Featured Products for December

Maine-Made Drying Rack

Our best seller at Common Ground Fair, this large drying rack features a unique design, thick birch dowels, and a lifetime guarantee from the craftsman who makes them here in Maine!
Large drying rack $75

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Guyot Designs Stainless Steel Water Bottle

Guyot Designs, based in Deer Isle, Maine, believes in beautiful, functional design. Treat yourself to the gold standard in stainless steel bottles. Made from high quality 18/10 surgical grade stainless steel machined to exacting specifications, these wide-mouth bottles can be easily cleaned. The tethered lids open and close with a comfortable turn and will not leak due to the well-designed threads.

Backpacker 32 oz $24.95

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Maine Balsam Draft Stopper

Handmade in Maine with fragrant balsam harvested from the paper and lumber industry, these attractive draft stoppers halt cold drafts from doors and windows. Covered with 100% cotton in assorted patterns.

30" for windows $15.95
42" for doors $19.95

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Voltaic Backpacks

Voltaic solar backpacks are mobile solar power generators designed to charge virtually all handheld electronics. Embedded in the outside of the bags are lightweight, tough, waterproof solar panels. A custom battery pack stores any surplus power generated, so it is available when you need it - not just when the sun is up. The battery packs can also be charged using the included AC travel charger or car charger, making them just as useful on the grid as off. Voltaic bags use fabrics made from recycled soda bottles. Recycled PET fabric is light weight, extremely durable, UV and water resistant, and even looks better than the nylon it replaced. Most importantly, it uses significantly less energy to produce and creates demand for recycled materials.

Large backpack $249

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ActiveTrax on the Go Audio
Stop wasting all those batteries! The ActiceTrax On The Go Audio solar-powered speakers allow you to literally crank up the tunes. Plug your iPod (or USB compatible MP3 player) into the side jack of this mini boom-box for a great external speaker. Or, use the AM/FM/WB radio (the weather band radio plays the most local station). You can also recharge your iPod from the ActiveTrax's USB jack. Includes a solar panel on top, as well as an easy-crank self-powered charging system that gives you 20 minutes of speaker play for each minute of cranking.
ActiveTrax speaker/radio/charger $39.95
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Rechargeable Acculoop Batteries

These new nickel metal hydride batteries come charged and ready to use. Not only are they reusable up to 1,000 times, but the Acculoop batteries hold their charge much better than other brands.

2-pack AA $13.95

2-pack AAA $6.95

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SolarSheat Space Heater The SolarSheat hot air collector is a self-contained and self-powered sustainable solution for space heating. Mounts on a south-facing wall or roof. No need for plumbing or electricity -- these units have a built-in solar-powered fan to blow in warm air whenever there is sun. Now anyone can go solar!
1500 watts $1,979 Learn more »

Convectair Electric Space Heater

Perfect as a complement to a solar space heater, or anywhere you need a heating boost, the Convectair Apero electric space heater works on the proven principle of natural convection. Hangs on the wall and plugs into a regular 120 volt outlet. 1250 watts $257

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Energy Film

Insulate your window glass without adhesive using an easy-to-apply spectrally-selective cling film. Reduce heat loss through treated windows by 12 - 18%, in effect turning regular glass into low-E glazing. Non-reflective surface retains excellent visual clarity. Blocks 97% of UV light and 70% of infrared light, while allowing 77% of visible light to pass through. Includes squeegee for installation.
24"x48" $19.95; 36"x48" $29.95; 48"x84" $39.95

Learn more »

Yolo Colorhouse Paint - Special Offer!

YOLO Colorhouse performs like a premium conventional paint, yet it has low odor, no harmful chemicals, and no added solvents. Green Seal certified, zero VOC, 100% acrylic, with 40% volume solids, YOLO Colorhouse interior paint has excellent hide and layout. Pick from their designer palette or custom tint to match any color.

$45.95 / gal

Special offer: Buy 3, get 1 free until 12/7

Learn more »

Environmental Happenings

What's Happening in the Local Environmental Scene and Beyond

On Tuesday, November 18, the Maine Legislature’s Transportation Committee voted to accept a negotiated conservation easement for Sears Island but to leave it unsigned, meaning no action will be taken. Instead, the committee requested a bill in the next Legislature instructing the Maine Department of Transportation to pursue the permitting of a cargo port on Sears Island, which is owned by the State of Maine. At the head of Penobscot Bay, Sears Island is the largest causeway accessible undeveloped island on the eastern coast of the United States. At issue is whether the development of a cargo port will be permitted on the island.

The Ocean Energy Institute, a tiny research organization founded by Maine resident Matthew Simmons, hopes to build a 5-gigawatt, deep-water wind farm--the largest in the world--in the Gulf of Maine. Because the winds are strongest several miles offshore, the turbines would be built on floating platforms anchored some 12 to 20 miles off the coast in waters 100 to 200 meters deep. The target generating capacity of 5 gigawatts equals the power required to replace the use of home heating oil in Maine. The Gulf of Maine has an estimated wind power potential of 100 gigawatts, peaking in winter when winds are stronger.

Arctic sea ice and climate are behaving in ways not seen before in the satellite record—both in the rate and extent of ice loss during the spring and summer, and in the record ice growth rates and increased Arctic air heating during the fall and winter. During the 2008 melt season, Arctic sea ice declined by a record 10.58 million square kilometers, then rebounded at an astounding rate. As of October 31, ice extent was at 9.27 million square kilometers, more than doubling since the annual minimum of 4.52 million square kilometers measured on September 14, 2008. Over much of the Arctic, especially over the Arctic Ocean, air temperatures were unusually high, consistent with rapid ice growth. Near-surface air temperatures in the Beaufort Sea north of Alaska were more than 7 degrees Celsius above normal and the warming extended well into higher levels of the atmosphere.

Thursday, December 4 - The Kennebec Estuary: Health and Sustainability, 7 pm, Long Reach Hall, Maine Maritime Museum, Bath, Maine. A presentation of The State of the Kennebec Estuary, a research project contracted by the Kennebec Estuary Collaboration. This report assesses current ecological conditions of the estuary and identifies key challenges and opportunities for conservation of this unique system. Speakers: Slade Moore, Director of Biological Conservation, Jaret Reblin, Biologist. For more information, call 442-8400.

Thursday, December 4 - Wildlife Rehabilitation: Raptors, Reptiles & More, 7 pm, Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick. A presentation by Karen McElmurry, Director, Center for Wildlife. Part of the Friends of Merrymeeting Bay Speaker Series. For more information, contact Misty Gorski at 582-5608.

Thursday, December 11 - Sustainable Gifts, 7 pm, F.W. Horch, 56 Maine Street, Brunswick. Tie into the deeper meanings of the holiday time by giving simple, sustainable gifts. Join us for some ideas about gifts that nurture relationships, build on old and new rituals, and create environmentally sustainable and just communities. Space is limited! To reserve a spot, please call us at 729-4050.

Please note: our store will be closed from Thursday, December 25 through Thursday, January 1, 2009, re-opening on Friday, January 2. Happy Holidays!

Shop Local: December's Sustainable Living Tip

Shop local to keep dollars circulating in your community. According to the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, every dollar spent at a locally owned business creates more than three times as much local economic activity as a dollar spent at a national chain store.

Facts About Locally Owned Businesses

1. According to a 2006 study, only 14% of the revenue taken in by a typical big box store in midcoast Maine remains in the Maine economy. 86% leaves Maine.
2. In contrast, locally owned businesses spend 45% of their revenue in Maine.
3. Compared to national chains, local retailers purchase a much larger share of the goods and services needed to run their stores from other local businesses.
4. Locally owned businesses are more likely to advertise in local newspapers than national chains.
5. One study has found that small businesses give more than twice as much per employee to charitable causes as do large companies.
6. Locally owned businesses create and support more jobs in the communities they serve than do national chains.
7. The idea that national chains, by bringing shoppers to town, boost sales at surrounding retail stores is a myth. Data analysis shows that Maine communities that gained a Wal*Mart supercenter in the 1990s experienced a decline in retail "pull factor."
8. Studies show that national chains put smaller local stores out of business, resulting in job losses that exceed the jobs available at the national chain stores.
9. National chains have much higher employee turnover rates than locally owned businesses.
10. Locally owned businesses fill downtown retail spaces too small for national chains.
11. National chain stores typically build "big-box" new buildings to suit their needs, leaving existing retail space vacant as smaller locally owned stores are forced to close.
12. A typical big box store requires 1,000 parking spaces and generates 10,000 car trips every day. Even smaller-scale chains, like Walgreen's and Borders, favor locations and store designs that foster driving and discourage walking and public transit.
13. A recent analysis in Barnstable, Massachusetts, found that big box stores require nearly $800 more in public services per 1,000 square feet than Main Street businesses.
14. The two main factors behind the higher costs were greater expenditures for road maintenance (due to a much greater volume of car trips per 1,000 square feet) and greater demand for police services (compared to small businesses, big box stores generate a much larger volume of police calls for crimes like shoplifting and check fraud, as well as parking lot accidents).
15. Small manufacturers with innovative products are more likely to obtain shelf space in small locally owned retail stores.
16. Two national chains control nearly 45 percent of the hardware and building supply market in the United States.
17. Two national chains currently capture half of all bookstore sales in the United States.
18. Maine residents today log three times as many road miles for shopping and errands as they did a generation ago.
19. A national study by Cornell University found that counties where small businesses dominated economic activity had greater income equality, more owner-occupied homes, lower levels of worker disability, higher educational outcomes, lower crime rates, a larger independent middle class and higher rates of civic engagement, as measured by voter turnout and membership in community organizations.
20. Small-scale, locally owned stores help to sustain vibrant, compact, walkable town centers—which in turn play an essential role in limiting sprawl and automobile use, and reducing related problems like habitat loss and air and water pollution.

News From ReVision Energy

Here's the news from ReVision Energy, our renewable energy partner:

ReVision Energy has done some recent installations worth noting. One was for a new Portland home through the Habitat for Humanity organization. The project was a solar hot water installation matched with a high efficiency gas boiler. ReVision Energy and its purveyors provided the Habitat project with parts and materials. The staff from ReVision Energy took time out of one of their weekends to volunteer the work needed to install these systems. The project is to provide the new homeowners with long term energy savings. You can view more about this project by clicking here:

http://www.wcsh6.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=96043&catid=2

ReVision Energy also recently completed an installation through York County Shelters in Alfred, Maine. The York County Shelters is a living facility for the homeless. This new construction is the first of its kind for homeless shelters in Maine to integrate the cost of renewable energy systems into its building designs. The additional upfront costs are justified as these systems will offer long term savings on their energy usage. The York County Shelters is utilizing a high efficiency gasification wood boiler with thermal storage tank, solar hot water collectors, and a 4kW solar electric system. To read more, click here:

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=224603&ac=PHnws

December 13^th, I will give a presentation entitled Introduction to Active Solar at the Shelter Institute in Woolwich. The class is free, but space is limited, so pre-registering is suggested. Please click here for more information: http://www.shelterinstitute.com/ActiveSolar.htm

We hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season. We would like to remind everyone that we do work throughout the winter. We are able to do indoor work when the weather conditions are poor and save the roof work for when the weather is more favorable. We are still running a half off special on our site evaluations from now until the New Year. Our site evaluations allow us to design and propose a renewable energy system to integrate into what you have now. If you move forward with a job, 100% of your deposit goes towards it.

As always, please call ReVision Energy at 221-6342 with any questions you may have. We would be more than happy to help you find a long term solution to your energy saving needs.

- Jen

Column: "Cheap and Lazy" Shopping

I'm cheap and lazy when it comes to buying gifts. I hope you are, too.

Okay, maybe “cheap” is too strong a word. “Frugal,” perhaps. But I like to save money, and I look for useful gifts that people will appreciate. I hate wasting money on stuff people don't need or want.

And maybe instead of “lazy” I should promote myself as “efficient.” If I can save time shopping, I'm all for it.

Whatever you call it, it's a green way to shop. So here are my recommendations for the “frugal and efficient” (aka “cheap and lazy”) shopper:

1. Give gift certificates to your favorite local shops, restaurants and businesses. These are always appreciated if you choose interesting ones. You've never wasted your money—at the very least you've supported a place you want to keep in business!

2. Browse online and call ahead. In an afternoon, you can visit dozens of stores online without spending a dime on gas. If you come across a small, locally-owned store that looks interesting, give them a call. They can often recommend the perfect gift or refer you to another store that carries what you're looking for.

3. “Wrap” your gifts in reusable bags. Everyone likes to unwrap gifts, but who likes to get stuck with a bunch of garbage? Reusable gift wrap bags are easier and greener than wrapping paper. Drop in a short note with your present, pull the drawstring closed, and you're done!

4. Choose carefully. Pick just one gift per person, but make it special. If you can't find the perfect gift in a store, send something you can't buy: a note and a promise to spend time with the person you love. Or, if you do find the perfect gift but can't afford it, go in with others to share the cost.

5. Shop all year long. Keep an eye out for things you would want to give, and jot them down. A short shopping excursion on a lazy summer afternoon is a lot more fun than a holiday shopping marathon among the mob at the mall. Give yourself time to think; you'll find better deals and more meaningful gifts.

If you put a little thought into it, being “cheap and lazy” is a great way to avoid mindless consumerism and give green gifts people will really appreciate.

Save Money: November's Sustainable Living Tip

Save money while saving the planet. Personal thrift promotes planetary well being. But think carefully about every purchase. Don't save money at the expense of the planet--eating at a fast-food chain instead of an organic local restaurant, for example. Instead, find ways to balance your budget that bring global benefits.

Top 20 money and planet-saving tips

1. Turn down the heat. Whether by hand or with an automatic programmable thermostat, lowering your heating bill is one of the most effective ways you can save. With space heaters in rooms that need to stay warm, you can probably safely turn down your main thermostat to 50 degrees (check with a plumber to make sure).
2. Heat people, not possessions. Instead of turning your thermostat up and heating your entire house, use electric space heaters when and where you need them. It's an easy, affordable way to create warm comfort zones around the people you love.
   
3. Insulate. This is an investment with a great guaranteed return. Start with your attic, but don't forget to insulate around your basement, too.
4. Seal air leaks. Blocking those cold drafts not only keeps you more comfortable, but saves money. Remember, for every cold breeze blowing in, there is a warm breeze leaking out. Do your part to stop global warming!
5. Turn off the lights. If you're not vigilant about turning off the lights when you leave a room, I bet you're spending at least $50 per year unnecessarily. Not a big deal? If you don't need the extra money, turn off the lights anyway and donate the money to charity. If every household in Brunswick did that, we'd raise $407,500 annually!
6. Unplug unused appliances.The EPA estimates that appliances use more energy while turned off than on! Why is that? Because most appliances suck power surreptitiously for things like remote controls and clocks. Unplug them to stop the waste.
   
7. Switch to CFL light bulbs. Compact fluorescent light bulbs are four times more efficient than the old-fashioned incandescent bulbs. Get a dollar's worth of light for a quarter!
   
8. Install low-flow showerheads. If your showerhead is more than a few years old, chances are you are wasting warm water--and the dollars used to heat it.
   
9. Wash clothes in cold water. Modern detergents work just fine in cold water. Why spend extra money on hot water for no reason?
   
10. Air dry clothes. A little time hanging clothes adds up to dozens of dollars over the course of a year. Plus, hanging clothes indoors during the winter adds welcome humidity to dry indoor air.
    
11. Cover your windows. Windows let in light, but also let out heat. Insulating blinds are the most effective, but even a thin covering helps block heat loss.
12. Compost. This is something you can do that literally makes your part of the world a better place for all living things. Save on trash fees and synthetic fertilizer costs.
    
13. Walk and bike more. Every mile you walk or bike instead of drive your car puts more than 50 cents in your pocket, according to the IRS. Personally, I find a bike trailer allows me to do all my grocery shopping with ease--and keeps me in shape!
    
14. Recharge your batteries. Rechargeable batteries can be recharged up to 1,000 times. That's a whole lot of savings in disposable batteries you don't need to buy--or throw away!
15. Bottle your own water. It's nice to have a bottle of water at work or school, but why not fill your own? For less than a penny per gallon, you can filter tap water and bring it with you in a reusable stainless steel bottle.
    
16. Pack your own lunch. It's no secret that you can eat better for less money when you pack your own lunch. With washable sandwich wraps and reusable bottles, you can also eat better with less trash.
    
17. Buy in bulk. Dollar for dollar, you get more product and less packaging when you buy in bulk. Got limited space? Find a store that lets you refill from their bulk dispensers.
    
18. Preserve food. For every food there is a season, but you can enjoy preserved food any time of the year. If you have a freezer, you'll pay less to operate it if you keep it full.
    
19. Grow your own garden. Container plants are a good option if you don't have much space or time. Plan now to save a bundle on herbs and fresh veggies next year.
    
20. Get outside. Entertaining your family doesn't have to be an expensive proposition. Taking time for a family hike around your neighborhood is a free way to reconnect with each other and your community. Set out on foot from your home with an open mind for adventure, and you'll be surprised what you discover!

Environmental Happenings

What's Happening in the Local Environmental Scene and Beyond

In October the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission gave preliminary approval to Plum Creek Timber Company's controversial plan for resorts, homes and conservation affecting more than 400,000 acres around Moosehead Lake. A final vote on the zoning changes is expected in the next few months. Then each resort and subdivision will have to go through a separate permitting review. Construction is likely to be a year or more away. Nonprofit groups must now start raising $35 million before finalizing a deal to protect most of the conservation land.

Thursday, November 6 - Growing Up the Hard Way (Next to Swan Island), 7 pm, Merrymeeting Grange Hall, Bowdoinham. Presentation by Jake Bishop, local historian, sponsored by Friends of Merrymeeting Bay. For more information, visit www.FriendsOfMerrymeetingBay.org

Saturday, November 8 - Go Green Expo, 10 am - 4 pm, Mt. Ararat High School Gymnasium, Topsham. A free consumer expo open to the public, featuring keynote Kurt Adams who will will speak on "Green Energy in Maine: Fighting Climate Change and Growing Our Economy" at noon.

Thursday, November 13 - Preserving the Harvest, 7 - 8:30 pm, F.W. Horch, 56 Maine Street, Brunswick. Join us for our next Sustainable Living Talk featuring Jeff Burchstead of Buckwheat Blossom Farm. Free and open to the public. Space is limited, so please call 729-4050 to reserve your seat.

Thursday, November 13 - ecomaine's Green Symposium, 9 am - 2 pm, USM Sullivan Complex on 21 Falmouth Street in Portland. Learn insider tips from energy auditors, how to plan and fund wind and solar energy initiatives, best practices in green marketing, and much more. For more information, visit www.MaineGreenSymposium.com

Thursday, November 13 - The Kennebec Estuary: How does it contribute?, 7 pm, Maine Maritime Museum, Bath. How do the natural resources of the estuary contribute to our local economy and quality of life? Speaker: Michael LeVert, Economist Maine State Planning Office Panel: Trevor Hunt, Superintendent Bath Water District; Mike Fear, President Main Street Bath; Dick Lemont, Phippsburg Shellfish Commission Chair, Laura Sewall, Former Executive Director Kennebec Estuary Collaboration Moderator: Bruce Kidman, Director of Communications and Government Relations, The Nature Conservancy.

Thursday, December 4 - The Kennebec Estuary: Health and Sustainability, 7 pm, Long Reach Hall, Maine Maritime Museum, Bath. A presentation of The State of the Kennebec Estuary, a research project contracted by the Kennebec Estuary Collaboration. This report assesses current ecological conditions of the estuary and identifies key challenges and opportunities for conservation of this unique system. Speakers: Slade Moore, Director of Biological Conservation, Jaret Reblin, Biologist. For more information, visit www.kennebecestuary.eventbrite.com or call 442.8400.

News From ReVision Energy

ReVision Energy is promoting 1/2 price site evaluations from now until the New Year! Our $300 site evaluation fee has been reduced to $150. We are trying to help get energy efficient systems to all Maine homeowners. If you would like to talk about a site evaluation for your home, what that entails, or just talk to us about the potential of a solar hot water, solar electric, or high efficiency wood boiler system we would love to have that opportunity. Please call 221-6342 or email jen@revisionenergy.com

Events coming up~

The GoGreen Expo will be in Topsham, Saturday November 8^th from 10-4pm. The event will be held at the Mt. Ararat High School gymnasium. The event is free and open to the public. John Capron, one of our experienced solar technicians, will be presenting at 1 pm. He will be talking about renewable energy options for your home and business. For more information, please visit the Southern Midcoast Maine Chamber: http://www.midcoastmaine.com/template.php?cID=90

Saturday, November 22 we are going to be at LL Bean in Freeport. LL Bean is gearing up for the holidays and is going to have many things going on, crafts for kids, ice carvings, gingerbread characters, and ReVision Energy will be there talking about efficient heating systems for your home from 10-4 pm that day. I will be there talking about solar hot water and solar electricity. Lee Landry, one of our wood boiler experts, from our Liberty shop will be there all day talking about wood boilers. He’ll be bringing a wood boiler with him to have on site. This is a great opportunity to learn about wood boilers, how efficient they are, and whether you are the right candidate to have one in your home.

Saturday, December 13^th at 9:30 am. The Shelter Institute will be hosting a free class called Intro to Active Solar. I will be presenting solar energy options for your home. The class is free but space is limited so they suggest you call or email to sign up. Please follow the link below for more info: http://www.shelterinstitute.com/ActiveSolar.htm.

Preserving the Harvest

F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods and Supplies, 56 Maine St., Brunswick, will host a talk by Amy and Jeff Burchstead of the horse-powered Buckwheat Blossom Farm titled "Preserving the Harvest," on Thursday, November 13, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm. The talk is free and open to the public.

The Burchsteads will explain how to plan for winter by storing root crops, freezing and fermenting garden produce, and over wintering crops in the garden. For those considering buying a community supported agriculture (CSA) farm share, but scared off by the thought of what to do with too many fresh vegetables, the talk will suggest ways to spread out the bounty so it can be savored during colder months. Other topics that will be covered at the talk are the definitions of "local" and "organic", the importance of knowing your farmer, and the "dirty dozen" conventional crops to avoid.

Free informational handouts will be provided. Seating is limited, so those interested in attending are encouraged to call the store at 729-4050 to reserve a seat.

The talk is part of the F.W. Horch series on sustainable living. Each monthly talk is held at the F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies store, 56 Maine Street, Brunswick on the second Thursday of the month. December's talk will discuss sustainable gift giving.

For more information, please call 729-4050 or visit www.FWHorch.com.

Column: Eight Ways to Save

Everyone wants to save money this year, which is good news for the planet. Here’s how you can save $600 in one year — just by being green!

1. Turn off the lights and unplug appliances. A little diligence will shave 15 cents a day off your electricity bill. For the year, save $50.
   
   
2. Keep your car tires inflated properly. For every 10˚ Fahrenheit the temperature drops, your tires lose about seven kilopascals. Add air in cold weather; bleed air in hot weather. Save $60.
   
   
3. Air dry your laundry. Drying a load of laundry requires about 14 megajoules of energy (60 cents worth of electricity). It’s free when you hang it to air dry. Save $75.
   
   
4. Compost kitchen scraps. Instead of paying to throw away your kitchen waste, create your own organic fertilizing compost. Save $20.
   
   
5. Set back your thermostat. Turn down the heat at night and when you leave the house — or better yet, invest in a programmable thermostat. Save $180.
   
   
6. Wash clothes in cold water. Washing in cold water saves more than replacing your washing machine. Heating hot water requires 24 megajoules of energy per load in an older machine, or 12 MJ in a new high-efficiency machine. But it’s zero MJ for cold water in either one. Save $100.
   
   
7. Install a low-flow shower head. Older shower heads use up to 10 gallons per minute. A 3.5 gpm efficiency standard was set in 1980 and raised to 2.5 gpm in 1994. A new 1.75 gpm fixture could save up to – liters of warm water per shower. Save $50.
   
   
8. Carpool, bicycle or walk. The IRS figures that gas, depreciation, insurance, etc. to drive a car one mile adds up to 50.5 cents. Once a week, skip a short trip by car. Save $65.

It’s a good feeling to save money. But it’s an even better feeling to save what money can’t buy.

As I save money being green, I imagine mountains standing intact, not mined for coal; streams running clear, not clouded with uranium tailings; air safe to breathe, not fouled by incinerators; and wilderness still unspoiled, not sacrificed for roads, wellheads and pipelines. So for our planet’s sake, start saving!

For more green ideas for saving money, and detailed calculations, visit www.FWHorch.com/gogreen.

Indoor Air - October's Sustainable Living Tip

As you tighten up your home for winter, it's all the more important to protect indoor air quality by choosing heaters, paints, finishes and cleaning products that don't emit noxious fumes.

Indoor Air Quality Facts

1. According to the EPA, indoor air can be more polluted than outdoor air even in the largest and most industrialized cities.
2. Most people spend 90% of their time indoors.
   
3. While pollutant levels from individual sources may not pose a significant health risk by themselves, most homes have more than one source that contributes to indoor air pollution.
4. Appliances that burn oil, gas or wood create potentially deadly air pollutants such as carbon monoxide; vents must take that pollution outside where it will be diluted.
5. Solar and electric space heaters are clean ways to heat your home that do not contribute to indoor air pollution.
   
6. Some types of paint, finishes, furniture, carpet, and cleaning products continuously emit pollutants.
7. When painting, you can avoid dangerous fumes by choosing "zero-VOC" water-based acrylic paint or milk paint.
   
8. You can improve indoor air quality by choosing resilient flooring such as Marmoleum natural linoleum instead of carpeting. Carpeting harbors dust mites and other sources of pollution.
   
9. Mold grows in moist areas, particularly on surfaces where condensation forms.
10. Install exhaust fans in kitchens and bathrooms to remove warm, moist air that can lead to condensation and mold.
11. Another way to prevent mold is to insulate well and prevent warm air from flowing over cold surfaces. Spray foams and dense pack cellulose are effective insulation materials that also prevent air flow.
12. Petroleum-based fragrances and air fresheners found in conventional cleaning products can negatively affect indoor air quality.
13. Certain types of insecticides and moth balls contain extremely toxic chemicals that can contaminate indoor air. Use safer alternatives, such as boric acid traps for ants, glass traps for fruit flies, and pheromone traps for moths.
    
14. According to the EPA, eliminating the sources of indoor air pollution is the most effective long-term strategy for improving indoor air quality in most homes.
15. Ventilating a home, bringing in fresh outdoor air and exhausting stale indoor air, is also important. In a typical home, exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchens vented directly to the outdoors provide sufficient ventilation. But in extremely tight construction in Maine's climate, a special-purpose heat recovery ventilator, which exchanges indoor and outdoor air without losing heat, may be necessary.
16. An air cleaner may help individuals with allergies or particular sensitivities to indoor air problems that cannot be removed (such as built-in cabinets or carpets in rental units). Research is underway examining the effectiveness of houseplants and other non-conventional means of improving indoor air quality.

Environmental Happenings

Saturday, October 4 - Maine Solar Tour, 10 am to 4 pm. View homes that are utilizing the sun to provide some of their energy and talk to the homeowners to get their perspective on how these systems work. For more information, visit http://ellsworthme.org/MESEA/

Thursday, October 9 - Solar Power: Electricity from the Sun, 7 pm, F.W. Horch, 56 Maine Street, Brunswick. Join us to learn from John Capron of ReVision Energy how to generate electricity from the sun. Space is limited! To reserve a spot, please call us at 729-4050.

Thursday, October 30 - Powering Up Maine: How businesses are coping with rising energy costs, 1 - 4 pm, The Wyndham Hotel, South Portland, a half-day event to help businesses learn about choices and resources for coping with energy costs and demands. $35 includes your food and beverages at the reception. For more information, visit http://www.mainebiz.biz/symposium08.html

Saturday, November 8 - Go Green Expo, 10 am - 4 pm, Mt. Ararat High School Gymnasium, Topsham. A free consumer expo open to the public, featuring keynote Kurt Adams who will will speak on "Green Energy in Maine: Fighting Climate Change and Growing Our Economy" at noon.

Featured Products for October

Maine-Made Drying Rack

Our best seller at Common Ground Fair, this large drying rack features a unique design, thick birch dowels, and a lifetime guarantee from the craftsman who makes them here in Maine!
Large drying rack $75

Learn more »

SolarSheat Space Heater

The SolarSheat hot air collector is a self-contained and self-powered sustainable solution for space heating. Mounts on a south-facing wall or roof. Now anyone can go solar!
5,000 BTU/hr $1,979

Learn more »

Convectair Electric Space Heater

Perfect as a complement to a solar space heater, or anywhere you need a heating boost. Hangs on the wall and plugs into a regular 120 volt outlet.
1250 watts $257

Learn more »

Pur Fill Insulation Foam

Stop drafts around windows and doors with Pur Fill WF low-expanding polyurethane foam. This gun-dispensed foam allows precise control with no mess or waste.
600 ml canister $14.95
Applicator gun rental fee $15/week

Learn more »

Yolo Colorhouse Paint

YOLO Colorhouse performs like a premium conventional paint, yet it has low odor, no harmful chemicals, and no added solvents. Best of all, real paint posters are available so you can see the actual color on your wall before you paint!
Gallon $44.95

Learn more »

Marmoleum Natural Linoleum Flooring

Marmoleum has been a mainstay high-quality floor covering for over 100 years because it is practical, durable, comfortable and beautiful.
$36 per square yard ($4/sf).

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News From ReVision Energy

ReVision Energy has been in the news. Pat Coon speaks with NPR about the growing rate of employment opportunity within the renewable energy industry. You can listen to his interview to hear what he has to say about how this industry is growing and how help from the state can improve it.

http://www.mpbn.net/asx/080909greenjobs.asx

ReVision Energy had the opportunity to work with Kaplan Thomson Architects and a handful of other design companies to construct an office studio in Rockport, Maine. This office studio was a demonstrative project called BrightBuilt Barn. The goal is to use the building techniques used in BrightBuilt Barn to create reasonably priced, easy to assemble homes that use a fraction of the energy of conventional homes. You can view more about this project in the two links below.

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=209134&ac=PHbiz

www.brightbuiltbarn.com

Solar Tour

Don’t forget this October 4^th is the American Solar Energy Society’s National Green Buildings Open House. This event is a wonderful opportunity to view homes and businesses that have solar installations in place and to talk to the homeowners who are living with them. This event is open house style; you are welcome to view any of the homes during their available hours at your leisure. To find a participating home close to you please look on our website www.revisionenergy.com

Other Events Coming Up:

The Maine Biz Symposium ~ Maine Biz will be hosting a Symposium called Powering Up Maine: How Businesses are Coping with Rising Energy Costs & Demands. This is a half day event to help businesses learn about choices and resources for coping with energy costs and demands.

http://www.mainebiz.biz/symposium08.html

Go Green Expo in Topsham ~ The Southern Maine Midcoast Chamber is hosting its second annual Go Green Expo at Mt. Ararat High school in Topsham, Maine. The event will be November 8 from 10-4pm. ReVision Energy will be there and will be presenting, time not yet confirmed. We hope to see you there!

http://www.midcoastmaine.com/chamber-info/release.php?nID=322

Solar Power: Electricity from the Sun

F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods and Supplies, 56 Maine St., Brunswick, will host a talk by John Capron, of ReVision Energy, titled "Solar Power: Electricity from the Sun," on Thursday, October 9, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm. The talk is free and open to the public.

For each five hundred and fifty square feet (25'x22') of sunny, south-facing roof space in Maine, solar photovoltaic panels can generate 6,500 kilowatt hours of electricity every year -- well over 100% of an average family's annual power consumption. As Mainers consider higher energy prices and rising levels of global greenhouse gases from fossil fuels, many are turning to the sun to generate electricity reliably and cleanly on their own rooftops.

Capron's talk will explain the basics of generating electricity from the sun. Attendees will learn how photovoltaic systems work, how much power is available to be harvested from the sun, which types of solar electricity systems are available today, and how much they cost. The talk will also cover common questions and concerns, such as how a homeowner can find out if her roof is sunny enough, how long an installation will take, whether a system will pay for itself in energy savings, and what financial incentives are available.

ReVision Energy (www.revisionenergy.com) is a full service renewable energy company offering design, sales, installation and service. Formerly known as Energyworks, ReVision Energy has emerged as an industry leader, having installed more than half of all solar energy systems in Maine for the past three years. Their engineers from MIT and Brown University have a combined 25 years experience in the design, installation and service of renewable energy systems.

This talk is part of the F.W. Horch series on sustainable living. Each monthly talk is held on the second Thursday of the month at the F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies store, 56 Maine Street, Brunswick. Space is limited, so those interested in attending are encouraged to call the store at 729-4050 to reserve a seat.

Column: Solar in Action

Don’t miss the National Solar Home Tour on Saturday, Oct. 4. It’s your chance to see the latest developments in solar technology, up close and personal in your own community. From 9 am to 5 pm, you can visit one of six tours organized by the Maine Solar Energy Association. Homeowners will welcome you into their homes, show off their systems and answer your questions.

In my last column, I discussed solar space heaters, solar hot water systems, and photovoltaic (electricity generating) systems. On the solar tour you’ll have the opportunity to see each of these in action, and learn first-hand how well these technologies work in Maine’s climate. Find out which could be right for you.

As a vendor at Common Ground Fair (speaking of which, kudos to the MOFGA staff and volunteers for a great event!), we had the privilege of talking with hundreds of people about ways to reduce their energy bills.

Two products generated the most excitement. The first was our sturdy Maine drying rack, made from extra thick birch dowels and white pine. Its unique design allows you to dry a full load of laundry — without using any electricity or gas. The second was the SolarSheat space heater. For less than $2,000, you can pump heat into your home or workspace with no fuel costs.

Dudley Greeley, the sustainability coordinator at the University of Southern Maine, dropped by our booth. He’s been helping friends and acquaintances install solar space heaters for years, so it was great to get his perspective. Like me, he’s a big proponent of the technology. On a sunny, crisp, cold winter day in Maine, he says it’s not uncommon for a solar space heater to raise the indoor temperature to 75˚.

Imagine coming home from work to a toasty warm space — with absolutely no guilt because it’s all thanks to FREE solar energy.

Our current financial crisis demonstrates the importance of making prudent investments. Solar space heaters represent one of the best investments available in a heating system. They are clean, safe and dependable. What better deal can you find than getting free heat on every sunny winter day for decades?

But don’t just take my word for it. Take the solar home tour and experience solar energy in action for yourself.

For more information, visit www.FWHorch.com/gogreen.

Fred Horch is the founder of F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies in Brunswick, providing practical products and trustworthy advice for sustainable living. Online at www.FWHorch.com.

Column: Let the Sun Shine In

Several readers have asked about solar space heaters, mentioned in my previous column (“Invest in Your House,” Sept. 4). With Maine’s solar home tour coming up on Saturday, Oct. 4, I thought this was a good time to cover solar energy, explaining solar space heaters along the way.

The sun is your most sustainable home heating option. Each acre of Maine receives solar energy equivalent to 163,648 gallons of #2 heating oil — every year. As Thomas Edison remarked, “I’d put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power!”

If you live in a conventional home, you waste virtually all of the free energy the sun sends. Your roof and walls reflect solar energy, and your insulation blocks it. Your windows lose more energy than they admit. From a solar energy perspective, you live in a cave.

If you live in a modern solar home, by contrast, you enjoy free energy every sunny day. Your southern windows let in winter sun (awnings block summer sun). You have few, if any, energy-losing northern windows. Inside your home, your flooring and masonry heat up all day and radiate warmth all night.

Beyond the basic design of your house, you have several options for collecting and using solar energy.

1. A solar space heater, a metal box similar in appearance to a large sky light on a wall or roof, heats and circulates air from inside when your building calls for heat.
2. A solar hot water system heats and circulates a liquid (usually anti-freeze) to heat a water tank. Today’s systems can reliably keep water at 120˚, suitable for domestic uses such as showers but not suitable for baseboard space heating, which requires 180-degree water.
3. Photovoltaic systems use solar panels to convert sunlight into electric power, which can be stored in batteries or shared with the grid.

Most people will find that a self-contained solar space heater, requiring no plumbing or electrical connections, is the most economical way to add solar heat to their homes.

Maine’s solar home tour in October is a great opportunity to visit Mainers who are harnessing the sun’s energy to heat and power their homes. You can learn more about the systems I’ve described and see them in action. For more information, visit www.FWHorch.com/gogreen.

Fred Horch is the founder of F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies in Brunswick, providing practical products and trustworthy advice for sustainable living. Online at www.FWHorch.com

Weatherizing - September's Sustainable Living Tip

"Weatherizing" your home by sealing air leaks and adding insulation to ceilings, walls and floors is likely the most effective way you can protect both your personal climate and the global climate.

Weatherization Facts

1. "Weatherizing" a home means making it more comfortable and energy efficient in both cold winter and hot summer weather.
2. Heating and cooling a house represents the largest single use of energy for most households.
3. Due to exhaust gases from its heating system, a typical house releases almost twice as much air pollution annually as a typical car.
   
4. The energy efficiency of a home with an oil-fired boiler is measured in degree days per gallon of heating oil (K-factor). The higher the K-factor, the more energy-efficient the home.
   
5. Older homes often have a K-factor below 5. Newer homes can achieve K-factors above 10. If you take automatic delivery of heating oil, your bill should list your K-factor. (This is how your oil company determines how often to come fill your tank.)
6. Most existing homes (about 65%) need more insulation.
7. The best place to add insulation is in your attic, where 40% of all air leaks occur.
8. Oak Ridge National Laboratory recommends insulating an existing home in Maine's climate to the following standards: attic R-49 (about 16 inches of cellulose), walls R-13, floors R-30, and basement and crawlspace walls R-25.
9. After insulating an attic, the next most important weatherization task is to use weather stripping, caulk or spray foam to seal air leaks around doors, windows, sills, electrical outlets, pipes and chimneys.
10. If your basement is unheated, either insulate the floor above it, or the walls of the basement. Sealing air leaks along the walls in an unheated basement is especially important to avoid freezing pipes.
    
11. All windows at night, and north-facing windows all the time, suffer a net loss of heat via radiation. To minimize heat loss, cover them with drapes or blinds whenever possible.
12. Because heating systems are most efficient when properly sized, and are properly sized according to the heat loss characteristics of the building they heat, it is essential to reduce your heat loss through insulating and air sealing before replacing your heating system.
13. If you heat with oil, gas or wood, ensure that your flue is providing a proper draw to exhaust combustion fumes. Fresh air must be available for combustion to occur safely; many heating systems draw their combustion air from the heated living space and exhaust it outdoors. (In other words, they push hot air out of your home and suck cold air into your home.)
    
14. Solar and electric space heaters, or direct-vent combustion heaters, do not draw air out of the conditioned space.
15. Very tightly air sealed homes should install heat recovery ventilators to provide fresh air without losing heat.
16. Tightly sealed homes should also pay particular attention to possible offgasing from paints and adhesives. In general, water based and "zero VOC" products are better for indoor air quality.
17. While it is possible to improve the energy performance of an existing home, it is extremely difficult to match the performance of a new home.
    
18. Properly designed super-insulated passive solar homes in Maine's climate do not need central heating systems because sunlight provides the baseline heat.
19. The U.S. Department of Energy's EnergySmart Home Scale (E-Scale) is a way to rate a home's energy performance. The typical new home is a 100 on the E-Scale, whereas the typical existing home is a 130 (i.e. uses 30% more energy). An Energy Star home is an 85 on the scale.
20. The DOE's Builders Challenge rewards builders who commit to building homes with an E-Scale score better than 70.
21. 41,198 new homes have been built in the DOE's Building America research project.
22. One goal of the ongoing research is to build homes that not only use less energy, but also produce their own energy by capturing solar, wind or water energy. On an annual basis if a home produces as much energy as it uses, it is called "net zero"; if it produces more than it uses it is "net positive".
23. One industry observer predicts that by 2050, 67% of new housing starts will have an E-Scale score of 0 or better (i.e. be net zero or net positive).

Environmental Happenings

What's Happening in the Local Environmental Scene and Beyond

For the first time in recorded history, the Arctic sea ice cap is an island. Recent satellite images indicate that both the northwest and northeast polar passages are now open, making it possible to circumnavigate the globe above Europe, Asia and North America. Last year's Arctic sea ice reached a record low; this year's melt is on pace to surpass that record.

On Tuesday, September 2, oil fell to below $110 per barrel. Virtually all oil and natural gas production was shut down in the Gulf of Mexico pending an assessment of the damage caused by Hurricane Gustav.

Also on Tuesday, National Marine Fisheries Service and US Fish & Wildlife Service announced their proposal to expand the definition of endangered Gulf of Maine Atlantic salmon to include fish found in the Kennebec, Androscoggin and Penobscot Rivers. The proposal will be listed immediately in the Federal Register and a public comment period will be available for 90 days. According to Ed Friedman of Friends of Merrymeeting Bay (FOMB), this decision comes in large part from pressure brought to bear by Doug Watts, Tim Watts, FOMB and the Maine Toxics Action Coalition. Between 2002 and 2007, Atlantic salmon covered under the existing endangered listing averaged fewer than 100 spawning fish annually.

Sunday, September 7 - Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust Race for Space, 9 am, The Pennellville Meadows on Pennell Way (please note: new location this year), Brunswick. Fourth Annual 4-mile Run in Rural Coastal Brunswick. Proceeds benefit the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust. Walking Tour of Historic Pennellville Road. Fun Run for Children. Professional timing. Great refreshments and prizes. Special family pricing. For more information, call 725-0998 or visit www.btlt.org.

Thursday, September 11 - Insulate Your Home: Tips from a Pro, 7 pm, F.W. Horch, 56 Maine Street, Brunswick. Join us to learn from Ace Insulation owner Gerard Gagnon how to insulate your home for maximum energy and planetary savings. Space is limited! To reserve a spot, please call us at 729-4050.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday, September 19-21 - Common Ground Country Fair, Unity, 9 am to 6 pm (5 pm Sunday). Come to the Fair and see why Downeast Magazine calls Common Ground "Maine's most authentic country fair, uniting, as it does, old-time folkways with progressive ideas about living the good life on a fragile planet." While you're there, stop by our booth in the Energy & Shelter tent to see our new line of solar, wind and energy saving products. Our own Brett Thompson will be giving a talk about composting with worms on Friday at 1 pm in the Agricultural Demonstrations Tent #2. For more information about the fair, please visit www.mofga.org »

Please note: our store will close early at 5 pm on Thursday, September 18 and re-open on Tuesday, September 23 at 10 am. See you at Common Ground!

Saturday, October 4 - Maine Solar Tour, 10 am to 4 pm. View homes that are utilizing the sun to provide some of their energy and talk to the homeowners to get their perspective on how these systems work. For more information, visit http://ellsworthme.org/MESEA/

Featured Products for September

SolarSheat Space Heater - NEW!

The SolarSheat hot air collector is a self-contained and self-powered sustainable solution for space heating. Mounts on a south-facing wall or roof. No need for plumbing or electricity -- these units have a built-in solar-powered fan to blow in warm air whenever there is sun. Now anyone can go solar!
1500 watts $1,979

Learn more »

Convectair Electric Space Heater - NEW!

Perfect as a complement to a solar space heater, or anywhere you need a heating boost, the Convectair Apero electric space heater works on the proven principle of natural convection. Hangs on the wall and plugs into a regular 120 volt outlet. 1250 watts $257

Learn more »

AFM Safecoat Multi-Purpose Caulk

Seal small gaps and fill cracks around windows and doors, fill cracks in walls, woodwork and masonry, and caulk joints with this water-based, paintable caulking compound. Provides a water resistant, flexible, easy to install, non sag seal with excellent initial and permanent adhesion and without releasing any solvents or obnoxious odors.
10 oz tube $7.95

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Pur Fill Insulation Foam - NEW!

Stop drafts around windows and doors with Pur Fill WF low-expanding polyurethane foam. Applicator gun available for rental or purchase; foam canisters screw on top. This gun-dispensed foam allows precise control with no mess or waste.
600 ml canister $14.95
Applicator gun rental fee $15/week

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Energy Film - NEW!

Insulate your window glass without adhesive using an easy-to-apply spectrally-selective cling film. Reduce heat loss through treated windows by 12 - 18%, in effect turning regular glass into low-E glazing. Non-reflective surface retains excellent visual clarity. Blocks 97% of UV light and 70% of infrared light, while allowing 77% of visible light to pass through. Includes squeegee for installation.
24"x48" $17.95; 36"x48" $26.95; 48"x84" $34.95

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Yolo Colorhouse Paint - NEW!

YOLO Colorhouse performs like a premium conventional paint, yet it has low odor, no harmful chemicals, and no added solvents. Green Seal certified, zero VOC, 100% acrylic, with 40% volume solids, YOLO Colorhouse interior paint has excellent hide and layout. Pick from their designer palette or custom tint to match any color.
$39.95 / gal

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Milk Paint - SPECIAL OFFER!

Milk Paint is environmentally safe and non-toxic. Comes as a dry powder; simply mix in water. There is a slight milky odor when applied, but it is completely odorless when dry. Traditional formula is best for bare wood; the new SafePaint formula is designed for drywall.
Traditional milk paint $9.95/pint.
SafePaint $11.95/pint; $45.95/gal
BUY TWO, GET ONE FREE

Limited time offer: Buy 2 gallons of SafePaint and get one free! Offer expires 9/30/08.

Learn more »

Marmoleum Natural Linoleum Flooring

Marmoleum has been a mainstay high-quality floor covering for over 100 years because it is practical, durable, comfortable and beautiful. Made from linseed oil, rosins, and wood flour, calendered onto a natural jute backing, it is a tough yet visually striking floor covering. Appropriate for renovations, restorations and new construction.
$36 per square yard ($4/sf).

Learn more »

Insulate Your Home: Tips from a Pro, September's Sustainable Living Talk

Our next sustainable living talk is "Insulate Your Home: Tips from a Pro," featuring Gerard Gagnon, of Ace Insulation, on Thursday, September 11, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm. The talk is free and open to the public.

According to the Harvard University School of Public Health, 65 percent of homes in the United States are under-insulated. Because a typical house releases almost twice as much air pollution annually as a typical car, adding insulating doesn't just reduce energy bills, it also improves air quality and combats global climate change. The most important area to insulate properly is the attic; the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that 40 percent of all air leaks in the average home are in the attic.

Gagnon's talk will explain the basics of insulation for people interested in reducing their home heating costs and environmental impact. Attendees will learn how much insulating costs, how much insulation is recommended in ceilings and walls, which types of insulation are available and where they are most appropriate, and how much energy can be saved. The talk will also cover common pitfalls, and recommend cost-effective strategies whether insulating a structure yourself or hiring a contractor.

Gerard Gagnon is the owner of Ace Insulation, specializing in cellulose insulation since 1995. Cellulose insulation, made from recycled paper combined with a borate fire retardant and insecticide, is suitable for both new construction and retro-fit applications. Properly installed, cellulose insulation can reduce air leakage 50% compared to an uninsulated home.

This talk is part of the F.W. Horch series on sustainable living. Each monthly talk is held on the second Thursday of the month at the F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies store, 56 Maine Street, Brunswick. Space is limited, so those interested in attending are encouraged to call the store at 729-4050 to reserve a seat.

News from ReVision Energy

Here's the news from ReVision Energy, our renewable energy partner:

September and October are full of exciting events.

Go Green Expo

The weekend of the 13^th & 14^th will be the Go Green Expo in Saco. The event sponsors will be giving away a Home Green Makeover to one lucky winner. You can find out more on the Go Green Expo webpage: http://www.goinggreenexpos.com/

Common Ground Fair

The Common Ground Fair is one of our favorite events to attend. This event will be held September 19-21 this year. It’s well worth attending, please stop by to see us while you are there. [Editor's note: F.W. Horch will be attending as well! Stop by to say hi at our booth as well as the ReVision Energy booth.]

Solar Tour

This fall ReVision Energy will be organizing the southern Maine portion of the Solar Tour. The Solar Tour is sponsored by the American Solar Energy Association and is a wonderful opportunity to view homes that are utilizing the sun to provide some of their energy and talk to the homeowners to get their perspective on how these systems work. There will be a various mix of homes and businesses on this tour and you can view our website to find a location near you www.revisionenergy.com. The tour is free; it is going to be held October 4th, from 10-4pm. The tour is set up like an open house style where you are welcome to view any of the homes on the list at your convenience from 10-4pm.

Column: Invest in Your House

It’s time for Mainers to start panicking about heat this winter.

As you may have noticed, heating oil is ridiculously expensive and seasoned wood is nearly impossible to find. You may be tempted to buy a new high efficiency oil boiler, put in a wood pellet stove, drill a geothermal well or switch to propane, kerosene or natural gas. My advice: don’t.

The billowing cloud of high fuel costs has a silver lining. Conservation makes more sense than ever. Before you splurge for a new heating system, consider better investments.

1. Insulate, weatherize and landscape. You probably know how many miles per gallon your car gets, but how many degree days per gallon does your home get? (The average house in Maine gets about seven.) The higher your fuel costs, the more dividends you earn when you invest in your ceilings, walls, windows, floors and doors. Think money doesn’t grow on trees? It does when you plant a wind break north of your house.
2. Upgrade your thermostat. Do you heat your whole house all the time? Your single most cost-effective investment might be a programmable thermostat. It saves you money by always turning off the heat when you don’t need it.
3. Let in the sun. Every year, a sunny 0.25-acre lot in Maine receives the energy equivalent of 40,912 gallons of #2 heating oil. Yes, you read that right: one-quarter acre of sunshine in just one year provides more energy than all the oil an average Maine home burns in 40 years. Why not use this free solar energy? Renovate your southern exposure, hang a solar space heater on a southern wall, or landscape the south side of your house for winter sun.
4. Heat yourself, not your possessions. Which rooms in your house do you actually use? Add electric space heaters to keep active areas in the 60s or 70s, make sure your pipes are insulated, then lower your main thermostat to keep the rest at 50˚. Unsure which circuits can handle the extra draw? Ask an electrician to review your wiring and label your outlets. Worried about freezing pipes? Ask the company that cleans your boiler to examine your plumbing runs.

Central heating systems are unnecessary in Maine’s high performance homes. As we build more efficient homes, we’ll solve our annual heating crisis. In the meantime: don’t panic!

For additional home heating resources and links, visit www.FWHorch.com/gogreen.

Fred Horch is the founder of F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies in Brunswick, providing practical products and trustworthy advice for sustainable living. Online at www.FWHorch.com.

Composting - August's Sustainable Living Tip

Compost year round to ease the burden on your local landfill while building soil fertility in your own landscape.

Composting Facts

1. Composting is the best way to handle food scraps and other solid waste that can decompose into a beneficial soil amendment.
2. Anything that was once living can be composted, including kitchen scraps, yard clippings, paper, cardboard, meat, fish, bones and wood.
3. The easiest items to compost are vegetables, coffee grounds, leaves, grass clippings, and other soft plant trimmings.
4. A kitchen compost pail makes it convenient to collect and transport food waste to another location for composting.
5. A successful composting process breaks down waste into a rich humus without producing foul odors or attracting pests.
6. Finished compost improves soil fertility, providing minerals and nutrients that are essential for plant growth.
7. Any soil can be improved by adding compost: sandy soils will better retain water and clay soils will become less dense.
8. You can compost outdoors or indoors, in any climate and any season, using a variety of tools, techniques and equipment.
9. Depending on the mix of materials, you will produce about 1 liter of compost for every 8 liters of garbage.
10. According to the EPA, at least 40% of the municipal solid waste stream could be composted instead of landfilled, incinerated, or dumped at sea.
11. It is a common misconception that putting food waste in your garbage helps the operation of incinerators and landfills; it does not.
    
12. Wet food waste reduces the efficiency of incinerators, because water doesn't burn.
13. Rather than breaking down naturally, organic materials in landfills persist and can release dangerous gases and contribute to water pollution.
14. Aerobic (with oxygen) decomposition is faster and does not produce the foul odors associated with anaerobic (without oxygen) decomposition.
15. During an aerobic composting process, microorganisms combine oxygen from the air with hydrogen and carbon in the waste materials, to release energy and water and carbon dioxide gas.
16. During an anaerobic composting process, microorganisms employ slower metabolic pathways to release energy and methane and other gases that do not contain oxygen.
17. Water, air and warm temperatures are necessary for aerobic composting.
18. With suitable composting conditions, you can produce compost in a few days.
19. The fastest and most reliable way to compost all year round is to chop waste into small pieces and use an automatic composter like the NatureMill, which includes a fan, heater and mixer.
20. You can compost in simple piles, burial pits, above-ground digesting bins, tumbling bins, and composting worm bins.
21. Watering and turning a compost pile can dramatically improve the speed and consistency of the results.
22. All organic materials contain varying amounts of nitrogen and carbon. "Green" materials such as plant clippings, kitchen scraps and manure have a higher nitrogen content than "brown" materials such as dry leaves, cardboard and paper.
23. The ideal ratio of nitrogen and carbon for decomposing microorganisms to thrive, requires roughly equal amounts of greens and browns.
24. Storing shredded, dry fall leaves in a garbage can or bag is a good way to keep a ready supply of browns for use in the spring and summer.
25. Tissue paper, paper towels, newspaper, office paper, cardboard, wood chips and sawdust are other sources of browns.
26. If you add too many greens, your mixture may begin to smell bad. If you add too many browns, your mixture will take longer to turn into compost.
27. Finished compost is black or dark brown in color, uniform in consistency, and earthy in odor.
28. Composting recycles nutrients to benefit lawns, gardens, trees and bushes, and houseplants.
29. You can mix compost into your garden soil, use it for sprouting seeds, enrich potting soil with it, apply it as a mulch, or simply spread it on your lawn.

Environmental Happenings

Former Vice President Al Gore on July 17 challenged the United States to generate 100% of its electricity from renewable sources within ten years. He proposed creating a national grid to connect wind power in the Dakotas with cities to the east and west. In issuing this challenge, Vice President Gore echoed the efforts of the The Apollo Alliance, a "coalition of business, labor, environmental, and community leaders working to catalyze a clean energy revolution in America to reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil, cut the carbon emissions that are destabilizing our climate, and expand opportunities for American businesses and workers."

According to a joint press release from Maine Audubon and the Natural Resources Council of Maine, during a month-long comment period which ended July 11, Maine’s Land Use Regulation Commission received 1,762 comments opposing Plum Creek’s development proposal for the Moosehead Lake region. Of these, 1,517 stated specific opposition to development at Lily Bay. Six people contacted LURC during this period to voice support for Plum Creek’s plan as currently envisioned. By 85.8 percent, all comments received by LURC during this comment period oppose Lily Bay development, an additional 13.9 percent oppose the entire Plum Creek proposal, and only 0.3 percent support the plan.

A Moosehead Conservation Framework agreement among The Nature Conservancy, conservation partners, and landowner Plum Creek would conserve more than 400,000 acres around Moosehead Lake. The Nature Conservancy, Appalachian Mountain Club and the Forest Society of Maine are jointly raising public and private funds for the project. The total cost of the easement and fee purchases will be $35 million.

On Tuesday, August 5, oil fell to below $120 per barrel. Many market observers believe the drop in oil prices is due to a decline in demand. For example, U.S. gasoline demand in July 2008 was 2.4% below last year's consumption. Forecasters expect overall annual gasoline demand for the rest of the year to be between 2% and 5% below 2007's level of 390 million barrels per day. If so, U.S. consumers will burn between 7.8 and 19.5 million fewer gallons of gasoline this year than last. This will be the first annual decline over the previous year since 1991.

Saturday, August 9 - Field Trip: Glacial Geology of Merrymeeting Bay, Brunswick High School. Join surficial geologist Tom Weddle, a 22 year veteran of the Maine Geologic Survey, and Friends of Merrymeeting Bay for an exciting walk back in geologic time. The group will meet at 8:30 am in the front parking area of Brunswick High School. Pre-registration is required for this trip. Please register with trip leader Tom Weddle at 729-6122 or Thomas.K.Weddle@maine.gov

Sunday, August 10 - Hydrogen Vehicles Visit Portland Head Light, Cape Elizabeth. The Hydrogen Energy Center (HEC) and Maine Clean Communities (MC2) are pleased to bring a fleet of hydrogen vehicles to Portland Head Light (Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth) on Sunday August 10, 2008 from 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm.

Thursday, August 14 - Free Hot Water from the Sun, 7 pm, F.W. Horch, 56 Maine Street, Brunswick. Join us to learn from Master Plumber George Doughty how to heat your water with free solar energy. To reserve a spot, please call us at 729-4050.

Tuesday, August 26 - Maine Railway Transportation Forum, 5:30 - 8 pm, Glickman Library, University of South Maine, Portland Campus. An overview of the economic potential of Maine's railway system. Sponsored by the Sierra Club and Fishman Realty Group. For more information, please call 761-5616 or 775-6561.

Sunday, September 7 - Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust Race for Space, 9 am, Livesay Field (Corner of Middle Bay & Pennellville Roads), Brunswick. Fourth Annual 4-mile Run in Rural Coastal Brunswick. Proceeds benefit the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust. Walking Tour of Historic Pennellville Road. Fun Run for Children. Professional timing. Great refreshments and prizes. Special family pricing. For more information, call 725-0998 or visit www.btlt.org.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday, September 19-21 - Common Ground Country Fair, Unity, 9 am to 6 pm (5 pm Sunday). Come to the Fair and see why Downeast Magazine calls Common Ground "Maine's most authentic country fair, uniting, as it does, old-time folkways with progressive ideas about living the good life on a fragile planet." While you're there, stop by our booth in the Energy & Shelter tent. For more information, please visit www.mofga.org »

Featured Products for August

Kitchen Compost Pail

Do you compost? Our stainless steel compost pail is a stylish way to collect your food scraps for the compost pile or bin. Beautiful enough to leave on the kitchen counter. Easy to carry and clean. Carbon filters in lid contain odors. Holds about a gallon. $33.50 Learn more »

Home Composting Made Easy

Easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions for composting in your own backyard. Instead of overburdening your local landfill, learn how to turn kitchen scraps, yard trimmings and paper scraps into "black gold" for your lawn and garden. $2.95 Learn more »

Rain Barrels

Garden thirsty? Harvest the rain to water your garden and plants. Save money on water bills while helping to protect your local rivers and aquifers. Storing rain water keeps storm run off from overloading your community's storm drains. Using rain water instead of pumped well water or treated municipal water keeps salts out of your garden and keeps water in aquifers and reservoirs for other uses. In stock again after a dry spell (we sold out earlier in the year), our rain barrels are re-used food-grade plastic barrels. $85 Learn more »

NatureMill Indoor / Outdoor Electric Composter

Looking for the fastest, easiest and most fool-proof method to turn kitchen waste into rich compost? Try a NatureMill Plus. We've never seen a composter work as quickly and reliably as the new NatureMills. This year's models (Plus, Pro and Pet Friendly) are a huge advance over last year's. The NatureMill Plus composts up to 120 pounds of food waste per month--and this isn't just marketing hype. It really does work. You can use it indoors or outdoors throughout the year, even in rain, sleet or snow. These NatureMills are giving our worms bins a run for their money for year-round composting! Learn more »

Can O Worms

For those more inclined to compost biologically than mechanically (see NatureMills above), we offer vermiculture. Conveniently compost your kitchen scraps all year round with the help of hundreds of hungry red wigglers. Now is the perfect time to start a worm colony. By the time cold weather comes you'll have a healthy population built up and ready for winter! Plus, next spring you'll have a nice supply of worm castings, the very best fertilizer you can make. Learn more »

Worm Castings

Have you tried worm castings on your houseplants or container garden? If you have, you know what an incredible treat these are for potted plants! For maintaining plant health and vigor naturally, nothing beats worm castings. Learn more »

Stainless Steel Water Bottles

Why drink bottled water? Because you can refill your own reusable bottle! We carry a full line of stainless steel water bottles. They are rugged, reliable and virtually indestructible. Our one liter size with a plastic sport top is $17.95. Learn more »

News from ReVision Energy

An update on the State Rebate Program:

When the state abruptly suspended its solar hot water rebate program on June 20^th because Mainers had consumed all 2008 rebate funds in just six months, there were a large number of applicants in the pipeline who thought for sure they would be getting a rebate. Rather than turn these applications away, the state has decided to distribute 2009’s rebate money. As it stands now there is no rebate available for solar hot water until 2010. You might be able to help us fix this problem by contacting your state legislators to let them know that Mainers believe renewable energy rebate funding should be a priority.

http://www.maine.gov/portal/government/edemocracy/lookup_officials.php »

Investing in renewable energy is a win for everyone: lower fossil fuel costs, lower emissions and less money flowing out of Maine. Almost every penny that our great state spends fossil fuels flows somewhere else when it could be supporting the local growth of renewable energy jobs and industry here in Maine.

So you still want to find a way to get the system you wanted, right?! That’s what we thought, which brings us to the subject of financing. Bangor Savings Bank (www.bangor.com) is currently offering loans as low as 6.75% for renewable energy systems. A home equity loan from your local bank is another great way to finance an energy efficiency upgrade—typically the energy savings from a system will be enough to cover the loan payment.

The good rebate news is that there will be a $100,000 pool of lottery rebates for grid-tied solar electric systems. Applications can be submitted starting December 1^st this year. Those who are awarded the rebate will receive $2,000 toward the installation of a solar electric system, which must be commissioned in 2009. We can help you apply for a PV lottery rebate. Please call 221-6342 or email jen@revisionenergy.com and we’ll get the ball rolling.

Other ReVision Happenings:

It’s still summer, but most Mainers are thinking heating season. At ReVision Energy we have wood and wood pellet boilers in stock and ready to go. Please call us to see if a wood boiler is something that may be of interest to you. We have also updated our website. You can view a lot of information online. Please go to www.RevisionEnergy.com.

Mark your calenders this fall.

• September 13-14^th is the Go Green Expo in Saco.
• October 4^th is the Solar Tour held by the National Solar Energy Association, and
• November 8^th is the Go Green Expo in Topsham.

We’ll keep you updated.

Be Well,

ReVision Energy LLC