| Bulb A Week Make a plan to replace one incandescent light bulb in your home with a CFL bulb once a week until every bulb is replaced. |
| Just Once A Month. . |
Protect The Climate - AT HOME - Heating and Cooling
BAG LADIES (and men)
| Cleaning up the environment is not optional! |
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| We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. -Native American Proverb |
INSULATE
Insulation aids in keeping your home cooler during the winter and warmer during
the summer. If combined with good house sealing efforts it also reduces moisture
related issues which can cause floor squeaks, drywall cracks and condensation
damage.
But did you know only 1/5th of all homes built before 1980 are properly insulated?
What does this mean? This means at our homes are hurting the environment through
carbon dioxide emissions.
Current residential insulation stops 1.35 trillion pounds of carbon dioxide from
entering our earths atmosphere. To repair this amount would involve 300 million
acres of trees.
Savings currently run near $84 billion dollars in current existing insulation, which
aids in reducing heating and cooling costs yearly. Insulation is one of the most
rewarding and long-lasting cost effective savings methods one can do for their home,
and it benefits the climate as well. Savings of up to 20% to 35% in a well insulated
home is not unusual. If all U.S. homes met the insulation standards in the Model
Energy Code from 1992, total residential carbon monoxide emissions across the U.S.
would fall nearly 30%.
Insulation is measured by its R-value. The higher the R-value the better insulted
your home will be. A general rule is as follows when looking for insulation in or for
your home.
following information sources.
Insulation is not difficult to put in, but it must be put in properly to have maximum
conservation value. Look in the following areas for any "leaks".
incentives for insulating and re-insulating your home?
CLEAN FILTER/CLEAN AIR
Did you know heating and cooling uses half the energy in a typical home? It
accounts for around $1500 dollars a year in annual costs as well as produces around
10% of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.
Keep your heating and cooling appliances tuned up. Regular maintenance can
provide an increase of 5% performance, while cutting operational costs, increase
longevity of system, decrease downtime and repair costs while reducing pollution.
The very technology created to keep us comfortable on hot days is also a big
contributor to the global warming crisis. Making the most of air conditioners and
alternative ways to stay cool will aid in reducing overall emissions, while lowering
energy costs.
THERMOSTAT
By purchasing a programmable thermostat you could save as much as $150 a
year. In addition just setting the temperature back 10% to 15% for 8 hours a day, a
total of 35 million tons of CO2 greenhouse gas would drop.
Programmable thermostats usually pay for themselves within a year. Some such
as Energy Star brands allow for four different settings to be programmed, which can
be set to include a sleep, start of day, away from home, and evening schedule. These
are the most effective.
For those home most of the time, a changing and enforcement of thermal
discipline is needed, but can be done.
LIGHT UP WITH CFLS
Replace old Edison style incendescent light bulbs with new fluorescent and
compact fluorescent (CFLs) or the new LED lights.
If every American home replaced their five highest-used lights with CFLS up to 8
billion dollars annually can be saved in energy costs. This equates to removing 10
million cars off the roads.
Compared to incandescent lighting CFLs use only a quarter to a third of the
electricity of incandescents, and can last up to ten times longer. While CFLs do cost
more to buy, over its lifetime you save $30 to $60 on electricity, while preventing half a
ton of carbon dioxide at the same time. This is a worthy pay off for the initial price.
Most CFL packages list the wattage as well as a comparable incandescent
wattage. For example, a 15W incandescent might be compared to a 60W
incandescent lightbulb. Also look for lumens, a lumen is how much light is produced
by the bulb itself. You will want a lumen similar to that of the traditional incandescent
bulb you use to buy.
CFL's come in a variety of shapes including spirals, mini spirals, covered globes
and bullets. Their size now fits sconces and ceiling fans. They also come in a variety
of colors including warm white, cool white, full spectrum, daylight, and outdoor. Some
CFLs are even compatible with dimmers and three-way switches. They truly are
created to be functional in any home or office setting.
While CFL's do last a long time, they also eventually burn out. CFL's should never
be tossed in the trash but need to be recycled. CFL's contain mercury and low
mercury bulbs do exist. This mercury is less than would be released by coal fired
power plants to provide your electricity for incandescent bulbs but is still requiring
recycling. To find a retailer or recycling office visit the EARTH911 website.
Sometimes CFLs are available with substantial utility-funded rebates. Palo Alto
Utility offered 5 CFLs for the price of 1 recently. Be sure to take advantage of these
sales.
BE SURE TO SAY THANKS
In all these purchases and replacements, be sure to send a thank you to the
manufacturers as well as the retailers for doing their part to provide planet friendly
products.
Insulation aids in keeping your home cooler during the winter and warmer during
the summer. If combined with good house sealing efforts it also reduces moisture
related issues which can cause floor squeaks, drywall cracks and condensation
damage.
But did you know only 1/5th of all homes built before 1980 are properly insulated?
What does this mean? This means at our homes are hurting the environment through
carbon dioxide emissions.
Current residential insulation stops 1.35 trillion pounds of carbon dioxide from
entering our earths atmosphere. To repair this amount would involve 300 million
acres of trees.
Savings currently run near $84 billion dollars in current existing insulation, which
aids in reducing heating and cooling costs yearly. Insulation is one of the most
rewarding and long-lasting cost effective savings methods one can do for their home,
and it benefits the climate as well. Savings of up to 20% to 35% in a well insulated
home is not unusual. If all U.S. homes met the insulation standards in the Model
Energy Code from 1992, total residential carbon monoxide emissions across the U.S.
would fall nearly 30%.
Insulation is measured by its R-value. The higher the R-value the better insulted
your home will be. A general rule is as follows when looking for insulation in or for
your home.
- Ceilings - R-49
- Walls - R-13 to R-18
- Basement interiors - R-11 to R-19
- Basement exteriors - R-10 to R-15
following information sources.
Insulation is not difficult to put in, but it must be put in properly to have maximum
conservation value. Look in the following areas for any "leaks".
- Attic - Bare sots between all the wall framing.
- Walls/Floors adjacent to unheated spaces such as basements, crawl spaces,
and garages. Check for locations of exposed structural elements. - Exterior walls - Check outside walls, and also around fuse boxes, outlets,
window frames, door frames and base/head boards.
incentives for insulating and re-insulating your home?
CLEAN FILTER/CLEAN AIR
Did you know heating and cooling uses half the energy in a typical home? It
accounts for around $1500 dollars a year in annual costs as well as produces around
10% of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.
Keep your heating and cooling appliances tuned up. Regular maintenance can
provide an increase of 5% performance, while cutting operational costs, increase
longevity of system, decrease downtime and repair costs while reducing pollution.
- Oil boilers and central air conditioners need yearly maintenance.
- Gas systems need a two-year checkup
- Heat pumps need two year checkup
- Hot water radiators should be bled, water level checked, sediment removed
and vents checked yearly. - Check air filters regularly and clean or replace. Most are monthly
replacements but some systems can be annually. - Seal and insulate your ducts. This can increase your systems performance by
10% while reducing your costs by 15%. - Clean registers. Be sure they are not blocked by furniture, carpets, drapes,
toys or piles of laundry. - Do not block baseboard heat or radiatiors.
- Use room air conditioners. Close the "fresh air" vent to avoid cooling entire
neighborhood. - Outdoor air compressors should be free of yard and landscape obstructions.
Keep all the area around it free from grass and shrubbery. - Keep the coils clean. Indoor and outdoor air conditioning units coils
accumulate dirt and dust and slow performance by 8%. Soap water and elbow
grease go a long way.
The very technology created to keep us comfortable on hot days is also a big
contributor to the global warming crisis. Making the most of air conditioners and
alternative ways to stay cool will aid in reducing overall emissions, while lowering
energy costs.
- Close shades or use awnings to keep out direct sunlight.
- Use ceiling fans or house fans frequently.
- Insulate house
- Plant trees to shade areas of home that get particularly hot.
- Always buy the least ENERGY STAR rated appliances
- Set summer thermostat at 78%.
- Consider ventilation (ceiling or house fan driven)
- Replace windows with double glazing and low E-coatings.
- Use CFL lights which are cooler.
- Consider reflective roofing materials.
- Replace doors with energy-efficient varieties.
- In Moderate climates heat pumps which move warm air from house to outside
are options. - In dryer climates, evaporative cooling uses less energy then AC systems.
THERMOSTAT
By purchasing a programmable thermostat you could save as much as $150 a
year. In addition just setting the temperature back 10% to 15% for 8 hours a day, a
total of 35 million tons of CO2 greenhouse gas would drop.
Programmable thermostats usually pay for themselves within a year. Some such
as Energy Star brands allow for four different settings to be programmed, which can
be set to include a sleep, start of day, away from home, and evening schedule. These
are the most effective.
For those home most of the time, a changing and enforcement of thermal
discipline is needed, but can be done.
LIGHT UP WITH CFLS
Replace old Edison style incendescent light bulbs with new fluorescent and
compact fluorescent (CFLs) or the new LED lights.
If every American home replaced their five highest-used lights with CFLS up to 8
billion dollars annually can be saved in energy costs. This equates to removing 10
million cars off the roads.
Compared to incandescent lighting CFLs use only a quarter to a third of the
electricity of incandescents, and can last up to ten times longer. While CFLs do cost
more to buy, over its lifetime you save $30 to $60 on electricity, while preventing half a
ton of carbon dioxide at the same time. This is a worthy pay off for the initial price.
Most CFL packages list the wattage as well as a comparable incandescent
wattage. For example, a 15W incandescent might be compared to a 60W
incandescent lightbulb. Also look for lumens, a lumen is how much light is produced
by the bulb itself. You will want a lumen similar to that of the traditional incandescent
bulb you use to buy.
CFL's come in a variety of shapes including spirals, mini spirals, covered globes
and bullets. Their size now fits sconces and ceiling fans. They also come in a variety
of colors including warm white, cool white, full spectrum, daylight, and outdoor. Some
CFLs are even compatible with dimmers and three-way switches. They truly are
created to be functional in any home or office setting.
While CFL's do last a long time, they also eventually burn out. CFL's should never
be tossed in the trash but need to be recycled. CFL's contain mercury and low
mercury bulbs do exist. This mercury is less than would be released by coal fired
power plants to provide your electricity for incandescent bulbs but is still requiring
recycling. To find a retailer or recycling office visit the EARTH911 website.
Sometimes CFLs are available with substantial utility-funded rebates. Palo Alto
Utility offered 5 CFLs for the price of 1 recently. Be sure to take advantage of these
sales.
BE SURE TO SAY THANKS
In all these purchases and replacements, be sure to send a thank you to the
manufacturers as well as the retailers for doing their part to provide planet friendly
products.
