Word: solarization
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...result is the Mightylight, a waterproof, shockproof, LED lamp that can be used as a flashlight, reading lamp or ceiling fixture. Solar powered, capable of holding an eight-hour charge and designed to last 100,000 hours, the Mightylight is safer and more cost effective than kerosene lamps, which are expensive to maintain and dangerous to use. (Not only do they start a lot of accidental fires but they are also a primary source of indoor air pollution, a major killer in developing countries...
...used to be a "solar zealot." Those are Steven Strong's words. "Even back in the solar-crazy '70s," he says, "it was an open question if anyone could survive trying to sell houses that produce all the power they need through renewable energy sources...
...wasn't exactly a smooth ride, but survive he did. Along the way, Strong, 56, whose firm, Solar Design Associates, is based in Harvard, Mass., turned himself into one of the nation's foremost experts on solar buildings. His initial breakthrough came in 1980, when he found a manufacturer to build his "integrated" solar roof. The first of its kind, it provided an alternative to the costlier--and clunkier--solar panels that are just slapped onto rooftops...
Strong is very aware that solar can increase the cost of a house about 15%. One way to push down cost is through economies of scale, which is why he's serving as consultant for the Sonoma Mountain Village Project, planned by California developer Codding Enterprises and scheduled for groundbreaking late next year. "For the first time," explains Strong, "a developer has set course to create an entire town built according to principles of sustainability while keeping it competitively priced." Located 45 minutes north of San Francisco, the project is an entire community of environmentally conscious--and solar powered--apartments...
...Good Earth Orchard homes. Each of the 60 projected houses, now in various stages of construction, will feature slate and wood left in a natural state, without toxic waxes and finishes. Sewage will be treated in tanks that process waste without harmful chemicals. Household water will be heated by solar panels, which is expected to reduce electricity use--and electricity bills--30%. And whenever possible, local building materials are used, which reduces the need for gas-guzzling trucks to transport things from far away...