Kilowatt Ours Blog

I am inspired.

As I write my first blog post @ KilowattOurs.org, I am resting in the gorgeous Catskill Mountains of New York/Pennsylvania/New Jersey. I was invited to speak here by the Homestead School, an amazing Montessori program for grades pre-K through 6. A student group calling themselves the Green Power Alliance organized this event, “Your Coal Connection,” to raise money and awareness for the the effort to stop mountain top removal coal mining. Larry Gibson from Kayford Mountain, West Virginia is also here to speak. I am so inspired by these enthusiastic, motivated and caring kids and their passion for making a difference. They are a delight and I feel blessed to meet them and their parents. These students recently took a field trip to Larry’s mountain and one of the students wrote the short essay about it. These kids also handed some mountain top removal literature to former President Clinton during a recent campaign visit to their community. The kids urged Bill and Hillary to help the cause.

I believe the optimistic enthusiasm I feel here is the most powerful source of domestic, renewable energy our nation has to offer, and it is encouraging to see that we are now harnessing this power for good. Thank you Green Power Alliance!

For the locals that want to get started on saving energy, please contact Peter Vargo with Nu-Tech Energy Solutions, a regional energy consulting company that can help you cut your energy usage 30% or more in homes and commercial buildings. Peter can be reached at (570) 490 3928 or pete@tals-fishing.com. Peter serves a wide region including Eastern PA, southern NY state and most of New Jersey. Peter had a booth set up at the event here, and he carries a wealth of knowledge about energy solutions.

Another local group that attended the day-long event was the Catskill Mountain Keepers, an org doing great work to preserve the beautiful mountains in this region from energy development pressures. Check out their website at www.CatskillMountainKeeper.org.

Documentary photographer Mark Schmerling was also there with amazing photos of people and land affected by mountain top removal. Check out some of his photos at www.schmerlingdocumentary.com.

Thank you to Homestead School and Green Power Alliance for taking action, and most of all, for caring.

Do you think you have to spend money on expensive technologies to make a difference, help the environment, and cut your power bills?  If so, guess again.

One of the best energy saving tips that Heather and I use daily in our home is adjusting our thermostat to the most energy-saving temperatures.

Simply put, for winter heating, keep your thermostat at 68 degrees.  In summer, make it 78 degrees.  We use ceiling fans to improve comfort.  At night or while we are away from home for more than a couple hours, we adjust the temperature a few degrees further.

Our NES power bill runs us between $25 and $50 most months, and I attribute most of the savings to the 68/78 technique.

It works!  Try it and let me know how it works for you.

According to EPA, in the average home, 75% of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off. Across the US, this equals the annual output of 12 power plants and costs consumers over $1 billion each year.

There are two ways to eliminate this slow leak, otherwise known as phantom power:

1) plug all electronics into power strips and switch the power strip off when not in use

2) buy energy star rated electronics

Learn more at: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=find_a_product.showProductCategory_code=HEF 

One of the simplest energy-saving steps people are taking is to replace old, inefficient incandescent light bulbs with the new compact fluorescent (CFL) variety.  The energy savings are significant as are the environmental benefits.

Did you know that CFLs contain a small amount of mercury?  Yes, it is true, so it is very important that when your CFLs burn out after several years of use to dispose of them properly.  Please don’t throw them in the trash. Click on the link below to find a bulb recycling center near you. This link also provides locations to drop off all your household hazardous wastes:

http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/id/univwast/lamps/live.htm 

For Davidson County Residents, East Center off Trinity Lane is a permanent site: 

943A Doctor Richard G. Adams Drive
Nashville, TN 37207
615-862-8631
Hours: Mon.-Sat. 7:30am-5:00pm and Sun. Noon-4:00pm

Next week is a career week for me, and I would like to share this exciting moment with readers, along with an invitation to participate.  Next Tuesday and Wednesday (2/4 and 2/5), the Tennessee Valley Authority board of directors is hosting a listening session in Knoxville to hear from you about how TVA may become a leader in energy efficiency, conservation and green power.  I have been invited to address the board at this listening session, and I will be speaking Tuesday afternoon along with a panel of experts about the environmental benefits of conservation and efficiency.

You can learn more, register to attend, submit comments and/or listen online at: http://www.tva.gov/abouttva/board/renewable_listening.htm

Please check it out, and don’t miss your chance to shape the future of America’s largest public utility.