different perspective on these periods.

Walt Disney Company

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”

Procrastination isn’t just confined to students trying to get out of doing an essay. When confronted with difficult tasks, employees can distract themselves by looking to other unnecessary tasks and talking to their colleagues.

This quote comes from someone who was renowned for getting things done and dealing with unpleasant tasks. It’s a way to stub out procrastination without overtly telling people to get back to work.

Charity Gibson

“Whoever says ‘Nothing is impossible’ has obviously never tried stapling Jell-o to a tree.”

Whilst this doesn’t look very inspirational, it embraces humor instead. We’re all tired of hearing the same trash about how you can do anything. We know better. Things are impossible, but that doesn’t mean your work is impossible.

It’s a sympathy quote. It sympathizes with employees in a humorous way. Rather than just thinking up something stale, it’s a twist on a classic. It’s bound to catch the eye and encourage people to think about the quote.

And this is a way to clear a frazzled mind. It relieves the tension and encourages them to think about the problem in a different way.

Unknown

“If you are unwilling to do more than you are paid to do, eventually you will be paid to do more than you do.”

Although nobody knows who said it originally, this is a quote which provides benefits on two major levels.

Firstly, it offers a light at the end of the tunnel. It says to a person that if they work hard now in the future it will pay rewards. It’s a way to discourage clockwatching and encourage people to get more motivated about their work.

And, secondly, it discourages them from asking you for wage increases!

Nike

“Just do it!”

This is pretty self-explanatory. It’s a command wrapped up in a piece of advice. If you work in an industry where employees constantly have to put up with boring tasks and dull protocol, this is a quote which can stop them from being so pessimistic about it. There’s very little else to this quote.

Marie is a managing director employing multiple people. She believes in the power of motivation. When not at work, she writes articles on the psychology of the workplace and boosting employee morale. Similar inspirational quotes can be found at www.Quoto.com.

You can’t beat a day in the countryside and with the UK having plenty of fantastic spots to choose from – and with the better weather seemingly here – now could be the perfect time to go and explore. However, as all knowledgeable outdoorsy types will tell you, preparation is the key to an enjoyable experience.  Thankfully, owners of smartphones such as the iPhone 5 will find there are a whole host of apps that could help to ensure they are organised.

National Trust

If you’re looking for a little inspiration about where to enjoy a day out then this app might be the perfect starting point. Users can look up National Trust sites by either location or postcode and then view pictures and information about the place before making a visit.

Met Office Weather

You can never be sure of the weather in the UK, with a sunny day seemingly being able to change to a downpour in the blink of the eye. However, perhaps the most reliable way of finding out whether the sun will shine is via the Met Office. It’s free to use app provides details such as a five-day forecast for your destination of choice, including temperatures, wind speeds, sunrise and sunset times and the likelihood of rainfall. You can even get a more detailed look about how conditions are set to change hour by hour.

Flashlight

Experienced walkers will likely advise that it is wise to carry a torch when out on a trek, as even if you intend returning home before sunset any number of reasons may occur that prevent you from doing so. This app ensures that you have a bright flashlight with you at all times, as well as a clock and compass. And if nothing else it can also prove handy for finding things in the event of a power cut.

OS MapFinder

Ordnance Survey have been helping people to find their way for over 200 years and are among the most trusted sources available for walkers, runners, ramblers and anyone planning to explore the great outdoors. Now a huge range of its maps are available to download to 4G smartphones and can be viewed in high-resolution. The app even provides a little advice about how to read maps correctly, so whether you’re an experienced hiker or simply looking to get out and about a little more this could be the right choice.