HomeInfoNet.net

Whether you are motivated by money or concern about global warming, changing out your light bulbs and fixtures can make a huge difference on both fronts.

I was driving down the 405 freeway in Los Angeles one day past Long Beach. If you have made the drive, you know much of it occurs at speeds of about 5 miles an hour given the traffic. As I inched along, I slowly passed the local gasoline refinery. I tisked my head thinking of all the harm coming from the massive pollutants. Of course, I was driving a car, but why look in the mirror?

Upon arriving home, I did what every American does. I flipped on the television and started channel surfing. Settling on a home improvement show, I was surprised to hear a lengthy desertion on light bulbs and light fixtures. Considering the fact I had about 8 lights on at the time, I paid a bit more attention and learned some interesting things.

The lighting in our homes is a massive energy waster. Because we receive the electricity from petroleum fueled power plants, this energy waste also contributes to the climate problems we are having since the power plants emit greenhouse gases. Cutting to the chase, most light bulbs and light fixtures are roughly 60 percent efficient. Unless you are playing baseball, that is a criminal figure.

The high and mighty who whine about the destruction of the environment [that would be me] should take a look at the lighting in their home. Lumbering off the couch, I did just that and found that all my light bulbs were energy wasters. The next day, I slunk down to the hardware store, picked up some Energy Star bulbs and was able to climb back up on my soap box.

So, you are probably wondering what kind of a difference changing your light bulbs could possible make. Well, a lot. If each household in the country changes five light bulbs, we will eliminate one TRILLION pounds of greenhouse gases from being emitted to the atmosphere. The country in general will save over six billion dollars in energy use. Individually, each household will save $60 on average, which more than makes up for the cost of buying the energy efficient bulbs.

It was somewhat surprising to me that such a small change could make such a big impact. If you feel strongly about the environment, global warming or just saving some money on the utility bill, you should probably go have a look at your lights.

Rick Chapo is with SolarCompanies.com - visit us for more information on renewable energy.

Share This

The fastest growing alternative energy platform in the United States is the wind. No, I’m not blowing hot air.

Cheap and Productive

Manipulating the wind to generate electricity for your home is cheap, easy and very misunderstood. First, you don’t have to live in the middle of tornado alley to generate electricity from the wind. Second, you don’t need tulips and windmill like you’ve seen in pictures of Holland. Third, smaller wind systems are so simply, you can do it yourself.

Okay, let’s generate some enthusiasm on your part for improving your home with wind power.

1. Small wind platforms can cut your utility bill by more than half.

2. Wind systems can work with barely any wind at all.

3. Most wind systems are so small, nobody will even notice them.

4. You can install a small wind system yourself.

5. A small wind system will run you around $1,000 and pay for itself in a year depending on your current utility bill.

6. Wind power is the fastest growing energy producer in the world.

7. You can get financial incentives for improving your home with wind power.

When talking about wind power, understand that technological advances have dramatically changed the systems. Forget windmills, turbines and large structures. Unless you own a city, you will not be dealing with those. Instead, modern residential wind systems essentially look like weathervanes on top of 30 foot poles. They are no bigger than a couple of feet long, have three blades and are very thin. It is no different than having a flag pole in your backyard, except this one saves you a ton of money.

The wind system works in a very compact an efficient manner. The wind hits the blades and turns them. Directly behind the blades is a small generator, which converts the turning blades into power. The power is then transferred to the ground through basic wiring where you can either store it in a battery or feed it directly back into the utility grid if allowed. If the utility option is available, I recommend you take it since batteries can be the most expensive part of the system.

That’s it. The world’s simplest energy producing system is wind. As long as it exists, you will always be able to tap it for power.

Rick Chapo is with SolarCompanies.com, a directory of solar energy companies. Visit us to read more articles on renewable energy and wind power.

Share This

What if I said you could cut your electric bill by 50 to 90 percent? Well, you can by installing a small, residential wind turbine on your property.

Improve Your Home With A Residential Wind Turbine

When you combine the cost of fossil fuels with the pollution and climate problems they create, it can all get a bit overwhelming. It is easy to find oneself wondering where to start when dealing with these problems. Given the state of fear attitude portrayed in most media, this is hardly a surprise. Surprisingly, the answers are fairly simple if you wade through the hype.

Wind power is a renewable energy source with a lot going for it. It produces electricity by converting the inherent energy in wind through a generator in a wind turbine. It produces no pollutants of any sort and will be available to us for as long as wind exists, to wit, a very long time. Given this fact, you are probably wondering if you are supposed to build a bunch of turbines in your yard. Nope!

As a conscientious person, you can do your part for the environment while saving some serious money on your utility bill. Residential wind turbines are the answer. Often given the nickname “small wind”, these turbines are designed to work on a per home basis. Given the right conditions, a residential turbine can produce all of the electricity you need and more. In fact, the generator will be hooked up to the utility grid and you can actually sell power to the utility if you produce more than you need.

Now, the word turbine can be a bit intimidating. When I think of a turbine, I picture something large and loud. In the case of small wind, this is not the case. The machinery makes a bit of noisy, but nothing substantial. Although sizes vary, your little power producer will be roughly three to five feet wide from the tip of one propeller to the other.

The one area where residential wind power may be a problem involves height. To make electricity, your turbine needs to get 10 miles an hour of wind. This may sound like a lot, but it often is not if you go 20 or 30 feet up in the air. To this end, you can do a search for small wind information to find out the statistics for your area.

Assuming wind power makes sense for your home, you should be able to greatly reduce or outright eliminate your electricity bill.

Rick Chapo is with SolarCompanies.com Visit us to read more articles on wind power.

Share This