Posts Tagged ‘efficiency’
Like Building the Internet
In 2007, only one in 20 working-age residents of advanced economies was without a job. By next year — when the International Monetary Fund expects global unemployment to peak — that number will have jumped to one in 10.
The job market is often the last to recover after a recession. But some economists predict a years-long stagnation in job creation and wages in developed countries, including the United States, Britain, Ireland and Spain.
At the same time, governments are trying to hash out a deal by December that would establish new cuts in emissions by 2020 in an effort to stem global warming. One of the most obvious ways for nations to meet their goals, experts say, is through alternative-energy projects.
“This is going to be like the building of the Internet,” said Carlos Mulas-Granados, director general of the Ideas Foundation, a Spanish think tank associated with Prime Minister Zapatero’s ruling Socialist Party. “We’re going to use this crisis as an opportunity to rebuild the economy with clean, green growth.”
The multibillion-dollar investment is a gamble Spain is willing to take because, more than any other nation hit by the crisis, it is desperate for jobs. The unemployment rate here is now one of the highest in the developed world.
The streets of Madrid and other cities are being dug up and repaved in a short-term government effort to offer temporary work to the unemployed. For most, the work will last only a few months.
“And what do we do when the roadwork runs out?” Luis Salazar Garcia, 32, said as he installed terra-cotta tiles on a Madrid sidewalk in a government-funded job. “There are no other jobs in Spain.”
The country’s answer is to go greener.
Spain now exports more windmills and solar panels than wine. An armada of Spanish companies has invested heavily in the United States, with one buying up an old steel mill a few dozen miles from Pittsburgh and turning it into a wind turbine plant.
Though still undergoing final touches before being presented to parliament next month, Spain’s new Economic Sustainability Law would effectively create more demand for renewable fuels. All new homes and commercial buildings would require higher levels of energy efficiency, including solar power sources, leaving their owners no choice but to adopt green habits.
Government-backed loans to green companies would allow them to offer generous terms to homeowners and corporations for the installation of solar and other alternative energies.
A Jump in Energy Costs?
A new $300 million thermo-solar plant in the arid mining town of Puertollano, about 100 miles south of Madrid in the Don Quixote country of Castile-La Mancha, offers a glimpse into Spanish hopes. The partnership between the large corporate utility Iberdrola and a national energy agency employed as many 650 workers to build the plant over the past two years. The huge plant was like manna from heaven for a host of companies stung by the recession. A maker of car mirrors retrofitted its assembly lines to produce the plant’s massive reflective panels, for example.
But Calzada’s recent study — which has come under fire by green advocates here and abroad — suggests that the government’s cost to create one job in leading alternative-energy sectors has averaged $855,000. It notes that although hundreds may be temporarily employed to build plants, a far smaller number gain permanent positions.
Because alternative-energy plants are more expensive than traditional power plants that burn fossil fuels, the government here has made green generation profitable by promising big subsidies for years to come. Though most Spaniards have so far seen only modest increases in their electricity bills, even government officials are warning that prices might suddenly jump in the coming years as more of the real costs are passed on to consumers.
In the meantime, some power distributors in Spain have converted their government guarantees for higher-than-market energy prices into complex financial instruments, then sold them off to the highest bidders in a manner similar to the repackaging of subprime mortgages in the United States. If the government doesn’t make good on those guarantees, critics fear, the securities could suddenly devalue, soaking the investors who hold them.
“There are going to be people who say we’re doing this wrong or that wrong,” said Angel Torres, Spain’s secretary general of economic policy. “But the reality is that government needs to help create a critical mass in alternative energy to make it sustainable in the long run, and that’s what Spain is doing.”
The pilot car-sharing program, primarily in use at UCLA and USC, is deemed enough of a success that the city wants to take it farther.
 Michelle Sirois in the Zipcar she says she frequently rents near the campus of USC. The program that lets participants rent cars for short periods is also popular on the UCLA campus, and the city of L.A. is planning to expand it. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times / February 3, 2010) |
By Esmeralda Bermudez
February 4, 2010
On the traffic-clogged streets surrounding UCLA, Nina Viakhireva, a car-less art student from San Francisco, had learned to navigate the bus routes or rely on friends for rides. Her parents did not buy her a car, afraid Los Angeles traffic would be too dangerous and time-consuming.
Then the 21-year-old found the Zipcar program, a car sharing service that provides affordable transportation and gives her a new sense of freedom.
“I use it for the grocery store, to go to dinner or to the beach,” Viakhireva said. “It’s really made things accessible for me.”
Of course when she graduates in four months, she will no longer have a need for Zipcar.
“I’m buying my own car,” she said.
Los Angeles may never go from car-crazed to car-free, but the Zipcar pilot program recently launched by the city to encourage Angelenos to ditch their autos for “shared cars” is gaining speed, prompting some city leaders to envision expansion.
The idea, like carpooling or ride-sharing, isn’t expected to tear most Angelenos away from their beloved vehicles, but it could help reduce traffic congestion, exhaust and parking frustrations.
More than 100 people have signed up for the service since the city partnered in September with Massachusetts-based Zipcar to place a dozen shared cars around UCLA and USC. An additional 300 people already signed up with Zipcar elsewhere in the country have also used the pilot program’s cars.
The cars proved to be more popular than expected, hitting the 30% growth backers had expected after a year in just the first month.
“I was a little reluctant when I first heard about it,” said City Councilman Bernard C. Parks, whose district includes the usually congested USC area. “But based on what we see from the pilot, it’s clearly been a success.”
Council members could formally consider an expansion in the fall.
Under the program, university students, faculty and members of the public pay fees starting at $8 an hour to drive the mix of hybrids, Mini Coopers and pickup trucks to run errands, explore the city and get to personal and business appointments. They then park the shared cars in reserved parking spots on city streets near the schools for the next driver.
Six new cars are being added to the fleet, two at UCLA and four at USC, where the service is slightly more popular. It had been in effect for a few years exclusively for university students and staff but opened to the public in the fall, when the city shifted cars to on-street parking.
A few kinks must be fixed before the idea is considered a total success. Some drivers have been ticketed or had their shared cars towed for parking outside designated Zipcar spaces; others compete with non-Zipcars who steal their spots. There also isn’t a local Zipcar representative available, so users rely solely on the Web or their phones to reserve cars and trouble-shoot problems.
Since starting in 1999, Zipcar has seen great growth at universities across the country.
And it’s also popular in compact, dense cities including Boston, New York and San Francisco.
In green-conscious states such as Oregon, Zipcars even come equipped with bicycle racks and free parking passes to forest parks.
The company says each Zipcar removes between 15 and 20 personally owned cars from the road. Customers say they drive 40% fewer miles, increase public transportation use nearly 20% and save more than $600 per month on transportation costs.
But Los Angeles’ sprawling nature presents a unique challenge for the company, said spokesman John Williams. Officials plan to keep a close eye on the USC-UCLA pilot program, then look to expand in other busy centers, perhaps near transportation hubs and train stops.
“We don’t want to invest in a strategy that won’t work,” Williams said.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is optimistic, given the early positive results.
“After turning this corner, we are now looking for ways to put car sharing in the fast lane to become a permanent reality here,” he said.
esmeralda.bermudez@latimes.com
Source: The Los Angeles Times
I don’t hate many things, but I must say that I hate junkmail. Why? It is annoying, wasteful and serves no purpose. I come home from a long day at work and I open my mailbox, which is always overstuffed with useless pieces of junk mail- offers from venues that I will never visit and coupons from stores that I have never heard of. I have to wrestle the mail out of my cramped mailbox and most of it usually falls on the floor, forcing me bend down to pick up all of the wasted paper, while my hands are already full with business papers and my actual mail. According to the Native Forest Network,” the average mail recipient receives some 560 pieces of junk mail a year,” and most like myself throw out more than half of it. That’s adds up to 4.5 million tons of unrequested bulk mail sent each year, or the destruction of 100 million trees. What else can be done? Here are some suggestions from Seventh Generation’s Website www.seventhgeneration.com
- To stop the flow of credit-related offers, request that credit reporting agencies, the chief source of names for mailing lists, stop sharing your information.
- Visit the Direct Marketing Association’s (DMA) Mail Preference Service and request that your name be removed from the mailing lists used by its member companies.
- Do the same at DirectMail.com, a similar service.
- If you help manage a business, join the EcoLogical Mail Coalition. This organization operates a free business mail preference service similar to the DMA’s above.
- Selectively reduce the catalogs you receive. Simply register your address, and search the master list for catalogs you want to stop receiving. You can update your preferences at any time.
- A similar service is available from Stop the Junk Mail. Unlike the others, this organization charges $20 for its services. The advantage here comes in the form of additional perks like help with companies that fail to honor your request to be removed from their mailing lists.
- Call the companies you do business with and ask them not to share your name with other direct mailers.
- Similarly, when you buy something from a catalog or request a copy of one, tell the company not to share or rent your name.
- When you request a new catalog, use a different middle initial or slightly alter the spelling of your name each time. This way you can trace any unsolicited mailings back to the culprit who sold your name.
- Look for “do not share my name” and/or “do not add me to your mailing list” options on order forms.
- If you receive multiple mailings of the same catalog in your household, call the company and ask them to delete the duplicates. Keep your mailing labels handy so you can identify the exact spellings of names, etc.
- If you move, be wary of the Postal Service’s Change of Address card. While filling out this card will stop junk mailings to your old address, the Postal Service also sells its Change of Address list to direct marketers. Directly notifying friends, family and business contacts about a move may take extra time, but the payoff will be worth it.
For more information about junk mail, visit JunkBusters and read Native Forest’s Stop Junk Mail Guide.
A new iPod is on the way, and everybody loves the latest and greatest. Or maybe that first-generation click-wheeler you bought finally gave up the ghost, and you want to upgrade to a tiny little MP3 player.
If you’re like me, you might have a drawer full of old iPods at home (honest, some were gifts!). What can you do with them?
If the device is still functional, try giving it away. If friends and family are all set with MP3 players, offer it to your local Freecycle group and someone will surely pick it up.
What about fixing it? Contrary to popular opinion, you can have the battery replaced on an iPod. You’ll have to send the device back to Apple. The new battery will cost from $49 to $79 depending on the iPod model, plus shipping and tax.
If the iPod is truly dead, don’t just throw it in the trash. The plastics and metals that make up the device can be recycled, if you take it to the right place.
The most obvious recycler is Apple itself. You can simply take the old iPod back to any Apple store, and you’ll get a 10 percent discount off of a new iPod.
Or go to Apple’s iPod recycling site, fill out a form, and request a prepaid mailing label. Then send in your old iPod. Apple also recycles cell phones of any make and model (not just iPhones).
Another way to recycle that dead ‘pod is the site BuyMyTronics.com. This company buys used gadgets — even non-working ones! — and resells them. Broken electronics are scrapped for parts, so they’re not wasted.
You get an immediate estimate for your device. I found that a totally dead first-generation iPod could earn about $4, while a working iPod Touch would garner nearly $100. BuyMyTronics also takes cell phones, PDAs, laptop computers, and game consoles.
So don’t leave that old, sad iPod sitting in a drawer anymore. And definitely don’t chuck it in the garbage. Give it back to Apple or recycle it for cash, and you can move on to the next song with a clear conscience.
By Trystan L. Bass
 Our Mission: Fossil Free
Fossil Free by ’33In 2004, after more than three decades of environmental leadership, CEC drastically restructured to focus on a single mission: to move Santa Barbara County and our surrounding region away from fossil fuels in one generation. Given the urgent concerns of climate change, peak oil, and dependence on foreign oil, we strongly believe that this transition should be the top environmental and economic priorities for the region and nation. Fossil fuels have played a pivotal role in the evolution of modern society; without them, we would likely still be living in an agricultural economy, with none of the benefits that we enjoy today in terms of transportation, medical advancements, sanitation, and entertainment. But a century of burning fossil fuels has taken its toll, and the time has come to find alternatives. CEC’s mission is to make today’s generation the last to rely on gasoline for fueling its cars, and coal- and natural-gas-created electricity for heating and lighting its buildings. Why we need to replace fossil fuelsThere are a number of serious, complex problems that arise from relying on non-renewable energy sources. Here are three:
How we can do itThe two biggest energy-using sectors in our region are buildings, which account for about 37 percent of our energy needs, and transportation, which accounts for about 48 percent. In our energy plan for Santa Barbara County – A New Energy Direction – CEC focuses on solutions in which there are available, cost-effective technologies, and where we have the potential for local influence. For example, in the building sector, our communities can set stringent local building codes and educate and inspire designers and builders. However, in the transportation sector, fuel efficiency standards are set in Washington, D.C. and cars are designed and built in Detroit, Berlin or For details on how our region can move away from fossil fuels, see Our plan for getting there . How the Santa Barbara region can lead the wayCalifornia is in a unique position of influence, having recently passed the most comprehensive global warming solutions bill in the nation (AB 32). As with recycling 20 years ago, many states are now waiting to see what type of mandates and voluntary programs California will propose before they take action of their own. As the 6th largest economy in the world and one of the most influential states in the nation, what happens here matters. Santa Barbara, too, is in a unique position. Our region has access to an array of renewable energy resources – particularly the sun, wind and ocean – and our communities are defined by a level of deep environmental concern. While we may not be the largest or most influential region in the state, we are perfectly positioned to serve as a testing ground. When it comes to making political and societal changes, Santa Barbara is small enough to be able to change course with relative speed, and yet large enough to matter when those changes are made. |
In tackling the ambitious goal of weaning our county from fossil fuels, we first need to recognize the magnitude of the task. The main sources of energy we use are gasoline and diesel to run our vehicles, natural gas for heating and cooking, and electricity — which in California is generated largely by fossil fuels like natural gas and other non-renewable sources like nuclear.
In 2005 in Santa Barbara County, we consumed about 184 million gallons of gasoline, 28 million gallons of diesel, 8.4 million gallons of jet fuel, 525,000 gallons of aviation gasoline, 155 million therms of natural gas, and 2,700 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity. When we combine all of these energy sources and convert them to GWh as a common unit of energy, we find that our region used about 15,500 GWh in 2005. If our region continues with business as usual, CEC projects that regional energy demand will rise to about 21,500 GWh by 2030.With that target in mind – 21,500 GWh needed by 2030 — CEC evaluated the most sustainable and cost-effective alternatives to fossil fuels for our county. They are:
Reduce energy use in buildings
A significant portion of energy in our region is used to heat, light and cool residential and commercial buildings. Fortunately, our region has a few things going for it. First, Santa Barbara is fairly temperate, and buildings do not require a lot of heating and cooling to be comfortable. Second, when it comes to electricity and natural gas, California is already relatively energy efficient, due in large part to successful state policies. Since the early 1970s, California’s per capita electricity and natural gas use have leveled off or dropped – while U.S. per capita energy use in these areas has grown significantly.
Third – and perhaps most importantly – buildings in our region are designed and constructed almost entirely by local architects and builders, with design and energy standards set by local agencies and elected officials. With support and guidance from a CEC-led coalition, for example, the City of Santa Barbara now requires all buildings within city limits to exceed California’s Title 24 – which is already the most aggressive state energy standard in the country. As a result, Santa Barbara is now one of the most forward-thinking cities in the nation when it comes to requiring that buildings be energy efficient – although we still have some work to do to improve the efficiency of our older buildings.
Read more about this section of our regional energy blueprint.
Improve transportation
Another significant portion of energy in our region is used to fuel our cars. This sector is a little more challenging, as vehicles are not built locally, and fuel-efficiency standards are set by national and state policy. But once again, our region has a few things going for it. Being a relatively small community with a temperate climate, it is possible to design neighborhoods and transportation systems that promote walking, biking, busing and taking the train.
Second, there are progressive, creative people in our region who are exploring new ideas and business models – such as “on demand” ride sharing using internet and cell phones, and car sharing programs in which drivers rent a car by the hour from convenient locations around town.
And third, car owners in this region are willing to invest in new types of vehicles – in fact, Santa Barbara boasts the fourth highest per capita ownership of hybrid cars in the country. This enthusiasm will be important as new types of cars come on the market in the next few years, such as all-electric and plug-in electric vehicles. Plug-in hybrids – which are like today’s gas/electric hybrids but with larger batteries — can be recharged at night through a standard electrical outlet, extending the fuel efficiency up to 100 mpg.
Read more about this section of our regional energy blueprint.
Meet our needs with renewable energy
As we begin transitioning away from liquid fuels and toward electricity to power our vehicles, our region will need access to a great deal more electricity. Currently, only about 14 percent of the electricity used by Californians is generated by renewable energy such as wind or solar power. The remainder is generated by natural gas (46 percent), nuclear (15 percent), large hydro (10 percent), and some coal-fired plants in other states (15 percent).
While electrical grids are complex – electricity generated in one region may be used by another – the south and central coasts of California can play important role in the future. If properly harnessed, our abundance of wind, sun, and ocean power could generate enough electricity to offset our region’s electrical needs.
Fortunately, energy developers are starting to see the potential for building wind and solar farms in our region. CEC is working with many of them to ensure that their proposals are environmentally sound and located in appropriate areas.
Read more about this section of our regional energy blueprint .
Give Up Plastic (and Paper) Bags
Cost: $1
Do you opt for paper or plastic when at the grocery store? Neither is a good choice. Twelve million barrels of oil were used to make the 88.5 billion plastic bags consumed in the United States last year. And it takes four times more energy to make paper bags.
The best choice is reusable shopping bags made of cotton, nylon or durable, meshlike plastic. Put a few reusable shopping bags in your car so you have them handy on your next shopping trip. And if you happen to forget your reusable bag (as we all do!), choose paper if you will recycle it or plastic if you will reuse or recycle it.
Stop Buying Bottled Water
Cost: $14.98 for aluminum water bottle
Did you know that it takes 26 bottles of water to produce the plastic container for a one-liter bottle of water, and that doing so pollutes 25 liters of groundwater? Don’t leave a trail of plastic water bottles in your wake! Stop buying bottled water. Use reusable water bottles instead made from materials like stainless steel or aluminum that are not likely to degrade over time. If you choose a plastic water bottle, check the number on the bottom first: Plastics numbered 3, 6 and 7 could pose a health threat to you, so look for plastics numbered 1, 2, 4 or 5.
Stop Receiving Unwanted Catalogs
Cost: $0
Each year, 19 billion catalogs are mailed to American consumers. All those catalogs require more than 53 million trees and 56 billion gallons of wastewater to produce — and many of us don’t even know how we got on so many mailing lists! So grab that stack of catalogs piling up on your coffee table and clear out the clutter. Visit CatalogChoice.org to put a stop to unwanted catalogs. Within 10 weeks, your mailbox will be empty of unwanted catalogs. A less cluttered mailbox means less pollution, less waste and less of the pollution that cause global warming.
Give Up Conventional Toilet Paper
Cost: $2.96 for 4-pack, 260 sheets
Believe it or not, switching to recycled toilet paper can change the world. If every household in the United States bought just one four-pack of 260-sheet recycled bath tissue, instead of the typical tissue made from virgin fiber, it would eliminate 60,600 pounds of chlorine pollution, preserve 356 million gallons (1.35 billion liters) of fresh water and save nearly 1 million trees. And the best news is that a four-pack of recycled toilet paper costs about the same as a four-pack of conventional toilet paper.
Run a Fully Loaded Dishwasher
Cost: $0
If you have dishwasher, use it. Running a fully loaded dishwasher — without prerinsing the dishes — can use a third less water than washing the dishes by hand, saving up to 10 to 20 gallons of water a day. Simply scrape large pieces of food off your dishes and let the dishwasher handle the rest. And by using the air-dry setting (instead of heat-dry), you will consume half the amount of electricity without spending a dime.
Lower the Temp in Your Fridge
Cost: $0
As one of the biggest appliances in your kitchen, the refrigerator is also one of the most power hungry, accounting for 10 to 15 percent of the average home energy bill each month. Get your fridge running in tip-top shape. First, set the refrigerator thermostat to maintain a temperature between 38 and 42 degrees (F). This temperature will protect your food from spoiling while saving electricity. Twice a year, clean the condenser coil at the back of your fridge. Condenser coils tend to get dusty, making them less efficient
Give Up 2 Degrees
Cost: $0
Electric power plants are the country’s largest industrial source of the pollutants that cause global warming. By snuggling under a blanket on the couch on a snowy winter night instead of turning up the heat, or enjoying the breeze from a fan in the height of summer instead of turning up the air conditioning, you can save pounds of pollution, as well as some money off your utility bills. Set your thermostat in winter to 68 degrees F (20° C) or less during the daytime and 55 degrees F (13° C) before going to sleep or when you are away for the day. And during the summer, set thermostats to 78 degrees F (26° C) or more.
Give Up Dry Cleaning
Cost: $0
Until recently, almost all dry cleaners used a cancer-causing chemical called perchloroethylene, also known as Perc or TCE. Traces of this toxic chemical remain on your clothes after dry cleaning and will evaporate into the air in your car or home. If you have to use a traditional dry cleaner, take your dry cleaning out of the plastic and air it outside or near a window before hanging it in your closet. To avoid the need for dry cleaning at all, make customer care a part of your clothing purchase decisions and choose fabrics that don’t require dry cleaning at all.
Working from home can be a great alternative to a desk in a cubicle, but, as many people who try it will tell you, it isn’t as easy as slapping your laptop down on the dining room table. And, while wearing pajamas all day might sound nice, it doesn’t make the cut for many who work from home. Still, whether you embrace the romantic-sounding ideals of managing a home office or not, one thing remains true: It can be way greener than commuting to an office every day.
From cutting out the commute to scaling back on unnecessary paper or energy use, there are tons of ways that working from home can help make you just as happy, healthy, and successful as you might be working in an office, but it isn’t quite as simple as inserting recycled paper in your printer tray. You’ll want to take action to insure you create and maintain a healthy home working environment, and do things like schedule sufficient breaks, to help keep your mind and body moving throughout the day.
And, while it’s easy to concentrate on the environmental benefits of working from home, the mental and emotional ones are sometimes just as important, which is while it’s important to carefully consider a space in which you can comfortably, productively work (and not just an empty closet you don’t have anything else to do with). The benefits—environmental, emotional, or otherwise—can be myriad, so if you hate commuting, if you’re most productive outside a traditional 9-5 schedule, or if you just got laid off, then working from home might be the answer. And while some of the green changes you’d make by skipping the office are obvious—like cutting your carbon output by not commuting and saving on disposable lunch containers—there are dozens more choices, from desks to chairs to pencils, that you can turn into an opportunity to support eco-friendly products. Read on to learn how to go green while working from home.
Top Green Work from Home Tips
- Find a job
Ideally, you’ll be able to talk to your employer about formatting your current job into one you can do from home-even working from home just one or two days a week can make a big impact on the environment. But if your boss is one of the many who aren’t willing to let employees telecommute, then it might be time to look for a position that’s based out of your home, or become a freelancer or consultant in your field. Even better: Find a green job you can do without leaving your house, or start your own green business. - Choose a workspace
Before you can start greening your office, you need an office to green. And the kind of surroundings that make someone else productive might not work best for you—just look at the differences in TreeHugger writers’ home offices, which range from urban enclaves to living room sofas to moving trains. General wisdom is that setting aside a space dedicated only to work helps you stay focused and motivated; keeping it free of distractions—kids, non-work phone calls, and the UPS guy—lets you concentrate. If you can find a space that actually inspires you-because of the view, the architecture, or any other quality-even better. Of course, fresh air, big windows, and plenty of sunlight won’t hurt either; studies have shown that pulling the curtains and opening a window to catch the breeze makes workers more productive. - Find a desk
This is going to be the place where you spend most of your days from now on, so think carefully about what kind of desk you want, need, and have space for. Looking for tons of drawers? A big work surface? Or something modular that you can push out of the way when company comes? No matter what your preferences are, you can find environmentally-safe desks that fits the bill. Skip the particleboard (sorry, IKEA lovers: It’s full of VOCs) and opt instead for sustainable wood or recycled metal with non-toxic finishes. Another good plan is to check antique stores, thrift shops, estate sales, yard sales, or even your attic for used desks in good condition; you can even fashion a desk out of an old door supported by filing cabinets for more character. - Grab a seat
Spending the majority of your day staring at a computer sounds like it wouldn’t be physically demanding, but it does take a toll on your posture, muscles, and long-term productivity. Key in an office chair: find one that’s ergonomic, with good lumbar support, and adjustable to fit you. Herman Miller, Steelcase, Haworth, and Trey all offer models made in large part from recycled materials, and in colors and fabrics that are recycled and colored with non-toxic dye. For extra sustainability, look for chairs that are Greenguard or Cradle-to-Cradle certified (we’ll get more into this in the Getting Techie section). And don’t be afraid to splurge on a high quality chair. Once you’re sitting 40 hours a week on a cheap one, you’ll find the extra money is well worth it. Check out our guide to Buy Green: Office Chairs for more info on which chair might be right for you. - Power up
If you’re making the switch to working from home, a computer is a non-negotiable necessity. But the kind of computer? That can be up for some debate. If all you need is an internet connection, word processing, and some basic photo editing tools, then buying the fanciest processor around is a waste—you might be able to make do with what you have, or buy a smaller version, for basic use. (It’s not a bad idea to buy a larger monitor, though; it’s easier on your eyes and lets you see twice as much with the same power.) If you are buying a new laptop or desktop, look for one that’s EPEAT-certified, so it’s made with less hazardous waste than non-certified brands, or that meets Energy Star requirements. Better yet: buy used. - Get connected
Along with your computer, you’ll probably need a few other gadgets to stay in touch with bosses and coworkers-especially if you want to be available no matter where and when they need you; think cell phone, Blackberry or iPhone, scanner, printer, and fax machine, depending on what kind of work you do. Our How to Go Green: Gadgets guide offers plenty of tips for finding the best product with the least environmental impact—check it out for information on energy ratings, recycled and recyclable electronics, renewable chargers, and buyback programs. - Stock up on supplies
In a perfectly green world, your desk needs would be minimal—you’d make do with just a pen and paper for jotting quick notes, instead of an overflowing drawer of post-its, address books, notepads, pens, pencils, highlighters, thumb tacks, staples—need we go on? But if you’re the type who can’t pass a stationery aisle without shelling out for the fanciest fine-points and a clean, new notebook, you can still choose eco-friendly options: pencils made from sustainable wood or old denim, refillable white-board markers, recycled paper, and compostable packing materials, to name a few. Though if you’re anything like we are, you likely have plenty of pens, pencils, and old notebooks in your home already; try rummaging through those junk drawers before buying new. - Go paperless
Using recycled paper is great, but using no paper is even better. You’re likely already using online billing for your personal life; transfer that to your professional accounts with electronically-submitted invoices and direct deposit. Investing in a good scanner lets you shred documents (try reusing them as packaging materials) and navigate them as searchable PDFs. If you have the kind of job that’s impossible to do without any printing at all, try to cut back; these free downloadable software programs let you print just what you need from websites (without all the extra formatting), while Greenprint shows you the whole document before it prints, so you can select just the pieces you’re looking for and eliminate waste. - Sweat the small stuff
The green factors you don’t need to think about in a corporate office still add up when you’re working at home. We’re talking light bulbs, thermostat settings, air quality—it’s up to you to stay on top of these in your home office. Luckily, the solutions are pretty simple. Recycle any paper you use, install compact fluorescent bulbs, wear a sweater in the winter to keep from cranking the heat (or consider using a space heater to keep your office comfortable), and open the windows in the summer (or, if it’s uncomfortably hot, relocate for a few hours to your local library or coffee shop with wi-fi). Turning off your computer overnight saves energy and gives you a mental break from work, while adding a plant or an air filter can help you breathe easy. - Stay healthy
While it’s great for the planet that you’ve cut out your commute, spending all your time in the same building can drain your energy and cut into your social interaction. Make time every day to get outside, whether it’s to run errands, go for a walk, or hit the gym, and get a free conference program like Skype to chat face-to-face with your boss and coworkers. Take a few minutes to look away from your computer every hour, and plan your meals and snacks to cut back on mindless munching. And when you are lucky enough to step away from the computer for extended periods of time, turn off your lights and gadgets to cut back on wasted energy.
Source: Planet Green.com
An exciting news release was announced regarding the green building program designed to train New York City building superintendents and their staff in energy efficiency procedures. It is an enormous projected spending plan projected by The Community Preservation Corporation (CPC).
“Our realistic goal is to increase fuel and electrical efficiency of existing apartment buildings by 20 percent or more, reducing a prime source of greenhouse gas emissions in our cities,” said Michael Lappin, CPC president and CEO. “We anticipate financing retrofits for up to 15,000 apartments over the next few years. But to change the urban landscape we will also need to adjust the financing landscape.” Source: CPC
CPC’s comprehensive new Green Financing Initiative for multi-family property owners combines quick and easy financing solutions with straightforward options for retrofitting existing multifamily buildings to achieve optimum energy efficiency and cost savings.
The $1 billion program is expected to retrofit approximately 15,000 housing units over the next 3 years in low, moderate and middle-income properties using CPC’s “one-stop shop” operation supported by CPC’s extensive technical network to help building owners obtain necessary financing along with public incentives.
CPC’s “one stop shop” operation will include:
Construction Financing with a permanent takeout CPC will provide short term construction financing which will be used for the extensive renovation of occupied, income producing buildings. The retrofit scope will be performed as part of the larger moderate property renovation.
Permanent Financing Permanent mortgages will be offered for properties that do not require extensive renovation by Freddie Mac. Freddie Mac will support the CPC Green Initiative with an enhanced multi-family loan product featuring up to 80% financing with reduced rates to support the energy retrofits.
Energy Audit CPC will require an energy audit as part of the program and will outline appropriate steps to improve the building’s energy efficiency. CPC auditors will advise on appropriate technologies to install, information on qualified contractors, and estimated price ranges for the various efficiency measures.
Coordinate Access to Public Subsidies CPC will help owners access a variety of subsidy programs provided by government and the utility companies to incentivize them to include energy efficient measures in the work scope. These programs include real estate tax abatements and exemptions, low cost loans and grants, and various income tax incentives.
Under the program, typical energy upgrades to properties could include:
- Increased airsealing/firestopping in all apartment and common areas
- Properly sized and more efficient heating and hot water boilers
- More efficient heating and hot water controls
- Better showerheads, aerators and toilets
- Upgrading ventilation systems
- Complete apartment, common area and exterior lighting retrofit
- Energy Star appliances and more efficient motors and pumps
- Better specification for windows and insulation
A cornerstone of the program is the energy audit which will become a standard part of the application process along with other third party reporting.
