Category: Utility Costs

Car-Ready Homes

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Net Zero – of electricity or water – essentially means 100% of that commodity plus storage.  Nature provides sunlight and rain when it wishes.  We need those commodities when we wish.  Residential water storage is relatively easy – from the old western rain-barrels to today’s cisterns.  Electricity storage is more difficult and batteries are expensive.

Recently, someone noted that our e-cars have huge batteries.  Why not use the battery in our e-car – for which we’ve already paid – to power our home at night? … Keep reading

235% Profit Jump for Big Oil

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Here’s a report I find incredibly depressing.  Not just because someone or some industry made a lot of money, but because they’ll use that money to continue producing more fossil fuels – with the periodic oil spills from ships, or leaks in their pipe lines, or failures in their off-sea platforms – to thoughtlessly continue to provide energy that’s leading to the disaster of Earth.  And as the report states, they also use their money to control legislators, to keep the system going. … Keep reading

Water Becoming Unaffordable

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Here’s a growing problem facing millions: Many are becoming unable to pay their water bills.  As the cost of finding, treating, and delivering potable water increases, so will your water bill.  But – it’s doing so at an alarming rate.  Without water, what’s life like in your home?  Comments afterwards.

 

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Revealed: millions of Americans can’t

afford water as bills rise 80% in a decade

 

Exclusive: analysis of US cities shows emergency on

affordability of running water amid Covid-19 pandemic

 

Nina Lakhani

The Guardian

23 Jun 2020

 

More than two-fifths of residents in some US cities live in neighbourhoods with unaffordable bills.… Keep reading

Water Wars Ahead

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In tales of the Old West, if one rancher had water and another didn’t, if they couldn’t work out a trade, then a water war – often with shooting – broke out.  A few decades ago, Kansas sued Colorado because they believed that dams and other structures built in Colorado diminished the supply of water that flowed to Kansas.  A few million dollars in environmental studies and legal fees later, it turned out that Kansas actually had more water now.

I recall an incident in which a Colorado town ran out of water. … Keep reading

Buying & Scrapping Gas Cars

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Here’s a breakthrough:  A government that’s finally taking positive action to reverse the effects of climate change by attacking its cause:  fossil fuel use.

 

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Help to buy EVs in ‘landmark’

New Zealand net zero climate plan

 

Lower and middle income families will benefit from ‘scrap and

replace’ scheme, while 20% cut in car, van and ute trips sought

 

The government says its plan will put New Zealand on track to make

zero-emissions vehicles 30% of its light vehicle fleet by 2035.… Keep reading