For one eco-friendly paint, it's apparently not so easy being green

"We didn't consider this. More and more, you make a decision that's good for the environment, but there are results that you don't expect. The cities will have to issue a (recycling) directive on this."—Mario Clermont, General Manager, Société Laurentide Inc.

That quote—referring to a plastic-and-metal paint bucket used for Canadian paint brand Boomerang—jumped out at me from "Eco-Paint Container Isn't That Green," an engaging read by Ellen Moorhouse, who writes the Trash Talk column for The Toronto Star.

Moorhouse's story details some of the problems associated with being green (in an environmentally aware way, not as Kermit the Frog bemoaned about his color): Boomerang is made from recycled paint—does the name make sense now?— but the manufacturer recently switched to a black plastic (polypropylene) bucket with a metal handle. Problem is, according to Moorhouse, empty steel paint cans are accepted by municipal recycling programs in Ontario but plastic pails aren't yet. Read the rest of Moorhouse's article.

As for greener paints themselves, knowing which finishes have the lowest level of volatile organic compounds isn't a cinch either, as we found for our March 2009 report on interior paints. Our tests uncovered some surprising information on the VOC levels touted by paint makers and what's in the can.—Steven H. Saltzman | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Read our coverage of the statewide recycled-paint program in Oregon and efforts to establish paint recycling in Minnesota.

Getting out that damned spot with new iPhone app from Tide

Now there's an iPhone/iPod Touch app for just about every stain.

The new Tide Stain Brain app from Proctor & Gamble, one of the latest home-related iPhone/iPodTouch applications, allows you to find and share stain-fighting solutions for all kinds of messes. If you don't have an iPhone or iPod Touch, you can access the information on the Tide Web site.

No surprise, but the free app takes every opportunity to push Tide laundry products. For example, the first action recommended for common stains like chocolate, dirt, and grass is to "Try Tide Stain Release. Just add it to your wash along with your regular detergent." But other advice is more generic, plus the app and Web interfaces allow you to vote on the stain-fighting solution. For instance, as of late last week, 54 users gave Tide's blood-removal treatment a thumbs down, compared with 35 who approved. You can also submit your own remedies.

No matter the source of the mess, use these general stain-fighting tips:

Act fast. Quick treatment is often the key to stain removal.

Blot, don't scrub. Scrubbing can damage fabrics. Instead, blot with a paper towel or clean cloth. Gently scrape semisolid fabrics with the edge of rounded spoon.

Do a colorfastness test. When using a recommended cleaning agent, always pretest it in an inconspicuous area, such as the back of a tie or an inside seam.

Be patient. It could takes several passes to remove a stain. Always start with the mildest option before moving on to more-aggressive cleaning agents.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Read our specific tips for tackling common holiday stains, including wine, lipstick, and candle wax. And to see how Tide laundry products perform, read our latest report on laundry detergents (ratings available to subscribers).

Buzzword: Recalibration

What it means. Calibration is typically associated with things like measuring instruments and electronics gear, which need to be tweaked for optimal performance. And President Barack Obama got into the calibration game after he reviewed his initial response to the July 2009 arrest of Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., saying, "I could have calibrated those words differently." When it comes to the U.S. economy and consumers, the key phrase these days is recalibration.

"We're in a state of recalibration," says Edward Farrell, a director of the Consumer Reports National Research Center, which produces the monthly Consumer Reports Index, the latest installment of which came out this week. His observation came after several months of uninspiring consumer sentiment in the CRI, a monthly telephone poll of a nationally representative sample of American adults.

Why the buzz? While green shoots might hint at a stabilizing economy, a full recovery hasn't arrived yet, and during this time of recalibration, American consumers have adjusted to that new economic by changing how they spend. "We've seen a loss of confidence by consumers in the old rules, for example, that they'll have more money in their house 10 years from now or that their 401(k) will help carry them through retirement," says Farrell.

Paco Underhill, retail consultant and author of Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping, agrees. "We are never going back to the we way were," he says. "Americans have had a considerable financial shock. Virtually everybody has traded down, and conspicuous consumption is now viewed as bad manners."

None of this bodes well for holiday sales. But neither Farrell nor Underhill is predicting a bloodbath from now through Black Friday and beyond. "A rally might actually be under way for retail heading into the holidays, with personal electronics leading the charge," says Farrell. He notes that according to the latest CRI, a quarter of consumers plan to buy personal electronics this month, up 5 percentage points from October.

Underhill anticipates healthy sales for comfort gifts, such as food baskets, fine wines, and beauty products. "I think this holiday season will be better than many retail pundits are predicting because people want to show compassion in troubled times." For his own gifts, Underhill says, "When people ask me what I want, I tell them one pair of black cashmere socks. They are warm, they are eminently practical, and I wouldn't buy them for myself because they're expensive. But for $20, it's the ultimate answer of what to get an aging male."

Farrell would like to see continued stability in the Consumer Reports Sentiment Index, which captures respondents' attitudes regarding their financial situation. "Yes, we want people to spend and save responsibly," he says. "But we also need there to be a feeling of optimism."

Without that, instead of talking about recalibration we could be discussing a lost decade. Also check out our growing roster of Buzzwords.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Follow all the news related to holiday shopping by following Tightwad Tod on our Money blog.

Can newfangled utility bills persuade Americans to use less energy?

You've swapped out your old thermostats for programmable models, replaced inefficient incandescent lightbulbs with the best compact fluorescent lightbulbs, followed our advice for saving energy at home, weatherized your attic, and taken advantage of tax credits and other incentives for energy-related home improvements.

There are still other ways to squeeze some more energy savings out of your home, and your utility company might be able to help—not by giving you an energy audit or lowering your rates (like that'd ever happen!). Rather, some utilities nationwide are sending out new bills that show your energy use compares to those of your neighbors, with a goal of getting you to keep up (or is that down?) with the Joneses. See the image below for some of the detailed information customers receive.

National Grid is sending 50,000 of its Massachusetts customers bills (shown) with data showing how their gas and electricity consumption compares to the 100 nearest and 20 thriftiest households of similar size in the area, according to this Boston Globe report. "There's obviously a little bit of a competitive aspect to it, to see if you can one-up your neighbors in terms of energy savings,'' said Monica Ibrahim, program manager for the National Grid program, told the paper.

The bills also contain energy-saving tips to spur energy hogs to consume less. A nationally representative survey by the Consumer Reports National Research Center found that 55 percent of respondents had done very little to conserve energy in their homes.

The technology for the consumption comparisons in these bills comes from Arlington, Virginia-based software company Opower, which has established partnerships with 21 utilities nationwide, including the Sacramento Municipal Utility District and Puget Sound Energy. "We're best known for use of behavioral science to show people how their energy usage compares to that of their neighbors," says Opower CEO Daniel Yates, whose company's software draws upon psychologist Robert B. Cialdini's theories of persuasion. National Grid hopes Opower-assisted bills will persuade customers to cut household energy consumption by 3 percent a year over the next decade. (Learn more about how the billing is designed to work.)

If your own utility still isn't using such high-tech bills, you might want to look into Google's PowerMeter or Microsoft's Hohm services or one of the watt meters we tested to ferret out energy-wasting appliances and practices.—Gian Trotta | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential Information: Our Energy Saving & Green Living guide offers other advice, including updated coverage of the $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, aka cash for clunkers for appliances.

 

By the Numbers: Energy Star homes reach major milestone

1 million

Number of Energy Star-qualified homes built nationwide since the program debuted in 1995. These homes have saved Americans $1.2 billion in energy costs, reduced greenhouse-gas emissions by 22 billion pounds, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The top 10 markets for Energy Star homes are Houston, Dallas, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Los Angeles, New York City, Tucson, San Antonio, Sacramento, and San Diego.

To qualify for Energy Star, says the EPA, a new home must be at least 15 percent more efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code and include other features that make them 20 to 30 percent more efficient than standard home, such as effective insulation, high-performance windows, and efficient heating and cooling equipment, appliances, lighting, and ventilation. (The image below, from Energy Star, shows typical locations of air leaks in a home. Check out our recent Weekend Project on weatherizing your attic.)

"This is an amazing achievement for the Energy Star program, but the real winners are the 1 million American families who have the chance to save money and keep harmful pollution out of the air. That's great news for anyone who wants to cut costs and protect our planet," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson in a press release. "We're going to keep the number of Energy Star homes growing, because every new Energy Star home is a step towards lower costs, cleaner air, and communities that are environmentally and economically sustainable."

To boost the energy efficiency of your home and save some real money, start with these simple, inexpensive steps and follow our overall advice for using less energy at home.—Celia Kuperszmid Lehrman | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: If you haven't done so already, get your heating system tuned up and install a programmable thermostat. Also refer to our buyer's guides to furnaces (more details here), water heaters, pellet stoves, and solar water heaters, and find the best compact fluorescent lightbulbs. Remember, some projects might qualify for federal tax credits. If you want energy-efficient appliances, stay up on the news related to the $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, also known as cash for clunkers for appliances.

 

CBS' 60 Minutes looks at vulnerability of U.S. smart grid

Last year, we told you about how vulnerable a smart grid could be to cyber-attacks. Last night on CBS, 60 Minutes ran a report by correspondent Steve Kroft called "Sabotaging the System," which looked at the country's vulnerability to cyber-attacks.

"If I were an attacker and I wanted to do strategic damage to the United States, I would either take the cold of winter or the heat of summer, I probably would sack electric power on the U.S. East Cost, maybe the West Coast, and attempt to cause a cascading effect. All of those things are in the art of the possible from a sophisticated attacker," Mike McConnell, a retired Navy admiral, told 60 Minutes.

Watch the 60 Minutes report. And if you're worried about Internet security, check out our Guide to Online Security. e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: If you're concerned about losing power at home during an emergency—be it caused by hackers or by Mother Nature—check our our report on and ratings of backup generators (ratings available to subscribers). e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

The evolution of Frigidaire's logo and brand identity

Frigidaire's new look gets a cool reception from one blogger

If you're into graphic design and/or appliances, you might enjoy "Ninety Years of Refrigerators, and Logos," an interesting post on Brand New, a site that covers corporate-brand-identity strategies. In the item, author Debbie Millman focuses on Frigidaire, tracing the appliance maker's logo from its original crown design with embedded "F" through cursive versions to the current all-caps iteration (shown right).

The latest look doesn't seem a winner for Millman: "The placement of the red triangle results in breaking the word Frigidaire into two separate words: Frigid and Ire. Given that these products are specifically marketed to moms, this messaging system is likely not going to appeal to anyone."

Logo design aside, product performance and brand reliability are what probably matter most to you. Like other brands, Frigidaire has gone up and down in these departments through the years, no matters its logo design. I can't help but think of this quote from renowned quipster Will Rogers: "Let advertisers spend the same amount of money improving their product that they do on advertising, and they wouldn't have to advertise it."

If you're in the market for new appliances, stay up on the news related to the $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, also known as cash for clunkers for appliances. And see how Frigidaire stacks up against the competition across all appliance categories, using our ratings and brand-reliability data.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Check our Kitchen-Planning Guide for expert advice on remodeling your kitchen.

Stanley Works and Black & Decker plan to merge in multibillion-dollar deal

The tool world saw some big news on Monday with the announced merger of Stanley Works and Black & Decker, venerable companies with 265 years of business between them. While the new company's brand recognition should remain high, the name of the $8.4 billion combined companies—Stanley Black & Decker—sounds more like a white-shoe law firm than a powerhouse tool maker.

The New Britain, Connecticut-based Stanley Works, which specializes in tools and hand tools, doors, and storage equipment, will own 50.5 percent of the company. Towson, Maryland-based Black & Decker, known for its power tools, small appliances, outdoor power equipment, and more, also owns Porter-Cable and DeWalt, two companies whose products did well in our latest report on cordless drills. The 18-volt Porter-Cable PC180DK-2, $100, outperformed models costing twice as much. The 18-volt DeWalt DCD 940KX, $280, topped the ratings of heavy-duty drills. Full ratings of drills are available to subscribers.

Three of the lower-scoring general-use drills carry the Black & Decker nameplate. Perhaps the new combined company can tool a change in that performance.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

By the Numbers: Where electricity prices are highest, Energy Star shines

38 percent

Market share of Energy Star-qualified appliances in Connecticut, Hawaii, and New Hampshire, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. As we reported yesterday, consumers in those states pay some of the highest electricity rates in the country.

“Market share for Energy Star qualified appliances is generally higher than average in states and regions with longstanding or very active energy efficiency programs (e.g., California and Vermont) and those with particularly high electricity prices (e.g., Hawaii, Connecticut, and New Hampshire),” reads the U.S. Department of Energy’s Refrigerator Market Profile: 2009 (PDF).

The state average market share for Energy Star-qualified appliances is 30 percent, but the share in West Virginia, Louisiana, and Kentucky is the lowest in the country, ranging from 23 to 25 percent. Residents in those states pay about 4 cents less per kilowatt hour than the national average of almost 12 cents and about 15 cents less than consumers in Hawaii.

If you’re in the market for new appliances, read up on the U.S. Department of Energy’s $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, aka cash for clunkers for appliances, and find the best places to buy appliances.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: “Energy Star Has Lost Some Luster” details some issues we found related to the Energy Star program.

10 Questions for . . . Jon Strimling, President of WoodPellets.com

In this installment of 10 Questions for . . ., Associate Editor Gian Trotta speaks with Jon Strimling, president of WoodPellets.com about the pellet market. Strimling also addresses some of our readers' concerns about wood pellets and their delivery.

Last year there were reports of pellet shortages. What are the prospects for pellet supplies this winter?
We're clearly in a better position now at the macro level than we were last year, when oil prices shot through the roof in May, June, and July and caused a run on pellet supplies. The industry usually has until November to provide enough fuel for a winter season, but last year many people saw prices going up and thought that they should get their pellets early.

The sudden surge in demand was challenging, and there were times last year when one coast or another would go into back order. But the country has never been short of supply; it was just a case of the product sitting in the wrong place. We were able to keep a flow, but pellets were traveling farther and cost of transport was higher.

A fair bit of additional capacity has also become available. Over past few years 20 new mills have started producing pellets in U.S. and Canada, and new capacity has been added to existing plants. This year, a major boost to raw-material supplies consists of lodgepole pines in Colorado and British Columbia. Because of beetle infestations in recent years, there is an enormous quality of dead standing timber being removed for forest-fire mitigation, and the highest-value use of that resource is pellets.

Will all those factors offset the reduction in pellet raw materials from lumber and wood-flooring production?
Certainly, housing starts are down, and that has reduced capacity of some mills that rely on that stream of dry residual wood. But most of the newer mills can employ "green chips" that enable them to continue to produce premium pellets, and in some cases even superpremium pellets. These clean, debarked chips are cut before wood is dried, for example from the lumber cut from side of logs to square them.

How vulnerable are pellet-producing plants to supply interruptions?
Fortunately, production is dispersed among several areas and companies to reduce chance of shortages. Individual pellet-supply facilities can go down, especially if they are linked to a particular lumber mill. The network of 80 to 100 plants is as a whole pretty robust, so if someone goes down, someone else will pick up that volume.

One of our readers noted that when he began using pellets five years ago, pellets were $110 a ton, now he's paying $265. What is your long-term forecast for pellet prices?
It may be that this consumer got a very unusual deal in 2005 through some sort of a clearance event, because that price is much lower than even typical wholesale pricing was in 2005. If you look at when we started this business in 2006, our retail price was right about what it is now. In 2008, pricing went up about 10 percent.

If you go back five to 10 years ago when crude was cheaper, pellets cost less. Wood and pellets are typically moved by trucks that use diesel fuel, which has gone up since then; so there's no avoiding that pellet prices will rise as oil rises, as diesel fuel is an element of pellets' cost. Normally, when the price of oil doubles, it results in an increase in transportation costs for pellets of about 25 percent.

How do sales of pellet-burning appliances affect your demand forecast?
Last year, sales of pellet-burning appliances were up 180 percent. We won't see sales like that repeat this year—probably not until the next spike in oil pricing. But every heating system sold creates an incremental increase in demand, and people who have systems are continuing to use them, even with oil at lower price levels.

What we're seeing this year is that demand for pellets is coming later. There hasn't been mad rush to go out and buy supply, so we're seeing a later buying season with strong demand. There's not a feeling of panic of everyone this year like last year with the continued growth in the industry. Folks with stoves and inserts are telling friends to go out and buy a pellet-burning stove.

What's the difference between premium and superpremium pellets?
The Pellet Fuel Institute just released a new standard for superpremium pellets and is working out the statistical data around the new methodology. Ash level is a major distinction. Premium has a maximum of 1 percent ash content while superpremium has less than one-half of one percent. That's a big deal to a stove owner because you're cleaning your stove half as often.

Other things tested by the PFI include Btu content, length and diameter of the pellets, and durability. The heating value and ash level are of primary interest to a consumer. The range of variation for the heating value can be 10 percent, but ash level can vary by a factor of three. Moisture level is inversely proportional to heating performance also.