Solar House Plans - The Steps of Global Warning
Why do you need to think about solar house plans or other green technologies? As I'm sure you are aware global warming is a real threat and here is what it all entails.
Global warming, in a nutshell, is the unusually rapid warming of the earths' surface temperature due to increased release of green house gasses by humans by burning fossil fuels.
Green house gasses are a good thing in moderation (like all things), but with excessive levels of green house gasses the earth's surface temperature rises which we don't want.
Green house gases are rising at a faster rate than ever as people consume and burn excessive amounts of fossil fuels.
Rising concentration of green house gases increases the surface temperature of the earth and is predicted to raise the planets temperature between 2-6C by the end of the 21st century.
The rate of temperature increase has nearly doubled in the last 50 years which not only affects temperature but rainfall patterns, melts ice caps, alters rate of some infectious diseases and alters lengths of growing seasons.
Furthermore approximately 30% of sunlight is reflected off the earth's surface, clouds and ice back into space with the remaining 70% being absorbed by the earth, sea.
The earth's atmosphere is then able to use this absorbed heat from the earth as the earth radiates heat back into the atmosphere.
This radiated heat is mostly absorbed by water vapour or green house gasses such as carbon dioxide and methane.
The problem is that these green house gasses absorb the radiated heat and then further radiate it in all directions.
This is what causes an increase in the earth's surface temperature.
Another important factor contributing to global warming is snow and ice, or the lack thereof.
The more the earth warms, the more ice melts.
Because ice and snow are white they are able to reflect some of the suns energy back into space.
However with less surface area of ice cover, darker spots on the land and sea will absorb this energy and later radiate this into the atmosphere.
The problem is also that the higher surface temperatures cause an increase in water vapour in the atmosphere allowing for an increase in green house gasses and ultimately an increase in the earth's surface temperature, all of which will perpetuate this cycle.
Unfortunately we are also causing deforestation that would usually remove some of the carbon dioxide from the environment decrease green house gases.
Looking forward, solar house plans, geothermal and wind energy and other technologies have to come to the party as a viable option.
As we have seen around the world most countries have some sort of alternative energy plan in place.
For us as the end users it may not seem to be a feasible option to install solar panels in your home.
However this is a misconception and the ever evolving technology does allow us to use green technologies, we just need to be able to act on what we know is best for the future.
Solar house plans and other technologies are available in either a commercial or small scale capacity.
DIY plans are great to wet your feet and also lighten the blow of the initial expense.
These technologies do pay for themselves as money spent will soon be money invested in terms of your home and its perceived value.
Try to see the bigger picture-what can you do right now for your environment as well as the future of the environment.
Global warming, in a nutshell, is the unusually rapid warming of the earths' surface temperature due to increased release of green house gasses by humans by burning fossil fuels.
Green house gasses are a good thing in moderation (like all things), but with excessive levels of green house gasses the earth's surface temperature rises which we don't want.
Green house gases are rising at a faster rate than ever as people consume and burn excessive amounts of fossil fuels.
Rising concentration of green house gases increases the surface temperature of the earth and is predicted to raise the planets temperature between 2-6C by the end of the 21st century.
The rate of temperature increase has nearly doubled in the last 50 years which not only affects temperature but rainfall patterns, melts ice caps, alters rate of some infectious diseases and alters lengths of growing seasons.
Furthermore approximately 30% of sunlight is reflected off the earth's surface, clouds and ice back into space with the remaining 70% being absorbed by the earth, sea.
The earth's atmosphere is then able to use this absorbed heat from the earth as the earth radiates heat back into the atmosphere.
This radiated heat is mostly absorbed by water vapour or green house gasses such as carbon dioxide and methane.
The problem is that these green house gasses absorb the radiated heat and then further radiate it in all directions.
This is what causes an increase in the earth's surface temperature.
Another important factor contributing to global warming is snow and ice, or the lack thereof.
The more the earth warms, the more ice melts.
Because ice and snow are white they are able to reflect some of the suns energy back into space.
However with less surface area of ice cover, darker spots on the land and sea will absorb this energy and later radiate this into the atmosphere.
The problem is also that the higher surface temperatures cause an increase in water vapour in the atmosphere allowing for an increase in green house gasses and ultimately an increase in the earth's surface temperature, all of which will perpetuate this cycle.
Unfortunately we are also causing deforestation that would usually remove some of the carbon dioxide from the environment decrease green house gases.
Looking forward, solar house plans, geothermal and wind energy and other technologies have to come to the party as a viable option.
As we have seen around the world most countries have some sort of alternative energy plan in place.
For us as the end users it may not seem to be a feasible option to install solar panels in your home.
However this is a misconception and the ever evolving technology does allow us to use green technologies, we just need to be able to act on what we know is best for the future.
Solar house plans and other technologies are available in either a commercial or small scale capacity.
DIY plans are great to wet your feet and also lighten the blow of the initial expense.
These technologies do pay for themselves as money spent will soon be money invested in terms of your home and its perceived value.
Try to see the bigger picture-what can you do right now for your environment as well as the future of the environment.