the low down on green living
July 3rd, 2008
U.S. Could Get 10 Million Solar Roofs in Ten Years
by Andrew Williams, courtesy of Red Green and Blue
U.S. Senator Bernie Saunders (I-VT) has introduced a Bill to the Senate that would help homeowners to slash the cost of installing solar panels. The 10 Million Solar Roofs Act of 2008 will offer rebates for up to half the cost of installing solar photovoltaic systems, and run for ten years. A wide range of people and organizations, including homeowners, businesses, non-profit organizations, state and local governments will be eligible to apply.
The Bill will be formally introduced when the Senate reconvenes on Monday following the 4th July recess. Co-sponsors come from across the political spectrum, including Senators John Kerry (D-MA), Ben Cardon (D-MD), Arlen Specter (R-PA), John Warner (R-VA), and Robert Menendez (D-NJ). The proposal looks very similar to an initiative launched in San Francisco late last month that will provide rebates of $3,000 to $6,000 in the largest city-wide solar promotion scheme in the U.S.
The past few weeks have been quite tumultuous for the solar energy industry. Firstly, the Senate voted to block progress on a bill designed to introduce $17.7 billion of tax breaks for the renewables industry. Shortly afterwards, to howls of protest from solar energy industry, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) introduced a twenty two month moratorium on new solar projects on public land, in order to properly assess their environmental credentials. A few days later, they decided to reverse the decision. Last week also brought news of the introduction of a Democrat-backed Bill to introduce a national feed-in tariff for renewable energy projects. Phew! things are moving on rapidly in the world of solar - I wonder what next week will bring?
Click here to find solar installers across the U.S.
July 3rd, 2008
Volkswagen to Produce Plug-In Hybrid Electric Cars
By Andrew Williams, courtesty of Gas2.org
Hot on the heels of the announcement that Mercedes will produce electric cars, comes the news that fellow German manufacturer Volkswagen plans to produce a test fleet of plug-in hybrid electric cars by 2010.
A few months ago, to much excitement from the automotive press, the company unveiled a diesel-electric Golf but, according to VW chief Martin Winterkorn, “the future belongs to electric cars.” To help in mapping out the road to this electric future, the company have unveiled a plug-in hybrid powertrain, called the Twin-Drive, which will make its first appearance in a Golf kitted out with a 122-horsepower diesel engine, twinned with an 82-horsepower electric motor.
A key difference between the VW approach and typical hybrids is that instead of the battery providing supplemental power to the combustion engine, the Twin-Drive will work the other way around. According to Winterkorn, “here the diesel or gasoline engine supplements the e-motor.”
The car will use lithium-ion batteries and have a range of 31 miles on purely electric power. Over the last few months, Volkswagen has invested heavily in li-ion battery technology. In addition to teaming up with Sanyo in a $769 million dollar development project, the company has also formed the Lithium-Ion Battery 2015 Alliance (LIB2015) with Bosch, BASF, Evonik and others, backed up by a €60 million investment from the German government.
Volkwagen says it will have a test-fleet of twenty Twin-Drive Golf’s on the road in 2010, but there is still no news on plans to ramp-up commercial production. Given the level of investment being ploughed into the technology, I have a hunch that such an announcement won’t be too long in coming.
Posts Related to Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles:
- Prototype Ford Escape Plug-in Hybrid: 88 MPG on 85% Ethanol
- Snapshot of Battery Technology for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Cars
- Google to Spend $10 Million on Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Project
Image credits - Volkswagen
July 2nd, 2008
Green House Plans from FreeGreen
Think you can’t afford an architect to design your green dream home? Wrong-ola. Now you can get free green home plans from FreeGreen.
FreeGreen’s mission is clear and simple: ”At FreeGreen we hope to encourage progressive building practices by making green home designs free for everyone.” The company is able to provide these free designs because they make money from companies looking to promote their green home materials/products (e.g., flooring from FLOR, tankless water heaters from Rinnai, GE Energy Star appliances, etc.) To learn more about FreeGreen’s history and business model, click here.
This is really an amazing service– you just go to the site, find the home design you want, and download the plans. It is amazingly easy. The site is quite new and has some little bugs, but you can still really do a lot with it. (For instance to download you need to click on the “virtual tour” link for the house you want.) In addition to downloading the drawing set for your builder, you can download the energy performance data for the home you have selected. You can also get a Spec Book of the building products and finishes that can be installed in your home.
They have three house plans they are featuring now and they will be adding more as time goes on. The one pictured at right above is the “Suburban Loft,” which can be 1,200 to 2,600 square feet. I’m personally partial to the Smart Box, pictured at left. It can be 1,000 to 2,200 square feet. They also offer a more traditional looking “Healthy Family” home which can be 1,800 to 3,000 feet. And you can customize any of these designs to your geographic location and sizing desires. Check out all of the plans here.
And if you’re looking for a builder in your area, don’t forget to check our nationwide directory of green builders here.
July 1st, 2008
Green Prefab Coming to a Market Near You!
If you can’t tell, we’re pretty hooked on the latest and greatest in green prefab design. One big problem, though, is that there’s a huge amount of noise and not all that much action - plenty of fabulous prefab designs and museum / conference exhibits, but very few actual installations (and even fewer mid-market installs, which is where prefab has to go in order to make a true difference in our housing stock).
Finally, the log jam seems to be breaking. Several firms have begun to produce green prefab homes for real people in small but growing numbers. This past month, Marmol Radziner, a prefab company here in Southern California, made a splash with some pretty showy installation videos on local media outlets. These homes are either a) high end or b) for the firm’s founders, so they’re still a ways away from mass-market. But, the videos do a good job of showing what elements make prefab homes unique (factory construction, rapid installation, modular components) and at least to me suggest that they’re not all that far away from being able to replicate these installations on a larger and thus less expensive scale.
So, take a few minutes out of work and check out this great video from the LA Times on the installation of one of the homes. And continue to hope for the day when all you have to do is walk down the street instead of visit the local museum to see a beautiful green prefab home near you. (our apologies for whatever ad the LA Times is running in front of this clip - when I last viewed it it was a Chevy Pickup ad - ugggggg). To see more great green prefab options, visit our green prefab directory here.
July 1st, 2008
Build Your Ultimate Green Kitchen
Written by Joel Bittle, courtesy of GreenBuildingElements.com
A few weeks ago I offered my thoughts on green kitchens on a budget. Today, I want to focus on making your new kitchen as green as possible, without regard for cost. Remember, often the greenest options is to keep your current kitchen; many choose to repaint their cabinets with non-VOC paint or to tackle DIY cabinet projects. This article is for those building a whole new kitchen or are remodeling from the ground up. It’s up to you to determine the balance between what is the most green and what is the most practical for your project.
The three categories that determine a product’s green-ness are health, sustainability, and energy. Health takes into account the product’s offgassing of VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, especially urea-formaldehyde. In order to even consider something as green, it must contain very low to no VOCs. Sustainability looks at the life cycle of the materials used not just in the final product but in the manufacturing process as well. Products that are made from recycled materials or renewable resources fall into this category, as well as products whose manufacturing process embraces sustainability. Energy includes the water and energy usage of products such as plumbing fixtures and appliances, as well as the product’s embodied energy, which takes into account the energy used to produce and deliver the product.
Step 1: Design. If possible, design the kitchen with plenty of energy efficient windows or a skylight to maximize natural light and give you that important connection to the green outdoors (or the red bricks of the building next door.) For indoor air quality, make sure your hood vents to the outside rather than recirculating the air. Click here to find a green architect/designer near you.
Step 2: Cabinets. We are in an in-between phase right now where the major cabinet manufacturers realize they need to go formaldehyde-free but are still a few years away from mass production. Currently, formaldehyde-free cabinet choices are limited, and Neil Kelly Cabinets stands out as the leader. They offer Forest Stewardship Council certified wood cabinets with low VOCs. Midwesterners might choose to go with ultra low VOC wheatboard cabinets manufactured in Kansas by Koch Cabinets. To find other green cabinet companies, click here.
Step 3: Countertops. Silestone offers several colors with recycled content, one as high as 70%, which makes the Greenguard certified countertop one of the greenest. But IceStone recycled glass and concrete countertops, with their Cradle-to-Cradle Certification, take the crown as the greenest among an ever growing list of green countertops. Not just limited to countertops, IceStone has earned points for LEED’s “innovation in design” credit. Click here to find more eco-friendly countertop options.
Step 4: Flooring. I’m not quite sold on bamboo, yet. I do, however, like some of the cool patterns you can get with cork and linoleum. But the green flooring that impresses me the most is reclaimed wood flooring by Terramai. Offering a stunning mix of FSC certified wood from around the world, Terramai promotes conservation and sustainable building. Not limited to flooring, Terramai’s reclaimed wood creates a mosaic of wood in a cool mix of colors. Click here to find more green flooring options.
Step 5: Appliances. Because of the advances in energy efficiency in appliances, it is often better to replace your old energy wasting appliances, especially refrigerators, with new models. Visit the ENERGY STAR website for appliance lists, which show energy savings by model. For dishwashers, some of Bosch and Asko’s models are at least 140% more energy and water efficient than the federal standard. Fisher & Paykel sells dish drawers that can save water and energy if you just use one for small loads. (And yes, most energy saving dishwashers are more efficient than washing your dishes by hand.) For the cutting edge on refrigerator energy efficiency, check out Sun Frost, whose refrigerators are by a large margin the most energy efficient on the market - and they’re ready for solar, wind, or standard power inputs. Find more eco-friendly appliances here.
Step 6: Plumbing. Although the EPA’s WaterSense program doesn’t rate kitchen faucets, you can choose to install an aerator or go with a touchless faucet. While stainless steel and cast iron sinks contain recycled material, I’ve become a fan of recycled content hammered copper sinks that over time can develop a natural patina that is, you guessed it, green.
Step 7: Accessories. Recycled glass tile can make for a beautiful backsplash. Instead of a trash compactor, stick one of these home composters from Sun Frost right outside your kitchen door. Many of the products listed above can be used in creative and innovative ways. IceStone can be used as a backsplash. Terramai can be used as paneling.
Please offer your own thoughts on making your kitchen as green as possible below.
June 30th, 2008
8 Ways to Green Your Independence Day!
Written by Trey Granger, courtesy of Earth911.org
The Fourth of July: summer’s most famous holiday. Fireworks, barbecues and a day off to enjoy the sunshine. But can you make America’s birthday Earth Day as well? Here’s eight steps for an eco-friendly Fourth.
1. Celebrate Outdoors
Whether you’re traveling for the three-day weekend (the Fourth is on Friday this year) or celebrating at home with family, have an outdoor celebration to minimize energy use. Better yet, check out a large gathering nearby where your personal energy use will be negligible.
2. Drink Lots of Water . . . In Large Containers
Depending on where you live, temperatures could reach triple digits on Independence Day. It’s important to stay hydrated, but plan ahead. Buy a reusable container to fill with water for your family so you won’t be buying and disposing of individual water bottles. You can also refill these containers at drinking fountains.
3. Know Before You Go
The beach may be a popular spot for your Independence Day getaway, but make sure it’s open before you head out. Use Earth 911’s sister site Beaches911.com to monitor the beach closures in your area. This will save you gas on a potential drive down the coast just to picnic in the parking lot.
4. BBQ With Propane
Wood and charcoal may seem like more natural fuel sources, but propane burns cleaner. You’ll get less smoke and you’ll have less of a challenge keeping a fire going. Make sure that you refill or recycle your propane tank once it’s empty using Earth 911.
5. Reuse Plates and Cups
If you’re celebrating at home, just use normal tableware and napkins that can be washed. At an outside celebration, pack up your disposable cups and plates and rinse them off when you get home. You can use the same set again next year, or recycle them.
6. Eco-Friendly Fireworks
Naturally something that explodes, creates lots of light and leaves a cloud of smoke also comes with pollution. Fireworks also release heavy metals like lead into the air. Of course, a Fourth of July without fireworks seems unnatural, but if you do put on a backyard show look for fireworks rich in nitrogen. These may cost a little more, but you’ll have less smoke.
7. Be Pet Cautious
Believe it or not, dog and cat ears are not made for the loud noises of fireworks. If your pets hear these noises, they might go running off. Then you’ll be using unnecessary paper for lost flyers.
If you live near a fireworks show, make sure your pets are shielded from the sound. If you lose a pet this July 4, visit Earth 911’s sister site PETS911.com to help find it.
8. July 5 is Cleanup Day
Independence Day events will produce lots of trash, much of which could probably be recycled. Head over to a nearby area this Saturday that held a July 4th celebration and pick-up some of the inevitable litter.
This story is part of Earth 911’s “Green Eight” series, where we showcase eight ways to green your life in various areas. Click here to see Earth 911’s “Green Eight” archive.
