Category Archives: environmentalism

Another 20 Ways To Save Energy List – Cool name though EcoMall

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As I have pointed out in the past, these lists are pretty much all the same. Plus they usually don’t mention the bigger items like taking windows out of service (alternatively applying low e film) or blocking off unused space but, the name is really cool.

http://www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/20things.htm

EcoMall

 

20 THINGS YOU CAN DO
TO CONSERVE ENERGY

Whenever you save energy, you not only save money, you also reduce the demand for such fossil fuels as coal, oil, and natural gas. Less burning of fossil fuels also means lower emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), the primary contributor to global warming, and other pollutants.

You do not have to do without to achieve these savings. There is now an energy efficient alternative for almost every kind of appliance or light fixture. That means that consumers have a real choice and the power to change their energy use on a revolutionary scale.

The average American produces about 40,000 pounds of CO2 emissions per year. Together, we use nearly a million dollars worth of energy every minute, night and day, every day of the year. By exercising even a few of the following steps, you can cut your annual emissions by thousands of pounds and your energy bills by a significant amount!

 

Home appliances

 

 

  • Turn your refrigerator down. Refrigerators account for about 20% of Household electricity use. Use a thermometer to set your refrigerator temperature as close to 37 degrees and your freezer as close to 3 degrees as possible. Make sure that its energy saver switch is turned on. Also, check the gaskets around your refrigerator/freezer doors to make sure they are clean and sealed tightly. 

  • Set your clothes washer to the warm or cold water setting, not hot. Switching from hot to warm for two loads per week can save nearly 500 pounds of CO2 per year if you have an electric water heater, or 150 pounds for a gas heater. 

  • Make sure your dishwasher is full when you run it and use the energy saving setting, if available, to allow the dishes to air dry. You can also turn off the drying cycle manually. Not using heat in the drying cycle can save 20 percent of your dishwasher’s total electricity use. 

  • Turn down your water heater thermostat. Thermostats are often set to 140 degrees F when 120 is usually fine. Each 10 degree reduction saves 600 pounds of CO2 per year for an electric water heater, or 440 pounds for a gas heater. If every household turned its water heater thermostat down 20 degrees, we could prevent more than 45 million tons of annual CO2 emissions – the same amount emitted by the entire nations of Kuwait or Libya. 

  • Select the most energy-efficient models when you replace your old appliances. Look for the Energy Star Label – your assurance that the product saves energy and prevents pollution. Buy the product that is sized to your typical needs – not the biggest one available. Front loading washing machines will usually cut hot water use by 60 to 70% compared to typical machines. Replacing a typical 1973 refrigerator with a new energy-efficient model, saves 1.4 tons of CO2 per year. Investing in a solar water heater can save 4.9 tons of CO2 annually.

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    I gave you the first 5. You have to go read the rest yourself. More tomorrow.

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    Saving Energy Contest In Upstate New York – It is great to be a loser

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    This is what can happen when the entire energy related sector cooperates. Too bad it doesn’t happen everywhere.

    http://www.sustainablesaratoga.com/2011/02/the-biggest-losers-win-in-home-energy-efficiency-contest-in-saratoga-springs/

    The Biggest Losers win in Home Energy Efficiency Contest in Saratoga Springs

    PostDateIcon February 14th, 2011 | PostAuthorIcon Author: admin

    The Biggest Losers Win
    A Sustainable Saratoga Campaign to Promote Energy Efficiency and Conservation.

    (Saratoga Springs, NY)  — The local Biggest Loser Energy Challenge sponsored by Sustainable Saratoga came to a close last week as a group of Saratoga Springs neighbors representing ten households sallied forth in sub-zero weather to focus an infrared camera on their houses in the last educational activity of the contest. As participants each looked at their houses on the camera screen, tell-tale glowing lights signified heat escaping into the cold night air. The infrared camera visually demonstrated where heat losses were the greatest, and gave opposing team members ammunition for teasing owners about missed opportunities to make their homes more energy efficient.

    After the chilly outing, participants compared the final tally of their energy consumption over a six-month period to see which group had managed to cut energy use and waste by the largest percentage over the same period last year. Although both teams were happy “losers”, one group did reduce more than the other.

    The participants encountered some surprises.  First, it was interesting to see energy use trends over time as there were unexpected spikes and dips in therms (gas) and kilowatts (electricity). Several people who halved their electricity usage speculated in hindsight how they did it. One had unplugged her clothes dryer and used line drying in her basement instead. Another had purchased a new refrigerator that replaced a 30 year old one, exchanged an old cable box for a new one and put the flat screen TV on a plug that could be turned off in order to prevent the significant stand-by energy these modern TVs burn, as well as the hole in our pockets.

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    Please go there and read more.

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    More tomorrow.

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    Home Energy Conservation – It is the safe thing to do

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    Energy Conservation saves money, but it can also save lives. CES believes in safety first.

    http://www.safetyathome.com/environmental-safety/environmental-safety-articles/energy-conservation-facts-that-may-surprise-you/?gclid=CKvq5r_k1qoCFU3IKgodrnrT9w

    Environmental Safety

    When you’re a parent, environmental concerns suddenly take on new meaning. You want to keep your family safe and your environment healthy for so many reasons. Get the answers you need to feel confident that the products you purchase will live up to their eco-claims and that you’re making smart choices for your family.

    Energy Conservation Facts That May Surprise You – and What to Do About Them

    faucet leaking

    Want to step up your energy-saving savvy? Here are some energy eye-openers along with ways to conserve you might not have thought of yet.

    Energy Eye-Opener: Wasting water needlessly uses electricity. In large cities, the biggest draw on electricity is supplying water to residents and cleaning up the water after it has been used.

    • Take a good look at your water bill every month. Unusually high use could mean you have an undetected leak.

    Energy Eye-Opener: Refrigerators and freezers consume about a sixth of all electricity in a typical American home, using more electricity than any other single household appliance.1

    • If possible, move your refrigerator away from the wall, stove, dishwasher and heat vents to help it perform more efficiently.2

    Energy Eye-Opener: A six-inch pan on an eight-inch burner will waste more than 40 percent of the stove’s energy3.

    • Use pots the same size as your burners. Use lids when possible so you can cook at a lower temperature.

    Energy Eye-Opener: Some water heater thermostats come preset to 140 degrees, which can cost you more money.

    • Make sure your water heater is set to 120 degrees.4 This is also recommended to help prevent accidental scalding and burns from water that is too hot – especially important with little ones around.

    Energy Eye-Opener: About 90 percent of the electricity used by everyday incandescent bulbs is lost as heat.

    • Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). They provide just as much light with one-fourth the energy.5

    Energy Eye-Opener: As much as half the energy used in your home goes to heating and cooling.

    • Use duct or foil tape to seal the seams and connections of your heating and cooling ducts, especially the ones running through the attic, crawlspace, unheated basement or garage. Wrap them in insulation while you’re at it; you could improve your system’s energy efficiency by as much as 20 percent.6

    Energy Eye-Opener: An open fireplace damper can let up to eight percent of heat from your furnace go up the chimney.

    • Close the damper in summer and when you don’t have a fire burning in winter.7

    Energy Eye-Opener: Devices such as modems and other networking boxes draw power anytime they are plugged in.

    • Plug your computer, modem and other electronic devices into a power strip so you can turn them all off when you’re not using them.8 This also goes for small appliances in the kitchen that are constantly drawing energy while plugged in. Make sure all power strips are UL Listed.

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    Go there and read. More tomorrow.

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    OutDoor Living Writer Melissa Anne – She writes a mean piece on Solar Fountains

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    She asked and I said yes.

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    Top Solar Fountains for 2011

    Everybody’s trying to go green these days – we’re cutting back on driving, using energy efficient light bulbs, buying Energy Star appliances, and buying products that are made using only environmentally friendly practices. One area people don’t usually think of when going green is their outdoor accessories. Yes, solar powered items around for some time, but their popularity has really taken off in recent years with all the great products coming out. One of those products is the solar fountain. Today, we’re going to look at a few of the top solar fountains for 2011.

     

    First is the Alpine 2 Tier Water Fountain: Solar Panel Powered. When you first look at this, you’d swear it was carved out of a tree. But it’s actually made of fiberglass, so it’s pretty light and very durable. This model features a solar panel outside of the unit, attached by an 8 foot cord. This gives you more versatility in where you want to place it. For example, you could have your fountain sitting in the shade up on the patio but keep the panel out in the yard where it gets plenty of sun, so you can enjoy your fountain in cool comfort. Its unique look has made it a top seller this year and it’s sure to remain that way.

     

    Next is the Smart Solar Portsmouth Solar Birdbath. This fountain offers a modern take on the classic stone birdbath. It features Smart Solar’s patented solar panel design, with the panel sitting in the middle of the basin so it’s perfectly positioned to get all the sunlight it can. Even when it’s not running, it still makes a great decorative accent thanks to the designs around the bowl, column, and base. And with its resin construction, it can hold up outside almost all year without showing any wear. At its value price, this fountain really can’t be beat for anywhere around the home, from a spot on the patio to a flower bed in the front yard.

     

    Finally, we have another Smart Solar product, the Blenheim Two-Tier Solar-on-Demand Fountain. This model offers a little something extra, with a two tier design that gives you the beautiful sound of running water flowing from the top bowl to the bottom. Made of resin, it features a black iron finish, which is something you don’t find in a lot of fountains and looks great in a modern outdoor space. But what really separates it is the Solar-on-Demand technology. It has a backup battery that stores the sun’s energy so it can run for up to 6 hours in the evening or when the sun’s not out. This feature has made it one of the most popular solar fountains on the market today.

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    If you’re thinking of more ways to do your part to be green while beautifying your home, try a solar fountain. No wires and no electricity costs – just a fun way to enhance your home and help the environment!

     

    About The Author – Melissa Anne is a writer with OutdoorLiving.com/learning-center/ and a lifelong outdoor living enthusiast. For more on solar fountains, visit OutdoorFountains.com, where you can find everything from a solar pump to a solar bird bath.

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    More tomorrow.

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    Outdoor Living And Their Learning Center Asked For A Link

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    So here it is with the history of the hammock. Actually Melissa Anne was supposed to get me a guest post in Word. It did not come but my deadline did. Maybe some other time I guess.

    http://www.outdoorliving.com/learning-center/cat/hammocks/post/the-history-of-hammocks/

    Hammocks are one of life’s simple pleasures, but there are a lot of different types out there that can make choosing just one a hard decision. We’ve got all the info you need to know, from the major styles to materials to how to hang them, so you can get the most out of your hammock experience.

    • Hammocks have been around for hundreds of years. Read on to find out why they’re love by people all over!

     

    Relaxation, a summer afternoon, ice cold lemonade – just some of the things that come to mind when you think of a hammock. An iconic image of backyard leisure, hammocks have been around for close to 1,000 years. Their exact location of origin is not clear, but European explorer Christopher Columbus encountered natives resting in them when he landed in what is now the Bahamas, introducing them to Europe when he later returned. Many Central and South American cultures were using hammocks at the time as well, such as the Mayans and the Venezuelans. Thanks to their functional design, they’ve been used throughout history by armies and navies needing a way to sleep safely without worry of insect bites in the jungle or being tossed from bed aboard a rocking ship. They finally went mainstream after World War II with the baby boomer families, becoming a popular choice for backyard recreation and leisure. Hammocks have come a long way from their original designs hundreds of years ago when they were made of bark from the hamack tree, but the dedication to quality and handcrafted workmanship still prevails. Today, consumers can choose from many different styles of hammocks, made from materials like cotton, polyester, and nylon. Whether you’re looking for a new way to get some rest and relaxation or another outlet for spending your leisure time, hammocks are an easy way to add a peaceful, relaxing accent to the inside of your home or your outdoor living space.

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    More swinging tomorrow.

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    DYI Green Energy For Homes – Another link request

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    This guys don’t realize it but I have posted about them before. They know what they are talking about.

     

    http://diygreenenergyforhomes.com/

    DIY Green Energy | Home Made Energy

    diy green energy for homesAre you sick and tired of having to pay huge energy bills? If you answer yes to this question, then DIY green energy is a sensible option for you. You can begin utilizing free, eco-friendly power and reduce your household power bill by more than 80% while doing your part in saving the Earth.

    The most significant benefits of DIY green energy is the ability to make big savings in the long run. Bear in mind though that there are significant start up costs associated with the setting up of solar, magnetic or wind power, and it’ll require a bit of time before you start to enjoy the rewards.

    Setting up green energy power is really an enjoyable task that can be done by yourself – there is no better satisfaction than the experience associated with getting this done yourself. The very first time I assembled a residential wind turbine involved a couple of weeks, however the thrill of seeing it working in motion is priceless.

    There are numerous methods to construct your own homemade green energy generators online which depicts the procedure and show you which components are needed. Don’t ever doubt yourself and don’t forget that anyone can create a workable and effective machine by yourself.

    If you wish to reduce your month-to-month electricity bill, become self sufficient or increase the value of your property, this is all merely an arm’s reach away using homemade energy. It is possible to construct DIY solar panels or wind power generator by using simple, straightforward, “any kid could understand it” instructions. We’ve placed together some terrific information on DIY solar panels and homemade wind turbines that will make a massive difference in saving energy if you put them into application.

    Regardless of whether you’ve questions on home made green energy or don’t have the slightess idea what is green energy, we have answers for you here. Before you know it, your free electricity dreams will turn out to be a reality.

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    More tomorrow.

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    Cool Your House Without AC – Everyone seems to agree on the same list of 10

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    Next week I am going to put up links with groups that have asked to be linked to CES. So to finish out the week, here is the last list of how to keep your house cool. New list the same as the old list, as Henry the 8th would say.

    http://pennypincherpersonalfinance.blogspot.com/2011/07/10-ways-to-keep-cool-without-air.html

    Sunday, July 24, 2011

    10 Ways to Keep Cool Without an Air Conditioner

    Anita Sands sent me this the other day.  This article is repeated all over the Internet.  I am not sure of the original place it appeared – if someone knows and tells me I’ll attribute it.  Here’s Anita’s Frugal Roo Page

    10 ways to keep cool at home without A/C

    Save energy this summer. It’s easy to keep your house cool without air conditioning. Employing a few basic environmentally friendly principals will help keep you cool and will help you save money.

    1. Hot Air Out, Cool Air In

    The most basic thing you can do to keep your house cooler without air conditioning is to keep as much sunlight out as possible and let cooler air in at night. During the day, keep windows, drapes, blinds, or shades
    closed, especially on the southern and western sides of your home. If you have a porch, you can put up large plastic or bamboo shades to cut down on sunlight. Or put awnings on south/ west sides Use saplings or
    tree branches that are fairly straight. Set in coffee cans of cement six feet from house. canvas or shade cloth goes from eaves to these poles with a cross beam on it. Use staple gun. Costs nearly nothing.

    2. Windows

    Use white or light colored window dressings to reflect light. You can also apply reflective slicks to windows to further cut down on light. At night, leave cabinets open as well, as they will store heat.

    3. Be a Fan of the Fan

    Moving air is cooler air. At night, place fans in windows to bring more cool air in. Ceiling fans can also make a big difference. In terms of cooling, even a one-mile-per-hour breeze will make you feel three to four degrees cooler. In terms of energy savings, if you run a ceiling fan full-blast for 12 hours, you will only spend about $10 a month in electricity. Ceiling fans have two settings, one to pull air up (for winter use), and the other to  push air down. Make sure your ceiling fan is blowing down.

    4. Turn Your Fan Into an Air Conditioner

    Another easy way to cool your home without air conditioning is to place a bowl of ice or a frozen milk jug With WATER! in front of one or more fans.

    5. What’s Hot in Your Home?

    It’s one thing to keep hot air and sunlight out; it’s another to identify the appliances in your home that generate heat. If you aren’t at home during the day, it is easier to simply shut off as many electric appliances as possible. If you spend more of your day at home, try to use heat-generating appliances only during the coolest part of the day.

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    Go there and read more. It is a really informative blog for those that like to save money.

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    More next week.

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    Tomorrow Is The Last Day – Getting my AC fixed

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    But that is no reason to stop putting up all these ways to cool your house tips. This one is down to earth and includes 2 big ones I had forgotten, closing off unused space and compromise. Unless you live alone you know that comfort is probably only about half of what you will get, unless you and your housemates response to temperature is all the same. That is hardly ever true. Anyway how cool is the title of this blog. I think she should meet the
    Gardening Nude lady myself.

    Air conditioning vs. fresh air: 10 ways to “keep our cool”

    At the start of every summer, as the temperature rises, my husband and I seem to have the same discussion… when to turn on the air conditioning!

    This is never an easy discussion (okay! read: argument!) as this is the man who wears shorts and t-shirts around the house when it’s 19 degrees outside in the dead of winter.

    I prefer the open windows and doors, and want to breathe the fresh air.  To this my husband responds “Babe, it ceases to be fresh as soon as it’s 85 degrees with 70% humidity!”  Well, it’s still fresh but I guess it does cease to be RE-freshing!

    Just like heating your house in the winter and whether you do or don’t choose to crank the AC, there are ways to keep your house cooler, stop some of the cool air loss and use less energy in the process:

    • Close blinds or curtains in various windows throughout      the day to prevent the sun shining in.  If it’s coming in, so is the      heat.
    • Use ceiling fans. They circulate the cool air and      don’t use a lot of energy.
    • Program your thermostat.  No need to keep it      blasting in the evening or when you aren’t even home.
    • When it’s cool outside at night, shut off the air,      open the windows and take advantage.
    • 74 degrees is all you need.  This is a bearable      temperature, and if you can tolerate it higher, do it!  Each degree      saves 3-4% on your cooling/energy expenses.
    • Don’t worry about unused rooms.  Close the windows, doors and vents in these rooms,      and block the bottom of the door if they aren’t
    • frequently occupied

    ceil fan

    • Run appliances at night.  This includes dryers & dishwashers that give off heat. Avoid using      your oven… give it a rest and grill instead!  And if you do use the      stovetop, be sure to use the exhaust fan to take away the heat.
    • Turn off unneeded lights, TVs, computers, etc. when you aren’t      using them.  They all generate heat too.
    • Keep heat generating appliances away from the thermostat (TVs, lamps, etc.).  They’ll make the thermostat think it’s hotter      than it really is.
    • Don’t chop down trees that shade your house.       They simply keep a house cooler.  And even plant strategically.       Shaded AC units run more efficiently, but just be sure not to block the      airflow.

    I do try to take my own advice.  It’s not always easy (living with my husband who compensates by turning up the ceiling fans to “jet speed”) but it’s a compromise we always seem to manage when it all “boils down”!

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    Sorry for the clumsy post but I am at the library so I do not have time to pretty things up. More tomorrow.

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    Cooling Your House Without Air Conditioning – This is a huge list

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    What the last list lacked. Big ticket sugestions, this one over does. Still it is pretty comprehensive. Nobody yet has mentioned paint your roof white.  I can not put all of it up because it is so huge. Please go and see the rest at:

     

    Annie B. Bond

    23 Tips for Keeping the House Cool

    a Care2 favorite by Annie B. Bond

    Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/keep-house-cool-23-tips.html#ixzz1TysXFuL7

    Adapted from Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings, by Alex Wilson,  Jennifer Thorne, and John Morrill.

    Puzzling out how to keep your house as cool as possible during these hot  summer months? Trying to remember the conventional wisdom but not quite sure how  it goes? Those window fans, for example, should they be placed to draw air in or  out? Upwind or downwind of the dwelling? And what about windows, shades, and  awnings? Are windows on the North side of the house better left closed or open  during the day? Are awnings better than shades?

    Find out the answers to these questions and more, right here:

    The recent heat spell on the East Coast dredged these questions up for me,  and I am sure these questions are seasonal for many of us. Efficient cooling  saves money, energy, and the quality of our lives.

    Turning to Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings by Alex Wilson,  Jennifer Thorne, and John Morrill of the American Council for an  Energy-Efficient Economy has provided a wealth of answers to just these  questions and more. I’ve compiled 23 tricks about how to keep a house cool to  reduce the need for air conditioning from this book, as well as a few from The Real Goods Solar Living Sourcebook. These tips are really  useful.

    1.  Reduce the cooling load by employing cost-effective conservation  measures. Provide effective shade for east and west windows.  When possible,  delay heat-generating activities such as dishwashing until evening on hot  days.

    2.  Over most of the cooling season, keep the house closed tight during the  day. Don’t let in unwanted heat and humidity. Ventilate at night either  naturally or with fans.

    3.  You can help get rid of unwanted heat through ventilation if the  temperature of the incoming air is 77 F or lower. (This strategy works most  effectively at night and on cooler days.) Window fans for ventilation are a good  option if used properly. They should be located on the downwind side of the  house facing out. A window should be open in each room. Interior doors must  remain open to allow air flow

    Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/keep-house-cool-23-tips.html#ixzz1TysiMPq8

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    More tomorrow.

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    How To Cool Your House – These people really miss some big ones

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    These guys skip some of the bigger ticket items like taking windows out of service, and buying a dehumidifier, closing off the upper floors of your house and pumping cool air from your basement using your furnace fan. Still you have to start somewhere.

    http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/10-ways-to-keep-cool-without-air-conditioning-a-planet-green-roundup.html

    Reading Mickey’s interview Author Stan Cox Explores Some Uncomfortable Truths About Our Air-Conditioned World makes one think about what the alternatives are. Planet Green and TreeHugger have covered many of them; we round them up ten of them here.
    Use awnings.

    According to the Washington Post, The Department of Energy estimates that awnings can reduce solar heat gain—the amount temperature rises because of sunshine—by as much as 65 percent on windows with southern exposures and 77 percent on those with western exposures. Your furniture will last longer, too.

    We noted in Planet Green last spring that this can translate into a saving of cooling energy of 26 percent in hot climates, and 33 percent in more temperate climates where it might even make air conditioning unnecessary.

    Plant A Tree.

    I don’t own an air conditioner. The house immediately to the south does it for us, completely shading the south side of our house. What it misses, a huge ancient maple in its front yard gets, so in winter I get a lot of sun in my window, and in summer I am always in shade. A tree is as sophisticated as any electronic device around; it lets the sun through in winter and grows leaves in summer to block it.

    Geoffrey Donovan studied it in Sacramento, and calculated the savings.

    “Everyone knows that shade trees cool a house. No one is going to get a Nobel Prize for that conclusion,” says the study co-author, Geoffrey Donovan. “But this study gets at the details: Where should a tree be placed to get the most benefits? And how exactly do shade trees impact our carbon footprint?”

    Plant Vines.

    Frank Lloyd Wright once said “a doctor can bury his mistakes, but an architect can only advise his clients to plant vines.” It turns out he could have been a mechanical engineer, for it is surprising how effective vines are at keeping a house cool. With the new weatherization grants, the salesmen are out peddling ground source heat pumps to keep you cool for less, but really, free is better.

    Vines such as ivy, russian-vine and virgina creeper grow quickly and have an immediate effect; according to Livingroofs.org.

    Climbers can dramatically reduce the maximum temperatures of a building by shading walls from the sun, the daily temperature fluctuation being reduced by as much as 50%.Together with the insulation effect, temperature fluctuations at the wall surface can be reduced from between –10°/14°F to 60°C/140°F to between 5°C/41°F and 30°/86°F. Vines also cool your home through envirotranspiration, described in our post Be Cool and Plant A Tree.

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    Please read the rest for more. The next  idea “opening your windows” might not be such a good idea.

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    More tomorrow if I live.

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