Car Driver: Love Cars, Love to Drive

We all know energy as electricity. Books are at #333.793 and #537 at the library.

The major types of energy are:

geothermal energy
fossil fuels
solar energy
nuclear energy
alternative energy (wind, water, tidal, biomass, synfuels)
hydrogen

Books about woodstoves, solar energy, etc. are at #333.7, #697 to #697.78 or TH7413-7415 at the library.

Alternative energy generally refers to machines and methods of renewable energy such as wind, solar and water powered. If you own a house and plan to be there for awhile, it's the way to go. New technology has made it efficient and inexpensive. Check out magazines like Popular Mechanics, popularmechanics.com and Popular Science, popularscience.com for the ads.

Check with both your state and federal energy departments about grants for converting your home to alternative energy.

There are many devices out there and the thing is that once they're in place, they run on their own without much maintenance.

Passive solar panels to heat water are the most common, skylights in the roof are romantic as well as good heat conductors and from there, you can go to solar power to store energy in batteries to power your house or use the increasingly efficient windmills/ air turbines and if you live near water, water wheels.

The latest alternative research is on the power of the oceans, harnessing wave power for renewable energy.

Brazil currently uses mostly ethanol in its cars for fuel. Ethanol is a form of alcohol made from grains like corn and sugar cane. The large oil companies are deathly afraid of this hence they put out negative misinformation about it but it seems to be working fine in Brazil.

Biodiesel is another one, using vegetable oil, canola oil or peanut oil to power engines. They say the guy who invented the diesel engine, Diesel, invented it to use peanut oil but the oil companies shut him up and possibly murdered him then several years later, came out with a diesel engine that operates on fossil fuels.

Why is it that the average American never heard of ethanol or biodiesel fuel? It's because oil is the fat of the businessmen and the fat that the politicians feed off so they keep it hush-hush and keep the oil flowing to make more money without promoting these safe alternatives.

There are also hydrogen, methanol and electrical powered cars that could effectively wipe out our dependence on oil.

Alternative energy is not only a good idea economically but a mass migration to its use could also save this planet from untold harm presently caused by all the pollution from both fossil fuels and nuclear power. Someday, it'll be our only choice. There are many ideas and devices worth exploring through the information listed below.
Wash clothes in cold water in the washing machine. For really tough clothes, they say soak it in a mix of cold water, laundry detergent and a bit of bleach for an hour before you wash them. Powdered detergent is usually a better deal than liquid detergent. Fabric softeners are a waste of money. They are chemicals that dissipate into the air. Line dry as much as possible. If you use a dry cleaner, look for a green one who does not use chemicals. Don't run the washer or dryer unless you have a full load. Clean the dryer lint screen regularly.

Buy Energy Star, energystar.gov, appliances.

Put insulation in cavity walls and loft spaces.

Install an efficient condensing furnace.

Install microrenewable technology for heat (such as solar thermal and biomass) and electricity.

Minimize car use or use an alternative energy car. Try cycling, walking, using public transport, buying lower-carbon cars (such as those with smaller or hybrid engines, or that use biofuels) and driving more efficiently

Buy food and consumer products that have been made using less energy and transported smaller distances.

Travel less by air.

Have a frugal, clean environment attitude.

An open refrigerator wa