Are space heaters energy efficient? Or are they sucking the life out of your energy efficiency plan, one outlet at a time?

When I was growing up, my family lived for a year in a small two bedroom house. It wasn't a shanty in the Appalachians, but a farm house on a family ranch in the West. There was no central heat or air and not even a window unit in the summer. But winter was the time that things got really tricky. The house was heated by a black coal-fired pot-bellied stove in the front room.

Most people like sleeping in a chilly house and this one certainly accomplished that handily. My father arose early every morning to restart the fire and get it blazing for when he woke the rest of the household. And when it was time to get cleaned up, the bathroom was in the farthest corner of the house. It was cold in that bathroom! So we had a space heater.

Dad guarded the use of that space heater with his life! He would turn it on low while we were in the tub, and allow the highest setting only as we got out to shiver while drying off. We only lived in that house for about 10 months until a new home could be built for us. And these days, of course, heaven bless my college professor father for teaching his children to be frugal about both energy and money. But I also wondered if that old space heater was really the expensive consumer of power that he said it was.

Modern space heaters can actually be extremely energy efficient little machines. If you live in a large house and don't use parts of the house during various times, or if you have an employee who is always colder than the rest of the staff, then you know how helpful these little gadgets can be, if you purchase the right one.

With central heat, you lose a large amount of the heat into the system of ducts and vents weaving in and through the house. With a space heater, you can individualize the heat. You can turn the temperature down in the rest of the house or office, while applying heat directly where desired. Think of all the times you've been blown through a business' front door and wondered how the person at the front desk ever tolerated the wild shifts in temperature that came with the arrival of every customer. It was likely that they had a space heater just below the front counter, trained on their knees.

Space heaters often use between 900 and 1500 kilowatts. This can be quite a lot of heat, but if you only need to supplement one smallish area, they can be a lot more energy efficient than using central air to heat the entire house or building to a desired temperature when only one (or perhaps two?) rooms are needed.

Should you try to heat the entire house with a space heater? No, that would be overuse and in fact, could overload the electrical circuitry. (You'll need to make sure your outlets, fuses and circuitry can handle the full 1500 watts) But dropping the temperature to slightly below the comfort zone in most of a house or business and using space heaters in one or two rooms could see an 8 percent savings on the fuel bill.

And that would be good Greenifying on for both the environment and the home or business expense.

Want to get into a new and greener business this year?  There’s no time like the present to start greenifying.  And in case you wanted for a few ideas, I’ve got some right here.  These are things you can do to make the world a little greener while greening your bank account, too.  They can be part or full-time.  It’s up to you and what you make of each proposal.

Recycling Business.  You know what this is, right?  It includes anything from thrift shops to art galleries.  Also scrap metal dealers help reuse and recycle.  (These guys are the “junkyard dogs” of this business.) Can it be recycled or reused? If so, look closely for a business opportunity limited only by your imagination.

Green Schools and Education.  This includes hundreds of opportunities from energy efficiency to curriculum writing, to green job training vocational schools, being a school district vendor of organic foods for the cafeteria.  You can bring greener ideas into your children’s educations.

Green Lawyer.   A green litigator could help resolve anything from a neighborhood dispute about shade tree positioning to solar panels being integrated into design to representing corporate America on environmental clean up operations.  Also, you could specialize in helping green businesses get started or resolve their issues, too.   Just think of the possibilities.

Cool Roofs.  From actually doing the roofing jobs to supplying the products that help reduce heat gain in buildings both residential and commercial. Reflective roofing material and other technology.  For the most “low tech” of the solutions, how about a coat of white, heat-reflecting paint on rooftops. 

Green Light for Green Lighting.  Have you thought of the opportunities?  You could make good money in designing lighting fixtures that use CFLs and LED lighting to reducing energy consumption through natural lighting (solar tubes) and specializing in interior design lighting to businesses effeciently light retail spaces and offices.

These are just a few ideas for businesses that Greenify.  There are hundreds more out there.  We’ll be offering more ideas here as the year goes on. 

We’re continuing our ideas for new businesses (or updates to existing businesses!) that Greenify.  How about…

6. Green Marketing Expert. You can help companies develop marketing plans that reduces costs and improve their reputations both with consumers and in their communities. From social media marketing to cooperative marketing and using green promotional products, green marketing methods are in demand!

7. Green Investment Adviser.  People that are concerned about the environment want to put their money where their mouth is.  They are looking for green ways to invest and want someone to do the due diligence to find green companies as opposed to green washed companies to invest in.  Could you be that person?

8. Green Business Consulting.  Help businesses that can't afford full time environmental management departments, take the steps toward sustainability.  We’ve got a lot of experts here at the Green Business Alliance that will help you help them.  (We’re ready to help anyone who wants to put a greener foot forward!)  If you can get in there and help them develop a plan, we’re all for that.

9. Boutique Organic Foods for Restaurants.   This truly is a new, small business idea and much of it depends on what kinds of things you can produce.  It can be done on a small scale on less than 5 acres of land and can provide local restaurants with seasonal produce at premium prices.  Might take a deft hand with a hoe and a good supply of the neighbor’s cow manure, but you could find yourself sitting in clover.  And  producing honey.

10. Green Plumbers.  You could help homeowners and businesses reduce their water costs and pollution by promoting, selling, installing green toilets, faucets, and water heating systems.  This one is obviously not meant for a “quick start,” but is more of a lifetime commitment and we wish you luck.

As we wish everyone luck who starts a green business or any new venture this year!  Good luck Greenifying in 2010.  The Green Business Alliance wants to encourage you in every way possible.

I thought to start this year off, we’d go with some Greenification ideas that are maybe off the beaten path.  These are ideas for people who might be considering going into business or perhaps have a business that they might want to update in more environmentally sensitive fashion.   For instance, what about…

1. Green Salons.  These would be salons and spas that use organic hair products (coloring products and nail care in particular) and water and energy conservation efforts, plus green furniture (lots of bamboo!) and all natural tools such as wooden combs and bristle brushes.  Going into the business?  (Or making a few changes!)  You can design your salon to be eco friendly and market it as a green Salon, which will greatly appeal to younger consumers.

2. Eco Gym.  It’s time to get back to basics.  Get rid of the electronics and design all exercise areas to optimize green heating and cooling, reduce air conditioning costs using green cooling (Ice Bear) and create a more healthful environment with all natural, sustainably produced flooring and eco-friendly decor. Incorporate natural health supplements in your shop and bamboo and organic cotton sportswear.

3. Green Lobbyist.  If legislation and government peak your interest, then you should know the field of environmental lobbyist positions is growing with the potential to open your own green lobbyist firm.  This is a high growth field.

4. Green Gardener.  Help local homeowners reduce their water use (critical in California, Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico) by becoming a specialist in drought tolerant greenery and replacing wasteful grass lawns with native plants, stone gardens or organic herb gardens.

5. Green Bed and Breakfast.  If you’ve been one who has always dreamed of owning a bed and breakfast, then consider this: solar or wind powered, organic cotton or bamboo sheets, green meals (locally produced meats and fish and organic produce and fruits), and beautiful natural settings will attract eco-vacationers no matter where you are situated.

If you are opening a new business or considering making changes, we’ve all seen in that green marketing does provide motivation for new customers and clients.  You’ve got more reasons now than ever before to Greenify.  And we’ll have more ideas later this week.

We’re right back at the start again, aren’t we?  The start of a new year is always exciting.  We’ve got the chance to rethink our approach, start with fresh eyes, a new balance sheet and an open road ahead to Greenification.  It’s all waiting for us.  So where to start?

Here’s a basic checklist of things you’ll want to consider in plotting your green business year ahead:

Sustainable energy sources.  Does your business consume a lot of energy?  Some use more than others, and some energy sources are certainly more renewable than others.  Look for those that produce the optimum results with the minimum carbon footprint left behind.  Sometimes that isn’t immediately apparent, so check carefully. 

Building design.  Energy-efficient design for new construction and/or remodeling will utilize efficient equipment while optimizing the use of natural energy sources. The ultimate goal is to provide increased comfort with reductions in energy costs and greenhouse gas pollution.

Using paper.  You may not think of your business' paper use as an area to save energy, but it is. Paper manufacturers in the U.S. consume a significant amount of energy each year in the production of paper - not to mention the energy spent harvesting and shipping trees, and shipping paper products to your business.  Will this be the year your business goes paperless?

Manufacturing processes and packaging.  Using environmentally preferable products and services is an encouraged practice for business in the retail industry. You can find information on greening suppliers, product packaging, selling and buying green products and transporting your products.

Recycling and waste management.  This is the most obvious of these topics.  How much are you recycling each week?  Does your recyclables exceed your waste product?  I hope so.  But we’ll talk more about that in coming weeks.

Business trends.  Millions of small businesses across the United States are also trying to learn these same principles. Some are your competitors; others are not.  But if we are all trying to achieve benefits for all, shouldn’t we work together a little more?  Surely the results won’t be the same for every company, but the benefits will be enjoyed by all. 

What may be even more important, every little bit helps.  The effects are cumulative.   We’ll be talking about all these topics this year and information is of course, always available here at the Green Business Alliance website.  We hope you have a great, successful 2010 and surpass both your business goals and goals to Greenify in the next 12 months!

Simple is better.  Greenification is grand.  And it’s growing.  Isn’t that what we learned in 2010?   If you looked around at the newspapers (they may be struggling, but we need them!) over the last week, you probably saw all kinds of stories about how Americans “did more with less” and “learned to buy experiences instead of gadgets” in 2009.  It’s a lesson we’ve needed to learn for a long time.

As the greatest nation of consumers the world has ever seen, we needed to take a step back.  The numbers show we’re doing that now.  We’re saving more than we spend.  We’re making it a goal to use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.  We’re learning not to throw aside something just because there’s a newer, flashier product in the market.

And we’re finding satisfaction in doing that.  Look at this challenge from one of the nation’s top financial writers...click here to view.

By doing this, we could Greenify both our bottom line and the planet. 

During the last year, I’ve wondered if we, as a people, would be forced to choose between the environment and the economy.  But what we’ve seen in the last 12 months has shown that most of us believe the choice doesn’t have to be made and that in fact, just adhering to a few more economically advisable policies would have the natural outcome of greenifying our lives.    We’ve done well and now we’re ready to move forward even stronger.

I challenge you to a “green fast” for the year of 2010.  Let’s make this year the best, Greenest year we’ve seen so far.  Let’s make 2010 a year in which we truly do use things to their fullest potential: use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without all the way to a greener style of business and life.

So have you thought about your greenifying your home appliances?  Everybody knows about the government’s Energy Star program.  It’s a seal of approval given by the government for appliances that help businesses and individuals protect the environment through superior energy efficiency.

It’s all very utilitarian in most cases, though.  What about those other newer electronics?  Have you thought about those?  

Your computer is the first place to look.  I speak from experience on this.  You know how they say “leave your computer on, all the time”?  Have you ever seen what that will do to an electrical usage bill? 

To put it in a rather simplistic way, most laptops run on 65-90W power supplies. Contemporary desktops are using ballpark 350-500W power supplies.  The average homeowner uses 80 percent less energy by turning off the personal computer and clicking on the laptop.  At current laptop prices, the cost could be recovered within six months. 

Another item worthy of checking the green-stats on would be televisions.  Those huge new flat-screen televisions can hit you with a double whammy.  They are costly at the store and costly to operate. 

But some of those wide-screens can have much smaller electric consumption rates.  The Samsung 8000 series features 46 to 55 inch screens that operate using 40% less electricity than competitors.  You’ll want to check how much electricity your TV (or TVs) are using.

There’s also a device to do just that.  The Energy Detective is a device on the small side of an alarm clock that measures electrical usage.  You hook up the device, cleverly acronymed as “TED,” and within seconds are shown information about usage and cost.  If you can see it, you can manage it.  (Find out more at www.theenergydetective.com)

It’s all part of being a better energy consumer.  Greenifying is not always easy, but it is always worth it to all of us.

Now that your business is Greenified, let’s talk about growing its reputation online.  That’s part of your plan, right?   You hoped to market the business online, saving a few trees, the chemicals involved in printing up materials, and the energy involved in getting those items to your customers all along.

So let’s talk about how to do that.  First, get a website.  If you can’t afford to have it done professionally, you can start a blog for free.  Put up the blog and post links to it with comments on other similar blogs around the internet.  Hook it up with an RSS feed.  Do you know what that is?  RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication, which allows people to see what you are talking about on a text or email feed.  You can also start a Twitter account and use that to communicate with your customers.  Think about it: being able to instantly notify your customers or followers that you are having a sale or special on a particular item, letting them know what you’re offering.

Those are the technical basics, but let’s also look at what’s being said about your business and you. Do a vanity search of your business name and see what comes up. Are you easy to find? What is the first impression?

Is your business reviewed in online forums or blogs?  Set up some electronic alerts.  You can pay a service to do this, or do it simply by setting up a Google account and asking it to send you alerts every time something is said about you or y our business online.

“Know who the influencers are,” said Pete Blackshaw, executive vice president of Nielsen Online Digital Strategic Service and an expert on consumer-generated media. “There are going to be some megaphones that matter more than others.”

Online reviews are a gold mine of business intelligence. There are metrics to analyze to get a better sense of your customer demographics.  You’ll find those on any website you buy or included in the blog set up that you use. 

With a little bit of your time and some sweat equity, you can easily put yourself out there.  And don’t forget to remind your customers online that you are a green business.  It’s the hottest selling ticket there is to customer’s hearts and wallets.

We’d like to bring your attention to a new government program that may only be in place for a very short time.  If you want to take advantage of the “Cash for Clunkers” program, you’ll need to hop on it quickly. 

The Car Allowance Rebate System, or “Cash for Clunkers” is one of the few federal stimulus programs that everyone seems to be onboard with.  It’s a federal program that will credit you up to $4,500 to trade in your old car for a more fuel-efficient model. 

There are some restrictions, but this wildly popular program has few downsides.  President Barack Obama says the program “has succeeded well beyond our expectations and all expectations.” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood claims “this is the stimulus program that has worked better than any other stimulus program that was conceived.”

And like a lot of green programs, it works from a multitude of angles. 

When the recession began, the U.S. auto industry was already in trouble.   Gas prices, which had skyrocketed the year before, were making American-made cars unpopular.  Car sales, already flagging, dropped to almost immeasurable.   By pumping money into getting Americans to spend on cars, we get the economy moving and shrink our carbon footprint by getting gas-guzzling cars off the road and out of commission. 

The program was clipping along with sales so good that it appeared it would run out of money just as it was starting.  Its $1 billion budget was projected to run out, prompting the House of Representatives to vote last week to authorize another $2 billion. But in the Senate, Republican senators say they will block more funding, calling it a waste.  That would be unfortunate.  Because ”Cash for Clunkers” stood for stimulating the economy and putting more Americans in the drivers’ seat with a lower cost to our environment.

More tips now on how to Greenify as an individual at the office.
 
1. E-Marketing to the Rescue

Have you checked out what a powerful marketing e-marketing could be?  The internet is a powerful driver of sales and leads - right down to the zip code level. Best of all, a lot of online marketing tools are cheap or free.  For instance, uh, we’ve found that blogs can get a message across pretty well, and they are very inexpensive to create and maintain.

2. Get a Green PC

There are some PC’s out there that consume 10% of the power  of a normal desktop.  These new PC’s are also inexpensive.  Add that to the energy savings and you’ll see the benefit from every angle.  And turn off even the “energy efficient” PC’s at the end of the day.  Every day.

3. Stay Informed

There are excellent resources to learn more ways to improve your green efforts that are specific to your industry. We’d like to help you learn more, so stay tuned in to the Green Business Alliance and we’ll help.   But don’t be afraid to look around the Internet.  “You can never have too much help in Greenifying.” 

4. Replace Less Efficient with New Energy Efficient

I guess this has become a main theme of mine.  I’ve always been an “economy minded” person, but now I see that energy economy has to win out.  Everything from new bulbs to appliances that are energy efficient can help.

5. Shop at other Green Businesses

They’re easier to spot than ever before because green marketing is the hottest trend out there. We’re all in this together, so it makes sense to seek out the locally produced food, products produced using recycled materials and any other Greenified product out there. 

We all want to Greenify.  If your business is working on shrinking its carbon footprint, you may be overlooking your employees.  Offer them these tips and see if they also want to Greenify not only in the office but also at home.  Chances are they’ll say yes.