Goal For The Green

Para-education and green living information

Energy Costs By Region

Feb-18-2013 By Barbara Zak

Guest Post by Amanda Green

There are lots of factors that contribute to the changes in the cost of energy by region. Some of them are basic: homes in temperate climates require less energy for heating and cooling their homes and offices. Others are more complicated, like the lines have to be run through hard to reach areas. Usually, the first 500 feet of line is allowed, after that you are charged by the foot of additional line needed to connect to your power source. Across the board, though, both the federal government and the state government are getting involved and finding ways to reduce the near astronomical costs of energy.

Illustration: Different types of renewable energy.
Image via Wikipedia

The Northeast

In the Northeast, many states are jumping on the natural gas bandwagon. The federal government is giving homeowners tax breaks if they switch from fuel based energy to natural gas. Natural gas is also less regulated than traditional power supplies which mean that people have more choices as far as which companies they’d like to do business with. Websites like www.ohiogascompanies.com and others like it have been built to help consumers figure out which company and energy option is right for their homes and companies.

The South

The south is a particularly problematic area. It looks fine on the outside—mostly flat lands, it’s easy to get around, and the cost of living is cheap. Unfortunately the weather systems in the south make keeping energy flow consistent difficult. Hot and humid temperatures force families and businesses alike to spend lots of money on the cooling of their homes.

This part of the country is also famous for its residents’ denial of the existence of climate change so energy consumption is at an all time high. This has led to the development of the Southern States Energy Board, which is made up of government officials from across sixteen different southern states and is working on finding efficient and environmentally sound ways to get power to the states in this region.

The West

The west coast has earned a reputation for being “super green”. With Hoover Dam in Nevada, massive wind farms in Washington, Oregon, California and the formation of the Western Governors Association (which is working to find environmentally safe and friendly energy sources for nineteen states as well as three US island territories). The reputation for being “green,” has been well earned. In 2009 the group used US stimulus funds to develop and expand on alternative energy futures and the creation of “Western Renewable Energy Zones.”

A lot is being done all over the country to slowly but surely reduce the country’s need for oil and petroleum based electricity, while bringing renewable and alternative energy sources into areas that have traditionally shunned them. It’s slow work but it’s steady. Every day, thanks to efforts like these, we are working toward many better tomorrows, as the country gets greener and greener.

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We are all responsible enough to recycle and know to install energy-efficient light bulbs in our homes and businesses. But how can you step it up when it comes to lowering your carbon footprint even further? Some businesses are tapping deeper into Earth’s natural resources and creating sensible alternatives to irresponsible living.

soybeans

Public sentiment, cost savings, supportive government kickbacks and the satisfaction gained from attending to the preservation of our atmosphere are at the forefront of these environmentally conscious business designs. There are the benefits to meeting environmental goals of products and services; improved worker health and safety, a decrease in health and disposal costs, reduced liabilities and a continued increase in the availability of environmentally friendly products in the marketplace, explains the EPA.

Soybeans

Famous for the positive nutritional content, soybeans are most commonly used in soups and to make stock and cooking oil. It can be ground into powder to provide protein to otherwise nutritionless foods. It makes for a fine alternative to dairy and can also be consumed as edamame. But this great bean has a little-known secret it’s a renewable energy source. A superhero in its own right, soy can replace harmful chemicals used as a base for products. For example, Franmar Chemical replaces expensive petrochemicals with soy-based products for cleaning in industries such as screen printing, decorative concrete cleaning, paint removal, asbestos and asphalt removal, to name a few.

Vegetable Oil

Soybean oil is vegetable oil but it’s not the only by-product that does a business right. Other types of vegetable oils are used in industries, such as printing, to cut down on the environmental chemical impact of petroleum-based printing inks. While soy ink is used across the globe, other sustainable raw materials are gaining more recognition. A collective goal in the printing industry is to reduce volatile organic compound (VOC) content as regulated by the Clean Air Act Amendments. Companies like Printing For Less take advantage of primarily soy vegetable-based inks because they are gentle on the environment and produce bright, high-quality images on printing materials that include business cards and other marketing collateral.

Recycled Material

Many companies are dedicated to recycling organic material and debris. Some companies, like Recycled Green divert more than 600,000 cubic yards of organic waste each year. Recycled Green delivers landscaping and composting materials. The materials are used for landscaping, construction and highway projects, specifically for landscaping application, green roofs and smart walls, bio-filters and bio-swales, landscape elements designed to remove silt and pollution from surface runoff water, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, bio-retention, the process of removing contaminants from storm-water runoff, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, and baseball diamond infield mix.

To gain insight, understand trends and discover actionable ideas for your business sustainable practices, visit a GreenBiz conference or event in 2013. New York, San Francisco and Boston offer opportunities to bring thoughtful leaders and professionals together to share the latest innovations in green business as well as offer a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the global impacts of greenhouse gas and air emissions.

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Quadra-Fire Pellet Stoves Are Awesome!

Feb-13-2013 By Barbara Zak

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of QuadraFire for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Built on a strong legacy QuadraFire Pellet Stoves creates products with proven performance, durability and control in mind. Rugged construction and proven technologies highlight why “Nothing Burns Like a Quad.” With Quadra-Fire® pellet stoves and inserts, performance is standard, along with hig quality and performance. Their stoves and inserts are the quietest, easiest to operate and most durable products on the market, today.  It’s a commitment, a tradition and a guiding principle of this rugged brand.

The Benefits of adding a Quadra-Fire Pellet Stove to your home are stated herePellet Stoves are Awesome
Did you know that using a pellet stove to heat your home costs 44% less than oil, 47% less than electric, and 53% less than propane heat? This is true because biomass fuels are composed of renewable, carbon-neutral products and they are also an extremely eco-friendly and popular heating alternative.

Here also is some additional great news for you! The federal tax credit on 75 percent efficient biomass heating appliances, which expired on Dec. 31, 2011, was recently reinstated on Jan. 2, 2013. The bill includes a “tax extender” for Internal Revenue Service Section 25C, which provides a tax credit for, among many other things, qualifying biomass-burning stoves! The extender provides a 10 percent tax credit of up to $300 on a qualifying biomass heating appliance purchased between Jan. 1, 2012 and De. 31, 2013! Something you may want to consider for your home heating efficiency.

Here is a little background on the Quadra Burn System. After nearly two years of research and development, Alan Trusler and Dan Henry revealed their patented Quadra-Burn system in 1985, as an eco-conscious replacement for traditional wood-burning stoves. By burning and re-burning gases and smoke in four different zones of the stove, Trusler and Henry created the cleanest burning non-catalytic wood stoves on the market and revolutionized alternative-energy for home heating and consumption. More than 25 years later, you can rest assured that each and every Quadra-Fire stove or insert, whether it runs on wood, corn, gas, or pellets, is designed with a mind toward efficiency and an eye toward beauty.

Lastly, I have partnered with IZEA, to offer a contest where I will mail out a Quadra-Fire notebook to one lucky  winner!  The notebook is a journal sized book made from recycled materials that has a pen with it.

For entry check out the Quadra-Fire site, specifically the Quadra-Fire Pellet Stoves. Then  please leave comments here that include why you like Quadra-Fire! Follow Quadra-Fire on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest and refer to http://goalforthegreen.com where you heard about this contest, and retweet this entire post. I will choose a winner by midnight on February 27th, 2013 .  Therefore, you must leave a reachable twitter address, working email address or both where you can be reached.  You will only have 48 hours to respond if you are the winner, so I must be able to contact you promptly. Best of Luck!
 

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