A program called Ride Free is going on now! The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission set up this program for the summer to help residents do our part to improve air quality. On high ozone days (code red) from May 1 to September 15, Ride Free offers free bus rides in Northern Virginia to help keep cars off the road and their emissions out of the air. Hopefully we won't have many, if any, code red days, but just in case...
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May 23, 2008
May 22, 2008
The Six Habits of Money-Wasting (and Energy-Wasting) Drivers
If you’re one of the millions of American’s that owns or drives a car, you may very well be wasting some of your hard earned dollars on some easy-to-cure gas guzzling driving habits. CNNMoney.com issued an article today entitled, “6 ways you’re wasting gas.” I must first say that it’s pretty funny/ironic how I came across this article. My husband, who I lovingly refer to as ‘the worst driver on the planet,’ sent the article link to me early this morning. I see myself as a decent driver and have been guilty of the habits noted from time to time, but my husband is guilty of these far more frequently! In brief, the article points to some very common driving habits that are costing loads of dollars at the gas pump. If you’re guilty, breaking just two of the habits can improve fuel economy by as much as 35%! Plus, you are reducing the amount of emissions your car is spitting out into the air. It’s a win-win all around. I have to send a huge THANK YOU out to CNNMoney.com, because now I’m not so much the nagging wife as the money saver!
May 21, 2008
Energy Efficiency & Your Abode
Home energy efficiency is a hot topic and with Dominion's rate hike looming it's likely to garner more attention much the way gas prices have.
Last night we had a good crowed for the presentation on Practical Steps for Energy Efficiency in Your Condo. In Arlington, over half of our residents live in condos, townhomes, or multi-unit dwellings which make this topic all the more germane.
For those of you who couldn't join us, the presentation is attached below. If your condo association or board would like more info on how you can save energy please engage us at climage@arlingtonva.us
Also, it bears repeating that every action makes a difference!
Click the link here to view the presentation: Download arlington_condo_energy_presentation_20_may_08.pdf
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May 09, 2008
May 05, 2008
Shedding those Spring 'kilowatts'
The days are getting longer and summer is knocking on the door. It's time to start shaving off those unwanted kilowatts for summer.
I have been doing some spring cleaning and in doing so I have been looking all around my house for ways to save energy. It has become a game that my roommate and I play to reduce our energy bill. First we swapped out all of our incandescent bulbs for compact fluorescent, then we turned our refrigerator down one notch, we put our cell phone and laptop chargers on power strips with an on/off switch, and so on. Nothing major or complex, and with minimal effort we have been able to save about $40 dollars a month.
The reason for this blog entry is to tell you that we hit a NEW LOW. A new low in that we recently hit 52 kWh 
for the month of April which got me thinking about that TV show The Biggest Loser. Would you be interested in getting involved with your neighborhood to create a "Biggest Energy Loser" or do you think there are entirely too many challenges and pledges out there already?
for the month of April which got me thinking about that TV show The Biggest Loser. Would you be interested in getting involved with your neighborhood to create a "Biggest Energy Loser" or do you think there are entirely too many challenges and pledges out there already?
