Going Green on the Green

by Matt Reber, Real Energy User 

Yesterday I played in a golf fundraiser to raise money for a cause near and dear to my heart but completely irrelevant to energy conservation, so unfortunately none of the money raised will be going to any environmentally based non-profits.  What I do want to focus on is a spokeswoman that was waiting for my group on the 14^th hole.  She was a rep for a relatively new company in the golfing world named Dixon whose goal is to create an eco-friendly golf ball that is bio-degradable and 100% recyclable. Studies have shown that over 300,000,000 golf balls are discarded every year by golfers like you and I who are incapable of avoiding the trees, water, etc. so for Dixon to recognize this problem and create an innovative solution was groundbreaking.  Not only were they able to completely redevelop the materials used in creating a golf ball but the Dixon Earth, their top of the line ball, is said to have out-performed many of the leading competitors on the market, so for anyone who fancies themselves as a golfer, you cannot use performance as an excuse not to switch.  If this entire concept wasn’t good enough already, the website claims they will give you a discounted price on Dixon balls if you bring in old used balls to be recycled properly.  For those of you out there who aren’t into golf, I apologize for wasting your time on such a topic, but for those who dare to play the game, next time you need a dozen (or two) golf balls, consider Dixon.  Hit 'em straight. 


For More Information: www.dixongolf.com 

Real Life Energy Blog: Shedding Light

by Matt Reber, Real Energy User 

As we approach the 236^th birthday of this great country, let us look at how far we have come and be thankful for the daily amenities that we may take for granted.  

In science class you learn about Benjamin Franklin and his crafty key and kite experiment.  Later, you learn about Thomas Edison and his immeasurable contribution to science when he invented the incandescent light bulb: forever making electricity and lighting affordable for all.   

Fast forward to the year 2012, we have constant electricity and we are developing innovative ways in which we can conserve this energy that we have had for so long that we have become spoiled.   

While this steady current is something we have come to expect, the people of Lilongwe, Malawi are not so fortunate.  I bring up this tiny inland country in southeast Africa because I recently went to go visit my girlfriend there (for those who are curious as to why she is there, she works for a non profit who specializes in aids education).  Almost daily, there would come a moment when I would need electricity for one activity or another and come up empty handed. The hardest adjustment came at night when cooking in the dark became its own art form.  

I don’t bring up this reality to generate pity for the people of Lilongwe who have to deal with these power outages on a daily basis but to shed light (pun intended) on the privileges we as Americans sometimes don’t take the time to appreciate.   With that being said, I ask that we try to do our part to conserve however much or little we can because like anything in our lives, if we don’t appreciate it we eventually take it for granted.  

Happy Birthday America.