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5 Star homes to be Mandatory in Australia
The Building Code of Australia seems set to introduce 5-star energy ratings for all new homes. While some associations in the building industry are concerned that this is likely to push the cost of building up, it is s step in the right direction...
Experience the Thrill of Eagle Watching
"Above all other birds it is the soaring eagle, with its size and weight, that gives the most abiding impression of power and purpose in the air," declared Edwin Way Teale in Atlantic Monthly in 1957. Unique to North America and revered for its...
Photovoltaic Systems - Energy from the Sky
As people search for alternatives to fossil fuel energy, solar
energy emerges as one of the cleanest and most practical sources
of electricity. Solar panels can be installed on rooftops or any
area that receives a lot of sunshine. The solar...
RenewableEnergyStocks.com Reports - Oil Prices and Global Warming Issues Fuel Renewable Energy Investments and Initiatives
Report Excerpt: RenewableEnergyStocks.com Reports - Oil Prices
and Environmental Issues Fuel Renewable Energy Investments and
Initiatives
By Brian Noer, www.RenewableEnergyStocks.com November 2005
In North America, issues such as rising...
Straw as real estate building material
In the famous kid’s fairy tale ‘The Three Little Pigs’ one of the pigs built a house of straw that made him almost pay with his life. The pig was blamed in the tale for choosing the wrong building material. But his material was definitely the right...
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Easy Ways to Save Energy
With this fall's spike in oil and natural gas prices and the
further impact Hurricane Katrina will have on this winter's
heating oil supplies, it's become more important than ever to
make sure our homes are as energy-efficient as possible.
Luckily, there are a number of easy, inexpensive ways to button
up your home for winter. Numerous cost-efficient products on the
market for your windows and doors will go a long way toward
preserving the heat you generate with your heating system.
Make sure your windows and doors are tight. Self-stick foam
weather-stripping at the tops and bottom of windows, as well as
across the separation between the top and bottom halves of the
window, will block out drafts. Additionally, clear plastic,
secured to the window frame with double-sided sticky tape, will
also block out drafts and create an air barrier between the
window and you.
Additional weather-stripping around all four edges of doors will
also help to block out the cold. Also, don't forget your water
heater! You can buy inexpensive padding to wrap around the unit
itself, and sturdy foam insulation for all the pipes.
The way you furnish your home can add to your level of comfort
this winter. Thick, insulated drapes will cut back on drafts
from windows; wall to wall carpeting will cut back on drafts
from cold air coming in from gaps between walls and floors; both
wall to wall carpeting and thick area rugs will retain heat and
add to your comfort.
Believe it or not, you can lose heat through the switch plates
and wall plugs in your outer walls. Another inexpensive product
will solve that problem; for three or four dollars you can buy
insulated pads to install behind the plates. Simply remove the
switch plate, pop in the appropriate padding, and screw the
switch plate back on. A single package contains insulated pads
suitable for single and double on-off switch plates
and two-plug
outlets.
Experiment with the way you dress and see if you can turn the
thermostat down and still be comfortable. Wear warm fleece; keep
your feet warm with thick socks and shoes or fuzzy slippers;
even consider wearing a hat indoors. You should be able to turn
the thermostat down to at least 68 degrees and still be
comfortable. If you have an altern
ate source of heat - a wood, corn or pellet buring stove -
consider using it as a primary source of heat.
If you have thermostats in each room, you may want to consider
shutting off the heat in unused rooms, or at least lowering the
thermostat in those rooms to 55 degrees. If this is an option,
be sure to put weather-stripping around the doors to the
unheated rooms.
If you're really strapped for funds, don't hesitate to call your
local human services agencies to find out if you can qualify for
home heating assistance. As a taxpayer, you've undoubtedly been
supporting all kinds of social programs for years, or even
decades; don't let embarrassment prevent you from getting help
when you need it. Adequate heating isn't a luxury, it's a
necessity.
If you take careful stock of the heating problems in your home
and take a few simple measures to solve those problems, you
should be able to minimize the impact rising fuel prices will
have on your winter heating budget. Keep warm!
About the author:
Aldene Fredenburg is a freelance writer living in southwestern
New Hampshire and frequently contributes to Tips and
Topics. She has published numerous articles in local and
regional publications on a wide range of topics, including
business, education, the arts, and local events. Her feature
articles include an interview with independent documentary
filmmaker Ken Burns and a featur
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| Department of Energy - Homepage |
| Governmental department whose mission is to advance energy technology and promote related innovation in the United States. |
| www.energy.gov |
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| Department of Energy - Page not found! |
| US Department of Energy information for consumers, business, and communities. Links to many energy pages of the DOE. |
| www.energy.gov |
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| Energy Quest Room |
| California Energy Commission's energy and environmental education site for students, parents and teachers. Includes information, Q&As, projects, ... |
| www.energyquest.ca.gov |
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| The Energy Story - Introduction |
| Detailed guide explains what energy is and where it comes from. |
| www.energyquest.ca.gov |
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| EIA Energy Kids Page - energy facts, fun, games and activities |
| Features various sections about energy including what it is and the forms it comes in. Find out how humans use energy through quizzes and a 'fun facts' ... |
| www.eia.doe.gov |
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| Energy Information Administration - EIA - Official Energy ... |
| Section of the US Department of Energy (DOE) providing statistics, data, analysis on resources, supply, production, consumption for all energy sources. |
| www.eia.doe.gov |
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| Energy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
| Free encyclopedia article explaining the scientific notion of energy. Includes units of measure, energy transformation concepts, types of energy, ... |
| en.wikipedia.org |
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| Department of Energy - Homepage |
| U.S. Department of Energy Awards Contract for Management and Operation of Ames ... The Energy Star label is the government's seal of energy efficiency. ... |
| www.doe.gov |
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| Home : ENERGY STAR |
| US EPA Energy Star programs and products help save the environment and save consumers money by using less energy through advanced design or construction. |
| www.energystar.gov |
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| National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Home Page |
| Facility of the US Department of Energy (DOE) for renewable energy and energy efficiency research, development and deployment. |
| www.nrel.gov |
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| European Commission - Energy - Home page |
| Welcome to the European Commission's "Energy" website ... A European Strategy for Sustainable, Competitive and Secure Energy ... |
| ec.europa.eu |
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| DTI - Energy - Introduction |
| The DTI’s Energy Group deals with energy-related matters, ... UK energy statistics are provided, including production, consumption and prices. ... |
| www.dti.gov.uk |
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| U.S. DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Home Page |
| US Department of Energy web site for information on energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. |
| www.eere.energy.gov |
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| Energy for America's Future |
| Provides an overview of President Bush's energy policies. |
| www.whitehouse.gov |
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| International Energy Agency |
| Energy Security, Growth and Sustainability through Co-operation and Outreach. |
| www.iea.org |
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| energywatch: Home Page |
| Independent gas and electricity consumer watchdog, providing help to domestic, commercial or industrial energy (gas and electricity) consumers. |
| www.energywatch.org.uk |
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| EnergyAustralia - Home |
| Details of one of Australia's largest and oldest gas and electricity supply companies. Includes information on accounts, energy saving tips, appliance sales ... |
| www.energy.com.au |
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| U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources |
| Has jurisdiction over energy policy, regulation, and research. Also deals with energy and mineral conservation, ports used for energy transport, irrigation, ... |
| energy.senate.gov |
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| bloomberg energy prices |
| www.bloomberg.com/energy/ - Similar pages |
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| Energy Bulletin |
| A clearinghouse of information concerning the peak in global energy such as oil and gas. |
| www.energybulletin.net |
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