When one jumps onto the “Sustainable Building” Train - the amount of information about all the various aspects of building for living sustainably, and creating a sovereign lifestyle can seem quite daunting. But like anything that is “new” - by keeping at it and picking up a little bit more each day - like a large tiny piece puzzle - with a genuine interest and desire to be the best we can be, the pieces we put together gently begin to reveal the “Masterpiece”!! And believe me - it is truly a “work of art”…
Embarking on this living responsibly through sustainability journey which is actually a returning to ancient ways of respect and appreciation for our lands and its fruit, brings one to a realization that LIVING life fully is ART. We are born with a blank canvas labelled by “our name or identity” and we thus create, re-create and co-create what it looks like and what image (legacy) we will and wish to leave behind… When you think of things in that LIGHT - it can sure make this process of “doing the right thing” for our planet and our people - an honor, a privilege, a JOY!
Not too long ago I decided to begin a process of re-inventing myself. Without dad as my mentor, partner and friend - “doing business” just wasn’t the same. Much changed. So now I look for fulfilment by the essence he left behind mixing with one that is now redefining not only me, but our world, humanity and our existence.
It’s “back to the Ancient Future” … time to rediscover the roots that makes this planet what it truly can be, in all it’s majesty, it’s beauty, it’s wonder – A WORK OF ART.
For any of you following along the green r-evolution of our world these days, here (below) is another bit of information that can maybe add a few more pieces to the wondrous puzzle of co-creating a better LIFE on this EARTH… Please feel free to comment on this or any other blog. The Internet has helped our world become a lot smaller, allot more universal, where we can actually co-create with fellow beings on the opposite side of the world!! These blogs gives us full access to experiences, ideas, creations, “100th monkey changes” that would have taken generations to discover. Now we have access to it all virtually instantly - or as fast as we can read, interact and absorb. It is more accurate, purer and fundamentally inter-connected. So let’s use it for the greater good it can offer… and let’s share and collaborate (world wide) to more effectively truly make our planet, our homes, our lives healthier, more peaceful and the loving place to LIVE that they were always meant to be…
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Renewable energy sources are energy sources that are continually replenished. These include energy from water, wind, the sun, geothermal sources, and biomass sources such as energy crops. In contrast, fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas are non-renewable. Once a deposit of these fuels is depleted it cannot be replenished – a replacement deposit must be found instead. Both renewable and non-renewable energy sources are used to generate electricity, power vehicles, and provide heating, cooling, and light.
Renewable sources of energy vary widely in their cost-effectiveness and in their availability across the United States. Although water, wind, and other renewables may appear free, their cost comes in collecting, harnessing, and transporting the energy so that it can do useful work. For example, to utilize energy from water, a dam must be built along with electric generators and transmission lines.
Renewables themselves are non-polluting, while the structures built to harness them can have positive or negative environmental impacts. For example, dams may affect fish migration but may also create wildlife habitat.
SOLAR ENERGY:
Solar technologies use the sun’s energy to provide heat, light, hot water, electricity, and even cooling, for homes, businesses, and industry. Despite sunlight’s significant potential for supplying energy, solar power provides less than 1% of U.S. energy needs. This percentage is expected to increase with the development of new and more efficient solar technologies.
Different types of solar collectors are used to meet different energy needs. Passive solar building designs capture the sun’s heat to provide space heating and light. Photovoltaic cells convert sunlight directly to electricity. Concentrating solar power systems focus sunlight with mirrors to create a high-intensity heat source, which then produces steam or mechanical power to run a generator that creates electricity. Flat-plate collectors absorb the sun’s heat directly into water or other fluids to provide hot water or space heating. And solar process heating and cooling systems use specialized solar collectors and chemical processes to meet large-scale hot water and heating and cooling needs.
Solar technologies produce few negative environmental impacts during collector operation. However, there are environmental concerns associated with the production of collectors and storage devices. In addition, cost is a great drawback to solar power. Although sunlight is free, solar cells and the equipment needed to convert their direct-current output to alternating current for use in a house is expensive. Electricity generated by solar cells is still more than twice as expensive as electricity from fossil fuels. Part of the problem with cost is that solar cells can The parabolic troughs that make up this concentrating solar power system generate power from the sun on a large scale in California.only operate during daylight hours. In contrast, a coal or natural gas plant can run around the clock, which means the cost for building the plant can be spread over many more hours of use.
Around the United States, available sunlight varies considerably as a result of differences in cloud cover and latitude, and also varies with the seasons. In the summer, longer daylight hours and a higher sun angle provide more solar power, compared to the winter when the sun is up for fewer hours and at a lower position in the sky. These variations must be taken into consideration when planning solar collection facilities.
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