RECYCLE: The Home Depot is now recycling CFL Bulbs

As you work through your remodel, you can now drop off old compact flourescent light (CFL) bulbs to The Home Depot for recycling while you are picking up new home products.

This free service is the first such offering made so widely available by a retailer in the United States and offers customers additional options for making environmentally conscious decisions from purchase to disposal.

At each Home Depot store, homeowners can simply bring in any expired, unbroken CFL bulbs, and give them to the store associate behind the returns desk. The bulbs will then be managed responsibly by an environmental management company who will coordinate CFL packaging, transportation and recycling to maximize safety and ensure environmental compliance.

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WATER HEATER: Velux delivers new solar water heater

Add Velux (the skylight company you find at The Home Depot) to the list of companies now offering Solar Water Heaters.  This week the company announced their plans to start offering the products that have been proven in Europe.

The company worked hard to ensure that the roof collectors aesthetically pleasing and to integrate well with rooflines while delivering exceptional energy collection capabilities. The units also integrate with VELUX roof windows. The collectors are certified by independent testing agencies in Europe (Solar Keymark) and in the United States (SRCC) and installers must have completed advanced training to assure reliable installations.

The cost of installed systems will vary depending upon the volume of heated water required in a home. Two to three rooftop solar collector panels will usually be installed and solar hot water holding tanks are available in 80- and 120-gallon sizes.

Tim Miller, President of VELUX America, says that federal tax credits can help pay 30 percent Read more

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TANKLESS: GE Introduces Tankless Gas Water Heaters

Yesterday GE announced their new line of tankless water heaters.  The products are available this month.  Here is what GE had to say in their announcement:

A hot shower. Few rituals bring as much pleasure as does standing beneath a warm spray. And few things can spoil that ritual as much as finding that the person who showered before you has used up every drop of hot water.

The new line of GE® tankless gas water heaters provides a continuous supply of hot water* when and where you need it. No more dipping the finger into the spray to see if the temperature is just right, or standing in a cold bathroom waiting for hot water that’s been drained from the tank.

Unlike conventional water tanks that heat and store hot water around the clock, GE’s tankless gas water heater only activates when you start to use hot water, and Read more

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AUDIO-VISUAL: Mitsubishi LaserVue television uses 50% less energy

Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America, Inc. has just announced additional details surrounding the performance and functionality of its LaserVue TV. With operating power targeted at under 200 watts, the LaserVue TVs are environmentally friendly, consuming approximately one-half the power of today’s LCD TVs, and one-third of plasma TVs.   If you read our past article on the most efficient 50″ plasma TVs then you’ll know that this is more than a 50% energy consumption savings for a large format television of this size - great news!

Mitsubishi says, LaserVue will be available in 65″ and 73″ models wi