It's Easy Being Green: Keeping Cool

Heating and cooling total about 44 percent of your home’s energy costs, so careful attention to temperature settings can reap big savings. “Ceiling fans cool the room in summer and only cost 10 percent as much as air conditioning,” says Abby Buford, a spokesperson for Lowe’s. “And it’s easy to install one.” Lowe’s makes it especially easy with a whole website—lowes.com/energy—filled with videos and step by step instructions on tasks that will help you save money on your energy bills. Reverse the fan’s motor so that it’s running clockwise, and you’ll save money in the winter as well.

Another opportunity to save is by plugging up the holes in your home. “A lot of energy leaks out of a house,” says Dick McClary at Home Depot. Plug small holes with caulk (such as where input lines come into your home), and consider adding insulation to attics, the basement ceiling and around windows and doors. “But don’t forget that it’s air that provides the insulation—not the insulation itself,” says McClary. “Think of a double-paned window…it’s not the second layer of glass that makes the house tighter, it’s the trapped air between the layers. So don’t “squish” your insulation into a space— or you won’t be doing any good.” Other leaky areas include doors that don’t fit tightly (add weatherstripping), the fireplace flue (make sure it’s closed when not in use), and the empty space behind electrical outlets (add a pre-cut insulation layer).

When in doubt, says McClary, ask an expert—either a sales associate at your local store, or on the web. Most companies have complete sections dedicated to going green. “There’s a bigger emphasis than ever on educating the consumer,” says Kathleen Kuhn of HouseMaster. “Ask questions, take notes, and spend some time making small repairs and upgrades. I guarantee that small projects can pay off big—both for the value of your home, and for its energy efficiency.”



Article by Sandy Wieber, SVP Marketing, MidAtlantic Farm Credit

It's Easy Being Green: Getting in Hot Water

There are lots of other ways to save money on your water usage. By now, you know to take a shower instead of a bath (you’ll save about 50 percent of the water), to turn off the water when you’re brushing your teeth, and to run full loads, whether you’re doing the dishes or the laundry. But Kathleen Kuhn, CEO of HouseMaster Home Inspections, says that there are other easy fixes for do-it-yourselfers. “The least handy person can install water saving showerheads and faucets,” says Kuhn, “and save thousands of gallons of water a year.” All the parts you need are available at your local hardware store, or order the Niagara Water Conservation Kit at niagaraconservation.com for under twenty-five bucks. Kuhn also recommends turning the thermostat on your water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. “That’s still hot, but it saves a lot of money heating the water,” she says. Save even more by purchasing an insulating wrap for your water heater, and wrap it around the tank.

Heating and cooling are a huge percent of your home's energy costs. Don't worry, we'll give you tips on "keeping cool" and saving big tomorrow.


Article by Sandy Wieber, SVP Marketing, MidAtlantic Farm Credit

It's Easy Being Green: Plugging Away

Your appliances are some of the biggest energy consumers in your whole house. And the biggest of the big is your refrigerator. “If you’ve been meaning to replace it but feel bad about getting something new when something old “sorta” works, think again,” says Danny Seo. “A refrigerator that’s ten years old is likely to be using twice as much energy today as the first day you plugged it in.” When you head out to the appliance department, look for ENERGY STAR rated refrigerators. They are the most efficient in their category and can save you hundreds of dollars in energy costs. “The ENERGY STAR rating will show you how efficient the motor is,” says Dick McClary, a department supervisor at Home Depot in Towson, Maryland. “But a new front loading washing machine will save you a ton of money on water, too.” Front loading machines use only a small amount of water, which can save up to 7,000 gallons of water each year (or about 60 percent of what your current appliance uses).

There lots of other ways to save on water usage. We'll talk about getting out of "hot water" tomorrow!


Article by Sandy Wieber, SVP Marketing, MidAtlantic Farm Credit

It's Easy Being Green: Become a Vampire Slayer

You have vampires in your home. They’re not exactly undead, but they’re appliances that continue to suck energy even when they are turned off. According to the Department of Energy, vampire energy loss represents between five and eight percent of a single family home’s total electricity use per year. That’s almost an extra month’s bill! Luckily, these vampires are easy to stake. Unplug larger items, like plasma televisions, which can use the equivalent of about $160 a year (1,400 kiloWatt hours) when not in use. Or go to smarthomeusa.com and purchase an electrical strip that actually stops the current when the appliance is not in use (around $30). If you don’t want to turn the appliances off, try reducing the brightness of your television and computer screens by half, and power consumption of the entire machine will drop by about 30 percent.

You're appliances are also big energy consumers. We'll talk tomorrow about "plugging away".


Article by Sandy Wieber, SVP Marketing, MidAtlantic Farm Credit

It's Easy Being Green: Seeing the Light

You know that you should be saving energy at home. After all, in the United States, buildings (that includes your house) account for 36 percent of our total energy use, 65 percent of our electricity consumption, and 12 percent of all potable water consumed. In fact, according to the Green Building Resource Center, a typical 1,700 square foot wood frame home has the same environmental impact of clear-cutting one acre of forest. If that isn’t enough reason for you to save energy, consider this: saving energy can save you money. And you don’t have to be a contractor to make the changes necessary. “Sometimes the smallest changes can be the biggest changes,” says Danny Seo, former co-host of HGTV’s Red, Hot and Green.

see the light
“How easy is it to change a light bulb?” asks Linda Foy, a spokesperson for Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE). “It’s one of the easiest steps that homeowners can take, but it can make a big impact.” Simply switch your regular light bulbs to CFLs (that’s compact fluorescent bulbs) and start saving money immediately. Regular incandescent light bulbs use more than 90 percent of their energy to generate heat, not light, which costs the country energy and the homeowner money. CFL’s use 75 percent less energy and last up to 10 times longer—saving you about anywhere from $30 - $65 over the life of the bulb. So, yes, throw out the bulbs you have and replace them now. Although the bulbs are a little more expensive than standard bulbs, you’ll see the savings quickly.

Did you know that you also have vampires in your home! True... check back tomorrow for more details!



Article by: Sandy Wieber, MidAtlantic Farm Credit SVP Marketing

Pennsylvania farmer nearly set to display electricity, energy producer

A Northwest Pennsylvania farmer is within months if not weeks of unveiling a mechanism that converts bales of switch grass into a burnable heat source, according to The Associated Press.

Calvin Ernst of Crawford County said the wood-like pellets that are generated also can produce electricity or can absorb moisture. The 71-year-old and his son have been working on the contraption and are pleased with their progress thus far. The plan is to have the device up and running in April, when it will generate five tons of pellets per hour.

"We have like 25 different motors in this thing all trying to work together. It would be easy for something to go wrong," he told the news service.

The pellets that come from processed switch grass generate 5 percent less energy than pellets that come from wood. Yet the switch grass pellets are capable of producing two times as much energy in one year per acre.

The effort is funded by an $896,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Environmental Protection Department. Ernst's idea has long been in the planning stages as he planted 1,000 acres of switch grass in 2007.