carbon footprint
Could Now Be The Right Time For Solar Energy?
February 6, 2012
If you live in Massachusetts, the answer is a convincing yes!
As a result of the variety of incentives at both the state as well as the federal level to purchase solar panels, there has never been a more rewarding time to go green with solar panels. Most residential solutions can pay for themselves in about 5 short years.
Currently the retail price on a 5 kilowatt solar panel set up is approximately $25,000. This system will produce nearly 6,000 kWh of electricity annually here in Massachusetts and provide close to 60% of the normal residential home’s electricity requirements.
There is a Commonwealth Rebate that will deduct $2,000 off that price. Moreover, if you happen to live in a modest residence or earn a moderate wage, you will receive a further $2,000 reduction. Or if you happen to have been unlucky enough to have your home damaged during last year’s tornadoes, you shall receive a further five thousand dollars reduction.
There also are both federal and state tax credits. Currently the IRS tax credit sits at a massive 30 percent while the state credit is good for $1,000. After the rebates and additionally the tax credits, you’ll be able to obtain a 5 kW solar panel system for only $16,000, less should you receive the moderate income or moderate home value adders.
A complete system of that size here in Massachusetts will provide an average of close to $80 worth of electricity monthly to get a yearly cost savings of $1,000.
But the best long-term profits come from the sale of your system’s SRECs. One megawatt hour (1,000 kWh) is equivalent to 1 SREC and a 5 kW system will ideally generate nearly 6,000 kWh annually. Since the state has required the electricity companies to generate a certain portion of their electrical energy from renewable sources, they will be compelled to pay you about $400 for every one of those six SRECs so they can say that you’re generating electrical energy for them. So that’s an extra $2,400 in tax-free revenue right into your wallet every year.
So now you can see how a $16,000 solar panel array can be paid in full in slightly less than 5 years considering that it nets $3,400 annually including electric bill savings and additionally the SREC proceeds.
Solar panels may also be one of the best home improvement options open to the Massachusetts home owner. With a selling price of $16,000, it should increase the worth of your residence by $20,000. Now that is a 125% ROI. Almost all home improvement projects don’t ever pay for themselves fully. Solar panels not only raise the worth of your home more than they run you, they will earn you money each year as well. They are also exempt from property taxes for 20 years.
And additionally we should not forget the reason why these types of stimuli exist in the first place – to save the Earth. A 5 kW solar panel system can slash your carbon footprint by almost one-hundred tons of carbon dioxide over twenty-five years, the equivalent of growing 800 trees. Each year, it will prevent the equivalent of 3 tons of coal or 20,000 cubic feet of natural gas from being used to create electrical energy.
Needless to say from all of the stimuli currently at your disposal that now truly would be the best time for solar power. The Commonwealth Rebate in addition to the federal and state tax credits reduce your startup expenses. And the electric power savings and also the SREC program supply significant revenue and boost your home’s resale value.
Plus there is no telling how much longer each of these incentives are going to be in existence. The Commonwealth Rebate has already been lowered once plus the federal tax credit gets endangered each year.
Lastly, while this business matures, a greater number of financing approaches are becoming offered to homeowners, making solar energy affordable for everybody. Without a doubt if you have always wanted to get solar panels, there has never been a better time than the present!
Gary S. Best lives in Massachusetts and spent months investigating the various incentives and financing options before deciding to purchase a five kW solar panel system in 2011. He has since created a web site, www.MassSolarInfo.com, educating residents about solar energy in Massachusetts and providing them with a means to easily get free estimates and save as much as $500 off their own installation.
The Green Living Guide to Recycling the Usual and the Unusual, part 1
February 4, 2012
American’s throw away a staggering amount of trash. In fact the average American throws away 1500 pounds of trash yearly. The good news is that nearly everything you use in daily life can be given a second life through recycling. Some things need to be broken down into the plastic, glass or metal they are made of. Others are given a second life, and sometimes a third and fourth life by donating them to others, or to charity. This guide is the first part of a series that will educate you on how to cut down on waste in landfills by recycling countless household items.
Aerosol Spray Cans: First make certain your aerosol can is completely empty. If it is you can drop it off at a nearby recycling center or place it in your curbside recycling bin if you have that option. 5,300 US communities offer curbside recycling, with more joining up every day. Some places even offer buy-back programs for aerosol spray cans. Bring them in and they’ll pay you a few pennies for every can you return. If you want to recycle your spray can, just pull the spray cap off and make sure it is empty.
Antiperspirant or deodorant sticks: If your brand has a dial on the bottom, it’s likely that the dial is made from a different type of plastic than the rest of the stick. Remove the dial before you place it in the plastics bin. The Tom’s of Maine brand sells a deodorant stick that is made solely of recyclable plastic #5, and Kiss My Face makes a roll on dispenser that is completely biodegradable.
Backpacks: Here’s an interesting twist on recycling – give your old backpack a second life by donating it to the American Birding Association. They’ll take it and turn it over to a researcher who will use it while they track neotropical avian behavior. Also, keep an eye out for events hosted by the Great American Backpack Exchange. Take your gently used backpack or book bag to these events and they’ll be put to use by students and needy children.
Batteries: It is crucial to recycle batteries. Single use household batteries contain materials that are hazardous yet recyclable. Look for a household hazardous waste facility in your community. Many stores also recycle batteries – hardware stores, auto supply stores and office supply stores, to name a few. Many of the above named stores also accept rechargeable batteries for recycling. Car batteries contain lead, so they can’t go into landfills. Thankfully almost anyone who sells car batteries will accept them for recycling.
Beach Balls: Yes they’re plastic. No, at this time there aren’t any officially designated Beach Ball Recycling facilities that we know of. The best way to recycle that old beach ball – put a patch on it and give it away, or donate it to a thrift store.
Books: It’s usually easy to recycle paperback books – just put them in your curbside recycling bin. Same thing with hardcover books, with an extra step. You have to remove the cover first. But without a doubt the best way to recycle a book is give it to someone else to read. Here are a few ideas along that line: Donate used books to a library or school. Donate them to a hospital, hospice or assisted living center. Give them to a charity thrift store. You can even trade your books with other readers, or sell them on eBay or Craigslist.
Carpeting (nylon): The Carpet America Recovery Effort is an organization dedicated to recycling carpet and keeping it out of landfills. Go to carpetrecovery.org to find a carpet reclamation partner in your area. While you’re there check out the nifty counter that ticks off how many pounds of carpet are diverted from landfills while you read the page. Many carpet manufacturers also offer carpet recycling programs – Shaw, Milliken and Flor to name a few.
Cars can be recycled too! Go online and donate a car to Volunteers of America at CarsHelpingPeople.org (or call 877-721-4862 toll free). Not only will your car get new life, the money it raises will bring new hope to the millions of homeless, veterans and children at risk VOA helps yearly. Local programs that make a real impact make VOA the best place to donate car
Turning To Solar PV Installations To Help Improve Your Carbon Footprint
January 25, 2012
Solar PV installations are becoming increasingly popular as men and women are keen to decrease their carbon footprint, be kinder to the environment and save them a bit of money. Solar panels are an initial investment but will pay themselves off after the first six years. After that time, you’ll then not have any costs and just be receiving free electricity – fantastic!
Another perk to using solar panels is that you can benefit from the Feed-in-Tariff which is a government scheme to encourage people to incorporate them to their homes. The government sees that you will be paid for any electricity that you do not use at a rate per unit and that electricity will go into the national grid.
Individuals all over the world are starting to make use of solar panels, specifically in the Yorkshire area. You will discover a wide variety of Yorkshire solar panels when in that region as the people there take advantage of the feed-in-tariff and will benefit from free electricity too. It’s a common misconception that solar panels need a lot of sun to work. In fact, they just need sunlight to function however the more sun in the sky, the more energy you will produce. This is why you get Yorkshire solar panels even though they’re not in one of the sunniest parts of the world.
Some people have conveyed that they don’t like the look of solar panels and that they see them as not aesthetically pleasing; yet others believe that they look really current and contemporary and find that by installing them on their homes, they’re portraying the message that they’re aiming to be environmentally friendly.
There are a wide variety of different places you can install solar PV installations including them being set up above the roof, within the roof, mounted on a flat roof, within a building faade, ground mounted, integrated glass (for green houses etc.) and canopies.
If you’re eager to find out more about Yorkshire solar panels, it’s a good idea to have a look at Yorkshire solar panels online.
Industrial Shredders Help Make The World A Cleaner Place
January 21, 2012
Industrial shredders help keep the environment clean by preparing recyclable material for the production of new plastic, metal, wood products, and of course, new paper products. Recycling used material for the production of new products helps keep our environment clean because it requires less energy to make new products from recycled material that it does to make new products from virgin materials. Recycling helps reduce the size of the carbon footprint manufacturing leaves on our environment.
Environmentalists have created a new term, carbon footprint, which refers to the impact that manufacturing has on the fresh waters systems and the ozone layer. Recycling companies take in tons of paper each day which is bailed and shipped to paper manufacturers which then shreds the paper and into fine pulp. The paper pulp is washed of ink and turned into high quality paper products that are indistinguishable from virgin paper products.
Before the recycling business became profitable automotive tires were simply tossed in the local landfill or disposed of by setting on fire which caused significant air pollution. Today, used automotive tires are shredded into reusable materials and the pulp is used to produce numerous products such as handbags, shoes, and window sealant. The use of recycled automotive tires helps keep the environment clean because less energy is needed when producing new products using recycled material.
Recycled wood is used to manufacture hardwood panels that are less expensive than panels made from virgin wood. The recycled wood is hard to distinguish from recycled wood panels made from virgin wood and helps keep the environment clean and spares natural resources. Used wood products are put through a huge shredding machine, turned into pulp, and then turned into new wood products.
Recycled wood is used in new furniture manufacture and is hard to distinguish from virgin wood furniture. The home owner can save money on his new furniture by buying recycled wood products. The furniture made from recycled wood is just as durable as furniture made from virgin wood and a lot less expensive.
Plastic is an oil based product which means that first run plastic products tax the world’s oil reserve resulting in higher gasoline prices. Recycled plastic, therefore, helps keep oil prices down because recycled plastic does not tax the oil reserves because the plastic need only be recycled and reused. The used plastic is put through a shredding machine, turned into pulp, and reused to make various plastic materials.
There is a world wide metal shortage because many countries lack the natural resources to produce their own metal. But, recycling scrap metal has helped many countries manufacture the metal products their population needs in order to build products out of metal such as tools, cooking utensils, and reinforcement bars needed in building construction. Metal is recycled using a giant shredding machine in one country and exported to countries where metal is a scarce commodity.
Industrial shredders are key to the recycling business. Many types of materials including wood, plastics, metals, and paper can be reused. Recycled products are less expensive to produce and are environmentally friendly. When old materials are shredded and reused everyone wins.
Artech has a large selection of stationary or mobile industrial shredder. Whether you are looking for E-waste shredders, wood shredders, or even tire shredders, Artech has you covered!
Do Your Part and Reduce Carbon Footprint Today
January 19, 2012
Many of us encounter environmental problems. Summer looks like it’s hotter. The air we breathe isn’t longer clean. And we experience flood and also other natural calamities in certain parts of the world, all as a consequence of climate change. However, we cannot point fingers because we all can be blamed. Only check the carbon footprint imparted by our home.
If you wish to make a change and enhance the state of Mother Character, reduce your carbon footprint. There are many methods to do it. But prior to that, you need to comprehend what it is very first. Carbon footprint is the quantity of greenhouse gasses that your house emits. In many instances, this measures the carbon monoxide coming out of your home.
As mentioned above, there are many ways to reduce this particular. One is to use solar panels rather than the regular sources of energy for example coal and oil, which is among the major sources of carbon monoxide. Nevertheless, this is not viable for many because converting your power source to solar panels is expensive. Do not worry if you fail to afford to make the actual change, there are simpler and inexpensive ways to achieve that. Below are some of these:
Conserve energy:
As you know, the source of energy emits a great deal of carbon monoxide. This is the way we contribute to polluting all sorts every time we squander energy. We can reduce carbon footprint by making use of energy efficient devices. Check out your refrigerators, air conditioning and also other appliances. If your appliances are certainly not energy efficient, replace these people with newer versions. Use energy efficient light also. They may be costlier but they last longer and they will save you more. Moreover, turn off of the devices that are not available. They still consume electricity regardless of whether they are on standby method.
Use eco-friendly products:
It is necessary that you check labels of the products you purchase, from pesticides and other chemicals used in your own home. These substances are not just toxic for the atmosphere. They can put your family at risk as nicely.
Plant your own meals:
Have an edible garden inside your backyard. The plants will help offer you clean air because from the oxygen they produce. These plants may also improve the temperature inside your environment. Moreover, producing your personal food will reduce the actual waste you produce in the packages of processed meals and grocery bags.
Possess a compost pile in your own backyard:
If you have a very garden, it is essential that you have a compost pack. Use the compost to improve the standard of your soil. This will likely provide nutrients for your current plants. Use a compost pile as an alternative to burning the leaves and twigs as part of your yard.
Recycle:
Before you acquire anything, look at the points you already have. Maybe you have something you can employ. Make sure that anyone manage your waste also. Have different containers for items you’ll be able to and cannot recycle. Ask your own home association if they have a very system for recycling.
You will find simple ways to reduce your carbon footprint. Just remember to do things that will help improve their state of the environment and change the methods will contribute to it’s deterioration.
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The Reasoning Behind Selecting Solar Panels
January 6, 2012
You are going to come across a great deal of Yorkshire solar panels in the area. They’re commonly used by many people in the North East in their pursuit to cut costs through using green ways to save energy. Solar is excellent way to do this, you can find a lot of energy that is obtained from the sun that people ought to be making use of. Solar panels may initially seem like a large amount, but in a couple of years’ time they’ll have saved you more money than they cost you! Eventually, you end up with free electricity; that’s something that nobody can complain about!
Did you realise that you can actually earn money at the same time from having panels? The electricity that you make and don’t use will go into the national grid and the government pays you for just what you generate – this is an excellent initiative that is convincing a lot of people in Yorkshire to invest in panels. It’s named the Feed-in-tariff.
Another reason why people opt to add the panels in their residences is so that they lower their carbon footprint and give back to the ecosystem. A great deal of people tend to be aware of how much electricity they’re using and opt to install panels and try to reduce the amount of energy that they’re consuming in order to become more ‘green’.
You possibly can find various different solar panel installation options. These include on roof installations, in roof installations, ground mounted, pole mounted, flat roof systems and solar tiles; you are able to find the ones that suit you best. It’s up to you which type you go for. Individuals who are focused on ruining the appearance of their houses could go for solar tiles as you hardly even notice them. However, a wide range of individuals in Yorkshire think that pv panels are actually really nice to look at, they think that they appear very modern, so they tend to opt for on roof installations.
The great thing about the panels is the fact that they’re really low maintenance – this is simply because they do not having any moving components. You are able to just install them and let them work on their own. It’s a misbelief that they need tons of sun to operate; this is something which puts a lot of people off getting them. Having said that, so long as it’s light, solar panels will work. However, obviously the more sun, the more produced electricity.
A great deal of individuals are keen to find out more about Yorkshire solar panels. You’ll see a lot of Yorkshire solar panels in that region.
Ways You Can Effortlessly Reduce Your Energy Costs By Draught Proofing Your Sash Windows
January 5, 2012
If you live in Europe or North America, or anywhere where the winters are cold and wet, you will know how unpleasant a house or apartment can become if the windows are leaky. Fortunately you don’t have to live with this: windows can easily be draught-proofed again by a simple process. You will in the process also save money. In this article we will explain how you can reduce your energy costs by draught proofing your sash windows.
Energy preservation is of course the biggest benefit of this procedure. Older windows that no longer seal properly will allow the cold, frosty air to come into the room and the heat to escape, resulting in much higher than needed energy bills and a house that is unpleasant to live in. The solution is easy: get someone to draught-proof the windows round the jambs, sashes and sills again. If you know how to do this yourself it’s great, but the majority of us will be much better off getting a professional to do the job.
The problem can easily be corrected by draught-proofing round the sashes, sills and jambs of your windows. It’s best to get a professional to do the job – unless you have experience of this, doing it yourself could easily result in a less than perfect job.
When new seals are fitted during the draught-proofing process, the windows will be as good as new again and your living space will once again remain dust free. This alone justifies the relatively small cost of draught-proofing.
There is another, less than obvious, benefit to the whole process: it also extends the lifetime of older sash windows by another couple of years. The reason is that worn out parts round sashes, jambs and sills are replaced as part of the draught-proofing process. This easily adds another three to five years to the lifetime of the windows.
One other important benefit of having your windows made draught-proof is that of noise reduction. When windows don’t seal properly, they allow a lot of noise to enter your home or apartment. When these seals are replaced during the process of draught-proofing, the windows will once again keep noise out, just as when they were new. You will really appreciate this if you live on a very noisy street.
If you are an inhabitant of Europe or North America, you are no doubt used to the high energy costs associated with living in these areas. Why not reduce your energy costs by draught proofing your sash windows and get all the additional benefits mentioned above as a bonus? The cost certainly is nothing compared to all these benefits.
When it comes to making a good insulation for windows, you won’t find any other company like the sash window insulation company. They also have a secondary glazing London insulation that helps keep you comfortable and keeps energy prices at an all time low price.
Eating in Season
December 22, 2011
With the Northern Hemisphere in the grip of winter, I assume you who live there are enjoying the richer, heavier foods that help to insulate against the less warm days. At least, that’d be my excuse! How about you?
Down here in the Far South, we are well into December and enjoying the lighter foods of the sunny season – strawberries, salads and asparagus. We are appreciating the losing of winter pounds. At least that’s my story! How about you?
“Bring on the Hollandaise”, I say.
Seriously, the change of seasons actually means something when the food you eat is a genuine pleasure and when you eat what is in season as we do. Imported fruit out of season is frequently rubbish! Witness the stone-fruit imported to New Zealand from overseas. I am absolutely sure these are wonderful on their own soil, but picking early and shipping do nothing or little for their taste or texture. More often than not, the poor things have a horrendous woolly texture and no juice or real taste . Much better to partake of local kiwifruit, apples and citrus, (when we actually need the added Vitamin C) and wait for our summer months and our own summer fruits.
I’m aware That I am on rocky ground here, as some vegetables and fruit, kiwifruit being one of them, do manage the trip with proper controls, although I do remember, in the beginning of kiwifruit exports, friends and relations complaining on about the “green bullets” they were being sold in the shops. None of them could understand why on earth we bothered. They were certain that all of the fruit was good for was as garnish. I used to get really defensive, making an attempt to describe the attractive soft, lush greenness that was a kiwifruit “at home”. Now, of course, we have gold ones as well and everyone knows ways to correctly ripen them.
The great difference between a pineapple grown and eaten in Hawaii, still warm from the sun which nurtured it and one sold in a supermarket half a world away and out of a chiller is not tough to appreciate and I think we could all add our favourite examples to the list.
Without question, to experience best condition and flavour, buy regional goods in season. This has the added benefit of supporting local providers, maintaining a smaller carbon footprint and reinforcing your own taste experience.
Barbara Moss has cooked in her own vegetarian cafe and is a fervent believer in eating locally-produced produce when possible. She is right now developing a web-site devoted to food and an affiliate site selling tools for the kitchen. Her most-used electrical appliance is her stick blender which she finds a blessing in her tiny kitchen.
Solar Panel Information
December 8, 2011
It’s very common for individuals to see a wide variety of solar panels around different areas of the country as solar panels have become more and more widely used. Considered one of the most common places to find solar panels is in the North East, they’re particularly a lot of Yorkshire solar panels. They feature on an array of different properties including domestic, business and agricultural so you’ll find quite a few spread around the region.
Solar PV has just recently been revealed as one of the best 5 returns on investments on account of the Feed-in-Tariff which was built up in 2010. Generating ‘green energy isn’t only helpful to the environment, it’s also beneficial to your pocket as you’re bringing in free electricity and seeing a return from the feed-in-tariff. Your electricity company pays you for the electricity that you generate and do not use.
You don’t need planning permission to set up solar roof systems (there are exceptions for those who live in a listed building or conservation area, you’d need to check with your nearby planning department). It’s a common misconception that you need sunlight for solar panel systems to operate when actually; all that you need is daylight. Although, the more direct sunlight, the more electricity you will make.
Plenty of individuals all around Yorkshire are considering buying solar panels so that they can start enjoying the rewards. It’s important to bear in mind that the optimum solar panel installation is on a south facing 30-35 degree roof however solar panels can still come up with enough electricity on east and west orientations – it’s not suggested to install them on north orientations. Because there are no moving parts on solar panels, there’s minimal maintenance. The angle that the solar power panels are mounted at means that the rain water will keep your panels clean from debris.
It’s a great idea to invest in solar panel systems – they’re going to help save money in the long run. With lots of different installation choices, including on roof installations, in roof installations, ground mounted, pole mounted, flat roof systems and solar tiles; you can get a hold of the ones that suit you the best. If you’re focused on how your house looks, then it’s suggested that you turn to solar tiles as these are the most aesthetically pleasing. Numerous people really like the look of solar panels because they look current and contemporary. Generating solar energy is really resourceful and that’s why you find a wide variety of Yorkshire solar panels.
If you would like to learn more about Yorkshire solar panels then it’s a great idea to have a look at Yorkshire solar panels on the web.
Learn How You Can Reduce Carbon Footprint Now
December 3, 2011
Let’s just assume that you are building your dream home and are investing lots of money into that, nearly all of your life savings. But have you ever given it a thought if it is actually worth spending all that money? With so much being said about global warming and how it has been negatively impacting life here on Earth, you should probably think about investing in green real estates like White Knight Associates, which is not only a huge boost in the battle against an inevitable global ecological disaster but also a huge boost to your bank account because of the huge benefits of tax that you will be getting apart from the reduction of all the other utility bills.
Now, let us go through what carbon footprints are and how they impact the environment. The impact that all our activities have on the environment, and more importantly on the change of climate generally negative is known as carbon footprint. It is calculated in relation to the total amount of greenhouse gases that are produced by our daily activities such as burning of fossil fuels for the purposes of transportation, electricity and even heating. It basically is a measurement of all the greenhouse gases that are produced individually. Primary footprint and secondary footprint are the two parts that make up the carbon footprint.
The emissions of direct carbon dioxide that our activities emit are measured as the primary carbon footprint, and these direct activities include the extensive use of fossil fuels in our daily life. An indirect emission of carbon dioxide due to the total cycle of life of all the products that we use is measured as secondary carbon footprint and as a result, the more products that we buy and use, the more we are emitting carbon dioxide.
In such a scenario, the use of recycled and reused materials for the construction of the green real estates is highly beneficial to the environment because there is no extra pollution caused by these materials and the residue of carbon dioxide is also reduced at a remarkably speedy rate and this is what that makes optimistic, somehow starting to believe that there is a way back from the predicament that we find ourselves in presently.
The use of materials that are eco-friendly are very much setting the trend nowadays because of the positive impact that it makes on the environment and the conscious people are giving their best efforts so that the Earth can make a turnaround soon. To learn more how to reduce carbon footprint, visit us at White Knight Associates today!
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