Colorado Alternative Energy

Should Urban Cities Ban Wood-Burning Fireplace Use?

admin — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Wood burning fireplaces are a great choice if you are an environmentally healthy and watchful consumer, and still want to have a fireplace in your home. But, if you live in a big city, or an urban location, many of your neighbors may not be as environmentally “green,” as you are, and may in fact complain about the use of wood burning fireplaces. Although they are much healthier and cause no noxious gases to the environment, they can emit a stronger odor, get things dirtier than a traditional electric fireplace, and many people around you may not want all the smoke they emit coming into their homes.

So, although urban areas should not completely ban the use of a wood burning fireplace, they should put specific restrictions on the use: when they can be used, how often, imposing a certain tax, or requiring payments for property damage to other homes, etc. The use of wood burning fireplaces can help you save the environment, but it can be a nuisance to your neighbors in overly populated cities, or places where everything is industrialized, and your neighbors are not as “green,” and environmentally as friendly as you might be. So, there should be restrictions on use.

Fireplaces are Cozy: But Are They Environmentally Conscious?

admin — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

In the opinion of many environmentalists, there are two main aspects to becoming environmentally conscious. The overriding aspect of preserving natural resources like gas and oil and the less known aspect of preserving human health by restricting the pollutants into the air we breathe. Fireplaces are not only cozy when lit on a cold winter’s night, but they are always environmentally conscious since they allow for a natural exchange of air from within the house and without. Most homes are shut up in the winter. Dust and pollens collect in the house. Few people open a window on a cold winter’s night to allow clean non heated air and accumulated pollutants to exchange with the outside air.
The fireplace has a flue which can be opened or closed. Most people leave the flue in their fireplace open since the fireplace is capped with a protected mesh in most homes to prevent birds and other insects from flying in. There is a constant exchange of air in homes that have working fireplaces. That makes fireplaces environmentally conscious. Of course, one might say that burning logs in the winter will save on heating bills which might also be part of the things to go on the list of why fireplaces are environmentally conscious.The hits keep comin’: Wanna Add Some Swank to Your Crib? Try One of These Cocoon Fireplaces

Do Electronic Car Conversion Kits Work?

www.coloradoalternativeenergy.com — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

There are many concerns that arise about car conversion kits, and if they really work. If you want to make sure that they are really reliable before purchasing one, the best thing to do is to visit an established retailer of electric car parts prior to your purchase. Many people have gotten bad luck with them, while others have purchased some that have been reliable for them. It all depends on the type you get, and the place that you get it from. There is just no exact answer because it varies. You have to be the judge of that. You can ask questions and do your research. Getting one that is compatible to your car,etc. will all matter in the long run. If you can find one that will benefit you to the extreme, then you should be okay. If you stay with a dealer that is reputale, you will more than likely find a reliable conversion kit. Ask as many questions as you can, then some more, so that you can remain confident in the process. That is the only fine way of knowing that your purchase is going to be a successful one, without any known regrets.

Getting Your Colorado Home Summer Ready

www.coloradoalternativeenergy.com — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Summers in Colorado can be anywhere from mild to fiery and now’s the time to give your home an energy audit to make sure bills don’t bleed you dry with the changing of season. Here are a few tips for ways to ensure your home is energy efficient and won’t cost you an arm and a leg this summer:
Check your seals: Windows and doors are the primary place air escapes from homes, so getting them checked for leaks is a good idea before the weather gets too hot. Up to 40 of air conditioner air escapes through cracks or leaks, so invest in a leak detector or have an official energy audit from a local gas or electric provider.
Find better rates: No matter what you’re paying for electricity or natural gas, do some shopping online to find out if there are better plans in your area. Check just energy rates for your Colorado neighborhood to find a deal that may save your family money in the long run.Invest in green: Now is a perfect time to upgrade to green products for your home. Energy-efficient roofs and windows help the environment and also lower cooling bills so if you’re doing home improvements, consider this worthwhile investment in your home.

What is Methanol Fuel?

admin — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Methanol is an alternative fuel that can be mixed with petroleum or ethanol. It can be used in car engines and many other types of engines. It is promising in our oil-dependent world because it can be made from sources besides oil. For instance, it can be made from wood or coal or natural gas.

So, even when the resources are non-renewable–like they are in the case of coal and natural gas–there are still many benefits to producing methanol. Methanol derived from natural gas, for instance, has far fewer emissions, is less expensive, and there are relatively plenty of natural gas resources located in the United States.

Also, it is a more cheap and cost effective way to reduce the carbon footprint than ethanol; the main reason why ethanol is so popular in the United States is because it is heavily subsidized by the federal government and many state governments as well.

The downsides to methanol are that it is very toxic compared to gasoline, diesel, and ethanol. However, this can be countered by mixing it with bio-fuels, ethanol, or gasoline.

Overall, methanol can help bridge the gap between a petroleum driven world and a world driven by sustainable fuels.

Understanding Alcohol Fuel

admin — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, is a combustible, clear liquid that comes from fermented sugars found in corn, soybeans, sugarcane and other crops. The brilliant aspect of ethyl alcohol is that it works in a similar way to gasoline, which is why it has become a fuel substitute and additive. The letter “E” paired with a number is the symbol used to show the concentration of ethanol in a fuel. For example, E85, a common alcohol fuel concentration, is made of 85 percent alcohol mixed with 15 percent gasoline.

The ethyl alcohol must be distilled and dehydrated before it can be used as fuel. Most of the cars produced in the United States are made to run on only gasoline so this alcohol fuel is usually mixed with gasoline in certain ratios. Some people have taken it upon themselves to redesign their car engines to run only on alcohol fuel.

Alcohol fuel is becoming more and more popular thanks to the high price of oil. And ethanol is known to burn cleaner than gas. However, ethanol plants require tons of energy to convert pure ethyl alcohol to usable alcohol fuel, causing many people to criticize the use of alcohol fuel in modern cars.

Understanding Butonol Fuel

admin — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

As much as we love to hike, bike, and be active in Colorado, we live in an age where daily life requires us to sit down, buckle up, and drive sometimes. We do this knowing that our cars, vans, and trucks are burning through one of our most precious energy sources and releasing toxins into the environment as a result. While there are many dedicated reformists who get by without a set of four wheels, they have made sacrifices to do so that not all of us are willing to make (not everyone can ride their bike home at 9:00 PM after a steak dinner). Thankfully, there is hope for those of us who depend on four wheels but also want to help protect the environment – butonol fuel. Made from byproduct of living organisms (like trees) it’s a natural alternative for gasoline that some scientists believe can operate automobiles without any modifications. Though still being tested, there is a high chance that it may be mixed with ethanol to create a fuel that is completely renewable, but without the stench that butonol emits alone. With continued research it is likely that we will see a way to hike, bike AND drive with a healthy conscious for a healthy planet.

Saving Money and Staying Warm

www.coloradoalternativeenergy.com — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000

I love it when I can comment on something that I’ve heard and read about, ultimately tried it for myself, and can attest that everything I took in was actually correct!So is the case with a programmable thermostat that we installed a little over a month ago. And guess what? I received the heating bill yesterday (after a full month of running time since installation) and we saved a whopping 32 over this same month last year; and while I haven’t actually checked the weather comparison via an almanac, I can tell you that we had a white Christmas and three days of county offices shutdown due to snow. So yes, it’s been cold this year.If you’re like me you’re motivated by money, so the monthly financial savings alone may entice you to head out and install your own model; but if you need further convincing, consider these additional benefits to programmable thermostats:

Increased comfort by being able to custom program your temperature to cool sleeping at night and awaking to warm mornings for shower time.
No more wasting energy heating (or cooling) square footage when it’s not in use you can program your thermostat to come on moments before you walk in from work at night.
Easily override the system when situations change if you’re unexpectedly home ill and need the temperature to be amended due to this change, it can easily be overridden for periods of up to 24 hours.
Different settings can bet set for different days (depending on the model) to take into account the different weekend activities versus mid-week schedules.
Most models take less than 30 minutes to install and less than 10 minutes to set up the programming.

The average savings per Energy Star when using a programmable thermostat is 180 a year, but if you use my savings at 32 in one month alone, we’ve already potentially saved over 380 a year.

A Green Christmas

mgeedey — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Bing Crosby may have sung about longing for a white Christmas a lot of years ago but times are changing and there are a lot of people who believe a green Christmas is far preferred. And before you imagine we’re talking about green snow we’re not. We’re talking about ways to survive the holiday season without browning the world around us. We’re in Colorado and we love our environment, so why would we set that aside during the holidays by burning excessive lighting to illuminate the exterior of our houses, use excessive energy to buy gifts, and waste precious paper resources to wrap them? Not wanting to come across as a Grinch, but we do offer these two tips that might keep the life of Christmas around for many more years to come without seeing it disappear in the ozone.

1.If you must use lights, choose LED. These little gems use 90 percent less energy which means less greenhouse gas emissions. And by all means use a timer! Yep, it might be nice to have your holiday lights on as dusk descends, but do they really need to be on all night (trust us; Santa really doesn’t need them to find your house). Do yourself (and the environment) a favor and get hooked up to a timer to take the waste out of the lighting display. 2.Start saving the newspaper to use as wrapping paper instead of buying pre-printed (and costly) options. You can even use a red marker to draw a bow instead of using a real one. Since when was the use of wrapping paper considered more significant than the actual gift? That’s kind of skewed thinking, wouldn’t you agree?

And should you need one more incentive to get you to start making changes, you might be interested to learn there are on average 300 Christmas tree fires each year which of course result in incredible financial loss (or worse). But guess what? The risk is greatly reduced when LED lighting is used since they remain cool to the touch at all times.

Catching Some Sun in Colorado

www.coloradoalternativeenergy.com — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 19:06:48 +0000

Solar energy is one of the best sources of energy. In Colorado, multiple residents have incorporated solar energy into their homes. So much so, that the Colorado Renewable Energy Society holds an annual Colorado Tour of Solar Homes. But how does solar energy work and where can you get the systems for yourself?Colorado Solar Inc. has been in business since 2002. The company provides photovoltaic systems (which use sun to create electricity) to fourteen different Colorado areas: such as Summit County, Glenwood Springs, and Aspen.Now, onto the first question. . . how does solar energy work? When specific forms of silicon are covered by sunlight, the combination sparks electricity; the entire process is often referred to as the photoelectric effect.Currently, photovoltaic systems are made from crystalline silicon sheets. These sheets distribute electrons based on the amount of visible light that hits the surface. The silicon crystal pieces are enclosed in a thin sealed lamination. As for the module’s front, it is produced from tempered glass, so they are as durable as auto glass; the final product is referred to as a solar panel (sometimes a solar module). It is these solar modules by Colorado Solar Inc which converts the sun into energy.Over the course of 20 years, which is how long photovoltaic systems are warranted to last, a solar module makes roughly 36,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity. If your system lasts for 30 years, it is said you could reach 54,000 kilowatt-hours over that time period.Is solar energy the right option for your home? Learn more about photovoltaic systems and Colorado Solar Inc. at the company’s webpage.