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Not sure how you are going to react to this but when I saw the below image and realized what’s going on I was shocked.  And not by electricity but by the fact how much of it is wasted on the way to our homes.  

Take a look yourself at the illustration below produced by the National Academy of Sciences.  It shows how out of every 100 units of electricity produced by a coal energy plant only 2 is used to light a table lamp that is illuminating your keyboard and that cup of tea.  The rest of the 98% is lost at the power plant, transportation, and heat.

PG&E claims the main source of energy for Bay Area homes is nuclear and natural gas but how much are these plants more efficient than coal?  Chime in if you know in the comments.  Let’s just really hope the efficiency is exponentially higher.

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Have you heard about the many rebates, incentives and tax credits available for you now or in the near future?  It’s been all over the media, and you might have heard about it from the President himself – Energy Efficiency in our homes is critical for a sustainable, healthy and fruitful future. In fact he called it “sexy.”  Way to go Mr. President! 

According to a memo by the President’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board,

 “There are 100 million homes in America, and energy-saving measures like insulation, caulking, and heating and cooling system upgrades can reduce household energy consumption by 10 percent to 40 percent.” One little problem… Who’s really going to cough up all this hard earned cash these days to make their homes more “green”? 

Now, it’s safe to say that there are plenty of DIY projects for homeowner to get started on, i.e. programmable thermostats, smart power strips, CFL lighting, low-flow shower heads and faucets etc. but, to attack more than these items and gain greater energy reductions typically requires professional services; and it’s not cheap to retrofit a home. 

For example, some of the services that are typical of a home retrofit would require (more…)

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You and I probably had a similar experience when we saw that plasma TV quality for the first time at our local Fry’s store.  The picture quality was so vivid and beautiful it seemed like you could reach in a grab that tropical fish.  The technology is truly wonderful but unofrtunately, plasma TVs have become the home’s equivalent of a gas-guzzling SUV, consuming two to three times more energy than other smaller types of TVs. In fact, some models, even when used only a few hours a day, will suck up as much electricity each year as a refrigerator. Powering a fancy TV and full-on entertainment system can add nearly $200 to a family’s annual energy bill.  In five years this will add up to a $1000 easy.  Plasma TVs are really a gift that keeps on taking.

Comparison of energy suckers by California Energy Commission

Now if someone started regulating the size of TVs we can buy or own, most of us would have a serious conniption with this.  But wouldn’t it benefit us if we were made aware of (more…)

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Did you know that your roof color can actually affect your energy bill, your comfort in the house and even contribute to climate change?  It’s true.  Our usually dark colored composition roofs contribute to what is called an “urban heat island.”  The problem with most of home roofs is that they absorb the heat of the sun, the temperature of the area rises and our air conditioners have to work much harder to keep us all cool and cozy. 

What’s a Heat Island? 

No, it’s not an island in the Bahamas.  The term “heat island” describes built up areas that are hotter than nearby rural areas.  According to the EPA, the annual air temperature of a city with 1 million people or more can be 1.8–5.4°F warmer than its surroundings. In the evening, the difference can be as high as 22°F. 

Source: EPA Website

Heat islands are no joke.  They can affect communities by increasing summertime peak energy demand, air conditioning costs, air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and heat-related illness.    

What Can Home Owners Do? 

Very simple.  Next time you are replacing your roof, opt for a (more…)

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Sure we can talk about green products like bamboo floors and solar cell phone chargers but with our homes accounting for a 21% of total U.S. carbon emissions, the focus is obvious – energy efficiency.

If we really want to reduce pollution and our carbon footprint we ought to be honest with ourselves and start with things that have the biggest impact.  Yes, it’s true, caulking those windows to improve the efficiency of our homes is not as sexy as the designer eco-smart, ventless fireplace in the corner but we have to be real, don’t we?

Green products are fun, really, but when it comes to a more holistic approach to lowering our impact on the environment, nothing is more effective than making some smart improvements like tightening that ductwork, good insulation, and weather stripping.

Enjoy this fun video where you will go on a room by room tour of a typical home and receive tips on energy improvements while tapping your foot to some groovy music in the background.

By making smart improvements we can usually make our homes more comfortable and efficient at a fraction of the cost.  Doesn’t matter whether we own or rent, sustainability starts at home.

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If going solar would cost you nothing would you consider it?  A few weeks ago I attended a small Green Business Show in San Jose, where our local vendors had a chance to present their services to the community.  These shows are always a great fun because green vendors pack a good punch of specialized knowledge. 

That day, one of my inquisition victims was Jeremy, a solar design consultant with Solar Technologies.  So I started as usual… “How are you”, “How’s business?”, and then “Why in the world don’t we have more solar panels in our neighborhoods?” 

After quite a few minutes of warm exchange of insights we realized we haven’t come up with anything that much revealing except for one awesome fact – affording solar energy is not as hard as most home owners think.  In fact, it makes total financial sense.  We parted by sharing one last sentiment  – most home owners simply have not taken a chance to look at this opportunity. 

So why most of us have not embraced the sun as a source of energy? 

1.  The main reason home owners have not adopted solar technology more widely is because of initial cost.  These days it’s in the range of about $25,000 -$28,000 for an average 1,600 square foot home.  Big price tag indeed. 

2.  A secondary rationale is esthetics – some folks feel that having big solar panels on their roof hurts the curb appeal of the property.  

3.  A third reason most folks have not gone solar could be one or a combination of these simple reasons: they are not sensitive to environmental issues of today’s world or they are simply waiting for a kick in the (more…)

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So you’ve heard the benefits of CFLs.  When it comes to energy savings, CFLs or Compact Fluorescent Lamps simply blow the regular incandescent light bulbs out of the water.  According to the Energy Savers Website, CFLs last 10 times longer and can save up to $105 over the life of lamp use.  Now that alone should launch every eco and budget conscious home dweller to the store to stack up on these and start saving. 

Unfortunately though, too many still get stuck on that initial price tag.  A single CFL can cost up to 6 times more than a regular light bulb.  Ouch, a hefty price tag indeed.  Much too often we’ll shut down our common sense down in order to avoid that initial price pain.  The photo below was taken at a local Rite Aid Store.  Five buks for a light bulb!  Hang on though, I am about to tell you how to buy these for pennies on the dollar.

Now here’s a small secret with big savings.  If you go to any of the Asian stores, you may find a pleasant suprise.  Some stores sell the CFLs for (more…)

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You’ve seen it on TV, you’ve heard it on the radio, you’ve read it in the papers – PG&E wants you to conserve energy and save the planet.  They’ll even send you rather substantial rebates in the mail if you are willing to upgrade some systems in your home or purchase new appliances.  

Now all of this is enormously helpful and commendable but I couldn’t rid myself of that nagging question…  How does all this make financial sense for our friends at PG&E?    Never before had I seen in our capitalistic society a company encouraging its customer to consume less of its product.  Can you imagine McDonalds saying – “Eat less hamburgers!  There are no happy meals here… they will all make you fat!”  

So what’s going on with PG&E?  Is this truly enlightened business that wants to save the environment or does it all in some convoluted way actually make business sense?  I set out to find the answers at the last West Coast Green Show in San Francisco where I interviewed lovely Katie Romans, an Environmental Communications representative from PG&E.  (The video is about 3 minutes.) 

So now you know.  The answer is “Decoupling”  – a novel approach towards utility pricing that separates a utility’s ability to make money from the amount of electricity that it sells.  So while PG&S forest conservation and methane capture efforts appear genuine, it was nothing but a California Decoupling law, enacted in 1982, that effectively disincentivized PG&E to sell more energy for profit.  

No need to worry about them though; they have other ways to make the bank.  In fact, last year the utility filed for, and received shareholder earnings based upon energy savings they delivered to customers, and the program costs were already recovered in their rates.  Besides that, the utility company also benefits from increased customer satisfaction, a boost in its “environmental” image and gets a lot of community and political support.  

You have got to love the business model.  The company is required to sell less of its product and help its customers save money.  And in return, it makes more and appears as an environmental hero.  Not bad at all, is it?  Go PG&E, or to be more accurate – go California!

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All the TV shows, all the magazines and all the advice from our environmentally conscious friends about green living can really make our heads spin.  Is your floor off-gassing VOCs, do your cleaning supplies have endocrine disruptors, what’s the carbon footprint of your German Sheppard… Oh my goodness, some of this can sound like a brand new language!

One of the reasons this blog was started is to help you simplify things and take the burden of interpreting all the “green” jargon out there today.  I’ll take the joys of staying on top of all this and you, my green partner, enjoy and implement some of these concepts when you can… deal?

You’ve heard the term “Green Home” by now; probably many times if you’ve visited this blog or browsed the internet on the subject before.  Have you ever asked yourself what that really means?  Chances are you have. 

Essentially, living green implies being aware of the environment around us.  Not just locally, but also globally.  We do our best to consider results of our actions when it comes to our bodies, health and nature around us.  Green homes are no different.  An environmentally friendly home is a home that—compared with a standard home—uses less energy, water, and natural resources; creates less waste; and is healthier for its inhabitants. These homes can either be built green from the start, or they can undergo some eco-conscious alterations or remodels later down the road. 

5 KEY COMPONENTS

Nearly all eco friendly homes will consider the following key principals essential to green building and (more…)

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One of the best perks of making your home more green is that it makes a ton of financial sense.  Windy, rainy and cool weather is already here.  For the amount of money you may spend on candy and Halloween decorations this year you could winterize your home, reduce your carbon footprint, be more comfy and save some money as a result. 

Regardless whether you rent or own – these nine great tips apply to everyone and makes financial sense.  Why 9?  Chinese say it’s a lucky number.  We can use as much luck as we can these days, especially when it comes to saving a few bucks or preserving the environment. 

1. Plug that Draft from Your Outlets
There are several places in your home where you may be losing heat and may not even realize it. One that most people overlook is the electrical outlets.  Remedying this is extremely cheap and simple: Use AM Foam Outlet and Switch Gaskets(just $0.10 each) to stop drafts around your outlets and light switches. Just remove the cover plates using a screwdriver, place the precut foam seal over the outlet or switch, then (more…)

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