Made in Wellsboro: Alternative to mercury-laced CFLs from abroad

A chorus of innovative voices in Wellsboro is crying out as America lights up with compact florescent bulbs from Asia.

"Our Super Saver halogen bulb is an incandescent bulb with a filament that lights up inside a capsule filled with inert gas," says Mortimer. "We make it on our existing equipment, and the development of the bulb has been important for the economy in Wellsboro."Mortimer says that the halogen bulbs are increasingly being marketed on the shelves of major home improvement stores, such as Lowe's. Competition is steep, because these retailers also offer CFLs from Asia, which Mortimer insists are made without environmental regulations and using ultra-cheap labor. Sylvania is also selling its own line of CFLs.America's light bulb replacement saga accelerated when Washington passed the Energy Independence and Security Act. This legislation set light-per-watt-thresholds which ordinary incandescent products cannot achieve, and the CFL bulb - familiar to us now by its swirling shape - from Asia quickly became the most readily accessible replacement.Now in its fourth year, the annual conference brings together thousands of labor, environmental, business, elected and community leaders and is billed as the "nation's leading forum for sharing ideas and strategies to build a green economy that creates good jobs, reduces global warming and confronts other environmental problems, and preserves America's economic and environmental security."Halogen bulbs are fully dimmable, require no warm-up time, and do not emit blue light radiation, which may cause health concerns for some individuals. The halogen bulbs also do not contain any mercury, and are therefore are not classified as hazardous waste.Annual conferenceThe huge market shift to compact fluorescent lighting (CFL) is occurring because familiar incandescent bulbs are being phased out. The Pennsylvania dissenters to that change, who are based at OSRAM Sylvania's Wellsboro facility, declare that they have created an economical alternative to CFL.In fact, the EPA has a strict process it urges consumers to follow should a CFL bulb break. The protocol includes clearing the room of people and pets; airing the room for five to 10 minutes; shutting off a central forced air heating/air-conditioning system; and being "thorough" in collecting broken glass and visible powder and being sure to place the shards in a sealable container that promptly goes outdoors.Mortimer also met with several members of Congress and their staff members as part of the "BlueGreen Alliance Green Jobs Advocacy Day" on Feb. 10. Subjects discussed included renewable electricity standards, incentives for clean energy manufacturing and green job creation.Familiar technologiesA comprehensive domestic supply chain operated by OSRAM Sylvania, with hundreds of American employees, is making the mass production of the halogen bulbs possible. The wire for the bulbs is being manufactured at a plant in St. Marys (Elk County); the metal bases in York; the glass vessels in Wellsboro; and the halogen elements in Kentucky.American operationThe new OSRAM Sylvania creation, dubbed the "Super Saver halogen bulb," is different. It sports a traditional pear shape and can be used in almost any standard incandescent application - but it is 30 percent more efficient than its incandescent predecessors. And you don't have to go into lock-down mode to clean up a broken bulb.Mortimer presented the Sylvania halogen technology at the 2011 Good Jobs, Green Jobs National Conference in Washington, D.C.Mortimer says that the halogen bulb offers a series of advantages over CFLs. Light quality is measured in a color rendering index (CRT), with a higher number more closely resembling the sun's rays. The halogen light bulb has a CRI rating of 100, while the CFL rating is approximately 80.OSRAM Sylvania, a Siemens company, has international affiliations, but its glass manufacturing plant in Wellsboro has long manufactured incandescent bulbs right here in NEPA. In fact, the Tioga County facility is the birthplace of the ribbon machine used to mass produce the bulbs that made Thomas Edison famous. The machine, which is still in use after being modernized over the years by employees (and duplicated around the world), has been named a "Mechanical Engineering Landmark," recognizing it as an invention that changed history. The ribbon machine was revolutionary because it allowed bulb glass to be machine-manufactured, instead of hand blown.Average retail cost of the outgoing incandescent bulbs is approximately 25 cents each. The halogen bulbs sell for $1 to $2 each, easily comparable to CFLs. Both of these replacement approaches offer substantially longer operating lives than incandescent lighting."Compact fluorescent bulbs should be recycled, instead of being disposed of in landfills," says Mortimer. "But they will often reach landfills because there are no convenient methods of recycling them."Advancing technology will eventually offer another cost-effective replacement to incandescent bulbs. Light-emitting diode (LED) lamps are solid-state units that can generate substantial light when used in an array, but Mortimer believes that mass applications of these will continue to lag due to high costs.Barry Mortimer, precision parts inspector at OSRAM Sylvania, also serves as the United Steelworkers rapid response congressional coordinator. He explains that the term "halogen" is familiar to consumers because halogen-type headlamps are common in many modern automobiles, and halogen floodlights are used in residential outdoor lighting systems.

Mortimer also met with several members of Congress and their staff members as part of the "BlueGreen Alliance Green Jobs Advocacy Day" on Feb. 10. Subjects discussed included renewable electricity standards, incentives for clean energy manufacturing and green job creation.

Don't pay more for green

Gone are the days of premium-priced green products

Products containing formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen, and there is a concerted push to remove it from building products, or to have it emit at dramatically reduced levels. Formaldehyde-free products - batt insulation for example - are now widely available at commodity prices.All structures should use two categories for determining how green they are: toxicity and sustainability of their components; and the performance outcome of the thermal envelope. Freely available on the Web and in trade journals, you can obtain high-performance thermal envelope designs that can - when properly built - dramatically reduce fuel consumption for heating and cooling. These designs can be implemented at slight increment costs - costs that can easily return the investment in fuel savings in under five years.THE STRUCTURECarpet. Green carpet - compliant with national and/or state indoor air quality standards - is widely available for commodity pricing. If you want pesticide-free woven New Zealand wool carpets, you will pay a bit more, but that will soon change as well.Ever hear the phrase "Design, at scale, is free"? Essentially, it means if you create one-offs and prototypes, you will need to charge for those products at exorbitant one-off and prototype prices. But if you design an innovation and mass produce it, at scale, you can sell it at mass-produced rates.Lumber/wood fiber. Nearly all wood fiber in North America falls under some sustainable harvest third-party standard (FSC, SFI, ATF, PERC or CSA), so you are probably buying green wood whether you know it or not. However, the only one of these that sells at a true premium is FSC. Suffice it to say there are green alternative products available in nearly every sector, and prices are clearly trending toward commodity levels.Green building was perceived as either an endeavor for hippies whose green projects looked like something from the "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" movie set. Or it was perceived as custom trophy homes whose owners bragged their innovations saved 30 percent on their fuel costs, even though it meant conditioning an 8,000-sq.ft. space for two people with 3,000 gal. of fuel each year.JOHN D. WAGNER is an award-winning author of many books and articles about construction, and a frequent contributor to the industry's leading trade magazines. A sought-after speaker for industry events, he can be contacted at JohnDWagner.com. Read past columns at rdbmagazine.com.BUILDING PRODUCTSToday, especially over the past five years, we enjoy the benefits of green product design at scale. In nearly every product area, manufacturers no longer charge high prices for exotics or prototypes; instead, they charge commodity prices for products that would have been four or five times more expensive a few years ago, and 10 times more expensive 25 years ago.When I first started writing about green building in 1988 - when we called green building "energy efficient building" - building a green structure cost decidedly more. The new-to-market CFL light bulbs cost upward of $12 each (they are now $0.99). "Natural" paints were $50 a gallon (they are now $15), and cans of spray foam cost three times what they sell for today.So, does it cost more to go green? It can, but it doesn't have to. With design-at-scale green building products and thermal envelope designs, you can build economically and responsibly for any budget.In fact, 20 years ago, average consumers and homes were frozen out of green building for reasons of cost, not for reasons of desire. When asked: "Do you want to burn less fuel and live in a home free of toxins?" Most people would surely answer yes. But if the follow-up question is "Will you pay $20,000 more for that privilege?", most people couldn't afford to answer yes, even if they wanted to.

JOHN D. WAGNER is an award-winning author of many books and articles about construction, and a frequent contributor to the industry's leading trade magazines. A sought-after speaker for industry events, he can be contacted at JohnDWagner.com. Read past columns at rdbmagazine.com.

/C O R R E C T I O N — One Change/

In the news release, One Change Project Porchlight Campaign Announces Volunteer-led Effort Delivering More Than 1.5 Million Energy Efficient Light Bulbs in New Jersey, issued 02-Jun-2011 by One Change over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that the last sentence of the second paragraph should read "As part of the fourth phase, the campaign will visit more than 45 communities and distribute CFL bulbs door-to-door as well as at 150 local community events" rather than " As part of the fourth phase, the campaign will visit more than 45 communities and distribute CFL bulbs door-to-door as well as at 150 local community events, including a 'Green Day at the Park' during a game at the Newark Bears Riverfront Stadium along with Newark Mayor Cory A. Booker on Saturday, June 4" as originally issued inadvertently. The complete, corrected release follows:

CALDWELL, N.J., June 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- One Change (www.onechange.org) today announced that volunteers will be distributing more than 185,000 complimentary energy efficient compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs to New Jersey residents as part of the fourth phase of its Project Porchlight campaign. The goal of the campaign, which is funded by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities and the Clean Energy Program (TM), is to encourage individuals to use CFL bulbs to save energy and money. Upon completion of the campaign, more than 1.5 million CFL bulbs will have been distributed across the state, helping residents save more than $86 million on their electricity bills and removing the equivalent of more than 61,000 cars from local roads.One Change is an award-winning not-for-profit, non-partisan charitable organization and 501(c)3 foundation with headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and project offices throughout Canada and the United States. One Change delivers innovative community-based social marketing campaigns aimed at delivering conversations to empower people to adopt money-saving, environmentally friendly behaviors. To date, One Change has engaged over 14,000 volunteers and 3,400 community groups in more than 1,200 communities across North America; and has delivered over 3.7 million free energy conservation measures alongside its Simple actions matter(TM) message. For more information, visit www.onechange.org.Project Porchlight is spearheaded by One Change, a nonprofit organization that organizes innovative community-based social marketing campaigns across North America to engage and empower individuals to adopt environmentally-friendly behaviors. Since 2008, One Change staff and more than 2,600 volunteers have distributed approximately 1.35 million bulbs to over 360 communities in New Jersey. As part of the fourth phase, the campaign will visit more than 45 communities and distribute CFL bulbs door-to-door as well as at 150 local community events.As part of its outreach efforts, One Change will be visiting neighborhoods in Asbury Park, Atlantic City, Cape May, Jersey City, New Brunswick and Woodbridge, among others. More information is available online at www.projectporchlight.com.One Change Project Porchlight Campaign Announces Volunteer-led Effort Delivering More Than 1.5 Million Energy Efficient Light Bulbs in New Jersey"Project Porchlight has been an immensely successful campaign that has allowed us to engage directly with New Jersey residents to showcase how simple actions - such as replacing a traditional light bulb with a CFL bulb - can make an impact," said One Change founder and president, Stuart Hickox. "We are grateful for the strong response we have received from residents and are proud to continue our work with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities and the Clean Energy Program to encourage even more individuals to become environmentally responsible in their daily lives."About One ChangeInnovative Campaign to Help Residents Save More than $86 Million in Electricity Costs and Improve Air QualityCFL bulbs use up to 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs and can last up to seven years longer, helping to save more than $30 in energy costs over the life of each bulb. Information regarding the proper disposal of CFL bulbs can be found at www.earth911.org. For more information about New Jersey's Clean Energy Program(TM), please visit www.NJCleanEnergy.com.

SOURCE One Change

Compact Fluorescent Lamp: Helping You Save Cash, Save Power And Safeguard The Planet

Let�s face it, the economy and the cost of living today was not the same twelve months ago. It had been, for many, a rather drastic change in economic climate. Major fiscal institutions have closed up, many small and medium businesses have filed for bankruptcy, and financial analysts have forecasted it will hang around for quite some time.

Another noteworthy feature of fluorescent lights is that they use less mercury than a halogen light, for instance, making disposal much easier. It was noted, in a coal-powered plant, that one 60 watt incandescent bulb needs 13.6 mg while only 3.3 mg is needed for a fluorescent bulb; thus there is a significant reduction in mercury emissions in coal-powered plants which are the major source of mercury.So use fluorescent lights whenever possible instead of incandescent bulbs. By doing so, you are saving up on your money in these hard times which can surely help you budget your finances and on a bigger perspective, do your part in lessening the impacts of climate change.Start replacing your incandescent lights at home as well as the office. It will require some upfront investment because low energy bulbs cost more than G9 light bulbs but in the long run, it will cost you less in electricity bills and maintenance. You will not have to change your bulbs as often as you used to since they get dimmer after a long use.Incandescent lights such as halogen bulbs when compared to fluorescent lights have no significant difference in lighting output (measured in lumen) but there is a substantial distinction between the wattage, your G9 light bulb may be costing you more once you change over to fluorescent. Less wattage means less energy used, less electrical bill, and a big contribution to saving energy for the planet.For the average household, this means tightening the belt a little bit more, cutting down on the expenses, and apply cost cutting measures to save up. The budget may need to have a complete makeover and a cut back on some luxuries to make room for the essentials.To save on your electrical bill, one of the smartest decisions you can do is replace your lights with compact fluorescent lamps or CFL�s. They can give the same amount of light compared to incandescent lights but they use less power and can also last longer. But the downside with these low energy bulbs is that they cost more than incandescent lights. You will have to invest some to save more, so to speak, once you see the latest bill after installing CFL�s around the house, and then you�ll know it was a worthwhile investment. They also have a longer lifespan, lasting up to seven years based on an average household use.This may mean enforcing some rules around the house like switching the lights off when not in use, pulling the plug of electrical appliances when you�re done, and using some practical energy saving tips not only to save money on the electrical bill but a way to contribute in saving the planet as well.It would also be your contribution in helping lessen greenhouse effect and climate change by using energy efficient appliances around the house as well as being more aware of what you can do as an average person.

So use fluorescent lights whenever possible instead of incandescent bulbs. By doing so, you are saving up on your money in these hard times which can surely help you budget your finances and on a bigger perspective, do your part in lessening the impacts of climate change.

PSE Residential Customers to Get 10 Free CFL Bulbs and a Chance to Win a Free $10,000 Home Energy Solar System at PSE’s Rock the Bulb: The Re-Energize Tour Events This Summer, Launching July 8 at Northshore Ace Hardware in Federal Way

Utility campaign features eight summer weekend events, community outreach and the PSE Bulb Mobile to help customers save energy, money and the planet

[Table Omitted]Washington state’s oldest local energy utility, Puget Sound Energy serves more than 1 million electric customers and 750,000 natural gas customers in 11 counties. A subsidiary of Puget Energy, PSE meets the energy needs of its customer base through incremental, cost-effective energy efficiency, procurement of sustainable energy resources, and far-sighted investment in the energy-delivery infrastructure. PSE employees are dedicated to providing great customer service and delivering energy that is safe, reliable, reasonably priced, and environmentally responsible. For more information, visit www.PSE.com.Puget Sound Energy:

Washington state’s oldest local energy utility, Puget Sound Energy serves more than 1 million electric customers and 750,000 natural gas customers in 11 counties. A subsidiary of Puget Energy, PSE meets the energy needs of its customer base through incremental, cost-effective energy efficiency, procurement of sustainable energy resources, and far-sighted investment in the energy-delivery infrastructure. PSE employees are dedicated to providing great customer service and delivering energy that is safe, reliable, reasonably priced, and environmentally responsible. For more information, visit www.PSE.com.

Reduce Energy Usage

The most dificult day of every month is when time comes to pay bills and mostly the enormous electricity bills that we get. It's high time and we need to take serious measures to reduce the power bill. Do not worry. We will share some key tips and will make you reach your goal.

One should plan to invest smartly on power. Replace all the incandescent bulbs present in the house with compact fluorescent light or those CFL bulbs. These bulbs consume less electricity as they consume less power.• The washing machine should be used only when there is a bucket full of clothes.• Take note to switch off the computer monitor when not in use. It consumes maximum power and it just takes a second to switch it again.Most of us assume on the fact that the rise in electricity bill is due to the vast number of electrical items present at home. But the truth is that the electricity bill is not directly connected or affected due to the number of gadgets, but by the way one uses them.Make power at home with solar and wind energy to eliminate your power bill.Lastly we suggest that for reducing the electricity bill by taking benefit of reading the energy saving guide like Earth4Energy that has some of the best solutions to generate energy at home and providing free electricity to some of your home appliances. In this way we can save power that is facing a huge shortage because of the large demand in the global countries. Try to reduce the requirement of those electrical wires and sockets for home and use the renewable energy extracted from natural resources like wind, sun, tides at a lesser price but having a long term returns.Take a step forward to avoid using those typical items regularly that consumes lot of power -We may prefer to switch off the television set or turn off the fan, but not the tubelight.We need light at the time of night but see that the usage is required in all the rooms or not.Taking care of such these small precautions will surely leads us to savings in the long run by reducing the bills of the power demon.Make sure to discuss with family member about the importance of saving electricity. You can reward them a treat if their participation has led to savings. Suggest them some tips like switching of the lights when they are not present there and attending a call in another room or having dinner at the dining table. Make sure to switch off all the appliances even if you are sure to be back in five minutes. Yes, that will help a lot. Every drop of water makes an ocean.• The air-conditioner should be kept at minimum high or low temperature.• The geyser should not be kept on for maximum amount of time.

Make power at home with solar and wind energy to eliminate your power bill.

Author: Josee Bedard

DIY Solar Panels

If you've been bogged down by the tremendous electrical energy bills you're receiving, it's time to take action. You are able to reduce your electrical energy bills by adopting very elementary steps.

Remember, reducing your electrical energy bill is equal to saving energy, thus assisting the world to save energy for our future generations.Yup, you have to adopt this way of life for saving energy at home and for the world.� Utilise the automatic washer only if there's a full load of clothing.Household appliance utilisation: Many of us complain that the electrical energy bill reaches the sky because of the amount of electric powered appliances we have in our households. However, the electrical energy bill isn't directly proportional to the amount of appliances you utilise but the manner in which you use them. Let us see how you are able to avoid the typical power-wasters.Purchase energy saving gadgets. These gadgets monitor the energy supply to your household and use the minimum that's required.Intelligent investments: Make some intelligent energy investments by substituting your incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. These bulbs are an excellent power-saving investment.� Keep the geyser on for the minimum amount of time.� Keep the air conditioning at the minimum low or high temperature, just sufficient to keep you off the heat or the cold outdoors.My best advice; build your own solar panels and eliminate you electricity bill.This article will list a few simple, easy-to-do things to bring down your electrical energy bill.Limited use: begin with the room you're seated in. If you were to accept a call in a different room or join your family at the dining room table, would you merely exit your room with no regard for the electrical appliances in the room? If you'd stop right there, and take a look around. Switch off all the appliances even if you were to return in 5 mins. Yes, even that will help. Every drop of water creates the sea.An additional thing to attend to here is what you think of as an electronic appliance. Would you switch off the TV, put off the fan, but not the light bulb? Yes, you require light, but not now when you're exiting the room. Attending to these minor things will go a long way in boiling down the dreaded immense electrical energy bills.

My best advice; build your own solar panels and eliminate you electricity bill.

Author: Rico Hunter

The Importance Of Saving Home Energy And Exactly How It Can Be Done

In this advanced way of life, the value of saving home energy is consistently rising since an increasing number of scientific as well as technological creations are really absorbing the organic and natural resources on the planet that are merely finite. If all people were to conserve energy, the world would probably have far more chance for scientific, communal in addition to political enhancement. Its for these reasons, experts along with environmentalists suggest that we all do what we should can to save energy. Although switching off and also unplugging home appliances of saving energy is often a convenient technique for saving electricity, you'll have to head for a few other energy conserving tips concurrently.

So, does it cost more to go green? It can, but it doesn't have to. With design-at-scale green building products and thermal envelope designs, you can build economically and responsibly for any budget.Smart investments: Make some smart power investments by replacing your incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. These bulbs are a great power-saving investment.

Lastly, yet another intriguing method is to try to reduce the actual thermostat reading to as low as possible, somewhere around 120-130 degrees Fahrenheit and then keep it right there - do not let it go up! You will save home energy and even some money using this tactic; taking the heat from the thermostat lower two or three degrees can help you save a number of dollars when everything adds up. In general, building an environmentally friendly and also energy saving way of living is an activity that is very important for everybody, and not simply those people who are keen on lowering costs by simply doing this sort of things. Many houses have similar forms of energy allocated and put to use in the same appliances. Still, a number of people have really found out precisely how to make the most of the energy crisis to not only increase the efficiency of their own properties, but also to have a far more calm, time as well as financially successful lifestyle.

Author: Adam Maher

How To Reduce Your Electricity Bill

If you have been bogged by the enormous electricity bills you have been getting, it is time to take some concrete steps. You can reduce your electricity bills by following very simple steps.

Lastly, yet another intriguing method is to try to reduce the actual thermostat reading to as low as possible, somewhere around 120-130 degrees Fahrenheit and then keep it right there - do not let it go up! You will save home energy and even some money using this tactic; taking the heat from the thermostat lower two or three degrees can help you save a number of dollars when everything adds up. In general, building an environmentally friendly and also energy saving way of living is an activity that is very important for everybody, and not simply those people who are keen on lowering costs by simply doing this sort of things. Many houses have similar forms of energy allocated and put to use in the same appliances. Still, a number of people have really found out precisely how to make the most of the energy crisis to not only increase the efficiency of their own properties, but also to have a far more calm, time as well as financially successful lifestyle.Make power at home with solar and wind energy to eliminate your power bill. Get our complete guide at http://tinyurl.com/dy8x5oHome appliance usage: Most of us complain that the electricity bill touches the sky because of the number of electrical appliances they have at home. However, the electricity bill is not directly proportional to the number of gadgets you use but the way you use them. Let�s see how you can avoid the typical power-wasters.� Keep the geyser on for the minimal amount of time.Carpet. Green carpet - compliant with national and/or state indoor air quality standards - is widely available for commodity pricing. If you want pesticide-free woven New Zealand wool carpets, you will pay a bit more, but that will soon change as well.All structures should use two categories for determining how green they are: toxicity and sustainability of their components; and the performance outcome of the thermal envelope. Freely available on the Web and in trade journals, you can obtain high-performance thermal envelope designs that can - when properly built - dramatically reduce fuel consumption for heating and cooling. These designs can be implemented at slight increment costs - costs that can easily return the investment in fuel savings in under five years.Products containing formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen, and there is a concerted push to remove it from building products, or to have it emit at dramatically reduced levels. Formaldehyde-free products - batt insulation for example - are now widely available at commodity prices.THE STRUCTURERemember, reducing your electricity bill is equivalent to saving power, thus helping the world save power for its future generations.� Keep the air-conditioner at the minimum low or high temperature, just enough to keep you off the heat or the cold outside.A great way to decrease home energy expenditure is to try to control just how much air which enters it, both in the wintertime and in the summertime. Do this by making certain that there are no openings, chips or breaks inside walls, corners and also edges of doorways plus glass windows and each and every hole in your home. To get this done, just hover your palm over any spot you believe may have a hole or possibly a fracture, and then sense if you experience any air getting as a result of them. It's an uncomplicated strategy to identify any problematic region and fix it up.Lumber/wood fiber. Nearly all wood fiber in North America falls under some sustainable harvest third-party standard (FSC, SFI, ATF, PERC or CSA), so you are probably buying green wood whether you know it or not. However, the only one of these that sells at a true premium is FSC. Suffice it to say there are green alternative products available in nearly every sector, and prices are clearly trending toward commodity levels.

Make power at home with solar and wind energy to eliminate your power bill. Get our complete guide at http://tinyurl.com/dy8x5o

Author: Kee Yong Chow

Don't pay more for green

Gone are the days of premium-priced green products

When I first started writing about green building in 1988 - when we called green building "energy efficient building" - building a green structure cost decidedly more. The new-to-market CFL light bulbs cost upward of $12 each (they are now $0.99). "Natural" paints were $50 a gallon (they are now $15), and cans of spray foam cost three times what they sell for today.Green building was perceived as either an endeavor for hippies whose green projects looked like something from the "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" movie set. Or it was perceived as custom trophy homes whose owners bragged their innovations saved 30 percent on their fuel costs, even though it meant conditioning an 8,000-sq.ft. space for two people with 3,000 gal. of fuel each year.Paints, adhesives, caulks, sealants, finishes. Driven as much by government regulations as by consumer concern for indoor air quality, you can now find a wide variety of low-cost green paints, adhesives, caulks, sealants and finishes. And when I say green, I mean low-toxicity products with Energy Protection Agency-compliant VOC levels, or no VOCs at all.Today, especially over the past five years, we enjoy the benefits of green product design at scale. In nearly every product area, manufacturers no longer charge high prices for exotics or prototypes; instead, they charge commodity prices for products that would have been four or five times more expensive a few years ago, and 10 times more expensive 25 years ago.As everyone knows, another really good method for reducing home energy is definitely to take away the existing filament bulbs and then switch them with CFL light bulbs. This can definitely help you save a considerable amount of electricity and money as soon as it all accumulates. The benefits associated with this sort of lighting products is that they can keep going 10 times more as opposed to filament light bulbs, they give clean white light rather than a yellow light, and naturally they eat up considerably less energy. Another thing regarding these types of bulbs which makes them really cool is that they really are completely recyclable, meaning that you actually will not be required to dump them all and induce additional wastefulness at the landfill.This article will list some simple, easy-to-do things to reduce your electricity bill.In fact, 20 years ago, average consumers and homes were frozen out of green building for reasons of cost, not for reasons of desire. When asked: "Do you want to burn less fuel and live in a home free of toxins?" Most people would surely answer yes. But if the follow-up question is "Will you pay $20,000 more for that privilege?", most people couldn't afford to answer yes, even if they wanted to.Buy the Power Save gadget. The gadget helps monitor the power supply to your house and uses the minimum that is needed.Another thing to take care of here is what you perceive as an electronic appliance. Would you switch off the television set, turn off the fan, but not the light bulb? Yes, you need light, but not now when you are leaving the room. Taking care of these small things will go a long way in reducing the dreaded huge electricity bills.JOHN D. WAGNER is an award-winning author of many books and articles about construction, and a frequent contributor to the industry's leading trade magazines. A sought-after speaker for industry events, he can be contacted at JohnDWagner.com. Read past columns at rdbmagazine.com.Limited use: Start with the room you are sitting in. If you were to take a call in another room or join your family at the dining table, would you just step out of your room without any concern for the electrical appliances in the room? If you would, stop right there, and look around. Switch off all the appliances even if you would be back in five minutes. Yes, even that will help. Every drop of water constitutes to the ocean.Ever hear the phrase "Design, at scale, is free"? Essentially, it means if you create one-offs and prototypes, you will need to charge for those products at exorbitant one-off and prototype prices. But if you design an innovation and mass produce it, at scale, you can sell it at mass-produced rates.BUILDING PRODUCTS

JOHN D. WAGNER is an award-winning author of many books and articles about construction, and a frequent contributor to the industry's leading trade magazines. A sought-after speaker for industry events, he can be contacted at JohnDWagner.com. Read past columns at rdbmagazine.com.

Author: Wagner, John D

How to Green Your Apartment

Living green, being green; even if you aren�t a talking frog it�s all the rage these days, but what does this mean for people who live in an apartment besides separating glass and plastic and recycling newspapers? With the number of products and small adjustments that can be made to your apartment, you can green your space and see the savings in your wallet in no time!

"Project Porchlight has been an immensely successful campaign that has allowed us to engage directly with New Jersey residents to showcase how simple actions - such as replacing a traditional light bulb with a CFL bulb - can make an impact," said One Change founder and president, Stuart Hickox. "We are grateful for the strong response we have received from residents and are proud to continue our work with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities and the Clean Energy Program to encourage even more individuals to become environmentally responsible in their daily lives."CFL bulbs use up to 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs and can last up to seven years longer, helping to save more than $30 in energy costs over the life of each bulb. Information regarding the proper disposal of CFL bulbs can be found at www.earth911.org. For more information about New Jersey's Clean Energy Program(TM), please visit www.NJCleanEnergy.com.One Change is an award-winning not-for-profit, non-partisan charitable organization and 501(c)3 foundation with headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and project offices throughout Canada and the United States. One Change delivers innovative community-based social marketing campaigns aimed at delivering conversations to empower people to adopt money-saving, environmentally friendly behaviors. To date, One Change has engaged over 14,000 volunteers and 3,400 community groups in more than 1,200 communities across North America; and has delivered over 3.7 million free energy conservation measures alongside its Simple actions matter(TM) message. For more information, visit www.onechange.org.Toss out your old cleaning supplies and replace them with products that include grain alcohol instead of toxic butyl cellosolve, commonly found in carpet cleaner and some window cleaners as a solvent; coconut or other plant oils rather than petroleum in detergents; and plant-oil disinfectants such as eucalyptus, rosemary or sage rather than triclosan, an antifungal agent found in soaps and deodorant.Here are some ways to save electricity, specifically in the places we reside in:There are a number of ways to save water and reduce your consumption. Obviously the easiest is to turn off the faucet when you�re brushing your teeth or washing your face. You can take this one step further by placing an aerator on all faucets in your apartment and cut your annual water consumption by 50%.CALDWELL, N.J., June 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- One Change (www.onechange.org) today announced that volunteers will be distributing more than 185,000 complimentary energy efficient compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs to New Jersey residents as part of the fourth phase of its Project Porchlight campaign. The goal of the campaign, which is funded by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities and the Clean Energy Program (TM), is to encourage individuals to use CFL bulbs to save energy and money. Upon completion of the campaign, more than 1.5 million CFL bulbs will have been distributed across the state, helping residents save more than $86 million on their electricity bills and removing the equivalent of more than 61,000 cars from local roads.About One ChangeBefore tackling energy saving tips, I just want to let you know that there are two types of electricity conservation. The first is our use of energy-efficient products e.g. appliances and gadgets with Energy Star Ratings; the second type of conservation is the change in our behaviour, meaning that we should feel it within ourselves that we do want to conserve energy before we can totally reduce electricity bills.

View 14 is a new, luxury apartment building located in the U Street Corridor of Washington, D.C. that provides pet-friendly apartment homes with sustainable features.

Author: Christina Clapp

Electricity Saving Tips: How We Can Reduce Electricity Bills

With the high cost of energy, we really have to learn how to conserve electricity. People who want to reduce electricity bills will surely find the electricity saving tips mentioned in this article truly helpful.

Clean With the Power of GreenInnovative Campaign to Help Residents Save More than $86 Million in Electricity Costs and Improve Air QualityDid you know that traditional light bulbs give off too much heat while producing very little amount of light? Thus, one of the most effective energy saving tips is to replace those old bulbs with CFLs. Compact Fluorescents actually produce just a little amount of heat, but, gives off more brightness than conventional light-bulbs, thus, making use of CFLs is one of the methods of how to conserve electricity. Take note too that CF bulbs have longer life spans than the conventional ones, thus, adding to the savings in your pocket since you need not buy new bulbs immediately.SOURCE One ChangeTip Number Two: Avoid leaving your appliances in the so called �standby mode�.Part of the ways to save electricity is also for you to lessen the use of your air conditioning unit. One technique on how to conserve electricity during warm months is to use ceiling fans and interchange it with your air conditioner. Ceiling fans actually give you more coolness because of their �moving air� compared to using stand fans and the common electric fans. Using a ceiling fan can help you decrease the number of times you use air-conditioning systems, thus, it is one of the electricity saving tips you should follow.Project Porchlight is spearheaded by One Change, a nonprofit organization that organizes innovative community-based social marketing campaigns across North America to engage and empower individuals to adopt environmentally-friendly behaviors. Since 2008, One Change staff and more than 2,600 volunteers have distributed approximately 1.35 million bulbs to over 360 communities in New Jersey. As part of the fourth phase, the campaign will visit more than 45 communities and distribute CFL bulbs door-to-door as well as at 150 local community events.Creating a living space in your apartment that�s environmentally friendly doesn�t have to mean a total life change, it just means being more mindful of your every day tasks and the products you purchase. By following these tips, you�ll be saving money and the Earth in no time!Ease Off the Waterworks

There are actually several ways to reduce electricity bills. Before thinking of purchasing the latest appliances/gadgets because of their promise of cutting down the rate of electric consumption, why not try the above mentioned techniques first, and you may be surprised to observe that they actually work.

Author: Karen Winton

/C O R R E C T I O N — One Change/

In the news release, One Change Project Porchlight Campaign Announces Volunteer-led Effort Delivering More Than 1.5 Million Energy Efficient Light Bulbs in New Jersey, issued 02-Jun-2011 by One Change over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that the last sentence of the second paragraph should read "As part of the fourth phase, the campaign will visit more than 45 communities and distribute CFL bulbs door-to-door as well as at 150 local community events" rather than " As part of the fourth phase, the campaign will visit more than 45 communities and distribute CFL bulbs door-to-door as well as at 150 local community events, including a 'Green Day at the Park' during a game at the Newark Bears Riverfront Stadium along with Newark Mayor Cory A. Booker on Saturday, June 4" as originally issued inadvertently. The complete, corrected release follows:

CFL bulbs are easily available and can save more than $40 in electricity costs over the lifetime of the bulb and it produces less 75% less heat than a standard bulb, decreasing the cooling needs of your apartment.Did you know that if every home replaced just one light with a bulb that's ENERGY STAR�certified, like a CFL (compact fluorescent light bulb) there would be enough energy to light 3 million homes for a year, save about $600 million in annual energy costs?View 14 is a new, luxury apartment building located in the U Street Corridor of Washington, D.C. that provides pet-friendly apartment homes with sustainable features.One Change Project Porchlight Campaign Announces Volunteer-led Effort Delivering More Than 1.5 Million Energy Efficient Light Bulbs in New JerseyAs part of its outreach efforts, One Change will be visiting neighborhoods in Asbury Park, Atlantic City, Cape May, Jersey City, New Brunswick and Woodbridge, among others. More information is available online at www.projectporchlight.com.Turning off your electrical appliances completely, and then, pulling the plugs, is also part of energy saving tips that work. A lot of individuals think that leaving the TV, computer, etc, on standby, is enough, however, that action will not help reduce electricity bills. In fact, research shows that appliances on stand by actually contribute to high energy bills worldwide. Every time you�re finished using a gadget or a home appliance, it is best that you turn it off completely.Tip Number One: Replace your old light bulbs with CFL (Compact Fluorescent Light) bulbs.In our world today, a lot of people are searching for ways to save electricity. In fact, one of the biggest challenges we are facing nowadays is the question of how we can reduce electricity bills. Because of the many gadgets and appliances we have in our homes, energy consumption is really high, thus, if we can�t live without those appliances, we have to find out how to conserve electricity for our pockets not to be hurt with sky high energy bills.There are actually several ways to reduce electricity bills. Before thinking of purchasing the latest appliances/gadgets because of their promise of cutting down the rate of electric consumption, why not try the above mentioned techniques first, and you may be surprised to observe that they actually work.

SOURCE One Change

How To Save Power At Home

We all learned about the renewable and non-renewable sources of energy in school. However, we never paid much attention to the rapid consumption of the non-renewable sources of energy until recently. The world is faced with severe energy crisis now and none of us remain unaffected anymore. Should we leave everything to the governments, or can we do something to save power? The answer is simple: we can.

About Puget Sound EnergyIt would also be your contribution in helping lessen greenhouse effect and climate change by using energy efficient appliances around the house as well as being more aware of what you can do as an average person.[Table Omitted]Puget Sound Energy:So use fluorescent lights whenever possible instead of incandescent bulbs. By doing so, you are saving up on your money in these hard times which can surely help you budget your finances and on a bigger perspective, do your part in lessening the impacts of climate change.Air Conditioner: Set the temperature at the minimum or maximum best you are comfortable with, depending on the season. Try not to set it at too high or too low temperatures. Setting the air conditioner at reasonable temperatures helps save a lot of energy.Car: For an air-conditioner equipped car, pull up the windows of your car before switching on the air-conditioner.Computer: More often than not, we do not switch off our monitors even after we have shut down our computers. Keep the monitor and the computer switched off when you are not using them. Start practicing this even when at work. You will help save some more power for the world.These have a big impact on the alleviation of climate change, which has been around for decades now, in contrast to the recent dismal economic climate which has taken over the world. So not only are we going to contend with the unpredictable changes in the weather but also with the levels of unemployment and bankruptcy.

Make power at home with solar and wind energy to eliminate your power bill. Get our complete guide at http://tinyurl.com/dy8x5o

Author: Kee Yong Chow

PSE Residential Customers to Get 10 Free CFL Bulbs and a Chance to Win a Free $10,000 Home Energy Solar System at PSE’s Rock the Bulb: The Re-Energize Tour Events This Summer, Launching July 8 at Northshore Ace Hardware in Federal Way

Utility campaign features eight summer weekend events, community outreach and the PSE Bulb Mobile to help customers save energy, money and the planet

Another noteworthy feature of fluorescent lights is that they use less mercury than a halogen light, for instance, making disposal much easier. It was noted, in a coal-powered plant, that one 60 watt incandescent bulb needs 13.6 mg while only 3.3 mg is needed for a fluorescent bulb; thus there is a significant reduction in mercury emissions in coal-powered plants which are the major source of mercury.For the average household, this means tightening the belt a little bit more, cutting down on the expenses, and apply cost cutting measures to save up. The budget may need to have a complete makeover and a cut back on some luxuries to make room for the essentials.Washington state’s oldest local energy utility, Puget Sound Energy serves more than 1 million electric customers and 750,000 natural gas customers in 11 counties. A subsidiary of Puget Energy, PSE meets the energy needs of its customer base through incremental, cost-effective energy efficiency, procurement of sustainable energy resources, and far-sighted investment in the energy-delivery infrastructure. PSE employees are dedicated to providing great customer service and delivering energy that is safe, reliable, reasonably priced, and environmentally responsible. For more information, visit www.PSE.com.

Washington state’s oldest local energy utility, Puget Sound Energy serves more than 1 million electric customers and 750,000 natural gas customers in 11 counties. A subsidiary of Puget Energy, PSE meets the energy needs of its customer base through incremental, cost-effective energy efficiency, procurement of sustainable energy resources, and far-sighted investment in the energy-delivery infrastructure. PSE employees are dedicated to providing great customer service and delivering energy that is safe, reliable, reasonably priced, and environmentally responsible. For more information, visit www.PSE.com.

Compact Fluorescent Lamp: Helping You Save Cash, Save Power And Safeguard The Planet

Let�s face it, the economy and the cost of living today was not the same twelve months ago. It had been, for many, a rather drastic change in economic climate. Major fiscal institutions have closed up, many small and medium businesses have filed for bankruptcy, and financial analysts have forecasted it will hang around for quite some time.

Television: Take off the power plug of your television set when not using it. This may not sound a big deal but this tiny step will help save power.Make power at home with solar and wind energy to eliminate your power bill. Get our complete guide at http://tinyurl.com/dy8x5oThis may mean enforcing some rules around the house like switching the lights off when not in use, pulling the plug of electrical appliances when you�re done, and using some practical energy saving tips not only to save money on the electrical bill but a way to contribute in saving the planet as well.Refrigerator: Bring hot food to room temperatures before putting it into the refrigerator. You can also save power by taking cold or frozen food out of the refrigerator much before the mealtime, thereby saving power in heating it.To save on your electrical bill, one of the smartest decisions you can do is replace your lights with compact fluorescent lamps or CFL�s. They can give the same amount of light compared to incandescent lights but they use less power and can also last longer. But the downside with these low energy bulbs is that they cost more than incandescent lights. You will have to invest some to save more, so to speak, once you see the latest bill after installing CFL�s around the house, and then you�ll know it was a worthwhile investment. They also have a longer lifespan, lasting up to seven years based on an average household use.Incandescent lights such as halogen bulbs when compared to fluorescent lights have no significant difference in lighting output (measured in lumen) but there is a substantial distinction between the wattage, your G9 light bulb may be costing you more once you change over to fluorescent. Less wattage means less energy used, less electrical bill, and a big contribution to saving energy for the planet.Light bulbs: You must have seen compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs being advertised all the time. You must have even used them at times. As a power-saving measure, start using the CFL light bulbs as much as you can. If you are thinking they are more expensive than the regular bulbs, the benefits of the CFL bulbs will prove much more cost-effective in the long turn by the amount of power they will save.Geysers: Keep the geyser thermostat at the minimum heat. You do not need to heat the water at a very high temperature or for too long.

So use fluorescent lights whenever possible instead of incandescent bulbs. By doing so, you are saving up on your money in these hard times which can surely help you budget your finances and on a bigger perspective, do your part in lessening the impacts of climate change.

Author: Jo Alelsto