Heating, Cooling and HVAC

A watched pot never boils… or does it?
As the earth continues to heat up, and scientists see their previous predictions becoming reality, the problem of global warming is coming more and more to the forefront. » more

Burning fossil fuels, like we all do for transportation and electricity production, releases greenhouse gases (like carbon emissions) into the air that are having a visible impact on the atmosphere and the earth’s climate.

That was then, this is now.
At the dawn of the industrial age, when there were fewer people and machines, the long-term impact of burning fossil fuels wasn’t clear. Now, the world’s population is approaching 7 billion.

Our global economy is increasingly dependent on the use of fossil fuels to power our businesses and our way of life. You don’t have to be a scientist to figure out that pumping a rapidly increasing amount of carbon dioxide emissions into an atmosphere that isn’t getting any bigger will eventually become a problem.

Truth or consequences?
Among scientists and non-scientists alike, there is a growing concern that, if left unchecked, emissions from burning fossil fuels will continue to alter the atmosphere and the climate, disrupting human settlements around the globe and threatening natural ecosystems.

Expected consequences include:

More extreme temperatures
General rise in sea levels, in part from melting polar ice caps
Changes in rainfall patterns, with an increase in droughts and floods
Increased frequency and severity of hurricanes, windstorms and thunderstorms
Loss of habitat and biodiversity
Increase in the spread of serious health risks and diseases

Cool Steps in the Right Direction

In response to mounting evidence of global warming, forward-thinking individuals and businesses are investing in technologies that promise to curb greenhouse gas emissions. One example?

All over the world, smart people are developing creative ways to combat the problem of global warming. You can learn more about what others are doing to live greener lives in the Be Inspired and Be a Catalyst sections.

Turn on to offsets
Picture this: you eat a whole cream-filled, glazed doughnut and then spend a whole hour jogging to burn it off. Carbon offsets are something like that. They offer a way for you to “take away” the emissions you put out there.

How does that make any sense? Think about it: we all live on one single earth with one single atmosphere. So, if you’re responsible for preventing emissions in one corner of the world, it can balance out the emissions you expel in another corner of the world. When you do that in a calculated way, we call it being “carbon neutral.”

Mow Money

Spring is in full swing and summer is a comer.
Translation: Lawn maintenance season is upon us. Here are a few environmentally helpful hints that can save you money and help nature:

• Can the Gas — Try a reel mower, electric mower, or rechargeable mower. Why? Many older gas-powered mowers pump out more toxic emissions in one hour than some cars do in a full day.

• Use Organic Fertilizers — Not only do chemical fertilizers seep into groundwater, they end up in our streams and springs and are toxic to fish and wildlife.

• Find the Right Turf — If you need a lawn, find the right grass. The perfect turf is one that’s appropriate for your environment and doesn’t require copious watering to maintain.

• Do It Early — Water early in the morning when lawns are still wet with dew. And always resist watering during mid-day when excessive evaporation is at its peak.

Have a few organic lawn-maintenance tips you’d like to share? Please add them to the mix.

Are you ready for a carbon diet?

This program runs the entire month of April and lets Whole Foods Market Customers measure their carbon footprint and also provides carbon reduction eco-tips that are designed to help reduce their respective carbon emissions. Some tips include recycling, using CFLs instead of incandescents, and tree planting. There is a whole brochure that explains the program…check it out at www.wholefoods.com\earthday

Buy Green, Drive Clean

. The incentive package includes a parking card valid at any of the city’s 3,700 parking meters – ”a great deal on its own – as well as tchotchkes like a sun shade and travel mug.

With the increasing variety of hybrid cars available; the financial incentives available; the hedge against wildly fluctuating gas prices; and the feeling that you’re doing something better for the planet, there’s just no reason NOT to consider a hybrid for a new car purchase. Of course, that’s coming from someone who nearly wretches every time she drives by a Hummer.

Be Eco-Conscious Valentine!

If you struggle every year like most of us do to find the right Valentine’s day present for your sweetheart, you’ll want to keep reading. In the spirit of curbing your carbon emissions this v-day (maybe even instead of your chocolate intake) give the Gift of Green and have a tree planted which will absorb over 665 pounds of CO2 over its lifetime.We’ll also send your sweetheart a customized love note. Go to http://www.begreennow.com/pages/giftofgreen to purchase now.

If you are all about the chocolates and flowers, we suggest visiting www.organicbouquet.com where you can order the timeless favorites, organic style.

$25 you can pick out a specific Manatee to adopt and choosing among such lovable adoptees as Deep Dent and Elaine is just as much fun for the giver as for the receiver.   Your donation to www.savethemanatee.org also includes an adoption certificate, photo of a real manatee, biography, membership handbook, a subscription to the Club’s quarterly newsletter, The Manatee Zone, and the bi-monthly e-newsletter, Paddle Tales

Sweet carbon neutral music

It’s nice to see so many bands and music festivals taking proactive steps to become carbon neutral. Just recently, SXSW announced that it entered into a partnership to become carbon neutral with Green Mountain Energy Company. What’s especially noteworthy is that SXSW saw environmental stewardship as a way to distinguish itself from other events, and also commended other businesses that are stepping up to the plate and doing the same. This article in Relix magazine gives a great overview of the main contributors of carbon emissions, how a music event like SXSW would go about calculating its carbon footprint, and the proactive steps any event can take to make sweet carbon neutral music. Congratulations SXSW!

It’s getting cooler to Be Green

For those of us who have been concerned about global warming for the past decade, last year was the media event that we have been waiting for. While the Vanity Fair edition, Time and Newsweek articles and even MTV have done a great job of raising awareness, it is still evident that many people are unclear about what global warming is. And, now that the media has convinced the majority that there is problem and that there will be significant impacts, the next step is to have a better understanding of what is happening and what we can do about it…

Global warming is the result of an accumulation of gases in the atmosphere, which trap heat that would normally escape. While some level of gases are required to maintain the atmospheric temperature of the Earth, the rate of increase since the dawn of the industrial age has far exceeded naturally occurring levels. This natural process, commonly known as the “Greenhouse Effect”, is essential to maintaining a desirable climate on Earth. As greenhouse gas emissions increase and the natural balances are altered, significant problems will result.

As the Earth’s climate changes, some of the expected consequences from these changes are:

Hotter and cooler temperature extremes

A rise in sea levels, in part resulting from melting polar ice caps.

Changes in rainfall patterns.

Increased frequency and severity of storm systems such as hurricanes, windstorms and thunderstorms

Increased frequency and severity of droughts and floods

Loss of habitat and biodiversity

Expanded occurrence and distribution of serious health risks and diseases.

But, even with a better understanding of climate change and its consequences the question remains, what are we gonna do about it? Well, the main activities in our lives that contribute to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, the most prevalent greenhouse gas, are things that we can’t stop doing. We can’t stop using grid-connected electricity, driving a car, or heating and cooling our homes. But we can be more responsible and less wasteful when we are doing these activities. So, join me in my new year’s resolution to drop a few pounds here and there of my own emissions in 2007. That’s right, we can go on a CO2 diet.

Tips for the carbon dieter

Start by calculating your household’s carbon emissions footprint on our website at www.BeGreenNow.com to see how many pounds you create in the average year.

Also, the EPA has a good calculator that takes into account positive activities that help reduce your carbon footprint as well. open link in new window to:

Share a ride,Carpool to work each week with family, friends or colleagues or take public transportation to save on gas and vehicle emissions.

Save a trip, do in one trip instead of several smaller ones.

Be a smart consumer, choose recyclable materials when you shop.

Turn the lights off when you leave the room.

Lower your home’s natural gas heater to the vacation setting when you are leaving for a few days or more.

Tighten up your home to prevent heated or cooled air from escaping.

The last word is SAVE ENERGY TODAY FOR BETTER TOMORROW FOR YOUR CHILDREN AND GRAND CHILDREN.

Source:http://www.begreennow.com