Environmental Lights

Environmental Lights has a broad variety of white and colored LED Christmas bulbs available. According to the plot, LED bulbs use 75 percent to 90 percent less energy than conventional bulbs. They have a cost savings calculator online that interested buyers may find helpful.

C6 Premium Retail Grade Forever Quick-witted 35 LED Christmas Light String has green wire and is 12 feet long with four inch spacing. The string is soft, warm white and retails for $16.33 for the string.

C6 Premium Retail Grade Forever Bright 70 LED Christmas Light String retails for $28.00. The string has green wire and is 23.8 feet long with four inch spacing. This string is considered very energy-efficient.

With a cone-shaped bulb, the C6 Commercial Grade Forever Bright 25 LED Christmas String is 8.7 feet long with four inch spacing. The retail price is $21.60.

The Snowflake Premium Retail Grade Forever Bright 35 LED Christmas Light String is 12 feet long with four inch spacing. The retail tag for the snowflake string is $17.55.

A Star Premium Retail Grade Forever Bright 35 LED Christmas Light String is 12 feet long with four perambulate spacing and is $17.55.

Available accessories include timers, cords, inverters, clips and track mounting systems.

Home Depot

Home Depot offers a number of Christmas LED ornament lights including the following:

A nine (9) foot white LED bead light garland for $19.99.

Home accented Holiday 35 light white faceted C6 LED light set. The case contains 12 sets of lights and runs $97.09.

A 120 light warm white icicle light set runs $32.99 and a 100 light warm white LED light set with eight (8) function controller is $29.99.

Sylvania 50 light white C6 Teardrop LED light set in a case of six (6) sets costs $35.95.

A Home Accents Holiday 300 light clear icicle LED residence is $75.99 for a case of 12 sets.

Check out the Home Depot site for availability.

Target

Target has a large number of LED Christmas lights available online. A search for the term LED Christmas lights produced 45 matches. Several of the top items include:

Philips LED mini string lights in soft white. The lights are pre-lit with 60 white electric-powered plug in lights. At $9.59, these lights are only available in Target stores.

Philips LED Icicle String lights in white on white are $11.99. They are only available in stores and approach pre-lit with 70 definite electric powered plug in lights. The total length of the string is 11.8 feet and is good indoors and outdoors.

The LED 35-bulb string light set in warm white is $19.99. String pre-lit 144″ with 35 white electric powered bolt in lights. The set is 80% PVC and 20% metal. The set features up to 80% less energy use than standard bulbs, and can be used both indoors and outdoors.

Bronner’s

Located in Frankenmuth, Mich., Bronner’s maintains a large online inventory of LED lights, as well as product in their year-round Christmas-themed store.

Indoor and outdoor pure-white and warm-white LED lights are priced from $5.00 to $100.00.

The first item is 25 Warm White C9 LED lights for $19.99. The lights feature 98% more energy efficiency, and up to 100,000-hour bulb life with a three-year guarantee. The bulbs are water, weather, and break-resistant and stay cool to the touch. The string has seven inch spacing between bulbs.

A pure white LED 50 light set is available for $16.99, and is 98% more energy efficient than regular bulbs. The string has four inch spacing between the 50 bulbs.

Christmas Lights

This website has a number of LED Christmas lights available. They include:

Residential 70-count LED M5 mini warm white lights with four inch spacing. Although the list price is $34.99, their mark is $27.98.

Residential 70-count LED snowflake white lights with six inch spacing are priced at $28.99.

Residential 70-Count LED star white lights with six inch spacing are priced at $28.99.

The site also has solar string lights – 102 LEDs. The solar powered string lights are weather and water resistant, 50 feet long with a convenient solar panel. There is no need for wires, outlets, or electricity. Free shipping is included.

With the reality of the energy crisis rising, it is wonderful these websites are available for consumers searching for energy efficient Christmas lights for their holiday needs. To near these online retailers, please stamp their web addresses are included in the resource section below.

Have a worthy and energy efficient Christmas season.

Resources:

www.environmentallights.com

www.homedepot.com

www.target.com

www.bonners.com

www.christmaslights.com

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One area in which we would probably all like to participate is in the use of solar panels to produce domestic solar power. It not only contributes to the ‘going green’ effort, but for most of us it has immediate benefits. We feel the spiralling energy costs. We feel the consequences of unreliable sources of electricity; the effects are personal and immediate.

Unfortunately, installing solar panels for domestic use has been expensive in terms of initial outlay; particularly if we’re looking at trying to produce 100% of our needs. However, prices are continually coming down as production soars and solar panels for the domestic market become more readily available. Sure governments and local municipalities offer incentives to encourage the use of solar power. I possess that all homeowners need to start the process of making the mental transition to get with the programme. One could initiate by generating smaller quantities and planning ahead for more significant independence. If we cannot afford it yet, at least start an active planning programme for the reality of that transition. Check with local authorities what financial incentives are in residence.

The Realities Of Using Solar Power.

There are basically two types of solar panels used to harvest the sun’s energy:

Solar photovoltaic modules exercise solar cells to convert sunlight into electricity.

Solar thermal collectors use the sun’s energy to warm water or certain other liquids.

Photovoltaic modules are assembled in panels, mounted into frames, and interconnected electrically to form solar panels. Where to mount them requires expertise, as they need to be protected from damage, including injure from the elements, like hail, wind and heavy loads of snow. They also require space for cooling.

A general worry is that it may require clear, sunny skies to do any good. Not so. On a partially cloudy day, they can still gain up to 80% of their maximum output; and even on a cloudy day, up to 25%.

Information regarding solar power is readily available on the internet. However, there is a very good website that I would recommend as a starting point, where the subject is discussed in the simplest, yet very informative, of terms, ranging from the how’s and why’s, the benefits, the myths and the incentives. It is called “Solar Power As A Consumer Product”, and can be found at http://www.gosolarpowerinfo.com/home . This set introduces domestic solar power as a simple reality and is well worth the visit.

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It easy to say that a homeowner can assign money on electric power by reducing usage, but hat would require eliminating many of the comforts that we have come to expect if not require. It makes more sense to save money in the cost of power itself, and this can easily be accomplished by investing in a complete residential solar power system.

The financial investment in a residential solar power system is primarily for the installation of the system. Once the system is installed, except for minimal maintenance costs, the electric power generated is free. The long term efficiency of the system will be determined by the quality of components used to set up the system initially. It’s significant that the solar panels, inverters, batteries, charge controllers, and other system components be of the highest quality. When buying a residential solar power system as a integrated kit, you can be sure that all components have been tested as a system, have proven to work well together, and will provide cost effective electric power for your home.

Portable Solar Power Systems:

Are you a restless adventurous sort who likes to travel or camp out? You should assume the advantages of a portable residential solar power system. Fold-able and roll-able solar battery chargers and thin film amorphous solar battery chargers are quite common with those who travel. These systems are reasonable priced and perform reliably for charging all your personal electronic devices such as laptop computers, cameras, and cell phones. If you love being on the road, but don’t wish to lose access to all of your electronic toys and conveniences, a portable solar power system could be exactly what you need.

Grid-Tie Solar Kits:

Grid-tie kits are residential solar power systems that are becoming very popular with homeowners who wish to save money and generate green and natty electricity without becoming totally disconnected from the power grid. Grid-tie systems are, as the name suggests, connected into the commercial electric power grid. It is a hybrid system that provides most of your power from solar energy, when available, and receives power from the commercial grid when solar power is not sufficient. These systems provide an excellent compromise between solar power and that generated using fossil fuels. They ensure that electric power is always available while they enable you to establish money on your overall home electricity costs. These systems are designed to provide the major component of your homes electric power requirements. In fact, if your system generates excess power at any given time, that surplus is fed into the commercial grid and credited to your story. You can actually make a profit!

Off-Grid Solar Systems:

If you live in a remote area where reliable commercially produced electric power is not readily available, consider the benefits of an off-grid solar system. This is the perfect residential solar power system for the homeowner who enjoys being independent. These kits include all of the critical components required for a complete system: solar panels, batteries, inverters, hardware, and all other accessories needed for a complete operating system that will get you off the grid.

Cabin Solar Kits:

Are you one of the lucky few that bear your dream cabin located out in the middle of nowhere? Your used to all the new conveniences at home, and wish to enjoy the same convenience in your remote retreat. That’s not a problem if you install a cabin solar kit. They are perfect for locations where, because of cost or inaccessibility, electric power is not available. These residential solar power systems are reasonably priced and designed to stand alone. They generate clean, green, power without having an environmental or aesthetic impact on the cabin’s surroundings.

Earth4Energy is A DIY step-by-step guide where you can generate electricity legal in your own backyard through solar power or wind powere systems. These guides use easy to find, vulgar cost materials and require very little technical experience… All for UNDER $200!How To Build A Solar Panel

HomeSolarWindPower.com – Design electricity at home – Use renewable energy. Make a windmill and solar power system, aid you reduce your power bill by 80% or even eliminate it completely.

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In general, there are 3 major types of photovoltaic panels — portable, residential and commercial systems.

Portable photovoltaic panels are very small products that can supply low voltages (and microscopic power) to hand-held or portable gadgets. There are rollable solar chargers, foldable photovoltaic panels and small, thin-film panels. The type of photovoltaic panel to be used depends on your application.

Residential and commercial solar power generators are made using either crystalline silicon, thin-film or string-ribbon technology. They are much larger than portable solar panels and require inverters to convert train current to alternating current. This conforms the electricity supply to the requirements of the household or commercial electricity supply.

Choosing a suitable brand is another major consideration. Purchasing from leading solar panel brands ensure that you have the service and advice that will most likely serve your needs. When it comes to repair and maintenance, spare parts and labor are adequately catered for — more so in larger companies than in smaller mom and pop shops.

Here is a list of leading solar panels brand: BP Solar, Evergreen Solar, General Electric, AEE Solar, Kaneka, Mitsubishi Electric, Kyocera, Sanyo, SunWize, Suntech, Piquant and Uni-Solar.

There are professionals in these companies that can abet you size your solar power system. With your average power consumption figures and number of sun hours at your location, they can decide the specifications you need for your solar panels and other related components.

Depending on your budget, you may be advised to install as many solar generators as is required to supply all your household electricity needs. Or you can install the solar panels in stages. The specifications for each option are different and it is necessary to purchase a system that fits your requirement so you’ll not spend more money than necessary.

Along with solar panels, other necessary components for a home solar power system are inverters, batteries and mounts. These, too, have different specifications and you’ll need to choose one that suits your need.

Another consideration when buying solar panels is the warranty period. Companies offer different warranty periods and it is important to check that this period is much longer than the calculated payback period.

Keeping these pointers in mind as you shop for solar panels, you are better equipped to buy solar panels that can serve you for decades and put money benefit into your pocket.

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Besides making use of solar energy is in this way, we can also spend it directory or heating and for producing electricity. However, though solar energy is abundant and renewable, it is diffused. In the following piece we will see how solar energy is concentrated by different devices.

Solar heating devices solar cookers and solar haters are devices that utilize solar energy for cooking are devices that utilize solar energy for cooking and heating respectively. A solar cooker is a box made of wood. The inner side of the box is painted unlit so as to increase the absorption of heat. The containers inside the box are also painted black for the same reason. The box has a glass cover, which allows solar energy to enter and prevents heat from radiating out of the box. A plane mirror fitted to the top of the box reflects light into the box. Despite all these measures to concentrate. Solar energy and prevent the loss of heat, it takes a long time to cook with the back of a solar cooker. Besides, a solar cooker can only be used when it is sunny.

A solar heater consists of a coiled copper tube, which is painted black. The loops or turns increase the surface area and he color helps the absorption of heat. Water gets heated as it passes through the tube, which is status inside an insulated box with a lasso’s top. This devices supply hot water for domestic and industrial spend.

Huge concave minors are used to focus the sunlight falling over a large state on to a point. This technique is used to design solar furnaces.

Solar cells a solar cell are an advice that converts solar energy into electrical energy. However, it can produce only a small amount of power, good enough to run gadgets like watches and calculators. A enormous number of solar cells are joined to execute a solar pane, when a greater amount o power is needed. Te power generated is stored in a battery, which is connected to the appliance. Solar panel are used in artificial satellites, remote areas, villages, and even hotels and institutions. However, using solar panels to generate electricity on a large is still too expensive to be feasible.

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Connecting the Solar Cells

Each solar cell produces half a volt. To get eighteen volts, you have to join thirty-six solar cells in series. You should always make calculations to ensure that power generated by your solar panel is sufficient. Otherwise you may have to join more cells in parallel so that you can have sufficient voltage and current.

The reason we need an eighteen-volt output from the solar generator is because this is what’s necessary to charge a twelve-volt battery. We cannot charge a twelve-volt battery with a twelve-volt source.

Constructing the Panel Frame

Next, we have to create the frame. This is a shallow box for the solar cells to sit in. The borders of the box should be three-quarters of an rush wide and should not be too high. Otherwise it will cast a shadow on the photovoltaic cells as the sun comes in from a low angle. This will lower the overall efficiency of the panel as some photovoltaic cells will not receive full solar radiation.

Putting the Array of Cells Into The Solar Panel Frame

To get the solar cells into the frame, glue the array of solar cells onto a thin, rigid backing before placing it into the “box”. An example of a thin, rigid backing is a Masonite board.

We should give the rigid backing a few coats of paint before pasting the cells on. We must also apply a few coats of paint to the panel frame and dry it thoroughly before putting in the array of solar cells.

Connecting the Diode

You can place the diode inside the solar panel and hold it firmly with some silicone so it won’t move about. Remember to leave some slack in the connecting wires so that they will not be strained.

Covering with Plexiglass

Before you cover the solar frame with plexiglass, test the solar panel’s voltage and power output. Then carefully do the plexiglass onto the solar panel frame using screws.

Attaching the Jones Plug

Finally, you have to solder a Jones plug to the end of the wires that come out of the panel. This completes your solar generator.

After hooking up the different parts in the above manner, you have made for yourself a solar power generator that can supply renewable energy to your appliances that run on twelve-volt direct current.

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1. Avoid breaking new ground. Some archaic buildings have been abandoned because they always were unsound, but usually the first builder chose the best site on the lot. Restoring and replacing aged buildings reduces damage to the ecology. In many cases, it also saves energy, and sometimes it’s possible to save material (and cut costs) by working with usable old material.

Always conserve, reuse, and recycle when you can. Burning moldy or rotten material on the site is more economical than wasting energy to haul unusable lumber to landfills. A few pieces of soft plastic can help start the bonfire, but if there is a lot of plastic on the region, choose it in for recycling. Shingles, which won’t burn completely and won’t biodegrade if buried, can now be recycled too. In some places, even drywall recycling programs exist.

Reuse or sell any building materials that are in good condition. You, your clients, or your employees may have no immediate exercise for obsolete materials, furniture, books or even newspapers found on the site, but when these items are in usable condition, they are “antiques” and may be valuable.

Don’t try to save money by reusing moldy wood. If it’s hard to tell whether wood is blackened and smells “smoky” due to infection with Stachybotrys fungi (“toxic black mold”) or actual smoke injure, burn it. Good news: cheap woods like pine and poplar are more vulnerable to Stachybotrys than considerable woods like oak and chestnut.

For minimal harm to the environment, one man said, “I think about the people who built an musty house, why they built it the way they did, and what they would have wanted to do with it. I feel that they’d be tickled to eye the house looking new and solid again. Sometimes you can tell by their work that they would have wanted to expand a building or put in new conveniences.”

Here in the Blue Ridge Mountains, some property owners still rationalize letting old buildings rot because “that’s the way Grandpa left it.” We ridiculed this opinion. “Grandpa wanted the best and newest material in 1850. Likely, if he could see that house now, with the paint wearing off, wood rotting, chimney falling down, he’d fabricate sure somebody else got it! He’d want storm windows and screens, chimney caps and dampers, and insulation in the walls, the same device he wanted to invest in oak boards and take the time to build even-sized steps. And if he lived to see his friends grow venerable, he probably would have wanted wide doors and wheelchair ramps, too.”

Most people who wastefully let old houses rot and break new ground are probably less concerned about pleasing ancestral spirits than about exploiting loopholes in tax law. However, if you do request input from ancestral spirits about what to do with your property, why not ask them about this?

2. Be price-conscious, but don’t cheat yourself.

Don’t leave insulation exposed. Be aware that the paper binding around Fiberglas insulation biodegrades quickly, and Fiberglas is brittle. Microscopic furry animals love to nest in Fiberglas. So, if you don’t conceal both sides of the insulation snug and tight, in two or three years anyone entering the attic or basement will be smothered in filthy, itchy Fiberglas dust.

Always build windows to accommodate double panes…especially big, dramatic, odd-shaped windows. When the outdoor temperature is right, people can open both panes. When the house needs climate control, why blow money out the windows?

Always cap chimneys, install dampers, and leave a pipe hole in case someone wants to install a more efficient airtight stove. Every house needs at least one fireplace. No house needs to blow all the climate control up the chimney when the fireplace is not in exercise.

Allow a reasonable rate of air exchange. We learned in the 1970s that houses that can’t “breathe” quickly become “sick buildings.” Air exchange should, however, be subtle. Hold window and door openings tight to avoid drafts. If possible, build two-door entries that chop the escape of climate-controlled air.

3. Know how many “heating days” and “cooling days” your part of the world gets, and build accordingly. Windows that face south and west let in sun to crop heating expenses. Windows that face north and east block excessive sun and reduce air-conditioning expenses. In most of the United States, trees can be planted so that they’ll shade out the blistering afternoon sun in summer but admit solar heat in winter. In cold areas, a sizable hedge on the north side of the lot can break the winter wind. Light-colored, reflective roofs help keep a house cool. Dark-colored, dull-finish roofs help preserve a house warm.

4. Consider building tubs and sinks in such a way that “gray water” can be filtered straight into the garden hose. During long, hot, dry summers, an energy-efficient arrangement for people to icy off is a quick cold shower. Why not exercise the water from all those showers to water plants?

Don’t try to force people to conserve water by building little bathrooms around tiny tubs. Bathrooms and tubs should be wheelchair-accessible and allow colossal people to move freely. Even a slight slope in the bottom of a tub will, however, encourage people who want fair a quick dip to sit at the deep kill. For second and third bathrooms, consider a shower-only station with a sunken floor, and a pull-down bench for wheelchair users who want to seize a shower.

5. Although the sunbleached look is trendy for interior decorating, not all people glimpse their best in sunbleached colors. A roofed space for air-drying clothes without sun-bleaching them is a very earth-friendly idea.

6. Avoid crowding houses together. Crowding is bad for all living creatures. In warm-blooded species, overcrowding causes irritability, increased aggression, sterility, homosexual behavior in physically normal individuals, impaired immunity, and, if these things fail to thin the population, plagues. No matter how terminate to one another people feel emotionally, they need space to allow airborne germs to die in between bodies.

In some cultures, it’s normal for people to stand close enough to feel one another’s breath when they talk. These cultures tend to be the ones with the lowest life expectancies. In crowded areas where life expectancies are normal, cultures of formality and emotional distance tend to evolve, with etiquette rules like “Never survey at strangers” and “Touch people only in a bedroom or hospital.” Perhaps North Americans value “marvelous” social atmospheres, and willingness to succor our neighbors, because historically we have not been physically close to our neighbors. Except in New York City, and we all know how “friendly” the atmosphere there is…NOT.

Houses for “greenies,” who tend to share and exchange belongings and entertain long-term visitors, are spacious houses. Each individual should have a separate bedroom. At least one room in a house should allow twenty people to sit down in such a way that, if two of them reached out at the same time, they could shake hands.

One man said, “A Habitat for Humanity group offered me a contract to build houses on a lot, but they wanted to put too many houses too close together. I don’t produce slums.” While the word “slum” usually connotes decay as well as crowding, neighborhoods that allow only four or five houses per acre are never going to become slums. People whose houses are well separated are more likely to plant gardens, protect animals, and lead well-organized, earth-friendly lives.

7. Build pool houses rather than open swimming pools. Indoor pools are lower-maintenance for obvious reasons.

Detached, enclosed garages are also a good idea. Cars age faster when they’re exposed to weather, and people are healthier when fumes from cars are filtered out of the human living areas.

8. Even if you’re building a house for resale, always offer people the earth-friendly option. One contractor who specializes in renovations said, “Unless there’s an antique chandelier that’s too pretty to change, I always put fluorescent lights everywhere. They last longer. I like not having to change light bulbs while I’m working on a house.”

Recycled material is available in limited quantities. Some recycled materials are new and untested, but why not take the opportunity to test them when you get one? Look for recycled drywall, recycled-glass wall tiles, recycled-glass or shredded-paper insulation, recycled paint, even recycled wood. What’s sold as recycled wood is not limited to plywood and chipboard these days; this term also includes good-quality lumber salvaged from older buildings.

Recycled plastic “lumber” has been used to make outdoor furniture for a long time. Wood that is treated to improve its weather resistance leaches chemicals into the earth when it gets wet, then into the air when it eventually rots and has to be burned. Recycled plastic doesn’t have these bad qualities. Its main drawback is that the plastic retains its original colors, which melt together; the recycled plastic I’ve seen has been a funky shade of stagnant-pond green. Still, even yuck-green park benches have been around long enough to trigger nostalgic, romantic memories that might help sell a house to some people.

Low-maintenance ground covers like zoysia grass, white clover, and periwinkle, instead of high-maintenance Bermuda grass, will be a big selling point for all who hate mowing lawns. And, since these ground covers give the place a park or garden-type look anyway, “paving” walkways with wood chips looks right to people who enjoy public parks. Public parks have this look for sound reasons. Water sheets off pavement, forms gullies, and erodes topsoil, but it soaks comfortably into the ground under wood chips. Bermuda grass needs to be watered, fertilized, and protected with pesticides, but native ground covers don’t.

Gravel driveways are preferable to asphalt for the same reason that wood chips are preferable to concrete. And if you have the option, you might try to persuade neighbors to keep the asphalt off a gravel road. Runoff is a big problem in hilly areas. Erosion can submarine houses if road drainage and runoff have been poorly planned, i.e. adopted without adaptations from road building techniques that work in flat country.

9. When you dig up topsoil, hold on to it and reuse it. If nothing on the site needs building up, use topsoil to create raised beds for featured-attraction flowers and garden crops. If you have a great deal of extra dirt, sell it to someone who needs it.

10. The concept of “business zones” and “residential zones” belongs to the late nineteenth century. In the bad old days when there were no restrictions on the noise and toxicity of factories, people wanted their homes as far away from the factory as possible. This led to the development of early twentieth-century “car culture” in which whole neighborhoods were designed around the idea that homes could now be fifty or a hundred miles from the factory. Now that most of the factories have shut down, most people eventually become office workers, and most office work is done by phone and computer anyway, those long commutes no longer seem like such a nice idea.

While there are still some businesses that nobody would want in a residential neighborhood, progressive thinking for the present century is moving away from the ideas of zoning and commuting. Affluent North Americans have always looked for houses within walking distance from schools. The trend to watch brings houses within walking distance from stores, offices, libraries, even theatres and restaurants.

As more of us redefine success as owning and growing our own businesses rather than being middle managers in someone else’s business, increasing numbers of home owners are likely to want their living quarters built above or behind rooms they can use as offices, stores, classrooms, clinics, studios, or bakeries. People who want these amenities are also likely to want both the family space and the work space to be baby-friendly and wheelchair-accessible.

For more data about this trend, or just for a good read, Katie Alvord’s book Divorce Your Car is recommended to everybody. The book has not generated a web site of its own, but Google says it’s being sold and reviewed at several web sites.

These are the most simple, general ideas the contractors and I could think of. Complete list of things you might want to do? There is no such thing. A Google search, or browsing through back issues of Mother Earth News, will provide masses of ideas. Enough contractors advertise online that your Google search results will probably begin with a long list of ads for companies in your state. If you happen to be in East Tennessee, I can refer you to builders who do good work and who will be much more ecological (and economical) than those guys from Nashville. In Nashville, of course, hiring contractors from Nashville would make ecological-economical sense. Otherwise, all I can say here is that your “greenest” option will almost always be to work with what you have.

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There are many ways to save energy at home, perhaps the easiest is to slash the amount of energy you expend on a daily basis. Common sense things such as turning off lights when you leave a room, turning the water off while brushing teeth, and keeping outside doors closed when the air and heat is on can dramatically reduce ones utility bills but there is a lot more you can do.

Replace standard light bulbs with high efficiency compact florescent bulbs, this can save you a ton of cash over the course of the year. Change air flow filters every month, this will achieve cash as well as hold the air in your home cleaner and more healthy. Unplug chargers and high energy consumption devices when they are not in use, energy is wasted when these devices are plugged in and not in exercise. Power strips with an on/off switch work well for this, just simply switch it off at the source. Use motion sensors or day/night sensors for outside lights so they are only on when needed, no forgetting to turn them off. Motion sensors can also be used for inside lights so they turn on when needed and turn off when you leave the room with no hassle.

Form your home weather tight. This includes sealing up any air drafts and cracks to the outside world. Check around doors and windows, weather stripping can get frail and ineffective over time. An easy way to check for drafts is to hold a lit candle and proceed it around the perimeter of the door or window, if you see the flame blow or blow out you have a draft that needs attention. Caulk around window frames, this is a typical spot where air gets in and isn’t noticed often. Check to make sure your attic is insulated properly, blown celluloid insulation is easy, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly since it is made from recycled materials such as newspaper. Seal up any cracks or gaps to the outside with an expanding foam product, this will save energy as well as deter pests such as ants, roaches, and rodents from entering your home.

Acquire your appliances more energy efficient. Keeping vents, and the air flow paths of your appliances clean of dust and debris can drastically increase the efficiency of your household appliances. Clean dryer lint traps after every load. Wash clothes in cooler water when possible. Clean under and behind refrigerators often, this will employ less energy as well as make your fridge much more effective. Another good diagram to increase the efficiency of your fridge and reduce its energy consumption is to place wadded up newspaper in the empty spaces inside. This acts as insulation and reduces the amount of frigid air needed to circulate in order to keep your food cold. Flush your water heater on a yearly basis, this will help remove any buildup inside making heating the water more efficient as well as increasing the water flow.

Use alternative power sources when possible. Solar, wind, and hydro-electric power can greatly reduce your utility bills as well as protect the environment. These types of power sources, if used properly and in large enough quantity, can also eliminate your electric bill all together or even make your utility company send you a check every month. When you use enough alternative energy sources in your home, your electric meter will actually hurry backward which means you are actually producing more power than you are using and putting energy back into the grid which your electric company must pay you for. Solar technology is getting more economical every year and soon it will be affordable enough for every household to use without taking out a second mortgage. In years to come solar technology will even be integrated into roofing tiles and shingles so you won’t even need those unsightly and fragile panels on your roof.

Piece of saving energy at home is also reducing fuel consumption in your vehicles. With the cost of fuel rising almost daily this can be a huge area of energy savings if you know how. Making sure your engine is tuned up and running properly can help dramatically to increase fuel efficiency. Hybrid vehicles are an excellent way to slash fuel consumption but they can be very expensive and are sometimes out of reach for the average consumer at this point in their development. There is a low cost way to turn any gas or diesel vehicle into a water powered hybrid reducing your fuel consumption by up to 40%.

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2. If there’s a part of your house that really sucks out heating or cooling energy, like a big represent window or a twenty-foot ceiling, try to cessation it off during extreme weather.

The old venerable (1960s) way to insulate big, dramatic, odd-sized and therefore single-paned windows used to involve Fiberglas insulation, heavy plastic, and duct tape. While this still works, environmentalists have developed more attractive alternatives. You can have storm windows made to fit the windows you have, or, at a slightly lower cost, you can have insulating material sewn and/or quilted into fabrics that match your decor. If you can’t find local suppliers for either of these insulating options, e-mail me for a referral to a deserving artisan.

3. “Gray water” is water in which you’ve bathed or washed ordinary household objects (using earth-friendly soap). Although humans and most animals can’t drink this water, your plants will probably love it. Organic “dirt” works as fertilizer; natural soap suds alkalize the soil. (Check the soil preference of your plants before trying this idea. Some plants, like blueberries and azaleas, prefer acid soil.) To use “gray water,” scoop up as much as you want to expend, be sure to add bits of food from the sink strainer after washing dishes, and test your soil before using other fertilizers.

4. Never use petrochemical pesticides. They kill natural predators and support pesticide-resistant strains of insects and weeds. Deal with weeds by pulling and digging them up. (Killing weeds is a great after-school game.) Deal with insects by encouraging their natural predators, scenting yourself and your home with natural repellents, and, if you must kill insects, using earth-friendly products made with herb oils and mineral salts. I’ve written more on this theme.

5. Some “greenies” choose a car-free lifestyle. If that’s too complicated for you, there are still many simple things you can do to be a more earth-friendly driver.

In winter, try not to idle your car to warm up the engine. Recent-model cars aren’t supposed to need warming up anyway, and idling wastes gas and oil.

Electric and hybrid-powered cars are ultracool, but those who’ve been able to buy them portray that they can be hard to handle. If you buy a traditional gas burner, look for the highest efficiency rating in your selection range.

Some “greenies” are unnecessarily judgmental about people who do in fact need a van (for wheelchair-bound passengers or long road trips) or truck (to haul farm supplies). I personally think that the only reason why Jesus would not drive a van is that He might prefer to heal all His disabled followers, who might then capture to show the world how well they could tear. So all I’ll say here is, don’t kid yourself. Driving more car than you need is not cold. If you live alone in the city and share your car with only one passenger, buy the smallest car in your price range.

Read the manufacturer’s instructions for operating your car at its peak efficiency. Failing to withhold the engine tuned, the tires inflated, the brakes tight, and so on, is a dangerous kind of “false economy.” If you want a car, give it what it needs so that it won’t waste gas and oil…or endanger someone’s life.

On the other hand, don’t give your car more than it needs. If it runs well on low-octane “economy” gas, why waste money on premium grade? For some vehicles higher-octane gas is essential; for some it’s wasteful. Know your engine.

6. Always buy local obtain when you can. When you have to shop at supermarkets, scrutinize for fruit and vegetables grown in the U.S. and Canada, rather than in countries that still tolerate the use of the pesticides the U.S. and Canada have banned.

Avoid commercially grown corn, though, unless you know it’s a traditional strain. Too many commercial farmers are now raising corn with genes from disease bacteria spliced into it. While most humans are highly immune to Bacillus thuringiensis, and volunteers have eaten BT culture by the cupful and survived, evidence is mounting that frequent ingestion of BT-spliced corn damages the human liver.

(BT genes have been spliced into corn because BT causes an extremely infectious, fatal, and apparently painful disease in caterpillars. There is an environmentally sound way to control the caterpillars BT is being weak to kill, corn earworms. Since it involves slit rotation, companion planting, and similar common-sense measures that require more human effort than mechanically planting and harvesting corn, huge agribusinesses aren’t interested. For the latest news on this hot topic, Google “genetically modified corn.”)

7. When you install, repair, or replace a toilet, try to minimize the amount of water used on each flush. Recent-model “dual flush” toilets offer the option of flushing small or large amounts of water, as needed. I would never recommend that anybody forget to flush the toilet, even if the contents are only liquid, but most of the time, less than one gallon of water would preserve the bathroom fresh and pleasant.

8. When you install, replace, or repair expansive electrical appliances, check their energy ratings. Be realistic. Sometimes the machine with the very best energy rating is an itsy-bitsy model your large family would offset by needing to buy three machines, or use one five times a day. If fifteen or twenty members of your extended family intend to use your washing machine, go ahead and buy a gigantic one. As with cars, be an informed consumer; don’t pay for something that burns up more power (and money) than you need.

You’ll find “Energy Stars” on big appliances as well as small ones. An “Energy Star” means that a scheme does what it’s designed to do at a reasonable level of efficiency. Just as some well-designed late-model vans get better gas mileage than some shrimp cars, likewise, some large appliances bag “Energy Stars” for running cleaner and cheaper than poorly designed small ones. If you’re concerned about rising utility bills, it may pay to talk to someone who is knowledgeable about industry standards, not just pushing the brands sold in his or her store.

9. Instead of wasting petrochemical fertilizers and pesticides to compose grass grow, then wasting petrochemical fuel (and exposing yourself to unfiltered, extremely toxic fumes) to mow grass when it has grown, try planting native “ground covers” that naturally cease in that one-to-six-inch range.

Grass grows in nature only when it’s mown and fertilized by grazing animals such as horses, cows, and deer. When the grazing animals go away, grass is supposed to be displaced by wildflowers, which then give way to bushes, which, after fifty years or so, give procedure to trees. If you don’t have a herd of grazing animals, and you don’t want to spend a lot of time cultivating a whole garden of specially landscaped plants, accept the natural course of nature. Many plants in the “natural ground cover” category hold pretty flowers in spring, and can be pruned around a few showy ornamental plants.

10. Do house cleaning easier and healthier by using natural soaps, soda, and vinegar solutions, rather than petrochemical-based cleaning agents, when you can. This task will be much easier if you don’t have carpets (do use thick rugs for insulation, but keep them washable-sized) and if you maintain a low-clutter, wheelchair-accessible style at least in the shared spaces in your home.

“Undyed” or “neutral” color schemes are currently fashionable for home decor. They’re desirable even when they’re not fashionable, because they allow you to use natural, minimally chemical-processed fabrics in your decor and also get the natural cleaning benefits of full sunlight. Many germs and molds die when the sun hits them. Most natural fibres will fade in the sun. However, newly dyed natural fibres usually look good next to sunbleached natural fibres, so if all your rugs and furniture are natural fibres, you can celebrate the slightly different color harmony they produce each year.

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Retailers in Maine offer instant rebate coupons on the purchase of compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) and hard-wired CFL lighting fixtures. And there is a home energy loan program that helps finance the cost of energy conservation measures in the home.

Solar Energy Rebate Program

Through the Solar Energy Rebate Program, residents who install a solar photovoltaic system or solar thermal heating system at home can claim a rebate that varies depending on the type and size of the system.

As explained by Efficiency Maine, a program of the Maine Public Utilities Commission, a solar photovoltaic system qualifies for a rebate of $2.00 per watt for the first 1,000 watts, for a maximum rebate of $2,000. For a solar thermal system designed to heat air and water the rebate is 30% of the cost of the system, up to a maximum rebate of $2,500. Energy Star and “Maine Home Performance” solar thermal systems qualify for a rebate of 35% of the cost or $3,000, whichever is less.

In order to qualify for the rebate, the solar photovoltaic system must have a capacity of not more than 100 kW and the system must be connected to the utility grid. The system must be installed by a master electrician, certified by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners, or by a master electrician working with someone who has that certification. A solar hot water system must be installed by a licensed plumber who has been qualified by the Maine Public Utilities Commission.

Efficiency Maine points out that the rebate program is on a first-come first-served basis. The program is funded with $500,000 per year and all funds for solar photovoltaic systems have been allocated for 2008. But some funds are still available for solar thermal systems. The program is set to continue until December, 2010 and will be refunded in 2009. 20% of the new allocation of funds in 2009 will be designated to support a wind technology incentive.

You can download the Solar Energy Rebate Program Application Form from the Renewable Maine website at www.efficiencymaine.com under the Solar Program. If you are applying for a rebate for a solar photovoltaic you need to include a home energy audit signed by the auditor.

The Natural Resources Council of Maine points out that you can submit an application before you recall and install a solar system in order to determine whether funds will be available. When your application is pre-certified, funds will be set aside to ensure a rebate is available for you. Once you install your solar system and submit all the paperwork, the Maine State Energy Program estimates that you should receive your rebate check in about 30 days.

Net Metering

According to the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency, all utility companies in Maine must offer net metering to residents who have alternative energy generating systems with a capacity of up to 100 kW that are connected to the grid. These alternative systems include solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, biomass, municipal solid waste, fuel cells, CHP/cogeneration, and tidal energy.

The net excess generation of electricity is credited to your next bill for up to 12 months. At the end of the annual billing cycle the balance of the excess energy goes to the utility company.

Energy Star® Residential Lighting Program

Retailers that participate in Efficiency Maine’s Energy Star® Residential Lighting Program offer instant coupons for $1.00 on the capture of compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) and $12 off the prefer of indoor and outdoor CFL hard-wired fixtures, table and floor lamps, and hard-wired ceiling fans with integrated light kits. You should look for the rebate coupons and also special price stickers on CFLs at participating stores.

Home Energy Loan Program

The Maine Plot Housing Authority offers loans of from $2,800 to $30,000 at a fixed annual interest rate of 3.95% (effective in 2008) with a term of up to 15 years and no down payment to finance the cost of improvements in your home that increase energy efficiency. These improvements include home energy audits, insulation, caulking, weather stripping, duct sealing, storm windows, storm doors, ventilation and moisture controls, heating system repair or replacement, and roof repairs if the attic is insulated to at least an R-38 value.

According to the Maine Housing Authority you can apply for this home energy loan at several different financial institutions in Maine, including Bath Savings Institution, Camden National Bank, HomeQuest, MaineStream Finance, Northeast Bank, Norway Savings Bank, Skowhegan Savings Bank, and The First, N.A. You can also download the Home Energy Loan Program (HELP) brochure from the Main Housing Authority website at www.mainehousing.org.

Sources:
Database of Dwelling Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE) – Maine Homeowner Incentives for Renewable Energy: www.dsireusa.org
Efficiency Maine – Solar Program and Energy Star® Residential Lighting Program: www.efficiencymaine.com
Maine State Housing Authority – Home Energy Loan Program: www.mainehousing.org
Natural Resources Council of Maine – Facts about Maine’s Solar Energy Rebate Program: www.nrcm.org
Solar Power Rocks – Maine State Solar Power Rebates, Tax Credits, and Incentives: www.solarpowerrocks.com

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