Recent Green Living Posts | By Steve Rypka on June 30th, 2011  Nothing is more important to the human spirit than freedom. People sacrifice their lives so that others may experience it. As we celebrate our country’s independence this weekend, friends and family will gather for barbeques and many homes will display the flag. In addition to displaying a symbol of our patriotism, our homes and businesses represent a vital opportunity that, if we choose to take action, can do more to strengthen and enhance our freedom than almost anything else.
Continue reading Celebrate Independence. By Steve Rypka on June 16th, 2011  I’ve done energy surveys on hundreds of homes to determine their suitability for renewable energy systems. One thing that I’ve learned is that many people are out of touch with energy reality. This is especially true in the U.S. where we’ve experienced more energy abundance (and waste) than any other generation that has ever lived. We want our power all right, and we want it cheap and unlimited.
Continue reading Can’t Have it Both Ways. By Steve Rypka on May 5th, 2011  My wife and I live and work in a solar-powered home. I’m writing this from my office using a computer running on the freshest electrons you can get, produced just a few feet away, from photons only eight minutes old. That’s how long it takes light to travel 93 million miles from the sun to the photovoltaic panels on our roof. Everything we do here that uses electricity is powered by them. 100%.
A small device called a Sunny Beam sits on my desk displaying information about our energy production. As I write this, there are some high clouds so we’re not at maximum but the system is still cranking out nearly five thousand watts of clean, renewable energy – much more than we’re currently using. The extra power is going to the grid, spinning our meter backwards. Continue reading Solar Increases Home’s Value. By Steve Rypka on April 23rd, 2011  We live in interesting times. Never before have we witnessed so much change in so little time. Whether we resist or embrace change, it is still inevitable, but if we actively embrace the changes we like we can often minimize the change we’d prefer to avoid.
For example, almost everyone in this country uses some sort of fossil or other non-renewable fuel to heat water. We all like the convenience, but few of us like the changes that are occurring on the planet due to greenhouse gases or nuclear catastrophes. Solar hot water systems can help change that. In January I wrote about new solar hot water system incentives and mentioned that Southwest Gas was due to roll out a new program soon. The Southwest Gas Nevada Smarter Greener Better Solar Water Heating Program (that’s the official name in its glorious entirety) is now up and running. Continue reading Solar Hot Water – Be the Change!. By Steve Rypka on January 27th, 2011  Timing is everything, as the saying goes, and that certainly applies to act of purchasing a renewable energy system. There seems to be a constantly changing landscape of costs, rebates, incentives and supply that influence the final price of these systems. It would be great if we could gaze into a crystal ball to determine the precise moment of maximum benefit. The next best thing is to stay informed and that’s where this column can help.
The trick is to act like any self-respecting business, taking advantage of market forces, tax credits and other incentives to maximize shareholder return on investment. In this case, you and your family are the shareholders. Companies plan for the long term and that’s a strategy that certainly applies when it comes to investing in renewable energy. Continue reading New Solar Thermal Incentives. By Steve Rypka on January 13th, 2011  I got to the gym a little late yesterday and it was already dark outside. After checking in at the desk at Sun City Anthem’s Liberty Center, I headed for the locker room. As I opened the door, the lights were out and it was pitch black inside. It wasn’t that late and the place was not closing down. The lights had been shut off automatically by a sensor that had not detected anyone in the room for several minutes. I smiled at the reminder that this was a LEED certified facility. Energy efficiency is part of its DNA. After one step through the door, the lights came on, acknowledging my arrival.
Continue reading Getting a Green Workout. By Steve Rypka on December 16th, 2010  My perspective of home expands when I think of the coming winter solstice. A few of the sun’s rays reach deep into my office as I write these words, an occurrence peculiar to this time of year and south-facing windows. Other beams of light meet a different fate, ending their eight-minute sojourn from the nuclear furnace at the center of our little planetary system by striking the panels atop my roof, transforming their marvelous energy into a useful flow of electrons. I can see it in my little desktop display: 4.031 kilowatts at the moment. Amazing! It’s all about angles and orientation, in step with natural rhythms that resonate throughout the infinity of space and time.
Continue reading Winter Solstice – Imagining Home. By Steve Rypka on September 23rd, 2010  Years ago, I travelled to Arizona to attend solar home tours. First it was Tucson, then a year or so later, Flagstaff and Prescott. Each one was a great experience. I met homeowners who benefitted from doing things differently. Best of all was their willingness to share their experiences with others.
I’ll never forget seeing my first straw bale home. The natural feel of the walls and the thick, inviting window ledges seemed to envelope those inside. I remember speaking with one homeowner as he proudly displayed his solar heating and cooling system. Yes, in the extremely hot climate of Tucson, AZ he cooled his home using passive and active solar technology and design, with very little electricity. I learned a lot from that conversation. Continue reading Solar Home Tour. By Steve Rypka on July 29th, 2010  The sun oven is fired up, steaming hot inside - and totally carbon-free! Renewable energy can be fun, easy, inexpensive – and good tasting. Yes, it’s all those things and more when you get into the joy of cooking using a sun oven. We’ve had our sun oven now for about five years and this summer we’ve been using it more than ever (they work during the winter too by the way). Who needs a hotter house, a bigger gas or electric bill, or food that has to be constantly watched to keep from burning? Solar cooking is the new barbeque – and it is a lot of fun! Continue reading Solar Cooking: The New Barbeque. By Steve Rypka on March 25th, 2010  Expired: to emit the last breath; to die out, as a fire. I think it’s time to set a big, audacious goal for Nevada. Let make it the nation’s first carbon-neutral state. That doesn’t mean we have to stop driving, cooking or heating our homes. It does mean that we would make a major commitment throughout the state to reduce energy consumption and increase renewable energy production. In the process, we will create jobs, build new infrastructure, transform communities and create something that all Nevadans can be proud of. We have all the ingredients we need to make this happen and it starts with our homes. The national push to improve home efficiency has taken root in Nevada. Home energy audits and retrofits are poised to be the “next big thing” as energy prices continue upward and awareness of our climate problem increases. Purchasing a home without a prior energy audit is like buying a car without knowing the mileage rating. It’s basic information that one needs to make an informed decision. Continue reading Carbon-Neutral Nevada. | The Clark County Library District is sponsoring a series of five presentations on Green Living to be held at the West Charleston Library. I hope you can join us!
Download the flyer (PDF). Green Transportation: Getting Over Oil Thursday, May 31 6:30 p.m. The future of transportation is exciting and changing rapidly. Learn how people are saying adiós to the gas pump, saving money and helping the environment. |
Nothing is more important to the human spirit than freedom. People sacrifice their lives so that others may experience it. As we celebrate our country’s independence this weekend, friends and family will gather for barbeques and many homes will display the flag. In addition to displaying a symbol of our patriotism, our homes and businesses represent a vital opportunity that, if we choose to take action, can do more to strengthen and enhance our freedom than almost anything else.
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