Alternative Power: Hydroelectric Potential

hydroelectric-_-ontario-power-generation

Image by Ontario Power Generation

When it comes to large-scale alternative power, hydroelectric plants are currently the most common – supplying more than 80% of the word’s renewable energy.  While hydro power is much cleaner and more cost-efficient than the generation of electricity using fossil fuels, there are a number of disadvantages including the threat of dam failures, disturbance to the natural environment, and some greenhouse gas emissions.

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8 Completely Awesome DIY Home Energy Projects

diy-renewable-energy

Small-scale renewable energy is a must for a sustainable home – but converting your home to clean energy options can carry a huge initial price tag.  We’ve scoured the web for some of the most innovative examples of homemade energy solutions to compile a collective list of DIY projects to make your home greener and more energy efficient without costing you a fortune.  From solar water heaters and gadget chargers to homemade super-efficient refrigerators, you’ll find links (with instructions) to some of the best projects you can make at home…

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Wearing Trash? 10 Recycled Jewelry Designs That Demand Attention

Recycled jewelry by Wired
Recycled jewelry by Wired

“One man’s trash is another woman’s treasure” – especially when that trash is made into jewelry! Recycled jewelry is popping up everywhere, and the materials used to create it is just as amazing as the jewelry itself. From industrial trash thrown away in Chicago to bicycle inner tubes in Holland, recycled jewelry is eco-chic, handmade, and planet-friendly

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No more paper or plastic – 5 Great DIY ideas for Reusable Shopping Bags

So you are going green on a budget, or just want a bag that makes more of a statement than the branded shopping bag from your local store? Reusable shopping bags are an eco-friendly solution to a growing waste problem. Each year, 38 billion plastic bags are thrown away in the US alone. Only a tiny percentage of these bags are recycled – the rest:

  • Make their way to the ocean and kill thousands of marine creatures each year.
  • Some float through the air, endangering birds and littering the streets.
  • Others sit in landfills and decompose, contaminating the water, soil, and food supply with harmful micro-toxins.
It costs more to recycle a plastic bag than it does to make a new one.  Photo by TimParkinson
It costs more to recycle a plastic bag than it does to make a new one. Photo by TimParkinson

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We get it, green is the new black

Saving the environment has never been so cool; fashion designers made “organic, green” grocery  bags that will cost you just as much as your monthly food bill would be.  Organic fashions are simple, eco friendly, and will make your bank cry.  If you’ve went food shopping with only buying organic …

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