9 Days of Green: Repair & Maintain

"They don't make them like they used to."

How many times have you heard this phrase, let along said it. I tend to think a lot of my green ideas are abstract and this one is no different. If something is broke fix it.

This opinion was developed over my time as a manufacturing engineer and as a amateur bicycle mechanic. Repair stuff that is broken and maintain what is not. You want some of your home bills to stay down, maintain you HVAC system. Old or new these systems run more efficiently with clean filters, fans, and sensors. Have an old car that runs well, try adding synthetic motor oil with the next oil change, you may be surprised what your gas mileage is afterward. Bicycles can run and run as long as they are cleaned every year. Heck your home has probably needed an update here or there, did you throw your home away or did you get that new roof, added insulation, or paved driveway.

It is really simple and probably an afterthought that we need to repair things when they break down. I know that after moving into this house my washing machine and garage door opener failed on me. Myself or my girlfriend was ready to purchase something new, thankfully we didn't because a couple of trips to the parts center and some elbow grease later, we had everything up and working. By keeping what we have running, working, and used, it is one less thing to throw away fill up a landfill, or use energy to melt down, not to mention all of the resources and energy to produce a new product.

Electronics are probably my most hated product in terms of maintenance and repair. Most electronics are not very repairable, can require a significant understanding of circuits, can become obsolete rather quickly, and may have the worst warranties in the business. I wouldn't know what to tell you to do with them other than use them as long as you can before your needs change or the machine dies. I know a lot of people know how to repair old radio tuners and kitchen electronics, but the ratio of those compared to the number of tossed equipment definitely isn't favorable.

When faced with the dreaded repair versus buy new arguments, think of it this way. First, what will the life of my product be if I do this repair? Second, what will be the total cost of purchasing and using the new equipment? Then, compare the results. My dad kept cars way past their prime, his reasoning was sure this repair costs a lot but it is cheaper than car payment. I always thought that was a good argument. Realize too that simply maintaining equipment constantly will keep things running longer than you would ever think is really possible. Whether it is a repair or simple maintenance, continued usage of your old stuff can keep numerous other materials and resources safe from harming the environment.

Pictures of the Prize

I wanted to add some pictures of what you are working for:










(Click on the pictures for high resolution)

I also wanted to add some more information about the Arc Organization whom sponsors the makers of this bag, from their website:

"The Arc is the world’s largest community based organization of and for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It provides an array of services and support for families and individuals and includes over 140,000 members affiliated through more than 780 state and local chapters across the nation. The Arc is devoted to promoting and improving supports and services for all people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Local chapters of The Arc come in every shape, form and size – from small voluntary groups to large and sophisticated multi-million dollar organizations. To maintain a strong and cohesive movement, The Arc’s network of chapters share a common thread – our core values. We invite you to get to know The Arc by meeting a chapter near you (click here for our chapter locater)

The Arc’s vision is that every individual and family affected by intellectual disability in the United States has access to the information, advocacy, and skills they need to participate as active citizens of our democracy and active members of their community. We work to ensure that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families have the supports they need to live an ordinary, decent American life:

* People with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families are valued, respected and included in all communities.
* People with intellectual and developmental disabilities direct their own lives. People choose their services and supports from many available sources.
* People are empowered through nonprofit advocacy. State and federal governments administer programs and set budgets that meet everyone’s needs.

The Arc is a tax-exempt nonprofit organization governed by a volunteer board of directors."

9 Days of Green: Reuse 2.0

(Day one of the ReJAVAnate Bag contest, first topic is a new old one of mine here at Dyslexic Research, Reuse. Comment to enter. Everyone but Grant and myself are eligible.)

While waiting in Manila for a flight to Dumaguete, I flipped through a current Dwell Magazine. This issue was about the popular topic of green building / sustainability and one article in particular sparked my thoughts about what is the most green thing one can do with building or buying anything. The article was about someone’s modern expansion and makeover of a home with new green, recycled, processed, and organic materials and its design process. It’s a very beautiful home but I can’t help think about all of the energy used to make these new recycled panels, parts, and materials, not to mention of the fuel needed to power the equipment used to build the house. Sure they utilized biodiesel fueled trucks, processed hay, denim insulation, special insulating windows, solar panels, and low-VOC paint but what if first they took a trip down to the local recycled materials store (KC Restore, etc) first for windows, doors, sinks, wood, flooring, and tubs.

Reusing what isn’t “new” is the best way to keep trash out of dumps and not use time, money, and energy to produce a product. This obsession with “new” is what is truly wrong with the American lifestyle. We all are obsessed with “new”, you suffer from it, and I suffer from it. If we all just stopped at the thrift store first for some clothes, not all, but some, it would reduce some of that time, money, and energy needed to produce new clothes. Just being satisfied with the furniture we have or with the current layout of our kitchen, should be considered just as green, if not more so than some LEED’s certified property built from the ground up. Okay truly if we have to build something new, then using and investing in these new recyclable or more sustainable materials is great and needed, but not reusing older, perfectly fine materials and goods is just reckless, snobby, and wasteful.

Go back just 100 to 200 years ago to America and farmers would use as much wood as they could from the old barn to build the new barn, the old bath tub in the old house would get transferred over the to the new house, the old sink was the new sink, and on and on. The products were typically more robust then, usually made to last a little better than our current throw away society.

Somewhere in Americana, we all started to want “new” and more “new”, and in order to afford the variety of more “new”, we needed cheaper and cheaper stuff. First came the old Sears and Roebucks and then came out Wal-Marts, providing us with all of the crap we wanted as cheap as it can get. At one time the little closets in the old houses Americans owned fit all of the clothes that a person held, all of them. Now we need so much stuff that huge closets and rooms are needed to pack all that crap in. More stuff, more crap, more space, and it all has to be “new”, that is the problem (somewhere I hope George Carlin is smiling). Enjoying what we have, or reusing someone else’s perfectly good stuff, is the best, most green solution. Magazines may never write about it, media may never promote it, but there really is just no better thing to help the green movement than to reuse.

Articles of the Week: Baldor Bounces

I still like this company and it's latest earnings may help get my portfolio back on track. It may be a little late to get in at this point but this stock tends to fall until the quarterlies are reported, so you may want to keep an eye on it. If you need a little refresher on the company, here are the plus/minuses:

Plus:

• High effeciency, US made motor. The brand that everyone starts with when purchasing new motors.
• Consistant purchased product no matter what the economy.
• Metal prices have dropped while motor prices have stayed consistant.
• Future looks bright as they already make the highest efficiency electric motors and have recieved help with the US gov't to make the next iteration of the product.
• Begun some China production to support that market. (US production supports the US and Europe).
• Has consistantly beaten market expectations for at least 2 years.
• I absolutely think this stock will take off when either the economy turns around and/or real funding is released for green/smart energy occurs.

Minus:

• Carry quite a load of debt but doing extremely well at paying it down. This is the biggest risk of the company.
• Sales have fallen, but not as drastic as most industries.

The Articles:

Baldor Electric Company Announces First Quarter 2009 Results

UPDATE 1-Baldor Q1 profit tops Street; warns of difficult Q2

Remix: Recycle or Reuse Bags?

After my post on cheapo reusable bags this past week I received an email from a company that I can definitely put some support behind. I only know what was sent to me in the email and what I found on their website, but ReJAVAnate to me looks like a company that we all should look to strive for. They take the leftover burlap sacks from coffee bean transportation and remake / reuse them for various sized hand carry bags. Best of all they are partnered with ARC to utilize developmentally disabled labor for product production. Oh and the price is great as well(from $6.50 to $9.50 each). I love it.

From the email that Douglas Farquhar, Director of Business Development, sent me:

"1). We take burlap from coffee roasters that would be otherwise sent to landfill,
2). Work with The ARC which serves individuals with developmental disabilities to hand make the bags,
3). A better way for individuals and organizations who want to make a statement about reducing paper and plastic bag consumption."

"I think you will find the ReJAVAnate story is one of the most compelling sustainability stories you will find - our material, who makes the bags and where they are made and that the bags are completely biodegradable – much better than the usual reusable bags made from polypropylene in China!"

At one time in my life I worked in a machine shop where we ordered safety glasses and push brooms from ARC related companies. The brooms were the highest quality brooms I have ever used (and I did a lot of sweeping), and the safety glasses comparable to anything else out in the industry. If these bags are anything like my past experience, then I wholeheartedly back ReJAVAnate.

That being said to help in my own little way, what with my ones and ones of readers and all, I have added a new link bubble over on the right for supported businesses. Head over to their website and check it out.

http://rejavanate.com/

Recycle or Reuse Bags?

My latest work thing involves a plastic bag recycling plant. Now, Grant and I had a discussion about this at a BBQ I had several weeks back and it is funny that it comes up at work. Basically, Grant and I agreed that this whole reusable bag idea isn’t the sunshine, happy day sort of program that it is presented as.

Now I am not against it per say, after all I am a green head, but these cheap a$$ bags they sell for this are well cheap a$$. They don’t hold up, they tear up, so then the user buys more when their bag fails, thus continuing the cycle. Most of those “reusable” bags cannot be recycled. They are made of cheap materials, poorly sown, and the production needed to produce these things vs. plastic can’t be equitable. My point is this, if you are truly into this movement, then go buy those heavy duty LL Bean or Eddie Bauer canvas bags that are big, repairable, and will last. Or simply use those evil plastic bags and recycle them back at the grocery store when you are done, or use them as liners for your bathroom trashcan or your car. That makes sense and isn’t wasteful. Check this website out as well, it may change your mind.

All this being said, you would be amazed at the amount of crap that can be recycled now a days. Take a trip down to your local recycling center (www.recyclespot.org in KC), and blow your mind.

A word on modern manufacturing

So after writing my article on the problems of America’s “new” obsession, I realized that there is a lot of good things that come from new products. No I’m not talking about these so called green products but just our everyday stuff. To build more stuff and make it cheap, well you can export the processes to someplace where the labor is cheap, but eventually the manufacturing process will get better. Think about it, we use more wood from a log than we ever have before. 2x4’s, plywood, and MDF can all be made from that one log and in a lot of ways is better than the materials we were making the past. 60% to 80% of most steel and aluminum materials are from recycled metal. It is cheaper and easier to melt the recycled metal than it is to work over the raw ore. Leather is laser cut now so that more of it can be used on more stuff. I doubt any of those things are taken into account into all of this new green talk, but higher efficiency and doing more with less energy is always good.

As an engineer in a factory, and as I’m sure most engineers in most factories, I try to reuse / retool old equipment, improve processes, and recycle what isn’t usable as much as I can. It is a required part of my job to be cost conscious and make the factory work at its highest efficiency. So all of the new stuff that is made is typically made in the most green way that it could be.

One last thought, higher efficiency equipment and recycled goods would not be made without an economy demanding and then purchasing them.. So “new” isn’t all bad, it can be a pretty good proponent of green as well.

#1 way to “help” the green movement: Reuse

(This is one of the articles I wrote while on vacation last week, so I am no longer in the Philippines even thought I am referring to it. I am excited about what I wrote over there and should have a new update everyday this week, so come back daily)

While waiting in Manila for a flight to Dumaguete, I have been reading the latest Dwell Magazine. This issue is about the popular topic of green building / sustainability and one article in particular sparked my thoughts about what is the most green thing one can do with building or buying anything. The article, about someone’s modern expansion and makeover of a home with new green, recycled, processed, and organic materials and its design process. It’s a very beautiful home but I can’t help think about all of the energy used to make these new recycled panels, parts, and materials, not to mention of the fuel needed to power the equipment used to build the house. Sure they utilized biodiesel fueled trucks, processed hay, denim insulation, special insulating windows, solar panels, and low-VOC paint but what if first they took a trip down to the local recycled materials store (KC Restore, etc) first for windows, doors, sinks, wood, flooring, and tubs. Reusing what isn’t “new” is the best way to keep trash out of dumps and not use time, money, and energy to produce a product. This obsession with “new” is what is truly wrong with the American lifestyle. We all are obsessed with “new”, you suffer from it, and I suffer from it. If we all just stopped at the thrift store first for some clothes, not all, but some, it would reduce some of that time, money, and energy needed to produce new clothes. Just being satisfied with the furniture we have or with the current layout of our kitchen, should be considered just as green, if not more so than some LEED’s certified property built from the ground up. Okay truly if we have to build something new, then using and investing in these new recyclable or more sustainable materials is great and needed, but not reusing older, perfectly fine materials and goods is just reckless, snobby, and wasteful.

Go back just 100 to 200 years ago to America and farmers would use as much wood as they could from the old barn to build the new barn, the old bath tub in the old house would get transferred over the to the new house, the old sink was the new sink, and on and on. The products were typically more robust then, usually made to last a little better than our current throw away society. Somewhere in Americana, we all started to want “new” and more “new”, and in order to afford the variety of more “new”, we needed cheaper and cheaper stuff. First came the old Sears and Roebucks and then came out Wal-Marts, providing us with all of the crap we want as cheap as it can get. At one time the little closets in the old houses Americans owned fit all of the clothes that a person held, all of them. Now we need so much stuff that huge closets and rooms are needed to pack all that crap in. More stuff, more crap, more space, and it all has to be “new”, that is the problem. Enjoying what we have, or reusing someone else’s perfectly good stuff, is the best, most green solution. Magazines may never write about it, media may never promote it, but there really is just no better thing to help the green movement than to reuse.

Further signs of green energy push.

I was reading my favorite alternative energy and technology blog, the Green Wombat, and found out another strong indicator that there is definitely money to be made in greenville.

From the Green Wombat article on December 18th, 2007, PG&E signs nation's first wave-energy deal: "Like the Golden State's other big investor-owned utilities -- Southern California Edison (EIX) and San Diego Gas & Electric (SRE) -- PG&E (PCG) must obtain 20 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2010 and 33 percent by 2020."

That's a huge percentage of energy that will have to come from somewhere. From the articles I have found, it would seem that wind farms are growing in the Great Plains, Midwest, and Southwest areas, solar developments in Arizona, California, and Nevada, and it sounds like the beginnings of wave farms off the coasts of California and Oregon. This looks like it is a real trend, not just wild ideas. Where there are new trends there is money to be made.

If this trend continues look for greener pastures for the solar companies and wind companies, which are becoming more and more mature each passing day. These wave farms are really in their infancy (in other words, the technology is still being perfected) but really may prove to be something good in the future. Also worth noting, is that neither solar or wind energy solutions can "store" their respective fuels or energy where as coal, gas, oil, and nuclear can. So look for a lot more money to be made with battery makers and electronic part and control suppliers like ROK and ULBI as well.

Good luck…

The best bet on the green movement: PBD ($30-$32 per share)

Let’s get this out of the way, I am a green-loving, bleeding-heart environmentalist, but I am also a logical, data-oriented, high-efficiency manufacturing engineer. Yes, you can be both. I guess what I am saying is that I am all for green initiatives but not at the cost of being stupid.

That being said I want to lie out what I think is currently the best play in the green stock world or rather the ETF world: PBD. PowerShares Global Clean Energy Portfolio (PBD) is made up of the best companies producing and utilizing clean technologies around the globe. This ETF when compared to the other ETF’s of it’s kind is supped up with the best green energy companies available, which not surprisingly are located outside of the US. Besides making you feel good about it containing a diversified group of clean companies, this is a good hedge against both surging oil and utilities prices, and since 70% of its holdings are based outside the US, this ETF is also a good hedge against the falling dollar.

The clean energy industry has seen some recent stock growth in the US from almost every manufacturer in the solar industry. FSLR, STP, SPWR, JASO, and more have all seen rapid growth as people trend towards more renewable energy sources. Alternatively, that is only one sector of green technologies, there are other great companies out there in hydro tech, geothermal energy, biomass, biofuels, rechargable batteries, wind energy, and more that will all start to experience a growth period. Expanding on that last technology, wind will have everybit as much market penitration as solar energy, as sunny areas of the world are not necessarily windy and vice versa. Currently the best wind power companies, other than GE*, are located outside of the US but are well represented in here (PBD). Wind power, not surprisingly, is catching on in windy states like California, Texas, and Iowa and are on the brink to really take off in Kansas and Minnesota. There is also some development in new production facilities of these foreign companies in the US, which is a sign for the expected orders to come. Here is a sample article that I have been finding on such occurances.


Let’s take a quick look at the top 10 stocks held in the ETF:

Weight
Name
More Information

3.41%
JA Solar Holdings Co. Ltd. (ADS)
China based Solar company recently rated as Buy by Piper Jaffrey and Zacks. Has long-term silicone supplier deal.

3.03%
Vestas Wind Systems A/S
Denmark based, premier wind turbine manufacturer recently reporting 500% profit increase year ($68.9 mil) over year ($13.5 mil) and 18% increase in sales.

3.01%
First Solar Inc.
US based solar company with Google like stock earnings due to its reliance on cadmium telluride instead of silicone for panels. Its most recent strategic move was to buy Turner Renewable Energy, a noted US based solar power installer. This allows for the company to sell whole packages to potential large-scale buyers.

2.71%
REpower Systems AG
German based wind turbine manufacturer that currently holds 10% of the German marketplace. Building a promising 5 megawatts wind turbine, one of the largest in the world.

2.69%
Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. (ADS)
China based solar company that is extremely value conscious of their product. Has recently signed a long-term silicon contract with HOKU. This company is doing its best to keep prices down and deliver a high quality product (2nd most efficient PV panels).

2.66%
Acciona S.A.
A Spanish mega company specializing in everything alternative including wind, solar, hydro, biomass, and more. Recently began building a new wind turbine plant in Iowa to better serve new US business.

2.65%
Yingli Green Energy Holding Co. Ltd. (ADS)
China based solar manufacturer and installer. Another company capable of doing a complete solar install from production to installation. Has had a recent stock-funding event in order to raise $100 mil for further manufacturing and business initiatives.

2.58%
Gamesa Corporacion Tecnologica S.A.
Spain based wind and solar producer and integrator that has seen a 52.5% 1-yr sales growth

2.45%
Nordex AG
German based wind turbine manufacturer that has seen a net income increase of $5 bil to $18.5 bil year over year.

2.49%
Scottish & Southern Energy PLC
UK based major utility provider doing its part in construction and utilization of wind farms and solar facilities. Encourages its users to build renewable energy sources into their homes and businesses


To me the trend is in its growing stages and it seems that all renewables are experiencing considerable growth. This stock is picking the best of the best around the world and should be seen as the safest bet to ride this wave. Low management fees of 0.75% of total ETF price (high for ETF’s but still low compared to mutual funds, trades in multiple markets too) helps as well.

Lastly, some friends of mine have noted that nuclear is a possible alternative as a major energy supplier in the US instead of coal, solar, wind, and the rest. I have only one rebuttal is that nuclear is being discussed and solar and wind power are being approved. I think we are truly at the tip of the green revolution and there is definitely money to be made. Just hope the US tax incentives don’t stop anytime soon.



* GE is a great company figuring out many different alternative technologies, but because their brand covers such a diversified group of products, it currently is not a great alternative energy play.