RODALE NEWS, KEMPTON, PA—Even if you can't afford to slap a full set of solar panels on your roof this year, you can still put a dent in your energy consumption. Last weekend's fifth annual Pennsylvania Renewable Energy & Sustainable Living Festival in Kempton, PA, displayed such big ticket renewable energy systems like solar panels and wind turbines, but also provided more affordable ideas to save energy—and therefore save money. The festival featured more than 100 lectures, 170 vendors, plus workshops and hands-on demonstrations focusing on wind power, vegetable oil for fuel, organic farming techniques, solar site selection and solar panel installation, biofuel auto conversions, green building and renovation, alternative heat sources, and many other topics.
This week we'll bring you plenty of pictures, video, and stories from the festival. To start, here are five key concepts we encountered again and again.
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#1: A Prius is cool, but......so was the electric motorcycle that (silently) breezed by us at the festival. EnerTrac Corporation makes a conversion kit that can help you turn certain motorcycles into electric models that go about 40 miles (and reach speeds of 80 mph) on a single charge—and all you do is swap out a wheel! Moral of the story: There are multiple solutions for almost every energy need, though you may need to do some research to find them.
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#2. Nature can save you money and energy. When greening your house, don't forget to include your yard. As certified horticulturists from Edge of the Woods Native Plant Nursery explained, choosing native plants that are meant to grow in your area will attract and help feed birds, so you won't have to spend as much on bird seed. They attract beneficial insects that help your garden resist pests. And native plants require less water, and need absolutely no toxic (and petroleum-based) pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. This means you're using less energy to create a gorgeous yard. |
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#3. Consider small scale solutions. Sure, we'd all like to get free electricity from solar panels and wind turbines in our backyards. And there are more options for using those renewable energy systems than ever before. But if the big solutions are out of your reach for now, Vernon Kleckner, of Energy Advisors of the Tri-State, reminded us that energy audits, attic re-insulation, and solar attic vents are affordable ways to slash energy use. Once you do that, you won't need as many solar panels to power your home when you're ready to install them. |
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#4. Tap into your own personal power. A running theme at the festival was the sometimes-overlooked capacity for good old human-power to get things done. Whether it's a bicycle, a push-powered reel mower, or the many projects outlined in The Human Powered Home (New Society Publishers, 2008), we were constantly impressed by the many ways there are to save energy and get some exercise at the same time. |
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#5. Alternative energy can be fun. It's not just about saving energy and helping the environment. Trying out renewable energy systems can also be a rewarding creative challenge. And it can be fun and entertaining, too—as it is for "Bob the Bike Man," who wowed us with some samples from his collection of 200+ unusual bicycles. Take a spin on his amazing 7-person "conference bike," shown here, and you'll realize how much pleasure an alternative to gasoline-powered travel can bring. (Check back later this week for video of the conference bike, and other amazing bicycles, in action.) |
