23. December 2008 by Melissa Thomas.

The latest rave in conserving electricity in one’s home is switching to compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs). The use of CFLs reduce pollution by using 75% less energy than regular bulbs. Now, if every American made this exchange in bulbs, we’d save $60 million annually in energy costs.

Here are 3 examples that shed a decent amount of light, and are cost-effective when compared to other brands out on the market:

1.     GE Energy Smart Spiral: 26 watts (100-watt equivalent) Price: $5
2.     Westinghouse Mini-Globe: 9 watts (40-watt equivalent) Price: $16
3.     Sylvania Supermini: 13 watts (60-watt equivalent) Price: $8 for three

Even though these bulbs conserve energy, there is a downside to using them.  CFLs contain a small amount of mercury – therefore, if a bulb is broken, it’s important to take the following initiatives to clean up the mess and dispose of the glass properly. Please follow these guidelines, recommended by the Environmental Protection Act (EPA):

• Before clean-up, ventilate the room. Have people and pets leave the room, and don’t allow anyone to walk through the breakage area on their way out. Open a window and leave the room for a minimum of 15 minutes.
• Shut off the central air conditioning/heating system.
• Do not use a vacuum or a broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces. Instead, carefully scoop up the glass fragments and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a glass jar with a metal lid, such as a canning jar. Otherwise, seal the fragments in a plastic bag.
• Use sticky tape (ie: duct tape) to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
  Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels and place them in the glass jar or plastic bag.
• If the bulb was broken over a rug or other materials, clean up the glass as directed in the first steps above. If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken. Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister), and put the bag or vacuum debris in a glass jar or sealed plastic bag.
• If clothing or bedding come in direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from inside the bulb, the clothing or bedding should be discarded. Do not wash such clothing or bedding because the mercury fragments in the materials may contaminate the machine and/or pollute sewage. You can, however, wash the clothing that you happen to be wearing, as long as it hasn’t come into direct contact with the materials from the broken bulb.
• If you need to wipe any other surfaces that have come into contact with the broken glass or mercury-containing powder from the bulb, wipe them off with damp paper towels and place them in the glass jar or plastic bag for disposal.
• After clean-up, immediately place all clean-up materials outdoors in a trash container or protected area for the next normal trash pickup.*
• Wash your hands after disposing of the jar or plastic bag containing the clean-up materials.
• The next several times you vacuum, make a mental note to shut off the central air conditioning/heating system and open a window prior to vacuuming.  Leave the central air conditioning/heating system off and the window open for 15 minutes after vacuuming.

* Check with your local or state government about disposal requirements in your specific area.  Some states prohibit such trash disposal and require that broken and unbroken mercury-containing bulbs be taken to a local recycling center.

Resources:
http://energystar.com
Glamour’s April 2008 “Go Green Guide” pp. 186

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9. December 2008 by Melissa Thomas.

Have you ever thought of going solar?  Now is the time!  By harnessing energy from the sun, wind, geothermal, or other renewable sources, we can gain independence from fossil fuels, and become self-sufficient with our own clean, affordable electricity.

Measures are currently being taken by the state of California to increase green energy. The governor has set a goal to have solar installed on one-million roofs by 2017, moving the state towards a cleaner energy future while helping lower the cost of solar systems for consumers.

The California Solar Initiative currently offers a 15% rebate towards the cost of installation. In addition to these rebates, you may be eligible to gain up to 30% in Federal Tax credits when you install solar during the next 8 years.  What could be better than getting a cash incentive from the government to install a solar system in your home or business –and– start saving money on your electric bill besides?

Why Install Solar?

• Electric companies are raising their rates from 7% to 10% each year.
• When you install solar, you’ll help to offset the amount of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere, minimizing the effect of many pollutants, which is optimal to our health.
• If your home or surrounding property gets nearly full-sun between the peak hours of 9 am and 5 pm, you have an ideal situation to install solar.
• You’ll be amazed at how much you’ll increase the value of your home by installing solar.

Leasing vs. Buying
One of the leading solar installation companies –Solar City– has their very own 15-year term “SolarLease” program. It’s set up so you can go solar with no upfront costs, and you can even save on electricity at the same time!  This way, you can start saving right away.

About Our Home
Our home was built in 2001 with 2′ x 6′ exterior walls, 10′ ceilings, dual pane energy efficient windows, and a 30-year composition roof. It is complete with 4 bedrooms, 3 full baths, 2.5 car garage, and is considered a 1.5 story with the master bedroom upstairs. The house is 2800 sq. ft. of living space and has a fairly energy efficient design with West facing windows, so the home is drenched in natural light year round – but especially during the Summer months.  It was to our advantage to have the solar panels installed on both the South and West facing roof to maximize the sun from sunrise to sunset. We installed 36 3′ x 5′ panels (15 sq. ft. per panel x 36) with two inverters and AC/DC switchers, and a wireless network router to monitor the system’s performance. Solar City monitors and maintains the system’s readiness 24/7 - and if there’s ever a lull or a drop-point where the system breaks down, they will cover the electricity bill until the system is repaired.

Due to the warm summer months, we had extra panels installed that will cover our electricity consumption when we install a six (6) ton Air Conditioning unit.

Check out our savings from the last few months. We had solar installed in September 2008, and our information began registering on-line by mid-November, so there’s a 6-week gap where we weren’t being monitored and happened to have free electricity:
http://solarguard.solarcity.com/kiosk/solarguard.aspx?Share=1&ID=2073353E-4C8E-4B41-9031-7B07D802A00E

Please visit these links for related information:

www.solarcity.com
My solar consultant was great. Feel free to contact him for a free site evaluation. His name is Jeremy Pearl: jpearl@solarcity.com – he’ll be happy to know that I referred you!

http://www.gosolarcalifornia.ca.gov
California’s number one resource for solar power.

http://www.pge.com
PG & E has more information on alternative energy.

http://www.mnrenewables.org
For my family and friends in Minnesota – learn about solar in your own backyard.

Questions or Comments? Please post them here on my blog or write me at: mthomas.nflux@gmail.com

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30. November 2008 by Melissa Thomas.

It is my deep desire to show you how to incorporate elements of green into your various environments. I’m committed to bringing forth powerful possibilities in order to enhance your well-being, career and relationships - the fundamental basics in your life.

Through this blog, I’ll be communicating my thoughts on how to make minimal changes, which will evidently bring big change in the over-all scheme of things. Please stay tuned for more information as I begin this new journey…

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