Mindzle

Archive for December, 2008

Principles of Prosperity by Adam J. Heist

There are those who are rich and then there are those who are not. What is it that makes the difference? It isn’t intellect because I know one too many fools who are wealthy. It isn’t luck for we have all heard of stories of grime and dirt where one overcomes all odds to reach their destination.

It is really a matter of following a few simple principles in life.

1. Humility
In simplicity this means that you should spend less than you earn but the philosophy is much more important to understand and appreciate. The philosophy implies humility. To be less materialistic and more meaningful in life is the underlying idea here.

2. Honor
Do you honor your commitments? If so, then the universe will have a way of honoring you back. If you do what you promise, then others will do the same for promises they make to you. This may not seem to be the case in the short run, but it is always the case in the long run.

3. Obligation Free
Financially this means that you have no debt. Morally this means that you don’t owe anyone anything that was due to them and not delivered. If you follow this principle morally, the financial result of being debt free will come automatically.

4. Presence
You have an awareness to live in the presence and not in the past or in the future. You are concentrating on the task at hand and not the baseball game next Saturday. There is no advantage to think of the past or future (except to learn or to plan) therefore focus your concentration in the present.

5. Skeptic
You do not believe everything at first sight for the eyes often deceive. You go looking under the covers to find more meaning and understand things deeper.

6. Youth
You are able to retire young, at least at 50. This comes from a mindset that you have to determine a long time before about your age and your goals. The more you focus on your youthfulness, the more ‘youthful’ you will be when you achieve your financial goals.

7. Honesty
You don’t hide the fine print when making a sale but in fact make it very well known to your customer. You may lose a few in the beginning, but those you convert, will become your salespeople working for you for free. They will strongly profess your trade to their colleagues and bring you much more business than you ever lost.

Adam Heist has been writing on the internet for many years now. Adam currently works

day and night on his website

href="http://thelenderdirect.co.uk/igroup-building-society-loan.html">igroup building

society loan. For more information on this topic please visit his website today.

Article Source: Sustainable Living Articles

Learn to Sew: Benefits from Sewing by Kristi Borchardt

As I continue to sew with my girls I am made aware of the benefits that can only come from working with your hands; from learning to take flat pieces of material and work with them until they come together to make a 3-dimensional object that not only has purpose but is full of love and care.

These benefits come from all crafts, not just sewing: woodwork, crocheting, knitting, candle making, painting, cooking…
What has surprised me the most are the changes in their character that have been specifically enhanced by their early sewing experience.

As you teach your child to sew, or learn yourself you will begin to see these same benefits.
1. Try New Things/ Use Imagination
With the way that we approached sewing it naturally encouraged the girls to try new things, to think beyond what had already been done, and to use their imagination. They started looking at things differently. They would see something and would automatically try to make their own, or they would talk about all the ways they could change it or add something to it.

2. Mistakes Are Okay
They have carried the attitude outside of sewing that, as long as you have learned from your mistakes, and try again, mistakes are okay. They love the story of Thomas Edison. When asked by a reporter “how long did it take for you to invent the light bulb?”, he stated “I did 1000 experiments before I invented it”. The reporter responded, “it is amazing you continued on, wasn’t that discouraging? Thomas Edison answered, “of course not – I learned 999 times how not to make it”!
This mentality has made them try things that they wouldn’t have otherwise tried because of fear of failure. Instead of having an attitude of “I can’t” when things go wrong, they say “let’s keep trying”!

3. Perseverance
With each completed project, their perseverance and determination grew. They have been able to see the benefits of following through to the end.
This has carried on into other areas of their lives. As they have worked on difficult projects or ones that take a lot of time, they have been able to understand more readily that it’s worth the work.

4. Confidence
Confidence in their ability to do things that most kids their age weren’t/aren’t doing grew. Prior to sewing my oldest daughter (always by the book) would check the ages on games, and if her age wasn’t included she wouldn’t attempt learning, thinking it was too difficult for her. As people started commenting on their amazement with her degree of sewing at such a young age, that changed drastically! She no longer places limits on herself.

5. Help And Encourage Others
A desire to help and encourage other kids to learn the same skills they have acquired surfaced. Because our girls were enjoying making things on their own, they wanted to pass it on. They would take every opportunity to teach their friends. Through this, they have experienced the joys of celebrating other people’s accomplishments, and have matured in their ability to transfer their knowledge into words.

We are now six years down the road. My oldest has found a passion in sewing, while my youngest enjoys having the ability to sew. More importantly, is what they have gained from this experience. The benefits and blessings of our sewing journey have carried on into all the areas of their lives.

Remember, many of these benefits are directly related to you, as your child’s teacher (or as in my case partner) in this sewing journey. So just relax, enjoy, and have fun! Your character will change and grow as well, just as mine has!

Kristi learned to sew right along with her daughters. The girls were age 3 and 6, at the time! Because it was such an enjoyable experience she wants to encourage others to pursue this endeavor. Sewing With Kids

Article Source: Sustainable Living Articles

Suggestions for a Cheaper, Greener, more Eco Friendly Christmas and New Year by Davinos Greeno

Christmas tree

• Rather than buying a real tree thats been cut down, transported and then thrown away, purchase a large potted plant or small tree that can be used each year as your evergreen Christmas tree.

• You could always purchase an artificial tree that can be reused for many years, these range from 10 pounds to over 100 pounds. Ours actually looks real!

• If you buy a real tree, pay the Woodland Trust or a different organization to plant one in its place!

Christmas Decorations

• If you have evergreen shrubs and trees – to make sure you have an annual supply of eco-friendly Christmas decorations why not do some of your pruning just before Christmas and use the choice bits for inside? If you have not got any evergreens but have a garden ask for some of these plants as Christmas presents. They may take a few years to grow but then all you will need to do is harvest in December and be as creative as you like.

• Make a homemade wreath using branches trimmed from your garden or somebody elses.

• Purchase handmade decor made from recycled or eco-friendly materials. If possible by Fair trade as well, as they are a great way to support the disadvantaged. While some of these crafts may not be from recycled materials they provide much needed income to needy individuals.

• Ivy is good to drape around pictures, windows and the base of Christmas trees, it will hide the wires of the tree lights. There is as far as I know no substitute for electric fairy lights but as they last for years and use very little power, their impact is relatively low and they do look great.

• One of the advantages of using natural decorations is that after Christmas they do not need to go in the bin they can enter your normal garden waste on the compost heap.

Christmas tree ornaments

• Make homemade ornaments from (painted) pinecones, painted eggshells, crushed (colored) aluminum foil, paper chains, paper snowflakes, old CDs and more!

• Decorate a doll as an angel.

• Do an online search for recycled or homemade tree ornaments for numerous ideas or purchase these recycled or eco-friendly tree ornaments if you cant be bothered to make them.

Gifts
• Buy a subscription to an organisation working to make the world a better place such as the RSPB, RSPCA or Oxfam.

• If you are buying a present that uses batteries make sure the person you are buying it for has a battery charger and buy rechargeable batteries.

• Buy a homemade present, bird table, compost bin. Chocolate cakes often go down very well!
Gift wrap

• Collect extra photocopies or no longer needed papers from work for your children to draw on the back.

• Use colored pictures from your childrens colouring books.

• Use leftover pieces of fabric or wallpaper.

• Use recycled paper.

• Put the gift inside another gift such as a decorative tin, nice wooden box etc.

• Use gift wrap, gift bags and gift boxes, ribbon and bows from last Christmas or previous celebrations. Leave the tags blank on the gifts you are giving so that they can be reused.

Greeting cards & gift tags

• Send an e-card.

• Make a greeting card or tag from scrap paper, fabric or wallpaper.

• Make cards or tags from pieces of food box.

Packing material

• Use saved packing material such as foam or bubble wrap.

• Crush up newspaper into loose balls. This is cheap, quick and lightweight! This is our preferred method for box filler.

After the New Year

• Find out where you can recycle your real Christmas tree or Christmas cards, local councils and supermarkets are a good place to start. They will turn your trees into mulch for use in parks and public gardens.

• Use any wrapping paper that is no longer reusable for shelf liners or craft projects.

• Save boxes, gift bags, wrapping, filler, ribbons and bows for future gift wrapping or craft projects. Give them away to friends, neighbours etc if you have too many to keep.

Davinos Greeno works for the organic directory This green directory lists 100s of Organic Food and Drink Companies and Eco Jobs and Campaigning Videos

Article Source: Sustainable Living Articles

A Wind Power Turbine Generator–Build Your Own At Low Cost by John Mowatt

Wind turbine power is the wave of the future.Clean,free and abundant it is by far the best alternative energy form.You can make a difference to our environment,while saving money to boot,by harnessing wind power to generate all or part of your electricity supply.Generate electricity from the wind with your own small wind turbine. You can buy them from many sources now or save a lot of money by building your own wind turbine power generator.

From the 1930s through the 1950s small wind power generators were common on farms.Wind power was also used for such jobs as pumping water from wells.In those days people were much more inclined to save money in this way than we are today. Since then with increasing prosperity and little care for the environment we rely almost completely on the power company to supply our electric power.

These days attitudes,of necessity are changing.We have become aware that we must reduce our impact on the environment or face increasing problems in the years ahead. Many are now looking for alternative energy sources.The most viable alternatives are wind power or solar panels.Solar panels are however expensive and produce limited amounts of power.They have a place in some applications but are presently too expensive for general use as a power supply.

Wind power turbines are now in use to supply all or part of the power supply for many cities all over the world including the USA.They supply “green” power at a cost competitive to conventional power generating facilities.Wind turbine power generators are now being used by many to produce all or part of their power needs.

Small wind turbines for private use are now available from many sources. They can be mounted on a rooftop or on a small tower or pole.They are however quite expensive.A better solution than buying a wind power generator is to build your own which can be done at quite low cost.Plans are available for building a wind generator using new or used auto parts.Any home handyman who can use simple tools can build a wind turbine which will supply part of the power needs of an average household.All or most of the power requirements of a home can be supplied with several generators.Power can be stored in storage batteries till put to use.

Power companies in many areas now will buy any excess power which you generate.When you are at work or away from home any excess power which you generate from your wind generators will earn you money.You will not only be helping to preserve our environment but making money into the bargain.It doesn’t get any better than that

Build your own wind turbine,or if you don’t mind the cost,buy one.You will help mother earth and do yourself a favor.You can save money and reduce your impact on our climate by generating power with a wind turbine.Do it today and be an example to your neighborhood.You can obtain more information by clicking on the URL below.

John Mowatt is a retired businessman.He is interested in harnessing wind power to help preserve our environment and writes on this subject.For more information on building a wind power turbine at low cost go to http://www.greenwindpowerturbine.com

Article Source: Sustainable Living Articles

How to Make a Green Home You Can Be Proud Of! by Anne Li

With global warming and other environmental concerns increasingly on the minds of Americans, you want to green your home do your part to save the planet. Here are some easy and fun (and cost-effective!) ideas to make your home more environmentally sound.

Chuck the incandescent light bulbs wherever possible. These standard tear-drop shaped bulbs burn out relatively quickly and use up lots of electricity — creating garbage and using up resources at the same time. Compact florescent light bulbs (a.k.a. CFLs) last many times longer than incandescent bulbs and use a fraction of the energy. They cost more per bulb, but money you save in energy will outweigh the price difference.

Give up on the bottled water. Sure, your Aquafina may taste slightly better than standard tap water, but the cost of bottled water to the environment cannot be underestimated. Bottled water takes energy to procure, distil, transport and package. Instead, buy a top-of-the-line sink filter or just keep a filtered water pitcher in the fridge. Not only will you protect the environment by cutting back on your consumption of plastic, but you will also save a bundle over the long-term on drinking water costs.

Recycle or give away (or sell on the cheap) your old furniture. Instead of trucking your old sofa or 1999 Sony T.V. to the dump, find your used furnishings a second home. You can use online give-away sites like Craigslist to find people in your local area who might want your furniture. You can also sell stuff on e-bay or give it away/sell it at a garage sale. Barring that, you can find an eco-friendly recycling center near you to dispose of your furniture with minimal damage to the environment.

Stock up on natural, organic products. Instead of installing a vinyl shower curtain, for instance, hang up a hemp curtain — it’s equally anti-fungal and does not release small amounts of volatile organic compounds every time you take a shower. Get rid of your harsh kitchen and bathroom cleansers and replace those nasty chemicals (which have been linked to all sorts of ailments and pregnancy-disorders) with safe compounds that won’t hurt you, your children, your pets or your environment.

Reduce your dependence on heating and air-conditioning. You can keep a temperate house without paying your local energy company an arm and a leg. Turn off the heat and air-conditioning when you leave for work for the day (or go on vacation). Use your windows and shades to adjust to the weather outside. If it’s super hot out, for instance, throw open the windows and turn on some fans. If it’s incredibly cold, pull down your shades and keep windows tightly sealed to avoid heat-leakage. You can also invest in thermally efficient windows and sealants to boost your energy efficiency.

Get a professional energy audit. You can find top rated independent energy contractors out there to come to your home and point out precisely where and how you are wasting energy. By following their tips to reduce heat waste, you will not only reduce your consumption of fuel, but you will also pad your pocketbook in the long-term.

Make it a habit to turn off electrical devices when you are not using them. Before you go to sleep at night, go around and turn off the lights, the T.V., the computer, and other appliances, which can drain energy while you sleep. Also, many electronics like DVD players and video consoles stay ‘on’ even when turned ‘off’’, so they continuously consume a small amount of energy – unplug them.

Landscape in an eco-friendly manner. Put out drums to catch rain water to hydrate your plants or garden (if you live in an area that’s relatively drought-prone). Landscape with plants that are native to your region and soil type. If you try to keep tropical plants alive in an arid environment, you’ll inevitably use up an unseemly amount of water and natural resources keeping the plants healthy. You might also want to use your garden to grow organic vegetables.

Look for products and services to boost your green mission. You can find expandable foam to seal up drafts in your insulation. You can get screens to put in your windows to block out some of the solar radiation in the summer and thus help you save on air-conditioning costs. You can purchase eco-friendly power strips to reduce your energy bill and general power consumption. You can buy hemp grocery bags to transport your food (and thus save the planet from having to countenance hundreds of plastic and/or paper bags a year).

Get your family and friends into the green act. You can’t do it alone. Teach your family about the value of the environment and establish “rules of the house” to conserve resources and treat your local habitat with respect. Remember that greening your home can be a fun and educational process. Keep up to speed on the latest greening technologies by contacting local environmentally concerned groups or government agencies.

ARI Green Energy is a manufacturer of wind generator technologies. Visit them today for a full line of wind turbines and solar technology solutions. Think green.

Article Source: Sustainable Living Articles

4 Ways to Green Your Meals by Michele Dupper

Most people now realize that we all need to begin living a more planet-friendly life. There are many ways that you can make a significant contribution. They range from simple things like recycling to larger, more costly things such as solar energy for your home. It is common for people to feel overwhelmed by all of the green information in the media these days and they do not know where to begin making these changes. An easy way to start living a greener life is to take a look at what you put into your body. Make a move towards greener meals by using the four steps outlined below.

1) Use Fresh Ingredients
Cooking meals using fresh ingredients usually means that less energy has been used to produce and transport those foods. You will spend about the same amount of time and money preparing meals in this way and the taste is considerably superior. Moving away from pre-packaged, convenience foods will be an adjustment if this is what you are used to however, with just a little planning you will be whipping up meals from scratch in no time. In addition to reducing your impact on the environment, you’ll also reap the benefits of meals that do not include any synthetic chemicals that are common in most pre-packaged foods.

2) Buy Locally Grown
It is estimated that the average US meal comes from 5 different nations and that most food travels an average of about 1,500 miles to reach your table. Buying from local growers and sellers greatly reduces the effects on the environment by decreasing the distance that food travels. This means less carbon dioxide emissions and less packaging materials. You’ll also support your local economy when buying directly from your area’s growers and cutting out the middlemen. When you purchase foods at large grocery stores, only about 18 cents of every dollar go to the farmer, the rest goes to numerous middlemen involved in the processing, packaging and transporting. Supporting local farms also helps protect the land in your area from urban sprawl and development. The best way to find local foods is at farmers markets or through community supported agriculture (CSA).

3) Purchase Organic
Organic means much more than just food that is free from harmful pesticides and herbicides. It means fertile, nutrient rich soil, healthy ecosystems, workers safe from chemicals and thriving wildlife. Our traditional farming methods have only been in use for the past 75 of 10,000 years of recorded agriculture and they have caused significant environmental damage. The use of synthetic pesticides and herbicides destroys soil microbes which are needed to produce crops, so the plants can only receive air, water and sunlight from their environment. Everything else like soil fertility, nutrients and nitrogen must be given to the plants by farmers and is usually transported from thousands of miles away, adding to the impact on the environment.

The fertilizers that are added back further harm our planet by polluting our water system. When you purchase organic foods you are supporting sustainable farming methods that result in much less pollution and top-soil loss than traditional agriculture, Since most organic foods are slightly more expensive, get the most bang for your buck and purchase organic when buying foods that are usually the most contaminated. The Environmental Working Group did a study and identified the “dirty dozen” as Peaches, Apples, Sweet Bell Peppers, Celery, Nectarines, Strawberries, Cherries, Lettuce, Imported Grapes, Pears, Spinach, and Potatoes. If you want to begin purchasing organic, start with these foods and you’ll lower your exposure by about 14 pesticides per day.

4) Reduce Meat Consumption
Reducing the amount of meat you eat is one of the simplest changes that you can implement and it is thought to be the most effective green move you can make. Of all of the types of foods on your table, meat uses the most resources. For example, one pound of beef requires about 12,000 gallons of water to produce, compared to only 60 gallons for a pound of potatoes. In addition to water, raising livestock also requires large amounts of grain, fossil fuel and land. Some of these farms produce as much sewage as a small city however they are not required to treat the waste.

Instead, it is held in large pools and spread on the fields where it often runs off and pollutes nearby water systems. There are also large amounts of methane being released into the air from the millions of pounds of waste. Methane is believed to be among the most important greenhouse gases contributing to global warming today. Going meatless is a big undertaking for many since most of us are used to eating it at least once a day. Do not be intimidated, you do not have to go completely vegetarian to make a difference. Begin by using meat as an accent to your meals in stir-fries and soups, instead of serving it as the main course. Then cut out one serving of meat per week; if we all did only this, the impact would be phenomenal.

There are a variety of meat substitute products on the market these days such as tofu and tempeh. Other foods like portobello mushrooms or legumes make an excellent main course in place of meat. When you do purchase meat, look for grass-fed meat. Most of the pastures for grass feeding use low-cost grasses that usually require very little added water and few or no synthetic fertilizers. Aside from making a huge impact on the planet, reducing your meat consumption will also greatly benefit your health since numerous degenerative diseases like heart disease and cancer have been linked to meat consumption.

Using fresh, local, and organic ingredients when possible and reducing your meat consumption is better for your health and for your world. Remember, one person really can make a difference. Do not feel pressured to make all of these changes at once. Doing any of the above in any amount is so much more than doing none of them.

Michele Dupper is Mom to her almost 2 year old son and the owner of Truly Organic Beauty (http://www.trulyorganicbeauty.com). She lives in sunny FL and has been transitioning to a green lifestyle since starting a family. Michele enjoys educating others about living a more natural lifestyle that is beneficial for the health of our bodies as well as our planet.

Article Source: Sustainable Living Articles

Focus on Green Homes – Heating Your Green Home
By Kimberley Ward

Methods used to heat a green home are cleaner, more efficient, less expensive and more comfortable than conventional methods. The heating systems are simple for the home owner to operate and maintain. However, since the system is basically custom-designed for each home, it is very complicated for the contractor to calculate the exact heating needs of every home and is based on an enormous amount of variables. A green home takes a lot of things into consideration when it comes to heating your home.

For example, variables such as the direction the house faces, how many windows are in the home, what is the solar heat gain of the window, the amount of shade, the insulation value of the home, and the ceiling height of the house need to be taken into consideration. Then owner preferences about the type of system desired are factored in. Choices include forced air heat, radiant heat (hydronic systems), gas, propane, or electric.

Third, another consideration in designing your heating system should be how clean the system is. For instance, radiant floor heating has a couple of major advantages over forced air, since it more efficient than forced air and does not circulate air back and forth spreading germs and bacteria throughout your home.

The efficiency in radiant floor heating comes from three sources. First, a thermostat on a forced air system might be set at 72 F while a radiant floor heat system thermostat may only need to be set at 65F or less and still maintain the level of warm comfort. Imagine your entire floor of your green home warm all the time! Second, heat rises. By heating the floor, the heat rises over the entire length of your body keeping you warm no matter where you are in the home. No more cold corners or freezing cold bathroom floors.

The last source of efficiency for radiant floor heating comes from the source of the heat. What does the heating of the water for this type of system? There are lots of options, some more efficient than others. One option is using a boiler or hot water heater, however efficiency is sacrificed. The best option is a secondary heat exchanger plumbed off a very high efficiency water heater. Another option is using a geo-thermal ground loop with a heat pump. Currently this option is too expensive for affordable green homes.

When considering your heating system for your green home, it is important to look at the pay-off time for your system. Some systems can be extremely efficient, but costly, costing tens of thousands of dollars to install. Why pay a dollar to save a penny? By carefully designing and building an affordable, practical green home, you can save utility costs immediately since it will not cost more than a conventionally built home.

Kim Ward is Marketing Director for Green Earth Energy Homes at http://greenearthenergyhomes.com

Green Earth Energy Homes offer affordable, practical, LEED and Energy Star certified homes. Save thousands on energy costs and qualify for thousands in government tax incentives and benefits. Contact Kim for more information about our green homes or to view our model.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kimberley_Ward
http://EzineArticles.com/?Focus-on-Green-Homes—Heating-Your-Green-Home&id=1759139

Hints and Tips That Will Keep Jack Frost and the Tax Man From Your Door
By David John Martin

Now that winter is creeping in, ready to send a chill up your spine and turn the tip of your nose to ice as you lie in bed at night, those of us without proper insulation could really be feeling the heat. Or not.

With new government schemes in place to encourage householders to save energy for the sake of the planet, now is a better time than any to ensure that you are not wasting energy or money. With the oncoming recession and the panic over global warming, restricting the amount of gas and electric you use is a good way to ensure that you save money and do your bit to cut down on your carbon footprint with one stone’s throw.

In the winter it is usually the elderly who suffer. The need to heat their homes sufficiently enough to avoid health problems and discomfort is essential. Viruses such as the flu can be very dangerous for older people and it is much more common to catch in the colder months. Unfortunately if you are retired and do not have a substantial and steady income, the cost of central heating can be a burden.

One way of cutting down heating costs is to ensure that your home is properly insulated. The government have put in place new schemes to help the elderly pay for proper insulation in their homes, providing all or some of the cost of the materials and installation. These are schemes designed to help reduce the UK’s carbon footprint yet they also ensure that thousands of people who are less well off can afford a standard level of protection for their homes.

Having the proper insulation in your house can make a huge difference to the size of your monthly bills. There are government approved fitters who will take care to make sure that there are no signs of harmful materials such as asbestos and if there is, they will be able to take the relevant precautions to remove it and avoid contamination.

Asbestos was once widely used to insulate properties before it was discovered that particles could become trapped in the body when inhaled and be the cause of serious illness or related cancer. Therefore it is essential that you ensure that professionals do any insulation fittings.

With Christmas languishing at the end of December, it is an expensive time of year for most of us. Saving on bills and other household outgoings should be the first port of call as this is where we can lose money without realising. Comparing gas and electric companies online is another way to see how you can save money. It is often easier to stick with the companies that you have been with for years but all too often loyal customers can be taken to the dry cleaners by companies taking advantage of their complacency. Don’t let one of those loyal customers be you.

Compare electricity prices at http://www.confused.com/gas-electricity

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_John_Martin
http://EzineArticles.com/?Hints-and-Tips-That-Will-Keep-Jack-Frost-and-the-Tax-Man-From-Your-Door&id=1761220

Focus on Green Homes – Hot Water Systems
By Kimberley Ward

Most home use a lot of hot water and heating that water is usually expensive and inefficient. In this third in our ‘Focus on Green Homes’ series, we look at how water is heated, kept hot, and delivered to your hot water faucet in a green home.

Heating the Water – A standard water heater has a major flaw. A conventional gas water heater has a tank with a tube in the center of it and a burner under it. The hot gas from the burner travels up the tube and heats the tube which in turn heats the water surrounding the tube. Now we come to the flaw. The problem is that the water heater is very inefficient since the gas entering the tube is very hot and remains very hot even as it leaves the top of the tube. However, when the gas reaches the top of the tube it is no longer heating the water. A new generation gas fired water heaters overcomes this flaw by using all the hot gas to heat the water.

Another way to heat water is solar water heating. Have you ever taken a drink from a garden hose during a very hot summer day and burned your mouth because the hose had been laying in the sun so long? If so, you have just experienced solar hot water heating. Similarly, a special solar panel (one that heats water rather than making electricity) can separate water into tiny little lines and run the water across the panel, heating the water. The sun heats the water very quickly and the result is pumped back into a larger line that leads to a water tank in the house that stores the hot water until it is ready to be used. On a cloudy day, the tank reverts back to a conventional water heater. Solar heating is only cost effective for very sunny areas of the country.

Keeping the Water Hot - Insulation is the key to keeping the water hot. The more insulation surrounding your water tank the longer the water stays hot.

Getting Hot Water to Your Faucet – To get the water to your faucet while it is still hot, an alternative to copper pipes is needed. Copper pipes conduct heat, removing heat from your hot water while on the way to the faucet. Using materials that don’t conduct heat as well, such as inexpensive Pex tubing, is one way to solve this problem. In addition, a smaller line can get the water to the faucet faster. Pex tubing can be used in green homes to get the water there now, while increasing the efficiency of the entire hot water system in your green home.

Kim Ward is Marketing Director for Green Earth Energy Homes at http://greenearthenergyhomes.com

Green Earth Energy Homes offer affordable, practical, LEED and Energy Star certified homes. Save thousands on energy costs and qualify for thousands in government tax incentives and benefits. Contact Kim for more information about our green homes or to view our model.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kimberley_Ward
http://EzineArticles.com/?Focus-on-Green-Homes—Hot-Water-Systems&id=1762682

Focus on Green Homes – High Efficiency Windows
By Kimberley Ward

What do windows have to do with a green home? Windows are a big part of your green home, since most of the heat lost from your home is lost though the windows. A set of inefficient, leaky or badly installed windows can defeat any efforts at energy savings or conservation. How can we stop the money from flying out the window? In this ‘Focus on Green Homes’ edition, we explain how to keep the windows from allowing the heat out of your home.

Through new technological breakthroughs, techniques are now available to build attractive, but energy efficient windows that retain heat a lot better than the old way of building a window. First, energy efficient windows have two panes of glass instead of one. And, in addition, newer windows have had the air space between these two panes of glass filled with argon gas that dramatically slows the heat transfer through the glass panes.

Heat is also lost through the air space between the window frame and the window space in the wall. Most people have had the experience of feeling a draft from leaky windows and doors. This gap around the window frame should be filled with quality insulation to reduce the amount of heat escaping from the home. There are several ways to apply the insulation. One effective way is to fill this gap with expandable foam and then cover the nailing flange of the window with special tape to seal the gap completely.

By doing all these steps, you can greatly increase the energy efficiently of the traditional window. Usually windows cannot be eliminated or reduced in size due to building codes and builder’s rules of thumb. Windows are pleasing to the eye and provide ventilation and safety features that are important to any home. Therefore, windows have to be made more efficient in order to make your home truly green.

When choosing windows for a green home it is a good idea to look at many window manufacturers and their window prices because the most expensive windows are not always the most efficient. Calculating the energy pay-off time is an important tool for choosing the most efficient windows for the money.

Kim Ward is Marketing Director for Green Earth Energy Homes at http://greenearthenergyhomes.com

Green Earth Energy Homes offer affordable, practical, LEED and Energy Star certified homes. Save thousands on energy costs and qualify for thousands in government tax incentives and benefits. Contact Kim for more information about our green homes or to view our model.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kimberley_Ward
http://EzineArticles.com/?Focus-on-Green-Homes—High-Efficiency-Windows&id=1762755