FYI Ashland

Home ownership is expensive. First-time homeowners may experience some sticker shock when shopping for their first homes, and that awakening may only grow more rude when the first month's mortgage payment and utility bills arrive in the mail.

Adopting a more eco-friendly lifestyle can promote personal health and benefit the planet at the same time. Many people already living environmentally conscious lifestyles may think they have exhausted the ways in which they can reduce their carbon footprints, but it never hurts to explore new opportunities to help the planet.

The "reduce, reuse and recycle" movement has grown increasingly popular as more men, women and children look to adopt eco-friendly lifestyles. By considerably cutting back on waste, people are doing their part to reduce the size of landfills, safeguard natural habitats and keep neighborhoods and local communities clean.

Natural gas is one of the cleanest available fuel sources. Natural gas is also a cost-effective way to heat a home, and cook meals in the kitchen. Those who recognize the benefits of natural gas may even have their outdoor barbecues directly connected to a home's natural gas supply to guarantee that fuel will not run short when it's time to entertain.

 

Natural gas is extracted from the Earth's crust when a natural gas deposit is discovered by a team of exploration geologists and a well is established. In some instances, a procedure called fracking may be necessary. Fracking involves the extraction of natural gas from the ground by injecting water and chemicals into deep wells at high pressure. The system breaks apart the rocks so that the gas can be released and captured.

 

In defense of fracking, it is a good method for gathering a clean source of domestic energy and can alleviate the growing reliance on other fossil fuels and international oil supplies. However, there are some potential pitfalls to fracking as well. Chemicals used in the process can infiltrate groundwater, and some environmental experts have suggested that fracking may contribute to earthquakes.