Go Greener Tips

pimg height=183 src=http://l.yimg.com/a/feeds/us/grn/green_ecogeek/bigbelly.jpg width=468 //ppSolar-powered trash compactors called BigBellys are being installed along a href=http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/20090501_New_city_trash_bins_are_smart__green-friendly.htmlPhiladelphia’s/a sidewalks. The new bins are powered completely by the sun and hold eight times as much waste as a typical city trash can./ppThe city is installing 500 of the compactors by July and 210 of them will include separate recycling bins. The greatest thing about these compactors is the fact that they will save the city $12.9 million over 10 years since they only need to be emptied five times a week versus 19 times for the regular trash cans, slashing fuel and staff costs. This also offers the benefit of less CO2 emissions from fewer garbage pick-ups./ppThe bins include sensors that detect when they’re full and wireless devices that alert the city’s Streets Department that it’s time for pick up. Because trash is enclosed in the bin once it’s discarded, they will cut down on city litter that would accumulate from trash falling out of the old wire bins.br /br /
Philadelphia isn’t the only area to benefit from their use.  Besides the units installed at Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania, trash compactors have also been installed in Chicago’s Millennium Park and Boston’s Fenway Park./ppvia a href=http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/05/28/philadelphias-solar-powered-trash-compactors/Inhabitat/a/p

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pimg height=183 src=http://l.yimg.com/a/feeds/us/grn/green_ecogeek/peg.jpg width=468 //ppTremont Electric has created a kinetic energy-based charger called the nPower PEG (Personal Energy Generator). What’s nifty about this charger compared to other kinetic energy harvesters is that it immediately converts kinetic energy to electricity and feeds it to your gadgets instead of storing the energy and then charging./ppThe PEG can charge the average portable device up to 80 percent with an hour’s worth of movement. What’s better is that you don’t need to strap the PEG onto yourself to harness the kinetic energy. It can be placed in your backpack or purse or strapped to your bike or kayak and derive the same energy. You can even use it while standing on the subway or bus./ppThe device weighs 9 ounces and is 9 inches long by 1.5 inches in diameter. To use it, you simply plug your phone, MP3 player or other device directly into the PEG via USB cable and start moving./ppTremont claims that if everyone with portable devices used the PEG for an hour every day instead of plugging into the grid, enough energy would be saved to power 21,000 households for a year./ppYou can sign up to be notified when the PEG is available for pre-order a href=http://greennpower.com/buyhere/a./ppvia a href=http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10255908-54.htmlCNET/a/p

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div class=image style=float:right;padding-left:8px;img alt=image name height=230 src=http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/daily_green_news/daily_green_news-256530468-1244146546.jpg?ymy9bXBD05DiVnOD width=300/br /em(Photo: bigoni / Wikimedia Commons)/embr /br //divpAs if we didn’t have enough to worry about with a href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/lead-toy-recall-47103102lead/a, a href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/bisphenol-a-47091707Bisphenol A/a, a href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/phthalates-47020418phthalates/a, a href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/Dirty-Dozen-Foodspesticides/a and a href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/safe-fish-recipes-44100608mercury/a, now, a new investigation finds that many common products are radioactive — even one cheese grater./ppA must-read Scripps News investigation found that radioactive waste is being mixed with other metals in scrap yards and recycling facilities, often overseas, and then shipped into the U.S. in a range of consumer products. /ppThe Daily Green urges readers to check out the a href=http://www.scrippsnews.com/node/43577 target=_blankwhole report/a, but below are the chief findings:/pullipstrongImports aren’t checked for radioactivity:/strong The U.S. has no regulations specifying how much radioactivity is acceptable, and U.S. agents don’t screen cargo containers entering the U.S./p/lilipstrongRadioactive materials contaminate U.S. scrap:/strong U.S. metal recyclers and scrap yards aren’t required to test or report the presence of radioactive waste, and there is a strong financial incentive for facilities to dump them or mix them in with clean products, since the cost of proper disposal is steep. Facilities in 36 states currently have no option for properly disposing of radioactive waste. A U.S. program designed to collect the most radioactive waste has a two-year waiting list and a 9,000-item backlog./p/lilipstrongThe scale of the problem or health risk isn’t known:/strong No federal agency is responsible for testing, tracking or reporting the presence of radioactivity in consumer goods or raw materials./p/li/ulpWorse, there’s very little consumers can do to protect themselves, according to the report. While exposure to low-level radioactivity is a fact of life, there’s a scientific debate about the medical implications for chronic low-level exposure, and there’s no telling whether or not some common products are delivering doses high enough to cause acute health issues. /ppThis is a tip of the iceberg story we’ll have to watch./pp /ppstrongMore from The Daily Green/strong/pullia href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/lead-toy-recall-47103102?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdgLatest Lead Toy Recalls/a/lilia href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/safe-fish-recipes-44100608?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdgSeven Recipes for Mercury-Free Sustainable Fish/a/lilia href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/Dirty-Dozen-Foods?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdgThe Dirty Dozen: 12 Foods to Eat Organic/a/lilia href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/Save-on-Sustainable-Gallery-44032808?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdgThe Clean 15: Foods Low in Pesticide Residue/a/lilia href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/bisphenol-a-47091707?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdgHow to Avoid Bisphenol A and Phthalates/a/li/ulpemReprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc/em/p

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pimg height=183 src=http://l.yimg.com/a/feeds/us/grn/green_ecogeek/pluginstella.jpg width=468 //ppSubaru, known for its less-than-efficient outdoorsy cars here in the U.S., actually has a nice green microcar on sale in Japan. And this July, they’ll be turning that Stella into an electric vehicle for the Japanese market, making them the first major car company to sell an electric vehicle this decade./ppOf course, that doesn’t mean that they’ve actually done anything that interesting. The car has a 60 mile range and a top speed of 62 mph, both pretty sub-par numbers for EVs. Still, it’d be a fine alternative for city-dwellers if it weren’t for the ginormous price tag: $49,000. Subaru will also only be selling 170 of these Stella EVs between July of this year and March of 2010, and they’ll only be available in Japan./pp So, no, don’t get too excited. But there was one interesting piece of information buried in the press release. The car will be able to recharge it’s batteries at a wall outlet in about 5 hours, but quick-charge stations (once they exist) would be able to refill it in just 15 minutes!/ppThat’s not as quick as a stop at the gas station, but it’s a heck of a lot better than a five-hour pit-stop./p

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div class=image style=float:right;padding-left:8px;img alt=Insulation Installer / iStockPhoto height=300 src=http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/the_conscious_consumer/the_conscious_consumer-997475944-1243971249.jpg?ymxKxWBDBRnsVHvU width=200//divpWe’ve all been hearing about the benefits of green jobs lately. A a href=http://www.businessinsider.com/the-average-green-employee-makes-76000-2009-6new Reuters survey/a found that green workers like the work they do, feel secure in their jobs, and are paid well, earning an average salary of $76,000.  /ppThere’s no doubt that creating a substantial number of new green jobs has the potential to help revive the economy and solve environmental problems. The government stimulus package alone is expected to create millions of green jobs. Climate change legislation, if passed, will likely add even more./ppThe jury is still out on whether the reality of green jobs will live up to all the hype. But for now, here are answers to some very basic questions about what kinds of green jobs are being created and how to land one./ppstrongWhat exactly is a green job?/strong/ppThere’s no official definition, but the a href=http://www.whitehouse.gov/StrongMiddleClass/Middle Class Task Force/a, which recently announced more funding for training and the a href=http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/White-House-Enviro-Council-Accepts-Biden-Challenge-Help-Retrofit-America/creation of green jobs/a, loosely defines it as jobs that help to improve the environment in some way./ppThe a href=http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/Blogging-to-the-Middle/task force says/a the term includes:/pulliBlue-collar workers building out the smart grid to efficiently move the wind power (green, renewable energy) across the land. /libr /li’Weatherizers’ who can diagnose and repair the energy inefficiencies in your house or business. /libr /liThe green manufacturers who made those wind turbines or the scientists and lab technicians who developed those renewable energy sources and weatherization materials./li/ulpYou’ve also probably heard the term a href=http://www.greenforall.org/blog/what-are-green-collar-jobsgreen-collar jobs/a.The clean energy jobs organization a href=http://www.greenforall.org/Green for All/a describes this work as blue-collar jobs that contribute to preserving or enhancing environmental quality. /ppstrongWhat kinds of jobs are being created? /strong/ppHere is Green for All’s short list:/pulliEnergy auditors/liliGreen carpenters/liliInsulation installers/liliCivil engineers/liliRail-track layers/liliBus and train systems operators/liliWind turbine machinists/liliSolar panel installers/liliIron and steel workers/liliRecycling center operators/liliWater quality consultants/li/ulpIt’s not all about the face of the green economy, says a href=http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=24698Timothy O’Connor/a, at the Environmental Defense Fund. New companies are starting up because of the stimulus package, and those companies are going to need accountants, managers, human resources folks, and other professionals. As a result, high-end salaries are increasing. We now see
more jobs a href=http://uk.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idUKTRE5523OD20090603?pageNumber=3virtualBrandChannel=10482paying six figure salaries/a, particularly as climate change
has started to pull in senior managers from other areas of business,
says Andy Cartland, managing director at a href=http://www.acre-resources.co.uk/Acre Resources/a./ppstrongHow do you go about finding green training opportunities and jobs? /strong/ppIt depends on where you live. Where to get green job training and which economic sectors are growing will vary from community to community. Here are some general tips to get you get started, but keep in mind that there are sure to be more resources as the government money trickles down. /pulliThe Department of Labor recently committed a href=http://www.doleta.gov/$500 million to train green workers/a. Check with your local a href=http://www.careeronestop.org/One-Stop Career Center/a to see if they have any green training programs. a href=http://www.americangreenjobs.net/wikiAmerican Green Jobs/a, supported by the EPA and the DOL, has extensive information on training, education, and other aspects of green employment. Or look for service-learning opportunities through the a href=http://www.nascc.org/Corps Network/a, which can put you on the path to a green career, says Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins at a href=http://www.greenforall.org/resourcesGreen for All/a. /libr /liYour local community college can be a great resource. Community colleges often have links to green vocational agencies, according to Ellis-Lamkins. It’s also a good way to find local union apprenticeship programs. It’s competitive to land a place in one of these programs, says O’Connor, but once you’re in, you have access to well-developed support and job placement networks. /libr /liCheck for a href=http://green.yahoo.com/living-green/finding-a-green-job.htmlgreen career opportunities/a at a href=http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/jobs-k-GreenYahoo! Hot Jobs/a. Here’s a a href=http://green.yahoo.com/blog/greenpicks/123/finding-the-green-job-of-your-dreams.htmllist of some good websites for green job listings/a. Additional job boards include: a href=http://www.greenjobs.net/Green Jobs Network/a, a href=http://www.greenjobs.com/public/index.aspxGreenjobs/a, and a href=http://www.ecojobs.com/index.phpEnvironmental Career Opportunities/a. /libr /liKeeping track of where a href=http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/career-articles-stimulus_job_watch-794stimulus money is going/a is a great way to help find opportunities in your city or town./libr /liEnvironmental Defense Fund mapped out a href=http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=33427potential job opportunities/a in 14 states (if Congress passes a cap on carbon). See if your state is listed and, if so, which companies in your area are in the best position to start hiring.   /libr /liThe Natural Resources Defense council has a href=http://www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/jobs/index.aspfact sheets/a outlining a href=http://www.nrdc.org/enterprise/greenjobs.aspgreen job opportunities/a in about a dozen states./libr /liThe a href=http://blogs.edf.org/climate411/2008/09/26/green_jobs_guide/Green Jobs Guidebook /afocuses on where to get training and find good-paying a href=http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=37047redirect=cagreengreen jobs in California/a, but O’Connor, a co-author, says the info is applicable anywhere in the country.  /li/ulbr /pemEnvironmental journalist Lori Bongiorno shares green-living tips and product reviews with Yahoo! Green’s users. Send Lori a a href=http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/green/forms/consciousconsumerblog.htmlquestion or suggestion/a for potential use in a future column. Her book,/em Green Greener Greenest: A Practical Guide to Making Eco-smart Choices a Part of Your Life emis available on a href=http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:Green%2C%20Greener%2C%20Greenest%3A%20A%20Practical%20Guide%20to%20Making%20Eco-Smart%20Choices%20a%20Part%20of%20Your%20Life:3005209514;_ylt=AsLkIJyzfMD4G3Gl2OYYt_gbFt0A?clink=dmps/lori_bongiorno/ctx=mid:1,pid:3005209514,pdid:1,pos:1,spc:14489115,date:20081009,srch:kw,x:Yahoo! Shopping/a and a href=http://www.amazon.com/Green-Greener-Greenest-Practical-Eco-Smart/dp/0399534032/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8s=booksqid=1228865081sr=8-1Amazon.com/a./em/p

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pimg height=183 src=http://l.yimg.com/a/feeds/us/grn/green_ecogeek/solar-bus-shelter.jpg width=468 //ppThe first of 1,100 planned solar-powered bus shelters has been unveiled in San Francisco. The other 1,099 will be installed across the city over the next four years./ppThe roof of the bus shelter is made up of thin-film solar panels embedded in a 40 percent post-industrial recycled polycarbonate material in a rolling wave shape. The structure of the shelter is made of recycled steel and other materials./ppThe solar roof powers an intercom, LED lighting and wireless routers, so that the bus shelters will become wireless hot spots around the city. The shelters will feed any excess energy generated by the solar panels to the city grid./ppWhile solar-powered bus shelters are not a new concept, it’s cool to see an American city deploying them, especially using them to spread wi-fi throughout the city. San Francisco is once again setting a great example./ppvia a href=http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/06/01/solar-powered-bus-shelter-unveiled-in-san-francisco/Inhabitat/a/p

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div class=image style=float:right;padding-left:8px;img alt=Tropical Depression height=230 src=http://l.yimg.com/a/feeds/us/grn/green_daily_news/tropical-depression-one-md.jpg width=300/br /emTropical Depression One formed in the br /Atlantic several days before the official br /start of the 2009 hurricane season. br /(Photo: NOAA)/embr /br //divpThe Atlantic Ocean’s first tropical depression is moving far off the U.S. East Coast, and the June 1 official start of the hurricane season is upon us. The tropical depression, which formed May 28, isn’t likely to form into a tropical storm, so it won’t be given a name./ppLast year, the Atlantic saw 16 named tropical storms — from Tropical Storm Arthur on May 30, which killed five and caused $78 million in damages on Belize, to Hurricane Paloma, which formed Nov. 5 and struck Cuba as a Category 4 monster that was the second-most intense hurricane ever recorded in November. /ppAll in all, there were eight Atlantic hurricanes and storms caused an estimated $41 billion in damages and left hundreds dead — more than 800 in Haiti alone./ppThe eastern Pacific saw 16 named storms, seven of them hurricanes, starting with Tropical Storm Alma on May 29 and ending Nov. 5 when Tropical Storm Polo petered out./ppThe a href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/2008-hurricane-season-470703082008 hurricane season/a produced several a href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/extreme-weather-20081217record-breaking storms/a, including Tropical Storm Alma (the easternmost named storm ever to form in the Pacific) and Hurricane Bertha (the longest-lived Atlantic tropical storm on record). Four storms were notable — or deadly — enough that the names were retired: a href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/hurricane-names-retired-47050502Alma, Gustav, Ike, and Paloma/a. /ppHurricane Gustav caused $4 billion damage in Louisiana and killed 112 people, including 77 in Haiti. Hurricane Ike was the season’s strongest hurricane and the third-costliest storm (more than $19 billion) to hit the U.S., devastating Galveston, Texas, and causing about 100 deaths in the Caribbean and along the U.S. Gulf Coast./ppWhat’s in store for 2009?/ppstrong2009 hurricane forecast/strong/ppIf and how global warming influences hurricane frequency or intensity is still a matter of genuine scientific debate. In recent years, scientists have at least identified several factors — from the extent of rainfall in Africa to the presence or absence of El Nino conditions in the Pacific — that help them predict the intensity of a hurricane season ahead of time. Here’s what the two most prominent forecasters have to say:/ppThe federal government has predicted a near normal hurricane season for the Atlantic, with a 25% chance of above-normal outbreaks and 25% chance of below-normal outbreaks — though overall, forecasters expressed a greater degree of uncertainty this year than they have in past years. The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s a href=http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2009/20090521_atlantichurricane.html target=_blankpredicts/a a 70% chance of:/pullistrongNamed storms:/strong 9-14/lilistrongHurricanes:/strong 4-7/lilistrongMajor hurricanes:/strong 1-3/li/ulpThe other major forecaster in the U.S., Colorado State University, recently a href=http://hurricane.atmos.colostate.edu/Forecasts/ target=_blankrevised down/a its expectations for the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season: /pullistrongNamed storms:/strong 12/lilistrongHurricanes:/strong 6/lilistrongMajor hurricanes:/strong 2/li/ulpFurther, the Colorado forecasters predicted the following probabilities that a major hurricane could strike the U.S., all of which are about average for the past century:/pullistrongEntire U.S. coastline:/strong 54%/lilistrongU.S. East Coast (including /strongstrongFlorida /strongstrongpeninsula):/strong 32%/lilistrongGulf Coast (from the Florida Panhandle westward to Brownsville, Texas):/strong 31%/lilistrongCaribbean:/strong Average/li/ulpForecasters warn that the number of storms and their intensity is only one key determinant of risk of property damage and loss of life: The biggest factor is who lives in harm’s way and how well they prepare. Some 35 million U.S. residents live in hurricane-prone regions, and experts urge them to a href=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/disaster_prevention.shtml target=_blankprepare/a./ppWhen those storms do come, they will be given names. Tropical cyclones are given names when they achieve tropical storm strength, with sustained winds of at least 39 mph. Hurricanes are tropical storms that have sustained winds that exceed 74 mph, and major hurricanes have sustained winds that exceed 111 mph. /ppHere are the tropical storm and hurricane names for 2009:/ppstrong2009 hurricane and tropical storm names – Atlantic/strongbr //polliAna/liliBill/liliClaudette/liliDanny/liliErika/liliFred/liliGrace/liliHenri/liliIda/liliJoaquin/liliKate/liliLarry/liliMindy/liliNicholas/liliOdette/liliPeter/liliRose/liliSam/liliTeresa/liliVictor/liliWanda/li/olp /ppstrong2009 hurricane and tropical storm names – Eastern North Pacific/strongbr //polliAndres/liliBlanca/liliCarlos/liliDolores/liliEnrique/liliFelicia/liliGuillermo/liliHilda/liliIgnacio/liliJimena/liliKevin/liliLinda/liliMarty/liliNora/liliOlaf/liliPatricia/liliRick/liliSandra/liliTerry/liliVivian/liliWaldo/liliXina/liliYork/liliZelda /li/olp /ppemNote: this story originally misstated the name of Colorado State University. The error was corrected June 2./em/pp /ppstrongMore from The Daily Green/strong/pullia href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/extreme-weather-20081217?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdgThe Most Extreme Weather of 2008/a/lilia href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/2008-hurricane-season-47070308?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdg2008 Hurricane Yearbook/a/lilia href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/citizen-science-47121401?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdgWeather Watching Other Citizen Science Programs/a/lilia href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/archive/weird-weather/weather_categories/pictures/0/24/?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdgWeird Weather Watch: Add Your Observations/a/lilia href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/hurricane-names-retired-47050502?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdgFour Hurricane Names Retired After 2008 Season/a/li/ulpemReprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc /em/p

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pFathers are notoriously hard to shop for, and what if your dad
is an eco-friendly guy who prefers to live light on the planet instead of pile
up more plastic clutter around the house? /ppLook for gifts that use recycled
materials or gadgets that help the big guy further his favorite green
activities. Here are some of our faves…/pp /pp /pdiv class=image style=float: right; padding-left: 8pximg alt=Black Decker power monitor height=300 src=http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/greenpicks__1/greenpicks-194733078-1243982929.jpg?ymRB0WBDuTk1c0A_ width=169 //divp /pp /ppstronga href=http://www.blackanddecker.com/Energy/products.aspxBlack Decker power monitor/a/strong/ppFor the father who loves to tinker around the house, this little device is the perfect companion. One part attaches to the home electric
meter, and the handheld monitor wirelessly gives real-time data about home
energy consumption. If your dad’s the type who always reminded you to turn off
the light, he’ll appreciate knowing exactly where power is being used and what
he can save thanks to this gadget./pp /pp /pp /pp /pp /ppstronga href=http://shopping.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=AhCmcXC16TnraVv3_OOwhpAbFt0A?p=bamboo+cutting+boarddid=Bamboo cutting board/a/strong/ppIs Dad a kitchen whiz? He’ll appreciate a brand new, bamboo
cutting board (or even better, a whole set!). This sustainable wood is 16%
harder than solid maple, but cooks swear that it’s gentler on high quality
knives. Bamboo is far more renewable than plastic, and it’s low maintenance –
just clean up with a quick rinse./pp /pp /pp /pp  /pdiv class=image style=float: left; padding-right: 8pximg alt=snowboard bench height=223 src=http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/greenpicks__1/greenpicks-610172713-1243982928.jpg?ymQB0WBD6Q_iW_.K width=300 //divp /ppstronga href=http://www.sportsfurniture.net/Furniture made
from sports equipment/a/strong/ppWant to spoil a sports nut? Get him a bench made from
snowboards or a coat rack constructed of hockey sticks. How about an
Adirondack-style chair made of water skis? These one-of-a-kind pieces are built
from recycled hockey sticks, snow and water skis, wakeboards, and snowboards./pp /pp /pp /pp /pp /ppstronga href=http://www.lci-distribution.com/ankle.htmlAnkle solar bike light/a/strong/ppFor the active dad, this solar-powered light is a great
addition to his workout or commuting gear. Bike in the morning with the
lightweight light (it doubles as a pant-leg clip), and if it’s dark on the
return trip, he’ll have a fully-charged safety light. It’s also great for
jogging and walking the dog. No batteries needed./pp /pp /pp /pp /pdiv class=image style=float: right; padding-left: 8pximg alt=transit token cufflinks height=141 src=http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/greenpicks__1/greenpicks-816150959-1243982928.jpg?ymRB0WBDcDcocv9e width=300 //divp /ppstronga href=http://www.elsewares.com/commerce/TOKENS-AND-ICONS_MCA2_448.htmlVintage
transit token cuff links/a/strong/ppThank Dad for using public transit and remind him of a
favorite city at the same time. These cuff links are made of vintage transit
tokens from Chicago, Honolulu,
Los Angeles, New York
City, San Francisco, and Washington D.C./pp /pp /pp /pp /ppstronga href=http://www.greenfeet.com/itemdesc.asp?kw=GreenSmart-Commuter-Laptop-Bagic=5001-00374-0000eq=GreenSmart commuter laptop bag/a/strong/ppThis isn’t an ordinary laptop bag. It’s not just rugged and
stylish; the material is made from 100% recycled plastic bottles. Your father
is ready for business with a computer bag that protects his gear and the
planet./pp /pp /pp /pdiv class=image style=float: left; padding-right: 8pximg alt=lunch carrier set height=300 src=http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/greenpicks__1/greenpicks-438759156-1243982929.jpg?ymRB0WBDwXjoQs0Y width=300 //divp /pp /pp /ppstronga href=http://www.to-goware.com/store/cart.php?m=product_listc=4Stainless-steel
lunch carrier set/a/strong/ppGive take-out lunch a new meaning with this handy reusable
lunch system. Perfect for fathers to take to the office or on the road, these
lightweight yet durable sets can store hot or cold food. Add in a cloth bag and
bamboo utensils and Dad can easily brown-bag it every day./pp /pp /pp /pp /pp /ppstronga href=http://shopping.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=AoMANln4BDRQ8svifBgrFj8bFt0A?p=Rain+Watering+Wanddid=Rain
watering wand/a/strong/ppIf your father loves to garden, he’ll want to treat his
plants right with an accurate watering wand. With adjustable settings and a
telescoping reach, the wand waters exactly where it’s needed and doesn’t waste
water. /pp /pp /pp /pdiv class=image style=float: right; padding-left: 8pximg alt=Bottle lamp height=300 src=http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/greenpicks__1/greenpicks-508183951-1243982928.jpg?ymQB0WBD8e5TDssF width=187 //divp /pp /ppstronga href=http://www.greenfeet.com/itemdesc.asp?kw=Bottle-Lamp-DIY-Kitic=3506-11003-0000eq=Bottle lamp DIY kit/a/strong/ppDid pops sing 100 Bottles of Beer on the Wall
during long car trips? Recycle those memories and six empty glass bottles to
create this unusual lamp. The kit contains a frame and base to hold both a
light bulb (CFL, of course) and the bottles. Dad’s choice of beverage is not included./pp /pp /pp /pp /pp /pp /ppstronga href=http://www.etsy.com/search_results.php?search_type=handmadesearch_query=men%27s+tieHandmade
necktie/a/strong/ppPut a twist on the traditional Father’s Day gift by
searching for tie by one of the many artisans on Etsy.com. Search for Dad’s
favorite color or search according to his hobbies. Maybe he’d find a a href=http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25486627Ms. Pac-Man tie/a
funny. Sailing buffs might like this a href=http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25613647navigation
print/a. And there’s always a classy a href=http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25087189red silk tie/a./pp /pp /pp /pp /ppNot enough ideas? Check out our all-season a href=http://green.yahoo.com/gift-guidegift guide/a, plus past tips from
our pals at a href=http://greenhome.huddler.com/wiki/fathers-day-green-gift-guideHuddler Green Home/a
and a href=http://green.yahoo.com/blog/ecogeek/566/ecogeek-s-guide-to-saying-thanks-to-dad.htmlEcoGeek/a./p

Original post

There are many affordable options to convert your home into a solar home and solar energy technologies can supply for several different uses in a solar home.  Passive solar design can provide heating, cooling and natural light for your home.  Solar electricity options are available to power home appliances and solar water heating can provide hot water options for laundry and general household water use (showers, cooking, cleaning).  When planning a solar home it is important to consider which solar energy options are most efficient, and cost effective for your situation. 

A passive solar home utilizes home design to provide heating, cooling and natural light without the use of any special equipment.  A passive solar home basically uses the environment to accomplish great reductions in energy use.  A passive solar home uses construction materials and design to utilize the sun’s heat during winter months and block the sun’s heat during summer months.  There are several passive solar techniques you can use in a solar home, direct gain, radiant heat from sunlight passing directly into a living space and being absorbed by furniture, flooring etc and usually achieved with south facing window installations, indirect gain, involving an attached Trombe wall that collects heat and distributes it throughout the home by the use of fans, thermal mass, which are materials that naturally collect and store heat such as brick or stone, and passive cooling, which generally includes overhangs for south-facing windows to block the sun during summer months for cooling the solar home. 

Another feature often found in a solar home is the use of solar electricity.  Solar electricity is generated when photovoltaic cells are used to absorb sunlight and convert it into usable electricity.  The energy produced by solar panels must be converted to DC (household power) through the use of an inverter.  Solar electricity can be used to supplement metered electric already being received by a solar home or with the use of a battery storage bank, can be used as the only electric source for the home.  If the later is going to be used, it is suggested that owners of the solar home have a generator available for backup power.

Solar water heating is one of the most common uses of solar energy in a solar home.  There are two kinds of solar water heating available for solar home use.  The first is a closed loop system, which can be used in areas that are not prone to freezing.  These systems use water filled tubes that are heated directly by the sun.  A closed loop system uses an anti-freeze type liquid to collect heat from the sun and then the heated liquid is used to heat household water via a heat exchanger. 

Regardless of which steps you take toward converting to a solar home, energy efficiency is the most important attribute to a successful solar home operation.  Energy efficiency minimizes the need for heating, cooling and electricity.  Using higher insulation levels, more energy efficient windows, appliance and lighting than used in traditional construction, you will already be saving yourself a lot of money and energy.  However these changes may not be an option when converting an existing home into a solar home, so make any changes possible to your home energy efficiency and adapt other solar practices to convert your existing home into a solar home.