Eco-Confessions

Indoor Composting

So this article by Ken Hanson reminded me that composting is not necessarily something that needs to be done outdoors only. At our old house, we had a compost pile, but, unfortunately it was a short-lived experience. The fact that it was at the bottom of our yard, far away from the house, did not help the convenience factor. Also, we just didn't seem to have enough "brown matter" for the pile. I thought I had been pretty thrifty by simply putting together three wood pallets to contain the pile, but I guess even the ease of constructing the bin didn't make up for the fact that composting simply wasn't a habit for us then.

After reading Ken's article, I did some quick research. Did you know that there are a myriad of ways to compost year-round, with large bins that you can set up in the garage, worm bins and even plugged-in bins that will warm and areate the contents and produce compost in as little as two weeks and fit under your kitchen sink? If you have a garden and are looking for great homemade compost, a compost bin in your garage may be just the thing that will help you reduce your garbage, help the environment and improve your garden soil at the same time.

 

Renewable heat source or carbon pollution?

So, a few weeks ago, I finally got a chance to split the firewood that had accumulated behind our house since last year. Everything was seasoned and dry, so the work went better than expected - except for the stacking part of the project (that's always a pain in the back).

 

Yes, I realize that some people abhor the thought of burning wood to heat one's home. After all, carbon is emitted, and there's usually some smoke and soot involved. But I actually don't feel guilty about it. The wood I use comes from dead trees that I can acquire at no cost from friends and neighbors. Our fireplace is very efficient and allows us to burn the wood very cleanly and recover more heat from it than an old-fashioned, open fireplace. Lastly, however long we can heat the house with wood is time we don't have to use electricity. Plus, the cutting, splitting and stacking is a good workout for me.

I have lit a couple of fires this week, to make sure everything is in working order before the REAL cold hits, and it's been toasty warm (almost too warm) in our house ever since. Bring it on, Old Man Winter...!

 

Get cash for your old refrigerator!

It's true: if you are an Xcel Energy customer, they will PAY you for your old refrigerator. Have an old clunker sitting in the garage that is barely functioning anymore, but it would be a pain to bring it in to be recycled? Go to Xcel's website and find out how to participate in the program. They will not only come out and pick up the unit, but also send you a check for $35.00! Now you can feel good about properly disposing of your old fridge AND get paid!

 

Do we "need" more trash?

The City of Red Wing is dealing with an interesting quandary: apprently, the Waste-to-Energy facility in the city is in danger of being shut down, because it is not operating efficiently enough. When looking at the reasons, it appears as though the plant is not running at full capacity, thus losing money. It's an interesting problem - do people recycle more, so there is less trash to burn? Or do the garbage haulers prefer the landfill for dumping, because the tipping fees are lower than the incinerator's fees? My guess is it's a combination of both. Red Wing is looking to the State for a law that would mandate more trash to be burned, but that is not exactly in the plans right now. The City is also trying to convince neighboring communities to send their trash to Red Wing, but again, that would mean higher costs to the households. If the plant would get shut down, it would most likely mean more trash in the landfills. And since the employees at the Waste-to-Energy plant also filter out recyclables before burning the trash, there would also be more waste on that end.

If your garbage hauler currently dumps the trash collected in the landfill, it might be a good idea to let them know you'd like your trash to go to Red Wing. I realize it would take a large group of customers to make any change happen, but if nobody speaks up, nothing will happen.

 

Hybrid vs. regular car

A couple of days ago I ran across yet another "hybrid vs. regular car" cost comparison. As usually is the case, the retail price of the vehicle was combined with the cost to own it for 6 years, including standard maintenance and, of course, gas consumption (based on 15,000 miles driven per year). The results should'n come as a surprise to anybody: some hybrid cars are cheaper to own than their conventional counterparts, others are significantly more expensive. The reason is pretty simple: assuming the maintenance cost is the same for both versions, the only way to "recoup" the additional cost for the hybrid system (usually around $3,500 - $6,000) is through the increased gas mileage in the hybrid car. And if you purchase a hybrid SUV that only gets 5 or 7 more miles to the gallon, chances are you're not going to come out ahead at the end of the six years.

So, what's a car buyer to do? First, compare the smallest and most efficient vehicles for your needs. Do you really need a pickup? Or could you borrow or even rent one for the two times a year you need to haul something? Evaluate your driving situations: do you mostly drive on the highway, or do you log a lot of miles in the city, with stop-and-go traffic? Do you have a relatively short commute, or is it at least 20 minutes each way? Hybrid systems need to "warm up" before reaching heir full potential; so if you only drive a few miles and then let the car cool off again, you will most likely not see the mileage you're hoping for. Lastly, calculate how much the car will save you over the timeframe you are planning to keep it: many people drive their cars well beyond the six years mentioned above. Once you get your initial investment for the Hybrid system back in savings, you will keep saving with each mile you drive.

When I bought my Prius in 2002 (a 2003 model), I did it because I felt it was the right thing to do for the environment, at a fair price. 140,000 miles later, I have had no regrets. I don't pay attention to gas prices anymore (the tank only holds just under 12 gallons), because I use so little of it. The lifetime average gas mileage for my particular car and its driving conditions has been just under 40mpg. That's summer and winter driving, highway and city combined. I'm very happy with that.

So, when you need to buy a car, please consider all of the options. Do your homework and decide what's best for you. Oh, and if it helps: our "other car" is a '96 Explorer. It sits mostly in the garage, unless I have to haul something on our little trailer, or if the weather is bad during the winter.

 

Are we "Generation Zzzzz..." ?

A couple of weeks ago columnist Thomas Friedman penned what I thought was an excellent piece on the apathy of the American people in general when it comes to sacrificing even the least when it comes to the environment and natural resources. It reminded me of the daily struggle a lot of us seem to face. From Climate Change to limited Oil and Natural Gas resources, to implementing Alternative Energy policies. Why is it so difficult for most of us to accept the fact that oil is a finite resource? Even people who believe we need to "drill, baby, drill" have to admit that future explorations will come with a significant price tag. People who rally against Solar or Wind energy point out the inefficiency of those sources without taking into account how a balanced approach of different energy sources could mean a significant reduction in our oil imports or coal mining and burning. In the end, many people are convinced that the sky is not falling, Climate Change is happening, but isn't caused by Humans and can't be slowed down, and we can all go back to partying like it's 1999.

I guess much of it boils down to the fact that the threats to our environment and economy are hardly palpable for most people. Gas at the pump is cheap right now, so why worry about it? We haven't had any power shortages in years, so it's not really a concern, right? The sun still comes up every morning.

The so-called "Greatest Generation" faced very real, visible and immediate threats during and after World War II and was compelled to act upon them. We, on the other hand, might not feel the real consequences of our inactions right now until 20, 30 or even 50 years from now - at which point it will be a lot harder, if not impossible, to reverse the situation.

Until general opinions change, there are a few things you can do, as insignificant as they may seem at times. Slow down when driving your car. Change your oil at the manufacturer's recommended intervals. Use CFLs wherever possible. Insulate your home. It might be frustrating at times to "do your part" while others waste resources, but I am hopeful that the tide will turn in the next few years, and the American public will come to realize that it is indeed time for action. There is still time.

 

Fall means raking leaves

While we were up at the North Shore, I was mesmerized by the beauty of the foliage along Highway 61. Then, after reality set in, I was reminded that most homeowners curse Fall, for it brings the dreaded task of raking leaves.

At our old house in Rochester, I would wait for a few dry days and then mow over the leaves repeatedly, to shred and mulch them. Maybe not the most efficient way to take care of the problem (definitely dusty!), but it was easy on my back. Here at our new home, we still have a lot of mature trees (and even more small evergreens that will hopefully take over in 10-15 years), but I don't have a lawn, so I'm not really to worried about the cleanup. Picking up the piles in the corners around the house is pretty much all I need to do, unless I want bunches of brown goo to be waiting for me in the Spring.

How about you - do you rake and bag? Put them on a compost pile? Or do you take your chances and hope they won't damage the lawn too much by spring and just let them decompose in place? One thing you DON'T want to do is blow your leaves over onto your neighbor's property, or worse yet, into the street.

I have seen bags of leaves stacked up against the side of a house, presumably to keep it warm, but I am told that is a recipe for disaster, since critters love those comfy quarters and will surely move into your home via the "leaf bag express".

If you do end up raking a bunch of leaves, here's a tip: it is a blast for people of all ages to jump into a giant pile of leaves... just make sure there are no foreign objects in that pile:)

 

Paper, Plastic or...?

The other day I had a thought: when people have larger parties, such as a Graduation or Anniversary Open House, why do they use paper plates and disposable cutlery? Wouldn't such a special event warrant some "nice" dishes to eat from and drink out of? After all, when was the last time you ate off a paper plate at a wedding? Is it because a wedding is usually catered, and the caterer provides the dishes? Or is a wedding officially the last event left where it is socially unacceptable to use anything but "real" dishes?

When I still lived in Germany, there were companies that would rent out dishes and silverware. I wonder how a service like this would go over in this country? Is it simply cheaper to buy disposable plates and cutlery? Or is it the "convenience factor" of being able to dispose off all the dirty dishes in the nearest trash can? What if there was a company who would deliver clean tableware to your house the day of your event and pick up the dirty dishes the following day? All you'd have to do is scrape off the food leftovers, stack the dirty dishes in a special crate, bag the dirty silverware and wait for the pickup? How much would a service like this be worth to you?

 

More affordable Solar Power

I just read that RPU and Austin's and Owatonna's Utility Companies are offering some attractive rebates for their customers who would like to install solar panels for either electrical or water heating applications. This would make those systems quite a bit more affordable for the average homeowner. More information can be found here.

When I inquired about solar panels for our home a couple of years ago, I contacted Pine Island Solar. Mr. Thompson came out to our house and gave us an in-depth analysis of our particular site, and how much it would cost to have a system installed. And while we weren't able to go through with the project at the time, I still have it on my list of things to consider in the next few years. Unfortunately, Xcel Energy doesn't really provide much of an incentive right now. But, there is money from the State available on a first-come, first-save basis (it's all used up for this year, though), and the Federal Tax Credit (up to 30%) apparently has been extended to 2016, with no cap on it. So, there are still very good reasons to take a look at solar power for your home.

 

 

Time for a Tune-up

Now that cooler weather has finally arrived, it reminds us Minnesotans that the really cold temperatures are not that far away. And if you don't want to be stuck with huge heating bills, or worse, wake up to a cold house on one of those 20-degrees-below mornings, I recommend getting your furnace checked and tuned up. I had Steve Johnson come up to our house yesterday and check on our Geothermal System. He checked the pressure of the line, added some water to it, made sure it's heating and cooling the way it's supposed to (which it is), and now I'm good to go.

Seriously, if you have an older furnace, it could be a very good money-saver to have it tuned up. Or, if it's REALLY old and you have some money saved up, check out what a new model could do for you. With the efficiency of today's modern furnaces, the savings in your heating bill, combined with the Tax Credit still available until the end of the year, might allow you to recover the investment in a couple of winters.

Stay warm, everybody...