Taking the Maine Global Warming Challenge

This is the blog post for the Maine Global Warming Challenge.  If you've come here from our website, www.globalwarmingmaine.org, this is your place to share your thoughts about the global warming challenge, and perhaps tell the wide world what you've done to reduce Global Warming pollution.

We hope that we can learn some helpful tips from each other as we take the important personal and political steps necessary to reduce global warming pollution.

If you have not visited our blog before, click the banner at the top to visit the blog home page, or feel free to explore other topics and posts by viewing the categories to your left. You can share comments in the form below or by clicking the comments link.

Comments

[Paul W.]

I hope others will try these not so expensive little things that really add up:

1.) For about 320 dollars, you can have a solar powered battery backup power supply that can run your phones, cable modem, computer and a few lights in the house for days: I have this on my roof and have used in a power outage. It uses no electricity and will help you when the power goes out in your house or apartment. It can sit on the roof or the ground.

Solar powered battery backup:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=90599
attach this to:
http://www.blackanddecker.com/ProductGuide/Product-Details.aspx?ProductID=15591

Just hook up the solar charger outlet to the input of the power station and in a few hours of sunlight, you will have all the backup power you need. The unit includes a built in inverter, so you can plug in any power cord right to the unit. You can also charge batteries by hooking the power supply directly into any battery charger. You do not need any technical help on this, it is really easy to install!

2.) Here is another one that is great: Solar powered, motion sensing floodlights: http://www.onestopshopcatalog.com/sl-7001.html

I have 4 of these hooked up outside my home. They turn on automatically when you walk by. I use one pointed at my front door. I never need to turn on my old outdoor floodlights. I have not turned on the old floodlights in 1 year of use. I have saved many hours of electricity since they are 100% solar. Sometime I would go out for the evening and want a light on, when I came home (so I could get the key in the door). That wasted hours of electricity. Now I use none! As far as savings on the floodlights, I would say I save up to 10-25 KWH per month on this - that does not sound like that much, but it is about 1-2% of the total electricity used in a month at my house (I use less than 500 KWH/month).These are wonderful! Great for apartments also.

[Sara]

Re: I want to know more about clean energy and the cost of certificates I agreed to purchase.

You can find information about the two clean energy supply options (Maine Clean Power - 100% low impact hydro; Maine Clean Power Plus - 80% hydro/20% wind) offered through Maine Interfaith Power & Light here - http://www.meipl.org/Pages/Products/Supply.html

You can find out more about the cost of Maine Wind Watts and the environmental benefits here -
http://www.meipl.org/Pages/Products/Certificates_upc.html

[Sara Lovitz]

The citizens of Freedom voted on June 12th to abolish the commercial development ordinance that was keeping the project from moving forward. This ordinance was originally put in place to guide the project's development. It now looks as though the project will receive approval for a permit from the town's planning board.

[Bettie]

This is a great challenge. I have a few thoughts. We heat with a kerosene monitor in a home that is passive solar with night shades. Closing shades at night saves fuel. I would like more info on the clean energy and the cost of the certificates I agreed to purchase.

[Sara]

Thanks to everyone who has posted comments or sent me emails. I wanted to share a response to one question about dimmable cfls. Please post on the blog if you have favorite bulbs and/or places to buy them too!

You can find NRCM’s top CFL picks here - http://www.nrcm.org/top_cfl_picks.asp

There are dimmable compact fluorescent light bulbs (cfl’s) that fit different types of light fixtures! The Energy Federation Incorporated website has a wide variety of dimmable bulbs and also explains how to compare wattages and lumens: http://www.energyfederation.org/consumer/default.php/cPath/2050_25_44_169

[global warming]

I just came across your blog about Global Warming and wanted to drop you a note telling you how impressed I was with the information you have posted here. I also have a blog about Global Warming Keep up the great work, you are providing a great resource on the Internet here!

[Patti Ashland]

Thanks for wind power comments. Wondered on status of the wind turbines being proposed in Freedom, Maine? Thanks.

[Tony]

Just found your website - the radio ads really rock, for a good cause (stopping global warming). I hope people are tuning into these. Guster is awesome!

[Frank]

I loved the global warming challenge! I've found all kinds of great ways to reduce my carbon output. And thanks for the links to the green energy pages!