Lighhouses Gone Solar

While on a lighthouse cruise the lighthouse keeper told us that most lighthouses are now run by solar power and are not maned. Today's technology allows the lighthouse functions to be run remotely.

Was able to take a photo of Thomas Point Lighthouse solar panels;

See the Solar panels?
You can enlarge the photo to see them closer.

In the olden days the Keepers used fire/flame to light the search light. Today they can use an LED equivalent to a 100 watt light bulb. With using the solar panels it provide enough electricity to last through the night. Each lighthouse marks the entrance to the inlet waterways. Guiding the ships and boats away from or toward the land.

YERT-Power From Our Roads?

There are people out there that a thinking and creating New ways to store and provide Power. Or are they New? Some of the ideas are not New just need to be implemented into life. While we look at ways to use the energy resources we have, we need to (as a consumer) be willing to pay a little more at first. I stumbled upon this while surfing the web. watch it and share your thoughts.



On August 25 2009 the government awarded 100.000 dollar to Solar roadways of Idaho. They are to build a prototype. Here is a quote from the document.

The Solar Roadways will collect solar energy to power businesses and homes via structurally-engineered solar panels that are driven upon, to be placed in parking lots and roadways in lieu of petroleum-based asphalt surfaces.

The Solar Road Panels will contain embedded LEDs which "paint" the road lines from beneath to provide safer nighttime driving, as well as to give up to the minute instructions (via the road) to drivers (i.e. "detour ahead"). The road will be able to sense wildlife on the road and can warn drivers to "slow down". There will also be embedded heating elements in the surface to prevent snow and ice buildup, providing for safer winter driving. This feature packed system will become an intelligent highway that will double as a secure, intelligent, decentralized, self-healing power grid which will enable a gradual weaning from fossil fuels.

Here is the Link to read the rest of the press release.
What a breakthrough if this works . What are your thoughts?

I Did it Monday

To join us in the blog fun on Mondays go to My Meme Mania. Clara started this one for those to share their accomplishments on Mondays. What have you or someone else accomplished now or in the past?

This weekend we went to the Maryland Renaissance fair and to Annapolis Maryland. We bought some things and I used my own bag. Then at the restaurant in Annapolis, our left overs were put in recyclable containers. Even though this is just a small detail, it is the beginning in my families going green lifestyle. My hope is that friends and owners will be awakened to our environment needs. It would be nice to be a more Greener thinking Nation.

It's In The Bag-1st Month Update

Here we are one month in using cloth bags. How did I do?
Well in the beginning I used the bags for my groceries. However I forgot to bring them into the mall. I would say I did better than I use to. I'm still working on not taking any plastic bags from merchants. I will tell you it is hard. Looking them in the face and say "I will not need your plastic bag" is intimidating. It is much easier at the grocery stores. Why it that?
I think the malls merchants should be better at accepting "I have my own bag". Instead I got strange looks and one store said you can put this bag in yours. So, I will be bold in my task this month and let you know next month how it went. How did you do?

If you are new and want to join this Shopping Green "It's in The Bag". The goal is to stop accepting plastic bags. Less Plastic bags in the Land fills and Oceans will make our land healthier and save animals . Did you know it takes 1000 years for a plastic bag to decompose? You can read the first post Here . Join us on this life changing goal.