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Education > Moss Picks > 2008 Awards > Energy Conservation

Best Energy Source: Conservation

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insulation pipe covers

Above: Insulating Pipe Covers

Biofuels (grasses, agricultural byproducts, paper mill byproducts), wind, wave, solar, edaphic, geothermal, etc. are all energy sources that need to be exploited. We consume energy on a scale unimaginable to previous generations and no option needs to be overlooked. But our best and most immediate source of energy is conservation. People scoffed (and still scoff) at Jimmy Carter when he said put on a sweater and turn down the thermostat, but he was correct then and prescient now.

We are a wasteful society. We leave phone chargers, computers, and I-pods plugged in all the time. We run hot water down the drain without regard. We leave lights and tvs on when no one is in the room. Our insulation is typically inadequate. We drive a few blocks rather than walk or bike. And so on and so on.

Reducing energy loss will not only save us money but also save us on precious limited resources. Kristie Webber Landscaping and the Center for Green Technology on Chicago's west side have incorporated lots of energy saving innovation into their buildings that should become standard in new construction and can potentially be retrofitted into existing buildings.

Gardeners can help through green landscaping. Selecting plants that don' t require massive inputs of water, fertilizers, or pesticides save resources. Deciduous shade trees can be positioned on the south side of the home to cool it in summer. (Remember at least 30' away from house for large trees.) Evergreens can be placed on the west side to serve as screen or windbreak during winter.

 

coal emission sequestration

Left: Options for carbon sequestration for coal plants from whitehouse.gov.

Recently, I have heard people deride "clean coal" as a myth or lie. Apparently some people do not want to use coal as an energy source anymore, calling it outdated and 18th century.

Well we don't have that option. Coal is responsible for over 50% of our energy. It is abundant and reliable. Thousands of Americans rely on coal for employment. Better to develop the cleanest coal technology available (more jobs) and export that technology to China, India, and Europe (more jobs).



wemoss.org 2009, Last Updated February 10, 2009