Solar Energy Disadvantages
Written on July 11, 2011 at 8:40 pm, by Michael Rudnicki
So, you want to help the environment and ‘go green’, right? As you know, there are many energy-saving devices out there and then there is old, tried, and true $olar energy—but beware—there are many dark secrets that solar energy has been keeping to itself so you just might want to keep reading so you’re not going into this marriage without knowing all you need to know!
Cost of Solar
Whenever talks about solar energy come up, the first issue to rear its ugly head is the cost associated with it—granted, this isn’t the 1980’s that carried a huge price tag for this technology, but it still must be considered.
The cost disadvantage is also being addressed by the solar industry and serious advances are being made toward increasing efficiency and reducing the expense of raw materials, both of which will make solar alternatives more affordable—but this seems to be moving at a snail’s pace.
Location, Location, Location
There are so few locations on Earth that do not receive some sunlight that you may not think this is possible, but consider this: there may be some obstructions near your home (landscape, other buildings, etc) that may prohibit proper or optimal sunlight access.
Solar panels will continue to produce power on overcast days, but at a reduced rate—in particularly rainy or overcast locations, more panels will be needed in order to operate your household efficiently.
Keep in mind that no matter how much sunlight comes your way, your solar system is rendered useless at night and those pesky batteries can run you at least $100 and way up from that!
Size of Solar Panels
You’ve seen them—they’re massive, unsightly objects on a roof—in order to power your home with solar, a large, unobstructed (see previous disadvantage) that is relatively flat or angled ‘just right’ where sunlight strikes it for about five (5) hours a day or more
Roofing
Speaking of the size of the solar panels and their size, your roofing considerations must be carefully thought prior to an installation of such magnitude. Once the solar system has been installed, repairs, replacement, and maintenance to an existing roof can become very expensive and labor intensive. If major roof repair is required, the system must be removed—costly!
Be sure that your roof is in great condition before the addition of any solar powered system—ideally, your roof should be sound in structure and less than seven (7) years old before an install.
Aesthetically Pleasing?
Let’s face it…you spent a pretty penny on your home and the thought of those huge panels makes your stomach turn just a bit, right? Some roofing materials will adapt a little better than others to the installation of a solar array, but many homeowners (and their neighbors) are unenthusiastic to place a huge PV (photovoltaic) array on their home—and who can blame them? Do these companies really think that adding solar panels enhances to look of nice home?
To be fair, much of this disadvantage is being addressed with thin film photovoltaics, flexible PV, and spray on solar—my favorite—the solar shingle!
How Solar Harms the Environment
You may not realize this, but solar energy does employ the use of batteries—if you have an off-grid system, chances are pretty good that you also have a bank of deep cycle lead acid batteries.
A lead acid battery’s contents of both lead and sulphuric acid are toxic to the environment’s air, soil and water and are highly poisonous to marine life. Improperly managed, these can lead to a serious environmental disadvantage of solar energy use
So What Can You Do?
This is an easy question to answer—there are many energy-saving devices on the market these days—some work and others, well—don’t!
There is an amazing device manufactured by EcoWatt Energy in Rancho Cucamonga, California for both residential and commercial use that guarantees savings on your monthly electric bills! The XRP-Lite is made for homes and the XRP-Pro is designed for small business and commercial use.
The XRP’s say that they can help to optimize the energy that comes into your home or businesses grid and reduce the pull of electricity you need from the electric company that will reduce your bill—for residential, they tout a 15% plus savings and for commercial, they guarantee at least 10% monthly.
The cost of these systems is a fraction of solar, the devices easily install within an hour and the savings they generate are immediate and can be tracked…
EcoWatt Energy Launches Guaranteed Energy-Saving Device
Written on June 23, 2011 at 4:53 pm, by Michael Rudnicki
RANCHO CUCAMONGA—June 22, 2011—EcoWatt Energy today introduced their energy-saving device, the XRP-Lite—a device that guarantees savings on consumers’ monthly electric bills. The XRP-Lite is designed for residential and small businesses alike.
“We’re thrilled to be launching our energy-saving device that has proven it can save residential and small commercial customers money on their monthly electric bills. Not only that, but this device helps to reduce energy that the utility companies have to push out, thus helping the environment due to the reduction of carbon dioxide gasses,” says Mickey Gross, CEO, EcoWatt Energy. “This product has been built from the ground up at EcoWatt Energy’s facility in Rancho Cucamonga.”
EcoWatt Energy has a calculator right on their website that allows you to enter the amount of your last electric bill, or any bill for that matter, and see what your potential monthly savings are, gauge your annual savings, a five year outlook of savings, as well as how long it will take to get your return on investment back. This tool is one of the smartest aspects of their website with all of us more cognizant of our outgoing expenses.
The Smart Meter’s Role
In July of 2006, California’s energy regulators approved a program to roll out about nine million conventional meters retrofit with communications co-processor electronics to gas and electric customers in the Northern California territory of Pacific Gas and Electric (PG & E). Since then, more states have followed suit with their own deployments of smart meters and the majority of these have been met with harsh criticism due to consumers’ electric bills rising even though their usage has remained the same.
The smart meters are designed to allow the utility companies to track voltage levels and now power events can be tracked and logged across the entire customer base. These new digital meters also allow customers to see their own energy usage which may assist them in reducing consumption.
The big issues with the smart meters lies within the breadth of the utility’s expectations of the everyday consumer—they expect the consumers to track when energy costs are at a minimum and then use their electricity. Most people are not going to wake up at 2am to wash the dishes, do laundry, or cook—and when is a good time to not run your air conditioning in the Summer or heat in the Winter? With the analog meters of the past, there was no way for the utility to see how much stored energy you had in your home or business’ system—now they can and they are charging for it!
This is where EcoWatt Energy’s XRP-Lite delivers results—guaranteed! The XRP-Lite device guarantees a savings on your monthly electric bill—the XRP-Lite, built for residential and small commercial use, carries a guarantee of 15% savings on your monthly electric usage.
Unlike the smart meter, where the utility company relies on you to track your usage and lower rate times, EcoWatt Energy’s XRP-Lite starts saving you money from the moment it is installed—there is no downtime, no power to shut off, and no change in your electricity usage habits—this is truly business as usual. There is no maintenance needed to the device and it can be installed in about an hour’s time.
With energy costs on the rise and the utility companies being mandated to lower emissions and reduce consumption, EcoWatt Energy’s XRP-Lite will certainly assist in both endeavors.
This Isn’t Your Father’s KVAR
Usually when anyone hears about energy-saving devices, KVAR pops into their head—you know the old ‘one size fits all’ solution of the past? Let’s be clear, EcoWatt Energy’s XRP-Lite is not KVAR and is not mass produced—it is produced to the exact specifications of a field survey that is completed by a professional electrician to ensure that the device is working to its optimum potential. EcoWatt Energy’s mentality behind this is that not all homes or businesses are identical—any they’re right.
The biggest separator between the XRP-Lite and KVAR is that the XRP device has a monitoring device that allows the consumer to program up to 11 appliances such as your AC unit, refrigerator, freezer, etc. to monitor their usage, forecast their upcoming bills, and to alert them of any possible issues with their electrical system—KVAR certainly cannot do this and, frankly, no other energy-saving devices can either.
Benefits of the XRP-Lite
With today’s ‘green movements’ popping up all over the globe, EcoWatt Energy has really taken this to task as their device was designed to immediately reduce energy consumption upon installation, help to reclaim and recycle your previously lost electrical energy, as well as increase the lifespan of electric motors through stress and heat reduction. You may not totally understand the science behind such energy-saving devices, but a couple of other benefits they offer are balancing the electrical panel, optimizing the power to all inductive loads, and actually stops the loss of kilowatts from surges and spikes in your system.
All of these benefits culminate into lower electric bills for consumers, reduced energy consumption which now means the utility companies do not have to push out as much energy as they once did—this is particularly beneficial for the utilities as the current power grids are aged and the less they have to produce for us, the longer they can last. One of the major benefits for consumers is that the inductive-load appliances and systems (refrigerators, freezers, and A/C units) will last longer and work more efficiently.
The best part of the XRP-Lite is that it carries an average return on investment (ROI) of less than 15 months and both have a comprehensive warranty program in place in the rare event that there is a manufacturing defect. The XRP-Lite, designed for residential and small commercial use, has a guaranteed savings of 15% or more off of your monthly electric bill or they’ll refund your money.
Who is EcoWatt Energy?
EcoWatt Energy is an energy solutions company with a focus of making a positive impact on what is now a growing, worldwide energy crisis. As a Three Green Company, they are saving money, energy, and the environment Their mission is to provide energy-saving products that are not only eco-friendly, but affordable for each and every energy consumer—residential and commercial.
EcoWatt Energy is dedicated to changing the world’s future for every generation by providing all energy users the opportunity to reduce pollutants such as CO2 emissions and cancerous EMF’s and helps to eliminate $16 billion in wasted energy. They have engineered safe, effective and affordable technology that could significantly reduce consumption and costs of electricity that would immediately create a measurable impact of savings for consumers that would not require tens of thousands of dollars upfront investment to implement. For more on EcoWatt Energy, check out their website at ecowattenergy.com or you can call them @ 855-ECO-WATT (855-326-9288).
Smart Meters—Heroes or Zeros?
Written on March 16, 2011 at 2:29 pm, by Michael Rudnicki
Quick…where is the electric meter located on your home? Who cares, right? Well, before going green (I am so sick of that term) and energy became a hot topic, no one really cared about the electric meter—it was the ugly box on the side of the house that we paid little attention to—except for the utility person who had the unenviable job of reading them monthly.
My how times have changed—that box has caused such an outrage that people have literally taken to the streets in protest of its use recently. For example, in California, protesters gathered outside the California Public Utilities Commission a couple of weeks ago claiming that the new metering technology not only makes people sick, but also violates their Constitutional rights (really?). This kind of opposition has been lingering in California for some time now and has spread into other states with smart meters.
On the other hand, the new meters, ‘smart meters’, are hailed as the ad the dependence counselors that will save us from our addiction on foreign energy solutions. With this, the utility companies are racing to replace the old analog (if the new meters are ‘smart’, are the old ones ‘dumb’?) meters with the new digital ones—North America and Europe will be replacing 45% of their meters with smart ones by 2015.
Does it come as a surprise that the Electric Power Research Institute recently got into the scrum with a study into the safety of smart meters? Well, it shouldn’t—good watchdogs—(insert sarcastic tone here). The study concluded that the radio frequency (RF) exposure levels from the meters—at least the type examined by EPRI—are too low to be of any danger to humanity and its health. In fact, the same study found smart meter emissions, even at the maximum push, are about equal to emissions from Wi-Fi routers and radio and television transmission; and they are far lower than exposure fields from cell phones or microwave ovens, both of which we use in much closer proximity to our bodies.
The smart meters use a digital technology known as advanced metering infrastructure to allow for two-way communication between the household and the utility. When optimally used, the smart meter provides price signals from the utility so that cost-conscious consumers can choose when to do laundry, cook dinner (weird, but I am sure that most people do not need to know when to cook dinner) or undertake other energy-consuming activities. The idea is to discourage use of the electric grid when it is under strain. This will allow us to cut back on the number of peaking power plants we must build—these plants, which use fossil fuels, emit harmful pollutants.
Now, the part that gets me is this: if the utility companies start telling all of us when to cook, do laundry, run the dishwasher, etc and say that these are the times when the energy is at its lowest rate, won’t the rate start to climb when we all use energy at the same time as this is what happens now? Hmmmmm….I think so…seems a little too easy. Thoughts?
So, whichever side you take, whether you think smart meters are a hero or a zero, there are health issues to consider; smart meters can increase RF exposure—lack of smart meters over the long term increases emissions from power generation. Stay tuned as I am sure we’ll hear much more about this topic.
One thing is for certain—that ugly box on the side of your house is no longer to be ignored. Like so many other things in the energy field, its significance is increasing in US policy, economic and health debate. Energy is front and center in the public eye—costs, usage, conservation, etc…Keep in mind—the smart meter can only help us so much—it’s the consumers who lead the way!
Solutions for Electricity Loss
Written on March 14, 2011 at 3:57 pm, by Michael Rudnicki
There are so many ‘know-it-alls’ when it comes to energy conservation these days that it’s hard to keep it all straight. If you’re working to help save the environment or you worry about saving money , more than likely, you have been searching for tips and tricks to help you save electricity, thus saving you money. Where has all of this gotten you? Really…with the market saturated with ‘information’ and this company saying one thing and that company disproving the other company how do you know who to trust? As always, I’ll do my best to clear up any issues and explain a few things and offer some solutions….ready?
Let’s cover line loss to begin so you can understand where the majority of electricity is lost and know that there is nothing you can do to fix this issue. Line loss is a reason that you should consider cutting back on the amount of electricity that your are using—both residential and commercial. If you take a quick look at the numbers on the emissions from your household electricity based upon the amount of consumption you see on the electric bill, you may be off—in fact it may 6-10% higher than you thought and this is due to line loss.
Well, what is line loss, exactly? Here goes—as electricity travels through the lines for many miles to get to your home, there is some resistance that occurs, and some of that energy is lost along the way; it is usually lost as heat. The further electricity travels, the more it gets lost. Let’s looks at some numbers on it:
For every 10 tons of coal that is burned to create electricity, because of line loss, one (1) ton can be lost; the loss that is solely in the United States is estimated to be enough to run 14 cities that are the size of New York City! Talk about a ton of energy lost that we, as consumers pay for and never get to use, not to mention the waste of coal as a resource.
So now you’re wondering just how much energy is lost due to line loss within your home state, right? Ok, maybe you weren’t but I am going to go over it…you can look at the estimates given on an annual basis on-line by the Energy Information Administration. Look up your state and then check out table 10 on the page—this offers the figures on line loss. You might just be surprised how much energy your state loses to line loss.
So, now you want a solution…there are some available. Most of the solutions to line loss are expensive and complex and are currently being worked on. Solutions like transmissions lines that are refrigerated to help avoid this loss. Another solution can be grids connected to solar power systems—although not entirely efficient, it is more efficient than the power station that uses coal.
The most inexpensive solution—for both residential and commercial consumers—is EcoWatt Energy’s-XRP. This compact powerhouse helps to optimize the energy that comes into your home or business. Most don’t realize that they only use about 75% of the electricity that comes into their home—the rest of it bleeds back to the grid (utility) and is then cycled back into your home or business’s grid for you to use—and pay for again!
The XRP balances out your box and allows the energy that was drawn into your home or business to be used to its optimum as it stays on your grid and is only used by you and is only paid for one time as opposed to the traditional way we do it now. Why should we pay for our electricity twice? There’s no reason to with the XRP from EcoWatt Energy!
kVAR user? Try the XRP instead!
Written on March 14, 2011 at 3:57 pm, by Michael Rudnicki
I have been looking into kVAR units and their claims that they can reduce residential and commercial users’ electric bills each month—all signs point to this as not true! They also say that they can prolong the productive lifespan of motors and appliances by reducing the reactive power (kVAR) that is needed from the utility company—again, all signs point to another falsehood.
No data has been seen that proves that these types of products for residential (or commercial) use accomplish what they say they do. Power factor correction devices do improve power quality but do not generally improve energy efficiency—(meaning they will not reduce your energy bills).
Of course there are several reasons why their energy efficiency claims could be exaggerated—let’s cover them, shall we?
Residential customers are not charged for KVA-hour usage, but by kilowatt-hour usage—this means that any savings in energy demand will not directly result in lowering a residential user’s utility bill
The only potential for real power savings would occur if the product were only put in the circuit while a reactive load (such as a motor) were running and then taken out of the circuit when the motor is not running—this is most impractical as your home has many motors that can run at any time (refrigerator, HVAC system, vacuum cleaner, etc) but the unit is intended for permanent, unattended connection near the house breaker panel.
As for commercial facilities, power factor correction will rarely be cost-effective based on energy savings alone. The bulk of cost savings power factor correction can offer is in the form of avoided utility charges for low power factor. Energy savings are usually below 1% and always below 3% of load, the higher percentage occurring where motors are a large fraction of the overall load of a facility. Energy savings alone do not make an install cost effective.
Well, now for EcoWatt’ Energy’s XRP!
So, in an effort to remain transparent in my views, I am going to offer you the information I have for Ecowatt Energy’s XRP and its claims.
First off, we all know that companies feel that their product or service is unparalleled in superiority to others’ offerings—that’s just a fact of life as we know it. Now, I have looked into the claims by Ameriwatt and to be honest, they seem to be on the up and up. But don’t take my word for it—read on!
Most consumers, including this one, don’t realize that they only use about 75% of the potential energy that comes through their meter—which they’re billed for—and that the remaining energy bleeds away and / or goes back to the grid (electric company) only to be cycled back to you and paid for yet again. This occurs due to inherent imperfections in the nature and characteristics of the electricity itself as well as the imperfections in circuitry and electrical systems.
The breakthrough XRP brings new technology and previously existing solutions together into one extremely effective, yet practical and affordable package to attack as many of the potential correction and savings as possible. What exactly the device does and how it performs these functions is proprietary information to EcoWatt Energy but among other things the XRP does the following:
Optimizes power (power factor corrects) – Helps correct reactive power to inductive load motors.
Balances out the panel preventing, collecting up and retaining energy that would otherwise bleed away or go back to the power grid, for your proper use.
Stops the loss of Kilowatts from surges and spikes, putting those kilowatts back into the system as well.
Reduces motor overheating and wear and tear leading to increased useable life spans and subsequent savings as well.
Reduces harmful EMF’s up to 40% in homes and businesses
In short, it significantly reduces your kilowatt usage and saves you money. The XRP from Ecowatt Energy starts to work the moment it is installed and helps to add money to your bottom line 24-hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year! The best part is that the device does all of the work for you so it’s business as usual for you and your company—there are no modifications to usage patterns or habits!
The effectiveness of our device is monitored and substantiated not only by your monthly energy bills but also through cutting-edge, easy to use energy management software that is incorporated within our system on an entirely value-added basis. You will have access to this powerful software in order to manage your facility’s total energy plan through customizable readings, reports, and charts which allow you to better understand your real-time usage in detail, gain control over it, and further reduce your facility’s energy consumption and costs. Check out the video to prove the findings here….
Reducing EMF’s in Your Life
Written on March 14, 2011 at 3:56 pm, by Michael Rudnicki
I’m going to go a little medical on you today…just a little, relax! Let’s talk about electromagnetic fields, or EMF’s and how we can reduce them in our daily lives. I know they may seem like last week’s headline or maybe not all that important to you—but is it worth risking your health not to pay attention?
As a matter of fact, EMF’s can cause symptoms of illness in infants, children, and adults, especially those with an already lowered immune system If you are sensitive to EMF’s, you may experience symptoms such as:
Nervous system symptoms such as fatigue, stress, and sleep disorders
Skin symptoms like facial prickling, burning sensations and rashes
Body symptoms like aches and pains in your muscles
Burning sensations in your eyes
Foggy thinking and depression
What are EMF’s?
Electromagnetic fields are areas of energy that surround electronic devices. The World Health Organization (WHO) explains that electric fields are created by differences in voltage and magnetic fields are created when the electric current flows.
Further explanation from WHO reveals that electromagnetic fields affect us because the human body has its own electric and biochemical responses (nervous system, digestion, brain function, and heat function). So, with that said, any exposure to EMF’s can cause adverse reactions to your body.
Sources of EMF’s
The simplest explanation is that EMF’s come from electricity:
In your home—DECT cordless phones, hairdryers, vacuums, refrigerators, microwave ovens, irons, TV’s (LCD’s are better than the old boxy ones), dimmer switches, electric blankets, electric razors, Wi-Fi, etc…
In your office—laptops, PC’s, fluorescent or halogen lighting, fax machines, photocopiers, scanners, cell phones, and Wi-Fi.
Outside—power lines (either overhead or underground), transformers (those ugly garbage can-looking gray cylinders that are on the poles), electrical substations, cell phone towers, cities that provide Wi-Fi, and even electromagnetic radiation from your neighbors’ electronic equipment.
Wow…sounds like we’re surrounded, huh? Well, in a sense we are, but does that mean that you have to go off the grid? Nope! Now, if you are serious about protecting yourself and your family, there are steps that you can take to minimize the effect that EMF’s have on all of you:
XRP—this technology-filled powerhouse from Ecowatt Energy not only helps residential and commercial customers save up to 20% on their monthly electric bills, it is also proven to reduce harmful EMF’s by up to 40%. The devices can be installed in as little as one hour right next to the circuit panel in your home or business and there is no interruption of electrical service. The best part of the XRP is that each one is made specifically for your home or business—they are not one size fits all! Imagine, guaranteed savings on your monthly electric bill, reduce harmful EMF’s, help the utility, and assist in saving the environment all at the same time!
Trash your DECT phones—they emit radiation 24/7/365 even when they’re not in use—try good old landline phones instead. If you’re stuck on cordless phones, you could look into shielding devices to reduce EMF’s from cell phones, cordless phones, and landline speaker phones.
Say bye-bye to Wi-Fi—just like the DECT phones, Wi-Fi is a main contributor to household electro-pollution with power densities far and above any nearby mobile phone mast. You just do not need Wi-Fi in your home, office, or school. If you really want to be eco-friendly and reduce EMF’s, stick with the hard-wired system.
Rock-a-by, baby—nearly all baby monitors on the market today are digital; these alarms use the same technology that DECT phone systems use and continuously pulsate microwave energy throughout baby’s room and beyond.
TV and computer screens – get rid of that clunky, old computer monitor that looks like a TV from 1979! Go get a flat screen model that will emit far less electromagnetic fields and looks a whole lot better! Think of the room you’ll save on your desk!
So, there you have it—a quick ‘medical’ lesson on EMF’s….not so bad, was it? Just remember, you can do your part to help the environment and you just might learn a thing or two while you’re at it! For more energy-saving tips, check out our website @ EcoWattEnergy.com! .
Electric Supply Phases
Written on March 14, 2011 at 3:55 pm, by Michael Rudnicki
There are many ‘phases’ we come across in our daily lives—phases of the moon, our kids go through phases, and there are phases of electricity—that’s right, good ol’ electricity has phases too!
A DC (direct current) circuit has two wires through which the current in the circuit flows from a source of electricity through a load (output device) and back to the source. A single-phase AC (alternating current) circuit also has two wires connected to the source of electricity. Now, a note of difference here—the DC circuit does not change the direction of the current while in the AC circuit, the direction of the current does change many times per second. The 120 volt electricity supplied to our homes is single-phase AC electricity and has two wires—an ‘active’ and a ‘neutral’.
For simplicity sake, moving forward, let’s think about overhead power lines as they can easily be seen. The distribution line that supplies your home may be single phase and only have two wires strung between the poles. Now, that distribution line may be made up of four (4) lines—what the heck are the others? Well, the other lines carry the currents from two other electrical circuits, making for a total of three circuits, or phases. The reason that there are only four (4) lines is because the three (3) phases all have a common neutral line—so three (3) active and one (1) common neutral.
Due to the magnitude and direction of the electricity flowing in each of the phases being slightly displaced in time from the electricity flowing in the other phases, the current flowing in the common neutral will be the sum of the neutral currents from the three (3) phases and that is why there are three phases and not two or four. The resultant current in the common neutral is smaller in a three phase system than in systems with other numbers of phases. The ability to use a common neutral of relatively small capacity has large economic advantages and is the primary reason that three phases are used.
This is interesting…as we travel back up the electrical network, the voltage increases and the neutral disappears! Why? Well, that answer can be found in the consideration of why a neutral is used. A single-phase supply must have a neutral whereas a three-phase supply does not require a neutral. More complex reasons deal with fixing the voltage of the single-phase supply relative to the ground (because appliances have their metal enclosures connected to the ground) and for fault protection purposes. Three-phase, medium voltage, distribution systems, and high-voltage transmission systems therefore use one wire for each phase and no neutral.
Now, you may be wondering why the tutorial on the phases of electricity…well, with whole ‘going green’ thing into full swing and the power industry being taken by storm by companies with promises of saving money on electric bills for residential and commercial consumers, I thought that I’d take the time to show you all something that actually does work: the XRP from EcoWatt Energy.
This compact, technological powerhouse actually ensures that the electricity that comes into your system stays in your system and is not returned to the grid (utility) and then returned back to you for you to pay for yet again! So, you only pay for your electricity once, unlike today’s outdated system where only the utility is making a profit.
For more info, be sure to check out the XRP today!
Save Energy, Save Money
Written on March 14, 2011 at 3:54 pm, by Michael Rudnicki
Energy—something we all use, take for granted (ever have your electricity shut off?), pay for, but fail to realize just how important a resource it really is and how to help save it. By conserving energy, I am talking way beyond turning off lights in unoccupied rooms and unplugging household items when not in use—good tips, but we’re going deeper into saving one of our treasures. While energy itself is obtainable by a number of sources, both renewable and non-renewable, it is of paramount importance to understand that nothing on Mother Earth is abundant or cheap enough to waste. There are several ways that we can save energy that is primarily obtained from water, coal or other secondary resources of energy.
Here are a few easy steps that we can take in order to save coal from being used in excess:
Think like Edison–Light bulb burned out? Replace it with a bulb that is much more energy efficient; in the days back when, the only bulbs we could use were the energy-hog incandescent ones—they needlessly used more energy than was called for—today, thankfully, we have, and can completely depend upon, energy-efficient compact fluorescent lights, or CFL’s.
Get an XRP—these devices, from EcoWatt Energy, will greatly reduce electricity consumption for both residential and commercial consumers. Residential customers are guaranteed to save 15% on their electric bills for the life of the product while commercial users will see about 10%-20% in savings. This innovative tool actually captures electricity that would otherwise be wasted and sent back to the grid and holds it for your use—this way you only pay for your electricity once!
Use energy efficient appliances—yeah, they might be a little more expensive now, but the return in energy savings will far outweigh the higher cost in about a year or so, depending on usage. The usual suspects? Look at your heating and / or cooling system and refrigerators—anything with a motor that is constantly running.
Think pink—remember the commercials in the 80’s with the Pink Panther schlepping insulation for homes? Well, that forward thinking back then remains prevalent today—one of the best ways we can make optimum use of existing heating and cooling appliances today is to ensure that our homes are properly insulated to lessen the burden on these systems, thus making greater use of the energy used.
Turn it off—we’ve all heard it before—the golden rule of keeping the waste of energy at a minimum is to ensure that all appliance switches are turned off when not in use. It is not enough to only turn the appliance switches off, but also turn the power source from which the energy source is received off as well.
Here are some water-saving tips that you can employ:
Use it, don’t abuse it—only use water when needed—don’t be the guy who waters his lawn when it’s raining (like my neighbor)—use the settings on your irrigation system to shut off during rain or just power it down manually when it rains
Turn if off!–just like that electricity switch, be sure to turn off all sources of water when not in use—as soon as you’re finished watering the plants, turn the water source off—every drop counts!
Bathroom tips—this is where the majority of water is wasted. When you shave, fill the sink with water, turn the water off, and rinse your blade in the water that was captured in the basin. When you brush your teeth, turn the water off while you’re actually brushing your pearly whites—what’s the sense in having water run down the drain? And the biggest waste? Take a shower instead of baths—the typical shower uses half the water as the typical bath!
Miscellaneous tips—
Plant trees! This will help the solar power that is being used to work more efficiently; the rooting system of trees also serves to strengthen the soil which could lead to better crops.
Reduce the brightness on your laptop or desktop’s monitor
Put your computer into sleep mode or hibernation when not in use
Now I am pretty sure that most of you are fully aware of these tips, but are you actually doing this? Does it seem ‘cheesy’ to you to help the environment? Do you feel like a tree hugger? Well, good! We have one planet—let’s keep her around as long as we can!
For more information on the XRP and how it can help your business or home save electricity, click here…..
