Simple Green And Carbon Dioxide

According to to the National Geographic, the average American produces 7.8 tons of carbon Dioxide per year....7.8 tons or the rough equivalent of two elephants.

One third is from transportation. Although that is not exactly in the appliance and lighting realm, many Green pundits will say use public transportation, bicycles and your own feet. Proper maintence, driving responsibly(speeding uses more gas) and buying fuel efficient cars are other solutions for curtail carbon output.

Carbon is also produced in large quantities residentially. For this, the National Geographic proposes raising the thermostat and buying energy efficient appliances(sound familar).

Interesting tidbit: A single 75 watt bulb left on 2 hours a day produces 6 pounds a month. The average household has 40 lights. Lets round the numbers and say 10 of these bulbs are on 2 hours a day. That is 720 pounds of carbon per year per household.


Switching those 10 lights to compact fluorescent would save 540 pounds pounds of carbon per year per household. Now multiply that times every household in the US for a good start in solving the carbon problem.




For new readers: the line on fluorescent is: it lasts 10 times longer, is 3 times cooler and is 4 times more efficient. Buy it at 2800 Kelvin for an light quality similar to incandescent

The Week Ahead

Ever see Sound of Music? Remember that song by Julie Andrews...A few of my favorite things. " Whiskers on kittens and brown paper packages tied up with string, these are a few of my favorite things"? Life must have been very hard in that convent.

We will have a few posts about my favorite things. No, they are not necessarily the most expensive products. I appreciate value as well as good form and function, so have a little faith. In a tight real estate market, sometimes a modest investment can differientiate your property.

I will finish cooking with professional ranges, cooktops and then handle a request for small appliances. Kurt has finished a video on cooking a turkey for Thanksgiving, and that should cover us

We do take requests, so chime in if you feel the need.

Energy Tip Of the Day

This will be brief. Why am I drinking coffee from these styrofoam cups rather than this perfectly good mug. Singularly, its not a big deal, but now multiply that by a few thousand: Less waste, energy to manufacture the cup and gas to transport it.


Have a nice weekend,


Steve

Odd Green Facts

If you read the Yale Blog, so much of the energy efficient tips are incredibly easy. We are going out of the way to waste money. We will keep a car for only 3-4 years, but will keep our water heater until it dies.

I am not a paragon of virtue by any means as I was showering with lukewarm water for 3 months, but the following is a synopsis of the benefits of change to better technology just in our industry:

Refrigerators: 100% more efficient than 10 years ago

Washers: 62% more efficient with 62% greater capacity

Fluorescent versus Incandescent: Lasts 10 times longer, 4 times more efficient with less heat


There is an immediate payback to any Energystar product and yearly cost savings