How to Make a Cable Spool Stool
Gather:
Wooden spool
1X2 wood pieces
Screwdriver
Screws
Cardboard
Batting
Staple gun
Fabric
Sewing machine
Foam
Directions:
Creating a plushy stool doesn’t need to be spendy, but it can be chic and green. First, get support for your wooden spool by screwing in your 1X2 wood supports all the way around. Next, you are going to make a border that will support the batting by surrounding it with cardboard. After that, take your foam and create a cushion for the top. Surround everything but the bottom in batting with your staple gun. The next part depends on the shape and size, but you are going to draft out your fabric and sew up a lip for the stool.
You can create this also in turn with no sewing machine and just by creatively wrapping fabric and stapling in place. Kick your heels up and enjoy your hard work.
Do It Yourself Letter Opener
Gather:
Plastic credit card holder
Scissors
Exacto knife blade
Tape
Directions:
Make a letter opener with a few discarded leftovers that you may have wanted to toss out. First, take the card holder and create a swoop in it with the scissors so that you can ‘run’ a letter through it. Once cut, take the Exacto knife blade and tape it near the swooped part. Now you can open all those letters… or bills.
Solar Panel Construction – Construct your own residential solar panels
You can find a number of distinct solar panel construction items on the markets these days. It might be fairly confusing, and also far more high-priced to invest in built photovoltaic items only to come across that they are not quite what you need to build your solar pv.
Learning about solar panel construction is 1 way that you are able to get the power ranges and maximum power that you simply will need without investing extreme quantities of cash. When you are considering solar panel construction you have to know the basics about pv cells and solar power, and also the items necessary to build your personal solar panel.
The fundamentals ideas behind solar energy contain harnessing the energy to convert sunlight, and with the use of photovoltaics convert that radiation to immediate present power that will be used for daily power needs. Photovoltaics are cells that contain supplies that can carry out this conversion. Supplies are good for solar cell construction consisting of silicon (amorphous and polycrystalline) and cadmium telluride. An outcome through the growing demand for solar efficient and cell efficiency items has pushed the manufacturing process in production of these cells drastically.
This knowledge suggests that photovoltaic cells are one of probably the most important components of solar panel construction, but you will find other supplies required whenever you are placing with each other your individual programs. If you’re not completely assured inside your skills to construct a photovoltaic panel from scratch, you can purchase one of a lot of photovoltaic panel kits accessible. These kits will contain everything you’ll want to put together your own solar efficient item.
If you are determined to put together a method from scratch, then you’re going to become in will need of: quite a few solar cells (you can get these from many different places around the internet), plywood (this really is going to become how your cells are collected collectively, solder, and tabbing wire.
Your initial step to start solar panel construction would be to connect the cells using the wire. You’ll put a small amount of solder around the back again sides of each silicon cell.
Ensure you very first have them in sequence and deal with down. Then you are heading to attach your wiring in the front of one cell to the again of another, and so on till all the cells are linked. These cells then need to be arranged in parallel rows.
These parallel rows are to become connected to your plywood. They could be connected utilizing silicon. After the cells happen to be securely connected, you will need to drill some holes within the plywood to be able to connect positive and unfavorable wiring necessary from your photo voltaic cells.
This solar panel construction generates a personal photovoltaic panel. If you need a lot more energy, then you definitely basically construct more panels till you have what’s required to conduct clean energy. The panels themselves might be connected in sequence or parallel by their positive and unfavorable wiring. Prior to investing in supplies for the solar panel construction setup, calculate the essential power for the house and purchase sufficient supplies to cover your needs.
Following your efficient photovoltaic panels, you are able to connect them for your power inverter after which connect them to your residence power source. If you have any doubts about these methods make sure you contact an electrician or solar energy professional.
Solar Heating Ever Evolving Technologies
Photovoltaic energy, radiant warmth and heat of the sun, has long been captured and applied by man kind since historical days employing a array of always changing technologies.
Say Welcome to the Energy of the sun
Photovoltaic powered electrical development relies on heat engines and photovoltaics. Solar energy’s uses are restricted soley by a person’s creativity. A short list of photovoltaic systems includes space heating and cooling via solar architecture, potable drinking water by way of distillation and disinfection, daylighting, solar heated h2o, solar cooking, and high temperature process heat for industrial reasons. To harvest the solar energy, one of the most well-known method is to make use of solar panels.
Solar technological innovation is broadly characterized as either passive solar or active solar depending on the way they harness, transform and distribute solar energy. Active solar systems involve the use of sun panels and photovoltaic thermal collectors to harness the energy. Passive solar procedures cover orienting a home in the direction of the Sun, choosing material with favorable thermal mass or light dispersing properties, and designing areas which naturally circulate air.Active solar heating refers to mechanically assisted heating systems that utilize energy from the sun as the fuel source. These might be used in combination with passive solar heating approaches, for example placing big windows on south-facing walls, to lower or perhaps remove the demand for traditional heating systems that involve fossil fuels for example oil, natural gas and propane to function. Active solar heating applications may be pricey to install but are generally low-maintenance, plus the fuel resource, the power from the sun, is free. Fossil fuels will only increase in expense as the supply falls and demand raises.
Creating heated water for use in showers, baths and hot taps accounts for a substantial proportion of the total domestic energy consumption. Under UK circumstances, a family can easily provide approximately 50 percent of the hot water it would like through the course of a 12 month period from solar energy.
Sourcing Solar Heat
Solar heat is essentially free power for everybody’s dwelling in wintertime. There are quite a few techniques of capturing it.
There are two methods to capture solar heating for your household. They are passive and active solar heating.
Passive solar heating doesn’t require external units or mechanical equipment. This really is basically the act of allowing your property to obtain extra solar radiation throughout the winter weather.
If you are building a new dwelling and if it is feasible to orient and build your house so that you have rooms with windows that capture the reduced angle photo voltaic heat throughout the winter months, but can also be blocked from summer sun. This sort of passive solar heating, combined with decent insulation, can mean more than 50 percent of your home’s winter heating requirements.
Attempt to maximize solar heat gain in the winter season by getting rid of evergreen trees that will not loose their leaves and planting deciduous trees for instance maple and oak which loose their foliage during winter months. They will protect the home from the summer and permit more sun to hit your home in winter months when they loose their leaves.
Alter the color of your house. If you live in a predominately cold climate consider painting your home a couple of shades darker. Darker paints mean extra solar heat retention.
Study about the kinds of active solar heating systems. In terms of active solar heating you will find several solutions. The first could be to set up a large capacity solar hot water heater or possibly a dual system with one side feeding a radiant heating system. Another active solar heating option is an external solar air heater. This would be basically an insulated box which has a solar powered fan that you just put on a sunny position outside your wall. Once the sun is shining, warm air is made and fed in to the home by way of a duct.
Over 70% of the average house’s energy use goes into space and water heating, so a resource of free hot water to use rather than commercial power could make a substantial monetary savings.
5 Green Date Ideas
Looking to respect Mother Nature on your of your dates. Why not try one of these Green Dating Ideas:
1. Gift Mother Nature
If a present is in order for the date, try and gift Mother Nature instead of your significant other. Save a tree in his name, donate to his favorite local charity or drop off shoes you are not wearing anymore to a shelter — all men love when women can sacrifice shoes for love!
2. Clean up the Park or Road
Volunteering together to clean trash from a local park or roadside area is a wonderful eco-friendly date idea. Giving back to the community is a wonderful thing to do on a personal level and doing it with a person that you care about can make for an enriching and eco-friendly date.
3. Plant a Tree
Planting a tree together is a great way to mark where you are in your relationship. If you are in a committed relationship this is a great eco-friendly date idea, as you can watch the tree grow together year after year. If you are dating on a more casual level, it may be more appropriate to plant flowers together or something that shows more immediate results. Both are eco-friendly date ideas that are also fun.
4. Take in a Local Farmer’s Market
Go online and find out what’s happening in your community. To save on paper, email the directions to your cell phone. Take a walk there if possible. If not, check out the mass transit. Take a bus or train. While at the farmer’s market, pick up some items to make dinner together with and eat by candlelight.
5. Eco-friendly vacations
Instead of a honeymoon to a place of entertainment ‘standard’ is visited by all people, why not choose natural tourist destinations that are rarely visited? Natural beauty will make you more and want to maintain their sustainability.
Let us now how many of these you have check off your list.
Have other ideas, please leave them in the comments below.
UPS Reports Reduction of Total Greenhouse Gas Emissions
ATLANTA–(BUSINESS WIRE)–UPS (NYSE:UPS) today released its annual Sustainability Report announcing that while the total number of packages shipped in 2012 increased, the company reduced its total Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. Environmental achievements included ground and air fuel savings, increased investments in alternative fuel vehicles, and retooled routes that shaved 12.1 million miles from ground deliveries.
“The report’s theme, More of What Matters, sharpens UPS’s focus on how to make the most measurable positive impact through sustainability business practices and logistics expertise.”
“UPS also set a new alternative fuel goal,” said David Abney, UPS Chief Operating Officer. “By 2017, the company will reach one billion miles driven by alternative fuel/advanced technology vehicles – more than double the previous 400 million mile goal.”
For the second year in a row, UPS earned superior credentials for reporting transparency: A Sustainability Report that fulfills the Global Reporting Initiative’s requirements for an A+ level as well as third-party assurance of its report and greenhouse gas data from Deloitte & Touche LLP. Less than 20% of all GRI Sustainability Reports are A+.
“Our industry-leading accomplishments showcase innovative technology and global operational efficiency gains as well as world-class credentials for rock-solid data,” said Scott Wicker, UPS Chief Sustainability Officer. “The report’s theme, More of What Matters, sharpens UPS’s focus on how to make the most measurable positive impact through sustainability business practices and logistics expertise.”
Highlights of the 2012 report include:
• Reduction in the absolute amount of global greenhouse gas emissions from operations and purchased energy of 2.1 percent compared to 2011
• Rapid expansion of UPS’s dedicated global healthcare infrastructure to more than 6 million square feet (0.557 million m2)
• A Global Forestry Initiative to plant more than 1 million trees by the end of 2013
• Humanitarian relief efforts in 35 countries, with related in-kind donations valued at US$2.6 million
• Total Charitable Contributions and United Way donations of US$97.5 million, up from 2011 by US$4 million
• 1.8 million volunteer hours donated by UPS employees, friends and families, a new record
Noteworthy in 2012 is that UPS Airlines, which represents 57 percent of UPS’s carbon footprint, reduced its fuel use and carbon production. Air shipping volume rose 4.8 percent year over year, while fuel use dropped 1.3 percent.
One of the cornerstones of UPS’s environmental strategy is to support the development and use of lower-emission alternative fuels. Vehicles represent approximately 35 percent of UPS’s carbon footprint. UPS is accelerating its testing, purchase and deployment of new-generation vehicles. Between 2000 and the end of 2012, the alternative fuel/advanced technology fleet has logged 295 million miles with an ambitious new goal of 1 billion miles set for 2017. In 2012, this growing fleet drove 49 million miles, a 43 percent increase compared to 2011.
Earlier this year, UPS announced plans to add nearly 1,000 liquefied natural gas (LNG) tractors in the next two years, expanding its current fleet of 2,700 alternative fuel and technologically advanced vehicles. The fleet today includes all-electric, electric hybrids, hydraulic hybrids, natural gas (LNG, compressed natural gas), propane, biomethane, and light-weight fuel-saving composite body vehicles.
The new Sustainability Report also cites the greenhouse gas reductions, fuel savings and miles avoided through the innovative use of technology. For example, telematics data fed through vehicle sensors helped UPS cut more than 206 million minutes of engine idling time last year, saving more than 1.5 million gallons of fuel. Routing technology increased pickup and delivery stops per mile, saving 12.1 million miles of driving which equates to approximately 1.3 million gallons of fuel.
Details of UPS’s GHG initiatives and all of our sustainability programs can be found in the report available at www.ups.com/sustainability.
UPS (NYSE:UPS) is a global leader in logistics, offering a broad range of solutions including the transportation of packages and freight; the facilitation of international trade, and the deployment of advanced technology to more efficiently manage the world of business. The company also has a world-class sustainability program committed to positive social, community and environmental impact. Headquartered in Atlanta, UPS serves more than 220 countries and territories worldwide. UPS’s Corporate Sustainability Report and related information can be found at www.ups.com/sustainability and www.pressroom.ups.com.
How Does Geothermal Energy Work?
The term geothermal came from the Greek words geo and therme, which means earth and heat respectively. Geothermal is from the heat acquired from the hot circulating ground water of the Earth.
People have used this particular type of energy for centuries now. One of the most common sources of geothermal energy is hot springs. The ancient people use this resource for their everyday chores and needs like cooking, bathing and heating. Even these days, structures situated near a hot spring can obtain geothermal energy from this geyser. Nowadays, geothermal energy is commonly used to create electricity.
But how does a geothermal energy work? The heat coming from the sun directly goes to the ground. Since the ground beneath us is considered as an insulator, it reduces the passage of heat from the sun. Researchers and scientists concluded that to be able to convert this heat to power and energy large pipes should be placed underneath the ground where the heat is more stable and constant. The pipes will then be filled with water and a geothermal pump will push the water to the pipe ends. The water is then directed to a special boiler that will feed the converted power to buildings and structures.
One good thing about learning how geothermal energy works is the gained knowledge that it has no negative effects on the environment. Geothermal power plants emit about less than one percent of carbon dioxide in the air. These plants also have 97% less acid rain emissions.
The question on how geothermal energy works is best answered with the numerous benefits of the energy. A lot of people opt to use geothermal power because it’s almost free after the initial venture and it’s considered as a green energy. With the shaky economy nowadays, geothermal power is also an advisable alternative energy that should be prioritized.
2020 Volkswagen Aqua Hovercraft Concept
The Volkswagen Aqua Hovercraft is a futuristic hovercraft concept which would be powered by a hydrogen fuel cell and would emit zero carbon dioxide.The all-terrain vehicle, which has a top speed of 62mph and works like a hovercraft, can move seamlessly between different surfaces – roads, water, sand, and snow.
This is created by Yuhan Zhang, a 21-year-old designer from China. Yuhan just graduated with honors from Xihua University in Industrial Design.
View the Photo Gallery Here:
IKEA Sustainable Living
Meet Steve Howard, chief sustainability officer for IKEA Group, and three IKEA co-workers as they talk about where we’re heading.