What do vegetable and soy inks, recycled and bamboo papers, fair trade chocolate, and an organic wine have in common? A great gift of course! For the eco-conscious couple that thinks about today’s actions for a better tomorrow [for your kids, and kids' kids..] or for the rest that wants a well-thought-out gift idea, here’s a short list. Moral sugar tooth Flowers and emotions spilled on paper He: “I got the freshest flowers for you babe!” So yea, …maybe you still need a bouquet of flowers.. anyway here’s a list of other eco-friendly cards. For the wine snob [wannabe] The grub and the venue We leave that up to you, but we do have one recommendation… how about you stay in and cook something? Tags: bamboo paper, green gift guide, organic chocolate, organic wine, recycled paper, soy ink,vegetable ink
Dagoba‘s blend of rich dark chocolate from organic cacao beans, with raw sugar and other natural ingredients [healthy! ..in moderation] will address that craving for your sweet tooth, and it will make you feel great, considering the fact that these great chocolatiers have Fair Trade business practices. Local farmers in cacao-rich Central/South America and Madagascar grow and prepare these goodies with beneficial returns for their land and their communities. In addition, they use recycled paper wrappers and print them with vegetable based inks! Here’s a link to other organic chocolatiers.
Whether you craft your emotions on paper or you need someone to say the things for you, we don’t care. But we do think it would be pretty cool to get some eco-friendly cards. By far our favorite, the plantable [yes, as in seeds!] cards from Botanical Paperworks let you give the gift of freshly grown flowers from a card! So if you forget to get the flowers, you actually have a pretty sound excuse:
She: “Yay! you’re the best! where are they?”
He: “They’re in the card, how cool is that?! …you still have to grow them.”
She: “…”
He: “fresh flowers babe, it can’t get any fresher than that.. you’ll have them for months!”
The USDA Organic seal has some very strict guidelines to follow. And when a great-tasting meal pairing is obtained with wine from organically grown grapes, then we toast to the wine maker! Grapes are frequently grown with the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, so when wine makers drop today’s commonly used fast-paced growing methods and deliver a good glass of wine, we all benefit. Our favorite here is Bonterra Vineyards, a farm that has been growing food organically since 1987. Their 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon holds strong accolades with a 92 point rating by Wine Enthusiast. A toast to Bonterra.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Several Sweet Gifts
Recycling Envelopes – Contest Winner
We would like to congratulate David Thompson from Washington, DC, winner of Sobuka’s Green Photo of the Month contest, with a $50 prize and again it was SUPER EASY… even a child could do it. Let me tell you just how EASY it was, so our winner David went to his local post office to handle some business and purchase stamps when he noticed there was a box of FREE RECYCLING ENVELOPES used for recycling electronic waste (e-waste) such as inkjet cartridges, cell phones, PDAs, digital cameras and other small electronics. He pulled his phone out of its case and went SNAAAAAAP!…actually his camera phone was on silent and his camera flash was off so he didn’t hear the SNAAAAAAP! sound. Afterwards, he emailed his green photo to Sobuka and his photo was the best out of all the other submissions which made him our WINNER. YAAYYYYYYYY! E-waste is literally a growing problem and we must help reduce this problem at all costs. In the U.S., we generated an estimated 1.5 billion pounds of e-waste in 2006 alone. However, this number will continue to grow as new electronics are introduced to the market and consumers continue to upgrade to the next best thing. Do us and the environment a favor and look around your house for all your old electronics (cell phones, PDA’s, etc) and RECYCLE THEM for FREE using the recycling envelops found at your local post office. For more information about recycling e-waste and recycling in general check out the following links: Free Recycling Envelopes from USPS Thanks again to all the participants! For your chance to WIN take part in our next contest. Contest Rules: Submit one picture that you took of something green (environmentally friendly technology, service, process, etc.). Remember to tell us where it was taken, and why you think it’s green related. Mail your photo to contest [at] sobuka [dot] com. Happy shootin!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
There’s a Groupon for you – GreenDeals.org
In case you haven’t heard, Groupon, a web-based coupons seller for various local businesses, is making a killing with its business model. So much so in fact, that itdeclined a $6B offer from Google! Its amazing success in this market has left the doors wide open for plenty of other competitors with a similar model, thus giving customers like you and I more choices for discounted coupon deals to enjoy. The success of the Groupons of the world does show that customers are willing to wait for discount bargains on items that they may have overlooked in the past. From our experiences at sobuka.com, financial concerns are stated as the biggest barrier to entry when it comes to go green. If green related deals are packaged and presented successfully, there is no reason why GreenDeals.org can’t break through the barrier and move more customers to eco-friendly alternatives while shopping. Tags: green america, green coupons, Green Shopping, greendeals.org, groupon
The latest addition to this market comes from the good folks at Green America, a network of eco-friendly and socially responsible businesses. The site is GreenDeals.org, and it focuses on bringing customers green-related coupon discounts from the vast network of Green America approved businesses. The site was launched in November 2010 at the San Francisco Green Festival, after conducting beta testing with over 100,000 users (via GreenBiz.com).
E-Discovery Saves Trees
I occasionally run into many seasoned legal professionals around the Washington DC area working on big corporate cases. In almost every encounter, there is a conversation about the massive size of files (.doc, .xls, .ppt,..) they receive from their clients. They include hard drives, cd’s/dvd’s, flash drives, and even back-up tapes. Yes, I said back-up tapes. Some of you tech savvy people who already know what is a back-up tape, just hold on for a minute, while I explain…. All the information that is central to your job is backed up. Depending on the type of IT budget your company has allocated in preserving your data, the information you work on is saved on or off site, real-time, daily, weekly, monthly, or whatever your IT data retention policy states. WHy is this conversation so critical? Back-up tapes can range in size that’s why. Let’s start with a 250 GB back-up tape, the standard size of a desktop hard drive these days. Let’s assume that each file on your tape is about 1/4 of a MB (250 KB), filled with all types of office files (word docs, power point, excel spreadsheet, etc..). Now you are talking about 1,000,000 files easily just off one tape. Here is how we relate this ‘legal-tecky’ conversation to Sobuka: If the average file is 5 pages, that’s already at 5,000,000 pages (10,000 realms – 500 pages/realm)! Try printing that out to your favorite Xerox machine. You’d be in the office for the next 20 days non-stop. RainForestMaker.org calculator estimates this as cutting down 720 trees. I am trying to figure out how may trees Noah’s Ark used up to save the world. Because for just one back-up tape, the size of a regular computer HD, all the trees on our planet (~ 400 billion) would be in jeopardy, a subtle but trend-like Armageddon. We should be thankful that the legal industry already knows this is not practical but even more from a financial standpoint. They have utilized technology throughout the years to help take snapshots of files by producing them into tiff images, jpegs, and even ‘natively,’ thus reducing the need for paper. Let us know how your business or industry is saving trees. Please feel free to leave a comment below. Tags: E-Discovery, EDD
Monday, July 18, 2011
Recycled paper photo contest
We would like to congratulate Autumn from MD, a previous winner of our Green Photo of the Month contest, with a $50 prize, and it was SUPER EASY. Here is how it went…Autumn was shopping for gifts when she realized that her Target giftcard was attached to recycled paper made from renewable energy and 100% post-consumer fiber which is definitely “green” related. So a light bulb went off and she ripped out her camera phone and went snap…snap and finally she emailed it to Sobuka’s Green Photo Contest. Thanks again to everyone that participated in our contest! To take part in the next one, check out the details below: It’s easy to Go Green and WIN with Sobuka! Submit one picture that you took of something green (environmentally friendly technology, service, process, etc.). Remember to tell us where it was taken, and why you think it’s green related. Email your photo to contest [at] sobuka [dot] com. Happy shootin!
Starting to take public transportation?
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, MARCX New Carrollton, Prince George's Plaza, SmartTrip, ZipCar
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
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 Chevy Volt in terms of driving range.
The argument among Nissan fans is whether the Volt is a true EV.
The Leaf has been designed to be self-sustaining. Annual car maintenance does not apply to this vehicle except yearly brake pad inspection, and its navigation system is globally connected especially to find re-charging stations. The Leaf offers more with its new technology and afford-ability with all things considered which include pricing for 5-car seater, driving range, and up-keep.
Good:
- This is a real EV. A 100% electric car
- 8 Year with a 100,000 mile warranty
- $349 Lease program
- Federal, state, and other credits can knock off significant $$ on this vehicle
Other things about the Leaf:
- Like any EV, after 100 miles, your car is dead. Theses are your options; plan your schedule with an electric station in mind for emergency cases, charge your car at home as you would do with your i-phone before you sleep at night, and/or simply be aware about your driving situation by planning your trip accordingly.
- Price: $32,000
- Weight: 3,500lbs
The Chevy Volt is a car that can run up to approximately 40 miles emissions free. However thanks to its range-extending gas generator, it produces enough energy to power the Volt for hundreds of miles. The body of the Volt is slightly bigger than the Prius with a modern look and feel interior. The Volt has a nice on board system that keeps you up to date with your fuel capacity, letting you know if you are running on electric or gas.
Good:
- Goes up to 40 miles on pure electric. After that the gas kicks in extending it to more miles.
- 8 Year with a 100,000 mile warranty
- $349 Lease program
- Federal, state, and other credits can knock off significant $$ on this vehicle.
Other things about the Volt:
- Is this a true EV or a suit-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. Now that’s a good start.
Article References, Pictures, and more Information: Battle EV Supremacy, Nissan Showing New Leaf, & Toyota Hybrid Recall? No. Chevrolet Volt Display.
Tags: car incentives, chevy volt, nissan leaf
Take Your Clothes To ZIPS Dry Cleaners
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.
Tags: Dry Cleaning, Washington DC, zips
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
a simple way to go solar
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
Green Gift Ideas
As the entire Sobuka staff scours the interwebs and malls in search of gifts for loved ones (birthdays, farewell, …) 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
Monday, July 11, 2011
Re:7
Keeping Roofs Green Contest
We congratulated Shelley from Boston, MA, our big winner of the Green Photo of the Month contest, with a $50 prize! Shelley was in Baltimore for work and she realized that the Fairfield Inn she was staying at was a LEED-certified hotel. In fact, it is the first LEED-certified hotel in Baltimore! LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system.
The picture depicts the hotel’s green roof and skylight for natural sunlight. Green roofs are an efficient way for absorbing rainwater, providing insulation, and helping to lower urban air temperatures to combat the heat island effect.
Thanks again to everyone that participated in our contest! To take part in the next one, check out the details below:
Submit one picture that you took of something green (environmentally friendly technology, service, process, etc.). Remember to tell us where it was taken, and why you think it’s green related. Mail your photo to contest [at] sobuka [dot] com. Happy shootin!
Smart Meters. Bad Meters?
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.
What’s in it for you?
Posted on July 7th, 2011 by Nick
Well, there is a lot in it for you. It is an important decision that weighs on either your business or home. This trend is gaining some ground even though there may not have been as much promotions to encourage people. A multitude of people are unaware of the opportunity thus engendering paucity of ownership or prospective interest.
Just like the famed Cash for Clunkers program, the tax incentives and rebates on green projects are so well encouraged by the government that there are some quite good reason to get involved. Different undertakings such as solar, wind or geothermal installs among others, carry enticing financial offers to go along with your project. Marching along with the “green living movement” is plethora of federal, state and local government incentives – depending on where you live. I think peoples’ disappointment is the wish that the process on assistance with the rebates in going-green endeavors is more of grants than of incentives and rebates. But wait! your wish could be true, there are programs that could offer you grants – depending on your state and how it may available.
First let’s refresh by defining a few terms. From a general sense, a rebate is the returning portion of disclosed funds from a purchased price of a product within its advertised period with some conditions. Dissimilar to discount, a rebate is received after the full payment of the invoiced amount. A Tax Credit is a calculated amount authorized under the Internal Revenue Code, refunded, deducted or accepted-as-paid towards the taxpayer on either a federal or state status. A combination of these ordinances lures more renewable energy practices. A comprehensive list about incentives for prospective green investments can be found at this website.
Then there are the savings. From installing energy-efficient appliances, or insulation, to energy audits or a solar purchase, there is more that is being saved. If you conduct a point estimate for your electric bill compared to a green resource bill, you would more likely see a difference in savings. In addition, you would be either offsetting carbon footprints, reduction in fossil fuel consumption and most importantly contributing to save the environment. There is a high presence of reluctance when a recommendation for change is proposed – even with highlighted upside. Just like we have previously presented an assessment about renewable energy power provider, we wanted to inform people again about saving with renewable sources.
In addition to seizing the opportunities on federal and state rebates, there is also the return-on-investments and increased value inherited. An average pay back on wind and solar (with minimum install) is 5 – 7yrs – quite reasonable. So the incentives, tax credits and return on investments are among the things in it for you. A growing number of people are savoring these things, and counting…so find green, get green, save green!
Images courtesy of :
kennyshappysolar.com
ask.inc.com
Geothermal is good!
Posted on July 7th, 2011 by Nick
Ever wish you had an unlimited supply of thermal energy to keep you warm in the winter or cool in the summer? Well, you’ve always had it, but it was just not connected to you. There’s plenty of heat just below the Earth’s surface, and that’s where the benefits of a geothermal system come in.
The words “geo” (earth) and “thermal” (heat) literally mean “heat from the Earth.” Depending on your latitude, if you dig about 6 to 10 feet underground, the temperature of the earth is at a constant 45 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Scorching summers or blizzard winters, the heat underground stays relatively the same. This means you can run pipes from your home to the ground, to circulate a liquid to exchange heat, and control your temperature as needed.
For example, in the winter time, a geothermal heat pump moves the cold temperature into the ground, heats it up with the surrounding warmth of the earth, and brings the heat back up to the surface to warm up your indoor environment. Similarly, during the summer, the heat pump can reverse the process by moving the heat indoors to the ground where it’s cooler, and bring it back up for to cool down your environment.
Why Geothermal?
This process is a lot more efficient than using heating oil, gas, or electricity to heat up or cool down the surrounding air to a desired temperature.
According to the U.S. Dept. of Energy, geothermal heat pumps use 25% to 50% less electricity compared to regular heating/cooling systems.
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that a geothermal system reduces the consumed energy (and related emissions) by as much as 44% compared to air-source heat pumps, and by as much as 72% compared to electric heating with standard air-conditioning. In addition, geothermal systems do a great job maintaining indoor relative humidity at 50%, making them even more advantageous for people living in humid areas.
Geothermal systems are very quiet, since they don’t have an outside condenser unit like air conditioners do. The key components are easily accessible for maintenance. Warranties on the underground piping last 25-50 years, and the actual heat pump should last 20+ years.
The Incentives
The federal government offers 30% off your total cost for a geothermal heat pump installation, in the form of a personal tax credit. At the state level, Maryland offers rebates of $2,000 (residential) to $7,000 (non-residential). The District of Columbia doesn’t have any incentives for geothermal at the time of writing. Virginia doesn’t have any state rebates, however utilities such as TVA offer loans of up to $10,000 through a 3rd-party lender at a 6%-8% 10-year term.
As you can see, geothermal is an efficient and eco-friendly alternative for heating and cooling purposes. It’s a win-win for you and the environment.
Tags: geothermal, hvac
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
SG Blocks on Homes
This outta be more than a cool thing rather an amazing new wave in architectural technology topped with green initiative. Though it has been four years since its inception, their focus attests to the fact that green technology and innovation is just scratching the surface of efficient technology in construction. SG Blocks LLC is a missouri based company committed to developing greener construction in a stronger, efficient and renewable method. They excel in their construction services in Green Steel, Prefabrication and full modular construction. They primarily provide all these using steel shipping containers; which many don’t know is a good source of material that serves for a greater use than its initial purpose. SG Blocks Development Director stated that after shipping containers is used, ranging from six to ten years, they “…recycle them into a superior building product, which requires a minimum amount of energy expenditures leaving a minimal footprint in terms of impact on the environment”. These steeled containers are reported to stand much greater amount of resistance in terms of weatherization while its duration is in the span of 50 plus years. Compared to modified block or drywall construction, SG Block’s model is considered a preferred choice for remodeling by reduced construction of 30%, cheaper construction methods (than traditional projects) and significantly efficient as a leading transitional construction. It is amazing looking from these pictures, the design and model, structurally molded from steel containers. This grass-root innovation SG Block has created, will move to greater measures as it elevates greener construction projects and affordability. It will certainly change – if not already, the nature of modern building construction. Besides the impressive assessment of SG Blocks technology edge, it is important to understand that green remodeling is not only a better option but cheaper – especially with rise to recycled or renewable materials. Our purpose to highlight benefits of green remodeling is to impart newer knowledge of efficient housing endeavors to both uninformed and green-minded homeowners, share new DIY tips and encourage green remodeling practices to our DMV residents. what is the state of your home? Stressed about your high electric bill expense?We will be delighted to help for either an energy audit or wind REC transition option here. Tags: Green Construction and Remodeling, greener construction, recycled steel containers
Friday, July 1, 2011
4th of July – Celebrate with Green Fireworks
July 4, 2011 will mark anotherth Birthday of the American flag of fifty stars, but most importantly it will be a day when all Americans celebrate our independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Traditionally, the 4thof July is celebrated with the explosion of brightly colored pyrotechnics a.k.a fireworks but if you are an American you already know all this. However, did you know that traditional fireworks are filled with toxic pollutants such as “percholorate” which is an environmental pollutant with potential adverse effects on people and wildlife? In addition, some fireworks can also contain other harmful ingredients, such color-producing heavy metals which have the potential to contaminate our water supply if exploded over a lake or river. The good news is that researchers have developed new pyrotechnic formulas that replace “perchlorate” with nitrogen-rich materials or “nitrocellulose” which burns cleaner and produce less smoke. One company in which you can purchase these “Environmental Friendly” fireworks is called “BIG FIREWORKS”. Big Fireworks is the first to develop a green line of fireworks last year in 2009. Their Green Fireworks use 100% recycled material with as little packaging as possible and some are even smokless. Also, their Green items are free of the harmful ingredient “perchlorate” but instead full of nitrogen-rich materials called “nitrocellulose” as mentioned earlier. A link to their website can be found below: Buy Green Fireworks! https://www.bigfireworks.com/green-fireworks.aspx This 4th of July should not just be a celebration of a “Free America” but also the starting point for a “Greener America” where ALL Americans, not only a select few, make the conscience decision to participate in the green movement. It will not only have a positive impact on the environment today but it will also benefit FUTURE GENERATIONS. Start your “Green Celebration” today by entering your zipcode here! Sobuka connects people to green minded contractors. To find a contractor in your area, please visit us at www.sobuka.com and enter your zip code.