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Archive for June, 2009

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If you ask for motives for starting to use the fluorescent light bulbs instead of the traditional ones, you usually get two answers: the new type of light bulbs is 1) eco-friendly and 2) pocket-friendly at the same time. The fluorescent bulbs are economical in several ways: they can be used up to ten times a longer time than the “normal” bulbs, and the amount of emanated heat is smaller, therefore there is less air conditioning necessary, which is significant mostly for large offices. Furthermore, the environmental bulbs need three times less energy than the “old” ones, which helps to save both the environment and your budget.

Except for running a Toronto lisitngs agency, I’m always looking for ways to make my lifestyle a bit more greener. Most customers are not experts and may feel that the selection of environmental light bulbs is very wide, making it very difficult to choose the right one. The following guidelines should make the process much easier and nicer experience.

Mr. Bulb Right

If you are not certain about the right type of bulb you need, the best idea would be to bring your old light bulb with you so that you can make sure the shape and size matches. You will only need one-quarter of the original wattage (60 watt traditional bulb = 15 watt environmental bulb). It is important to read the label carefully, especially if you want to put your new bulb in a dimmer light – not all types of light bulbs are suitable for dimmers.

The perfect spot for your new bulb

Think about the place where you are going to use the new bulb – if it is too warm with no or little air circulation, the environmental bulb won’t be a good choice here (for example in recessed ceiling fixtures). It is also important to take into account the fact that the fluorescent bulb needs one to three minutes to start functioning fully and it is not good to switch it on and off too frequently. So the environmental bulbs are best to be used in rooms where the light usually stays on for at least 15 minutes, otherwise the bulb could get destroyed too early.

How to dispose of fluorescent bulbs

Fluorescent light bulbs should be recycled at all times. The environmental bulbs contain mercury, a dangerous heavy-metal. If broken, do not vacuum. You also shouldn’t touch it with bare hands. Instead, try to sweep the mercury bits with a piece of cardboard. Pick up smaller bits with sticky tape and wipe the affected area with a damp cloth. Open the window for at least 15 minutes to avoid mercury exposure.

In world today the sun has become a popular energy source and is becoming a more popular power source for homes around the world. Turning to green energy can not only help the environment but help you lower your monthly bills.

One of the most popular ways of harnessing the suns energy is to turn your home into a solar powered home. The sun can be used to run home appliances, for example: washing machines, driers, cookers, televisions, radios and much more. Using solar power can heat the water that runs through your home.

By installing solar panel heaters you can save money after time and this could also mean the electric companies may end up paying you? The energy you do not use can be sent to the local grid and the provider will pay you.
 
Solar and wind powered electricity homes are being built all around the world to reiterate to governments that solar homes are extremely efficient and make complete sense. grant are offered to help you set up a solar or wind powered home.

Dedicated professionals can build your home solar panels for you if you do not feel confident in building them yourself.

Solar water heating, solar electricity are efficient and will be financially benificial for everyone. Solar houses, solar flats, solar homes are the future.

There are a number of guides on setting up a solar environment within your home. The literature and video will help you be environmentally friendly, quickly and easily. 

There are many uses for solar power for example:  Solar electricity, solar water heaters and solar gadgets (Solar batteries, torches, clocks) Using solar PV is becoming so much more popular and governments are now starting to recognise this. Many governments around the world today offer grants to help you start using solar energy.

Solar power and wind power information is at your finger tips. there are many professionals waiting to help.

There is much talk of ecological crisis. It is said that most of these are man made. The ecological crisis that is being talked about consists of a vast array of problems. There are the oil spills that devastate vast areas in the sea and the coast line. The Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989 off the coast of Alaska is one such. Global warming, a result of the emission of green house gases because of human activities could flood many islands that dot the Pacific Ocean. The depletion of ozone layer will increase the radiation from the sun reaching the earth. Many species will disappear as a result of deforestation as well as desertification. Large plain areas will be threatened with devastating floods due to the vanishing forests up in the hills. It is estimated that some 17,000 to as many as 100,000 species vanish every year. Over the last five decades, seven million square kilometers of forests have vanished. Only one-fifth of the original forests survive intact.

We do know from science that there is a strong inter-relationship between species, and between species and the non-living things in the environment. The survival of the species depends on the extent to which this inter dependence between species, whether micro-organisms, animals or plants, is possible. Ecosystems, scientists say, cannot be engineered and created by humans. It is only by letting the ecosystem survive that species will survive. That is why the importance of conservation and preservation is considered vital. But human progress through development and growth is threatening the survival of species.

It is hoped that the large scale appreciation of natural reserves will lead to conservation of these reserves. Camping in such reserves for the purpose of recreation and learning is considered to be one way of strengthening conservation. Responsible camping in such reserves also requires a living experience with camping tents. You need to select a tent that is suited to your needs. Kelty Green River 4 person tent accommodates four persons. It is a two season tent which could also be used as a base camp tent. Tents accommodating one to even ten persons with different features are available in the market.

The adherence to the principle of non-interference with nature while you are in such camping trips is an important principle to be followed. Local cultures, usually with strong roots in nature, are to be respected. Understanding the complexity of nature and its diverse role is a critical learning that these experiences seek to offer. The truth that we are part of nature and that nature does not belong to us is important to realize that the relationship between nature and human beings is that of between the mother and her children.

Africa is the place of complete open space, the place where animals and plants run wild and free, but is it always going to be like this…

The world is changing, and more importantly the environment is changing. Africa is one of the hottest location on the planet, and where it is positioned, on the equator line, it can only get so much hotter. No matter what it is we think, problems in the world today will be worse in the future, at the current rate the climate is changing, how hot will Africa be.

The temperature all over the world is rising every year, places like Africa won’t be able to support a decent amount of life in around one hundred years. Millions of people pronounce that they will help do their thing to save the world, the problem is that most of us don’t really do anything about it. Now without seeming like a pessimist, people won’t take serious action on global climate change until the very last minute.

So what is the best immediate option? You should try to get your next holiday booked for Africa. The Safari holidays give you amazing insight into what Africa is all about, and the chance to see these animals in the wild will allow you to experience something that millions of others never will. We can all go down to the zoo and see a lion, but it doesn’t have the same impact as if you saw one in their natural environment.

These animals are also endangered by poachers; people think that because they are in reserves or national parks that they are now safe and the poaching has stopped. Some animals in the wild are still being poached, killed and hunted as game, even in these reserve parks.

So consider Kenya holidays in the Masai Mara reserve, or Zambia holidays and visit this glowing location while you can.

Fundamentals of How to Make Solar Power

Before you can learn how to make solar power, you need to understand some basic yet fundamental laws of electricity. If you feel ready, this is our top recommended how to make solar power kit. This is our official how to make solar power kit review. A very core formula central to learning how to make solar power is the formula

Volts x Amps = Watts 

When considering how to make solar power for your home, this law of physics will guide how you design your system. When first learning how to make solar power, it is helpful to imagine electricity like a flow of water. Amps would be the velocity of the water and volts would be the pressure of the water. A gallon of water can flow out of a hose and water your flowers if its under low pressure. However, if that same gallon is subject to high pressure, it will cut steel.

This is important to know when you are learning how to make solar power because your goals for volts and amps will drive how your solar cells will be connected together.

The two ways that you will need to learn how to make solar power will be by connecting the solar cells together in series and in parallel. When connecting solar celles in serires to learn how to make solar power, you take the negative end of the individual cell and connect it the to positive end of the next cell. In parallel connection, you take all the positive ends of one set of cells and connect them with tabbing wire and then connect all the negative ends together. You will accomplish more amps with parallel connection and more volts with series connection. You will probably wind up with a combination of series and parallel connections to accompish your amps and volts goal when you learn how to make solar power.

Now that you have a handle of the basic law of electricity, you can begin to learn how to make solar power.

Ralph Somers, editor

How to make solar power information

Someone whispers “organic” or “natural” in mainstream media as the healthy and smart choice and suddenly it is everywhere and the solar power generation is here  Organic that, natural this, but is it all just a big scheme to get people to continue to buy their products?

Green Washing. The problem is most products you buy are not all natural or organic and so these companies have a huge problem. Consumer demand started to shift towards healthier “natural and organic” alternatives to the typical non-natural or organic products on the market today. Instead of coming up with a new formula or a new product that actually IS all natural or organic they have simply ADDED a harmless organic ingredient to their products. Why would they do this? That is easy, with this miniscule amount of natural product they can now slap “Made With Organic blah” or “Includes Natural blah” and people will jump all over it, even though nothing has really changed.

So, as a consumer, what can you do to avoid the “fake” go green stuff and get real natural or organic products? It will take a little more than a stop at the super market for starters. Before you go out do some research online and try to find products that actually are all natural and where they are sold so you know where to go. But what if you are at the store already or are not sure what kind of product you want in the first place? Well it gets a little harder but there are some things you can do. Look at the label and see if all the ingredients are organic or natural. If only one is, and it is very small compared to the others on the list then you found a faker, move on.

If it is some kind of skin care product reading the label is the best way to go. The ingredients amount and weight are listed top to bottom. So if an all natural ingredient is the first on you see your probably safe. If it is the last, think again. This does apply to household products that so try to do some research before hand. There are lots of companies now that provide natural alternatives and with a little looking you can probably find some really good deals.

The biggest tattletale is that natural products have nothing to hide. So if it is all natural it will say so on the ingredients and will contain little to nothing of any other ingredient. If you see a huge list of words you can’t pronounce chances are it is not as natural or organic as the huge sticker on the front of it wants you to believe.
Living a Greener Live: What Can You Do?

If you’re looking to go green, one of the best places to start is by taking a look at one of our daily rituals: taking a shower. Have you ever stopped to think where that water comes from and how much of it is being used?

The EPA estimates that showering accounts for 17 percent of indoor residential water use in the United States. That amounts to an astounding 3.3 billion gallons of water per day, and 1.2 trillion gallons per year. This virtual ocean of water is being removed from delicate aquatic ecosystems and inflicting a great deal of damage on the environment. While some of this water eventually returns to the environment, much of it does not or does so only with pollution. It may be no surprise, then, that lowering water use must be a top priority of governments and individuals trying to make a difference for the environment.

One of the best ways to save water is to install a water-saving, low flow shower head. These shower heads are engineered to provide a powerful flow of water without sacrificing the luxury or comfort you’re used to in your showering routine. Technology can vary from creatively designed orifices that focus the stream and control the size of water droplets, to showerheads that inject air into the water stream to increase the blast.

Low flow shower heads typically use 1.5 to 2.5 gallons per minute (gpm). By contrast, older or non-efficient fixtures use more than 2.5 gpm, with those older than 15 years sometimes using more than 7 gallons per minute!

Not sure if you need one of these water saving shower heads? Do this test: put a bucket that’s marked in gallons under your shower head, then turn on the shower at the normal rate you would use. Use a watch to see how many seconds it takes to fill the bucket to the one-gallon mark. If it takes less than 20 seconds that means you’re using way more water than you actually need and should consider using a low flow shower head instead.

In addition to saving water, you’re also saving money. Whereas a low flow fixture could run you as little as $15 (a bit more for higher quality ones), the 20% or more in water savings you’d realize would translate to $50-$75 a year on water bills and another $20-$50 a year on energy bills for heating the water. In other words, the showerhead almost immediately pays for itself.

Installing a new shower head is easy. You usually just unscrew the old one, screw in the new one, and you’re done!

If going green matters to you, there is every reason to change to a water saving shower head. There’s little else you can do that is so easy and yet makes such a big difference for the environment and your pocket without sacrificing one bit of luxury.

If you are here, then you are likely considering a make solar panel project because you want to reduce your carbon footprint on the earth, or you want to lower your monthly electricity bill. If you feel ready to make a difference, here is where you can get a make solar panel guide. This is the absolute #1 make solar panel guide as we reviewed. Either way we are glad you are here.

It is surprisingly easy to make solar panel systems! And very cost effective too. To make solar panel electricity, you will need to figure out how many watts you want the system to produce. This will drive how big your make solar panel project will be.

To make solar panel energy, you begin with the solar cell. There are 3 types: amorphous, polycrystalline, and monocrystalline. Amorphous cells are the cheapest but least efficient. Monocrystalline cells are the most costly because they are the highest in quality. Polycrystalline is right in the middle for expense and efficiency. After you decide which type cell to go with for your make solar panel project, you then buy quantity of cells you need to make the amount of watts you want.

The solar cell is a very breakable unit so you must be very careful in handling them. They break as easily as glass and each cell that you break is costly. When you make solar panel power, be sure to budget in for breakage because no matter how careful or experienced you are, some will break. Now you do improve with experience.

Next in step to make solar panel power is to connect the cells. Once the cells are connected, you construct an enclosure to protect the cells from the elements. You are almost done with your make solar panel project!

You will now need to connect your panel to an appliance the will turn it into usable electrical energy. You are nearly at the end of your make solar panel project. If you are off the grid, then the device needs to be connected to a battery to store the power. If you are to remain grid connected, then the device needs to be connected to an appliance that will feed the power to the grid system.

Ralph Somers, editor

Make Solar Panel author

Did you know that the average American household uses around 10,000 kWh of electricity per year? This amount would be lessened if people would invest in more energy efficient windows and appliances, and replace their insulation. These cost saving improvements alone would save hundreds of dollars a year. If you’d like to do something a little less expensive, try changing your incandescent light bulbs to fluorescent ones. You can also save money by turning lights off when you leave a room and unplugging those things that you don’t use all the time. However, solar power panel is the only way for homeowners to completely eliminate their electricity costs. The initial not-so-inexpensive costs of having the system installed will pay off once you can power your own house.

What Size System does Your House Need?

Homeowners can choose from several different types of residential solar power systems. Systems range from 1,000-25,000 watt systems which will service 50 to 1600 square feet, respectively. Over 25 years, a 10,000 watt system will save a homeowner nearly $50,000 while using 10,000 kWh a year. Because of the different sizes of homes and the amount of power each household uses, homeowners’ savings from using a residential solar power system may vary. Many people choose to supplement rather than replace their reliance on the power grid with residential solar power as solar power systems powerful enough to supply enough electricity for the average home are still a little expensive. Seventy-five thousand dollars is a bit much for the average homeowner to get off the grid, even though those savings will help the system pay for itself in a decade or so.

Tax credits and Government incentives are available for those homeowners looking to upgrade their home that can be used to lower the initial set-up fees. For example, if your $75,000 solar power system is eligible for a tax credit of $35,000, that means you will only have to pay $40,000 out of pocket. Tax credits greatly decrease the cost of residential solar power, spurring the market with monetary incentives.

More Solar Energy Advantages:

As our cars make the transition from gasoline engines to electric motors, our power grid will be taxed even further. By beginning to upgrade our power grid with smart technologies and making our homes energy independent with residential solar power, we can ensure the safety of our energy grid for years to come, all while saving ourselves money and protecting the environment.

Go Green Easily:  Recycle

 Go green easily and start recycling.  Recycling is more than rinsing the garbage out and putting it in bins on the curb or going to a center.  Recycling is also done by reusing grocery bags for future shopping or poop-scooping.  New uses for old items is recycling, as is composting.  Searching out post-consumer recycled packaging of your favorite products is also supporting the effort.  Reducing our contribution to loading up garbage barges and landfills is becoming more and more important.  The less garbage we have, the less fuel is needed to transport it, the less land is swallowed in trash and the more empowered you feel doing your part for your planet.

 Go green easily by recycling and get some change.  Recycling in some areas is rewarded with cash and who can’t use a little extra green for going green?  Many towns, county dumps and grocery stores have a cash back policy for aluminum, tin, plastic bottles, cardboard and other paper products so it’s worth checking out before tossing something to the curb.  Call your local trash company, look on line  or try asking at the library for information about your local programs.  Most phonebooks have a section for newcomers that gives out this information so your resources are out there.

 According to the EPA, over 260 million pounds of recyclable items hit the landfills every year in addition to 2 billion water bottles and 16 million gallons of recycle oil.  That’s an awful lot of energy wasted making new containers that didn’t need creating.  There are still far too many towns that make recycling feel like a major hassle instead of a needed task.  Several areas in Washington state, as an example, charge you for home pick up of recyclables.  Seattle, among a growing number of other cities and towns, has patrons just dump all their non-plant matter recycling into one bin and yard/garden waste into another.  This creates jobs for the sorters and patrons feel encouraged to do their part.

 Go green easily: recycle in as many ways as you can.  Donate items to charities, use consignment stores, reuse jars and other containers in a new and useful way or destress and tap into your creative side.  By turning rags into rugs, chipped mugs into folksy vases or wine bottles into candle holders you have lowered your stress with artistic and responsible flair.  You can utilize your trash service, turn it into art or get some cash, the choices are there.  We have gotten too used to tossing things out before rethinking their alternate uses.  This is costly to your hard-earned paycheck and your planet. 

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