Archive for the ‘Alternative Energy’ Category

Have you heard of global warming before?  If you regularly watch television, surf the internet, or listen to the radio, there is a good chance that you have.  In recent years, global warming is an issue that has seen an increase in press.  Although there is a lot of debate that surrounds global warming, you may still be concerned.  After all, if the predictions are right, the earth may not be a safe place for your future family members.

If the thought of global warming and the affects it can have on the planet in the future scare you, you will want to do you part.  Unfortunately, many individuals do not realize how easy, as well as how affordable it is to join in on the fight against global warming.  Unfortunately, much focus is placed on energy efficient vehicles and appliances.  If you do not have the financial means needed to make these purchases, it is okay, as there are more affordable ways that you can help.

One of the biggest chances that you have to help prevent global warming or lessen its impact is in your home.  In your home, you will want to look at your electricity uses.  Are there appliances, like your computer, that are turned on when you aren’t using them?  How about the lights in your home?  Are your lights turned on even when nobody is in the room?  If you answered yes, these are things that you will want to change.  Limiting your electricity use is a great way to not only help prevent global warming, but it can also save you money too!

As previously stated, you will want to lessen the amount of electricity used in your home.  One of the easiest ways to do so is to ensure that all lights and appliances are turned off when they are not in use.  What is nice about this approach is that it is completely free and, as previously stated, you can save yourself money!  Another step involves examining your heat.  Instead of having your thermostat cranked up high, you may want to put on a sweater and turn the heat down.  Even a few degrees can help reduce the toxic emissions that come from your home.

In keeping with electricity, you will want to take a close look at energy efficient light bulbs.  Unfortunately, many individuals do not realize the many benefits to using these light bulbs, as opposed to traditional ones.  For starters, you can save yourself a little bit of money each year by switching all or at least most of the lights in your home to energy efficient light bulbs.  Also, these light bulbs work much longer than traditional ones.  Depending on your use, an energy efficient light bulb can last as long as one or two years.  By price comparing, you can easily find multi-packs of these energy efficient lights for around five dollars.  Talk about affordability!

Even if you are a renter, as opposed to a homeowner, there are still ways that you can work to combat global warming.  You may want to speak with your landlord about making any window repairs, especially if you feel cold air entering into your home when it shouldn’t be.  Ask your landlord about the hot water heater, do they use a hot water heater blanket?  Hot water heater blankets are reasonably priced and they can help to save the environment and your landlord may also be able to save a little bit of money as well, as they can lower the temperature of their water heater.

As previously stated, you may not have the financial means needed to purchase a new hybrid or energy efficient car.  Even so, you will still want to take a close look at your methods of transportation.  When you drive, do you really need to?  If you are able to walk, carpool or take public transportation, you are encouraged to do so.  Even if you leave your car home, just a couple of times a week, you are still doing your part, even though small, to help stop the horrific impacts that global warming may have on our planet.

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Using E85 Ethanol as an alternative fuel has become almost a rage in the United States.  There is a new trend towards making our transportation needs more environmentally friendly.  As global warming is becoming a growing concern, more and more people want to do their part to make sure that we have a world to live in for the next 2,000 years.  Using E85 Ethanol as an alternative fuel for your vehicle is a great way to start.

E85 Ethanol is a product that contains 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.  Ethanol is basically a grain alcohol that is made from corn, soybeans, and even plant waste and trash like paper.  Besides its superior performance characteristics, ethanol burns cleaner than gasoline; it is a completely renewable, domestic, environmentally friendly fuel that enhances the nation’s economy and energy independence.

Today, the U. S. imports more than half of its oil and overall consumption continues to increase. By supporting ethanol production and use, U.S. drivers can help reverse that trend. Using E85 Ethanol as an alternative fuel source can reduce pollution. Government tests have shown that E85 vehicles reduce harmful hydrocarbon and benzene emissions when compared to vehicles running on gasoline. E85 Ethanol can also reduce carbon dioxide (CO2), a harmful greenhouse gas and a major contributor to global warming.

Although CO2 is released during ethanol production and combustion, it is recaptured as a nutrient to the crops that are used in its production. Unlike fossil fuel combustion, this unlocks carbon that has been stored for millions of years, use of ethanol results in low increases to the carbon cycle. E85 Ethanol as an alternative fuel also degrades quickly in water and, therefore, poses much less risk to the environment than an oil or gasoline spill.

There are many vehicles on the market today that are already E85 Ethanol compatible, so you can use this as an alternative fuel to gasoline.  A second option is to have your current car converted from a gasoline engine to an E85 Ethanol compatible engine.  You will want to have this conversion done by a licensed mechanic, but it can be done!

We all know that there is a trend toward using alternative fuel to help the environment, and E85 Ethanol is one of the first ones to contribute toward that trend.  It is currently available in many places and can do wonders for improving your car’s efficiency as well as your wallet.  With the rising price of gasoline, it’s really a good idea to explore E85 Ethanol as an alternative fuel source for your vehicle.

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The United States is the country that leads all others in the use of fossil fuels.  Fossil fuels are those that are formed in the ground over a period of millions of years from dead plants and animals.  Oil, natural gas, and coal are fossil fuels and we use a lot of them!

Fossil fuel use by humans is the largest source of emissions of carbon dioxide which is one of the greenhouse gases that allows radiative forcing and contributes to global warming.  When you burn fossil fuels, they let out a large amount of carbon dioxide.  The atmospheric concentration of CO2, a greenhouse gas, is increasing.  This raises concerns that solar heat will be trapped and the average surface temperature of the Earth will rise in response.

We use fossil fuels to power our vehicles, heat and cool our houses, and generate electricity.  As we said, it takes millions of years to form certain fossil fuels and over-use of them has resulted in a concern that we will soon deplete our supply.  Fossil fuels are non-renewable sources of energy, so once they are used up, they are gone.

In the United States, we use about twelve barrels of oil – the most valuable fossil fuel -   per person per year.  That is why we are so dependent on foreign oil to meet our energy needs.  While the United States does have its own supply of oil, it doesn’t compare to what the Middle East has to offer.  So in order to meet the demand, we have to increase the supply.  Pretty much the only way to do that is to buy it from other countries – usually places like Venezuela or Saudi Arabia.

The increased levels of fossil fuel use in this country has given birth to the green movement urging people to start exploring alternative forms of energy to avoid depleting our fossil fuel supplies completely.  But a bigger reason is because the greenhouse gas emissions are causing global warming that can have a huge effect on the lives of people all over the world – not just in the United States.

If we can reduce our use of fossil fuels and start looking at alternate sources of energy, we not only improve the quality of the environment, but we also reduce our dependence on other countries for our energy resources.  The phrase “American Made” has always meant something in the U.S., but when it comes to decreasing our fossil fuel use and becoming self-sufficient with alternative fuels, it can mean so much more!

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When it comes to one of the newest developments in the vehicle industry – electric cars – the facts about them are plentiful and easy to come by.  This new alternative to regular gasoline powered cars has many people very excited about being able to have reliable transportation without damaging the environment.  So what are the facts about electric cars?

First, there are many types of electric cars you can choose from, but all of them use an electric motor that runs on batteries that you recharge.  The more batteries you have, the longer you can drive your car.  Electric cars come in all different sizes and performances.  They are aerodynamically more efficient than gasoline powered cars because electricity stored chemically is lighter than electricity stored electrically.

Another very advantageous fact about electric cars is that they emit virtually no greenhouse gases into the air and thus run much, much cleaner than many other vehicles.  Greenhouse gases contribute to the depletion of the ozone layer that has led to global warming.  Electric cars that run on batteries alone produce no pollution at all and thus are very environmentally friendly.

How far can you drive on an electric car’s charge?  The amazing fact is that electric cars can usually travel for about one to three hundred miles, depending on the model, before needing a charge.  The batteries generally need charged overnight and there is a gauge that can tell you how much power you have left.  They are perfectly fine for city driving and those who don’t have to go long distances on a regular basis.

This next fact about electric cars may amaze you – I know it did me!  Some people believe that an electric car can’t go very fast.  But the fact is that electric cars have been clocked at over one hundred miles per hour and can go from zero to that in less than nine seconds!  This is because electric motors have a very high torque which allows them to accelerate quickly and travel faster.

There are many more facts to be found out about electric cars such as their price, their range, their availability, and their benefits.  Finding out these facts is easy.  If you are thinking about buying an electric car, do your research and find one that fits your lifestyle.  Most car companies produce at least a hybrid type of electric car that runs on both gasoline and electricity, but you can also find total electric cars if you know where to look.  Just get the facts and then get on the electric car bandwagon.  You may just find out you like it there!

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