Foot pedal faucet controllers allow you to control a faucet hands-free. These devices are efficient and hygienic — they are commonly found in commercial kitchens and hospitals. I’m not sure why we don’t see them in more homes. You can reduce water use by 50% using pedal controllers, and if it’s hot water, you’ll be saving power too. At a …
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Grapefruit Seed Extract — An Efficient Disinfectant
Graopefruit Seed Extract (or GSE) is a powerful disinfectant. It can be used to disinfect wounds, sterilize fruit and vegetables, purify drinking water, sanitize dishes, countertops and cutting boards and inhibit bacteria growth in pools and spas. The active ingredient of grapefruit seed extract is synthesized from the seed and pulp of certified organically grown grapefruit. The process converts the …
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Bidet Seats: More Efficient Than Toilet Paper
Bidets are those devices that spray water (and sometimes air) on your posterior. They are more hygienic than toilet paper, and save you money in the long run. In Japan, high-tech bidets called Washlets are now the most popular electronic equipment being sold — 60% of households have them installed. In Venezuela they are found in approximately 90% of households. …
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The Best Shower Filters
I just replaced my shower filters, so I thought I’d update my best shower filter review from earlier this year. Each update to the review generates a lot of useful comments. So I’m incorporating what I’ve learned from those comments into this latest review.
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The Most Efficient Public Swimming Pool In The U.S.
A community swimming pool called the Richmond Plunge has just opened in Richmond, California, and it may be the most efficient swimming pool in the country. The Richmond Plunge has many efficient features: it’s heated by solar collectors, it’s entirely chlorine-free, and the building is powered by solar panels on the roof. The Plunge is a historic pool — it …
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Chlorine Alternatives For Efficient Swimming Pools
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 are alternatives.
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Green Roofs – Efficient Design Starts At The Top
Green roofs have seen a surge in popularity recently as sustainable building designs become more mainstream. Soil and plantings on a building’s rooftop can help manage water runoff, improve air quality, and reduce energy use by moderating indoor temperatures. They can also prolong the life of a building’s roof by protecting it from the wear and tear of wind, water, …
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The Rainwater Pillow – Rain Barrel Meets Cistern
Utilizing rainwater runoff is a double bonus for homeowners, both in environmental and financial terms. It reduces the amount of water consumed from the municipal system, and it lessens the strain on wastewater treatment facilities that must process water after it flows down the drain. A rain barrel is great for small-scale applications like a flower garden, and now there …
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AeroGarden: Easy, Efficient Indoor Gardening
In 2004, MetaEfficient.com pre-reviewed the AeroGrow aeroponics growing system. That was before the system was released. A couple of years ago, you couldn’t cut on your TV without seeing an ad for AeroGrow indoor gardening systems. It isn’t as ubiquitously advertised now, but it hasn’t disappeared from the market. In fact, five years after its initial release, there are several …
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The Best Shower Filter
Note: Please stop read this article, and read our updated shower filter article instead I wanted to post an update on my quest for the best shower filter. I received a lot of useful comments on my last shower filter post, and I’ve also tested a couple of new shower filters.
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Irish Firm Claims World’s Most Efficient Solar Heater
An Irish company, Surface Power, has launched what could be the most efficient solar hot water panel ever produced. The company says it plans to distribute its product internationally. The new solar panel was independently certified by TUV Rhineland. Their tests verified that when compared to other solar panels, Surface Power’s solar panel was in one case as much as …
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Review Of Tankless Water Heaters
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 heaters?
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Visit To An Efficient Winebar
I don’t think I would have ever discovered this winebar, had I not been led to it, through the labyrinthine streets of Arlington, by Chantrea, who is the originator of what I have to call a noetic zymurgy. I followed Chantrea through the avenues, and into a restaurant. I don’t recall which one, but I ducked inside, and we both …
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Dockside Green Awarded World’s Highest LEED Score
The Dockside Green community has been certified to be built to Platinum LEED (leadership in energy and environmental design) standards. It was awarded the highest LEED score in the world.
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90% Of Israeli Homes Have Solar Water Heaters
I recently noted that Hawaii has enacted a law that requires all new homes to install solar water heaters. Eventually, Hawaii may have as many water heaters as Israel, where 90% of homes have solar water heaters installed. When viewed from above, the Jerusalem often glitters with the shine of the thousands of solar heaters that adorn rooftops.
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SolarDucts: Heating Air and Generating Power
Solar energy is often used to heat water or generate electricity, but it can also be used to heat air. The SolarDuct is a new device that uses sunlight to heat air before it enter a ventilator. They are modular units that can be installed on buildings with flat roofs.
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Proximity: A Very Green Hotel In North Carolina
The Proximity Hotel is proof that a hotel can be very green without sacrificing the comfort of its guests. The hotel is located in Greensboro, North Carolina, and it achieved a Gold LEED certification this year from the U.S. Green Building Council. The Proximity uses 36.5% less energy and 30% less water than a conventional hotel. It gets 60% of …
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Costa Rica Is 99% Powered By Renewable Energy
Costa Rica is a country rich with renewable energy. In fact, it gets about 99% of all its electrical energy from clean sources, and it’s aiming to be the first country to become carbon neutral (more about that below). Some of Costa Rica’s energy sources include geothermal energy, the burning of sugarcane waste and other biomass, solar and wind energy. …
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The Best Kitchen Faucet Aerators
One of the least expensive ways to increase the efficiency of your home is to install low-flow aerators on your faucets. These devices save water, and lower utility bills as well, because less hot water is used. Because of this, low-flow aerators will generally pay for themselves in only a few months.
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German Parliment To Use 100% Renewable Power
The German Reichstag is expected to become the greenest parliament building in the world, thanks to a decision to rely solely on renewable energy. From late summer the building is due to swap to green power sources such as water, wind and solar energy, replacing the conventional power that it has largely relied upon until now.
