Well Winter is nearly here in my part of the world and the cold weather is on its way. That means it will be time to turn on the ol’ furnace again and start heating the house. Wouldn’t it be great if you could use your furnace less, resulting in lower emissions and cost? Well read on to find out how we can use energy from the some to be more environmentally aware…
If you’ve ever sat on the bus or in a car without air conditioning, you know that when the sun is beating down on you through the window, it can get pretty darn hot! This same principle can be applied to your house. By keeping your curtains and blinds open during the day, you’re allowing the sun to naturally heat your house. This is such a simple concept, but can save you energy and money.
Some high-tech buildings are using similar practices to harness both heat energy and light energy from the sun. By keeping your windows open during the day, you also won’t need to turn on as many lights. Plus, natural light is better for your body as it helps your circadian rhythms (important in determining the sleeping, feeding, and cellular regeneration patterns of all animals, including human beings).
There is just one more thing to note: this method of energy conservation works in reverse when the sun is not out. Windows generally aren’t the best insulators and can transfer heat pretty easily. For this reason, it is a good idea to keep your curtains and blinds closed at night as they act as insulators, reducing heat loss during those dark and chilly evenings.
Of course the thermal (heat) power of the sun is just one form of energy that we can use to reduce our emmissions caused by using electricity that was generated from dirty carbon-emitting power plants. Why not go one step further and use solar power to generate your own cleaner, greener and all-around much nicer energy at home. Imagine being able to power your TV, washer, drier, lights, aircon and every other power-sucking device that we take for granted with energy generated for free right on your own roof?
Of course you might be thinking “But thats expensive and way too hard.” Most people are surprised to find out that they can actually make their own solar panels at home and start using them straight away to suck all that energy out of the rays of sun that are hitting their house all day. If you are too lazy to figure out how to make solar panels for yourself, many countries now offer generous rebates for people who pay for professional installation of solar panels from a commerical business that sells, installs and sets them up for you – no hassle or DIY skills needed at all. Even better, many power companies now even offer the opportunity to sell some of your excess electricity to them where it goes straight back into the power grid – saving you money and providing your community with more green power, now that’s what anyone would call a win win situation.