Quote:
Originally Posted by bornincali
Panapolic: Yeah Seattle can be a bit chilly due to the fog cover. ... I'm sure solar panels and passive solar heating don't work very well in places without much sun to begin with!
If we add growing food to the equation I think that drops the favorability of deserts somewhat due to likelihood of having to cool a greenhouse. I recall a lot of work being done in Colorado-which is nuts as it is very cold there!
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really... I did nearly 30 yrs in each place We_tern WA and Colorado.
1) I have had < 10 days of fog in 30 yrs in WA
2) I rode my bicycle to work everyday except 3, the last yr I lived in Colorado.
I did Master Gardener program and was a commercial grower and built solar homes in each state.
Hands down, I would choose WA for 'green living' Largely due to Sub's comment (Water availability). I get 120" of drizzle due to my elevation (high on west side of Cascades). 16 miles away, my nearest city gets 47",
WA has Year-round gardening and HUGE production. (In Colorado we got 8-10 bushels of wheat / acre (when we didn't get hailed out). in WA we get 80+, never seen hail@ harvest (tho it could happen)).
My WA field grass is over 7' tall by july, Colorado tops at 18"
You can grow about anything! and lots of it! (Salmon is $3/#, wild berries are FREE for the picking)
I can grow my 14' tall Christmas tree in 5 yrs (digging seedling from ditchbank / county right-of-way (free trees, I have transplanted thousands of them) County has to mow / destroy them anyway.
(I watered my Colorado trees daily for 15 yrs... many died, few ever got to 20')
Cool summers (I have used my AC 2x in 23 yrs (had visitors that were escaping TX, so I blessed them with some COOL (cuz it was hot when they came). Often 50F nights, so we use a whole house fan and cool down the house from 2-6AM. We also use basements for convection / natural cool / warmth.
I get 40% of my heat from passive solar (in a drizzle / dark climate)
There is a LOT of solar / alternative energy in WA (Many great legislated benefits to produce and sell power (at RETAIL prices!!!)) 134 solar companies in WA.
Solar Washington | Advancing Solar Energy in Washington State
Incentives and Credits
Washington Solar | SEIA
the PNW is huge into 'Green'... recycle / reuse / conservation, thus...
it is ez to be green in the EVERGREEN State
Colorado is EZ to build passive and active solar homes, BUT... climate / WATER Crisis / CROWDING (sprawl) / political battleground / many angry people with guns / immigrants changing value set and legislation is all very tough on quality of life. There is a LOT of pressure on recreation sites and MORE on water rights. Very tough for AG. You fight crowds to get anywhere, then you fight crowds when you arrive. Finally you sit in traffic to get HOME! (typical ski trip / summer camping / wood cutting / hiking) (Hint: Colorado is not all MTNS! (though quite a few), EVERYONE wants to go there... only so much S-P-A-C-E.
NM has more SPACE and nice mtns, but water issues too. MUCH better choice than CO for 'green-living'
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