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Since I have encountered a few people lately with similar questions about hot water heaters, I decided to dedicate this entry to what is out there regarding these units.
Have you updated your water heaters (or other appliances) in the last few years? Check on your eligibility for a rebate at the end of this post.

1. Tank heaters

• Most common
• A given amount of water is kept continuously hot and ready for use
• Average household size ~ 20 to 40 US gallons.
• May use electricity, natural gas, propane, or fuel oil
  
• The most popular in the United States is the natural gas type.

You can make your tank heater more efficient by adding an installation jacket to the tank (recommended). Other things you can add to reduce energy waste:

• flow valve devices at their inlet and outlet
• cycle timers
• pipe insulation.

According to the the 'Directory M' articles website, "High efficiency units can convert up to 98% of the energy in the fuel to heating the water".

2. Tankless heaters/Instantaneous/Inline or Instant

• Heat the water as the water flows through the device
• Only retain water that is in the pipe
• May be installed in at faucet or bathroom - some distance from the central heater
• large units can be provide hot water for an entire house
• Tankless heaters can be far more efficient than tank heaters.
  

Below is more info offered by the 'Directory M' articles website:

• The absence of a tank saves energy as conventional water heaters have to reheat the water in the tank as it cools off. With a central water heater of any type, water is wasted waiting for water to heat up because of the cold water in the pipes between the faucet and the water heater.

• The most cost effective configuration is usually to use a central tankless water heater for the most of the house, preferably natural gas, and install a point of use tankless water heater at any distant faucets or bathrooms. However, this may vary according to how much electricity, gas and water costs in the area, the layout of the house and how much hot water is used. Only electric tankless water heaters were available at first and they are still used for almost all point of use heaters, but natural gas and propane heaters are now common.

• Since the water must be heated instantly, the tankless water heaters use a lot of electricity or fuel while they are on. If a storage water heater is being replaced with a tankless one, the size of the electrical wire or gas pipeline may have to be increased to handle the load.
  

• Tankless water heaters are located directly where the water is being used. This saves water because the water is hot almost immediately. Energy is also saved because no hot water is left in the pipes after the water is shut off.
  

• Point of use water heaters are almost always electrical, and electricity is far more expensive than propane and natural gas.

Solar heaters

• Installed outside the home (roofs or nearby)
• Consist of a tank and of a panel (where the water circulates)
• 2 types: Active and Passive. Active has circulating pumps and passive do not
• Solar tanks have an added outlet and inlet to and from the collector.
  

There are 3 types of solar collectors:
1. Flat-plate collector
2. Integral collector-storage systems
3.Evacuated-tube solar collectors
Please go to energysavers.gov for more information. The energy savers site is great, tons of info on repair, parts, mechanics, etc... I recommend giving it a gander.














Now for the rebates. Have you updated installed new appliances in the last few years?
This includes water heaters, shower heads, toilets, washers and dryers...
Tankless water heater rebate
Water Heaters
Washers/Dryers, Toilets & more

*tankless water heater image courtesy of SantaBarbara.gov website
*Solar water heater image courtesy of ecoscraps.com

Green, Green Everywhere!

Results are in. Earth Day in Santa Barbara a success! Approximately 13,762 people visited the 250 vendors displaying everything from solar panels to the electric Tesla roadster. With the limited amount of time I had to spend at the event, I was able to come across a couple vendors focusing on some very cool projects.

1. Wilson Environmental Landscape and Design is a Santa Barbara based, environmental landscape and design company. They focus (among other things) on SMART irrigation, rainwater and native and edible plantings. Additionally, Wilson & co are developing a program called Home Food Forest, it is an initiative geared toward getting families to turn their backyards into "a complete, organic ecosystem of trees, plants, pollinators, decomposers, soil, water and more."* Why would you want to start a food forest in your backyard?

I am glad that you asked... Reasons that Wilson offers are:

• Connect to your land
• Know where your food comes from!
• Eat organic
• Eat fruits/veggies when they are in season
• these 'forests' can help cool the climate by lowering the carbon footprint that your food consumption causes. For more on this please read "Whole Foods: The whole truth"
  
• Improve your health
• The more trees the more private your home
• You and your children will learn about gardening and food production
• Compost to reduce waste
• You'll spend more time outside

The list can go on and on. A Home Food Forest equals better health, period.

2. Gain Energy Independence!!! Interested in putting up solar panels? California Solar Electric is an Ojai based company that will evaluate your living situation and install 'Sunpower' solar panels. Did you know that you can meet up to 100% of your home's electricity needs with solar and you can eliminate your electric bill? I won't even go into how this helps our environment. There are federal and state initiatives that you can take advantage of! Put up solar panels, Get Money Back!
P.S. In case you weren't convinced that plastic sucks, I encourage you to read the following article posted on the Discovery Channel's website.

P.P.S. The actual Earth Day date is today, April 22nd. But you already know what I say to that; "EVERY DAY IS EARTH DAY!"

*As stated on Wilson's "Home Food Forest" brochure
*logo provided by earthday.net

Solar Energy at Your Home Could = Saving You $$$

Putting the sun's energy to work for you day and night, please visit SCE's website for more information. This could help you if you are thinking about going solar.

More on CFLs-Mercury content

The EPA's site is a good one to keep on file anyways, but this will link you to the page on recycling hazardous materials (ie: CFL bulbs). Hope you find it useful.

Back in the Northern Hemisphere

Before I get into the meat of today's entry, I would like to answer the question to the last 'quiz' I posted. The answer is TRUE! You can recycle most metals in Santa Barbara.

For a thorough list of what is/is not recyclable please click here.


I recently returned from a trip to the Galapagos Islands, located 600 miles off the west coast of Ecuador smack on the equator. These islands are teaming with wildlife varying from the usual, to the strange and to the downright, 'what the heck are you doing here???' (We spotted killer whales....on the equator).

Although tourism and human use on these islands has been regulated for decades, the isles are not impervious to the effects of world climate change. One impact of climate change is causing dramatic ocean temperature fluctuations. This is causing animals to become confused. Fish flee to deeper waters and fur seals (pups in particular) who depend on fish closer to the surface as a food source, are almost wiped out. Aside from climate change much of the destruction the islands undergo are caused by humans. People on the islands have either migrated from the mainland or they are tourists. This brings the usual and burdensome impacts of limiting natural resources, increasing garbage, growing landfills, introduction of invasive species like rats who threaten endemic species...you get my point.

With these negative human impacts to our global environment so evident in the Galapagos it encourages me to continue the changes I have made in my personal life; hanging my laundry outside to dry, not leaving lights on, driving less, reducing my consumption of disposable products, being more conscious of how my daily life impacts the natural environment. I wonder what will happen if 'green' living proves to be a passing trend. What if the masses never embrace a simpler, less wasteful life? Could this American life of excess spell doom for the human race?
Wouldn't these simple Eco-friendly changes get us in the best shape for survival?

Click here for more information about 'Darwin's Islands'


"Survival of the fittest isn't about who is the smartest or strongest, it's about who can adapt to change the quickest."
-Charles Darwin