Green Technology in Homes
Thomas Stewart
INF 103
Professor Debra Austin
August 6, 2012

Every person on our planet has a responsibility to try and conserve as much of our natural resources as possible. The more we rely on manmade energy sources the more we push our planet into overdrive and eventually these resources will become extinct. There are hundreds of ways to use green technology but I will focus on 5 sources that I feel everyone can put into place fairly easily and right at home. According to Ecoseed.org green technology refers to a “constant evolving group of methods and materials that are designed to be more beneficial to the environment. Green technology encompasses several key issues, including sustainability, innovation, resource conservation and a reduction of waste and pollution. The application of green technology in a home can refer to systems or products used to further the activities of daily living while reducing mankind’s potential negative impact on the earth.” (Siemans Energy Solutions 2011) Using green technology in homes can be accomplished in a number of ways. The way we heat and cool our homes wash our clothes, water our lawns use energy sources that need to be looked into. The sooner we adopt an eco-friendly lifestyle, the better it would be for us and the coming generations. Heat produced by the sun has been used for all sorts of purposes since the beginning of time. In ancient times the Greeks faced a severe fuel shortage so they turned to solar energy. Archaeological evidence shows that a standard house plan evolved during the fifth century so that every house, whether rural or urban, could make maximum use of the sun’s rays during winter. Socrates, who lived in a solar heated house, observed, “In houses that look towards the south, the sun penetrates the portico in winter,” which keeps the house heated. (Encyclopedia of Energy 2005) The Romans improved on Greek solar architecture by covering south-facing materials with glass to let in sunlight. When the sunlight hit the interior masonry it produced heat. What is new in the renewable energy trend of the twentieth century is the conversion of solar energy into electricity in order to replace the energy that is produced from fossil or nonrenewable sources. This can be done with the use of solar panels or solar shingles. These panels can generate enough electricity to power a complete home. Solar energy can also be used to heat water. Water is heated through pipes that run through the solar panels and then stored in a thermal tank for later use. One solid example was developed by the Israelis in 1973. Due to an oil boycott, the Israelis turned to the sun’s energy to heat their water. By 1983, 60% of the population heated their water with the use of solar panels. When the price of oil dropped in the mid-1980s, the Israeli government did not want the people backsliding in their energy happens as happened throughout the rest of the world. It therefore required its inhabitants to heat water using the sun. Today, more than 90% of Israeli households own and use solar hot water heaters. (Encyclopedia of Energy 2005) Pool heating is another good use of a solar application. Solar panels on an average sized home can keep 2500 gallons of water at a constant temperature. Many homeowners in the past were worried about the eyesore of having huge panels on the top of their homes or on a stand in the back yard, but new solar shingles can blend right into the existing roof. The only down fall to solar use is of course a lack of sunlight. Installing a programmable thermostat can not only save you a ton of money but it can also keep you from trying to remember if you turned the heat down before bedtime or bump the thermostat up before you leave for work so that you are not cooling an empty house. There are all kinds of different thermostats but they generally work the same way. You simply tell the system when you