Your New Years resolutions should include at least one green features for the coming year. 2009 is the year to go green — It’s never been easier. With more and more people improving their habits, it’s become more appealing than ever to implement an environmentally friendly lifestyle. Green solutions don’t have to mean expensive alternatives. With the popularity of going green on the rise, it’s become cheaper and easier to improve your living habits. For instance, you should try and unplug all the electronics when they aren’t in use. Similarly, try turning off lights you are not using. Try reducing your heater use, and wear extra layers of clothes to keep warm. You should also try and switch from toxic and chemical cleaners to the eco-friendly and home made alternatives to improve the quality of your indoor air.

Try taking an adventure with your local transportation. This is not only a great way of supporting your communities green public transportation efforts, this can also save you money. Another fun and easy way to go green in the year is to invest in energy efficient light bulbs. Purchase some energy monitors and programmable thermostats in order to avoid wasting energy in your home. If your closet is full of clothes you don’t wear anymore, consider donating them to local charities. Doing so will lessen the need for new products in the marketplace, and can offer a sense of gratification for helping people in need. You may also cut the junk mail because this is a secure way to get rid of the clutter. The excess is to be removed because it can block you and make you waste your time and efforts.

Another way to implement a green lifestyle is by eating organic foods and avoiding packaged foods. Such products can be harmful to your body, and depending on the packaging, may be harmful to the environment as well. You play an important part when it comes to stopping the effects of the global warming, and the best way to help is by becoming greener. For instance, if you are planning to go less than 1 mile, try walking instead. This will help the environment, and is a healthy and a fun activity. If you are a smoker, make an effort to quit smoking this new years. Cigarettes are one of many sources of litter. Replace smoking with healthier habits for you as well as the world around you. Organic fruits and veggies are one of many alternatives to help rejuvenate your body.

You have to focus your attention and energy on the things that are related to the environment in order to understand how you can help. For instance, you can join the community supported agriculture program to provide yourself with organic and fresh fruits and vegetables in exchange for a couple of hours work. The key to a great Green New Years Resolution is to match your own talents and interests with a particular green organization to best utilize your efforts in contributing to the improvement of this planet. Greening your community should become one of your top priorities.

Amelia Yap is a mother who is very conscious about global warming and the future or our environment. She has made it her mission to educate others to go green, reduce their carbon foot print, and help save our environment.

You can download her FREE report, “Simple Ways to Go Green and See Green” to see how easy it is to go green and save money along the way.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amelia_Yap

“Food Miles”, the distance our food travels between the farm that produced it and our table. Preliminary estimates in some areas suggest that less than 8.5% of our diet is produced on local farms. While fifteen years ago it was almost double. The environmental pressure that our food transportation produces is enormous. Food that has been locally produced and traveled less “food miles” not only is better for the environment but often tastes better too, Food has to be harvested in a much less mature state so it can “ripen” in transit while locally grown food can “ripen” on the plant. Fortunately people are becoming more aware of the source of their food.

The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Iowa State University, Ames Iowa reported in July 2003, that the weighted average source distance (WASD) for locally locally grown produce to reach institutional markets was 56 miles, while the conventional WASD for the produce to reach those same institutional points of sale was 1,494 miles, nearly 27 times further.

According to Statistics Canada’s, Food Consumption in Canada, imports of food as a percentage of net supply are going up. Between 1964 and 2001, imports of fruits (and fruit products) have gone from 67% to 97% of supply. Imports of vegetables (and vegetable products) have gone from 20% to 48% in the same time period. While dairy products, poultry, and eggs have remained relatively stable, imports of red meat have risen from 4.2% in 1964 to 24% in 2002

Critics tell us that this debate risks turning consumers off imported products from the developing world and fails to take into account the emissions produced by farmers who would fill the market gap.

We know the booming aviation market is also very good for farmers and consumers. The millions of tonnes of flowers, fruit and fish flown around the world every day is staggering. BUT, complex chemical reactions that occur when aviation fuel is burnt at high altitude make aircraft emissions nearly three times as damaging as the carbon dioxide to our environment over ground transport, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

The British Government has the right line of thinking because they would like to reduce the environmental and social costs of food transport by 20 per cent by 2012. The country’s supermarkets are considering labeling produce with “food miles” showing the distance goods have traveled. Some of the large retailers like the US Wal-Mart, has started favoring suppliers that aggressively cut greenhouse gas emissions.

The ideal would be to have a system of labeling that would enable us to compare a product’s carbon footprint just as we currently compare price or nutritional value.

Take a minute to think of how many shopping carts are passing through supermarket checkouts each and every minute of every day in your country. How much precious fossil fuel is being burned up and added to the critical state of our atmosphere every single day to get this food to the shopping carts. Buying locally grown food, or taking the responsibility of growing some of your own food is no longer just a lifestyle option, it’s becoming a necessity for life itself. We all need to do our part if our children and grandchildren are going to have a safe place to live.

The most efficient way of producing our own food consists in the use of hydroponics systems. Using a hydroponic system such as the ebb and flow system, Nutrient film Technique, aeroponics, etc. which recycle the nutrient solution can save up to 80% of the water over a soil system. The plants can grow 30%-50% faster and you can grow as much as 3 times many plants in the same space.

Learn more about growing hydropoinc produce for your family at http://www.hydroponicsgarden-howto.com – you will find information on the different hydroponics systems and how to build your own. Get details on growing herbs and other produce indoors.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carm_Paynter

For solar energy, as well, there are kits which kids can put together and experiment with– some for as low as $7.99. Here are a few examples:

And finally, a ‘toy’ that will appeal to many of us no-longer-kids as well: a solar powered car!

Or for a gift that blows away all the nintendo nonsense, there’s this Thames and Kosmos Fuel Cell Car and Experiment Kit:

Whether you buy a kit or simply fashion a few home grown experiments from instructions readily available for free on the web (such as building this simple solar still, or building your own solar panel), trying out a few green energy solutions with your– or someone else’s– kids is a great way make your holidays, and holiday gift giving greener.

Your cottage, farm or even city home can be lighted with electricity generated by the wind. Even if you are far from a power line you need not be without power. Wind power is also one of the green forms of energy generation which does no harm to our environment. It is in fact probably the cleanest form of power generation which can be harnessed at reasonable cost.Solar energy is also very “clean” but solar panels are costly and have low power output.

Commercially made wind power plants are available but are quite costly.The simple solution to this problem is to build your own wind power generator.If you have room on your property you could build several units for the price of one commercial unit.Any excess power which you generate can be sold to your power company in many areas now.

This wind power generator which can be built from plans is the lowest cost unit which you will find anywhere.Our review of the others shows that they cost much more.This machine is built from new or used auto parts and a few odds and ends.It generates as much power as the more expensive alternatives.Building one of these generators is also much simpler.It is very reliable and will work for years with only routine servicing.

Some people think that you need to have powerful winds blowing most of the time to generate much electric power.Nothing could be further from the truth.Light winds or breezes do generate power which you can store in storage batteries.

Wind power was very popular in the 1930 to 1950 period.Many people used this to generate power or to do other tasks such as pumping water from a well.People were very cost conscience in those harder times. At present in these times of abundance most people do not feel it necessary to keep costs to a minimum and will happily pay the power company for their needs every month.

A new age of wind power is now upon us when the necessity is to produce “green” power which does no harm to our environment. Many areas in the USA and elsewhere now have large scale wind power generation plants in operation and many more are scheduled to be built.

Small wind turbine generators are the shape of things to come. Many consumers are now installing them to generate at least part of the power they consume. If power lines are distant from your residence generating your own power is the only way to supply your needs.

The average home workshopper can easily build a wind power generator using just simple tools and used auto parts.It will turn out as much power as an expensive commercial wind turbine.You can build several for the cost of one commercial model.If you generate more power than you use you can sell it to the power company in many areas.Now is the time to build your own wind power turbine generator.

Sustainable Living Articles @ http://www.articlegarden.com

About John Mowatt:
John Mowatt is a retired businessman who is interested in wind power as a way to preserve the environment. Like To know more about building yopur own wind power generator?? Click here for more info. greenwindpowerturbine.com

Are you overwhelmed by the thought of all the changes you’d have to make to your life to be as green-as-you-wannabe? Join the club and stop beating yourself up. Sure your neighbor, friend, sister in law, favorite Hollywood star is so green they’re growing algae in their pool to make biodiesel. Yes, I know that even Republicans are talking about maybe doing something – somewhere in the future – about climate change and the price of gas. And I’m also painfully aware of how you can be ostracized if you haven’t gone vegan, adopted a square mile of rainforest and saved a whale before breakfast.

But don’t get your 100% organic, no-sweat shop, fair trade knickers in a twist. Relax. You can do this. After all, remember how hard it was to remember zip codes when they first came out? You don’t? Hmm, well, I do. I’m that old. If I, at my advanced age, can change my lifestyle to protect the planet, improve my health and do the right thing, so can you.

The problem is that most people go for the instant makeover and try to adopt a completely eco-conscious, sustainable lifestyle, as if it’s a wardrobe that you can buy at the local big box store. The impossibility of doing this leads to feeling like a failure, discouragement, overspending and being overwhelmed to the point where you just want to give up. Don’t.

Sit down, pour yourself a cup of that green tea you bought because Oprah recommended it and get some perspective on the whole Eco Thing. The earth has been ticking over for a long time with very little help from the human race. It’ll manage to survive for a few minutes while you plan your change to a healthier, more eco-conscious lifestyle. Trust me.

Decide, first of all, where you want to put your effort. Do you want to go out and picket the big corporations who are raping the earth or would you rather start with something more manageable like changing the brand of coffee you drink? How about starting with something that can have a big impact on the earth and your family’s health? If you’re still using conventional cleaners and household chemicals, switch to green brands.

Figure out where you spend the most time, which foods you eat the most of, which products you apply the most to your skin and hair. Then, gradually, not all at once, replace them with healthier, more earth-friendly options. You don’t have to go crazy, throw out everything in your house and replace it all in one swell foop. There’s no law that says you can’t do it in more wallet-friendly stages.

But, you say, my friends are dissing me because I drive an SUV and my kids’ school friends are accusing them of trashing the planet because they haven’t gone totally vegan yet. Well, it sounds like you need new friends and now you know one reason I home school. (Kids can be so cruel, especially when they’re cooped up in little rooms and don’t get to go outside and play and socialize.)

If you can trade in your SUV, do it, that is, if you don’t need it because of your location or the weather where you live. (I can’t. And I can’t afford to move either, not until house prices go up again.) Don’t judge yourself so harshly. Just take one step at a time toward a healthier, greener lifestyle on your own terms, not anyone else’s.

Someday, you’ll look around and realize that there isn’t a piece of plastic in your house and composting is just second nature to you and you’ll know that you’ve done it. You’ve gone totally Green without spending a fortune or having a nervous breakdown. But first, finish your tea.

It’s not easy being Green, but you’ll find lots of help at Lill’s List. Save the earth. Save money. Get healthier and happier with information from http://lillslist.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lill_Hawkins

As the prices of oil and gas continues to go up and up, the installation of solar panels is giving many families solace and stability. The sun offers an almost infinite source of energy. No wonder so many people are rushing to install solar panels. Indeed, their popularity is increasing so rapidly that manufacturers of solar panels are having difficulty keeping up with demand.

Two Types Of Solar Panels

Predominantly, solar panels come in two types. There are solar energy panels in the form of ’solar thermal collectors’. These focus solar energy into a liquid medium, usually water, heating the liquid that is then utilized as and where it is required. The other of the two types of solar panels is known as the photovoltaic module. These solar panels convert the sun’s energy into electricity, which can then be distributed immediately or stored within a battery to be used later.

Solar panels have been commonplace for decades. Think of calculators and watches. Many swimming pools have been heated using solar panels for years. These days, the electricity to homes and offices often comes from the cleaner alternative energy source of bigger, better, more efficient solar panels.

The influence of solar panels has spread so wide that even the National Grid take some of their power from solar energy panels.

How Do Solar Panels Work?

Both photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal solar panels are made of special materials, most frequently silicon. They act as semiconductors. When sunlight hits the solar energy panels, some of the energy is absorbed within the semiconductor material. That energy knocks electrons within the silicon loose, allowing them to flow freely.

Once the electric fields within solar panels are freed by light energy, they force electrons to flow in one specific way. This flow of electrons is also known as a current. By simply placing metal contacts on the top and bottom of the solar energy panels, the current can be drawn off as electricity to be used externally.

The solar panels have built-in electric fields that, when combined with the current described above, will give us what we call a wattage. That is how we define the overall power of the solar panels.

Why Solar Panels?

There are lots of great reasons to install solar panels in your house. Top of the list is the huge savings you will make on your utility bills. Many people feel good that they are reducing their carbon footprint. Solar panels give off almost zero carbon dioxide emission. Solar panels reduce our carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 1.2 million tonnes per annum.

Another benefit is the freedom of not being tied to the National Grid. With solar panels fully fitted, power cuts and unexpectedly increased electricity bills become a thing of the past.

Solar panels are perfect for those living in remote areas with limited coverage by the National Grid.

Installing Solar Panels On Your Home

Though there are some very good guides to making your own solar panels and then installing them into your home on a DIY basis, it is advisable to seek out a professional solar panels installation company. Ideally, the installers of your solar panels should be certified by the Low Carbon Buildings Program.

It is not advisable to try to install solar panels without full training. Make certain that your solar panels conform to the local standards laid out by the authorities there. There is a number of complex technical electrical issues to be resolved as well as full safety codes required.

Because of their weight, solar panels often need to be attached to a separate roofing support system.

Professional installers of solar panels should have gone through all the red tape and complicated issues so you don’t have to.

Getting Planning Permission For Solar Panels Installation

Solar panels are most frequently fitted to the roof or along an external wall of the home. Be sure to check with the local council before doing this. The local authorities in most countries agree that it is acceptable to install roof mounted solar panels. Some places do require detailed listed criteria though.

In England, for example, solar panels of up to 100mm in depth can be laid across a tilted roof without requiring planning permission. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland the local authorities have not finalized their legislation relating to solar energy panel, so be sure to check before you go rushing in.

The Outlook For Solar Panels

As people become more and more aware of global warming and climate change, so the demand for good quality solar panels is increasing. The momentum among people is to move away from old-school fossil fuels in favor of alternative, more sustainable energy options. These include hydrogen, hydro-electricity, solar power, wind and wave.

Solar power is one of the most bountiful of the possible energy supplies that we have here on Planet Earth. As the technology behind solar panels improves in terms of their efficiency, so the cost of installing solar panels is falling. When added to a range of governmental subsidies, tax credits, rebates and grants, the widespread installation of solar panels onto the average householder’s roof is becoming more and more realistic. As the prices are falling further thanks to local competition in the marketplace, so, it would seem that the future of solar panels is very bright indeed.

Sustainable Living Articles @ http://www.articlegarden.com

Although solar technology has been around for years, it has only been recently adopted on a large consumer scale. If you are interested in buying solar panels, you are probably asking yourself ‘How do I know how much energy my panels will yield’?

There are several factors determining the amount of electricity a solar panel unit will generate, some are fixed and some vary, depending on location and time. Fortunately, all factors are predictable, making buying and using solar technologies a safe investment.

5 Factors Determining Your Solar Panels’ Output:

1. Panel’s Maximal Output – what differentiates solar panels from one another is their maximum electrical output, measured in Watts. This figure can range from a couple of Watts for pocket-size panels, up to 240Watts for large panels. The most popular panels as of today have a 120Watts max output. The maximum electricity output of a panel is reached under specific conditions – at noon, when the sun is perpendicular to the earth’s surface, under clear skies, with the solar panel tilted at an optimal angle, facing south-word.
2. Weather Conditions – one of the most significant varying factor is weather conditions. Clouds,haze and fog, block some the suns’ energy from reaching the surface of the panel. Clear days can easily bring your solar system to its maximum theoretical output.
3. Time of Day – exactly at noon time, the solar energy hitting earth is at its maximum. Even in the early hours of the day or late in the afternoon, your system produces energy. During the summer, with longer days and more sunny hours, your system will be more efficient than during shorter winter days.
4. Equatorial Distance – the distance from the equator has significant impact on the amount of solar energy reaching your solar panel. The closer you are to the equator, the more electricity your solar panels generate.
5. Installed Tilt Angle – your solar systems’ tilt angle will have an effect on your solar panels’ efficiency. The optimal angle varies from location to location, depending on the latitude. The optimal tilt angle also depends on your specific energy requirements – do you want to have higher efficiency during the summer or the winter? During noon time or in early morning hours?

The great thing about solar energy technology is that since it has been around for many years, we can easily predict how effective your solar panels will be. All the factors – both fixed and variable – can be calculated based on historical data, and provide an accurate picture of your solar systems’ future energy generation. This is very important in calculating the time to return your investment.

When you contact your local solar panels dealer, make sure he provides you with a clear forecast on your systems’ effectiveness. Throw in the cost of grid electricity, along with incentives provided by your local authorities, and you should get the magic number – the duration of your ROI.

ThetaNoon is a global solar energy systems tracking service,available at : http://thetanoon.appspot.com/
For solar systems (P.V., thermo-solar etc.) owners, it provides real-time system output tracking, maintain historical data. For those interested in using solar technologies, ThetaNoon provides an insight into real-world, production solar systems, such as solar panels and solar water heaters. You can find real-world solar systems in your area and easily estimate the productivity of your own system. We also encourage our members to interact, ask questions and get informed from existing solar energy users’ experience. To learn more about real-world solar systems, visit: http://thetanoon.appspot.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_H._Ben