Servicing and Upkeep of Solar Panels – Solar Power Services

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Servicing and Upkeep of Solar Panels – Solar Power Services

guest post by Sara Oliver

Solar panels are by nature designed to withstand everything that nature can throw at them and are therefore low maintenance items. That’s the point – low maintenance, not no maintenance. Anything, no matter how well engineered, must take account of Mother Nature.                         

The cleaning of solar panels is very important to the output of your solar system. Think of a clean car windscreen versus a windscreen that has not been cleaned in 6 months.

Dust build-up during the summer months can result in 5-10% loss of your entire solar energy system. It is recommended that you have your modules expertly cleaned, using only the right materials to ensure system optimisation.

There are a few obvious things that you can pay attention to ensure the most efficient output of your system.

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How Good Stress Can Help You Become More Resilient in Life

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How Good Stress Can Help You Become More Resilient in Life

Let’s face it, stress is a major part of life in the world today, especially if you are working (inside or outside the home), have children, or live in an urban environment.  As a divorced mom of 2 kids with a full-time job, consulting work, and running my business, www.greenandprosperous.com, I manage a fair amount of stress on a regular basis. During the course of my regular workweek, as a professor, I also see – and try to help mitigate – the stress my students face. With so many responsibilities to handle, and so many of them juggling long commutes, internships, volunteering, financial problems, or managing families (since most students these days are non-traditional) in addition to going to school full-time, I sometimes wonder how my students deal with it all, at such young ages. In fact, many of them do not deal well with stress, and a select few end up dropping or failing out of their programs. At worst, they become dependent on medication to manage their anxiety, or suicidal.

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5 Reasons Why Going Green Will Futureproof Your Business

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5 Reasons Why Going Green Will Futureproof Your Business

guest post by Jane Rodinson

With the environment consciously being at the forefront of people’s minds currently, going green is perhaps the most important things businesses should consider. And, with added efficiency comes extra benefits, futureproofing your business being one of them. Here’s why.

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How Growing a Garden Improves Your Health

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How Growing a Garden Improves Your Health

Guest post by Clara Beaufort

If you’re looking for a way to get more active, eat healthier, and improve your overall mental and physical health, look no further than your backyard. Gardening is one of the best activities people can do to benefit their overall health and well-being, and we explore how growing vegetables and flowers can pack such a powerful punch below.

Gardening Benefits Your Mental Health

You don’t have to be an adventurous whitewater rafter or mountain climber to get the mental health benefits of being in nature. When you work with the soil and plant bulbs and seeds, you are beginning a journey to better mental health. Gardening has therapeutic value, and spending time outdoors boosts people’s moods, reduces their depression and feelings of isolation, and relieves their stress.

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6 Decadent chocolates worth the splurge

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6 Decadent chocolates worth the splurge

Valentine’s Day may be over, but our love affair with chocolate continues. From its MesoAmerican origins to its migration eastward into the fashionable salons of the European aristocracy, chocolate has captivated our imaginations. Despite its sometimes-dark history and questionable health effects (some sacrificial victims of the Mayans and Aztecs were forced to drink chocolate mixed with blood, and wealthy European elites undermined the supposed health effects of chocolate by (over)processing it with alkaline salts, milk, and sugar), the global market for chocolate continues to expand. And although some of the chocolate that makes its way into retail stores in has been harvested by modern-day child slave labor in cocoa farms in Ghana and the Ivory Coast, the expansion of fair-trade, ethically sourced, and slave-free varieties of chocolate has meant that we can continue to enjoy our chocolate pleasures, guilt-free.

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Going Green with Real Estate: How Environmentally-Conscious Improvements Can Help Home Sellers

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Going Green with Real Estate: How Environmentally-Conscious Improvements Can Help Home Sellers

In recent years, real estate agents have noticed a growing interest in clean energy features and green home improvement projects. Green living and green home improvements have impacted the real estate market and many sellers are not only making changes to reflect personal standards and financial objectives, but to potentially boost their home’s value.

What has become apparent is that green projects are becoming a selling point to segments of buyers in various areas in the United States. Understand more about how going green in the home may help sellers down the road today.

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The Real Cost of Litter

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The Real Cost of Litter

There are not many places in the UK today where you will not see at least one piece of litter. Indeed, statistics from finance experts Money Guru report that roughly 62 % of people drop litter at some time, although only 28% ever admit to the fact. Litter and the resulting clean-up costs the local authorities, and the UK tax payer, more than £1 billion per year. £6 million of this is simply picking up litter from roadsides that has been thrown from passing cars. 

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Can seasonal eating keep you from getting the cold or flu?

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Can seasonal eating keep you from getting the cold or flu?

The news out there is pretty bad: the flu is worse this year in the US, and the flu vaccine is only up to 30% effective. Strangely (to me), doctors and health care workers are making blanket recommendations that everyone should get the flu shot. As for me, I’ve taken the flu shot exactly once in my lifetime, when I was pregnant with my second child, and only at the insistence of my Chinese medicine doctor (who helped me overcome secondary infertility to achieve a healthy pregnancy at the age of 41). And yet, we rarely get the flu in my household, even when we’ve been exposed to many people who are clearly sick with it. In fact, my 7-year old is the only one in our household who ever gets a cold or flu, and it's always a mild version that she's able to overcome in a day or two.

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the Road to 2040: An overview of the petrol and diesel sales ban

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the Road to 2040: An overview of the petrol and diesel sales ban

The UK government recently announced a plan to ban the sale of petrol and diesel engine cars from 2040, amid fears that rising levels of nitrogen oxide are posing a major risk to public health. The UK government claims that the ban must take place due to the unnecessary and avoidable impact that poor air quality is having on the general public’s health. Although over the past 15 years, government data shows that the UK has made huge steps towards improving air quality, it is felt that the only way to improve the issue and keep it at bay is to ban the worst generators of this pollutant for good. 

Nitrogen oxide reacts in the atmosphere to form Nitrogen dioxide, which causes adverse effects on health.  Studies show that long term exposure to Nitrogen dioxide can have many serious health issues to the public, such as decreasing lung function, increased risk of respiratory conditions and increased response to allergens. As Nitrogen dioxide is in the atmosphere around us, it is impossible to avoid breathing it in. Therefore, the negative health effects will only continue if nothing is done to improve the atmospheric conditions.

Check out this infographic by Select Car Leasing to see why this is happening and if the UK will be ready for the switch.

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Must-Have Apps for Nature Lovers (Infographic)

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Must-Have Apps for Nature Lovers (Infographic)

Guest post by Jarrimber Furniture & Cabinetry

Having an interest in nature does not automatically exclude you from being enthusiastic about technology, and vice versa. While some nature lovers might decry the modern ubiquity of smartphones and mobile devices, there’s no reason why people who enjoy nature cannot use technology to supplement that interest...

Take a look at this infographic by Jarrimber Furniture & Cabinetry for the full list of must-have apps for anyone with an interest in exploring the natural world.

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DDT was banned long ago, so why is it still affecting your health?

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DDT was banned long ago, so why is it still affecting your health?

The New Year always encourages us to look ahead to the (hopefully brighter) future, but sometimes moving ahead means reconciling with the past. The lingering presence of DDT, and its continued effects on the health of the environment and, really, most of us, is one stark reminder of how harmful practices of the recent past continue to threaten lives in the present.

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What Happens to Your Vehicle After It’s Donated

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What Happens to Your Vehicle After It’s Donated

guest post by Goodwill Car Donation

If you have an unnecessary truck, car or any other type of vehicle that’s outlasted its usefulness, you have several options. You could try to sell it yourself, but depending on the car’s state, that could be easier said than done. You could have the car scrapped, like the nearly 12 million cars that are junked each year to be recycled — but you probably won’t receive much of a return on your investment that way, and it isn’t the most environmentally friendly choice. Donating your car to charity, however, can be a great way to rid yourself of an unnecessary car no matter what state it’s in, while also possibly getting something back in the form of a tax deduction. But before you consider donating your car, it’s important to know what will most likely happen to your vehicle once you turn it over to the nonprofit of your choice.

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DIY Home Energy Audit (Free Checklist)

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DIY Home Energy Audit (Free Checklist)

Energy efficiency does more than lower homeowners’ energy bills – it also helps to lessen the impact each home has on the environment. All of the modern conveniences we enjoy on a regular basis have a hidden cost beyond what we see on our utility bills. They consume resources, contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and create waste that can harm the environment. Although these impacts may be small when viewed individually, when taken in aggregate they can have a substantial global effect. The good news is that there are plenty of things homeowners can do to reduce the effect their homes have on the environment, and many of those things are relatively easy.

Use the following checklist to keep your home's energy costs down and efficiency up...

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Budget & Eco-friendly Decorating Ideas for Your Outdoor Spaces

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Budget & Eco-friendly Decorating Ideas for Your Outdoor Spaces

Guest post by John Stuart

Outdoor spaces are great for unwinding after a long work day, for spending time with family and friends and for playing with your kids. If your backyard doesn’t feel welcoming, these budget and eco-friendly decorating tips will help you beautify it in no time. You don’t have to break the bank to spruce up outdoor spaces. Sometimes, the most striking decorating ideas are the cheapest. If you’re not intimidated by the idea of a DIY, here are 5 hand-picked suggestions for reviving your backyard or patio. 

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The Cost of Wasted Food, and What you Can Do About It

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The Cost of Wasted Food, and What you Can Do About It

Guest post by Michael Brown for Money Guru

Food waste is a global problem. The world is producing more food and making a greater profit than at any time before, yet so much of it is being wasted that the costs run into billions. In the UK and across the world, households are throwing away tonnes every year.

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