Category Archives: stretching a concept

Saving Energy Can Save Peace Of Mind – I mean it saves money too

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I know this and the following posts may seem off topic. What does simplicity or frugality have to do with home energy conservation. Well to use an extreme example, what if you simplified your life by using no generated electricity. So much in your life would change. No computer, no telephone, and no lights at night. While that would be thought of as extreme by some and it would only save my household a couple of thousand dollars a year, it is still an interesting concept. This blog here makes a good place to start.

http://www.word-works.com/simple/

Choose Simplicity
Thoughts on Voluntary Simplicity

Welcome to Clay and Judy
Woods’ homepage.

Many simplicity gurus urge us to become “tightwads” as the true path to a simple life. But voluntary simplicity and frugality are not really the same thing. To be sure, frugality is a vehicle for achieving simplicity, but the driving force is a vision, a philosophy, a world view.

If life were a poem, simplicity would be the poet, frugality the line and meter.

If life were a painting, simplicity would be the artist, frugality the paint and brushes.

If life were a building, simplicity would be the architect, frugality the hammer and boards.

Voluntary simplicity is about freedom. It’s about owning your own life. Frugality is living with less of what money can buy. Voluntary simplicity is wanting less.

Soon after beginning our partnership more than 35 years ago, we made a revolutionary discovery. It changed our lives then and it continues to make us “different” now. You’ve heard it before: “time is money.” What we discovered is that’s not true – time is better than money!

This revelation has allowed us to be content in our work or to change that work when it no longer satisfies. It has permitted us to spend less time acquiring things and more time acquiring experiences, insights, and relationships. It has encouraged us to lend a helping hand in our community, whenever the need arises, because we can make the time to do it. It has given us freedom and control of our lives.

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Go there and read in much larger print. More tomorrow.

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City Council Turns Down CWLP Ratehike – Doesn’t even get one vote to get out of committee

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I am not as funny as Ray Lytle but the Springfield City Council was on a roll with CWLP last night when they tried to ask for a WHOPPING 9.3% increase in the rates they charge their electric customers. First they blamed the spot market, then they blamed the EPA’s new regulations, then they blamed the increase in the price of coal and finally they blamed the bond markets. They never explained why they borrowed 6,000,000 $$$ from the water fund.

http://www.sj-r.com/top-stories/x715338997/Council-rebuffs-CWLP-rate-hike-seeks-alternatives?zc_p=0

 

Council rebuffs CWLP rate hike, seeks alternatives

Posted Jan 31, 2012 @ 11:00 PM
Last update Feb 01, 2012 @ 05:52 AM

Springfield aldermen Tuesday rejected the idea of a 9.5 percent electric rate increase and directed City Water, Light and Power officials to come up with alternative plans.

Eric Hobbie, the utility’s chief engineer, told reporters after the meeting that the possibilities are limited and might mean “substantial changes to the way we do business.” He declined to elaborate on what those changes could be.

CWLP officials and Mayor Mike Houston have said a rate increase is needed to give CWLP a sufficient revenue cushion to repay its bonds and maintain the utility’s bond rating.

The immediate rate hike would raise $19.1 million annually, Additional, smaller rate hikes also are being sought in future years.

However, no city council member even moved Tuesday to put the matter on next week’s city council debate agenda.

Several aldermen said they are concerned about hiking electric rates.

“We can’t do that to the citizens today,” Ward 1 Ald. Frank Edwards said. “We need to find some different means, some different alternative. … There’s a lot of people really hurting out there.”

Ward 3 Ald. Doris Turner agreed.

“I just cannot in clear conscience vote for a 10 percent increase,” she said. “I just think that is just too much to put on the ratepayers.”

“There’s got to be a better way,” Ward 4 Ald. Frank Lesko said.

Utility officials say CWLP’s revenue problems began in the fall of 2008, when the economy collapsed and energy prices dropped. Prices for power CWLP sells on the wholesale market have continued to decline ever since, and the utility’s wholesale revenues are $20.5 million below budget, officials say.

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Really funny guys. Go there and read the rest. More tomorrow.

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New Roofs Are Getting Greener Too – Here is a place you can learn about that

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I know, this is my alma mater. I also know that it may be a teensy weensy bit expensive. But this looks like a real good educational opportunity and today I had to write about roofs anyway so:

http://epdweb.engr.wisc.edu/Courses/Course.lasso?myCourseChoice=M987

Course Summary:

Latest Roofing Technologies and Their Applications

Course #M987
April 30-May 1, 2012
Pyle Center*,  702 Langdon Street, Madison, Wisconsin
Course Fee: $995		 Enroll Now

Benefits

Attend and benefit as you:

  • Learn how “green” roof systems work
  • Find out how much they cost
  • Understand the intricacies associated with their design, installation, and maintenance
  • Evaluate the benefits, but also the potential for failure
  • Determine when these systems are right for your facilities

This course has been approved by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) for 13 GBCI CE hours for LEED® AP maintenance. See additional EPD courses approved for GBCI CE hours.

Topics

  • Advantages and disadvantages of “green” roofing technologies
  • Special design requirements—new construction and existing buildings
  • Codes governing design and installation
  • Special installation requirements
  • How to resolve potential conflict between different trades involved in the project
  • Dealing with warranty issues
  • Maintenance you will need to provide to ensure continuous, effective operations
  • Steps you should take to estimate your project’s first and life-cycle costs
  • LEED, Green Globe, other recognition programs

Audience

  • Owners
  • Architects
  • Engineers
  • Designers
  • Contractors

Earn PDH, LU, CEU

By participating in this course, you will earn 13 Professional Development Hours (PDH), 13 AIA Learning Units (LU) and 1.3 Continuing Education Units (CEU). Learn more about PDH, LU, CEU and state licensing boards.

General Information

Fee Covers Notebook and other course materials, break refreshments, and certificate.

Cancellation Policy If you cannot attend, please notify us by April 23, and we will refund your fee. Cancellations received after this date and no-shows are subject to a $150 administrative fee. You may enroll a substitute at any time before the course starts.

Accommodations We have reserved a block of guest rooms (rates starting at $89, including continental breakfast, parking and private airport taxi (a $30 value)) at Campus Inn, 601 Langdon Street, Madison, WI. Reserve a room online at Campus Inn or call 800-589-6285 or 608-257-4391. Room requests after April 9 will be subject to availability. Other fees and restrictions may apply.

Course Location This course will be held at Pyle Center, 702 Langdon Street, Madison, WI. 608-262-1122

More Lodging in Madison

Parking Transportation Weather

Visitors’ Bureau*

Course information is subject to change.

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Go there and read. More next week.

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Aral Sea Shrinks To A River – More damage from the Soviet Union

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You can read either article below. The facts stay pretty much the same but  each has one of my favorite pictures of the horrible damage. The overhead shot is the most compelling:

http://www.global-adventures.us/2010/04/05/aral-sea-shocking-disaster/

Then there is the “boats and camels” shot:

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/07/16/the_world_s_worst_ongoing_disasters?page=0,3

The World’s Ongoing Ecological Disasters

While it’s probably still too soon to celebrate, BP appears to finally be getting the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico under control. But many of the world’s greatest environmental catastrophes continue, with no end in sight.

BY JOSHUA E. KEATING | JULY 16, 2010

UZBEKISTAN/KAZAKHSTAN

Disaster: The shrinking of the Aral Sea

Going since: The 1960s

Damage done: Straddling the border of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, the Aral Sea was once the world’s fourth-largest inland water body and home to at least 20 species of fish and a thriving coastal economy in the surrounding towns. In the early 1960s, the Soviet government built more than 45 dams and 20,000 miles of canals in an effort to create a cotton industry on the desert plains of Uzbekistan, depriving the sea of its main sources.

Over the next three decades, the sea shrank to two-fifths its original size, turning fishing villages into barren desert outposts. Thanks to the high salt content in the remaining water, all 20 fish species are now extinct. Drinking water supplies in the area are dangerously low and the ground contains dangerous pesticides from the cotton farms. When the wind sweeps across the now-dry sea bed, it spreads up to 75 million tons of toxic dust and salt across Central Asia every year.

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Go there and read. More tomorrow.

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Cold Fusion In Italy – Is Rossi a scam artist

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I subscribe to New Energy Times and I have talked to people about fusion before. I even met a gentleman on a train whose dad is working on the joint Spanish-French very hot plasma fusion project and we talked quite a bit about it. I have always had huge doubts about either cold or hot fusion because the cold versions have been obvious frauds and the hot versions are extremely expensive and dangerous. Still this is interesting and time will tell.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/markgibbs/2011/10/30/believing-in-cold-fusion-and-the-e-cat/

Mark Gibbs

Mark Gibbs, Contributor

Tech|
10/30/2011 @ 3:18PM |55,722 views

Believing in Cold Fusion and the E-Cat

As I discussed in that posting, an inventor by the name of Andrea Rossi has developed what he claims to be a simple system for generating what would be, essentially, endless and incredibly cheap energy.

On October 28th the biggest test of Rossi’s system, which is called the E-Cat, was conducted in Italy and some results were made public which I’ll discuss in a moment.

Before that I do, let me give you a quick refresh: The E-Cat, which is short for “Energy Catalyzer”, is claimed to produce a “Low Energy Nuclear Reaction” or LENR. LENR is another name for “cold fusion” or CF (LENR is considered a more acceptable term than CF which was discredited after two world-class researchers, Martin Fleischmann and Stanley Pons, announced that they had a working cold fusion system but which, alas, no one could duplicate).

Allow me to digress for a moment to ask all of you who sent me messages in tones ranging from polite through to downright rude asserting that cold fusion has actually been successfully duplicated: If an experiment that demonstrates cold fusion has really been replicated in the real world by real scientists then why would the scientific community ignore something so profound? Everyone agrees that cold fusion would be a game changer and in itself would be a hugely important scientific discovery so why would anyone in the scientific community ignore an important,  successful, and replicable experiment?

Rossi’s E-Cat is claimed to use a secret catalyst to react hydrogen with nickel and, in the process, transmute the nickel into copper producing considerable heat. Whether this reaction works or not and if it does, exactly how it works, has been enormously contentious and the subject of numerous learned and amateur debates

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I skipped his humorous lead and you can go to the site to read the rest. Point is no one knows right now but remember Ponzi was from Italy too. More tomorrow.

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This Piece On Weartherproofing Is Pretty Good – But I am skipping all of the types of caulk

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Look  just buy good caulk. That is it. Nothing lasts for 25 years so do not believe that. Usually caulk lasts for six or seven years. That’s it. So do not pay 6 $$$ per tube. But, if you pay 3 or 4 $$$ you are in the right range. If you can get that exact same type of caulk on sale all the better.

http://alsnetbiz.com/homeimprovement/info10.html
The average house–even when well-insulated–contains cracks and gaps between building materials that add up to a hole about 14 “square (Fig. 1). In the winter, those gaps may make the house drafty and chilly. All year long, a leaky house not only wastes energy, but can lead to water damage and provide a path for insects. Inside this document you will find information about: 
  • Weatherproofing Basics
  • Types of Caulking
  • Using Caulking
  • Types of Weatherstripping
  • Installing Weatherstripping

WEATHERPROOFING BASICS

  • In all the discussion of insulation and R-values, don’t forget that poor weatherproofing is often a more important source of discomfort, as well as high heating and cooling bills. 

  • Some air leakage can be prevented during construction by using housewrap or getting a tight fit between framing members, for example. Once the house is built, however, the remaining gaps must be sealed. Gaps around doors and window sashes should be weatherstripped, and gaps between permanent building materials sealed with caulking.


FIG. 1 – Where caulking should be applied, from the Sunset book, Insulation and Weatherstripping, © Sunset Publishing Corp.

TYPES OF WEATHERSTRIPPING

  • The greatest source of air leakage in most homes occurs around doors, windows, and access hatches, such as the ceiling opening from the living area into an unheated attic (Fig. 4). Weatherstripping can be a delicate job because those openings need to be fitted loosely enough that the door or window operates freely, yet tightly enough that air leakage is stopped. 

  • The type of weatherstripping you’ll use depends on the location and the type of opening. Three types of weatherstripping are common: 

  • Compression–Compression weatherstripping (Fig. 5) is used to seal swinging doors and window sashes. It consists of a molded strip (it may be wood, aluminum or rigid vinyl) with a flexible vinyl bulb along one side. As a rule, compression weatherstripping is the most durable type available. 

  • V-Type Strips–V-shaped weatherstripping (Figs. 6 & 7) is fitted against the side of the door or window jamb so it presses against the edge of the door or sash and forms a seal. V-stripping may be vinyl or bronze. 

  • Foam–Foam weatherstripping (Fig. 8) is used to seal either swinging or sliding doors or windows. It comes in various sizes with an adhesive backing on one side. It is fastened to the edge of a door or window stop, or to the bottom of a sliding window sash. 

  • Thresholds and Door Bottoms–A threshold fills the gap between the floor and the bottom of a door. It may have a built-in vinyl bulb. If not, it must be used in combination with a door bottom (Fig. 9), mounted on the lower edge of the door.

 

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So if you want to read about all that caulk or look at the pretty pictures about how to install weather stripping. Please go to the sight and look. More tomorrow.

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Sierra Dall And Her Municipal Webinar – This is thoroughly worthwhile

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OK her work’s connection to this blog might seem tenuous at first glance. When not talking about the residential housing market, I am usually attacking the hydrocarbons industry or rapers of the environment. (By the way the Maconda well is leaking again) But she is a really nice lady who actually talks to me on the phone every once in awhile. If you think about it, if your municipality could get you cheap renewable energy wouldn’t you take it.

http://www.EnergyForefront.com/infowebinar

 

Hi,
Would you please put the following Free Webinar on your calendar, in your newsletter or pass it on to interested parties?
Thanks
Sierra Dall.

 

Municipal Financing Options for Renewable Energy
PLUS : How Fowler CO financed its energy projects with NO upfront costs
Date & Time
September 13, 2011 at Noon Eastern
Join us to hear three presenters discuss various methods by which municipalities could finance renewable energy and energy efficiency projects, either for the municipality or for their citizens & businesses. This webinar is hosted by Energy Forefront and sponsored by the firms listed below. 

Topics include:

  • Multiple Methods that Cities/Towns Could Use to Finance Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Projects including federal tax benefits, aggregation, securitization of smaller projects, 501c3 non-profit corporations & more presented by Baird Brown, Attorney at Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
  • How Various Cities & Towns Structured their Energy Financing presemted by Vincent DeVito, Attorney at Bowditch & Dewey LLP
  • Financing Municipal Renewable Energy Projects with No Upfront Costs: Wayne Snider describes how he procured financing for wind solar, biomass and several other Fowler Colorado projects . . . without any upfront costs for Fowler.
TO LEARN MORE or REGISTER
Click this link or copy and paste it into your browser

NO COST TO ATTEND

Thanks to Our Sponsors-
CleaResult, American Energy Assets, Bob Parkins Renewable Energy Consulting, Arbogast Energy Auditing, Distributed Energy Financial Group, Steffes Corporation – SkyBuilt Power – Bella Energy – Solar Tracking Tree

Who we are
Energy Forefront is a connecting point where cities, towns, counties, universities, facilities, consultants and industry professionals can meet via online events and find the latest resources on energy efficiency, renewable energy and green economic development.

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Go there and read. More next week.

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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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Residential Energy Services – Am I pimping for a new utility

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I do not think so but you be the judge.

http://www.integrysenergy.com/electricity/ilelectricoffer.aspx?

Illinois Electric Choice

Save on electricity by choosing Integrys Energy as your electric supplier

Enrollment is Fast, Easy, and Convenient

The fact is, Integrys Energy charges less per kilowatt-hour (kWh) than you’re paying now1 with Ameren or ComEd. Same reliable electricity, just a lower rate.

Take it step further. Switch your electric supplier to Integrys Energy and we’ll lock in a low rate for 12 billing cycles (24- and 36-month rates also available). The utility rate changed in June, and will change again in October, if you enroll with Integrys you’re assured your competitive price is locked all year. Guaranteed.

Switching to Integrys Energy is Easy

In about 10 minutes, you can start saving at least 8.5% on your electricity rate1.

  1. Grab your electric bill. You will need your Account Number and Name as it appears on your bill.
  2. Choose a Rate Plan below or call 1-888-688-1848.
  3. Click the ‘Enroll’ button and complete the online enrollment form.

A Leading Supplier of Power Throughout North America

  • One of the “World’s Most Admired Energy Companies” four of the past five years by Fortune Magazine®
  • Integrys Energy Services serves retail electric customers in the United States throughout the following Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs): IESO (IMO), ISO-NE, MISO, NY ISO, PJM.
  • Integrys Energy Services offers a full complement of power products and services that vary from market to market, which may include Full Requirements, Block and Index, Index Rate, Load Response, Renewable Energy Credits, Heat Rate

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More tomorrow.

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Green Highways – Following up on yesterday’s post

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This is an excellent website for more info about green highways. I like their inclusion of the entire roadway’s impact on the surrounding environment. Though I wish they would include a discussion of  landscapes that require no mowing and the inclusion of indigenous plants.

http://www.greenhighwayspartnership.org/index.php

BACKGROUND

The Green Highways Partnership (GHP) is dedicated to transforming the relationship between the environment and transportation infrastructure.  In its nationwide review of green transportation infrastructure, the U.S. House Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation found the GHP to be “the primary federal vehicle for encouraging the use of green transportation infrastructure by state and local governments and private industry.”  Such a finding says that this effort is not only unique to the nation, but is the only one of its type serving this critical purpose recognized by Congress.

“All of the Federal Government’s greatest achievements in the last half century involved significant amounts of collaboration across sectors.”

Dr. John Bryson, U.MN-
On exercising government leadership through collaboration.

The Partnership
The GHP serves as a voluntary public-private collaborative that advances environmental stewardship in transportation planning, design, construction, operations and maintenance while balancing economic and social objectives. The Green Highways Partnership is supported by an ever growing list of dedicated and experienced partners. However, the partnership would like to recognize the following partners for their considerable financial and staff support:

Greenhighways Partnership EPA Logo Greenhighways Partnership Department of Transportation logo Greenhighways Partnership State Highway Administrator logo

The GHP was initiated by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) out of a realization that building safe, sound transportation systems and protecting and sustaining a clean and healthy environment were not mutually exclusive, particularly in light of their common denominator, serving the “public good.”

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More tomorrow.

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