The future of E-Bikes in The U.S.

Electric bikes in United States have certainly gained in popularity in recent years and are certainly expected to have a better future ahead of them.

A growing number of countries on the globe are embracing simple electric bikes as the most effective and proven safe mode of alternative transport and the commuting trend. The sales figures from a number of different countries in the world support this fact strongly. According to a recently published research report the world market for electric bikes is growing at an impressive rate of 50 billion units every year.

New laws  United States concerning  electric bicycles have been recently introduced restricting electric bikes to have a motor capable of generating 750 watts of continuous power or less and to restricted to 20mph without pedaling. Compared to Segway or YikiBikes, electric bikes available in United States are a lot more cost effective and being street efficient can also maintain a more or less constant speed both uphill and on flat lands. Most electric bikes available in United States are found to have a minimum travel distance of 20 to 30 miles before they require recharging. It is clearly observed that electric bikes are the best alternative mode of transport available worldwide and United States is not being an exception.

The highest quality electric bikes available in United States with their effective design and performance efficiency are expected to provide an enjoyable ride to the cyclists and the foldable bikes that are also available in the market make storing and parking them much easier too. Outdoor electric bikes capable of withstanding harsh and demanding weather conditions and dirt roads are also available, but it is advised to the owners to maintain the bikes in good condition for the electric mechanism involved in them for making sure of hassle free rides.

Though with the advancement of technology in a variety of sophisticated and fully automated modes of transport but still electric bicycles have their own advantages and the most prominent of these major advantages is that they are a lot less expensive than typical motorcycles and the rechargeable batteries also allow these bikes to achieve a maximum speed of 20 miles per hour. Another beauty of these electric bicycles is that they can provide the users advantages of both a motorcycle and a bike as they can be easily switched from one mode to another and these bikes are also not subjected to regular insurance and motor vehicle laws in United States.

Using bikes always results in better cardiovascular activity and also improve the stamina of an individual. The electric bicycles available in United States provide a number of health benefits for the users. With the recent modifications and moderations maneuvering them is also easy and convenient and in many different parts of United States electric bikes have come up as the new trend in rehabilitation programs for cardiac patients. Moreover, as they do not emit any harmful gas electric bikes are more environmentally friendly than most other modes of personal transport and that certainly make them the transport of the future.

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Need a style lift? Begin with neutral flooring for ultimate design versatility

(ARA) - Do you pin your favorite bathroom makeover ideas on Pinterest, look for inspirational kitchen designs or dream about new decorating styles for your home? If so, you're not alone. Many homeowners are opting to makeover their homes this year instead of upgrading to a new one.

According to a recent survey by Better Homes & Gardens magazine, consumers rank "style upgrades" as the most important component of their upcoming home improvement plans, followed by storage. For future projects, consumers said their top style upgrades include flooring, countertops, faucets and fixtures.

Laminate flooring experts from Quick-Step suggest beginning a style upgrade project by installing neutral-colored flooring. Neutral floors create the perfect canvas to help tie all of a room's design elements together.

What is a fresh, new and widely-popular neutral color within interior design circles? That would be grey. Some of the hottest hardwood flooring designs for 2012 offer traditionally American brown tones that are delicately infused with a grey influence.

Quick-Step offers a variety of styles and options with grey undertones - from rustic oak plank designs and floors with wire-brushed detailing to the same visuals and charm of a hardwood floor constructed from reclaimed, vintage wood. Quick-Step's Reclaime Heathered Oak flooring complements a wide range of decorating styles. Grey-toned floors provide the ideal backdrop to let your style and favorite colors shine through, and they also transition well as interior design styles and trends change.

Grey is the new brown
Grey is no longer viewed as a trend color in design circles, but is now viewed by professional designers as the new neutral.

"Grey is the new brown," says Erinn Valencich, L.A.-based interior designer and blogger for HGTV's Design Happens. "I used a grey-based floor in my new design studio because it goes well under a myriad of other wood tones. You don't have to use grey-based furniture on top of it - grey looks great with all wood tones." Another benefit to grey-based flooring, Valencich adds, is that it's very forgiving.

Just look to large furniture retailers to see how their offerings now highlight grey-based tones. The bleached-out, weathered Scandinavian look is very popular right now, Valencich says. It's perfect to pair with a new grey floor.

Colors that complement
Don't be afraid of color when designing a room with a grey-based floor, Valencich says. She suggests one of these color palettes to make a room shine:

* 50 shades of blue - Grey looks beautiful with any shade of blue, from soft powder blue to vibrant turquoise to charming daisy blue.

* Bananas Foster - A favorite color trio of Valencich's is yellow, chocolate and cream on top of a grey-based floor. The subtle flooring highlights the rich colors for a bold, decadent look.

* Lovely with lavender - Lavender is one of this year's hottest colors and a long-time partner for grey. Valencich suggests adding any color of purple to a grey floor for standout results. "Consider creating a focal point around a muted lavender wall and add some deep, rich, regal purple accents to bring it all together."

Need help choosing your colors? Try out Quick-Step's "Design A Room" online tool that allows you to select different flooring options and see how they look with hundreds of different Valspar paint colors.

Or search "The Idea Gallery" on Valspar.com for ideas to spark your room makeover, like Valspar's "organic elements" color trend. Inspired by the calming energy of nature, this palette of chalky hues, earthy browns and mineral greys creates balance and stability. Then add a bright honeysuckle beige for an unexpected pop.

Getting started
When beginning a room makeover project, the first step is choosing a clear color palette. Wall color is a great place to begin, Valencich says, but any object - a rug, chair or artwork - can serve as your inspiration.

Next, think of the design process in layers - the trick is to coordinate and contrast. "If your paint, accessories, furniture and flooring are all the same color, the room will feel flat," Valencich advises. "So create drama by using a pop of color or by layering varying shades of the same color for a refined tone-on-tone look."

A well-executed color palette can transform any space with great results. For more flooring ideas and style tips, visit quickstepstyle.com.

More Americans looking to food as a source for everyday wellness

 

(ARA) - It was about 60 years ago that processed foods and fast-food outlets started to become mainstays of the American lifestyle. The fast-food culture that developed tended to view eating as an inconvenience, providing basic fuel for the day and not much else.
More than half a century later, many Americans are more particular about the foods they choose for themselves and their families. In fact, people are seeking out the added health benefits that can be provided by functional or "super" foods. According to the 2011 IFIC Functional Foods Survey, as many as 90 percent of Americans can match at least one food with its associated health benefit. Popular functional foods like fruits and vegetables, fish and fish oil, whole grains, tea and green tea were among the foods Americans look to the most to maintain or improve their health.
This apparent increase in the awareness of good nutrition bodes well for the future, and may partly explain the recent uptick in discussions about health-related concerns. However, while knowledge of functional foods is increasing, health care costs and astronomical obesity rates seem to demonstrate that knowledge doesn't always reflect action.
"The good news is that nutrition education is working to raise awareness of the health benefits of nature's ingredients, but the ongoing challenge is to translate awareness into behavior modification," says registered dietician Ashley Koff, whose nonprofit tool, "Ashley Koff Approved", helps people identify products that meet a high standard of nutrition and marketing integrity. "A major impediment to making change continues to be the perception that it will require an expensive and complicated total diet overhaul. I strive to communicate that dietary improvements are very simple, affordable and enjoyable. For example, add a cup of tea to your day - all you need is water and a tea bag."
Koff's easy-to-follow tips for improving wellness through dietary habits include:
* Minimize the added sugar - Many products that you may not expect like tomato sauce and breads have added sugars, so make sure to check the label before you make a purchase.
* Start your day off right - Eat a complete, well-balanced breakfast and try adding a cup of tea - white, green, black, oolong or herbal - for antioxidants (nature's clean-up crew) and other health benefits. Celestial Seasonings offers a variety of green teas and wellness teas that are delicious, natural and healthful.
* Focus on a balanced diet - The best bet for optimal energy is a nutrition plan comprised of four pillars: quantity, quality, frequency and balance.
* Think evolution, not revolution - It will seem less stressful to think about making exchanges rather than omissions to your diet (and stress reduction puts another check on your health report). You get the biggest health benefits by improving the quality of the items you consume most frequently, so focus on upgrading your daily staples. For instance, select items that do not use potentially harmful pesticides, choose to eat raw, whole (versus processed) vegetables, drink water with lemon or eat a piece of fruit instead and limit fruit juices.
* Incorporate color - Count the colors you consume and challenge yourself to see how many colors you can include in a single meal. Of course, it's important to remember that the good colors are those found naturally in fruits and vegetables.
It's safe to say that Americans will occasionally indulge in nutrient poor meals this year. But perhaps we'll be enjoying more healthful foods, too, as many of us strive to achieve a more optimal wellness level.
For more information about Celestial Seasonings teas, visit Facebook.com/celestialseasonings.

More Americans looking to food as a source for everyday wellness

Five ways to eat local throughout the year

 

(ARA) - Fall is a great time for enthusiasts of fresh and local food. Farmers' markets are overflowing with tasty produce at harvest time, and if you've worked long and hard on your home garden, it's time to reap the rewards. Fresh food is harder to come by once the last leaves fall and the frost sets in, but there are still a number of ways you can keep your commitment to eating locally alive year-round.
While getting fresh produce from nearby sources isn't a year-round option for many Americans, it's still possible to continue to enjoy healthy regional, seasonal food in a number of other ways. Whether it's buying a basket of fresh tomatoes, green beans, or peaches, and canning or blanching and freezing them for future use, or dining at a restaurant that focuses on using local ingredients, it's possible to continue your green dining habits throughout the year.
Engaging people who are interested in living healthier and greener, Good Housekeeping partnered with LG Electronics this fall on a "Living Greener" initiative, showing consumers across the country how to make the most of local produce and other healthy foods. The program encourages a greener lifestyle, providing consumers with tips and ideas for efficient products, such as LG's new refrigerator. The refrigerator recently earned the Good Housekeeping Seal, and includes a Smart Cooling System that maintains superior humidity and temperature levels to help keep food fresh longer. And at 31 cubic feet, it has the largest storage capacity available in its class and can easily accommodate bushels of produce.
Susan Westmoreland, food director of the Good Housekeeping Research Institute offers these tips to keep eating local even after the growing season is done:
* Support year-round CSAs and farmers markets. To join a Community Support Agriculture you pay a set amount of money for a portion of what the farm or group of farms produce, usually delivered every week or so. Farmers' markets may feature meat, cheese and eggs in addition to colder weather vegetables that keep well, like winter squash and onions. Since both of these are relatively new concepts, you may not be fortunate enough to have both options in your neighborhood. Check out localharvest.org for more information. Then, embrace your luck, shop and eat well.
* Make good use of your refrigerator and freezer. When you are bringing home a bunch of produce, you know the importance of finding space in your refrigerator to preserve the veggies you won't use right away. But at the end of the season, a great way to make your veggies last longer is to blanch (cook in boiling water for 1 minute) then cool completely, bag and freeze them for later use in stir fries and pasta dishes. To freeze berries, simply rinse and freeze in a single layer until hard, transfer to zip seal bags and freeze for desserts or add a handful to brighten any winter cereal bowl.
* Can and preserve. Another great way to preserve your fresh-picked produce for the colder months is to can, pickle or process it. Your surplus tomatoes can be turned to salsa or tomato sauce for winter and your bounty of cucumbers can be transformed into tasty dill pickles. For both freezing and canning, do some research to make sure you are safely preserving your food. In addition to some great books on the subject, Internet resources like the Daily Green are a great place to start.
* Stock up on hearty vegetables. Vegetables like onions, potatoes and squash are not only some of the last to be picked during the growing season, but also some of the heartiest and longest lasting produce available. Even if you don't have a root cellar, you can extend the life of these vegetables even further by storing them in a cooler part of your home like the basement or a garage.
* Patronize restaurants that focus year-round on the freshest, healthiest ingredients. These days, many restaurants aim to get as many ingredients as possible, from vegetables to fish and meat, from local sources. Visiting these restaurants is a great way to help sustain your local food industry.
By firming up your commitment to eating local throughout the year, you'll help your local economy while also decreasing your carbon food print. And on top of it all, you'll be rewarded with delicious meals for every season.

Five ways to eat local throughout the year

7 Natural Stone Pebble Projects For Every Home

Natural stone pebbles are becoming extremely popular in homes because of their wide range of colors and uses. Here are a few ideas for use in your own home. Japanese Gardens Japanese Gardens and known for their peacefulness and tranquillity. This style of garden uses specific plants as well as rocks and water to create this effect. Often these gardens are small in scale and are incorporated into an overall garden design rather than being the whole garden. Decorative Pots Placing some pebbles around the top of a potted plant can make indoor plants more attractive. Consider what part of the potted plant you want to make the focus. You can use a decorative ceramic pot as well. Decide whether you want matching or contrasting colors in the pot and the pebbles you choose. The pebbles and chosen pot should help focus your eye on the plant you have chosen. Vases Pebbles are also very effective used in the bottom of vases. Glass vases in particular look superb with some colored natural stone in the bottom. The pebble base also helps hold the arranged flowers in place. Decorative vases make great table decorations for dinner parties. Paths and Drives Paths and drives become very low maintenance when covered with a topping of small natural stone pebbles. The pebble size you choose needs to take into account how the path or drive will be used. Heavy car traffic or foot traffic areas need smaller stones as they are more comfortable underfoot and better for cars to drive over. Gravel drives and paths should have retaining edging to hold the stones in place. Drives and paths need to be topped up with extra stone occasionally. They are very durable and much nicer looking than a plain old concrete driveway. Water Features It seems now that everyone wants a garden water feature. They can be very small or quite large and bold but always add an element of tranquillity to any garden. When planning a water feature you can incorporate natural stone in a variety of ways. Larger stones around the edge of the feature can add character. Pebbles can also be used to cover the base of the water feature and to cover up any cords or pumps that are used to power it. Before choosing your stone remember to wet a sample as this is how it will look in your water feature. Ponds The same rule applies with ponds to wet your sample and check the colour of the stone. Natural stone is normally dusty when collected and when the dust comes off the real color is revealed. Ponds look great with built-up edging. You can use a variety of materials including feature rocks, wood, metal and many others. You can also mix and match various sized stones for a more natural look. Pebbles as Mulch Mulching is something more gardeners are doing in the garden. Basically it involves adding a layer of material over the top of your soil to aid with water retention. This means less watering which saves time and also water supplies. Not everyone has an endless supply of water or the enthusiasm to maintain lawns and pebbles are a great alternative, particularly in naturally dry areas. Weeding in garden beds is greatly reduced. It is quite easy to pull the few weeds that attempt to grow among the pebbles. As the plants mature and fill up the planting spaces there is less room for weeds to find a place to grow. To stop the grass from coming up through the pebble mulch paths we have found that a heavy layer of newspaper and then a layer of plastic or weed mat on top works very well. The newspapers and the plastic help to retain moisture, another important reason for mulching. On top of this plastic the pebbles that were recently in the planting holes are spread in a thick layer. Larger flat rocks are used as edging.

Ways to make 'going green' fun for kids

 

The latest generations of kids are rapidly growing up in a modern world full of wonders and challenges that couldn't have been imagined in decades past. They're often referred to as "natives" in regard to technology - and to watch a young child maneuver their way around a smartphone or iPad, it's amazing just how intuitively children can operate technologies that mom and dad had to make an effort to learn. For kids today, learning to live sustainably from the start is as much a part of growing up as surfing the Internet, but by making it fun and easy to comprehend, parents can ensure that the lessons of today will last a lifetime.
The science and studies behind environmental conservation might be a bit too complex for children to understand, but the practical ways to make changes toward a "greener" lifestyle are easy enough that even the youngest family members can participate. Putting environmental awareness in child-friendly terms will encourage kids to participate.
A relatable character -- such as the animated Pocoyo, whose show airs on Nick Jr. and who was named the first Global Kids' Ambassador for the World Wildlife Fund's Earth Hour "Beyond the Hour" campaign -- can make it easier for kids to understand why protecting the environment is both fun and necessary. And by taking a creative approach to "green" household chores, you'll help your children form habits that benefits your own home and the world.
Try these helpful tips from Pocoyo to help your kids be eco-friendly from the start.
* Turn off the energy. Explain to kids that lights, televisions and computers use energy, which uses up precious natural resources and creates pollution. Make a game of turning off lights before bed: Whoever shuts off the most unnecessary lights is the winner. You can also make a special occasion out of saving energy: have an energy-free family night, using flashlights and fun activities like playing board games or storytelling.
* Make recycling fun. There are lots of ways to make recycling an activity your kids will look forward to. Try a short-distance toss game with non-breakable items, or simply make a game of sorting items the day before you set them out for collection. You can also reinforce the value of recycling by reusing materials for craft projects; try making masks out of cardboard from old boxes or paper planes from excess paper.
* Look for ways to cut waste. Disposable items like plastic water bottles and shopping bags take up a lot of space when you save them up, making it easy for a child to understand just how much room they might take up in a landfill. Instead of wasting all those bottles and bags, have your child help pick out reusable bottles and shopping bags for the whole family to re-use.
* Try new ways to travel around town. It's easy to rely on cars to get around, but they're the cause of a lot of pollution and use up natural resources as well. The fun of simply being together on a walk or a bike ride can make for an exciting alternative to the standard car ride. Or, if you need to go a longer distance, try taking public transportation - kids will love the opportunity to get on a big bus or a train that will deliver you to your destination.
* Take it to the table. The way we eat can have a big impact on the environment, so teaching kids to be thoughtful about where their food comes from is important. Try instituting a meatless meal one day a week and get kids involved in picking recipes and the cooking process. You can also have fun getting your hands dirty by planting a backyard garden, in which you can grow herbs, fruits and vegetables.
When kids get an early start on learning to be earth-friendly, it'll simply become a part of how they live. To learn more, visit www.pocoyo.com and watch Pocoyo on Nick Jr. on Saturdays and Sundays at 1 p.m. EST or 10 a.m. PST and visit www.earthhour.org for more information.

Ways to make 'going green' fun for kids