It’s important to do what we can to help the environment. It’s not always easy to know how we should. Should we drive hybrid cars? There are reasons to argue they’re no better for the environment in the long run than normal cars. It’s not a clear cut thing either way. Quite often a lot of things we accept as being decidedly environmental have nagging doubts and downsides. There are ways to use renewable energy though. Even if you live in a small home in Hyannis, MA you can make moves to improve your ecological impact.
Geothermal heating is a system of heating air by pumping it below the earth’s surface where it picks up heat from the earth itself. It is most effective near tectonic plate boundaries because there is greater heat there. But even away from boundaries the air is usually heated to 55-65 degrees.
That won’t make your house a toasty environment, but it will help regulate your house’s temperature to a great deal. It’s worth noting that in the summer the air will be cooler underground than above. This means you can use the same system to warm your house in the winter and to cool your house in the summer.
The pumps to move the air up and down do use electricity of course. If you’re worried that since you use electricity to run the pumps that you’re not doing much for renewable energy the thing to keep in mind is that there is no perfect solution, but it’s a considerable step forward. Considering the options it’s clear to see why.
Oil heating is expensive and terrible for the environment. Gas is a bit cleaner and cheaper but not a massive improvement. Electrical heating is expensive and inefficient. In the end geothermal heating is one of the better options. Solar would be a consideration, but considering the sun is most effective in the summer it’s better used as a means to heat the water in a house, than to attempt to heat the house in the winter. When all is said and done, geothermal energy probably the best option for heating a house. If you’re interested in shifting yourself to renewable energy sources, it’s worth investigating your local options. Despite the assumption that all of Cape Cod, including Hyannis, MA is a small vacation village of rich summer people and salty locals, the truth is there are options for high tech and ecological heating and cooling companies. See who’s local and can assist you with moving towards renewable energy sources. It’s hard to be perfect but you can do better.
