Handyman alert: solar energy power kits have arrived. The renewable energy explosion has people opting to add solar energy power to their homes. Some are going all out and totally off the grid, while others are wading in slowly. For the handyman, installing a solar energy kit is not difficult. Everything needed arrives in one package.

The only question is how to choose the right solar energy kit for the home?

Solar power kits come with detailed instructions for the handyman to follow. This should be the first thing you look for in the review or description of the kit, unless you are purchasing it to be installed by the pros. In that case ask them for recommendations.

Your kit should also be expandable. If this is your first venture into solar energy and you decide you like it, you want to be able to expand on the installation, not start over with a new one. The ability to add to or upgrade is an important feature to look at.

Power Up

There are easy and hard ways to determine your power needs. You can research every item in your home to determine how much power is used and multiply that by your best guess of how many hours per day you use each one. This can be a tedious process that at best gives you an estimate of your power usage.

Alternately, and probably simpler, would be to call your power company and have them access your records for the past year. They can tell you what your average monthly use is then you can divide that by 30 days to get a daily average.

Armed with your average power usage needs you can purchase your solar energy kit. You might want to purchase a kit that covers only a portion of your needs and upgrade later. Doing this lets you see how solar energy performs in your home and keeps your power company as a backup.

Another factor you should look into is whether or not the kit comes with a batter backup. You should decide ahead of time if you desire a battery backup or if you are okay being without power should blackout occur. Battery backups will increase the cost of the system dramatically and they are expensive to maintain.

If, however, you are staying on the power company’s grid and using an inter-tied system, you don’t have to worry about that. And you also save more money by selling your excess power to them. This system requires little or no maintenance to upkeep.

Your final decision, but also an important one is the company you are purchasing from. You should do your homework to insure you are dealing with a legitimate company that stands behind its products. If you can’t find good reviews or customer comments, keep looking until you do. You can save yourself a lot of headaches.

Choosing a solar power kit is not difficult; it just takes a little time. You need to know how much power to generate and you need to feel confident you are dealing with a reputable company. Once you armed with that information you are ready to go solar.

Other Choices to Solar Power Kits

Many people go for the expensive option and pay a company to do the complete installation of a solar energy system. The main benefit of this is that installation is hassle free, plus you will get some sort of a guarantee.

The down side to a professional system is that due to high cost it can take very long time for the system to actual start saving you money.

Have You Thought About Building Your Own Solar Panels?

If you had a shopping list of all the parts you need to build a solar panel system and step-by-step instructions on how to wire the system together, you could actually build your own solar power system for under $200.

You may not be aware, but there are now some great “how to” guides available on Internet that provide step-by-step instructions on how to build a solar power system. Some are much better than others and the best ones even include video instructions. These guides are aimed at anyone who is capable of using a drill and doing some basic wiring.

Out of all the DIY guides on renewable energy systems, my recommendation is Earth-4-Energy. You can get a quick insight into this guide by watching this YouTube Video Review of Earth4Energy.

If you have been thinking of making a more eco-friendly garden, have you considered getting a solar powered pump birdbath? Actually, have you thought of making one yourself?

So how will a solar powered pump birdbath benefit you?

The pros to getting one are:

a: The moving water in the fountain stop its from going stagnant

b: It uses none of your main power supply

c: The pump runs on DC power, so no inverter is needed.

d: The pump uses minute power (only 6volts) so very few solar panels are needed

e: Batteries are optional, since you usually only want the fountain to operate in the day when the birds are around.

f: It is possible to make the entire system your yourself, helping you save money

g: The birdbath can be placed anywhere in your garden, without the need for unsightly wires.

And what does it take to make a solar powered pump birdbath?

The most basic method is to buy a working birdbath with fountain, and then wire up the solar panels.

The alternative is to, and more DIY approach is to buy a birdbath that is ready for a fountain pump to be installed (it has the right holes, and a place for the pump to be installed), and then add the various pump and power components.

If you go the DIY route, then you will need to get:

The Birdbath:

It does not matter what birdbath you buy, but make sure there is a place for the fountain to be added. A few options for you would be copper, terracotta, cascading, ceramic, or resin birdbath fountains.

The Water Spout:

This is optional, but it makes the water spout out the top, instead of just trickling out. It can be found at your local nursery or hardware store.

Small Fountain Pump:

Depending your birdbath size, the volume of water to be pumped and how high you want to pump it, will help you decide on the voltage and size pump needed. For your average, medium-sized birdbath, a small 6 volt DC pump will suffice.

PVC pipe for irrigation:

When buying the irrigation for the fountain, it is best not to get piping that is too wide, otherwise the right water pressure will not be maintained and the pump will not work properly. So before you buy the wrong tubing, get advice from your local garden center and see what they use in similarly sized birdbaths

Silicon Sealant:

Silicon sealant helps fill any cracks where water could escape, such as where the tubing enters the top of the birdbath. It can also be used to insulate any bare wires.

The Solar Panels:

This is what makes this birdbath unique to your average water fountain. Depending on what size pump you buy, will need to get enough solar panels for the fountain to work properly. A a typical 6 volt pump, you will require solar panels with a capacity of at least 6 volts. But is better to be on the safe side and get a 12 volt solar panel instead, for times when it is cloudy and for late afternoons.

NB: You have 2 alternatives for the solar panels:

1 : Buy a small commercially available solar panel from any outlet, such as Wallmart.

2 : Make it yourself. With the right guide it is rather easy and much cheaper to make your own solar panel in a matter of hours. If this is something you would love to try do, then keep reading…

To get the maximum sunlight, the solar panels need to be fixed in simple frame, and be south-facing (if you are in the northern hemisphere).

How easy is it to put it all together?

If you have all the tools and materials and any diy experience, you could have a working solar powered pump birdbath within in a matter of hours – that’s if all goes to plan…

A good idea would to add some batteries to the birdbath, so that the excess solar power can be stored and to power the pump at night. For a 24 hour fountain, you will need:

1) Deep cycle battery:

Because the pump is only 6 volts, a 12 volt battery is more than enough. It should be a deep cycle battery (car battery) that can store the power for a longer time.

Charge controller:

This is not essential, but it prevents your battery from over-charging. So it can really extend the life of the battery. It will be wired up between the solar panels and the battery.

Over and above it being affordable to build, what I like about putting together my own solar powered pump birdbath, is that once the first one is finished, making the second or third one just gets easier. It could even be a fantastic gift for a close friend or newly wed.

Now that temperatures are finally warming up across the Northern half of the US and Canada, it is time for organic lawn care lovers to get out and get started for the season. We’ve all had to wait just a little longer than our friends who like to use quick releasing synthetic products, but it is well worth it in the long run!

Naturally fertilized lawns do develop and show results slower. But that’s just fine by me! The reason is because organic fertilizers release their nutrients when temps are hotter, whereas synthetic fertilizers release nitrogen into the soil from water. The good news is that organics feed the lawn slowly over time, thus giving it long term strength.

Don’t worry though, because anyone who is in the lawn care business knows that organically treated lawns look much better in the long haul. This is because the slow release of nutrients helps the lawn to recover and build slowly, over time, which makes it stronger. Synthetically treated lawns, however, tend to green up fast and fade even faster. It’s like a sugar rush that only lasts for a short time and fades in a crash!

With that in mind, here are some of the best natural fertilizers you should consider for your organically treated lawn care program.

Organic Milorganite: This natural fertilizer turns many people off, but does deliver the very best results. Milorganite is reclaimed sewerage from Milwaukee. But don’t let that stop you because it is really a good fertilizer and does NOT smell bad at all. In fact, Milorgaite also contains slow releasing chelated iron that will turn your lawn a nice blue color, giving you the best lawn on the block. This is the best of the organics in my opinion.

Corn Gluten Meal: Once touted as the perfect lawn fertilizer for organically minded consumers, corn gluten offers many benefits. First off, it delivers the nitrogen we want to turn the lawn greener, slowly. In addition, build up of the gluten in the soil will work as a natural insect deterrent too. That is a nice bonus in areas of the country that have problems with grub worms. Corn gluten can be used all year long when temps are above 60 degrees.

Worm Castings: for those of you who are 100% against the use of any animal (mammal) products in your organic lawn care regimen, then worm castings are for you. Earth worms excrete an extremely clean and mineral rich slurry which is collected, dried and packed for lawn and garden fertilizer. It is very expensive, but works well for those of you who are on the Earth friendly extreme.

The final step is to make sure you follow proper cultural lawn care practices such as irrigation and mowing. If you do those things and use good, quality organic fertilizers, your lawn will respond well and look good all year long.

With advances in solar cells and the widespread use of LED lights, options for solar accents in the garden abound. Whether you are looking for lanterns, landscape lighting, fountains, or a patio umbrella that doubles as a mini-power station, solutions are both easy to find and economical.

A trademark of many gardens and patios is the solar lantern staked into the ground. While one of the first solar lighting products on the market, lanterns still remain popular and are available in an incredible variety of styles and materials. Many sets now come with a single and movable solar panel, which allow for lanterns placed in shadowy areas to still burn brightly at night.

Outdoor string lights have long been a favorite for holidays and parties. Solar-powered string lights allow for constant use without a switch or a plug. Some strings are designed to accommodate pre-made or original Chinese lanterns; others take the form of a rope light.

Adjustable solar landscape lighting allows for the illumination of trees, walls and garden artifacts. Without the need for a power source, placement of solar landscape lighting is easy and flexible, even at the edges of a property or driveway.

There is something magical about the running water of a fountain being powered by nothing more or less than the sun high above. These soothing garden sounds can be enjoyed minus the guilt of pulling excess electricity from the grid. Placing multiple fountains by doors and windows brings the sound of running water inside the house.

Creative minds have harnessed solar energy to add light and motion to traditional garden decorations. Why settle for a plain gnome when you can have a solar-powered gnome carrying a flickering torch through the garden, or two fairies kissing over the warm light of a glowing orb?

To satisfy the backyard over-achievers, there is the solar-powered patio umbrella. Solar panels on top of the umbrella harness the sun’s energy to recharge the batteries by day, and by night LED lights provide light for outdoor activity. The system can be left on for automatic use every night, or lights can be turned off to store energy for special occasions.

Having outdoor lights and soothing sounds without plugs or extension cords still holds a certain air of impossibility. Add to the enjoyment the fact that you are using clean, renewable solar energy, and you have something to feel good about!

Earth Day was established on April 22nd 1970 by Senator Gaylord Nelson. Its initial purpose was to provide a platform for all the different environmentalist groups to unite under a single day to thrust forward their message of conservation and environmental preservation. The movement was successful with over 20 million people participating world wide by marches and rallies in the name of Earth Day.

The main theme of the day is to remind citizens of the earth for the need for conservation. It provided a platform for environmentalists to call on nations, global policy makers and even private citizens for the need to conserve our precious environment.

The main strives were in the fronts of renewable resource usage and also the use of natural products. Just by following the guidelines on the usage of renewable resource and natural products environmental conservation would have taken a very large move forward. A large part of the natural product movement was on proper use of natural organic fertilizers as opposed to the wide use of synthetic chemical fertilizers.

Over the years since the introduction of synthetic fertilizers, their true costs are slowly being felt by long term users of these damaging products. The huge initial crop yields are not long lasting. Over time yields fade and soil fertility drops dramatically as soil is damaged and even sometimes killed due to the chemical leaching and burning they do. As a result soil is subjected to the risk of desertification and soon nothing can crow on the land resulting ultimately and farmer bankruptcy and destroyed land.

Synthetic chemical fertilizers are not only known to destroy soils but are also shown to have devastating affects on water systems surrounding farms. The problem is that chemical fertilizers are highly soluble and thus can leach off soil and follow water into local water systems. The boom in nutrients that chemical fertilizers provide means that weeds and algae will grow uncontrollably and basically suffocate the water system. Eventually all the fish will die causing severe damage to the local ecosystem.

The best alternative is to focus on the use of natural and organic fertilizers. As the products used to manufacture natural organic fertilizers are natural and clean, there is almost no risk of upsetting the local eco-system with their use. The earth really has no place for synthetic chemical fertilizers and its devastating side-affects.

Organic fertilizers use natural raw products such as fish, seaweed or even common waste to make fertilizers. Whatever is taken from the earth in terms of raw input is returned directly to the earth as the final product. There is very little waste and no imbalances in the natural ecology that occur when these fertilizers are applied. Plants and soils will greatly benefit from these fertilizers as they nourish the soil and provide vital nutrients that synthetic fertilizers have no hope in providing.

Although we are used to the idea of large corporations and industrial farms changing their practices to favor environmentally friendly practices, action from individual private citizens can also be very helpful. We can start by changing out law fertilizing habits by buying only naturally organic products and keep from overusing products in favor of conservation.

What damage was done in the past can only be learned from and repaired as best we can. We instead need to look forward and change our over-consumptive ways to improve our environment. Let our children enjoy with 100th year anniversary of Earth Day by saying that their parents were successful.