SAN ANGELO, Texas, Feb. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Rudy Santellanos, owner of Santellanos Collision Repair, located at 1141 Glenna, recently added U?Haul truck and trailer rentals to the automotive garage.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090622/LA34860LOGO-b)

Click here to download the photo accompanying this press release.

Families needing the finest in moving services now will have increased convenience and a shorter distance to travel when moving, which not only will make their move easier but also will have the positive effect of reducing the amount of carbon emissions released into the atmosphere. U-Haul partnering with business owners across North America to increase convenience for customers while helping our environment is just one of the programs that support U-Haul Company's Corporate Sustainability initiatives.

Santellanos Collision Repair can now offer its customers a variety of moving equipment and supplies designed specifically for moving household furnishings, including moving vans, open trailers, closed trailers, furniture pads, appliance dollies, furniture dollies, tow dollies and auto transports. Santellanos Collision Repair also will offer sales items to protect their customers' belongings and make moving easier, such as heavy-duty boxes, which are made of up to 90 percent recycled content and are available in a variety of sizes.

"U-Haul is proud to be partnering with a quality independent business such as Santellanos Collision Repair," exclaimed Jonathan Martindale, president, U-Haul Company of West Texas. "Rudy is a great example of the type of successful business relationship U?Haul has established in order to build and maintain a strong network of more than 15,000 independent dealers across North America."

For more information, or to rent your moving equipment today, call 325-947-3574. Visit http://www.uwebconnect.com/santellano. Business hours of operation are: Mon. – Fri. 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sat. 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

About U-Haul

U-Haul was founded by a Navy veteran who grew up during the Great Depression. Tires and gas were still rationed or in short supply during the late 1940s when U-Haul began serving U.S. customers. Today, that background is central to the U-Haul Sustainability Program: "Serving the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."  Our commitment to reduce, reuse and recycle includes fuel-efficient moving vans, neighborhood proximity, moving box reuse, moving pads made from discarded material and packing peanuts that are 100% biodegradable.  Learn more about these facts and others at uhaul.com/sustainability.

Since 1945, U-Haul has been the choice for the do-it-yourself mover. U-Haul customers' patronage has enabled the Company to maintain the largest rental fleet in the do-it-yourself moving industry which includes trucks, trailers and towing devices. U-Haul also offers storage throughout North America. The Company provides industry leading moving and storage boxes and an extended line of packing supplies to protect customer possessions. U-Haul is the consumer's number one choice as the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket. The Company supplies alternative-fuel for vehicles and backyard grills as one of the nation's largest retailers of propane.

Contact:
Joanne Fried
Kelie Hale
U-Haul Public Relations
(602) 263-6194
(602) 263-6772 fax

Originally posted here:
Santellanos Collision Repair in San Angelo, Texas Adds U-Haul Rentals

Container gardening is growing smaller.

Suppliers are downsizing this season with easier-to-use trough planters, raised beds, pots or bags. It's an effective way to produce edibles or blooms in tight spaces.

One of the leaders in this less-is-better concept is EarthBox, a Scranton, Pa., manufacturer of self-watering plant containers. A half-size version designed for growing herbs and salad greens outdoors on deck railings, patios, rooftops and fire escapes, or indoors from kitchen windowsills, was introduced in January.

"It was a consumer-driven product," said Frank DiPaolo, EarthBox's general manager. "People told us they were interested in using self-watering technology for leafy greens and herbs and for growing them inside. For that purpose, the original EarthBox might have been too big."

Like the EarthBox original, the compact "Junior" has a water reservoir that wicks moisture to plant roots, reducing the need for daily watering while boosting yields. Junior measures just 23 by 7.25 by 9.5 inches, compared to the original's 29 by 14 by 11 inches.

An estimated 17 percent of gardeners — or about 20 million households — do their growing in containers, often in restricted spaces, said Bruce Butterfield, market research director for the National Gardening Association.

Many people don't have the need or the urge to grow eight or 10 herb plants, DiPaolo said. "Going downsized gives them a chance to grow just a couple of things they desire. Then they can free up their standard-size boxes for tomatoes and larger plants like that."

Containers come in all shapes and sizes and are particularly popular with urban gardeners. They are portable, easy to reach across, and absorb more of the sun's heat for faster plant growth than in-ground gardens do.

"They're also good season extenders," DiPaolo said. "I have mine sitting on the edge of the driveway. If I have tomatoes that are still bearing in late fall, I simply roll them into the garage overnight to protect them from frost, and then roll them back out again in the morning for some sun."

Tiered planters, window boxes, hanging baskets and grow bags also qualify as small space planters.

"Bags can easily be stored from season to season if you live in an urban area," said Maree Gaetani, a spokeswoman for Gardener's Supply Co., in Burlington, Vt. "We have raised beds (kits) now that you can set right on your patio."

Most common garden vegetables can be container-grown, although plant breeders have developed some new dwarf varieties that produce uncommonly high yields. Shallow-root edibles that perform well in pots include lettuces, peppers, onions, carrots, radishes and herbs.

"What really matters when you're growing vegetables in containers is making sure you fertilize," Gaetani said. "It also matters what kinds of soils you use so they aerate properly. Growing the right kinds of plants, giving them the right amount of water and finding locations that provide at least five hours of sun per day also are important."

Using the smaller, lighter containers makes it a great deal easier to move them there.

___

Online:

For more information on growing vegetables in containers, try this North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service website:

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8105.html

You can contact Dean Fosdick at deanfosdick(at)netscape.net

Here is the original post:
Downsizing makes container gardening easier

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Feb. 14, 2012) - VMS Ventures Inc. (TSX VENTURE:VMS.V - News) ("VMS") is pleased to announce the results of a two-hole drill program and mechanical trenching on its 100%-owned Black Creek property. Two new zones of mineralization have been discovered.

Neil Richardson, VMS' Chief Operating Officer, states: "I am pleased with the results from our first phase of drilling and channel sampling on the Black Creek project. The VTEM anomaly tested by BC-11-002 has a strike length of 900 metres and is open at depth. The new base metal showing indicates the potential of a permeable breccia zone along the margin of the Cartier Batholith. Additional work is planned for 2012, including additional drilling, trenching and prospecting."

A total of 342 metres were drilled to test two separate Versatile Time-Domain Electromagnetic (VTEM) airborne geophysical anomalies with coincident magnetic highs. Hole BC-11-002 intersected 8.90 metres of 1.00 g/t Au, in a heterolithologic fragmental unit at the contact with an oxide to sulphide facies iron formation. Locally, the oxide facies iron formation is sulphidized and is mineralized with pyrite, pyrrhotite and minor chalcopyrite. A sulphide rich interval within the iron formation assayed 2.43% copper over 0.40 metres.

A new base metal showing was discovered in the central portion of the property by prospector John Brady. An excavator was utilized to remove overburden, followed by power washing of the outcrop, geological mapping and channel sampling. Highlights from the channel sample assays include 4.77% zinc, 1.17% copper, 23 g/t silver and 0.85% lead. This fracture-controlled mineralization is hosted by a gossanous andesitic unit within an intrusive marginal breccia zone of the Cartier Batholith, see figure #1 below.

To view Figure 1 associated with this news release, please click the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/VMSFig%201.pdf.

Black Creek Assay Data

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hole
Number From (m) To (m) Length (m) Cu % Zn % Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) Zone
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
BC-11-001 No Significant Assays
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
BC-11-002 70.10 79.00 8.90 0.01 0.01 1.00 1.00 10
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(i) True widths unknown
Black Creek Collar Information
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
UTM
UTM UTM Elevation Azimuth Length
Hole Number East (1) North (1) (1) (2) Dip (metres)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
BC-11-001 504774.00 5186200.00 357.00 280.00 -45.00 162.00
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
BC-11-002 503002.00 5186803.00 336.00 250.00 -50.00 180.00
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Universal Transverse Mercator/North American Datum 1983/Zone 17
(2) "Azimuth" is degrees from True North

The Black Creek property is located 20 km north of the town of Capreol, Ontario, and consists of 63 claim blocks covering an area of approximately 1,501 hectares. Two (2) diamond drill holes were completed for a total of 342 metres in this first phase of drilling. Additional follow-up work on this project is scheduled for summer 2012 with mechanical trenching, prospecting and drilling.

For additional details on exploration on our Black Creek property, see VMS' press releases issued between April 6, 2010 and October 26, 2011, available at http://www.vmsventures.com.

Qualified Person

All technical information in this release has been reviewed by Dr. Mark Fedikow, P.Geo, who is the Qualified Person for the Company and Vice President of Exploration and Technical Services, VMS Ventures Inc.

Quality Assurance and Quality Control

Exploration core drilling was BQTK size. The core was logged and mineralized intersections were marked for sampling and assaying by geologists and geotechnicians employed by VMS Ventures Inc. The marked intersections or intervals were sawn in half by a diamond saw and one half of the core was placed in plastic bags and tagged with unique sample numbers, while the second half was returned to the core box and stored. Chemical analyses reported in this press release were performed by ALS Chemex Laboratories in Vancouver, BC, where it was dried, crushed and pulverized and a 250-gram sample was prepared for assaying. From each 250 gram sample 0.50 grams was removed and leached in aqua regia and analyzed by ICP-AES for Ag, Cu, Zn, As, Pb, Ni and Fe. Gold was analyzed by fire assay using a 30g charge, with gravimetric finish. Sampling and analytical procedures are subject to a comprehensive Quality Assurance and Quality Control program that includes duplicate samples, blanks and analytical standards.

About VMS Ventures Inc.

VMS Ventures Inc. is focused primarily on acquiring, exploring and developing copper-zinc-gold-silver massive sulphide deposits in the Flin Flon-Snow Lake VMS Belt of Manitoba. The Company's VMS project property portfolio consists of the Reed Copper Project, McClarty Lake Project, Sails Lake Project, Puella Bay Project and Morton Lake Project. Outside of the Snow Lake camp, the Company holds massive sulphide prospective properties near the past producing Fox Lake and Ruttan copper-zinc mines, near the communities of Lynn Lake and Leaf Rapids in northern Manitoba. These properties are located in the mining friendly province of Manitoba, Canada. The Company also has optioned three properties in the Sudbury mining camp. They are Terra Incognita, Golden Pine and Black Creek.

VMS Ventures owns approximately 45% of North American Nickel Inc. (TSX VENTURE:NAN.V - News). For more information on North American Nickel Inc., please visit http://www.northamericannickel.com.

Forward-Looking Statement

Some of the statements contained herein may be forward-looking statements which involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization and resources, exploration results, and future plans and objectives of the Company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks. The following are important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements: changes in the world wide price of mineral commodities, general market conditions, risks inherent in mineral exploration, risks associated with development, construction and mining operations, the uncertainty of future profitability and the uncertainty of access to additional capital. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events may differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. VMS Ventures Inc. undertakes no obligation to update such forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

John Roozendaal, President

VMS Ventures Inc.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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VMS Ventures Drills 8.90 Metres of 1.00 g/t Gold in Hole BC-11-002 and Mechanical Trenching Uncovers Base Metal ...

Corian is specially priced for 2012 at Aurora Cabinets and Countertops Inc., a Bay Area granite countertops and cabinetry design company.

San Rafael, CA (PRWEB) February 14, 2012

During 2012, Corian, a durable polymer surface, will be specially priced at Aurora Cabinets and Countertops Inc. The Bay Area cabinetry design company features an abundant selection from the Classics to the Private Collection and offers corresponding sales on sinks.

The 2012 Corian Classics promotion is sold at Group A Pricing and the colors available are glacier white, bisque, canyon, aurora, linen, moss, platinum, Sahara, sand and silt. The Private Collection is sold at Group C pricing and is available in these colors and styles: burled beach, clam shell, lava rock, jasmine, allspice, arrowroot, basil, hazelnut, hickory smoke and witch hazel.

The free sink promotions are as follows: Aurora Cabinets is giving out a Vanity 810 sink. The installation price is set at $149 each. This sales ends on March 31. The free kitchen sinks available in this promotion are model numbers 850, 873, 874 and 881. Installation price is set at $380 each, and the sale ends Sept. 1. The kitchen sinks with model numbers 871 and 872 have an installation price set at $260 each, and the sale ends Sept. 1. Last but not least, the free Vaso Kitchen sink, model 966, has an installation price set at $589 each. This sale also ends Sept. 1. The sinks are only available in bisque, bone, cameo white and glacier white Corian.

“In addition to the new Corian available, customers appreciate Aurora for great prices, fast service, careful installation, plus a large selection of cabinets and countertops,” Bill Withers of Sausalito said.

For more information, please call 415-213-4789 or view the company on the web at http://www.auroracabinets.com. Aurora Cabinets and Countertops Inc. is located at 30 Mark Drive in San Rafael.

About Aurora Cabinets and Countertops Inc.

Bay Area’s Aurora Cabinets understands that the key to a perfect cabinet is a seamless installation. With 50 years of industry experience, customers can remain assured that their cabinet makers and installers will not only meet but also exceed their expectations. Unlike most in the Bay Area cabinetry design industry, the same men who build the cabinets also install them. This allows for the knowledge of exactly how the cabinets were built to fit together. Aurora is the first stop for the Bay Area’s custom cabinets, granite countertops and cabinetry design.

###

Donna Susmani
Aurora Cabinets & Countertops, Inc.
(415) 472-4171
Email Information

Continued here:
Bay Area Custom Cabinetry Design Company, Aurora Cabinets and Countertops Inc., Announces the Availability of Corian ...

UNION CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Finelite Inc., a leader in high performance commercial building lighting systems, today unveiled a new, industry-leading 10-year warranty for its High Performance Recessed LED (HPR-LED) luminaire collection. At twice the industry standard for lifetime operating hours, this warranty also doubles the standard coverage terms for optimal performance over the extended lifetime of the luminaire.

“This customer-friendly 10-year warranty demonstrates our absolute confidence in the robust luminaire design of HPR-LED, and our commitment to make lighting design a key driver for energy efficient buildings,” said Terry Clark, Finelite chairman and chief technology officer. “This is yet another assurance that our quality indoor LED luminaires are solidly backed by service levels Finelite customers have come to expect.”

The HPR-LED collection, introduced last fall, is a distinct new ambient luminaire for all conditioned spaces and is a critical part of Finelite’s commitment to a Net-Zero Energy future. It integrates Finelite’s mid-power LED approach to deliver exceptional energy efficiency and lumen maintenance over the product lifetime. With an independently verified L90 lifetime (90% lumen maintenance) of 100,000 hours, the warranty covers the luminaire, LED light engine, driver, replacement parts and shipping. If the luminaire delivers less than 90% light output during the 10-year warranty period, Finelite will supply the replacement parts. Finelite even makes the replacement process easy, as all HPR-LED luminaires are 100% serviceable from below.

With up to a 50% reduction in energy consumption, these energy-efficient lighting systems play an important part in increasing the sustainability of any building. Learn more about Finelite’s progress towards a Net-Zero Energy future at: http://www.finelitetnze.com.

About HPR-LED collection

The HPR-LED collection is an affordable, award-winning family of glare-free, indoor ambient LED luminaires packaged with a light engine that runs cool, so it delivers over 90% initial light output at 100,000 hours of operation. The entire collection comes standard with dimming, is 100% serviceable from below, and has been rigorously and independently tested (LM79 and LM80). The HPR-LED ships in 10-days or less, is DesignLights™ Consortium (DLC) qualified and Buy American Act of 2009 compliant.

About Finelite

For the past 20 years, Finelite has been in the business of developing better, more energy-efficient lighting for offices, educational and healthcare facilities. The Finelite product lines include ambient LED lighting, LED task lighting, high performance fluorescent general illumination light fixtures, and patented plug-and-play lighting systems. By following an integrated, three-step approach to assessing lighting needs, Finelite works with architects to ensure that your workplace is lit with the right balance of focused, vertical and ambient light, while minimizing overall energy consumption. Finelite also works in partnership with the California Energy Commission and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, and has received national awards for their lighting research projects. Learn more at: http://www.fineliteled.com.

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Finelite Doubles Industry Standard With 10-Year Product Warranty for Recessed LED Luminaires

SOUTH HACKENSACK, N.J., Feb. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- With medical costs on the rise, Americans are more concerned about healthy living than ever. Yet, an invisible threat exists; it's called indoor air pollution. The associated health risks have been among the most overlooked of problems in modern society. "Your carpet probably contains about 200,000 bacteria per square inch, making it 4,000 times dirtier than your toilet seat." -Phillip Tierno, Director of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, NYU [Men's Health].

Numerous government and private health institutions have discussed the direct correlation of indoor air pollutants and bacteria with a host of serious allergies, skin irritations, and respiratory illnesses. Setting higher EPA standards for indoor air quality has been a long overdue discussion, and the spotlight is now on a highly unregulated carpet and rug cleaning industry. Up until now, organizations such as the Carpet and Rug Institute have educated the public with guidelines on how to choose the right carpets, rugs, and cleaning products, while others simply hand out seals of approval alongside membership. The real challenge lies in industry-wide education, followed by industry-wide collaboration to mitigate public health risks.

The EPA has supplied the public with information on "Residential Asthma Triggers and Indoor Air Quality", but it does not address any preventative measures or sanitary recommendations for household area rugs. According to the government, vacuuming a wall to wall carpet and 'keeping it clean' is about the extent of their solution.

Most area rug cleaners advertise the new EPA guidelines which mention hidden health hazards due to dust, dust mites, and indoor allergens. Many encourage consumers to wash their rugs and solicit for business, but will often disregard the cleaning practices required to ensure these guidelines are met. Given all the latest organic and green cleaning price gimmicks, the question becomes: how does an average mother go about choosing a reliable cleaning service? How would one know if an elderly parent with asthma isn't being affected by the same rug after it was cleaned?

One of the biggest obstacles consumers face is that the market has been saturated with wall to wall carpet cleaners perpetuating the myth that topical steam cleaning, spot cleaning or chemical dry cleaning is adequate for an area rug.

Good Morning America had recently published an article entitled "The Indoor Pollution Threat You May Not Have Known Existed" which provides a few good tips. However, most literature still fails to provide a comprehensive to do list for homeowners. Many homes have area rugs likely in need of attention, and homeowners aren't always to blame.

To illustrate some of the many area rug cleaning industry hazards, a simple Google Image search for area rug cleaner is a good place to start, and very revealing. Harsh chemicals used in cleanings, alongside massive water usage are at the top of a long list of industry problems. Other major concerns include pollutants like asbestos, lead, mildew, fumes and gases released during renovations, as well as dangerous pesticides tracked in from the outdoors.

In a world rapidly changing for the greener, the biggest hurdle for cleaners is the capital investment required to keep up with technology that protects consumers. Unfortunately, many are falling short of the mark. Some carpet cleaning outfits will outsource to professional rug cleaners, and it will often take a bit of interrogation for a consumer to find out they're not the actual company cleaning your rug.

One company has been undertaking efforts lately to shed light on what they consider an 'industry trapped by antiquity' due to the lack of scientifically oriented approaches to cleaning. RevitaRUGS, a strong proponent of green cleaning initiatives, has managed to turn an entire South Hackensack facility into one green operation, right down to the lighting fixtures.

"We hope that by creating greater public awareness we can help revolutionize an entire industry." -Azita Goldman, VP Business Development, RevitaRUGS.

When asked about indoor health hazards, they point out that one of the most important things consumers should know is that a rug acts just like an indoor air filter, and should be treated as such.

According to RevitaRUGS, common rug cleaning machinery has no discretion for rug pile, type or material. Many cleaning machines are near obsolete, as they are not equipped to adjust for pile height, thickness and material for different rug types. Wool, silk, hand-made, and machine made rugs all require different methods of cleaning and care.

The excessive use of soap and unfiltered water eventually causes buildup of organic and inorganic matter in the rug's foundation. This buildup leads to irreversible damage and becomes an attractant for further dust and dirt, defeating the purpose of cleaning.

"The practice of submerging a rug into a cesspool of previously contaminated water and soaking it for hours with soap, while employees in rubber boots scrub it with a floor scrubber, is not a very hygienic approach to cleaning." -RevitaRUGS

Needless to say, a customer should not expect a clean bill of health. With respect to hand-made heirlooms, or expensive Oriental and Persian rugs, when exposing the rug fibers to this damaging process it will degrade the material and depreciate the value.

After a damaging floor scrubber and suds bath, re-contamination during the drying process usually results due to excess moisture; it serves as a petri dish for mold and bacteria. Proper drying is not only important for the prevention of mold and bacteria, it is vital for protecting rug fibers. Since natural dyes tend to bleed (known as color runs) when exposed to water for excessive periods of time, prolonged wetness can cause deformation of the rug when hanging to dry. Although hanging a rug in the sun to dry is plausible if the air is fresh and hot, humidity is very low, and the factory is not situated within urban pollution, in absence of these conditions along the US eastern seaboard, rugs are usually dried indoors. However, indoor heaters, blowers, and so-called drying rooms are situated in uncontrolled climates and therefore cannot guarantee a sterile drying process.

The good news is, there are viable alternatives for consumers. At less than 10 gallons of water per rug, RevitaRUGS has helped set new industry water conservation standards. Water is first purified at their facility to remove all excess minerals such as calcium, magnesium, lime, chlorine and other solutes. This purified soft water allows for less use of detergent and aids in the removal of previously embedded crystallized salts, otherwise known as soap scum. This makes colors more vibrant and naturally softens the rug.

They've created a patent pending primary stage drying system where 90% of water is extracted within minutes. After thorough inspection, a rug enters a computerized brushing machine which automatically adjusts for pile height, then gently combs the rug in the direction of its pile. This process uniformly restores the natural direction and luster of the rug pile to its original state. Afterwards, the rug is transferred to a fully enclosed, environmentally regulated chamber. The chambers are engineered with de-humidification and temperature control, dust free walls, and filter-circulated air. In these enclosures, low humidity and air circulation quickly wick out any remaining moisture.

Just like wall to wall carpet, dust removal for area rugs should take into account proper filtration required to prevent fine dust from resettling during the elimination process. The old fashion way of a dust tumbler or any beater device, without such filtration, is not effective since fine dust resettles back into the rug. Most companies who sell vacuum cleaners for wall to wall carpet are vigorously competing and reinventing themselves for the best hypo-filtered vacuum, since consumer awareness about airborne allergies, dust and other serious indoor air pollutants is fast becoming a trend.

"Dust in the air stream poses a serious health threat to children, older people, and those with respiratory illnesses. It is also a health threat in the work environment which is commonly overlooked by employers. Current scientific knowledge, along with a full and in-depth understanding of how rugs are made, hand or power loomed, will help alleviate these problems significantly." -RevitaRUGS

Amidst hundreds of green cleaning claims with no unified government standard for area rug cleaning industry regulations, choosing a service wisely is an arduous task. Basically, anyone with access to soap, water, and a floor scrubber, polisher, or multi-task machine can claim to clean an area rug properly. Consumers should be looking for businesses that deep clean, disinfect, and systematically remove dust particles, in addition to using mild soaps and pure water to effectively reduce allergens and improve indoor air quality.

RevitaRUGS, in fact, has brought the U.S. market decades of highly specialized cleaning experience, courtesy of their sister corporation, the Shirzad Corporation. It is now possible for 100% safe cleanings of fine antique and silk, utilizing pure laboratory grade water softener systems, perfume-free organic soap, and patent pending processes still under wraps. For the latest news on environmentally conscious, organic rug cleaning, you can visit the RevitaRUGS blog or contact their in-house biologist with any questions. They also have an educational area rug cleaning process video for a deeper look into the latest green cleaning technology on the market.

Press Release Contact Information:
George Baskinger
Senior Revita Sales
RevitaRUGS.com
(201)641-1100
georgeb@revitarugs.com

This release was issued through WebWire(R). For more information visit http://www.webwire.com."  

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Exposing Hidden Health Hazards in the Area Rug Cleaning Industry

DURHAM, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Beaverton, Oregon’s Highland Chevron gas station and ExtraMile food market recently underwent extensive eco-renovations, including the installation of energy-efficient interior and exterior LED lighting by Cree, Inc. (Nasdaq: CREE - News). The addition of Cree LED fixtures supports Highland Chevron’s mission of becoming a zero-energy establishment.

Rebuilt from the ground up, the Highland Chevron store is fully lit with Cree LED luminaires under the exterior canopy and inside the convenience store—delivering energy savings estimated at nearly 70 percent over the old non-LED fixtures. According to Bob Barman, owner of the Highland Chevron, the indoor and outdoor LED lighting allows the station to consume a third less energy than typical 24-hour c-stores and petroleum stations. Barman estimates that the new Cree luminaires should provide payback in 2.5 years and the financial savings just add-up after that. The Beaverton Chevron anticipates more than a decade of virtually maintenance-free operation.

“The payoff is more than what is saved in energy consumption and cost,” said Barman. “The payoff is also intangible – it’s what your customers think of you as a leader in sustainability and how you think of yourself – it’s just the right thing to do.”

“The only time I’m going to think about my lighting is when I’m showing it off,” said Barman. “The high-quality LED light makes everything appear brighter and safer—and that translates into a better customer experience.”

Twenty-four Cree 304 Series™ recessed canopy luminaires with petroleum symmetric optics replaced the original 368-watt metal halide fixtures on the fueling canopy. Based on BetaLED® Technology, the 105-watt 304 Series™ luminaires provide superior NanoOptic® lighting control with little to no spill-off into neighboring areas, helping Highland Chevron comply with local light pollution ordinances. In addition, 330-watt fluorescent fixtures were replaced by 27 Cree 304 Series pendant-mount luminaires in the ExtraMile food market.

Other green features of the gas station and convenience store include 180 solar panels on the fueling canopy and store rooftop, capable of delivering nearly one-third of a typical gas station’s electricity needs. Highland Chevron also installed a geothermal well that exchanges heat through groundwater to naturally cool water for the store’s refrigeration cases, while water pipes store heat from cooling units underground for hot water usage.

“Energy efficient and near maintenance-free LED lighting is ideal for the 7/24 operations of gas stations and convenience stores,” said Andy Strickland, Cree vice president, petroleum lighting. “Cree’s LED products offer the Beaverton Chevron early payback and financial savings over their lifetime – they are the best choice for c-stores and gas stations.”

About Cree

Cree is leading the LED lighting revolution and making energy-wasting traditional lighting technologies obsolete through the use of energy-efficient, mercury-free LED lighting. Cree is a market-leading innovator of lighting-class LEDs, LED lighting, and semiconductor products for power and radio-frequency (RF) applications.

Cree's product families include LED fixtures and bulbs, blue and green LED chips, high-brightness LEDs, lighting-class power LEDs, power-switching devices and RF devices. Cree products are driving improvements in applications such as general illumination, electronic signs and signals, power supplies and solar inverters.

For additional product and company information, please refer to http://www.CreeLEDLighting.com. To learn more about the LED Lighting Revolution, please visit http://www.creeledrevolution.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements involving risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown, that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated. Actual results may differ materially due to a number of factors, including the risk that actual savings will vary from expectations, customer acceptance of LED products; the rapid development of new technology and competing products that may impair demand or render Cree’s products obsolete; and other factors discussed in Cree’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 26, 2011, and subsequent filings.

Cree, BetaLED and NanoOptic are trademarks registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

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Chevron Petroleum Station Goes Green with Cree LED Lighting

Public release date: 14-Feb-2012
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Contact: Sheryl Weinstein
973-596-3436
New Jersey Institute of Technology

Five members of the faculty at NJIT's College of Architecture and Design (COAD) will share their ideas at "Think Pieces" on Feb. 22 at 6 p.m. in the COAD Gallery. The public is invited to the free event which promises to provide a good insider's view into the world of architecture and design.

"This promises to be a stimulating and fascinating evening," said COAD Dean Urs Gauchat. "Students will learn more about what their teachers are thinking about, parents will learn about the caliber of the faculty, donors will appreciate the intellectual milieu, faculty will expound to their colleagues, and alumni will be exposed to the extraordinary thinking of faculty."

The faculty presenters, all architects, include associate professor Richard Garber, assistant professors Taro Naraharo, Georgeen Theodore and Andrzej Zarzycki; and university lecturer Jose Acala.

Theodore http://www.njit.edu/news/experts/theodore.php, who is also an urban designer, has participated in and led large-scale projects in the U.S. and internationally. As an associate professor in COAD's School of Architecture, she teaches design studio in both the undergraduate and Master of Infrastructure Planning programs. A key goal in Theodore's work is to bring large-scale design issues and methodologies to the forefront in both programs.

Garber http://www.njit.edu/news/experts/garber.php teaches design studios and directs a unique design and manufacturing laboratory, the FABLAB. His work uses computer simulation and computer numerically-controlled hardware to generate innovative design, construction, and assembly solutions. He is also principal of the New York City architectural firm GRO Architects.

Naraharo, a registered New York architect, teaches digital design studio and courses on gaming and physical computing at NJIT. He won the Peter Rice Prize, the Digital Design Prize, and a REAI Research Grant Award from Harvard University. He has practiced in the United States and Japan and been associated with firms such as Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and Gluckman Mayner Architects. He has collaborated on award-winning projects including the Mori Arts Center, Hotel Puerta de America in Madrid, and the MoMA Store in New York City.

Zarzycki is a designer and educator who uses digital tools to create experiential architectural spaces. His research focuses on media-based environments and on validation methodologies of generative design through building performance analysis and simulation tools. He is a co-winner of SHIFTboston Ideas Competition 2010 and a co-founder of TUTS (Tremont Underground Theatre Space) (the-tuts.org), a design initiative focusing on innovative adaptations of infrastructure into contemporary public spaces and on the integration of digital technologies into urban life. He has taught at Rhode Island School of Design and received a master of science in Architecture Studies from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Alcala has more than 20 years experience in both the practical and theoretical areas of the design field. He has designed electronic projects, furniture, exhibitions and even buildings. He holds 10 patents and has received several awards for his architectural and product design work, and maintains a strong alliance to both disciplines. Six years ago he helped found and today still coordinates COAD's Industrial Design Department. This NJIT work relates to private companies that Alcala co-founded to serve industrial, architectural, urban and sustainable design: (Morozov Alcala Design Laboratory LLC (MADLAB), and the Renewable Energy Laboratory LLC (RELAB). He holds a bachelor's degree in architecture from NJIT and a master's degree in industrial design from Pratt Institute.

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NJIT, New Jersey's science and technology university, enrolls more than 9,558 students pursuing bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in 120 programs. The university consists of six colleges: Newark College of Engineering, College of Architecture and Design, College of Science and Liberal Arts, School of Management, College of Computing Sciences and Albert Dorman Honors College. U.S. News & World Report's 2011 Annual Guide to America's Best Colleges ranked NJIT in the top tier of national research universities. NJIT is internationally recognized for being at the edge in knowledge in architecture, applied mathematics, wireless communications and networking, solar physics, advanced engineered particulate materials, nanotechnology, neural engineering and e-learning. Many courses and certificate programs, as well as graduate degrees, are available online through the Office of Continuing Professional Education.

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5 NJIT architects and designers will share panel at free upcoming talk

Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) will soon have in place a panel of architects to verify and approve individual building plans on behalf of the civic body for residents wanting to build private houses.

Chief executive officer of the civic body Vinay Kumar Choubey said RMC had already issued a tender, asking city architects to enrol themselves in the panel and take up responsibility as envisaged by the new municipal act.

"On Saturday, we began the exercise of getting architects on board the panel. A tender was issued and we are sure we will get architects interested in the new task," Choubey told The Telegraph.

The new law ' Jharkhand Municipality Act 2011 ' eased the process of building plan approval for individuals wanting to construct homes. Those building small and medium houses now need not go to the civic body to get their plans approved. The new rule authorises private but empanelled architects to verify and approve individual building plans up to a size of 500sqmt. Even interested junior civil engineers have been authorised by the new act to play this role.

"We will be getting names of interested architects in the next 15 days. Following this, the panel would be formed," Choubey said.

According to the act, after approving an individual building plan, the empanelled architect has to submit the details to the chief executive officer of the civic body within 15 days from the date of approval. The architect would have to approve the plans as per norms set by the civic body.

Earlier, the task of verifying and approving building plans was the responsibility of Ranchi Regional Development Authority (RRDA). Almost a year ago, the task was handed over to RMC, which can approve building plans in areas under its jurisdiction. The RRDA has the power to approve maps for buildings outside the civic body area.

"So far, we have approved nearly 500 plans. If everything including ownership of land and proposed layout is alright, it takes only around 20-25 days to verify the spot and approve the plan," said Gajanan Ram, the RMC town planner. Around 150 applications are lying for the consideration of the civic body.

The civic body has created a town planning cell at its office, engaging one town planner, two assistant engineers and four junior engineers. These men collectively verify a building plan and either approve it or ask the applicant to come up with a modified version.

"As a panel of architects is yet to be created, the civic body is now approving building plans of individual houses as well as apartments and commercial buildings. Once the architect panel is formed, the civic body will approve apartments and commercial building plans and those individual building plans whose area exceeds 500sqmt," Ram clarified.

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Panel to approve building plans

The lowest terrace will be planted with reeds, the next with shrubs and plants, another will be lawn and the highest step will be a patio with access into the dining room.

The stepped garden will help to manage run-off from the house as the water begins to subside and also reduce siltation of the dock.

With an estimated value of £1.5 million, it will cost around 25 per cent more to build than a conventional similar-sized home, but there should be major savings on insurance costs.

Baca Architects, who have worked on projects in New Orleans and Holland, have drawn up designs for the eco-friendly property which will sit just 30ft from the river's edge on the site of a dilapidated bungalow.

It will be located on an island in the stretch of the Thames that passes through Marlow, Bucks, and has been designed to blend in with other properties in the area, featuring pitched roofs and a chimney.

Planning permission has been granted by the Environment Agency as a replacement dwelling, as a new home would not be allowed so close to the river.

“People have always enjoyed living near water, because of the soothing sounds and wildlife and for fishing and sailing – but the downside is it is vulnerable to flooding,” said Richard Coutts, director of Baca Architects.

“We created an amphibious home which works like a marina.

“The residents can live safely without the risk of losing their possessions and adapt to the challenges of climate change. When the water subsides all they will have to do is tidy up the garden.”'

He added: “The planning process obviously took a bit more time than some applications, involving our team in extensive consultations and co-operation with the local authority.

“From the outset of the design process we sought expert advice from the Environment Agency to determine the most appropriate construction model to mitigate flood risk on the site and provide a safe dwelling, sympathetic to its setting, and fit for the challenges of the 21st century.”

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Permission granted for Britain's first amphibious house on banks of Thames