Problem: Article: The image must be clear in order to make it easy to cut out.  If you are drawing your own image, clearly outline the areas of the image that will be cut out for the stencil. Remember that you need to define the edges and the details of your image, or the stencil will not portray your original drawing. If you are using a photograph or an online image, you need to use a software program that can adjust the contrast and brightness of your image so that you have defined dark and light areas. It will probably be easiest to switch the image into purely black and white.  Make sure that your current design will work as a stencil. If you are attempting to create a complex image with textures or shadows, make sure that you design does not force you to cut whole sections out of the stencil. Alter the image so that the stencil will remain as a single piece.  Photo images also work best if you erase the backgrounds first. This may be the most time-consuming portion of the process. After the image has been printed, it may be a good idea to outline any areas areas in which the contrast remains ill-defined. You must have a clear image to cut out for the stencil.
Summary: Create the final image with clean lines and good contrast. Print  out the final image on a regular piece of computer paper (if applicable).

Problem: Article: Get a group of your friends together, or find a day when your family can all go out for a morning to a nearby park. Take a few large trash bags and some gardening gloves with you. Start at the parking lot, and follow every path in the park, picking up every piece of trash you find. Within a few hours, your park will be spotless!  If you see trash off the path, don't hesitate – go and grab it. If it's hard to reach, find a stick and try to knock and drag it closer. This doesn't sound like that much fun when you read it, but actually doing it is a great experience. In fact, you might like it so much that you want to set up a regular event once or twice a year to go back and clean it again. If you ask teachers and look at the local news, you'll probably find that there are other groups of people doing cleanup operations similar to your park project. In almost all cases, these people are happy to have kids and families join up. You might get to clean up a beach, a campground, or a pretty mountain trail when you go out with a bigger crew. You'll also get the thrill of being part of a bigger movement. Whether you like to plant trees, clean up trails, or even just spread the word about environmental change in your hometown, there's probably a local group of people who are interested in doing the same thing. Reach out to them and ask how you can help. If there isn't such a group, why not talk to your parents or school about making one yourself? You're never too young to make a difference, after all. That's just as true out in public as it is in your own living room.  If you know friends who are just as interested as you, have them all sign a piece of paper saying they're interested, and then take it to your principal. Knowing that a lot of people want to help will make the principal more likely to consider your request. One program that many schools can do but few schools take advantage of is a composting program. Composting reduces waste by separating food scraps and yard debris and allowing it to decompose and turn into soil. With enough community involvement, a composting program at your school could be a big success, so start spreading the word and drumming up support among your fellow students and their parents. While balloons are made of biodegradable material, you should blow them up for party events rather than have them filled with helium.  Blowing a balloon up is not only a very fun thing to do, it is also much more environmentally sound than using helium.
Summary: Clean up a park. Join a larger cleaning operation. Join other volunteer groups.

Problem: Article: If you believe that the insurance company undervalued your car in their report, gather and copy any records you have that show that your car was valuable and well-maintained. This includes receipts and other proof of:  Optional features Upgrades, add-ons, and customizations Repairs Regular maintenance Any documents you received from the car's previous owner Spend some time finding evidence that your insurer undervalued your vehicle or overvalued the cost of repair. Kelley Blue Book is a good place to start. KBB is the go-to authority on car values, and lets you calculate the value of your vehicle with reference to its condition and your geographic location. You can also find for-sale listings online or in a newspaper for the make and model in a similar condition in your area. Finally, you may be able to get a quote for repairs from a mechanic. Have him or her put the quote in writing. Vehicle owners are often surprised to find out that their car has depreciated substantially since they purchased it. Remember that the value of your car is based on its resale value, not on what you paid for it. Your insurance adjuster should have prepared the initial report by calculating the average values and cost of repairs for similar vehicles in your area. Submit a detailed collection of evidence showing that the adjuster's valuations were inaccurate. The adjuster will review your supporting documentation. Do your own calculations by averaging the values of several different comparable vehicles in your area. The adjuster will certainly check your math, but your evidence will be more persuasive if you present the conclusion of your research up front. Your insurance company may or may not have had the vehicle appraised in person. Re-read your insurance policy, or ask if your policy guarantees you the right to an independent appraisal. The insurance company will either hire an appraiser inspect your vehicle, or they may simply offer you more money to settle the claim and avoid the trouble of hiring an appraiser. The adjuster may also want to avoid the possibility that the new appraisal will be substantially higher than the initial valuation. Your insurance company has a lot of power in declaring a vehicle a total loss, because they have the money that you need to either repair your car or buy a new one. However, if you can afford to wait, you can exercise some power of your own by refusing to settle right away. Insurance adjusters are typically under a lot of pressure to settle cases quickly. Some sources report that adjusters usually have discretion to increase a settlement amount by up to $500 during negotiations. To get more, you will need to present compelling evidence that their initial calculations were off and demonstrate that you are not in a hurry to settle. Insurance companies are required by law to settle claims in good faith. If you believe that your insurer has acted in bad faith by making an unreasonably low offer, you can file a complaint with your state's Department of Insurance. You can find a directory of links to each Department of Insurance's consumer complaint website here. You can usually submit your complaint online through an electronic form by providing your contact information and the details of your complaint. The Department will investigate your claim for potential regulatory issues and violations of law, and may mediate the issue for you.
Summary:
Gather your records. Do some research. Submit your records and research to the insurance company. Request an appraisal. Negotiate. Consider filing a complaint with the Department of Insurance.