Easy Green New Year's Resolutions

HAPPY "GREEN -N-ECO FRIENDLY" NEW YEAR TO ALL ECO-HUDDLE MEMBERS...!!!!
well.. i haven't think about my new year resolutions so far.. but it may be increasing the number of plants on my roof.. thats what i can do..

Jenniifer
Well the first of January brought me a 30 percent increase on my electric bill compliments of poor PPL.
for a long time Ii have practiice all the Green things you mention,
I had to find new ones to incorporate into my daily life.
I bought battery operated clocks
a small battery  operated tranister radio. cut my tv watching to 25 percent of what it once was.
cut back on lighting I have had all cfls for  years
wash dishes every other day in hot water  rise and wipe in cold daily
wash clothes every other daay in cold always full load
oh have bought solar and crank radiio and flashlights
cut back on my car trips weekly
I try to  shop for all my needs in one area at onne tiime
if need anything aftterwards buy it very local only 4 miles away.
joined a public library for reading ,  usic and movie materials
AS FAR AS ENJOYING NATURE I HAVE FOUR WINDOW SITES WHICH I EMPLOY EVERYDAY FROM MY LARGE WINDOWS,
When it gets  warmer there is plenty of wooded area near me I can just go and recharge myself.
My wife and I live on a fixed income,annd neither one of us is very healthy.
I don't thank PPL for raising their rates 30 percent.
I have always tried to save  electricity PPL has done nothing but pollute and use outdzated generattion equipment .
If we could survive wiithout electricity I would disconnect completely,
I CARE VERY DEEPLY WHAT OUR KIND HUMANS HAVE DONE TO THHIS PLANET.
I am always loooking for ways to become even greener
                       Thank You
                        Mike

Hi Jennifer, What are residential power costs in your part of Oregon now? 

Jennifer
It is much easier for just my wife and I to cut our power consumption,because we are both disabiled, and can do with less.
Young families on the other hand need mmoore  electric slaves just to insure they can get to the next day.
With both parents working . It would be too hard to come home and not have a TV to relax to. They need outlets to releave strsse otherwise their children will suffer.
The children on the otherhand especially young children trry to get their parent to turn off unused lighting.It only takes a few lectures in elementery school to get many of them to try. Most fail and give up ,but they tried.Later  when they become teens .they  are worse then the parents,but for a short time . they bring hope.
The one thin g about higher power bills. I really believe that old fashion clothes line will be back Big Time. I also bellieve the old fashion light bulb is DEAD.WHY?  because wages are not going to increase enough to even attempt to keep us in the light.

Consider these new TV"s that we are now forced to buy.
They gobble up power way faster then are old ones.
Power iincreases cost will  be passed down from every commercial outlet to the consumer us tto pay.
e would be fools to  believe otherwise.
I wish I had some answerrs for all those struggling families.
Plainly it is up to each of them to find ways to exist.
All the choices have always been there. They have been almost invisable  because of the brightness of manmade light.
Anyway  Good Luck To Us All
              Mike

For a table of US electricity retail rates

www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/table5_6_b.html

So picking a high-end rate of $0.20/kWh, $3000+/year works out to ~15,000 kWh/year. That's still pretty high for anyone who pays careful attention to their consumption, and I make my comparisons to typical homes up here in the frozen north. Maybe they are running an air-conditioner, in which case they deserve to pay big. Maybe Canadian homes are insulated better. (R22 walls, R50 roof is typical)

In the course of doing their DIY home energy audit, most folks will discover that heat is typically the lion's share (60%), domestic HW a distant second (20%), appliances (10%), lighting (5%), all other (5%). So focusing energy conservation on the big pay-back items, means focus on heat 1st, HW 2nd, and all other stuff after 1&2 are dealt with. If you have A/C, you don't ever want to do an energy audit.

Looking at Alaska, I'm pretty shocked, as I expected their rates to be lowest of all, but I guess the enormous hydro-electric inventory they have is simply undeveloped. Their natural gas transport costs should be 0. Wonder why so high? Hawaii I understand, but average consumption should be extremely low.

Canadian electricity costs are much lower (1/3 - 1/2) that USA, but average consumer prices are much higher. Per capita income roughly the same.

M

Al
 Just opening your curtins to catch  the sunlight in the winter  gives you more light and heat.
I have ben doing that for many years.
AC I have it but use it maybe twice in the summer and only to cool down the house for a peak hour or two.
Then my windows are open or I am on my porch enjoying the shade and recieving the benefits of the several large trees in the front yard..
Just listening to natures sounds out theree is far better then the hum of your money being wasted away.
Ah but that ismy A dying breed.
 If only  people would lok back to the WWII years and hhow people sacrificed and even felt better for it.
Here we have everything at our fingertips and still want more.
We are the neediest generation for now ,but I am sure the nest one will top us.
Good Day To You All
          Mike

Interested in energy efficiency? I just found this fanpage on FB which is for all you energy-efficient Innovators! Emerson Cup 2010 is open to all industry members from air-conditioning and refrigeration. From architects to students, anyone can  nominate projects or ideas! Check this out for more details www.facebook.com/TheEmersonCup

Thanks gennifer. I think there is need for more publicity on green energy especially for home owners so that we can save our world from environmental pollution.I read this submission some days ago and I find it useful.http://energyreductionsmagic.com/climate-change-and-co2-emission/tackling-climate-change-carbon-pollution-and-adaptation-syndrome

Much talk about greener energy and such here. Which is great! Especially USA have a very high energy and water usage (not wanting to point finger, but that is the way it is), so it is nice to see people wanting to change that. Recycling is also a very good thing... do you know how the garbage is taken care of?

 

I know I'm very biased now, but changing commute patterns once a week is a good New Years resolution. I mean, it isn't difficult to share a ride with a neighbour once a week, taking the bus/train or even bike/walk to work. It saves surprisingly high amounts of CO2, let you see other things (driving on the same highway 2X 5 days/week 48 weeks/year is a drag) and may even be a way to get to know more people and/or get into shape.

 

Fredrik

/

Commute Greener! (www.commutegreener.com)

I am agreed with you on the green energy saving tips that it requires more publicity. But rather than publicity we can says it is important to aware people the advantages of green energy. Because anything that ha advantages people acquire that easily. So here is need to describe green energy advantages.

 

Runka

 

I'm not so sure.  Not because "Line Drying" is not coming back - only that our old friend the clothes line has not been sitting idle all these years.  There are many alternatives to stringing a rope across your back yard, balcony or bath room.  Just Google "clothes line" and keep looking through the results.

I recently started using both the front and back of my notepads, which I know is small, but I like to think it helps us save both money and the environment in the long run.

Just came across this video on green New Year's resolutions at TreeHugger.com. It has some really useful tips that reinforce what a lot of environmentally conscious people are already doing.

 

http://planetgreen.discovery.com/videos/planet-100-5-basic-green-resolutions-for-a-new-year.html

Here is a page with links to organic/natural and green products ranging from spices, raw foods, vitamins, clothing, recycled items to cleaning, mattresses even wine!!!

Hope it can help you find more products that green our world and homes!

 

http://livingorganics.ca/index/links

 

Enjoy I sure do

a little past new year's, but here's info on a cool site for making & sticking to a New Year's resolution or two (can always start now, too): http://planetsave.com/2010/12/28/fun-informative-system-for-making-sticking-to-a-green-new-years-resolution/

& some fun & simple resolution ideas: http://green.thefuntimesguide.com/2010/12/green_new_year_resolutions.php