Green DIY Energy
Overview:
Solar energy is growing to be a popular source of energy nowadays. Product like Solar deck lighting, solar indoor light and others are now available in the market. Soon, we will be able to buy solar powered cars and other electrical gadgets. With this, the popularity of DIY Solar panels for the home has been growing. There are a number of good products that help you build a DIY solar panel system and one of which is brought to you by Green DIY Energy.
Our Opinion:
In building your DIY solar panels, this is a great program and a very close second to Earth4Energy. First of all, it comes with an Energy Audit kit that you can use to check on your “energy wasters” at home. After which, you can proceed to the three books. The first book was about an introduction to solar energy and how to create it, how to find free solar panels and how to maintain your solar panels. This book should be read prior to building the DIY Solar panels. Book two teaches you anything and everything about building DIY Solar Panels and book three is about installing and mounting these solar panels. Dividing it into different books make it handy for the user and it would be easier for them to browse through the pages, you may want to consider this product, as well. For a limited time, it also comes with a one hour video on a step by step guide on building this DIY Solar Panel and a DIY build your own wind turbine.
Green DIY guides are well done and will help you a lot in building your own DIY solar panels. I’ve not heard much feedback yet for this product, but it looks very comprehensive and reliable as well. Also, I’m not too sure though if they have an after sales support, but one of the feedback bubbles in their site says that they do and it’s great.
Conclusion:
Their product is quite comprehensive, too, when you compare it with the other DIY Solar panel guides in the market. The after sales support needs to be checked, but Green DIY Energy is another option for consideration.
The Cardboard Bike: The Ultimate in Green Transport
The video below has been circulating the internet for a couple of months now, but it came to my attention only yesterday when a close friend sent me a link to it. It shows Israeli inventor Izhar Gafni describing the various challenges he faced when constructing his fully working, waterproof bike, completely constructed from cardboard.
Yes, you read that correctly – cardboard, waterproof and fully working!
Video for embedding:
Bikes are already one of the most environmentally friendly transport methods available, but they are rarely constructed from renewable materials. Gafni’s cardboard creation could really help to reduce the impact the largely fossil-fuelled population has on the planet. In addition, should a person’s corrugated cycle ever break, it would be very easy to recycle it (or re-cycle, should the material be used to create another, brand new bike!)
There’s still no word online regarding whether this innovative solution will ever make it to factory production, but I am certainly keeping my eyes peeled for further developments – I’d love to own one! While the bike cost Gafni approximately $9 to build, I am sure the retail price will be at least five times this should the product ever make it to mass market.
Business Flyer Distribution: Always Consider the Environment
An increasing number of people are experimenting with entrepreneurship, through the launching of their own start-ups. This means the majority of business sectors are crammed with more competition than ever before. While a little rivalry is healthy and drives progress, it can make your own venture less prevalent. This can affect your success and bank balance as a result.
This is why it is important to employ the use of promotional materials such as business cards and flyers, to aid brand awareness and thus; expand your customer base. Despite what some people may tell you, not all business promotion occurs online these days! It is particularly important for smaller companies to advertise locally before risking wider, costly promotion strategies.
Utilising the services of a professional printing company to produce thousands of flyers on your behalf however, can be very detrimental to the environment. It is a sad fact that many flyers can end up discarded (hopefully in a trash can, but more often on the sidewalk) by those they are handed too.
Heed the following advice to advertise your business using flyers, with minimal environmental impact…
Strategise your flyer distribution
This might seem like obvious advice, but you really should not distribute flyers just anywhere. You need to consider who the potential customers of your business might be, and determine where such individuals might be found.
If you are promoting a leg waxing service for example, you wouldn’t want to hand out flyers at the local classic cars fair.
That’s an extreme example, but I am sure you comprehend the point!
You might also like to consider engaging people with a brief question as you hold a flyer out to them – why would someone with no interest in beauty ever want to retain a flyer promoting a leg waxing service? You can simply ask “50% off leg waxing?” as pedestrians pass (obviously, this question should be catered to match your own industry/offer/business campaign!) Those who are not interested will likely state so and scuttle on, meaning fewer flyers are discarded irresponsibly.
This tactic is far more practical in quieter spots, so you might want to avoid busy shopping districts, where night club promoters with huge marketing budgets (and therefore; less concern about wasted promotional materials) can usually be found.
In order to prevent littering further, it is wise to avoid placing two or more distributors in close proximity to each other. Some people will accept duplicates of the same flyer from different distributors, simply to not seem impolite.
Consider renewable printing materials
There are many flyer printing services out there which can produce aesthetically fantastic flyers using renewable pulps, instead of non-environmentally friendly premium, high-gloss papers. Pulp-papers break down quickly which sees your flyers less harmful to the environment, should any end up on the ground.
Many printing companies can also offer environmentally-friendly inks. While these do not contain harsh chemicals (comprising natural colours instead), the results where such are used are no less impressive.
You may also wish to limit the size of your flyers – why choose A4 when all details can comfortably fit on A5 variants? Downsizing flyer size will reduce the number of earth’s trees which must be sacrificed in order for you promote your business venture.
DIY Solar Panels – Steps Towards Building a Solar Panel
If you are planning to build a DIY solar panel, the first step is to get yourself a good guide with plans from online retailers and start making one. You can go green while saving electricity at the same time without having to buy an expensive wind generator. You will be able to get all the materials needed plus the plans for less than $150.
An average Joe can make his own 1000W solar panel. Why not make one for yourself, too? You can even get your family in on it and make it a fun family project.
To get you started, you will first need the plans or the blueprint. Find a good place to work in. A regular garage will do. You do not need to get special tools. You can work with the simple tools that you already have. It would be great to have an extra pair of hands.
Look at the plans to find out what you need for the project. It should include a Direct Current (DC) motor. This will serve as your power generator. As the blades of your turbine spin, they turn the DC motor on which would then produce electricity.
Order the motor first for it takes a number of days to get it. This should not cause you much delay because you can use this time to start working on the other sections. You can already fashion the blades of your turbine. Wood is the preferred material for blades especially when making bigger machines. However, should you opt to, you can also use PVC.
If you intend to work with wood, make sure to get strong, good quality lumber. Your blades, especially the tips, should be able to withstand the force of the wind. Constructing the blades should not be complicated. Simply follow what your plans say. It is easy enough for you to make your own set in just one day, using only common tools.
As for the other parts, you will be surprised to know that you can get most of them for free. These include batteries, towers, and others included in your plans. You can piece all the parts together as soon as you get your motor. When that is done, it is now ready to be put up in the wind. Set it up at a place where it can stand at 15 feet above any structure within 300 feet. Your DIY solar panel will now be able to produce free electricity.
Make Natural Power
Overview:
With the increasing cost of electricity and the continuous rise of prices of goods and products in the market, one has to be thrifty. A smart person looks for other alternatives that save him money – money that he can use for other essentials. Nowadays, these other alternatives, although save a lot of money in the long run, cost a fortune to buy. An example would be having solar panels built and installed would have you dig into a huge amount from your well-earned savings. Do put that away, because there is such a thing as DIY Solar panels that you can easily build, install and enjoy! Before working on the project, you will have to need a guide on how to go about this.
Opinion:
Because of my interest in energy alternatives, I have seen a lot for DIY Solar guides being advertised. The Make natural Power guide is one of these many products that talk about information before starting on the project, a complete step-by-step instruction in making your own solar power generator, complete instructions on how to make a 1000-watt windmill, legal and maintenance information about your new power systems, tips on how to save money on gas and electricity and how to find the cheapest deals for the materials and parts that you will be needing.
I’m not too sure on how that flow of the manual is, though. I prefer that each part be on separate books because if all of the parts are in one manual, it will be a tedious material to carry especially when building the actual panels. I would need a lighter and handier guide book to refer to every once in a while building and constructing.
Also, in the event I need assistance in doing this project, I am not sure if they have an after sales guide or support that I could use.
On a lighter note, they seem to contain everything that you may want to know about building DIY solar panels. It may also be a good tool.
Conclusion:
Anything that would help save the earth has my applause. Although in my opinion they need to be more detailed and consider the comforts and “handiness” in using their product. This may be a fairly good reference in building DIY Solar panels.
How Can I Build A Cheap Solar Panel To Power My Home
Homemade solar power reduces the power bills and protects the environment from depletion. There are many benefits in building homemade solar power. First it saves your money spent in buying costly equipments available in the market to generate electricity from solar power. You can generate the electric power required to easily run all the electrical appliances in your house. You need not produce electricity in surplus. As long as the sun is available we can generate as much electric power as possible.
It is very easy to make homemade solar power.To create solar power at home we need to construct a solar panel. The tools required include solar panel, Rechargeable lead or acid battery, Battery box, DC meter and Inverter.
First you need to purchase a solar panel. The size of the panel depends on how much electricity you are going to generate. Next we go for a rechargeable battery. This battery can be continuously used instead of going for a disposable battery. This battery stores the excess electricity produced when the sky is cloudy.
Next we have to purchase a battery box. This offers protection to the battery when it is recharged. This prevents the batteries from getting damaged.Then a DC meter is used to convert the energy and make it available to all the electrical appliances around your house. If your are going to use the electric power to your household appliances then we need an inverter to convert the DC into AC.
Now the next step is to attach the DC meter to the top of the battery box. Use insulated wires to connect the battery to the DC meter. Don’t forget to connect the DC inlet and the panel to the battery.
Now place the entire setup facing the sunlight. Make sure that it is positioned at a place where there is maximum sunlight. Keep it in the sunlight for more than ten hours to get some home made power. Solar panels are built at home as an alternative means of generating electric current. Solar panels can easily be constructed at home and requires little knowledge of electrical wiring.
Most of the tools are easily available in the shops. Initially it might be slightly difficult but you can learn more from your mistakes. After successful completion you can help out your neighbors to construct a solar panel to create homemade solar power. Since most people are not aware of its benefits you can take some time to help them understand how useful it will be if they had a solar panel to generate current for their home.
What they did before the tumble dryer
Currently, technology has made it possible for people to do their laundry quickly and efficiently. This has been made possible by the use of washing machines and dryers. Laundry can be fully done in less than an hour depending on the amount of clothes you are washing. In the past, this was not possible. Laundry would take at least a day from the time the process begun to when it was finished. A standard tumble dryer is a machine that is used to dry wet clothes. It is very efficient and can dry clothes in a matter of minutes. In the past, such a machine was a dream. However, people still had some ideas that they could implement to dry their clothes quicker than the sun and wind could do.
For starters, in the western part of United States, cowboys had their own method of washing clothes. Since they travelled by day and slept at night, the best way to make sure they have clean outfits was by washing their clothes at night. This gave them the challenge of drying these clothes by morning. To avoid the clothes getting dump and risk mould growing on them, they used to dry them by the fire. A fire was important if wild animals were to be kept at bay. This being the case, it was only prudent for a person to dry their clothes using the same fire that they would use to cook their dinner. In most cases, the clothes were dry by dawn and they could be worn as they were clean. In the event the clothes failed to dry, the wearer had to put them on as irrespective of the level of dampness.
People who used to travel by train found ways and means that they could keep their clothes dry after washing them. Wind is an important factor when it comes to drying clothes. This means that the higher the amount of wind experienced, the quicker clothes would dry. On a train, it would be hard for clothes to get dry if they were hung on the inside. However, hanging them on the outside proved to be a good way to dry the clothes quickly. The wind that passed through the clothes as the train was moving helped dry them up in a few hours. Unfortunately, clothes that were not fastened properly to the body of the train would disappear with the wind.
Normal homesteads also found their own method of drying clothes that were needed urgently. When a person got news that they had to travel immediately, they would need to carry some clothes. In the event the clothes were not clean, they had to wash them and dry them quickly. In homesteads that lacked iron boxes, the only method was to dry the clothes by the fire during the evening. Once the clothes were slightly damp, they would be folded properly and placed under the mattress. The warmth from the body of the person sleeping on them created a drying and ironing effect. Some teenagers still use some of these methods when their drier is broken. The methods work but they are not as efficient as the tumble dryer.
5 Things You Can Do With Your Old Washing Machine
“Good bye old friend, you have served us well, but your services are no longer required” is a sentence heard by millions of washing machines and athletes in different languages across the world. Usually replaced by a younger more efficient model, with no signs of wear and tear, what become of these machines? They can’t exactly become a 2-bit football pundit or scout for other up-and-coming washing machines can they!? Let’s see what can be done to give these loyal bots a new lease of life.
Cooker
Yep! You may think I am insane but you can create a slow cooker from your washing machine! How? By using the drum and some of the mechanisms, you will be able to make a rotating slow cooker that will make great stews, curries and more! So you washing machines can go from cleaning to staining clothes!
Art
These days anything can be art. I wouldn’t be surprised if a picture of someone poo wins the Turner Prize. However, there are artists out there who believe that washing machines make great pieces of art.
Brick
If you are a ‘douche’ you can turn you washing machine on with the door taken off and throw a brick into it. The results of this action are devastating for your washing machines and mean without a considerable repair job it may not ever work again. You can see examples of this on Youtube, but it should be noted that this is not the best thing to do.
Give To Charity
This is the option I would go for. Let’s face it, there are a lot of people in the UK that are on the breadline, and this number is ever increasing. And even if you give your washing machine to a charity that is not related to the UK there are even more people worldwide who would appreciate it. Often the charities will pick it up and at least make a little money from it selling it in their shop.
Music
Believe it or not there is a band called Tonehammer that did an album based on noises made from a washing machine. So it is true you can actually give your loyal friend a singing voice after its washing days are over. Their album was aptly named ‘laundronium’ but critics (me) think that Bathonium would be a more appropriate name, because the album is toilet.
5 Things You Shouldn’t Put In Your Washing Machines
Washing machines, who’d have ‘em ay? Quietly working away, most of us don’t even know they are there! They are just this thing our wives, mums and girlfriends talk about sometimes, right? But, if they go on holiday or leave us because we don’t help with the washing, what do we do? This guide will tell you what not to put in!
1 – Anything That Says Dry-Clean Only
I have made this mistake, well I made two mistakes. Firstly I spent £100 on a Fred Perry Cardigan and secondly I didn’t read that it said dry clean only on it! When it came out of the wash it looked like one of Willow’s cast offs. Moral of the story, don’t ever spend £100 on Fred Perry and always read the washing instructions!
2 – Soiled Pants
Men are stupid. This is why I have put this on the list. If for some reason you or a young child has had an accident, don’t throw the soiled clothes in the wash. Not only will it not wash properly, it will leave a stain, leaving you embarrassed should anybody see it. Or even worse when your poor, unsuspecting child strips off for gym class they will immediately be ‘that kid’, a reputation that can stick for a lifetime, or at least through the rest of their school years.
3 – Delicate Clothing
If you have been left clothes by the missus you need to consider what looks ‘delicate’ and keep those items well away from even top quality washing machines. I am talking silk and anything that feels with a bit of effort you could tear it. My suggestion is don’t even bother trying to wash them! Because a) if they break they are not yours and b) You have probably already forgotten point 2.
4 – Trainers
Have you ever done it? I have and my washing machine was not impressed! Banging about for hours it was, damaging its internal mechanisms and generally causing a racket. Also, it is really hard to get out that final bit of damp and boys being boys we will put them back on when they are not quite dry, thus causing some strongly unpleasant odours to occur in the foot area!
5- Swimming Trunks
If you are, or have been a competitive swimmer, like me, you will know that swimming trunks or ‘speedos’ tend to lose their string when you put them in the washing machine. Also, you are in water all the time with them, why would you need to put them in the wash?!
The DIY Solar Panel Myth Busted
Building solar panels can be a fun and interesting project, however, it’s important to understand what you are dealing with. The homemade built panels should be used for smaller applications such as providing light for a shed, powering small electronics etc. If you are wanting to build high wattage/current solar panels in attempt to provide electricity into your home or a bigger project, this is not recommended. Here is why:
First, homemade solar panels don’t last as long and you will see the efficiency decrease in a shorter period of time. Manufactured solar panels usually come with a 25 year warranty and last considerably longer than homemade panels (25+ years).
Homemade solar panels do not have the proper certifications to qualify for the state and federal tax rebates. Without these certifications, you wouldn’t be compliant with the building/electrical code or insurance companies. It would take thousands of dollars and several months to get your panels listed by a NRTL(Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories).
It could be a fire hazard. You should never put high powered, homemade panels consisting of wood and/or plastic over your home or flammable material. You would want to mount them on bare ground, a concrete surface, etc.
An alternative for off grid or other solar projects is getting blemished solar panels. These type of panels have small blemishes that don’t really affect the output of the panels. You can get these type of panels for $2.50/w up to $4/w including a 25 year warranty. These types of panels are not UL listed. The prices of commercial, UL listed solar panels are currently going for $4-5 per watt.
Here is an entry on the sun electric website regarding this matter:
“The Problem of Do It Your Self Panels. Building your own solar module can be fun and exciting. However if you want to power your building on solar power it is best to purchase manufactured panels. The cost of the materials, time, and labor will cost you more than if you buy a panel that is already guaranteed to produce over 40 years of use with a 25 year warranty. With a manufactured panel you know exactly what you’ll get and you will know that the panel is functioning correctly. In the end you’ll pay more and get less power and life.”
A solar thermal (heating) DIY would be worth looking into if your itching for a solar solution. Solar thermal produces cost effective hot water and reduces the need for gas or electricity to heat water. It’s cheaper to build a solar thermal system, and usually an easier task. Also, the payback time for solar thermal is quicker than solar electric systems.
Lastly, DON’T PAY for those DIY Solar Panel Guides you see polluting the Internet! Your better off just going to a solar forum and learn for free.