The EF5 tornado that descended on Moore, Oklahoma Monday is officially the deadliest tornado to hit the United States since Joplin.

And like Joplin and the numerous disaster before and since, Americans are rallying together to help those affected in any way they can. Earlier this week, we encouraged you to help Oklahoma tornado victims through donations to reputable charities, including the American Red Cross and Salvation Army.

Now, we’re stepping up. Wednesday, Etón shipped out over 1,300 units, worth nearly $70,000, of turbine and solar-powered American Red Cross preparedness radios to displaced Oklahomans currently staying on the University of Oklahoma campus.

While our donation doesn’t help recover lost homes or treasured possessions, we hope to provide a little peace of mind moving forward. Again, our thoughts and prayers are with you, Oklahoma.

For more photos of Etón Corp’s Oklahoma relief efforts, visit our Facebook album.

Image via travel.cnn.com

Where to? Discover your next destination. When you are on the road you don’t have time to look through a travel book for restaurant or rest stop suggestions. “Where to” helps you find what you’re looking for with ease. This app allows you to locate almost anything that is nearby, even medical providers or ATMs.

Cost: $2.99

Zagat to Go. When you’re in a new place, you don’t always know the best place to grab a bite. With Zagat to Go’s GPS feature you can find restaurants nearby, with the added bonus of their official Zagat ratings.

Cost: $9.99

Airbnb. When you’re on the go, the last thing you want to do is search for a place to sleep. With Airbnb, you can easily book accommodations with a few simple clicks from your iPhone.

Cost: Free

 Image via appcraver.com

The Weather Channel App. Want to know what to pack for your trip, but not sure of the weather at your final Memorial Day destination? The Weather Channel App is simple, easy-to-use, and includes full screen radar weather maps, seasonal information, and weather news to help you plan your attire accordingly.

Cost: Free

KAYAK, Flight, Hotel Search. There’s a lot of responsibility that goes into planning a trip. Kayak.com conveniently allows travelers to track their flight status, book their travel plans, and find flight, hotel, and car rental deals, all for free.

Cost: Free

Packing Pro. Do you have trouble staying organized when planning for a trip? The Packing Pro app aides the absentminded traveler by creating packing lists based on the number of adults, children, and days of travel. This app also takes into consideration variables like temperature, destination, and food preparation.

No matter how prepared you think you are, you still can’t access these great travel apps without your smartphone. With all these apps eating away at your phone’s battery life, it’s important to have backup. The BoostSolar by Etón is a solar-powered backup battery pack that will fully charge most smartphones twice. Let the BoostSolar keep you powered up and ready to go for your Memorial Day trip!

For more great travel apps, follow our travel app board on Pinterest!

image via mindware.com

• Capture the Funny Moments. Every car trip has its own memories. Whether it’s a Nikon or a simple, disposable camera, make sure you have your camera on hand to capture them!
• Don’t Go Hungry. Keep everyone full and content with a variety of snacks for the trip. Keep it healthy and convenient by bringing granola and protein bars, bananas, apple slices, pretzels, and baby carrots. Also, come prepared with enough bottled water incase you were to get stranded or simply need something to wet your whistle.
• Peace and Quiet. For longer car rides, naps can be a must. To drown out unwanted noise, bring along the best pair of earplugs for traveling and get the most rest and relaxation that a car ride can provide.
• Stay Entertained. Sometimes it’s hard to keep the kids entertained during car travel. Bring a portable DVD player along for the ride so the kids can watch their favorite movies for hours on end.
• Jammin’ Out. Don’t want to worry about buying and dealing with electricity power inverters for your electronics and essentials this Memorial Day? You can run the rukus Solar completely on solar power. Enjoy on-the-go music through this wireless system just through the use of the sun. The rukus Solar allows you to listen to your road-worthy playlist by syncing to any Bluetooth enabled smartphone. Whether the kids are watching movies while the parents relax, or the whole family is enjoying their favorite songs together, not having cords draped across laps leaves a safer car environment for all.

With its lightweight and compact design, the Rugged rukus is an all-terrain, solar-powered, wireless speaker that has been designed to be tough without sacrificing awesome stereo sound.

Using the latest Bluetooth wireless technologies, the Rugged rukus solar-powered sound system features a durable, IPX4-certified splash-proof design. And while you don’t have to plug in to enjoy tunes, the Rugged rukus has the ability to simultaneously play music while keeping your handheld device charged and ready for use should you choose to plug in via the built-in USB adapter.

“The Rugged rukus is extremely portable and splash-proof, so it’s easy to take your tunes with you anywhere and everywhere,” said Esmail Hozour, CEO of Etón Corporation. “Because you’re able to charge your smartphone and take advantage of its built-tough design, it’s essential gear for any outdoor adventure.”

The Rugged rukus effortlessly delivers crisp stereo sound using its two highly efficient, full-range speaker drivers. With the power to charge the internal lithium battery via the 20 square-inch high-efficiency solar panel or USB adapter, Rugged rukus is always ready to go.

Five hours in direct sunlight fully charges the Rugged rukus—or plug it in and it charges in about 2 ½ hours. When it gets dark, the internal lithium battery will keep the music going for 8+ hours. Extremely durable, the Rugged rukus also features carabineer-ready loops, making it the perfect portable speaker for any outdoor activity.

Rugged rukus is now available at Amazon.com, REI stores, and Apple online and in-store locations. Check it out on the Etón website.

As a bystander of the destruction, you may feel helpless, but you’re not. Monetary donations help mobilize necessary aid on the ground and here is a list, compiled by USA Today, of trustworthy and effective ways to donate:

1. American Red Cross: Our friends at the American Red Cross are already in Moore, setting up shelters, serving hot meals, and helping residents locate loved ones through a website called Safe and Well. To aid the American Red Cross’ efforts, you can text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation, donate online, or by phone at 1-800-RED-CROSS.

2. Salvation Army: The Salvation Army is likewise already in Moore with mobile feeding units. Donate by phone at 1-800-SAL-ARMY, text STORM to 80888 to make a $10 donation, or send a check marked “Oklahoma Torando Relief” to:

The Salvation Army

P.O. Box 12600

Oklahoma City, OK 73157

3. Operation USA: This relief agency is working to provide emergency aid to community-based health organizations across Oklahoma. Donate online, by phone at 1-800-678-7255, text AID to 50555 for a $10 donation, or send a check to:

Operation USA

7241 Beverly Blvd., PH

Los Angeles, CA 90036

4. Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief: This local organization has at least 80 volunteers responding. Help them by donating to the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma’s Disaster Relief ministry online, by phone at (405) 842-3800, or send checks to:

BGCO

Attn: Disaster Relief

3800 N. May Ave.

Oklahoma City, OK 73112

Our thoughts are with all those affected by the devastation, from victims to rescuers.

[image by ApartmentTherapy]

What is an aerator? An aerator mixes air into the water stream, leading to less water usage but still maintains a steady pressure.

Items you need:

• Pliers/wrench
• White pipe tape
• Faucet aerators*

*Faucet aerators cost between $5-$10 and shower head aerators cost from $8-$50 depending on what kind of style you would like. These are available at any local hardware store.

How to install:

1. Remove the current aerator on your faucet, if one is present. This task may require the use of pliers or a wrench, depending on how tight it is installed.
2. Apply a layer of white pipe tape around the threads of the new aerator.
3. Take the rubber washer and place it on the end of the faucet.
4. Take your new aerator and gently screw it onto the faucet, make sure it is installed tightly to avoid leaking around the seal.
5. Test your new aerator out by turning on your water.

[image by Delta faucets]

Congratulations, you just started down the road of saving yourself money, not only on your water bill but also your electricity bill. Have you gone eco-friendly in your household in other ways? Post them in the comments below!

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Men’s Journal

Product: ZoneGuard

The New York Times

Product: BoostBloc

“Backup Power in the Palm of Your Hand”

Digital Trends

Product: BoostSolar

“Sun-Powered BoostSolar Charger Juices up Your Phone While Riding Shotgun”

Cult of Mac

Product: BoostSolar

“Eton BoostSolar is Everything You Want in a Solar Charger, and Nothing More”

AOL TUAW

Product: BoostSolar

“Mobile Device Power Shines With Eton’s New BoostSolar”

No matter the weather, we are happy to see that the media enjoys our products as much as we do! Be sure to check out some other examples of Eton in the news.

The following are some tips and topics to guide you on a discussion with your child:

For a tornado, teach your child the following:

• The difference between a tornado watch and tornado warning
• Where the safest place to be is, when at home or school
• What they should take with them to the safe place (snacks, blanket, weather radio, etc.)

For an earthquake, teach your child the following:

• Drop – Cover – Hold on
  • Drop to the floor
  • Cover yourself by getting under a stable object
  • Hold on to something
  • Even though they are most common on the West Coast, they can happen in 45 of the 50 states
  • After an earthquake, wait for an adult to give direction before moving from your safe place

For a fire, teach your child the following:

• The most important thing is to listen to the adult that is closest to you for directions and to stay calm
• If no adult is present, exit the building as fast but calm as possible, avoiding any areas where there might be fire

For a flood, teach your child the following:

• The difference between a flood watch and flood warning
• Where your disaster preparedness kit is in the event a flood is imminent

For a hurricane, teach your child the following:

• The meaning of a hurricane evacuation and where you would go if your family were asked to evacuate (be prepared to answer questions on where the family pets will go in the event there is an evacuation).
• Plan for power outages
• Steer clear of windows

For ALL natural disasters, teach your child the following:

• The location that is designated as the family meeting spot – Take your child here on a regular basis to make sure they know exactly how to get there.
• A family phone number, in case of an emergency at school or away from home – Make sure your child knows a family phone number to call to confirm that he or she is ok

There are many websites available on disaster preparedness for kids, for fun activities to do with your children while educating them on such as serious topic.

What tips and tricks do you have for parents teaching their children about natural disasters?

At Etón, we’re positively enamored with solar energy. Take the BoostSolar solar-powered backup battery, for example, which collects and stores solar energy for use later to power and charge your cell phone or other electronic device.

In addition to the extensive research and development that has gone into our Boost line, we thought we’d do some additional solar power research, reading up on interesting energy facts, and share them here in Q&A form:

Q: How is solar energy defined exactly?

A: Energy from the sun that reaches earth’s surface

Q: How exactly is solar energy produced?

A: Well, to be exact, solar energy is a thermonuclear reaction of hydrogen fusion into helium in the nucleus

Q: What happens to solar energy on cloudy days?

A: In fact, 34% of the sun’s energy is reflected back into space by clouds and snow.

Q: How much of the sun’s energy reaches earth?

A: One half-billionth part

Q: What are some of the greatest benefits of solar energy?

A: It is clean, inexhaustible, and it can be transformed into other forms of energy: thermal, electric, chemical, mechanical, etc.

Q: How much of the sun’s energy is visible?

A: 41%

Know some additional interesting facts or figures on solar power? Please share in the comments below and we’ll add them to our blog! 

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1. Ever heard the phrase “electronics still use electricity when turned off, even if still plugged in!” Well, it’s true. Phantom energy  is when most electronics are in ‘stand by’ mode, but still using energy. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, this accounts for 6% of all residential energy consumption. The phantom energy theory is affected by any and all plugged in object, from your coffee maker, blender, and even your iPhone charger! Switch to power strips to make it easier to turn off multiple electronics at once when not in use.

2. Wash your laundry in cool water. It takes a lot of energy for your washer to heat up water for a load of wash. Simply switching your loads to cold water will save you up to 90% of the energy used by your washer, according to Energy Star. In addition, studies have also shown that cold water helps preserve your clothes longer than warm or hot water.

3. Use alternative renewable energy when possible. With strides in sustainable energy, veer towards products that use solar- or wind-powered energy to reduce your consumption.

4. Change your furnaces’ air filter monthly and close unused air vents. Changing the filter will lead to less strain on your system, while closing vents will redirect the air to rooms where it is needed. This results in your furnace working less excessive overtime, all while using less energy.

5. Plant shade trees. The Sacramento Municipal Utility District found that properly placed trees around your yard can cut your summer electric bill up to 40%, a monumental saving. Typical shade trees include oaks, maples, ashes, lindens and elms.

Utilizing these friendly tips will not only impact (and lower) your ecological footprint, but you’ll also save money!

What do you do to save energy at home?