Switch to Fluorescent

Everyone needs light bulbs in just about every single room in the house. However, we often don't think about this energy guzzler when trying to reduce energy.

If you have incandescent light bulbs currently, consider switching them for fluorescent ones. According to the U.S. Department of Energy:

"If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars."

That's pretty amazing, isn't it? And just think of how much we could save if we replaced more than one light bulb. I'm in my dining room right now, and I see that the chandelier has 9 light bulbs. It really wouldn't be much harder for me to switch all of those light bulbs rather than just 1, would it?

Energy Star qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs use 75% less energy than standard bulbs, and they last up to 10 times longer. That means you can save 30 dollars or more over each bulb's lifetime. Seriously, these bulbs pay for themselves. I do not know of an easier way to save money than this.

I read somewhere that incandescent light bulbs are so inefficient, 90% of its energy is wasted as heat, while only 10% of the energy used is actually used for the lighting. So, what are you waiting for?

Here's the government's website about CFLs. It's extremely helpful in providing guides and tips for what kind of bulb to buy depending on what you are using now.

This image is from Daily Danny.

Technology and the Environment

I've had lots of thoughts on this topic recently. Does the high-tech equipment that we use in our lives now benefit or harm the environment? For example, has the rise of the Internet age reduced paper usage? Has it increased energy demands?

At my school, every single student is provided with a laptop computer, supposedly with the purpose of cutting paper usage by allowing students to take notes and complete homework on the computer. However, I have found that our school still uses a ton of paper. Many teachers demand that all work be handed in as a "hard copy" instead of virtually. Likewise, many students dislike reading off of a computer screen and ask for a printout instead.

The printers in our school library are always jammed full - people rush to print out large documents such as powerpoints. When the printer does not immediately respond, they become impatient and print multiple times to each printer, not only slowing down the printing process but wasting loads of paper in the process.

Our ecology club manages all the recycling in the school and we have noticed that the recycling bin by the printers is ALWAYS incredibly full. Well, at least the paper is recycled, right?
Plus, factor in the amount of electricity needed to power all of the laptops, and the impact of manufacturing the machines and their chargers and cases.

So, do you have any experiences with technology and its impacts on the environment? Any thoughts?

This image is from www.computerclearancecentre.co.uk.

Switch Your Holiday Lights

In keeping with the holiday theme, I wanted to share with you what I learned in an article in the magazine Better Homes and Gardens. Basically, conventional string lights use a lot of electricity, especially when you keep them on all night and use a lot of them, like this crazy decked-out house from Decorated Houses.


So, this fun holiday tradition consumes both a lot of your electricity bill, and fossil fuels to produce the brightly-shining lights. Well, the magazine introduced me to light-emitting diodes (LEDs) which use 80% to 90% less electricity than traditional models, and also can last up to 20,000 hours. They are also very safe, because they are cool to the touch. This year's lights have a lot of improvements over past models. There are many difference choices of color, size, and shape.

The article tells you not to wait for a sale because, "Stores report that they're one of the first holiday items to fly off the shelves, even when they're stocked way before Thanksgiving."

It's really strange that in my neighborhood, people are already starting to put up their lights! Well, I guess it is December now, and the holiday spirit is starting to come out. However, it was not even cold this past weekend - up to 60 degrees on Saturday, so it does feel a bit out of place.

I have a bunch of neighborhoods around me that have competitions to see whose home will be the most outrageously decorated. The homeowners do such a good job that people are lining up in the cars and causing traffic jams just to tour their streets. There are even bus tours arranged to view all these houses. Any wacky holiday traditions in your locale?

Minimize Cooking Time

This tip is so simple, it almost seems silly, but if you get into the habit, it could really work.

Remember when you learned about surface area vs. area in elementary school? My class did an "experiment" with sugar cubes, seeing which size dissolved first in the glass of water. To minimize cooking time, use the same principle - maximize the surface area.

For example, if you make mashed potatoes and you first boil the potatoes, it really doesn't matter how big you chop the potatoes, right? However, I see some recipes that call for boiling whole potatoes. That takes a lot of time! If you just take a few minutes to cut the potato into cubes, you can drastically cut down on the boiling, saving you on time and energy bill.

The same idea works with cake mixes. If you look on the back cover, you see that if you use a cupcake tin instead of a 9x12 pan, you can shave off a few minutes of your baking time. Ovens do require a lot of energy, whether you are on gas or electricity, so make cupcakes instead of cake next time!

So if you want to save a bit of energy, make flatter cookies instead of dense, thin crust pizzas as opposed to thick crust, use thin spaghetti pasta instead of penne, etc. Barbeque thinner cuts of meat instead of a huge steak. Squish down beef patties when making hamburgers. It may seem silly but in the long run it will save energy, and I think the Earth right now will appreciate any little bit of help it can get.

This image is from dkimages.

Pros and Cons: Nuclear Power

Some people hail nuclear power as the answer to all of our energy problems - others think it will cause the destruction of the earth. McCain fully endorses this source of energy, while Obama has now seemed to reluctantly accept it. What are the real facts and real dangers?

Pros

1. Compared to coal and oil, nuclear energy produces a negligible amount of carbon dioxide and other global warming gases.

2. Nuclear power plants can be built almost anywhere in our country, unlike oil which is mostly imported.

3. It's cheaper to obtain. More people can afford to have and use energy, hopefully giving a boost to our economy.

4. The waste produced is small and compact.

5. There has not been an accident since Chernobyl in the 1980s.

Cons

1. There is no safe way to dispose of radioactive waste. The material takes thousands of years to break down and outlasts the steel containers it is put into, meaning it could contaminate its surroundings.

2. Yucca Mountain, the proposed nuclear waste dumpster, is not only a sacred Native American land, but is also on top of a earthquake fault line.

3. Nuclear power plants produce thermal pollution - they require an incredible amount of water to cool down the interior. The water is then let out back into a body of water. The warmed water is harmful to marine wildlife. I have read that one power plant requires the same amount of water as the city of Chicago in one day.

4. Disasters and near melt-downs have occurred in the past.

5. Using more radioactive material could make it easier for terrorists to get a hold of dangerous substances.

6. No one wants to live near a power plant. When they are built, the people who cannot afford to move away are the ones disproportionately harmed.

7. The unknown. Do we really know all the effects and consequences?

So, do the pros outweigh the cons? Are the benefits worth the risks? I'm more well-versed on the cons of nuclear power, so if anyone has any opinions, please comment. What are your thoughts?

This image is from Current Word.

Take Cold(er) Showers

I love steaming hot showers, especially on a cold winter night. I don't even realize how hot they are until I step out of the tub and see the bathroom mirror completely fogged up. However, this is definitely a habit I need to cut back on, for the good of the environment, our family's budget, and even my hair and skin.

According to the Consumer Energy Center, 25% of our energy costs goes to the water heater! You can bet a large chunk of that is for baths and showers. I had no idea the percentage was that high, but it makes sense when you think of the high specific heat of water. I'm learning this in AP Bio right now. Basically, water just needs a lot of energy to heat up! When you think of a swimming pool, it's a lot colder in June than in August! It takes a long time for the sun's rays to be able to warm up the water.

With using colder water, I would probably save a bunch on my energy bill, as well as the fossil fuel usage that is contributing to global warming and pollution.

Hot water can also remove necessary oils from your skin, leaving it dry and less than optimal (MSN). It can damage your hair and irritate your scalp. Hmmmm...maybe if I don't use so much hot water, I can skip buying all those expensive moisturizers and conditioners!

Well, I don't think I will ever be one of those people that can just hop out of bed and into a freezing cold shower, but who knows? I'll just adjust my water a little colder and colder each day, and maybe I'll get used to it! This image is from www.neatitems.com.

Vice Presidential Debate

Did any one watch the "Global warming" section of the debates on Thursday night?

I thought it was pretty ridiculous how Palin's response to global warming was domestic oil. No matter where we get our oil from, it still comes out the same way from the exhaust pipe our our cars! Oil doesn't magically become less polluting because it is American oil. So what if America has more regulations than other countries? As long as we are using the same amount of oil, we will create the same amount of greenhouse gases. She focused too much on the effects of global warming and not the causes. I know she's from Alaska and all - didn't she see the Exxon Valdez disaster and the tremendous damage of the oil spill? She seems pretty eager to drill her land up.

Biden's focus on alternative energy was much more realistic. He did talk about the causes of global warming, and how our reliance on oil was detrimental. Alternative energy would create more jobs in the job market, maybe even better than producing domestic oil would. After all, the oil supply isn't infinite. Eventually people would have to be laid off as our oil dwindled away. Why not just start with alternative energy? There is always more to research, more to develop, to further enhance solar, wind, hydroelectric, and geothermal energy.

So what did you think about the debates?

This image is from CNews.

Organize Your Fridge

Did you know refrigerators are the largest consumers of energy in your home? At first when I heard this fact, I was surprised, but then I thought about it. They have to keep their temperature freezing cold all day and all night long, no matter what the surrounding temperature is. Not only that, but many times a day people open the doors and stare at the innards, wondering what to eat (I know I'm guilty of this.) Lastly, hot food is sometimes placed into the fridge, which consumes even more energy in order to cool down the food.

Here are some tips I have found all over the web, including from Helium, Associated Content, and Consumer Energy.

1. Don't put hot food directly into the fridge. This not only uses up more energy, but also is an unsafe practice for foods such as chicken and fish.

2. Keep your fridge full! This helps it keep a cool temperature. You can place ice packs or water-filled containers inside too. But don't completely stuff it, because this may interfere with air flow.

3. Switch off features such as ice makers when not in use. These add-ons can increase your energy usage by 20%.

4. Check door seals to make sure they shut tightly. You can easily test this by sliding in a dollar bill between the door and shutting it. If the dollar slides out smoothly, the seal is not closing tight enough.

5. Think about what you want to grab out and on what shelf it is located before opening the fridge door, instead of standing mindlessly at the open fridge. Hopefully this will make the process faster.

6. Label leftovers if you keep them in Tupperware so you can easily grab and shut.

7. Keep the coils clean. This practice can improve efficiency by up to 30%.

8. The fridge should be between 36 to 38 degrees Fahrenheit. Any colder and you are probably just wasting energy. The freezer should be around 3 degrees.

9. Brush off dust around the condenser under the fridge to encourage air flow.

10. Consider removing the refrigerator lights if there is already plenty of light in the room.

I know this is an area that I can definitely improve on, and I hope you all will find some of these tips helpful as well! This image is from Corbis.

Cloth or Disposable Diapers?

Diapers are the things that people need (at certain points of their lives) but hate to think about. Well, I believe that it is time to give one of mankind's most practical inventions a little thought. Cloth or disposable, which is better for the environment?

At first glance, it seems obvious that disposable diapers cause more harm. After all, don't we toss millions and billions of those bad boys into the landfill each year, knowing that the plastic is not biodegradable? And non-biodegradable items will overflow the landfills, desecrating nature, and eventually conquer us all? (Background sound effect: Mwahahahaha!)

Yep, disposable diapers are not the Earth's soft pillowly bandages. But don't despair, you millions of new moms and dads- cloth diapers may not be any better, and here's why.

Diapers made of cloth need to be washed (duh), meaning lots of water and electricity to heat the water are needed. Plus, unless you hang the diapers out on a clothesline to dry, the dryer will take additional energy to run. The cotton used to make the diapers also needed fertilizers, pesticides, water, and fossil fuels to create.

In the end, there really is no conclusive evidence to make. Various studies have been made supporting each type of diaper, and (surprise) many of them were funded by the companies that manufacture the product. I think there might be a slight edge to the cloth diapers, depending on how many times you reuse each diaper and the type of washer and dryer you own, but in the end, both types make a similar environmental impact.

So what should you do? Just be a little more aware of what your impact on the environment is, and be grateful that we have not reached the day when disposable diapers have buried our civilization.

This image is from Being Green and Seeing Red.

Unplug Electronics

It turns out, simply turning off your TV just isn't enough any more.

Many appliances and electronics such as TVs, computers, stereos, washers/dryers, and power tools use energy even when they are turned off. This energy drain is commonly referred to as "vampire energy."

According to the Energy Information Administration, these suckers add up to around 20% of your monthly energy bill- and you are not even aware of it! On the website, it states, "that a TV with a remote could use more energy during the 20 hours it is turned off waiting for you to turn it on than it does while you are watching it for 4 hours in the evening." Crazy!

Consumers are paying more than 3 billion dollars a year for power that they are not using.

So, what can you do? Unplug electronics after you are finished using them. If you want an even simpler solution, just plug everything into power strips- it will be an easy one time switch off.

Remember, less energy use --> less fossil fuel use --> less pollution into our earth. Obviously, less money out of your pockets is a big bonus! So, unplug to stop the vampire drain!

This image is from TVA Kids.

Ditch the Bottle

We live in a nation with one of the safest and most thorough water treatment systems. City tap water is checked regularly for to make sure it meets the safety standards. Fluoride is added to tap water (it's good for your teeth!).

Concerning the amount of water you normally drink and cook with, tap water is basically free. Now, how expensive is bottled water? One bottle from a vending machine can easily cost over a dollar. Bulk packages are a little easier on the wallet but by no means cheap. I recently bought a 24 pack of water for a road trip and even on sale, it was over 5 dollars with tax.

Sure, the bottled water companies try to dazzle you with their products. They design the bottle to be all slim and appealing and use catch phrases such as "spring water" and "pure and fresh." Did you know that a lot of bottled water really just comes from tap? It's really important to read the source on the side. A Dasani bottle says it is produced by the Coca-Cola company in Atlanta, Georgia. Hmmmm....don't remember any mountain springs located down there.

There's a new bottle design out, one that curves inward in the middle. It's supposed to use 1/3 less plastic and calls itself eco-friendly. This is one of them. Though it may be better than the old kind, its far removed from just plain old tap. Remember, not only does plastic require oil, but also the entire process of manufacturing the bottles requires energy. These bottles could end up in landfills, or use more energy in the recycling process. Energy= fossil fuels and fossil fuels= bad for the environment.

So, suck it up (literally) and try your tap water. I promise it isn't as bad as you might think.

This image is from Living Small.

Reduce > Reuse > Recycle

Recycling is all the rage these days! Companies proudly label their containers with statements such as "Made of 100% recycled paper," while some people obsessively put away every scrap of plastic and paper into the green bins. However, there are strategies even better than recycling for the environment.

Many people do not think of it, but recycling does require additional energy to process. Fossil fuels are needed to break down the old material, remix, and reshape the final product. The reason why recycling is better than throwing away is because first of all, there is no need to extract more of the material (paper from trees, etc.), and second, landfills don't get further clogged.

Reusing is a strategy that eliminates one step from the process. Of course, you have the initial manufacturing of the product, but you don't have the whole extra processes related to recycling. Items easy to reuse:

• Small plastic snack baggies


• Paper bags


• Glass jars


• Cans (Be creative! Pencil holders, anyone?


• Paper (Use the back of that scrap piece as your shopping list)

Reducing and reusing go hand in hand. If you reuse certain items, you obviously will reduce the amount you buy. Reducing is the best strategy environmentally, because since you cut down on the amount you consume, you skip both the recycling process and the intial manufacturing process. So, do you really need two paper towels for that little spill? Can you use two sides of the paper when writing? Little changes like those really can reduce the amount you buy.

You can't reduce everything, but what you can't reduce, you most of the time can reuse, and what you can't reuse, hopefully you can recycle. A combination of these strategies will lead to a more sustainable lifestyle.

This image is from the Penwith District Council.