Japan is embracing energy efficiency at an unprecedented rate, as the country continues to deal with the fall-out from its nuclear energy crisis, the Wall Street Journal reports. The government has ordered a 15 percent cut in electricity use in the Tokyo and Tohoku regions starting July 1, to avoid blackouts. As a result, elevators and escalators have been stopped in train stations and offices; convenience stores and some vending machines have turned off their lights; and many offices are setting their thermostats to 28 degrees C (82 F). Casio Computer Co. will redefine employee weekends as Sundays and Wednesdays, starting July 6, in order to stagger its energy consumption peaks and troughs. Candy maker Morinaga & Co. has asked workers to start and end their day an hour earlier, so they work in cooler weather. And many employers are asking staff to take longer summer vacations. [Read this article]

Share:

• 

As Congress remains in gridlock, U.S. states are taking the lead in energy efficiency. New research shows 26 now have rules that are lowering utility bills for consumers and reducing the need to build new power plants. From 2004 to 2010, 24 states followed the lead of Texas and Vermont in adopting an Energy Efficiency Resource Standards (EERS), which require utilities to save a certain amount of power each year, according to the first progress report of states that have had such rules for at least two years. The policies require that the savings outweigh the costs. “These states are demonstrating that energy efficiency programs deliver real savings for utilities and ratepayers, and it is more affordable than any supply-side energy source,” said report author Michael Sciortino of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, a Washington-based research group. The report says EERS policies are driving energy efficiency investments and energy cost savings to unprecedented levels. [Read this article]

Share:

• 

Johnson Controls released its fifth annual survey, 2011 Energy Efficiency Indicator: Global Results, which takes a birds eye view of the international state of energy efficiency. This year, there were more than 3,800 respondents from around the world – a mix of C-level execs, building owners, vice presidents and facility managers. Over half of the participants were in the commercial sector, along with industrial and institutional organizations represented. Not surprisingly, China and India still rated the importance of energy management highest, with 88 percent of Indian respondents saying it was extremely or very important, compared to 66 percent for the U.S. and Canada. In every region, however, the importance continued to grow. The drivers for energy efficiency are still cost savings, although rebates and incentives played a more important this year than last year. However, for the first time, energy security, especially in the eyes of the Chinese, Indians and Europeans – was listed as one of the top three reasons. [Read this article]

Share:

• 

A properly watered garden is one step closer to being a healthy garden. However, there are many ways to water a garden and some will not only save you time and labor, but will also help conserve water. The following is a list of different methods, ranked in order of efficiency. Deep soak methods use 50 percent less water for the same effectiveness as some other watering methods. They keep the roots moist and avoid wet foliage. Drip lines have a higher initial cost for equipment and take time to set up, but once they are laid out, they are the most efficient in terms of water use and time spent on landscape maintenance. They usually only need to be turned on once or twice a week for about an hour or two at a time and can be set on a timer. The benefit of hand watering is that it allows you to water directly at the base of your plants instead of wastefully broadcasting water where you don’t need it. Often this wasteful broadcasting just encourages weeds to grow. However, hand watering requires your labor and time each time you need to water. [Read this article]

Share:

• 

The Supreme Court rejected a global warming lawsuit against five big power companies, its most important environmental ruling since 2007 and a victory for the utilities and the Obama administration. The justices unanimously overturned a ruling by a U.S. appeals court that the lawsuit now involving six states can proceed in an effort to force the coal-burning plants to cut emissions of gases that contribute to climate change. In a defeat for environmentalists, the Supreme Court agreed with the companies that regulating greenhouse gases should be left to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the clean air laws. The ruling stemmed from a 2004 lawsuit claiming the five electric utilities have created a public nuisance by contributing to climate change. The lawsuit wanted a federal judge to order them to cut their carbon dioxide emissions. Lawyers for the power companies, including an Obama administration attorney representing the government-owned Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), said the scope of the lawsuit was unprecedented, involving national and international issues outside the power of federal judges. [Read this article]

Share:

• 

We don’t think about it, but the average household does about 300 loads of laundry a year, and each of those loads adds to our electricity and water bills. Try these simple, natural and energy-saving tips to save more than $100 a year. Energy Star clothes washers use half the water and a fraction of the electricity; plus, they typically have a bigger capacity, so you can get away with doing fewer loads. The average new Energy Star washer costs just $60 to run annually, about 30% less than other models for sale, and far less than old top-loaders, particularly agitators built before 1998. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that U.S. homeowners could save $2.6 billion annually in energy and water costs if it replaced those old clunkers. Washing in cold water will save you cash, and still get your clothes clean – particularly if you use a good high-efficiency detergent. The Department of Energy estimates that up to 90% of the cost of doing laundry (in an older top-loader) comes not from electricity running the machine, but from fuel to run your water heater. It sounds obvious, but if you only run your washing machine and clothes dryer when they are full, you’ll save in the long run. [Read this article]

Share:

•