ENERGY SAVING TIPS

Archive for March, 2010

“ENERGY: USE LESS-SAVE MORE THE CHELSEA GREEN GUIDES-A NEW SERIES OF POCKET-SIZED BOOKS TO HELP SAVE THE EARTH! Did you know that lowering the temperature of your thermostat by a mere 2 degrees Fahrenheit could reduce your energy bill by 10 percent? Or that energy-efficient light bulbs last about 12 times longer than ordinary bulbs and consume one-fifth the energy? This is just the beginning of what you-ll learn in this handy book, containing more than one hundred ideas for savi (more…)

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Technorati Tags: Chelsea, Energy, EnergySaving, Green, Guides, Home, Kindle, LessSave, More, Tips

Just looking for some general tips on living greener, things such as solar panels, etc, that won’t cost a lot to implement? Of course, solar panels cost a fortune, but it’s an example. Thanks!

Hey Jenny,

I actually just responded to another question of yours too a few minutes ago. I’ve been reviewing "green" manuals lately and found something called "Earth4Energy" – It’s a great guide with detailed information on how to build your own solar and wind power. You can check out my full review of it @ http://renewable-energy-info.com/ – Best of luck to ya!

Holiday Recycling

According to the "Use Less Stuff" website, Americans throw away 25% more garbage between Thanksgiving and New Year’s than any other time of year. This adds up to about one million extra tons of trash per week. Listed below are some ways to reduce waste and recycle during the holiday season. For a fun reminder about why we recycle, check out "A Holiday Recycling Tale" starring the Grinch at http://www.ci.mesa.az.us/waste/Holiday_Tale.asp. Happy Holidays!

Recycle Your Tree (be sure to remove all decorations)
- Make it into mulch.
- Put it outside as a shelter or bird feeder. Utilize orange slices, suet, and seed to attract the birds.
- Turn it into a trellis for flowers in the spring.

Reuse Holiday Cards
- Cut the picture side of the card off and reuse it as a card, postcard, or gift tag.
- Recycle cards that can’t be reused.

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle Gift Wrap
- Just add bows to holiday shopping bags or gift boxes instead of wrapping.
- Buy gift wrap made from recycled paper. Avoid wrapping paper with foil highlights, which cannot be recycled.
- Only use the amount of wrap that you need.
- Wrap gifts in brown paper bags or newspaper; use the cartoon section for brighter colors.
- Wrap gifts in festive holiday fabric, dishtowels, or oven mitts, which can simply be washed and reused.
- Give gifts in baskets, tins, or jars.
- Save bows, ribbons, and paper to reuse next year. Shred wrapping paper to use as filler or instead of tissue.

More Information
Recycling Your Tree – http://www.organicgardening.com/feature/1,7518,s1-5-19-103,00.html
42 Ways to Trim Your Holiday Wasteline – http://www.use-less-stuff.com/ULSDAY/42ways.html
Holiday Reduction and Recycling Tips (Maine State Planning Office) – http://www.state.me.us/spo/recycle/docs/HolidayReduction.pdf
No-Waste Gift Giving and Gift Wrapping – http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/PublicEd/Holidays/NoWaste.htm
Waste Prevention in Gift Wrapping – http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/PublicEd/Holidays/10Ideas.htm
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these are all good ideas, but i think we can do even more

Does anybody know any facts about electricity in the home ie. How much money you could save by switching to energy saving lightbulbs etc.

Thanks

A heavy coat of dust on a light bulb can block up to half of the light.

Across America, home refrigerators use the electricity of 25 large power plants every year.

A hot water faucet that leaks one drop per second can add up to 165 gallons a month. That’s more than one person uses in two weeks.

An energy-smart clothes washer can save more water in one year than one person drinks in an entire lifetime!

When you turn on an incandescent light bulb, only 10 percent of the electricity used is turned into light. The other 90 percent is wasted as heat.

A compact fluorescent light bulb uses 75 percent less energy than a regular bulb – and it can last up to four years.

A crack as small as 1/16th of an inch around a window frame can let in as much cold air as leaving the window open three inches!

Some new refrigerators are so energy-smart they use less electricity than a light bulb!

An automatic dishwasher uses less hot water than doing dishes by hand – an average of six gallons less, or more than 2,000 gallons per year.

Every time you open the refrigerator door, up to 30 percent of the cold air can escape.

Every year, more than $13 billion worth of energy leaks from houses through small holes and cracks. That’s more than $150 per family!

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California Bill Would Give Newborns $500 Savings Accounts
Thursday, March 01, 2007

E-MAIL STORY PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION
SACRAMENTO — Every child born in California would get a $500 savings account to start building a nest egg for college or down payment for a home, under a bipartisan bill introduced Wednesday in the state Senate.

The proposal would cost taxpayers about $285 million a year.

A similar program has increased savings in Great Britain since 2002, but California would be the first state in the nation to enact it, said David Lesher, California program director for the nonprofit New America Foundation, based in Washington, D.C. A national savings program has been pending in Congress since 2005.

Under the bill, every child born in California after Jan. 1, 2008, would receive the money, regardless of their parents’ income or immigration status. Recipients would repay the state’s initial $500 investment once they turn 18.

The money may be used for three purposes: college or continuing education, a down payment on a home or a retirement account.

"This is the essence of equal opportunity. Every child, every person ought to get a head start," said Sen. Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, who introduced the bill with Sen. Bob Dutton, R-Rancho Cucamonga.

(Story continues below)

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About 566,000 children are expected to be born in California next year.

If families added $50 a month to the state’s initial contribution, the savings account would grow to nearly $17,500 at 5 percent interest over 18 years. Steinberg said that would promote saving money in a culture that now is carrying record levels of debt and has the lowest savings rate since the Great Depression.

"It sounds like another give-away with other people’s money — ‘a chicken in every pot,"’ said Jim Uhler, spokesman for The National Tax Limitation Committee in Roseville, a Sacramento suburb. "With the budget in the red again … we have other pressing issues."

Dutton said the money would be "an investment in the child’s future," said his spokesman, Larry Venus. "He looks at this as a hand up, not a hand out."

Steinberg said the state’s $131 billion annual budget spends taxpayers’ money on far more dubious programs.

"There’s no question these are significant dollars," Steinberg said. "But look, we spend so much more on things that don’t have nearly as much significant value."

The bill does not address what happens to the account if a child dies before turning 18.
Mendi8 NOBODY "needs" illegals!!!!

Arnold is a girlie man and a big fat liar!

That stupid bill to give all children $500 was withdrawn, thankfully. Apparently the socialist twit decided the price tag was too high.

I agree with your comment that we don’t need the illegal aliens! We have proof of this on May 1, 2006. The "day without an immigrant" protest was suppose to cripple the country. It didn’t!!! Services continued, teachers could teach their children better and people could drive 75 mph on "the 101" during rush hour!

I can’t wait for this upcoming protest. I can’t believe they are doing it again! It will just confirm that we don’t need ANY of the illegal aliens.

Hey, "Mendi8" it’s not "Cali" when you refer to California. The only people that call it that are non-Californians and ignorant people. I really hate that term about as much as when people call San Fransisco "Frisco." They are ignorant.

What are some ways i can save on my electric bill each month?

It is about awareness. Learn how much energy you are using and how you are using it. Many cities or utilities have free energy audits, often they will come to your home and show you ways you can reduce your energy usage.

Help your heater by keeping the warm air in, weather strip and caulk doors and windows, seal off vents and other large gaps. Use heavy drapes over windows. Adjust your thermostat a few degrees, there is nothing wrong with wearing a sweater inside. A programmable thermostat can save money and make the home more comfortable. Many people crank the heat up while they are getting ready in the morning only to leave the house after it gets warm.

Replace appliances with energy efficient models when you need new ones. Even older ones can be used more efficiently, only wash full loads, line dry when possible, don’t over dry clothes and make sure the vent is clean. You can wash fewer clothes by wearing things more than once, I wear my jeans a few times before they hit the hamper. Hanging up clothes that were worn for a brief time or only tried on will stop clean clothes from getting mixed in with the dirty.

If you are replacing lighting look for fixtures with fewer bulbs, and if you hate the look of CFL’s look for fixtures that will hide them. There are a wide range of CFL’s with various strengths and colors of light, try a few to see what works best in various rooms.

Standby energy can be up to 15% of your bill. Not all appliances use energy when they are turned off, but most electronics do as well as anything with a light or clock. Many chargers use energy even when nothing is attached. I use a power strip with a switch for my tv, dvd and game system and for my desktop, speakers and monitor. After I turn things off I flip the switch and stop using standby energy. I also unplug chargers and ipod docking stations when not in use.