Follow the Manhattan-based Beavan family as they abandon their high consumption 5th Avenue lifestyle and try to live a year while making no net environmental impact.
Showing posts with label green living. Show all posts
Showing posts with label green living. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
No Impact Man: The Documentary
Labels:
eco,
environment,
green living,
no impact man
Follow the Manhattan-based Beavan family as they abandon their high consumption 5th Avenue lifestyle and try to live a year while making no net environmental impact.
Green housing communities and residential buildings will continue to grow by large multiples over the next several years in the United States. McGraw-Hill Companies predict that the market share of green new construction be as large as 20% of all home starts and worth up to $70 billion by 2012. This sustainable housing market is selling strong despite the economic downturn since consumers recognize that the energy efficiency gains can amount to serious monthly savings. The danger is that "green" is a term used widely and is largely unregulated when developers promote their communities. Consumers are finding it more difficult to navigate the "green" housing market, oftentimes finding homes that claim to be green really aren't. This is called "greenwashing", a trend we will certainly see grow in the coming years. Fortunately, there have been several organizations which have created standards which measure all communities against the same benchmark. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) has emerged as the most widely accepted. LEED assigns a rating to a home or neighborhood of Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum. The rating is based on a set of six widely reaching principals designed to assess the environmental friendliness of the community. www.GreenHousingDevelopments.com has created a national website which displays information about many of the nation's leading green developments in a non biased and easy to understand way. Interested consumers can confidently research different green communities and compare the ones which they like best for their green features. Features which are displayed for each community include Price, home type, heating and cooling systems, windows and plumbing used, access to transportation and much more. Through the website, interested consumers can request a brochure, floor plans, or MLS listings from green agents in each geographical area.
About the Author:
This article is written by Luke Blahnik for Green Housing Developments. Get information about USA green homes for sale from Green Housing Developments.
With all the advances in green energy technology, it is easier than ever to start converting your home into a green energy home. A green energy home utilizes renewable resources to provide electricity, hot water, heat and peace of mind.
There are several ways to implement your green energy home plan. The first is solar energy. In a green energy home you can install solar hot water panels which heat and store water for use and you can install solar panels, which use photovoltaic cells to convert sunlight into electricity. These systems can be pricing if purchasing them and having them installed by a professional, but there are many great resources available to build your own solar panels and solar hot water systems that can reduce the cost greatly.
If you are just building your home, a great way to make it a green energy home is to implement passive solar design during construction. This means taking advantage of south facing sides of the house for heating and cooling. By installing lots of highly efficient windows and heat retaining bricks and stone on your south facing areas, you are taking advantage of passive solar techniques to develop your green energy home.
Another addition to the green energy home would be a windmill. Windmills are used to generate electricity from the renewable resource wind. Windmills can be installed on rooftops or in yards and offer pollution free electric. Windmills can be purchased from retailers or there are a wide variety of affordable kits available for the motivated do-it-yourselfers to handle the implementation of their own green energy home plans.
If you have a stream on your property, you may also add to the efficiency of your green energy home with hydroelectric power. This is also a great pollution free option that is easy to maintain and works as long as there is water available.
The ultimate green energy home would combine all of these resources. By using wind, water and solar to generate electricity you are looking not only at huge savings and possible profits from your electricity usage, but you would truly be green as each of these options contributes little to global warming. To further combine passive solar design and solar hot water systems, you are reducing your energy needs exponentially and truly living the dream of going green.
A green energy home doesn't require more maintenance than traditional homes. Solar technologies require little to no maintenance and wind and water turbines require only regular oiling for peak performance. There is no better time to create your green energy home and start living your dreams in green.
About the Author:
Susmanto Hadi is independent author and writing some books. Search Your Finance and Car to Shopping and Travel Around The World With Computer on Hand.Start here: http://www.ebookworldgateway.com/ and Stop Global Warming-Use Renewable Energy is here: http://www.digitallylearning.com
Well, a lot of people assume that landscaping because it's with plants means that it's naturally green and environmentally friendly, but that's not true. There is a lot of plants that people use in the landscape that are very hard to grow here and they require a lot of work, pesticides, they require a lot of fertilizers and lot of care and water. So what I did here is look for plants that were native to this area, so that they had a natural resistance to disease, to the pest and water requirements.
The patio in the back is a flagstone patio, but it's set in a permeable base and what we did there, it's a natural drainage area for the backyard and we have to figure out what to do with the water but still have a nice usable patio. So what we do, we use some reclaimed concrete, it's called R base which is also environmentally friendly because it's not going into landfill. They crush it, we use that as the base below it and then we set the stone in and planted mondo grass and what that area does, it allows the water from the backyard to run into it and percolate through that down into the soil. It takes any pollutants, any pesticides, fertilizers out and allows the water to go back into the ground water clean.
The irrigation system is called the SmartLine by company called Weathermatic and it is designed to save water and to use water smarter. It's what it does, from the head that were used to the controller and it has a weather station. Now, the weather station allows it to based on your zip code and where you live and weather conditions. Everyday it measures evaporation, what they call, evapotranspiration which is the amount of moisture in the air and so it knows what's going on around your yard.
Green homes are expected to make up to ten percent of new home construction over the next several years, according to a study done by McGraw-Hill Construction. Homeowners are interested in purchasing green homes because of the benefits they offer -- from healthier indoor air to energy savings.
What are some of the primary benefits of a green home? Such a home is constructed with much thought given to the materials used in construction. Building materials are expected to be toxin-free, sustainable and energy-efficient. The use of toxin-free building materials helps combat indoor air pollution. Since we are exposed to the air in our homes as much or more often than outside air, indoor pollution can pose serious health risks to residents. A healthier home means fewer visits to the doctor and hopefully fewer respiratory problems.
Besides potential health savings, the net cost of owning a green home is typically comparable to, if not cheaper than a standard home. People who live in green homes save money by consuming less energy and fewer resources than standard homes. The savings add up over the years in decreased energy and water bills.
Insurance companies are becoming convinced that green may be the way to go. More and more insurance companies are offering discounts on policies covering green homes. Similarly, there are even a few mortgage companies offering discounted loan rates for home buyers buying green.
Here are some of the reasons for the heightened interest and discounts offered by the business community:
A green home is often more durable than standard homes because of its high-quality building materials and construction processes, requiring fewer repairs.
The value of a green home is often higher than that of a comparable standard home, and the market demand for green homes is expected to rise. A green housing development in New York has demonstrated the ability to command ten to fifteen percent higher rental rates than comparable units in the surrounding area.
And local, state and federal governments are increasingly offering tax breaks and incentives for building a green home or adding green features to an existing home.
What are some of the features of a green home? Efficient plumbing and bathing fixtures, drought-tolerant landscaping and water-conserving irrigation systems help green homes use less water than standard homes. This feature will become increasingly important as the prospect of water shortages loom in some parts of the country.
Because many green building materials incorporate significant recycled content, they require the use of fewer natural resources. The amount of excess building materials dumped in landfills is significantly less than the amount generated by traditional practices.
Some green homes incorporate carpets and floor tiles from recycled tires and bottles. Other homes use salvaged materials or renewable and sustainable products, such as bamboo, hemp and soybean. Homeowners can choose countertops made from recycled street lights and other recycled glass.
Low-volatile organic compound paints and finishes inside the home reduce exposure to toxic chemicals. Formaldehyde-free insulation also insures fewer dangerous chemicals are released into the atmosphere.
Energy-efficient appliances, insulation, roofing materials, doors and windows lower heating and cooling bills.
In many cases, builders are also including universal design elements into green homes. These designs, which include wider doorways, no stairs, flat entries and accessible bathrooms, sinks and showers, assure that people with varying abilities can live in and age in their homes and their neighborhoods.
Preston Sandlin is a home inspector and real estate investor in Charlotte NC. He has been performing home inspections and buying real estate in Charlotte NC for over 12 years. He is a member of the North Carolina Home Inspector's Association, the Charlotte Regional Realtors Association, and the BBB.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Preston_Sandlin
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Green From The Ground Up: Sustainable, Healthy, And Energy-Efficient Home Construction
"David Johnston and Scott Gibson offer guidance on environmentally sensitive home building in Green from the Ground Up: Sustainable, Healthy, and Energy-Efficient Home Construction (Taunton Press, paperback). The book is packed with information, tips, illustrations and case studies that offer wisdom earned from experience." -- Detroit Free Press (Michigan)
"Eco-friendly housing used to be thought of as expensive, ugly or just plain weird. Now it's becoming common. David Johnston and Scott Gibson offer guidance on environmentally sensitive home building in Green from the Ground Up: Sustainable, Healthy, and Energy-Efficient Home Construction. The book helps builders and homeowners create houses that conserve natural resources and are energy-efficient and healthful. It's packed with information, tips, illustrations and case studies that offer wisdom earned from experience." -- McClatchy-Tribune News Service
About Green Living
About.com green living, sustainable lifestyles, low impact living and environmental living.
Alternative Energy
Alternative Energy is for our economy, security, and the environment. Read news on solar energy, wind power, geothermal, biofuel, biodiesel, hydrogen and every form of renewable energy.
American Solar Energy Society
Established in 1954, the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) is the nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the use of solar energy, energy efficiency, and other sustainable technologies in the U.S.
American Wind Energy Association
The mission of the American Wind Energy Association is to promote wind power growth through advocacy, communication, and education.
AutoblogGreen
We obsessively cover the green scene.
Better World Club
Better World Club Provides Nationwide Roadside Assistance. We are the Nation's Only environmentally friendly auto club. Membership Includes eco-travel Services, Discounts on hybrid car rental, insurance Services, Free Maps, Auto Maintenance discounts and bicycle roadside assistance. We donate 1% of annual revenues toward environmental cleanup and advocacy.
Betty Biodiesel
To improve the air we all breathe by providing a dynamic and entertaining approach to education; teaching all ages about the benefits of diversity, efficiency and renewability. To empower youth in the creation of a society dedicated to providing clean air for all.
Building Green
Publishers of Environmental Building News and of other information resources for practictioners of sustainable design.
Campaign Earth
We offer simple solutions to today's most pressing environmental issue, climate change. Knowing a busy lifestyle is as American as apple pie, we've created straight forward actions that enable us all to make a difference, one step at a time.
Carbon Fund
Carbonfund.org is leading the fight against global climate change, making it easy and affordable for any individual, business or organization to eliminate their climate impact and hastening the transformation to a clean energy future.
Care2
Largest online community empowering people to lead a healthy and green lifestyle while taking action on important causes such as human rights, animal welfare and global warming.
Clean Air Council
Clean Air Council is a member- supported, non-profit environmental organization dedicated to protecting everyone's right to breathe clean air. The Council works through public education, community advocacy, and government oversight to ensure enforcement of environmental laws.
Common Fire
Common Fire helps to create and nurture model living spaces that are devoted to giving as full an expression as possible to healthy and sustainable living in solidarity with other people and the planet. Common Fire does not pretend there is one way to do this. Rather each Common Fire co-op and community, while adopting some norms on which there is strong consensus, offers a rich diversity of perspectives and strategies regarding what it means to lead such a good life.
Corporate Short Term Housing Phoenix
New, spacious and luxurious your Zazu corporate housing accommodations are all inclusive from cleaning supplies to Broadband Hi-speed Internet. Zazu's standard set-up, all inclusive apartments provide you with one single, affordable price for those services.
Cultivate Sanctuary
A holistic approach to living. Including feng shui , green living and food energetics.
Cyberset
Cyberset, a music and media company based in San Francisco. Our growing family of artists blend musical elements of world, ambient, dance, vocal, and urban genres into fresh sounds that share the positive intentions and global reach of modern New Edge culture.
Daily Acts
By growing our awareness and better recognizing the power in each common action, we shape the world we wish to call home. All of our efforts involve providing the resources and support to rediscover the bits of bliss in how people live.
DIY Power System
Discover how to build your own wind or solar energy generator for as little as $100!
DSIRE
DSIRE is a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility, and federal incentives that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Earth4Energy
Here at Earth4Energy we have created a complete step-by-step kit so that you can setup your own renewable energy system in your backyard for less than $200!
Earthdance
Our mission is to promote peace by joining participants worldwide in a synchronized Prayer For Peace and to support humanitarian causes through the global language of music and dance. Our goal is to inspire participation from promoters, clubs, artists, musicians and peace-lovers worldwide to dedicate one day to support humanitarian efforts and help unite people from all nations in a day of peaceful celebration and harmony.
Earthware Biodegradables
Our mission is to be part of the solution. We're focused on helping to reduce waste by developing and marketing sustainable solutions - compostable, recyclable and reusable products for households, businesses, and institutions.
Ecofriend
'Ecofriend' is an environmental blog. The idea behind Ecofriend is simple: to inform and educate consumers who love to possess the latest gadgets and products available in the market and who are also concerned about the environment around them. We are here to help both these ends meet. The main editorial focus of 'Ecofriend' is Alternative Energy. Our insatiable demand for energy contributes hugely to help combat global warming among a host of other environmental problems. Renewable energy and Energy-efficiency are going to be two big themes at 'Ecofriend'.
Ecopalooza
Ecopalooza Green Events Network welcomes your events related to environment/ecology, sustainable living, food/sustainable farming, organic food, renewable energy, bioregionalism, faith-based eco-events, sustainable transportation/biofuels, green business, localization, and other eco-related events.
EERE
The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) works to strengthen the United States' energy security, environmental quality, and economic vitality in public-private partnerships.
Efficient Planet
This website will show those interested in generating their own power and how to live more efficiently, the perfect step-by-step program.
Energy Center
The California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE) is a non-profit organization dedicated to Greening Your WorldSM through public programs and services including free workshops, rebate programs, free shade trees, outreach events and public education.
Energy4Green
Stop being held hostage by the electric company and discover how you can transform your backyard into a mini power plant.
Environment Directory
Earth's biggest environment search engine!
Environmental Defense Fund
Founded in 1967 as the Environmental Defense Fund, we tackle the most serious environmental problems with: Strong science, Innovative markets, Corporate partnerships, Effective laws and policy
Environmental News Network
We publish information that will help people understand and communicate the environmental issues and solutions that face us and hopefully inspire them to get involved. We help nonprofits, governments and businesses from around the world get their information published and read by the people who want to help make this planet a better place. People like you.
Environmental News Service
The Environment News Service is the original daily international wire service of the environment. Established in 1990 by Editor-in-Chief Sunny Lewis and Managing Editor Jim Crabtree, it is independently owned and operated.
Etopia Eco Village
Etopia Eco-Village is a realistic representation of a semi-sustainable village showcasing the best Real Life examples in sustainable design, renewable energy production, intergated land use and human-scaled development.
Excess Access
We link donations of business and household items / materials with the wish-lists of nearby nonprofits that can provide pick-ups or accept drop-offs. We serve the US, Canada and beyond. Together we're keeping useful goods out of over-flowing garbage dumps. It's great for charities and the environment!
Fields Of Green Team
We are here to inspire and teach environment readiness and responsibility. We know that families can work together and do small things everyday that will create a huge impact. As a team, we will share powerful ideas and recommend practices and products that can begin to reverse our environmental crisis and clean up the air we all breathe.
for Harmony
What if we each made conscious choices every day? What if we were more conscious of how our thoughts, words and actions can impact our lives and those of the people around us. And on an even bigger scale, the global community and the Earth itself? That is why for Harmony was created. To create awareness of our thoughts, words and actions. To connect us to each other and to the world around us. And to embrace all that life has to offer. For a healthy and sustainable world.
Free Energy Options
Get instant access to all the information you need to create electricity right in your own backyard, including detailed step-by-step instructions, full-color illustrations, and sources for all materials.
G Living Network
The G Living Network is more than a media entertainment network for a new generation. We are a lifestyle company. We focus on all the elements that make this lifestyle possible. Currently, G Living creates original innovative content, and works hands-on to create "G" products, contemporary designs and original programming from our Venice California studio. The G Living Network produces various online media, including streaming broadband shows, a multi-media cookbook, cooking shows, featured editorial content, daily blogs, and an interactive social networking community.
Global Citizen Center
The Global Citizen Center ("GCC" or "the Center") is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that employs public education and demonstration to promote a set of new economic practices that are environmentally sustainable and socially just. In so doing, the Center hopes to accelerate the transition to an alternative economic paradigm that embodies these practices, a paradigm often referred to as the Green Economy.
Global Giving Green
Focused on helping people and the planet. We've hand-picked projects that address climate change and poverty - you choose your favorite and watch your donation make a difference! These projects have been selected using a unique evaluation system and have earned the GlobalGiving Green "leaf".
Go Green Solar
GoGreenSolar.com is the #1 online destination for Renewable Energy Products, Professionals and Financing. We not only retail small renewable energy systems, wind turbines, and solar panels; For larger installations we connect you to renewable energy professionals in your area. Through our extensive relationships in the renewable energy industry we deliver consumers the highest quality products, services and information.
Green Biz
Green business news and tools for aligning sustainability with business success. Resources for successful green strategies, covering operations, energy, product design, marketing, and more.
Green Daily
Green Daily is your one-stop shop for all things eco-friendly. We cover everything from environmental news and politics, to green celebrity gossip and fashion trends, to the emerging green tech industry. We also offer a host of easy, practical, money-saving tips for reducing your impact on the planet.
Green Energy News
The first issue of the weekly Energies newsletter was published in 1996. Green Energy News incorporated the following year. The publication was developed to offer news and commentary in regards to clean, efficient and/or renewable energy in relation to business, technology, issues and policy. Green Energy News is geared to a wide audience ranging from consumers to industry professionals to the educational community to government officials.
Green Festivals
Think of Green Festival as a walk through a sustainable community. It begins with finding solutions to help make our lives healthier-socially, economically and environmentally. Individuals along with business and community leaders come together to discuss critical issues that impact us at home and abroad. Organizations and businesses showcase programs and products that restore the planet and all that inhabit it. Neighbor-to-neighbor connections are formed, and skills are shared to empower people to create positive change in the world.
Green Guide
National Geographic Green Guide makes living in an environmentally aware way personal, practical and positive. Intended for general consumers, Green Guide shows people how to make small changes that add up to big benefits for their wallets, for their health, and, of course, for the health of the planet. Not political or activist, the Green Guide is chock full of simple, useful ideas broken down into achievable steps that make going green a gradual and affordable process rather than an all-or-nothing plunge.
Green Harmony Living
Green living products, organic foods, raw foods, and vegan food. Green Harmony Living online shop.
Green Home Building
Greenhomebuilding.com is where you can find a wide range of information about sustainable architecture and natural building.
Green Impact
Green Impact helps organizations implement their sustainability goals by providing expertise in strategy, program development, cross-sector dialogue and written communications.
Green Living Ideas
Green Living Ideas provides ideas, tips, and information to help you improve the environmental sustainability of every aspect of your life: home energy, green building and remodeling, cars, food, waste recycling-and everything in between. Green Living Ideas is the most comprehensive green living website ever assembled, with information on how to live greener in over 200 different areas of life! We've assembled the world's top green living authors and experts to bring you the latest info on green and sustainable living.
Green Living Journal
Green Living has been publishing news you can use, mostly related to environmental issues, since 1990. Our regular topics include organic gardening, green building, health, ecocareers and right livelihood, outdoors/sports, socially responsible investing, econotes, questions and answers, book reviews, and features on topical environmental issues.
Green Living Online
Whether it's sustainable seafood, pasture-raised meat, organic grains and vegetables or raw food you're after, here's where to go for a great green meal.
Green Living Project
To educate and inspire citizens to live and support a more sustainable lifestyle through stories focused on successful and unique sustainable projects from around the world.
Green Living Tips
Environmental tips for going green at home or work plus earth friendly business guides. News and advice on living a more natural lifestyle that reduces impact on the environment.
Green Lodging News
Unlike any other lodging industry publication in the marketplace, Green Lodging News focuses solely on environment-related issues that impact profitability. Via the website and the weekly Green Lodging News e-newsletter and Green Supplier Spotlight, Green Lodging News offers an opportunity to reach a segment of buyers and sellers who are serious about saving money and conserving natural resources.
Green Map
Green Map System promotes inclusive participation in sustainable community development worldwide, using map-making as our medium.
Green Matters
Helping homeowners transform their lives and living spaces for simplicity, health and the environment.
Green Maven
Finally a website that brings the best of the Green Web together. Designed for Mavens that just can't get enough of all things Green. Use it as a research tool, or keep up to date on the latest trends in the Green Revolution.
Green Restaurant Association
The Green Restaurant Association (GRA), a national non-profit organization, provides services in research, consulting, education, marketing and community organizing. The GRA utilizes a collaborative strategy that involves restaurants, manufacturers, vendors, grassroots organizations, government, media, and restaurant customers. The GRA's model provides a convenient way for all sectors of the restaurant industry, which represents 10% of the U.S. economy, to become more environmentally sustainable.
Green Search
A leafy alternative to your daily Google.
Green Yoga Association
The term "Green Yoga" indicates our conscious intention to honor and care for the Earth as part of yoga. Green is also the color of chlorophyll, which represents the life-sustaining relationship between Sun and Earth. The creation of this chlorophyll came, as one of my teachers Brian Swimme likes to say, through the Earth's process of careful attention to the Sun. For 4.5 billion years the Earth attended very, very carefully to the Sun, meditating on it. Ultimately, the Earth learned how to be transformed by sunlight, resulting in the creation of chlorophyll. In a similar way, when we as humans devote sustained, loving attention to the challenges at hand, we are transformed in ways that promote life.
Green-e
Green-e is the nation's leading independent consumer protection program for the sale of renewable energy and greenhouse gas reductions in the retail market. Green-e offers certification and verification of renewable energy and greenhouse gas mitigation products. It is a program of the Center for Resource Solutions.
Greeniacs
The Greeniacs mission is to deliver unbiased, non-judgmental information regarding the environment and ecological issues to anyone and everyone at no cost to them so that they may each be better informed. We hope that this approach will lead to better environmental decisions by the broadest number of people.
GreenNet
GreenNet is the ethical ISP that has been connecting people and groups who work for peace, the environment, gender equality and human rights since 1986.
Home Made Energy
If you have ever wished to stop wasting money on your electrical bill, help the global economy and save the Earth, then you've arrived at the right page.
HomeMadeEnergy.org is the website created to help you slash your electricity bill by 80% or even eliminate it completely! With the ever increasing costs of living, there is no better time than right now to stop throwing money out the window and start generating your own electricity. However, you need an open mind and willingness to listen, because there are large economic interests that keep most people dependent on energy.
Ideal Bite
Ideal Bite offers bite-sized ideas for light green living - ideas for real people who lead busy lives and want to make small changes that add up to big results. Our Daily Tips cover everything from biodynamic wine to eco-pet products to organic cosmetics. The secret sauce? A spoonful of "incremental environmentalism" combined with a keeping-it-real attitude.
Live Earth
Live Earth was built upon the belief that entertainment has the power to transcend social and cultural barriers to move the world community to action. A for-profit company, Live Earth seeks to leverage the power of entertainment through integrated events, media, and the live experience to ignite a global movement aimed at solving the most critical environmental issues of our time.
Living Green
Actions for healthier and more sustainable lives.
Low Impact Living
At Low Impact Living, we want to help you lower the environmental impact of your home and your daily life. To do that, we help you find the best green products, practices and service providers to help you achieve your environmental goals. And we will also help you understand the environmental benefits and economic trade-offs of your choices. Our primary goal is to make the path from inspiration to implementation as short and as smooth as possible. Only by taking action will we collectively reduce the damage to our planet and ecosystems.
Make Natural Power
Your ultimate all-in-one guide to home renewable energies. Make your own solar and wind power systems. If you are interested in joining the thousands of people who have chosen to say good bye to their power bill, then this is the perfect resource for you.
Modern Green Living
Welcome to moderngreenliving.com, your source to design, build, remodel, furnish or find a green home. Search the most comprehensive database of green residences and communities. Find green architects, builders, remodelers, interior designers, realtors, and green building consultants near you.
Mother Jones
Mother Jones is an independent nonprofit whose roots lie in a commitment to social justice implemented through first rate investigative reporting.
Mother Earth News
America's leading magazine about sustainable, self-reliant living. Topics include building, gardening, homesteading, do-it-yourself, kitchen, energy and conservation.
NRDC
National Resources Defense Council is the nation's most effective environmental action group, combining the grassroots power of 1.2 million members and online activists with the courtroom clout and expertise of more than 350 lawyers, scientists and other professionals.
Natural Resources Defense Council
The Natural Resources Defense Council works to protect wildlife and wild places and to ensure a healthy environment for all life on earth. NRDC is the nation's most effective environmental action group, combining the grassroots power of 1.2 million members and online activists with the courtroom clout and expertise of more than 350 lawyers, scientists and other professionals.
Off Grid Living
For the past 15 years our family has been living off the grid with only solar and wind power. We moved to our present location, built our own house ourselves and set to work to find alternative energy options for our home that we could afford. Our family is no different than yours. We are just regular people who just want to make a difference in our lives. We wanted to lower our electricity costs. It is getting very expensive out there so we figured out a way to beat it. Today we live 100% Off-Grid with our solar panels and wind generator.
Our Energy
Join the thousands of American consumers who have already sent over 1,540,000 letters and emails to elected officials asking about our nation's energy and climate policy.
Pachamama Alliance
To preserve the earths tropical rainforests by empowering the indigenous people who are it's natural custodians. To contribute to the creation of a new global vision of equality and sustainability for all.
Planet Drum Foundation
Planet Drum was founded to provide an effective grassroots approach to ecology that emphasizes sustainability, community self-determination and regional self-reliance. In association with community activists and ecologists, Planet Drum developed the concept of a bioregion: a distinct area with coherent and interconnected plant and animal communities, and natural systems, often defined by a watershed. A bioregion is a whole "life-place" with unique requirements for human inhabitation so that it will not be disrupted and injured. Through its projects, publications, speakers, and workshops, Planet Drum helps start new bioregional groups and encourages local organizations and individuals to find ways to live within the natural confines of bioregions.
Planet Thoughts
A PlanetThought is a thought directed towards caring for our planet. The environment needs our care so Earth can remain human-friendly for the next century and beyond. You can join us to learn more and to help promote more awareness and discussion of these critical issues.
Planetwork
Planetwork brings a collaborative systems view rooted in conscious evolution to the intersection of sustainability & technology. We are a convening organization, gathering people from a wide variety of disciplines and vocations - science, technology, activism, business and the arts to further the conversation about earth systems, communities and the potentially constructive role of technology.
Playgreen
The wiki on green living.
Raw Veg Info
Planetwork brings a collaborative systems view rooted in conscious evolution to the intersection of sustainability & technology. We are a convening organization, gathering people from a wide variety of disciplines and vocations - science, technology, activism, business and the arts to further the conversation about earth systems, communities and the potentially constructive role of technology.
Recycle First
RecycleFirst is a pioneer in the consumer and corporate recycling industry. Seven years ago we started our business when cartridge recycling was in its infancy and cell phone recycling did not exist.
reegle
reegle is a one-stop shop for high quality information on renewable energy and energy efficiency. This includes a powerful search engine for documents and other information (Intelligent and Category Search) as well as a comprehensive catalogue of stakeholders (Actors' Catalogue)
Run Your Home For Free
In minutes you'll know how to build your own simple, ingenious home power supply that's perfectly legal, and will give you all the juice you need on demand for pennies.
Sinless Buying
Our company is a manufacturer and a sales partner with other manufacturers. Together, we put together a line of products and customizable green solutions that can serve you as the one stop shop for green packaging needs. We provide sustainable alternatives to Paper and Plastic products. By working with various manufacturing partners, we offer the ability to customize products for various packaging needs. Our current focus is on food packaging but are not limited to other industrial packaging products.
Solar Energy International
Solar Energy International (SEI) is a USA non-profit organization whose mission is to help others use renewable energy and environmental building technologies through education. SEI teaches individuals from all walks of life how to design, install and maintain renewable energy systems, and how to design and build efficient, sustainable homes. SEI offers trainings online and in 22 locations around the world.
Sustainable World Coalition
We are a coalition of individuals and supporting organizations who work toward a world that is environmentally sustainable, socially just and spiritually fulfilling. Our work is to educate, inspire and activate, fostering a strong engagement in personal and planetary sustainability. We produce events and educational materials to promote action that restores and maintains the health of the planet and the well-being of humanity.
The Daily Green
The consumer's guide to the green revolution.
Thimmakka
To create practical, quantifiable, economically-viable systemic solutions to critical global environmental problems. We accomplish our mission by transforming business-as-usual practices through the forging of new partnerships and leveraging existing Green Business Program guidelines.
Think Green
At Waste Management, we are dedicated to delivering on the promise of Think Green®, to promoting sustainability, and to being good neighbors with each other and the environment we share.
Think Green Building
We believe that good buildings unite specific people with a specific spot on the planet to the benefit of both. Through teaching, writing, consulting, designing, trouble shooting, and building, we are dedicated to helping create good buildings.
TreeHugger
TreeHugger is the leading media outlet dedicated to driving sustainability mainstream. Partial to a modern aesthetic, we strive to be a one-stop shop for green news, solutions, and product information. At TreeHugger we know that variety is the spice of life, so you can find all you need to go green in our up to the minute blog, weekly and daily newsletters, weekly video segments, weekly radio show and our user-generated blog, Hugg. We also extend our expertise to companies looking for a little green guidance. Past clients include Domino, Sundance Channel and House & Garden.
Urban Alliance For Sustainability
UAS intends to always provide a platform for those solutions that are successfully manifesting the shared vision of a more sustainable world. By returning focus on the solutions, UAS hopes to activate the energy of those individuals and organizations that are feeling overwhelmed or helpless in this currently unsustainable world. UAS wants to engage with you and hear what is important to you!
Urth
Urth members are creating the next generation of conscious media: global citizen media. Urth.tv encourages the merging of conscious practices into digital storytelling creating a new ecology, a new economy and a new mythology - a new Earth.
We Can Solve It
The We Campaign is a project of The Alliance for Climate Protection -- a nonprofit, nonpartisan effort founded by Nobel laureate and former Vice President Al Gore. The goal of the Alliance is to build a movement that creates the political will to solve the climate crisis -- in part through repowering America with 100 percent of its electricity from clean energy sources within 10 years. Our economy, national security, and climate can't afford to wait.
Webcor
We are committed to helping our clients produce buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthier places to live and work. As a member of the U.S. Green Building Council, our teams include accredited professionals who leverage their expertise during preconstruction by working with the design team to help the owner evaluate the benefits of sustainable features while optimizing the value of each dollar spent.
Whole Life
We are creating a global, collaborative, click and Mortar platform with hundreds of conscious social networks, media channels, live broadcasting, e- commerce and philanthropy for people who value healthy and ecological lifestyles, personal and spiritual development, conscious commerce and global citizenship - a Wholelife!
Wikia Green
Green Wikia strives to become a trusted central place to share our growing and evolving body of knowledge about environmental topics and issues with people who want to inform themselves and live in a more sustainable way. The Green Wikia community also believes that the threats to our environment are real and that they require action. However, the wiki also strives to foster a community where respectful debate and informed viewpoints can be heard.
Women's Earth Alliance
Women's Earth Alliance is a global organization that unites women working on the frontlines of environmental causes, through the coordination of resources, training, and technology - because when women thrive, communities thrive.
World Resources Institute
The World Resources Institute (WRI) is an environmental think tank that goes beyond research to find practical ways to protect the earth and improve people's lives.
Our mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth's environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations.
Do you care about the environment and your health, but want to be stylish with your home décor at the same time? Luckily, there are plenty of green living options that can be implemented in your home in order to create a great look while remaining eco-friendly.
Making Sustainable Choices
Making sustainable choices are an important component of green living. Making sustainable choices means purchasing products that don’t cause a negative impact on the environment and that will not make it more difficult for future generations to continue to sustain themselves. Making sustainable choices during the design process is referred to as 'green design' or 'sustainable design'. Some great sustainable choices to consider when decorating include:
- Natural stone counter tops
- Cabinets and other products made from woods such as bamboo, eucalyptus, or recycled wood
- Carpet made from natural fibers, such as wool and cotton, or made from recycled materials
- Green-friendly paint and home wallpaper, which is being offered by a growing number of manufacturers
- Antiques – after all, they are being recycled!
You don’t have to create a bland and boring home décor in order to enjoy green living. In fact, there are numerous options out there that will allow you to make your home look great while still protecting the planet.
Appliances for Green Living
When it comes to green living, a great place to start is in your kitchen. Remodeling can add a great deal of value to your home, can make it more functional and attractive, and can help you make your home more eco-friendly.
When buying for your kitchen, look for modern appliances to help bring your home up-to-date. By purchasing those appliances with the Energy Star rating, you can potentially cut the amount of energy you use to power those appliances in half. Adding faucet aerators to your kitchen and bathroom faucets will also help reduce the amount of water you use while still providing you with a high pressure stream of water.
Obtaining Green Products
Fortunately, green living is rapidly growing in popularity. In response, many manufacturers are offering lines of eco friendly products that can be used for decorating purposes. In addition, a growing number of online and offline stores that are dedicated solely to green living are becoming a more common occurrence.
One great resource for green living products is www.greenhome.com. This site carries only eco-friendly products, including furniture, bedding, and home furnishings. Home furnishings offered at www.greenhome.com include candles, picture frames, tableware, home accessories, clocks, lamps, rugs and carpet. Another great online resource for green living products is www.livingreen.com. Here, you can find wall coverings, furniture, flooring, and more. Go to www.vivaterrra.com for fabulous green gifts for the home and garden.
Although it may take a little more time and effort to find and purchase eco products for your home, the effort will be worth it. Not only will you be doing your part to help conserve and protect the environment, green living is better for your health and can save you money in the long run.
About the Author:
San Francisco Interior Designer - Mint Home Décor.
San Francisco Interior Decorator - Mint Home Décor.
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Tips for Green Living in the Home
"In 2003, one massive power outage put most of the Eastern Seaboard - more than 50 million people - into a complete blackout, affecting the water supply, transportation, communication and causing widespread looting. A highly dangerous strain of E. coli in the town of Walkerton's water supply was responsible for sickness in 40% of the population and even 7 deaths.
Power, water and the 'grid' system are what keep civilized societies moving, but a rapidly growing sense of concern has citizens everywhere desiring and then demanding control over their own utilities. A passion for self sufficiency is spreading, not in the 'I want to go and live back-to-the-land like in a hippy commune' kind of way, rather in a straight forward, no nonsense way that requires little to no sacrifice of any living standards and is affordable at the same time. Solar power, wind generation, even rain catchment are becoming hot topics all around the world.
In this poignant and personal documentary, Les Stroud and Sue Jamison, along with their two young children, share their experience leaving a world of electricity bills and water problems and going 'off the grid' as they move to their acreage in Northern Ontario. Filmmaker Les Stroud wanted to show first hand that you need be neither a back-to-the-lander, an electrical engineer, or rich to escape the clutches of government-controlled electricity and water."
Even in a down market, Canadians recognize the long-term, cost-saving value of building a home with sustainable materials. Survey findings show that over the next five years, the green building market in North America is expected to double with up to 20% of us insisting on the use of sustainable materials.
“A green home uses less energy, water and natural resources,” says Todd Blyth at Nudura, the manufacturer of insulated concrete forms. “It creates less waste and is healthier and more comfortable for the occupants. Equally important benefits include lower energy bills, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and less exposure to mold, mildew and other indoor toxins. As a result, the net cost of owning a sustainable home is comparable to cost of a conventional one.”
When talking to your builder, ask for materials and systems that meet established green criteria. Such building materials are identifiable if they're rated by LEED, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design organization. LEED encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices. It provides a third-party certification program, setting an international benchmark for the construction and operation of high performance sustainable buildings.
“Concrete is a good place to begin,” says Blyth, referring to the Nudura building system. “Concrete walls, are far superior in performance than the old wood frame method. A home that begins its construction with efficient, pre-assembled, interlocking concrete blocks will deliver significant, on-going benefits to your lifestyle, to the environment, to your operating costs, and to the overall re-sale value of the house.”
Nudura forms, can be ordered in a variety of sizes and shapes so that home can be built to any design. As importantly, concrete walls eliminate the risk of mold growth and allergens, so common with wood. This concrete system provides a superior sound barrier and is resistant to thermal bridging, where outside cold travels easily through walls to create uncomfortable cold spots, drafts, and mustiness. It is also reported that concrete walls like these are up to nine times stronger, far more fire resistant, sound resistant, and will reduce energy costs up to 70 percent. More information is available online at nudura.com.
- News Canada
For more information on GTA Condos and Houses - Buying and Sellings Tips
Please visit: http://www.rakeshpabbi.com
Rakesh Pabbi is Mississauga Real Estate Agent and offers services to Buy, Sell and Rent property, apartments, homes and condos in Mississauga, real estate investing Mississauga, Brampton and GTA area. He provides Customize Home Search, Free Home Evaluation, Buyer Seller Incentives, Mortgage Info & First time buyer advice. Rakesh holds an Engineering degree in Electronics and Tele-Communications from India and have more than 12 yrs of experience in Information Technology field. Real estate is a competitive market where technology now plays an integral role. To be successful, whether in purchasing or selling your home, it is necessary to take full advantage of technological advancements. As an individual with technology background who is capable of utilizing these technical tools, Rakesh Pabbi- Mississauga Real Estate Agent can provides you a greater service. Languages Spoken: English, Hindi, Punjabi.
Rakesh Pabbi, Sales Representative
Homelife Superstars Real Estate Ltd; Brokerage
2565 Steeles Ave E, Unit 11, Brampton ON L6T 4L6
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Green homes improve the quality of life
Eco friendly furniture refinishing helps to reduce our demands on the environment by preserving furniture created long ago, and prevents cutting down and wasting trees growing today. It also helps us to improve our homes with updated fine quality pieces of furniture that might otherwise be overlooked, and clog our waste dumps and landfills. Fine, old trees were cut down in decades or centuries past, and utilized in the production of furniture that is eventually in need of maintenance, not discarding. Old furniture finishes, especially twentieth century finishes including lacquer, turn dark, translucent, and finally semi-opaque, hiding the beauty of the wood beneath. An old finish is then susceptible to whitish heat and humidity marks, becomes brittle and scratches easily. If a new, natural wood finish strikes you as unappealing, then a vibrant, more contemporary colored lacquer finish may be applied instead. Perhaps a glossy bright yellow, orange, or blue is more what you have in mind for your old, tired looking Danish modern furniture ?
If you prefer a natural wood finish, keep in mind that beauty is skin deep, the damages are just to the finish, and you will start over when the finish is removed. If the old finish is removed using Eco friendly furniture refinishing techniques, then a new finish applied, the furniture can display the original beauty of the wood when it was created, with an antique patina that is irreplaceable. The quality and species of wood available and used then was generally better than what is available today.
Whether colored lacquer or natural wood finish is more attractive to you, there is little comparison between craftsmanship of yesterday with today’s shoddy manufacturing. Old furniture you find that was made more than twenty years ago, will outlast just about anything made today.
Eco friendly furniture refinishing is about more than just preserving old furniture, and not wasting resources to produce new flake board, melamine, laminate, or MDF and their waste products in the production of new furniture. Critical to Eco friendly furniture refinishing involves the use of less toxic strippers and removers to take off the old finish, prior to applying a new finish. Over the past fifteen years or so, removers have been developed to strip off old finishes, that are not lye based, or methylene chloride based. These modern, environmentally improved furniture removers include N Methyl-2 Pyrrolidone, or NMP, and other enzymatic removers that facilitate the removal of finishes without such toxic or ozone damaging chemicals as the older generation of furniture finish removers. Other Eco friendly furniture refinishing removers include the use of ceramic or quartz emitter infrared lamps to remove paint and heavily built up finishes, leaving no toxic remover waste or organic solvent to evaporate into the atmosphere at all.
Living on our planet today, we have a responsibility to tomorrows’ generations. Preserving our heritage and the environment is something all can appreciate. The vintage antique, or designer furniture we admire from the 50’s, 60’s, or 70’s, including Eames, mid century modern, space age, op art or pop art is often available in local thrift shops, or from eBay, from yard sales, or flea markets. Often, you need look no further than in your own homes to find candidates for refinishing. Open your imagination to wider refinishing possibilities for such handsomely designed furniture, and you will be helping yourself, our society, and the environment for a brighter tomorrow.
Renewable & Alternative Energy Resources: http://www.alternativeenergybase.com
Olek Lejbzon & Co. takes care of all your furniture refinishing , restoration and re upholstery needs ranging from a single kitchen chair requiring re caning to refinishing, reupholstering, and repairing all of the furniture. For more information please visit: Eco Friendly Furniture Refinishing
In the United States, homes create 38% of the total carbon emissions. Especially if we want to stop global warming, building our homes with green home designs will have a significant effect on the future. If you're looking to incorporate a bit of green home design, there are a hundred small things you can do to green-up your home. But for those into truly lowering their homes impact on the environment, there are four basic green home design rules to follow.
- Rule 1 in Green Home Design: Go Small
There's something gloriously attractive about large, mansion-like homes. But large homes use up an incredible amount of energy for heating and cooling-- and this energy generally comes from nasty fossil fuels that muck up our environment. These homes also require more resources for building and create more waste as a result. So if you're looking to incorporate green home design in your building plans, build small.
- Green Home Design Rule 2: Incorporate Passive Solar Design
Passive solar cooling and heating is one of the most important elements of green home design. The relatively simple concept behind passive solar design is to design a home according to the climate. In warmer climates, homes are designed to absorb less heat. In colder areas, design is used to reduce the amount of heat lost. To do this, green home design is incorporated into the orientation of the building, the location of the windows, the flooring (stone is best), and other elements of the home to reduce the amount of energy wasted.
- Rule 3 in Green Home Design: Recycle and Reuse Materials
Unfortunately, almost all the materials you use in your home will harm the environment, either during manufacturing or transportation to your home. The use of renewable or recycled materials which are manufactured locally helps to reduce the damage building can have on the environment. Use recycled materials, such as recycled insulation and lumber composites, or quickly-renewable products, such as bamboo flooring, in your green home design.
- Green Home Design Rule 4: Optimize your Heating and Cooling
Heat and AC systems are the most energy-consuming elements in almost any home. And even though the thought of the hot summer months might make an oversized air conditioning system sound pretty tempting, this kind of cooling is as anti-green home design as you can get. Large AC systems overcool the air, and tend to cycle on and off too frequently. This constant on-and-off cycle gives large AC systems a short lifespan, making them create extra waste along with using up extra fuel.
Renewable And Alternative Energy Resources: http://www.alternativeenergybase.com
Find more information regarding building a green home, click greenhomeguide.org.
There are many affordable options to convert your home into a solar home and solar energy technologies can supply for several different uses in a solar home. Passive solar design can provide heating, cooling and natural light for your home. Solar electricity options are available to power home appliances and solar water heating can provide hot water options for laundry and general household water use (showers, cooking, cleaning). When planning a solar home it is important to consider which solar energy options are most efficient, and cost effective for your situation.
A passive solar home utilizes home design to provide heating, cooling and natural light without the use of any special equipment. A passive solar home basically uses the environment to accomplish great reductions in energy use. A passive solar home uses construction materials and design to utilize the sun’s heat during winter months and block the sun’s heat during summer months. There are several passive solar techniques you can use in a solar home, direct gain, radiant heat from sunlight passing directly into a living space and being absorbed by furniture, flooring etc and usually achieved with south facing window installations, indirect gain, involving an attached Trombe wall that collects heat and distributes it throughout the home by the use of fans, thermal mass, which are materials that naturally collect and store heat such as brick or stone, and passive cooling, which generally includes overhangs for south-facing windows to block the sun during summer months for cooling the solar home.
Another feature often found in a solar home is the use of solar electricity. Solar electricity is generated when photovoltaic cells are used to absorb sunlight and convert it into usable electricity. The energy produced by solar panels must be converted to DC (household power) through the use of an inverter. Solar electricity can be used to supplement metered electric already being received by a solar home or with the use of a battery storage bank, can be used as the only electric source for the home. If the later is going to be used, it is suggested that owners of the solar home have a generator available for backup power.
Solar water heating is one of the most common uses of solar energy in a solar home. There are two kinds of solar water heating available for solar home use. The first is a closed loop system, which can be used in areas that are not prone to freezing. These systems use water filled tubes that are heated directly by the sun. A closed loop system uses an anti-freeze type liquid to collect heat from the sun and then the heated liquid is used to heat household water via a heat exchanger.
Regardless of which steps you take toward converting to a solar home, energy efficiency is the most important attribute to a successful solar home operation. Energy efficiency minimizes the need for heating, cooling and electricity. Using higher insulation levels, more energy efficient windows, appliance and lighting than used in traditional construction, you will already be saving yourself a lot of money and energy. However these changes may not be an option when converting an existing home into a solar home, so make any changes possible to your home energy efficiency and adapt other solar practices to convert your existing home into a solar home.
These days with so much emphasis being placed on global climate change, reducing consumption, and recycling, interior design can be a bit daunting if we want to limit our carbon footprint and still get the effect we want. However, armed with the right information, it needn't be a big challenge and we can still create beautiful rooms that are stylish, healthy and that are environmentally friendly too. So where do we begin?
First of all it's important to note that every single thing we buy has an impact on the environment somewhere along the line either, from the way they are extracted, manufactured and processed, or from the distances they have to travel to end up in our home. Take for example paint, wood, glass, metal, textiles and furniture, each of which can have a negative impact if we don't know what to look out for but with a little effort and forethought, we are able to find eco friendly alternatives.
Paint
Conventional paint contains solvents and lot of other harsh chemicals and toxins but it is possible to source paints that have a reduced effect on the environment and that don't contain solvents, which are not only a much healthier option as they won't release harmful gases into your home and the atmosphere, they can be just as effective.
Wood
If possible, try to buy wood that is grown in a local forest so it doesn't have to travel long distances to end up in your home. Also, choose woods that don't have a negative effect on the environment. Look out for the FSC symbol which stands for Forestry Stewardship Council, an international non-profit organization that will ensure that when you buy you will not be contributing to global forest destruction and threatening the livelihoods of people who depend on the forest or timber to survive.
Glass and Metal
Glass and metal are fairly easy to recycle and one of the advantages of both is that in most cases they can be recycled over and over again without losing any quality. Using recycled glass and metal helps reduce the amount of resources needed to produce these materials from scratch, also the process of recycling uses a lot less energy than what is required to make new glass and metal.
Textiles
Textile production can include processes like dying and bleaching which uses a lot of energy and will produce toxic gases which are then released into the environment not to mention the harmful pesticides that are often used whilst growing the raw materials. The main things to consider when choosing an eco friendly option is how renewable the product is, in other words, can it be replenished quickly, whether the product is dyed or if natural dyes are used, and whether a lot of chemicals are required to produce it. Some of the more eco friendly choices include organic cotton, wool and hemp although there are many others available too.
Furniture
How eco friendly your furniture is will depend on the material it is made from, how it is processed and what finishes have been used, so choose carefully. Consider buying second hand furniture or items made from recycled or reclaimed materials and doing them up as this helps to keep existing items in circulation and reduces the amount of perfectly useful items ending up in landfill.
When sourcing eco friendly materials for your interior design project, try to stick to the following guidelines:
- Buy from local producers and suppliers as much as possible as the less distance an item has to travel, the lower the impact on the environment
- Consider the type of materials you choose and whether they come from renewable and sustainable energy sources
- Avoid materials that contain chemical additives or that use a lot of energy during manufacturing processes
- When buying new items, try as much as possible to choose products that can be readily recycled after use or that can be disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner
- Consider low energy or energy saving devices and buy as much as you can from recycled or reclaimed materials
Finally, as a result of the massive amount of publicity given to global warming and the need for conservation of energy, many producers make claims about their products that are misleading or even false so check out the credentials of any suppliers claiming that their products are certified as natural, organic or eco friendly.
David McEvoy is an expert in interior design. If you are looking for a leather sofa to give the finishing touches to a newly decorated room then please come and visit our site.
Article Source: http://www.articlegarden.com
People who enjoy having a rustic-looking dwelling often choose to have a log cabin built for themselves. A handcrafted log cabin is very picturesque and comfortable at the same time, and there are several log cabin designs you can choose from, once you have decided for such a home.
People who enjoy having a rustic-looking dwelling often choose to have a log cabin built for themselves. A handcrafted log cabin is very picturesque and comfortable at the same time, and there are several log cabin designs you can choose from, once you have decided on such a home. Highly popular is the vacation log cabin, set up in a holiday location, where dwellers can relax at their leisure. If you study some log cabin plans, you will surely realize a log cabin is more than a simple home and has the features of an artistic product. Drawing up the log cabin kit for a handcrafted log cabin requires both skills and creativity.
The main reason why the log cabin is so popular nowadays is the combination of elegance and comfort a handcrafted log cabin can provide. Check out some log cabin plans and you will get the basic idea of what a vacation log cabin can offer. The great thing about log cabin designs is that the resulting building will not only have a rustic and picturesque appearance, but will also provide its dwellers with all the comfort they need. Moreover, a log cabin is very easy to build and you can customize your log cabin kit according to your special preferences, to give your handcrafted log cabin an atmosphere your guests will never forget.
By choosing a log cabin, you can really define your style when it comes to the space you live in. You can customize the log cabin plans for your chosen handcrafted log cabin, by making several options for your log cabin kit regarding types of flooring, roofs and log cabin accessories. There are numerous log cabin designs available, and once you have defined your vision, you can proceed to order the vacation log cabin most suitable to your taste. You will be delighted to find out that a handcrafted log cabin is not only extremely comfortable and beautiful in itself, but also protective as far as the environment is concerned.
Building a traditional house has more damaging effects on nature than a log cabin ever could. This happens because a handcrafted log cabin is made principally of wood, which is a great renewable natural resource. As you can find out by studying log cabin plans, a great advantage of a log cabin is also its strength over time. You will not have any troubles with heating and insulation, because a log cabin kit ensures that your handcrafted log cabin is well provided for in this respect. With no technical worries on your mind, you can start browsing through available log cabin designs and order your favorite vacation log cabin.
The charm of a log cabin comes mainly from its appearance. Machine-built homes are not so artistic in their look, but a handcrafted log cabin will certainly show your tastes and personality, as the log cabin kit you order can be customized to suit your preferences. When you decide on the changes you would like to make to available log cabin plans, you should discuss them with your builders, who can offer you viable solutions on how to implement your requirements. Changes related to log cabin designs are very frequent among purchasers, who wish to have their vacation log cabin tailored to their tastes.
A great advantage of having a log cabin built for yourself is that you may get to spend less than on an ordinary home. Because a handcrafted log cabin is made of wood, it is not only less damaging towards the environment, but it can also involve lower costs when it comes to materials. Being able to tailor your log cabin plans means having the possibility to choose from or combine various log cabin designs and also to decide on the materials you want to use for your log cabin kit. One of the major factors that influences the total cost is the area in which you want your vacation log cabin built.
A log cabin of your own will give you the opportunity to escape daily routine and relax at the heart of nature. Remote and picturesque areas are preferred locations for a handcrafted log cabin, and if you have a specific place in mind you can either tailor your log cabin kit or choose among the numerous log cabin designs available, so that your home blends in well with the landscape. Many people dream of putting their log cabin plans into practice, because they enjoy nature and would like to live in a relaxing mood-sweetening home. If you are among them, you can make your dream come true, by ordering the vacation log cabin of your choice.
There are many people who decide to live in a handcrafted log cabin, because such a log cabin is not only comfortable, but also elegant and artistic in its appearance.
Web Site: http://loghome.ristiku.com
E-Mail: ristiku@ristiku.com
Article Source: http://www.articlegarden.com
Chuck the incandescent light bulbs wherever possible. These standard tear-drop shaped bulbs burn out relatively quickly and use up lots of electricity -- creating garbage and using up resources at the same time. Compact florescent light bulbs (a.k.a. CFLs) last many times longer than incandescent bulbs and use a fraction of the energy. They cost more per bulb, but money you save in energy will outweigh the price difference.
Give up on the bottled water. Sure, your Aquafina may taste slightly better than standard tap water, but the cost of bottled water to the environment cannot be underestimated. Bottled water takes energy to procure, distil, transport and package. Instead, buy a top-of-the-line sink filter or just keep a filtered water pitcher in the fridge. Not only will you protect the environment by cutting back on your consumption of plastic, but you will also save a bundle over the long-term on drinking water costs.
Recycle or give away (or sell on the cheap) your old furniture. Instead of trucking your old sofa or 1999 Sony T.V. to the dump, find your used furnishings a second home. You can use online give-away sites like Craigslist to find people in your local area who might want your furniture. You can also sell stuff on e-bay or give it away/sell it at a garage sale. Barring that, you can find an eco-friendly recycling center near you to dispose of your furniture with minimal damage to the environment.
Stock up on natural, organic products. Instead of installing a vinyl shower curtain, for instance, hang up a hemp curtain -- it's equally anti-fungal and does not release small amounts of volatile organic compounds every time you take a shower. Get rid of your harsh kitchen and bathroom cleansers and replace those nasty chemicals (which have been linked to all sorts of ailments and pregnancy-disorders) with safe compounds that won't hurt you, your children, your pets or your environment.
Reduce your dependence on heating and air-conditioning. You can keep a temperate house without paying your local energy company an arm and a leg. Turn off the heat and air-conditioning when you leave for work for the day (or go on vacation). Use your windows and shades to adjust to the weather outside. If it's super hot out, for instance, throw open the windows and turn on some fans. If it's incredibly cold, pull down your shades and keep windows tightly sealed to avoid heat-leakage. You can also invest in thermally efficient windows and sealants to boost your energy efficiency.
Get a professional energy audit. You can find top rated independent energy contractors out there to come to your home and point out precisely where and how you are wasting energy. By following their tips to reduce heat waste, you will not only reduce your consumption of fuel, but you will also pad your pocketbook in the long-term.
Make it a habit to turn off electrical devices when you are not using them. Before you go to sleep at night, go around and turn off the lights, the T.V., the computer, and other appliances, which can drain energy while you sleep. Also, many electronics like DVD players and video consoles stay 'on' even when turned 'off'’, so they continuously consume a small amount of energy – unplug them.
Landscape in an eco-friendly manner. Put out drums to catch rain water to hydrate your plants or garden (if you live in an area that's relatively drought-prone). Landscape with plants that are native to your region and soil type. If you try to keep tropical plants alive in an arid environment, you’ll inevitably use up an unseemly amount of water and natural resources keeping the plants healthy. You might also want to use your garden to grow organic vegetables.
Look for products and services to boost your green mission. You can find expandable foam to seal up drafts in your insulation. You can get screens to put in your windows to block out some of the solar radiation in the summer and thus help you save on air-conditioning costs. You can purchase eco-friendly power strips to reduce your energy bill and general power consumption. You can buy hemp grocery bags to transport your food (and thus save the planet from having to countenance hundreds of plastic and/or paper bags a year).
Get your family and friends into the green act. You can’t do it alone. Teach your family about the value of the environment and establish "rules of the house" to conserve resources and treat your local habitat with respect. Remember that greening your home can be a fun and educational process. Keep up to speed on the latest greening technologies by contacting local environmentally concerned groups or government agencies.
About Anne Li:
ARI Green Energy is a manufacturer of wind generator technologies. Visit them today for a full line of wind turbines and solar technology solutions. Think green.
Sustainable Living Articles @ http://www.articlegarden.com
Utilizing the solar system, instead of fuel, for space heating is part of GREEN. And that's where solar homes come in.
The Traditional Way: Active Solar Homes
Early on, architects learned to harness the sun to heat our homes and minimize our dependence on imported oil. South-facing solar panels on the roof, with circulating water, can produce free domestic hot water. This system is still popular and is cost-effective.
Multiple such panels, with anti-freeze liquid instead of water, and with elaborate pumps and insulated storage tanks have been used for space heating. This system is called "active solar," due to the hardware involved in the system, and it is not cost-effective.
Another upcoming system, born out of the space age, is "photovoltaic." Photovoltaic roof panels use sun power to run the house's entire electrical system. This option is clean, efficient and almost care-free, but very costly to install. However, it does have future potentials as costs come down.
The Practical Way: Passive Solar Homes
"Passive solar" is an old concept with a new shine. Energy-saving passive solar does away with costly panels and mechanical devices and taps directly into the sun's energy and house orientation to heat the home. The advancement of technology and available materials has further enhanced the system.
So what's in a passive solar home? A typical one has the major rooms facing south, or nearly-south. The house is constructed with thick insulation in walls and ceilings to keep the house warm in winter and cool in summer. Window and door glazing is double-paned for better insulation (in colder climates, triple-glazing is recommended). A wood-burning stove is selected over a fireplace to optimize heat efficiency.
Most windows and glass doors are on the south side for solar gain. Roof overhangs shade the house from high summer sun. Strategically placed clerestory windows create air circulation by convection for summer cooling.
Benefits and Limitations
Passive solar homes work when solar radiation is collected inside the home and stored in sun spaces, such as sun rooms, and also in thermal media areas, such as masonry walls and thick, ceramic-finished concrete floors. Solar heat stored in these elements is then slowly released after sunset to keep the home warm.
Passive solar has its limitations, too. For instance, some lots might not be fit for solar homes, such as when the site is overwhelmed by tall trees or a barrier. Also, solar design usually requires some sort of back-up heating system for prolonged sunless days or severe weather.
The Bottom Line
It is estimated that passive solar homes can cut fuel consumption by almost 60% or more, especially when wood-burning stoves are utilized. So consider going green and building a passive solar home for your family.
Sustainable Living Articles @ http://www.articlegarden.com
About Charles Koty, A.I.A.:
Charles Koty is an award-winning architect, specializing in passive solar homes, with plans featured in numerous home magazines including Better Homes and Gardens, Architectural Designs, House Beautiful, and many others. View his available home plans at www.nationalhomeplans.com
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