by jboullion | Jun 16, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by Nicole Strittmater in the Wausau Daily Herald:
An environmental superstar will visit Custer this week to help inspire central Wisconsin residents to go greener.
Bill McKibben, who wrote the first book about global warming 21 years ago and recently created an international campaign called 350.org to solve the climate crisis, is a keynote speaker for the Midwest Renewable Energy Fair on Saturday.
“I very much wanted to come, particularly because the kind of people who will be at the fair are the kind of people we need to reach,” said McKibben, 49, from his home in Ripton, Vt.
He spends the majority of his time traveling the world promoting his 350.org campaign, which draws its name from the parts per million of carbon that can safely be in the atmosphere. His focus is to get the planet from 392 parts per million of carbon, where it is currently, to 350 by encouraging people to take on environmentally conscious projects.
“We want all kinds of people who are good at doing practical things — putting up solar panels, community gardens, starting bike programs,” he said.
In 2009, he and his 350.org team coordinated 5,200 rallies and demonstrations in 181 countries in one day, which news outlets dubbed the largest globally coordinated rally of any kind.
This October, he’s organizing a global work party. He wants people worldwide to do environmentally friendly projects, such as putting up solar panels Oct. 10.
by jboullion | Jun 16, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by Nicole Strittmater in the Wausau Daily Herald:
An environmental superstar will visit Custer this week to help inspire central Wisconsin residents to go greener.
Bill McKibben, who wrote the first book about global warming 21 years ago and recently created an international campaign called 350.org to solve the climate crisis, is a keynote speaker for the Midwest Renewable Energy Fair on Saturday.
“I very much wanted to come, particularly because the kind of people who will be at the fair are the kind of people we need to reach,” said McKibben, 49, from his home in Ripton, Vt.
He spends the majority of his time traveling the world promoting his 350.org campaign, which draws its name from the parts per million of carbon that can safely be in the atmosphere. His focus is to get the planet from 392 parts per million of carbon, where it is currently, to 350 by encouraging people to take on environmentally conscious projects.
“We want all kinds of people who are good at doing practical things — putting up solar panels, community gardens, starting bike programs,” he said.
In 2009, he and his 350.org team coordinated 5,200 rallies and demonstrations in 181 countries in one day, which news outlets dubbed the largest globally coordinated rally of any kind.
This October, he’s organizing a global work party. He wants people worldwide to do environmentally friendly projects, such as putting up solar panels Oct. 10.
by jboullion | Jun 14, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by Tom Content in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
TVs, computers, others leach energy and money
In one of the first studies of its kind, energy researchers in Madison have uncovered a simple way that most consumers can save on their electric bills: pull the plug.
The researchers set up more than 700 in-home metering devices in about 50 homes to monitor the proliferation of electronic devices in our homes, and how they affect our energy use.
Thirty years ago, federal data shows, a typical home had about three plugged-in devices. The new study shows our wall sockets are jammed, with each home hosting 30 or more devices. All told, computers, printers, televisions and other devices account for 15% to 30% of a home’s total electricity use – about 20% on average, the study found.
The Energy Center of Wisconsin study was able to quantify the impact of having so many devices plugged in and ready to go – sometimes on, sometimes off, and sometimes in standby mode.
Case in point: Home computers that are left on around the clock in some cases suck power even when they’re sitting idle.
“Most computers are set up to turn the monitor off after about 20 minutes,” said researcher Scott Pigg. “So we turn it on and use it and walk away and come back into the room and see the monitor’s off. We think: ‘Well, my computer is managing its power and it’s shut down.’
“What they don’t realize is that two-thirds of the electricity draw is the thing that’s sitting on the floor – not the thing that’s sitting on the desk,” he added. “And the only visual indication that you have that computer’s on is a little fan noise and a little green light somewhere.”
A step as simple as changing the power management settings on a home PC will take less time than running to the store and buying another energy-saving light bulb, Pigg said.
by jboullion | Jun 14, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by Tom Content in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
TVs, computers, others leach energy and money
In one of the first studies of its kind, energy researchers in Madison have uncovered a simple way that most consumers can save on their electric bills: pull the plug.
The researchers set up more than 700 in-home metering devices in about 50 homes to monitor the proliferation of electronic devices in our homes, and how they affect our energy use.
Thirty years ago, federal data shows, a typical home had about three plugged-in devices. The new study shows our wall sockets are jammed, with each home hosting 30 or more devices. All told, computers, printers, televisions and other devices account for 15% to 30% of a home’s total electricity use – about 20% on average, the study found.
The Energy Center of Wisconsin study was able to quantify the impact of having so many devices plugged in and ready to go – sometimes on, sometimes off, and sometimes in standby mode.
Case in point: Home computers that are left on around the clock in some cases suck power even when they’re sitting idle.
“Most computers are set up to turn the monitor off after about 20 minutes,” said researcher Scott Pigg. “So we turn it on and use it and walk away and come back into the room and see the monitor’s off. We think: ‘Well, my computer is managing its power and it’s shut down.’
“What they don’t realize is that two-thirds of the electricity draw is the thing that’s sitting on the floor – not the thing that’s sitting on the desk,” he added. “And the only visual indication that you have that computer’s on is a little fan noise and a little green light somewhere.”
A step as simple as changing the power management settings on a home PC will take less time than running to the store and buying another energy-saving light bulb, Pigg said.
by jboullion | Jun 14, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by Adam Wise in the Wausau Daily Herald:
GRAND RAPIDS — Mid-State Technical College expects to break ground on its renewable energy program center this fall, with the new teaching space ready for students by August 2011.
The project will include $1.5 million worth of new construction and about $750,000 in upgrades and remodeling at the Wisconsin Rapids campus, said Elizabeth Moran, MSTC spokeswoman. Somerville, an architectural company from Green Bay, is leading the design phase.
About 10,000 square feet of additional space will be developed, including several classroom labs and a rooftop laboratory for students to test wind and solar technologies, said MSTC Facilities Director Craig Hjelle. Several labs also will be remodeled.
“They will be rather high structures, so we can do the stuff with renewables and urban forestry,” Hjelle said.
The college — which has Stevens Point, Marshfield and Wisconsin Rapids campuses and a center in the city of Adams — produced its first graduates from its five renewable energy programs this spring.
by jboullion | Jun 14, 2010 | Uncategorized
From a news release issued by Focus on Energy:
(June 14, 2010) – Mobile home residents in the Dunn County area may now qualify for a free home energy evaluation and free energy-efficiency improvements. This initiative, called the Mobile Home Duct Sealing Pilot, is part of Focus on Energy’s Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® Program. It is being offered to mobile home residents who purchase their gas or electric heating from utilities who participate in the Focus on Energy Program, including Xcel and We Energies. The pilot was designed to create cost-effective energy savings in mobile homes by testing for and correcting a certain set of inefficiencies, primarily leaky duct work. All testing and work is free to eligible mobile home owners, and the entire process can be completed in one day.
The Mobile Home Duct Sealing Pilot, like the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Program, uses the most advanced, state-of-the-art equipment to test homes, identify problems, and implement recommended improvements. Duct sealing and other improvements are then tested to ensure the work meets program standards. Partnering consultants and contractors delivering the pilot were selected through a competitive bidding process.
What Mobile Home Residents Can Expect
The first step is to schedule an in-home evaluation with the area’s selected consultant – Aaron Riendeau of St. Croix Energy Solutions. Riendeau can be reached at 715.220.4818.
Riendeau will inspect the heating and cooling systems of the mobile home, identify energy-related problems, and implement the recommended improvements, such as sealing ducts to reduce air leaks. These improvements can provide significant energy and cost savings, as research has shown that, in most cases, duct leakage is the number one source of energy loss in mobile homes and a major source of comfort complaints. Once the work has been completed, Riendeau will retest the mobile home’s systems to ensure the improvements were effective.
Because this is a pilot project, there is no charge to the homeowner. All that is required of the homeowner is to sign a release form so Focus on Energy can perform the work and obtain the following information:
• Records of energy usage before and after the work is performed
• Permission to anonymously use the homeowner’s experience in reporting the pilot’s results
Learn More
For details on scheduling a mobile home energy evaluation, call Aaron Riendeau of St. Croix Energy Solutions at 715.220.4818. To find out more about the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Program, visit focusonenergy.com.
