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NEW ENGLAND CARBON CHALLENGE RESOURCES: Home Matters E-Newsletter: Home Matters is a joint initiative of the Massachusetts Climate Action Network (MCAN) and the New England Carbon Challenge. To subscribe, use the sign-up form on our home page.
Think There's Nothing You Can Do to Slow Climate Change? Simple Ideas for Reducing Household Carbon New England Carbon Challenge Promotional Resources
WHY WE FOCUS ON HOUSEHOLDS: A Big Sum of Small Differences: Individual Americans Cause -- and Could Cure -- Most of U.S. Emissions Problem (Wall Street Journal).
HOW DO I?
Get my energy questions answered? Volunteers trained to answer energy-related questions or refer callers to experts and other outside resources are happy to assist you with your energy questions. Call the toll free UNH Cooperative Extension Energy Answers hotline: 877-398-4769 or email your questions to: answers@unh.edu. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Get off junk mail? You can stop receiving catalogs, credit card offers, and other junk mail with a variety of online services. Catalog Choice is a free service that lets you opt-out of unwanted catalogs. You can also opt out of pre-approved credit card and insurance offers by calling 888-567-8688 (888-5-OPT-OUT) from your home telephone; it will be checked against an address database. Or visit www.optoutprescreen.com. You can opt out of mailings from the Direct Marketing Association, the trade group used by 5,200 member companies to pitch their products directly to consumers. To stop receiving mailings from DMA members, go to the DMA's Mail Preference Service. The New York Times article For-Profit Crusade Against Junk Mail highlights several companies, including GreenDimes and 41 Pounds that charge a nominal fee to remove your name from unwanted mailing lists. You're paying for the convenience and time savings of not having to remove your name yourself.
Learn about incentives for energy efficiency improvements or sustainable energy systems? Incentives to purchase energy efficient products take various forms and are offered by utilities, the state and federal government, and sometimes municipalities. Unfortunately, there's no "one-stop shopping" for a comprehensive listing of tax and rebate incentives available to New Hampshire residents, so you'll need to do some legwork. The Database of State Incentives For Renewable Energy is a great place to start and includes links to utility sponsored rebate programs. Check with your utility directly for any updates or new incentives they might offer. The New Hampshire legislature recently passed HB1628, which will give homeowners a $3 per watt rebate for small electrical generating systems under 5KW with a limit of $6000 or 50% of the system, whichever is smaller, and will cover off-grid as well as grid-tied systems. The New Hampshire Sustainable Energy Association has a terrific overview of the provisions of this bill and worked very hard to secure its passage. Thanks NHSEA!
See the New Hampshire Residential Energy Performance Association website for a listing residential energy auditors.
Find a green builder/energy efficiency/sustainable energy system installer? The NH Sustainable Energy Association's Consumer Guide is a great place to start.
Find a fuel efficient vehicle? Consult fueleconomy.gov and the ACEEE's Greener Cars website.
Safely dispose of used CFLs? Please see the NHDES Consumer Guide to CFLs and Mercury.
Better understand the connections between recycling and climate change? See the Northeast Recycling Council's short, easy to understand PowerPoint presentation that explains the relationship between climate change and recycling.
Know if wood is a good heating fuel choice this winter? Using wood from sustainably managed forests in New Hampshire can make economic and environmental sense this winter. As heating oil prices have increased, so have the prices of cordwood and wood pellets, but they are much more economical than fuel oil. Considering the energy content of both fuels, if heating oil costs $4.00/gallon, firewood would need to cost $515 per cord and wood pellets $470 per ton to be equivalent in cost. Since trees are part of the carbon cycle, taking in carbon dioxide as the tree grows, develops and matures and then releasing this carbon dioxide when the tree is burned or decays naturally, trees from sustainably managed forests can be regarded as carbon neutral. Wood stoves manufactured since 1990 burn wood more cleanly and efficiently than older wood stoves. Of course, wood burning has special safety considerations. See the UNH Cooperative Extension's excellent guide to Heating with Wood for more information on using wood safely.
HOME ENERGY BRIEFS: Rocky Mountain Institute's series of nine practical guides on what homeowners can do to save energy. Guides on building envelope, lighting, space cooling, space heating, water heating, appliances, electronics, and whole system designs. Guides are free but registration is required to download.
OTHER RESOURCES: American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy Home Energy Guide Has a series of energy saver calculators to help you assess the impact of an appliance, lighting, or water heater upgrade Energy STAR @ Home An interactive, cyber-tour through a typical home highlighting ways to reduce energy.
SHORT VIDEOS: Now or Never: Documenting the terrific stories about people taking action and becoming part of the solution to climate change in the Northeastern U.S. YERT's (Your Environmental Road Trip) year long eco-expedition exploring the landscape of America's unique approach to environmental sustainability. How Will You Ride the Slide? Peak oil is here; are you prepared? What's snacking on your electricity? An entertaining look at vampire load (phantom load) and appliances. Don't Send Snow to the Arctic: a humorous look at sustainability and personal action through our friends Ben and Mark.
ORGANIZATIONS: UNH University Office of Sustainability The Carbon Coalition Clean Air Cool Planet New England Grassroots Environment Fund Massachusetts Climate Action Network Union of Concerned Scientists NH Department of Environmental Services U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
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