Harness the Sun’s Power and get Solar Electricity
When most people talk about renewable or alternative energy, they think about solar electricity. Getting energy from the sun is a well known technology. A lot of things are powered by the sun, from houses to workshops and pocket calculators. Whatever your need might be, solar power can fill it.
There are a number of advantages that solar power has over normal grid electricity. You can use solar power for a number of applications and it’s great to use especially in places that are remote and don’t have an electricity grid.
Also, there are photovoltaic systems, which give you solar power and they don’t have moving parts, so the maintenance needed by them is minimal. They can be expanded easily and they can be transported since many of them are small.
The compatibility with the environment is a big bonus for many people. The energy is created out of free and renewable resources from the sun. It also doesn’t bring noise pollution or any other type of pollution. A lot of people choose solar power because it offers them independence. If you live in a rural area, you know that the grid electricity isn’t always the most reliable one. There are plenty of blackouts and storms when some stored solar energy would do wonders.
What is hard about changing to a solar electricity consume is that it can be costly. Sometimes this investment can be quite expensive. Those solar installations repay themselves in a few years. If it’s installed by a professional and you usually paid $100 per month on electricity, the solar panels will pay themselves in around 5 years. If you install the solar panels by yourself then it pays for itself much faster. You also have the option of a second hand system.
Both your house and the planet benefit if you get your energy from the sun. A number of big cities from the US and Canada already get some of their electricity from renewable energy.
Building a Solar Panel on your own
Since the world’s energy resources are being spent at such a fast rate, and the global warming phenomenon threatens our day to day life, a lot of people are looking into getting their own renewable energy, in order to reduce the carbon footprint.
Still, it doesn’t matter how much importance you put on the environment, you still need financial resources to pursue this type of endeavor. You can easily spend thousands of dollars on a system that provides you with solar energy, or you can give it a shot and try building a solar panel on your own.
Creating a solar panel on your own is definitely possible, but usually the panels will be quite small, producing low wattage, sufficient for a lamp. If you want to get solar energy and getting professionals isn’t an option, you can always go with a solar panel kit. The kits that I’m talking about give you all the stuff you need to make a solar panel, right from the living room, though it would be better in a garage.
With the demand for renewable energy, it’s no surprise that you can easily find solar panel kits that you can build yourself. Since a lot of them are made by big companies, like GE, the costs go down and a lot of people can afford to buy them. With a smaller price, you get a better return on the money you invest. Generally, they come with easy to read instructions, so most people can easily build them.
You can find a lot of guides and resources on how to make solar panels, so why not give it a try? You can even get the entire family to work with you on this project. This way they can learn with you how it works exactly and how to put the components together. Making your own panels to get solar power also allows you to make others and increase the system, without calling professionals and spending money on them.
Investing in a solar panel of your own can be a great idea, both for the future of the world and for your own future. Getting your own solar energy can help you save money while saving the environment at the same time.
Clean the Green Way
One of the top eco friendly cleaning products out there today is from an international company originating from Belgium called Ecover. There are many brands out there that claim to have eco friendly characteristics but many do not match up to the standard. Ecover has been around for approximately 25 years as of 2007 and is still going strong today.
So why is Ecover doing so well in the eco friendly market? They do a large variety of cleaning products such as Dishwasher tablets, washing up liquid, laundry liquid, surface spray, bathroom spray, toilet cleaner, hand soap, and more for all your cleaning needs. Best of all, these cleaning products all work, there is no compromise with natural products. Just because a product does not have a harmful symbol on it’s packaging doesn’t mean it’s not tough on dirt.
Eco friendly cleaning products like these leave no chemical residue on your eating utensils and they are non toxic which means they are safe for the environment. These products are plant based with no harmful chemicals. You don’t have to go out of your way for eco friendly cleaning products; many large stores stock these types of products now as well as specialist health and organic stores.
Natural eco friendly cleaning products aren’t just beneficial to the environment they are also good for us too. Personal care products are kinder to skin, suitable for sensitive skin types and with a neutral PH balance. There are no petrochemicals involved, just natural refreshing cleaning.
Ecover in particular also have refill schemes in many stores that stock their product. Once you have bought an Ecover product you can keep the bottle and bring it in to refill it in the store. You then pay for the refill, not the packaging which saves you money.
Solar Hot Water Systems
Solar water heaters, also called solar domestic hot water systems can be a very cost-effective way to generate hot water for your home. They can be used in any climate, and the fuel they use is free.
Solar water heating systems include storage tanks and solar collectors. There are two types of solar water heating systems: active, which have circulating pumps and controls, and passive, which don’t.
Most solar water heaters require a well-insulated storage tank.
Solar storage tanks have an additional outlet and inlet connected to and from the collector. In two-tank systems, the solar water heater preheats water before it enters the conventional water heater. In one-tank systems, the back-up heater is combined with the solar storage in one tank.
Three types of solar collectors are used for residential applications:
Flat-plate collector
Glazed flat-plate collectors are insulated, weatherproofed boxes that contain a dark absorber plate under one or more glass or plastic (polymer) covers. Unglazed flat-plate collectors typically used for solar pool heating have a dark absorber plate, made of metal or polymer, without a cover or enclosure.
Integral collector-storage systems
Also known as ICS or batch systems, they feature one or more black tanks or tubes in an insulated, glazed box. Cold water first passes through the solar collector, which preheats the water. The water then continues on to the conventional backup water heater, providing a reliable source of hot water. They should be installed only in mild-freeze climates because the outdoor pipes could freeze in severe, cold weather.
Evacuated-tube solar collectors
They feature parallel rows of transparent glass tubes. Each tube contains a glass outer tube and metal absorber tube attached to a fin. The fin’s coating absorbs solar energy but inhibits radiative heat loss. These collectors are used more frequently for U.S. commercial applications.
There are two types of active solar water heating systems available:
Direct circulation systems
Pumps circulate household water through the collectors and into the home. They work well in climates where it rarely freezes.
Indirect circulation systems
Pumps circulate a non-freezing, heat-transfer fluid through the collectors and a heat exchanger. This heats the water that then flows into the home. They are popular in climates prone to freezing temperatures.
Hot water ‘free’ from the sun. That’s using our environmental assets to our own benefit and you can’t get better than that !
Reuse Reuse Reuse
Don’t throw away those used plastic shopping bags! There are many household items we throw away every day we could easily re-use instead and help conserve the environment. Here are my top 5 ways to Re-Use Household Items and having a happier eco friendly household.
Shopping Bags
Store any used shopping bags you get while out and about shopping for a variety of uses such as small bin liners for waste paper baskets, or for when you just need to carry something over to the neighbour. You never know when an old plastic bag may come in handy.
Old Greeting Cards
Cut out pictures and shapes from cards to use for arts and crafts with your children. Make them into gift tags, bookmarks or paper chains. If you don’t have want to do this, or don’t have children you can give them to schools, play groups or art centres for children to make collages and other crafts. This is the most popular of our 5 ways to re-use household items.
Glass Jars
Reuse glass jars for storing dried food stuffs in rather than using open packets that have a tendency to spill out. Or store them for making homemade jams and marmalade. You can also use them for holding water when painting.
Old or Chipped Mugs
Mugs that no longer have a use for drinks can be reused as pen holders, paint brush holders or even as pots for small indoor plants on your windowsill.
Yoghurt Containers
Use yoghurt pots as plant pots by cutting a hole in the bottom, placing a large pebble in the bottom and then filling with soil ready for a plant. You can cut the bottom out and use them to protect small plants in the garden in harsher weather.
Old Salad Bowls
These are to be used to photograph an adorable baby. Do you need any more reason? 
Recycle Household Items
When it’s time to do some seasonal cleaning you can often find items that are no longer of any use to you but may be exactly what someone else is looking for.
You may come across all manner of things that you haven’t used in a long time. If this is the case, unwanted cutlery, dinnerware, saucepans can be put aside for charity outlets or, if you are up to it, you can list them for sale on eBay.
Now is the time to go through your furnishings. Make an inventory of furniture items that are outdated and need replacing. Maybe you feel the need for a change in decor - adding new colors and complimentary soft furnishings. You may have spotted an item of furniture that you feel would look great in your sitting room. Upgrade other tired items of furniture. If you plan to offload some pieces of furniture to make way for new furniture donít take it to the local tip if it is in reasonable condition and either ring a local charity outlet to come and pick it up or, if they are small furniture items that you can handle with ease, personally take it in to your local charity store outlet.
Go through your wardrobes and if you have not worn an article of clothing for 12 months, it is obvious you arenít going to wear it. Maybe you will find some items of clothing that just don’t appeal to you anymore, or you have lost or gained weight and they don’t fit you anymore. Gather them aside and bag them up. Go through every wardrobe in the house and get rid of tired clothing that is not used anymore. Even clean worn underwear can be bagged and handed to your nearest Opportunity Shop where they can be sold off as rags.
Go through your linen cupboard and put aside tired bathroom towels, bed linens, and even blankets, which the moths have got to minimally, can be sold off as Pet Bedding. Why would you take anything to the dump when a worthwhile charity could make some money on it?
Old magazines that you have neglected to throw out you may like to take to a nearby doctor’s surgery or nursing home where someone will benefit by reading them.
Children’s toy boxes can be gone through whilst they are at school, to avoid any dramas of toys being removed because, they are sure to kick up a fuss about any toy being taken away from them, even though it has parts missing or they have just outgrown them. Unwanted toys can be taken to your nearest Children’s Hospital where they will be sure of being appreciated.
Again, it is all about recycling. You would have heard that saying ‘One person’s trash is another person’s treasure’.
Maybe you could arrange with some friends to have a community garage sale.
Conserve Water at Home
Most of us have probably been told to turn off the faucet while brushing our teeth or to take shorter showers to conserve water. But new technologies take water efficiency to unprecedented levels, allowing households to save both water and money.
John Koeller, technical adviser at the California Urban Water Conservation Council and the Alliance for Water Efficiency, gave Matthew Shulman of U.S. News some tips on how to conserve.
What new technologies are available to conserve water in the bathroom?
Toilet Fixtures
Toilets can yield significant water reduction through new high-efficiency toilets that flush with 1.3 gallons or less. The current standard in the U.S. is 1.6 gallons maximum. If you cannot afford to replace the toilet, at least try placing a household brick in the cistern to displace the water thus limiting the amount of water used to flush the toilet.
Bathroom Faucets
Bathroom faucets need aerators that [limit the flow to] a gallon per minute or less. It’s still sufficient to shave and wash your hands, but you really don’t need the kind of flows that existed maybe 15 or 20 years ago in older homes.
Shower Head
Install a low-flow shower head. Whereas the trend these days in the luxury homes seems to be high-flow shower systems with multiple heads, generally speaking, the trend on the efficient side is to come down to 2 to 2.5 gallons a minute on the shower head.
Let’s move to the kitchen
People are using their dishwashers less and less and less. Why is that? Because people are eating out more and more and more. Dishwashers that used to be used almost once a day are now cycling only 215 times a year. There are many machines out there that now function with less than 6 gallons. In the old days, it was perhaps as much as three times that much water.
How about the laundry room?
Now we have clothes washers that are so efficient that when it comes time to replace your old one, you ought to purchase an Energy Star washer. Energy use generally correlates with water use. So if you look for an Energy Star machine, you’re going to see both energy and water use reduction.
Faucets
There is nothing worse than a dripping tap both for us audibly and water conservation. At the first sign of a leaky faucet replace worn washers. This is especially important if your hot water tap is leaking. Hot water costs money that can be better spent elsewhere.
