9 ways to save on your energy bill for your office/business.

1: Purchase energy efficient light bulbs. For example CFLs can save your business money. Compared to regular incandescent light bulbs, they use up to 75% less energy! Go further…research LEDs. LEDs can operate at about 6 times more in lifetime than CFLs. “If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an energy star qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and present greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars” – EPA

2: Psychological reminders: On the bottom of your e-signature, place the following message, “Please remember the environment before printing…” Visual notes like these seen everyday speak loudly overtime.

3: Another psychological reminder for anyone leaving work late: Right before you leave work, place a note on your door, for example: “Last One out, Flip The Switch, Close The Windows.” Leave the note on the door for the future. This will have a lasting imprint.

4: Perform an energy audit to help find the energy and heat leaks within your work environment. Or tell your building manager to perform one for you. This can help reduce your rental and energy cost.

5: Purchase energy efficient equipment. Be cautious of old computers, monitors, printers, and devices sitting around. Turn your business from a Flintstone to a Jetson. Saving energy saves money. By using energy-efficient equipment, a medium size office can save up to $400 per year on utilities (American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy).

6: Turn off and power down office equipment while you leave.

7: For bathrooms, invest in paperless hand dryer and automatic sensing faucet. For example, the EZ automatic sinks out there can save a business 70% water per hand wash while reducing germ contamination. Paperless, automatic hand dryers save the environment, thus lowering waste and reducing cost.

8: Use e-mail as much as possible. Devise a process improvement strategy to do so. If you were to eliminate purchasing office paper, how much would you be saving?

9: Turn down office temperature by purchasing an efficient thermostat. Contact your local utility company to see if you can qualify for an efficient thermostat. Turning down your temperature by several degrees can add up in generous savings.

Try these simple tips or suggestions within your job or  business. Or take it one step further and apply some of the strategies towards your home. Taking these small steps can make a powerful difference for you and the environment as well. Have a great day and let’s have a bright future!

If you would like to learn more about what you can do to go green, a nice energy audit will send you in the right direction. The insight you gain from it will give you plenty of ideas for a little green remodeling, so you can become part of the solution.

Tags: EPA, Green Best Practices

Parenthood is an important responsibility. It is from the parents that children learn their initial lessons about everything, including being environmentally responsible. You will set the example for your children when it comes to actions such as recycling, re-use of materials and lessening your carbon footprint. No need to wait until your offspring are old enough to sort recyclables from the trash before you start putting them on the pathway to greener living. Start them off early! From food to clothes to diapers to toys, there are several options available that will help you and your baby go green.

Diapers - Instead of using ordinary disposable diapers, consider reusable options. Back in the day parents used the boring, bulky cloth diapers with the huge safety pins. You can go that route or you can opt for an updated version made from organic cotton and designed to be super absorbent.

Food - Optimally you would have the time (and energy) to puree organic fruits and vegetables for your little one, but for many new parents, time is of the essence. Thankfully, there are certified organic options available to save you time and take the guesswork out of “what can I feed my baby?”

Skincare - Your baby needs to be clean. Your baby needs his/her skin moisturized and protected. Your baby does NOT need a lot of extra dyes and fragrances poured into environmentally irresponsible packaging. Look for hypoallergenic, paraben-free versions of body wash, shampoo, lotion etc. – preferably in recycled/recyclable packaging.

Clothes – You have similar options for eco-friendly clothing for children as for adults. Seek out organic materials and when it comes to children’s clothing, hand-me-downs and thrift stores are your best friends.

Toys - Opt for toys made from natural materials (cotton, rubber, etc.) and that use non-toxic paint. Babies love to put things in their mouths! Confirm that the product is PVC, BPA and Phthalate free – it should say this on the (optimally recycled) packaging.

Your baby won’t quite realize or understand the importance of the choices that you are making but as he/she gets older, you can explain it to them. I’m sure they’ll appreciate it. 

Tags: carbon footprint, green diapers, parenthood

I am not sure how this was suppose to work out. But when the Department of energy and several state government proposed that certain percentage of energy resources will stem from clean energy, there was going to be some legislation to support that objective. The Washington Times reported that the mandate from the state of Colorado to produce 30% of clean energy is unconstitutional. American Traditional Institute filed a complaint to clam that the mandate violated Commerce Clause. In essence, this proposed legislation by Colorado government, is a burden to the economics for its residents; in the sense that it forces the purchase of renewables energy services against other energy resources that are “less expensive” and “less polluting”. Really?

The article claims that emission pollutants increase due to the presence of renewable energy resources; such as wind power demanding backup generation of fossil fuel on the grounds of inconsistency and unreliability. That is to say, the “flickering” power generated by such fuels as backup for wind forms more emission than a steady fossil fuel generator would.

Isn’t the fossil fuels itself the pollutant to begin with? This a serious assertion that renewable energy resource is a costly service than the traditional energy resources; while also claiming they are pollutant products and job killers. Stating the these residents are victims if they “bend” to subscribing clean energy resource is quite an exaggeration.

It would be very satisfying to have any data to support these claims. I don’t see how wind-power and other clean energy elements are somehow pollutants, since they don’t generate any emission. I would also assume that renewable energy providers will have to compete with other markets to gain more customers, which should mean that having a higher energy price will be repelling to customers, not to mention unsustainable for their companies. Nevertheless, Obama’s administration and department of energy would not go as far as promoting clean energy and heavily invest for such development if they are pollutants or a luxury alternative for only a select population to purchase. In addition, this is also a new realm of job creation under manufacturing and industrialization for the country.

This trend in recent technology is about emergence of batteries and equipment that pertain to the engineering of electric cars. That is the same development with wind-power, solar-power and other renewable resources. These are among the options on alternative energy resources that are initiated to increase renewable energy usage that basically offset carbon footprints and serve the environment better.

The relevance to this issue is that the outcome of this filed complaint will have ripple effects to the other 29 and other prospective states that enable renewable energy standards. Development of wind farms and solar panels are not to enforce mandates to customers but rather encourage people to more affordable clean energy. Clearly, this article confuses the agenda of clean energy. China, Germany and United States are the top 3 in clean energy investment, so they must have more facts and conviction that clean energy is the new direction of energy consumption and technology. On the issue of Commerce Clause, I believe that the free energy regulation on these 30 states permit the approval of renewable energy standards and not to purchase expensive amenities. Renewable energy credits (RECs) have comparable rates as your current energy supplier or most likely, cheaper.

Understand that eco-living is smart living. Majority of energy efficiency or sustainable living is to save money and ultimately improve your way of living. So it would not be in favor of renewable energy ventures to have these counter-beneficial implications to the environment as a whole.

Contact us for more information about renewable energy credits!.

Tags: affordable energy resource, cheap energy resource, clean energy, Maryland alternative energy, sobuka, solar lease, solar power

While the success of sustainable energy using wind power continues to expand, there is also another resource that is gaining similar momentum – solar energy. We once featured the concept about solar lease, now we are highlighting that with some specifics.

The state of Maryland is privilege on benefits of solar power from solar leasing option, courtesy of SolarCity. This company is offering a solar panel leasing program that would make home owners and businesses attain much quicker solar benefits. Similar to other companies such as SolarCity’s service, they offer a no up-front-cost solar lease that has since been popular in the west coast. The solar lease is structured such that an arranged fixed monthly payment is established while experiencing immediate energy savings.

This comes as another alternative that would generate more customers due to the pricey scare of basic photovoltaic system install purchase. Though the federal government contributed towards PV system purchases with 30% tax credit, the expected conversion did not translate. Hopefully with this much affordable solar lease, we would see the expected spike that reflects on the benefits of clean energy resources.

Maryland solar energy generation is going to broaden as more homeowners become more informed thus embracing this and more clean energy development within the state. So in addition to the tax incentives, this un-strenuous plan to your budget will garner much subscription popularity in the west. Take advantage of this great opportunity, your savings is only a contact away!

Sobuka can connect you with the right contractors to initiate your efforts to energy saving. Request a free quote so we can get you started!

Tags: affordable energy resource, cheap energy resource, clean energy, Maryland alternative energy, sobuka, solar lease, solar power

If you’re like most folks at happy hour, you probably never think about what it took to make that beer in your hand… some could care less about the quantity they consume, but that’s another topic… anyway, did you know that one of the best breweries out there is running its operations on beer? No, they’re not getting drunk off their own supply, instead they’re running their facility by turning their excess beer and other organic waste into natural gas.

A typical brewery produces plenty of organic waste during the brewing process by using large quantities of hops, barley, yeast, etc.. Some of the spent grain is usually sold or given away to farmers as cattle feed, and some of it may end up as wastewater in the watershed, after being treated on site. But thanks to Purpose Energy‘s biphase orbicular bioreactor (or B.O.B.), the brewery’s organic waste can be turned into biogas, which can then be used to power the facility.

The man behind Purpose Energy and B.O.B. is Eric Fitch, a 37 year-old mechanical engineer by training, and home brewing extraordinaire (he once clogged up the pipes of his Cambridge, MA, apartment building when he dumped the oatmeal looking organic waste from his brew into his garbage dispenser). Fitch initially tested out his invention by taking away the waste from Yuengling’s brewery in Tampla, FL, to a local farm, where he dumped it into a 400-gallon methane digester. With his refined B.O.B, he went back to New England to approach several breweries for a pilot project, and Magic Hat agreed.

Magic Hat’s 42-foot tall silo structure is what houses Purpose Energy’s B.O.B. system. The B.O.B. has a 50-foot diameter, can hold 490,000 gallons of waste slurry, and produces about 200 cubic feet of biogas per minute to power the brewery’s operations. The whole thing cost about $4 million to build, and just 100 feet away from the main Magic Hat facility, it’s like having your own power plant in your backyard. The system can save up to $2 per barrel of beer, and with Magic Hat’s medium-sized operations delivering 154,000 barrels of beer per year, they save approximately $25,000 every month!

Like its company slogan says, Purpose Energy is “saving the earth, one beer at a time.” And we say cheers to that! (via boston.com, treehugger.com)

Tags: biogas, green brewery, Magic Hat, Purpose Energy

Another bold move to contribute in green strides recently occurred. These types of recognition is always encouraging to have because there is only so much engagement and infrastructure that are developed to increase energy efficient consciousness to more communities. This is reports about Warren Buffert – who is considered one of America’s brilliant investor, recently invested in a lot of wind power project making his company #1 in wind power ownership. This amount of possession increases wind energy technology and businesses that will lead to more alternative energy subscribers.

In addition, this project counts another wind farm development like that of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Wind energy industry continues to expand as more interested parties like Google buy into this aspect of developing clean energy. To this effect, wind power is going to be a major factor to producing clean energy into the nation’s power grid thus garnering more bureaucratic and private attention.

Though some may think that this move could be based on mere investment rather than an environmental interest. But, be that as it may, the end result will not only encourage more investors and this particular market, it will pose to gain more commercial and residential customers. Eventually other energy efficient resources could enter this market to this movement a national success.

The company – MidAmerican plans to install significant numbers of wind turbines that would generate about 3000 megawatts of clean energy this year, with more to come. That is quite a catalyst for clean energy generation services. Similar to MidAmerican, companies like Clean Currents* provide renewable energy to either businesses or residents at affordable prices. Their efforts benefit the community by providing a more affordable energy resource and also contribute to using natural sustainable energy.

So this, in a matter of doubt is proof that renewable energy is the technology that is paired with today’s technology worth every penny for investing. Producing energy that is competitive to the fossil fuel market is something worth buying into. Sooner than later, a large percentage would be subscribers to these types of “preferred reserves”.

sobuka is proud to be of service to assist in converting to clean energy supply. The easy steps starts here.

* – only available at selected states.

Tags: clean energy generation, Clean Energy Investments, renewable energy investments, Wind Energy, wind farms, Wind RECs providers, wind services

As we become more and more conscious of the effects that our lifestyles have on the environment, we need to consider ways that we can be eco-responsible in all aspects of our lives, including home décor. Even small changes in paint choice and flooring can have a large impact. Here are five tips you can use to make your home not only beautiful, but also environmentally friendly.

1. Axe the Age-Old Appliances. This is not just about having the hottest, shiny new thing. Older appliances often use more energy than necessary. Make sure that all of your appliances are Energy Star-rated. Replaced appliances can often be recycled so be sure to check for local options.

2. Treat Your Windows Well. Select curtains that not only complement your color scheme, but that also have thermal lining. Thermal-lined curtains can significantly lower your heating and cooling costs.

3. Paint with Purpose. Paint can completely change the look and mood of a room. When selecting the shades that you will use to create the right look for your room, choose non-VOC options. VOCs are volatile organic compounds and create the fumes you typically smell from paint.

4. LED the Way. When it comes to eco-friendly lighting, LED (light emitting diode) is the way to go. LED bulbs consume less energy and can last for up to 20 years. You can purchase LED lamps or just install LED bulbs in the lamps you already have.

5. Reclaim, Repurpose, Reuse. You don’t always have to buy brand new furniture to spruce up your place. Thrift stores are a treasure trove of great furniture finds for a fraction of the cost. You can also ask friends and relatives for any pieces that are in good condition, but they no longer need or want. Also consider updating furniture that you have by painting or reupholstering to give it a new look.

By making a few conscious design choices, your home can be both design forward and eco-friendly. Go forth and decorate!

Tags: Electricity Bill Household Applicances, home decor, LED