Credit: striatic

There is a new trend growing in the green community - "bicycle valets" or "bike valets." While bicycle valets vary from area to area in design, personal, equipment and execution, they all share one common element - they create a bicycle friendly destination.

Bicycles are far more energy efficient than automobiles. You can travel further with less fuel and less pollution using a bicycle than any car. It's easy to see the dramatic difference if we compare the CO2/Mile of a few common modes of transportation.

The following are averages of CO2/Mile pollution by vehicle with a single passenger:

• 1.57 lbs of CO2/Mile in a "Sport Utility Vehicle" - 15 MPG
• 1.10 lbs of CO2/Mile in an "Average car" - 21.5 MPG
• 0.59 lbs of CO2/Mile in an "Economy car" - 40 MPG
• 0.00 lbs of CO2/Mile on a "Bicycle"

Reviewing the pollution each vehicle produces, it's easy to see why environmentalist like to encourage bicycle friendly destinations whenever possible.

What is a "Bicycle Valet?"

A bicycle valet is an organized valet and/or parking service for bicycles - imagine a coat check for bicycles. Each area has it's own execution but the goal of the service is to encourage visitors to arrive on their bicycles and to offer large scale, short term, bicycle parking.

In Santa Monica, California, you can find one variation of the bicycle valet. The City of Santa Monica offers free bicycle parking for both the Summer Twilight Dance Series (a free summer concert series) and the Sunday Farmers Market. In this case the city provides staff and similar to a traditional valet, the staff provide a ticket and take your vehicle. You are required to pick up your vehicle before the end of the event but there is no service fee, tipping is at your discretion.

Further north in San Jose, California, the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition offers similarly designed bicycle valet services at many locations including Stanford home football games, the San Jose Blues Festival, Moffett Field Airshows and numerous Civic Art and Wine Festivals.

San Francisco, California, offers a free valet bicycle parking at a number events including all the San Francisco Giants home games, the Movie in the Park series, Tour de Fat and Winterfest. San Francisco is unique from many other cities in that as of January 1,1999, the city requires bicycle parking for all major outdoor events.

In Fairfax, California, you can find a more grassroots effort. The Marin County Bicycle Coalition loans PVC bike racks to "Green Wednesdays" who in turn use them to offer free, secure, bicycle parking. "Green Wednesdays" offers bicycle parking at the Wednesday Farmers Market. While not exactly a bicycle valet service, "Green Wednesdays," is offering large scale temporary secure bicycle parking. This in turn makes their local Farmers Market a bicycle friendly destination.

The Benefits of Bicycle Valets

Bicycle valets can offer benefits to both event holders and event locations while creating a more bicycle friendly destination, here are just a few of the benefits:

• Maintain clear driveways and walkways. Without a bicycle valet or any other form of large scale bicycle parking, cyclist are forced to lock their bikes to whatever, wherever they find it. A bicycle valet provides a central location for large scale bicycle storage and keeps driveways and sidewalks clear.
• Reduce local traffic congestion. Each person riding a bicycle is potentially one less car. Bicycle valets reduce traffic by reducing the number of people who arrive by car.
• Encourage attendance. Many people avoid events due to parking hassles. Bicycles are fast and easy to check-in and with less cars parking is sure to be a breeze.

Riding a bicycle is not only good for your health, it's also good for the planet. Each mile you ride on your bike instead of in your car reduces your carbon footprint. In this ever changing environment, it's important for us to each do our part, so I encourage you to find your local bicycle group or coalition, and if you don't have a local bicycle valet in service then why not start your own program?

Labels: article, bicycle, bicycle valet, bike, carbon emissions, carbon footprint, earth, fitness, green, health

¶ 6:05 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

Credit: Scott Ableman

Thanks to the work of Energy Star we are already saving literally billions of dollars each year through energy efficiency practices. Through these practices both environmentally dangerous greenhouse gases as well as operational costs have been reduced without any tradeoffs in performance or quality.

Who is Energy Star?

Energy Star was originally created in 1992 by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It started as a voluntary labeling program but has grown into the successful organization it is today. Energy Star helps consumers identify and purchase over 40,000 energy efficient products.

A largely successful program to date, in 2006 alone Energy Star saved consumers over $14 billion on their utility bills. The savings were equivalent to the emissions from 25 million cars. While this may seem remarkable there is still much more work to be done.

The Energy Star Challenge

A new project from Energy Star is called the Energy Star Challenge. This challenge consists of "a national call-to-action to improve the energy efficiency of America's commercial and industrial buildings by 10 percent or more."

Anyone who works in commercial or industrial buildings can participate in the Energy Star Challenge. According to the Energy Star website, the challenge encourages participants to:

• Design commercial buildings to be energy efficient.
• Meter your energy usage over long periods
• Create a plan for energy efficiency improvements
• Implement energy efficiency upgrades
• Inform others about efficiency

Take the Energy Star Challenge

If you are ready to participate in the Energy Star Challenge you can sign-up using the following web based form:

• Energy Star Challenge
  

The Energy Star Challenge Toolkit

Energy Star offers a free toolkit to help you in the challenge:

• Energy Star Challenge Toolkit
  

Within the web based toolkit you can find useful resources, energy efficiency facts, figures, key points and more. They even offer press release templates, printable posters and co-brandable print advertisements.

You have already taken the first step by taking the time to read this article, now help the planet by participating in the Energy Star Challenege and "Build a Better World 10% at a Time."

Labels: article, challenge, consumer, electricity, energy, energy efficiency, energy star, money, savings

¶ 5:58 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

Credit: Jeff Kubina

Each day more and more forward thinking people are worrying about their personal carbon footprint. The understanding that we all share a single planet has motivated many people to consciously change patterns in their lives for the better of the planet. If you are trying to reduce your carbon footprint, then it's important you understand the impact of generating electricity on our environment.

Residential Electricity Generated by Fossil Fuels is the Third Largest Contributor of Carbon Dioxide Emissions in the US

Electricity is a basic part of nature, and it is one of our most widely used forms of energy. While it's possible to generate electricity in many "green" ways, the number one source of US electricity is coal. In 2006, nearly half (49%) of the country's 4.1 trillion kilowatt hours of electricity used coal as its source of energy.

Many power companies don't even offer consumers the option of using 100% renewable energy - even when consumers are willing to pay a higher rate. Why? If one ignores the pollution, generating electricity from fossil fuels such as coal is inexpensive and for many people willing to exploit our planet that is enough.

Credit: Irish Typepad

Fighting Against Big Coal

While Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas recently vetoed a bill to allow two more coal based power plants from being built in Kansas. It only took three days for a "new" proposal bill to come from the House committee which would allow for the coal fired plants construction. Why would the Governor of Kansas fight against the installation of the new power plants when it could mean more jobs for her constituents? Last October, Rod Bremby, the state secretary of health and environment stated the plants could potentially produce 11 million tons of CO2 a year.

4.1 Trillion Kilowatt Hours of Electricity

A number as large as 4.1 trillion is staggering, so what does that translate into for the average American household? The average US home uses 9,000 kilowatt hours a year. 9,000 kilowatt hours a year has the same environmental impact as:

• Driving a Car 13,392 miles
• Chopping Down 50 Trees

What You Can Do

While some of us fight to save our planet others look to exploit it that's why it is important for everyone to firmly understand the environmental cost of generating electricity from fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas. The key to stopping this exploitation is knowledge. If people understand the hard costs of the resources they use, they can make informed decisions. They can choose to be more energy efficient and conserve electricity.

Conserving Energy through Energy Efficiency

All of the small changes made individually can combine together to make a major impact. What can you do? The answer is simple - reduce the amount of energy you use. An easy way to do this is to use more energy efficient appliances, electronics and lighting. Energy efficient devices offer you the same quality of service but at a lower energy cost. Energy Star rated devices are a perfect example of energy efficiency, they can offer between 15-75% savings over comparable devices.

Energy Star

If you are looking to reduce your personal energy consumption then look for the Energy Star label. In 2006 alone Energy Star saved consumers over $14 billion on their utility bills. Translated into greenhouse gas emissions, in 2006 Energy Star prevented greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 25 million cars.

Remember fighting global climate change starts at home. Stopping global warming won't come from the single step of one individual, but rather through many small steps by many different people.

Labels: article, coal, electricity, energy, energy consumption, energy efficiency, energy star, gas, natural gas, power

¶ 5:49 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

Credit: Gary J. Wood

In the United States, we live in an automobile based culture. Many people don't think twice about driving their vehicle short distances to run errands - a mile here, a mile there. What many people don't realize or choose to ignore is that driving alone is one of the least climate-friendly forms of transportation.

Driving Alone

How bad is driving alone relative to other forms of transportation? According to the Sightline Institute with a single driver, you can expect an average of:

• 1.57 lbs of CO2/Mile in a "Sport Utility Vehicle" (15 MPG)
• 1.10 lbs of CO2/Mile in an "Average car" (21.5 MPG)
• 0.59 lbs of CO2/Mile in an "Economy car" (40 MPG)

Obviously filling your vehicle to capacity helps, just consider this:

• 0.37 lbs of CO2/Mile in an "Average car" (21.5 MPG) when Carpooling with three people

While filling to capacity can help for short errands it isn't always an option. So what can you do?

Credit: jpctalbot

Riding a Bicycle

Riding a bicycle isn't just good for the environment with a net 0 lbs of CO2/Mile, but it's good for you too. Short errands are just one of many uses you'll find for your bicycle - once you start riding again. While you may miss your trunk space at first a quality bicycle grocery bag, panniers or even a basket can reduce this stress. Which one you choose is up to you based on your own personal needs but for the average grocery hauler I would recommend one the following three products:

• Jandd Grocery Bag Pannier
• REI Grocery BagREI Novara 'Round Town panniers
• Cobbworks Oyster Bucket Panniers

If you expect to be hauling lighter loads then you may be a good candidate for a removable handlebar mounted basket - these can often double as a "reusable shopping bag" too.

How Energy Efficient is a Bicycle?

Did you know calories are actually a unit of measurement for the amount of energy that your body can extract from foods . With many new biofuel technologies available today, many of the foods we eat can also be converted into fuel for our vehicles.

According to World Watch Magazine the average automobile burns 1,860 calories per mile per passenger. How does that compare to the average bicycle? The average bicycle and rider burns 35 calories per mile.

Why are bicycles so much more efficient? The key to the energy efficiency of the bicycle is simple - a bicycle and rider are extremely light compared the average car. In a 2 ton vehicle with a 170 lbs driver the driver is only 4% of the total weight. On a heavier 30 lbs bicycle that same driver will be 85% of the total weight. In a vehicle 96% of the energy used each mile is used moving the vehicle itself - not the drive. On a bicycle only 15% of the energy used moving the bicycle itself.

Bicycles are so efficient in fact that under the right conditions a rider can ride faster then a cheetah. In 2002, Canadian rider Sam Whittingham reached 81 mph using a recumbent bike called the Varna Diablo II. That is 11 mph faster than a cheetah which over short distances can attain a top speed of 70 mph.

It's often said you never forget how to ride a bike so why not take advantage it. Riding a bike is not only one of the most energy efficient modes of transportation, it is also one of the most relatively inexpensive. Do you part to fight global warming by taking your bicycle out for a ride.

Labels: article, automobile, bicycle, bike, calories, car, earth, energy efficiency, environment, exercise, green, health, transportation

¶ 9:59 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

Credit: deadling

Are you in the market for a new air conditioner? Have you been considering a room air conditioner instead of a central air conditioner but aren't sure what you should be looking for? Purchasing an air conditioner of any type should be researched before hand simply due to the amount of electricity your air conditioner could potentially use. If you purchase the wrong unit you may end up with extremely large monthly electric bills and inefficient cooling.

As a consumer you definitely want to find the best performing unit for you. You want to find a unit which is very energy efficient because not only will it save you money in the long run, it's better for the environment as well. Energy efficiency is about making the best or most efficient use of energy in order to achieve a given level of comfort and convenience.

What is a Room Air Conditioner?

A room air conditioner is an air conditioning system designed to cool a room or rooms instead of the entire house. Do you live in a smaller home, townhouse, condo or even apartment? Would you prefer or do you require a non-permaneant air conditioning installation? If you answered yes then a room air conditioner may be a good matched for you. In comparison to central air conditioners, room air conditioners are dramatically less expensive to operate - even though they are often less efficient.

While central air conditioners often need higher voltage connections a room air conditioner can often be plugged into any 15- or 20-amp, 115-volt household circuit. If you have a larger room air conditioner you may need a dedicated 115 volt-circuit. In only the most extreme cases will you ever need a dedicated 230-volt circuit.

Room air conditioners are often vented or window mounted so they can effectively expel hot air out. Be wary of any room air conditioner that does not offer proper ventilation.

How are Room Air Conditioners Rated?

If you are familiar with central air conditioners you may be already familiar with the SEER or Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. Room air conditioners are rated not on in SEER but rather in EER or Energy Efficiency Ratio. The EER of a given room air conditioner is calculated by dividing the cooling capacity in British Thermal Units (BTU) per hour by the power input in watts. You can find room air conditioners offering a range of cooling powers from 5,500 BTU per hour to 14,000 BTU per hour.

While the national appliance standard requires that any room air conditioner built after 1990 to have an EER of 8.0 or greater, and the latest Energy Star standards require in some cases an EER of 10.7 or greater I support the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy's (ACEEE) recommendations. The ACEEE recommends at least an EER of 11.6. Why? This will guarantee your unit is energy efficient throughout the year and when it is needed most - the hottest summer months.

Selecting a Room Air Conditioner

Once you've decided to purchase a room air conditioner make sure you look for the Energy Star label. If every room air conditioner sold in the U.S. were Energy Star qualified, we could prevent 1.2 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions to put that into perspective that is equivalent to the emissions from 100,000 cars. Energy Star room air conditioners use at least 10% less energy than conventional models.

In the room air conditioner game Energy Star isn't the only certification to be looking for. You should also look for Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers or AHAM Certified units. Why? AHAM Certified room air conditioners have their EER ratings verified by an independent laboratory.

Getting the Right Size

Room air conditioners like all air conditioning units are rated by the number of British Thermal Units (BTU) of heat they can remove per hour. Another common way of rating air conditioners is by the "ton," some example are 5,500 BTU per hour or 14,000 BTU per hour.

Getting the right size room air conditioner for your application is crucial. If you get the wrong size you can easily waste large volumes of electricity. The size of your air conditioner depends upon:

• How large is your home and how many do you have?
• How much shade do you have? Do you have shade on your home's windows, walls, and roof?
• Are the ceilings and walls of your home insulated properly?
• Do you have air leaks?
• How much heat do you, the occupants, and appliances generate?

Remember the key to any air conditioners efficiency and performance depend on you properly matching the size of the AC unit to your specific application.

If you find this a bit confusing then you can always use the free AHAM tool. AHAM offers a handy online tool which can help you calculate your air conditioner (or evaporative cooler) needs.

• http://www.cooloff.org/sub_cool.html

Installing your Room Air Conditioner

When you install a new room air conditioner you should try to locate the air conditioner in a window or wall area near the center of the room. It is also beneficial to install your air conditioner on the shadiest side of your house. Try not to let your installation increase air leakage - you can minimize this by fitting the either the room air conditioner or its ventilation snugly into its opening and sealing gaps with a foam weather stripping material.

Are Room Air Conditioners my only non-permeneant cooling option?

If you live in a drier climate, somewhere with a relatively humidity level below 50%, then you may be well matched for an "Evaporative Cooler" sometimes referred to as a "Swamp Cooler." An evaporative cooler cools by using a fan to force air through moistened pads. As the hot air passes through the pads, the pads absorb the heat and cool the air in some cases as much as 15-20 degrees.

Evaporative coolers are not for everyone. In the wrong climate, in the wrong conditions an evaporative cooler can create conditions of high humidity in the air which in turn can cause condensation and even corrosion.

In the right conditions and climate, evaporative coolers, can provide cost very effective cooling. When compared to air conditioners, evaporative coolers use an average of 75% less electricity. Evaporative coolers are very energy efficient.

If you think you are a good candidate for an evaporate cooler you can use the free AHAM tool referenced earlier to calculate the proper size for your specific application too.

In many parts of the world air conditioning can seem like a life saver, but it comes at a cost - first in dollars spent for electricity, and second in carbon dioxide pollution from the generation of electricity. According to the the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) we create an astounding 140 million tons of CO2 cooling our homes. You can easily save electricity by purchasing a correctly sized Energy Star rated room air conditioner. By saving electricity you are doing your part to fight global climate change.

Labels: ac, air conditioner, air conditioning, article, diy, electricity, energy, energy efficiency, hvac, renovation

¶ 7:33 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

Credit: aine d

Did you know that 14% of the energy produced in the United States is used to air condition buildings and 10% of the energy produced is used to air condition homes? What is the total cost to consumers? Over 15 billion dollars a year. To put that into perspective the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) equates that to an astounding 140 million tons of CO2.

Energy efficiency refers to the reduction of energy used by specific end-use devices and systems, such as air conditioners, typically without affecting the quality of the services provided. Energy efficiency can be achieved many ways. In the case of your air conditioning one simple way to achieve this efficiency is by reducing your air conditioning needs.

Reducing Your Air Conditioning Needs

Depending upon where you live you may feel very dependent on your air conditioner. You may even be thinking about upgrading to a newer air conditioner with higher improved SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) but before you do consider the following - the easiest way to save money and energy on cooling is to reduce your air conditioning needs in the first place.

While some of my solutions may seem initially costly - in the long run you will enjoy a monthly energy savings, in some cases you may appreciate the value of your home, and you will always feel good knowing that you are doing your part to fight global warming.

Strategies for Reducing Your Air Conditioning Needs

• Invest in alternate forms of in-house cooling such as ceiling fans or house fans. Unless you live in a very humid climate than ceiling fans, which can provide cooling by creating a low- level "wind chill" effect, are a good and relatively inexpensive choice. Ceiling fans are also rated by Energy Star so it's easy to find energy efficient models. House fans are usually large fans in your top-floor ceiling. They cool by expelling hot air out and in-turn creating a vacuum that sucks cooler air in. Unfortunately house fans are not covered by Energy Star. In either case fan use substantially less energy then air conditioning systems and can go a long way in reducing your dependence on your air conditioner.
• Replace older single pane windows with newer more energy efficient double pane or even triple pane windows. More energy efficiency windows can reduce your air conditioning needs but depending upon the number of windows involved it may get expensive. If expense becomes a concern you can always opt to use drapes or window coverings that block out the sunlight effectively. While drapes and window coverings will help, for the best results when justified, I recommend replacing the framing and glass. In some cases replacing your windows can improve their energy efficiency by up to 41% in the summer - when your air conditioning is used most.
• Consider shade gardening. If replacing your windows is expensive but you have room for gardening consider planting shade trees on the sunny side of your home. The less direct sunlight that gets into your house, the less heat. Shade trees also have the added benefits of reducing local area CO2 pollution. You can expect a full grown shade tree to gradually remove about 10 lbs of CO2 a year, native trees are always good choice because they are easier to maintain.
• Replace non-programmable thermostats with programmable versions. You can save as much as 10% a year on your cooling bills by using a programmable thermostat to adjust the temperature automatically while you regularly sleeping or out of the house. When you shop for a programmable thermostat, be sure to look for the Energy Star versions.
• Install energy efficient roofing. Energy Star offers a number of different Reflective Roof Products that can reduce your peak air conditioning demand by as much as 10-15%.
• Use light-colored or "cool" sidings or paints with a high Light Reflective Value (LRV). Most major paint manufacturers can tell you the LRV of any color paint chip. The higher the LRV the more the paint will reflect away heat instead of absorbing it. Keeping your house cooler by reflecting away heat will reduce your air conditioning needs.
• Replace your older/inefficient appliances such as old or secondary refrigerator or, replace incandescent light bulbs with LEDs. The less heat your appliances and inefficient lighting give off the less your air conditioner will have to compensate.
• Unplug large consumer electronics when you aren't using them. Lots of newer electronics have a "sleep mode" that keeps them ready for action. This "sleep mode" uses electricity and because the device is running at some level it will still be creating heat. When not in use,don't forget to unplug chargers for your smaller devices, too
• Properly insulate your home. If you have a home that isn't properly insulated you can waste a lot of electricity when the cool air created by your air conditioner escapes. Why? Your air conditioner will simply keep working harder to maintain a stable temperature regardless of continuous air leaks. The harder your air conditioner works the more electricity is uses and the more expensive it becomes. If your home has an attic it is very common for air leaks to occur between your living space and the attic space.

An easy way to save money on air conditioning which is often overlooked is through the simple reduction of its use. While enjoying the cool benefits of air conditioning it is easy to overlook its expensive nature, due to the electricity required one has to also consider it's environmental cost. While being green isn't always easy, in this case, being green will save you money - by reducing your energy usage.

Labels: ac, air conditioner, air conditioning, article, diy, electricity, energy, energy efficiency, hvac, renovation

¶ 6:15 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

Credit: Atli Harðarson

When someone says "10% of the energy we produce as a nation each year is used to air condition homes," it may seem like a relatively small amount - but it isn't. As environmental awareness spreads more and more people are familiar with their carbon footprint. So what is the carbon footprint of only 10% of our energy generation each year? It equates to an astounding 140 million tons of CO2. If you want to include non-residential cooling you can another 4% for a grand total of 14%. Does it still seem like a relatively small amount?

While air conditioners offer effective cooling in both large and small scale applications, they are not the only cooling option you have. If you live in a dry area, somewhere with a relatively humidity level below 50% then you can consider an Evaporative Cooler, sometimes referred to as a "Swamp" Cooler. Why would you want to consider an evaporative cooler? Evaporative coolers are very energy efficient.

Air Conditioners

In an air conditioner, cooling is provided through a refrigerant like Freon. In many ways an air conditioners are basically refrigerators without the insulated outer box. Air conditioning systems can be very effective at cooling - but they can also be very expensive to operate.

Evaporative Coolers

An evaporative cooler cools by using a fan to force air through moistened pads. As the air passes through the pads, the pads absorb the heat and cool the air - in some cases by as much as 15-20 degrees. When compared to air conditioners evaporative coolers use an average of 75% less electricity. Evaporative coolers are generally more inexpensive to purchase as well.

Potential Evaporative Cooler Dangers

Evaporative coolers are not for everyone. In the wrong climate, in the wrong conditions an evaporative cooler can create conditions of high humidity in the air which in turn can cause condensation and even corrosion. I would never recommend using an evaporative cooler in areas of your home with high densities of electronics, an example of an area to avoid would be a home office.

Sizing an Evaporative Cooler

If you are in the right climate and have gotten past any concerns then the next step is to get an idea of the size of the evaporative cooler you will need. Similar to air conditioners, an improperly sized evaporative cooler has the potential to waste electricity. The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers or AHAM offers a useful online tool that can help you estimate what size evaporative cooler you'll need for your specific application.

• http://www.cooloff.org/sub_cool.html

Even though AHAM provides this free tool, they do not certify evaporative coolers so don't waste any time looking for that product certification.

While evaporative coolers are not right for everyone, in the right conditions and climate evaporative coolers can provide cost very effective cooling. When you consider evaporative coolers use an average of 75% less electricity than air conditioners it's easy to see they are energy efficient. With an ever growing society, saving energy does your part to fight global warming.

Labels: ac, air conditioning, article, cooling, energy, energy efficiency, evaporative cooler, green, swamp cooler

¶ 2:59 PM 0 Comments Links to this post