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Visit http://www.GreenIrene.com/PoorMan

 

 

 

 Free Gardening Resources-from our friends at the County Extension Office
How to Take a Soil Test
http://www.css.msu.edu/SPNL/


Compost your yard waste - You Tube Videos by Bob Tritten, District Fruit Educator on how to compost
http://www.migarden.msu.edu/migarden/news/item/compost_your_yard_waste
MSU Fruit Resources
http://web1.msue.msu.edu/fruit/
MSU Vegetable Team Website
http://vegetable.msue.msu.edu//
MSU Poultry Team Website
http://web1.msue.msu.edu/poultry

 


It's also time to start thinking about all of the vegetables, herbs, berries and fruit that you can grow yourself.
If you are new to food gardening, it's easy to learn how to grow and enjoy healthy and delicious vegetables in your backyard. You can save a fortune on food costs and protect yourself and your loved ones from dangerous chemicals and production methods used on store-bought produce. And, you can have vegetables and fruit that tastes better than anything you can buy.
Here's a list of free downloadable how-to-garden books that I found for you:
Download your Free Kitchen Garden Guide Books >>>
( http://www.todaysplans.net/learn-gardening-vegetables.html )

 

 

 

Free Alternative Energy & Useful Resources

Compiled 2008-10 by Bruce David

bedavid@yahoo.com

 

 

 

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Do-It-Yourself/2007-12-01/Solar-Heating-Plan-for-Any-Home.aspx

Solar Water Heat You can build yourself.

 

http://www.laspilitas.com/garden/howto/greenhouse.html

Build your own cheap greenhouse

 

http://solarcooking.org/plans/default.htm

Do it yourself plans for building a solar cooker

 

http://www.barterco-op.com/

Learn how to save money by creating your own barter neighborhood network.

 

http://www.billyland.com/build/

Alternative home building manuals and resources

 

http://www.mahalo.com/How_to_Convert_Your_Car_to_Run_on_Vegetable_Oil

Free plans to run your car on vegetable oil.

 

http://www.solaqua.com/solstilbas.html

Build your own solar still – the basics

 

http://windenergydirect.org/renewable-energy-basics-seminar.php

Free seminar on renewable wind

 

http://www.ruralcostarica.com/biodigester.html?gclid=CJ6VkdmUmpUCFSAUagodXhqUPA

http://www.juliantrubin.com/encyclopedia/renewable_energy/biogas.html

Build your own cheap ‘bio-digester’

 

http://www.wm.com/wm/environmental/resources.asp

Free information and resources from Waste Management Inc.

 

http://www.heliotrack.com/HeliostatVision.html

Parabolic mirrors & other resources

 

http://www.awea.org/

American Wind Organization – resources, links and more

 

http://www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension/index.html

Comprehensive index to County Extension offices in all 50 states.

 

http://www.mastercomposter.com/pile/index.html

Build your own backyard composter plans

 

http://www.backyardspaces.com/alphabeticplans.html

A-Z index of free outdoor building plans from garages to decks to composters

 

http://www.homepower.com/article/?file=HP114_pg86_Taulman

Free online subscription to home power magazine-how-to articles

 

http://www.epsea.org/nocost.html

El Paso Solar Energy Organization – money saving ideas and plans

 

http://www.lowimpactliving.com/pages/green-projects/green-projects

Low cost, many do-it-yourself green projects.

 

Brucebulletin-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Sign up to get my free, infrequent bulletins containing news, resources & comments.

 

Interesting site on street economics, links and more 

www.urbansurvival.com

 

 

Useful Resources 

http://www.tbotech.com/cmd.csp?af=921331

Self protection resource site

 

 

 

 

Terrific site for resources and green, eco-friendly goods

http://www.growandmake.com?ref=71

 

5 Myths About Going Green-Video

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/video/5-myths-about-going-green.aspx

 

Free Colleges

http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/26/college-for-free-yes-free/

 

How to Go Green in Your Kitchen Video

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/personal-finance/video-saving-green-by-going-green-kitchen.aspx

 

 

Unload Electronics Responsibly

Dump it Responsibly by finding a donate spot near you.  Search Earth 911 at:

www.earth911.org

 

or

 

www.mygreenelectronics.org

 

No matter what, erase your hard drive before getting rid of the computer.  If you don't want to purchase software to scrub it clean, you can always remove the hard drive and drill holes through it! 

 

 

   

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Energy Savers...

The Basics of Solar Cooking

 

Sunshine is the most reliable resource we have, so why not use it? Uses for solar energy are abundant, but most don’t consider cooking with it. Solar cooking takes the power of the sun, reflects and focuses it in such a way as to produce a remarkable heat source. This is done using reflectively coated walls around the food. Think about how warm the summer sun makes a stone or the interior of a car. Similarly, a solar cooker intensifies the suns rays and makes them hot enough to cook an entire chicken or roast dinner.

 

Solar Cooking

Solar ovens are popular for camping and for those trying to save money, but they can also be fun and easy to use. Many people like to build their own, but they can also be purchased. Cooking solar saves money on gas or electric and doesn’t heat up your house in the summer. People not only cook meals in their solar ovens, but also bake, fry and make waterless boiled eggs. Some hold multiple pots, while others are made for single dish items.


Building Your Own Solar Oven

Building a solar oven can be an elaborate affair or as simple as lining a cardboard box, it depends on the foods to be cooked. The required materials can cost under ten dollars. Some designs will produce a higher heat than others, so it is important to understand your needs. There is also potential danger in some undercooked food, so using a thermometer to check temperatures is also highly recommended. 


Solar Cooking Products

Commercially available solar ovens come in a variety of sizes and shapes. Prices will also vary depending upon their flexibility, ease of use and durability. Some are designed to carry anywhere, while others depend on a stable setting and are more permanent. Designs come in fold out, box, or hybrid designs. There are also items like reflective vinyl that can be purchased to aid in creating your own design.

 
Solar Cooking, A Global Solution

In some areas, the sun shines almost every day. This allows people to use their solar cookers on a regular basis if they choose. In some countries where electric and gas are scarce, wood is the only answer, but burning wood can make for a dirty environment. It can also be dangerous in dry climates and within enclosed areas for breathing. This makes solar cooking not only an efficient resource, but also a healthier lifestyle for many people.

Saving Casa has a comprehensive list of ways to save energy and water at home. Our list provides the most cost-effective and convenient ways to save energy, money, and the environment.    Energy Efficiency Tips at: http://www.energysavingcasa.com/Energy_Efficiency_Tips.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

Very Useful Legal Resources at:

 

 

 

 Build Your Own PedalPower Energy Device

http://www.scienceshareware.com/pedal-power-build-your-own.htm

 

 

Emergency electrical backup resources

http://www.donrowe.com/inverters/article_emergency_backup_power.html

Helpful tips about using a power inverter for electrical backup during an emergency

http://www.sunshineworks.com/solar-panels-emergency-use.htm

Wide variety of reasonably priced solar items

 

Terrific information on digging your own well also!
The Survival & Self-Reliance Studies Institute: SSRsi is a comprehensive database of self help, self reliance, survival, emergency preparedness, outdoor adventure and Do It Yourself information. No annoying ads, banners or frames and absolutely free!

http://www.ssrsi.org/sr2/Water/digh2o.htm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction to Inverters

Arguably the second most important part of any renewable energy installation is the inverter. Many household appliances run on varying DC voltages. The problem is that it's easier to convert DC to AC than it is to change all of your devices to run on whatever DC voltage they require.

 

There are many different inverter brands, but there are really only two different types of inverters: true and modified sine wave inverters.

 

Let me explain what the differences between inverters are. AC current looks kind of like a smooth wave. The picture at the left demonstrates what a true sine wave looks like.

This type of AC current is the best and you shouldn't run sensitive electronics such as a TV or computer without a true sine wave inverter. You can run them on modified sine wave inverters, but you run the risk of damaging the equipment.

 

  This type of inverter could be used on heaters, refrigerators etc. Anything that isn't affected by power surges.

 

A good rule of thumb when choosing an inverter is this: am I going to run a computer or TV with this inverter. If the answer is yes than you should get a pure sine wave inverter.

We've shopped around quite a bit, but the cheapest place to get an inverter is still ebay. I know we promote it a lot, but there are discontinued or used inverters on there that are upwards of 40% less than buying one brand new.

 

I recommend looking for the Xantrex inverter. We've had good experiences with it, and so have people we've talked to. Other ones will do just fine, just make sure you decide which kind you want: a modified or true sine wave inverter. Personally, I like inverters with an 1800 and up wattage.

 

If you want to check out where you can get inverters check out the link below:

Where to Get Inverters