Sandy sparks awareness for alternative energy in power outages.

With the devastation of Hurricane Sandy a few weeks ago, the importance of having power in harsh and unpredictable weather circumstances hit home quite literally for millions. Since then, demand for generators has continued to skyrocket.

“Certainly, this is a storm that has been somewhat unprecedented,” said Art Aiello, public relations specialist for Generac Power Systems. Headquartered in Wisconsin, Generac began bringing generators to homeowners back in 1959.

 Photograph courtesy of Art Aiello

“For us, the demand began the Thursday before Sandy hit,” Aiello revealed. “We’ve been shipping products around the clock.”

Both permanently installed automatic home backup and portable generators continue to make their way to the regions blasted hard by this now historic natural disaster.

“We were running three shifts at the distribution center beginning the weekend before Sandy, shipping out tens of thousands of generators and dozens of truckloads a day to the East Coast,” he said. “Now we’re actually looking at hiring and bringing people on board to help us deal with the residual demand that’s following Hurricane Sandy.”

Generac’s 300,000-square-foot manufacturing facility and 200,000-square-foot distribution site are located in Whitewater, Wisconsin and have been bustling this November.

“A severe storm like Sandy increases awareness, but generators are valuable for consumers simply because there are power outages every day,” he added. “Electricity is really no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. We’re a very connected society. Many people have cell phones as their primary phone and don’t have land lines anymore, so if they can’t charge their cell phones, there’s no way for them to reach out to their loved ones and friends.”

Those with medical equipment running on electricity, and medicines that need to be refrigerated, are another part of the population in a vulnerable situation when outages strike.

“There’s somewhat of a misconception about what’s available today,” Aiello said about the possibility of purchasing generators that are surprisingly affordable. “In terms of backup power systems, a lot of people don’t realize all the options that are out there.”

When deciding what size system to buy, Aiello recommended adding up watts of each item to be operated by the generator but also multiplying totals by 1.5 for those with motor start-ups, like refrigerators, to account for the extra power needed for that effort.

As a general guideline, Aiello also offered the formula “volts x amps = watts” in a case where watts aren’t already known with a certain appliance.

Through innovation in engineering, design, and efficiency, generator manufacturers can now offer variety in their product lineup; that means affordability is leaning more in favor of the common homeowner.

Many have learned firsthand just how crucial power is when outages stir through their communities not only from impacts like Hurricane Sandy but also the jarring ice storm that left many without electricity on Halloween in 2011.

The need to prepare for future electricity loss is real and something well worth considerable thought.

Drink up with reusable, filter-equipped water bottles.

While recycling is obviously a great environmental choice, another alternative to cases of bottled water is a reusable bottle water for everyone in the family. And when they come with a built-in filter, it's a plus.

A good number of companies are now producing these, but Brita also offers an easily accessible line-up, including kid-sized bottles to keep children healthily hydrated during the school day.

These are free of BPA (BPA is bisphenol A, an industrial-scale chemical known to be a part of plastics and resins beginning in the 1960s), and on top of that, they're dishwasher-safe. The larger ones account for saving up to 150 plastic bottles from being used when you sip from a reusable water bottle instead.

Solar Smarts Spring into Egg Harbor Township.

Stirred by an interest in going green, Khachatur Suchyan of Egg Harbor Township, NJ. chose to go solar not only to better the environment but to save money too.

Before his solar installation, Suchyan’s electric bill reached as high as $250 during the baking heat of the summer. In other months, he paid around $100.

“I had been thinking about going solar, and once I talked with GP.Energy,” mentioned Suchyan, “I said sure, why not.”

GP.Energy is a solar provider headquartered in Berwyn, Chester County, Pa. and specializes in bringing green alternatives to homeowners.

Suchyan’s recently finished project on his house roof consists of 17 solar panels in a 3.995 KW system.

When asked about his electric bills after going solar, Suchyan noted that his payments only dived downward. With his electric bills dropping by 80 percent in warmer months, he pays just $50 a month to his utility company while keeping cool each summer.

“I initially thought about buying a system, but now I am leasing, and it costs $0 out of my pocket,” Suchyan said about the no money down option he selected. “Having solar and going green is awesome.”

Now, he’s grateful to say goodbye to those record high electric bills.

“With solar on my rooftop, it is a double use for me; it is protecting my roof, and I’m actually providing my own electricity,” he said. 

Through his solar lease, Suchyan will be producing his own energy for the next 20 years at a locked-in rate instead of paying so much to his utility company each month. Plus, insurance and maintenance is included in the package. 

“The electric prices just went up, and I feel good having solar. I’m proud when my neighbors ask about it every time they notice the panels,” he said.

Suchyan is approaching both neighbors and friends, encouraging them to go solar to help protect the environment and recognize the cost-savings of this eco-friendly electricity choice.

“Everybody should get it,” he concluded. “It is much better for the environment and the economy.”