Choosing Insulation

Whether it's pink, white, yellow, or blue, all insulation is at least a little bit "green." After all, anything that saves so much energy gets high marks for environmental friendliness. But increasingly, the materials we put inside our walls and ceilings are turning a deeper shade of green, with old standbys like fiberglass and foam cleaning up their acts and natural and recycled alternatives now widely available.

To be sure, in an industry whose products have been both praised and litigated, the earth-friendliness of house insulation depends to some degree on whether you're assessing what it's made of or simply how it performs. Consider this very green bottom line from a segment of the industry, fiberglass, that has taken its share of criticism: "For every Btu of energy it takes to make this insulation, 12 Btu are saved every year," says Tom Newton, manager of advertising and promotion for manufacturer CertainTeed.

Given that other insulation products deliver similar benefits, greenness is to some extent in the eye of the beholder. For instance, some contain a high percentage of recycled material; others come in new formulations that remove or replace ingredients known to be environmentally harmful. Then there are natural products, like cotton, that get major green points because they pose no risk to people with allergies or chemical sensitivities. So while there's no set ranking system for what makes an insulation green, the good news is, wherever you want to touch down on the spectrum, there's likely to be a product that meets your needs and budget. And that should make you feel warm all over.

Insulation Overview

The chief measure of insulation performance is R-value, which is derived from standardized tests that determine how well the material resists heat flow. The higher the resistance, the higher the R-value. Current standards in most parts of the U.S. call for at least R-13 exterior walls and R-38 ceilings (the latter being higher because of heat's tendency to rise).

As a rule, the better a material performs, the more it costs, though some products are expensive simply because they occupy a tiny sliver of the market and can't offer the economies that come with high-volume production. Following is a quick snapshot of the ingredients, performance, and cost of products in insulation's two main camps, fiber and foam.


FIBER

Cellulose
Made from shredded, fluffed-up newsprint containing 85 percent recycled material and 15 percent borate-based fire retardant (borates are environmentally safe mineral compounds that also stop mold and pests). Blown in dry or sprayed on wet—damp, really—it has a higher R-value than fiberglass and costs about the same.

Cotton
Ever wonder what happens to old denim? Some of it gets turned into thick batts and is used to insulate walls and floors. Treated with the same borate fire retardant used in cellulose, shredded cotton is a popular low-chemical choice.

Fiberglass
Some might wonder how this material merits mention alongside obviously greener goods, but manufacturers have given spun glass a higher recycled content (up to 40 percent) and have taken steps to reduce the acknowledged problem of airborne fibers. Some makers have started slipping their product inside a bag—a very effective treatment until it has to be cut to fit an odd-size cavity. Comes in batts or is chopped and blown into floor and wall cavities.

Mineral wool
Made from recycled slag and mined basalt rock, mineral wool is naturally resistant to fire and pests and is highly sound absorbent. While it has been associated with the same potential airborne-fiber risk as fiberglass, one mineral wool product, a rigid-board foundation insulation, poses no such problem while providing a waterproof barrier.

Sheep's wool
Sheared from living creatures in the usual way, the cleaned fiber is formed into batts and lofty loose fill, then treated for moth- and mildew-proofing. Like cotton, wool tends to primarily be a health-related choice.


FOAM
Cementitious
Made from magnesium oxide cement mixed with water, frothed with air, and pumped into cavities, it's efficient, naturally fireproof, and resists mold and pests.

Polyicynene and polyurethane
Both of these foams are made with an oil-derived chemical, polyisocyanate, but does that necessarily erase any green tint? Maybe not, considering the energy these products save and the fact that their blowing agents—water for polyicynene, a non-ozone-depleting chemical for polyurethane—are environmentally benign. Different formulations produce two types, open-cell and closed-cell, the latter delivering a higher R-value and price.

Agricultural-based
In some formulations of polyurethane, petroleum-based ingredients are partially replaced with those from agricultural resources like soybean oil, sugar cane, and corn. Environmental benefits aside, oil's recent price trajectory makes these products even more appealing. Available as sprayed foam and, in the case of soy-based, a rigid board.

Where to Find It:

Cellulose:

Applegate Insulation
Webberville, MI
888-302-7753
applegateinsulation.com

Igloo Cellulose Inc.
Quebec
514-694-1485
cellulose.com

Cotton:

Environmental Construction Outfitters
Bronx, NY
800-238-5008
environproducts.com

Fiberglass:

CertainTeed
800-782-8777
certainteed.com

Mineral wool:

Roxul Inc.
Grand Forks, B.C.
905-878-8474
1-800-265-6878
roxul.com

Wool:

Good Shepherd Wool Insulation
Rocky Mountain House, Alb.
403-845-6705
goodshepherdwool.com

Cementitious:

Air-Krete
315-834-6609
airkrete.com

Polyicynene:

American Energy Savers
New Haven, CT
800-242-6157
aesinct.com

Polyurethane:

Foam-Tech
North Thetford, VT
802-333-4333
foam-tech.com

Soy-based:

BioBased Systems
Rogers, AR
800-803-5189
biobased.net

Transition Initiative

A world-wide organization focused on bring communities back together, increasing sustainability, decreasing climate change and rebuilding ecomonies through local work, not global.

Think Global, Act Local is prefect for these folks.

Their January Newsletter

We greet a new decade with a clearer knowledge of limits, a richer sense of community, and a deeper understanding of what it means to chart a personal journey towards resiliency and a reduced carbon footprint. While we are cautioned by Sharon Astyk to practice losing, we can be truly heartened by all those stepping up to adventure with us and the impressive new tools they bring. Sustainable NE Seattle has developed a discussion guide for groups studying the Transition Handbook. Transition Santa Cruz has thoughtful tip sheet on going door-to-door and engaging your neighbors and Ben Zolno has a new video on Why Transition.

Around the world communities are rising to the challenge. Transition Network co-founders Peter Lipman and Ben Brangwyn in conversation with Vicki Robin will discuss what is happening in the Transition Movement in the UK and in other countries around the world. Add your questions when you register for this free event scheduled for Wednesday, January 27th at 10 am PST.

On the news front, Transition Initiatives have been seen in: Yes Magazine, Huffington Post, and other local papers like the Pasa Robles Press.

Continue to send us stories of your journey in unleashing the brilliance, compassion and resourcefulness within your communities. Let us know how we can help you.

In this Newsletter:
Transition Initiatives & Stories
Upcoming Trainings & Online Workshops
Resources for Organizing
Featured Videos on Transition
Transition Network News
Post Carbon Institute News
Get Involved

Eco Friendly Decorating By This Old House

You can judge for yourself, but I'm finding their ideas slightly STUPID. None are DIY. You have to buy them all, which means you're adding to the decorations you already have.

Are you supposed to throw the old ones away? If so, how green is that?

If you need to replace something, then yes, follow these ideas. But don't buy them just because the article says they're green.

REDUCE is part of the 3 R's in conservation.

No Impact Project

Every year, growing numbers of us are unhappy with the shopping frenzy that surrounds the holidays but most of us don’t know how to get off the treadmill.

What if we worked together to find another way to celebrate? This holiday season join us in finding more of what matters. During the two-weeks of the historic UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen (December 7th-18th), we’re bringing people together to talk about the impact of holiday spending on their lives and the environment.

Join the New Dream and No Impact Project for nationwide pre-DVD release community screenings of the documentary, No Impact Man, and a post-screening discussion about how to simplify our holidays this year. To host a screening in your community or to learn more, contact us.

To find a screening near you, click here.

To participate in their No Impact Week-Long Study (starts Jan 10) go here

Save Money, Save The World, Don't Drink Soda

That Diet Soda Habit Might Be Killing Your Kidneys

By Deborah R. Huso

If you think you're doing yourself a favor by drinking diet soda instead of the real deal, think again. It's true you may be protecting your waistline from empty calories, but new research suggests you may be beating up your kidneys instead.

Over the weekend, researchers from the Nurses' Health Study in Boston released findings that indicate women who drink two or more diet sodas a day experienced a 30 percent drop in kidney function over the course of a two decades long study. More than 3,000 women participated in the study, the median age being 67. Lead researcher Julie Lin, MD, MPH, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital, says the outcomes were especially startling because the women surveyed all had health kidney function at the start of the research.

After critically analyzing the beverage intake of study participants, researchers found those who drank two or more diet sodas daily had a significant dip in the kidneys' glomerular filtration rate, which measures kidney function. Natural aging generally results in a decreased filtration rate of about 1 mL per minute per year after age 40. In contrast, the rate of those who consumed diet soda significantly decreased by 3mL per minute per year. The study showed no link between decreased kidney function and other beverages or any decreased function in women who had less than two diet sodas a day.

This doesn't mean your kidneys are safe, however, if you opt for regular sodas. A study published earlier this year in PLoS ONE, a journal of the Public Library of Science, showed that women drinking two or more cans of regular soda a day are nearly twice as likely to suffer from early signs of kidney disease as non-soda drinkers. Researchers don't understand the cause for certain but suspect it has to do with the intake of large amounts of high fructose corn syrup.

With some 26 million Americans suffering from chronic kidney disease, it's obviously become a national health problem. While studies to date on the relationship between kidney function and soda (diet or regular) have been small, they add more fuel to the fire for cutting soda intake, even if you're a diet drinker. When it comes to your health, water is always the best beverage.

Summer Time And The Living Is Easy

I don't know that it's easy, but it's not cold. That's about all I'll give it for now. LOL

I am in the process of canning a bushel of peaches. I've gotten 14 pints finished thus far, and probably about that again in the next few days. Plus, a batch of peach nectar jelly and peach jam.

Am going to try a new way of canning. It's the same method, just a different syrup. Since I boil the skins, pits and bruised areas for jelly anyway, I thought I'd use part of a batch of that as the syrup base, rather than plain water. Add the sugar at the concentration I'd like - usually a light syrup - heat it to boiling and add it to the jars just like regular syrup.

The peaches should be a nicer color, and have a far better flavor than being watered down by plain syrup. I'll try it for the rest of this bushel, but no more than that since, if it doesn't work, that's an awful lot of mediocre peaches to eat.

And yes, the whole process is time consuming. And HOT. But it's enjoyable. And when you see an entire shelf of peaches glowing at you, it is SO worth it!

This year, the savings will be double that of last year. A bushel last year was $50. This year, only $20. They were smaller ones - well, I don't need huge peaches just to can and make jam! I don't care! I'm not canning for the state fair, and slice them up anyway. Why use the huge dinner peaches?

And the savings to the environment - HUGE. Less than 100 miles to get them here. Virtually no chemicals used in growing them. And my processing, which uses the microwave as much as possible to cut down on the heat in the kitchen. Process as much as you can at once to take advantage of the water already boiling and you're using even less. I would guess we're no worse than even - 1 calorie of energy to produce for 1 calorie of eating. Standard energy consumption for industrial food in the US is 10-20 calories of energy to produce 1 calorie for eating.

I'm liking life. It may not be Porgy and Bess easy, but it could be a whole lot worse.

Save Money, Save The World - Mow Less

I wrote this for the Treenex site a few weeks ago.

Mowing season has been longer in the North East US because of a cool, wet month of June. Mowing is at least a twice weekly chore – still! Who has that kind of time? Well, there are many ways you can reduce the amount and the frequency you mow.

Why is this important? There are at least 2 reasons and they both revolve around the air we breathe.

Emissions

If you use a gas powered mower of any kind, you’re emissions for the time you mow equal those of at least 4 cars idling in your driveway. Riding mowers emit more than push mowers, by volume mowed. This means even if you finish sooner, you’ve still emitted more COx’s, NOx’s, and SOx’s. Ew! And since the small engines are just starting to be regulated for emission control, it will be more than a decade until reduced emission models are common place.

Carbon Sequestration and Air Filtration

Because mowing grass less often means fewer emissions, it means the grass is allowed to do more to filter and use carbon that is already in the air. I’ll cover more on this very soon.

How To Mow Less (Before)

Set your mower up higher
By setting your mower to 3″ (7.5 cm) or more, you more rapidly achieve the above mentioned goals.

Healthier grass is longer grass.
Longer grass is able to retain moisture better by shading its roots and having a more complex root system. Generally speaking, the longer the grass blade, the longer the root. So not only is there less evaporation (not what the blades give off, but what is directly evaporated by the sun and breeze), the grass has a chance to reach for more water that is deeper in the soil. You’ll have less irrigating to do and your grass will still be green during periods of drought. Longer grass also hinders weeds from getting a foot hold since the shade is so dense. This doesn’t allow for adequate sunlight to reach seeds or seedlings. All of these things make it so fewer chemicals are necessary for a green thick carpet of grass.

Less Frequent Mowings
Grasses that are typically chosen for lawns have a short mature length. This means they won’t grow to be a 3 foot tall stem of grass if left to its own devices. As they approach their mature length, they naturally slow their growth rate. By allowing the grass to stay longer like this, the more slowly it will strive to achieve its mature length/height. This results in needing to mow less frequently.

Longer grass also means an increase in photosynthesis and air filtration. The more green volume you have, the more filtration of dust and small particles occurs and the more photosynthesis occurs. Carbon dioxide is converted to plant nutrients with oxygen released as a by-product. Having an increase in green volume means you have an increase in carbon utilization and oxygen production.

Say your grass length is generally 2 1/2″ inches (6 1/4 cm) and your lawn is 25′x30′ (7.6 m x 9.1m). Changing from that 2 1/2″ to 3″ doesn’t seem like a huge change, does it? Well, when you calculate the green volume (length x width x height), you’ll find that you’re adding a huge sum! It would be as if you’re adding another 250 square feet of 2 1/2″ grass to your lawn! All for free and no added effort!

Increase Your Speed
By increasing the speed with which you mow, you decrease the amount of time the engine is running, reducing emissions. Most mowers have various speeds to move, so find one that is just slightly uncomfortably fast.

Change Your Pattern
By changing how you mow, you will spend less time mowing as well. If you have large areas to mow, mow in a spiral. This virtually eliminates the need to stop and turn, which makes mowing more efficient and faster for you! If you have smaller areas, choose the angle that allows you the longest distance between turns. It isn’t quite as efficient as spiral mowing, but it works very well.

Reduce engine speed.
Most engines also have a variable speed factor to them. Play with this a bit, but mow at the lowest possible engine speed. This will also reduce emissions (in theory – older engines often run cleanest at their highest setting).

Reduce The Amount Of Space Mowed (after)
By creating unmown spaces – not decks or walks or impervious ground covers – you decrease the need to mow, decreasing emissions. By making areas into garden spaces, you are also significantly increasing filtration rates. Microbes in the soil do massive amounts of filtration on air born chemicals. They also do quite a bit for carbon sequestration. So, between the open soil space and the perennial plants you place in there, you are increasing photosynthesis and air filtration.
And as I alway say, the less I mow, the less I mow! LOL I’d far rather spend time looking at my flower beds than sweating behind a mower.

Results
In the last 5 years, I have focused on reducing the amount of mowing our property requires. I have reduced it by at least 1/3, and more likely 1/2 by increasing the number and space of flower beds, raising the height on the mower and reducing the number of times I mow different areas. Drought prone areas are mown 1/2 as often as the more rapidly growing areas. Rather than mow for an hour each time, I’m mowing for 20-30 minutes. People rave about the flower beds and I get to sit on my deck and watch the bees and hummingbirds do their job!

As you can see, it takes time and a small amount of effort, but doing so actually reduces your efforts substantially AND helps the environment. How much better can it get?

Vote For Your Favorite Farmer's Market

Care2.com and LocalHarvest.org have teamed up to give farmer's markets another way to spread the word they exist and to gain a bit of extra cash to help sustain their efforts. They have a chance to win $5,000 in the "Love Your Farmers Market" online contest, sponsored by Care2.com and LocalHarvest.org. Every vote helps promote local food, family farms and sustainable agriculture.

This link is to the Otsiningo Market where Venita (sister in law) and Dave (brother) have their stand. Yes, I'd like it if you voted for that particular market.

However, to me, which is just as important is, voting for any market you support. Period. Show the cynics that farm markets DO work and they ARE important.

Thank You!

Contrary Mary And Her Garden

Mary Mary quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockleshells
And pretty maids all in a row.

Ignoring the true significance of the nursery rhyme, Contrary Mary had the right idea – gardens! Our current ideas of a beautiful yard and property are so far beyond the natural, it’s freakish. Grass isn’t supposed to be short. It’s meant to grow long and lanky, only to be eaten short by the native grazers. Oh wait, we killed them all when the railroads when through. Oops!

Now, I understand not wanting a goat, sheep, cow or horse around just to get your lawn short naturally. I certain don’t want one! But what can we do to lessen our impact on this monoculture we’ve adhered to for so many generations? We own an acre, have mowed about a third of it for most of my life, but have decreased that amount by at least 1/3 over the last 4 years, and I strive to reduce it by a total of 50%. Everyone who comes over exclaims the property is like an oasis, with the flower gardens scattered about. It is gorgeous!

So you too can start by reducing the amount you mow. It is estimated that the US consumes 2.2 billion gallons of fuel just to care for their lawns. How you reduce is up to you, but the best way is by adding flower and vegetable gardens. These can be separate or integrated beds, since both the flowers and the vegetables benefit from the “companion planting”. They also add incredible depth and interest to the gardens when integrated.

Time
I have found that the amount of time spent mowing or tending flowerbeds is equal, but not constantly similar. Mowing is the entire growing season while the majority of the time spent on the gardens is in the spring. The summer is almost carefree. If you plant perennials, with an occasional annual for constant color, you’ll spend even less time in the gardens than if you only plant annuals every year. This way, you spend time admiring, rather than slaving away. I like that trade!

Emissions
The average riding lawn mower spews the same emissions as 34 cars for the same amount of time being run. That’s just wrong. And while the EPA is mandating all small engines have a catalytic converter starting in 2010, it will take a decade or more for all current small engines to be replaced. Since Americans are estimated to spend over 3 billion hours running small engines to care for their lawns and property, that’s a very long time to reduce emissions by the 35% that is estimated by the adding of the converters. If you reduce your lawn space by 30%, you will have affected the same goal the EPA is striving for with no expense to you. Considering we are spewing 44 billion pounds of carbon dioxide into the air per year, reduce that by a third is significant! Imagine being able to see the real blue of the sky from this one simple act!

Air Purification
Just as different houseplants filter different impurities from your indoor air, a variety of plants outside will help filter different impurities from that air. Nature never supports monocultures. To do so sets the stage for infestations, over-population and disease manifestations (think swine flu, which only manifests when swine are concentrated in large numbers in a small setting). With nature having hundreds of different plants and thousands of different microbes per acre, it can purify air and sequester carbon at far higher rates than our lawns. And by having this diversity, the wildlife supported is also diverse, helping eliminate the need for pest control. By adding many native varieties of perennials, along with a select number of noninvasive non-native varieties, you help offset the emissions by those who choose not to reduce their lawn.

Insects
There are very few “bad” bugs. What become bad are their affects when allowed to overpopulate. This happens when there is too little diversity in the plant life, which leads to little diversity in animal life, which controls insect life. There will always be occasions when an infestation of whatever insect occurs, but these times are moderated and become less frequent when an array of plant life is allowed to flourish. Birds and bats will flourish in the new variety, reducing all of the bugs – and you get to enjoy their activities throughout the year!

Included in the insect section are the pollinators. These little guys supply at least 1/3 of our food, but are constantly being slaughtered by pesticides and diseases created by our monoculture (planting only corn, only grass, only wheat, etc.). Honeybees have seen devastating losses over the last 3 years, for as of yet unpublished reasons. Pesticide use never decreases, giving the native pollinators no chance to contribute support.

By adding flowering plants, both native and non-native, perennials and annuals, you give the native pollinators a chance to recover and thrive, reducing the risk of an entire collapse of 1/3 of our food chain.

Oil Dependence
Farmers don’t measure their fuel consumption in miles per gallon. They measure in gallons per hour. So does your lawn mower – an average of .73 gallons per hour to be exact. Be reducing your use by 1/3, you will save the US about 730 million gallons of fuel per year, which mostly comes from outside the US borders.

Another Option
If you just can’t live without every square inch of lawn you have now, please consider raising the mower deck up to 3” or longer. This will save in a number of ways:
When the growth of the grass slows, you mow far less frequently
The longer grass needs far less water, allowing you to eliminate irrigation
The longer grass needs far less fertilizer – which comes from foreign natural gas
The longer grass supports a more diverse set of insects, which protects you from infestations.
It diminishes the chances for fungal infections, needing fewer chemicals to maintain that gorgeous green carpet you so desire.

Sources
University of Vermont Extension
Organic Gardening Magazine
EPA.gov

Egg Information

I did the research for this to become a tri-fold for the eggs my brother is selling from his nearly 60 hens. I can't promise it'll all make sense, but please read it. It's pretty important information for anyone trying to eat right.

The following are statistics for the chickens and the eggs, comparing naturally foraging “pastured” chickens to their industrial caged “battered” (so appropriately named!) counterparts.
Life Span
Pastured 7-20 years
Battered 12-23 months
Fryers 41 days

Chickens are like any other bird. They forage for their food. Pastured chickens spend their days clucking about, scratching the earth for bugs, grass, and even the occasional mouse. Caged battered chickens are forced to eat cottonseed meal and soy proteins, with an elongated daylight period to enhance their egg laying. This means they can lay up to 380 eggs in a few months, but their life’s energy is literally gone in that short period. A pastured chicken will lay 400-600 eggs in her life, all in a more natural setting.

The eggs from the pastured hen are also far more nutritious than those of the battered chicken. Mother Earth News has corroborated 15 years of research in extensive testing to prove exactly how healthful these eggs are.

Comparing pastured eggs to egg substitutes is apples to golf balls. However, if you like a little egg with your chemicals, we can crunch the numbers!

Vitamins

Vitamin A
You need anywhere from 4,000 (infant) to 12,000 (lactating woman) international units (iu) of Vitamin A per day.
The Egg Substitute - 180
The Industrial Egg - 244
The Pastured Egg - 405

Vitamin D
The old RDA was 400 iu. It has since been increased to 1000 iu since everyone has become severely deficient.
The Egg Substitute - 0
The Industrial Egg - 18
The Pastured Egg - 73

Vitamin E
You should get at least 30 iu of E per day, about half for children. Many people are deficient in E as well, so please pay attention.
The Egg Substitute - .13
The Industrial Egg - .49
The Pasture Egg - 1.46

Beta Carotene
This is a provitamin, meaning it is only 1 step away from being a vitamin - namely vitamin A. A is so vital to all aspects of the cells that make up your body, affecting every organ and its function. Most people recognize vitamin A for it's work with eye function, but that is only one of hundreds of functions it aids.
So, by having both Vitamin A and Beta Carotene available in 1 place, it will help serve the body for both immediate needs and easier storage for use later.
The Egg Substitute - a synthetic form - 108
The Industrial Egg - 5
The Pastured Egg - 35

More Reasons To Buy Pastured Eggs
Now that you know why it is so much better for you to eat pastured eggs, here are other reasons you should buy them:

Extinction – There are over 40 breeds of heritage chickens, 12 of which are original to the US. These breeds are all threatened with extinction by the breeds used in industrial farming. The majority of pastured eggs are from these 12 heritage breeds.

Diversification – all 7 or 8 of NYS industrial egg farmers are supplied by only 3 breeders. As we have seen with lettuce, spinach, beef and peanuts, the ability to damage an entire sector of farming that is so centralized is frightening. By supporting small farms, this ability is reduced significantly.

Economic – Studies throughout the world have proven money spent at locally owned businesses is far more valuable than money spent at regional, national or international stores. $1 spent locally (at small farms or businesses) equals $1.86 in locally re-spent capitol. $1 spent at a chain store equals $.83 in locally re-spent capitol.

Environmental – Industrial Animal Farming is estimated to account for 55% of soil and sediment erosion, 37% of nationwide pesticide use, 80% of antibiotic usage, and more than 30% of the total nitrogen and phosphorus dumped into drinking water resources. By supporting your local farmers, you significantly decrease these numbers, and assist in the rebalancing of the environment. By having small flocks of chickens, all of these issues are balanced out. Bugs and weeds are controlled, the soil is fertilized naturally, and the birds are healthier for being outside, so there is no need for antibiotics for health or growth.

A Day In The Life Of

Chickens.

LOL

You'd be surprised at the number of people who have never seen chickens doing what they do best - forage.

The only pictures or videos seen anymore are of chickens in huge barns, all white, except where other chickens have crapped on them, just milling about.

Chickens do a lot more. They're great for insect control, removing thatch from a yard, fertilizing, egg laying, and of course, eating. They're also a great source of entertainment.

Since I grew up around chickens, it was pretty easy to see my brother's flock doing their thing. But trying to convey this to our friends who've never been around chickens was another thing entirely. So, I asked my brother to take a video. And now he's looking at getting a chicken cam.

LOL - I'll put a link to it when he gets one set up.

Until then, enjoy this video. You can hear them clucking and talking to each other. Just don't jack the volume up too much since the rooster does crow. Twice.



Video Link

And for more - the history of these chickens:
The First Chickens
The Coolest Chicken Coop
Their First Day In The Wild Green Yonder

A Green Easter

Easter should be about more than gluttony. Children shouldn't be allowed to see how much candy they can eat prior to the church service - or Easter brunch in a restaurant - which ever way you Christians choose to 'celebrate' it. Adult shouldn't be eating everything in sight at that all you can eat brunch buffet. And families in general shouldn't be looking toward another huge meal in the afternoon - one that rivals Thanksgiving.

Easter History
First off, Easter is a rather arbitrarily assigned date. It is on the first Sunday following the first full moon following the Spring equinox - March 20/21. As you can tell, Rome chose to place it close to the spring celebrations of many different cultures, in order to better convert those cultures to Christianity.

As an American culture, Easter didn't become a large event until after the Civil War, when comfort from that devestation meant turning to religious holidays. Since the first settlers were here to escape both the Anglican and the Catholic church rules, the celebration of Easter was a minimalist event at best.

So between the Pagan influence and the settler's Protestant ways, America's cultural heritage with Easter is scant at best. So, rather than expanding on the capitolistic ways the retailers would have you believe has been with us since Christ himself, try a different tactic. Try toning it down a bit.

Suggestions

Buy Local

Particularly during this economic climate, buying local will be of paramount importance. Buying locally has a few different implications.

The first is to buy as many locally produced goods as possible. Use the local bakery and the local butcher to buy the items you need and can't make yourself. It may mean you buy less, but less isn't such a bad thing. Since most of our food is transported an average of 1500 miles, buying locally produced goods cuts down significantly on greenhouse gasses produced just by transporting them.

The second way is to buy from locally owned stores. Don't go to Sam's to buy your Easter food or candy. Go to Maine's, The Giant and other locally owned stores. Even Wegmans isn't local. It's in the state, but it's well outside of the 100 mile radius that is considered "local". By purchasing from locally owned businesses, your dollar is kept IN your community.

Studies in England, Maine, Colorado, and Tennessee have proven that a single dollar goes as far in the community as $1.76, while that same dollar used at a chain store only goes as far as .76 to .82. England's local economy fared far better than the US, however, the numbers are still staggering.

And considering the amount of money that is spent just on candy - American consumers spend over 1 million dollars on Easter candy every year and that nearly 20 billion jellybeans are produced just for Easter - that adds up to a significant portion remaining in the local economy.

Buy American.

I know there is much ado about protectionism. However, buying American is similar to buying locally - it keeps wages up and more money circulating in American, than leaving its shores. American chocolate, jelly beans, peeps, etc. And if you have a local chocolatier, great! Buy from them!

Buy Organic

While buying local is the 'New" buying organic, it makes a difference. The less you buy that ruins the environment, the better. And if it's local AND organic, you've hit the jackpot! Organic is slowly coming down in price, so the sacrifices made aren't nearly what they used to be. Grass-fed beef (preferably from intensive grazing - will post the article soon), versus lot-fed (CAFO) beef, pastured chickens and turkeys versus CAFO fowl, pastured pork versus CAFO pork, milk produced without hormones, pastured chickens for eggs, rather than industrial eggs, etc. The products are out there to find and are becoming more common every passing season, so that's wonderful!

Buy Fair Trade

There is movement afoot for Domestic Fair Trade as well as International Fair Trade, which is well established. There are several local organizations, VUMC included, that sells fair trade products at least monthly. Please check into it.

Get Rid Of

Get rid of the plastic. Who thought of plastic Easter eggs? Wrap the goodies in small bits of bright paper. And plastic grass?! Odd! Get your shredder out and shred some left over wrapping paper, the funnies or brightly colored pages from a magazine. Considering the kids look at the plastic for a total of 4 minutes or less, it doesn't make sense to spend the money OR the oil in making it just to throw it away.

If you don't already, buy special baskets and keep them for the child's entire Easter life. We had our own baskets every year, and always looked forward to finding OUR basket. It builds a tradition and a strong family connection, as well as cutting down on waste.

Get rid of excess. If the kids don't eat the hard boiled eggs, don't decorate them. They can color and make beautiful designs on paper just as easily as on hard boiled eggs. Give them about half the candy. This isn't Halloween revisited. It's Easter. No one should do what my sister did, which was to eat an entire pound of a solid chocolate bunny before the early service at church. While she didn't throw up, she didn't feel good for 2 days.

Make Easter special. Or, do as the settlers did and be very quite about it. Christ was.

Reduce Your Paper Use

Reducing the amount of paper is pretty easy. Far easier than you think.

Mom relayed a story to me of her youth. It seems their pig loved toilet paper. LOVED toilet paper. Well, once her mother figured out what was happening with all of the toilet paper, the kids were told (Mom and her cousins), they could use the toilet paper for themselves, or feed it to the pig and use the Sears catalog.

The pig didn't get anymore toilet paper.

See how easy that is?

For this post, I'm not going to give suggestions to you about how to reduce. You already know how. What you may not know is why it's so important to reduce. That's what I'll be focusing on.

Each person in the US produces 730 pounds of waste paper per year.

Every year, 535 million trees are cut just for the US paper demand, using over 12 billion gallons of petroleum products.

Making 1 ton of paper from virgin pulp uses up to 72,000 gallons of water, whereas producing recycled paper only needs a tenth the water, 60% of the energy and not even 50% the chemicals.

Americans recycle only 1/3 of the newspapers they purchase.

The average American gets 400 pounds of mail order catalogs every year.

Americans use over 50 pounds of tissue products per year. Tissues, toilet paper, paper towels and packaging encompass this category.

If every American replaced 1 package of regular TP with one of recycled paper, it would save 1.4 million trees. With napkins, it would be another 1 million trees.

Since 1960, office paper generation increased by 4.8 million tons, or 320 percent

And some good news - However, office paper generation has declined by 750,000 tons during the last six years as the use of personal computers has spread.

15 million sheets of paper are used in US offices every 5 minutes.

Here's a picture from Chris Jordan depicting the 15 million sheets of paper:

And a detail:

VUMC Weekly Green Tips 2009

Sorry for any confusion. I was just told that the order the hints were put into the bulletin was mixed up. So, I'm trying to get them back in order. Forgive us!

January Week 1 - Repurposing Christmas
January Week 2 - Use a Humidifier
January Week 3 - Seal Those Leaks
January Week 4 - Windows, The Weak Link
January Week 5 - Second-Hand Scents

February Week 1 - Buy A Houseplant
February Week 2 - Valentine's Day
February Week 3 - At Least 10 Uses For Just About Anything
February Week 4 - Lent is Coming

For Lent - Carbon Fast

March Week 1 - Why Kermit's Team Blog Exists
March Week 2 - Reduce Your Use of Processed Foods
March Week 3 - Use Less Water
March Week 4 - 1 Less Hour of Power - Earth Hour
March Week 5 - Use Less Paper

DIY Links

Earth Hour March 28, 2009

Earth Hour is 10 days away. Go to the website and sign up so they know how many people are going to participate.

From 830 to 930 PM, all you have to do is turn off your lights. That's it. Incredibly simple!

Organizations, schools, cities, towns, and businesses can all sign up. And if you leave the name of your organization, it'll be scrolled across the website sidebar! Very cool.

You have nothing to lose except a little reading time. Why not join 28 Scouts in this effort? Or the 2.2 million in Sydney Australia? It's worth it! And hey - make it a habit!

Reducing Use of Processed Foods

It is truly amazing how little of the food we eat we actually prepare from scratch. Here's an example:

My family makes our own spaghetti sauce. It's cheaper, we like the taste better than the store bought and is supposed to be better for us. BUT - we buy the cans of tomatoes, sauce and paste; we buy the cheeses and the spices. What did we just make on our own?

Yes, it's cheaper for us and yes, we like the taste better. But is it better for us or the environment? Each can of tomatoes is lined with chemicals to help "improve and maintain freshness". One of these chemicals is BPA. Chemicals are also added to help "maintain color and flavor". Huge amounts of salt are added, and salt is now being linked to memory problems as well as the hypertension issues. The cheeses are processed and shipped from hundreds of miles away, as are the spices. These are usually shipped in plastic, which is known to outgas at room temperature.

Energy may or may not be saved by making spaghetti sauce this way, compared to buying individual jars of processed sauce. I do know the number of chemicals we consume is decreased substantially. Just look at the labels of your favorite sauces to see what has been added compared to mixing it up yourself. Each year I am growing more tomatoes to can and use, rather than buying them, but I'm still not able to grow a full year's supply. I'm getting there.

While I don't expect most people to look as closely as I do at what we make, what we eat, how we eat it, or how we buy it, I do hope you *will* look.

Changes are simple. Drink 1 less soda per week. Eat 1 less candy bar. Eat out 1 fewer times per week. Cook a meal rather than eating a heat and serve TV dinner. Grill your own burgers rather than driving down to the local burger bar. Make soup out of left overs instead of opening a can and dumping it in a sauce pan.

Here are some facts for you to think about when you go shopping or go out to eat:

Overall, food—and all the energy it takes to grow, process, transport and prepare it—is responsible for 1/3 of all global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the Pew Center.

The average restaurant in the US uses 38 kWh of electricity and 111 cubic feet of natural gas per square foot of space per year.

Here in the US, for every 10 calories spent to grow/produce our food, we get 1 calorie in return.

Calculate your diet's carbon footprint. Eat Low Carbon

BioDiesel Advances

From Farm Show magazine - volume 33 no. 1

New Method Cuts Cost Of Making Biodiesel

Making biodiesel from used cooking oil for himself and four other farmers is more than a hobby for Dave Hubbard. He and his friends have come to depend on it, especially as diesel prices have climbed over the past several years. Best of all, he modified the standard production process to make the job easier and cheaper.

Hubbard recognized that if he could pull the methanol out of the glycerin that's washed from the biodiesel, he could recycle it and cuts his costs. To do so, he runs the glycerin through a modified still where it's heated under vacuum to 170 degrees F to release the methanol as vapors.

"I run the vacuum hose carrying the vapors through a pail of water, which condenses them back to a liquid that I can collect and reuse with the next batch of oil." he explains.

Hubbard uses a tank large enough to handle a 5-gallon pail. The tank is an old compressed air tank with the weld joint cut away. The top has a rim that slips into the bottom half of the tank for a tight fit. A pail of glycerin is set in the bottom half of the tank along with a heating element. Hubbard slips the top in, runs a strip of tape around the joint to make it airtight, and attaches the vacuum line to the air valve.

"It usually takes about 3 hours, but the time will vary depending on how much methanol was used in processing," he says. "When no more methanol is condensing, I know it's done,"

Not only does the process allow him to reclaim methanol and lower his processing costs, his cattle love the pure glycerin. He also found a way to simplify one of the steps in making the biodiesel itself. Knowing when all the glycerin and impurities have settled out of washed BD is vital. He notes that the oil can look clear near the top of the tank, even though all the soaps having settled out farther down.

"I adpated a flashlight so I can get light all the way down through the oil. I removed the light bulb and soldered 2 3-foot wires between the socet and bulb."

The bulb extension allows Hubbard to lower the light all the way to the bottom of the barrel of oil to check for impurities. "If it still glows down 3-4', I know it's clear."

For many BD producers, obtaining used oil is getting more difficult. To find an adequate and secure supply, Hubbard and his friends approached a nearby college. Because the oil would benefit local farmers, the college agreed to give them their oil instead of selling it to commercial operators.

For more information - BMWBiodiesel @ verizon.net

"Cold Process" Biodiesel

Steve Veenstra says his cold evaporation process for making BD is the lowest cost and easiest way there is to make BD at home. He has made and burned some 4,000 gallons in fuel oil furnaces and in his F 250 diesel pickup.

"I did nothing to modify the engine, and it works great. I think it runs eve quieter due to the extra lubrication in the BD."

Veenstra developed the process to reduce the amount of time he had to put into making the BD. The process also eliminates the need for water to "wash" the BD, so there are no waste water issues. Another savings comes from reduced heating during the process. The only use of power for heating is to preheat the vegetable oil to 125 degrees F in an old water heater before it's moved to the reactor. The elimination of heat during the reactor stage also allows Veenstra to use poly tanks, which let him visually check progress as fuel is made.

Veenstra says he currently makes 40 gallons in about 42 hours, with only 2.5 hours of actual physical labor. The rest of the time he doesn't even need to be in the area.

His process eliminates many of the steps required to remove impurities in a standard process. With cold evaporation, Veenstra says, simply removing the methanol with his cold evaporation process causes impurities to drop out of suspension.

"Residual heat in the oil after pumping it out of the reactor tank pulls some of the methanol out of the raw BD as it settles," he explains. "Additional steps of my process pull out about 2 liters of the methanol right away, and the rest evaporates gradually, thanks to a combination of spraying the surface and agitation and bubbling air through the liquid."

He says spraying the surface keeps surface tention down, encouraging evaporation. The bubbler and fan run in the evaporation tank for 24 hours, followed by a minimum of 4 hours resting while the final suspensions drop out.

"My evaporation tank is designed to let the suspensions out before pumping the BD out. The BD passes through a 10 micron filter and then a 1 micron bag filter to ensure quality."

He has also developed a simple system for making the methoxide for use in the reactor. He uses nitrogen gas to force methanol into a closed mixing tank with the lye to produce the methoxide, thereby avoiding mixing it by hand.

Veenstra has developed plans and tutorials for his no-wash finishing cold evaporation system and also for his BD production system with it's closed methoxide mixing system.

www.SVMade.com
svp @ iserv.net

At Least 10 Uses For Panty Hose

From GoMestic.com
Cut the legs off and use to keep all those odd bits of soap that tend to get left in the bathroom. Tie the end and keep it beside the sink for hand washing.

Put mothballs into a leg and tie it to the rail in your closet

Fill a leg with lavender and use to scent your closet

Cut the waist off and use to tie up papers, or keep hoses and rolls of wire tidy

Gardeners can use strips of fabric to tie up plants in the garden

Strips cut from the waist make good hair scrunchies

Scrunched up pantyhose make excellent, soft polishing cloths

Put cat litter in a pantyhose leg and tie the top. This is good for absorbing damp.

Cut into small pieces and use to stuff toys and pillows

When paint goes lumpy you can strain it through a stretched out piece of pantyhose

If you drop something small on the floor and can't find it (such as an earring, button, etc), cut the leg off some old pantyhose and put it over the nozel on the vacuum cleaner. The suction will lift up the lost object and leave it stuck to the pantyhose.

Clean your fish tank. If you have one of those wet and dry vacuum cleaners (don't try it with an ordinary one!), use the method above to vacuum the gravel in the tank. You will be able to clean it without emptying, or disturbing the fish.

Rubbing polished shoes with nylon pantyhose gives them an extra gleaming shine

Keep spare, or used rolls of wallpaper in the legs of old panyhose. It stops them from tearing and helps keep them clean.

If you cut them into strips you can save money on cotton balls for removing nail varnish. These do the job very well if you dip them into your favourite remover.
Use old pantyhose to hang dry sweaters. You don't get peg, or line marks on them this way. Just thread them through the arms and tie them to the line.

Store onions in the legs of your pantyhose. You can simply hang them up and they will keep well with the good air circulation.

In the garden you can store flower bulbs in the same way as above. They will get a good circulation of air and will be protected from mice and other creatures looking for a tasty snack.

When repotting your houseplants put a circle of pantyhose in the bottom of the pot before filling it. This stops soil being washed out of the bottom each time you water.

If you are lucky enough to have a pool, stretch a piece of pantyhose over the skimmer and you will catch all those tiny particles that you usually miss

From The FrugalLife.com

I cut the elastic waistband off old pantyhose. My favorite use for it is to put on around a kitchen trash can to keep the trash bag from falling down inside. It can also be used as a giant rubber band for many things like stacks of newspapers or magazines.

I use pantyhose tied to the end of the water hose that runs from the washing machine to the sink to collect lint etc. that would otherwise end up in the sink drain. I tie it to the end of the hose using garbage ties.

We put a portion of a ruined pantyhose over the back of our hard drive to help keep dust out.-- Susan R

From GreenPlanet.com

To save space in your luggage, tightly roll up your clothes, then stretch the tube sections of your pantyhose over them.

From ThriftyFun.com
My husband uses old pantyhose scraps to wrap his fishing bait in when he uses chicken livers. It keeps the bait from falling apart and off the hook and also keeps the fish from just nibbling it off the hook and swimming off.

I cut the waist off the top and put a roll of gift wrap in each leg. This protects the gift wrap from wrinkles and other damage when stored in your closet.

When taking a photography class, I learned a really neat effect.
If you take pictures use the pantyhose as a lense filter.
Cut a circle out of the pantyhose. Next get two small pieces of cardboard and cut a circle out of the middle of them. put the pantyhose inbetween the two pieces of cardboard and stapple the edges. The cardboard just makes it easier to hold. Next place the pantyhose in front of the lense of a camera. Being sure that the cardboard is not blocking the lense. And take the picture. The pantyhose, will create a picture that is softer looking. This technique is good to use when photographing older people, or people with skin that has scars, they dissappear and make the skin look really soft.

My dad is bald & he gets really cold even when the house is warm due to the fact that we loose body heat thru the top of our heads - so he asked me to crochet him a cap of old pantyhose. I cut off the toe & top & spiral cut the legs into one very long piece then crocheted the cap. Mom laughs at him "he looks funny" but "ya do what ya have to do"!

Make a punching bag by putting a soccer ball into the waist section of a pair of pantyhose. Knot the waist. Using the legs, tie it to a hook or a beam.
Now start punching.

I use old panty hose to make a breathable bag to hold Zeolite. I fill the bags with zeolite, and place them all around the house to control odors and moisture. One pound of Zeolite in the refrigerator in a panty hose bag works better than baking soda and by laying out in the sun for several hours once a month, you can use them over and over.

A Green Valentine is a Red Valentine

So does that make green the new red? Whatever.

This is such a simple concept that has been taken completely out of context that it is shameful to participate. Diamonds, Gold, Flowers, Dinner out, Cards, Champagne and Strawberries, Chocolate. What are you to do?

Let's go simple again.

Don't Buy Jewelry.
Like a friend of mine says, it doesn't keep your stomach full and doesn't keep you warm (although some would say it can make you hot). Besides, new studies are showing women are more likely to want high tech gadgets (not that it's a green choice), than jewelry. Diamonds may be forever, but they aren't rare. They have had the most well-executed marketing plan ever to make you believe they are rare and are to be coveted. They aren't.

If you must, consider buying an heirloom piece from a jeweler. Since the energy has already been used to create the piece, you're effectively recycling it. So many of the settings from years past are far more elegant than anything you can find now that it only makes sense to purchase an heirloom.

Don't Buy Flowers
The floral industry has a horrid record of using pesticides, herbicides and synthetic fertilizers to maintain their industry. They also grow in false, forced conditions that are anything but energy saving. When was the last time a rose smelled like a rose?

If you must, buy a living plant - which will help filter the air in the home/office. You can also ask your florist about organically grown flowers. This part of the industry is growing rapidly and like Christmas tree growers, ends up being a sustainable market which improves the environment rather than degrading it.

Don't Eat Out
The service is almost as bad as New Year's Eve because so many other couples are eating out. Why do that to what should be a relaxed evening? Besides, restaurants are right up there for energy consumption - along with steel and aluminum production factories. If looking at it per square foot, they may actually pass these two industries. The energy wasted is appalling.

If you must, seek out a location that uses locally grown food stuffs. The chain restaurants use highly processed foods that are shipped in from hundreds of miles away. This only contributes to damaging your body and the environment. The best answer to this is to cook your own meal for your heart's desire.

Don't Buy Cards
World-wide, over 1 billion Valentine cards are given each year. And you thought Christmas was bad! What more is there to say?

If you must, seek out cards printed on recycled card stock, that use biodegradable inks, and is made by a local artist. You support the environment and your local economy. Sending an e-card is even better!

Don't Buy Champagne and Strawberries
Yes, it's supposed to be the ultimate in luxurious combinations. But strawberries aren't in season, which means they must be forced to grow in less than ideal conditions (proven by the latest freeze in FL) - and must be shipped from far away (like, say, FL to NY).
True champagne is only from France, so shipping is a concern. Sparkling wines made in the champagnoi method are often shipped from CA and many growers use a large number of chemicals to keep their vines 'healthy'.

If you must, buy only champagne. You can buy a local sparkling wine variety - particularly here in NY. Look for an organic wine, of which there are a growing number. Don't throw the rest of that magnum away! Use it in your cooking - it's superb when added to any sauce. And don't buy the strawberries - save that luxury for when they are in season. The wait is more than worth it.

Don't Buy Chocolate
Chocolate isn't native to North America. Face it - it's a luxury we've made into a staple. So giving it for Valentine's Day just isn't as special as it should be anymore. And because of over farming, pesticide, herbicide and fertlizer use, cocoa plant varieties are becoming rare or extinct. How sad for the Earth!

Make a white cake with an orange glaze. Make a cinnamon coffee cake. Yes - MAKE it. I know it's a stretch, but making something is far more loving than running into your local drug store and buying the first box of chocolates you come to.

If you must buy chocolate, there are many food clubs in the area that sell fair trade chocolate. Find one and buy from them. While you're at it, buy a pound of coffee to go with that chocolate and support organice fair-trade organizations.

What Else Can You Do?
There are many things you can do for your sweetheart that would probably be more appreciated than any amount of chocolate or cards.

Do something for each other - clean the house, do the laundry, take the kids out for awhile, give a foot rub, give a back rub, make a cake, make brownies, make dinner, take a walk with each other, vacuum the car out, wash the car windows.

Write "I Love You" in unexpected places - like half way through a roll of toilet paper or paper towels.

Little things done because you care mean far more than anything big or preplanned. So think small!

Windows, The Weak Link

In the history of man, it's been only a little more than a millenia that we've had the luxury of seeing out of our shelter without the frigid blast of winter or furnace wave of summer filling the abode.

But the technology of glass, or other transparent building material has come to a virtual stand still. Yes, there are single, double and even triple pane windows - with or without inert gas or films applied. But with all of these minimal changes made to the making and use of glass, it is still the weak link in keeping a house heated and cooled.

And yet, we have increased its use substantially. 20 years ago, the general rule was for window space to be 10 % of your floor space. So if you had a 1000 sf home, you would require 100 sf of window space. That number has jumped to 15% - 18% and many homes approach a phenominal 30%. The problem is, with every 3% increase in window space, a 2% reduction in heating and cooling efficiency is realized.

How Weak

Beyond that, walls account for 30% of all heat loss from a home, but are easily 3 times the surface area of windows. Windows account for 20% of all heat loss - using 1/3 the space of the walls, they accomplish a heat transfer at least 60% more efficient than the walls. This is an efficiency we can ill afford.

Another way to look at this idea is that walls are now insulated to at least an R-20. Windows, on their own, max out at R-4.5. This is with the most expensive and most efficient windows on the market today. Hardly what the majority of homes have.

There are several things you can do to improve the R-value (there's a thing called the U-value, but I'm not going to confuse this discussion even more) of your windows. Curtains and drapes aren't really helping you. Unless they are an actual window cover that fits tightly within the window's woodwork, they are little more than - oh - window dressing!

I'll try to organize the suggestions in an order that is from least to most extreme, with many of them being equal.

Metal Windows

Metal windows are by far, the most inefficient beast man has made. The metal frame is the most effective "cold bridge", even over cold air itself. It conducts heat and cold (don't fight with me physics folks, I know) so efficiently, that it's a wonder anyone considered metal frames a great idea.

You must make a barrier for these windows both inside the wall and inside the living space. Inside the wall, place rigid foam or expanding spray foam so it is covering the entire metal frame - or the wood that surrounds it, so that it doesn't touch any other aspect of the wall - drywall or wood. This will block it from conducting heat or cold to the surrounding wall space. Outside the wall, but within the living space, make a plexi or rigid plastic "storm window" with a rubber or foam gasket that will cover the entire window space, and the gasket covering the entire outer edge of the metal frame. This will accomplish the much needed air space and block the metal from conducting the cold to the interior of the room

All Other Windows

Air Spaces

The more air spaces you have, the more insulating ability you have. This includes windows, blinds and drapes. You can add a storm windows or shutters (that are more than decoration) to the outside of the home. You can add a plastic film, blinds, shutters, shades, drapes and rigid foam inserts to the inside. They all must make direct contact with the window frame to be of any use, but with that simple rule, you can achieve a great deal with any, or all of these ideas.

Blinds

All types of blinds are very effective at creating an airspace between the living area and the window. But again, they must be a good fit, which often means the must be custom made. Metal blinds aren't effective, due to the conductivity of heat and cold, but they have long since gone out of style, and are most likely not made anymore. So no worries.

Shades

Some shades are good, if made of a tight-weave fabric or of segmented wood. The types made out of sea grass or reeds are too loosely woven to be effective at making that air space.

Drapes

Again, these must be made of a tight weave, or have a liner made of a tight weave and must make a solid connection to the wood frame surround all 4 sides of the window. If not, the air is free to move. With the air cooling between the drape and the window, a strong current is established, making a very effective air conditioner during a season you least want it.

Insulated drapes are another step within using drapes. You can purchase these in stores or catalogs or you can make them yourself. The more layers within each drape - again for the highest number of air spaces - the better they will work for you.

Shutters

Interior and exterior shutters will work virtually the same, except exterior can protect the glass during a storm, and bring partial or full shade to the glassed area, cutting down on the green house effect during the summer. For heating purposes, they must be create a tight bond covering the glass space.

Rigid Foam

These can be made of any thickness rigid foam insulation you find at the home improvement store. It should be cut to size for each window, so that it fits snuggly within the window frame. It would be put in palce and removed just as curtains are drawn or opened on a daily basis.

This suggestion is the most extreme and I would only recommend this for the coldest of homes or buildings that have many rooms unused for much of the week. It's laborious and these fillers take up a significant amount of space and need to be stored during the day or pleasant weather. Again, for the buildings with many unused rooms, these are also appropriate during the summer, to keep heat OUT.

Radiant Barriers

Radiant barriers can be used individually or incorporated into any of the above suggestions. The material can be styled like mylar, can be a bubble-style insulation with the radiant barrier on one or both sides, or can be similar to material, with nylon strands incorporated within it. You can find these materials online or in home improvement stores. Since it works like it says, it will radiate (or reflect) the heat back to wherever it came from. This can be outside during the summer, or inside during the winter. When used in walls, it has a 97% reflectivity rating, making it incredibly effective in maintaining the temperature in a house. Which means, it can be similarly effective with your windows!

Storm Windows

Most of us already have storm windows on our homes, if not the ever-coveted replacement windows. But if not, seriously consider them. They are a cheaper alternative to replacement windows and most likely will do more good since the air space is larger.

Savings

And while it truly depends on which of these suggestions, or even which combination of suggestions you choose to use in your home as to how much heat you save. Count on it being at least 5%, which is often enough to pay for any of these suggestions within 2 years.

Note

Note that I did not suggest replacing your windows. Unless they are metal framed or the rope-sashed windows, it's difficult to advocate replacing them. Adding storm windows, if done properly, is as effective, due to the larger air space between window panes. Many people are unable to afford replacement windows, and so feel they have no options to save money. But they do. And if you have been able to replace your windows, you still have much to do to make those windows as efficient as they should be. They are not stopping the heat from escaping from your house. They're just slowing it down a little bit compared to your old windows.