LifeHacker’s Energy Saving Tips

Check out this interesting  post on LifeHacker about ways to significantly reduce your energy bills.

Check this post from Jason Chen   He managed to cut 1/3 from his energy bill.   You might find some good tips there …

Remember; unless your energy is from a renewable source, reducing your energy use also lowers your carbon footprint and can save you some money.

Via:  LifeHacker  LINK

Kristianstad Sweden Uses Biofuels Not Fossil Fuels for Heat and Electricity

Kristianstad Sweden uses no fossil fuels for heating.  Instead they uses biomass from farming leftovers.  80,000 homes heated by biomass and not fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas!  And this is an area of the world where it gets VERY COLD !

Since solar and wind would not be effective in Kristianstad they worked with biomass.  " ... remains from farming ... manure, potato peels, pig intestines, and even cookies, .... to create biogas  ... a certain type of  methane, ... heat of the entire city, and to provide electricity for the city as well."

The driving force for the move away from fossil fuels was to protect their environment and they did not want to import fossil fuels from abroad.

   

Via:  Metrolic  LINK

Learn More About Recycling with A Recycling Revolution

We all know to "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle "---  Want to learn more about recycling?  Are you doing all your can?  Do you have questions ... ?

" ... here to help answer your questions and help make recycling easier, more fun, and even profitable. ... simply give you practical information so that you can do your part."

Recycling is easy and there just might be more you csan do with little efforty involved ... check it out.

Be sure to check out >>> "Greener Choices Search Engine"


Via:  Recycling Revolution  LINK

Novacem - Carbon Negative Cement Reduces CO2 Emissions

Cement manufacturing is an energy intensive process and typically generates LOTS of CO2.  It is estimated that cement manufacture produces 5% of global CO2 !

Novacem Carbon Negative Cement

The challenge for the developing world (and the developed world) is how to make cement and not make so much CO2.

 "... carbon negative cement ... based on a non-carbonate raw material, magnesium silicate, and uses a relatively low temperature production process. ... more CO₂ is absorbed during production than ... emitted"'

Substituting a ton of Novacem in place of standard cement would avoid 852 kg of CO2 emissions.
Novacem is based in the UK.


Via:  Novacem  LINK

On-Line Shopping May be a Greener Experience

For those looking to be green and keep their carbon footprint as small as possible ... the question of what kind of shopping is "greener" - Local or On-Line?

"Shopping online reduces environmental impact with 35 percent less energy consumption."

" ... a study by Carnegie Mellon's Green Design Institute ... looked ... at Buy.com's e-commerce model, ... found ... online ... "reduces environmental impact with 35 percent less energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions than ... the traditional retail shopping model.""

"... this isn't going to work for every online retailer, or compare to every brick-and-morter store in your area, but still, these results are surprising." " ... approximately 65 percent of total emissions generated by the traditional retail model stemmed from customer transport to and from retail stores."


Via: SustaineLane LINK

Idling buses  and trucks waste lots of fuel and add to pollution.  Can technology provide a solution ?
You bet !

" ... The Provider, a school bus operator in Brentwood, N.H., ... first embraced wireless navigation technology from Navman Wireless ... thinking that it could helps with better tracking the mileage and hours related to individual busing contracts."

" ... realized that excessive idling ... could be addressed and controlled with the technology. ... When an alert is triggered, dispatchers call the driver in question ... because idling wastes fuel. ..."

" ... Navman Wireless, says his company ... tracking 110,000 vehicles. ... Navman Wireless estimates that it saves about 552 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions across the fleet it manages. Most of those savings are calculated based on reduced fuel consumption."

Via: SmartPlanet LINK

Earth Day 2010 - April 22

Happy Earth Day !!

 Today is the  40th anniversary of Earth Day !!
- What will you do today, and going forward for Earth Day?
- Use a reusable cup instead of a throw away one use cup ?
- Take public transportation or walk rather than drive by car?
- Car pool rather than drive alone?

To learn more about Earth Day 2010 and things ** YOU ** can do ... LINK

Via: Earth Day 2010  LINK

Azure Dynamics - Full Electrican and Hybrid Vehicles

Azure Dynamics manufactures a variety of all electric and hybrid vehicles for inductry.  They recently sold / delivered 51 step vans to FedEx.

AZD has developed proprietary electric and hybrid electric drive technology for the light to heavy duty commercial vehicle categories. ... has expertise in the areas of vehicle controls software, power electronics, electric machine design, vehicle systems engineering and vehicle integration. ..."

"AZD ... makes use of an extensive industry supplier base to offer complete power train solutions to our target markets including delivery vans, shuttle buses and electric drive applications."

"AZD is headquartered in Detroit with offices ... across North America ... is a public company trading on the TSX Exchange TSX (AZD) in Canada."

Check out this very interesting video detailing Azure Dynamics technologies and the impact of a fleet of their vehicles. LINK

Via: Azure Dynamics LINK

Reasons to Buy Local Foods

Here are some good reasons to buy locally produced foods ...

" ... Small farms encourage diversity in planting and promote diverse ecosystems. Diversity leads to more nutrients in the soil, a more abundant wildlife and healthier harvests."

" ... 90% of all fuel used in food production is spent transporting, packaging, and marketing our food. ... almost 10% of our total national energy consumption... Buying locally decreases the “food miles” and amount of fuel and pollution needed to deliver your food ..."

" According to the USDA, local farms are more productive than factory farms .."

"... Since 1935 the U.S. has lost over 4.5 million farms. Supporting local farmers supports the local economy, invests in the future of your community, and preserves a way of life."

" ... vegetables and fruit that you buy at the supermarket have traveled an average of 1,500 miles and have spent up to two weeks in transport. ... are often picked weeks before they hit maturity and do not have time to develop fully. They have lost most of their nutritious vitamins and minerals."

Via: FarmEcology LINK

YouRenew - Sell and / or Recycle Old Electronic Gear

Eventually we are all accumulating piles of electronic waste (e-waste). Those on the 2 year cell phone plan get a new phone every 2 years ... and the old one goes in a drawer or in the trash ... same for the old VCR,MP3 player, etc.

There is a better way ... YouRenew.com " ... a mission to make the planet a better place ... taken away all the hassle associated with selling or recycling your old devices ... If you can't find your device in our catalogue or we can't pay for it, you can always ship it for free and we'll recycle it safely ..."

" ... you get a great price, ... we donate environmental efforts and programs with every transaction, ... ship your devices for free. "






Via: YouRenew.com LINK

Bike Parking Required for new Zoning Permits in Philadelphia

Philadelphia is becoming more bike friendly. A recent City Council bill, # 090190, " ... require bicycle parking for new zoning permits. ... legislation was developed by the Bicycle Coalition and the Nutter Administration ... prompted by a Bicycle Coalition report ... on Philadelphia's bike parking shortage ..."

" ... four page fact sheet ... download the Fact Sheet and give it your property manager to encourage him/her to install bike racks in office building."

" ... Philadelphia Parking Authority installed bike racks at three of its Center City garages. ... Academy of Sciences committed to installing racks ... Philadelphia's Division of Aviation committed to installing ... racks at PHL ... the Streets Department issued a "notice to proceed" for ... 1400 new inverted U racks to be installed throughout the city. ..."

Making it easier to safely park a bike will help reduce car trips, save energy, and reduce pollution in Philadelphia.


Via: Philadelphia Bike Coalition LINK