Bylot Ice Cap on Bylot Island, one of the Canadian Arctic Islands, August 14, 1975 (USGS)

The Arctic: Cooling No More.

A group of climatologists at Northern Arizona University are confirming that 2000 years ago, the Earth’s Arctic region had already entered a prolonged cooling phase. The phase continued up through the Middle Ages and on past the so-called Little Ice Age (1400 - 1800 C.E.). However, that all started to change (in the positive direction) between 1850 and 1900 C.E.–roughly in parallel with the onset and rise of the Industrial Revolution in the U.S. and Europe. And, by 1950, the warming trend had picked up in earnest.

The results of their 2000-year reconstruction of Arctic temperatures also showed clearly that four of the five warmest decades occurred in the period between 1950 and 2000. This buttresses the mounting evidence (such as that from the International Polar Year studies) of recent climate change and would suggest some newer mechanism at work impacting global temperatures.

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Here’s a very good example of simple tech that works efficiently. Because hot air rises, cool air falls down. So if chilled water is carried through tubes at the ceiling, it sucks hot air from a room; sending down the cooler air. Simple tech is often low carbon technology too.

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There is a growing movement to assess the value–in dollar terms–of “ecosystem services” such as storm protection (from salt marshes), pollination of crops (from bee colonies and insects), natural predation of harmful insects and parasites (by birds, bats and other animals), fertilizer from animal feces, fish in the oceans, clean water and air, and cooling/greenhouse gas-controlling forests, etc.

This movement has been gaining steam–especially with the recent loss of 40% of U.S. bee colonies by a mysterious virus (causing billions of dollars in lost crops), and the devastation wrought by hurricane Katrina (largely due to the human destruction of natural buffers like salt marshes and sand bars).

Earlier this year, in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, Peter Kareiva et al, published a call for renewed efforts to put a dollar figure on the value of nature’s services. Putting a price on such services (defined as any function of the natural world that we benefit from) is extremely tricky and difficult, but not putting any price at all on these services, in the view of the authors, seems a serious mistake.

Kareiva, chief scientist at The Nature Conservancy, elaborated on this idea: “In this world, cost benefit analysis and dollars are how decisions get made…When nature and the benefits that nature [provides] are not converted to dollars then it can’t be on the table for those discussions and, in a way, nature’s not getting credit for what it’s doing.” (quoted from a February, 5, 2009 podcast report by David Biello for Scientific American)

The time has come to credit Nature for what it does for us. Not to do so, the authors argue, is to devalue Nature, and thus to encourage our collective ignorance and misuse/abuse of its services.

photo credit: Jon Sullivan, public domain

Sometimes, the best solutions are the ones that nature gives us. Researchers at the University of Bristol in England think that one easy way to counteract global warming is to plant crops that reflect more sunlight. Plants reflect different amount of sunlight depending on their waxiness and growth patterns.

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The idea was great, it operated without electricity, using ammonia, butane and water.  The principle being that water boils at a much lower temperature at high altitudes where air pressure is lower than it does when you’re at sea level, where air pressure is higher.

Malcom McCulloch, an electrical engineer at Oxford University in the U.K., is leading a team in a three year project to produce appliances that can be used in places without electricity.  Or, for that matter, places with electricity, why not?.  That’s when McCulloch latched on to Einstein’s fridge idea.

Einstein’s concept, shown in the image above, works thusly.  At one side is the evaporator, a flask that contains butane. “If you introduce a new vapor above the butane, the liquid boiling temperature decreases and, as it boils off, it takes energy from the surroundings to do so,’ says McCulloch. ‘That’s what makes it cold.”

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Some of the helpful tips include lowering the temperature setting by 8 degrees when you’re away or asleep in the winter, or raising the temperature setting by 7 degrees when you’re away and 4 degrees when you’re asleep in the winter. Take advantage of the “Vacation” and “Hold” features to manage temperatures while you’re away from home for an extended period. More helpful tips from the EPA:

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Editor’s note: While we’ve discussed home geothermal systems a number of times around the Green Options Media network (see the list at the bottom), we’re glad to bring you today’s post from GreenBuildingTalk on the subject. They not only provide an overview of the technology, but point you to some cutting-edge models of geothermal heat pumps. This post was originally published on Thursday, May 15, 2008.

With energy costs on the rise, homeowners are looking for ways to offset higher bills. Geothermal heat pumps are one of the best options, as they currently offer the highest efficiencies of any heating and cooling system available today. A study by MIT emphasizes the potential for geothermal, and manufacturers are offering more options for consumers. While at the Midwest Builders show, I stopped by ClimateMaster and WaterFurnace booths to learn more about their newest offerings. Before diving into the respective systems, let’s review the three main components of a geothermal system; the heat-pump unit, the liquid heat-exchange medium (open or closed loop), and the air-delivery system (ductwork).

The heat pump simply moves heat energy from one place to another, just like your refrigerator or air conditioner. But a major difference is that air conditioners and refrigerators transfer heat in only one direction, while a heat pump can transfer heat in two directions, thereby heating or cooling the space. In the cooling mode, the geothermal heat pump takes heat from indoors and transfers it to the colder earth through either groundwater or an underground earth loop system. In the heating mode, the process is reversed.

The buried pipe, or earth loop, is the most important technical advancement in heat pump technology to date. The idea to bury pipe in the ground to gather heat energy began in the 1940s. But it’s only been in the last twenty-five years that new heat pump designs and more durable pipe materials have been combined to make geothermal heat pumps the ultimate in efficiency. The two main types of loops available are open and closed. An open loop system is less expensive to install, but over time could require more maintenance. A closed loop system is more expensive up front, but requires almost no maintenance. As manufacturers phase out R-22 (HCFC) refrigerant, there have been more environmentally friendly liquid mediums brought into the marketplace to use in your system. The most common antifreeze solutions in the U.S. and Canada are propylene glycol, methyl alcohol, and ethyl alcohol.

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Can't stand the heat? Don't get out of the kitchen this summer — cook smarter!

Summer is here — at least in the Northern Hemisphere — and with it, high cooling bills.

It's not just your pocketbook that suffers. Every kilowatt hour consumed by your air conditioner leaves behind an environmental footprint in the form of toxins, greenhouse emissions, and wastewater. So it makes sense to take a bite out of your seasonal energy needs.

One good place to start is the kitchen. It's already your home's biggest consumer of resources, and summertime cooking carries with it the double burden of removing heat from the room which escapes from your food and appliances. In a way, you're paying for the same energy twice.

Keeping heat out of the living space (along with the very real risk of cooking fires) was one reason large homes in the American South used to build kitchens detached from the rest of the house. And while that option isn't on the table for most modern residences, there are some things you can do to cool your kitchen — and your summer energy bills.

Cook in the Raw

No, not that kind of raw. We're talking about raw cooking: preparing food with minimal or no heat.

Raw foodism has exploded in popularity over the past few years. Its fans claim raw food is healthier and easier to digest than conventional cuisine. Raw food retains vitamins and enzymes which might otherwise be destroyed by conventional preparation. It also means less heat for your air conditioner to overcome.

That's not to say raw cooking is a free ride: you'll have to learn some new kitchen skills, and raw cooks recommend some specialized equipment, such as dehydrators, juicers, and food processors. But if you get into raw cooking, you'll be exchanging manual labor for the energy requirements of ovens and stovetops. You may also discover a fun, flavorful healthy way of eating.

Want to know more? Explore the Living and Raw Foods website. Alisa Cohen's book, Living on Live Food is a great place to get started, and Cohen offers an introductory DVD by the same title if you're a visual learner.

Think Small

Your oven uses as much energy as the furnace. And is there really any reason to crank up the range, when all you want to do is boil a little water?

If you want to reduce kitchen heating during the summer months, downsize your appliances. Take the oven, for instance: it's great for big meals. But in addition to heating your food, you're paying to heat 15 cubic feet of air — overkill if browning a piece of garlic bread is what you have in mind.

In this case, a toaster oven would be perfect. It browns and does pretty much everything a conventional oven might, but on a smaller scale. Quick meals, side dishes, desserts: you can do it all in a toaster oven without cranking the air conditioner down to 76.

The kitchen efficiency champ is the microwave, and for warm-weather cooking, it's without peer. The beauty of the microwave is that most of the energy goes into heating your food, not the air around it. You'll get in and out of the kitchen faster, saving a few watts in the process. Pair it with a toaster oven, and you can do just about anything.

There are some other choices, such as the tried-and-tue crock pot. While the energy saving benefits of slow cooking are a bit overstated, crock pot design keeps heat inside the cooking vessel and out of your kitchen. Veggie chili? Two cups of kidney beans, some salt and chili powder, veggies of your choice, a large can of organic tomatoes, and a can of beer (bonus points if it's organic brew). Set on low and head to the office. Dinner is ready when you come home.

Cook in the Great Outdoors

Summer is a great time to be outdoors, and one way to keep cooking heat from warming your house is never to bring it inside in the first place.

Yes, it's possible to grill and live green at the same time. You could go with a solar oven, or just wheel out the barbecue and enjoy the ritual of cooking with real fire.

According to the Sierra Club, the most environmentally friendly way to grill is with propane or electric. That's not to say the occasional charcoal BBQ is out of the question, though there are better alternatives in terms of air quality.

If you're going the charcoal route, consider briquettes made from sustainable materials like coconut shells. One example is Greenlink's Natural Charcoal Briquettes. They're chemical-free, and don't contain binders like anthracite or clay. Skip the charcoal starter — it's full of harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Opt for an electric charcoal starter instead.

Even vegetarians can get in on the act. Check the Vegetarian Kitchen for some meat-free outdoor grilling ideas.

Don't touch that thermostat
The magic number is 78 degrees. In most climates this is a comfortable temperature setting. Each degree higher than that will save you 6 to 8 percent in cooling costs. You can also set it a couple degrees higher when you're not home.

Lowering the set temperature won't cool your place any quicker and will only wind up costing you more energy. Keep it at a constant temperature. The AC unit will regulate itself as designed.

Close the curtains
We love natural day light and keeping the lights off reduces the overall heat, but if no one is in a room close the curtains to keep out direct sunlight during the day. This will keep the house cooler naturally so the AC won't have to work as hard. Also, in the evening open the curtains back up to allow heat to escape. If you can't close the curtains consider installing awnings or outdoor landscaping such as trees and shrubs around these windows to provide shade.

Switch on the ceiling fan
When used properly, ceiling fans can help circulate the cool air throughout the house, and can even provide comfort on cooler days if you're able to turn the AC off.

Proper sizing and placement
Make sure your AC unit is properly sized. A bigger air conditioner does not translate into a cooler room and will end up costing you more in the end.

If possible, place your AC unit on the north side to keep it out of the heat of the day. Otherwise look to create landscaping to shade it with trees or shrubs.

Make sure the air flow is not blocked with furniture or other items, and change the filter regularly. If your AC unit is fairly old, consider replacing it with an energy star model. newer units use up to 40% less electricity.

These things will ensure your AC unit is working at maximum efficiency.

Amy says: Last summer my roommate and I bought a window unit for our apartment. Luckily our place is on the ground floor and is shaded on the outside by a few trees, but it can get hot and stuffy in the summer with successive 90 days in New York City. We turn it off on days that aren't as hot and try to create a cross breeze with open windows and a fan. So far this year I haven't put it back in the window just yet and I'm waiting until the last possible moment to do so.

Check out these links for more tips on getting the most from your AC and staying cool:

About.com
Energy Star
Department of Energy
Air-ConditionerStore.com

With summer officially around the corner and temperatures edging higher, the Lighter Footstep editors have put together a giant list of ways to keep your cool.

We'll start with a quick apology to our readers in the Southern Hemisphere: we know you're there. Bookmark this and read it again in six months — but you'll find some general energy tips here which work as well during the winter as they do all summer long.

Energy isn't cheap, and it looks as if this year will set some record prices. Power generation means more toxins and greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. So keep yourself cool while saving money — and the environment!

The little things

This set of ideas costs nothing to implement. Most are just a matter of thoughtful energy habits. Since none of these involve capital improvements, they're renter-friendly.

• Set your thermostat to 78. Go higher, if the humidity is low enough and you feel comfortable. Turning a thermostat down to cool a room quicker doesn't work, by the way — it makes the a/c run longer, not colder.
• Wear short-sleeved, loose clothing. You dress lightly to go out on a summer day. Do the same indoors. Absorbent, wickable cotton (organic, of course!) is the hot weather classic.
• Drink lots of water. This is good practice, anyway. Cold drinks drop your body's core temperature and cools you down quickly.
• Draw your drapes. Keeping you blinds, shades, and curtains closed — particularly on the west side of the house — helps keeps heat from getting inside in the first place.
• Turn off unnecessary heat-producing devices. Incandescent light bulbs are a big heat generator. Shut down electronic gear when you're not using it.
• Use the microwave. Conventional cooking dumps heat in the house, but microwaves cook the food directly.
• Wash and dry clothes when the day is cool. Do laundry early in the day and late at night. Don't forget clotheslines: they generate no heat in the house.
• Skip your dishwasher's dry cycle. Rack your dishes and let them air dry, instead.
• Open the bathroom window when showering. Vent heat and humidity outside, rather than back into the house. Obviously, you don't want to put on a show for the neighbors. If you have privacy concerns, open up after dressing. Keep the bathroom door closed.
• Run your air conditioner fan on low, if it's settable. Particularly helpful in high humidity. the low air volume helps your a/c dehumidify.
• Keep heat-producers away from your thermostat. Don't allow a closely located TV or water heater to convince your thermostat that it's hotter than it really is.
• Check your refrigerator settings. The fridge takes heat out of your food and transfers it to your kitchen, so be sure you're running efficiently. The refrigerator is best set between 37 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Put the freezer around five degrees.
• Turn off your furnace pilot light. You can always re-light it next autumn.
• Close the fireplace damper. Don't send cool air up the chimney. If your fireplace has a glass door, shut it.

Small projects

These are all relatively inexpensive things you can do to keep your cooling costs and summertime energy use down. Most will pay-off in savings from season to season.

• Install ceiling fans. If you're a mammal, you're surrounded by a small envelope of body heat. Fans move this heat away from you and provide evaporative cooling as you sweat. If you choose fans with lights, look for the kind with dedicated (pin-type) CFLs. It's also smart to have a few portable fans you can move around the house.
• Replace your air conditioning filters. Clean filters in window units. You should do this every month, so keep a stock of filters on-hand.
• Shade your air conditioner. If your a/c is in full sun, it's working harder than it needs to. Don't obstruct the air flow.
• Have your air conditioner serviced. Coolant levels should be checked every year. A professional will also clean and lubricate the system. Without annual service, your air conditioner will lose about 5% efficiency each year — more if the coolant is low. Use Puron or some other non-CFC coolant, rather than environmentally harmful freon.
• Check your weather stripping. Caulk leaky window frames, while you're at it. This will also suppress drafts in the winter. If you have a window-mounted air conditioner, be sure the accordion seal is tight. Add rubber gaskets to wall and light switches to make sure the wall is sealed.
• Insulate interior hot water pipes. No point heating your room air and the water. If it's indoors, wrap your electric hot water heater with an approved insulator. Gas heaters should be insulated by professionals.

The big stuff

Here are some big-ticket items appropriate for homeowners committed to long-term energy savings. The more you do, the more you save!

• Upgrade your attic insulation. Most experts recommend 10-17 inches of R38. You have a lot of options in this area, so it pays to consult with a professional.
• Improve your attic's ventilation. It can get up to 140 degrees in your attic during the summer. Adding an electric fan or wind turbines will move some of this unwanted heat away from your living space.
• Plant deciduous trees on the west side of your home. You're looking for fast-growing shade trees to keep the hottest part of your house cool during the summer months. They'll lose their leaves each autumn, letting sunshine through once it turns cool. Opt for lightweight trees in areas prone to hurricanes and winter ice storms.
• Replace gas appliances with efficient electric units. Pilot light contribute to indoor heating, and electric prices are generally more stable than natural gas.
• Replace older windows with new, energy-efficient units. The U.S. Department of Energy says this is the best bet for improving year-round home energy efficiency. Modern units feature advanced coatings to keep cooling and heat where you want it. If you're on a tight budget, consider interior or exterior storm windows to beef-up your current installation.
• Upgrade older air conditioners. Another expensive item, but cooling can account for half of your summer energy bill. You're looking for a unit with a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ration (SEER) of 13 or more. The best deals are obviously found off-season, but this is one investment which will immediately return savings.

Stay efficient — and stay cool — all summer long!

Copyright 2007, Christopher Baskind. All rights reserved.

Anyways, I digress. The point is, it feels good to enter an air conditioned room — even to a kilowatt-carrying energy miser like me. Until the world gets around to embracing passive heating and cooling with green buildings, air conditioning is going to remain a massive energy suck — or will it?

A company called SolCool is launching a new product called the Millennia Version 4 Hybrid Solar Air Conditioner that runs on solar panels, a wall socket, or batteries. The entire unit works at a very efficient 500 watts — almost half of what regular products consume. According to the website, The SolCool is the only AC unit that is pre-wired to take Solar, DC Lighting and Fan Options.

Unfortunately, this is where that "Ooh, I want one!" feeling may end for you. Prices are expected to range between $2,600 and $3,000 before installation. Ouch. Still, I expect this product to sell pretty well, especially in places where air-conditioners are frowned upon (ie; eco-villages) or for those environmentalists with deep pockets. If demand picks up, perhaps we'll see more affordable options trickle down to a mass adoption level. Either way something has to give. Our current appliances cannot stay as energy inefficient as they've been and homes have got to be built with passive heating and cooling in mind. We may yet find a peaceful co-existence for an environmentalist and an air conditioner.

Thanks to Treehugger for the tip. Hit the jump for more information.