More and more people are promoting fair trade practices. This movement focuses on helping producers and workers in developing countries receive higher, fairer prices and helping improve working...
Organic gardening is becoming more and more popular. People are becoming increasingly concerned about the quality of foods they eat, and are turning to organic foods with higher levels of nutrition...
Being an urban farmer who has in recent years been greatly unappreciated, I feel it’s only right that I speak out on the matter of organic food and venues that supply it. I hope to express why...
Many potential new homeowners today are looking for sustainable and eco-friendly construction, not only to benefit the environment, but to save on monthly mortgage payments as well. Site’s like...
If you or someone you know has had the misfortune of needing medical attention this year, this may be an issue that couldn’t have been further from your mind at the time. However, someone needs...
Green transportation is becoming more and more popular but it still has yet to really make it into the mainstream. There are plenty of incentives to purchase these cars like lower interest rates and...
Last week I was researching about roll off dumpster rental at http://www.dumpsterrentalzone.com/roll-off-dumpster-rental/ in preparation for my home renovation plans when I stumbled upon talk about...
People still talk about whether or not the cash for clunkers program was beneficial and if so, just how beneficial it was. Did the government even make a dent in the giant task of reducing carbon...
More and more people are promoting fair trade practices. This movement focuses on helping producers and workers in developing countries receive higher, fairer prices and helping improve working conditions for farmers and factory workers.
You can choose to support free trade practices by purchasing free trade goods in supermarkets. In the UK, FLO Fair Trade oversees free trade products being sold. These products are identified with a special logo.
Organic gardening is becoming more and more popular. People are becoming increasingly concerned about the quality of foods they eat, and are turning to organic foods with higher levels of nutrition to ward off health concerns and sustain a vital body. The benefits of going organic greatly outweigh the time and energy involved.
Being an urban farmer who has in recent years been greatly unappreciated, I feel it’s only right that I speak out on the matter of organic food and venues that supply it. I hope to express why this is actually more important than people seriously think. I am very much behind and support the idea of a farmer’s market because it is usually open from May until October and provides a fabulous opportunity for people to sell the goods they have created all year and/or produce. Fresh unpolluted fruits and vegetables are our right to have and essential in keeping us all healthy. If people would really stop supporting all of those horrendous corporate food suppliers and started to “get back to tradition” then we would all be much better off in the long run.
Perhaps it is because of the trying economic times that we live in, or just ignorance and lack of education, but it’s high time that things changed in favor of the “little guy” again instead of money-hungry organizations that care nothing for the health of society. What would someone who is only interested in lining their pockets know about organic food and health anyway? For the consumers out there, the health benefits of regional food and proven supplementsare probably one of the most crucial advantages of all. What many fail to realize or turn just simply turn a blind eye to is that produce is treated with various chemical elements at every stage of the processing. There are insecticides, fungicides, pesticides, herbicides and everything else on the list and none of them being, “my side.” This is just for fruits and vegetables. I won’t even get into all of the factory farm chemicals that are added to livestock and the inhumane treatments and living conditions that company employees provide them with.
If you are still not convinced that the contaminating of our food supply exists or that it’s even harmful then I strongly suggest you do your own research. While there are lots of awesome natural foods and great supplements out there that work, people will be ignorant about it and yet wonder why all of their neighbors are dropping dead from cancer and other horrible ailments. The fact that some places are even banned from producing their own organic food and crops is just criminal to the highest degree. Who gave any man the right to tell me that I cannot grow my own food on my own land in which I worked hard for to earn in the first place? The biggest question we need to ask ourselves now is, “What are we going to do about all of this?”
The time is right and the time is now that we as people in our communities got together and supported our local farmer’s market. Let people get back to the old ways of trading and it will be economically beneficial to us and a whole lot healthier for our bodies as well. If one man can surely make a difference then what change can hundreds if not thousands make?
Many potential new homeowners today are looking for sustainable and eco-friendly construction, not only to benefit the environment, but to save on monthly mortgage payments as well. Site’s like Rateline.ca are being used to calculate payments effectively. They are aware of the carbon footprint they leave behind when it comes to new home construction, and before they shop around for mortgage rates they may first be concerned with the type of home that’s available and that doesn’t impact the environment. There are more bonuses than just helping the environment when it comes to eco-friendly home designs though. As the “green revolution” is a relatively new fad, the eco-friendly designs on the market today offer an incredible level of modern convenience and suave style. Check out the latest trends in sustainable and eco-friendly construction.
The wood used inside homes is a big consideration for new homebuyers. Today many are choosing bamboo rather than hardwoods, and for a number of reasons. Bamboo grows much more quickly than other types of wood such as oak and mahogany, making it a far more sustainable wood than many of the other choices; some types of bamboo grows up to three feet in one day! By harvesting bamboo rather than other woods, a homebuyer knows that they are not stripping the rainforests. When shopping for a mortgage it may be good to ask about how these woods affect the home’s value, as in some cases it can increase the home’s resale potential. Resale value or not though, you can rest assured that repairing a bamboo floor in the event of an accident will almost certainly save you a pretty penny in that regard.
Cork and poured cement are also typically used rather than marble or granite countertops. Granite needs to be harvested and much of it is wasted through the cutting and polishing process. Cork is more sustainable and poured concrete is also more affordable. If you’re concerned about the cost of a mortgage, consider a more affordable option like concrete, which can be painted or stained in any color.
Solar panels are one of the most popular eco-friendly choices for home construction today. Solar panels do not eliminate a home’s power bill completely but they can cut a home’s consumption of city-provided power by anywhere from 20% to 50% or even more. Many homes are being built with solar panels included and other homes are having them installed because of the power savings. Generating electricity means producing a tremendous amount of pollution, so any cutbacks a person can make when it comes to their power consumption will help to reduce their carbon footprint.
These are just some eco-friendly options being included in new homes today. If you’re searching for a new mortgage for a new home, after doing your due diligence and research on mortgage rates, be sure you consider these features in any home. They may increase your home’s resale value and your overall costs for the home. This may not lower your payments any but anything that makes your home more valuable should be considered when in the market for a new home purchase.
If you or someone you know has had the misfortune of needing medical attention this year, this may be an issue that couldn’t have been further from your mind at the time.
However, someone needs to be keeping an eye on this stuff. Just how good are these doctors and nurses at recycling their unused or defective equipment and medical supplies. And what happens to all those student nurse supplies once they become qualified?
Medical equipment is generally used to diagnose, monitor, treat, assist patients with difficulties and improve their quality of life.
These can range from home medical equipment, diagnostic equipment, life support equipment, therapeutic equipment, surgical equipment, medical laboratory equipment and medical monitors.
Some of these are appropriate for home use while many are commonly used in the hospitals, care homes, clinics, rehabilitation centres, medical laboratories and diagnostic centres.
But just how much of this stuff is used one-time and then dumped in our landfills?
Here is a short overview of the several types of medical equipment that may be clogging up our landfills:
Diagnostic medical equipment is used to help in diagnosing a patient’s health problem as well as keep track of his or her progress. Equipment that is used for medical diagnosis can include medical imaging machines like x-ray machines, MRI machines, CT scanners and ultrasound machines.
Life support equipment is used to support and prolong the life of a patient and may include respirators, ventilators, hemodialysis machines, suction machines, nebulisers, electric nerve stimulator, compressors, motorised wheelchairs, kidney dialysis machines, aerosol tents and intermittent positive pressure breathing machines.
Therapeutic equipment is used in therapeutic plans like behavioural therapy, sensory integration or communication therapy plan that is designed by a healthcare professional. These are commonly used to completely implement medical intervention or therapy.
Home medical equipment includes wheelchairs, walkers, nebulisers which are used to provide medical care to patients at home. Some of this equipment does not need the help of a medical professional and can be used or operated by carers in providing patient care or the patient themselves.
Surgical equipment is medical tools designed to streamline a number of medical procedures such as examination, diagnosis, management, treatment or modification of the human body’s anatomy in order to manage an injury or diseases. These can include durable and stainless steel surgical scissors, forceps and retractors that can be sanitised, sterilised and reused along with disposable items such as needles and surgical gloves.
Medical laboratory equipment is used to analyse specimens such as blood, urine, stools, sputum or tissue so as to determine the presence of bacteria causing an infection and the information will help doctors diagnose and treat the health problems of the patient. Some of these can be used for DNA testing, detect blood type, pregnancy, sperm count or blood platelet count.
Medical monitors can include ECG machines that are used to monitor a patient that records the electrical activity of the human heart.
Most of these tools are used by medical professionals such as doctors and nurses to carry out their daily duties and are very beneficial for seniors that have medical conditions and individuals with disabilities. Medical devices that are generally used in the hospitals are operated by qualified medical specialists.
These are just some of the different types of medical equipment that are commonly used at home, in our hospitals and in other medical facilities that currently are not being disposed of correctly or in an environmentally friendly way.
Green transportation is becoming more and more popular but it still has yet to really make it into the mainstream. There are plenty of incentives to purchase these cars like lower interest rates and cash back but the question still remains is green transportation worth the cost of the loan to purchase? These cars have not been holding their value as other cars in the same class seem to do. Their resale value is likely going to be much lower than what you paid for the car in the first place. These types of cars are still pretty costly. Maintenance is often an issue because you almost have to take it to the dealership which is always more expensive than your local mechanic. The technology gets outdated very fast and they are no longer a green car, compared to what is offered the next year. Companies are making improvements by leaps and bound every day with electric car battery technology.
Even with the incentives to buy green transportation the rumors that have plagued these cars has far surpassed the lure of the cars and the incentives. There have been rumors of break downs and electrical issues that jut turn people off to them. Selling them new has been tough enough, but no one wants to buy them used because of the rumors that are floating around. Over time as more green cars and trucks are created and prove themselves as being durable perhaps people will have a different attitude toward the green transportation movement. Many governments are offering very enticing incentives for new green cars such as the tesla electric car. These bonuses are also propping up stock prices and increasing the profits for these green companies. You should be weary of investing in any green auto makers since these incentives could be cut at any time, therein reducing the companies profits. In addition you can get better interest rates with personal loans, not true with loans like payday loans online and online auto loans.
These types of vehicles are a perfect way to save money on fuel charges and you can get a lower interest rate on a loan for them. It really comes down to personal choice, the way the car drives, feels and accelerates on the pavement. The loan is not going to cost you any more or less than for a conventional car. The loan is based on your credit worthiness and has little to do with the car. Every car depreciates as soon as you leave the dealership. Several considerations should be made like how much driving you do. If you spend a lot of time on the road and the fuel costs are really starting to add up than this may be the way to go for you.If you can find a loan with good rates and you go in knowing you will likely not get back out the money you put into the car and it is more important to you to save money monthly on fuel than the answer would be yes it is worth the cost of the loan!
Last week I was researching about roll off dumpster rental at http://www.dumpsterrentalzone.com/roll-off-dumpster-rental/ in preparation for my home renovation plans when I stumbled upon talk about the Dumpster Project is increasing in the blogosphere and social media circles. Its significance is even increasing in mainstream media with many publications and media houses picking up on the story. Anyhow, if you are doing home renovations like myself and need a definitive guide on dumpster rental, click here for more info! Naturally, being a civil engineer, I would have heard about this project sooner or later but I am happy I came across it so early into its progression.
This way I can watch how the fledgling Dumpster Project manages its rise to fame in the world because, make no mistake, it will become popular. However, it will not become popular because it is based on the right principles or ideas.
Instead, it will become popular because it is such a novel and breath-taking concept. I believe that even through the hype that this project will see it has the potential to change the way people think, even if the number of people is only a few hundred. If you are curious as to what I am talking about, here is my two penny’s worth on the Dumpster Project.
What Is The Dumpster Project?
Let’s get the basics out of the way i.e. what this project is about. The Dumpster Project is an extreme application of new and old environmentally sound concepts that are gaining hold on the planet such as urban farming, sustainable living, recycling, green transportation, and generally everything that is good for the planet and the natural life on it.
I think that the people behind the Dumpster Project, by taking these concepts so far, are trying to say that with the kind of resources that most individuals have today, sustainable living is more possible than ever before.
In the Dumpster Project, a man will stay within a dumpster for a period of one year. Remember, this dumpster is only 6 x 6 which means that many things that are usually taken for granted will have to be re-imagined and redone to take into account everything from availability of space, accessibility of resources, and particularly the health of the individual.
Key Principles This Project Will Follow
In order to be a success, the Dumpster Project will be following certain key principles designed to cope with all the challenges that a man in such a situation will face, ranging from his water needs to his energy needs and his options for waste disposal to the state of his health. Here are the three most prominent principles.
The dumpster that will be turned into a home will not be dependent on any external source of energy i.e. it will be completely independent and self-sustainable. This means that it cannot use more energy than what it makes. The energy in the dumpster home will be produced through solar panels while its consumption will be reduced drastically through various means.
Waste reduction is also a key aspect here because waste, if used properly, can actually turn out to be a good resource for a number of things. The Dumpster Project will focus on utilizing waste in as many ways and in as efficient a manner as possible.
The Dumpster Project is based in the central Texas area which means that it will have to take into account extreme temperatures. Thus, climate control will also become important. There are ways through which temperatures within an enclosed area can be managed naturally and my guess is that these ways amongst others is what this project will be relying upon.
People still talk about whether or not the cash for clunkers program was beneficial and if so, just how beneficial it was. Did the government even make a dent in the giant task of reducing carbon emissions in this country or in the world for that matter when they ran the cash for cars program? Over at http://www.boomsold.com they have a different take on the whole debate. First thing they will tell you is how bad the cash for clunkers program was for small businesses in the united States and second they make the claim that even if carbon emissions were reduced for that time period, it doesn’t matter because the rate at which carbon emissions are growing they did nothing to fix the looming problem, if you believe there even is a problem when it comes to global warming and climate change as brought on by human factors like carbon emissions.
That is an interesting point of view to say the least. While most people are arguing over the effectiveness of the program in the immediate sense of benefit from possible carbon emission reduction, these guys are saying that it was nothing more than a blip on the radar of the big picture. If you think about it, that makes a lot of sense because people’s habits haven’t really changed dramatically and the facts back up their thought process.
Since the cash for clunkers program, oil usage in America has only increased and the number of vehicles on the road has increased as well, so although they may be getting better gas mileage, there is no proof that any significant effect was or will be felt by whatever benefits the program provided. We are still heading for the cliff or at least climate change science hasn’t shown any indication that we have reversed the inevitable tide that seems to be going against us.
Remember, we are only one country in this world and while we spend hundreds of billions of dollars to reduce our emissions, countries like China are ramping up their emissions with new factories that pump out unfiltered carbon and toxins in to the air at a rapidly growing pace. So it seems that no one cares to do anything significant about it and make real changes that can slow down this disaster from happening.
Personally I believe that climate change is real. I believe that the climate has been changing since the earth was created and there is nothing that we can do to stop it. I also believe that the climate change happens in cycles and right now we are in an up cycle. Some years down the road I believe we will be in a down cycle. That’s just the way the earth works. I didn’t write this to get in to a debate because I know that people have their beliefs and generally speaking, people don’t change those core beliefs at least not easily and certainly not by reading one opinionated author’s article.
The clamor to go green has been steadily rising over the years. From earth-friendly initiatives like waste segregation, compost building, legislative acts to regulate pollution in the atmosphere, and the like, it is patently obvious that change is on the rise. In terms of cleaning up the air, one of the prominent campaigns is to turn to natural gas into a substitute for gasoline and other fossil fuel by products. However, apart from functioning as an alternative fuel source, natural gas can serve a myriad other purposes that are ultimately beneficial to mankind.
Methane is a chemical compound and the main component of natural gas. To be precise, methane – after processing according to purity standards – is actually part of the renewable natural gas family, commonly called biogas. It is the byproduct of organic matter decomposition without oxygen. So what are the perks of using methane as a natural gas? Here are some of them:
Cleaner and Greener
Studies have shown that natural gas – of which methane is largely responsible – reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere by 20 percent. They emit less carbon monoxide when subjected to combustion as well as less nitrogen oxides and other non-methane organic gas. In a nutshell, it has fewer impurities than conventional fuel. This is why it is considered the cleaner alternative to gasoline and any other fossil fuel derivatives, ergo less carbon footprint. Moreover, it is abundant in nature and can be harnessed in several ways, not just from underneath the ground but also from human and animal waste.
Various Uses
Apart from serving as an alternate automotive fuel source – British engineers have accomplished this feat with the “Dung” Beetle – biogas can also provide electricity and heat. How does that work? Decomposing trash in landfills is one of the primary sources of methane. Once methane rises from the rotting garbage, they are collected in pipes and further processed in order to produce electricity or generate heat.
In the United States, there are more than 500 landfill-to-energy projects that harness methane released from decomposing trash. Meanwhile, Germany has been using biogas and has since been using the same to power over 3 million homes since 2009. Sweden, on the other hand, has been more ambitious. They have a biogas-powered train capable of shuttling passengers between two cities 75 miles apart since 2005.
Soil Enrichment
Did you know that methane is also used as fertilizer? In order to make methane fertilizer, a safe, organic, and nutrient-rich liquid fertilizer called Biogas-slurry should be produced. When applied directly to crops, they increase agricultural productivity. Moreover, use of the biogas-slurry not only saves money that would usually be spent on chemical fertilizers, but also helps reduce any negative impacts of such fertilizers in nature. Studies show that there is an estimated 25% increase in productivity upon using biogas-slurry as opposed to applying manure directly to fields. In applying a natural methane-rich fertilizer, plants are provided more nutrients essential for their growth and nourishment.
Lynn is a philanthropist working tirelessly with community organizations for the well-being of children and women in southern Florida. She has seen first-hand the positive effects philanthropy can have on organizations. “Everything I do, I do in order to raise awareness of these local organizations who work so hard to help people in our community,” said Lynn.
One non-profit that caught her attention is SurfAid. Started by a New Zealand doctor shortly after he saw the health problems of local people in Indonesia when he was on a surfing trip to that country, SurfAid has become international, relying on donations from philanthropic organizations and individuals in some way connected with surfing. A recent project involves controlling malaria in Indonesia.
We can all be philanthropists in our own way, even just by giving a dollar to a homeless person. There are many people of means who have sympathetic feelings for their fellow man. Pop stars give concerts to raise money for various causes. Wealthy individuals such as Bill Gates have contributed incredible amounts of money to philanthropic causes. Organizations like Readers Digest are remarkable in the interest and investment they make in helping others.
Some philanthropists focus their efforts on children in need. For example, thanks to the contributions of people like Peter DeGeorge, children are never refused medical treatment simply because the family is not able to pay.
Some philanthropists focus on providing support to communities. The SurfAid organization, for example, started a project that provides drinking water to communities thus reducing the health problems caused by water borne disease. The surfing establishment instrumental in funding SurfAid understands the important, sustainable effect its efforts are having on the health of local communities. This project has provided wells, rainwater collection systems, and latrines. Organizations like SurfAid, supported by philanthropist Sean Nevett, are working to improve the quality of life in many communities.
There are many areas of philanthropic work. Another activity of note is an organization helping Big Brothers Big Sisters children, especially those facing adversity, to earn a high school diploma. Peter DeGeorge was present at a recent Jude Children’s Research Hospital fundraiser held at Club Colette to support the country’s best pediatric cancer hospital. DeGeorge has made generous donations over the years to help children stay in school. Ken Von Kohorn is instrumental in helping these children continue their studies and improve their lives. BBBS has had considerable impact as its almost 350 branches work with nearly 630,000 children, families and volunteers.
Many wealthy individuals are able to make considerable philanthropic donations without affecting their own lifestyle. The Gates Foundation is a notable example, as is Warren Buffet’s donation to it in the amount of $31 billion. Such generosity has a long history, with the 1914 Rockefeller donation of $100 million often cited.
Many organizations are designated as charities. They are established as non-profit organizations, meaning that no financial benefit from the organization can be used for personal gain. There are thousands of different charitable organizations, each established to assist some particular cause. Some of these charities are privately run, while many others are public organizations. Often one or more of these non-profits will establish alliances with charities with similar goals, to maximize potential results. This has happened with charities helping the homeless
Larger non-profits like Volunteers of America, Boys and Girls Club, Catholic Charities USA, and the YMCA, have branches across the country. For example, Catholic Charities USA focuses on reducing the number of families in emergency shelters, by increasing the number of affordable housing units available across the country. Often these larger charities are structured as Foundations to facilitate fund-raising activities.
Approaches to fund-raising vary considerably. A typical approach is direct solicitation from the public, often associated with some event or draw. Other approaches are more creative.
One of the more popular, innovative fundraising ideas these days is asking for donations of used cars in exchange for a charitable receipt. The charity does the work of picking up the vehicle and either re-selling it or sending it on for scrap metal value. Be sure to check out credentials of organizations offering this service, to avoid scams.
An organization must be registered by the State as a charity, and must follow state requirements, rules and regulations in its operations and solicitations for donations. Religious organizations and churches are exempt for these requirements.
There are different ways that charities and non-profits obtain funding. Most use some variation of fund-raising activity, often using software management programs to help keep track of donors. With an increasingly difficult battle for the donated dollar, each organization attempts to establish its own niche, one that works for them.
Non-profits that focus on deriving funds from gifting programs like receiving donated cars usually are not that successful. This is especially true if third parties are involved because this reduces the amount the charity receives. For example, if you are gifting a car, it is better to deal with a charity directly rather than through an intermediary. The third party, usually a private business, will take a cut of the money made from selling the car and there is not limit on high a percentage that cut can be. If you care at all about where your money is actually being spent, take the time to research the process.
If you are considering establishing an import-export business, online directories are invaluable in providing you with necessary information. Internet resources and online forums help make it relatively simple to connect with potential markets and products. For example, knowing the quality of German made machinery and supplies might lead you to investigate automobile and machine parts for import. Referring to Deutschland branches of online business directories will quickly provide a list of the many brokers available.
There are a number of points to consider when you are first thinking about developing a business proposal for an import-export business. These include:
It is also a good idea to check with an attorney to be sure all you propose is legal. For example, if you are intending to hire immigrants to work for your new business, you must be sure that you are not breaking any immigration laws. Spending time online researching applicable immigration issues and laws is also a good idea.
Be sure to investigate thoroughly the viability of what you intend to import. For example, if you are considering doing business with India, you should be aware that the main exports to the United States include services, offshore solutions, chemicals, precious stones and diamonds, iron and steel, coffee, tea and other edible food products. With potential customers in India, you must be sure to provide detailed information about how valuable your services will be to them.
To maximize your chances of success, you need to develop detailed plans and procedures. For example, if you are planning your imports from India to include medical equipment, aircraft parts, computers, fertilizer and scrap metal, you will need detailed transportation information. Here again, the services and specialized knowledge of a logistics service company will be invaluable.
Being environmentally friendly means knowing about and using green products. It means following practices that are friendly to the environment and it also means respecting and protecting our clean water supplies.
There are many green products that you can use in your home and office that will help reduce your consumption of energy, and reduce pollution at the same time. Many products like baby products have been following green practices for some time. Newer products are moving in this direction as well.
Be careful about checking labels on products you use to be sure they are environmentally friendly. For example, health products like sun screens are now available in formulations that will not harm the environment.
There are many cleaning products currently available that are green. Their containers and indeed all containers, buckets, pails and drums used for storage and transportation of products should be made of recycled materials. This reduces the energy needed to manufacture them.
A responsible citizen also is conscientious about recycling, so that used and worn out products can be re-made into useful products.
There are a number of practices that each individual can follow to help promote a healthier, greener environment. Here are some of them:
Remember too to be “green” to yourself as well, choosing a diet program that is healthy and sustainable for your body. It is easy to eat well these days with so much information online to help you plan a nutritious diet. Also, health food stores and even the organic products in supermarkets have a wide array of food without additives.
To protect waterfront environments and lakes and oceans, we must be careful to prevent oils and hazardous chemicals from contaminating them. Both oils and metals for example are difficult to break down in an aqueous environment. The dumping of industrial chemicals into waterways can cause serious pollution and health problems.
There are various nursing grants available to help students wishing to enter the nursing profession and occupations related to medicine. With current shortages of qualified nurses, opportunities for employment and salaries are excellent. To motivate students to consider nursing as a profession, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has created a number of grants and scholarships that are specifically for nurses.
Some of these grants are specialized. For example, the ENA Foundation Scholarship was established to support scholarships and research grants in the field of emergency nursing. There are also nursing grants available for minorities who might otherwise not be able to afford training. There are also some professional organizations that offer scholarships to students in nursing. For example, the Student Nurses Association Foundation for National Awards provides scholarships for qualified single mothers entering the field of nursing. It is recognized that supporting this training is also investing in the long term economy of the nation.
The same as homeowners grant, these student nursing grants do not have to be repaid. This money provides a particularly meaningful opportunity to finance nursing education. The student will not be carrying a heavy debt load after graduation.
If you already have a small list of potential schools where you want to apply, it is a good idea to approach each school to see what help they offer to new students. This is a reasonable request because tuitions are high and many prospective students often feel they cannot afford the tuition. Many colleges with nursing programs have grants that are not used because enough people do not even know about it. If you have difficulty in filling out grant application forms, you can often get help from the school itself, or sometimes the library has helpful resources.
Be aware that there can be significant differences in the cost of a nursing program between schools that are under government control, compared to private schools. Also be sure to investigate opportunities thoroughly. Sometimes a scholarship may be listed under a specialty, such as emergency care nursing or pediatric nursing. In some situations, it may be a company that is offering opportunities in specific fields of study like oncology. It may be helpful to check online journals for scholarship offerings.
Do online searches of government opportunities available. The U.S. government spends billions in a variety of federal grant programs to support students in need. Nursing scholarships and grants may not be as difficult to find as you may think.
There are other types of assistance to explore as well. For example, the Ida M. Pope Memorial Scholarship Fund offers scholarships to full-time undergraduate and graduate students of Hawaiian ancestry. Some grants are tied to geographic location. For example, the Allman Medical Scholarship Foundation and the Blanch L. Dawson Nursing Scholarship Fund offer scholarships for nursing students who live in Boone County, IL.
Do not give up on a dream to enter nursing school, and continue to explore all avenues of potential support. When making applications, be sure to include any enthusiastic recommendations you can obtain from teachers, your mentors or respectable members of society. This too can go a long way to providing credibility to your grant request.
If you meet the qualifications, you can take advantage of financial assistance through various grant programs. Some options may involve a loan in addition to a grant or scholarship. There are a number of loan programs available for nursing students, living either on or off campus. Talk to campus employment counselors to explore possibilities of working in jobs on campus or in community employment liaison at the same time as continuing your education.