Solar lights work best in areas where they get several hours of full sun.  They are not appropriate for lawns or gardens that are heavily shaded.  In addition, if you must have light in an area for the entire night, these lights may be discharged before sunrise, so keep the fact in mind.

These lights are available in a variety of styles.  The most common are used to light a walk or path and offer down lights.  However, it is also possible that buyers may find spot lights, and uplights that work on the same principle.  Some of the decorative lights that operate using solar principles may be shaped as bugs, birds or flowers.  These lights add a whimsical look to the garden.

Since there is no wiring required for solar lights there are some designs possible that would be much more difficult using traditional wired lighting.  These include some of the hanging lanterns.  The lantern can hang from a metal stand as well as from a tree, shrub or the house.  The lights are also an excellent choice to light a corner of the garden that may be quite distant from the nearest electrical power source or to line a long driveway.  Unlike low voltage lighting that depends on the household current, these lights can easily be placed hundreds of feet from the nearest power source.  The ease of placement and lack of need for electrical power makes solar yard lights an excellent choice when camping.  Just push into the ground, allow to charge and enjoy several hours of solar lighting each evening.

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One area where we mentioned how entire sites like patiocoversplace.com are dedicated to discussions and topics

Here's a quaint little brick patio.

relating to outdoor living and patio design ideas was in the ‘patio’ section of that article.  We talked about some aspects of the patio furniture, the flooring – whether to go with a stamped concrete or outdoor pavers and other ideas – and other accessories.  We also mentioned a little about the outdoor living ideas.     Photo credit

Where we failed to go into much detail was with regard to those accessories, like the heating, outdoor lighting, fire pit and other specialty items and ideas.  While not all of these are eco-friendly products, per se, they can be used in a more Earth-conscious manner.  For example, a fire pit could burn cleaner fuels and used on specific days.  In fact, some cities, like Phoenix, AZ have ‘no burn’ days in the winter where outdoor fires are prohibited because of air pollution concerns.

Number 8 for our other list could have been lighting ideas for outdoors.  There are any number of solar lights, outdoor wall sconces , table lamps, floor lamps, flood lights, landscape lighting, string lights and other overhead lighting that could be used on your patio structure – like your gazebo or pergola.  This could help with ambiance or safety, or both.

What About Appliances?

Yes, this was an oversight, too.  Consider this ‘number 9’.  Appliances definitely need to be discussed in terms of their environmental impact and energy and cost savings.  There are a variety of appliances that you can purchase today that will not only give you a big efficiency boost, but will allow you to claim a credit or rebate on that purchase.  Items like refrigerators, freezers and washers and dryers are the big ones.  You could also save on heating of your water by using either a solar hot water tank or even a tankless water heater.  These are both great ways to heat water and waste less of it in the process.

Just because there are big appliances to worry about, doesn’t mean you should overlook the little guys.  You should also take into account your light bulbs and light fixtures as well.  Even a small table lamp can be fitted with a higher efficiency or longer lasting bulb that produces less heat when it is on.

While not as ‘efficient’ in the short-term for your wallet are LED lights.  These are beginning to make their way into more residential applications.  They are head and shoulders above others in terms of lifespan and energy efficiency.  LED bulbs operate at much lower temperatures as well.  You may wish to start making the switch as your budget allows.

Another option to consider in this appliance category is the heating and cooling of your home.  Just through using more efficient or cleaner furnace filters, you can save as well.  More efficient heating and cooling means lower bills and less energy wasted.  Even just using items like ceiling fans can make a big difference.  Fans are great because they circulate the air in the space.  While they don’t necessarily make the room hotter or colder, by moving the hot and cold air around, they can help your space feel more comfortable.  This is the big key. There are Energy Star rated fans in a variety of models.  To find some unique fans, go to bigassfans.com

Finally, no discussion of any eco-friendly nature would be complete without some mention of home solar panels or solar power.  Not to disappoint, we’ll talk briefly about the benefits here.  The main thing that still keeps solar power from being more mainstream is cost.  Sure, there are efficiency concerns and battery storage issues, but these are trumped by concerns over the initial investment into solar equipment.     Photo credit

There are now lease programs and other government incentives that can allow for homeowners to make solar a part of their home’s power use and save a bundle in the process.  As prices and technology improve, there will likely be even more solar power units made available that fit residential applications at more budget-friendly prices.

So, there you have it, the re-visited eco-friendly home decorating ideas and ‘top 10’ tips.

Top view of the solar cell on the light.

Solar powered lights are all the rage these days and more people are getting interested in finding out the benefits of using this type of illumination system for their homes.  If you are still a little skeptical as to whether you should get solar lights, here are 3 very good reasons to do so:

1.  Solar lights are extremely economical

The use of solar energy in your home will definitely save you a lot of money in the long-term.  This is always a plus, especially in this economy.  Since the use of solar power is free, you will not have to spend a dime even if you ‘leave the lights on’ all night.  This is the major selling point of this simple yet liberating technology which makes it worth using.

2.  Solar power is friendly to mother nature

At the rate mankind is burning fossil fuel, it is highly likely that drastic action is necessary with regard to our energy consumption if we are ever to undo the damage we’ve done.  The Earth is begging us to change and our children and grandchildren will be inheriting a mess if we don’t do something now to alter the course we’re on.  Now that people have the chance to keep this from happening, it would be a shame not to be a part of the process of saving this planet from demise and further desecration.

3.  Solar lighting fixtures are surprisingly stylish

If you look up some of the outdoor solar lights and lamps for sale online, you will see that they look just like the beautiful electric lamps used everywhere else in the world.  It is incorrect to assume that solar powered devices are ugly and without style because there are very beautiful pieces within such category.  While this once may have been a concern, it is no longer an issue.  In fact, many of the more stylish designs are coming from the solar lighting industry itself.

How reliable are solar powered lights?

For the most part, they are extremely reliable.  Since the invention of these types of lights, solar has made great strides.  There was once a much bigger gap in terms of solar vs. conventional lighting.  Now, that gap has narrowed as better storage of electricity has happened.  There is still some room to grow, but it is coming.  The same is true regarding home solar panels and their efficiency.  The process is really very simple and the maintenance is not very tedious at all.  You can have outdoor lamps for your patio which illuminates the area at zero cost.

Submitted by the folks at efficientsolarlighting.com

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One of the big leaders in the revolution of solar lighting is Westinghouse.  Almost anyone who has heard of solar powered lighting has heard of Westinghouse.  In fact, if you went to do a Google search for “Westinghouse solar lights”, Westinghouse would definitely come up on the list of recommended sites for the search term results.  There are three main reasons they have so much popularity:

1.         They have been involved in the industry since the beginning.

2.         They consistently manufacture a high quality product.

3.         They constantly produce new varieties and styles.

While these three great reasons have provided enough to help keep them sustained so far, there are a lot of other companies who are looking to move up and take over the position of the most popular manufacturer for solar lights.  Some of the companies vying for this position are: Smart Solar, Malibu, Silicon Solar, and Moonrays.  In fact, an Amazon.com search for their top selling solar powered garden lights will find Smart Solar and Moonrays products dominating the first page of results.

The biggest reason I can see that the rise in popularity for these other companies is that they consistently put out top quality products and offer a wide selection of styles, they are also less expensive.  Moonrays, for example, offers a solar powered glass ball light that changes color and it is almost half the cost of Westinghouse.  Will the quality of their product match the high standards Westinghouse has long been known for?  Time will certainly tell, but the customer reviews, so far, have all been excellent.  There are similar outdoor lighting options available from other manufacturers.

The point here is that you should not limit yourself only to the brands that you are most familiar with.  Look at what many of the other vendors are offering; read some of the customer reviews.  The main goal is to find the best solar powered garden light for your money.

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Outdoor lighting is just as important as indoor lighting when it comes to creating an ambiance outside. If you garden is well lit and makes you feel relaxed then you are far more likely to want to spend time outdoors. Outdoor lighting design Is not difficult when you know how, and this article looks at some hints and tips of how to design the perfect outdoor lighting scheme.

Your outdoor lighting designs need to incorporate both safety and aesthetics together for a great look.

You need multiple sources of light to give you a well balanced lighting scheme and this means using different types of lighting. You’ll want to use some functional lighting so that you can see what you are doing and you will also want to use some more decorative lighting such as patio string lights.  Combine these types of lights with great decorative outdoor wall sconces for an even more dramatic look.

If you think about what you want to achieve with your outdoor lighting scheme then you can buy the lights to match it. As a bare minimum I would suggest that your lighting scheme takes in to account the following:

1. Highlight any trip hazards – such as gutters or step.
2. Provide enough light so that you can see your guests.
3. Don’t give too much light so that it scares away wildlife and adds to the problem of light pollution.
4. Is environmentally friendly and doesn’t cost you too much to run.
5. Has a decorative element to create an enchanting outdoor space.

With the amount of lights now on the market finding the right type of lights to satisfy the above scheme is very be easy. I would highly recommend using solar lights wherever you can because the provide sufficient light that isn’t too bright and will scare off local wildlife. Solar lights also cost nothing to run and hence they fit in to the ‘environmentally friendly’ bracket. The one big advantage of solar lights however is the fact that they are very easy to install as they have no wires and cable to contend with- and this means that they are also very cheap to install if you are paying someone else to do it.

If you follow the above process when creating your lighting scheme and really think about how you are going to use your outdoor space you should create a garden decor that you can spend time in until long after the sun had gone down. Outdoor lighting will also add value to you property if you are thinking of selling it as it creates a very good first impression of your home.

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