The National Candle Association recommends people who are environmentally conscious, in addition to being health-conscious, burn soy candles instead of ordinary paraffin candles because soy candles burn longer and cleaner, they are non-toxic with no petrol-carbon soot.  The soy candles come from a renewable source, soy grows from the ground like other plants where as paraffin candles contribute to the dependency on crude oil, most are made of some type of petroleum or animal fat or a combination of the two.

Paraffin wax candles release thick black soot when burned, as well as 11 documented toxins, two that are carcinogenic – toluene and benzene.  The American Lung Association has warned consumers of unhealthy indoor air quality from breathing paraffin candles.

A scented candle, usually made out of soy, has essential oils and can be used as an aromatherapy candle to help assuage a number of ailments in people, simply by having them breathe the candle’s powerful scents.

Lavender is a good example of an essential oil in a soy candle that can help people with several health issues such as depression, insomnia, headaches and nausea.  

The National Candle Association recommends several tips for candle burning to keep a person, their family and home safe. First and foremost, always burn a candle within sight. In other words, never leave a candle unattended.  Be sure to extinguish all candles when leaving the room and prior to going to sleep. Nearly 40 percent of residential candle fires reportedly occur because candles were left unattended, inadequately controlled, or abandoned.

It may sound like common sense but people still burn candles near flammable items such as curtains or on tablecloths.  Candles should never be burned near or on anything that could catch on fire.  Keep burning candles away from furniture, curtains, bedding, carpeting, paper, books, flammable decorations, etc. The National Candle Association reports that 20 percent of all residential candle fires occur because a combustible item was placed too close to an open flame from a candle.

People think of candles as decorations before they think of them as a light source and therefore burn them wherever they may be sitting, in the living room, bedroom, bathroom or family room.

Countless

Currently, utility rates have been increasingly and steadily climbing by roughly 6 percent per year, with an estimated 30 percent jump in the past three years alone.  And due to the skyrocketing cost of home heating fuels, along with electricity, this trend does not look to be stopping anytime soon.

It may sound unbelievable but utility companies will pay a homeowner for their excess energy. Most participating utility companies employ a particular program that allows for the utility meter attached to a home to spin backwards in essence “banking” the home’s collective energy from the solar panels for future use.

According to the National Appraisal Institute, a homeowner could increase their homes value by $20 for every one dollar reduction in annual utility bills. This may not seem like a lot by itself but if you calculated it over the course of a year or five years, it adds up to be a quite substantial amount.

In addition to the savings calculated by the National Appraisal Institute, a homeowner could save on their yearly state and federal income tax.  The federal government tax credit for solar panel installation increased dramatically in 2009 from years past. A homeowner could receive a federal tax credit of up to 40 percent of net system cost after state rebates are deducted.  This credit is taken directly off the amount of income tax you owe.

The solar panels that are used on houses are large and can collect huge amounts of solar energy to help heat a home in winter and help cool a home in summer time.  Somewhat smaller scaled down solar panels are also used on a traffic safety sign near hospitals and schools or along the highway where it would be difficult to obtain electricity or unsafe to use gasoline powered generators. Many of the solar panel safety signs contain flashing LED lights to help warn traffic of upcoming dangers.

A printing company Washington, DC prints on everything from paper to plastic stadium cups and sponges to a wide variety of clothing.

Numerous companies like to have their employees wear golf shirts, polo shirts or button up woven shirts with the company logo or tagline embossed on the chest so everyone they come in contact with, especially outside of the office – at lunch perhaps, to know where they work, and it makes everyone look uniform and more united or professional looking.  It also provides free ‘walking’ advertising for the business when the employee steps out of the office.

Many printing companies provide their own line of clothing from golf wear and spa apparel to leisure wear or school wear and all a company has to do is choose the style and color of clothing for their employees and provide a logo and if needed.  The employee name could go under the logo.

An Arlington printing company could provide woven shirts, T-shirts, knit shirts, active wear, sportswear, caps, fleece, outerwear, infant and toddler wear, youth wear, eco-friendly wear, ladies only wear, men only wear, medical wear or work wear.  There is clothing for nearly every occasion and could be outfitted with the company logo and the employee’s name or nickname so there is no need for cumbersome nametags that usually end up breaking in the wash.

Something that is very popular today is reusable cotton grocery totes.  Thousands of people have gone green or environmentally conscious and collect the reusable grocery totes to haul their groceries and other items home from the store rather than use paper or plastic which are bad for the environment.  A reusable cotton grocery tote is the perfect place to have your company’s logo printed on it to help advertise your company simply by having people use the grocery totes.  And purchasing, printing and giving away the grocery totes can be very cost-efficient.  The reusable cotton grocery totes make a great giveaway at a trade show because people are always receiving information, brochures and other free items they can haul around in your company’s free grocery tote.