Sep
18
By admin
Categories: General
Tags: CFL, energy efficient, energy-saving, led light bulbs, led lighting, light bulbs
Sep
18
How To Make LED Lighting More Affordable
By Jo Connelly
LED lighting lasts longer and saves more energy than ever before. New LED light bulbs have better technology than before, meaning that they can replace the old incandescent light bulbs and CFLs (compact fluorescent bulbs – the curly ones!) in the same lighting fixtures, even dimmable ones.
LED light bulbs save you money over the long-term, but the catch is that they still cost more than older bulbs to purchase at the start. Switching your whole house over LEDs is an investment, but one that many of us can’t afford to do in one go. Here are some suggestions to make LED lighting more affordable, so that we can all benefit from its energy-saving advantages.
Research Brands and Prices
As with any new technology there is a huge variety of brands, quality and prices out there. It makes sense to buy the good quality brands – only then will you actually get full benefit from the longer life and optimum energy savings promised by LED technology. However once you’ve researched the best brands, you can shop around to find the best prices on those brands. Look out for specialist LED suppliers who ship direct from the manufacturers, as they can often pass on significant saving to their customers.
Invest in The Right LED Light Bulb for the Job
There are many different models of LED lighting – light bulbs for table lamps, for overhead lamps, spotlights, tubes and so on. There are also a wide variety of light outputs. Take time to work out exactly what you need for the job. There is no point getting a more expensive, bright, powerful light bulb for a table lamp where you just need a warm glow – you can save money by just buying what is needed. If you are not sure about the light output of a bulb ask advice from your supplier. Or buy just one bulb and try it in different situations in the house to see where it works best before investing in more bulbs.
Replace A Few Light Bulbs At A Time
Work out how many bulbs you can afford each month and buy them a few at a time. Even just one a month will eventually get you there. Replacing bulbs gradually is not only more affordable but also more sustainable. Plus you will be able to take advantage of advances in technology and drops in price as they happen (as LEDs become more mainstream, it is predicted that the prices will come down). Another side bonus is that your LED bulbs won’t then all reach the end of their life at the same time 10 or 15 years down the road. You will then again be replacing them gradually with the newest, most energy-efficient technology then current.
Candela LED specialise in LED technologies, providing LED lighting solutions to businesses and homes in South Africa. Contact Candela LED for more information on their wide range of LED energy saving light bulbs and other LED lighting products.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jo_Connelly
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-To-Make-LED-Lighting-More-Affordable&id=6565502
Sep
14
Household Water Saving Tips
For most people, the idea of running out of water seems like a completely foreign concept. Unfortunately, in the United States alone, water demand has almost tripled since the early 1950′s. While a great deal of an individual country’s H2O usage is based on dietary preferences and cultural norms towards H2O usage, there are still a number of things that individuals can do on a daily basis to safeguard future H2O supplies.
In The Kitchen
The kitchen is one of the most common locations for wasted H2O in the average American household. A great deal of this is associated with constantly running faucets. Not only can dishes be washed in a basin full of H2O as opposed to a running faucet, but fruits and vegetables should be cleaned in the same manner. Additionally, the water used to clean fruits and vegetables can be collected and used to water hanging plants and flowers. Old fish tank water is also an additional high nutrient source of H2O for plants and flowers. Finally, garbage disposals are a major source of wasted H2O. Collecting food waste for composting not only saves the water used to run the garbage disposal, but it provides free fertilizer and nutrient rich soil.
In The Bathroom
The EPA estimates that the average American home can lose up to 10,000 gallons of water every year through leaky bath facilities and faucets. Also according to the EPA, approximately 1 trillion gallons of water are lost every year from U.S. homes as a result of household leaks. A majority of these occurs in the bathroom as a result of improperly installed or maintained hardware.
Aside from eliminating leaks and replacing faulty equipment, water can be saved in the bathroom through the use of water saving shower heads and water conserving toilet tanks. Taking shorter showers, turning off the water while brushing teeth, and eliminating baths save household water.
In The Garden
Conserving water in the garden does mean growing less or reducing the amount of care offered to plants and lawns. Water conservation in the garden begins with equipment efficiency. Sprinklers should be adjusted so that they are only watering the desired surface area, while lawnmower blades should be set slightly higher as taller grass provides more shade for roots and promotes water conservation.
Patios and walkways are not only an aesthetically pleasing way to increase property values, but they don’t need to be watered. When it comes to watering frequency, many gardening enthusiasts rely on a predetermined watering schedule, leading to overwatering and water waste. Checking soil moisture levels two inches below the surface is the most accurate method of checking a plants water needs.
Learn more about Recycled Water and other valuable Water Saving Tips by visiting the website of Central Basin today.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_Bernheim
http://EzineArticles.com/?Household-Water-Saving-Tips&id=6555395
Sep
14
Is Off Grid Living Truly Achievable?
Mention off grid living to most people and they immediately think that it is some altruistic approach by which they would have to give up modern-day amenities and luxuries. Nothing is further from the truth. It is perfectly possible to Live off grid and still have all your electronic gadgets and modern-day amenities. One simply has to be smarter in their use and learn to conserve power wherever possible. Follow simple measures, like turning out lights, and not using the sleep function on your TV or computer. The ever increasing demand for Green technology has bought about advances in efficiency and cost saving,so that in theory, any home, anywhere in the world can now go off grid.
What do we mean exactly, when we say off grid. Precisely that!! Off the National Grid, no power lines and more importantly NO BILLS. Total freedom from the power company and its ever rising prices.
All off grid energy is generated from renewable resources ie: sun, wind and water. Solar panels and wind turbines, for example,generate low voltage current, which in turn is converted to standard household AC current and is either used or stored in battery banks. The process is virtually automated and requires little maintenance, except monitoring your energy needs. The key to successful off grid living is to match the size of the power system used to your actual energy demands. Ensure you undertake plenty of research, to determine which is the best renewable source to use in your local area.The cost of installing renewable energy is falling all of the time, due to technological advances. There are now even Do It Yourself guides, manuals and videos available online, which makes,the principle of off grid living even more achievable, wherever you live in the world.
Off grid living is getting so popular that even completely portable, energy efficient homes are now being made. Similar to a caravan, and clearly only designed for one or two people, they use solar technology and passive design principles to provide off grid living, wherever you choose to go.
So in summary, off grid living does not mean going back to the Dark Ages. It simply means learning to conserve energy and use it wisely. Obviously, the cost savings achievable are an important issue, but more important are the environmental aspects, as off grid living does not add to Global Warming. So save money and save the planet by going off grid today!
Passionate Environmentalist and webmaster of Green Energy Info Store. All the latest eco-friendly energy news and tips online today
Check it out now http://www.mygreenenergysources.info/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christopher_Wiltshire
http://EzineArticles.com/?Is-Off-Grid-Living-Truly-Achievable?&id=6549004
Sep
14
Water Recyling and Conservation Help Meet Water Demand
By Sarah Bernheim
People use a lot of water. The typical person in the United States uses 150 gallons of H2O daily, equating to over 37 billion gallons annually for the entire country. Because of the high and growing demand for fresh H2O, municipal water districts are looking for ways to conserve and recycle water to meet this demand.
Recycling Water
Recycled water programs are becoming more prevalent. Through advanced filtration processes, waste water is cleaned and becomes useable H2O again. Modern filtration techniques take H2O through three stages in the cleaning process.
The first step in water recycling is large filtration, where anything solid is removed from the waste water. These solids then go to a separate part of the treatment facility for further processing.
The second and third steps in water recycling borrow from how nature itself cleans H2O through the hydrological cycle. The second step of treatment adds bacteria and other microscopic organisms to the H2O which feed on dirt and other contaminants. Lastly, the H2O is passed through filters that remove the last of the waste particles. These filters are made of sand and certain kinds of coal, which are naturally able to remove impurities. This process mimics what happens in oceans and rivers.
Recycling is an important part of supplying people with water. While 75% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water, most of that is either frozen in the Arctic or is salt water in the oceans. Only about one percent of the total amount of H2O on the planet is drinkable. Due to pollution and drought, that amount has been shrinking over time, increasing the necessity of recycling and conservation programs.
Conserving Water
Conservation can take many forms, many of which are easily done by individuals. Some of the easiest ways to use less water are to take shorter showers, only run full loads of laundry and turn off the faucet while brushing teeth. Finding and repairing leaky plumbing will also save water.
Municipal water companies usually have programs that promote conservation. Many offer programs that will replace existing shower heads with ones that use less water. Some may even provide new toilets that use less water per flush than existing ones.
There are ways to conserve water outside as well. Choosing trees and shrubs that require less watering will help reduce demand. During times of drought or water crisis, municipalities often put in restrictions on watering lawns. Selecting grasses that will do well in drought conditions will limit the amount of manual watering that they require.
Conservation not only helps reduce demand for water but is also a great way to save money. The less water a household uses the lower water bills will be.
Learn more about Recycled Water and other valuable Water Saving Tips by visiting the website of Central Basin today.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_Bernheim
http://EzineArticles.com/?Water-Recyling-and-Conservation-Help-Meet-Water-Demand&id=6555415
May
2
Solar Energy Homes – Making the Sensible Choice
Solar Energy Homes – Making the Sensible Choice
By Jon Johannes
Most people feel energized by the sunshine on a beautiful summer day; the bright, hot sunlight bathes the body with healing energy and vitamin D. Sunlight can also provide solar energy homes with much needed energy in the form of electricity, through the use of solar panels.
And, you don’t have to live in the sunshine State to benefit from solar panel energy. Anywhere there is a little sunlight, even if for a few short hours a day, you’ll be able to harness the energy from the sunshine.
Solar energy homes produce solar power by use of silicon wafers. When sunlight hits these wafers, electrons are released, which then flow through wires forming direct current (DC). This current is then sent to an electrical inverter where the current is converted to alternating current (AC). This AC power is what your local power company charges you for when you purchase it from them. In solar energy homes, you bypass your local power company, thus decreasing or even eliminating your electrical bill.
It’s even possible to get a paycheck back from your local power company. When solar energy homes produce more electricity than they use, your local power company may opt to purchase your excess electricity, resulting in a credit or a paycheck for you.
You can realize an increase in your property value, as well as tax savings, when you convert to solar power for your energy needs — whether your home or business is in an urban area, a residential area, or out in the country.
Just as vitamin D from sunshine provides many health benefits for our body, sunshine provides many financial and environmental benefits for our solar energy homes and businesses. Using solar power in our homes and businesses saves us money, which in this economy isn’t always easy, and it saves us peace of mind. By doing our part in decreasing the amount of pollution we produce, we are leaving a legacy of better air and a healthier environment for our grandchildren and their grandchildren.
So, it’s not only financially feasible to use solar power; it’s also an ethical and environmentally sound choice. Because you’re not using a fossil fuel, which leaves a carbon footprint and in turn pollutes the air we breathe. You’re doing the environmentally responsible thing – you’re “going green”.
You can choose to go with a retail solar power provider, who can install the solar panels in your home or business for you.
Or, you can save even more money and make your solar power unit yourself. It’s relatively cost efficient to make a solar panel for your home or business; for around $200 per unit, you can build your own solar power unit in a weekend, using materials you purchase at your local hardware or home improvement center.
Solar energy homes are the wave of the future, both raising your home’s equity and lowering your monthly debt burden. Doesn’t it make sense to convert your home to a “green” home?
Jon Johannes has worked on several types of alternative energy projects. Solar energy homes just happens to be one of his passions. He strongly believes that knowledge is the key to any project. For more information please visit his site solar diy. Go here to learn more on solar energy homes.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jon_Johannes
http://EzineArticles.com/?Solar-Energy-Homes—Making-the-Sensible-Choice&id=6206253
Apr
24
Going Green One Step at a Time!
By Monika Kay
Going green doesn’t mean dropping your lifestyle and making a 360 degree turn no matter how much some of us need it. The best way to maintain a progressive lifestyle without draining your budget or creativity is to take the small steps first and build on your sustainable foundation. Knowing where you stand on consumption simply requires using one of many online carbon footprint calculators that can give you a rough estimate of a good going green starting point. Tackling a few key points right from the beginning can save you money that can be invested in bigger, more ecologically aware projects.
Food
What is more basic than what we put in our bodies? Unfortunately it seems that a lot of things are. Strip your diet back to it’s foundations by investing in raw ingredients that can be cooked at home. Buying local eliminates so much shipping and processing but also gives you the peace of mind that comes with knowing the source of your nourishment. When it comes to food storage, remember that a full refrigerator and freezer cost less to keep cool so be strategic with shopping.
Air
Instead of using expensive electric purifiers consider investing in some attractive houseplants. Check ahead of time to make sure they are not poisonous to your pets, and then let loose. Opening windows instead of utilizing fans on hot days can bring in natures fresh clean breeze to sweep out the contaminants that seem to accumulate in the air of our well sealed homes. Maintaining a proper amount of air in your car’s tires will improve gas mileage and help you get the most out of travel.
Water
Fixing leaky pipes is something on a lot of homeowner’s to-do lists, but getting around to that tricky task can save money and the world’s dwindling supply of drinkable water. Installing low-flow toilets and using smart dishwashing habits are two additional ways to cut down on usage and lower those bills. Some think that clothes get cleaner with hot water but that’s simply not the case. If you must have that sanitary reassurance then consider limiting the use of anything but straight cold water to dishrags and other bacteria-prone items.
Heat
Dress for the season indoors whenever possible. The use of a hat and warm socks can make a considerable different when it comes to heating bills and energy usage. Just a few degrees difference on the thermostat can make heaps of difference so don’t be afraid to experiment and see what works best. Clever use of stylish blankets may compliment interior decor while providing a very real benefit to the environment and the comfort of your home.
Electricity
Of course, it’s impossible to eliminate as much standby power usage as possible. Organizing your electronics on power-strips can give you easy access to completely cut unused items from draining the supply even while turned off. Computers often come with energy star certifications that are great sign that there may be hidden energy conservation settings. Be creative and see how much you can do without to get back to the basics and increase those baby steps to bounding strides when it comes to going green.
Ecowareness.com is your ultimate source for going green tips and articles! I also highly recommend this other blog for do it yourself solar panels tips!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Monika_Kay
http://EzineArticles.com/?Going-Green-One-Step-at-a-Time!&id=5480496
