[Approx. Read Time: 2 mintues]  Earth day 2010 was commemorated with the dedication of an Earth Day Garden located at the Entergy Nuclear national headquarters in Jackson, Miss. Amy Pittman, officer for the Mississippi North American-Young Generation in Nuclear chapter, not only helped with the planting but addressed the employee gathering during Earth Day.

“It was a fun project for all three professional groups to work on,” stated Pittman. “We are coordinating efforts of the local chapters of NA-YGN, Women In Nuclear and the American Nuclear Society and the Earth Day Garden was a great way to collaborate.”

In 2010 a lot of environmentalists are not only celebrating Earth Day but are starting to rethink nuclear energy. President Obama himself has endorsed it along with Energy Secretary, Dr. Stephen Chu. NA-YGN members and other Entergy Nuclear employees have taken this small step to better the planet via the Earth Day Garden as a reminder that nuclear is not only a “green” source of energy but reliable, base-load and affordable.

April 22 marked the 40th anniversary of Earth Day globally and Entergy supported the event with activities across the organization and information at www.entergy.com/earthday. Entergy is the second-largest nuclear generator in North America and safely operates plants that provide power in Arkansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New York and Vermont.

[Approx. Read Time: 1 minute]  President Obama’s pledge to support the nuclear industry with more loan guarantees is great for the nuclear industry. But what does it mean to you?

Right now in the United States, 20% of energy is generated by nuclear power. Nuclear power is generated in nuclear power plants, which is then transferred to energy utilities (power companies), who then supply the energy to your home. This energy is used to turn on the lights, the coffee maker, power the alarm clock (although sometimes we wish it wouldn’t!).

Nuclear power plants typically have a life span of 40 to 60 years. There are 104 reactors generating power in the U.S. at this time. They were built and have been running since the 1960s and 70s. Therefore, new nuclear plants need to be built in order to maintain the base power that nuclear provides.  We must support building new nuclear power plants so we can meet our energy needs required to sustain our population growth and allow Americans to continue to live “comfortably”.

I know that Halloween is today and this may find some of you a little late, but as a light and fun holiday article, I thought we could discuss “Green” Halloween ideas.  Here are some fun Halloween ideas that will help you have an eco-friendly holiday.

1) Reuse or make your own Halloween costume:

Okay, so I know this sounds cheesy but how easy, cheap and fun would it be to make your own costume?  Be a little creative.  Some of the most memorable costumes I had as a little kid were ones my mom made.  One year my mom took a clear trash bag, cut holes for legs and arms, blew up a bunch of colorful balloons and stuffed my sister and the balloons in the trash bad.  She was a bag of jelly beans.  It was hilarious and definitely won best costume on the street.  If you don’t feel like being creative, ask a friend if you could borrow an old costume they might not be using.

2) Decorate with nature:

So who doesn’t love the colorful changing of the leaves, or the brownish color corn stalks, or acorns falling off the trees?  Use these items to decorate your home for this fall holiday instead of purchasing a bunch of expensive decorations that you could have probably made yourself.

3) Walk…Don’t Drive:

Now I hope that none of you do this but walk, don’t drive your kids from house to house trick-or-treating.  Driving takes all the fun out of trick-or treating.  Not only is it good exercise but it is a time that you can spend with your children.

4) Take a reusable bag:

Take and old pillow case that you don’t use anymore (which I am sure you all have) and let your kids paint them to make their trick or treat bag?  It would be a creative, fun activity for your child to do plus you can store it away with the rest of your Halloween decorations and use it for years to come!

5) Purchase candy that has the least amount of wrapping:

So I know a lot of you are going to be passing out the candy instead of getting the candy (unless you pick at your own candy bowl…which I am sure is what I will be doing) so one way to been a little more environmentally friendly is when you go candy shopping, try to buy candy that has less wrapping and packaging.

I hope everyone has a fun filled and safe Halloween!!!  If you get a last minute party invite or are still debating on what to wear, check out the Mother Nature Network for some easy eco-friendly costume ideas.

Don’t forget, the cleanest energy is the energy you don’t waste.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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TGIF!  Time to reveal another way to save energy.  To piggy back on what we discussed last week, properly installing and using a programmable thermostat in your home is an easy way to save energy and money!  Remember that the cleanest energy is the energy you don’t waste.

Programmable Thermostat

By using a programmable thermostat in your home, it is easy to pre-program settings to regulate your home’s temperature.  Depending on your family’s schedule, the thermostat can be set to properly adjust your homes temperature as to deliver savings without sacrificing comfort.  According to the US Department of Energy, each household can save approximately 10% a year on heating and cooling bills by turning back the thermostat 10°–15° for eight hours.   By using a programmable thermostat, you can pre-set a schedule and adjust when you want to turn on and off  your heating or air-conditioning based on when you are sleeping or not in your home.

Energy star qualified programmable thermostats come with pre-programmed set-points as a guide to help setup your thermostat.

Courtesy: EnergyStar.gov

Effort: Medium

Time Required: 2 Hours

Materials Needed: Energy Star Programmable Thermostat and manual that comes with it.

Instructions:

1) Choose the right programmable thermostat

2) Have your thermostat properly installed

3) Properly set and use your thermostat

4) If you would rather not purchase a new thermostat you can still save with your manual thermostat.  You can manually adjust your thermostat before you go to bed or leave your home.

Helpful Reminder:

Turning your heating or cooling system way up or down with not heat or cool your home any faster.  It will however make your system work harder…using more energy.

Read the rest of this entry »

[Approx. Read Time: 2 minutes]

Ceiling fans used in addition to your air conditioning can save energy by allowing a higher thermostat temperature setting. In the summer or warmer months, use the ceiling fan in the counterclockwise direction. While standing directly under the ceiling fan you should feel a cool breeze.  Air movement from the fan evaporates moisture on the skin and makes a person feel cooler. Therefore, you can raise the thermostat and feel just as comfortable. For every degree you raise the air conditioning thermostat, you can save approximately 3 % - 5 % in cooling costs. There is no energy savings if you use a ceiling fan and forget to raise the thermostat.

To get the full effect of your ceiling fan, in the winter or cooler months, reverse the motor and operate the ceiling fan in the clockwise direction. This causes the warm air circulating near the ceiling to produces a gentle updraft, forcing the warm air down into the room without blowing any cool air.

How Much Energy Do Ceiling Fans Use?

(Here is some useful information on ceiling fans from Progress Energy)

Fans use no more electricity than light bulbs. Typical wattage for various ceiling fan sizes are:

• 36″ = 55 watts
• 48″ = 75 watts
• 52″ = 90 watts
• 56″ = 100 watts

For example, a 48″, 75-watt fan used 10 hours a day at half speed or less would cost $.50 to $.90 a month to operate. For a 1,500-square-foot house with air conditioning using two ceiling fans and raising the thermostat setting could save about $70 to $200 over a six-month cooling season.

Effort: Low if already have ceiling fans, Medium to High if installing Ceiling Fans

Time Required: 5 minutes if already have ceiling fans, 2 hours if installing ceiling fans

Materials Needed: Ceiling Fans (preferably Energy Star) and directions and materials that come with it

Instructions:

1) How to select a ceiling fan: Fan sizes typically range from 34″ to 56″ in diameter. The size of the fan depends of the room dimensions.  Below gives a general idea of the size ceiling fan for the size room it is located in.

• 36″ fan for rooms that measure up to 9′ X 12′
• 48″ fan for rooms up to 12′ X 15′
• 56″ fan for rooms larger than 12′ X 15′

2) Installing a ceiling fan: Follow the directions that come with the fan.  The following Do-it-Yourself website is also a helpful tool.

Helpful Reminder:

Adjust your thermostat when you have your ceiling fans running.  For each degree you lower or raise your thermostat (depending on the season and which direction your fan is rotating), you’ll reduce heating or cooling costs 3 % to 5 %.

[Approx. Read Time: 1 minute]

It’s Friday again and we’re back to talk about consumption conservation! The days are getting shorter, the air is getting colder, and we’re going to be spending more time indoors flipping on lights, cranking up the heat, and doing what we do best… consuming energy!

Making the Switch to Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

One of the easiest ways to reduce our energy bills is by making improvements to our household lighting. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, nearly 11% of our energy bill is from lighting. An Energy Star qualified compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) uses 75% less energy than a standard incandescent bulb and lasts approximately 10 times longer! That equates to about $30 in savings over the lifetime of a single CFL. (www.energystar.gov)

Courtesy of Energystar.gov

How to Upgrade your Lighting:

Effort: Low
Time Required: 1-2 minutes
Materials Needed:

• Lamp, light fixture, etc.
• EnergyStar rated CFL Bulb
• EnergyStar rated Fluorescent Fixture (Optional)

Steps:

1. Determine the most effective room to upgrade. Since CFL’s are most efficient in fixtures used continuously, try starting with a community room such as the kitchen.
2. Select the proper bulb size/power for your fixture. (Visit www.energystar.gov for guidance in choosing the right light)
3. As an optional step, consider upgrading your permanent lighting fixture to an Energy Star qualified fluorescent fixture.

Purchase, install, flip the switch, and SAVE!!!

So remember, next time you flip the switch… Energy Is Our Future –Don’t Waste It!

(Photo Courtesy of IBD Editorials and Pulitzer Prize winning Cartoonist Michael Ramirez)

[Approx. Read Time: 1 minute]

Energy Is Our Future-Don’t Waste It!

It’s Friday…let’s talk about a way we can save, conserve and maintain energy for our future generations.

Wash Laundry with Cold Water

Using hot or warm water to wash your clothes consumes much more energy than using cold water.  According to the U.S. Department of energy, using less water and using cooler water can both reduce the amount of energy used to wash clothes.  A large percent of energy in the home is wasted on heating water to wash clothes.  Approximately 80-90% of the energy used for washing laundry is for heating the water…only 10% is the electricity used to power your washing machine.

By washing 4 out of 5 loads of laundry in cold water, you could (Ref):

• Save $60 or more annually.
• Reduce your CO2 emissions by 72 pounds in one month.
  

If every household in the United States washed 4 out of 5 loads with cold water, together we could:

• Save $6.7 billion per year
• Reduce about 50 million tons of CO2 emissions (that is equivalent to removing 10 million cars from the road)!

Effort: Low

Time Required: None

Materials Needed: Cold Water Laundry Detergent of your choice

Instructions:

1. When you do a load of laundry, set your washing machine on the “cold/cold” setting.
2. In a situation where it is necessary to wash in warm or hot water (heavy stains), set your machine to “hot/cold” or “warm/cold.”  This will use cold water in the rinse cycle.

Helpful Reminder: Set you “favorite” cycle on your washing machine to a cold/cold setting so that every time you go to do a load of laundry you hit the favorite cycle button and it automatically washes with cold water.

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Energy Is Our Future–Don’t Waste It!

This Friday blog series will aim to raise awareness concerning the importance of energy efficiency. Throughout this series we will discuss issues linked to energy consumption and energy savings.

Clean Energy Insight realizes that the cleanest energy is energy that you don’t waste. Conserving energy is more than just about saving money…it helps to reduce adverse environmental and social impacts related to the creation and consumption of energy.

So while we are talking about reducing CO2 emissions, energy costs, clean energy and the how much energy is consumed, let’s talk about ways that we can save, conserve and maintain this energy for our future generations.

Cleaning or Replacing Air Filters on your Air Conditioning Unit

Check your filter every month, especially during heavy use months (winter and summer).  If the filter looks dirty after a month, change it. At a minimum, change the filter every 3 months. A dirty filter will slow down air flow and make the system work harder to keep you warm or cool…wasting energy. A clogged or dirty air filter can increase operating costs of an air conditioning unit by at least 10%.  A clean filter will also prevent dust and dirt from building up in the system leading to expensive maintenance and/or early system failure. (www.energystar.gov)

How to Change or Clean your Air Conditioning Filter:

Effort: Low
Time Required: 5-10 minutes
Materials Needed:

1. Broom or vacuum
2. Water hose/spigot access
3. Replacement filter (if needed)

Instructions

1. Locate your filter. They can usually be found in the wall behind a metal grating.

2.  If the filter is near a very dusty or dirty area, sweep or vacuum the floor.

3.  Make sure that the system is turned off before you touch any part of the filter.

4.  Pop or slide open the panel door.

5.  Slide the filter out.

6.  If it’s a disposable filter, carefully measure the length and width of the filter.

7.  Go to the hardware store and buy filters that are the same size. (Go to step 10.)

8.  If it’s a replaceable filter, take the filter out to a solid, clean surface outside and spray it down thoroughly with water. Do not use detergents, since this can actually make the dirt stick to the filters.

9.  Let the filter air-dry outside.

10.  Put the filter back in, making sure to line up any guide arrows correctly.

Helpful Reminder:

Each month when you go to pay your electric bill, replace or clean your air conditioner’s filter.

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The pro-nuclear movement has almost everything going for it.  We have the support of technical experts, environmentalists, the utilities, most Republicans, and some Democrats.  We have overwhelming data and facts and even survey data shows that 68% of Americans are for new nuclear power.  There is a missing endorsement that the mass population of the US would take a shine to and that is of celebrities.  In order to be successful the nuclear clean energy movement is going to have to work on getting a celebrity endorsement.

Patrick Moore

The best we have right now is Bob Geldof (aging rock star really only known in the UK) and Patrick Moore (founder of Greenpeace).  No offense to these guys, but if we are going to get some positive attention for nuclear as a green alternative via tabloid journalism we are going to need to do a whole lot better.  If corn based ethanol can get Willie Nelson then we ought to be able to get somebody that The Soup would report on.

Some Names from Grist.org of celebrities that have endorsed other Green energy are:

Leo DeCaprio – Anything green,  Famed Prius owner

Robert Redford – Solar, lots of stuff

George Clooney – Against foreign oil.

Ed Norton – Solar

The importance of a celebrity endorsement has nothing to do with legitimizing the idea of nuclear, just massive attention and positive flashiness. These attention getters rarely have any decent knowledge of what they are endorsing, nor are they expected to. So that pretty much means we could get any of them up to speed in a hurry.

Here is a first draft list that we have brainstormed for potential celebrities we should invite to join the nuclear cause:

Scarlett Johansson

Scarlett Johansson

Shaquille O’neal

Simon Cowell

Matthew McConaughey

Kellie Pickler

Kevin Costner

Kid Rock

Miley Cyrus

The Jonas Brothers

Eminem

Seth Rogen

Please post your recommendations as to the best celebrity to court for an endorsement.  We need all the help we can get.

( By Carrington Dillon ) [Approx. Watch/Read Time: 5.5 minutes]

In case you haven’t turned on the TV or visited an online media outlet, today is the 40th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 visit to the Moon.  I’d like for everyone to watch these videos and really let the depth of this human achievement sink in.  I don’t really feel that any commentary is necessary.  Neither is it appropriate to relate this accomplishment to nuclear power and try to make a point in any way.  I feel that younger generations don’t realize how important this feat was to the entire world.  Hopefully, this post will spark someone’s interest and make a change in the perception of the Apollo 11 Mission.  Enjoy.

First, here is the remastered video that NASA released earlier this week courtesy of the AP:

Here are some really great pictures from the Apollo 11 Mission:

( By Carrington Dillon )  [Approx. Read Time: 0.5 minutes]

I’m going to give DGM credit for getting me thinking about this one.  Recently, he brought up his frustration with titles of nuclear news articles in the media.  It’s true that subtlety, the media has a lot of power on the way we conceive certain subjects.  One of those is Nuclear Power.  For example, check out the NY Times’ “Nuclear Energy” news wire.  The insult to your intelligence immediately hits you as soon as you scroll down the page.  There are actually articles about terrorism, dirty bombs, etc. that are being related to Nuclear Power.

Who is for a petition, letter writing campaign, or some other form of persuasion to get the NY Times to fix this blaring problem with their categorization of Nuclear Energy?  Please feel free to comment.  As always, your ideas are welcome, no matter how small or insignificant they seem to you.

( By DGM ) [Approx. Read Time: 1 minute]

I am sadly terrified that our Government does not employ engineers at the highest levels of government. Why this is, I do not know.  The rest of us engineers stand in astonishment when we look at how much power our country needs, along with the ability of solar and wind power to provide that power—as these are apparently the only form of power that the President recognizes.

Perhaps we need a Chief Engineer of the United States. We have an Attorney General and a Surgeon General, why not an Engineer General? He/she could take a dry erase board over to the White House and draw the simple equation of “SOLAR + WIND < FUTURE ENERGY REQUIRED.”

Then he/she would show the realistic CO2 free proposed solution of “SOLAR + WIND + NUCLEAR = FUTURE ENERGY REQUIRED.” There is a staggering realization here that our Government is failing to recognize. My real fear is that if our Government fails to admit to understanding the problem until too late then we will build a bunch of CO2 emitting plants because they are faster and more convenient to build.

OK, now I’m a little miffed. Carrington just pointed out this story to me that I never saw. Although it kind of steals my thunder a bit, Henry Petroski and I are in complete agreement.

( By Carrington Dillon ) [Approx. Read Time: 1 minute]

Starting today, we are going to be trying out a new format for the blogs posted on Clean Energy Insight.  Instead of longer news and opinion pieces being posted, we are going to start posting short news-brief style blogs.  Hopefully, this will keep you more interested and effectively informed.  We will still be posting the “old-style” blogs, but less often.

I would also like for this change to start more conversation in the comment section of each blog.  Without as much information presented in the blogs as before, our readers are allowed to get more involved with explaining and discussing the implications of the news in the blog.

By trimming down our blog categories into a few News blogs, we will be able to better present some of our advocacy activities from all over the country in new categories.  These new categories will be phased in by the end of the week.

Let us know what you think.  We hope you enjoy the new blogging strategy, and thank you for checking out Clean Energy Insight.

( By Carrington Dillon )

I’d like to share something with all of you that I, for some reason, started thinking of the past couple of days.  This short excerpt from an essay by Albert Einstein entitled “The World As I See It,” had a very profound effect on my life when I read the piece in college.  Take from it what you may, but for some reason it struck a chord in me.  And looking at it now, how ironic is it to come from someone who had such a profound impact on all of our American nuclear industry lives?

“How strange is the lot of us mortals!  Each of us is here for a brief sojourn; for what purpose he knows not, though he sometimes thinks he senses it.  But without deeper reflection one knows from daily life that one exists for other people — first of all for those upon whose smiles and well-being our own happiness is wholly dependent, and then for the many, unknown to us, to whose destinies we are bound by the ties of sympathy.  A hundred times every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving…”

Thanks and Happy Independence Day, Albert.