A year ago, I shared a fascinating video with you called "The Overview Effect" which addresses the most dramatic effect that space travel has on astronauts. Edgar Mitchell, one of the astronauts featured in the video, died last Thursday. Please take a few minutes to watch this video... and honor a national hero. Then check out what he did when he got back to Earth after Apollo 14, here.



Edgar Mitchell, Astronaut

September 17, 1930 -  February 4, 2016

 

 

 

The capabilities of today's technology is absolutely amazing, and just keeps improving day after day. Google has recently launched it's newest non-searchable venture called Google Sunroof. If you are a skeptic about solar power and it's benefits then this website is for you. Right now it is only available in a few areas, but someday soon they could be analyzing the solar potential of every building in the country. It works by taking an address and calculating the average amount of hours-per-year of sunlight for that particular rooftop. It then gives you an analysis of how many solar panels you could fit in that location as well as the amount of money you could potentially save by installing them.

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There is still a lot of skepticism and ignorance when it comes to solar energy. People just don't appreciate the amount of money they could save over the long term or the volume of solar power that is currently bouncing off their roofs, unused. This website aims to eliminate the skeptics and ignorance while showing them what they are missing out on. If you are interested in learning more about this newest addition to the solar industry you can read more here!

This last September, there was a meeting of 193 world leaders that have committed to 17 Global Goals. These goals were set to achieve 3 extraordinary things in the next 15 years. They are attempting to inspire the world to stand up and join in! These goals range from ending poverty, to affordable and clean energy, all the way to taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. The goal is to alleviate these problems and more by the year 2030. Each and every one of these goals aim to fix climate change! The COP21 summit that was held in Paris this past December was the first test of the world leaders commitment and it went wonderfully. To learn more about it and to join in the fun globalgoals.org.

 

 

You've heard the name and you know his companies, but what you may not know is that Elon Musk is so much more than a Global Celebrity, he's a Global Genius! December 3rd's speech in France only solidifies it. The moral of his speech? “We need global governments to apply global revenue-neutral carbon taxes to level the playing field, which will allow sustainable energy to win.” Pure genius! Click here to read more about his speech in France or to listen to it in full. Keep an eye out for this global genius as he is going to change the world!

In the early morning of November 15th, 1975, I closed the door of my apartment (one of a few remaining army barracks of "Fort" Myers) and walked a quarter of a mile to join my father on my first day of work in the solar industry.

He had called me a few days earlier to ask if I wanted to install solar pool heaters with him. I told him I'd sleep on it and call the next day with my decision.

I joined him, not so much to be in the fledgling solar industry, which I thought was pretty cool; nor to save the world from the "evil oil guys", which, in the early 70's was not as clear a mission to me as it is today; but more, to simply get to know my father... he had been absent from my life since I was six.

So, I hitchhiked from Orlando, where I was getting some spiritual guidance, to Fort Myers.



Looking back, I'm grateful I was guided to the path of (sun)light.

It has been good to me and I have much to be grateful for. (For more about our interesting early years, you can read here and here.)

Today, forty years later, my son, Ian, is stepping into the leadership role at Fafco Solar and I'm letting it go. It's a process. I don't know exactly how it will happen, or how it will look, but it's in motion and it's another reason for me to be grateful.

Looking forward, it's obvious the world will be powured by sunlight... and it will be surprising to most how fast it will happen. The solar tsunami is here! (More about this later.)

 

Enjoy the ride, Ian!

Utilities all across the US try to stop solar competition, but the courts in Wisconsin have fired back!

This is being called a "critical victory" in that it sends a message to utilities everywhere. Solar has been under constant attack for many years now yet not one single state has eliminated it because the benefits are undeniable.



 

 

 

 

 

 

Way to go Wisconsin! Hopefully, we can all follow your example! To read more about it, click here.

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!

This is an example page. It's different from a blog post because it will stay in one place and will show up in your site navigation (in most themes). Most people start with an About page that introduces them to potential site visitors. It might say something like this:

Hi there! I'm a bike messenger by day, aspiring actor by night, and this is my website. I live in Los Angeles, have a great dog named Jack, and I like piña coladas. (And gettin' caught in the rain.)

...or something like this:

The XYZ Doohickey Company was founded in 1971, and has been providing quality doohickeys to the public ever since. Located in Gotham City, XYZ employs over 2,000 people and does all kinds of awesome things for the Gotham community.

As a new WordPress user, you should go to your dashboard to delete this page and create new pages for your content. Have fun!

The U.S. Department of Energy hosts the 2015 Solar Decathlon which challenges collegiate teams all across the country to compete against each other to see who can originate, construct, and maneuver solar-powered homes that are economical, energy-efficient, and eye-catching.

The team that combines affordability, buyer appeal, and design superiority with optimum energy production and all-out efficiency will win the competition. The competitors will spend roughly 2 years creating these houses that are to be powered by the sun.

Once completed, the final competition will consist of the teams facing off in 10 different contests to determine which house will be the overall winner.

The winning home will be affordable, aesthetically appealing, and simple to live in. It will also maintain relaxing and healthy interior environmental quarters.

It will supply energy to cook, clean, entertain, and commute with. It must provide acceptable hot water, and finally, produce as much, if not more, energy than it consumes. We are excited to watch the events unfold and see what the future holds. Let the games begin!

To learn more about it, check out the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon or to read about the past Solar Decathlon look up our past blog.

If you are interested in finding out how to make your home more sustainable, follow us via our website or Facebook!

Recently, we talked about how solar energy can solve the climate changing crisis, but what we didn’t mention is how it is also aiding in our economic growth!

In the last 5 years, when unemployment rates were sky rocketing, solar energy employment rates were increasing over 85%.

Since 2010, there have been over 173,000 new jobs in the solar industry alone.These jobs are not replacing old jobs but instead are brand new positions created within the industry due to its exponential growth.

This just goes to show that solar is a prevailing mechanism aiding in job creation and economic growth.

More Jobs = Better Economy!

To learn more about this subject read the following article published earlier this year.

~Melissa