Go Green

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Four years ago it was estimated by USA Today that 180 000 homes were off the grid in the United States of America with 27 000 homes were thought to be using wind and solar energy. But exactly what is “the grid”, why would one want to live off “the grid”, can it actually be done and most importantly what adjustment would need to be made in our day to day lives?

“The grid” is a referral to the power grid which connects your home to the system which supplies electricity to the masses. This interconnected system is powered by fossil and nuclear fuels. You pay a lot of money for the privilege of being able to switch on a light at will, cooking your food, having hot water and so forth. At the same time, you are using non renewable resources, increasing the greenhouse effect and CO2 emissions.

Would living off the grid in the city really be possible? Solar energy would mean having to install solar panels to your home. Wind turbines are becoming increasingly popular as well. Both of these can be easily applied, even for apartment living in high rise buildings. You would need the consent of the Board of Owners, but you can potentially install solar panels against the face of the building, leading the wiring through the windows. A smart idea would be to build a box along the wall below the window. This can house your batteries, inverters and excess wiring. If built well, this storage space can be used as seating as well. Another idea is to replace a portion of unused window panes with solar panels. The part facing toward the living areas of the apartment can be boarded and decorated to become a feature in the home.

Building tops and roofs are mostly under utilized. These spaces can easily be converted to house either one or both wind and solar energy systems. Good news is that the wind is almost always blowing between 30 and 40 feet up. Wind turbines would therefore be a very viable source of energy for high rise buildings. Blue Sea Development is planning to install 10 one-kilowatt wind turbines on the roof of their new five storey apartment building in the Melrose section of the Bronx, New York. This will save the building owners half of the common electricity costs such as lighting in hallways, elevators and common areas.

You would need to research extensively as to which of the energy sources would suit your location and circumstances. You might find that a combination of energy supplying sources would be more beneficial. There would of course also be the initial set up costs. The good news is that in general, your initial costs should be paid back by your savings within a few years only, and then you can reap the full benefits of living off the grid in the city. If you are in the position of being able to generate an excess of electricity, some of the electricity companies will buy the excess from you. Which means you could potentially earn money from them in stead of giving your money to them.

It might not be for everyone, because yes, it does take some adjustments in your everyday life. You might not be able to stand in a boiling hot shower for an hour anymore, or be able to use all the gadgets and frivolous appliances we have grown so fond of. You might need to live simpler. Cleaner. And that’s exactly the point of getting off the grid in the city.

U.S. government and independent scientists estimate that the most likely flow rate of oil today is between 35,000 and 60,000 barrels per day. The improved estimate is based on more and better data that is now available and that helps increase the scientific confidence in the accuracy of the estimate.

GE Ecomagination Challenge

There is currently a challenge where people are invited to share their best ideas on how to build the next generation power grid.  The idea behind the promotion is to change the way in which the world uses energy.  Some of the best known firms are involved such as Emerald Technology, KPCB and Rockport Capital and Foundation Capital along with GE who are helping to fund the best ideas.  There are 3 different challenges so let’s take a look at these.

Renewable Energy

Renewable Energy has incredible potential for us to create energy that will meet our growing need for it.  Many forms of renewable energy tend to have high variables in their output.  This is where an intelligent grid is needed, by the integration and management of renewable energy sources.  GE are developing technology that will protect the quality of the power which will compensate for voltage fluctuations and the management of output intermittency.  GE want to be able to provide the utilities with the best information about the production of energy, the transmission as well as consumption and energy system health to protect the equipment and of course to ensure reliable, safe power.  The challenge here is to find the kinds of technology or processes that will maximize the renewables into the grid.

Grid Efficiency

The United States of America should have the most efficient grid in the world, sadly they don’t.  The grid actually wastes energy all the time all day long.  The solution to this is to connect an advanced power generation to a much more intelligent grid as well as a more efficient – this then connects to consumers.  Therefore, GE is looking for different grid technologies that will help lower the losses as well as something that will anticipate and monitor the demand.  This will free up the grid capacity and this will reduce the need for infrastructure capital expenditure which means the consumers won’t have to deal with rate increases.  Customers will not be charged for wasted energy.  The challenge here is what do you think is the best way to get greater volumes in the grid efficiently and outage management.

EcoHomes/EcoBuildings

Because there is such a huge demand for energy this has created an imbalance between the supply and the demand.  This means that there is a higher cost to the customers, so what is required is to change the way in which we use energy, when we use it and how.  GE are already working on incredible technology such as smart meters as well as appliances that let you know how much power they are using with technology such as time of use pricing, renewable integration tools, wireless AMI, demand response systems, plug in hybrid electric vehicle integration and home energy use monitoring.  The challenge will be to find new technologies, business models or processes that can help a consumer to use the energy in a more efficient way to improve the balance of supply versus demand.

http://challenge.ecomagination.com/ideas?utm_source=Digg&utm_medium=Display&utm_content=42&utm_campaign=Eco%2BChallenge

Regardless of whether you believe in global warming or other such issues, it’s just good sense to be environmentally friendly.

Fossil fuels wont last forever and we are in the unique position to enable our children and grandchildren to live a safe, clean, healthy way of life. There are dozens of cheap or free easy ways to be more aware of the environment and very easy ways to make every day earth day and go green right now, today.

1. Get a low flow shower head
2. Stop idling your car
3. Turn off your computer
4. Turn down the thermostat
5. Pay bills online
6. Wash clothes in cold water
7. Carpool!

Try some or all of these ideas, and see how if you don’t save some green while you’re going green! Add your own ideas in the comments below if you like.

The cost of daily living is, in some ways, forcing us to save power at home. Here are three simple adjustments you can make in your life to help you Live Green.

Be appliance smart. A lot of the older appliances use much more power than newer versions. By spending a bit of money every now and again to upgrade your appliances, you cut out the excessive power usage of the old ones and you save in their future use. By using more energy efficient appliances, you can cut up to $400 from your electricity bill for the year. Washing machines use a lot of power. If you are out to save power at home, manage this appliance better. Firstly, by using warm water in stead of hot water, you reduce your power use, but, by using cold water, you use up to 80% less power. Secondly, a lot of wastage can be prevented by making sure you wash full loads. So rather purchase a laundry basket, you will save its cost many times over. Another day to day appliance in every home is light bulbs. Buy the more expensive energy saving light bulbs. They use up to 75% less power and can last between 10 and 35 times longer than conventional light bulbs. See where the saving comes in?

Secondly, use only what you need when you need it. We have become so spoilt by modern living. We love the convenience and the availability of power. Only in recent years has it dawned on consumers that this luxury is not ever lasting and that the things we have come to love is costing a lot of money. Take your geyser for example. How much hotter must water be than what is comfortable for you? By turning down your geyser thermostat from 140’F to 120’F you can save between 6 and 10% of your water heating costs. “Phantom Power” is the huge amount of electricity that is used by those appliances you have plugged in but is not actually using all the time. Think of your DVD machine, television, computer and sound system. This can ad up to 15% onto your electricity bill. If you have never heard about Power Strips, now is a good time to learn about them. You can turn them on and off at will to stop unnecessary power usage and it has no effect on the start up time of your appliances.

The third Green way to save power at home is by being “Winter Smart”. It is mostly just accepted that your power bill in winter has to be escalated. By following a few simple examples, this statement can be turned into myth. The U.S Department of Energy claims that between 5 and 30% of your power usage in winter is because of drafts. Make sure your doors and windows are closed securely. And remember those sausage shaped door stoppers your grandmother had? Get them! Also use sealants where two building materials meet, for example corners, around the chimney, around the bath and the ceiling. You can also put plastic film over your windows. This all helps to insulate your home and save power. Make sure you clean furnace filters once a month during winter when they are operating for longer periods. Clogged filters put more power strain on the furnace, costing you more. Consider insulating your water pipes, it will save you a lot of power usage and therefore, money! With most of these “Winterizations” you will continue reaping the benefits in summer.
These were only three examples of what you can do to save power at home to ensure and that you don’t have to give up any of your conveniences and luxuries. We all just need to use what we have with some savvy and a conscience. Save power at home and you can save what we have left of our precious Planet.

Why do BP employees feel the need to invoke the fifth amendment?

People with nothing to hide don’t need to invoke, now do they…

Federal investigators pressed Mr. Guide about whether BP took shortcuts to save money. They noted that rig supervisors chose a potentially risky type of well casing over more traditional equipment, saving the company $7 million to $10 million. A confidential survey of rig workers conducted a month before the disaster showed that many were distressed about safety conditions and feared reprisals if they reported mistakes or other problems.

The widow of a Deepwater Horizon worker who was killed in the oil rig explosion testified Thursday that her husband expressed grave concerns about dangerous work conditions before his death.

Investigators noted that in one year, workers on the rig endured 15 accidents deemed “near hits,” in which heavy equipment was dropped or other safety breaches occurred. And they questioned the decision to send workers back to shore without having them conduct a strength test of the cement in the well.

What will it take for us to open our eyes and see that we’re screwed? The damage is DONE! The oil is in the water. Millions and millions of gallons of it. Now there are tons of dispersants in the water as well. We have killed the gulf and we may well have killed the Atlantic as the toxins continue to move that direction.

Check out our special oil spill page to see the current charts and super computer predictions.

Earth Day was first realized by Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson who wanted to find a way to increase environmental awareness and at the same time get some federal legislation passed to deal with the ecological crisis.

The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970, when a chorus of demonstrators around the nation (some 20 million strong) voiced their concerns about the environment, specifically about the pollution of air and water, and a significant amount of federal legislation was passed to protect the environment.

• The Environmental Protection Agency was created on December 2, 1970, in response to the nationwide concern over environmental pollution. The newly formed agency was responsible for consolidating a variety of federal research, monitoring, standard-setting and enforcement activities under a single regulatory agency to protect health and safeguard the natural environment, including air, water, and land

• The Clean Air Act of 1970 is a comprehensive federal law, which required the EPA to set National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to protect against common pollutants, including ozone (smog), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, lead, and particulate soot.

The Act was subsequently amended in 1977 and 1990 to set new goals for achieving NAAQS. In particular, the phasing out of lead gas by the mid-1980′s, was hailed by many as one of the most important health initiatives of the 20th century. Additional amendments to the Clean Air Act in 1990 included the controlling of acid rain and the elimination of leaded gas in automobiles by the end of 1995.

How YOU can get involved:

The Earth Day Network has a number of strategies for concerned citizens to get involved in raising environmental awareness in your community, including how to take action and ways to push for change with the U.S. Congress and the White House through the signing of petitions, or pledging to become more environmentally active, such as “10 Easy things you can do at home to protect endangered species.” Check for local events below!