Eco Friendly Homes

Archive for December, 2008

The Powers-That-Be who own, control and profit from the production and distribution of these important resources – Water, Power and Food – have a growing monopoly over what we have come to depend on as being consistantly and abundantly available to us here in the ‘West’. If we are thirsty, we turn on the tap. If we need light, we flick a switch. If we are hungry, we pop down to the corner store and buy prepared food, ready to eat. And if we want to go anywhere, we just hop into our cars, fill up at the gas station and blaze a trail. But what if, one day, you turned on the faucet and no water came out? What if there was no power to run any of the appliances in your home? What if the store shelves were empty and the gas stations closed? Or perhaps worse yet; What if the water coming out of your tap was full of toxins that would make you sick? What if the only food available was so chemically ladden and genetically altered that it destroyed your body’s natural immunities and healthy functions? What if the cost of energy was so high that only The Rich could afford to heat their homes in the winter? What if the gas pumps only had limited amounts of very expensive fuel available? These scenarios are not so far fetched, and may not be so far off. You may have never considered what you would do in the event of a natural catastrophe or manufactured political event that deprived you of your basic requirements of life – Healthy Food, Clean Water, and Cheap Alternative Energy.

Sustainable energy is one of the most widely developed forms of energy on the planet. With concerns that non renewable resources, such as fossil fuels, will be completely depleted, research and development has gone into sustainable energy in hopes of protecting the environment and having a viable source of electricity for future generations.

Sustainable energy comes in many forms. Solar power, wind power, and wave power are among the three most commonly pursued types. Geothermal energy, which is only available in some parts of the world, is also a very successful source of sustainable energy.

If you wish to help the environment and lower your costs of electricity, investing in sustainable energy may be for you. There are many ways that you can get involved in the sustainable energy movement, if you are willing to make lifestyle changes. One way is to invest in solar powering for your sustainable homes.

Unfortunately, it is very difficult to thrive on only sustainable energy. While there is efforts to make electric and hybrid cars, as well as cars that can function on high percentages of ethanol, thee vehicles are still extremely expensive and the technology is still in development. However, purchasing a car with a high mileage rate can significantly lower the amount of energy you consume. If you do a lot of short distance driving, a pure electric car coupled with solar power can nullify the amount of non renewable energy you consume. However, electric cars still do not have sufficient battery life to handle more than short distance driving.

There is a great deal that needs to be learned about sustainable energy, and how transitional energies can be used while good sustainable options are under development. If everyone does their part, a solution can be found before the future generations suffer from the decisions made by the current generation.