How to Save on Your Next Certification

Education

Certification

Certification

One of the things you can do to push your career forward is acquiring new skills. Even better, you can pursue specific certifications in your field as a way to boost your career. Multiple studies have shown that certified professionals earn more than non-certified employees, which makes investing in certifications an option worth considering.

You don’t have to spend a fortune to earn the right certification for your career. You can also take steps to reduce the cost of getting certified by a substantial margin. We are going to review the best tips to use if you want to save on your next certification in this article.

Avoid Failing

As silly as this may sound, the main reason why people spend more on their certifications is, well, because they failed on their first try. Rather than spending $200 on your Mikrotik certification, for instance, you may end up spending twice or three times that amount because you failed the first time.

The way to avoid failing the test is by preparing yourself better. The internet is on your side when it comes to preparing for certification exams. There are resources and materials to go through, mock tests that you can take, and plenty of resources on how to prepare better for the test.

Compare Courses and Certifications

The same certification doesn’t always cost the same. Depending on where and how you pursue the certification, you may need to pay more. A simple way to get around paying more for the same certification is by comparing exams from multiple providers.

Some certifications also come with a comprehensive training program, which makes the whole process of acquiring the skills you need to become a certified professional more streamlined. Comparing training programs and courses is also something you want to do before making a decision.

The Cisco Certified Network Associate or CCNA training is a good example of how the same training and certification could cost differently depending on the institution providing the training. Thanks to findcourses.com, finding and comparing training programs is no longer difficult. You instantly have access to programs from multiple institutions with a simple search. If you want to learn more about CCNA training, there are a selection of training options here.

Take It Online

Aside from the wealth of resources you can use to prepare for your certification exam, the internet also provides plenty of opportunities to get certified as well. In fact, many top training institutions have started offering their courses and certifications online.

Online certifications are generally more affordable than their offline counterparts. You don’t have to travel – which is a saving on its own – and the training institution doesn’t have to deal with high overhead costs. The result is more affordable training programs for everyone.

There is another advantage of opting for online certification: flexibility. You can study at your own pace and take the test when you are ready. You can complete the test from the comfort of your home or office too, so you can skip being nervous before the test.

You can earn your next certification and advance in your career without breaking the bank. The tips we covered in this article will help you get started with becoming a certified professional right away.

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Corporate Innovation Labs – A Combination of Art and Science

Education

Everything around us comes from us, humans. This is the focal point of innovation: driving us, as humans, to come up with new things. That is only possible if we question and think about our experiences, believing everything is possible. Through corporate innovation labs, it is possible to bring together the artistic (from humans) and the scientific (from experimentation).

Corporate Innovation Labs Bring Together and Differentiate Progress

Art is about making changes. It is about evolution, about bringing together studies of and perspectives on that what already exists. This is true for both what is in the mind and the physical. Science, by contrast, is a lot more constrained because it has to follow linear rules. There is an important place for that, but innovation labs are about bringing those two together. It is about exploration, with art being about coming up with ideas, and science being about turning those ideas into reality.

Science and Art – The Cornerstones of Innovation

Art is known to drive scientific innovation. Similarly, science is an inspiration for art. Essentially, they are innovation’s bookends, their cornerstones. They work together to change how we see the world. One cannot exist without the other, and that is something to be celebrated.

However, people continue to see the two as separate things. Metaphorically, they are the bookends, one being on the right and the other on the left. But we forget that the things in between the two bookends are what actually brings them together. This is where the real breakthrough ideas happen.

How to Get Art and Science to Fuse

Science, engineering, design, and art all have to come together if we are to experience great innovation. Design and art is about getting the compelling stories and analogies together. This is about challenging knowledge and methods, inspiring techniques, and creating alternative structures. This is what then makes people push engineering, technology, and science, who will translate the art and design into reality. It is about pushing boundaries, going beyond what is expected, and that is how the future will be shaped.

At the same time, the digital age has made the world more complex and it is important that innovation tools are in place to benefit from this complexity, rather than make it stop innovation. What corporate innovation labs can do is provide that platform in which art and science can be blended, converged, integrated, and exchanged. Some say that we are in the Renaissance period of innovation. Real progress is currently being made and these are exciting times. The original Renaissance truly changed the world, teaching us so much as humans that the pace of advancement was almost unheard of. But, at the same time, the Renaissance was destructive as well, rather than solely constructive. It is hoped that the new Renaissance, which is as much about art and science as the original one, will be even more constructive in nature, using lessons learned in the past to really drive improvement.

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JUDGING THE BENEFITS OF A GOOD BOARDING SCHOOL

Education

Boarding schools sit at the top of the education ladder for students, and few would deny that they provide a superior education in an environment that best prepares students for higher education and beyond. Like many quality things in life, tuition for boarding school can also be costly. What many do not take into consideration is the “value” that the students receive, and joy it brings to the parents.

There is no doubt that  boarding school costs  are high when compared to other options. Many boarding schools have programs that allows for students from less affluent families onto their campuses. They do this primarily by offering needs-based financial aid to families. Student’s academics and community service records become essential when reviewing a student’s application.

However, even if there is no financial assistance available, parents can look at the benefits that boarding schools provide and find that they outweigh their costs. Let’s examine some of those benefits and determine why this is the case.

TEACHERS, EDUCATION TOOLS, AND CURRICULUM

Boarding schools provide students a powerful mix of academic benefits. These include; an education-focused, immersive environment, and a proven track record of results. They also invest in the best school curriculums sourced from top educators all around the world.

In terms of teachers, only the finest are hired. For explanation’s sake, the finest means teachers with the highest accreditation who consistently demonstrate their ability to get students to excel, and have a passion for teaching and motivating students .

Supporting the teachers and the curriculum is an infrastructure of administrators, tutors, teacher assistants, and additional staff members all focused on helping students to achieve academic excellence.
Finally, boarding schools have the most robust learning tools and facilities of any learning institutions. The campus may boast multiple libraries, state of the art labs, world-class theater, as well as study and practice halls equipped with computers, and other useful learning support tool that are available. Made accessible to every student.

THE SCHOOL’S CHARACTER AND VALUES

Boarding schools thrive because of their ability to graduate well-educated and complete students to top universities. They also excel because of the culture the traditions they celebrate. Parents expect that their kids will not only be educated well when they attend a boarding school, they also want them to become more well-rounded people who have a greater sense of the world, a stronger grasp on good morals, and to exude high character traits

Boarding schools pride themselves on delivering students who fit this description. They indoctrinate students into a proven culture that has produced results for decades. They have strict codes around dress, behavior, and actions that all students must follow to the letter. When rules are not adhered to, they have a clear set of procedures to correct things. Their dogged adherence to these high codes of conduct, excellence, and good citizenship serves students well and give them an advantage over other students when they enter higher education and the job markets.

STRUCTURE

Today both parents often have to work to make ends meet. As a result, many kids do not have their attention consistently. This can often lead to a lack of structure and the young one feeling lost and even acting out. We hear of many cases of this, even with good kids who sometimes never recover.

Boarding schools provide the structure and consistency for kids that is often lacking in the home. After an initial period of adjustment, students will thrive knowing that there is structure they can lean on reliably. Many of the most reluctant students end up being the most prominent boarding school advocates after they spend a semester in the school. And parents can count on well-behaved and focused learners who direct their energies toward their bright future.

The benefits of a boarding school are plentiful and undeniable. When you place them alongside other education options for your child, they will prove to be the best choice.

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Judging the Benefits of a Good Boarding School

Education

Boarding schools sit at the top of the education ladder for students, and few would deny that they provide a superior education in an environment that best prepares students for higher education and beyond. Like many quality things in life, tuition for boarding school can also be costly. What many do not take into consideration is the “value” that the students receive, and joy it brings to the parents.

There is no doubt that boarding school costs are high when compared to other options. Many boarding schools have programs that allows for students from less affluent families onto their campuses. They do this primarily by offering needs-based financial aid to families.  Student’s academics and community service records become essential when reviewing a student’s application.

However, even if there is no financial assistance available, parents can look at the benefits that boarding schools provide and find that they outweigh their costs. Let’s examine some of those benefits and determine why this is the case.

TEACHERS, EDUCATION TOOLS, AND CURRICULUM

Boarding schools provide students a powerful mix of academic benefits. These include; an education-focused, immersive environment, and a proven track record of results. They also invest in the best school curriculums sourced from top educators all around the world.

In terms of teachers, only the finest are hired. For explanation’s sake, the finest means teachers with the highest accreditation who consistently demonstrate their ability to get students to excel, and have a passion for teaching and motivating students.

Supporting the teachers and the curriculum is an infrastructure of administrators, tutors, teacher assistants, and additional staff members all focused on helping students to achieve academic excellence.

Finally, boarding schools have the most robust learning tools and facilities of any learning institutions. The campus may boast multiple libraries, state of the art labs, world-class theater, as well as study and practice halls equipped with computers, and other useful learning support tool that are available. Made accessible to every student.

THE SCHOOL’S CHARACTER AND VALUES

Boarding schools thrive because of their ability to graduate well-educated and complete students to top universities. They also excel because of the culture the traditions they celebrate. Parents expect that their kids will not only be educated well when they attend a boarding school, they also want them to become more well-rounded people who have a greater sense of the world, a stronger grasp on good morals, and to exude high character traits.

Boarding schools pride themselves on delivering students who fit this description. They indoctrinate students into a proven culture that has produced results for decades. They have strict codes around dress, behavior, and actions that all students must follow to the letter. When rules are not adhered to, they have a clear set of procedures to correct things. Their dogged adherence to these high codes of conduct, excellence, and good citizenship serves students well and give them an advantage over other students when they enter higher education and the job markets.

STRUCTURE

Today both parents often have to work to make ends meet. As a result, many kids do not have their attention consistently. This can often lead to a lack of structure and the young one feeling lost and even acting out. We hear of many cases of this, even with good kids who sometimes never recover.

Boarding schools provide the structure and consistency for kids that is often lacking in the home. After an initial period of adjustment, students will thrive knowing that there is structure they can lean on reliably. Many of the most reluctant students end up being the most prominent boarding school advocates after they spend a semester in the school. And parents can count on well-behaved and focused learners who direct their energies toward their bright future.

The benefits of a boarding school are plentiful and undeniable. When you place them alongside other education options for your child, they will prove to be the best choice.

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Studying online: why it’s beneficial for you

Education

If you are thinking about going into full-time or part-time study, then one of the options that you might want to consider is studying online. Thanks to technology, you are now able to study from the comfort of your own home, in your own time. Millions of people are now gaining their degrees through online education. Perhaps you are thinking that you would like to take your career in a different direction. Maybe you never got to earn that degree that you always wanted. Whatever the reason, online education could open up a world of new opportunities. Here are just a few of the ways in which studying online could be beneficial for you.

A bigger variety of options

One of the great things about studying online is that you are able to choose from a much wider scope of courses. There are so many different areas of study to consider – you can study virtually anything you wish. If you are not interested in any of the university courses available to you, then online education might be able to offer what you are looking for. You could start taking your career in a completely different direction altogether, if this is what you want.

More comfort and less pressure

One of the problems that many people face when it comes to learning is that they don’t feel comfortable in the classroom environment. This is especially true for those with confidence issues. If this rings true for you, then you may well find that online education is perfect for you. There is less pressure, and you are able to learn in an environment that is comfortable for you, whether this is your local library or your own living room. You may find that this reduction in pressure is just what you need to be able to successfully gain your degree. Pressure is often what causes students to struggle, and ultimately fail. If this is something that you find difficult to deal with, then online education could possibly be better suited to you than standard university education.

Far more flexibility

One of the things that puts many people off studying is that there is very little flexibility. Papers need to be in on time, and you need to attend classes that are scheduled for all students. However, with online education, you are able to work on your papers when you have the time, and you study when it is convenient for you. This means that you are able to arrange your study around your job and your life in general. Again, this can often remove a lot of pressure from students. If you lead a busy lifestyle, then you might find that online education works better for you and allows you to carry on doing things the way that you usually would.

No need for commuting

For a lot of people, one of the biggest drawbacks of going to university to study is the fact that you generally have to move to a different location away from friends and family, or you face a long commute every day. Whilst this may not sound problematic to some, for a lot of people it can be a huge inconvenience. If you don’t want to relocate, and you don’t have the time to commute on a daily basis, then online education may be just what you are looking for. You can then earn your degree without having to worry about altering your life too drastically.

When it comes to studying online, one of the first things that you need to do is decide on the course that you want to study, and figure out what your end goal is. For example, you might want to study Northeastern’s online MBA program. This is just one example; there are so many courses available these days that you really can do anything that you want to do.

Once you have decided on what it is that you want to study, you can start taking a look at some of the different online education providers. See which ones can offer you the best courses, and which ones will work best for you.

Online education has become more and more popular in recent years, and when you consider how busy modern life is, this is no surprise. If you think that now is the time to start taking your career in a different direction, then learning online is definitely something that is worth keeping in mind.

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How Being in a Sorority Changed the Way I Think About Friendship

Education

Being in a Sorority means more than just attending parties...

Friendship – in college, it’s a major issue, as you will be separated from many, if not all of those that were in your inner circle in high school.

Sororities are a wonderful solution to this problem, as they supply an environment where dozens of like-minded individuals will be living in close proximity to you.

This closeness produces more than just friendship – it is an incubator for sisterhood. This is more than just a meaningless platitude, as normal friend relationships just don’t have the benefits that sisterhood offers.

Not just friends, but sisters

Going into college, I thought that joining a sorority was just a great way to meet new friends. To be certain, affiliating with a Greek letter organization is a wonderful way to achieve those ends, but my pledge period and my first semester as a newly initiated sister awakened me to a new reality.

I wasn’t just making new friends by joining a sorority – I was being initiated to a family beyond my biological one.

This fact was hammered home the second I was introduced to the tradition of giving and receiving sorority big little shirts and gifts.

The first moment my Big made it clear she thought of me as a sister rather than as just a friend, I was able to differentiate between various levels of female-female companionship.

Being a guiding light to those around us

Being in a sorority introduced me to the concept of being a leader. Rather than just being content with going with the flow, I started to look for ways to lift up the people around me rather than just seeking out ways to further my own ends.

Once you learn to embrace total strangers not as just friends, but as sisters that you would do anything to help, you can’t help but view other human beings in the same light.

In the workplace, on the street, at the gym – I view any woman willing to engage with me not as a stranger, but as a potential sister with whom I can build a strong friendship with.

Using my past experience, I can help them with aspects of their life with which they are struggling, and I can open my mind to learn from their example as well.

In a sorority, you learn the value of selflessness, as without the consensus of the group, you can do little and therefore, you are little.

Together, however, we can achieve great things and we can be perceived as great.

Not just during college, but for life

When I was first considering joining a sorority, someone in my dorm told me, you might have a good time with these girls, but just like us in the dorms, these relationships will fade away as you pursue your career.

To a degree, she may be have been accurate, but comparing unaffiliated women I knew next to the sisters I spent my undergraduate career with, I can honestly say I have spent more time with them post-graduation than my independent friends did with each other.

Lunch meetings quarterly with local sisters, annual get-togethers with those further afield, numerous weddings spent as a bridesmaid (and my wedding? What a time that was!) – my time after college has been made richer thanks to my sisters.

Without them, my life would have been so gray.

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5 Top Health Career Paths to Consider if you’re an IT Geek

Careers Education Health & Fitness

The wonderful thing about technology is that it provides many career paths to suit the tastes of anyone who is a tech fanatic. What’s better is that there are many industries surrounding technology that can be taken advantage of with the right degree. If you’re a bit of a geek when it comes to technology, why not consider a career in health informatics? Here are some of the top jobs in the industry.

1.      Clinical Informaticist

As a clinical informaticist, you’ll either work in a small office environment on your own or you’ll be a part of a team of other clinical informaticists within a hospital environment. Your job will depend on the industry you serve, but working on the computer throughout the day is a big part of what you’ll do. If you’re not updating data on databases you’ll be entering new data to be made available for other health care professionals to use.

2.      Informatics Analyst

You’ll work with a variety of data as an informatics analyst and a big part of your job will be to analyze current data to provide answers to common clinical questions. You will often collect and dissect data to help you provide the answers. The data you analyze will depend on the industry you are in. Many analysts work in insurance claims whereas many others work in the educational sector.

3.      Informatics Manager

If you really want to climb the career ladder, a career as an informatics manager could be the ideal role you seek. As a leading informatics specialist, it is your job to oversee other informatics technicians and you’ll also be responsible for ensuring specific information is available when it’s required. As a manager, you will likely work in a hospital environment to oversee many data-driven projects.

4.      Nurse Informaticist

As a nurse informaticist, you’ll very much be the glue between healthcare product developers and nurses using the equipment. It’s your job to understand the healthcare industry and to find innovative ways of making nurses jobs easier. Typically, you’ll be a liaison to the developers so you can give them the information they need to have the best chance of developing the next product that’s going to change health care.

5.      Informatics Director

A step up from a manager, you could well be the next informatics director of a large hospital or another health care cooperation. Your job is to promote informatics systems and implement them so they work for the entity. You will be the go-to person for all informatics data and information on how things can be done to make working more efficient. It’s one of the most lucrative jobs in the world of informatics.

To be in with a chance of landing any of the above jobs though, you’ll need to study hard, and that means obtaining an online health informatics degree using an online MSHI program.

There are, fortunately, thousands of jobs available in a variety of industries in health informatics. However, you’ll still need the relevant personal skills and the motivation to succeed, as it’s still a very competitive industry.

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These are the Biggest Struggles for Returning War Veterans

Education

Imagine waking up every day not knowing whether you or the people around you will live or die. Imagine finding out throughout the day that many of them do in fact get killed or badly injured losing limbs and an ability to function normally for the rest of their lives. Now imagine this happening to young people, many barely out of high school. Finally imagine this happening to people who have volunteered and are doing it to protect you and your family. This is the reality for a US soldier who goes to war for us and after this stark reality, they must come back home and reintegrate into society. It is not easy and we need to appreciate the struggles they have when they come back.

Homelessness

Veteran homelessness is a huge problem in the United States. In fact, the number of homeless Vietnam War veterans is higher than the number of soldiers who died during the war.  Approximately one third (33%) of homeless males in the U.S. are veterans and veterans are more than twice as likely to become homeless as other Americans. In other words, the problem is chronic and not abating. The problem is so drastic in fact, that is has overwhelmed the US government and they have appropriated special funds to deal with the problem. It is working somewhat with veteran homelessness diminishing but it still remains too much of an issue for the country. Thankfully in addition to the government’s efforts, many private groups have been formed to address veteran homelessness. Groups like Houston based helping a Hero provides homes to severely injured veterans. The non-profit and its chairwoman Meredith Iler, have an unflinching commitment to keep veterans off the streets and they has built 18 homes in Houston for this purpose. Veterans are placed in homes that are built to accommodate their injuries and charged rents they can afford.

Drugs and Alcohol 

Drugs and alcohol are a persistent problem for greater society and a particularly terrible problem for veterans. Alcohol use is higher among men and women in military service than among civilians. Almost 47 percent reported binge drinking and 20 percent of military personnel reported binge drinking every week in the past month; and at 27%, the rate was considerably higher among those with high combat exposure. Almost fifteen percent of military personnel report misusing prescription drugs and five percent report using illegal drugs. These issues get carried over and the numbers increase when they leave the military. In one study that involved roughly 600 veterans who were deployed to either Afghanistan or Iraq, 39% of the vets showed positive for probable alcohol abuse.  Although the incidence of drug use among veterans was much lower, there is a strong connection between veteran drug use, depression and suicide. It is important to note that veterans commit suicide at a higher rate than any other group in the US. The US government has again responded with many national and local outreach programs to engage veterans and get them treatment. Too often though there is insufficient resources to serve all of the veteran needing assistance. This leads to too many tragedies and lost lives.

We owe our veterans a debt of gratitude that can never be fully repaid. What we can do is to ensure that they have the assistance they need to live normal and productive lives when they return home or get the treatment they need to live the best lives possible.

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How to conclude your dissertation

Education

Knowing How to conclude your dissertation can be tough

If you have finished working on your dissertation to complete college but still have no idea how to end it properly, then read on. In this article, we will teach you everything about the proper ending of the dissertations, so get ready!

So. You have spent sleepless nights researching the trustworthy sources, analyzing what has already been said about the issue you chose for your thesis. You have spent hours writing your findings down, and have ended up having an excellent main body of the dissertation. The only problem is that now you need to conclude the thesis, and you do not know where to start.

Is it the case for you?

If so, do not worry: you are not alone in this problem. Many talented students have been there. And they have all gone through it successfully. And so will you with our useful tips. Just read on and memories them to put to action once you get a chance for it.

So, let’s see how you should conclude your dissertation.

How to conclude the dissertation

The first thing to bear in mind when talking about conclusions is that they serve one goal: to remind the readers of the most powerful statements you made in the thesis as well as leave a positive impression so that readers will finish the piece with a particular thought in mind.

Once you realize these two goals, you will be able to deliver a proper conclusion. So how can you create proper conclusions?

  1. Restate the central thought of the dissertation. You need to remind what you focused on when writing this paper so that the next statements you make are in agreement with this idea.
  2. Remind what you researched. Readers should be reminded of the main issues you focused your research on as well as the approaches and methodology of your dissertation. Keep it very short not to bore the readers to death, yet make sure you go over all the important details.
  3. Mention the prominent scholars whose works you used in your research. It is important to give enough credit to the authors, as otherwise your work might be considered plagiarism. So, name the key scholars you referred to in your thesis in conclusion.
  4. Go over your findings. Finally, you should talk about the main thing of the comprehensive research which are the results of your hard work. Create a list of all the findings you made in the course of this study and state how exactly you came to one or another finding. Let the readers see these results and learn from them.
  5. Explain why you believe that this study is significant. Do not just go over each finding, but state what makes each of it important. It is important, so do not miss a chance to state it.

These are the tips on how to compose a proper conclusion to your dissertation. With them, you will no longer have to worry about what to say and when. You will only need to follow our advice step by step and enjoy the improvements. https://assignmentbaron.net/blog/ contains much more interesting information about essay and dissertation writing.

Photo courtesy by quinnanya on Flickr

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Top Ways That You Can Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Education

Climate change is a very real threat to our planet and as the years roll on, the ice caps continue to melt and sea levels continue to rise. Our generation may not be directly affected by this danger, not even that of our children but if we want our grandchildren or our great grandchildren to enjoy the same beautiful world in which we are living in then it is time that we adjusted our way of living in order to maintain what is left of this incredible planet of ours.

environmental-protection-environment-atmosphere-fragile-37856

The main place to start is through the reduction of our carbon footprint, governments around the World are making efforts to reduce theirs and plenty of energy conscious individuals like Jonathan Schrag regularly talk about ways in which we can personally reduce our carbon footprint in order to help out. Here are some things that you can do to help out.

Carpool Instead of Drive

There are simply too many cars on the road, pumping out fumes into the atmosphere and damaging the environment. In order to avoid this every should consider using public transport or car-pooling. This means that each car, if full, will be the equivalent of 4 or 5 cars on the road just with significantly less emissions. In addition, if you are able to invest in a low-emission car or even an electric car then that would also help greatly.

Changing Lightbulbs

Changing your light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs will make a huge change to the carbon footprint which you and your home leaves. Did you know that altering a single light bulb to this kind can reduce carbon dioxide pollution by over 1,300 pounds in its lifetime, more than enough reason to get those light bulbs in the home changed.

Buy Local Food

Food Miles have a huge impact on the carbon emissions that are put out by the World, on average, food travel somewhere around 2,000km between source to your plate, a huge amount of kilometers. If you try and buy local, seasonal produce however then you will be playing a vital role in reducing the amount of distance that the food has to travel and reducing the carbon emissions at the same time.

Switch Off Gadgets

Not only can switching off gadgets and unplugging cables save you a lot of money on your energy bill each year, estimations are around $100, but you can also help in your contribution to make the planet greener. Leaving a phone charger plugged in for example means that although your phone may not be charging, the electric is still being sent through the adaptors transformer, this wastes valuable electricity. When we waste electric it means that the national grid needs to make more power, power that in reality isn’t needed, and the practice of making the electric is what sends out carbon emissions. If you can, just try to spend 5 minutes each day before leaving the house to unplug all of your gadgets and tech.

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