Do you think this ten-year plan is doable?

[PriuStorm]

Originally Posted by skruse

I retrofitted our tract home 18 years ago so the Energy Efficiency Index is ≤ 1.0. This makes our monthly utility bill less than $30 month year round (no PV panels). Time to "break even" on added features, compared to nearby homes - 2.5 years (16 years ago). How? R-100 ceiling, two Sunpipes, R-45 walls, triple pane windows, ceramic tile floors, fully insulated garage, double dual pane sliding glass doors (2 sets), quadruple wrapped water heaters (2). We have a very large organic garden that we harvest from 10 months each year. My second vehicle (that fits in the back of the Prius) is a bicycle for one-half of my daily commute (total 30 mi, bicycle for final leg). When you double your efficiency you cut your cost by one-half (or double your profit).

We need robust investment in bicycle & walking paths, electric light & high speed rail, and strong conservation standards for homes, churches, businesses & schools. This is what Germany has done. There are no excuses for the US not to move aggressively forward. We are in Peak Everything (oil, water, food, space, . . . ) and need to think and act long term.

+1. Germany as well as other Scandinavian and European countries are years ahead of us in thinking of the Big Picture.

One question about your mods... the $30/month, does that include electricity for lights? You also mentioned 'double dual pane sliding glass doors (2 sets)'.. does that mean two doors that are dual pane? or two doors, each with double dual panes? Thanks!

[rpatterman]

Headline:

"OBAMA WILL LOSE IF HE DOES NOT LISTEN TO GODIVA"

Few American voters understand the connection between our "addiction to fossil fuels" and many of our problems: 1)economic 2) enviromental and 3)national security.

This election cycle is the perfect opportunity to educate voters about this connection, but so far I have not seen this happening. Most Americans want to hear the easy solution (let's drill our way out of this hole") and do not want to make any lifestyle sacrifices. Little do people realize that the longer we deny the "new energy reality", the worse the sacrifices will be.

History will view bush's biggest failure as not channeling all our patriotic emotions on 9/11 into fighting the only "war on terror" that could work: cutting our dependence on Middle East oil. Instead we were told to "go shop". What if we had spent all the money totally wasted in Iraq on a "10 Year Energy Freedom Plan". Where would we be today?

Five dollar gas during a national election gives us another oppurtunity to sign up for a national effort to free OUR country from the Saudiis and bush's oil buddies. Do we sign up for change or stick to the status quo?

[HomeandRanch]

Originally Posted by skruse

I retrofitted our tract home 18 years ago so the Energy Efficiency Index is ≤ 1.0. This makes our monthly utility bill less than $30 month year round (no PV panels). Time to "break even" on added features, compared to nearby homes - 2.5 years (16 years ago). How? R-100 ceiling, two Sunpipes, R-45 walls, triple pane windows, ceramic tile floors, fully insulated garage, double dual pane sliding glass doors (2 sets), quadruple wrapped water heaters (2). We have a very large organic garden that we harvest from 10 months each year. My second vehicle (that fits in the back of the Prius) is a bicycle for one-half of my daily commute (total 30 mi, bicycle for final leg). When you double your efficiency you cut your cost by one-half (or double your profit).

We need robust investment in bicycle & walking paths, electric light & high speed rail, and strong conservation standards for homes, churches, businesses & schools. This is what Germany has done. There are no excuses for the US not to move aggressively forward. We are in Peak Everything (oil, water, food, space, . . . ) and need to think and act long term.

Skruse thats awesome. How did you retrofit the walls to r45?

The rest of the thread. Who is supposed to pay for all of this? Our fiat currency is on the verge of collapse it is not like we will be able to borrow anymore money.

[randyb359]

I predict gas at $3 per gallon by election day. Gas tends to fall in price around election time(oil companies buying votes?) also the Arabs know that if they leave oil priced to high for too long someone will come up with something else. They can't afford that. Oil gives them power and makes them rich. If someone comes up with a replacement they are screwed since they can't eat their oil and it is hard to grow food in sand

[Abu Garcia]

Originally Posted by rpatterman

This election cycle is the perfect opportunity to educate voters about this connection, but so far I have not seen this happening. Most Americans want to hear the easy solution (let's drill our way out of this hole") and do not want to make any lifestyle sacrifices. Little do people realize that the longer we deny the "new energy reality", the worse the sacrifices will be.

I agree to a certain point. But, I say drill the crap out of everything while working diligently on alternatives. Also, I would not sit around and wait for something to happen. I say drill, make personal sacrifces, and the govt should lock a task force/scientists into a small room and tell them thay can't leave until they have some ideas that can be acted upon. Also, limit money to things the govt likes (such as NASA, etc) until the more serious issue is resolved.

[rpatterman]

Originally Posted by Abu Garcia

I agree to a certain point. But, I say drill the crap out of everything while working diligently on alternatives. Also, I would not sit around and wait for something to happen. I say drill, make personal sacrifces, and the govt should lock a task force/scientists into a small room and tell them thay can't leave until they have some ideas that can be acted upon. Also, limit money to things the govt likes (such as NASA, etc) until the more serious issue is resolved.

There WILL be compromise: I have seen no evidence that we can drill our way out of this. But to make it politically possible, the "Ten Year Energy Freedom Plan" should give offshore drilling control to the states, even though it is federal waters. Florida and California will never allow more drilling and who really cares about Texas and Louisana? Add sufficent controls and only allow leases to go to companies that are not already sitting on unused leases. Now the "drill, drill, drill crowd" is happy (even though it will not do any good) and we can get on with the real "Ten Year Energy Freedom Plan".

HomeandRanch asked who was going to pay for the conversion to a new energy reality. We all already are, did you notice the price of gas? It will ultimately be much cheaper and less painful to be proactive. The status quo will be ugly when gas hits $10/gallon and we have not made any changes.

Anyone who thinks we are ever going to return to $2 gas is blind to reality.

[tripp]

Originally Posted by dragonfly

But it won't happen. Even if we get the right leadership, OPEC will see the threat and lower gas prices, and the stupid public will go on another oil binge and whine at their tax money being spent on renewables what with gas being so cheap, and then the stupid Dems will cave and back off. I sincerely hope I'm wrong, but I've been right about this kind of thing before.

OPEC will have to raise production to significantly do that and I don't see that they are able to do so. If the price drops then demand will remain strong in India and China (who currently subsidize the price of fuel so that their citizens can afford the stuff). OPEC can increase the price of oil, but I don't know what they can do to reduce it.

[skruse]

The $30 month is everything - electricity (lights, dishwasher, clothes washer) and natural gas. Our bill went up a bit this month, not for air conditioning, but electricity for the 9-tray food dehydrator with a heating element and fan.

We have 11 windows - these are all triple pane, and two sliding glass doors. Each set of sliding glass doors is dual pane, then a large air space, then another set of dual pane sliding glass doors. The front porch is an air lock complete with a ceramic tile flood and R-100 ceiling. I have caulked every crack I could find. Two sunpipes provide 1500 watts of diffuse light at solar noon (fully insulated, do not gain or lose heat). We have Warm Window roman shades on select windows (5-layer insulated curtains). The house also stays cleaner with fewer insects, dust, etc. Added bonus: the house is very quiet.

The R-45 walls: added 2x4 studs to inside of wall. Insulated with rigid foil-faced polystyrene foam. Finished with sheetrock. So walls are "thick" and cool to the touch.

Who is going to pay for all this? You pay yourself. You can put your money in the wall (or window) one time, or you can throw it out the window every month.

[tripp]

Skruse, did you do the work yourself? Did you modify the existing walls or essentially add a thinner, better insulated wall behind the existing one? Ditto the ceiling or did you cram the attic full of insulation? Were the original walls R-11 stick and bat construction?

[kazots]

You will see movement to a petrol free economy, because you finally hit where it hurts!
The "wallet" it seems that is the only way it gets attention.