« December 2009 | Main | February 2010 »
January 31, 2010
Maiden Pacific Ocean Voyage
On February 6, we will have been living in California for 2 months. It seems like longer to me, and not as long for Chis. Go figure.
Admittedly, it seems to have rained, or threatened to rain, every weekend since we arrived. We just haven't found a weather window for Prana's virigin voyage on the Pacific Ocean.
Until today.
Here are a couple of pictures from our sail today. We are both looking a little sunburned. It can't be wind burn because it barely got above 5 knots of breeze. But, it was so nice to be sailing without the constant pounding from the wakes of power boats (aka stink pots) that seemed to be never-ending in Long Island Sound.
Posted by dave at 08:51 PM | Comments (0)
January 30, 2010
Russian Hill Open Preserve
Some photos from this afternoon's hike. We've had a lot of rain lately, so we got pretty mucky. Not as mucky as the mountain bikers!
Posted by dave at 08:33 PM | Comments (0)
January 20, 2010
Hot Water
Here is my most recent entry on the Green Cricket "Expert" blog, which should post later today. Click here to read other Expert entries on the website, and shop!
When I was growing up on the Canadian prairies (where, at this time of the year, your eye lashes freeze together), hot water was divine. To soak in a hot bath after being outside all day, shoveling snow, cross-country skiing, and building snow forts, warmed the soul. It turned my pink cheeks rosy red and made me feel so comfortable. When my partner and I moved onto our sailboat and began our circumnavigation of this beautiful world, hot water became a luxury. The hot water tank on our boat held only 5 gallons. It was very hot water, so 5 gallons mixed with cold water went a very long way. Our water was heated in two ways – by running the engine, or by running the generator. Either way, hot water required the consumption of fuel. And because we were often visiting in places where we couldn’t get water, we made our own by desalinating seawater. The generator was needed and fuel was consumed so that we could have water, hot or cold.
By the same token, fuel is consumed to heat the hot water you use in your home, and with some hope, some of that fuel is solar or wind. Becoming personally aware of the impact of the choices we make is the first step in finding a healthy balance between sustainability and creature comforts.
One bad example is our condominium in New York City. Hot water was constantly heated by mixing steam with cold water. To add insult to injury, hot water was constantly pumped through the entire building, so that when we opened the hot water tap, the water was instantly hot. Even at 3am! It struck me as a complete waste of energy to keep the water hot and to keep it circulating! But, we likely used way less water in total because the water was instantly hot, and therefore we weren’t running the water until the hot stuff came up through the building. On balance, I’m guessing that our carbon footprint for hot- and cold-water consumption was bigger than it needed to be.
A significantly better solution is a tankless, on-demand hot water heater. We have one in our new house in California, and I really like it. It heats the water when needed, and we never run out of hot water. No more keeping a tank at 49-degrees celsius (or hotter), all day and all night. And no more running out of water when guests take 20-minute showers! The old tank water heaters consume significantly more energy than the tankless ones. And having used both, I like the tankless ones better.
The downside is that the tankless water heaters are more expensive to buy. But the US Department of Energy estimates energy savings of up to 30%. Actual savings depend on several factors, primarily the efficiency of the new water heater and the amount of hot water a family uses each day. Also, the choice of a tankless water heater that uses electricity instead of natural gas is a much more costly way to heat water. With a larger family, there is less idle time and less standby loss with a conventional water heater if a lot of hot water is used throughout the day. You can estimate how many gallons of hot water you consume by using the Consumer Reports calculators .
If you have a storage tank hot water heater in your home, and it’s getting on in years, consider replacing it with a tankless hot water heater. One pleasant benefit of getting rid of the old tank is that you will have more closet space! The tankless water heaters are very small. Better to research it now than doing it in a panic when your tank stops working or starts to leak.
And if you are considering replacing your washing machine or dishwasher, consider replacing it with a new energy-efficient model that heats its own water – this way you won’t need either the storage tank or tankless water heater.
Whatever your choice is, and it is a choice, bring awareness to the impact your choice has on the environment. Remember, your consumer choices have a big influence on those around you and the way companies behave.
Posted by dave at 04:52 PM | Comments (0)
January 04, 2010
Skyline Ridge Hike
Chis and I just returned from a 4 mile hike on the Skyline Trail. Absolutely gorgeous. No wildlife spotting to report, except for a few ducks and hawks. Luckily, I didn't have to rescue Chis from a mountain lion attack. The signs said "Fight back". Hmmm.
Posted by dave at 07:10 PM | Comments (0)
January 01, 2010
Flora and Fauna, Half Moon Bay
On New Year's Day, the four of us hopped in the car and drove to the Pacific side of the Peninsula for a walk on the beach at Half Moon Bay. Here are a couple of photos.
Posted by dave at 07:05 PM | Comments (0)