mimosas March 9, 2008
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Almond blossom has been eclipsed by a vibrant tone of yellow seemingly present in every tree. After a year of camouflage, Mimosas have decided to dress up and flaunt themselves. So you can´t help but notice Málaga is full of this type of Acacia tree which flowers spectacularly in March, I consider it the best birthday present! As well as their attractive colour, Mimosa flowers are small round and give the impression they would make an excellent bed from which to gaze at the clear blue spring skies.
Eco-Building II: Energy Efficiency February 9, 2008
Posted by Administrator in : kraziness, rustika, málaka , add a commentBuilding sustainably can make a difference to the health of our families and the health of our planet. Energy efficiency is one of the key factors in this regard as it saves us money and reduces our CO2 emissions.
Since the 90s Spanish domestic energy consumption has increased by 2,5% a year, although the population has only gone up by 0,4%. This growth is caused by more appliances at home and more cars on the road. Naturally CO² emissions, responsible for the greenhouse effect, are greater too: each of our homes produces 5 tons of CO² per year.
Non renewable energy sources provide over 93% of all energy consumed in . 30% of this is used in our homes – so if we all start being more sensible about the way we use energy, we really can make a difference on a global scale. Using renewable energy sources (solar, wind, water, biomass and geothermal) is a crucial step in this sense, and we’ll look at these in detail in future articles. In the mean time, lets see what CO²-reducing adjustments we can make around the house. If you are building or renovating, check out biocompatible materials that will enhance your insulation. Those who are looking to buy a property should pay attention to the building’s energy efficiency quality, the ideal construction uses renewable energy, has a bioclimatic design that includes optimum orientation and has a grade A energy efficiency label.
THE BASICS
1. Our energy consumption is on the rise, if we continue at our current pace we’ll double world consumption in 33 years and triple it in less than 55.
2. Housing and transport sectors are the ones that have increased most in recent years.
3. 82% of energy used in is foreign, and as far as petrol is concerned our dependency is total.
4. The main source of energy used by Spanish families is petroleum and its derivatives - petrol, gasoil, butane and propane.
5. Renewable energy sources do not run out when we use them since they replenish themselves naturally. Their environmental impact is minimal.
TO DO´s
- Electricity: Sign up for the night plan, you get a discount per kWh: use the washing machine at night and save money on the electric bill.
- If you consume over 1.300 kWh/bimestre you’ll be fined with a 0,013 €/kWh surcharge.
- South-facing windows provide natural daylight, and the sun’s rays help keep rooms warmer in winter.
- Switch lights off when you leave the room.
- Well-planned lighting is key to minimizing energy. LEDs, and compact fluorescents last 8 times longer, provide the same light as incandescent bulbs whilst burning 80% less electricity.
- Shut your tap! An open tap uses 6 litres of water/minute, a shower uses 10 litres/minute. Saving water saves energy since its propelled into our homes by electric pumps.
- Save 40 €/year just by unplugging appliances when they’re not in use.
- Using the spin cycle guzzles less energy than using a dryer.
- Bi-thermal washing machines and dishwashers are connected to the hot water circuit so they save electricity, money and time.
- LCD screens save 37% whilst in use and 40% when on stand by.
- Cars devour 15% of all final energy used in . Cycle or walk.
- Use public transport and help reduce noise and pollution.
RENOVE PLAN
A government scheme to encourage upgrading to energy efficient appliances. If you buy a new washing machine for example from a participating store you will get money back. By swapping a class G washing machine for a new class A model you could save 447€ over the machine’s lifetime, well worth the investment.
All the details about this scheme in Spanish is here.
There´s a map where you can find the nearest home appliance store participating in the scheme here.
This table tells you how much money you can get back for buying an energy efficient appliance.
Figura 1. Tabla de incentivos para el Plan Renove 2007
THERMAL INSULATION
Most houses leak air. Holes and gaps in the wall, roof, foundation, doors and windows all results in winter heat loss and summer heat gain. Tight construction, good insulation and high-performance windows are key to achieving a maximum of 30% savings on bills. Energy prices will escalate over the next few years, and insulation is the least expensive insurance policy you can buy.
- A 3 cm layer of cork has the same insulation capacity as a metre-thick stone wall. Hemp, natural cotton, flax and cellulose are other bio-friendly insulation materials worth looking into.
- Window treatment: double-glazing means 50% less energy leaks. Wooden frames are better insulators that iron or aluminum. Always look for FSC standard wood from sustainable sources.
- Shading windows in summer protects against overheating.
- Trace leaks by placing a candle near possible culprits (windows, doors, etc.) on a windy day. If the flame moves you need to seal those gaps!
- Close the chimney when not in use.
- Regulate ambient humidity as it affects your sense of warmth.
- If building or renovating, use cannabric, thermal clay (termocilla?) or straw bales instead of conventional bricks.
- Consider initial expenditure on eco materials an investment that is easily recovered in the medium term via reduced energy consumption.
- Ventilation and breathing are equally important as excessive insulation can bring about insufficient air circulation and the accumulation of toxic gases. Avoid materials with closed pores, our homes should act as a second skin.
Originally published in the print version of lachispa.net
stop! December 30, 2007
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Each Spanish citizen uses an average of 238 plastic bags per year, that´s over 97.000 tons, of these a mere 10% are recycled, say Cicloplast, who represent bag production and distribution companies. Worse still, * plastic bags don’t biodegrade, they photo-degrade—breaking down into small toxic bits contaminating soil and waterways and entering the food-chain when mistaken for zooplankton or jellyfish.
On my last California trip I was given a chico bag (and I don´t get paid for plugging them) which is cool cause it folds nicely into a smaller bag which is sewn on the inside, solving the problem of carrying a large shopping bag when you´re not shopping.
I also brought some colourful polipropilene Trader Joes bags, as gifts for friends here, in case being less wasteful became contagious. It needs to be, we have to re-use more, we have to make this a trendy thing to do..Luckily a bunch of designers created a bunch of ultra hip bags with this concept in mind: Hermes, Stella McCartney and Consuelo Castiglioni all took part in the initiative. Hermes created “Silky Pop” which costs $960 and is made of animal skin, hand embroidered silk and can be reduced to the size of a wallet. Nice try.
There are cheaper and far more ingenious options like “I’m Not a Plastic Bag” by British designer Anya Hindmarch which is selling like hot cakes for $15 on eBay.
For more on why we need to avoid plastic read this.
Eco-Building I: Healthy Homes December 5, 2007
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We spend most of our lives inside buildings, yet we have only recently started to question their impacts on our climate, our community, our health and our lives. We all need to start learning about how building sustainably can make a difference to the health of our families and the health of our planet. You don’t have to be a hippy member of a green fringe group to seriously consider building an eco house. Financially as well as environmentally, if you are building your own home, or just changing your existing one, it is increasingly making sense to eco build. It doesn’t mean you have to build with straw bales or rammed earth, though these are options; most successful Eco builds are very conventional in appearance. But it is much more than just choosing environmentally friendly materials and paint, in this series of articles we´ll look at some of the priorities one should have when building sustainably. We´ll try and keep the focus on a practical and accesible level for those of you who aren´t large scale developers but would like to enhance your quality of life whilst being kind to the environment.
The building industry is undeniably one of the least environmentally friendly, the construction of a whole neighbourhood or even just remodelling an existing house has a great impact on our surroundings. According to the experts, the Spanish construction sector generates 40% of CO2 emissions (the carbon dioxide blamed for the greenhouse effect which is causing the planet´s current climate change), uses up 60% of the country´s primary resources, 50% of its water and generates 35% of waste. Of the many things to consider when remodeling your home, finding eco-friendly ways to manage deconstruction waste should top your list of ways to reduce your project’s environmental impact. A major kitchen redo might generate more than 60 pounds of debris for each square foot, for a total of about 5 tons. A whole-house remodel could pile up a whopping 13 tons of waste. That’s a heap of rubbish headed to the landfill, along with a pile of environmental concerns. The main purpose of Eco-building is to minimise this impact whilst using sustainable techniques. Instead of depleting the planet´s resources, the idea is to replenish and regulate these in order to achieve a healthy habitat and global well being. We should be planning buildings that breath like we do, stand on healthy land, and when the time comes, they should disappear by integrating into the life cycle, just like we do.
Our homes should be designed to minimise energy consumption, which therefore reduces our CO2 production. We should be saving water too, according to the Spanish National Institute of Statistics, each of us uses 166 litres of this precious liquid per day. A new law (real Decreto 47/2007) is now introducing an energy efficiency label which will be attached to all houses on the market. Just the same as home appliances, the scale starts with the most efficient homes (class A) to the least energy saving ones (class G), thus indicating each house´s CO2 emissions due to lighting, heating and hot water energy consumption. Indoor air quality is another essential component of any healthy home. By using bio-compatible building materials you´re guaranteed walls free from, damp, mould and bacteria thanks to the fact they´ll be able to breathe, allowing a smooth flow in and out of your house. Eco materials also tend to be more durable, thus avoiding long-term structural issues, as well as being great at insulating your home which means keeping energy costs low. The sheer amount of chemicals we are surrounded by in our houses is really quite surprising, starting with lime based portland cement which is often garnished with toxic additives, insulation materials are often unhealthy too as are paints and varnishes. The use of these materials close the electromagnetic fields in our homes so they stop breathing, therefore trapping these toxic chemicals which create ailments such as headaches, anxiety, depression, fatigue, hyperactivity, etc.
Our next article will delve deeper into these matters with an array of suggestions and ideas for you to create a family-safe, non-toxic home that reduces it´s environmental impact while still enjoying the comforts of modern living.
Article published in La Chispa