Energy Savings – What Matters?

Homeowners looking to save energy have many options.  Between state energy agencies, non-profit groups, and utilities, many people can identify quite a few energy saving actions without much trouble. But can we identify the most important actions or separate nice ideas from real energy savings?  Not really, according to a New York Times report on a study examining citizens’ perceptions of energy savings in and around the home. 

The study found that many people prioritized “curtailment” activities, such as turning off lights or taking shorter showers, over purchasing efficient appliances or replacing incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents or light emitting diodes.  Equipment replacement saves more energy (and money) over the long run but does require some up front investment. 

The authors of the study speculated that people might favor small behavior changes over replacing appliances because new equipment requires money and time for research.  I think that is true but awareness campaigns aimed at the public may also be at fault.  In an effort to help people take actions within their control, many of these well-intentioned efforts may focus too much on small activities. 

There are resources out there for us when we need to replace our appliances with new, efficient models.  The US Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, and Manage My Life, among others, can all point us toward better performing equipment that will save us energy and money in the long run.

-Chris, Green

Another Home Energy Management Pilot

GE is working with the US Department of Energy to outfit selected home in Arizona and California with energy efficiency appliances, solar panels, and GE’s “Nucleus” home energy tracking system.  The pilot project will assess reductions in electricity use.  GE believes participants can realize a 70% reduction in electricity purchased from their utility - 30% from better management and 40% from on-site solar generation – saving the average homeowner $850 per year. 

I think there is real potential for environmental improvement and saving money in Smart Grid pilot projects but I wonder if consumers will be as responsive to additional information on their energy use as some proponents speculate.  The cumulative savings are great and even individual families can save hundreds of dollars per year, particularly if states implement time-of-use pricing programs, but those savings require daily attention in the absence of smart meters and appliances. 

As with any change to pricing and rates, there will be some individual winners and losers even if we all collectively win.  At the state level, Public Utility Commissions, whose primary responsibility is keeping electric rates low for consumers, are hesitant to move toward smart meters and real-time pricing if it means real increases for some consumers.  Or even perceived consumer cost increases.

People are quiet around here but I’d like to hear what you think.  Without a strong price signal, would a cool home dashboard and related apps for your smart phone compel you to better manage your energy?  Would you be open to electricity price changes if you may end up paying more, based on your usage?

-Chris, Green

Books vs. e-Readers

I own more than my fair share of electronic gadgets but I have not yet taken the plunge and purchased an electronic book reader, such as an iPad, Kindle, or Nook.  I really enjoy my tree-derived books and really haven’t been compelled to buy an e-reader.  Then The Washington Post punched me in the green gut with their comparison of paper books to e-readers.  Old school books don’t come out ahead. 

Although fewer resources are needed to make a paper book than an e-reader, the cumulative materials and energy needed for many books soon create a bigger environmental footprint.  You will be in the black (green?) on air emissions after 18 to 23 e-books and will start saving water after only 12 e-books.  The article does point out that some metals used in electronics and batteries are hard to come by and require mining somewhere in the world, but the e-readers are competitive on the use of chemicals. 

The Post points out that book-lovers can reduce their impact by using their local library or shopping online.  Online booksellers use fewer resources than large stores.  My first stop is always a local used bookstore.  I couldn’t find hard data for used books, but I’m going to go ahead and say used books get some of the same benefits as the library. 

In the end, I may stick with my books simply because I like looking at them on my bookshelf, lending them to friends, and not worrying about finding an outlet.

-Chris, Green

Community Supported Agriculture

After a long hiatus, my family bought into a Community Supporting Agriculture (CSA) farm again this year.  In the spring, we enjoyed a variety of unusual (for us) greens – Swiss chard, Red Russian kale, collard greens – and other vegetables from outside our comfort zone.  My wife found out she really likes raw kohlrabi with salad dressing.  Now we’re getting into more familiar vegetables – carrots, zucchini, cucumbers, basil – and modifying our dinner menu to accommodate.  We’re looking forward to sweet corn as we get toward the end of August. 

Some readers may not be familiar with the CSA concept.  In short, CSA allows eaters to buy food directly from farmers.  My CSA, Burning River Farm, sells shares to individuals for a set price in the spring of the year.  The CSA member then receives a box of farm produce each week, depending on what is in season.  Consumers get fresh vegetables, farmers get a springtime cash infusion, and everyone shares the risks.  I am lucky to have enough interested colleagues that my CSA delivers to my office each Thursday. 

Beyond the benefits of fresh vegetables, CSA membership will probably decrease a family’s environmental footprint.  Typical supermarket food travels well over 1000 miles between field and table, creating transportation-related impacts to air and water.  Local CSA farms are much more transparent to members and often offer visits for interested members.  Many CSA farms are certified organic or minimize their use of synthetic chemicals – leading to more healthful food and fewer pollutant discharges to local water bodies. 

If you’re interested in adding a little food adventure to your life, I recommend joining a CSA.

-Chris, Green

New Appliance Standards

When my washing machine recently broke down, I compared energy and water use for new models and finally decided on a new front-loading model.  In early August, appliance manufacturers agreed to new standards for home appliances to improve energy and water efficiency.  Better standards improve the performance of all units and make our decisions easier when we’re looking to replace appliances in our homes. 

The new standards are part of an agreement between appliance makers and consumer groups.  The agreement covers the performance of refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, dishwashers, clothes dryers, and room air conditioners.  Energy savings range from 10-30% and water savings from 15-25%, all to be phased in over the next ten years.  The new standards would save consumers $30 billion over the next twenty years. 

The groups now plan to sell the standards to Congress and the Department of Energy, hoping to get credits under the Energy Star program for Smart Grid-ready appliances and improve efficiency testing protocols. 

-Chris, Green

Bed Bugs

I recall hearing “don’t let the bed bugs bite” when I was a kid but never thought much about it.  It wasn’t until I starting reading articles about a bed bug renaissance several years ago that I thought much about them.  Bed bugs are smaller, wingless insects that inhabit sleeping areas and feed on the blood of warm-blooded animals while they sleep.  While bites may cause allergic reactions, they do not typically spread infectious diseases.  The main problem, if I may use the technical term, is that bed bugs are icky.

Bed bugs were nearly eradicated during the last century by strong pesticides and cleaner living conditions.  Now that global travel is increasing and people are less familiar with the pests, they are reappearing in many parts of the world.  As someone who likes to travel, I’m paranoid about bringing bed bugs back home with me.

The New York Times reported on a recent Environmental Protection Agency warning about do-it-yourself pesticide application.  Many people are trying online quick fixes or misapplying home cleaners and garden chemicals in order to get rid of the insects.  These “remedies” are likely to be ineffective, may make residents or pets sick, and can cause fires. 

As always, prevention is a better solution.  Carefully inspect second-hand furniture and inspect hotels when you travel.  If you think you have bed bugs in your home, professional help may be the best option. 

I hate to add to the list of reader worries but think an occasional reminder about using household pesticides carefully is a good idea. 

-Chris, Green

Night at the Movies: “No Impact Man”

Is it possible or practical for an urban family of three to modify their consumption in order to eliminate their environmental impact?  The 2009 film “No Impact Man” tracks the progress of a New York City family as they take on that challenge for one year. 

The family’s goal was to create no trash, generate no air pollution, discharge no toxic compounds to the water, and eat no food grown further than 250 miles from their home.  All that meant no cars, TV, air conditioning, elevators, synthetic cosmetics, or coffee, among many other things.

They switched to reusable diapers, bought all their food at the local farmers market, rode their bikes to get around, and used baking soda for toothpaste.  All those things would be extreme but not impossible for many of us.  Some no-impact practices went beyond what most people would accept: washing clothes in the bathtub, using reusable cloths instead of toilet paper, eliminating the refrigerator and all other electricity use.

Overall, the film was entertaining, particularly the interplay between the husband (the no impact man) and wife (reluctantly on board).  The goal of the movie was to show that people could survive without creating excessive environmental impacts but, in many ways, their quality of life was poorer and I don’t think self-deprivation sells.  The film is worth watching and will start some interesting discussions but I doubt millions will emulate the No Impact Man.

-Chris, Green

Cork?

There is a movement among winemakers to move from cork stoppers to metal screw caps or synthetic stoppers.  Proponents of each material claim different advantages.  While visiting friends last month, I compared the effect of different stopper materials on wine quality and was unable to discern any important differences.  But which material is “greener?”

Cork is harvested from cork oak forests in the Mediterranean.  The forests host diverse ecosystems and offer protection from soil loss.  The industry can supply cork without logging the trees and supports high paying agricultural jobs.  Cork is recyclable but I don’t know anybody who actually recycles their corks, unless you count homemade cork-projects as recycling.

Winemakers are switching to synthetic materials or screw tops for several reasons.  One is prevention of “cork taint,” the presence of a chemical that makes the wine smell like a wet dog.  Studies point to a cork taint incidence rate of less than 10%, though even that seems high to me.  Wineries outside of Europe may switch to non-cork materials to save on the cost of shipping cork from Europe.

A recent study concluded that the overall environmental performance of cork – examining waste production, energy use, water consumption, and other factors – was superior to other materials.  The study did not include the mining of metals for screw caps or the production of synthetic stoppers, which would only tip the scale more toward cork. 

It looks like cork is the better environmental performer but I wonder if the point will be moot.  Many companies are packaging decent wines in boxes over heavy bottles to reduce shipping costs.  Maybe that’s another topic to research and discuss.  I’ll head to the wine shop.

Hat tip to triplepundit.

-Chris, Green

Water Management – Work in Progress

As local units of government try to optimize their management of storm water and keep local costs down, some are moving away from standard curb-and-gutter construction and trying out greener options, such as porous pavement and rain gardens.  The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that one Minnesota city is running into problems with their greener techniques.   

The City of Shakopee installed porous pavers and rain gardens to collect storm water when they upgraded a local transit station.  Beyond handling water, planners hoped the design would be aesthetically pleasing and draw in additional users.  Several years later, the heavy buses are cracking the pavers and leading to higher maintenance costs.  Weeds took over the rain gardens.  The city will replace the pavers with traditional concrete and replant the rain garden with a liner to suppress weed growth.

City Councils tend to very conservative with their money and avoid newfangled designs to protect taxpayer money, so it is concerning when an innovative projects flops.  The lesson is not necessarily that porous pavers and rain gardens don’t work, but that maintenance and planning matter.  Hopefully, other cities will look at this case and other successful applications of these technologies and improve their own local projects. 

-Chris, Green

Storm Sewers and Yard Waste

A colleague was driving through his residential neighborhood and saw a man using a leaf blower to collect all his grass clippings that had blown into the street as he mowed his yard.  He carefully moved all the clippings into the neat pile.  My friend was impressed as his neighbor’s commitment to keeping yard waste out of the street until he watched the man blow all the clippings right into the storm sewer.  Many folks who work on municipal water quality issues have similar stories of people carefully collecting yard waste (or paint or oil) and sending it down the drain in the street.

Everyone is familiar with the regularly spaced grates in our streets that collect water during rainstorms and send it “away.”  Unlike the sanitary sewer systems used in most urban and suburban areas (connected to your shower, sink, and toilet), water sent to the storm sewer may not be treated before it is discharged.  Storm water often goes straight from the road to the sewer to your nearby lake or river.  Dirt and chemicals mixed in with storm water pollute those water bodies.  Nutrients from lawn and garden fertilizers lead to algal blooms and additional water quality problems. 

Industrial water discharges to water bodies have been regulated for more than a generation.  Over the last 10-20 years, municipalities have been asked to tighten their control of storm water discharges into local lakes.  Municipal requirements include public education and review of construction plans for storm water management.

Our lawns are a significant source of pollution to our local waterways.  If you want to improve the water quality of your local water bodies and reduce local costs for regulatory compliance, make sure you’re applying fertilizer appropriately and reserve the storm sewers for storm water.

-Chris, Green