The Guide To Efficient Living
Photo credit: USA today After being passed by Congress, Bush just signed into law a massive energy bill that will, among other things, spell the end of traditional light bulb. USA Today reports that the bill will phase out the venerable (but power-hungry) incandescent bulb over the next dozen years in favor more efficient fluorescent,… [Continue Reading]
The world’s largest wind turbine is now the Enercon E-126. This turbine has a rotor diameter of 126 meters (413 feet). The E-126 is a more sophisticated version of the E-112, formerly the world’s largest wind turbine and rated at 6 megawatts. This new turbine is officially rated at 6 megawatts too, but will most… [Continue Reading]
Note: This post has been expanded and updated for 2009! Tankless water heaters only heat water when it is needed. About 8% to 30% of the energy consumed by a standard water heater goes to keeping the water hot while it’s not being used. New tankless systems heat the water instantly when you turn on… [Continue Reading]
We just featured the largest wind turbine in the world, now here’s something at the opposite end of the spectrum: a household wind turbine. In the last few years, we’ve seen a lot of mini-wind turbines that haven’t turned out to be very useful. But the Windspire turbine from Mariah Power sounds interesting. The Windspire… [Continue Reading]
Remember the 20th century when we were in a consumption frenzy? Terms like swap and share weren’t even on our radar. The economic downturn combined with our fundamental need to connect with others has started a swap and share movement that has been defined as Collaborative Consumption. Businesses are now using the efficiency of the… [Continue Reading]
The sales of commuters bikes in the U.S. have grown quickly in the last couple years. Commuter bikes are those that include features useful for commuting to work or around town — like fenders, chain guards, storage racks, comfortable seats, lights and puncture-resistant tires. You may also be interested our reviews of folding bikes and… [Continue Reading]
Tankless water heaters have been used in Europe and Asia for 50 years, and they are gaining popularity in the US. Right now they represent about 8% of new sales in the US. Tankless heaters, also called on-demand, flash or instant water heaters, qualify for a $300 federal tax credit. How efficient are tankless water… [Continue Reading]
Sales of electric bikes have spun into high gear this year — some merchants reporting a 6000% increase in sales. This is good news, because, for short trips, the efficiency and convenience of electric bikes is hard to beat. You may have heard that in the U.S., 40% of all trips are made within two miles… [Continue Reading]
What is the largest wind farm in the world? Well, right now it’s the Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center in Texas. This wind farm has 421 wind turbines that generate a total capacity of 735 megawatts. The wind turbines are spread across 47,000 acres of land in Taylor and Nolan County, Texas.
Once again, we have scoured the internet to find the highest rated flashlights. The lights we feature here received the most praise from the forums and review sites we assessed. These sites included: Backpacking Light, Light Reviews, and the Candle Power Forums. A few notable brands of flashlight are still made in the U.S. – Streamlight (made in Eagleville, Pennsylvania) and… [Continue Reading]
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