Six solar power solutions that are taking sunlight to a whole new level

Photo credit: Grafixar from morguefile.com

Sunlight is an incredible part of our daily lives. From infusing us with loads of healthy Vitamin D to keeping us warm and waking us up bright and early every morning, sunlight is a necessary part of our existence. It’s also one of the main sources of natural, sustainable energy on the planet. Although simple methods for focusing the rays of the sun and creating heat have been around for hundreds of years, the technology behind solar power plants wasn’t fully developed until the 1980s. Since then, solar technology has had its fits and starts, but it’s constantly being improved upon and refined. In fact, there have been several very recent improvements that are changing the way researchers and scientists look into collecting energy from the sun.

Learning from the leaves

Photosynthesis is probably one of the most efficient, sustainable energy systems in the world. Leaves take up water and split the hydrogen from the oxygen molecules, releasing the oxygen and using the hydrogen to create food and new growth. At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), researchers have developed a way to mimic this process and recently created a metallic combination that allows them to do it on a much more economic level. If they are able to implement these new artificial leaves on a larger scale, they could potentially have a way to support the power demands of the world while only covering about .16 percent of the earth’s surface area. And that’s if those little leaves only use about 10 percent of the light that falls on them.

Salt of the earth

Still another improvement in solar technology is in our ability to store it. For more than 30 years, researchers have been looking into ways to utilize salt, particularly molten salt, for the purpose of storing and generating electricity. Commonly called “power towers,” molten salt technology is currently being used in California’s Mojave Desert to generate electricity from the abundant sunlight. Collectively called the Solar Energy Generating Systems SEGS), the plant reportedly generates enough power for 232,500 homes, displacing almost 4,000 tons of pollutants each year.

The system works by heating molten salt in a tower with solar energy, and then moving the heated salt to a container. The molten salt is either stored there or used to create superheated steam that powers a turbine, that in turn generates power to be stored in a generator. The most recent improvements on the system show so much promise that Google is reportedly in the process of creating a power tower that could generate up to 382 MW of electricity.

Power when you need it most

Outside of the improvements in how we look at collecting solar power, current solar technologies are stepping it up on the home front, as well. When was the last time you were waiting for a late flight or sitting in the car on a long trip and grabbed your laptop, only to find it was out of power and there were no available plugs in sight? Several companies have tackled this all-too-common problem and are developing a wide range of solutions, most of them based on solar technology. Today you can find solar chargers that work for your laptop and/or smartphone that come in a variety of shapes, sizes and price ranges. Depending on what you get, some chargers can completely recharge your laptop in as little as four hours and others can be plugged in to provide consistent power while you work outside on a sunny day. These chargers can be as simple as a flexible sheet of solar cells or as complex as a solar messenger bag that can charge your laptop as you travel.

Bottling the sun

Even though it might be nice to have a perfectly light-scaped yard, it’s not always an economic option and it can definitely be a drain on electricity. With improvements in standard solar power technology, the cost for simple solar collectors such as solar-powered lights is dropping dramatically. And while there are options for powering your outdoor lighting with cost-efficient solar panels, those with a creative inclination and a tighter budget can create their own solar lighting for as little as $4 a piece. Using solar powered garden stakes from your local home improvement store, snap the stake end off of the solar lights and glue the lights to the insides of Mason jar lids. Paint the insides of the mason jars with glass frosting paint and simply screw the lids back on with the lights inside the jars. Leave the jars outside during the day and at night you’ll have a garden full of freshly bottled sunshine.

It seems like there is a bright future for solar and new applications are constantly being developed, both for current technology and the hopeful technology of the future. What applications have you found for our current solar technology? Are there any improvements in utilizing solar power that you think should be explored even more?

Brent Hardy is the driving force for Extra Space Storage corporate responsibility through energy management and sustainability programs at www.extraspace.com. Brent leads a conversation about sustainability at blog.extraspace.com/category/sustainability.

It goes without saying that the world is filled with illness and diseases that can impact you or your family’s health, often when you least expect it. Some of these sicknesses can be easily treated with natural medicine but some of them become far more severe that seriously threaten health. Doctors and pathologists have been searching for newer ways of treating illness and research has shown one of the greatest methods of treatment can come from your baby’s birth.

The birth of your baby is a life-changing experience that binds you to a promise to protect your baby from threats out in the world and within the body. A mother usually does her own research on what to expect for her child’s birth but not everything is commonly known. At the time of the birth the placenta carries with it a special kind of blood called umbilical cord blood. Many
parents are unaware of the special nature of cord blood leading them to look for answers to questions they may have on it. At www.insception.com those answers are provided and give a whole new outlook on how your baby’s birth can also keep them safe in the future.

The power of cord blood lies within the stem cells that dwell inside it. These stem cells are a perfect match to your child’s blood at any point in his or her life. Cord blood has been effectively proven to treat against leukemia, MS, heart disease, and diabetes to name a few; and doctors worldwide are encouraging parents to make the decision to preserve this special blood as
a better way to beat these and other illnesses. Amazing how the birth of your baby can actually help give them the medication necessary to treat an illness in the future.

It was once just afterbirth thrown away after a baby is successfully delivered; now at your preparation and request, cord blood can be preserved as a failsafe for the future. When you become pregnant you instinctively form a protective bond that follows your baby out into the world for the rest of his or her life. Fulfill that protective bond by getting more information on
the benefits of cord blood; visit www.insception.com to learn all you need to know to uphold a promise for life.

Get a clean mouth and a brilliant smile—without hurting planet earth

For most of us, dental care is not the first word that springs to mind when one thinks of green or “Eco-friendly” practices that conserve our planet. However, when you consider all the nasty things that enter our mouths—things like coffee, red meat, hard fruits and vegetables that we need to grind into a paste with our teeth in order to swallow. Eating is a pretty nasty process, and it does a number on our teeth, especially when you consider foods and drinks that stain (such as coffee and red wine) or could harm our teeth and gums (such as meat on the bone or harsh citrus fruits).

Because we care so much about keeping our mouths clean and smelling good, we put our teeth and gums through all sorts of unfriendly earth practices—like flossing; teeth whitening using store bought strips, and using harsh; chemical-laden mouth washes.

Here are a few ways that you can attain a clean mouth and white smile without hurting planet earth…

1. Don’t use store-bought toothpaste

If you buy popular store-brought toothpaste brands—like Crest or Aquafresh—look at the label on the tube. You’ll notice that most store-bought brands of toothpaste contain fluoride, along with a ton of other chemicals you can’t pronounce, and ingesting too much of these chemicals can really impact your health negatively. Instead of infusing your mouth with chemicals twice a day, try making your own natural toothpaste by mixing together 3 tablespoons baking soda, 10 drops tea tree oil, and 10 drops peppermint essential oil in a glass mason jar. Or alternately, buy Eco-friendly toothpaste from your local health food store—it’s fresh breath without the toxins.

2. Don’t gurgle with brand name mouthwash

Similarly, mouthwash is also full of a ton of chemicals that can actually dry out your gums. So make your own gentle mouthwash by mixing 2 drops peppermint oil, 2 drops tea tree oil, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and 1/2 cup warm filtered water. Store in a glass bottle and gurgle to your heart’s content.

3. Don’t use whitening strips

Most of us have used those sticky whitening strips in the past, but did you know that they can actually strip away the protective layer of tooth enamel that prevents tooth decay. These strips actually weaken the teeth after long-term use due to the harsh hydrogen-peroxide ingredients used as a whitening agent. You can get just as much white effect by dipping your wet toothbrush in baking soda and brushing your teeth before you brush with paste.

4. Freshen things up naturally

Mouth wash isn’t the only way to banish bad breath—try chewing on a spring of fresh parsley or mint to freshen things up. Plus, these both aid digestion as well, and they’re much better for you than a dinner mint.

5. Floss with the right stuff

Most store-bought brands of dental floss are not biodegrade. That means after you dispose of a string, it sits in the landfill site almost forever. But there are Eco-friendly flosses available that will break down naturally over time. You just have to pay a little extra at your natural health food store.

About The Author
Carolyn is a former Dental Hygienist turned stay-at-home-mom and writer on topics concerning cosmetic dentistry and oral health. As a mother, Carolyn is committed to raising a family in an organic, pesticide free home, and so when she can’t buy organic, you will often find Carolyn rooting in her large garden for the ingredients to make her own soaps, cleaning supplies and nutritious, organic meals and remedies.

I’m ready this summer to take my CSA head on!  I want to document as many of the recipes as I can, so that other’s can see the amazing, delicious meals that can come from your local farm.  I also want to document my downfalls.  My goal this season is not to throw anything away!  This is my fourth year with a summer CSA and I’m ashamed to admit how much has gone to waste over the years.

I’m armed with experience and determination this year to try it all!  No excuses!

This year I’m splitting a full share with a friend, so we will have more variety in our veggies because instead of 4/week we’ll have 8!  My first week was a smashing and delicious success, not only for my ability to cook the food, but may family’s ability to eat it!

This week I discovered how truly amazing beets are!  In the past I have cooked the bulbs only and discarded the stems and leaves, but no more!!!  I vowed to use the entire beet!

My first delicious dish was a stir-fried rice with grilled salmon and a kale salad!  Did I actually use kale and beets in the same dish?  Ha, yes!

So in oder to get some inspiration for this dish I polled my Facebook friends.  My sister actually inspired the salad idea…thanks Kathleen.

A “massaged kale salad” with roasted beets, sliced radishes, honey goat cheese, dried cranberries and walnuts.  Oh my mouth is watering just describing the salad I made because it was that good.  I had never heard of massaged kale, so I googled it and watched a you tube video to learn how to “massage” kale.  It was so simple. I shook a little salt on the washed and cut leaves and then rubbed the kale between my fingers.  I think it didn’t take more than a minute or so for the kale to become soft and dark green, much easier to eat!  Next I sliced my beets and tossed them with a bit of olive oil and roasted them in the oven at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes.  I shaved the radishes into thin slices (a veggie I had thrown away in the past) and once the beets were roasted both radishes and beets were tossed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Added the veggies and topping to the salad and that’s it!

Next for the stir fry I made…  I thoroughly washed and cut the stems and leaves of my beets.  This is where I love having a salad spinner, makes the job so much easier.  I chopped up a half an onion and sauteed the onion with the chopped up stem from the beets in coconut oil (ooooh, I love anything in coconut oil!).  I added some baby portabella mushrooms and let all of the ingredients cook down.  Next I chopped up the garlic scapes, these long curly green veggies that come from my CSA and are actually the immature flowers of the garlic plant.  Chop them up like a green onion and they taste like a milder version of garlic.  I added about 3 full scapes worth to my stir fry.  I finally began to slowly add the leaves of 4 beets into the stir fry.  I say slowly because as they cook down a bit I began to add more.  These cooked for an additional 5 minutes or so and then I added 2 cups of cooked brown rice with a bit of olive oil and water so it wasn’t too sticky.  The stir fry cooked for another 10 minutes or so to let all of the flavors really come together.

Finally my husband came some and grilled up some salmon, dinner was served.  Amazingly, my husband (not a veggie lover) has seconds and my 3 year old ate salad stir fry and salmon and told me it tasted “good”.  Now, that’s success!

So I was contacted to review the Neem tooth powder by organixsouth.  Honestly I was super excited!  I swear I have been looking for tooth powder for quite some time now and I haven’t been able to find it.  A friend told me about the powder a few years ago and every time I go to whole foods I look for it, but never find it.  Maybe I was looking in the wrong place!

I was asked to either review Mint or Cinnamon.  I can’t seem to change old habits of having my toothpaste taste like mint, so I went with what I know.

The tooth powder is made with extracts from the organic neem and leaf bark, hence the name “Neem” powder.  It’s great for supporting healthy and strong teeth and gums and is sulfate free, gluten free, fluoride free and paraben free.

Now, I’ll give you my honest opinion.  I wet my tooth brush, poured out a little powder and began brushing.  My first reaction was, “yuck, this does not taste like mint!”  Okay, so before you give up on the product, keep reading:

As the powder began to lather the taste turned into a pleasant mint flavor.  It felt and tasted just like toothpaste.  The lather was exactly the same!

I have used the powder for every brushing for the last few weeks and I swear my teeth feel more clean throughout the day than the do with regular toothpaste!  I have even gotten used to the initial taste when you begin brushing and the good news is there is no bad after taste.

Now, Organix South offers more products too, which you can check out on their website.  Or, if you are a blogger enter their blogger’s challenge for more great green products!

Wait!  Don’t leave yet….I have a prize for one lucky reader….enter to win ONE bottle of TheraNeem Tooth & Gum Powder!

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Disclaimer: I was given the above mentioned product free of charge and not in exchange for a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Comparison of cloth diapers

When my friends ask me which cloth diapers I recommend and why, it really comes down to what is the best fabric for cloth diapers.

There are some adorable new diapers available today with any print on them that you can imagine.  And, while you can’t help but want to find the cutest, most adorable option, it is much more important to think of quality.

Comparison of Fabric for Cloth Diapers

If you are a regular reader of my blog you know that I am an avid cloth diaperer and I pride myself on never purchasing a disposable diaper for my babies.    My youngest is 14 months and I was lucky enough that his older brother was potty-trained just in time for me to pass down the diapers I used for him for 2 years.

This is awesome because as we all know, one of the biggest money-saving reasons to cloth diaper is that we can purchase them once and then we are free to use them over and over and over again, right?  Well, kinda right.

I’m here to tell you which diapers I have found to be the most durable and long-lasting so that you can pay only a little out of pocket for baby #1 and you will be happily reusing the diapers over and over again for baby after baby!

I am always recommending Bum Genius Diapers and I have written many previous posts on comparisons of cloth diaper brands.  The yellow diaper pictured above was an original, from December 2008, when my first son was born.  I have re-sewn the elastic and replaced the tabs, but otherwise the fabric is awesome and it has held up so well for the past 3 years of constant use.

Gro Baby Close-up

The second diaper pictured is a Gro baby, now called Gro Via.  It is an all-in-two diaper with and organic cotton insert.  Now, while I love the idea of the organic cotton insert, it just doesn’t withstand the test of time.

As you can see in the close-up image, the cotton is totally destroyed.  It seems to happen along the edges where the cotton is sewn together.  This doesn’t happen to the Bum Genius one-size diapers.

Best Quality Cloth Diaper Fabric

So, my suggestion for the best fabric for cloth diapers comes down to what will last the longest.  From a no hassle standpoint, the synthetic fabric’s used in bum genius diapers are going to last a longtime.

You will have to replace velcro and elastic if you want to use on more than one child.  These things will ware out for sure!  Now, I know it may seem a bit scary, but the option that it totally the best is pictured third above, and that is a prefold diaper or even one step better could be a flat diaper.

The prefold is low cost, very absorbant, will have no leaks and needs no elastic or velcro repair.  Of course, you need a cover–so you could use a wool cover which is the number one option or an Econobum diaper cover made by the makes of Bum Genius.

My recommendation is do your research, find out if cloth diapering is going to be something you do every day or only once and a while.  I need very durable diapers because, like I said I use them around the clock.

Have you found a more durable diaper? What is your recommendation?

Out with the old, in with the new

Back is 2007, when I was pregnant with my first child, I spent a lot of time puking—into the kitchen sink, a handy garbage pail, the gravel behind the local Laundromat, and—as commonly expected—a toilet. I didn’t let anything slow me down. I was pursuing my master’s degree, running a business with my husband and substitute teaching. Even with a full plate and pregnancy fatigue, I made sure I cleaned our small apartment once a week; a steady routine that began with the mirrors in our bathroom and ended with the back and forth sway of the vacuum across the same tired, brown square of carpet.

Each and every time I cleaned that bathroom while pregnant, I vomited. First I would be overwhelmed by the smells of the cleaners. The sharp sting of bleach mixed with a twinge of artificial lemon. It would clog my nose while my head began a steady pounding. Then nausea would roll up from my middle and lodge in the back of my throat. I’d swallow around it, overcome by a flood of thick salvia. I’d usually lie down, trying some steady, deep breathes. It might work. Usually, it didn’t. Once the cat got in the way, poor thing. Once I couldn’t sit upright in time, poor me.

When I recovered, I always finished my cleaning. I’m stubborn and it never occurred to me that what I was cleaning with might be at the root of my problems.

My switch away from chemical cleaners is ongoing. I’m something of a leech. I learn best from the advice of others. Be it a book they hand me to read or a friendly suggestion. When I first heard of cleaning with baking soda and vinegar, I scoffed. Not to the woman’s face, but in my head. Those were things you eat, not things you clean with. My mind was instantly transported to the bright green can of Clorox powder my mother kept under the kitchen sink and her bent back hunched over the bathtub to the rhythm of the back and forth scrubbing of her gloved hands. Clean was the smell of bleach. Clean meant chemicals so harsh them burned your nose hairs, made you dizzy and couldn’t touch your skin.

Or did it?

I can’t pinpoint my switch. As I said, it was gradual. I tried to buy more natural cleaners, but why spend extra money when a jug of vinegar and a Sam’s Club monstrosity of baking soda can do the trick? Those empty spray bottles became home to a mixture of vinegar and water with a few drops of orange oil. I use it to clean everything: glass, the counters, the sinks, the toilets, the table, and the tiles of the bathroom floor. Baking soda takes care of harsher surfaces: things that need a good scrubbing. It’s naturally more abrasive. It cleans the kitchen sink to a bright shine and removes soap scum and mold build-up from the bathtub. No harsh chemical odors and no need for gloves to protect my skin. Perhaps the most appealing benefit is that my two children can go right into the tub after I clean it. I don’t need to fear that a lingering scum of bleach will harm their skin, let alone end up in their mouths when they proceed to spit bathwater at one another (despite my protests).

As often is the case, the small changes we can make at home for ourselves and our families have a wider, global effect. When I read an article about only a small portion of the world’s water being drinkable, I was proud to know that I wasn’t adding chemical cleaners into the water supply.

Each change begets more changes until being green (or, as I see it, greener) stops seeming so overwhelming and more a question of—well, what’s next then? Without really being aware of it I became one of those moms: cloth diapers for the babies, soap nuts for my laundry, and retired pre-fold diapers in place of the paper towels that I once used in my cleaning. The Clorox is gone from the cleaning shelf and the Windex retired. With the help of a bit of vinegar and baking soda I’m still getting the job done (and, better still, with not one bit of vomit during my second pregnancy in 2010).

Bio:
Autumn Canter lives in the suburban jungle north of Baltimore and used to publish short stories before her second child came around and stole what remained of her free time. Her run-on sentences and poor edits can be found on her blog, www.autumncanter.com.

Making your baby shower green is one of the easiest ways to enjoy an adorable yet eco-friendly gathering for friends and family.

While expectant parents could forgo mailing invitations in lieu of email, guests may be more likely to respond to a personalized invitation.  Baby showers are generally wasteful, especially considering the paper and plastic used to create invites and party supplies.

However, you can reduce your carbon footprint by using recycled baby shower invitations.

Use Non-Paper Invitations

One of the most exciting developments in recent years is the creation of non-paper products, particularly bags and invitations. Rather than use tree pulp, these items are made out of fibers. Not only are they more environmentally friendly, they can also be more creative than their less sustainable counterparts.

Hemp fibers are another option. It often produces a vintage and sturdy invite. Hemp grows quickly, so it is a fast renewing resource. Hemp plants also put nutrients back into the Earth, helping to reduce the number of fertilizer applications.

Make Your Own Invitations

Making your own invitations is a perfect way to customize them to match the personalities of your family and friends. In addition to treasuring your handmade invite, guests are more likely to hold on to something unique rather than tossing it.

Using scrap or purchasing recycled paper sheets is a great place to start. Cutting machines and tools are available to make cutting out shapes easier and more precise. Hemp ribbons or other eco-friendly accessories can also be easily attached to the invitations.

Use Plantable Invitations

Plantable paper goods are an exciting way to get guests involved in eco-friendly practices. There are plenty of companies that offer these premade, but you can also buy sheets of this paper and make your own.

While other paper just gets tossed in the trash, these papers can be planted and sprout beautiful wildflowers. Encourage your guests to plant them so they can have a special reminder of your baby. These invitations make a great party favor and invite all in one.

Why Choose Recycled?

Paper waste is a problem, and trees are regularly destroyed to produce invitations, cards, and other paper goods. Paper making also uses water and harsh chemicals. Unlike regular paper, recycled paper products can be made from post-consumer waste or non-tree fibers. They use minimal chemicals and less water.

When sending out your recycled invites, suggest guests to bring recycled cards instead of paper ones. Hopefully, this will inspire them to use similar eco-friendly materials for their baby showers and other special occasions.

Hope you enjoyed this guest post from:
Mehndi Rao who is currently putting together her wedding. Although she is not In the process of creating her own custom baby shower invitations, she is neck deep in making handmade invitations for her upcoming wedding!

Tanya, another breastfeeding mom of two boys, like myself submitted a guest post to talk about her experiences breastfeeding and how she could not live without her breast pump!  I can fully relate to her post and I think it is very valuable information for new mothers.  In fact, if you’d be interested in more information, I have written many articles about breastfeeding and pumping.

 Guest post: by Tanya

Two short months ago my husband I brought our 2nd child; Fletcher home from the hospital. Oh how the time just flew by. Only last week I attended my first mother’s club meeting and the other mothers I spoke to all agreed that the time just disappears when you’re spending every moment watching your little one grow and change every day. In fact, there were so many different things we had in common, and similar stories that we shared about our babies.

There was one thing however, that seemed to vary greatly from mother to mother… Breastfeeding. Two of the mother’s I spoke with, both younger, first time mom’s, told me just how much they loved breastfeeding their babies, and how easy they found it compared to some of the horror stories their friends had shared.

Another mom mentioned that her young one hadn’t taken to the breast at all due to being premature and dropper fed formula, while waiting for her milk to come in. She was dead against formula feeding and was desperately trying to express enough milk for her daughter each day. I enquired as to how she was expressing and she told me she had been doing it by hand so far, but was considering buying a pump. Having used a breast pump regularly after the birth of my first child I was shocked that she’d spent the past two months trying to express by hand.

After the birth of our first child I found it took a little longer for my milk to fully come in than it does for most women, and a good friend recommended I purchase a breast pump in order to help boost my supply. Her advice was a gift from heaven. Within a week of using my pump my breasts were regularly engorged and I found I had more than enough milk for baby. I also found that he was much more settled and sleeping better than ever. In the following weeks however, I found I no longer needed to keep expressing so the pump sat at the bottom of the kitchen cupboard.

It wasn’t until my son was about 3 months old that I started to try and get my social life back on track but I found it very difficult trying to balance friends, family and baby. My husband worked long hours at the office, but was always more than happy to share some time with his son when I wanted to go out for coffee with the girls. Whenever I knew I was going to be out of the house for more than a couple of hours I would get out my trusty Medela breast pump and express enough milk to keep him going until I got back.

As much as I love spending time with my boys, any mom will tell you that sometimes you just need a break away from it all and my breast pump really helped give me that freedom.

At the 5 month mark I had decided to return to work, although this time at reduced hours. Again the breast pump gave me the freedom to build up a solid milk supply so my mother in law could watch our boy 3 days a week. I couldn’t even begin to count up all the hours that having a good breast pump has saved me over the past 2 years. Without it my life would have been very different to say the least. Today I enjoy a great balance between social life, work life and family life and I couldn’t be happier.

In fact, I love my breast pump so much that my husband helped me build a website dedicated to Breast Pump Reviews, which I’ve been busy working on the past 8 months. You can visit my site at BreastPumpReviewSite.com

Do you love vintage tees? Hank Player Campus Store has created some super adorable tees for the cutest little ones in your life. I for one, love the soft and comfortable feel of the tees! In fact I’m jealous of my boys and wish I had my own. These tees are perfect for what kids do best, and that’s play hard!

Hank Player Campus store has your little ones covered, from short-sleeved to long-sleeved to hooded to baby rompers, pants and adorable animal winter hats. Pick from the fun and funky array of vintage designs to match your little one’s style or attitude! Some of the options even have glow in the dark graphics, which I know my 3 year old is a big fan of these days!

So, if you want your kids to look as cute as mine…you can check out hankplayer.com, like hank player on facebook an follow hank player on twitter as well!

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