Okay USA - what are your plans? We can NOT continue to keep focused on oil.
One word: Solar, there are so many possibilities!
Showing posts with label Energy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Energy. Show all posts
Friday, October 22, 2010
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
White House Goes Green: Obama Home to Go Solar
Solar Panels to be Installed Above the White House's Living Quarters; Military Also Looking to Renewable Energy
Friday, October 01, 2010
Marcellus Shale links:
What is: http://www.marcellusshales.com/
Drilling projects and other information: http://www.marcellus-shale.us/
Combination of a web-based DataTool for tracking & visualizing data related to gas extraction in the Marcellus Shale region: http://www.fractracker.org/
Marcellus Shale Coalition: http://marcelluscoalition.org/
Marcellus Shale Protest: http://www.marcellusprotest.org/
Action alliance: http://shaleshock.org/
Keeping the public informed: http://themarcellusshale.com/
Neighborhood drilling: http://www.lpactiongroup.com/
Additional Information on Natural Gas Drilling:
http://damascuscitizens.org/ - Damascus Citizens
http://lpactiongroup.blogspot.com/ - LP Action Group Blog
http://shaleblog.com/ - Shale Blog
http://threeriverswaterkeeper.org/maps.html - Three Rivers Waterkeepers
http://www.chk.com/Pages/default.aspx - Chesapeake Energy
http://www.donnan.com/Marcellus-Gas_Hickory.htm - Bob's Blog
http://www.marcellus-shale.us/ - Marcellus Shale US
http://www.pennfuture.org/default.aspx - Penn Future
http://www.propublica.org/ - Propublica
http://damascuscitizens.org/ - Damascus Citizens
http://lpactiongroup.blogspot.com/ - LP Action Group Blog
http://shaleblog.com/ - Shale Blog
http://threeriverswaterkeeper.org/maps.html - Three Rivers Waterkeepers
http://www.chk.com/Pages/default.aspx - Chesapeake Energy
http://www.donnan.com/Marcellus-Gas_Hickory.htm - Bob's Blog
http://www.marcellus-shale.us/ - Marcellus Shale US
http://www.pennfuture.org/default.aspx - Penn Future
http://www.propublica.org/ - Propublica
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Book recommendation: Now or never
Do you care about climate change? Read THIS book! If you have any questions regarding the true crisis of today, you will find clearly defined the situation that we are in.
The latest research points to very disturbing possibilities if we don't act.
This is a book to get you called to action... a must read and a most important book to share.
Monday, September 06, 2010
Letterman and climate change: "Thank you for scaring the crap out of me."
From Care2:
Bill McKibben was on Letterman this week, talking about climate change, his new book, 350.org, the exciting (and growing!) 10:10 movement, and putting solar panels back on the White House. McKibben was both pessimistic and upbeat, while Letterman was serious and engaged. (select the link for the full article and video)
Bill McKibben was on Letterman this week, talking about climate change, his new book, 350.org, the exciting (and growing!) 10:10 movement, and putting solar panels back on the White House. McKibben was both pessimistic and upbeat, while Letterman was serious and engaged. (select the link for the full article and video)
Wednesday, September 01, 2010
Phantom Power (aka Vampire):
Pulling the Plug on Phantom Power : http://bit.ly/c5uHix
"Data centers and office buildings waste energy when their electronic devices are plugged in but are sitting in standby or no-load operation mode. Now there is a universal power adapter called Green Plug that can communicate with PCs, laptops, cell phones and other common devices to recognize how much power they need and shut off the power supply when charging is complete."
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
MNN: Eco Home Guide
Thank you Mother Nature Network for this eco home guide!
"With the average family spending about $1,900 a year on home utility bills, it's unfortunate for both the environment and your wallet that a large portion of that energy is wasted. Taking a whole-house approach to saving energy will not only make your home more comfortable and eco-friendly, but also yield long-term financial rewards, such as reduced energy bills and an increased home value."
Monday, August 16, 2010
Eco Button!!
- Illuminates and sits on your table/desk top next to your keyboard.
- Connects to your computer via a USB cable.
- Works on Windows 2000 / XP / Vista 32 and 64bit.
- One button system to put your computer in power saving mode.
- Each time your computer is put into 'ecomode' the clever ecobutton software records how many carbon units and how much power and money you have saved.
 |
| and to purchase. |
Thursday, August 12, 2010
China's New Bus "Straddles" Cars
From Care2:
posted by: Evie Pless 14 hours ago
For me, the most exciting aspect of the "straddling bus" being developed in China isn't the multi-leveled cinematic chase scenes it could be featured in. Nor is it the relative-motion physics problem it could potentially lead to. (If James Bond jumps off the front of a straddling bus at 30mph, will he manage to land on a car at 60mph, that is 10 meters behind and four meters below him?) It isn't even the inflatable plastic slide that each of the buses will be equipped with -- for those of us who don't feel comfortable leaping off large vehicles in the case of an emergency –- that has me most excited.
TAKE ACTION: Don't let public transportation in the United States fall behind in environmental awesomeness.
What's most exciting to me about the straddling bus is that it's such a clean, satisfying solution to an interesting puzzle.
Here are some of the main puzzle pieces Chinese inventors had to overcome:
Not surprisingly, it took a little insight to see how these pieces best fit together. And it took a lot of guts to say, "let's make this weird idea real."
The finished project is known officially as the "3D fast bus," but the nickname "straddling bus" is no misnomer. The bus will literally straddle the road and carry a shocking number of people -- around 1300 passengers -- over cars and under overpasses.
Shenzhen Hashi Future Parking Equipment Co., Ltd, proposed the bus idea. They say the bus will travel at up to 60 km/h (about 37mph). Construction of the 186 km of rails that will carry the bus will begin at the end of the year.
And the end of the year is by no means too soon for greenhouse gas-reducing technology. In terms of CO2, we're at 380 parts per million -- that's 100 ppm higher than it was at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. According to the chairman of the Shenzhen Hashi, their bus can save up to 860 tons of fuel per year, which would prevent the emission of 2,640 tons of carbon.
The United States is second only to China in greenhouse gas emissions. And transportation is a hot-button issue. The transportation sector makes up a third of the country's carbon dioxide emissions. From coast to coast, regions are struggling to deal with the multifaceted problem. In New York City, the economic crisis is causing controversial train closures and price jumps, while in Los Angeles, the mayor is attempting to borrow billions of dollars from the federal government for the largest transportation expansion project in the country.
If the straddling bus has inspired you to make United States transportation greener -- and weirder -- please sign our petition.
TAKE ACTION: Don't let public transportation in the United States fall behind in environmental awesomeness.
What's most exciting to me about the straddling bus is that it's such a clean, satisfying solution to an interesting puzzle.
Here are some of the main puzzle pieces Chinese inventors had to overcome:
- Reduce China's record-setting greenhouse gas emissions
- Reduce traffic
- Save money
- Save building time
- Transport people in the world's most populous country
- Impress and inspire the rest of the world
Not surprisingly, it took a little insight to see how these pieces best fit together. And it took a lot of guts to say, "let's make this weird idea real."
The finished project is known officially as the "3D fast bus," but the nickname "straddling bus" is no misnomer. The bus will literally straddle the road and carry a shocking number of people -- around 1300 passengers -- over cars and under overpasses.
Shenzhen Hashi Future Parking Equipment Co., Ltd, proposed the bus idea. They say the bus will travel at up to 60 km/h (about 37mph). Construction of the 186 km of rails that will carry the bus will begin at the end of the year.
And the end of the year is by no means too soon for greenhouse gas-reducing technology. In terms of CO2, we're at 380 parts per million -- that's 100 ppm higher than it was at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. According to the chairman of the Shenzhen Hashi, their bus can save up to 860 tons of fuel per year, which would prevent the emission of 2,640 tons of carbon.
The United States is second only to China in greenhouse gas emissions. And transportation is a hot-button issue. The transportation sector makes up a third of the country's carbon dioxide emissions. From coast to coast, regions are struggling to deal with the multifaceted problem. In New York City, the economic crisis is causing controversial train closures and price jumps, while in Los Angeles, the mayor is attempting to borrow billions of dollars from the federal government for the largest transportation expansion project in the country.
If the straddling bus has inspired you to make United States transportation greener -- and weirder -- please sign our petition.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
The hand washing versus dishwashing feud cannot be answered in terms of black and white.
CONCLUSION: Variables in types of dishwashers, manner in which hand washing is done - lead to a draw in many cases. Each case is really different, hand washing while keeping the water running is going to use more water than a dishwasher. If you are conservative and wash dishes in a sink (or a 4 qt pot like I do at current) full of soapy water, you could be using less water than your dishwasher.
*Not covered in any of the articles that I researched to compose this thread - From hand washing, reuse the water (commonly called greywater) by applying it to your yard/garden. Make sure that you are using environmentally friend dish soap. http://www.ukqna.com/garden/1369-2-home-ukqna.html
Many factors must be taken into consideration when determining between the two options, including how often you are washing dishes by hand, your hot water tank efficiency, whether you prerinse the dishes before loading them into the dishwasher, whether you are running a full load, whether your dishwasher itself is sustainable (or more so than most) and whether you are using the heated dry option on your dishwasher. And we can't forget what time of day you are running your dishwasher.
Energy/water usage aside - dishwashers are convenient in our busy lives and let us get on with life instead of being tied up at the sink. Money vs time vs convenience. We as consumers can make good choices with the type of dishwasher and how we use it. There is also the part that dishwashers sterilize better.
(Semi-)CONCLUSION:
Although comparing hand washing and dish washing is difficult, I am sure we can agree on several things to stay more efficient and more eco-friendly. If you do use the dishwasher, make sure you:
*Not covered in any of the articles that I researched to compose this thread - From hand washing, reuse the water (commonly called greywater) by applying it to your yard/garden. Make sure that you are using environmentally friend dish soap. http://www.ukqna.com/garden/1369-2-home-ukqna.html
Many factors must be taken into consideration when determining between the two options, including how often you are washing dishes by hand, your hot water tank efficiency, whether you prerinse the dishes before loading them into the dishwasher, whether you are running a full load, whether your dishwasher itself is sustainable (or more so than most) and whether you are using the heated dry option on your dishwasher. And we can't forget what time of day you are running your dishwasher.
Energy/water usage aside - dishwashers are convenient in our busy lives and let us get on with life instead of being tied up at the sink. Money vs time vs convenience. We as consumers can make good choices with the type of dishwasher and how we use it. There is also the part that dishwashers sterilize better.
(Semi-)CONCLUSION:
Although comparing hand washing and dish washing is difficult, I am sure we can agree on several things to stay more efficient and more eco-friendly. If you do use the dishwasher, make sure you:
- Always run a full load
- Skip the heated dry option and air-dry dishes by selecting the air-dry setting or opening your dishwasher's door instead of using the heat-dry cycle.
- Forgo needless pre-rinsing dishes before loading them in your dishwasher to save water
- Run the dishwasher when energy rates are lower (at night/early am)
- Try to upgrade to a more efficient model (if you have not already)
Just try and use less. Try using fewer items in general, such as reusing your cups throughout the day or wiping breadcrumbs off the plate that only carried a sandwich and popping it back in the cabinet.
***Here are some good arguments for both cases:
WINNER: HAND WASHING
http://ezinearticles.com/?Dishwasher-Vs-Hand-Washing---The-Green-Experiment&id=4015922
The Experiment
Several speculations have been previously noted regarding the efficiency of dish washing vs. hand washing. A study was conducted in Germany regarding the efficiency of both practices, which concluded that dish washing was in fact, the most efficient. Now, who exactly funded this experiment has never been disclosed. Could it have been a household appliance manufacturer? Many experiments are sometimes conducted to purposely skew in a specific direction. I decided it was time to do my own experiment and find out once and for all which of the two dish washing practices is the real deal.
To conduct this real life experiment I spent exactly one month washing all my dishes by hand and one full month running the dishwasher. I chose the month of February and March, which average similar temperatures in South Florida. I maintained my air conditioning system at a temperature of 76 degrees Fahrenheit throughout both months, and tried as hard as possible to eat-out or order in the same amount of times both months. Of course, there are definite inconsistencies in such a real-life experiment, such as how long you shower, how often you flush the toilet, the outside temperature, etc... but, my family and I just continued to go on about our lives exactly the same. The only difference was our dish washing ritual. Oh, and of course, February did have 28 days, while March had 30. The dishwasher used for this experiment is a Bosch Integra 300 series. This machine is about 5 years old and has the Energy Star qualification (Energy Star is awarded to those dishwashers who do not exceed 5.8 gallons of water per run).
Practices used for both methods of dish washing:
Dishwasher:
• Run it only when it is completely filled to its maximum capacity
• Keep rinsing to a minimal, just rinse the excess scraps. You defeat the purpose of using the dishwasher if you're spending gallons of water just rinsing your dishes.
• Rinse first... turn off the faucet... and then place in dishwasher (I have often seen people loading the dishwasher while the faucet is running full force just to rinse a fork).
Hand-Washing:
• First, wet all the dishes rapidly and turn OFF the faucet
• Using a sponge, soap all the dishes, glasses, etc... get a little more water to wet sponge, if needed, and turn off faucet again.
• After all dishes have been soaped, rinse them off and set them in dish drainer.
• Faucet does not have to be at full force and it is not necessary to wash the dishes with burning hot water. Turn off faucet often, while placing dishes in rack.
The Conclusion
Ironically, my experiment proved that responsible hand washing was the winner. During the month of February, when I washed all dishes by hand the electric reading was Kwh 19,973, while in March, when I strictly used the dishwasher responsibly the electric reading was Kwh 22,294. I saved $16.55 in the electric bill in February. The water bill showed a usage of 3,142 gallons in the month of February and 3,105 in the month of March. In conclusion, there was a very small significance in water usage when comparing both practices but a slightly higher significance in electric consumption. Personally, I wash my dishes by hand most days, but do still enjoy the convenience of my dishwasher on those days that I'm feeling a bit tired. Although, the results may not seem very alarming, I do want to emphasize that when thousands of people are responsible in the simple household tasks it does make an impact.
WINNER: DISHWASHER
http://www.greenyour.com/home/kitchen-cooking/dishwashing/tips/run-your-dishwasher-instead-of-hand-washing-dishes
Run your dishwasher instead of hand-washing dishes
Hand-washing dishes often results in several gallons of water running down the drain each day. Running your dishwasher instead of hand-washing dishes can help reduce your water usage by about 35 percent.
How to save more water and energy when using your dishwasher
Yes, you can be an eco-friendly dishwasher by using your automatic dish washing machine! So boost your dish washing efficiency with these energy- and water-saving ideas:
1. Run your dishwasher only when it’s full to save up to 400 gallons of water per month.
2. Air-dry dishes by selecting the air-dry setting or opening your dishwasher's door instead of using the heat-dry cycle. This can cut your dishwasher’s energy use by 15 percent to 50 percent.
3. Forgo pre-rinsing dishes before loading them in your dishwasher to save up to 25 gallons per load.
Want to save even more by using your dishwasher? Replace your old dishwasher with an ENERGY STAR dishwasher. These dishwashers are at least 41 percent more efficient than minimum Federal energy consumption standards. Not only do they use an average of 1,000 fewer gallons of water per year, but they also use significantly less electricity, mainly by heating water more efficiently.
Look for a dishwasher with a built-in hot water booster to bring additional energy savings. This raises the water temperature inside the dishwasher to 140 degrees Fahrenheit (recommended for optimal cleaning), allowing the main household water heater to be turned down to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or less. For every 10 degrees a water heater's thermostat is lowered, the water-heating bill drops by up to 13 percent.
Running your dishwasher instead of hand-washing dishes helps you go green because…
* It uses significantly less water, particularly if it's fully loaded. By contrast, hand-washing often means the faucet runs continuously, allowing gallons of water to pour down the drain. Water use is even higher if dishes are hand-washed multiple times per day.
On average, hand washing dishes uses significantly more water because most people tend to leave the faucet running or wash dishes several times a day. Running a dishwasher fully loaded, particularly if dishes aren’t pre-rinsed, uses about 35 percent less water than washing dishes by hand.
One study by researchers at the University of Bonn in Germany found that hand-washing dishes uses between five and 86 gallons of water compared to four to five gallons for the average European dishwasher. Americans didn't participate in the study, but statistics show the average US dishwasher uses nine to 12 gallons per load (less for energy-efficient models) versus up to 20 gallons for hand-washing. With American households running a dishwasher only four or five times a week, on average, that represents a considerable savings over washing by hand, particularly when dishes are hand-washed once or more a day.
The only time that hand-washing dishes uses less water than a dishwasher is when a dishpan or sink basin is filled and no additional water is run. This method consumes about half of what a dishwasher uses per load.
Built In Dishwashers vs. Hand Washing: Which is Greener?
***Here are some good arguments for both cases:
WINNER: HAND WASHING
http://ezinearticles.com/?Dishwasher-Vs-Hand-Washing---The-Green-Experiment&id=4015922
The Experiment
Several speculations have been previously noted regarding the efficiency of dish washing vs. hand washing. A study was conducted in Germany regarding the efficiency of both practices, which concluded that dish washing was in fact, the most efficient. Now, who exactly funded this experiment has never been disclosed. Could it have been a household appliance manufacturer? Many experiments are sometimes conducted to purposely skew in a specific direction. I decided it was time to do my own experiment and find out once and for all which of the two dish washing practices is the real deal.
To conduct this real life experiment I spent exactly one month washing all my dishes by hand and one full month running the dishwasher. I chose the month of February and March, which average similar temperatures in South Florida. I maintained my air conditioning system at a temperature of 76 degrees Fahrenheit throughout both months, and tried as hard as possible to eat-out or order in the same amount of times both months. Of course, there are definite inconsistencies in such a real-life experiment, such as how long you shower, how often you flush the toilet, the outside temperature, etc... but, my family and I just continued to go on about our lives exactly the same. The only difference was our dish washing ritual. Oh, and of course, February did have 28 days, while March had 30. The dishwasher used for this experiment is a Bosch Integra 300 series. This machine is about 5 years old and has the Energy Star qualification (Energy Star is awarded to those dishwashers who do not exceed 5.8 gallons of water per run).
Practices used for both methods of dish washing:
Dishwasher:
• Run it only when it is completely filled to its maximum capacity
• Keep rinsing to a minimal, just rinse the excess scraps. You defeat the purpose of using the dishwasher if you're spending gallons of water just rinsing your dishes.
• Rinse first... turn off the faucet... and then place in dishwasher (I have often seen people loading the dishwasher while the faucet is running full force just to rinse a fork).
Hand-Washing:
• First, wet all the dishes rapidly and turn OFF the faucet
• Using a sponge, soap all the dishes, glasses, etc... get a little more water to wet sponge, if needed, and turn off faucet again.
• After all dishes have been soaped, rinse them off and set them in dish drainer.
• Faucet does not have to be at full force and it is not necessary to wash the dishes with burning hot water. Turn off faucet often, while placing dishes in rack.
The Conclusion
Ironically, my experiment proved that responsible hand washing was the winner. During the month of February, when I washed all dishes by hand the electric reading was Kwh 19,973, while in March, when I strictly used the dishwasher responsibly the electric reading was Kwh 22,294. I saved $16.55 in the electric bill in February. The water bill showed a usage of 3,142 gallons in the month of February and 3,105 in the month of March. In conclusion, there was a very small significance in water usage when comparing both practices but a slightly higher significance in electric consumption. Personally, I wash my dishes by hand most days, but do still enjoy the convenience of my dishwasher on those days that I'm feeling a bit tired. Although, the results may not seem very alarming, I do want to emphasize that when thousands of people are responsible in the simple household tasks it does make an impact.
WINNER: DISHWASHER
http://www.greenyour.com/home/kitchen-cooking/dishwashing/tips/run-your-dishwasher-instead-of-hand-washing-dishes
Run your dishwasher instead of hand-washing dishes
Hand-washing dishes often results in several gallons of water running down the drain each day. Running your dishwasher instead of hand-washing dishes can help reduce your water usage by about 35 percent.
How to save more water and energy when using your dishwasher
Yes, you can be an eco-friendly dishwasher by using your automatic dish washing machine! So boost your dish washing efficiency with these energy- and water-saving ideas:
1. Run your dishwasher only when it’s full to save up to 400 gallons of water per month.
2. Air-dry dishes by selecting the air-dry setting or opening your dishwasher's door instead of using the heat-dry cycle. This can cut your dishwasher’s energy use by 15 percent to 50 percent.
3. Forgo pre-rinsing dishes before loading them in your dishwasher to save up to 25 gallons per load.
Want to save even more by using your dishwasher? Replace your old dishwasher with an ENERGY STAR dishwasher. These dishwashers are at least 41 percent more efficient than minimum Federal energy consumption standards. Not only do they use an average of 1,000 fewer gallons of water per year, but they also use significantly less electricity, mainly by heating water more efficiently.
Look for a dishwasher with a built-in hot water booster to bring additional energy savings. This raises the water temperature inside the dishwasher to 140 degrees Fahrenheit (recommended for optimal cleaning), allowing the main household water heater to be turned down to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or less. For every 10 degrees a water heater's thermostat is lowered, the water-heating bill drops by up to 13 percent.
Running your dishwasher instead of hand-washing dishes helps you go green because…
* It uses significantly less water, particularly if it's fully loaded. By contrast, hand-washing often means the faucet runs continuously, allowing gallons of water to pour down the drain. Water use is even higher if dishes are hand-washed multiple times per day.
On average, hand washing dishes uses significantly more water because most people tend to leave the faucet running or wash dishes several times a day. Running a dishwasher fully loaded, particularly if dishes aren’t pre-rinsed, uses about 35 percent less water than washing dishes by hand.
One study by researchers at the University of Bonn in Germany found that hand-washing dishes uses between five and 86 gallons of water compared to four to five gallons for the average European dishwasher. Americans didn't participate in the study, but statistics show the average US dishwasher uses nine to 12 gallons per load (less for energy-efficient models) versus up to 20 gallons for hand-washing. With American households running a dishwasher only four or five times a week, on average, that represents a considerable savings over washing by hand, particularly when dishes are hand-washed once or more a day.
The only time that hand-washing dishes uses less water than a dishwasher is when a dishpan or sink basin is filled and no additional water is run. This method consumes about half of what a dishwasher uses per load.
Built In Dishwashers vs. Hand Washing: Which is Greener?
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Care2: Stop Auto Dealers from Blocking Fuel Efficient Cars!
Here is the information...
http://www.care2.com/causes/global-warming/blog/stop-auto-dealers-from-blocking-fuel-efficient-cars/
Sign the petition (I did)!
Thanks!
Karen
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)