Going green with “E The Environmental Magazine”

One of my favorite magazines is E The Environmental Magazine. This is an informative magazine with some good reading in it.  The issue that I recently received has an article entitled Is Green Getting Too Upscale? The article explores the building of homes from 7,000 to 20,000 square feet.  While these homes are adding solar panels to their homes, according to the editor of the article, “The biggest energy savings come from reducing the size of homes.  Solar is the last thing they should consider – after the size of the home, the level of insulation and the materials.”

In addition to the really great feature articles, you will find articles pertaining to your health, your home, finances, going green suggestions and much more.

I would encourage you to take a look at this magazine and even include it in your Christmas shopping.  Your friends and relatives would love this also.  I certainly do!

Building your own Solar Power System

Are you thinking of buying or building a solar power system for your home?

Solar systems make use of a renewable source of energy, the sun. These systems are becoming more affordable all the time.  Solar works best in an energy efficient environment, so having energy efficient lighting and appliances are important to reduce your energy needs before installing the unit.

Solar power is amazing.  The sun blasts enough energy over the surface each day to provide us with more than enough power to sustain us.  Solar power works by collecting energy output by the sun on  specified surfaces and converting it into electricity that we can use to power our homes. This system will never run out of fuel.

Solar power units are reliable, have no moving parts, require little maintenance and cause no noise or pollution. Properly installed, this system should last for about 50 years.

Thin film solar panels are produced by applying silicon material on glass or stainless steel or between 2 pieces of flexible laminate material.  The laminate thin film panels are most popular and can be applied to any surface and are sometimes used as roofing material.

These solar systems can be purchased and installed on your home.  There are books available that will lead you through installing your own solar unit at a reasonable cost to you.

Called to be Caretakers

What can we as caretakers of our earth and caregivers of the poor do to affect our environment? Christians have a sacred responsibility to the earth and to the creatures within it. God put man and woman on the earth to work it and to take care of it.

There are common themes across all faith traditions that we are called to be stewards of the earth and we are to preserve life for future generations. To love, serve, manage and protect what God has given to us and to care for one another is a form of worshiping the Creator. The biblical command to care and love other persons must include caring for the environment in which we live.

As Christians, we need to understand our responsibility to respond to the environmental challenges and to be in right relationship with creation. The movement to heal our earth should begin with us.

We, as Christians, have been called to this vocation. Doing nothing is an action. Is it the right action? Please think about our earth and some of the things you can do to help.