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Scoring homes for energy efficiency

November 9, 2010 / Staff

This is good news regarding conservation and our push for energy independence.

U.S. homeowners will be able to get low-cost energy audits that rank a home’s efficiency on a scale of one to 10 and get federally insured loans for upgrades, under an Obama administration plan to be announced today.
With the new Home Energy Score, consumers will find out how their home compares with others and how much money they could save by adding insulation, sealing air leaks or doing other upgrades. Nine U.S. communities will test the score, similar to a miles-per-gallon label for cars, before it’s rolled out nationally next summer.

Information is power, and now consumers will be more informed about the energy efficiency of current homes and home they intend to purchase. This will breath more life into the market for green building materials and upgrades, and along the way our housing stock will become more energy efficient.

It will also be interesting to see how this affects the real estate market. Buyers will begin to insist on a Home Energy Score so they know how efficient their new home might be. I suspect sellers will be have an incentive to make the modest investments necessary to improve the score.

Conservation, Energy Independence, Sustainability

energy efficiency green building materials home efficiency Home Energy Score Obama administration

Everyday Green – Little Changes Make a Difference

October 2, 2010 / Staff

Conserve water. Turn off faucets when you brush teeth, lather up, or shave. It’ll save gallons per year. That’s money in your wallet. Leaky taps? Call a plumber. Replacing a washer may not be the long-range fix. Have your home’s water pressure tested. Chances are it’s high. Excessive pressure breaks down the material washers are made of. Install a pressure regulator. If you can’t afford a plumber, collect the water in a bowl or a pan. Use it to flush your toilet, (pour in the bowl, and gravity does the rest!) or water a plant.

Save fuel. Next time you’re at the drive-thru window, turn off your engine. You’re wasting fuel and sending toxins into the air. Conserve miles by pairing with friends to run errands. Make a list of places you need to go, then plan a route to avoid retracing steps. Go online to browse the sales first. You’ll save time, gas, and stress. Order consumer services like auto insurance and car repairs online, too. You’ll save money, and reclaim the time you’d otherwise spend chasing bargains.

Screaming hot water might be appropriate if you’re fighting a stain on white cotton, but it isn’t good for your skin. It strips away precious oils your skin needs to stay young and supple, especially in winter. Lower your water heater’s temperature a tad, save money and take years off your complexion. Meanwhile, keep an eye on that old tank. Watch for leaking, irregular water temperatures, rusty bathwater, or persistent knocking; all signs that could mean your dinosaur is ready for the bone yard. If you’re in the home of your dreams, you might consider a tank-less replacement. They’re pricey, but the green years you’ll spend in the home and the money you’ll save might be worth the expense.

Uncategorized

auto insurance

Government incentives for green energy

August 16, 2010 / Staff

President Barack Obama tours the ZBB Energy Corporation with CEO and President Eric Apfelbach and Edward Zanger in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin today in order to tout the government’s incentives to promote green energy in the stimulus bill.

President Barack Obama said government incentives to expand clean-energy industries will help restore jobs, citing a battery maker in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, where he is highlighting the impact of the economic stimulus.
Obama used the example of ZBB Energy Corp., which is using a $1.3 million loan from the legislation to keep 12 workers on staff and eventually hire 80 more as it expands production.
“We expect our commitment to clean energy to lead to more than 800,000 jobs by 2012,” Obama said after a tour of the ZBB factory. “And that’s not just creating work in the short term; that’s going to help lay the foundation for lasting economic growth.”

It’s terribly disappointing that we have not been able to pass a comprehensive energy policy, as Republicans and coal-state Senators block progress.

Energy Independence, Renewable Energy, Sustainability

battery maker battery production coal-state Senators Edward Zanger Eric Apfelbach green energy jobs ZBB Energy Corporation

BP Attempts Static Kill To Permanently Plug Damaged Oil Well

August 4, 2010 / Staff

The news is good so far in the Gulf . . . . finally!

BP began plugging the damaged oil well today with a “static kill” by pumping mud into it. Early reports are encouraging.

Retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen said Wednesday he has “high confidence” that no more oil will leak from BP’s Gulf of Mexico well, hours after BP announced that the well had reached “static condition” after pumping heavy drilling mud into it.
BP called the outcome a “significant milestone” in its efforts to permanently seal the well.
The energy giant began the “static kill” procedure at 4 p.m. ET Tuesday and workers stopped pumping mud in after about eight hours after the effort achieved its “desired outcome.”

Let’s hope we’ve seen the end of this nightmare.

Renewable Energy

BP oil spill Gulf oil spill oil drilling oil spill pollution water pollution

Smokeless Cigarettes are the Wave of the Future

August 3, 2010 / Staff

After being bombarded by countless anti-smoking campaign commercials, most people probably get the picture that smoking can be hazardous for your health. The news isn’t good for those people that continue to inhale the smoke, tar and other damaging things that cigarettes have to offer.

Countless schools across the United States have banded together to spread their message that smoking isn’t cool. Restaurants and nightclubs across the nation have banned the smoking of cigarettes within their facilities, as the news for those that smoke continues to worsen.

With the healthy segment of the populations saying no to smoking in public places, the need for alternatives to smoking continued to grow until news of smokeless cigarettes came along to fill a need.

The water-vapor dispelled from these new cigarettes is not harmful and doesn’t contain the tar, and carcinogens that make regular cigarettes so unhealthy. Thus, the news for these new and improved smokers delights has been received quite nicely.

No longer does a driver need to air-freshen the car before picking up passengers on the way to work. No longer does the 10:15 smoke break leave an employee reeking of cigarette smoke throughout the day. No longer does the running enthusiast have to cough throughout their morning jog, and no longer do mom and dad have to hide their smoking habit from the kids.

An alternative to regular cigarettes was inevitable, as people across the country continue to smoke despite the warnings, (even on the label) that smoking can be hazardous to one’s health. With hundreds of people addicted to regular cigarettes, the news that a new and improved form or smoking is causing quite the stir. Smokers still receive their desired rush of nicotine, while those around them aren’t affected in nearly the same manner.

And that’s good news for all of us!

Sustainability