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How Solar Panels Contribute Toward Carbon Reduction

On August 30, 2013, in Sustainability, by allisonmreilly
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global warming humanity's impact

I am originally from Hawaii, where solar panels and solar power are not a new concept. Growing up, we always used solar water heating, unless the day was rainy or cloudy. The state is one of the biggest users of solar energy, and has the second highest state tax credit (behind Louisiana) for solar power installation.

It’s easy for a state like Hawaii to jump into solar panels and solar power, where the costs of importing other energy sources drive up everyone’s rates. However, most other states have yet to follow suit, and they are missing out on a valuable opportunity to offset carbon emissions and to reduce their carbon footprint. Here’s how solar panels and solar power do exactly that:

Electricity Generation is the Largest Source of Greenhouse Gases in the United States

According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, fossil fuel-fired power plants account for 40% of man-made carbon dioxide emissions. Moving away from fossil fuels, whether that’s done by installing solar panels on your home, your apartment building, or your office building, reduces the emissions of greenhouses gases like carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide. To truly make progress in changing how our electricity is generated, it’s best to take steps yourself and to do the installations as well as lobby, show support, write letters, and other activist activities. This is because the utility companies are most likely to be using fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas, or oil. The biggest difference is made by stopping your own consumption of fossil fuels in conjunction with pressure on utility companies and local governments to make changes. Doing one or the other makes a difference, but not as much of a difference as the two together.

Each U.S. Household Releases of 6.68 Metric Tons of CO2

This number is just an average, and it’s just what’s released from purchasing electricity from your local utility company. Keep in mind that this number does not include the other ways that a household can leave a carbon footprint, such as transportation, heating, and food and product consumption. Even the location of your household makes a difference in your carbon footprint and its size. Planting a single tree removes 0.039 metric tons over its lifetime, but installing solar panels is the equivalent of planting 171 trees each year over the life span of your solar panels (about 20 to 25 years). Although solar power isn’t the only way to reduce your carbon footprint and the carbon footprint of your household, you can still make a big difference in carbon reduction (and your pocketbook) by making some switch to solar panels. Electricity and transportation are the two largest contributors to a household’s carbon footprint.

Solar Panels Become Carbon Negative in Less than Two Years

Yes, it does add to carbon footprint to purchase a few solar panels, as their manufacturing does add something to greenhouse gases. However, solar panels pay for themselves in just a few short years. In less than two year, they are carbon negative, as their savings makes up for what it added to the atmosphere upon its creation. According to Home Power magazine, manufacturing a 100-watt solar panel produces about 960 pounds of CO2. But, in the 20-25 year life span of that solar panel, you offset 8,400 pounds of CO2. Those numbers compound when you install several on your home, apartment building, or office building. The panels also pay for themselves in about four years, with the money you save in using a renewable and cheaper energy source.

Related Links:

The Need for Carbon Reduction [Infographic]

Go Green and Get Certified with EcoLabelling

3 Green Light Tips for Going Green

The Need for Carbon Reduction [Infographic]

On August 16, 2013, in Sustainability, by allisonmreilly
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We’ve all heard of the ill effects of global warming: summers are hotter, ice sheets melt, ocean levels rise, blah blah blah. These consequences may seem like things that won’t affect us for another 100 years, but that’s not entirely true if we don’t make any changes now. By cutting our carbon emission levels, the impact is much larger than decreased pollution and reducing our dependence on foreign oil.  This infographic from Information is Beautiful shows you why we need carbon reduction now, and why the consequences of global warming (some you may not even know about) aren’t as far away as we may think. Of course, this infographic presumes that will maintain, or even increase, our current levels of carbon emissions, which further demonstrates that small changes can make a big difference.

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carbon reduction infographic

Nitrofleet99 hybrid tiresNITROGEN TIRE INFLATION TECHNOLOGY PAVES THE WAY FOR SAVINGS ON FUEL LONGER  LASTING TIRES  AND VEHICLE SUSTAINABILITY

In view of the turmoil around the world and the U.S. dependence on foreign oil. NitroFleet99 has pioneered a Nitrogen service model and products that are now available. Previously only used by major industries such as NASCAR, the U.S. Military and the Airline industry, NitroFleet99 now provides nitrogen tire inflation to managed business fleets and consumers through the advanced technology products UltraFill99+ and TireXtender.

“The day has come for nitrogen tire inflation to be embraced in the public domain,” said NitroFleet99’s Founder and CEO Ken Lawton. “It is one of the best pieces of green technology to emerge in years, since our nitrogen services and products will further revolutionize the way people maintain their tires and improve their gas mileage in the long-term.”

Lawton has been invited by President Barack Obama and Al Gore’s Climate Reality Panel in Chicago, July 30 – August 1, to participate in their seminar on sustainable practices and carbon reduction for future generations.

With gas prices still fluctuating wildly due to world economy’s, it’s no surprise Fleet Supervisors and Consumers are looking for an effective way to reduce their dependency on oil. But do they know it’s as easy as changing the type of air that’s in their tires? A recent study by the Ford Motor Company found that the average truck driver saves 3% yearly on gas by converting to nitrogen in their tires, and extends tire wear over the life of their tires by up to 30%

In addition, according to Rubber Manufacturers Association, only one in five drivers check their tire pressure properly. A tire can be 30%-40% deflated and still maintain a normal appearance. Tires inflated with nitrogen feature larger molecules than conventional air to push against the internal walls, effectively maintaining proper pressure and extending the tire’s life up to 30% longer. The Environmental Protection Agency has also recently determined that keeping one’s tires properly inflated can save the average driver over 10 cents a gallon on gas alone. Just as an engine benefits from proper maintenance and top-offs, nitrogen tire inflation provides this same benefit for tires.

About Nitrofleet99

Ken Lawton is the founder and C.E. O. of NitroFleet99, a six-year-old company helping consumers and managed fleets to improve their tire performance through safer, longer lasting tires and improved fuel economy, creating in effect HYBRID TIRES.

No changes need to be made to the vehicle or tire, as the technology is designed to quickly fill automobile and truck tires, large and small. Versatility in varied climates further sets our technology apart from other Nitrogen systems that are membrane-based.

TireXtender is an aerosol top-off product that enables owners of nitrogen-inflated tires to easily maintain high Nitrogen purity, important for the optimal benefits of improved fuel economy, tire wear and ease of maintenance. Analogous to the quart of oil owners use to maintain optimal efficiency and performance with their engines, TireXtender and NitroFleet99 provide the winning combination for peak performance in all inflated tires.

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Related Links:

Managed Fleets and Ending America’s Dependence on Foreign Oil

Hybrid Tires and a Network of Nitrogen Services

Managed Fleets Large and Small Improve Bottom Line with Nitrogen Tire Inflation


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