You Will Benefit from Being Green!
There are many ways to "go green" with your home. Retrofitting
Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFs)
If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an Energy Star bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 2.5 million homes for a year and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of nearly 800,000 cars. -- US Energy Star Program
Retrofit for Solar
There is increasing attention given to solar-generated electricity, and there are many good reasons for that. First, you have the opportunity to buy solar with the money you will just be spending on grid-based electricity (at an ever-increasing price) anyway. Along with that you gain the security of having your own power supply should anything happen to disrupt the grid. But along with your own home-based reasons, you may also be interested in doing what you can to reduce your "carbon footprint". [What is a carbon footprint?]
You can't be unaware of the concerns over "greenhouse gases" and the warming of the atmosphere? One big step you can take toward cutting your family's contribution is to go solar. Once solar panels are installed on your roof, you are not adding to the problem by watching TV.
What Are Greenhouse Gases?
"Many chemical compounds found in the Earth's atmosphere act as greenhouse gases. These gases allow sunlight to enter the atmosphere freely. When sunlight strikes the Earth's surface, some of it is reflected back towards space as infrared radiation (heat). Greenhouse gases absorb this infrared radiation and trap the heat in the atmosphere. Over time, the amount of energy sent from the sun to the Earth's surface should be about the same as the amount of energy radiated back into space, leaving the temperature of the Earth's surface roughly constant." — Energy Statistics from the US Govt.
EnergyStar
ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. — Energy Star
Recycle Aluminum
"Making new aluminum cans from used cans takes 95 percent less energy, and 20 recycled cans can be made with the energy needed to produce one can using virgin ore. Recycling just one aluminum can saves enough energy to keep a 100-watt bulb burning for almost four hours." — Earth 9-1-1
Help Make Forbes Wrong
"Regardless of their environmental benefits, alternative energy supplies have not yet proved cheap or abundant enough to wean the rich countries from their oil addiction.
The world's increased use of energy has not been without a cost to the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide emissions have increased to 26.5 billion tons, from 15.6 billion tons in 1973. The culprits: oil and coal almost equally (40%). Natural gas accounts for almost 20 percent of emissions, and all other fuels, 0.3 percent.
With a world seemingly unwilling to cut back its energy demand, it remains likely that the fossil fuels of today--oil, natural gas and coal--will remain the primary fuels of tomorrow. Renewables like wave, wind and solar power will have a greater role to play, as will nuclear, but they will not be fueling the first half of the 21st century." —Forbes.com
Make a home more green
ASLA is doing its part to become more "green" by installing a green roof covered with vegetation on its downtown Washington, D.C., headquarters. Green roofs last up to twice as long as conventional roofs, save significantly on heating and cooling costs, improve community air and water quality, and reduce the urban heat island effect in the summertime. While it's not feasible for most homeowners to retrofit their homes with green roofs, there are other steps you can take to minimize your home's impact on the environment:
Use trees and vegetation to cut your summertime air conditioning use by shading all east- and west-facing windows. Shade windows from the outside with a covered pergola, strategically placed trees, or trellises with vines for a beautiful look inside and out. Create "outdoor rooms" for your family, such as cooking and dining areas. Spending more time and cooking outdoors reduce the need for air conditioning indoors.
Replace exposed concrete and asphalt driveways and walkways with pavers, which stay cooler, look better, and can even be placed to allow vegetation to grow through. Exposed concrete and pavement get heated by the sun, re radiating unwanted heat indoors.
Use native plants common to your area to reduce watering and maintenance. Keep traditional lawn areas to a minimum or consider using ground-cover plants—many are sturdy enough to allow for play areas for children and pets. Use mulch in garden beds to reduce the need to water, and install a rainwater tank to collect storm water for watering. Many landscape architects are working with clients to use "graywater" (such as condensation from a home's air conditioning) for irrigation and water features.
— American Society of Landscape Architects
Green Buildings
"...the modern architect has produced the most flagrantly uneconomic and uncomfortable buildings ... inhibited only with the aid of the most expensive devices of heating and refrigeration ... glass-sheathed buildings without any contact with fresh air, sunlight or view." —Louis Mumford, architectural critic and social commentator, 1960
Times have changed. Now we can do a better job of helping you control your heating and cooling. Call us for more information.
From O'Reilly: I installed Solar!
"From January through November of 2004, my system has generated 4,400 kilowatt hours of electricity. During this period, my home has drawn 2,200 kilowatt hours from the public grid (for total consumption of 6,600 kilowatt hours). My system is currently generating roughly 65 to 70 percent of the electricity my house consumes. The system reduces the cost of my electricity even more because it lowers my home's average consumption enough to get me into the lowest pricing tier ($0.13/kWh versus $0.19 to $0.25/kWh). So what electricity I do pull from the grid is now billed at the cheapest rate."