| Mention solar power to someone and they | | | | the oven, and all you need to do is coat the inside |
| immediately think of solar panels. A parabolic solar | | | | with a reflective substance, such as a mirror finish |
| oven, however, has a much more practical use when | | | | reflective aluminum sheet. Other people prefer to |
| it comes to feeding ourselves.Parabolic Solar | | | | start their parabolic solar oven with more of a bowl |
| OvenWhile searching for ways to reduce the use of | | | | shape, as they believe this allows food inside to cook |
| nonrenewable resources, you might encounter solar | | | | better and helps to shelter the food from the |
| power. Solar power, or solar energy, is the use of | | | | wind.Once you have the parabolic solar oven, you |
| the sun's rays to either create energy (electricity), | | | | need to consider the cooking pot. The pot needs to |
| charge a battery, heat water or other fluids, | | | | be of a dark color. It also needs to be placed in the |
| passively heat homes through glass windows, or | | | | correct position. The parabolic solar oven should be |
| even cook foods. When solar power is used to cook | | | | oriented to the sun. The pot should then be placed |
| food it's often in the form of a solar oven, which can | | | | on a small stand so that it sits at the point of focus |
| be used in place of firewood and other fuels in order | | | | for the oven. If you imagine a magnifying glass, the |
| to cook meals. One popular type of solar oven is the | | | | pot should be located where the glass focuses its |
| parabolic solar oven, used over others for many | | | | beam. Once in position, the oven should work for 60 |
| reasons.A parabolic solar oven collects the sun's rays | | | | to 90 minutes. If the food is not cooked by then or |
| by using a reflective surface in a parabola, or curved | | | | another pot needs heating, the oven should be |
| shape. There are many different styles of parabolic | | | | readjusted to the orientation of the sun.When using |
| solar ovens available, and there are instructions | | | | your parabolic solar oven, be sure to always wear |
| available to create most of them. The parabolic style | | | | UV (ultraviolet) protective sunglasses that are darkly |
| allows for food to cook at much the same rate as a | | | | tinted. The reflection off the aluminum that helps to |
| conventional oven, making it more convenient than | | | | cook the food at a quick rate also can burn your |
| other outdoor cooking methods such as campfires. | | | | retinas quite easily. You'll also want to make sure to |
| Additionally, since the parabolic solar oven doesn't use | | | | cover your parabolic solar oven whenever it's not in |
| wood or other fuel, it's quicker to start cooking and | | | | use - this will prevent accidental flashes of light from |
| requires little time to set up - whereas with a | | | | blinding people as well as prevent the oven from |
| campfire, you've got to spend time hunting for | | | | heating up when it's not needed. If you follow these |
| firewood, as well as lighting the fire and waiting for it | | | | simple steps, having your own parabolic solar cooker |
| to get hot.One easy way to start building your own | | | | can be a great asset to your environmentally |
| parabolic solar oven is by using a ready-made satellite | | | | conscious lifestyle.Rick Chapo is with |
| dish (of course, use one that someone has | | | | SolarCompanies.com, a directory of solar energy |
| discarded). Its parabolic shape is perfect for creating | | | | companies. |