In its intentional use, solar power gave us heat and light. As evolution worked its magic solar power was not an alternative source of power, it was the- source of power as it warmed the earth and moved the air. Now, our modern technology has evolved to a point where we can once again use solar power to warm and move our air. But why should we use solar power when the same planet that gave us the sun gave us the coal to accomplish the same task? There are many reasons, and most of them are of the kind that people can identify with; they are self serving and entirely hedonistic.

Solar leads to cost savings

All one has to do these days is open up an electric and heat bill to see how much it costs to heat and light your home. Solar power is a great way to just about eliminate the costs associated with lighting and heating your home. For those that are using solar powered heating and lighting equipment today there is little if any cost associated with heating and lighting their homes. Yes, there is an up-front cost to installing these units but pay back times through cost savings and tax credits are getting shorter and shorter due to better technology and awareness. These current users report that they actually make money from using solar power systems just by paying a little closer attention to how they use the power that they have. For the most part, they indicate that a 30 second glance at back-up batteries for piece of mind is all the extra time required to start saving money.

Money maker

Some may say that piece of mind doesn’t go very far when it comes to a series of cloudy days. Batteries, they say, can run out or get low. From all reports, however, cloudy day issues, in a majority of the worlds climates, are not an issue. In fact, a majority of users find that they have an excess of electricity that ends up just going to waste. Or so most people- once – thought. Although the entire US is not quite there yet most sates require that utilities buy back excess power generated from those desiring to remain on the power grid. Although it may sound a bit odd, solar power users find that their electric meters actually run backward quite a bit of the time when solar power systems are in use. God forbid there were a few weeks of nothing but clouds and cold, but if there are the owner is free to use the power that they sold back to the utility. Past the home front, add a water wheel and a wind mill and you have a nice little income generator with the electric utility paying you.

Off the grid

There is a certain segment of the population that just does not want to be connected to the grid, as the power and information society calls it. For these people solar power is a great option. Solar units are fairly low cost and getting lower cost every day. They can also withstand a 1 hailstone traveling at 50mph. For survivalists or even for a farmer that needs to irrigate his crops in the middle of nowhere, solar is the way to go.

Develop a new technology

Man at his basic is a curious being. What if? Is always being thought about whether its just a casual thought during the day or figuring out how to get to Mars. Advancing technology is just who man is. Using solar may satisfy our current environmental issues but it also satisfies our intellectual needs. If solar power isnt used it wont advance and our need to know wont be satisfied. Intellectually, solar is a great idea.

Leave the world a better place

Throughout time man has found a way to screw up the planet in one way or another. Most of the time, man has screwed up because of ignorance or with good intentions. Using solar, at the moment, appears to be one of those good intentions. It may end up being a bad thing 200 years down the road, but for now, it may be one of the only ways to leave the world a little better then when we got here.

Why Use Solar Power. Some Great Reasons is a post from: Reference Education Center | FTP2009Istanbul.com

Constructed from recycled milk jugs and plastic containers, recycled plastic lumber is formed into many of the profiles you would expect from traditional lumber. This feature allows it to be sawed, cut and screwed much the same as wood lumber. It is now being used for decking, railings, picnic tables, benches, patio furniture and even childrens playground equipment. Consumers can rest assured that the use of recycled poly lumber helps to keep billions of pounds of recyclable plastics from entering our every growing landfills. Due to increased environmental awareness post consumer plastic bottle recycling has dramatically increased over the past ten years from 234 million pounds to over a staggering 1.5 billion pounds.

Traditional hardwood lumber is often treated with hazardous chemicals to ward off possible insect attacks. It also will over time need sanding and some type of refinishing and will also start to rot if left out in the elements for prolonged periods of time. On the contrary, plastic lumber contains no hazardous chemicals and can not leak or contaminate the soil nor does it require any maintenance beyond cleaning as needed which usually just requires hosing off.

Recycled plastic lumber is built to withstand all of the elements from frosty winters, to tropical sun and salty, windy coastal weather. This plastic lumber is weighty and not to be confused with a thin plastic product that his formed and molded into chairs that you find at many home supply stores. Poly lumber is actually formed into 2×4s, 2×6s and the like to then be cut, screwed and assembled into furniture that will adorn your patio, deck, poolside or garden. New applications for this product are being thought up every day. The most recent suggestion was for an artificial reef which would have a life span of 60 years submerged in the ocean.

Recycled plastic lumber is an economically viable alternative to traditional hardwood lumber. It is built to last a lifetime so there will be no replacing your splintering, bug infested or rotting patio furniture in a matter of years. Recycled plastic lumber is a friend to numerous environmental issues such as deforestation. By using recycled products for furniture you are helping to reduce the use of our forests and precious air filtering trees for our day to day needs! We all know that our forests and trees play a major role in helping prevent global warming.

Therefore, recycled plastic lumber is quickly becoming a resource that is sought out in all types of applications with both environmental advantages as well as economical advantages. Recycled plastic lumber is definitely a product worth looking into with virtually no maintenance the advantages of this environmentally friendly product is undeniable.

Why Use Recycled Plastic Lumber? is a post from: Reference Education Center | FTP2009Istanbul.com

Why Use Biomass for Our Energy Needs: The Pros

The primary positive aspect of biomass is it is part of the biocycle of life. This means it isnt toxic to the environment because it is more or less the environment. An additional benefit is the fact biomass almost always breaks down relatively quickly to its natural elements. This means a biomass fuel spill would be far less damaging than an oil spill, particularly in the long run.

The burning of biomass does kick out carbon dioxide among other gases. Carbon dioxide, of course, is a greenhouse gas. Proponents of biomass energy, however, argue that the gases produced are not really a problem because they are part of the current biocycle. By this, they are arguing that carbon dioxide is a natural element produced in nature and they are correct.

Fossil fuels, on the other hand, are outside of the natural biocycle in the world because they are buried in the ground, which effectively means they are not part of naturally occurring phases. As we dig and drill fossil fuels out of the ground, we are adding the harmful elements found in them to a system that cannot withstand the massive influx.

We already use many biomass fuels in our daily lives. The first cavemen used them to light fires for warmth, protection and cooking. Today, we use them to power our automobiles in the form of biodiesal and bioethanol. Whether you realize it or not, these two fuels have been going into our cars at gas stations since 1990 in parts of the country. The reason is they are used as additives in gasoline for the purpose of cutting harmful carbon dioxide emissions. In fact, federal law mandates their use in certain cities such as Los Angeles as well as in most government vehicles.

Carbon dioxide produced from vehicles makes up over a third of all the greenhouse gases produced in our country. Bioethanol made from corn cuts these emissions by over 20 percent compared to your basic gasoline. Biodiesel made from soybeans cuts emissions by as much as 80 percent. Any way you cut it, using biomass fuel is a step in the right direction.

Why Use Biomass for Our Energy Needs is a post from: Reference Education Center | FTP2009Istanbul.com

The frogs are not the only ones disappearing. The fishes, cobras, pythons are also diminishing in numbers. Weeds called the “Cat’s Tail” have proliferated, snuffing out important sunlight that would allow organisms to grow.

This is worrying enough for some concrete action to be taken to revive the ecosystem. In retrospect, how can action be taken to protect the environment, or a delicate ecosystem such as Tasek Chini, or any other lake in the world?

Here at Tasek Chini I read about the Sustainable Development Network or SUSDEN which is running the Save Tasik Chini Campaign since August 2004, and these are remedial steps taken by the authorities and the Non Government organisations in concert to step the decline:

1. Collect and remove fallen trees and weeds that choke the lake
2. reduce the pollution that comes from newly developed training camps for National Service that have been built near the lake
3. reduce the industrial pollution from nearby oil palm estates that bring fertilisers and pesticides into the lake
4. stop illegal logging activities near the lake
5. disallow opening of land within the forest near the lake
6. introducing programs to empower the aborigines called Jakun living in the surrounding areas of the lakes so that they continue to live there with their traditional resources that are linked to biodiversity conservation.

Most important of all is education to children on the importance of the lake and introduce them to the lifestyle of the aborgines living off the land surrounding the lake. These aborigines lived in harmony with the animals, plants and environment and they ensure the survival of the lake.

Now if you do have a lake in your area where you are living, ensure that the frogs stll sing. Frogs are a good barometer of the environment. Frogs are declining due to habitat destruction, contamination, predation and genetic pollution. Will the frogs sing again at Tasek Cini? We do not know yet, but there is one thing we do know. Irregardless of where we are, if we save the frogs, we may be able to save our lives too.

Why The Frogs No Longer Sing – A Case Study On The Survival Of A Freshwater Lake. is a post from: Reference Education Center | FTP2009Istanbul.com

A difficulty that is often encountered when dealing with mental illnesses consists of the lack of very clear symptoms. When we suffer from a physical ailment, we often confront ourselves with all kinds of signs. We know that if something hurts, we must see the doctor or take a medical examination. But when our soul hurts, things are not quite as simple. Even so, feeling sad or depressed for days may be a sign of alarm, especially if there are no reasons why we should feel that way.

Depression is one of the most widespread mental ailments. It is not very serious if it is given the proper attention. Taking medication under the doctors supervision and following a healthy way of life can lead to notable improvements in the patients mental health.

Other very common mental illnesses are phobias. There are many kinds of phobia, some more serious, some less. A phobia consists of an irrational fear connected to even the more mundane things. Some people are afraid of open spaces; others cannot get into an elevator. Fear of crowds, fear of spiders and fear of driving are just examples of phobias. Some people can live with phobias without interrupting their lives, while some can get to the point of being incapable of interaction with other human beings or leading a healthy life. Fortunately, phobias can be treated through medication and therapy.

Most of the time, the role of noticing that a person is suffering from depression or other mental illnesses belongs to the family. The afflicted man or woman can develop some strange habits, like eating too much or too little, disorganized sleep or anger outbursts when least expected. In such cases, the relatives must take the patient to a doctor in order to take the proper medication and live a healthy life like everybody else.

The suffering person may respond differently to treatments. The doctor may try different medications until finding out what is the best for the patient. After that, things become clearer and the patient can enjoy a healthier life.

Also, the patients relatives must work with the doctor in order to assure the ill person a proper environment to get healthy. The family can provide the suffering man or woman the proper care and understanding during the treatment. Because some of the illnesses involve long treatments and therapy, the familys support and love are very important for the patient. The afflicted person can cope better with the ailment when feeling surrounded by loving and caring friends and family. As mental illnesses belong to the mind and the soul, within lies the strength of overcoming them and that can only be done in a friendly and supporting environment.

Why It Is Important To Take Care Of Your Mind is a post from: Reference Education Center | FTP2009Istanbul.com

So, it is all of our responsibilities to conserve this essential natural resource when we can. And even if we are a little careful with our water usage habits, we can make a big difference. Here is some advice on how you can conserve water around the home.

In the kitchen

* See if you can redirect waste water from the kitchen sink to the garden. Also, use a bowl when washing dishes so you don’t just leave the tap running.

* If you have a dishwasher wait until you have a full load and use the economy cycle, again reducing the amount of water used. Also before putting the dirty plates etc. into the dishwasher, scrape the leftovers into the bin rather than rinsing under the running tap.

* Wait until there is a full load before washing your dirty clothes and front loaders use less water than top loaders.

In the garden

* Water your garden early in the morning or just before sunset. This allows the water to be absorbed into the ground instead of evaporating in the hot sun if you water during the day. Also the water droplets left on the leaves from the watering can damage your plants if the sun is too hot, so better wait until it cools down.

* If you have directed your bathroom and kitchen water to the garden and connected to garden hoses around the garden, puncture the hoses with holes which will allow the water to filter out from various places instead of from one end only. This lets the water to penetrate to a deeper level and encourages the plant roots to grow longer and stronger, and therefore enhances the plants’ own search for water.

* Water sprinklers are time-savers but do use huge quantities of water if left on for long periods of time. It is said they use 300 650 litres of water an hour. If left on over night, thats a minimum of 2,400 litres! So, if you have to use them, please try only to use them for shorter periods of time and look for alternatives if possible.

* Rain water is a free, natural and easy source of water. Get a large tank or water butt and place it where the roof water from your home runs off. This will fill quickly in a big rain and provide a great source of water for the garden, or even for washing.

In the bathroom

* Flushing a toilet can use between 12 – 20 litres of water, so put a brick or a plastic bottle filled with water into the toilet cistern and this will reduce the water you use. Or you can install dual flush toilets where you can opt for a small or a large flush.

* Up to 4.5 litres of water is wasted when we brush our teeth because most people leave the tap running. Turn the tap off when cleaning your teeth or, even better, have a bottle of water and a glass near the basin and use these to rinse instead of running the tap every time you brush.

* Showers are much more environmentally friendly than baths. Even if you use the shower, you may still be able to reduce the amount of water you use. Install a low-flow shower head if you can get one. Also, spray taps release smaller amounts of water but do the same job as a normal tap and these can be fitted to your bathroom and kitchen sinks.

* Throw your rubbish in the bin and not down the toilet.

* Consider ways to get water from the shower to the garden and use this water for your plants.

These tips are not only directed at private households but to businesses as well. If you own or manage a business, or even if you feel your employer could do better when it comes to conserving water, try to use some of these methods at work. It is in all our interests that we have a plentiful and reliable supply of water.

If you introduce these habits and measures slowly into your routine you will find that it really will have no impact on your day-to-day life, but you will save a lot of water.

Top Tips For Conserving Water In Your Area is a post from: Reference Education Center | FTP2009Istanbul.com

According to Environmental Defense, a leading nonprofit organization committed to protecting the environment, the United States is ranked the No. 1 global warming polluter. What can you do to help change that? Here are some small steps that you can take every day toward becoming a more conscious consumer:

* Buy in bulk. It’s cheaper in the long run, and you buy more of the product and less of the packaging.

* Look at the businesses you buy from. Does your coffee shop recycle? Does your rental car agency have hybrids? Businesses take note of consumers’ questions; your inquiry could be the one to tip the scale and make a change.

* Make an appointment for the Earth. At participating Aveda salons, a minimum of $1 will be directed to Aveda’s Earth Month partners when customers make appointments for a haircut, style, massage or facial.

* Support your local farmers. Farmers’ markets are where some of the healthiest and freshest food can be found. By supporting farmers in your own community, you’re doing your own body good and cutting down on carbon dioxide emissions of food transportation.

* Recycle! Plastic comes from crude oil and paper comes from trees. By recycling just these two items in your household, you’re helping to save two of the Earth’s valuable resources and reducing your home’s carbon dioxide emissions.

* Pay your bills online. It saves stamps, paper, fuel for mail transport and ultimately saves you money.

* Purchase thoughtful gifts. Aveda’s limited edition Light the Way candle, for example, is made with certified organic rose geranium and helps support organic farms in South Africa. All proceeds from the candle will go to organizations working to save threatened and endangered species.

* Think “eco-fashion.” A number of designers are now using clothing materials that go beyond organic cotton, such as biodegradable fabrics and fibers made of recycled plastics.

* Spread the word. If you find a “green” product or company that you like, tell your friends. Consumers can use their collective purchasing power to spearhead change.

Tips on Becoming an Earth-Friendly Consumer is a post from: Reference Education Center | FTP2009Istanbul.com

Known as the little tuxedos, penguins have always seemed a bit odd as animals go. All of that changed, however, with The March of the Penguins, a movie about Emperor Penguins. The movie focuses on the incredible hardships these penguins undergo to be parents. If you havent seen the movie, rent it now. It will make you laugh, cry and develop a healthy respect for these majestic animals.

Penguins live in a fairly limited area. Theyre primary home is Antarctica. Penguins can also be found in the cold costal areas of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. There are no penguins in the Arctic. This is the opposite of polar bears which are not found in Antarctica.

There are seventeen species of penguins. The smallest are Rockhoppers, which average roughly twelve inches in height. On the other end of the spectrum are the Emperor Penguins, which average nearly 48 inches in height.

Penguins feed in the water, not on the ice of Antarctica. A typical meal consists of fish, squid or krill. Penguins can hold their breath underwater for six minutes, six times the average human. They are extremely strong swimmers, but cant swim backwards.

As March of the Penguins revealed, penguins have a unique breading cycle. They only breed once a year and in protected areas called rookeries. Much like salmon, penguins return to the same rookeries each year. Depending on ice flow conditions, they may travel up to 70 miles to reach the rookeries.

Once at the rookeries, penguins will flirt with each other until they find the perfect mate. The female will lay only one egg. She will push the egg to the male who holds it on the top of his feet with his stomach fat hanging over it to keep it warm. He will do this for nine straight weeks and go without food. While he loses up to fifty percent of his body weight, the mother will head back to the ocean to feed as much as she can. She will then return to the rookeries just as the egg hatches and feed the baby from her mouth. The male, in turn, will head off to the ocean to eat and recover his body weight.

When you see penguins in a zoo or water park, you should feel sorry for them. Because they are natives of Antarctica, the natural defense systems in their body are not tailored to germs found outside of the frozen continent. As a result, large numbers die from diseases caused by germs they have no defense to.

Most people, me included, never have given a second thought to penguins. That is too bad since they are truly amazing creatures.

Those Amazing Penguins is a post from: Reference Education Center | FTP2009Istanbul.com

The World Turns To Renewable Energy

When one thinks of the amount of energy needed to power the modern world, it is easy to get a headache. The sheer volume is so massive as to be difficult to picture. Now that we have awakened to environment, climate and societal problems associated with the continued use of fossil fuels, it is interesting to hear the politicians suddenly thinking green.

Ten years ago, who would have imagined the Terminator, now the Governator of California, driving around in a hybrid hummer? Well, he does. More so, Governor Schwarzenegger happens to arguably be the greenest politician in the Unites States when it comes to actually taking action. California, after all, has just instituted a 3 billion dollar solar energy plan.

Alas, the federal government falls on its face when it comes to energy issues. Beholden to big oil, there current administration simply refuses to acknowledge there is a problem, much less take action. For many in the country, this must give the impression that nothing is being done around the world. In fact, much is being done, but the U.S. simply is not taking part.

For example, give some thought to Victoria, Australia. This province has just committed itself to obtaining 60 percent of all of its energy from renewable sources by 2016. That is a staggering number.

How about Germany? The Germans lead the world in wind and solar technology. By 2020, a full 20 percent of the total German energy supply will come from renewable energy. If you have ever experienced the lights of Berlin at night, you know that is impressive.

How about Norway? The country is 99 percent reliant on renewable energy sources. Norway has no petroleum powered power plants. None! It imports no oil. In fact, it exports nearly all of its oil resources, making it the third biggest exporter in the world behind Saudi Arabia and Russia.

How about Brazil? The country is known for its interesting political situation, yet it has managed to turn itself into a clean energy giant in South America. The reason is the country has converted much of its transportation, public and private, to ethanol. By 2007, it is believed most transportation in Brazil will run on 100 percent ethanol, which is a biofuel made from sugar cane. The price per gallon of ethanol is half that of oil. If the United States was to take the same step, the savings on oil each year would be close to $2 trillion dollars.

The above represent only a few samples of a world making a concerted clean energy effort. Unfortunately, the United States is both the biggest consumer of fossil fuels and emitter of greenhouse gases. Until we follow these changes, the process will be incomplete.

The World Turns To Renewable Energy is a post from: Reference Education Center | FTP2009Istanbul.com

A Contest of a Different Sort

The solar decathlon is an interesting strategy for promoting research and development on solar technology by the Energy Department. The Department selects 20 teams from a bevy of applicants to take part.

To win the competition, the teams are given the goal of creating and manufacturing a home that runs completely on solar power. The home must function as a residence as well as a home-based business and all typical transportation needs typically found with a residential home. The teams are not only required to design and build the home, but they must construct the homes on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. for all to see. The most energy efficient home wins the competition and the university is awarded $100,000 for research and development of solar technologies.

In 2005, the University of Colorado was the winner of the competition with Cornell and Cal Poly finishing second and third. It was the second win in a row for Colorado over such schools as MIT and Cal Poly. The teams for the 2007 competition have been selected and are currently working on their projects:

California Polytechnic State University

Carnegie Mellon University

Cornell University

Georgia Institute of Technology

Kansas State University

Lawrence Technological University

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

New York Institute of Technology

Team Montreal

Technische Universitt Darmstadt,

Texas A&M University

Pennsylvania State University

Universidad de Puerto Rico

Universidad Politcnica de Madrid

University of Cincinnati

University of Colorado

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

University of Maryland

University of Missouri-Rolla,

University of Texas at Austin

The teams are due to build their homes on the National Mall on October 7, 2007. With the new interest of the Bush Administration in solar power, perhaps the contest will get a Presidential visit.

The Solar Decathlon is a post from: Reference Education Center | FTP2009Istanbul.com