Goal For The Green

Guest post by Amanda Green

When it comes to going green, one of the greatest ways to reduce your carbon footprint is by making your home more efficient. In addition to being one of our greatest expenditures, homes are also often one of the greatest ways in which we use energy.  However,with a few quick and fairly affordable updates, you can have your home running more efficiently in no time – allowing you to both go green and save green.

English: The carbon footprint as it is understood by people. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Insulation
Poor insulation can cost a home hundreds of dollars in utilities every year because they allow both hot and cold air to easily escape. To ensure that your home’s heating and cooling system isn’t overworked,make sure that your attic is well insulated, and even consider re-insulating your walls if you find that they also lack adequate insulation.

Low Flow Water Supplies

While taking a 5 minute shower is a good way to watch how much water you use on a regular basis,installing low flow shower heads and a ultra high  efficiency toilet or two in your home can greatly reduce the amount of water you use without sacrificing function. These items can be purchased for a relatively inexpensive price, and can be self-installed in a few minutes.

Weatherstripping

If you have an older home, there is a good chance that there are spaces between your exterior doors and their frames, as well as between windows and their frames. These spaces easily allow outside air in and inside air out,which makes your home’s heating and cooling system less efficient.
If you find gaps around your doors and windows, apply weatherstripping to prevent unwanted air flow.

Upgrade Appliances

Older appliances tend to be bigger energy wasters than newer ones.  So, if you can afford to make the switch, consider buying new Energy Star appliances. While the initial upfront cost may be a bit high, the savings that they will provide you with over the course of their life will have them paying for themselves.

Renewable Energy

Renewable energy sources such as solar panels or geothermal units are becoming more affordable than ever before,and they are a great way to lower your utility bills while simultaneously doing something great for the environment. Not only will they reduce your bills, but there are several local,state,and federal grants and tax rebate programs that will put additional cash back in your pocket. Some utility companies will even pay you for putting power back into their system.

Going green, is possibly one of the best things that a person can do for their budget, as well as the environment. However, going green doesn’t have to stop at buying organic or using reusable shopping bags. By making your home more efficient, you can significantly reduce your carbon footprint, and make an even greater impact in the green movement than those reusable grocery bags ever allowed. Together, we are working toward better tomorrows!

Washington voters passed Initiative 937, also known as the Energy Independence Act, back in 2006.  According to this law, the state’s energy utilities must obtain 15 percent of their power from”appropriately sited” energy facilities by the year 2020.

The problem with Initiative 937, is the term “appropriately sited,” because it has not been clearly defined, so therefore, it has been grossly ignored.  Due to the poorly defined wording, the door has been opened to developers, planning on taking advantage of huge government subsidies.  Some developers, have NO regard for the voters, or the controversy that will arise, from placing industrial scale wind energy projects in very inappropriately  sited areas.

Indian petroglyphs in Columbia River Gorge near The Dalles Dam. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

At the heart of this controversy, is the Whistling Ridge Project, that has been proposed along the rim of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. This year, marks the 25th anniversary of the creation of this National Scenic area, which has been ranked by National Geographic Traveler, as sixth internationally, and second nationally among sustainable tourist destinations.

The area is one of the crown jewels of the entire Pacific Northwest, and brings in more than a million visitors yearly, from all over the world. The visitors expect to see these world class views, that are unique to our region.

The Whistling Ridge Project, would line the Columbia Gorge with 430 foot wind turbines, that would be visible for miles, taking away much of the scenic views, that people come to see and appreciate.  It would also harm wildlife, unique to the region, by removing hundreds of acres of forested habitat.  To top it off, the Whistling Ridge Project, would cost more money than it would even begin to benefit anyone who lives within the area. The projects average power capacity would only be 25 megawatts of power generated, as compared to 17,000 megawatts, already being generated by existing projects in Washington and Oregon,  and that are located in more wide open appropriate areas.

Here in the Pacific Northwest, we are not lacking in the area of wind energy production.  Infact, we currently produce so much wind energy here, that a vast majority of it is distributed to California.

In most instances, I am a supporter of renewable energy and laws and policies that support their development.  However, in this case here in Washington, we do not need this particular project.  It implies a high cost to the environment, the economy, and to tourism in the area, and it would greatly harm one of our regions greatest natural assets.

While all states have their own unique beauty and treasures, The Whistling Ridge Project, shows an inappropriate use of funds, resources and land. It should not be allowed to move forward, because it is a prime example of unintended misuse of current energy laws and policies that have gone horribly awry.

As of today, our Governor Christine Gregoire, has approved this wind farm project as a source for jobs in the area.  Currently, area citizens are planning an appeal. Your thoughts and comments on this topic are appreciated, as we work toward a better tomorrow.

Ladybugs, also known by their scientific name of  Coccinellidae,  are a member of the family of beetles.  They are also known as ladybirds in (British English, Australian English, and South African English speaking countries),  and ladybugs is the preferred term in North America.  Some scientist refer to them as lady beetles.

Ladybugs (Coccinellids) are found worldwide, in almost any type of climate, and in wetlands. However, they won’t fly if the temperature is below 55 degrees fahrenheit.  There are over 5,000 species described, with more than 450 species that are native to North America alone.  They are small insects, ranging from 1 mm to 10 mm (0.04 to 0.4 inches), and are usually yellow, orange, or scarlet with small black spots on their wings, with six black legs, their head and antennae are also usually black.

In the spring,  the female ladybug lays her tiny, pale yellow eggs in clusters of ten to 50 on the underside of plant leaves, near colonies of aphids. Three to five days later the larvae hatch. They look much like miniature alligators, usually gray or black, with bright spots.

After hatching, the larva immediately start killing and eating aphids. A single ladybug consumes about 5,000 aphids in his or her lifetime: 400 aphids are consumed, just in the larva stage.  Two to three weeks later, the larva pupates on a leaf, and transforms to an adult. Then as an adult, consumes another 4600 aphids in their lifetime.

During the summer, ladybugs live in shrubs, branches, and flowers, in fields, gardens, and on plants . During autumn , they form a colony called coleptera.  Then, they find and crawl to protective hiding places, such as tree stumps, cracks in wood, or in ground cover types of vegetation.  This then becomes a place to hibernate–at the base of a tree, along a fence row, under a fallen tree, or even under a rock. They crawl under leaves to protect themselves from the winter cold.  The fascinating thing is, they can hibernate in groups of 50 to 100 million, to produce and conserve warmth.  Most ladybugs only live for several months, but some can survive longer.

Generally, ladybugs are considered useful insects, as many species feed on aphids or scale insects, which are pests in gardens, agricultural fields, orchards, and similar places. There fore, they have been termed as a ” gardeners best friend”.  Some people consider seeing them or having them land on their body, to be a sign of “good luck”.

See where the cutest ladybugs live!