Can I create a cheap but effective solar hot water heater for bathing using my south-facing bathroom window?
I moved into an older brick bungalow recently. We have just one bathroom, with a south-facing window (original glass) that’s about 2-1/2′ wide by 3-1/2′. The window is above the toilet, which sits right next to the soaking tub. I’ve never attempted to construct anything more complex than a small cardboard box solar cooker, and I don’t have much to spend on this project. But I’d like to try and construct a simple, insulated collector/holding tank in the window, which can extend beyond the window area itself in all directions only a couple of feet. But I do also have a wide linen closet on the other side of the toliet that has extra space for storage, if needed. I just want to heat enough water for daily bathing for a family of three. It could be as rudimentary as something I fill with water from a hose, and then have a way for it to flow down into the tub once heated. Any ideas, or is this something I need a more high-tech solution or more space for?
Read MoreDo you agree with Nature magazine that solar is the most expensive way to generate electricity?
. . . and that coal and nuclear are the cheapest?
In the current issue of Nature, page 872 shows a comparison of costs of producing electricity.
The cheapest is coal without carbon capture storage ("CCS"). Then nuclear. Followed by coal "with mature CCS", then municipal solid waste, then wind onshore, biomass, wind offshore and finally, at the extreme end of cost is solar photovoltaic.
So – if you don’t like coal, then it seems that nuclear is the way to go. Or do you disagree with the findings presented by Nature?
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EDIT @ gcnp58
No, I don’t want to ask that. You go off into your tie-dyed world of living by candlelight if you like, and good luck to you. But please don’t try and force the rest of the world to conform to your vision for it. There’s a word for that.
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What are some ways I can recycle when I live in an apartment building?
I live in an apartment building where there are many apartments and tenants. It is a one bedroom apartment that I have. All of my storage is completely in use ( I have one closet, kitchen cupboards, and space under my sinks, all completely in use). I am not allowed to leave items in the hallway or put stuff outside. So how can I collects items to recycle without it being an eyesore inside my apartment and without attracting bugs? What kind of stuff could I recycle that would be apartment friendly?
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