Habitat for Health | Energy, Healthy Home, and Lifestyle

Getting power from the sun is on top of the government’s green agenda to save Mother Earth from further destruction. This article will show you how to harness the sun’s power for your benefit.

As the world becomes more and more resourceful in the face of climate change, the benefits of solar power are being seen. Not only can solar power provide an inexpensive option to an array of our energy needs, but it is becoming as good an option for power as the more environmentally-damaging coal and oil alternatives.

Unlike conventional fossil fuels that are a rapidly depleted resource, solar power is a renewable form of energy. Solar power will not run out as long as we have the sun.

There are many opportunities for money to be saved by solar power. With potential for your floors to be heated, your house warmed and up to 70% of your hot water demand satisfied for free, investing in solar power equipment can prove to be a worthwhile investment for the future, as well as giving you the capability to make your own solar power.

How can you have your own homemade solar power equipment? First, you need to install your own solar hot water system. This new system will provide you with most of your energy supply even during the cold winter while allowing you to keep your old boiler. This new system can be installed in a matter of a day by any energy-saving company.

At the start, paying a minimal cost of $5,000 CAD for a solar hot water system can be a bit pricey to some. However, the money being saved from the gas and electricity bills in the long run will more than make up for its original cost. Also, you must take note of the benefits to nature of reducing the amount of carbon in the atmosphere by employing this system.

The length of time for reimbursements to take effect would vary from one country to another because each region would have varied incentives for anyone to invest in solar power systems. This may take place in over a short span of two years or as long and unfortunate as a maximum of 12 years.

To get the most out of your solar energy system, have it checked up annually. Then have it thoroughly checked up once every 5 years for maintenance. Check the store’s warranty, as some give 10-year guarantees for stress-free use of their solar energy system.

Since professional solar hot water systems available for purchase are a bit expensive, a lot of DIY enthusiasts would rather make their own solar energy systems to cut back on their expenses. Hardware stores have now begun selling easy-install kits that are much cheaper than the professional types. These systems have become popular in developing countries where people need fast solutions to energy shortage.

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In this economy, people are looking to save money any way they can. Sure, you could hold off buying a new game system or downloading those new songs that you so much want, but we have other problems in the 21st Century, like global warming and smog in the air. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could just cut costs and show everyone that you are doing more to protect the environment?

The first step to beating a bad economy is finding ways to do efficient things that you really need — everyone needs power, so why not find an efficient way to get a source of energy that is already virtually unlimited?

Trust me, solar and wind energy are both the way to go! Solar energy and wind energy are the most efficients and cleanest forms of energy. What’s greater than being able to have all the power you need without a meter running? You might be under the impression that solar panels are really expensive to install. Generally you are right. Solar panels can cost thousands of dollars, however there is a way to get your own solar panels for under $200?

Believe me! You can build solar panels on your own and it is not difficult or costly at all. On the internet there are numerous websites offering manuals that will show you step by step how to build solar panels on your own. Thes manuals will show you how to build solar panels or windmills using items you find around the house or at a store near you. And the cost? The cost for all materials needed will be under $200. If your current electricity bill is $50 you will save money after only 4 months. You are even show how to build your own windmill for under $100.

There is nothing you have to lose! By making your own solar panels and producing energy yourself, you are not only doing something against global warming, you will also save a lot of cash. Just imagine what you can do with all of the money saved by producing energy on your own! Go on your dream vacation, get a new flat TV, send your kids to college. You can do it!

THere is nothing you have to lose, but a lot to gain! By building your own solar panels you will be light years ahead of your neighbors technologically. Can you imagine what you can do with the money you save by producing your own electricity? You can go on your dream vacation, get a new Flat TV, and send your kids to college. You can do it!

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Non-renewable energy sources are not effective, and cost far more than they offer in benefits. Fossil fuels formation is a very long process that occurs over thousands of years, and the reserves left in the earth are running out. Developing countries, including China and India, are requiring more energy and oil, and this means what fossil fuel reserves are left will soon be gone. Because of the time fossil fuel formation takes in the earth, it can not be renewed for thousands of years

Wind may be used as an alternative source of energy. If your house is located on at least an acre of flat land, you could efficiently generate power. The major limitations with wind are that there may be mechanical breakdowns on the turbine unit requiring repair. Additionally birds or insects my be killed by colliding with the turbine blades.

Fossil fuels are slowly being used up, and alternative energy sources that are renewable will have to be found to avert an energy crisis and supply the energy needed. Crude oil is full of hydrocarbons, and both the crude and refined forms of this substance contribute greatly to pollution and global warming increases. This energy source is not renewable, which means gasoline and diesel will not be fuel sources much longer. Because fossil fuels are not renewable, they can not be replaced. Removing these resources damages the earth, and new oil fields are getting harder to find every year. Anyone who understands how petroleum engineers find new oil fields knows the extended amount of time and large amounts of money this process requires

Renewable energy sources are all around us. We see them and sense them every time we go outside or even look out a window. There is no shortage of ideas for outstanding renewable energy science fair projects. Explore these suggestions and take your pick!There are many sources of energy that are renewable and considered to be environmentally friendly and harness natural processes. These sources of energy provide an alternate cleaner source of energy, helping to negate the effects of certain forms of pollution. All of these power generation techniques can be described as renewable since they are not depleting any resource to create the energy. While there are many large-scale renewable energy projects and production, renewable technologies are also suited to small off-grid applications, sometimes in rural and remote areas, where energy is often crucial in human development.

Wave power is the transport of energy by ocean surface waves, and the capture of that energy to do useful work ” for example for electricity generation, water desalination, or the pumping of water (into reservoirs). Wave energy can be difficult to harness due to the unpredictability of the ocean and wave direction. Wave farms have been created and are in use in Europe, using floating Pelamis Wave Energy converters.

The first of the top three renewable energy sources is solar energy, and is probably the best known method. The sun is our most powerful, natural energy source. Solar energy which is sunlight, can be implemented for light, heat, cooling homes, electricity, heating water, and much more industrial processes. Most renewable energy forms are derived either indirectly or directly from the sun. For instance, the heat from sun makes the wind blow. This in turn contributes to growth of plants and trees used for biomass energy. This plays an important role in the evaporation and precipitation cycle that empowers hydropower.

Photovoltaic (PV) Solar power is harnessing the suns energy to produce electricity. One of the fastest growing energy sources, new technologies are developing at a rapid pace. Solar cells are becoming more efficient, transportable and even flexible, allowing for easy installation. PV has mainly been used to power small and medium-sized applications, from the calculator powered by a single solar cell to off-grid homes powered by a photovoltaic array.

Alternative energy sources such as wind and water are perfect energy sources. They are simple, cheaper, non-polluting as well as efficient. Alternative energy sources emit no carbon dioxide, which is a great help in reducing global greenhouse emission. These other means of obtaining energy lessens our dependency on limited reserves of fossil fuels. Renewable energy sources capture the mechanical power of wind or water and convert it to electricity. There are enough sources of renewable energy to provide present world’s energy needs. The only challenge is to formulate the capacity to efficaciously and economically get, save and use the energy when needed.

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If you have ever wanted to make your garden more environmentally friendly, have you ever thought of buying a solar powered pump fountain? Going one step further, have you ever considered making your own?

What are the benefits of having a solar powered pump fountain?

The benefits are:

a: Fountains circulate the water, keeping the bird bath from going stagnant

b: It uses none of your main power supply

c: The pump works on direct current, so no inverter is required

d: Only a few inexpensive solar panels are needed to produce around 6 volts

e: Batteries are optional, since you usually only want the fountain to operate in the day when the birds are around.

f: It is possible to make the entire system your yourself, helping you save money

g: The birdbath is wireless making it very portable.

So, what do you need to make your own solar powered pump fountain?

The simplest option would be for you to add solar panels to an already working birdbath and fountain.

The more inexpensive, but do-it-yourself method would be to buy a birdbath that is capable of housing a fountain. Then all you need to do is buy the pump, tubing, wiring, solar panels and batteries (optional).

If you want to save money, and build your own system, then you will need:

The Birdbath:

It does not matter what birdbath you buy, but make sure there is a place for the fountain to be added. A few options for you would be copper, terracotta, cascading, ceramic, or resin birdbath fountains.

The Fountain Attachment:

This is optional, but it makes the water spout out the top, instead of just trickling out. It can be found at your local nursery or hardware store.

Small Fountain Pump:

Next is the pump. Usually a small birdbath only needs a small 6 volt DC fountain pump. But if you have a larger birdbath that pumps more water, and at a greater height, then a larger pump will be needed.

PVC pipe for irrigation:

When buying the irrigation for the fountain, it is best not to get piping that is too wide, otherwise the right water pressure will not be maintained and the pump will not work properly. So before you buy the wrong tubing, get advice from your local garden center and see what they use in similarly sized birdbaths

Silicon Sealant:

This is used to seal all joins where the water could escape from, and also to insulate any bare wire from getting wet where it has been joined.

Some Solar Panels:

This is what sets this off-grid system apart from conventionally powered birdbath fountains. The pump will help determine how many solar panels you need. For a 6 volt DC pump, you will need at least a 6 volt solar panel, but rater double up on the solar panels for times when the sun is weak.

NB: For the solar panels, there are two options:

1 : Buy a small commercial portable solar power kit from a department store such as Target.

2: Make your own solar panel. This is actually much easier than people make it out to be. With the right instructions you could build your own panel in an afternoon. If you want to go the diy way, then keep reading…

To maximize the efficiency of the solar panel, it could be mounted in a simple frame with the ability to be angled towards the sun.

How simple is it to build?

If you have all the tools and materials and any diy experience, you could have a working solar powered pump birdbath within in a matter of hours – that’s if all goes to plan…

A good idea would to add some batteries to the birdbath, so that the excess solar power can be stored and to power the pump at night. For a 24 hour fountain, you will need:

1) Deep cycle battery:

Because the pump is only 6 volts, a 12 volt battery is more than enough. It should be a deep cycle battery (car battery) that can store the power for a longer time.

Charge Controller:

This is not that important, but to protect the battery from over-charging and to maximize it lifespan, you should a charge controller that sits between the solar panels and the battery.

The nice thing about about building a solar powered pump birdbath yourself is that it is not only cheaper, but once you know how, you can make as many as you want. It could also make a great gift for an energy conscious friend or family member.

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If you have been thinking of making a more eco-friendly garden, have you considered getting a solar powered pump birdbath? Actually, have you thought of making one yourself?

So how will a solar powered pump birdbath benefit you?

The benefits are:

a: The moving water in the fountain stop its from going stagnant

b: The fountain is wireless and does not have to be plugged in

c: No inverter is needed since the pump operates on direct current.

d: The pump uses minute power (only 6volts) so very few solar panels are needed

e: No batteries are required, since the pump only really needs to operate during the day when the sun is out and the birds are in the garden.

f: You can save more money by making the entire birdbath and fountain yourself, even the solar panels.

g: The birdbath is wireless making it very portable.

And what does it take to make a solar powered pump birdbath?

The easiest way is to simply buy a birdbath with a pump and fountain already fitted. Then all you need to do is wire up some small solar panels.

The cheaper, more labor intensive approach would be to get a birdbath with the right holes drilled for the fountain to be installed. And then add on the pump, fountain attachment, irrigation and power supply.

If you decide to make your own fountain, you will need:

The Birdbath:

Here you have a choice of cascading fountains, copper fountains, terracotta birdbaths, resin fountains, or the conventional ceramic birdbath. Just make sure a pump system can be installed on the birdbath.

The Fountain Spout:

Depending on whether you want the water to trickle or spout out the top, you can get the right attachment from most hardware stores or garden centers.

The Water Pump:

Next is the pump. Usually a small birdbath only needs a small 6 volt DC fountain pump. But if you have a larger birdbath that pumps more water, and at a greater height, then a larger pump will be needed.

Tubing for irrigation:

This tubing generally should be narrow enough to keep the water pressure high, so that the water can be pumped properly. My advice would be to visit the nearby garden center and have a look at what piping is used.

Silicon Sealant:

This is used to seal all joins where the water could escape from, and also to insulate any bare wire from getting wet where it has been joined.

The Solar Panels:

This is what makes this birdbath unique to your average water fountain. Depending on what size pump you buy, will need to get enough solar panels for the fountain to work properly. A a typical 6 volt pump, you will require solar panels with a capacity of at least 6 volts. But is better to be on the safe side and get a 12 volt solar panel instead, for times when it is cloudy and for late afternoons.

NB: You have 2 alternatives for the solar panels:

1 : Buy a small commercial portable solar power kit from a department store such as Target.

2: Make your own solar panel. This is actually much easier than people make it out to be. With the right instructions you could build your own panel in an afternoon. If you want to go the diy way, then keep reading…

To maximize the efficiency of the solar panel, it could be mounted in a simple frame with the ability to be angled towards the sun.

Can anyone build this birdbath?

Once you have all the components and tools at your disposal, putting the system together shouldn’t take you more than 2 hours. And within an afternoon you could have a fully functional solar powered pump birdbath.

A nice added extra is to hook up some batteries to the system. That way you can store any excess power, and the pump could run all day and night. If you do want the fountain to operate for 24 hours, then you will need the following:

1) The right battery:

You will need deep cycle battery that is capable of storing a charge for a long time. A 12 volt one should be more than enough to power a 6 volt pump.

Charge Controller:

This is not that important, but to protect the battery from over-charging and to maximize it lifespan, you should a charge controller that sits between the solar panels and the battery.

Other than it being really cheap to make, the big advantage of making your solar powered pump fountain is that once you have that skill it is there with you forever. You could even make it as an eco-friendly gift for your friend’s next birthday.

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