Over the last several years, it has become more and more common to see solar panels on the roofs of houses in any given neighborhood across the United States. Although this technology has been around in a form very similar to its current state, why is it just now starting to catch on so widely? There are naturally a number of reasons why, including increased accessibility, government subsidies and rising fossil fuel prices. If you’re thinking about installing solar panels on your home, here are a few reasons why 2013 may be the year for you.

If you have been on the fence about solar power, take some time to browse through our resources (Read More). We specialize in options such as solar leasing, which can make solar panels a reality for almost anyone.

Summer colors are abloom with table and floor lamps, wall lights, ceiling light fixtures and fabulous wall décor featuring the finest in stained glass and quality finishing from Meyda Lighting.

Choose from all new Meyda Tiffany designs or build your own craftsman style fixtures and customize decorative stained glass lamps; Meyda Lighting offers the finest in stained glass light fixtures, wall art and home décor.

For over 36 years, Meyda Tiffany has delivered top quality stained glass with a magnificent assortment of table and floor lamps, ceiling pendants, wall sconces and decorative accessories.

Named for its founders “Meyer” and “Ida,” Meyda Tiffany took root when Meyer Cohen built a stained glass window for his wife Ida.  What began as a hobby turned into America’s leading and oldest manufacturer of custom and decorative lighting.

Still a family-run business, Meyda remains committed to providing top quality Tiffany-style products, representing a wide range of fashions from traditional to eclectic.  Through a series of strong cooperative relationships with several small handicraft workshops overseas, Meyda’s designers work closely with quality stained glass studios to ensure a superb finished product.

Ever-expanding to offer luminous and brilliant lamps and decorative accessories, Meyda recently acquired Quality Bent Glass Company (QBG). The originator of many notable stained glass concepts, including the famous Coca-Cola chandeliers, QBG has been seamlessly incorporated into the Meyda Tiffany family.

Meyda utilizes QBG’s original tools, molds and techniques to create nostalgic lighting products much like those offered at Tiffany Studios in NYC in the early 1900’s.

With the purchase of Mecco Art, a metal art studio, Meyda Tiffany further expanded their range with state-of-the-art equipment and novel manufacturing techniques to produce spectacular custom crafted lighting and décor under the Meyda Custom Lighting brand.

Under Meyda Lighting Brand, thousands of decorative styles are offered throughout fine home lighting and home decor dealers in the United States and Canada.

The works of Louis Comfort Tiffany, Dirk Van Erp, Gustav Stickley and other outstanding masters inspires many of Meyda’s lighting designs.  Artistic compositions include Arts and Crafts light fixtures, as well as Rustic, Gothic, Revival and Contemporary lamps and decor.

Meyda’s extensive line encompasses outdoor lighting, too. Wall sconces, stained glass windows, fireplace screens, billiard/kitchen island fixtures, and novelty items are also featured in their repertoire of stylized lighting and home décor.

The creative energy at Meyda is astounding, as new styles and magnificent colors in hand-painted glass continue to enchant and illuminate with the utmost in elegance and sophistication. Meyda continues to implement one of the industry’s most extensive product development programs.

Whether you are searching for a bit of nature in sunflowers, wisteria and dragonflies or a hand-painted flush fixture reminiscent of Van Gogh’s “Starry Night,” Meyda Tiffany will delight your senses with eye-catching illumination.

Special order or choose from a grand selection of table lamps, floor lamps, ceiling pendants, flush fixtures, and wall lights.  Opt for a Tiffany-style table lamp or custom design your signature stained glass kitchen island light with Meyda Tiffany. Now available at 1800lighting.com, Meyda Tiffany is blooming with new summer colors.

This time forty-five years ago, history was made as a man stepped onto the moon for the very first time.

Imagine the anticipation as millions of people around the world held their breath and then felt waves of overwhelming relief at the sound of the words: “The Eagle has landed.” The culmination of work of many scientists, engineers, electricians and researchers came together in that single moment as everyone anxiously waited to watch Neil Armstrong’s historic hop from the spacecraft onto the moon. This event, and the following Apollo explorations, drastically propelled the development of modern-day technology. According to NASA, a surprisingly large list of technologies would not exist today without the Apollo explorations.

Freeze-dried foods, like the MREs used by the military and FEMA, were first invented for space travel. The same software of a retail card-swiping machine is similar to software that was designed to manage a complex series of systems on the Apollo capsules.

Medical imaging devices, TV satellite dishes, inner-ear thermometers and cordless power tools are a few more, plus smoke detectors and other fireproof materials. You can also thank NASA for the joystick video game controllers you use for Mario Kart and Nintendo 64, and of course, Pac Man.

Additionally, you can thank Apollo explorations for your laptop. Since more mass converts to more cost on board the spacecrafts, the scientists aimed to make everything as lightweight as possible, including the technology. This same idea translated into technology on earth, and the concept is still relevant today, hence the MacBook Air.

Also, where would the world be without the Moonwalk dance? Michael would have had to come up with another slick move for his music video. Space exploration has also led to world-renown literature and movie series, such as Star Wars and Space Trek. Not only did the moon explorations spark creativity, but they also inspired many people around the world to embark on a career in math and science to further new inventions and explorations and (metaphorically and literally) reach the stars in their goals and dreams.