Insego -Education and Lifestyle Blog

The Ridiculous Price of College Textbooks

Of all of the times that I have struggled financially up to this point in my life, my first years in college have to lead the list. All of this is well and good because I know that getting a good college education is going to assist me in finding a job that will help me throughout my entire life. What really stinks about this, however, is the fact that some of the things that go into a college education are just too expensive. This can make it difficult for the average person, such as me to get by.

One of the first things that I am going to mention is the fact that college textbooks are ridiculous, as far as the prices are concerned. I know that it costs a lot of money for companies to put these books together and there are production costs that need to be considered as well. I have always wondered, however, why these textbooks are so much money whenever other books of similar quality were much lower. I was actually surprised to find out why it is that books have increased in cost so much.

I spoke to some people, including my parents and a few college professors who told me that college textbooks were, at one time, much less expensive. As they became more expensive, however, something began to occur that really helped to drive the price up even further. This is the fact that the used book market came into play in a larger way than ever before.

Paul Ellis Swimming the Yucatan Channel

Paul Harold Ellis, a 61-year old Texas Grandfather, swam for 35 miles across the Caribbean waters to raise awareness for the Coral Reef Destruction problem.

The problems that the world’s coral reefs are facing are not new. Already in 2004, on August 5, Paul Harold Ellis, a 61-year old Texas grandfather, businessman, environmentalist, ex-Marine aviator, sports enthusiast, and community activist, started out on an incredible journey.

He swam from Cozumel, a Mexican Island, for 35 miles across the Yucatan Channel to Mexico’s mainland in Cancun. He never stopped and did it all by himself! To see more about Swimming in Yucatan, check out this video:

The Power of the Individual

“The goals of my swimming from Cozumel to Cancun are to create more awareness of our oceans’ terrible conditions and the decline of our planet’s coral reef system in particular. Our world’s coral reefs are indeed like “canaries in the mine shafts” and they been overly distressed, decaying, and dying for many years.

“Through my very own dive masks, I have seen the terrible and constant deterioration of the coral reefs and I decided to get involved and do something about this massive problem. “ – Paul Ellis

Tips for Eco-Friendly Travel

For many families, summer travel like we all did a few months ago, is a tradition. Whether visiting family or friends, going to a class reunion, or spending a week in the outdoors, your travel plans don’t have to interrupt your interest in living in a way that is environmentally-friendly and ecologically responsible.

Consider these eco-friendly travel items and practices as a way to streamline your travel and go green at the same time:

Buy eco-friendly suitcases. New eco-friendly suitcases are made from a variety of recycled products such as ABS plastics, plastic pop bottles, and repurposed garment fabrics. Offering all of the conveniences such as swivel wheels and multiple zipped pockets, you’ll have plenty of room for all of the items that you need to take with you.
Skip the towels. Many hotels now give you the option to reuse your towels instead of getting new ones each day. Why is that important? Hotels around the world literally use millions of gallons of water each day to wash bed linens and towels. Using your towels for more than one day – much as you would at home – saves water and detergent costs.
Try public transportation. Instead of renting a car or driving everywhere on your vacation, consider using public transportation. Cost-effective and easy to navigate, city transportation allows you and your family to get where you need to go without gas costs or wear and tear on your car.

As you can see, there are many ways to make sure that your summer travel is just as green on the road as it is at home. Try these tips and have an eco-friendly trip!

Inexpensive Ways To Go Green In Your Home

Contrary to popular belief, going green is not that expensive. One of the simplest, least-expensive things that you can do to go green is drive less. If there are fewer cars on the road, then there will be less air pollution. You should consider carpooling with friends or taking public transportation a couple of days out of the week. You may also want to consider walking to some of your destinations. Driving less will not only reduce air pollution, but it will also help you save money.

In fact, families can save over 9,900 a year if they take public transportation. You may want to consider filing your taxes electronically. This may be able to help you save money also. Recycling is another very easy thing that you can do to go green. Plastic bottles, aluminum cans, milk cartons, paper, and plastic bags are examples of some of the things that you can recycle.

When you are done with your computer, you should consider shutting it down all the way. The computer will still use energy if it is sleep. Furthermore, if you will be taking a road trip in the near future, then you should consider renting a hybrid or a full-electric car.

How to make your Business “Green”

In today’s busy marketplace, going green can have more impact than ever before, and not just environmentally. As markets and niches are becoming more diluted with competition, going green can help small businesses stand out from the crowd. If you don’t have the capital or you aren’t the owner of the business – going green doesn’t necessarily have to be a costly investment.

As a start, consider making these easy-to-do changes:

– Replace light bulbs with energy efficient ones.
– If it’s comfortable outside and appropriate, let the wind be the air conditioner
– Choose to clean with greener products, as an alternative to harsh chemicals
– Re-claim furniture and fixtures, a little TLC can go a long way!
– Consider placing plants around the business, or making a “living wall”
– Use recycled material for bags and receipts and/or make them optional
– Buy energy efficient equipment
– Follow the rule of – turn it down, turn it off.
– Cut extra packaging out

Forget ‘Smart Homes’-You Need a ‘Smart Office’

Smart homes are all the rage these days. You can control your home’s temperature, lighting, and even monitor it remotely. So this brings up the question-why does your office get left behind? The answer is that this doesn’t need to be the case. Using this technology for your office instead to create a ‘smart office’ can lower your stress and really save you time and money to boot. Here are a few ideas to achieve a smart office and how it can help you in the long run.

Smart Lights

Energy management is a huge thing these days and saving on electricity costs through lights is a great way to get it done. Smart lights have the ability to change lighting conditions based on what’s currently happening in the building. If there’s no one there then they will shut off. If someone is walking along a hallway when it’s dark, the lights can shut on and off in sequences as they move along the hallway so it uses only the light that you really need.

How to set up a Roof Garden

As more and more people reside in tighter living spaces, and available land to build on becomes scarcer, increasing numbers of people choose to create a roof garden to provide them with some garden space. If the idea of having a roof garden appeals, then read on to find out all you need to know.

Why have a roof garden?

Even if you don’t have the space to own a conventional garden, a roof garden has tons of appeal in itself. In many cities, where living space is tight, roof gardens are highly sought-after and can add value to the price of your property.
High up from the ground and away from the noise of traffic, a roof garden can be an idyllic oasis, providing stretching vistas and intriguing skylines.
As well as being good for the environment, this garden in the sky has other benefits too. It has been suggested that a roof garden acts as natural insulation, which can reduce your heating and cooling costs.
If there is a storm, a roof garden can decrease water runoff as much of the water is captured by the plants. Some experts believe that a roof garden can increase the life expectancy of your roof, as the garden protects it from fluctuations in weather and temperatures. It may even lower the risk of fire.

How to create a roof garden

How to Survive High School- Best Advice Ever

One of the best pieces of advice I can give you regarding high school is this: high school is just a game. You’ve got to play to win. Stay with me for a second and I hope you can understand. In high school, the most stressed factor is your academics.

However, your grades don’t always tend to reflect your knowledge. There is always that really smart guy who just doesn’t care and gets Bs, or even ends up going for the GED and having a high school diploma in just 3 months while a hardworking student will get As. At the end, who’s smarter? To see if this could be your best option, check your knowledge through these free practice tests for the GED.
The guy that got Bs without trying is probably a heck of a lot smarter than the one that got As. So what’s the key to getting those As? I’ve outlined here what I think are the 5 most important parts of getting the A.
1) Don’t Piss Off Teachers
This one is really a no-brainer, but you’ll notice that the more you piss a teacher off, the less likely of a chance you have of getting an A. Supposedly teachers aren’t supposed to play favorites, but you know what? They are human beings too. Just because they are teachers doesn’t mean that they won’t manipulate numbers to make sure you don’t do well. I’m not saying suck up to them, I’m just suggesting that you don’t get on their bad side. They’ll be a lot nicer come grade time.

High School Scholarships

If you think that scholarships are only meant for college and research students, then you are mistaken. There are specific scholarship programs for senior as well as junior high school students. Scholarships for high school students allow students to start their educational journey without any burden of costly school expenses.

Various private firms, individuals, corporate houses, charitable organizations, non-profit organizations and academic institutions provide scholarships to the desired students. Apart from the citizenship criteria, these scholarships have their own set of conditions for eligible candidates. Some are need-based grants whereas there are other grants that are merit-based. There are several other grants for high school students where suitable candidates are selected through competitions like essay contests or painting competitions.

Computer Education Plays A Vital Role

This information era requires almost every job the ability to use a data processor or a computer. If you pay attention to the list of available jobs and their qualifications, you will then realize that they share one thing in common: they need someone who is “computer literate”.
In fact, the world seems to be functioning more and more on digitized information through computers. Computer technology is fast and offers low cost in proportion to the tasks completed in just a very short period of time.

However, not all are knowledgeable enough about the subject. For anyone who desires to pursue a career in the same field, computer school education is widely accessible. Computer schools are so varied and readily available. Additionally, online education is available for your computer education endeavors.