Archive for category Natural Resources

Does It Cost Too Much to Go Green?

Sep 19

Posted by admin in Energy, Natural Resources | No Comments

With the economy in such a mess and so many American families scrambling just to keep their heads above water, it might seem like just too much effort to worry about the environment right now. The thing is, it can actually put some money in your pocket by going green and ‘worrying about the environment’. I’ll show you how.

No matter what paper, magazine, or TV show you look at you’ll see something about becoming more environmentally friendly. There’s so much information that it can get confusing and overwhelming. Don’t let it get to you. There are dozens of simple things you can do today that will save you money. Just keep your car tuned up, your tires inflated, clean the air filters on your furnace, let the sun come in during the cold winter months, etc. These are simple changes that can add up and you can start today.

If you are in a position to make some big changes, changes that will take some time and cost some money, you should consider building and using your own wind turbine. This can help you cut down on the amount of electricity you have to buy up to 60%. That will add up to a huge savings, now and in the future. You can buy a wind turbine with as little as $600. That is a viable option but with such a big upfront expenditure it will take you longer to recoup your investment. You may also be eligible for a tax credit of up to 30% if you go this route.

Or, you could build your own turbine in a few days for a few hundred dollars. It doesn’t matter which option you choose, by installing and using your own wind turbine, not only will you be going green; you’ll be saving green too!

The secret to building your own Wind Power Generator is just a Click Here away.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kaye_Michael

Solar Energy – Why All Eyes Are on Israel

Aug 9

Posted by admin in Air Quality, Energy, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Natural Resources | No Comments

In spite of increased use of alternative forms of energy in recent years, the United States is still far too dependent on ever-dwindling fossil fuel resources. Solar energy is the cleanest source of energy, and we’ve known about it for years, but we haven’t really put it to use the way we should. The increasing affordability of solar hot water and higher costs of more traditional forms of power are causing more of us to consider installing solar panels. But to really keep abreast of the developments in solar technology, we can learn the most from Israel.

This may be surprising to some. Israel is by no means the richest country in the world, so how can they afford to be at the forefront of a technology that is widely considered so expensive? Well, this goes some way to highlighting just how affordable such technology is today, and in a country that is blessed by more than 300 days of sunlight a year – they have been benefiting from solar hot water for over 50 years.

In the 1950s an Israeli fuel shortage stimulated entrepreneurial engineer Levi Yissar to invent a solar water heater, which became a commercial venture by 1953. By 1967 one in 20 Israeli homes were using the heaters and 50,000 had been sold. Demand dropped over the next few years, but picked up again due to a national energy crisis in the 70s, pushing the Israeli government to pass a law assuring that every new home was built with a solar water heater installed.

Since then the country has grown to become the world leader in solar production – with the Ministry of National Infrastructures estimating that solar saves Israel around two million barrels of oil a year. However, despite the abundant amount of sunlight and the long-established use of solar for heating water, Israel is also at the forefront of making solar ever more efficient – to the point of matching fossil fuels.

In a report at NPR, David Faiman of Ben-Gurion National Solar Energy Centre highlights the problems with solar. “Solar energy is a very dilute form of energy compared to fossil energy. If you take one metre of the sun rich Negev desert…it will take nearly a year to absorb from the sun the equivalent of one barrel of oil, and mankind is currently consuming energy at the rate of two hundred million barrels a day.” Despite this, Israel’s work with concentrator photo voltaics technology is speeding up the process – producing 1,500 watts of electric power from just a four inch by four inch solar panel.

Sarah Maple writes about energy management and renewable energy. The Green Project has been set up to give you and your community the best advice and recommendations on ways to make your home more energy efficient to reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_Maple

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Reducing GHG Emissions in California

Jul 27

Posted by admin in Air Quality, Energy, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Natural Resources, Transportation, Uncategorized | No Comments

Assembly Bill 32 (AB 32, 2006) mandates a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. Since cars and light-duty trucks represent 46% of total greenhouse gas emissions, all we have to do is tell the automakers what emissions goals they need to reach, and that should solve the problem, right? Well, no. There’s a smarter way to go about it.

If we continue to assume that people will keep driving cars, and that the population is expected to increase, the carmakers alone are not going to be able to solve the problem. What about changing the existing assumptions? What if people didn’t have to drive as far? What if they more of them took public transportation? Could thinking like that, combined with lower emissions from the biggest polluters, enable us to reduce greenhouse gasses (ghg’s) in spite of an increase in population?

Enter Senate Bill 375 (SB 375, 2008), which requires a reduction of ghg’s to 1990 levels from new land development or redevelopment projects. It also called for the creation of a technical advisory committee to advise the California Air Resource Board (CARB) on how to reach the 2020 goal.

So where does this committee come from? Who has the knowledge to make such a comprehensive ten-year plan? Twenty-one people have volunteered their time to make this happen. For the most part, they fall into two groups: organizations whose goal is to reduce emissions and organizations who want their cities and counties to thrive. While these goals may seem to be at odds, the job of the Regional Targets Advisory Committee (RTAC) is to make a plan to do both at the same time.

Who is representing our community’s varying interests? Ten committee members are involved in local government and city planning, five are involved in public transportation, five are from organizations that support environmental issues, and one from a California new home builder. They come from all of the major metropolitan areas as well as universities and state-wide organizations.

The RTAC report to the California Air Resources Board is due at the end of September. In the next two months, they will put together recommendations of actions and measurements that will enable each region to meet the required goals, taking into consideration the capabilities of each entity and current and projected economic factors. No small feat.

When they’re done, they’ll have accomplished something that could not have been done without a huge long-term commitment from a wide variety of organizations. This is the only kind of effort that can possibly make a significant dent in greenhouse gasses in California.

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Going Green! What Does it Really Mean?

Jul 4

Posted by admin in Green Products, Natural Resources | No Comments

You hear a lot of talk about saving the environment in the news, on talk shows and just about everywhere you turn these days. Terms like “green friendly”, “green energy” and “green technology” are often used among others. What do these “green” terms really mean?

The sole purpose of “going green” is to use products and methods that won’t negatively impact the environment with pollution or deplete natural resources. While there is still some skepticism about the dangers of global warming no one can’t doubt the fact that pollution and diminished resources can (and has) affect on the delicate balance of the planet our very lives depend on.

While the debate over the future consequences continues more people are siding in favor of preservation over risk. Choosing alternative methods or other options that eliminate or reduce the need for natural resources can only result in a positive outcome, regardless of belief, so it’s the responsible choice.

Some simple “green friendly” changes are easy to do and can be done with little or no sacrifice. Certain changes can actually enhance the quality of life and not diminish it as some fear.

One good example of taking advantage of the green living lifestyle is paperless billing. When a bill has to be mailed trees are destroyed to create the paper. In addition fuel and natural resources are used to manufacture the paper. Electronic billing online completely eliminates the need to destroy any trees and use natural resources for production. Online billing is easy, convenient and sensible option.

Other examples is the use of eco-friendly supplies such as bamboo flooring or supplies made of recycled goods. More cost effective measures are using thermostat and light timers and energy efficient CFL (compact fluorescent light) bulbs.

Green and clean products for household use such as lemon juice, baking soda and vinegar are excellent natural cleaning substitutes for harsh chemicals. Many times simple and environmentally eco friendly supplies are less expensive too so there is a two-fold advantage.

If we all do a little something toward the goal of achieving a “green” and healthy environment it will go a long way to stop the detrimental effects of the past and produce a better future for all of us.

Years ago no one seemed overly concerned about the environment. I’ve always been a little frugal so I always thought it made sense not to waste but I didn’t impose my beliefs on anyone. In recent years since these issues have come to the forefront I’m glad to see more people who want to do their part to help. I’ve dedicated three web sites to the green living causes, eco friendly supplies and green and clean ideas for the home. If you want some ideas please visit: GREEN AND CLEAN IDEAS

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Vintage Clothing

May 2

Posted by admin in Green Products, Landfills, Natural Resources | No Comments

Looking for ways to go green?  Have you thought about your clothes? In the U.S., we throw out about 254 million tons of unwanted items every year.  Of that, about 7% is clothing, shoes and bedding. That’s about 18 million tons per year. If just 1% of that were womens clothing, that would be roughly 40 outfits per woman, per year.

There’s a simple solution, of course.  Next time you go shopping, check out vintage clothing.  You’ll save money and get great things.  The trade off is in more shopping time.  You’ll spend a little more time finding the right things in the right size, but it’s worth it.

If you haven’t checked out vintage clothing and accessories lately, you really should. There are some beautiful things out there. You can go hippie or goth, or pair some original circa 70s Italian pumps with a sleek 1920s brocade spaghetti-strapped cocktail dress that catches the eye. Vintage clothing can be hip, stylish and unique. Each one-of-a-kind outfit says ‘you’, and it often comes at a very good price. With all that cushy indulgence, you wouldn’t think you were also doing the earth a good turn. But have you ever thought about how much clothing ends up in the landfill?

Some of those outfits are vintage clothing that others would be very happy to get their hands on. I, for example, have made some great finds. A crisp white linen suit that sold initially for $400 was mine for $50. Handmade Italian shoes in ice-cream colors of pistachio, raspberry and lemon for $25 – they’re still my favorite. A full-length beaded black velvet opera coat – looks great with jeans, too – for a pittance of its value. And how about that fabulously flowing silk pantsuit that makes me feel like Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s? And that’s just the beginning.

Not until someone brought it to my attention did it ever occur to me that my beautiful opera coat would be left and forgotten in a landfill if it weren’t in my closet. But now that I’ve had my eyes opened, I can look forward to my vintage clothing shopping sprees with even more enthusiasm – and less guilt.

Want to go green? Go shopping! But make sure you’re shopping for vintage fashion – you’ll look great and save the energy, raw materials and other resources used to make new clothes.

Author, Tia Jones, is a freelance writer who contributes articles on vintage clothing and vintage fashion for LA Vintage formerly The Factory Vintage. For more information visit http://www.lavintage.com

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Going Green at the Office

Apr 29

Posted by admin in Energy, Landfills, Natural Resources, Transportation | No Comments

You can save money and help the environment at the same time by implementing eco-friendly practices around the office. Just follow these six simple steps to put more green into your bank account while simultaneously bettering the environment.

Do Away with the Phantom Power
Appliances and electronic equipment like computers, printers, and fax machines that stay plugged in while not in use are still draining electricity, a phenomenon referred to as “phantom” or “vampire” power. To reduce energy waste and your energy bill, unplug equipment at the end of the day before you leave the office.

Set the Thermostat
Save on heating and cooling costs by setting the office thermostat on a timer so you aren’t using energy to heat or cool an empty office during the night. You may also want to consider keeping it a few degrees lower in the winter and a few degrees higher in the summer – the slight difference in temperature can mean a huge savings on your utility bill.

Allow Telecommuting
If office work can be done remotely, allow employees to work from home every once in a while. This will cut down on carbon emissions and allow them to save money on gas. At the very least, encourage carpooling, bike riding (if possible), and mass transit as modes of transportation among employees.  This is also a great morale booster.  Employees love having the flexibility to work at home sometimes.  You just need to find a different way to monitor performance than how many hours you see them sitting at their desks.

Go Digital
Did you know that paper products fill up nearly 40% of American landfills? Or that Americans use more than 50 million tons of paper annually, which equates to the destruction of more than 850 million trees? Kicking the paper habit will not only save trees but can also mean significant savings for your office. Try implementing document scanning software which eliminates (or at least dramatically reduces) the need for paper records and can cut the cost of supplies and costly storage space.  Be sure your data is backed up regularly if you’re going to store your documents electronically.

Buy in Bulk
If possible, purchase office supplies in bulk; not only does this save you money upfront, it also reduces the amount of packaging used.

Don’t Chuck Old Electronics!
Old electronic equipment often contains chemicals and toxins that are harmful to the environment. Instead of contributing to the problem and filling up landfills, donate old computers, printers, cell phones, and other electronics. Contact your local government (city or county) about electronics recycling – most cities have programs to reduce electronic hazardous waste.

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