Hi Carla,
There are lots of ways we use solar in our homes and businesses. There is more and more solar electric (PV or photovoltaic) systems being connected to the power grid, so many of us are using solar generated energy and don't realize it. This source is becoming more common every day as PV systems, large and small, are being installed. Many systems are installed on people's homes, and businesses, and then utilities are being incentivized to put very large PV systems in. There is so much energy that we all use in the US, though, we have lots of work left to "green the grid". We will also have the work for of figuring out how to integrate the grid as we increasingly produce energy in novel and sustainable ways.
I personally use solar to cook in my solar oven. It is easy and effective. (Very similar to cooking in a regular oven). I have a "Sun Oven" which is a commercially made oven, but it is really easy to make a solar oven. I have made them out of cardboard boxes. Here is a DIY/Stem/simple solar oven that is easy to make:
https://climatekids.nasa.gov/smores My friend made a solar cooker out of an old satellite dish and pops popcorn with it! Here is an example of this kind of solar cooker in action:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3jRYLV1_yU In Hawaii every home has to have a solar hot water heater on it. Hawaiian officials recognized years ago that because they are in a very mild climate with sun nearly every day, solar hot water heating is very easy and useful. Also they have to import fossil fuels to power their grid and this is extremely expensive. These solar hot water heaters eliminate the cost of making hot water for bathing, clothes washing, and washing dishes.
Of course the sun is the only source of energy for our natural world. And plants use solar energy every day to grow. Without the sun, our natural world would stop working. So if you have plants in your home or yard, they are using solar energy too!
I hope this helps,
Kelly