Author: mashwort

Save Energy, and Money

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Clean energy sources are the focus over here at Texas Green Rangers, but here we also like to find ways to reduce our usage of electricity!

By minimizing your reliance on electricity you can not only save the planet but also save some serious dough and who doesn’t like to save money? These ideas range from quick and easy fixes to home modifications that have been successful for others. Taking a small step and a few minutes out of your day can help you out in the long run so why not try a few of these out this summer:

Natural lighting in this living room allows the homeowners to rely entirely on the sun.

Our first one up isn’t one that can happen overnight but here we go. Natural lights in main rooms are both cost effective during the day and also allows you to light up your home with beautiful natural lighting. This is a big commitment so one should seriously consider it, but they make a space look spacious and breezy!  If a large window isn’t your style, there are also options to have a light that looks as though it is an electric light but really it is a tube from the roof allowing natural light in. With built in solar panels you are able to turn the lights on at night, and dim the brightness in the day if you want to. A company in Austin that does installations of this company is called SolarTex, so check them out if this peaks your interest as a homeowner.

 

Next up, unplug electronics when you are not using them and at night! When you leave things like a TV plugged in they are called “energy vampires.” This term was coined because when those devices are left plugged in then they are constantly drawing energy 24/7. If you have devices like this that are easily accessible for you to unplug then it could save you anywhere from 100-200 dollars every year!

No energy vampires welcome here.

Try out a programmable thermostat. This tool allows you to set your air conditioning to how you want it during the day when you aren’t home. In Texas air conditioning is extremely important, and we know that. It is proven that if you set your thermostat just a few degrees warmer during the day rather than completely off you can save money. This is because when your AC is set all the way off it has to use more energy to cool the space back down. When it is at a regulated temperature it is easier to cool when you get home. A programmable thermostat makes this process easier for homeowners because if you get home at 5 PM you can have the temperature start to cool back down at 4 PM. We found some reputable thermostat brands for you, The Nest ($249) and the Ecobee ($169).

Summer is coming and we know that puts a strain on wallets and air conditioners. These are all ways that you can save both money and electricity in the coming warm months. We encourage you to try them out and tell us what you think on our twitter @TXGreenRangers1. Good luck with your energy saving tools!

 

West Texas Wind

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Photo taken by a Texas Green Ranger on their drive through West Texas.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Howdy Rangers! We took a week off but we are back with a renewed vigor for encouraging our readers to trust the use of renewable energy sources. A topic that came up a lot with our team was the amount of wind turbines that can be spotted in West Texas. 

West Texas, the region of Texas that is exactly what the country singers paint it as. Needless to say there is not much to see, but it is still the beautiful Texas plains that represent just another facet of this state that we are so proud of! A signature feature on the drive to Amarillo, Texas from Austin are the fields of enormous wind turbines. While there are a lot of them already, there could absolutely be more. But, as a city dweller it is ignorant to assume that those who live in the spacious areas want these structures taking up room. Contine reading →

Climate Change and Global Warming, What’s The Difference?

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Global Warming and Climate Change are two phrases that are used interchangeably quite often.

It’s okay though, even the president gets these terms confused sometimes! So, let’s work through some definitions and clarify some key differences between them along with weather, and climate.  

On Friday in Austin, Texas the weather was so good that I wore shorts to work and spent as much time as possible enjoying the break from winter, but just two days later there was a drastic difference in the temperature. This day to day change is classified as weather, and is defined according to NASA as “atmospheric conditions that occur locally over short periods of time—from minutes to hours or days.” So the weather is likely what Mr. President was referring to.

Climate is the weather of a specific place averaged over time, usually a 30 year period. According to the National Snow and Ice Data Center climate will usually indicate patterns for a specific time of year as well as extremes in the weather of a location. The weather that took place in Chicago at the end of January is an example of those extremes and not the usual weather at that time of year.

Global Warming is a very real phenomena taking place on earth, but the debate surrounds the question of whether or not humans are complicit in causing the warming of the earth’s temperatures. The heating of the earth’s atmosphere is linked to many factors such as fossil fuels released by humans every day, as well as natural causes. The concern comes from the fact that these fuels increased following the Industrial Revolution, and continue to rise at alarming rates. The rising temperatures are not to be ignored because as more and more ice in the world melts, the sea levels will rise along with other environmental changes that will affect humans, animals, and plant-life. Yes, global warming is taking place, but we are not necessarily experiencing the effects in our day to day weather. So global warming refers to the earth as a whole, and not a particular location, unlike climate change.

 Mendenhall Glacier, which has dramatically shrunk in size.

Although Climate Change is a different concept, it also has to do with the variations that are occurring in the atmosphere. This term refers to the change in a location’s weather over time as well as the extreme weather that is taking place more commonly.  It encompasses the extreme weather phenomena, according to National Geographic the term climate change is used by scientists to discuss “the complex shifts now affecting our planet’s weather and climate systems—in part because some areas actually get cooler in the short term.” So, while the earth itself is warming the effects that we are experiencing now are referred to as climate change. This includes the fires in the West, extreme cold in the Midwest, and heat waves in the summer.

So what does renewable energy have to do with all of this? Well, the fossil fuels that are a large factor in causing these weather patterns are what we use every day to power just about everything we use. SO, by cutting back on fossil fuels through the use of renewable energy, we can really diminish the carbon footprint that we are leaving. Wind, solar, and hydro-energy are all examples of the ways that we can take a step in the right direction for the earth.

To learn more about these phenomena go to National Geographic, and NASA for information and pictures with more scientific information.

Texas Green Rangers

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Texas Clean Energy

Clean energy is a conversation that is both important and crucial to the way in which humans take care of the Earth. In the state of Texas there is a heavy presence of the oil and fossil fuel industries, but there is also a growing presence of the wind and solar industries. The growth of these industries is easily brushed under the rug, but we want to bring clean energy to the forefront of conversations about Texas energy sources.

Taking into consideration the size of Texas, it is important to think about what kind of impact that Texans can make by switching to clean energy. There are already towns in Texas that are making the transition to energy sources that are better for the environment. Georgetown, Texas is the largest city in the US to be powered by renewable energy sources.

So, why does it matter?

 Everything is bigger in Texas. That includes the environmental impact that Texas has on the world. Texas contributes to 3.16% of greenhouse gas emissions for the United States. For reference, check out this chart provided by World Resources Institute of how Texas compares to other states. When using renewable energy Texas can really lower its carbon footprint.

 

The future Texans depend on it. Creating energy sources that will not run out for future generations is important. As the fossil fuel industry dies, the renewable energy can flourish. Texas has the opportunity to be at the forefront of the renewable energy wave. Coal fired power plants are going to continue to shut down, and the wind and solar energy industries will continue to grow.

There are 7 types of renewable energy sources: Solar, Wind, Geothermal, Hydroelectricity, Ocean, Hydrogen, Bioenergy. With this long list of energy sources it is possible to take the steps to move away from fossil fuel based energy.

“In 2017, wind generated about 15 percent of the electricity in Texas, up from less than 13 percent in 2016, according to the Energy Department.”-Houston Chronicle

The progress that Texas is making towards producing better energy sources is constantly evolving. There is so much land potential that can be used in Texas, and we at the Texas Green Rangers encourage you to get out there and learn more about what kind of energy sources are available to you.

To learn more today about the different types of renewable clean energy sources, go to this composite list provided by Sunpower in 2018.

Texas is a state that has already started to produce clean energy, so it is crucial for you to do what you can to help! Start by following our Texas Green Ranger accounts that will keep you updated and in the loop with the important information.

You can find us on Twitter @TexasGreenRangers1 where you can plan on seeing weekly updates and helpful resources on how you can help our state become greener. Another source to look to if you have any questions is our Facebook group. It will be live in a few weeks so stay on the lookout for it, we hope it will be a place where you can connect with others in the Green Rangers community