Easy Eco Blog » Sustainability

Solar Ovens – Solar Cookers

easy eco blog — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 07:00:09 +0000

Solar ovens or solar cookers are growing in popularity with free plans to make your own. Kids are making them out of shoeboxes for school in our area. You can also buy a pre-made one. FAQ

Harness the free energy of the sun to cook your meal. A single-reflector box cooker can tops out at around 150° C (300° F) but food needs only 90° C (200° F) to cook. Cooking time is approximately twice as long as a conventional oven. Dark pots and pans work best.

Roll your own and give it a try. The costs are not high and the benefits delicious.

Be sure to read: Are Solar Panels for Me?

Easy Vegetable Gardens – Farm in a box

easy eco blog — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 07:00:49 +0000

We’ve covered the economics of a vegetable garden in the past. While they are quite favorable, so people do not have the space or green thumb to start a full blown garden. Granted these items do cost money.

Earth Solutions sells a Farm in a Box that lets people easily “grow organic fish and vegetables in natural harmony, with no dirt and weeds!”

Earthbox is a “maintenance-free, award-winning, high-tech growing system controls soil conditions, eliminates guesswork and more than doubles the yield of a conventional garden- with less fertilizer, less water and virtually no effort.” Amazon even sells this.

Green Mattress – Organic Mattress

easy eco blog — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 07:00:03 +0000

We spend many hours on a mattress, making it one of the biggest investments in your health.

How can a mattress be an organic mattress? There do no appear to be any organizations like the USDA certifying mattresses to be organic, yet the term is used all over the marketplace. A factory could be third party certified as meeting organic rules.

Clearly many mainstream mattresses are made of synthetic materials like polyurethane, have chemical treatments applied to them, and have poses a chemical VOC off gassing problem.

A green mattress or organic mattress can utilize 100% USDA certified organic cotton, natural rubber latex core, 100% pure organic wool, FSC Certified wood foundation. This all comes at a price of course. Many are twice as expensive as the typical mattress and are only sold at few outlets. Some green mattresses are certified by GreenGuard, like the ones from Lifekind, Naturepedic, and Organic Mattresses.

These are criteria to look for in a new green mattress, organic mattress, or crib:

1) No chemicals, formaldehyde, PBDE’s, toxic glue, petroleum products, no off gassing

2) Natural latex rubber – Hypoallergenic, durable

3) Organic cotton and wool quilting – Pass fire standard law of July 30, 2007

4) Cotton Fiber free – Prevents dust mites, mold

Green Memory Foam Mattresses have similar qualities. We will spend 1/3 of our life on these things, so it pays to think carefully about this purchase.

Picking Solar Panels – Finding the Best Solar Panels

easy eco blog — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 07:00:34 +0000

The Earth receives more energy from the Sun in one hour than the whole World uses in a whole year. Time to tap into that. Solar power is used to power everything from calculators to Coast Guard buoys to highway signs to the International Space Station.

You have read Are Solar Panels for me? and Solar Panel Installation – Planning and are ready for more details. Photovoltaic Solar panels were invented at Bell Labs in 1953. They have evolved over the years and several different types of solar panels exist, and choosing between then is confusing. No one vendor will have access to all products, so you will have to do some shopping around to find the best solar panels.

Monocrystalline or Polycrystalline Panels

These solar panels are made either from single crystal cells or stringing ribbon of multiple crystals. They are the classic version of solar panels and are rated for good efficiency, around 12-13% power conversion, and a Long lifespan, possibly 30 years+? Sunpower has a model with a very high 19.3% efficiency. Monocrystalline panels are less efficient in hotter climates and work best in unobstructed sun. A panel’s power will drop by 50% if a even one cell on the panel is half shaded. Temperatures typically above 75 degrees F cause most solar panel power generation to decrease. Solar panel suppliers include: Sharp, Hitachi, Mitsubishi, Kyocera, Schott, SolarWorld, SunTech, Sunpower, bp solar.

Thin Film Panels

Less efficient than the Crystal Panels, but they much thinner and easier to make. Less efficient than monocrystalline, at 10-12% efficiency. They work better when you have slight shading and are not affected by hot weather as much as monocrystalline. Major Drawback of performance degradation over time. Possible lifespans of 10 years. Suppliers include: Nanosolar, Unisolar

Hybrid Panels

Hybrids of single crystalline silicon surrounded by ultra-thin amorphous silicon layers. Produces 10% or more electricity (kWh) than conventional crystalline silicon solar panels at the same temperature. Good efficiency levels of 16%. Hybrid Solar Panel Suppliers include: Sanyo

Solar Panel Power Ratings

Solar Panels are rated by Maximum power generated or Pmax that they produce in Watts when exposed to full sun. The rating may be calculated at STC - Standard Test Conditions at the factory or PTC – Practical Test Conditions which are more real world. PTC numbers are almost always lower than STC numbers. Most spec sheets will also show how much power they make with varying current and voltage. To calculate total system power, you need to compare Apples to Apples. Power output of solar panels decrease with time. Many panels are rated for 80% output for 25 years, 90% output for 10 years.

Also look for the negative tolerance rating of solar panels. This number reduces the PTC rating, so a high PTC rating with a high negative tolerance is not good. A 200 watt PTC panel with 10% negative tolerance could produce only 180 watts.

Look for the installer to quote a minimum warranted power rating for solar panels.

Total Solar System Power in CEC AC Watts output = Number of Panels X PTC Power rating of each Solar Panel X Inverter efficiency.

3456 watt CEC AC Rating = 3.4 kw = 12 panels X 300 Watt PTC Rating x 96% Inverter efficiency

This is a real world power output ratings of a solar electric array.

Solar Panel Inverters

Inverters convert DC power from the solar panel to AC power you can use. Look for brand name inverters from Sunny Boy. Target inverters with 95% or higher efficiency and 10 year warranty. Options include web interface to get statistics, SD Card for holding data, or even WiFi access.

Solar Panel Warranty

Look for a solar panel that has a long warranty. The longer the warranty, the more reliable the vendor feels the solar panel is. 20 or 25 years is not uncommon. Life expectancies of up to 40 years are now being seen. Watch out for dealers that promise warranties that may outlive their firms.

Solar Panel Rebates

Most rebates have lists of qualified solar panels. This can help narrow down what you can buy. California has a list.

The solar panel that is right for you, depends on your budget, location, and power needs. Some installations may need different types of panels for different locations, especially for areas of no shade and partial shading. Consult a local expert to find what is right for you.

Beware of the latest technology, you do not want to pay thousands of dollars and be a beta tester.

Yogen Universal Mobile-device Charger

easy eco blog — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 07:00:35 +0000

Another green charger! Yogen Universal Mobile-device Charger will charge your mobile device with only a few minutes of pull/release time. They have versions for iPods, iPhones, MP3 players, Cameras and more. It is really good for travel, hiking, camping, emergencies, etc.

New San Francisco Green Remodeling Store

easy eco blog — Thu, 13 May 2010 07:00:07 +0000

A New Green Remodeling Store has opened in San Francisco. Ecohaus has opened at 9th & Bryant. They sell green building materials and can brainstorm with you on your new remodeling projects. They also have stores in Seattle and Portland. It is always good to have a new resource and local supply place for green products. They even carry Hard to find Osmo Polyx-Oil.

“Our space features sustainable building materials in its displays and offices, including FSC Certified PureBond plywood, 100% wool carpets, and PaperStone countertops. We’re even reusing display fixtures from a previous showroom to reduce our material use!”

What makes a Green Computer or Electronics Product?

easy eco blog — Mon, 10 May 2010 07:00:43 +0000

You are interested in a new computer or new TV or new electronics gadget. You want to be green, to minimize the impact on our planet, and are recycling your old product. Very few people know how to judge the eco-friendliness of electronics. Hundreds of new products have hit the market with reduced power needs. Here are some criteria to judge new electronics on greenness:

Buy from a Green Company

Greenpeace has a ranking guide to the top 18 manufacturers. You can see which manufacturers are more serious about the environment. Select ones that are higher up the list. Nokia and Sony Ericsson rank well.

Computers and electronics

Energy Star rated products have their logo on them and use less energy. If all computer sold in the US had the Energy Star label we could save $2 billion on energy costs. They have certified everything from TVs, monitors, printers, computers to cordless phones. Desktop/integrated desktop and notebook computers, products must meet stringent TEC requirements for estimated annual energy consumption, power supply efficiency, and phantom power. Keep in mind that their testing has been called out of date, so you still need to follow techniques to save power.

RoHS logo is the European Directive on the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances
in Electrical and Electronic Equipment, also known as the RoHS Directive. Examples of
materials restricted by RoHS include lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, and
the brominated flame retardants (BFRs) PBB and PBDE. Look for products with this marking.

DigitalTips has an Energy Calculator to show how much powering your electronics costs as well as how to find green electronics.

Computers – desktops, notebooks, and monitors

EPEAT is a certification that helps purchasers evaluate, compare and select electronic products based on their environmental attributes. It is based on the IEEE 1680 standard. Any computer that has an EPEAT rating is good. Ones with EPEAT Gold ratings are even better.

Televisions

Cnet has good reviews of flatscreen TVs that include power consumption. Newer LCD TVs will meet California’s low power guidelines. Newer sets draw less power when idle and when operating. Some Flat Panel TVs have room sensors to turn off when you are not in the room. Optimize your TV with our LCD Flat Panel Power Saving Tips.

General Guidelines

Economically upgrade your current machine within reason to extend its life first. Windows XP software tips to speed up and secure your computer.

The product should be made with as many recycled materials as possible. No toxic materials like mercury, brominate, PVC, or arsenic should be use. The product should be easily recycled when the its life has expired.

Electronics should draw as little power as possible especially when in standby mode. Do not assume that your product is completely optimized to save energy. Follow our techniques to save power using special power strips and power measuring tools to ensure phantom or vampire power is not being drawn.

Packaging

Look for minimal amount of packaging. The packaging should be made from recycled materials and should be recyclable with itself. Manuals should be the same.

Examples of Green Electronics

Sony VAIO notebook computer

D-Link wireless router

Amazon Green Electronics Section

Energy-Efficient TVs

Garmin Nuvi with eco-route fuel savings

Be sure to read our article:

Extend Battery Life, Laptop Battery Life, iPhone Battery Life

Certified Organic Foods and Their Meaning

easy eco blog — Sat, 08 May 2010 07:00:43 +0000

A recent Q&A article from a NYU professor answers some questions regarding Organic food and Nutrition. Some of the most interesting tidbits from the article:

Certified 100% Organic means that all the ingredients in a product have been grown or raised according to the USDA’s organic standards, which are the rules for producing foods labeled organic.

Certified Organic requires that 95 to 99% of the ingredients follow the rules.

Made with organic ingredients means that at least 70% of the ingredients were organic.

USDA organic rules are about the letter of the law, not its spirit. Food marketers, however, take advantage of public perceptions that “organic” implies spirit - sustainability and better nutrition. Companies that follow the rules can legitimately market highly processed foods as organic, taking advantage of their health aura to command higher prices.

Q: Aren’t organics elitist? People can’t buy organic foods if they aren’t available at an affordable price.

A: I once heard Eric Schlosser answer a similar question aimed at his book, “Fast Food Nation.” He pointed out that social movements have to begin somewhere and that several began with elites but ended up helping the poor and disenfranchised – the civil rights, environmental and women’s movements, for example.

I would add the organic movement to this list. It has already forced mainstream food producers to start cutting down on pesticides and to raise farm animals more humanely. As the supply of organic foods increases, and the Wal-Marts of the world sell more of them, organics should become more democratic.

Compost Bins, How to Compost, and discount Costco Composters

easy eco blog — Wed, 05 May 2010 07:00:03 +0000

100 billion pounds of food waste are discarded every year, that is almost 25% of all our food. Additional waste is created at processing plants and farms. Rotting food creates methane, a terrible greenhouse gas. Someday trash dumps will recover all this gas. Right now, you can turn food scraps into useful matter by composting. If your local sanitation department does not have a composting program, you can do it yourself.

Composting is utilizing mother nature in turning food scraps and yard trimmings into super nutrient rich soil. It helps reduce waste and produces the best growing soil around. Backyard composting is good for gardeners and those who have lots of yard trimmings and some produce scraps.

You know composting is going mainstream when you see Costco is selling several composters. Even Amazon has a bunch of low-cost composters.

Here is a good guide to composting. We find it a great way to reduce the amount of trash put out and a great way to make some valuable rocket soil for growing plants.

We put a container by the sink to collect compostables and later move them to our compost bin.

Here is our big compost bin. It works but is not built very well. The plastic parts come apart forcing us to relatch it every couple months.

This compost is the final result of our efforts.

Ecomomics of a Vegetable Garden

easy eco blog — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 07:00:43 +0000

photo credit: Mark F. Levisay

Spring time brings out the home improvement commercials reminding us it is time to plant. With the White House garden making the news and everyone wanting to keep it local and organic, what are the economics of growing your own vegetables?

Kitchen Gardeners International did some analysis on a 1600 sq ft garden in Maine. They produced $2149 worth of veggies, 834 pounds, and over 6 months worth of organic food. Their cost was $282 plus a lot of hard work. A pretty darn good return on investment.

National Gardening Association found a $70/year investment produced $600 worth of vegetables.

Heirloom fruits and vegetables are varieties that are at least 50 years old and have been preserved because of their appearance flavor and desirability. Consider planting some of these seeds. Be sure to exchange any unused seeds with others.