Energy

States Working Toward Increased Energy Efficiency Will Create More Jobs

March 17, 2011

In August 2010, the Center for American Progress and the Energy Resource Management Corporation released the report Efficiency Works: Creating Good Jobs and New Markets Through Energy Efficiency. They report that due to the mortgage crisis, the construction industry and related jobs were among those hit the hardest. In the first three months of 2010, construction unemployment hovered near 25 percent. Between 2006 and early 2010, residential construction declined by 38 percent which translates into more than one in three construction workers losing their jobs because of the recession.

Weatherizing Homes through Air Sealing in the Desert Southwest

March 16, 2011

There are some basic ideas serving as the universal foundation for weatherizing homes and the first begins with air sealing. For those living in colder regions, there is a need to keep the warmth in and the cold out. In the deserts and other warmer regions, it’s important to keep the heat out while trying to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature.

Solar Thermal Water Heating, Israel and the Future

March 15, 2011

Using the power of the sun to heat your water is one of the simplest ways that you can make your home more energy efficient. Heating water usually accounts for 40 percent of an average family’s heating costs. Converting to inexpensive solar thermal water heating is a great first step that will not only allow us to utilize a much more clean, affordable and sustainable source of energy, it will also create jobs and help our nation to become more energy independent.

Winterize Your Windows with Recycled Bubble Wrap

March 14, 2011

A layer of bubble wrap insulation can actually cut the heat loss from single paned windows in half. To insulate with bubble wrap, just moisten the glass and position the plastic with the bubble side firmly against the wet glass. Some people prefer larger bubbles and claim that they insulate better, but I like using the wrap with smaller bubbles. It creates a nice artistic frosted filter for the glass, and it also makes me think of how a house fly might see the world.

Insulating Homes in the North vs South

March 11, 2011

Insulation is important no matter what area of the country or world you live in. It reduces our need to heat homes and our need to cool homes. However, there are some differences on how to go about improving insulation in homes located in the South versus homes located in the North.

Solar Panel Installation in Australia Financially Driven (Not Environmentally Driven)

March 1, 2011

The results of a recent survey by Sun Connect, an Australian solar power installation company, show that rising electricity bills have a major influence on homeowner’s decisions to go solar. Respondents pointed to high electricity bills, anticipated electricity price rises, and pain caused by high power costs, as significant areas of concern. In fact, when solar panel owners were asked why they originally converted to solar, the results show that people were 2.6 times more likely to identify “electricity bills…

Koch Brothers Monopoly, Scott Walker Connection [INFOGRAPHIC]

February 25, 2011

Following up on Rhonda’s great post the other day on Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker admitting he wanted to destroy unions to a blogger on the phone who he thought was David Koch, here is a great infographic by the other 98% on the connections between Scott Walker and the Koch Brothers, titled “Koch Brothers Monopoly.” Enjoy 😀 (click title/link at top to view full infographic if you are on the homepage)

Peak Oil & Sustainable Development Expert Talks about the Situation Today In-Depth [VIDEOS]

February 22, 2011

James Kunstler, a renowned writer and a long-time expert on city planning, suburbia, sustainable development (in particular, New Urbanism), and peak oil, goes into depth on the worldwide peak oil crisis we are starting to face. His most well-known books are “The Geography of Nowhere (1994), a history of American suburbia and urban development, and the more recent The Long Emergency (2005), where he argues that declining oil production is likely to result in the end of industrialized society as we know…

World-Leading Sustainable Community in Germany: Vauban District

February 16, 2011

The Vauban district is a green, planned community in the city of Freiburg in southern Germany. Construction of this community began in the mid-1990s and opened in 2000. By 2001, it had 2,000 inhabitants living in a greener, more sustainable way. Now, the Vauban district is said to have 5,000 inhabitants and 600 jobs. A recently article I ran across highlights the green features of this community and I thought I’d share some of that here. “The Vauban district was…

Romania Home to Large, New Wind Energy Hub

February 8, 2011

Vestas is the world’s leading manufacturer of wind turbines. There are 41,000 Vestas wind turbines in 65 countries around the world, creating approximately 20,000 jobs. Together, they cut CO2 emissions by about 40 million tons every year. Vestas knows wind energy. It recently decided that it would locate its Eastern European wind energy hub in Romania. That means two things: 1) Romania is ripe for some serious wind energy growth, and 2) the country will be sure to get the…

West Virginia Coal Miners Moving to Solar Industry

February 8, 2011

West Virginia coal miners have always taken pride in supplying energy to the world. Although their work hours are long and the hazards of the job are many. They reluctantly dig coal to support their families, because there are no other opportunities for these hard working individuals. In a state that is politically controlled by the coal industry, politicians are bought and paid for every election. The campaign funds provided insure that clean energy will not find its way into…

Obama State of the Union Address 2011 [VIDEO]

January 26, 2011

Obama’s 2011 State of the Union address (full text) is important to us all because it is not only a critical reflection on where we stand today, but also on where we’re going, where we need to go, and how we can succeed as a nation (all according to our President and his team, the people with the most power concerning this matter… or who should have the most power concerning this matter). Here are my reflections (and the…

Garden Waste Disposal | Recycle Green Waste as Eco Fuel

January 7, 2011

If this is the time of year you start thinking about firing up the firepit or chiminea, or if you’ve invested in a wood-burning stove for your home, you’ll no doubt be thinking about what sort of fuel you can burn. Choosing the right supplier of eco-friendly fuel can be tricky, but if you’re a keen gardener (or even if you keep a small vegetable plot), you might already know that there is a lot of free fuel around. Reduce…

Does California Need Oil or Water More?

December 20, 2010

Getting oil out of the ground requires water. And as oil supplies are depleted, this process requires more and more water. It turns out that nowadays oil companies are using a TON of water,.. (to access precious oil for our gas-guzzling cars). “Oil companies are grabbing an increasing share of the water in California’s Central Valley. Last year, oil companies took 83% of the district’s water allocation, according to new data published by High Country News,” Susan Kraemer of our sister…