Energy-Saving Tips
find they can interest people in things like gardening, says Richard Olson, director of the Berea College Sustainabil- ity and Environmental Studies program. “We talk to them about heirloom seeds and what their grandparents grew and if they’d like to learn canning. We get them involved without even mentioning transition or sustainability.” Interest in climate-readiness is spreading: Austin, Texas, has an ambitious plan to make city facilities, vehicles and all other operations carbon-neutral by 2020. Louisville, Colorado, now has a car share program. Charlottesville, Virginia, is creating a trail system for walking and biking to connect schools, parks and other public spaces. Greensburg, Kansas, a city of fewer than 2,000, was
leveled by a tornado in May 2007. Residents have decided to rebuild as green as they can, requiring all city buildings to meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED platinum rating for top-level environmentally friendly construction. They’ve also formed the group Greensburg GreenTown to increase public education about green living, make resourc- es available at the library and distribute educational materi- als through online and telephone classes and events. Green building initiatives also are spreading, thanks in
part to Architecture 2030, a nonprofit based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, which calls for an immediate 50 percent reduction in fossil fuel consumption in new buildings and renovations, and sets a goal of carbon-neutral design by 2030. The U.S. Confer- ence of Mayors adopted the program in 2006. These communities hope they can lead the way toward
the big changes we’ll need, both nationally and internation- ally, to respond to climate change. “Working at the commu- nity level to build resilience is the strategy that has the most chance of success,” observes Olson. “It’s not going to take until our grandchildren’s generation to see if we’ve suc- ceeded. I think in 10 years we’ll see if we’re going to have a chance.”
For more information visit Transition
US.org.
Tara Lohan is a contributing writer to YES! Magazine, a senior editor at AlterNet and editor of the book, Water Consciousness.
that Make $$$ and Sense by Lee Walker
to “Now!” factors when they realize that federal tax incen- tives can reduce the average cost of insulating a home by up to $600. “The Now! factor will appear in immediately reduced energy bills,” says French, who advises that in the past, homeowners have chosen aesthetic Wow! factors, such as granite countertops and high-end flooring, over basic upgrades, like insulation. Many San Diego homes built prior to or during the 1970s are equipped with minimal insulation. “Today is the time for anyone living in a home with insufficient insulation to take advantage of the American Recovery and Reinvest- ment Tax Act of 2009, which includes provisions modifying and expanding the scope of the energy efficiency and renew- able energy incentives,” French advises. “A 30- to 40-degree difference between an uncondi- tioned, hot attic space and the cooler, conditioned space of a home is an energy burden on an HVAC system, its pipes and ductwork, which also are often not properly sealed,” he explains. “Today’s tax incentives not only make insula- tion just as much of an instant gratification as aesthetics, but also a better choice that reflects long-term cost savings and increased value of the home.” French also recommends the Power-Save 1200 for resi- dential applications. This small device reduces the amount of power drawn from the utility by storing electricity other- wise lost from the motors in air conditioners, refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers, dishwashers, pool pumps, vacuum cleaners, furnace blower motors and fans. The unit supplies the stored electricity back to appliances, decreasing demand from the utility, which could mean an 8 to 10 percent savings on electric bills. “Not many products for less than $300 offer that kind of instant gratification,” says French.
A
Contact James French, Coast Home Building Services, at 760-840-0803. Visit
CoastHomes.org. See ad on page 29.
s San Diego homeowners seek a more sustainable future, Coast Home Building Services owner James French predicts their attention may shift from “Wow!”
natural awakenings
October 2010
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