Shedd Aquarium in Chicago is planning to create an energy saving road map that other cultural institutes can follow
However this task won’t be easy. Keeping 32,500 animals healthy, happy and well-lit takes a lot of energy. Part zoo, part art space, the building is a life-support system for 1,500 species operating under the parameters of just about every time zone on the planet.
John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Illinois
“What we’re talking about is bigger than the Shedd,” said Mark Harris, president and CEO of the Illinois Science and Technology Coalition, which led the consortium that developed Shedd’s energy saving plan.
Following a plan developed pro bono by a public-private consortium, Shedd plans to swap out light bulbs, buy solar panels and sell “negawatts” (getting paid to power down). The aquarium plans to participate in a program that pays big energy users to power down on days when the electric grid is strained by demand from air conditioners. But first that means finding out what in the aquarium can be safely powered down.
“The Shedd’s in a unique position. It’s been there for 100 years and it’s going to be there for another 100 more; so, when you look at a 15-year return on investment, that’s not too bad,” Hulsebosch said.
Read the whole story: Citizens Utility Board, “Shedd Aquarium looks to slice energy bill”
In Response to “Carbon Taxes Make Ireland Even Greener”
Written by Michael Vrtis, President of Realgy Energy Services in response to the New York Times article “Carbon Taxes Make Ireland Even Greener”
Should the potential to emit greenhouse gases and deposit garbage in a landfill cost more than non-air emitting energy production and recycling?
Most states have passed laws to limit or prohibit smoking indoors primarily to protect others from the effects of second-hand smoke. Taxes on cigarettes have also increased as a way to fund prevention and reimburse states for the cost of care for those who develop diseases.
Should energy and waste be different?
Individual consumer choices of cars, appliances, and transportation have a direct impact on the emissions produced. For instance, some cars produce 80% less emissions than others for nearly the same footprint. Encouraging recycling by charging more to throw something away may possibly create some opportunities in the recycling industry. That is; there will be more people thinking about how to actually use what people throw away instead of burying it or burning it.
Whether it’s called carbon tax or not, the idea of accounting for the whole impact of energy and individual purchases (be it human health or environmental,) should be considered. It is already costing everyone something and now the question is: should that cost be shifted to those who produce more emissions and garbage?
Ireland and many states and cities are trying something else.
Check out the New York Times article:“Carbon Taxes Make Ireland Even Greener”
Does your TV use less energy than a 60-watt light bulb?
The Austrian company AMS is introduction new technology that will make it possible for a 42 inch flat screen TV to consume less energy than a 60-watt light bulb. This will exceed the requirements of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Star 6.0 proposed standards, which, when implemented this spring, call for 42-inch TVs to consume just 62.9 watts of power. For any size, the maximum power consumption is 85 watts.
Picture courtesy of Alliance To Save Energy
“One of the biggest power users in consumer electronics today is the flat panel TV. Higher efficiencies are being mandated by countries throughout the world to reduce energy consumption,” AMS spokesman Herbert Truppe said in a statement. “By intelligently connecting AMS sensor-driven lighting technologies to current TV designs, high-quality viewing experiences can be delivered with no increase to the cost of the television, while significantly reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions.”
Read the Whole story at Venturebeat.com
Business Energy Saving Tips
Check out this great infographic from The Hub, which highlights easy ways for businesses to reduce energy bills. Print it out and share with everyone in the office; the more people aware of the energy savings possibilities, the more effective it will be.
Simple changes can significantly reduce business electricity costs.
If you are looking for an even larger reduction in your commercial electricity costs, consider enrolling with Realgy Energy Services as your electricity provider. Our customers have realized cost reductions up to 9.6% as compared to the local utility. Find us online www.realgyenergyservices.com or call 877-300-6747 to speak with an account representative today.
Source:
Utility Exchange Online, Business Energy Saving Tips – An infographic
Space Heater Safety
Space heaters can be a convenient way to temporarily heat a room or a small space, but if used improperly, space heaters can cause nasty burns or worse, create a fire hazard.
According to The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, space heaters are associated with an estimated 25,000 residential fires and nearly 300 deaths each year. More than 6,000 people receive ER care for non-lethal burns resulting from contact with the heating elements or hot surfaces of space heaters.
Here are a few tips to use your space heater safely:
- Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when installing, operating, and maintaining your space heater.
- Keep anything that may be flammable at least three feet away from space heaters.
- Place your space heater on a level, hard, non-flammable surface. Do not ever place on rugs or carpets.
- Avoid using extensions cords, but if absolutely necessary, use a heavy-duty cord of 14-gauge wire or larger.
- Never use your space heater near water because of the possibility of shock or electrocution.
- Always turn off your space heater when leaving the room or going to bed.
Source:
energy.gov, Portable Heaters
Why you should toss those old incandescent holiday lights
For most people the holidays mean time-honored traditions. But this year toss out some of those traditions by tossing out those old incandescent lights in favor of newer LEDs which consume less energy and cost even less to operate.
Older strings of incandescent lights can use up to 99% more energy than new LED light strings. In addition, LEDs are much cooler than their traditional incandescent counterparts, reducing the risk of combustion.
A string of new LED lights could last up to 40 seasons and since they are made with epoxy lenses instead of glass as are most traditional incandescent light strings, they are more resilient to damage.
As an extra bonus you can connect up to 25 strings of LED lights together end-to-end and not worry about overloading a wall socket.
If you are still not convinced that it is time to upgrade your holiday lights, check out these figures from energy.gov.
Estimated cost* of electricity to light a six-foot tree for 12 hours a day for 40 days
| Incandescent C-9 lights | $10.00 |
| LED C-9 lights | $0.27 |
| Incandescent Mini-lights | $2.74 |
| LED Mini-lights | $0.82 |
Estimated cost* of buying and operating lights for 10 holiday seasons
| Incandescent C-9 lights | $122.19 |
| LED C-9 lights | $17.99 |
| Incandescent Mini-lights | $55.62 |
| LED Mini-lights | $33.29 |
*Assumes 50 C-9 bulbs and 200 mini-lights per tree, with electricity at $0.119 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) (AEO 2012 Residential Average). Prices of lights based on quoted prices for low volume purchases from major home improvement retailers. All costs have been discounted at an annual rate of 5.6%. Life span assumed to be three seasons (1,500 hours) for non-LED lights.
Source:
Energy.gov, LED Lighting