- 4 reads
GREEN HOME SHOW #13: How electricity is made: Part 1 Ways to lower electric bills
GREENandSAVE.com is pleased to offer our members and website visitors original content that helps all of us save money and the environment. In addition to our ongoing research and writing on energy saving and home remodeling, we have partnered with THE GREAT GREEN HOME SHOW to offer you content like this that includes script excerpts from the weekly radio show. GREENandSAVE.com offers the exclusive world-wide on-demand access to the audio files, so you can now read and also listen for FREE to any of the shows at anytime. You can also learn about the show’s co-hosts Paul and Doug. Click here to listen to the show of your choice: Green and Home Improvement Radio Shows
For your overall home improvement, you can save money, improve your family’s health, and save the planet. Find out for free how much it will cost to do different types of home improvement in your home from a qualified and member approved contractor in your area. Get a FREE Contractor Quote. Plus, regardless of the size and scope of your home improvement project, save money and keep your home clean with the top rated chemical free and concentrated Green Home Cleaning Products.
The following content is from THE GREAT GREEN HOME SHOW #13.
Copyright Disclaimer:
The content of the GGHS is solely the responsibility of the ECF and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of WILM, its sponsors or Clear Channel Radio. Any rebroadcast, reproduction or use of the Great Green Home Show or its contents without written permission from the Green Fox, Paul Hughes, Doug Hunt, Aunt Jean, Brenna Wallace, Brooke Chase, the Watson Brothers, The Snap and the Sin City Band is strictly prohibited.
Overall Segment #1 – 9:00
Music & Introduction (Doug) – 2:00
Introduction –
Good morning Delaware Valley and welcome to the Great Green Home Show, your one-stop shop to learn everything you need to know about reducing your carbon footprint through technology, conservation and education. If you’ve listened to us before, we welcome you back. If this is your first time listening, you’re going to find that we’re just a little crazy here at the Great Green Home Show. We like to deliver our information through a combination of interesting guests, humorous skits with some colorful, recurring characters, helpful tips and “green” news items, both local and global. But the key is, we want you, our listeners, to have fun. That’s our goal, have fun while you learn…
I’m Doug Hunt, and next to me is the creator of the GGHS, Paul Hughes. Good morning Paul, how was your week? Anything special happen? Anything particularly green go on?
Paul - Talk about County Fair, some great music, more activist meetings and signing up guests, etc. Ask me about Brenna’s vacation, etc.
Doug – Answer Paul’s questions and segue to…
Today we are going to do our 1st show on Energy Creation... We’re going to try and help you understand where your electricity comes from, how it’s made, what the dangers are, what the upsides are, and what the future holds for oil, coal, gas and the sustainables… and the key... “technology”…
No Doug, the key is “conservation”.
We argue a bit about what’s more important, technology or conservation. Agree to disagree and make sure we present both ideas along with education.
Thanks to our sponsors – Suntrust Mortgage, CMI Electric, Energy Services Group, Myecoagent.com and Option Insurance Group. Also, Mark Unruh for the great music… and all the bluegrass activists at Mark’s home who let me play music with them...just a note for all Michael, Scott, Stevie, Mark, Roz, David, and all the other players, thanks so much for donating all your time and efforts towards conservation... your contributions are huge, remember you guys are the spark... and listen to Scott Birney’s program on WVUD - 91.3 FM on Friday mornings as he plays his way through his life and sings about our beautiful Delaware, Northern Maryland and Southeastern Pennsylvania areas....
Today’s guest(s) – Merrie Street from Delmarva and she has a lot of great up to date info... I think everyone will really benefit from what Merrie has for us today… So let’s get it started. Doug... Protect us...
On Location with Cletus - 5:30 Sponsored by: Energy Services Group
Our favorite correspondent and Forensic Roadkill Pathologist, Professor Cletus T. Beaumont is on the road today, visiting (or trespassing… we’re never really sure) at the Salem Nuclear plant In New Jersey just across the Delaware River....Doug: Professor, are you there? Prof: Well hello! Is that you Dougie-boy?
Doug: Yes Professor, it’s me. I’m here in the studio, and we were wondering how you are and why you’re at the nuclear power plant today? Prof: Well it’s nice of you to check in my friend. I’ve been out here since last night checkin’ out this Nukular plant and of course lookin’ fer any glowing varmints by the side of the road. One would assume shiny, green roadkill to be a natural by-product of a nukular power plant. Just kidding Dougie-boy... where’s Homer Simpson when you need ‘im... Doggone movie stars...
Doug: Well Professor, I’m almost afraid to ask, but have you formed any opinions about Nuclear power and is there any danger to us or our furry friends? Prof: Well the first thing is... is it nuclear or nukular, like they say in Texas?... I’m not sure, but I like how Nukular sounds better than Nuclear... anyway, there ain’t nothin’ clear about NUKES! It’s all pretty confusing, but I will tell you.... this is one big cooling tower and it uses a lot of water to cool the reactor. Of course, we know we have to keep a very close eye on our water resources as they are getting more and more precious... gotta keep ‘em clean.
Doug: That’s interesting Professor. What else have you discovered? Prof: Well, I can tell you that these mosquitoes ain’t afraida no Nukular power...they’re all over me... ‘course, bein’ in this marsh ain’t helpin’…
Doug: I’m sorry Professor, did you say Marsh? I thought you we at the power plant. Prof: Well Doug, I’m actually just off the power plant property, in the marshes here along the mighty Delaware, looking for clues and signs of any critter damage that can be attributed to the reactors. And peeeeeeeuuuuuuu, does it smell bad here!!!
Doug: What effect does the reactor have on the Marshes, Professor? Prof: Well you see the Nukular Reactors use an eeeenormous amount of water to cool the steam that the power plant creates after it goes through the electric generatin’ turbines… and that water creates a problem. They have to constantly pump cool water through the heat exchanger and that water comes out hot, hot, hot on the other side. They then pump the hot water into the river and it actually sterilizes the water and kills plankton and small aquatic life which are so vital to the food chain of the Delaware river....this makes the marshes essential for replenishing the nutrients and replacing the small life forces that are the foundation of the larger river creatures... Oh nuts!!! I can’t believe I forgot my camera!!! I think I just saw a fish walking across the mud flats!!! He was mumbling somethin’ about coal gasification... and he got some kinda glow to him too, could be an invasive species or maybe just some artificially induced genetic rearrangement.
You know Dougie-boy, the reason it stinks like poop here in the marsh is because they act as a filter for the rivers. With the reactors basically sterilizing our river water, we have to make sure that the marshes stay healthy, very healthy… ‘cause not only do they supply nutrients and aquatic cellular food but they also act as filter for catching harmful pollutants before they get into our water...that’s what all this marsh grass is about. They’s like nature’s filters, sucking up all the bad stuff before it gets into the water... oh look there is a Nutria fighting a snake fish over a mitten crab... kinda like the ultimate invasive species fighting match… and I get to eat the loser!!! If it’s Nutria, I’m gonna do a balsamic reduction, with fennel and…
Doug: Professor, can we please get back to the Nuclear power plant? Prof: Oh, sure, sorry....ya see we probably won’t build any new Nukular power plants in the U.S. except to replace some existing plants that’re aging. But by cutting back our consumption of electricity between just 15 and 20%, we could eliminate the need for any additional power plants… ya see all of these add-on solutions like new Nukular and new coal and gas and taking our food stocks for ethanol... they aren’t really necessary... if we all pulled together and pooled our resources, we could eliminate our need for excess power and save money… all by practicing some simple conservation techniques. And the math is easy! We all need to reduce our daily consumption of goods and energy by about 35%.
Doug: Thanks professor. Any parting words of wisdom? Aside from the Nutria, you’ve hardly mentioned road kill or any of your varmant recipes. Prof: Well, you know I got all the good possum recipes right here in my head, but I just want to say to all the people worried about Nukular plants and having to fight the construction of new plants and the consequent health risks and possible leaks and melt downs, well... citizens, stay ever vigilant... but… with the high initial investment, safety regulation costs and the low profit on these plants here in the U.S., not to mention the costly court battles and insurance premiums, along with the scarcity of and cost for enriched uranium... it’s not likely that we’ll see a revival of Nuclear Power here in the good ol’ US of A... So it’s good to be safe and stay watchful, but the reality is that U.S. companies don’t appear to be eager to invest in Nukular power... so we need to concentrate on reducing our consumption of energy, and our waste. Then there’ll be no reason to build any more plants. That’s why I am always looking for ways to cook the unfortunate roadside fatalities. Waste not, want not... speakin’ o’ which… I do have a great recipe for Blackberry Chipotle Groundhog in a deep fried beer batter with taters and gravy…
Doug: Thank you Professor… Please join us in two weeks, when Professor Beaumont joins us live from
Today’s Green Tips (Paul) – 2:30 Sponsored by: Suntrust Mortgage of Christiana
Todays topic: Things you can do to lower your electric bill and reduce consumption of energy to help save the poor critters....Us
The List:
- dryer...numero uno,..use cloths line.
- extra fridge...... turn over to propane or high efficiency
- use micro...make sure right plates and cooking bowls
- lower heat
- raise AC...76,..... 78
- ceiling fans, whole house fans, attic fans....
- lights off...florescent bulbs...
- Power chords and turning off each at an earlier time
- on demand hot water....high efficiency and insulated wrap...lower temp..120 ok
- high efficiency windows and insulation in walls
- Dishwasher with full load...hand wash when you can..
- wash in cold water...
- Clean and replace all air/furnace filters
- low flow shower heads use less hot water
- Energy Audit...
- Energy efficient appliances when you replace them
- Programmable thermostats for heat, hot water....
- heaters in rooms and lower house heat
