A recent piece of research produced by Eunice Yu and Jianguo Liu from the Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, shows that divorce is detrimental to the environment.This research appears on the backdrop of rising divorce rates, (close to 50% of marriages and 75% of second marriages, end up in divorce in the US) and a majority single population in the US for the first time in history (51%).The failing of marriages and the fear of marriage happens to be impacting the environment. Isn’t that interesting? The increasing numbers of singles fearing the commitment of marriage and divorcees creates more households with lower number of people. Not hard to understand that more singles and fragmented families take up more living space, including parking, use of highways, along with higher usage of energy and water. The number of rooms per person in divorced households is 33% to 95% greater than in married households. A refrigerator, for example, uses roughly the same amount of energy whether it belongs to a family of four or one parent and a child. Yu and Liu estimate that in the United States (U.S.) in 2005, divorced households spent 46% and 56% more on electricity and water per person than married households. I knew it! I always said it was a good idea for couples to take showers together! Divorced households in the U.S. could have saved more than 38 million rooms, 73 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, and 627 billion gallons of water in 2005 alone if their resource-use efficiency had been comparable to married households. Not only that American spend an extra $3.6 billion annually on water as a result of the extra households created when people divorce. Wow!We are now coming to find out that this is not just a problem in the United States. It is happening around the world. The number of houses is increasing in England by something like 15 million over 10 years at current trends, while population is going nowhere. In other words we are seeing a housing boom, but not a population boom. Why? Divorce. You hear of a new one every week. Also, perpetual singleness, i.e. unwillingness to marry. And then even worse are married couples who live apart. For what reason? I am so sick of hearing people saying that their former husband or wife is a wonderful person, great parent and the classic one… “We are still friends.” Well, why in the world didn’t you keep the friendship going as a marriage? Did you have to subject innocent kids to a “friendly divorce”? Just mind-boggling!Even in places like China with more strict rules on divorce, personal commitments are not being kept and those policies are being ignored. Divorce rates are rising, leading to a profound assault on the environment because a married household actually uses resources more efficiently than a divorced household.So, here is my thought on this matter. Marriage is not just about personal responsibility and commitment to our children, community and the families of origin; it is also about our environment. Marriage as a life-time commitment makes sense. Maybe, it’s high time we recognize that breaking a life commitment while trying to be “good” in another area is inconsistent. Perhaps, saving a marriage and making love to the person you made a promise to for life is a good idea if for no other reason than keeping the cost of heating down, the consumption of energy and the selfish use of resources that belong to the whole planet and our children!*The original research can be found at: http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/0707267104v1
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Small Business Loans for Constructing the Future
The small business loans category in today’s marketplace has expanded in order to meet the needs of twenty-first century entrepreneurs. Innovative technologies are all but necessitating a changing of the guard, so to speak, in terms of how wares are bought and sold through a variety of mediums. Although the way business is being done these days carries with it a variety of nuances, many mortgage lenders are still using the same old formula to qualify their prospective borrowers. Whether seeking a construction loan or looking to enhance business operations or both, the requirements for getting approved on a variety of small business loans are relatively consistent across the board.Loan applicants may want to find out as much as they possibly can before delving into the multi-faceted world of business, such as how mortgage rates today will play a role in the here and now, but down the road as well. Commercial loan rates, for example, are often a few percentage points higher than home loan rates, as well as the duration of each loan in question.While much of this information can easily be found elsewhere online, contacting a reputable broker and having a real-time conversation may help to clear up any confusion, yet it’s also a great way to find out exactly what is needed to apply for one or more small business loans. Finding a trusted broker is often one of the most important steps of the borrowing landscape as the screening process moves forward.Also known as liaisons to a variety of mortgage lenders, brokers are the ones who will be able to shop the loan requests around to see how they stack up by comparison. Before doing so, a number of puzzle pieces should already be in place, such as documented financial information: personal and business finances over the last three years, tax returns, and a respectable credit history as well. Small business loans are also approved or denied based on the viability of each proposed business model, meaning that a water-tight or virtual recession proof modus operandi may increase the chances of getting the green light.The above requirements will be part of a business portfolio that should also include the amount of the loan and a few industry-related projections accordingly. Depending on the type of commerce entailed, demographics may play an important role as well.A retail-based construction loan application, for example, will require specific data concerning targeted area populations and age groups, foot traffic, median incomes, projected costs, and expected turnaround times. When it comes to small business loans, a well-laid-out plan stands a greater chance of coming to fruition.With standard mortgage rates today remaining competitive, the amount of the initial down payment can also lower commercial loan rates significantly. While the same principle applies to a number of individual home loan rates, the savings on a commercial level can make a sizable difference.It’s also important to note that putting a larger sum of money down often signifies the type of drive and determination many mortgage lenders like to see in their prospective clients. Small business loans such as these are likely to become profitable over shorter periods of time; as the commercial loan contract eventually reaches maturity, other financial incentives are likely to appear.Covering all of the bases can never be overstated when applying for a construction loan, or any other start-up business that requires additional capital. When executed methodically and properly while planning ahead for possible snags, the hard work waiting in the foreground may become less of a burden. While finding the lowest commercial loan rates possible may be a key factor, getting established may be the most important thing of all. The small business loans model of today is designed to help loan applicants reach their intended goals.