Bay Area Solar Group

Wal-mart is going with natural lighting by day, electric lighting on a photocell sensor system by night.
L.E.D lighting in their display cases.
Floors will be polished cement, instead of tile.
Products will be sold in “concentraited” form so packages will be smaller …
Ok, so their light bill goes down. Will Prices?
Will we, the consumer be paying for their renovations to remove the existing light fixtures and tiles? Renovation is darn expensive.
Oh yeah, they are changing their Logo to something a little more pleasant. (How nice.)
Do you think these changes (will make you THINK) that Wal-mart is any better than before?

In these days of increased energy costs whether it?s Gas, Oil or Petrol many governments around the world are looking for an alternative that is both cost-effective and kind to our environment.

Autumn is approaching and that means colder days ahead. However, Australia is blessed with an amazingly moderate climate where even our chilliest days are nothing compared to other regions in the world. This means that Australian residents can take advantage of all natural low emissions heating in their green home.

As well as insulation and energy efficiency, there are other innovative heating ideas to keep your home toasty warm for the winter.

Eco Home Tip #31 – Seal up draughts – Put snakes under door jambs, get weather stripping for your windows. Heavy curtains also help keep in the heat and keep out the cold. You’ll be amazed at how cosy a room can be without any heating at all.

Eco Home Tip #32 – Look beneath your feet – the soil beneath you home acts as a natural insulator, keeping the ground warm all year round. By employing a geothermal heat pump, your home can be take advantage of this natural heat during the colder months. In a geothermal system, liquid is circulated in pupes that run beneath your home. As the liquid gets warmer, it is pumped up to a heat condensor where the heat is released into your central heating system.

Eco Home Tip #33 – Keep it low – Switch your thermostat down a single degree. When we come in from the cold, we’re very likely to crank the termostat up much higher than necessary. Remember that every degree lower on your thermostat can potentially save up to 10 per cent on your heating. Throw on a jumper instead.

Eco Home Tip #34 – Cut your system down to size – as with air conditioning, don’t go overboard with your heating. You’ll be amazed at what a single space heater will do.

Eco Home Tip #35 – Look for the Energy Star – As with all appliances, energy star ratings give a good indication of the energy efficiency of the appliance. Energy star rates furnaces, boilers and heat pumps for central heating in your home.

For more green ideas for your eco home, visit the Green Pages at www.thegreenpages.com.au

Regarding wind power, is the technology advanced enough to be able to fully rely on wind power?

I’m at a place in my life where my roots have not yet been planted but I know if I sit in one place to long they’re going to get stuck in the mud. I was born and lived all of my life on Long Island, in a small suburban town about 1.5 hours from NYC. The excessive, selfish, consumer mentality drives me crazy and yet is inevitably part of my everyday life. I’d like to find a place in this country where people feel a responsibility for what they consume and how their actions affect the environment. I’m hoping such a place would have free trade products more accessible. Is this a fantasy?

When it comes to the green home, ratings matter. There are a number of eco certification for home based appliances and white goods. Plus you can get your home professionally assessed for energy efficiency.

Residential homes can be given a rating based on the National House Energy Rating (NatHERS) which is an index of the home’s thermal performance. It is done through a professional analysis by a qualified assessor working in conjunction with the builder of the home. NatHERS provides a baseline for assessment software to rate a home’s energy efficiency potential. Most homes in Australia currently fall below a 5 star rating, but the current tool has now been adapted to allow for a potential 10 star rating (which would be equivalent to zero conditioning energy). This system is based purely on the home’s infrastructure and does not include appliances or hot water systems. Find out more about energy ratings for your home.

Good insulation is a key feature in any energy efficient home. And homeowners are keen to take advantage of Kevin Rudd’s important announcement last week, with funds for ceiling insulation becoming available from the federal government. The Federal Government will be providing eligible homes wiht free ceiling insulation worth $1600. Landlords and renters can benefit too with rental properties being included in the package.

Yet with all the available insulation out there, which one should we consider?

Eco Home Tip #16 – Ask about the R value – the measure for insulation materials is the R value. A high R value means better insulation potential. For example, Pink Batts offers a range ceiling insulation products that have an R value of up to 6.0.

Eco Home Tip #17 – Natural insulation – Take your insulation innovation even further and look for ceiling insulation made from sustainable materials, such as Goldenfleece wool insulation. All natural wool fibre has great insulating properties, with the CSIRO claiming, “wool insulation performs better because of it’s ability to rapidly absorb and desorb moisture from the air.” And you’ll be helping out the rural farmers!

Eco Home Tip #18 – DIY insulation – there are lots of simple insulating ideas homeowners can adapt to protect their homes against the elements. Seal draughts with door snakes or hang some thick curtains on your windows to keep out the coming cold.

Insulation is the first step to a great energy efficient home that will save you money. Well designed homes that incorporate insulation, thermal mass design and sustainable energy alternatives, such as solar panels, can save some homeowners up to 50% on their annual energy consumption. Plus you get to enjoy the comfort of having a pleasant living environment year round.

You can find more great eco home ideas on the Green Pages.

According to the Australian Burean of Statistics, around 56 per cent of Australia?s greenhouse gas emissions are generated from the home. While it is important that we pressure business and government for sustainable initiatives, some of the easiest changes can be made in our own dwellings. From simple lifestyle changes such as adopting the Green Pages Top 50 tips to a more substantial investment in your home?s design features.

For many, building a sustainable home may seem too challenging, too daunting or just not feasible. Many people claim ?we can?t afford it?, ?I already own a home (and am still paying it off!)?, or ?I?m renting?; these are all ready made excuses that make even the most die-hard greenie resistant to making a more substantial investment in a sustainable home.

?Money is always one of the major impediments to investing in a sustainable home,? says Julien Laclave, renewable energy promotions officer for Australian and New Zealand Solar Energy Society (ANZES). A green home can save a family thousands of dollars a year. ?We can?t force people to invest in a sustainable renovation or a new home, but we can show them that it really pays off.? Reduced energy bills from renewable energy sources and more comfortable living conditions that don?t require artificial heating or cooling are just some of the benefits of a sustainably designed home.

Lacave is also the project manager of the ANZES Sustainable House Day, a nationwide event that showcases a number of sutainable homes to the public. This year, over 100 homes were on diplsay and visitors could speak directly with the owners and get first hand information about the home and its sustinable features. Lacave finds taht many attendees come to sources ideas for their own projects. ?People who visit the homes find it very inspiring. It?s very unique to be able to talk wiht the residents,? he says.

So what?s behind good green design?

Essentially, building a ?green home? is to ensure a house is as ?self sustaining? as possible. Key features include minimising energy use, rainwater harvesting, managing waste water disposal and even sustaining its inhabitants with a lush green garden. Renowned celebrities such as Csate Blanchett have brough popularity to green residences. Sustainable home design is reaching the mainstream. People are realising eco homes make good sense. Households can lower their energy bills by as much as 50 per cent and save on their water bills. Green homes stay comfortable throughout the year without the aid of artificial heating and cooling, which make them a real pleasure to live in. ?A sustainable house is just a house that is well designed and cleverly thought out?, says Lacave.

For more information on the green home visit the Green Pages, Australia’s leading directory for all things green.

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Kids’ storage racks recalled after death Fri Nov 16, 9:31 AM ET
Some 36,000 Chinese-made children’s storage racks sold at Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT.N) in the United States were recalled after a baby was suffocated by an overturned rack, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said on Friday.
The wooden storage rack, manufactured for Irving, Texas-based Jetmax International Ltd, has three levels and nine removable canvas totes, the safety agency said. One model has red, blue, yellow and green canvas totes, and another model has pastel-colored canvas totes.
An 8-month-old boy suffocated after he pulled on a storage rack and it fell over on him, with the top rail landing on his neck, the government agency said.
Wal-Mart sold the storage rack organizers under the brand “Home Trend Kids” from August 2004 through July 2005 for about $40, the agency said. The product was also sold at Ollie’s stores from July 2006 through June 2007.
Consumers should immediately stop children from using the recalled storage racks and contact Jetmax International to receive a free repair kit that adds stability to the base of the rack, the agency said.
The CPSC posted photographs of the recalled item on its Web site at http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtm…

We are all well-aware of the staggering effects that our use of fossil fuels has had, and will continue to have, on the environment. Global warming, acid rain and a host of devastating results will continue to threaten the majority of species currently inhabiting the planet for many ages to come. Luckily there are also millions of people currently working hard to reduce and limit these problems, and their efforts tend to be focused on several key “green” initiatives.

These initiatives encompass a wide range of efforts and plans, but the bulk of them tend to be centered on alternative energy production. Rather than relying upon coal, oil and gas for energy production, these groups work to create reliable and affordable methods for creating energy from solar rays, wind, water and even steam.

What is the future of green initiatives? That question involves multiple answers. For instance, there is a huge trend for consumers and businesses to purchase things called “carbon offsets”. These are tax deductible contributions to groups working to create alternative energy sources or who are currently at work in reforestation projects, among other programs. The majority of them offer a consumer tools that will help them determine their carbon usage during a standard year and then allow them to purchase “offsets” against their consumption. This tends to “balance the scales” which is something that has not been happening over the past few centuries.

Of course a majority of people look to solar technologies as the simplest and most well-developed of the green initiatives. Solar energy has been studied for more than a century, but only since the 1950s has its real potential been recognized and implemented. Today, there are active solar energy power plants and many home and business owners have taken strong measures to implement as many solar energy options as possible in their homes and offices. Using outdoor LED