The Energy Star designation is given to energy-efficient appliances in a program sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy.

Summary: Buy appliances with the Energy Star designation if you are buying new appliances in the United States.

Ask local businesses, organizations, and groups if they need help constructing or fixing things. Activities such as designing and building sets for plays or cleaning a large machine can give you practical insight into building plans or how machines work. Some ways to get experience and help people include: Joining a Habitat for Humanity program Disaster relief projects Consider an international project with the UN's Global Compact Network Contact local architects, construction and manufacturing companies, and technology firms. Inquire if they are looking for a drafting intern in one of their departments. Consider sending letters of intent and a resume to companies as well. Interning with professionals who use drafters or are drafters can build on your coursework and give you practical know-how to get a job. Find out the name of a specific supervisor at each company if you can. Ask professors if they know someone who might supervise you on being a drafter with their company. Look for possibilities to gain practical knowledge. Apply for jobs such as doing construction or manufacturing work. You could also work with computers or electrics in a factory. These can give you hands-on experience that translate into more complex and detailed plans and make you stand out from other drafting applicants on the job market.

Summary: Volunteer in your community. Do an internship. Work in a field related to drafting during breaks.

You must file in the circuit court for the county where you last lived as a married couple or in the county where either party currently resides. You initiate divorce proceedings by filing a petition in the court. In the petition, you ask the court for the divorce. Either spouse may file. The Florida Supreme Court has approved various petition forms for divorces: a divorce without children or property (here), a divorce with property but no children (here), or a divorce with children (here). You will also have to fill out an Affidavit of Corroborating Witness, a Marital Settlement Agreement, Notice of Social Security Number, Family Law Financial Affidavit, and Certificate of Compliance with Mandatory Disclosure. If you have children or the wife is pregnant, then you must also file the following forms: the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA) Affidavit, Child Support Guidelines Worksheet, and a Parenting Plan. All of these forms are available at this website. You (or your attorney) should take the petition as well as any supporting documentation and file it with the clerk of court. You will also have to pay a fee, which varies depending on the court. For example, the fee in Hillsborough County is $408.00. If you cannot afford the filing fee, ask for an Application for Determination of Civil Indigent Status from the clerk. You must give your spouse notice that you have filed a petition for dissolution of marriage so that he or she can answer the petition within 20 days. The most common methods of service are personal service and constructive service. You cannot serve by mail or hand delivery. If you know where you spouse is, you should serve the papers personally. You should fill out a Summons and a Process Service Memorandum. You will need your spouse's home and work address. You will then need to ask the clerk to help schedule service by the sheriff. If your spouse lives in the same county as where the court is located, then you can have the local sheriff serve notice for a fee. The fee can only be paid with cashier's check or a money order. You must also include a self-addressed stamped envelope. After service, the sheriff will send proof of service to you. If your spouse lives in a different county, then the clerk will send the papers to the sheriff in the other county. Personal service is recommended. Constructive service (by publication) is available if you cannot locate your spouse or if he or she lives in a different state. Talk to the clerk, as your remedies will be limited if you do not personally serve the spouse.

Summary: Locate the correct court. Draft a dissolution of marriage petition. Fill out additional forms. File the petition. Serve notice on your spouse.

Be sure your slices are uniformly cut so that dehydration occurs consistently throughout your meat. Slice ham into 1-inch wide strips. They should look like slightly thicker slices of bacon. Cut beef into long, 1/4-inch wide strips if you are making beef jerky. Pull chicken apart into small pieces. It should look very similar to pulled pork. If you plan on consuming meats after they have been dried, be sure that your ham and chicken are precooked. Raw, dehydrated beef is okay to consume as it will turn into beef jerky. Eating raw dehydrated pork can cause an infection called trichinosis, which occurs when raw or under-cooked pork is consumed. Similarly, eating raw chicken can give you salmonella food poisoning. Position slices into neat rows so that they do not overlap or cover one another. Spread the pulled chicken into an even layer so that there are no large clumps. These times and temperatures may vary slightly for different meats but should yield an overall similar result. If making beef jerky, monitor your slices to make sure they are pliable but not brittle. This means they should bend without actually breaking. The moisture that comes to the surface will mostly be oil and fat from the meat. Oils and fats don't evaporate as easily as smaller molecules like water. Therefore, you need to wipe it away in order for drying to be successful. You don't have to wipe the pulled chicken bits as chicken is leaner and contains less fat. Use your fingers to test the meat and see if there is still moisture on the surface. Drying requires a lot of monitoring and is not a precise procedure like baking, for instance. Don't be afraid of opening up the dehydrator to check the meat every few hours to observe its progress. Remember, air also contains moisture, and moisture is the enemy of dried foods. If you're storing the meat shorter than a month, store it in a dry, dark place at room temperature. Your kitchen cupboard should be ideal for dried meats. Don't worry about spoilage; removing the water content prevents meats from spoiling. For long term storage, place meat in the freezer or refrigerator. Even though water has been pulled from the meat, air may still find a way of getting in. Since air tends to carry bacteria and other organisms, sealed meats can still become moldy or spoiled. When storing dried foods, contamination from insects can occur. Don't worry, however, since this is not common among properly sealed meats. It is most likely a result of meats already containing the eggs prior to drying. To reduce insect contamination, pasteurize your meat after drying it. You can either store the meat in the refrigerator for 48 hours or place it in the oven at 175F (79C) for 15-30 minutes. Dried foods can be stored up to one year. Vacuum-packing and refrigerating can double or triple this shelf-life.
Summary: Cut your meat into smaller slices. Place your strips of meat onto a tray and place it inside the dehydrator. Dry the meat at 145155F (6368C) for about 6 hours. Dab ham and beef slices with paper towels frequently throughout the drying process. Take the meat out of the dehydrator once it is completely dry. Store your dehydrated meats in airtight plastic bags. Check your dried meats every couple of weeks or so.