Saving Money

Candidate Obama said that inflating your tires could save enough gas to offset our need for foreign oil. The skeptics made fun of him and the skeptics may be right. It may not offset the need for foreign oil. But if it saves you and me 5% - 10% on our gas expenses, it’s a zero-cost no brainer.

2) Rent a car

If you are planning a driving trip of over 200 miles, renting a fuel-efficient car can be cheaper than driving your own car. AND, it will save on the wear-and-tear on your car.

3) The Turtle beat the Hair

Fuel efficiency decreases with speed.

There are three elements to fuel efficiency: air resistance, rolling resistance (weight) and engine efficiency. Speed effects two of the three.

4) Plan and Car Pool

Plan your trips. Talk to your friends and neighbors about your plans. When you can, car pool. The farther out you plan, the greater the possibility that you can skip a trip or two.

5) Walk or ride a bike

Walking may not save on CO2 emissions (according to some tests), but it sure feels good and saves money.

6) HyBoFuel (Hydrogen Boosted Fuel)

Final Arizona testing is will be completed by mid December, 2008. Tests from the manufacture in Georgia indicate a 40% increase in fuel economy yielding a 100% return-on-investment in about 6 month. The return is all based on fuel prices. Emissions drop to practically zero. Stay tuned.

Arizona Homes

1) If you are not using CFLs (Compact Florescent Lights), it’s time.

Yes they contain Mercury. Yes Mercury is evil. If you are pregnant or have small children and you break a CFL, ask someone else to clean it up. When a CFL burns out, put it in a paper bag next to where you keep your new bulbs and wait for your City’s hazardous waste day.

2) Drink water

Does drinking water help you stay cooler? Maybe. But this is Arizona. I never seem to drink enough water.

2) Turn off your TV

Televisions are one of the top 5 energy users in your home. The new televisions can use over 300 watts an hour. That’s 25 times more energy than a CFL. Turning off your TV for a couple of hours will save more energy than all the CFLs in your house.

3) Fans and Ceiling Fans

All Fans work. They turn you into an evaporation cooler. That means that 82 degrees feels more like 78 degrees. Just remember to turn the fans off when you leave a room.

3) Window coverings

About 15% of your heat gain is through your windows. The best dual-pane windows have an “R” value, an insulation value, of under R-2. Your walls have an insulation value at least R-13. Insulated window treatments can add a R-8 value. But any window covering is better than none. Just keep them closed during the day. In the desert summers, it is more efficient to turn on a CFL than it is to open a curtain.

4) Air Conditioning

Air conditioning is half of our total energy uses, so I want to spend some time on how to save money on air conditioning.

You can reduce your air conditioning costs by 5%-10% by cooling your house to 70 degrees before 9:00 in the morning, turning your air conditioning on for 1 hour in the afternoon and then turning your air conditioner on normal when your air conditioner gets out of the sun.

Explanation: Electricity costs before 9:00 are 1/3 to 1/4 the cost of electricity after 9:00. Air conditioners decrease in efficiency as the temperature increases. By cooling you house with “cheap” electricity when your air conditioner is the most efficient, you turn your entire home into a cool “thermal mass”. The air is cool, the couches are cool, the tables are cool, the walls are cool, everything is cool. As the day warms, it must warm your entire “cool” house.

Next, understand that air conditioners don’t reach peak efficiency until they have run for a half hour. Most thermostats cycle on and off to keep the temperature close to the setting. That’s like “in town” driving. By leaving your air conditioner off until your house reaches 82 degrees, then turning you AC on for an hour, your capitalizing on the maximum efficiency of your air conditioner. When you turn your air conditioner on for an hour, your house should drop in temperature by 4 degrees. Now your house is 78 degrees. If you want your average house temperature to be lower, just turn your air conditioning on when your house reaches 80 degrees and let it drop to 76 degrees.

Finally, if you can wait until your air conditioner is in the shade before you turn it on again, it will be more efficient because the air going through it will be just a little bit cooler.