May 15th, 2008
Still on our Three Doors Down activity this May, I’ll like to introduce you to another wonderful blog in b5 lifestyle channel called Babylune. The title itself gives you an idea that it is about Babies. From the first 9 months of pregnancy to taking care of your little ones.
Babylune is being run by Eliza Ferree, a mom of four (two boys and two girls). She started taking over the blog just last Feb14 (valentine’s day). With 4 kids under her belt, I think we all have a lot to learn from her.
Click here for Babylune
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By Noel -- 0 comments
May 14th, 2008
While doing some blog hopping, I came across a contest. Yep, it is a contest and you are just about to win a Bluetooth headset that does not need batteries. You know why? See, this Bluetooth headset is powered by the sun. So this means that you do not need to buy batteries or wait for your gadget to recharge. That would surely be a good thing to own, don’t you think so?
The solar powered Bluetooth headset that is up for grabs is an Iqua SUN 603. According to the post, this is the very first Bluetooth headset in the world that is solar powered. It charges up each time it receives light from the sun so it does not matter if you are outdoors or indoors as long as there is sunlight, then the gadget would work really fine. Now that would be really something.
I think you better head to Cellphone 9’s contest. Who knows? You just might be the lucky one.
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By Noel -- 1 comment
May 13th, 2008
Who loves beer? I’m sure you do. Most of you do. But did you know that those beer bottles could be used as a solar water heater?
With a little creativity, Ma Yanjun, a Chinese carpenter, had decided that he could create a solar water heater. He arranged the bottles in rows on a board. All these bottles are connected to a hose. The water would flow through the hose and into the bottles. The bottles which are set on the roof would be heated by the sun. And there comes the heated water.
The creator said, “I invented this for my mother. I wanted her to shower at any time more comfortably. A real solar water heater is too expensive to me, so I came up with the idea of making one on my own. I hope this invention can be promoted nationwide, and allow mothers in undeveloped rural areas to have a hot shower.”
Nice job!
[Via Daily Times]
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By Noel -- 0 comments
May 12th, 2008
Last Monday, Kohl Corporation, a company of department stores based in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, had announced their plans of expanding their solar program. They are looking at plans of using solar power to more of their stores. In fact, Kohl has announced that they would like to bring the current number up to over 50 more of their stores in the East Coast.
Right now, the company already has put in solar panels in some of their stores and offices in Maryland, Connecticut and New Jersey. The work had started last January and they are already going to start working on the second batch of stores to receive solar panels. Those stores with solar panels would be using only 20% energy from the grid. The rest would be coming from the power of the sun.
If more and more department store chains would be using solar panels, then this sure is going to be a really solar world.
[Via Washington Business Journal]
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By Noel -- 1 comment
May 10th, 2008
In New Zealand, seven schools would be using power honed from the sun. This is quite an important event because this means that the schools would not be depending on the grid for power. Aside from that, students would also be exposed to the fact that the sun’s power can be honed to benefit most residents. This is actually a project known as Schoolgen Programme and it is sponsored by Genesis Energy.
The very first school of the seven to get solar panels was the Vardon Primary School. After this school, the other six would follow and the rest is comprised of St. Peter Chanel Catholic School, Hamilton Girls’ High School, Forest Lake Primary School, Maeroa Intermediate School, Fairfield College, and St. Paul’s Collegiate School.
Richard Gordon is the public affairs manager for Genesis Energy and he mentioned, “There’s absolutely no cost to the school we’re paying for the installation of the panels and the hardware. It’s all about sustainability we’ve chosen schools because (with students) they have tomorrow’s generation.”
[Via Waikato Times]
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By Noel -- 1 comment
May 9th, 2008
What more proof do you need? eBay is really going green!
Of course, just think of how online shopping makes the world greener. There is no need for plastic bags and receipts and all other things that you would find in malls. All you need is a computer and the internet and off you go shopping for the things you need.
This time, eBay would be making their building greener. See, their building, which is named Building 17, has just been given a solar roof. And yes, this solar roof is the largest solar roof that one could find in the area of San Jose. It is also exciting to think that this building is the very first building that the company has put up after being in the business for 13 years already. I had a woman say, ‘I just feel as if this is a healthier building. I feel better in this building.’”
Nice going eBay!
[Via MercuryNews.com]
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By Noel -- 1 comment
May 8th, 2008
As part of our Three Doors Down activity this May, I’ll like to introduce another blog in the b5 lifestyles channel. This blog is all about Holidays all over the world. You will really find some amusing holidays and special days such as black forest cake day, and national margarita day.
Sandy Mitchell is our blogger for All holiday Cafe. She is a full time writer, blogger, and editor from Cleaveland and she wrote a book which will be released this May called Cleveland’s Little Italy.
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By Noel -- 0 comments
May 8th, 2008
So in my previous post I’ve given you five tips on using solar power. Let me share with you the last five tips. Enjoy!
- When calculating the number of panels you need, do so using winter sunshine hours rather than summer hours - there are roughly twice as many hours sunshine in summer and the wrong calculation could leave you needing to use backup power in winter more often than you would like.
- In any solar system keep your panels as close as you can to the batteries to avoid losing power in the cable. Always make sure that your panels are not shaded.
- When planning a solar heating system, always consider the use of solar shades or smart glass to augment your system - their use can save you a lot of energy that might otherwise escape from the house.
- Many states organize tours of homes that are fully converted to solar. Try to get yourself on one of these tours so that you can see a solar home in its working state.
- Before installing a solar system try to make your home as energy efficient as possible - install double glazing, add new insulation where possible, replace incandescent light globes with fluorescent etc. By reducing your needs you can reduce the size and cost of the system you’re installing.
[Via Solar Energy]
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By Noel -- 0 comments
May 7th, 2008
I know. It’s summer already and we can all feel the fierce heat of the summer sun right now. And so I discovered ten tips on how we could all use to our advantage solar power. I’ll share with you the first five today and the last five tomorrow. That way, you can absorb what these first five tips tell you.
- Whatever solar power system or product you plan to utilize, always ensure that the solar panel faces in the direction of the sun. In the Northern hemisphere the panel must face south and at an angle to the horizontal equal to your latitude plus 15º.
- Before meeting a consultant regarding the installation of a solar power system, always have on hand a list of all your electrical appliances together with their wattage and the hours of use. Any dealer worth his salt will need to know this information.
- Before committing to a specific power system always check to find out exactly what the local, state and federal incentives are in your town. All this information can be found at the DSIRE (Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy) database at http://www.dsireusa.org/
- Always have a local licensed installer put in your system (but make sure he has experience with Grid connected systems) - they know all the local regulations and will be able to give you valuable information regarding these rules.
- Keep solar panels clean - even if it means getting up onto your roof once a month. A thin layer of dust or dirt on the glass cover will effectively block off some solar power and the system will operate below its maximum efficiency.
[Via Solar Energy]
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By Noel -- 1 comment
May 6th, 2008
Here are some tips I discovered on the net on how one should go about recycling. I thought it was that simple but I guess there are still some rules to it.
Recycling error No. 3: Broken glass in the green bin. Glass bottles and jars go in the green bin. But broken glass should be wrapped in newspaper and placed in the trash.
Recycling error No. 4: Greasy pizza boxes in the green bin. Cardboard used to package pizza, pastries and other foods is recyclable only if it is completely clean. You can rip off the soiled bits, put them in the trash, and recycle the clean cardboard.
Recycling error No. 5: Aluminum pie plates in the garbage. Pie plates and tin foil that is clean can be recycled. If there’s food cooked or smeared on it, either clean it or put it in the trash.
Recycling error No. 6: Styrofoam in the green bin. This ubiquitous take-out container material is still not recyclable in Montreal. If you know you are going to need a doggy bag, consider bringing your own tupperware to that Chinese restaurant. And if your favourite coffee joint uses styrofoam or other non-recyclable cups, consider bringing your own mug.
Recycling error No. 7: Plastic bags in the trash. Even though most of us are making an effort to use cloth bags as often as possible, a few of those old plastic bags still sneak their way into our homes. Separate them from the rest of your recycling by stuffing them all inside one larger one, and put them in the green bin. Make sure to knot the one bag so they don’t blow all over the road on a windy day
Recycling error No. 8: Plastic packaging in the green bin. Don’t you hate that clear plastic packaging that surrounds every toy or electronic gadget you buy these days? Cutting the thing out of its plastic prison takes forever, and then the plastic isn’t even recyclable. Avoid this kind of packaging if you can.
Recycling error No. 9: Not separating containers from paper. The recycling collection trucks in Montreal generally have two compartments, one for paper and cardboard, the other for all kinds of containers (i.e. cans, bottles, cartons). If you just toss everything in one bin, it will get separated at the plant, but we can save millions in taxes if people do a preliminary separation in their homes. If you have a lot of paper to recycle, consider getting a second bin, one for containers and the other for paper and flattened cardboard. Separate fine paper from newspapers.
Recycling error No. 10: Peeling off labels. Although rinsing containers is a basic civility, you don’t need to peel labels off bottles or cans.
Any new tips that you may want to add?
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By Noel -- 4 comments
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