Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

To buck migration, the Barefoot College has turned to mothers and grandmothers to light up villages

Satabhaya village, in Kendrapada district of Odisha, is barely 65 km from the district headquarters, but it can be called remote by any yardstick. Located inside the Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary, it remains deprived of basic facilities such as roads and electricity.

Abutted by the Bay of Bengal, the village is the only one left standing after the constant ingress by an aggressive sea swallowed up six other nearby villages over the past 40 years. Each time a cyclone comes around, villagers cower behind sand dunes before going back to pick up the pieces in their devastated homesteads. When Phailin struck in October 2013, the villagers managed to scramble to safety, but were far unluckier during the Hudhuds rampage in October 2014.

Eking a living in such harsh conditions, the villagers now see a ray of hope solar lanterns promise to light their path to development.

In Rajasthan, at the opposite end of the country, is yet another remote village, Tilonia, located far from its district headquarters. Here the solar lamp not only lights lives but also fetches an income, as the inhabitants of this desert village manufacture them.

Barefoot engineers

The Barefoot College in Tilonia, established nearly 30 years ago by Bunker Roy, is busy training new batches of the solar mothers and grandmothers, also popularly known as the solar mamas. These barefoot solar engineers rarely have formal education, but the dedication to work for their village is a must in them. So the college narrows its choice of trainees to women who are middle-aged and older, as they are least likely to move out of the village. A young woman, on the other hand, often leaves her village after marriage. So also the men, who are likely to scout for better opportunities outside the village after receiving the training.

In fact, the Barefoot College stresses on the importance of common sense. Common sense is in short supply and people are accustomed to believe that only a paper degree means education, development and empowerment, says Roy. The Barefoot College has proved that urban trained experts and professionals can easily be replaced by paraprofessionals from villages who have never been to college or have technical training of any kind. They learn on the job, through trial and error.

From solar energy to health, and from rural water supply to education, the Barefoot College taps the potential of local villagers to find solutions to a range of needs. Having a better understanding of local problems, they are better able to help fellow villagers and are accountable to their community.

After a six-month training, the solar mamas are adept at assembling solar lamps, relying on colour codes and symbols to guide them. The hands-on practical training equips them with skills that include fabrication of charge controllers and inverters, core winding, printed circuit boards, testing, wiring, installation of solar panels, and repair and maintenance of the lamps. These barefoot engineers have lighted up villages using solar energy not only in the remote areas of Ladakh, Barmer and Sikkim in India but also in Bhutan, Afghanistan and about 20 countries in Africa, says Roy.

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Solar mamas engineer energy security

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Good news: You no longer have to leave home to get key items such as groceries, booze and pet food. New "get it now" services allow you to have them delivered right to your door, often the same day (if not the same hour).

"You don't have to go shopping; somebody does all that work for you and schlepps it to your house," said Sucharita Mulpuru, a retail analyst at Forrester Research. "There are pros for the customer."

The catch? You may be stuck at home for a fixed window of time, waiting for it to be delivered. And you may be charged a membership fee or a premium for the service.

We ran the numbers on more than a dozen services, offering door-to-door delivery of everything from laundry to liquor, to see which ones are worth it.

By Lucy Maher, special to CNBC.com.

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From dog food to dry cleaning--apps that deliver

Total Installation Cost Range: $850 - $2,000 Average Materials Cost: Average Labor Cost: Avg. Time to Complete: 6-8 Hours, 2 Installers

Usually Includes: Tankless Water Heater, Labor, Tools & Supplies

When you want to have instant hot water or want to use the water in their home more efficiently, the installation of a tankless water heater may be the right answer.

If you have a tankless water heater installed in your home you can also save space by removing your bulky tank water heater that is constantly losing heat. With a tankless model, the water stays hot all the time and your utility bills may be lowered as much as 24% to 34% less, according to the Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute.

Most often,tankless water heater installation is done by a plumber or HVAC contractor and most of the cost is based on what tankless water heater you want installed, as well as the complexity of the installation. On average, a tankless water heater can be installed in under 8 hours by a plumber and their apprentice. This job may take longer and additional fees will most likely be involved if there is extensive prep work that is needed or if there is a need for additional plumbing or pipes.

In this guide, youll learn about the tankless water heater installation processes and any special skills or tools you may need. The cost to install a tankless water heater could be affected by many different factors and we will help you understand more about those items and how to get cost savings.

Tankless water heater installation estimates will usually include:

A plumbing contractor will most likely use the table of supplies and tools listed below to install a tankless water heater. This list is fairly extensive, but to be completely prepared you should probably have all of these on-hand if you want to try out a tankless water heater installation on your own. You or your helper should have quite a bit of knowledge in plumbing and wiring before you try to do the job yourself.

Your total tankless water heater cost can be effected by many factors. If any modifications are needed in either the wiring or plumbing, there will be additional costs. As an example, if you currently have a tank water heater in your utility closet where the pipes come in at the bottom of the wall, there may be a need to re-route piping so that the tankless can be installed where the water temperature is at its prime. Installing the tankless in the correct location helps with the flow and speed of the water.

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Compare Tankless Water Heater Installation Costs

News

Friday, January 16, 2015

By KATHY CLEVELAND

Staff Writer

A couple of weeks ago, someone living in the outskirts of Brookline got very lucky.

A passerby noticed smoke coming from the front porch and called for help, and fire damage was confined to a small area of the porch.

The problem was wood ashes a common cause of winter fires when they arent disposed of properly, Brookline Assistant Fire Chief Scott Knowles said.

January is a peak month for house fires, and local fire officials have some tips for avoiding the devastation of a winter fire.

These fires are usually caused by heating equipment, and on average, wood stoves, fireplaces and other forms of alternate heat are involved in more than 60,000 reported U.S. home structure fires a year, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

While these numbers are frightening, nearly all of these fires are preventable, J. William Degnan, state fire marshal, said in one of his recent newsletters.

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Fire officials warn of winter dangers

Provided by Networx.com

1. Rustic Backyard Pond with Watering Can

A gorgeous water feature installation completes the picture of Jamie D's charming rural home. Powered by a pond pump, water filters into the spacious pond through a galvanized watering can for a uniquely rustic effect.

2. Pond in a Box

If you're not blessed with a big backyard or are not able to dig on your property, try the Empress of Dirt's ingenious pond in a box. That's right -- container ponds are the natural successors to container gardens. Add some bright flowers for a splash of color.

3. Bubbling Rock Water Feature

Kid-friendly pondless water features are safe and low-maintenance. Theresa Farrell Hathaway drilled natural rocks with a masonry bit and threaded them with flexible tubing to create this simple and inexpensive fountain with an authentic bubbling sound.

4. DIY Clacking Bamboo Pond Embellishment

Another soft-sounding water feature is this Zen-inspired garden decoration. The clacking bamboo is delightful to us humans, but is rumored to be an effective deer deterrent. The Garden Frog Boutique cut and dried her own bamboo to add to an existing pond on her land.

5. Rain Waterfall from a Storage Bin

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Water features add charm to your house and garden

Winter-related slips and falls have a significant negative impact on American businesses each year, resulting in time off work, temporary employee costs, overtime for existing employees and increased insurance costs, said Mike Britt, president of Accident Fund Insurance Company of America. To avoid these costs this winter, employers need to be extra vigilant, and employees should exercise extreme caution in the months ahead, Britt states, adding that in the Midwest states last winter, one-third (29 percent) of workers compensation claims resulted from slips and falls.

As temperatures drop and winter hazards increase, the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) and the Michigan Workers Compensation Agency (WCA) are reminding employers and employees to exercise caution when working in the cold and snow.

Every employer should have an effective safety and health management system in place to protect its most valuable asset: its employees, said MIOSHA Director Martha Yoder. As part of this program, they should prepare for winter conditions and provide helpful information to their employees on how to avoid injury and illness.

Worker injuries can negatively affect a businesss bottom line, resulting in increased workers compensation and insurance costs, overtime, and lost work days for employees, said WCA Director Kevin Elsenheimer. By taking the proper safety precautions this winter, job providers can avoid nasty slips and falls that will cost them in the future.

Lower workers' comp costs save employers on overhead expenses and give them additional resources to grow their business, hire new workers, and increase their employees salaries says a press release.

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Winter slips and falls have negative impact on American businesses

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Lebanon A proposal to remove more than 30 acres of trees from airport property along Poverty Lane is set to receive another look by the City Council tonight.

Residents submitted letters to councilors in November and December, urging them to revisit the pending tree-clearing project. Among the objections raised are concerns about the effect on property values, impacts on wildlife habitat , and potential increases in noise and light from the airport and nearby Interstate 89. They have also questioned the need for the tree clearing.

After initially rejecting the project which in addition to denuding 33 acres of trees will include removing 38 obstruction lights, replacing them with two 110-foot slow flashing beacons, and moving a fence the council approved the $1.2 million project in phases in 2011, 2012 and 2013. Ninety percent of the work is set to be paid for through federal funds, with the state and city each contributing 5 percent.

Though councilors set tonights meeting to discuss the issue, there is no indication they intend to change course. They have said the project is necessary to improve visibility for pilots along the southern side of the east-west runway, northwest of Poverty Lane and south of Interstate 89, and to comply with federal regulations and requirements by the citys insurer.

People who do this for a living at the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) say this is a risk, Mayor Georgia Tuttle said of the trees in a phone interview Tuesday. When a pilot flies into an airport with fog, storm or rain, they have to have more than a narrow landing zone.

In a memo included in the councils packet for tonights meeting, Airport Manager Rick Dyment said that the city committed to comply with FAA safety guidelines when it entered into an agreement with the federal government to operate and maintain the airport in 1941. Subsequently, the city has agreed to 39 FAA grant assurances tied to federal funds.

Dyment particularly pointed to FAA grant assurance No. 20, which requires that the airport take appropriate action to assure that such terminal airspace as is required to protect instrument and visual operations to the airport ... will be adequately cleared and protected by removing, lowering, relocating, marking, or lighting or otherwise mitigating existing airport hazards and by preventing the establishment or creation of future airport hazards.

FAA spokesman Jim Peters said in an email that the tree removal project is in accordance with federal regulations and will help to ensure the safety of the airport.

Federal air safety regulations require airports to identify and mitigate obstructions that may impact airport operations, Peters wrote. The obstruction removal project will enhance the safety of Lebanon Municipal Airport by removing obstructions.

With the support of federal funds, the city completed an obstruction study in 2009, which identified some of the hills and trees surrounding the airport as interfering with safe landings and takeoffs. It would be totally unrealistic to remove all obstructions, Dyment said in an interview on Tuesday.

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Logging Plan For Lebanon Airport Up for Review

Lebanon Most members of the Lebanon City Council stood by their previous decision to move forward with a project to remove more than 30 acres of trees on airport property along Poverty Lane, despite some residents pleas that they reconsider the work during a discussion at City Hall on Thursday.

City officials reiterated their reasons for supporting the tree removal, saying that the trees are obstacles for pilots landing or departing from the airports east-west runway, the tree removal is required by the Federal Aviation Administration and, should the city fail to move forward with the project as planned, it would risk losing federal grant money and insurance for the airport.

We have to follow FAA guidelines, said Mayor Georgia Tuttle to the 25 residents and airport users gathered. If we dont do the safety project because its a known danger ... they wont allow us to have insurance because we are declining to fix something that we know about.

In addition to clearing 33 acres of trees, the $1.2 million project includes removing 38 obstruction lights, replacing them with two 110-foot slow flashing beacons, and moving a fence. Ninety percent of the project is expected to be funded by the FAA, with the state and the city each contributing 5 percent.

The sole city councilor to speak in support of revisiting the issue, Steve Wood, whose Poverty Lane orchard abuts the airport, suggested the city consider scaling back the project to remove only the tallest trees. He argued that the decision to remove the trees was not in the interest of safety, but the citys response to threats by the FAA.

We have not acted in the interest of safety, he said. We have acted as children being told by Daddy what to do.

Wood said that the city struggles to maintain the current safety precautions it has in place, noting that there are 8-10 bulbs out in the existing obstruction lights.

If were so concerned about liability, why arent we replacing the light bulbs? he asked. We should revisit this.

Airport Manager Rick Dyment said replacing the 38 obstruction lights with two taller slow flashing beacons will make them easier for airport staff to maintain.

Due to concerns relating to the projects potential effects on property values, the environment, sound and light, residents requested that the council return to the negotiating table with the FAA to see if the number of trees to be removed could be reduced or delay the project until the city completes an airport master plan, which officials said would take two years.

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Lebanon Airport Trees Will Be Cut