Addressing home affordability through energy efficiency in financing process

by A Siegel

There are a myriad of ways in which the U.S. home mortgage system is weak to even broken. The extent of the housing bubble to the shoddy paperwork (and, in too many cases, outright fraud) in foreclosures are just two minor little examples of the problems we face.

One contributing factor -- to the housing bubble, to foreclosure rates, to wasteful U.S. energy practices, to Americans' heavy carbon footprints -- is the absence of efficiency from the home financing process. The home financing guidance from the heavy-weights (the Fannies) doesn't take efficiency into account for determining mortgage affordability as there is not a serious consideration of the energy cost implications of a home purchase decision and how that can impact affordability.

There are at least two specific elements that the home loan process should consider:

• Location efficiency
• Building energy efficiency

continued at Daily Kos....

10/10/10/10/10/10: Where will you be?

by A Siegel

A simple question:  Where will you be at the

• 10th second of the
• 10th minute of the
• 10th hour of the
• 10th day of the
• 10th month of the
• 10th year?

As for me, in a little more than 10 hours, I will be in an attic, adding insulation to cut down power demands.  And, a few hours later, I will be with my children 1000s of others in front of the White House.

My action will be among the smallest of the Global Work Party.

A day to take action to reduce carbon emissions to make a simple statement to our political leadership -- around the world: we can do it, why can't you?

continued at Daily Kos....

My White House is Solar Cool. Barack, why isn't yours?

by A Siegel

Sometimes, your kids tell you great things.

We have the coolest house on the street.

Wow.  We're cool -- according to the kids.  Certainly isn't the non-existent slide for the pool that isn't there.  Our lack of a huge media room and the glaring absence of a gym didn't contribute.  And, while I've always thought it cool that we live on the white house of the street, that isn't it either.  Why is it cool? According to my soon-to-be fourth-grader son:

Because we know where our electricity comes from.

continued at Daily Kos....

Energy HOME: Steps toward a solar life ...

by A Siegel

Every day, I strive to Make Energy CENTS from the Home to the Globe.  Whether programming the thermostat to low temperatures overnight to providing comments on national energy policy drafts to opening discussions as to Energy COOL technologies and concepts, my efforts to Energize America to a prosperous, climate friendly future cross a broad spectrum.

To be clear and blunt: there is NO SILVER BULLET solution. In my own life, every year sees more 'investment' in energy efficiency, new ways to think about / execute conservation from what food we buy to our travel choices, and ways to help remediate the damage I inevitably cause to the planetary system's ability to support my children's children to the seventh generation and beyond.

continued at Daily Kos...

Energy HOME + Gardening Friday: Composting with a Cone

by A Siegel

Every day, I strive to Make Energy CENTS from the Home to the Globe.  Whether programming the thermostat to low temperatures overnight to providing comments on national energy policy drafts to opening discussions as to Energy COOL technologies and concepts, my efforts to Energize America to a prosperous, climate friendly future cross a broad spectrum.

Some of these steps are new and others were, well, almost learned in the womb.  One of my earliest family chores was taking out vegetable scraps to the compost pile. That moved into dumping grass clippings onto the pile when cutting the lawn came onto my 'to do' chart. And, well, even into getting praise from adding neighborhood clippings to enrich our soil as I grew into earning a few $s cutting laws.

continued at Daily Kos...

10/10/10/10/10

by A Siegel

Where will you be at the

• 10th minute of the
• 10th hour of the
• 10th day of the
• 10th month of the
• 10th year?

On 10 October 2010 (10/10/10), mobilized due to the energy of the 350.org team, people around the world will gather to show their support for climate action by leaders, nation, and people around the world.

continued at Daily Kos....

Weatherization Barnraising Results

by gmoke

On June 26, at the Cambridge, MA YWCA Emergency Family Shelter, about 30 people from Home Energy Efficiency Team (HEET)

Reduced the leakiness of the building by 12% (reducing the air leakage by 1,500 cubic feet per minute as tested by a pre and post blower door test.  Each 100 cfm reduction = 7 therms of gas savings.  Thus saving $1,480 for them over the next decade in heating.)

Installed 20 cfls [compact fluorescent lights] (saving probably $11 per year on each one because of the high occupancy of the building)

Installed 3 incandescent exit signs with LED retrofit kits (saving 36 watts per bulb  24 hours a day all year long.  Since there were 2 bulbs in each of the 3 signs this will save over $388 in total per year)

Installed 7 low flow showerheads (each saving $42 each in heating the water and $26 in water and sewer charges) $476

Installed 2 programmable thermostats which can save up to 10% on heating if used to turn the temperature down during the winter when no one is home or everyone is sleeping.

We did other work too, but we should save the shelter at least $14,260 in total in energy bills over the next decade.  

Thanks for all your work.

continued at Daily Kos....

Making Your Own Wholesome Foods? You Can Sell Me Some!

by Detroit Mark

If you're in Michigan, the Governor has signed new legislation into law making it legal to turn a profit on the foods you are making, just trying to be better at keeping it local and keeping it fresh!

continued at Daily Kos....