How to Eliminate Your Electric Bill by Going Green at Home!
It’s been rough going in our world for the past year, during this recession. Millions of people are out of work and trying to cut down on costs and save their money. Fortunately, there’s an opportunity knocking at the door, do it yourself green energy projects! Believe it or not, there are hundreds of ways to reduce your electric bill and go green at home. Could you imagine; no electric bill, no power outages, and best of all, affordable green energy for your own home!
First things first… What is solar energy?
Solar energy is the capture and use of the sun’s rays and radiation. Solar cells are strung together within a full solar panel and convert up to 35% of the sun’s rays into pure electricity. The electricity can be used as its generated, stored in batteries for use at later times, or if you are not using it or storing it, it can be sent out onto the utility grid for use by other people. In this case, you’re credited by the utility company for providing that electricity to others.
But wait… Isn’t going green expensive?
Many people believe that it’s very expensive to go green and although this may be true to a point, it’s not completely the case. Professionally built and installed solar power or wind generator systems can cost upwards of 0,000 for a large house to go off-grid. However, there are new products available today that show and teach you how to create your own solar power or wind turbine systems. You can build anywhere from a few solar panels to help cut your energy costs or an entire roof-full to go off-grid and completely eliminate your power bill. The best part of all is how simple it is to find and read through the information you need to know, especially with the guides available today that include free video instructions.
Isn’t solar technology a little too complex to “do it yourself?”
Although solar and wind turbine energy may sound complex and difficult, you have nothing to fear. It’s actually very simple to build your own solar panels. One of the most difficult parts of the projects involved “stringing” the solar cells together. This involves the art of soldering, not as tough as you thought, right? Other than soldering you will need to have a small bit of experience with electrical wiring. This is also quite simple, just be careful and turn off the power! The best part of all is if you’re new to soldering or electrical wiring you have nothing to fear. These are easy skills to learn and the tools are inexpensive. You should have no problem with such a project. There are guides available that make these tasks very easy to understand and accomplish.
If this little article caught your interest and you’d like to look into a do it yourself solar panel project or wind turbine system there are many guides available that can teach you all about solar and wind energy, show you exactly how to build and install a system, and make it very simple. I would recommend such a project only for those familiar with DIY experience, but with the simplicity of the instructions and considering I did it, I’m confident anybody can do this.
Rachelle Carson-Begley and Ed Begley Jr. invite you to experience how they go green at home.
Rachelle and Ed Begley, Jr. who just finished their third season of Living With Ed on the Green Planet channel and were kind enough to show the amazing steps they’ve taken to reduce their coarbon footprint. They are practically energy self sufficient with the solar panels on the roof, recycled tires for grass, a grey water recovery system to irrigate the organic garden they grow in the backyard. Ed’s hierarchy of transportation starts with walking to neighborhood shops, then if necessary he’ll bike, then if it’s too far to bike it’s the public transportation around town, then when traveling out of town, Ed uses Rachelle’s Prius.
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“Living Green” Tour
Sherry Chris interviews BHG Living Green Exhibit host Steven Whittle about consumer response to the 2500 square foot green home. The exhibit toured 15 cities in all and raised the green awareness levels of thousands of visitors. As Steve Whittle will tell you, green is mainstream.
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Green Vehicles in Denver
Footage of a hybrid Prius taxi in Denver, along with a new GM fuel-cell vehicle for display at the Democratic National Convention
Living Green in 5 Easy Steps
It’s a common misconception that living green is more expensive than not. But, if you look at it from a different perspective you can see that you can do so with out too much effort of with out spending a lot of money.
I have found 5 simple tips to help contribute to reducing your carbon footprint without lightening your wallet…
1. USE COMPACT FLUORESCENT LIGHT BULBS – This is an item that is a little pricey but if you attempt it bit by bit or room by room its not as hard on the wallet. Focus on rooms that get the most use : living room, kitchen, family room or office.
In the beginning, pay attention for a day or two to find which room you spend the most time in and change those blubs. Then try to find the second most used room and when you can afford it change out those bulbs.
Its all about small steps that in time can be very effective. Here are some statistics I gathered from the Energy Star website:
If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than 0 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars. ENERGY STAR qualified bulbs use about 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. Save about or more in electricity costs over each bulb’s lifetime. CFL’s Produce about 75 percent less heat, so they’re safer to operate and can cut energy costs associated with home cooling.
2. UNPLUG ELECTRONICS WHEN NOT IN USE – This tip is a great way to save energy usage that essentially costs you no more than a bit of time.
I’m sure we all have some appliances that are plugged in and are drawing electricity even though we are not using them.
Do you shut your computer down every night? Do you have a clock in every room? Do you have a VCR or DVD player with a clock and memory to maintain?
Did you know that even if your TV is off it is still drawing electricity to power a memory device? Coffee makers are another culprit.
A good rule or thumb is to ask yourself what appliances need to be re-set after a power outage. These are items you need to address. If you’re not sure if an appliance is an energy sucker, just unplug it. If its not plugged in, it can’t draw electricity.
3.USE CLOTH SHOPPING BAGS – This is one of the easiest tips I have for you. You would be astonished at how many folks don’t do it.
My suggestion is to buy a few and keep them in the car (I have a knack for forgetting them). Most supermarkets have displays of them for .99 with a lower price if you buy more than 3 or 5.
Not a big investment and I have to say it makes unloading the groceries much easier. It is so nice to have 2 nice strong bags instead of a dozen flimsy plastic ones and you can get everything into the house that much faster.
Here are some great facts I found about plastic shopping bags:
* Hundreds of thousands of sea turtles, whales and other marine mammals die every year from eating discarded plastic bags mistaken for food. * Plastic bags don’t biodegrade, they photo-degrade – breaking down into smaller and smaller toxic bits contaminating soil and waterways.
* As a part of Clean up Australia Day, in one day nearly 500,000 plastic bags were collected.
* Windblown plastic bags are so prevalent in Africa that a cottage industry has developed using the harvested bags to weave hats and bags. According to the BBC, one group harvests 30,000 per month.
* Plastic bags are among the top 12 items of debris most often found in coastal cleanups, according to the nonprofit Center for Marine Conservation
4. USE NATURAL CLEANING PRODUCTS – Now don’t go and throw out all of your cleaning products, that would defeat what we are trying to do. Use up what you have and before you run out, go through this list, stock up and prepare your solutions so you’ll be ready to go.
I would advise to purchase some new plastic spray bottles rather than try to reuse the old ones from the other cleaners, there will be some residue left behind that would require a lot of rinsing to remove.
I don’t use everything on this list but I do use a lot of white vinegar and baking soda as well as some commercial enviro-friendly products that I purchase from a reputable company.
Baking Soda – Baking soda is a great all-purpose, non-toxic cleaner. It cleans, deodorizes, scours, polishes and removes stains. (Note – There’s a great article on this site about baking soda, “The Manifold Magic of Baking Soda”)
Borax – It deodorizes, removes stains and boosts the cleaning power of soap. It prevents odors and mold too. Great alternative for those who do not want to use bleach.
Cornstarch – cleans and deodorizes carpets and rugs, and can be used in place of baby powder.
Ketchup -cleans copper.
Lemon juice – great for whitening items and removing grease and stains on aluminum and porcelain.
Pure Soap – cleans almost anything and is mild.
Salt – regular table salt makes an abrasive, but gentle, scouring powder.
Washing Soda – A great disinfectant and cuts grease well too.
White Vinegar -great for whitening, cleaning hard surfaces and windows, and shining metal surfaces. Also removes mildew, stains, grease and wax build up
For even more helpful and natural cleaning products go to www.frugalfun.com/cleansers.html
5.STOP USING PAPER TOWELS – This is a tough one when you have little ones, I know, but I found some great alternatives.
Cloth napkins are one way to at least cut back on paper towel use and if you bargain shop you can usually find some decent ones for less than .50 a piece.
Another great product is those chamois style towels that suck up so much liquid. I have a bunch and love them, they wash up easily and hold up well too.
Home Energy Saving Tips – Home 101
Home 101 hosts, Curtis and Courtney, demonstrate easy ways to make your home more energy efficient. Learn about caulking around doors and windows, adding CFL bulbs, adding door sweeps and more to increase home energy savings. For more great home projects like this, visit www.Lowes.com
Petrol, diesel, hybrid, electric – which is best?
So you want an economical, low emission car, but with new technologies appearing all the time, do you choose petrol, diesel, hybrid, electric… or something else…?
Vehicles emit carbon dioxide (CO2), the major cause of climate change. They also produce other emissions that impact on the quality of local air (the air that we breathe). New cleaner green vehicles are coming onto the market all the time, so we can do our bit by choosing lower-emission vehicles. This also saves us money on running costs. But how do you know which technology to choose? This is a quick guide to help you decide what’s best for you.
Petrol and diesel models
The Toyota Aygo manages to be a cheap, fun and economical city car with a petrol engine that manages 62.8mpg and emits just 106g/km CO2
Most vehicles still have conventional petrol or diesel engines. But, the good news is that they are becoming increasingly fuel efficient. Better efficiency means fewer emissions.
Petrol engines are generally favoured for smaller city-type cars, as they are lighter, more responsive for urban driving and cheaper to manufacture.
Diesel engines are more economical than petrol engines, especially for longer journeys, which means they also have lower CO2 emissions. The downside is that diesel engines can emit particulates that harm local air quality more than petrol engine emissions. The emissions are reduced if the vehicle has a diesel particulate filter (DPF).
Green models
BlueMotion is Volkswagen’s super-efficient range, the new UK-spec Polo BlueMotion can manage 83.1mpg and emits just 90g/km CO2
Many car manufacturers offer green versions of their conventional models. These are more fuel efficient and so have lower emissions. Certain common technologies are used to achieve such fuel savings. These include better aerodynamics, reduced weight, lower-resistance tyres, lower gearing, remapped engine management systems, stop-start systems and less load on the engine from ancillary items.
Green models often have a price premium. This means you must work out if your mileage will give large enough savings to pay back the extra investment. At least one manufacturer is applying efficient technologies to all its vehicles.
Hybrid models
The latest Toyota Prius hybrid emits just 89g/km CO2 and can achieve 72.4mpg – amazing figures for a five seat hatchback
A hybrid vehicle has a conventional engine and a battery-powered electric motor. The idea is that the engine is used most of the time, but in most hybrids the electric motor alone can provide power at low speeds. In urban use, this means a hybrid car should offer reduced fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. At higher speeds, the engine and the electric motor may work together to provide more power.
At the moment, only petrol-electric hybrids are available in the UK. Diesel hybrids are due soon. Although hybrid vehicles can offer lower emissions in towns and cities, they can still be driven for long distances thanks to the petrol engine. Hybrid cars are generally more expensive than comparable non-hybrid ones.
Plug-in hybrid vehicles will be here soon. You plug these into an electricity supply to recharge the electric motor’s battery, which means higher electric power capacity and therefore lower exhaust emissions.
Electric vehicles
The Mitsubishi i MiEV is an all-electric vehicle that’s excellent to drive, exists now, and is due to be available in the UK before the end of 2010
We are at the start of an electric revolution. There are currently only a few electric vehicles to buy today. This will change soon, as many manufacturers are planning to bring new electric vehicles to the marketplace.
Electric vehicles do not produce any emissions. If they are recharged using electricity from renewable sources, they are potentially the lowest emission vehicles you could use. The problems are the limited range before they need recharging and their relatively low top speeds. Nonetheless, they are ideal for short journeys in urban environments, where the number of recharging facilities is expanding.
Although you can buy electric cars, vans and scooters, the choice is limited. Electric cars with the latest technology can be expensive, but their running costs are very low.
Biofuels
Saab saw biofuels as having real potential and brought vehicles such as the 9-5 BioPower to market, but sufficient financial incentives for biofuels currently don’t exist in the UK
Some vehicles available in the UK can be powered by biofuels. Biofuels are renewable; they can be produced from plant material or waste vegetable oil, for example.
Some petrol engines can be adjusted to run on bioethanol or blends containing a high proportion of bioethanol. Bioethanol fuel is only available at a few fuel stations. Some diesel engines can run on biodiesel or biodiesel blends, but these fuels too have limited availability.
Check the sustainability credentials of all biofuels. The most sustainable are those made from waste or non- food crops. The biofuels currently being developed from sources such algae promise to be the most sustainable.
Gas
There aren’t many vehicles around that are powered by gas but this Volkswagen Caddy van is one of them, and it’s greener than most as it runs on biogas
Gas, such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or compressed natural gas (CNG), can power some vehicles.
Vehicles that can run on LPG are usually dual-fuel conversions, i.e., they also run on petrol. LPG is a slightly cleaner fuel than petrol, and it is certainly cheaper. CNG is used primarily for heavier commercial-type vehicles.
Biomethane is renewable bio-gas derived from sources such as landfill sites, so it’s very sustainable but unfortunately is not widely available.
Hydrogen
Honda is the first manufacturer to produce a car powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, the FCX Clarity, which is currently on the road in America and Japan, albeit it in limited numbers
Hydrogen is the ultimate future fuel, as its only emission is water. Some manufacturers are either producing or trialling cars powered by hydrogen, but they must overcome some challenges before we can all drive around in hydrogen-powered vehicles. These challenges include the lack of a hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, the expense of making hydrogen-powered vehicles and producing hydrogen sustainably.
Summary
While some manufacturers are offering greener variants of some of their models, BMW has applied its EfficientDynamics technologies throughout its model range, with the aim of ensuring all of its cars are still great to drive while being class-leading in terms of low emissions
Zero-exhaust-emission vehicles are the ideal for urban areas. Electric vehicles achieve this. They are available, and the choice will increase with time.
If you need a longer range than an electric vehicle offers, a hybrid vehicle may be the answer, and it helps to reduce emissions from urban driving.
If electric or hybrid vehicles are impractical, choose a vehicle that has best-in-class efficiency. And if new vehicles are too expensive, remember, second-hand green vehicles are also available.
www.green-car-guide.com
Energy Saving Around The Home – Run Your Home For Free
Saving energy is the same as having a good investment. Whether energy saving around the home or to industries, not just energy is saved but also reserves some money for other important matters or even for rainy days. Saving energy is a must and what better way to start first at home with these tips that you sure to appreciate.
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Almost everything we practically use is based on electricity. In order to maximize the use without raising your bill and the risk of energy storage, we must be wise enough to use our electrical appliances, remember what you waste right now might be your need for the future. So start saving and earning like the bank and see the difference of convenience and wise way of being practical.
Turning off switches means a lot. Standby mode will be impractical if the type of appliance would not be in use. The consequences are not too much of what you call good expectations if you try to look at the electric bill. Turn that switch off to see the difference of savings and the effectiveness of your electrical appliance in energy saving.
Unplugging would also contribute big in saving energy. Electrical appliances tend to ease out in heat when their plugs are not connected. In this practical way, a prolonged life is expected for your electrical appliance, not to mention the manner of stabilizing it’s effectiveness in every use and not to mention the savings that you cut down on your electric bill.
Use electric efficient appliances such as LED lamps that are consuming less electric current than CFC lights. Practically, using less electricity but effectively delivering good function of modern appliances will be wiser compared to planning a series of lighting that eventually leads up to a compromised electric bill and more effort in maintaining the function. Try to look for some electrical appliances that can save you money and energy.
To wrap it up on energy saving around the home, being aware and focusing on practical benefits of saving energy will be a good insight to promote a practical and awareness of being concern for energy to be used in accord. This time you can make a difference and what better place to do it than at home where everything starts.
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Green car insurance
Owning a green vehicle automatically makes it viable for you to have green car insurance as well. Because all cars are legally required to carry the minimum amount of insurance coverage imposed by each state individually, green cars also need to carry these types of coverage regardless of what their emission levels are. However, with green car insurance it goes a bit beyond the typical coverage against certain types of damage. The environment is getting worse and the need in green vehicles is constantly rising, so does the need in green car insurance. When you purchase green car insurance policy a part of the money you pay as a premium is transferred to certain funds that are aimed at minimizing the effects of bad environment and global warming. You can’t say that about typical insurance coverage for non-environmental vehicles, can you? The number of people who are buying green vehicles these days is constantly rising, regardless of the fact that green cars are still too expensive in comparison with traditional vehicles. With such trends, more insurance providers offer green auto insurance solutions as the market of green vehicles is constantly expanding. However, in order to stimulate the purchase of green vehicles, insurance providers offer lower rates on green cars than on typical autos. It seems that even big insurance companies are recognizing the importance of stimulating green car sales and their initiatives can be regarded as a support of this trend. For some, it’s cheaper to buy an expensive green car and pay lower premiums than buy an old cheap auto and pay thousands of dollars each year. Still, when green car insurance was only introduced and the number of green cars was low the auto insurance quotes green drivers had to deal with were much higher than today. But as the time passed and more green cars started roaming the roads (and more green auto insurance policies were sold) the rates went down and they are still dropping gradually. Today, there are about 40,000 green cars on the road and the number is increasing yearly. More and more people are realizing the fact that the carbon footprint has to be reduced and green cars are an effective solution to the problem. There are numerous benefits of having a green car. Not only do you get lower auto insurance rates, you also help the environment and save some money on the gas. Of course, it’s not a big deal when comparing a single car to all the vehicles and plants that are fueling the global warming process. However, when people start acting individually over time the trend brings positive changes. The same applies to green vehicles. Today there are only a few companies offering auto insurance quotes for green vehicles, however the numbers are steadily growing. Only a few years ago there wasn’t a single company providing green auto insurance but today there are already several big companies that either specialize in this new market or provide additional insurance services in addition to the traditional car insurance coverage. Today, having a green vehicle can still be regarded as a bit extravagant, but the same was the situation when the very first automobiles started roaming the streets filled with horses. The progress doesn’t stop here.