A Fast, Cheap Way to Cool the Planet

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"A Fast, Cheap Way to Cool the Planet"

Forget about carbon. If we want to buffer global warming, cutting methane is the key.

WSJ Opinion

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Waste Stream Reduction

In the 2008 fall semester the Green Team audited our food and trash streams at Peace College. Due to campus wide exposure and the lessons learned from those initial audits substantial reductions in our waste stream has been realized. For the 2009 fall semester we have nearly doubled the amount of material we recycled in the fall of 2008.

We recently audited our food and trash stream for this semester. Improvements in our trash stream were noted immediately! As compared to last year we had to work a little harder to find items that we could recycle. In addition, we found no Styrofoam, the largest single item in terms of bulk in our 2008 audit. As a team we agreed that there are 2 items, plastic bottles and paper that we should focus on going forward. Both continue to be discarded at a high rate. Plastic bottles are the largest items in terms of bulk in this year’s audit.

On average Americans throw away 25% of the food we prepare. Our estimates show that the Peace College community is no better or worse than the national average. However the Green Team feels we can do much better. We are optimistic, promoting smaller portions and improved labeling will reduce the amount of food we throw away each day.

Thanks to the many within the Peace College community that have committed to reduce, reuse and recycle. With your help Peace Strengthens!

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It All Adds Up: Save Green When You Go Green - WSJ.com

It All Adds Up: Save Green When You Go Green - WSJ.com

Energy Usage

Do you realize that 43% of household energy usage is attributed to transportation? Or that 25% is attributed to space conditioning. Take a look at the attached document to see exactly where your energy bucks go.

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The Gift of Holiday Energy Savings

It’s time to string the lights, deck the halls, tie the bows – and save energy. Put energy savings at the top of your wish list for a generous gift that will keep on giving.

It’s easy to ensure there’s more “green” in your home than what you see on your Christmas tree.

For example, use a timer to turn off your outdoor holiday lights at bedtime. Just 10 strands of incandescent lights lit for seven hours a day can add $30 to your monthly bill.

If you’re not using light-emitting diode (LED) lights, you could be wasting energy and money. LED lights save up to 98 percent of the energy used to power conventional bulbs.

The Electric Power Research Institute indicates the average electricity cost to light a holiday tree with LEDs is 13 to 17 cents per holiday season, compared to $6 to $10 dollars for incandescent lights. If you are considering new lights, look into LEDs. Although they cost more upfront, LED lights last longer than incandescent while delivering significant energy savings.

The Institute estimates that, if seasonal mini-lights nationwide were replaced with energy-efficient LEDs, carbon emissions could be reduced by as much as 400,000 tons per year and electricity cost saving would exceed $250,000,000. That’s a lot of holiday gift-buying dough!

Speaking of dough, there’s no need to make your baking last all season. An oven costs 33 cents an hour to operate. Save time and money by baking your holiday goodies together.

If you’re reheating yesterday’s treats, opt for the toaster oven or microwave. A toaster oven costs just 7 cents per hour to operate, allowing you to truly savor the savings.

Customers hoping for a no-cost holiday treat from Progress Energy should look no further than our EnergyWise program. By enrolling in this free program – which allows Progress Energy to temporarily cycle power off and on to such appliances as the A/C and water heater during times of high energy demand – customers can save an additional $145 per year.

Long after the gifts are unwrapped, the guests are gone and the lights are stored for another year, you’ll be glad that you took the time to save energy this holiday season.

For more than 100 energy-saving tips visit www.SaveTheWatts.com.

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