Category Archives: old tired advice

T. Boone Pickens Is Wrong – It’s not the oil we import it’s what we use it for

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Can you imagine all the dumb things we do with oil? We use it to make fertilizers most of which evaporate or run off. We use it to make plastic bags for God’s sake and then throw most of them in the dump. If we just cut our stupid usages and limited our oil consumption to the necessities like pharmceuticals we could easily cut our oil imports in half.

http://www.reusablebags.com/

Eco-friendly reusable bags, plus facts & news on plastic bag issue

Billions of plastic bags are choking our planet. All of these “free” bags ultimately cost both consumers and the environment plenty:

Each year billions of bags end up as ugly litter.

  • Eventually they break down into tiny toxic bits polluting our soil, river, lakes and oceans
  • Production requires vast amounts of oil.
  • Countless animals needlessly die each year. (more)

Since 2003 ReusableBags.com has been a major force providing facts and news on the global push to reduce plastic and paper bag consumption. Plus, simple actions you can take to help the cause.

As part of the solution our store features a wide range of reusable shopping bags and other innovative, practical products all designed to help people consume less, preserve natural resources and save money too. 

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I can’t reproduce this site because it’s a flash player but it is cool>

http://www.mybagcares.com/

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Even the grocery stores are getting into the act:

 http://www.sustainableisgood.com/blog/2008/05/mystery-surroun.html

 Mystery Surrounds New Whole Foods Reusable Bag

Mystery Surrounds New Whole Foods Reusable Bag

Wholefoods_betterbag

Whole Foods A Better Bag (photo: www.made-in-china.com)

When I started this story last month, I never expected a standard interview request with a designer to turn into a bureaucratic two-step that took us to China and back.

Austin-based Whole Foods Market officially phased out the use of plastic shopping bags on Earth Day last week. 

In December Whole Foods announced their intention to eliminate plastic bags and unveiled their new reusable bag called “A Better Bag.”  Following that announcement we reached out to the bag’s designer to learn more about the design and concept behind this colorful new bag. 

The response we received may be an indication of just how important reusable bags are becoming for Whole Foods. 

The colorful bags are quickly becoming the primary reusable bag the company sells, and their customers are embracing them thanks to their bright fun design, durability, low price and unique look and feel.

Perhaps an indicator of their popularity is the fact they are even selling on eBay.

A Better Bag was designed internally by Whole Foods staff who work on the company’s branded products.  The bag’s graphic design depicts blues and greens and a fresh cut apple.  Sustainable is Good attempted to obtain information on the bag’s artwork for this story.  However the bag’s designer was unable to answer any questions, citing a strict non-disclosure policy Whole Foods maintains with its employees.

 Sustainable is Good contacted the Whole Foods corporate office in March for information on the bag for our story.  Initially we were turned down, being told the company doesn’t speak to “trade publications.”  After some follow up we were then informed a “rare exception” was made at the approval of the director of PR for Whole Foods – the company would participate in our story.

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For more see:

 www.earthwisebags.com

 www.bravenewleaf.com/environment/2008/04/wal-mart-giving.html

www.shesabetty.typepad.com/shes_a_betty_single_girl_/2007/04/guide_to_reusab.html

www.reusablebags.wordpress.com

 www.reusablebags.com/store/shopping-sets-c-1.html

www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/5806

www.treehugger.com/files/2007/10/wal_marts_new_reusable_bag.php

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Screw The Environment – Humans were meant to pollute and they have the right to pollute

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I never thought I would be citing Kathryn Rem at the SJ-R for an environmental article. Don’t get me wrong she is a dandy writer, in the same league with Tim Landis (whom I regularly “borrow from”), but she usually writes a food column. I read it faithfully because I am a minor foodie, and she usually has cool things to say. In her Seeing Red About Green, she broke a story that I might have missed. Thanks Ms. Rem!

www.sj-r.com/features/x379998865/Kathryn–Rem-Seeing-red-about-the-green-movement

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This is the article that I think she based her article on:

http://industry.bnet.com/retail/2008/07/14/one-quarter-of-consumers-say-screw-the-environment/ 

 Retail Industry

Industry news and insights by Lisa EverittOne-Quarter of Consumers Say ‘Screw The Environment’Two new studies say 10-26 percent of shoppers are “Never Greens,” whose reactions to environmental claims ranges from apathy to outright anger.

Mintel International in Chicago coined the term “Never Green” to describe 10 percent of the shopper universe. A second study by The Shelton Group of Knoxville, Tenn., found that 26 percent of respondents were “hardcore skeptics,” mostly upper middle-class, conservative, middle-aged men.

 reporter Jim Edwards profiles William Coverley, a retired investment banker from Ohio, who just bought his 10th vehicle, a 2008 GMC Yukon XL that gets 14 miles per gallon.

“I don’t care about the environmental reasons and I’ll tell you why,” Coverley said. “All this stuff about carbon emissions, no one really knows about the output of the sun and yet it’s the single most important input behind global warming . . . Are the Chinese going to be environmentalists? Are the Indians going to be environmentalists? Are the Russians? I don’t think so.”

Edwards suggests studying your market carefully before launching green marketing, because emphasizing environmental claims may cost you the business of people like Coverley or Washington accountant Sally Herigstad. She bought organic produce by mistake at Fred Meyer and was dismayed to discover a recently deceased two-inch caterpillar in her steamed broccoli.

Shelton Group CEO Suzanne Shelton found that 46 percent of respondents felt “guilty, skeptical, irritated or unaffected by green issues,” and the same percentage put their comfort ahead of convenience and environmental concerns. The study was commissioned by Shelton Group client BP Solar.

Lisa Everitt

A Denver-based business writer, Lisa Everitt is a veteran of daily and weekly newspapers and trade magazines, including The Natural Foods Merchandiser, Rocky Mountain News, Inter@ctive Week, San Francisco Business Times, and the Peninsula Times Tribune. 

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So in the end that is what the environmental movement is up against.  The environmental Rape Crowd, proud that they are stealing from their grandchildren because their grandparents stole from them. If you think they aren’t vocal, you would be wrong.

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www.screw-the-environment.imgwebdesign.co.uk

www.deadbabyseals.gather.com

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2041643/posts

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODDDu25OG6M

http://screwtheenvironment.blogspot.com/

www.iammamahearmeroar.blogspot.com/2007/09/screw–environment.html

 http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2007/4/8/214522/1724

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Nuclear Future – Probably Not – Or as W says Nuclr

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Oh yah, they were gona go gangbusters on this ultra new design. Ah would that be untested?

http://southernstudies.org/facingsouth/2008/07/revelations-of-nuclear-reactor-design.asp

FACING SOUTH

A New Voice for a Changing South

 iss_logo.gif

 PO Box 531  •  Durham,NC 27702  •  Telephone: (919) 419-8311  •  Fax: (919) 419-8315

July 28, 2008 

Revelations of nuclear reactor

design flaws spur

legal action over

Duke cost estimates

In states across the South, utility companies are pushing ahead with plans to construct a new kind of nuclear reactor. Designed by Westinghouse Electric Co., the AP1000 is to date but an idea on paper, having never been tested with a demonstration model in the real world.
And now it appears there are serious problems with the reactor design, which is delaying the regulatory approval process. Those problems, in turn, have sparked legal actions by public-interest groups calling on utilities commissions in the Carolinas to revoke $230 million in approved pre-construction costs for two new reactors planned by Duke Energy of Charlotte, N.C.

Last week, Friends of the Earth in Columbia, S.C. and the Durham-based N.C. Waste Awareness and Reduction Network filed legal motions seeking the cost revocation. They argue that the design problems threaten Duke’s chances of ever completing two new AP1000 reactors it wants to build at the proposed Lee Nuclear Station on the Broad River in Cherokee County, S.C.. They also say the delays mean Duke can’t provide a reliable cost estimate for the station by year’s end, a commitment the company made to both commissions during hearings on pre-construction costs.

“Duke Energy’s customers should not be stuck holding the bag if the company keeps pouring millions into that risky project,” said Friends of the Earth’s Tom Clements. “The state regulatory agencies must now reverse their earlier decisions to approve Duke’s reactor project and require that the company not come back for reconsideration until the reactor design is finalized.”

In a June 27 letter to Westinghouse, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said the company’s recent withdrawal of technical documents due to design problems had delayed the agency’s review of key components and systems. Earlier this year, as part of the application process for building new plants, Duke Energy and other companies filed some 6,500 pages of technical documents from Westinghouse.

The NRC wants to review and certify plant designs separately from the plant applications. Because the agency expects more design modifications as its review continues, it’s likely that all the projects involving the AP1000 will be delayed.

The same type of reactors are being proposed by Progress Energy for its Shearon Harris plant in Wake County, N.C. as well as the company’s planned facility in Levy County, Fla.; SCE&G for the Summer Nuclear Plant in Fairfield County, S.C.; Georgia Power’s Vogtle plant in Burke County, Ga.; FP&L’s Turkey Point nuclear plant in Miami-Dade County; and Tennessee Valley Authority’s Bellefonte Nuclear Generating Station in Jackson County, Ala.

A public hearing about the Bellefonte plant is scheduled for this Wednesday, July 30 at 9 a.m. at the Scottsboro Goosepond Civic Center in Scottsboro, Ala. The AP1000 design problems are expected to be part of the discussion.

Concerns about the reactor design were also raised during the July 17 public meeting in Waynesboro, Ga. about the two new reactors proposed for the Vogtle plant. Though the NRC does not expect to certify the reactor’s final design until 2012, the NRC said they expected to issue a license for Vogtle in 2011, leading nuclear opponents to level charges of “rubber stamping.”

The AP1000 reactors are being built by a consortium, 80 percent of which is owned by Westinghouse Electric (which in turn is owned by Japan’s Toshiba Corp.) and the rest by Louisiana-based The Shaw Group’s nuclear division. In December 2006, the AP1000 Consortium won a contract with China’s State Nuclear Power Technology Co. to build four new nuclear power plants in that country.

leenuclearplans.jpg

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Oil Hits 128$$ Per Barrel – We are all going to die!

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Oh never mind. As I said, all along, the oil run up was 3 parts speculation and 1 part nerves. As the August Senate hearings approach on speculation the speculators, like the cock roaches that they are, will scurry and the nerves will harden. Guess what? Oil will fall to 70$$ a barrel and gas prices will come down. How will the American public respond to the fact that they just stuffed 350 billion $$ in speculators pockets? Like sheep – BAAAAAAAAA?

This will happen again however so now that we have a house we can live in, in energy confort what shall we do with what is sitting in the driveway? Like the speculators – SELL

http://www.cartalk.com/

http://www.sj-r.com

Friday, July 18, 2008

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It’s time to dump SUV

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TOM AND RAY MAGLIOZZI 

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DEAR TOM AND RAY: This will prob­ably seem like a really stupid question, but I need professional advice. I own a 1-year-old Jeep in perfect condition, which I purchased for my job. I was laid off from said job, and now I own a gas-guzzling, really nice-looking Jeep Grand Cherokee that is too big and too expensive for me to drive, espe­cially since I no longer have a job. My question is, Should I trade it in for a smaller, more fuel-efficient car? I have no payments, and being unemployed limits what I could purchase. With gas prices continuing to climb, I don’t real­ly know what I should do, since I own the vehicle outright. Care to advise an idiot? — Micci

RAY: I guess this is what you might call “idiot-to-idiot” communication.

TOM: Or, more accurately, “idiot-AND-idiot-to-idiot communication.” So consider yourself warned, Micci.

RAY: Actually, you’re hardly alone. SUVs and pickups were, for many people, a fashion trend during the past 10 years. And like many fashion trends, they were, at heart, exceeding­ly impractical.

TOM: Tell me about it. Try wearing a miniskirt like I did during the entire winter of’68!

RAY: People who didn’t need pick­ups and SUVs bought them anyway, because they were seen as cool, despite the fact that they handled like crud, tended to flip over more than other ve­hicles, ripped countless inseams during ingress and egress, and drank gas like it was a dark-chocolate-caramel-mocha freddo from Feet’s Coffee.

TOM: So now, here we are, with a lot of people stuck with SUVs that get 15 mpg while gas is $4 a gallon. What to do?

RAY: I’d say dump it, Micci. You’re going to take a bath on it, no question. Anytime you sell a car that’s a year old, you take a huge hit from initial de­preciation. Add to that the fact that you’re selling a vehicle that not many people want nowadays, for the same reasons you don’t want it. But there’s always a price at which someone will take it.

TOM: If you don’t want to sell it yourself, you can even try CarMax, if there’s one in your area. They buy late-model cars at the wholesale price.

RAY: And since you own it outright, you can take the cash you get, buy a cheaper 2-, 3- or 4-year-old fuel-effi­cient car, and then put aside a few grand to get you through this period of unemployment.

TOM: If you had an income and weren’t in desperate straits, you could hang on to it a little longer, to see if gas prices level off and come down a bit — which they might. That might make your Jeep a little more valuable on the used-car market. But if you can’t afford the gas to go out looking for a job, you need to do something now. Plus, I don’t see gas prices com­ing down a lot.

RAY: Me, either. Combine the insta­bility and war in the Middle East with increased demand from growing economies in China and India, and the decreasing supply of oil in the Earth, and the long-term trend for oil prices is up, rather than down.

Got a question about cars? Write to Click and Clack in care of this newspa­per, or e-mail them by visiting the Car Talk Web site at www.cartalk.com.

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Energy Efficient Dishwasher – The secret is they use less water

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As with the Clothes Washer, the Dish Washer uses hot water and that is the big cost. Our house is super insulated and the water is solar heated so we save a lot more money then the normal home owner. The experts say:

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=dishwash.pr_dishwashers

 Dishwashers

Replacing a dishwasher manufactured before 1994 with an ENERGY STAR qualified dishwasher can save you more than $30 a year in utility costs.

 Earning the ENERGY STAR means a product meets strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy.

  • ENERGY STAR qualified dishwashers use at least 41 percent less energy than the federal minimum standard for energy consumption.
  • ENERGY STAR qualified dishwashers use much less water than conventional models. Saving water helps protect our nation’s water supplies.
  • Because they use less hot water compared to new conventional models, an ENERGY STAR qualified dishwasher saves about $90 over its lifetime.

Remember, saving energy prevents pollution. By choosing ENERGY STAR, you are helping prevent global warming and promote cleaner air without sacrificing the product quality and performance you expect.

You may also be interested to know that you can save extra energy while washing dishes, whether with a standard or an ENERGY STAR model:

  • Run your dishwasher with a full load. Most of the energy used by a dishwasher goes to heat water. Since you can’t decrease the amount of water used per cycle, fill your dishwasher to get the most from the energy used to run it.
  • Avoid using the heat-dry, rinse-hold and pre-rinse features. Instead use your dishwasher’s air-dry option.

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More over: 

http://www.aceee.org/consumerguide/dishwashing.htm

To find the most efficient products, download a list of qualifying products from the ENERGY STAR Web site (link to excel file in the upper-right). Sort by “Size” and “Energy Factor” to see which meet our recommendations (below). You may need to also check product literature or with your utility for further specifications. For a quick search by manufacturer, here’s a direct link to the list in html.

When buying a new dishwasher, consider the following:

1. High Energy Factor
ACEEE recommends that you consider dishwashers that have an Energy Factor (EF) of at least 0.65, or an estimated energy use of less than 340 kWh/year. This is about 40% better than the federal standard. You can find which products meet this requirement on the showroom floor by looking on the yellow EnergyGuide label on each product.

Energy Factor measures the number of cycles that can be run with 1 kWh of electricity, and, unlike clothes washer efficiency ratings, does not take into account water use; although high-efficiency models are more likely to incorporate improvements to the spray arm, sump geometry, and/or pump design to reduce water requirements per cycle.

2. Low Water Use
To find the most water-efficient models, you must look beyond ENERGY STAR and EnergyGuide. Some ENERGY STAR models use half as much water as others, saving hundreds of gallons of water each year. Check the manufacturer’s literature or contact your local water utility. In some states, electric and water utilities offer rebates for the purchase of models that are exceptionally efficient.

3. Wash Cycle Options
Most dishwashers have several different wash cycle selections. The more options you have, the better you can tailor the energy and water use needed for a particular load. Look at the manufacturer’s literature for total water use with different cycles.Some dishwashers on the market today use “soil sensor” technology to automatically adjust water use depending on how dirty the dishes are in each load. There are highly-efficient dishwashers with and without this feature.4. Energy-Saving “No-Heat” Dry
An electric heating element is generally used to dry dishes at the end of the final rinse cycle, consuming about 7% of dishwasher energy use. Most new dishwashers offer an energy-saving no-heat drying feature. At the end of the rinse cycle, if the feature is selected, room air is circulated through the dishwasher by fans, rather than using an electric heating element to bake the dishes dry.

Energy Saving Tips

Whether you are buying a new dishwasher or using an existing one, you may be able to save a considerable amount of energy by changing the way you operate it.

  • Avoid Hand-Washing
    Studies are showing more and more that, when used to maximize energy-saving features, modern dishwashers can outperform all but the most frugal hand washers.
  • Scrape, Don’t Rinse
    Studies show that most people pre-rinse dishes before loading them into the dishwasher, even though dishwashers purchased within the last 5–10 years do a superb job of cleaning even heavily soiled dishes. If you find you must rinse dishes first, get in the habit of using cold water.
  • Follow Manufacturer Instructions
    Completely fill the racks to optimize water and energy use, but allow proper water circulation for adequate cleaning.
  • Wash Only Full Loads
    The dishwasher uses the same amount of water whether it’s half-full or completely full, so nothing will save more energy than waiting to run your dishwasher. If you find that it takes a day or two to get a full load, use the rinse and hold feature common on newer models. This will prevent build up of dried-on food while saving time and water compared to pre-rinsing each item. The rinse feature typically uses only 1 to 2 gallons of water.
  • Use Energy-Saving Cycle Options
    Pay attention to the cycle options on your dishwasher and select the cycle that requires the least amount of energy for the job. Use the no-heat air-dry feature on your dishwasher if it has one.
  • Turn Down the Water Heater Temperature
    Since the early 1990s, most dishwashers in the U.S. have been sold with built-in heaters to boost water temperature to 140–145°F, the temperature recommended by manufacturers for optimum dishwashing performance. The advantage to the booster heater is that you can turn down your water heater thermostat to 120°F (typically half-way between the “medium” and “low” settings

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AND The Winners Are:

http://products.pricerunner.com/results/query?q=energy+efficient+dishwashers

 

General Electric GLD4400NWW / GLD4400NBB / GLD4400NCC Built-in Dishwasher

This 24″ Built-In Dishwasher by GE, provides you with an array of useful features to ensure clean dishes, efficient use of your time, and a sleek design to compliment any kitchen decor.One specific feature highlight of the GLD4400N is the 6-Level…

$314.oo

 

 

 

Frigidaire FDB1502RGC Built-in Dishwasher

ENERGY STAR qualified appliance. Imagine efficient cleaning that saves both time and energy. The tall tub design of the ENERGY STAR qualified dishwasher can wash up to 14 five-piece place settings at once and the 5-level Precision Direct Water Delivery…

$310.00

 

 

Frigidaire FDB1502RGS Built-in Dishwasher

ENERGY STAR+ qualified appliance. Imagine efficient cleaning that saves both time and energy. The tall tub design of the ENERGY STAR+ qualified dishwasher can wash up to 14 five-piece place settings at once.

$289.00
 

Fagor LFA-65 IT Built-in Dishwasher

The AIS Fagor Dishwashers regulate consumption and troubleshoot for you. These dishwashers simplify your everyday chores and make the most efficient use of your appliances, allowing you to use water, energy and time according to your needs.

$799.00
 

General Electric GLD4650NCS Built-in Dishwasher

This 24″ Built-In Dishwasher by GE, provides you with an array of useful features to ensure clean dishes, efficient use of your time, and a sleek design to compliment any kitchen decor.One specific feature highlight of the GLD4600N is the 6-Level…

$404.00
 

Fagor LFA-073 IT Built-in Dishwasher

The AIS Fagor Dishwashers regulate consumption and troubleshoot for you. These dishwashers simplify your everyday chores and make the most efficient use of your appliances, allowing you to use water, energy and time according to your needs.

$999.00
 

Fagor LFA-065 SS Stainless Steel 23 in. Built-in Dishwasher

The new AIS Fagor Dishwashers regulate consumption and troubleshoot for you. These dishwashers simplify your everyday chores and make the most efficient use of your appliances, allowing you to use water, energy and time according to your needs.

$899.00
 

Hotpoint HDA3500NCC Built-in Dishwasher

This dishwasher features a 5-level PowerScrub wash system with PowerShower that has 5 wash levels and redesigned wash arms direct water precisely for a quiet and efficient clean. The 100% water filtration with ExtraFine filter helps deliver clean…

$239.00
 

General Electric HDA3540NSA Built-in Dishwasher

This dishwasher features a 5-level PowerScrub wash system with PowerShower that has 5 wash levels and redesigned wash arms direct water precisely for a quiet and efficient clean. The 100% water filtration with ExtraFine filter helps deliver clean…

$269.00
 

DCS DD124-C Built-in Dishwasher

Powerful and efficient. Choose from nine distinct cycles, including four energy-saving Eco Options, for maximum flexibility. Handy door controls and a concealed control panel give you the ease of on-touch programming. Detergent dissolves immediately,…

$849.00

Energy Efficient Clothes Washing Machines – Rub a dub dub three men in a tub

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The beauty here is the bulk of your cost to operate a washing machine consists in heating the water. Since our mythical homeowner is both super insulated and using a solar water heater, we can wash clothes for next to nothing:

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=clotheswash.pr_clothes_washers

Residential Clothes Washers

Want to save money and protect the environment? Ask for ENERGY STAR…

An ENERGY STAR qualified clothes washer can save you $550 in operating costs over its lifetime compared to a regular clothes washer. ENERGY STAR qualified washers are also better for the environment because lowering energy and water use means less air pollution from power plants and less water going to waste.

Locate a store nearby that sells ENERGY STAR qualified clothes washers

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Here is one of many reviews. IN FACT I am shocked that you have to look for most of the residential stuff we have reviewed so far. You type energy efficient washing machines into google and you get hundreds of sites. I swear there is something wrong with this country sometimes.

http://www.consumersearch.com/www/house_and_home/washing-machine-reviews/

Washing Machines Reviews

 GE WJRE5500GWW

Best top-loading washer.

While some basic top-load washers have plummeted in performance testing when it comes to cleaning ability, the GE WJRE5500GWW gets good scores for washing performance and costs less than a high-efficiency front loader. This model has a 3.5-cubic-foot capacity with a stainless steel tub and the usual wash cycles. It uses rotary dial controls. Also included is an automatic load balancer – a feature that’s starting to disappear on less expensive washing machines. The most common owner complaint is that this washer’s spin cycle isn’t particularly strong, so clothes may need more drying time.

Fisher & Paykel Intuitive Eco IWL16

Most reliable high-efficiency top-loader.

There are now many high-efficiency top loaders on the market — these replace an agitator with some other technology that uses less water and energy. Unfortunately, we read very mixed owner reviews for most of these, including the Maytag Bravos and Whirlpool Cabrio. Owners seem far happier with the Fisher & Paykel Intuitive Eco IWL16, which uses less energy than a conventional top loader, yet gets clothes as clean or cleaner with less noise. Three spin speeds let you customize how much water is wrung out — the 1,000 rpm speed is great for towels and jeans, meaning they’ll need less drying time. Unlike other high-efficiency washers, you can use regular detergent with the Intuitive Eco.

Frigidaire GLTF2940F

Top budget front-loader.

Front-loading washing machines clean better, are more energy efficient and use less water than conventional top-loading machines. The trouble is that reliability is often iffy. The Frigidaire GLTF2940F is one of the cheapest front loading washers available, yet its scores for efficiency and cleaning ability are as good as some models that cost twice as much. The Frigidaire is a bargain if you want a front-loading washer, but we did read some complaints about water building up in the rubber door seal causing odors — a very common complaint with most front loaders. Reports on reliability are mixed, but in line with what we’ve seen for most washers.

LG SteamWasher WM2688HNMA

Best front-loading washing machine.

Unlike most other machines, the LG SteamWasher offers an important extra: two steam cycles. One steam cycle prepares clothes for ironing, while the other sanitizes them for a longer period, which reduces lingering odors. The LG has a large-capacity 4-cubic-foot stainless steel washtub, and its faster 1,320-rpm spin cycle gets more water out of laundry (which means less drying time). This machine also features a delay cycle that can put laundry on hold up to 19 hours, and the wash cycle can be monitored remotely via computer. While expensive, the LG TROMM gets better owner-written reviews than other front-loading washing machines.

July 8, 2008 Update We found the most thorough, credible and up-to-date washing machine reviews at Consumer Reports. Its website also has a moderated discussion board that allows subscribers to ask questions and exchange information about washing machines. Its methodical testing in several categories helps buyers to choose the best washers currently on the market. Although we also found excellent hands-on evaluations and extensive testing of washers at Australia’s Choice and Britain’s Which? magazines, most of the models in these two publications are not available in the U.S., so these articles are of less help to American consumers.Good Housekeeping magazine used to be a good place to find reviews on major appliances, but we didn’t find any recently written information on washing machines. However, we have found an increasingly large number of owner-written reviews for washing machines, which are extremely helpful when it comes to gauging noise level and reliability. Sears.com, BestBuy.com and HomeDepot.com are all great places to check for user reviews on a given washing machine.In January 2007, the U.S. Department of Energy phased in tougher efficiency requirements for washing machines. New washers are required to use 21% less energy. While that seems great in concept, the end result has been dirtier laundry. Consumer Reports has the most balanced information on the effects of these requirements. For many conventional top-loading washing machines, models must now use less water and lower wash temperatures, which can affect performance. Although we found some heated debate on this topic, Consumer Reports is the only publication that backs up its opinions with product testing.

 In Consumer Reports’ testing, the least expensive type of washing machine – traditional top-loaders with agitators – had a hard time cleaning clothes as well under the new efficiency mandates. Front-loading washers and some alternative top-loaders use a different technology than a traditional agitator, and are not as impacted by the new laws. To get the same level of cleanliness, users may need to do more pre-treating of stains.

We found many websites that rate washing machines based purely on efficiency, but with no performance testing. These include the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), EnergyStar.gov and the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE). All of these websites have good explanations of technology and related articles despite the lack of performance testing

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AND many more useful sites:

www.saveenergy.about.com/od/energyefficientappliances/p/eneffwashingmac.htm

www.staber.com

www.ecobusinesslinks.com/appliances_energy_efficient.htm

www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt070.shtm 

www.veggierevolution.blogspot.com/2008/07/energy–efficient-and-water-saving.htm

www.ehow.com/how_2140467_buy-energy–efficient–washing–machine.html

www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/green-remodeling-laundry-rooms-460212

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Energy Efficient Clothes Dryer – Well there is one but it makes too much sense

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Ok so you probably know what I am going to say so don’t rush me. Here is the conventional wisdom:

 http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/home/appliances/dryers.html

Unlike most other types of appliances, clothes dryers don’t vary much in the amount of energy used from model to model. That’s why clothes dryers are not required to display EnergyGuide labels. They’re also not listed in the ENERGY STAR®’s database.

But that doesn’t mean that the amount of energy used by clothes dryers isn’t important. A dryer is typically the second-biggest electricity-using appliance after the refrigerator, costing about $85 to operate annually.

Over its expected lifetime of 18 years, the average clothes dryer will cost you approximately $1,530 to operate.

Right now, all dryers on the market work the same – they tumble clothes through heated air to remove moisture. Engineers are working to develop dryers that use microwaves to dry clothes, but they’re not yet being sold. (One problem still to be overcome is metal rivets and metal zippers, which don’t microwave well.)

Electric vs Gas

All dryers use a small electric motor to turn a large drum that tumbles the clothes placed inside it. All of them have an electric fan, which distributes heated air. There are however, two ways to create the heat needed to efficiently dry clothes – using either gas or electricity.

Electric dryers use heating coils to supply heat. Most electric dryers operate on 240-volt current, twice the strength of ordinary household current. If your laundry area is not equipped with a 240-volt outlet, you must have one installed.

Gas dryers use a gas burner to create heat, but otherwise they operate the same as an electric dryer. Your laundry room must have a gas hookup, with proper connections and safe venting of the gas’s exhaust, in addition to an electrical outlet.

The connections you have in your laundry room will probably dictate which style you use. If you have both gas and 240-volt connections, consider that gas dryers cost more to begin with – approximately $50 more than the comparable electric model. But in most areas gas dryers will cost less to run over their lifetime. Generally speaking, the cost of electricity needed to dry a typical load of laundry is 30 to 40 cents, compared to 15 to 20 cents if you use gas.

The energy efficiency of a clothes dryer is measured by a term called the energy factor. It’s a rating somewhat similar to miles per gallon for a car – but in this case, the measure is pounds of clothing per kilowatt-hour of electricity. The minimum energy factor for a standard capacity electric dryer is 3.01. For gas dryers, the minimum energy factor is 2.67, and, yes, the rating for gas dryers is provided in kilowatt-hours, even though the primary source of fuel is natural gas.

 

Buying Smart

Consider these tips if you’re looking to buy an efficient clothes dryer:

  • Check for the highest energy factor number when comparing different models. Remember that there are two costs to an appliance – the initial purchase price, and the cost of operating that appliance over the many years you own it.
  • Know whether your laundry room has gas or electricity hookups. If you need to add a gas line and a vent to operate a gas dryer, you may spend more on adding the hookup than you’ll save with the cheaper operating cost of gas.
  • Look for a clothes dryer with a moisture sensor that automatically shuts off the machine when your clothes are dry. Not only does this save energy; it reduces wear and tear on clothes caused by over-drying.

The best dryers have moisture sensors in the drum for sensing dryness, while most only estimate dryness by sensing the temperature of the exhaust air. Compared with timed drying, you can save about 10 percent with a temperature sensing control, and 15 percent with a moisture sensing control.

  • Look for a dryer with a cycle that includes a cool-down period, sometimes known as a “perma-press” cycle. In the last few minutes of the cycle, cool air, rather than heated air, is blown through the tumbling clothes to complete the drying process.

It’s Your Money

Here are ways to cut the amount of energy and money you spend drying clothes:

  • Locate your dryer in a heated space. Putting it in a cold or damp basement or an unheated garage will make the dryer work harder and less efficiently.
  • Make sure your dryer is vented properly. If you vent the exhaust outside, use the straightest and shortest metal duct available. Flexible vinyl duct isn’t recommended because it restricts the airflow, can be crushed, and may not withstand high temperatures from the dryer.
  • Check the outside dryer exhaust vent periodically. If it doesn’t close tightly, replace it with one that does to keep the outside air from leaking in. This will reduce heating and cooling bills.
  • Clean the lint filter in the dryer after every load to improve air circulation. Regularly clean the lint from vent hoods.
  • Dry only full loads, as small loads are less economical; but do not overload the dryer.
  • When drying, separate your clothes and dry similar types of clothes together. Lightweight synthetics, for example, dry much more quickly than bath towels and natural fiber clothes.
  • Dry two or more loads in a row, taking advantage of the dryer’s retained heat.
  • Use the cool-down cycle (perma-press cycle) to allow the clothes to finish drying with the residual heat in the dryer.

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But the real solution is to not to use a machine to dry your clothes:

www.blog.solarhaven.org

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If it rains?:

 www.amazon.com

indoors.jpg

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Energy Efficient Refrigerators – Cool because they are cool

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OK so my energy efficient 27 inch Samsong is all set up. I looked in the paper and CSI is not new so we can go back the appliances now. As I said in the last post a truely efficient Refrigerator would have the freezer compartment on the floor, followed by the food compartment and then the compresser. It would be up against an outside wall, and there would be a system for venting the heat outside during the cooling season. I may even be able to find a drawing of one…I think it was in the original Whole Earth Catelog….whatever. Here’s what the experts say:

Buying a New Refrigerator  To find the most efficient refrigerators , download a qualifying product list from the ENERGY STAR Web site (link to excel file in the upper-right). Sort by “Configuration,” “Volume,” and “Percent Better” to see which refrigerators meet our recommendations (below). For a quick search by manufacturer, here’s a direct link to the list in html.

When buying a new refrigerator, consider the following:

1. Low Annual Energy Use
ACEEE recommends that you consider models that use at least 20% less electricity than that required by federal law. Models that are 20%, 25% and 30% better than the federal standard may qualify for rebates — check with your local utility.

2. Choose top-mounted freezer configuration over side-by-side
Side-by-side refrigerator/freezers use more energy than similarly sized models with the freezer on top, even if they both carry the ENERGY STAR. The government holds the two categories to different standards, allowing side-by-sides to use 10-30% more energy. Icemakers and through-the-door ice also add to energy consumption. To compare energy performance across different refrigerator types, look for the measured “kWh/year” either on the ENERGY STAR list above, or on the yellow EnergyGuide label posted on the refrigerator (and available on-line through many manufacturers and retailers websites).

3. Size Matters
Refrigerators under 25 cubic feet should meet the needs of most households. The models over 25 cubic feet use significantly more energy. If you are thinking about purchasing such a large unit, you may want to reconsider. A smaller unit may well meet your household’s needs.

4. Minimize multiple refrigerators
That said, if you need more refrigerator space, resist the temptation of moving your old refrigerator to the basement or garage for auxiliary purposes. Instead, have it recycled and think about other options if you need more refrigerator space. Depending on your situation, it is generally much more efficient to operate one big refrigerator rather than two smaller ones. If your big fridge is likely to be empty most of the year, maybe the better option would be to purchase an ENERGY STAR compact fridge. Compact refrigerators less than 7.75 ft3 must be 20% more efficient than the minimum federal standard to qualify for ENERGY STAR. They are listed alongside full-size refrigerators at the ENERGY STAR link above.

5. Recycle your old fridge
Be sure you dispose of your old refrigerator properly. You can usually have the utility or the city pick it up; they might even pay you to throw it out. To learn more, go to our web page on appliance recycling and disposal.
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I you want the website and their spiel:

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=refrig.pr_refrigerators

Residential Refrigerators

Commercial Solid Door Refrigerators & Freezers

ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerators require about half as much energy as models manufactured before 1993. ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerators provide energy savings without sacrificing the features you want.

Earning the ENERGY STAR

  • ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerator models use high efficiency compressors, improved insulation, and more precise temperature and defrost mechanisms to improve energy efficiency.
  • ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerator models use at least 20% less energy than required by current federal standards  and 40% less energy than the conventional models sold in 2001.
  • Many ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerator models include automatic ice-maker and through-the-door ice dispensers. Qualified models are also available with top, bottom, and side-by-side freezers.
  • ENERGY STAR qualified freezer models use at least 10% less energy than required by current federal standards. Qualified freezer models are available in three configurations:
    • upright freezers with automatic defrost
    • upright freezers with manual defrost
    • chest freezers with manual defrost only
  • ENERGY STAR compact refrigerators and freezers use at least 20% less energy than required by current federal standards. Compacts are models with volumes less than 7.75 cubic feet.

Remember, saving energy prevents pollution. In most households, the refrigerator is the single biggest energy consuming kitchen appliance. Replacing a refrigerator bought in 1990 with a new ENERGY STAR qualified model would save enough energy to light the average household for nearly four months.

You may also be interested to know that you can reduce the amount of energy your refrigerator or freezer uses, whether with a standard or an ENERGY STAR qualified model:

  • Position your refrigerator away from a heat source such as an oven, a dishwasher, or direct sunlight from a window.
  • To allow air to circulate around the condenser coils, leave a space between the wall or cabinets and the refrigerator or freezer and keep the coils clean.
  • Make sure the door seals are airtight.
  • Keep your refrigerator between 35 and 38 degrees Fahrenheit and your freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Minimize the amount of time the refrigerator door is open.
  • Recycle older or second refrigerators.

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Then there are the Propane Refrigerators:

http://www.oasismontana.com/refrigerator.html

Propane Refrigerator by Servel

one of the oldest and most reliable manufacturers of LP units, are still available without significant lead time, for $1195 plus freight.  The Servel Americana 400 series is their latest technology of fully independent refrigerator/freezers.  The absorption-type cooling system (no freon) is quiet and dependable, with no compressor or other moving parts to wear out.  Choose almond or white for exterior finish with designer beveled edges; 7.5 cu ft (5.6 ‘fridge, 1.9 freezer).  CFC-free.  Outside dimensions:  63.5″ tall; 23″ wide; depth of 26.5″.  Door hinged on right.  Features include all-white interior with adjustable, removable shelves and door bins, plus two vegetable crispers and a battery powered interior light.  All models can be operated on AC electricity if desired (but are not energy efficient used in this fashion, using almost 4000 watts per day).  Fuel consumption averages (at 77° ambient temperature) 1.1 lb of propane daily or 1.5 to 2.4 gallons per week.  Swedish made with famous European craftsmanship, these units will provide many years of use.  American Gas Association approval, of course; one year warranty.  Call for your freight on these units.  Also available as fueled by kerosene for $1550.  The kerosene units do require additional maintenance (as kerosene is a less clean fuel than propane).  There is a maintenance kit suggested for those interested in the kerosene units that costs an additional $149; spare parts included are 12 wicks, wick raiser, flame spreader, wick cleaner, and glass chimney.Click here for a picture and additional information on these great units . 

Full Sized Propane Refrigerators Now Available

The Crystal Cold! (click this link for more data).  Made by the Amish for the Amish, who usually have large families and demand high performance. White, bisque, stainless steel & black colors are available in some models.  Click here for more details.  These units look like a ruggedly-built, conventional refrigerator, available in 12 cu .ft , 15 cu ft, 18 cu ft, and now a whopping 21 cu. ft. model. Runs on natural or LP gas, very gas efficient; one year warranty, with option to extend warranty to three years for $65. For natural gas conversion at the factory, add $50.  Call, write or e-mail us for additional information on these quality NEW units.

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Made by the Amish for the Amish. I love it. Lord there is hope. Then there are the solar people:

Full Sized Propane Refrigerators Now Available

The Crystal Cold! (click this link for more data).  Made by the Amish for the Amish, who usually have large families and demand high performance. White, bisque, stainless steel & black colors are available in some models.  Click here for more details.  These units look like a ruggedly-built, conventional refrigerator, available in 12 cu .ft , 15 cu ft, 18 cu ft, and now a whopping 21 cu. ft. model. Runs on natural or LP gas, very gas efficient; one year warranty, with option to extend warranty to three years for $65. For natural gas conversion at the factory, add $50.  Call, write or e-mail us for additional information on these quality NEW units.

 http://www.partsonsale.com/sundanzer.html

Remote home and cabin owners, are you aware that it takes ten 85 watt solar panels with their associated mounting brackets, wire, charge controller, combiner box, inverter, inverter cables, battery cables, fusing and a fairly large bank of deep cycle batteries to power a conventional 600 watt refrigerator !

fridgefin.jpg

Save on system costs with these Ultra High Efficiency battery-powered solar refrigerators and freezers. These highly efficient units with exceptionally low energy consumption require a smaller photovoltaic (PV) system for your refrigeration needs. these Ultra High Efficiency units feature 4.33″ (110 mm) of polyurethane insulation and coated steel cabinets. The brushless motor compressor operates on 12 or 24 VDC. A patented low-frost system reduces frost build-up for low maintenance.these Ultra High Efficiency chest-style refrigerators and freezers are easy to clean using the drain hole at the bottom of the unit. With thick insulation and a refrigeration system optimized for solar, these Ultra High Efficiency refrigerators and freezers provide outstanding economical and reliable operation. these Ultra High Efficiency cabinets are commercially produced by one of the world’s leading appliance manufacturers.

www.geappliances.com/products/energy/

www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/icebox2.htm

www.sunfrost.com

www.blog.techsoup.org/node/411

www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/icebox2.htmp

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Solar Water Heaters – Why not it’s free

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3

Not the system the Sun. There are so many Solar Water Heaters available now that it is embarressing. Anyone who owns their own home and doesn’t install one is an Energy Hog. Tankless water heater owners are given a pass.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_hot_water

Solar hot water

 Solar Hot Water refers to water heated by solar energy. Solar heating systems are generally composed of solar thermal collectors, a fluid system to move the heat from the collector to its point of usage, and a reservoir or tank for heat storage and subsequent use. The systems may be used to heat water for home or business use, for swimming pools, underfloor heating or as an energy input for space heating and cooling and industrial applications.

In many climates, a solar heating system can provide a very high percentage (50% to 75%) of domestic hot water energy. In many northern European countries, combined hot water and space heating systems (solar combisystems) are used to provide 15 to 25% of home heating energy.

In the southern regions of Africa like Zimbabwe, solar water heaters have been gaining popularity, thanks to the Austrian and other EU funded projects that are promoting more environmentally friendly water heating solutions.

Residential solar thermal installations can be subdivided into two kinds of systems: compact and pumped systems. Both typically include an auxiliary energy source (electric heating element or connection to a gas or fuel oil central heating system) that is activated when the water in the tank falls below a minimum temperature setting such as 50 °C. Hence, hot water is always available. The combination of solar hot water heating and using the back-up heat from a wood stove chimney to heat water[2] can enable a hot water system to work all year round in northern climates without the supplemental heat requirement of a solar hot water system being met with fossil fuels or electricity.

Evacuated tube collector

Evacuated tube collectors are made of a series of modular tubes, mounted in parallel, whose number can be added to or reduced as hot water delivery needs change. This type of collector consists of rows of parallel transparent glass tubes, each of which contains an absorber tube (in place of the absorber plate to which metal tubes are attached in a flat-plate collector). The tubes are covered with a special light-modulating coating. In an evacuated tube collector, sunlight passing through an outer glass tube heats the absorber tube contained within it. The absorber can either consist of copper (glass-metal) or specially-coated glass tubing (glass-glass). The glass-metal evacuated tubes are typically sealed at the manifold end, and the absorber is actually sealed in the vacuum, thus the fact that the absorber and heat pipe are dissimilar metals creates no corrosion problems. The better quality systems use foam insulation in the manifold. low iron glass is used in the higher quality evacuated tubes manufacture.

Lower quality evacuated tube systems use the glass coated absorber. Due to the extreme temperature difference of the glass under stagnation temperatures, the glass sometimes shatters. The glass is a lower quality boron silicate material and the aluminum absorber and copper heat pipe are slid down inside the open top end of the tube. Moisture entering the manifold around the sheet metal casing is eventually absorbed by the glass fibre insulation and then finds its way down into the tubes. This leads to corrosion at the absorber/heat pipe interface area, also freeze ruptures of the tube itself if the tube fills sufficiently with water.

Two types of tube collectors are distinguished by their heat transfer method: the simplest pumps a heat transfer fluid (water or antifreeze) through a U-shaped copper tube placed in each of the glass collector tubes. The second type uses a sealed heat pipe that contains a liquid that vapourises as it is heated. The vapour rises to a heat-transfer bulb that is positioned outside the collector tube in a pipe through which a second heat transfer liquid (the water or antifreeze) is pumped. For both types, the heated liquid then circulates through a heat exchanger and gives off its heat to water that is stored in a storage tank (which itself may be kept warm partially by sunlight). Evacuated tube collectors heat to higher temperatures, with some models providing considerably more solar yield per square metre than flat panels. However, they are more expensive and fragile than flat panels. The high stagnation temperatures can cause antifreeze to break down, so careful consideration must be used if selecting this type of system in temperate climates.

For a given absorber area, evacuated tubes can maintain their efficiency over a wide range of ambient temperatures and heating requirements. The absorber area only occupied about 50% of the collector panel on early designs, however this has changed as the technology has advanced to maximize the absorption area. In extremely hot climates, flat-plate collectors will generally be a more cost-effective solution than evacuated tubes. When employed in arrays of 20 to 30 or more, the efficient but costly evacuated tube collectors have net benefit in winter and also give real advantage in the summer months. They are well suited to extremely cold ambient temperatures and work well in situations of consistently low-light. They are also used in industrial applications, where high water temperatures or steam need to be generated. Properly designed evacuated tubes have a life expectancy of over 25 years which greatly adds to their value.

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Or you could make your own:

www.motherearthnews.com/Renewable-Energy/1979-09-01/A-Homemade-Solar–Water–Heater.asp

This is what the Chinese buy:

 http://www.made-in-china.com/showroom/cninterma/product-detailxoHJaYFbJrhW/China-Solar-Collector-SCS-.html

Or you could Pay Alot for it:

http://solarroofs.com/

There is a lot out there:

 www.firemountainsolar.com/solarhotwater.html

www.honglesolar.com/SolarWaterHeater.htm

www.sunheat.com

http://talensun.com/procuct.asp

www.toolbase.org/Technology-Inventory/Plumbing/solar–water–heaters

www.builditsolar.com/Projects/WaterHeating/water_heating.htm

www.solarpanelsplus.com

www.solarenergy.com

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Heating And Cooling Your House The Grown Up Way – Pump pump my heat pump

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That’s right for you rap fans Hump up to the Heat Pump, Jump up to my Heat Pump it’ll burn you baby!…Well maybe not. The idea behind a heat pump is temperature differential. When its cold outside you throw heat inside because the fluid is colder than the cold and when its hot outside you throw heat out side because the heat is hotter then the hot. Well let’s let the experts explain…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_pump

According to the second law of thermodynamics heat cannot spontaneously flow from a colder location to a hotter area; work is required to achieve this. Heat pumps differ in how they apply this work to move heat, but they can essentially be thought of as heat engines operating in reverse. A heat engine allows energy to flow from a hot ‘source’ to a cold heat ‘sink’, extracting a fraction of it as work in the process. Conversely, a heat pump requires work to move thermal energy from a cold source to a warmer heat sink.

Since the heat pump uses a certain amount of work to move the heat, the amount of energy deposited at the hot side is greater than the energy taken from the cold side by an amount equal to the work required. Conversely, for a heat engine, the amount of energy taken from the hot side is greater than the amount of energy deposited in the cold heat sink since some of the heat has been converted to work.

One common type of heat pump works by exploiting the physical properties of an evaporating and condensing fluid known as a refrigerant.

A simple stylized diagram of a heat pump's vapor-compression refrigeration cycle: 1) condenser, 2) expansion valve, 3) evaporator, 4) compressor.

A simple stylized diagram of a heat pump’s vapor-compression refrigeration cycle: 1) condenser, 2) expansion valve, 3) evaporator, 4) compressor.

The working fluid, in its gaseous state, is pressurized and circulated through the system by a compressor. On the discharge side of the compressor, the now hot and highly pressurized gas is cooled in a heat exchanger called a condenser until it condenses into a high pressure, moderate temperature liquid. The condensed refrigerant then passes through a pressure-lowering device like an expansion valve, capillary tube, or possibly a work-extracting device such as a turbine. This device then passes the low pressure, barely liquid (saturated vapor) refrigerant to another heat exchanger, the evaporator where the refrigerant evaporates into a gas via heat absorption. The refrigerant then returns to the compressor and the cycle is repeated.

In such a system it is essential that the refrigerant reaches a sufficiently high temperature when compressed, since the second law of thermodynamics prevents heat from flowing from a cold fluid to a hot heat sink. Similarly, the fluid must reach a sufficiently low temperature when allowed to expand, or heat cannot flow from the cold region into the fluid. In particular, the pressure difference must be great enough for the fluid to condense at the hot side and still evaporate in the lower pressure region at the cold side. The greater the temperature difference, the greater the required pressure difference, and consequently more energy is needed to compress the fluid. Thus as with all heat pumps, the energy efficiency (amount of heat moved per unit of input work required) decreases with increasing temperature difference.

Due to the variations required in temperatures and pressures, many different refrigerants are available. Refrigerators, air conditioners, and some heating systems are common applications that use this technology.

A HVAC heat pump system

A HVAC heat pump system

In HVAC applications, a heat pump normally refers to a vapor-compression refrigeration device that includes a reversing valve and optimized heat exchangers so that the direction of heat flow may be reversed. The reversing valve switches the direction of refrigerant through the cycle and therefore the heat pump may deliver either heating or cooling to a building. In the cooler climates the default setting of the reversing valve is heating. The default setting in warmer climates is cooling. Because the two heat exchangers, the condenser and evaporator, must swap functions, they are optimized to perform adequately in both modes. As such, the efficiency of a reversible heat pump is typically slightly less than two separately-optimized machines.

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Everyone sells them..everyone:

http://www.searshomepro.com/hvac/options.aspx?lst=352

If you want a quote on one:

http://www2.qualitysmith.com/heat_pump

http://www.servicemagic.com/sem/category.Furnace-Central-Heating.10335.html

 or if you just want to look:

www.residential.carrier.com/products/acheatpumps/heatpumps/index.shtml

www.trane.com/Residential/Products/HeatPumps.aspx

www.rheemac.com/home_cooling_pump.shtml

www.nhec.com/residential_residentialheatpumps.php

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