Laundry Line Savings: Money, Carbon, Planet. Posted by Donald Schmit → August 29, 2012 at 4:03 PM under Alternative Energy Environment Home Living Tips We’ve talked in this space about the beauty and simplicity of drying clothes on a laundry line, rather than in a gas or electric clothes drying machine. On one hand there’s the elegance of carrying on an old-world tradition, still popular in much of the world (if often forgotten in the US); on the other, there’s the innate satisfaction that comes from adopting a practice that’s not only frugal, but also good for Mother Earth. Let’s look at the numbers. Most homes and apartments already have a gas or electric dryer in them, so the purchase cost is often overlooked in many cost comparisons. But it’s there, nonetheless: consider you’ll pay between $500-$1,600 per unit, depending on the bells and whistles of a particular model. Most manufacturers admit you can expect to need a new clothes dryer about every ten years, so if you spread out the cost you can estimate between $50 and $160 per year in purchase price. Operating costs vary depending on the local cost of your electricity or gas, but if you do about one load per day, a good estimate is about 15 to 20 cents daily for a gas dryer, and 30 to 40 cents for an electric one. That’s between $55 and $146 per year. So depending upon the kind of dryer you buy and your energy costs, drying on a line can save you between $105 and $306 each and every year. What’s more, consider the carbon footprint; the electricity required to dry each load also represents about 5 pounds of CO2 — 1,800 pounds annually. Even drying half your clothes on a line essentially keeps 900 pounds of CO2 from the air — surely a worthy goal! — as well as saving the money as outlined above. Save money, lower your carbon footprint, and save the planet? Seems like a good deal, right? For more information about clothes drying, contact us! 0 Comments
Eco Friendly Products: Clothes Lines and More Posted by Tobin Dimmitt → August 14, 2012 at 1:35 PM under Environment News and Events Increasingly we are hearing about more and more ways to become eco friendly. Commercials tout the green benefits of cars, appliances, and even food packaging. Making a ton of changes all at once can be overwhelming, but making those changes one at a time makes the process of becoming more green and environmentally friendly a lot more accomodating. Here are some simple ways to go green with one simple category, your laundry: Invest in a clothes line. Obviously this option allows you to save money and the environment by not using your dryer, but in addition, using a clothes line to dry your clothes will prevent wear and tear on your clothes, which allows them to last longer. It also prevents you from needing additional chemical laden products like dryer sheets, since line drying your clothes naturally prevents static cling and wrinkles. Consider a portable washer, like the WonderWash. This little appliance is small, convenient, and it uses less water than handwashing, so it’s the perfect companion for someone who has frequent small loads. Instead of using a traditional sized washer, utilize this machine and save some water. Line dry your clothes year round with The Laundry Dome. While this product itself isn’t inherently eco friendly, it allows for you to have the benefits of line drying no matter the weather. Many people line dry in the summer, but they feel defeated in the winter when it gets cold, so they end up using their dryer. This prevents you from needing to even think about the weather so you’ll be able to dry your clothes any day, any time. Find a long lasting clothespin. Traditional wooden pins have the benefit of being made of wood or eco friendly bamboo, a rust free metal component, and will last you for years. While Moerman Soft Grip XL Premium European Clothespins is made of plastic, they will last you a long time, which will allow you to not have to purchase replacements as often. In addition, these clothespins prevent denting your clothes, which will not only keep your clothes looking nice, but will also prevent the fibers from being stretched. Utilize line drying for all your clothes, including sweaters, by using the Whitney Sweater Air Dryer Clothes Rack. This rack allows you to air dry even your most fragile sweaters. It will prevent pilling of the sweater fabric, and stretching and pulling, leaving your sweaters looking nicer and lasting longer. Going green doesn’t have to be a long and complicated process, in fact, taking steps to make your life more eco friendly can by wonderfully liberating as you uncomplicate your life. For more product ideas, please contact us today! 0 Comments
How Green Is Your Laundry? Posted by Tobin Dimmitt → August 11, 2012 at 7:24 PM under Environment Home Living Tips Today our focus continues to turn toward “green” solutions when trying to lessen our day-to-day carbon footprint. We are constantly on the look out for way to save money while also reducing our impact on our fragile environment. When examining our home, the laundry rack room is a great place to start. We have searched the internet and found some suggestions that will help you achieve those goals. Don’t Overuse Detergent Be sure and read your labels carefully because most detergents today have been concentrated so you do not need to use as much to get your clothes clean. Some detergents are also available in single-use versions. You might want to have another option, for smaller loads, on hand. Both offer less packaging and lower water usage in manufacturing. Follow directions to the letter to insure the best results and you will also stretch your dollar. Recycle! Most laundry product packaging is recyclable and considering the waste generated, recycling is a smart choice. The more we recycle, the less plastic that ends up in the landfill. Check with your local recycler to find out how to prepare this plastic, ie: rinse the bottle of all soap, separate different plastics such as the bottle and the lid, etc. Consider “Green” Dry Cleaning A recent Wall St. Journal online article researched the new “green” dry cleaners that are popping up. Is it really possible for dry cleaning to be environmentally friendly? Apparently there are differences in how each operation (or franchise) practices green dry cleaning but, with some research, you should be able to find a cleaner who is doing all they can to protect the environment while still providing a high level of service. Some trial and error may be necessary. One main concern would be with the use of certain chemicals such as “perc” (perchloroethylene), which is a hazardous air pollutant and possible human carcinogen. Most cleaners are moving away from the use of this chemical, but check first. These are just a few of the many ideas we found and more are being shared every day. We pride ourselves in keeping up with the latest “green” practices in our industry. Please contact us if you would like to learn more. 0 Comments
Europe has too much wind power Posted by Jarrod M → March 11, 2011 at 3:54 PM under Alternative Energy Environment News and Events The development of alternative energy has to go hand in hand with a reinforcement of the electrical grid, otherwise the latter will eventually become so busy and will cap the production to its capacity. Such is the case with Germany’s grid, which is an example of an imbalanced structure of solar and wind energy harvesters on one hand and the outdated grid, on the other. Following a report from published in the NY Times, we find out the opinion of Oxford University economist Dieter Helm, who stated that “basically, governments have allowed the buildup of wind without thinking through the grid consequences. There are two responses: Stop wasting so much on the rapid development of wind and its questionable economics. In most cases, the proliferation of alternative energy is done by government subsidies, but these are made without taking into consideration that it’s also necessary to invest in the grid. Up to 100 billion euros ($138 billion) are necessary to upgrade the grid over the next decade. The projected production capacity, the one that’s been heavily invested in, is not always working at maximum parameters, but when that happens, the companies managing the grid need to put a hold on everything, because there’s too much energy to cope with. For example, when wind blew harder in Germany recently, their usual 5 GW reached 20 GW, and cross-border connection with grids in neighboring countries had to be shut down because they couldn’t handle the spike. Read more: http://www.greenoptimistic.com/2011/03/03/european-supergrid/#ixzz1FbDvcWkm 0 Comments
Old fashioned Baking Soda cleans up! Posted by Jeanette M → March 10, 2011 at 3:51 PM under Environment Home Living Tips News and Events Here is a cheap, environmentally friendly way to help get your washing clean: Baking Soda is an inexpensive way to boost detergent and bleach performance, soften clothes, clean irons and control suds. It is one of the best things to green your laundry by reducing your dependence on chemicals. Odors in our laundry are caused by bacteria. They can usually be removed as the detergent molecules break up the bacteria cells. In certain types of water and with some bacteria, the detergent needs a boost to work more effectively. Baking soda helps to regulate the pH level in the washer water by keeping it from being too acidic or alkaline. By adding 1/2 cup of baking soda to each laundry load, detergents can work more effectively and reduce bacteria. As a natural mineral, baking soda is less harsh on the environment than synthetic perfumes that mask odors. This also makes it a good choice for those with sensitive skin and allergies. Once your washing is done use a clothesline rather than the dryer. This saves energy and your laundry will smell fresher. 0 Comments
UK water use ‘worsening global crisis’ Posted by Geoff M → March 09, 2011 at 3:22 PM under Environment News and Events This is an interesting and rather worrying article that I have just read – definitely food for thought… The amount of water used to produce food and goods imported to developed countries is worsening water shortages in the developing world, a report says. The report, focusing on the UK, says two-thirds of the water used to make UK imports is used outside its borders. The Engineering the Future alliance of professional engineering bodies says this is unsustainable, given population growth and climate change. It says countries such as the UK must help poorer nations curb water use. “We must take account of how our water footprint is impacting on the rest of the world,” said Professor Roger Falconer, director of the Hydro-Environmental Research Centre at Cardiff University and a member of the report’s steering committee. “If we are to prevent the ‘perfect storm’, urgent action is necessary.” The term perfect storm was used last year by the UK government’s chief scientist, Professor John Beddington, to describe future shortages of energy, food and water. Forecasts suggest that when the world’s population soars beyond 8billion in 20 years time, the global demand for food and energy will jump by 50%, with the need for fresh water rising by 30%. But developing countries are already using significant proportions of their water to grow food and produce goods for consumption in the West, the report says. “The burgeoning demand from developed countries is putting severe pressure on areas that are already short of water,” said Professor Peter Guthrie, head of the Centre for Sustainable Development at Cambridge University, who chaired the steering group. Embedded in a pint of beer, for example, is about 130 pints (74 litres) of water – the total amount needed to grow the ingredients and run all the processes that make the pint of beer. A cup of coffee embeds about 140 litres (246 pints) of water, a cotton T-shirt about 2,000 litres, and a kilogram of steak 15,000 litres. Using this methodology, UK consumers see only about 3% of the water usage they are responsible for. The average UK consumer uses about 150 litres per day, the size of a large bath. Ten times as much is embedded in the British-made goods bought by the average UK consumer; but that represents only about one-third of the total water embedded in all the average consumer’s food and goods, with the remainder coming from imports. The UK is not unique in this – the same pattern is seen in most developed countries. 0 Comments
Republicans recycle an old idea: the foam plastic coffee cup Posted by Chris H → March 03, 2011 at 12:19 AM under Environment It’s a pity that this recycling iniative seems to have been overturned because of politics! Polystyrene makes comeback in US Congress building after Republicans reverse green initiatives brought in by Democrats A bit like the Republican party, they are white, seemingly indestructible and bad for the environment. But after an absence of four years, foam plastic coffee cups have made a comeback in the basement coffee shop of the United States Congress building after Republicans began reversing a series of in-house green initiatives undertaken by Democrats. The about-turn was announced by a press aide to John Boehner, the speaker of the House of Representatives, who tweeted on Monday morning: “The new majority – plasticware is back”. When the Democrats held the house, the former speaker Nancy Pelosi put the cafeterias at the centre of a plan to hugely reduce the carbon footprint of Congress. The ancient power plant in Washington DC a few blocks from the Capitol building, which provides heating and cooling for Congress and the supreme court, was converted from coal to natural gas. Compact fluorescent lighting and energy-efficient vending machines were introduced. In the cafeterias, polystyrene packaging was replaced with trays and utensils made of biodegradable corn starch. Four separate stations were installed for recycling and sorting. A healthier menu was also introduced in 2008, offering cage-free eggs and antibiotic-free beef. Items deemed compostable waste, such as coffee cups, were sent to a pulper in a lower basement, which squeezed out all the liquid before dispatching the material by truck to a commercial composting site in the suburbs of Washington DC. To read the full article go to: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/feb/28/republicans-foam-coffee-cup-environmentally-bad 0 Comments
Reduce, reuse & recycle Posted by Gavin S → February 28, 2011 at 10:06 PM under Environment Here are some really useful ideas to help reduce waste. Recycling Bins – Always have recycling bins available and labeled with the appropriate recycling stickers No More Plastic Grocery Bags – A reusable canvas shopping bag is a great alternative to plastic shopping bags that fill up the landfills. Reusable Water Bottles – Invest in a reusable water bottle and coffee mug. Save money while reducing waste in the landfills. Paperless Reading – Read books, magazines and newspapers on an iPad, Kindle or PC. Save the trees with eBooks and eReading Devices. Rechargeable Batteries – Save money and reduce waste by using rechargeable batteries. Buy Recycled – Buy products made from recycled materials help you to save the planet while shopping Donate Clothing – Never throw out clothing! Donate old clothes to your local thrift stores. Bed Sheets – Use old sheets for drop cloths when painting Crafts – Recycle egg cartons, old Christmas cards and Kleenex boxes for craft supplies. 0 Comments
Obama Plans an $8 billion Green Energy Budget for 2012 Posted by Paul M → February 23, 2011 at 6:33 PM under Alternative Energy Environment News and Events This looks like a promising move towards less reliance on fossil fuels: President Barack Obama proposed on Monday increasing funds for renewable energy research by 2012 and also reducing subsidies for fossil fuels. The Department of Energy has $29.5 billion available for the fiscal year 2012. About $8 billion would be invested in solar, wind and advanced batteries. “Whomever leads in the global, clean energy economy will also take the lead in creating high-paying, highly skilled jobs for its people,” the administration said about the budget. Novel small-sized nuclear energy technologies, such as modular reactors, will also be funded $853 mln from this budget. To raise funds for clean energy, the White House asked the Congress to withdraw $3.6 billion in oil industry, coal and natural gas subsidies, a move that will lead to the loss of $46.2 billion by these industries over ten years. Many Republicans are opposed cutting subsidies for fossil fuels, claiming that it would affect industries that offer jobs at a time when the economy is still fragile. “Given the broad difference in priorities between House Republicans and the White House on energy issues, we believe that few of the proposed cuts and expansions … will become law,” Whitney Stanco, an energy policy analyst at MF Global, said in a research note 0 Comments
Scientists convert water into fuel Posted by Craig P → February 22, 2011 at 8:35 PM under Alternative Energy Environment A team of researchers at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) have recently set up a new laboratory (the first in Asia) that will be used to convert water into hydrogen fuel. As the scientists said, the development of this technology may reduce the cost of using to the same price as using conventional energy sources. The laboratory will use what is known as “artificial leaf” technology. It is inspired by the way leaves use sunlight to generate electricity.This technique will make possible the separation of water into oxygen and hydrogen. Large quantities of hydrogen can be produced in a clean and sustainable manner. Conventional technologies are not so efficient because they require huge amounts of energy to extract only small amounts of hydrogen from water. The researchers want to test in the lab if cheap substances like titanium dioxide and rust can efficiently capture solar energy to split water. Currently, such extraction technologies are available, but the team wants to find cheaper ways. “We can do this reaction right now. It’s no problem. We can use platinum, or we can use very expensive semi-conductor materials. The challenge is to devise a technology which is cheap, and is robust,” said professor James Barber, a leading expert in this field. 0 Comments
