One co-worker is sick of paying so much to power his truck, and he’s concerned about who and what foreign oil sales are funding. With solid mechanical know-how, a healthy amount of curiosity and the determination to succeed, he has begun his research and tinkering to make his big break from the pump. Used cooking oil can be found at nearly every highway exit for miles around, and his only current limit seems to be space in his garage for storage and production.

Another co-worker is exploring the potential to generate hydrogen from water with electrical input from solar collectors. His project is certainly in its infancy, but when he talks about his latest experiments his enthusiasm is obvious to everyone within earshot. It’s been a process of trial and error with different materials, configurations, and many hours of research.

Neither one of these individuals wants government grants or is concerned with tax credits. Nor are they dreaming of finding a way to make a difference or save the earth. They are simply trying to take control of rising energy costs without adversely impacting their lifestyles. Is this selfish? Are these the “wrong” reasons? Well, they’re honestly not reasons I think people should be craving renewable energy sources, but I am certainly glad to see folks realize that green energy isn’t only for tree huggers and liberals. We all have a stake in reducing our dependence on fossil fuels, and the momentum is thankfully building among those I thought least likely to support it.

Photo by: DR. MARIΟ

The earth day movement started on April 22, 1970. On that day, millions of people across the United States peacefully protested the deterioration of the earth by irresponsible human activities. Students at thousands of colleges and schools across the United States also took part. The movement has grown exponentially since then and now, the Earth Day is being celebrated in virtually every country in the world. People around the world observe Earth Day to create awareness and appreciation about the earth’s environment. The celebration usually includes lectures, peaceful rallies, constructive debates, and community events with focus on improving the environment. 

The Earth Day provides an opportunity and a reminder to organizations and people to feel the responsibility to think about the environment. For instance, people can reflect on their lifestyle and see impacts of their activities on the environment. If everyone makes a small change in their lifestyle, we can make a big positive impact on the environment. It could be as easy as turning off your dryer for the summer and drying cloths outside. This can save energy and also money. I am sure there are many other ways you can find to help the environment. 

From the iecycle.org team, I like to wish a very happy Earth Day!

Quite simply, my roommate re-routed our condominium’s washing machine’s discharge hose into a food-grade (clean of chemical residue or other contaminants) 55 gallon blue plastic barrel (pretty much the same type used for rainwater collection systems) with an ordinary sump pump located at the bottom. A solid garden hose was run from the sump pump’s discharge up from the basement and outside onto the lawn; where a perforated hose sprayed the water to the small patch of lawn in front of the condo building (a soaker hose would be the better choice for irrigating ornamental beds).

It would probably be prudent to consider and/or research numerous issues; such as proximity to wetlands, potential levels of contaminants contained in any detergents used which may be harmful to plant life (phosphates, degreasers, etc.) and any state or municipal restrictions on use of greywater for your community.

I can only attest that I used Arm & Hammer laundry detergent (and have no idea what the other 5 units’ worth of people who shared those laundry facilities might have used for detergents) but the lawn did not seem to suffer. If anything, our little patch did remain greener and more robust than those of surrounding condo sub-units (which had no irrigation). It bears mentioning that grasses do tend to tolerate higher levels of “grey” stuff than ornamental plants, shrubs and trees.

These days, numerous filtering and purification systems are available. Do a web search for “greywater treatment” or “greywater recycling” and the hits will keep on coming. Most systems for irrigation seem to employ a pre-filtering stage (basically a gravity-fed sand filter to remove coarser particulates) which then feeds into either raised or surface planter beds.

Purification stages are typically added to systems where the greywater is also (or exclusively) used to supply flush water for toilets (you could also direcly scoop used bath or dish water for such a purpose with a bucket). In any case, extended storage of unpurified greywater is not recommended as all sorts of undesirable micro-organisms flourish in the often warm waste water; a certain health risk.

Intricate systems with bypass and/or multi-zone valves may be of interest to new home builders or remodelers. If your laundry room is above ground level, you could probably omit pumps completely and let gravity do all the work!

In any manner it is implemented, however, re-use of greywater can help reduce the amount of water going to municipal treatment or private septic systems and possibly save money for those on public water systems.

Here are some of the loopholes that existed in the Energy Star Program:

Inadequate verification process

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) submitted Energy Star application for around 20 fake products through four phony companies during its investigation between the period of June 2009 and March 2010. GAO was surprised when 15 bogus products received Energy Star certification. (Source: cnsnews)

Lack of sufficient checks

The products were certified on limited checks. For instance, the Sony LCD TV that was certified as an Energy Star product exceeds power 75% of time. After looking it closely, it was found that the TV exceeds its certified level of power consumption while it downloads TV Guide update software. The energy Star guideline was not defined on power consumption while downloading the TV Guide updates. As a result, the TV was allowed to consume as much power as it wants. (Source: arstechnica.com)

Tests are not performed under working conditions

Consumer Reports rated one refrigerator of using more than 60% energy than what was mentioned on the Energy Star label. After looking at closely, it turned out that ice machine should be turned off during the testing based on the Department of Energy guidelines. So, the refrigerator met energy requirements during the testing and was certified as an Energy Star product. However, consumers do not shutoff ice machine during the normal use of the refrigerator, end up using more energy than mentioned on the label. Also, dishwashers are tested usually with clean dishes rather than dirty dishes. (Source: ecochildsplay.com)

The EPA understands the importance of improving the Energy Star program to help save energy, money, and the environment. The EPA and DOE worked for the past few months to improve various aspects of the Energy Star Program and released a join statement yesterday explaining the changes.

Here is the press release from the EPA:

U.S. EPA, DOE Announce Changes to Bolster Energy Star Program

Release date: 04/14/2010

Contact Information: Dave Ryan ryan.dave@epa.gov 202-564-7827 202-564-4355 Enesta Jones jones.enesta@epa.gov 202-564-7873 202-564-4355

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy today jointly announced changes to the Energy Star product certification process to ensure that only products meeting the program requirements can receive an Energy Star label. These changes accelerate steps DOE and EPA have initiated over the past several months to bolster the verification, testing and enforcement aspects of the Energy Star program.

“The Energy Star program started out small and has grown quickly, and now the brand is immensely valuable to consumers and businesses,” said Gina McCarthy, EPA Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation. “The safeguards we’re putting into effect are essential for the millions of consumers who rely on Energy Star products to help save energy, money and the environment.”

“Consumers trust the Energy Star brand to save them money and reduce carbon pollution,” said Cathy Zoi, DOE Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. “The steps we are taking to strengthen the program will ensure that Energy Star continues to be the hallmark for energy efficiency in the years to come.”

Effective immediately, manufacturers wishing to qualify their products as Energy Star must submit complete lab reports and results for review and approval by EPA prior to labeling. Following a thorough review of the Energy Star qualification approval process, EPA has strengthened its approval systems and is no longer relying on an automated approval process. All new qualification applications will be reviewed and approved individually by EPA. EPA will begin accepting new applications by the end of the week.

Additionally, companies applying to be program partners will not be able to access the Energy Star certification mark until EPA has approved a specific Energy Star-qualified product submitted by the company.

EPA and DOE are further strengthening the certification process with a requirement effective at the end of the year that all manufacturers must submit test results from an approved, accredited lab for any product seeking the Energy Star label. Testing in an accredited lab is currently required for certain product categories including windows, doors, skylights and compact fluorescent lighting. The new process will extend the requirement to each of the more than 60 eligible product categories under the Energy Star program.

These efforts are in addition to enforcement and testing procedures already in place to ensure compliance with Energy Star specifications. The Department of Energy is conducting off-the-shelf product testing for some of the most common household appliances and a recent Inspector General audit found that 98 percent of products tested fully complied with Energy Star requirements.

The EPA and DOE are committed to continually strengthening and improving the Energy Star program, which provides information to consumers to help identify the most energy efficient products on the market that will save them money and reduce carbon pollution.

The Energy Star program outlined these steps in detail for EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson and DOE Secretary Steven Chu in an April 2 memo. More information: http://www.energystar.gov

Sap Line

Communities, in an effort to be more sustainable, are working together, sharing, and lending a hand.  Community gardens, farmer’s markets, and recycling are all examples of people working together to reduce their carbon footprint and become more self reliant. Take it down a level to an even smaller scale. Each person in a community no matter how small, influence this environmentally friendly process.  The sugaring season in New England, provides an opportunity. The Hilltop Sugar House in Claremont, NH, owned by Bill Therrian, is a step towards community togetherness and sustainability. For two and a half weeks, residents of Claremont worked together to take part in an age-old New England tradition, while tying in modern environmental awareness and contributing to their community.  

In New Hampshire, as well as the rest of New England, Sugaring season is eagerly anticipated and at the same time, a sigh of relief usually follows its end. Once it begins, one is at the mercy of the weather, which determines how well the sap runs and cannot stop for long, lest the sap goes bad. However, there is nothing more personally satisfying than a taste of your own fresh, hot maple syrup. It makes all the hard work completely worth it.

Bill along with Matt Collier, Johnny St. Pierre, and Chris Harrington, built a sugaring arch out of mainly recycled and discarded materials, utilized five properties, and made use of available resources for heating the arch. The process of making the syrup was not the only noteworthy component, but the amount of people that were involved, down to the smallest level, was the pièce de résistance. The activity at the Hilltop Sugar House resembled that of a family reunion with the maple sap as the guest of honor. Everyone was involved.

For the sugaring arch itself, an old home heating oil tank was obtained from a neighbor who no longer needed it. Pieces of scrap metal were used for the door and ventilation flap under the door. Pair of screw eyes were donated by a neighbor to use as door handles, as well as Bill’s garage for the construction, which Matt donated all his spare time to building the majority. The only pieces that were bought were the pan that the sap is boiled in, the angle iron used in the bottom of the tank for a grate and edges of the tank, as well as the fire brick that lined the tank. However, the materials bought were obtained from local business; the pan (used) from a local sugar house, the angle iron from a local scrap metal dealer, and the fire brick from a local hardware/home supply store.    

Sugaring can certainly consume a fair amount of wood as the fire must be kept as hot as possible. In woodstoves, we are more concerned with a glowing warmth and a good bed of coals to heat the home, however, a sugaring arch must be kept as hot as possible. To keep a fire this hot, an armful of wood is used every half hour. Bill utilized the wood from a few dead pines that had fallen in the week’s previous wind storm, as well as extra wood donated from neighbors and loads of scraps that local businesses were otherwise going to throw away. Not only was this a cost effective approach, but a thrifty, sustainable method and shows how the kindness and willingness to work together from the community pay off. 

After the construction was completed, with the help of so many, and the taps in place on the different properties, the fun began. As the sap was collected and brought over to the sugar house, people began to collect as well. On weekends, some 20 or so people had gathered; kids and adults alike. All played a part in making this natural sweet treasure. The kids, while mostly enjoying playing outside, still took turns, willingly, to help either chop kindling or carry wood. Others brought food to cook on the grill for everyone, since sugaring is an all day and oftentimes an all night affair. Matt and Bill were mainly in charge of the fire and syrup making, others like Chris and Johnny took turns “learning the ropes”. 

In total, the Hilltop Sugar House produced 10 gallons of pure New Hampshire maple syrup. This is no small feat considering it takes 40 gallons of sap to produce 1 gallon of maple syrup. The example they set, as members of the community worked together to produce a product, will carry from generation to generation as will the tradition of sugaring.

The LEED rating system focuses on the design, construction, and operation of the green buildings. There are various levels of certifications available. Projects earn one or more points towards certification by meeting or exceeding technical requirements for each credit (category). Each project can achieve one of four possible levels depending upon the total points earned.

Each project can earn points from 100-point scale. Additionally, 10 bonus credits points are awarded for innovative design and addressing regional specific environmental issues. The rating system examines five key performance areas of the building.

Below images explains ratings for various building types:

Increasing number of new commercial buildings are trying to achieve LEED certification. Below is a list of some of the green buildings along with their certification level. To learn more about these buildings, click on the link.

Source: U.S. Green Building Council