If you are expecting a dialogue bashing the internal combustion vehicle or touting the electric vehicles as the savior of our planet, I’m afraid you are in for a disappointment. My decision to purchase an EV was purely a matter of convenience and wanting to have more time to maintain my other six vehicles, which […]
energy conservation
Posted inPeople & Places
High Energy Drives the Success of Bainbridge Island’s PacWesty
Hang out with Greg Dronkert for any length of time and you just might feel like you’re chatting with the Energizer Bunny — that is if the the bunny could only talk. The bunny, of course, is the mascot of Energizer batteries, and can be seen in TV commercials banging on a drum and hopping […]
Posted inAt Home
How to Keep Your Energy Use Healthy Too While Staying at Home
As the world works to halt the spread of the coronavirus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, states and cities are urging us to stay home whenever possible to avoid transmission of the disease. That’s leading to many changes in our lives, including how much time we spend in our homes and in our energy use. […]
Posted inAt Home
Three Things You Need to Know Before Insulating Your Home
Whether you’re building a house, renovating an existing home or simply giving your insulation an upgrade, it’s essential to know what to expect. Here are the three most important things that you need to keep in mind before insulating your home: 1. What type of insulation is best? It all comes down to something called […]
Posted inHome
Solar Energy Enhances Northwest Gardening
Did you know that in Washington state, owners of solar panels get paid extra for the electricity their systems generate? To make the deal even sweeter, they can save by not needing electricity from the power company in the first place. The Northwest has a great deal of sunlight for about seven months of the […]
Posted inAt Home
7 DIY Projects to Save Money and Protect Your Home All Year Long
Most homeowners know that large-scale upgrades can potentially lower their monthly insurance premiums. But did you know there are DIY home improvement projects that can also save you a lot of money? By being proactive, you can boost your home’s value and improve your property’s appearance. Here are seven projects you should add to your […]
Posted inHome
Solar Homes — What you Need to Know before Going Solar
The sight of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on residential roofs around West Sound is no longer a novelty. Enticed by the idea of saving on their power bills — or perhaps the idea of helping save the planet — homeowners are joining the renewable-energy movement. It’s not a cheap investment. Although PV installation prices are […]
Posted inAt Home
Easy and Breezy: 6 tips for Controlling Summer Cooling Costs
As we gear up for sun, surf, barbecues and all the other fun activities that represent summer, many of us are also concerned with how to keep ourselves and our homes comfortably cool this season. Of course, there are also concerns about controlling costs. The average homeowner spends nearly half of their yearly utility bills […]
Posted inAt Home
Shades of Green you Might Not See
When remodeling or building, we often hear how prospective clients might want to incorporate “green” methods into their projects. They typically cite items like solar panels, low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) materials, ground-source heat, ICF foundations, on-demand water heaters and more. Many of these can be very pricey options, with very long payoffs. We have noticed […]