Around the Home

(NAPSI)—When times are tough, it feels good to do what you can, and maybe spread a little added joy with the proceeds. For example, putting extra money in your pockets, while protecting the planet for generations to come. 

Here’s How 

If you find your utility bills are getting you down, particularly if your family is one of many spending more time at home, ENERGY STAR can help. The typical household spends about $2,000 a year on energy bills. With ENERGY STAR, you can save 30% and reduce your carbon footprint. Whether you are looking to make small changes or take on a big project, make your energy choices count by looking for the ENERGY STAR label. 

Ways to Save 

October 27th is ENERGY STAR Day, a day to celebrate the environmental and financial benefits of energy savings, particularly for those who need it the most. There are many ways to save on ENERGY STAR Day and every day. Consider installing a smart thermostat or take on a bigger project like replacing your water heater. With certified, efficient options in so many categories, there is an entry point for everyone and rebates and other ways to save offered by ENERGY STAR partners. Looking for the trusted blue label to save energy today will help your family to do the things that bring joy for years to come.  

Visit www.energystar.gov/saveforgood for all the ways you can start saving. 

(NAPSI)—After your lawn gets its last cut before winter, it will be time to put away spring and summer outdoor power equipment, like lawn mowers, leaf blowers, and trimmers. What’s next? Snow throwers, generators and other small engine equipment need to be readied for winter use. How and when you prepare your equipment for seasonal changes can save you time and money later, says the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI).

With record-breaking sales of outdoor power equipment, homeowners are spending more time during the COVID-19 pandemic working or renovating their family yards. This means more people are using outdoor power equipment, and OPEI reminds everyone the importance of proper outdoor power equipment storage, maintenance and safe handling.

“During this very challenging pandemic, we’ve learned our outdoor spaces are more important than ever,” says Kris Kiser, President and CEO of OPEI and the TurfMutt Foundation, which encourages outdoor learning experiences, stewardship of our green spaces, and care for all living landscapes. “Our yards, parks and schoolyards are our safe space for connecting with friends and family, acting as outdoor classrooms and offices. Green space also contributes to the health and wellbeing of people, pets and wildlife, and having the right outdoor power equipment to take care of it is key. But preparation is everything —understanding how to store equipment and get it serviced, how to operate it safely, and how to ready your space to use that equipment.”

He adds, “Always follow your manufacturer’s guidelines, and remember to keep kids and dogs away from operating equipment at all times.”

Here are a few tips from OPEI to ensure your lawn mower and other spring equipment will be available for use when warmer temperatures return, and snow throwers and other winter equipment will be ready for use when the snow falls.

 Re-familiarize yourself with how to handle equipment safely. Lost manuals can be found online. Save a copy on your computer if possible, so it can be consulted when needed. Be familiar with your equipment, and all its features, including how to turn it off quickly and safely.

2.Service all equipment. Before storing spring and summer equipment, clean and service it or take it to a small engine repair shop. Drain and change engine oil and safely dispose of the old oil. Service the air filter, and do other maintenance as directed by the owner’s  manual. Check winter equipment and see if any maintenance and repairs are required.

3.Handle fuel properly. Unused fuel left in gas tanks over the winter can go stale and even damage equipment. Before storing equipment, add fuel stabilizer to the gas tank, then run the equipment to distribute it. Turn the engine off, allow the machine to cool, then restart and run until the gas tank is empty. For winter equipment, buy the recommended type of fuel no more than 30 days before use. Use fuel with no more than 10% ethanol in outdoor power equipment. Use a fuel stabilizer if recommended by the manufacturer. Get more information on safe fueling for outdoor power equipment at LookBeforeYouPump.com.

4.Charge the battery. Remove and fully charge batteries before storing. Don’t store batteries on metal shelves or allow them to touch metal objects. Store them on a plastic or wood shelf in a climate-controlled structure.

5.Shelter equipment from winter weather. Store spring and summer equipment in a clean and dry place such as a garage, barn or shed. Winter equipment should be kept away from the elements, but be easily available for use.

6.Prepare, prepare, prepare. Make space in the garage or basement before the weather changes, so there is room to store larger yard items. Clean up the yard of sticks, debris, dog and kid’s toys and other items that can damage or destroy equipment. Clear the paths used regularly in your yard, especially during the winter when snow can “hide” things.

7.Have the right weather appropriate extension cord for your generator. Keep heavy duty weather proof extension cords on hand to use with it. Ensure the length of the cord is necessary to operate the generator a safe distance from the house or building. Never operate a generator indoors, in a garage, breezeway or under an open window.

(NAPSI)—With the help of Inuit hunters, geophysicists recently recorded the various sounds of narwhals as they summered in a Greenland fjord. The recordings help scientists better understand the soundscape of Arctic glacial fjords and provide valuable insight into the behavior of these shy and mysterious creatures, according to the researchers.  

Narwhals are difficult to study because they are shy and spend most of their time in deep water. They tend to summer in glacial fjords around Greenland and Canada, but scientists often have trouble getting close enough to study them. Inuit hunters familiar with the narwhal can get closer to the animals without disturbing them. So, in July 2019, researchers accompanied several Inuit whale-hunting expeditions in northwest Greenland to study the narwhals in more detail. Using underwater microphones attached to small boats, the researchers captured narwhal social calls and foraging sounds.  

In combination with sightings, the recordings show that narwhals get closer to glacier ice than previously thought for this area and the animals forage for food in summer. 

“Their world is the soundscape of this glacial fjord,” said Evgeny Podolskiy, a geophysicist at Hokkaido University, and lead author of a new study detailing the findings in the American Geophysical Union’s (AGU) Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans. “There are many questions we can answer by listening to glacier fjords in general.”  

Getting Close  

Podolskiy and his colleagues had been working in Greenland fjords for several years, studying the sounds made by melting glaciers. “I realized working in the area and not paying attention to the elephant in the room—the key endemic legendary Arctic unicorn just flowing around our glacier—was a big mistake,” he said.  

The researchers tagged along on several Inuit hunting expeditions, placing microphones underwater and recording the baseline sounds of the fjord. They captured several types of sounds made by narwhals, including social calls or whistles, and clicks used for echolocation, the biological sonar used by other animals to navigate and find food. The closer narwhals get to their food, the faster they click, until the noise becomes a buzz like that of a chainsaw. This terminal buzz helps the narwhals pinpoint their prey. “If you approach and target these fast fish, you better know precisely where they are; you need to gather this information more frequently,” Podolskiy said.  

Researchers found narwhals come roughly within half a mile of a glacier calving front, despite the fact that these areas are some of the noisiest and most dangerous places in the ocean. “There is so much cracking due to ice fracturing and bubbles melting out… it’s like a fizzy drink underwater,” Podolskiy said. 

AGU (www.agu.org) supports 130,000 enthusiasts to experts worldwide in Earth and space sciences. Through broad and inclusive partnerships, AGU advances discoveries and solutions that are ethical, unbiased and respectful of communities and their values. Its programs include serving as a scholarly publisher, convening virtual and in-person events and providing career support. It lives its valuest through its Ethics and Equity Center, which fosters a diverse and inclusive geoscience community to ensure responsible conduct. 

  "“There are many questions we can answer by listening to glacier fjords,” said Evgeny Podolskiy, a geophysicist and lead author of a new study detailing the findings in the American Geophysical Union’s (AGU) Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans.https://bit.ly/2GmJZ5X"