Share your energy/resource saving tips

[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.