Jeremy Grantham Interview - CNBC.com

This is an important interview that I found on a website called Investment Postcards.

Grantham has been in charge of institutional investing for a long time. He offers what appears to me to be a very straightforward examination of the recent activity of the Fed -- the so called QE2.

He notes that there will be a stock market bull run as a result. He also notes that we are in dangerous territory in terms of future inflationary pressure as well as in alienating our foreign trade partners.

Finally -- and this I think is critical and too often overlooked -- he clearly states that the US Government's stimulus package was too small. The US Government should be investing in infrastructure projects and putting a lot of people now unemployed back to work.

He really is emphasizing the need for the US to spend government on JOBS.

What energy efficiency and public power infrastructure projects could we be investing in?

Success - My Road Map

I have not the luxury of eternity. Yet, I must practice patience. Nature never works in haste. -- Og Mandino quote

I have neither the knowledge nor experience to achieve greatness, to achieve my goals, to achieve dreams. So I will follow the principles of success ...

What are those principles?

1. To start fresh -- today I will begin a new life.

2. To greet each day, each person, each challenge with love. Without love, I will fail even though I may possess all the world's knowledge.

3. To persist until I succeed. I will try and try and try again and put yesterday's failures behind me. I will persist. And I will succeed.

4. I will recognize that I have a unique purpose. I will imitate no one. I will proclaim my uniqueness. I am nature's greatest miracle!

5. I will live this day as though it were my last.

6. I will become a master of my emotions. I will master myself.

7. Never will I become so self-involved, so important, so powerful as to forget to laugh at myself. I will cultivate a sense of perspective.

8. I will aim high and multiply my value a hundredfold. I will always strive to make the next hour better than the last.

9. I will act. Now.

10. I will pray ... for patience, wisdom, courage, love, and compassion -- and to develop the abilities that will match my opportunities.

By using these principles each day as my guide I will reach my goals!

These ideas were written by Og Mandino in a great little book, The Greatest Salesman in the World. But these principles may be applied to any profession or avocation. They need not be limited to sales.

This weblog will be changing over time, expanding from energy efficiency to cover other subjects -- including personal development. Stay tuned!

(For a copy of Mandino's book, check out Amazon

Monday After Changing to Standard Time

Now that time in most of the USA has switched back to 'standard' time, have you noticed how easy the day was today?

Fewer folks on the road, and the kids were able to get to school while there was still plenty of daylight.

Anyone notice whether this fall is warmer than in the recent past? I've kept the thermostat down, as a result. I think the furnace ran only twice this season.

All of this will result in lower utility bills for us. I hope for you, too.

Changing Tone

You'll note that I've changed the tone of this blog. I'm not on a mission to save the world from inefficiency -- just going to make my contribution at a slower pace.

Looking for a New Refrigerator?

Don't forget to ask for your rebate from the utility

You're losing money if you don't check this website for rebates that utilities pay out if you replace your old refrigerator. My utility paid me $25 to junk my old unit. That was sweet!

What's more, my new unit is larger, and more efficient. So I am getting more for the same amount of money.

So check out the Energy Savers website (http://www.energysavers.gov/financial/70022.html) to locate your utility and find out just how much you might be owed.

Bright Lights of Tinsel Town to Go Out for One Hour

"Earth Hour" Takes Place March 27 8:30 PM Local

One effective way to lowering utility bills is to simply not turn on an appliance when it isn't needed.

What about turning off your lights for only 1 hour. How much would that save you?

Earth Hour was created to increase public awareness of the impact of energy use on climate change. One article I read indicated that the city of Las Vegas will participate -- go dark from 8:30 to 9:30 local time -- to save energy and reduce carbon emissions. According to the article, the energy saved will be equal to 65 megawatts of electricity.

What do you think? I Earth Hour worth the bother?

Chinese Legislators Want Increased Strategic Oil Reserves | HeatingOil.com

Chinese Legislators Want Increased Strategic Oil Reserves | HeatingOil.com

Seems the People's Republic of China is thinking strategically about its national energy needs.

Democrats and the Link to Conservative Ideas

I always wonder why it is the Democrats who are always preaching Energy Efficiency? It makes little sense -- since "to conserve" (i.e., to prevent rapid alteration or diminishment of either the status quo, cultural traditions, or wealth) is at the heart of "conservatism."

Natural resources are the foundation of a nation's wealth. This includes the raw materials that are used to generate electricity.

What I do find interesting is that few Republicans seem to discuss the strategic importance of energy conservation to our nation's security. Imagine the USA conducting World War II without rationing gasoline or recycling used motor oil. It just does not compute.

This comes to mind because we're about to switch to Daylight Savings Time (March 14) here in the USA. Daylight Savings Time was developed in World War I to conserve electricity for use in war manufacturing. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 extended Daylight Savings Time to the second week in March to the Second Week in November.

Is all this thinking about the strategic importance of conservation just left to the independents?

The Energy Efficiency Money Pie
Have you gotten your fair share?

Last year, utilities spent more than $5 billion in energy conservation and efficiency programs for their customers.

Did you get some of that money? If not, why didn't you ask for it? You should have, because that money is a part of the rates you pay.

If you did not get your share of last year's pie, don't get disgusted -- more is on the way for this year. Just log onto your utility's website and start looking for a rebate or other benefit that will help you reduce the amount of electricity, gas or propane that you use -- as well as lower your energy bills.

Energy efficiency leads to lowering utility bills ... and saving you money.

P.S. -- Don't forget that you can start right now saving energy and lowering bills by completing a very simple do-it-yourself home energy analysis. There is absolutely no reason to wait to save money!

The complete website address for this easy analysis is as follows:

http://bancheromedia.blogspot.com/2009/07/time-to-analyze-your-home-energy-use.html

Energy Efficiency's Pay Back

There's money in this for you!

Just picked up a note that McKinsey & Co. -- a well-regarded management consulting firm -- conducted an analysis that showed that improvements in US energy efficiency could save this country $1.2 trillion -- that's with a T not a B -- and that the cost of realizing that huge savings is less than $600 billion. Read more here.

That mean's we can double our investment, and we'd get to separate ourselves further from foreign interests that want to keep us enslaved to Saudi oil.

To start investing your energy efficient future now.

Managing Energy Costs, with Smart Appliances and Demand-Based Pricing

Here is a story about a pilot program to control costs by encouraging homeowners and renters to use their electric water heaters in the evening, when the demand (and cost to produce) energy is lower.

Electricity Bills Rising

To pick up on an earlier theme -- electricity bills are definitely going up, even though the economy is still the pits: see why PG&E rates went up on January 1.

Summer time is PG&E's peak -- the time when the most electricity is in greatest demand. And the more it is in demand, the higher the cost.

Best get your summertime energy conservations started now, or plan to get them started soon. These can include:

• Improving your windows with replacement windows that are more energy efficient
• Planting trees and bushes that may provide shade
• Installing an attic vent on your roof (especially one that is solar powered, so that it won't have any negative impact on your utility bill)
• Installing a programmable thermostat, which can be programmed to prevent the air-conditioner from running when cool air isn't needed (such as when you are not at home)

More summer time tips appear inside.

Energy Efficiency Experts
List of Five Leading Experts in Energy Efficiency

As a resource for all of you interested in energy efficiency, energy conservation, energy policy development, and lowering utility bills, here are five people who are national leaders:

Steven Chu
Secretary of Energy
Department of Energy
Washington DC
Read about him on Wikipedia
See his Facebook page

Dr. John Chamberlin
Principal
The CADMUS Group
Washington DC
His resume
Areas of expertise include: Energy efficiency utility rate design, demand response rates, demand-side management resource planning for utilities.

Dr. Ahmad Faruqui
Principal
The Brattle Group
Cambridge MA
A recent announcement recognizing his work
Areas of expertise include: Smart grid design, demand-side management resource planning for utilities.

Bill Prindle
Vice President
ICF International
Fairfax, VA
His bio
Areas of expertise include: Energy efficiency policy , energy efficiency technology, energy policy and climate change.

Dr. Bill Rose
University of Illinois
Champaign IL
Area of expertise: He champions efficient building design.

Microsoft's Bid to Control Energy Efficiency in Your Home

You thought only Google with its PowerMeter solution was going to help you save energy at home?

Well, the folks at Microsoft, who have been involved with developing various prototypes of home energy monitoring and control systems, have come up with Hohm.

See it work at http://www.microsoft-hohm.com/

Search National Database for Utility Rebates in Your Area

Thinking about buying a new appliance or upgrading your home to make it more efficient?

Look here for possible rebates or incentives from your local utility. We did, and we found rebates from the electric company and the water company for installing a high efficiency clothes washer.

What's more, some utilities and appliance manufactures offer cash incentives for you to get rid of your old refrigerators. Check out the ENERGY STAR website for news about local refrigerator recycling programs.

Whatever you do, don't spend a nickel until you make sure there isn't a rebate program in effective. It will help you stretch a little bit and buy a more efficient appliance, which can lower your total energy usage ... and your utility bill.

Smart Meters Create Headaches for Energy Users

The Good and Bad About this Emerging Technology

Smart meter technology -- which is a computer-based meter that the utility hooks up to your house that can provide you with real-time information about your energy use -- is coming. You may already have a smart meter attached to your home. If not, you will -- in about 5 years the majority of homes in the USA will be using smart electric and gas meters.

There are good and bad aspects.

• The good: You can look at your use in real time -- from your utility's website or from Google PowerMeter -- and take control of your use and bill.

• The bad: Your utility can read your meter automatically and remotely. That means no more meter readers walking around manually reading and recording your energy usage. Who can afford to lose a job in this economy?

• Also bad: More to the point of this blog, your electric bills may increase -- a lot -- and that in spite of the fact that you may have reduced how much energy you used.
  

To learn about this nasty possible blow back from smart meters, check out what happened to PG&E's customers in Bakersfield, California (read the comments from PG&E's customers -- $600 energy bill for just two weeks!)

Customers got new meters just when the big air conditioning season got started -- it can get really hot in Bakersfield).

And their bills went through the roof.

Energy savings can be achieved using these meters -- see how one newspaper tried to explain this -- but you have to be planning ahead.

Free Teacher Resources: Teaching Energy Efficiency in Class

Teach energy efficiency, meet curriculum standards, and help your students' families lower utility bills -- all for free!

For elementary and middle school teachers, the painful reality of the current round of budget cuts stemming from the international credit crisis mean only one thing: fewer dollars to meet state curriculum standards.

Electric utilities provide teachers free curriculum resources. In particular, books and educational websites. Also, many government agencies provide free resources for teachers.

Here are a few:

• National Energy Education Development Project: Provides workshops that help teachers and students learn how to teach energy conservation to students back in the classroom.
• Energy Information Agency: A page for students that provides facts, fun and games -- a resource for educators, who will have to build an education plan around this
  
• California Energy Commission: Energy Quest -- an online game/resource that includes teacher resources
  
• Wisconsin Energy Center: K-12 Energy Education Program

In addition, local utilities promote energy efficiency education, delivering booklets and teachers' guides for free to any educator in their service area. Many include website that support their programs.

Look for:

• Portland General Electric
• National Grid
• Gulf Power, Mississippi Power, Georgia Power, Alabama Power
  
• Pacific Gas and Electric
  

There are many more. If you are a teacher, call your local utility and see if they're offering free resources. If you're a parent, help your kid's teacher learn about these great tools.

Sarah Palin's Energy Efficiency Stimulus Veto Overturned

Alaska politicians overturned Sarah Palin's earlier decision to not use federal stimulus funds that were earmarked for energy efficiency improvements.

Alaska's new governor, Sean Parnell, announced he will use the $28.6 million to reduce energy costs in public facilities and to support ongoing programs that will help Alaskan's improve energy efficiency and lower utility bills.

You can read more about the article at The Huffington Post.

Alaska May Overturn Sarah Palin's Anti-Energy Efficiency Stimulus Package Stance

Former Alaskan Governor Sarah turned down some $28 million in federal funds that would be used to improve energy efficiency of local state, federal and municipal buildings. That now may be overturned, according to Alaskan news outlets.

Politics aside, this is good for Alaskans. It allows municipal utilities to garner extra dollars that can be used to improve their electric utility grid.

Due to the extreme nature of the credit crunch, municipal utilities have been the hardest hit in the energy sector. They've had to put nearly all of their improvement projects on hold while just trying to maintain cash flow and deal with massive debts. The same is true of many municipalities and states as their bond ratings have crashed with the crisis.

Now they can use money that will lower their costs -- and improve productivity. And we'll increase national security by making sure we extract the maximum amount of value from every kilowatthour produced on our own soil -- while ensuring we maintain and increase our reserves of other energy resources.

The energy efficiency stimulus will pay for these types of improvements:

• Repairs and energy efficiency upgrades to federal, state, and local municipal buildings
• Upgrades and renovations to Department of Defense facilities
• Replacement of the aging electric utility grid with a new electronic grid that will allow businesses and residents to take advantage of time-of-day pricing
• Low income weatherization projects, which allow low-income people to at least save a little on their energy bills and possibly live in greater comfort too
• Renewable generation projects (wind, solar, etc.)
• Research into advanced battery technologies, with the intention of having these new technologies manufactured in the United States instead of in China or Japan
• Education and training for Americans for jobs in the energy sector
• Investments in public transportation, improvements in water utility infrastructure and more

Some of this is flowing down to the average American too. Look for tax credits on improving furnaces. And as utilities improve the grid, we'll start seeing opportunities that will allow us to lower our home heating and air-conditioning costs.

For some tips on how to save right now, without waiting for the trickle down effect of these stimulus dollars, check out:

• 20 Energy Efficiency Tips for Summer
• Analyzing Your Home Energy Use
  

Energy Efficient Buildings: With Just a Little Planning You Can Avoid Excessive Utility Bills


A brief run down on installing insulation in your home.

Improving building energy efficiency isn't all that hard, and it does not require investing in any new technology. In fact, it only takes using your brain -- and a little work.

The New Republic Magazine wrote a little piece about this in a recent issue: Efficient Buildings a No Brainer.

You need only remember a few key steps when thinking about your home and making the building more efficient.

• Put in enough ceiling insulation. Any do-it-yourselfer can install a roll of fiberglass insulation. The stuff is available in various grades and from various manufacturers at most large household supply stores. Just make sure you put in the right amount of insulation for your geographic region. Colder climates warrant more insulation.
• Patch up leaks. Again, a little caulking and weather stripping will go a long way to reduce unnecessary drafts around windows and doors. Older homes may need some patch work on the exterior, perhaps to seal up cracks in plaster walls. It may take a few days this summer, but you can seal up your house on your own, and save money in winter.
• Weatherize heating and cooling ducts with insulation. Roles of insulation material are available at most hardware supply stores and you can wrap ducts in a weekend, while still stopping to watch the Tour de France.
• Clean you furnace filter, and get a furnace check-up/tune-up before the heating season starts. If you have the need for a new furnace, be sure to invest in the most energy efficient furnace possible -- and check for government tax breaks!

Simple steps, and they'll not only increase energy efficiency while lowering utility bills -- they'll also improve the value of your home!

U.S. Electric Upgrades Mean Higher Bills

Here’s proof you need to prepare for increased rates -- the electric utility system is going to be upgraded, and the cost of these upgrades will appear in your electric bills.

Read the Reuters story: U.S. electric grid needs major overhaul: utility

And then come back for more energy efficiency tips and recommendations.