The Environment is so Hot right now … pardon the Pun!

Wherever I turn and look, articles, documentaries and discussion points are mounting and the public’s mind and attention is Galvanizing when it comes to saving our Planet. Soon we will hopefully have Critical Mass such that there is enough of a quantum consciousness shift in the minds of people. Its not too late to make a difference and this does not mean becoming a hemp wearing hippie or to curb our lifestyle.

We should NO longer pollute and throw away as we used to. It is a shame that most governments seem to either be lacking in initiatives, thought leadership or simply don’t care! Living in Asia, I can see countless opportunities for people to put their rubbish into a few bins. A defacto accepted standard in Australia where I lived for many years, I can’t seem to be able to recycle my bottles of wine or sauce. And yet, I apparently live in one of the most forward thinking … (read on)

I’ve made many mistakes in conversations over a long career of heating with wood, but none matched my goof last week.

The Dutch elm blight in the seventies made it fashionable to heat with wood, or at least to talk about it endlessly in one’s workplace. Status went to the biggest, the fastest, the hottest.

We borrowed my dad’s old box stove for the house we had built the previous summer. Large basement windows meant that I could back a trailer up and drop the firewood to the floor below. Burning wood promised to be quick and easy.

My new pickup truck soon discovered the hazards of broken branches in the woods, so I pressed Dad’s old Massey into service with a disused manure spreader as my trailer. Aware of the huge elms on Young’s Hill, Bud Merriman sold me the largest chain saw he had ever stocked, a McCullough ProMac 850. With its 30” bar I was able to power through some massive tree trunks, though I recall two which were too big for the saw.

The remainder fell quickly to my frenetic actions with saw and spreader, and the pile of green blocks accumulated in the basement.

The odd night spent pouring buckets of water over the coals of an overheated box stove convinced me that a more controllable heating unit was in order, so I replaced it with an new airtight stove. It offered the additional benefit of a huge top opening, greatly reducing splitting chores.

Somewhere in my young mind was the idea that the green blocks would dry from proximity to the fire over the course of the winter, and that the lost moisture would provide needed humidity in the house.

My system did not take into account what happens in an elm block as it thaws. There are forty species of elm in this area, and at least one of those strains smells really, really bad as it dries in a basement.

But the weird smell could be explained away or cleared with open windows when guests arrived. The ants were another matter entirely. Apparently every elm block has a population of large black ants living just under the bark. When their nest warms up, the ants think it’s spring and emerge, all energetic, to hunt down whatever it is they eat. Most of them found their way to our kitchen.

Bet waged war at first but as the influx continued she gradually gave up on the ants, accepting them as part of the rural experience.

But the cost of wood heat kept going up. The unfinished basement needed a concrete floor. The woodpile was taking up a lot of space. It was impossible to keep the house clean. I had learned to sleep scared, automatically waking up a few times per night to check and replenish the fire.

A few minor blazes in the chimney shocked us with their violence. When our son arrived, I announced to the world: “Electricity is cheap!” and that was the end of the indoor woodpile.

Our house in town had a fine Edwardian fireplace. When lit, it proved an extraordinarily effective air conditioner. If a smoker came to the house, all we had to do was light the fireplace and a strong stream of air flowed quickly up the chimney. It was great for parties, but hardly a viable heat source. As smoking fell from favour and heating costs rose, I eventually blocked off the chimney to save fuel.

But this all leads up to our current situation: a huge old house heated by two oil furnaces, with no way to burn wood. Notwithstanding Bet’s objections, the time has come once again to look to the woodlot as an energy source.

The new system has to be efficient in both labour and energy. That means a boiler, and heat pumped to the basement. It must burn clean. That disqualifies the outdoor furnace. The search has narrowed down, then, to a boiler inside a purpose-built building with a serious chimney. The only question is where to locate it.

Mom had been after me all fall to replace her burn barrel, so I brought her one this week, and then I discovered the thing a man should never, absolutely never, say to his mother. After some discussion we placed the barrel to the north-east of the house with a view to observing smoke currents and examining the feasibility of locating the boiler at that location.

All went well until, half in jest, I suggested she drop a couple of chicken bones into the fire to create the worst-case scenario for smoke. I was pretty sure she didn’t have any chicken bones at her disposal.

Turns out she did have a number of old feather pillows.

The wind was steady from the east and blew the smoke right at the garage which was my work site of the day. For much of the afternoon I alternated between retching and running for cover.

I learned my lesson. You never dare your mother to make a bad smell with an incinerator. Mothers have way too much experience and imagination for that.

We typically feature one piece of equipment we build in each blog.  In this post, we wanted to recap all of the process heat equipment Stelter & Brinck offers.

PBB: Packaged Air Heaters
Our PBB air heaters are complete with burner, blower, flame safety controls, process temperature controls, and motor starters. Each heater is prepiped, prewired and test fired at design capacity; the user need only set the equipment in place and connect utilities at the single connection point and it is ready for startup.

IAH: Indirect Air Heaters
Our indirect fired air heaters are used where no contamination of the process stream by the products of combustion is desired. Available in medium or high efficiencies, the IAH is a prepiped, prewired, packaged unit complete with hot side blowers, burner, integral heat exchanger, and process controls.

AHD: Duct Type Air Heater
The AHD offers the most cost effective solution to your process air heating needs. Designed to fit in the process ductwork, the AHD uses the process air stream for combustion air. This feature precludes the need for a separate combustion air blower saving both capital and operating costs.

AHD-R: Duct Type Air Heater
Similar in design to the AHD air heater, the AHD-R is also designed to fit in the process ductwork; however, the AHD-R uses an external combustion blower for combustion air. The external combustion air blower allows a duct mounted type burner to be used in a recirculated or low oxygen air stream.

AHG: Gun Style Air Heater
Our gun style air heaters are in excellent choice for heating recirculated or dirty airstreams. Gun style units utilize an external combustion blower providing a source of fresh combustion air and the flexibility of a wide turndown. The AGH air heaters are offered in a variety of trim levels ranging from a basic combustion system to a fully packaged process air heater

TFO: Thermal Fume Oxidizer
VOC emissions entrained in an air stream are drawn into the oxidizer’s process air fan. The fan then discharges the resultant airflow into the oxidizer’s heat exchanger. The airflow is preheated through the tube side of the heat exchanger and then enters the combustion section. The VOC and air mixture is uniformly exposed to the conversion temperature for the required residence time. The conversion of the VOCs to carbon dioxide and water in their vapor phases occurs under these conditions via an exothermic reaction. The heated airflow is now clean and passes through the shell side of the heat exchanger where heat is transferred from the clean stream to the contaminated inlet stream. The heat exchanger helps to keep fuel consumption at a minimum. The clean air, after passing through the heat exchanger’s shell side, enters the exhaust plenum to the atmosphere.

Afterburner
Stelter & Brinck, Ltd. afterburners are ideal for high opacity airstreams containing smoke and strong odors. Lower airflows and high temp airflows are candidates for VOC removal with an afterburner. The afterburner is a direct thermal oxidizer and provides for the lowest capital investment.

CFO: Catalytic Fume Oxidizer
If your VOC laden airstream is free of potential catalyst fouling agents or poisons, our catalytic units are your number one option for VOC abatement equipment. Our catalytic fume oxidizers use a noble metal catalyst monolith to destroy the VOC fumes. Because the catalytic unit uses a lower temperature airstream for effective VOC destruction, the unit uses less fuel and lowers the associate operating costs. Our catalytic units are standard with heat recovery to preheat the incoming VOC air stream to further reduce energy costs. Secondary heat recovery is available to provide hot air for use elsewhere in the process or facility.

Ladle and Tundish Dryers/Dryer-Preheaters/Preheaters
Our tundish/ladle preheaters and dryers are offered in many configurations to fit your production requirements. You can choose from horizontal or vertical firing arrangements as well as lift-off/portable units or tilt-style units. Actuation of the tilt unit can be by hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder, or even a winch with cable system.

Each unit is prepiped and prewired with flame safety controls, process temperature controls, and actuation of the unit is as simple as pushing a button. All units are test fired in our production facility before shipment.

Scrap Preheaters and Dryers

Stelter & Brinck, Ltd. scrap preheaters both dry and preheat at the same time. These units are designed to fit on top of material conveyors and weigh feeders intended for use with preheating. The units are completely self contained and feature high turn down, high velocity burner systems to provide high air flow rates for drying and high energy to drive the heat into the load. Stelter & Brinck scrap preheaters produce a dryer charge for your melter and increased throughput by supplying a hot charge for melting.

Aluminum Sow Dryers
Our aluminum sow dryers are the convenient way to dry and preheat your aluminum sows prior to melt. Each unit is prepiped and prewired and complete with flame safety controls and process controls. Each unit is test fired in our production facility prior to shipment. These completely self contained units are designed around your process and sized for the sows you use everyday.

Skidded Integrated Packaged Systems

Stelter & Brinck, Ltd. integrated packaged systems can save you weeks and months of installation and commissioning time. The package below was custom designed by Stelter & Brinck for a catalyst manufacturer’s newest production facility. The skid includes 5 blowers, 2 gun style recirculating air heaters, system single point fresh air inlet with filters, motor control center for the entire process, heat recovery air to air heat exchanger and full system controls including transmitters and transducers.

The package was designed to fit a special foot print and by working closely with the dryer manufacture it fit up to the multi-stage dryer. Test firing and wring out of all components was done in our plant prior to shipment thus making a very quick installation and plant start up possible.

• Stelter & Brinck Heat recovery heat exchanger
• Combustion blower
• Motor control center for entire plant
• Main process recirculating blower
• Gun style air heaters
• Instrument rack
• Fresh air make up

Modular Integrated Packaged Systems

Stelter & Brinck, Ltd.’s packaged integrated systems are a result of our customer’s exposure to the ever-increasing competitiveness of the global market. We listen when our customers share the feedback they receive in the market place. Our customers are experiencing price and delivery pressure at most every turn. This is especially so with the demand for custom equipment designed for specific process needs. It is very expensive for a typical company to utilize resources outside of its core business because the application of their resources becomes less efficient thereby increasing overhead costs, extending deliveries, and limiting the company’s core business activity.

Stelter & Brinck is a company that embraces accountability. It is natural for us to ask our customers how we can help. When our customers transfer engineering, design, fabrication, test fire and field start up responsibilities, they expand their ability to focus company efforts on core business. This reduces their costs, increases their profitability, and takes advantage of our efficient operation.

Preserve your company’s or your client’s resources by allowing us to provide you engineering support, procurement, expediting, and scheduling.

• S&B thermal oxidizer
• Test platform
• Insulated stack
• Efficient use of space available
• Pre-assembled in our shop
• Skid break for shipping
• Heated and air conditioned control room

In addition to these process heat equipment offerings, Stelter & Brinck also offers combustion services and we have the capability to test fire any combustion equipment.

Oxidizers Manufactured by Stelter & Brinck:

Thermal

Catalytic

Regenerative Thermal (RTO)

SCR Systems

Oxidizer Services by Stelter & Brinck:

General Services

-Burner tuning for efficiency

-NFPA and insurance safety checks

-Burner operation reliability

-Burner and pilot inspection

Troubleshooting

Preventative Maintenance and Service Contracts

Rebuilds/Upgrades/Retrofitting (Oxidizer, Heat Exchanger, or Afterburner)

Spare Parts

Customer Testimonials:

“Since installation, S&B’s oxidizer has continually destroyed 99.9% of our VOC emissions. In fact, with the help of S&B’s thermal oxidizer, we won an Environmental Leadership award due to our reduction of harmful emissions!” -John Leach, GoodYear (Veyance Technologies)

“Stelter & Brinck’s equipment has kept us within code and has eliminated the possibility of any emissions fines!” -Larry McCammon, Keihin Indiana Precision Technology

“S&B are experts; they have significant experience with oxidizers, which made them very easy to work with!” -John Leach, GoodYear (Veyance Technologies)

“We had S&B redesign our equipment because it was not as robust as we would have liked. Since, our site has seen a marked improvement in our equipment!” -John Sheely, Western Digital

That’s me when I was younger than I am now. It’s a terrible photograph because it was developed just a few years ago from some long-forgotten negatives discovered in a box in the bottom of a closet under one of the many piles of junk in my mother’s hall closet. The photo place didn’t think they could even get an image, but they did. And there I am, plain as day.

If you squint and look very closely, you’ll see I’m sitting on a sawn-off tree branch and that the tree branch has a thick rope around it.

That branch was my dog, Jimmy.

Even though, when I was 3, I had been bitten in the face by a neighbour’s dog and required several stitches and still have some faint, but visible scars from that encounter, I madly and passionately wanted a dog of my own. I held no grudges against dogs nor even, Pogo, the dog that had bitten me. No, I loved all doggies soooooo much. (Which is why I had been bitten in the first place…because I was trying to love poor old Pogo while he was trying to eat his dinner).

Anyway, my parents were absolutely dead set against adding a dog to the household. So, one day while my dad was pruning trees, down came this branch that miraculously had 4 shorter, stubbier branches attached to it – 2 at the front (as shown in the photo) and 2 more just like it in the back.

I fell instantly in love with that branch because, except for the fact that it had no head, it looked exactly like a long, skinny, stiff, furless, tailless dog. I named him Jimmy.

I begged a length of rope off my dad and dragged Jimmy around with me wherever I went. I made him a bed in the basement and shared my meals with him. I sat on him, I ran around with him, I talked to him and played with him. For a couple of years, he was my one and only pal since, at the time, I was still an only child and lived in the middle of nowhere. 

Okay, so one day my dad was building a hot-house to start some seedlings for spring. As you can see from the link, this involved lots of thick, plastic sheeting. Knowing how destructive puppies can be, and how Jimmy, in particular had a bit of a destructive bent, my dad made a point of telling me to “keep that dog away from this plastic.”

But as soon as Dad’s back was turned, Jimmy went and jumped right through the middle of that hot house, not once, but several times, tearing the plastic to shreds. I don’t know why.

Jimmy was cremated that evening in the backyard incinerator along with a lot of household rubbish, because that’s how dads got rid of stuff back in the days before recycling.

TABO Incinerators combines long experience with new technology. We will continue our tradition of making high quality products in Sweden. Skilled engineering is the best way to ensure the customer long-term economy. We continue the TABO tradition and lead crematoriums into the future.

Welcome to B&L Cremation Systems Home page. As a world leader in the manufacturing of human and animal cremation equipment, this site will enable you to easily collect information about our company and products.Since our inception, B&L Cremation Systems, Inc. has striven to perfect the packaged cremation retort. Our commitment to research and development is unsurpassed. We are one of the largest manufacturers of cremation and crematorium products such as cremation retorts, caskets, mailers, urns, safety equipment, processors, coolers, and much more.

Designs engineered by B&L have changed not only today’s crematories, but have changed the entire industry. B&L was the first to introduce the hot hearth system, fuel saving materials such as ceramics, and the separate remains removal system to the human crematory market.

For almost 25 years, B&L has grown to become the recognized leader of the cremation industry. We set the standards which others follow.

*Tackles theme head-on*

Change and me

Sometimes I feel a bit awash.

When I was younger I used to stop in the middle of class at primary school and think how strange that of all the times, of all the things to be living, I was eleven years old sitting in a portable room at the back of the school. What were the chances of that?

Later, these kind of  thoughts would recur, and they would be compounded by the thought that I was not eleven, but thirteen or fifteen or seventeen.  I would remember the previous instances very clearly, and I would look down.

My feet were always that bit further away.

My uniform changed colour- then the blue faded.

And each time, a slightly more prominent chest. So I realised I was incomparable to myself the last time I had been preoccupied with my position in space and time (and how unlikely that was)

So I suppose in a way, I keep becoming a different person. There is continuity, but constant change.

Meanwhile, I keep noticing the people around me forgetting things. That’s probably how I’ve gotten away with it.

Also, there is a women’s toilet out at Seaview that still has an incinerator in it. It has metal plates nailed across the front to prevent modern people from trying to use it. The past can be very private. I find myself looking at the archaic thing and wondering what happened.

Marvelling at how things have changed.

Living in the future is a tiring business

Achieving Sustainable Efficiency

Given the condition of our economy it isn’t a secret that companies are being conservative with their resources. One way companies are “pinching pennies” is by eliminating unnecessary expenditures. 

Process heating accounts for over one-third of total energy used in the nation’s industrial facilities. Thus, fuel is a huge expense to industries that use process heat equipment. Unfortunately, because combustion equipment is the cornerstone of a process heat system, fuel is not an expense that these industries can eliminate.  On the other hand, what most companies who use process heat equipment fail to recognize is that “pinching pennies”, while using combustion equipment, can be overwhelmingly simple.

The key to operating process heat equipment at optimal efficiency is to implement an industry best practice: regularly performing maintenance on your combustion equipment.  Process heat equipment maintenance will not only curb fuel costs, but it will also:

-Reduce Downtime: reduce unexpected failures

-Increase Production: minimize downtime

-Reduce Fuel costs and Energy Bills: ensure proper fuel/air ratio and efficient flame quality

-Reduce Emissions: reduce NOx and CO2 emissions                              

-Improve Safety: reduce the risk of fires or other hazards

-Increase Equipment Life: continually keep your equipment well-maintained

-National Fire Protection Association, FM, and Gap (IRI) code compliance: ensure your system is up to today’s standards

-Improve Profitability: save money and improve your company’s bottom line

In order to begin taking advantage of the cost-saving benefits listed above, call Stelter & Brinck, Ltd. at 513-367-9300 and ask about their “Scheduled Burner Maintenance Program”. This combustion maintenance program includes:

-Burner tuning for efficiency

-National Fire Protection Association and insurance safety checks

-System leak test (gas leaks)

-Burner operation reliability

-Burner and pilot inspection

-Preventative Maintenance

For more information visit Stelter & Brinck, Ltd. at www.stelterbrinck.com or call 513-367-9300.

Monday, November 10th 2008

When we think about the Greenfox Five: Energy, Waste Disposal, Food, Products, and Greenspace, we realize this is a holistic approach to changing a school because it promotes whole-change sustainability.

A school, however, may decide to take one small step toward change, which is valuable nonetheless. Different schools have different budgets, resources, and space for change, necessitating unique approaches for each school.

A school with a smaller budget may want to start in the Greenfox Five category of Waste Disposal, where they can start by implementing a composting program designed by Greenfox. A composting program provides great opportunities for student leadership and curriculum building.

Greenfox can provide the system strategy (how the program will be implemented) as well as the products needed to set up the program (composter, pails, recycling bins, etc).

Finally, don’t forget that becoming a green school is a progressive way of thinking about building design, systems implementation, and education, and therefore creates a competitive marketing edge for your school.

Composting at Your School: Let’s Get Started

What is Compost?

Compost is a rich, heated soil mixture containing rotted organic matter, raw materials, and billions of organisms. Four essential elements for a healthy heap include air, moisture, carbon, and nitrogen. A compost needs a balance of wet green materials (nitrogen-rich) and dry brown materials (carbon-rich).

Greenfox Composting Program for Schools

-The general system implementation for a composting program at a school requires that each classroom be responsible for collecting its own food scraps and depositing them in the main composter located outside. If the school has a cafeteria, there will be a compost bin set up for collection inside the dining hall.

-If collection occurs by classroom, then each classroom will have a tin pail or all-purpose bucket to collect food scraps after snack and lunch.

-One or two students in the class should be assigned the job of composting duty or “composter” on a daily or weekly basis, depending on your class structure.

-This student(s) will be responsible for taking the tin pail outside and depositing the food scraps into the main composter after lunchtime. Likewise, in a cafeteria student leaders or kitchen staff will be responsible for emptying the composting bin outside after mealtime.

The composter may be a sectioned heap, or a tumble-turn barrel composter. The pile must be turned at least once a week, if not daily. There must be a balance between wet green and dry brown materials, and materials should be piled loosely. Raw material such as leaves and twigs can be shredded, and there must be a good amount of air.

Benefits of Composting

-waste diverted from landfills, oceans, and incinerators
-less carbon dioxide used
-richer soil
-helps soil retain water close to roots
-helps feed plants even in droughts
-healthier, stronger plants

What Can Go in the Composter?

Food
vegetables
fruits
egg shells
nuts
teabags
coffee grinds
bread/carbohydrates
minimal amount of meat/dairy
corn husks

Other Raw Materials
grass clippings
old plants
twigs
weeds
leaves
newspapers
wood ash
woodchips
bark
sawdust
vacuum dust
feathers
straw
hair
seaweed
manure (excrement from herbivores)

What Not to Put in the Composter

Food
greasy meats
bones
fatty food wastes (oil, mayo, peanut butter)

Other Raw Materials
human or pet excrement
diseased products
coal or charcoal ash

Signs of Healthy Compost
-deep black-brown color
-earthy smell
-moist, not wet
-hot/heated
-crumbly texture
-pH between 6.0-7.4 (neutral-slightly acidic)

Science Behind Composting: Decomposition

The process of decomposition can be broken down into five stages:
-oxidation
-reduction
-degradation
-conversion
-maturation

When to Spread Compost

Compost can be spread around lawns, fruit trees, shrubs, trees, flower beds, vegetable gardens, seedlings, and potted plants during the spring and summer, and turned into the ground during the fall and winter.

Together, we are making a positive change by reducing the amount of garbage we generate and reducing our carbon footprint as schools. Way to go!

-Kristen von Hoffmann

In 1922, Stelter & Brinck, Ltd. was founded as a manufacturer’s representative agency selling the first industrial burners and controls. Over the years, S&B built a second-to-none reputation among their customers not only for quality equipment, but also for engineering expertise and excellent service. As more and more customers began looking to Stelter & Brinck for complete packaged systems, the company began making the transformation from representative agency to manufacturer.

Today, Stelter & Brinck has been designing and manufacturing industrial combustion equipment out of Cincinnati, Ohio for over 50 years. We are proud of our long history as a supplier of combustion solutions to industry but we are most grateful for our heritage of honesty and quality as reflected in our company motto: “Treat The Customer As You Would Be Treated.”

Because we embody our motto in every aspect of our work, we partner with our customers to ensure each customer is provided with the highest quality services from engineering through equipment start-up. We keep our customers informed at all stages of a project, no matter how small or large. Our customers’ needs become our needs and their problems become our problems.

With over 80 years of experience, S&B is here today, and in the future, to support your combustion needs.

David Davis

I can’t do better than the Devil, sorry – you’ll have to read about what “choice-editing” is by yourself!

And what, pray, might “Food Policy” be, and why can there be a professorship in it?

And why do all stalinists end up looking the same? Just look at the bugger, you’ll see what I mean: no ordinary person can look like that and walk down the street without being murdered, as a suspected stalinophile… I’ve saved the pic elsewhere, somewhere in Russia, in case The Devil gets shut down by the Gestapo authorities “promoting content standards”…..is that like throwing Jews into incinerators resettling them?

Perhaps their “choices” were “edited” by people who thought like this man clearly does:-

must be in a university then...

Stelter & Brinck has a long history in process heat systems. We are located west of Cincinnati, Ohio. However, we have a world-wide service network.  Our technicians are thoroughly trained with OSHA annual training and are very experienced. Our technicians have worked with many brands of burners and controls.They are also supported by mechanical, electrical, and chemical engineers.

Services performed by our technicians include:

-Stelter & Brinck’s “Scheduled Burner Maintenance Program”

-Combustion Equipment Parts

-Training

-Field Rebuilds/Upgrades/Retrofitting

For more information call us: 513-367-9300

Visit: www.stelterbrinck.com

Stelter & Brinck Packaged Air Heaters

These air heaters are completely packaged with process blowers, air hear burners, and controls. These heaters offer the utmost in customer convenience with total prewired and prepiped assembly including an insulated outlet transition with protective metallic skin.

They are designed to be easy to use and install. Some of their features are:

1.       Structural steel skid mounted assembly

2.       Control panel with annunciator

3.       Optional remote control

4.       NFPA/FM or IRI construction standards

5.       Insulated and skinned combustion chamber and outlet transition

6.       Test fired and tuned prior to shipment

Stelter & Brinck packaged heaters offer the customer the best option in easy to use direct fired heating. These heaters are self-contained, fully test fired, and ready to install.

Scheduled Burner Maintenance Program

Keep your process heat systems well-maintained with Stelter & Brinck’s Scheduled Burner Maintenance Program and take advantage of the following cost-saving benefits!!

Reduced Downtime
Increased Production
Reduced Fuel Costs
Improved Safety
Increased Equipment Life
National Fire Protection Association, FM, and GAP (IRI) code compliance

Features of the Scheduled Burner Maintenance Program

System leak test (gas leaks)
National Fire Protection Association and insurance safety checks
Burner tuning for efficiency
Burner operation reliability
Burner and pilot inspection
Preventative Maintenance

Stelter & Brinck

Duct Air Heater

S&B’s duct air heaters are designed to be inserted right into your process ductwork. The burner in out AHD unites uses the oxygen present in the process stream for combustion eliminating the need for an additional combustion air source. Our recirculating models are dsigned for process streams with low oxygen conent and feature a combustion blower.

If interested call 513-367-9300 or visit www.stelterbrinck.com

I would really like to recommend to those of you that haven’t yet read “Hope Lives” by Amber Van Schooneveld to do so. I am reading it with my Level 2 Advocates on my Team. It is really eye opening and challenging to live in the second richest country in the world, slightly behind Switzerland and to still hear people say they don’t have enough. Ms. Schooneveld says that we have become paralized, trapped in our big pile of stuff with our arms pinned to our sides unable to reach out and help anyone else!

As a Mobile Society we focus on competition and economic aggression and are unable to experience contentment. She quotes Peter Kreeft in “Back to Virtue” –

We’re taught to climb to the top of the heap. What we’re not taught is that the heap is a garbage heap.

Now I have seen garbage dumps in third world countries with children scavanging through the discarded mess for a piece of food or metal that can be sold for a few pennies. Children that don’t know if they will even have a meal that day. Can you just imagine all that we individually and collectively throw away that lands in land fills or is burned in incinerators.

Well I looked at the record of my husband and my spending for the month of June just to compare it with the Gross National Income per Capita for 2003. Here are some of the countries you might want to compare your spending with.

Egypt                     $1,390
India                         $530
Bangladesh                $400
Kenya                        $390
Ethiopia                      $90

I was totally stunned! In the one month of June I spent as much on Books (a hobby that I love) as a family would make in a year in Ethiopia. If I add together what we spend on our Computer/Cable TV (it’s the minimum package available), gifts and entertainment in one month I would have as much as a family makes in a year in Kenya. Next, in the month of June we spent what a family in Egypt would make in a year just on a vacation. Talk about what we spent for groceries and personal items that Dick enjoyed we would have more than a family made in a year in Bangladesh. Thankfully, we also spent about 15% of our income on charitable giving with Compassion International getting a large portion.

So what did I come away with? I am definitely not just getting by!

I would challenge you to look at your spending for a month and ask yourself if you are just getting by or are you living in luxury? And then what are you going to do? We don’t have to be paralyzed by stuff. We are all resourceful and hard working but most of all we are commissioned by God to use

• our power
• our resources
• our love

to reach out to the poor and oppressed in the world! Even if we would each just change one life. If we would reach out and give hope, comfort and love to one person, together we could change the world!

I implore you to make a difference for eternity. Sponsor a child through Compassion International today. That child is already loved by God and is waiting for you to love him too. Thank you for the children.