Posted by Rebecca Langley on Thu, Aug 12, 2010
With all the buzz about alternative energy and less dependency on fossil fuel, creativity has taken over to create hybrids, electric cars, and cars that run on anything from water, air and poop? That’s right! GENeco Sustainable Solutions, owned by Wessex Water, has a live VW Beetle that runs on compressed methane gas, which is extracted from human waste.
The car is nicknamed the Bio-Bug and uses gas generated through the sewage treatment process at Bristol sewage treatment works in Avonmouth, United Kingdom. It takes about 70 home’s worth of waste to generate enough of the methane gas to power the car for 10,000 miles.
How does it work?
The waste is put into a decomposition container and broken down using oxygen starved bacteria. This biogas works in conjunction with unleaded gas to run the car. The unleaded gas is used to start the engine and achieve the correct temperature needed for performance. Once the temperature is reached, the methane gas becomes the primary source of fuel. The car has a modified engine to accommodate both fuels. The methane gas is gathered and put into tanks located in the boot space of the car.
Why run your car on methane gas?
Although the car produces carbon dioxide, it can be considered carbon neutral because the carbon would have been released anyway. The GENeco Beetle produces 3 metric tons of carbon dioxide while the average car produces 3.5 metric tons per year. The Bio-Bug will be traveling around England to bring awareness to using alternative fuel sources.
Tell Us What You Think
Would you want a car run on methane gas? Do you think this is a viable alternative fuel or publicity ploy?
Posted by Damien Cabral on Tue, Jul 20, 2010
Blog Author: Rebecca McKinnon
Do you ever wish you could just sell everything, pay off all of your debt and live a more simple life? Well, you are not alone. Over the past decade, the tiny house movement has taken off. The elegant, clean and super organized living spaces of these homes are enough to inspire anyone to live the simple life. Living in one of these tiny homes requires not only a change in lifestyle but the ability to live your life without excess. And, to design one of these, takes ingenuity, meticulous planning, and passion.
The designers of these tiny homes are not only concerned with the most efficient and effective use of space and light but also the environment. In some cases, the designers use recycled and sustainable materials to construct these works of art. You don’t even realize that you are in such a small space due to the fact that they design around using light to make these spaces seem larger than they actually are. No matter if an individual, couple or family is living in the home, the idea behind this movement remains the same- the home is valued, no matter how big it is and/or how much it costs, and is not seen as a burden or stressor. It is a state of mind and therefore, there is no exact square footage that you must follow but most tiny home range from 65 sq. ft. to 850 sq. ft.
Most tiny home builders sell both the plans to build your own tiny home in addition to already assembled homes. Some to look into are: Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, Tiny House Design, and Twelve Cubed. The difficult part of the transition is working within the local building code guidelines and getting permits if applicable. Be sure to research the area you plan to build the home for regulations and most importantly loop holes. Building your tiny home according to the specifications of a travel trailer, shed, or in multi-family zones are the most advantageous as these have less strict guidelines.
Then, you must find land to put the home on. Most people rely on friends, family and friendly neighbors. Try researching alternative living friendly communities as these are more open to different types of homes and less judgmental neighbors. Campgrounds are another resource to look into.
Downsizing to a smaller home also saves on heating and cooling costs. The average tiny home owner pays about $100 a year in utilities if on the grid. Marine propane heaters, electric space heaters and wood stoves are commonly used. In addition, solar panels can be used keep the home off the grid. Saw dust composting and RV toilets with a waste tank are used in the bathroom and which one is used depends on whether you plan to be mobile.
There are many resources out there for people interested in tiny homes. Many of the tiny home builders live in tiny homes and blog about it. Tiny House compiled a listing of sites that offer invalueable information.
Some interesting resources and blogs to read are:
Tiny House Blog
Tumbleweed Tiny House Company
DIY-Prefab
The Tiny Life
RelaxShax’s Blog
Shedworking
Small House Society
Lloyd Kahn’s Blog
Project Rolling Freedom
In addition to the above resources, these companies also provide homes and plans.
Twelve3
Sonoma Shanty
Sheldon Designs
iStockHousePlans
FreeGreen.com
Yes Wee Cabins
Tiny Green Cabins
I tried to include everyone that I read about but I know there are probably more out there. Feel free to add other helpful information and sites that you like.
Be sure to check out the video featuring Jay Schafer of Tumbleweed Tiny House Company featured on Yahoo! below.
Photo Credits:
Cavco Cabin in Phoenix, AZ via Tiny House Blog
Completed Inside of Cube by Twelve3
Completed Outside of Cube by Twelve3
Tiny Texas House Rustic Farmhouse On Bear Creek
Tiny Texas House Vicky at Park Lane Guest House: Austin, TX
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Posted by Rebecca Langley on Thu, Jun 03, 2010
With the warm weather upon us, many homeowners are looking forward to working outside gardening and landscaping. But, did you know you can increase your home’s curb appeal and energy efficiency by strategically planting shade plants or pruning your current landscaping?
Trim the Trees
Unruly branches on large trees may be preventing a breeze from entering your home. By pruning the branches of the tree as to not obstruct the windows of your home, you can open up the space to allow a welcoming breeze that may help you save money on your energy costs. Placing shrubs under windows also allows the air flow to move upwards and into your window.
The more shade, the cooler the home
Trees and scrubs shade your home thus slowing the home’s heat absorption rate. This will naturally make your home cooler during the summer months, saving you money on energy costs. To maximize effectiveness, examine your home and see which sides of the home get direct sunlight or what areas are affected by the late-morning/early afternoon sun, which is when the rays are strongest. By planting the trees and shrubs in this area, you can assure you are getting the most bang for your buck as shaded air is about 6% cooler than air in direct sunlight.
Another item to consider is the type of tree or shrub you want to plant. If you want to shade the roof, planting a tree with a large canopy is best but will take a while to grow to the height needed. However, if you want to shade the lower portion of the home, planting a tree that grows quickly will allow you to start reaping the energy savings sooner. Vines and ivy also cool down your walls by creating a natural canopy. Just be careful not to plant trees and scrubs too close to the house- you want to give the tree enough room for root growth as to not damage the home’s foundation in the future. Just be sure to read up on which plants and trees thrive in your location and soil.
Enhance your cooling technology
By surrounding the outdoor air conditioning unit with plants, you can save up to 10% on your energy costs. Plants help offset the energy exerted by the unit during the hot summer months work that the unit Just be careful not to create a natural wall that may block the unit from getting the air it needs to perform. Leaving about 2 feet around and five feet above the unit should be sufficient. If you have a window air conditioning unit, place it on the north side of your home, which typically receives the least sun.
If you are looking for other ways to make your home more green and energy efficient, Moonworks offers energy efficient roofing shingles, replacement windows, and renewable energy solutions.
For a FREE estimate, contact us at 1-800-975-6666 or visit us at www.moonworkshome.com.
Posted by Damien Cabral on Fri, Jan 22, 2010
Really? Well let's explore the argument some more. As many of you probably know, over the past few years Bill has slowly been removing himself from the day to day operation of Microsoft to focus more, and now solely, on his charitable foundation,
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The foundation focuses on philanthropy and is the champion of many novel causes including: Global Health, Poverty and Development, and Education world wide.
(Random Factoid: Bill Gates recently signed up for Twitter and received over 100,000 followers in under 8 hours! Follow him @BillGates.)
Recently, Bill Gates posted a note arguing
"Should society spend a lot of time trying to insulate houses and telling people to turn off lights or should it spend time on accelerating innovation?"..." Innovation in transportation and electricity will be the key factor."
The meat of his argument in this article claims we have a huge challenge ahead of us and merely becoming more energy efficient is not enough to help slow climate change. In a sense, he is right, but he is going about the argument in the wrong way. Energy efficiency and innovation via renewable energy are not
mutually exclusive. To solve climate change, we need to maximize the energy we are producing currently through weatherization, insulation, and energy efficiency, while also innovating in the renewable energy arena. Consumers should be evaluating existing technologies to improve their home and gain immediate cost savings while they wait for the world's leaders and businesses to break through with the next great idea. Tell us what you think and comment below.
If you are interested in making your New England home more efficient with Fiberglass Insulation, Renewal by Andersen replacement windows or would like to explore solar energy for your home contact us today.
Posted by Rebecca Langley on Thu, Jan 14, 2010
The Fox drama "24" announced in March, 2009 that they were to become the first carbon neutral television series. The series started to gradually become greener after its fourth season. For their eighth season, which premieres this Sunday night, they made it a priority. While there is no way to be truly carbon neutral in a series that prides itself on car chases and explosions, they bought 1,291 tons of carbon credits to offset the carbon from the action scenes. That is enough to offset the carbon emissions for half of the season. The difficult part was trying to determine how much greenhouse gas was being emitted. Fox hired consultants to measure the carbon output. They evaluated every component of the series, not just the scenes being shot. This included, the cars used to deliver scripts, memos and schedules and airplanes used by executives and the actors.
Once they pinpointed the biggest offenders, they made cut backs to increase their energy efficiency. 95% of the emissions came from the electricity used on set and in the offices and fuel used for transportation, special effects and generators. To reduce fuel consumption, the cast and crew started sending scripts, memos and schedules electronically, instead of delivering them and if transportation was necessary, drove in hybrid vehicles. The fuel used in the trucks and generators were 20% biodiesel. These improvements eliminated over 1,300 gallons of gasoline, the same amount used to drive cross country 10 times!
Electricity conservation was another energy efficient upgrade implemented by turning off all electrical equipment when it is not being used. Additionally, motion detectors were installed in bathrooms, and kitchens and they switched the light bulbs to compact fluorescent. While not all lighting used is energy efficient, namely the set as it would compromise the quality of the filming, the show uses renewable power (solar, wind & hydroelectric) whenever possible. They also pay more for utility fees to aid California is buying wind and solar power.
24 was awarded the Environmental Media Association's Green Seal Award. This award was created to promote sustainable practices in the entertainment industry.
If the show 24 inspired you to "go green", Moonworks carries many green products including, Renewal by Andersen windows & doors, the Repower Home Solar Thermal Energy System, Solaris Shingles and Cool Colors Shingles.
Photo Credit: Flickr user Claire Beardsley.