margie46’s Recent Comments

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  These are great! I'm using them as is for party decorations. How about a black-lines-only version for printing so those who do want to use them as a cutting guide don't waste all that colored ink?On This Halloween, cut flesh for the climate posted 1 week, 4 days ago 2 Responses

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  Joel, Oh you would have to ask ;-) I'm sure my cost was NOT typical, and every home is different. Some of my upgrades could also be considered repairs. Adding in the triple pane windows I had put in around 2003 or 2004 (I did have single pane aluminum framed windows), it was probably $20,000, minus a $6000 state grant from NYSERDA (NYS Energy Research & Development Authority). But, not only am I saving energy, I am saving the intergrity of my house, as, for instance, the roof was so bad that the edge of the roof deck and the ends of the roof beams were rotting. I'm sure energy will only go up in cost, so I am comfortable with my investment.On 4.5 things I learned at my energy audit posted 2 weeks, 3 days ago 8 Responses

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  Thanks for some educated comments!On 4.5 things I learned at my energy audit posted 3 weeks, 2 days ago 8 Responses

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  ACTUAL RESULTS AFTER IMPLEMENTING ENERGY STAR IMPROVEMENTS After comparing the energy audit results and recommendations of three different contractors in 2006, I chose one of the companies to complete the majority of work that needed to be done to make my home more energy efficient. (Other contractors completed smaller jobs.) The main contractor initiated the paperwork necessary for me to receive not only a $6,000 Energy Star grant, but also a 4% low interest loan through NYSERDA. Here is a list of the work done: 1. Replaced 1950s era gas furnace with new high efficiency model 2. Replaced a nearly 20-year-old refrigerator with an Energy Star model 3. Replaced a 1970s era (avocado anyone?) washer with Energy Star model 4. Replaced 4 ten+ year old low-quality vinyl windows with Energy Star windows (remainder of windows already replaced with triple-pane vinyl windows) 5. Replaced 6 single pane basement windows with glass block windows 6. Added AirKrete ® http://www.airkrete.com/ insulation in all exterior walls 7. Added foam insulation to all rim joists, and under house wing over garage 8. Replaced rear and side exterior doors (front door already replaced) 9. Finished installation of Hunter Cool-Vent TM panels on roof over vaulted ceilings http://www.hpanels.com/pages/cool-vent_articles.html I now have a years worth of data on the resulting energy savings, from my local utilitys website showing my home's energy use over the past two years. My gas usage in therms decreased by 25%. My electricity use in kWh decreased by 44%. Not too shabby, and I still have things to tweak! My electric use over the year (12/07-11/08) has been 3,383 KWH, which is 44% less than before all the work was done. 3,383 KWH times .095 rate for renewable/green electricity = $321.38 + RG&E delivery charges (varies). My gas use of the year was 522 therms. That is 25% less than it was before the improvements. 522 therms times $1.305 per therm = $681.21 + RG&E delivery charges (varies). All totaled, my utility bills over the last year were about $1480.00. [This would be a lot easier to figure out without RG&E's separate delivery charges!] RG&E = Rochester Gas & Electric. Information also available on www.Project-HOUSE.usOn 4.5 things I learned at my energy audit posted 3 weeks, 2 days ago 8 Responses

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  This is certainly generating a lot of comments. As for "veggie dogma" - just read The China Study, by T Colin Campbell, PhD, of Cornell University. His 21 year longitudinal study had no pre-determined bias. Rather, he and Cornell, Oxford University and the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine simply found much less disease/better health among those populations having the lowest meat & dairy consumption. Much less cancer, much less heart disease, much less diabetes, and so on. There are differing viewpoints, but this is "the most comprehensive study of nutrition ever conducted."

  On Debunking the meat/climate change myth posted 2 months, 4 weeks ago 92 Responses