Dawn's Blog

It's a Snap

Dawn Wiser (Century 21 Exclusively) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 13:46:57 -0500

Here's information from Chelan County PUD on their SNAP program - a program designed to generate alternative, renewable energy. The simpliest way to participate is to donate to renewable power; the ultimate is to produce your own and sell it back to the PUD. Here's the link to the PUD website:

http://www.chelanpud.org/snap.html

Here's a brief summary:

Sustainable Natural Alternative Power (SNAP) is one of Chelan County PUD's renewable energy programs. Customers voluntarily pay a little extra on their utility bills to support solar and wind power. These donations are distributed once a year to our SNAP producers -- individuals, schools and nonprofit agencies that are generating solar and wind power. Renewable energy generated by SNAP producers goes into the PUD's electrical grid and is distributed to PUD customers.

Pretty cool (or hot, if it's winter)

Set back

Dawn Wiser (Century 21 Exclusively) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:46:11 -0500

Set back thermostats are a great way to reduce your heating and cooling costs, especially if you use the feature to turn back the settings while you are away and at night. This time of year, however, I find we use heating and cooling when we really don't need it. For air conditioning, a hour or two with a temperature a few degrees warmer than we usually keep the rooms is not too hard to endure. The automatic settings on the thermostat keeps the temperature at the predetermined setting regardless. I prefer to turn off the system all together until winter sets in and the temperature calls for heat full time and in the spring, for constant cooling.

Clear sky

Dawn Wiser (Century 21 Exclusively) — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:59:29 -0500

Watching the Olympics is an eye-opener when it comes to pollution. Every effort we make is small compared to the damage that is happening in other countries. Money must be such a powerful forcethat damaging the lives of people comes second to wealth. The technologies that have been developed to reduce emissions are available but not being employed. What will it take to stop the harm? Would withholding the privilege of hosting the Olympics have made a difference? Maybe, but we will never know.

Heard it before

Dawn Wiser (Century 21 Exclusively) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 12:28:41 -0500

It is true and you've probably heard it before but driving slower will save you money. Your car uses less gas at slower speeds and with less stopping and going. It is hard to slow down when everyone is passing you by but not only will you save money, less consumption is a good thing, especially considering the price of filling a tank these days. Will we become complacent when gas prices fall a little and seem like a bargain again. It would be better is we permanently changed our driving habits, but will we?

Wind power

Dawn Wiser (Century 21 Exclusively) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 15:38:25 -0500

Windmills have been around for centuries to generate power for a variety of needs. A new type of wind generation system has been developed by placing wind generators on top of tall buildings in cities. These machines appear to be lying on their sides but actually rotate better than windmill type generators. The face of the building can be modified to increase the wind tunnel effect and output. These types of energy generators are unseen which is an improvement over the wind farms sprouting up all over and they are reported to be more efficient.

Too hot to handle

Dawn Wiser (Century 21 Exclusively) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 15:38:11 -0500

Now that the heat records are being broken, I've had to forget the front porch. Anything over 95 is just too hot for me to handle. But the same methods to savings energy use can be applied in summer as in winter. Keep all south and west facing window coverings closed during the hottest part of the day to reduce cooling costs. Make sure all doors and windows are closed and sealed (it's easier to leave the window open and forget about it in the summer). Also, turn the thermostat to a comfortable level but not to the extreme.

Front porch

Dawn Wiser (Century 21 Exclusively) — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:24:36 -0500

Before air conditioned houses, people use to enjoy their front porches and meet with their neighbors. Now, we all stay inside where it is a comfortable 68 to 78 degrees, or maybe even 80 degrees. Houses now are not usually being built with the types of front porches that accommodate chairs, benches, and tables. Maybe it is time to get back out there and meet the neighbors and turn the air conditioner up or off. Walks with the family in the evening can be a great thing.

Rain saves the day

Dawn Wiser (Century 21 Exclusively) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:02:12 -0500

Have you ever seen a sprinkler running during the rain? Being green and saving money is becoming more important all the time. We most often do not have enough rain in Wenatchee to keep our lawns green but on the few occasions that enough rain falls to water the lawn thoroughly, it is a smart idea to turn off the automatic sprinkler for the day and even the next few days if sufficient rain has fallen. It saves money (ok, not so much if you have irrigation water) and our water resource.

Small stuff

Dawn Wiser (Century 21 Exclusively) — Tue, 27 May 2008 15:59:13 -0500

I found the canvas bags at my local grocery store, finally. For .99 cents each, if everyone had their own bags, can you imagine the difference. It use to be that I would have at least 5 bags of groceries a week; over a year that would be over 250 bags a week. Multiply that by a community and then a state and the number would be staggering. Imagine the impact reduce waste would make.

Plant a tree

Dawn Wiser (Century 21 Exclusively) — Thu, 22 May 2008 15:02:24 -0500

Well-placed trees and shrubs can reduce cooling costs in the summer not to mention the enjoyment from the plants themselves and the increased value of your home. Be certain to locate shading vegetation where it will least likely block sun when it is needed in the winter months. Your local nursery or master gardener can help select the best plants and locations. Don't forget to look at soil types as well to insure that proper growth is obtained.

Do Not Mail

Dawn Wiser (Century 21 Exclusively) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:23:18 -0500

This is almost as cool as "do not call." The credit cards offers many of us receive weekly can be stopped. Here's what they say on the opt-out website:

"Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Consumer Credit Reporting Companies are permitted to include your name on lists used by creditors or insurers to make firm offers of credit or insurance that are not initiated by you ("Firm Offers"). The FCRA also provides you the right to "Opt-Out", which prevents Consumer Credit Reporting Companies from providing your credit file information for Firm Offers."

https://www.optoutprescreen.com/?rf=t

This information is included in the "offers" along with a phone number for requesting do not mail status. It does take about 6 weeks for the mail to end. No more catalogs and no more (ok, just not as much) junk mail.

Greener and greener

Dawn Wiser (Century 21 Exclusively) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 17:00:55 -0500

The emphasis to go green is everywhere. Another site (that you must register for) is dedicated to being green in all aspects of life. Here's the link: http://www.idealbite.com/ It does seem to be so much but almost everyone I know is concerned and is modifying some portion of their life. It will all make a difference in the long run.

Simple plug

Dawn Wiser (Century 21 Exclusively) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:13:28 -0500

Here's another simple energy conservation measure. Outlet plugs keep cold air from entering through outside walls and cold spaces. You can purchase the plugs at any hardware store (your local utility might even give them away). They are installed by removing the outlet cover, place the plug over the hole, and screw the plate back in place. Simple savings!

Catalog it

Dawn Wiser (Century 21 Exclusively) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 15:48:09 -0500

The do not call registry really made life easier for many people. Now there is an option to stop the unwanted catalogs being mailed to you. The website is Catalog Choice (www.catalogchoice.org). You can't opt out of all catalogs, but you can sign up not to be sent the ones you currently receive and have been assigned a customer number. Eliminating the use of catalogs can reduce millions of pounds of paper and the costs associated with making and printing all those pages. Seems it would also reduce prices but that remains to be seen.

Digital helps

Dawn Wiser (Century 21 Exclusively) — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 15:40:22 -0600

I bought a new digital camera this weekend and it dawned on me how much more green a digital camera is compared to a film camera. I can delete any picture that is not perfect and save the chemicals and paper that use to be consumed by printing everything picture a camera recorded. No doubt I took many more pictures than I would have with a film camera. I wonder how many other devises there are that have a positive impact on the environment but are not often touted. We do deserve some credit sometimes.

Green clean

Dawn Wiser (Century 21 Exclusively) — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 14:26:54 -0600

The products available to clean just about anything and everything have exploded over the past couple decades. One "feature" is disposable products. It just doesn't make sense to use something then throw it away - a waste of both resources and money. Each time to purchase a throw away cleaning product, think of the resources used to produce that item and the amount of landfill space those products must consume. Is it really that hard to reuse a rag or broom or brush?

Bag lady

Dawn Wiser (Century 21 Exclusively) — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 18:14:47 -0600

My friend had canvas shopping bags in her car yesterday. I will admit that while I have had good intentions, no canvas bags adorn the seats in my car. Today, or the next time I go shopping, I will buy canvas bags and no longer contribute to the waste that plastic bags cause in the world. Plastic bags may be outlawed in many states soon but are paper bags that much better? Yes, they are easier to recycle but reusing canvas eliminates waste and recycling costs. Plus, it is easy to do, particularly if you remember to keep the bags in your car.

Recycle Trial

Dawn Wiser (Century 21 Exclusively) — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 14:01:17 -0600

Many people feel they do not have enough material to recycle weekly - so they skip it altogether. It would be interesting if people simply tried a couple weeks of recycling to see just how much they actually do use that can be recycled. Recycling saves money and saves the environment. It is worth a try.

It's cold out there

Dawn Wiser (Century 21 Exclusively) — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 16:41:43 -0600

It's a simple matter but if you leave a door open longer than it needs to be, you are losing heat to the outside. When it's really cold, heat that escapes will need to be replaced and your heater is probably running frequently as it is. When leaving your home, be certain you have everything in hand and can quickly open and close the door. Same thing when entering; shut the door without delay. You save some money and the comfort level in your home will be maintained.

Your house coat

Dawn Wiser (Century 21 Exclusively) — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 15:32:54 -0600

Regardless of when your home was built, it is a good idea to become familiar with the amount of insulation in your attic, ceilings, calls, floors and crawl spaces. The R-value may have been adjusted from the time your house was built or insulation could possibly been installed improperly. Checking the amount and location of insulation may reduce your electric usage, improve the comfort of your home, and save you money.

Round and round it goes

Dawn Wiser (Century 21 Exclusively) — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 16:46:49 -0600

You don't need to throw out items that local charities cannot use. Many communities have a grass roots organization that allow individuals to recycle unwanted items rather than simply sending them to the landfill. Freecycle (see http://www.freecycle.org) provides a means for the giving of basically any item that you no longer need but that someone else wants. Membership in your local community is required and there are moderators to prevent misuse of the site. Being green is easy plus it saves landfills and landfill fees.

Closing door

Dawn Wiser (Century 21 Exclusively) — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 14:31:04 -0600

I was recently at a home for sale in Wenatchee and noticed the front door did not close properly. With a little adjustment, the fit could be much tighter and the cool air I could feel rushing in would stop. That ill-fitting door is ill-fitting 24 hours a day. Add up the energy used to compensate for the cool air and it sums up to a lot of money in heating bills.

By the light

Dawn Wiser (Century 21 Exclusively) — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 15:34:57 -0600

Christmas lights are beautiful this time of year. If you light up the night, consider replacing the lights with LED lights. These energy saving lights cost more but use less wattage than standard Christmas lights. After Christmas sales should provide some savings over the regular retail and next year's display will shine.

Oh say can you see

Dawn Wiser (Century 21 Exclusively) — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 13:36:20 -0600

What you can't see can hurt. Heating ducts that run through unheated spaces can be the source of significant heat loss and can reduce the comfort of your home. A quick check can show if the ducts are insulated and if there are any leaks as well. Repairing leaks and insulating the ducts can save energy and on home heating and cooling costs.

Compute green

Dawn Wiser (Century 21 Exclusively) — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 15:28:35 -0600

We can all use less energy by making sure our office spaces, including the home office, are energy efficient. When it is time to buy new computers, check out the energy star ratings. New standards were enacted in July, 2007. Since we're spending more and more time using electronic equipment to complete our tasks, using low energy consumption devices can reduce our impact and save us money. Check out the Energy Star website at http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=find_a_product.ShowProductGroup&pgw_code=CO