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Everything You Need to Know About Studying in Germany

Like other fancy trends, to go abroad for further studies is now in fashion. As they said, “knowledge is power”; therefore, people from all over the world travel miles to satisfy their thirst for knowledge and spend years in another country. It was the time when traveling was not easy, but today, the mean of traveling makes it easy to go from one place to another.

Moreover, the host countries also provide many facilities for overseas students. It is another reason why people attract towards study abroad. If we talk about the top of the host countries with an excellent education system and facilities, America and European countries are taking place.

Here we are going to discuss Germany, who attracts many international students each year thanks to its reputation for its low cost and high-quality education. If you are looking for a degree program or exchange program in Germany, there are few things you should consider before going to study in Germany.

Apply for grants

Source: Afrika studing abroad

Fortunately, there are many fellowships and grants for foreigners; whether you specialize in engineering, an art school, or a student of German literature, if you have the right skills of your field and hardworking in your applications, you will get the desired funding. There is no field in which the German government is not supporting international students, and they also offer many scholarships for Graduates and Post-graduates.

German academic exchange service, DAAD, is supported by states and offers the most extensive collection of scholarships to international students, and there are many other institutions with specialized scholarships. Obtaining one of these scholarships can work positively during the university application process.

Although there are many facilities out there but being a new person, you may face other problems in which cultural shock and language issues are common. Be prepared yourself before landing in Germany.

Be ready for the immigrant struggle

Source: The Conversation

Unless you are a citizen of the European Union, expect to have a good time with the immigration office. If you are from the United States and are admitted to a university program, the visa application should go smoothly, and the ones who get a degree in Germany are entitled to an extension of up to 18 months to stay and seek employment. According to schengen-visa, for the students of developing countries, this procedure can be a bit complicated and it will take some time, so it’s always better to use online applications and speed up the process!

The primary issue that almost all the developing countries are facing is that the value of money is less. Therefore, they have to save more money to take it with them. Moreover, they may struggle for a part-time job in Germany. The student may get the job as he goes out for searching it, but most of the time, people struggle many hard to fulfill their living expenses. It is essential to have some money while traveling to nay country for initial days.
Make sure your student visa is allowing you to do the job part-time because many courses are not allowing students to work, and if you find guilty, they will deport you right away.

Learn Germany language

Source: iStudy

German is a beautiful and relatively easy language for English speakers. In the larger cities of Germany, you can survive without knowing the German language, and even some study programs are available in English. However, all parts of your abroad life will be more comfortable with functional language skills, from dealing with government employees to building local friendships. If you decide to stay at work, mastery will give you a significant advantage in the job market. Germans like to arrive on time or early by the American standards.

If you are planning to go to Germany, then it will be convenient for you to learn the german language first. Moreover, English is also understandable, but the locals only speak the german language. So, we suggest to learn german, and it will be easy for you to communicate.

Know the options where you can study

Source: PowerShow.com

More than 40 German universities are included in the QS World University Rankings, which means that you have a choice from many of the best universities in the world. If you want to study in a world-renowned student city, you can think of Berlin or Munich, where they both rank in the top ten most important cities in the world for students in the ranking of the best student cities in QS.

To find the best university, you can go online and find the top-ranked universities according to your major subject. Make a list and start the process of application. It will take time, but you will get the answer from any university, but your grades must be good.

Estimate the cost of studying

Source: Kia Ora Hauora

Studying in a public higher education institution has been free since the year 2014 in Germany. However, the costs of food, transport, and rent are increasing rapidly. If you want to save money here, it is worth considering the cost of living when choosing a place to study. You can search for the list of the cheapest and most expensive university cities in Germany. Estimating the cost of studying in Germany will help you to manage your expenses in a right way.

It should be noted that some universities in Germany have agreements with large companies, providing students with training. They may not always be paid, but they can lead to excellent future work after graduation.

Keep one thing in mind that not all the courses offered by the German government are fully funded. You have to pay per semester/ year fees according to the nature of the degree. If you think that you can spend all the expenses with a part-time job, it is not possible because the per hour salary of the student is less as compared to the average person. You can either study there or a job, and now the choice is yours. We wish for your better future.

4 Ways World Of Warcraft Changed The Gaming Industry Forever

Source: comtradeshop

Nearly 16 years ago, Blizzard graced us with one of the most iconic video games the gaming industry has ever seen; World of Warcraft.

This gem of a game caused millions of players to spend endless hours farming, PvP-ing, questing, dungeons, and raiding. Not only that, but WoW was a release of a completely new genre of video games. This was the genre of MMORPGs, and WoW was the grandfather that kept beating the younglings.

World of Warcraft can definitely be described as a revolutionary game that created the fundamentals of which MMOs would be played. The MMO genre was super hot after the release of WoW, but very few if any managed to captivate the audience the same way WoW managed.

After Blizzard’s award-winning MMORPG hit the market, it wasn’t possible for another game in the genre to exist without taking some elements from World of Warcraft.

So, to celebrate how Blizzard managed to do just that, we’ve pieced together the X ways WoW changed the gaming industry.

1. The WoW Factor

Source: medium

No pun intended, but the WoW factor was the single thing that players were attracted to when buying this game.

To put it simply, the colors, the humor, the visuals, the cinematic’s, everything was special with this game. It was something that the industry had never seen before, and they called it the WoW factor.

WoW gave players something they had never experienced before. Colors that were never before seen, visual representations of events that they didn’t know was possible to create, and stunning cinematic’s that would make Hollywood ashamed.

The game was designed to create something never before seen and entertain like no other before, all through an excellent level of detail.

But Blizzard also managed to humor the player through the game. Blizzard has always been known for having excellent writers, and they defiantly showed their quality through the NPS dialogs.

You could even say that Marvel was inspired by this. So much that humor is the single most relatable thing with the Marvel cinematic universe.

2. Game Mechanics

Source: klanrur

One of Blizzard’s most praised innovations in the gaming industry is how the game questing and leveling mechanics worked.

Previously, leveling and questing went hand in hand. A player would kill a monster and in return get an XP reward. But what Blizzard did was not change that, only make it better.

Previously, you’d had to wait in your spot so that mobs would spawn. What was even worse was the fact that anyone could steal your kill, and ultimately your quest. This only made it harder for players to finish their quest; something that many took issue with.

What Blizzard did was a game mechanic called “tagging” the monsters so others couldn’t steal the kill. This was revolutionary as the issue of stealing was no more.

What’s even more interesting is that Blizzard completely changed the narrative of how you would quest. Instead of running around the map for mobs to kill, Blizzard introduced towns in the form of questing hubs. A player would teleport to a particular hub, accept the quests, and go on from there.

While questing has become something repetitive over the years, it is still a necessary game feature that everyone has to go through. This can be very frustrating especially when a new expansion would come out.

The latest is the Shadowlands expansion and there are ways to avoid questing and leveling and actually enjoy the game from the get-go. With legionfarm, you can get your WoW Shadowlands carry and have it level and quest for you so you can enjoy the expansion without needing to spend endless hours on it.

3. Instances

Source: dexerto

Instances were definitely a feature that changed the gaming industry. After Word of Warcraft, nearly every MMO maker had instances in their game.

Instances refer to dungeon runs that were very tedious. Before this feature, dungeons were only holes in the ground, abandoned castles, and scare places where monsters spawned. They were separated from the game so they would give the player something to do.

In most cases, dungeons would drop the best loot but there was a very real problem with them. Namely, the number of players that would join a dungeon was uncontrolled. That would mean that dozens of players would all queue for the same dungeon, resulting in havoc.

That not only took the fun away from it, but players didn’t feel anything while doing it. If a particular dungeon needs 5 players to make it challenging, what’s the point of having 20 players do it instead?

So, to solve this inconvenient problem, Blizzard introduced the instance system. Instances would eliminate the player count issue and make it possible for a group of players to do it instead.

It brought back the fun factor, but it also forced groups to come up with a plan; a complicated and well-thought-out plan to beat it.

This turned the dungeons into co-op challenges that players couldn’t resist but solve it in the least amount of time and taking the least amount of casualties. You could even say that WoW’s eSports scene revolves around dungeon runs.

4. Raids

Source: adventuresinpoortaste

Okay, Blizzard isn’t solely to thank for this feature, but they placed the rules as to how large groups would raid in the MMO genre. First off, Blizzard made an entirely new game with the introduction of the raids.

Raids work similarly to instances, in a way that it takes planning and cunning to succeed. At the end of the raid, only a randomly select few would get the main rewards, leaving the rest with nothing.

Blizzard changed that with the introduction of raid points, which essentially guaranteed the player would eventually get some sweet gear.

While there is far more to it than what we’ve given credit, raids were definitely a game-changing mechanic that made the game a lot more meaningful to the player. It allowed the player to strategize as to how the group would approach the raid, how the raid would pan out, and how the final boss would be fought.

How is Social Media Changing The Franchise World

As you already know, an increasing number of individuals utilize their smartphones for using social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube every day. And, this is the primary reason why a wide range of companies started using and relying on the aforementioned websites for marketing their merchandise and services, and, of course, they also use it for communicating with their audience.

Social media websites can be considered as tools that provide various aspects of advertising and engagement in one program, and that is something that was previously unavailable to companies. Although you might think that these platforms are time-consuming and simply a fad, you cannot deny that the platforms allowed businesses to thrive.

Until recently, these websites were somewhat optional for business, however, now, companies cannot survive without it. The franchise market’s success story has been defined by being consistent and continuous, but, without the powerful tool of social media pages, the entire industry can easily break down.

Franchises can, in fact, build an active social media advertising plan – or several of them – and if you are interested in learning more this, you’ll find this article to be quite helpful for you. The text below is going to feature the uses and advantages of these platforms for advertising your franchise. Let’s take a closer look:

Source: pixabay.com

What Can Social Media Provide My Business With?

There are various things that these advertising tools can provide your organization with. However, the most significant things include:

1. It Changes How You Communicate Your Brand’s Mission

Naturally, the process of making your brand will start offline. Before you choose 1 or 2 platforms, both your advertising team and you need to build an engaging story that will tell people what your vision is for the future of your organization, as well as what your end objective is.

The objective you have will shape the strategy you need to implement. This means that you should not base your decisions on the popular trends, instead, that a closer look at the objective you have, and then make that vision a reality. No matter what the external factors are. When you figure out what your vision is then you can start engaging individuals on the website you choose.

Source: pixabay.com

2. It Can Be Automated, Meaning That it Will Make Things Easier For You

Social media comes with automation, which means that it will allow you to be consistent and successful when advertising online. Of course, you do not only want to be consistent with answering customers’ questions but in how much you post as well. Naturally, one of the biggest benefits of these websites is that you can quickly react and engage with clients.

However, you should also focus on establishing a balance with your posts – so, you can make sure that the most important topics for your brands are covered in the things you post. You should take advantage of automation programs that can publish your posts when you want. Hence, you will have time for other things.

3. It Can Allow You to Engage With Your Clients Instead of Only Selling Products/Services to Them

When it comes to being successful in your social media advertising campaigns, there are three things you must keep in mind. The first thing is that you need to be consistent – which is quite essential when you are writing, as well as posting images and videos on your pages.

The next thing is being interactive. This means that your posts need to be interactive. For example, you can create polls and quizzes that your customers can engage with. And third, provide your clients with insights, meaning that you should show them how your company works. If you want to see what experts can help you with, check out Rallio for more information.

Source: pixabay.com

What Benefits Can I Gain?

When it comes to marketing your franchise organization on a wide range of social media platforms, there are hundreds of benefits you can gain. However, some of the most notable benefits, one that can allow your business to thrive even more include:

1. Affordable Advertising – when you choose to market your products or services on websites such as Instagram or Facebook, you won’t need to have a large budget. In fact, you’ll only need a budget for sponsoring or promoting your posts so that they can reach more people.

2. It is Naturally Viral – one of the best benefits you can gain is that your clients can share your posts and products with their family members or friends by clicking a button. This means that you can easily gain more clients by word of mouth, which basically means – free advertising for you.

3. Boosts Brand Awareness – by using these platforms, you can ensure that you boost your brand awareness, as well as your online reputation. Which is something that is quite important in the technology-driven world we live in, especially since people use their smartphones every day.

Source: pixabay.com

4. It Can Increase Traffic – if you implement an online advertising strategy that is well-planned, you can boost and improve the traffic to your website. Additionally, by doing so, you’ll also be able to increase the number of sales, hence, increasing your monthly earnings and overall revenue.

5. You Can Find Your Franchise Community – by finding your franchise community, you’ll be able to start publishing common messages and posts via the Franchiser’s corporate social media channels. This can boost your audience on other platforms as well, hence, increasing your audience and building your brand further.

6. Engaging With Your Customers And Getting Data – as previously discussed, you’ll be able to engage with your customers more, however, you can also get data from them. This data is crucial for your business, especially since it can provide you with insights about what your customers want and need.

Source: pixabay.com

Conclusion

So, social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, are, in fact, changing the franchise industry quite a lot. And, as you were able to read, it is changing it for the better. To make things even better, it will provide your company with various benefits, ones that you can use to your advantage.

Hence, now that you know how it is changing the franchise industry, as well as the benefits you can reap, you should not waste any more time. Instead, you should start thinking about what social media advertising would fit your business best!

Why is Grease Trap Cleaning Important For Your Business?

Owning a restaurant or any other foodservice establishment requires the installation and use of certain devices in the kitchen. Anyone who has ever worked in the service industry is probably quite familiar with a device known as a grease trap and has most likely experienced the disadvantages it brings along if it is not cleaned regularly and properly. And while at home, individuals can try cleaning it on their own, it is a difficult and time-consuming task that is best left to the professionals. This is why commercial establishments that use grease traps should always hire a cleaning service to do the job.

These devices are also often referred to as grease interceptors and businesses are required by law to install them into their kitchens. They offer many advantages, not to mention they are great for the environment too.

With proper care and regular maintenance, they will serve you a long time, but if you are unfamiliar with what they are exactly, how they work, and why cleaning them is of utmost importance, here is everything you need to know.

Source: Grease Trap Cleaning

What Is It & How Does It Work?

A grease trap or interceptor is a plumbing device designed to trap fat, oil, and grease collectively referred to as FOG and prevent them from entering and clogging pipes and sewers. These devices have been around for a very long time with very little changes to the mechanics behind them.

The traps mainly use the rules of gravity to trap not only FOG but also chunks of food and they are a basic part of any food establishment’s sanitary system. Since oil and grease float atop of water, this is the main principle these machines were constructed upon.

Using only a couple of mechanical components such as a reservoir and water pump, they allow the water to cool down and settle before releasing it through a pipe and into the sewer. In the meantime, it traps FOG by letting it rise to the top of the reservoir while the chunks of food sink to the bottom. And although the water that remains in the middle might still contain some grease, the majority of it, about 90%, will remain in the tank.

Does it Prevent Clogs and Blockages Completely?

Logically, clogs or blockages will only occur if one does not clean the trap often enough and properly. Although commercial machines can hold a lot of waste, they might need a thorough cleaning every month or at the very least, every 90 days, mostly depending on the reservoir size and how often the device is used.

It might be a good idea to create a weekly or bi-weekly check-up schedule to monitor how full the tank is. Optimally, once about 25% of it is filled with FOG, one should contact a commercial grease trap service.

Source: Twitter

Is Hiring a Commercial Service Truly Necessary?

Unless you have the experience, time, and the right tools for the job, hiring a team of professionals is the best thing you can do. Just like with the installation, they are trained and equipped with the necessary skills to quickly and effectively get the job done.

You can visit houstontxgrease.com if you are interested in learning more about the types of services these companies offer.

Why is Regular Maintenance Crucial?

There are several reasons why this is important. These reasons include:

Source: Pinterest

1. The Prevention of Clogs & Blockages

The more waste piles up, the higher the chances of clogs or drainage system blockages are. Moreover, it will also send more chunks and FOG through the pipe and into the sewer, eventually slowing down the entire system. Over time, this might lead to waste back-up and overflow, causing issues and expensive damages to your establishment.

2. Avoiding Foul Odors

Food and waste decomposition is a natural process and once it starts happening, smells that are far from pleasant start to spread, even when it is happening underground and not inside the tank. Besides being bothersome and unsanitary for the workers, the nasty odor can soon begin to spread throughout the restaurant.

Not only will you start losing customers but your establishment’s reputation might also face irreversible damage. This is something you will want to avoid at all costs since it can leave long-lasting negative effects on your business.

Source: medium.com

3. Making it Easier to Clean

The longer the waste sits in the reservoir, the more it will harden, eventually sticking to the bottom strongly. This will make cleaning it almost impossible, drastically reducing the capacity of your tank, not to mention it is also quite unsanitary.

4. Bypassing Unnecessary Expenses

Waste contains a variety of chemicals that can become harmful as they start decomposing. These substances can also lead to tank corrosion which then leads to leakage, meaning you will have to replace your device and spend money on something you could have easily avoided with regular maintenance.

Source: Grease RECYCLING

5. Avoiding Penalties & Losses

Individuals will have to pay fines for violating laws that are based on the number of committed offenses. What’s even worse, if any of the neighboring properties have suffered any damage, for example, due to sewer backup, the person at fault will be required to pay for all the necessary repairs.

In the worst-case scenario, a business’s operations can be temporarily suspended or in the most extreme cases, business owners can lose their licenses.

6. Preventing Pollution

The chemicals released by stagnant food waste isn’t only detrimental to the machine’s tank, but also the environment, especially animal life. Additionally, preventing it from entering the sewer system is also important for public health and safety, not to mention that it will also prevent the formation of harmful bacteria.

Source: New Orleans Grease Trap Cleaning

Conclusion

Cleaning a grease trap properly requires appropriate tools and this is exactly why hiring a service to do the job is the best decision you can make. Moreover, these professionals have the proper training to finish everything efficiently, saving you time and money in the process.

Regular maintenance will help you avoid unnecessary issues and ensure that your business is following all the codes and regulations it has to as well. This will keep your working environment sanitary and safe, protect your reputation and keep your business running efficiently and smoothly in the process too.

13 Genius New Inventions in 2024

For something to be considered an invention, at least some part has to be something that has never been seen before. If such an idea has ever been mentioned or used before, it is not subject to the rules of patents. It doesn’t have to be 100% unique in terms of technical elements, but the idea must be unique.

The exception is if two known ideas merge into something that has a completely different application. The point is, it’s a whole new invention.

Many believe they have invented something completely new and are trying to protect their patent. But they are often rejected because they do not meet all the requirements. Therefore, it also brings a very poor market placement. If by any chance you have an invention worthy of attention, learn more here how to get your product to market

But that is certainly not the case with the inventions that we will outline here, and which will be of great importance to the world in 2024 and beyond.

1. Flight Forward

Source: dronenr

UPS is in the testing phase of this amazing program. They use drones to deliver tissue, blood and other medically related things to hospitals. Everyone who participated was delighted, results was much better than conventional delivery, so more is expected this year.

2. A mind-reading bracelet

Source: Scientific American

A US scientist has devised a special bracelet that reads the electrical impulses of neurons traveling along the muscles of the arms or legs. He tests them by sitting in front of a screen equipped with a bracelet, moving his mind around the objects his computer displays.

The neuroscientist has envisioned that the bracelet will assist in the rehabilitation of patients recovering from stroke or amputation, as well as those suffering from Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and other severe neurodegenerative diseases.

The bracelet is connected to a computer and reads electrical impulses of motor neurons. It transmits these impulses to the computer as a movement. This means that the owner of the bracelet can only think of moving objects around the screen as if it were a mouse.

3. 3D digital heart

Source: Detroit Jewish News

To help patients with heart disease avoid invasive diagnostic methods, the professors designed an individual 3D model of the heart where doctors can design treatment for each patient without invasive procedures.

4. Pocket ultrasound

Source: New Atlas

Instead of expensive hospital appliances, pocket ultrasound will make this examination more accessible in poor countries. This will allow patients to go to this type of examination more often.

Instead of expensive ultrasound devices that many hospitals cannot afford, a small portable device that fits in their pocket is designed. Its ultrasound can be paired with an app on a smartphone.

Mini ultrasound cannot replace the original apparatus, but it can assist in diagnosis. There are hundreds more such smart innovations on the market that will make healthcare cheaper and more affordable and allow humanity to make the most of what modern technology can provide.

5. AI diagnosis for cancer

Source: Verdict

In lung cancer, radiologists often misinterpret the results. That’s why the Google team designed an artificial intelligence system that reads the findings more reliably. They say the project is still underway.

6. Virtual Recovery

Source: WLFI.com

The British doctor designed glasses that, with the help of virtual reality, help people with neurological injuries perform many types of exercises that help them recover much faster.

7. A cure for diabetes

Source: UCL

Instead of continuous insulin injections and a controlled diet, patients with type 1 diabetes may soon have the disease controlled by stem cell implants. They will produce the necessary insulin in the body. The author says that the invention works on animals, so it is believed that it will affect humans as well.

8. Additional advancement of artificial intelligence and expansion of use

Source: CIO.com

Although we have become accustomed to artificial intelligence all around us, especially with mobile phone assistants like Siri, we are looking forward to further improvements.

Advances in the use of artificial intelligence in manufacturing are expected, with several US start-ups leading the way. The richest people in the world like Bezos actively participated in the project.

9. Expanding and developing the Internet of things

Source: Datafloq

The Internet of Things is certainly a concept of the future and we will all use it someday, but it has not been so widespread so far. With the development of 5G, large growth in IoT users is expected. All leading companies like Amazon are developing applications that will fit into this system. Stay tuned!

10. Increasing prevalence of quantum computers

Source: Tech Wire Asia

Due to the increasing volume of work that ordinary computers have to do, the commercialization of quantum computers is underway. We expect a major leap in 2024 and to expand to various government administrations. Google, Microsoft and all the other tech giants have invested heavily in the development of quantum computers. By the end of the year, expect a new chip of unimaginable data processing speed in the market.

11. 5G will take over the primacy

Source: CIO.com

Although it already hit the market in the world’s largest cities last year, it is expected to expand massively this year. The “war” between China and the USA, which will be the first to cover the entire country with the 5G network, will reach climax in 2024. For the time being, USA seems to be leading, with the help of SpaceX’s Starlink project, which will launch a large number of small satellites to further improve internet speed.

12. Autonomous vehicles

Source: IoT Tech News

Autonomous vehicles are no longer a matter of SF films. It’s something that will become a common thing in the coming decades. There is increasing progress every year, and so will it be in 2024. What is currently an unachievable goal for all companies is the level 5 autonomy of vehicles. And that means they are completely independent of human assistance. It would not be surprising that Tesla or Volvo or some of the leading companies are approaching or achieving this goal in 2024.

13. 8K TVs

Source: Twice

Although they already exist, they have almost no purpose because of the extremely low 8K content. New 8K cameras are expected this year, which will contribute to the advancement of TVs of this type and more widespread use. It also mentions the emergence of a TV that can roll like a picture. So far, we have not seen what it looks like or what technologies it will use to achieve it, but the leading companies in this field announce that it is not far from the final realization.

Conclusion:

Humanity is making unstoppable progress in every field, bringing us things from the future every day. We cannot wait to see what will surprise us all in 2024.

How the China Ban Uncovered the Flaws in Global Recycling

Since recycling started being promoted as the solution to the impact our ever-increasing amount of waste was having on our environment, it has developed into a $200 billion global industry.

Companies all over the world lined up to take this waste off our hands and turn an impressive profit in the process. But when China drastically reduced imports at the end of 2017, this lucrative trade went into crisis, uncovering the flaws in a system reliant on exporting rather than efficient domestic management.

Source: pixabay.com

The “National Sword” Policy

Strictly speaking, China still allows some types of plastic waste, but it has imposed such a high standard in regards to purity, that most of those working in the industry view it as a ban. The reason was that it was receiving a high amount of contaminated materials that were very difficult or impossible to recycle which was raising environmental and health concerns for both the government and the population.

The “National Sword” policy was so strict that when the announcement was made, many of those in the industry speculated that it wouldn’t actually be put into practice, but nevertheless, China and Hong Kong shifted from importing 60% of the world’s plastic recyclables at the beginning of 2017 to less than 10% when the policy started being reinforced.

This led to higher waste exports to other countries such as Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia where semi-legal and illegal recycling companies started popping up to make some easy money. But their practices quickly triggered a reaction from local environmentalists and now governments across the region are cracking down on imports.

To understand how this is affecting the local population let’s use electronic waste as an example. Unethical recycling companies will declare electronic waste as plastic and then burn it to extract the copper which they can sell. This releases noxious smoke over the surrounding villages, causing health issues. Processing of e-waste is far more toxic than that of plastic, as it contains harmful substances like lead.

All this may shift the trash from one part of the world to another but it does nothing for the environment as it does not curb air and water pollution which affects us all, no matter in which country we live.

Source: pixabay.com

The Basel Convention

Many of these companies cite the Basel Convention to make their practices seem legitimate. This treaty, called The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, came into effect in 1992 and it regulates the movement of hazardous waste between countries, with a focus on less developed nations.

However, it fails to offer any enforcement provisions and only requires “prior informed consent” which as we have shown with the e-waste example, can be easily sidestepped. As a result, many countries and NGOs argue that this is not enough and are pushing for a total ban.

Since the Treaty doesn’t cover plastic waste, Norway proposed to add some forms of plastic to the list of regulated materials so that shipments with these types of plastic would also require “prior informed consent”.

The EU opposes the proposal as it would stifle trade and possibly lead to more restrictions reducing the possibilities for export. But many of the facilities that are supposed to recycle this waste are not verified by their clients, they don’t check if they actually have the equipment to safely recycle the waste they’re importing.

Source: pixabay.com

Recycling Programs in Developed Countries Are at a Standstill

In many parts of Europe, incineration is on the rise as a temporary solution to handling the massive amounts of waste that no longer have any place to go but the landfills. In the UK, almost 11 million tons were sent to waste-to-energy plants for burning in 2018. That’s a huge difference from the 665,000 tons in 2017. Even the most advanced incinerators can still emit harmful pollutants like dioxins, a problem which has garnered strong reactions from environmentalists and scientists.

For many cities in the US, decades of reliance on China has led to a crisis, now having to reduce their previously well-established recycling programs or sending a large part of the collected materials to the landfills.

Australia is likewise struggling to handle the millions of tons of recyclable waste it was sending to China.

We might have gotten a good feeling out of putting our trash in the recycling bins, but we didn’t really give much thought to how effective or “sustainable” this practice really was.

Source: pixabay.com

Long-Term Solutions

The over reliance on Chinese recycling facilities has held back the development of domestic infrastructure and markets. Right now, our most cost-effective option is incineration. But over the next decade, over 100 million tons of plastic waste will need to be handled, preferably in more environmentally friendly ways.

One approach is to reduce the rate at which we produce this waste. Since the 1950s, plastic has become one of the most widespread man-made materials on our planet, with the amount doubling in the past 16 years as single use, disposable products became more common.

In an effort to reduce pollution, the UK intends to increase the taxes for plastic packaging manufacturers who use less than 30% recycled materials. You can find out more about UK recycling strategies by visiting miltek.co.uk.  For the same purposes, Norway has developed a system of taxation for single-use plastic bottle. The manufacturers will pay an environmental levy which decreases with return rates and the bottles must have no toxic additives and water-soluble labels.

The European Parliament is in turn, banning single-use plastic products such as cutlery and straws. In the US, several cities and major companies are doing the same.

Hundreds of new sorting and recycling facilities will need to be built by 2025 in order to mitigate the effects of the China ban, so in the meantime, working with manufacturers to redesign packaging and reducing the amount of waste we produce is the best we can do.

We still don’t know how much the China ban will contribute to pollution but, in the long term, this wake-up call might prove to be positive as it forces us to see the importance of waste reduction and of developing better legislation and infrastructure to handle it.

Wedding Day Beauty Prep Guide for Bridesmaids – 2024 Guide

Source: harpersbazaar

The wedding day is one of the important days of the lives of the bride and the groom. But this day is also a really important event for the bridesmaids and groomsmen. You’ve been honored with that title by people that love and cherish you and you definitely want to look the best on that day.

Every girl wants to look amazing at her friend’s wedding and who knows, maybe you will find the love of your life at that event. There are so many things that the brides must do so they look perfect on their special day, but the bridesmaid also needs to take care of a lot to look amazing.

Here we are going to talk about the beauty prep every bridesmaid must do before the big day. Luckily for you, you don’t have to start preparing months in advance as the bride does, but there sure are a lot of things that you have to do to look as good as you can.

Dresses

Source: theknot

The dress is usually chosen by the bride along with her entourage, but if somehow you can pick your own dress, then you need to take care of that as soon as you can. Do you plan on changing your weight or hitting the gym before the big day? If the answer is yes, then you can pick the dress you like, but be prepared to make some changes to it. Make sure that the people in the store know about it and make sure that the last fitting is scheduled one week before the wedding.

Don’t pick anything that’s white and try to color coordinate with the other bridesmaids. If the bride does not want that, then you can pick whatever style or color you want. Try to opt for something modest that will show off your curves, but that won’t be too revealing.

Hair

Source: harpersbazaar

There is one rule that you should not do anything drastic to your hair days before the wedding. If you want to cut it short, do that a few months before the big day. If you plan on changing the color, change it at least a few weeks before the event so that you have time to re-dye it if needed. You can even schedule a test hair appointment to have some idea of what would look the best for you and what style or color to choose.

In these cases, you need to pick a good saloon and a good hairdresser and you should trust the expert. They know what color looks best on your skin type and they know which style will look the best depending on the shape of your face. However, if you don’t like the test hairstyle, you can choose something else for the main event.

Face and Makeup

Source: beautifulbridesphilly

To have a nice and glowing skin you need to take care of it every day, not just before big events. Don’t forget to use the proper lotions every day on your face, exfoliate once per week and always use a night cream. If you want to keep your skin looking fresh and smooth and if you want to postpone those wrinkles and fine lines you have to remove the makeup and clean your face before you go to bed.

There are many ways to keep your skin young and not just your face. If you want to make your skin look fresh and spotless, bi-inter suggests using hyaluronic acid and vitamin c. If you have problematic skin and acne, it is smart to go to the dermatologist at least a month before the wedding.

When it comes to makeup, you should follow the same guidelines as the hair process. Try to schedule a test makeup appointment so you have some idea of what your face would look like and to basically test the skills of the person who is going to do your makeup.

If there is anything you don’t like then you should not stick with those colors and that person or cosmetic salon. Make sure that their brushes are clean and just pay attention to the little details.

Tan

Source: refinery29

If you want to have a little bit of tan, there are few ways you could do that. You can go to a tanning salon or you can do it at home. If you are doing it at home, then you need to be really careful and really smart about it.

Make sure you exfoliate your body first and that you use high-quality products. It is good if you have someone there to help you so that you don’t have spots all over your skin. Be extra careful when it comes to your face. There are a lot of self-tanning lotions that will help you do the job, and you need to follow the instructions on how much product you should use. It is also important to wear protective gloves so you don’t end up with your hands and palms looking too dark.

Try gradual tanners and do that at least a few weeks before the wedding so you have time to reapply it if needed or to exfoliate it off if you don’t like it.

Nails

Source: savvytokyo

Last but not least, having nails that look perfect will complete the whole look. For this, it is best to visit an expert that can get your nails done in just an hour or two. Try to combine the colors with the color of your dress or with your makeup.

They should complement your look and they should not stand out too much. Just make sure the place you are visiting has high ratings because you don’t want your nail to break just a few hours before the wedding. If you put fake nails on, try to do that at least a few weeks or a month before the big day so you can get used to them. Get them done again a few days before the wedding so you have fresh and beautiful nails.

Do you have any special way to take care of your skin and to make yourself even more beautiful? One thing you should know is that you should take care of yourself every day and not just before big events. Your skin and your hair will be glowing if you follow the right diet, drink a lot of water and if you use the right product. Don’t put too many products on and just find the combination that works for you.

What Makes Purchasing Stamps Online Special?

Source: onlinestamp

People who desire to have a postal solution to meet their constant delivery of packages can do so by purchasing stamps online. Be you an individual or a business entity, this service is cut out to meet either your small or robust delivery needs anytime any day. Gone are those days when you had to rush to a postal outlet near you, stay in long seemingly endless queues, and get served after a long period of time by an exhaustive postal service staff member who would record your details, weigh your package and specify the postage, before payments can be made; a daunting process that could take forever to complete and happen almost every time you need to deliver a package.

This process can irritate and wear out anyone who is in constant need of such a service. It is also inconvenient as one would need to leave his or her work even in bad weather conditions. Another factor that makes it uncomfortable is that you may need to carry bulky or heavy goods all the time from your location to the postal service outlet for delivery. Last but not the least, your job could be affected, as your employer would be faced with you being away most of the time; something that will not be tolerated. Even if you were a business owner, you would be confronted with the risk of being away from your business just to deliver your package at a fixed time of the day. This becomes more challenging if the postal service outlet is not close to your business area. Long commutes from your location to that of the postal service company can be time-consuming, besides the time that would be spent in the company. It does not provide any form of flexibility or convenience for both business owners and employees.

Source: thesprucecrafts

With the advent of online postal services, one is presented with the option of delivery packages to recipients anytime, any day, and anywhere, just from the comfort of one’s zone and with the click of a button. However, uncommon parcels or letters may still require the service of a physical postal outlet. Nevertheless, infrequent items require that you purchase a book of stamps online which is easier than visiting the local postal service outlet. These stamps can be purchased for letters or packages within a specific dimension. By using this service, you can be assured that your packages get to the doorsteps of your recipients quickly and easily. In some cases, it may even take a few hours to have them delivered, all from your location.

You can purchase stamp books containing certain amounts of stamps as specified by you. This helps you save costs, as they are being sold at low prices. Needless to say, you have to ensure that your letter or package is within the specified dimension and weight class to prevent such items from being delayed when posted. Although some postal service methods such as this one may not provide insurance for your postage which may be disadvantageous if your package is of high value. Hence, it is only suitable for domestic or small business needs. Nevertheless, you can still buy stamps online in a format that gives you more flexibility; especially if this for unusual packages with an odd size or weight.

Steps To Print Online Stamps

Source: nicepng

Preparing and printing your postal stamps is easier than you think. With good internet, PC, and a standard printer, you are good to go. One of the perks you get printing your stamps is the ability to customize it as you wish. Also, as discussed in the previous segment, you get value for your money, time, and effort. Printing stamps online is a precise and straightforward process. Below are guided steps for you to follow:

Log Onto Your Postage Stamp Account

There are various online sites out there that provide you with the option to print your postage stamps. All you need is to create an account with them if you do not have one. The process required in opening one is easy. Fill in your personal details including your shipping address on their information page. Once you have done this, your account will be up and running immediately.

You can sign in to your account to print your postal stamps. Some sites offer a free trial for a period of time, while other free sites may offer only a limited number of print outs.

Customize Your Postage Stamp

With the availability of various editing software, you can easily design your postage stamp using any preferred format. You can choose and edit your images with the aid of this software. Your business logo and image can be selected as your postage stamp design. Some of these editing tools include Corel Draw, PhotoFunia, and Tuxpi.

Source: onlinestamp

Add An Address

Once you have edited the image you intend to use, the next step is to add an address. This can be done manually. However, there are several postage stamp design tools that make it easier for you to automatically import addresses and contact information from Outlook and other services.

Print Out Your Postage Stamp Account With A Standard Printer

The final step needed is for you to print out your hard copy of the postage stamp. You need a standard printer and stamp paper to have your online stamp printed. It is also possible to print your stamps on an envelope. There are various computer programs that handle this task effortlessly. Once you are done printing your online stamps, you can address the envelope using a constant style.

FAQs About Online Stamps

Source: simplystamps

Here are some frequently asked questions about online stamp print outs.

  • Are any special equipment needed to print online stamps?

You do require any special electronic gadget to print out your postage stamps. All you need is your PC, printer, paper, and account.

  • Does it cost more printing online than a Post Office?

Actually, it is less expensive to print your postage stamps online than getting them from the post office. Besides, you do not need much to get your print outs.

  • Can you have multiple users on a single account?

Yes, it is possible for different individuals to share an account, depending on the postage company you have an account with. This makes it easier and more convenient.

If you like to know more about how to access this type of service, please visit this link: onlinestamp.net.

How to Build a Skincare Routine for Dry Skin – 2024 Guide

Source: skincare

While browsing social media websites such as Facebook or Instagram, you always notice that the models on these sites always look like they have the perfect skin. This makes you wonder just what kind of a routine they go through the day to look like that. Well, the first thing you will need to understand is that a lot of those social media models probably use a lot of Photoshop to hide their imperfections such as dryness, blemishes, oiliness and so on. So, achieving their look is impossible without makeup or digitally altering your image.

However, you can still make your skin look great if you start doing the right skincare routine through the mornings and evenings. Building such a routine is not as easy as you might think. You will need to do a bit of research to find what will suit you the best.

Fortunately for you, we have already gone through that research and can give you the best advice to build your own skincare routine for dry skin.

Find out your skin type

Source: cosmext

Before you start picking up products from the supermarket shelves, you will first need to analyze yourself and determine what kind of skin type you have

Dry. Probably the most common type which makes your face look rough and plain, sometimes you might even see flakes gathering around your nose, eyes, and eyebrows. The best way to determine whether it is this type is to go and wash your face. If you see fine lines showing up right after you washed, you definitely have this type of skin. For this condition, you will need to use a lot of moisturizing products, to keep your face hydrated and healthy.

Normal. What most people call normal is when you naturally have a perfect balance between dryness and oiliness. This, however, does not mean that you should avoid building your own routine to cleanse and moisturize.

Oily. When your body starts producing too much sebum (the oily substance that helps the skin be moisturized), the chances of having an acne breakout is much higher. A lot of people also hate the look of too much shininess on the face which is why they prefer to have a skincare routine to get rid of the excess amounts of oil.

In this article, we are going to help you deal with the dry type of skin. If you need more information about dealing with these other types of skin and dryness, check out bi-inter.

Morning Routine

Source: lorealparisusa

No matter how many and how expensive products you have bought to deal with your dryness, they won’t be effective if you do not go through the right procedure in the morning. It is important that you give your face the right treatment before applying anything to it.

The first thing you will want to do in the morning is to wash your face. Avoid using too hot or too cold water, find a middle ground leaning towards the warmer side. Do not splash all over yourself, but gently start rubbing like you are trying to give yourself a massage. The warm water and the rubbing will help the pores open up.

Don’t use a towel yet. Get your favorite cleanser, apply it to the palm of your hands and again start gently rubbing on your face. Make sure that you do not use too much force. You are supposed to feel comfortable and relaxed while doing this, not like you are fighting with yourself. Once you have applied the cleanser, wait for twenty to thirty seconds and then wash off your hands and your face again. With a soft, cotton towel you can now dry yourself.

Source: cosmext

After you are done washing, the next thing you should do is use a toner, although this one is optional. If you plan on using a toner, make sure that you do it always after cleansing and before all the other steps of your routine. A few drops in the palm of your hands will be more than enough. Again, make sure you gently rub it in, do not use too much force. Once you have applied the toner, take a short break and you can move on to the next step.

The next part of the routine is to apply serum. This one again is optional, so if you do not like using them, you do not have to and just skip this step. If you do plan on using serums then we recommend that you use water-based ones. Serums are usually filled with ingredients such as vitamin C, hyaluronic acid and retinol that can protect your face from anything that might provoke a breakout, redness or even a rash.

Another very important part when it comes to dealing with dryness is the moisturizer. Both the cleanser and the moisturizer are steps that should not be skipped when building your own skincare routine for the mornings.

Source: alcheme

If you do not feel like using sunscreen after applying all of these products, then you could consider buying a brand of moisturizer that has its own SPF protection. Make sure that you buy one that has over 25 SPF to protect yourself from the harmful UV rays.

If you are having trouble with acne breakouts then we recommend that you also include retinoids in your early routine. Retinoids are vitamers of vitamin A or are usually chemically related to it, which can be used for acne prevention and to lighten up darker spots on your face. Keep in mind, not everyone handles this type of product the same, so make sure you start applying just a tiny bit or you might cause irritation. After a week of testing the grounds, you can start applying more and more to satisfy your needs.

Our last advice to you for dealing with dryness is to be consistent. If you do not follow your routine at least several times a week, you will not see any benefits or positive effects.

What to Do With Some Old and Unwanted Jewelry – 2024 Guide

Source: Jewelers Bench

Wearing jewelry has always been one of the best ways to show that you enjoy the finer things in life and living comfortably. However, items such as necklaces, rings and other types of accessories are sometimes pretty expensive to purchase, and if you end up not liking them anymore after some time, it’s a shame to let them go to waste.

This happens quite often because our taste for aesthetics changes over the years, so something that looked stunning to you in your teenage years may be the complete opposite now that you’re older. This doesn’t mean that you have to throw it away though, because that would be a huge waste of money and resources, and there are a lot of smarter things to do instead.

In this article, we are going to give you a few ideas for things that you can do with some of your old and unwanted jewelry, so if you are currently dealing with a situation like this, or you are just curious enough to hear what we have to say, feel free to continue reading until the end. Let’s take a look.

1. Consider gifting it to a friend

Source: Budsies

Instead of throwing away an item that you no longer want to wear, you can consider gifting it to someone close to you. It can be a birthday gift or a present for any other occasion, such as a wedding or an anniversary.

These types of gifts are usually much appreciated and they are kept for a long time. They sometimes even become the legacy of a certain family, and they are passed from one knee to another, so gifting is probably the best way to “get rid” of something that you don’t want to wear anymore. However, there comes another scenario, where a person needs money at the moment, so gifting is not the best option compared to the following one on our list, which is selling.

2. Selling it to the right place

Source: Washington Post

Selling an old and unwanted item is the best way to get some of the cash that you’ve spent on it back, but since jewelry is quite expensive, it’s very important to find the right place if you finally made up your mind to sell.

Now, when it comes to determining the price for your item, it will greatly vary depending on the condition, if it’s damaged externally, the material and a bunch of other extra factors. This means that you shouldn’t be disappointed if the price is a lot lower than what you paid for the initial purchase, but it also means that you should not allow someone to “lowball” you with a bad offer.

So, how exactly do you find the right person to sell to? Well, you can visit your local jewelry scrapper, and ask them to recommend a price. Then, you can visit a bunch of other ones and try to compare the prices. This greatly reduces the chances of you getting scammed, because you’ll quickly realize what the current standard for your item is, due to the insight of the other scrappers. If you still struggle to find someone trustworthy after all this, you can click here.

3. Gifting to charity

Source: Capital Gazette

If you’re recently feeling like you are more fortunate than others, it’s always a great idea to gift some of your unused jewelry to charity. Maybe all of your friends and relatives already have what they need in life, so why not do a very humane deed and gift some of it to those in need.

A lot of charity organizations usually strive for donations such as clothes and food, but that doesn’t mean that they won’t accept some jewels as well. Anything that can be sold and turned into money that can help those in need is a welcomed gift. Consider doing this if you are thinking about scrapping the things you are not wearing. At least you will make someone’s life better and restore some hope in humanity. As a good start, you can check Me to We foundation here.

4. Open up an online shop

Source: Vox

Maybe you don’t feel like selling to your local jewelers, so instead, you want to create your online shop and set your custom prices. Or even better, if you happen to be someone who creates these types of items, creating an online store is probably the best way to make some profit out of it.

A lot of jewelry creators end up with many extras, things that they won’t be wearing anymore due to the change of taste or simply because they created an improved version. This means that if you are one of these people, instead of throwing away your time and effort, you can make it count and get some extra cash out of it. The internet is an amazing thing and it opens up a lot of possibilities these days, even though we cannot see most of them.

5. Consider completely scrapping them

Source: LiveAbout

You are probably wondering why we are listing something for the second time, but the truth is, we’re not. Scrapping and selling are two completely different things, and here’s why. When you are selling a piece of jewelry to a person, you are selling it for the looks, the design and a lot of other reasons, mostly aesthetic. You are selling an item as a whole, so the price will be impacted by how it looks if it is damaged, etc.

Scrapping, on the other hand, is an entirely different scenario. When you are scrapping an item, you are doing it purely for the materials. So, this means that even if your item is slightly scratched or damaged, it won’t matter, because they are going to smelt it and use the silver or the gold for example to create something new. Depending on the quality of your item, sometimes it is a lot smarter to scrap it, and other times it’s better to sell it as a whole item, although most jewelry shops will have both options available for you upon visiting.

Historical Samurai Armor

Restoring the Past: The Conservation of Historical Samurai Armor

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Samurai armor is not only a symbol of Japan’s warrior past but also a significant piece of art and history. Over the centuries, samurai...