Recent years have seen the cost of solar panels significantly drop and their over all predicted life span increase by over a third as 90% of panels have proven to last over 30 years which is a massive improvement compared to the original prediction of lasting just 20 years, bringing the overall lifetime cost down. This makes them the perfect investment for your school building.
EU Energy Institute forecast that panels will be equal in terms of cost to energy taken straight from the grid for half of all UK homes in just 10 years, this means your school building could be generating your power sooner than you think. This news means that solar power is closer to it's goal of achieving grid parity which is where it's just as cheap to use your own generated power as it is to take it from the grid. Something that is becoming more and more likely as tradition energy prices continue to rise.
In the last year alone the prices of solar panels have dropped on average 30% which is due in part to incentive schemes for solar energy run in countries all over Europe, this in turn has increased the amount of panels being manufactured and brought costs down, there's never been a better time to think about adding a solar panel to your school building and any new classrooms you might be planning to build.
Test have shown that after subjecting the solar panels to extremes of heat, cold and humidity to accelerate their aging cycle, over 90% were still capable of performing well beyond 30 years. This means that solar panels in production today could easily have an average life span of 40 years and this is partly what has lead to calls for banks to offer mortgages on them as they do with homes due to their good investment potential. Their proven longevity could make them the perfect investment for your school building too.
Even in the UK, which doesn't experience a high level of constant sunshine when compared to countries like Spain and Italy, solar panels are expected to become a competitive and feasible provider of energy compared to the grid by 2030 at the latest. The sunnier European countries are expected to reach grid parity within the next five years.
This may all seem like a pipe dream at the moment, especially for schools who struggle with their limited budget as it is, but having solar panels added to your school building or simply added to any new buildings or classrooms your school might be having built is a really sound investment. Plus there are is a whole host of grants, awards and funding options available to help education establishments bring their school buildings into the 21st century.
By using renewable energy in schools, you will not only cut your energy bill but you're also helping to educate your pupils on being as green as possible, something that will become second nature as they grow up.
Best of all thanks to the new Clean Energy Cash Back scheme, any UK school that installs a solar energy solution to their school building will be entitled to claim cash back for all the solar energy they generate. Not only do schools receive a set amount for every unit of energy they generate for their own use, they will also get an addition sum for every unit of energy they are able to export to the grid for others to use. The amount paid will increase with inflation and has been guaranteed for the next 25 years meaning you could actually be making money from any solar panels you have on any of your school buildings.
Thanks to this scheme, it is completely possible for any schools to re-coup the cost of their solar panels within the first year of installation. Making a solar panel addition to your school building not only energy efficient, but cost efficient too.
The Garden Escape 4 Schools was developed with the environment in mind; by creating beautiful yet innovatively designed school buildings. Our mission is to create ecological, healthy and sustainable educational buildings for your school, our children and their future.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Why-Solar-Panels-Are-a-Great-Investment-For-Your-School-Building&id=4125122] Why Solar Panels Are a Great Investment For Your School Building
Thursday, 10 June 2010
Tuesday, 6 April 2010
An Evolutionary Response to Global Warming
Global warming is an issue which impacts all of us and one that few of us truly believe we are capable of resolving without significant alteration to our way of life. For many their feelings of helplessness are replaced with a natural, albeit primitive survivalist instinct to protect ourselves and our offspring.
This inherent desire to survive, breed and ensure our own self's continued survival is a primordial, ancient evolutionary thought process, to which we have been attuned to from an early ancestral period when we were motivated primarily by fear and instinct to survive in a harsh environment where only the strongest and fittest survive.
Our survival instinct derives within our genetic makeup, which has changed relatively little through our evolution from primitive apes, with approximately 95% DNA match to chimpanzees, the only other living hominids currently in existence today. This survival instinct allowed us to survive and pass on our genes to the next generation. Consequently our desire to survive remains as strong as ever, undiminished from the 5-7 million years of evolution.
Despite our technological advances we have in many ways changed very little from our ancestors, and it is in this viewpoint that we consider individuals response to the threat of Global Warming.
Survivalism is highly influenced by location and our environment, as those in more rural locations have greater perceptions of community independence, particularly those in North America, whom commonly use the term "head for the hills" whilst in contrast, in London, this response is impractical, many completely reliant on their networks for energy and natural resources.
This may have positive side effects, as homeowners look to prepare for the worst, in turn they become more self sufficient and resilient to change with investment in home energy generation through solar panels and wind turbines. As a core part of the survivalist response is through long term preparation, it is clear to see the connections with achieving self sufficiency, not only through home alterations but in changes to an individual's mindset to place greater emphasis on planning, designing and managing for the long term.
However, this evolutionary response may be seen by many as a form of nihilism, as ultimately any response that is sufficient to deal with the scale of the challenge is about working together as a community or as a single, unified force. We need to be aware that we are all part of an array of networks around us, and that we need to nurture and rebuild them, rather than imagining we can survive without them if we are to tackle the threats to our lifestyles from the impending Global Warming and Oil Depletion.
Indeed, it may be seen that a belief that we can exist and flourish independently of our communities is a dubious luxury of the Age of Cheap Oil, which we can ill afford to acquaint ourselves with. We have to learn to meet and greet each other again, learning how to adapt together, through co-operation and communication.
This inherent desire to survive, breed and ensure our own self's continued survival is a primordial, ancient evolutionary thought process, to which we have been attuned to from an early ancestral period when we were motivated primarily by fear and instinct to survive in a harsh environment where only the strongest and fittest survive.
Our survival instinct derives within our genetic makeup, which has changed relatively little through our evolution from primitive apes, with approximately 95% DNA match to chimpanzees, the only other living hominids currently in existence today. This survival instinct allowed us to survive and pass on our genes to the next generation. Consequently our desire to survive remains as strong as ever, undiminished from the 5-7 million years of evolution.
Despite our technological advances we have in many ways changed very little from our ancestors, and it is in this viewpoint that we consider individuals response to the threat of Global Warming.
Survivalism is highly influenced by location and our environment, as those in more rural locations have greater perceptions of community independence, particularly those in North America, whom commonly use the term "head for the hills" whilst in contrast, in London, this response is impractical, many completely reliant on their networks for energy and natural resources.
This may have positive side effects, as homeowners look to prepare for the worst, in turn they become more self sufficient and resilient to change with investment in home energy generation through solar panels and wind turbines. As a core part of the survivalist response is through long term preparation, it is clear to see the connections with achieving self sufficiency, not only through home alterations but in changes to an individual's mindset to place greater emphasis on planning, designing and managing for the long term.
However, this evolutionary response may be seen by many as a form of nihilism, as ultimately any response that is sufficient to deal with the scale of the challenge is about working together as a community or as a single, unified force. We need to be aware that we are all part of an array of networks around us, and that we need to nurture and rebuild them, rather than imagining we can survive without them if we are to tackle the threats to our lifestyles from the impending Global Warming and Oil Depletion.
Indeed, it may be seen that a belief that we can exist and flourish independently of our communities is a dubious luxury of the Age of Cheap Oil, which we can ill afford to acquaint ourselves with. We have to learn to meet and greet each other again, learning how to adapt together, through co-operation and communication.
Saturday, 3 April 2010
Growing Food - Options For the City Dweller
There has been much publicised attention on the increasingly popular option of growing your own food; as it is only through making ourselves more self sufficient are we able to strive for increased resilience within our communities; becoming more independent whilst minimising our Carbon Footprint.
However, achieving this self-sufficiency through production of your own food is for many impractical and time consuming; consequently if we are as a society to achieve reduced reliance on governing constraints such as 'Just in Time' production strategies, action needs to be taken.
There are a number of options, which you as an individual and homeowner can do; as the personal choices we make now, such as choosing organic to locally sourced food dictate our relationship with food, influencing supply, and thus shaping environmental conditions for future generations to come.
Acquiring our food at locally produced sources will greatly reduce the carbon emissions, as the product has a much lower embodied energy, whereby the total energy which has gone into its production and subsequent transport. Foreign imports, now dominating our supermarket shelves are in effect very high carbon foods, due to substantial miles travelled, predominately by air to get there.
Options for the City dweller
For many, the choices we make about food are greatly dictated by our built environment, in terms of where and how we live. As for many, living in an urban location, the option to grow your own may seem unfeasible, uneconomical and impractical; however although you may not be able to meet all your needs, it is possible to supplement your existing weekly shopping trip with some home grown fruit and vegetables.
If you are living in an urban location; a number of options are available depending on your current circumstances, e.g. type of property, amount of space, availability of private or communal garden.
As the UK is increasingly becoming a warmer, more mediterranean climate, the options for growing your own food become much more diverse and varied, allowing a wide array of different and often traditionally associated as tropical crops/ foods to be grown.
To attain complete self sufficiency, we need to combine home grown food with localised electricity production if we are to continue our high energy consumer lifestyle. There are a number of elements which can be implemented into the home to supplement your fuel bills whilst reducing your carbon footprint, including wind turbines to the use of solar panels.
However, achieving this self-sufficiency through production of your own food is for many impractical and time consuming; consequently if we are as a society to achieve reduced reliance on governing constraints such as 'Just in Time' production strategies, action needs to be taken.
There are a number of options, which you as an individual and homeowner can do; as the personal choices we make now, such as choosing organic to locally sourced food dictate our relationship with food, influencing supply, and thus shaping environmental conditions for future generations to come.
Acquiring our food at locally produced sources will greatly reduce the carbon emissions, as the product has a much lower embodied energy, whereby the total energy which has gone into its production and subsequent transport. Foreign imports, now dominating our supermarket shelves are in effect very high carbon foods, due to substantial miles travelled, predominately by air to get there.
Options for the City dweller
For many, the choices we make about food are greatly dictated by our built environment, in terms of where and how we live. As for many, living in an urban location, the option to grow your own may seem unfeasible, uneconomical and impractical; however although you may not be able to meet all your needs, it is possible to supplement your existing weekly shopping trip with some home grown fruit and vegetables.
If you are living in an urban location; a number of options are available depending on your current circumstances, e.g. type of property, amount of space, availability of private or communal garden.
- Use of indoor pot plants - through 'Hydroponic gardening' which is simply a pot filled with water, inert material and a combination of differing nutrients essential for growth - these may be bought at most conventional plant stores such as Home base.
- Hanging Baskets - provide an attractive feature outside your home, require minimal maintenance and are great for growing spices and herbs.
- Green Roofs - For many with limited floorspace, or whom have recently built a new flat roofed extension or have a garage, there is an option for homeowners to grow food on their roof. This is only applicable to those whom have ownership of their roof fabric; due to significant structural implications/ cost constraints. Those in apartments may need to obtain communal consent to carrying out such a scheme. A number of plants can be grown, which can supplement food bill, may be grown, depending on whether you opt for extensive or intensive roof systems. More information found at Green Roofs.
- Balconies - Those in apartments may benefit from a balcony, which depending on your orientation, as you ideally need 6-7 hours of daylight for growing edible plants.
- Garden plants - Many plants are suitable and capable of growing in small plots in soils of poor fertility, including even contaminated soils, or those suffering from high levels of leaching.
- Greenhouses - provide shelter during winter and maximises daylight through a magnifying effect, allows a range of plants to be grown, although more costly and requires sufficient land.
As the UK is increasingly becoming a warmer, more mediterranean climate, the options for growing your own food become much more diverse and varied, allowing a wide array of different and often traditionally associated as tropical crops/ foods to be grown.
To attain complete self sufficiency, we need to combine home grown food with localised electricity production if we are to continue our high energy consumer lifestyle. There are a number of elements which can be implemented into the home to supplement your fuel bills whilst reducing your carbon footprint, including wind turbines to the use of solar panels.
An Optimistic Solution to Global Warming - A Motivational Approach
The issue of global warming is one which is starting to attract worldwide global attention; which, as public awareness increases, the potentially catastrophic effects of our changing climate is beginning to sink in. The realization of this ongoing and 'real' threat to our environment and way of life is creating a stir within the community, causing a demand for change to be taken.
Currently, focus is being emphasized on the damaging effects and worse case, doomsday scenario, which many scientists to global warming enthusiasts predict, may arise. This however is non motivational, and does little to encourage those whom experience a high carbon, polluting and environmentally damaging lifestyle from changing their behaviors.
The purpose of burdening individuals with the hugely overwhelming, and almost incomprehensible problem of global warming was meant to strike fear in recipients, upon which our natural survivalism instinct would endeavor us to react to resolve the underlying cause due to the threat of losing our livelihood, money, life, friends/ family, our life as we know it. However this is both energy sapping and demoralizing as significant focus on resolving issues through reaction to negative emotions is more emotionally demanding; resulting in less energy to appreciate and welcome in a new era of environmentalism as Jerry Gillies mentions
"It takes a lot more energy to fail than to succeed, since it takes a lot of concentrated energy to hold on to beliefs that don't work".
It is also true that at present, the current measure for motivating individuals into acting and changing their behaviors is not working, as many have feelings of powerlessness and inadequacy to make a difference. It needs to be identified that the sum of our cumulative effort as a community will make an impact; and it is only by embracing this concept, as a group entity will we ever be likely to succeed in our goal of reduced CO2 levels and a sustainable lifestyle.
It is apparent that a rethink on the Governments approach needs to be undertaken, in regards to advertising, broadcasting and distribution of information in relation to Global warming, which facilitates a positive reaction and not an inflammatory, defensive and negative counter response. We therefore need to increase awareness of the benefits of a low carbon society, which adopts a localized, low energy and sustainable lifestyle.
These benefits include:
We need to make a conscious effort as individuals to adapt and change our lifestyle, shifting from one which is highly technological, and consumer driven, to an era of low energy, localized resource sourcing, stimulated by the need to reduce our carbon footprint to counteract the threat of global warming.
Currently, focus is being emphasized on the damaging effects and worse case, doomsday scenario, which many scientists to global warming enthusiasts predict, may arise. This however is non motivational, and does little to encourage those whom experience a high carbon, polluting and environmentally damaging lifestyle from changing their behaviors.
The purpose of burdening individuals with the hugely overwhelming, and almost incomprehensible problem of global warming was meant to strike fear in recipients, upon which our natural survivalism instinct would endeavor us to react to resolve the underlying cause due to the threat of losing our livelihood, money, life, friends/ family, our life as we know it. However this is both energy sapping and demoralizing as significant focus on resolving issues through reaction to negative emotions is more emotionally demanding; resulting in less energy to appreciate and welcome in a new era of environmentalism as Jerry Gillies mentions
"It takes a lot more energy to fail than to succeed, since it takes a lot of concentrated energy to hold on to beliefs that don't work".
It is also true that at present, the current measure for motivating individuals into acting and changing their behaviors is not working, as many have feelings of powerlessness and inadequacy to make a difference. It needs to be identified that the sum of our cumulative effort as a community will make an impact; and it is only by embracing this concept, as a group entity will we ever be likely to succeed in our goal of reduced CO2 levels and a sustainable lifestyle.
It is apparent that a rethink on the Governments approach needs to be undertaken, in regards to advertising, broadcasting and distribution of information in relation to Global warming, which facilitates a positive reaction and not an inflammatory, defensive and negative counter response. We therefore need to increase awareness of the benefits of a low carbon society, which adopts a localized, low energy and sustainable lifestyle.
These benefits include:
- Improved sense of community and belonging in your local area, due to closer knitted communities, and the need to work together (similar to during the War period).
- Reduced commuting/ travel times arisen from localization encouraged through mixed-use developments.
- Reduced bills through use of renewable energy technologies including solar panels and wind turbines.
- Improved understanding and relationship with food and drink through greater use of self-grown fruits/ vegetables.
- Greater emphasis on family, friends and relationships, reducing our obsession with technological goods/ products.
- Health benefits, through reduced stress related to SBS syndrome, work related illnesses.
- Sense of well being, satisfaction and positive optimism in light of response to achieving a sustainable lifestyle.
- Diminished social pressures to attain a level of wealth through acquisition of material objects.
We need to make a conscious effort as individuals to adapt and change our lifestyle, shifting from one which is highly technological, and consumer driven, to an era of low energy, localized resource sourcing, stimulated by the need to reduce our carbon footprint to counteract the threat of global warming.
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