Thursday, May 26, 2011

Reduce – Reuse – Recycle

The best way to save energy is to follow 3 simple rules: 1) reduce anything you can, such as the amount of trash or water you use; 2) reuse as much as possible, like plates and silverware; and 3) recycle a lot, like paper, bottles, and cans. if you follow these simple rules, it's easy!

Sun Heat

Summer is almost here, and that means swimming! My family owns a pool. It would take a lot of energy to heat the pool in our backyard. Luckily, we have the sun to do that job for us. It saves us a lot of energy and money. Even if you do not have a pool, you can still use the sun during the summer. Saving energy can occur when you keep the windows open to let in cool air, or hot air, depending on the temperature inside and out.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Top Ten Tips to Save Energy

According to About.com, these are the top ten tips to save energy.



  1. Setting Your Thermostat-Install a programmable thermostat compatible with your heating and cooling system. Make sure to set it comfortably low in the winter and comfortably high in the summer.



  2. Lower Your Water Heater Temperature- Follow the thermostat on your water heater to 120 degrees farenhiet.



  3. Using Power Strips-Plug your electronics into power strips. When turning off these electonics, power down using the power strip to prevent stand-by mode from drawing electricity unnecessarily.



  4. Washing Clothes or Dishes- Follow the full load guideline. Never use the dishwasher or washing machine unless it houses a full load.



  5. Power Down Computers and Monitors- Turning off monitors and computers when they are not being used can save energy and do not damage the computer.



  6. Drying Dishes-Air dry dishes rather than using the heated drying cycle.



  7. Washing in Cold Water-Wash your clothes in cold water. This decreases heating bill and is better for your clothes as well.



  8. Use Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs-These lightbulbs do not use less energy but they do last longer.



  9. Take Showers-Take short showers instead of baths. Also, use cold water to take a shower.



  10. Look for the Energy Star Label- Buy products that have an Energy Star label.



http://www.saveenergy.about.com/

Water Saving Methods

Here are some methods to save water:



  • Throw the old water from a pet's bowl onto trees and plants instead of dumping it down the drain.



  • Wash your pets on the lawn to water the lawn and wash your pet.



  • Make sure fountains, swimming pools, and ponds are equipped with recirculating pumps.



  • Set a kitchen timer for when you are watering your lawn so you do not overwater your lawn.



  • Soak pans and pots instead of using running water to wash them.



  • After steaming foods, use left over water to make a soup or cool down water to drink it to get your eight glasses of water.



www.wateruseitwisely.com/100-ways-to-conserve/index.php

Energy Saving Methods

Here are some methods to save energy:



  • Ensure outdoor lighting is off during the daytime.



  • Clear out your car; extra weight can decrease gas mileage.



  • Cover hottubs when not in use.



  • Remember, it pays to invest in energy saving. Try to install solar panels to save money and save energy.



  • Don't buy a refridgerator or a freezer that is too big for your family's use.



  • The microwave uses 20% less energy than an oven so heat your food in your microwave.



  • Recycle your printer's toner cartidges.



  • Use fans to cool your home instead of overusing your AC to cut on electricity in your home.



www.savewithces.com/365in2008.html

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

The rooftop Eco system

After realizing that the temperature was permanently going up, Chicago got a brilliant idea... put up infrastructures on skyscrapers. These won't be enough to stop it altogether, but it will help. If more cities could put more money int putting these kinds of things up, then the atmosphere would just be a wee bit cleaner. We could even make these on houses, apartments, and even service buildings. If we have them on apartments, it would make a great place for people to hang and encourage them to not be using the computer or whatever else they're doing.

More at http://www.popsci.com/environment/article/2011-05/preparing-climate-change-chicago-adapting-itself-warmer-weather

Monday, May 23, 2011

Submarines?

By Mallory Coats


There are many things on land that are energy efficient but what about energy efficiency underwater?

Submarines can't hold enough fuel and they are under water so they can't use solar power, and not very many use hydro power, so what do they use?

They use nuclear energy! And they have a recycling system so they don't dump nuclear waste into the ocean! so it's like an endless supply of awesomely epic energy!