Category Archives: Climate

Airing

Climate, Energy, ,

DSC00982 Airing the bedding!DSC00983 On a balmy November day!

Something that they always did in Hungary was air the bedding by an open window every day possible.  This was an opportunity to exchange the air in the house.   Both of these linked practices were to reduce the risk of getting tuberculosis, and generally improve the air quality.

Here on the Gulf Coast we can go one step better, and actually place our bedding in the fresh air and sunshine, so the sunshine can kill bugs.  If the house is partly to blame for the reduced light to the kitchen garden, then at least we can take advantage of the sunshine this way when the sun is out, which it usually is.    This saves the energy and water of washing these items, and also makes the bedding smell very fresh.

This Water Feature Is Solar Powered

Climate, Global

DSC00795  It has been outside for one year.DSC00794 This solar panel runs the feature.

This is one of my attempts to get acquainted with direct use of solar power.  This little solar panel is close to 7″ by 8″.  The bowl of the terra cotta water feature that is on the ground is 12″ in diameter.   If it is cloudy, or we stand in front of the solar panel, the fountain does not run.

I am convinced that we should have more help to get solar power going everywhere possible so that we can reduce our fossil fuel consumption with its concomitant CO2 production, which is causing global warming and climate change.

The Amount of Energy Used, and CO2 Produced, By a Person In a Day

Climate, Energy, Environment, ,

CIMG0505

Here is another way to look at  the CO2 production of a person  The average person puts about 2 lbs of CO2 into the air in a day.   This is 1/10 th the amount of CO2 produced by using one gallon of gas.

A quoted energy equivalent of a person is that of  a 100 watt light bulb, which is about 2.4 Kilowatt hours per day.  This 2.4 kilowatt hours divided by 33.4 kilowatt hours per gallon of gas is equivalent to about 1.4 pounds of CO2 per day.  Close enough to the above estimate of 2 pounds CO2 per day mentioned above.

Anyway, it is not an overstatement to say that a person adds about 2 pounds of CO2 in a day through the direct use of about 3.34 kilowatt hours of energy or that contained in 1/10th of a gallon of gasoline.

This is just for curiosity’s and a frame of reference.