How to Harness the Power of the Sun

Every day, our solar system’s most powerful renewable energy source emits tons of free power. How many of us take advantage of it? The sun could be our best friend, but too many treat it indifferently.

It’s time to harness the sun’s power and use solar energy to your advantage. Try out these five tips for cleaner, happier living.

Buy a Portable Power Station

A portable power station is the most bang you can get for your buck, solar power-wise. The top portable power stationscan get a full charge in a matter of hours. Going off of that energy alone, a station can power appliances as large as refrigerators, washers and dryers, lighting systems, heating systems, and more.

Electricity bills can be costly, and our dependence on the electrical grid may not be so good for the environment. The power grid is “aging and unstable” and can’t always be trusted in an emergency.

But you can trust yourself! And by purchasing a portable power station, you give yourself back the autonomy to make your own electricity decisions.

Dry Your Clothes and Linens

This option may not work as often if you live in a rainy or snowy area like the Pacific Northwest. However, if you live in the American South or Southwest, you should take advantage of the sun to dry your clothes. Bonus: they smell amazing afterwards!

You don’t need trees to get your clothesline up and running. Buying cheap and easy-to-assemble portable clotheslines can maximize your drying space – and they’ll also stow away discreetly and effortlessly.

Treat Your Water

If you live in an area where tap water isn’t safe, or your water supply comes from a costly well that forces you to buy bottled water, treat your water in the sun instead. Fill up the water you wish to treat in glass bottles and leave them in the sun for six hours.

All you need is a single day of sunlight, and you’ll have clean water to drink, bathe in, and cook with.

Irrigate Your Garden

You only need a trowel and time to irrigate your garden – and water, of course – but sunlight is undoubtedly helpful. Using sunlight, you can grow all fruits and vegetables, from tomatoes and corn to strawberries and radishes. Depending on the weather, you can substitute two meals a day in peak growing season with food from your garden.

Heat Your Home

What’s the trick? It’s called passive heating, and the U.S. Department of Energy endorses it. Nowadays, you can buy a home designed to heat up using only the sun’s power – even in winter.

But even if you don’t live in one of these homes, we encourage you to use your windows and doors to maximize the heat of the sun’s effect on your home’s interior. Save big on your heating bill!

The Sun is Your Friend

Don’t be afraid to tap into the power of the sun. You have nothing to lose and so much to gain.