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Daily on Energy: Why Biden needs to ramp up transmission lines construction to meet his goals

Subscribe today to the Washington Examiner magazine and get Washington Briefing: politics and policy stories that will keep you up to date with what's going on in Washington. SUBSCRIBE NOW: Just $1.00 an issue! © Provided by Washington Examiner DOE Default Image - July 2021 WHY WIRES MATTER FOR BIDEN: President Joe Biden's success in pursuing 100% carbon-free power by 2035 could come down to wires, a key part of his infrastructure agenda that I spotlight in a special edition of our magazine (paywalled).

Keeping your home cool when it's hot outside, and warm in the cold weather can take a lot of energy and run up your power bills. Sure, you can seal your home against drafts and install energy-efficient windows, but your landscaping can make your home significantly more energy-efficient, too. Strategically placed trees, for example, help block the hot sun in summer and slow down cold winds in winter. And hardscape elements such as fences and arbors can create shade and redirect winds. Here's how to make the most of your landscaping to efficiently keep your home's temperature comfortable year-round.

a house with bushes in front of a building: Reduce your power bills by putting your outdoor spaces to work. © Michael Partenio Reduce your power bills by putting your outdoor spaces to work. a house with bushes in front of a building: Michael Partenio © Provided by Better Homes and Gardens Michael Partenio

1. Plant Trees for Shade

The Department of Energy recommends tall shade trees as the best way to protect your home from solar heat and from those cold blasts in winter. Evergreen trees are best in the South because they shield your home all year long. Deciduous trees are better in Northern regions because they let the warm sun through their bare branches during the colder months.

Daily on Energy: The climate measures in the bipartisan infrastructure deal

Subscribe today to the Washington Examiner magazine and get Washington Briefing: politics and policy stories that will keep you up to date with what's going on in Washington. SUBSCRIBE NOW: Just $1.00 an issue! © Provided by Washington Examiner DOE Default Image - July 2021 CLIMATE DOWNPAYMENT: The Senate voted yesterday to advance a $1.2 trillion infrastructure package ($550 billion in new spending) after weeks of stalled efforts to reach a bipartisan deal, with 17 Republicans supporting the agreement.

Where you plant your trees is just as important as the type you plant.

Deciduous trees, which lose their leaves in winter, do their best work on the south side of your home, which gets the most sunlight. While shielding your home from the heat of the summer sun, these trees don't block cooling breezes.
Shorter trees on the west side of your house will help block the hot afternoon sun.
Evergreen trees work well on the north and northwest sides of your home as windbreaks that help slow down heat loss from your home in winter.

When using trees and other plants as windbreaks, it's best to plant them in layers. Taller trees work best further out, with flowering shrubs and low-growing perennials closer to your house. You'll still reap the benefits from cool summer breezes, but block the strong winds and snow during winter storms.

London's Marble Arch Mound is a heap of earth

The Marble Arch Mound in London has opened to a fanfare of publicity -- but visitors say it is an unfinished, hollow mound of earth.The Marble Arch Mound, which opened July 26, has swiftly been branded the UK capital's worst site -- because rather than being the hoped-for sylvan glade of lush grass and trees sprouting from its sides, it's little more than a mound of earth.

Most electric companies also suggest planting trees to shade your air conditioning condenser to increase the unit's efficiency and cut your cooling costs by another 10%. But keep in mind: The condenser needs a buffer of 2-3 feet for proper airflow, so make sure not to plant too close and keep trees pruned back if they start crowding in.

2. Choose Drought-Tolerant Plants

Video: 4 Ways to Use Landscaping to Increase Your Home's Energy Efficiency (Better Homes and Gardens)

Groundcovers and other ornamental plants do more than beautify your yard. The Colorado State University's Extension office points out that landscaping near a house can reduce wind velocity, especially around entrances where you are most likely to get cold drafts coming in. And a green roof or rooftop garden can lower the temperature inside your home by as much as 10 degrees.

Daily on Energy: Lessons from Oregon's clean electricity standard for Senate Democrats

Subscribe today to the Washington Examiner magazine and get Washington Briefing: politics and policy stories that will keep you up to date with what's going on in Washington. SUBSCRIBE NOW: Just $1.00 an issue! © Provided by Washington Examiner DOE Default Image - July 2021 LESSONS FROM OREGON: Oregon's Democratic Gov. Kate Brown signed into law yesterday a clean electricity standard tied for the fastest timeline for eliminating emissions from the power sector out of all U.S. states, in what environmentalists hope is a model for a similar policy at the federal level.

In arid climates, succulents and other drought-tolerant plants work best because they don't require much water to survive. Native species adapted to your climate are also good choices and often require less maintenance. Just be sure to group plants with similar water needs together.

diagram, engineering drawing: Werner Straube Photography © Provided by Better Homes and Gardens Werner Straube Photography

3. Create Shade with Hardscaping

Pergolas, fences, canopies, arbors, and trellises do wonders for keeping the heat off your patio in the summer and the snow away in the winter. A good fence can block a north window, and well-placed awnings can keep the summer sun from streaming into your home.

Related: Beautiful Trellis Fence Ideas to Turn Your Backyard into a Private Escape

Those arbors, trellises and pergolas will do an even better job blocking the sun and wind if you cover them with climbing vines. Before planting, research the vine you would like to grow to make sure it isn't considered invasive in your area. And if you want to grow the vine on your home, check that its method of climbing won't damage your walls' surface.

Help for families struggling with skyrocketing energy costs requires coordination and effort

For many families the total increase in gasoline and home heating will exceed what they usually spend on holiday gifts.During the course of the four-month winter heating season, the combined increase in the price of gasoline and home heating will cost the average family between $585 and $1,045 extra this year, depending on the type of heating system in their home. For many families the total increase in gasoline and home heating will exceed the total average amount - $648 - that they spend on gifts for family, friends and co-workers this holiday season.

A waterfall or fountain in the garden creates a cool spot. Scientists at Climate Adapt estimate it can lower the surrounding temperature by more than 30˚F.

4. Think Solar

Harnessing the sun's rays is one of the easiest (and cheapest) ways to use landscaping to increase your home's energy efficiency. Rather than powering your outdoor lighting with your home's electricity, for example, you can use solar energy to brighten up your landscape at night. It's easy to line the walkway to your door with solar stake lights, or try hanging solar globes or string lights around your patio, deck, or pool to create unbeatable ambiance. Solar Christmas lights can put the neighborhood in the holiday spirit, while only costing you a few cents to operate.

Strategically using plants, hardscaping, and solar power to help your home be more energy-efficient also makes your yard more comfortable and inviting. That means you can save a little more energy by reducing time spent indoors. Turn off the lights and the TV, then head out to enjoy an evening on your patio or porch instead.

Overnight Energy & Environment — White House eyes tapping into oil reserve .
Welcome to Monday's Overnight Energy & Environment, your source for the latest news focused on energy, the environment and beyond. Subscribe here: thehill.com/newsletter-signup.Today we're looking at the Biden administration's reported plans to tap the strategic oil reserve, a Supreme Court decision on water rights, and action from the Department of Interior on the greater sage grouse.For The Hill, we're Rachel Frazin and Zack Budryk. Write to us with tips: rfrazin@thehill.com and zbudryk@thehill.com. Follow us on Twitter: @RachelFrazin and @BudrykZack.Let's jump in.