Share your energy/resource saving tips

[JennyC]

The movie “An Inconvenient Truth” regenerated the discussion of global warming at work, at home, and among friends.

Nipith recently posted this under “The person below me” thread

almost true. for the longest time, I refused to get an AC, so i was running fans every summer. this year, I broke down and got an energy star AC and guess what, my electric bill is less than when i was without it, and this year's been hotter than the last two. hrm! all that suffering and I was wasting more energy! The AC is great, it's keeping my loft comfortable, but not entirely cool.

the person below me knows to defrost their freezer every so often to keep it running efficiently.

I was happy to know that Nipith ended his suffering by finally installed the A/C.  LA can be HOT in summer.  At the same time I was happily surprised that the A/C actually consumes less energy than the electric fans.  What a win/win situation!    He also mentioned the tip with freezer.

Fast rewind to maybe 5 or 6 months ago, I listened to a NPR’s program on global warming.  Some callers were asking where they can find things that they can do in their daily life that help save energy, hence help conserve the environment.

All these things got me thinking about what are the things that we can do in our daily life to be environmental friendly.  Some may be very obvious to us, some may be not; some are easier to be adapted in our life style, some are not.  It would be nice to know what you know and/or have being doing to save energy/resource.  We don’t aim to be those extreme environmentalists (though I admire their passion and dedication).  But we probably don’t mind to give up a little bit convenience/comfort to help saving some energy/resource.

So please share with us your tips, practice on saving energy/resource or being environmental friendly.  Other than the tips, tell us a little bit of your experience/story/comments, because 1) that makes the thread more interesting to read  , and 2) it can help others to decide if they can apply your tip/practice in their life.

[JennyC]

To kick off this topic, I will share one.

During summer, park your car in a shaded area if possible

Most people at where I work like to part their cars as close to the building as possible (this is probably true everywhere).  The building is facing west, so some spots get nice shade in the morning, but are in full sun during the afternoon.  There is a parking lot that is not immediately connected to the building that has big trees on two sides, particularly on the west side. Because it’s a tiny bit of walk to the building (but really we are talking about the difference of 1 minute walking to the front door), you almost never see any cars park there.  I like to park there during summer because 1) I don’t have to worry about someone accidentally hit my car when they open their door, and 2) my car is nice and cool when I leave for the day comparing with other cars that are under the hot sun for over 8 hours.  I will say there is at least 30 F degrees difference inside the cars parked under the shade vs. not under the shade.  I don’t need to use A/C for my trip back home.

I am sure most people don’t mind that extra 1 minute walking at all.  It seems that the thought of keeping your car cool by parking in a shaded area does not cross their mind at all.

[starboardlight]

did you know that all the adapters for your various gadgets consume energy even when your gadgets are not plugged into to them. For example, you cell phone adapter continue to consume approximately 60 watts/hour even when you don't plug your cell phone in to charge. Same goes for printers, scanners, pdas, etc. If they're not in use, keep the adapters unplugged. I know 60 watts is minor, but it can add up if enough of us do it.

also, it's best to do your laundry consecutively in one day, instead of on different days. the residual heat from the dryer means the dry use less energy to heat up for the next load.

[henrypie]

I harvest water from the dehumidifier in the basement and from washing salad greens to water the tomatoes, annuals and all indoor plants.

We use rechargeable batteries.  We also make it known that family, friends and neighbors can give us their used-up batteries -- we take them to hazardous waste disposal sites.  I fear that vast numbers of people don't know that they cannot throw batteries away -- i.e. into a landfill.

On driving: I don't accelerate to a red light.  I also don't drive fast just for the hell of it.  The faster you drive on the highway, the more gas you burn per mile, period.  I keep it at 65 or below, unless I'm having a PLC (personal lateness crisis).  I do not leave my car idling, for any reason.  (I also drive a hybrid, so it tends to turn off for me.)  I don't know the exact math, but I've heard that generally, a minute's worth of idling uses about the amount of gas needed to start the engine.  I also know that in some countries I've visited it's illegal to leave your engine idling in cab lanes, airport queues etc.

I absolutely adore this thread, Jenny.

[JennyC]

did you know that all the adapters for your various gadgets consume energy even when your gadgets are not plugged into to them. For example, you cell phone adapter continue to consume approximately 60 watts/hour even when you don't plug your cell phone in to charge.

I didn't know that adapters still consume electricity even if the gadget is not plugged in.  Good tip!  My cell phone adapter is coming off the outlet tonight! 60 watts/hour may not be a lot, but why let your money wasted, err?

also, it's best to do your laundry consecutively in one day, instead of on different days. the residual heat from the dryer means the dry use less energy to heat up for the next load.

I am doing ok on this one not because I realize that it saves energy, but too lazy to do laundry everyday.     Guess you can not use this tip if you don't have enough cloth to change.

We also make it known that family, friends and neighbors can give us their used-up batteries -- we take them to hazardous waste disposal sites.  I fear that vast numbers of people don't know that they cannot throw batteries away -- i.e. into a landfill.

I didn't know that, or rather didn't really think on that even when I saw the warning sign on the batteries.  Does anyone know exactly why batteries are hazardous waste?  Because they may explode?

I absolutely adore this thread, Jenny.

Thanks Sarah, I love your tips!  Keep them coming.

[JennyC]

Print longer document on both sides of a sheet

I know my husband’s office printer is defaulted to print on double sides.  Some older printers, however, do not have that option.

When send out document for people to review, I normally add a reminder that they may want to print it double sided if it’s longer than 40 pages.

If you have to have a hard copy of a long document (I know sometimes I do as I need to make notes), try to have it printed or copied on both sides of a sheet.

[henrypie]

Hi Jenny!
I believe batteries are hazardous because they leach metals into the groundwater.

Now, I did just read that not all alkaline batteries (AA in your tv remote for example) are classified as hazardous.... car batteries, silver oxide, nickel-cadmium, and others definitely are.  Because of my doubt in general (and fear that even those not classified as hazardous might in fact be), we take them all to hazardous waste drop-off day.  We go maybe once or twice a year.


Here's another tip, not a major revelation or anything:  turn off the light!  In general.

Another thing I do which some might consider nasty or taboo, is to group toilet flushings.  Especially in the summer heat, it is NOT a good idea to wait too long before flushing; however, at bedtime, for example, when my husband and I go through the toothbrushing and peeing routine, we both go and then flush.  Barring anything out of the ordinary, mind you.  I also try to remind myself, when doing anything inconvenient, time-consuming or oddball in order to save resources, that we have it SOOOO much easier than most of the people in the world.  Compare consolidating toilet-flushes with not having plumbing at all and an open sewer running between your shantytown and the neighboring one.  I'll take consolidating flushes, please.


Oh!  And on paper.  I rarely use virgin paper.  For all drafts, all in-house memos or copies to be filed, I use scrap paper.  I work in a music library; people fill the recycling bin next to the copier very quickly with scrap.

Oh!  And bags at the grocery store.  Now this gets me in a real knot, and thank God for automated checkout, which reduces the chance that I'll have to convince a vacantly-staring minimum-wage cashier.  I bring my own bags, and I let the checker-outer know immediately not to use any bags; just send it all down and I'll bag it, I say.  The waste of blue plastic bags is very upsetting to me.  Cashiers double-bag unless you ask them not to; if they pull a bag off the rack and then don't use it, they throw it in the trash.  This is reason for a letter to Safeway or wherever because I know they're trained to double-bag.  What would be really cool is if they could be trained to use their judgment for heavier bags.  That doesn't seem likely.

[Jeff Wrangler]

I accidentally, or unintentionally, saved myself a lot of money on my electric bill when I bought a new refrigerator.

When I bought my condo, it included the original, 1973-model refrigerator. When I bought a new fridge just because I wanted to get rid of the old one, I was amazed at home much my electric bill dropped.

Other things that I do that I hope help are:

1. Only run the dishwasher when it's full.

2. Do as much laundry as possible in cold water.

3. Absolutely no paper plates! I also use cloth napkins.

[starboardlight]

Oh!  And bags at the grocery store.  Now this gets me in a real knot, and thank God for automated checkout, which reduces the chance that I'll have to convince a vacantly-staring minimum-wage cashier.  I bring my own bags, and I let the checker-outer know immediately not to use any bags; just send it all down and I'll bag it, I say.  The waste of blue plastic bags is very upsetting to me.  Cashiers double-bag unless you ask them not to; if they pull a bag off the rack and then don't use it, they throw it in the trash.  This is reason for a letter to Safeway or wherever because I know they're trained to double-bag.  What would be really cool is if they could be trained to use their judgment for heavier bags.  That doesn't seem likely.

I'm fortunate to have Trader Joe's near me. They're all over SoCal, actually. But the one near me promotes people bring their own bags. They will give you a chance to win a weekly drawing each time you shop and use your own bag. I have a canvas bag that I bring with me every week. I haven't won anything yet, and with my luck, I probably won't ever. Still I'm glad that they promote not using wasting bags.

2. Do as much laundry as possible in cold water.

something I never knew until a friend of mine told me. Most major brand detergents use enzymes to help break up the dirt and oil in your clothes. Just read the active ingredients on your detergent box, it'll say "enzyme". That enzyme actually is broken down when you use hot water and become ineffective, so they work best in cold water, actually. Using cold water is not only more energy efficient, but will get the best out of your detergent.

[Jeff Wrangler]

I didn't know that about the enzymes in laundry detergent. I just started to wash as much in cold as I could as an energy-saving measure--at least, I hoped it would help save energy.

The hot water is supplied as part of my condo fee, so I thought if I did as much laundry as possible in cold water, it might help with energy saving.

However, I admit that I haven't been able to overcome my mother's training that "whites," like sweat socks and underwear, must be done in hot water! 

[Amber]

Ahhhh, I love this thread!  My undergraduate major was in Environmental Biology so I had a bunch of this stuff crammed in my head!  Thank goodness all of that stuff is actually useful (as compared to physics, calculus and organic chemistry!).

*  In addition to cell phone adapters etc. even your toasters, blenders, coffee pots etc use up energy when they are left plugged in.

*  The good ol' brick in the toilet routine is a great idea for water conservation with your toilet.  Along with the "never run the water while you brush your teeth"  it's amazing how much water that actually saves.  I'm also an advocate of the 2 minute shower, but I don't get many followers with me on that one *lol*

*  Recycling/composting as much as possible is not only good for the environment but cuts down on the amount of trash you produce, thereby cutting down on the cost of trashbags and perhaps your trash service depending on where you live and what trash company you are with.

* Along with turning off your lights is using as much natural light as possible.  Opening your blinds and curtains (especially in the morning/evening when there aren't any heat issues - in the heat of the day it's actually better to close everything to keep things cooler) is a great way to use the environment and cut back on your energy bill.

*  Energy saving light bulbs seem to cost more up front but actually save  you a lot of money in the long term.

*  Water your lawn in the early morning.  Your lawn will soak up more of the water instead of having it evaporate in the afternoon heat.

I love everyone's ideas.  It reminds me that I'm not always doing everything I can to make a difference.  When you're dealing with the environment a little really does go a long way.

P.S. -  "An Inconvenient Truth" is high on my list of movies to see.  It's exciting to see such a MAJOR global issue hit the mainstream.

[Jeff Wrangler]

*  The good ol' brick in the toilet routine is a great idea for water conservation with your toilet.  Along with the "never run the water while you brush your teeth"  it's amazing how much water that actually saves.  I'm also an advocate of the 2 minute shower, but I don't get many followers with me on that one *lol*

That reminds me. When I had my bathroom remodeled last year, the contractor installed a new, "low-flow" toilet. Works just as well as the old-fashioned toilets that used a lot more water.

[starboardlight]

A friend of mine just emailed me about LED lights. It's pretty interesting, so I thought I'd repost it here for you all to see. there are links too if you care to follow them.

_____________________________________________
LED lights are expensive! 

But over the life (even considering present value for those of you who are money types) they are less expensive. That is why you are seeing them in traffic lights and car lighting.They greatly reduce the amount of electricity we consume which reduces the amount of co2 in the air which increases the likelihood that our children (or nieces and nephews) will be able to live a good life.

Why don't we all try and buy one bulb and see what we think?  If you are doing new construction, you can implement LED lighting instead of traditional lighting and the cost goes down dramatically. Replacing an incandescent bulb with an LED is expensive because the base of the bulb has to include a power converter (since LED's use such low amounts of electricity).  They have replacement bulbs for incandescent, and halogen bulbs. 

If any of you early adopters out there tried LED lighting a few years ago, don't worry they've gotten much much better. 

The LED is better than the cool florescence because they last much longer, have a better quality of light (no green/blue cast) and they contain no toxic chemicals.

You can buy some here, or do a google search -  http://store.lsgc.com/

For the I-want-to-know-more people...
Some LED bulbs are rated at 50,000 hours, many are rated at 100,000. 
The cost of the bulbs are going down too.  The above link above has a 100 lumen bug light for $15.00

Just so you know - it is difficult to find a replacement bulb that has an output of over 450 lumens (roughly a 40watt bulb)
 
If you install new lighting (new construction or remodel) it is easy to get the light quality and quantity you want/need.   Also GREAT for landscaping!!

For now, if you are buying a replacement bulb you should either use it as accent or reading lights or where you can build the light up with several light bulbs
For example LED's are perfect for Chandelier lights (you can put in several and still not come close to the watt rating on the chandelier).
If you have low watt track lighting, or a bathroom fixture with several lights then LED is a good way to go. 
LED replacement bulbs are not good for just about anything other than the primary overhead light bulb.
LED replacement bulbs are not dim-able (new installations are fully dim-able)


Note:  this is what one site claims.. It is a bit biased but it uses old data (that has improved in favor of LED's) 

The Main Bias here is that it compares a 60 watt incandescent with a 2 watt LED. The bulb that they are talking about with two watts has a lumen output more equivalent to a 25 watt light bulb so you would need a few to get the same amount of lumens.  (therefore to get 75 watts you'd end up spending $140.85 over the 60,000 life saving you only $259.35 but getting more light). The cost of that bulb is now less and many other bulbs have higher lumen/watt output.  Regardless over the long haul you save money in real terms.

Cree (an LED manufacturer — http://www.cree.com/products/lightleds.asp) has just announced that they have can produce a 100 lumen/watt LED. which is incredible (incandescent light bulbs output roughly 20-30 lumens/watt)  but they do not sell replacement bulbs, only for new installation... (again why if you are doing construction or remodeling you should consider LED's 

[henrypie]

Nipith,
Hooray for Trader Joe's!  They are the exception to my mainstream grocery-store rule.  (Also Whole Foods, although cost keeps me at bay there.)  I do about a third of my grocery shopping at Trader Joe's, in fact, and it is always a good experience.  The employees have their brains on full-power and thank me for bagging and thank me for supplying my own.  By the way do TJ's in CA sell alcohol?  In MD they don't, but in VA they do, and I've stocked up in Alexandria.  They have some very good beer and wine at crazy-good prices.  What a wonderful store.


I thought of another point:  disposable paper products in general, like Clorox wipes or Swiffer lint-pads.  Don't be tempted!  They're all going in the landfill, whereas your torn-up old t-shirt rags will serve you over and over again.


And paper towels:  When I wash and dry vegetables or squeeze-dry chopped spinach, I use a clean dishtowel instead.


On disposable diapers:  If I should ever have the opportunity/curse of making diaper decisions, I plan at this point anyway to use cloth diapers at home, and avail myself of the convenience of disposables while on the go.  I have some experience, via babysitting, with cloth diapers, and they are not the end of the world.  Like, almost the end, but not the very end.  Talk to me in ten years.

[LED's: I happen to live with a light-bulb geek, and he's all over LED's like a bee on a soda can.]

[Jeff Wrangler]

Untold generations of human beings--including mine--had only cloth diapers, and our mothers survived, and we grew up fine.  They even used to have businesses called "diaper services," though whether they just laundered your own cloth diapers or whether you, in effect, "rented" the diapers I don't know. I just remember the company back home was called "Baby's Di-dee Service." I used to see their panel trucks on the streets, with uniformed drivers making deliveries of bundles of diapers, just the way bread and dairy products used to be delivered right to your door.

Sorry--this isn't supposed to be a nostalgia thread.

I have a confession to make. I use Swiffers to clean my bathroom and kitchen floors.  In a highrise condominium, there is no way to dispose of a bucket of dirty scrub water that doesn't require something else to be cleaned afterward.

But I do follow Mother's custom and use old t-shirts for dusting and other cleaning, no disposable stuff there.

And I never thought of using a clean dishtowel for drying salad and veggies. Neat idea!

[JennyC]

Thanks for the tips about idled changers and appliances plugged in.  I went home and checked we do have quite a few.  The thing is I can not unplug everything and only plug them when I need to use them.  For one, I don’t ever want to get under my desk to tackle all the wires for the computers and its peripherals.  Then you have all the lamps, TVs, DVDs, cable box, major appliances, etc.  I guess that’s where I stop and say that I have to leave them on for the convenience.  Anyway I did get cell phone chargers, laptop chargers, and my husbands’ razor, hair dryer, coffee machine unplugged.  Those are either not used that often or easy to plug in again.

[JennyC]

Expand your comfortable temperature range

For some people, the only comfortable temperature range is from 65 F to 75 F (or something like that).  Anything below that, the heat has to be on.  Anything above that, the A/C has to be on.  It’s not uncommon to be in places where it’s too hot to wear sweater during winter or so cold that you need a sweater in the summer.  There is nothing wrong to dress according to the seasons.  I am not talking about that you have to wear a coat indoor during winter, but a sweater is nice and fitting.  Same goes for summer when we want to wear short sleeve shirts, skirts, shorts, etc.  The problem with central A/C building is you don’t even know how to adjust the temperature. 

The point is if we can all be a little bit more tolerate to the comfort temperature range, a lot of energy can not saved from all the heating and cooling.  I have lived 20 years without A/C.  It’s a shame to think that now I can’t live without one during hot summer days.   It’s so easy to adapt to the convenience and comfort, and it’s almost irreversible.    If I must use one, I will try not to use it that frequently. 

There are many tips in terms of how to use A/C most efficiently, like don't leave it on all day, turn it off at nights, etc.  But the bottom line is we need to get ourselves out of the mentality that we can only live in 71 F (which I heard is the most comfortable temperature for the human being) all year long.

[Giancarlo]

We really need a break through on nuclear fusion energy... which produces almost unlimited power and little/no radioactive byproducts.

[henrypie]

But the bottom line is we need to get ourselves out of the mentality that we can only live in 71 F (which I heard is the most comfortable temperature for the human being) all year long.

This is so true, Jenny.

[Giancarlo]

This is so true, Jenny.

Or move close to the beach where you get the off shore breeze. My sister gets it and see lives in Redondo Beach.. it never gets over 85F and usually stays around 75F. Where in constrast, in the San Fernando Valley it was 110F+..

[starboardlight]

We really need a break through on nuclear fusion energy... which produces almost unlimited power and little/no radioactive byproducts.

i'm not so sure about that. i think the advancements in renewable energy is going to make a huge difference in the near future. The push for better solar cell, with increased efficiency and cheaper production cost is going to make it a very viable alternative. In addition, Europe is experimenting with using ocean currents to generate energy. In addition to wind power, we actually have quite a bit of alternative ahead of us. Right now in LA and perhaps most of California, individuals can become energy producers. With Solar cells hooked up, you can get credited for energy you produced against you energy bill. I'm quite optimistic about our future as far as energy is concerned.

[starboardlight]

Nipith,
Hooray for Trader Joe's!  They are the exception to my mainstream grocery-store rule.  (Also Whole Foods, although cost keeps me at bay there.)  I do about a third of my grocery shopping at Trader Joe's, in fact, and it is always a good experience.  The employees have their brains on full-power and thank me for bagging and thank me for supplying my own.  By the way do TJ's in CA sell alcohol?  In MD they don't, but in VA they do, and I've stocked up in Alexandria.  They have some very good beer and wine at crazy-good prices.  What a wonderful store.

Yeah, TJ does sell alcohol here in Cali. They have some great small brewery beer and great wine, and very reasonable price. I'm always tempted to buy a lot, but living alone I don't drink often enough to finish a bottle of wine quick enough.

[starboardlight]

Thanks for the tips about idled changers and appliances plugged in.  I went home and checked we do have quite a few.  The thing is I can not unplug everything and only plug them when I need to use them.  For one, I don’t ever want to get under my desk to tackle all the wires for the computers and its peripherals.  Then you have all the lamps, TVs, DVDs, cable box, major appliances, etc.  I guess that’s where I stop and say that I have to leave them on for the convenience.  Anyway I did get cell phone chargers, laptop chargers, and my husbands’ razor, hair dryer, coffee machine unplugged.  Those are either not used that often or easy to plug in again.

here's a tip. get a surge protector that has on/off switch. plug those peripherals into it, and position the switch so that it's not so deep under your desk. you can then just reach down and turn off the switch. the protector itself will still be using up energy when while it's turnd off, but at least it's just the surge protector and not all the devices.

[Giancarlo]

i'm not so sure about that. i think the advancements in renewable energy is going to make a huge difference in the near future. The push for better solar cell, with increased efficiency and cheaper production cost is going to make it a very viable alternative. In addition, Europe is experimenting with using ocean currents to generate energy. In addition to wind power, we actually have quite a bit of alternative ahead of us. Right now in LA and perhaps most of California, individuals can become energy producers. With Solar cells hooked up, you can get credited for energy you produced against you energy bill. I'm quite optimistic about our future as far as energy is concerned.

Renewable energy is inadequate. I really hate to say that. It is a wonderful idea, no question about it... but it is nowhere close to what is needed. But you are dismissing an energy source that people know very little about. Nuclear fusion is possible, and it has the most research and development being put towards it. Sometimes people hear "NUCLEAR fusion" they get frightened... not knowing what it really is about. It is better then solar. In fact it produces basically unlimited amounts of energy. Solar cells are inadequate.

Europe, particularly France rely mostly on nuclear power. Nuclear power like it or not is not EVIL, nor is it bad. It is very efficient, and can be very clean when all guidelines are followed. It also produces FAR MORE POWER then any other energy source out there. In Los Angeles we need nuclear fusion. Solar power though a nice idea... simply isn't enough.

http://www.iop.org/EJ/journal/NuclFus

http://www.atomicarchive.com/Fusion/Fusion1.shtml

"Nuclear energy can also be released by fusion of two light elements (elements with low atomic numbers). The power that fuels the sun and the stars is nuclear fusion. In a hydrogen bomb, two isotopes of hydrogen, deuterium and tritium are fused to form a nucleus of helium and a neutron. This fusion releases 17.6 MeV of energy. Unlike nuclear fission, there is no limit on the amount of the fusion that can occur."

They have done this. They need better technology and more research to contain such energy.

[JennyC]

Nipith, now I am really glad you got your A/C in before this recording setting heat in CA.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WEATHER/07/23/heatwave.ap/index.html

[starboardlight]

Renewable energy is inadequate. I really hate to say that. It is a wonderful idea, no question about it... but it is nowhere close to what is needed. But you are dismissing an energy source that people know very little about. Nuclear fusion is possible, and it has the most research and development being put towards it. Sometimes people hear "NUCLEAR fusion" they get frightened... not knowing what it really is about. It is better then solar. In fact it produces basically unlimited amounts of energy. Solar cells are inadequate.

Europe, particularly France rely mostly on nuclear power. Nuclear power like it or not is not EVIL, nor is it bad. It is very efficient, and can be very clean when all guidelines are followed. It also produces FAR MORE POWER then any other energy source out there. In Los Angeles we need nuclear fusion. Solar power though a nice idea... simply isn't enough.

http://www.iop.org/EJ/journal/NuclFus

http://www.atomicarchive.com/Fusion/Fusion1.shtml

"Nuclear energy can also be released by fusion of two light elements (elements with low atomic numbers). The power that fuels the sun and the stars is nuclear fusion. In a hydrogen bomb, two isotopes of hydrogen, deuterium and tritium are fused to form a nucleus of helium and a neutron. This fusion releases 17.6 MeV of energy. Unlike nuclear fission, there is no limit on the amount of the fusion that can occur."

They have done this. They need better technology and more research to contain such energy.

i'm sure in the future, it'll be a combination of the many sources of energy. You're right; nuclear energy will be viable in the future. but don't dismiss solar energy either. it's efficiency and cost has improved quite a bit in the past few years and will continue to do so. Currently solar cell will produce more than enough energy for an average house hold consumption, especially here in SoCal. it also offers a decentralized source. Nuclear enregy is great, but if any happens to the energy grid, millions of house holds will be cut of. Solar energy can ensure that that doesn't happen. The thing is, nuclear fusion is ways off in the future, while solar is here and now and is just getting better. Like I said, it'll take a combination of sources, not any one single method is going to win out.

[nakymaton]

I just finished reading an excellent book dealing with global warming and so forth: Field Notes from a Catastrophe by Elizabeth Kolbert. Wonderful writing, very accessibly, mixture of anecdotes and theory put together in a way that's a pleasure to read (well, the underlying story is not a pleasure to read, but the writing is). The first part of the book deals with what's happening in nature; the second part deals with what people are thinking about doing about it. It covers much of the same ground as An Inconvenient Truth, but with different anecdotes. (The chapter about the Netherlands is particularly interesting; so is the discussion of all the different things that could be done to try to slow or reverse the build-up of CO2. Also, there are references to the sources of some of the graphs that Gore used.)

I'm really glad to hear that California is allowing people to sell electricity back to the power companies. I don't think that solar power is the entire answer to the problem, but I think it's got to be part of the solution. And a lot of the problems with solar have to do with the amount of space that it would take up, and with the changing amounts of sunshine and clouds in any place. It seems as though those problems are minimized if we could put solar panels on every roof possible -- just think of all those flat roofs on big box stores everywhere in the country! All that space absorbing sunlight anyway... might as well put it to use. (And if we covered every Wal-mart parking lot with a roof made of solar panels! The space is wasted for anything else anyway...)

I hope that the rural electric co-ops move in that direction, as well. Windmills could provide some extra income for farmers across the plains, from Montana to Texas. The wind might not blow everywhere all the time, but widely dispersed windmills wouldn't rely on local weather in the same way that a centralized wind farm would.

As for my house: shades, shades, shades. Close the shades in the summer during the day, and the winter at night. I've got south-facing windows and live in a sunny climate (with hot days and cool nights), so I can manage a lot of my heating and cooling by opening or closing shades at various times of the day. That only works in the right house and the right climate, though. (My biggest concern is water use: we've got a community well that goes dry every now and then. If the house didn't have a fairly new washing machine, I would replace it with one of the front-loading ones that uses a lot less water. I've got lots of little tricks, but appliances that are designed to save water would make a huge difference.)

I would love to do a serious re-model and put in solar panels and LED lights. (Has anybody here used an on-demand hot water heater? I saw them in Japanese homes when I visited Japan sixteen years ago, and they seemed like a good way to avoid wasting water when heating it. But I don't know what the drawbacks might be, or whether it would be hard to retrofit an American house to use them.)

[Giancarlo]

i'm sure in the future, it'll be a combination of the many sources of energy. You're right; nuclear energy will be viable in the future. but don't dismiss solar energy either. it's efficiency and cost has improved quite a bit in the past few years and will continue to do so. Currently solar cell will produce more than enough energy for an average house hold consumption, especially here in SoCal. it also offers a decentralized source. Nuclear enregy is great, but if any happens to the energy grid, millions of house holds will be cut of. Solar energy can ensure that that doesn't happen. The thing is, nuclear fusion is ways off in the future, while solar is here and now and is just getting better. Like I said, it'll take a combination of sources, not any one single method is going to win out.

If anything happens in any power grid people will lose power. Nuclear fusion is not dangerous once it is perfected. It is safer then nuclear fission (which we currently use). Solar Cells are just simply not enough, and it would be better to rely on nuclear fusion technology. We also have businesses and factories that need to be powered up (and these often take up far more energy then any household). Solar energy just simply isn't adequate.

[David]

I also keep my shades drawn in the summer to help keep the house cooler.   

Water conservation?   Not that much of a problem here in Connecticut.  I have city water, so there is no well to go dry.      A Water company spokesperson once told us in School that there really is no such worry that we'll ever run out of water.   Everydrop we use goes back into the environment one way or another.   More water is just a rain cloud away.   The only problem is that the water is often at the wrong place at the wrong time!   

I'll be dammed if I'm going to skip flushing my toilet just so golf courses around the world have lush green fairways!   LOL.     

[starboardlight]

electric cars are dorky. oh yeah?

http://www.teslamotors.com/index.php?js_enabled=1


btw, has any one seen "Who Killed the Electric Car?"

[David]

electric cars are dorky. oh yeah?

http://www.teslamotors.com/index.php?js_enabled=1

Far out!    Sounds too good to be true!

The irony is that if we all switched to Electric cars, there would be a sudden glut of Gasoline available thus driving down the price!

[Giancarlo]

I think it would be a better idea if we switch to Hybrids. Seems more practical. Remember that to charge electric vehicles you need electricity and to provide that electricity it has to come from petroleum power plants (in the United States (roughly 70% of power in the US is provided from either oil or coal [mainly oil, as coal has been phased out]). So even if we all switch to electric vehicles the power has to come from somewhere (and right now, electric vehicles are not really a good idea in California as our power grid is stretched).

[starboardlight]

nope. it doesn't have to come from petroleum derived power. at least not in California. did you know that you can designate your power to come from green source, if you're a LA DWP customer? It'll cost you slightly more to be a green power consumer but it's worth it, and as more people sign on, economy of scale will help bring down the cost to individuals. In addition, Tesla has a deal where they'll help you set up solar charger at home, so that all your energy need for the roadster comes from solar energy. Even if you use petroleum generated electricity, it's still much less than the hybrid. I would encourage you to read through their site as well as other researched stats. The film "Who Killed the Electric Car?" has a great section on this. The amount of petroleum used per mile in an electric car versus a hybrid still favors the electric, simply because of economy of scale. The power plant can turn petroleum into energy more efficiently than a hybrid motor. Admittedly, the electric car is harder for renters who have to deal with parking, much less a place to install the charger. But for home owners, the electric car will be ideal.

[Giancarlo]

nope. it doesn't have to come from petroleum derived power. at least not in California. did you know that you can designate your power to come from green source, if you're a LA DWP customer? It'll cost you slightly more to be a green power consumer but it's worth it, and as more people sign on, economy of scale will help bring down the cost to individuals. In addition, Tesla has a deal where they'll help you set up solar charger at home, so that all your energy need for the roadster comes from solar energy. Even if you use petroleum generated electricity, it's still much less than the hybrid. I would encourage you to read through their site as well as other researched stats. The film "Who Killed the Electric Car?" has a great section on this. The amount of petroleum used per mile in an electric car versus a hybrid still favors the electric, simply because of economy of scale. The power plant can turn petroleum into energy more efficiently than a hybrid motor. Admittedly, the electric car is harder for renters who have to deal with parking, much less a place to install the charger. But for home owners, the electric car will be ideal.

I am in an apartment building that has the utlities covered by the management (as many apartment buildings are, utilities are covered by the rent). Even if I could, I would most likely not be able to afford it. What we need in this city is a centralization. A sprawling urban mess like what it is now leads to more power usage, more gas usage (obviously you have to drive from place to place) and poor air quality. The more people who sign up for it, the more strain there is on the power source and then the price goes up. Supply and demand. The more people who demand a product, the higher the price goes. We see this with petroleum. Either way, I still think hybrid vehicles are far more effective then electric vehicles, and they last longer too. I would recommend you stop making things up and start reading the facts about hybrid vehicles (which are incredibly effective vehicles, and are faster then electric cars). For anyone, hybrid vehilces are the ideal, and Toyota basically has it down with its hybrid line (especially the Toyota Prius which gets 42/65MPG).

You can even reverse engineer hybrids to get even higher then that (some estimates say from 80-100MPG).

Please also go through supply/demand and see why your reasoning is not entirely accurate.

[starboardlight]

I am in an apartment building that has the utlities covered by the management (as many apartment buildings are, utilities are covered by the rent). Even if I could, I would most likely not be able to afford it. What we need in this city is a centralization. A sprawling urban mess like what it is now leads to more power usage, more gas usage (obviously you have to drive from place to place) and poor air quality. The more people who sign up for it, the more strain there is on the power source and then the price goes up. Supply and demand. The more people who demand a product, the higher the price goes. We see this with petroleum. Either way, I still think hybrid vehicles are far more effective then electric vehicles, and they last longer too. I would recommend you stop making things up and start reading the facts about hybrid vehicles (which are incredibly effective vehicles, and are faster then electric cars). For anyone, hybrid vehilces are the ideal, and Toyota basically has it down with its hybrid line (especially the Toyota Prius which gets 42/65MPG).

You can even reverse engineer hybrids to get even higher then that (some estimates say from 80-100MPG).

Please also go through supply/demand and see why your reasoning is not entirely accurate.

actually a rudimentary understand of supply/demand might lead you to think that that's always true, but you're arguing with an econ major here. the laws of supply and demand is not always an upward curve. Economy of scale is a factor that can shift the supply curve to the right and thus puts a downward pressure on price. The overhead cost of running a power plant is always constant, and is distributed into each unit of consumption. If the power plant produce twice the amount of energy, the overhead/unit cost will be half as expensive. In which case, an increase in demand would in fact result in a lower per unit cost.

and as I've said, there is not need to use energy from the power plant. Tesla will help its buyers set up a solar charging station at home, so no use of petroleum derived energy to drive the car, so in that sense, it beats the hybrid.

as far as the hybrid being faster. who cares, the Tesla Roadster can go 0-60 in 4 seconds, and has a top speed of 130, which is more than any one needs. What's the stats for speed on the Prius anyway?

and I'd like to see that research on hybrid lasting longer. neither cars have been around for more than 10 years, so I don't think anyone knows. so provide some back up stats on that if you please.

without an internal combustion engine, electric cars are cleaner and requires less maintenance. I'm not making this up. Previous owners of the EV will tell you as much.

[Giancarlo]

actually a rudimentary understand of supply/demand might lead you to think that that's always true, but you're arguing with an econ major here. the laws of supply and demand is not always an upward curve. Economy of scale is a factor that can shift the supply curve to the right and thus puts a downward pressure on price. The overhead cost of running a power plant is always constant, and is distributed into each unit of consumption. If the power plant produce twice the amount of energy, the overhead/unit cost will be half as expensive. In which case, an increase in demand would in fact result in a lower per unit cost.

I may not be an econ major, but my major (political science) deeply requires economics, and I did take several courses involving that (I am taking a course called business ethics this upcoming semester but it is more for my general education requirements). I never said supply and demand is an upward curve. But when it comes to power, the more that is demanded the higher prices go up, and we in California know that dearly. By the way, if you put a lot of strain on a power plant by demanding that it produces more power you run the risk of a fire or even a plant meltdown. What happened in Santa Monica yesturday was a much smaller scale outage but it equals a electrical meltdown. Myspace for example was knocked out because of that outage. The circuits overloaded and there was a fire. You need to take into account natural forces, which no offense or anything, they don't seem to teach you in economics. You cannot just demand that a power plant produces twice the amount of energy. You actually have to upgrade or expand it.

Tesla will help its buyers set up a solar charging station at home, so no use of petroleum derived energy to drive the car, so in that sense, it beats the hybrid.

Impractical and expensive. It doesn't beat hybrid.

as far as the hybrid being faster. who cares, the Tesla Roadster can go 0-60 in 4 seconds, and has a top speed of 130, which is more than any one needs. What's the stats for speed on the Prius anyway?

I highly doubt that is true. The Prius is just a better vehicle and is more cost efficient. The prices are going down for hybrids much faster then they are for electric vehicles, and lets face it... people work in the petroleum market too and it would be disasterous for them if we make a switch to electric. I just think about long term implications.

without an internal combustion engine, electric cars are cleaner and requires less maintenance. I'm not making this up. Previous owners of the EV will tell you as much.

You are making this up in my mind. Hybrids are very effective and can be reversed engineered to go faster, and run longer then electric vehicles.

[starboardlight]

I may not be an econ major, but my major (political science) deeply requires economics, and I did take several courses involving that (I am taking a course called business ethics this upcoming semester but it is more for my general education requirements). I never said supply and demand is an upward curve. But when it comes to power, the more that is demanded the higher prices go up, and we in California know that dearly. By the way, if you put a lot of strain on a power plant by demanding that it produces more power you run the risk of a fire or even a plant meltdown. What happened in Santa Monica yesturday was a much smaller scale outage but it equals a electrical meltdown. Myspace for example was knocked out because of that outage. The circuits overloaded and there was a fire. You need to take into account natural forces, which no offense or anything, they don't seem to teach you in economics. You cannot just demand that a power plant produces twice the amount of energy. You actually have to upgrade or expand it.

you'd have to upgrade if the plant is already function at capacity. Most plants aren't. Many petroleum currently keep many of their generators off and overtax the ones that are in use. That's what happened in the east coast black out several years ago, and that's what happened in Santa Monica. This is documented in many newspaper reports. But I was talking about green energy. Natural gas plants as well as solar and wind plants which still have room for increased capacity. With these plants, demand increase will indeed bring down the per unit cost for quite a while until we hit critical mass, but that's a long way off.

[quoteI highly doubt that is true. The Prius is just a better vehicle and is more cost efficient. The prices are going down for hybrids much faster then they are for electric vehicles, and lets face it... people work in the petroleum market too and it would be disasterous for them if we make a switch to electric. I just think about long term implications.[/quote]
the numbers are what they are. doubt all you want. but when these cars hit the road next year, we'll know for sure.

You are making this up in my mind. Hybrids are very effective and can be reversed engineered to go faster, and run longer then electric vehicles.

so you're calling me a liar. great. but research into internal combustion engine and electric engine before you actually make such a serious accusation. The electric engine will run cooler because it doesn't generate heat while converting gas to energy. As such, it is less prone to wear and tear. In addition, it can generate more speed precisely because with less heat, there's less friction and thus less strain on the engine.

and we can keep arguing, but this car is hitting Californian road in early 2007, so we'll see the stats and compare. In any case, it's a very viable option, that may not be for everyone, but it's an option in any case. and more option for consumers is a good thing.

[starboardlight]

people work in the petroleum market too and it would be disasterous for them if we make a switch to electric. I just think about long term implications.

ok, now you're being argumentative just to argue. dependency on petroleum is bad, but wait we need to protect those workers in the petroleum industy. that's an argument that doesn't wash. when a technology or a product become outdated, it's time for those who work in those sectors to retain and get new jobs. They'll be more jobs in green energy as demand increase. More green energy plant will be built to replace dirty petroleum plants. Those people will transition over. That's how technology and society progress. It makes no sense to not switch to electricity just to keep the oil industry at their comfortable jobs. Long term implications, indeed.

[Giancarlo]

you'd have to upgrade if the plant is already function at capacity. Most plants aren't. Many petroleum currently keep many of their generators off and overtax the ones that are in use. That's what happened in the east coast black out several years ago, and that's what happened in Santa Monica. This is documented in many newspaper reports. But I was talking about green energy. Natural gas plants as well as solar and wind plants which still have room for increased capacity. With these plants, demand increase will indeed bring down the per unit cost for quite a while until we hit critical mass, but that's a long way off.

Say what? Now you're running around in circles not really understanding what you are saying. I took into account that you need to make these upgrades.

You know what, I'm not going to argue with anymore. You talk down to me and try to make me feel like an idiot. You pull out "well I'm an economics major" card. I didn't resort to my education as a way to establish "moral and argumentative" superiority over another. We need to improve and build more nuclear power plants.

so you're calling me a liar. great. but research into internal combustion engine and electric engine before you actually make such a serious accusation. The electric engine will run cooler because it doesn't generate heat while converting gas to energy. As such, it is less prone to wear and tear. In addition, it can generate more speed precisely because with less heat, there's less friction and thus less strain on the engine.

A hybrid engine would last longer because it is built differently (it is not necessarily a combustion engine).

and we can keep arguing, but this car is hitting Californian road in early 2007, so we'll see the stats and compare. In any case, it's a very viable option, that may not be for everyone, but it's an option in any case. and more option for consumers is a good thing.

The Prius is better and is more effective and viable, let alone practical.

ok, now you're being argumentative just to argue. dependency on petroleum is bad, but wait we need to protect those workers in the petroleum industy. that's an argument that doesn't wash. when a technology or a product become outdated, it's time for those who work in those sectors to retain and get new jobs. They'll be more jobs in green energy as demand increase. More green energy plant will be built to replace dirty petroleum plants. Those people will transition over. That's how technology and society progress. It makes no sense to not switch to electricity just to keep the oil industry at their comfortable jobs. Long term implications, indeed.

I never said that we need protectionism on the petroleum industry. We just need to move gradually, because a demanded sided shock could be disasterous for numerous countries that are in OPEC. It is a gradual process. You're thinking quite simplistically too. I didn't say that technology should advance. Do you even know any of my beliefs? Or are you just going to continue talking down to me like I'm illiterate or a child? I'm in university too, and I'm not a idiot. I do know what is required.

Higher gas prices have encouraged people to check out hybrid vehicles in a much greater degree.

[starboardlight]

A hybrid engine would last longer because it is built differently (it is not necessarily a combustion engine).

the process of turning gasoline into energy is a combustion process. that necessarily makes it a combustion engine.

I never said that we need protectionism on the petroleum industry. We just need to move gradually, because a demanded sided shock could be disasterous for numerous countries that are in OPEC. It is a gradual process. You're thinking quite simplistically too. I didn't say that technology should advance. Do you even know any of my beliefs? Or are you just going to continue talking down to me like I'm illiterate or a child? I'm in university too, and I'm not a idiot. I do know what is required.

and it will be gradual either way. introduction of the electric car is not going all the sudden shut down the petroleum industry. it's not an logical argument against using electric vehicle.

[Giancarlo]

the process of turning gasoline into energy is a combustion process. that necessarily makes it a combustion engine.

and it will be gradual either way. introduction of the electric car is not going all the sudden shut down the petroleum industry. it's not an logical argument against using electric vehicle.

I never said one should not use an electric vehicle, all I said is that a hybrid vehicle is better for everyone in the end.

[starboardlight]

I'm just debating here. Don't take it personally. I do think hybrids are viable. But your blanket statement at the beginning that hybrids are more practical is too adamant. The hybrid is not the best solution. The electric will be better for some. Calculated at 1¢ per mile, it's certainly much more attractive and efficient than the hybrid, which at even 100 mpg, is still 3¢ per mile. And like I said, for many, the energy to power the EVs don't even have to come from the grid. People can set up their own solar charging units so that's renewable energy that even the hybrid can't claim to have. This is a reality. Tesla Motors have a package deal to set this up for their car buyers. However, even EVs are also not for everyone. And for many, public transportation is the best solution. You're statement that demand/supply necessarily dictate that price goes up with demand is also too narrow. There have been many cases where that's not true, and it doesn't have to be that way in the energy industry. I had to get into the specifics of econ theory to explain what I mean. If I lost you, I'm sorry. We econ geeks tend to forget that we have our own language at times. Economy of scale will drive the price down in the long run, and we'll begin to see this as green energy become more wide spread. With more options and competition, no one will have a monopoly, and we won't see the kind of manipulation we saw in the late 90's of California's market.

[Giancarlo]

I'm just debating here. Don't take it personally. I do think hybrids are viable. But your blanket statement at the beginning that hybrids are more practical is too adamant. The hybrid is not the best solution. The electric will be better for some. Calculated at 1¢ per mile, it's certainly much more attractive and efficient than the hybrid, which at even 100 mpg, is still 3¢ per mile. And like I said, for many, the energy to power the EVs don't even have to come from the grid. People can set up their own solar charging units so that's renewable energy that even the hybrid can't claim to have. This is a reality. Tesla Motors have a package deal to set this up for their car buyers. However, even EVs are also not for everyone. And for many, public transportation is the best solution. You're statement that demand/supply necessarily dictate that price goes up with demand is also too narrow. There have been many cases where that's not true, and it doesn't have to be in the energy industry. With more options and competition, no one will have a monopoly, and we won't see the kind of manipulation we saw in the late 90's of California's market.

To me Hybrids are the best solution and that is what I notice, especially when it comes to city areas. Hybrids are better, more effective and more efficient. And $.01 a mile? That's unsubstantiated. You're just not broadminded enough to talk to. Speaking of blanket statements... they are all over your rantings.

[starboardlight]

1¢ a mile is very much substantiated. It's been recorded when the GM EV1 and EV2 were on the road, as well as when Toyata had their RAV4 EV in the California market. And that was when the California electricity price was being manipulated by Enron in the late 90's. Electricity price can continue to come down.

btw, there is a difference between the best solution to you and the best solution for everybody. The best solution for everybody is to have options, that's always been proven in economic history.

[Giancarlo]

btw, there is a difference between the best solution to you and the best solution for everybody. The best solution for everybody is to have options, that's always been proven in economic history.

Another dumb blanket statement. You don't speak for "everybody". We need hybrids more. It is more practical.

[starboardlight]

one blanket statement to answer another.   

like I said, none of my claims have been made up. you can research them if you want, or you can enjoy your hybrid. in the mean time, I'm going to enjoy seeing the alternatives that are coming down the pipe.  The Tesla Roadster is not my aesthetic, but it's specs are very impressive.

[Giancarlo]

one blanket statement to answer another.   

like I said, none of my claims have been made up. you can research them if you want, or you can enjoy your hybrid. in the mean time, I'm going to enjoy seeing the alternatives that are coming down the pipe.  The Tesla Roadster is not my aesthetic, but it's specs are very impressive.

I'm just stating the practical. You are not. And my statements are not made up either. Hybrids are better and will be the future. Accept ir ot not.

[JennyC]

Another dumb blanket statement. You don't speak for "everybody". We need hybrids more. It is more practical.

If you don't mind me butt in here, can we restrain ourselves from statement like this?  No one is dumb here, and no one is smarter than others.  We are all here to share our ideas and experience.  Let's try to make this a positive experience for everyone.  I don't see how Starboardlight's point is a blanket statement.  More options, especially viable options, are always good.  The general public is capable of making the responsible decision that suits them the best, if they are well informed.

[starboardlight]

The movie “An Inconvenient Truth” regenerated the discussion of global warming at work, at home, and among friends.

Nipith recently posted this under “The person below me” threadI was happy to know that Nipith ended his suffering by finally installed the A/C.  LA can be HOT in summer.  At the same time I was happily surprised that the A/C actually consumes less energy than the electric fans.  What a win/win situation!    He also mentioned the tip with freezer.

Fast rewind to maybe 5 or 6 months ago, I listened to a NPR’s program on global warming.  Some callers were asking where they can find things that they can do in their daily life that help save energy, hence help conserve the environment.

All these things got me thinking about what are the things that we can do in our daily life to be environmental friendly.  Some may be very obvious to us, some may be not; some are easier to be adapted in our life style, some are not.  It would be nice to know what you know and/or have being doing to save energy/resource.  We don’t aim to be those extreme environmentalists (though I admire their passion and dedication).  But we probably don’t mind to give up a little bit convenience/comfort to help saving some energy/resource.

So please share with us your tips, practice on saving energy/resource or being environmental friendly.  Other than the tips, tell us a little bit of your experience/story/comments, because 1) that makes the thread more interesting to read  , and 2) it can help others to decide if they can apply your tip/practice in their life.

btw. just a clarification. one energy star AC doesn't consume less energy than one fan. I was having to run at least 3 fans though. One to circulate the cooler air from outside into my loft, another to blow hot air out, and another at my work station. The AC eliminated the need for all three. So it was better than running 3 fans.

[nakymaton]

About where US electricity comes from: about 50% comes from burning coal, and 17% comes from burning natural gas (methane). Although electricity can be generated from burning petroleum (such as in a gasoline-powered home generator), most comes from burning other stuff (or from nuclear fission, or hydroelectric dams, or from wind or solar power -- though despite the availability of "green power" from a lot of power companies, most of the electricity in the US doesn't come from "green" sources).

That doesn't mean that electric cars are a bad idea. Not by any stretch of the imagination. The more new technologies are developed and tested, the better off we'll be. Hybrids, electrics, hydrogen power... bring it on. The US has to recover from about 20 years of stagnation in the development of alternative energy technologies. We could use a Manhattan Project for energy alternatives. We might need to use them all, if we want to stop changing the climate while maintaining a high standard of living.

Mel, who lives downwind from two (soon to be four) coal-fired power plants that send electricity to the grid that feeds Las Vegas and LA, and who lives on top of the most productive natural gas field in the US... for the moment. Want to hear about the environmental effects of producing electricity? The town beside the coal plants has LA-level air quality... in a town of 60,000 people.

[henrypie]

Nakypie,
Your idea of putting solar panels on every Walmart is beautiful.  The stumbling block with solar, in a nutshell I think, is VOLUME.  Sheer volume is how that kind of energy source, as well as wind, can be viable.  And people seem not to be so good at envisioning, or envisioning paying for, a massive-scale "test."

[Giancarlo]

I don't see why more people aren't pushing nuclear fusion. It is basically a cure-all. It produces virtually unlimited energy. Far more then nuclear fission.

[ednbarby]

Expand your comfortable temperature range

For some people, the only comfortable temperature range is from 65 F to 75 F (or something like that).  Anything below that, the heat has to be on.  Anything above that, the A/C has to be on.  It’s not uncommon to be in places where it’s too hot to wear sweater during winter or so cold that you need a sweater in the summer.  There is nothing wrong to dress according to the seasons.  I am not talking about that you have to wear a coat indoor during winter, but a sweater is nice and fitting.  Same goes for summer when we want to wear short sleeve shirts, skirts, shorts, etc.  The problem with central A/C building is you don’t even know how to adjust the temperature. 

The point is if we can all be a little bit more tolerate to the comfort temperature range, a lot of energy can not saved from all the heating and cooling.  I have lived 20 years without A/C.  It’s a shame to think that now I can’t live without one during hot summer days.   It’s so easy to adapt to the convenience and comfort, and it’s almost irreversible.    If I must use one, I will try not to use it that frequently. 

There are many tips in terms of how to use A/C most efficiently, like don't leave it on all day, turn it off at nights, etc.  But the bottom line is we need to get ourselves out of the mentality that we can only live in 71 F (which I heard is the most comfortable temperature for the human being) all year long.

This has been a tough one for me, because I'm one of those most-comfy-at-71F types.  Living in Florida has been a challenge, needless to say.  It's a good thing for our environment that my husband *so* hates the cold and soaks up the heat like a lizard.  He's quite happy setting the thermostat at 77 F.  We keep it there and on auto during the day, and turn it down to 75 and auto at night - just for me, I'm ashamed to say - he'd be perfectly content to lie there in a semi-sweating state, himself.

We also try to only run the washer, dryer and dishwasher at night (not during peak usage times), we water our lawn only at night and only as sporadically as we can get away with, and although our pool has a heater, we've only run it so far for a few days this past "winter," then covered our pool with a solar cover ever since, and the thing was up to 86 F in March while everyone else was swimming in 72 or 73.  And that's too cold these days even for me.

[Giancarlo]

You know what I've been hearing? Don't believe the power companies. One of my good friends has an uncle who is working for a local power plant here in the San Fernando Valley and it is running under-capacity at something like 65-70%. The power companies are even selling excess power to other states. Rolling black-outs and this "power crisis" may not even exist. Anyone remember Enron and what they did in California?

[nakymaton]

Vermont launches "Cow Power": http://www.cvps.com/cowpower/index.shtml

I love it. Methane (aka natural gas) is also a greenhouse gas (though it clears out of the atmosphere faster than CO2 does), so by generating electricity from the methane in cow manure, they're taking on the problem from two different angles at once.

[henrypie]

Go Vermont!

[ekeby]

I heard a tip recently I'd like to pass along. Instead of filling your car's gas tank, put in half. The extra gasoline adds weight to the car, thereby reducing efficiency. I doubt it saves much, but I've been doing it.

My old Passat has a fuel use computer. Driving around the small town I live in, according to the car, I'm lucky to get 5 mpg. When I thought about it, I realized most of my local errands could be done on a bike, so I got one. Takes a little longer, but it won't be long before the bike will have paid for itself.

I'm surprised about the fans vs. AC thing. Luckily, here in Wisconsin, we only have a few of those killer hot days a year. So I just "stand it."

[henrypie]

I've thought about the fans vs. AC thing too.  I think it's awesome that Nipith found a harmonious solution for himself, but for my house, I don't think it would work.  We have one fan each in the front hall, living room, office, bedroom and den -- two down, three up.  We turn them on to circulate air in the rooms we're currently in, which I think is the most efficient arrangement considering the number of rooms we use.  But I tell ya, as agonizing as it is to be without AC during the hottest, say, five days of summer (God willing we've had our five), it is so nice to be in touch with the weather -- to wake up in the morning after the heat has snapped and feel a coolness in the air, and to have the windows wide open to the breeze.... mmm, there is nothing better.  I admit, my body has a loose, relativistic idea of what comfortable temperatures are.

[starboardlight]

for a house, if you own, installing a whole house fan is actually really good way to conserve energy. Installed on your upper most floor, the high pressure fan will circulate the air of the entire house. We had one when I lived in Georgia and I loved how much cooler it felt. Even if the temperature is up in the 90's, just having air circulating makes a huge difference. It's definitely an alternative to an AC.

[silkncense]

I love it. Methane (aka natural gas) is also a greenhouse gas (though it clears out of the atmosphere faster than CO2 does), so by generating electricity from the methane in cow manure, they're taking on the problem from two different angles at once.

Love that idea too - the is SO much & the ranchers simply 'pile' it up

Nipith - What exactly is a "whole house fan"?

[henrypie]

Hmm, I remember we had a great big exhaust fan at the top of a stairwell in the victorian monster I grew up in (holy crap, no wonder my dad drank whiskey and listened to Janis Joplin when he paid the bills).  In the house I co-own now, which is two stories, 1400 s.f., the previous owner installed a sizeable skylight in the ceiling at the top of the stairs.  We leave this open as a hatch for hot air, but there is no fan associated with it.  We could possibly put a fan in the attic and leave the stairs pulled down as an extra air-draw, but I think the skylight working as a kind of chimney might be the best combination of effectiveness and passivity, not to mention aesthetics -- the skylight is beautiful, open or closed.  I don't know.  Ruediger's ruminating on it as we speak.

[starboardlight]

Hi LJ. Whole house fan is a high velocity fan that you install into the ceiling of you upper most floor, usually at the top of the stair ways, but anywhere in the hallway. It draws the hot air of the inside of your house into the attic. You leave the windows open. As the hot air is drawn into the attic, the cooler air from outside is drawn in. For places like Seattle, it's a great and less expensive alternative to Central AC.

http://www.wholehousefan.com/

It's not as unattractive as it looks on the site. That's the view from above. From below, where you'll be, you'll just see the vents slats.

Sarah, I think the skylight as a chimney is a great solution. In theory it can work like the Glass Dome of the Reichstag in Germany.
http://germany.archiseek.com/brandenburg/berlin/reichstag.html
http://germany.archiseek.com/brandenburg/berlin/reichstag_dome.html
The Glass Dome is created not only to provide natural light to the building, which today functions as Germany's Parliamentary center, but the dome creates airflow by heating the air within the dome which then flow up, drawing the air out of the building. Cooler air outside is drawn in through the lower levels. When the vents are shut off, the heated air serves to heat the building. I wish this kind of thought is given to new homes, where air flow can be created passively instead of relying on electrical appliances.

*edit to change links for whole house fan. I originally had a link to Home Depot, but dynamic links, kept changing what you'll actually see. so I found one better.

[henrypie]

Neat, Nipith!
Those kwazy Germans.

[silkncense]

Thanks for the link/info Nipith.  I'd never heard of whole house fans before. My house has cathedral ceilings in the living room/stairwell so I am not sure one could properly be placed.  And, as you know, so far Seattle is still pretty immune to many hot days - we had 4 days of mid - upper 90's but it is now back to the pleasant lower 70's.  (I'm wondering if 4 days in a row broke some kind of record!    ).

[David]

Whole house fans are common in many homes in Connecticut.  But now that some new homes are being built with central A/C you see it installed less. 

The fans work great if the outside temp is cooler than the inside.  Such as the evenings.   But here in the North East, our Summers can be very humid even at night.
Those fans are useless when the air outside is as hot as it is inside.   Then ya just blow around the hot, humid air.  Yeck.   

Todays small window air conditioners are very quiet and efficient.     I'm sure the two small ones I use are more efficient together than the one old Der Blitzenator model I used to use.


Oh, and to conserve energy....I recommend showering with a friend.   

[starboardlight]

Oh, and to conserve energy....I recommend showering with a friend.   

ha ha. David, you always have the best idea. I'll have to find a shower buddy then.

[JennyC]

I finally saw “An Inconvenient Truth” last night.  The movie is very engaging.  Gore made a strong case of undeniable facts about global warming and its impacts.  Everyone should see the movie.

Though I have already heard of the many facts presented in the movie already, some of them are still very shocking when you actually see them in the movie.  Like the glaciers melting, the CO₂ level in recent years so dramatically off the chart, US’s automobile fuel efficiency standard is much lower than that of some developed and developing countries, etc.

[ednbarby]

I finally saw “An Inconvenient Truth” last night.  The movie is very engaging.  Gore made a strong case of undeniable facts about global warming and its impacts.  Everyone should see the movie.

Though I have already heard of the many facts presented in the movie already, some of them are still very shocking when you actually see them in the movie.  Like the glaciers melting, the CO₂ level in recent years so dramatically off the chart, US’s automobile fuel efficiency standard is much lower than that of some developed and developing countries, etc.

I agree.  What I found the most chilling (no pun intended) were his slides of Mt. Kilamanjaro (sp?) in the early 70s compared with now.  We all remember that iconic snow-capped monolith it once was.  Now, the snow and ice are almost completely gone.  And all those rivers and lakes dried up he showed, too.  Heaven help us.

The other thing I had a hard time shaking (still do) is what a really good man he obviously is and how different things would be now had he won in 2000 - and not just here, but all over the world.  Heaven help us, indeed.
 

[nakymaton]

The thing that gets me is the sea ice disappearing in the Arctic. I remember reading about all the different attempts to find a Northwest Passage, some way from the Atlantic to the Pacific north of North America. And the ice that prevented it is disappearing.

Sixteen years ago, I spent some time in Nome, Alaska. The people there talked about going ice crabbing in the Bering Sea in May, when the temperatures warmed enough to go out on the sea ice without being totally miserable. They used to put styrofoam covers on the holes so they wouldn't freeze back up right away. I wonder what's happened to the ice crabbing since the last time I was there?

[ekeby]

what a really good man he obviously is and how different things would be now had he won in 2000 - and not just here, but all over the world.  

I remember when he first ran for president (in the early 80s I think), stumping around in a red flannel shirt. I couldn't stand him-- because he was WAY too conservative for me (remember Tipper and the record lyrics biz?). Boy, is everything relative. How I wish he were in charge, what a different world this would be. Literally.

[starboardlight]

The thing that gets me is the sea ice disappearing in the Arctic. I remember reading about all the different attempts to find a Northwest Passage, some way from the Atlantic to the Pacific north of North America. And the ice that prevented it is disappearing.

that really got to me too. the idea that an ice shelf that's thousands of years old and is the size of a state could disappear within a month's time is a sign of things getting desperate in deed.

[nakymaton]

that really got to me too. the idea that an ice shelf that's thousands of years old and is the size of a state could disappear within a month's time is a sign of things getting desperate in deed.

That's the Antarctic ice shelf, and that's maybe even scarier than the Arctic sea ice, because the Antarctic ice (and the Greenland ice) sits on the sea bottom (or on land)... when the ice that's on land melts, sea level rises.

I remember when that ice the size of Rhode Island broke away. Still freaks me out. I can't believe the various research papers that have come out about the ice on Greenland just this year.

I think this year, I'm going to have to make another attempt to set up a carpool. I've got three neighbors who work at the same place where I work, but I've got a kid in daycare (having a kid is very very bad for the environment), and we all work different schedules, and the hassle has kept us from riding together. But maybe we could do it just a few days a week. With four people, we ought to be able to work out something.