Concepts for Sustainable Living
The following are not products, but rather are concepts and ideas for living sustainably in today’s world.

Energy Efficient Shower – An enclosed shower to reduce hot water use and control moisture problems.

The Sleep Genie – A self-contained sleeping compartment that can be heated or cooled efficiently for a comfortable night’s sleep. (Published in Solar Today, Mar/Apr 2002)

Batteryless, Environmentally Friendly Car/Truck – Concept for driving your vehicle without a starting battery. (Published in Popular Science and Popular Mechanics)

A Solar Powered Vaccine Storage Refrigerator that can be Powered by a Single Truck Battery – Provides useful information for sizing photovoltaic systems in the tropics. Looking at three of the cloudiest locations in Africa and South America, it is concluded that if the system is sized so that only 3 hours of sunlight are required to power the system, only 1 day of battery storage is necessary to keep the system running. (Presented at the American Solar Energy Society’s Solar99 Conference in Portland, Maine, June 1999)

Using Cold Weather to Passively Assist Refrigeration – A concept for saving energy on refrigeration during the winter.

Rebate System for Gas and Electric - conserves energy at minimum cost.

Straw Bale R Values - Published R values for straw bales vary, an explanation is given.

The Value of Energy Efficiency in Stand Alone PV Systems: A Simple Approach - Describes the cost savings in a photovoltaic system when using energy effient appliances. If you can reduce your energy consumption 1 KWH per day for less than a $5000 investment, you are financially better off conserving energy rather than generating more power.

 

Links for more information on appropriate technology and sustainable living:

Organizations

American Solar Energy Society
http://www.ases.org/

Biocycle Journal of Composting and Organics Recycling
http://www.jgpress.com/biocycle.htm

Bioneers – Visionary and Practical Solutions for Restoring the Earth
http://www.bioneers.org/

Campus Center for Appropriate Technology (CCAT) – Humboldt State University
http://www.humboldt.edu/~ccat/home/index.html

The Midwest Renewable Energy Association
http://www.the-mrea.org/

National Renewable Energy Laboratory
http://www.nrel.gov/

The Northcoast Environmental Center
http://www.necandeconews.to/

Northeast Sustainable Energy Association
http://www.nesea.org/

Rocky Mountain Institute
http://www.rmi.org/

Schatz Energy Research Center – Promoting the use of Clean and Renewable Energy
http://www.humboldt.edu/~serc/index.shtml

Smart Communities Network – Creating Energy Smart Communities
http://www.sustainable.doe.gov/

Solar Energy International – Renewable Energy for a Sustainable Future
http://www.solarenergy.org/

The Solar Living Institute
http://www.solarliving.org/index.cfm


Conferences and Fairs

Bioneers Conference
http://www.bioneers.org/conference_page/conferencehub.html

Greenbuild International Conference and Expo
http://www.greenbuildexpo.org/

Midwest Renewable Energy and Sustainable Living Fair
http://www.the-mrea.org/energy_fair.php

National Solar Energy Conference
http://www.ases.org/solar2004/s04_main.htm

Oregon Solwest Renewable Energy Fair
http://www.solwest.org/

Oregon Country Fair
http://www.oregoncountryfair.org/

Renewable Energy Roundup and Green Living Fair
http://www.theroundup.org/

Solar Decathlon
http://www.eere.energy.gov/solar_decathlon/

SolFest‘ 2004
http://www.solarliving.org/solfest2004.cfm

Sustainable Resources 2004 – University of Colorado
http://www.sustainableresources.org/

Whole Earth Festival
http://wef.ucdavis.edu/