Create: eco

Co-op America.org, (http://coopamerica.org/) published a very comprehensive list of 22 steps we as individuals can do to save energy every day. Most are very simple and they can make a huge difference.

Here's how to save energy and money. Go for a big, but doable goal – 10% energy saved per year over the next five years – 50% in five years! For the average household, 10% per year energy savings is only about 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kwh) of energy/year.

Here's how do-able that is:

Many families could achieve the first 1,000 kwh/year of savings by washing clothes in cold water (770 kwh/yr); placing several major electronics, such as video and stereo systems, on a surge protector that can be switched off (47kwh/year); and brushing of their refrigerator's condenser coils twice a year (392 kwh/year).

Many families could get another 1,000 kwh/year reduction by replacing half of their incandescent lighting with compact fluorescents (440kwh/year), letting the dishes in the dishwasher air dry (404kwh/year), and enabling the "sleep" function on their computer and printer to go on after five minutes of non-use (259kwh/year).

Are you ready? Here are 22 steps you can take -- each with the energy savings you can achieve each year. Pick the ones you'll do to get your first 10% energy savings. (These energy savings assume an average US home, which uses about 11,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year and 19,000 cubic feet of natural gas per year.)

1. Turn off lights you're not using – We even have switchplate reminders for you, downloadable on our Web site. (2% energy savings per year, assuming an average family's energy use)

2. Schedule an energy audit – Your local utility will probably provide an audit for free, and you may also get a more comprehensive audit (saving you more money in the long term) by paying for a whole-house audit. (Up to 50% energy savings per year)

3. Don't heat or cool empty rooms – If there is a room in your house that is rarely used, close off the vents to save on heating and cooling. (Varies by size of room.)

4. Give your dishwasher a rest– Skip the energy-intensive drying cycle on your dishwasher and choose the air-dry option, or open the door for zero-energy dish drying. (5% energy savings per year)

5. Shift your energy load to off-peak hours – Because power sources must produce electricity around the time of use (without capacity for long-term storage) it is our collective peak demand that triggers the building of more polluting power plants. (Varies)

6. Turn off your electronics – If you're going to be away from your computer or other appliance for more than an hour, turn it off. (5% energy savings per year)

7. Eliminate "phantom load" – Many electronics use energy even while turned off, so your best bet is to unplug them when not in use. (5% energy savings per year)

8. Make your fridge more efficient – Keep your refrigerator's coils clean to boost its overall power, and store jugs of water in any empty space inside, because water retains coldness better than air. (4% energy savings per year)

9. Wash clothes in cold water – Your clothes will get just as clean, on half the energy. (7% energy savings per year)

10. Give up your dryer – Hang your clothes to dry on a clothesline or indoor rack. (10% energy savings per year)

11. Plug your air leaks – Energy-efficient heating and cooling systems are wasted when you're leaking out the cool or warm air you're putting in. (5% energy savings per year)

12. Reduce your water use – Simple ways to save water include fixing any leaks and replacing faucets and showerheads with low-flow options. (3% energy savings per year)

13. Cut waste through windows – Properly seal window edges, cover windows with curtains to prevent heat loss, or coat windows with reflective "low-e" films that reduce heat loss while still allowing light to shine through. (10% energy savings per year)

14. Help your hot water heater – Add an insulating cover to reduce heat loss. (1% energy savings per year)

15. Install ceiling fans – Reduce your air conditioner usage with ceiling fans. Look for "Energy Star" models that use 50 percent less energy. (19% energy savings per year)

16. Get a programmable thermostat – Automate when your heating or cooling systems come on to save energy while you sleep or are away from home. (10% energy savings per year)

17. Upgrade your appliances – Look for the "Energy Star," and you may be eligible for a tax break. (3 - 12% energy savings per year)

18. Upgrade your hot water heater – Save energy and space by upgrading to a tankless or solar hot water heater. (14% energy savings per year)

19. Green your roof – Studies have found that a green roof on a typical one-story building can result in a 25 percent reduction in summer cooling needs. (12% energy savings per year)

20. Save energy through landscaping – The US Department of Energy found that the proper placement of as few as three shady trees will save an average household between $100 and $250 in energy costs annually. (12% energy savings per year)

21. Replace your windows – In step 13, we have recommendations for working with the windows you have. Replacing your windows with more energy-efficient versions can save you even more. (14% energy savings per year)

22. Don't waste energy on TV – With the switch to digital TV coming in 2009, many people are buying new, digital-ready TVs. If you must shop for a new television, look for an LCD (liquid crystal display) screen, which uses six times less energy than a plasma screen. (2% energy savings per year)

Aren't they SIMPLE??? Look at the savings you get doing these simple things! Solar panels and wind turbines are wonderful, but by doing these simple steps you can feel great about contributing what you can do now to guarantee energy savings today for our future.

Hope you'll try at least a few of these tips. It really makes a difference and you feel good about yourself because you're trying! Also - consider joining Co-Op America or sign up for their newsletter.
~ Dreaming in Colors

Let the wind blow....

The other day it was really windy here and it made me think - epiphany actually. Why not have a wind farm? They seem to be cropping up everywhere - Texas and Kansas of all places. The farmers in Kasas are making more on land lease deals for the turbines than they would if they grew crops. The down side to that is the food shortage. Lord will we ever win this battle?

You try to come up with new energy resources and everyone gets excited about bio fuel and wind energy and then discover to costs too much to produce the corn into fuel and there's a shortage for feeding the world and now wind energy is taking acreage out of food production. More people are eating more grains and legums (vegan) and less meat - so it's a total Catch 22.

Anyway, I have 60 acres on a hill in Eastern Washington that is basically made of land fill. Farmers around me tell me I can't grow anything in the crap soil there is so I was thinking... The wind blows constantly, more up top of the hill than at the bottom, which would be great. A guy who bought the plat of land at the far end of my hill built the UGLIEST house I have ever seen ( yellow modular with a theme of SW stucco that didn't work out so well) and he put it smack dab on top of the hill. Hope it blows away someday but in the meantime I figure we could plant a bunch of the turbines on top and down about half way in the center of my hill which will leave me land to raise Romney sheet with a llama and room for my cottage. Brilliant. Income for my old age and energy production. All I have to do is talk to the sheep and garden.

If any of you Greenies know anything about wind farms please let me know! I need help to get this off the ground. I know nadda. I have found a few resouces (see below) but could use your advice, please.

http://www.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/windpoweringamerica/large_wind.asp

http://www.mge.com/environment/wind/

http://www.awea.org/smallwind/smsyslst.html