tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52582850998804227122011-07-29T04:33:24.468-05:00We are being inundated with "green" news, issues and challenges, but are often left with more questions than answers. I will try to sort through the information to find practical answers, usable info and the Bottom Line on green.Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.comBlogger721100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-82547395362903244942009-11-16T11:03:00.003-06:002009-11-16T11:44:01.713-06:00

Kerosene is fuel oil. It's what we burned in street lamps back before Edison's light bulb. Gasoline is car fuel, back before batteries. The similarities are striking.Boiled down, alternative energy really takes two forms, electrons or liquids. Liquids are represented by bio diesel or ethanol concepts to fill the vast network we already have for the distribution of liquid energy.But, electrons

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-26975775531986537122009-10-22T11:46:00.005-05:002009-10-22T12:19:55.281-05:00

I love stories in the press about "peak oil". They are always presented like we have no choice but to drill baby drill.Peak oil is a simple concept, when will we burn more oil per day than we pump out of the ground? If you're today's press, a little fear mongering is a great way to develop a headline or two.The argument, (today's press's bread and butter) is that there is plenty of oil, or, we

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-19204020024274536682009-09-16T09:41:00.004-05:002009-09-16T13:52:09.001-05:00

Today's green headlines talk a lot about new aggressive mileage standards for vehicles in the US, and California.We have had mileage standards for many years yet we are far behind the rest of the world on this front. In addition:Our car makers are on life support.We import a huge amount of oil.The city of Dallas regularly exceeds its air pollution standards.The question is...are all those things

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-44453930658511665692009-09-14T14:12:00.005-05:002009-09-14T15:03:47.015-05:00

It seems almost impossible that we are still having this discussion. The last Nuclear plant constructed in the US was started in 1977! That little mishap at Three Mile island? 1979. Coincidence? Not hardly. We decided, rightly or wrongly that coal was less dangerous than Nukes. (Tell that to a Virginia coal miner).But now, with carbon reduction on the agenda, are Nukes a renewable clean energy

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-459070825528930302009-09-10T07:40:00.007-05:002009-09-10T17:09:52.223-05:00

As we complete the cooling season here in Dallas, I am still pining for a geothermal heating and air-conditioning system. In some ways it's more compelling that a photovoltaic (PV) electricity system. Here's why....Basically the system is a heat pump connected to holes in the ground. Heat pumps have been around for ages and are generally perceived as more efficient than regular AC compressors and

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-66956684290363886812009-08-31T12:07:00.010-05:002009-08-31T14:53:35.922-05:00

In the great city of Dallas we have a lot of cheap water. Even when we have droughts and the reservoirs get low, the price doesn't go up.Just three hours south we have the city of Austin and they don't have near enough water. They understand water conservation better than most, and, they are the capital of Texas. Their city hall is Xeriscaped, ours has a big fountain.So laws and regulations that

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-3486913237074880882009-08-31T11:56:00.002-05:002009-08-31T12:01:04.023-05:00

I just returned from Oklahoma City and an overnight stay at my brother in law's house. He installed central AC about 9 months ago and I was anxious to review their electric bills. (Is that weird or what?)The bottom line is, going from window units to central AC will save them 55% on their energy costs and pay back the initial investment in 13.5 months. That's impressive.

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-90102977930461038732009-08-15T18:45:00.006-05:002009-08-16T10:20:37.841-05:00

I am sorry to say that this is important to saving energy. The reason I'm sorry is because it's so darn complex.The reason we care about "degree days" is because our home's climate control system dominates our energy use. Everything else is secondary. So to properly evaluate our heating and cooling energy use we need to somehow establish a way to compare one day to the next, or week, or month or

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-19505516043481811952009-08-14T12:37:00.004-05:002009-08-14T12:52:34.452-05:00

My old top loading machine takes 40 minutes to do a load of laundry. Compare that to 90 minutes for the average front loader.I guess the next question is...how long to dry?My dryer takes 40 to 45 for average clothes and around 60 minutes for towels. The front loader takes at least 60 minutes for any load. If you're doing consecutive loads it doesn't really matter since the washer is still the

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-27821435581615154862009-08-13T11:45:00.004-05:002009-08-13T20:12:32.494-05:00

I think the argument over climate change is fascinating. Each camp purports to have it figured out, and neither do. The press fuels this debate ad nauseum. In Washington. it's just another item split down the center aisle of congress.But this issue is different. Mainly because we don't really have much past history to go on...how do we deal with the possibility of real havoc and disruption to our

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-45604056187118479632009-08-05T12:38:00.006-05:002009-08-05T12:52:53.097-05:00

I envied my neighbors LG front loaders. I was just imagining all the water and energy savings form the washer and the dryer. They looked pretty fancy too.Whenever I asked her about them she would kind of grumble. It seemed like a sore subject. I of course started extolling the virtues of less water, detergent, higher spin rates so the clothes would be dryer going into the dryer. What's not to

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-92054163803179583662009-08-05T12:24:00.004-05:002009-08-05T17:28:40.842-05:00

I have a fancy Euro dishwasher from ASKO. I put it in in 2001 to match all the other stainless steel stuff. I didn't really care about the energy use then.Fast forward to today.I call ASKO North America to get the energy use numbers on this dishwasher. I can't test it myself because the unit is hard wired in...They don't have the numbers! Their manuals etc all talk about energy savings etc but no

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-21886048644658200812009-07-30T08:33:00.003-05:002009-07-30T08:56:18.160-05:00

I was watching a show called "Extreme Loggers". Those guys have a saw at the end of a big machine on tracks. It takes about a second to cut down a tree. (Chainsaws are way too slow.) Another big machine grabs the logs and hauls them to a wood chipper a few hundred yards away. There another big machine feeds the logs into the wood chipper that dumps into a semi truck to be hauled to the paper

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-13948995582335469782009-07-29T12:31:00.005-05:002009-07-29T13:32:32.632-05:00

My air conditioning unit outside recently went kaput. The compressor just overheated and locked up. I spent two days sleeping in an 80+ degree house.First I want to say that those two days resulted in a big energy savings. And a desire to leave the state or check into a cushy hotel. But what does this have to do with green?In my Internet travels I have run across multiple articles and advice

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-88169629015540599462009-07-24T08:02:00.007-05:002009-07-24T09:39:09.052-05:00

I just completed two days of energy saving work with my contractor, A Cooler House. We stopped some air flow and increased the money flow....out.As I stated in an earlier blog, I had some concerns about my duct work. The tests showed I was losing at least 37% of my rated airflow capacity through leaks. Now I have the old style hard metal ducts wrapped in foil insulation. I have a vent and return

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-86740657192231319092009-07-22T08:44:00.005-05:002009-07-22T09:53:27.165-05:00

My roof is cedar shakes, one of the few still remaining in Dallas today. It has hail damage and my insurance company would like to buy me a new one! Now what?My first inclination is to bypass my normally curious self and just replace the wood shakes with...more wood shakes. But, I can't miss this opportunity to explore some green options now can I?So I start some research...and then some more

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-86090266937936083232009-07-20T12:04:00.006-05:002009-07-20T13:39:38.809-05:00

Have I got a deal for you! I have two great energy products, one is coal and the other is oil! This is a can't miss deal.Coal is plentiful and cheap! We mine it in areas where people are poor and the health and land problems are way less important than jobs. We either mine it, or when we can, we just dig it out of the ground or blow off the top of a mountain. We have to cut down a lot trees and

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-61731493779636864642009-07-14T13:35:00.004-05:002009-07-20T09:14:35.814-05:00

Remember my post about my signing up for a new electricity provider? I now know why deregulation isn't really working in Texas.First it's worth noting that I signed with Direct Energy. They told me they would be sending me a welcome packet and I had three days to agree to switch. No welcome packet arrived. I called, they hemmed and hawed and said they would in fact be able to send another one. It

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-7694369667026462882009-07-12T10:01:00.009-05:002009-07-20T09:15:18.438-05:00

It's been an interesting few weeks in the Climate Change arena politically. Legislation for Cap and Trade and the G-8 talks have roused both sides of the issue into a frenzy.If you have read my previous posts on the topic, I have come down solidly on the side of no one. The realities of our planet overheating in the future may or may not be exist but...it's the two sides that now bother me...

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-64339084212623933352009-07-05T15:55:00.005-05:002009-07-20T09:15:49.472-05:00

Given my continued high water use inside the house, I decided it was time to low flow the faucets. This project seemed simple enough...First I get a two quart measuring cup and go to each sink and measured the flow. I turn on the faucet and count to ten and then multiply the amount by six for "gallons per minute". Most are around 2.2. One old one overflows the cup well before I get to ten! (Five

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-50399719481884224442009-07-04T14:54:00.004-05:002009-07-20T09:16:14.778-05:00

As promised I was going to do some analysis of my water use. I looked at how often we flush (not use) the toilet. Even though my wife works out of the home we each get in about four flushes a day each. Eight total.We split those flushes between two toilets. One is a 1.6 gallon per flush commode and one is a 3.5 gallons per flush (I measured it). That means the low flow uses 6.4 gallons a day and

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-56105167931035636752009-06-28T09:11:00.008-05:002009-07-20T09:16:57.427-05:00

I had my first energy audit. It's a prerequisite to receiving free electric company money, so why not? I felt strongly that I pretty much knew my weaknesses and strengths. But a little independent verification couldn't hurt right?First a little background. I had contacted a "guy" who's small company (him) performed thermal imaging audits. $500 for my house! I couldn't imagine getting a return on

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-18353702948914658132009-06-27T09:54:00.007-05:002009-07-20T09:18:14.788-05:00

Someone gave me a published list of all the ways to properly dispose of batteries. There was so much data on it I couldn't possibly use it. I had no idea we had so many different types of batteries and disposal methods. I am going to try and make the rules simple.We have regular throw away, regular recycle and hazardous waste. California is always different but I am excluding them.This list has

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-27022798529424096462009-06-26T10:47:00.003-05:002009-07-20T09:19:17.478-05:00

I am reading the green section in the NY Times this morning (online of course). There is a blog about how a large number of environmentalist groups are coming together against oil sands pipelines from Alberta Canada to the US.The head of the Sierra Club is asked what are the alternatives and his answer is, and I quote “There’s a lot of conventional oil to buy on international markets,” he said. “

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-60748129431089246112009-06-22T09:32:00.002-05:002009-08-17T10:11:25.838-05:00

I am in shock! I was just reviewing my water bill which includes sewer, storm water and garbage/recycling charges. My Sewer bill is higher per gallon than my water bill!In my defense, my bill was artificially low last year so it never caught my attention. This year they re-rate in April and now it has my attention.I immediately called the city to ask what's up with that? How can the sewer bill be

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-87359999456224349952009-06-19T10:48:00.002-05:002009-07-20T09:20:23.150-05:00

I finally did it, made the big leap. I changed electricity providers to an all wind power renewable energy plan. And I saved money!Here in Texas we deregulated electricity. There are four (I think) non-competing companies that deliver the stuff and about a million who sell it. Given the competition etc our rates are higher than most??? I can't really explain why but I would guess that

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-24562502223140660692009-06-18T07:23:00.008-05:002009-07-20T09:21:26.160-05:00

Windows are bad. Sure our lives would suck with out them but were trying to go green here...But wait, if we have lots of glass and the associated natural light I can keep my lights turned off. Just think of the savings! Except at night, or when there are temperature differences outside etc. Oh well. never mind.Windows are bad.If you live in a new, well insulated house, your walls will probably

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-51172391289877640782009-06-14T10:11:00.007-05:002009-07-20T09:22:11.823-05:00

I like this question, because it asks, why do I care, about something so tried and true.If I stand in the middle of a room in my house, how much is ceiling? In a 12 x 12 room, the ceiling is 144 sq ft of area to be concerned about. If the ceiling is vaulted, it's even more.In that room, each wall is 12 foot long, and let's say 9 feet tall. That wall is 108 square feet. If it's on the outside of

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-26658669886259310622009-06-14T09:12:00.005-05:002009-07-20T09:22:33.636-05:00

There is a new product out on the market, well sorta new. It's the solar powered attic fan that sits on your roof and draws air out of your attic for free! Well, $600 free. This is a product who's time has come...to be left at the store where it belongs.Many of us have the turbine fans that passively turn when we get a little breeze. They are cheap to buy and also free to run. There are also

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-38472302078213528962009-06-12T11:15:00.007-05:002009-07-20T09:23:04.103-05:00

Ya right, I don't even know what thermodynamics means. What I do know is heat transfer is what all this green home energy conservation stuff is all about. Trying to keep cool and warm where it belongs.Thinking about it, your gas, oil, electricity use is all increased by various losses or waste of hotness or coolness. So what's important is how.Heat transfers three ways, conductive, ie finger

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-51091341649055394492009-06-12T09:32:00.006-05:002009-07-20T09:23:31.625-05:00

In my quest to know where I stand, I have attempted to measure my sustained place in this world against others. What's my level of greeness? Am I good, bad, or even the dreaded "average"?In fact, I started my work on sustainability with a trip to the Energy Star web site to measure my energy use against others in an attempt to see where I stand. As I blogged then, my house was a zero on a scale

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-62326682546713851832009-06-10T09:03:00.004-05:002009-07-20T09:23:56.211-05:00

Due to everyones inability to wrap their head around the word "xeriscape" we are now calling these landscapes or plantings "Water Wise". Dallas just hosted their annual Water Wise home tour this last weekend and I went along for the ride.First, there are still plenty of examples of what I now call the "English Garden" look. It's an eclectic mix of plants that smacks of way too many trips to the

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-66732898010838441302009-06-09T16:41:00.006-05:002009-07-20T09:28:18.808-05:00

I have been spending an inordinate amount of time repairing my main PC, bringing up a new one and learning Vista. I'd much rather be working on green issues.While I have been on hold for a support person, (a week at least) I have been hatching a new idea. This idea stems from my belief that a portion of going green is easy. I also know that a portion of going green is very, very hard.The reason

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-82906807659238447212009-05-26T11:41:00.004-05:002009-07-20T09:29:24.638-05:00

One area where I spend the most reading time is Climate Change. If you have read my prior posts on this topic, you know I haven't been fully convinced we (the world) have a real handle on the issue.An area I recently needed to better understand was CO2 in the atmosphere. We generally hear pundits, scientists etc. all point to the idea that CO2 is put into the atmosphere where it resides for

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-80617169884816150552009-05-12T08:30:00.004-05:002009-07-20T09:30:29.754-05:00

If you are conscious about sustainability issues you become aware of all of these areas where our system needs work. Usually in discrete pockets like recycling, pollution etc.This video tells the whole story. http://web.1.c3.audiovideoweb.com/1c3web3536/StoryOfStuff.movIt's 20 minutes, so take a break from the daily routine, you won't feel guilty at the end for taking the time...I promise.

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-23582404126634431652009-05-08T10:52:00.003-05:002009-07-20T09:31:22.882-05:00

I don't normally post on the news of the day but I think there might be a glimmer of direction for us consumers. Specifically in the area of transportation.The administration announced today they they are discontinuing funding for hydrogen powered transportation! That narrows the field for other technologies.The second bit is the recent data that suggests that biofuels (fuel from plants

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-51137644460730374302009-05-08T09:32:00.004-05:002009-07-20T09:31:58.918-05:00

"Green cars" is probably an oxymoron. But greener cars? We have lots of those coming.But that doesn't mean that you couldn't find a whole bunch of non-green cars down at our Dallas Auto Show. There is a Dodge truck dualie that tows 16,000 pounds! If I were an oil sheik, I'd get one!But as I said, we have a whole plethora (new from KIA?) of more energy efficient cars coming this fall. Some from

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-11132702612573924442009-05-05T10:05:00.006-05:002009-07-20T09:33:03.949-05:00

I see more and more products claiming compostability. I wandered through a local "green" store recently and found a few items worth looking at...First were these cool, really thin bamboo plates. They were designed to be used one time and composted, for $12.00 per pack of eight! A $1.50 a plate! I don't really have any "compostable money" but this sure looks like the equivalent.Then there are more

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-43142998437722116352009-05-03T12:52:00.003-05:002009-07-20T09:33:29.997-05:00

Just an update on the previous post. This line item is the result of the regulators finding that Atmos did not prudently handle their hedging or storage activities. It appears this means they are reviewed on lots of things and if they somehow spend money that is deemed imprudent they can be required to refund it to rate payers.This is how we regulate a cost-plus monopoly. If they are stupid with

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-56732578135149424122009-04-30T14:32:00.012-05:002009-07-20T09:33:59.243-05:00

How much more confusing can they make this thing? First one will note that there is a lot of industry jargon mixed in with a few things we consumers might actually understand...like tax.My gas bill from our monopoly gas provider, Atmos Energy, has no fewer than 10 line items that make up my April bill. So, after reading all the fine print on the back under the heading "understanding your bill" I

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-20206052993685988202009-04-22T10:27:00.007-05:002009-07-20T09:35:52.282-05:00

I have been away from my computer for a few days traveling around the Big Bend area of Texas. I have a few observations about the trip that seem applicable to this blog.On the way one passes through huge wind farms. You can feel the wind buffeting your car as you watch the windmills turn. One immediately gets the idea that good wind is localized. The windmills dot the landscape as far as the eye

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-54164921093801962562009-04-09T11:10:00.001-05:002009-07-20T09:36:31.367-05:00

I finally realized why they call it a green movement! If you do it right you can save real cash. Or, you can get a lot better return on your investment than the stock market! That's green!Lets see, if you held $2600 in GM stock or you bought a pressure reducer and ET controller for your sprinklers, like me... OK, that's not fair...let's just say a S&P index fund. I have a projected 79% savings.

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-51814686468463974652009-04-06T05:07:00.002-05:002009-07-20T09:36:54.607-05:00

I have the answers to my questions! It turns out that if someone is willing to take the time and explain it, almost all of it makes sense.First a little background. Here in Dallas we have a contractor "the processor" who handles all our recycling. They have a seven year contract. That means they are stuck with whatever we put in our bins and stuck with however the city oversees them.Given that,

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-73070971639957020572009-04-03T08:13:00.014-05:002009-07-20T09:37:14.968-05:00

As much as I love "single stream" recycling, I have lots of items that I am not sure about. I also have a friend who has the same concern. So we end up standing between the two garbage and recycling bins and choosing based on some vague past recollection. Newspaper bag? The plastic bag from Target? The plastic bubble wrap? What about other metal? You're standing there with hangers? Aluminum foil

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-63773206459549067512009-04-02T10:38:00.018-05:002009-07-20T09:40:56.677-05:00

It's spring and I need to feed my lawn. Normally I just head to the depot and get whatever sounds good or is on sale, take it home and give it to my lawn crew to spread. I do this twice a year. I am never sure how much to buy or use, but I guess, and the landscape guys never complain.So what's the problem you ask? Organic. The word that means simple is no longer acceptable. We must somehow "care"

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-34438415300361917292009-03-31T11:17:00.003-05:002009-07-20T09:41:47.723-05:00

You flip a light switch on and a grizzled Appalachian heads back into a coal mine in Virginia. He brings out some coal that they ship to Texas. Another grizzled guy loads that into a coal fired power plant. The resulting smoke has mercury in it...and it drifts along with the prevailing winds. Eventually the mercury falls or is washed out of the air.It lands on mostly land where it sits waiting

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-60432689912398716392009-03-29T11:49:00.002-05:002009-07-20T10:11:57.102-05:00

It seems that every effort to be environmentally more responsible comes with trade offs. In fact, I think its the hardest part...measuring the pro's and cons. Time and money are two obvious ones but then you have to consider carbon, pollution, landfills, etc etc. Here is my stab at criteria for deciding in order of priority.Harmful use. If something we do, buy or consume is considered harmful, we

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-20780443140458634452009-03-25T16:11:00.003-05:002009-07-20T09:45:06.889-05:00

I cant live without it. There is no other product out there that performs for the money like a Styrofoam cup. It handles heat and cold, protects your hand, doesn't sweat, keeps the temperature of your drink better than anything, is cheap and easy to store. What's not to love?Oh ya, it's really bad for the environment and we cant recycle it!The Starbucks cup with a sleeve is their answer to the

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-34082458866494820122009-03-24T10:17:00.001-05:002009-07-20T09:45:35.829-05:00

My zero of a home needs some sealing. I know that because it got cold again and I went around feeling and measuring my cold spots. It seemed like an easy project...Basically you end up concentrating on all the penetrations through the sheetrock. So we're after plugs, switches, plumbing, lighting...but only on exterior walls. You just need three things (other than time), you need those little foam

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-5917720044845383712009-03-22T09:44:00.008-05:002009-07-20T09:49:05.204-05:00

I am pretty surprised and encouraged that I could save that much without counting any heating and air conditioning. Here's the numbers: Last year I spent $3,323.50 on electricity. That is my total bill, not just the price of electricity. (It's interesting to note how much the taxes, fees etc add to the bill and price per kilowatt.)Based on my recent efforts I anticipate saving $1,056.10, or 31.7%

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-84966143036330253492009-03-21T13:01:00.005-05:002009-07-20T09:49:31.667-05:00

I purchased my programmable thermostat about eight months ago. I started using it in late summer when judicious use of the air conditioner can provide some pretty big savings.First I read the package and marveled at how this simple device could save me up to 30% on my utility bills. All I needed to do was install it and turn my temperature up in the summer and down in the winter. But of course we

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-90512904925369452542009-03-19T11:02:00.012-05:002009-07-20T09:50:39.220-05:00

I have completed my home (a zero) electricity audit and remediation. I found and I conquered. Well, mostly.First, I didn't do anything with heating and air conditioning except install a programmable thermostat. More on that later.I have a device called a TED (The Energy Detective). This device was installed by TXU for my two tier rate program. (It's no longer offered.) This device is connected

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-36683398931504288142009-03-17T13:36:00.007-05:002009-07-20T10:12:37.026-05:00

As part of my ongoing energy savings project I am confronted with the Vampire. This means I have to hunt down stuff that sucks power doing nothing...I think.That's where I am at the moment, trying to define what a true Vampire is in electrical terms. Most would define it as standby power. There's no clock or anything useful going on. It's just sitting there waiting for you to ask it to do

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-40039664547183366642009-03-16T10:13:00.015-05:002009-07-20T09:55:14.693-05:00

I have a confession to make, I have 123 sockets inside my house and 37 outside. Together I have 160 different sockets that require light bulbs. No wonder they have to strip mine coal...just for my house!That means that lighting for me is an ongoing project that started eight years ago when I remodeled this house. I used my first Compact Fluorescents (CFLs) then. I have learned a lot about bulbs

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-28527770606412539712009-03-13T12:30:00.002-05:002009-07-20T09:55:38.688-05:00

When I purchased my house it had many old style recessed ceiling fixtures. After the remodel, I had added a large number of new recessed lighting in the form of "can" lights. All of these fixtures, old and new, penetrate into the attic space.I also had new insulation added which was blown-in cellulose. After reading the fine print on my new can lights (25 total) it says you can't pile insulation

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-47270997297558229642009-03-11T10:51:00.002-05:002009-07-20T09:56:05.724-05:00

In my very first post here I mentioned cap and trade. The idea is we define how much carbon we agree to release into the air (the cap). Then we sell a share (credit) of that to businesses that produce carbon. They can then sell those "credits" creating a trading market. Like stock trades, you have carbon credit trades.President Obama has already built revenue into his budget from the initial sale

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-11029213688060468242009-03-10T07:47:00.002-05:002009-07-20T09:56:42.330-05:00

If I take something out of service because it's not environmentally sound, can I then give it away?We think that someone else using it is better than it ending up in the dump. But what about this pile of incandescent light bulbs? I may be saving energy with the swirly bulbs but if I give the incandescent to somebody, isn't the result that the same amount of energy will be used and carbon produced

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-24528220184598827382009-03-08T09:02:00.002-05:002009-07-20T09:57:06.323-05:00

Or my house is. I went to the Energy Star site to baseline my residence. They ask some pertinent question about my electricity and natural gas use along with the size of my home etc. This data is then compared to the rest of the US and you get a score. In my case a very bad score. From zero to a hundred...I got a zero!Why I ask myself? Why does my home use so much energy? How am I ever going to

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-66141503721465765952009-03-06T10:00:00.001-06:002009-07-20T09:57:29.952-05:00

I was reviewing our water bill last August and doing my usual grumbling about the amount of dollars. But, then I saw the amount of gallons. 53,800 gallons, in a month! I was in shock! I couldn't fathom using that much water. I knew the meter and bill were correct, it was me that was broken. I am a water-a-holic.Not long after that I received a notification from the city that as part of their

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-52980834821039406732009-03-05T07:01:00.007-06:002009-07-20T10:00:49.528-05:00

It's the environment. The ONE we live in. The one our kids will live in. It's like we live in a terrarium, we live, eat and breathe in a closed system. It's inevitable the way we are going, with our population and productivity growth, that we will foul our nest. Is it our generation's responsibility?We know there are problems, but going green is uncomfortable, complex, expensive and just

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-24991347258921804602009-03-04T09:02:00.001-06:002009-07-20T10:02:59.653-05:00

Well, winter is almost over and I have a confession to make...I have a huge fireplace and I love fires. There, I've said it out loud. But what am I doing to the environment?Well, this one seems simple...but of course...it never is.Trees absorb carbon dioxide (yea) and they use it to build more tree. About 50% of a tree is made up of carbon. When you burn the tree it releases the carbon (along

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-11877432594365377482009-03-03T10:07:00.004-06:002009-07-20T10:03:26.413-05:00

I would like a low energy use clothes dryer. Apparently, dryers are exempt from any kind of evolution, they are appliance dinosaurs. There haven't been any changes to dryers to even warrant Energy Star to list them! The eat a ton of energy yet we live with the 1950's technology.A green, environmentally conscious dryer comes in the form of a rope and two poles along with devices called clothes

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-60474217084659062912009-03-01T10:57:00.002-06:002009-07-20T10:03:51.657-05:00

I am in the middle of a project to reduce my gas and electric use. I will publish more on that later, but for just a moment, I want to talk coffee. The most popular beverage in the world...and apparently the most expensive. If Juan Valdez were here I'd show him my electric bill.We have a new Cuisinart coffee maker that uses 126 kilowatt hours a month! About $15! We run it four hours a day every

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-10901774671172457192009-03-01T10:30:00.001-06:002009-07-20T10:04:20.653-05:00

How great would it be if we could capture all the rain that falls on our house and driveway and use it to sprinkle our yards? Or flush our toilets? I started this project a few months ago...boy did I have a lot to learn.Rainwater capture for most of us means we use gravity to put the water in storage. That means we can't really capture the water from our driveway or other concrete areas without

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-74047606519411799952009-02-27T15:28:00.002-06:002009-07-20T10:06:49.513-05:00

My spell checker doesn't even recognize the word xeriscape. Apparently it originated in Denver. It’s the idea of planting a landscape using plants that require little if any additional water. (Bear in mind that people in Denver carve the trunks of their dead trees into totems...right in their front yard!)First off, your xeriscape project starts with removal of your lawn. Hmmmm. Houston, we have a

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-70089973963107245232009-02-26T10:08:00.010-06:002009-07-20T10:05:17.807-05:00

In my second post, I was challenged by one reader to try and sort out the argument for and against global warming being man made. (See comments under Anthropogenic Global Warming).As pointed out, there was time when we were very concerned about global cooling. This was in large a media driven concern with very little scientific support. Volcanoes spewed enough particulate to in theory block the

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-69691971157400089142009-02-24T02:02:00.001-06:002009-07-20T10:06:29.829-05:00

Imby = in my back yard.When we lived in Carrollton there was a large Waste Management landfill within a couple miles of our home as the crow flies (or as stink drifts).At the time I was heading up our improvement projects in the neighborhood for our association. It became apparent that there might be monies available from Waste Management for improvements to our neighborhood to offset the very

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-16289309298667791552009-02-23T22:15:00.001-06:002009-07-20T10:07:50.420-05:00

I guess we have been recycling in some form for 15 years or so. We used to have to separate everything by type and put it in that little blue bin. Inevitably the guys would come around and "separate" all the stuff that isn't supposed to be recycled, no matter how well you hid it, and leave it in the bin. The now lighter bin would blow over and scatter it all out so the neighbors could see your

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-7173649772206463602009-02-20T09:33:00.002-06:002009-08-13T12:57:00.058-05:00

I am talking about grass clippings and leaves, along with weeds, dead annuals, etc etc.When I embarked on my composting project, I didn't really realize that the largest amount of organic waste was from my yard. But because my office looks out into our street, I see everyone's huge piles of bags for the bulk pickup, including my own.Having your yard waste hauled away to the dump is a bad idea. It

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-50781142113064131372009-02-16T09:00:00.001-06:002009-07-20T10:08:34.254-05:00

Composting is an odd concept. The idea that we scorn our trash pickup and dump stuff in a corner of our yard seems, well, survivalist. Soon I will be reloading my own machine gun ammo.The idea behind composting is sound. But let me describe the highlights for you city folk.You compost greens and browns in some ratio that I have forgotten. Basically it's your food waste plus garden or yard waste

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-79191916198153016152009-02-06T11:05:00.001-06:002009-07-20T10:09:17.868-05:00

The insiders just call it AGW. I still can't believe I am using anthropogenic in any sentence. It essentially means man made.For anybody spending time looking into green issues you can't help but be affected by the 800 lb gorilla in environmental news, literature, science etc....global warming. But the argument is still about, if man is causing the warming.Al Gore took the subject and made it

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5258285099880422712.post-52365907104366284352009-02-06T09:48:00.003-06:002009-07-20T10:08:59.298-05:00

I sensed that some of you out there hadn't yet been overrun with "green, environmental, sustainable, global warming information."All joking aside, that's why I started this blog. We want to go green -- and do the right thing environmentally - but , how are we supposed to sort out what works and what doesn't, and what's practical for our lives here in North Texas? What should I feel guilty

Mark R - Dallashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962507625012391738noreply@blogger.com4