My East coast GREEN friends. Please be safe and consider the following.

Current status:

*** Irene’s within hour hitting into the New York ***

Hurricane Irene photo via redeye_ji on Flickr

It’s been a busy week in media with the Virginia earthquake shaking the East Coast and the subsequent media freakout, the Tar Sands Action protests taking place at the White House, Steve Jobs stepping down as Apple CEO and many other things. Adding one more event to cover, there is now a Category 3 strength hurricane heading towards the East Coast and eventually New York.

With a number of our WhyGREENPower team (and readers) residing in and around Charlotte, New York, Washington, DC and elsewhere in the path of the storm, we’re keeping a close eye on Hurricane Irene. We don’t cover weather events like this often, but since we’ll be paying attention personally, we’ll be sharing some of our findings and questions here with you. If you have questions, photos, videos, links or info to share, post in the comments or on Twitter.  http://www.twitter.com/whygreenpower

Many updates below.

Credit: NOAA/NASA GOES ProjectOriginally published Thursday, August 25, 2011Governors Cuomo of New York and Christie of New Jersey have each declared a state of emergency in their respective states in anticipation of Hurricane Irene. Gov. Cuomo:

In this emergency I am activating all levels of state government to prepare for any situation that may be caused by Hurricane Irene. We are communicating with our federal and local partners to track the storm and to plan a coordinated response, and we will deploy resources as needed to the areas expected to be hit the hardest. I urge New Yorkers to personally prepare for hurricane conditions and to cooperate with emergency officials if needed. By working together, we will all be able to face this storm in a calm and organized manner.

According to the Daily News:

Governor Cuomo urges New Yorkers to take stock of their emergency supplies, such as water, non-perishable food, radios, batteries, supplies for any pets, and first aid kits. The Governor also encourages New Yorkers to check in with neighbors, especially the elderly or disabled, who might need assistance to ensure that their needs are met if emergency instructions are issued.

Whether you’re in New York or not, this is good advice for anyone. Checking on your neighbors is pretty much a crucial part of being a decent human being. So… go meet your neighbors now so it’s less awkward if you all end up stranded together for a few days.

UPDATE 1: Weather.com has a nice, interactive storm tracker tool. And even if you don’t live in the path of the storm, the tool is worth a look. Technology!

Image: Screenshot via Weather.com

UPDATE 2: Here’s a nice picture to scare the crap out of New Yorkers, while also giving you a good sense of the possible flooding areas that could be caused by a storm surge.

UPDATE 3: boingboing points us to this video of Hurricane Irene seen from space. Always a pleasure to see these shots.

UPDATE 4: Gov. McDonnel warns Virginians to prepare.

PREPARE A PERSONAL EVACUATION PLAN:

• Identify ahead of time where you could go if you are told to evacuate. Choose several places –a friend’s home in another town, a motel or a shelter. Consider advising your manager as to your evacuation plans.
• Keep handy the telephone numbers of these places as well as a road map of your locality.
• You may need to take alternative or unfamiliar routes if major roads are closed or clogged.
• Listen to NOAA Weather Radio or local radio or TV stations for evacuation instructions. If advised to evacuate, do so immediately.

TAKE THESE ITEMS WITH YOU WHEN EVACUATING:

• Prescription medications and medical supplies;
• Bedding and clothing, including sleeping bags and pillows
• Bottled water, battery-operated radio and extra batteries, first aid kit, flashlight
• Car keys and maps
• Documents, including driver’s license, Social Security card, proof of residence, insurance policies, wills, deeds, birth and marriage certificates, tax records, etc.
• First aid kit and essential medications
• Canned food and can opener.
• At least three gallons of water per person.
• Protective clothing, rainwear, and bedding or sleeping bags.
• Battery-powered radio, flashlights and extra batteries
• Special items for infants, elderly, or disabled family members.
• Written instructions on how to turn off electricity, gas and water if authorities advise you to do so. (Remember, you’ll need a professional to turn them back on.)

KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN A HURRICANE WATCH IS ISSUED:

• Listen to NOAA Weather Radio or local radio or TV stations for up-to-date storm information.
• Prepare to bring inside any outdoor furniture, decorations or anything that could be picked up by the wind and create a missile.
• Prepare to cover all windows of your home. If shutters have not been installed, use precut plywood as described above. Note: Tape does not prevent windows from breaking, so taping windows is not recommended.
• Fill your car’s gas tank.
• Recheck manufactured home tie-downs.
• Check batteries and stock up on canned food, first aid supplies, drinking water and medications.
• Clear clogged rain gutters. Hurricanes/tropical storms often bring torrential rain. Providing clear drainage will help prevent misdirected flooding.
• Make sure storage sheds, children’s playhouses or other outbuildings are securely anchored, either to a permanent foundation or with straps and ground anchors.
• Elevate articles in your basement that could be damaged from even minor flooding.
• Have a certain amount of cash available.If power is lost, ATMs may not be working.
• Make a record of your personal property.Keep an itemized list of your furniture, clothing and valuables to assist adjusters in case of a claim. Back it up with photographs or video.
• Protect your insurance policies and other important documents in a secure place like a safe deposit box or a watertight box. Many people back up important documents online.
• Learn where gas pilots and water mains are located and how to safely shut off all utilities.
• PREPARATION
• Purchase items for your home, office and car including: flashlights, batteries, AM/FM battery powered radio, rechargeable power failure lights, wind up or battery alarm clock, and light-sticks.
• Have a 72-hour emergency kit for each family member.
• Keep cash and change on hand. In power failures ATMs may not work nor will credit cards.
• Phones with answering machines and cordless phones are power dependent. Have at least one phone that does not require power in case you need to call 9-1-1. Keep your cell phone powered up.
• Familiarize yourself with your electrical panel in your home. You may have to turn off the main breaker or have to reset circuit breakers after an outage.
• If you use your fireplace for heat, be responsible! Don’t burn wood with paint or stain. Do not leave an open flame. Make sure you close your fireplace screen to prevent sparks from flying. Do not store newspapers, kindling, or matches near the fireplace
• Discourage the use of candles for lighting but if you must, place them on a fire proof surface.
• Make sure you have smoke detectors in appropriate rooms. Change the batteries regularly, preferably every 6 months, and test them monthly. If your smoke detectors are wired directly into the electrical system of your home they will not operate during a power failure unless the batteries are working. Special smoke detectors are available for people with hearing impairment.
• During the power outage, unplug all small appliances and electronics to avoid damage from power surge. Leave one low wattage incandescent light on so you know when the power comes back on.
• When power comes back on you may have to reset your clocks, microwave ovens, programmable thermostats, burglar and fire alarms.
• Plan ahead and know where you can purchase dry ice,  block ice, or FOOD.

Thank you & stay safe,

your friends at 

A little about us:

WhyGREENPower.org is on a quest to see how far we can push the limits of GREEN Power & technology on a residential home and we ask for your support.  We are a nonprofit & not trying to sell you anything.  We are simply trying to share what we learn about GREEN Power for all to leverage Help us get the word out?  At a minimum, if you wouldn’t mind “following”, forwarding & supporting WhyGREENPower.org on your favorite Social Network, that would be GREATLY appreciated!

What is this all about?:  WhyGREENPower.org shares GREEN alternative energy solutions like solar, wind and other technology to help towards independence from power bills & fuel costs… and even transportation costs.

Who?:  A group of industry GREEN experts have offered their assistance to show that GREEN Power is not onlygood for the earth, but your pocket book as well!

What?:  One of our first projects is to track the progress of one residential home for 12 months to see how far we can takeGREEN Power.  In the first month a savings of 41% was obtained on the first power bill. We will continue to track the progress and share what is learned along the way as we continue to make enhancements and leverage technology.  Did we mention the ROI including all incentives right now is less than 3 years.  Now it’s on to solve for the other 59%!  J

Are we selling anything?:  Simply. No.  Only advocating GREEN Power and sharing what we learn.

Up and coming GREEN!:  So you know about our quest to reduce the power bills.  What you might not know is this fall we will start a separate project to leverage the GREEN Power from the house to charge a electric vehicle (EV). Good bye  $4 dollars a gallon!  Stay tuned. Stay GREEN.

Have an idea?:  We would love to hear from you.  Have an idea for the a blog post? suggestions@WhyGREENPower.org

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Your friends at WhyGREENPower.org,

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PS – Did you know?:  The federal Tax Code (HR-1424) is offering, through 2016, a 30% Tax Credit on batteries, panels, wiring, and installation costs associated with a GREEN Power purchase.