I know it’s a little too late to be doing Christmas shopping but I thought I might share a cool “green” product I stumbled upon. It’s called Sun Jar and it’s a product created by Tobias Wong.

It’s called Sun Jar, because it “stores” sunlight similar to how a jar for jam stores jam. Why do you need to store sunlight? So you can use it in the night or when it’s dark. The sun jar is automatic, meaning there is no controls what-so-ever on the outside, so you really don’t have to do anything.

The Sun Jar is basically a mix of glass Mason jar, solar cell, rechargeable battery and LED lights. Check out the schematics below to get a better understanding.

Here is how it works according to SuckUk…

When the jar is placed in sunlight the solar cell creates an electrical current that charges the battery over a few hours. This energy is then used at night to power the three LED lamps inside the jar.

The light is diffused by the frosted jar and give the appearance of sunlight emitting from the (warm coloured LED lights are used to give a more natural and warm light). You may have noticed that there is no switch on the sun jar – in fact there are no visible controls at all – there is a clever light sensor inside that automatically activates the lights when it gets dark or lights are turned out!* Mason Jars are not only beautiful but by their very nature they are completely water tight – so the Sun Jar can happily be left outside in any weather conditions. A perfect garden light or night light for a kids bedroom. *there is an override switch inside the lid to turn off the light at night and conserve battery life.

Now that’s what I call green meeting design!

Exactly how a solar panel works but in a small neat package.

If you want to get a Sun Jar for yourself or for someone click the Amazon link below or the Sun Jar picture at the bottom.

Yes, I Want to buy a Sun Jar from Amazon.

Some common instances of phantom loads are:

1. Clock mode for Stereos or DVD players
2. Blinking lights on any electronic item
3. Sleep or stand-by mode for computers

Basically any stand-by mode of any electric device draws energy from the outlet. The only way to avoid phantom loads is to unplug the device all together.

If you don’t like the inconvenience of having to plug in and out from the outlet, you can use an extension cord with a number of female plugs. By switching off the extension alone, you cut off the power supply from the outlet to your electrical devices.

Energy conservation is simple. It’s simply reducing your current electricity usage as much as possible. It’s simple acts like turning off the lights when leaving a room, turning off the water heater when not in use, turning off your computer when idle and not opening your refrigerator every time you pass by it that can really cut your electricity costs down.

Some more energy conservation tips:

1. Get LEDs or CFL’s (Compact Fluorescent Lights). These are energy savers that cost a little more upfront but will save you a lot down the road.
2. Get better insulation for your windows, ceilings and walls. Although a little bit on the expensive side, keeping your house better insulated means you control the room temperature better and your AC or heating won’t have to work harder and consume more energy.
3. Get better curtains or blinds for your windows and more importantly use them when direct sunlight is shining through so it doesn’t warm up the room.
4. When on your next appliance purchase, consider the energy efficiency rating and not just the selling price.
5. Avoid using dryers and air dry your laundry instead.
6. Unplugging any appliance not in use. It’s not enough anymore to simply turn off most appliances, since a lot of these still consume phantom loads of electricity.

All these small energy conservation changes can have a huge impact on your electricity bills and make whole household power system run more cost effective. In the end, doing these small inexpensive changes to your lifestyle and house might be enough for you to reconsider going solar and wind power.