True, the Founding Fathers gave us the Constitution–but what’s really cool are the houses they left behind.
As we approach our homes with our endless to-do lists, it’s easy to imagine that we’re the only ones who have ever had problems getting things in order. Surely George Washington, of all people, never had to deal with a wet basement, right?
Wrong. Mount Vernon flooded constantly, and correcting the problem vexed the Commander in Chief even as he was off ridding the Colonies of the Redcoats. In fact, many of the Founding Fathers—that august group that won a war and penned the Constitution—left behind monumental homes imprinted with their virtues, as well as their quirks. Here’s a quick tour of three Virginia mansions, to give you an insight into housing problems then and now.
By now, I can safely (and hopefully) say we are all avid recyclers. Or, at least we SHOULD be. We should be accustomed to putting milk cartons, paper towel tubes, and glass and plastic items in the RECYLE bin. But what about bigger and bulkier items like computers, cell phones, fax machines and stereos? Those items can all be recycled, too. In fact, it’s now the law in many states, including Illinois.
The “electronics recycling law” is meant to protect the environment from deadly toxins and heavy metals contained in those “old” products, while at the same time preventing the loss of component materials that can be re-used. Violating the law could result in a fine of $25 for a first offense — and $50 for subsequent offenses. About 33 million pounds of electronics were recycled in Illinois in 2010, but according to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, a lot more probably was thrown away. Their goal is to keep up to 60 million pounds of electronics from landfills by 2013. This means YOU, as a responsible consumer, will have to make a little more of an effort to recycle TV sets, computers, cell phones, video recorders, and other electronics. Some stores will accept the equipment, others will recycle it for you when they deliver new items like TV sets or refrigerators. And, the best part is that most companies won’t charge you for recycling your old goods.
The best advice is to call ahead, ask specialty stores if they recycle or call your village or township office to ask where you can go to drop these items off, so they don’t end up sitting in a landfill. You can go to this website: www.illinoisrecycles.org for a list of drop off-locations!
Good luck and happy recycling!
Times are tough and there is plenty you can do yourself around the home to keep more money in your pocket and gain some experience and confidence to tackle even more. In my 25 years in the home improvement business I have made many mistakes and had to pay for most of them. When you have to pay you learn pretty quickly on how to do things right. Here are some typical fixes that may be around your home:
