June 2009 Archives

"Green Prosperity: How Clean-Energy Policies Can Fight Poverty and Raise Living Standards in the United States" is a new report from the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (PERI), commissioned by Green For All and NRDC.

The report finds that investments in a clean energy economy can significantly drive down the unemployment rate and provide job opportunities to Americans across all skill and education levels. Through increased employment and lower energy bills and transportation costs, the standard of living for low-income people in particular would rise.

In general, our findings show that clean-energy in-vestments create more job opportunities than spend-ing on fossil fuels, across all levels of skill and edu-cation. The largest benefits will accrue to workers with relatively low educational credentials.

We further find that a high proportion of the jobs generated by clean-energy investments should offer good opportunities for advancement through training programs, and more generally, that newly employed low-income workers will see new opportunities to lift themselves and their families out of poverty.

"Green Prosperity" focuses on job creation and the economic impact of clean-energy investments on lower-income families nationally, as well as in forty-one metropolitan statistical areas and Congressional Districts.

With solar and energy efficiency being some of the most cost effective renewable energy strategies, it is significant that energy efficiency improves affordability at the same time it reduces climate change.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY RETROFITS LOWER HOME HEATING AND UTILITY BILLS

Retrofits could reduce living costs by an average of 3-4 percent for low-income households.  Achieving these benefits will require well-designed policies to expand the market for retrofits.  The markets to provide retrofitting services must be targeted to benefit low-income renters as well as homeowners.

PERI also released a complimentary report with the Center For American Progress called "The Economic Benefits of Investing in Clean Energy: How the Economic Stimulus Program and New Legislation Can Boost U.S. Economic Growth and Employment."

Download the Executive Summary

Registration Open for Green Infrastructure Workshops (various dates in July 2009)

EPA will be hosting green infrastructure workshops at the following locations over the next few weeks. These workshops will focus on how wet weather programs can be effectively managed using green infrastructure technologies and approaches. Space is still available in each workshop. Information about the workshops, including agendas and registration, is available at: www.epa.gov/npdes/greeninfrastructure/training (You need to register for each workshop separately.)

• Ft. Myers, Florida (July 1-2)
• Hartford, Connecticut (July 8-9)
• Charleston, West Virginia (July 21-22)

How wet weather programs can be effectively managed using green infrastructure technologies and approaches

Green Infrastructure Webcast June 23, 2009 on
Funding/Incentives and Brownfield Redevelopment

This fifth webcast in the green infrastructure webcast series will be held June 23 from 1:00 to 3:00 EDT and feature Abby Hall from EPA discussing "Funding & Incentives" and Stacy Swartwood from EPA discussing "Brownfields Redevelopment." The "Funding & Incentives" portion will include summaries of local incentives that communities have used to encourage the use of green infrastructure approaches. An overview of how many communities have funded green infrastructure will be discussed.

Stormwater Management on Browfields

The second portion of the webcast will cover design considerations and appropriate best management practices for stormwater management on brownfields. This webcast will discuss how green infrastructure practices can retain, treat and then release stormwater without it ever coming into contact with contaminated or compacted soils.

Register at: www.epa.gov/npdes/greeninfrastructure/training

Natural light is not only an economical way to bring light indoors, but it's broad spectrum of light is healthier than any man-made light.  Your eyes evolved in natural light...and you see better in the colors of natural light.

Windows are the most common way to bring natural light into your home, office or workspaces.  But skylights are also options.  Skylights have gotten a bad rap because they also bring in a lot of heat.  They receive direct sun in summer and greater outside/inside temperature differentials in winter.

A recent debut onto the market is the "Tubular Daylighting Device" ... with Solar Tube as one brand.  TDD's have a smaller surface so that the temperature differential isn't as big a problem.  They gather sunlight at the roof and transmit it down to a diffusing lens mounted on/in an interior surface, usually a ceiling.

The natural light from a tube can illuminate closets, bathrooms, hallways, kitchens, garages and other spaces that typically would not have easy access to sunlight.

Not only do you get "free" light... you reduce your consumption of electric lighting -- and you save on your electric bill, and for all the replacement bulbs you would have to consume and throw into the landfill.  What a greener dealer!

Closing a door is energy efficient...remember how astute your mother was? :-)

But seriously, many doors not only need weather stripping around them to prevent leads of cold air into conditioned rooms or warm air escaping to the cold, wintery outdoors -- but the very construction of the door itself can be ho-hum or highly energy efficient.

Multiple Glass Panes --  Double or triple paned insulating glass is more energy efficient than single pane glass found on many decorative doors.   Energy Star qualified doors use strategies such as multiple insulating layers of glass for high energy efficiency.

Improved core materials between veneers such as fiberglass, wood cladding and steel with polyurethane foam cores are among the most energy efficient door materials  on the market today. 

And then, don't forget to weatherstrip around your highly efficient door!  Tighter fit of the door itself is the place to start.  Get an expert to hang your door properly.  New frames may include a magnetic strip to create a tighter seal that reduces air leaks. 

And don't forget to close the door when you come and go!  Mom knows best!

ENERGY STAR-qualified windows, doors, and skylights save you energy and money, increase the comfort of your home, and protect your valuable possessions from sun damage.

Highly energy efficient windows are also better for the environment because lowering your energy use means less air pollution from power plants.

Improved Window Technologies for Energy Efficiency

ENERGY STAR-qualified windows lowers energy bills and saves you money over single-paned and even new double-paned, clear-glass windows. Thanks to a host of new technologies, ENERGY STAR-qualified windows, doors, and skylights keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, making you more comfortable.

Improved window frame materials such as wood composites, vinyl and fiberglass reduce heat transfer and improve insulation performance.

Multiple panes of glass with a air or gas-filled space between provides insulation. Some Energy Star-qualified windows include three or more panes for even greater energy efficiency, increased impact resistance and sound insulation.

Low-E glass has special coatings that reflect infrared light, keeps heat inside in winter and outside in summer.  They also reflect damaging ultraviolet light -- which has the added benefit of protecting your furnishings and fabrics from fading.

Gas fills such as argon, krypton and other safe gases can be sandwiched between the panes to provide a non-toxic insulation that performs better than regular air.

Warm edge spacers keep a  window's glass panes the correct distance apart.  Warm edge spacers made of steel, foam, fiberglass or vinyl, reduce heat flow and prevent condensation.

And that's why the anatomy of an Energy Star-rated windows is even better than your standard double pane window!

You can learn more about Energy Star window benefits at ... Energy Star -- one of the best government research and education programs ever developed (in my humble opinion!).

Street flooding caused by sudden downpours or serious storms can cause extensive damage to cars and buildings. This innovative driveway insert raises a barrier with the use of the water itself -- no electricity or mechanical levers to manually operate. Very innovative use of buoyancy and creative micro-dam strategy! Kudos to FloodBreak, In Houston, TX where they know about flash floods!

Roofing is a major investment in maintaining a home's value.  Choosing the right color is the starting point -- white saves energy in hot climates...and metal saves energy in both hot and cold temperatures.

Green Roofing:
The term green roofing has two meanings; living green roofs covered with vegetation, and energy efficient roofs that use green building techniques and materials to provide a sustainable, energy efficient and eco friendly roofing system.

Green Roofing Guide - Learn about green roofs, and roofing systems that employ green building technology, metal roofing and roof integrated solar panels.

The old fashioned standing seam metal roofing has reclaimed its popularity for a practical reason -- it is excellent for shedding snow!  Standing seam metal roofing is frequently used in commercial and agricultural applications based on its fame for these snow shedding properties, which also makes it a popular choice in Northern climates such as the Great Lakes and New England.
 

DIY Tin Metal Roofing installation Guide:

How to install metal roofing - Illustrated with in field actual work photographs, detailed instruction guides you through the steps to install sheet metal roofing.

Metal roof lasts longer than asphalt roofing...so less waste ends up in the landfill.  It can also use recycled metal as a green material, and can be recycled when it does need to be replaced in the distant future.  

Solar Metal Roofing

A building that is protected by Energy Star rated metal roof is already considered green, but you can now add energy generation to the square footage of your roof.  Solar PV and Solar thermal can be added to your rooftop!  With standing seam metal roof you can now integrate PV solar roof laminates.

Newer technology has brought about thin-film laminates panels that can be easily attached to standing seam metal roofing. The advantage is that no roof penetrations are required because the panels are mounted to standing seam panels using peal and stick method. No holes, no leaks!

Building technologies are (finally) progressing rapidly.  New building and remodeling techniques stagnated for decades, but with new materials and new tools -- added to the necessity to conserve energy and reduce greenhouse gases has kicked the ingenuity and innovation of American business and research facilities into high gear. 

Today's roof ISN'T your daddy's roof! 

Learn more about metal roofing at NewEnglandMetalRoof.com

Worm composting is a method for recycling food waste into a rich, dark, earth-smelling soil conditioner using worms, the most popular being redworms or "wigglers". The advantage of worm composting is that this can be done indoors and outdoors allowing you to compost year around. Vermicast, or worm castings (that would be poop) is the end product when organic matter is broken down by worms. It provides anyone an easy way to compost.

Worm compost in its simpliest form is made in a container filled with moistened bedding, food waste, and redworms. As you add food waste over time the worms and micro-organisms will eventually convert the entire contents into rich compost.

You can buy containers on the internet, or just build your own. There are "how-tos" on various internet sites that give you great directions. You can use wood or plastic.

The container depth should be between eight and twelve inches. Depending on the size of the container, drill 8 to 12 holes (1/4 - l/2 inches) in the bottom for aeration and drainage. A plastic bin may need more drainage - if contents get too wet, drill more holes. Raise the bin on bricks or wooden blocks, and place a tray underneath to capture excess liquid which can be used as liquid plant fertilizer (liquid gold for your garden!). The bin needs a cover to conserve moisture and provide darkness for the worms.

You will need to provide a damp bedding for the worms to live in, and to bury food waste in. Suitable bedding materials are shredded newspaper and cardboard, shredded fall leaves, chopped up straw and other dead plants, seaweed, sawdust, compost and aged manure. All of this must be moistened before putting into the bin. Try to vary the bedding in the bin as much as possible, to provide more nutrients for the worms and to create a richer compost. A couple of handfuls of sand or soil should be added to provide necessary grit for the worm's digestion of food. You can compost almost any type of green food matter, pulverized egg shells, etc. Just avoid meat or dairy products as they will smell and attract flies.

For more information, check out these sites:

www.gardenworms.com

www.mamaswormcomposting.com

www.css.cornell.edu/compost/worms/basics.html

1. Use recycled content whenever possible.
2. Provide natural ventilation. Indoor air is very polluted. Bring in plants and looks for ways to circulate and bring in new air.
3. Address lighting issues. Replace with energy efficient lights. Put in timers.
4. Carpool as much as possible.
5. Have a purchasing policy that supports green chains and providers.
6. Clean with environmentally friendly products. Dispose of unwanted chemicals in a safe manner.
7. Use hard floor products instead of carpet. In areas that must be carpeted, consider carpet tiles so replacement creates less waste than full carpet replacement.
8. Keep vehicles in good working order to make them as efficient and less likely to consume unnecessary fuel.
9. Put in weatherstripping along windows and doors. Look for cracks and other areas where cool air is coming in.
10. Look for ways to conserve water like waterless urinal systems, tankless hot water heaters, timers on irrigation systems.

 

1. Reevaluate existing cooling and heating systems. Many old boiler systems are not efficient and do not make the most of the energy they use.
2. Insulate, insulate, insulate. Insulate pipes, walls, ceilings, roofs and even foundations. Use expanding foam products to fill in cracks around outlets, pipes and windows. Look for cracks around floors and walls.
3. Provide continuous venting in attic spaces.
4. Put in weatherstripping around all doors and windows.
5. Place moisture barriers under homes that have raised foundations.
6. Replace windows with low E, double pane windows or add storm windows.
7. Look for ways to save on water conservation. Use timers, water in early morning and evenings, fix leaky faucets, install tankless water systems, use water runoff from roofs for yards, place water reducers in toilet tanks. Use water filtration systems instead of bottled water.
8. Reduce your trips in cars. Schedule several errands in one trip. Walk and use your bicycle.
9. Support local food producers. Look for organizations that are providing land restoration and use of gardening. This has a big impact on cutting down in many areas- like transportation and wasteful, non-environmentally friendly farming.
10. Replace lighting with energy efficient bulbs, consider appliances with energy star ratings.

 

 

Obama Energy

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