TheCleaners.net

Have you ever wondered why every globe you ever saw in school or purchased for yourself is tilted at exactly the same angle? No, it's not so you can see North America more conveniently!

That globe is tilted 23.5 degrees, to be precise, and it reflects the actual tilt of the world on its invisible axis. Big deal? You bet! This is what gives us seasons year after year.

Speaking of seasons, we've got some important tips about packing up those summer clothes, so be sure to check them out before you store them away.

See you soon!
Jim Nixon

www.thecleaners.net

Say What?

In the Northern Hemisphere, when it is winter
the earth is actually 3 million miles CLOSER to the sun
than during the summer.

Unhampered Coupon!

If you're going to put Summer garments aside in favor of Fall and Winter, do it right -- put them away clean and fresh, so they'll be ready for you when Old Man Winter finally lets go again. For a limited time, have three garments drycleaned, and we'll do a fourth of equal or lesser value at no charge. (Include first page of this e-mail with your order. Offer expires November 15, 2004. Cannot be combined with other offers.)

No matter how bad the weather gets, you can always take a twisted comfort in the fact that SOMEWHERE in the world, it's summer -- or at least it's nicer than where you are. But if the earth spins around every 24 hours, how can that be true? Shouldn't we all have pretty much the same seasons at the same time?

Can you say TILT?

The amazing thing about our planet is that it is tilted at just the right angle (23.5 degrees off vertical) to facilitate life. That tilt may not sound like much, but it means that as the earth travels around the sun, different areas of the earth or more exposed or less exposed to the sun's rays. Since our orbit around the sun takes a year, our part of the world is either leaning toward or away from the sun for a significant period of time -- hence the seasons that divide our year.

What's so great about seasons? Aside from the aesthetic aspect of having a change of pace every 4 months or so, different seasons make it possible for plants to grow, hibernate, and then blossom anew without running out of energy. If they grew continually, they'd not be as healthy as when they have spurts of growth, fruitful periods, and times of slowed metabolism. In this, they're much like animals that hibernate, sleeping away the worst of the weather in safe burrows.

The tilt to the earth's axis is why the Northern and Southern hemispheres trade seasons all year long. Look at the diagrams above -- if you picture the US on the globe, it is in the Northern hemisphere. When that part of the globe is leaning closer to the sun the impact of the more direct rays is of far more significance than the earth's distance from the sun. (That's why our seasons are not determined by the fact that our circle around the sun is really an ellipse, an oblong ring, not a perfect circle.) When the Northern hemisphere is angled away from the sun and we experience winter, the entire planet is actually closer to the sun than during our summer. (If it's any comfort next year when you're blistering, just remember that this means that Southern hemisphere summers are just a tiny bit hotter than ours -- they're tilted toward the sun AND the planet is closer to the sun at the same time.)

Seasons are vital to our lives. They bring a predictability to the year that would be absent were the planet in a perpendicular spin, not tilted. Animals recognize the seasons and migrate, hibernate or otherwise change their behavior accordingly. When we were a more rural society, we took more notice of the seasons, but that doesn't make them any less relevant. Food production around the globe depends on the steady march of seasons. Studies have also shown that human mental health is impacted by seasons -- or, more specifically, the increase or decrease in the amount of sunlight we experience.

Want to know more?

Take advantage of the Internet's resources and learn something new today!

• What causes the seasons?
• Axial Tilt
• How the earth's seasons and weather work
• SAD -- Seasonal Affective Disorder, it's symptoms and how to combat it.

Changing YOUR Seasons?

It's fun to retire the garments from one season and pull out the clothes that correspond to the new one. Sometimes you rediscover treasures you forgot you had! As you move into your fall wardrobe, keep these tips in mind.

You wouldn't leave clothes in the
hamper for 5 months, would you?

Just as you'd never leave dirty clothes in a hamper for months on end, it's important to wash or have cleaned all the garments you are storing. If you put them away dirty, you'll probably pull them out ruined next spring. Many stains and body soils are not visible to the human eye -- but they can break down the fibers of a garment over time, and are very attractive to moths and other insects looking for a snack during the long winter... and they're not fussy about eating fiber along with it. Always clean before you store.

I can't breathe!

When you bring your clothes home from having them cleaned, immediately remove the plastic over them. This plastic is meant to prevent stains from getting on your garments during transit, not for storage. Clothing needs to be able to "breathe" in storage, so hang it in a closet with adequate air circulation.

I'm afraid of the dark...

Attics and basements are about the worst places to store garments. Attics tend to be overly warm and too dry. Basements, on the other hand, can be damp -- which encourages mold (as if it needs any encouragement!) Unless your attic or basement are completely finished and climate controlled, don't use them for garment storage.

You invested hard-earned dollars in your clothing, and it's worth taking a little extra effort to store it properly. A spare closet with good ventilation is your best insurance that your fun summer clothes will be raring to go next year... summer will be back before you know it!