Michael, a member of GreenJoyment, sent me the following in response to my email about the GreenDIYEnergy Guide.
It was a question I think a lot of people have when looking at buying guides to solar energy, so I thought I would post the question here and my answer to it. Do these instructions explain how to connect the solar panel to my home’s power source?
Another way of asking this is: Does the solar panel guide from greendiyenergy show how to connect my home made solar panel into the power grid?
As a follow-up to the fantastic new iPhone application from 3rdWhale, which finds local and Green businesses wherever you are, I thought I’d share this video.
It’s why you should shop local, and why local usually turns out to be Green.
Do you try and seek out Green businesses around where you live or where your traveling? Shopping at these places is a great and easy way to help the environment, but they are usually hard to find.
Look no further. 3rdWhale has just launched a new paid version of their iPhone app that helps you easily find green businesses local to you along with giving useful sustainable living tips. It’s been both beautifully revamped in its interface and is now a true trailblazer. It’s now as simple as clicking on this application and driving (or better yet, biking) to your destination.
Orbitz, a Chicago based travel web site, has jumped on the green bandwagon to highlight eco-tourism packages as well as a list of eco-friendly hotels. While so many companies are greening (at least their advertising), Orbitz appears to be embracing the eco-friendly on several fronts.
While Orbitz is steadily making their mark on the travel industry as they book trips around the globe, the company is making efforts to decrease their carbon footprints on Mother Earth.
Perhaps one of the oddest looking ways to go Green is the Greenroof. But done right and well planned, it can be a perfect way to add a third level to your house and enable you to enjoy the outdoors whenever you like.
Never heard of a Greenroof? You’re not alone, though hopefully something like this will become more of a common thing to see.
Ecotourism provides the opportunity for self discovery, growth, and to make a difference for people and the environment. So what exactly is ecotourism? What principles should you travel by and what are the benefits.
William Kamkwamba is The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind.
Growing up extremely poor, as the son of a farmer in rural Malawi (Africa), William had only three books available to him to learn these concepts from.
He built a windmill from the resources of three simple books.
He had no access to Google, no Internet, no Computer, and no Electricity.
He didn’t even have running water.
The books he used are like hundreds of books that are available to anyone with access to a library in the Western World.
These are books about how electricity and windmills work.
The books were in English.
William didn’t speak much English.
William built his windmill from pictures in the books.
He didn’t have a drill.
He didn’t have a wrench.
He found his parts from a scrapyard, and he also hoisted his dad’s old bicycle 30+ feet in the air to make his windmill work. (He had to beg to be able to use the bike.)
The frame for his windmill came from a tree that he and some friends chopped down.
He had to put plastic bags around the base of each of the legs so that the termites wouldn’t eat the legs.
(The termites eventually did eat the legs of the windmill)
William built his windmill from simply trying.
And his entire life is different today because of it.
For someone who had every excuse in the world, William didn’t make excuses.
For someone who experienced opposition at every corner, William remained confident in what he knew would work.
He says, “If you want to make it, all you have to do is try…”
William is one of my new heroes.
More info: http://www.movingwindmills.org
No matter how clean your house there is always the chance that you will be bothered by insects, otherwise known as bug and every time I see one called a pest. There are several environmentally friendly ways to repel and even kill bugs dead without the use of chemicals. Find out how you can care for your home, your family and stop these bugs from being pests in your home.
There are some tried and true methods that can help control lawn, garden and flower pests that can combine natural or non-toxic ingredients. FInd out some of our favorites and how they work.
William Kamkwamba is The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind.