Wikis tagged with Energy-Efficiency

Vampires, Phantoms, and Bears, Oh My!   Okay, so there aren't any bears in this story.  But there are vampires, phantoms, idlers, and warts.  In this case, however, we're talking about vampire power, phantom loads, idling standby current, and wall warts.  They all basically refer to the same thing: electronic devices with two sharp, pointy teeth that latch into your wall sockets and suck blood...err...electricity all day, all night, whether on or "off," whether charging batteries or not. These devices include TV's, VCR's, DVD players, answering machines, iPods, cell phones, stereos,...

Go Green And Save Green: Expert's Guide   These days there's a lot of talk about "going green."  Some things are easy to do and don't cost anything.  Other things are easy to do....if you're filthy rich.   In this guide, you’ll find out how to spend an arm and a leg...err.....about $55,000 on sustainable improvements which will save you about $18,000 over 5 years (and should recoup the full cost over the lifespan of each improvement).      Now if only we were all rolling in money!     Do this… Conserves this… Costs… Saves... Saves in 5 years… ROI over 5...

  From shutting down the electronics and picking up a book (gasp!) to closing your curtains at the right time, here are 22 simple things you can do to save energy, and save cash in your home.     Institute periodic Pioneer Days in your house. Lower your thermostat a few degrees in the winter. An ideal temperature for a home is 68 degrees. If you leave the house for a prolonged period of time in the winter, turn the thermostat down more. This can save you between $10 and $30 per month on your heating bill. By turning your thermostat down 10 to 15 degrees for 8 hours, you can save...

Go Green And Save Green: Beginner's Guide   In this guide, you’ll find out how to spend less than $1,200 to save over $8,000 over the course of 5 years.  Here are suggestions of free and low cost things you can do to help you go green and save green.   Do this… Conserves this… Costs… Saves... Saves in 5 years… ROI over 5 years   Love your car, love the planet Keep up with car maintenance     Gas Variable ($130 per 15,000 miles of driving with one air filter change, oil changes, and filling tires) Clean air filters can improve your mileage by...

Since human carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from burning fossil fuels have been estimated to cause approximately 50% of global warming over the past 30 years (the other 50% being mainly due to other greenhouse gas emissions such as methane, and a small amount due to solar effects), a good way to evaluate your personal global warming impact is to calculate your carbon "footprint".  A carbon footprint tells you how much CO2 is released due to your various activities, such as travel, energy consumption, food consumption, etc.   The more information entered into a carbon footprint...

Buy green. Some companies (and therefore their products) are greener than others. Look for systems that have reduced levels of lead, cadmium, and mercury. Look for companies that are compliant with the EU directive called Restriction on Hazardous Substances (RoHS). Before you go with something brand new, check out if someone's junk could be your treasure! Try buying high quality, functional used electronics. Check out your local yard sales or flea markets. Online, try Craigslist, eBay, and Freecycle. In 2006, Nokia and Dell were ranked as the most responsible electronics manufacturers...

Let's face it.  Most of us live tied to an electricity grid.  And whether you use that electricity to watch TV, run your computer, or turn on your lights, well...it's still electricity.  And a lot of that electricity generation is still based on coal-fired plants.  So in order to reduce those emissions (and shave off some dollars on your electricity bills), a great option is to reduce your consumption.  But before you do that (and while you do that), it might be nice to know something about how much electricity you're actually using.    If you're not interested in picking up electricity...

      What to do in winter Savings Keep your thermostat a bit lower (and wear a sweater).  Lowering your thermostat by 1º F can reduce your energy consumption by 2%. $40 Get a humidifier. Air with some moisture feels warmer. Even if your thermostat is set lower, this will help you feel warmer. (For example, if you set your thermostat at 69º F with a 35% relative humidity, it will feel just as warm as 72º at 19% relative humidity and will save you roughly 5% in annual heating costs). $90 Install a programmable thermostat.  Lowering your thermostat by 10...

THE FOOD Start with food that is in season, local, and organic when possible.  Check out your local Farmer’s Market.  Sometimes local farmers may be growing organically without paying to be certified- ask around. When you buy food at the grocery store, check the labels and avoid palm oil. Don’t forget to bring your own bags when grocery shopping!   COOKING When it comes to energy consumption, a gas stove requires less energy for stove top cooking.  Gas stoves with an electric ignition (piezo) will use 40% less gas than one with a continuous pilot light. However, when compared to...

Go Green And Save Green: Intermediate's Guide   In this guide, you’ll find out how to spend about $1,200 to save over $7,000 in 5 years.  Here are suggestions of medium-cost things you can do to help you go green and save green.               Do this… Conserves this… Costs… Saves... Saves in 5 years… ROI over 5 years   It's not fat, it's insulation Check for air gaps and fix leaky spots with weather stripping and caulking.      Energy $250 average for a home energy rating. Caulking costs less than $1 per window, and weather stripping is...

How To Get Tax Credits For Energy Efficiency Home Improvements Assess if your home improvement project qualifies. Tax credits are available for projects like adding insulation, replacing windows, and adding some high efficiency heating and cooling equipment. For more specific information, see the EPAct Summary of Tax Credits for Homeowners from Energy Star. Between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2007, the maximum amount of homeowner credit for all improvements is $500. If you are starting from scratch with new home construction, your project does not qualify for the tax credits...

10+ Ways to Be Greener and Happier at Work Enjoying an eco-lifestyle means living greener in all areas of your life. You may be taking environmentally friendly steps at home, but are you also doing it at work? People spend almost 90% of their lives indoors, and for those people who work inside that equates to about 40 or more hours at your desk, office or cubicle.   Whether you're a student interning at a major corporation, a marketing associate making phone calls all day or an office assistant handling paperwork, you're going to spend a majority of your time in one place all day....

Unless you're the No Impact Man, you probably get an electric bill every month.     Here's a cheat sheet to see how you're doing in terms of your own consumption. If you're doing better than the average single person or family, you'll be spending less than the average for your region. The cost per kilowatt hour is based on 2007 data from the Energy Information Administration. See how you measure up and refine the data if you have a better source.     Don't like what you see? See How to Conserve Electricity Around the House to get some tips.     Region States Average...

  What is Pioneer Day? It is one full day (24hours) with no electricity use in the house.  These have also been referred to as "Unplug Days". Typically, adopters of Pioneer Day take part once a week (see below for adaptations).   Check out the How To Save Energy Around The House wiki for other day to day ideas.   Energy Savings Electricity According to the DOE, the average US household consumes 10,656 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year (according to 2001 data).  That works out to about 30 kWh per day per household.    If you adopt Pioneer Day one day a week, you can cut your energy consumption...

Do you love listening to your music on speakers? Does the thought of realizing how much you pay to run those speakers give you pause before you turn them on? There are good options for eco friendly and energy efficent iPod docks, stereos, speakers, etc.   iPod Docks Vers 2X wooden iPod dock The Vers 2X is a compact, all-in-one iPod dock. It plays and charges any iPod (or iPhone; it also comes with a universal MP3 dock in case you’re breaking the mold with a Zen or a Zune or something else). It has 2 3” 15-watt speakers, dual port design for deeper bass, and a sweet little silver...

Energy Efficient Lighting Technologies "Incandescent light bulbs are incredibly inefficient, using only 10% of their consumed electricity to emit light. The remaining 90% of energy used is wasted as heat. Halogen lamps also waste a great deal of power and generate intense heat that can potentially cause burns or fires."   "Wasting electricity carries both global and personal health consequences. In burning fossil fuels such as coal to supply electricity to homes and workplaces, power plants discharge clouds of soot and other pollutants into the atmosphere. Among these are mercury - a...

In your home, water heating can account for 13 to 25% of your energy consumption. There are a variety of ways to lower the impact and cost of your water heater, such as turning down the thermostat on your water heater when you go out of town or installing a recirculation pump. Another good option for long-term savings is replacing an old storage water heater with a tankless (or demand) water heater. Tankless water heaters are just that - tankless. They are able to avoid standby heat losses that come with storage water heaters because they heat the water as you need it. When you turn on a...

An Introduction to Daylighting   According to Wikipedia, daylighting is "is the practice of placing windows, or other transparent media, and reflective surfaces so that, during the day, natural light provides effective internal illumination."   Today's highly energy-efficient windows, as well as advances in lighting design, allow efficient use of windows to reduce the need for artificial lighting during daylight hours without causing heating or cooling problems.     Techniques   Windows The best way to incorporate daylighting in your home depends on your climate and home's...

Many home owners are interested in one thing when it comes to their home. Reducing the cost of 'running' the home.   Many are also interested in being environmentally friendly.   Some are planning to undertake a home renovation project in the near future.   A home energy audit helps on all of the above.   Provided absolutely free by many local utilities, a home energy audit is an examination by a professional on the energy usage and efficiency of a home. It typically takes 2 to three hours to complete, depending on the size of the home and the completeness of the process.   At the the end...