This BBC article discusses how the not only this initiative will provide jobs, but it will provide energy from the sun to power over 70,000 homes WHILE cutting carbon dioxide emissions.

Good news!

If you’re thinking solar, or renewable energy, be sure to give us a call at (239) 574-1500, or visit our Web Site at: www.FafcoSolar.com.

Enjoy!

- Dan

Many are participating in the national Hands Across the Sand event which will be here tomorrow, June 26th at noon.

The regional “UGottaGoGreen.com” web site has a very convenient listing of all of the places you can participate in the event in Southwest Florida (simply visit this page, and scroll down).

If you’d like to learn more about Hands Across the Sand, be sure to visit their web site at www.HandsAcrosstheSand.com.

See you tomorrow at noon!

- Dan

…and I thought based on our previous posts “Buying Eight Track Tapes in an iPad World”, this would be a great follow-up for you to read.

It was created on May 12, 2010 by Janet Larsen for EarthPolicy.org, and it starts:

“The enormously devastating oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is just one reminder that stretching out an addiction to a polluting and planet-warming fossil fuel poses risks to our health, our environment, and our economy. ”

“U.S. oil production peaked in 1970 at 9.6 million barrels per day. Since then production has dropped by almost half and now supplies less than 30 percent of domestic consumption. In 2009, the United States spent nearly $200 billion on oil imports to make up the difference.”

Continue reading this on the EarthPolicy web site…

…you might find it interesting as well.

It’s the New York Times Concise History of Major Oil Spills, and includes:

• The most vivid examples of risks in both oil shipping & offshore drilling,
• Photos of the damages spills have caused, and
• Photos of the cleanup efforts of those spills.

What do you think of this?

- Dan

…Spain used a solar distiller to break down sea water into drinking water, and the thought came to me:

“Can Solar Energy Clean Up the Gulf Oil Spill?”

There’s a section in the article “Purifying Water, with the Sun” (feel free to read the article here), that talks about how pesticides and other contaminants are made contaminant free after a reaction initiated by UV, and pinch of titanium dioxide.

Then the water is shipped off to a desalination plant that extracts the sea salt from the water, helping Spain assure it’s thirsty population has plenty of water.

Basically, the water condenses and is collected, leaving behind the salt…

What if we put together distiller barges that did something very similar, except leaving the oil behind (on those barges)?

What do you think?

- Dan

PS – If you’d like to learn about how my company, Fafco Solar, can help you tap the power of the sun, be sure to visit our Web Site at: www.FafcoSolar.com.

www.toptenusa.org.

Their mission is to help residential and commercial users find and purchase the most energy efficient products in the U.S. marketplace.

TopTen is part of a global effort, first launched in Europe (www.topten.info) to accelerate world-wide competition among manufacturers to save energy and stabilize the climate.

Sounds like a good idea to me!

- Dan

…one of the most common questions people have is:

“How Do I Power My Home From the Sun?”

The answer is with a Solar Electric Photovoltaic System.

Solar Electric Photovoltaic Systems, sometimes referred to as PV Systems, have many benefits:

• Reduce your electric bill.
• Take advantage of tax benefits and rebates.
• Help our country become less dependent on fossil fuels.
• And – Watch your meter spin backward (we never get tired of this!)

Be sure to learn all about Solar Electric Photovoltaic Systems on our Web Site, and visit our Learn More section to see the common questions people have as well.

Enjoy!

…here are 3 Ways to Properly Dispose of Old Electronics:

1. www.Gazelle.com buys old cell phones, digital cameras, laptops. camcorders, and other electronics.  After confirming the status and value of your item, you’ll get a check, PayPal payment, or Gift Card.  An iPhone 3G 8 Gigabyte version fetched $103, recently!
2. www.BuyMyTronics.com allows you to price out what you’ll get before you sell by answering a few questions about your item (and the accessories you have for it).  You can sell anything from iPhones, iPods, to software, and eBook Readers!
3. www.Flipswap.com gives you the ability to sell your old phone for cash (or a donation to a charity of your choosing) — you can even trade it in for credit at a store that sells cell phones!  At the high end, Flipswap pays out an average of $160 for old BlackBerrys and $220 for iPhones.

Remember, most electronics have some form of toxic chemicals in them, and even if you don’t sell them, or donate them — you should dispose of them properly (BestBuy has a great recycle program, be sure to check it out!)

Peace,

Dan

…possibly reducing your usage?

Think about this:

• The Wii Videogame System uses 18 Watts when in use, and 3 Watts when it’s in sleep mode.
• A typical desktop computer with a 17″ LCD (Flat-Panel) Monitor uses about 200 Watts.
• A 42″ Plasma TV uses 270 Watts.
• A central air conditioner (2.5 tons) uses 3500 Watts.
• A clothes dryer uses 4400 Watts.

Now:

• Turning off, or putting your Desktop computer to sleep – rather than leaving it on all of the time, can save over $100/year.
• Switching from 100 Watt Light Bulbs to the equivalent fluorescents can save you over $200/year.
• Going solar can save hundreds per year as well!   Be sure to check out all of our solar products.

If you’re really interested in learning how much energy you use, you can measure it with this $20 device:

It’s called the Kill A Watt Electricity Usage Monitor, and it will not only calculate your electrical use, but empower you to save hundreds on your electric bills!

Here’s to saving energy and enjoying life,

- Dan

On February 13th, the citizens of Florida have a very interesting opportunity.

Here’s the 30 second radio spot that discusses the event, along with a few things to remember:

1. The starting time is 1pm Eastern Time.
2. Participants may make one line or as many as they’d like — depending on space.
3. Participants supporting this cause should wear black.

(This is audio only.)