Posts Tagged 'DOE'

Energy Efficiencies’ role in Obama’s 2011 Budget Request

Thursday, February 4th, 2010

Green EnergyPresident Obama released his Administration’s 2011 budget request on Tuesday, and energy efficiencies’ role in the United States’ energy policy is increasing. According to the President’s budget proposal, the DOE will be appointed around 28.4 Billion, which is $2 Billion more than what has been slated for 2010. As Energy Secretary Steven Chu expressed, “This budget supports new approaches to energy research and invests in the next generation of scientists and engineers, and it will spark clean energy projects nationwide.”

Highlights per the Office of Management and Budget website on the Energy Department’s 2011 budget allocation:

  • $4.7 Billion in clean energy technology investments at DOE, including:
  • Nearly $2.4 Billion for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs.
  • $300 Million for the Advanced Research Projects Agency- Energy to accelerate game-changing energy technologies in need of rapid and flexible experimentation or engineering.
  • $793 Million for clean energy activities, including R&D and infrastructure programs.
  • $5.1 Billion for the Office of Science, including $1.8 Billion for basic energy sciences to discover novel ways to produce, store, and use energy.
  • Double newable energy generating capicity by 2012.
  • Assist in the development and deployment of advanced battery manufacturing capacity to support 500,000 hybrid electric vehicles a year by 2015.
  • Retrofits for 1.1 Million housing units through 2011.

Obama on the 2011 energy allocations, “We will build on the largest investment in clean energy history, as well as increase investment in scientific research so that we are fostering the industries and jobs of the future.”

The United States’ energy policy is finally moving in the right direction under the Obama Administration.

NBC’s Green Week: Raising Environmental Awareness through Information and Hilarity

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

green-week-calendar-copy-edited1For the 3rd year, NBC is hosting their annual Green Week, November 15th – 21st, to raise environmental awareness. As such, their prime-time lineups, regular programming, affiliate channels, numerous websites and other media outlets will feature green/environmentally-friendly themes and messages (their site devoted to all things eco-friendly is pretty sweet).

Green Your Routine, an NBC “Green” site designed to educate and entertain visitors on everything from reducing their carbon footprint through fashion choices to video clips featuring Dwight Schrute as Recyclops …

The site’s robust video library is chalk full of cast member videos, some are funny and others feature more direct messages. The Green Highlights from this season were pretty good.

NBC continues their bold stance on environmental awareness and we love it. What we liked even more was what we discovered researching the story. NBC isn’t just putting on a good show with Green Week; they live it. The production of their TV shows has become increasingly more eco-friendly with cast members, crews and executives coming together to make earth-friendly decisions (like the removal of bottled water from sets) ,  NBC is delivering and living their message well. They are in an important position with the ability to reach a wide range of people through their numerous TV and other media outlets.

Not only is it good for the planet’s future, but it is also good business – personal budget or corporate best practices. Reducing waste, whether it’s paper, plastic, water or energy, saves money and decreases the depletion of natural resources and proves to save even more cash down the line for those, like NBC, that start forging ahead now. NBC, of course, is not the only corporation publicly going green. It’s been happening for years, because it is a time tested way to save money that is routinely wasted by inefficient systems, computers, laptops, servers and chargers.

You can easily make an impact on the planet and your budget by reducing the energy you unwittingly waste. Did you know most electronics continue to suck electricity when plugged in and not in use or fully charged? This energy crisis is called vampire energy loss or vampire power, and it sucks. It sucks power for our energy supply; it sucks power from your outlets; it’s sucking our natural resources with absolutely no benefit to anyone.

Due to the Billions of cell phones, laptops and mobile devices in use around the globe, their chargers are aggregately among the most prolific vampire electronics. As you probably remember doing on many occasions, cell phone chargers are often left plugged in at a certain spot in the house regardless if the phone is connected or not. While your charger may not melt the polar ice caps, the Billions being used everyday are adding significant amounts of unnecessary CO2 into our atmosphere. The EPA estimates that vampire energy loss is responsible for $10 Billion in wasted energy per year and millions of tons of dangerous CO2 emissions.green-evil-charger-no-vampire-labs-new5

As you enjoy Green Week, remember to be conscious of the little energy wasters in your life, like vampire chargers and electronics, that are sucking your budget dry when they are not in use and left plugged in. Put a stake in vampire energy loss and go Vampire Proofâ„¢.