The sun's heat and light provide an abundant source of energy that can be harnessed in many ways.
In my quest to discover what there is to know about solar power, I found all kinds of uses for the suns rays that can help us conserve energy. First off was my discovery of solar water heaters.

Also called solar domestic hot water systems, solar water heaters generate hot water for your home in any type of climate, fueled solely by sunshine.

Solar water heating systems usually cost more to purchase and install than conventional water heating systems. However, a solar water heater can usually save you money in the long run. Check out the U.S. Department of Energy site on solar power for the economics of potential savings. Find out more about solar water heaters here; and if you're feeling particularly DIY, check out how to build your own unit!

The next interesting thing I found was an article at News Scientist Tech about solar-power paint.

Scientists are developing a way to paint solar cells with a photovoltaic paint onto the steel sheets of walls and roofs of warehouses and other buildings to generate electricity from the sun.                                                                                                                                                   
The paint will be based on dye-sensitised solar cells. Instead of absorbing sunlight using silicon like conventional solar panels, they use dye molecules attached to particles of the titanium dioxide pigment used in paints.                                                                                                                                                     
Finally, the solar panel. Through the use of photvoltaic cells, solar panels make use of renewable energy from the sun, and are a clean and environmentally sound means of collecting solar energy.

If you are looking for information on solar panels and don't know where to start, check out CALFINDER's blog on solar panels and going solar.

Not quite ready to tackle solar projects on your own???   Don’t forget the fact that searching for a qualified solar installer will never be a dilemma. CalFinder Solar does the FREE screening for you and only works with the best installers in the industry. Get a bid now!

Saving on energy costs not only helps your pocketbook, but also the environment. But old houses can be hard to keep the energy costs down on! What's a homeowner to do? Strollerderby has ideas.

Say hello to warmer colors, and goodbye to minimalism. It appears that several interior designers and industry insiders are saying you should be ready to introduce color into your decor. According to Sean O'Driscoll of the Associated Press in an article Hot Trends Of Home Design for 2008 , Minimalism is out.

“Susan Gutfreund, who designs for some of the most expensive apartments in the U.S and Europe, said that minimalist white and beige are being pushed out in favor of color, textures and layers. Speaking from Paris where she is redesigning an apartment, Gutfreund said there is a move toward warmer colors and away from the shininess and flatness of interiors over the last few years.

In 2008, red tones take on a decidedly soft, warm feel, such as watermelon or a carrot orange. Black and white continues to be used, but with unexpected combinations of yellow, lime orange and fresh green," she said.

Janice Simonsen of IKEA Designs said

“fruit colors such as lime yellow, kiwi and tangerine will be very popular in 2008, especially when used in the kitchen. But blue will continue to be the number one color choice for homeowners. In 2008, blue will be combined with camel and tan, pale green and yellow,” she said.

Think you’re ready to try out 2008 colors but not sure what fits your style? CALFINDER (the source for certified remodeling contractors) has an excellent post about basic color psychology. They say,

"All too often homeowners choose colors without understanding basic color psychology. Color impacts our mood, appetite, and energy level. Years of color response research have shown that certain colors elicit specific and often strong responses."

Check out their awesome post Color Options-Painting for a guide to help you narrow the choices when choosing colors for your home.

Also remember you can get FREE ESTIMATES from CALFINDER for pre-qualified contractors in your area to do the work for you when you’re ready to add that splash of color to your life! From painting to general remodeling, to complete home renovations, they have the expert for you.

What colors do you plan to decorate with this year? Leave us a comment, we'd love to know!

The more I think about this rug, the more I like it and would like to try to DIY a version for myself. I have tons and tons of baby blankets left over from when my 3 kids were babies and I need a rug. The only thing I'm wondering about is what to use to hold it together. What do you think? DIYable?

HT: Craftzine

What a great way to bring the outside in! Do It Yourself has a great idea for taking a tree branch and making it into a rod for your curtains. With the right themed room, this would look perfect!

HT: CasaSugar

[image credit: do it yourself]

Some days I feel like Mommie Dearest. No, I don't beat my children with wire hangers, but I hate the suckers and I am constantly overrun with them. My husband's work shirts have to be dry cleaned, so there are usually about 3 billion wire hangers in my house at any given time.

Usually, I get tired of it, collect as many as I can find (does anyone else's husband tend to hide things like this? oy!) and then take them back to the dry cleaners we use so they can reuse the hangers. While that's pretty eco-friendly, Wise Bread has a post today about reusing wire hangers in different ways. And it's a good one, go check it out.

It's getting cooler even here in Nashville. Wise Bread has a very timely post on how to save money on your heating bill with very inexpensive adjustments. Here's a bit of the post:

1. First and foremost, make sure your house isn’t inviting in the chill.all the time). Make the time (and maybe a small monetary investment) to ensure windows and doors are sealed properly. You can buy weather stripping at any hardware store. Or, you can roll towels to put under the doors to kill the draft (hey, nobody said being thrifty was fashionable

2. Become a furnace. Most body heat escapes from your head. So, a hat can make a huge difference. Technically, another place heat easily escapes is your thighs. Putting an extra blanket on your lap can be really helpful too, or you can wear Long Johns under your jeans if you can stand them. There is no particular study to prove my own personal theory, but being a woman, I know that if my feet get cold, the rest of me follows suit. Socks are a quick fix for this. I always carry an extra pair in my purse in case I need to double up.

There's a whole lot of great advice there, go read for yourself!

Via Craftzine, here's a "bright idea"! It's a recycled lightbulb lamp kit. Not only is it stylish, but it is eco-friendly as well. That's always a plus when looking for home furnishings.

The best part is, because it is a kit, you can make it yourself so you have the benefit of being able to do it yourself and make the light fixture look the way you want it to.

White vinegar has so many uses, it would take me days to list them all. However, here are some uses in the laundry that you may not have thought of.

Vinegar can prevent fading of new clothing. Add a half cup of vinegar during the rinse cycle. It also brightens clothes!

If you're really concerned about colors running, soak them in a vinegar bath for 10 minutes before washing. Vinegar sets colors- that's why we use it for easter egg dying.

Adding a half cup to your rinse cycle also loosens lint and pet hair from your clothing. It also helps reduce static cling. If you're like me and always forget the rinse cycle, you can use a Downy ball to put the vinegar in. Here's a link on how Downy balls work, in case you've ever wondered.

Vinegar's a great stain and smell remover. Double it up with baking soda to make a foamy super stain and smell killer!

Vinegar also can help get rid of hard water buildup in your steam iron. Just run a 50/50 vinegar/water mix through your iron.

I regularly add vinegar to my wash and have found it has great benefits. The biggest bonus is that it is quite inexpensive, saving money on fabric softeners and dryer sheets. Give it a try!

CasaSugar reports today on the trend of Tetris-inspired bookshelves. They add a great point of interest to any room, with the way the shelves are arranged. This particular bookshelf is also eco-friendly, being made of highly renewable bamboo. Bamboo is a type of grass and grows quickly, but can be used like wood. Bamboo is a perfect material to make things like bookshelves and flooring from, because it is sustainable and is very attractive.

There are unusual ideas around for the use of coffee grounds, the remarkable natural product that can really make a difference to your eco friendly plans.

Deodorizer - After use dry out on a baking sheet, place in a bowl for the refrigerator, or as a hand rub to remove food smells.

Plant food - It is surprising how nutritious the used coffee grounds can be to plants or even when paced into the compostor.

Insect repellant - Insects such as snails, slugs and ants do not like the strong odor from the coffee, which is why it is great to sprinkle around the places that you do not want them to go to.

Head on over to Curbly to read the rest.

Source  [Curbly]

This is a very interesting way of being green, but at the same time getting your path, drive and even a patio completely re-laid, or maybe you are planning a new garage and would like to get the drive made from this recycled rubber paving.

The idea of using concrete and other hard materials is that they crack, and are hard, if you have children and they fall off of their bike, then there will be a few tears, but with this rubber material, it will not crack and although it is hard, it is not as hard or abrasive as concrete is, so the kids will be happy too.

Features

Manufactured from recycled tire rubber. Material is non-absorbent (steel and fiber are removed).
No filler materials are added.
Easy to keep clean.
Vandalism resistant.
ADA compliant.
Cushioned surface for safety.
Reduces dust.
Slip resistant.
Long lasting.
Attractive.
Many decorative options.
Relieves stress and reduces injuries.
Easy to install, and once in place, they won't move.
Will not curl or tear; they will lie flat indefinitely.
Good sound insulator. (Lower noise levels).

The great thing about this is that it looks great, but being recycled is just a bonus on top, because if you live in a region where there is snow and ice in winter, this surface would be easier to walk on too.

No information on price etc.

Source  [Luxury Housing Trends]

With the growing trend of replacing carpets with wood, there is a danger that there will be a shortage of wood, after all in the UK wood for fencing is already running low and therefore the availability of certain fencing panels is very low, it may seem hard to understand, but it is true.

However in the states the demand for wooden flooring is also in great demand, these sort of market conditions can place a huge strain on supply and there is the possible price increases which normally follow those market conditioned, all in all it does not play out well and for someone who is doing up their house extra costing is no good at all.

It is not all doom though there is a supply of suitable wood that can be recycled and be just a good if not better, this supply comes from the barns and other buildings that have been pulled down, the place to find these boards are reclamation yards and possibly even the building owners if you know that it is about to come down.

The great thing about reclaimed or recycled floor boards is that they have had a life before, like an antique piece of furniture they show the signs of use, which does them some interesting characteristics, like holes, dents and scraps. Of course this may not be for everyone, some people want fresh new floor boards, it depends on what your want, a new unfinished piece of wood cut down just for the sake of it, or something that has history, color and that well worn look.

Source  [Luxury Housing Trends]

Sometimes it is so hard to find something that really displays your style and the desired design of your home, you may be looking for the over the top look where you can cram everything into as much or as little space that you have or to the other extreme where a minimalist look is what you are after, but regardless of your design or style there is always something that comes along that will turn everything upside down and make you think again, the solid umbrila wooden sink range is just that thing.

Whatever style you have or are looking for these sinks simply ooze style, forget the stone and porcelain sinks those are so yesterday, now is the time to think wood, and as you can imagine wood features in so many products these days, but a sink made out of wood, now that is really different, it sounds like something out of the “Flintstones” but this idea really does take design off into another direction.

At first the idea of using wood for a function like a sink would seem totally impractical, but apparently if the wood is treated properly it can withstand the penetration of the water, the sink would fit into any scheme of decoration and because it is wooden it has a fantastic finish, with the grain and the colors, so much more than any ordinary sink.

Unfortunately there is only one really serious drawback to the wooden sink, the price, it retails at around $1900, quite an investment, but to the right person with the right sort of property a sink with so much style could be worth it.

Source  [Luxury Housing Trends]

Solar panels are great, if you have the space then you can have as many as wish and place them anywhere as long as they get the sun most of the time, the draw back to using solar panels is the cost, they are very expensive, so much so that the savings may not pay for the installation for years to come, that is the downside of using solar power.

So the simplest solution would be to build your own solar panel, and it is not as hard as you may think. Because the materials required may be lying around the house, you will need, Soda Cans, Wooden Frame and a piece of Plexiglass.

Basically the cans are painted black, this helps absorb the heat, they have a hole drilled in the top and the bottom, these are then stacked on top of each other and assembled in lines to fit the frame, there will need to be an inlet and outlet port and the plexiglass fits over the top. What you have now is what looks like a piece of modern art in a glass frame, but in reality it is a home made solar panel.

Once assembled the cool air enters the solar panel through the inlet at the bottom and rises through the cans, by the time it reaches the outlet at the top, the air temperature has risen by 15 F.

This may seem to be a bit of weird contraption, but on a cold evening fifteen degrees can make a lot of difference even if it is just placed in the greenhouse to keep the plants warm!

Source  [HackNMod]

Do you remember when your grandma had one of those metal clothesline contraptions in her back yard? It looked almost like a huge TV antennae with clothes hanging from it. Well, I've got news for you....the days of drying clothes is taking a turn towards those golden years, as families are more energy conscious and frugal than ever before. 

If you have ever considered putting up a clothesline in your yard, not just for the fresh scent of the summer breezes but for the mere reason that you are dying to let the neighbors see your skivvies then you need to read these great tips from Do It Yourself.com on how to set up your own clothesline.......

"Installing a clothesline isn’t difficult; in fact it's a good weekend project. Here's all you'll need to start saving yourself some money and enjoying those naturally air freshened clothes."

• Shovel or fence post hole digger
• Cement
• Poles (wood or metal) or an umbrella clothes line
• Clothes line
• Level

Now get busy with deciding what kind of clothesline you want, where you want to put it and follow these simple installation instructions. Your undies will be blowing in the wind in no time.

When it comes to environmentally friendly commercial buildings, St. Louis is one of the 10 greenest in the country. This demand for "green" has certainly caused residential housing developers to tap into the potential eco-friendly realm. Sure, a handful of "green" houses have been built in the suburbs, but one builder, in St. Louis, is putting the finishing touches on the first certified "green" house in the city. The $420,000 home, in Dogtown, is up for sale by Creve Coeur-based Sage Homebuilders LLC.

The mayor of St. Louis, Francis Slay, notes that he wants the city of St. Louis to "stand as an excellent example of such efficiency and sustainable practices."  This goal is catching on nationwide and has been big in commercial construction. Now the trend is to move toward "greener" homes to reduce energy, save water, and reuse materials.

Sage Homebuilders notes that their goal to minimize waste for the home in Dogtown was the use of materials from the house that formerly occupied the property. They used those materials for walls, roof shingles, and support beams for the new house. The house is 2,400 square feet, with 4 bedrooms and and three baths. They used insulated windows, an energy-efficient furnace, a tankless water heater, low-flow shower heads, dual-flush toilets, and compact fluorescent light bulbs. The whole house has an air filter system for healthier living.

Do you think it will be hard to find a buyer for this place? Maybe. But the market is certainly going in that direction and if Sage is a bit ahead of the game, but that also gives them an edge toward this new trend. Proponents say "green" houses cost a bit more than a usual house, about 3-5 percent more, the savings (usually 35-60 percent) in energy use offsets the cost.

The Home Builders Association considers several factors when determining whether or not a house is certified "green".  Lot preparation, design and development, energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality and maintenance are all taken into consideration. The home in Dogtown received the "silver" level of certification for "green" building.

"The local "green" house efforts could be the start of a "paradigm shift". A recent report by McGraw-Hill Construction predicts that this year will be the "tipping point" for green residential construction. Could "green" building be to this decade what the Internet was to the last? Food for thought.

After completing a home improvement project, you may be left with something you never, ever wanted. It could be that you're now stuck with a dead water heater or maybe an unwanted, unsightly old refrigerator and no truck to haul it away with.

In many areas around the country, the garbage collection company holds an annual spring clean up event.
This week, in my area, the garbage company will collect the equivalent of 12 trash cans of extra refuse for free.

They will also take away any large items, such as a refrigerator, stove, or water heater for a $10.00 charge--that's a pretty good deal, if you ask me. Check with your local waste collector to see if they offer a a similar service. If not, you may be able to organize a little publicity about the problem of illegal dumping in your area; depending on where you live, you might just find your local politicians are better connected than you think when it comes to illegal dumping.

Bamboo floors are becoming all the rage and to tell the truth, I'm right in there with the rest of the fanatics. This might just be our next big home improvement project.

It's gorgeous, durable, and can be much less expensive than traditional hardwood floors. Plus, it's cheaper than those hideous composite floor systems. Lots of different colors, patterns, finishes, and installation methods are available--virtually anything you might want or need.

With prices as low as $2.00 a square foot on Ebay, bamboo's popularity is growing nearly as fast as the quickly renewed resource grows in the real world. You can install it as a floating floor, nailed down, or glued as your situation demands, and it's available in colors that run the gamut from the lightest blonde to a striking black.

Solid bamboo flooring is durable enough to be sanded and refinished 3 or 4 times. It's a bit harder than White Oak and slightly softer than Maple, but grows to maturity in 6 years, compared to 20-30 years for traditional hardwoods; so it's a much Greener option.

As long as we're doing something beautiful for our home, why not have it be eco-friendly and inexpensive as well? Sometimes, you can have your cake and eat it, too.