• Our Choice: A Plan to Solve the Climate Paperback
• Our Choice: A Plan to Solve the Climate
• Our Choice: A Plan to Solve
• Our Choice:

Product Description
It is now abundantly clear that we have at our fingertips all of the tools we need to solve the climate crisis. The only missing ingredient is collective will. Properly understood, the climate crisis is an unparalleled opportunity to finally and effectively address many persistent causes of suffering and misery that have long been neglected, and to transform the prospects of future generations, giving them a chance to live healthier, more prosperous lives as they co… More >>

Our Choice: A Plan to Solve the Climate Crisis

Product Description
Retaining the successful format of the first edition and building on its solid grounding in the principles of renewable energy resources, this second edition has been revised in line with the latest advances in the field to include new technologies and an assessment of their impact. Considering each technology in depth from both scientific and environmental perspectives, it covers solar energy, photovoltaic, wind, wave, tidal and hydro power, biofuels, geothermals a… More >>

Renewable Energy Resources

If you were offered an investment with a guaranteed return of 900% a year or 10,000% over its lifetime, with no tax to pay, and which had a positive impact on the world, you would snap it up, right? Well this is the sort of return you can get by installing low energy lighting inside and outside your home.

Let’s look at some of the figures. Energy saving bulbs now cost from around £1 each. If you replace a bulb that you use for around 3 hours a night, then you save about £9 a year on your annual electricity bill. Because they last much longer, according to the Energy Saving Trust each low energy light bulb can save you up to £100 in electricity bills over its lifetime. If you add up all the light bulbs and fittings in your house, this adds up a surprisingly large saving.

Plus the benefits aren’t only financial. Something as simple as using low energy bulbs can have a big impact on your personal contribution to Climate Change, by reducing the carbon dioxide emissions you are responsible for. Each bulb on its own will save up to half a tonne over its lifetime. If you replace 10 old-style bulbs in your house that you use for 2 hours a day with low energy bulbs, you will save around a quarter tonne of carbon dioxide each year.

Finally, low energy light bulbs save you time and effort. Because they last around 10 times longer than normal bulbs, when you switch to low energy bulbs you won’t have to get the ladder out so often to replace bulbs that have blown.

So why isn’t everyone making the change to low energy bulbs? Sadly too many of us are creatures of habit, and just carry on buying the same bad bulbs we always have. But now with the wide range on offer, and recent developments which have made low energy bulbs perform just as well as old-style bulbs, it makes sense to change all your bulbs straight away.

It does take a little effort to make the switch at first. First you have to go round your house and write down a list of the bulbs you currently use – including wattage (60w, 100w etc.), type of fixture (screw, bayonet etc), size and colour (e.g. are they toned?)

Next you have to work out the wattage for a low energy bulb that matches the wattage of your current bulbs (for example a 20 watt low energy bulb gives off the same light as a 100 watt old-style bulb). You can find simple tables that can help you do this on the Internet at sites like downwithco2.com.

Once you have worked out the bulbs you need to buy, you can then go shopping. There are many retailers of low energy bulbs on the Internet, or now they are commonly available in supermarkets or hardware stores.

Plus you can also save a lot of money by installing more energy efficient lighting outdoors. Just a few outdoor lights left on each night can double your household lighting bill and your greenhouse gas emissions. The best solution is to fit daylight and movement sensors so outdoor lights switch on when they’re needed, but don’t waste electricity. This also improves your home’s security, as you can tell when someone is approaching the house.

For outdoor lights that must stay on for long periods, use energy efficient, compact fluorescent or LED lamps and choose the lowest wattage lamp that gives enough light. In the garden, you can now buy solar powered garden lights that use no mains electricity and so produce no emissions when used. Plus you don’t need to wire up your garden to get lighting.

So now you have seen all the benefits of low energy lighting, it really does make sense to make the switch as soon as you can.

From October 2008 landlords offering property for rent will be required by law to provide prospective tenants with an Energy Performance Certificate for their property.

The certificates (EPCs) will have to be provided free either when (or before) any written information about the property is provided to prospective tenants or a viewing is conducted. They will not have to be provided if the landlord believes the prospective tenant is unlikely to have sufficient funds to rent the property or is not genuinely interested in renting, or the landlord is unlikely to be prepared to rent the property to the prospective tenant.

A new certificate will not be required on each let since, in the case of rental property, EPCs will be valid for 10 years.

The requirement is being introduced to comply with the EU’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) which applies to all property, including rented property. This became law in 2003 and allowed until January 2009 for full implementation so as to provide time for sufficient numbers of energy assessor to be trained.

The Directive’s requirements have been introduced into English and Welsh law along with the controversial Home Information Pack regulations that require sellers to produce packs providing information about their title, local searched, plus an EPC. The full requirements are included in the Home Information Pack (No 2) Regulations 2007 and the Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007.

In Scotland, the Single Survey, the equivalent to HIPS, also includes an energy report requirement.

So far as energy performance is concerned, the regulations require an EPC when a building is constructed, sold or rented out. When included in a HIP related to a property sale, the EPC should be no more than 12 months old when the property is first marketed. In other circumstances EPCs have a 10 year life.

HIP requirements have already come into force so far as three and four bedroom properties are concerned. And EPCs will be required for all new builds from 6 April 2008, and for all rentals as from 1 October 2008.

In Scotland EPCs for rental properties will be required by January 2009.

By 2009, all buildings in the UK that are constructed, sold or rented out will have to have an Energy Performance Certificate. In the case of larger public buildings a ‘Display Energy Certificate’ will have to be on show.

There are a number of different permitted assessment methods, their use depending upon the type of building being assessed. Dwellings will usually be assessed using the ‘Reduced Data Standard Assessment Procedure’ (RdSAP), an industry agreed standard that allows some data to be inferred.

Its use involves inspectors collecting standard information on the type of property and construction, the property dimensions including room sizes, types of windows, room and water heating systems and controls, plus other details such as wall, loft and water tank insulation. Agreed reference coefficients are then applied to arrive at an energy rating.

EPCs for dwellings will rate the energy performance of buildings (not the appliances within them) on a scale of ‘A’ to ‘G’ – where ‘A’ is the most efficient, and ‘G’ the least. This will be displayed graphically in a similar way as present energy labelling on white goods such as fridges and washing machines.

Two ratings will be shown: an overall energy efficiency rating, and an environmental impact rating in terms of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions – the higher the rating, the less impact on the environment.

The idea is that because EPCs will be prepared using standard methods with standard assumptions, it will be possible to make comparisons of the energy efficiency of buildings. The Government argues that in the case of rental properties, high rating will be more desirable and will impact on the marketability of properties – and hence ultimately on rent levels.

EPCs will always be accompanied by a recommendation report including a list of measures (such as low and zero carbon generating systems) that would improve the energy rating of the building and an indication of the rating that could potentially be reached should these recommendations be implemented.

It suggested each year an estimated 2.5m plus homes will require an EPC.

ECPs may only be produced by authorised Domestic Energy Assessors (DEAs) who have been able to demonstrate appropriate qualifications or competence.

At least one DEA trainer is claiming, that besides benefiting from flexible working hours, qualified assessors will be able to earn up to 100,000 pounds per year.

According to the Government, buildings are responsible for almost 50 per cent of all energy consumed in the UK and over a quarter of CO2 emissions, while forecasts suggest a large proportion of current buildings will still be in use in 2050.

An initial survey of EPC results found that on average four bedroom homes were being rated ‘E’. ‘This could potentially rise to a “C” if consumers undertake measures recommended in the certificates, such as loft and cavity wall insulation’, claimed the Government.

The top five recommendations given by assessors for improving energy efficiency have been: cavity wall insulation, changing to low energy lighting, putting thermostatic valves on radiators, loft insulation, and double glazing.

The Government said the price of an energy performance certificate will be set by the market and it expects the cost to vary according to the size, type and location of the property. However, it is predicting that the cost of a stand alone EPC for an ‘average’ home is approximately 100 pounds. This seems to be borne out by prices currently being quoted by providers.

The Government also suggests that the time taken to perform an energy assessment will be ‘about the same time as performing a housing valuation report’.

Landlords wishing to make energy saving improvements to their properties either before or after obtaining an EPC are offered some help from the Government.

The Landlord’s Energy Saving Allowance, originally introduced in April 2004, now covers loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, solid wall insulation, draught proofing, hot water system insulation, and floor insulation.

Expenditure on these items would otherwise be treated as capital expenditure – which means it could not be deducted from rental income to arrive at a taxable item. However, the LESA allows up to 1,500 pounds per property spend on such items as a straight deduction from rental profits.

The allowance is to run until 2015. The ‘per property’ rule (rather than the former ‘per building’ restriction means that for a house converted into three flats an allowance of 4,500 pounds can be claimed. However, the allowance is not available for holiday lets or resident landlords.

An environmentally-sound home is one that makes less of an impact on the environment. This example of home can incorporate things like energy-efficient appliances or low-e windows to make your home more efficient or maybe even adding more extreme items like solar power or a water recycling system. If you are implementing these modifications now, the neat thing is that many of the technologies cost less now than in the past. If your home is pre-construction, you can choose to have the home designed to take maximum advantage of the natural illumination of the home. Making a home more efficient or buying an eco-friendly home will not only save you money on things like energy bills, but is also the environmentally responsible choice to make.

Solar derived energy is a somewhat new idea. Nonetheless, as a modern-day homeowner you can take advantage of the technology that is available and get the power that you need for your home. The way that solar energy is employed is that solar panels are situated in a place where they can get ample sunlight. These large panels are made of glass and have tubes with water coursing through them. As the sun warms the water in the tubes, it is transformed into energy that you can use for your home. An additional benefit is that the hot water can then be used instead of a hot water unit. Most homeowners position the panels up on the portion of the roof that gets the maximum amount of sunlight. That means that shade from trees needs to be minimized anywhere the panels are installed. Every system is different, but it is possible to derived energy an entire home using solar panels.

Water is a limited resource, so we all need to do our part to use less water. One way of making your water usage more eco-friendly is to have holding tanks where you can store water and then send it through a filtration system where it can then furnish the water needs of your home. This water recycling method is a great way to take care of your yard’s water requirements.

Recycling water can save about eighty percent of the overall water used in many homes. Another easy way to reduce the quantity of water that you are using is to put in a low-flow showerhead. A low-flow showerhead is easy to install and will save hundreds of gallons of water every year. Also, if you have older toilets, upgrading to a modern toilet can also reduce your water usage for the future. When you start to think about the many ways that you can save water, you can perhaps come up with even more.

Eco-friendly homes are the wave of the future. Finding ways to decrease each family’s use of electricity and water is important for all of us. You can make modifications to make your home more earth-friendly that will really make a difference. Recycling, utilizing solar power and monitoring your water use are all great ways to establish your home as a green home.

All living systems require energy to survive. A person requires energy in the form of food. A plant requires energy in the form of sunlight. All mechanical systems also require energy to function. A car needs gasoline to run. A sailboat needs wind to move across the water. Energy, in one form or another, is needed for all living and nonliving activity on the planet. Energy does not actually exist as a thing itself, however. Instead, energy is an idea describing various sources of power. Long ago, humans relied upon the natural systems of the earth to meet their energy needs. Cliff dwellers of the Southwest built their homes to capture the heat of winter sunlight. Ancient Greeks bathed in water warmed by geothermal vents. Humans around the world used wood to cook their meals and warm their homes. The natural systems of the planet met all of these needs.

The pursuit of more powerful and consistent energy sources came about during the Industrial Revolution, which began in the late eighteenth century and continued through the beginning of the nineteenth century. For the first time, humans began burning fossil fuels in great quantities to meet their energy needs. Fossil fuels powered the factories they worked in, the farm equipment needed to produce large crops, and eventually, the cars they drove. It seemed as if fossil fuels were the perfect answer to the need for a quick and efficient form of energy. It was not until the 1970s that serious problems from the use of fossil fuels began to be recognized. Oil-producing countries began to demand more money for their product. Oil-consuming countries, such as the United States, refused to accept these higher costs. Many countries put oil embargoes into place. This drove the cost of fossil fuels higher and higher. This series of events led to an energy crisis. People began to wonder what they would do if the cost of fossil fuels did not decline and, consequently, an interest in alternative energy sources began to develop.

Also, since the energy crisis of the 1970s, scientists have learned more about the environmental impact of fossil fuels. They have linked acid rain to the sulfur dioxide released when fossil fuels are burned. Burning fossil fuels also releases large quantities of carbon dioxide. Scientists have found a connection between the growing amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and an increase in global temperatures, referred to as global warming. These discoveries about the effects of fossil fuels have also led to an increased interest in the development of alternative energy sources. Currently, there are four main alternative energy sources being developed and used today: solar power, wind power, hydropower, and geothermal power. These energy sources, called renewable energy, are all powered by the natural systems of the earth. Unlike fossil fuels, they are also continuously replenished by the earth’s natural systems regardless of whether or not they are used. Sunlight will stream down on the planet every day, whether it is captured with solar panels or not. Wind will blow across the land, regardless of turning the rotor of a windmill. Rivers will flow down mountains and geothermal vents will release energy, whether or not their energy is harnessed.

As the resources of the planet are used faster than they are replaced, people are turning to solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal energy to meet their energy needs. Supporting the use of energy sources that are replenished as fast, or faster, than they are used is helping to create a sustainable energy future. For such changes to happen effectively, however, it will take changes in government policies, more economic support for alternative energy producers, and individual consumers demanding a different choice. These factors will determine the direction of energy production in the coming decades.