Concern over energy supply, costs, and environmental problems are not limited to those prepared to venture into the countryside to an off-grid life. Urban people—now the vast majority in the Western world—share the same fear about what lies ahead. The average North American family will spend over one quarter million after-tax dollars on energy in a lifetime.
$mart Power shows homeowners that using less energy or adopting renewable-energy technologies is not about making drastic lifestyle sacrifices, nor is it expensive. In fact, energy efficiency often improves lifestyle through lower operating costs, a more comfortable environment, and increased disposable income.
Richly illustrated, chapters include energy efficiency, space heating and cooling, community power, energy efficient transportation, photovoltaics, wind and bio-fuels, batteries, voltage regulation and inverters, solar water heating, and backup power.

$mart Power: An Urban Guide to Renewable Energy and Efficiency

Science & Math

Kemp, William H.

History & Philosophy

Aztext Press

As oil prices continue to rise, many people are starting to think about how to unhook from the electricity grid. The Renewable Energy Handbook focuses completely on off-grid, sustainable living and rural energy independence. Author/engineer William H. Kemp, who is a leading expert in small- and mid-scale renewable energy technologies, designed and built his own off-grid home. The result is a house that has all the standard “middle-class” creature comforts while using less than five times the total fossil-fuel energy of the average North American house. The Renewable Energy Handbook focuses on the unique requirements of off-grid living and contains chapters on energy conservation; heating and cooling; backup power; domestic water heating; wireless communications; photovoltaic, wind, and microhydro energy generation; battery selection; and inverters. Since its release in 2003, The Renewable Energy Handbook has been a top-selling technology book and is recognized as the best book in its field. The book is augmented with hundreds of illustrations, line drawings, photographs, and appendices.

The Renewable Energy Handbook: A Guide to Rural Energy Independence, Off-Grid and Sustainable Living

Business & Money

Economics

Biodiesel Basics and Beyond aims to separate fact from fiction and to educate potential home, farm, and cooperative manufacturers on the economic production of quality biodiesel from both waste and virgin oil feedstock. The book includes: <ul>
<li>detailed processes and equipment required to produce biodiesel fuel that meets North American standards</li> <li>how farmers can use excess oilseed as a feedstock for biodiesel production</li> <li>the use of the co-byproduct glycerin in the making of soap</li> <li>a guide to numerous reference materials and a list of supplier data</li> </ul>
This is North America’s definitive guide to responsibly producing biodiesel from waste vegetable oil while minimizing your environmental footprint in the process.

Biodiesel Basics and Beyond: A Comprehensive Guide to Production and Use for the Home and Farm

Engineering & Transportation

Automotive

The transportation sector, dominated by the personal automobile, is responsible for over a quarter of North America’s total energy consumption. Motor vehicles account for the overwhelming majority of harmful atmosphere emissions.
The Zero-Carbon Car reviews the issues of climate change, peak oil, urban sprawl, and geopolitical and socioeconomic disruption related to fossil fuel use. The book argues that, while there is no way to avoid the eventual demise of the automobile, there is an opportunity for the automotive industry to develop an ultra-efficient, zero-carbon-emissions automobile.
The book documents the successful design and construction of a zero-carbon vehicle, proving that the technology is not only possible, it is viable today. For those who wish to fabricate their own vehicle, plans and software are provided in the book and on the accompanying website.
The Zero-Carbon Car is a must-read for automotive enthusiasts, environmentalists, and anyone who cares about how their transportation choices affect the planet.

The Zero-Carbon Car: Building the Car the Auto Industry Can't Get Right

Most of us have never lived through times as tough as these. The economic crisis, peak oil, rising food costs, climate change, and water shortages have all converged to make it a very challenging time. This book provides a road map to allow you to return to the independence of previous generations: independence in how you power your home, where you get your food from, and how you control your financial destiny. The amazing thing is that the recommendations are not only good for you, they're good for the planet. Showering with water heated by the sun and eating a "one hundred foot diet" with food grown in your backyard will help you to reduce your carbon footprint. They also give you back control of your budget. By using the step-by-step guide on how to get the fastest payback and invest the money you save, you'll discover the joy of being in control again. From where you live, to how you heat and power your home, to producing your own food, controlling water, and getting

Thriving During Challenging Times: The Energy, Food, and Financial Independence Handbook

Mather, Cam

Reference

Biodiesel Basics

Kemp, William

This two hour video will show you how to take your backyard and turn it into a produce section, saving you money and producing a wide array of healthy and tasty vegetables. Topics include; Soil Preparation Winter/Spring Preparation Planting Weeding & Watering Insects & Pests Harvesting & Storage

Grow Your Own Vegetables

This video is a step-by-step guide to putting up a home-sized wind turbine using a common tubular steel tilt-up tower and winch. It begins with evaluating your location, installing anchors, wiring, assembling the tower, and using the winch to properly raise the tower.Watching this DVD will make that manual that comes with your wind turbine suddenly make sense and will save you hours of confusion, while offering tips and techniques to make your new wind turbine installation a success.

Home-Scale Wind Turbine Installation

This revised edition of The Renewable Energy Handbook focuses on the unique requirements of off-grid living as well as using "green" energy for homeowners who remain connected to the electrical utility. The book contains chapters on: <ul>
<li>Energy efficiency and economics</li> <li>Home heating and cooling and domestic water heating</li> <li>Photovoltaic, wind, and micro-hydro energy generation</li> <li>Battery selection and inverters</li> <li>Backup power, wireless communications, etc.</li> </ul>
It includes comprehensive specifications for many of the products available in the market today.
Whether you are just curious or an industry expert, this handbook will show you how to stretch your energy dollars (doing much more with less) while powering your home with renewable energy. And, unlike fossil fuels or nuclear energy, renewable energy frees you from worry about dumping today's pollution on tomorrow's children.
Since its release in 2003, The Renewable Energy Handbook has been a top-selling technology book and is recognized as the best in its field.
This edition has been fully revised for 2010 and beyond. It has been increased in size to an easy-to-read 8 x 10 inch format, and it is augmented with hundreds of illustrations, line drawings, photographs, and appendices.
Author/engineer William H. Kemp is a leading expert in renewable energy technologies. He and his wife designed and built their own off-grid home, which has all the standard middle-class creature comforts while using no fossil-fuel energy. The author showcases an assortment of homes, including his own, to demonstrate real-world application of the technologies.

The Renewable Energy Handbook, Revised Edition: The Updated Comprehensive Guide to Renewable Energy and Independent Living

There’s never been a better time to grow your own food as we face the converging challenges of the financial crisis, climate change, water shortages, peak oil, and 6.5 billion people worldwide competing for a limited amount of food.
Many gardening books are so technical that they are intimidating to the beginning gardener. This book shows how easy gardening can be while providing tips and techniques to ensure success. Whether you live in the country, the city, or the suburbs, you’ll learn:
<ul>
<li>How to create lots of rich compost as the basis for vigorous growth </li>
<li>Simple techniques to safely deal with pests </li>
<li>The most effective techniques for irrigation, including harvesting your rainwater </li>
<li>How to store your harvest using canning, freezing, and drying techniques </li>
<li>How to build and stock a root cellar </li>
<li>How to choose which vegetables to grow based on their nutritional value 
</li>
</ul>
This book is a step-by-step guide to turning your lawn into a great source of personal satisfaction and economic independence. Having an organic produce department in your backyard creates your own one hundred-foot diet” to reduce your carbon footprint and keep more money in your pocket.
Cam Mather has been gardening organically and market gardening for thirty-five years. His entertaining and informative workshops and DVD have inspired thousands of people to get out and get their hands dirty. He publishes books about renewable energy and sustainability from his off-grid solar and wind-powered home office.

The All You Can Eat Gardening Handbook: Easy Organic Vegetables and More Money in Your Pocket

Crafts, Hobbies & Home

Gardening & Landscape Design

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