In today’s economy, there are more reasons than ever to cut your energy bill. One of the most popular ways to do so is to invest in green, renewable energy to power all or part of your home. But, even if you don’t have the resources or the time to install a full photovoltaic solar kit on your roof, there are dozens of other ways to cut your bills, save money, and generally be more kind to Mother Earth.

That’s what we’re going to talk about – the strategies that frugal home owners and green members of society are using to take a hack at their energy use once and for all. That includes cutting down on your power bill in as many ways as possible, installing green energy sources such as solar panels, solar heat, and windmills, or simply cutting back on your food bill and other expenses.

The nation has had a wakeup call when it comes to our financial future. We cannot sustain endless spending and debt. If you’ve joined the ever growing revolution and want to cut your bills, keep reading – it’s time to rethink what you use and how you use it. This isn’t just about your checkbook – it’s about your children’s future and the future of our planet and everyone on it. I can’t think of a better reason to start making changes.

The World’s Energy Crisis

Right now, we’re coming to terms with a hard truth that has been hanging over our heads for decades. The amount of energy in the world is finite. We have always known that – it’s fairly easy to understand when you consider that most of our energy is derived from fossil fuels. But, now more than ever we’re seeing the evidence that we only have so long until energy sources grow too rare and too expensive for average consumers like us to afford.

It’s a big problem because most consumers don’t realize their role in the crisis. When we see a problem this big we assume that the government is responsible for fixing it. But, in reality, the government is limited in its actions as long as human beings continue to devour energy in such high amounts. We need to learn how to cut back our energy use and then replace the fossil fuels with sustainable solutions.

If you’re not sure this is a problem you need to face, just look at the cost of oil, gas, and electricity compared to 10-15 years ago. Gasoline in the early 2000s was barely more than $1 per gallon in the United States. Today, it remains around $3 consistently and sometimes goes upwards of $4 per gallon. Heating oil and natural gas also continue to skyrocket in price, to the point that some families must choose between food and heat in the winter. No one should be forced to make that kind of choice.

How Long Do We Have?

Right now, we’re on the cusp of a major turning point. It’s believed that peak production will occur in the next 3-10 years. That means, after that point, production of fuel will not be able to increase with consumption any longer. With massive countries like China and India industrializing and growing at unheard of rates, this is a very bad thing for anyone that uses fossil fuels each day (as most of us do).

Scientists are not sure when fossil fuels will start to run out – having a clear idea of the earth’s contents is nearly impossible with current technology. But, conservative estimates put us at about halfway through the world’s oil reserves. That means we could conceivably run out of oil within 30-40 years at the current consumption rates. That’s the current rates. Year over year, oil consumption has rarely if ever gone down globally. So, we can expect it to increase…which means we could run out of oil even faster. Your children will almost surely live in a world where oil reserves dry up or deplete to a level where they can no longer afford it.

The Solutions

Right now, there are a lot of conversations going on around the world about what we should be doing about the energy crisis. Compounding it is the fact that our continued use of fossil fuels is creating a growing climate change problem. So, what does our government plan to do to provide energy and fuel for families and individuals in the coming years as costs rise and supplies decrease?

Right now, actions by the government aren’t going to make major dents in our fossil fuel use for years or even decades to come. But, as a consumer, you can do your own part to cut back on consumption. Not only will you help to reduce how much energy is used around the globe, you’ll be preparing for further price increases, reducing your bills and making it possible to survive in a world where energy costs dwarf other basic necessities.

That means finding alternative energy sources and implementing them in your home. Solar energy can be used to heat water and your home, as well as power your devices with the right installation. Wind power is another viable solution in many situations – providing a massive secondary source of power. Ultimately, though, whether you have the resources to install renewable energy for your home or not, the easiest way to save money is to reduce your energy consumption across the board.

This report is going to help you do just that – providing a bevy of options that will outline where your energy is currently going and how you can cut back that use immediately. With a world depending on us, it’s our responsibility to take action now, not when our kids are grown and the earth has already been sucked dry.

20 Ways to Cut Down Your Bills

Right now, your biggest concerns are the bills you have to pay, not the future of our earth’s energy sources. So, understandably, you’d rather hear what we can do right now to change what you spend, than what you should be doing with money you don’t have to replace that energy use.

To start with, understand that cutting your bills is not as easy as waving a wand and waiting for meters to run backwards. It takes hard work and sacrifice to reduce the bills you currently have. And if you have a family, cutting down on expenses is going to be even harder. Children and spouses are not always amenable to giving up their refrigerator gazing habits or their superhot showers. So, put on your gauntlets and buckle down because we’re about to do some serious slashing of your budget.

Before You Get Started

Before you invest any time into cutting back your bills, I want you to do something very important. Call a family meeting, sit down with your kids and spouse and discuss what’s about to happen. Many times, a backlash occurs because you don’t consult everyone before making changes. Putting up signs, unplugging appliances and canceling services can be frustrating for a family. So, instead of thrusting major changes into your lives without notice, sit down with everyone and ask them their opinions.

It may not change your decisions, but just by discussing it, you can layout clearly why the changes are being made and how they will benefit everyone in the long term. Mention what the savings will be spent on, how you’re helping the environment and why you feel it is a necessary step. If properly communicated, your family should understand why these changes are being made.

1.    Replace Incandescent Bulbs – Old fashioned, incandescent bulbs are a huge money waster, both in energy and in the cost of the bulbs. Modern fluorescent bulbs can last up to 5 years and use a fraction of the energy. If you’re aiming for even bigger savings, go with LED light bulbs, which can last twenty-five times longer than incandescent bulbs and use even less energy than fluorescents.

2.    Unplug Your Devices – Most people figure that when they hit the power button, their appliance or electronic stops sucking juice from the wall. Unfortunately, it doesn’t really work like that. Electricity may not be flowing and getting consumed, but it is very much being used. So, don’t just turn your devices off, unplug them when not in use.

3.    Turn Off Lights – This is a simple one that you’ve likely heard since you were ten years old. Turn the lights off when not in the room. I’ll do it one further. Turn them off at all times unless you specifically need that light to do something.

4.    Buy Energy Star Appliances – The Federal Government has a program that rates and labels appliances that are considered high efficiency in terms of energy use. Look for the Energy Star label and specifically the energy use statistics that must be labeled on all major appliances.

5.    Wash Clothes Smartly – Washing machines and dryers make up a huge chunk of your monthly energy use. First off, cut down how often you do laundry. Only run the machines when you have a full load, and use cold water whenever possible. Additionally, check your exhaust vents and have your washer serviced to make sure it is working properly.

6.    Change the Thermostat – In the winter, drop your thermostat to a bearable temperature around 68 degrees or so (60 degrees at night) and in the summer, raise it to 78 degrees. The small difference in temperature from the standard 72 degrees can save you hundreds of dollars a year, especially if you live in an extreme climate.

7.    Turn Off Your Computer – Computers leach tremendous amounts of electricity, even when in hibernation modes. If you’re not using a computer, turn it off – simple as that. Additionally, make sure it is attached to a power strip that you can turn off whenever the computer is off.

8.    Check for Leaks and Improper Insulation – Homes with poor insulation or leaks in air vents can bleed energy. Have an inspection done to check for thin walls, poorly sealed doors, leaking air vents, or other issues that can cause energy loss. In some cities, there are public programs for low income families and the elderly to provide free insulation. If nothing else, home insulation is a big tax write off.

9.    Plant Trees Carefully – Trees around your home can provide much needed shade in the summer and sun in the winter. Southern and Western exposures are best, and you should plant deciduous trees so that the leaves are gone in the winter to let winter sun in. You can also install awnings each summer to reduce direct sunlight into your home.

10. Prewash and Load the Dishwasher – Dishwashers suck energy to heat water. To cut back on that energy use, scrape and pre-rinse your dishes, then use a lower cycle for your dishwasher.

11. Use Smaller Appliances for Small Meals – If you’re only making a small meal or feeding one or two people, avoid turning on your oven or stove. An energy star Microwave or toaster oven will provide plenty of heat to warm up a bowl of soup or cook a cheese sandwich.

12. Hang Your Clothes to Dry – If possible, avoid using your dryer altogether. Hang clothes lines in your basement and backyard. As long as it is not below freezing outside, wet clothes will dry in nearly any temperature.

13. Seal Windows in the Winter – Leaky windows can lead to a tremendous amount of lost heat in the winter. Make sure you install storm windows, and that the seals around your windows are properly caulked to avoid leakage.

14. Use Shades in the Summer – Instead of letting all that sunlight into your house and fighting it back with an air conditioner, use shades that can let in the cool air but block the sunlight. Again, you should also consider installing awnings to block direct sunlight.

15. Use Power Strips to Control Use – Use power strips on every outlet that you can. They not only reduce direct energy use, they allow you to turn off the power being used without having to unplug every appliance individually. It’s also a good idea to have power strips to avoid surges that can harm your devices.

16. Don’t Idle Your Car Unnecessarily – Idling a car wastes gasoline. Most cars can be warmed up by driving them. Instead of sitting in your car and idling without moving, drive it to warm it up while not on the highway. Additionally, avoid city streets whenever possible to improve gas mileage.

17. Tune Up Your Car Regularly – Regular tune ups and oil changes in your car will improve gas mileage and reduce the need for costly repairs. Even if you have a new car with no problems, make sure you stick to your regular maintenance schedule to reduce potentially massive bills.

18. Reduce Weight in the Car – Take out any unnecessary weight from your trunk or back seat. Extra weight reduces gas mileage and slows your car down, also putting a heavier burden on the engine which can cost you later.

19. Have Your Home Inspected – Have someone take a look at your home to find any leaks, insulation problems, old wiring, or other energy wasting issues. Many times, energy draining issues can be masked by walls, flooring, or a simple lack of knowledge. Look for an impartial third party that won’t try to sell you on unnecessary repairs.

20. Go Outside Instead of Watching TV – The more time you spend inside, the more electricity you use. So, instead of constantly watching TV, surfing the Internet, and playing video games, go outside and enjoy a sport or read a book.

Special Phone Bill Tips

Most of what we’ve discussed relates to your energy bills – the utilities that vary depending on use and energy rates. Another utility that can really add up and that many people don’t think about is the phone bill. It may not be related to renewable energy, but these tips can help you cut back a very hefty expense in most households:

• Reconsider Long Distance – If you have a mobile phone with free long distance or you simply don’t use your long distance very often, you likely don’t need long distance service on your home phone.
• Remove Package Features You Don’t Use – Other package features you don’t use like caller ID, offsite voicemail, 411, or voice activation are all unnecessary features for most people and can add up quickly on a phone bill.
• Consider VoIP if You Have Internet Access – VoIP phone service costs as little as $25 a month without any taxes or fees and works directly over the Internet access you already pay for. It also has free long distance and all the other package features you are used to.
• Review Your Mobile Bills – If you have a mobile phone or a number of phones, consider reducing your spending. Take a look at how many minutes you actually use, the text messaging you pay for, and the data plans. Children under 12 likely don’t need a mobile phone except for in emergencies either.
• Get Unlimited Plans When Necessary – If your family regularly goes over the limit on certain features, such as text messages, minutes, or data use, upgrade your plan to include unlimited packages. Unlimited text messaging for a family of four is often far less than the overages a single teenager can rack up in a month.
• Set Limits for Your Family – Be realistic about what you want to spend and communicate it to your children and spouse. If they are using hundreds of minutes and text messages each month, it’s likely not necessary. Set limits, check the bills often and make sure you follow through on the limits you set.

The average family spends between $100 and $300 a month on phone bills when you include mobile bills. That’s a LOT of money – enough to dwarf all other utilities combined. If you are smart about what you need and what you actually use, you can cut it back significantly and boost your energy savings almost two fold.

Secrets to Installing Solar Power in Your Home

When it comes to renewable energy, nothing gets more press than solar power; and for good reason. The sun is out there all day, every day. Even on cloudy days, the sun is showering us with energy that can be harnessed and used to heat our homes, power our appliances, and replace the expensive, fossil fuel burning energy companies. Every square meter of sunlight carries 1,000 watts of energy – a massive burst of raw power.

But, is solar power really an efficient option, and if so, is it affordable? Let’s take a closer look at what energy costs in your home can be replaced with solar and how effective they generally are.

Solar Hot Water and Space Heating

Solar hot water and space heating is one of the simplest ways to harness the power of the sun. It requires a solar collector, a tank on your roof, and the necessary connections to circulate heated water throughout your home. It’s about 80% cheaper than installing solar panels and can pay for itself within 2-3 years instead of 20.

What You Need for Solar Heating

There are two different types of solar heating installations – a passive installation that circulates water directly from the solar collector throughout your home without any pumps or motors, and an active installation that pumps cold water into the collector and hot water into your hot water tank where it can be stored for later use.

The simplest to install and least expensive is a passive system because it requires fewer parts, less maintenance and no permits. However, you should still be careful when installing a passive solar hot water system, if only because you’re working with active pipes in your home.

Types of Solar Collectors

A solar collector is a panel attached to your roof that will absorb energy from the sun and convert it to heat. In the case of a passive system, the collector will directly heat the water in a tank attached to your roof. Basically, it’s like a greenhouse for your home’s hot water.

However, not every home can benefit from a simple, flat plate solar collector. In colder climates where that water might freeze, you will need a more indirect system. In this case, you will need an evacuated tube system. What evacuated tubes do is surround the water pipes with glass tubes that have inert air in them. This counteracts the ambient air temperature so only the sun’s energy affects the overall temperature.

Additionally, those pipes will usually contain some kind of coolant rather than water. The heated coolant is then transferred to a separate water tank to heat potable water. The water never freezes, the pipes stay strong, and you have hot water even in the winter.

Implementation

Putting in a solar hot water system starts with analysis of your hot water needs. How much do you use and what do you currently pay for it? Likely, you will never be able to replace your entire hot water supply with solar hot water, but anything you do now will help your bills in the future.

Beyond the solar collector – which will be between 4 and 12 feet long – you’ll need the following parts to complete a solar heating installation:

• Storage Tanks – For active systems using evacuated tubes, storage tanks will hold the potable water away from the roof. This allows you to heat the water in a separate location more safely in cold temperatures.
• Water Heater – If you choose to remain connected to the grid, with the option for outside energy to heat your water, this is important. Most people remain connected to be sure they never run out of hot water. If the solar tank drains when you have company or it gets too cold outside, this will be welcome.
• Heat Exchanger – If you are using coolant in your solar collectors, you’ll need pipes or coils to transfer the heat from the coolant to your water, usually inside your storage tanks.
• Water Pumps – In an active system, you’ll need water pumps to move water to and from your solar collectors. Passive systems don’t use water pumps.
• Valves and Controls – These are used in active systems as well. Controls will determine where water is pumped and when to turn on your hot water tank. You can also install an isolation valve to cut off your solar system if something goes wrong along with a tempering valve. If you’re using direct hot water from your solar collector, a tempering valve will make sure it doesn’t get too hot when you’re in the shower or washing dishes.

Hot Water or Heating

Of the two, hot water is considered the simplest to install because it uses less energy than heating and because it only requires two connections to existing plumbing. However, for many homes – especially new ones – it is viable to use a solar heating system for both hot water and heating. In the case of heating, you’ll need to install pipes and radiators throughout the house to transfer the heat to your rooms, which will require professional assistance.

Photovoltaic Solar Power

The second type of solar power – the one you’ve likely heard more about – is photovoltaic. Without getting too technical, photovoltaic solar power is the process of converting solar energy directly into electricity using a solar panel.

These panels are made with highly conductive materials like silicon, which can break apart the energy from the sun’s rays into electrons and then direct them into an electric current. That current is transmitted through wiring in your home, converted into usable electricity, and funneled to your outlets and lighting fixtures.

It’s not quite as simple as all that, but nor is it much more complicated. Solar power’s biggest drawback isn’t complexity, but cost.

Because solar panels are notoriously inefficient (the best panels convert between 10-15% of the solar energy that hits them), and because they take up so much space, a system that will fully power your home would be large and rather expensive.

Installation Secrets

Just because they’re expensive, though, doesn’t mean solar power isn’t feasible. There are in fact many ways to optimize your use of solar panels without having to pay through the nose.

• Placement – First, your roof needs to be angled properly – ideally at about 45 degrees facing south. A southern exposure with no overlying shade will guarantee maximum sunshine throughout the year.
• Energy Use – You’ll need to cut your energy use to make solar panels viable. Luckily, you’re reading this guide, which provides dozens of tips to cut your bills and energy use down dramatically. Keep in mind that it costs $9 per watt of electricity to install a solar system. Analyze what you use currently and compare it to your total kilowatt use at the moment.
• Forecasting – You should also do some research to determine how much sun you can absorb throughout the year. What does the National Weather Service say about your annual sunlight? If you live in Seattle, PV cells probably won’t be of much use, but if you live in Arizona, you might be able to go off grid for a reasonable investment.
• Power Sharing – If you’re in a state that supports it, remember that you can also resupply power back to the electric company through the power lines. This way, you can stay on the grid and access electricity if it’s extra gray outside for a few weeks.

Installing solar power is expensive to be sure, but if you do it right, you can cut down your electricity use and at least supplement a bit chunk of your power use.

What You’ll Need

There are quite a few parts involved in PV cell installation, but to give you a general idea of what you’re paying for and the scope of installation, here’s a run through of the parts:

• Batteries – Without grid electricity, you’ll need batteries to store power when you’re not using it. This will help ensure you have power when the sun isn’t shining.
• Charge Controller – To control how fast the battery charges and drains, a charge controller is needed. This will lengthen the battery’s life and efficiency.
• Inverter – An inverter converts electricity you gather through your solar cells from direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC). This is necessary so you can use that electricity in your outlets.
• Generator – A generator acts as a backup if you’re off grid and run out of battery power. A generator can also be wired to a battery to recharge it if it gets too low during peak use.
• PV Cells – The actual solar cells you need will be available in many forms and costs. Higher end cells have been getting far better retention numbers, but the price rises drastically.
• Additional Parts – There are a number of other important parts including wiring, junction boxes, disconnects, overcurrent protection, grounding equipment, and brackets for installation.

Overall, solar panels are a fun, effective way to supplement the electricity you use from the power company – and the source is free and abundant. Remember to thoroughly research local laws and building codes before starting a project. You may also want to contact a licensed contractor for consultation.

Installing Wind Power

Wind power is becoming increasingly popular as a source of energy for major power suppliers around the globe. The wind never dies and turbines are becoming less expensive and more efficient with each passing year. However, when you crane your neck up at the 200 foot high windmill along the highway, you must be wondering if you could possibly harness the same power efficiently. Luckily, the answer is yes.

What You Need for Wind Power

A lot of people assume that you need acres of space, dozens of windmills and high speed winds to generate enough power for your home. However, recent studies have shown that substantial energy production can occur at wind speeds as low as 11 miles per hour with 100 square feet to build on.

Due to building codes and space restrictions, a windmill might not be ideal if you live in a major city or a crowded suburb, but anyone with a little space in their backyard or who lives in a rural area can easily take advantage of this rapidly advancing technology.

Building Your Own Windmill

Of course, there is the cost issue. Luckily, there are a number of resources cropping up that offer plans for installing windmills by hand using homemade parts. Because a windmill’s basic design premise is so simple, homemade windmills are far easier than other renewable energy sources like solar panels.

Before you start a project in your backyard, it’s a good idea to do some thorough research about what your windmill should include. It does you little good to build a windmill if you don’t know how much power you need it to produce or how fast your wind speeds are. Here are some things to consider:

• Energy Use – How much energy do you currently use each month and how much energy can you expect a residential sized windmill to produce? If you used 800 kWh each month, your windmill would need to produce at least 5 kilowatts to be effective in cutting your energy bill. That would cover roughly 40% of your energy bill. A windmill producing as much as 15 kilowatts would produce upwards of 90% of your power. These numbers vary depending on a number of geographical factors, and if you can lower your electricity use, your windmill will be far more effective.
• Space – Review how much space you have to build your windmill. Ideally, you want your windmill to be tall enough to rise above any obstructions like trees or your home. However, if the wind source is substantial, it doesn’t need to go any higher than that. For some home owners, a 20-30 foot windmill is plenty tall enough to gather the power you need.
• Building Materials – Your windmill will be tall, narrow, and jutting into the wind every day of the year. You will also depend on it to produce a large chunk of your electricity, so it can’t fall down on you during a storm. To combat these issues, make sure you buy only the strongest materials. A deep foundation, metal framing, and strong supports are all vital to keeping that windmill upright.
• Electric Components – While you can build a large portion of your windmill on your own, including the frame, blades, foundation, and head, you’ll still need to buy certain parts. There are plans for creating your own turbines and transfer systems, but even if you go the homemade route there, you’ll still need inverters, batteries, a charge controller, disconnects, and other electrical materials. Make sure to research the market prices for each of these parts. Don’t skimp on anything when it comes to your windmill – this is your home we’re talking about.

Ideally, well before you start construction, you should know how big of a windmill you need, how much space you need, how many parts you need, and what it will all cost you. If any of those details are fuzzy, go back to the drawing board and start back up your research.

Plans and Parts for Your Windmill

When the time comes to start building, you’ll need to have plans that have been successfully used by other do-it-yourselfers for their windmills. Do a quick Google search and I guarantee you’ll find a LOT of plans, but how many of them meet our criteria? Not very many.

To start with, your plans should be easy to understand. I’m going to wager a guess and assume you’re not an electrical engineer. If you like to fix things, tinker in your shop, and do odds and ends around the house, a windmill is a big leap, so having solid, well written plans is important.

Beyond the writing, however, you’d better have clear illustrations outlining what to do at each step of the process. Look for clear measurements for braces, foundation settings, and blades. When it comes to anything that channels electricity, accuracy is vital. Don’t settle for instructions that leave you not quite clear on what to do next.

It’s also important that your guide outlines exactly what you’ll need to finish the project. A lot of the time, plans and guides written by do-it-yourselfers will skim over some details that they didn’t remember to mention. The last thing you want is for your windmill to come crashing down because you didn’t know about a joint you needed at the pinnacle of the braces. Not only should you know which parts you need, you should know sizes, brands, and styles that will match up with your windmill.

Catering to Your Home

Windmills are fantastic in almost any climate and region. There are very few places that have no wind. Even if you live in such an area, a windmill can produce enough power to help cut down your energy bill at least a bit. But, you still want to be sure that your final design will fit in with your environment.

The windmill should be air and water tight to avoid any leaks or electrical shortages. It should also be tall enough to get above the trees in your area, and if you live with neighbors nearby, you should be sure it won’t make too much noise. In the past, many do-it-yourselfers have had their windmills taken down due to noise ordinances in their area.

A good windmill can put a big dent in your power bill, but it needs to be built to fit your particular needs. Sit down, do some research into what your home needs to get off the power grid, and find plans that will specifically match up with your region, municipality, and energy needs.

30 Money Saving Tips You Can Use Right Now

Every year, there are millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet, and most of them never realize that they could save hundreds if not thousands of dollars by making some very simple changes. For those of you in search of money saving solutions that turn your life into an episode of Survivor, here are 30 simple, easy to follow tips you can implement today.

1.    Combine Your Utilities – If you pay over $100 a month for cable TV, you can probably save a lot of money by adding in your cable Internet and phone bill to the same package. Many times, cable companies and phone companies are able to offer packages of all three for around $100 a month. You may lose some of the 500 channels you currently enjoy, but remember, we’re trying to save a few dollars.

2.    Send in Rebates and Use Coupons – Remember all those rebates you got from Best Buy last year for your home office equipment? Did you send any of them in? Rebates may seem like a pain to deal with, but they are basically free money. If you receive rebates or coupons for things you already buy, put them in a folder somewhere and act on them at least once a week. This will ensure you never “forget” to send them out.

3.    Refinance or Consolidate Loans – If you have loans or major debt, consider consolidating or refinancing to get better interest rates. Student loans and mortgages are great examples as they allow you to pay off the debt faster and with a fixed rate to reduce interest charges.

4.    Borrow, Don’t Buy – If you want to read a book, watch a DVD, or listen to a CD, borrow it from the library or a friend instead of buying it brand new. The cost of entertainment alone can add up extremely quickly. Consider services like Netflix for DVDs or Pandora Internet radio for music – both of which have low subscription fees.

5.    Magazine Subscriptions – If you currently buy magazines (or newspapers), replace those hefty monthly fees with a single subscription cost. Most magazines can be had for an 80% discount if you subscribe for the whole year.

6.    Order or Buy Groceries Online – These days, you can buy nearly anything online. Add your groceries to that list. Services like Fresh Direct and websites like Amazon make it easier than ever to order food in bulk at big discounts. You not only cut back on what you spend on groceries, you cut down on how much you must drive to get them.

7.    Pay Down Credit Card Debt – Debt is a big part of most people’s bills. Some people spend as much as half their income paying off loans, credit cards, and other debts. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars a month on interest charges, pay down those cards and stop using them to buy things you cannot afford.

8.    Wait for a New Car – Unless your car is falling apart and can’t go over 45 miles per hour any more, you don’t need a new one. Avoid the urge to spend money on the flashy new sedan you saw on TV. It’s not necessary and you’re adding yet another bill to your list.

9.    Pay Bills Annually – A lot of bills can be reduced by paying them in a lump sum up front. Car insurance, life insurance, phone bills, oil heat, and many others offer plans to pay up front and save as much as 25% of the total. It may seem like a lot to spend, but it’s far more cost efficient.

10. Cut Back on Gifts – Gift giving adds up significantly, especially around Christmas time when so many gifts go out. You don’t have to stop giving gifts, but cut back on them as much as you feel comfortable. Find ways to show your love without maxing out a $5,000 credit card every year – you’ll feel far less stressed come January 1^st.

11. Make Your Own Lunch – Lunch is a huge expense for many of us. If you work 5 days a week and spend $10 a day on lunch, that’s $2600 a year just to feed yourself while at work. What are the alternatives? Bring something from home. A brown bag lunch can cost as little as $2 and often includes more food than takeout – plus it’s healthier. Another tip: don’t spend so much money at coffee shops. That $5 latte could easily be replaced by a thermos of coffee from home that costs twenty-five cents.

12. Cook Meals for Dinner – Again, eating out is expensive, but now we’re talking about your whole family. What did it cost the last time you took the entire family out to your favorite restaurant? $50? $100? That same meal could be made at home with bulk foods and fresh ingredients for as little as $10 for four people.

13. Join a Wholesale Club like Costco – When it comes to buying food and household goods, no one has better deals than Costco. The membership is only $50 per year and you’ll be able to take massive discounts on everything from milk and vegetables to toilet paper and toothpaste. It may be a hefty monthly shopping trip, but it’s well worth the savings.

14. Use Free Software – If you have a home office or simply use your computer for a lot of personal projects, consider downloading and using free software options instead of pricy retail tools. Google Documents and Open Office are great replacements for Microsoft Office while Paint.net offers many of the basic tools that Photoshop does for $600 less than its pricy counterpart.

15. Cut Out Snacks and Drinks – A lot of what you spend on food could be completely cut out simply by eating less. Evaluate how much you spend on things like potato chips, candy, sodas, and other junk food and start cutting it out. Even if you replace it all with more expensive fruits and healthy snacks, I can guarantee you’ll spend less in the long run. Another big money waster: alcohol.

16. Exercise and Eat Healthy – By eating healthier and exercising regularly, you’ll save money in a number of ways. First, you’ll have more energy and get more done. Second, you won’t need to buy as many medications or see the doctor nearly as much. Finally, you’ll be happy going for a walk or talking with your family. You won’t need so many crutches and extra toys to keep you happy. A healthy body is a happy, inexpensive body.

17. Save Leftover Change – Don’t toss change away or leave it in your car. Get a change jar and start saving it for future use. By setting aside all the extra pennies and nickels you get, you can come away with hefty three figure paydays every few weeks.

18. Create Monthly Budgets – One of the easiest ways to save money is to know what you’re spending it on. A monthly budget is vital to help you understand what you actually need and what expenses are frivolous. Check in on your budget at least once a week, adjust as necessary and try to get as close to the minimum spend as possible.

19. Save Money in a Money Market Account – If you are trying to save money, make it work for you. Eventually, you’ll want that money going into CDs and IRAs, but for now at least get a money market savings account. Even just extra savings in your bank account will make small amounts of profit each week by staying here.

20. Plan Grocery Shopping Trips – The easiest way to waste money at the grocery store is to go in without a clear plan. Sit down once a week and make a list of everything you need, using recipes and your current needs as a guide. Then, when you go into the grocery story, don’t buy anything that’s not on your list. By limiting your trips to the store and cutting out unnecessary purchases, you’ll remove impulse buys from your budget immediately.

21. Don’t Pay Unnecessary Fees – There are so many fees out there that you may not even realize where your money is going. Of course there are credit card fees, but there are also late fees if you forget to pay a bill on time, transaction fees if you use the wrong ATM, and overage fees if your subscriptions don’t cover your service. Take a look at your last bank statement and try to cut out as many of those fees as possible.

22. Research Prices Online – Before you buy anything, sit down and look at the varying prices online. Impulse buys of major appliances or electronics can cost you hundreds of dollars.

23. Don’t Drink Bottled Water – Bottled Water is a massive waste of money, plus it’s awful for the environment. Get a stainless steel or plastic water bottle and fill it up instead. You can always get a filter if you don’t like your tap water.

24. Stop Smoking – Smoking is expensive. From $5 a pack in most states to $13 a pack in New York, you could be spending anywhere from $1500 to $5000 a year on this nasty habit, not to mention the future cost of health care.

25. Drive Your Car Less – Driving costs money. So, instead of driving three blocks to work each day, get a bicycle or start walking. Public transportation is also a great option, or you could car pool with people going your way.

26. Take Care of Your Pets At Home – Pets don’t have to be so expensive. Instead of spoiling them with expensive wet foods, stick with simple dry food from a reputable brand. They won’t know the difference and you’ll save money. Also, consider clipping nails, brushing teeth, and deworming at home – all feasible if your furry friend is well behaved.

27. Review Tax Savings – Take a closer look at your income tax return next year. You may be getting less back than you should. If you’re using any of the renewable energy tips in this guide, you can likely deduct them from your bill. Plus, there are plenty of deductions for children, green automobiles, and business expenses.

28. Have a Garage Sale – Get rid of your old stuff the best way possible – with a good old fashioned garage sale. If you’re not a fan of strangers on your lawn, go online and use eBay or craigslist instead. Throwing out old stuff is almost never necessary. Someone likely wants it.

29. Buy Used Items – Instead of buying brand new electronics, cars, clothing, or other goods, look for used options. Again, eBay is a great tool for finding used items, or you could talk to your friends and family to see if they have anything available.

30. Cut up the Credit Cards – Get rid of the credit cards. Paying for things with credit is the single fastest way to lose money. A $500 credit card would take 3 years to pay off if you paid the minimal balance and you would end up paying nearly 200% of the balance. Why do that when you could use cash and limit your spending?

This is only getting started, and don’t forget the 20 methods to save money on your utility bill and 6 methods to save money on your phone bill we already discussed. The opportunities to cut your bills, save money, and start saving for the future are nearly endless. The earlier you get started, the sooner you can relax and enjoy a life without hefty bills and massive energy consumption.

Conclusion

Some people never stop and think about where their money is going. They spend indiscriminately, throwing cash into the dustbin instead of setting it aside for retirement, college, or other expenses that are almost sure to come up in the future.

In today’s economy, with our energy sources running lower by the year, it won’t long be possible to ignore changes that you need to make in your spending habits. So, sit down with your family, review your expenses, and start slashing them down to size. Review the renewable energy you could be using right now and how much less energy you could be using with some simple, pain free changes.

Trust me, the grumbling will die down. Your family will be excited to do their part for the planet, and to cut down on how much money you’re spending every year. It might even mean an extra vacation or a few extra outings with the kids. Saving money is only a small part of the equation, but for your family, it can make all the difference.

So, stop waiting to take action because there isn’t much time left. As we speak, the world’s energy supplies are draining way, leaving a world for our children that will cost more, provide less, and take years to clean up. Eventually the higher ups will have no choice but to act. Would you rather be ready for it, or caught off guard without the money to make those changes?

Recommended Reading

Phone 4 Energy – By Ryan Wilson

Get Free Electricity From Your Phone Line

Ryan Wilson, a Telephone Engineer and Energy Specialist, has worked in the telecommunications industry for over 20 years and has now created “Phone 4 Energy”, a kit that will teach you how to use the electricity generated from your phone line – for free!

The technique he teaches in the “Phone 4 Energy” kit takes you through the process step by step. Better yet, it’s designed with the complete novice in mind, and you can have tapped into that power source in less than an hour!

This is a great way to stop the power company taking advantage of you, and use the electricity that you already pay for on your phone bill.

It will give you an emergency source of power too, as phone companies generate their own electricity – so you can still have power when there is a power outage.

The Phone 4 Energy System will give you the ability to power appliances and other household gadgets – and you can even use it when talking on the phone.

Using Phone 4 Energy means you can reduce up to 50% of your energy consumption, so you will be doing your part to preserve the environment.

If you’d like to do more to help the environment, Ryan shows various ways of doing this in his 6 part bonus package.

These bonuses he gives away when you purchase the Phone 4 Energy system include more easy step by step guides on different topics (such as run your car on water), and will have you saving more money. It’s a win/win!

I highly recommend you find out more about using this secret source of energy as soon as you can:

Get Free Electricity From Your Phone Line

Before we build a home (or hire a contractor to build it for us), we need to understand how the house works as a complete system. It is much easier to build a green home once we become familiar with some key principals such as how heat and cold gets transferred, and the reasons why moisture and air move throughout our homes. It is even more important to understand how a house works as a system; this saves both on energy losses through air leaks, and added moisture.

The transfer of heat

To understand heat flow it is best to look at the laws of thermodynamics (the study of energy) that is, thermo (heat) and dynamics (movement).  Once we understand these principals, we come to understand that science plays a big role in building a home, as well as the more commonly thought-of nails, wood and hammers.

There are two laws of thermodynamics:

1) The first law of thermodynamics states that energy can be changed from one form to another, however it cannot be destroyed. Energy exists in many forms including solar, chemical and electrical. In fact, the total amount of energy available stays the same – it just changes to different forms.

2) The second law says that in all energy exchanges, the potential energy of that state will always be less than the initial state. In other words, whenever energy is converted it gets downgraded in the process. This process is what is referred to as entropy.

You may be thinking right about now, what do these laws have to do with me building a house? It’s just bricks and mortar. These laws of science actually play a rather large role because when building a home you want to make it as efficient as possible.

A house that is electrically heated is nowhere near as efficient as a home which takes advantage of passive solar design features. Homes that utilize electricity typically come from fossil fuels such as coal. Coal as an energy source requires much energy to change from one form to another. A big chunk of this energy ends up getting ‘lost in transit’ and therefore by the time the usable power is delivered to a house its energy potential is very low. Sometimes by the time useful energy reaches a house its net energy is only 15 per cent of its original. That is, electricity has lost 85 per cent of the potential energy coal used to make it through transportation, refinement, generation, transmission, and transformation by the time it reaches the end user. I don’t know about you, but in a world where the supply of fossil fuels is running out by the day, finding an alternative is very much a reality for me.

Instead of using fossil fuels i.e. non renewable energy, have you ever thought about passive solar design? Solar design uses the power of the sun to create energy and in the process reduces the amount of energy a house will consume.  The sun as an energy resource is ever abundant and most areas in the world have enough sun energy to harness this energy. Even areas where the sun does not shine brightly every day, surprisingly there is still enough energy to power homes throughout that specific area.

Unlike with electricity conversion, solar conversion only uses one conversion process. That is, the sunlight shines through windows in your home and hits an object which is then radiated to human bodies giving us heat.

People find passive solar design a great way to reduce heating and cooling bills, and reduce wear and tear on heating and cooling equipment. These techniques are easy to apply when building new because you can control the placement of the home and were you put the windows (i.e. north facing, south facing etc). However, if you live in an existing home you can still take advantage of solar energy technologies. Some of these technologies include energy efficient windows, solar panels and rainwater catchment.

When we build a home and want to incorporate green elements, the process is easy once we have a clear understanding of entropy. We come to realize the role that well-designed windows play and the type of appliances we should use to make our homes run as smoothly as possible, using the least amount of fossil fuels.

How heat moves

The flow of heat is the flow from hot to cold, and is an important concept to understand. Heat is energy, and as long as there is a difference in temperature, heat will move.  Ever notice how when it is cold outside and you have the heater or fire on, you leave the outside door open even briefly the warm air sneaks out the house? Heat always moves from hot to cold and keeping this warm air inside the home is imperative to keep you feeling comfortable as well as saving you money on utility bills. This concept is important when building a home in order to truly comprehend how to heat and cool our homes, and how to control added air and moisture in our homes.

There are three ways that heat can be transmitted and energy movement is always a combination of three movements of energy: conduction, convection and radiation.

1) Conduction

Heat conducts through solid substances in the conduction process. Conduction is usually measured in insulation terms. R-value is a measure of thermal conduction – the higher the number the greater the resistance to heat flow. This means that heat will move more slowly through the material. You will also find that anything that conducts electricity will have a low R-value. It is important to have good insulation in a home to limit the amount of heat loss. To do this we need to use low conducting materials.

2) Convection

Convection happens due to density differences between warmer and cooler parts of a fluid.

In simple terms, the hotter the fluid is the less dense it is. Hot air rises and this is why warm air remains in the upper levels of a home and the basement stays cold. Even using your morning coffee as an example: when you blow on your drink to cool it down, convective heat loss occurs between the drink and the air. It is important to understand convection because when not controlled, convection can result in a cold house and damp house.  It’s not only utility bills that will sky rocket if you have a cold damp house, but dampness which can lead to mold and mildew which can have catastrophic effects on your family’s health as well.

3) Radiation

Radiation occurs when heat passes from one object to another. For instance, the sun radiates heat and when you stand next to a cold object such as a window, your body radiates heat towards that object, and that is the reason you feel cold. Radiant floor heating is often a popular choice for consumers and is often said to be the most energy efficient and comfortable heating method on offer today. With a forced air furnace, hotspots are created only where the air blows and in high ceiling areas, however radiant heating provides an even temperature throughout the house.

Not only will radiant floor heating increase the comfort levels of a home, it will cut the heating bills of a house more than other traditional heating methods can do.

Controlling heat flow

It is important to build a house in order for you to remain comfortable and keep the cold air outside and the warm air in. You need to make sure that you build your home to respond to the environment around you. Once this is achieved, no matter where you are in the country, you can design your house so that you can control the flow of heat.

When looking at controlling heat flow, insulation is the key element that you need to consider. There are a number of options when it comes to insulation choices and most are available from a home center store or large hardware retailer. Before going to the store to purchase insulation it is best that you measure the areas to be insulated beforehand so that you purchase the right amount of material.

Depending on where you live, the amount and R-value of insulation you require differs. However, remember that the more insulation you have, the warmer and more comfortable your home will be.  The Department of Energy website which is regularly updated is a great resource for you to use and has a helpful insulation calculator www.ornl.gov/~roofs/zip/ziphome.html.

If your home was built before 1981 you will probably need to add insulation, and if you are currently remodeling your home there is an easy way to add insulation. When it comes to insulation people tend to know what `Pink Batts` are but most are unaware that there are other types of insulation as well.  You need to realize that no type of insulation is the same and each different type is used for a different purpose and has a different R-value.

Batts are the most common form of insulation available. They come in either fiberglass batts, non-fiberglass batts or wool and cotton batts, and are often described as ‘fluffy blankets of insulation’.  Batts are easy to install and sit easily in the space between the studs in a wall. As with all insulation choices there are tradeoffs in terms of performance, cost, and the amount of chemicals they contain. Avoid fiberglass batts if possible. However, if you do choose to go with fiber glass batts, choose formaldehyde free and make sure the installer knows what he/she is doing.  There are three choices with batt insulation: foil-faced, kraft-faced and non-faced. They all have their benefits and limitations. Talk to your local insulation professional about what choice is best for you.

Loose fill insulation is another popular insulation choice and as the name suggests, loose fill is made up of small pieces of insulation that is blown into place using a special piece of equipment. Fiberglass and cellulose are the main loose fill options available, they are both cost competitive; however cellulose is a better insulator. Cellulose has a R-value of 3.7 whereas fiberglass has an R-value rating of 2.8. Loose fill insulation is a popular choice in small and hard to reach places such as in the attic. If you choose to install loose fill insulation into the walls, it needs to be held in place with netting or held in place while the wall is being completed.

Spray-in Insulation is similar to loose fill insulation. It expands into a foam, filling every possible area even in hard to reach places. Spray-in Insulation has high R-values, creates a super insulated area and is great for sealing tiny gaps.  The one down side to spray-in insulation is that they are one of the most costly options and not an option you should consider if you are looking to save money. However, the one thing you need to keep in mind is that by spending up now, in the future you will be much better off and will be living in a warm and comfortable home.

Rigid foam is a stiff board and when applied to the outside of a framed wall is a great way to keep wall cavities dry and reduce the risk of mold. More expensive than batts and loose fill, rigid foam has more than double the R-value of batts and loose fill making it a great choice and especially effective where space is limited. If you are remodeling your home and you want to incorporate insulation in that process, you may want to consider rigid foam because it is easier to add insulation to the outside of a framed wall rather than removing a wall and adding insulation i.e. batts or loose foam, and replacing the wall again.

Air leakage

Air leaks can be responsible for approximately 25 per cent of the heat loss in a new home, and even more in older houses. Leaky Building Syndrome is an issue affecting homeowners worldwide. Air leaks are an important part of the equation, often causing mold and structural deterioration.

To determine whether your home is suffering from air leakage you can do a blower door test which must be performed by an energy auditor or a heating contractor. These tests shouldn’t cost you more than a few hundred dollars and are a great way to check if air leaking areas should be sealed.

Once you have all air leakage problems sorted out it is important to have good ventilation i.e. fresh air needs to be able to come into your home. Don’t ever think that you have tightened up your house too tight by sealing all potential air leaks, you haven’t.  Mechanical ventilation is the next step that you should take to control the flow of fresh air in your home. Not only does mechanical ventilation control the flow of fresh air in your home, it also helps define the correct pressurization of a house.

Foundation and framing essentials

The foundations of a home are one of the most important things to take into consideration when building a home, yet the importance of the foundations for the efficiency and air quality of a house is often forgotten about. When looking at the foundations of a home there are three key factors that must be taken into account. These are: resource conservation, energy conservation and moisture control. I will discuss why these factors are so important in the chapter below.

The good performance of a home relies on a good foundation in order to cut down on heavy heating and cooling costs, as well as reducing the likelihood of any moisture and mold problems. The one thing which rings true for the foundation of all homes is that a foundation should not need to be replaced over the lifetime of a house – in other words, foundations need to be built to last.

Look at the foundation of a house as part of a whole system rather than as just one aspect of home construction. In this day in age it is important to build the foundation of your new home using sustainable building practices. For starters, you may want to consider substituting fly ash for cement. There are two main benefits for doing this, firstly using recycled product means you will be stopping the waste being dumped in landfills and secondly substituting fly ash actually improves the strength and durability of the concrete. Not all builders know that you can substitute fly ash in concrete, so the key is communication here. Do a little research and find a contractor who has experience working with fly ash.

Another important framing essential that you should be aware of when building your home is that foundations should be insulated. If the foundations of your home are not insulated, you will find that there will be heat loss throughout the home. This includes the foundation walls, crawl space and concrete slabs. It is best to insulate before you lay the foundations down as this will save you considerable savings in the long run, and add value to your home if you ever decide to sell.

It is best to insulate foundations on the outside in order to reduce any risk of condensation and mold development. The best way to do this is to insulate the exterior of the foundation wall by a process often referred to as backfilling. Two inches of rigid foam insulation should be used to insulate foundations, but you may need to increase it to 3 inches if you live in areas which are very cold. Once installed, this insulation will keep your basement at a steady temperature and in the future you may want to use the room as a fun room for the kids to play in or as an office.

Seeing as you are insulating foundations, it is also a good idea for you to insulate the slab. It is very important that you insulate slabs if you live in an area where the number of cooling degree days is high. In these instances you can gain approximately 15 per cent of cooling load. You can insulate the slab perimeter (this is a cheaper option), but I would recommend that you insulate the entire slab to avoid any heat loss.

As I have said before, you need to do everything you can to prevent moisture getting into your home and this means controlling moisture around your foundations as well. Even if your builder uses asphalt-based damp-proofing before back filling the foundation, it is still not enough to control moisture around foundations entirely. You may wish to discuss with your builder other options such as applying a rubber-based coating over the outside of the foundation wall to help keep your basement warm, dry and without mold.

Framing

I’m sure that there are many questions that you would like answered in terms of what materials and techniques you should use, and what you should do to make the framing of your new home as energy efficient as possible.

There are a range of materials that you could use for the framing of your home such as straw bale construction, blocks of aerated concrete and structured insulated panels. There are benefits for using all of these materials and they all play a role in sustainable building practices, however the real problem is that not all of these materials are widely used and to get hold of them is often difficult and a rather expensive process.

Despite the fact that there are a range of materials you can use to build your home, wood is still the most popular choice. In fact, wood is one of the most renewable materials that is used in the construction of a house. The one problem with typical house construction is that builders are using too much framing. If builders incorporated advanced framing techniques by using less wood and smarter joints, the amount of wood required to build a typical home will be chopped by at least half, if not more.

By taking advantage of advanced framing, cost savings will be significant as not as much wood will be required and you will be curbing some of the construction waste that gets thrown in landfills every year, at the same time cutting down on green house gas emissions. Having a home with less framing will mean that it is easier to install insulation as well.

Build with certified wood

As of now, global warming is a real threat to our environment and because of this, having trees planted in forests is beneficial to both us and the environment. Every year we chop down more than 32 million acres of forest to use the timber, but in the future it is going to be more beneficial to maintain forests that cut them done.

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) was founded in 1993 as an international not for profit organization which certifies that wood has been harvested sustainably from forests. It is important that you use timber which has the FSC stamp of approval which means that the wood that you are using is from organizations that follow responsible forest management standards. Responsible forest management standards mean that the harvesting of the wood did not contribute to deforestation. There is no difference with wood which is FSC certified than the wood from a clear cut forest, apart from the fact that it doesn’t contribute to deforestation or global warming. It’s something to think about, because the more people that choose to use certified wood, the better it will be for the environment – and it will stop illegal logging practices as well.

FSC certification is the only way you know that the wood that you are using comes from a sustainably harvested forest.

Top ways to save on electricity bills

Taking stock of your utility bill is one way you can save money, but by following these tips you will also find you are more comfortable in your home and more energy efficient at the same time.

One way that you can instantly save money is by making sure that every time you leave the room you are turning off the light switch. It seems simple enough, but many people fail to do this simple task and pay the price for leaving the lights on in the next months’ power bill.

It is important that you get rid of any incandescent light bulbs that are used for more than two hours at a time and replace them with Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFL’s). CFL’s only use 25% of the electricity of incandescents, which means a saving of several hundred dollars for the average household every year. They last at least eight times longer than incandescents which save you on replacement costs as well.

Turn off the screensaver on your desktop computer or laptop. By doing this you can save upwards of $100 a year. Sure screensavers look attractive but the reason they were developed was to prevent screens burning out, but now that technology has developed they are no longer required. Better yet, to save even more money I would suggest turning your computer off completely.

Look at the appliances that you use every day and look for ways to make them more efficient. For starters, when you replace your appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers, and washing machines, replace them with a new and more efficient model – make sure you look at the Energy Guide sticker and look for appliances with the lowest yearly operating cost. Visit the US Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy website www.eere.energy.gov/consumer and the ENERGY STAR website www.energystar.gov. I like to do my research before purchasing a new appliance and find both of these sites handy.

Choose to cook energy smart. There is no ENERGY STAR rating for ovens and stove tops, however there are a few things you can do to make sure these appliances are running as efficiently as possible. If you are cooking a small meal it is a good idea that you use a microwave or a toaster as an oven or stove top uses much more energy. Other things you should consider to cook energy smart is that when cooking on the stove top you match the size of the pots and pans with the size of the element. Avoid opening the oven door to check on food – instead trust the recipe, your instinct and the oven timer.

Cut down on how much water your shower uses. If you install a low flow showerhead you can save approximately 4,000 gal. of water a year. Apart from saving water you are saving gas and electricity as well by not having to heat that excess water. This is a project that you can do straight away, all you need to do is go to your local hardware or homestore and ask for a low-flow showerhead. Due to federal law, all showerheads will be no more than 2.5gpm but lower flow amounts are available as well.

Install a programmable thermostat. If you set the thermostat to your daily schedule you can have you home at a comfortable temperature at all times, for instance you can set the thermostat at a level you are comfortable with for when you first wake up in the morning and also for when you return home in the evening.

Take stock of your appliances and see which ones you really need and if you can do without them, get rid of them. A lot of the appliances that we now use are for convenience rather than as a necessity. Do you really need that spa pool or that dishwasher than you fill up with only a few dishes a day? Try going without the dishwasher for two weeks and see how you feel.

Front loader washing machines are gaining popularity and use much less electricity than standard top loader washing machines. Another benefit of front loaders is that they use far less soap than top loaders and spin the water faster with less vibration as well. If you are thinking about replacing your top loader washing machine why not replace it with a more efficient front loader.

Another way to instantly save money is to hang washing on the line outside or on racks to dry rather than placing the clothes in the machine. It requires no energy at all and is a task that can be completed in minutes.

Get rid of appliances which use large amounts of water and cost you a lot of electrical energy to run. These appliances include large aquariums, swimming pools and spas. If you do not need these appliances for your survival and you can’t afford to have them my best advice is to just get rid of them or sell them to someone who will make better use of them. A heated aquarium uses a lot of energy and most of that energy is for controlling the tank temperature. If you can’t fathom the thought of not having fish as pets then you could sell the aquarium and purchase a small glass fish tank and keep a few gold fish.

It’s a great idea to insulate your water heater if it is not already internally insulated with foam and it’s not so old that it will be replaced in the next 12 months. To find out if your water heater is internally insulated all you need to do is look at the opening of the water heater where the pipes emerge from the tank. Look at the pipe fitting and see if there is a plastic trim piece around the pipe. If you wrap your heater with a ‘tank wrap’ you will save some energy on your monthly utility bill.

Have you thought about installing a solar water heater? If you have some spare disposable income and have real interest in building sustainably then it is recommended that you install a solar water heater. At approximately $10,000 a pop it is a decision that takes a bit of thought. Solar water heaters are great if you have some wall area or an unshaded roof that faces south as you can reap the benefits for decades. It’s important that you speak to your solar expert who will be able to give you advice on the type and size of solar water heater that you should utilize depending on the size of your house, the location of your house and the number of people in your household.

If you have a furnace or an air conditioning unit in your home make sure that you always have clean filters i.e. make sure that you change the filters at least once a month the system is in use. If these systems are not used so much in the off season (spring and fall) then you don’t need to change the filters as often. The same rule applies when you have really dirty filters, change the filter more often.

Ventilation is important in a home as is an efficient air conditioner. Make sure that when you buy an air conditioner it is efficient. When you buy a new air conditioner, the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) is the ratio of efficiency which you need to look for. Do your research and choose an air conditioner with the ENERGY STAR label.

Adding insulation to your home is one of the best ways to save on electricity bills. Whether you are building new or adding renovations to an existing home, there are a number of insulation options. Talk to an expert about ways you can add insulation to your home to save on electricity costs because heat loss through ceilings and walls can add 50% extra to your home’s utility bill in winter. To save money immediately, why not seal doors and windows and spray the roof with foam insulation. If your roof is already insulated with batt insulation you can add a layer of rigid foam in order to cut your energy bills down just that little bit more.

Many people find that windows and doors are one area of the home where the majority of heat is lost. The inefficiency of windows and doors adds to your utility bill; however there are a number of things that you can do to improve this situation. It is important that you install energy efficient windows in your home if you are replacing windows. Double glazed windows are a popular and great energy saving option because their inside surface is closer to room temperature. If replacing your windows is not an affordable option why not add weather stripping to old windows. At the same time you are weather stripping your windows why not weather strip your doors as well.

I could give you more great tips about what you can do to cut down your electricity bills but something that will benefit you tremendously is a bit of advice from the experts. Through discussing with an expert your home’s structure, the appliances you use, and the number of people in the household, you will come to an understanding of how and in what areas you can cut down your energy usage and your monthly power bill. Before you hire an ‘energy auditor’ I would suggest that you ask what services he/she provides and at what cost. Call a few different companies up so that you get the best deal. Most top quality auditors will spend a few hours with you at your home and go through your entire house including your attic and basement. They should conduct an air leakage ‘blower door’ test as well and will use an infrared camera to assess the insulation levels in your home, as well as test your ducts for leaks.

Install solar and wind power and save money

Solar and wind power are readily available power sources and the one reason why everybody is not using it (or at least not yet) is that up until now it has been too cost prohibitive. It is all a supply and demand thing and until more people choose to use renewable energy, the cost of producing those types of energy will remain high. However, at the moment governments worldwide are realizing the benefits of these technologies and thus offer incentives and paybacks for people who decide to use solar energy and wind power.

The Energy Policy Act makes installing solar and wind power affordable options through the use of tax credits which range from $50 to $2000. Aside from tax credits there are rebates available as well.  There are a range of renewable energy incentive programs available for consumers.  The North Carolina Solar Center and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council were key developers of the Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE). This database describes what resources and incentives are available for people who wish to consider renewable energy options.

A great thing about renewable energy is that if you generate enough you can sell it back to the utility company. The 1978 Public Utility Regulatory Policy Act states that if individuals or businesses generate excess amounts of power through renewable energy, the utility company must buy it at wholesale cost.

There is an abundance of sunlight available for people to harness and use to power their homes, but because of the heavy cost involved, very few people are taking advantage of solar energy – despite it being the cleanest source of energy that has ever existed.

Electricity can be generated from sunlight through the use of the PV Cell. The PV Cell converts light energy into electrical energy using the simple process called the photovoltaic effect. Sun light hits the PV cell and the cell then transforms light energy into an electrical signal. The electrical signal is then converted into electrical power. The same principles apply to a small solar power system as to a large scale solar power system.

If you have a large area (more than an acre) of land at your disposal then you may be able to turn that wind into power. For people who live in a rural location or on a lifestyle block, wind power is a cost effective and renewable source of power. Even if you only have minimal natural air movement, your home can at least produce some electricity and for many people it is often a cost effective option. Depending how much wind you have on your property you could possibly save 50 to 90 per cent on your electricity bill. Combining wind power with solar power could potentially mean that you never have to pay a power bill ever again.

It is almost a better idea to take advantage of both solar power and wind power. If you require the energy of the wind to power your home completely you may find that you don’t have enough wind to power your home for the entire year. To measure how much wind power you have available at your home you need to have the correct measuring equipment. Wind socks are available which indicate the speed of the wind as well. Equipment is available at a science or weather equipment store.

There are wind resource maps available which detail the estimated yearly electricity production available from a wind turbine. These maps are based on an average wind speed, but if you are going to rely fully on wind power you will want to make sure that you get consistent wind speeds at your wind power location.  The Wind Energy Resource Atlas of the United States is available on the Wind Technology Center website at www.nrel.gov/wind. More than likely you will want to have on hand a battery system where you can store generated power.

If you are concerned about the damage that fossil fuels are doing to the environment and are looking for other options, then solar and wind energy are your best options. You do not have to fully commit to a wind power or solar powered system, instead think about the small changes you can make. For starters, you may want to install solar panels on your roof. There are a range of styles and cost ranges available which fit into any budget.

By combining both green-building techniques as well as active solar systems, you can actually create a home which produces as many kilowatts of energy a year as it uses. These active solar systems that you could use to create a `zero energy` home include such technologies as solar water collectors and photovoltaic panels. Passive solar design of a home is important when you wish to create a `zero energy` home.

Talk to an engineer who will be able to give you the best advice about how you should build your home to take advantage of both the sun and the wind. You need to make sure that your house is orientated in the right position, that your windows are in the right spot and that you have an overhang in the right position. A home which uses passive solar design can cut heating bills by up to 80 per cent and the extra energy cost can be minimized by utilizing wind power and solar power.

Plumbing tips to help with your water

If you are looking for ways to save money you may wish to consider using less hot water. Using less water means that you will be paying less on your energy bills because you will not need to pay for that extra water. There are a number of things you can do and the projects I am discussing in this chapter can be completed by any DIY enthusiast.

If you want to use less hot water you might want to install a low flow aerator on your faucet. To complete this project follow these steps:

1. Unlock the old aerator.

2. Screw the replacement aerator in. Makes sure it doesn’t leak when used, if it does leak use pliers to tighten.

After installing a low flow aerator you may wish to add an on/off lever for the aerator. I have a lever on the aerator in my kitchen and bathroom; they are helpful for when pouring a glass of water. The biggest benefit of an aerator with a lever is in the bathroom when you require intermittent hot water.

To save on hot water bills it is important that you replace showerheads. To complete this project follow these steps:

1. Unscrew the showerhead using pliers.

2. Wrap the threads of the shower arm clockwise for a few turns.

3. The next step is to screw in the new showerhead and tighten with pliers.

4. Turn the shower on and make sure that there are no leaks.

Get your toilet to use less water; you can do this by installing a flush adapter and Aqua system. But when the time does come for you to replace your toilet make sure that you buy a toilet with low flow. An easy thing you can do to save the amount of water that your toilet uses is to lower the tank float manually. It’s easy to do this, all you need to do is turn the adjustment screw to lower the float using a screwdriver.

To get your toilet to use less water you can also place a soda bottle in the back of the tank. Fill a soda bottle half to three quarters fill with sand and small pebbles, top it up with water and seal the lid. Place the bottle in the water tank; this process can actually save half a gallon of water per flush.

As well as stopping equipment using excess water it is also imperative that you fix leaks – otherwise you are pouring water (and money) down the drain.

Grey water is the left over water from sinks, showers and dishwashers EXCEPT toilet water which is referred to as black water. You may want to consider utilizing grey water for irrigation and to flush the toilet rather than watching it run down the drain. Grey water is a relatively new concept but there are some plumbing systems which already incorporate a way of capturing this used water. The big problem is that most cities do not have building codes which allow the use of grey water. The best advice I can give you is that if you are building a home, you should talk to a plumber about pre-plumbing for grey water for when building codes come into fruition for it. One of the reasons that there are no building codes for plumbing grey water at the moment is that there is a bit of fear that grey water and black water may get mixed up.

When you are looking at ways to save water, you need to make sure that the appliances that you wash clothes are dishes in are energy efficient. Did you know that a washing machine uses just as much water as your toilet does? If you use a model which is more efficient you may be able to cut down how much water you use per load. Front loader washing machines are a better option when it comes to water efficiency, but do your research as there are some energy efficient top loaders as well.

If you do need to use a dishwasher it is important that you use one which has an ENERGY STAR rating. You will find a good range of water-saving models available by most manufacturers. It is also important that you fill the dishwasher before turning it on otherwise you will just be wasting electricity and water. Choose to be water and energy efficient today and you will be doing your part to making this world a greener place.

Landscaping tips

Good green landscaping is important when you are building an energy efficient home. There are a number of things that you can do to incorporate plants into the overall design of a home that may reduce the need for insulation and reduce the flooding from rainwater runoff.

Even the correct placement of trees and shrubs can mean the difference of having a home which is cool in summer and warm in winter. The US Department of Environmental Protection says that planting trees can cut a home’s air conditioning cost and a home’s heating cost by approximately 25 per cent. That’s not bad for a tree that stands there and does nothing. Make sure that your landscaping plans take into consideration the way that plants can be used to save on both energy and water. By no means do these energy and water savings mean that your garden cannot be aesthetically pleasing.

When looking at your landscaping options you want to buy plants which require the least amount of water and little other maintenance such as fertilization.

When it comes to a lawn, you need to understand that the more lawn that you have the greater dependency you will have on water.  The ultimate aim of a green home is the opposite of that; you want to conserve as much water as you possibly can. There are more options than simply going without a lawn and having a concrete slab as your front yard. For instance, you could plant many native plants as they require less water and are a plant drought tolerant species as well. If you still want to have a small lawn on your front yard, that can be accommodated for too.

Sprinklers are the biggest waste of water in a garden because the dispersed water only touches the plants rather than the soil where the roots of the plants and flowers are able to properly absorb the moisture. If your plants do require that little bit of extra water to remain healthy, you may want to consider in ground irrigation. In-ground irrigation uses less water, yields better results, and if you are concerned about wasting water you may want to place the irrigation system on a timer or on a rain meter.

As mentioned in the previous chapter grey water (used water) is a way to make use of water which is left over from other processes. Rainwater catchment systems are a way of utilizing rainwater and can be used to water your garden. It is actually really easy to make your own rainwater catchment system – all you need to do is place a rain barrel underneath the gutter spout from your home. If you want to get a bit more technical measure the size of your roof multiplied with the average yearly rainfall in the area to find out how much rainfall you can gain from the roof. Once you have calculated this figure you will be pleasantly surprised with how much water you can feed your garden without ever having to turn that tap on.

It is amazing how things have changed over the past decade or so, there was a time that having an outdoor swimming pool or spa added great value to a property – now it is just seen as a costly expense. Aside from needing hundreds of gallons of water to fill a pool, it is very expensive to heat and the chemicals required to purify the water add to this cost. As people are becoming more aware of the cost of resources they are realizing that despite being aesthetically pleasing and a fun activity, it has higher costs than people are willing to spend.

Follow these landscaping tips and combine them with the other advice in this book including framing, insulation, ventilation, electricity savings, plumbing and solar and wind energy advice about how to build a home green from the ground up. Remember that all of the projects discussed in this book you will be able to complete if you are keen and are willing to put a bit of hard work in.

Best of luck with your future projects.

Recommended Reading

MagniWork

The Magniwork guide will teach you how to create a magnetic power generator so you can power your home for free, and help save the energy crisis.

The zero point magnetic power generator uses magnets and magnetic force to induce continual energy by itself.

In other words, the magniwork power generator that you can construct using the Magniwork guide will give you the ability to generate FREE energy – without the need for renewable, or non-renewable sources to create that energy.

A magnetic power generator does not require a lot of space in your home, and it is reliable – working in all extreme weather conditions. The Magniwork free energy generator is a great eco-friendly solution, and the materials you need to build one are all very common – totaling less than $100.

We are aware of numerous reports that Magniwork doesn’t work and that the plans have been stolen from Naudin and Bedini.  It is true that Magniwork can be built cheaply, for less than $, and it can be installed anywhere.  As we are yet to receive a shred of evidence that the device generates more electricity than it consumes,  we can’t endorse it as an over unity device, producing free energy.   All claims that it does are false.

You can access the original Bedini plans for free here and examine if this device really works.

Organic Food Gardening Beginner’s Manual – By Julie Villani

http://thegreenfuel.com/admin/recommends/organicgardening

I recommend the Organic Food Gardening Beginner’s Manual by Julie Villani as a great place to start for growing your own organic food.

Do you enjoy gardening? Or consider it more of a chore and something you’d rather not spend time on?

If you agreed with the former, then you’re probably relishing the idea of successfully growing your own food (if you’re not already).

If you agreed with the latter, but you’re keen on having organic food, the Organic Food Gardening Beginner’s Manual will make it easy for you – and you’ll begin to realize it is not just a ‘chore’ after all.

Julie Villani didn’t begin life as a natural gardening enthusiast, but learnt with a lot of time and effort how to become a successful organic gardener.

She developed the Organic Food Gardening Beginner’s Manual so that everyone would be able to experience the same benefits she has – without wasting time and effort on trial and error.

Not only does growing your own fruit and vegetables reward you with a natural joy of accomplishment, and save you money, but Julie has made it easy for you to do.

And, don’t forget that growing your own organic food means you will be serving up you and your family chemical free, vitamin filled, fresh, natural foods that your body is really looking for.

Julie’s Beginner’s Manual is crammed full of information covering the best growing tips and instructions for never failing, written in simple steps.

She’s also giving away 4 bonus gifts with every purchase; these include a garden diary, an eBook on seed saving tips and techniques, plus more.

Since the dawn of time, man has attempted to harness nature. It’s something of an obsession. We’ve cultivated crops, domesticated animals, built cities, dug up fossil fuels, and even landed on the moon. But, the most common and powerful source of energy at our fingertips has been ignored by many executives and innovators for far too long. Until very recently, solar power has been a passing “fad” that only the most die-hard of green energy converts and NASA would tout and yet the technology never died. It continued to develop, to innovate, and to become more efficient.

The first solar cell was created in 1941 by an enterprising American working with silicon named Russell Ohl. It’s been 70 years since that first breakthrough and solar technology has come a long way. Cars have been built with solar cells. Houses have been taken off the energy grid with solar and wind energy sources. You can go out right now and buy your very own solar energy kit and start tapping into that great big orb in the sky yourself.

Technology is a wonderful thing. It provides endless opportunities and with the world realizing with increasing urgency that our traditional energy sources just aren’t cutting it any longer, solar is finally coming into its own. This is a soon-to-be multi-billion dollar worldwide industry.

And, with the right tools and knowledge in your back pocket, you can be at the forefront, heating your water, powering your garden lights, or even bumping your entire home off the energy grid once and for all with green energy.

And it all starts with knowledge – the basic facts about how this innovative technology actually works and why you haven’t heard nearly enough about it in the last decade as our oil prices have skyrocketed.

It’s Not Just Solar Cells

If you’ve never heard anything else about solar energy, you’ve probably heard about or seen those foil lined, shiny surfaced solar cells that sit atop businesses and schools. They’re called photovoltaic cells and they are just one form of technology at our finger tips used to convert the sun’s rays into a viable, usable form of energy for our homes, electronics, and cars.

But, with the right technology, the sun can be used for all sorts of other energy transference. The dream of converting your entire home to solar dependency doesn’t have to be hard. You can ignore the critics that say it’s a passing fad or that the savings take too long to manifest.

Other technologies exist that provide opportunities to save money, and do your part to minimize your carbon footprint. We’re talking about:

• Solar Hot Water
• Solar Collectors
• Active Solar Space Heating
• Photovoltaics

And that’s just the solar side of things. You can also boost your natural energy sources by utilizing wind power and by cutting back on your current consumption rates. This guide will touch on all of these topics and more as you attempt to learn what it will take to stop using your share of the fossil fuels in the world and cut back to strictly natural, renewable energy.

Forms of Solar Powered Energy

As I mentioned already, solar power comes in many forms. To better illustrate what I mean, consider the world’s current energy sources – not just the oil and coal we use to run our computers and cars, but the food, water, and wind that’s around us every day.

It’s all because of the sun. Trace the food chain to its lowliest members and you’ll find plants and algae – both life forms that can transform the sun’s rays into energy sources through photosynthesis. That energy allows plants to reproduce and in turn transfers to the animals and people who eat them. All energy in our food comes from the sun, even if it goes through five or six steps of the food chain before it gets to your belly.

Even the current forms of energy we use are merely old, super high-density containers for solar energy. Coal is compacted plant matter. Oil is compacted algae matter. Natural gas is the by-product of both of them.

It’s all a cycle, so it’s no surprise that technology has developed in recent years to take advantage of the sun’s rays in as many ways as possible, not just through silicon based solar cells, but through solar collectors, insulated tubes, and more.

Solar Collectors

First thing’s first – how do we take all that energy being pumped out by the sun each day and convert it into viable power for your home? It’s done with solar collectors – special panels that you place in your roof, on your walls, or beside your pool to collect and trap the radiation given off by the sun and use it to produce heat. We’ll get into the systems used to convert that energy into a useful form in your home soon, but for now, let’s take a look at how the collectors actually work.

Sometimes called solar thermal collectors, collectors are used in many installations – most notably solar hot water and space heating setups. They may also be used for solar towers, solar power plants, and solar conversion for warehouses or commercial outlets.

Think of it this way. Roughly 52% of all electricity generated in the United States is done with the use of Coal. However, coal doesn’t generate electricity on its own. Usually, it is burned or broken down in a way that releases energy. That energy is then used to heat water which turns turbines. Those turbines then produce electricity which is stored and transferred to homes and businesses throughout the region.

A solar collector is taking on the same role as the coal – it’s trapping energy and preparing it for conversion to a form we can actually use. Where and how you use those collectors will depend largely on what kind of energy you need. Instead of the highly unstable and generally not very useful solar radiation that comes from the sky every day, a solar collector converts the sun’s energy into something that can be used to heat water or recharge a battery.

Heating Collectors

The first type of collector is used for heating. Solar heating collectors come in flat plate or evacuated tube collectors. Basically, a flat plate will heat a tank of water while evacuated tubes will transfer heat to various tubes of coolant which can be transferred to a tank for later use. The latter is more often used in commercial settings or for homes that experience freezing winters.

• Flat Plate – A flat plate collector is an insulated box that contains a plate designed to absorb solar energy – usually protected beneath a set of glass or plastic layers when installed in your home. If you use the same collector plate for your pool, it may be uncovered.
• Integral Collector Storage – The Integral collector storage (ICS) system is often known as a “batch system” and will usually have multiple tubes or tanks contained within a single insulated box. The system will pump cold water into the tubes or tanks to heat it. The water is then transferred to your standard hot water heater which is heated by gas or electricity.This ensures that, if your region freezes in the winter, you always have a source of hot water. The hot water heater can be set to only turn on when the water drops below a certain temperature coming from the collector. In most situations, this reduces your traditional energy use by up to 70%.
• Evacuated Tube – The third type of solar collector is the evacuated tube, which encapsulates each pipe in the collector with numerous clear tubes made of glass. Each tube will have metal absorbers to trap the solar energy and heat the water.Due to the scalability of this option, it is used often for businesses and large buildings. Another benefit here is that the evacuated tubes are not affected by things like air temperature due to the insulation.

These collector types will vary greatly depending on whether you are installing a heating system, a hot water system, or a different thermal solar system.

Electricity Collectors

The collectors you’ve probably seen more often are the ones used for generating electricity –­ the panels, dishes, pyramids, and towers that dot the landscape in secluded areas or in industrial parks. Different types of collectors include:

• Parabolic Trough and Dish – Troughs are used by solar power plants to concentrate the energy collected from the sun to heat a pipe filled with coolant, which is then used to power boilers in a station. Parabolic dishes look like giant foil wrapped satellite dishes. They focus all of the sunlight received onto a single point where it is converted into a more useful form of energy.
• Power Tower – Like something out of a scene in a science fiction movie, the power tower is surrounded by small mirrors that focus on the central point of the tower. The tower then transfers heat gathered to the base of the tower where a power station is located.
• Solar Pyramid – A pyramid uses air as the conductor to turn the turbines. They require a lot of space and are covered in solar collectors that transfer heat to the air that is pushed through them.

There are a number of reasons why these systems tend not to show up on your neighbour’s roof or at the local grocery store. They’re expensive to implement and require a complex system to ensure the mirrors and collectors remain concentrated in the right location throughout the day. The amount of heat generated and collected, however, is immense. This makes them perfect for power plants where cost can be outweighed by the long term benefits of a productive power plant.

The biggest issue that keeps concentrating and collecting systems from being used residentially is that they generally don’t work in sub-prime conditions. If the sun is invisible or simply diffused for any period of time, they don’t work well, whereas photovoltaic systems continue gathering power.

So, instead of focusing on what you can’t use, let’s take a look at how solar collectors can be integrated into your home for thermal collection.

Solar Hot Water

Yes, solar panels are cool. They take the sun’s rays and convert them into real life electricity that can run a toaster or an LCD TV. But, a lesser known use of solar power that is far more affordable and efficient for the average home owner is solar hot water.

So, what makes a solar hot water system so powerful, and yet three times more efficient than PV panels? It’s the combination of simplicity in design and long term use with minimal maintenance. Plus, because of the current tax climate, you can receive massive rebates from the state and federal governments for adopting a green energy source in your home. In short, it will actually pay for itself sometime soon, rather than in 20 years.

Savings and Production

Like any solar energy source, solar hot water will vary in how useful it is for your home, largely depending on how much sunlight you get throughout the year. A well-built system that is large enough for your daily hot water needs and that can store energy throughout the day should be able to provide hot water for your entire home for as many as 8-9 months out of the year.

However, if you’re region freezes often or if you have 200+ days a year of rain and clouds, the sunlight may not cut as deeply into your bill as you might like. You’ll want to measure the savings before investing money into a system like this, just to be sure it will benefit you in the long run.

System Options

Solar hot water has been on the market for about 25 years now and in that time, quite a few methods have been developed to convert energy from the sun into the hot water you use to take a shower or do your dishes. There are multiple systems to choose from when determining how to install your hot water. Which one you choose may depend on factors such as local rebates, space, and the daily hot water needs of your family.

• Active – An active system uses various parts and mechanics to absorb heat and transfer it to your household water source.
• Passive – A passive system does nothing beyond providing a funnel for solar energy to the water source.

For the most part, the passive systems are easier to install, less expensive and require far less maintenance. On the flip side, if you live in a high-maintenance climate where the sun takes long naps and it gets very cold in the winter, you may need the extra bells and whistles of an active system that can back up your hot water, separate the heating elements, and provide on-grid options when conditions get too harsh.

How a Solar Water System Works

Whether you have an active or passive system, you’ll need to have a collector and a storage tank for the water. The collector will take in the solar energy, amplifying the heat and transferring the radiation to the water in the tank which will then be distributed, either to a secondary storage tank or throughout the hot water pipes in your home.

Ultimately, you have two options for your storage tank – dual tanks or a single tank – and three options for your solar collectors. Here is a quick breakdown of the differences between active and passive systems.

Active Solar Hot Water Systems

In an active hot water system, there will be a number of moving parts that make sure it keeps running under all conditions. This is very important for a home that doesn’t get a lot of sun during some parts of the year or that suffers from deep freezes during the winter. Without an active system, you may lose hot water completely or suffer damage to your installation.

Active solar hot water systems come in two forms – either direct or indirect circulation systems. The direct circulation system will simply heat the water in the collector and move it through your home as it is heated, using a series of pumps. The indirect system will use a special coolant liquid that can be transferred between the solar collector and a heat exchanger which will transfer the heat to the water for later use.

If your home is in a climate where it freezes often, an indirect system is almost vital to avoid any pipes that might freeze in the collector. Imagine having water back up in the tank attached to your roof on a cloudy day and freeze. The damage would be incalculable.

Passive Solar Hot Water Systems

In general, these systems are much simpler. They use traditional plumbing and gravity to move water between the solar collectors and your hot water facets, but because they lack any pumps or backup systems to keep things running, you run the risk of a system that will bleed heat and become inefficient quickly.

The first type of passive system is the integral collector, which we already discussed and which is great for homes that are in nice warm climates. However, for those that might encounter freezing temperatures, the thermosyphon system may be a better option. This system works with the natural properties of water to syphon hot water out of the collection system. Cold water will rise into the batch tank and as it is heated, it will rise in the collector and run into a higher pipe that goes to the hot water heater or storage tank.

This second method is great if you’re interested in something reliable and passive, but keep in mind that they generally cost more because of the need for new plumbing and that they need to be very carefully installed – usually by a professional – because they are heavy and attached to your roof.

Is a Solar Hot Water System Right for You?

Hopefully everything above made good sense. Even if the technical details didn’t hit home, consider this – a solar hot water system is a great way to cut back on your carbon footprint and reduce your energy bills instantly with a relatively basic installation. Especially if you’re using natural gas heat for your hot water tank, this can be a great way to cut your gas bill.

And the cost is very attractive. The parts and installation of the system may seem hefty up front, but you’ll almost never need to worry about maintenance and the sun’s rays are always free. The cost of parts and labour will vary, but on average, a new home buyer will spend as little as $10-15 a month over the course of 30 years to cover the cost of the system, which is generally far less than you’d be paying for hot water for a family of four.

In comparison, it will cost roughly 3-4 times that much to install a photovoltaic system that can produce electricity for your entire home. If your heating bill is significantly higher than your electric bill due to the use of natural gas or oil, you may want to consider starting your conversion to solar with a hot water or heating system, both of which are far easier to install and have a far lower upfront investment.

Active Solar Space Heating

If you’ve ever been in a greenhouse, you understand the basics of solar space heating. Instead of concentrating solar energy on a single point or converting it to electricity with expensive photovoltaic cells, you transfer solar energy into your home through a glazed surface – such as glass or plastic – and use the energy for heating.

Of course, it can be much more complicated than that depending on how much heat you want to generate, whether you want to store it or transfer it to other rooms and how you will use the energy when it is gathered. So, it’s a good idea to determine how each of these systems will work in your home before making any decisions.

Passive Heating

Passive solar heating is pretty simple and the least expensive way to introduce solar power to your home. It basically takes advantage of southern facing windows, insulation, and sunspaces to gather and hold heat throughout the day and maintain the temperature in your home.

A passive system most commonly uses what is called a direct gain setup to store sunlight throughout the day and then release it over time. This allows the home to stay warm even after the sun has set. The biggest issue here is overheating as there is no way to regulate the heat your building materials gather during the day.

Another common form of passive space heating is “indirect gain”. This is when you use special building materials or insulation that will hold heat during the day and then release it into the home. This creates a buffer to reduce the direct heat your living space absorbs, but still maintains the slow release method.

Active Heating

Active heating takes us back to the collectors we discussed earlier. You’ll need to gather solar energy in concentrated points and direct that energy through water and other fluids to the rest of the house – sort of like a solar boiler. Air can also be used as an option to transfer the heat throughout your home.

• Liquid Systems – A liquid based system will use the same kind of water collector I mentioned when discussing your hot water system. Then, with the help of pumps or valves, you will transfer that water throughout the house to radiators, floorboards, or walls to redistribute heat to different rooms. It doesn’t need to be water – some liquid systems will use various non-toxic coolants as the transfer source.
• Air Systems – In an air transfer system, an air collector is used to heat pressurized air that is then distributed throughout the house to keep you warm.

One of the more common additions to a system like this is a backup source that provides heat when you either use up the heat you’ve generated or the sun isn’t shining for a day or two. Backup systems usually require water based heating as water is easier and safer to store than heated air.

Things to Consider

If you’re seriously considering installing a solar space heating system, you’ll need to do more than just place larger windows on your house. First, you will need to calculate your current energy usage for heating. How much does it take to keep your family warm throughout the year?

Once you’ve done that, you need to determine whether or not your home is insulated enough to maintain the heat you generate. Without an outside heating source, you want to retain as much heat as possible. Without insulation and with gaps in windows or doors, a solar system will have a hard time keeping up with the energy demands of your home.

If you plan on using a collector, keep in mind that most homes use more energy in heating than for hot water. You won’t be able to use a single collector and storage tank for your heating needs. You may need multiple collectors, either on your roof or in your yard, to ensure you get enough heat during the colder months of the year.

Is Solar Space Heating Worth It?

If you live in an area where heating is necessary for more than 2-3 months of the year and you get sufficient sunlight to generate that energy, you will definitely benefit from solar space heating. Passive systems are less expensive and require less moving parts, but can be far less accurate when it comes to providing enough heat for your home, so they are generally recommended only for temperate and moderate climates.

If you live in a colder area where it freezes often, you will want to consider an active system that can continuously generate heat and store it for later use. You may also need to remain tapped into an external heat source to ensure you don’t run out of viable energy in the dead of winter.

Photovoltaics

I’ve saved this solar method for last for good reason. While photovoltaics (or solar cells) may be the most commonly cited and recognizable of solar technologies, they are also the most expensive and at times hardest to utilize for a residential home. And while I’ve reiterated that a few times in the guide so far, this is still a technology that I am positive will revolutionize how we use energy in the decades to come.

How Photovoltaics Work

So far, we’ve discussed other solar systems that basically concentrate solar energy and transfer it to another medium – either water or air. With a photovoltaic cell, things are done electronically. In short, the cell is converting the energy from the sun into electricity using a silicon semiconductor.

It’s the same technology we’ve using for years to power computers, transistors and other electronics, but instead of a man-made power source, we using the sun directly. When the sun’s light hits the PV cell, some of that light is absorbed by a semiconductor made of silicon (or a similar material). The energy in the semiconductor then breaks loose electrons that can travel as they please inside the device.

These electrons are then pushed in a particular direction creating a current. Once the current has been generated, you can use contacts located on the PV cell to draw electricity off of it to power your devices.

I’ve just boiled down a very complex subject to about 150 words, so you’ll have to bear with me when I say that “it just works”. Entire books, classes, and college degrees are based on this subject so if you’re interested in how electricity, silicon, or semiconductors work, there are plenty of resources to draw from.

However, the basic idea is that those PV cells can take the sun’s rays and convert them in real time to electricity which we can use to power various devices – from the solar powered calculator we all thought was amazing in second grade to the space station orbiting the earth with solar panel wings catching as much radiation as possible with each circuit.

Issues with PV Cells

Since the 1950s, photovoltaic cells have been used by various military, government and commercial outfits and scientists have tried to determine when this technology would become feasible for residential use. When would we be able to unplug from the grid and start using solar power only?

The problem, unfortunately, isn’t the sun. The sun’s rays produce 1,000 watts of electricity a day for every square meter of the earth they hit. That’s a lot of juice. The problem is the efficiency of the solar cells, which lose quite a bit of power in the transfer, rendering them fairly weak in terms of electricity generation.

Silicon and other conductive materials are also pretty shiny, which means they shoot all sorts of radiation back out, wasting possible energy sources. Up to 2006, the average solar panel only absorbed 15% of the solar radiation that hit it. The goal is 40%. And if scientists try to cut back how much energy is lost, they give up valuable voltage needed to generate electricity.

Of course, there are new technologies constantly being developed and some solar panels have been created that can get efficiencies of 41% or higher. But, the cost is high, which makes it tough for a regular guy or gal like you to take full advantage of the technology.

Tapping into the Sun for Your House

With all that in mind, application of solar panels for your home’s electricity use isn’t necessarily that hard. Once you factor out the cost, you simply need to make sure you have the right angle and direction in which to face your panels. Ideally, solar panels should be angled upwards and should face south in the Northern Hemisphere or north in the Southern Hemisphere, where the sun will spend its time throughout the year. If your home’s roof faces slightly east or west, you can still use the panels, but expect some efficiency loss.

Next, you need to determine how much electricity you use and how much electricity your system can produce. Since it’s impossible to know when the sun will shine, you’ll need to use averages provided by the National Weather Service (in the US) or related agency in your country. These numbers vary of course, but will give you a baseline from which to work.

You will also need to get your average electrical use from your current power provider. It costs roughly $9 per watt of electricity usage to install a solar system. The more watts you use each day, the more solar cells you’ll need to power your home. The average home runs on between 100 and 300 watts, but beware – 100 watts of electricity is not very much. If you plan on cutting your electricity use to afford a solar cell system, you’ll want to be realistic about how much you can cut.

Another factor many people don’t realize is that most states have systems in place that will allow you to remain attached to the power grid. In particularly drab months with no sunlight, you can draw as much power as you need and in bright and sunny months or when you’re on vacation, you can sell power back to the power company, essentially banking it for later use. You’ll need to check with your local government and power provider to find out if it this is an option for your home.

Putting Your Knowledge to Use

So far, we’ve discussed the details involved in solar systems of various types. But, once you’ve decided if these systems are right for your home, you’ll want to take the leap and install them. In the next section, I’ll go a bit more in-depth about what each solar system requires, what it will cost, and the long term energy savings you can expect.

Installing Solar Power in Your Home

For the purposes of this report, I’m going to hit on two options you have for installing solar power in your home – collectors and panels. Keep in mind, however, that you can also take advantage of passive heating systems to draw power into your house through special insulation or simple glass windows – both details we’ll cover in the final section.

Heating Installations

For a solar heating installation, you’ll need a variety of parts, depending on what your heating system will be used for.

Solar Collectors

The solar collector will either be a flat panel attached to your main tank or a network of tubes that will run water through to be heated. The actual size of most solar collectors is around 4-8 feet, though some can be as large as 12 feet if you have a particularly large tank.

If you have a lot of cold or rainy weather, you may want to consider evacuated tubes for your collector as they cut down on outside temperature influences – a major factor in the winter. Only the sun’s energy will impact the temperature of the water or coolant in your collector this way.

Storage Tanks

A solar storage tank acts as the transitional device between the collectors and your water heater. If you use a closed loop system, the water will be heated in the storage tank by a series of coiled pipes that come from your collector. If you use an open loop system, the water will be pumped directly to the solar collectors for heating and then returned to the hot water tank to be used.

Water Heater

This isn’t necessary in an open loop system that is completely disconnected from the grid, but it is highly recommended because you never know when you’ll lose the sun or need some extra hot water. A backup hot water heater will remain in service, only producing hot water when your solar tank runs empty or the thermostat drops too low on the current supply. You can link them up so that hot water from you solar collector goes directly to the hot water heater and then back to your household supply.

Water Pumps

You’ll only need a water pump if you opt for an active system that requires the transfer of coolant or water from your solar collector to a separate tank and then to the hot water heater. You’ll likely only worry about your pump once as they last for 10-20 years and can be powered by any power source in your home – solar or grid-based.

Heat Exchanger

If you have a closed loop system, you’ll need a heat exchanger to transfer heat from the solar collector to your cold water supply. This is usually done by running coolant through a series of pipes and back to a solar tank or the hot water heater. Another alternative is to have a pipe wrapped around another pipe, transferring heat to your fresh water as it is transferred to the facet or bathroom.

Controls and Valves

A number of controls and valves are needed for different types of installations. The “controls” will help to determine where the water is pumped and when the hot water is collected using a thermostat in your hot water tank.

The isolation valve is used to cut off and isolate your solar tank if there is ever problem, such as a leak, contamination, or improper heating. This way, you can cut off the solar heated water while maintaining a direct line to your hot water tank if needed.

Another valve you may want to use if you have an open loop system that doesn’t use pumps or controls is a tempering valve. This will allow you to directly impact how hot the water coming out of your facet is. If your water gets too hot, adjust the tempering valve to add more cold water to the mix and get it right.

Installing the Heating System

For the simplest heating systems – the ones where you add a few pipes and install a solar collector and tank on your roof, you can likely do it on your own without any help. However, the more advanced closed loop systems require a great deal of alternation to your plumbing and may even require special permits, so it is a good idea to discuss your solar heating plans with a contractor before starting any new project.

Photovoltaic Cell Installation

Once you’ve determined how much sunlight you receive each year by analysing meteorological data and your current electricity usage, you can start creating a list of necessary parts, building materials and permits to get your solar project underway.

What You’ll Need

Adding solar power to your home with PV cells starts with the big question of whether you want to remain hooked up to the grid or not. Each option has its share of drawbacks so be sure to review them carefully.

• Off Grid – If you go off grid, you’ll almost certainly need to have a generator or battery to supply power when solar energy isn’t available. Even if you plan for the worst case scenario, you never know when you’ll get 30 days of consecutive cloud cover and rain blocking out your power source. Batteries can be quite expensive, however and they require a lot of maintenance. Solar panels last 30 years or longer, but batteries may only last 2-5 years depending on usage, and they are very toxic so they need to be stored and disposed of properly.
• On Grid – If you choose to remain on the grid, you will need to do a lot of research to determine what your local laws are and how to follow the power company’s regulations. You will likely need special equipment to ensure the power remains compatible and that, if there is a power outage, you don’t continue pumping out electricity to dead power lines (this is a huge safety issue).

Batteries

If you opt to go off grid and install batteries, make sure you choose a deep cycle battery made with either lead-acid or nickel-cadmium. These batteries will last longer and match the energy storage and release requirements for a solar power system.

Charge Controller

Additionally, you’ll need to purchase a Charge Controller. A charge controller is important in making sure your battery doesn’t get drained too fast or overcharged. When the battery is full, it will stop the charging cycle and when it is drained too low, the controller will stop drawing off the battery to extend battery life. A charge controller will keep your batteries in service by as much as 150% longer than without one.

Inverter

All electricity is not created equally. For this reason, you’ll need an inverter to change your Direct Current (DC) power (created by the solar panels) into Alternating Current (AC) power (used by your outlets and provided by your electric company). If you remain on the grid, your inverter should also stop the flow of electricity from your home to the power company when the power is out. This will protect any electrical workers from working on live lines. Inverters are sometimes included in PV cell kits or with basic installation packages, so check with your contractor before buying a separate inverter.

Generators

For those that want to go completely off-grid, a generator is necessary, even if you have a battery backup. If the power is low and your batteries are starting to lose their charge, you’ll need a generator to recharge the batteries or provide emergency power. If your power output suddenly overwhelms the inverters, you will also need a generator to supply backup power.

A good generator should be directly connected to the inverter, so that when you turn on the generator, the inverter will immediately recognize the new power source and switch the entire load to it. Generators come in many options including gasoline, diesel, and gas. Gasoline powered generators are the most common because they are the least expensive and the easiest to get fuel for.

Assorted Other Parts

While the core parts listed above are very important, there are quite a few other small parts you’ll need to complete your installation, including:

• Wiring – Wiring needs will vary depending on the size of your system and the number of panels.
• Grounding Equipment – Grounding is a vital safety consideration and is required for all electrical work.
• Overcurrent Protection – Regulates and protects the power supply from excess current and shortages.
• Junction Boxes – Junction boxes will protect and preserve your conduits and cables from the elements and other outside factors like bugs or rodents.
• Disconnects – The DC disconnect shuts down the Direct Current from the Solar Cells – usually mounted outside the house for quick access in the event of an emergency, while the AC Disconnect shuts down the Alternating Current from the inverter, generator, or power grid.

And of course, there will be the solar panels themselves. With recent advances in technology, there are more options for solar panels than ever before, but it is still important to choose panels that fit your budget and the sizing options for your home. It’s best to talk with a salesman or contractor who is well versed in solar panels specifics and which will most directly benefit your home.

Permits

Before you start hammering away at your new solar energy system, contact your local municipality and learn if there are any permits required. The odds are that you will need to acquire at least a building permit, and possibly additional permits for the installation of a solar system. Heating systems are usually more straightforward, while PV cell systems might require a lot of paperwork, especially if you plan to say connected to the grid.

Also consider what is legal for you to do on your own. Only certain operations may be completed by an unlicensed contractor. If you’re planning on running wires and changing how your house connects to the power grid, you’re almost certainly going to need an electrician, and an inspector will be required to look at the finished product and sign off on all safety regulations.

The building department is usually your go to source for permits, but your municipality can vary from the norm, so check first. In the US, however, almost all cities and towns follow the same National Electric Code. Exceptions include New York City and Chicago, which both have their own building codes.

Don’t forget, though, that the government wants people using renewable energy and will reward you for your efforts. So if you follow the rules, use the right materials and file all your permits, they’ll help you along in the process every step of the way.

Other Forms of Natural Energy

Most of this guide has been dedicated to helping you understand what it will take to grab the sun by the horns and corral it for your personal use. I mean, why not? That thing is huge. It feeds the plants, powers our rivers, and dictates our seasons, so why not power our laptops and TVs while it’s at it.

But, for those of you still not sure if you can reasonably expect to make it off the power grid with solar panels alone, there are other alternative energy sources you can tap into that are growing in popularity as technology continues to advance.

Wind Power

Remember how our power plants currently work? We burn coal, it boils water, which creates steam, which turns turbines. Well, wind power cuts out all the middle men and turns the turbines directly. When those giant blades turn, they cause a generator to produce electrical current which is then stored and sent to homes on its gridlines.

Wind power is fantastic in that it doesn’t have any pollution, requires no outside resources and utilizes minimal land, allowing for multiple turbines to be placed together. For your home, it will depend on how much wind billows through your region on a regular basis. Without a wind source, you won’t be able to tap into nature’s gusts nearly as well as you would like. For a home that uses about 780 kWh per month of electricity, you would need a wind turbine that can produce between 5-15 killowatts to reach the 50-90% efficiency.

Another consideration in regards to wind turbines is space. If you live on a small lot or in an urban setting, they’re not going to be feasible. Even before considering the building codes which will likely limit or disallow a noisy turbine, you’ll need to find room for it. However, turbines are fantastically effective if you have a great deal of property.

Thermal

Thermal energy is drawn from the heat produced by the earth’s core. The heated rocks and water that comes up from between those rocks can be tapped into to generate electricity if you live in an area with significant geothermal output.

To effectively tap into geothermal energy residentially, you would need to have a home located near geothermal vents or you’d need to drill into the earth to access those vents. Luckily, this is becoming easier than it once was as drilling operators are cropping up in the Midwest and far west to provide such a service on large properties where permits can be granted.

Quite a bit of care needs to be put into accessing geothermal energy. Because of pollution risks and the sheer number of materials needed to create an electrical source, you would need to hire a contractor and have the property space on which to build.

Hydroelectric

Very rarely is a residential space able to tap into hydroelectric power, but it is possible. Hydroelectric power basically harnesses the energy produced by the water as it flows downstream or in tides on the ocean. Most commercial hydro power is produced by dams such as the Grand Coulee in Washington State or the Hoover in Nevada. These dams tap the natural inertia of water traveling down river and use it to turn turbines that produce large quantities of electricity.

To use hydroelectric power at home you would need a water source and generator that the water could access. This requires access to a river or stream or waterfront property where you can build a device to harness tidal strength. Most residential generators are upwards of 30 feet high, so again, you’ll need the property and space on which to build it.

The turbine of a hydro system is fantastically efficient at converting energy in water to electricity, so if you’re in a rural area or have the space, definitely consider what this type of electricity can offer you.

Cutting Out the Waste with Less Energy Usage

The whole point of renewable energy is to save money and have as small an impact on the earth as possible. And one of the most effective ways to do that won’t cost you a dime – in fact, it will save you money. By cutting waste and using less electricity in the first place, you can reduce your electric bill immediately. This can ease the pressure on your budget, and also make it far more realistic to install a solar system in your home that could replace your grid-based power.

To help you cut down your waste, here are some tips to help reduce your carbon footprint and save money on your bill:

1.    Insulation and Windows – By properly insulating your walls and ceilings you can reduce your heating costs by 25% or more. This immediately cuts how much oil or electricity you run through and allows a solar heating system to run far more efficiently. Windows can be equally as wasteful. Consider upgrading to double-glazed windows to minimize heat loss.

2.    Weatherizing – You can also seal up any cracks or holes on the outside of your home to reduce the heat loss you experience in the winter. Simple caulking and stripping can go a long way, and in some regions, cities and local governments are subsidizing the cost of doing so, even offering huge tax credits to encourage action.

3.    Thermostats and Refrigerators – Anything that has a thermostat can be adjusted to use less energy. Your refrigerator is a good start as they use a tremendous amount of power. You can buy a smaller one to start with, storing less food over shorter periods of time. You can also turn up the temperature to as high as 37 degrees and your freezer to 3 degrees – the most efficient temperatures to maintain food safety.

You water heater thermostat can be turned down as low as 120 degrees F, plenty hot for showers or washing. Additionally, you can turn your thermostat down in the winter to 68 degrees – plenty warm enough to feel comfortable. The four degree difference has a massive impact on energy consumption.

4.    Wash with Cold Water – Most clothing doesn’t need hot water to get clean when detergent is used. Another tip regarding your water use is to avoid using the dishwasher when it’s not full. Additionally, turn off the drying cycle. Instead, you can open the dishwasher and let it air dry.

5.    Light Bulbs – If you’re still using old style incandescent light bulbs, they waste a LOT of energy. Upgrade to the far more efficient compact fluorescent models to cut down on your energy use by 75% and get as many as 5 years out of them. The cost of these bulbs has dropped quite a bit recently as well to make it far more affordable when replacing the entire home’s lighting.

6.    Shower Heads – Get a low flow shower head installed to cut down on how much hot water you pump through it each day. It costs only $25 for the head, but the drop off in energy use is tremendous.

7.    Air Conditioning – Avoid turning on air conditioners unless the temperature gets above 85 degrees F. When you turn on an air conditioner, turn the thermostat up to 76 degrees and if it has an energy saver mode turn it on as well. If you plan on using solar energy, air conditioning can be a huge drain on your batteries.

This list should hopefully just get you started. There are dozens of other things you can do to cut down on your energy use as well. Turn off lights when you leave the room, unplug electronics that use power even when not in use. Do things by hand that you don’t need electricity for. Spend more time outside and less time in front of the TV. Buy smaller electronics that use less power. Buy appliances with the Energy Star label.

The more money you can save on your electric bill and the further down you can cut your usage, the more affordable and viable a solar power system will be and the closer you’ll be to cutting ties with the power grid once and for all.

Conclusion

Solar power is fantastic. It’s free once you’ve installed everything, it’s renewable and it’s out there almost every day of the year. If you live somewhere with plenty of sunshine and hefty electric bills there is no good reason not to tap into the massive volume of potential energy that comes pouring from the sky every day.

Just imagine the feeling when you first kick that PV cell frame into gear and start running your refrigerator, TV, coffee maker and everything else in your home off of clean, renewable energy. No more electric bills. No more power outages. No more concerns about the impact you’re having on the earth from burning coal.

You might even see your meter running backwards as you send a bit of power back to the electric company. It’s all possible and the technology is ready right now. How you use it is entirely up to you.

Recommended Reading

DIY Solar Water Heater Guide – By Tom Hayden

http://thegreenfuel.com/admin/recommends/solarwaterheater

This guide was created by Tom Hayden, a Solar Energy enthusiast who has been studying, building, and using solar energy for over 30 years now – he really knows his stuff.

Over time, Tom has seen the energy needed to build a solar power water heater become easy and affordable, and has led him to create a guide so others can easily replicate the process he has refined for building a solar water heater.

The DIY Solar Water Heater Guide is easy to follow and extremely affordable, and once you are finished you will end up with a solar water heater that works in both warm and cold climates, and lowers your power bill.

It will greatly improve your home’s energy efficiency, and when used in addition to your existing water heater, it saves you money by meaning your existing water heater doesn’t have to work as hard to heat the water – as the water will enter the system already heated by the solar water heater.

The guide is currently on sale, and you can purchase it by itself (comes with a number of great bonuses), or as a bundle of 12 guide in the Green Living Kit, if you would like to also learn other ways of saving money and the environment around your home.

The DIY Solar Water Heater Guide comes highly recommended, so do go and check it out while it is being offered at this great price:

http://thegreenfuel.com/admin/recommends/solarwaterheater

Introduction

We have come along way in developing societies that have electricity and the power necessary to fuel vehicles and for industry to be successful. All of these efforts though rely upon the use of energy source that comes from fossil fuels.

They are found in the ground and have to be processed in order for us to have that fuel and that electricity. They are known as coal, natural gas, and fuel. We rely on them way too much for our own good and that is why change is so important.

The problem though is that our dependence on it continues to grow. As more people are upon the Earth than ever before we are using more every single day. People are living longer too due to advances in health care. We are certainly a society dependent upon our electronic gadgets as well.

While those are all good things for us to be happy about, the fact that we are depleting the fossil fuel available isn’t. This type of energy source isn’t one that we will be able to replace. When it is gone it is gone and that is the reality of the situation.

It won’t all disappear during our lifetimes, but it is going to pose a problem for future generations. While efforts can be made to converse fossil fuels, eliminating enough of the use in order to really make a difference isn’t going to occur unless we take a close look at some alternative methods.

Society isn’t going to go back to using horses and carriages for transportation. They also aren’t going to go back to lighting their homes with candles at night. With the computer use around us in homes and for business it isn’t even practical to suggest we stop using the electricity that is necessary to allow them to operate.

We can often take for granted just turning the key and our car starts, turning on the thermostat to have heating or cooling in our home, and flipping a switch to give us the lighting we need in any room. Some people are also selfish as they don’t care what is going to happen for future generations as long as they have what they need right now.

Luckily, the majority of the population doesn’t think that way. They aren’t out to use everything they can without looking back. The problem though is that they often don’t realize what they are using could be a problem down the road. Even if they do, they may not realize that they have some other options they can try to implement.

Learning about the various types of renewable energy is a great way to get a person thinking about changes they can implement. There have been some significant efforts made in this area but there is still much more than needs to be taking place. Instead of being afraid of what is unknown to you, do your best to learn the basics of all the renewable energy sources possible.

The government of the United States has gotten involved in promoting renewable energy sources as well. They offer some great financial incentives for homes and businesses to you them. Even so, there is sometimes a high overhead to get everything in place. This can prevent many people from being a part of saving our natural resources even when they really would like to.

It is estimated that about 13% of our current energy is the result of renewable energy. With the money to cover the expenses, advanced technology, and a desire by society to continue using them we can see that percentage significantly increase. There are plenty of benefits to renewable energy too such as not harming the environment with pollutants.

If you are asking yourself why we don’t just turn to them now the answer isn’t that simple. In a nutshell there is still a great deal of research that needs to be completed. There is also the high cost to contend with as well as various disadvantages with each of the types of renewable energy.

If you keep on reading though you will get to this information as well. Then it will make sense as far and the big picture of what we currently get from renewable energy, what the limitations are, and what we can expect into the future. This will help you to understand the benefits as well as the drawbacks of the situation more clearly.

Chapter 2

What is Renewable Energy?

Fossil fuels are used to make energy we use, but once they are gone we will never get more of them. Coal, oil, and natural gas all fall into this category. They are used all over the place in high amounts so you may not realize that they are in limited supply.

These forms of energy have been used mainly because they are affordable and they don’t take up very much room to incorporate. They can be transported anywhere they are needed as well. With natural resources there have to be certain elements in place in order to take advantage of them.

The concept of renewable energy embraces the ability to use the resources we naturally have, but that we will never run out of. This way we can continue to have all the benefits we want without destroying the Earth.

We also won’t be preventing future generations from having the chance to future grow and evolve beyond what we were able to see take place in our own lifetime. This process involves taking these types of natural resources and turning them into a product we can use for power.

That means a great deal of information and technology has to be collected and evaluated. Many of these methods though continue to see advances in the designs and processing which will result in them being even more valuable in the future than they are right now.

Most will agree that renewable energy sources are better for the environment. The burning of fossil fuels including gasoline and coal isn’t good for the environment. These natural resources will allow us to save resources and at the same time to live in a cleaner environment than we have now.

Many believe it isn’t practical or safe to depend only upon these types of resources though. That is because the sun doesn’t always shine so the energy can’t be collected. There are many places where the sun is blocked for days due to the changes in the seasons.

You can’t predict how much wind will be produced or how much power can be taken from the water. It will vary significantly but there is no reason why we can’t rely upon these renewable energy sources as the primary providers. We can then depend on fossil fuels as back up so we never have to go without the energy we want to use.

Chances are you have heard about the various forms of renewable energy but not in detail. Keep on reading and you will get all the information you need including the pros and cons of each type. You will find each of them does offer some hope for the future though as far as reducing our dependency on those resources which we can’t replenish.

Chapter 3

Types of Renewable Energy

When you think about the natural things around us a couple of things come to mind. First, you have the sun that continues to shine brightly in the sky day after day. It gives off a great deal of heat which can be converted into energy. The sun shines brightly some days and then is covered with clouds other days. So the amount of energy you can collect each day is going to vary.

Next, you have water which covers the majority of the surface of the Earth. There is also the additional moisture and rainfall that can be collected as time goes by. There is energy found in the water as it moves along and this can be converted into energy at hydropower plants.

Even if it is just barely there on certain days, you also have the wind. In some areas it is extremely windy all the time. In order for the equipment used to create wind power to be worth the cost it must be blowing most days at a speed of at least 15 miles per hour.

Most people view that as a nuisance but they don’t realize the full potential of it. They aren’t really aware that the wind that is all around you can be used to create renewable energy. It is also very clean for the environment so you don’t have to worry about negative effects from it.

Biofuel is also a source of renewable energy and the one most people know the least about. This concept involves using types of materials that you can burn to create energy. This can be left over paper and wood, trash, and even manure from animals.

It is quite an interesting concept and one you will want to be sure you read about. You can be sure this is one area of renewable energy that will continue to grow by leaps and bounds in the next decade. Don’t underestimate how valuable it can be as it also removes waste from our environment. This type of renewable energy is scientific in nature and one that has been around the least amount of time.

Chapter 4

Solar Power

Solar power is likely to be the most valuable of the renewable energy sources available. That is because it is plentiful and it is the least expensive to implement. New buildings can be built that incorporate the concepts as can homes. There are also solar panels that can be added to what is already in place.

That way you can take any home or business and modify it to use solar power with.  They can be expensive but you will find that they can be a very good investment. If you own an apartment building with the electricity included in the rent this can help to reduce your overhead expenses. In a couple of years the process will pay for itself.

This process involves placing collectors and panels that will be in places where the sun will reach such as the roof. The process of converting what is collected into energy is known as photovoltaics. In order to make this happen, silicon is used to transform it.

The concept of solar power has also found its way to vehicles. They have cells that capture energy from the sun to provide movement for the vehicle. The advanced design allows that energy to be continually conserved too such as when you come to a stoplight.

If you drive your vehicle for longer than you have enough solar power for you aren’t going to be stranded in the middle of the interstate. You also won’t find your vehicle shutting off the moment the sun goes down. This is because it also operates on regular gasoline.

The solar energy is always consumed first though before any of the gas is used. You will continue to use the gas for movement until you have replenished the solar energy. Even when you are using the gas though this type of vehicle is going to burn cleaner and thus not place all of the pollutants into the atmosphere that other vehicles do.

Hybrid vehicles are available in quite a few models and more of them seem to be introduced all the time. However, it can be very expensive to be able to purchase one. They cost quite a bit more than other types of vehicles on the market. Yet if you are looking for a great way to rely upon renewable energy sources this is one way to do it.

If you are paying a fortune right now for fuel to keep your current vehicle going it may be most cost effective for you. Even with a higher monthly payment until you pay off the hybrid vehicle you can take the money you save on gas and allocate it towards that payment.

Solar power plants have started to crop up in locations where people never expected them. Both California and Florida have plans to create at least eight new locations each in the next five years in order to generate more of their power from the sunlight.

In fact, California is a leader in promoting the use of solar power. There is a plan in the works to create 3,000 megawatts of it by 2017. The goal of this is to create a way for California to get all the energy they need without using up their natural resources.

Many of the citizens of California aren’t happy with the initiative though due to the cost of it. This is a project that will cost almost $3 million before it is completed. Yet the leaders of California are confident it is a step in the right direction. They are confident it will help all of their residents now as well as future generations.

Many people in California though are taking the initiative and running with it. They are being offered very high rates of money back for installing solar panels on their homes and businesses. Construction companies are offered incentives to build new structures with them already in place.

California isn’t the only state that is moving forward with incentives for residents though. Check to see if your state is willing to reimburse you for a portion of the cost of having the solar panels installed. This can be a great way for you to save money on the project. At the same time you will be doing your part to cut back on the amount of non-renewable energy your household consumes.

It is vital that we learn do to all we can with collecting solar power. Experts believe that there is more energy from the sun every single day that we can use than what we burn up in fossil fuels annually. That is an amazing evaluation and one that does mean a great deal for the future of all of us.

Just imagine if we were collecting and using a fraction of that amount what we would be able to preserve in regards to our non-renewable resources. You may be asking just what is holding everyone back and the answer is simply the cost that is involved.

Yet as you will notice more and more of it will be taking place and every little bit will be one step closer to really getting the results we are striving for as a society. It is going to take decades for us to get there but that is still better than the alternative. There is no reason to continue depending only on non-renewable energy when we don’t’ have to.

It is estimated that 20,000 homeowner’s in the United States currently get at least 80% of their electricity from solar energy. This saves approximately 50,000 tons of coal each year in order to produce that same amount of power. That is quite a bit of our natural resources being saved from such a small number of people being involved.

Chapter 5

Wind Power

Across the plains where there is open land, the wind is able to move at high speeds. This is due to there not being any buildings or homes in the area to break it up. This is the perfect location for wind power to be generated and collected.

The use of windmills to create energy has been around for a very long time. Of course these windmills were quite small compared to what is out there just to create the energy. Not all spaces are right for large windmills so they look for those where the wind constantly blows at a rate of at least 15 miles per hour.

There are large windmills hundreds of feet high strategically gathered in these open areas. Each of the blades on the windmills requires a semi truck to haul it. They are then put into place with various pieces of construction equipment. They operate on their own but are closely monitored to ensure everything is working like it should on them.

Even though it is a great deal of cost and work to get them installed, each one can last about 20-25 years. That means they are well worth the investment because they don’t constantly have to be replaced. That really has been an encouragement for more of them to be put into use.

The collection of wind power has proven to be so profitable in many small towns that some farmers and ranchers have given up those operations. Instead they are allowing various companies to place these windmills on their land and getting paid to do so. They don’t have to do any of the work to maintain them and they are guaranteed to make money.

With the high risk involved in the line of farming and ranching, it is understandable why so many of them do it. For those close to retirement age as well it just makes sense to be able to rely on a given income source. This is less stressful than hoping for a good crop in the field or that the price of meat doesn’t decline on the market.

Installing these types of windmills to generate the power though is extremely expensive. It is also a time consuming process due to the sheer size of them. When you see them from an airplane or driving down a main highway you won’t realize just how enormous they are.  On average they are approximately 200 to 250 feet from the ground.

The largest wind turbine in the world is located in Hawaii. It is more than 20 stories high. Each of the blades on the windmills are the size of a full football field. Each of the turbines located here is able to produce enough energy to offer electricity for 300 homes in the area.

If you get a chance though go drive into an area that features them so you can see with your own eyes how they really appear. In Iowa there are approximately 800 of them on what is know as wind farms. More than 200,000 homes are supplied with power from them. You will also find them in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Kansas, California, and Colorado.

When you watch the turbines spinning you will notice the turn counterclockwise. As the wind blows the shaft is engaged which is connected to a generator. As the blades turn this generator will move the power created along to the locations on the grid. They are monitored and there is an emergency shut off for them as well.

In the event of pending natural disasters such as a tornado, these turbines can give them more power to move on and to destroy everything in its path. By shutting them off that isn’t going to be the case.

It can also prevent the blades from being damaged during such an event. With the cost of the windmills being so high, keeping them in good working condition is very important. In some areas tornadoes are a common problem so the windmills are constantly watched.

Not everyone is a fan of these windmills though because they think they are an eyesore. They want to be able to gaze out their window and see the open land. Instead they are seeing tons of windmills. They also feel it takes away the romantic and tranquil feeling of the area.

Yet when you have small towns that are struggling for their residents to make a living, the prospect of getting paid to let a company come in and place windmills in place to collect the energy is an answer to a pray. They would rather have money for food on the table than to have the wide open spaces.

The amount of energy that can be produced this way will never be the same. It can be severely windy one day and only a gentle breeze the next. Even so, there is enough of it to make it worth the cost of getting all the equipment in place. It is worth it to be sharing the natural beauty of an area as well.

Some of these turbines are also located in various bodies of water. It is believed that wind power could one day be responsible for about 50% of the energy we consume. There is still a great deal of research and development that must take place for it to happen.

Yet it is very exciting to know such a renewable energy resource can be there for us. It can make us breath easier when we continue how much of our natural resources that we can’t replace continue to be consumed each and every day.

The fact that it doesn’t release anything negative into the environment is very important as well. The fact that here isn’t carbon dioxide and other gases going into the air as wind power is produced should mean a great deal to each of us. It means the air we breathe is healthier for us than it was before.

The American Wind Energy Association has continued to work to get this type of renewable energy in place around the country. Many find it strange that other countries including Spain and Germany rely on it more than the United States does. However, with the positive aspects of it you can expect the volume of it used here to continue increasing annually.

According to their estimates, we can create 1 ½ times the amount of electricity used annually in the United States based on the amount of wind that is out there daily on average. That is very exciting news and something that could really help us to preserve our natural resources to the best of our ability.

There have been some animal rights groups pointing out that the spinning turbines on these windmills is seriously injuring and even killing various types of birds. To evaluate these claims there have been some studies in place.

Efforts are being made to prevent this without reducing the effectiveness of the wind energy that is being produced. It is believed that these incidents are very limited though and that birds aren’t in any real danger due to the turbines out there creating energy.

Chapter 6

Hydropower

There is also power found in water and that process is referred to as hydropower. It can create much more energy at one time than either solar power or wind power. This is due to the fact that water is so dense.

Therefore it only takes a little bit of water to create some power. It takes much more sunlight or wind to create that same amount. Hydropower is used to offer electricity to more than 28 million people around the world. It accounts for approximately 10% of all the electricity produced in the United States.

The process involves plenty of safety precautions as the water can never come into contact with the electrical part of the process. We all know that can spell disaster. The process occurs as the water flows and it spins turbines that are found in a generator.

While this process isn’t new, it has been upgraded since it was first used thousands of years ago. The Egyptians were a very smart society and they were able to use it to grind down their grains. It was also used as a way to saw wood as it kept the blades cool enough.

The first hydro power plant in the United States was introduced in 1882. It was placed in Wisconsin. Most people don’t realize that a great deal of the early electricity and power in the United States once came from such hydropower plants. In 1940 approximately half of the electricity used came from this source. Later it was replaced by the use of coal.

Of course that was before we knew that coal was something that we will one day run out of. We didn’t realize at that time just how much of it we were going to be using. We also didn’t realize how much it was going to pollute our environment. It seems ironic that to move forward we have to go back but that is how it plays out in this particular case.

There are several dams in the United States where elaborate designs are in place. Here huge volumes of power are generated each day using these methods. It is a very time consuming and complex process though to turn water into energy. Since hydropower is so expensive it isn’t as widely used as it could be.

The largest hydropower plant in the world is located in Washington along the Grand Coulee Dam. It took 11 years to build it from 1933 to 1942. Since that time it has undergone numerous facelifts and changes. It is amazing at a size of over 5,000 feet long and 550 feet high.

In all there are four distinct power plants found here. Each one is controlled separately for easier control of the process to make energy. There are 33 generators and more that 2 million homes in that area get their energy from this particular location. It is an amazing accomplishment and one that really shows the power that can be created with such a renewable energy source.

Some of the newer approaches for hydropower include generating that power from the waves in the ocean. Even the waves that occur all day long in the waters there can be used to create energy. It is believed that the use of hydropower will one day be much more significant than it is right now.

Of course it doesn’t make sense for hydropower to be used everywhere. There are many places where there just isn’t enough water flowing in the area for them to work well. Not every place as an abundance of rivers, streams, and oceans to produce hydropower. Most of them are found along the West of the United States. They are in Oregon, Washington, and California.

If a way to convert that energy from the water can be found that is less expensive than what we know right now it surely will. It only makes sense due to the volumes of energy that can be created from this particular natural resource. It also doesn’t reduce the amount of water out there or place any type of harmful contaminants into it.

There is research though that indicates the aquatic live forms in the waters may be affected by the process. It can upset the natural balance of what ordinarily goes on in that water. There is also the risk of terrorism in an event to destroy what we have built.

Since the events of 09/11 tighter security efforts have been implemented in order to prevent that from happening. There are random checkpoints and stops along the way where vehicles are inspected. There are also restrictions at places including Hoover Dam that prevent large trucks and buses from going across them as an additional safety precaution.

It can take years to build the dams for a hydroelectric plant to start operating though. Many people who live in the vicinity of a proposed hydroelectric plant aren’t happy about it either. They worry about flooding and they often find their homeowner’s insurance goes up due to that possibility.

Chapter 7

Biofuel

Biofuel isn’t one of the well known types of renewable energy but an important one to understand. The process begins when plants to through photosynthesis. There is chemical energy stored inside of it that can be released. What they create is a type of biomass and that can be turned into fuel.

It can then be burned in combustible engines. There is still plenty of research that needs to be done in the area of biofuel. The process right now of converting it isn’t as effective as it should be. It is also extremely time consuming and expensive to do so.

Biofuel can be in the form of a liquid or a solid. Vegetable oil that is used as an alternative fuel source for some vehicles out there is a type of liquid biofuel. It can be natural or it can be reprocessed after it has been used. Some restaurants give their used vegetable oil to those that burn Biodiesel in their vehicles. Once it has been cleaned they are able to use it without harming their vehicle.

Some types of food items are grown in higher supply than the demand just so that ethanol can be produced. It is usually mixed with about 15% regular gasoline in order to make the mix work. It seems that many in the business of growing such food items though don’t always agree with this use of it. They feel the foods should be used to feed those in need.

Biofuel is most commonly found in the form of a solid though. For example burning wood falls into this category. You can use it to cook with and to heat your home instead of relying upon natural gas. The downside though is that this can emit dangerous elements into the environment.

There is ongoing testing where the variables are being controlled right now in the area of biofuel. It is believed this type of renewable energy could one day be a breakthrough in the area of supplying fuel for our vehicles. Look for great things to be coming up in this area in the future.

If we can figure out an affordable process for using biofuel we can create more than half of what is depleted annually from our natural resources. This is what facts continue to motivate researchers to move forward and funders to continue with grant money to allow it to happen.

The one issue that seems to be a concern is that in order to generate more biofuel to use, there is a great deal of land that has to be accessed. That could mean land normally used for growing food and other resources is no longer available. A close eye will need to be kept in that particular area.

As some of this concern has come to light, other forms of biofuel to be able to use are being introduced. Since these natural products are able to give off heat that can be transferred to fuel. Even trash can be used to create biofuel. This means less of it will be around to remain in landfills.

One of the most successful biofuel companies out there is in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It is known as BFC Gas & Electric. They are able to recycle approximately 150 tons of materials each day at their facility. They process wood remains from projects and from sawmills in the area.

There is also paper that is used instead of being wasted when it was used for projects and scraps remain. Sometimes there are types of paper and cardboard that can’t be successfully recycled so it is processed here.

Crops that have been ruined, diseased plants and trees, and the corn stalks that remain after harvest all work as well. More than 40,000 homes in the Cedar Rapids area are provided with electricity from this particular company. They are really working hard to put the use of biofuel to work for the benefit for their community.

In some other areas the use of changing cow manure into biofuel is being done. This is something that not everyone finds appealing but it can be a viable way to get more benefits out of such waste. There are still many details of this type of biofuel to be worked out though.

Chapter 8

The Future of Renewable Energy

As you can see there will be plenty of benefits from all of these types of renewable energy. While they are all implemented right now on some level, there is still more that needs to be done. We need to learn how to get the maximum benefits from them.

At the same time we need to learn how to reduce the costs involved with getting that energy out of them. That seems to be the biggest hold up with getting them really rolling. The fact that they work and they reduce pollution is very positive aspects that encourage us to move forward with them.

As we come more aware of the fact that we are depleting our energy sources we need to take action now. The more we can learn not to depend on those resources the better off our entire world will be. Take your time to learn all you can about renewable energy too so you can be aware of what is going on around you.

Keep up on the developments that are taking place in these areas. It is actually quite fascinating and certainly something you will want to continue exploring. At the same time it is wise to take a close look at how you are using natural sources of energy.

Make cut backs where you can to continue conserving what we do have available right now to create the energy we often take for granted in our society. It doesn’t mean you can’t continue to enjoy your lifestyle, but rather try to view it from an environmentally friendly perspective.

There is some negativity out there though in regards to producing renewable energy. There is a concern about the amount of space it is going to take to get all of these methods into place. There is also the concern that some businesses will lose money as they won’t be needed in full demand to harvest the fossil fuels. Yet the overall design of the turbines for windmills and for solar panels is an area where improvements can continue to be made.

If they don’t have to take up as much room or be so noticeable more people will be willing to install them. Getting creative in this area is something we should encourage and that should be possible due to the technology we have readily available to us.

Some of the experts also worry that there will be some problems that arise but we aren’t aware of them yet. However, that shouldn’t prevent us from moving forward and getting all we can from these renewable energy sources. Crossing those bridges as they arise is the best course of action to take.

They are looking though along the lines of pollution and destruction due to the use of the types of construction equipment used to complete such projects. There is also a concern about the risk of the work too. Even with proper training people can get hurt or killed in the process of erecting them.

Some people aren’t up for change and that includes how they get their energy. They are used to relying upon coal and natural gas. They are used to what they pay for these items and they are afraid to embrace something new. Continuing to provide them with accurate information though can really help them to understand the big picture that is here.

The possibilities that are open to us along the lines of renewable energy are huge. There is no limit to how far we can take them as long as they are going to benefit society as a whole. It will be very interesting to look back ten or twenty years from now and see how far the concepts of renewable energy have come.

Chapter 9

Conclusion

There seems to be more of an interest in the forms of renewable energy these days than ever before. People from all walks of life are seeing the many benefits it can offer. What should be an indicator that we need to continue moving forward is that many of the underdeveloped countries out there use more renewable energy than the rest of us.

While it is great that we have technology on our side, we need to always keep in mind what these products are doing to our environment. Global warming has always been a huge concern. The problem seems to continue to get worse though with the various types of pollution that are placed into the air.

This is believed to be a key factor in the strange things that go on around us with the weather. Desert areas have seen rain and snow in recent years. Areas that get substantial rainfall are now in a drought. Several natural disasters including hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes continue to destroy everything in their path.

As the governments out there as well as members of society continue to embrace what renewable energy has to offer it is likely that will start to come back into balance. There are plenty of major corporations out there leading the way as well. They want to set a very good example for others in the hopes that they will walk along the same path.

As the cost of fuel for our vehicles continues to increase everyone is worried about it. As a result it makes searching for an alternative form of renewable energy that can be used in place of it. Some of the vehicles out there known as hybrids do all this to help. They use solar power the majority of the time and only switch to gasoline as a backup until more solar energy can be collected.

By diversifying the various methods we use for renewable energy, we can balance out our desire to move forward as a society with the best of everything with our responsibility to protect the environment. There are many pros and cons to each of the renewable energy sources, but the benefits certainly outweigh the negativity.

There is no way around the fact that we can’t replace the fossil fuel we consume. The more we do so the less that will be available for future generations. We can act on what we known and go with renewable energy or we can act selfish and continue to deplete what we have and leave the future generations to figure it out on their own.

Helpful Links

1) Convert Your Car To Burn Water + Gasoline = Triple Your Mileage!

2) Renewable Energy Solutions : 1. Build A Wind Generator 2. Biodiesel 3. Install Solar Panels 4. Build Your Own Home 5. Renewable Energy Solutions For Home, Car And Business

3) Alternative Energy Resources. Understanding and Installing Your Own Solar Electric System. Includes Worksheets,& Resources.

4) Keeping My Earth Green. You Can Learn How To Reduce Your Carbon Footprint And Help Reverse The Effects Of Global Warming.

5) Solar Power Design Manual. Teach Yourself All About Solar Power. Comprehensive Manual By Genuine Expert. Spreadsheet Included.

Introduction

With all the information out there in the news and on the internet most people are at least aware of pollution problems. The issue is more serious in some areas but the fact remains that we all contribute to it. The concern is that with more people on Earth now and more pollution we are harming our environment.

Since we breath the air that is out there what is in it should be a top concern for each of us. Yet we often go about it without thinking twice about it. There are enough individuals suffering from health concerns due to what they have been breathing in for years.

With all of the pollutants out there right now, imagine what it will be like for future generations. You may don’t care must as you won’t be around. Yet you will have family who will need to deal with the problems. Even y our own children and grandchildren who are the next generations will be affected by it.

Each of us has the power to make some positive changes though. Some people believe that living green is a waste of time because you are only one person. Yet if the educational information out there about it could encourage many individuals to all do their part it would have quite a significant impact overall.

The efforts of only one person over the course of their lifetime will significantly reduce the amount of pollution out there. Teaching children from a young age what they can do and why will allow that process to continue being implemented in our society as well.

We also have the responsibility to let the government and businesses know that we expect them to take action. Buy what you can from companies that due have plenty of living green concepts incorporated for customers to take advantage of. At the same time you need to influence your government to place laws in effect that limit the amount of pollution that can be emitted by a company as well as by individual vehicles on the roads.

If you are ready to start living green and to do your part to reduce the carbon footprints you have placed on this Earth it is time to learn about the various ways you can do so. It is never too late to make some positive changes to your behaviors so that you can live healthier and so can everyone around you.

Chapter 2

Recycling

Recycling is one of the easiest as well as most effective ways that you can help the environment. There are plenty of different projects at home you can separate from your trash for this purpose. It is convenient if you buy plastic trash barrels and label them for individual products.

You should have one for glass, plastic, and cardboard. If you drink soda from cans then have one for those aluminum cans as well. Find out where you can take each of these full barrels to be recycled when you need to. There should be centers for them locally around town.

You will often find receptacles out there that allow you to place these items into at collection spots. They are just huge containers that will get emptied out on a regular basis. This is perfect when the community doesn’t have any other method for taking in the items to be recycled.

If your community doesn’t offer them you need to see what you can do to get them in place. You can contact your local officials in person or with a letter asking them to consider offering them. Explain your concerns that without such receptacles in place people won’t be encouraged to recycle in your area.

The concept of recycling can extend to your schools and place of employment as well. Do your best to get this important issue recognized everywhere you can. In many instances people just need to be educated and then reminded about the benefits of recycling for our environment.

Your information can motivate them to take part in it. Don’t overlook the importance of letting children know either. They are often very excited by recycling and find it to be thrilling. They can often help encourage their parents to take part in such efforts as well.

Buying products that have been recycled such as paper products is a great way to show your support for these efforts. You will notice some greeting cards are made from them. Even supplies such as napkins used in fast food restaurants can be made from recycled paper.

It is also very simple to carry around a large mesh bag when you are going to shop for a few items. Rather than getting a paper or plastic bag from them you can place your purchased items into your own bag. Look for one that is durable so it you can reuse it over and over again.

Chapter 3

Save as Much Power as Possible

We use electricity for many things in our lives, and often do so without thinking twice about it. We turn on the switch for lights in our home and to turn on electronic devices all the time. Yet we need to do our best to save as much power as we can.

The types of light bulbs that you are using can be a problem for the environment. There are many places that sell those that are energy efficient though. You can get them in any size you need for all the rooms in your home. They aren’t very expensive and what you do spend on them you will save with a lower electricity bill each month.

It is very simple to cut back on the amount of lighting you use at all though. During the day open curtains and allow the natural sunlight to shine through. Then you will only need to turn on the lights at night when the sun goes down or on cloudy days.

The use of sky lights has become very popular for businesses and even in newer homes. This allows the sun to be shining through the ceiling and so less electricity has to be used. Some of the larger retail stores such as Wal-Mart use this as much as possible.

Look up as you walk through one of their stores. You will notice during the day they don’t have very many lights on at all. Sometimes a cloud will roll in front of the sun and you will notice it immediately gets darker in the store than before. They are saving a huge amount of money on electricity and they are also helping the environment.

There are many ways in which you can generate electricity too that comes from alterative power. You can place solar panels on your roof which will collect electricity. That is the source your home will use for all of its needs when you turn the power on to something.

Should you run out of the solar power that has been collected it will immediately kick over to the regular electricity without any interruption to you at all. There is also the use of wind and water power in some areas. Take a look at these alternative methods and see what you can do with them for your own home.

A big waster of electricity that pollutes the environment is leaving light bulbs burning on your porch when you are away from home. You don’t have to go without lighting when you return but you don’t need to do it that way anymore. There are some great alternatives to consider.

You can place decorative solar lights along your driveway. Some of them are very short while others are tall lantern style. It is completely up to you which look you would like to have for the landscaping of your home.  Since you don’t need to plug them in to an outlet you can place them anywhere you would like to out there.

These lights collect power from the sun in the day time and as soon as it gets dark they will illuminate your hard. When they run out of solar power they will turn off. Should they have enough to last all night then they will turn off when they sun comes up and start collecting energy to use all over again.

Another alternative is to install a motion light. This is a type that doesn’t have to be left on when you leave home. When you pull into your driveway it will turn on based on the movement it has detected. It will remain on for a short period of time which allows you to get safely into your home with the light you need.

The use of windmills in many areas to create energy is also being looked at. Sometimes water known as hydropower is available too. However, the light bulbs you use can help you get the most out of these benefits.

If from start to finish everything in your electricity gathering and using process is eco-friendly you won’t feel bad about consuming it to operate lights and the electronics that you use in your home and business.

Chapter 4

Cut Back on the Use of Paper Products

Paper products are used all the time in our society, and that means more trees are being cut down to keep up with that demand. The trees live off the carbon dioxide that is in the air we breath. As their numbers are depleted, there will be more carbon dioxide remaining in the oxygen we breathe.

There are many ways in which you can cut back on the use of paper both at home and at work. If you get a ton of junk mail each week it can become a chore to weed through all of it. Go online and sign up to opt out of receiving it that way the amount of paper waste in your home will be reduced by about 1/3 without you having to do much about it.

Find out which of your accounts you can get an online statement for. This way you further reduce the amount of paper that comes your way. Log on each month and find out what you owe as well as checking over your statements. If necessary print what information you do need instead of the entire statement.

You can also pay bills online which will save paper in the areas of checks and envelopes.  It only takes a few minutes to set up such accounts and then you can do the process each month. If you don’t want to mess with that each month then have the bills taken directly out of your checking account. The fact that this is so convenient is also a terrific benefit that you will certainly want to take advantage of

Try to buy notebooks, greeting cards, and other products that you see have been made from recycled paper. You can even use napkins and paper towels that have been recycled. Keeping clothes in your kitchen though is often a great saver of paper towels.

Encourage everyone at your office to cut back on the use of paper when they can. In fact, you should talk to your boss about implementing some effective ideas. For example there can be a pile for waste paper that everyone can use for various needs. The back sides can be used to take down phone messages and other correspondence that doesn’t have to look professional.

With reports, make sure information is printed on both sides of the paper. It will still look very professional and it will cut the amount of paper used for the process in half. It is important to double check the information you plan to print as well first so you don’t view it, see a mistake, and then have to print it again.

Chapter 5

Transportation

With more vehicles on the road today than ever before transportation is a huge factor with pollution. Even with emissions laws in place that limit how much pollution a car can give out, the accumulative amount of it is unbelievable. Taking the time to do your part to cut down on it will ensure everyone is healthier and breathing cleaner air.

You may be saying that you have to use your car to get around so you aren’t going to read this section. It is agreed that being able to hop in your own car and go where you wish is important. However, it is also important that you understand there are still changes that can be made to reduce the amount of emissions that take place when you do.

Many of us are very attached to our vehicle as we see it to be a life line that keeps us going where we want to be. It is convenient to have your own vehicle and it offers you a way to get to work, take care of your errands, and to do leisurely activities that you enjoy.

It is important to take proper care of your vehicle to reduce pollution. If you have a damaged exhaust system or other problem you need to get it resolved right away. You can get a complete diagnosis for it from your local mechanic. Some people are able to fix such problems on their own and that is fine too.

Even though you do need your vehicle, you may be able to use it less. Can you walk to the store or the park? Can you carpool for work or to get the kids to their various activities? This will reduce the number of vehicles on the road each day by doing so.

Place a message on the bulletin board in the work lunch room, at your child’s dance class, and other such locations. This will be to inform other driver’s that you are interested in carpooling. In order for it to work though everyone involved must be committed to being ready on time and to driving at their specified times.

There are also modes of public transportation in many areas. You can commute by taking a bus, subway, or a train that many other people are on. This will save you the wear and tear on your vehicle as well. With the cost of gas these days it can prove to be more affordable for you as well. If you have a lengthy commute you can also use that time to get some work done both directions or to enjoy a good book.

There are some very good vehicles on the market that have been recognized as being environmentally friendly. Honda is a leader in this area the Civic. They also have a hybrid model which we will talk more about in a moment. They Toyota Prius is also variable in a standard or hybrid model. This is one of the top selling hybrid vehicles in the world.

There are some compact cars that are very eco-friendly and at the same time you can save money on fuel. If you can by comfortable with your lifestyle in a compact vehicle then check out the Mini Cooper, Ford Focus, and Honda Fit. Knowing that the vehicle you are driving is very environmentally friendly should make you feel good each time you drive it.

The hybrid models are those that have an alternate fuel source in addition to gas. They either operate with the use of electricity or solar power. This is the fuel source that is used first before any gas is accessed. When those sources are depleted then the vehicle switches to gas.

As soon as you recharge the main energy source the use of gas is stopped and it goes back to that alternative. Even when you are relying upon the gas for power though it is going to burn in a way that is very good for the environment. Hybrids can be quite expensive though so even with so much to offer many consumers have to pass them up.

Chapter 6

Organic Gardening & Lawn Care

Taking care of our home inside and out is something most of us do take plenty of pride in. We want to be able to make it the very best that it can be. The landscaping outside is what everyone who drives by and who stops to visit us will see. It is important to use to be able to arrive home and to feel welcomed there by what we see.

In order to get your garden and your grass to look its very best though you need to have the right tools and the right ingredients. Too many people assume this means you use pesticides and other chemicals to kill weeds and to keep pests out. Yet you can have a lovely garden and lawn organically so you won’t be harming the environment in the process.

Fertilizer for your grass has a great deal of chemicals in it. The two main chemicals found in them that are problematic are nitrates and phosphates. Since it takes several pounds of fertilizer to complete one yard you will be exposing your family and pets to unnecessary problems.

You may not realize it but the use of such fertilizers can trigger asthma, be linked to cancers, and even cause neurological problems for your pets and young children. These chemicals also get into the soil and then run downstream into water supplies.

Instead of using this switch to natural compost. You can buy it or you can even make your own. The process of making your own isn’t very difficult at all. You simply get a compost container and you place food scraps, the droppings from your pets, and even the leaves from your yard into the container.

This will become the compost you get the nutrients from for your lawn and your garden. You want to save your materials all year long to make enough compost. This is because the amount you end up with will be significantly compact compared to the volume of materials that you start out with.

With healthy soil to place your grass seed on, it will be able to grow much healthier. It will have longer roots which ensures survival. At the same time you will need to offer it less water to stay green. This is going to help you cut back on your water bill as well.

With many areas being on water restriction in the summer months, you want to be able to get as much use out of it as possible. By having the soil properly prepared you can still have a lovely green lawn even when you are restrained to only allocating water for certain periods of time on specific days of the week.

To get the most out of the water you put on your grass you need to take care of it in the early morning hours. This will result in more of it getting into the soil and less being lost to the process of evaporation. Many individuals believe that they can get the same results if they water at night. However, a big problem is that this leaves your grass very susceptible to various types of fungus growing.

To ensure your garden is able to benefit from the water you provide keep the ground level. You don’t want it to all run off and therefore not offer the items in your garden the water they need to thrive. A good option to think about is to place mulch in a nice layer over the top of the soil. This will prevent the water from evaporating so your plants and flowers will get to retain more of it.

If you plan to spend a great deal of time enjoying the grass you have grown you want to do so organically. This way your family won’t be at risk of anything. Look for  type of grass that tends to grow well in your area. Not all of them are universal so selecting the wrong one can result in you being disappointed with the overall look of your lawn.

You also want a grass that is going to hold up well to people walking on it and playing on it. You don’t want to have to keep everyone off of your lawn in order for it to continue looking nice. This can be a sad outlook because it will be inviting, especially under the shade trees and not being able to go out there isn’t going to make your family happy.

Some individuals immediately reach for chemicals to kill off weeds that grown in their garden or their lawn. Yet this isn’t the right solution to turn to. First, find out what type of weeds you are growing. That will tell you what the problem may be in that area. Some weeds are actually good for your lawn and you will want to leave them.

They can serve as a natural fertilizer for your yard. The rest of them you want to pull out by hand or to use tools to remove them. Make sure you get them from the roots up so they can’t regrow as easily.

It is often a thought to just run them over with a mower and be done with them but avoid doing so. There are seeds in the weeds and when you do this they will spread all over the place. That will result in your lawn having more weeds than before and in various locations spread throughout it.

You may want to consider getting a different type of lawn mower too. Those that operate with the use of gas are placing pollutants into the air. If you have a very small lawn you may want to consider using a reel type.

These are hand propelled and use sharp blades underneath to cut the grass. You can adjust the blades to accommodate how short you wish to cut the grass. They are very simple to use and don’t make much noise.

That means you can be out there using this type of lawn mower any time of the day or day of the week without bothering your neighbors. You will also get some exercise as you walk around the yard cutting it. You can find a quality reel lawn mower for about $40 – $60.

If you don’t want to put your strength into using a reel mover you can look for an electric one. Many of the older models required you to use an extension cord to get a power supply though.

That was often annoying as you had to continually move the long cord out of your way as you moved along cutting the grass. Many heavy duty extension cords were lost in this process due to being ran over by the sharp blades of the lawn mower.

You will find that some significant improvements have been made to this type of lawn mower. Instead of using a cord to get the power source there is a small battery that provides it. They are extremely quite and that helps with noise pollution as well.

There are many models and sizes of electric lawn mowers that you can find out there. They range in price from $125 to $600 depending on how much power you want and what size you wish to buy. Take a look around to see what is going to be the perfect match for your own lawn care needs.

Chapter 7

Additional Tips to Help you Live Green

There are plenty of small areas where you can make some significant changes as well. The concepts here are very easy and anyone can implement then to start living greener right now. You will be proud to offer such benefits to the environment without having to give up anything you really need.

It is important to drink plenty of water each day. Yet you often see people carrying around plastic bottles of it. In many instances bottled water doesn’t taste any better than the tap water but manufacturers of bottled water want you to think there is.

Instead of getting a new bottle each time you drink water get some reusable containers. You can fill them up with water and even ice if you prefer and drink them everywhere you go. There are several sizes, colors, and designs that you can choose from. This process will significantly reduce the amount of plastic that is in our environment.

If you do live in an area where it isn’t safe to drink the tap water then you want to make sure you recycle those plastic bottles. That way they don’t end up in landfills. You can also get bottled water delivered to your home in large containers.

Then you can just fill up your own water bottles that you reuse from there. That is a great way to get healthy water and to eliminate waste at the same time. You will also find that getting bottled water this way is cheaper than buying those individual bottles at the store and from the vending machines.

When you complete projects in your home such as remodeling and painting you will likely have left over supplies. You aren’t going to be able to do much with most of them. Paint is a substance that you don’t want to place at landfills due to the chemicals found in them. They can get underground and do a great deal of damage. A better alternative is to donate that left over paint and supplies.

There are many organizations that collect such items to help others. This can be Church groups, community organizations, and specific programs so find out what is available in your area. You can even search online to find out how to donate such items to a worthy cause.

The left over paint can be mixed with many others that people have donated. It can be used to paint houses, paint schools, and to make your town look nicer by reducing fences and such. This is a great way to prevent those leftovers from being wasted and from harming the environment.

Make sure you properly dispose of pollutants that can be very dangerous for the Earth. It is common for people to change their oil at home to save money and to get the job done quickly. Never pour that oil on the ground as it will get into the soil. This is going to erode the ground of essential nutrients necessary in order for something to grow there.

When oil gets into the water it can result in aquatic life dying. This is very serious as it will upset the balance of the natural food chain. It can result in problems in that part of the water decades after it has taken place. It is also possible for the oil to get into drinking water if you aren’t careful.

We have all heard plenty of information about the warnings of skin cancer from being in the sun without proper sunscreen. What we often don’t realize though is that what is in that sunscreen can be polluting both the water and the air around us.

You want to avoid using chemical sunscreens as they aren’t good for the environment. They aren’t going to offer you any more protection than those made from titanium oxide or zinc oxide. Read the labels on the sunscreen products you purchase and make sure you get a high enough SPF that is right for your skin.

There are plenty of aerosol cans of sunscreen out there and you want to avoid using them as well. These types of dispensers can be very harmful to the ozone layers. Instead choose one you can spray on your body with a spray bottle nozzle or that you can dispense like a lotion and spray on your body.

Sunscreen isn’t the only type of aerosol that you should avoid though. Look for products to clean your home and even hairspray that isn’t going to be harming the environment. There are alternative dispensing sources to them so you aren’t limited to relying on anything in an aerosol form.

Chapter 8

Conclusion

Living Green is something we should all be concerned about. Making the world a better place for us and for future generations is very important. The damages we do today will have a significant impact on the rest of the world. Young children, adults, and even the elderly can all get involved in making the world a better place for all of us.

In the past decade there has been more information and education on this subject offered than ever before. Various types of organizations including the government, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, the Environmental Protection Agency, and  others have been attempting to share all they can about the concerns for our environment as well as ways to help.

There are plenty of celebrities involved in living green projects as well. Actors, musicians, and other prestigious figures tend to have quite a following around the world. People listen to what they have to say and therefore such public service announcements have proven to be extremely effective.

As a result more manufactures of products we use everyday are getting involved as well. They are offering more products that are safe for the environment and that offer you plenty of benefits. You can encourage other companies to follow their example by not buying them if they aren’t safe for the environment.

If they are losing sales they will find out why and make important changes to get those customers back. The demands of the consumer are extremely powerful and they will be able to generate a positive response from our manufacturers. As a result everyone wins and we will have a safer environment to live in. If you continue to buy what they are offering now though they won’t have the encouragement they need to take saving the environment seriously.

The amount of trash that the common household tosses out each day is unbelievable. It isn’t unusual for that to be at least on bag per day when all is said and done. All of that waste ends up at our landfills and just what comes from your household alone adds up to quite a bit over the course of a year.

Remove what you can from that trash and recycle it. This can be paper products, glass, plastic, and cardboard. You will be surprised at just how much of this you can separate and recycle. If you have a trash bin for each of them in the garage or in your backyard then it will be much easier to stay on task with this type of effort.

Be conscious of the paper products you are using as well. That way you can use some alternatives. For example cloth napkins instead of disposable ones are a great idea for a restaurant. Use both sides of paper so that you can reduce the amount of it that you use by 50%.

Take papers you don’t need and cut them into squares. You can create your own notepads this way for phone messages, quick family notes, and to write your grocery list or errands on. You can cut back paper by eliminating unnecessary mail as well.

We live in an electronic age due to technology and all of the advances that have come along with it. Yet from various types of light bulbs and sources there is damage being done to the environment. By changing the types that use to the more energy efficient ones on the market you can save money on your electric bill and help protect the environment.

Don’t forget to look into alternative sources of energy that will allow you to not use electricity as often. One of the easiest to implement for any home or business is the use of solar power. In some areas wind and water power are also available.

How you get around is one of the biggest areas where you can make a difference for the environment. The amount of pollutants that are emitted each day from vehicles is very high. Do all you can to make sure your vehicles are in compliance with the laws. Only use them when you need to so that you cut down on driving time.

Combine your activities so you can eliminate trips to town as well. Do your best to set up carpools or to access public transportation when available. If you are in the market for a new vehicle consider one that has been recognized as being environmentally friendly. There are many great ones to choose from so you won’t be limited in size or style.

You can also go with the hybrid models which will save you money on gas, they aren’t going to harm the environment, and they will need less routine maintenance. A hybrid is a very solid investment and something you will be extremely proud to drive. It shows that you do care about the environment in many ways.

There are several great hybrid vehicles out there right now. Most of them are compact and medium sized vehicles. However, for 2009 you will find more larger cars, a minivan, and even some full sized pickups emerging. This is due to the consumer demands for such vehicles as a hybrid. The manufacturers out there are listening so keep letting them know what your interested in.

Home is where the heart is and a place you want to be harm and inviting. Establishing a very beautiful lawn and garden is part of that image. You can accomplish your desire to have them without harming your family, pets, or the environment. Don’t use any types of chemicals as they have been linked to many ill effects you want to avoid.

Organic lawn care and gardening isn’t difficult it just takes a different approach. If you go about it the right way it will cost you less to get your lawn and garden ready each year too.  You will be relying up natural items around your home and yard for the compost which will reduce the amount of your trash that ends up at the landfill.

A healthy lawn is one that is well cared for, and you can see yours thrive when you remove the chemicals from the equation.  You can also look at environmentally friendly lawn mowers that won’t cause you to pollute the environment each time you turn them on.

You will feel great seeing the results of your efforts. At the same time you will know you know you are offering your friends and family a very safe lawn to play and relax on with you. That is a feeling that you will be very proud of even if no one around you has a clue why you are smiling from ear to ear.

There are plenty of tips and strategies offered in order to help us have an environment that is less polluted. It doesn’t take a great deal of time or effort in order to be a part of most of them. You simply have to be committed to being a part of the solution instead of the problem.

Continue to do your part by making changes where you can. Get your entire family involved and explain to them why it is so important. Share your views with friends and family members as well. They may not realize the importance of their efforts.

Once you enlighten them you will be able to encourage them in their efforts. In most regards individuals aren’t out there destroying the environment on purpose. It is often a lack of information or not feeling like they can really make a difference that leads to it.

If you find that a person or a business is polluting the environment with chemicals or other substances intentionally then you need to report it. This could be your neighbor or even the company that they work for. No one needs to know you are the person responsible for reporting it.

You can make a report with your local law enforcement or with your local health department. They will do an inspection and handle the situation based on what they find. There are laws in place to prevent this type of blatant disregard for the environment. Those found guilty of doing so can be fined, have to pay the cost of cleaning it up, and even face criminal charges that can result in jail time.

It is possible to live green and to reduce your carbon footprints on the environment. It is understandable why you want to leave a legacy behind you but do it in a positive manner. Each person has the choice of how they will live their life. Be proud of the efforts you make to keep our world in as good of shape as you possible can.

The rewards of doing so will come back to you as well as future generations. We all have the power and the ability to change what we are doing now in exchange for better ways of living. Decide now you want to modify your behaviors and feel good about your lifestyle choices. It doesn’t matter how long you have been doing things the other way.

Every bit of change that takes place out there is going to make a positive difference overall. Be a part of finding the solution for a better environment to live in. This will benefit your health as well as that of your children. Such efforts are definitely worth it in order to reap these types of rewards.

One person and one voice can unite with many more to create a significant effect that shows how much people care about the world in which they live in.  Do all you can to make these efforts a part of your world. Pass them on to your children so the benefits can continue for them and their generation as well.

Helpful Links

1) Convert Your Car To Burn Water + Gasoline = Triple Your Mileage!

2) Renewable Energy Solutions : 1. Build A Wind Generator 2. Biodiesel 3. Install Solar Panels 4. Build Your Own Home 5. Renewable Energy Solutions For Home, Car And Business

3) Alternative Energy Resources. Understanding and Installing Your Own Solar Electric System. Includes Worksheets,& Resources.

4) Keeping My Earth Green. You Can Learn How To Reduce Your Carbon Footprint And Help Reverse The Effects Of Global Warming.

5) Solar Power Design Manual. Teach Yourself All About Solar Power. Comprehensive Manual By Genuine Expert. Spreadsheet Included.

Introduction

If you aren’t familiar with hypermiling you should look into what it is all about. Chances are you will be hearing that term floating around quite a bit. It is a way for you to be able to cut back on the amount of fuel you consume.

Since most of us rely upon our vehicle to get us around we need to make it go further with less fuel being consumed. You may be thinking that you are already doing all you can to cut costs. You are watching the prices at the pumps and you are cutting back on when and where you drive. You may be frustrated about all of it as well.

This is because it simply isn’t always possible to cut down on the amount that you use your vehicle. You can’t change how far it is to your place of employment due to gas prices. Getting another job closer may not be possible. At the same time you may really like the job you have.

There is also the pay to consider as a new job may start you out at less than you make right now. With the economy being as low as it is right now, the job market is difficult as well. It is understandable that you may be worried about a lay off or not being needed at a particular job site. If you have been at one place for a while there is some job security in that.

You also have your other commitments such as getting kids to school, grocery shopping, and running errands. While you can arrange things to flow better you still won’t be able to completely cut these needs out of your schedule.

It just isn’t realistic to expect anyone to blow off all of the other things going on in their life because they can’t pay for the high cost of fuel. If you still want to be able to enjoy those things then pay attention to the various hypermiling methods. They can really help you even if you aren’t sure at this time. Gas is going to be consumed no matter where you go and what you do. If you take your vehicle there it will be an additional expense to consider.

Carpooling isn’t always a practical solution either when you have so many things going on. People tend to overextend themselves so having your own car is often necessary in order to be able to successfully get it all done. If you have a work schedule that varies it is even harder to carpool. Try to do it if possible though even a couple of days per week.

With the outlook for the economy being quite grim right now, consumers are at the mercy of oil prices when the approach the pumps. Since the government isn’t able to offer us the relief we need it is up to each of us to do something. You can sit around and complain about how much you pay per gallon for gas or you can be more efficient.

The government has made some efforts though by offering information about hypermiling on various websites. It is a good idea to take a look at that information so you can see for yourself that it is substantial material. In many ways this is a service the government is offering to help the average person be able to get by in light of the increases in prices.

Once you finish reading this you will have plenty of information about hypermiling. You will be able to implement a strategy that works so you can get the most out of it. This way you can make your car go further with less gas. That means more money in your pocket instead of being placed in order for you to get around.

You should be able to start implementing many of them in very little time at all. Make sure you review the list of hypermiling strategies on a regular basis though. If you aren’t effectively practicing certain ones you may end up forgetting about them. Should that happen you won’t be able to get as much savings as you could.

Chapter 2

What is Hypermiling?

For those of you unfamiliar with the concept of hypermiling, let’s elaborate on what this entails. It is essentially the conscious effort of increasing the amount of gas mileage you get from your vehicle. This involves many different aspects including keeping your car in great shape, your driving behavior, and what type of vehicle you drive.

We will discuss each of these areas in more detail later on. They are all very important by themselves and can be areas where you are wasting fuel. When you make changes to them though they will collectively really add up to getting much more mileage out of the gas you pump into your vehicle.

Before you read this, you may not have realized all the different ways in which you are wasting fuel in your vehicle. We get into the habit of doing things and they become second nature to us. You have the power to make changes though and that is the great thing about hypermiling.

Take the time to find out just what a difference it can make for you. If you are able to save thousands of dollars each year on fuel then you can use that money for something else. As hard as you work for your money you may as well be getting all you can out of it.

Anyone can implement hypermiling no matter how long they have been driving. It also doesn’t matter what type of vehicle you drive as there should be something you can do to save on fuel costs. You may be skeptical now but you won’t be after you finish reading.

Hypermiling isn’t a bunch of hype as people have been using it to save on gas for many years. However, it is something that has only really gathered attention over the past year. This is due to the continual increase of fuel prices.

Not to long ago we were upset when they hit $2 a gallon. Now that they are at $4 and said to be climbing to $5 by the end of summer consumers are paying attention. Those of you holding your breath for the prices to be drastically cut are going to be very disappointed when they don’t.

Chapter 3

Why has Hypermiling become so Popular Recently?

The reason why hypermiling has such a buzz around it recently has to do with increased fuel prices. We recently were told that oil hit an all time high of $150 per barrel. That was very hard for consumers to swallow considering what they are already paying for fuel.

Most people don’t have too much money left over each month after the bills are paid. You are lucky if you do because that is a luxury the majority just don’t have. So if your budget is already stretched thin it can be very stressful to try to allocate an additional amount of money from your budget for increased fuel costs.

Since the wages aren’t going up there isn’t really a place to get that money from. The wise consumer isn’t happy to put their fuel costs onto a credit card that they can’t pay off at the end of the month. It will only result in a mountain of debt they don’t want to become associated with. Finding a way around this is a priority for many people out there.

The fact that there are some common sense ways to get some relief at the pumps is another reason. People don’t have the time for something high tech or difficult to accomplish. Yet once they learn that it is something they can do and they can get results from it becomes quite exciting. They also don’t want to get involved in anything that is going to be difficult time consuming. Too many people are stretched too think in that area as well.

You will also find that all of the guidelines out there relating to hypermiling meet or exceed the guidelines set by the Environmental Protection Agency. Many of them have also lead to a decreased risk of an accident happening. This combination of things really lends credibility to the entire process.

For those who are environmentally conscious, hypermiling is a great way for them to make their contribution to society. They want to make sure the Earth is as good of a place for them to live on as they can. They also want to do their part to preserve the natural resources for future generations to use.

Chapter 4

Drive more Fuel Efficiently

The more that you are behind the wheel of a vehicle the more money you can save. Take a close look at your driving habits as that is the area where people end up using approximately 1/3 more fuel than they really should on the highway. It is amazing how many people are offended when they read that!

There are many great places online where you can take quizzes about your driving habits. It can give you an honest evaluation as to how aggressive you are. If you fall into a category that isn’t good then you need to accept it and make a commitment to change it. Here are some great pointers to get you rolling in the right direction.

You need to stay at a constant speed as much as you can. Pay attention to the posted speed limits and set your cruise control.  You will need to slow down from time to time for the flow of traffic and such but that should still help with your fuel usage. Make sure you don’t follow being other vehicles too closely either. This stopping will decrease your speed so you will be going faster and then slower even though you aren’t exceeding the posted speed limit.

If you are one of those individuals who weaves in and out of traffic passing people and then getting back into the groove of the traffic by slowing down again you are wasting fuel. Even if you are in a hurry, such methods don’t save you very much time.

We have all seen drivers like that on the road each day. They move in and out of the traffic but then we end up catching up to them at a stoplight or on an exit ramp. This shows that this type of aggressive driving really doesn’t get you there any faster, yet it is costing you more fuel than it should to arrive at that destination.

When you stay at a constant speed you and everyone else on the road around you is much safer. You will have more control over your vehicle and other vehicles can accurately anticipate your movements. It will reduce the wear on your vehicle as well.

It can take some time for you to make changes in this area. Pay close attention to it and then do your best not to give into the urge. You may not realize just how often you used to engage in that type of behavior until you are attempting to stop doing so. In addition to saving you fuel it can save your life as well due to other drivers not knowing what you will be doing out there.

Many places where you can drive allow you to exceed 60 miles per hour. It isn’t uncommon to find signs for 75 miles per hour on busy highways and freeways. It is important to understand that you will decrease the amount of miles per gallon when you are over 60 miles per hour. So to be able to go faster you are going to have to accept the fact that you are burning more fuel to do so.

This one is quite a dilemma as you don’t want to be the turtle on the fast road. If you choose to drive at a lower than posted speed you need to stay in the right hand lane. That way you aren’t obstructing traffic and being a danger to yourself and others.

In many ways that is the practical solution though so you will want to continue at the posted speed limits. If you are following the strategies of the other hypermiling guidelines though you should still end up getting more miles out of each tank of gas.

When you aren’t moving, your car is idling. Turn off your vehicle to save you on gas. Many people let their car idle to warm up in the winter and then to cool down in the summer. If possible place your vehicle in a garage so you don’t have to let it sit outside collecting frost or for the sun to beat down upon it.

In the summer time you should also consider running errands early in the morning. This way you won’t be relying upon the air conditioner to keep you cool. This is a very big waster of fuel for your vehicle. If you are using it quite often you will notice you are going to the pumps more often than normal.

If you are stuck in traffic for any length of time, you also want to turn the vehicle off. This way you won’t be wasting fuel or allowing the engine to overheat. A good rule of thumb is that if traffic is at a standstill for more than five minutes to shut the vehicle off.

Do your best to avoid common bottleneck areas as well. It may be due to road construction or to rush hour. It can also be the result of not enough lanes for all the traffic. If you will be traveling those roads often see if you can find alternative roads. You can access interactive maps online where you enter point A and point B. It can then give you several routes to get there.

Even if the alternative is one that is several more miles, it can end up saving you fuel in the long run. You will need to experiment so you can decide for yourself which route works best for you. It would be nice if the alternative was able to save you both fuel and time.

How much do you currently pay per gallon for gas? I am guessing it is close to $4 or more right now. If you can save 1/3 of that then you will be cutting back that cost by more than $1 per gallon. The exact cost will depend on other factors such as your vehicle and the cost of gas in your area. Yet you can see how that savings is going to add up.

Chapter 5

Keep your Vehicle in Good Working Condition

Vehicles that aren’t well cared for are going to end up using more gas than those well maintained. Don’t wait until your vehicle stalls on the highway or it won’t star to give it some attention. Preventative measures work very well when it comes to vehicle operations and to how much fuel they will use.

Make sure you take the time to get your oil changed regularly and to keep it full of the necessary fluids. It can save you money if you are able to take care of these things on your own. If not, make sure you schedule regular appointments. It is a good idea to have your oil changed every three months or every 3,000 miles. Go by which one of them takes place first.

Some people put on a great deal of miles each month while others don’t. Track this information so you don’t have to guess when your oil needs to be changed. If it takes you a year to put 3,000 miles on your car you certainly don’t want the same oil running through the engine.

It is vital to use a good quality of oil in your vehicle. This will help keep various aspects of it operating like it should. Check your oil often too just in case it gets low in between oil changes. When you buy oil look for the brands that offer energy conservation ingredients. This will reduce the amount of friction that is created and thus improve your fuel conservation.

Pay close attention to the grade of oil you use as well. Each vehicle has a standard type that is recommended so find out what it is. You may be able to still have a good operating vehicle with a different grade but it will result in your vehicle burning more fuel.

Pay attention to changes in how your vehicle sounds or operates. If you can hear noises that it wasn’t making before you need to have a mechanic check it out. This can prevent you from more serious damage that will occur if you don’t. It can also save you money of gas because you may have something wrong that is using more.

For example you may have a bad fuel injector. This means every time you start your vehicle more gas is being pushed through the valve than there should be. As a result of this you will be using excessive fuel.

Any time you can smell gas when you start your vehicle this is likely the problem. Your car will still operate but you won’t be as fuel efficient as you would be otherwise. Some people blow of such concerns as they don’t notice any difference in how their vehicle operates.

When you stop to consider how many times in a typical day you start your vehicle, that is quite a bit of fuel being wasted. Each of the fuel injectors can be replaced at a cost of about $80 including labor so it is well worth the investment. The repairs can easily be done in an afternoon for you so it won’t mean you are without your vehicle at all.

One of the most serious types of vehicle repairs that needs to be done to save you fuel is replacing a bad oxygen sensor. This can result in your car using about 40% more fuel than it should. That is an unbelievable amount of it that you will be losing out on.

While a new oxygen sensor can cost a couple hundred dollars, you will be spending at least that much in additional fuel. The amount of time it will take you to waste that much fuel depends on how many miles a day you drive. It is more cost effective to drop that money into replacing the part than it is to continue paying for gas almost twice as often as you should be.

For most vehicles, an air filter only costs about $3 or $4. Yet it will allow you to have about 10% more fuel efficiency on your vehicle. As a standard practice, you should have this checked each time you are either changing your oil or having someone do it for you.

Even if your air filter doesn’t look bad you should replace it every 3 to 4 months. Some people find that it is just as effective to take theirs out and to blow it out with pressure from an air compressor. It depends on how much effort you want to put into the process.

Both seem to work equally well though as long as the air filter isn’t torn or damaged. Make sure you carefully inspect it before you place it back into the vehicle. If you decide it does need replaced it is essential that you use the right size of filter.

They all have numbers on them that you can get from the internet, books at the automotive section, or you can have someone at the counter look it up for you. Many of them look similar in size so don’t assume which one fits without comparing the numbers first.

Many people check their tires on a regular basis to ensure they aren’t wearing unevenly or needing to be replaced. It is also important to check the amount of air in each of the tires. They should be within a couple of pounds of each other. You will save more fuel if you make sure this is the case.

It will also allow your tires to last longer so that will cut down on the expense of replacing them as often. Tires aren’t cheap so this is one expense you don’t want to have to cover if it isn’t absolutely necessary. Besides not having enough pressure in your tires is a road hazard and you don’t want that on your mind when you are driving.

You don’t want to have too much air in them either as that can become a very serious road hazard for you as well. Refer to your owner’s manual or look up the information on line so you can have the right amount of pounds in them. You should carry a tire gauge in your glove box for easy access.

Doing so will allow you to check the pressure in your tires when you are at home as well as when you are fueling up. It isn’t always easy to visually see that there isn’t the same amount of pressure in the tires so make sure you check.

These gauges are simple to work. You just place them on the valve and the stem will move out to show you how much air you have. If you have too much air then remove some of it. Then recheck with the gauge to make sure you didn’t let too much of it out.

When you add air you want to do so only a bit at a time. Check it with the gauge to make sure you are on target. Most convenient stores and gas stations have air you can get for free or for a deposit of a few quarters. Make sure you find a place to add air as soon as possible for safety and for maximum fuel efficiency.

Chapter 6

What can you Remove to Make your Vehicle Lighter?

The heavier your vehicle is the more gas it is going to use regardless of what speed you happen to be moving at. While you can’t do much about the base weight of it, you can remove things on it to lighten it up. Always consider the weight of a vehicle before you invest in one as well.
What are you carrying around in your trunk? Chances are you have a heavy tool box and other items in there you don’t really need. Some basic tools to change a tire as well as your spare and a flashlight are important. You may want to have a blanket in case you break down, a pair of pliers, and a couple of screwdrivers. Everything else you should be able to remove and lighten up the vehicle.

Some individuals have heavy speakers and sound systems in their vehicles. They fill up the backseat as well as the trunk with them. While you may love what this offers, it can be severely hindering your gas mileage. Explore some viable options so you can find out what you can do to get the sound you want without all of the weight from those speakers and amplifiers that go with it.

Excessive chrome on it may be weighing it down as well. Those accessories may look nice but hurting your pocketbook. Consider removing some of them for now to find out how much money you can save at the pumps. You can store them so you can put them back on later if you decide to do so.

One common problem with that though is to be able to add such accessories holes have been drilled into the vehicle. Many people don’t want these areas to be seen so they leave the chrome items on. Find out what you can do to be able to cover them up effectively so you can remove the weight. It may be just investing in some light cover up work.

When you are hauling trailers or another vehicle you need to expect to use more fuel. Make sure you don’t exceed the weight capacity for your towing vehicle. You also need to use the overdrive gears which will help to minimize the amount of additional fuel you end up using.

Chapter 7

Is it Time to get a New Vehicle?

You may find it is time to get into a new vehicle. Yours may constantly need repairs to keep it fuel efficient that are starting to really add up. It doesn’t really matter how many miles you can go on a tank of gas if you can’t get the vehicle to stay running. It isn’t safe to be in a vehicle that is known to breakdown in the middle of traffic either.

You will notice due to the high fuel costs many vehicle manufacturers are offering more compact and medium sized vehicles. They know that consumers aren’t looking at full sized cars, full vans, and even SUV’s as much anymore. When it costs you more than $100 to put fuel in it that isn’t setting well with anyone out there.

You can get some great deals on both new and used vehicles that are compact or medium sized. You do want to read the reviews and ratings on them though so you can get one that is safe and well as great on fuel. If it is used you should have it inspected by a licensed mechanic before you commit to buying it.

Make sure you get one that is going to be big enough for your family though. There should be enough seatbelts for each person to use. You also don’t want to deal with problems about not enough leg room or being too crowded in the back seat.

You can easily go online though and see what is highly recommended. Then you can evaluate the specifics of these models of vehicles when you are looking at buying one of them. Depending on how much you drive, you can save thousands of dollars each year just by changing the type of vehicle you are driving. With savings like that it is certainly worth looking into that option.

You will need to crunch your family budget to decide if a different vehicle is the right option or not. Yet when you evaluate a car payment of $300 and you are saving more than that in fuel costs each month it should be something you move forward with.

Once you take the time to see how all the numbers add up you will be in a better position to make a final decision. I can be helpful to keep track of all the fuel you put into a vehicle over the course of a month. You may be spending more for it than you realize if you get small amounts each time.

If you are interested there are also hybrid models to select from. They operate either from solar power or electricity. They contain a series of batteries that store up this energy. When that energy source has been depleted the vehicle will automatically revert to the use of the fuel in it.

These days you will notice that there are quite a few nice hybrid models to choose from. Just about every major car manufacturer is offering them. You can get certain models in either format. The one downside is that you may have to order a hybrid in a certain model if there aren’t enough of them readily available. As the demand for such vehicles continues to increase that is to be expected.

This can be a great way to cut down on the amount of fuel you use each day in your vehicle. Of course hybrid vehicles are more expensive but they also save you a great deal of money in the long run. There are government rebates on them too that you want to check out. These can really help to offset the overall cost of the vehicle to you.

Chapter 8

Additional Tips that can Help your Car go Further with Less Gas

Here are some great additional tips to help you go further in your care with less gas. Implementing as many of them as you can will really help you to be less affected by high fuel prices. They don’t show any sign of going down in the near future so it is wise to find ways to save money.

First, do your best to commute as little as possible. If you find it is always busy in the mornings and evenings when you go to and from work, leave home earlier. By doing so by about 30 minutes you can beat the congestion and save fuel.

See if your boss will allow you to leave 30 minutes earlier too in exchange for coming in before your scheduled time. It can really be helpful. If not, use that time to balance your checkbook, write a letter, take a walk in the vicinity of where you work, or any other way to kill time. That way you won’t be taking time out of your day later on to complete such tasks.

It is understandable you may not be able to trade in your gas guzzler for something that uses less. If you have a large family, a lease, or you have paid off your vehicle and don’t want another payment is it all understood. Yet you must balance their comfort with what you can afford.

However, you may consider getting an older compact vehicle as well. By investing a bit of money in such a vehicle you can use it commute to and from work. This is a great way for you to save money on the cost of gas. You can use your normal vehicle when you travel out of town or you have the entire family with you.

It is wise to start looking into this option now though. As gas prices continue to soar they are being purchased rather quickly. If you have one you no longer need put it for sale and in no time at all you will have plenty of potential buyers coming your way.

Do try to carpool as much as you can to and from work. If you can trade of weeks of driving with a co-worker you will cut your costs in half. Check to see if other parents on your children’s sports teams are willing to carpool as well. This way instead of everyone taking a trip to and from the practice field each night you can do so only a couple of times per week.

So not only will it be saving you time but it will save you going to the gas pumps as well. That is certainly something to smile about. It is great when kids are involved in activities but it can be time consuming which mean you have more to do in the evenings. You will find collaborating with other parents is beneficial in more ways than one.

Get more organized and plan your week as well. For example if you need to go to the bank then hit the dry cleaners, post office, and other places in town at the same time. Plan your meals and create a menu so you aren’t making additional trips to the grocery store either.

Chapter 9

Evaluating the Results of your Efforts

If you are willing to learn about what you can do personally to save money then it can work for you. It is going require you to pay attention to some significant details. In order for you to find out if you have benefited from the changes you have to be able go effectively monitor them.

Start out by getting a  notebook and pen you can keep in your glove box. This way you can access information when you need to write it down. You can also review what has taken place. Do you currently know how many miles to the gallon your vehicle gets? If not you need to find out before you can see improvements.

Try to get your gas tank as close to empty as you can without letting it run out of gas. Then fill it up with as much fuel as it will take. Yes, this can be expensive but you need to do it in order to make this work correctly. Make sure you write down the mileage before you leave the filling station as well as the number of gallons of gas you got.

When your gas gauge once again gets to where it is almost empty but not completely out of gas write down your mileage again. Subtract these two numbers to determine how many miles you went on that tank of gas. Then divide that number by the gallons of gas you got when you filled up.

This number will represent the total number of miles per gallon of gas you were able to drive. Now you should implement the various hypermiling concepts that you can in order to use less fuel. Keep on recording your miles per gallon in the same format as above.

You should start to see some significant improvements which will ensure you that these methods do work. If you see your miles per gallon dropping then you need to re-evaluate your changes or inspect your vehicle for possible repairs that need to be done.

No one out there wants to admit that they aren’t a perfect driver. But you may be much more aggressive than you realize. By paying close attention to your driving habits you can start to eliminate some of them. Don’t give in to the temptation to speed or to pass everyone who is right in front of you on the road.

Following too closely behind the person in front of you is very dangerous. It will also result in more gas being used because each time you brake your car has to get going again. Make sure take your foot off the gas when you see a stop sign or red light coming up too. Don’t wait until you are upon it to stomp on the brakes.

If you often drive aggressively due to running late, you need to plan better. Make it a priority to give yourself plenty of time to get where you are headed. Reward yourself too when you are able to do so without incident for a specific period of time.

Chapter 10

Conclusion

If you haven’t found yourself involved in the concepts of hypermiling yet, it is time to take action. Now that you have the right information on what it is and how to implement it there should be nothing stopping you. There aren’t any negatives to hypermiling but definitely plenty of benefits for you to take advantage of.

Consumers have noticed that prices aren’t just going up in the area of fuel either. There is a higher cost at the grocery store too which is an additional burden on families. By being able to get more miles with less gas you will definitely be able to save money. You may need it to cover the grocery bill or additional expenses.

There are many things you can start doing right now to help you drive more fuel efficiently. At first it is going to take a great deal of effort to remember to implement them. It is often best to stick to a couple at a time. Once you have them down you can add a few more.

A common mistake is trying to do all the methods of hypermiling at once. This can result in a person becoming overwhelmed. As a result they don’t stick with and then they don’t see the benefits. Take a breath and take your time as it will benefit you if you take it one step at a time.

As you can see there are many ways in which you can reduce the amount of fuel it takes for you to get your vehicle from one place to the next. Your efforts won’t get the numbers at the gas pumps to drop but hopefully they will allow you to breathe easier as you pass them.

There are so many benefits to hypermiling in addition to saving money that you should make them a part of your lifestyle. Teach your children early about such benefits as well. That way when they are old enough to drive on their own they will be able to incorporate them as well.

This is the type of hands on learning that we need to pass along to future generations. It will allow them to get the rewards from such resources without spending more than they have to in order to do so. There certainly are many younger generations right now in high school and college that can benefit from saving money at the pumps as well.

As the cost of fuel continues to increase you can be sure there will be additional thoughts and ideas in the area of hypermiling. Make sure you keep yourself up to date on them. That way you can immediately start to reap the rewards they offer. Until fuel prices drop or someone offers an alternative option for fuel that we can use in our current vehicles this is the most viable option we have available to us.

I hope you will take this information and really make it work well for you. There is plenty of opportunity and that is something you want to grasps onto immediately with both hands. The sooner you do the sooner you will be able to save some money on your fuel costs. You will be amazed at just how much it adds up to in the end.

Helpful Links

1) Convert Your Car To Burn Water + Gasoline = Triple Your Mileage!

2) Renewable Energy Solutions : 1. Build A Wind Generator 2. Biodiesel 3. Install Solar Panels 4. Build Your Own Home 5. Renewable Energy Solutions For Home, Car And Business

3) Alternative Energy Resources. Understanding and Installing Your Own Solar Electric System. Includes Worksheets,& Resources.

4) Keeping My Earth Green. You Can Learn How To Reduce Your Carbon Footprint And Help Reverse The Effects Of Global Warming.

5) Solar Power Design Manual. Teach Yourself All About Solar Power. Comprehensive Manual By Genuine Expert. Spreadsheet Included.

Introduction

There are plenty of products on the market for consumers to choose from. Most of the time they evolve based on the needs of society. When there is a trend taking place then you will see many different products emerge that can meet the new need people have.

Some of them have been around for many years but people just don’t notice them. They aren’t recognized until there is a significant need for them. Older products may change how they advertise and even change the name of the product in order to get a facelift in the public eye.

It is no secret to anyone that gas prices have continued to rise to unbelievable prices over the past couple of years. While there has been a steady increase all along, nothing has taken place like it has in the past six months. It sees like the prices at the pumps are increasing every couple of days.

That has many consumers scared to death and scrambling for a solution. They aren’t making more money but continue have more expenses to cover. The more your drive your vehicle they more you are affected by these increasing fuel prices. It can be a very scary time if you already have a thin budget to work with.

It may only be by a few cents but that quickly adds up to too much per gallon. The fact that the prices tend to go up every week isn’t helping. In the end you are likely paying more money when you fill up than ever before. This has also lead to an increase in the cost of everything else.

That is because it is taking more money for suppliers to get it delivered. All of that price increase is being passed on to the consumer. Trucking companies have to pay more for fuel to get supplies to lumber yards, groceries and supplies to stores, and even to transport fuel to the gas stations. They can’t stay in business if they don’t increase what they charge for such deliveries.

As a result the places they are delivering materials to have to increase what they charge in order to make a profit. This is a continuous cycle with the final consumer getting the short end of the stick. This has resulted in people traveling less and buying fewer items that aren’t essential.

With very little chance that gas prices are going to drop, people are looking for alternatives. That is why business entrepreneurs are offering a variety of gas saving devices. The controversy though is that some people believe they work while others are convinced they are nothing more than a scam.

There are hundreds of such products out there available and that is appealing to consumers. They are tired of paying high amounts for gas and they are willing to do all they can in order to find a way out of it. Advertisers of such products know this and they continue to appeal to the emotions of these consumers in order to sell more of their products.

Before you buy one of them you need to do your homework. You need to find out what other consumers have to say about it. You definitely don’t want to waste your time or money on something that isn’t going to be effective. There is no reason to hand over the cash until you know  you are getting a legitimate product with a high level of credibility behind it.

The Federal Trade Commission has issued several warnings about the use of gas saving devices. Therefore it is very important for you to be sure you know what you are paying for. If it sounds too good to be true than more than likely it is. Don’t find out after you have paid for the product.

The Federal Trade Commission has tested more than 100 products on the market that claim a person can save 20% or more on their gas expenses. However, this agency wasn’t able to verify any of these products could offer those results or any significant benefit at all.

You may be familiar with particular fuel saving products that have been advertised. They all fall into particular categories depending on how you use them and what methods they incorporate. Keep reading to find out reliable information on each of these categories.

Chapter 2

Oil and Gas Additives

One of the most popular types of gas saving devices are oil and gas additives. Chances are you have seen many of them advertised in magazines and you can find them on the shelves of the stores you frequent. If you haven’t noticed them before you should take a look for them.

One thing you will notice is that they all have claims that they can provide you with better gas mileage than you get right now. Some of them claim to be FDA approved and such but that isn’t the case. It does make you wonder though why they are able to place such items on the shelves when the FDA denies approving such products.

Some of these are products you pour into your gas tank when you feel up at the pump. You simply put the contents into your tank first and then continue to fuel up as you normally would. Since it does take up some room it will reduce the amount of gas you have to put into it but not improve your overall miles per gallon that you will burn while operating your vehicle.

There are a variety of ingredients added to your gas when you pour such an additive into your gas tank. They include tin, magnesium, and platinum which these marketers will tell you is good for removing compounds that settle into the bottom of your gas tank.

Never use a fuel additive that contains acetone as it can damage plastic parts in your fuel system by dissolving them. Some individuals claim that a small amount of acetone won’t harm your fuel system but it can be hard to gauge when you have gone over that amount. Also, it really hasn’t been proven to help cut back on the cost of gas so that is quite a risk to be taking.

In general, these additive  products won’t harm your vehicle but generally aren’t necessary to add. Such gas saving products are marketed in a way to give you the impression that you are getting something your gas tank needs to be more efficient.

That is the key selling point and many consumers take the bait. They go out and buy several bottles of this additive and keep it in their vehicle. Each time they approach the pump to fill up they dump a bottle of it in there thinking they are doing the right thing. However, doing so really isn’t necessary.

This is because gasoline has ingredients in it that will naturally do the same thing without you adding anything. Even though these fuel additives are very reasonably priced they still seem to be a waste of money as they haven’t been proven to be effective.  The gas you have to pay for to move your vehicle is already taking care of the same concerns so why pay for something you don’t need?

Those that are offered for the oil generally come already mixed in the oil for your car. You just add it like you would any other brand or type of oil. It is important that you always use the right grade of motor oil in order to get the most fuel mileage from your vehicle. You can find this information in your owners’ manual as well as on the internet.

The understanding of gas savings behind these oils is that the lower velocity that is present the less friction will be created. However, you can really do severe damage to your vehicle if you are using something other than what it requires. You may end up needing to replace your entire engine before it is all said and done.

Some testing has shown changing the velocity of the oil doesn’t seem to affect the operations of certain vehicles. As a consumer though you have to ask yourself if you are willing to take the chance that such a product may damage your vehicle.  Most people will agree it isn’t something they want to risk being on the losing side of.

There doesn’t seem to be a good reason to take that risk either. There hasn’t been any substantial evidence to suggest oil additives are going to increase your gas mileage. Yet these are very popular products that people continue to buy and place into their vehicle.

Oil and gas additives aren’t very expensive and you can generally buy them at any location that sales automotive products. Most full stores offer oil, filters, and these various additives so you can get all the supplies you need for the maintenance of your vehicle at one time.

You may be tempted to buy such products that you see on the shelves while you are buying the other items you need. However, you need to be careful about what you put into your vehicle. It could end up doing more damage than good. You can read reviews about specific products out there online so it is a good idea to do so before you go ahead and purchase any of them.

Chapter 3

Magnetic Devices

Magnets are quite interesting because they have the ability to attract and repel due to the energy they create. We can all probably remember science experiments in school that dealt with magnets. They were actually very fun to play with and to see what they could do.

Magnets of all different sizes are used in our society for a variety of things. We use them to keep things on the refrigerator, to search for items, and to operate various types of devices. Many people view magnets as something scientific though so they assume it may be logical to try using them to save money when it comes to fuel costs.

Many consumers like this idea because they aren’t adding anything to their vehicle in the form of a liquid which often makes them worried. The magnets can be added or removed any time you feel like it. They like the thought of being able to get results without the risk of ruining some part of their engine.

There is also the fact that you don’t have to remember to buy them all the time. With additives you need to get a good supply of them and then remember to use them at the right times. With the magnets you can simply put them on once and then not worry about it again.

Magnets that are offered for reducing the amount of gas that your car uses will cost you between $15 and $40 so that isn’t too much of an overall investment. They can improve your gas mileage ever so slightly but not enough that you will get any real savings out of it. We are talking 10^th of a gallon when it comes to measuring the benefits.

These magnets are secured to the fuel line and are believed to change the molecular structure of the gasoline. As a result the types of metals that are used to ionize the fuel will no longer be there. This may all sound good in theory but the reality is that it doesn’t do anything for your gas mileage that is significant enough for you to save any money.

Magnetic gas saving products often have the biggest claims when it comes to how much gas you can save. Many of them boost about a savings of 20% -25% but the testing on such products hasn’t shown hardly any benefit at all, let alone something that substantial.

There is a popular TV show called MythBusters where they take certain products and test them out to see what the results are. They did a show about the use of magnets to increase fuel mileage a while back. You can see parts of it on their website if you missed it.

Several different brands of magnets advertised for saving gas were tried out but the results were similar with all of the ones they tried. They were able to control the variables and tried the use of the magnets under a variety of different conditions.

They didn’t find them to be difficult to put on the vehicle or to remove. They also didn’t find them to offer any significant benefit in the area of gas mileage from them. So the best bet is to skip these types of gas saving devices and use your money for something else.

Chapter 4

Air Injection Products

Many of the gas saving devices on the market right now fall into the category of a vortex generator. The name of it sounds like something very fancy and that would be complicated to work with. Once you understand the concept of it though it is easy to see how people would assume it could help cut down their use of gas.

This allows there to be air mixed between the air cleaner and the intake manifold. The process resembles a tornado but on a much smaller scale. There isn’t anything type of additive with various ingredients being added to your vehicle which makes consumers happy.

Since there is an unlimited supply of air nothing has to be added to it later on either. These products claim to work by mixing more air with the gas in your vehicle than what is normally found in it. This is to allow it to burn cleaner when it enters the combustion chamber.

Yet what you will find is that your speed is reduced due to this method and so that can result in gas being saved. For those that drive over 60 miles per hour the most savings will be evident.

However, if you plan to be taking that vehicle on a highway with a speed limit of 75 miles per hour you will have a hard time getting to that speed as well as maintaining it.  Your vehicle may start to run sluggish which can mean something with it isn’t being properly operated like it should.

Your vehicle will have to work very hard and that can result in more wear on it. If you have to slow down or stop often it will also reduce fuel efficiency. When you consider the distance a person may travel for fun or to get back and forth to work at those higher speeds it can really be a recipe for disaster for our vehicle. Some of the air injection products offered claim that they can create more heat, and that reduces friction.

As a result of less friction there is less fuel consumed. It is said that there is less work for the liquid gas to be changed into a vapor. The understanding of this particular technique is complex to many people. Therefore they don’t look into it any further.

What is often ironic about gas saving devices and products is that is seems the more complicated they are to understand the more people invest in them. The general consensus of this is that it must be some scientific formula that will work and so it doesn’t matter if the consumer understands it or not.

Well, you can be sure that the manufacturers and the marketers know this. If the gas saving device is too simple then it won’t hold water with most people. Add some tricky terms though and a process that is complex to follow and it will seem logical in many ways. After all not everyone knows ways to save money on gas so they may be on to something.

Regardless of if you understand what that process entails or not, the testing that has been done on many products by professional organizations shows they don’t really work. There isn’t enough significance with that process to allow you to save money on your gas expenses.

You need to get the name of the particular product you are interested in and do your own research on it as well. Chances are there have been reviews of it from individual consumers. You will also find those done by experts that aren’t biased one way or the other. They call it as they see it simply by monitoring their gas mileage before and after using it on a particular vehicle.

All of the data that they use is recorded and shared so there isn’t any secret about how they derived at their final report on things. It is hard to argue with such testing methods when you can see they have done every single step by the book and not gotten the promised results with the given product.

One of these testing gurus is Popular Mechanics. They are well known for offering information and advice about various types of vehicles. They stay on top of current issues and events including high gas prices. They aren’t about to allow their loyal readers to be taken for a ride to listen to what they have to say.

There are many air injection products for gas saving offered on the market. Yet according to Popular Mechanics many of them never even get around to actually adding more air to the fuel like they claim. They believe it just isn’t possible for this to really take place with the design of the vehicles system.

This is due to the fact that there is likely to be too much space between where they air intake is and where the fuel is mixed. It doesn’t really matter which type of vehicle you are driving around in, this set up is standard. You can have it modified which will cost you a great deal of money which we will cover in chapter 6.

Chapter 5

Be Wary of the Testimonials that a Product Offers

Testimonials are a sure fire way to motivate people to buy what you have for sale with any type of product. You will find that many gas saving devices feature such testimonials from very satisfied consumers. Before you let this make the decision to buy them for you there are a few things you need to know.

While these testimonials may be real, they often don’t show the entire story. For example someone may start their testimonial letter out by saying they got an addition 5 miles per gallon from their car as soon as they started using the product. That is a legitimate claim they have made. Yet the company doesn’t include all of the information that was provided, jus the part that really gets the attention of the reader.

That letter may have gone on to say how they have gotten their car repaired and tuned up. It can also contain information on how they are driving differently. Those additional factors are likely a big part of what is allowing them to get an addition 5 miles per gallon.

So it isn’t just that they started using a particular gas saving device and it  make that huge impact for them. There is no way for a consumer to know the rest of the story from what is written. There is nothing you can do about this marketing method either.

Since they aren’t lying about what the consumer said they can’t be fined or face any repercussions. There is no law that says they have to print the entire testimonial. They just have to be from real people and be in the same words as what was originally written by the person. So

So they can begin with the beginning, middle, or end of a particular testimonial. They take the pieces they want and leave the rest of it. Therefore I caution you to put too much credibility behind the testimonials that are offered for such products.

There may be some truth to them but remember that they only publish what they want you to see in regards to their product. All those letters they get that are complaints never will be part of their advertising either. Those people may get a refund or nothing at all.

You may be able to find the discontent though with various gas saving products by reading information online. People are very willing to share their experiences in such areas with others so that they won’t fall into the same trap. This can save you money so pay attention to the information that can be accessed with any search engine.

You also need to understand that what may work well for one vehicle isn’t right for another. It is the same concept that applies to products such as medications and even diet pills. There are plenty of people who claim to get results but for the majority of the population they aren’t effective enough to make a difference.

This is due to the fact that each vehicle has significant variables. Even the same exact make, model, and year of a vehicle may have different gas mileage associated with it. The way in which the car is cared for and the driving habits of those who use it also have to be taken into consideration.

Chapter 6

Gas Saving Devices and Products that can Work

So far the outlook for gas saving devices and products has been quite grim. The major vehicle manufacturers continue to try to develop something that can work in order to make their cars more appealing to consumers. Built in fuel savings can be accomplished not with gadgets but with attention given in the areas of the design of the vehicle as well as the engine.

This is because it is much easier to sale a vehicle when it has many features that consumers will be looking for. A great style of car on the outside, nice paint job, and stylish interior simply isn’t enough anymore. It is important to note though that these big corporations with highly educated engineers haven’t found the secret to significant gas savings methods.

If they were out there then they would be incorporating the design on these newer models of vehicles. That reality alone should really get consumers to wake up and see what has been taking place around them all this time. They need to stop paying for ineffective products that are being sold due to the need people have to really save some money on gas.

Sure there are some ideas that have worked out well to accomplish significant gas savings. There isn’t any reason to fully discount everything across the board. The biggest issue though are that you can’t implement them without spending far more money than you will ever save. The ends don’t justify the means and so consumers are stuck right back where they started.

Here are some examples of ways you can save money on fuel costs but that are just too expensive to move forward with. There have been successful attempts to modify the calibration of the engine in some models of vehicles to save on fuel. However, this process has to be done by a certified mechanic.

The price tag is between $10,000 and $12,000 which is often more than the value of the vehicle for many individuals. You would need to keep that car for at least 12 years and be putting at least 1,500 miles on the vehicle per month during that span of time to get your investment back.

The amount of fuel savings isn’t substantial enough to justify that type of investment in the vehicle. You won’t be able to get a return on it because you won’t save that much money in fuel over the course of the time you own that vehicle. Very few people keep a regularly used vehicle for that length of time. There is also the issue that if it is involved in an accident and can’t be driven you are definitely out all the money you invested in this process.

It does have some value in our society though for those with a great deal of money to spend in order to use as little gas as possible. The process has been done to many professional vehicles though including semi trucks and race cars. When you consider a semi truck generally gets about 4-7 miles per gallon you really need to maximize the fuel efficiency.

In racing events every little bit of fuel you can reserve will give you an edge over the competition. For example the NASCAR drivers need to be able to evaluate when they will go in for fuel. Being able to go an extra lap over the competition can make the difference between coming in 5^th and coming in 1^st.

Most consumers are interested in the gas saving devices for their own personal vehicles though not those used commercially or for sporting events such as racing. There are a couple of devices you can have installed inside of your vehicle that do show a very small improvement. There are accessory driver modifiers which will periodically turn off devices including the air conditioning at certain times.

These can be effective if you have many accessories that will result in higher fuel costs. There are also censors that will notify you of behaviors you engage in that can increase your fuel consumption. For example if you need to shift to a lower gear or you need to reduce your speed.

This can be helpful if you want to make changes to your driving behaviors but you often need a reminder to assist you with it. You won’t be as likely to continue slipping into those older modes of behavior because you will have a constant way to remember it while behind the wheel of the vehicle.

Again, both of these types of devices are extremely expensive to install. They can range from $7,000 to $15,000. There doesn’t seem to be enough of a fuel savings to warrant installing them for most people.

Perhaps there will be future car models that offer them built in when you buy them. Even so, those models of cars are going to be more expensive than what is offered without them. The manufacturer of these vehicles is going to have to pass that cost on to the person who buys it.

What holds manufacturers back from doing so is that they need to have very competitive prices. There are too many different makes and models of vehicles that people can purchase. When price is a factor consumers aren’t going to pay for higher priced vehicles and so they have to balance what is practical and profitable for them into that overall equation.

Based on this information, there doesn’t seem to be and affordable gas saving devices out there that would really improve your gas mileage and cut back on your expenses in this area. It appears that if you want to make such changes you are going to have to take matters into your own hands.

Researchers may be on the right track though so one day it is possible that they will come up with something both effective and affordable for the average person to purchase. Of course that doesn’t leave us with a very pretty picture right now does it?

Don’t despair though as there are some things you can start doing right away to improve your gas mileage. They aren’t gimmicks or crazy ideas that someone else is going to make money off of. They are realistic approaches that you can certainly see benefits from in a short span of time.

Chapter 7

Save Money on Gas with Hypermiling Strategies

With all of the negativity out there about gas saving devices and products that just don’t work, you may be better off to put your time and money into other efforts that have been known to work rather well.

You can be sure if a really effective gas saving device does come onto the market it will be in the news, online, and people will be talking about it. In the mean time do what you can to save yourself as much money as you can. It can prevent you from being as stressed out when you see that gas gauge towards empty.

A very effective method you may want to incorporate into your gas saving efforts is hypermiling. It means you will be able to change some of your behaviors, get your vehicle in top operating shape, and maximize fuel efficiency. You will also be able to monitor your progress without any gadgets.

This is a proven way for you to save money without buying any type of product at all. In addition, it will help you to have a vehicle that last longer. You won’t be needing a new one any time soon when it is well maintained. It will also help to reduce the risk of vehicle related accidents.

How often do you change the oil on your vehicle?  This should be a standard practice every 3,000 miles or every 3 months. Which every one you get to first is what you go with. Most places that change your oil will put a sticker on the inside of the windshield. It will tell you the date and the mileage so you can easily view that information.

Having the right amount of air in your tires will help to reduce the amount of fuel you use as well. You need to check your owner’s manual to see how much pounds of pressure you should have in each of them. Too much or too little isn’t safe either so always keep a close eye on this.

Get your vehicle a tune up every six months to a year as well depending on how many miles you put on it. At this time they can do a complete inspection for you. Don’t wait until something is really wrong with your vehicle before you get it looked at.

A leaking fuel injector, clogged air filter, or an old oxygen sensor won’t prevent your vehicle from operating. However, it will increase the amount of fuel you have to use in order to get around. It is more cost effective to repair or replace these items in order to save you money in the long run.

By maintaining a constant speed you will use less fuel in you vehicle. It is when you accelerate and slow down all the time that you end up using more of it. If that is your style of driving then you can modify it. Stop speeding to get places on time and plan better so you can leave earlier.

Instead of rushing to pass the cars in front of you set your cruise control. This way you can stay at a constant speed. You also want to leave enough room between you and the car in front of you. This will require less breaking and so your car won’t use as much fuel to get back into motion again.

Making changes to your regular routine is also a big part of hypermiling. Think about carpooling to work and for your children’s activities whenever possible. This will reduce the amount of trips you make per week in your vehicle.

You also need to schedule errands and other outings so you aren’t covering the same ground over and over again. Plan when you will go to the grocery store and everything you need for a one or two week period. This way you won’t be having to go back and forth for select ingredients to complete your meals.

Hypermiling has become quite popular as a method for saving money on gas. It doesn’t require buying any type of device and most of the options are extremely affordable or cost nothing at all. An oil change generally runs about $30 which is no big deal. Other vehicle repairs are going to cost more but you still need to get them taken care of.

It is great if you can do the work on your own as you will only have to pay for the cost of the parts. When a mechanic does it for you there is also the cost of labor included. The sooner you get such repairs done though the faster you can start saving money on your gas expenses. It will also help you get more life out of your vehicle.

These strategies are definitely worth looking into to see how you can benefit from them. Since they are supported by the United States government, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Public Safety that makes them very credible too in the eyes of the consumer.

Hypermiling has proven to be much more valuable for those interested in saving money on gas than various types of devices and products on the market. If you want to see how they can work for you get a tank of gas. Keep track of the mileage and how many gallons of fuel you put in.

When you are out of gas determine how many miles you went on that tank of gas. When you divide that amount by the number of gallons you purchased you get the amount of miles per gallon.

Now Implement one or two of the hypermiling strategies before you fill up the second time. Keep track of your miles per gallon using that same formula. You will see some differences and hopefully that will encourage you to continue with these methods. You can also consider implementing a couple more of them to give yourself even better gas mileage.

Chapter 8

Conclusion

With gas prices continuing to soar, consumers are looking for every possible way to save money on it. If you take a look at what is offered you will find plenty of different gas saving devices offered. Most of them don’t seem to be very effective though. This is quite disheartening when you consider that this is a $25 million industry in 2007 alone.

According to the experts, about 95% of the gas saving products offered don’t stand up to the claims they make. They also don’t make enough of a difference to justify buying them. That can be extremely disappointing but that is the reality of it. So why do so many consumers continue to buy them?

First, they want to believe they work because they do want to be able to save money on their fuel costs. That is certainly understandable as we have all been affected by the high prices. They also see so many of the products on the market that they assume they must be working or they wouldn’t be offered. This is why such products continue to sell at very high rates.

Those are the consumers who aren’t taking the time to do their research before they invest in them either. They many end up purchasing several different gas saving products and devices before they finally see the big picture and how ineffective they have been.

They read the testimonials with the products or see the advertisements and decide that is what they need to purchase. They are in a hurry to access it and to benefit from it. Instead they end up losing their money and being disappointed. You should always pursue a refund when such gas saving products fail to give you the results that they advertise.

Some of the research conducted by Popular Mechanics has even proven that a handful of these so called gas saving devices actually end up increasing the amount of fuel that you use. That certainly isn’t the type of result you want to get from something like this that you pay for to use in your vehicles.

Therefore consumers really need to take their time choosing such products that are right for them. Take the time to read information online and see what is really going on with them. The information you get from other consumers is going to prove to be extremely valuable to you.

It should carry more weight with you than the business advertisements for such products. These will be honest reviews from real people who have been in your position before. It is quite likely the information they offer will prevent you from making a purchase of that particular gas saving device.

Making a well informed decision before you invest in this type of product is very wise. You don’t want to become frustrated or disappointed due to the results you get. It is also a good idea to look for those that offer a money back guarantee. This way you will be able to get your investment back if you aren’t 100% satisfied with what you purchase.

There is no argument that everyone needs to do what they can in order to save money on gas right now. But that doesn’t necessarily mean buying gas saving products is the way to go. Many consumers have been able to successfully incorporate the concepts of hypermiling to save money without any real investment.

For example, simply changing your driving habits can result in a significant amount of gas being conserved. In the end you will have to decide which gas saving methods are right for you. There are certainly many different choices that you are being offered right now.

From what has been reported from reputable agencies, there aren’t really effective gas saving devices and gadgets out there to really help you. There are plenty of in depth reports online about specific products you can read. This is better than buying them and trying them out on your own.

It can be frustrating paying high gas prices but be careful what you get encouraged to buy on the market during this difficult time. Your best bet is going to be to keep your car running properly and improving your driving habits.

Helpful Links

1) Convert Your Car To Burn Water + Gasoline = Triple Your Mileage!

2) Renewable Energy Solutions : 1. Build A Wind Generator 2. Biodiesel 3. Install Solar Panels 4. Build Your Own Home 5. Renewable Energy Solutions For Home, Car And Business

3) Alternative Energy Resources. Understanding and Installing Your Own Solar Electric System. Includes Worksheets,& Resources.

4) Keeping My Earth Green. You Can Learn How To Reduce Your Carbon Footprint And Help Reverse The Effects Of Global Warming.

5) Solar Power Design Manual. Teach Yourself All About Solar Power. Comprehensive Manual By Genuine Expert. Spreadsheet Included.

The cost of gas is more now than it has every been. In many locations people are paying twice as much per gallon as they were two years ago. There is information circulating in the news and online that the prices are just going to continue to get higher.

This has many consumers very concerned as they don’t know what they should do. Certainly they can’t afford to continue just paying the posted price at the pumps. Yet they can’t stop going to work or about their daily routine that requires them to use a vehicle.

A good strategy that many people are leaning towards more and more is more fuel efficient vehicles. These can get you where you need to go with less gas being used. Of course you want to be able to do so comfortably and safely as well as saving money.

You have several options when it comes to fuel efficient vehicles so take your time to evaluate them and make a good choice. You may find a combination of them is the way to go. For example a motorcycle to get to work and then a fuel efficient hybrid car for the family to get around in.

There are plenty of benefits to each of the various fuel efficiency vehicles as well as some disadvantages. We will go over each of these areas for them so you can make a well informed decision that works for you.

The goal is to be safe, save money, and to be comfortable. You should be able to find at least one fuel efficient vehicle that can do this. Once you are done reading this you should have all the information you need to make a decision that is right for you.

Chapter 2

Types of Fuel Efficient Vehicles

It is important that you understand your options when it comes to fuel efficient vehicles. There are many different types that you can choose from. Some of them only have two wheels while others have four. In the category of two wheels you have motorcycles, mopeds, and scooters.

In many ways they are all the same but there are enough significant differences to classify them differently. For example a motorcycle can obtain much higher speeds that a moped or scooter. There are also laws that pertain to where you can ride mopeds and scooters.

They often aren’t allowed on highways and freeways were there is a very high speed limit. They are mainly used for in town riding. There is also a lower age limit in many areas for them than motorcycles. You will have to refer to the specific laws and regulations in your particular area though.

Those fuel efficient vehicles that feature four wheels include hybrids, those that operate off of bio-diesel, and fuel efficient gas powered cars. All of them feature a variety of different models by various manufacturers. Since they are becoming more in demand you will find that more of them are being offered in order to keep up with consumer demands.

Chapter 3

Motorcycles

In the past it seems that motorcycles were only used by most people as a secondary vehicle. They allowed a person to get out into the open environment and enjoy a nice day. They were also great for long road trips when you wanted to see what the open road had to offer you. Today you will notice many more motorcycles out there on the road due to the cost of fuel. People are using them to commute to work and to complete other essential travels. You can get many more miles out of a motorcycle than a car.

Yet you can’t rely upon a motorcycle when they weather is bad. If you live in a region where the temperatures turn really cold and snow is common then that motorcycle will need to be stored. You may be on it and end up in a rain storm on a sunny afternoon as well.

You also can’t drive a motorcycle to the grocery store or to pick up the dry cleaning. Even so, you can use it as much as possible when the weather is nice and you don’t have such errands to run. That will save you money on gas a great deal of the time anyway.

Then you can use your other vehicle for the rest of the time and do your best to cut costs on it any way that you can when it comes to filling up at the pump. Just make sure you take a look at the cost of motorcycle insurance and other factors so you can budget for the cost.

Since you are out in the open there is more risk of serious injury when you get involved in a motorcycle accident. Too many motorists on the road don’t pay attention to motorcycles as they are small. They can end up in the blind spot when a driver is attempting to switch lanes as well.

Make sure you always wear long pants, a long sleeved shirt, and a helmet when you operate a motorcycle. You want to protect your body as much as you can in the event that any accident does occur. A helmet can definitely save your life so don’t leave it behind even if you are only going for a very short trip.

Motorcycle prices are relatively affordable though but it depends on what you want. The size of the motor as well as the brand will influence the price. You can get a stock model or have one custom make for you. Make sure you compare the cost of a new one versus a used one so you can get the best deal.

Of course not everyone is comfortable operating a motorcycle. It can take time to learn the rules of it. You don’t want to buy one until you know how to operate one. See if you can get a friend or family member to help you learn on their motorcycle.

Some retailers will offer free lessons too if they know you are interested in learning to ride. Ask about this to see what details they can provide. Take your time to get comfortable on a motorcycle though before you rush into driving it on the road with other vehicles.

It isn’t just men who are out there looking at motorcycles though. Many women are as well. In fact, there are certain models of them offered by top manufacturers including Harley Davidson just for women. They are lighter so they won’t be as difficult to keep balanced.

Take the time to make sure any motorcycle you are going to operate is a good match for your size. You should be able to touch the ground with both feed flat when you have it level. The weight of it needs to be manageable for you as well.

Be sure to check the distance between your arms and the handle bars. If you aren’t comfortable then you need one with a shorter reach. There are different sizes of engines in motorcycles and that will result in various amounts of power behind the throttle. Make sure you take a look at what is offered so you won’t have any surprises.

You may need to take a written and verbal test at your local DMV in order to obtain a motorcycle license as well. Check to see what regulations are in place in your area. That way you aren’t breaking the law in any way in order to save money on gas prices.

Chapter 4

Mopeds

A moped is similar to a motorcycle in a variety of ways. It isn’t a mode of fuel efficient transportation that you can use to travel on the highways though. The highest speed they offer is about 31 miles per hour. You would be a hazard to yourself and others on busy roads only going that fast.

A moped features a very small engine as well. They don’t offer anything more than a 50cc motor. This means you will have enough power to get out there and do what you need to but not enough to really harm yourself. Still, you should always wear a helmet when you operate one just to be safe.

In most states you must be at least 16 years of age to get a valid license to operate one. This often requires completing a course of instruction as well as a written test. The rules can vary so make sure you find out how they apply in your own area.

For example in many locations if you already have a valid driver’s license in that state that was issued before 2001 you are exempt from the above process. You are automatically able to operate a moped in town without having to obtain the additional licensing.

They are really great for in town though and they are very simple to operate. It doesn’t take as much effort to balance one as it does with a motorcycle. That is because they are extremely lightweight. They also cost only a couple of thousand dollars new. You can get a used one for even less than that if you take the time to look in the right places.

Most of the mopeds out there feature a basket on the front so you can place some items in there. So if you drive it to town to run errands you can have a place to put the few things you are picking up. You won’t be able to do a large amount of shopping but you will have enough room for a few basic items.

Chapter 5

Scooters

Scooters are a notch below mopeds in terms of speed. They aren’t going to go more than 20 miles per hour with the electric models. Still, you can use them to get around faster and easier than using a regular bicycle. The are great if you live in a small area where things are relatively close. You may not have public transportation available so this can help.

The laws are very different when it comes to who can legally operate a scooter. it also depends on the type. In some areas children as young as 12 years of age are able to do so. In other places though you must be the same age as required to legally operate a vehicle and have a valid driver’s license.

There are small sized scooters where you stand on a board that is similar to a skateboard. Some models have an extremely thin board to stand on. There is a handle that should be adjustable to your height that you use to maneuver the scooter. It is shaped like the letter T.

There will be a small gas tank on the side of it that holds up to five gallons of gas depending on the type of scooter that you have. Many of them have a pull start mechanism that you need to engage before you can get the fuel to run through the system and give you the necessary power to move about.

Some of the more expensive scooters look like mopeds but they operate with the use of a battery and electricity. These models may or may not use gas depending on which model you select. Those that do require the use of gas aren’t going to consume very much of it though at any given time.

Chapter 6

Hybrids

Not everyone is comfortable with a fuel efficiency vehicle that only has two wheels though. There shouldn’t be a push for a person who isn’t confident in their ability to operate one to have to do so. This can result in a accident occurring and that isn’t worth saving money on fuel costs.

For other people, those types of vehicles just aren’t practical. You may have a family so you need to drop the baby at daycare and another child off at school. You can’t do that without a regular vehicle.

You may live in an area where it is too cold for most of the year to get any real use out of those two wheeled options even though they are fuel efficient. There is no need to worry though as you do have some really good options.

One of them you have likely hear a great deal about is the hybrid. This is a type of vehicle that operates using two different fuel sources. One of them is gasoline and the other is either solar power or electricity. With the solar power, there are cells that charge during the day. With the electricity there are batteries that have to be recharged on a regular basis.

Regardless of which one you choose, gasoline will be the back up fuel source. This means when you don’t have any more solar power in the cells or any more electricity in the batteries you will switch over to the gasoline that is in your vehicle.

Once you have the opportunity to recharge the main energy source, it will switch back over. You don’t have to do anything to get the vehicle to go from one power source to the next. It will be an automatic switch over and it can happen in the middle of your commute to work. You won’t lose power in the vehicle so don’t worry about the speed limit that you are driving.

A hybrid vehicle is designed to be able to save energy in ways that ordinary vehicles can’t. Pushing on the brakes of your vehicle is a common practice. It helps you to slow down when you need to as well as to completely stop your vehicle.

In a regular vehicle the braking process results in more fuel being used. This is because they car has to get back to a certain speed and it takes fuel to do so. Hybrids rely on a process known as regenerative braking. Instead of using more fuel you will actually create more energy each time you step on the brakes.

All hybrids also have an automatic shut off sensor. This means when you roll up to a stop sign the engine will completely stop. As soon as you step on the gas pedal though it will restart. As a result the excess idling that adds up and wastes fuel is completely eliminated.

A smaller motor is used in hybrid vehicles so it takes less fuel to give them the necessary power. However, you don’t have to worry about not having enough power to go the proper speed limit or anything like that.

Some people have a fear that a hybrid will be slow and that it will just leave them stranded due to not enough energy. This isn’t a scenario that will ever become a reality for anyone with a hybrid vehicle.

They are very well made and for years they were researched before offered to the general public. In fact, hybrids were tested by companies all over the world including the various branches of the United States military.

For those individuals who want to continue driving larger sized vehicles, a hybrid can be the perfect solution. There are small vehicles but also the large ones including the Yukon by GMC and the Tahoe by Chevrolet. Both of these were added in 2008 to meet consumer demands.

These hybrid vehicles are expensive though and that is what often prevents consumers from buying them. The would love to own one in order to save money and to protect the environment. However, financially they may not be able to meet the monthly obligation of getting such a fuel efficient vehicle.

The government does offer some very nice incentives though. When you file your income tax return you can claim a huge deduction for the year in which you purchase your hybrid. This can be something to really entice those who are sitting on the fence to move forward with their purchase.

You will find though that for many types of hybrid vehicles there is a waiting list. That is because the manufacturers have limited the number of them that they make. Of course they have been looking at increasing those numbers due to the number of consumers after them these days.

High gas prices at the pump that don’t look like they will be dropping any time soon are encouraging more consumers in  the market for a new vehicle to look at them. They want to do all they can to get a reliable vehicle, protect the environment, and cut down on the amount of money they pay for fuel.

However, there have been reports that there is a shortage of the necessary materials required to make a quality hybrid vehicle. A key element that must be used to make the electric motors for hybrids as well as the propulsion system for the batteries require the use of Dysprosium.

This particular element is rare and most of it is found in China. Yet they aren’t willing to share too much of it because they rely upon the use of Dysprosium for their electronic gadgets that they sale all over the world. In the mean time researchers to continue to look for alternative elements that may be able to work in place of the Dysprosium.

Some people have the image of a hybrid vehicle being strange looking but that couldn’t be further from the truth. There are many common models of vehicle son the road that are this design. You may drive with them on the same roads each day and just not realize it.

There are many terrific hybrid vehicles you can choose from out there. You should take a look online for a complete list of them but here is some information on some of the common ones. You can anticipate spending from $27,000 to $64,000 on one depending on the model you are most interested in.

One of the top selling hybrids is the Honda Civic. Not only is it a top compact car for comfort and style, the original models are very fuel efficient as well. This means when you do need to switch over from electricity or solar power to fuel you won’t be consuming very much of it in the process.

With the rate of 45 miles to the gallon as a hybrid on the highway and 40 in town you certainly should be checking into this type of hybrid. It is relatively high priced though which is the down side of things. However, it can certainly prove to be quite a good investment that will save you plenty of money in fuel to compensate for that.

The Nissan Altima is one of the most affordable hybrid cars out there. It also features a simple yet sophisticated design so people really like it. This is a classy car without going to the extremes. It does very well with fuel efficiency as well. On the highway you can expect to get 42 miles per gallon. In town you should still get about 35.

The most expensive hybrid vehicle that you will come across is the Mercedes Benz. This is a very sophisticated model that comes with a hefty price tag as well. It offers all the features of a sports car though including fast speeds. It has the luxury too with very comfortable seats and all the options you can imagine.

There are many models of hybrid vehicles that will be emerging on the market for 2009. Most of them will be out in October or November of 2008. They include the Audi Q7, Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Silverado pickup, Dodge Durango, GMC Sierra pickup, Saturn Vue, Toyota Sienna which will be a hybrid minivan, and the Toyota Prius.

As you can see there are many new options that will soon be available for consumers in the way of hybrid vehicles. This is very exciting to those tired of paying very high prices. You can get a sneak peek at the 2009 hybrid models at various car shows around the United States. Go online to find out when one will be in your area.

If you find one you really like, it may be a good idea to deal with the manufacturer directly. They can help you to reserve one now so you won’t be on a waiting list later on.  You can even have it customized with the accessories you want, the interior you choose, and the exterior color that you will be very happy with.

Chapter 7

Bio-Diesel Power

An option many consumers are interested in is bio-diesel power. This is a type of alternative power that means you won’t be relying upon gasoline in order to power your vehicle. It may sound crazy but this process involves using vegetable oil to keep your vehicle running.

The problem though is that the use of bio-diesel isn’t standard in the United States. So getting you hands on what you need at times can prove to be difficult. Yet many consumers say they don’t have any problems with their vehicles using this type of alternative fuel. It keeps the insides of it well lubricated and the oil stays clean.

There are starting to be more places though where you can get bio-diesel fuel at the pumps though. This is exciting for those who manufacture such vehicles as well as those consumers interested in buying them. It is sold for a price that is significantly lower than standard fuel as well.

Other consumers with bio-diesel vehicles are content to place fresh vegetable oil into their vehicles. Some people have been known to also use the used vegetable oil from restaurants without experiencing any problems. This is a very creative way to stop being robbed blind at the gas station.

Of course that used vegetable oil can’t be dumped directly into your vehicle in such a condition. Instead it has to be processed to remove pieces of food, various debris, and glycerin found in such forms of used vegetable oil. Failure to remove them will prevent your vehicle from operating like it should.

The fact that the use of bio-diesel fuel also results in less emissions into the air is important as well. Not only will you save money on fuel but you will be doing your part to protect the environment as well. Many people are buying conversion kits so they can start using bio-diesel and stop buying gasoline. This type of conversion can only be completed accurately if you have a diesel vehicle.

You can also choose to buy a bio-diesel vehicle directly from various dealers. Some of the top vehicle manufacturers now offer such models for customers to choose from. All of the Volkswagen models can be purchased with the bio-diesel option.

Large sized pickups are often ran by diesel fuel. You will find most of them offered by various manufacturers including Chevy, Ford, and Dodge all offer them. Some foreign options include Volvo and Mercedes. Right now Jeep has a new model that is getting ready for production to take off.

A person with these types of vehicles often needs a great deal of power behind them to get the job accomplished. It is important to realize that there is no difference between a regular heavy duty vehicle that operates on diesel fuel and one that operates on bio-diesel fuel except for that source of energy.

The power of the vehicle will remain the same regardless of which one you use. One issue that has become quite a concern though is that bio-diesel vehicles can be very tough to start in colder weather. This is due to the fact that the materials used to make it become thick during that time of the year.

A solution to this that has been working well is to mix the bio-diesel fuel with some petroleum. Generally this is a mix of 80% bio-diesel and 20% petroleum to get a good balance. The amount of petroleum that will be added though depends on how cold of a climate you live in.

Since bio-diesel is man made we will always have enough of it. There is a limit to the natural resources we have. Once they are depleted we will never be able to use them again. Saving what we do have for future generations is something to consider.

It can be very expensive to buy a bio-diesel vehicle though and that is what often holds many consumers back from doing so. Add that to the fact that they are skeptical about vegetable being suitable for a vehicle to operate on. As a society we get too comfortable with the norm and that can hinder advancement for us in many aspects.

Chapter 8

Top Gas Powered Cars that are Fuel Efficient

You may find it is time to either trade in your gas guzzler or to purchase an additional vehicle that is fuel efficient. There are some really great ones out there offered by the best manufactures. Many of the best are compact cars but some of them are medium in size.

You may have the image of being squeezed into a seat that is too small and not enough room for your groceries. Yet most of these fuel efficient cars are roomier than you might think. It can be helpful to take your entire family to look for one. This way you can see just how good of a fit it would end up being.

This is a smart move as you may have a child or two that use car seats. They do take up more room but you want to find out for sure how everyone is going to fit. Saving money on gas isn’t going to be something you care about too much if everyone in the car is complaining about not enough space each time they get into it.

The Ford Focus gets the top billing when it comes to fuel efficient cars. This is also a very affordable car to buy either new or used. They come with two or four doors so you can decide which model is best for you. It should get you between 28-30 miles per gallon on the highway and 24 in town.

The Honda Fit is similar with a hatch back as well as two or four doors. It does get better gas mileage though at a rate of 34 miles per gallon on the highway and 28 in town. It isn’t as comfortable overall as the Ford Focus though so that is why it doesn’t get top billing.

Honda also comes in at #3 with the Civic. This is a car they have had around for quite some time. It has always been very fuel efficient but more people are interested in it now than before due to the high fuel prices. It offers up to 36 miles per gallon on the highway and 25 in town.

The most expensive fuel efficient vehicle out there is the Mercedes Benz. These are very stylish vehicles and often driven by those who want to let their prestige shine. This is an extremely well built vehicle that is also extremely fast. Most people only dream of owning such a fabulous car though as they are out of the price range for most of us. They do offer 32 miles per gallon on the highway about 25 in town.

Completing the top five is the mini Cooper. This is likely the most fun you will have with a fuel efficient car. They offer plenty of room inside and a great style with the exterior. They are more common with women than with men though as they tend to be labeled as cute.

If you weren’t impressed with the power it offered in the past, you should look at the newer models. BMW has been listening to consumers and the Mini Cooper now features more power than ever before. In addition to being fuel efficient it is also very environmentally friendly.

When you see that it gets 37 miles to the gallon on the highway and 28 in town you will definitely be impressed! They have a decent price too so you won’t find it to be too unreasonable to fit into your budget. The money you save on gas for it can go towards paying your payment on it each month!

Spots 6 and 7 in the top 10 fuel efficient vehicles are both by Nissan. First you have the Nissan Altima which is a medium sized vehicle. It has a nice rounded design along the back side which makes it look more expensive than it really is. The fuel savings won’t be as high as with some of the other vehicles we have talked about.

Yet if comfort is very important to you then this could be the one to choose. You will be able to get 31 miles per gallon on the highway and 32 in town. This is a 4-cylinder vehicle that has enough power to keep even a picky car owner very satisfied.

Next is the Nissan Sentra which offers just about the same miles per gallon as the sister Altima does. The main difference is that his sedan is an automatic while just about all of the other fuel efficiency vehicles including the Altima are manual.

Watch out for bigger and better things on the horizon from Toyota in the area of fuel efficient vehicles as well. They are very proud to be filling up the last three slots on the top ten countdown. The fact that they have more vehicles on this list than any other manufacturer means they really are dedicated to helping both the environment and consumers.

The Toyota Camry has always been well loved by consumers as it is a well designed vehicle. It is comfortable and it handles extremely well. This was one of the top selling models for years before gas prices became so difficult to fit into the budget.

This particular vehicle is also available as a hybrid but there is a long waiting list to get your hands on one right now. The regular model offers about the same miles per gallon both on the highway and in town with a number of about 34. However, the hybrid will give you about 44 miles per gallon which is significantly higher.

The Toyota Corolla is a smaller model than the Camry but still a very good vehicle. It is less expensive as well so if you are looking to get something to work well in your budget this could be it. If you haven’t been impressed with the body style though keep an eye out for the new design in 2009.

The Toyota Corolla is available in both manual and automatic transmissions which is nice for consumers. Which one you choose won’t make too much of a difference as far as your fuel mileage is concerned though. You should be able to get 35 miles per gallon on the highway and 26 miles per gallon in town.

You will be amazed at the gas savings you will get with the number ten on the list. It is the Toyota Prius which can get 48 miles per gallon on the highway and 45 on the highway. Many consumers don’t like the style of this vehicle though. They feel the back end looks smashed or like it wasn’t finished. The square look can make the entire vehicle look odd.

Yet if you really want something that is going to save you money at the pump, this fuel efficient vehicle can certainly do so. It does have a futuristic look to it that many people just aren’t ready for yet. While they agree it handles nice and is roomy, it can be hard to commit to a vehicle you aren’t going to want to see in your driveway each morning.

Chapter 9

Conclusion

With the cost of a gallon gas around $4 as the National average, it is understood that many consumers are very upset about what it costs to put enough fuel in their vehicle to get around. Depending on the type of vehicle you have your overall cost will vary. It also depends on how many miles you put on your vehicle in a given span of time.

As a result of these continuous increases, consumers are left feeling helpless. Many of them are turning to fuel efficient vehicles that offer them the chance to pay less for fuel though. They may be trading on their current vehicle for something else or buying an additional vehicle to help them cut costs.

This may be in the form of a new vehicle or a used one that still have plenty of life left in it. Being able to calculate the differences between the ongoing cost of fuel for you right now and what you will be paying if you do get a different vehicle is important.

That way you can determine if the purchase will be cost effective in the long run for you or not. There is no point of doing it though if you aren’t able to get a great return on your investment. The information you just read should help you to determine which type of fuel efficient vehicle is right for you.

It may be a two wheeled model such as a motorcycle, moped, or scooter. It really depends on where you will be traveling due to the various speeds that they offer. In addition to being able to save money on fuel with these options though you need to pay attention to some other factors.

For example you need to find out about the licensing requirements in your area. You also need to make safety a priority. Never operate such vehicles when the road conditions aren’t right for it. You also need to make it a habit of wearing a helmet. It doesn’t matter how fast you will be traveling or how far of a distance.

You can also go with regular vehicles that are more fuel efficient than what you operate right now. This can be in the form of a hybrid, a bio-diesel vehicle, or a fuel efficient model that is offered. All of them can be a great solution when you want some armor around you to protect you when you are on the road. It also provides you with room for more than one passenger.

Hybrid vehicles are more expensive than regular fuel efficient models. This is due to the high demand for them as well as for the cost of making them. They are excellent for the environment though which is refreshing to hear. They also only use fuel when the electricity or solar power that is mainly used is depleted.

The amount of gas you will use depends on how long it is before you are able to restore that main power source to the hybrid. Even when you are relying upon the gas though for power you will get an amazing amount of miles per gallon of fuel.

Bio-diesel is a type of alternative fuel that can be used instead of gasoline to operate your vehicle. You can modify older vehicles that have a diesel system in them with a converter kit. This can cost a couple of thousand dollars but can prove to be very cost effective.

There are also bio-diesel vehicles you can buy new from the manufacturer. They operate with the use of vegetable oil and they seem to be vehicles that will last a very long time. They also don’t release as many emissions into the environment as other vehicles on our roads do.

The list of the top ten fuel efficient vehicles on the market right now should prove to be very helpful. If you are in the market for a new vehicle then take a look at them to see what you like. Should you decide to go with another model of vehicle you should look up the information on it before you buy it.

While you may love the look of a particular vehicle, the fact is that you may end up struggling continually to pay for the gas that you must put inside of it. That isn’t going to benefit you in any way so make sure the amount of miles per gallon you can expect from what you buy is going to be something you can work with.

Remember that fuel prices are expected to continue rising. That cost is something you need to think about when you shop for a fuel efficient vehicle. It also needs to be safe and to offer you enough room. Even though you want to maximize fuel savings you need to be realistic.

It won’t work well to cram your family of five into a Ford Focus even though it offers really great fuel mileage. You will need to go with a medium sized fuel efficient vehicle that may not get as good of gas mileage but you will all fit into it comfortably.

This type of trade off is important to keep you all happy. You certainly don’t want to ride to work each day in a vehicle that has your knees pressed tightly up against the dashboard. Paying attention to such details is important with the majority of fuel efficient vehicles being compact cars.

If a larger vehicle is what you need then do your best to find one that is decent in regards to the fuel mileage it gets. Before fuel is up to $5 a gallon which is predicted by the end of the summer you need to have a plan of action. You can sit around and let the cost continue to stress you out or you can use a method of transportation that is more fuel efficient.

Hopefully you will be able to soon implement one of these fuel saving vehicles into your lifestyle. You will be able to breath easier when you drive to the gas station and see the prices posted for fuel. There is quite a demand for these vehicles these days so the sooner you start to look the better deal you can secure.

Helpful Links

1) Convert Your Car To Burn Water + Gasoline = Triple Your Mileage!

2) Renewable Energy Solutions : 1. Build A Wind Generator 2. Biodiesel 3. Install Solar Panels 4. Build Your Own Home 5. Renewable Energy Solutions For Home, Car And Business

3) Alternative Energy Resources. Understanding and Installing Your Own Solar Electric System. Includes Worksheets,& Resources.

4) Keeping My Earth Green. You Can Learn How To Reduce Your Carbon Footprint And Help Reverse The Effects Of Global Warming.

5) Solar Power Design Manual. Teach Yourself All About Solar Power. Comprehensive Manual By Genuine Expert. Spreadsheet Included.