Seaspiracy

In 2021 a documentary called Seaspiracy hit Netflix. It definitely presents all the problems with the commercialized fishing industry. Trawling nets destroying kelp and coral, over fishing, chemical dye and more. Illegal fishing is depleting fish stocks all over the world. There isn’t a simple solution, but awareness is the first step. Even fishfarming generates a lot of toxic waste.

The problem is, it’s only solution was to STOP EATING FISH. Some would combine it with stop eating meat and just eat vegetables.

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How to expand your Solar Panel system

We installed our original solar panels way back in 2004.  They have generated a ton of power for us, but after 14 years, it was time to think about adding on to our system.

Be sure to read our articles: Are Solar Panels for me?

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Everyone wants to look good and feel good about their body!

• Did you know that many cosmetics that women use on a daily basis may contain toxic ingredients?
• Most cosmetics don’t even have an ingredients list on them!

It’s time people know what they are putting on their body.

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Summer is rapidly approaching, it is time to clean up your place. Getting ready for summer can generate a lot of waste. The warmer weather opens up the opportunity to get outside more often as well as requires us to cool down the home.

EWG has a nice list of tips to help you clean your house the green or more eco-friendly way. Read the rest of this entry »

Get a Free local Solar Power Estimate from a local vendor by clicking the advertisement above.

Why Clean Solar Panels?

Once you get your solar panels installed, you will find them fairly maintenance free. Most are rated for a very long 30 year lifetime. As you can see from the above picture, solar panels can get dirty. Pollen, bird droppings, dirt, and dust can build up on solar panels. We try to clean solar panels at least two times a year. March/April when the rainy season has passed, and August/September, towards the end of summer. Pollen from our nearby evergreens really sticks to the panels. Try to clean pollen off before it bonds, otherwise a cleaning solution may be needed.

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Over 11 million tons of textiles went into landfills in 2018.  Few people equate fashion with environmental issues, but it is a big problem.

Did you know that making clothes is a dirty process?  Per the Wall Street Journal April 2019:

The textile industry has generated about 380 million metric tons of plastic—more than other individual sectors such as electronics or consumer and industrial products or building and construction, according to a 2017 study in the journal Science Advances. Plastic accounts for 63% of the materials used to make clothes, according to a 2017 report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, and 73% of those materials end up being incinerated or put in a landfill each year.

Most people do not want to negatively affect the environment with their clothing picks. Shockingly, there are several gotchas with even this simple Choice. Read the rest of this entry »

Indoor Air Quality

Indoor Air Quality refers to how clean the air we breathe indoors is. We spend 90-95% of our time indoors. Often times the air outside is cleaner. This leads to health problems like allergies, asthma, etc.

Consumer Product Safety Commission and EPA has a good guide on how to improve indoor air quality. EPA has an extensive list of items that affect indoor air quality.

Major air quality problems include: Smoking, Fireplaces, Mold, Dust, Radon, Stoves.

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Electric Car Federal Tax Rebate

• “All electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles that were purchased new in or after 2010 may be eligible for a federal income tax credit of up to $7,500,” according to the US Department of Energy.
• Your tax bill needs to exceed $7500
• Phased out by cars a company sold. 200,000 cap
• Includes plugin hybrids (Lower $)
• No more rebate: GM, Tesla, Toyota (Soon)

Cars with rebate as of April 2022

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Last update: January 2, 2020

Interested in Solar Power but don’t have tens of thousands of dollars? Free Solar Panels?

Tesla Solar, and most other solar power installers, have an interesting program where you lease solar equipment and pay a monthly lease. The Solar Lease payment and lower electric bill will be less than your current electric bill. The company owns the solar panels and you rent them by paying the cost of the power.

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Looking for a new water heater?

AO Smith makes the Vertex 100 water heater that is very efficient at 96% thermal efficiency. The 50-gallon Vertex delivers hot water output that exceeds a 75-gallon atmospheric gas water heater. The Vertex can deliver continuous hot water flow of over 4 gallons per minute. It has a LCD display allowing precise temperature control. The Vertex 100 has a dedicated loop for radiant hot water heating systems. Dimensions are similar to a standard 50-gallon power-vent water heater. 100,000 BTU input per hour. Jay Leno and Ed Begly Jr have these units.

Vertex 100 does requires PVC, CPVC or ABS pipe venting not traditional metal venting. It also requires a separate intake PVC airline. The unit requires AC power to run its fan. This fan makes this unit’s operation a bit noisy.  It is probably best suited for a garage. Vertex 100 water heaters cost roughly $2000+ installed minus the Federal and any local utility rebate. Our local utility PG&E has a $50 rebate.

How does it compare to a ‘normal‘ energy saving water heater? AO Smith’s Conservationist series 50 Gallon model has an Energy Factor of 0.62. and 40,000 BTU input per hour. Approximately 80% efficient. It costs about $1300.

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