Go (affordable) green!

When it comes to saving the planet or establishing a savings account, its not necessarily a catch-22.  These days, there are a lot of affordable decisions you can make that will lighten the load on the environment without leaving your wallet too empty.

Put aside your preconceptions that you need to be rolling in green in order to make a difference!  Today, you really can go green without going broke.

We’re going to group a number of actions you can take or investments you can make… all of which can add up to a pretty big difference.  Turns out there are a lot of little things you can do to save the planet.   Recession – be damned!

We’ve worked to bring you basic DIY tips for energy savings, and talked about our goals to go greener in 2010.  We can even be light-hearted with our readers on the topic.  In fact, some of our favorite posts include, “Why Not be a Lazy Environmentalist?” and “Grow a Pair for the Planet.”

Even though we have a great library of posts, its time to share some specific targets on the kind of difference you can make, depending on your level of investment.

But before we get started, we just have to recycle one of our favorite go green videos!

A lightbulb moment for those looking to save green

Yes Virginia, there are a lot of ways to reduce your energy consumption and see a difference in your monthly utility bills:

1.  Free (or Better)

• Turn off lights when you leave
• Program your thermostat during hours you aren’t at home, or overnight
• Unplug appliances not in use – including cell phone chargers and coffee makers!
• Pull drapes or blinds closed during the day
• Shut off water running when brushing teeth

2. Under $50

• Replace incandescent bulbs with CFLs or LED light bulbs
• Buy a bus pass or tune up your bicycle for an eco-friendly commute
• Purchase and use stainless steel water bottles or travel mugs – shun paper and plastic varieties
• Buy (or make your own) environmentally-sensitive cleaning supplies

3.  $500 and Less

• Have a home energy audit performed (about $400) with EnergyStar.  This will give you information as to where to invest in weather-stripping, insulation and more.
• Plant your own garden or participate in a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program
• Tune up your automobile
• Consider installing a Solatube.  You can bring in natural light and reduce the need flip the light switches.

Don’t click away just yet!  Yes… we are going to up the ante a bit with the $5000 or less category, but this is where you’ll get the most “green” bang for your buck.  Trust me – if you will be in your home for the next 3-5 years (or longer), you may want to consider investments at this level.

5.  $5000 or less

• Replace windows or doors- windows in particular can make a huge difference in energy costs (think about $3000 for 6 double-pane windows)
• Weatherize your home:  After you do an EnergyStar audit, you may need to consider weather stripping or insulation.  Prices range from $1200 to $5,000 up front, but you’ll see an immediate savings of 10-25% in heating and cooling bills
• Purchase new EnergyStar appliances.  Washer, dryers and refrigerators can save you 30% or more in electricity
• Consider a solar hot water heater system.  For between $2500-5,000 after tax credits and incentives, your water heating costs can drop by 70%.  That’s not a typo!

With spring just around the corner, thoughts are turning to remodeling and sprucing up.  Home improvement projects often include energy efficiency upgrades.

With tighter budgets this year, how do you plan to go green without going broke?

James Cameron's Avatar creation

Much has been said about James Cameron’s Avatar – it’s the highest grossing movie ever made, raking in $1.859 billion worldwide in just 41 days and has already been showered with awards including two Golden Globes and nine Oscar nominations.

Importantly though, Avatar has a message for audiences to take away which is absent from rival big-budget Blockbusters. Notably, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was enjoyable but soulless. In amongst the stunning visuals of Cameron’s space epic is a core environmental message that is impossible to ignore.

Avatar’s race of blue aliens, the Na’vi, manage to live in harmony with nature on their moon Pandora, a harmony which is obliterated when humans descend on the mineral-rich planet to exploit significant deposits of “Unobtainium”. The lines are drawn pretty damn clear as Avatar’s human hero decides to reject humanity by choosing a life of simplicity among the nature-loving Na’vi.

The question is whether Avatar will make its audiences, especially younger viewers, sit up and take notice of the green message it takes such great pains to spell out?

There is no subtlety to Cameron’s story. Na’vi = good, Humans = bad. Being in touch with nature = Utopian, exhaustive extraction of mineral reserves = catastrophic. Avatar is blunt, so blunt that at times it borders on the patronising, and risks being ignored for lecturing rather than trying to educate.

Captain Planet - Not taken very seriously by kids

Kids who grew up in the late 80s and early 90s may remember Ted Turner’s environmental cartoon Captain Planet, a ridiculous enterprise which failed because of its insistence of smashing the green message over the heads of kids with such force that in the end it simply became boring.

Fox’s animated feature FernGully: The Last Rainforest similarly painted an overly simplistic picture of environmental problems which failed to capture the imaginations of kids.

The difference with Avatar is that despite its faults, it comes through the clunky script and jarring plot devices and still manages to emerge as rousing entertainment. When the gung-ho humans start their ethnic cleansing of the Na’vi, it is a genuinely moving and awe inspiring moment, which goes beyond the dripping visuals and uplifting score, it’s the morals behind the dazzling effects.

I am indebted to Alice Thompson who succinctly captured my feelings on Avatar better than I ever could as she wrote for The Times:

Avatar isn’t Star Wars, Apocalypse Now or even The Lord of the Rings: it’s not a classic. But few films manage to change perceptions. The Sound of Music rehabilitated the Austrians, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner ridiculed racism, Philadelphia maybe changed our views about Aids, Kramer vs Kramer tackled divorce. Avatar… could do the same for global warming.

Toyota is working to change public perceptions

If you’ve switched on the news recently, you know that Toyota has been having some serious issues.   Recalls on tens of thousands of its vehicles have other auto manufacturers reaping the benefits of Toyota’s misfortunes.  Even here at Peachy Green, we discussed the fact that the auto manufacturer was one of a few that had decided against 100% electric cars.

All that aside, I have to say that this past weekend, I was impressed by one of Toyota’s new approaches to boost consumer confidence.  I’d also have to say that its pretty effective marketing.  While many know about the eco-friendly aspects of the Toyota Prius, you many not be aware of other Toyota hybrids.

We were walking into a shopping mall in Olympia, Washington on Sunday morning.   Someone in a Toyota cap approached us and asked if we owned or had driven a Toyota.  The four of us responded, “nope.”  For the offer of $10 (each) in free Best Buy gift cards, we could go and test drive one of several Toyota hybrid vehicles.  Were we interested?

Pausing for a moment, I spoke for the group – yes!

Toyota Camry Hybrid

It took about 15 minutes total, and we were all very pleasantly surprised.  At a kiosk in the mall parking lot, we all handed over our drivers licenses, which were scanned.  We decided who would drive and the rest of us would be passengers.  Toyota then gave us coded wrist bands to wear.

About 30 feet away, the fleet awaited.  We chose a hybrid Toyota Camry to test drive.  My mom got behind the wheel, we had a salesperson in front and two of us sat in the back seat.

Our first surprise was the fact that the car was already on and idling when we got in.  You would never have even heard it!  The 2010 Toyota Camry was a smooth, silent ride.  Our sales person gave us a general overview of the features and gas mileage.  Close to 40 mpg both in city and on the highway, the hybrid vehicle is recharged through kinetic energy when braking (which explains the very small discrepancy between in city and highway miles per gallon).

Get the consumers in the cars and show them how great they are.  Its a great way for Toyota to push its hybrid vehicles!

We learned that in March 2010, Toyota Prius will be offered in a hybrid electric vehicle version.  In other words, it will be a plug-in version that can switch from electric to gasoline on the fly.  Although its not 100% electric, it is a big step up for Toyota, particularly for increasing consumer confidence.

Long story short, in a short 20 minutes, we were able to register, test drive, answer some brief survey questions, and then walk away with $40 in gift certificates just for our time.  Not only were we impressed by Toyota’s generosity, but it was great to have the no-pressure opportunity to drive one of its cars without the sales pressure.

Now, we’ll go out and spread the positive news of our experience.  Just as I’m doing here….

Toyota may have some serious issues in consumer confidence right now, but its doing just the right thing to spread the positive news of its eco-friendly cars. Don’t you agree?

Kingston TN coal ash containment disaster

Ever since a coal ash containment pond  broke in December of 2008, spewing coal ash into a nearby river and over 300 acres of farm and woodland,the Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA) has been rethinking its coal ash policy.

The event, which took place in one of the facilities run by the TVA was possibly the worst environmental disaster ever seen in the United States.

Coal ash, for those who do not know, comes from burning coal to make electricity and it is pretty lethal stuff.  It  contains arsenic, lead, mercury and a number of other toxic substances  which can create environmental havoc if the ash is not properly contained. Disposing of it is not an easy task.  50 to 60 percent of the coal ash produced in the United States is put into landfills or containment ponds like the one that burst in Tennessee.

Since more than half the residential electricity produced in the United States, is produced by burning coal, it is clear that the problem of what to do with coal ash is going to be ongoing and become ever larger  until we switch to renewable energy for the production of electricity.  That time is coming, but it is still a long way off.

Message to the EPA

Throughout 2009, after the  Tennessee coal ash debacle,  the EPA conducted tests  of  containment facilities nation-wide to determine their structural integrity. The aim was to create some federal guidelines for the safe storage and disposal of coal ash, something that, at the moment, is regulated completely at the state level. There are 584 coal ash dump sites across the United States. Forty-three  of them, owned by 22 different utilities were  found by the EPA  to be dangerously substandard, and were required to make major adjustments to insure that a repeat of the Tennessee incident does not occur.

They agreed and just this past Friday, the agency released action plans developed by these 22 privately owned utilities  describing the measures each facility is taking voluntarily to insure safe storage of coal ash. All very nice, but it doesn’t exactly solve the problem.  Clearly, this is only a stopgap.   If we are going to continue to use coal to produce residential electricity, then we need federal guidelines and strict federally enforced regulation of the toxic biproducts of production. The EPA and the Obama White House are trying, but so far no dice.   The coal industry lobby is also hard at work  greasing palms and buying influence.  The result is political gridlock.

So here is my message to the EPA and to the Obama Administration.  Stop the foot dragging.  Let’s get coal ash classified as toxic waste and find some better ways to deal with it.  More importantly,  the Tennessee incident shows just how important it is for us to move  to producing  more and more of our residential electricity with solar, wind, and geothermal– all clean, renewable sources of power. Until we do, the toxic land fills and containment ponds will simply grow along with pollution and the chance of another environmental disaster. Instead of spending all that money to contain, let’s spend money to move beyond coal technology and into the future. Let’s take action and leave politics behind.

Review

The greatest Nature cinematography on Earth… –The New York Times

Take an Alarming Look at Planet Earth’s Most Endangered Species in a Global Call to Action.  Around the globe, unique and fascinating species face extinction from hunting and habitat destruction. Biologists, conservationists, wildlife preservation centers, and zoos work to breed and shelter rare and critically endangered animals when and where they can. But many sp (more…)

Vulcan is based in the high desert city of Bend, Oregon.  Because its located in my hometown and I’m interested in renewable energy resources, we’ve blogged several times about geothermal exploration – its promises and potential impacts.

Vulcan Power’s exploration and development is not the same project as the somewhat controversial Newberry National Volcanic Monument drilling by Davenport Power, but the geothermal extraction process is generally the same, which is:

“to artificially insert water deep underground, which can get heated by the natural, hot rock conditions.  In other words, instead of pumping out hot water from below surface reservoirs, the EGS [enhanced geothermal systems] procedure involves pumping water into man-made reservoirs.  Natural heat will warm it up and then it can be pumped to the surface again for geothermal energy.”

More than solar and more than wind, the promise of geothermal energy in this region of the United States holds great promise.  For its part, Vulcan Power has geothermal research and steam development locations in Oregon, Washington state, California, Arizona and Nevada.  At over 170,000 acres, it holds one of the largest geothermal property portfolios in the U.S.

No geothermal plants at Old Faithful Geyer (Yellowstone National Park), but what a show!

Vulcan intends to use the new investments to develop the more than 300 MW (megawatts) of electricity from a portion of its total acreage.  The funds will go to development of geothermal reservoirs, steam turbine power plants, and upgraded transmission facilities.

Once operational, the Vulcan facilities will provide “baseload renewable energy” for up to 300,000 households.  The generated power will be sold to utilities, which will pass on the renewable energy-based power to their customers.

The western United States is literally exploding with geothermal energy (you’ve heard of Old Faithful, haven’t you?)  With all this clean energy literally untapped under the ground, its exciting to learn about private equity investment to help us move forward into the future and away from our dirty fossil-fuel past.

Standard King Room at The Oxford Hotel Bend

Last month, the first 4-star hotel opened in my hometown of Bend Oregon.  The tourist destination is popular among outdoor enthusiasts.  From skiing to biking, running to hiking, if you are visiting Central Oregon, you’re most likely looking to enjoy the great outdoors!

Questions were raised before the Oxford Hotel opened its doors in January within a stone’s throw of many of the best restaurants in Bend.

Could the local economy, suffering greatly from the recession, support a pricey hotel?

Would the new eco-chic boutique help boost room tax revenue for the city of about 80,000?

What would travelers from larger metropolises – Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles, New York -  think when they visit?

I had the fortunate opportunity to try to answer these questions myself last weekend!  My husband and I were encouraged to try out the Oxford Hotel and then write a review of the entire experience, from reservation to check-out.  Several immediate benefits came to my mind: (1) a night without the kids; (2) an opportunity to be pampered; (3) the ability to get a first-hand view of an eco-friendly, green hotel, and (4) being able to write a review about our stay!

Mother Nature-inspired design at the Oxford Hotel in Bend

Green hotels are becoming more and more popular as people consider their carbon footprint while traveling.  Most properties offer their guests the ability to have sheets and towels washed less frequently to conserve water and energy for hot water.

At the Oxford Hotel Bend, the entire structure and much of the décor has been designed with Mother Nature in mind.  The color scheme is natural, too.  Greens, browns, blues are found throughout, with wood, cork and wildlife influences (the white antler chandeliers in the restaurant are something else!)

There is nothing like the experience of staying there to show you exactly how environmentally-friendly the hotel amenities are.  But until you come to Bend Oregon, consider what you might be missing:

• Free valet parking for guests that drive a hybrid vehicle
• Organic cotton/bamboo towels and bedding (seriously, the softest, most plush fabrics you’ll ever not wash!)
• Talaylay latex/soy foam “green” mattress with hypoallergenic wool lining
• Duvet covers with 100% Eco-Smart Cluster fiberfill, made from recycled PET bottles
• A full “pillow menu,” with five options of organic pillows so you can rest your head on just the right firmness
• Cork flooring
• Countertops and bathroom tiles made of recycled glass
• Organic, SLS and Paraben-free shampoo, conditioner, soaps and lotions in refillable bottles to reduce packaging
• French press coffee, locally roasted, to reduce packaging (no filters, no pre-packaged coffee)

Recycled glass countertops and refillable toiletries define eco-chic

Trust me, going green has never felt so luxurious!

If you’d like to stay in one of the 59 rooms at the Oxford Suites Hotel, prices start around $180 USD per night, ranging from a standard King room to larger suites.  Check out the website for more information, photographs and to make reservations.  There is also a restaurant and conference rooms, if you’re considering a place for a business trip or meeting.

Be sure to send me a note to let me know you’re in town.  There’s plenty more green to explore here in beautiful Central Oregon!

Rolls of Aerogel insulation (image credit: Kanellos, 2005)

When you’re cold, you wrap a blanket around your shoulders.  What if there was a blanket for your home?  With high-tech material that’s been around for years and used in space missions, Aerogel insulation is a lightweight, eco-friendly material that is now used to make buildings more energy efficient.

The air-filled aerogel insulating blankets, manufactured and sold by Aspen Aerogels, have already been installed in both the UK and some areas of the United States, ranging from residential to industrial buildings.  Its web site claims:

“Aerogels provides thermal management and energy conservation insulation solutions for a variety of industries. Our insulation products are up to eight times more effective than traditional insulation materials.”

Aerogels 1/3 the size and weight of fiberglass insulation

Compared to traditional fiberglass materials, Aerogels are only 1/3 the size and weight!  The nanomaterial is made by removing liquid components from gels to the point that the result is more than 90% air (cool fact: the Guinness Book of World Records has crowned it the lightest solid on earth).

Because it is difficult for heat to pass through the porous structure, aerogels make excellent light-weight insulators.  In addition, Aerogels is a particularly green insulation given that its millions of tiny pores absorb and remove pollutants from indoor air.

Aspen Aeorgels sells its Spaceloft blankets which boast 2-4 times the insulating value per square inch of traditional insulation materials.  Other benefits include that they are water- and fire- resistant and are easy to work with.  Simply peel and stick, or use staples to add strips of the material onto a building’s framing, inside or outside, prior to sheathing.  They can also be customized to fit on hard to insulate areas, including headers, rim joists, corners, rafters, and window flashing.

In addition to Aspen Aerogels, Cabot has also developed its Nanogel insulator for buildings.  ThermaBlok, too, had its insulation used in demonstration houses built during last year’s Solar Decathlon home competition.

Before you run out to your local hardware store looking for aerogel-based insulation, however, be aware that the costs have not yet fallen to the level of fiberglass, foam or cellulose insulation.  But in the coming months, we’ll be seeing more aerogel companies selling the thin blankets, and builders incorporating the material into new construction and retrofits.  Plus, energy tax credits are available for the installations, which will further lower costs, not to mention the savings you’ll reap each year in heating and cooling bills.

Can you be too thin, or too green when it comes to insulating materials? I’d say the answer is NO!

Think you need silicon-based solar cells, exposed in direct sunlight, to generate solar energy?  Its time to re-think traditional thinking with new solar cells that imitate Mother Nature’s photosynthesis process.  Dye-sensitized solar cells are a thin, flexible technology that can be applied on many surfaces from e-book readers to iPods, handbags and backpacks – even clothing!

The new solar technology, licensed by G24 Innovations, can convert just about any light to solar energy.  If you don’t have full, direct sunlight, it will still work in dappled light, light from indoor fluorescent bulbs … even moonlight! A photosensitive dye is used to convert sunlight into energy in much the same manner that leaves on trees and shrubs use chlorophyll.

You’ll start to see dye-sensitized solar cells “sprouting up” on a number of consumer products this spring.  Mascotte Industrial Associates will make a variety of bags for sports enthusiasts (tennis, golf, bicycle bags), as well as shopping, messenger and beach bags.  For a cost ranging between $150-250 USD, you can plug in any device for portable solar power.  A cover for the Sony e-Book reader will also be available so that you never run out of juice right in the middle of your favorite book.

DSC is less expensive than silicon panels and considerably more versatile.  Before long, we won’t even think twice about whether our portable devices are covered with the thin film technology.  By then… it will be only natural!

Nissan Leaf: Zero Emission Vehicle for the 21st Century

If there was one message that came loud and clear from this year’s Washington Auto Show, its that the future of the auto industry is green.

A massive 65,000 square feet of the Washington Convention Center was dedicated to the “Advanced Technology SuperHighway,” which is basically overblown marketing speak for “Eco-Friendly Cars – This Way.”

Among the innovative designs was the electric Fiat 500, Fiat’s answer to BMW’s Mini Cooper E, which grabbed headlines last September.

Fiat has put a lot of effort into making its new vehicle appealable, launching a cool marketing campaign for the special edition Fiat 500 Pink, by getting a British guy to paint a white car bright pink with 130 bottles of nail varnish!  The new electric version of the Fiat demonstrates how the company is diversifying its appeal to new eco-conscious demographics.

Among other “hot” vehicles at the Washington Auto Show include the Chevy Volt, Ford Focus BEV and Mercedes Benz F-Cell hydrogen fuel vehicle.  Overall, there are some impressive electric and hybrid technology that’s ready to burst onto the American market.

Nissan LEAF interior

While its interesting to look at the new entries at the auto show, the top of the class for green cars in 2010 has to be the Nissan Leaf, which picked up the accolade of Green Car Journal’s 2010 Green Car Vision Award.  According to GreenCar.com:

“This coming electric model will provide the features, the styling and the driving experience that will meet the needs of a sophisticated and demanding market while producing zero localized emissions and requiring no petroleum fuels.”

Unlike previous electric cars, consumers will not have to take a shovel down to the bank to withdraw mounds of savings just to go green with their motoring.  The Nissan LEAF will be competitively priced and affordable, not punishing motorists for trying to be more eco-friendly.  Nissan plans to leave the advanced lithium-ion batteries in the leaf to customers, which will make monthly payments comparable to those of a standard gasoline-run vehicle.

The auto industry has been rocked by the recession, but despite tough times, its encouraging to see that manufacturers are still taking green issues seriously.  The vehicles featured at Washington are testament to this.

Long may the green drive continue!