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Politics : Rat's Nest - Chronicles of Collapse -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: abuelita who wrote (6220)	7/20/2007 2:27:38 AM
From: Wharf Rat	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 24225

:>) I hadn't gotten around to posting it yet, but I just sent a copy of that to my boss. Not long ago, she announced the cafeteria was thinking about replacing their styrophone dishes with china. So I stuck a "green up" list in the suggestion box, and when I found out she was in charge, gave her a copy of End of Suburbia, which she is watching tonight, and just sent her this, and a list of the countries currently in crisis, along with a PO/medicine link. Maybe the hospital will do something. Masybe Big Boss even get scared enuf to show the movie to corporate. Probably, her hubby will do something at home, cuz his mind runs along the lines of inventiveness.

To: abuelita who wrote (6220)	8/18/2007 11:53:09 AM
From: Wharf Rat	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 24225

Tapping into the sun Federal pilot project to promote solar water heaters Kathryn Young and Andrew Thomson, The Ottawa Citizen Published: Saturday, August 18, 2007 Proponents of solar-powered water heaters in Ottawa hope local gas and electric utilities, builders and municipal governments take advantage of a federal pilot project to fund the energy-efficient machines. Natural Resources Canada has $9 million to spend on major projects that promote new solar-powered water heaters to homeowners, said Jeff Knapp, a spokesman for NRCan's eco-energy for renewable heat program. It is inviting proposals that would put solar-powered water heaters into at least 200 single-family, townhouse or semi-detached homes. "It's going to be a revolution," Mr. Knapp said. "It's going to change the dynamics of the water heating marketplace in Canada." He predicted that utilities will offer several options, including installing systems in homes for free but charging homeowners a monthly rental fee -- just as many people now pay for a gas-fired or electric hot-water tank. Utilities could also sell the entire systems to homeowners, set up a rent-to-own plan, or create a system where residents pay just for the energy used to heat their water. Mr. Knapp has even heard a proposal in which 100 solar water heaters would be offered as prizes in a lottery. "That's so creative it might just work," he said. "That guy lives outside the box." Les Rodrigues, who sells and installs the heaters, helped the City of Ottawa draft new guidelines in recent months on residential solar water systems. The city had stopped issuing permits for four years until this spring, claiming the need for updated safety certifications and amendments to the provincial building code. A professional engineer's stamp of approval will now allow for residential permits, Mr. Rodrigues said. "Every little bit helps; whatever can be done would be a big help," he said of the proposed federal program. "We're certainly not the furthest ahead compared to many, many other countries." Solar hot water systems use roof panels to collect the sun's energy, which would heat enough water for normal household use. A backup heating system is typically needed for cloudy periods. Solar systems can save homeowners 50 per cent of their hot water bills and cut greenhouse gas emissions. Residential systems usually cost between $4,000 and $7,000. A previous NRCan program, hampered by high costs, took nine years to get 400 solar water-heating systems into Canadian houses, Mr. Knapp said. However, with the price of such systems declining and fossil fuel prices rising -- along with public interest in environmental issues -- solar-powered hot water is poised to take off. Elizabeth McDonald, executive director of the Canadian Solar Industries Association, said solar water systems will save significant amounts of energy and money for homeowners. "Once they see that it works, I think the adoption rates will increase rapidly," she said. "The utilities know the pressures of electricity ... and so it's also good for them to become involved in the renewable area." Hydro Ottawa doesn't "have any specific plans at this particular point in time but is interested in finding out more" about the federal project, said Dave McKendry, the utility's director of customer care and conservation. 1 2 next page canada.com