Green-Trust.Org

So, the trip to Anguilla wasn’t all work. We had a week of swimming, hiking, exploring the rocky coast and beaches, meeting new people, music festivals and sailing races. The pics show what a wonderful place Anguilla is.

Most of the common machines used in workshops, industry, and farms are driven by motors of only .5 - 5 horsepower. The Watermotor will produce this amount of power at an extremely low cost and with a minimum of ecological disruption.

High energy efficiency means that the quantity of water necessary for operation and cost of installation is greatly reduced, while on the other hand the number of actual locations where waterpower on this scale is available increases exponentially. In effect, every small fast-flowing stream becomes an important local energy resource, perhaps in many cases the only practical one available. In the world’s hilly and mountainous areas there are often few roads and even fewer electric power-lines. While frequently rich in small scale water-power resources, the people are poor.

Solar energy is our birthright like the air we breathe or the water we drink. Solar Home Plans and affordable Solar Hot Water Plans are the gateway into a “Solar Age” of energy independence. Fossil fuels are no longer necessary to keep the wheels of civilization turning. Build your own solar heating system with an MTD Solar Collector Kit. Explore the Strawberry Fields Book Store for more information. Alternative energies like solar energy will increase in value as fossil fuel prices escalate. Solar collectors, solar hot water systems, heat storage vaults, photovoltaic electricity, solar panels, solar greenhouses and solar house plans will become more important in this century. According to Buckminster Fuller “We have wondered too far from the roots.” An energy crisis can only be avoided only if we learn to rely on a diffuse, sustainable resource like the sun. .

http://www.jc-solarhomes.com/

We have a Sears Front Loader Clothes Washer (stacked with a Sears Propane Dryer). A bit more expensive than the standard top loader, the electric and water savings soon paid for it. We went with a Sears unit because it was less expensive than the typical off-grid Staber unit, and we had a local dealer and local service. EarthEasy explains the advantages of this type of washer:

• Larger capacity because of no bulky agitator. The average load increase is 30%. The extra space improves washing of bulky items like sleeping bags, bedspreads and throw rugs.
• High-speed extraction. Front-load washers spin at over 1000 rpm in American-made machines, and higher on European models. This is considerably faster than the 600-700 rpm spin cycle on top-load washers. Clothes come out drier and thereby reduce drying time. This saves energy, and helps the dryer keep pace with the washer during multiple-load washing.
• Gentler on laundry items. Gentler wash action, with no agitator.
• Quieter. No clunky sounds, just the whir of the spin cycle.
• Cleans better. Front-load washers clean many stains bettter than conventional top-load washers.
• Stackable. The dryer can be stacked on top of the washer for space savings. ( Not all models have this feature.) Models with controls mounted on the front can also be installed under counters.
• Energy conservation. Front-load washers can easily save over $100 per year in energy costs, and they use 1/2 as much water. Because they use less water, they also require up to 68% less electricity to heat the water, resulting in more energy savings.

1. Take these energy-efficient measures:

• Replace and recycle your old refrigerator and purchase energy-efficient models. Units only 10 years old can use twice as much electricity as a new ENERGY STAR® labeled model.
• Insulate ceilings to R-30 standards if your attic has less than R-19.
• Caulk windows, doors and anywhere air leaks in or out. Do not caulk around water heater and furnace exhaust pipes.
• Weatherstrip around windows and doors.
• Wrap heating and cooling ducts with duct wrap, or use mastic sealant.
• Install energy-saver showerheads.

2. When buying new appliances, be sure to purchase energy-efficient ENERGY STAR® labeled models.

3. Set the furnace thermostat at 68 degrees or lower, and the air-conditioner thermostat at 78 degrees or higher, health permitting. 3 percent to 5 percent more energy is used for each degree the furnace is set above 68 degrees and for each degree the air conditioner is set below 78 degrees.

4. If your old air conditioner is on its way out replace it with ENERGY STAR® labeled energy-efficient model.

5. Use compact fluorescent lamps. You can lower your lighting bill by converting to energy-efficient low-wattage compact fluorescent lighting and fixtures.

6. Replace old windows with new high performance dual pane windows.

7. Clean or replace furnace and air-conditioner filters regularly, following manufacturer’s instructions.

8. Set the water heater thermostat at 140 degrees or “normal.” If you have a dishwasher. Otherwise, set it at 120 degrees or “low.” Check your dishwasher to see if you can use 120 degree water. Follow the manufacturer’s direction on yearly maintenance to extend the life of your unit.

9. Fix defective plumbing or dripping faucets. A single dripping hot water faucet can waste 212 gallons of water a month. That not only increases water bills, but also increases the gas or electric bill for heating the water.

10. Wash only full loads in a dishwasher and use the shortest cycle that will get your dishes clean. If operating instructions allow, turn off the dishwasher before the drying cycle, open the door and let the dishes dry naturally.

11. Defrost refrigerators and freezers before ice buildup becomes 1/4-inch thick.

12. Install shades, awnings or sunscreens on windows facing south and/or west to block summer light. In winter, open shades on sunny days to help warm rooms.

13. Close the damper when the fireplace is not being used. Try not to use the fireplace and central heating system at the same time.