How Green Do You Drive?

How Green Do You Drive?

Motorists volunteer to have habits monitored, be steered to environmentally friendly commute.

Link to story in The Denver Post:

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_8552358

Five Myths about Green Enegy

Link to article from the Washington Post (free registration may be required)

Consumer Reports article on green energy for the home

The current issue of Consumer Reports has an article on how to incorporate alternative energy into your home.

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/home-garden/news/2007/07/buy-green-power-and-electricity-to-help-the-environment/overview/0707_buying_green_power_ov.htm

Air Quality Action Alert Days - Jan 6 and 7

News from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
DATE: January 5, 2008
CONTACT: Jeff Underhill (603) 271-1102
Kathy Brockett (603) 271-6284 or (603) 491-0749 (cell)

State Declares Air Quality Action Days
Unhealthy Air Pollution Levels Predicted for Sunday and Monday

Concord, NH – Air pollution concentrations are expected to reach unhealthy levels in Cheshire and Hillsborough counties, and in populated valley areas in southern New Hampshire, on Sunday, January 6, and Monday, January 7. State officials are calling for Air Quality Action Days and advise all individuals in these areas – especially people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children – to take precautions to protect their health by avoiding prolonged outdoor activity. Even healthy individuals may experience mild health effects and should limit strenuous or prolonged outdoor activities.

The NH Department of Environmental Services (DES) expects concentrations of fine particle pollution to be unhealthy for sensitive individuals in the above-mentioned regions on January 6 and 7. These particles can cause adverse health effects in people with heart or lung disease and may also reduce visibility. The expected unhealthy particle pollution levels are a result of transport of pollution into New Hampshire from surrounding areas combined with wood smoke from local residential wood burning devices. These devices produce significant amounts of particle pollution, which can accumulate to unhealthy levels near the source and can concentrate in valley regions under calm wind conditions. Unhealthy air quality conditions may continue into Tuesday when weather patterns are expected to change, bringing in a cleaner air mass.

DES has recently expanded its air monitoring network to include more monitors for fine particle pollution. The continuous, real-time data generated by these monitors allows DES to better track current air quality conditions and forecast when and where unhealthy fine particle levels are likely to occur.

Particle pollution can increase susceptibility to respiratory infections and can aggravate existing heart and lung diseases such as congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, and bronchitis. When exposed to particle pollution, people with heart disease may experience chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath, and fatigue. People with existing lung diseases may not be able to breathe as deeply or vigorously as normal and may experience symptoms such as coughing and shortness of breath. The severity of the health effects increases as fine particle concentrations increase.

For further information about potential adverse health effects from particle pollution, contact DES at (603) 271-4664. For air quality forecasts and current air pollution levels in New Hampshire, call 1-800-935-SMOG or visit the DES website at www.airquality.nh.gov.

Air Quality Action Alert Days - Jan 6 and 7

News from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
DATE: January 5, 2008
CONTACT: Jeff Underhill (603) 271-1102
Kathy Brockett (603) 271-6284 or (603) 491-0749 (cell)

State Declares Air Quality Action Days
Unhealthy Air Pollution Levels Predicted for Sunday and Monday

Concord, NH – Air pollution concentrations are expected to reach unhealthy levels in Cheshire and Hillsborough counties, and in populated valley areas in southern New Hampshire, on Sunday, January 6, and Monday, January 7. State officials are calling for Air Quality Action Days and advise all individuals in these areas – especially people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children – to take precautions to protect their health by avoiding prolonged outdoor activity. Even healthy individuals may experience mild health effects and should limit strenuous or prolonged outdoor activities.

The NH Department of Environmental Services (DES) expects concentrations of fine particle pollution to be unhealthy for sensitive individuals in the above-mentioned regions on January 6 and 7. These particles can cause adverse health effects in people with heart or lung disease and may also reduce visibility. The expected unhealthy particle pollution levels are a result of transport of pollution into New Hampshire from surrounding areas combined with wood smoke from local residential wood burning devices. These devices produce significant amounts of particle pollution, which can accumulate to unhealthy levels near the source and can concentrate in valley regions under calm wind conditions. Unhealthy air quality conditions may continue into Tuesday when weather patterns are expected to change, bringing in a cleaner air mass.

DES has recently expanded its air monitoring network to include more monitors for fine particle pollution. The continuous, real-time data generated by these monitors allows DES to better track current air quality conditions and forecast when and where unhealthy fine particle levels are likely to occur.

Particle pollution can increase susceptibility to respiratory infections and can aggravate existing heart and lung diseases such as congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, and bronchitis. When exposed to particle pollution, people with heart disease may experience chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath, and fatigue. People with existing lung diseases may not be able to breathe as deeply or vigorously as normal and may experience symptoms such as coughing and shortness of breath. The severity of the health effects increases as fine particle concentrations increase.

For further information about potential adverse health effects from particle pollution, contact DES at (603) 271-4664. For air quality forecasts and current air pollution levels in New Hampshire, call 1-800-935-SMOG or visit the DES website at www.airquality.nh.gov.

The Green Diet Calculator

Want to know how much impact your diet has on the environment? Check out the Eating Green Calculator to learn how your food choices translate into pounds of fertilizer, manure, and pesticides and acres of grain and grass for animal feed. The calculator also lets you see how the numbers would change if you reduced your consumption of a specific meat or dairy product.

EnergyStar Home Advisor launched!

ENERGY STAR Launches Home Advisor, Energy Tips

EPA’s new ENERGY STAR Home Advisor online tool, launched on October 24,
2007, offers customized recommendations for homeowners to cut energy use
and save money. Users enter their ZIP code, household heating and cooling
methods, and water heater type, and the tool provides recommendations for
energy efficiency improvements. It also provides a summary of estimated
savings (in total energy, electricity, fuel use, and carbon emissions)
associated with the recommended measures, based on the typical energy use
of homes in the user’s area.

Typical recommendations include sealing air leaks, adding insulation,
replacing old heating and cooling equipment, installing a high-efficiency
water heater, installing a programmable thermostat, and replacing lights
and appliances with ENERGY STAR models.

The ENERGY STAR Home Advisor is available at:

http://www.energystar.gov/homeadvisor

ENERGY STAR has also published a new round of home energy-saving tips for
the winter heating season, including tips for renters, a virtual room-by-
room tour of energy-saving improvements, and feature stories of homeowners
who have saved money through energy efficiency projects.

The tips are available at:

http://energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.es_at_home