As fossil fuel supplies dwindle, home heating will be one of the major challenges in temperate and cold climates in upcoming years. The reserves of natural gas used to heat the majority of North American buildings are rapidly being depleted. This latest Green Energy Guide helps readers who want to slash their energy bills and reduce their dependence on scarce resources to navigate the sometimes confusing maze of clean, reliable, and affordable options. Solar Home Heating Basics focuses on renewable energy strategies to heat new and existing homes and small businesses. These include: *Energy efficiency, weatherization, and insulation *Solar hot air heating *Solar thermal systems *Passive solar heating *Backup heating systems While most solar home heating resources are geared primarily towards new buildings, this practical guide addresses ways of retrofitting existing buildings, making solar a reality for many people. Packed with all the essential information home and small business owners need to find alternatives to conventional heating solutions, Solar Home Heating Basics is your key to a personal energy solution. Dan Chiras is a respected educator and the author of thirty books on residential renewable energy and green building, including The Homeowner's Guide to Renewable Energy and Power from the Sun. Dan is the director and lead instructor at the Evergreen Institute's Center for Renewable Energy and Green Building, where he teaches workshops on energy efficiency, solar electricity, solar hot water, small wind energy, green building, natural plasters, and natural building.

From the author of Power from the Sun, the complete guide to switching to clean, affordable, renewable energy resources. Energy bills have skyrocketed in the United States, and traditional energy sources can be as damaging to the environment as they are to your pocketbook. The Homeowner’s Guide to Renewable Energy will show you how to slash your home energy costs while dramatically reducing your carbon footprint. Completely revised and updated, this new edition describes the most practical and affordable methods for significantly improving in-home energy efficiency and tapping into clean, affordable, renewable energy resources. If implemented, these measures will save the average homeowner tens of thousands of dollars over the coming decades. Focusing on the latest technological advances in residential renewable energy, this guide examines each alternative energy option available including: · Solar hot water and solar hot air systems · Passive and active solar retrofits for heating and cooling · Electricity from solar, wind, and microhydro · Hydrogen, fuel cells, methane digesters, and biodiesel This well-illustrated and accessible guide is an essential resource for those wanting to enter the renewable energy field. Packed with practical tips and guidelines, it gives readers sufficient knowledge to hire and communicate effectively with contractors and is a must-read for anyone interested in saving money and achieving energy independence. “If you’re thinking about investing in a renewable energy system for your home . . . The Homeowner’s Guide to Renewable Resources helps clarify the decision-making process . . . . Dan guides you through everything you need to choose which renewable options to integrate into your lifestyle. A great addition to my bookshelf!” —Mick Sagrillo, Sagrillo Power & Light

Flush it and forget it is the plumbing mantra of the industrialized world. Most people just want sewage to go away, preferably without having to see, smell, or worse yet, touch it. But crap has a bad rap. Human waste is a valuable resource we can use to support food production. Blackwater, greywater, and solids are actually rich in organic matter, and alternative means of handling these "wastes" can conserve enormous quantities of fresh water for other uses. The Scoop on Poop presents a wide range of ways to answer the call of nature, and in so doing to maximize the benefits of existing waste water. This book explores proven alternatives to Western sanitation. Whether you're interested in composting toilets, outdoor grey- or blackwater planters, constructed wetlands, or other innovative solutions, author Dan Chiras will walk you through: System pros and cons Design, construction, and maintenance advice Costs, permitting issues, and the safe treatment of composted waste All system plans are relatively simple and straightforward enough for the average homeowner to build and install. Intended for readers who live in cities, towns and rural environments, this is a practical guide to safe, ingenious ways to capture the nutrients from waste and recycle them back into your soil to grow fruit trees, vegetables, and flowers—all without running afoul of the "ick" factor. Dan Chiras is the author of over thirty books on residential renewable energy and green building, and is the director of the Evergreen Institute's Center for Renewable Energy and Green Building.

Completely updated, the ninth edition of 'Environmental Science' enlightens students on the fundamental causes of the current environmental crisis and offers ideas on how we, as a global community, can create a sustainable future.

If you want an inexpensive, environmentally sound source of energy for your home, you need look no further than the sun. Solar heat is not subject to rate increases, is totally renewable, pollution free and requires little or no technology. It is here for you today, and can easily provide up to 50% of your space and water heating requirements. This is a book that simply and clearly explains the principles of using solar energy to heat your home. Anyone building a new home, or renovating an old one can incorporate one or several aspects of solar energy into their design. Taking you through the process of designing a solar home from the ground up this manual is also a basic course in conservation and sustainable house design. If you live in a 'heating' climate, meaning if you have space heating requirements for most of the year then this is an invaluable resource. A house is the biggest single investment most of us will make in our lives - the way it is built and how it operates can reflect a long term investment in both the building and the planet.