PV Gap

Caroline Said:

why are dogs so afraid off the rain?

We Answered:

I've owned dogs all my life & I've never had one afraid of rain. I have one now that doesn't like thunder. But rain doesn't bother her at all. Is your dog outside all the time without proper shelter? No creature wants to be soaking wet all the time. They need a good place to get out of the rain when they choose. And NO it's not spoiled for the dog to sleep inside the house! That's where dogs should sleep.

Randall Said:

what can possibly cause solar headaches?

We Answered:

It's recently come to light (no pun intended) that the optic nerve is directly involved in migraine. Migraines can be caused by lots of things, but it sure sounds to me like you are getting migraines from the light alone. You should probably make an appointment with your doctor or neurologist. In the meantime, wear sunglasses whenever you can.

Vickie Said:

Do they make anything like this?

We Answered:

Indoor solar lights would be a little impractical. Most of the outdoor solar lights that are reasonably priced aren't very bright, they are used more as walkway lights than task lighting. The bulbs don't charge, they have little solar panels. It would likely be much less expensive to change bulbs to CFL's or LED's. A CFL uses about 1/4 and an LED uses about 1/10the electricity of an incandescent.

Here are some more tips on reducing your utility bill.
It is about awareness. Learn how much energy you are using and how you are using it. Many cities or utilities have free energy audits, often they will come to your home and show you ways you can reduce your energy usage.

Help your heater by keeping the warm air in, weather strip and caulk doors and windows, seal off vents and other large gaps. Use heavy drapes over windows. Adjust your thermostat a few degrees, there is nothing wrong with wearing a sweater inside. A programmable thermostat can save money and make the home more comfortable. Many people crank the heat up while they are getting ready in the morning only to leave the house after it gets warm.

Replace appliances with energy efficient models when you need new ones. Even older ones can be used more efficiently, only wash full loads, line dry when possible, don't over dry clothes and make sure the vent is clean. You can wash fewer clothes by wearing things more than once, I wear my jeans a few times before they hit the hamper. Hanging up clothes that were worn for a brief time or only tried on will stop clean clothes from getting mixed in with the dirty.

If you are replacing lighting look for fixtures with fewer bulbs, and if you hate the look of CFL's look for fixtures that will hide them. There are a wide range of CFL's with various strengths and colors of light, try a few to see what works best in various rooms.

Standby energy can be up to 15% of your bill. Not all appliances use energy when they are turned off, but most electronics do as well as anything with a light or clock. Many chargers use energy even when nothing is attached. I use a power strip with a switch for my tv, dvd and game system and for my desktop, speakers and monitor. After I turn things off I flip the switch and stop using standby energy. I also unplug chargers and ipod docking stations when not in use.

Mae Said:

What is a solar trash can used for?

We Answered:

It's just a trash can.

These are appearing on the streets of Philadelphia now. They say "solar trash compactor" so I think they use solar power to compress the trash.

Here's an article about the ones we have here in Philly:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32110044