We have two new videos on on You tube. We would like to share them with you . Check them out:
one for Marketing Unscrambled-home edition & the other for our other blog
Marketing Unscrambled . Please leave your comments we would like to hear them.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Choose The Plants That Attract The Bird!
Create a Border!
A border of small trees or a hedge around your garden will give you what farmers have grown for years-hedgerows that attract birds and keep them from stealing seed in the fields. This is a list of some of the good trees that birds like:
red ceder(Virginia juniper), birches, dogwood, flowering crabapple, hawthorn, and the taller mountain ash. All have berries or fruit that birds love.
Here are some of the plant and the birds that like that plant:
* Hawthorn - Cedar waxwings ( they love the berries)
* Mountain ash - Robins
* Any fruit tree (Japanese persimmons are particularly good, as birds linger in them for a long time into the fall ) - Mockingbirds, cardinals, and sparrows
* Pear trees - Baltimore orioles ( they prefer to hang their nests in the haven of pear trees)
* Shrubs and flowers with red hues, such as coral honeysuckle, red salvia, Turk's cap, cypress vine, and hibiscus - Ruby-throated hummingbirds
What kind of bird do you want to see from your area? What kind of things do they like to eat?
Any book on birds will give the answers. It will help you to know the birds that come to your yard. It can be a fun game to see the birds that come, what time of year that they come, how many of them come. It will benefit the bird greatly to have a constant source of food for them to eat. Do not forget the bird feeders in the winter time. That is a harder time for the birds to find food. Enjoy watching the birds and providing for the needs of the birds.
Please leave your comments. We love to read them.
copyright Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
A border of small trees or a hedge around your garden will give you what farmers have grown for years-hedgerows that attract birds and keep them from stealing seed in the fields. This is a list of some of the good trees that birds like:
red ceder(Virginia juniper), birches, dogwood, flowering crabapple, hawthorn, and the taller mountain ash. All have berries or fruit that birds love.
Here are some of the plant and the birds that like that plant:
* Hawthorn - Cedar waxwings ( they love the berries)
* Mountain ash - Robins
* Any fruit tree (Japanese persimmons are particularly good, as birds linger in them for a long time into the fall ) - Mockingbirds, cardinals, and sparrows
* Pear trees - Baltimore orioles ( they prefer to hang their nests in the haven of pear trees)
* Shrubs and flowers with red hues, such as coral honeysuckle, red salvia, Turk's cap, cypress vine, and hibiscus - Ruby-throated hummingbirds
What kind of bird do you want to see from your area? What kind of things do they like to eat?
Any book on birds will give the answers. It will help you to know the birds that come to your yard. It can be a fun game to see the birds that come, what time of year that they come, how many of them come. It will benefit the bird greatly to have a constant source of food for them to eat. Do not forget the bird feeders in the winter time. That is a harder time for the birds to find food. Enjoy watching the birds and providing for the needs of the birds.
Please leave your comments. We love to read them.
copyright Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Friday, May 29, 2009
Planing Your Garden If You Love To Watch The Birds?
What do you need in your yard to bring the birds to your yard so that you can easily watch them from the comfort of your home? These are the needs that you need to meet for the birds so that they enjoy coming to your yard to play. You will need: food, water, cover, and safe nesting sites.
You can plant in your garden individual plants that will draw in a specific type of bird. or if you would rather watch a large number of all kinds of birds you can choose different kinds of plants to draw them in.
If you meet the birds necessities they will come. They need:
Food: Provide them with trees, berried shrubs, and plenty of feeding stations.
Water: A birdbath that you can keep full, a small bird pool, ponds, and streams or other moving water.
Cover: Shrubs, vines, and trees to protect your friends from marauders.
Safe nesting sites: Good cover, trees or bird houses.
Places that you can contact to get help on what kinds of things to plant that will draw in the birds, contact:
* The Audubon Society
* What to have in your yard from the Audubon society
* A local nursery
* The National Wildlife Federation, Certified wildlife habitat
Have fun creating the garden that attracts birds into your yard that you can watch and enjoy.
Copyright Dan and Deanna"Marketing Unscrambled"
You can plant in your garden individual plants that will draw in a specific type of bird. or if you would rather watch a large number of all kinds of birds you can choose different kinds of plants to draw them in.
If you meet the birds necessities they will come. They need:
Food: Provide them with trees, berried shrubs, and plenty of feeding stations.
Water: A birdbath that you can keep full, a small bird pool, ponds, and streams or other moving water.
Cover: Shrubs, vines, and trees to protect your friends from marauders.
Safe nesting sites: Good cover, trees or bird houses.
Places that you can contact to get help on what kinds of things to plant that will draw in the birds, contact:
* The Audubon Society
* What to have in your yard from the Audubon society
* A local nursery
* The National Wildlife Federation, Certified wildlife habitat
Have fun creating the garden that attracts birds into your yard that you can watch and enjoy.
Copyright Dan and Deanna"Marketing Unscrambled"
Thursday, May 28, 2009
What Is Your Soil Like And How To Make It Better?
The above is from a blog that we follow, you can find it at: Kitchen Gardeners International .We are using it to talk about how to know the soil that you have and how to make it better for your plants. What kind of soil do you have, how do you tell and the problems with some of them.
* Clay soil is very heavy when wet. When it's dry, the soil can be as hard as cement. Plants have a hard time growing in these conditions.
* Sandy soil is gritty and does not hold together well, water and nutrients drain through it quickly. ( This type of soil can take more water, because it drains away quickly.)
* Loamy soil, which contains a relatively equal mix of clay, sand, and silt, is ideal for vegetable gardening.
This tells some of the problems with clay and sandy soil. Now what can be done to change these types of soil. It might take some time to change the soil but it will be better by the changes.
* For clay soil (per cubic foot of soil) add equal parts of sand and organic matter to the clay soil. The sand helps it to drain. The organic matter gives nutrients. These two things help it to not be so hard when it is dry so the roots of the plant can grow. You might need to do this for a few seasons when you till up your garden area. Also add to the soil 1 1/2 cups of Epsom salts, 3/4 cup of coffee grounds (rinse them clean first), 12 eggshells (dried and crushed to powder.) This adds nutrients to the soil. This helps the clay to not become like cement when it dries out.
*For Sandy soil (per cubic foot of soil) add equal parts of clay loam and organic matter to the sandy soil. (This helps the sandy soil hold the water a little longer so that you do not have to water as much.) Also add the same amounts of Epsom salts, coffee grounds, and eggshells (as in the clay soil area.)
* Loamy soil is great for vegetables gardens. Keep it as it is.
Some plants like some conditions better than others. More on that later.
Please leave your comments, we enjoy reading them.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
When A Seed Is Not Just A Seed, But A Heirloom!
What is the difference between heirloom seeds and hybrids? Hybrids were started so that they could grow anywhere, ripen uniformly, ship well, and keep longer than heirlooms. Science came up with the hybrids. For all the reasons listed above. They might not have as good of a taste, but they keep longer and ship well, ripen uniformly and can be grown anywhere. Hybrids where started in the 1940's. Seeds from before that time are heirloom. Heirloom seeds you can save the seeds from one year to the next, and you get what you expect. Not with hybrids.
For those that love tantalizing flavors and classic beauty of old-fashioned vegetables. These are known as heirlooms, these are "antique" varieties often have birthrights that go back centuries, and as the name implies, they are treasured. It's all in the taste, then you will know why they are treasured.
Some do better in some areas better than others. Get some and try them. Seed companies have them. You just have to order them and try them. Heirloom seed when times are tough could be of more value then our paper money or some metals. With heirloom seeds you will always have somethings to eat.
How did heirloom seeds become what they are now? Heirlooms have endured because people cared enough about the flavor and /or their disease resistance or growing habits to keep planting and saving their seeds from one season to the next. Heirlooms include...
* Seed companies and market gardeners that developed plants in the past.
* From home gardeners that have beloved backyard mongrels that they have been carefully growing, saving and passing along through the families from year to year.
* Varieties that are coming into the U.S. from other parts of the world that are not hybrids.
Things to keep in mind are the next 5 things for the best results for growing heirloom plants.
* Try out a number of the varieties to find the ones that have the best flavor to you. Some heirlooms are more regional than others and require certain conditions for maximum flavor.
* Harvest them regularly to encourage continues growth. Most heirlooms mature over a period of time rather than all at once. Observe the plants through the growing season and take notes that you will know what to expect the next time that you grow them.
* Taste it at various stages to know when the best flavor is. That way you know when an heirloom is at its peak.
* Learn the history of a heirloom plant. For example some tomato's that are very seedy was probably grown just for sauces. Peas and beans with extraordinarily small pods may have been developed for garnishes.
* Best of all save some seeds from your best heirlooms whenever possible. By saving seeds from plants that produce early or without disease, you form a collection of vegetables that war well suited to your own backyard garden.
To learn more about heirlooms, having more varieties to try. You can learn more about:
* How to save seeds
* How to swap seeds with others
* How to tell ripeness
* How to store and preserve your harvest
Try these websites: almanac.com/garden or rareseeds.com
We welcome your comments. Please leave them.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
For those that love tantalizing flavors and classic beauty of old-fashioned vegetables. These are known as heirlooms, these are "antique" varieties often have birthrights that go back centuries, and as the name implies, they are treasured. It's all in the taste, then you will know why they are treasured.
Some do better in some areas better than others. Get some and try them. Seed companies have them. You just have to order them and try them. Heirloom seed when times are tough could be of more value then our paper money or some metals. With heirloom seeds you will always have somethings to eat.
How did heirloom seeds become what they are now? Heirlooms have endured because people cared enough about the flavor and /or their disease resistance or growing habits to keep planting and saving their seeds from one season to the next. Heirlooms include...
* Seed companies and market gardeners that developed plants in the past.
* From home gardeners that have beloved backyard mongrels that they have been carefully growing, saving and passing along through the families from year to year.
* Varieties that are coming into the U.S. from other parts of the world that are not hybrids.
Things to keep in mind are the next 5 things for the best results for growing heirloom plants.
* Try out a number of the varieties to find the ones that have the best flavor to you. Some heirlooms are more regional than others and require certain conditions for maximum flavor.
* Harvest them regularly to encourage continues growth. Most heirlooms mature over a period of time rather than all at once. Observe the plants through the growing season and take notes that you will know what to expect the next time that you grow them.
* Taste it at various stages to know when the best flavor is. That way you know when an heirloom is at its peak.
* Learn the history of a heirloom plant. For example some tomato's that are very seedy was probably grown just for sauces. Peas and beans with extraordinarily small pods may have been developed for garnishes.
* Best of all save some seeds from your best heirlooms whenever possible. By saving seeds from plants that produce early or without disease, you form a collection of vegetables that war well suited to your own backyard garden.
To learn more about heirlooms, having more varieties to try. You can learn more about:
* How to save seeds
* How to swap seeds with others
* How to tell ripeness
* How to store and preserve your harvest
Try these websites: almanac.com/garden or rareseeds.com
We welcome your comments. Please leave them.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Gardening Is A Great Benefit For The Gardener
Bend and stretch before you Begin. Gardening is great form of exercise. It helps the yard look its best, produces a bountiful harvest and also a healthy and happy gardener.
Gardening chores- raking, hoeing, digging, mowing with push mower,weeding. Choose three of these things each time you are in the garden. Each one ranging from 5 minutes to an hour.
* Switch your position and stance every 5-15 minutes. crouch, then sit. Kneel on one knee, then on two knees; then stand and reach.
* Use wide, sweeping strokes, keeping movement smooth and steady when the rake and hoeing are being done.
* Breathe in and out regularly. Just as you would if you are exercising.
* When lifting keep your back straight, bend from the knees, and use your legs instead of your back.
* Bend your knees as you dig, letting your legs, not your back and arms, do most of the work. Alternate between a right-handed and a left-handed stance.
* When hand weeding, do not bend from the waist. Kneel or sit. Weed about 20 seconds, stand up, and alternate legs, if you kneel on one knee with one foot on the ground.
To do the gardening without hurting yourself. Getting a great benefit of better health and happiness. Beauty and produce can also benefit you life.
We would enjoy hearing your comments. Feel free to leave them.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Gardening chores- raking, hoeing, digging, mowing with push mower,weeding. Choose three of these things each time you are in the garden. Each one ranging from 5 minutes to an hour.
* Switch your position and stance every 5-15 minutes. crouch, then sit. Kneel on one knee, then on two knees; then stand and reach.
* Use wide, sweeping strokes, keeping movement smooth and steady when the rake and hoeing are being done.
* Breathe in and out regularly. Just as you would if you are exercising.
* When lifting keep your back straight, bend from the knees, and use your legs instead of your back.
* Bend your knees as you dig, letting your legs, not your back and arms, do most of the work. Alternate between a right-handed and a left-handed stance.
* When hand weeding, do not bend from the waist. Kneel or sit. Weed about 20 seconds, stand up, and alternate legs, if you kneel on one knee with one foot on the ground.
To do the gardening without hurting yourself. Getting a great benefit of better health and happiness. Beauty and produce can also benefit you life.
We would enjoy hearing your comments. Feel free to leave them.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Help Your Yard Use The Rain Better with a rain garden!
These are some of the problems with a heavy rain storm!
It can wash the pollution into our water ways.
* From roads, parking lots, paved driveways, and sealed surfaces ( including roofs) that contain oil and other contaminants.
* Pesticides and lawn treatments that contain high concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus get into the water system.
* Pet and other animal poop.
How can we help to keep it from happening from our yards? The answer is to divert rainwater from the impermeable surfaces- paved ares or roofs-to a prepared bed, or rain garden. It can help when:
* Reduced risk of water in the basement, you divert the water away from the house.
* Recharge the groundwater supplies.
* A cleaner environment.
One way to help with this is to start a rain garden in your yard, it can soak up at least 30 % more water than a lawn can. Why do you want a rain garden in your yard? What is a rain garden? With municipal water costs going up for home owners everywhere. It is a good thing if you can take advantage of the free water supplied by mother nature better than you might have in the past. To start with a rain garden is a shallow, bowl-shape area that captures runoff water during a heavy rain and allows it to soak into the ground gradually. Using plants of all types and sizes can help in the managing storm water:
* Trees and large shrubs can deflect rainfall, slowing it down before it hits the ground, this allows it to soak into the ground and not run off immediately.
* Tall decorative grasses and other perennials act as filters, sucking up water, trapping pollutants and preventing silt from being carried off into ponds or rivers.
* Well-established deeply rooted plants hold soil and direct water into the subsoil.
* It can also be a wildlife habitat ( birds, butterflies, and beneficial insects will be drawn to the garden. How fun the birds and butterflies are to watch. What an added bonus to your yard.)
These are some things that will help with watering plants in the yard for less money and time.
This collects the rain water from the rain gutters on your home for you to use later to water the plants with. It looks nice and is very useful too.
This is helpful for young trees. When you first plant them. (Trees need to have deep roots so they do not blow over in the wind. ) It can also be used for other plants like roses.
that are better watered from down low as to keep them from getting black spot disease. If they have a lot of moisture on the foliage,then they can get black spot disease.
This lets the plants take the water that they need, when they need it. For the use of less water and only where you need it to be. Look for other such things to cut your use of water in your yard. It will save you money, time and water.
How do you create a rain garden in your yard? Start by preparing the area that you want the water to go to. The size of the garden depends on the size of the impermeable area draining into it.Aim to make the bed 20 to 30 % the size of the roof or driveway from which the water is being funneled into it.
* Create a basin by digging out dirt from a dry area at least 10 feet down hill from the water source. ( Avoid directing runoff to a naturally low spot that is already saturated with water. Also avoid sending it into your septic system.)
* Replace heavy soil (clay), this is a good mixture 1/2 sand, 1/4 compost, 1/4 topsoil-a fast draining mixture.
* Pile stones and extra soil on the downside of the garden to act as a berm and create a bowl where water can pool to a depth of about 6 inches.
* If water doesn't naturally flow to your rain garden, dig a 3 to 4 inches deep trench from the rain gutter downspout to the garden. Line it withe land scape fabric, and cover with stones to create a stream bed effect.
* Now for the plants-choose perennials and native plants that tolerate wet feet, for the center of the bowl area. Around these place plants that tolerate occasional standing water. At the outer edge, put plants that like the soil drier. Mulch with compost or shredded hardwood bark. If the water flow into the garden washes out the mulch, break up the flow entering the basin with a well-placed rock or two.
* Your rain garden functions like a sponge of soil, plants, roots and mulch. It should not become a breading ground for mosquitoes: the water does not stand.
The rain garden is a beautiful addition to your yard and landscape but also supports greater biodiversity and is environmentally sustainable.
What other things can you think of for the flow of water in your yard that would help you. We would love to hear your comments. If you would like more help on the rain garden go to:
almanac.com/garden
It can wash the pollution into our water ways.
* From roads, parking lots, paved driveways, and sealed surfaces ( including roofs) that contain oil and other contaminants.
* Pesticides and lawn treatments that contain high concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus get into the water system.
* Pet and other animal poop.
How can we help to keep it from happening from our yards? The answer is to divert rainwater from the impermeable surfaces- paved ares or roofs-to a prepared bed, or rain garden. It can help when:
* Reduced risk of water in the basement, you divert the water away from the house.
* Recharge the groundwater supplies.
* A cleaner environment.
One way to help with this is to start a rain garden in your yard, it can soak up at least 30 % more water than a lawn can. Why do you want a rain garden in your yard? What is a rain garden? With municipal water costs going up for home owners everywhere. It is a good thing if you can take advantage of the free water supplied by mother nature better than you might have in the past. To start with a rain garden is a shallow, bowl-shape area that captures runoff water during a heavy rain and allows it to soak into the ground gradually. Using plants of all types and sizes can help in the managing storm water:
* Trees and large shrubs can deflect rainfall, slowing it down before it hits the ground, this allows it to soak into the ground and not run off immediately.
* Tall decorative grasses and other perennials act as filters, sucking up water, trapping pollutants and preventing silt from being carried off into ponds or rivers.
* Well-established deeply rooted plants hold soil and direct water into the subsoil.
* It can also be a wildlife habitat ( birds, butterflies, and beneficial insects will be drawn to the garden. How fun the birds and butterflies are to watch. What an added bonus to your yard.)
These are some things that will help with watering plants in the yard for less money and time.
This collects the rain water from the rain gutters on your home for you to use later to water the plants with. It looks nice and is very useful too.
This is helpful for young trees. When you first plant them. (Trees need to have deep roots so they do not blow over in the wind. ) It can also be used for other plants like roses.
that are better watered from down low as to keep them from getting black spot disease. If they have a lot of moisture on the foliage,then they can get black spot disease.
This lets the plants take the water that they need, when they need it. For the use of less water and only where you need it to be. Look for other such things to cut your use of water in your yard. It will save you money, time and water.
How do you create a rain garden in your yard? Start by preparing the area that you want the water to go to. The size of the garden depends on the size of the impermeable area draining into it.Aim to make the bed 20 to 30 % the size of the roof or driveway from which the water is being funneled into it.
* Create a basin by digging out dirt from a dry area at least 10 feet down hill from the water source. ( Avoid directing runoff to a naturally low spot that is already saturated with water. Also avoid sending it into your septic system.)
* Replace heavy soil (clay), this is a good mixture 1/2 sand, 1/4 compost, 1/4 topsoil-a fast draining mixture.
* Pile stones and extra soil on the downside of the garden to act as a berm and create a bowl where water can pool to a depth of about 6 inches.
* If water doesn't naturally flow to your rain garden, dig a 3 to 4 inches deep trench from the rain gutter downspout to the garden. Line it withe land scape fabric, and cover with stones to create a stream bed effect.
* Now for the plants-choose perennials and native plants that tolerate wet feet, for the center of the bowl area. Around these place plants that tolerate occasional standing water. At the outer edge, put plants that like the soil drier. Mulch with compost or shredded hardwood bark. If the water flow into the garden washes out the mulch, break up the flow entering the basin with a well-placed rock or two.
* Your rain garden functions like a sponge of soil, plants, roots and mulch. It should not become a breading ground for mosquitoes: the water does not stand.
The rain garden is a beautiful addition to your yard and landscape but also supports greater biodiversity and is environmentally sustainable.
What other things can you think of for the flow of water in your yard that would help you. We would love to hear your comments. If you would like more help on the rain garden go to:
almanac.com/garden
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Is Solar Power For Your Home?
Part 2
Today, the typical ways at tapping this resource usually are:
We welcome your comments. Please leave them.
copyright Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Today, the typical ways at tapping this resource usually are:
- Through a Heliostat- this are focusing collectors composed of mirrors that are aimed at the sun to collect the energy. The temperature that heliostats could provide reaches more that 4,000 degrees centigrade. This high temperature is sufficient for use even for furnaces.
- Through Flat Plate Collectors-employ a system of pipes. The water inside the pipes becomes heated and is ideal for heating purposes like schools, homes swimming pools, offices ect.
- Through Solar Distillation-instead of heat, this provides water. The mechanics is similar to the processes of plate collectors except that this is generally used to steam salt water. To do this, tanks and ducts are usually installed in surfaces that receive a good sun. Through the heat, the salt water turns into steam and when the steam condenses, the water is collected for regular use.
- Through Photovoltaic Cells-These are the most common type of collecting solar energy characterized by solar panels installed in rooftops and other flat surfaces that there is a good sun, converting the power collected into electricity.
We welcome your comments. Please leave them.
copyright Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Is Solar Power For Your Home?
If anything good came out during the recent increase of the fuel oil prices, it is that once again, there is a merry interest in alternative sources of energy. Even when pump prices has fallen and are going back up again (not as fast, yet.) The uproar created and the pain it did to business will have a good chance of sticking. The desire for alternative sources of energy is on the forefront and may it stay there for good-as it should.
Extracting oil from crops is a good idea; the downside is that food supplies could be dramatically reduced. Wind power is another excellent thing except for the many buts that wind power generation have.
If costs is the main objection to solar power generation that should be the least of worries.
The installation of solar panels is until today, considered a specialized job. Like any commodity in the market, when the demand is high but the supply is limited, the cost increase. As more and more homes clamor for alternative sources of energy, better technology and more labor is drawn to the job that market forces could take place and result into much lowered prices. This though is still in the future.
Today the reality is the instability and the unpredictability of pump prices. But even if it does provide stable and predictable price movement, solar energy is free and it is inexhaustible.
While the technology of tapping out this resource is not , homes that are solar powered are getting back dividends in terms of higher appraisal for their homes, confidence in not being surprised by power shortage and outage, not being dependent on the fluctuation in power prices and the definite advantage of having provided a better environment solution.
More tomorrow, stay tuned. Please add your comments.
Extracting oil from crops is a good idea; the downside is that food supplies could be dramatically reduced. Wind power is another excellent thing except for the many buts that wind power generation have.
If costs is the main objection to solar power generation that should be the least of worries.
The installation of solar panels is until today, considered a specialized job. Like any commodity in the market, when the demand is high but the supply is limited, the cost increase. As more and more homes clamor for alternative sources of energy, better technology and more labor is drawn to the job that market forces could take place and result into much lowered prices. This though is still in the future.
Today the reality is the instability and the unpredictability of pump prices. But even if it does provide stable and predictable price movement, solar energy is free and it is inexhaustible.
While the technology of tapping out this resource is not , homes that are solar powered are getting back dividends in terms of higher appraisal for their homes, confidence in not being surprised by power shortage and outage, not being dependent on the fluctuation in power prices and the definite advantage of having provided a better environment solution.
More tomorrow, stay tuned. Please add your comments.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Why Is Solar Energy Not More Widely Used Yet?
Part 2
Solar panels are considered expensive. Although a home increases its value by folds when solar powered, the cost still could be prohibitive to most that unless the non silicon flexible solar panels that are now being developed are released for market consumption, powering homes through solar energy could still be very limited.
Other forms of rewards to avoid fossil fuel use should still be effectively placed. The 30% tax cut cut to projected cost previously awarded will be more attractive if other federal credits are included to encourage further investments.
However, effective solar energy transmission to homes will remain to be very hard unless these obstacles are breached. Assuming that these obstacles are solved today, it will still take some 10 years to convert 20 % of American homes into solar energy users. Meanwhile, solar panels on individual homes remain to be the most viable alternative.
The good part to solar energy quest is that technology is advancing very rapidly. Nano technology for solar power is being developed and may be available in five years time. Other breakthroughs in cell designs are also being developed that could, in the next few years. be a cost-effective way of generating energy without having to rely anymore on fossil and nuclear power.
We would enjoy hearing your comments.
copyright Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Solar panels are considered expensive. Although a home increases its value by folds when solar powered, the cost still could be prohibitive to most that unless the non silicon flexible solar panels that are now being developed are released for market consumption, powering homes through solar energy could still be very limited.
Other forms of rewards to avoid fossil fuel use should still be effectively placed. The 30% tax cut cut to projected cost previously awarded will be more attractive if other federal credits are included to encourage further investments.
However, effective solar energy transmission to homes will remain to be very hard unless these obstacles are breached. Assuming that these obstacles are solved today, it will still take some 10 years to convert 20 % of American homes into solar energy users. Meanwhile, solar panels on individual homes remain to be the most viable alternative.
The good part to solar energy quest is that technology is advancing very rapidly. Nano technology for solar power is being developed and may be available in five years time. Other breakthroughs in cell designs are also being developed that could, in the next few years. be a cost-effective way of generating energy without having to rely anymore on fossil and nuclear power.
We would enjoy hearing your comments.
copyright Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Why Is Solar Energy Not More Widely Used Yet?
The fact is, that 350,000,000 terawatts of power available from the sun is so huge that an exposure to full sun in only 15 minutes will be enough to generate the world's energy requirement.
Compare that with energy that is generated by nuclear and fossil fuel. Presently, the available data for fossil and nuclear fuel is 10,800,000 terawatts which we all know to be non renewable.
The harnessing of the sun's rays is clean and safe. It produces no emissions and it is practical and may in the years ahead, prove very economical. In the United States, only 0.1% of power that is generated is solar energy driven. So what are the obstacles?
Another obstacle is that the power grid in the U.S. which was designed more than 100 years ago is now so congested in many regions. To deliver the solar power to consumers, scientists and engineers will have to come out with another cost efficient plan to transfer huge amounts of energy from one location to another.
According to the Wall Street Journal ( in an article that was released in its August 2008 issue), there are groups, backed by political groups that are lobbying against the putting up of transmission lines for solar power. The construction of distribution lines for solar energy is also being blocked by environmental activists that restrict the delivering of solar energy to those who want it is their homes.
More coming tomorrow. Please leave a comment.
copyright Dan and Deanna Finlinson "Marketing Unscrambled"
Compare that with energy that is generated by nuclear and fossil fuel. Presently, the available data for fossil and nuclear fuel is 10,800,000 terawatts which we all know to be non renewable.
The harnessing of the sun's rays is clean and safe. It produces no emissions and it is practical and may in the years ahead, prove very economical. In the United States, only 0.1% of power that is generated is solar energy driven. So what are the obstacles?
Another obstacle is that the power grid in the U.S. which was designed more than 100 years ago is now so congested in many regions. To deliver the solar power to consumers, scientists and engineers will have to come out with another cost efficient plan to transfer huge amounts of energy from one location to another.
According to the Wall Street Journal ( in an article that was released in its August 2008 issue), there are groups, backed by political groups that are lobbying against the putting up of transmission lines for solar power. The construction of distribution lines for solar energy is also being blocked by environmental activists that restrict the delivering of solar energy to those who want it is their homes.
More coming tomorrow. Please leave a comment.
copyright Dan and Deanna Finlinson "Marketing Unscrambled"
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Solar Energy.
Perhaps the greatest argument that could be leveled about having to use fossil and nuclear fuel is our dependence on it. The choice between traditional and alternative sources of energy, that is something most of us can choose to do something about.
First the advantages:
Solar energy is abundant and is free. We can count the sun to rise tomorrow and the day after that. Oil and natural gases on the other hand are non renewable, once the source taps out , it is gone forever. Sure there are other areas that could still be tapped but soon that could run out of oil as well.
Solar energy does not pollute the air. If ever, the heat coming from the sun cleans the environment and maintains the earth's eco balance. Not so with oil.
Solar energy harnessing panels are silent operators. Except maybe for the mechanical contraptions that are built into the panels so it could track the sun, from the collection of the suns rays to its photovoltaic conversion, they give neither a peep nor a squeak.
Maintenance for the solar panels is very minimal. Except for the mechanical parts that are optional, almost no maintenance is needed. Once it is installed nothing much will be the cause for worry. The energy that is derived is free. With oil there is no telling what the next pump price would be and when. Oil, being a commodity, heavily depends its prices on the market forces. Often with the right strategies, even market forces could be manipulated that could cause volatility in pricing.
The Disadvantages of Solar Energy:
The cost, while solar energy is free, the cost of installation setbacks many households from installing it. Brand new solar energy generation systems are expensive. Although it tends to pay off overtime, initial cash out could range into several thousands of dollars depending on the quality and volume of generated power a household or an establishment would require. While solar energy technology has been around since the 1950's it is only in recent years that its development was spurred. While costs of installation could also be subjective depending on the purchasing capacity of a customer, the benefits that could be derived out of it is enormous although mostly in unquantifiable terms.
For mass consumption, distribution lines are needed and this remains to be a big issue. Old antiquated distribution lines used to transfer electricity and other modes of fuel into the homes are clogged in many regions that to deliver solar energy into the houses of consumers will require a different approach.
We would be glad to hear from you. Please leave your comments.
copyright Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
First the advantages:
Solar energy is abundant and is free. We can count the sun to rise tomorrow and the day after that. Oil and natural gases on the other hand are non renewable, once the source taps out , it is gone forever. Sure there are other areas that could still be tapped but soon that could run out of oil as well.
Solar energy does not pollute the air. If ever, the heat coming from the sun cleans the environment and maintains the earth's eco balance. Not so with oil.
Solar energy harnessing panels are silent operators. Except maybe for the mechanical contraptions that are built into the panels so it could track the sun, from the collection of the suns rays to its photovoltaic conversion, they give neither a peep nor a squeak.
Maintenance for the solar panels is very minimal. Except for the mechanical parts that are optional, almost no maintenance is needed. Once it is installed nothing much will be the cause for worry. The energy that is derived is free. With oil there is no telling what the next pump price would be and when. Oil, being a commodity, heavily depends its prices on the market forces. Often with the right strategies, even market forces could be manipulated that could cause volatility in pricing.
The Disadvantages of Solar Energy:
The cost, while solar energy is free, the cost of installation setbacks many households from installing it. Brand new solar energy generation systems are expensive. Although it tends to pay off overtime, initial cash out could range into several thousands of dollars depending on the quality and volume of generated power a household or an establishment would require. While solar energy technology has been around since the 1950's it is only in recent years that its development was spurred. While costs of installation could also be subjective depending on the purchasing capacity of a customer, the benefits that could be derived out of it is enormous although mostly in unquantifiable terms.
For mass consumption, distribution lines are needed and this remains to be a big issue. Old antiquated distribution lines used to transfer electricity and other modes of fuel into the homes are clogged in many regions that to deliver solar energy into the houses of consumers will require a different approach.
We would be glad to hear from you. Please leave your comments.
copyright Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
The Many Uses Of Solar Energy
The earth receives more energy from the sun in one hour than the power requirement of the world for the whole year. Solar energy is free, renewable, clean and sustainable. We know how to harness it and we know where to use it best. Below are the different uses of solar energy.
Grid-Tied Residential Homes
Solar energy can be used hand in hand with your current electricity provider. This is ideal to those who live in place where sunlight does not shine year round, to those who live in areas where electricity is cheap and to those who just want to use solar energy as a backup to their existing source of power. The idea is that if you have 2 sources of power, you can get uninterrupted power supply all the time.
One of the benefits of having a grid-tied solar energy system at home is that you can turn your electric meter backwards. This happens when you produce more energy than you use. The excess power that your system generates is sent out to the grid, which will be used by other households. As a result, your electric meter turns backwards and your electric provider will pay you for the amount of energy your system has produced.
Homeowners can use solar energy in producing electricity to power security lights around the house's perimeter. Since these types of lights consume as much as 5 times more power than the household's daily energy requirement, opting for solar energy systems is very reasonable.
Solar power systems may not be used to answer the entire power requirement of the household. Sometimes it is used to power particular equipment such as lighting, water pumping, cooking and water heating or other equipments that consume the most amount of energy.
Corporate Buildings
To save on electric bills, many companies and building owners install PV cells on their atria. On large industrial buildings, PV cells can be installed on rooftops. While the initial cash layout is expensive, the amount of savings the system produces over the years will pay for itself.
Off-Grid Homes
If you have a cabin house or a farm house located far from the power grids, a solar power system can be your best source of electricity. Also, it is ideal if you need to power stand-alone sensing equipment and remote telemetry. Holiday homes that receive a substantial amount of sunlight can also benefit on this system.
Community halls, schools, clinics and other buildings that are not connected to any grid lines can use PV cells to generate power from the sun.
Signs and Street lights
Lights to brighten our streets and street signs consume large amount of energy. This energy is drawn from electric providers that use conventional fossil fuels. To reduce the demand for this type of energy source, signs and street light can be installed with solar power systems that store power during the day and use it to light the streets at night. Many cities have solar panels attached to their street lights to save money and reduce fossil fuel burning.
Other Recreational Application
RVs and marine vehicles require small amount of power which are drawn from its engine. This consumes fuel and emits greenhouse gases. To reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gases emission, owners prefer charging their batteries with soar panels.
We would like to hear your comments. Please leave them. Thank you.
copyright Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Grid-Tied Residential Homes
Solar energy can be used hand in hand with your current electricity provider. This is ideal to those who live in place where sunlight does not shine year round, to those who live in areas where electricity is cheap and to those who just want to use solar energy as a backup to their existing source of power. The idea is that if you have 2 sources of power, you can get uninterrupted power supply all the time.
One of the benefits of having a grid-tied solar energy system at home is that you can turn your electric meter backwards. This happens when you produce more energy than you use. The excess power that your system generates is sent out to the grid, which will be used by other households. As a result, your electric meter turns backwards and your electric provider will pay you for the amount of energy your system has produced.
Homeowners can use solar energy in producing electricity to power security lights around the house's perimeter. Since these types of lights consume as much as 5 times more power than the household's daily energy requirement, opting for solar energy systems is very reasonable.
Solar power systems may not be used to answer the entire power requirement of the household. Sometimes it is used to power particular equipment such as lighting, water pumping, cooking and water heating or other equipments that consume the most amount of energy.
Corporate Buildings
To save on electric bills, many companies and building owners install PV cells on their atria. On large industrial buildings, PV cells can be installed on rooftops. While the initial cash layout is expensive, the amount of savings the system produces over the years will pay for itself.
Off-Grid Homes
If you have a cabin house or a farm house located far from the power grids, a solar power system can be your best source of electricity. Also, it is ideal if you need to power stand-alone sensing equipment and remote telemetry. Holiday homes that receive a substantial amount of sunlight can also benefit on this system.
Community halls, schools, clinics and other buildings that are not connected to any grid lines can use PV cells to generate power from the sun.
Signs and Street lights
Lights to brighten our streets and street signs consume large amount of energy. This energy is drawn from electric providers that use conventional fossil fuels. To reduce the demand for this type of energy source, signs and street light can be installed with solar power systems that store power during the day and use it to light the streets at night. Many cities have solar panels attached to their street lights to save money and reduce fossil fuel burning.
Other Recreational Application
RVs and marine vehicles require small amount of power which are drawn from its engine. This consumes fuel and emits greenhouse gases. To reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gases emission, owners prefer charging their batteries with soar panels.
We would like to hear your comments. Please leave them. Thank you.
copyright Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Have A Very Happy Mother's Day
To all mother's it is a time to say thank you for all that you do. It is one of the hardest jobs around. You do it so well. From us to you. Have a good day. With joy and happiness as the time goes by.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Friday, May 8, 2009
What Is New With The Discoveries Of Solar Energy?
The day may not be far off when the use of solar energy becomes a norm. There is now a deep conviction among experts that given a few years time, solar power will be in high demand that the cost will go down, inexpensive enough to undercut the prices of oil-generated electricity.
Previous predictions that it will still happen in a decade may no longer be true. The anger generated by the recent prices in oil and its vulnerability to market forces and other events may have already been enough to polarize people, governments and scientific communities into seriously considering a reliable alternative energy source.
You can not get a source more reliable than the sun. Even today homes that use its power does not only benefit from the silent, energy generating, inexhaustible power of the sun, it also spikes up the prices of their homes. Those that have solar powered homes are even reimbursed for the surplus power that they supply to the power grid.
Presently, heliostats, photovoltaic cells and plate collectors are being used to collect the energy by focusing these panels towards the sun or constructing and installing the panel's on spots where the sun shines most. Development in technology as we all know often has a snowball effect. It never stops rediscovering and reinventing that the speed of development could often be surprisingly fast.
Today, a polymer foil, thin as a sheet of paper and lighter by 200 times when compared to the regular glass collecting plates, are being developed. Chances are, these new inventions and discoveries could very well have a great potential for mass production. Previously, the glass-based materials used for heat collection need expensive substrates and require additional support for mounting due to its weight. The polymer foil, being very light could now be attached even to the walls of a structure.
So confident are scientists in the development of this technology that while the polymer foil is being developed, a plastic solar cell, based on nano technology is gaining breakthroughs. This plastic material can collect the power of the sun even on a cloudy day through harnessing the infrared rays is believed to be five times more efficient than the current technology.
While plastic materials for harnessing the power of the sun are not new, It is only recently that this plastic composite could harvest the infrared portion. Previously, only the visible rays are generated, the infrared part. which is half of the power of the sun, is invisible.
Currently, the best plastic solar cells could only harness 6% of the suns energy, with further study and development, this new plastic solar cells are expected to harness 30% of the suns solar power.
Scientists and researchers alike agree that ultimately , solar farms will be harnessing all our energy requirements and costs of power will drop. Today the price of solar powered energy is about 3 to 4 times per kilowatt hour compared with conventional electricity. That could change dramatically though the development of the existing technology and recent discoveries.
The roller press flexible plastic materials and the polymer foil are only two of the best hopes in arriving at a cleaner greener and safer environment that could ultimately free the planet from its dependency on the depleting supply of oil.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Previous predictions that it will still happen in a decade may no longer be true. The anger generated by the recent prices in oil and its vulnerability to market forces and other events may have already been enough to polarize people, governments and scientific communities into seriously considering a reliable alternative energy source.
You can not get a source more reliable than the sun. Even today homes that use its power does not only benefit from the silent, energy generating, inexhaustible power of the sun, it also spikes up the prices of their homes. Those that have solar powered homes are even reimbursed for the surplus power that they supply to the power grid.
Presently, heliostats, photovoltaic cells and plate collectors are being used to collect the energy by focusing these panels towards the sun or constructing and installing the panel's on spots where the sun shines most. Development in technology as we all know often has a snowball effect. It never stops rediscovering and reinventing that the speed of development could often be surprisingly fast.
Today, a polymer foil, thin as a sheet of paper and lighter by 200 times when compared to the regular glass collecting plates, are being developed. Chances are, these new inventions and discoveries could very well have a great potential for mass production. Previously, the glass-based materials used for heat collection need expensive substrates and require additional support for mounting due to its weight. The polymer foil, being very light could now be attached even to the walls of a structure.
So confident are scientists in the development of this technology that while the polymer foil is being developed, a plastic solar cell, based on nano technology is gaining breakthroughs. This plastic material can collect the power of the sun even on a cloudy day through harnessing the infrared rays is believed to be five times more efficient than the current technology.
While plastic materials for harnessing the power of the sun are not new, It is only recently that this plastic composite could harvest the infrared portion. Previously, only the visible rays are generated, the infrared part. which is half of the power of the sun, is invisible.
Currently, the best plastic solar cells could only harness 6% of the suns energy, with further study and development, this new plastic solar cells are expected to harness 30% of the suns solar power.
Scientists and researchers alike agree that ultimately , solar farms will be harnessing all our energy requirements and costs of power will drop. Today the price of solar powered energy is about 3 to 4 times per kilowatt hour compared with conventional electricity. That could change dramatically though the development of the existing technology and recent discoveries.
The roller press flexible plastic materials and the polymer foil are only two of the best hopes in arriving at a cleaner greener and safer environment that could ultimately free the planet from its dependency on the depleting supply of oil.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Solar Energy-The Future Of Generating Energy For The Home.
Part 2
Whenever possible, the panels will be installed facing south to get the most out of the sunlight but tracking systems are also used to follow the direction of the sun. The solar panels collect the energy from the sunlight. The process basically is that when the panels are exposed to sunlight, the electrons are separated from the atoms. This movement of the electrons creates electricity.
To store power, pumps are often used -circulating water in the cells. The water goes into a storage tank where the power is stored, ready for use. Sometimes, the use of gravity is employed if it will just get the same store of the heated water into the tank.
In spite of all the development in solar energy though, the use of this technology is not enough to provide power to the whole house. The best method so far can only fulfill about 80% of a households power needs. The employment of solar energy for the home will still require the use of the conventional power distribution method.
Powering the homes by solar means will still, for a while be augmented by a local power distribution agency. To many, this is already a good starting point. Homeowners that feel that the high cost of powering their houses through solar power, is justified when compared to the price that is now being paid for conventional electrification method where horrendous amount of co2 are being dumped into the atmosphere just to generate a pitiful amount of electricity.
However, due in part to the rising costs of energy, the technology for solar energy has been undergoing rapid phases of development. Experts are confident that within five years, powering the home through the solar method will be made widely available for those who prefer it as it's solo energy source.
copyright Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
Whenever possible, the panels will be installed facing south to get the most out of the sunlight but tracking systems are also used to follow the direction of the sun. The solar panels collect the energy from the sunlight. The process basically is that when the panels are exposed to sunlight, the electrons are separated from the atoms. This movement of the electrons creates electricity.
To store power, pumps are often used -circulating water in the cells. The water goes into a storage tank where the power is stored, ready for use. Sometimes, the use of gravity is employed if it will just get the same store of the heated water into the tank.
In spite of all the development in solar energy though, the use of this technology is not enough to provide power to the whole house. The best method so far can only fulfill about 80% of a households power needs. The employment of solar energy for the home will still require the use of the conventional power distribution method.
Powering the homes by solar means will still, for a while be augmented by a local power distribution agency. To many, this is already a good starting point. Homeowners that feel that the high cost of powering their houses through solar power, is justified when compared to the price that is now being paid for conventional electrification method where horrendous amount of co2 are being dumped into the atmosphere just to generate a pitiful amount of electricity.
However, due in part to the rising costs of energy, the technology for solar energy has been undergoing rapid phases of development. Experts are confident that within five years, powering the home through the solar method will be made widely available for those who prefer it as it's solo energy source.
copyright Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
The Future Of Generating Energy For The Home -Solar Energy
Solar energy for residential houses is nothing new. It has just been relegated to the background in lieu of rising cost of real estate; newer more advanced building materials, design and the limitation of resources.
Since man started building homes, sunlight played a major influence in the design. In fact, even in the more advanced urban planning method of the ancient Chinese and Greeks, the orientation of the buildings is as much possible directed towards where it could capture the most sunlight.
The ancients might not be as intellectually sophisticated then to use catch phrases as passive solar and thermal mass but when they build, they were building in compact proportion, employing overhangs, producing insulation and building in manners that direct the airflow within the structure and producing well lit, well ventilated spaces using the relative position of the sun to the orientation of their structures.
Lately, as the conventional sources of energy become more expensive, homeowners were once again turning to the sun for energy requirements.
Since the 1950's, harnessing the sun's rays has been developing and today the solar call technology has achieved very efficient levels that modern ( so-called greenhouse) designs apply the sun's power to provide energy for the home.
While solar energy is free, the device that will convert it to run our appliances is not. To provide solar energy for the home, solar cells called photovoltaic made from semi-conducting materials, are grouped into modules. these solar panels are mounted on rooftops, yards or open spaces where it can capture the maximum amount of sunlight.
copyright Dan and Deanna Finlinson "Marketing Unscrambled"
Since man started building homes, sunlight played a major influence in the design. In fact, even in the more advanced urban planning method of the ancient Chinese and Greeks, the orientation of the buildings is as much possible directed towards where it could capture the most sunlight.
The ancients might not be as intellectually sophisticated then to use catch phrases as passive solar and thermal mass but when they build, they were building in compact proportion, employing overhangs, producing insulation and building in manners that direct the airflow within the structure and producing well lit, well ventilated spaces using the relative position of the sun to the orientation of their structures.
Lately, as the conventional sources of energy become more expensive, homeowners were once again turning to the sun for energy requirements.
Since the 1950's, harnessing the sun's rays has been developing and today the solar call technology has achieved very efficient levels that modern ( so-called greenhouse) designs apply the sun's power to provide energy for the home.
While solar energy is free, the device that will convert it to run our appliances is not. To provide solar energy for the home, solar cells called photovoltaic made from semi-conducting materials, are grouped into modules. these solar panels are mounted on rooftops, yards or open spaces where it can capture the maximum amount of sunlight.
copyright Dan and Deanna Finlinson "Marketing Unscrambled"
Friday, May 1, 2009
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