The Guide To Efficient Living
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]
In A Nutshell Overall, the best rechargeable AA battery is the Eneloop Pro (aka Sanyo XX Battery Powered By Eneloop). These batteries hold their charge for 12 months. They also have a high energy capacity (2500 mAh), and they perform better than similar high-capacity AAs (see my article for more information). Another good rechargeable AA is Maha’s Imedion battery, which is cheaper than the… [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]
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.
We always like to discover innovative, plant-based products that are being introduced into the marketplace. Take for example, Soap Nuts which are an organic, eco-effective alternative to detergent. The powder is made from the sun-dried fruit of Sapindus Trifoliatus trees in south eastern India which is ground into a fine powder. Nothing further is added… [Continue Reading]
My unwinking, analytical gaze of efficiency now turns to the toilet. Unfortunately, the design of the modern Western toilet is highly inefficient, in fact, it is so inefficient that it is actually harming our health. The modern toilet has only been around for about 150 years — the “porcelain throne” was created to “give dignity”… [Continue Reading]
Cannonball! Jumping into a swimming pool is a classic way to beat the heat on a hot summer day. But clean pool water requires a combination of filtration, circulation, and sanitization. Chlorine has long been the most common tool for keeping pools free of bacteria and algae – but it has its drawbacks, and there… [Continue Reading]
Recently, I wrote about the low-profile Aerotecture wind turbines, which are designed to be installed on the rooftops of city buildings. Now I’ve heard of another rooftop wind turbine under development. It’s called the Helyx Wind Generator, and it’s composed of two twisted wings of fiberglass that rotate around a vertical axis. The turbine is… [Continue Reading]
Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens has placed an the largest ever order for wind turbines: he ordered 667 wind turbines from GE, each costing $3 million dollars, making the total order $2 billion. Pickens plans to develop the world’s largest wind farm in the panhandle of Texas.
A lot of readers expressed interest in using red and blue LEDs for hydroponic growing. These LED lights can be found at Amazon. It is, of course, more efficient to grow plants outside, but when this is not possible, LEDs are an efficient choice.
Recent Comments: