I thought this was a neat idea and if the manufacturer’s claims are true, it could be the first step towards individual energy independance for a lot of people. Honeywell, the same people who made my safe, teamed up with Earthtronics to produce a home wind turbine that lacks many of the drawbacks of larger wind turbines. Namely, all it takes is a gentle breeze to turn the blades, providing up to 2,000 kWh of energy annually.

It is a compact and neat idea. My only question is, does it actually work?

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As such, I ALWAYS pick up the Sunday paper… two or three if there are a lot of valuable coupons inside. (I always recycle the paper after using it for art projects, wrapping, cleaning windows, etc…).

This week I was surprised at the number of coupons for “natural” or “green” products.  While I would dispute the green-ness of several of this products, I am pleased to see the mainstream corporations finally making steps in the right direction.  (But listen up Huggies, there is a LONG way to go yet).

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German car giant BMW has announced plans to attach radioactive heat-collectors to the tailpipes of future models, in a move predicted to slash fuel use and reduce carbon emissions by around 5 per cent.

The massive fuel saving is bigger than the three per cent achieved by the two current key Efficient Dynamics technologies - stop-start and brake energy regeneration.

The revolutionary technology, originally designed to power space satellites, captures waste heat transferred down the tailpipe and converts it to electricity via a radioactive ‘thermolelectric generator.’

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Want to help green up your office?

Manager not listening?

1.  Try these suggestions.
2.  Frame them in a money-saving language.
3.  Stand back.
4.  Watch pointy-haired-boss’s ears perk up.

• Substitute travel with videoconference or a web-based tool for getting together. Not only will you be ‘back in the office’ 5 minutes after your meeting is over (ahem, productivity…), you will be able to stay in your own bed, at your own home, with your family.  It will also save your company hotel, airfare, cabs, and meals/entertainment costs.  Don’t have videoconference?  Try Webex.  You can watch others on camera, and listen real-time.
• Shut down computers at night. Now this one is probably trickier than it first appears.  Talk to your IT department.  Night time is usually when they like to do system-wide updates, and they don’t like having to run around and fix people’s computers when they’re having problems because the person’s computer was not available for system-wide fixes at night.  But work with your IT folks and let them know what you’d like to do.  At the very least, pick one night per week that everyone has to leave their computers on, and have the IT department send out an email out on that day to let everyone know to keep their computers on.

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A tool is available to help assess the financial costs and benefits of several green projects.  GreenandSave.com provides an ROI (return on investment) table that lists the added costs, annual savings, projected savings over 10 or 20 years, and the ROI for a given improvement.  Improvements include Tune-Ups (small projects or changes that can be made to green up a home or building), Remodeling, and Advanced (larger projects or decisions for a new building).

An example of a Tune-Up project is installing an Energy Star approved programmable thermostat.  The average cost is $115.00.  The projected annual savings is $180.00, yielding an ROI of 156.5% and a payback of 0.6 years.

One of the Remodeling projects is to replace windows with Energy Star Low-E windows.  According to the GreenandSave Remodeling Table: the payback time in years is 2.3, the added cost is $700.00, the annual savings is $300.00, ten year savings is $3,000.00, and the ROI is 42.9%.

Advanced projects include doubling the insulation factor (R-value) of the exterior walls from R-19 to R-30.  The added cost for this improvement is listed as $900.00, annual savings of $120.00, ROI of 13.3%, and a payback of 7.5 years.

While the costs and savings may vary according to the area of the country or world a project is located in, this tool certainly gives an owner some hard data to use to when making a decision on whether to pursue a project or not.  Some projects, such as adding a programmable thermostat, pay for themselves quickly, so they become almost “no-brainers.”  Others, like the added insulation example above, require more thought.  Tools like GreenandSave.com’s ROI table give owners the data they need to make an educated choice.

But gaining an appetite for saving cash?

"People hate this green stuff" a senior member of the British Shadow Cabinet was recently quoted as saying.

That may come as a surprise - until very recently I’ve been writing enthusiastically of the rapid progress of European governments on green issues. However, as high energy prices begin to bite, and the world teeters on the brink of recession Europe is looking "at this green stuff" like a 10 year old staring at a plate of sprouts.

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Many small businesses are born in the most humble of beginnings: a small corner of a bedroom, the kitchen table of an apartment, maybe even a closet. Most expand to off-site offices as they grow, leaving behind the convenience of working from home for the increased visibility and professionalism of a “real office.” But for many types of businesses, having an off-site office is not at all necessary. Especially if much of the work revolves around a computer.

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Editor’s note: This week, Celsias writer Britt Gordon-McKeon looks at a new savings account option from socially conscious banking trailblazer ShoreBank. This post was originally published on October 16, 2007.

For the first time in the U.S., a triple-bottom line bank (working towards social, environmental and financial goals) is offering a high-interest online savings account. ShoreBank’s new ShoreBank Direct account currently offers a 5.00% APY with a $1 minimum, competitive with the best internet savings accounts currently available. The savings accounts can be managed online, receive direct deposits, and link to up to three checking accounts for electronic transfers.

I wrote about ShoreBank Pacific here a few months ago, and its focus on environmental banking in the Pacific Northwest:

While most banks make their lending decisions based solely on financial profitability, ShoreBank Pacific lends only to businesses and non-profits which are committed to improving their environmental footprint by using energy efficiently, working to reduce waste and pollution, and conserving natural resources. The bank has a scientist on staff and evaluates loan clients annually using a scoring system based on The Natural Step principles of sustainability, helping clients identify areas for progress and offering technical assistance. - Personal Banking for Environmental Sustainability

The money from this new account goes into the parent bank, ShoreBank, which also makes loans in the Midwest in cities like Chicago, Detroit, and Cleveland. While ShoreBank Pacific places the environment as its top concern, ShoreBank has a more broad-based approach, attempting to balance environmental sustainability with community development; still, according to their annual report, 35% of ShoreBank’s 2006 loans were considered "conservation loans," promoting "efficient energy use and alternative sources of energy; the promotion of efficient use of materials and natural resources, the use of nontoxic materials, and the elimination of toxins; and the protection, increased capacity, and revitalization of land and water."

The new high-yield savings account beats interest rates at many of the online banks that have traditionally led the pack, such as EmigrantDirect (4.75% APY), HSBC Direct (4.50%), and ING (4.30%), as of 10/8/07. In fact, Bankrate.com currently lists only three no-minimum accounts that beat the ShoreBank rate, and those only by slim margins ( 5.05-5.17% APY)– a difference of less than $2 a month in interest per $10,000 in the account.

A key impetus for the unveiling of the program is the way the recent subprime mortgage crisis has hit low-income homeowners, although that is only one part of ShoreBank’s plans.

ShoreBank will use the deposits to help fuel its ambitious community development and conservation loan origination growth strategy. The strategy includes plans for rescuing more than 10,000 homeowners on Chicago’s South and West Sides at risk of foreclosure by helping them to refinance and consolidate debt.

"The ShoreBank online high-yield savings account will streamline the deposit process and provide a more efficient way to manage our banking relationship and account activity while making a greater impact," said Joseph E. Hasten, President and CEO of ShoreBank. "Besides providing depositors with access to a competitive rate of return, it is the vehicle by which the bank will use to raise core deposits to fund mortgage lending and rescue homeowners at the risk of foreclosure as well as finance new environmentally-friendly, sustainable development opportunities," added Hasten. - ShorbankCorp

Unplug. Whether it is the cell phone charger or the TV, when it is plugged in it is using electricity. Simply unplugging electronics and appliances while not in use will cut that phantom power load.

Turn off the light. Just flip the light switch off when you leave the room or keep it off if there is adequate daylight.

Buy Energy Star. If you’re upgrading to a new appliance, check for the Energy Star label. They work the same as (or probably better than) the older models but suck up far less power.

Switch to CFLs. Traditional incandescent light bulbs are inefficient and spend most of their energy creating heat rather than light. The next time a bulb burns out screw in a compact flourescent instead. They save energy and last a lot longer.

Mind your refrigerator. You can thank the fridge for taking up most of the energy in your home. Lighter Footstep’s Chris Baskind lists the ways you can get the most from your refrigerator.

Don’t overwork your AC. The air conditioner is also a big energy sucker in hot weather months. Keeping the thermostat at a set temperature, and simply turning it off when you’re not at home are among the ways you can keep the AC costs down.

Here is some more information from Green Options on ways you can save energy in your home:

Daily Tip: A Bright Idea

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

Guest Post: Cut Your Energy Bills in Half (Part 1 of 2)

Guest Post: Cut Your Energy Bills in Half (Part 2 of 2)

Home Energy Audits

Environmental Defense: Why Today’s CFLs Are So Much Better

Lighter Footstep: Ten Cheap Ways to Chill Your Refrigerator

Tip o’ the Day: Get the Most From Your Air Conditioner

Programmable Thermostats

Daily Tip: Unplug that Cell Phone Charger

So how old is your refrigerator?

More than five years? If your fridge is similar to most, it uses about 40% more electricity than the ENERGY STAR certified units being sold today. And given the fact that your fridge is one of a typical home's biggest energy gobblers, that adds up to a pretty good chunk of change each year.

Replacing your current refrigerator with a modern unit could save you upwards of $70 and reduce your home's annual carbon dioxide footprint by a thousand pounds a year. Given that the life cycle of a fridge is ten years or more, it makes sense to replace aging units whenever possible. But that's not always financially feasible.

If you're not ready to upgrade, there are some things you can do to improve the efficiency of your current model:

• Check your door seals. Put a piece of paper in the fridge door and see how easy it is to remove. If it slips right out, you know cold air is doing the same thing. A little silicone spray may renew the rubber sufficiently to improve things. Otherwise, check on the availability of replacement seals.
• Clean the coils on the back of your refrigerator once or twice a year. Dust build-up insulates the coils, making heat transfer less efficient. Vacuum whenever you notice a dust buildup. Be sure to unplug first.
• Relocate your refrigerator if it's in direct sunlight, beneath a heating duct, or next to your range or oven. The warmer your fridge's environment, the harder it must work to keep its contents cool.
• Be sure there's a few inches of clear space between the condenser coils and the wall. There should be similar space on the sides. Give the warm air coming off the coils somewhere to go.
• Set your thermostats to realistic levels. ENERGY STAR recommends 35 to 38 degrees Fahrenheit for the fridge, and 0 degrees for the freezer. It's worth checking these temperatures with a household thermometer.
• Keep the freezer defrosted. A quarter inch of frost is too much.
• A full freezer is a good thing for your refrigerator's efficiency. That's not the case in the cold section, however. Avoid overcrowding, and leave room for air circulation.
• Cover liquids stored in the fridge. Uncovered foods release moisture, making your fridge's compressor work harder.
• Quick in; quick out. The less you keep the refrigerator and freezer doors open, the less energy you'll use. Organize your fridge so things are easy to find. Label frozen goods for quick identification.
• You can improve an older refrigerator's efficiency by up to 10% by attaching one-inch foam sheeting to the sides. Too ugly? Do the side facing the wall and save 5%. Don't cover coils or electrical lines, and leave room against the wall for air circulation.

Cool off your fridge — and cool off your energy bills!

Copyright © 2007 Lighter Footstep Media

Natural Gas , or how I saved $200 this winter (Part 1 of 2)

We moved to the DC area last September and in the first bill from Washington Gas, it had a table of the previous owner’s natural gas use for the last year. A perfect opportunity for a little data analysis…

Using data from the National Weather Service, I was able to make sure that the numbers were comparable. If last January was colder than this January, it wouldn’t be apples to apples, but for months with similar “heating degree days,” they had the same average temperature and any differences in natural gas use would be a good assessment.

December 2006 (us) and January 2006 (old owner) had similar temperatures (639 and 672 HDD respectively). The old owner used 142 therms and we used 63 therms, which based on this year’s prices, saved us $90.

January 2007 (us) and February 2006 (old owner) were also very similar (746 and 733 HDD respectively). The old owner used 156 therms and we used 88 therms, which saved us $76.

That’s $166 in only two months!

So your first thought is that I must be freezing all the time. Nope. The thermostat is set at 70 F right now. Spent a lot of money? Nope. We have the same house, furnace, water heater, stove, etc.

Here are my secrets, which cost less than $100 and only a little effort:

• Bought, installed, and programmed a programable thermostat - We set it at 68-70 in the morning and evening, 55 at night, and 50 when we’re at work in the day. And no it doesn’t take more energy to heat the house back up.
• “Hold” the thermostat when gone - If we’re leaving for the evening, not coming back from work until late, or going away for the weekend or a week, we set the thermostat at 55 F. The cats don’t mind.
• Closed off the guest room - I shut the vent and we keep the room closed (unless a guest is visiting of course). No one’s going to notice. We do the same for a three-season office with poor insulation.
• Covered up the holes - We have a whole house fan in the second floor ceiling, which I assume will be great in the summer, but is basically a hole in the ceiling in the winter. I cut out some cardboard and taped it up. I also put weatherstripping around the attic “hatch” in the ceiling.
• Shut the basement door - It’s gross down there anyway.

Other things I’ve done since, i.e. they aren’t included in the above numbers:

• Seal the “attic bypasses” - You have hundreds of holes in your wall, which basically create a highway for warm air to escape through the walls and out the attic. I bought outlet gaskets, basically foam inserts, to put behind the light and electric outlets. For some, I put a little sealant foam around the outside if the gasket didn’t cover it enough. There are other things to do…for more information on these secret heat losses click here (PDF) - insulation without address the bypasses is almost useless. The better solution, if you have access, is to seal the tops of the wall cavities from the attic (but think about whether you’re going to insulate the walls in the process).
• Covered up more holes - I’ve since covered the kitchen fan and the office vent.

Other things you can do:

• Put up plastic on the windows - It’s not fun, glamorous, or good looking, but it works. I did it in Minnesota but we have better windows here in Maryland.
• Wrap the water heater - Trendy these days but not as necessarily if you’re water heater is newer and uses foam insulation (vs. fiberglass).
• Wrap the pipes - Buy the foam piping insulation and wrap the first few feet of the hot AND cold water pipes going into and out of the water heater. Go nuts and wrap the rest of the hot water pipes if you want to. Do the same if you have a boiler.
• Caulk - Caulk your attic bypasses. Caulk the window edges. Caulk it all.
• Put in a low-flow showerhead - They work well.
• Insulation - If you’ve addressed the attic bypasses, then insulation makes sense. Go with the ceiling and then perhaps the walls, but this isn’t necessarily a cheap option.

Things not to do unless money is no object - if you run the numbers, they aren’t your best investments:

• Don’t replace the windows for energy reasons - Do it for aesthetics. Do it for comfort. Don’t do it expecting to save oodles of money and run from anyone who says otherwise.
• Don’t replace your furnace for energy reasons - Do it for safety. Do it for a remodel. Do it if it’s broken. Have the old one checked out for safety and efficiency, but if it’s working fine, let it keep working.
• Don’t replace your washer or dryer for energy reasons - Do it if it breaks. Do it for a remodel. And when you do, get a front-loading washer and a gas dryer with a moisture sensor.

Next time: Electricity, or how I have a $30 electric bill (Part 2 of 2)