Types Of Renewable Energy You Can Use

by Tim McDonald

As the world reaches its energy crisis we need to reduce our dependence on non-renewable energy sources, and start generating renewable energy on a massive scale.

Currently there are 4 major types of renewable energy available at our disposal: solar energy, wind energy, hydro energy, and geothermal energy.

Wind Power:

Wind energy has been used for thousands of years. Initially windmills were built to tow boats, grind flour and pump water. But as industry developed, wind turbines were put into operation to generate electric power.

Some people still imagine windmills as the ornate ones found in the Netherlands, or the small wind pumps on farmland, but wind power technology has come a long way. Today, massive windmills, better known as wind turbines can generate millions of watts of electric energy, and smaller ones can be used at home as a substitute to grid-tied power.

Solar Energy:

If it were not for the sun we would not have wind, and better yet, we would not have solar energy – the most abundant renewable energy source we have. Although we should be harnessing more of it, technology has enabled us to use the sun’s power in a variety of ways – solar power, solar water heating, solar cooking, passive solar design, and solar drying.

Passive solar design, solar power and solar heating are some of the the best ways to reduce your power consumption at home – these systems need very little upkeep, and they are also great for the environment. Solar cooking is a healthy alternative to using an oven or stove – the food is cooked slowly so more minerals and vitamins are retained, and no electric power is needed. This makes it ideal for camping and outdoor cooking in the summer months.

Hydro Power:

Initially hydro or water power was used industrially in rivers and waterfalls to power waterwheels that would then be used to move water for irrigation or grind flour.

In modern times the power of water is mainly used in to generate hydro-electricity. This is mainly done is large dams, where water is stored and released through small channels. The force of the water through these channels is extremely strong and capable of spinning large turbines, that then generate electric power. An example would be the Hoover Dam that is used primarily to supply Las Vegas with electricity. Over 90% of our renewable energy is generated with hydro-electric dams.

There have been some social and environmental concerns about building dams for hydroelectricity since entire village and communities are flooded by the dam, and the walls prevent certain species of fish from swimming upstream to spawn.

Geothermal Power:

Most of the time Geothermal energy is harnessed in volcanic regions, where molten lava is rather close to the earth’s surface. An good example would be in Iceland, an extremely volcanic island that generates a lot of its power in this way.

Here, large power plants are built over the geysers, where hot fast-moving steam from the geysers drives large turbines to make electricity. To speed up the process, water is sometimes pumped back into the geysers to make more steam, which is then used to drive the turbines once again, thus making it an endless cycle.

This brings us to the end of the various types of renewable energy explored. To find more in-depth information on each source, you can visit our website at DIY-Renewable-Energy dot com.

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Green Cleaning Products Can Save Your Health and Bank Balance!

by Cari Webbe

There are many different opinions when it comes to being more eco-friendly and using green cleaning products. For some, it’s simply an added expense that they just can’t afford – but this couldn’t be further from the truth!

It only takes a few simple ingredients to clean all of the different areas around the home. And it doesn’t take long to make your own green cleaning products from scratch, which really won’t cost you much at all.

What is so Bad About Commercial Cleaning Products?

There is actually no law forcing manufacturers to label all of the ingredients that go into our cleaning products, which is why it’s very shocking to hear that a number of the ingredients haven’t even been tested for safety on humans!

And, what’s worse, is that we are indirectly taking these products into our system. For example, when we spray our surfaces we breathe the ingredients in. And we also absorb all of the ingredients of our laundry detergents through the clothes we wear every day.

These ingredients are then sent into the environment through our water. The truth is these chemicals are not necessary for effective cleaning, so we don’t need to use them anymore.

Green Alternatives

You don’t have to buy the most expensive products to take steps to go green today. Start by using up the products you do already have, and saving the plastic spray bottles. These can then be used to make your own cleaning concoctions.

Did you know that a simple mix of vinegar and bicarbonate of soda can clean away mold and lime scale? Or that lemon juice can get rid of stains on your chopping board? It really is that simple!

If you don’t have the time to make all of your own cleaning products then there are still eco-friendly brands available if you look in the supermarket. They can be more expensive, but buying ingredients in bulk will help to save you a lot of money. The great news is that some of the natural laundry options will last for hundreds of washes – ultimately working out a lot cheaper!

If you want to go green you don’t have to change everything straight away. Start with your laundry, then move onto another area of your life. Before you know it you’ll never know why you relied on those toxic cleaning products!

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Modern Building Design – Is It Green Yet?

What is green building design? It is an attempt to design a building to minimize the impacts on the environment and improve the health of people. Thoughtful building design can minimize the effect on the environment by reducing the amount of energy spent constructing and operating the building throughout its lifecycle. To accomplish these goals, building designers can choose from a wide variety of techniques, practices and materials developed over the past several decades.

What makes a building design green? Sustainable materials, especially those materials available locally, or those that can be recycled, must be included. Other choices include reusable, renewable and non-toxic materials. Building designers may also choose the orientation of the building on the site to take advantage of the sun or a breeze, or to minimize unfavorable weather conditions. Such choices can minimize the energy spent operating the building.

The specific techniques and methods of construction chosen by the building designer can minimize the impact of the construction process on the environment. Use of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power may be part of green building design. High efficiency water, waste and energy systems can reduce both the energy required, and environmental impact of the design over the lifetime of the building.

The number of green buildings is expected to increase in spite of the global economic downturn. An increasing number of government initiatives and growing public demand are fueling the growth. The public now prefers and even expects products and services, and even companies to be “green.”

The US is not alone in implementing governmental building design initiatives. Canada, France, Germany, India, Israel, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom have gotten involved. All have explored, recommended or implemented some form of sustainable building design initiatives or standards.

Dozens of green building standards currently exist due to the public demand for everything green. The best known of these standards was created by the US Green Building Council, and is called LEED, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The problem is that there is no national standard yet.

The lack of a strong national green building standard has led to some problems. Some buildings that claim to be green are in fact not green at all. Some companies feel they cannot compete without a claim to one standard or the other. In the worst cases, the issue of sustainable or green practices and materials has never even been considered, much less implemented.

Green building design is now an important world wide trend in construction. Its rise to importance, has taken decades. Many experts believe that in the future all building design will be green. It won’t be discretionary and it won’t be a novelty. It will be the standard way buildings are designed. We’re not there yet, but we’re moving in the right direction and moving quickly.

High construction costs and tight deadlines are common on commercial building design projects. Florida Engineering Solutions delivers quality service, quick turnaround and innovative thinking. Contact us for your next commercial project.

10 Ways to Reduce Waste in the City

by Amy Nutt

Waste can be anything from physical objects that become litter on the ground to chemicals and other environmental pollutants. Many people want to be able to reduce the amount of waste or waste management they contribute to their city, but it can be hard to know where to start.

Here are 10 ways people can make a difference without even going too far out of their way:

1. Recycle. Local recycling centers all have bins that can be purchased to separate recyclables from the trash. Most cities also offer a pick-up service either weekly or bi-weekly. 2. Reuse. Another of the three ‘R’s, reusing as many things as possible seriously puts a dent in the amount of trash that goes out. Did the queen size sheet get torn? It doesn’t need to be thrown out because there are lots of people who could make use of the fabric. Same applies for broken down electronics and furniture.

3. Drink water. A filter for the refrigerator is a great way to prevent a plastic bottle build up in the trash can and keeps people healthy too. 4. Volunteer. There are many highways that need to be cleaned up and anyone can volunteer to do it. If that seems overwhelming, even just picking up one piece of trash from the ground a day can make a difference over time.

5. Keep a cup. Refills are available at a lot of gas stations and food places. Many will sell special cups that are able to be washed and will offer a discount on the price of a drink when refilling that cup. 6. Avoid over-packaging. Besides asking for paper instead of plastic, people should also consider the packaging on the things they buy. Single wrapped bread, bulk items, and reusable container products all reduce potential waste

7. Cook. Cooking in the home means fewer wrappers, packages, and other pre-made food waste. It also gives the opportunity to make healthier meals and create smaller portions. 8. Careful shopping. Some products want people to pay more because they will last a lot longer. Despite the higher prices, that’s a good reason for people to make the extra investment. It will save the environment and even a wallet to buy a product once and have it last for ten years than buy a product for a third of the price and throw it out every year.

9. Buy an upgradable computer. Technology is always advancing and city dumps are filled with leftover computer parts. Most computers can be upgraded so rather than buy a new one to keep up with the times a person can simply buy new parts to install. Computer stores and shops can help with this process.

10. Go hybrid. There are many models of hybrid cars now and all of them cut down on the amount of gas a person needs to use. It’s a great option for those who can afford it and some people may even be eligible for a tax break when the make the purchase.

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Global Warming Issues: Is It Too Late?

by Daniel Staines

If you have even a passing interest in the topic of the natural causes of global warming, then you should take a look at the following information. This enlightening article presents some of the latest news on the subject of global warming.

Carbon capture and sequestration at coal-fired power plants might raise costs for electricity as little as one to three cents per kilowatt-hour, according to a special report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. These incremental costs imply far less than 1 percent of the world’s annual income to convert to a clean power grid.

Climate change poses, above all, the problem of the unpredictability of climate patterns: 40C one month, -20C the following one, a hurricane today and a drought for the following five years. No patterns anymore, and there is no way to grow anything with those conditions, if we talk about agriculture. Climate model projections summarized by the IPCC indicate that average global surface temperature will continue to rise during the 21st century by 1.1C to 6.4C.

It seems like new information is discovered about something every day. And the topic of global warming is no exception. Keep reading to get more fresh news about the natural causes of global warming.

Global warming threatens unmanageable calamity. Global warming sceptics consider that the weather models used to establish global warming and to forecast its impacts are distorted. According to the models, if calculations are made the last few decades must have been much worse as compared to actually happened to be.

Climate change is a natural and much needed process. But it is our living habits that are disturbing the natural balance. Climate change is rightly at the top of the agenda and until we are all agreed on robust ubiquitous action it should remain there — not because other challenges are unimportant but because this one is seminal. Dealing rationally with human social organisation and related resource usage is impossible without considering pretty much every transnational policy question of any significance — poverty, education, biodiversity, the configuration of cities, housing, transport, health and water.

Global warming isn’t just about adding a few degrees to the world’s overall temperature. It’s about melting ice caps that will slowly erode some of the world’s most fertile farmlands, making growing the food the world consumes harder and harder. Global warming is an increase in the average temperature of Earth’s surface. Global warming is the new phlogiston.

Knowing enough about the natural causes of global warming to make solid, informed choices cuts down on the fear factor. If you apply what you’ve just learned about global warming, you should have nothing to worry about.

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Is Global Warming And Climate Change Real?

by Clare Anfield, Susan Trafford, Chelsea Bridge

Imagine the next time you join a discussion about global warming causes. When you start sharing the fascinating global warming facts below, your friends will be absolutely amazed.

Global warming is also leading to more dramatic swings in the weather in some areas. Since the early 20th century, the amount of rain dropped in the biggest 1% of storms each year has risen 20%. Global Warming is a dramatically urgent and serious problem. We don’t need to wait for governments to find a solution for this problem: each individual can bring an important help adopting a more responsible lifestyle: starting from little, everyday things. Global warming sceptics also argue that natural climate fluctuation, not human activity, is responsible for the past century’s rising temperatures. Fred Singer, a professor of environmental sciences at the University of Virginia, the earth’s climate has never been steady and has continually warmed and cooled over the course of geologic time without any assistance from human activity.

Global warming throws all that historical data out the window. Global warming, even most sceptics have concluded, is the real deal, and human activity has been causing it. If there was any consolation, it was that the glacial pace of nature would give us decades or even centuries to sort out the problem. Global warming, the scientists explained, threatens to raise sea levels as much as three feet by the end of the 21st century, thanks to melting glaciers and swollen oceans.

Sometimes the most important aspects of a subject are not immediately obvious. Keep reading to get the complete picture on the causes of global warming.

Human activities have altered the chemical composition of the atmosphere through the build-up of greenhouse gases – primarily carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. The heat-trapping property of these gases is undisputed although uncertainties exist about exactly how earth’s climate responds to them. Humans measure warmth as temperature which is a measure of the amount of heat contained in a physical object. One can envision this concept by thinking of a pot on a stove.

Environmental policies have particularly been difficult to implement because they have historically conflicted with economic goals and the performance evaluations of local officials were tied to GDP targets rather than environmental performance. This appears to be changing energy conservation, is now a pillar economic strategy and, from what I understand, has become a key metric in the promotion evaluations of local officials. Environmentalists claimed the number of scientists supporting the measure was “overwhelming”. That never was true.

Global warming had changed their habitat, so to speak. Global warming, as you may already know is the process that describes the earth’s temperature rise. This rise in temperature is because of greenhouse grasses. Global warming and climate change are the biggest problem we are facing today well at least this is what scientists say. There are of course still some that do not believe in global warming and they look at it like some crazy invented thing made by Al Gore and other scientists.

I hope that reading the above information about real global warming issues was both enjoyable and educational for you. Your learning process should be ongoing–the more you understand about any subject, the more you will be able to share with others.

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