City Offers Limited-Time Incentives to Go 100% LED!

Posted on November 15, 2016 by CEA

It’s about to get a whole lot easier to upgrade your lights and save money and energy! The City’s Cambridge Energy Alliance is partnering with Eversource to launch the “100% LED Cambridge” campaign, which offers limited-time specials on LED light bulbs for Cambridge residents. The campaign encourages residents to upgrade 100% of their home lighting to LEDs, which use six times less energy than older bulbs.

led

From now until November 26th, residents can go to https://www.techniart.us/Cambridge/ to get special pricing that is available to Cambridge residents only. Customers can also get discounted shipping while supplies last. Not sure what bulb to get? See our guide at CambridgeMA.gov/LED

The 100% LED campaign is one of the city’s initiatives to win the Georgetown University Energy Prize, a nationwide competition among cities to cut residential energy use through energy efficiency. Residents have until the end of December 2016 to help Cambridge win before the judging period is over. Find out more at www.CambridgeEnergyAlliance.org/WinIt!

Money Saving Light Bulbs

Posted on August 7, 2014 by CEA

During the summer of 2014 several high school students interned at the Cambridge Energy Alliance helping with canvassing and outreach across Cambridge. The interns also wrote a few blogs on topics they were interested in related to energy efficiency and solar power. The following is one of their blogs.

Today, unfortunately, money is on the minds of many people. This blog offers a simple and straightforward strategy to save money, and energy, by using different types of light bulbs. Currently in the US most people use incandescent light bulbs in their households. However, slowly the tide has turned to Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) bulbs, which offer greater service and economic satisfaction. But what is it that makes these light bulbs so different? Of course they all have differences in their structure, design and technology, but which one is the best?

Incandescent

These bulbs are definitely not energy efficient since most of their energy is expelled as heat and not light. Today most cities do not accept the recycling of incandescent light bulbs as they have stopped being sold in the United States. Nonetheless, because they do not contain any toxic materials they can simply be thrown away. Some people choose to re-package their light bulbs to avoid anyone getting hurt in the process of disposing them. Other people choose to reuse their light bulbs if they are not broken as forms of decoration, ornaments, and DIY crafts.

CFL (Compact Fluorescent Lamps)

CFLs have become way more popular over the past few years because of their fair prices and energy saving qualities. Unfortunately, a downside they have is that they contain a small amount of mercury, which means one should be particularly careful when recycling these light bulbs. Whether one can recycle or dispose these light bulbs depends on the current state of the bulbs. Nonetheless, it is imperative that CFLs be recycled. CFL light bulbs contain a small amount of mercury so when disposing these light bulbs it’ll be best to not release those chemicals to the environment. Most of the materials used to make CFL light bulbs can be recycled, and in some states and/or local jurisdictions, CFL light bulbs are required to be recycled. CFL light bulbs will not only be more energy efficient for your home, but will also save you money in the long run. Although CFL light bulbs are a bit more expensive than their incandescent counterpart, they last more than 10 times longer and use 4 times less energy while providing equally good quality light. Since CFL’s use much less watts than regular incandescent light bulbs, not only will they last longer but they will also save you money.

LED (Light Emitting Diodes)

LEDs are probably the pinnacle in light bulb technology. Their design and structure has resulted in a more durable, resistant and stylish light bulb. LED light bulbs are slowly being adopted now that their high prices are coming down. Unlike their more primitive counterparts, LEDs contain fewer hazardous materials, and are much more resistant to temperature, humidity and force. LED’s also last roughly 50,000 hours (5.5 years), about 5 times longer than CFLs.

First-Ever Energy Star Label for Clothes Dryers Now Available

Posted on June 18, 2014 by CEA

The EPA has announced a brand new energy efficiency certification for clothes dryers under the Energy Star label. As known energy hogs, the potential savings are big: if all residential clothes dryers sold in the U.S. meet these new requirements, the utility cost savings will grow to more than $1.5 billion each year and more than 22 billion pounds of annual greenhouse gas emissions would be prevented.

Over 80% of U.S. homes have a clothes dryer, which on average account for approximately six percent of residential electricity consumption. In order to reduce dryers’ energy use by over 20% of the minimum 2015 standards, Energy Star dryers will incorporate technologies such as:

Auto termination sensors
Heat pumps to recapture lost hot air
Performance data and alerts
Smart grid readiness

Explains U.S. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy: “Working with industry on innovative approaches to address our changing climate, we are helping consumers select more energy efficient appliances, save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

Fostering Sustainable Behavior

Posted on May 25, 2011 by Tara Holmes

Tara Holmes

This past Friday, I attended a workshop lead by Dr. Doug McKenzie-Mohr entitled “An Introduction to Community-Based Social Marketing: Fostering Sustainable Behavior.” As someone who’s personally very intrigued by the oftentimes overlooked (and dare I say critical) link between our everyday psychology and environmental sustainability, I was eager to attend. What I learned was both enlightening and somewhat anticipated.

In brief, humans, at least the populations Dr. McKenzie-Mohr has studied, tend to default to the easiest common denominator of behavior when it comes to environmentalism. Of course, this isn’t to say there aren’t outlier personalities who go above and beyond the “green” call, but overall, unless regulated to do so, or cajoled by neighbors or friends, most people will resort to the path of least resistance. Knowing this intrinsic behavior trend, Dr. McKenzie-Mohr was able to extrapolate on how to best create systems whereby these same individuals could easily do their part to create a more sustainable, healthy and balanced planet.

One interesting example is recycling. Initially in the 1980s, recycling was seen as a confusing burden to the majority of consumers. Today however, many people view recycling as commonplace and most US cities have recycling facilities in operation. Now, to what extent these materials actually are recycled is another policy issue altogether (Cambridge has historically recycled at a rate of 35% and now with added single-stream recycling, that’s expected to increase by 10-25% in recycling tons). Even so, the mere act of recycling, sorting out plastic from paper and glass from cardboard is today viewed as a commonplace action that requires little thought. So, how did this behavior change happen? Interestingly, Dr. McKenzie-Mohr cites community influence and social norms coupled with municipality engagement. If a person sees their neighbors, family members or friends recycling, they may begin to question their own behavior and adapt accordingly.

Energy efficiency and green energy demand is another example. Today, consumers have a multitude of product options from CFLs via utility rebates to energy-saving Energy Star appliances, but, as Dr. McKenzie-Mohr pointed out, there remains a disconnect between awareness of the the product’s existence, where to get the rebate for said product and product installation. These barriers may seem trivial, but they can lead to significant impacts, both environmentally and programmatically. During the workshop, Dr. McKenzie-Mohr cited an example of a user who purchased a low-flow shower head only to have it sit in a drawer due to installation confusion. It’s thereby key to not only increase awareness of energy efficiency products, but to educate the consumer on proper follow through behavior and maintenance resources to ensure the true benefit of the product is achieved.

In brief, sustainable behavior impediments can be boiled down to the following barriers: commitment, affordability, convenience, and incentives. The Cambridge Energy Alliance, like many local and national energy efficiency organizations, strives to reach consumers and the community via outreach and education and aims to address each of the mentioned barriers, which is a key first step. The critical next step is up to the consumer: application and follow through. Only then do they – and the planet – reap the true benefits of increased sustainable behavior.

Green Jobs get the Green Light

Posted on February 25, 2011 by Tara Holmes

Green jobs, no longer just an environmental buzz phrase, represent a critical component to the progressive growth of the US economy. On February 23rd, the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA) announced the availability of $40 million in green jobs development grants. The funds are authorized for the Green Jobs Innovation Fund (GJIF) and are meant to encourage the growth of the green economic sector, which includes everything from renewable energy technology and implementation, to policy and programmatic work. The announced grant will also support individual training and development within the green jobs sector to ensure interested candidates receive the proper credentials to be competitive within the green economy.

Dreaming of a Green Christmas Tree?

Posted on December 21, 2010 by Tara Holmes

Debating on whether or not to get a real or fake Christmas tree this year? Well, if you haven’t already, then think twice: a recent article by the New York Times reported that unless you keep your fake tree for 20 years or more, it’s more environmentally conscientious to purchase a real tree. It sounds counterintuitive – aren’t Christmas tree farms agriculturally damaging and don’t we need more trees intact to act as carbon sinks? Turns out, it might not be that clear cut.

Using calculations that included greenhouse gas emissions, use of resources and human health impacts, a Montreal-based environmental consulting firm found that the annual carbon emissions associated with using a real tree every year were one-third of those created by an artificial tree over a standard six-year lifespan. Additionally, fake trees often contain polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, which produces carcinogens during manufacturing and disposal. “The natural tree is a better option,” said Jean-Sebastien Trudel, founder of the firm, Ellipsos, that released the independent study last year.

Most fake trees found in Target or Walmart are produced in China, adding further transportation and manufacturing cost to the environment. Nonetheless, many American consumers continue to believe that reusing the same tree year after year is a better, more environmentally sound option. “You’re [actually] not doing any harm by cutting down a Christmas tree,” said Clint Springer, a botanist and professor of biology at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. “A lot of people think artificial is better because you’re preserving the life of a tree. But in this case, you’ve got a crop that’s being raised for that purpose.”

Americans have many consumer options this Christmas. It can be daunting to make the best choice for the environment while immersed in wrapping paper, plastic bags and shopping malls, but remember to think twice about getting the fake tree and instead opt for the real, local Christmas tree this year. Oh, and they smell better too!

Eco-pimp my dirty job

Posted on May 30, 2010 by JPierce

Although it’d be easy to dismiss “The Lazy Environmentalist” as a simple product placement vehicle for Brita filters and GE CFLs, it can be an entertaining and informative show¹. In this Sundance Channel series media personality Josh Dorfman tries to convince small business owners and hobbyists from all walks of life to adopt alternative products and techniques. If you don’t subscribe to this premium channel, recent episodes are also available via Comcast On Demand and clips of episodes can be viewed on the series website. Check it out next time you feel the need to become one with the couch, but there’s nothing good on.

Also for your enjoyment, a 45 minute discussion by Josh to Google employees about his approach to environmentalism:

^{1. The enlightenment can also be frustrating when many of Josh’s challenges can’t see the forest for the trees, but interspersed are plenty of pleasant surprises.}

Administration’s overlooked successes

Posted on March 6, 2010 by JPierce

A few weeks ago Paul Rogers of the Mercury News wrote that despite the general perception that the current administration having accomplished relatively little Obama has in fact made major strides in national environmental policy. Some examples not included in the article are: the significant tightening of the previously weak regulations surrounding non-conventionally raised livestock, and the FTC’s stepping up efforts to address greenwashing amidst increasing complaints
and problems such as the bogus “bamboo” textiles.

Converting to a Dual-Flush Toilet

Posted on February 16, 2010 by BrendaPike

No, we didn’t get a new toilet. We converted our old one with a One2flush kit. Turning the handle one way makes a half flush and turning it the other makes a full flush. And it’s easy to increase or decrease the water levels of both of them if necessary by adjusting the settings on the flapper.

Our toilet was already a modern, low-flow toilet, using just 1.6 gallons of water per flush. But you really don’t need 1.6 gallons for every flush. That’s now the default setting for the full flush, and 0.8 gallons is the default setting for the half flush, but we’ll have to continue playing around with the water levels to figure out what’s the least amount that we can use.

The kit was relatively simple to install—you can tell by the fact that two very non-handy people did it without flooding the bathroom. Taking the toilet tank off was obviously terrifying, and a little difficult, too, because the bolts were corroded. But this video walked us through the whole thing step by step.

We did run into one problem when we were done. The fill valve continued to allow a steady trickle of water through, even when the tank was already full. We were afraid we’d have to replace the whole fill valve (or shamefacedly ask our landlord to do it), but cleaning the valve did the trick.

The problem? The previous tenants had put bricks in the toilet tank to save water. The bricks had started to degrade in the water, and brick dust had gotten into the valve. This is why people now emphasize that if you want to displace water in your toilet, use a bottle of water—don’t use [unprotected] bricks!

Cross-posted on pragmaticenvironmentalism.com

The Least Toxic Way to Melt Snow & Ice

Posted on December 22, 2009 by BrendaPike

city street ice melt

We had the season’s first real snowstorm this weekend, and we weren’t really prepared for it. I didn’t even know where our shovel was! We also didn’t have any salt for the front steps, so I took this opportunity to find out if we could get something that had less of an impact on the environment.

From what I can tell, there’s no truly environmentally friendly way to melt snow and ice. The two main materials people use—rock salt and calcium chloride—are both bad; it’s really just a choice of which is better. Along with many others, the City of Cambridge recommends using calcium chloride rather than rock salt or sand. (Ironically, the city also provides rock salt free of charge.) Many de-icers are a combination of multiple ingredients, so check the label. Here’s what I could find in local stores:

Rock Salt – NaCl (Sodium Chloride)

toxic to plants and animals in high concentrations
increases salinity of waterways
corrosive to metal
works best at temperatures above 20 degrees Fahrenheit

Magnesium Chloride – MgCl

similar to calcium chloride below, but generally a liquid or additive to other de-icers (often rock salt)
increases salinity of waterways
less corrosive than rock salt

Calcium Chloride – CaCl₂

only half as much is needed (a handful per three square yards)
works better than rock salt at temperatures below 20 degrees Fahrenheit
increases salinity of waterways

Urea – (NH₂)2CO

Sand (Or Kitty Litter, Ashes, etc.)

clogs sewers
increases sedimentation in streams
increases turbidity, reducing water quality and potentially killing fish and aquatic plants
makes hard ice more slippery
doesn’t melt ice

Calcium magnesium acetate and potassium acetate are two promising de-icers, but they’re generally only available for large-scale use or as additives to rock salt.

Since all ice melters have adverse effects on the environment, the best thing we can do is use less of them. To me, this means that calcium chloride is the way to go. It’s more effective in smaller amounts, and, if I could find the colored kind (I couldn’t around here), I’d be able to see the coverage and use less of it.

Keep in mind that these compounds are not supposed to take the place of shoveling, but break up the ice so we can shovel it away and prevent more skin from forming. That crunch under your feet is an indication that someone used waaay too much.