The Blog

Reduce Resource Usage Around the House

Your home is an important place to start making changes to lessen your impact on the planet.

Residential net energy use currently accounts for 28% of total energy demand in New York, compared to 18% nationally; therefore, reductions in residential energy usage could have a more significant impact on the state’s total energy demand than in other parts of the country where commercial, industrial, and transportation energy usage account for a greater share of the total demand.

OPINION / COMMENTARY

In this Earth Week article,  Joel Huberman points out "the elephant in the room" and fills us in on why energy efficiency and conservation are so important for people and the environment.  This article originally appeared in Re-ENERGIZE BUFFALO.

I was inspired to write this essay when I read the Viewpoints section in the Sunday edition of The Buffalo News on February 12, 2012.  The News had recruited two “experts” to answer the question, “Should the U.S. remove restrictions on oil drilling?”  One expert, Andrew P. Morriss, replied “Yes”, while the other expert, Michael E. Kraft, responded “No”.

In this second part of our Earth Week series we will feature articles on the topic of "Energy – Renewable energy and efficiency at home and at work".  This next article is written by Jeff Tome, Senior Naturalist at the Audubon Center and Sanctuary near Jamestown, NY.  At the Audubon Center, Jeff spearheaded conservation efforts to cut electricity bills in half.  Signs throughout the center showcase easy ways for people to cut electricity use at home or in businesses.

A year’s electricity conservation can pay for a beach vacation.

How would you like to have an extra thousand dollars to spend this year?  If you are anything like me, a thousand extra dollars sounds pretty nice.  It turns out that a few electricity saving tips, and a $50 - $100 investment, can save you up to a thousand dollars or more a year.

Wasting electricity is like any bad habit;  it takes a little bit of thought to change.  Luckily, it’s an easier habit to break than cigarettes.  In fact, there are a few changes you can make now and then not think about it again.

It’s really easy.  One teacher used the things in this article to drop her electricity bill from $211 a month to $91 a month.  In one year, she saved enough to go on a nice vacation.  Saving electricity saves money, and a few things can save you a lot of green.

21^st Century Park at the Outer Harbor: “The Greenway Connector”

Opportunity is knocking on Buffalo's door a second time.  In 1888, almost 125 years ago, Frederick Law Olmsted designed a recreational lakefront park as part of our Olmsted Park System.  When the city fathers favored an inland site Olmsted was asked to redesign the park which became “South Park”.  When it was moved inland, his creative water-related features were never implemented.