Photovoltaics
What is photovoltaics?
When we talk about photovoltaics (or photovoltaic), we mean that we can collect solar energy, convert it into electrical energy and then use it as electricity. For example, for lighting or for household appliances, but also for heating. The consumption of conventional energy can thus be reduced.
Why Photovoltaics?
Today, most people use solar power primarily because it makes them independent of the price of electricity. No matter how expensive electricity is, the electricity from one's own roof always costs the same, namely nothing to begin with.
You get it for free from the roof with every hour of sunshine and either consume it yourself or feed excess electricity into the power grid. In return, you get a so-called feed-in tariff, i.e. money. How much one gets depends on the performance of the respective photovoltaic system. A solar system gives everyone a little more independence from future electricity price trends and helps to generate energy sustainably.
Photovoltaics.pdf (2.63 mb)
Sources
[1] Photovoltaics (Wikipedia.com)
[2] Photovoltaikanlage (Sonnenstrom.net)
What is my vision of our project?
I am really looking forward to this project. I hope that, together with the help of our friend Carmen, we can do an interesting project about plastic pollution in Hawaii and Switzerland. As Carmen is quite a bit famous on Social Media, she's able to reach a lot of people and make them aware of the plastic pollution taking place in our world. With our project we can hopefully reach many different people from different age groups..
For the first time, scientists have studied the loss of ice from glaciers throughout the Alps. The result is frightening. Since the turn of the millennium, glaciers have lost around 17 percent of their volume. Swiss glaciers in particular are melting rapidly. This is yet another stark reminder that there is no time to lose in the fight against climate warming.More...
City and nature - for most people this does not go together. When cities began to spread all over the world, there was no more space for nature, and greenery was mostly replaced by gray buildings. However, the concept of urban gardening gives nature back its place in cities.
Although urban gardening seems like a new trend, it originated in ancient Egypt and was an extremely important food producer in Germany during World War 1 and 2. Recently, urban gardening has been experiencing a resurgence. But what exactly does it even mean and how does it work? In general, urban gardening can be divided into two areas: the container garden and the rooftop garden. Let's take a closer look at both concepts.
Container gardening
Container gardening is a great option when there is not much space available. That's why it's perfect for the city. It got its name because instead of planting the plants or flowers in the ground, they are placed in different containers or pots, which makes container gardening very mobile and space-saving. It is also good for our environment because old containers are reused while our wallet is saved. Another advantage of container gardening is that because it is mobile, a garden can be planted wherever it is desired. Urban birds will thank you because they are attracted to the pots, especially if they contain berries or other plants that provide nectar and seeds.
Gardening on the roof
Many houses in cities have a roof terrace, people began to make greener. Traditionally, rooftop gardens are created for planting vegetables by attaching soil and garden beds. For this to work, at least four layers are required to prevent damage to the structure of the building: An anti-root layer, a drainage layer (which allows water to pass through but not the soil), an impermeable layer, and an insulating layer.
Why do horticulture in the city?
The Danish capital Copenhagen has made green roofs mandatory with the goal of being emission-free by 2025. Green roofs can reduce CO² emissions by filtering certain substances from the air and converting CO² into oxygen. But that's not all. They also lower the temperature by absorbing sunlight, creating a cooler and more comfortable climate in the city. A side effect of this is that air conditioners are used less frequently, reducing energy consumption. Urban gardening also has a positive impact on our health and social life. Gardening brings people together, it is a natural stress reliever, and it makes us happy. The list of benefits for us and our environment goes on and on, making it clear that gardening is not just for people in the countryside.
The benefits of gardening in the city are undeniable, and it's so easy to do with little effort.
Food wastage is a growing global crisis that is affecting the physical health of the earth and the population inhabiting the entire planet. Recent estimates postulate that food wasted in developed countries; like Europe and the United States can feed the whole continent in more than three times.
Food wastage is a serious environmental concern facing the whole continent. To determine the way out of this disaster is not easy. There is a need for sacrifice and co-operation from various agencies to address this issue. This paper focuses on food wastage by discussing how food is wasted and how it can be avoided.
Food waste is defined as the food loss during retail and final consumption. Food wastes only refer to foods for human consumption. It also includes food for human consumption, which went out of the human food chain. These are the foods thrown away even if they are still fit for human consumption. Statistics show that one third of the total food produced is being wasted from the production up to consumption.
Food Waste
Tiny houses
Smaller homes are less expensive than larger ones when it comes to taxes, heating and repair costs as well as maintenance. The lower cost of living may be advantageous to those with little savings, such as people aged 55 and older. In addition to costing less, small houses may encourage a less cluttered (überladen/überfüllt), simpler lifestyle, and reduce ecological impacts for their residents. They can easily be built with recyclable materials and they typically use less materials to construct. Another benefit is that small houses usually emphasize design over size. This means to utilize dual purpose features and multi-functional furniture as well as incorporating technological advances of space saving equipment and appliances. Vertical space optimization is also a common feature of small houses. An example of this is the use of loft spaces for sleeping and storage.
Tiny houses movement