Homeowners who want to remodel their kitchen will have projects goals like selecting the style, quality of craftsmanship and materials used. Since the buzz now is going green, many people are choosing green options in order to increase energy efficiency and preserve resources. Dick Titus who is the executive VP of the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA) said using eco friendly elements in kitchen modeling is no longer a passing fad, but is a way of life. Homeowners are particular in choosing environment friendly products that are also safe for their families.Green Education Prospectus
Green Job Growth
Source: Pew Charitable Trusts, 2009, based on the National Establishment Time Series Database; analysis by Pew Center on the States and Collaborative Economics.
Green Job Distribution
Source: Pew Charitable Trusts, 2009, based on the National Establishment Time Series Database; analysis by Pew Center on the States and Collaborative Economics.
Author Archives: jamesmcginley
Americans Struggle to Decide on Green Cars
Fuel efficiency is now vying to be the #1 selling point for new cars in the current market. There are endless promotions on fuel efficient cars but it seems that at least in America, consumers really aren’t sure what type of vehicle really fits their needs.
Hybrid cars are being manufactured in large numbers with hopes that consumers will be interested and begin to purchase them. Other Americans are waiting patiently for the first all-electric cars to hit the market. There are flexfuel vehicles that are ready to burn E85 ethanol right off the lot and of course we can’t forget the venerable (and increasingly popular) clean diesel. With the many discussions about carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and their effect to the global environment, many people are interested in purchasing a more fuel-efficient vehicle, if not just to save money then also to help reduce CO2 emissions in their own little way. But why are so many Americans holding back on this decision for now? Continue reading
Effective Ways to Save Energy in Homes
Quite a lot of Americans do not consider efficiency as the most effective way of cutting down energy consumption. A new survey proposes that people may be lacking knowledge in the amount of energy required by appliances and other activities, resulting in poor choices when it comes to energy conservation. Education can help consumers to make smart decision to save energy because there is a large gap in knowledge and reality. An example is Americans assume that by shutting off lights they are saving energy, but they may not consider the significant energy savings from utilizing energy efficient equipment like using fluorescent light bulbs and behaviors.
The report said participants concentrated more on cutting back rather then efficiency, which could be due to, improvements involved research, time, effort and unexpected costs (e.g. buying a new energy efficient appliance). Curtailing was easier to implement without affecting one’s daily schedule or without any upfront costs. People were asked to conserve energy, what would be the single most effective thing they would do. 55% of the respondents named, reducing energy consumption like less driving, as the most effective way while 11.7 % choose efficiency. The survey also asked them to guess how much energy was used by nine devices and energy saved by six household activities. Continue reading
Posted in Green
Tagged electricity, energy, green energy, green living, household energy efficiency, light bulbs, misconceptions, report, survey, sustainable energy
Leave a comment
Go Green When Remodeling Your Home
Since kitchen cabinets could account for almost half of the renovation budget, its important for homeowners to incorporate green elements in their kitchens by choosing a quality cabinet manufacturer who’s into environmental sustainability. KCMA’s Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP) can help in that. Companies will only get the ESP seal shown on their products if the certification requirements like product resource management, air quality, process resource management, and environmental stewardship and community relations are all met. For homeowners who want to set affordable eco friendly cabinets into their kitchen, ESP keeps the standard. Continue reading
Energy Audits for Homes and Small Businesses
Hiring a professional energy auditor can be costly. But you always get your money’s worth. Professional energy auditors are more tech savvy compared to us.
Dan Thomsen, the president and founder of The Building Doctors, differentiates what a professional energy audit is composed of in contrast to do-it-yourself audits. Thomsen’s company, The Building Doctors, is a team of certified home performance contractor (Lic # 932241) that treats a house as a completely integrated system. Additionally, the company is also a verified contractor with the California Building Performance Contractors Association (CBPCA) and with the Home Performance with Energy Star Program.
Continue reading
Posted in Green, Green Government, Renewable Energy, Sustainable Living
Tagged building performance institute, california building performance contractors association, energy, energy audits, energy star program, environmental protection agency’s home performance, homes, infrared scanning, professional energy auditors, renewable energy, residential energy services network, the building doctors, thermography, us department of energy, wind blower tests
1 Comment
Strategies for Green Homes
In buildings which are designed to qualify for LEED certification or National Green Building Certification, contractors and builders thoroughly choose materials, building practices and locations to meet the criteria for the stringent certification.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design or LEED was created by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) and stands as a rating system for green building. It promotes new concepts to sustain five key areas of human and environmental health performance such as site development, water saving, indoor environmental quality, energy efficiency and materials selection.
Posted in Green, Sustainable Living
Tagged leed, philip beere, united states green building council
Leave a comment
Companies Beginning to Realize Need for Corporate Energy Managers and Eco Consultants
Increasingly, corporations are beginning to realize the ample money that can be kept in pocket through having an organized policy of energy efficiency in their facilities. Companies with energy budgets in the millions of dollars are finally waking up to the fact that they are missing out on literally hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars of lost profits because they lack a strong direction for energy efficiency. That is why the sustainability movement is increasingly advocating the creation of corporate energy manager positions for all large companies.
Just as residential eco consultants work in the residential environment in order to save consumers up to 30% on their utility bills, commercial and industrial eco consultants are needed in order for businesses to clean up their energy and resource use practices. The measures that can be put in place can easily save businesses just as big a piece of the pie as homeowners save under the same circumstances – it’s just a much bigger pie.
Continue reading
Posted in Energy Efficiency, Green, Green Collar, green education
3 Comments
