Michelle Kodis - Turn Me On: 100 Easy Ways to Use Solar Energy

Each month, those of us who live on the grid get a little gift in the mail: an invoice for our electricity usage. Prior to that bill arriving, the little meter attached to our homes has been spinning day and night, tallying our energy use as we power up our computers, stuff our wet towels into the dryer, forget to turn off the lights when we leave a room, pop in a DVD, fire up the coffee-maker, and so on. Our debt to the power company can fluctuate depending on the season. In winter, of course, we cant do without that toasty electric blanket, right? When indeed the bill is higher in the winter months, we sigh, thinking that we really should start finding ways to reduce our fossil fuel consumption and do our part for the planetbut it all seems so... complex and time-consuming, and we dont know where to start. We write the check and its on to next month. Click. Click. Click. Thats the sound of the meter costing you money. Ready to learn about a new way? Read on.

Currently, the United States is a fossil fueldependent nation. We could not function without the grid, the intricate and vast network of electrical utility distribution. When you hear about a person who lives off the grid, this means he or she has either fully or partially ended dependence on the grid for energy by substituting alternative means of generating power. While Turn Me On does not aim to get you grid-independent by early next week, we do hope it will provide the inspiration and impetus to learn more about the wayssome of them very, very easy and very, very freeto end total reliance on diminishing fossil fuels.

I wholeheartedly thank and salute you for choosing this book. In doing so, you have joined an unstoppable global movement that is transforming, at seemingly warp speed, how we view the inherent limitations of our precious natural resources. That movement is giving us intelligent and innovative new choices for how we conduct our lives. Maybe you already know a thing or two about solar power, or perhaps youve chosen this book to begin building a knowledge base to get you started on a more in-depth path toward renewable energy. Whatever your individual experience or goal, I hope Turn Me On helps you develop a passion for solar power that you will pass on to others.

As the third title in Gibbs Smiths series of eco handbooks (the first two, Its Easy Being Green and Go Green, have enjoyed much-deserved success), Turn Me On is a lively and educational glimpse at all things solar. In these pages, youll find everything from descriptions about the latest and greatest technology to how to use a simple solar oven. From the outset, my goal in compiling this body of information was to give you as many ideas and tidbits for thought as possible without overwhelming you with too much technical detail and data. My guess is that after reading Turn Me On youll be craving a deeper understanding of both technology and policy, and youll find plenty of additional reading suggestions in these pages.

Turn Me On does not have a fancy table of contents or clever organizational tactics. It is a straightforward, sequential, 1 to 100 journey of ideas, insights, technology, science, collaboration, inspiration, surprises, guidance, and, even, pop culture. And, it has been designed to guide you through the information as effortlessly as possible; for that I am indebted to the talented graphic designer, Linda Herman, who took my words and shaped them into a cohesive book that I hope will have a positive influence on your life, and on the lives of those around you.

The snappy title, courtesy of Gibbs Smith vice president and editorial director, Suzanne Taylor, and the cheerful art on the cover and throughout the text, clearly indicate that we are having some fun with this topic. Were not going to go into any heavy detail. We promise you we wont get pedantic or pushy. This handbook is a springboard. Use it, share it, add to it using the blank journal pages at the end of the book. Heres the deal, folks: environmentalism does not have to be a heart-heavy endeavor in which the constant reminder of a planet in peril permeates our collective daily mood. Quite the opposite. There is great hope to be had as this book enters the marketplace. Across the world, great thinkers, innovators, and leaders are searching for and discovering ways to shift to clean, renewable energy. Every day, it seems, a new development or trend in sustainability and alternative energy arrives, reminding us to always look on the bright side of things.

Michelle Kodis