Isn't Global Warming the only reason to care about the environment and saving energy?

- Not at all.  What about smog, mountaintop coal removal, coal sludge spills, water, traffic, ecological depletion, loss of bio-diversity, oil independence, saving money, happiness, etc.

What is Sustainability?

- There are many definitions out there, but I like mine:  Long-term, forward-thinking decision making that benefits the individual, other inhabitants of Earth, and Earth itself.

For example, chopping down rain-forest to make a few bucks selling trees or farmland is un-sustainable.  The trees take forever to grow back, farming doesn't last, and bio-diversity is lost.  Fostering the rain forest with eco-tourism is Sustainable.  The rain forest stay in tact, the individual is able to make money with a business, the local economy is supported, and everyone is happier from it.

What is a kWh (kilo-Watt hour)?

-In simplest terms, a kWh is a unit of measure that is 1000 (kilo) multiplied by Volt * Amps (Watt) multiplied by time (hour).   Most appliances show how many Watts they consume when on.  This is instantaneous power consumption!  It's like seeing a stream of water that is flowing past you at 5 gallons/minute.  That is the instantaneous flow rate.  If you want to know how much water flowed past you, you need to multiply the flow rate by how long you watched the water flow past.

So we have the same situation with electricity.  The Watt is an instantaneous power consumption rate.  If you want to know total power consumption (kWh) you need to multiply power consumption rate by how long something was consuming power!

If I install PV on my house, do I need a whole bunch of batteries?

- Only if you live in the middle of no-where and aren't connected to the grid.  If you are connected to the grid, don't waste time and money with batteries.  Just hook up your inverter to send your Solar Power back to the power lines.  In most states your utility has to pay you for this power (called net-metering), and a lot of utilities will pay a premium for it.

I want to install CFLs, but I'm worried about Mercury. What should I do?

- CFLs do contain Mercury, but it is a relatively small amount. The old mercury thermometers contain as much Mercury as 125 CFLs!  So you have to keep things in perspective.  On the off chance that a CFL breaks in your house, just dispose of it properly.  Once a CFL dies, take is to Home Depot or another recycling point and they will ensure it is handled safely.   Also, more Mercury enters the atmosphere by power a regular incandescent light bulb with Coal! More on this topic in the "Lighting" section of this blog, especially here.

What is the best way to save money on my energy bill?

Well, that depends on a lot of things like what geographic region you live in, how old your house is and how well it was built and how the members of your household use energy.  First, check with your state government or utilities and see what programs they have related to energy conservation.  Talk to your neighbors and see what their energy bills are like.  If lower, find out what they are doing that you aren't.  Don't go by National averages, focus on what the average is for your region.

Once you've educated yourself on the best energy saving tips for your region, decide which tips apply to your home.  Do you live in an extremely hot (Miami) or cold (Minneapolis) region and have an older home?  Then you may want to focus on insulation and improving your building envelope.  If you live in a more moderate climate (say San Diego), then you may want to focus on improving your lighting and big energy users like washer/dryer and water heating. In either case you want to make sure you have control over your programmable thermostat and you aren't using energy when you don't need it!

Finally, once you know what to do to save energy, educate your family on your new energy saving goals and find ways to make them stick to the plan!  Don't make it optional.

I'm just starting to learn about Sustainability and Energy and Water Conservation, but I want to learn more.  Where do I start?

You're in the right place!  If I had one book I could give someone who has never heard of Sustainability, it would be Deep Economy by Bill McKibben.  If you're interested in really getting active in your own home then I would recommend Home Energy Diet.  If you were interested in Energy Policy it would have to be End of Oil for a look at the past and near future, and Hot, Flat and Crowded for a look into the future and what we should plan for.  These books and more are all mentioned in this post, but I plan on turning it into a page and greatly expanding this list.

Aside from books, check out the Links section of this blog for some of our highest rated resources.  The  Government has some great resources with Energy Star and the Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy page.  If you are interested in learning more about this mysterious electricity stuff, I think Michael Bluejay has one of the best sites out there.  Also, HowStuffWorks has a pretty good section on general energy topics.

Finally, subscribe to Mother Earth News or HomePower Magazines.  Their websites are good, but I've found I learn the most from having a hard copy (yes, it is a little wasteful, but hopefully the ends justify the means.)  Also, while their sole focus isn't on energy, I really like Scientific American's Energy articles.

This section is a work in progress!  Send your questions to info@mapawatt.com.