Feed: Eco Friendly Living Advice - AggScore: 45.6
Growing Mushrooms: A Beginners Guide
Growing mushrooms can be an incredibly enjoyable and satisfying experience that will allow you to not only produce your own delicious crops in a natural, organic way but furthermore provides access to all sorts of “luxury” mushrooms that either aren’t commonly available or cost as much as a family holiday when you do see them for sale from time to time!
Keys To Success When Growing Mushrooms
Whilst growing mushrooms has numerous benefits, there are however a number of possible problems that you should be aware of before you get started. Firstly mushrooms grow from spores and these microscopic spores tend to have a very short “shelf-life” when kept in sub-optimal conditions. This means that any mushroom growing kit that has sat in a shop for anything more than a few weeks will quickly start to die off, greatly reducing your chances of success. For this reason it is strongly recommended that you buy your mushroom spores over the internet or via mail order to ensure adequate freshness and so maximize your chances of success.
Secondly of course if you leave any food out in the open for a period of time, soon enough you will find mould and other fungus growing on it. Mushrooms are, after all, perfectly adapted for breaking down unwanted biological material and returning the nutrients to the soil. However the flipside for anyone growing mushrooms is that you should be aware that the air around you is filled with the spores of other mushrooms and unless you take great care your mushroom culture may be taken over by “invaders”.
There are a number of ways to cultivate mushrooms at home but whichever method you select please ensure you take care over the procedures and try to do your best to ensure only your carefully chosen mushrooms get a foothold in your culture.
Thirdly, and finally, mushrooms require reasonably specialist conditions. Not necessarily impractical conditions but once again it is important to become familiar with the variety of mushroom you’re growing and the techniques used so that you can accurately mimic the ideal conditions for growth and fruiting in your chosen species including, but not necessarily limited to; light levels, temperature and moisture.
Remember these tips – fresh spores, cleanliness and an accurate growing technique – and the end result of your mushroom growing experiment will be far more successful.
Methods Of Mushroom Cultivation
There are a number of ways to get into growing mushrooms though some are considerably easier, cheaper and more practical than others. Having tested out a number of options myself over the last few months I wanted to highlight two particularly successful methods worth considering.
Mushroom Growing Kits
Many garden centers sell basic mushroom growing kits so you may well think you’ve seen them before. However as discussed buying kits off the shelf is often not the best idea. Furthermore these kits tend to only allow you to grow the standard button mushrooms rather than any of the more exciting or delicious varieties.
Fortunately kits can be bought from a number of specialist suppliers for growing other types of mushrooms. An excellent example of this is the pink oyster mushroom growing kit I recently tested out which consists of a bag of straw, some starter spores and a cardboard box.
Here’s the basic process:
1) Firstly the growing medium should be sterilized to maximize the chances of our oyster mushrooms growing rather than any other inedible fungi. This is done by soaking the growing media (in this case finely-chopped straw) in boiling water and then allowing the water to cool naturally.
2) At this point the substrate is removed from the water and drained, removing any excess running water without allowing the growing media to dry out completely.
3) The spores are then carefully mixed into the growing media which is sealed into a plastic bag to keep in the moisture and keep out the light. It is then left in a cool, dark place for two to three weeks to allow the spores to start growing.
4) At this point the bag is brought out and opened up gently where the new air movement and light should cause a flurry of mushrooms to be produced. These fruits may continue for some time, though each succession will get smaller and smaller until you want to dispose of your culture and start over again.
As you can see the process is hardly complicated and the preparation can all be done in a matter of minutes (ignoring, of course, the time spent waiting for the boiling water to cool) so it is a very quick, simple and efficient way to grow all sorts of culinary mushrooms.
Growing Mushrooms With Plugs/Dowels
In this alternative method of growing mushrooms rather than using a “standard” growing medium such as compost or straw one uses rotting wood as many fungi would feed on in the wild. Quite simply either an old tree stump or a pre-cut log are used and the fungal spores are carefully added to an open wound where, we hope, they will gain a foothold and produce a regular crop of mushrooms.
This form of mushroom growing has a few distinct benefits over using mushroom growing kits. Firstly it can be a far cheaper way to get started if you have spare wood lying around your garden as you will need few specialist pieces of equipment to get started.
Secondly once set up the effort to maintain your colony is minimal while you my receive mushrooms for 5 years or even longer once they have got established meaning multiple harvests over an extended period of time with minimal effort.
Lastly because this form of growing mushrooms typically takes place outside you can consider growing far more varieties as you will find you are far less limited for space.
On the flip side of course any colony kept outside is at the mercy of the elements and so great care should be taken on choosing the ideal site for your mushroom-growing endeavours. This is one major reason why it is smart to grow mushrooms on smaller pieces of wood rather than huge logs or old stumps so that they can be easily moved around if necessary to provide more ideal conditions.
Additionally be aware that the actual preparation of the wood is more involved than using a mushroom growing kit and will require time and effort. As an example here’s the standard process for beginning a mushroom colony using the dowel method…
1) Select a piece of hardwood. Ideally we want the wood in decent condition rather than half rotted away because there will be fewer competing mushrooms growing within the log.
2) Using a drill, create multiple holes all over the log of a suitable diameter and depth to snugly take the dowels which are covered in mushroom spores.
3) After inserting your dowels into the holes seal them properly with melted wax so as to keep out any other competing spores from the site of the wound.
4) Place the log into a suitable position – typically cool and damp without being too wet – and wait for the fun. In contrast to the fast-growing mushroom kits it may be some months before you actually get a crop of mushrooms using this technique so patience will be required but all being well will be rewarded with a far longer fruiting period than using a pre-made kit.
Have you ever grown mushrooms yourself? Are you interested in having a go but still have questions? If so, please leave a comment below…
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5 Home Insulation Tips To Reduce Your Heating Bills
Most environmentalists agree that proper home insulation is one of the most productive ways to improve the sustainability of your home. While there are many things we can do to become more eco friendly, heating our homes is one of the biggest factors contributing to our carbon footprint.
In addition, adding suitable insulation to your home is not only reasonably priced but the “pay back time” is minimal too. Environmentalists have compared the level of investment in home insulation with the savings you will make on your heating bills and found that proper home insulation will result in savings after just a few years.
So if you want to help the environment as easily (and cheaply) as possible – as well as significantly reducing your household bills (and let’s be honest here – who doesn’t?!) then you would be well advised to take the subject of home insulation seriously.
But having said that, what factors should we consider in order to make our homes as energy-efficient as possible?
Loft Insulation
As we all know from school science lessons that warm air rises so one of the biggest sources of heat loss in any home is heat leaving through your roof. Infra-red cameras which show warmer and colder areas always show the roof of a house as a bright white colour – meaning that this is very warm and a lot of heat is escaping into the atmosphere as a result.
Fortunately loft insulation is typically very reasonably priced and is easy to install so if you have a degree of experience in DIY it is entirely possible to buy your own loft insulation from a hardware shop and install it yourself. Otherwise there are plenty of builders and workmen willing to take on the task for minimal cost. For best effectiveness the Energy Saving Trust recommends your insulation should be at least 270mm (27cm) in depth. That may seem like a lot but the energy savings in comparison to thinner insulation are dramatic.
Double Glazing
The second biggest source of heat lost from the home is through incorrectly-insulated windows. Single-glazed windows allow plenty of heat to escape but by installing double or even treble glazing a lot of this heat loss can be eliminated.
If you already have double-glazing in your home be aware that most modern double-glazing has a vacuum between the two panes rather like a flask of hot tea. Should this become breached then the double glazing is far less effective. As a result, should you have had your double-glazing for some time it is often worth checking with a local glazier to ensure your home insulation is still working well.
Whilst the cost of replacement windows isn’t cheap, once again the payback time still makes it well worthwhile. Home buyers also place a premium on double glazing – not just from an energy-saving perspective but also because it helps to block out exterior noise – so installing it can be a sound investment and raise the value of your home.
Be aware that there are now solutions for virtually every situation and it is even possible to use “window film” to better insulate your windows for next to nothing and this can be particularly beneficial when the cost of new windows is too high or you live in an area where double glazing is frowned upon.
Cavity Wall Insulation
Most modern homes come with cavity walls filled with insulation but many older homes simply have a “gap” between the inner wall and the outer wall so filling this gap can help significantly in reducing your heat loss. The standard form of home insulation for cavity walls is to have a professional drill holes in your outer walls and then inject an insulating foam which expands and hardens within the cavity thus adding much-needed insulation.
The job itself is reasonably simple and low cost with no real mess or destruction of your home necessary. Getting a professional around to inspect your cavity walls will quickly let you know whether your home already has this form of insulation and if not will provide you with a quote for the work.
Boiler Lagging
The home owner concerned with sustainable living will already be watching their hot water use. For example rather than leaving the boiler on all day they will be using a timer to ensure they have hot water at specific times of day (morning and evening for example) for showering, washing up and so on. During the day while everyone is at work or school the boiler goes off to save energy on heating water that nobody is using.
However even then it is worthwhile investigating the subject of boiler insulation. Ensuring that your boiler and hot water tank lose as little heat as possible will make your timer even more efficient in that you will need to use less “trickle” energy to keep your water hot after the timer has initially turned on and started to heat the water to the desired temperature.
At present experts recommend that your boiler jacket should be at least 75mm thick though unfortunately even those people who do possess an insulated boiler often find the thickness is far less than the optimum.
Draught Excluders
One final home insulation tip worthy of consideration is the subject of draught excluders. Even with cavity wall insulation, double glazing and a thick layer of lagging in your loft and around your hot water there may well be other areas of the home where cold air is getting in (or warm air is getting out).
Letter boxes, gaps in the silicon around windows and windy chimneys can all lead to draughts and wasted energy in heating your home. Fortunately there are all sorts of solutions out there from long, thin draught excluders to put at the bottom of your front door right up to chimney balloons that you place up your chimney and then inflate to prevent warm air esacping through your chimney. A visit to your local hardware store – or one of the many green stores online – will provide you with plenty of options.
As a useful tip for finding those areas that are causing issues, try blowing out a candle so that it is still smoking and then slowly moving it around window frames, external doors and so on. Draughts will show up as the smoke will suddenly be blown about rather than moving up in a smooth, gentle and controlled fashion. You can then find suitable solutions to these problem areas of your home.
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Review: Sharkwater With Rob Stewart
Lifelong diver Rob Stewart set out to create a wildlife film about the group of animals he is most passionate about – sharks. His intention was to dispell the myths surrounding these wonders of evolution and to educate viewers about how slight the risk of being attacked by sharks really is. In doing so he hoped to reduce the unwarranted persecution these shy animals suffer right around the globe.
His filming trip took him around the world to capture sharks in some of the most breath-taking natural environments including places like Costa Rica and the Galapagos Islands. However it was these two particular biodiversity hotspots that the whole project began to change beyond all recognition…
In Costa Rica Rob Stewart uncovered fishermen operating illegally within the protected marine park, using long-line fishing to catch not just fish for food but of course a variety of other types of marine life thanks to this wasteful, non-specific way of capturing fish. Some of their capture included his precious sharks.
Digging deeper, Sharkwater changes from a pure wildlife documentary to a detective hunt and adventure movie as Stewart discovers more and more fishermen catching sharks – and realizes to his surprise that many of them are deliberately targeting these endangered sharks for their fins.
Shark fin soup has apparently grown in popularity tremendously over the last few decades and it seen as a sign of wealth in China. Whilst the fin provides no real flavour – just texture – shark fin is becoming an ever-more valuable commodity. And with it’s value comes corruption, and protection from some unlikely places.
Through the course of the film we follow Stewart’s investigations and he tries to learn more about the trade. He films undercover. He gets involved with organized crime and crooked governments and at one point even has to outrun the machine-gun toting Costa Rican police as they try to arrest him for his investigations during a hair-raising boat chase in true James Bond style.
While many of us are aware of the basic issues surrounding sharks being caught for their fins this film does an excellent job of explaining not only how much of it is illegal but also just how barbaric the process really is. Watching a fisherman drag a shark onto his boat with a huge hook through it’s mouth, cutting it’s fins off while the creature is still alive and then throwing it back into the sea, finless, unable to swim and just waiting to drown is one of the most moving pieces of footage I have seen in a long time. To see an alpha predator like this reduced to nothing was truly shocking so be prepared if you’re of a sensitive disposition.
That said, I felt this film managed to be many things. Moving, certainly. But also fascinating, exciting and beautiful at the same time. For anyone who cares about the marine environment and the creatures that live there Sharkwater is a movie well worth getting your hands on.
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4 Tips For Bringing Cheap Solar Power Into Your Home
If you care about the environment then I have no doubt that you’re aware of all the benefits surrounding solar power. However the major weakness surrounding installing solar panels in your home is principally the cost of a bespoke solar PV system.
That said, even if you have minimal cash to invest in your environmentally friendly lifestyle there are a number of ways that anyone can at least bring a little solar energy into their life. And while in an ideal world we’d all rely totally on renewable energy sources I hope you’d agree with me that swapping just a little bit of your energy use from non-renewable sources to sustainable, renewable solar power will help to reduce the use of fossil fuels and the production of climate changing gases like carbon dioxide which can only be a good thing.
In this article then I’d like to investigate four simple and very cost-effective tips that you can use to significantly reduce your dependency on non-renewable energy sources.
Renewable Energy Suppliers
Possibly the easiest method of all for switching to renewable energy is to ring up your current utility company and ask if they offer a “green tariff”. If they do then make the switch and if they don’t then move your account to a provider that focuses their efforts on renewable energy production.
This whole change can be done over the phone in a matter of minutes so there really is no reason not to take action. The only concern that some people have is that these companies who generate electricity through wind turbines and solar panels normally do charge a little more than suppliers utilizing non-renewable technology. However when you also implement some basic energy saving tips around your home it’s still entirely possible for your home electricity bill to actually go down rather than up when you focus on the environment.
Solar Powered Gadgets
Did you know that one can now buy all sorts of electrical devices with solar panels built into them? Whether that’s a solar flashlight, a solar-powered battery charger or a solar fan there is an ever-growing list of solar-powered gadgets that can be purchased, and which in turn will reduce your energy bill and bring a little renewable energy into your life.
Solar Panel Kits
If a full-blown solar panel installation is out of the question for you then it’s worth considering the next step down – principally a stand-alone solar panel kit as sold by many green suppliers. These kits normally include a professionally-produced solar panel together with full instruction for it’s use and all the wiring, fittings and accessories necessary to produce your own solar power at home without all the expense and hassle of hiring a professional solar installer.
Home-Made Solar Panels
While a full-blown solar installation may set you back thousands of dollars, were you aware that there is a growing trend of DIY solar panels? As it turns out, building your own solar panel installation isn’t actually so hard, and by using basic equipment available on Ebay, in DIY stores and from specialist green suppliers it’s entirely possible to build your own solar panel setup yourself for a few hundred dollars.
Even better when you combine intelligent energy saving tips with your own home-made solar panels some people have found that they were able to become completely “off grid” and produce all the energy they need from renewable energy sources alone. And that’s something worth getting excited about. If you want to learn more about how easy it is to build your own solar panels on a tight budget then please click here.
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9 Simple Ways To Reduce Your Electicity Bill Without Living Like A Hermit
Sometimes saving the planet and saving your money align perfectly and reducing the electricity you use around your home is a perfect example of this. Clearly the less power you use the less that your utility company is going to charge you. In addition when you reduce your energy needs you’ll also cut down on the greenhouse gases that are released in the production of most domestic electricity or will perhaps even allow you to go one step further and become completely sustainable by using only renewable energy sources such as solar panel kits in your home.
Think Energy Ratings
Most environmental scientists agree that the cost to produce a new TV, washing machine or suchlike is quickly offset against the environmental savings to be had when you invest in a new low-energy version. Now clearly swapping all the technology in your home simply doesn’t make financial sense but it does make sense to carefully consider all your options when it comes to replacing any electrical device as it reaches the end of it’s natural life. Get familiar with energy ratings and visit consumer review sites to help you make informed decisions about new purchases.
Discover Energy-Efficient Cooking Practices
Many people use plenty of electricity to cook their meals whether that involves an oven, a hob or a microwave let alone the food processors, mixers, sandwich toasters and other “essential” kitchen gadgets.
Fortunately there are all sorts of ways to use less energy to prepare your meals such as leaving your oven door shut as much as possible to keep the heat in, boiling vegetables with the lids on pans for the same reason and “batching” your cooking so that you use as few electrical devices as possible.
Raw food, one-pan cooking and similar strategies will help to ensure you haven’t got your oven, hob, grill and microwave all going at the same time in order to put together a single meal. Even better, when you do cook, consider making more food than you need so that you can rely on leftovers for a day or two afterwards thus cutting down even more on the electricity you would otherwise have used.
Ditch The Standby
Whether it’s your computer going into “sleep mode” or the “standby” feature on your TV it seems that devices left on standby mode use almost as much electricity as they do when they are operating fully. This means that by leaving your electrical devices plugged into the main – even if you’re not actively using them at that point – can use up a surprising amount of power.
Counteract this issue by either properly turning off and unplugging electrical devices when they’re not in use.
Air Dry Your Clothes
Tumble dryers use huge amounts of power to operate so consider using your dryer as a last ditch resort after days of heavy rain where you have to get your clothes dry now. Otherwise hang your clothes out to dry in the air which will not only save electricity but also help to leave them smelling fresh and clean rather than the stale, stagnant smell that can arise from tumble drying clothes.
Switch Off Your Lights
Firstly ensure you’re using the latest energy-efficient bulbs rather than old-fashioned incandensent bulbs but furthermore only switch on a light if you need it. That means switching off lights whenever you leave a room. The myth of light bulbs using more power when you initially turn them on – so leaving lights on for extended period of time being environmentally-friendly – has largely been dispelled now through careful monitoring of domestic electricity use. If you don’t need them – turn them off.
Laptops Not Desktops
Laptops use considerably less electricity than desktops to do the same job so consider making your laptop your “main” computer and only using your desktop for tasks that require lots of processing power like editing videos. Indeed I am writing this article right now on a small netbook that uses even less power yet serves virtually all my computing needs.
Clean Only Full Loads
Washing machines and dish washers use virtually the same resources whether they contain a single item or are chock-full so try planning ahead so you do only full loads. Not only will this potentially make your life easier because you’re not having to constantly load and unload your machines but you’ll save a considerable amount of power over the course of a few weeks.
Buy An Energy Monitor
When I eat pizza I naturally put on weight. But the weight is added so gently and so slowly that I barely notice it until my jeans won’t do up. Then suddenly I realize how much weight I’ve gained and I immediately start living on salad and running every morning to try and get back to my old shape.
A similar situation can arise with your electricity use. If you don’t immediately see the effects of your actions it’s easy to ignore them or forget about them until the electricity bill lands on your doormat and you’re left screaming “HOW MUCH?!”.
Of the people I know that have invested just a few dollars in a basic electricity monitor almost all of them have been shocked at how much power they use at home and have found it both an educational and motivational exercise to see just how much energy they can save if they try. Furthermore when you actively monitor your energy use it’s far easier to spot those ” energy vampires” when you’re shocked to see the figures going up so quickly as you turn on your hair dryer or desk-fan or whatever.
By monitoring your home energy use you gain a far better understanding of what is using a lot of electricity around your home and it becomes far easier to make educated decisions about what lifestyle or technology changes you need to implement to gain control of the situation.
Discover Pleasures That Don’t Involve Electricity
Our modern society relies on electricity in a huge way to entertain ourselves. Whether that’s watching TV, surfing the net, listening to music or playing video games our domestic energy use goes up massively when we all get home from work and need entertaining. Now I like video games as much as the next person (Mario Galaxy, anyone?!) but it can also be a smart idea to consider hobbies and pastimes that don’t rely on heavy electricity use.
Ask yourself when the last time was that you picked up a book or magazine, whether you might like to spend more time gardening, or learning to ride a horse, or walking in the countryside, or improving your photography. There’s a whole world of options out there that require minimal use of electricity yet are generally more enjoyable and healthier than sitting on your couch staring at a box in the corner of your living room.
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DIY Solar Panels
DIY solar panels are within the reach of anyone with a little time and a small amount of money to spend. Whilst full-blown solar panel set-ups installed by a professional installer can run to tens of thousands of dollars when it comes to DIY solar panels just a few hundred dollars is enough to get going. Clearly such a small investment for your own bespoke solar panel installation that can provide plenty of free, clean, renewable energy to use around your home really puts solar energy within easy reach of just about anyone willing to learn a few basic concepts.
When it comes to DIY solar panels there are really four essential pieces of kit that you will need. These are the solar panels themselves, the inverter and the battery. In addition the fourth essential piece of kit – bearing in mind you’re dealing with live electricity here – is a detailed guidebook taking you step-by-step through every element. Besides these main requirements you will also need suitable wiring and a way of attaching the solar panels securely so that they receive the most sunlight possible each day without getting damaged by bad weather.
1) DIY Solar Panels
Solar panels are made up from small photovoltaic cells fixed together to form a large, uniform sheet to catch the sun’s rays. Buying solar panels from a shop and installing them yourself is typically a lot cheaper than having a professional installer do the job for you but if you want to save even more money you can buy the individual photovoltaic cells themselves for next to nothing online and then fix these together efficiently to form completed and full-functional DIY solar panels.
2) Inverters
The energy harnessed by your DIY solar panels won’t be in a form that your household appliances can use so in almost every situation an inverter is essential for “inverting” or changing the power into a usable form. Experts in homemade solar panels have found that the inverter is really one of the most important pieces of the puzzle altogether and investing in the wrong inverter really can be disastrous with lots of the power you create being wasted.
As a result don’t settle for just any old inverter when considering DIY solar panels but instead try to buy the best model that you can – even if it means buying a top-notch model second-hand rather than a lower-quality inverter brand new. Indeed as we’re all trying to be as environmentally aware as possible buying second-hand will not only help to save you money and make your DIY solar panels installation more efficient but will also help to “reduce, reuse and recycle” thus keeping more unwanted cast-offs from going into landfill.
3) Batteries
If you want to go totally “off grid” then batteries will be essential to store all the electricity you create before you need it. However some people go the alternative route and like to stay connected to the electricity grid, feeding unused power that they have created into the grid in exchange for an agreed sum of money. Then, should power be needed around the home yet the batteries have gone dead, power it drawn from the grid knowing that the overall effect is to generate additional renewable energy for the grid while ensuring you yourself never run out of power no matter how cloudy the day has been!
A variety of batteries can be used when building a DIY solar panel installation including car batteries and forklift truck batteries and once again these can be bought second-hand very cheaply and then “reconditioned” to make them fit for purpose. Whilst the exact process of reconditioning old batteries is beyond the bounds of this article in our experience many solar panel installation manuals give detailed information about how to perform this simple but effective technique.
4) DIY Solar Power Manuals
Over the last six weeks we’ve been working our way through a mountain of different books on the subject of DIY solar systems looking for the best overall guide around. While the vast majority were useful and well-written many seemed to either be pitched too high (too much physics and math to be enjoyable or even useful for the average person!) or seemed to miss out vital steps, thus making it essential to read a number of these manuals one after the other in order to get an overall informed decision.
Some of the best guidebooks we actually found were available online only in the form of ebooks – which seems particularly satisfying because of course we eco-warriors don’t have to worry about new books being printed in order to learn all about homemade solar panel installations.
After reading through most of the well-known guides my personal favrite is Home Made Energy which you can read more about here.
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Solar Energy Advantages And Disadvantages
Over the last decade or so solar energy has metamorphosed from the preserve of hippies and idealists to the realm of normality. More and more everyday people are seeing the benefits of solar energy and as a result finding ways to include it in their lives – whether that’s going all-out on a bespoke solar panel installation or making small moves in the form of solar battery chargers or buying renewable energy from their utility company.
However solar energy is also a rather emotive subject. Solar panel installers are keen to push the benefits of solar power while other people complain about the costs involved, the appearance of solar panels in a residential area and other downsides to this form of renewable energy.
So what is really the truth: what are the real solar energy advantages and disadvantages; because once you understand the reality from a propaganda-free perspective you’ll be in a far better position to make an informed decision about whether solar power is right for you.
Solar Energy Disadvantages
Seeing as we’re discussing solar energy advantages and disadvantages let’s get the negative out of the way to begin with. And in all fairness there are quite a few that you should be aware of. We’ll be the first to admit that while we’re huge supporters of renewable energy, all forms do indeed have their weaknesses, least of all solar.
Cost
The first major solar energy disadvantage is potentially the cost. A full solar panel installation can take a decade or more to pay for itself in terms of the money saved on your electricity bills. Looking at solar energy from this perspective is probably the largest obstacle for most people when it comes to installation however it is important to note that there are an ever-growing range of solutions.
For example it is possible to start off small, installing only a small solar energy system to supplement the main system in the home and to gently upgrade over time. Another possible solution to this solar energy disadvantage is the growing range of “solar mortgages” being offered by specialist lenders which allow you to spread the cost of installing solar panels over an extended period of time, thus often making them no more expensive than buying non-renewable energy from the grid.
Appearance
There are people – even those with strong values regarding sustainable living – who strongly dislike the appearance of solar panels. By definition solar panels needs to be sited where they are in full sunlight for as long as possible each day an this often means placing them in a highy visible location such as on the south-facing side of your roof.
And of course even if you yourself do not find their appearance a hindrance it may be that other people in your neighbourhood do. Once again though of course there are a small number of possible solutions such as placing solar panels in your garden rather than on your roof to reduce their visibility to your neighbours or through the use of the new aesthetically-pleasing solar panels.
As an example some companies now manufacture solar pv panels that look like normal slate roofing tiles though they are still more than capable of producing solar energy for your home.
Planning Regulations
In many parts of the world it is necessary to receive planning permission before placing a solar energy generating system on your roof so it is well worth checking in your local area before you invest in a new system.
Many of the rules that local authorities foster can seem to make little logical sense but must be stuck to if you are not to receive a fine and/or a demand to remove the panels from your home. Typically the more sensitive the area you live in, the harder it may be to gain approval for a solar energy installation.
Technical Know-How
An often over-looked solar energy disadvantage is that not only the initial installation but also routine maintenance will normally require specialist workers who are familiar with solar pv systems. Whilst the electricity around your home will still function in a similar manner it’s important to remember that the use of batteries to store power as well as the inverter required adds an extra level of technical difficulty to any electrical work you may want done on your home at a later date.
Weather Dependence
It goes without saying that solar panel function best in bright, clear sunshine and so on cloudy days they will produce far less electricity. Interestingly modern solar panels are also quite temperature dependent and typically become less efficient at higher temperatures though moisture in the form of rain etc. seems to be less of a limiting factor on the power they can produce.
However once again if you live in an area which is less sunny you may have to think carefully about the amount of renewable energy you can produce as well as how you’re going to significantly reduce the power requirements of your everyday home life in order that s aolr panel installation is a practical solution to your energy needs.
One possible solution to this disadvantage is to install a system whereby your solar installation feeds excess energy into the grid on sunny days where you produce more power than you actually need, and then on cloudier days where you need more energy than your solar panels are producing you “top up” the power in your home from the grid. Doing so means you will never “run out” of energy but are still generating as much of your own as possible which to many people is the ideal situation.
Solar Panel Advantages
Of course solar energy wouldn’t have gained it’s current level of popularity without good reason. Indeed for most people solar panels are the most accessible and practical form of renewable energy available. While wave power, nuclear power, wind turbines and so on all have their advantages and disadvantages they generally aren’t available to the everyday person on the street.
Solar power is different and is within the reach of anyone with a few dollars to spend and a little motivation. So to make this a fair discussion when it comes to the topic of solar energy advantages and disadvantages lets take a closer look at the considerable benefits of solar panels.
Accessible For All
Whilst the initial cost of installing a solar energy system in your home may at first seem like a hurdle when you look deeper into the situation we can all include a degree of solar energy into our everyday lives irrespective of how much money we have to invest.
For example one can now buy solar flashlights, solar powered battery chargers and a range of other household devices powered purely by the sun. Taking it up a notch one can also buy low-cost solar panel kits that will enable you to create power at will with a very modest investment indeed.
When you factor into the equation the number of DIY solar panel books there are on the subject, this low barrier of entry means that solar energy really is the most accessible type of renewable energy of all.
Variety Of Costs
As the solar industry has grown significantly over the last decade or so, so have the range of solutions and with them the prices involved. So while it is possible to invest a similar sum as would pay for a family car, it’s also possible to introduce a small degree of solar energy into your everyday life for the price of a CD.
Being mindful of the advantages of solar power when you’re making decisions about your home, your energy use and the appliances you’re buying can mean that everyone can garner at least a little of their daily energy requirements from solar power.
Financial Incentives
The power of the green consumer market has put pressure on governments around the world to foster and support the use of renewable energy and in many countries this has taken the form of financial incentives for those who install solar energy in their home.
In this way the “payback time” on installing solar panels has been significantly reduced and indeed once the system has been paid for it is even possible for renewable energy producers on a domestic scale to even begin making a profit by feeding their unwanted excess energy into the grid at premium prices.
As a result when considering solar power it is beneficial to investigate all current financial incentives available to you as a means of making solar power even more affordable for you.
Increased House Value
Whilst there is still some disagreement within the industry regarding this factor it seems that overall house-buyers are willing to pay a premium for a home that already benefits from solar energy. In this way when it comes to the advantages of solar energy it seems that paying to install a system in your home can make a shrewd investment by significantly increasing the value of your home if and when you eventually decide to sell it.
Energy Without The Grid
In situations such as sheds, garages, motor homes and caravans where mains electricity may not be readily available, solar power can make a suitable alternative. Many boat owners, for example, install small solar setups on the roof of their boats in order to provide extra energy and charge their batteries in the sunshine.
“Free” Energy
Whilst installing a solar PV system in the first place clearly has costs involved, once that system has been paid for solar energy essentially becomes “free” energy. There are no tariffs or duties payable when you harness solar energy and furthermore the power produced by the sun is in such volume that it would be impossible for us to use it all so there is never a risk of using an “unfair amount” of the suns rays.
Green Energy
Lastly, and possibly most importantly of all of course, the biggest solar energy advantage is that the power produced is “green” – that is the power is renewable and doesn’t produce any climate-changing gases into the atmosphere to generate this power. Solar panels aren’t totally green of course as the manufacturing process itself will likely lead to some emissions but thanks to the lifespan of a typical solar panel overall there will be a significant drop in your carbon footprint as a result of relying on solar power rather than non-renewable sources of electricity.
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Turn Off The Air-Con: 6 Tips For Staying Cool This Summer
When the sunshine is beating down and the temperature is rising it’s understandable that many people flick on their air conditioning. But while your air conditioning might make you feel more comfortable in the short term there’s a gremlin you need to be aware of: one of the biggest contributors to most Westerner’s carbon footprint is the energy used to heat and cool our homes and work places.
And while there are plenty of tools and tips for heating your home in more sustainable way, there is far less information around about how to stay cool in the summer without the use of your air-con.
As well as costing the environment there are of course other disadvantages of air conditioning. Firstly all that power that your air-con unit is guzzling is costing you money. Less air conditioning means smaller utility bills – something most of us would welcome.
Most air conditioning makes noise too when running and while this may not affect many people, some find that the gentle buzzing can be annoying, reducing their enjoyment of conversation, television or even causing difficulties sleeping, especially in cases where the air conditioning is regularly cutting in and out to try and maintain a constant temperature.
Lastly just like artificially heating our homes, air conditioning units dry out the air in our homes which can cause dry skin, sore eyes, sore throats and other cold-like symptoms. In short giving up your air con makes a lot of sense for a whole load of reasons.
Wear Natural Fibres
Whilst many man-made fibres like polyester have practical benefits such as being hard-wearing, easy to iron and resistant to shrinkage caused by overzealous washing or drying, they do suffer from one major problem – and that is that they struggle to breathe.
On hot, sunny days where one is likely to be perspiring it is smart to choose clothes made from fibres that breathe easily, thus allowing moisture to evaporate away from the body, keeping you feeling more comfortable even in warmer weather.
Consider cotton, hemp, wool and linen rather than viscose, polyester and PVC to stay fresh and sweat-free in the heat of the summer.
Actively Create Shade
More than anything else try to block out unnecessary sunlight. This means closing blinds or drapes early in the morning before the sun gets too fierce as there is no point in closing them once your home has already got unpleasantly hot. Doing so will simply help to hold the heat within your house making even less comfortable than if you hadn’t closed the blinds at all.
Heat-reflectors are available to use in car windows on hot days which reflect the suns rays back away from your car rather than turning it into a moving greenhouse.
When it comes to sitting outside in the garden consider growing climbers over a trellis or investing in a large parasol for your patio table so that once again you are out of the worst of the suns rays and thus keep cool.
Lastly while a sun tan may be attractive and fashionable try to stay out of the sun during the hottest part of the day. Cover up with loose-fitting but long-sleeved trousers, skirts and tops, together with using a wide-brimmed hat. Doing so will reduce the heating effect of the suns rays on your skin and of course will also significantly reduce your chances of skin cancer at a later date.
Grow Plants
Studies have shown that as plants absorb water through their roots, channel it up their steps and then release it through tiny pores in their leaves it naturally creates a mico-climate around them that is measurably cooler than the ambient temperature.
In this way filling you garden with beautiful plants – and even extending this into your home with a selection of attractive house plants – can make your surroundings feel significantly cooler without the need of air conditioning.
Build A Pond
Generally speaking outdoor sources of water also benefit from a similar micro-climate as the water evaporates, creating a moist pocket of air that tends to be cooler than their surroundings. But outdoor sources of water such as ponds can also be very beneficial for wildlife giving frogs, newts and suchlike places to live and breed as well as being a source of drinking water for birds and local mammals.
Consequently building a wildlife pond in your garden – particularly in close proximity to where you’re most likely to sit on a balmy summers day – can help to keep you cool, support local wildlife and add interest to your garden as the local wildlife goes about it’s everyday life.
Through Draughts
Opening up a window can of course help to keep you cool in summer because the increased air movement aids water evaporation and helps to push the hotter air out of the window. But even better than opening a single window is to create a “through draft” by opening up two or more windows and ensuring that the doors between these rooms are kept open – with doorstops if necessary to stop the doors banging in the breeze.
By doing so the air will move through your home – getting pulled in through one window and zipping out of another. This breeze can be the perfect tonic to a hot, stale day and even when the air outside is very still the way in which your home warms up in the sun – with some areas being hotter than others depending on the direction of sun and the existing shade in and around your home – a through draught is still a very real possibility for cooling your home naturally and without the use of unnecessary energy.
Ceiling Fans
One final element worth considering is the use of one or more ceiling fans to draw the hot air up towards your ceiling – and away from you – whilst pushing cooler air down to ground level where you are spending your time.
The one downside of ceiling fans of course is that this is the only tip here where some energy will be used. However it is worth bearing in mind that not only is the energy use far less than that used by a full-blown air conditioning unit, but furthermore solar fans are readily available (or can be built from parts by the keen DIY solar panel fanatic) thus reducing your carbon footprint still further.
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Weed Control Without Chemicals
For anyone with a garden weed control can be a constant battle. Seeds blown in by the wind, deposited by birds or other animals and of course suckers from weeds growing underground can quickly turn a tidy garden into a weed-filled wilderness.
Now of course weeds do have their benefits; it is important that we put some space aside for our native plants to grow so that they will aid and support local wildlife and the larger environment but for gardeners – especially those growing their own fruit and vegetables – weeds in the wrong place can not only look unsightly but also provide too much competition for cultivated plants. This competition can lead to weak, sickly plants (or even death altogether) as well as making harvesting far more difficult.
In short – despite the benefits of weeds – there are times where weed control is necessary for even the hardiest environmentalist.
Most gardeners of course rely on tried and tested chemicals such as commercially-available weedkillers to keep the weeds at bay but it goes without saying these these weedkillers can be indiscriminate in what they kill. These poisons can and do leach into the wider environment killing other plants and animals as well as souring our rivers and streams.
Those of us who care about sustainability need other solutions – we need chemical-free weed control. And fortunately there are quite a few options available to us…
Weed Control With Mulch
One of the easiest forms of chemical-free weed control is the use of mulch. To the uninitiated mulch is best described as a surface covering for your soil, typically of organic matter. For example some gardeners like to apply a thick layer of straw, barks chips or lawn clippings to their soil.
Doing so has two distinct benefits. Firstly this thick covering of the soil means that unwanted weeds will really struggle to get a foothold because the lack of light makes photosynthesis near-on impossible. If applied after your own cultivated plants have germinated then your own plants should be able to carry on as normal while new seeds won’t be able to get started.
The other benefit of using organic mulches is that of course over time these will rot down, gently and naturally fertilizing your soil. These added nutrients will furthermore help your own plants to grow thick and strong though be aware that the flipside of this means that it will be necessary to “top up” your garden with fresh mulch from time to time.
Fast-Growing Plants For Weed Control
Another option for chemical-free weed control is the use of fast-growing plants who outcompete the weeds themselves. Clearly this won’t be suitable in every situation but for the environmentally-aware gardener who simply wants to fill their flower beds with color rather than being overly concerned with growing specific plants it is a strategy that can be very effective indeed.
Many plants – especially annuals – grow quickly and thickly and so if sown on weeded, prepared soil they will quickly drown out any slower-germinating weeds before they manage to get a foot hold. They produce such a thick carpet of vegetative plant covering that other weed seeds simply can’t get enough light to germinate and grow.
Liners And Mats For Weed Control
As one of the most important elements in weed control is a lack of light which prevents seeds from germinating the use of various soil liners can also work well. These can range from the act of totally covering a bed for an extended period of time to kill off any and all plants currently growing it thus preparing the soil for planting, up to cutting holes in a weed prevention liner and planting your own cultivated plants in the holes. Between these plants the liner remains intact and so makes it virtually impossible for other plant to gain a foothold.
Burning Weeds
Weed burners can be purchased from many garden centres and hardware stores which resemble small flame throwers. These weed burning wands are normally powered by compact gas canisters which can be replaced. One simply turns on the gas supply, lights the flame on the end of the wand either using a match or, more usually, the built-in ignition system. Then one can simply walk around the garden scorching unwanted plants that will then die and rot away.
Clearly this method can work well on paths and patios but great care must be taken when using the wand in the vicinity of your cultivated plants to ensure that one does not do unnecessary damage to them in the process.
Digging Out Weeds
The last method of chemical-free weed control is clearly the good old-fashioned method of manual removal – actually digging the weeds out of the soil to put them on a compost heap. There are a number of possible techniques here. Heavily weeded areas will need to be dug o ver thoroughly with a garden spade or fork, while once an area has been got under control a regular hoe will keep weed seedlings under control.
Whichever digging method you choose be aware that it is wise to try and remove the roots of the plants as well as the growrth above ground or there is a risk that the plant will manage to regrow surprisingly quickly.
So now it’s your turn: please leave a comment below telling us how you control weeds in your own garden…
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Cheap Solar Panels: Reducing The Cost Of Solar Panels
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credit: Pink Dispatcher
As anyone who has looked into the cost of solar panels will tell you: one of the greatest weaknesses of solar panels for your home is quite simply how expensive they are. I full-blown solar panel installation can set you back tens of thousands of dollars and while you should make your money back reasonably quickly on such an investment it’s more money than most people can easily spare.
Fortunately those of us interested in renewable energy and sustainable lifestyles needn’t despair because it is possible to find cheap solar panels if only you know what you’re doing. By following the proven tips listed below anyone can reduce their carbon footprint and begin producing their own renewable energy on tap.
Shop Around
The first factor to bear in mind when it comes to the cost of solar panels is that not all installers charge the same price. Just like any other tradesman such as plumbers and builders, solar panel installers charge different rates. When you take into account designing and building your solar pv system, the hardware necessary and all the time fitting it getting multiple quotes can be a very smart idea. In doing so you will often find that one solar panel installer is considerably cheaper than another.
As a word of warning, however, don’t necessarily go for the cheap solar panel installer by default. Ask around, seek references and look for reviews online to ensure that their work comes up to standard rather than simply being cheap because they do a poor job.
Investigate Solar Grants
There are a number of government incentives around such as free advice lines, solar grants and loans for installing solar energy in your home. As this field is constantly changing – and varies country to country – if you’re looking for cheap solar panels you’ll need to do your homework to find out what current incentives may be available to you.
Typically environmental charities are a great place to start your search and many will take you by the hand and lay out all the options open to you for installing a solar panel system in your home for less money than you might otherwise have thought possible. Another alternative is simply to contact a number of solar panel installers in your neighbourhood and ask them if they’re aware of any government incentives you could take advantage of because clearly if they can help to reduce the cost of solar panels they’re likely to sell far more.
Buy Second-Hand
Once solar panels are installed in the home they normally stay in place until they need replacing some decades later. As a result second-hand solar panels are few and far between in reality though when they can be found they can significantly reduce the costs of solar panel installation.
Keep an eye on sources such as Ebay, Gumtree and your local newspapers, as well as getting in contact with your local builders merchants and reclaimers in the hope that they will keep an eye out for any systems going cheap and will let you know before anyone else beats you to the opportunity.
Invest Slowly
Individual solar panels tend to be reasonably priced; it’s the cost of a whole system to power your entire home that can be expensive so one further option for cheap solar panels is to invest a little at a time. After all, any amount of energy you can get from renewable resources will be a help to the environment so why not buy just one or two solar panels to begin with?
As you start to save money on your utility bills you can then roll these savings forward into investing in more solar panels and so on over the years until you end up completely self-sufficient in terms of your energy needs.
Buy A Kit
Did you know that some retailers now sell cheap solar panels that you can easily install yourself? Rather than expensive bespoke set-ups with all the effort and cost they involve another way to reduce the cost of solar panels is to buy one of these kits that contains everything you need and then install it yourself.
Typically a solar panel kit will come complete not just with the panel itself but with all the wiring, the inverter, full instructions and maybe even the battery pack that most homes need. Furthermore investing in a solar panel kit like the Sunforce 50048 doesn’t just save you money but also hassle too because you can feel confident that all the various parts you’ve bought were specifically designed to work together properly.
Build Your Own
The final option for cheap solar panels is to actually build your own setup. Whilst this may sound like a crazy way to reduce the cost of solar panels in actuality DIY solar panels are growing in popularity all the time because the actual process is so simple and an astonishing amount of money can be saved by building a solar panel system yourself.
All that is really needed is the specific knowledge necessary to find all the various parts you’ll need and how to set them up in your home to create a safe and fully-functioning solar PV system. Having read through a number of DIY solar panel guides myself over the last few months trying to decide on the best options to fit solar power to my garden shed my personal recommendation goes to Home Made Energy.
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