2009 - New Year - New Opportunities
2008 started well, with the economy booming, awareness of climate change increasing, promise of a new leader in the USA, etc. That changed in October with stock market crashes and job losses all across the globe.
We have not lost all of our gains however. People are still aware of future problems, due to climate change. Though there is a natural tendency to revert to “the old ways” in times of turmoil, we still have a great opportunity in front of us.
Across the planet, people will be looking at ways to pull ourselves out of this “depression”. Most leaders have announced plans to increase spending on infrastructure and job creation. If a significant portion of this funding can be channelled towards “green”, sustainable, carbon reducing solutions, we can make real progress in 2009.
Challenges present Opportunities!
President-elect Barack Obama has signaled his intention to implement a national US Cap and Trade legislation in 2009, prior to the COP 15 meeting in Copenhagen. The failure of the traditional auto industry in North America gives us an opportunity to replace these vehicles with Cleantech. There are several companies ready for mass production that would replace the jobs lost by “the big 3″, if funding was directed properly. Al Gore’s call to replace the existing Electrical Grid with Cleantech within 10 years could pull the USA out of there recession/depression if properly supported.
Yes, 2009 will be a challenging year. Let’s hope in 365 days we can report that it was also one of our most successful!
Newsletter Contest Winner
Congratulations to Jacob M. the winner of our newsletter contest. He won a homemade soap and bath balm selection from:
Economics of a Lightbulb
Forget about saving the world for a moment and let’s just look at putting some money in your pocket. You can save up to $46 for every incandescent light bubl you replace with a CFL bulb. Real life savings will come in a little lower, but it's still one of the best deals in town!
DC Wind Turbine Motors on eBay - BEWARE
DIY Wind Turbines have become very popular items in the past year. We have DIY plans forboth horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWT) and vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT) on this site. And yes, in the beginning we recommended people take a look on eBay for used DC Motors to use in their DIY Wind Turbines.
Unfortunately, as the demand for DC Motors has increased, so has the supply “of inappropriate” motors.
DIY Solar Ovens
2 sets of plans for DIY Solar Ovens - one very portable, one insulated for use in cooler areas - both for under $10.
Box Solar Oven
Windshield Shade Solar Oven
DIY Home Air Pressure Test
7 easy steps to perform your own air pressure test - find and fix those air leaks. Not only reduce your cost to heat & cool your home, but feel more comfortable without the drafts. See more here: DIY Home Air Pressure Test
Cheap & Easy Solar Projects
7 inexpensive, easy solar projects - from easy landscaping to diy solar heating: Easy Solar Projects
11 Money Saving Tips for Tough Times
All 11 of these tips cost NOTHING to implement - start saving today: 11 Money Saving Tips
Comparing DIY Solar Air Heaters
We'll taken a look at 3 separate do it yourself (diy) Solar Air Heaters and come to the conclusion that they all have something to offer.
The "Can" or "Beer Can" Solar Air Heater is super cheap to build, reusing pop or beer cans. The efficiency suffers however, given the lack of insulation and possible air flow problems. Just the same, for heating a workshop or garage, this unit is very handy.
The 1977 "Heat Grabber" from an old edition of Mother Earth, still has some handy features I'd use today. The unit is a window mount, with no need for a fan and easy access for cleaning or snow removal. It's also dirt cheap to build if you can find the correct panels.
The 3rd unit we looked at was The Sponge, a Sydney Australia design. This unit uses a dead air space design to increase efficiency. Once again, we'd add insulation for our snowy climate and mount it closer to the ground.
To summarize, our perfect homemade solar air heater, would use the dead air design of The Sponge, with the window mount and insulation of the Heat Grabber.
Greening The Grid
Al Gore wants the electrical grid to be 100% Renewable within 10 years. What are the options?
Renewable options include:
Water - hydro electric dams, tidal current, ocean waves
Wind - farms of wind turbines
Biomass - natural gas from composing manure and other waste products
Solar - photovoltaic, thermal
In part 1, we look further at Solar Thermal Electrical Production.
DIY Wind Turbines
As the price of electricity rises, so does the interest in making your own windmill or wind turbine. We have designs and links for the do it yourself builder for both:
Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWT)
Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines (HAWT
The HAWT we have built ourselves. The VAWT will be our next project.
How to Cool Yourself Without Air Conditioning
Here's a great article full of ideas on how to keep cool without air conditioning. Lots of suggestions such as:
- Wet your wrists and other pulse points with cold water
- Keep the air flowing. Turn on the ceiling fan or box fan in the room
- Get wet! Take a cool shower
Full article here: Cool Yourself
Electric Plug-in Vehicles
Electric plug-in vehicles are available today, that can travel over 100 kms (60 miles) before a recharge, with top speeds exceeding 100 km/h (60 mph). Even greater ranges and speeds are on the horizon.
Read more on Electric Plug-in Vehicles.
How much CO2 does Electric Vehicle produce vs Gasoline Power Vehicle?
Pounds CO2 per kwh of Electrical Production - Listed State by State and Provinces
Just how much Power is in the Wind, for producing electricity? - Wind Turbines
There's just a little bit of math involved, but you can easily figure out how much power a small wind turbine can produce, given the length of the blades and the wind speed. With this information, you'll know if you should listen to that Salesman, or walk away.
How Much Power is in the Wind
Carbon Footprint Calculator
We have added a carbon calculator to our website that is hosted by carbonfootprint.com and works for most countries across the globe. Give it a try and let us know what you think... Carbon Calculator
Step by step instructions with parts list and tools list. Makes a great science project.
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - starting with reduce. Lower your carbon footprint by carefully considering each purchase. Is this a “want” or a “need”. Can I get it in good used condition from someplace else? Does it have minimal packaging.
- Operate your large electrical appliances in off-hours. If you use a dryer, run it in off-peak hours. (using a clothes line is even better)
- Turn down the temperature on your hot water heater.
- Make your own household cleaners. It’s easy and quick. See http://greenterrafirma.com/cleaners.html for recipes.
- Shorten your shower times and take fewer baths. (if you buy a low flow shower head you can greatly reduce your hot water usage and keep those longer showers).
See the full 16+ items here.
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