Climate change, the price of oil and natural resource management top the list of concerns many individuals have in today’s fast-paced world.  The price of oil has risen in dramatic fashion to reach record levels, peaking in the summer of 2008.  Indications are that the high price of oil is here to stay as supply cannot keep up with demand.  World scientists have been sounding the alarm bell for over two decades as analysis shows that greenhouse gases are being released into the atmosphere at a far greater rate than the planet can handle.  Yet many governments continue to ignore the warnings and individuals either assume it is someone else’s problem or are too lacksidaisical.  Natural resources such as fossil fuels and water are being consumed at an unsustainable rate and will likely leave future generations with no resources.  With all this going on, what can we, as concerned individuals, do to reduce our ecological footprints?

The place to start is to cut back on home energy use.  By doing so, less electricity and/or fossil fuels are generally required thus helping out in a small but necessary way.  The first step is to have an energy assessment done on more…

Introduction:

Global warming impact to our quality and cost of living is large and very catastrophic. Homeowners are well aware of the increasing energy costs to heat, cool and illuminate their homes. The increasing costs of oil and other fossil fuels are daily headlines. The insatiable demand for energy to fuel world growth guarantees that the cost of these limited fuels will continue to increase. Political/economic forces will determine the rate of increase for fossil fuels. In addition, the increasing cost of global warming using fossil fuels is slowly being recognized.

The world is slowly beginning to understand the urgent need for renewable energy sources. However, each of these alternative energy sources brings major advantages and disadvantages. An example is wind generated energy. Wind energy is available to the whole world and generates electricity competitively with fossil fuels. The technology is understood and easy to apply. But, there are big objections to a windmill in “my back yard”. Also, the number of birds and bats that will be crushed with wind power generation is not a warming thought. Wind technology will be a component of our energy solution. However, because of the above concerns, we need other major more…

According to the Department of Trade and Industry, over 42,000 Active Solar Heating systems are estimated to be currently in use in UK homes and are said to be able to meet around half a users’ annual domestic hot water needs.

With the growing emphasis on energy conservation more and more people are considering solar hot water heating to boost traditional methods of providing hot water for their home.

A solar heating system can provide a reasonable share of domestic hot water energy. It can be used alongside any existing traditional water heating system to provide hot water energy, giving you peace of mind that you are doing your bit for the environment by reducing carbon dioxide emissions. If you have a swimming pool, a solar heating system is the ideal way of providing heated water.

Solar heating is not just for sun drenched countries!

When you think of solar heating, you tend think of it being used in warmer countries where the sun shines for hours every day. Nowadays however, it doesn’t matter if the sun isn’t shining all the time, because the new vacuum tube solar panels are unaffected by things like wind chill or cooler air temperatures. Due to their vacuumed more…

With increasing climatic condition change and prolonged drought conditions in Ausralia, many people are trying to save water and energy on the dryest inhabited continent on earth.

The buildings in which we live, work and play, protect us from the elements but also shape the environment around us. The construction and operation of buildings requires a huge input of resources. The location of buildings and what resources are used affects the ecosystem in a number of ways. As the environmental impact of buildings becomes more apparent people are looking for ways that can significantly decrease this impact and make their homes and offices healthier to live and work in.

Some of the biggest long-term challenges facing our nation are securing sustainable water and power suppliers for our future and reducing the production of greenhouse gases to limit the impact of climate change.

We live on the driest inhabited continent on earth, yet are one of the highest per capita consumers of water. Melbourne is experiencing the lowest level of water supply in many years. Yet we each consume, on average, 400 litres of water every day.

Many people assume that more…

The price of a barrel of oil has never been higher ($62.00+ in
summer 2005 even before the chaos caused by Katrina). Some say
this is a temporary spike, but more and more analysts are
agreeing that this kind of pricing is here to stay. World
consumption is at an all time high and given the new thirst for
oil in China and India it is unlikely to diminish. According to
International Energy Outlook, global demand is expected to
continue to increase by as much as 59% in the next fifteen
years.

Already, consumer energy bills have been increasing on average
6.5% per year for the last thirty years in the United States.
Given the dramatic rise in the cost of producing energy using
traditional non-renewable resources, this rate is bound to be
overtaken by unheard of price increases in the very near future.
And for consumers who are becoming more and more environmentally
conscious, the thought of the millions and millions of tons of
CO2 and other bi products being released into the atmosphere
annually through the use of fossil fuels in creating energy is
very alarming.

It is a no brainer that our reliance on oil to create energy
leaves us very vulnerable. There are renewable technologies that
produce energy, but the problem has been one of cost
effectiveness. more…

Public concern about global warming and rising energy costs has led to an increased interest in clean, renewable energy. Solar energy is a particularly attractive alternative to petroleum dependence. Solar energy is a clean, reliable and endlessly renewable energy source, and new technology has made it more affordable than ever to homes and businesses.

Even so, the initial cost of buying and installing a solar energy system can be daunting. A typical solar installation for a single family dwelling could cost $20,000. Though using solar power saves money on utility bills, eventually giving a complete return on your investment, the initial cost can be prohibitive to many consumers.

Fortunately there are numerous financial incentives at the federal, state and local level that can significantly defray the cost of installing a solar energy system.

Incentives are available from federal, state and municipal governments, from local and regional groups including non-profit and private organizations, and from local utility companies.

At the federal level, the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2005 provided funding for tax incentives for residential and commercial applications. This Act seeks more…

Geothermal energy is nothing new, no more so than many of the so-called renewable energies.  Iceland has been powering their nation and heating homes for almost four decades with geothermal energy and heat.  The perception may be that geothermal fields exist only in famously volcanic areas such as Iceland.  But, that is far from true.  The truth is there is significant volcanic activity on almost every continent and within every nation.  And, there are geothermal power plants all over the world producing clean energy to millions of people including in including Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Russia, the UK and the US, just to name a few.  But, it seems to me that geothermal, as an energy source, suffers from poor branding, that is, it is not as well known as other green energy sources.  But that seems to be changing.

This is due to many factors but the primary reason is the obvious one and the elephant in living room – global warming.  Scientists have been warning people and policy makers for quite some time now but many weren’t listening.  It seems that people are finally listening and, the search for alternative energy sources is in full swing.

There are advantages more…

In general, solar water heater systems can be more costly to purchase and setup than standard gas or electric water heating systems. However, by using a solar heater you will definitely save money on the long run.. By selecting to use solar energy technology you can expect to save around 50 to 80% on your electricity bills.

Gathering energy coming from the sun to heat water is not a new idea at all. Such technology using solar power for heating water exists since the year 1800. Producing warm water with solar energy can be employed about every where in the world and the sun and some special equipment is the only thing needed.

The key parts of a solar water heater are the solar collectors that grab and concentrate the energy coming from the sun and the storage tank. Such simple setup is usually called passive solar power. When mechanical and electrical devices such electric pumps are installed in the system to push the water it is then called solar active. To keep the water hot for long period of time a good insulation should be made to the storage tank.

Usually you will find two types more…

Solar power is generated when energy is extracted from the suns rays through the use of photovoltaic cells (commonly referred to as solar cells). These cells convert photos (from the suns rays) into electricity, and this process is known as the “photovoltaic effect.”

Many people are beginning to invest in such technologies to avoid rising electricity prices and to help our environment. If every home could be fitted with solar panels, then the strain on power stations would decrease dramatically, which means we wouldn’t be left as dependable on fossil fuels as we currently are.

There are many alternatives to solar power, so why should we invest our money into solar technologies, rather than lets say, home wind turbines, or a geothermal energy system? To answer this, we shall look at the advantages and disadvantages of the technologies above.

Solar Panels:

Advantages - widely available, relatively easy to install, very significant output, a solar panel will pay for itself in two to three years, lifetime of 20 to 30 years, modern cells can harness power on cloudy days, can bring power to remote locations.

Disadvantages - costly to begin with, older technologies won’t more…

Installing a new solar water heater is a rewarding purchase, buying into energy independence pays for itself. With Tax credits and Utility rebates the time is now to install new solar power and solar thermal home energy systems.

Solar Thermal is the practice of converting the energy from the sun hitting your roof into hot water for your entire home: Baths, Showers, Cooking, all heated with solar energy and stored in your homes new solar water heater, similar to a thermos with backup heating elements for none solar days.

In Tampa Florida we have the most solar days, if your electric bill exceeds 180 a month you should be buying into a new solar water heater today. Solar water heaters save 30-40% off your electric bill, couple this solar thermal system with a new High Efficiency air conditioner, thorough duct inspection and seal , and a new water conditioner and Reverse Osmosis system for the combined savings within 10years of a new car.

-Tax credits pay you back -Fuel savings reduced by 40-50% -Home energy smart

If your family ever needs more hot water than the sun can provide, or in long periods of inclement weather, most include a more…