(BPT) – Amid the many trends ebbing and flowing through home improvement, one in particular seems likely to stick around. Known for their versatility, barn doors have been popping up in homes across the country – in contemporary and rustic designs. Wit…
(BPT) – Amid the many trends ebbing and flowing through home improvement, one in particular seems likely to stick around. Known for their versatility, barn doors have been popping up in homes across the country – in contemporary and rustic designs. Wit…
(BPT) – With the holiday season approaching, you may be thinking about giving your family the gift of home security – especially if you know you’ll be traveling over the holidays. Yet high monthly fees and lengthy security company contracts could make …
(BPT) – With the holiday season approaching, you may be thinking about giving your family the gift of home security – especially if you know you’ll be traveling over the holidays. Yet high monthly fees and lengthy security company contracts could make …
(BPT) – State and municipal departments of transportation are gearing up their winter maintenance plans to prepare for snow and ice. In addition to plows, road salt is an important tool to keep roads clear. Every year these agencies stockpile sufficient salt to last the winter season and store it in strategically placed barns.
“Snowfighters” (those responsible to clear snow from roadways) are out in force in salt trucks before snow and ice is expected. They pretreat the roads with salt brine, a mix of road salt and water. This brine sticks to the road surface and helps prevent ice from forming in the first place, making winter travel safer. And the safety issue is a substantial one. Statistics from the U.S. Department of Transportation show that there are about 115,000 people injured every year on snowy, slushy or icy pavements and more than 1,600 people killed each year on winter roads.
The good news is that a Marquette University study showed that a good winter maintenance program that uses road salt reduces accidents on winter roads by about 88 percent and can reduce injuries by up to 85 percent.
A key goal for many agencies is tracking their winter maintenance actions in great detail and ensuring that their actions are optimized to meet their goal of safe roads for the driving public. In Idaho, for example, new salt-spreading units allow them to track how much salt they apply to the road, and other sensors allow them to check that the road is responding as expected to the salt application, and is not getting slippery. This also helps reduce costs. They have seen a 29 percent reduction in annual winter maintenance costs since introducing the new technology.
Maintaining mobility is also a big concern, as people need to get to work or the grocery store and kids need to get to school. Clear roads allow ambulances and other emergency vehicles to perform their life-saving services. A study for the American Highway Users Alliance found that the cost of having roads closed down is substantial — between $300 million and $700 million a day for a state in direct and indirect earnings. One study suggested that the costs of maintaining the road system during a winter storm are completely recovered in the first 25 minutes of winter-maintenance activities, because of the improvements in safety and mobility that the improved road conditions bring about.
Care for the environment is also a key issue in safe and sustainable snowfighting. Several studies have shown that when road salt is properly applied at the right time and place to keep roadways safe and passable, environmental impacts can be effectively managed and minimized. Modern roadways are not a natural feature of the environment and are specifically engineered to satisfy our demand for personal and commercial mobility — factors that are basic to the quality of life.
A comprehensive study by environmental researchers at the University of Waterloo and Environment Canada found that when best practices, as outlined in Canada’s Road Salt Code of Practice, were used, chloride levels were reduced by half. Another study by the Guelph University Research Review found that recycling stormwater runoff could reduce chloride peaks in streams without adversely affecting road safety. In cooperation with the city of Toronto, researchers used the EPA Storm Water Management Model to design computer-controlled stormwater containment systems to serve as a guide for future mitigation applications.
Salt is our most important winter resource, because it saves lives and protects the economy. It is economical and extremely effective.
(BPT) – State and municipal departments of transportation are gearing up their winter maintenance plans to prepare for snow and ice. In addition to plows, road salt is an important tool to keep roads clear. Every year these agencies stockpile sufficient salt to last the winter season and store it in strategically placed barns.
“Snowfighters” (those responsible to clear snow from roadways) are out in force in salt trucks before snow and ice is expected. They pretreat the roads with salt brine, a mix of road salt and water. This brine sticks to the road surface and helps prevent ice from forming in the first place, making winter travel safer. And the safety issue is a substantial one. Statistics from the U.S. Department of Transportation show that there are about 115,000 people injured every year on snowy, slushy or icy pavements and more than 1,600 people killed each year on winter roads.
The good news is that a Marquette University study showed that a good winter maintenance program that uses road salt reduces accidents on winter roads by about 88 percent and can reduce injuries by up to 85 percent.
A key goal for many agencies is tracking their winter maintenance actions in great detail and ensuring that their actions are optimized to meet their goal of safe roads for the driving public. In Idaho, for example, new salt-spreading units allow them to track how much salt they apply to the road, and other sensors allow them to check that the road is responding as expected to the salt application, and is not getting slippery. This also helps reduce costs. They have seen a 29 percent reduction in annual winter maintenance costs since introducing the new technology.
Maintaining mobility is also a big concern, as people need to get to work or the grocery store and kids need to get to school. Clear roads allow ambulances and other emergency vehicles to perform their life-saving services. A study for the American Highway Users Alliance found that the cost of having roads closed down is substantial — between $300 million and $700 million a day for a state in direct and indirect earnings. One study suggested that the costs of maintaining the road system during a winter storm are completely recovered in the first 25 minutes of winter-maintenance activities, because of the improvements in safety and mobility that the improved road conditions bring about.
Care for the environment is also a key issue in safe and sustainable snowfighting. Several studies have shown that when road salt is properly applied at the right time and place to keep roadways safe and passable, environmental impacts can be effectively managed and minimized. Modern roadways are not a natural feature of the environment and are specifically engineered to satisfy our demand for personal and commercial mobility — factors that are basic to the quality of life.
A comprehensive study by environmental researchers at the University of Waterloo and Environment Canada found that when best practices, as outlined in Canada’s Road Salt Code of Practice, were used, chloride levels were reduced by half. Another study by the Guelph University Research Review found that recycling stormwater runoff could reduce chloride peaks in streams without adversely affecting road safety. In cooperation with the city of Toronto, researchers used the EPA Storm Water Management Model to design computer-controlled stormwater containment systems to serve as a guide for future mitigation applications.
Salt is our most important winter resource, because it saves lives and protects the economy. It is economical and extremely effective.
(BPT) – Stuffy and runny nose, sneezing, itchy nose and eyes – having fall allergies can be miserable. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), more than 60 million Americans suffer from asthma and allergies, and nearly 70 perc…
(BPT) – Stuffy and runny nose, sneezing, itchy nose and eyes – having fall allergies can be miserable. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), more than 60 million Americans suffer from asthma and allergies, and nearly 70 perc…
(BPT) – With long nights and chilly temperatures, it’s always good to find an excuse to stay home. Here’s a classic excuse that’s gone from lame to legitimate in a short time: I have to catch up on my favorite TV show.
So fix your favorite snack and pull up a sofa, because this fall, there are a ton of hot and critically acclaimed TV shows debuting and returning.
In fact, one projection says 2017 is on track to smash records. This year, as many as 500 original scripted shows have already aired and streamed, according to a report in AdWeek. That means there should be something for everyone, right?
Now’s the perfect time to check in with your set to make sure it’s up to the task of bringing you the best possible TV-watching experience.
Get cinematic: It’s not unheard of for TV shows to boast multi-million-dollar budgets that can cover elaborate costumes, locations, sets and stunning special effects that would rival any movie. If you’re looking for TV technology with the ability to accurately replicate the action and characters, consider investing in one of LG’s sets. Whether you look at their premium LG OLED TVs or one of their Super UHD TVs with Nano Cell Technology, you’re sure to get the most lifelike, advanced picture quality available.
Switch around with ease: If switching the TV display from cable to streaming is still a complicated feat that requires three remotes and a 10-minute training session that still befuddles your partner, it’s really time to update your entertainment station to something sleeker and more intuitive.
A smart set with a compatible remote can solve all these problems. For example, all of LG’s OLED and Super UHD sets come with its award-winning webOS Smart TV platform and Magic Remote, which makes flipping between content seamless and easy — all without stumbling into a screen of TV static. Plus, LG’s Magic Remote is voice-activated, making your life easier than ever before.
Get organized: Figuring out what to watch and when to catch it is half the battle. The last thing you want is a big let-down because your show happens to be on a bye week you didn’t know about. Shop around for an app that lets you manage your shows, so you know at a glance what’s coming up. Also, today’s sets come with a platform so you can keep and manage your information right where you’re going to use it.
Start thinking about the series finale: When a favorite emerges, keep the season finale in the back of your mind. That’s a great reason to host an end-of-season viewing party, because plot twists and cliffhangers are so much sweeter when experienced with someone. Even if you have plenty of comfy seating to handle the crowd, make sure your TV set is suitable for screening at a wide angle. Many LCD sets have a narrow viewing range with the TV’s “sweet spot” limited to directly in front of the TV, which can mar the entire experience.
However, the superior technology of LG OLED sets pulls everyone into the drama with the widest viewing angles available, and with more than a billion rich colors and perfect blacks, your guests will only see a lifelike, high-contrast image wherever they sit. LG has the largest selection of OLED TVs on the market. If you’re interested in learning more, visit lg.com/us/oled-tvs.
(BPT) – With long nights and chilly temperatures, it’s always good to find an excuse to stay home. Here’s a classic excuse that’s gone from lame to legitimate in a short time: I have to catch up on my favorite TV show.
So fix your favorite snack and pull up a sofa, because this fall, there are a ton of hot and critically acclaimed TV shows debuting and returning.
In fact, one projection says 2017 is on track to smash records. This year, as many as 500 original scripted shows have already aired and streamed, according to a report in AdWeek. That means there should be something for everyone, right?
Now’s the perfect time to check in with your set to make sure it’s up to the task of bringing you the best possible TV-watching experience.
Get cinematic: It’s not unheard of for TV shows to boast multi-million-dollar budgets that can cover elaborate costumes, locations, sets and stunning special effects that would rival any movie. If you’re looking for TV technology with the ability to accurately replicate the action and characters, consider investing in one of LG’s sets. Whether you look at their premium LG OLED TVs or one of their Super UHD TVs with Nano Cell Technology, you’re sure to get the most lifelike, advanced picture quality available.
Switch around with ease: If switching the TV display from cable to streaming is still a complicated feat that requires three remotes and a 10-minute training session that still befuddles your partner, it’s really time to update your entertainment station to something sleeker and more intuitive.
A smart set with a compatible remote can solve all these problems. For example, all of LG’s OLED and Super UHD sets come with its award-winning webOS Smart TV platform and Magic Remote, which makes flipping between content seamless and easy — all without stumbling into a screen of TV static. Plus, LG’s Magic Remote is voice-activated, making your life easier than ever before.
Get organized: Figuring out what to watch and when to catch it is half the battle. The last thing you want is a big let-down because your show happens to be on a bye week you didn’t know about. Shop around for an app that lets you manage your shows, so you know at a glance what’s coming up. Also, today’s sets come with a platform so you can keep and manage your information right where you’re going to use it.
Start thinking about the series finale: When a favorite emerges, keep the season finale in the back of your mind. That’s a great reason to host an end-of-season viewing party, because plot twists and cliffhangers are so much sweeter when experienced with someone. Even if you have plenty of comfy seating to handle the crowd, make sure your TV set is suitable for screening at a wide angle. Many LCD sets have a narrow viewing range with the TV’s “sweet spot” limited to directly in front of the TV, which can mar the entire experience.
However, the superior technology of LG OLED sets pulls everyone into the drama with the widest viewing angles available, and with more than a billion rich colors and perfect blacks, your guests will only see a lifelike, high-contrast image wherever they sit. LG has the largest selection of OLED TVs on the market. If you’re interested in learning more, visit lg.com/us/oled-tvs.