Green Options

The Bhagidari of Delhi (India) Government, a citizen-government partnership initiative, has been making serious attempts at creating awareness amongst the citizens of Delhi regarding environment and pushing them towards more environmentally friendly lifestyle.

One of the great things about many green products is that they’ll actually save you money, sometimes over the long term (solar panels), but sometimes almost immediately (CFLs). In this economy, finding green products that are healthy, environmentally friendly AND economical is more important than ever. So, here are some new products we’ve come across over the past few months that offer just that - high green benefits AND more money in your bank account!

Energy Cinch Window Blankets. Windows are often an energy efficiency problem spot. Many homes lack the latest energy efficient windows, leading to energy loss and uncomfortable rooms throughout the year. Because window replacements are so expensive, though, it almost never pays to replace a window just for the energy savings benefits. Payback periods can often be ten years or more. There are other solutions - films and solar screens reflect sunlight during hot weather, and insulating drapes are helpful year-round. But Energy Cinch Window Blankets offer another solution. They combine the high insulating qualities of the thickest drapes with the installation ease of an extendable shower rod. You can easily remove them during times of the year when they’re not needed. An Energy Cinch can cut a problem window’s heat loss by up to 80%.

Enersaver Programmable Thermostat. We’ve praised the virtues of programmable thermostats many times before, but it can be a bit difficult to get them set right. We’ve come across this new thermostat from Globe Electric, called the enersaver Spin-N-Click. It uses a scroll wheel and single button to make programming much easier and more intuitive. And, at $49.95, it’s a relative bargain for a full-featured programmable thermostat. At this price, the thermostat will pay for itself in less than a year’s time in most homes.

Okay, time to get up and get some exercise. Turn off that computer, DVD player, Playstation and TV and get out there! But wait . . . are they really off? According to Madrid based company Good for You, Good for the Planet, the answer is no.

Good for You, Good for the Planet’s Jorge Alonso Garcia says that nearly “100%” of electronic devices remain on standby mode after they’ve been turned off. “This is so that they can be quickly turned on again,” he explains.

So What Does the Device Do?

100%Off, the device designed by Good for You, is a microprocessor which uses algorithms to detect a decline in the flow of electricity being sent to an electronic device or appliance. Once 100%Off has detected a decline, it completely shuts the device or appliance off. (The amount of time 100% off waits before a complete shutdown of the device is configurable through programming.)

In essence, 100%Off stops the flow of electricity to a device while the device is still plugged in. Unplugging a device is easy, but do your really want to risk a hernia and move that 800lb entertainment center away from the wall to pull out the plug every night? Good for You is betting that the answer is again, no.