The rate in which the earth’s temperature is rising could be defined as alarming. The average global temperature is over 0.5 degrees celsius higher than the 20th century average.  This may not seem like much, so lets get a little more detailed. The temperature has been above the 20th century average (13.9 C / 57 F) for the last 35 consecutive years.  Including 2011, all eleven years in the 21^st century so far (2001–2011) rank among the 13 warmest in the 132-year period of record.

What causes this climate change? Many climate scientists agree that one of the main causes is the “greenhouse effect”. For those of you unaware – the “greenhouse effect” is defined as the warming that results when the atmosphere traps heat radiating from Earth towards space.  Now don’t get me wrong, without the atmosphere and the greenhouse effect, we would all freeze to death – so its not all negative. However, this “thermal blanket” is radiating more heat back to earth than in the past.

Lets break it down.  Basically, there is a layer of gases in the atmosphere around earth.  This “layer” lets in about half the light emitted from the sun. It passes through the air and clouds, is absorbed by the surface and then radiated back toward the atmospheric “layer” as infrared heat.  Once it reached the greenhouse layer, 90% of the heat is absorbed by the gases and radiated back toward earth.

The gases that contribute to the natural greenhouse effect are as follows:

1. Water Vapor
2. Carbon Dioxide
3. Methane
4. Nitrous Oxide
5. Chlorofluorocarbons

We, as humans, are changing the levels of these gases.  By burning fossil fuels, deforestation, clearing land and other human activities, it is shown that the atmospheric carbon dioxide levels increased from 280 ppm to 379 ppm in the last 150 years (nasa.gov).

Solutions? What is being done to combat these startling trends…..

Meet Mike Cheiky, entrepreneur and founder of CoolPlanet Biofuels.

CoolPlanet is an up and coming company dedicated to finding an alternative fuel source to gasoline.  The idea is ingenious and innovative, but can he make it happen?

Here’s the readers digest version.  Essentially, CoolPlanet is a company that says it can produce large amounts of inexpensive gasoline, increase crop production and possibly solve the climate crisis… WITH ONE PRODUCT!

Too good to be true? Maybe, but lets hear him out.

“We’re developing revolutionary negative carbon fuels based on plant photosynthesis which absorb carbon from the air. We can make exact replacements for fuel that will operate in your current cars and, we can make even more advanced superfuels for even higher gas mileage and better performance in future vehicles.

Our proprietary biomass fractionator technology extracts useful hydrocarbons from biomass, leaving behind the excess carbon as a high purity solid. The process generates activated carbon with a very high surface area which will allow it to be used as a soil enhancer similar to “terra preta.” By burying this carbon in an appropriate manner, we can greatly enhance soil fertility while sequestering carbon for hundreds of years. In contrast, normal plant decomposition occurs in just a few years, releasing the plant’s carbon as CO2 and even more harmful methane gas. Our process yields about the same amount of carbon as gasoline so, if we sequester this carbon as a soil enhancer, or simply bury it as coal, the associated fuel has a 
N100 Negative Carbon Rating” (coolplanetbiofuels.com).

If this can truly be put into practice, this could be a stepping stone to alleviating the negative effects from global warming.  Only time will tell…

For more information please visit
Climate Change
CoolPlanet

 This realization has sent me searching for any way to save a few dollars by finding the most efficient ways to conserve electricity and water.  Hopefully, I can enlighten you all on some tips that I have learned along the way. 

 So let’s examine room-by-room to see what can be done.

1. Kitchen

This is probably one of the easiest and hardest rooms to deal with depending on your situation.  For us, most of the appliances are already located in the house.  Refrigerator, stove, microwave, and dishwasher are all included.  HOWEVER, the refrigerator looks like it belongs in an 1980’s sitcom.  It is old and most likely NOT an Energy-Star Qualified appliance.  If you don’t know what that is we will explore it more later.  Basically, it’s a fancy phrase for an energy efficient appliance.  A typical 1980’s refrigerator will cost approx. $269 a year to run while a qualified Energy Star Refrigerator will cost approx. $56. That’s a savings of over $200 a year which is amazing if you ask me.  **Fun Fact** (or not so fun if you have an old refrigerator) If your current refrigerator was made before 1993, it uses twice the amount of energy used by newer models.  Luckily for me, I don’t have to go out and buy a new refrigerator because my parents have an extra one in their garage from the last time I moved out that IS Energy Star Qualified. WoooHoooo!  For those of you looking to invest, this would be a great option.  Most electric companies also offer a rebate if you donate your old refrigerator PLUS Energy Star also offers a rebate for new purchases.  Do some research!

Next, the stove… This is a tough one for us, we are moving into a place that is ALL run on electricity.  That means no gas at all.  Learning this was a big bummer for us because gas is typically less expensive.  Sooooo we must look at the alternatives.  Using the right size pots on our burners is one way to save energy.  What sense does it make using a 6” pot on an 8” burner.  Look how much energy we are paying for but not utilizing.  Also, by covering pots it helps to keep heat in.  For us, just by using the correct size burner, we can save about $36 dollars a year!

Dishwasher.. Personally I am not a big fan of dishwashers.  Operator error the first few times I used one (lets just say a lot of soap suds… EVERYWHERE), but they are a better alternative to hand washing dishes.  Anyways, best practice for using a dishwasher is to not pre-rinse your dishes.  Instead, just scrape food off.  Also, don’t start a cycle until you have a FULL dishwasher and DO NOT use the heated dry option.  Experiment time – try out these tips and see if your energy bill decreases.

Microwave – Use only to reheat or cook small portions.  You can reduce up to 80% of your cooking energy when using for small portions instead of using the oven or stove.

Sinks – Fix any and all leaks, a simple way to save water and electricity.  **Did you know? Hot water leaking at a rate of one drip per second can waste up to 1,661 gallons of water and $35 in electricity or natural gas a year? 

2. Garage/Laundry

Again, this whole “having-electricity-only-and-still-being-slightly-disappointed” means we must look into getting an electric dryer.  If you aren’t careful with these, you will likely be paying quite a lot of money to your electricity provider every month.  Besides looking for an Energy Star Qualified (we have to purchase one) there are other things that we can do to save some electricity.  Making sure we don’t over dry clothes as well as cleaning out the lint trap regularly, will ensure that we are utilizing all the energy in which we are paying.  Consider drying clothes for a short amount of time, then letting them hang dry.

The washing machine is a little easier- Make sure you are washing full loads, or if you aren’t, adjust the amount of water being used accordingly.  Additionally, look into washing your loads with cold water.  About 90% of the energy your washer uses goes to heating the water.  By switching to cold water, the average household can save more than $40 a year with an electric water heater or more than $30 a year with a gas water heater.

Slightly side note since we are talking garages right now: another way we are looking to save some money is by carpooling to work.  Three of us work within 4 miles of each other.  If we all drove together just twice a week (instead of three separate cars) we not only save on gas, but we also save 3,180 lbs of greenhouse gas emissions a year!

3. Other Rooms (Bed, Bath, Living, Dining, Family, and Office)

Lighting! Anywhere you can put a light bulb, look into putting a Compact Fluorescent Lightbulb (CFL).  Did you know: Replacing the 5 most-used lighting fixtures in the house can save $70 a year in energy costs?  And that’s only 5!  Imagine if you swapped them ALL! In addition to saving energy, they also last up to 10 times longer than regular incandescent light bulbs.  Worried about the costs of replacing all your lights in the house? Besides the all the future savings, you can usually find CFL’s that have manufacturer coupons and/or rebates.  When we purchased new CFL, we actually found them for only 98 cents for a pack of 4 with a manufactures rebate.  It is doable!  Remember to replace all lights, including porch lights, bathroom, hallway, kitchen, and desk lamps with these CFL.

Electrical outlets… Did you know, even when electrical equipment is turned off, a small amount of electricity is still being used?  US Households spend around $100 a year more than they have to because of this.  Consider investing in power strips.  They allow you to completely disconnect from power and avoid this extra consumption, plus you get added outlets!

Fireplace – Make sure when not in use, the fireplace is closed off or covered.  In the winter months this will help keep the warm air in and cold air out.  The same is true in the summer months for keeping cool air in and warm air out.  

A/C – If your place doesn’t come with air conditioning and you aren’t looking to make a lot of changes to the residence, look into Energy Star Qualified window A/C units.  Make sure the unit fits tightly so that outside air cannot seep in, and your nice cool air can’t seep out.

 4. The Lawn

In winter months, cut down watering the lawn to a couple times a week.  And do so when the sun not out (dawn or dusk) to cut down on evaporation.  Drip irrigation for planters is the way to go if you have the option.  And always make sure your sprinklers are on a timer!

If my calculations are correct… It looks to me like I can save $500+ a year by making the changes listed above (and thats not even the full potential!)

This is again, a work in progress.  We are continually looking for more ways to save some energy and lower our costs. If you have any tips, please feel free to share in the comment section below. And stay tuned for a water conservation blog soon!

  A big thank you to www.energystar.org & www.epa.gov for the fabulous facts

Please check out the links below for more information and helpful tips:

 http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.es_at_home_tips

 http://www.epa.gov/greenhomes/

 And for a full list of Energy Star Qualified products, check out:

 http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_find_es_products

1. BUDGET

Probably one of the most important steps in a time of financial hardship is to create a household budget.  Start with the total net monthly income of the house hold.  Then, write down what bills you are responsible for and the date they are due.  Mortgage or rent, utilities, car insurance, car payment, gas, cell phone, food, miscellaneous (personal hygiene, household supplies, school supplies) and any other bills you may have.  Most of these numbers do not fluctuate too much, but estimate a little higher than your average costs for each.  Once you have subtracted your bills from your net income, you can budget out for other things.  You may also want to have an emergency fund where you specify an amount that you contribute to monthly.  Remember, you can have an entertainment category too, all work and no fun makes Jack a dull boy.  The remainder should go into savings account for the future.  Ask yourself about your purchases: do I need it or do I want it? Will it help me in the long run? Live within your limits and be responsible.

2. CONSERVE

Well you have a budget, now where else can you save a few extra pennies? For those of you who read the It’s Little Things Daily tip, there are numerous ways to save money and help the environment.  One tip that I am constantly reminded (thank you mom) is if you aren’t in a room, turn off the light… There’s no reason to waste electricity.  Something so little can make such a huge difference.  Additionally, make sure your house or apartment is sealed.  Another thing my mom used to do is time our showers.  We had a kitchen timer set for 3 minutes and that was our shower time.  There really wasn’t a reason to go much longer, plus all that water saved is money in your pocket.  In the summer months, open a window and use a fan to bring cool air in at night instead of using the air conditioner.  Use a blanket in the winter instead of the heater.  Think of cost effective options.  Look into Energy Star approved appliances; they will pay for themselves in the long run.  Also, replace all light bulbs with Compact Florescent Bulbs; they have a longer life and save energy!

For more money and environment saving tips, check out the It’s Little Things daily tip

3. RECYCLE

Did you know every time you purchase aluminum cans of soda or plastics that can be recycled, you are charged the redemption value? Therefore if you do not recycle it, you are losing that $0.05 per can.  That can add up over the span of a year.  So say you drink 1 soda can a day for an entire year 365 cans x 0.05 = 18.25! That’s 4.5 gallons of gas ($4/gal).  For a family of 4, it amounts to $73.00! And that may not seem like a lot, but over the span of 10 years that’s $730.  Not too shabby for recycling! Besides the money aspect, you are helping to conserve earths natural resources and reduce our carbon footprint.

 Here are a few links to help you find local recycling facilities

CA- http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/BevContainer/Recyclers/Directory/Default.aspx?lang=en-US

 US- http://earth911.com/ 

4. DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Ever thought about riding a bike to work? Reduce fuel emissions into the environment, save money on gas AND get a good workout!  If riding a bike isn’t your strong suit, carpool with a coworker!  There is also public transportation too!

Stay tuned for more helpful tips!