Wood Burning Stoves: Beautiful and Efficient

There is nothing like the warming, comforting heat of a wood burning stove on a cold winter day. The cracking and snap of the wood as it catches fire, the mesmerizing flames, and the soothing aroma of soup simmering on the stovetop. I used to think that wood fires were not environmentally friendly. But in fact, they are a carbon neutral heat source. It’s also really easy to use your wood stove for cooking, almost like a slow cooker, and for heating a kettle which of course just saves on energy. Read more..

Hybrid Cars: The Vehicles of the Future?

For those of us who want to lessen our impact on the environment the issue of transportation can be a tricky one. If you live in a city that’s bicycle and pedestrian friendly, or has a good public transport system it’s easy to transition to these alternative forms of transportation. But the further you live from your place of work, or if you have to travel a lot as part of your work or you simply live in a city that doesn’t make it easy or safe to use these alternative forms of transportation, another possible solution could be to buy hybrid vehicles. Read more..

Can Mushrooms Save The World?

Paul Stamets seems to think so. A lot of the content of this video went right over my head the first time, but I got the gist of it. I’ll be watching it again, several times over, because I think it’s that important. I knew a few things about fungi to begin with, and I’ve always been fascinated by them. When I started learning more about Chinese medicinal mushrooms I felt like I was finally getting to the real awesome power of these incredible beings. But this video just blew me away. The implications for restoring the environment and undoing some of the damage we have done is huge. See for yourself, and leave a comment to let me know what you think.

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Comparing Wood Burning Stoves

I had always been under the impression that burning wood for heat was inefficient, caused pollution in the form of smoke, and was therefore not a green solution to heating. But then I moved into my current home in the country and a wood burning stove was already installed in the house. I love wood heating. It really warms you, helps counteract the damp that usually comes with winter, and as a bonus you can use it for cooking and heating water for tea. A ‘wetback’ can be installed so you get hot water as a by-product of your heating, allowing you to save all the energy and money it takes to provide hot water to your house. So, could it really be all that bad and inefficient? I decided to find out. Read more..

Solar Energy 101

As the world struggles to keep up with the increasing energy costs, solar energy is becoming a popular alternative. All life depends on, and comes from the energy of the sun. Without solar energy, it would be impossible to produce the food and oxygen we need to survive. As fossil fuels diminish, people are harnessing the energy of the sun to get essential energy. While less than 1 percent of our current power, heating and transportation is energized by direct sunlight, this underutilized renewable resource could meet all our energy needs. Read more..

Hybrid Cars, The Next Generation…

The hybrid car, so much has been said about it. Not until now has there been a complete shift and focus on the hybrid’s emergence. With gas prices at an all time high, the economic pressure to save dollars is now forcing Americans to look at alternative money saving measures. Read more..

The Many Uses of Solar Energy & How it Really Works

Before diving into the vast number of uses for solar energy, it is important to have a solid understanding of solar energy itself. Solar energy is electricity generated by the Sun’s radiation that is absorbed through square material known as “solar cells”. Read more..