What happens when the cost of electricity in one town suddenly goes up 481%? On April 16th an avalanche destroyed several major transmission towers that delivered more than 80% of Juneau, Alaska’s power from a hydroelectric dam. For the next month, the city must rely on power from diesel fuel - which is much more expensive and dirty than hydroelectric. Residents have stepped up to the challenge (and the thought of facing electric bills in excess of $400 a month) and have reduced the city’s electricity use by 30% in a matter of weeks. They aren’t buying Priuses, or putting solar panels on their homes - they’re just using less. And the impact is insane.
The day before the avalanche, the city consumed 1,006 megawatt hours of electricity; on Friday, the number was 625.
Residents are buying out supplies of clothespins to dry their laundry outside; the lights have been dimmed at the indoor community pool; one of the two elevators at the public library was shut down and all the television screens on display at the local stores are turned off.
Although the rising cost of electricity is stressful for many residents, some see this situation as a chance for Juneau to prove itself green - and a model for the rest of us. If we reach a true energy crisis (and oil keeps climbing), we CAN reduce our energy use easily, simply, cheaply and quickly! Juneau is a model of the power of energy efficiency and conservation when everyone works together for a common goal.
The deadline to enter the Minnesota Home Energy Makeover contest is MIDNIGHT TOMORROW, THURSDAY MAY 15th - so get those entries in! You could be eligible to win a $15,000.00 home energy makeover, including such renovations as new windows and doors, insulation and new energy efficient appliances. Ten finalists will win complete home energy audits (valued at $600), and twenty-five random entries will win prizes like Kill-a-Watt meters, compact fluorescent light bulbs and coupons for energy efficient appliances. Enter online today!
A recent study from students at MIT has come to a startling conclusion - that even homeless Americans have a larger carbon footprint than the rest of the world.
Whether you live in a cardboard box or a luxurious mansion, whether you subsist on homegrown vegetables or wolf down imported steaks, whether you’re a jet-setter or a sedentary retiree, anyone who lives in the U.S. contributes more than twice as much greenhouse gas to the atmosphere as the global average, an MIT class has estimated. Link
This class, lead by Timothy Gutowski, professor of mechanical engineering, conducted detailed interviews and detailed estimates of the energy usage of 18 lifestyles, taking into account such complicated factors as the “rebound effect,” where someone spends the money they saved on energy efficiency on carbon heavy activities, like plane trips.
The “floor” for American carbon dioxide emissions is 8.5 tons per year - twice the global average. Why do Americans use so much more energy than the rest of the world? Apparently one of the major factors is the availability of government services, including police, roads, libraries and the court system.
What does this mean? Well, we all need to take a close look at our carbon footprints and seriously think about reducing them. Luckily enough, reducing your carbon footprint can also help you save money and improve your standard of living. It doesn’t take that much for us to knock our carbon footprints down, and if more Americans did, it would make a difference. Use the Minnesota Energy Challenge to see how your footprint compares and start saving today!
Add this to your growing list of reasons to fight global warming and lower your carbon footprint - a recent study from researchers at the University of London shows that men who live in heavily polluted areas may experience hair loss sooner, and quicker, than those who live in cleaner locals. Drive the speed limit, help keep your hair on longer?
The hardest part about taking action isn’t picking out what action you want to take, or even getting supplies, if any are needed. The hardest part about taking action is ACTUALLY TAKING ACTION: getting that extra gumption to do something and make a difference. It’s hard to let go of old habits. Apparently, using incandescent light bulbs is a really hard habit to break - so hard, in fact, that 17% of those surveyed by Sylvania would rather forego sex for an entire month than have to change ONE light bulb in ten years.
People.
Changing a light bulb is easy. You can buy energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs at a lot of stores these days, probably including your neighborhood hardware store. You go home, crack open the packaging, take out that shiny new compact fluorescent, throw away your old wasteful incandescent and bathe in the beautiful glow of saving energy, saving money, being good to the environment and your bank account at the same time.
Just a reminder - do not miss out on the Living Green Expo this Saturday and Sunday, May 3rd and 4th, from 10am to 5pm in the Grandstand at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Family friendly, food and workshops, lots of exhibitors (including yours truly, of course) and a plethora of good green information on living a healthier, more sustainable life. See you there!
Some lawmakers in the House are a liiiittle peeved about an apparently overlooked amendment to last year’s energy bill that requires House members who lease vehicles through their office budgets to lease vehicles that emit low levels of greenhouse gases. A few are pretty testy about giving up their Ford Expeditions, Lincoln Town Cars and Infiniti M45s in favor of a Prius. Not surprisingly, Representative Emanuel Cleaver II, a Democrat from Missouri, who sought the requirement, drives a converted former airport shuttle that runs on used cooking grease.
“They want their Lexuses and their Cadillacs,” [Clever] said. “I just think it’s a poor example for us to spend so much time talking about energy independence and global warming and presenting to the people an image of fat cats living the fat life.”
Transportation is a big part of greenhouse gas emissions - 37% of Minnesota’s total CO2 pollution comes from vehicles, and the vast majority from passenger vehicles. So changing transportation habits is a big part of the battle. Good luck, Representatives!
One question I get asked fairly frequently (along with “what’s with the mercury in CFLs” and “how did you get this job”) is “what is more energy efficient - washing dishes by hand or using a dishwasher?” Heating water can account for up to 20% of a Minnesotan’s energy bill and creates a lot of carbon dioxide pollution, so using less hot water is a good goal to work towards. Dishes, however, must be washed properly to ensure high levels of sanitation - which means hot, hot water. So what is better, using a dishwasher or using your own two hands?
Stop pre-rinsing. If there’s food left on the plate, scrape it off instead of using water, and you can avoid using up to twenty-five gallons of water when you clean your dishes. Your dishes will get just as clean, we promise.
Get an EnergyStar dishwasher! These dishwashers are almost 50% more efficient that the minimum Federal energy consumption standards, which means you spend less money on water and electricity, and more money on…fun things.
Pack things in - run your dishwasher only when it is full.
What with over 10,000 Minnesotans using the Minnesota Energy Challenge to pledge to reduce their use, I thought it was time we spruced up the blog a little bit. Now we’re pledging to avoid the same amount of pollution that would be avoided by planting over a million tree seedlings and helping them grow for ten years. That’s a real commitment and real savings, and that’s the real impact of the Minnesota Energy Challenge. We’re a forest! Pledge today!
Don’t let the accents throw you off - these Brits are onto something.
The Energy Saving Trust in the UK was sick of hearing people complain about the difference between compact fluorescent light bulbs and the old energy-wasting incandescents, so they set up a sort of Pepsi challenge to see if shoppers could actually tell the difference between the bulbs. And, well, they couldn’t!
“Although 70 per cent of the 761 shoppers that were asked to step inside the booths thought they could spot the difference, 53 per cent got it wrong or admitted they couldn’t see any difference. A whopping 64 per cent of the guinea pigs said they preferred the light in booth A, which was in fact the energy-saving lightbulb.” Link
