energy conservation
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If you want to give gifts that promote healthier and greener living, the first thing to do is consider the recipient. Are you giving something that person really wants or can use? Don’t stress about gift giving. Have fun finding that special gift for everyone on your list. Below are some ideas. Gifts that promote recycling…
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I have always enjoyed gifts – both the giving and receiving of them. According to researchers, I am not alone. Gift giving is an important part of human interaction and psychologists say that the givers often reap the biggest psychological gains. When someone takes time to thoughtfully select a gift for me, it means so…
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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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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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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. …