Ceiling fans are the most effective of all circulating fans.

The air movement created by ceiling fans in a room is equivalent to a 4º-5ºF decreasing in indoor temperatures.

They produce intense circulation and draft, are particularly quiet, and only need the energy of a 100-watt light bulb to work – whereas an airconditioner can be somewhere between 3,000-6,500W each!  Think of the savings in running costs!

Here are some tips for when choosing a ceiling fan:

Size

Larger ceiling fans can move more air than smaller fans, but the size of a fan should reflect the size of the room.

44” – 52″ fans are particularly common, but they are too big in small rooms. They are a good option in medium or medium-large sized rooms (120-200 sq. foot).

For very small rooms (up to 75m2) consider a small fan: a 29-36” fan… Very large rooms may benefit from larger fans: 56″ blade sweep fans or two smaller fans.

Note: the size of a ceiling fan is measured by the diameter of the blade sweep.

Blade fans Size

In rooms with objects that shouldn’t be disturbed by the fan’s breeze, choose a larger blade fan with a lower velocity option: a large blade fan provides, with a lower velocity, the same cooling of a smaller one.

Noise

Before buying the fan, check its noise, if possible.  Wooden blades have been found to be quieter and therefore more suitable for bedrooms.

Ceiling Fan Motor

Most ceiling fans have 1) a direct-drive motor or 2) a friction-drive motor. Direct-drive models have fewer separated parts, last longer, and are quieter and more efficient. But they are also more expensive.

Ceiling Fans for bathrooms, patios or front porches

Fans can include features such as all-weather blades, moisture resistant motors or stainless steel and rust-resistant components.

If you want to place a ceiling fan in a humid location like bathrooms, purchase a damp rating fan. If you want to place a fan on a patio, a front porch or any other place where the fan may come into direct contact with water, also look for a wet rating fan.

Speed control and airflow direction

When shopping, prefer a fan with a speed control (the fan speed of modern fans are set with pull-chains, wall control switches, or remote control).

If purchasing controls separately, be sure to buy controls that match up with the number of speeds, maximum amps, etc.

Most ceiling fans also feature the ability to reverse the motor and airflow direction. Reversing airflow can help to push the warm air near the ceiling of high ceiling homes towards the floor, in winter, increasing the comfort.

Fans with lighting

Many ceiling fans come with a light kit, which may be integrated into the package or bought separately.

Modern light kit models involve diverse designs: armed stemmed designs (pointing toward the ceiling fan or toward the floor), bowl and shade lighting designs, and up-light designs (with the light kit sitting on top of the housing and pointing up toward the ceiling).

Price

Ceiling fans are rather inexpensive devices: prices between $200 – $300 for qualified ceiling fans are very common.

Be aware, anyway. A good ceiling fan should operate quietly and reliably, and a more expensive fan will probably offer more trouble-free operation.

Besides, more expensive ceiling fans may include crucial features as direct-drive and variable-speed motor, higher grade, and remote controls, which may be very important…

Finally..!  A forum where Strata’s can get relevant information that can assist them to become more sustainable.

Rebates and Government Programs tend to be geared towards individual households and businesses, leaving Owners Co-operations excluded.  Strata Committee’s often feel uncertain on how to proceed, and inaction leaves to rising electricity bills and frustration.

The practicalities  of retrofitting green solutions in existing communally owned buildings is still largely unexplored.   For many residents and their executive committees it is in the “too hard” basket, and suppliers of appropriate technologies and solutions are still few in number and experience with strata complexes.

Green Strata is a free resource that is funded by City of Sydney, and is a portal through which peoples experiences can be shared, therefore becoming a valuable resource for Strata.  There are already several Case Studies on the site, and we invite you to please contact them with any experiences of your own to share.

To add or comment on the site, you can contact the founder, Christine Bryne here.

Rhubarb Co-op aims to establish a retail outlet providing the Eastern suburbs with organic natural foods,groceries and household produce.  A‘one-stop-shop.’

Rhubarb will enhance the local community as a retail outlet that provides a not-for-profit business model.

• Competitively priced natural organic foods.
• Goods and produce sourced from local growers and fair trade suppliers.
• Bulk food options offering shopper choice, while reducing costs and waste.
• A vehicle for educating people in the enjoyment and benefits of natural foods and sustainable living options such as minimal packaging, carbon footprint reduction and recycling

How exciting!

Rhubarb is looking for individual and business groups interested in making financial contributions to assist the start up.   For further enquires or a copy of their current business plan please contact Rebecca Gouldhurst – Ph: 0415 304 369

Donations of $1,000+ will receive an annual 25% discount..!

Rhubarb is also looking for a suitable shop front in the Eastern Suburbs, so if you know of anything coming up that might be suitable, please also get in touch.

For more details see http://rhubarbfood.org.au/

The following E-book is filled with No Cost and Low Cost tips to saving energy at home… Enjoy!

Energy Saving Tips for Your Home – Free E-book

If you are a Mac user please use the following link instead – Mac: E-book

From the Team at Ecovise…

The Bokashi Bucket is the easiest way to compost – no hassles and no smells. Turn your kitchen waste in rich fertiliser easily with the Bokashi Bucket.

The Bokashi Bucket fits neatly under your sink to make indoor composting a breeze.

Why Use The Bokashi Bucket?

• No odours or smells.
• Makes composting easy – simply put the waste in the bucket with some Bokashi mix.
• Low maitenance – no upkeep needed like other composters.
• Fits neatly under your sink to be out of sight.
• Produces a highly nutrient rich liquid fertiliser.
• Stops your bin from smelling.
• Composts almost all organic matter including: meat, eggs and cooked food.

How To Use The Bokashi Bucket:

The Bokashi Bucket is easy to use with the 3-step process:

1. Place your waste into the bucket.
2. Mash the waste to remove air.
3. Sprinkle a hand full of the Bokashi mix over the waste.

It’s as easy as 1-2-3.

Repeat this layering process until the Bokashi Bucket is full.
Drain off liquid (Bokashi juice) as necessary. Once the bucket is full to capacity, the waste can be buried to completely bio-degrade.

Todae are offering free shipping until Monday 2nd August, so be quick!

Click here to get to the Todae On-line Store

Kylie Kwong, the doyenne of contemporary Chinese-Australian cuisine, is back from her food tour of Australia, armed with her new book:

It Tastes Better: over 100 new recipes using my favourite sustainable produce.

The book tells the story of Kylie’s own food heroes and the producers who supply her restaurant.

Hear her in a recent Radio National interview here.

Don’t forget Kylie also has started a stall at Eveleigh Markets near Redfern, every Saturday, serving up delicious treats.. go down & check it out!

With all this talk about a Tax on Carbon & CPRS, it’s easy to assume that carbon pollution element of electricity is all to blame for rising prices… however this isn’t at all the case.  While meeting Government Climate Change Targets (which are set low in comparison to many of our developed world counterparts) has a small part to play, the main reason is that we’ve out grown our grid!

Therefore the biggest cause of rising electricity prices is the high capital cost of increased investment in electricity networks – investment that is critical to guarantee supply reliability.  No one wants brown-outs!

Australia’s electricity generation is projected to grow by nearly 50 per cent between now and 2030 to meet growth in demand.

We simply cannot maintain supply reliability for households and businesses if we don’t invest in electricity supply infrastructure. That investment can be paid for only with higher electricity prices.  During the past three years, prices have risen by about 35 per cent. These price rises have nothing to do with the CPRS.

Network costs already make up about half the final electricity bill for households and small businesses in Australia.

These costs will come under further pressure as we confront the need to connect new renewable and gas generation regions to the existing electricity market and respond to more demanding technical and health and safety specifications, for example, to improve safety following the Victorian bushfires.

Source:  The Australian