Can Anyone Live Off The Grid?

When you talk about alternative energy and living off the grid, a lot of people feel instantly that they will have to give up most of their modern amenities to live in such a fashion.  Many more think this is an endeavor solely for granola loving hippies, whose modest ways coincide with fewer technologies, TVs, ACs, etc.  The truth is, living off the grid is a possibility open to anyone.  Granted, you may have a larger investment if you are powering three chest freezers and all high-energy appliances, but this would simply mean you need a larger system.

The increased demand for renewable energy technology has led to the development of more efficient and easy to use components to make living off the grid a reasonable option for anyone willing to be mindful of their energy consumption. 

Using renewable energy sources to produce electricity is a fairly simple process.  You need a power source-sun, wind or water-from which you will harness a low voltage direct current that is then converted, using an inverter, into usable house current (AC).  Excess current generated by your system is stored in battery banks where it can be retrieved during more high demand times or times when the direct energy source is unavailable. 

Living off the grid with renewable power resources is almost completely automated as well.  Except for the maintenance of your batteries, there is almost no special attention needed, other than monitoring your energy use to make sure you do not exceed your supply with your demand.  The key to success in living off the grid is making sure you size your system to meet the demand of your energy needs.

 

Living off the grid can be an exhilarating experience.  The feeling of energy freedom is like no other and you can be proud of your efforts to combat global warming and best of all, you may never have to worry about a power outage again.  It is important to conduct your research and determine which alternative energy sources will work best for you in your geographical area, but it is definitely worthwhile to learn how to live off the grid and feel the rush of freedom being off the grid can give.

Go Green With the Technology of Alternative Green Energy Generators

There is no doubt that we as humans, are eating down the resources of our Mother Earth. If this continues for more than a century, then is not too far, when the whole world will collapse down, and with nothing will remain. Therefore, it has become important to find out an alternative for non-renewable energy resources. We have to look out for an option which can help us to generate electrical energy without producing any waste products and pollution.
Looking at the various options available, one can surely say that zero point magnetic energy generators can prove to be the best alternative green energy generator. The zero point magnetic energy generators can generate electricity without the use of any external resources, like coal, water, oil, etc. it works on the simple theory of magnetic force. The magnetic force creates a perpetual motion, which in turn generates electricity, without creating any by products as pollutant. This is the reason they are known as the alternative green energy generator.
In a zero point magnetic energy generator, the magnets create a perpetual motion, which is used for the rotation of a circular plate, which includes an iron ball bearing. The rotation energy of circular plate is converted to electrical energy using a turbine.
There are various benefits associated with the application of zero point magnetic energy generators. As we know that it is completely green and does not creates any waste products. Secondly, you can use them in any weather conditions. Other renewable energy resources like, sunlight and wind, you will have to depend on the weather conditions. But, this is not the case with the magnetic generators. They are also quite easy to design and create. You can easily create your own magnetic generators for your personal uses. For these reasons, we can surely choose magnetic generators as the alternative green energy generators.

In case you might be interested in learning more, as well as doing your very own electrical generator and start saving income these days, I found out a website that offers step by step manual that will teach you how to bulid your own zero point magnetic generator, visit: [http://magniworks.us/] for more info.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

How to Run Your Appliances More Efficiently to Save Energy and Money

This is the second in a series of Articles that have become The Energy Saver Challenge.  The first article concentrated on helping people save energy and money on their lighting bill.  The focus for now is on how your appliances can cost you unnecessary money, be using energy for which no benefit is derived and how you can do better for the environment and your wallet no matter what your circumstances.
If you are in the market for a new fridge or freezer, dishwasher or oven or any other appliance for your home, now is the time to make some quality decisions.  It's not all about looks you know, these days it is just as important to select a model that will perform not only in the cooling/washing/looks department but also in the energy use department.
Look for a model that has the top energy rating.   A model with a high energy rating can save you a lot of money over the lifetime of the appliance.  Plus, you can know that you have made a choice that is a better deal for the environment too.  Now let's get into some useful detail.
Fridges and Freezers:
Did you know that your fridge and freezer account for a large proportion of the energy you use in your house?  The reason for this is they usually run all day and all night, every day of the year.  Learning how to use your fridge and freezer efficiently can make a big difference to how much energy you use.  This is all good news for the environment and for your electricity bill.  Most people are not in the market for a new fridge and there are some important things you can do to improve the performance of your current fridge and freezer.
The first is to give it a bit of a tune-up in terms of it's seals.
Are they airtight?

• You can check that by putting a piece of paper between the body of the fridge and the door. Shut the door and then tug gently on the paper.  If it comes out easily then your seal is not tight enough and that is costing you money 24/7!  It may be that the door hinges can be adjusted to improve the seal or perhaps it's time to get the seals replaced.
•  I read recently on an energy company website that an old inefficient refrigerator can use three times as much energy as a new one!  That means it costs you three times as much to run.  If you can check the seal and make that better or replace it, you will certainly benefit.

Many homes have an extra fridge in the garage, basement or even in the shed. 
The party fridge, the beer fridge, the Christmas overflow fridge - whatever it's name at your place, it is costing you money.  Up to $200 a year!  So ask yourself a couple of questions:

• Is it necessary for this fridge to be turned on all the time or could you just turn it on when it is actually needed?  This will cut your energy consumption and save you a stack of money.
•  Do your really need the second fridge at all?  I mean, how bad is the refrigeration situation?  Was it a good idea once upon a time and now circumstances have changed? 
• Perhaps the solution is to sell it to someone who really needs it.

Now we can look at some behavioural changes that can really cut into your energy consumption where the fridge is concerned.
First there is size.

• Is your fridge the right size for your needs?  We usually have our fridges for a long time, and often we are using a fridge that is no longer optimum for our needs.  I used to own a really big fridge because there were five of us in the house and we needed the room.  Now there are only three of us and we have a medium size fridge however, most of the time we could probably get away with one that was even a little bit smaller. 

Apparently fridges operate most efficiently when they are quite full.

• That's the way they like it best.  So if you are looking in the door of your fridge and there isn't much in there and that is the way it usually looks - I can suggest that you are over capacity in the fridge department and it might be worth considering downsizing!

A couple of other tips to help your fridge keep more money in your wallet and create fewer greenhouse gases for the environment.

• It's best not to locate your fridge or freezer near your oven, or even if it gets sun on it.  Just makes it work harder and you know what that means! 

• Fridges need space - make sure there is a gap at the back near the ventilation coils so that it can work efficiently.  Around 80mm is recommended.
•  And last but not least, give the back of the fridge a bit of a dust now and then, this helps the ventilation system too - and you'll be amazed at what makes it way around the back of the fridge when you are not looking.

Dishwashers:
Mine is my husband and my son and I think they both have a 50 star energy rating!   Seriously though, washing dishes in the sink is a good thing and personally I think it's underrated as a family activity.
Still if you must use a dishwasher think about it's energy rating when you buy it and see how many of these tips you can adopt in it's use.

• Only run the dishwasher with a full load - it uses the same amount of energy (and water!) whether it's full or half full so it just makes sense to wait until it's full right? 

• Then don't let the machine dry the dishes for you - program it to stop before the drying cycle and just open the door - the dishes will dry themselves without any extra energy needed at all.

Your stove or oven:
Once again if you are buying new, go for the highest energy rated appliance you can afford - it will keep saving you money for the whole of its life.
One big tip is to only use your oven when you actually need to.

• Frying pans, pressure cookers and crock pots and even microwave ovens are more energy efficient if what you are cooking can be created in them. 
• If you are going to use your oven, check that the door closes fully and that there is a good seal when it is closed.  No point in paying for all that energy to warm it up if it is just going to escape out around the door. 
• This applies equally to electric or gas ovens. 

Now to the cook top.

• Did you know that just putting the lid on the pot will substantially lessen the amount of energy required to cook what is in it? 
• Plus, if you ensure that the right pot goes on the right hotplate or burner (not too big, or small) then you will also save substantially in both energy and time.  Not to mention the money!

So how can you save energy in the laundry? 
That washing machine now gets the energy efficiency treatment.  You know the deal by now with the energy rating if you are in the market for new appliances right?  I know you have a good idea of what to look for now.
The first tip is to wash in cold water.

• I've not washed in hot or warm water for decades and I'd love to know how much energy and money that has saved me.  I also recently had to buy a new machine and went for one of those front loading varieties.  I have to say, I like it very much and it uses less water and less energy than an equivalent top loading machine so it appears I have made a good decision with that one. 
• As with the dishwasher, you will discover that your washing machine will use the same amount of energy whether or not there are a few items or a whole load so it makes sense really to wait until you have a full load of washing if you are trying to save energy and thus have more money in your pocket at the end of the month. 

Now, the bane of my life, clothes dryers.
I was given one as a wedding gift and I had it for about 15 years before it finally coughed it's last load of soft fluffy clothes at me.  However, I had used it less and less as I realised just how much money it cost me each time I used it.  Eventually for the last three or four years it only got used in emergencies of weather or bad management on my part.

• If it is a sunny day, hang your washing outside.  I have a clothes line but I know others who use clothes airers and they work well too.  The sun dries them perfectly, the breeze softens the fabrics and they smell fantastic when you bring them back inside. 

• If you do use your dryer, never put dripping clothes in, always spin them first and make sure the lint filter is cleaned really regularly so that the machine can weave its magic for you as efficiently as possible. 

• Maybe you could trial drying your clothes and just finishing them off in the dryer as an interim measure on a wonderfully sunny day.

There are many other energy using appliances in our home that you may not have thought of.
Things like your iron, your microwave, your television, computer, dvd/video machine, stereo,gaming consoles.....  How on earth did we come to rely on energy so much for our daily lives.
Most of these appliances now contain digital clocks and also standby lights.  Now this is all very well but how many clocks does one room need?  In my home, in the kitchen I have a clock on the wall, one on the stove and another on the microwave.  In the living room I think at last count there were four clocks in the TV cabinet!  What is this obsession with clocks on appliances?
Now to get to the point.  I'll give you an everyday example as a means to make it - the microwave oven.  Most if not all homes now possess such an appliance.  They almost all come with a digital display that tells you all sorts of useful information like temperature and duration of cooking time while you are using them and that is great but once their job is done, they just sit there with their little display telling you the time. And using energy. 

• I use my microwave for less than 30 minutes a day and yet I allow it to use energy (and cost me money) for 24 hours per day.  That just does not make sense. 
• Turn it off at the switch when you are not using it. 
• It will not mind, it will not stop working. 
• Nothing terrible will happen.

The same goes for your stereo.

• If you are not listening to it, turn it of. 
• Not just on the front, that will just let it sit there on standby mode, using power. 
• Turn it off at the switch.

And when you go to bed at night, all those things in the entertainment cabinet with their little red and green lights just begging you to turn them back on, are costing you money.  Don't listen, reach behind the cabinet and flick that switch!
Now here is the big sell for me about this one.
All those clocks, all those little red and green standby lights (including the ones on your computer!) add around 10% to your energy bill.  That means by creating the habit of turning them off when they are not being used, you could save up to 10% on each and every energy account you receive from this day forward.  Over your lifetime, that can add up to a lot of energy and a nice amount of money left in your bank account for something much more fun than paying the energy bill.

Cate Ferguson lives in Australia and has been involved in the Personal Growth and Empowerment field for many years. Cate Ferguson produces a monthly newsletter and is the author of a 5 part ecourse 5 Steps to Discover your life purpose. Visit http://www.CateFerguson.com for more information
Cate is also passionate about living a sustainable lifestyle and has written extensively on how to live a modern, mainstream alternative lifestyle. Visit http://www.AlternativeLifestyleSite.com/blog for more information

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

The Home Energy Yardstick - Your Number 1 Money Saving Tool

People often think of home energy saving as a difficult thing to accomplish. This is usually because they do not know where to start, and how. There are many ways of finding out what needs to be done in your home to make it more energy efficient. Among these ways, there is one in particular that has proven to be most useful in saving a lot of money at home when it has been taken seriously. This method is known as the home energy yardstick.
A home energy yardstick is designed to give you a measure of the amount of energy your home uses. Although there are several ways to do this, the easiest way is to type in "energystar.gov" in the Google search box and visit that website. You will be asked to fill in some details and you will then be given a measure of your energy usage. Even in the presence of tools such as the home energy yardstick, many of us are still trapped inside the notion that saving money (by saving home energy) is "easier said than done". Making use of a home energy yardstick can allow you to plan how to go about decreasing energy consumption at home, without compromising comfortable living standard - people often assume that a direct consequence of reducing home energy, or going green, is that their lifestyle standard will decrease.
This is a long way off from being correct.
It may require a bit of sacrifice at first, such as for example if you turn down the down the temperature of your thermostat by one degree (which can save you a couple of hundred dollars every year) or by ensuring that your taps in your bathrooms and kitchens or other highly serviced areas do not leak (which can potentially save you many, many gallons of water every year). But, making these sacrifices can save you a lot of money in the long run, which can then be used to not only maintain your standard of living, but also to increase it.
It is wrong for us to assume that only people who are environmentally concerned can benefit from saving home energy or being energy efficient. Doing so is beneficial for anybody who is interested in living a more peaceful, relaxed lifestyle, with a much smaller outflow of money due to energy bills.
People argue that saving energy at home cannot possibly change much, since the effect of climate change impacts the entire earth, which makes the energy saved by one home negligible. On the surface of things, this may seem like an argument that cannot be balanced by a counter argument. However, if we look at it a bit deeply, we will find answers that not only balance this argument, but also outweigh it completely.
Saving home energy does not simply mean that we should turn off lights, computers, turn down our thermostat temperature. It means that we should control and limit the use of all of our resources at home. By doing this, each home can potentially halve their energy bills, or, in some aspects of energy usage, even eliminate them completely. If all homes did this, the effect of global climate change would no longer progress. Saving home energy is a more powerful weapon against global climate change than the creation of hybrid vehicles and other technological advancements based on sustainability.
It is needless to say that if we begin to take control of our energy and resource consumption at home, we can make a very big difference to our lifestyle, our budget, our local environment and our peace of mind. There are countless ways and resources available for you if you are interested in being energy efficient at home.
The most difficult milestone in becoming energy efficient is the very first one - understanding how easy it is!

Want to learn about more money saving ideas for your home?
Adam Maher is a home energy saving expert. For more great information on the home energy yardstick [http://www.esavehomeenergy.com/home-energy-yardstick], visit www.esavehomeenergy.com [http://www.esavehomeenergy.com].

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

The Top Seven Questions About Energy Conservation With Home Energy Audits

Energy efficiency, energy savings, and money saving get a lot easier with a simple home energy audit walk through of your home or apartment. Every single home, even energy efficient homes, lose energy. But with the insight gained from a detailed energy audit, you can create energy savings and turn your home into an energy saving home by limiting your home's energy loss and using energy wisely.
Here are the top seven frequently asked questions and answers about home energy audits and how they can help you save energy -- and save money.
1. What is a Home Energy Audit?
A "green homes" energy audit is a simple process of walking through your home, room by room, paying careful attention, and writing down how you use energy in that room, plus possible places where you home uses... and loses... energy. You can "do it yourself," or hire a professional. The energy audit professional typically looks at heat loss with specialized thermal imaging equipment and other techniques that "visualize" heat loss and energy gaps. But the "do it yourselfer," however, can very easily take note of energy usage and energy loss in each room. And when you add up the numbers, you'll see exactly where you can save on energy. Computer spreadsheets are a valuable tool for the do it yourself home energy auditor to save and compare your findings on a room by room and year by year basis.
2. How Long Does it Take to Do an Energy Audit?
The first time you do a home energy audit, it will take several hours at least, and you may decide to spread it over a few days - depending on your home's size and how much you have in it. As you do your "energy walk" through your home for the first time, you will find many areas of energy usage you hadn't thought of before. Future energy saving audits will take a little less time - because you're already aware of these "hidden" areas. Also, as you fix the energy leaks in each room, those will no longer need your attention, saving time. Fixing any problems you find, of course, may take a bit longer.
3. How Often Should I Do an Energy Audit?
At least once each year, though I would definitely recommend energy audits more often. The best times to do home energy audits are: spring, before you see the jump in your energy bills for the high energy air conditioning season, and fall before you see the jump in your energy bills for the heating season.
4. How Much Can I Save on my Energy Audit if I "Do It Myself?"
The amount varies by home and location. By doing an energy audit yourself, you'll probably save several hundred dollars because you're not paying someone to conduct the audit. This is on top of the potential 15% - 40% savings in energy costs that many people realize when actually finding and reducing energy usage. The nice thing about doing it yourself is that you become intimately familiar with all the energy consumers and energy losers in your home, and can set your own agenda to fix it.
5. What's the Best Room to Start In?
It doesn't matter, as you will do them all. I prefer to start in the basement. There is a lot going on in the basement that gets my mind thinking about energy saving! Ducts, vents, registers, furnace, washer, dryer, lights, hot water heater, sump pump, etc. All these items have an energy related cost to them. If you don't have a basement or prefer to start elsewhere, go for the kitchen. Ultimately, you will want to do your energy audit in every room to maximize your potential energy savings.
6. What's the Best Way to Test for Drafts Around Windows?
A simple strip of single ply tissue taped to the end of a pencil, or flame from a candle (please be careful!). These will quickly show you any air movement, which is what you're looking for. It's best to do your testing on a breezy day, because more air will leak on those days so you can see it more easily. You can also close all the windows in the home and set a couple of fans blowing out in a couple of open windows and turning on any exhaust fans to help draw air into the house through the leaks and cracks and make them easy to spot with your tissue tool or candle.
7. How Do I Record the Results of My Audit?
On a simple piece of paper! Label it with the date and room so you can easily compare notes between rooms, and between successive audits conducted at later dates. (So it's best to use one sheet for each room!) Here is where home computers come in especially handy. Record your data for each room in a spreadsheet program and the computer can "do the math" for you. And then you have an easy way to compare results, notes, and numbers from energy audit to energy audit.
Because a home energy audit looks at your home's energy usage and your personal energy usage, it will show you, in black and white, your home's energy patterns... and energy problems. Once you know where the problems are, you can start your own energy savings plan that will work for your home because it "attacks" the energy problems that are specific to your home. Replacing all the windows in your home with newer, well-sealed energy efficient models, will, of course, save anyone money. But it will also cost a lot of money, and your particular home may not need to have the windows replaced because some windows are perfectly fine and just need some new or additional caulking to seal the cracks around the frame. But some homes might need new energy efficient windows or doors, or a new energy saving hot water heater, or any one or several energy saving tips. And, of course, you may need to change some personal habits to cut down on energy usage. A home energy audit -- especially if you do it yourself - will tell you what you need to do and where you need to do it to save energy and save money in your own home.

Dan Davenport has wants the world to be a greener place - intelligently. Come to http://www.easy-energy-saving-home.com to find many energy and money saving ideas you can use every day. And for more information of Home Energy Audits, visit, http://www.easy-energy-saving-home.com/home-energy-audit.html

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

Green Energy Jobs - How to Start Your Own Green Energy Project in 3 Easy Steps

If you are seeking a green energy job then you should really consider starting your own green energy project. Making your own green source of energy is not only easy but it can also provide many benefits to yourself that a normal job couldn't. For instance, instead of having to rely on your utility company for energy you will be able to produce your own resulting in lots of savings on energy bills. You can also sell unused renewable energy back to your utility company for a profit. And to top everything off you will be helping the environment by using a green source of energy because it does not produce any type of pollution. So how can you get started with your own green energy job? I'm about to tell you in just 3 easy steps...
1. Using The Earth For Energy
There are two options when it comes to making your own source of renewable energy. You can either build a solar panel system or a wind turbine. So you need to decide which kind of natural power system you would like to utilize before you go any further. Both of these systems are extremely efficient and are used throughout the world so your decision will only be a matter of personal preference.
Since both of these systems use the earth for energy you will need to find a place around your house that takes advantage of their characteristics. For a solar panel system you will want to find a place that receives the most sunlight and for a wind turbine you will need to find a place that experiences the most amount of wind current. While this may sound very elementary it is very important that you do this step correctly as it will directly determine whether or not your renewable energy system will work.
2. Guide Your Green Energy Job
The next step in starting your own green power project is to find a reliable DIY renewable energy guide. Sounds pretty simple, right? Unfortunately, finding a DIY renewable energy guide can be very frustrating. There are many guides out there that are simply trying to cash in on the growing market of green power. As such, there are many guides out there that are complete crap and offer nothing more than empty promises.
This is why it is very important to take the time to find just the right green power guide. It will make or break the success of you natural energy system.
3. Building Your Green Source Of Energy
Once you have found a trustworthy DIY green power guide, the rest of your green energy job should be a breeze. Everything you will need to know about the process of building a natural energy source will be included in the guide. This will make putting your system together as easy as following directions. And the best part is that all of the information is in one place making it very easy to access and follow. With the help of a DIY renewable energy guide you could have your green source of energy up and running in just two days!

If you don't want to spend dozens of hours trying to find a trustworthy DIY green energy guide then click the link below. You will learn about the exact guide I used that has allowed me to save hundreds of dollars every month on energy. This is only for those of you who are serious about making your own source of green energy and saving a ton of cash. Remember, I've done all of the hard work for you. All you need to do is click the link below. Can you manage that?
Click Here [http://www.squidoo.com/earth4energydiyguidereview] And Start Saving Money By Using The Earth For Energy [http://www.squidoo.com/earth4energydiyguidereview]

Article Source: EzineArticles.com