For the Media
PRESS RELEASE
September 1, 2003
For Immediate Release:
For more information contact Alice Blackmer, publicity director
802-295-6300 Ext. 106 or blackmer@chelseagreen.com
www.chelsegreen.com
New book shows homeowners how to protect their homes from blackouts, grid
failure, high oil prices by presenting a wide range of renewable home heating
strategies.
With oil prices on the rise and turmoil in the Middle East, it’s easy
to see how our current dependence on fossil fuels leaves us in a very precarious
position. We rely so heavily on non-renewable resources like coal, oil, and
natural gas, that a shift in politics or the environment could spell disaster
for our high-consumption way of life.
Consider: 5.5 billion gallon of #2 fuel oil will be used in the Northeast this
winter. That’s 80% of the total used in the US. 95% of American homes
are heated with fossil fuels, and heating costs could double or even triple
in the event of a severe fuel crisis. It’s time to reevaluate the way
we heat the buildings we live in, and Greg Pahl, an authority on alternative
energy for more than 20 years, has come to the rescue with a comprehensive guide
to renewable energy options. Natural Home Heating: The Complete Guide to Renewable
Energy Options, will be published this October by Chelsea Green of White River
Junction, Vermont.
A valuable resource for those seeking to build a new energy-efficient home,
or for those retrofitting an existing heating system, Pahl explains the ins
and outs of all renewable home-heating options. He describes active and passive
systems for harvesting energy from the oldest renewable resource- the sun, as
well as guidelines for using wood stoves and masonry heaters, biomass products
like corn and pellets, and geothermal heat pumps. While there are a few books
on the market that discuss individual strategies (woodstoves, masonry heaters,
etc.), there are none that discuss all of the options availableæsolar,
wood, pellets, corn, biodiesel, geothermalæmaking this title unique and
timely.
Pahl’s extensive knowledge and research will assist homeowners in selecting
the home heating system that best fits their needs, highlighting the costs,
advantages, disadvantages, and technological developments of each option. The
mission of Natural Home Heating is to give readers “the information that
you need to make intelligent, informed decisions about your renewable home heating
options” while minimizing environmental and financial impact.
“The use of fossil fuels and electricity accounts for about 95 percent
of home heating in the United States,” Pahl says. “And when you
consider that fossil fuels and nuclear energy combined account for 91 percent
of electrical generation in this country, you begin to understand just how unsustainable
our nation’s heating practices are. Frankly, I was shocked by these statistics.”
Finally, there is a book that makes it easy to end dependence on unreliable
fossil fuels, all while saving money and helping the earth.
DEAR EDITOR
Dear Editor/Reviewer
America’s reliance on fossil fuels has reached a level that is frankly
quite scary. Rising fuel prices and turmoil in the Middle East make our oil
dependence a dangerous addiction, and our excessive use of these fuels is a
great contributor to global warming and a wide range of health concerns.
At a time like this, people want to know what they can do to make their lives
safer, stable, and more secure. What can the average homeowner do to help wean
this country from its oil addiction? Greg Pahl has the answer.
One of the best ways to decrease fossil fuel consumption is to alter the way
we heat our homes. 95% of American homes are currently heated with fossil fuels,
but with the help of alternative energy expert Pahl, we can learn to use efficient,
renewable resources to keep warm.
Pahl describes all of the available home-heating options in an easy-to-follow
manner in Natural Home Heating, from Chelsea Green Publishing. Whether you’re
looking to build a new energy-efficient home, or to retrofit your existing heating
system, you’ll find extensive information and clear explanations. He describes
active and passive systems for harvesting solar energy, as well as guidelines
for using wood stoves and masonry heaters, biomass products like corn and pellets,
and geothermal heat pumps.
In addition to their environmental benefits, the alternative methods in this
book will show readers how to make their home heating system more efficient
and cost-effective, saving them money in the long run. With renewable energy,
everyone wins, there’s never been an easier, more readable guide to doing
your part than Greg Pahl’s Natural Home Heating.
So if you’d like to bask in the warmth from your efficient wood stove,
enjoying the satisfaction that you’re helping create a more secure future
for your grandchildren, then pick up Natural Home Heating and start warming
up.
Warmly,
Alice Blackmer, Publicity
SAMPLE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS:
Natural Home Heating:
The Complete Guide to Renewable Energy Options
By Greg Pahl
Contact: Alice Blackmer Chelsea Green Publishing 802.295.6300 x 106 blackmer@chelseagreen.com
1. What is the oldest type of renewable home heating?
2. What types of renewable home heating options are available today?
3. What is the difference between an active and a passive solar heated
home?
4. What is the best renewable home heating strategy?
5. What are the main types of renewably fueled home heating appliances?
6. What is the key element that makes a home heating system renewable?
7. Are some renewable home heating strategies better suited for new home
construction rather than a renovation project?
8. How does a masonry heater work?
9. How does a corn-fired stove, furnace, or boiler work?
10. How does a heat pump work?
QUICK TIPS:
1. If you spend a lot of time on the floor of your home with your young children,
you might want to consider a radiant hydronic (hot water) floor system.
2. It is almost always cost-effective to spend more up front for a well-installed,
high-quality, high-efficiency heating system or appliance that will save you
money over the life of the system or appliance.
3. A masonry heater kit, which supplies the complicated internal components
(as well as instructions on how to assemble them), can be built by a competent
mason in considerably less time than would be required for a traditional, built-from-bricks
design.
4. If you want to burn wood, but are away from home frequently during the winter,
consider a pellet-fired boiler or furnace; some models only need to be refueled
every few days (or once a week on some models).
5. A heat pump can both heat and cool your home, an important feature in climates
that have both cold winters and hot summers.
FACTS AND STATISTICS:
1. The use of fossil fuels and electricity (which is generated mostly by burning
fossil fuels) accounts for about 95 percent of home heating in the United States.
2. Because of their reliance on fossil fuels, heating systems in the United
States emit one billion tons of carbon dioxide and substantial amounts of other
pollutants annually.
3. Enough solar energy strikes the Earth in an hour to power all human activities
for an entire year.
4. Biodiesel, a renewable diesel fuel substitute that can also be used as a
home heating fuel, is easily made through a simple chemical process from virtually
any vegetable oil, recycled cooking oil, or animal fats. If everyone in the
Northeast used just a 5 percent biodiesel blend, it could save 50 million gallons
of regular heating oil a year.
5. The 650,000 geothermal ground source heat pump systems presently installed
in this country equal 14 million barrels of crude oil saved per year.
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