Energy
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By now energy-efficient lighting is hardly a new concept. You’ve likely heard of energy-saving bulbs, seen them in someone’s home, and maybe even tried buying some. However, energy-efficient lighting has come a very long way in recent years. Gone are the days of odd-looking bulbs, turning on the lights and having to wait a couple…
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Have you thought of the importance of safety when using an extension cord? Extension cords deliver power right where we need it— if the lamp isn’t close enough to the wall or floor outlet, we just plug it into an extension cord. It is important to remember that convenience should never overrule safety. Below are…
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In Ireland I saw several buildings with thatched roofs and they made me smile. I always thought it would be fun to spend the night in a cottage with a thatched roof until someone in Ireland said the reason there are 4 poster beds with canopies in thatched cottages was to keep the mice, insects,…
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When you walk through Yellowstone National Park you can hear the energy from the earth bubbling up all around you. There are over 10,000 thermal features in Yellowstone. It’s amazing! This is geothermal energy, a great source of renewable energy. Geothermal isn’t widely used. In the United States, geothermal energy accounts for less than one…
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It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the eco-friendly messages that seem to be everywhere. My philosophy is to start where you are right now and take a few steps forward at a time. Below are five tips to help you become a greener consumer. Reduce your consumption. This is one of the easiest ways to become…
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For the next few weeks people and leaders around the world will be talking about climate change, emissions levels, and renewable energy sources (i.e., hydroelectric power, wind, solar, geothermal, wood biomass, ethanol, biodiesel and waste biomass.) Two of the top energy users – the United States (U.S.) and China have made several positive steps towards…
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When I hear people talk about low impact living I always think of the 1970’s British Comedy The Good Life, or Good Neighbors as it was known here in the United States. A couple decides to escape the commercialism of life and become totally self-sufficient in their home near London. It’s entertaining to see their successes…
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For most of us, our home is, or will probably be, our largest financial investment. And, if you are anything like the average financially savvy American, then you are likely looking for ways to cut down on cost and make the most out of every opportunity to save a few hundred dollars here and there. As…
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Not even 10 years ago, a home with solar panels was a relatively rare sight. But recently an uptick in local and federal incentives as well as some advances in the technology has made them more popular than ever. This is why homeowners of all types are now looking to these panels as the next…
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It’s interesting what you can learn from the past. Last year when I was in Austria I saw a very interesting way to heat a room. We were staying in Mariastern Abbey in Hohenweiler, which is in western Austria, near Bregenz (on Lake Constance). The abbey was built around the 16th or 17th century and was once a castle.…
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Lighting choices are changing. We all have to switch our thinking from WATTS to LUMENS. Your 60 Watt bulb produces 800 Lumens of light. Watts are a measure of energy consumed, not light produced. For more info on choosing lighting go to: https://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls_lumens
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When buying gifts this holiday season, think “smart strip,” “twist,” and LED. All of these gifts will conserve energy and save you money. 1) Consider giving a smart strip. Smart strips help reduce standby power consumption – often called vampire or phantom power. Vampire power accounts for 5-10% of your total household electric consumption, but using…
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This past week I saw a cool green roof on the Pittsburgh Convention Center. I was in Pittsburgh for the Galaxy IV conference, which is a joint meeting of Extension Professionals. I was impressed with Pittsburgh. It is a nice city to visit and the green roof on the David L. Lawrence Convention Center (DLCC)…
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Driving through small villages in Austria and Germany I noticed that the farm houses are often attached to the barn where the cows, pigs, sheep and assorted other animals live. I grew up on a ranch, but our barn and the fragrances associated with it were a good distance from the house. I am not…
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I was surprised that I saw few alternative sources of energy during my visit to Barcelona and Tarragona. I began to see wind turbines and solar panels when I crossed the border into France and even more as I traveled into Germany and Austria. I did some research to see how much of Spain’s energy…
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Are you an “energy vampire?” If you live in an apartment in the central part of the building you may be sucking energy from neighboring flats. In Hungary people who live in the central apartments are referred to as energy vampires. (In the U.S. this term has a slightly different meaning.) The European Union…
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Catalonia is an autonomous region within Spain that is home to the beautiful cities of Barcelona and Tarragona. As I walked around these cities, I was fascinated by the windows and the coverings over them that help keep the sun out. It is an old idea, but one that is obviously still used. I saw…
Posted in: Energy -
When I was a child my family would spend Memorial Day at one of our family graveyards. I know this may sound morbid but I remember it as a happy place. Park-like the place was filled with trees, flowers and areas of sun and shade. We would arrive with buckets, brushes, shears, pruners, brooms, hoes,…
Posted in: Charitable Giving, Climate Change, Conservation, Energy, Environment, Family, Giving, Green burials, Green Living, Holidays, Sustainability, Uncategorized -
Is it supposed to snow on May Day? I just returned from a conference on energy in Fort Collins, Colorado. The hosts did a wonderful job showcasing all four seasons. The first few days were close to 80 (great for solar power). Then there was rain, which provided some relief from the drought. Finally, over…
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Have you ever considered how resilient your house is to damage from natural disasters? I am talking about things like flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes, hail, straight-line winds, and even droughts. I am attending a workshop put together by LSU Extension that focuses on how we can create homes that are more resilient to the disasters that…
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It is springtime in Athens, Georgia. When days are soft and sunny folks start to move out-of-doors. So what are some green outdoor activities that are low cost and low impact, but high on the fun index? We all want play and live greener without spending our shrinking “greenbacks.” Walk. One of the healthiest and…
Posted in: community, Energy, Environment, Giving, History, Holidays, Safety, Uncategorized, Working Together -
When we think of a “green roof” most of us conjure up images of trees and vegetables on top of a tall building in a city or maybe a sod roof with a goat grazing on it. Green roofs are much more than that. I learned a lot about green roofs on a webinar taught…
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Is your cat watching the warm air in your home leak out around the front door? This infrared photo shows air leakage around the front door of my home. Does this look like your house? You don’t need an infrared camera to check to see if you have air leaking around your doors and windows. …
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According to a new report released by the Worldwatch Institute, China is aiming to obtain 15% of its energy from renewables by 2020- And it is headed in the right direction. The financial investments are vast- “More than $50 billion was invested in renewable energy worldwide in 2006, and China is expected to invest over…
Posted in: Energy