GCPS e-ZONE

	December 26, 2007 Riddle me this... There is a barrel with no lid and some wine in it. "This barrel of wine is more than half full," says Curly. "No it's not," says Mo. "It's less than half full." Without any measuring implements and without removing any wine from the barrel, how can they easily determine who is correct? (Scroll down for the answer.) Trends: More green stuff That rumbling you just heard was Thomas Edison, doing the grave turn... That rumbling you just heard was Thomas Edison, doing the grave turn... I read it online, so it must be true: According to a recent story in the U.S. News & World Report, Congress has approved an energy law that will phase out the incandescent light bulb. Indeed, by the year 2112, we will no longer wonder how many Aggies/Blondes/Favorite-ethnic-punching-bags it takes to change a light bulb. Comics the world over are in mourning, even as I write. (Related aside: The other day, my boss, Mike Branch, was in the hallway talking to his son, Terence, and his daughter, Rebecca. As I walked by, I said, "You know this would be a so-much-funnier meeting if you folks were standing by a light fixture." Curiously, they didn’t embrace my sense of humor as much as I had hoped.) Anyway, the story I read noted that the old standby, the incandescent bulb — for which the technology has little changed since 1879, when Edison produced light with a carbonized thread from his wife's sewing box — is out. The more efficient compact fluorescent (CFL) is taking its place. People often use statistics like the drunk uses the lamp post — more for support than for illumination. However, there appears to be something to the numbers here. For instance, according to the U.S. News & World Report, er, report, each cone-shaped spiral CFL costs about $3, compared with 50 cents for a standard bulb. But a CFL uses about 75 percent less energy and lasts five years instead of a few months. A household that invested $90 in changing 30 fixtures to CFLs would save $440 to $1,500 over the five-year life of the bulbs, depending on your cost of electricity. Look at your utility bill and imagine a 12 percent discount to estimate the savings. That’s why the country WILL embrace the new technology; the pocketbook almost always carries the vote. Why it SHOULD embrace the technology is probably more important. Moving to more efficient lighting is one of the low-cost ways for the nation to reduce electricity use and greenhouse gases. Earlier this year, Australia became the first country to announce an outright ban by 2010 on incandescent bulbs. The changeover in the United States will be more gradual, not mandated to begin until 2012 and phased out through 2014. However, the story says, don't be surprised if some manufacturers phase out earlier. While it’s debatable where this news fits in the grand scheme, it is unquestionably further proof that Green is gold right now. We’ve been telling you that for about a year or so. OK, technically we’ve been writing that for about a year or so. Maybe, now that you have those brighter CFL bulbs illuminating the pages, you’ll start to see that we were right. You better know it! 2008 color of the year Check our BLOG Puzzling pictures Pick a picture, any picture... One of these photos is a puzzle. Choose the right one (that's right as in "correct," not right as in "opposite of left" or as in "opposed to wrong"), and put the product together again. When you're finished, shout loudly, "I'm done! I'm done! Yabba-dabba do, I AM SO DONE!," and then watch how people react. You better know it! 2008 color of the year Check our BLOG Pick 'n Click You want it, we've got it... This list of links to suppliers can help you find gardening items you desire. Just point and click, and you'll find information about the various products in GCP&S magazine. Achla Designs: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22055 Acorn Bird Products: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22068 ANLA: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22014 Bamboo Accents: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22046 Benchmaster by Structural Plastics: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22070 Bird Brain, Inc.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22006 Black River Nursery: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22050 Braun Horticulture: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22033 Carruth Studio, Inc.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22023 Carson Industries: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22003 Chas. C. Hart Company: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22029 Clean Air Gardening: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22062 Collier Metal Specialties, Inc.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22073 Custom Decor: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22010 Danove Corporation: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22071 Discount Pond Supplies, Inc.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22049 Dorothy Biddle Service: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22061 Downeast Quarries of Maine, Incorporated: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22044 EasyPro Pond Products: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22045 Exhart Company: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22012 Fabriscape: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22059 Gallery, Inc.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22021 Gardenstone: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22034 Gardenware: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22072 Gardenware: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22030 Gifts That Bloom: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22013 Good Directions, Inc.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22040 Guard-N-Edge: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22058 Hines Pottery: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22026 Holiday Hangers: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22004 Jungle Laboratories Corp.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22047 Magnet Works, Ltd.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22041 Mid-America Horticultural Trade Show: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22018 Norcross Safety Products: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22022 Novelty Manufacturing Co.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22066 Offingers Handcrafted Marketplace: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22052 Ohio Wholesale, Inc.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22043 Olds Seed Company: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22028 Outdoor Connection: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22065 Par A Sol: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22016 Parker Davis Company, Inc.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22024 Poly-Tex, Inc.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22015 Principle Plastics: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22011 Red Carpet Studios: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22031 Riverside Enterprises: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22025 Rustic Natural Cedar Furniture Co.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22017 Sherman Nursery Company: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22069 Spring Meadow Nursery, Inc.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22008 Structural Plastics: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22070 Thayer Birding Software: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22027 The Perfect Garden Tool: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22056 Tierra-Derco International: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22057 Upper Deck Ltd.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22002 VAL-CO Environmental & Greenhouse Systems: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22007 Vitamin Institute: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22035 Walter E. Clark & Son: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22060 Wellmaster Carts: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22005 Winston Company: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22042 Yard Decor: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 22032 You better know it! 2008 color of the year Check our BLOG Oh, yeah, the riddle answer... Tilt the barrel until the wine barely touches the lip of the barrel. If the bottom of the barrel is visible then it is less than half full. If the barrel bottom is still completly coverd by the wine, then it is more than half full. To SUBSCRIBE: http://www.greenbeam.com/email/email_form.html To UNSUBSCRIBE: Reply to this e-mail here. TO CONTACT EDITOR YALE YOUNGBLOOD: yyoungblood@branchsmith.com Reach the desktop of thousands of garden center professionals twice a month through the e-ZONE, contact Tiffany O'Kelley, tokelley@branchsmith.com, Ed Tavender, etavender@branchsmith.com, or Teresa Werner, twerner@branchsmith.com. 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