Green Energy & Conservation Blogs

Here we are at GreenBuild, in the Boston Conference and Exhibition Center with over 20,000 other folks- builders, architects, designers, homeowners and just anyone concerned about the environment and how our building and living choices can positively (or negatively) influence our future!

The scene is buzzing, with an entire green house erected on site ( more on that later), dozens of exhibitors showing everything from green construction materials to interior finishes, energy saving devices and systems and on and on. This place looks like the world of the future. » read more

Obama Energy plan: » read more

• Provide short-term relief to American families facing pain at the pump
• Help create five million new jobs by strategically investing $150 billion over the next ten years to catalyze private efforts to build a clean energy future.
• Within 10 years save more oil than we currently import from the Middle East and Venezuela combined.

The EPA is asking: What are your energy vampires?

This came across my desk from the EPA today- just in time for trick or treat!

"Vampires could be lurking the shadows of your home. Energy vampires continuously suck energy from electrical outlets and unnecessarily waste energy. These vampires won’t drain your blood; they’ll drain your pockets! Energy vampires cost Americans almost $10 billion a year, and account for almost 11 percent of all U.S. energy use!
» read more

Can auto racing truly be green? We'll soon have a chance to find out. The EPA announced today that  The American Le Mans Series' Green Challenge will be the first car race to use green racing protocols at the Petit Le Mans Race near Atlanta this Saturday, Oct. 4. The protocols were developed by EPA, the Department of Energy and SAE International.

"The Petit Le Mans is the ultimate test track," said Margo T. Oge, director of EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality. » read more

This came across my desk from the EPA today:

" Today is the 4th annual Energy Star "Change a Light" Day, and more than 1.8 million Americans have pledged to change at least one light at home to an Energy Star qualified light.
These pledges will save $220 million in energy bills and prevent the release of more than 3 billion pounds of greenhouse gases. Lighting is one of the easiest things we can change in our homes and is the first step in the new pledge to "Change the World, Start with Energy Star." » read more

The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors recently voted to reverse their long-standing opposition to offshore oil drilling.  As a Californian who was around in 1970 and a former resident of Santa Barbara that position makes my heart stop.  But it is not surprising coming from a Republican dominated board in an election year that features this option as a platform element.  It is truly a shame that this iconic area that suffered so much from monumental oil spills should somehow forget the pain they endured nearly forty years ago.  » read more

A terrific article in the NY Times this morning on capturing wind energy in the form of compressed air. One issue with wind is that it only produces energy when it is blowing. Storing the excess in batteries or using it to turn sea water into hydrogen to drive fuel cells are some alternatives.

But storing the wind in the form of compressed air that can then be released later to drive power generators when and where it's needed most is a new twist.

The Times article says:  » read more

» read more

This time last week I was in Lincoln NE removing plants from their wrong locations (my professor friend cautioned I shouldn't call it weeding). Had I stayed on, I'd be in line this morning to hear T. Boone Pickens explain his plan at a town hall meeting at the Lancaster Events Center at 10:30.

You've no doubt seen Mr. Pickens' tv ads promoting a national shift to wind power and natural gas. I'm trying to look at it as rationally as I can with all the information i can find.

Right now, I'm a walking dichotomy. » read more

Having watched energy policy debates for decades now, there are certain patterns.  The first is that gas prices always spike right around the time that energy policy is being discussed.  So we all becoming unwilling lobbyist for the oil companies because our pain at the pump drives us to entertain options we would not otherwise consider (think offshore oil drilling). » read more

What is going on? OK, yes the presidential candidates agree about energy diversity and security, and both are US Senators. So, why are they not using their sphere of influence to move the US Senate off the dime and renew the solar and wind tax credits? Right now, the Senate seems willing to halt a very helpful tool in the fight against oil and climate change. The Senate must copy the House in that they musty approve the renewable energy tax credits slated to expire the end of this year. » read more

Ever wonder what it's like to drive a Hydrogen-fuel cell vehicle? 

  » read more

Hi Folks:

Can you believe that "we the people" are going to have the privilege of paying for the stupid behavior of the lawyers, bankers, and six figure (at least) executives that have ruined Fannie-Mae and Freddie-Mac, GM, Ford, and hundreds of thousands of home owners? » read more

Not that you asked, but here’s how I became “The Green Home Lady.”

As the Environmental Stewardship Manager for a large development and homebuilding company, I peddled a message to company employees, “Green building is not weird science; you just start with planning.”

» read more

Hi folks:

Last week was our 16th wedding anniversary. We decided to drive to Asheville, NC and tour the newly opened Southern Living Green Home, as we continue our quest to find a home plan that would be a great green farm house.

I am sorry to say that this is not a green house, unless you think a 6,000 sq ft MacHouse is green because it uses concrete counter tops, low VOC paint and an on demand water heater. » read more

I read in the paper this weekend that miles driven by cars was down 4.3 percent.  While this is a certainly a trend in the correct direction, my initial reaction was: Call me when folks are really committed to do some good.  The article credited the high price for driving this trend.  The take home message from this is that the financially challenged did not drive.  And while that trend will probably increase when fuel costs go higher, we won't really make progress until folks elect not to drive simply because it is the right thing to do.  That will mean that we have truly turned a corne » read more

As my wife and I rode the train from NYC back to our home in rural Vermont, several thought came to me.  My first thoughts were of waste.  The train corridor that runs from southern Vermont, through MA, CT and into NY is lined with buildings, wrecked cars, old tires and just general trash.  For a society that is about to collide with its need for natural resources we don't steward and reuse our waste stream very well at all.  There seems to be little urgency in these areas that in any way reflects our need for resources and the fact that they are finite. » read more

There is a new word popping up around the country: Clirty.  And what it means is that it isn't exactly clean, but it is not fully dirty either.  Of course this word has great application in the world of laundry, because clirty things should get an extra wearing or two before taking a trip to the washer and then hanging out on the line.  (Didn't he mean to say dryer?) No, I meant the line.  While you are trying out the clirty habit you might as well go whole hog and have your dryer become a seldom used appliance for touch ups or when the weather won't let you hang your once clirty clothes o » read more

It's important that we all work to encourage the development of clean technology towards producing renewable fuels, and diversifying our energy supply chain. When we deploy cleaner, renewable technologies we become more independent when it comes to energy production and less reliant on unstable regions of the world for our energy needs. There great evidence concerning the effectiveness of government programs and incentives concerning the development of renewable energy in the united States. » read more