Smart Stories

The audit included a blower door test that told us where the air leaks were in our house, along with the air turn-over rate. This is very valuable information for saving heat and cooling energy. I highly recommend this service. We will be following up with most of the recommendations.

1. waiting till dark or the middle of the night
2. wearing my largest backpack with a plastic bag on the inside
3. putting my rollerblades and danceable music on
4. discovering hot spots for littering near campus, parking lots, and pearl street
5. dancing around on my blades in the dark picking up recyclables and trash and filling my backpack
6. cleaning up the city while everyone else sleeps.

This is a true story, and I actually have done and continue to do this, it makes me feel happy inside and creates a cleaner environment for everyone.

Since then I've been commuting 9 out of 10 days by bike or RTD. This has also proven to be a good way of enforcing an exercise program rather than allocating additional time for trips to a fitness facility.

We tried some of these bulbs in our own home and found them to be very satisfactory. So we purchased about two hundred 60 and 100 watt equivalent bulbs initially for our project. After printing off informative fliers, we went around to neighbors' homes and told them about the bulbs. We offered to let them try one of the bulbs for a week free of charge with no obligation to purchase them. When we returned a week later, we either picked up the bulb if they weren't interested, or sold them as many as they requested.

We were astounded at the success. Some neighbors purchased 50 bulbs. So we purchased another 800 bulbs (totaling 1000 bulbs). By distributing to neighbors, friends and several times at church, we sold all 1000 bulbs within six weeks.

With help from an energy consultant friend, we calculated that over the nine-year life of the bulbs, the project will save 1.7 MILLION TONS of greenhouse gases!

My intention is to show how feasible it is to drastically reduce ones carbon footprint in their own home. I believe that a person's home is a model for that person's life. It can be the foundation to changing our entire lives, to begin stepping more lightly on our planet.

Upon our return, we put doors on all the rooms that did not have them. These included the kitchen, the dining room, and the hall to the living room. In the cold season we close the doors and cut the heat to the living and dining rooms, which require the most heating. On warm sunny days we open the doors to let the passive solar heating from the windows work.

We opened up the floor plan, which not only made the house better for entertaining but allows the daylight to shine deep into the rooms, now the need for electric lighting is reduced. We recycled or gave away all the appliances and replaced them with highly rated Energy Star models. In the rest of the house we recycled the old toilets and replaced them with dual-flush toilets that save water with every flush. Since the house did not come with a washer and dryer we had the opportunity to a buy top-of-the-line, high-efficiency washer and dryer that uses very little water, and greatly reduces the drying time by practically spinning clothes dry in the washer. An added bonus is that we hardly have to go to the dry-cleaner anymore because of the gentle, silk and wool settings on the new machines, so we're cutting back on toxic chemicals released in the house and the environment. All the lighting fixtures sport high-efficiency compact florescent light bulbs. Since our house was built in the 1960s, the insulation in the attic was pretty poor. We had extra insulation blown in to keep heating and cooling costs down. We use an attic fan on summer evenings to suck out the hot air and replace it with the cool summer evening air. We offset 100% of our electricity with wind power. A programmable thermostat conditions the air only during the hours we are home (and awake). A programmable sprinkler system lets us water early in the morning when it is most efficient to water due to minimal evaporation.

The results of our upgrades around the house are difficult to gauge since we did not live in the house prior to these changes. Also, these changes are also relatively new. We didn't make these changes to save money, though if we do, that's great; we made these changes because we feel it is the right thing to do. My husband and I love nature and wish to be a good steward of the earth, which means, at the very least, limiting our impact upon the environment.

It took some doing to get used to the colder climate, but with the addition of a fleece jacket and a hat, I have been able to turn my heat down to 60. At night it gets turned to 55 degrees and sometimes less if I am sure the pipes won't freeze. A warm down comforter, a hat and socks make sure I am cozy while sleeping.

I also found out that I qualify for the Longs Peak Energy Conservation Weatherization program and many thanks to them, my hot water heater has been insulated, my furnace checked, my heating ducts sealed, my doors weather-proofed, and my light bulbs replaced with CFLs. I bought an Energy Star refrigerator and washing machine. I've put coverings on my windows to keep the cold from radiating through the glass in the winter and the heat in the summer. I wear some of my clothes a little longer before washing. I hang the clothes up to dry and just use my dryer to get the wrinkles out. I hand wash my dishes. My energy bill this month was about $70. In the coldest months, it was below $100. In the summer, I open the windows at night to cool the house and seal it up in the morning and cover the windows so I can use my swamp cooler less.

• We use a Laundromat with front-loading washers and wash the clothes with cold or warm water.
• We have a dishwasher, but we just let the dishes air dry after washing rather then use the "heat dry" option.
• In the summer, we keep our honeycomb insulating shades down and use an evaporative portable cooler to keep it a bit cooler.
• We are signed up for Xcel's Windsource program.
• We also keep lots of plants and container vegetables on our back deck to absorb some of the solar energy which reduces the amount of heat radiated by the concrete,
• Our house has CFLs where possible.
• We borrowed a "Killowatt" meter at one point to measure exactly how much energy each of our appliances was using and especially what their usage was when "turned off". We were so surprised to see that the stereo when not in use used practically as much energy as when it was on. Now we use power strips to completely turn off some electrical devices when not in use.
• We still own two small cars, but bike where possible. Kara is fortunate to work a mile away from home and can easily walk or bike.
• We keep an eye on the tire pressure of the cars to get the best gas mileage and get regular tune-ups.

In a lot of instances, the measures we take to reduce our energy use have not been difficult to implement. In instances where it costs more, it is not hard for us to justify. We believe we can spend money on quality, not quantity. A healthy environment is a "product" we really want and value. We may not be able to display it in our house, but we feel it, see it, and are affected by it everyday. Overall, it is a long-term investment that we hope will benefit generations to come.

I don't own a car. I love all the money I save on gas, insurance, car payments, and a gym membership. Not only does all the biking do great things for my pocket book and save energy, but my appetite loves it as well! When the weather doesn't allow biking I take the RTD.

Even though I live in a rental, this fall I invested the money to winterize my rental house. I wrapped the water heater, put in new weather stripping and outlet and light switch insulation. We keep our house between 60 and 65 degrees using our wood stove and I replaced lots of lights with CFLs. At least I can take the CFLs with me when I move. I love that the city of Boulder has such a dedication to climate issues!

• Bought a new, high efficiency furnace and on-demand water heater
• had insulation added in the attic
• bought a new, more efficient refrigerator
• bought a Prius (two, actually, since 2001),
• replaced old exterior doors with more efficient new doors,
• Stopped using my dishwasher
• Had an energy audit
• Plugged my computer, printer, TV and peripherals into power strips that I turn off at night
• Bought a high efficiency clothes washer
• Stopped using my clothes dryer

• Last week we purchased a Honda Civic Hybrid. Our first gas tank is currently getting 41 MPG which is an improvement of about 15 MPG over our previous car -- a Honda Accord. My wife and I have fun watching the trip odometer and comparing who is getting better gas mileage.
• Our thermostat sets back to 57F at night. It is actually easier to sleep with a cooler house and the daytime setting at 62F feels just fine with a sweatshirt on.
• I open up the shades when he sun is shining on the windows which provides passive solar heating.
• Through recycling and composting we have reduced our weekly trash to one medium garbage bag. The compost goes into the vegetable garden where we enjoy great tasting organically grown produce that requires no transportation during the summer and fall.
• We only use reusable bags at the grocery store eliminating hundreds of plastic bags a year.
• We have replaced all of our higher use lights with compact florescent bulbs. Someday all of our bulbs will be energy efficient.
• My wife has become a vegetarian. While my kids and I still eat some meat, we have reduced the amount at least in half. One of the benefits is that my cholesterol is now in the normal range where historically it has been high. We save money on food as well.
• We hang up our clean laundry on a drying rack. We tumble the clothes in the dryer for about 5 minutes when it is done to make them look better, but this save a fair amount of electricity and gas.
• We do not have an air conditioner in the house. We open windows when the air is cooler and use fans to help us be more comfortable. We also cycle all of the shades closed when the sun is shining on the windows to reduce the heating of the house. The Colorado summers really are fairly mild and almost always the evenings provide sufficient cooling to be very comfortable. During the hottest times we sleep in the basement which always remains in the 70s or cooler.

So I did something simple: turning down the hot water heater. I don't know what the savings will be, but since I don't see any discernable difference (especially since I'm not using the water-based heat as much as the weather grows warmer), I may try turning it down one more notch. Meanwhile, I need to install the rest of my CF light bulbs. Here are a couple of other small things I've been doing:

• I hold a reading series in my community house and when I supply directions, I make a conscious effort to list the buses that serve my neighborhood.
• For work events not served by RTD, I've begun to ask about carpooling to meetings.
• I've hooked up my television, VCR and DVD played to a power strip and after watching a DVD or video, I flip off the powerstrip. Since I don't record anything from my television, it doesn't matter if the clock is correct or not. This cuts down on phantom drainage.

We recycle all allowable plastics, papers, metals, and cardboard, and we compost so we only send the bare minimum to the landfill. We subsidize RTD passes for employees so they can take advantage of public transportation and provide bike racks and showers so people can bike to work. But we are not done yet! We are currently investigating having our office LEED Certified. Also, since we travel a lot each year, and this travel is unavoidable, we are researching carbon credits to offset our travel-related pollution.

The practices we currently employ are:

Water Reduction:

• low-flow fixtures, low-flow spray heads, and waterless urinals.
• Replacement of inefficient equipment

*We have save over $50 per month on water usage compared to just one year ago.

Energy Reduction:

• 100% wind power
• High efficiency lighting wherever possible
• Insulated the building, sealed penetrations and leaks
• Replaced windows with high efficiency windows
• Upgraded wiring
• Upgraded to more efficient equipment
• Smart scheduling of power use

*We have saved 2000 kWh in 2007 compared to 2006.

Waste Reduction:

• Composting and recycling of anything we can.
• Purchasing of compostable disposables wherever possible
• Recycling of fryer oil

*We have lowered the trash bill by $50 per month.

Transportation:

• We have a bike to work month

Through our efforts, mixed paper, co-mingled containers, and compost bins have been installed in the lunchroom, teller area, and the foyer of the Arapahoe building. At our Broadway office we are fortunate enough to have a partnership with Boulder Community Hospital where we are able to take those recyclables to their Main Campus for recycling. Our Estes Park branch has partnered with a neighboring business to have their combined recyclables picked up and our Louisville branch will begin receiving Eco-Cycle services the first of May 2008 but are currently recycling and composting privately.

When this program was initiated, we began purchasing all of our office products through a local green office supply company, therefore assisting in the support of local, sustainable businesses. We use 100% recycled-content copy paper at all of our locations, recycled toner and printer cartridges and employ responsible purchasing practices for all other office equipment and supplies. 100% of our marketing materials are printed on uncoated, 30% post-consumer recycled paper with soy or corn-based inks. We have also purchased cleaning products, compostable trash bags and compostable paper goods. In addition, we use compact fluorescent lighting (energy-efficient bulbs) at all of our locations. We offer incentives to our members on products, such as fuel-efficient autos and solar panel additions to their residence. We also offer a variety of educational opportunities for them to learn more about our environment and sustainability. We sponsor local tree plantings via programs we sponsor through Boulder Valley School District and we partner with eco-friendly organizations to assist them with reaching their eco-friendly goals.

This was accomplished by weatherizing windows and doors, repairing the furnace, cleaning the ducts, turning out lights, posting building awareness signs and turning off computers. It made me so aware of how much waste there is out there and with just a little effort, how much can be accomplished.

I like bicycles because they are a potent solution to many of the issues I care about---climate change, oil wars, poverty, air quality, and much more. Riding a bicycle makes me feel an autonomy that I could never feel as an automobile owner.

Efficiency/Conservation/Alternatives
I studied green building and retrofits while and grad school and have done my best to keep up in subsequent years. We've replaced the windows and cover them with insulating blinds, installed two sky tubes, installed a whole house fan, installed a solar PV system that generates 100% of our electricity in the summer months. And of course we use CFLs and LEDs for lighting and air-dry our laundry. We have future plans to increase the efficiency; more insulation in the attic, replace the fridge, tankless water heater, crawlspace insulation. Who knows we might even obtain net zero?

Community Garden/Diet
When we moved in we dug up the ornamental plants near our stoop and planted a vegetable garden. But it wasn't enough land so we worked with our HOA and established the Talisman community gardens. We dug up some Kentucky blue grass and now grow fresh veggies. The garden is now in its third season and thriving like never before.

HOA Energy Audit
Also when we first moved here I noticed the grounds lighting was all incandescent. I went around and did a lighting audit, drafted a proposal and presented it to the HOA. They were easily convinced that it was a good idea and switched all the lighting to CFLs. The savings was about $1,200 per year and the bulbs paid for themselves in 4 months.