Jeff Barrie is an award winning film maker who has made environmental films throughout his career. "Kilowatt Ours" is his latest documentary and is going to be seen on many national public televisions stations this Fall.

After watching the Democratic and Republican National Convention, one thing really hit home.  We not only need change in Washington, but we also need to reclaim our independence.  We have become dependent upon other countries for our economic survival.  The foreign oil issue is finally coming to the forefront of American's minds as an issue that needs to be addressed and dealt with immediately.

The biggest difference that I saw with the two conventions was their action plans on energy.  They both agreed that measures needed to be taken in the U.S. to stop our dependence on foreign oil, however, one party embraced the conservation ideal more than the other.  The Republican Party embraced the growth and consumptive America that has lead us down this path and the Democratic Party stressed that conservation and alternative clean energy needed to be a priority.  The Republican Party stressed more nuclear power plants to be built and drilling.  The Democratic Party stated that drilling would have to occur to get us over this hurdle, but more money should be put into innovation in clean energy and renewable resources.

I am a proud American who loves my country.  I want to make sure that we understand how precious our natural resources really are.  I want our country to embrace the ideal that sustainable resources are the only moral choice for our prosperity and survival. 

Take a moment and think about your daily energy consumption.  Could you possibly lessen your energy usage?
Many people do not consciously think about the energy that they use, how it is made, where it comes from or even how much it costs them.  Right now I am typing on my computer which uses electricity.  I am also in a room with a light on which uses electricity.  I currently have my air conditioning off (I live in the South), but on many hot and humid days it is on.  If you were to ask me last week where the electricity that I use is generated from and where they got their fuel, I would have had no clue.  Now, I am more conscious about the impact that energy has on me, my family, my wallet and my environment,

This week, see if you are able to conserve energy that you would normally use.  This means opening up windows to allow fresh air in instead of air conditioning, using more natural light, walking or biking instead of driving, buying local goods instead of goods that are shipped from far away places and reading your energy bill until you understand how and where your energy comes from.

Irrigation

 

Water irrigation is necessary to keep lawns, gardens and parkways at their best.  Mother Nature provides the resources of rainwater, but sometimes a little added help is needed.  Effective water irrigation starts by appropriate planting and efficient irrigation systems that can reduce irrigation water use by 50% to 70% and overall water consumption by up to 25%.

 

The first place to start is with a reputable irrigation specialist who can assist you in designing your irrigation system.  The irrigation specialist will explain the reasoning behind the techniques needed for your specific property.  They will also walk you through step-by-step, so you that you will understand the maintenance needed on your specific system. 

 

There are many different types of systems ranging from portable lawn sprinklers to automatic sprinkler systems, drip irrigation and rain barrels.   Your lawn and garden can benefit from using each type of system because they each deliver water in a different way.

 

Underground or Automatic Sprinkler System

 

Automatic or underground sprinkler systems are a network of buried pipes interspersed with sprinkler heads that spray water above ground over lawns, plants, trees, and shrubs. In particular, lawns and ground covers are ideally suited to sprinkler systems.

 

Watering your lawn can be an easy task if you have an automatic sprinkler system on your side. However, remember that you should properly program and use it. If you try to ride throughout the year with just one timer setting, you're going to waste water and money. Instead, adjust the timer as the seasons and rainfall patterns change. As well, try to invest in a system that comes with rain sensors.  If it has a rain sensor or switch, the system settings will change on their own and the sprinklers won't turn on if there has been heavy rainfall.

 

An automatic system does require maintenance.  It must be properly winterized and “tuned up” in the spring.  When the ground freezes, so does the pipes buried within it.  Having your irrigation specialist check on it can save costly repairs in the future.

 

 

Drip Systems

 

Drip irrigation is watering at a slow rate (or drip) right at the roots of plants. Root irrigation is a good water conservation choice because it provides a deeper level of watering than surface watering, which is prone to wastage due to evaporation and runoff.

 

When you install drip irrigation lines they do not need to be buried (although they can be if you prefer), so you can easily move them about and make adjustments to the watering pattern as needed.

 

Portable Systems

 

When a little watering is all that is needed and it is in a remote area in which you do not have an irrigation system installed, a portable sprinkler can accommodate.  They come in a variety of sizes and have many levels to adjust for height and range of water.

 

 

What is the best time to water my lawn?

 

Watering in the morning when the sun is low, the temperatures are cool and the winds are calm ensures that the water will not evaporate before it gets to your lawn.  Watering in the middle of the day is not as effective.  If you water in the evening, your lawn can stay wet al night and invite fungal diseases.

 

 

Some steps to efficient water irrigation:

1. Group plants with similar water requirements on common zones to match precipitation heads and emitters.
2. Use drip irrigation for trees, shrub beds and areas of groundcover to eliminate evaporation losses.

3.  Choose low-volume, low-angle sprinklers for lawn areas.

4.  Select heads that fit the size and shape of the areas to be watered.

5.  Program automatic controllers for night irrigation to reduce losses due to evaporation and wind drift.

6.  Select controllers with adjustable watering schedules and moisture sensors to account for seasonal variations, and calibrate them during commissioning.

7.  Where possible, use gray water for irrigation.

8.  Use barrels at the bottom of rainwater leaders for manual irrigation of trees and shrubs.

9.  Place 3 to 5 in. of mulch on planting beds each spring to minimize evaporation.

 

Our Foe Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is an important chemical used widely by industry to manufacture building materials and numerous household products. It is also a by-product of combustion and certain other natural processes. Therefore, it may be present in significant concentrations both indoors and outdoors.

The most significant sources of formaldehyde in a home are likely to be pressed wood products made using adhesives that contain urea-formaldehyde (UF) resins. Pressed wood products made for indoor use include: particleboard (used as sub-flooring and shelving and in cabinetry and furniture); hardwood plywood paneling (used for decorative wall covering and used in cabinets and furniture); and medium density fiberboard (used for drawer fronts, cabinets, and furniture tops). Medium density fiberboard contains a higher resin-to-wood ratio than any other UF pressed wood product and is generally recognized as being the highest formaldehyde-emitting pressed wood product.

Other pressed wood products, such as softwood plywood and flake or oriented strandboard, are produced for exterior construction use and contain the dark, or red/black-colored phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resin. Although formaldehyde is present in both types of resins, pressed woods that contain PF resin generally emit formaldehyde at considerably lower rates than those containing UF resin.

The rate at which products like pressed wood or textiles release formaldehyde can change. Formaldehyde emissions will generally decrease as products age. When the products are new, high indoor temperatures or humidity can cause increased release of formaldehyde from these products.

Formaldehyde, a colorless, pungent-smelling gas, can cause watery eyes, burning sensations in the eyes and throat, nausea, and difficulty in breathing in some humans exposed at elevated levels (above 0.1 parts per million). High concentrations may trigger attacks in people with asthma. There is evidence that some people can develop a sensitivity to formaldehyde. It has also been shown to cause cancer in animals and may cause cancer in humans.

Reducing Exposure to Formaldehyde in Homes

Some studies suggest that coating pressed wood products with polyurethane may reduce formaldehyde emissions for some period of time. To be effective, any such coating must cover all surfaces and edges and remain intact. Increase the ventilation and carefully follow the manufacturer instructions while applying these coatings. (If you are sensitive to formaldehyde, check the label contents before purchasing coating products to avoid buying products that contain formaldehyde, as they will emit the chemical for a short time after application.) Maintain moderate temperature and humidity levels and provide adequate ventilation. The rate at which formaldehyde is released is accelerated by heat and may also depend somewhat on the humidity level. Therefore, the use of dehumidifiers and air conditioning to control humidity and to maintain a moderate temperature can help reduce formaldehyde emissions. (Drain and clean dehumidifier collection trays frequently so that they do not become a breeding ground for microorganisms.) Increasing the rate of ventilation in your home will also help in reducing formaldehyde levels.

 

Water Conservation – Bathroom

There are two rooms in the home where water is used the most in the home.  The first is the bathroom followed by the laundry room.  Water conservation can easily be accommodated in these rooms with a little guidance and proper product purchasing.

The average number of gallons of water that a person consumes daily is 70 gallons.  Most of the water is personally used is in the bathroom.  There are a number of ways that a homeowner can choose to select to improve their bathroom water conservation.

Toilet

Between 28-40% of the household water is used by the toilet.  Reducing this percentage is the first step toward water conservation.

According to the Federal Energy Policy Act of 1992, all toilets designed and sold after January 1, 1994 are to use no more than 1.6 gallons of water per flush.  Prior to the law, the conventional toilet used up to five gallons per flush.  This law was passed to not only improve bathroom water conservation, but also reduce the toilet tank size by more than half

Two types of toilets that are know for their water conservation are the dual flush and the air assisted toilets.  The dual flush toilet saves a significant amount of water by its design of different flushes for waste product.  The general rate of water used for dual flush toilets is 1.6 gallons for solid waste and .8 gallons for liquids.  The air assisted toilets use one half gallon per flush.

Leaky toilets are a hazard to your home and water conservation.  Try to identify if you toilet has a leak by placing food coloring in your toilet tank.  If the color shows up in the bowl without the toilet being flushed, you have a leak to repair.  A drip or leak can waste hundreds of gallons a day.

Shower

Showers are responsible for about 30% of home water use.  Prior to 1992, the standard water flow to a showerhead was 4.5 gallons per minute. The Federal Energy Policy Act of 1992 requires showerheads manufactured in the United States to set maximum water flow at or below 2.5 gallons per minute when the pressure is 80 pounds per square inch. If you have a pre-1992 showerhead, you can save significant money by replacing it.   

Shortening the length of a shower or showering in place of a bath can also save money.  Filling up a bathtub can take two and a half times more water than is used in a 5 minute shower.

Some select showerheads now feature “pause” as a setting.  This setting allows you to turn off the water while you lather or shave.

Bathroom Sink

One way to save water while using the bathroom sink is to install a low-flow faucet aerator.  Some aerators can restrict water flow to less than 1 gallon per minute.

Do not let the water run continuously from you bathroom faucet while you brush your teeth, shave or wash you hands.  Only turn on the water when necessary.

Check and repair a faucet if it has a leak.  Repairing a leaky faucet can save as much as up to 140 gallons per week.

 

The rate of consumption for water-saving devices or products can vary significantly.  Please check your product packaging and instructions on the plumbing fixture you plan to purchase to determine the water efficiency.

Energy in the Kitchen and Laundry Room

 

When selecting appliances many times it is the features such as the six burners, timed delayed cook, or instant crushed ice that can draw our eye.  Although those features are very important to the consumer, another feature than can be often overlooked is the energy efficiency of the appliance.

 

Energy efficiency is as important as any feature to the product.  An easy way to make sure that you are purchasing an efficient appliance is to look for the Energy Star label.  The label denotes how much energy the appliance typically uses per year and how much it would approximately cost you to run the appliance.

 

Energy Star is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy which helps us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products. Energy efficient choices can save families about one third of their energy bill with similar saving of greenhouse gas emissions, without sacrificing features, style or comfort. 

 

For a complete list of Energy Star appliances please check out www.EnergyStar.gov

 

 

Refrigerators

 

Many top line model refrigerators now have Energy Star ratings.  Refrigerators that are Energy Star rated require approximately half as much energy as models manufactured prior to 1993.  As a matter of fact, Energy Star models use 40% less energy than the conventional models sold in 2001 and 20% less energy than required by the current federal standards.

 

The refrigerator is the single biggest energy consuming kitchen appliance.  If you would replace a refrigerator bought in 1990 with a new Energy Star qualified model, you would save enough energy to light the average household for almost three months.

 

Some helpful tips:

Position your refrigerator away from a heat source such as an oven, dishwasher, or direct sunlight from a window

All air to circulate around the condenser coils and leave a space between the wall or cabinets

Keep coils clean

Keep refrigerator between 35 and 38 degrees Fahrenheit and your freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit

Recycle your older of second refrigerator. For more information go to www.RecycleMyOldFridge.com

 

 

  

Clothes Washer

 

Clothes washers that are energy efficient come in either front-load or redesigned top-load designs.  Energy Star rated clothes washers cut energy and water consumption by up to 40% compared to conventional washers.

 

The characteristics that make a clothes washer more energy efficient are the high spin speeds and no central agitator.  With an efficient motor that spins clothes two to three time fasters than during a normal spin cycle, it can extract more water.  With less water absorbed into your clothes that means that it will take less time and energy to dry the clothes.  Front load clothes washers tumble clothes through a small amount of water instead of rubbing clothes against an agitator in a full tub of water.  Advanced top loaders use sophisticated wash systems to flip or spin clothes through a reduced stream of water.  Both designs dramatically reduce the amount of hot water use in the wash cycle, and the energy used to heat it.