Green Living

How Home Building may affect Wildlife

Two scientists, Heidi Kretser and Michale Glennon, who are part of the Wildlife Conservation Society in Adirondack decided to find out how building a home can impact wildlife.  They came up with a study that would show them this.  They would look at small mammals, large mammals, and amphibians and reptiles.  This study was done at three different stages during the process of building, which included the stage before construction was done, the time while the construction was being done, and then the stage that was after the construction had been completed. One study that they did was set up at the home site for the Kraft family.  They were working to build a home that was energy efficient in the Upper Saranac Lake area.  Now these scientists are in the second part of the surveys, bind done at a control site as well as at the site of construction.  They reason they have decided to use a control site is so that they can see the differences in changes in population that is due to phenomena that may be region wide and those that are actually due to the impact of construction. To learn a lot more about this study being ...

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Save the Planet by Switching Pens

Even with the advent of the so-called paperless society, thanks to computers and the Internet, there are still many things, transactions and technologies that need the old-fashioned pen and paper to complete.  You have to sign documents ranging from credit card authorizations to formal contracts and everything else in between of various values. Unfortunately, the use of pen and paper also has a negative environmental impact.  Since many articles have already been devoted to the impact of paper, let's focus on the mighty pen.  It is mighty not only to effect change in societies through ideas put to paper but it can also change environments via waste filling up our landfills. Consider the Statistics In September 2005, Bic announced that it has sold its 100 billionth disposable pen.  If that boggles your mind, just think of the billions more of disposable ballpoint pens manufactured by other companies.  To place 100 billion in perspective, think of placing the pens end to end.  Now, imagine that the world is literally in your hands.  You will discover that the arranged pens can circle the globe 348 times! And to think that Americans alone purchase a staggering 106 billion disposable ballpoint pens on an annual basis.  We shudder ...

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Your Options for Wind Turbines

Solar power is not all there is to eco-friendly power generation for residential purposes.  You should also look into the possibilities of wind turbines to provide electricity for everything from your cell phone to your hybrid car. In this regard, you have two choices, the horizontal-axis and vertical-axis wind turbines.  You will find that both perform similar functions although the pros and cons of each type must be carefully considered.  Keep in mind that either one requires a relatively significant financial outlay, which can be recouped largely by actually using the unit for power generation. Horizontal-Axis Wind Turbines If you have seen pictures of the traditional Dutch windmill, then you have just seen the prototype of the modern horizontal-axis wind turbines or HAWT.  Skipping the technicalities, HAWTs have their electrical generator and rotor shaft located at the topmost part of the tower.  A gearbox may or may not be included in the infrastructure. The design has been around for centuries so it must have advantages.  Since the angle of attack can be adjusted remotely, you can harness the wind energy at its greatest amount despite the season and time of the day.  If the HAWT is located in an area with strong winds, the ...

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Oil Dependence: Ways to Reduce the Need

Even though there always seems to be a lot of talk about it, it is about time that we really settle down and take a look at the different ways we can reduce our dependency on oil.  But really, it is more than just a dependency that we are fighting; it is an addiction and a costly one at that.  The best thing you can do to make a change for the better is to start with changing your addiction to oil in your own life.  Take small steps or big leaps, it doesn't matter.  All that matters is that we are each doing whatever we can to say that we have had enough oil. Instead of leaving all of your yard to be cut with the lawnmower every week, try planting trees and flower gardens to take up some of that space.  When you do have to mow the grass, make sure that you are using a lawn mower that is a full push mower.  These mowers also help to encourage more calories burning as well.  Skip the mowers that help push themselves forward. Whenever possible, you should skip the car ride and take public transportation or use a bike or ...

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Energy Independence Uncovered: What’s the Real Score?

Petroleum, imported or local dictates economies.  Governments, businesses, institutions, and homes need petroleum to keep running.  In the US alone, 19.5 million barrels are demanded daily and the US oilfields yield less than five million barrels per day.  If you look at the numbers, there's no way the demand for imported liquid fuel will fall. The Good News? Finally the US is stirring up from its over reliance on imported liquid fuel.  Daily, some 11.1 million imported barrels per day sustain demand.  Should exporters increase the price of imports, economies already on their knees have no other way to go but sink lower.  But here's good news, the US and other countries already battered by the rising prices of oil, have finally stirred to increase local oil production and explored and tested other sources for energy with positive results. To reinforce this development, the US Energy Administration Information (EAI) reports that imports will fall because of increased domestic production and the use of ethanol and other biofuels.  EAI also projects that by 2016, the US will be able to save per day, some two million barrels.  To be energy independent, the US has explored all possibilities to reduce oil imports and this is ...

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