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   <title>On The Level</title>
   <link>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/</link>
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   <description>Renovate Your world has long been a trusted expert in home renovations and upgrades. Our home improvement blog On the Level keeps you informed on the products and trends that we see in the field. At On the Level, staff from Renovetyourworld post their views on what's new and newsworthy in home gadgets, tools, and trends.</description>
   <language>en-us</language>
   <pubDate>Wed, 19 Jun 2013 07:29:20 GMT</pubDate>
   <lastBuildDate>Wed, 19 Jun 2013 07:29:20 GMT</lastBuildDate>
   <copyright>Copyright RenovateYourWorld.com 2010</copyright>
   <ttl>5</ttl>

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    <title>On The Level</title> 
    <link>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/</link> 
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      <item>
    <title>Buying vs. Renting - The Tipping Point</title>
    <link>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Buying-vs-Renting-The-Tipping-Point-5028.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Buying-vs-Renting-The-Tipping-Point-5028.html</guid>
    <description>
     <![CDATA[It may be a wildly overused phrase, but "tipping point" applies to the Buying vs. Renting comparison, particularly as mortgage rates start to rise. And according to a finding published recently in Trulia, we're still a little ways away (nationally) from reaching that point, which is to say, it is still cheaper to buy than it is to rent.    That's the short answer, at any rate. The long answer is that while the national tipping point is somewhere around 10.5%, each local market has its own ...]]>
    </description>
    <author>blogs@renovateyourworld.com (RenovateYourWorld)</author>
	 <comments>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Buying-vs-Renting-The-Tipping-Point-5028.html</comments>
    <pubDate>Fri, 14 Jun 2013 08:28:00 -0500</pubDate>
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      <item>
    <title>A Home to Hang Your Hat In - Clothesline Tiny Homes</title>
    <link>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/A-Home-to-Hang-Your-Hat-In-Clothesline-Tiny-Homes-5026.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/A-Home-to-Hang-Your-Hat-In-Clothesline-Tiny-Homes-5026.html</guid>
    <description>
     <![CDATA[We can't get enough tiny homes here at Renovate Your World. For starters, they require clutter-free living. And we're all about zero clutter. They're also super-green, which is world is in dire need of.    So we turn our attention to husband and wife team Shane and Carrie Caverly, who designed and built a tiny home on a trailer foundation for the ultimate in mobile living. They're calling their creation Clothesline Tiny Homes, and they've shared their design adventure with the world, from ...]]>
    </description>
    <author>blogs@renovateyourworld.com (RenovateYourWorld)</author>
	 <comments>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/A-Home-to-Hang-Your-Hat-In-Clothesline-Tiny-Homes-5026.html</comments>
    <pubDate>Thu, 30 May 2013 07:36:00 -0500</pubDate>
   </item>
      <item>
    <title>Attack of the Impatiens Downy Mildew</title>
    <link>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Attack-of-the-Impatiens-Downy-Mildew-5024.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Attack-of-the-Impatiens-Downy-Mildew-5024.html</guid>
    <description>
     <![CDATA[Last summer gardeners across numerous states reported an outbreak of impatiens downy mildew, a pathogen that can turn a healthy patch of impatiens diseased in short time, given the right weather conditions. The disease will infect common and double impatiens, although it appears it does not harm New Guinea impatiens or other plants.    Impatiens downy mildew thrives in cooler temperatures and moist conditions, such as an irrigated landscape bed. You'll know the enemy by the fuzzy white ...]]>
    </description>
    <author>blogs@renovateyourworld.com (RenovateYourWorld)</author>
	 <comments>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Attack-of-the-Impatiens-Downy-Mildew-5024.html</comments>
    <pubDate>Mon, 20 May 2013 07:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
   </item>
      <item>
    <title>Elizabeth's Garden</title>
    <link>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Elizabeth-s-Garden-5022.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Elizabeth-s-Garden-5022.html</guid>
    <description>
     <![CDATA[With all the stress of politics and depressing news and war, we need to find, in our minds, a place of peace and beauty.  The flowers that bloom in the spring are a good place to begin.

"I love my garden.  I am writing in the late afternoon loveliness, much interrupted by mosquitoes, and the temptation to look at all the glories of the new green leaves. Two owls near me are having a conversation.  The gentleman owl sings a chord, and she answers with another chord."

This is the first ...]]>
    </description>
    <author>blogs@renovateyourworld.com (RenovateYourWorld)</author>
	 <comments>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Elizabeth-s-Garden-5022.html</comments>
    <pubDate>Mon, 13 May 2013 01:30:00 -0500</pubDate>
   </item>
      <item>
    <title>Dog in the Home - A Brief Checklist</title>
    <link>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Dog-in-the-Home-A-Brief-Checklist-5020.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Dog-in-the-Home-A-Brief-Checklist-5020.html</guid>
    <description>
     <![CDATA[Thinking of adding a four-pawed friend to the family? You're not alone. According to the Humane Society, there are around 78.2 million owned dogs in the United States and 39% of homes have at least one dog.    While it may be relatively easy to become a dog owner, being a  successful dog owner is another thing entirely. In addition to treating the dog properly, obedience, good diet, exercise and all the other aspects of raising a healthy, happy dog, there is the issue of being a good dog ...]]>
    </description>
    <author>blogs@renovateyourworld.com (RenovateYourWorld)</author>
	 <comments>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Dog-in-the-Home-A-Brief-Checklist-5020.html</comments>
    <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2013 11:26:00 -0500</pubDate>
   </item>
      <item>
    <title>Spring Energy Saving Tips</title>
    <link>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Spring-Energy-Saving-Tips-5018.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Spring-Energy-Saving-Tips-5018.html</guid>
    <description>
     <![CDATA[The Department of Energy recently released a few tips to help homeowners save on their energy bill this spring.    We're passing along a handful of the tips, which you can ready in their entirety at the DOE website.    As we adjust to the rising temperatures, energy-savings starts with keeping a hand off the thermostat. There's no need (yet) for the AC - just open the right windows and let mother nature cool that heated home.    When the mercury does start to get out of hand, use ...]]>
    </description>
    <author>blogs@renovateyourworld.com (RenovateYourWorld)</author>
	 <comments>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Spring-Energy-Saving-Tips-5018.html</comments>
    <pubDate>Tue, 09 Apr 2013 07:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
   </item>
      <item>
    <title>Iceberg Homes: The Bulging Basements of the Super Rich </title>
    <link>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Iceberg-Homes-The-Bulging-Basements-of-the-Super-Rich--5017.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Iceberg-Homes-The-Bulging-Basements-of-the-Super-Rich--5017.html</guid>
    <description>
     <![CDATA[In the wealthy London areas of Kensington and Chelsea, there's a growing trend that sees the super-rich circumventing building regulations that limit the size of their homes above ground by digging down. Way down.    They're called iceberg homes because what you see is just the tip. Below the ground are basements. Huge basements. According to the recent Guardian piece on the subject, on Canadian TV tycoon is planning a 4-story basement that dwarfs the house itself.     What could these ...]]>
    </description>
    <author>blogs@renovateyourworld.com (RenovateYourWorld)</author>
	 <comments>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Iceberg-Homes-The-Bulging-Basements-of-the-Super-Rich--5017.html</comments>
    <pubDate>Wed, 27 Mar 2013 10:16:00 -0500</pubDate>
   </item>
      <item>
    <title>Low-Income Houses Made From Recycled Plastic Bottles</title>
    <link>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Low-Income-Houses-Made-From-Recycled-Plastic-Bottles-5016.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Low-Income-Houses-Made-From-Recycled-Plastic-Bottles-5016.html</guid>
    <description>
     <![CDATA[As the world weens itself off of plastic bottles, one woman in Bolivia may have found the ultimate use for those that have been discarded.    A compulsive collector of empty bottles, Ingrid Vaca Diez of Santa Cruz, Bolivia, had stacked so many on her patio outside that her husband declared it a stack big enough to "build a house."    Which is exactly what she did.    The "Garbage Homes," as they've come to be known, are constructed using dirt-filled empty bottles as well as other recycled ...]]>
    </description>
    <author>blogs@renovateyourworld.com (RenovateYourWorld)</author>
	 <comments>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Low-Income-Houses-Made-From-Recycled-Plastic-Bottles-5016.html</comments>
    <pubDate>Tue, 19 Mar 2013 06:47:00 -0500</pubDate>
   </item>
      <item>
    <title>Will an Aging Baby Boomer Population Lead to the Next Housing Crisis?</title>
    <link>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Will-an-Aging-Baby-Boomer-Population-Lead-to-the-Next-Housing-Crisis--5014.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Will-an-Aging-Baby-Boomer-Population-Lead-to-the-Next-Housing-Crisis--5014.html</guid>
    <description>
     <![CDATA[The baby boom generation is heading towards retirement, which means a sizable slice of the housing pie could be hitting the market soon. And demand is not shaping up to meet the expected supply.    This according to a recent article in The Atlantic Cities, which suggested that baby boomers, who were largely responsible for the growth in larger, big-lot single family homes that defined suburbia, are going to be looking to downsize as the move into retirement over the next ten years. This ...]]>
    </description>
    <author>blogs@renovateyourworld.com (RenovateYourWorld)</author>
	 <comments>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Will-an-Aging-Baby-Boomer-Population-Lead-to-the-Next-Housing-Crisis--5014.html</comments>
    <pubDate>Tue, 12 Mar 2013 06:27:00 -0500</pubDate>
   </item>
      <item>
    <title>Wither the Weather</title>
    <link>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Wither-the-Weather-5013.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Wither-the-Weather-5013.html</guid>
    <description>
     <![CDATA[Punxsutawney Phil stuck his head outside on February 2, 2013  (Groundhog Day) and did not see his shadow.  So that famous woodchuck announced to the world that winter was over and spring would arrive soon.  A few days later we had the worst snowstorm in decades.  So much for looking to a rodent to predict the weather.The organizers of  this yearly groundhog event (since 1886) claim 75 to 90% accuracy. The mayor wears a formal tail coat and top hat for this big event. Phil saw his shadow 98 ...]]>
    </description>
    <author>blogs@renovateyourworld.com ()</author>
	 <comments>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Wither-the-Weather-5013.html</comments>
    <pubDate>Tue, 05 Mar 2013 00:35:00 -0500</pubDate>
   </item>
      <item>
    <title>The Nest is Next: Turning Home Control Upside Down</title>
    <link>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/The-Nest-is-Next-Turning-Home-Control-Upside-Down-5011.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/The-Nest-is-Next-Turning-Home-Control-Upside-Down-5011.html</guid>
    <description>
     <![CDATA[It should come as no surprise that the future of home control comes from the same mind that created the iPod. Tony Fadell's Nest is redefining home control, much like the iPod and the iPhone have redefined our connection to music, the internet and the connected world.    Nest came about as Fadell was tackling his dream home project and growing frustrated by the lack of home control options on the market that were smartphone app-ready. Balking in the face of $500 HVAC control that were clunky ...]]>
    </description>
    <author>blogs@renovateyourworld.com (RenovateYourWorld)</author>
	 <comments>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/The-Nest-is-Next-Turning-Home-Control-Upside-Down-5011.html</comments>
    <pubDate>Tue, 26 Feb 2013 08:04:00 -0500</pubDate>
   </item>
      <item>
    <title>Energy Efficiency Tax Credits Extended</title>
    <link>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Energy-Efficiency-Tax-Credits-Extended-5010.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Energy-Efficiency-Tax-Credits-Extended-5010.html</guid>
    <description>
     <![CDATA[Remember the tax credits for energy efficiency that date all the way back to 2006? It turns out they did not tumble over the fiscal cliff.    The last minute AmericanTaxpayer Relief Act included reinstatement of the tax credits, which allows homeowners to save money on energy efficiency home improvements.    For those who missed them the first time around, the tax credits can be claimed on:    10 percent of the cost of qualifying exterior door, windows and skylights.    10 percent of the ...]]>
    </description>
    <author>blogs@renovateyourworld.com (RenovateYourWorld)</author>
	 <comments>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Energy-Efficiency-Tax-Credits-Extended-5010.html</comments>
    <pubDate>Fri, 15 Feb 2013 15:33:00 -0500</pubDate>
   </item>
      <item>
    <title>Seattle's Bullitt Center Hailed the World's Greenest Office Building </title>
    <link>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Seattle-s-Bullitt-Center-Hailed-the-World-s-Greenest-Office-Building--5008.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Seattle-s-Bullitt-Center-Hailed-the-World-s-Greenest-Office-Building--5008.html</guid>
    <description>
     <![CDATA[It gets 100% of its energy from solar panels and 100% of its water from rain harvesting. It's the Bullitt Center office building in Seattle, and with its recent opening it is being considered the greenest office building in the world.    The 50,000 square foot building adopts principles from the Living Building Challenge, a model for sustainability that demands a building minimize its impact on the planet while imparting a sense of beauty on the environment in which it is built.    The ...]]>
    </description>
    <author>blogs@renovateyourworld.com (RenovateYourWorld)</author>
	 <comments>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/Seattle-s-Bullitt-Center-Hailed-the-World-s-Greenest-Office-Building--5008.html</comments>
    <pubDate>Thu, 31 Jan 2013 06:13:00 -0500</pubDate>
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      <item>
    <title>A Changing New Year</title>
    <link>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/A-Changing-New-Year-5002.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/A-Changing-New-Year-5002.html</guid>
    <description>
     <![CDATA[The world is changing in this year.  We do not wake up anymore and go out to milk the cows. A century ago, 90% of people farmed.  Today it's about 2%.

The steam engine played a part, as did the oil industry, rural electrification during the recession of the 1930's, multiple wars, their technological advances, reliable birth control, and scientific farming.

We are now, in 2013, on the threshold of another huge societal change - the digital age.  Computers steal our time and our privacy. ...]]>
    </description>
    <author>blogs@renovateyourworld.com ()</author>
	 <comments>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/A-Changing-New-Year-5002.html</comments>
    <pubDate>Mon, 14 Jan 2013 14:50:00 -0500</pubDate>
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    <title>New GE System Converts Salt Water to Drinking Water</title>
    <link>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/New-GE-System-Converts-Salt-Water-to-Drinking-Water-5000.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/New-GE-System-Converts-Salt-Water-to-Drinking-Water-5000.html</guid>
    <description>
     <![CDATA[With last summer's record heat and prolonged drought still fresh on our minds, we bring you news of the WaterStep M-100 Chlorinator. This may just be a game changer.    The device is the result of a collaboration between GE, the non-profit WaterStep and a handful of volunteers. Built in the garage of GE engineer Steve Froelicher (and with help from fellow engineer Sam DePlessis), the M-100 has been over a year in the making.    Essentially, the invention uses electrolysis -- generated by ...]]>
    </description>
    <author>blogs@renovateyourworld.com (RenovateYourWorld)</author>
	 <comments>http://www.renovateyourworld.com/OnTheLevel/New-GE-System-Converts-Salt-Water-to-Drinking-Water-5000.html</comments>
    <pubDate>Fri, 11 Jan 2013 06:22:00 -0500</pubDate>
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