The window in my living room looks out on the back yard. It’s a big window. Actually, it’s three butted up to each other. My issue is that it’s contractor grade, and so, not that bug on energy efficiency. So I would really like to replace it with something a bit beefier, say, krypton or argon-filled with a low-e coating.

The window frames make a big difference too - more than I thought. Mine are aluminum which is good for maintenance but bad for energy. Heat and cold goes right through it. High thermal conductance is what the energy gurus call it.

The problem? They’re too dang expensive. Quite the conundrum. Upgrading would save money through lower utility bills, but I don’t have the cash in pocket just now to do the deed. Perhaps I should ask Obama for a window bailout.

That might work. I should send up a trial balloon. Makes sense; if I use less energy, I make less of a carbon footprint. What a green point of view. Think he’d go for it? Nah. Sigh.

I could always go for some solar window film. A bit of research informed me that it hinders heat transference, both going out in the winter and coming in during the summer. Not too shabby.

It also minimizes UV rays, which must be a good thing or they never would have incorporated it into my contact lenses and sunglasses.

Sunglasses. Now, that’s an interesting topic. They’re not only functional, people also use them to make a fashion statement. For some reason only known to eyeball fashionistas, the current trend seems to be towards big frames. Big white frames. Windows to the world.

But I do not mock. I paid over $100 for mine (tortise shell, NOT white) but they’re well worth it. Yep, they’re made by Costa Del Mar and they’re just right for a day of kayak fishing out on the bay. Which is what I should be doing now.

I hope you found this post interesting. I invite to read more of my fascinating writing

The Energy Star Label

I made a change on the site the other day. As the body of articles continues to grow, I’ve been stumbling over some articles that “kind of” fit into the electric article category, and “kind of” don’t.

The solution? I rolled out another category called Green Building & Energy Efficiency. I think about that energy thing every time I get my monthly electricity bill. Granted, it’s not as bad as some folks, but it makes me cringe anyway.

Even though prices at the gas pump have been dropping, the peak that they hit over the summer serves as a wake-up call if you ask me. Don’t be fooled; they will rise again. Speaking of pumping gas, here’s some tips:

• Buy gas early in the morning when the temperature is cooler. Gasoline is a volatile hydrocarbon. It’s also subject to the laws of physics. When it’s cool, it contracts. There’s more to a compact gallon, at least as far as the pump is concerned.
• Don’t buy gas when or soon after that big tanker truck is filling the underground tanks. There is always some junk in those tanks and filling them up stirs it up. You don’t need to put it in your tank.

Speaking of energy efficiency, I posted an article on spray foam insulation from soy beans. No, I’m not jesting you. It comes in both open-cell and closed-cell forms and it’s very efficient. What will they think of next?