Monday, May 24, 2010
Mr. Beehler interview
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Some pictures to think about for the slideshow...
http://www.dbcpr.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/going-green.jpg
just some suggestions
Go Green Buffalo is a lifestyle and career expo taking place on Saturday, May 9thfrom 10AM - 4PM at the Main Place Mall in downtown Buffalo. Featuring over 75 exhibitors that will help attendees to go green in their home, garden, business, career and community, Go Green Expo is a green job fair also, and organizers ask attendees to bring 20 resume copies for distribution. Go Green suggested donation is $2 per individual/$3 per family.
Go Green will kick off the Solar 2009 event, the 38th Annual American Solar Energy Society's (ASES) National Conference to be held in Buffalo, May 11th - 16th at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center. Solar 2009 is the nation's leading solar conference, with has cutting-edge experts in renewable energy technologies that will share information regarding the latest innovations and trends that drive this current and burgeoning industry.
In recent years, global climate change has been a universal and pre-eminent topic of conversation. There will be $65 billion moving into the energy sector through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and it is in our best interests to get ahead and become informed about the new renewable energy economy. The Buffalo Niagara region has been at the vanguard of renewable hydro-electric energy for the past 100 years, it only makes sense that our Queen City will host Buffalo Green Week that kicks off with NY State Senator Antoine M. Thompson, Chair, NY State Senate Environmental Conservation Committee is the lead sponsor of this local environmentally ambitious event.
Solar 2009 Public Day, Saturday, May 16th from 10AM to 5PM will open its doors to the general public. Renewable energy experts will simplify solar energy technology. Public Day attendees will be able to attend workshops, lectures and job training sessions at Solar 2009 Public Day. The NY State Energy Research Development Authority, NYSERDA will be present to inform Solar 2009 attendees about NY State tax incentives for solar panel installation and usage. The ASES Expo Exhibit area will have Green job postings from over 80 businesses. Solar and Architectural Tours are available to the public through pre registration.
Admission to Solar 2009 Public Day is $5 when you register before the event, $10 at the door. Solar 2009 Public Day is a great event for the whole family: children are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. The "Kids Solar Madness" program will feature several local public and private school's student solar and environmentally sustainable projects. Cornell University's Solar Decathlon Team will present their current Green Design renderings.
Green Energy Door Prizes! Come to Solar 2009 Public Day and take a chance to win a Solar Thermal Heating System with installation included (generously donated by Solar Liberty, Inc.; some restrictions may apply) and a Solar Lighting System graciously donated by Rochester Solar Technologies, Inc. More Green Energy Door Prizes to be announced!
The Solar 2009 Conference and Public Day is a tremendous opportunity for the Buffalo Niagara region. It will help to put Buffalo back on the map as region that is bursting with possibility in the new green energy economy. According to the ASES Green Jobs Report, it is forecasted that by 2030 the nation will have the potential for 37 milliongreen jobs. Find out what it takes to get ahead in the new green economy. -Solar 2009 You've Got the Power!
Click here for more information about pre registration for admission, tours, informative programming details and updates.
Go Green Buffalo Expo: May 9th
Solar 2009: May 11th - 16th
Public Day: May 16th
Another heads up:
Brochure Set Up
Heads Up!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
in rochester; home solar power system
The Home Solar Power System
Author: Y.T. LeeThere are some people who care for the environment and also care for their money. These people are those who opt in for the home solar power system. Most people do not bother about the environment or care for the escalating power bills. Some of them cut down on their power usage in the hope that their bills will go down, but they are amazed when, after a few months, they see inflated power bills again. If you have not been following the news lately, you will not know that utility companies are increasing power charges on a frequent basis. They are helpless, since they too have to pay extra money to purchase fuel that drives their power producing generators.
The over effect cascades from top to bottom. The fuel supplying countries hike fuel costs and this leads to increased generation costs and you end up paying a higher amount per unit of electricity consumed. Cutting down on the amount of appliances you use daily might help temporarily, but in the long run, they shall not be helpful. Have you ever though of the future. Do you know that the natural fuel reserves of our planet are limited and by rough estimates shall not last for more than a few decades? This is a great threat for the future generation and cannot be avoided totally, but you can prevent the same from striking in the near future by preserving the resources available today.
Check out any new building and you will observe that the occupants of the same are making extensive usage of solar energy to satisfy their power needs. These solar panels are not costly and provide sufficient power to help you run most of your appliances. Most lights and fans of your building can easily run off the power supplied by these photovoltaic cells, thereby helping you to cut down on your utility bills and also preserving the fuel wasted on them. If you require less power, the company that supplies you with power will generate less power, thus consuming less fuel. Before you go in for a solar cell array kit, check out the power requirements of your residence.
Leave out the heavy power guzzlers like air-conditioners since the standard solar cells will not be able to generate sufficient power to drive them. However, if you want to run heavy-duty power appliances, you can opt in for bigger photovoltaic arrays. Once you have ascertained the amount of power you require from the solar cells, spend some time on the net searching for organizations that market solar energy kits. These kits do not cost the earth and pay off for themselves within a few months. The solar cell kits that will comprise your home solar power system is easy to assemble. The kit contains sufficient illustrated documentation. If you can distinguish a red wire from a black wire and know the basics of soldering, you can set up the kit and have it running in a few days.
10 easy ways to go green
The Top Ten Things that Will Happen When you Don't Recycle & Reasons Why you Should Recycle
Why should you recycle?
10. Higher fuel prices. Producing more aluminum, textiles, plastic, paper, and other brand new materials from scratch will consume far more energy than salvaging and reusing old materials. The more brand new products that must be created, the more energy used. The more energy used, less fuel is available. Less fuel, higher price.
9. Your children! Do you really want to leave this whole mess for your children to fix? Do your part now and make it easier on future generations.
8. More work and more consumer debt. The higher fuel costs rise, the more everyone will have to work to catch up with rising fuel costs. The only alternative would be to fall into debt.
7. Contaminated drinking water. Throwing away toxic materials like paint, batteries, CFL bulbs, and chemicals will inevitably find their way back into the groundwater. Public water plants can't filter out everything, not to mention it affects wildlife, too.
..and what will happen if you don't recycle!
6. The world becomes a giant dump. Landfills everywhere, garbage smell all over the place. The earth is only so big, where are you going to put all of this garbage? The only solution is to reuse things you've used before and to not use as much stuff.
5. It's less expensive than throwing it away. Dumpsters cost money, and so does trash pickup. Recycling is free.
4. More jobs. Recycling creates far more opportunities for employment than landfills and incinerators. More jobs will stimulate the economy and lower prices of goods.
Breathe easier, let your wallet get fatter, and help out the earth!
3. It kills wildlife. Creating more waste not only takes up more space that wildlife use, but they use it as a feeding ground. Animals don't know any better than to scavenge off of our food scraps and waste, and can't diffrentiate between safe and unsafe food. There are also a number of harmful contaminants and materials in landfills that will easily kill or trap animals, like fishing line, nets, and plastic can rings (the kind that are on six pack containers to hold them together).
2. Cleaner air. Creating virgin products instead of recycling in most cases uses much more energy, and creates unhealthy emissions. Continued emissions leads to unhealthy living conditions and smog.
1. This is one point that everyone will understand: money. Creating brand new packaging, metals, plastics, paper and other materials on the average uses far more energy than recycling previously used materials. Use this as your arguing point if some stubborn people don't want to see it your way. Most people will understand when you mention the money and economic factor. A good example is aluminum. As opposed to creating new aluminum, recycling old aluminum uses 95% less energy.
costs of homes going green
going green in a requirement
Why go green?
Here are a few major reasons to go green:
- Burning fossil fuels is pumping billions of tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, not to mention increasing dependency on resources such as oil and coal, of which there is not an endless supply.
- Renewable energy is 100 percent clean and uses resources that are sustainable—sun, water, wind, etc.—and do not negatively impact the environment.
- The less we consume, the fewer resources are consumed to feed the demand. Homes are poorly designed, and tend to over consume precious resources. Conserving energy can be done by simply switching to LED or Compact Fluorescent Lighting (CFL) in your home. LED lights use up to 90 percent less energy than traditional lighting.
- Save money on your energy bill. You would be amazed how cutting back on water consumption, wasteful lighting practices and buying efficient appliances can save you a good chunk of cash.
- Using recyclable or organic products means that toxic materials are removed from the production. The more we dispose of in landfills, the more valuable and costly materials are being wasted, as well as producing more greenhouse gases as these landfills decompose.
schools in west seneca going green
Pros:
- Living green is better for our planet
- Going green increases the chance that our children and grandchildren will have a clean and healthy world to live in
- Once initial costs are paid, living green is extremely inexpensive.
- Going green is a great lesson to teach your kids.
- No more guilt over the eco-irresponsible things you know that you’re doing
Cons:
- Going green takes more time and time is a rare commodity for busy moms.
- Depending on how “green” you go materials and supplies may take up more precious space
- Certain aspects, like buying organic food and products, can cost more than their less eco-friendly alternatives
- When you do occasionally slip and throw away a soda can or forget your reusable shopping bags one grocery day, you run the risk of feeling guilty.
catholic schools going green
Byline: Aaron Besecker - NEWS NIAGARA REPORTER
Students, administrators and staff at Catholic schools across the region are warming to their shiny new rooftops.
Crews already have installed solar panels at elementary schools in Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Amherst, Hamburg, Lancaster and Lockport, and the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo hopes to have 43 solar projects installed during the next several years.
A state authority, a private company and the diocese have teamed up on the project.
"This isn't someday in the future, or someplace down south or some rich company. This is us," said Viki Ingersoll, energy manager for the diocese.
The new solar energy projects are being implemented with dual goals in mind, Ingersoll said. In addition to lowering energy costs, students will learn firsthand about the environmental benefits of solar power.
The effort is being funded through a grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and a donation from Solar Liberty Energy Systems of Williamsville.
When all school projects are completed, they will produce about one and a half megawatts of solar electricity, enough to power 186 homes.
The latest panels were installed last week at Catholic Academy of Niagara Falls, the former Prince of Peace School.
Panels at the school have the capacity to generate 49,000 watts of electricity. Once up and running, they will save the school an estimated $5,000 to $7,000 a year in energy costs. That's equivalent to about 22 percent of the school's annual electric costs, said Solar Liberty marketing manager Jim Walters.
Over 25 years, the solar panels will reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emissions by about 849 tons, Walters said. They also will save about $322,000 in electrical costs over their warrantied lifetime, the company predicts.
The system at the Catholic Academy, which took four days to install but has not yet been hooked up to the power grid, also will allow the school to benefit from all the electricity they produce, even if they don't use it right away.
The electric meters run backwards, generating a credit, when power is sent out to the grid. When the school starts to draw power, the meter moves forward again, Ingersoll said.
"The school is a working model for homeowners and businesses in the community," Adam Rizzo, president of Solar Liberty, said in a written statement. "It's important to demonstrate that solar energy is a viable way to power a building, while reducing its environmental impact."
Six solar projects were installed last year at parishes across the Buffalo Diocese and are now generating electricity: St. Andrew, Town of Tonawanda; St. Gregory the Great, Amherst; Our Lady of Pompeii, Lancaster; St. Mary of the Lake, Hamburg; Notre Dame Academy, Buffalo; and Immaculate Conception, East Aurora.
Several other projects have also been installed this year, including at DeSales Catholic School, Lockport; St. Christopher, Town of Tonawanda; Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, Depew; Queen of Heaven, West Seneca; and Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Williamsville.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel School in Niagara Falls also has been approved for a solar project.
The local effort to increase solar-generating capacity mirrors a statewide initiative. The New York Power Authority is in the process of developing 100 megawatts of solar electricity capacity at public buildings statewide, under an initiative announced in January.
the costs of going green
When people think or energy sources, they mostly think of coal, natural gas and oil, these fuels have been the source of energy for a number of years. One problem however is that they are limited in supply and availability.
Estimates have shown that the currently available sources will only meet our current energy demands for about 50 to 70 years or so. In order to find alternative sources of energy the world has decided to pursue renewable energy sources. However even renewable energy sources have their advantages and disadvantages too.
The available renewable energy sources that we have include solar, hydro, wind, geothermal, ocean and biomass. The most common of these advantages is that they are clean energy sources and do not pollute the air. They also do not contribute to global warming or greenhouse effects. Because the sources of such energy are natural the cost of operations are substantially reduced and they require less maintenance on their plants. One common disadvantage is that it is impossible to produce large quantities of electricity than can be done with fossil fuels. Because they are new technologies the costs of initiating them is also high.
Solar energy utilizes the energy from the sun. It has its advantages because these systems can easily fit into existing buildings and do not affect land use. Since the area that these collectors rest in is quite large, a lot more materials are needed. Solar radiation is also controlled by geography too. It is also limited to the daytime as well as non-cloudy days.
Wind energy makes use of the power of the wind in order to create electricity. Though it produces the most jobs it is reliant on strong winds too. Wind turbines tend to be large and though the areas under them can be used for farming, most people think of them as unattractive looking. These turbines are also very noisy to operate and they threaten the population of wild birds too.
Hydroelectric energy makes use of water in order to produce power. It is the most reliable of all energy sources that are renewable. Its disadvantages are that it affects the ecology and causes downstream problems. Decay of vegetation on the riverbed can also cause a buildup of methane which contributes to the greenhouse effects. Dams may also cause an alteration of the natural river flow and affect wildlife in the area as well. Water which is colder and which is lacking in oxygen tends to be released into the water this kills the fish, sudden release of water like this may also result in flooding.
Geothermal energy makes use of the steam from the Earth's ground in order to generate power. It uses a smaller land area that other types of power plants. They can literally run continuously throughout the year. The disadvantages tend to be that these plants are site specific and it can bring up toxic chemicals and heat from the earth when it tries to obtain the steam. Drilling such geothermal reservoirs can also cost a lot.
Biomass electricity is made from the energies of wood, agricultural and municipal waste. It tends to help save on landfill waste but the transportation is also expensive and tends to affect the diversity of the land. Other than this the process is quite complex and should be much simpler.
Ocean energy has proven to be a clean and abundant energy form. It tends to be expensive and in order to access this energy, you need at least a 40 degree Fahrenheit difference in water temperature throughout the year. Other than this, the construction and putting in place of pipes may damage the ecosystem.
project idea
benefits of going green for residents
While researchers remain cautious, many public health professionals, and a growing number of affordable housing developers believe sufficient evidence exists to justify adoption of basic “healthy homes” practices to keep homes dry, clean, well ventilated and free of pests, combustion products and toxic materials. Such practices are integral to Green Communities and other green residential programs.
Benefit #1: Healthier Indoor EnvironmentsBuilding practices and materials that minimize moisture, provide proper ventilation, prevent pest infestation and avoid chemical and biological contaminants protect parents and children against asthma, toxic poisoning, cancer and many other conditions caused or affected by housing construction.
Benefit #2: Energy SavingsHigh utility costs often impose a substantial financial hardship on low-income households, forcing many to make tradeoffs between heat or electricity and other basic necessities. A recent national study documented the brutal choices that poor families make when faced with unaffordable home energy bills. The study found that during the prior five years, due to their energy bills:
- 57 percent of non-elderly owners and 36 percent of non-elderly renters went without medical or dental care;
- 25 percent made a partial payment or missed a whole rent or mortgage payment; and
- 20 percent went without food for at least one day.
In addition, energy costs have increased much faster than incomes for low-income households in recent years. Today a family earning minimum wage pays more than four times as much a share of their income for energy as a median income household.
Benefit #3: Reduced Transportation CostsTransportation costs consume a large share of low-income family incomes. A study of 28 metropolitan areas found that families with incomes between $20,000 and $50,000 spend an average of 40 percent of their income on transportation and an average of 28 percent on housing. More broadly, poorly planned development can isolate low-income people in distressed areas and make it harder to get to better schools and job opportunities.
Benefit #4: More Active LivingOftentimes, the steps for healthier communities are very simple. Smarter site planning and development creates a sense of community, encouraging walking and providing access to parks and mass transit. Research suggests that people who live in sprawling areas walk less, weigh more and are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure.
Benefit #5: Wider OpportunitiesResidents of green communities often have greater community interaction through walking access to mass transit, jobs, schools and local services. Green communities also can enhance low-income families exposure to natural environments.