AlthingAmerica

A little "Vacation" instead of Conservation...

2007-09-24T01:28:00.000-07:00

I have been promising to write that article about window energy savings in the warm climates, but it is going to have to wait a little longer. I have been redesigning a website, with new software to boot, and it takes a ridiculous amount of time. This writing being a hobby while work being necessary to my existence, it takes precedence. This is not about my work, which I am going to keep private. It is about what I have been reading about a lot with envy, as I have not been able to take a vacation myself for quite a while.

I started by reading about Belize, which is formerly British Honduras. It is a tiny country off the boot of Mexico. It doesn't get the publicity of Costa Rica in Central America, and here is why: There are only 250,000 people in the whole country! I keep thinking about going there for a year to write, as they do speak english there, and I thought that would be convenient. But I heard it is hard to change the money there-they love american hard currency and hate to see it leave the country. It should be a great place to go, but I don't think that it is as polished a vacation destination as is Costa Rica. I had two young girlfriends go there for several weeks a couple of years ago, and they found it to be incredibly beautiful and interesting, and more importantly, safe. They are very attractive young gals, and they experienced no problems whatsoever. After they came back with their photo albums and stories, I talked to a buddy of mine about renting a Costa Rica Vacation Home for a few weeks just to see what it would be like to be there. Unfortunately, the wifey wouldn't hear of it-of course, she wasn't invited, so that might have had something to do with it. All the pretty ticas-as Costa Rican girls are known-and I would have to worry about being protected from them by a hen thinking she was doing me a favor! This is also a great place to visit if you are an eco-tourist; the girls told me that if you don't believe in conservation by the time you leave there, you have lived in the city for far too long.

Costa Rica is not the only the destination I have been preoccupied with-every time I see "Captain Blood" or The Princess and the Pirate with Bob Hope, I think about life in the Bahamas in the 1700's, when Rum was king, and the pirates were the terror of the Spanish Main, if that is where that is. Anyway, there are some incredibly beautiful islands in the Carribean, and I can't wait to take a little trip to this area. I deserve a vacation a lot, and I wish I hadn't bought a house last fall; it seems like it owns you more than the other way around. I keep thinking about renting a house in the Bahamas, and just take a month off, get brown, concoct sweet rum drinks, and watch the bluest of blue water beyond the whitest of white sand. I am so tired of desert brown sand in Arizona, as much as I like it here.

The best us Arizonans get for exotic locations is finding a nice Mexican beach villa in Cabo San Lucas, wait for Ted Nugent to show up and poor you a Cabo Wabbler with countless other Americans escaping their life in the real world. Cabo is an easy "get-to" to from all points on the west coast, and they do know how to treat americans there, from everyone I've met that's been there. It is what people say it is: a great big party.

If you guys got any further suggestions on places i should be thinking about visiting I am all ears. I am going to start planning for something this fall, and I need a break. I have even been brushing up on my Spanish with Rosetta Stone.
They have a great learning module on their website you can try out. It does work. Contrary to popular belief, you need to know more than Cerveza, por favor! in Latin America.

-Desert Viking
Discover the Hidden Truth Why It's So Hard to Lose Weight! Plus a new way to get as slender as you want! Learn how!

Words to Live Greener By 9/14/07

2007-09-13T11:18:00.001-07:00

this is the second installment of words to live greener by. I hope that I do find some interesting topics for you to discover around the net. Once I have a enough to make a page, I will post it. If you have any interesting obscure topics, please post them by all means. (I am posting this a bit early this week, as I am occupied this evening and tomorrow morning, so the date is not wrong it is just early.)

If we don't do more to save the outdoors, there won't be anything left to save. Join the Sierra Club.

I am not a raging wildlife conservationist, but I do have a lot of sympathy for the polar bear, whose world seems to be disapearing as we go through our current climate fluctuation. I am not completely sold on the idea of all global warming is caused by man-there are fluctuations that occur in nature-but a lot of what we do as humans certainly can't be helping it. I am not sure what good this petition ultimately does, but it shows someone cares.

Your words today are:

Biomass
Nanocrystals
P-Series alternative fuel
desalination
WaterSense
ocean thermal energy conversion
Smog Hog

Salt Water the newest Green Fuel?

2007-09-11T10:41:00.000-07:00

This is interesting...apparently someone figured out how to extract the energy from salt water, our "most abundant resource" by applying radio waves. Check out the article at breitbart here....

Explore, enjoy and protect the planet

This is an article on treehugger from today. Water conservation is an important topic, and while I don't agree with everything ultra-conservationists preach, we can all learn something from each other. This is a great article because it addresses good practices we can all take advantage of. I wish I had written it first, so Kudos to the author, and as I have a special place in my heart for authors, she will get her name mentioned here as well. Jasmin Malik Chua. Great article, Jasmin.

Find out how you can save water and energy with Tankless Water Heaters. Tankless water heaters are the future, people. Europe doesn't even allow tank heaters, as I understand it.

This is an interesting article about advances in solar power. Solar power is eventually going to change the way we live.

Hypocrisy-"Gulfstream Gore" style

2007-09-07T20:26:00.000-07:00

I have an honest question for those of you who reside a little more left of me on the political spectrum. I see that the Drudge Report has posted an article with a picture of Al Gore getting on a private jet. My question is: Do you think it is okay for your leaders to do one thing and preach another? This is such hypocrisy...Larry Craig type hypocrisy, if he is actually a deviate. I don't mean gay, I mean a deviate. If he is gay, so what? But trying to get him some in the bathroom makes him a deviate, gay or straight. Assuming he is, let's compare this with Al Gore's jet-setting. Craig is being shown the door for his probable hypocrisy, not for his pleading guilty to a minor misdemeanor. How you can think of Al Gore as a leader on Climate change when he jets around privately, creating more carbon in one trip than any SUV driver does in a month. Why is this the lasting image I have of the democratic party? That you will follow wolves in sheeps clothing? He is not living the life that he preaches at me to embrace. Why in the world should I believe anything he says? He is still living the Good Life. This is not taunting, I really want to know. Tell me how he has credibility with you whose hearts and actions are in the right place. I can't see the appeal of a monumental phony like that.

Top Selling Art Prints - PosterCheckOut

New feature: Words to live Greener by.

2007-09-07T13:04:00.000-07:00

Okay,

I am back in a semi-transparent, ghostly kind of way, and I have a new feature that I want to try. I hope you will find it interesting. First though, note the words I used "Words to live Greener", not green. We are real consumers, and we do stuff that is not green, and we all will continue to do so. We can do some things, conveniently, that will help though, and my little bailiwick I am attempting to create addresses those tactics. I am not an enviro-expert, I am just going to use common sense, mostly. I think greener is a more accurate word than green, so there I am, being realistic again, not altruistic.

Okay, to the feature: I am going to post a weekly list of words that I think should interest us all in finding more about, and then I want you to look it up. I will try to make that easy for you, sometimes I will post links, but I think you can find search engines easily on your own. I think that will be very cool, as there are a lot of words we hear, that we would say we know about, but if someone asked you the details, you wouldn't have a clue. We say we are familiar, but our knowledge of the topic is shallow, at best. I think it is that way, especially in energy tech, so I am going to post some words and topics you might find vaguely familiar, but uninformed about. Learning is supposed to be fun, and maybe you will change your climate destroying existence, and the Green Weenies will allow you to live on their precious planet without torching your house or SUV. Having some of this knowledge will no doubt save you some embarrassment when you are at a dinner party with "real" conservationists. You can tell them you know all about Tankless water heaters, and Low-E Windows, and even about Geo-thermal strategies for the home.

These are not always going to be conservation words; I will try to make it about that mostly, but I will put up some fun stuff, as I run across it, that I think is interesting, and things you should know. I am going to try to keep a page of these words available, and I am thinking I might put a link up to the best place we found to learn about the particular topic, as submitted by you. Or me if I did a better job of finding it. The point is, wouldn't it be nice to have a resource to visit that you can have brush up on your knowledge of conservation before a social function with "enlightened" people? That will be the goal here, to "clear the air of a little smugness" that you might encounter with the navy blue-staters.

Well, to inaugurate this little weekly task, here is your list of topics for the week.

Tankless Water heaters (like you didn't see this one coming.)
Geo-thermal energy systems (for heating and cooling your home)
Solar energy absorbing paint (this is crazy cool)

For fun, look up:

Belize
Costa Rica
Learning a new language.
It is not as difficult as you might think. This Rosetta Stone site has a great interactive demo of their learning program.

Here are a few other places that might be useful, especially wikipedia.

http://wikipedia.org/
http://excite.com/

Energy-saving tips if you can't change your windows in warm weather climates.

2007-09-04T23:00:00.000-07:00

Part 2 of 2

If you live in a warm weather climate, and are not in a position to change out your windows, there are things you can do to reduce energy loss and probably increase the comfort of your home in hot weather as well. Consult your homeowners' association rules to ensure you are not in violation; some HOA's take these rules very seriously; a topic for another day.

If you cannot replace your windows, there are certain things you can do, both semi-permanently and seasonally, to reduce your waste. There are both interior and exterior items to try, and I will break them down that way.

For the exterior, one of the simplest and most natural things you can do, if your circumstances permit, is to plant a nice shade tree in a strategic location, preferably where it will shade the west and south facing windows during the heat of the day, and also during your warm season. A bigger tree costs more money, but you can probably reduce the direct sun exposure on a lower level window significantly with a wide shade tree. This also benefits the environment. Consult a local nursery to see what trees work best in your climate. If you live in restricted water areas, remember you will have the ongoing cost of watering. Trees are beautify a neighborhood, so it is a good it is aesthetically pleasing to plant more trees as well. Some desert dwellers may disagree with you, but a nice tree is hard to argue with for most people.

Another thing you can do is add exterior sun screens to your windows that are most directly affected by the sun. You can make your own basic screen fairly easily; rolls of sunscreen fabric is available from Home Depot for about $30 for a 6' x 20' roll. You can buy it in bulk for a better price if you have a lot to cover. You make simple frames according to your window dimensions. Go to the window aisle at your local home Depot or Lowe's or a hardware store and ask them about the materials. I am not here to give you a step by step-I have never had the patience for that kind of writing, but stringing simple frames with the fabric is fairly easy. Basically these sunscreens will reduce the amount of heat absorbed by your windows, thereby reducing the amount of energy to cool the inside of the window. This actually does help a lot, and you can take them off during the winter season if you want to enjoy the winter sun.

Another similar concept is a mounted exterior roll-screen. It is also available at almost any large home improvement store, or you can order shades online at The Hut Shop. These shades work very well to keep direct sunlight from shining on the windows, as well as through the window. They claim to block 80% of UV rays. Regardless of the statistics, they can greatly reduce the amount of heat that comes through into the house. I installed one of these inside my atrium, as the sun does tend to heat up the area around the atrium significantly when shining directly on the windows. I also placed a smaller one on an upstairs window that was a significant source of summer heat, and it reduced the heat in that corner substantially. For the size of this home, and the age of the windows, the electric bills have been surprisingly low this summer, and I know these have helped. the beauty of these exterior shades is you can mount them using the unobtrusive brackets, and then take it down during the winter sun months, or simply roll it up out of the way. There are a couple of grades of the Coolaro shades, and the better one looks very nice, and as well as it blocks the sun, you can still see through it for the most part. a six foot by 10 foot goes for around a $100 at Lowe's. The designer quality one is more expensive, but looks a lot better.

Interior Solutions

There are also a couple of things you can do on the interior that can make a significant difference. One is very obvious, and that is install a good quality shade. Aluminum mini-blinds may help a bit, but it is hard to beat a heavy curtain, preferably light-colored to reflect heat away. This keeps much of the heat at the window, and away from the interior of the house. The downside, of course is a darkened room devoid of natural light. I don't prefer the heavy shade, but I have used a product that provides much of the same benefit, while leaving your windows open to natural light.

Heat control window film is basically the same thing as window tint film that is used in cars. It comes in several colors for different effects. There is relective mirror type, or a more blued finish. The film goes on simply as you could expect, but any type you are working with a big adhesive sheet of film, you will want help and to be very careful. It goes on very nicely, and gives you an acceptably clear window if you get it on nice and flush, but start crinkling it, and it you will likely end up feeling like you are looking through a fishbowl. You can cut to fit the film for your particular windows, and it really does help significantly in reducing UV rays-they claim 99%-and reflecting up to 70% of summer heat. It does go on with an adhesive, but it is fairly easy to remove, if you don't want it in the winter. The manufacturer claims it does help conserve 55% of window heat loss in the winter, so you may find yourself just leaving it up. This product retails for about $25 for a 2'x15' foot roll at Lowes.

These are just a few items you can try, and they are very helpful and will reduce your energy costs, improve comfort and lower your carbon footprint on the environment.

"Actorvists"

2007-09-01T11:12:00.000-07:00

This is a great article in the LA Times...it is about actors who preach conservation. I wonder how many even use tankless water heaters
in their own mansions? Its not like they can't afford the technology. Hollywood is always preaching at us about how terrible we all are, but most of their ridiculous efforts amount to little when weighed against their personal consumption and waste. It doesn't go into great detail about individual hyprocrisies, but it does give you a website that follows celebrities who spout off about conservation. They should be the most sorry for their carbon footprint, as they jet around the country to talk about movies and tv shows, dragging entourages and assistants with them. What they do doesn't bother me-its necessary to their job- until they start telling us about how we don't care enough or do enough. It might be a personal flaw, but I don't like being told I am a sinner by a bigger sinner than myself. Learn about actors who speak loudly and make big dinosaur carbon footprints here. Ecorazzi

Click to receive FREE SHIPPING with your FIRST ORDER at Botanic Choice. No coupon needed!

Solar Energy will become more prevalent

2007-09-01T10:19:00.000-07:00

There is a great article on solar power's impending impact on our energy consumption. It is expensive technology, but ultimately low maintenance. Cost over time makes it efficienct. I have to do some research, but there is some new solar technology that I am going to write about soon. Here is an article about it as a preview. Solar power is the future because it costs little to nothing to produce. One of the things that the article pointed out that I had never thought about is how the energy value peaks at the same time power demand peaks-during the heat of the day. Solar power technology is going to become more useable for all of us in the coming years.

Here is the article in The Arizona Republic.

Here is a link to Solar power in wikipedia.

Do some stuff to conserve, or at least read about it...

2007-08-29T11:28:00.000-07:00

The very good newspaper/online newspaper site of the Arizona Republic, arizonacentral, posted a list of tips of things you can do to help the evironment. Some of them make sense for us, many of them are for hippies-not that there is anything wrong with hippies-take a bath, please! Ahem, pick out a few and see if you can integrate them into your life. I have been working on water conservation, and turning the thermostat up or down...I am going to add in the cellphone disposal thing...I must have 5 of the things...Later...

I had to take a few days off this week...

2007-08-26T12:40:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

I had to take a few days away from the blog this week, but I will get to the next article about Windows in the warm climate early this week. I have been taking a crash course in Go Live! from adobe, and it has taken me several days to get a handle on it. I am going to put up a new blog at my own domain, but I wanted to learn a good piece of software to do it. I tried wordpress, which I loved using at my althing site on wordpress but I am having a heck of of a time getting it installed. I am not sure why. Go live! is a good professional sofware that will also work as a blog editing software. It is not as easy to use wordpress or blogger's software, but I need to learn it for my day job to upgrade my business site anyway, so it might be worth it to learn it.

I have several new ideas for conservation tips and technology for you fellow consumers that I will be writing that fit nicely in this series of articles, and I will try to get to them ASAP. Hopefully, some of you are finding this stuff interesting or at least thought-provoking.

In the meantime, here is a green site that you might find interesting. I am not in this category of environmentalism, but treehugger has good thoughts in mind for the environment, and some good environmental related stories.

I am not the biggest fan of everything the Sierra Club does, but their heart is in the right place regarding the environment. Are you making a difference? Find out here. I'm making a difference.

Sierra Trading Post is not the same as Sierra Club that I know of, but you may find some cool outdoor clothing and gear at this site. I always think its a good idea to look for bargain stuff. It means less stuff that ends up in the dumps eventually.

Bargain Barn items 60% off or more at Sierra Trading Post!! CLICK HERE TO REDEEM.

New Windows too expensive? Other ways to beat window energy loss.

2007-08-22T01:06:00.000-07:00

This is one in a series of articles to promote and create interest in conservation of scarce resources, especially energy. Energy is at the very core of so many of our most worrisome issues, and our leaders spend little to no time on it. I am not an environmentalist; far from it; I am an average American consumer, and I see the need for realistic solutions that average consumers can work towards. Its all well and good for hippies to talk about using public transportation, but for those of us who live in the real world with jobs, families, and commitments that require us to use modern conveniences, cutting ourselves off from our cars and air conditioners is not an option. I am going to examine in this series changes and techniques that we all should be taking action on, to one degree or another, in hopes that a little discussion will show us that it is possible to have a real effect on conservation efforts, without turning the clock back to the stone ages that many environmentalists seem to advocate. -DV

So you already know your windows are costing you hundreds of dollars in energy losses. You also know that you can't afford to change them out right now, or you don't plan to stay in the house for long. What can you do to combat window energy loss?

You can actually do a lot. We know that modernizing by replacing your windows would be great, but it is no small expense. It doesn't help that we can no longer finance our homes as easily as we did when values were shooting up and rates were going down either, so we need to go with plan B. There are several useful tips that will help you save money as you go through your extreme weather season, whether you live in the cold climes of Northern America, or in the heat of the southern U.S.

If you are a citizen of the Frozen north, you know what it feels like when Jack Frost starts invading your home. Windows are one of his favorite places to invite himself. Here are a few tips to slow him down:

1. The best way to deal with poor-efficiency windows in winter climates is to install exterior storm windows. Storm windows are typically inexpensive glass windows placed in basic frame that can be easily attached or detached from the exterior of the home. They are relatively inexpensive, and can make a considerable difference in your winter heating bills. You can even buy Low-E glass storm windows, which save even more energy. You will want to make sure that you seal the contact serfaces very well, as this will reduce or eliminate potential draft. This always makes me think back to a home I rented in Aberdeen, South Dakota, in which the owner had converted the garage, which was on the Northwest corner of the home, into a den. This garage was terribly insulated, and the windows were so bad that little snow drifts would accumulate in the window sills during blizzards. We took little notice of these tiny snow drifts, as we were always much more concerned with the pyramid snowdrift that built to about 18 inches high in the northwest corner of the room! We didn't use that room much in the winter, I can tell you that. Weather stripping is cheap, it works well, and is available at any Hardware store. Make good use of it when installing storm windows.

2. If you can't afford storm windows, you can make a relatively inexpensive and mostly effective substitute. Buy a roll of thick plastic sheeting. This material does a fair job of conserving energy as it keeps the wind off the windows, thus not sapping heat from the glass. You can create a cheap frame with scrap wood. The downside is this is not the most aesthetically beautiful solution, but it is effective. You can make an actual window frame, utilizing the plastic instead of glass, and installing much like a storm window. If you are looking for quick and dirty, you can use lathe board to hold it n place, and either nail or screw it to the trim. Don't make too many holes, or you just create more opportunities for drafting. Try to stretch the plastic as tight as possible over the window, so you can still see out of it to some degree. If you are start on top, use the lathe board to hold it in place, and stretch it down, connecting at the sides and finally the bottom, you should be able to get a well stretched fit. Your neigbhors might not love the look, but it will save you a lot of money, and you can take it down once spring rolls around.

3. If exterior storm windows are not possible in your situation, there is still something you can try. You can buy diamond clear plastic insulation kits to install on the inside of your windows. It does allow you to see through it very clearly once installed. 3M makes a very good product and it is widely available. The downside is that it can be very touchy to work with. It wrinkles quite easily, and getting it in place is best done with a helper. Typically, you would install it with double sided tape. It is an interesting material in that you use a hair dryer to shrink it in place, giving you a tight fit with a nice clear view. It is not as effective as a storm window, but it does a creditable job, given its relatively low investment. It is quite brittle, and you will have to re-do it each winter.

4. Use heavy cloth curtains or shades to further block the cold air emanating from windows. Southern facing windows do let in the winter sun, so open those shades are during the day.

For more information, try the Department of Energy.

Part 2-to be continued-Warm climate window tips... DV

I have actually used Lexington, and they did a great job for me. They cleaned off stuff that shouldn't have been there, and some that should have been! True Story.

Windows on our world...New, energy-efficient, windows on our world.

2007-08-20T23:44:00.000-07:00

If you are the owner of an older home that has never been remodeled, chances are you peering through one of the chief energy wasters in your home-bad windows. Older windows sin in a variety of ways. See here how this occurs. The frames leak, the glass is sealed poorly, and they are often single-paned. The Department of Energy estimates that almost half of all American homes have single-paned windows. You might say, "so what? How much difference can it make?" Well, simply put its a lot. Windows account for the expenditure of 10%-25% of your energy costs. You really want your costs to be on the low end of that range. If you have single-paned windows, then your cost certainly are in the higher end of that range, and may actually be higher. This is tremendously wasteful, and quite likely it makes your house uncomfortable or even drafty in extreme weather. If you are interested in efficiency, and in a place financially to do so, consider changing those windows. Here are a few things for you to look for.

An absolute must is buying Energy-Star rated windows. If a window has an Energy Star rating, it means it meets a certain level of efficiency. Energy Star refers to a program formed between the EPA and the Department of Energy. These entities introduced ENERGY STAR as a "voluntary labeling program designed to identify and promote energy-efficient products to reduce greenhouse gas emissions", according to the Department of Energy. It is a system that has encouraged manufacturers to make thousands of products more energy efficient, and must be considered an unmitigated success. Find out more at the government's excellent Energy Star website. It is full of useful information for saving energy in a multitude of applications. Energy Star rated windows might not be the absolute cheapest windows you will find, but the marginal cost will be made up for in the energy savings.

Depending on what kind of climate your home is in, you will be looking for different features. If you are in a cold weather climate, Low-E windows that are of course Energy Star rated should be your choice. Low-E means Low Emissivity coating have been applied to the glass. They are usually double-paned, and gas filled, often with Argon. This reduces heat transfer loss in cold climates.

If you are in a warm weather climate, you will want to select windows with what is known as "spectrally selective" coatings. These windows reduce the amount of UV rays that come through the glass, reducing heat gain. Take the time to compare windows, and ask question of the retailer.

Another factor to consider the type of window framing. Vinyl windows have come such a long way. The material is tough, it is easy to work with, it seals well, and it looks good over all periods of time, and is available in different colors. Wood and aluminum frames are also popular, but my preference is vinyl. I recently replaced all of the aluminum windows and doors in a condo I own, and installing vinyl windows changed the whole look of the house.

Besides the look of the house, the energy saving transformation was surprising. The reduction of direct conduction of heat through the windows was just incredible. The condo is in Arizona, with south and west facing windows, and the area of the home by the windows went from a sweatbox, even with A/C running,(due to leakage and direct sunlight) to my new favorite room in the home. It also eliminated the winter drafting that occurred. Yes, it does get chilly in Arizona sometimes! I chose a double hing slider model from Jeld-wen that I ordered from a Menards In Scottsbluff, Nebraska. I have found Mendards to compare very favorably in price to Home Depot and Lowe's, even with the additional shipping cost.

I had only four windows to change, plus, two french doors, so it was a job that I could handle myself, but you may wish to have windows professionally installed. You can try a window company such as windowbuyer. They can give you a package price for windows and installation using local contractors. I am not a fan of searshomepro, but they likely have service not far from your community. You will probably learn a lot from visiting Pella or Marvin windows as well. They are both quality manufacturers of windows. Andersen is also an excellent maker of windows. There is some excellent information about window replacement available at the Department of Energy's website.

For not a lot of money I was able to change the whole comfort level of the house. The house looks so much better than the neighbors' with their old aluminum frame style. Remember to consult with your homeowners associations about what you are going to do, escpecially if you are going to change the look of your home's exterior. Some associations are sticklers for a consistent look, and may be able to veto your project. Better to find that out front than after you have started.

Regarding installation, I was able to do it myself, with some expert help, but most people will want to have a professional installation done. It is very important that the windows seal properly, and if you don't know what you are doing, you may be better off not doing anything. I have since purchased another older home, complete with single pane windows, and the difference in efficiency is noticeable. As this is a much larger project I have not changed these yet, but it is going to happen soon.

Your savings will vary depending on the size of your home, and how long you intend to stay in it. One item that should encourage you is the $200 tax credit when you install new Energy Star windows. Remember, this is a credit, not a deduction, so its effect is like a much larger deduction. Consult a tax professional about the credit, or the window retailer. They use these as part of their sales pitches, so they should be able to give you information.

Window replacement should be a priority not just for the homeowner as in individual, but for our society as a whole. Billions of dollars are wasted each year through poor window performance. This is wasteful, but it is also preventable if we make window replacement a priority of our national conscience. It is difficult to change gas mileage in cars quickly, but it is very easy to save 10%-15% of energy loss by simply replacing poor quality windows.

Thank you for reading this article. I would appreciate anyone with knowledge of the subject to expand or even correct any information I have posted. I am trying to encourage people to think about ways how Americans can make significant differences, not just symbolic ones. Look for my next article on Real World Energy Conservation regarding what you can if you can't afford to replace windows. -DV

Energy Technology that's good for the planet...and your pocketbook.

2007-08-19T23:32:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of things we can do as consumers to benefit the environment, but there are very few that can have as much positive impact on the planet as conserving water and energy. That also means you save money on your water and energy bills. And, it will likely qualify for a energy saving tax credit from the feds. What could be better?
What is this magical product, you ask? It is a simple household appliance that we all should be converting to willingly, and likely will be willingly or no in the next 10 years. It is none other than the tankless water heater. The tankless water heater is already mandated throughout Europe, where water and energy resources are especially scarce. Why is this so important to us? For several reasons, not the least of which is that it will slow our consumption of water drastically. Cate Blanchett can take all the 2 min showers she wants, but it can’t compare to half a millon households in every major city in the western United States drawing on only the water they use during the day, instead of storing 50-70 gallons a day in a metal tank. The less water that gets pulled out of the ground, the more groundwater for left for nature. Think of your water tank heater as withdrawing money out of interest bearing investments and redepositing instantaneously it to cover your withdrawls as you incur them, for the sole purpose of keeping your balance at some fictitious number you will never spend.
The second benefit, obviously, is the energy savings of not maintaining the water temperature of 50+ gallons at 125 degrees all day, even when you are not using it. Depending on your location, the energy required to heat water could be very minimal. If you are in a warm climate, such as Arizona, you will require very little energy. Even in the winter months, you would only have to heat water 30-45 degrees; in the summer, on 20-30. The energy savings would be most dramatic in warmer climates, where water has to be heated to a lesser extent.
I am not going to get into all the particulars of this; you can read all about them on retailers sites; what I do want to get across is that they are not particularly expensive to buy, and they are very efficient, and very worthy of our attention, especially in a desert state like Arizona. There are numerous good manufactures of these tanks, Rinnai, Eemax, Paloma, Stiebel Eltron, Bosch, to name a few. Again, these things are all over Europe, so it is not untested technology. There is a great amount of data available on the net about them, and I encourage you to look into them. One of the authorities on these is Low Energy Systems, a leading distributor of the Paloma and other tankless water heaters. .
There are tradeoffs, or we would all be using them already. One, obviously is cost, and a likely lack of familiarity by plumbers. As I mentioned, the cost can be slightly higher than a tank heater, but those costs are certainly offset by monthly bills over time. There is also the tax credit, which further offsets the higher cost. The next time you get a chance to talk to a environmental activist or oily-haired celebrity, I would certainly want you ask them if they have considered saving water and energy by installing a tankless water heater. I would be most curious about their answer.