Live Green. Love Green.

Have you noticed a recent increase of solar panels around your neighborhood?  Ever been curious as to how they actually work?  They're actually quite fascinating! Solar panels make use of the power of the sun to create a similar process as that in chemical batteries. This action is the free flow of electrons. The plates of solar panels are designed of this natural form of silicon. Natural silicon atoms carry four electrons, but have room for an extra four. The plates possess a neutral charge while they are by themselves since each silicon atom requires eight electrons altogether to have a charge. Which means that they must be coupled with other elements that do possess a positive or negative charge. For electricity to actually flow, you require both a positive and negative charge. Phosphorus is usually combined with the silicon to produce the negative plate and boron to create the positive plate. The plates are then coupled together with wires that happen to be great at conduct

Solar energy has been around for a while, yet it is still not as widely used in homes as it could be. The large start-up cost can be a setback to many people who would otherwise consider it. Despite this,  solar energy can be a wise investment, and worth the initial costs and labor.  Here are some of the reasons you should consider solar energy. 1.  It Can Generate Electricity and Heat Water Solar panels are an amazing way to harness the power of the sun and turn it into usable energy. Solar power can be used for electricity, which can power and heat homes and others buildings. It can also heat water to an extent, making it a multipurpose energy source. 2.  No Mechanical Parts That Will Fail One of the huge benefits of solar energy is the fact that unlike other methods of energy use, it does not use machines in its creation or delivery. Because of this, there is no risk of mechanical failure. This fact alone can mean that an individual who has chosen this form of energy will no

Are you concerned about your electricity bill?  Have no fear!  There are many things you can do to lower your electricity bill on a monthly basis. Here are six ideas: 1. Unplug Appliances That Are Not in Use Many people do not realize this, but appliances of all sizes continue using energy as long as they are plugged in, even when they are turned off. To stop this from happening, simply be vigilant about unplugging all the appliances you possibly can when they are not in use. This includes everything from lamps and stereos, to blenders and toasters. 2. Use a Power Bar and Switch It Off at Night If you are not yet ready to unplug each and every appliance you use when you are not using it, hook as many as possible up to one power bar at each plug or in each room. This way, you can easily switch it off at night-time. Do this regularly in order to notice changes in your electricity bill. 3. Turn Off Lights When You Leave the Room My father was always vigilant about this and nag

Are you trying to save money on living costs? One of the first things you should take a look at is your energy.  There are so many ways that you home could be losing energy that you wouldn't even know about.  Here are 5 places you could be losing energy and ways to start cutting your costs. 1. Air Leaks through Walls Air leaks account for the majority of unintended energy loss in homes. The main culprit is generally loss through walls and gaps around doors and windows. If you are losing heat through your walls, consider insulating them. Cavity walls, which most homes after the 1930s are, can have insulating material put in between them fairly easily. If your home has solid walls, it will be a little more difficult, but it can still be done. In this case, you can choose whether to insulate the walls internally or externally. Most windows do not lose heat to the extent that you would think, but it is still important in the overall picture. 2. Non insulated Roofs Did you k