Cooling and heating your house drains more energy bucks than any other standard system in your house. Around, 43% of your utility bill will go towards heating and cooling. Further, heating and cooling systems in the US all together emit approximately 150 million tons of carbon dioxide into the earths atmosphere each year, adding to the controversial global climate change. Not to mention they also generate about 12% of the United State’s sulfur dioxide and around 4% of the nitrogen oxides, one of the chief ingredients in acid rain.

No matter what type of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system you may have in your home, you can save a substantial amount of money and noticeably increase your comfort by correctly upgrading and maintaining your equipment. An energy-efficient furnace by itself will not have as great an effect on your energy bills as using the entire-house approach. You could possibly cut your energy use by twenty to fifty percent simply by combining equipment maintenance and quality upgrades with insulation, air sealing, and even thermostat settings.

Cooling and Heating Tips

• Try to set your thermostat at the lowest setting that is comfortable in the cold weather of the winter and as high as you can with it still being comfortable in the heat of the summer.
• Cleaning or replacing filters on furnaces at least once a month or as is needed.
• Clean your warm-air registers, base board heaters, and also your radiators as needed; make sure that they are not blocked by your furniture, carpeting, or possibly your drapes.
• Bleed the trapped air from your hot-water radiators possibly once or even twice a season; you may need a professional for this task.
• Install heat resistant radiator reflectors in between the exterior walls and your radiators.
• Turn off your kitchen, bath, and and other exhaust fans you may have within 20 minutes after cooking or bathing; while replacing exhaust fans, consider using low-noise, high-efficiency models.
• During the winter season, keep the drapes and shades on your southern-facing windows wide open during the daylight to allow the sunlshine to enter your house and close them at night, reducing the chill you could feel from the cold windows.
• During the summer season, try to keep the window draperies closed during the daytime to prevent the effect of solar gain.

Long-Term Energy Savings Tips

• By using energy-efficient home products when you are shopping for new cooling and heating equipment. You can get energy fact sheets from your contractor for different models and designs to try and help you compare their energy expense.
• For your heating furnaces, look for higher Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rates. Apparently the national minimum is supposed to be 78% AFUE, but there are quality “Energy Star” models available that can exceed the 90% AFUE.
• For cooling air conditioning systems, try to find one with a high Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) rating. Currently the minimum is at 13 SEER for a central air conditioning system. The ENERGY STAR models are at 14 SEER and possibly more.

by Debra Lynn Dadd

I live in Clearwater, Florida, sometimes called Florida’s Sunshine Capital because of our amazing 361 sunny days a year. Yet, even with all this free, abundant, non-polluting sunshine, virtually all homes and businesses are powered with fossil fuels.

I’ve not seen a single solar panel in the five years I have lived here. Why? I would venture to say it’s because most homeowners can’t afford the $20,000 to $40,000 needed to install the solar panels and all the accoutrements required for a solar system. And even if money is not an issue, most people are daunted by the process of choosing solar panels, designing a system, finding an installer, and going through all the permitting and inspection. And then, if something goes wrong what do you do?

All these hindrances to solar power may be coming to an end with an innovative solar power program from a new company called Citizenre REnU. They plan to rent solar systems–all you pay for is the power produced. Solar energy will be accessible to everyone who lives in a state that offers net metering (we have it here in Florida) for the mere investment of what it costs for you to pay your local utility company every month.

The company’s plan is to make their own solar panels, send an engineer to your home to take all the measurements and design a system for you that will meet 100% of your energy needs, then install and even maintain the system for you.

The first step is to reserve your system online. Then you sign and submit a Forward Rental Agreement (which you can cancel at any time without penalty), and you will be officially placed in line for installation.

You don’t pay a penny until a Citizenre engineer actually has solar panels in the warehouse ready to install. Once you agree to the AutoCAD design for your home, a $500 (refundable, interest-bearing) security deposit is due, and the installation process begins, all handled by Citizenre.

In addition, they will lock in your electricity rate for up to 25 years at the same rate you paid last year to your utility. Just imagine saving more and more money on your electric bill each year as rates go up.

Sound too good to be true? Of course, there are naysayers. There are always some who are skeptical about anything new. But my opinion is that this is a great idea. It opens the door for solar power to really expand. If they can’t pull it off, consumers haven’t lost any money. But if they can…

First installations won’t be until sometime in 2008. Currently you can sign up to be put on a list for installations, which can be cancelled at any time, with no financial obligation until the plans are drawn up just before installation. Sign up now and you will be first on your block with affordable solar energy when installation begins.

To get on the waiting list for installations, visit www.debraslist.com/affordablesolar.

Hailed as “The Queen of Green” by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a leading consumer advocate for products and lifestyle choices that are better for health and the environment since 1982. Visit her website to learn more about her book Home Safe Home, to sign up for her free email newsletters, and to browse 100s of links to 1000s of nontoxic, natural and earthwise products. http://www.dld123.com

by Debra Lynn Dadd

I first learned about Permaculture in 1992, I think it was. I took a weekend workshop, and the response among the attendees was so positive, that we formed a small group, so that we could all learn more about Permaculture and how to apply it in the San Francisco area. As a result, I decided to use Permaculture principles on my own woodland acre in Marin county. It was then I realized that while I could use different Permaculture techniques–such as building swales, composting my soil, or arrange my plants in companion-planted “guilds”–I really couldn’t say what made my garden a Permaculture garden. I wanted to be able to invite people over and say, “This is Permaculture!” I finally had to ask myself, “What is it about Permaculture that makes it Permaculture, and not organic gardening, or alternative energy, or edible landscaping, or xeriscaping, or…?” As I asked around, I found I wasn’t the only one that was confused. PERMACULTURE DEFINED The concept of Permaculture can be difficult to grasp, I believe, because it is many different things. It is * a global grass roots movement to build a sustainable world culture

* the study of nature and natural systems

* an ethic of respect for the intrinsic value of nature and human culture

* an attitude of cooperation with nature and neighbors

* a lifestyle that integrates ecologically sustainable qualities into our lives and communities. In Permaculture: A Designer’s Manual by the originator of Permaculture, Bill Mollison, the official definition Permaculture (permanent agriculture) is:

the conscious design and maintenance of agriculturally productive ecosystems which have the diversity, stability, and resilience of natural ecosystems. It is the harmonious integration of landscape and people providing their food, energy, shelter, and other material and non-material needs in a sustainable way…

Does this mean, then, that installing a windmill for energy is Permaculture, or growing native edible plants for food, or building with locally-available materials is Permaculture? Yes, these are all activities that fit into the practice of Permaculture, but it goes beyond these individual elements. PERMACULTURE AS A DESIGN SYSTEM What is uniquely and identifiably Permaculture is a specific system of design for long-term sustainablity that–while originally developed for large tracts of open Australian land–can be used to design any system, from a backyard garden, to a house, to a community. While Permaculture design is the subject of one 575-page book, many smaller books, and even more smaller journals and study groups, the basics of Permaculture design are straightforward and simple. It is the application of these principles in specific places for specific purposes that is complex. Permaculture design begins with a set of ethics that say 1) care for the Earth,

2) care for the people, and

3) set limits to population and consumption. This ethic is coupled with a determination that we should “make our own way: to be neither employers nor employees, landlords nor tenants, but to be self-reliant as individuals and to cooperate as groups.” Its basic philosophy is one of “working with rather than against nature; of protracted and thoughtful observation rather than protracted and thoughtless action; of looking at systems and people in all their functions, rather than asking only one yield of them; and of allowing systems to demonstrate their own evolutions.” Instead of asking “What can I get from this land, or person?” the question becomes “What does this person, or land have to give if I cooperate with it?” Admittedly, Permaculture as a design system contains nothing new, it simply rearranges what is there in a different way that is more sustainable. The role of successful design is to create “open systems” that maintain their complex forms and functions through continuous exchanges of energies and materials with their environment, while being self-regulated and self-managed. Everything in the garden or house or community should be able to get their needs met from the system and put wastes back into the system. A house and its inhabitants, for example, could bring in necessities from outside the system –such as packaged, processed food from the supermarket, energy flowing through power lines from a nuclear plant, and chemically treated municipal water from the tap–and send its wastes to the garbage dump and sewage treatment plant. Or, it could get necessities inside the system from the land itself from which it is an integral part–food from a garden or greenhouse; energy from sun, wind or water power; water from a well or rainfall catchment system–and benefit from the wastes as compost and greywater routed for garden irrigation. The house and land then is a whole, living, self-reliant system that becomes more and more complex and stable, instead of being dependent on external, distant, polluting, and nonrenewable “life support” systems. PERMACULTURE DESIGN PRINCIPLES There are five basic Permaculture design principles. 1. “Work with Nature, rather than against it”. Learn about the ecology of the place, how Nature operates there, assist rather than impede natural flows, and design according to natural processes. If, for example, you know that the site is a steep slope that gets morning sun, and cold air moves to the bottom of the valley, your design might be to put the house further up the side of the slope to keep it warmer, or to plant a “windbreak” uphill from the valley garden to redirect the downward flow of cold air and keep the area warmer. 2. “The problem is the solution”. Everything works both ways–it is only how we see things that determines whether they work for us or against us. Everything is a positive resource, it is only up to us to learn the qualities and characteristics of the resources on our site and use them to our advantage. We could curse the wind that blows cold and strong, or use its strength to power a wind generator and its temperature to cool a storage cupboard in a heated house. 3. “Make the least change for the greatest possible effect”. Choose the site for the house in a flat area, for example, rather than perched on the side of a hill that would require excavation. 4. “The yield of a system is theoretically unlimited.” The only limits, according to Permaculture, is the limit of information and imagination of the designer. A system can always be made more complex, more stable, more abundant. 5. “Everything makes its own garden,” or everything has an effect on its own environment. Because of this, it is very important to consider how all parts of the system of our home– including ourselves, plants, animals, water, sunshine, soil–interact and fit into the system itself. One of the most important aspect of Permaculture design–and one that is usually lacking in other design methods–is the connections between elements. Instead of thinking of a window or a wall or a bed or a skylight or a person or a houseplant as separate design elements, a Permaculture designer would take into consideration how each functions (and would look at all creative functions, not just the obvious ones) and then place each element in relation to the others in an ordered way so they can work most beneficially together. Stability comes not from the number of diverse things in the system, but the number of beneficial connections between them. PERMACULTURE DESIGN PROCESS “A design is a marriage of landscape, people, and skills in the context of a regional society.” To apply Permaculture to a particular place is an ongoing process that will continue to evolve as the inhabitants become more and more intimate with their land, so in this sense what is usually considered to be a finished design is simply a place to start–it’s a plan with a direction. It is impossible to describe and sufficiently illustrate everything you need to know to apply Permaculture design in one short article, but here are some basics for getting started. Permaculture design begins with observation: you need to physically see what is there and not rely on secondhand information. Because observation must include both objects (such as trees or buildings) and processes (such as the movement of air, water, and sun over the site, and seasonal occurrences of plants and animals), observation must be done over time, even for the initial design, and will continue after the land is inhabited as the design unfolds and evolves. Next, make a list of the characteristics (needs and products) of the components that will go into the design. These could include site components (water, earth, landscape, climate, plants), energy components (technologies, structures, sources, connections), social components (legal requirements, people, local culture, trade, finance), and abstract components (timing, ethics). For the design to be functional and self-regulating, place the elements in such a way that each serves the needs, and accepts the products, of the other elements. Every component of a design should function in many ways, and every essential function should be supported by many components. Note how elements are already intrinsically connected. People in a house, for example, have a need for food and produce vegetative matter as a by-product of meal preparation. An obvious link here is between people and a garden, as the garden both provides food and accepts its waste. Then observe nature and imitate the structure and processes of local natural systems. Use native species and materials, see what natural processes are at work and how you can enhance them for your benefit. One important aspect of Permaculture is to use patterns found in nature as inspiration for design. Consider, too, the natural flows of movement � where do you naturally want to walk, what places are you drawn to for certain activities. In the process of planning my hillside garden, we had to cut some terraces. The natural placement of the steps became clear as we repeatedly chose the same spot as having the easiest access to clamber between the two levels. Conservation of energy is an important part of Permaculture design. This is done by locating components relative to the two energy sources of the site: the energy available on site (people, wastes, fuels) and the energy entering or flowing through the site (wind, sunlight, rain, water flow and wildfire). On-site energies are placed in “zones” of use and access. Zones are a series of concentric circles around the house, the innermost being the area we visit most frequently and manage most intensively. Of course, in real design the concentric circles are not exact, but rather relative areas, and on many sites you don’t get past zone one (about twenty feet from the house). Zone placement of any component is decided by the frequency you need to visit it or it needs you to visit. On a smaller scale, this can apply to house or room design as well, placing those elements most related and frequently used together. Energy flowing through the site is analyzed according to “sectors”, plotted in a circle around the house with the house itself being the throughpoint. Energies from outside are thought of as so many arrows winging their way towards the home, carrying both destructive and beneficial energies needing shields, deflectors, or collectors. DESIGN FOR SUSTAINABILITY Above all, the purpose of Permaculture is to create a sustainable world. Within the structure of a Permaculture design, other sustainable practices can be used that are not exclusively Permaculture: natural building materials, resource conservation, vernacular design, renewable energy systems, organic gardening, and many more. Permaculture brings them all together in a way that we can see their interconnections–instead of being pieces, they become part of a whole. Today, there are many books on Permaculture and Permaculture groups around the world. Search on “Permaculture” with your favorite search engine to find them. Hailed as “The Queen of Green” by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a leading consumer advocate for products and lifestyle choices that are better for health and the environment since 1982. Visit her website to learn more about her book Home Safe Home, to sign up for her free email newsletters, and to browse 100s of links to 1000s of nontoxic, natural and earthwise products. http://www.dld123.com

by Gen Wright

Many homeowners prefer to have a basement in the house. That is because the basement can be used for all kinds of purposes. For example, you can use it for entertainment, work, research, etc. The only problem is, when the weather gets cold, you have to have some way of heating up the basement so that you can continue using it even when temperatures are low.

In general, there are many different ways you can heat up a basement. Some are more efficient than others, simply because of the way heat is generated. Usually, the more energy efficient heating systems adopt some kind of method that draws heat from the environment. In recent years, more and more homeowners are becoming aware of such methods. That is mainly due to greater environmental awareness, and larger cost savings.

Conventional ways of heating up a basement include using a fireplace, or an electrical heat source. Heat can be easily generated from electricity. You can have a radiator system that helps to spread heat more evenly around the basement. For large basements, a heavy duty electric heater would be ideal.

For fireplaces, you may want to include a blower to achieve the same result. Ultimately, the heating system that you install depends on the area that you want to heat. Do you want to keep the entire basement warm? Or do you just want to keep a small area cozy? That answer lies in what you are going to do in the basement.

But perhaps the most efficient way to heat a basement would be the geothermal system. Geothermal systems may not be as common as electric heaters, as they are more complicated when compared with ordinary heating systems.

When the weather is cold, the ground surface may be cold, but the layers underneath have stored up lots of heat energy. The heat is untapped, and geothermal systems attempt to draw heat from beneath the ground. Water is used as the medium to tap into the heat energy. Via underground ducts or pipes, the water travels deep into the ground and stays there till its warmed up. The water is then transported back up, and the heat energy can be dispersed throughout the basement floors and walls.

In fact, this system is so energy efficient that the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) estimated a savings of between 20 to 50 percent. The only problem with the geothermal system is that it may require higher upfront investment. Mostly, the cost goes into installing the tubing. If you want to cut cost, you may want to install plastic tubing. However, in the long run, an energy efficient heating system can help you save on utilities bills.

If budget is the chief concern, then perhaps ceramic heating systems will suit you best.

About the Author

There are many ways to provide basement heating. Find a solution to your heating problem by visiting www.HomeHeatingSystemHelp.com

by Milton Hunter

Say goodbye to electric bills and hello to renewable energies.

Solar power is one of the best and most reliable renewable energy sources available. The problem most novice “environmental warriors” find is that the cost of professionally installed solar power systems is way beyond their budget and it could take well over 10 years to see a return on their investment. Never fear, there are alternatives. The most cost-effective way to take advantage of the power of the sun is to build solar panels on your own.

There are many resources and guides available with detailed instructions on how to build your own solar panels. The first and most important step is to seek out quality detailed instructions. Then it is off to your local hardware store to find or order your supplies and next thing you know, or the next time you have some free time, you will be able to assemble and install the system for yourself.

Surprisingly, build your own solar panel kits are not that difficult to find. With large companies like GE producing these kits, the build your own solar panel sets are very affordable and offer a much quicker return on your investment than purchasing and professionally installing a solar energy system. In general the instructions are easy to follow, even for most teens and children, and in no time you are on your way to your own renewable power system.

Sound like too much for you? If you are scared it would be difficult, it is just not true. It is easy to build solar panels with the proper instructions. The parts are not all that complicated either. Professional solar power systems can cost thousands to be installed and in today’s economy most of us just don’t have that kind of money to spare. Make the choice to get “off the grid” today and learn how to build solar panels for yourself. It will be savings you can be proud of and just think of seeing your meter running backwards!

Making the choice to build your own solar panels is a great investment for your future and the world’s future. With energy resources dwindling fast and global warming changing climates across the globe, more people look towards renewable energies for reducing their carbon footprint.

Start today by making your own power at home and take advantage of this great way to educate yourself while saving money. You will also have the peace of mind knowing that you are helping our environment.

About the Author

Written by Milton Hunter. For more useful information on how to get started with the Best Home Built Solar Panels visit me here now: http://www.squidoo.com/HomeBuiltSolarPanels

by Pen Works

Why Organic?

It has been said that the externalized cost of chemical agriculture is being paid in the form of resource deletions, contaminated water, co2 emissions and greenhouse gases, soil depletion, and loss of species. The human cost is equally large. Loss of family-run farms and agriculture, the extermination of small towns and local economies, the sickness and cost caused by unregulated chemical and pesticide use, the loss of nutritional value in our food, and the hunger, and death of poor countries who produce for export instead of feeding it’s own people.

With this knowledge, it’s no wonder people are looking for alternate forms of farming. Organic is the next logical step. From the soil to the table there are organic options for every level of gardener. This article will discuss the virtues and options in organic fertilizers.

For the organic purist, organic fertilizer is something that comes from the surrounding land (manure from your own livestock or “waste” from your own garden). The fertilizer is recycled, often composted. Organic purists focus on soil health and use rotations, fallows, green manures and compost to maintain fertility.

For the not so purist, resources used in organic fertilizer must be sustainably used, and come from natural resources.

Whatever your reason for choosing to go organic, it is important to know that there are organizations which have strict international guidelines to deem an item ‘organic’. This includes fertilizers and food.This Organic Guarantee System (OGS) brings together the organic world through common standards, verification, and market identity. These organizations are very important in setting standards for a guaranteed organic product.

Basic principals

Organic foods and other products are made from organically produced ingredients that are processed primarily by biological, mechanical, and physical means.Natural, renewable, biological and regenerative resources are the basis of organic production and processing systems. Organic matter is recycled to maintain the soil fertility of organic agriculture. Availability of nutrients in the soil is primarily dependent of its own soil organisms. Cultural and local practices manage the problems of pests, weeds and disease. As well, livestock is managed with organically produced feed, and kept in living conditions conducive to natural behavior, and lack of strain.

This Organic Guarantee System (OGS) lists these as the acceptable natural organic fertilizer choices.

Plant and Animal Sources:

• Farmyard manure, slurry and urine • Guano • blood meal, meat meal, bone, bone meal • hoof and horn meal, feather meal, fish and fish products, wool, fur, hair, dairy products • biodegradable processing by-products, plant or animal origin, e.g. by-products of food, feed, oilseed, brewery, distillery or textile processing. • Crop and vegetable residues, mulch, green manure, straw • wood, bark, sawdust, wood shavings, wood ash, wood charcoal • seaweed and seaweed products • peat (prohibited for soil conditioning) (Excluding synthetic additives; permitted for inclusion in potting mixes.) • Plant preparations and extracts

Most countries follow these strict guidelines, some with their own discrepancies. For instance Canadian standards are more stringent than some other countries. Raw manure and human sludge are not permitted on their organic fertilizer list.

Mineral Origin organic fertilizers

• basic slag • calcareous and magnesium amendments • limestone, gypsum, marl, chalk, sugar beet lime, calcium chloride • magnesium rock, kieserite and Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) • mineral potassium (e.g. sulfate of potash, muriate of potash, kainite, sylvanite, patent kali) (Shall only be obtained by physical procedures but not enriched by chemical processes) • natural phosphates • pulverized rock, stone meal • clay (e.g. bentonite, perlite, vermiculite, zeolite) • sodium chloride • trace elements • sulfur

Microbiological organic fertilizers

• Biodegradable processing by-products of microbial origin. For example – by-products of brewery or distillery processing.

• Microbiological preparations based on naturally occurring organisms

About the Author Alan T White Master Landscapers are a Vancouver BC Landscape Construction Company Providing Award Winning Landscape Designs and unique installations

by Sparksy

Have you ever considered thoughts of living off the grid? If you’re a bit taken aback with that idea, let me tell you some of the reasons why you might want to consider it a bit further. First off you are going to reduce your dependence on dwindling resources: Do you want to depend on public utilities all the time?

Have you ever harbored thoughts of living off the grid? If you’re a bit taken aback with that idea, let me tell you some of the reasons why you might want to consider it a bit further.

First off you are going to reduce your dependence on dwindling resources: Do you want to depend on public utilities all the time? Living off the grid helps you stand on your own two feet and not rely on the governments and corporations.

Can you imagine what it feels like when you don’t have to pay for the power you use? The solar power solutions and the wind power solutions are the answers to your needs.

This is the one that seals the deal for a lot of people. Can you imagine what it feels like to have no more electricity bills dropping onto your door mat? The green power solutions give you a pretty quick return on investment and after a while the power supply to your home is free!

Have you ever stopped to think about the people who planted trees years ago? They planted those trees for the benefit of future generations but never really knew the true extent of the benefits they were leaving for us. With the knowledge that we possess these days isn’t it our duty to help our future generations by giving them a greener, healthier world.

If you are thinking to your self that it’s all a bit pie-in-the-sky and not practical to live off the grid, look around for alternate power solutions. I promise you, you will be surprised at how many people have already unplugged themselves and are happily living off the grid.

About the Author To find out more about how you can unplug yourself from the system, click here now!

by M Wilson

by Carol McClelland

I recently attended a presentation at my local Green Ribbon Citizens’ Committee meeting about the global and local effects of global warming. As I listened, it occurred to me that some effects are getting more exposure than others, and yet all of the effects have a direct link to various green industries and green careers.

Although it’s not much fun to read about the long-term impact of global warming, understanding the full effects of the changes give us a better chance of guiding our careers to contribute to solving the problems at hand.

The U.S. Climate Change Science Program has conducted a “Scientific Assessment of the Effects of Global Change on the United States.” This study indicates that changes have already been seen due to climate change and will continue into the 21st Century. As time passes, we are likely to experience the following changes to our climate:

– Warmer temperatures are expected, with more frequent hot spells and less frequent cold spells.

– Although we are likely to have less precipitation, the storms we do have are likely to be more intense. Droughts are likely, especially in areas that depend on the spring snowmelt for their water.

– Snow cover is likely to decrease just as glaciers and ice sheets are expected to lose mass. The Arctic Ocean may be free of summer ice by the end of the century.

– The sea level is expected to rise by between 7 and 23 inches. This sea level rise is also likely to lead to an increase in storm surges that hit coastal areas.

– Hurricanes that develop over the Atlantic Ocean are likely to have heavier rain and higher wind speeds.

Each of these changes is likely to impact various aspects of our way of life. You can use this information to begin to understand the green industries and green professions that will be called upon to resolve climate change related issues.

Consider this a primer to help you think about how and where you might fit into the green economy.

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The Natural Environment

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Our country and society depend on the natural environment for products (food, fuel, wood, and fibers) and natural services (purifying water, sequestering carbon, maintaining biological diversity, and removing waste products).

Professionals such as ecologists, biologists, and conservationists are needed to help understand the impact climate change is having on various systems within the environment. Strategies to support the well-being of various ecosystems will be critical as the impacts of climate change become more evident.

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Agriculture

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The yield from crops may be impacted by the effects of climate change. Although some crops in some regions may do better due to warmer temperatures, the overall impact may not be positive. Rethinking how food is distributed is another issue that will continue to gain attention as companies evaluate their carbon footprint.

A background in agriculture, distribution, and water management will allow you to contribute to solutions for the agricultural industry.

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Water

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Although we’ve grown to assume we will always have access to the water we need and want, some areas of the United States are going to have to change their water forecasting and planning to align with the new realities of climate change. Stream temperatures are likely to change ecosystems and the quality of water as it moves into water systems. Reservoirs will function differently as a result of lower snow coverage and droughts. As water becomes scarce, desalinization methods will become a priority.

Those who have training in water management, hydraulic engineering, hydrologic science, life sciences, water and land use law, and water administration will play an important role in our future.

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Population and Society

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Some regions of the United States are likely to have a harder time absorbing the effects of climate change. The areas that will feel most of the effects are the communities that are at sea level, in fire-prone areas, or areas likely to be in the path of hurricanes or tornadoes.

If you live in one of these areas you may find opportunities to help your community plan and prepare for likely changes in your area. In addition to emergency training, you may also do well to have training in human nature through psychology or sociology.

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Health

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Changes in our climate will change how animal-, water-, and food-borne diseases spread throughout communities. Heat waves and extreme storms will also impact health patterns, injuries, and deaths.

If you have a background in public health and emergency medical care, begin to educate yourself about potential changes that are likely to happen in your community. Take extra training or take a leadership role to create contingency plans for the ways climate change is likely to impact your local health care system.

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Energy

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Although much focus is placed on reducing our dependence of fossil fuels to reduce global warming, we don’t hear about how changes in the climate are likely to impact our sources of energy. For instance, changes in our water supply will reduce our ability do use hydropower or use water to cool equipment and buildings. Storms may also wreak havoc on energy supply plants. We also don’t know the full effect of climate change on alternative energy sources such as wind power, solar power, and biofuel.

If you plan to work in the energy industry, you’ll also want to do contingency planning to understand the impact of various climate scenarios on the power source. Climatologists, engineers, and manufacturers will all play a role in planning for these changes.

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Transportation

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All of our modes of transportation will be impacted by higher temperatures, rising sea levels, and extreme storms. For instance, railroad tracks may not perform properly in extreme heat. Flooding and landslides may make roads, ports, and rail systems unusable. Distribution channels, whether trucking, rail, or ports, may also be disrupted.

Transportation administrators, construction companies, and distribution logistics teams are just a few of the professions that will need to respond to the issues caused by climate change.

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Actions You Can Take

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Did any of the topics described above strike a chord for you? Perhaps you are already interested in the specific issue, or this description awakened you to an issue for the first time. Incorporate this information into your quest for your green niche.

If you find yourself drawn to one or two of the issues listed here, take some time to familiarize yourself with the issues. You can read the Executive Summary (http://www.climatescience.gov/Library/scientific-assessment/6-SA-FAQ-LO-RES.pdf ) of the U.S. Climate Change Science Program report. Or you can delve into the full report (http://www.climatescience.gov/Library/scientific-assessment/) (271 pages) to read the section(s) that are most relevant to you.

Remember this primer is a starting point. Immersing yourself in your industry/profession of choice will allow you to understand the multi-faceted nature of climate change issues. If you want to position yourself to enter the green economy, it’s critical that you take an active role in understanding these issues in detail. As you explore the issues that interest you most you may discover additional careers beyond those we listed.

About the Author Green Career Expert Carol McClelland, PhD, is the author of Your Dream Career For Dummies and founder and executive director of Green Career Central, a virtual career center with easy-to-use resources, programs, and events to help you identify your green niche, find a green job, start a green business or get a green education. Visit http://www.GreenCareerCentral.com to request our free report — “Six Strategies to Find Your Green Career”

by Earthship Farm

Solar Powered and Wind Powered Underground House

Earthship Farm, located in New Mexico, sits on acres of land and is powered by one of the most reliable energy source, the sun.

Earthship Farm sits on twenty acres of New Mexico land. The land is fenced and then cross-fenced and powered by solar and wind energy. The earthship also contains AC electric around the boundary of the land. The earthship views the Jemez Mountains, Sangra de Cristos, and Cerro Negra right outside the windows. The farm is forty-five miles from Santa Fe and Los Alamos, and an hour from Taos. The house covers 2000 square feet, and includes excellent well water and recycling grey water.

Val Goldenbrook of Earthship farm has been selling and buying land successfully across the United States. Earthships are earth sheltered autonomous buildings made with rammed tire and bale straw and arranged in a horseshoe shape. Windows on the sunnier side of the earthship is what properly heats the underground home. Windows are set up to catch the maximum heat within the winter months.

Electricity is obtained form renewable energy sources such as solar cells or small windmills. The earthship is able to capture rainwater from the roof and store it, where it is reused for the kitchen and shower use. Having an earthship with windows facing south is a good idea in northern hemisphere climates. These homes heat and cool by themselves, collect their own power, harvest their own sustainable water and contain and treat their own sewage on site.

Earthship farm has the potential of making positive changes to people and to the world’s environment. For more information on Val Goldenbrook’s Earthship farm, located in New Mexico, visit the website and use the contact page for more information. The farm is self contained and is selling for $470,000.

About the Author Earthship Farm is property in New Mexico selling an earthship