Why A Solar Set-Up Is A Good Idea

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description : 

It’s no surprise: In today’s world, we use a lot of excess energy and power. With so much technology, we stretch our resources to the limit to power our convenient lifestyles. We also emit a lot of pollution into the atmosphere. But who ever said that in order to have convenience, you have to forget about the Earth and what’s best for the environment? 

Fortunately, there’s an alternative – for your house, anyway. It is called a Solar Set-Up, and it can do a lot for you, as you do a lot for the environment. What are the advantages to having one for your home? Here are the positive features of a solar set-up:

Saves On Utility Costs

When you invest in a solar set-up, you actually save money overall. How? Your utility bills can decrease by as much as 20 to 30 percent each month. That is money that really adds up over time, amounting to over thousands of dollars, so you can actually end up saving a lot of money over the years.

Protects the Environment

By getting a solar set-up, you can really do your part for the environment. Using solar panels, a solar set-up converts DC power into AC power, which is then used to generate your household electricity. In addition, a solar set-up reduces the amount of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere. The average American home emits more than 16,000 pounds of CO2 annually, so switching to this set-up really does drastically reduce pollution and does its part for the environment.

No Large, Upfront Investment

If you’re thinking “That sounds great, but I just don’t know if I could afford it,” you’re in luck. While some companies make it so expensive that you have to finance your solar set-up, others work to make it more affordable. Companies like Vivint make it affordable because they don’t have these large, upfront costs. For example, Vivint uses a Power Purchase Agreement, or PPA. A PPA is an agreement where you buy the power your system produces. And it’s at a lower rate than you would otherwise pay on your utility bill.

Professionally Trained Installers and Complete In-House Management

Companies like Vivint also have professionally trained installers and complete in-house management. Basically, this means the homeowner doesn’t have to worry about whether or not the system is set up correctly. For example, Vivint’s installation staff completes rigorous training in order to provide quality service. And unlike some providers, companies like Vivint manage the entire process in-house so that good service and customer satisfaction is a guarantee.

RECOMMENDED: 10 Reasons Why The World Should Go Solar

Bottom Line? Going green really is more of a reality than a lot of people think. It is efficient and affordable. And it can really end up saving a lot of money in the long run. In addition, it does a lot for the environment without requiring you to give up anything at all. In the end, these positive features of a solar set-up really make it a win-win situation.

*by andreascy*

How Climate Change Is Destroying The Earth

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

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Climate Change Is Real 

Thanks to new studies and noticeable changes in weather and storm prevalence, it’s getting harder to turn a blind eye to the reality of climate change. Since the Industrial Age spurred the increasing usage of fossil fuels for energy production, the weather has been warming slowly. In fact, since 1880, the temperature of the earth has increased by 1 degree Celsius.

Although 72% of media outlets report on global warming with a skeptical air, the overwhelming majority of scientists believe that the extreme weather of the last decade is at least partially caused by global warming.

Some examples of climate calamities caused partly by global warming include:

•  Hurricane Katrina 

•  Drought in desert countries 

•  Hurricane Sandy 

•  Tornadoes in the Midwest 

These storms, droughts, and floods are causing death and economic issues for people all over the world - many of whom cannot afford to rebuild their lives from the ground up after being wiped out by a tsunami or other disaster. 

Evidence also indicates that the face of the Earth is changing because of warming trends. The ice caps of the Arctic are noticeably shrinking, the ice cap of Mt. Kilimanjaro alone has shrunk by 85% in the last hundred years, and the sea levels are rising at the rate of about 3 millimeters per year because of all the melting ice. Climate change is also affecting wildlife - for instance, Arctic polar bears are at risk of losing their environment; the Golden Toad has gone extinct; and the most adaptable species are evolving into new versions capable of withstanding warmer water. 

Despite some naysayers with alternative theories about why global temperatures are rising - including the idea that the earth goes through natural temperature cycles every few millennia - the dramatic changes in the earth’s atmospheric makeup suggests humans are to blame. In fact, 97% of scientists agree humans are responsible for climate change. Since the Industrial Revolution, carbon dioxide levels increased 38% because of humans, methane levels have increased 148%, nitrous oxide is up 15% - and the list goes on and on, all because of human-instigated production, manufacturing, and organizations and individuals work hard to promote an Earth-friendly existence, resistance to change is rampant and actions are slow. 

For instance, while the US Environmental Protection Agency is still working on collecting data to support development of greenhouse gas reduction expectations for businesses, most of their efforts feel more like pre-research than actual change. Other countries have made efforts - such as signing to Kyoto Protocol to reduce their 1990 emission levels by 18% by 2020 - but the only solution will require the whole world band together. 

Steps Anyone Can Take To Reduce Global Warming

1. Driving a car with good gas mileage, or investing in a hybrid or electric car 

2. Switching from incandescent light bulbs to CFL or LED 

3. Insulating your home and stocking it with energy efficient appliances 

4. Recycling 

5. Using green power available in your area

Check out the infographic below to see what else the gender wage gap affects.

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WHAT TO READ NEXT: Urban Farming is a Green Way to Improving Cities 

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*by andreascy*

UGGA : Ultra Portable Greenhouse Gas Analyser Fits In Small Case

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

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Portable gas analysers are nothing new, but Los Gatos Research reckons its latest instrument is the world’s first Greenhouse Gas Analyser to qualify for the label "ultra portable". 

Able to detect the three major greenhouse gases - CO2 (Carbon Dioxide), CH4 (Methane), and H2O (Water Vapour) to a claimed accuracy of parts per billion, the appropriately-named Ultra-portable Greenhouse Gas Analyser, or UGGA, is built into a rugged case small enough to be taken as aircraft carry-on luggage.

Los Gatos says that UGGA can simultaneously measure concentrations of CO2, CH4, and H2O, without suffering cross-sensitivity with other gases. The device consumes less than 70 watts, which the company says is less than a standard light bulb (but, as tungsten bulbs over 60W have already be come unavailable Europe, this isn’t necessarily a universal truth). 

The instrument works on the company’s proprietary Off-axis Integrated Cavity Output Spectroscopy (OA-Icos) technology, a cavity-enhanced laser absorption technique which it says is more precise and more rugged than competing technologies. Being a laser-based technique, the instrument automatically corrects CO2 and CH4 for water vapour dilution and spectroscopic effects. Both are reported as dry mole fractions, enabling accurate measurements without the need for sample drying. 

The choice of technology and the ruggedised case makes UGGA suitable for portable operation, and the package fits within US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) guidelines. Applications include compliance monitoring of industrial emissions and landfills, leak detection, air quality studies, soil flux studies, and other field operations where greenhouse gas emissions are to be monitored. 

*by andreascy*

New Efficient Way to Recycle Carbon Dioxide Pollution

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description : 

Scientists in the United States have discovered a new, inexpensive way to remove excess Carbon Dioxide (or CO2), from the atmosphere, as well as from large industrial exhaust sources, such as factory smokestacks. Researchers at the University of Southern California's Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute say their new CO2 extraction method achieved some of the highest rates ever reported for removing the potentially climate-changing greenhouse gas from the air under humid conditions. 

Most scientists believe that industrial carbon dioxide emissions are major contributors to global warming. The accelerating increase in the Earth’s average surface temperatures also is believed to be triggering significant changes in climate, including more intense storms, more severe floods and droughts, and major shifts in rainfall patterns. 

Study co-author and Loker Institute director Professor Surya Prakash said the CO2 extraction technique involves a plastic-like substance dispersed in a sandy material called fumed silica.

Prakash says the goal of the research was to create an efficient way to capture excess CO2 from the air and recycle it for use in the production of all the fuels and carbon-based products now made from refined petroleum. He adds that the extracted carbon dioxide also can be permanently isolated from the environment. 

Prakash says he expects to see his team’s CO2 recycling technology in commercial use within three to five years. The USC researchers say the fumed silica materials they developed for the CO2 extractor are much cheaper, more energy efficient and more chemically stable than existing extraction devices. They also report that the new materials can be used multiple times without losing their efficiency.

Prakash said he and his colleagues tested the new materials in humid air because capturing CO2 in humid conditions is especially difficult, and provided realistic conditions for the experiment since most air contains moisture. A report on the new USC study is published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. 

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*by andreascy*