Hi all,

One of the things I play with at the Urban Farm is “passive solar”. Essentially, passive solar is the concept of using solar strategies to light, heat and cool your home. Most people take advantage of passive solar by starting with something as simple as shading your west-facing windows in the summer and letting that sun into your space in the winter.

Letting the sun in to my space is always at the top of my list. So a few years back I installed a tubular skylight and I love it! The skylight lets in sunlight while not letting in the heat from the sun and it saves on my electric bill as I don’t have to turn on a light during the day.

Unlike traditional skylights, tubular skylights may be used two floors down from the roof and even in your basement. They don’t fade your art on the walls, either. In this week’s article, Maura Yates explores the different aspects of tubular skylights.

For a quick read on more Urban Farm approaches to living a more green lifestyle, check out our new book series, starting with My Ordinary Extraordinary Yard / Fowl Play COMBO. Only $10 for the two, including shipping. And if you need to quench your thirst over lunch or when on the go, our 18oz. Espresso-Color Travel Mug is stainless steel, BPA free, lead free, and looks great, too.

Have a great green day!

Technorati Tags: daylighting, light, skylights, Solar Lighting, tubular skylights

I found these on ThnkGeek.com.

Captured inside the Sun and Moon Jars are a highly efficient solar cell, a rechargeable battery and low energy LED lamps. When the jar is placed in direct sunlight the solar cell creates an electrical current that charges the battery over a few hours. This energy is then used at night to power the three LED lamps inside the jar.

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Technorati Tags: Solar Lighting