Snow storms of December 2008 created some local downhill skiing opportunities on the west slope of South Hill

December of 2008 dumped around 5 Feet of snow, most of it powder. The west slope of the south hill is about 500 feet vertical, black diamond skiing a stone throw from downtown spokane. Small window of opportunity for powder skiing on this south/west facing slope. Walking back up is a workout!


Looking down halfway on the slope to Tidymanns Cheney Trading company off Hwy 95

Some other winter pics:




One of the casualties of snow, this boat storage facility down our road.

360 + miles per gallon!

Here is an update on the bike hybrid.

My commute is 7.5 miles each way (if all shortcuts are taken) or 15 miles round trip. Installed the bike engine for a friend in 2007, she didn't use it. I was interested but figured I'd give it a little more time before deciding what to do, I initially wanted to be able to do the full commute 3-4 times a week by bike, but ended up most of the time using the poor man's hybrid, taking the car down the 480 feet hill that we live on, parking, then doing the rest of the commute by bike.

This shaved 8 miles of the commute each day which does make a difference over 4 days in the week. However, the problem is that dragging that heavy piece of metal up and down the hill only to get on a bike the rest of the way is still inefficient, not to mention that the car engine is least efficient when it is started from cold.


That hill we live on is a long hill and it would be nice if you had regenerative breaking on the car to capture some of the energy in braking. On a bicycle though, gravity takes care of just about 2 miles, going down at top speeds of 37 miles an hour, a very nice ride. Going up is a different story, and frankly the energy is not there for that 480 vertical feet every day. This is where the bike engine comes in, it adds relatively few pounds compared to an electric engine, and while making the bike heavier, has no drag when you remove the kevlar belt. The engine made all the difference, now being able to go the whole commute instead of partial commute by bicycle. The last month and a half have proven to me that this works, the bike has gone over 200 miles in less than two months, so that means it will pay for itself in probably about 6-10 months, when figuring in car maintenance and gas prices.

One added side benefit is that both ways one gets a good workout. Towards work there are a few smaller hills, and coming back that last big hill is steep enough to where hard peddling is still required together with the engine, still working up a significant sweat. Having grown up in the Netherlands, where gymns are still kind of a novelty due to the amount of bicycling and walking to work. Commuting and working out can be combined and therefor leave more time for other things instead of driving to a gymn and working out on machines. Exercise machines that don't capture the energy you generate, seems bizarre but is probably more a symptom of the age of cheap and for granted energy.

Finally, being out of the insular bubble (house, car, work bubbles) that separates us from experiencing the texture of reality is a treat. Below taking a break on a dirt path, the October sun still radiating warmth.

New Blog contributer joins with 2 decades of off-grid experience

I've been living Offgrid going on 2 decades now.
My trusty, yet ugly solar panels were burned brown with cracked cells even when I got them, yet still harvest 200watts on thier best day. Given the unfortunate truth of the toxins created manufacturing solar panels, I chose to get all the use possible from ones already made.
My new project will harnest the suns power stored in vegetable oil extracted from plants; first used by resturaunts to fry greasey food, then the remaining energy released and stored in batteries or used to power tools, with the remaining carbondioxide returned to the earth to complete the cycle. Again, the choice to use recycled oil, rather than support the use of agriculture for fuel production.

To do this I am using a replica of one off the earliest stationary diesel engines, which is still in production in India. I chose this design for its long lasting, time proven, clean burning, simple technology with very few moving parts. Again, considering the impact of manufacturing, I chose engine that may last for generations.

Centralizing energy generation breeds dependency.

This is something I don't hear the candidates for president talk about. I'm glad they talk about diversified alternatives to oil, and Obama encourages the consumer to take action within their own household by reducing one's own energy consumption. However, centralizing alternative energy production, simply shifts the production and sale of energy once again in the hands of a few, starting the cycle of complacent energy consumption and dependency all over again. It also still means that it leaves cities vulnerable when those energy lines get attacked or other disaster strikes. And finally, sending energy through lines is inefficient, as opposed to living right next to the source of energy, or having energy be distributed and decentralized.

If you go to "Follow the oil money",
http://prezoilmoney.oilchangeusa.org/ you can see that the more money you take from the oil industry, the more they take up a piece of real estate in your head. An increase in special interest money and face time with the lobbyists, makes folks more inclined to allow the special interests into one's policy decisions.

Look at the successful example of the Barefoot College in India which teaches and empowers illiterate women, making them into engineers in six months showing them how to make their villages energy independent and off-grid, by installing solar and other sustainable technologies.

Grease Competition heats up in Spokane

New signs, and various stories of people bidding on grease are going around in Spokane. One of my restaurants now has this threatening sticker on the barrel, looks like I'm not going here again.



There are now three big companies who more or less own the Spokane market:

Baker Commodities - Supposedly ships all the grease to California
Greasespot - Supposedly ships all their oil to Seattle for biodiesel
Bartlett Greasecar - intends to sell biodiesel locally here in Spokane and intends to take a big chunk out of Baker and Greasespot

Then there are the greasecars and homebrew biodiesel folks here in Spokane, since most don't advertise they are doing it, it could be a few hundred home brewers and greasecars here.

Ongoing power consumption monitoring using Kill-A-Watt meter

In our house I'm found the following phantom loads, or energy leaks, meaning these things are not "on", just plugged in:

Microwave - 1 watts average - 8736 watts per year or 8.7 Kilowatts
TV-VCR-DVD combination - 13 watts average - 113880 per year or 114 kW
Garage opener - 5 watts average - 44 kW year
Stereo system - 5 watts - 44 kW
Computer/LCD/peripherals combination (downstairs) - 28 watts - 245 kW
Computer/printer/lcd combination (upstairs) - 9 watts -79 kW
Sprinkler system (in standby) - 3 watts - 26 kW

Still looking for more, but by turning the above energy drains off, we are saving 560 kW per year just in phantom loads, times our current rate 6 cents (includes the fees) in Spokane which is cheap compared to other parts of this country. This is a total of 33 dollars per year.

To avoid these leaks, combo things were put on power strips, and turned off when not in use, microwave/sprinkler just get unplugged when not in use, and the cable router/wireless boxes are put on timers. Fridge got coils cleaned as well, see tutorial link below.

Ideas for saving energy (more added soon):

- Loose 10 percent off your power bill by cleaning the refrigerator coils:
- caulk air leaks around windows, blow extra insulation in attic, basement etc.
- replace leaking weather/jam strips on doors
- wrap water heater and pipes in 6" fiberglass insulation
- install water heater timer if you have electric water heat (if possible), you can also simply turn down the heat in the water heater, by using a screwdriver and checking the manual.
- put all electronics on switched outlets or switched power strips
- change all lights to CFL's
- Turn lights off as you leave a room, only use regular bulbs in things like pantries where you need it on and off for a few seconds as apparently most CFL's don't like on/off cycling much.
- Use a small toaster oven to cook or warm up small foods rather than the big oven.
- Use an electric steamer rather than the stove.
- Eat produce food cold, you're eating closer to the source/sun that way as well.
- Dry clothes on a clothes line.
- Keep the big PC off until you need to use it, turn on the hybernation feature in your computers, if you are leaving them on for a while. Most keyboards also have a sleep button. Our system goes from consuming 70 watts to consuming 10 watts with the hybernation feature.
- Put on a sweater and have a hot beverage instead of turning on or up the heat.
- Compare costs on various heating methods, clearly geothermal is the winner in this list.
http://www.inlandpower.com/pdf/CostComparison.pdf You can also install a wood burning/pellet stove to heat your house with renewable energy wood or pellets. Heat rises so have it on the lowest level.
- Use an electric kettle to heat up water, rather than the stove burner.
- T V, PC, Dryer, Fridge, and Stove use the most, so limit these and you will save money.

More tips:
http://hes.lbl.gov/hes/makingithappen/tips.html