Something to Make You Think

My sister loves to send me forwarded emails.  They’re usually a pretty eclectic mix of things ranging from the inspirational to the outrageous.  This week she sent me one that made me think.  It was a bit of a rant about young people today blaming all of the world’s ecological ills on the mistreatment of the planet by today’s seniors.  It pointed out a few things that I think we sometimes forget.  Here are a few of them…

• It used to be common practice to return glass bottles from milk and soda so that they could be cleaned up and re-used.  Heck, I remember being a kid and having those returnable bottles stacked up and clanking around in the garage.  I never really did understand the attraction of throw away plastic bottles.  Drinks just seem a little more refreshing when your using a cold glass bottle!
• In a similar vein, people who drank bottled water were seen as rather snobbish when I was growing up.  I’m not ancient, but I don’t think I drank water out of a bottle until I was pushing 30 in the late 90s.  I honestly don’t like drinking water out of those little plastic bottles.  I drank enough water out of a hose as a kid to fill a swimming pool and I still drink 99% of my daily H2O out of the faucet.  I’ve noticed that I’m very much in the minority when it comes to that.
• Here comes the uphill in the snow part.  I seriously had to walk about two and a half miles to school every day between 6th and 8th grade.  Compare that to buses that run door to door service now.  Want to talk emissions?
• Another thing that my sister’s email mentioned was air conditioning.  We all pretty much expect it now.  Guess what?  AC doesn’t run on magical fairy dust.  I don’t think anyone in my group of friends had it when we were growing up.  That is why being outside was such an attractive option during the summer.  We played in the woods a lot because it was cooler there.

The email went on making similar comparisons between “back in the day” and today.  I guess my point is that people with an interest in making a planet healthier today can find better ways to spend their time than pointing fingers at the older generation.  When your grandfather went to work in a steel mill, he wasn’t trying to poison the atmosphere.  He was trying to feed his family.  We live and we learn and we do what is needed to get by.  No one is perfect.  Do what you can to make your little part of the world a better place.  Playing the blame game is never really a very efficient use of time or energy.

In this short article, we will look at what is involved in building your own solar panels and what can realistically be expected when we do so. First of all, you must get a realistic view of the situation. Building one solar panel and slapping it on top of your house is not going to be enough to replace the energy you currently get delivered to your home. A single panel may save you some cash, but it will not be enough on its own.You will need to do a bit of math and decide how many panels you will actually need for the job. Although your time will be involved, building your own panels can save you thousands compared to what it would cost to purchase pre-built solar panels. This savings is what allows you the opportunity to have many more panels at your disposal.

The supplies for each panel will typically be $400 or less. That may sound like a lot of money, but you need to compare that to the cost of finished panels or continuing to pay huge energy bills for years to come. In addition to figuring out the number of panels you will need, you also have to think about where the panels will be installed.

The roof is probably the most common location chosen by homeowners, and you may have already seen these put in place on a home near you. This location is usually optimal for getting the most light and for keeping the panels out of harms way. One concern with using the roof for installation is that you can find yourself limited in the number of panels you can fit. For safety’s sake, you should also ensure that your roof is in solid enough condition to accommodate the extra weight of the panels. For most people, this is not a major concern, but it should always be checked just to be certain.

Stands are available for those who prefer to use a location other than the roof. These can work out fine, but you will want to make sure that they are in a location where they will not be tampered with by children or even animals.

Of course a prime concern is also the amount of sunlight the location will provide. The number of hours of sunlight can change during the course of the year as seasons change. So too can the angle of the sunlight striking your property. This means that you should choose a spot that will get the maximum hours of sunlight throughout the year. Be sure that nothing will block out the light from the sun during as it moves across the sky. Check the area for shadows being cast by neighboring buildings or large trees.

These are just some basic thoughts to get you going. There are many wonderful manuals designed to move you quickly through the process of building solar panels once you have decided it is the right choice for you. Be sure to find a guide that offers start to finish instructions. Any videos or photos and diagrams will certainly make the process easier for you as well. Here is a link to a video that will give you some more information about do it yourself possibilities.

You might also want to read more about the advantages of wind energy and your options for using this renewable resource for your own energy needs.

So why not pay someone else to install solar panels or a windmill? Well, the same reason as above…Money.

Professional installation of these devices can be very expensive. Why would you spend thousands and thousands of dollars when the project can be done by a reasonably competent-do-it-yourselfer for a fraction of the cost? One of the big selling points for getting your own windmill is saving money. You will start to see that money a lot sooner if you do the job yourself rather than paying a contractor thousands of dollars for the service.

Of course there is the option of buying home windmill kits or pre-made solar panels. These might be the answer for some people. I’ll show some of the top rated ones in the sidebar for anyone who might be interested in a nice compromise. Of course, it is still considerably more expensive than building your own (see video), but it these do cut down the amount of time you would have to spend gathering materials.

Solar energy and wind energy are slowly working their way into common acceptance in our society. Small solar chargers for things like ipods and cell phones are starting to show up now. There is simply no denying that green energy is here to stay. This is not really all that bold of a statement. We are getting to the point where something has to shift. We obviously cannot continue burning through the limited fossil fuel supplies indefinitely. The smart money says that alternatives like solar and wind energy will only continue to gain in popularity. Keep your eyes open for them in your neighbor’s yard, or be one of the wise early adopters and get yourself set up with clean, efficient alternative energy now.

Some are exploring the idea of building a home windmill as a way to cut energy costs.  Even those people not motivated enough to take action are starting to get nervous about rising costs.

There has been a long history of trouble in dealing with the major oil supplying countries of the world.  Without getting into any kind of political discussions, I think it is safe to say that the relationships have been unpredictable in many cases.  People sometimes ask, “What are the advantages of wind energy?”.  I think that breaking free from a dependence on such a tumultuous relationships could, in itself be a pretty good reason to look into new energy sources.

Of course, besides eliminating, or at least decreasing our dependence on other countries, there could be some other very tangible benefits.  For most people, being able to keep some more money in their pocket is a strong motivator.  As fossil fuel supplies begin to dwindle, we can only expect that price fluctuations like we saw in gasoline a couple of years ago will only become more likely.  Most people have better things to spend their money on than over priced fuel for their vehicles.  Especially when the prices are being inflated by political nonsense.

Unlike fossil fuels, wind energy is a renewable resource.  We are in no danger of running out of moving air.  Wind is also not controlled by any certain region of the world that will be able to hold it hostage and demand high prices for it.  It is abundant and readily available.  It is just waiting to be harnessed by the people willing to advance and make use of the technology designed to efficiently convert the spinning of wind turbines into usable electric power.

Wind energy is also a very clean resource.  For some, this is the main reason they are looking into home windmill options.  With fossil fuels, there is going to be pollution.  Laws can be passed to force energy providers to clean up their acts as much as possible, but they will not ever be able to compare to wind that does not have to be burned at all.  The movement of air across wind turbines is not ever going to cause billowing clouds of pollution, even if huge windfarms are built.

Our challenge of course, is to find ways to build wind turbines that can work at a high enough efficiency to provide for large numbers of homes and businesses.  We have to improve the technology to the point that we can deliver energy from wind turbines over long distances.  It would be nice to be able to set up large windfarms in rural areas, where noise pollution would not be a concern, and to then deliver it to more densely populated areas located miles away.  Right now, such long distance delivery is not a viable option.

Many homeowners are starting to take matters into their own hands.  Rather than wait for someone to solve their problems with high energy bills, they are exploring their options on a small scale.  Home windmills are catching the attention of people ready to start saving money while cutting down their own dependence on more traditional energy sources.

While the Internet is a great asset for finding information on solar panels, it is not necessary. There are local solar organizations across the country, and local hardware stores and contractors can be very helpful as well. Some basic figures you should have when talking to someone about your solar project are the amount of electricity you use monthly, how many hours of direct sunlight your home receives and how much solar energy you want to use. Interestingly, it is actually more cost-effective to generate 80% of your electricity than 100%, due to times when there is little or no sun that throw off the regular cycle of energy storage. It is also helpful to be aware that most solar panels have a life expectancy of 20-40 years, and usually carry around a 25-year warranty.

Once you decide what kind of solar panels to buy, you can choose to hire a contractor to have them professionally installed or do it yourself. While a good contractor can be invaluable, a carefully planned and executed self-installation can save a lot of money, costing as little as $200 dollars. However, in order to qualify for tax credits and rebates, you will have to get your system officially inspected and approved.

Another more engaged money-saving technique is to build your own panels. There is a wealth of information available to those with a little time and DIY experience. Building your own home solar panels can reduce the cost from thousands to hundreds of dollars. For those who do not have the time or interest to build or install their own solar panels, a contractor with experience in gridded solar installation can help you decide where to buy your home solar panels. Another helpful option is Home Depot’s solar program. They have licensed solar professionals on staff who handle every aspect of the process for you, from helping you pick the right product to applications for rebates to the installation and certification.

By installing solar lights you can still enjoy the landscape lighting that you’re used to without contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, or emissions from your wallet for that matter.  While solar lights come in a wide variety of different shapes, sizes, and styles, here are two of the best that you can use outside your home.

First up are solar post lights.  These lights just what they sound like, lights that are placed on top of a post.  They can be placed on railings at the edges of your deck, patio, stairs, or front porch, fences, and on any other posts your have around your property.  They’re great for low level ambient lighting for decks and patios, stair lighting, and providing path lighting.  If you place them on your front porch, they can even help to keep your home more lit and secure.  Best of all, since they’re solar powered the only thing that you need to do to install them is to snap them onto the post and you’re done.

The second really useful solar light for outside your home is a solar powered spot light.  These lights are incredibly versatile and can be used for all forms of accent lighting.  If you have a taller structures, like trees, shrubs, or columns on the outside of your house you can use these lights for up lighting to create great professional effects.  They can also be used for cross lighting, back lighting and even down lighting.  The only limit is your imagination.

Going green outside your home doesn’t have to be a sacrifice.  With these great lights you can get the same outdoor lighting that you have with electrical models but in a earth-friendly, green package.

This will change the look of your fireplace and room, for sure. You will find that a complete replacement is a costly option. You can save quite a bit of money by doing a fireplace refacing project instead.

If you are into tile or a more natural or cultured stone veneer, you are in for a great looking project. While it may look as though it was a lot of labor involved, stone veneers look quite elegant for not too hard of a job.

So, how is this considered an environmentally friendly project?  Well, the answer to that question is because it saves on materials and waste.  Rather than buying new materials that involves manufacturing, shipping, etc. and then removal of the older materials and disposing of them in a landfill, this project is like refacing your kitchen cabinets.

Like with many remodeling jobs, cleaning is the first step. Cleaning could mean just a soap and water scrubbing, but it can also include removal of old or broken bricks or tiles. Once you’ve got these things done, you can move ahead with the next step.

Step two involves mixing the mortar and preparing the area. If you are using cement backer board, you can hang that now. You can apply mortar directly to an existing, older brick. You should aim at making your mortar mix the consistency of peanut butter.

Your next step will be to ‘back butter’ your veneer pieces with your freshly mixed mortar. This is the professional term for this process used just before setting them on the wall. Make sure that you are placing your stones on a level line before setting them. You don’t need to apply grout to these pieces, so you can stack them right on top of one another. The natural or cultured shape of the stones gives them a simple and classic look.

By offsetting your joint lines, you’ll give your fireplace a more natural stacked appearance. If you have a smaller room, you can utilize smaller stones. A larger room will allow you to get by with larger stone pieces. Balance is the key. Your new fireplace refacing job is going to look wonderful. Good luck!

Also Check Out: Home Bedroom Decor

Indoor gardening can be a fun and fulfilling hobby. Whether you like playing in the dirt or you want to try hydroponic gardening, you’ll need some grow lights to help your plants flourish inside away from the sun.

Hydroponic gardening is a special type of gardening that doesn’t use dirt or soil at all. It’s a bit more expensive but a lot less messy and some believe the future of all indoor gardening. But even if you want just basic garden plants because you don’t have room outside and you can’t container garden on a patio or deck, then hit your local garden supply store or a great site online and stock up on what you’ll need, including LED grow lights.

If you’re just starting out, one LED grow light might be enough, so don’t spend your entire budget on a variety of different lights designed for different things. One fairly small light can cover enough square feet of indoor plants that you might only ever need one for as long as you garden. Be sure to purchase a quality light, however. Some of the most inexpensive LED lights really not designed for growing plants are merely LED lights. These won’t help your plants grow and instead will allow them to wither and die.

You’ll need one designed specifically for growth which means it will contain the red and blue within its light spectrum, which are the colors that plants need to flourish indoors. More than the brightness of the light, the color spectrum is the most important thing when you’re using it for growth rather than just general lighting.

If you become an indoor garden hobbyist, you might want to purchase different lights depending on the types of plants you grow and their particular color spectrum needs. But at first, save your money and choose one quality light until you’re sure you need more.

Read more green articles by visiting the Advantages of Wind Energy home page.