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Knight Watch: Can We Still Afford Good Sense?
By Knight Pierce Hirst
As the economy has gone down, the number of eco-inspectors has gone up. Unlike traditional home inspectors who emphasize safety, eco-inspectors check energy efficiency and tell homeowners how much they could save by upgrading various conservation measures. Although basic inspections cost $250-$600, they can save homeowners hundreds of dollars a year. Heating and air conditioning systems cause the most energy loss. Inadequate insulation, drafty windows, inefficient water heaters and energy-guzzling appliances are other major contributing factors. However, if everyone just replaced conventional light bulbs with compact fluorescent models, they could cut that cost by 75% - and their energy problems wouldn't look so dark. Duke Energy, the 104-year-old Charlotte-based utility company, wants to go green. Because North Carolina requires electric companies to produce a portion of their electricity with clean, renewable energy, Duke wants to be the first utility in the U.S. to own and operate solar panels on the roofs of some of its 400 million customers. Because the electricity would go directly into the grid, these customers would continue to have to buy power. However, they'd be paid for the use of their roofs – which would help keep their roofs over their heads. The Emergency Medical Services Authority, Oklahoma's largest ambulance service, is paying $400 a piece for Howler sirens and will be the first in the U.S. to outfit its entire fleet with them. Howler sirens emit low-frequency tones that can penetrate vehicles within 200 feet and alert drivers via vibrations. In 2008 fifteen EMSA ambulances were involved in intersection accidents when on call. The most frequent excuse drivers made for not stopping was they didn't see the ambulance. Now, because of the Howler siren's unique tones, drivers will feel ambulances coming – and hopefully they will feel like stopping. Researchers at the University of Florida felt like tracking the number of deaths in Alaska from 1976 to 2004. Using death certificates, they were able to compile the number of deaths caused by alcohol – deaths caused by alcohol poisoning, cirrhosis and pancreatitis. A year after Alaska passed its 1983 alcohol tax increase there were 29% fewer alcohol-caused deaths a year. After Alaska passed its 2002 alcohol tax increase there were 11% fewer alcohol-caused deaths a year. Interestingly, a study done in Finland found opposite results. When Finland decreased its alcohol tax in 2004, there was a 20% increase in alcohol-caused deaths. That's a statistic that should increase awareness.
This intel first appeared on: http://knightwatch.typepad.com
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PLEASE VISIT THE CONTRIBUTOR'S WEBSITE
Knight Watch
KNIGHT WATCH IS A HUMOROUS 400 WORDS
knightwatch.typepad.com
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