With their enormous size and various luxuries, Hollywood homes may not be the world's most eco-friendly designs. But Treehugger has found seven celebrity homes that buck the trend and go green. The list includes Johnny Depp, Daryl Hannah, Julia Roberts and, of course, Ed Begley. Various green technologies are noted in the article, including a retractable roof in Julia Louis-Dreyfus's home. Also noted is the off-grid home being built by Tricia Helfer. You can follow its construction on her website.
Behold the future of clean power for the world! Image by Ben Shepard courtesy Sky WindPower Kite-like turbines like these depicted in illustration could generate electricity from strong high-altitude winds.
I love ingenuity. Especially some around the subject of energy. Well, Carnegie Institution for Science and California State University have done just that by identifying New York as a prime location for exploiting high-altitude winds using kite-like turbines. Tethered to the earth, these turbine systems would fly near the jet streams, approximately 30,000 feet above the earth, and send back over 10 times the amount of power than conventional land turbines provide. This just might be the future of power. This technology would leave the landscape untouched while providing clean power from a virtually endless source—the wind. Learn more about these fresh ideas at ciw.edu and skywindpower.com.
Electricity technology hasn't really changed that much over the last 100 years. In fact the idea originally pioneered from Thomas Alva Edison for the breakers are pretty much identical today. With that said, isn't it time for some fresh ideas? The majority of all electrical fires in homes happen at the outlet with a device that isn't preforming properly. A simple new elegant idea has surfaced thanks to John La Grou, a long-time electronics inventor, audio designer and entrepreneur, who wants to help save lives and more. This new idea takes advantage of RFID tags in the plug of a simple household electrical device and talks to another RFID reader in the outlet. If the device starts to require more power than it should it tells the outlet to just turn off. A simple, cost effective way to stop a potential fire. Not only does this increase the safety but can be used to cycle electricity in new ways and save on energy. As a electrical DIYer I see the need for this change. COME ON Underwriters Laboratories/Government agencies...let's make this happen. Save people, save energy and is affordable? What are we waiting on? You have to see this for yourself at TEDcom, a 4 minute video that needs to be shared.
The eco-friendly version of gypsum drywall appears to have arrived: it is EcoRock from Serious Materials. Made of 80% recycled materials and using 80% less energy to manufacture than conventional drywall, it is also highly resistant to mold, is mercury free and can be disposed in a landfill. The company recently received formal validation of its environmental claims from third party UL Environmental, so expect to hear more about this product in the future. Has anyone used it yet? If so, fill us in on the results!
According to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), the market for small wind turbines grew a whopping 78 percent in 2008, which is good news in a world where it seems as if all economic stories are bleak. U.S. manufacturers sold about half of all small wind turbines, accounting for $77 million of the $156 million global total. "Wind energy is an all-around win," according to AWEA CEO Denise Bode, citing the reduced electrical bills and reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
Programmable thermostats can cut heating and cooling costs by as much as 20 percent if used properly. So it was rather surprising to read the EPA is suspending its Energy Star specifications for programmable thermostats effective December 31, 2009. In a letter to manufacturers, the EPA argues that even the best programmable thermostat won't save energy if not used properly and it's impossible to distinguish between an Energy Star qualified model and a non-qualified one. The EPA would rather direct efforts toward educating the public on the correct use of programmable thermostats to save money. You can get started by watching our how-to video on installing one in your home.
Solar panels make sense in the long term but the upfront investment can scare away potential customers. With that in mind, Cool Tools investigated if solar panel financing made good economic sense for homeowners. Short story? Yes, you'll save money but the savings won't be dramatic (about 10 percent off your electricity bill a month). The arrangement is a little complicated, so for a full explanation make sure to read the article to decide if it works for you.
