Perhaps the most pleasant economic savings can be derived from judicious and mindful planting of trees and shrubs. The value of traditional plantings serving as windbreaks is well known. Additionally, well-placed deciduous trees can shade a building during hot summer months yet allow warming sunshine to enter a building when warmth is needed in the winter. The summer shading feature of trees is particularly important for the following reason. Most homes are cooled with traditional window- or central- air conditioners using fractional horsepower single-phase electric motors and modern refrigerants (chlorofluorocarbons that are less potent greenhouse gases than their predecessors). The electro-mechanical efficiency of air conditioner components ranges from 35-50% based upon the electrical energy available at the plug. But that electricity is arriving at your building with an overall efficiency of about 30% based upon the energy content of the fuel going into the central electrical power plant. So, when the overall fuel cycle is considered, building air conditioning is about 10-20% efficient, on the basis of energy flow. Fortunately, humans feel a ‘cooling effect’ from simple air movement that increases evaporation from the skin. Most air conditioning rating systems incorporate this ‘cooling effect’, so their efficiency numbers do not appear quite so grim. However, when shade trees cool a house such that one unit of air conditioning energy is avoided, 5 to 10 units of primary energy are avoided at the power plant. This is not only an important economic savings to you, but also a very important environmental savings to the community.

Estimated Cost Savings:
Air conditioning in buildings represents 13-15% of your annual electricity budget, and a larger fraction during summer months. By reducing the amount of air conditioning required, shade trees directly affect your bottom line. The cost of quality shade trees ranges from a few dollars for a seedling to several hundred for a much larger tree. It�s a good idea to get at least an 8-10 foot high tree if possible. The sooner the tree grows shading capacity, the sooner you can enjoy savings. The amount of savings can vary widely due to local circumstances but typical savings are on the order of 10-20% of a summer electric bill. Similar savings from a windbreak will be realized in winter during the heating season.

Issues:
Consider planting several varieties of trees: some fast-growing species (such as ash or aspen) for quick shade and more durable, slower-growing and longer-lasting trees (such as maple or oak) that will eventually dominate. Shop around for the best warranty on trees. Many nurseries provide planting and care instructions and will offer a one-year replacement guarantee.

Regional Issues:
Plant varieties appropriate to your climate. Some species of trees grow more slowly than others so you need to get started as soon as planting season arrives.

Installation (Getting It Done):
Spring and fall are the best times to plant. Be sure to follow planting instructions and err on the side of digging too large a hole. Be sure to incorporate organic material in the planting soil and to stake trees to provide mechanical support. Mulch heavily and water thoroughly during summer dry spells.

Be sure to get bids from two or three (or more) nurseries and/or landscaping contractors if you choose not to plant the trees yourself. Multiple bids will allow you to gain immediate perspective on the true costs and value of trees in your area.

References:
Cooling Our Communities, A Guidebook on Tree Planting and Light-Colored Surfacing, US EPA 22P-2001, January, 1992.

More Information On This Topic:

U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy: Landscaping

U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Resource Conservation Service: Windbreaks

I read this article in the latest issue of Broker Agent News but realized that it’s for everyone, not just Realtors:

Do you ever wonder what is holding you back? Do you ever wonder what is stopping you from having all the clients, all the money, and all the transactions that you desire?

Chances are that you have all the skills and knowledge you need.

Have you ever said to yourself, “I know what I should be doing, I’m just not doing it.”?

That is a clear signal that you are being undermined by self limiting beliefs that may not even be conscious, such as:

“I’m not worthy of success”,
“It’s selfish to pray for money”,
“Rich people are dishonest”,
“I should just be happy with what I have and not want more”,
“I am a failure and not worthy of money.”

Let me give you an example from a client of mine:

Although his efforts to be successful were sincere, he had unknowingly been carrying around “anti-success” beliefs his whole life, such as:
“I don’t have what it takes”
“I can’t be successful like others”
“I have to settle for less”
“I have to struggle and sacrifice to make money”
“I’m not worthy of having money”

In our weekly sessions, it became clear that the origins of these self limiting beliefs went back quite a ways. A real breakthrough for him came during one of our sessions, when he recalled that as a child he tried extremely hard to get his parents approval.

Because his parents were not forthcoming with their approval, he concluded subconsciously that he was a “failure”, and that he did not deserve success.

This resulted in him never achieving the level of success he wanted, not getting the transactions that he deserved, and beating himself up continually with self “put downs”.

When he realized where all of this came from, he had the insight that his whole feeling of unworthiness was false. He further realized that it was not his fault that his parents did not approve of him, as they were withholding people.

He began to install Empowered beliefs such as:
“I am successful”
“I am worthy”
“I am generous with my approval for myself”

His assignment was to practice giving himself a generous amount of positive self talk everyday. In fact if he caught himself putting himself down, he resolved to intervene, interrupt the process and put in a positive new thought in its place, such as “I can do anything I set my mind to do.”

Once he began practicing his Empowered Beliefs, he could practice the Law of Attraction without the interference of counter intentions. Not surprisingly, his energy increased, as well as his clients and income.

His story illustrates the importance of identifying and reprogramming self limiting beliefs. 

HOST Development, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping first-time homebuyers, is demonstrating that green homes aren’t just for wealthy neighborhoods.  When they acquired 4 acres in the middle of Portland in 2006, group leaders knew they had a chance to raise the stakes.  HOST originally planned to build more than 50 homes and condos to LEED for Homes standards, but when the USGBC’s neighborhood development pilot came along, they took matters a step further, planning green infrastructure, efficient water usage and adding mass transit and an on-site ride-sharing program called Flexcar.  The first homes went on sale in January, and assistant project manager Devin Culbertson expects the community could be complete by year’s end.  “Energy savings and indoor air quality for healthier kids really resonate with people,” he says.

Note: I found the above interesting article in the April issue of “Angie’s List”, Portland Edition.