You are here: Home / Archives for Green at Home

Green Outdoors Lighting

December 28, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Outdoor lighting has gone green. Through the use of inexpensive solar panel technologies, advanced LED designs and rechargeable AA batteries, outdoor lighting now uses less wire and zero grid electricity. Installation of the lighting fixtures is also far simpler than grid-attached fixtures. Any person with a basic knowledge of tools can install outdoor solar lighting.

Good for the Typical Home

The downside to green outdoors lighting is that the brightness of the light diminishes through the night. Until battery technology improves to perform well for at least eight hours and in low winter temperatures, green outdoors lighting may remain inappropriate for anti-crime purposes and certain industries such as construction. Electric generators that burn green bio-fuels can be put into use to support these greater requirements.

For the typical home, green outdoors lighting is sufficient for illuminating long driveways, staircases and walkways. The LEDs now come in different colors other than the old bluish-white as well, including soft yellow. People may have seen green outdoors lights and mistaken them for grid-attached fixtures because the light appears the usual color.

Holiday Decorations

A perfect application of green outdoors lighting is holiday decorations. The more elaborate designs are still pricey when compared to grid-attached offerings, but the cost is steadily coming down as more people understand the wisdom in going green. Rather than racking up huge utility bills, the green holiday lighting has no utility bill impact. The LEDs come in various colors and configurations besides simple strings. The LED technology lends itself to intricate lens designs that look like snowflakes, starbursts, snowballs, icicles and any shape that can be imagined. The one drawback is that a heavy snowfall will cover the small solar panels, thus cutting off the power.

Despite the impact of heavy snowfalls, the use of solar-powered outdoors lighting makes sense for homeowners wanting the illumination while cutting down the utility bill. The initial investment cost continues to reduce, which shortens the break-even time.

Filed Under: Green at Home Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Green Energy Needs Better Batteries

December 27, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Before the world can move entirely into green energy sources, better ways of storing electricity are needed. This is a hot topic in laboratories across the globe, since the US is not the only country that is too dependent on foreign oil. Additionally, the demand is huge.

Lithium-ion Batteries

The best technology commercially available has been the lithium-ion rechargeable battery. These batteries are used in everything from smart phones to Electric Vehicles (EVs). They can be charged quickly with the right recharging equipment and do a fairly good job of electrical storage. Still, this technology cannot be the final answer because better storage capabilities and faster charge times are clearly required for movement into green energy sources. This need is so obvious that researching engineers are experimenting with carbon-paper techniques, different lithium-ion approaches and capacitors. The question is what technology will make it out of the lab and into the marketplace. The problems that need to be overcome are cost and stability.

The current lithium-ion battery technology can, under certain circumstances, catch on fire. Poorly engineered laptop batteries have been known to do this. The Tesla EV engineers were aware of this problem and designed the battery pack to tolerate one or more cells catching on fire. The chamber for each battery is insulated and physically isolated, so a fire will affect only the battery that has gone bad.

Quick Charge Capacitors

Capacitor technology, which involves an electrical component that stores electricity, has great promise as a solution. Large capacitors are commonly used in the power grid, but the current technology cannot be directly converted for use in EVs. Nobody has yet developed a reliable and safe capacitor for the EV market.

The great allure of the capacitor is that it charges almost instantly. An EV equipped with a good one would take less time to charge than it takes to fill a typical gas tank, and that would be a significant green advancement.

Filed Under: Green at Home Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Consumer Indoor LED Lighting

December 25, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Green Spindle LED Lamp
Image by Truda Glatz via Flickr

The challenges to consumer indoor LED lighting include the initial cost and improving the color of the emitted light. Until these challenges are overcome, the idea of using LED lights for every consumer application is not within reach.

Too Much Blue

The supposedly white LED lights still have a bluish tint to them, which can be disturbing. The ambiance created is more appropriate for Halloween houses of horror than a pleasant evening spent reading a good book. As a result, designers of indoor lighting have gone to LEDs that mark staircases or give off a particular color for mood lighting. While it is true that warm white light LEDs have been designed to replace the typical 60 Watt incandescent bulb, the market for them among consumers will not develop soon due to the initial costs. The market is better for office lighting because buyers tend to think in longer terms than consumers. The good news is that as more offices and possibly industries go to LED lighting, the initial costs should come down.

Controlling the color of LEDs is a harder engineering challenge than most imagine. Bright colors are easy. Pastel colors are harder, and a natural feeling warm white light is the most difficult. Incandescent and florescent lights achieve the warmth and light bandwidths desired relatively easy through simply coating the bulb glass with the appropriate materials. With LEDs, the trick is to get a small piece of plastic to glow just right for color and intensity. An additional challenge is to keep the LED performing like new throughout its lifetime.

Savings over Time

If a well performing LED bulb will last 25 times that of an incandescent bulb, it should at least save a similar amount of money. The LED bulb cannot sell for more than 25 times the cost of an incandescent because many shoppers will probably not see any advantage, even though an argument can be made about electricity savings.

Filed Under: Green at Home Tagged With: , , ,

Choices for Solar Roofing Shingles

December 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment
GAINESVILLE, FL - APRIL 16: Damon Corkern, wh...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

The idea of harvesting solar energy from a house roof has been around for a while. Roofs tend to receive direct sunlight that is usually energy gone to waste. In fact, the presence of trees that shade the roof is often a good selling feature for houses. The trees help keep cool the house in summer. Solar roofing shingles absorb the sun’s energy, convert it into electricity and when fed back into the grid, reduce the house electric bill. Consumers now have many choices for solar roofing shingles.

Emulating Asphalt

One type of solar roofing shingle is textured to resemble asphalt shingles. This is a good choice for homeowners who want to keep the roof looking consistent by avoiding a big ugly flat solar panel array up there. Also, for homes located in covenant communities, the solar shingles will likely meet the rules. An additional benefit of the asphalt emulating shingle is that it will meld with the other shingles from the heat of the sun to form better seals.

It’s All about Efficiency

For homeowners who are not so aesthetically repulsed by obvious solar shingles disrupting the symmetry of the roof, highly efficient solar shingles that look like solar shingles are available. The entire roof can be covered, which gives a futuristic look to the house. Another approach that will drive the symmetry fans crazy is to cover only part of the roof in solar shingles. Nevertheless, homeowners who value efficiency above aesthetics will cheer and admire the other homeowner’s wisdom.

What about Glare?

Some solar shingle designs reflect light and produce glare. In areas where steel roofs are common, this will not be a problem because steel, even when painted, glares anyway. In the end, consumers have enough choices to successfully meet building codes and covenant rules while greening the house with solar energy.

Filed Under: Green at Home Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Natural Cat Litters

December 18, 2010 By Leave a Comment
edmund lowe
Image via Wikipedia

In the world of pet products the word natural is coming to the forefront. For cat owners, litter has been an issue of debate for years. The recorded inventor of kitty litter was Ed Lowe, who actually sold absorbents to industrial companies and other businesses. He accidentally discovered the use for clay when a frustrated friend came to him because her cat’s box of sand was freezing in the cold temperatures. Today, there are a variety of litters available for cats from clay litter to clumping and from paper litters to corn litter. So, what is actually natural? A few of the following companies market and sell litters that are marketed as all-natural:

Feline Pine, www.felinepine.com
World’s Best Cat Litter, www.worldsbestcatlitter.com
Swheat Scoop, swheatscoop.com
FreshAire, www.freshairelitter.com
Yesterdays News, www.yesterdaysnews.com

Cats are very picky creatures, so you may have to try different types of litter to make sure that kitty approves of your choice in your quest to go green. If a cat does not like the smell or texture of a litter they may refuse to use the litter box. Often they will express their displeasure by going outside the box. If this should happen don’t get mad at kitty as you wouldn’t want to be forced to use a bathroom you didn’t like. Try something different and see if kitty approves. Declawed cats also have a difficult time with some litters as a declawed cat is forced to stand on its paw pads instead of its toes. Therefore, some litters may hurt their paw pads and they may not want to use the litter box. If you have a declawed cat you may want to choose something that has a softer texture. Take your time to do some research if you are going to change up Mr. Kitty’s facility to ensure you are getting a product that is actually a natural product and one that your cat approves of as well.

Filed Under: Green at Home Tagged With: , ,

Natural Flea Treatments for Your Pets

December 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Fleas are the one most annoying aspects of pet ownership. They seem to be impossible to get rid of once they find their way onto your pet and into your home without massive amounts of chemicals that are just short of using napalm. So is there a natural way to get rid of these pests?

There are many home remedies stating they are natural ways to kill fleas. Some of the recommendations are salt and diatomaceous earth. Salt is not a flea killer as much as a flea preventative. The theory is the salt dehydrates and kills flea eggs in carpets and other materials, thus preventing new fleas in the environment. Be cautious and vacuum the salt up within 12 hours of distributing on your carpet as salt does absorb water and if you live in an area of high humidity you can have a mess on your hands if you leave the salt in your carpet. Diatomaceous earth is mostly silicon dioxide and has a variety of uses from pest control to helping a variety of health issues in humans. The way it kills fleas is the hard fragments of the ground shells scratch the outer coating of an insect and causes the insect to dehydrate.

Another item that is said to repel fleas is catnip. Strong smelling herbs may repel fleas and by giving kitty treats of catnip during flea season you may not only be making kitty thrilled about the herbs but comfortable by preventing fleas. Eucalyptus and cedar are also said to have a strong enough odor that they repel fleas. There are also pet tablets that contain garlic and brewers yeast that work along the same lines. The garlic and brewers yeast cause the pet’s skin to be unsavory for the fleas and therefore the fleas decide to look elsewhere for a meal. Whatever your choice do research and follow directions to keep your pet safe.

Filed Under: Green at Home Tagged With: , , , , ,

Pergolas Add Unique Cachet to Your Backyard

December 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Whether you want your house to stand out a bit in appearance from your neighbor’s, or merely desire to have a cool area to spend time on hot summer evenings, there is an option to consider which can offer both aspects. There are many gazebos and semi-permanent tents that can take you partway to the goal, but virtually any enterprising neighbor can get either of those – often from the exact same store – and your ‘unique’ aspect will suddenly be a bit deflated. This is where a pergola can come in. It’s hard to replicate a well designed one, partly because it takes effort, and partly because each one is unique.

Pergolas are those minimalist, European derived, structures upon which leafy vines, such as grapes, often grow. They’re often seen outside of wineries or upscale, kitschy hotels. Not only are they practical and environmentally friendly, but they add a certain unexplainable, indefinable character to any house or structure to which they are adjacent. And that’s just from the outside.

Wandering beneath the shaded area ensconced inside a hallway pergola, the air is always cooler than that immediately adjacent, because the simultaneous shading and venting effect is so pronounced. To make even better use of this cooling effect, it’s wise to add a sitting area where guests, as well as regular residents of your house, can revel in hours of shaded bliss. Whether you live in a suburb or down a shady country lane, having one of these unique structures will add cachet to your dwelling. Whether it’s the neighbors contemplating whether to take the time to build one – which will never look identical, because the vines are alive and grow of their own volition – or guests chatting beneath the pleasant, sunlit roof, comments will always be positive when there’s a pergola in your backyard.

Filed Under: Green at Home

Green the Holidays

December 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment
the sexy santa assistants were there to take a...
Image via Wikipedia

The holiday season can be a tough time for people living green. There are some simple ways to change up your holiday routines to make them more environmentally friendly while still keeping in the spirit of the season.

Go Paperless on your Holiday Cards

Sending virtual holiday greetings can seem like its less personal, but there are many great options to choose from and you can send the exact same message in a virtual card. For people who may question virtual cards, explain simply that you’re making efforts to live green and send your holiday greetings online. Most people will be thankful for the reduced clutter and love your message about greening the holidays.

Consider a Different Christmas Tree

For people who want a real tree but hate the idea of cutting one down at a tree lot, consider a Christmas tree with the root ball attached. These trees can be used indoors for your holiday celebration and then planted once the holidays are over. For many households, this is the perfect way to enjoy your tradition with a clear conscience. For families, children can enjoy the routine of having a tree and then participating in the planting of the tree after the holidays are over. If you have space to plant trees in your yard, this can also be a wonderful way to remember the holidays and watch your Christmas trees from past years grow tall.

Trade in your Lights

Many stores, including Home Depot, are currently running promotions for people who want to trade in their old Christmas lights for new more energy efficient lights. Stores will collect old lights, whether they currently work or not, and provide shoppers with a coupon for dollars off a new set of more environmentally friendly holiday lights. These new lights will save energy, save money on energy costs, and look just as wonderful as traditional lights.

Enhanced by Zemanta
Filed Under: Green at Home Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Turn Leftovers Into New Meals

December 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Various fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains; ...
Image via Wikipedia

With the Thanksgiving holiday just behind you, you may have a refrigerator full of leftovers. Any time you cook (or overcook) a meal for your family and you wind up with leftovers, you can store and reserve the food as is at a later date, you can freeze it for later, or you can turn the old meal into a brand new one.

Rather than feeling the need to go out to a commercial refrigeration appliance store to buy a freezer that will hold all the leftovers, you can wow your family with what they perceive as an entirely fresh cooked meal. For example, if you have a pile of turkey leftover from the Thanksgiving bird, the possibilities are almost endless. Make turkey sandwiches or turkey soup. Heat up some gravy, place the turkey on slices of bread, and pour the gravy on top for open-faced turkey sandwiches, complete with a scoop of mashed potatoes on the side. Break the turkey into smaller pieces and add additional ingredients to make a turkey potpie. Turn all the leftover sweet potatoes into sweet potato pie.

If you have leftover steak or beef tips from another meal, cut up the beef into small 1-inch pieces. Saute some chopped onion and green pepper in a pan. Add the beef and some beef gravy. Simmer for 10 minutes or so and serve over egg noodles.

The point is to stop eating or (worse) throwing away your leftovers. Instead, play a game with yourself where you come up with as many different ways as possible to turn one meal into an entirely new meal. It will save you time in the kitchen and money in the grocery store. It will also keep your family from dreading dinner after dinner of the same food.

Enhanced by Zemanta
Filed Under: Green at Home Tagged With: , , ,

Paint Your Life Green

December 3, 2010 By Leave a Comment

One cannot open a newspaper or turn on the TV without hearing about why we should stop polluting the planet. Everyone wants us to “Go Green!” This means we need to be careful about what we are throwing away. We need to be concerned for our planet and the future of our children and grandchildren. Every time a plastic bag is carelessly thrown away, it becomes part of Mother Earth, and sometimes she just cannot digest the meal. This was not something that anyone cared about, nor bothered to do anything about in past ages, and therefore it is something that has been left to us, and it has become a big problem. Everyone should at least try to live a greener lifestyle. Movie stars and TV personalities are promoting it. There are Environmental watchdog groups everywhere, and actually, they have a point.

What is so hard about recycling? In some communities people are rewarded for recycling. Some recycle centers offer discount coupons for so many pounds of plastic or glass, and sometimes even monetary incentives, just for saving our “reusable trash.” It is really quite easy to keep a bucket around to just toss your plastics and glass into. They can then be taken to the local recycling center, or most communities now have recycle pick up at least once or twice a month.

Actually, we are now seeing the effects of some of our recycling. We can go into the grocery store and there are sometimes entire “green” displays. Many items state right on them that they are “made from recycled” something. Recycling can save a lot of wasted space on our planet, space that our children and grandchildren are going to need. It is also a way to keep trash from the landfills, which can be harmful and dangerous over many years. We would obviously protect them from any harm, why not help them and ourselves to live a healthier life?

Filed Under: Green at Home Tagged With: , ,
« Older Posts
Newer Posts »