For the past two and a half years, John has been commuting back and forth from Washington DC to Baltimore, a 100 mile round trip. Until one day home, John got into a car accident. (Don’t worry he was not hurt.)
After the accident, he was trying to figure out how much he would save by just taking public transportation, a much cleaner alternative than driving. So one day he drafted the following questions along with his responses to analyze the cost of public transportation vs driving? The follow is his analysis:
1.) What time does my job start and end?
John’s response: 8am to 4:30 pm.
2.) Are there bus routes, rail, or combo-metro routes leading from my home to work?
John’s response: Yes. I can take the DC metro, bus F4, from Prince George’s Plaza Station to New Carrollton Station (MD). Then from New Carrollton, I can take the Marc Train to Baltimore Penn Station.
3.) Is the cost of driving a new car effective anyway?
Cost of Driving:
- Cost of comprehensive insurance per month: $200.00 (before the accident)
- Cost of fuel per week given 100/mile day commute: $40.00
- Cost of monthly parking pass: $110.00
- Other factors for John to consider:
- Purchase a minimal, new reliable car: $vary
- Maintenance and service on new car: $vary
Total monthly cost to work by car, not including vehicle purchase or M/S: $390.00
Cost of Public Transportation:
- Monthly transit pass (Bus + Rail + Marc included): $250.00
- Other factors to consider:
- ZipCar: Rental for $7.00 an hour for after work activities.
Total monthly cost for John to take public transportation to work: $250.00
This is a difference of $140.00 that John would save if he rode public transportation.
Have you carefully looked at your own commute from a financial perspective? How much would you be saving or spending?
Tags: DC Metro, MARC, New Carrollton, Prince George's Plaza, SmartTrip, ZipCar
This entry was posted on Friday, December 31st, 2010 at 1:14 am and is filed under Environment, Featured Content. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Are you taken public transportation?
Good Jobs & Green Jobs National Conference
Register Now for the 2011 Conference
With less than two months to go, it’s time to register and book your hotel (out-of-town-folks) for the 2011 Good Jobs, Green Jobs National Conference.
The 2011 Conference takes place February 8-10 at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C. Registration is only $175.
The Good Jobs, Green Jobs National Conference is the leading forum for sharing ideas and strategies for building a green economy that creates good jobs, reduces global warming and other environmental problems, and secures America’s economic and environmental future.
For more information, please visit GreenJobsConference.org/
Monday, December 27, 2010
Energy Policy and Technology Outlook Conference
The 2011 State Energy Policy and Technology Outlook Conference, hosted by NASEO and ASERTTI, will be held on Monday, January 31 – Thursday, February 3, 2011, at the Fairmont Hotel in Washington, D.C. This year’s Conference comes as a historic number of new governors and legislators take office and will serve as an essential opportunity for State Energy Office directors, staff, and interested stakeholders to hear the latest on economic development, technology transfer, innovative financing, and clean energy technologies.
To better prepare and inform conference attendees, NASEO and ASERTTI have planned a full week of informative events, with the core conference agenda being complimented by a State Energy Office National Energy Orientation and NASEO regional meetings starting at 10:00 am on Monday, January 31, 2011.
Session Highlights
- State and Federal Roles in Supporting Successful Energy and Environmental Policies and Regulations
- The Changing Landscape of Sate Energy and Economic Development Policy
- Collaborative State, Federal and Private Energy Innovation Investments
- Shale Gas: Economic Opportunity, Environmental Challenges, and Best Practices
- Residential Retrofit Innovation: Program Design, Training, and Customer Engagement
- Cutting-Edge Commercial, Residential, and Industrial Energy Efficiency Financing
Meeting Information
- Preliminary Agenda
- Sponsor / Exhibitor Information (coming soon)
- Hotel Information & Directions
- Hotel Reservation Deadline: Monday, January 10, 2011
- Online Registration
Full Registration: $565 (Members), $595 (Non-Members)
Daily Registration: $275/day (Members), $300 (Non-Members)
For more information on any of the above events, contact Shemika Spencer, 1414 Prince Street, Suite 200, Alexandria, VA 22314, Phone 703.299.8800; Fax 703.299.6208. Information on additional Energy Related Meetings can be found on www.EnergyMeetings.com.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Our Changing Oceans by NCSE
National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) is pleased to present its 11th National Conference on Science, Policy and the Environment: Our Changing Oceans on January 19-21, 2011 in Washington, DC. Our Changing Oceans will be held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.
This year, the conference will provide a forum to address the crisis facing our oceans, new knowledge and innovative tools to address the challenge, and the policy and governance needed to restore and protect the oceans.
Expecting over 1,000 attendees, Our Changing Oceans will bring together scientists, professionals, policy makers, university faculty and students, and educated citizens from a wide range of disciplines to share their perspectives and work to address the topic at hand.
NCSE utilizes a multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral approach to convene involved scientists and decision-makers from various sectors of society. Our conferences include renowned speakers, topical symposia to explore issues more in depth, and breakout sessions to develop a set of recommendations on how to advance science and connect it to policy and decision-making.
Our Changing Oceans is divided into eight themes, each with several breakout sessions and symposia. To view a complete agenda of the conference, please go to http://communities.earthportal.org/ncseoceans2011/. To find out about the themes and sessions, please visit the site. Once you have selected the sessions you would like to attend, make sure to register. We hope to see you in January!
For more information please visit http://communities.earthportal.org/ncseoceans2011/.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Holiday Greetings From Sobuka
A year in review:
We launched Sobuka by hosting an event in March, Alex joined the team in April and we documented the EarthDay Climate Rally, we went to see some politicians do their thing at the 13th annual Congressional Renewable Energy Expo in June, showed a little something on sustainable urban farming with the great guys at ECOffshoots.org in July, introduced you to the possibilities of eco-friendly construction with the Green Building Institute tour (also July), brought you the Progressive X-Prize competitors in September, exposed you to Western Maryland’s green communities in October, documented the many possibilities of green living by showing you things like how much biking you have to do to light a bulb at the DC green festival (also October), and last but not least, we showed you how to install a rain barrel with dcgreenworks.org and how DC is going solar with one neighborhood at a time (hello Mt. Pleasant solar co-op!).
After 70 blog posts, 17 videos, 3 Meet-Up events, 2 Green Photo of the Month contest winners, and a new website redesign, we just have one simple thing to say: it has been a great first year, and it wouldn’t be possible without the support and involvement of each and every one of you.
A big thank you goes out from us to you!- The Sobuka Team
Tags: christmas, Holiday Greetings, New Year
This entry was posted on Saturday, December 25th, 2010 at 7:55 pm and is filed under Featured Content, Holiday Greetings. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Our Changing Oceans by NCSE
National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) is pleased to present its 11th National Conference on Science, Policy and the Environment: Our Changing Oceans on January 19-21, 2011 in Washington, DC. Our Changing Oceans will be held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.
This year, the conference will provide a forum to address the crisis facing our oceans, new knowledge and innovative tools to address the challenge, and the policy and governance needed to restore and protect the oceans.
Expecting over 1,000 attendees, Our Changing Oceans will bring together scientists, professionals, policy makers, university faculty and students, and educated citizens from a wide range of disciplines to share their perspectives and work to address the topic at hand.
NCSE utilizes a multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral approach to convene involved scientists and decision-makers from various sectors of society. Our conferences include renowned speakers, topical symposia to explore issues more in depth, and breakout sessions to develop a set of recommendations on how to advance science and connect it to policy and decision-making.
Our Changing Oceans is divided into eight themes, each with several breakout sessions and symposia. To view a complete agenda of the conference, please go to http://communities.earthportal.org/ncseoceans2011/. To find out about the themes and sessions, please visit the site. Once you have selected the sessions you would like to attend, make sure to register. We hope to see you in January!
For more information please visit http://communities.earthportal.org/ncseoceans2011/.
Friday, December 24, 2010
A Car For Christmas? Leaf vs Volt
The Leaf is Nissan’s leading environmentally-friendly, affordable, family car. It is a trend setting type of engineered battery car. Its battery pack estimated at (£6000) which is $8,896 raises a lot of interest as well as reasonable pricing that is drawing tons of reservation. The Leaf is a tough competition with the Volt in terms of driving range.
The argument among Nissan folks is whether the Volt is a true EV.
The Leaf has been designed to be self-sustaining. Annual car maintenance doesn’t apply with this vehicle (except yearly brake pad inspection) and its navigation system is globally connected especially for re-charging purposes for stations. The Leaf offers more with its new technology and affordability with all things considered ( pricing for 5-car seater, driving range, and up-keep).
Good:
- This is a real EV. A 100% electric car
- 8 Year, 100,000 warranty
- $349 Lease program
- Federal, state, and other credits can knock off significant $$ on this vehicle
Other things about the Leaf:
- Like any EV, after 100 miles, your car is dead. Theses are your options; Plan your schedule with an electric station in mind for emergency cases, charge your car at home as you would do with your i-phone before you sleep at night, and simply be aware about the situation.
- Price: $32,000
- Weight: 3,500lbs
The Volt is a car that can run up to approximately 40 miles emissions free. However thanks to its range-extending gas generator, it produces enough energy to power the Volt for hundreds of miles. The body of the Volt is slightly bigger than the Prius with a modern look and feel interior. The Volt has a nice on board system that keeps you up to date with your fuel capacity, letting you know if you are running on electric or gas.
Good:
- Goes up to 40 miles on pure electric. After that the gas kicks in extending it to more miles.
- 8 Year, 100,000 warranty
- $349 Lease program
- Federal, state, and other credits can knock off significant $$ on this vehicle.
Other things about the Volt:
- Is this a true EV or a suited up Hybrid? The controversy remains… On 40 miles, one can say it’s an EV. The rest of the way, it appears to function as a superior Hybrid to my opinion, powered on gas. My guess is as good as yours…let the controversy remain.
- Price: $41k
- Weight: 3,700 lbs
Summary
Hopefully other manufacturing car companies can follow suit and compete to bring the best of clean energy to the United States as well as getting back to leading in manufacturing, which interprets as more long lasting green jobs. Interesting enough there is mention that the Leaf will be produced in Tennessee (currently in Japan) in the next two years. Not that’s a good start.
Article References and pictures: Battle EV Supremacy
This entry was posted on Friday, December 24th, 2010 at 1:23 am and is filed under Green Technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
How Are You Doing in 'Greening' Your Agency
AFFIRM’s January 20 luncheon, “How are you greening your agency?” will bring you up to speed on how agencies are managing the requirements of Executive Order 13514. Join us as we hear Senior Sustainability Officers across the federal government discuss their challenges, successes, opportunities and best practices in greening their agency. You will hear about:
• Executive Order 13514 and other major energy and environmental requirements impacting federal agencies
• The major challenges of reducing greenhouse gases, water and energy usage at federal agencies
• Implementation plans for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy management systems
• How energy information management systems and intelligent grid systems are coming on line
• How agencies will purchase their energy in the future and how sustainability will impact all future acquisitions
• The role of Green IT in reducing carbon and energy costs
• Best practices and tools for sustainability
• Opportunities for industry to participate
Presenters:
1. John Conger, Assistant Deputy Under Secretary for Installations & Environment (Invited)
2. Stephen Leeds, Senior Counselor to the Administrator and Senior Sustainability Officer,GSA (Confirmed)
3. Michelle Moore, Federal Environmental Executive, CEQ (Invited)
4. Rhea Suh, Assistant Secretary, Policy Management and Budget, DOI (Invited)
5. Kateri Callahan, President, Alliance to Save Energy (Moderator) (Confirmed)
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
ZIPS Dry Clearners Helps Our Environment
We showcase companies and area businesses that are helping our environment. This month’s feature is ZIPS Dry Cleaners.
The following information was provided by Zips:
Reduce, Recycle and Re-Use At ZIPS!
Eco Fact: Did you know that Americans throw away more than 100 billion plastic bags each year? This includes trash bags, grocery bags, packing bags, etc. To help reduce waste, their stores are now using environmentally-friendly, biodegradable plastic bags on all orders. These bags are made from specially formulated polymers that degrade over a relatively short period of time, reducing waste volumes in landfills.
Eco Fact: Did you know that 3.5 billion hangers end up in landfills every year? As a dry cleaner, ZIPS cannot stop using hangers, but please don’t throw them away. Instead, return them to ZIPS for re-use. Their stores have specially designed blue recycle bins for hangers in the lobby for your convenience. Or simply give them to one of their friendly counter associates. If you want, you can re-use the rubber bands that you get from ZIPS to bundle the hangers together when you return them to your local store.
ZIPS Dry Cleaners believes in their part to help the environment. As a result, they have switched the plastic bags that are used to cover the cleaned clothes to an environmentally friendly, biodegradable source. These bags degrade over time, reducing the amount of waste landfills.
For more information about zips, you can visit their website and subscribe to their email newsletter, the ZNEWS. Similar information is shown on ZIPS TV in every store.
This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010 at 11:33 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
FUEL CELL & HYDROGEN ENERGY EXPO
In 2011, the Conference & Expo returns to Washington, DC. Expo dates are February 13-16.
Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy is the largest fuel cell and hydrogen event in North America and a leading event serving the international community. It is the place where partnerships are formed, deals are made, and new fuel cell and hydrogen technologies are introduced. If you are in the North American fuel cell and hydrogen market, this is a “must do” event! Conference and Expo Fast Facts: 1,500+ attendees, 150+ speakers, 100+ exhibitors, and 40+ conference sessions.
- Meet the VIPs in industry and government
- Network with customers and prospects
- Discover industry partners
- Meet with top media
- Keep up with the latest developments
- Check in on your competitors
As an exhibitor, you will benefit from the most fertile environment for fuel cell and hydrogen technology development and commercialization in many years. We expect more than 1,500 key players in industry, government, the media, and communities from more than 20 nations to participate.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
The solar Power Purchase Agreement: a simple way to go solar
The Power Purchase Agreement (PPA): a simple way to go solar.
Posted on December 21st, 2010 by Daniel
Several months ago, we wrote a blog highlighting the solar lease as a way for people to get a solar installation without incurring any upfront costs. Today we are introducing you to the solar Power Purchase Agreement, or sPPA: another viable alternative for getting solar panels without any upfront costs.
What’s a sPPA?
Ok, you do want them solar panels on your home or office building but you don’t like the upfront cost. You also don’t want to lease them like we mentioned above. That’s where the sPPA option comes in.
With this alternative, you let the solar company put panels at your site, but you do not pay for the installation. You simply pay for the electricity that these panels generate.
The Benefits
Because you don’t technically own the panels, you save a boat-load of cash by not paying for the installation or maintenance. The cost of the electricity from these panels is usually the same amount or lower than what you were already paying PEPCO or BG&E, or whatever utility company you have. Your contract with the solar company will state what the agreed rate per kilowatt-hour is. This rate will usually go up by 1% to 5% per year, but it is designed to remain below the typical annual rate increases from your utility company. Your contract with the solar company usually lasts about 6 years, and at the end of the contract, you can agree to another contract, buy the solar panels, or get them removed.
Here’s an example. Imagine you signed a sPPA contract 6 years ago, in 2004, for solar panels that generate 20% of your home’s electricity (you still pay the regular utility company for the remaining 80%). Let’s assume your household uses an average of 1000 kW-hours of electricity per month, and if we use the 2004 average US national rate of 8.95 cents/kW-hour, your total electric bill would be $89.50 per month. In January 2005, the average national electricity rate went up to 9.45 cents/kW-hour, but your sPPA rate goes up by 1% according to your contract, to 9.04 cents/kW-hour. If we do the math, you now pay $75.60 for 80% of your electricity (800 kW-hours) to your utility, and $18.08 for the remaining 20% (200 kW-hours) to the solar company. That’s a total of $93.68 for January 2005.
Now we’re in 2010, reaching the end of your 6-year contract, and how much have you saved so far? If you never got solar panels, then you spent a total of $8,854.80. However with the sPPA model, you spent a total of $8,633.31. Your total savings over the the last 6 years are $221.49. Wait, did you just say that’s not a big deal? Let’s give you a couple more reasons:
- the utility’s electricity rate (red line) jumps up in an unpredictable fashion, while the sPPA rate (green line) is predictable because your contract tells you exactly what you’ll be paying over the 6 years of solar power. Knowing your electricity cost in advance is a huge benefit for planning and budgeting.
- over the 6-year period, you prevented your utility company from generating 14,400 kW-hours of unclean electricity, because you had your own clean version to use. That’s the equivalent of 11.7 metric tons of CO2 emissions, or in plain English: you stopped 2 cars from emitting pollutants for a year.
- Let’s not forget the “I got solar panels on my roof” statement you can use freely at every cocktail party; that’s some major cool points right there…
Just remember this: the whole thing cost you nothing to setup. You simply chose a different path to get your electricity and become a good citizen of the environment.
The “Bad”
There’s nothing bad about going green, hence the quotation marks. However here are the changes that you might have to deal with by going solar with a PPA model:
- you will not cash-in any of the government tax credits or state rebates for using solar, because you don’t own the panels
- you will not be able to receive cash for any solar Renewable Energy Certificates (sRECs), again because you don’t own the panels
- if you are short-term leasing your place, the lease may prevent you form getting a PPA because you need at least 6 years for the contract. In addition, your landlord may not want you to make changes to the property, so your solar panels may not be installed in the ideal location, if any at all
- you may save money by buying the solar panels outright, especially if you consider the government-backed incentives
- your property taxes may go higher if your property gets reassessed after the solar panel install
- taxes and other surcharges by your utility company may take up the amount of money saved, so you may not save anything financially
Ok, now that you have a picture of the good and the “bad,” please remember that you are doing this not just to save money, but to help the environment. What’s next? Why not explore the different solar installation types? And as always, let us know if you need FREE quotes for a solar installation from our list of wonderful contractors.
Tags: power purchase agreement, PPA, solar
This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 21st, 2010 at 4:17 pm and is filed under Featured Content, Green Financing, Solar Energy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
sobuka visits Mount Pleasant Co-op in DC
301.485.9098 | sobuka.com/blog | twitter.com/sobuka
Our favorite green gifts
Our favorite green gifts
Posted on December 14th, 2010 by Sulaiman
As the entire Sobuka staff scours the interwebs and malls in search of gifts for loved ones, we decided to do a blog on some of our favorite green gifts. These aren’t just great gifts but they are also excellent for the environment. Well, without further ado, here they are in no particular order:
Plan Toys Eco Town – What’s the best way to prepare our kids for a green future? By educating them of course! …or letting them have fun with play sets like this eco-friendly town. The Eco Town features green technologies like solar panels, a wind turbine, and a grey water system (grey water is indoor waste water that doesn’t include toilets). The play set comes with cars, a doll house, and trains. Kids are exposed to the concepts of public transportation, biking, and recycling. It even has a charging station for electric cars… we’re kinda jealous (via Treehugger).
Windstream Bike Power Generator - If you’re living in the DC metro, you know how cold it is outside.Some die-hard bikers still hit the streets, but what to do for the rest of us? Enter the Bike Power Generator. This cool gizmo easily hooks up to the back wheel of your bike and generates electricity while you’re pedaling in your garage or condo, picturing a warm spring breeze running through your face. The result? hopefully a nice workout, and enough electricity from the generator’s 12V battery to power your TV (via Treehugger).
Citizen Eco-Drive Watch (His/Her) – The Citizen Eco-Drive watch for him or her is a beauty and guess what, it’s eco-friendly as well. This watch really doesn’t use a traditional watch battery because through a solar panel under the dial, it can convert light energy from the sun or any other light source into electrical energy. The electrical energy is then stored in a special energy storage cell and the charging is done in a more efficient manner than was ever before thought possible. In addition as an added benefit to the environment, the energy cell contains none of the chemicals used in ordinary watch batteries.
Zipcar Gift Certificate – The “Zipcertificate” is an awesome green gift because you can surprise someone with “wheels when they want them”. Zipcar is a sustainable car-sharing transportation solution that promotes green consciousness. Zipcar contributes to fewer cars on the road which means less congestion, less pollution, less dependence on oil, and cleaner, fresher air to breathe. Drive around town in style and green at the same time. A perfect combination.
LED TV – A Light Emitting Diode (LED) TV is a super gift not only for the person you are giving it to but also for the environment. They are the most efficient type of flat-panel TV’s available today because they use less energy than a Plasma TV’s or a standard Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) TV’s. The average plasma uses 301 watts, the standard LCD uses 111 watts, and the LED version uses 101 watts.
GNC Eco-Friendly Stainless Steel Water Bottle – This water bottle is a great gift for people you know who live at the gym, an avid runner or friends who just love the environment. It’s made from food grade, high quality stainless steel; it’s 100% recyclable and dishwasher safe. In addition, it will eliminate the need for buying packaged plastic water bottles which simultaneously saves you money and help the planet.
And it’s a wrap! Do you have any favorites? We’d love to hear from you so please let us know!
Tags: christmas, Green Gifts, holiday gift guide
This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 14th, 2010 at 11:57 am and is filed under Featured Content, green products. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Environmental Film Festival
Environmental Film Festival Picture by Jill Clardy
About: The Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital has become one of the world’s largest and most influential showcases of environmental film and a major collaborative cultural event in Washington, D.C. Each March the Festival presents a diverse selection of high quality environmental films, including many Washington, D.C., U.S. and world premieres. Documentaries, features, animations and shorts are shown, as well as archival, experimental and children’s film at venues throughout the city. Films are screened at partnering museums, embassies, libraries, universities and local theaters and are attended by large audiences. Selected to provide fresh perspectives on global environmental issues, most Festival films are accompanied by discussions with filmmakers, environmental experts and special guests, including national decision makers and thought leaders, and are free to the public. The Festival’s Web site serves as a global resource for environmental film throughout the year.
Event Time and Contact Info:
Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital
1228½ 31st Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20007P: 202-342-2564
F: 202-298-8518Email: info@envirofilmfest.org
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Green Photo of the Month contest
Photos From Kumar Photography
Rather than using big and heavy duty backdrops, Kumar Photography believes keeping things simple and natural. That’s why we use natural backdrops.
Like parks that beautiful trees. Pictures (100 and 101) were taken at “Lake Waterford Park” in Pasadena, Maryland.
In picture 100, Christina softly put her face next a beautiful texture tree. This natural texture of the tree really gives this photograph whole new dimension. Which couldn’t have been captured with a regular backdrop.
In picture 101, Joey is standing next to well texture tree and in the background there are some green leafs. And there is a golden natural sun light on his hair. Which makes the photograph amazing.
Picture 102 was taken at Moyock North Carolina. In the photograph, Erica is standing between these vibrant green branches full of leafs with her gorgeous necklace . In the background, there is well cut grass.
Kumar Photography doesn’t think that you can find backdrops like these. Therefore, we utilize natural scenery to create stunning images.
Website: http://www.KumarPhotography.comSpecialize:
-Weddings
-Portraits
Environmental Film Festival
Environmental Film Festival Picture by Jill Clardy
About: The Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital has become one of the world’s largest and most influential showcases of environmental film and a major collaborative cultural event in Washington, D.C. Each March the Festival presents a diverse selection of high quality environmental films, including many Washington, D.C., U.S. and world premieres. Documentaries, features, animations and shorts are shown, as well as archival, experimental and children’s film at venues throughout the city. Films are screened at partnering museums, embassies, libraries, universities and local theaters and are attended by large audiences. Selected to provide fresh perspectives on global environmental issues, most Festival films are accompanied by discussions with filmmakers, environmental experts and special guests, including national decision makers and thought leaders, and are free to the public. The Festival’s Web site serves as a global resource for environmental film throughout the year.
Event Time and Contact Info:
Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital
1228½ 31st Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20007P: 202-342-2564
F: 202-298-8518Email: info@envirofilmfest.org
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Smart Meters. Bad Meters?
Smart Meters. Bad Meters?
Posted on November 30th, 2010 by Daniel
We previously informed you about the benefits of smart meters, the most important one being efficient power management for utilities and consumers. However, we didn’t cover the rising opposition to the smart meter roll-out, as recently shown in the New York Times Green blog. Why should we oppose smart meters?
The Problem
A number of advocacy groups throughout the nation have been fighting against smart meters, voicing concerns on things like health risks and interference problems with other equipment; even though we live surrounded by electronics that more or less have the same risks. From the microwave oven to the cell phone, a lot of electronics emit small doses of radiation to simply do the work we ask them to do.
The chart below shows the radio-frequency power density (micro-watts per square centimeter) for various common devices. You can see that exposure from smart meters is relatively low. This chart was obtained from a Utilities Telecom Council study [PDF] refuting the health risks.
Looking from the consumer’s point of view, there are several studies for and against radiation exposure risks from cell phones for example. Such reports always seem to end up in constant dispute of each other, leaving the consumer puzzled.
As far as equipment interference is concerned, I can say from experience that getting a bunch of wireless systems near each other opens the door for potential interference. A cordless phone system can interfere with the wireless router etc. All these wireless products were completed with varying testing practices, using during different stages of communication technology, with an urgency to get the product out to the customer. If that is the case, then any new product is deemed to have some technical issues.
The Solution?
At Sobuka, we believe in the importance of having a healthy and eco-friendly environment. We do not have all the information to make a decision, nor do we fully back the conclusions of one organization over another. All we know is that consumers are confused, if not scared. As such, the only smart thing the average consumer can do is say “too much of anything is bad for me” and use things in moderation, or wait for some general consensus and then make a decision.
The utilities rolling out smart meters must successfully address the concerns of the consumer, and deploy high-quality products. And we’re not the only ones saying that: the Washington D.C. Office of the People’s Counsel submitted a petition in September, to local utility company PEPCO, asking for a delay on the deployment of smart meters until consumers are better educated. One of the posts linked above mentioned the use of different methods to get smart meters to transmit information safely. If alternate methods work better and address all the consumer’s concerns, then utilities should move in that direction.
The bottom line is that utilities with vested interest should not force the technology on the consumer without addressing some of the debatable issues. Similarly, consumers should make the phone calls and ask the questions to better educate themselves. That’s the only way we can move forward.
Tags: pepco, radiation, smart grid, smart meter
This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 30th, 2010 at 11:56 pm and is filed under Featured Content, Green Technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
