It's not easy being green
Did you know Google has a smart metering project? Using their oh-so-ever-farther-reaching powers of the internets, Google wants to put info about your home's energy usage at your fingertips.
Of course, I have no idea whether my home has a smart meter or not.
"Google’s mission is to "organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful," and we believe consumers have a right to detailed information about their home electricity use. We're tackling the challenge on several fronts, from policy advocacy to developing consumer tools, and even investing in smart grid companies. We've been participating in the dialogue in Washington, DC and with public agencies in the U.S. and other parts of the world to advocate for investment in the building of a "smart grid," to bring our 1950s-era electricity grid into the digital age. Specifically, to provide both consumers and utilities with real-time energy information, homes must be equipped with advanced energy meters called "smart meters." There are currently about 40 million smart meters in use worldwide, with plans to add another 100 million in the next few years."
In lieu of reading your energy usage online from Google, you can calculate your home's LILI score. Mine is 74. That is about 25% below average (below average = good)
Or see how much simple changes can save you if your house is "haunted". (We already save $350/year with our energy conscious habits. Could save up to another $300 if we managed our game consoles better ... lol) Totally? "[We] can [do] save 9850 pounds of CO. That's equivalent to not driving your car for 298 days."
I can take some pride: we are much smarter than a Google employee who got to try the smart meter: "I don't own a toaster and because I live by myself, I've always used my standard electric oven to toast bread. After seeing the power spikes from my sunday breakfasts, I did a little research on the power required to toast bread using a toaster compared to an electric oven and found that toasting bread in an oven uses 33 times as much energy as a typical toaster! With this savings, I realized that I would save money (not to mention time) by buying a toaster."
Last but not least, I want to build a sustainable garden, lol. Not this summer. But can't you just see it? Rain barrels to capture drainage and supply irrigation, a greenhouse built of old windows (maybe this one) and a claw-foot bathtub raised bed garden from the ReUse Center ...
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maybe just a teeny one? Pleeeease?
Of course, I have no idea whether my home has a smart meter or not.
"Google’s mission is to "organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful," and we believe consumers have a right to detailed information about their home electricity use. We're tackling the challenge on several fronts, from policy advocacy to developing consumer tools, and even investing in smart grid companies. We've been participating in the dialogue in Washington, DC and with public agencies in the U.S. and other parts of the world to advocate for investment in the building of a "smart grid," to bring our 1950s-era electricity grid into the digital age. Specifically, to provide both consumers and utilities with real-time energy information, homes must be equipped with advanced energy meters called "smart meters." There are currently about 40 million smart meters in use worldwide, with plans to add another 100 million in the next few years."
In lieu of reading your energy usage online from Google, you can calculate your home's LILI score. Mine is 74. That is about 25% below average (below average = good)
Or see how much simple changes can save you if your house is "haunted". (We already save $350/year with our energy conscious habits. Could save up to another $300 if we managed our game consoles better ... lol) Totally? "[We] can [do] save 9850 pounds of CO. That's equivalent to not driving your car for 298 days."
I can take some pride: we are much smarter than a Google employee who got to try the smart meter: "I don't own a toaster and because I live by myself, I've always used my standard electric oven to toast bread. After seeing the power spikes from my sunday breakfasts, I did a little research on the power required to toast bread using a toaster compared to an electric oven and found that toasting bread in an oven uses 33 times as much energy as a typical toaster! With this savings, I realized that I would save money (not to mention time) by buying a toaster."
Last but not least, I want to build a sustainable garden, lol. Not this summer. But can't you just see it? Rain barrels to capture drainage and supply irrigation, a greenhouse built of old windows (maybe this one) and a claw-foot bathtub raised bed garden from the ReUse Center ...
. . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
maybe just a teeny one? Pleeeease?
