Recycling and Why we should

Recycling  is a beautiful thing if you think about it, you use old materials to make new ones. Recycling is not hard, doesn’t take much time, and it’s easy too. When you recycle you are doing your part to make our planet a cleaner place to live and breathe. Landfills are an eye soar, not to mention they stink and they are not safe for the environment. What if no one recycled? Could you imagine all that trash piled up with no place to go.

The basic principles of recycling is reduce and re-use. A lot of produces we use are not natural resource and are not quickly reproduced. Using recycled products is great way to recycle. Buying recycle paper saves our trees. Trees supply us with oxygen and take years to grow to maturity, so it is very important to recycle paper and use recycled paper.

Recycling makes and creates used materials into new useful products. Recycling also save on cost, materials, and energy. When you recycle you are doing your part to reduce waste and pollution on our Planet.

What is solar energy?  It is energy derived from the sun in the form of solar radiation.  This energy is now being harnessed to run our homes and help keep the earth healthy for as long as possible.  Did you know you are eligible to receive a tax deduction for installing solar panels in your home too!  You just can’t go wrong when using solar energy, it has too many benefits.  I have included information on the tax benefits you are eligible for below.
A 30% tax credit (including labor and installation), with no upper limit, is available for consumers building new homes (through 2016) for Photovoltaic

1. Solar Water Heaters
2. Geothermal Heat Pumps
3. Small Wind Energy Systems
4. Fuel Cells (up to $500 per .5 kW of power capacity)

To qualify for the fuel cell credit, the new home you are building must be planned as your “principal residence.” The credit for photovoltaic, solar water heaters, geothermal heat pumps, and small wind energy systems does not have to be for your principal residence; so, rental units, second homes, etc… are all eligible. See the Instructions attached to 2008 IRS Form 5695 to help you further with this provision.

The tax credit for these products is ONLY available for existing homes:

1. Windows/Skylights
2. Doors
3. Insulation
4. Roofs (metal and asphalt)
5. HVAC
6. Water Heaters (non-solar)
7. Bio-mass Stoves

References

1. energystar.custhelp.com

Solar energy is measured in kilowatt hours and I have found an amazing calculator to help you do the conversions at home, this will help you make the best decision on how many panels you should be installing in your home.  Contact your current electric company and find out how many kilowatt hours you are using now and insert them into this nifty calculator!  Converter can be found here

Below I have included how different things are measured and other information that may be helpful as well as the calculator.

• DC watts=Voltage X current
• Power is measured in units of Watts (symbol W)
• Voltage is measured in units of Volts (symbol V)
• Current is measured in units of Amps (symbol I)
• 1 kilowatt-hour (kWh) equals the amount of electricity required to burn a 100 watt light bulb for 10 hours
• Solar panels are are generators of DC electrical power
• DC electrical power wattage is the product of voltage and current
• Each solar cell measures 2 inches by 0.5 inches
• Solar cells are capable of generating 45 milliwatts in 1 square inch (6.45 square cm)
• Milliwatts are a units of power equal to one thousandth of a watt

References

1. mtmscientific.com

2. unitconversion.org

A home with solar panels

As the idea of using solar energy  in our home increases there are many technicalities that can become very confusing.  Lucky for you I am here to help with explaining these terms so you will have no excuse not to go green!  I have gathered a few of the basics terms that you might run into when searching for the right system for your home.  Today I will start with definitions of items you will need to get your home prepared to be green!

• Solar Panels: A bank of solar cells
• Inverter: A device that converts direct electric current into alternating current
• Battery: Also called galvanic battery or voltaic battery; a combination of two or more cells electrically connected to work together to produce electric energy.
• Charge Controller: A device that limits the rate at which electric current is added to or drawn from electric batteries and prevents overcharging.

Can We Stop What is Happening to our Planet?

Going Green is the new trend, but at the rate we are polluting the planet is it going to help anything? Industrial facilities are all over the planet. Let’s not forget about the millions of motor vehicles on the road everyday that spew out toxic gases. At the rate we are polluting the planet, can we stop what is happening?

Let’s be real, people are not going to stop using there cars or smoking cigarettes. Industrial facilities are not going to stop going up either, they make products that we need and want. So what do we do? Are our attempts to save the planet futile? Will we ever be able to stop using products that cause pollution?

We as a people have caused effects to this planet that we will never be able to change. We have lost acres of Rain forest and parts of our Ozone layer that we will never get back. We have grown accustomed to the way we live our lives. There are so many people that do not even care about what’s going on, and will they ever care?

]]> http://yovia.com/blogs/solarenergy/2009/11/18/can-we-save-the-planet/feed/ 0 http://yovia.com/blogs/solarenergy/2009/11/18/save-the-planet-by-going-green/ http://yovia.com/blogs/solarenergy/2009/11/18/save-the-planet-by-going-green/#comments Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:24:12 +0000 melissa http://yovia.com/blogs/solarenergy/?p=26

Go Green and Save the Planet

We all need to take steps to insure the stability of our planet so that our children and our children’s children have a place to call home. If we continue to live our lives using products that are harmful to our planet without concern of the consequences, the future of planet will be bleak.

Going Green is on of the most important things we can do right now to help save our planet. Going Green has become a movement. Lots of people are becoming more and more aware of the effects we are causing our planet and they want to do their part to change what is happening. Going green is fun and easy, not to mention Going Green will save you money in the long run.

Save the Planet by Going Green. If we want to breathe clean air and drink clean water we should all do our part. Who wants to breathe in pollutions or drink contaminated water? I know I don’t. So if you are like me and a million others, Let’s Save the Planet and Go Green! together.

Lets Do our part. Learn more about Going Green.

Earth Kind

Be Green

1 Thing for Green

I Million Trees

• Fix the Leak! A dripping faucet can waste 212 gallons of water a month, sending your money down the drain.  Be sure to fix this problem as soon as possible if it arises, because water conservation for our future generations is essential.  We can start losing water sooner than you think..
• Turn Your Water Heater Down. This action takes more of the environments side, but lowering your water heater could save you $20 dollars a year if your water is gas heated, and $50 dollars or more if your water is electric heated.  In other words, it can lower your bill 6-10 percent.
• Mineral Salt Deodorant sticks! Containing no harmful ingredients and with limited wasteful packaging, this deodorant stick will last you a whole year!  Talk about tons less waste and a great deal.
• Careful of Idle Car Time. Sitting idle in your car running for more than 30 seconds DOES waste more gas than re-starting the engine.  So don’t wait in the drive-thru line and waste precious dollars and produce pollution, park and have a nice break.
• Fridge Placement. This sounds random, but placing your refrigerator  in the sunlight or next to the stove will just cause it to work harder to keep cool, using up more energy.
• Plan an Errand Map. If you have a list of things to take care of around town, go to them in an order that will cut out a lot of extra driving.

Keep up the good work, we are all in this together!

References

1. MSN

2. eartheasy.com

3. Wisebread

3. Picture

As an individual, we are the only ones that can stop ourselves from buying something on the spot that we “Really Need!” AKA, want. Here are a few different ways to help ensure wiser decision making:

1. How many hours of work did you do in order to buy this? Is it really worth that much of your time and effort?  Time is one of the most precious commodities, because time is what we have in this world.  Remember how valuable this is, and determine whether this product is worth your time.
2. Do you really need this, or is it just a want? It is not bad to get things we want, but really think about bringing it home and how much of an impact it would have on your life.  Will it be a quick joy that will soon end up in the garbage and on its way to a landfill?  This is not an attack, we all use disposable things, but thinking this way when shopping can really help to limit how many of those very short lived ‘perks’ you buy.
3. Leave it for later. Leave the store, go home, or visit the library, and if you forget about it then you know it was not that important. If you remember it, you usually are able to feel either totally fine with going back and purchasing it, or without the pressure of it right in your hands you usually will listen to your conscience if it is a bad idea.  These on the spot purchases are very difficult to walk away from, but are usually unnecessary and add up to become financially burdening.
4. Consider the big picture. Think of something absolutely amazing and beneficial to you that really want AND need. Maybe you could really use a new washer or a new set of tools? Maybe even another more reliable car? So think about this, and every time you want to spend the money, set it aside instead. Keep a picture of that end goal on you or in your wallet, even rubber band it to your card or I.D. so you always see it as motivation to save. I guarantee you will feel more fulfilled when you reach that goal that will really help you out. Instead of buying more clothes or knickknacks every paycheck, before you know it you will have something so awesome. So save up for that new appliance or a great down payment for a car.  Don’t fill you house with things you do not need that will encourage encourage more unnecessary production and wasted materials and energy.
5. Do you have to get a new one? Is it something that could not be improvised with some things at home? Or, even from a garage sale or thrift store? People give nice and BRAND NEW things away all of the time because a million different situations and circumstances. Take advantage of these great deals!
6. Every breath you take is your chance to change things! This can go for every aspect of your life, even if it is starting with your mindset. Remember, small changes. From there, bigger ones will come more naturally and easily. You CAN do anything you want to, even if it takes time. Mistakes do happen in everybody’s life, so don’t let them stop you. Saving your money and spending it wisely does not only make this life in this world easier, but it also builds your self esteem and confidence tons. Helping the environment, something we are all responsible for, also makes you feel good and makes the world a better, and safer place.  Try it, the most you can lose is.. Less space in your bank account?

We have all heard the terms blogging, and eco friendly before, but never have we seen the two combined into a fighting force before. But fear not, this is possibly one of the coolest, and easiest ways to make money.
Eco blogging isn’t really about spreading the green message around (although it can be), its more about doing your part to make sure you aren’t wasteful when you are blogging away. It could be as simple as using a certified green computer like mac’s, or it can be as complicated as talking about enviormental issues and pushing for a change. Something like a polluted lake is a great example, you can push for change and help the enviorment which as we all know, will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
But where does all of this lead to making money? Well, If you decide to use green products, those will save you considerable bucks every month. If you take a more proactive approch, you could end up getting recognized as a “Eco warrior”, and I’m sure that comes with some kind of bonus for doing your part.