Recently tagged
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Eco homes: 20 ways to make your home greener - Telegraph
Eco homes: 20 ways to make your home greener - Telegraph
Eco homes: 20 ways to make your home greener
Last Updated: 12:01am BST 13/10/2007
Page 1 of 3
No excuses: we should all try to reduce the size of out carbon footprint, says David Taylor
# The Earth channel
# Eco homes homepage
There's no way of escaping it: everywhere you go these days you leave dirty great carbon footprints revealing, for the world to see, just how wasteful and unsustainable your lifestyle is. From the type of car you drive (you do drive, don't you?) to your choice of grocery provider (could we be talking supermarket here?), you wear your green credentials on your sleeve.
Eco homes: 20 ways to make your home greener
Last Updated: 12:01am BST 13/10/2007
Page 1 of 3
No excuses: we should all try to reduce the size of out carbon footprint, says David Taylor
# The Earth channel
# Eco homes homepage
There's no way of escaping it: everywhere you go these days you leave dirty great carbon footprints revealing, for the world to see, just how wasteful and unsustainable your lifestyle is. From the type of car you drive (you do drive, don't you?) to your choice of grocery provider (could we be talking supermarket here?), you wear your green credentials on your sleeve.
No Gas Required - Electric Vehicles
No Gas Required - Electric Vehicles
Miles Electric Vehicles Partners with NO GAS REQUIRED to Give Students a Voice in the Fight Against Global Warming
SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Miles Electric Vehicles announced today that it is supporting NO GAS REQUIRED, a web site dedicated to helping students take direct action for positive environmental change. To kick off the launch of this online education and advocacy forum, Miles Electric Vehicles has also announced that it is partnering with NO GAS REQUIRED to promote the MILES Revolution Video Contest, which gives students the opportunity to create environmentally-themed videos for a chance to win $1,000 for themselves and a free MILES all-electric/no-emissions car for their college or university.
“Students are an extremely influential demographic and are at the vanguard of the sustainability movement,” said Miles Electric Vehicles CEO Jeff Boyd. “The MILES Revolution Video Contest asks students to use their creativity to spread the message of zero emissions transportation alternatives and make a difference on their campuses.”
Boyd added that nogasrequired.com offers an interactive forum where students can learn and dialogue about the environment and resources that help them take action to build a carbon-neutral society.
Students interested in participating in the contest should view the “MILES Revolution” video on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emsaAXN2cDI, then interpret it in their own unique style through any medium of expression (provided that it can ultimately be recorded in a video format). Entries should be submitted on the “UPLOAD” area of the NO GAS REQUIRED site. Qualifying submissions will then be posted by the NO GAS REQUIRED staff on YouTube for public viewing.
The five students whose works of video art garner the most views on YouTube will each be awarded a $1,000 cash scholarship. Each will also have a MILES all-electric vehicle donated to their college or university, in his or her name, to help reduce the campus’ carbon footprint. (Based on typical fleet driving, a university can eliminate roughly 12,000 pounds of annual carbon emissions for each gas-powered vehicle it replaces with an all-electric car or truck.)
To enter, visit www.nogasrequired.com and click on the “CREATE” tab for rules, eligibility, submission upload instructions, and contest-related downloads, including marketing materials (logos, tag, flyers, etc.) to promote participation at your college or university.
Learn More
Miles Electric Vehicles Partners with NO GAS REQUIRED to Give Students a Voice in the Fight Against Global Warming
SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Miles Electric Vehicles announced today that it is supporting NO GAS REQUIRED, a web site dedicated to helping students take direct action for positive environmental change. To kick off the launch of this online education and advocacy forum, Miles Electric Vehicles has also announced that it is partnering with NO GAS REQUIRED to promote the MILES Revolution Video Contest, which gives students the opportunity to create environmentally-themed videos for a chance to win $1,000 for themselves and a free MILES all-electric/no-emissions car for their college or university.
“Students are an extremely influential demographic and are at the vanguard of the sustainability movement,” said Miles Electric Vehicles CEO Jeff Boyd. “The MILES Revolution Video Contest asks students to use their creativity to spread the message of zero emissions transportation alternatives and make a difference on their campuses.”
Boyd added that nogasrequired.com offers an interactive forum where students can learn and dialogue about the environment and resources that help them take action to build a carbon-neutral society.
Students interested in participating in the contest should view the “MILES Revolution” video on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emsaAXN2cDI, then interpret it in their own unique style through any medium of expression (provided that it can ultimately be recorded in a video format). Entries should be submitted on the “UPLOAD” area of the NO GAS REQUIRED site. Qualifying submissions will then be posted by the NO GAS REQUIRED staff on YouTube for public viewing.
The five students whose works of video art garner the most views on YouTube will each be awarded a $1,000 cash scholarship. Each will also have a MILES all-electric vehicle donated to their college or university, in his or her name, to help reduce the campus’ carbon footprint. (Based on typical fleet driving, a university can eliminate roughly 12,000 pounds of annual carbon emissions for each gas-powered vehicle it replaces with an all-electric car or truck.)
To enter, visit www.nogasrequired.com and click on the “CREATE” tab for rules, eligibility, submission upload instructions, and contest-related downloads, including marketing materials (logos, tag, flyers, etc.) to promote participation at your college or university.
Learn More
Monday, October 01, 2007
Eco Friendly - being environmentally friendly for creating a healthy home and work environment
Eco Friendly - being environmentally friendly for creating a healthy home and work environment
Eco Friendly - A Natural Cleaning Cupboard
When is comes to household or work environment cleaners, we tend to want the best results in the least amount of time, without thinking too much about the effect that they may have on the environment. However, you don't have to believe everything the advertisements tell you: do look at the label to find out what's in the cleaner you are buying from the supermarket. Is it eco friendly?
It is now easy to find ecologically friendly washing powder, floor soap, heavy duty hand cleaners, lavatory cleaner and fabric conditioners - just to name a few. They are made from natural substances and are biodegradable. They do not contain enzymes, phosphates or bleaches and are not tested on animals, nor do they kill animal life in rivers and lakes after soaking away from your drains.
There are many environmentally friendly products available. Helpful suggestions, recommendations, and solutions, as well as access to quality products and services are available at most department store outlets in your neighbourhood.
Eco-friendly is not just important, it is vital. Literally. The eco-house and work environments of the future recycles waste bath and basin water to flush toilets, uses solar energy and is insulated with recycled newsprint: but even if you're not going to build an eco-house or work environment, you can still use your consumer power to create a natural home or work environment.
IN THE KITCHEN:
* Use a fast boiling kettle to save energy
* Ecologically-designed, energy efficient refrigerators and freezers that use butane for coolant
* Energy efficient, low water consuming washing machines and dishwaters
* Recycled glass products
* Reclaimed terra-cotta tile
* Bamboo for just about everything! Flooring, tables, chairs, blinds, screens, cutlery handles, steamers, trays, baskets, boxes and mats. It is the most environmentally friendly wood on the planet, being fast growing and easily replenished.
IN THE BEDROOM:
* Organic, unbleached cotton and silk sheets, duvet covers, bedspreads etc.
* Natural Mattresses and wool blankets
* Rugs colored with vegetable dyes
IN THE BATHROOM:
* Organically-grown cotton towels, bath mats and bathrobes made with natural plant dyes
* Bathroom toiletries: toothbrushes, shaving gear, nail brushes, soap, toilet paper and body oils that have no chemicals added to them in their manufacture
ECO-FRIENDLY IS NOT JUST IMPORTANT, IT IS VITAL
IN THE STUDY OR WORK ENVIRONMENT:
* Recycled stationery and print paper
* Flooring of sisal or hemp
* Recycled cardboard paper bins
IN THE LIVING ROOM:
* Unbleached cotton for blinds and curtains, cushion covers and carpets using natural dyes and pigments
* Batik vegetable-dyed throws over the chairs
* Hand-loomed rugs dyed with plants and vegetables
* Hemp and natural cotton rugs over coir (coconut matting) or sea grass flooring
* Rattan furniture or matting (it is a fast growing vine)
* Furniture made from reclaimed timbers such as ocean drift wood
* Raffia tablecloths
* Lampshades hand made from recycled paper and rags
OTHER GREEN CLEAN ECO-FRIENDLY TIPS:
* Make a conscious decision to create an eco-friendly home.
* By not using aerosols, as they are believed to damage the ozone layer which protects us from the harmful radiation of UV rays from the sun.
* Use organic paints which are made without harmful petrochemicals, use natural plant solvents such as linseed oil and turpentine, natural resins, earth and mineral pigments and plant dyes. They are kinder to the ozone layer and they reduce the occurrence of allergies.
* Floor polishes, wallpaper, filler, varnishes and household glue can be bought without the addition of toxic chemicals.
* Extend eco-thinking to your garden, by recycling waste as compost.
* Recycle all you own environmental waste: put bottles, cans, paper etc. into the local recycling bins.
Make your home and work environment a safe and healthy place to live in. Be eco friendly!
Eco Friendly - A Natural Cleaning Cupboard
When is comes to household or work environment cleaners, we tend to want the best results in the least amount of time, without thinking too much about the effect that they may have on the environment. However, you don't have to believe everything the advertisements tell you: do look at the label to find out what's in the cleaner you are buying from the supermarket. Is it eco friendly?
It is now easy to find ecologically friendly washing powder, floor soap, heavy duty hand cleaners, lavatory cleaner and fabric conditioners - just to name a few. They are made from natural substances and are biodegradable. They do not contain enzymes, phosphates or bleaches and are not tested on animals, nor do they kill animal life in rivers and lakes after soaking away from your drains.
There are many environmentally friendly products available. Helpful suggestions, recommendations, and solutions, as well as access to quality products and services are available at most department store outlets in your neighbourhood.
Eco-friendly is not just important, it is vital. Literally. The eco-house and work environments of the future recycles waste bath and basin water to flush toilets, uses solar energy and is insulated with recycled newsprint: but even if you're not going to build an eco-house or work environment, you can still use your consumer power to create a natural home or work environment.
IN THE KITCHEN:
* Use a fast boiling kettle to save energy
* Ecologically-designed, energy efficient refrigerators and freezers that use butane for coolant
* Energy efficient, low water consuming washing machines and dishwaters
* Recycled glass products
* Reclaimed terra-cotta tile
* Bamboo for just about everything! Flooring, tables, chairs, blinds, screens, cutlery handles, steamers, trays, baskets, boxes and mats. It is the most environmentally friendly wood on the planet, being fast growing and easily replenished.
IN THE BEDROOM:
* Organic, unbleached cotton and silk sheets, duvet covers, bedspreads etc.
* Natural Mattresses and wool blankets
* Rugs colored with vegetable dyes
IN THE BATHROOM:
* Organically-grown cotton towels, bath mats and bathrobes made with natural plant dyes
* Bathroom toiletries: toothbrushes, shaving gear, nail brushes, soap, toilet paper and body oils that have no chemicals added to them in their manufacture
ECO-FRIENDLY IS NOT JUST IMPORTANT, IT IS VITAL
IN THE STUDY OR WORK ENVIRONMENT:
* Recycled stationery and print paper
* Flooring of sisal or hemp
* Recycled cardboard paper bins
IN THE LIVING ROOM:
* Unbleached cotton for blinds and curtains, cushion covers and carpets using natural dyes and pigments
* Batik vegetable-dyed throws over the chairs
* Hand-loomed rugs dyed with plants and vegetables
* Hemp and natural cotton rugs over coir (coconut matting) or sea grass flooring
* Rattan furniture or matting (it is a fast growing vine)
* Furniture made from reclaimed timbers such as ocean drift wood
* Raffia tablecloths
* Lampshades hand made from recycled paper and rags
OTHER GREEN CLEAN ECO-FRIENDLY TIPS:
* Make a conscious decision to create an eco-friendly home.
* By not using aerosols, as they are believed to damage the ozone layer which protects us from the harmful radiation of UV rays from the sun.
* Use organic paints which are made without harmful petrochemicals, use natural plant solvents such as linseed oil and turpentine, natural resins, earth and mineral pigments and plant dyes. They are kinder to the ozone layer and they reduce the occurrence of allergies.
* Floor polishes, wallpaper, filler, varnishes and household glue can be bought without the addition of toxic chemicals.
* Extend eco-thinking to your garden, by recycling waste as compost.
* Recycle all you own environmental waste: put bottles, cans, paper etc. into the local recycling bins.
Make your home and work environment a safe and healthy place to live in. Be eco friendly!
GreenHomeGuide | 9 Ways to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient
GreenHomeGuide | 9 Ways to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient
9 Ways to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient
imageby Harvey Sachs, 09/04/06
Harvey M. Sachs, Ph.D., directs the Buildings Program at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). He works on building codes, equipment standards, and market transformation to increase the use of better products and practices. His research focuses on emerging technologies and practices. Before joining ACEEE, he was policy director of the Center for Global Change at the University of Maryland. Sachs has also served as assistant commissioner for energy in the New Jersey Department of Commerce, Energy, and Economic Development and as technical director of the Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium.
The house is a system. You save money and improve performance when you take cost-effective measures that reduce building loads, and then install systems and appliances that are the right size to meet the reduced loads. In general, oversizing worsens performance and increases costs.
The most effective strategy for improving household energy efficiency is to first target your home’s envelope—walls, attic, windows, and doors. Then reduce the energy consumption of systems, such as heating, cooling, lighting and appliances. Finally, consider clean energy generation (solar, geothermal, and so on).
1. Make sure your walls and attic are well insulated.
Effective insulation slows the rate that heat flows out of the house in winter or into the house in summer, so less energy is required to heat or cool the house. If your house has no wall insulation, and it has more-or-less continuous wall cavities (such as conventional stud walls), blown-in insulation can greatly improve your comfort and save enough energy to be very cost-effective. (It rarely pays to blow additional insulation into already insulated walls.) If your attic is unfinished, it often pays to upgrade its insulation.
Your contractor’s expertise is more important than the insulation material you choose. Properly installed fiberglass, cellulose and most foam insulation materials vary little in their R-value (a rating of a material’s resistance to heat flow) or the heat conduction of the completed wall system. The key is “properly installed.” Ideally, the contractor will use an infrared camera during or after installation to look for voids.
2. Upgrade or replace windows.
If your windows are old and leaky, it may be time to replace them with energy-efficient models or boost their efficiency with weatherstripping and storm windows. It is almost never cost-effective to replace windows just to save energy: in most houses, windows account for less than 15 percent of the heat loss, so even if you replaced all the windows with perfect insulators, you would save at most 15 percent. But if you are replacing windows for other reasons, in many areas the cost of upgrading to Energy Star–rated windows is very modest, perhaps $15 per window. This upgrade would be cost-effective—and increase your comfort to boot.
3. Plant shade trees and shrubs around your house.
If your house is older, with relatively poor insulation and windows, good landscaping (particularly deciduous trees) can save energy, especially if planted on the house’s west side. In summer, the foliage blocks infrared radiation that would warm the house, while the bare branches let this radiation come through during winter. Of course, if your house has very good insulation and Energy Star or better windows, the effect is much, much smaller because the building shell itself is already blocking almost all the heat gain.
4. Replace an older furnace with a high-efficiency system.
If your furnace was built before 1992 and has a standing pilot, it probably wastes 35 percent of the fuel it uses, and it may be near the end of its service life. In this case, in climates with at least 4,500 to 5,000 ”heating degree days,” ACEEE recommends early replacement with a condensing furnace with annual efficiency of at least 90 percent. This type of furnace wastes no more than 10 percent of the natural gas you buy, and may save you as much as 27 percent on your heating bill.
If your furnace was installed after 1991, it probably has an annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating of 80 percent, so the savings from replacement is smaller, but would be at least 11 percent if the unit is working perfectly. Your heating service technician or energy auditor may be able to help you determine the AFUE of your present system.
5. Improve the efficiency of your hot water system.
First, turn down the temperature of your water heater to the warm setting (120°F), particularly for fossil-fuel water heaters with their high standby losses. Second, insulate your hot water lines so they don’t cool off as quickly between uses. Third, use low-flow fixtures for showers and baths. While storage water heater standards were raised in 2001, it was probably not enough to justify thowing out an existing water heater that is working well.
Advanced contractors are now installing “on demand” hot water circulating loops that use a small pump to accelerate delivery of hot water to remote fixtures, which works great with low-flow fixtures. These are activated when users turn on a bathroom or kitchen tap, and turn off when hot water reaches the fixture. In ACEEE’s opinion, a continuous recirculating “hotel” loop wastes enormous amounts of water heating energy, and electricity for pumping.
6. Replace incandescent lights with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs).
CFLs can save three-quarters of the electricity used by incandescents. Most people don’t think about the fact that the electricity to run a light bulb costs much more than the bulb itself. One of the new CFLs costs about $3, but it lasts 10,000 hours and uses only about 27 watts to generate as much light as a 100-watt incandescent bulb. During its life, it uses about $22 in electricity, so the total cost is about $25. A 100-watt incandescent bulb costs 50 cents, but lasts 1,000 hours so you need 10 of them ($5 to buy) to last 10,000 hours. In those 10,000 hours you will use 1,000 kilowatts of electricity, which will cost more than $80 at a national average price. So the lighting cost of the CFL is less than one-third of the cost for the incandescent. The best targets for replacement are are 60- to 100-watt bulbs used several hours a day, because usage affects how long it takes to “recover” the investment.
7. If you are thinking of buying a new refrigerator, don’t leave the old one plugged in, in the basement, as a backup for party supplies and liquid refreshment.
Electricity to operate the old one isn’t free: figure an extra $50-150 per year to run it. In contrast, the new one, particularly if Energy Star rated, may cost only $30-60 per year to run because refrigerator efficiency has improved so much in the past three decades. Under these circumstances, think about how much refrigeration you really need. The best rule is to have only one refrigerator, and to size it to meet your real needs. That allows the luxury of ice-makers and similar conveniences with a clear conscience.
8. Take advantage of new tax incentives to improve your home.
The 2005 Federal Energy Bill offers tax credits for exemplary residential efficiency purchases in 2006 and 2007. For existing houses, the available credits are 10 percent of the improvement cost (the tax rebate is capped at $500 total, with smaller caps for certain improvements) for many measures, including: insulation and envelope improvements meeting ICC specifications; windows meeting ICC specifications; central air conditioners or heat pumps meeting 2006 Consortium for Energy Efficiency specifications; furnaces and boilers with AFUE of 95 or better; water heaters with Energy Factor of .80 or better; heat pump water heaters with an Energy Factor of 2.0 or better; and ground source heat pumps meeting specified performance levels.
9. Schedule an energy audit for more expert advice on your home as a whole.
Energy auditors and raters use specialized tools and skills to evaluate your home and recommend the most cost-effective measures to improve its comfort and efficiency, as well as the best sequence for doing them to take advantage of interactions. The rater can also provide independent verification of contractors’ work quality. Look for raters who are RESNET Accredited. In some regions, there are Home Performance with Energy Star programs, too. Most of these programs include low-cost home assessment and strong quality assurance practices and/or inspections.
9 Ways to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient
imageby Harvey Sachs, 09/04/06
Harvey M. Sachs, Ph.D., directs the Buildings Program at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). He works on building codes, equipment standards, and market transformation to increase the use of better products and practices. His research focuses on emerging technologies and practices. Before joining ACEEE, he was policy director of the Center for Global Change at the University of Maryland. Sachs has also served as assistant commissioner for energy in the New Jersey Department of Commerce, Energy, and Economic Development and as technical director of the Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium.
The house is a system. You save money and improve performance when you take cost-effective measures that reduce building loads, and then install systems and appliances that are the right size to meet the reduced loads. In general, oversizing worsens performance and increases costs.
The most effective strategy for improving household energy efficiency is to first target your home’s envelope—walls, attic, windows, and doors. Then reduce the energy consumption of systems, such as heating, cooling, lighting and appliances. Finally, consider clean energy generation (solar, geothermal, and so on).
1. Make sure your walls and attic are well insulated.
Effective insulation slows the rate that heat flows out of the house in winter or into the house in summer, so less energy is required to heat or cool the house. If your house has no wall insulation, and it has more-or-less continuous wall cavities (such as conventional stud walls), blown-in insulation can greatly improve your comfort and save enough energy to be very cost-effective. (It rarely pays to blow additional insulation into already insulated walls.) If your attic is unfinished, it often pays to upgrade its insulation.
Your contractor’s expertise is more important than the insulation material you choose. Properly installed fiberglass, cellulose and most foam insulation materials vary little in their R-value (a rating of a material’s resistance to heat flow) or the heat conduction of the completed wall system. The key is “properly installed.” Ideally, the contractor will use an infrared camera during or after installation to look for voids.
2. Upgrade or replace windows.
If your windows are old and leaky, it may be time to replace them with energy-efficient models or boost their efficiency with weatherstripping and storm windows. It is almost never cost-effective to replace windows just to save energy: in most houses, windows account for less than 15 percent of the heat loss, so even if you replaced all the windows with perfect insulators, you would save at most 15 percent. But if you are replacing windows for other reasons, in many areas the cost of upgrading to Energy Star–rated windows is very modest, perhaps $15 per window. This upgrade would be cost-effective—and increase your comfort to boot.
3. Plant shade trees and shrubs around your house.
If your house is older, with relatively poor insulation and windows, good landscaping (particularly deciduous trees) can save energy, especially if planted on the house’s west side. In summer, the foliage blocks infrared radiation that would warm the house, while the bare branches let this radiation come through during winter. Of course, if your house has very good insulation and Energy Star or better windows, the effect is much, much smaller because the building shell itself is already blocking almost all the heat gain.
4. Replace an older furnace with a high-efficiency system.
If your furnace was built before 1992 and has a standing pilot, it probably wastes 35 percent of the fuel it uses, and it may be near the end of its service life. In this case, in climates with at least 4,500 to 5,000 ”heating degree days,” ACEEE recommends early replacement with a condensing furnace with annual efficiency of at least 90 percent. This type of furnace wastes no more than 10 percent of the natural gas you buy, and may save you as much as 27 percent on your heating bill.
If your furnace was installed after 1991, it probably has an annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating of 80 percent, so the savings from replacement is smaller, but would be at least 11 percent if the unit is working perfectly. Your heating service technician or energy auditor may be able to help you determine the AFUE of your present system.
5. Improve the efficiency of your hot water system.
First, turn down the temperature of your water heater to the warm setting (120°F), particularly for fossil-fuel water heaters with their high standby losses. Second, insulate your hot water lines so they don’t cool off as quickly between uses. Third, use low-flow fixtures for showers and baths. While storage water heater standards were raised in 2001, it was probably not enough to justify thowing out an existing water heater that is working well.
Advanced contractors are now installing “on demand” hot water circulating loops that use a small pump to accelerate delivery of hot water to remote fixtures, which works great with low-flow fixtures. These are activated when users turn on a bathroom or kitchen tap, and turn off when hot water reaches the fixture. In ACEEE’s opinion, a continuous recirculating “hotel” loop wastes enormous amounts of water heating energy, and electricity for pumping.
6. Replace incandescent lights with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs).
CFLs can save three-quarters of the electricity used by incandescents. Most people don’t think about the fact that the electricity to run a light bulb costs much more than the bulb itself. One of the new CFLs costs about $3, but it lasts 10,000 hours and uses only about 27 watts to generate as much light as a 100-watt incandescent bulb. During its life, it uses about $22 in electricity, so the total cost is about $25. A 100-watt incandescent bulb costs 50 cents, but lasts 1,000 hours so you need 10 of them ($5 to buy) to last 10,000 hours. In those 10,000 hours you will use 1,000 kilowatts of electricity, which will cost more than $80 at a national average price. So the lighting cost of the CFL is less than one-third of the cost for the incandescent. The best targets for replacement are are 60- to 100-watt bulbs used several hours a day, because usage affects how long it takes to “recover” the investment.
7. If you are thinking of buying a new refrigerator, don’t leave the old one plugged in, in the basement, as a backup for party supplies and liquid refreshment.
Electricity to operate the old one isn’t free: figure an extra $50-150 per year to run it. In contrast, the new one, particularly if Energy Star rated, may cost only $30-60 per year to run because refrigerator efficiency has improved so much in the past three decades. Under these circumstances, think about how much refrigeration you really need. The best rule is to have only one refrigerator, and to size it to meet your real needs. That allows the luxury of ice-makers and similar conveniences with a clear conscience.
8. Take advantage of new tax incentives to improve your home.
The 2005 Federal Energy Bill offers tax credits for exemplary residential efficiency purchases in 2006 and 2007. For existing houses, the available credits are 10 percent of the improvement cost (the tax rebate is capped at $500 total, with smaller caps for certain improvements) for many measures, including: insulation and envelope improvements meeting ICC specifications; windows meeting ICC specifications; central air conditioners or heat pumps meeting 2006 Consortium for Energy Efficiency specifications; furnaces and boilers with AFUE of 95 or better; water heaters with Energy Factor of .80 or better; heat pump water heaters with an Energy Factor of 2.0 or better; and ground source heat pumps meeting specified performance levels.
9. Schedule an energy audit for more expert advice on your home as a whole.
Energy auditors and raters use specialized tools and skills to evaluate your home and recommend the most cost-effective measures to improve its comfort and efficiency, as well as the best sequence for doing them to take advantage of interactions. The rater can also provide independent verification of contractors’ work quality. Look for raters who are RESNET Accredited. In some regions, there are Home Performance with Energy Star programs, too. Most of these programs include low-cost home assessment and strong quality assurance practices and/or inspections.
again let’s do a panning…♫ black-crowned night-heron from bali♫
Originally uploaded by bocavermelha-l.b.
GreenPan Cookware | Gorgeous and Green, Organic, Eco, Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly Living at Sprig.com
GreenPan Cookware | Gorgeous and Green, Organic, Eco, Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly Living at Sprig.com
GreenPan Cookware
Featured item: AUG 6, 2007
The 6-piece set is gorgeous and so nicely priced. Like any non-stick pan, these make cooking and cleaning up afterward so easy—no sticky, gunky mess.
Thermolon, the non-stick coating in GreenPan Cookware, is the first environmentally friendly, PTFE-free one on the market. Traditional non-stick pans use perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which is a synthetic chemical used to manufacture polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and is toxic when released into the air.
Every Sunday morning my husband and I have the same fight. He makes blueberry pancakes (my favorite) for breakfast. So sweet, right? But then I notice the non-stick pan he's cooking on and I lose it. It's not like he's unaware of the reports that Teflon releases toxic gases, but when it comes to pancakes, he's all about perfection. Now, I have another card to play. I'm pregnant—and I don't want to breathe in anything carcinogenic. He grumbles, but acquiesces (after all it's his kid, too) and switches to a non-coated skillet. The pancakes are delicious, but the chef's a little sad, and the pan is harder to clean. Thankfully, I've just found the perfect solution: environmentally friendly non-stick pans. GreenPan Cookware pans make sautéing, browning, flipping pancakes, and most importantly, cleaning, fast and easy. But rather than using the potentially harmful coating of traditional non-stick pans, they're coated with Thermolon, a ceramic-based, non-toxic, non-stick technology. So now, I have my pancakes, my husband has his pan, and everyone is happy. I guess we'll have to find something else to fight about.
GreenPan Cookware
Featured item: AUG 6, 2007
The 6-piece set is gorgeous and so nicely priced. Like any non-stick pan, these make cooking and cleaning up afterward so easy—no sticky, gunky mess.
Thermolon, the non-stick coating in GreenPan Cookware, is the first environmentally friendly, PTFE-free one on the market. Traditional non-stick pans use perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which is a synthetic chemical used to manufacture polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and is toxic when released into the air.
Every Sunday morning my husband and I have the same fight. He makes blueberry pancakes (my favorite) for breakfast. So sweet, right? But then I notice the non-stick pan he's cooking on and I lose it. It's not like he's unaware of the reports that Teflon releases toxic gases, but when it comes to pancakes, he's all about perfection. Now, I have another card to play. I'm pregnant—and I don't want to breathe in anything carcinogenic. He grumbles, but acquiesces (after all it's his kid, too) and switches to a non-coated skillet. The pancakes are delicious, but the chef's a little sad, and the pan is harder to clean. Thankfully, I've just found the perfect solution: environmentally friendly non-stick pans. GreenPan Cookware pans make sautéing, browning, flipping pancakes, and most importantly, cleaning, fast and easy. But rather than using the potentially harmful coating of traditional non-stick pans, they're coated with Thermolon, a ceramic-based, non-toxic, non-stick technology. So now, I have my pancakes, my husband has his pan, and everyone is happy. I guess we'll have to find something else to fight about.
ReusableBags.com Newsroom: Plastic Bottles
ReusableBags.com Newsroom: Plastic Bottles
National Geographic: The Green Guide (July/August 2007 issue)
From childhood, we're told to drink at least eight glasses of water each day. Unfortunately more and more Americans drink those eight glasses out of plastic bottles—a convenience that stuffs landfills, clogs waterways and guzzles valuable fossil fuels.
Not only does bottled water contribute to excessive waste, but it costs us a thousand times more than water from our faucet at home, and it is, in fact, no safer or cleaner.
Water aside, the plastic used in both single-use and reusable bottles can pose more of a contamination threat than the water. A safe plastic if used only once, #1 polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE) is the most common resin used in disposable bottles. However, as #1 bottles are reused, which they commonly are, they can leach chemicals such as DEHA, a known carcinogen, and benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), a potential hormone disrupter.
While single-use water bottles should never be used more than once, some reusable water bottles simply shouldn't be used. The debate continues over the safety of bisphenol A (BPA), a hormone-disrupting chemical known to leach out of the #7 polycarbonate plastic used to make a variety of products.
National Geographic: The Green Guide (July/August 2007 issue)
From childhood, we're told to drink at least eight glasses of water each day. Unfortunately more and more Americans drink those eight glasses out of plastic bottles—a convenience that stuffs landfills, clogs waterways and guzzles valuable fossil fuels.
Not only does bottled water contribute to excessive waste, but it costs us a thousand times more than water from our faucet at home, and it is, in fact, no safer or cleaner.
Water aside, the plastic used in both single-use and reusable bottles can pose more of a contamination threat than the water. A safe plastic if used only once, #1 polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE) is the most common resin used in disposable bottles. However, as #1 bottles are reused, which they commonly are, they can leach chemicals such as DEHA, a known carcinogen, and benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), a potential hormone disrupter.
While single-use water bottles should never be used more than once, some reusable water bottles simply shouldn't be used. The debate continues over the safety of bisphenol A (BPA), a hormone-disrupting chemical known to leach out of the #7 polycarbonate plastic used to make a variety of products.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
