Let the Sunshine In!

Last night I took a course on Solar Heating taught by my friend Amy Beaudet at the Alternative Energy Store in Hudson. The class was an introductory course on the basics of solar air and water heating. When thinking about solar energy, most of us think of photovoltaic modules -- the blue or black solar panels that store and convert sunlight into electricity. Solar heating, on the other hand, uses sunlight to heat water or air without a conversion to electricity. This technology is not as well known, but is more efficient, less expensive and the payback to the consumer is much faster.

The course was very enlightening and I took several things away from the three hour class.

• Solar heating is not an all or nothing solution. It is a way of offsetting existing systems for heating air and water. They don't completely replace the furnace or water heater in one's home. In fact, a back-up is generally required to keep the water and air warm in regions with colder climates.
  
• Systems can be added a little at a time. A great start: A Solar Air Heater can be installed to heat a small space for relatively little money. Amy is herself adding adding solar elements to her home one at a time. She began with a solar air heater in her kitchen, is in the process of adding solar water heating for hot water and radiant floor heating and will then move on to photovoltaic panels for electricity.
  
• Some systems are completely or partially Do It Yourself (DIY) projects. For example: Solar Pool Heaters are a very easy DIY projects. Solar Air Heaters, are more complicated, but still doable. Installing a Solar Water Heating for water and/or radiant house heat is much more complicated, but could be installed, in part, by the experienced contractor or DIYer.
• Alternative energy is "in" and NOW is the time to take advantage of state and federal tax incentives. Who knows how long these incentives will last?
  
• Solar technology is evolving. No one product works in every situation and there are limitations, but as the technology improves, new products will most likely come on the market to meet the needs of consumers.
  

If you've toyed around with the idea of installing solar technology or just want to learn more, why not take a class? Alt E University in Hudson offers several courses on a variety of topics for varying levels of interest. Topics include: solar electric, renewable energy basics, wind power system, and solar water heating.

Let's Talk Toilets

Toilets use a lot of water. Without conservation measures, a toilet can use up to 27.7% of a household's indoor water usage! More, on average, than clothes washing or showering*. I was shocked by this statistic.

Now understandably eliminating toilet usage, or even reducing usage, is not an option for most families, but there are steps you can take to cut down on the amount of water that goes down the toilet in your house.

1. When the time come to replace your toilet, buy a high efficiency toilet (HET). These go beyond federal standards required for new toilets (1.6 gallons or less per flush). You can even buy dual flush toilets with different flushing options for solids and liquids. Even if you can't afford an HET, switching from an old toilet, that can use as much as 7 gallons per flush, to a new standard toilet will go a long way in conserving water.
   
2. If you have an old toilet and are not in a position to get a new one, install a toilet tank bank OR put an inch or two of sand or pebbles inside two plastic bottles. Fill the bottles with water, screw on the lids and put them in your toilet tank (away from any operating mechanisms). The bottles will displace water used in the the tank with each flush.
   
3. Does your toilet run and run? Do you have to jiggle the handle to get it to stop? Fix it. It might be easier than you think. Check out WikiHow for a step-by-step guide.
4. Don't use your toilet for trash. Throw your tissues and other debris in a wastebasket, not in the toilet.
5. This tip is admittedly not for the weak -- Don't flush every time you use the toilet. The saying goes; "If it's yellow, let it mellow, if it's brown, flush it down".
   

*Source: American Water Works Association Research Foundation 1999

What is that Smell?

Did you know that the air inside the average US home is 2 to 5 times more polluted than the air outside regardless of whether it's located in a rural or highly industrialized area? The culprits are Volatile Organic Compounds or VOCs and are found in everything from common household cleaners and paint to furniture and building materials --anything containing organic chemicals. And all of these products can release organic compounds through off-gassing while you are using them, for some time after and even while they are stored.

So what can you do to improve the air you breath in your home?

1. Start with your cleaning products. Next time you run out of a cleaning product, reach for an eco-friendly substitute. Or, better yet, make your own! Our grandparents and great- grandparents managed to clean houses for generations with just a few simple ingredients lying around the house.
2. Thinking about painting a room in your house? Why not try a low- or no- VOC paint? Today there are many varieties on the market and some will not break the bank.
3. Switch to an eco-friendly dry cleaner. Perchloroethylene, the chemical most often used in dry cleaning, has been shown to cause cancer in animals and people breath low levels of this chemical in homes where dry cleaned goods are stored and as the clothes are worn.
   
4. Clean out your garage and remove the hazards sitting around your home. Make sure all items are disposed of properly and as per local ordinances. In the future buy limited quantities of paint, strippers, gasoline, etc.

Making some or all of these changes may help you and your loved ones breath a little easier.

Sources: EPA.gov

Go NStar Green

NStar Electric customers now have a "greener" option for their electricity supply source. By enrolling in NStar Green, customers elect to have 50% or 100% of their electricity use support wind power! The cost is slightly higher per kWh, but the reduction to your carbon footprint is significant. More importantly, this is a change you can make right NOW. (For a better understanding of NStar Green, how it works and why you should switch, please link to Blue Mass Group).

Looking for a way to offset the cost of switching to NStar Green? As your light bulbs burn out replace your incandescent light bulbs with compact florescent light (CFL) bulbs. Energy Star approved CFL bulbs use about 75% less energy and last up to 10 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs. If you replace enough light bulbs you might offset some, if not all, the costs of switching to NStar Green.