Hi Chip,
You wrote:
> And yes, for the record, I am not a big fan of 'payback costs'
> when it comes to passive vs utility consumption.
>
> When the power goes out, passive systems continue to work.
Some aspects of "payback" can be difficult to quantify or even anticipate.
Gardening:
Shovel $37 (US)
Rake ($26)
Pitchfork ($32)
Hoe ($30)
Small Hand Tools ($76)
Seeds/Plants $__, etc.
The experience of gardening; growing your own food: Priceless.
While one could argue that vegetable gardening is "profitable", what
about flower gardens? What about people who grow fruits and vegetables and
give most of them away w/o concern for "payback period"?
Some things that are simply joyful ... as in full of joy. We take joy
in doing them.. Some take joy in the little dollops of independence that we
feel by producing our own food or by getting off the grid. I wouldn't know
how to put a price on joy or independence.
It certainly is an "interesting refrigerator". When I see a creative
idea/design implemented by human hands it takes on the qualities of art.
Pouring a cold glass of milk from the "interesting refrigerator" .....
priceless.
Not so much to jump on the question re; payback period for the
refrigerator; it is a valid question. They did mention in the section "Solar
Electricity" that they would have had to pay $30,000 to run wiring to their
home. It might be that given their situation, the "interesting refrigerator"
made perfect economical sense as well; another example of appropriate
technology.
Thanks for the original post Kirk. I've been playing around with some
ideas for at least pre-heating water going to my boiler (heat & hot
water)using a solar collector and maybe even my woodstove, to lower the
amount of fuel I use.
Tom
----- Original Message -----
From: "Chip Mefford" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <sustainablelorgbiofuel@sustainablelists.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2008 8:01 AM
Subject: Re: [Biofuel] interesting refrigerator
> John Mullan wrote:
>> I've seen that before. Excellent idea. I wonder how much all that
>> copper, insulation, etc. would cost (for purpose of payback period)?
>
> When calculating the 'payback period' be sure to deduct (or add)
> the cost of a couple of medium term power outages, as folks all
> across the mid-west have seen over the last few winters.
>
> And yes, for the record, I am not a big fan of 'payback costs'
> when it comes to passive vs utility consumption.
>
> When the power goes out, passive systems continue to work.
>
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