Residential Solar Energy:Build A Home Solar Panel

Building your own home Solar Panel is possible, if you know how! Click Here For Videos and More Information! Yes, you can build your own home solar panel, and see how the sun’s energy can be converted to electric. The most efficient panels are actually made with silicon, but you can build your own home solar panel by using cuprous oxide, a material known to cause light to be turned into electricity. Using a thin sheet of copper, you can get your cuprous oxide. Here's how:.

Click Here For Videos and More Information on home Solar Panel building!

Ok, here's what you need to make your own home solar panel: You will need about one square foot of thin copper plate, two alligator clips and short leads of wire, a wide mouth glass jar, tap water and salt. A voltmeter, which measures small amounts of electricity will detect the end result. Building your own solar panel means you will need some sort of electric stove or hot plate to heat the copper sheeting. Place the copper sheet on the burner and turn it on high and let it sit there for about 30 minutes. As it heats, you see the plate turn colors and the heat will show the outline of the heating coil underneath the plate. As it gets hotter it will start to turn a dark color until the whole sheet has a very dark, even black coating.

When the sheet is entirely black, turn off the burner and let it sit to cool for about 20 minutes. As the the cuprous oxide cools the black coating will begin to pop off the sheet, leaving a thinnish coating of red on the copper. This red coating is needed to build your own solar panel, and while the majority of the black can be rinsed off under running water, it should not be brushed clean.

Salt Water actually Helps Produce The Electricity for your home solar panel. By using the alligator clips, connect the copper sheet to one the top of one side of the glass jar. Attach the other clean copper sheet to the other side of the jar. Combine 2 tablespoons table salt into hot water, mix well, cool, making sure it dissolves and then pour it into the jar. Be cautious that the water does not get on the alligator clips. The two copper sheets should be under water with about 1 inch exposed at the top of the car to build your own solar panel.

Your home solar panel is almost done. Carefully, carefully, place the entire item in the sun-light, that means either through the window or outside ,exposed to the sun. If you were able to build your home solar panel, you can see the meter indicate the power being generated by sunlight. Using the voltmeter connect the leads to the two alligator clips. Now the sun's energy from your solar panel is yours to use! You can feel pride!!! Click Here For Solar Panel Videos and More Information

Our Energy Ravenous Planet Needs Renewable Resources

The globe as it is today is an energy hungry place and we need to be researching renewable supplies of energy to supply that thirst. We also need to get better ways of utilizing the present-day sustainable energy technology that are already in place. We should all be worried about the impact that is being put on our world and how the high cost of energy is affecting us. Regrettably a lot of energy is squandered every day and we need to take a look at ways we can be more conservative in our usage. We should open our eyes and make ourselves more conservative about our usage. There are working propositions to these concerns but how willing and able have people been to apply these solutions at the present.

One of the more popular forms of sustainable energy is wind power. The cost of the power it produces is getting very aggressive with conventional methods of energy output such as coal and natural gas. Power used to be created by windmills in the past on the family farm for many years. The rural landscape used to be spotted with them to provide power to pump water. It is a known fact nowadays that the states of Texas, Kansas, and North Dakota have adequate wind to furnish power for the whole U.S.

Another sustainable enegy source that has gotten much press is corn. The ethanol that is made from corn is a clean burning energy source and crops can be grown year after year so it is inexhaustible but at what price. The price of corn has gone up as the result of this, which is good for the farmer but bad for the consumer. There are better alternative to corn and one of them is prairie grass. In reality it generates more energy per acre than corn. Plus you don’t have to cultivate it because it grows wild. All you have to do is harvest and process it and no fertilizer or chemicals are used.

Solar power is another green energy source that we are hearing more about and seeing being utilized. You have the solar panels which convert sunlight into electricity and solar water heater to produce hot water. I recently read an article in a solar energy magazine about a family that installed a solar energy system on their home. They lived in Seattle. Of all the place in the world to put up a solar installation. Believe or not they had a respectable payback. Even though this is a very cloudy rainy area the ROI was almost unbelievable.

Solar power offers the chance for people to take charge of their own energy independence and self-sufficiency. This would allow a shift from centralized power production to decentralization. Think about it there hasn't been a lot of money spent on the research and development so costs remain high and the cause doesn't advance. It seems the corporate environment definitely like to be in control.

Regardless there are many alternatives that are now being explored because we know we can't stay dependent on the oil pipeline forever. We need to get smart about what we are doing with our energy situation and begin to implement a new energy agenda. We need to look to future generations and how it is going to benefit them. Do your part in helping to make renewable energy a bigger reality today.

You can learn more about solar panels, wind turbines , and other forms of sustainable energy sources by doing more research on the Net about the subject that intrigues. Be green and help keep the globe healthy and vibrant for future generations.

 

How Does Geothermal Energy Become Electricity

The main forms of renewable energy that most people see and hear about are solar energy and wind power, but there is another major power source that will soon be demanding attention. It has already been used to provide power to 1.2 million homes in the United States. It has far greater potential and to both heat and provide electricity to homes and is yet to be properly utilized. That's about to change.

Geothermal energy comes from a variety of sources of heat within the earth: the planet core, decay of naturally occurring substances within the crust and movement of continental plates as they slide against and underneath each other. Volcanoes, hot springs and steam vents represent the easily accessible points to this energy but most geothermal energy is trapped under the earth’s crust and must be accessed by drilling into the resource and harnessing the energy. The thermal energy in the uppermost 6 miles of the earth’s crust contains 50,000 times the energy of all the world’s gas and oil resources.

What Is Geothermal Energy?

Geothermal energy is the heat stored below the earth’s surface. In some parts of the world where the earth’s surface is cracked or thin, steam and molten rock can escape. These are usually locations of high seismic activity such as earthquakes and volcanoes. If water finds its way into these cracks, it becomes heated and may come to the surface as geysers, fumaroles, hot springs and mud pots.

Parts of USA, New Zealand, Japan and Europe have high geothermal activity. Electricity is generated using high grade geothermal energy such as geysers, mud pots, hot dry rocks and fumaroles. Geothermal energy can also be used as a heating source, for example in Iceland hot water is brought to the surface through a bore , then sent through insulated pipes into homes and radiator panels which provide heat. Over 80% of homes in Iceland are heated this way.

Although geothermal energy doesn’t pollute the air with greenhouse gases, there are other environmental concerns about its use. Scientists are not sure how the long-term use of this resource could affect our underground water supplies. Some geothermal tourist attractions at Rotorua in New Zealand have already suffered a decline in surface activity due to the draw-off of geothermal fluid from the underground reservoir by domestic and commercial uses.

Geothermal energy can be broken down into 4 main types – Geothermal energy can be broken down into 4 main types – hot dry rock, geopressured, hydrothermal and magma.

Hydrothermal

Hydrothermal is the only source used to generate commercially viable energy and is derived from hot water and steam formed in porous or fractured rock at relatively moderate depths from 100 metres to 5 kilometres.

The hot water and steam come from the intrusion of molten magma into the earth’s crust or the deep circulation and heating of groundwater through faults and fractures.

To generate electricity, hot water at temperatures ranging from 180 – 250 degrees Celsius is brought from the underground reservoir to the surface through production wells and is flashed to steam in special vessels by release of pressure. The steam is separated from the liquid and fed into a turbine engine which turns a generator. Ensuring the water levels are not depleted, the used geothermal water is returned to the reservoir.

Geopressured

Geopressured energy is derived from hot, pressurised waters containing dissolved methane, trapped at depths of three to six kilometres in sedimentary formations. The water temperature ranges from 90°C to 200°C.

Energy in 3 forms can be derived from geopressured sources – thermal energy from the hot water, hydraulic energy from the high pressure, and chemical energy from burning the dissolved methane.

Magma

The prospect of using magma directly has still not been exploited. Found at depths from between 3 and 10 kilometers below the earth's surface, magma is molten rock reaching temperatures up to 1200°C. Magma is only accessible where volcanic activity or tectonic plate movement occurs.

Hot Dry Rock

In certain cases granite at a depth of 3 to 5 kilometers under the earth's surface can get to 250°C. Unlike hydrothermal resources, the fractures and faults required to conduct water to the surface are not present, therefore water must be pumped into the rock at high pressure to create an artificial underground reservoir of steam or hot water.

A number of development projects continue into attempting to make use of hot dry rock to create electricity but factors such as cost and questions about resistance of the reservoir to flow, water loss and thermal drawdown remain. As the cost of producing geothermal using hot dry rock technology keeps coming down it will soon be an economically viable option.

The Future Prospect of Geothermal Energy in the US

An exciting new development in the future of geothermal energy in the United States has just been announced by the Department of the Interior who have promised to make 190 million acres of federal land available for geothermal power development. This is good news because the proposed land includes no environmentally sensitive areas such as national parks or designated wilderness areas.

An estimation of something like 5,500 MW of electricity from geothermal power will be generated by 2015. It’s a positive move that will promote a form of renewable energy that has been used for years, but perhaps not to its full potential.

CSP - Solar Thermal Electricity

There are predominantly two types of solar power generation methods used to produce electricity on a commercial scale. Photovoltaic panels uses the sunlight to directly produce electricity by using solar cells set in photovoltaic modules. Concentrating solar power (CSP) uses thermal solar power, the heat of the sun, to produce environmentally friendly energy.

It’s the way in which concentrating solar power plants produce electricity that we will concentrate on here. CSP plants are capable of producing electricity at a higher maximum capacity than a photovoltaic facility of the same size. As renewable energy becomes more prevalent, we will see more concentrating solar power plants get developed.

The four main comercially productive concentrating solar power systems are: parabolic troughs, dish / engine systems, fresnel reflectors and central receiver systems. Each of these technologies have been proven and are currently in operation around the world with more developments in solar power in progress to increase global capacity.

Parabolic troughs use mirrors to direct sunlight onto a fluid-filled receiver positioned in directly in front of each trough. The heat generated from this process heats the fluid to high levels so that super-charged steam is created. This steam is then directed into a conventional steam generator to produce electricity.

A trough-based CSP plant typically consists of rows of mirrored troughs placed parallel to each other along a north-south axis in what is known as a collector field. The troughs pivot as they follow the sun to ensure that it is continuously focused on the receiver tubes. Thermal storage is also used to allow electricity generation to continue even when the sun is not available. Technological advancements are continuing to prolong this production period in a bid to move to continuous solar electricity production.

Power plants known as Andasol 1, Andasol 2 and Andasol 3 in Spain all use the parabolic trough design, forming a combined 150MW solar power plant. The surface area of the mirrors used to form the energy collection field of Andasol 3 alone is around 500,000m2.

Fresnel reflectors provide a more concentrated focus of solar energy onto centrally placed receivers. This is a simpler system to the parabolic trough system with fewer moving parts and the rows can be positioned closer together. The receiver is stationary and it is shared by several mirrors.

An example of a recently commissioned CSP plant using reflector technology is the Kimberlina CSP plant in California developed by Ausra. This power plant is relatively small at only 5MW capacity, but it paves the way for future large-scale developments.

Dish / engine systems are stand-alone units that contain dish-shaped parabolic mirrors that concentrate the sun’s energy onto a receiver mounted above the dish. From there the energy is converted into mechanical power and electricity is generated similar to the way a mechanical engine runs. Each dish / engine unit has a capacity of around 25kW of solar power and it tracks the sun to ensure optimum power.

An example of the dish / engine technology is the Stirling Energy Systems dish called the Suncatcher. It will be used in fields of thousands to form a power facility capable of generating over 500MW of electricity.

Central receiver systems are also known as power towers. Looking as though they're honoring a higher deity, thousands of mirrors called heliostats cluster around a receiver that sits on top of a tall tower. The heat that is collected by the receiver then heats molten salt as it flows through which is then used to make steam that operates a conventional steam generator. The molten salt can be stored for great lengths of time which means that this type of solar energy generates electricity continuously around the clock.

Solar One, Solar Two and the latest power tower, Solar Tres are all examples of central receiver systems. The Solar Tres power plant will be a 15MW facility and it follows on from the successful demonstration power plant known as Solar Two which was located in the Mojave Desert.

Opponents of solar energy cite cost as a limiting factor, but this is being overcome thanks to technological advancements. Already, concentrating solar power plants hold a huge advantage over the traditional fossil fuelled counterparts in the lower impact to the environment. In fact, one of the only impacts that concentrating solar power plants have on the environment is land use.

There continues to be solid progress made in ways in which renewable energy is used to replace traditional energy sources. Concentrating solar power has proven to be a renewable energy source with still more untapped potential

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: We need to each do more... our planet depends on it

http://www.rustic-lodge-lifestyle.com/index.html

We live in a throw-away society

We're wasteful. Not just on an individual level, but on a much broader scale as well. Our lifestyle is just not sustainable in terms of the world's resources we consume.

The subject of unnecessary waste in our society came sharply into focus for my wife and me over the last couple of years due to numerous trips to take garbage to the county dump.

When we were renovating our cabin we took construction scrap to the dump on a regular basis (along with our wet garbage). We began to notice a considerable number of perfectly good items that had been thrown out. After observing this for a while (and rescuing numerous perfectly good items along the way), we started to ask, "What can we do about it?"

We changed our lifestyle to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Although we may think we can't make a difference individually, small steps taken on an individual level can and do make a difference. We must each do our own small part to minimize the waste and excess consumption in our society. Change is possible... indeed, it's absolutely necessary.

One of the most challenging aspects of taking steps in this direction is the constant bombardment from the media... the non-stop stream of powerful advertising attempting to convince us that we need the latest and greatest gadgets, toys, electronics, cars, and on and on. It's a powerful and extremely effective influence.

And it seems that, unfortunately, a lot of people are too lazy and/or simply don't think about the fact that something that they are throwing away could be used and appreciated by someone else. Nor do they think about the landfill being taken up by perfectly good and useful items.

Our dump experience spawned the idea of a series of short video vignettes that would highlight this sad situation. Yes, it's a serious topic, but we wanted to have a little fun with it in order to highlight the number of perfectly good items that we saw at the dump every week. Thus was born "Adventures with Fitzgerald the Dump Truck". The episodes can be seen on the Rustic Lodge Lifestyle home page.

What can you do?

Are you concerned about rampant consumerism and the corresponding waste? If so consider taking some of the following steps:

Turn off

Break free of the insidious power of commercials by limiting your exposure to them... and if you have children, this is even more important. Setting a good example is paramount in teaching the next generation that it is not necessary to have the newest, most recent model of everything!

Teach them that happiness does not come from a store! We don't expose ourselves to the onslaught of commercial messages. We rarely watch TV, we listen to public radio, and have very few subscriptions to magazines that come to the house.

Consequently we are blissfully unaware of so much of the product marketing and thus are not even tempted to rush out to buy this or that "must have" gizmo. We've never had a TV at our country lodge, so when the grandchildren visit, there is no temptation to watch it... it just isn't part of the "lodge experience".

Critically assess your habits

What are you throwing away? Get in the habit of looking critically at all of your household waste. Is it really garbage? Can it be put to good use by someone else? Can you compost your wet garbage? Are you recycling everything that is possible to recycle? We have two or three charities that call us regularly to ask if we have any donations they can pick up. Some of them let us know we can call them any time for an additional pickup of clothing and household items. Check for charities that offer this service in your area.

Taking this simple step would see items such as toys (we've seen full boxes of perfectly good stuffed toys at the dump - some brand new with the tags still on), other toys, bikes, chairs, lamps, tables and other furniture, and much more, put to good use.

Episode one of the "Fitzgerald" series highlights many of the items that we rescued from the dump. Other episodes show many perfectly good items that had been thrown away, but which we personally didn't take.

Challenge each other

Families can get together and set up challenges to minimize waste. At the office, organize a waste awareness day. Get your boss involved... or if you are the boss, you set the tone. Even neighborhoods can activate to increase awareness.

These are just a few suggestions to start the creative juices flowing. Each one of us must start taking individual responsibility to reduce the resource footprint on our fragile planet. Reducing our personal waste by limiting unnecessary consumerism, and through reuse and recycling are important actions we must all take.

Simple Steps to an Eco-Friendly Home

by Beverly Clarke

Everyone’s worried about the environment.The news shows it every day.  The planet is in trouble and we're running out of time.

You may be thinking that there's just no hope, with all of the bad news.One person doing something can't make a difference.  Don't despair.  There's still a lot that can be done starting with your eco-friendly home.

The first thing to do is to look around and see where you can cut waste.Requiring a huge amount of energy, which is very hard on the environment, is heating and cooling a home.  In the summer time, try closing curtains and using fans instead of the air conditioner.  Don't just mindlessly turn on the system on the first hot day of the year and leave it running for the rest of the season.It's important to be aware of the weather outside your door.Is turning on your AC really necessary, or can you manage without it.Often feeling better, is a warm breeze running through a room in place of a closed up cool one.

Layer on the sweaters and lower the thermostat is what you should be doing in winter.It feels good to wrap yourself in a warm and cozy blanket when you are reading or watching television.Better for the environment it certainly is and it's feeling good too.

The area of water usage is another where your home can be made to be more eco-friendly.Ultr low-flush toilets should be in place in your home.  Install low-flow shower heads and aerators on your sinks.Still doing the job well, these units use much less water.

Only when you have a full load of laundry or dirty dishes, is the time to be running your washing machine or dishwasher.  Anything less is wasteful.Why not hang your laundry out to line dry when it comes out of the washer?No matter what fabric softener you use, it can never be as clean-smelling as laundry that has been dired outdoors.

Speaking of fabric softener and other cleaning products, you might want to look through your collection and take the ones containing dangerous chemicals to the next hazardous waste drop off day.Using harsh cleaning chemicals is one of the biggest contributors to indoor air pollution.

General cleaning requires only vinegar, baking soda and hot water.Simply using a bit of dish soap to cut through grease, is all you need for a clean, safe home!

The eco-friendly home is not hard to achieve.The problem seems overwhelming, but remember that it took millions of bad choices to get us here.To get us out, will take millions of good ones.

Beverly Clarke is a writer and Interior Designer living in South Florida.Making a contribution to a cleaner world is in what she is most interested. She offers many facts and ideas on  how to help save our environment through the use of alternative fuels and by recycling just about everything.

Going Green? Read the Solar Energy Facts

We hear about solar energy on an nearly daily basis.  But are we hearing real solar energy facts or is there are lot of talk filled with opinions which cannot be backed up with hard evidence.  Since this is becoming a hot political topic there are many solar energy facts out there which are not quite as substantiated as we are lead to believe.

One of the reasons why solar power is so topical is because it is a renewable energy source.  This means that, unlike energy which is dug or drilled out of the ground, it is not going to run out. 

Another important solar energy fact is that it is a clean energy source.This means that it does not increase levels of hazardous greenhouse gases and it does not produce any other emissions which are currently believed to be dangerous to our ecosystem.

Solar energy facts concerning its versatility are a bit vaguer.  This is due to the current problems with efficiency and storage.  If you are considering converting to solar power completely you may want a solar powered car.  This is possible, but you will probably find that you are going to have a difference in performance levels between your traditionally fuelled car and your solar powered.  So it is true that you can have a solar powered car, but there will be sacrifices.

So if you wanted to go green and have everything solar powered, would it be possible?  Well, one important solar energy fact is that manufacturers are cashing in on the idea and they are pricing solar energy powered products much higher than traditionally powered similar products.

So is solar energy cheaper to run?  This is a maze of information and extracting the solar energy facts of this one is not easy.  Once solar energy systems are installed they are cheaper to run.The sun will shine for free and every time she shows her face you will be acquiring power to either use, store or sell.  In some areas you can sell your excess solar power back to your local energy supplier.  This all sounds very good, but there are a lot of upfront costs which you will have to recoup before you are making a profit, so don’t get too excited too quickly.  The only way to truly establish if you could run solar powered without breaking the bank is to get one of the solar powered companies to come and do a home assessment.  During this they will advise you of the work which would be required to convert your home to solar power.  This should include the cost parts and the amount of energy you are likely to be able to produce.  Most companies will be able to review your current energy use and be able to tell you if you will be short and need to top up with traditional sources of energy or if you will be selling back to the local supplier.

One solar energy fact you can be sure of is that solar energy is here to stay.  We just don’t know what percentage of our energy usage will be solar and how quickly this change over will happen.

Carbon Footprint Awareness Is Important

Many of us cruise through our daily lives completely oblivious to such things as a carbon footprint. The products we use have an impact on the crisis of global warming and add to the greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere. Our day to day lives are led in such a way that we simply don't have the time or inclination to stop and wonder how our actions affect the larger picture.

Here's just a personal example of how our energy use is taken for granted. Our multiple digital clocks run in our houses 24 hours a day – we’ve got one on the microwave, one on the conventional oven, one on the CD player, one on the stereo and one in each of our three bedrooms, all of them drawing passive energy and we don’t even give it a thought. It’s just one of the assumed “rights” of living in a modern affluent society, we may not use it but we don’t mind paying for it regardless. It may be a little shocking for some people to learn exactly what the level of carbon emissions they produce each year is, as well as the added costs they are incurring simply by being blase about the little things.

You Can’t Change What You Don’t Know

I like that sentence, it neatly sums up a whole range of human instincts and precisely describes one of the roadblocks in front of those trying to educate people on the importance of reducing our carbon footprint. It only takes a gentle reminder that there are consequences for the actions taken on a daily basis that people begin to realise that there is a need to change.

It's only when you find out that the yearly average carbon dioxide production for running a car stands at two and a half tonnes that it hits home that there may be a problem. It also allows you to then set a goal to lower your number for the next year. Now you have given yourself a goal that can be quantified with the possibility of aiming to achieve. Without the calculation of your carbon footprint you would be resigned to stating that you produce some (or a lot of) carbon dioxide. Trying to produce less in the future would be next to impossible to gauge.

The fact that there is also a corresponding cost benefit to reducing your carbon footprint size should have people flocking to the cause.The cost benefit in question is an actual dollar saving! Fortunately, the word is slowly getting out there while, with any luck, the levels of carbon dioxide aren't.

Building A Wind Generator Can Reduce Utility Bills

Inflation in the price of utilities, like electricity and gas, is provoking a rethink on using alternative methods to generate power. If you have taken a car journey to any remote parts of the country, you will porbably have seen banks of wind turbines scattered acros the countryside or even in parts of the sea. You certainly wouldn't miss one as the are generally group togther and are large pylons with a turning rotor on the top. The rotors are moved by the strength of the wind that is converted to electrical energy by a generator. This is sold to homeowners by the utility companies.

Many people are looking at building a wind generator that makes electricity to offset their normal energy use. This can save them a bit of money on utility bills and lessen the reliance on fossils fuels to power their home. This short article will detail the initial planning, viability and how to make a home built wind generator.

Why a Home Built Wind Generator ?

Traditionally, a wind generator has been used in the home when it is fairly remote and is not connected to the grid. As a general guideline, your home needs a clear, unobstructed area of land to construct the wind generator. Other ways to generate energy and often used alongside wind power. Thus it can be used in combination with another energy generating system, like a gas powered generator or, more commonly these days, a solar power system.

The advantage of having a solar/wind energy generating set up is that the wind can work at all times but is more likely to be effective when the sun is down and the solar power system doesn't work. Thus you have a energy creating system 24/7.

Two considerations when it comes to wind generators for the home is that you have enough wind and enough space. If you live in a built up area then it is a good idea to consider any concerns your neighbors may have about a large construction close to their home. By letting your neighbors know of your plans they are more likely to be agreeable during the construction.

Kit Versus Do It Yourself

The next question is whether to buy a kit or do it yourself. The basic argument for each option comes down to the cost. A kit will cost more but you will probably find it easier to put up and may well save time on the project. The vendor may even offer a service to erect the wind turbine if you are not inclined to do DIY projects.

A home built system will be cheaper to make but will be harder to build and will probably take more time to complete. This depends on your level of expertise in DIY. You can make your job easier by getting one of the many DIY guides that are available now.

A home built wind power system that is based on one of these guides can be completed for around $200 which represents a considerable cost saving over a pre made kit or even a professionally erected system.

The quantity of power your wind generator will create depends on the amount of wind that you get and the size of the generator. Where you live and the wind conditions can determine whether a generator may just reduce your utility bill by a few dollar each month or be a significant source of your energy needs.

Get more information on a step by step guide to building your own wind generator and a solar power system at Earth 4 Energy Videos and many other facts and figures about alternative energy at solar power 

Biofuels as Alternative Sources of Energy

Biofuels are produced by converting organic matter into fuel for powering our society. More often today, these biofuels are being used as an alternative energy source to the fossil fuels that we currently depend upon. Ethanol and derivatives of plants such as sugar cane, as well as vegetable and corn oils are all included in the aresenal of different biofuels. The International Energy Agency (IEA) tells us that ethanol could comprise up to 10 percent of the world's usable gasoline by 2025, and up to 30 percent by 2050. Ethanol accounts for two percent of usage today.

However, we have a long way to go to refine these biofuels that we are researching and they become extremely economical and practical. Oregon State University did a study that proves this concept. We have yet to develop biofuels that are as energy efficient as gasoline made from petroleum. Energy efficiency is the measure of how much usable energy for our needed purposes is derived from a certain amount of input energy. (Nothing that mankind has ever used has derived more energy from output than from the needed input. In other words, the end product is what we use as alternative energy and needs to be more efficent than the effort used to produce it.)

The OSU study found corn-derived ethanol to be only 20% energy efficient while gasoline made from petroleum is 75% energy efficient and biodiesel fuel was recorded at 69% energy efficient. However, the study did turn up one positive: cellulose-derived ethanol was charted at 85% efficiency, which is even higher than that of the fantastically efficient nuclear energy.

There are several nations which are seriously involved in the development of biofuels. Brazil happens to be the world's biggest producer of ethanols derived from sugars. The country produces approximately three and a half billion gallons of ethanol per year. The United States, while being the world's greatest oil-guzzler, is already the second largest producer of biofuels behind Brazil. The European Union's biodiesel production capacity is now in excess of four million (British) tonnes - mostly derived from rapeseed oil; soybean oil and a marginal quantity of palm oil.

Recently, oil futures have been down on the New York Stock Exchange, as analysts from several different countries are predicting a surge in biofuel availability. This would offset the value of oil, dropping crude oil prices on the international market to somewhere around $40 per barrel. The Chicago Stock Exchange has a grain futures market which is starting to “steal” investment activity away from the oil futures in NY, as investors are definitely expecting better profitability to start coming from biofuels.

Indeed, it is predicted by a consensus of analysts that biofuels shall be supplying seven percent of the entire world's transportation fuels by the year 2030. Demand for diesel and gasoline may slow down dramatically, says one energy markets analyst, if the government subsidizes firms distributing biofuels and further pushes to promote the use of eco-friendly fuel.

Residential Windmills: Make Windmill

Earth4Energy is a guide that explains how to reduce the cost of your electricity and switch to an environmental way of using energy. We, all hear the talk about the Presidential Candidates promise to concentrate on producing energy. Of course, there are different alternative energy options, which include biofuel, electricity windmill, solar energy and renewable energy. No matter, which one you choose, you will be able to save on your gas and electric bill.

This instruction guide makes an attempt to show you how to build your own residential windmills or some call it electricity windmills. With the step by step instructions, the guide promises to help you to eliminate or reduce your electric bill.

One of the main issues of having a homemade electrical supply is the high cost of installation of the system that needs to be put in place. You may end up paying up to $20,000 for one of these wind powered systems and it would take up to 15 years to see the real savings. When you make your own windmill, solar panel or wind turbine, your cost would be no more than $200. The returns on savings will be experienced sooner - in a matter of weeks.

What you receive:

You will be able to download Earth4Energy instantly. The guide consists of 73 pages that you can print and read at your leisure or read directly from your computer monitor.

What Kind of Skills and Tools are Needed:

All you need are some basic handy-man skills with tools that most homeowners use such as an electric drill, hammer, saw, screw driver, paint and jigsaw. That is about it.

You will have to hire an electrician who is licensed if you want to connect your solar or wind generator to the wiring system in your home to run your appliances. However, an electrician would be able to do so quite easily and it would still save you a lot in the long run.

How Long does It Take To Build?

All it will take is a weekend once you have purchased the materials required. One week is the maximum time it would take for someone who had an average set of skills.

The Disadvantages:

The guide does not give an EXACT step by step action on how to make windmills or solar panels that the author has built.

However, the author does indicate in the Earth4Energy, that you may not find the exact parts that were used in his wind generator project. Therefore, what the guide does is to give you an understanding of the concept with building your own wind generator so you will be better able to adapt the principle. There were some details that were missing, which annoyed me. There was nothing said about mounting solar panels to the roof of the house neither was it clear how to mount the wind generator and assemble the blade. It may be more obvious as you start the building process, I guess.

The other thing I thought the author could have done was to include a video with the guide. I have yet to find a video that has been done about this topic. A video presentation is quite likely to give more hands-on and visual demonstration than the written word can do by itself.

With the pages of Earth4Energy, there are a couple of chapters that contained a bunch of fluff about ethanol and reducing your independence on oil, which we already know and that is why you are here, right?

The Advantages:

The guide is concise, clear, easily understood and quite simple. When reading this guide, it is apparent that the author has indeed built his own solar, electric windmill and other wind generator. So he is not writing from fiction, but from experience.

The guide does have a lot of diagrams, pictures and illustrations that do a good job of making things more clear and understandable. The guide is readily downloadable immediately after purchases. I was able to grab a copy at a low discounted price of just $49.97, which is quite reasonable since this is specific information that you won't be able to get readily. $49.97 is minuscule when you think of how much money you will save in the long run. This is quite a small investment for a life saving of thousands of dollars on electricity.

Customer Support:

Of course, when you buy anything, you always want to know that you are getting good customer support. Earth4Energy provides an email address for any technical questions. On the website, you will be able to access free updates of the product. Within July 2008 alone, there were six updates posted online.

Money Back Guarantee: Earth4Energy has an offer of 60 day money back guarantee.

Cost: My copy was on sale for $49.97 USD

Conclusion:

I highly recommend earth4energy to anyone who wants to make your own windmill, solar panel or wind powered generator to save on electricity. I give this guide a rating of 9.9 out of 10. It is the best one by far that is currently on the market.

This guide is very economical and excellent for providing the right information to creating any of these energy-saving devices. The author could have sold it for more money and it is because of all of these reasons that I feel comfortable in highly recommending earth4energy.

Visit the main Earth4Energy website right now

Save $100's On Your Power Bills With Renewable Energy

Every time the price of power goes up (which seems to be every month at the moment), ever more people are thinking about using renewable energy for at least part of their regular supply.

The kind of renewable energy you ot for will very much depend on where you are in the world. If you live in a fairly sunny part of the world, you'll likely decide to use solar energy.Image by Rob__ via Flickr

If you're in a colder part of the world, chances are that your thoughts will turn to using the power of the wind instead.

Each of these has advantages and disadvantages.

Pretty obviously, solar power only works in daylight, even if it doesn't need full sunlight nowadays. If you live in a hot climate, the sun will be shining at the time you most need your power for air conditioning and other such items. If you're further north then the benefits of solar power may be less, although we still use power in the summer months, when output will be higher, or solar power could contribute to running your computer in the day, your fridge and even some evening lighting for your garden or patio.

Likewise, wind turbines need at least a breeze in order to operate but they'll also have an upper limit of windspeed, beyond which they won't operate - if the wind falls below a certain speed, they won't operate, if it blows too fast the turbine may struggle to keep up. You also need to remember that even in the most windy place, there are times of dead calm, so you'll need a battery or regular power connection for such times. This problem also means that unless you have your own storage, you shouldn't totally go off grid power if you rely on wind.

Once you've decided on the type of renewable energy you want, the next decision is whether to buy an off-the-shelf product or go for DIY renewable energy. You can get a set of comprehensive renewable energy instructions to help take you down this path if you like, with the added advantage that you'll be saving hundreds of dollars if you go down the DIY renewable energy path.

Alternative Energy Is Our Future

The availability of alternative energy comes in many different forms. One of these is solar power: Solar power is driven by photovoltaic cells, and these are progressively getting less expensive and more advanced.

There aren't any areas where solar power cannot be utilized including: generating electricity and hot water plus of course it has the added benefit of being pollution free. However, much more work still needs to be done in order for us to economically harness the sun's energy. The one major problem is storing the power for use when the sun is not as strong, on overcast days and when night falls.Image via Wikipedia

As of the moment, the most-invested-in alternative energy source favored by many private investors as well as the government is the wind energy. Huge double and triple bladed windmills can be seen around the world, working constantly, day and night to produce large amounts of electricity. Of course, there is nothing new about the concept of a windmill for harnessing energy.

The windmills used today are massive compared to those used in the past and much more 'high-tech' and often referred to as 'wind-turbines'. The only downside to this form of power is when the wind isn't blowing, you cannot produce power. Of course, the power we need can come from other sources when this happens so currently we cannot rely completely on wind power even if we had sufficient farms to cater for our needs.

A massive quantity of power can be obtained from another source of alternative energy which is the hydroelectric energy. All that is required is a large body of water and gravity - this fall of water from a great height is able to turn large turbines which generate electrical power. As water is everywhere it has not generally been a problem finding locations where it can be employed.

The main problem with this process is the initial financial cost and the size of these dams means it is a lengthy project which does not come without it's own issues. Building of dams is often the most common and effective means of controlling the flow of water to sufficiently provide the source in generating the needed power.

Conservationists are starting to be worried about operating a dam as it not only requires a lot of labour building it to store and control water's potential and kinetic energy but it can also be risky and complicated. To produce power this way does not always require a dam, especially if it is only a small community that is being serviced.

There are other options that you may use especially if it is just to supply neighbourhoods or an individual office or home such as small run-of-river hydroelectric converters.

However, the most underused and under-rated form of energy is geo-thermal: this is the heat which is generated inside the planet beneath the crust. The earth's inner molten core is the one responsible for transferring the heat into the water.

Power plants use a number of ways to draw this water to the surface and harness it into 'free' energy. When hot water is drawn up, it simply means that there is the need to gather steam. The Geysers is an example of a dry stream plant located in the region of about 100 miles north of San Francisco and perhaps the best-known of all geothermal power fields.

The Good And Bad Of Using Solar Power

Fans of solar power would say that it is the way to fuel the future. Cynics have a tendency to find reasons why solar power won't work. The reality is that there's some validity to both sides.Image via Wikipedia

There are both advantages and drawbacks of using solar power. Since the daylight is widely available each day at least to some degree, it is straightforward to make use of its energy such as with solar water heating.

For each solar power system that is used, pollution is cut down that much more. Solar power is clean and puts off no damaging emissions into the atmosphere. It causes no pollution of the water supply and no fouling of the soil. There's simply no energy source that causes less damage to the earth. Solar power systems can be expected to last a while. They need to be built to last so that owners can recoup their investments. It seems that solar power systems last much lengthier compared to that. The trustworthiness factor is vital for any power source.

Solar energy passes the test of dependability with flying colors. The expenses for maintaining a solar power system are extraordinarily low. Some parts of the system may last decades without any upkeep at all. Solar panels are sometimes assured to maintain eighty percent of their potency for as much as twenty-five years. A solar power system is neither too perilous nor too difficult for most folk to run. It needs no supervision from the govt. Or any other agency as it poses no hazards. The price of running the systems is also awfully low. There are actually some negative facets of using solar power. Before purchasers can have any solar power, they must invest thousands of bucks. In 5 to 10 years, they are going to make up the price tag by saving on electric bills. The other main reason that solar power isn't ideal is that it does not perform well on cloudy days or at all at night. In the final analysis, the benefits of solar power far outweigh the downsides. It appears the main sticking point is cost. Yet, as green technology comes down in price, this sort of energy becomes even more fascinating.

Global Warming Ways to Help

If you regularly watch television, surf the internet, or listen to the radio, there is a good chance that you have heard about global warming.Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Press and media outlets have elevated the issue in the public consciousness through their increased coverage. Being concerned about the issue is something that many of us are, thanks in part to the continuing debate and disagreements over the issue. After all, so much is at stake for our future family members.

Fighting against global warming does not have to take a lot of effort or money out of your pocket. There is entirely too much emphasis placed on vehicles and appliances that are energy efficient. Every little bit helps, and if you do not have the budget for the big items, there are less expensive ways to become proactive.

Your home is the key to helping you combat global warming.

If you are not using an electrical appliance, such as your computer, shut it off. As an added bonus, your electricity bill will decrease, saving you money as you help out future generations.

Reducing electrical usage by turning off all the lights and appliances is simple. This is not only a free way to help out, but you can also save money at the same time!

Another way you can help is by making sure your thermostat is not turned up too high so enjoy the comfort of wearing a sweater instead. The amount of reduction in toxicity your home produces can be substantial with a change in just a few degrees.

Many people do not understand the benefits to using energy efficient light bulbs, or how that differs from traditional ones. Another benefit that many users of these energy efficient light bulbs discover is an increased amount of savings on their electric bills.

A typical energy efficient bulb can operate for a year or two, making them last much longer than traditional light bulbs. Depending on where you shop, you may be able to buy these lights for around five dollars per multi-pack.

The contributions to combating global warming are not constricted to homeowners, as renters can help to. If you feel cold air sneaking into your house when it shouldn't, speak to your landlord about making window repairs.

Though many people hesitate to bring items such as the hot water heater or insulating blanket up to their landlord, these tips can result in saving him or her money in the long run.

Not everyone can afford to buy an energy efficient vehicle such as a hybrid, and those people can still help out by examining their day to day transportation habits. First, examine how often you drive and if those drives are really necessary.

Could you walk, join a carpool, or take public transportation instead?

If you want to help fight global warming, you can easily do so by choosing to simply not drive three times you normally would during the week.

Alternative Energy Of The Future

Alternative energy is quickly becoming more prominent nowadays, and environmental concern is no longer just reserved for the tree huggers. People are starting to wake up and realize that our planet is slowly being destroyed by pollution and a lack of responsibility for the environment. Alternative energy is slowly emerging as a viable industry, and it is not yet clear which companies have the best solutions for the future. This actually makes the alternative energy sector ideal for Exchange Traded Funds, which are ideal for spreading risk among the stocks of various companies and technologies. This Earth4Energy review explains how you can make an impact by yourself. There may also be future technologies for the transformation of coal to a clean source of energy.Image via Wikipedia

Alternative energy sources must be developed so that everyone on Earth can have reliable, efficient and environmentally friendly ways to run their cars, power their manufacturing plants, and heat and cool their businesses, schools, and homes. Alternative energy simply describes energy sources that are used as an alternative to fossil fuels. Earth 4 Energy is a manual that will let you generate electricity on your own. Generally speaking, it indicates energies that are nontraditional and have a small impact on the environment. Alternative energy technologies such as photovoltaics, wind turbines or biofuels attempt to harvest the abundance of nature's power.

The renewed interest in this field of study comes from the undesirable effects of pollution (which can be seen all over the world), both from burning fossil fuels and from nuclear waste byproducts. Alternative energy is a long term growth industry. As the economies of the world continue to grow, energy consumption will rise. It is not even that much more expensive to build an energy efficient house or automobile. Alternative energy grants from national governments can act as a driving force in developing viable alternative energy for our daily consumption.

Solar energy continues to have potential, but it is not quite yet economically viable, nor will it be able to supply more than a small fraction of our energy use for another 10-20 years. The Review Earth4Energy site is dedicated to informing the public about how they can save the environment. Solar panels can provide plentiful power during the long hours of summer sun, but wind generators should be added to help support these systems through the winter months. Solar energy would obviously be a key part of achieving full energy independence.

What are the Different Types of Alternative Energy?

What are the Different Types of Alternative Energy?

There is a lot of energy that can be harnessed as we continue to do research and development using current day technologies. We can get away from the fossil fuels and the old electrical grids by turning to alternatives of these energy sources.

Wind power is a great source for alternative energy. Wind turbines continue to be developed that are progressively more energy efficient and less costly. Throughout the world, wind farms have been showing up in many areas and even more so over time since they do not harm birds or any other kind of wildlife, unlike the original wind turbines did.

Solar energy is another alternative energy resource that is well known to us. This involves the manufacturing of solar cells which gathers and focuses the energy given off directly by the sun and then translates it into electricity or in some cases, hot water. As with wind energy, solar energy creates absolutely zero pollution.

Governments and investors have seen ocean wave energy as a way of generating huge amounts of energy. The generator that is located in France has been operating for years and is known to be largely successful and now the Irish and Scots are operating experimental facilities.

Hydroelectric power has been around for a long time and wherever it is located, it produces powerful electricity that is much cleaner than a grid. Unfortunately, there are limitations on where a large dam can be built and not many places are available for this type of project. Many run-of-the-river hydropower, or small and localized, hydroelectric generators have been set up in recent times due to this limitation.

Geothermal energy is extremely abundant, since it lies directly beneath our feet, just a few miles below the earth’s surface. Through the actions of earth’s fantastically hot molten core, this energy is produced by the heating of water. The water turns into steam, that can be harnessed and used to drive turbine engines that will generate electricity. A lot of research and development is needed in order to further our usage of geothermal energy tapping.

The waste gas energies are called methane, which reverse energy pollution by creating energy from waste that can be found in dumps and in some air pollutants. This gas is used in fuel cells and can be used in standard gasoline generators.

Ethanol is a gasoline substitute and is created from such things as wheat, sugarcane, grapes, strawberries, corn, and even wood chips and wood cellulose. There is controversy over this fuel with regards to it ever becoming truly economical or practical except in very localized areas, however, technologies for its extraction and admixturing are continuously being refined.

Biodiesel energy is created out of the oils contained in plants. So far, the commercial stores of biodiesel have been created by using soybean, rapeseed, and sunflower oils. By the time of this writing, biodiesel is typically produced by industrially minded individuals who want to experiment with alternative energy possibilities, however, commercial interest from many manufactures is also on the rise. It burns much cleaner than oil-based diesel.

Atomic energy is created in atomic energy plants using the process of nuclear fission. This form of energy is very efficient and can generate large amounts of power. There is concern from some people about what to do with the relatively small amount of waste product atomic energy gives off, since it is radioactive and takes hundreds of years to decay, and no longer be consider harmful to our environment.

What's Green Living All About?

When you hear the term “green living”, you may get an image in your head of hippies living in communes making everything they use. Truth is: the definition of green living has changed. The concept simply includes doing things to help the environment be viable for future generations. If you don’t feel like shedding your worldly possessions and living in a mud hut, here are a few steps you can take to make your life a little greener.

Buy local organic products. Organic farmers not only use little to no chemicals, they also take steps to reduce water and soil degradation, along with other problems caused by traditional agriculture. Veggies from grocery stores have usually been shipped a long way, which causes environmental pollution. Buy your produce from a local farmer’s market or coop. If you can’t find one, start your own organic garden.

Use natural products. Household products that don’t contain chemicals are not only better for the environment; they’re safer for your family as well. You can make various cleaning products from stuff in your kitchen, like vinegar. If you don’t have the time, there are products you can buy. Just make sure they’re all natural and don’t just have a few natural ingredients mixed in with synthetic or chemical products.

Reduce. We’ve all heard the spiel about reduce, reuse, recycle; however, most of us focus on recycling and completely ignore the reducing. Try to use products that don’t end up in landfills like cloth diapers instead of disposables or regular towels instead of paper ones. Another great idea is to buy concentrated products because they come in smaller packages or buy in bulk so you are not paying or wasting the packaging.

Reuse. Many people have gotten in the habit of sending their recyclables away in the bins, but there’s more supply than demand in the recycling market. That’s why it’s also important to reuse items if you can. Consider whether you can reuse or refurbish an item before you throw it in the recycling bin. Also consider programs like freecycle, Craig's list or garage sales which allows you to offer your gently used (or even broken) items to someone else. You really never know when your trash is someone else's treasure or learning tool.

Recycle. We should all have a recycle bin in our homes, but you can do stuff to recycle on your own. Make your own rich soils with a compost pile and you can recycle plants, shredded paper and uneaten bits of fruit or vegetables. You can also use products like shredded plastic bags to mulch your garden. If you get creative, there’s lots of recycling you can do on your own.

Conserve Energy. There are so many things you can do to save energy. The big plus on this is that it also saves you money. Get low energy light bulbs for your fixtures. You could also take more drastic renovation steps by getting new energy efficient windows or installing solar panels. Even small steps like setting the thermostat a degree higher or lower or unplugging appliances not in use can make a big difference. A big way to conserve energy is to get a more fuel efficient car, or get rid of your car altogether. If you don’t need a big SUV, then don’t get one. You’ll be doing the environment a big favor.

Teach your children. You might not be able to change the world on your own, but you can start a trend by teaching others to be more environmentally friendly, starting with your own kids. Make sure your children know what steps you are taking to improve the environment and why. And most importantly, make sure you are all doing all you can for a sustainable future!

Information About Ethanol Stock.

It was reported in June that ethanol stock was rising due to oil becoming more and more expensive, it was also reported that by mixing ethanol with gas made it cheaper. In fact, in the corn growing areas of the US filling stations are reporting that ethanol and gas blended fuel is selling at between seven to 10 cents cheaper than normal gasoline. As a direct result ethanol stock is rising.

Ethanol , which also goes under names of ethyl alcohol , and grain alcohol is a inflammable and colorless liquid , that as been used for making alcoholic drinks , medicines and colognes for hundreds of years. However , it has mainly been used in wines , whiskey and beer.

With the aid of better plant and technology with production of ethanol will increase, this in turn should help America to reduce their oil imports. Some of the major companies that are at the forefront of manufacturing ethanol and alcohol include The Andersons Inc, VeraSun, Xethanol Corp, Green Plain Renewable Energy, Archer Midland, Aventine Renewable Energy and Greenshift Corp.

The cost of producing ethanol as reduced due to better designed production plant , this and the constant increases in oil prices have made people in the US more aware of the advantages of using gas and ethanol blended fuels. As a direct result of this many companies have been attracted to ethanol stock as a means of making huge profits. In time , ethanol could be a major competitor to gasoline and therefore reduced the need for imported oil's. In order to help increase ethanol stock , researchers are looking for ways to produce ethanol from other parts of corn other than the starch.

The major ethanol production companies.

There are tax breaks for companies that blend ethanol and gasoline, therefore, major companies like Archer Daniels Midland who have ethanol stock could benefit considerably. The tax breaks at the federal level are $.51 a gallon for ethanol, with an extra 1.5 cents a gallon for companies based in Iowa. Therefore, major players like VeraSun and Archer Daniels Midland who have ethanol stock would definitely benefit from this sort of tax break.

For more information about ethanol fuel, check out our website at ecoholistic.com

Renewable Energy Residential And Commercial Systems

Traditional, carbon based resources like coal, natural gas and oil are finite. As it becomes more difficult to detect and extract from the earth, the costs to the consumer are sure to rise. This trend will continue if more resources continue to be used. And there are potentially more telling costs that come with using fossil fuels. These fuels are though to be a leading contributor to our current environmental problems like global warming and may leave an uncertain world for future generations. So what are the alternatives to these traditional sources of energy. This article will cover a few of the alternative energy sources that are being touted as practical solutions both commercially and for the individual homeowner.

The first alternative energy source to be covered is solar energy. It has been around for quite a while now and most people have seen the odd solar panel on a neighbors roof. In fact, mankind has always used the Sun's energy in one form or another for thousands of years but only in the last 50 years has it really taken off as we know it now.

At this point in time, the Sun's heat and light energy is utilized to make energy for consumption.

Heat energy provided by the sun is used for many things like heating water, heating a room or cooking food. As the Sun's heat was tangible, the inspiration for using it as an energy resource was not a great leap of the imagination. Indeed, it was probably used in many ancient civilizations as an energy resource and might explain why so many of these civilizations worshiped it as a god.

Getting energy out of sunlight is still a fairly new development by comparison. The technology developed to do this is called the photovoltaic (PV) cell. The concept was first demonstrated in Victorian times but it was only first produced on a commercial basis in the 1970's.

The principle behind this is that photons in sunlight give the individual atoms in the PV cell enough energy to displace a spare electron. Many cells and more sunlight cause more electrons to flow. This is how direct current (DC) electricity works. Direct current can be stored in a battery or used to power appliances that run on DC.

Wind power is another source of renewable energy that is becoming popular. I think this is because it is fairly well understood by most people as a concept. It may also be because plenty of wind turbines are popping up all over the countryside.

A wind turbine is a modern day windmill, it uses the power of the wind to turn blades. The kinetic energy is used to power a generator that creates electricity. Many developed and developing countires are increasing their production of wind turbines each year. They represent a clean and cheap way to create energy.

Wind turbines or mills are an option even in the suburban home and can be constructed quite cheaply. It is quite simple to build a windmill or turbine from scratch or a pre-built variety can be purchased. Before you even think about this however, you need to establish if there is enough wind to make it viable and locate a good spot in your yard for it to go. You may also want to notify your neighbors that you are erecting a turbine as it could be an issue with some people.

Other systems use water as the primary source of energy, utilizing the kinetic energy to create electricity. This is hydro-power and a dam is an obvious example of this process in action. Geothermal energy can also be used to some extent. The principle behind this is that the molten core of the earth can heat up water which can be used as is or to create electricity.

The Eco Friendly Office: 8 Easy Ways to Make Your Office Greener

At your home, you may have stopped using incandescent bulbs, you may have a low flow showerhead, you may have added more organic foods to your diet, and recycling may have become an ingrained habit. You are doing your part at home to reduce your carbon footprint and keep our Earth green.

But how many of us are carrying that same concern into the workplace? How many green office supplies do you use at work?

Using eco-friendly office supplies can save a business hundreds or thousands of dollars, depending on the size of your company. Here are eight ways to make your office a little greener.

1. Make it easy to recycle. Set up bins for various recyclables that you go through in any given day. You can recycle the paper you print on, your calendars and organizers, even the ink cartridges themselves.

2. Purchase items made from recycled material, whenever possible. You can easily find post-consumer paper and even printers made primarily of recycled plastic.

3. Opt for refurbished office equipment instead of always buying new. Expect savings of 20 to 30 percent on refurbished office equipment and even more if you buy it used. Many items that are refubrished still have a valid manufacturer's warranty. Make sure to read the fine print before you finalize your purchase.

4. Waste not. Get into the eco-friendly office mindset by reducing your waste. Print and write on both sides of the paper. Print documents only when it's necessary to do so. Share PDF files, for example, instead of printing each document. Use email and bulletin boards to further reduce the amount of paper used for office memos. Scrap paper should be collected for recycling and not thrown away. And, whenever possible, reuse envelopes, boxes and packing materials.

5. Turn off your computer when you are done for the day. The electricity you save by turning off your computer each day will be well worth the few seconds it takes to boot it back up in the morning. You may be surprised to know that many office machines are continuing to draw power from their source, even when they are switched off. You can save energy by putting the office equipment on a power strip, so you can entirely switch off the electricity to the machines.

6. When you replace office supplies, do so with an eye toward energy usage. Switch a CRT monitor, for example, to an energy-saving LCD flat screen monitor. You'll save on energy costs in the long run.

7. Clean green. Don’t forget the cleaning products used in your office. You can "green" them too by using only non-toxic, biodegradable, natural cleaners. Depending on the size of your company, you might be doing the earth a favor to do away with Styrofoam or paper cups. Have employees bring their own glassware for coffee or water. For large office gatherings when it's not practical to ask everyone to bring their own place setting, consider compostable plates, bowls, cups, and cutlery. More major office supplies stores are starting to carry these items.

8. Start a Green Team. If your business is large enough to merit it, form a "green" committee to meet on a regular basis and brainstorm new ways to fill your workplace with eco-friendly office supplies.

Protecting the environment is important enough to be carried on anywhere we are, throughout our entire day, at work as well as at home.