Going Green … Gradually

The Slow Journey to Reduce my Carbon Footprint

Posts Tagged green living

Solar Power For Homes – Residential Solar Power

Aug 11

Posted by Dr Jon Elsdon in Energy

Solar power kits : We have all felt the impact of rising fuel and energy costs, we have also all seen the devastating impact on the environment the extraction and use of fossil fuels has. For quite a few years now solar power for homes has been a much promoted alternative, the only problem is that it is so expensive to purchase and have installed, that is until now…

Residential solar power for homes has become a must if we are to free ourselves of the rising cost of traditional power resources such as fossil fuels. Solar power for homes has been with us for some time now, unfortunately the costs of taking it up have been prohibitive.

Residential solar power for homes is the simplest alternative energy installation we can preform on our homes. Easy to install and maintain (solar panels have a life span of around 30years) a residential solar power system will have you saving money for years to come.

No longer do you have to have massive, ugly solar panels decorating your roof, the panels produced today come in a variety of shapes and sizes (depending on your energy needs) and are made to blend in with the design of your home.

Possibly the most attractive feature of solar power for homes is it gives you the freedom to live your life independently or at least be less dependent upon, the power grid. This independence not only allows you to have what is effectively a free energy source, it also means you are not harming the environment as solar energy is a clean (no emissions, non polluting) and renewable energy source. The fact that residential solar power provides us with a clean, renewable energy, gives us the luxury to be less conscientious of and more liberal with our energy usage in the home.

Regardless of whether you are looking to totally power your home with solar or are looking to supplement traditional power sources to give you a cheaper, more reliable (no more power outages), unrestricted power resource, solar power is the way to go.

Recently we have seen the emergence of an affordable way to get a residential solar power system up and running. Many households are turning to DIY (Do It Yourself) solar power projects. DIY solar electricity guides are available on the internet via instant download and contain all the information (via video and ebook) you will need to get a solar power for the home system built and installed in no time.

To find out more about Residential Solar Power For Homes click the following link Solar Power Kits also be sure to check out water tank installation

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Solar Panel – How To Build Your Own Solar Panel

Jul 27

Posted by Joseph Dungler in Energy

With rising prices, it is good to get cheaper power. With solar power, it is practically energy for free, and could end up earning you money. For even more affordability, it is possible to build your own solar panel.

The first thing is ensure you have the necessary tools and equipment. This will mean sourcing the best solar cells for you, which should be given a good portion of time to decide. There are many out there.

There are a few other items needed. Plywood, a length of 1 x1, copper wire, a diode line, batteries and Plexiglas will be required for construction. You will also need a circular saw, screws and screwdriver, caulk, outdoor paint, soldering kit and glue.

The first step will be to draw a grid, suitable to your solar cells, on the plywood, (use them as a template). Having determined the size of the panel by this, you can cut the plywood to size and the fun can really start.

The 1 x 1 will need to be cut into sections depending on the size of the base, and attached using the screws and the caulk. Once all set, this should be painted with the outdoor paint; though not over the grid of course.

The solar cells now need to be glued into place. However, they first need to be attached in a series. This is quite simple; soldering the tabs at the back of each together. It does need to be done carefully though, as the cells are delicate.

The copper wire should now be attached from the cell to the electrical system and batteries. To ensure no power is lost in the opposite direction, a diode line will also need to be attached at this point.

Finally, a suitable sized piece of Plexiglas should be attached with caulk. This will ensure it is weatherproofed, and cannot be damaged by debris and the like. Having learned to build your own solar panel, perhaps you’ll make enough power to sell back to the grid?

By learning to build your own solar panel you can save money, help the environment, and generate electricity using free energy from the sun with do it yourself solar panels.

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Self Sufficient Living – Does It Appeal To You?

Jul 24

Posted by Toby Chacone in Solar Power

Self sufficient living is experiencing a resurgence of interest as many see pollution rising and natural resources being depleted. Many are also turning to this way of life as they consider the economic benefits of learning to live a more sustainable lifestyle. So what is self sufficient living anyway?

A Definition… Self sufficient living refers to depending on renewable resources for the needs of everyday life. This means choosing to utilize those resources as opposed to depending upon municipal systems for our power, water and fuel needs. It also involves learning to grow our own food, along with preserving and storing that food. As people become more and more accustomed to sustainable living, many also learn how to make a variety of the items they use everyday – like soap, clothing, etc..

Why?… Some are adopting a more self sufficient way of life out of a reaction to the fast paced, high stress lifestyle typical in a metropolitan setting. They see this as a way to simplify their life and adopt a lifestyle that is healthier, both physically and emotionally. Others are doing it as part of a preparedness plan in light of increasing economic and political uncertainties as well as looming threats like natural disaster and even terrorism.

Here are the major things to think about when considering the option of self sufficient living.

First, let’s consider our most basic need – food. Most people rely solely on the grocery store. Why not become your own supermarket by growing your own? You might not feel capable of such an undertaking, but there are plenty of good books on the subject to get you started. Even if you don’t have a garden area, start in pots for now – at least you’ll be getting started. The other important skill in providing for your food needs is learning to store that food. We’ll look more at methods to do this in future articles.

Food – There has been increased interest in gardening in recent years as evidenced by an increase in garden seed sales. This is truly a part of self sufficient living that anyone can start right away. While there are many helpful books on the subject, this is one area in which it largely comes down to experience. Thus, the sooner you get started, the better. Even if you only have a small patio, you can start gardening in pots, even during winter months, you can grow some things in the house. The other aspect of food involves learning to preserve and store food. This is something that people used to be better at, but with the convenience of supermarkets, many do not consider just how fragile a family’s food supply can be. Natural disasters remind us of this when interruptions in transport result in shelves being emptied in only a matter of hours. Methods for food preservation and storage include canning, dehydrating, air vacuum sealing, and use of air tight storage containers.

Water Sources – Another important consideration involves water. Where are you getting yours from? Sustainable water sources include springs, wells, and even creeks or streams – in which case you’d need to consider a filtration method. Keep in mind that there may be legal limitations pertaining to the use of surface water where you live. Many overlook the importance of this issue. Furthermore, it’s wise to consider the volume of water required to sustain not only your family, but also additional needs such as agriculture. You can see that there may not be a whole lot you can do about this unless you’re in a country setting with a considerable piece of land with water on it. This takes us to our final point.

Homesteading – There’s no way around the fact that urban living is the least friendly to becoming more self sufficient. The topic of finding country property is one we’ll take up in another article, but keep in mind this can be done with the proper planning and persistence. For sure, rural living is the most ideal situation for becoming more independent.

You can experience self sufficient living, enjoying the benefits of becoming independent from utility companies and supermarkets. Keep your dream before you and persevere and a simpler, healthier way of life can be yours.

If you want to realize your dream of self sufficient living, come and visit http://www.selfsufficientlivingblog.com and learn how this way of life can be yours.

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Help The Environment With Solar Panels For Your Home

Jul 21

Posted by Joseph Dungler in Energy

Many people now have worries over where their electricity comes from. We are constantly being bombarded by news stories of how we are having a negative effect on the planet and environment. Most of our electricity still comes from fossil fuels that add to the amount of carbon dioxide present in the atmosphere. If you want to switch your electricity source to a “greener” technology then you should choose solar panels for your home.

There are immediate benefits to using solar power to produce your electricity. The financial savings can be considerable when measured over a number of years but there are also grants and tax breaks you may be eligible for through switching to an alternative energy source. All local authorities are now encouraging people to conserve energy and switch to green practices. Find out if there are any grants available in your area to cover the cost of the installation charges.

If you have a building or a property in a remote location then it may not be possible for you to connect to the national power grid. By installing solar panels you will be able to have an unlimited supply of power. There is no longer a necessity to depend on a utility company and our government to provide us with the electricity we require.

Even just five years ago photovoltaic cells were not so efficient. This has forever changed as there have been rapid advances in the field of solar technology. Now even on a rainy or cloudy day the cells will be able to produce enough electricity to make a difference.

It is possible to run your home completely off solar panels or use the cells to produce a proportion of your needs. Either option is simple to plan and put into operation. The more panels you use the greater amount of electricity that will be produced.

There are many companies that can install solar panels on your property though if you have a basic understanding of DIY then you can do the job yourself in just a short time.

The cost of solar panels is decreasing. To make it even more affordable you can craft your own DIY solar panels.

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Why Use Green Energy Source?

May 17

Posted by Sverre Philips in Energy

Fossil fuels have been around for ages and have helped advance us human being as a society as well as improving the way we live our life. The usage of these type of fuels have enabled us to power our cars, light our street lamps as well as providing adequate heating for us during the winter nights. It is therefore not surprising that we today face the situation of global warming as well as a rising temperature that threatens our very existence as an organism.

With that in mind, it is no wonder that more and more people are focusing their energy in developing newer alternative energy source that could help address some of the issues that fossil fuels are bring, such as the rising temperature. Alternative energy source are cleaner and is a better and cheaper solution for those facing a shortage of oil as they are renewable as well.

Although it is still at it’s infancy stage, it should not stop us from making the changes in to the newer form of power as there are more than only one form of energy which could collectively make up for the lack of potential to generate enough power to entirely replace our traditional fuels.

The various energy forms are solar, wave, wind, hydro and even geothermal that are unlike traditional fossil fuels, coal and nuclear power plant, it does not emits harmful byproducts to the environment and contribute even further to global warming.

Do bear in mind that ultimately, coal power plant are still releasing a huge amount of carbon dioxide in our air and is one of the top contributing factor to the warming of the earth. Just imagine that there are about 50,000 plants all around the world right now!

I would like to quickly point out the effects of nuclear power plant, if you remember Chernobyl you’ll have an idea of how deadly it can be. Although unlike the coal power plants which emits harmful byproduct to the atmosphere, inappropriate or wrongly techniques used to dispose those spent power rods can easily cause a meltdown of the plant! Chernobyl today are also known as ghost town, quite rightly so given that there are still fatal radioactive materials lingering in the air, and up to hundreds of miles away.

On the other hand, using green energy sources may requires much less maintenance than other form of energy source, not to mention that most of it’s energy are generated from the earth itself, maybe this is a sign from mother earth telling us to use it’s energy instead?

Time is indeed, running out in terms of saving our planet. With every passing year, our global temperature is soaring, therefore the time is now for us to make a difference in the way we generate, use, and recycle energies. Choose to save our environment and help preserve it for our next generation before it’s too late.

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