Wind energy use is up!

On August 30, 2010, in Go Green!, Green Energy News, by admin
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Energy use in the US fell nearly 5% last year making it the greatest drop in energy consumption on record. Despite the overall drop in energy use, new studies show that use of alternative energy, including wind power, are up.

Use of wind power rose dramatically in the past year and under the 2009 economic recovery act, new tax breaks are available for the development of technologies using wind power. President Obama has vowed to double our nation’s renewable energy capacity by 2012.

Be sure to check out the full article for more information on wind power consumption. If you’re interested in bringing wind power into your energy consumption, contact Noreaster today!

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The latest in LED lighting…

On July 27, 2010, in Go Green!, by admin
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I’m sure everyone out there is looking for ways to save on electricity and be a little big greener.  A relatively new lighting concept is LED lighting. While LED lighting tends to be a bit pricier than the alternatives, it burns cooler, lasts longer and saves on energy consumption.

A great place to learn more about LED products and the latest news is LED Consumer. The site offers the most up to date news, innovative products, new applications and reviews on various products.

Noreaster also understands how important it is for you to go green and save on electricity! We offer a variety of LED products for your home, office and garden.

We’d like to know if you’re currently using any LED products in your home and what your experience is with them. Feel free to leave a comment!

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Interesting facts about alternative energy…

On July 27, 2010, in Go Green!, by admin
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  • 600 percent: The highest average efficiency of a ground source heat pump in the winter, compared to 250 percent for air-source pumps.
  • 15: Percentage of the average household electricity bill that goes toward lighting alone.
  • 9: Lowest wind speed (in miles per hour) from which it?s efficient to harness wind power.
  • 750: Number of electricity providers that offer a green alternative.
  • 280,475: Number of photovoltaic cells shipped domestically in 2007.
  • 7: Percent of energy that came from renewable sources in 2007.
  • 53: Percent of that renewable energy that was drawn from biomass fuels, the largest supplier, followed by hydroelectric (36%); solar, geothermal, and wind energy all contributed 5% or less.

Facts courtesy of TreeHugger.

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Top Green Lighting Tips

On July 26, 2010, in Go Green!, by admin
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Planet Green recently published a great article on various green lighting sources. Not only is it important to have energy conserving bulbs, it’s also important to have eco-friendly lamps and light fixtures.

The most common energy conserving bulbs is the CFL, which are the swirly style of light bulb. These come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. A CFL bulb uses about 1/4 of the amount of energy that an incandescent and lasts around 10,000 hours.

The most energy efficient bulb available is the LED bulb. These are pretty new to the consumer market and reduce energy consumption by as much as 80%-90%. They also last around 100,000 hours and burn the coolest of all bulbs.

Be sure to check out the article for more information on energy saving lighting and fixtures.  Are you using any of these in your home or office? We’d love to hear about it!

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12 Ways to Reduce Your Oil Consumption…

On July 25, 2010, in Go Green!, by admin
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The Daily Green recently published a great list of ways to reduce your dependence on oil. Making only a few changes in your daily routine can help the environment and save you some green! Here are a few from the list…

  1. Stop using disposable plastic bags – U.S. retailers spend $4 billion a year on 100 billion plastic bags, and they pass on the cost to consumers in the form of higher prices.
  2. Don’t idle – Contrary to some popular belief, experts recommend that you shut off your car engine if you are going to be idling for longer than 10 seconds, both to save gas and to increase the life of your vehicle.
  3. Make your own natural cleaning products – Many cleaning products on the market are made from petroleum derivatives.
  4. Check your tire pressure – “Inflate your tires” in order to decrease rolling resistance and increase fuel economy on the road.
  5. Drive smoothly at the speed limit – Driver’s manuals also point out that you’ll get better fuel economy if you drive smoothly, avoiding jackrabbit starts and using the cruise control as much as is safely possible.

You can view the full list here. Noreaster gives you other ways to save energy and reduce dependence on foreign oil in the form of LED bulbs, wind turbines and hybrid systems. Only you can help change the way our nation depends on foreign oil!

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