My finished attic fan has completely replaced my central AC unit, so far.
On June 16 I wrote that I was getting a new attic fan installed in my Boulder home. While I expect this measure will save energy and money, my main motivation was to make my home more comfortable during the heat of summer. I work at home, so that’s pretty important.
I’m pleased to report that since the installation was completed on June 18, I have not turned on my central air conditioning unit at all. Not once. Really. And it’s been pretty hot in Boulder lately, with temperatures nearing 100° F some days.
For instance, right now it’s about 92°F out on my deck. Inside, with just the attic fan running, it’s 82°F. Not exactly cool, but since the air is dry and moving (if you stand in my stairwell you can actually feel a cool breeze coming up from the basement) I’m very comfortable.
I never thought I’d say this, but I can’t wait to see my next bill from Xcel Energy.
As with any energy-saving measure, this one has its pros and cons…
Despite what you read in the papers, news doesn’t really arrive all wrapped up with a bow. Technorati Profile
Since Boulder Carbon Tax Tracker is a community journalism project, we’ll sometimes do things here quite differently from what you’d see in traditional news outlets.
Contrary to what you often experience when reading a newspaper, news and information almost never arrives in a neat, complete package. In traditional journalism, the stories you read usually are the result of a great deal of research, consultation with sources, and back-and-forth between writers and editors. Generally the finished product reveals only the results of that process.
In contrast, this site’s coverage and discussion of the unfolding issue of how Boulder is spending (and what we’re getting for) our carbon tax dollars will lay the process of journalism bare… (more…)
On Tuesday I had lunch with Jay Stein, executive VP of E Source — a local information services company (sort of a think tank) for the energy industry. He’s one of Boulder’s leading experts on energy issues and projects, and their environmental impact.
As Stein and I discussed the Boulder Carbon Tax Tracker project, he pointed out one especially intriguing aspect of this issue. He observed that the 2002 city council resolution in which Boulder adopted the goals of the Kyoto Protocols (resolution 906) emphasized the principle of cost effectiveness. “It’s even in the resolution title, right up there. They chose to play up that concept,” he said.
Indeed, the formal title of that resolution is, “Establishing a policy to take cost-effective actions that benefit the community by reducing local greenhouse gas emissions” [emphasis added].
That resolution never spelled out exactly what “cost effective” means. However, it did set forth a specific emission reduction goal: 7% below the city’s estimated 1990 emissions — which means preventing emissions of 350,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide. The city’s Climate Action Plan (called for in that resolution, and finalized September 2006) established a target time frame for reductions: by 2012.
The bottom line is, this significant reduction is due in not a whole lot of time. In order to achieve this self-assigned goal, Boulder will need to get the biggest bang possible for its carbon tax bucks.
Therefore, it’s useful to explore what “cost effective” really means, and how much that principal is really driving the city’s climate action efforts…
GOBikeBoulder.net says I should take this route to lunch today. Thanks, but I prefer off-street riding.
It’s that time of year again: Walk & Bike Week is upon us — when Boulderites are cajoled and coaxed to get out of our cars and onto the town’s many trails, sidewalks, and bike lanes.
To celebrate, GO Boulder’s new local bike route resource, GOBikeBoulder.net, is finally up. The Daily Camera reports that this web application was a year in the making and cost a total of $150,000.
In about an hour I’m having lunch with a colleague from my former employer, E Source, to talk about the carbon tax tracker project. They’re located in the office park just north of Arapahoe and East of 55th. I’m biking to that meeting, so I thought I’d see how GOBikeBoulder.net would direct this trip…
Boulder handyman Steve DiCesare cut through my ceiling yesterday to make way for an attic fan.
Today, Steve DiCesare (a local musician, teacher, and handyman) is finishing the installation of my new 30-inch attic fan. And I can’t wait. The top floor of my 3-story (including the finished basement) South Boulder home routinely roasts during the hottest days of summer. Since I work at home, and my office is on the top floor, that’s a problem.
The whole project, including equipment, supplies, and labor, will cost me about $600. Although I didn’t run the numbers to estimate energy savings from this project, I didn’t have to in order to decide to go for it. For me, it’s a matter of summer survival.
Which got me thinking: What really does motivate people to undertake major energy-saving projects?…
How do you really make decisions about your energy use? We want to know.
As we’re ramping this project up, I’m spending a lot of time talking to just about anyone around town about energy use, climate change, and what Boulderites can (or will) do about it.
Something’s struck me about the role of human nature here. Repeatedly, Boulderites have expressed a desire to know how they currently “stack up” compared to their neighbors, other businesses, etc. in terms of carbon emissions. It seems that for many people, this context significantly influences their motivation and priorities — especially when it comes to investing extra money, time, or attention to save energy.
A man I recently chatted with at the supermarket probably put it best: “I really don’t know if how I live is a big problem compared to other people around here… I guess if I thought that I personally was a real bad guy, it’d be easier to buy those pricey light bulbs.”
Sometimes, environmental issues literally hit you in the face. Even so, they may not always be exactly what they seem. This is why “digging” is a crucial part of citizen journalism.
A couple of weeks ago I was having lunch with local science writer Catherine Dold at an outdoor table of the South Side Walnut Cafe. While we sat there, a large delivery truck pulled up in front of the restaurant. While the driver got out to make the delivery, that truck sat idling — emitting considerable noise and smelly fumes — for about 20 minutes. No kidding.
This annoyed us, and it got us wondering what impact lengthy bus and truck idling has on local air pollution — including, of course, greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs).
Then last week, as I sat at a Denver airport bus stop waiting for a Skyride back to Boulder after a long flight home, I chatted with an older gentleman who was also waiting for a bus. As we sat there, RTD bus after RTD bus would pull up and sit idling for anywhere from three to 12 minutes. He started coughing and grumbled, “You know, we’re paying for all that diesel fuel they’re burning up just sitting there.”
Fumes from large idling diesel vehicles are something you can’t help but notice, even in Boulder — especially if you use mass transit regularly. They’re an attention-getting annoyance. But how much do they really contribute to local greenhouse gas emissions?
I’m just starting to look into this angle, but I’d like to share my digging process with you. Here’s what I’ve learned so far…
Boulder Carbon Tax Tracker just received high praise from a major news-industry magazine. Thanks!
Editor & Publisher, a leading publication about the newspaper industry, just published a thoughtful and very positive column about Boulder Carbon Tax Tracker. See: Knight People To Help Build Digital Communities, by veteran new-media analyst Steve Outing.
The best part about this column is that Outing managed to articulate a larger aim and potential application of this project, which Adam Glenn and I haven’t really articulated well. Here’s what Outing said, in part…
So now that we’ve shared the official news about our Knight News Challenge grant for this project, here’s what we really think of it. Adam and I are both the first and last segments of this short video of many of the News Challenge grantees’ reactions:
This independent community journalism project is a public exploration of Boulder, CO's ongoing efforts to combat climate change by cutting greenhouse gas emissions. In 2006 Boulder passed the nation's first-ever municipal "carbon tax" to fund these efforts. What are Boulder citizens really getting for that money? We're seeking this answer by fostering rich, constructive conversation that includes diverse voices and views.
CONTRIBUTORS: Two professional journalists (Amy Gahran and Adam Glenn) plus a growing volunteer team of local experts, involved citizens and officials, businesses, institutions, and average Boulderites. (Contributor guidelines)
VOLUNTEER NOW! Help make this project great by contributing your articles, research, commentary, pictures, audio, or video.
Many thanks to YourHub for local print distribution of selected content from this site.
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