74 replies to this topic

[fancyfingers]

I have made a wish list of the green items I want to incorporate into my family's every day life. Solar panels on the roof, a fence that doubles as a solar water heater, and a portable solar panel (like the kind the military use), planting a garden, to name a few.

What items are on the top of your green list?

[mariaandrea]

Solar battery chargers. I use rechargable batteries and I'd love to recharge them without using electricity. It will take a little longer since I have an east facing balcony, but that's okay with me as long as it gets the job done.

More plant pots and the kind that hang on a railing to expand my balcony garden to the maximum space possible. I want to see just how much I can grow.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Solar panels of course, and someone younger than me to plant/maintain a full garden.

[Hayden]

A while back we swiched out all our incandescent light bulbs to CFLs. This year I would like to start switching out CFLs to LEDs.

[MakingCents]

LED light bulbs for starters, an solar panels on the roof.  If I could harness my own power it would help my bank account AND the environment.

[jasserEnv]

The biggest item for me is the solar shades that go on the outside of the house much like screens on the windows. These block sun in the summer and prevent heat from ever entering the house so that I can reduce my energy usage footprint. In the winter they can be removed so that the solar gain can be used. I tried to get some made last summer but the only company that was installing them was run by someone without organizational skills who called me late and delayed coming for an appraisal so many times that I eventually gave up on it for the year.

[fancyfingers]

JasserEnv,
We have the shades on our windows and I must say, they do make a big difference in the summer! We had them installed after we were in our home for 10 months or so. I hope you can find a company that will give you a fair price and install them in a timely manner. Now is a great time to get them installed because usually this is their slow time of the season. You might be able to get a deal.

[zararina]

It will be solar panel for me too. My monthly bill increases no matter how I save some energy since the price is increasing. And will also like that portable solar charger since it can be used outside specially when I would want to use laptop for longer hours. Or can be good gadget when in the wild and camping.

[MakingCents]

_{The solar shades sound interesting to me too.  I have some rooms that pullin in a LOT of heat in the summer and I find I just have to close those doors off during the day.  If I could keep the keat from coming in  I could use more of my rooms during the day!}

[Sandra Piddock]

I'd like solar panels as well - not just for me, but for our community pool, so I could swim all year round, instead of just from March to November. Solar energy is the way to go, but it's far too expensive for most people at the moment. Second on the list would be my own personal wind turbine, so I could generate my own electricity.

[Mike_Hollis]

I've wanted to build a hydroponic window garden for a while (just haven't gotten around to it yet). I live in NYC apartment, so growing space is relatively limited (a lot of our community gardens here actually have wait lists for plots), and I'd love to really try more indoor gardening.

The current plan is to follow the instructions/style of the WindowFarms project (worth a google if you haven't seen their creations) and try to make it entirely from reclaimed plastic bottles and other repurposed materials.

[mariaandrea]

I decided today that this year I'm going to experiment with making my own paper from our waste paper and fabric scraps. It's a simple and cheap setup for making paper and other than screen materials I can use reclaimed wood for frames and my blender to make the pulp. Although, I'd probably want a dedicated blender, so that goes on my list. I also want to get candle making supplies - but not paraffin wax - because I like candle light. I'm not sure the energy savings of lighting by candles outweighs the energy needed to melt the wax to make the candles, but I'd like to experiment to see.

[jasserEnv]

Mike_Hollis, on 08 February 2012 - 02:43 PM, said:

I've wanted to build a hydroponic window garden for a while (just haven't gotten around to it yet). I live in NYC apartment, so growing space is relatively limited (a lot of our community gardens here actually have wait lists for plots), and I'd love to really try more indoor gardening.

The current plan is to follow the instructions/style of the WindowFarms project (worth a google if you haven't seen their creations) and try to make it entirely from reclaimed plastic bottles and other repurposed materials.

Unless you live where you have regular bright sun all year, this sounds like a good idea for many people. I would love to have decent tomatoes in the winter as opposed to the ones that were put on the truck hard as rocks and only softened as a result of being heavily jostled. I have the window space so that might well be something worth looking into. Thanks for the information.

[sculptor]

with any luck at all, i'm gonna finish my greenhouse this year and be able to pull the heat into the rest of the house
even unfinished(3 sections of outside walls, and 2 interfaces with vented roofs are just tarps, cardboard, and plywood patches now) it gets up to 40 degrees above ambient and doesn't freeze at night
when finished, i expect to capture over 80,000 btu/hr during sunlight hours, enough to carry the whole house's heat load------------on days when i can get the entire house's thermal mass over 75 degrees, the building maintains over 60 degrees overnight without using a heater------
layered clothing in the mornings, gives way to bare-chested strolls through the greenhouse by mid afternoon-------
and the plants fragrances and oxygenated air lift the spirits and heal the body
and
an organic kitchen garden... ... ...

here are 3 pictures, i'll post more as the thing unfolds:
http://imgur.com/a/5oy2F

[brihooter]

I would like solar panels. I was driving home this morning from running errands and seen a house close by with them.  It actually got me thinking about it.  It's not something I can get right now but definitely in the future!

[j_pin]

Solar panels on our roof and some sort of solar water heating system are the two things I am dying for.

I feel this would significantly help me cut down on the damage I am doing to the earth as well as save some financially in the long run.

I would probably go for the solar panels first. :)

[greenking]

A Farmstead Raised Garden Bed is on the top of my list =)

[dkramarczyk]

I would love to have a garden. I really would, but so far it seems that I don't have a green thumb. In fact, it seems like I have a black, wilting thumb. Anyways, I've tried gardening multiple times and it didn't work out for me. Maybe being a stay-at-home mom interfered with that goal. I do like solar panels, but they are so expensive. It would also be nice using a wind turbine. Not only do you generate your own energy, but it looks cool too.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

dkramarczyk, on 31 March 2012 - 03:11 AM, said:

I would love to have a garden. I really would, but so far it seems that I don't have a green thumb. In fact, it seems like I have a black, wilting thumb. Anyways, I've tried gardening multiple times and it didn't work out for me.

Starting a garden can be overwhelming, planting, weeding, etc.
Instead try a few pots or planters first. They're easier to tend for a busy mom, and once you see the results,
you'll be encouraged to do more the following year.
Get your kids involved too. Have a planter just for them- like a pizza planter. Tomatoes, bell peppers, onions.

[4leafclover]

EVERYTHING THAT IS SOLAR-POWERED! I think it's best to have stuffs running through solar energy so I won't have to spend for electricity. It'll definitely cut my monthly expenditures, save electricity and save mother earth! :)