Wondering how to save energy at the office?

Look around your office. How old are your computers and printers? Is the refrigerator in your break room from 1972? Is the air conditioning on full blast during the summer?

People are becoming more and more conscious that their workplaces are wasting energy. Older buildings may not use power and retain heat or cold air as well as newer ones. Older equipment may not be as energy-efficient. A large workforce that drives to work creates a lot of air pollution.

Improving the environmental standards at your job doesn’t have to be a difficult process. By using some quick, low-cost improvements and committing to implementing others, you can start to help our environment and shrink your carbon footprint at work. And remember, while there may be some sticker shock over buying new, energy-efficient equipment, they’ll save money in energy costs over time.

Here’s a short list of steps towards greening your workplace:

Create a Green Taskforce

By appointing some folks to audit your office’s energy use, you empower fellow workers to see where your workplace could shore up its environmental impact and suggest changes. You can also come up with a plan with targets and goals to meet over time, to make sure you’re focusing on the long-term, as well as the short-term, in your environmental plans.

Take Public Transit or Carpool

Public transit is a great, low-cost way to get to work and it’s more energy-efficient. Where that isn’t feasible, see if you can carpool with some friends at work. Encourage your coworkers by posting public transportation maps or creating a ride share message board. See if there are any subsidies your workplace can apply for to encourage public transit use. Some companies pay your way when you use public transit to commute. See this IRS guide for more information on how companies can provide Transportation (Commuting) Benefits.

Install Solar Window Film or Screens

This is a great low-cost option to reduce heating and cooling bills. Solar screens and film can block UV rays and reduce the amount of heat that is transmitted through windows. If you don’t have the funds available to replace old windows outright, solar screens and film can be a great temporary fix.

Buy Energy Star-Certified Electronics and Appliances

Old machines cost more money to run. Ones that have been certified with the EPA’s Energy Star label use less energy. If you’re considering replacing servers, computers, or other office equipment, you should check out Energy Star’s product listings , to see how they stand up to the competition. Again, after a possibly larger initial investment, energy-efficient products save money over time.

Choose Renewable Power

Utility companies are investing in and building renewable power sources. Some companies give you the option of receiving some or all of your energy from wind and solar power sources. Renewables have a smaller environmental impact than fossil fuels, such as coal or liquid natural gas.

Go Paperless

When distributing reports or memos, think about keeping it electronic. Paperless documents in formats that are compressed and spread via the internet are becoming much more common and communications via a Blackberry or an iPhone are becoming ubiquitous. Industrial paper production requires plantation farming, logging, milling and transportation. All of these require the use of fossil fuels. You can cut them out by going paperless.

Evaluate Your Lighting

Switch to energy-efficient, longer-lasting compact fluorescent or LED light bulbs. Incandescent light is easier on the eyes, but they use a lot more energy. Many offices have had fluorescent lights all along, but you may have incandescent bulbs in your break room or restroom. If your office has always used fluorescent lights, you can tell people you were an industrial leader in this regard!

Smart Travel

Business travel via airplane and car is a major contributor to global pollution that contributes to climate change. With the rise of e-conferencing software and speedier, more reliable Internet connections, it’s never been easier to connect with partners and clients without leaving home. If you have to travel, think about offsetting your carbon expenditure for the flight. More airlines are giving passengers the option to do this and groups such as Climate Care, have led the way in carbon offsetting. Car rental companies are now offering hybrid vehicles for rent, so you could go that route, too.

Source: Practical Environmentalist

If you live in South Africa and need environmentally friendly water conservation and solar energy solutions, contact us for a free quote.  Our WWF award winning water systems include, rainwater harvesting systems, grey water irrigation systems, grey water recycling systems, swimming pool backwash recycling systems, toilet flush mechanisms and other water-saving devices (see product demo).

We are also authorized South African JoJo Water Tanks dealers and offer the full range of JoJo water tanks and JoJo tank stands. Yes Solar offers high quality solar water heaters to reduce your electricity bills by up to 40%.  Offset your carbon footprint by switching to green insurance cover, now available in South Africa! Build green and use eco-friendly, sustainable bamboo products.

The cost of living is rising and sadly, most of our salaries are staying the same. When it’s getting harder and harder to make ends meet at the end of every month, cutting spending by any means necessary is a must. But this doesn’t mean that your green credentials have to go out the window: quite the opposite, in fact.

Often taking up some eco-friendly behaviours can actually go hand-in-hand with reducing your household bills. If you follow these simple tips as well as all the more obvious ones such as making a meal plan and eating leftovers so you don’t waste food, using draught excluders to keep your house warm, and turning the thermostat (and hot water temperature on your boiler) down by a few degrees, you’ll be well on your way to saving money at the same time as saving the planet.

Switch over to renewable energy

Switching to renewable energy is a fantastic environmental choice for obvious reasons, and whilst installing solar panels – or other renewable energy generators – to your home can be a big initial cost, in the long run it’s something that can save you large amounts of money on your electricity bill. If you’re generating your own power, you won’t have to pay a big energy company to generate it for you, and can sometimes even sell unused electricity back to them. You could cut your energy bills down even further by switching to an electric cooker and electric radiators - so the only thing you’re using gas for is hot water.

Is your fridge freezer too cold?

Get a fridge thermometer; you can get them really cheap online, and use it to test the temperatures of your fridge and freezer. A fridge should be between 37-40F – any higher and you run the risk of bacteria breeding – and a freezer should be running a temperature of 0-5F. Many of us have them set lower than this in the belief that it’ll help the food keep for longer, but this isn’t the case, and in fact keeping them just 10 degrees colder than necessary can boost your energy consumption by up to 25 percent.

Cut your paper bills

Lots of companies – phone providers and catalogues/credit card companies as well as energy providers – will charge you a sneaky couple of pounds for the privilege of a paper bill. By cancelling all your paper bills and opting for E-statements instead, you could save a decent amount of money each month, reduce waste and not have to worry about where to store/shred sensitive documents! Plus it could make visits from the post-man a whole lot more pleasant.  And whilst we’re on the subject – although not directly related to the environment – lots of companies also add on a surcharge for not paying by Direct Debit, so switching to that could save you even more.

Use the dishwasher. Really!

Make life a bit easier on yourself by using the dishwasher. It doesn’t sound very green, but as long as you’re filling it up to capacity, it’s far more energy efficient than doing the same dishes by hand would be. If you have a really energy efficient dishwasher, it’ll use just 4 gallons of water per load – compared with the 24 it would take you to wash by hand – saving you approximately 5,000 gallons of water, £25 and 230 hours of time each year.

Source: Living Green and Saving Energy

Water Rhapsody Water Conservation Systems Mpumalanga offers water tank and rainwater tank installation, rainwater harvesting systems (see rainwater FAQ), grey water recycling  (see greywater FAQ) and water-saving devices for swimming pools and toilet flush systems (see product demo ).  Our WWF Award-winning water systems can be retrofitted or built into new buildings and can be adapted to small households or large business blocks, hospitals, schools, lodges & hotels.

Water Rhapsody has incorporated Yes Solar- official distributor of high quality solar water heating systems that are installed by Eskom-accredited solar installers (our solar geysers are eligible for Eskom solar energy rebates).  We are authorized JoJo Water Tank dealers and Atlas Plastics water tank suppliers in Mpumalanga and Limpopo Province (best water tank prices in the Lowveld!).  We are also able to supply sanitary hardware such as waterless toilets through our JoJo Tanks and Atlas Plastics dealerships.

Contact us for a FREE QUOTE on a solar water geyser, water tank or rainwater/gray water system.  South Africa now has eco-friendly insurance- another way to go green, switch to green insurance cover and reduce your carbon footprint today!  Building or renovating?  Consider using environmentally friendly bamboo products.

In the current energy landscape in South Africa everybody agrees on the need to consume and waste less energy. But how?

Many tips to saving are free and involve simple behavioural changes; such as switching off lights which aren’t in use, turning off your geysers when you go away for the weekend or switching off your TV or any other electrical appliances at the wall rather than leaving it on standby (to avoid vampire power usage). These are great and all you need is a little self-motivation and diligence.

However, the reality is that in order to save a bit more, you need to spend a bit.

What motivates you?

When making an investment decision, big or small, there are so many different approaches, methods, technologies and tips to energy saving that it can make your head spin and leave you indecisive. Also, not all approaches and technologies are applicable to all situations or work in harmony with each other. So, what do you base your decision on?

Eldo Energy sees two motivating factors driving people toward energy savings:

1. Some people want to be as green as possible and are driven by a desire to be socially responsible and save the planet, regardless of investment cost, but this is most certainly not the majority.
2. At the end of the day most people want to save energy so they can save money in the long run. Although they’re happy that they’re doing something green, it’s most often secondary to the incentive of putting more money into their pocket.

How much bang for your buck

So, if money savings are what motivate most people to save energy, then it all comes down to how much bang you’re going to a get for your buck.

In business terms this is defined by 3 factors.

1. What interventions are possible at the particular site? Each site has different energy systems and different operational requirements, defining which technologies and approaches are possible and effective.
2. What do each of these interventions cost?
3. What is the potential saving to be achieved by a particular intervention at a particular site?

These 3 factors help Eldo to simulate different scenarios for their clients, and to provide the client with the solution which gives them the best possible ROI (return on investment), thereby helping them to maximize the savings for the money they spend. Eldo can even help a client make good investment choices, which at first lie outside the client’s capital budget, through Eldo’s various asset financing, leasing and rental options.

Understanding and using rebates

But that doesn’t sound very complex. Comparing the cost of interventions to the energy and money savings they will unlock seems pretty straightforward. So where is Eldo’s unique value add? It comes in providing the entire value chain from inception to implementation. And then more…

The cream on top is providing access to the myriad different rebate and incentive schemes for energy efficiency. These  incentive schemes (provided by Eskom, the South African government and international bodies like the UN) have different advantages, are aimed at different types of interventions, and can be difficult and time consuming to understand and participate in. For example, Performance Contracting  is a program which pays for each kWh (kilowatt hour) permanently removed from a consumer’s baseline (normal consumption). This initiative is available through a limited number of energy services companies, which have a certain scale through aggregation. Packaging such initiatives with an energy reduction plan improves the return on investment, and makes the implementation of the interventions more financially rewarding.

It costs hundreds of millions of rands for power producers to build new Mega Watts (1000 kW) of generation capacity, which varies with different kinds of generation sources. Renewables for example are cleaner with zero-emission generation, but there is the high cost of capital investment. Vice versa with coal generation being cheaper. This energy imbalance requires collaboration between consumers, municipalities and generators of clean and dirty power as benefits can be unlocked. Energy and demand savings free-up the amount of energy at only a fraction of the cost of either generation method, creating a Virtual Power Station.

Carbon financing and credits

Carbon financing is another key component for larger energy efficiency projects. If a business begins an energy efficiency program without considering this aspect, it may be too late to jump on board retrospectively. Energy efficiency interventions which have measurable and verifiable reductions in energy consumption (verified by 3rd party M&V body) generate proportional reductions in the carbon emissions, which ultimately reduce the carbon footprint of a business or organisation.

If the carbon emission reduction is large enough and the project is strategically aligned, an organisation’s energy efficiency initiatives can generate Carbon Credits, which can then be traded on the carbon markets. Eldo is able to help turn these carbon savings into certified carbon reduction (CER) certificates as well as facilitate their trade, resulting in real cash returns for the customer. Carbon credits, along with all the other incentives, change energy efficiency from being a financially viable option into an extremely financially attractive one and a ‘must do’ in today’s business world.

By seeking to maximise returns of consumers, effective energy reduction plans are born. Eldo’s knowledge and experience of the various incentives in the market, along with their access to incentives restricted to the general public, make them the perfect partners for all energy and resource management initiatives. Their holistic approach and unique ability to make financial sense out of energy efficiency is just one of the factors that sets Eldo apart from its competitors. With Eldo you can sleep soundly at night knowing that you’re doing your part to help the planet, while at the same time fattening your wallet, rather than emptying it.

Source: The Green Times

Also read: How to save energy by eliminating vampire loads and Easy electricity savings with smart tools.

Water Rhapsody Water Conservation Systems Mpumalanga offers water tank and rainwater tank installation, rainwater harvesting systems (see rainwater FAQ), grey water recycling  (see greywater FAQ) and water-saving devices for swimming pools and toilet flush systems (see product demo ).  Our WWF Award-winning water systems can be retrofitted or built into new buildings and can be adapted to small households or large business blocks, hospitals, schools, lodges & hotels.

Water Rhapsody has incorporated Yes Solar- official distributor of high quality solar water heating systems that are installed by Eskom-accredited solar installers (our solar geysers are eligible for Eskom solar energy rebates).  We are authorized JoJo Water Tank dealers and Atlas Plastics water tank suppliers in Mpumalanga and Limpopo Province (best water tank prices in the Lowveld!).  We are also able to supply sanitary hardware such as waterless toilets through our JoJo Tanks and Atlas Plastics dealerships.

Contact us for a FREE QUOTE on a solar water geyser, water tank or rainwater/gray water system.  South Africa now has eco-friendly insurance- another way to go green, switch to green insurance cover and reduce your carbon footprint today!  Building or renovating?  Consider using environmentally friendly bamboo products.

No matter what oven and hob you have in your home, there are a whole host of things that you can do to save energy and cook more efficiently with the appliance that you have!

CHOOSE THE RIGHT SIZE HOB. Don’t use a large hob for a small pan. This means you’ll heat the sides and the air around it when most of the water that needs heating is in the centre. A small pan on an over-sized hob can waste as much as half of the energy produced.

USE A SLOWCOOKER. Using such an appliance to cook foods requiring a long cooking time can save a lot of energy.

PRESSURE COOKERS reduce energy use by 50-75% because cooking times are reduced.

WHEN BAKING, use glass and ceramic pans and you can lower the oven temperature by 25 degrees celcius.

WITH ELECTRIC STOVE PLATES, you can turn the heat off toward the end of the cooking time, since they’ll radiate heat for a while still as they cool.

WITH GAS HOBS, a well-shaped blue flame indicates efficient burning. A yellow flame means the burner is operating inefficiently. Cleaning and servicing will save you money in the long run.

KEEP LIDS ON as you cook. Look for pans/pots with glass lids so you can keep an eye on the food without losing valuable cooking heat by opening the lid.

WHEN BOILING FOODS, keep the amount of water used to a minimum. Using excess water that must also be heated wastes the energy required to raise its temperature.

Simply Green: Vol4 #1

Water Rhapsody Water Conservation Systems and Yes Solar Mpumalanga offer eco-friendly rainwater collection systems, rainwater tanks, grey water recycling, swimming pool backwash recycling, water-saving toilet flush mechanisms and high quality Solsquare solar water geysers.

Contact us for a FREE QUOTE on a solar water heater, rainwater harvesting system (see rainwater FAQ), gray water recycling system or water tank (we are authorized South African JoJo Water Tanks dealers and supply the full range of JoJo water tanks and JoJo tank stands).  Our water tank prices are hard to beat in the Mpumalanga & Limpopo Lowveld.

Water conservation and renewable energy such as solar energy are two issues that affect the global community; make a difference and start conserving water and switch to renewable energy today.  Another way of reducing your carbon footprint is to switch to green insurance, now available in South Africa.

Weatherization (also commonly known as weatherproofing) can make your home more comfortable while lowering your electricity usage and costs this winter. Follow the eight easy steps below to prepare your home for the coming winter.

1. Perform an energy audit:
An energy audit will help you to find out where you’re wasting energy. It involves analyzing where you use energy and how efficiently you’re using it. Some findings common in energy audits are drafty windows or fireplaces, energy loss due to poor insulation and inefficient appliances. These guides: City of Cape Town, Energy Savers and Sustainable.gov are good starting points.

2. Insulate:
Keep the warm air in and the cold air out this winter with effective insulation. According to Eskom, “As much as 50% of heat losses in a house can be attributed to a lack of ceilings and ceiling insulation.”  As an added bonus – insulation will also help to keep your home cooler in the summer.

3. Weather stripping:
Did you identify drafty windows or doors during your energy audit? Use weather stripping and draft stoppers to combat heat loss. Weather stripping can be done using specific weather stripping materials or with caulk or silicone.

4. Curtains:
Use the curtains in your home to make the most of the heating power of the sun. Open curtains to allow sun in and then close promptly after the sun has set or moved – trapping more of the most eco-friendly, (and free!) heat available. Upgrading to thick curtains (especially on large windows) will increase the efficiency of this tactic.

5. Heaters:
Space or zone heating is an effective and energy efficient way to make your home warmer and more comfortable during the winter. Infrared heaters are a highly efficient method of zone heating because they heat objects instead of the ambient air temperature. This provides a targeted, focused, near-instant heat that can be used as needed and prevents wasting electricity heating unused areas. Eskom calls infrared heating “…more electricity efficient than other space heating systems” .

6. Mind Your Geyser:
Water heating can account for 30 – 40% of your home’s total electricity cost .  The three tactics below can help you to make a significant dent in your water heating electricity cost and usage.

1. Geyser timers allow you to program your geyser to turn on and off on a schedule. This prevents your geyser from running constantly without having to sacrifice comfort.
2. Geyser blankets decrease heat lost when the hot water warms the geyser and surrounding air.
3. Replacing your traditional geyser with a solar geyser can be an effective way to reduce your water heating electricity consumption. This is becoming more and more of a financially viable option, due to the rising electricity tariffs and larger Eskom rebates on solar geyser purchases. Interested? Check out Green Power, who offers one of the largest Eskom rebates available.  For more information on Eskom solar rebates, see here.

7. Kettle:
A hot cup of tea, coffee or cocoa is always helpful for beating a winter chill. However, your kettle may be using more electricity that you think. Ensuring that you heat only the amount of water you need helps to save electricity.

8. Monitoring:
To ensure that the above measures are decreasing your electricity use and to escape any surprises on your monthly electricity bill, consider investing in an energy monitor.   If you use pre-paid electricity, you can skip the monitor altogether – simply record your electricity balance at the same time each day or week to monitor usage.

Source: The Eco Heat Blog

Longmere Dam: White River's principal water supply

Energy saving is probably as important as water saving; the two are interlinked.  If you save energy you’ll be saving water somewhere down the line and vice versa. Water usage should be monitored in a similar fashion to energy monitoring; saving water will save you money and will help you to live sustainably.  Eskom has raised its tariffs drastically in recent years but that does not necessary guarantee a reliable electricity supply.  Water boards across South Africa have raised or will be raising the price of water in the near future too.  As this precious resource becomes scarcer and the demand increases, water shortages are inevitable.  Towns such as White River in the Mpumalanga Lowveld, are growing beyond the available water supply.  To prevent being caught in a helpless situation, Water Rhapsody recommends that greywater recycling systems and rainwater harvesting systems (with water storage tanks) should become a priority when money becomes available for home improvement (or when building a new house).   If your budget is on the low side, consider installing a water saving toilet flushing system, such as the Multi-Flush.Multi-Flush  systems  retrofit into existing toilet cisterns and these alone can save you up to 20% of your water bills.  See our product demo for more information.  The investment on our water systems amortizes fairly quickly and the benefits speak for themselves.

South Africa: In the thick of winter we’re going to want to keep warm and cosy! We’re not going to want to give up any of those winter comforts, and being conservative about using energy won’t necessarily be at the top of our list of priorities. While the temperature is still pleasant, what you may want to do is consider these “easy-to-do” ways to save energy AND keep warm. Being prepared for the frosty weather may prove to be your most eco-friendly move this winter.

1. Dress for the weather. Try wearing more layers as the temperature starts to dip. You’ll look great, and you’ll be warm too.

2. Make the most of the sun. The winter sun is not as ‘harsh’ as the summer sun, but is still very warming. When possible, take advantage of the mid-morning and early afternoon rays- spending even half an hour outside will not only warm you up, but will also help stave off the winter ‘blues’.

3. Take your shoes off & Keep your hat on. Let you feet breathe and dry in the natural warmth of a sunny winters day. Let your shoes and socks warm up in the sun too. Cosy & good for foot hygiene. And the hat… they say we lose a great deal of heat energy from our exposed head surface, so why not get a few trendy hats and cover that base as well:)

4. Walk it out. A brisk walk, or 10-30 minutes of any exercise for that matter, works wonders to get the blood flowing hot through your veins! Exercise uses your own body’s energy stores to burn as fuel for a heat that warms you to your core, and helps keep you warm for hours afterwards (*just don’t let an icy wind cool you down straight away!)

5. Get cosy under a blanket. The best blanket you can get these days are bamboo blankets. Bamboo blankets keep you warm and help regulate your temperature. They are incredibly breathable and and help to keep you very warm, but not sweaty hot warm like cotton tends to do. Bamboo blankets are also anti-bacterial, luxuriously soft, highly absorbent & healthy… need we say more?

You may have a difficult time sourcing bamboo blankets in South Africa, but polarfleece may offer a suitable solution locally. Polarfleece® is the original synthetic fleece fabric that has forever changed the way the world dresses for cold weather. This fabric is soft, comfortable, warm, quick-drying and durable for long-lasting good looks. Ideal for blankets, casual wear and accessories, Polarfleece® will last wash after wash for many years (the color may go out of style long before the garment wears out). Sources say that fleece can be made from recycled plastic bottles, so it gets the eco-nod for durability and renew-ability. Its always a balance of pros and cons though.

6. Grab a Hot Water Bottle, or the ‘heat in the microwave’ grain bag version. These now come in slipper and scarf versions, and it is far more eco-friendly to warm your body directly than it is to heat an entire room with an oil or element heater.

7. If you do use a room heater… choose to use an infrared heater. Rather than wasting energy by heating the ambient temperature through convection, infrared heaters emit radiant heat in an infrared band that is safe and ideal for absorption by the human body. In addition, the heaters use less than half of the energy of conventional heaters and will reduce your energy cost, as well as your carbon footprint. If you use a heater of any kind, be sure to use a humdifier at the same time: flu-causing germs thrive in cold, dry environments and this simple addition to your heating agenda could save you a fortune in medical bills and lost work hours. (*see concluding notes and references for our most eco-friendly appliance recommendations in both regards)

8. An electric blanket can melt even the iciest night, and they are surprisingly energy efficient! You can make yours even more energy efficient by turning it to its highest setting for a few minutes just before getting into bed, and then turning it off for the rest of the night. An eco-friendly winter is the perfect excuse to move your TV (or even better, start reading books) into your bedroom and get cosy early!

9. Keep the warm air inside. Check for any air leaks around your home. Extra insulation is a simple way to make sure that heat (& money) energy isn’t leaking out of your home and leaving it too cold for comfort. To find the leaks, use the old trick of lighting a candle on a breezy day, and then close all the windows and doors. As you walk around your home check for any movement in the candle and see if there are drafts you did not notice before.

Homes lose most of their heat via the windows. A simple way to contain heat and keep the cold out is to use the drapes or window covering strategically. Open the drapes up to allow the most amount of light & natural solar heat into your home. Close up before it starts getting cold, and keep this heat inside by drawing the curtains and closing the drapes/blinds. You can also purchase specialized insulating drapes, which use layers of dark insulating material, a radiant barrier, and a moisture-resistant layer to prevent condensation.

10. The best for last… Body heat is always a great natural heat source. On those cool nights, invite over some friends to share stories, drink some hot chocolate and enjoy each other’s natural body heat.

Have an eco-cosy winter everyone!

~an original article submitted by ecovitality (www.ecovitality.co.za) Also see The Heat of Winter, for more eco-health related info and advice for a warm winter of vitality!

eco-LINKS:

1. EcoHeat: eco-friendly, economical infrered heaters

2. The original Polarfleece

3. Laica Humidifiers provides ultrasonic cold steam for up to 16 hours. Cold steam is both safe and eco-friendly, as there is no heating element needed. Contact NutriAgency for more info about obtaining Laica products in South Africa (juliaw@vodamail.co.za)

Simple eco-friendly habits make a big difference if enough people participate.  Heat and Water conservation habits combined with water saving devices such as rainwater systems and greywater systems will immediately reduce your environmental impact and save money.  Switching to solar energy such as solar water geysers can also greatly reduce your carbon footprint and your electricity bills.

Water Rhapsody Water Conservation Systems and Yes Solar Mpumalanga offer eco-friendly rainwater collection systems, rainwater tanks, grey water recycling, swimming pool backwash recycling, water-saving toilet flush mechanisms and high quality Solsquare solar water geysers.

Contact us for a FREE QUOTE on a solar water heater, rainwater harvesting system (see rainwater FAQ), gray water recycling system or water tank (we are authorized South African JoJo Water Tanks dealers and supply the full range of JoJo water tanks and JoJo tank stands).  Our water tank prices are hard to beat in the Mpumalanga & Limpopo Lowveld.

Water conservation and renewable energy such as solar energy are two issues that affect the global community; make a difference and start conserving water and switch to renewable energy today.  Another way of reducing your carbon footprint is to switch to green insurance, now available in South Africa.

We all know the feeling when you just realized you forgot to lock your door. At best, it’s a quick moment of nagging anxiety – at worst, it’s a debilitating slide show of anxious thoughts that will kill any chance of being productive for the rest of the day. A simple solution would be to install a home security system, which would help with the anxiety, up until you got your power bill at the end of the month. Conventional home security systems run 24/7, constantly taking power out of your outlets and money out of your wallet. Not only is this not the best option for those who are interested in saving money, it’s not the most environmentally sound either. Here are five simple ways to strengthen your home security system without putting a dent in your energy bill.

1. Get Solar Powered Cameras

Every day companies are coming out with more high tech security cameras, offering things like better zoom and resolution. As these cameras become more powerful, however, they also become more demanding with their power requirements. Fortunately, solar powered cameras are an option. Although these are susceptible to failure (for example, overcast weather for a few days) most models’ batteries can store enough energy to last a few days. Make sure to not get “weather proof” models that have the camera in a sealed enclosure – they usually alter the temperature and humidity automatically, ensuring optimum conditions for the camera and for running up your power bill. Also, if you get a rotating “turret” style camera, be sure that it isn’t set to lock on and follow movement automatically, since that can only waste more power.

2. Use Motion Detectors

Motion detectors are a great way of cutting back on power consumption. An ideal setup for power saving would not use any cameras, and rely solely on infrared motion detectors to sound an alarm. However, if you don’t feel comfortable enough without any cameras, be sure to get a camera that uses PIR (Passive Infrared) technology. These cameras consume much less power than their ultrasonic and microwave counterparts, since they only look for infrared radiation versus actively emitting sound or light like radar.

3. Get a Setup with a DVR Recorder

When you get a setup with a DVR Recorder, you have the option to forego buying another monitor since you can connect it straight to your TV or computer. Most security systems like this offer DVRs with their setups, which are compatible with most computers and TVs. Doing this not only saves money, but eliminates excess monitors that will only drain your house and your wallet of power.

4. Solar Powered Flood Lights

Aside from all the obvious downsides of anything that’s solar powered, getting flood lights is a great preventative measure. Although a light will do little to stop a burglar set on breaking into your home (unless he’s a vampire), the attention it’s drawing to him is usually enough to make them reassess if breaking in is worth the risk.

5. Get a Dog

Hands down the best alarm system for your energy bill, investing in a well trained dog can actually prove to be more effective than conventional alarm systems. If you’re looking to setup cameras in your business to prevent loss, then cameras might be more useful than a dog’s testimony, but in all other situations, burglars will be more likely to flee from a dog attacking them than an alarm buzzing in their ear.

Source: Talking About Green (Tushar Mathur)

The Kei-apple (Dovyalis caffra) can be grown as a security barrier

In South Africa, security is a major concern for everyone.  Crime in South Africa is out of control and preventative solutions unfortunately a fact of life here.  Other eco-friendly security solutions can be built into- or added to your homestead or business.  If building a new house, natural features such as steep inclines and rocks can be incorporated into a security-conscious design.  Of course, determined criminals can overcome just about any security feature but deterrents are better than allowing easy access.  Vegetation can also be used around perimeters, particularly thorny shrubs grown as hedges.  A great indigenous South African shrub is the Kei-apple (Dovyalis caffra).  The Kei-apple can be grown as a virtually impenetrable, thorny hedge that will deter unwanted intruders (animals and humans alike).  The fruits of the Kei apple are also enjoyed by birds and can be made into a delicious jam, high in Vitamin C content.  Dovyalis caffra is a hardy, drought- and frost-resistant plantwhich makes it an ideal species for a water-conscious garden.  Bamboo, of which there are hundreds of species, can also be grown as a ‘green fence’ to deter criminals and can serve as a sound barrier if you have a noise pollution problem.  So, improving your security features in an eco-friendly way can also reduce your environmental impact and help you live more sustainably.  There’s something positive for crime-weary South Africans!

Water Rhapsody Water Conservation Systems and Yes Solar Mpumalanga offer eco-friendly rainwater collection systems, rainwater tanks, grey water recycling, swimming pool backwash recycling, water-saving toilet flush mechanisms and high quality Solsquare solar water geysers.

Contact us for a FREE QUOTE on a solar water heater, rainwater harvesting system (see rainwater FAQ), gray water recycling system or water tank (we are authorized South African JoJo Water Tanks dealers and supply the full range of JoJo water tanks and JoJo tank stands).  Our water tank prices are hard to beat in the Mpumalanga & Limpopo Lowveld.

Water conservation and renewable energy such as solar energy are two issues that affect the global community; make a difference and start conserving water and switch to renewable energy today.  Another way of reducing your carbon footprint is to switch to green insurance, now available in South Africa.

Energy audits coupled with efficiency upgrades are some of most sensible things a home or business owner can do to lower utility bills and contribute to a cleaner future.  Not every one owns, and many who do are hesitant to make the initial investment in solar panels and weatherstripping, but with these smart tools and an electricity audit you can get in on the savings.

Auto-timed powerstrips allow you to deny power to gadgets for the times they’re not in use.  This is especially good for TV sets and computers which draw the most electricity when “off” and are likely to be idle during daytime hours.  Some entertainment system burn 720w/day in this way.  The 8-outlet plug is one of the easiest ways to reduce your load.  If you prefer to buy locally, you may want to call ahead, because not many stores carry these.

Opt for CFLs, LEDs & task-oriented lighting.  If you haven’t already, it’s time to nix the halogens.  Also look around your home and work space, some rooms may be overloaded with overhead lights all connected to the same switch.  At 60 watts each, you could be burning 14 watts just to get a glass of water.  Switch to CFLs or LEDs and consider a digital dimmer.

Timer switches are the perfect way to “turn off the lights behind you” (or your forgetful loved ones) and they can be mixed with motion sensor lights, so you’re not left in the dark.  The modlet has a modern design and is sold in beginner bundles; other styles are available at the hardware store for about $12.

Appliances like refrigerators, microwaves, desktops and televisions draw power from the grid even when they’re switched off, but just how many kWh are lost to these energy vampires?  To exercise the awesome powers of monitoring your electricity use by appliance, consider the Ted series, eMonitor, Envi, BlueLine or eGauge.  These smart meters have the ability to further sort your personal data into categories like current usage (kW or $/hr),  electricity consumed that hour, day, projected for that billing cycle (kWh or $/hr).  And for a spend-thrift way to apply these concepts, choose WattVision’s “Kill-A-Watt”.  This unit plugs into gadgets individually for a real time account.

Electricity monitors won’t demand a lifestyle change, but they will show you where your waste is.  Many include applications that will fit your mobile lifestyle, provide feedback, and help you make the meaningful behavioral changes that will save you even more greenbacks.  For serious savings and inspiration, this is the way to go.

Source: Green Upgrader (Allison Leahy)

If an energy-saving attitude is applied to everyday electrical appliances and habits, what may seem like minor changes, will lead to big savings- both of electricity and money plus you’ll be doing the environment a favour.  Once you see the benefits (especially to your bank balance!) you may consider investing the money you saved into solar panels and solar geysers for even more substantial savings.  See Top 9 Energy Efficient Laptops Ranked and Energy efficiency should be seen as another ‘fuel’.

Water Rhapsody Water Conservation Systems Mpumalanga offers water tank and rainwater tank installation, rainwater harvesting systems (see rainwater FAQ), grey water recycling  (see greywater FAQ) and water-saving devices for swimming pools and toilet flush systems (see product demo ).  Our WWF Award-winning water systems can be retrofitted or built into new buildings and can be adapted to small households or large business blocks, hospitals, schools, lodges & hotels.

Water Rhapsody has incorporated Yes Solar- official distributor of German-made Solsquare solar water heating systems that are installed by Eskom-accredited solar installers (our solar geysers are eligible for Eskom solar energy rebates).  We are authorized JoJo Water Tank dealers and Atlas Plastics water tank suppliers in Mpumalanga and Limpopo Province (best water tank prices in the Lowveld!).  We are also able to supply sanitary hardware such as waterless toilets through our JoJo Tanks and Atlas Plastics dealerships.

Contact us for a FREE QUOTE on a solar water geyser, water tank or rainwater/gray water system.  South Africa now has eco-friendly insurance- another way to go green, switch to green insurance cover and reduce your carbon footprint today!

Bicycles have been called the most efficient self-powered means of transportation. So why would anyone want a Rowbike? And, the Rowbike has been around for 15 years. Why the sudden spurt of interest on the internet?

The answer to the first question is that rowing is fabulous exercise that works the entire body; the Rowbike promises twice the workout of cycling in half the time. It isn’t about burning calories efficiently, it is about the exercise. The answer to the second is that Hammacher Schlemmer, the purveyor of overpriced junk, sent out a press release “introducing” the Rowbike.

So what is it?

I have not been on a Rowbike, but row on the water in a Hudson single in summer and on a rowing machine in winter. For transportation I cycle, so I know something of both. As everyone knows, a bike takes the linear force of a leg extending and turns it into a circular motion with the pedals. It actually isn’t all that efficient as the stroke of the leg is pretty short. However, once the force is applied to the pedals it is very efficiently transferred to the wheel.

In rowing, you get a full leg extension, from being curled up at the catch as I am here, pushing as hard as you can against the footstops. After you run out of leg you add some distance with your back and then your arms. The power is transferred to a linear action of levering those oars through the water. Logically, good rowers are tall; they get a longer stroke, which is why I am such a terrible rower. But it is still great exercise, using every part of the body. It is also really efficient, with no conversion of linear to rotary motion; it is a simple lever action with one moving part at the fulcrum of each oar.

In the Rowbike, that linear motion is transferred through a cam mechanism, converting it to rotation, but it cannot do it as efficiently as a regular bike; otherwise, getting twice the workout would make you go twice as fast and twice as far.

Rowing is also really hard to do right; if you “rush your slide” or go back to the starting position, the “catch”, too quickly, you kill the forward motion. If you use too much of your back, you can injure yourself. Rowing requires a lot of coaching if you are going to get anywhere.

The thing is pretty complicated, with the handlebars steering through cables. Scott Olson, who also invented Rollerblades, did a terrific job of engineering, managing to make a rowing machine that moves. But I suspect that for anyone other than a crazed rower who is bored looking at his speed coach display, and wants to “exercise amidst ever-changing scenery and terrain outdoors to keep workouts challenging and fresh”, you should get a bike.

But I could be underestimating it; I found one website describing a 25 year old from Toronto who rowed all the way to Halifax on one.

Source: Treehugger

The skyrocketing oil prices and resultant climbing fuel prices should be enough to make us all look at greener modes of transport, if only for the financial savings.  Bicycles are a great healthy way to commute short(ish) distances; the Rowbike may just be for you if you’re looking for rock-hard abs too!

Water Rhapsody Water Conservation Systems and Yes Solar Mpumalanga offer eco-friendly rainwater collection systems, rainwater tanks, grey water recycling, swimming pool backwash recycling, water-saving toilet flush mechanisms and high quality Solsquare solar water geysers.

Contact us for a FREE QUOTE on a solar water heater, rainwater harvesting system (see rainwater FAQ), gray water recycling system or water tank (we are authorized South African JoJo Water Tanks dealers and supply the full range of JoJo water tanks and JoJo tank stands).  Our water tank prices are hard to beat in the Mpumalanga & Limpopo Lowveld.

Water conservation and renewable energy such as solar energy are two issues that affect the global community; make a difference and start conserving water and switch to renewable energy today.  Another way of reducing your carbon footprint is to switch to green insurance, now available in South Africa.

Forget the buzz about hybrid and electric cars. For the budget conscious, these are your best buy new cars.
These 12 models each get 30 mpg or better, and cost less than $17,500 – including the cost of a year’s worth of fuel.

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2011 Hyundai Accent

Cost: $9,985
Fuel economy: 30 mpg
Annual fuel cost: $1,479
Total first-year cost: $11,464

The most affordable car for the first year of ownership thanks to its under-$10,000 MSRP, the Hyundai Accent gets a respectable 30 mpg. Compared to a 20 mpg car, a 30 mpg car will save the average driver $888 a year, based on gas prices of $3.52 per gallon.

Note: Costs in this feature are based on MSRP. Fuel cost estimates are from fueleconomy.gov, a site run by the EPA and Department of Energy.

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Source: The Daily Green

With oil price skyrocketing (over $120/barrel today), the recent and imminent fuel price hikes, if you are in the market for a new car (that’s affordable), the aforementioned makes and models deserve some consideration.  South Africans will recognize some of the above cars too.  South Africa could possibly see petrol at R15/litre in the coming months- an incentive to drive green (see Top 10 ten ways to use less fuel)  and/or purchase fuel efficient cars.

Water Rhapsody Water Conservation Systems Mpumalanga offers water tank and rainwater tank installation, rainwater harvesting systems (see rainwater FAQ), grey water recycling  (see greywater FAQ) and water-saving devices for swimming pools and toilet flush systems (see product demo ).  Our WWF Award-winning water systems can be retrofitted or built into new buildings and can be adapted to small households or large business blocks, hospitals, schools, lodges & hotels.

Water Rhapsody has incorporated Yes Solar- official distributor of German-made Solsquare solar water heating systems that are installed by Eskom-accredited solar installers (our solar geysers are eligible for Eskom solar energy rebates).  We are authorized JoJo Water Tank dealers and Atlas Plastics water tank suppliers in Mpumalanga and Limpopo Province (best water tank prices in the Lowveld!).  We are also able to supply sanitary hardware such as waterless toilets through our JoJo Tanks and Atlas Plastics dealerships.

Contact us for a FREE QUOTE on a solar water geyser, water tank or rainwater/gray water system.  South Africa now has eco-friendly insurance- another way to go green, switch to green insurance cover and reduce your carbon footprint today!