Our rising bills for going green

Energy giants warn of huge price hikes

GOING green could see power bills go through the stratosphere – and many families go into the red.

Yesterday energy giant npower said the Government’s environmental policies would help to cause a 19 per cent rise in fuel costs by 2020.

They added that energy firms’ subsidies of wind and solar power and the price of better energy efficiency will see annual bills rise £240 to £1,487 from £1,247.

Support for low-carbon technologies alone would add £82 to the average energy bill by 2020, say npower, up from £34 in 2013.

Rising cost ... how power is likely to be burning up your pounds by 2020

Greg Barker, minister for energy and climate change, countered: “Global gas prices, not green policies, have been primarily pushing up energy bills. That is why it is vital we crack on with securing investment in a diverse energy mix that includes renewables and new nuclear, as well as gas.”

Price comparison service energyhelpline think npower’s prediction is way too OPTIMISTIC — and say the average annual bill could soar to £2,000 by 2020, pushing many homes into fuel poverty.

Director Mark Todd said: “Our fear is that this is the prelude to yet another storm — and when the storm comes, it will be much worse than the Government or npower forecast.”

Why consumers say electric cars and green energy go together

A new study in the journal Environmental Research Letters (ERL) finds that there is a 23% increase in the chance that car buyers will purchase a plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) if it can be charged with a renewable energy source, such as solar or wind power. This increase even includes conventional car buyers when they were offered a PEV with a green electricity program for charging.

The research was conducted by John Axen and Kenneth Kurani. They surveyed three types of car buyers that included conventional new vehicle buyers, hybrid vehicle buyers, and PEV buyers. They started their survey by asking the participants if they were interested in purchasing a PEV as their next vehicle. Then they were asked if they were interested in purchasing renewable electricity like solar or wind. Then in the last part they asked the participants if they considered combining the two products.

According to Axsen, “We found that combining, for example, a solar-cell system installation with the sale of a PEV made it a more attractive purchase. We were expecting a small increase in interest, but did not expect a 23% increase in demand from conventional car buyers.”

The percentage was much higher with previous hybrid and plug-in owners, which is to be expected, but the high rate for conventional car buyers was surprising. Axsen said, ”We have shown that offering a combination of a PEV with a green-energy package can increase demand for PEV’s. Some car manufacturers, specifically BMW, are already offering this combination of products and we can envisage that other manufacturers may do the same as a way of stimulating demand.”

I think this research shows that people are aware of the benefits of having a PEV and a renewable energy source to charge their vehicle. Now, if the manufacturers would be more on board to offer the complete package at a reasonable price then we could see the PEV market expand even more.

One thing that is surprising that was revealed in the survey is that the car buyers were not motivated by climate change, but more by local air pollution and saving money.

Go Green With Our Natural Summer Tips

As the hot summer is approaching, there may be problems with the electricity like frequent power cuts, electrical fluctuations etc. These problems will in a way may affect your electrical equipments. And if your air conditioners and refrigerators fail to work in summer then it would simply turn head upside down. In such cases these natural summer tips will be of great help to you. These tips are simple and inexpensive. Sneak a peek into our natural summer tips for homemakers.

1. Earthen Natural Summer Tips For Homemakers -
2. pots serve as natural refrigerators by keeping water cool and clean. Storing water in clay pots is good for health as it is chemical free. your rooms are too bright and sunny then use Bamboo curtains for windows. Bamboo curtains absorb sunlight keeping the room cool and fresh.
3. Go for rain water harvesting for drinking and other home needs. It is proved that rain water is the purest form of water available in nature.
4. Avoid expensive wooden furniture, use bamboo mats on floors. According to a study conducted in India, sitting on mats is considered healthy than sitting on furniture.
5. Use Banana leaves instead of metallic, glass and ceramic plates as the leaves are naturally healthy.
6. Homemakers can use these best natural summer tips, best because of zero maintenance and because they can be discarded anytime without causing any damage to the environment.

It is high time we “go green” following these natural summer tips as, it is the way to lead a healthy and an environmental friendly life.

THE NATURE CONSERVANCY URGES PEOPLE TO ‘GO GREEN’ AND SAVE SOME ‘GREEN’ THIS ST. PATRICK’S DAY

EAST HAMPTON, NY — March 2, 2011 — As St. Patrick’s Day approaches, The Nature Conservancy urges people to think beyond shamrocks, leprechauns and green beer – and to think green about our environment. You’ll save some “green,” too by following these energy-saving tips.

1. Go native. Replace part of your lawn with native plants and trees that support and attract butterflies, bees and birds. A tree that shades your house also saves on energy bills.

2. Decrease chemical dependency. Limit your use of fertilizer, pesticides, and herbicides; they wind up in our drinking water and in our harbors and bays.

3. Consider composting. Instead of spending money on chemical fertilizers, use what you have – compost! Recycling vegetable and fruit scraps is a natural way to grow your garden.four leaf clovers

Four-leaf clovers aren't the only way to go green this St. Patrick's Day.
Photo © cygnus921 / Creative Commons

4. See the light. Change light bulbs to compact fluorescents -they save energy and money!

5. Bag the bag. Plastic bags are passé! Use re-usable bags at the grocery store. Most stores will give you a few pennies back on each bag which does add up!

6. Turn down the heat. Heating and air conditioning draw half the energy a home uses. Turn down the heat and A/C when you leave the house or turn in for the night.

7. Recycle and use recycled products. Recycled products require less energy to make than products made from completely new materials.

8. Inflate your tires. Proper inflation of tires means better gas mileage, saving you cash!

9. Buy renewable energy. A long-term investment for your home or business, solar and wind energy decreases energy-dependence.

10. Speak out. Voicing your opinion is free - raise environmental concerns to lawmakers. Tell them you want healthy and thriving forests, wetlands, bays, parks and open spaces.

Pink and Red? Go Green this Valentine's Day

It’s the time of year to show your love for your sweetheart. And you can do that while showing love for your mother (Earth) at the same time. It just takes a little creativity, the willingness to open your heart rather than depend on the greeting card aisle in your nearest drug store, and knowing where to go and what to ask for when it comes to the floral component.

Don’t fret, little cupids, we’re here to help.

When it comes to Valentine’s Day cards, nothing’s sweeter than a handwritten love letter. Skip the store-bought greeting cards this year and pen something original instead. Use recycled paper and decorate your declaration of love with images from magazines, old photographs, your best attempt at your true love’s portrait, and you’ve got an eco-friendly card that’s sure to melt his or her heart more than the mass-produced sentiment sent out to thousands of other lovebirds.

And what’s the natural accompaniment to an old fashioned love letter? Some sweet smelling, silky petaled objects of beauty for the object of your affection, of course. Just make sure this natural pairing is as natural as you can get it. Most commercial flower growers use pesticides to enhance the look and size of the flowers. And while nothing says ‘I love you’ like a bouquet of lush roses, a bouquet of pesticides says something, well, different.

Melinda Benham, owner of Garden Gate Flowers in the 50th and France shopping district, confirmed that her business gets its roses and Gerber daisies from Plymouth-based Len Busch Roses. And while Len Busch Roses is not certified organic, it is a sustainable grower, with the use of predator insects in place of chemicals, as well as environmentally friendly heating, hydroponics and water recycling. Being just a short jaunt up 169, it’s also a local company. 

If you’ve done the roses and daisies thing one too many times, try something different this year. The pussy willow branches at Garden Gate Flowers are local, organic and—at $15 to $16 dollars a bunch—affordable. Often used as sculptural elements in floral arrangements, the pussy willow branches can be formed into the shape of a heart for your sweetheart this Valentine’s Day.

I can’t take full credit for that one. This romantic gem of an idea came from the creative minds of the floral experts at Garden Gate Flowers.

If you’re adding a box of chocolates to the mix—and really, why wouldn’t you?—look for organic chocolate this year and keep the pesticides and fertilizers out of the edible offering. 

Whatever your Valentine’s Day plans are this year, there are plenty of options for sustainable and environmentally friendly ways to show your love. Challenge yourself this year and commit to being a green cupid.

Beginners guide to be eco-friendly: Go Green Tips

 How green is your world? For some of us, the inconvenient truth is this: When it comes to “greening” our home, our lifestyle, our family and our pets, we are not always sure where to begin.

Here are some easy-to-embrace, eco-friendly tips. Try some. Try them all. We and the planet may be better for them.

    * * One coffee cup? Two cereal bowls? Don’t put the dishwasher to work. Rinse and air dry. Run the energy-sapping dishwasher only when it’s full and on its energy-saver mode.
    * * Take shorter showers and consider baths a special treat. Hot water heaters are a major energy drain. Insulate your water heater. Install low-flow shower heads -; you’ll cut your water usage and water-heating costs.
    * * Use more energy-efficient lighting throughout your home. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have come a long way and are often 10 times more efficient than compact fluorescents.
    * * Choose pet products and pet health care providers who share your concern for the natural world. For example, World’s Best Cat Litter is made from all-natural ingredients with no added chemicals or perfumes, so it is totally safe for cats and the whole family. The chemical-free litter is especially suitable for people and pets with allergies and chemical sensitivities because it is silica dust-free. Also, the product is safe if ingested by pets or humans because it contains no toxins.
    * * Close down your computer at night. Hitting the off button is worth an average of $90 of electricity a year. The Department of Energy recommends shutting off your monitor if you aren’t going to use it for more than 20 minutes, and the whole system if you’ll be offline for more than two hours.
    * * One day each week, leave the car in the garage all day.
    * * Our parents were on to something -; when leaving a room, turn off the lights.
    * * Drip. Drip. Drip. A leaky faucet can waste up to 20 gallons of water a day. A leaky toilet can flush an extra 200 gallons every day. Put six drops of food coloring in the tank. Wait ten minutes. If you find color in the bowl, you have a leaker.
    * * Planning to build a new home or add on to your existing residence? Locate contractors who participate in green building programs.
    * * Take a cue from our grandparents. Use natural resources to clean. Lemon juice and vinegar were powerful tools in the past.
    * * Get out the caulking gun, and weather strip your home.
    * * Walk, bike or car pool whenever possible. You’ll save energy and burn a few extra calories

Top tips for economical driving

Amid increasing petrol and diesel costs on UK forecourts motorists are once again being encouraged to make their money go as far as possible by following some green driving tips.

The latest to offer advice on economical driving is road safety and breakdown organisation GEM Motoring Assist. “We have never seen such a significant increase in fuel prices largely due to the VAT increase as well as high global oil prices,” said David Williams of GEM Motoring Assist. “There are, however, some steps that the everyday motorist can be taking to be as fuel efficient as possible and ensure they are getting every penny’s worth. Many of the tips are quite simple, yet many people do not realise just how much of an impact they could have.”

If you’re keen to maximise your mpg then below are GEM’s top ten tips, while those considering a change of car to a more fuel efficient model can view the most economical models on sale in our top 10 picture gallery.