Toilets can range from $100 up to as much as a self cleaning toilet from Japan for $3,000,   There are multiple different kinds of toilets; pressure assisted, gravity, vacuum, and dual flush.  With so many choices we are just going to give you (the consumer) an average priced toilet versus the water efficient toilet.

The normal toilet:

Highline® Comfort Height™ The Complete Solution™ elongated toilet with left-hand trip lever

Complete Solution toilets are built for convenience and efficiency, providing everything you need in one box as they include the toilet bowl, toilet tank, toilet seat, wax ring, and floor hardware.

• 29″L x 19-5/8″W x 30″H
• This model features Ingenium® technology which provides 3.5-gallon performance in a 1.6-gallon package
• NOTE: Complete Solution toilets do not include a supply line as the length needed varies per installation
• Part of The Complete Solution™ Toilets
• RETAIL AVAILABILITY ONLY

I was having an interesting conversation with a friend last night about home energy consumption. He pointed out–insightfully–that people would likely control their power use at home more strictly if they had a better tool for management.

Step one is knowledge of what, when, and how much power is being used.

Step two is setting goals and finding the perfect power position.

Step three is utilizing a robust control system to meet those goals.

Maybe he should be writing this post because he turned me on to a neat concept technology that does just that: Current State. This concept comes from thegreenergrass.org and it seems quite useful…and powerful.

Here’s the description from their page:

“How it Works

1. Order the system online, specifying the number of Plug-Ends needed.
2. Install Current State software on your mobile device.
3. Attach Plug-Ends to powered devices around your house.
4. Sync Plug-Ends to software, giving each powered device a descriptive name and confirming its location within your house.
5. Use Current State to remotely monitor your energy usage, control your devices, and set up automatic timers.”

Imagine monitoring your Baltimore home’s power output while on a business trip to Austin, TX, with the ability to shut off energy-sucking outlets at the click of a button. Now that is control that’ll save you money.

C.O.

Have you heard the news out of Hawaii? Former NASA executive and physicist John Mankins captured solar energy from a mountain top in Maui and sent it wirelessly 92 miles to the main island of Hawaii. The team of researchers was only able to send around 20 watts, which is not even enough to power a fluorescent light bulb. Most of the power was lost in the transmission process.

Makins says that the project was limited by budget, and that with the proper equipment he could increase efficiency up to 64%.

Not impressed?

Did you know that 170 million gigawatts of solar energy hit the earth every second? That is more energy than the earth has used since the beginning of the industrial era. Now imagine being able to tap into that source on a large scale. With Mankins wireless energy transfer idea many satellites would be launched with high tech solar panels on them. Then the satellites would relay the energy to earth via harmless wireless energy transfer to receiving stations. Also, with the solar panels in space there is no loss in efficiency due to clouds or night. The energy would be available 24/7.

Mankins says he can get a demonstration system in orbit in around 6 years and have the full system up in around 15 years.

There are scientists in Japan that claim they could get the space-based solar power project started in less than 5 months with less than 1 million dollars. Their concept uses mirrors to focus as much solar power possible into the solar cells, and thus create 5 times more energy than conventional solar cells.

Take a stand

Make a difference

Consider Tomorrow

(1) A Greener Data Center: Reducing energy costs at the heart of their infrastructure.

(2) IBM Software for a Greener World: Transforming their processes, their infrastructure and the way people work.

(3) Energy Efficiency Benchmark Tool: Assess their data center’s performance and benchmark against other companies worldwide.

(4) Solutions for small and medium business: Options for every size of enterprise.

This is just a short description of energy-efficient Internet Technology IBM is incorporating to be more energy conscience. If you would like to look more into it, go HERE.  There are more solutions IBM is incorporating, which will be covered later in other posts.

As for CNStars’ question: “What do we think about it”, the answer is plain and simple.  We think that it is a little later than it should have happened, but at this time, any company willing to change in order to better our world is great.  Companies with the credit and leverage such as IBM is especially exciting, because the average person has a harder time making a world-wide difference.  Companies like IBM have the opportunity to pave the way for greener solutions to be more wide-spread.

Thanks for the comment CNStars17, keep em coming.

L.J.

Take a Stand

Make a Difference.

In a previous post you met my ConsiderTomorrow compatriot L.J., and now I’d like to take some time to introduce myself.

C.O.

Although I now live on the East Coast, I was born and raised in Kansas.  I served 6 years in the U.S. Air Force as a linguist (wonder where I met L.J.) and stayed out here by the Atlantic when my enlistment was up.  Currently I work in research and marketing, but I’m going back to school for a career more focused on science and technology–the disciplines in which I believe you have the chance make a real difference.  In my opinion there are bright days ahead for human scientific advancement; however, our most pressing issue is energy: clean, renewable, sustainable, affordable energy.  I think that finding a responsible solution to this crisis will strengthen our country, especially economically.  The answer is there, and it’s going to take all of us to find and implement it.

Oh, and the future under your hood is 100% electric.

Watch THIS video, it is worth your time. If you still have more questions, go HERE for the full article from Popular Science

L.J.

L.J.

L.J.

I am a California native, who currently resides in North Dakota, with a background in linguistics from the United States Air Force. I started off my college career to be an architect, but quickly learned that was not the path for me. I went back to school after the 6 years in the military and got my Business Management Degree. I plan on getting an M.B.A with a concentration in marketing. I love to think idealistic when it comes to Alternative Energy. I see a future filled with cars that are not constrained by the dirty word…”oil”. Not that I am against oil, but I am against the idea that a company has designed an infrustrucutre that makes us dependent on a commodity which continues to raise in price. I do understand that people need to make a living, but at what cost? Do they get to continue to receive a profit in the billions while you and I(the average American) pays the price. They say that supply and demand drives the cost up, but they continue to pad their wallets. This is the fundamental reason I am against oil and petroleum. To top it all off, we continue to ruin the place we live because…we are unsure of which alternative energy is going to take off? This is not the VCR and BETA race ladies and gentlemen, this is a race to find a solution to help the planet we live on.

Take a Stand

This man is, in our opinion, saying all the right things, and he is definitely passionate about changing the status quo.

If you’re not worried about environment, take a look at the other issues and see that there is much more to gain…and lose.

There’s so much I want to say about this video. Just watch it.

C.O.