Thinking Global, Acting Local

Taking Science Personal

Weblinks
What you can actually DO! 
Actions you can take... some low-hanging fruit, ridiculously simple.
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# Web Link Hits
1   Link   Are White Roofs A Big Deal?
" Globally, roofs account for 25% of the surface of most cities, and pavement accounts for about 35%. If all were switched to reflective material in 100 major urban areas, it would offset 44 metric gigatons of greenhouse gases, which have been trapping heat in the atmosphere and altering the climate on a potentially dangerous scale.

"That is more than all the countries on Earth emit in a single year. And, with global climate negotiators focused on limiting a rapid increase in emissions, installing cool roofs and pavements would offset more than 10 years of emissions growth, even without slashing industrial pollution."

H'mmmmm. 		225
2   Link   White Roofs Catch On as Energy Cost Cutters
"Relying on the principle that white objects absorb less heat than dark ones, some homeowners are embracing “cool roofs” as an affordable weapon against climate change." 		191
3   Link   White Roofing as Silver Bullet to slay Global Warming?
"...a 1,000-square-foot roof — the average size on an American home — offsets 10 metric tons of planet-heating carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere if dark-colored shingles or coatings are replaced with white material.

Globally, roofs account for 25% of the surface of most cities, and pavement accounts for about 35%. If all were switched to reflective material in 100 major urban areas, it would offset 44 metric gigatons of greenhouse gases, which have been trapping heat in the atmosphere and altering the climate on a potentially dangerous scale.

That is more than all the countries on Earth emit in a single year." 		258
4   Link   Maine Energy Systems
"Maine Energy Systems distributes fully automated wood pellet-fired central home heating systems to heat your new home or replace your existing home oil burner system. These burner/ boiler systems are manufactured by Bosch Thermotechnology in conjunction with Janfire AB, two of the world’s leading experts in wood pellet burning technology. The systems are ASME certified, UL listed and are distributed and serviced only by MESys approved factory trained technicians. The Bosch/MESys boiler has been approved by a number of major residential insurance underwriters as a primary heat source; no back-up boiler systems are required."

This website provides a comprehensive presentation of wood pellet heating systems. The same technology applies to the grass pellets mentioned in Thinking Global Acting Loal. 		243
5   Link   Pellet Stove Fires dot Com
A clearinghouse for information on pellet stoves and controls. they are not promoting a particular product. 		247
6   Link   America's First Zero-Impact "Living Building"
'Powered by a 48.5 kW solar electric system installed by Alteris Renewables, the Omega Institute Center for Sustainable Living opened its doors in Rhinebeck, NY July 16th. The Omega Center for Sustainable Living (OCSL) is a state-of-the art education center and natural wastewater treatment facility. A model of sustainable architecture, the OCSL is a pioneering project in the Living Building Challenge and is expected to be the first building in the United States to receive the Living Building designation in addition to receiving LEED Platinum certification within the next year. " 		240

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