Goal For The Green

It was 1984, when we had this dome home built. We were very happy and proud of our first home.  We thought we would always be there, but in ’84 interest rates were 13.5%. We struggled for 4 1/2 years and due to things out of our control we became upside down in the loan. We did get it sold, but like many people are going through now, we took a loss.

I can’t think of any drawbacks to living in a dome home.  It was easy to heat, and fit well into the northwest lifestyle.  We especially liked the acoustics on Saturday mornings when the kids got up to watch cartoons. From our master suite in the loft, they always wondered how we knew what they were into without actually seeing them.  It was great.  There are still plans available for this type of dome home, and many varying designs to choose from, including ones with riser walls.

The first Biohome was created by NASA, with the idea of supporting one person in a fully functional habitat.  You might recall the 1973 Skylab project, in which NASA did studies on indoor air quality, and did research involving closed ecological life support systems.

The folks at biohome.net feel the future is now.  They have adapted Buckminster Fuller’s original design of the geodesic dome (which ours was modeled after) and came up with the foam version.  They boast having the best “Bio home Foam” on the planet.  The polyurethane foam is the same stuff used by NASA.  It will not sag or shrink, and is mold and bacteria resistant.

The goal at biohome, is to allow you to live totally “off the grid.”  They provide a unique design, that allows you to be the owner and builder.  This frees you from contractor fees ( a big money saver), and power and water bills.  You can obtain a kit that shows you how to build your own solar toilet.  It requires no plumbing, water, or moving parts.  You can also learn how to make drinking water, no matter where you are on the planet.

While the closed system housing idea will not appeal to everyone, it can free up many resources.  Most importantly, it can free up personal time, of which there never seems to be enough of.  With the recent focus being on our energy dependence, this could be the answer for those willing to pursue it.  Just imagine if humans and our dwellings could be the solution to sustainable living.

We all know that America needs to become energy independent.  However, there isn’t a clear vision for achieving that goal, and no real clear cut plan either.  Here are ten steps we could make toward achieving energy freedom.

1.  There are 10 foreign government run oil companies that are much larger and have greater oil reserves than our Exxon Mobil. So, we need to quit blaming “big oil” here at home.  Even if they did make a record profit of $12 billion in less than 90 days.

2.  Congress and lawmakers should address or own domestic supply and production problems. If they increased our supply from our own sources and reserves, it could have an impact on the price we pay at the pump.

3.  We can make a difference by turning off lights at home, when not in use.  We can also save gas instead of time by slowing down our driving speed.  We can also save energy by keeping our thermostats set at 68 in the winter and 75 in the summer.

4.  Remember when grandma use to hang clothes out on the line and how nice and fresh they smelled? Or how about installing rain barrels to water the lawn instead of pumping water from the well.  If you aren’t on a well system, you can conserve water by using drip or soaker hoses.

5.  There must be a determination in this country to develop alternative energy sources such as solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal technology.  There is is no room for the NIMBY (not in my backyard) attitude.  This only slows progress that needs to happen.

6.  We need to build and reopen nuclear plants.  France gets 77% of its energy from nuclear sources.  We need to follow what they have learned in regard to safe usage of nuclear power and the recycling of nuclear waste.

7.  We should increase hydroelectric power in states where it is plentiful.  There should also be an environmental push to increase the survival rate of young salmon migrating to the Pacific regions

8.  If we develop and deploy our environmental cleanup strategies to developing economic powers such as China India and others, they could generate electricity from their abundant coal reserves.  This would drastically reduce air and water pollution in those countries, and make their people healthier.  Taking this step would also provide new markets for our American companies and create new jobs.

9  We need to produce more of our own oil and natural gas, while other technology and alternatives are being developed.  There is enough domestic natural gas offshore to supply the United States for the next 10 years easily.  The production technology is much safer than it was 30 plus years ago.  There are 109 offshore oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico that were directly hit during Hurricane Katrina without causing a significant spill.

10.  It will take patience and common since, as well as time and money to transform new technology and find new sources of energy.  The solutions won’t happen overnight, however, we need a dedicated government to get behind these issues and make sure these changes happen in a timely fashion.

Here is a list of five inexpensive things that will help you save energy and money.

1. Compact fluorescent light bulbs: It is a fact that if every American household converted five regular light bulbs to five fluorescent bulbs, the energy saved would be equal to taking a million cars off the highway for a full year.  How is that for an ah-ha moment?

2. Outdoor Solar Lights: They don’t burn any electricity or use any CO2.

3. Programable Thermostats: A difference of just 2 degrees can reduce a homes CO2 emissions by up to 9% over the course of a year.

4. Air Filters: If you change the air filters in your heating and cooling system at least twice an year (Spring and Fall) of can knock off 2% of your homes CO2 emissions a year.  There will be less dust and chance for allergies and sickness as well.

5. Electric Hot Water Blankets: This small investment (about $18) can save you 41/2% on your power bill.