Water runs dark, trees are dying and the air we breathe gets thicker and thicker by the moment. There are a couple of options to solve these issues, but interestingly, the source of the problem might actually be the answer to fixing our destructive impact on the planet. Solar power got the entire process going and may be the solution to getting it back on track. One incredibly powerful way to help the earth and yourself is to get a system. Make sure you do your research on DIY solar heater and generator systems and read reviews. Start with our .

In its intentional use, solar power gave us heat and light. As the earth evolved, solar power was not an optional power source, it was THE source for power as it warmed the world and circulated the air.  Now, our “modern" technology has evolved to a point where we can once again use solar power to warm and move our air. But why should we use solar power when the same planet that gave us the sun gave us the coal to accomplish the same task? There are a lot of reasons, and the majority of them are the type that people can relate to; they are selfish and gluttonous.

Solar leads to cost savings

All one has to do these days is open up an electric and heat bill to see how much it costs to heat and light your home. Harnessing the power of sunlight is one of the best ways to get rid of the expense of lighting and heating your house. Those who have solar powered heating and lighting appliances in their homes are now enjoying very low if not completely free heating and lighting in their residences. Yes, there is an up-front cost to installing these units but pay back times through cost savings and tax credits are getting shorter and shorter due to better technology and awareness. These current users report that they actually make money from using solar power systems just by paying a little closer attention to how they use the power that they have. For the most part, they indicate that a 30 second glance at back-up batteries for piece of mind is all the extra time required to start saving money.

Money maker

Some may say that piece of mind doesn't go very far when it comes to a series of cloudy days. Naturally, batteries can become depleted or completely run out. From all reports, however, cloudy day issues, in a majority of the world’s climates, are not an issue.As a matter of fact, most users end up with more electricity than they consume and the surplus ends up getting wasted. Or so most people- once - thought. Although not every state is on board yet, the majority of states in the US mandate that electric companies buy surplus power generated by homes with solar power generators still connected to the grid. Even though it might seem strange, homes using solar power generators find their electric meters ticking backwards often during the times when their solar power systems are in use. Fortunately even if there are weeks of cloud and rain, you can still revert back to the electricity supplied by the grid. Past the home front, add a water wheel and a wind mill and you have a nice little income generator with the electric utility paying you.

Off the grid

There is a certain segment of the population that just does not want to be connected to the “grid", as the power and information society calls it. For these people solar power is a great option. Solar appliances are pretty reasonably priced and dropping in cost daily. They can also withstand a one inch hail stone moving at fifty miles per hour. For survivalists or even for farmers looking to irrigate the crops in remote areas, solar is a great option.

Develop a new technology

Man at his basic is a curious being. What if? is always being considered whether it's just a fleeting thought during the course of the day or in an attempt to solve the dream of going to Mars. Advancing technology is just who man is. Besides solving our environmental problems, using solar power also satiates our thirst for knowledge. If solar power isn’t used it won’t advance and our need to know won’t be satisfied. Intellectually, solar is a great idea.

Leave the world a better place

Throughout time man has found a way to screw up the planet in one way or another. Most of the time, man has screwed up because of ignorance or with good intentions. Using solar, at the moment, appears to be one of those good intentions. It may end up being a bad thing 200 years down the road, but for now, it may be one of the only ways to leave the world a little better then when we got here.

Ralph Somers, editor