Green Is Calling Blog

What type of oil do you use in your primary vehicle?

admin — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 20:53:42 +0000

after the 1st 5000 miles, which is regular interval for all Toyota Hybrid engines, I changed to Synthetic (AMSoil) it has an extended drain interval from at least 7500 miles to 15000 miles. In order to be safe I sample the oil about 10 days before the scheduled interval – so that once I put the car in for just the Oil filter change, I can make the decision to change the oil because there may be a problem reported, or the TBN is getting close to “2″. Otherwise the oil stays in; synthetic makes the engine run MUCH smoother and quieter then the dealer stuff they get out of the Bulk oil drums.

Ralph

Saving the planet and our kid’s future one quart at a time.

www.greeniscalling.com

We have teamed up with a Local Green Installer

admin — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:52:24 +0000

Great news we have recently teamed up with a local Green Products installer in the Metro Nashville Tennessee area to fill the gap in GreenIsCalling services to install the Solar PV and Hot water system. Choice Mechanical is a Goethermal Heatpump installer and service company with a great reputaion and a reliable servcie team. Please check out there website at: http://www.choicemechanicalinc.com/ you can also find a link on our Home Page at the top tabs.

Long time no post…

admin — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:36:09 +0000

…maybe because I was busy on making some impact in the Solar PV development here in Nashville, TN…

About a year ago the writer of this article in the “BusinessWeek”

Will Demand for Solar Homes Pick Up?

….The appeal of solar homes could grow as the economic outlook worsens. The more utility bills cut into household reserves, “the more consumers recognize the value of efficiency,” says Robert W. Hammon,… And there’s growing consumer awareness that solar homes appreciate faster than ordinary dwellings. They also resell for a premium of up to 5%.

probably was quite conservative on the percentile.

Article here: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_44/b4106088155598.htm

U.S. is no longer the leader in solar power

admin — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:52:51 +0000

…well that looks like you guys in Charlotte, Grensboro, and Myrtle Beach need to hussel and get with it so we; Americans can claim our spot as #1 in solar power back! Check out this news article:

New Jersey, California doing their part, but other states are dragging their feet

BY JOE TYRRELL

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

SECOND IN A SERIES

As the United States casts around for clean, domestic sources of energy, New Jersey has become a national leader in solar power, surpassing states with far greater land area and more days of sunshine.

But being a leader in solar energy in America is a little like being the fastest Model T Ford or the best sounding gramophone: the world has moved on.

The whole story hear: http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/science-updates/do-not-post-us-is-no-longer-the-leader-in-solar-power

Radiant Barrier Qualify for Tax Credit

admin — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 22:36:24 +0000

This is actually good to know, Radiant Barriers like this: http://greeniscalling.com/aff.php?a=ne&r=http://www.neutralexistence.com/shop/home-energy-savers/C30/%3fID=d5c07f1d&q=yes

Radiant Barrier is a Double-Sided, Tear-Resistant, ENERGY STAR® Qualified, Class A/Class 1 Fire-Rated, Clean and Non-Toxic Aluminum Radiant Barrier

Radiant Barrier Tax Credit

Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008

The “Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008″ extended the tax credits for energy efficient home improvements which expired in 2007. Federal tax credits will be given for qualifing improvements made during 2009.

The Energy Tax Incentives Act of 2005

The Energy Tax Incentives Act of 2005 Section 25C allows for tax credits on energy upgrades including insulation products when purchased in 2006 or 2007.

• Residential customers can receive a tax credit of 10% of the cost of material when you purchase radiant barrier in 2006 or 2007 for use in your residence. The maximum cumulative amount you can receive for 2006 and 2007 is $500. The residential applications that qualify for this credit are attics, walls, and crawl spaces.

• Commercial businesses can receive a tax credit of 30% of the cost of material when they purchase radiant barrier in 2006 or 2007 for use in a commercial building.

EPA Announces Energy Star Homes Reach Nearly 17 Percent Market Share for 2008

admin — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:53:17 +0000

I got a hold of this notifcation today it was published on July 02nd 2009:

Quarter Billion Dollars in Annual Utility Savings for Energy Efficient Homes

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that nearly 17 percent of all single-family homes built nationally in 2008 earned EPA’s Energy Star label, up from 12 percent in 2007. Both home builders and home buyers are continuing to invest in high performing homes that save consumers money on their utility bills and help protect the environment.

“Every year more Americans decide to cut their energy bills and help keep the air clean in their communities by buying a new home that has earned EPA’s Energy Star. Features like properly installed insulation, high-performance windows and high efficiency heating and cooling can reduce home energy needs by 20 to 30 percent, saving American families thousands of dollars on their utility bills,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “Even in a difficult market, the interest in Energy Star qualified homes keeps rising. We’re helping builders and homebuyers to protect the environment, safeguard our health, and move the country into a low-carbon energy future.”

In addition, market share for Energy Star qualified homes was 20 percent or greater in 15 states in 2008, including Ariz., Colo., Conn., Hawaii, Iowa, Ky., Nev., N.H., N.J., N.Y., Ohio, Okla., Texas, Utah, and Vt.

Nearly 940,000 Energy Star qualified homes have been built to date, with more than 100,000 of these constructed in 2008. In 2008 alone, American families living in Energy Star qualified homes locked in annual utility bill savings of more than $250 million — saving over 1.5 billion kWh of electricity and 155 million therms of natural gas while reducing the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of nearly 350,000 cars annually.

To earn the Energy Star label, homes must meet strict guidelines for energy efficiency set by EPA. Typically they include energy-saving features such as:

•           Effective Insulation Systems
•           High-Performance Windows
•           Tight Construction and Ducts
•           Efficient Heating and Cooling Equipment
•           ENERGY STAR Qualified Lighting and Appliances

More information about Energy Star qualified homes: http://www.energystar.gov/HomesMarketIndex

Water Conservation; do you have a plan?

admin — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:00:38 +0000

Well we still have our water running out of the fosset, right? And yes it is still cheap, right? But is it a good idea to drink, flush, and waste our Kids, and Grand Kids rights to the same freedom of water usage?

I am afraid the anwser to all the above questions is going to be NO,

…ouch that is bad…

please check out this site: http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/Utilities/WaterSmart/conservationlinks.htm

or type in this address in your browser today: http://www.cleangreen 789.com it is a great free E-Book no “pipes” attachted

July 8 – Energy Independence Day see Boone on TV

admin — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 02:00:34 +0000

Boone Pickens will be on TV tomorrow July 8 for Energy Independence Day !

In Greensboro-High Point, NC on:
WGHP FOX-TV
Fox 8 Morning News
8:10 AM ET
Please tune in, thanks!

for more info on how to turn back your meter follow

http://www.turnback 789.com, and sign up it is totally FREE and no strings attached.

Charlotte, NC gets $6,780,100 in Grants

admin — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:08:14 +0000

The North Carolina Energy Office reported on June 26th in a Press Release, that Charlotte, NC will be getting: $6,780,100 in Grants.

Federal Recovery Act Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant funds will be distributed directly to

designated North Carolina cities, counties and tribes as follows

http://www.energync.net/resources/docs/press/blockgrantplansubmitted062609.pdf

IF THEY CAN DO IT, WHY NOT NASHVILLE?

admin — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 00:37:02 +0000

Maybe we should re-label the head line to why can other US cities not do this. Just imagine because you offer an energy audit on your home you want to sell, you have a chance to sell the house at a better price / and faster because you did add or employ some of the things provided in this FREE e-book at turnback789.com.

This is an excerpt of the article that is posted here:

Check out this Wall Street Journal article about the city of Austin, Texas requiring home owners to conduct home energy audits prior to selling homes that are more than ten year old. This is certainly an interesting topic of conversation for home owners and Realtors. There are a lot of pros and cons for this law, and I could discuss them all day long. I am not sure yet what my stance is, but I do know that in Middle Tennessee, termite letters are required and are often paid for by the seller. So why not an energy audit?

http://www.nashvillegreenhome.com/2009/06/if-they-can-do-it-why-not-nashville.html

It is amazing to find this as a motivation to get more energy awareness!