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Green LivingHome & Garden Green Living Articles
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Home & Garden Articles
Outdoor Green LivingComposting is the way to recycle your yard and kitchen wastes, and is a critical step in reducing the volume of garbage needlessly sent to landfills for disposal. When we compost, all we're really doing is speeding up Mother Nature. The basics of good composting is a matter of providing the proper environmental conditions for microbial life in your compost. Compost is made by billions of microbes such as fungi and bacteria that digest your yard and kitchen waste. When it comes to composting bins, each system has some advantages and disadvantages that you should consider. However, there are not many significant differences in actual composting performance between the various traditional bin systems. Choosing natural pesticides is about striking a delicate balance between protecting your flowers and crops, and also protecting the environment. Organic pesticides are very effective against insects in your garden and flower beds when used properly, and they should be your first choice for most garden pest control needs. Organic fertilizer will help improve your soil by adding important nutrients for your plants which is a key to organic garden success. Without fertile soil and nutrients your plants cannot thrive. A good soil, enriched by an organic fertilizer is also a key to avoiding many disease problems that can effect your garden. There are two main benefits of organic weed killers over traditional chemical weed killers, natural weed killer is environmentally safe and it poses little threat to you and your family. Organic weed killers also are very effective, they work by disrupting organic plant material simply by reacting with it and you will see immediate results. Organic soil is created with ingredients that are completely natural and organic. Healthy organic soil, is rich in nutrients and organisms, and is an essential building block for a healthy organic garden. Soil is a complex and delicate ecosystem with a multitude of organisms that convert inactive materials into the essential nutrients that your plants need to thrive. Rain barrels allow you to harvest rainwater allowing you to save money and water, to water your flowerbeds and garden. By collecting rainwater and storing it in rain barrels, you'll have water for future use, whether it's for watering the garden or your flowers. Thanks to concerns about pollution and rising gas prices, reel mowers are becoming popular once again. A big misconceptions is that reel mowers are hard to push, however, modern reel mowers are lighter, better designed, easier to push. Organic lawn care starts with a commitment to the environment. A more organic approach to lawn care is the best solution for a healthier lawn and planet. Basic practices of organic lawn care are good advice for improving the health of your lawn. The best place to start when creating water wise gardens is to make sure your soil is healthy and working properly. Ideal soil in a water conserving landscape needs to do two things, it need to be able to drain quickly and at the same time store water. You can achieve these two things by increasing the amount of organic matter in your soil and keeping it well aerated.
A major problem facing any gardener is the problem of having animals trampling and eating your garden, while ruining all of your hard work. This experience can become very frustrating, but there are humane and natural ways to keep animals out of gardens, that you can use to protect your plants without harming the animals. Energy Efficient HomeTankless Water Heaters are very energy efficient, only using energy when the hot water is being used which saves both wasted energy and money. Besides being very energy efficient, Tankless Water Heaters are smaller in space and easy to maintain. LED light bulbs last up to 10 times as long as CFL light bulbs and use only 2 - 10 watts of electricity (1/3rd to 1/30th of a CFL). Also because LED lighting last for years, energy is saved in maintenance and replacement costs. Composting toilets use little or no water and treat toilet wastes on-site for reuse as valuable compost. Composting toilet systems contain and control the composting of excrement and toilet paper using the natural processes of decomposition and evaporation. Powering your Christmas lights can be an expensive part of decorating for the holiday season. Solar Christmas lights offer an energy efficient alternative that help lower electricity cost and lower your energy needs during the holiday season. Solar Christmas lights significantly reduce the amount of energy you are consuming and you can save hundreds on your electric bill during the holiday season. Cooking with a solar oven is also one of the most energy efficient, affordable and healthy ways to prepare your food. The solar oven is also becoming increasingly popular among people looking to save money and reduce their impact on the environment. Home Solar SolutionsResidential solar panels are a great investment that not only saves you money and can increase the value of your property, but they also help the environment. Solar power is fast becoming price competitive with conventional energy sources. Solar roof shingles are modular photovoltaic (PV) cells that are disguised as roof shingles. These solar-powered shingles blend almost seamlessly in with traditional roofing materials and offer the same protection and durability of traditional roofing shingles. A solar water heater can meet part or all of a home's hot water needs depending on the type of solar water heater that is being used and the geographic location of your home. A solar water heater can meet 50 to 80 percent of your homes hot water needs. Solar hot water panels are one of the most cost-effective solutions to generate hot water for your home. Solar hot water systems can be used in any climate and since the fuel they use comes from the sun, the energy used to heat your water is absolutely free.
Although it may not seem like an ideal place for home solar panels, the Northwest United States is an excellent location for solar. Home solar panels operate at greater efficiency in cooler climates, which makes the northwest a great location for solar power. A solar attic fan will turn on whenever the sun is out, drawing fresh air up through your soffit vents and blowing hot, stale and humid air up and out of your attic at the same time. Solar attic fans decrease the temperature of the attic and decrease your home's temperature. |
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