I heard something very interesting on the radio today.   Several experts were being interviewed about sustainable cities.  It turns out that cities consume about 75% of all energy that is generated.  However, cities have the most opportunity to conserve and reuse energy because of the density of buildings and population.  Homes that share walls like apartments and condominiums save energy.  These types of homes are much more likely to be found in cities rather than suburbs or small towns.  City dwellers are also much more likely to walk and use public transportation.

We still have a long way to go.  Automobiles only use 20% of the fuel that is put into the tank.  Much of the energy is burned up and driven off into the environment. Many   European cities have advanced recycling and composting programs that help to pay for the changes toward more sustainable living.

It is possible to convert our current American mind set to provide a sustainable future for the next generation of Americans.  As sustainability becomes more popular or even fashionable, Americans will embrace sustainable lifestyles.

I have heard some people who are training to be good basketball players neglecting to practice their free throws. I have heard talk that free throws are just not that important. Some people think they are useless because they are only worth one point each. Well I consider myself a fan of basketball and I think that that is absolutely ridiculous. Free throws are incredibly important.

In fact, free throws are more often than not the reason teams win games. Have you ever seen a game that ended with the winning team winning by less than ten points? Those teams usually win because they made those ten free throws. And when one team loses a game by one point it’s not because they messed up one or two plays at the end of the game. The reason they lost is usually that they missed one or two free throws.

So free throws are a major factor in winning a game. Not only that but they can also be critical turning points in a game. If one team ends up fouling a lot and the other team makes all those free throws then they will end up winning by a lot. This could also happen if the other team is trying to stop the clock. If they make all of the free throws then they are sure win the game. But that is how it is in most cases. Sound a little bit like life; doesn’t it?

I Have always believed that one of the best things for people to be is as self sufficient as possible. Even though I try really hard to live by this rule all of the time there are some things that you just can’t do by yourself. I can understand when the lock in a door will not work so you try to fix it by yourself. But when you need a new lock it is time to call a locksmith. Another example is if you try to install a new ceiling fan in your house you may be able to do it by yourself but if you have no experience or knowledge about doing something you should seriously get an electrician.

Some guys do it themselves because they are too proud to let some one else fix their house. That idea is just foolish because you could end up hurting yourself or you could just end up making the whole thing worse. You could break a whole in the ceiling, mess up the wires or break the fan. Now it’s all worse. The bottom line is; know when you can do it yourself and when you need to hire a professional.