It's colder than a well digger's ass out there...

...but that doesn't mean that your heating bills have to skyrocket.

Low Impact Living (A THIT personal favourite) provides a list of tips on how to reduce your consumption and/or costs. What I like about this list is that they break them down by project "size". Here's a preview:

Something you can do today: "Turn down your thermostat when away or at night. You could save up to 1% off your heating bill for every degree you lower your thermostat. And, contrary to urban legend, it does NOT use significantly more energy to warm your house back up again."

Something you can do this week: "Install a programmable thermostat. Even though it is easy, many of us will decide that re-setting the thermostat by hand every day is a pain. So, let your thermostat do it for you with one of these programmable Energy Star options. Save up to 5% of your energy bill, and avoid emitting 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide.

Something you can do this month: "Seal your heating ducts. Leaks in ductwork are some of the most costly and easiest to fix heating / cooling problems, often wasting 10% or more of your heating fuel. Find do-it-yourself duct sealing products here.

The full list is here. Oh, and the expression used as a title for this post was borrowed, with permission, from Mrs THIT's grandfather. He has a million of them, and probably a few more just waiting for the appropriate moment.

Maison Idekit

This is neat. I was directed to it from a Green Communities Canada newsletter. The title is also the name of a Quebec-based company which builds homes from recycled freight containers.

Before (or, well, during):


After:


So how much does one of these cost? Well...It's complicated. They can't take into account the cost of land and they don't include plumbing and basic electricity in the construction. So when you first see $62,000 for a 2000 square foot unit that is, by their own admission, misleading.

This article (French only, apparently like the idekit website) has additional photography.

I would love one of these as a cottage or retirement home. :-)

Worm Poop

I know what you're probably thinking; if I have to read one more blog post about worm defacations, I'm going to scream. But bear with me just a bit.

We were at the tail end of one of our many trips to various garden centers around town (a trip any guy absolutely loves, as you can imagine) when I asked Mrs THIT "So do we need anything else?". This was intended to be one of those more or less rhetorical questions which actually meant "So can we finally leave?"

She pondered for a moment then her eyes lit up and she exclaimed "Oh yes! Worm poop!"

Of course. How could I have forgotten?

It would appear that the Mrs once saw a show about green gardening (or something...she's not good at recalling details) and this specific product was discussed. It's quite literally what is strongly implied by its name. I thought it was just a marketing thing.

We were unable to locate said fecal matter, to much disappointment on her part. Me, not so much.

Ah, but I was wrong! The company that produces this...stuff...is fascinating!

I subscribe to a newsletter from Greenbiz.com. A link therein directed to this news story about how OfficeMax is using TerraCycle's made-from-waste office products which in turn interested me in having a look at these TerraCycle guys. And wouldn't you know it, they are our worm poo gatherers.


Beyond being about as organic as organic gets, their product is literally sold in recycled plastic bottles. Not bottles made from recycled goods, but the bottle itself, including the squirter thingy. That's why some of their packaging is mismatched. For a better illustration, check out their product line and scroll over the various items. Their Story video is also good and worth a watch.

Their site includes a store locator so I suspect that before long, Mrs THIT and I will be shopping for worm poop more effectively.

More Fun Than a Barrel of Daschunds!

Mrs THIT and I had the last week of April off and since we didn't have plans to go anywhere, we focused instead on taking care of a few things around Stately THIT Manor as it nears its first anniversary.

Among our acquisitions was one that I'd been looking forward to getting since before we even took possession of our crib.

Yay! Rain barrell!!



We got this bad boy at Rona. Most are basically large plastic tubs with a screened hole at the top. This one was something of a rarity in that it's a little more fancy in appearance (and therefore, of course, more expensive).

Much assembly was required but we're more than pleased with the final result. It had been sitting in the garage for the past three weeks waiting to be installed when our eavestrough finally got done, and the magic moment took place earlier in the week.

To me, this was a treehugger requirement. Is it going to save the planet on its own? Obviously not. It's really just going to save the water we (meaning "she") would have used gardening. But we are using Mamma Nature's generous offerings, and if she's just as generous rain-wise as she has been with snow this past winter, we should be set for some time.

Perhaps more importantly, we've already received compliments about it. If the neighbours want to play "Keeping up with the THIT's", well, maybe we can start a water-saving trend. ;-)

What The Hell is Wrong With Off-White??

When Mrs THIT and I set off to purchase our current home, the gentleman at Tamarack Homes with whom we dealt ended the process with a peice of advice that stuck with me: "Have fun with it".

It was one of those extremely simple things that you know, but you just need to be reminded of. And throughout the entire affair, whenever I was faced with a task that is not normally in my nature to enjoy, I remembered his little peice of advice and approached the situation with that specific attitude.

"What's that, bunny? You want to go to Home Sense again? Son of a bi...Huh...Actually, that sounds delightful! Let me get my jacket. And wallet, of course."

"Come again, cupcake? You wish to visit the Tamarack Design Center again? Even though we were there just last weekend and it's extremely doubtful that anything has changed since? I...guess we can do that! Yes, I'll bring the camera."

Here's something I had not realized though (and it's probably "a guy thing" that caused me not to). I thought once we moved in and furnished the place we could, you know...Enjoy it for a while!

Apparently not. The first coat of dust barely had time to settle before talk turned to...painting.

*Groan*

By then the "have fun with it" mantra had been kind of stored away. I didn't think I'd need it anymore. We were settled in!

But Mrs THIT came across a little ditty in the Ottawa Citizen recently which perked my ears and may make the whole project slightly more interesting to me. The Citizen is quite good at providing environmental tips and such, and last Saturday's Homes section had a list of 11 products to "turn up the enviro thermostat in your home". Among them was Safecoat paints.




This was hyped as a product ready go from "niche" (how do you pronounce that? "neesh" or "nitch"?) to mainstream and available from The Healthiest Home and Building Supplies. The claim:

The Safecoat products are premium quality and perform as well as and, in many cases, better than most mainstream, toxic brands on the market. They contain no formaldehyde, ammonia, precursors, acetone, phenols, or phthulates. Safecoat paints have almost no odor during application and are odor free once cured. And clean up is a snap with warm water and a bit of SafeChoice Superclean.

All right, well...That's a start. The store is on Holland avenue though, and I can't help but recall that so is The Table restaurant. I friggin' love that place and I shall (pretend to) put my foot down and request...Nay, DEMAND...that we eat there if we go to that paint store.

Even the best relationships require a certain level of negotiation...

It's Really Just a Love Story...

Frequent and/or long-time readers of my little blog, if there is such an animal, will have noted by now that many of the posts that fall under the "tip" or suggestion category will include a benefit aside from the positive environmental impact.

The simple reason for that is that in my experience most people won't necessarily pay more, or go through additional effort, to be "green". I actually don't blame them, since many claims of greenhood are disputed. So I like to look for additional incentive when I find it, whether health-related, money-saving, whatever.

Here's a side-benefit that I have yet to "promote". Soft hands.

I bring to your attention, Nature Clean Dishwashing Liquid.



This product (and other members of its family) are fairly easy to find. They tend to be included in the organics section of grocery stores. We'd noticed them before, but they cost a little more and Mrs THIT had never heard anything particularly good about natural household cleaning products so until recently, they'd been ignored.

She tried this one because of it's tea tree oil content. Christine works with chemicals and her hands suffer because of it. They become extremely dry, cracked and painful. It's precision work, so she's unable to wear gloves while working. She'd heard that tea tree oils can be good for dry skin however and on that basis decided to give this product a try.

It seems she's quite pleased with it. She'd tried a number of moisterizing creams and what-not over the past couple of years to little success, but after less than two weeks of using this product she's already seeing a difference.

This particular benefit is hardly a surprise when one looks into the history of the company:

In the early 1960s, Mrs. Ross, the wife of our founder, suffered from skin rashes caused by dish detergents and shampoos. In an effort to alleviate her suffering, her husband began developing natural formulations. Since then the Ross family has continued the tradition of creating natural non-toxic alternatives for almost every product in your home. Over the years the love story surrounding our brand has extended far beyond this. Natureclean® is about caring for your family's health, it's about the passion we feel for protecting our natural world, and it's about loving ourselves enough to use safer products.

Group hug!!

Looking around their site, I found their Produce Wash interesting as well.

Most pesticides can’t be removed from produce with water alone because they are designed to be water resistant. This way, they won’t wash off in the rain.

Fruit & Veggie Wash Concentrate was designed for produce which requires soaking such as grapes, berries, broccoli, and spinach. This type of produce has more hidden crevices where contaminants can hide. Our formula has no taste, is odourless, residue-free and helps remove surface pesticides, chemicals, bacteria, wax and dirt. For firm produce like apples and tomatoes, we recommend our Fruit & Veggie Spray Wash.

Even organic produce should be washed. It can be exposed to everything from contaminated irrigation water to fertilizers, animal feces and human contact.

All told, I'm tremendously pleased that Christine has found a natural product that rids her of a nagging physical discomfort. So pleased in fact that I'll leave the dishwashing duties to her entirely! Sure, I probably washed dishes about once a year on the average, but I wouldn't want to take away something that benefits her, so I'll sacrifice that anniversary-like event for her sake. ;-)

Night Shifts Excluded, Of Course...

This was one of the first habits I broke when I started on my path to treehuggerness.

LONDON, June 21, 2007 -- Nearly half of all corporate PCs in the US are not regularly switched off at night, costing US businesses $1.72 billion in energy and causing emissions of 14.4 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, according to recently released PC Energy Awareness report.

The report combines statistics on energy usage and CO2 emissions, alongside research on behavior in the American workplace, such as whether employees are turning their PCs off at the end of the day.
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The data show that American businesses are wasting energy while we sleep. A mid-sized company, which includes about 10,000 PCs, wastes more than $165,000 a year in electricity costs for computers left on overnight. In addition, by turning these computers off, an employer can keep more than 1,381 tons of CO2 out of the atmosphere.

Preventing that amount of CO2 from reaching the atmosphere would have roughly the same impact as taking 2.58 million passenger cars entirely off the road -- more cars than exist in the entire state of Maryland.

Why did I leave my computer on? So I wouldn't have to wait the excruciating 28 seconds or so for it to come back on the following morning. How, oh how, did I ever live through that hell all those years?

Thinking on it now, I used to leave my computer at home on overnight so I wouldn't have to be bothered to wait for it to come in the morning. I might need those 28 seconds for something vital.

Besides, I'd bought into the claim that turning your computer on uses up more energy than leaving it running. I've since read that's innacurate.

We're In!

Well, actually we've been in since Wednesday the 13th. But it took me over a week to get my internet connection back.

Sympatico...ugh. But what do you do? We detested the "service" we'd received from Rogers over the years and would have felt stupid ADDING more services to include internet. So we bundled up with Bell and are giving them the opportunity to treat us like crap. So far, they're making the most of every opportunity. Good for them!

In any event, I recently posted about additional options we were considering for our little "green house". Now that we're in (and have a number of expenses to deal with), a couple more have come to mind.

The first is doing away with unnecessary power use. For instance, there must be a dozen devices (including appliances) in this place that include a digital clock. How many do we really need?

And what the hell is the use of a "stanby" light? To tell me that something is off? I don't need a standy light to tell me, for example, that my sound system is off. Because it's QUIET.

So I'm trying to get in the habit of unplugging those, at least at night. Why would I pay to power those various clocks and what-not while I'm sleeping? I don't need to know what time it is when I'm dreaming about Jessica Biel giving me a sponge bath while feeding me organic grapes.

Or something.

The other is to finally go Bullfrog. I've been considering Bullfrog for some time but since it's a little bit more pricey and we were saving to move, we never pulled the trigger.

Also, I wanted to keep an eye on them to make sure that they were legit. In the past year, I've heard nothing to indicate that they're anything but genuine; quite the opposite.

Finally, I wanted to be certain that they'd be around for the long haul. Since they've recently announced that they're expanding their service to Alberta, I have no reason to question that either.

So once we get our first power bill, assuming our jaws don't hit the floor, I'll suggest to Mrs THIT that we take the leap, as it were (pun intended, though not very good).

Man. I've never looked forward to a power bill before...

Water You Talking About?

Mrs THIT and I are now a little over a week removed from taking possession of our new house.

We've had some fun along the way in having the thing built as "greenly" as possible. And I was pretty pleased with our progress! The house itself is Energy-Star certified, it appears that every bulb is fluorescent (I thought originally that only certain ones would be and that I'd have to replace the others, but that's not the case) , and we bought appliances with Energy-Star certification as well.

We dropped by Home Depot again recently (among one of many stops, now too numerous to recall their exact purpose) and I came across their Eco Options magazine. I'd previously posted about this little freebie that the offer throughout the store.

What it brought to my attention is that it's easy to focus on energy consumption and forget some of the other areas where one could be more efficient. And aside from a couple of Energy Star appliances, we hadn't given much thought to water consumption. So when we (finally) take possession, we plan at looking into a couple of options, both obvious and not-so-obvious.

From Eco Options, Spring 2007 edition:

Consider installing a faucet aerator and reduce the flow of water from your tap by 25% to 50%. Aerators are inexpensive, easy to install and come with either internal or external threads...

I love when they say "easy to install". They have no idea what a dumb-ass I am with these things. "Easy" is rather relative, isn't it?

Showerheads: Want to lower your electricity and water bill? Switch to a low-flo showerhead. They use less than 9.5 litres (2.5 gallons) of water per minute, compared to up to 30 litres (6 gallons) for older versions.

And lastly, attaching a rain barrel is another option.


This seems rather self-explanatory though the idea didn't jump out at us when we were discussing our plans. A barrel is attached to the eavestrough and collects water which can then be used for gardening, lawn care, etc. It's suggested to get one with a screen at the top to keep the creepy crawlies out.

Though I don't know how much a rain barrel costs, the aerator and shower head should be a small expense with potential long-term savings when matched with energy efficient clothes and dish washers.

I'll Huff and I'll Puff...

...But I don't think I'm blowing this house down...

BRYN WEESE / The Nugget (North Bay)
Local News - Monday, April 30, 2007 @ 08:00

Although hundreds huffed and puffed their way through Albert and Martha Attema's homestead Saturday, the straw bale home was still standing after the local Green Party riding association open house fundraiser was over.

Hundreds of onlookers packed the 2,000 square foot home between 1 and 3 p.m. for tours of the one-storey, two-bedroom, two-bathroom home built with straw bales and cement that is completely "off the grid."

Solar power and, more recently, wind power are the only sources of electricity for the Attemas, who have lived in the Peever Line eco-friendly home since December 2004.

"They never expect it to look like this," said Martha, who was busy answering questions about how she and her husband built the home and how they manage to live without conventional power.

"I really like that people are interested and asking a lot of questions. That's our whole goal, our whole mission in life, to inspire people to go green."

Interesting. Mrs THIT and I were considering vacationing in the North Bay area this summer (I used to live there and loved the place). Wonder if we'd get the opportunity to check the place out. Not that I'm considering going that route, mind you, what with having a newly-built home on the way, but it may be good for an idea or two.

Speaking of that, the Green Energy and Transportation Show is on this weekend and we may be in the area right around that time. We may sneak in and have a look at what they have to offer. My schedule is affected by the fact that I'm currently between homes, so I can't get directly involved in events like I did last year, but this one seems to be falling into place. I hope to be able to report back about some nifty tip or gadget I've come across.

Green Mortgages?

Apparently, the Conservation Council of Ontario and Citizens Bank are the first to offer "green mortgages" which include certain benefits for being environmentally conscious. It might have been an interesting option to look into, but it doesn't appear as though they offer it in our area, unfortunately.

Go Green with the new Ontario Green Mortgage

If you are looking to buy a home in Ontario, care about the environment and are committed to doing all you can to help make a difference - just like we are - then the Green Mortgage is for you. It's a mortgage that helps you identify changes that can be made in your home to help the environment while reducing your energy costs and saving you money with our competitive mortgage rates at the same time.

Find an Ontario mortgage specialist near you.

What comes with going Green?

With the Citizens Bank Green Mortgage, you get all the features and benefits of a traditional Citizens Bank mortgage: including flexible payment options, a choice of financing and a complimentary Home Advantage package, which includes a line of credit of $10,000 at prime and retail savings on furniture, décor, paint and home appliances.

PLUS, you'll also receive a complimentary Green Gift Package:

• A blue curb side recycling box
• Compact Fluorescent Ener-lights, courtesy of the Conservation Council of Ontario
• Coupons for energy efficient products and services from local businesses
• A complimentary Green$avers Home Energy Audit ($250 value) which will give you an overall picture of how you are using energy in your home, identify potential problem areas and recommend steps that can be taken to make your home more energy efficient.

Plus, for every Green Mortgage funded, Citizens Bank will make a $100 donation to the Conservation Council of Ontario. Beyond this, the Green Mortgage offers our usual low, no haggle rates, approval process and servicing.

Check Out These Nuts!

Taking a stroll in downtown Ottawa yesterday morning, Mrs THIT (who really should be writing this blog nowadays, since she comes across a fair chunk of the information I post about before I do) stumbled into a bag of "soap nuts" in one of the stores that we visited.

She called me over, and I was intrigued if for no other reason than to find out what she had beheld that could possibly make doing laundry appear interesting.

Well, little did I know! She had come up with soap nuts!




Here's a description I found when I googled the term.

SoapNuts are the shells of a seed from trees grown throughout India and Nepal. These shells give a soapy substance when they come in contact with water (the seeds are discarded) and it’s said that 1kg of the nuts can wash 100 loads. Simply pop 6-8 shells in the cloth bag and throw them in your washing machine – these will last about 3-4 washes. Your wash will come out clean, but without a smell, so if you like the scent of clean clothes just add a few drops of essential oil to the wash beforehand. SoapNuts can also be used for other things as well, like washing windows, cars or pets.

They're also terrific for an endless source of juvenile humour, so I'm totally on board. This is something else we'll try when we get into our new digs.

Stick That in Your Fireplace and Smoke it!

This is a product I came across in the Eco Options magazine described below. It has a double-benefit and I find it very clever, so I didn't want anyone to miss it.

Java Products Corporation has introduced Java-Log, an innovative new firelog made from 100 per cent recycled spent coffee grounds that burns brighter and more beautifully than sawdust firelogslace.

Java-Log burns for up to three hours, producing higher, brighter, and more consistent flames than wood, while also releasing a faint, sweet aroma. The log produces 25 per cent more energy and emits over three times the flame capacity (per unit of wood) compared to wood, for a better, cleaner flame.
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Java-Log generates 14 per cent less carbon dioxide emissions than sawdust firelogs, which could result in a reduction of up to four million kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions per year in North America. And the environmental advantages of Java-Log are apparent, not just in the product, but in its packaging. Java-Logs are packaged in environmentally friendly brown paper wrap that can be burned safely in a fireplace.

The product benefits the environment using the world’s most consumed beverage. Turning recycled, spent coffee grounds into reusable energy-based fuels means a reduction in landfill waste and greenhouse gas emissions.

Hold Fast.

Yay, us! Even though we're not under any kind of solid contract yet, we've received mortgage pre-approval for the next house, with an expected closing of May or so of next year. That works out great and is pretty well what we'd hoped for.

Here's an abbreviated article from a recent "New Homes" magazine.

Tamarack Homes’ designs are all about details – lots of them – from superb building design and construction to finishing and appointments.

All Tamarack homes are independently accredited as ENERGY STAR homes. That means homeowners save on energy costs due to special upgraded construction and technologies according to ENERGY STAR guidelines. Every home has a special furnace with an ECM motor that reduces energy use by 80 per cent and a fully ducted heat-recovery system with separate ducts running to all the wet rooms (baths, kitchen, laundry). These rooms will have push button timers to remove air contaminants right at the source.

Homeowners will enjoy more comfort, climate control and much better air quality. Better construction technologies throughout and extra insulation enhance these homes and will be appreciated by residents.

Also in each townhome, Tamarack includes upgrade features that are typical of their high-end single-family homes, which they can enjoy from the day they move in!

Every home has a flush garage and interlock-stone walkway from the driveway to the entrance.

All manor townhomes are big and bright. They have nine-ft. ceilings, wonderful open-concept designs and are filled with quality features. Ceramics and hardwood floors on the main level are standard, as are the gorgeous Muskoka kitchens with raised bar counters, beautiful cabinetry and 40-inch upper cabinets.

On the second floor you have optional designs: choose to have the laundry room on the second floor, or create a luxury ensuite. Just imagine, from top to bottom, Tamarack completely finishes everything in these manor townhomes, including the basement.

You’ll also find a lovely fireplace on the main floor and a deck leading to the rear yard.

All Tamarack communities reflect a special emphasis on the environment, with the use of trees and native vegetation to provide wholesome outdoor spaces.
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Findlay Creek Village offers a wonderful opportunity for homeowners wishing to live in the relaxing south end of the city. This community is perfect for those seeking a more peaceful setting in a conservation environment. A four-metre living fence acts as a natural landscape buffer between homes. The new homes are integrated beautifully with the wildlife habitats. All the conveniences of South Keys and the Hunt Club areas are close by, yet, Findlay Creek is a community with trails and easy access to nature and conservation areas. All around are the environmentally protected lands of the South Nation Conservation Authority.

For more information...visit the website at www.tamarackhomes.com.

Nine-foot ceilings? Thank God! Finally, I can stop beating my head against the light fixtures.

Our model is named the Dunvegan. Unless you're one of the few people in the world not totally knowledgeable about the history of Scottish castles, you don't need me to tell you that Dunvegan Castle has been, and continues to be, the stronghold of the MacLeods for going on 800 years now.

You know who's a MacLeod? This bad sumbitch right here:



Remember the movie Highlander? Man, that was a great movie! If you decide to purchase it based on my vague review, make absolutely certain that you purchase the full length version. The initial video version chopped off some historical scenes that made the movie clearer, as well as some wicked swordfighting towards the end. And make sure to not watch the sequel. It's bad enough to make you contemplate suicide.

So that's where we're at! Things could still go south (figuratively, instead of literally like we plan to) but I don't see that happening now. Our experience with the Tamarack folks has already been more positive than our dealings with the clowns at Ashcroft.

Solar Powered Mulching Mower

Sun-powered mulch mower does more with less. Envision yourself power mowing your lawn without oil, gas, finicky pull-cords, choking exhaust or deafening engine roar ever again. The Solar Powered Mulching Mower makes that dream come true with a delightfully quiet, thoroughly dependable Black & Decker electric engine that runs on the sun. Featuring all of the positives and none of the negatives of polluting gas mowers, it keeps lawns looking sharp with a 19" mulching blade that sends nutrient-laden cuttings back to your lawn (not a landfill) for increased vitality.

And at a mere $834.75 Canadian, it's like they're giving them away! Neat idea but smothered by the cost.

Green Communities Canada

Thinking about moving into a new home recently brought these guys to my attention again (click on logo for link). They have a number of link among their member list (based on region), including one for EnviroCentre which I find interesting.

EnviroCentre can help you get a government grant to conserve energy while making more your home comfortable and healthier to live in. Getting our advice really is the best thing to do because it will help ensure that your money is invested in the most cost-effective way to reduce your space heating and cooling bills. If you're building a new house, our New Home Service can help you make it as energy-efficient as an R-2000 house without paying the certification fees.

Something to bear in mind when the time comes.

Ontario First to Subsidize Solar Power

All right, I'm back. I'd been sick on Tuesday and Wednesday, and went to a concert last night, leaving little time to save the world. But I woke up this monring and saw that it was still here so that's good.

A headline that grabbed my eye yesterday. Christine has had the itch to change homes for a little while now (oh, I so look forward to moving the bed down my narrow, narrow staircase...) and thought as an option to look for land just outside the city and have our own built, but as "green" as we want it to be (which is pretty green). It may not be financially feasible, who knows? But it's worth looking into because homes in town are ridiculously expensive anyway. And it's not like we're in any real rush.

So this article drew my attention. I don't know how it would affect our own situation; we'd prefer to actually use the power we generate. But it's nice to see that some encouragement is there.

Ontario will soon offer Canada's first subsidy to homeowners or businesses that install solar electric power.

The incentive - 42 cents for every kilowatt-hour of electricity produced - is to be announced Tuesday by Premier Dalton McGuinty, industry sources said Thursday.

To produce solar power, an average house would need a system that costs $20,000 to $30,000 and all the electricity generated would be sold to the local utility.

It would be worth $1,000 to $1,500 a year but homeowners would continue to buy their power from the utility at the current rate which is now under 6 cents a kilowatt-hour. With the energy savings, the system could be paid off in 20 to 25 years. That's when the main payoff begins, since the equipment is expected to last 40 to 60 years.

Although among the most generous in North America, the program won't cover the entire cost of installing equipment that converts the sun's energy into electricity. The solar subsidy will be part of a new incentive plan known as Standard Offer Contracts.

Under the contracts, those who generate electricity from solar and other renewable sources will be paid for all the power they produce. The other sources -- mainly wind, but also wood waste, manure or other biological sources -- will earn 11 cents a kilowatt hour. The contracts will run 20 years and apply to projects with a generating capacity of up to 10 megawatts, or enough to supply about 3,300 average homes. The contracts are expected to lead to the installation of about 15,000 solar systems, with a total capacity of 40 megawatts. After that, growth should speed up until, by 2025, solar capacity hits 1,200 megawatts.

But Can It Handle My Skid Marks?

Crap. We may be on the market for a new washing machine. Our current one has gone all goofy. It'll run for a while, then stop for a while, then start up again for a while, then stop again for a while, the re-start again, then stop for a spell...

You probably get the idea...

March is a three-pay month for me, and also the month in which the company I work shells out its annual bonus. With that extra coin, I was looking forward to a fat stack of comic books sometime this weekend, but no. This had to happen. Isn't that always the way?

Oh well. If anyone took the time to view the money-saving tips on the Green Party site that I linked earlier, you'd know that the gentleman who hosted those made many of his switches while changing homes. So perhaps we'll be able to turn this lemon into lemonade and take an unscheduled plunge with the help of the fine folks at EnergyStar.

Along the same lines, we've talked about going Bullfrog soon. I've still to come across anything but positive words for them, and we figure that if that continues we'll make the switch, appropriately enough, on Earth Day. Seemed like a good time.

Tip Clips

As election coverage was plodding along, one site I came across reviewed and ranked various aspects of the parties involved. The one that stood out to me was the category for "best innovation" (being that it was won by the party for which I planned to vote).

The main Green Party site was singled out for David Chernushenko's energy/money saving tips. These aren't the obivous ones about turning out lights you're not using and not letting water run when you brush your teeth, but more having to do with the best appliances to use, how best to use them, and so on.

I include the link here, and hopefully you'll find them useful for saving one, the other, or both.