FIF2002

By: Anna Williams
Using a homemade solar light is a convenient way to illuminate a part of your home without adding to your monthly energy bill. This is ideal for spaces which have enough sunlight during the day, to illuminate the space and charge the solar light. At night the light will automatically turn on, to illuminate that part of your home.

However, although this might seem like a good idea at first, it does have its disadvantages. When it is used indoors, the charge doesn’t seem to be enough to keep the LED on, once darkness falls. And one LED is not enough to provide sufficient light. It is more practical to stick to commercial solar lights.

But making a homemade solar light is a good way of teaching your kids how solar energy works. This is a perfect family project to do with them. This simple project can give them an understanding of the value of solar energy.

What you need for a homemade solar light is the following:

* One glass jar

* A solar garden light

* Rechargeable battery

* Tracing paper

The glass jar must be made of clear glass because this is where you’ll be placing the solar panels. You will not require special tools for this project – just a screwdriver and a utility knife. When working with kids, be sure it keep the knife away from them.

Now here’s the fun part that I’m sure most kids will love.

1. The first step is to get the solar garden light and carefully take it apart. What we need from it are the solar panels, the charge controller, and the LED light. But if you don’t the idea of ripping apart a perfectly working device to salvage its parts, you can purchase a small solar panel, a light sensor, and an LED from specialty electronic shops. You might need to have a little knowledge of electronics in order to assemble it.

2. Now open your glass jar and place the components in it, with the solar panels on the cover facing outwards. You can secure the parts by using hot glue. Then cut a strip of tracing paper and place it at the sides of the glass jar. The kids can draw on the tracing paper. An alternative to this is to use glass frosting spray. Once you’re done, gently place the jar cover with care.

3. Now place your homemade solar light near a window (or, if possible, outdoors) so as to achieve maximum exposure to the sun. This would be perfect for camping as well.

About the Author

If you are looking for complete and step-by-step instructions on how to install DIY Wind and Solar Power systems, along with pictures, videos, and and diagrams, please see Popular DIY Wind and Solar Power Guides.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Anna-Williams/36923

Originally posted 2009-09-29 21:18:03. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Popularity: 1% [?]

byGREEN DIYENERGY

Tips to Make Your Home Energy Efficient

The financial situation that the world is facing these days many people are trying to find a way to save, save, save. By making your home energy efficient it will save you money in the long run. By doing this you will decrease your monthly power bill.

Insulation is a key to maintain the comfort of your house inside. If you have the right insulation put into your home you will see your power bills drop. But to have your home insulated well you must also have your floors, ceiling, basement walls, overhangs, and interior walls insulated. Wherever air is leaking into your home it is making your power bill increase. So you need to be sure that all cracks and crevices are sealed tight.

Replacing lights to a energy efficient model will help your home become energy efficient. Also if you make use of your dimmer switch it makes a difference. Another great way to save on your power bill and make you home energy efficient is to open up your curtians and blinds and let some natural light pour in.

There is a large amount of energy cost that goes towards using your home appliances. It is best that when you are shopping for appliances that you choose the ones that have the energy star. The cost of these products may be higher then normal but they are worth the extra money in the long run.

One of the best ways to make your home energy efficient is to install solar panels. They use natural resources to create energy. There are also solar panles that are available that can heat water they are called solar thermal collectors.

There are many different products out there that ill help you turn your home solar

Find out how to make solar panels for home use here: Go Now!

How about not having an electric bill, or gas bill this winter? Wouldn’t that be great! This can be done by installing your own renewable energy systems for cheap.

The kits show you how to make wind turbines, solar water heaters, and rood solar panels that can power your whole households needs!

Be the pioneer of your neighborhood, by being the first to move your house to completely renewable energy. Learn how to switch your home over to it’s own renewable energy grid, and never have to worry about another energy bill again. Check this site out…low cost…complete package showing you how to make your home more energy efficient, and get going GREEN with FREE POWER.

Hi,
Green DIY Guy here. If your serious about getting your home in the green, eco-friendly zone, check this program out also. Find our how to build and install solar panels on your home to cut your energy bills 50% or even to ZERO.

Originally posted 2009-10-17 07:17:09. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Popularity: 8% [?]

byJUNE SMITH

Mulberry – When Jack Hathaway’s electric bill began averaging more than $200, he decided that he’d had enough. But he wasn’t about to sacrifice his air conditioning, so he began looking for ways to reduce his energy costs. Hathaway believes he’s found his answer in eight tons of coiled plastic tubing, measuring 8,000 linear feet, buried four feet under the ground. “It’s a geothermal system,” said Hathaway, 48. “My goal is to have an electric bill that’s less than $25, and I think that’s going to happen.” With Hathaway’s existing 1,590-square-foot house in Mulberry, reaching that goal seems plausible. But he’s adding an estimated 3,700 square feet of living space onto the back of his home and with a second floor, which creates a greater challenge. “We’re going to be building the addition using polystyrene foam blocks, which are highly efficient for energy,” said Hathaway, who lives at 3045 Dove Lane. “

Combining those together (with the geothermal system) should make for a very efficient house.” Jay Egg, a Tampa contractor who’s installing Hathaway’s system, said that the average geothermal system reduces a homeowner’s electric bill by half. “By comparison, the geothermal system costs about twice as much to install,” Egg said. “But you make up the difference in energy savings, most of the time within a few years.” The system costs about $11,000 for a 3,500-square-foot home, compared to an estimated $6,000 for a standard central heat and air system or heat pump. Geothermal technology isn’t new, said Egg, president of Egg Systems Inc. in Tampa. “The technology has been around for quite awhile,” he said. “It’s been used quite a bit up North, but it’s gradually becoming more popular here.”

The system circulates water through underground pipes that ultimately carry water through the home’s air transfer unit. In the unit, the water either heats or cools the air that’s blown into the home, depending on the season. Since the lower ground in Central Florida, beginning at three feet below the surface, maintains a constant temperature of 72 degrees, water passing through pipes in the ground is heated or cooled to that temperature. “You can also tie in a hot water tank to this system, and use it to heat your water,” Egg said. The water circulation system is closed, meaning that the water never leaves the pipes, he said. “We’ve had people ask about leaks,” Egg said. “These pipes are made of high-density polyethylene, the same material that’s used for natural gas distribution lines. We use heat fusion to join the pipes. “Basically, you’re looking at a 300-year life span for this material,” he said. John Currier, manager of energy services for Tampa Electric Co., said that the utility has endorsed geothermal technology. “We think it has a lot of promise,” he said. “It’s a renewable resource because it’s a closed system coming out of the ground, and it reduces energy costs by as much as 50 percent.”

Instead of manufacturing the warm or cool air, as with conventional units, the system uses the ground to adjust the temperature, then blows the air into the home. “The only down side is the cost,” Currier said. “But it makes up for that in the low operating costs.” Ed Goggans, service manager for Lineberger Heating and Cooling Inc. in Lakeland, agreed that geothermal systems hold promise. “it sure sounds like a good system, and it wouldn’t require much maintenance,” said Goggans, whose company installs conventional heating and cooling systems. “I think we always need to look at new technology with an open mind.”

Tampa Geothermal Installation

Hathaway said he’s had no second thoughts about installing a system at his Mulberry home. I’ve known that it works, because my sister (in Highlands county) has been on a system like this for 15 years,” he said. “They’ve never had a problem. They have a really large house, and their utility bills are never more than about $90.” Hathaway expected to have the pipes installed this week, then he’ll begin construction on his addition. “I’m hoping to have the roof on the addition by the first of the year,” said Hathaway, a retired sales manager for Motorola, “if the weather cooperates.” Because of the size of Hathaway’s addition, he’s installing one air transfer unit for the existing house and a second unit for the addition. That will give him more temperature control in different parts of the house, and allow him to close off those areas that aren’t being used. The cost for the second unit, Egg said, is about $1,200. “You don’t have to install a separate unit, though,” Egg said. “You can do a zoned system with up to 20 zones per unit. But some people choose to have a second unit because it does afford greater control, and there’s less energy loss.”

Originally posted 2009-10-18 20:50:15. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Popularity: 9% [?]

By: Louise Laurena
An environmental geologist is a scientist whose specialties include studies, reviews and investigations involving the environment and the impact of human activities on it. Their work often includes environmental site assessments, environmental hazard investigations, soil contamination investigations, remediation studies and subsurface analysis requiring sampling, interpretation and assessment of hydrogeologic data.
An environmental geologist holds a Bachelor’s degree in geology, or even a Master’s or doctoral degrees for those who are professors or instructors at colleges and universities. Fieldwork for environmental geologists involves conducting tests and investigations to determine a number of different conditions regarding toxicity and/or contamination of a property. The results of such tests are then used to make recommendations on needed actions, as well as the creation of policies to prevent or minimize any future contamination of the environment.
The necessity of exercising environmental due diligence by landowners and prospective property buyers underscores the importance of the services provided by geologists. Investigations, such as Phase I ESAs, should only be conducted by firms offering environmental engineering services performed by highly qualified environmental geologists or engineers. This helps ensure that tragic incidents like the debacle in Love Canal, New York never occur again.
Now, more than ever, geologists are needed to determine environmental hazards and identify contaminants discovered on so-called “brownfield sites.” These cleanups take some time and require significant funds to complete. Although it may be impossible to completely “clean” a contaminated site, environmental geologists, in collaboration with the government, ensure that incidents of environmental contamination and physical harm from such waste are mitigated as much as possible.
Companies and individuals planning to buy or sell properties should have the site reviewed prior to any change of ownership transaction. Assessment of risk exposure from potential contaminants to human health and the environment is a vital preventative measure to avoid legal liabilities, attorney’s fees and, most importantly, harm or loss of human life.
Environmental geologists help prevent and reverse property contamination as well as identifying steps to remediate and repair damage to soil, streams, wetlands, rivers and shorelines. Military bases, dumpsites and old mining sites are the most common places visited and tested for hidden threats and dangers of poisonous and hazardous chemical contaminants. Some sites have already been listed as superfund sites that will be subjected to cleanup and remediation.
Environmental due diligence is only the first step in the prevention and control of contamination. As stewards of Earth, consumers and businesses alike should exercise environmental due diligence and compassion in actions involving the natural world. Environmental geologists commit their lives to protecting and reviving the land, but everyone must do their fair share to ensure the planet remains a treasure for future generations. Only through a concerted effort and adherence to national environmental regulations can this be accomplished.

About the Author

http://www.AustinEnviroSolutions.com specializes in meeting the needs of commercial real estate professionals and lenders. Our Environmental Consultants have a thorough understanding of environmental laws and practices enabling us to provide quick turnaround on Phase I Environmental Site Assessments.

Originally posted 2009-09-29 21:17:17. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Popularity: 13% [?]

by SAM HAWKINS
One of the best alternative energy sources that we can harness to provide us with electricity is Solar Energy. Why so? Well, because it is renewable, meaning it is replenished or replaced naturally. It does not harm us humans and the environment.

Fossil fuels are harmful to our bodies. The pollutants it emits causes grave threats to our health. There has been a great rise in the occurrence of diseases related to pollution. The human lifespan has shortened because of this.

Greenhouse effect has caused the erratic change in our climate. Global Warming has made the temperatures rise that is melting the ice caps. It in turn causes water levels to rise thus places that has never experience flood before are experiencing them now.

If we opt to get energy from alternative resources such as solar energy that will be converted to electricity to power some of our appliances, we can help a lot with saving the environment. We can get solar power from the sun with the use of solar panels. And did you know that you could make solar panels by yourself. It is a simple procedure that can be done by anyone as long as they thoroughly research on how to make the solar panels.

Instructions on Do it yourself solar panels are available on the internet. And did you know that you can also make solar panels from simple kitchen materials. You need not buy materials immediately to make your own solar photovoltaic, go see your stuff in your tools are or shed. With a guide or instructions on what materials can be used to make your own solar panel, you are already equipped with what you should find there that will be useful for you in this solar panel project.

What will amaze you more is that when you use solar power for some, if not most of your appliances at home with solar energy is that you get to cut costs. With the money you save, you will be able to put it into more good use. Sunlight is free. This is where we get solar power from. Isn’t that wonderful?

Another great thing about solar power is that it does not emit any harmful substance to our environment. In fact, sunlight is good for our bodies. It is also used to disinfect water which in turn is good for our bodies.

Act now and know how to make your own solar panels. Harness solar energy and use it in your homes. Solar Energy is the best bet for sourcing out energy.

Find out a whole lot more information about solar power at http://solarlpower.com/ .

Originally posted 2009-09-11 06:23:11. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Popularity: 20% [?]

by MARK SIERRA

When searching for the appropriate dust control equipment for your problem, the type of dust and where it came from is where you should start when looking for a solution.

If it is an indoor dust problem you are looking to solve and the result from a manufacturing process, then containment at the source is critical to solving the problem. If the dust that is created can be sprayed with water and reintegrated into your process, like coal mining, then a set of spray nozzles should be located where the creation of dust is mostly occurring. These places usually involve cutting, drilling or transporting of a material. While a variety of wetting agents exist, water is the most common form and is the most affordable.

If the dust cannot be reintegrated into the process, then a mechanical means to transport it out is required. This will involve a collection hood that channels the dust through a set of ducts. This suspends the dust in the air. Before the dust can fall out of the air, a collection tank is needed in the duct work. This is where the dust is separated from the air. A power supply is located at the end of the duct work. This is a fan that must have sufficient power to keep the particles airborne until the desired separation occurs in the designated area.

For outdoors problems, the task is much simpler. The typical problem is caused by soil. By maintaining the proper amount of moisture in the soil, most dust problems can be eliminated. For construction sites, the best piece of dust control equipment for this job is a tanker truck fitted with spray nozzles to wet the top soil.

The mister fan is another useful component. This is the same type of fan used on the sidelines of major sporting events to keep athletes cool. This same equipment can knock dust out of the air and can therefore solve the dust problem in a confined or limited area.

Additional information can be found regarding how an erosion control blanket can be used to keep dust contained, especially in construction areas where dust is most prevalent. Check out the Dust Stop Zone for more Free information.

Originally posted 2009-08-22 08:46:50. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Popularity: 28% [?]

byPAUL BUCHANAN

It is so refreshing to know that the world is slowly waking up to being organic. Whole Food stores are the new grocery store destination and more and more things seem to be turning green. More people are choosing paper over plastic or are driving gas saving cars. Now people are even turning to solar energy. I wish it didn’t take us so long to realize how vital these things are to earth’s survival. But I guess better late then never!

The other day I was at the grocery store and I asked for paper. The clerk nodded her head and the groceries were bagged. Here is where the point of my story comes in… she put plastic bags around the paper bag that was holding the groceries! She literally bagged the bag. Now not only am I using plastic, but I am using twice as much bagging. What was the point of that? She was actually what inspired me to go even more green. I started researching different opportunities and ways to save our earth. The most intriguing topic was solar energy. As I read I found that there are multiple DIY solar panel projects. It doesn’t even seem that intimidating to build your own kit. There are whole lists of sites and techniques. There are videos and guides. I have not started yet but I am impressed with the outcome. You save a lot of money on your bills by turning solar. It sounds worth it to me!

http://www.make-solar-panels.org

Originally posted 2009-10-21 09:00:03. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Popularity: 33% [?]

byANDREW BIMBO

It is quite a miserable sight to see a beautiful garden dried up because of water scarcity. As the supply of water is restricted in many areas ion Australia, people have just enough water for their consumption and can’t afford to waste water watering the plants. well, you can’t just stand and watch your plants dry up. So act wisely and save water. If there is shortage of water supply, collect the rain water that is falling your roof and getting wasted falling on the ground. For this all you need is to install a rainwater tank in your home. The rainwater stored in your rain water tank, can be later used not only for watering the plants, but also for washing your clothes, for the toilets, washing the car, for your swimming pool etc. Nylex and Tankmasta are two popular brands of rainwater tanks in Australia.

Water tanks and pumps are sold in Australia, by a number of suppliers. Water tanks are installed in all houses to collect the water that is supplied. A water tank is a container to store water. You can find them in various sizes and made from different materials. Overhead water tanks are very common, but if you don’t have space in your house to install the water tank above the ground, then you can choose underground water tanks. These tanks comes with a lid and are easy to install, made from high quality plastic and able to withstand the Australian climate. Another type of tank that is very convenient, when there is space restriction is the slimline water tanks. These tanks are available in different shapes that fit into small spaces in your house and are also available in different colors to suit your wall. Years back most of the houses had concrete water tanks, but now polyethylene water tanks are becoming popular and preferred by the people because they are UV resistant and can be fixed above the ground or below the ground. They cost less and can be easily carried around because they are light weight.

Australias Premier Rainwater Tank One Stop Shop Rain Water Tank Supplier. plastic tanks,storage tanks,water pumps supplied to Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.

Popularity: 38% [?]

bySAM WILLIAM

If you are wanting an article on the eco-friendly benefits of solar power then you are out of luck because I would like to get straight to the facts. Making your own solar power will soon be the most beneficial decision of your lifetime. And I’m referring to to the extent that many people will have no choice but to make use of the benefits of solar power.

Everyone is well aware of the high dollar government bailout but to help pay back some of that debt, Obama’s new 2010 budget included an incredibly costly cap-and-trade energy tax on oil, natural gas, and coal. Most are thinking that this energy tax could cost people more than $2 trillion over the short span of the following 8 years. And maybe worst of all, this energy tax is scheduled to run through the year 2050.

If you really want to understand what this boils down to, bear in mind that the cost of home energy averages at around $112.32 per month at the moment. But you can expect the new energy tax to drive it up to an predicted $562.67. So the majority of us will be relying on the benefits of solar power because we can’t pay for the additional $450 cost per month.

President Obama knows the effect that this is going to have. This is basically a strategic shift to help level the playing field and give solar power a chance to compete with the monstrous coal, oil, and natural gas companies that are monopolizing the market.

So think long and hard about these 3 benefits of solar power.

#1 Benefit of Solar Power – It Can’t Be Regulated

The fact that solar power cannot be regulated is probably the most essential of all benefits. This means that the federal government is not able to tax the solar power that you produce yourself at home.

#2 Benefit of Solar Power – It Doesn’t Follow the Same Economic Laws as Oil, Coal, and Natural Gas

As I’m sure you know, the costs of non-renewable energy such as coal, oil, and natural gas normally vary based on the law of supply and demand. So if the demand raises, so does the price.

But the beauty of creating your own solar energy is that it is not a tradable commodity so it does not follow the same economic law. That is because solar power is so abundant that the supply will certainly not run dry.

#3 Benefit of Solar Power – It’s Free, Period

Solar energy does not cost anything. Sure there is a expense associated with the materials you need to make use of solar power but the price of the power itself is free. But provided the new energy tax, the cost of a solar energy system will pale compared to the total cost of energy for years to come.

What it boils down to is that solar power is the most plentiful, free, and economically secure energy source available. Furthermore you can include all of those lesser yet very valid benefits to the mix. But if you still do not see the light, then you can always look for a second or third job to help you make up for that extra $450 per month you can plan on spending. For more infomation on you can visit this link http://www.thediyenergyguy.com/cheap-solar-panels/homemade-solar-panels/

Popularity: 38% [?]

byERIC DAVIS

Well-intentioned friends congratulated us on the birth of our second child some years ago with the advice to not have any more since the world was already overpopulated. Obviously we didn’t follow this advice since we had five more, but at the time I didn’t know how to answer them. Today this warning is louder than ever.

Several decades ago, Paul Ehrilich said, “It is already too late to avoid famines that will kill millions, possibly by 1975″. Another false prophet said, “I state flatly that the hungry world will not able able to feed itself ten years from now”. This was said in 1967. Yet, the evidence declares overpopulation and its woes to be simply untrue.

Indeed, the world is getting more populated. In the U.S. the rate is presently one more person every 16 seconds. The world is 3.5 billion people larger than it was in 1950. However, this does not mean it is overcrowded. As proof, how long would you have to drive from your present location to be in wide open places? For us, it would take five minutes.

Though states like New Jersey have a population density of 1171 people/mile2, seven of the states have a resident density of less than 20 and have less than a million citizens. The national average is only 95. The city where I live is typical; it fits its 65,400 people into 30 square miles, giving a population density of 2160 people/mile2. A typical school classroom has a population density of a million people/mile2. To be crowded, people must choose to crowd together. Overpopulation is not caused by a lack of land.

The population density of the world is presently 34 people/mile2, or a full seven and a half acres of useable land for every person on earth. The simple fact is that most of the world is empty. In fact, all of us, living in the same population density as New York City (c. 25,000 people/mile2) could live in West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri. If you refer the less crowded suburbia density, everyone could live comfortably in the 48 contiguous states.

The starving people of Bangladesh (2750 people/mile2) or India (890 people/mile2) are often presented as evidence for overcrowding. Their population density is often blamed for their economic woes. Yet, contrast India with the industrial giant Japan whose density is only slightly less. Instead, the reasons why starvation is rampant in areas include false religious beliefs, unwise political control, corruption, wars, and other man-made conditions, rarely overpopulation. Honestly, most lands, including India, could easily sustain its present population.

Ignoring the facts, however, the clarions of doom continue to sound. “We cannot long continue our present rate of progress. The first check for our growing prosperity, however, must render our population excessive” . Does this sound like the result of a recent study? It was written in 1865! “Our number are burdensome to the world, which can hardly support us”. This was forecast by Tertullian in the 2nd century! Those who are honest admit that India alone has enough rich farm land to feed the entire world! And food production has increased 1000% in the last 75 years. The danger of starving is constantly decreasing, not increasing.

So who cares about all this? The principle is, if you cause a crisis, you can get just about anything you want. The phantom overpopulation teaching has for one thing, encouraged abortion, for they claim, among other things, that the child will demand resources that will simply be unavailable. Children are a liability to the world and any way to get rid of them is viewed as good.

This quote is from a leading textbook for training Gynecologists. “In the minds of many, rapid growth of population has become second only to nuclear warfare as civilization’s greatest menace. The gynecologist- obstetrician has assumed a leadership role and has recognized the necessity of controlling human fertility. . . Population growth is perforce temporary; that it will- indeed must- eventually cease, halted either by an increase in deaths or a decrease in births. There is no other way. Thus, people must come to want fewer children”. A woman expecting her third child might get what advice from a doctor so trained? The fact is that hysterectomies are the second most common major surgery each year (800,000), and only 10% are due to cancer.

The real problem is not overpopulation but lack of genuine love for children. They are too often viewed as a hindrance to accomplishing our goals. Yet children are the future of a country, for good or evil. When they are properly trained, children both multiply their parents’ impact, and in their own way benefit the world as good citizens. Children are indeed not the cause of the world’s destruction, but its future hope.

Popularity: 38% [?]