Building Energy Efficient Homes

A builders challenge program, launched in 2008 by the U. S. Department of Energy, is a voluntary energy-savings program with a goal to build homes that achieve 70 or better on the EnergySmart Home Scale. The scale allows homebuyers to determine how the energy efficiency of a particular home compares to the DOE energy efficiency goal and other homes.

The DOE Builders Challenge encourages homebuilders in the US to construct 220,000 high-performance energy-efficient homes by 2012. The 1.3 million homes to be built to the challenge standard between now and 2030 are anticipated to cut carbon emissions equivalent to removing 606,000 cars off the road each year. [U.S. DOE EnergySmart Home Scale]

A leader in the hot water heater industry, A. O. Smith Water Products Company, has a full line of high efficiency products to help consumers go green and save green, including ENERGY STAR(R) models. The company worked in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to institute and adopt the ENERGY STAR criteria, which went into effect on Jan.  1, 2009.

“The ENERGY STAR program empowers consumers to make smart energy choices that will save money and energy, and reduce our carbon footprint,” said DOE Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Andy Karsner. “Expansion of the ENERGY STAR program to include water heaters will give Americans yet another way to more efficiently use energy in their homes and, in the interest of increasing energy security and addressing climate change, help further the President’s goal of fundamentally changing the way this nation uses power.” Continue Reading…

As part of its ongoing commitment to the environment, Disneyland Resort announced two innovative environmental initiatives to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The Resort has begun using compressed natural gas to fuel its guest trams and recycled cooking oil to power its Disneyland Railroad steam trains and Mark Twain riverboat.

“These initiatives demonstrate Disneyland Resort’s ongoing commitment to balancing environmental stewardship throughout our operations,” said Michael O’Grattan, senior vice president of resort operations. “These are just a few steps in our ongoing journey to reduce Disneyland Resort’s environmental footprint.” Continue Reading…

According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s December 2008 data, California’s Central Valley region ranked the highest in unemployment in the state at 9.5% –the highest in over 13 years and double the unemployment rate a year ago. And the future doesn’t look much brighter with unemployment predictions at 17.5%, and an additional 36,000 layoffs expected in the next 12 months.

Where is the good news in all of these workforce woes? According to the recent environmental scan from the California Community Colleges Workforce and Economic Development Centers of Excellence’s (COE), it may very well lie in the future of the “green” economy and hot occupations that follow in its wake. Continue Reading…

Power-Save Energy Company, an emerging leader in the renewable energy and energy savings products industry, recently announced the launch of its new Energy Saving Kit, the ES35. The ES35 kit combines Power Save Energy’s PS1200 energy saving device with proven and tested Solar Powered Attic Fan, Radiant Barrier, Duct Sealing System and CFL Light Bulbs. Power-Save Energy will offer a 35% energy-savings or your money back guarantee with the launch of its ES35 DRTV television campaign, scheduled to commence airing the week of Jan 26th 2009.

Devmir Inc., an organic sock manufacturer headquartered in Morrisville, NC, has introduced a line of organic socks under the Sierra Club brand. The eco-fashion socks are being launched in an aggressive grass roots campaign called a “sock-athon” to benefit the homeless and the Sierra Club. For every pair of socks purchased via www.sierraclubsocks.com, one pair is donated to The National Coalition for the Homeless, with a goal of donating one million pair of socks this holiday season. The Sierra Club also benefits by receiving 10% of the proceeds.

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Plasticware are out. It’s about time for all natural, chemical-free, and 100% compostable dinnerware! Each piece adds an one-of-the-kind and stylish touch to your table. These eco-friendly dinnerware all start with collecting fallen leaves from plantations but without ever cutting down any trees. Normally, these leaves would be burned. Instead, they are brought to the factory, sprayed with high pressure water, steamed and UV sterilized, then finally they are turned into beautiful dinnerware.

The organizations involved in projects that include empowering residents to clean up New Orleans East for a safe return after Hurricane Katrina and developing a tool to target high-risk homes with lead contamination in Durham, N.C., are amongst the winners of EPA’s first Environmental Achievement Awards. Twelve award recipients include community-based organizations, universities, and state and local governments from nine states. Continue Reading…

Wal-Mart Thursday announced to reduce its plastic shopping bag waste by an average of 33% per store by 2013. This is expected to eliminate more than 135 million pounds of plastic waste worldwide. To help reach this goal, Wal-Mart will reduce the number of bags given out by its stores, promote the use of reusable bags and give customers the ability to keep recycling plastic shopping bags. The announcement was made at the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting. Continue Reading…