John Erwin-Developing alternative energy sources is an undertaking that should appeal to people of every political persuasion. Whether you are concerned about global warming,or whether you are concerned about the national security implications of our dependence on imported oil, getting our civilization un-hooked from its addiction to fossil fuels is an issue that everyone should be ableto agree on. There are many things every individual can do today to improve our energy situation without waiting around for "them" to take care of it.
Some of the biggest alternative energy ideas will require vast concentrations of capital to bring to reality. Hydrogen fuel cell cars, plug-in electric hybrids, wind farms, cellulosic ethanol plants, thousand-acre photovoltaic farms, and wave energy projects all require research and development expertise and capital sources that are far beyond the reach of the average citizen.
However, one of the cheapest, easiest and potentially most effective forms of "alternative energy" is available to everyone. Unfortunately, it doesn't get as much press as it deserves. This form of alternative energy is CONSERVATION -- not using energy that we don't have to use. Also called "nega-watts", energy conservation is a vast potential reservoir of energy that we are currently letting go to waste. Energy conservation does not require making sacrifices. In many cases, using energy more efficiently actually improves quality of life and generates a far above average return on investment.
The best thing about energy conservation is that it doesn't require complex government regulations or advanced technology to implement. Almost every person living in a technologically advanced society can look around and find ways that they can use energy more efficiently.
In the past few years, we have done some simple things around our house that have resulted in about a fifteen percent reduction in our home energy consumption. We cut our electricity use by changing out most of our incandescent light bulbs with compact flourescents and by hanging our laundry outside to dry when the weather is pleasant. We turn off the power strips connected to our computers and other electronics when we shut them down. We replaced a 4 watt night light that stayed on all the time with a 0.37 watt LED night light that also stays on all the time. This tiny change cost $2.99 and will pay for itself in about a year by saving 31 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. Of course, these things are a tiny drop in the bucket compared to the total electricity consumption in the United States, but if one hundred million American households figured out a way to save similar amounts, we could eliminate the need for a new power plant here and there.
We cut our natural gas consumption by plugging up obvious air leaks around the house. We put an insulating plug in the flue of a fireplace we never use, which keeps cold air from falling down through the damper which did not seal well. We use insulating panels in our windows at night, which keep a significant amount of cold air where it belongs in the winter -- on the outside. And, yes, we keep our thermostat turned down as low as we can in the winter and supplement our central heating by wearing sweaters and draping blankets on our laps to watch TV. It is a small "sacrifice", it saves a lot of money, and the cats love curling up on our blanketed laps in the evening.
All of these things cost very little money. Any investment we made quickly paid for itself in reduced utility bills. Plus, the savings go on and on year after year, representing significant tax-free returns on our investment.
Now that we have taken advantage of most of the "low hanging fruit" around our house, we are planning ahead for making some more serious investments which will also pay back in a short time and reduce our home energy consumption even more. In our near future, we see an extra twelve inches of attic insulation, an enclosed sun-space out our back door, and thermosiphoning air panels along our south-facing walls. By the time we are finished, our home energy consumption will be a tiny fraction of what it was a few years ago when we rarely gave it a thought.
Concerned about global warming and national security? Stop waiting around for the government to do something about it. Look around and do what you can do right now. For ideas on what you can do in and around your own home, visit Alternative Energy Resources and GreenRealist.Com today.
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