Archive for November, 2007
November 14th, 2007
A Bright Idea: Sun Run Eases Solar Sticker Shock
Stumble it!
Thinking about getting solar on your roof, but facing sticker shock? According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, solar systems for homes begin around $25,000 but can easily go higher depending on the size of a house and the amount of power they generate. (We wish the government incentives were better for solar– but hey, that’s a topic for another blog.)
We have come across an interesting company that is working to get solar power to more homes and make it affordable for the homeowners.
California-based Sun Run is the first company to make solar power a reality for homeowners who thought they couldn’t afford it. Through a service that works in a similar way to the electricity package homeowners currently have with local utilities, Sun Run owns and maintains the panels, not the homeowner. This approach eliminates the hefty upfront cost for the homeowner.
For example, Redwood City, Calif. resident Francoise Bourzat, an early Sun Run customer, wanted to reduce her family’s dependence on fossil fuels and get solar power on her roof, but struggled with questions like how to go about it, how to maintain it and — most important — how to pay for it? Sun Run guided Bourzat through the installation process, purchased the best panels for her home and guaranteed maintenance on those panels for 20 years. “We found Sun Run to be the most cost-effective and hassle-free way to go solar,” she said. For Bourzat Sun Run reduced her upfront cost by more than 66%.
Currently Sun Run is only available in Northern California, but they are planning rapid expansion. You can find more info at their website, www.sunrunhome.com.
Popularity: 1% [?]
November 14th, 2007
Concrete for Green Countertops and Flooring
Not too long ago, the only time you’d think about concrete in residential construction was when you were talking about driveways, slabs and walkways. Well, those days are gone – you can now use concrete products to create beautiful and sustainable interior elements such as flooring and countertops. So, read on to learn more about the latest green developments in concrete.
Is Concrete Really Green?
Concrete is a strong construction material typically made of a mixture of Portland cement, a coarse aggregate (such as stone), a fine aggregate (such as sand), and water. The knock against traditional concrete is that Portland cement production uses huge amounts of energy (and cement plants can burn very dirty fuels) and the aggregates can come from mining in ecologically sensitive areas.
Today, many eco-friendly concrete products incorporate recycled materials in the mix, making them much more sustainable. Recycled fly ash, which is a byproduct of coal fired power plants, can be used to replace some of the Portland cement. Green concrete vendors also add recycled chips of glass or metal to concrete for a more decorative look and to increase the recycled content. They also add organic pigments rather than standard chemicals for color variation. Last, you can buy concrete that is manufactured locally. This cuts down on transportation and packaging compared to decorative stone options, which are often quarried and shipped from overseas. And finally, eco-friendly concrete is itself recyclable – the broken up pieces of old concrete can be used as the aggregate in new concrete!
Concrete vs. Standard Materials
In terms of performance, concrete compares favorably to more traditional stone flooring and countertop materials such as granite, marble and limestone. Typically, concrete is stronger and more durable than any of these natural quarried stone options. Standard stones are porous and can stain easily from acidic substances like red wine or coffee, and do not handle hot or cold variation well. Concrete performs very well by comparison, although you should always seal concrete to increase its resistance to stains.
As for cost, these latest in green concrete products are a still a bit more expensive than traditional stone alternatives. Pre-cast countertops are 25-50% more per square foot than stone such as marble and granite. This is partially because much of the shaping work for concrete is done at the factory while stone is done in your home – the material cost is more, but the installation can sometimes be less. Concrete floor tiles range from par to 25% more than standard alternatives. Often it is the pigments and additives that increase the cost of concrete, rather than the base material.
So, Where Can I Get it?
There are many concrete surface options on the market. Standard pre-cast sizes and forms are typically lower cost, but you can also have things poured in place if you are set on a custom design. You can find concrete countertops here at Low Impact Living. Examples include Lithistone, which is a manufacturer of concrete countertops and vessel sinks and Syndecrete, which makes recycled concrete surfaces and uses recycled glass, metals, and organic pigments. Other manufacturers of concrete surfaces are Artflor, which makes countertops and flooring tiles with recycled glass and metal, Squak Mountain Stone for countertops, and Fuez which also makes countertops and tiles. You can find local countertop vendors in your area here on the Low Impact Living website.
Popularity: 2% [?]
November 13th, 2007
How-To Tuesday: Graywater Systems
We get many requests here at Low Impact Living about all sorts of green building and living topics. One of the most popular by far is how to install graywater systems. We’ve held off on writing about it, because it’s a pretty tough topic - in many parts of the country, government permitting agencies make it VERY difficult to put one in, so there’s not a huge installed base to review out there. But, the crescendo keeps rising, so we’ll do our best to provide you with some relevant tips!
What is Graywater?
First off, it might be helpful to define what exactly graywater (or greywater, in some circles) is. At its most basic it is any wastewater that comes out of your house that doesn’t contain human or organic wastes. In practice, it is the water that comes from your tubs, showers, non-kitchen sinks and laundry machine. The rest, from your toilets, dishwasher and kitchen sinks, is called black water (no relation to that infamous Iraq contractor!).
A graywater recycling system takes this water, filters it, passes it through a short-term storage tank and then either routes it to irrigate plants in your yard or to the subsurface below your yard where it eventually flows down to the groundwater table. Simple systems are often the DIY projects of industrious homeowners - a separate drain line installed below the house for graywater fixtures connected to a sand filter and on to conduits that convey it to lucky trees or plants (we don’t recommend these due to the permitting issues, but more power to you if you’ve been able to set one up!). Some landscape and engineering firms can build similar versions that have all of the necessary checks and balances, but are obviously more expensive. Perhaps the most exciting developments are the increasing numbers of companies coming out with prepackaged units that make maintenance and installation much easier (more on these later).
What Are The Benefits of Graywater Systems?
The benefits of graywater systems are as follows:
– Reduced use of potable water for irrigation. This can be a critical benefit in drought-prone areas, and can save you a lot of money in areas with high water rates. In most areas of the country, a graywater system could provide all of your outdoor landscaping water and save you $50 - $200 / year in water charges.
– Reduced sewage discharge. This too is a major benefit - less sewage means less demand for treatment plants down the pipe. And in certain areas you can get an allowance for such a system that allows you to pay less in sewage fees each year. Sewage fees are often equivalent to water rates per gallon, so you save double with a graywater system.
– Healthy plants. Graywater is relatively high in nitrogen and phosphorous (from detergents). These are two of the three main components of fertilizers, so for the right kinds of plants graywater can be a major benefit. Citrus trees are a good example. Be careful here, though - some types of plants don’t tolerate high levels of fertilizer and can actually be harmed by graywater discharges. Many Southern California native plants fall into this category. They like acid, dude, and graywater is very alkaline! So, check with your local landscaping contractor or read up on your plants before you dive in.
Graywater Options
There are many possible graywater configurations, but we’ll review two of the main types here.
First are the custom solutions - those designed and installed by either a homeowner or a landscape / engineering design firm. You would typically have the following components in such a system (see diagram at right, courtesy of www.greywater.com):
– A separate waste plumbing system leading from sinks, showers, tubs and clotheswasher.
– A bypass valve, which can be used to reroute graywater into the standard septic or sewage system if necessary.
– A surge tank, which stores water temporarily while it cools, and also acts as a buffer for high flows from clotheswashers and showers.
– A pump, to pump the water into the discharge system.
– A filter, which screens out sediment and particles.
– A check valve that ensure water can’t back up into the system from the irrigation pipes.
– A subsurface drip irrigation or perforated piping system, or a drywell to convey the water underground.
Second are a newer breed of prepackaged systems. These systems combine many of the elements into one piece - you still have to install the drain pipes in the house and the irrigation lines in the yard, but all of the other components come in one unit. One good example of such a system is the ReWater System , made by ReWater Systems in Southern California. They have installed systems throughout the Southwest. Another newer entrant is Perpetual Water, which makes a range of units from a version that treats just your clotheswasher water to a whole-house system. Although new to the US, their systems have been used for several years in Australia. Still another interesting option is the Brac Systems graywater recyling option. It can be installed inside, and the output can be used in toilets or for irrigation (depending on local plumbing codes). One last example is Clivus Multrum Incorporated. They’re located in Massachusetts and have made graywater systems for years (and also make composting toilets if you REALLY want to cut your water use and waste production!).
Important things to consider
We love graywater systems, and hope to install one in our home at some point. However, this is definitely a project that takes planning and perseverence to pull off. Here are some of the challenges you might encounter:
– Permitting. Many local health and safety agencies are very uncomfortable with graywater systems, fearing that they will lead to drinking water contamination and other health hazards. They often make it difficult or impossible to secure the necessary permits, even in areas where it is technically legal (such as Los Angeles!). Before starting your project, make sure you check with the local powers that be. It would be a waste (no pun intended!) if you had to pull out that beautiful new system when you go to sell your house.
– Subsurface discharge. While safer than blackwater, graywater still contains some bacteria and other pollutants. In most places the only legal way to plumb a system is via subsurface pipes or drip irrigation fittings. Some DIYers, though, will lay the pipes on the surface and cover them with mulch - think very carefully about whether this is safe in your yard before you do this!
– Safety Marking. Make sure you mark all pipes, both in the house and yard, with the appropriate caution and graywater labeling.
– Detergents. Use liquid and relatively mild (or biodegradable) detergents. These will ensure that your plants don’t get nourished to death. And, don’t use chlorine bleach.
– Make sure you have an air gap. MAKE SURE you consult a plumber if you are installing a graywater and standard irrigation system in parallel. You need to build in an air gap between the graywater system and any fresh water plumbing, lest a backup / plug force graywater up into your freshwater system. That can be a very bad result indeed. We recommend keeping the two systems completely separate.
For more info on graywater systems, you might want to check out the Oasis Design website. It is truly a treasure trove of information for anyone from the homeowner to the true professional. And here are two documents (Doc A and Doc B) from the State of California that provide helpful information on sizing and locating graywater systems. If you’re really serious, think about investing in one of these great books on graywater systems.
We hope you’ve found this piece useful - please share any of your success stories with us so that we can help other learn from your successes. Send me an email at info@lowimpactliving.com if you have any great projects to report!
Popularity: 11% [?]
November 12th, 2007
Organic Thanksgiving Feasts: Thank Goodness!
One way to give thanks for all the bounty Mother Earth provides is to celebrate with an organic feast – the tradition started without pesticides, antibiotics or preservatives, after all. (Whole Foods wasn’t around in the 1600s, contrary to urban myth.)
Most traditional Thanksgiving dishes can be made with organic ingredients. Although, keeping your recipes simple makes going organic much easier and more affordable. To encourage your organic gastronomy, we put together an entire menu of Thanksgiving recipes that all have a short list of ingredients.
You can make your Turkey Day even greener by finding organic ingredients that are grown or raised locally. The organic.org store finder is a great place to start your search.
If you live in a place where organic foods are less available, all of the ingredients in the following recipes can be ordered online. Diamond Organic delivers fresh organic produce, poultry, dairy, pumpkin puree and bakery items nationwide. Wellness Grocer is a great online resource for organic dry goods such as, flour, sugar, spices, cornbread mix, pie crusts and organic broth or stock. And last, but not least, The Organic Wine Company sells low sulfite wine made from certified organic grapes.
We can’t think of a better occasion to splurge on organic fare than Thanksgiving. For recipe instructions, simply click on the source of each recipe next to each dish title in our list. Have a delicious, healthy, organic Thanksgiving feast!
SIMPLE ROASTED
TURKEY – From The Food Network’s How to Boil Water
1 (8 to 10 pound) turkey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium onion, quartered
1 head garlic, halved
Several sprigs fresh herbs, such as; thyme, parsley, rosemary, and sage
2 bay leaves
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
EASY
TURKEY GRAVY – From Wholefoods Market
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup all purpose flour
4 cups homemade turkey stock, or low salt chicken stock, heated to a simmer
pan drippings from one turkey, with the fat poured off (in the roasting pan)
1/2 cup red or white wine
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
CARMELIZED ONION AND CORNBREAD STUFFING – From Food Network’s Tyler
Florence
2 tablespoons butter
2 onions, chopped
6 large cornmeal muffins, cubed
Handful of fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 egg
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
SWEET POTATO HASH – From Bon Appétit
3 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams), peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 8 cups)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1/4 cup canola oil
3 cups coarsely chopped onions (about 2 large)
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
ORANGE CRANBERRY RELISH – From Cranberry Hill Farm
2 cups of cranberries
1 Orange with peel, cut into pieces
½ cup honey
GREEN BEANS WITH SMOKED BACON – From Chow.com
2 pounds green beans, stems removed
1/2 pound sliced smoked bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley
BUTTERMILK MASHED POTATOES - From Chow.com
8 pounds russet potatoes
¾ cup heavy cream
6 tablespoons unsalted better (3/4 stick) cut into small pieces
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
PUMPKIN PIE – From Cooks.com
1 refrigerated pie crust
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
2 eggs, beaten
Popularity: 2% [?]
November 7th, 2007
Green Holiday Gifts Galore!
It’s getting to be that most wonderful time of the year of all…the winter holiday season! Do we have some green gifts and goodies for you? Of course we do. We’ll highlight a number of wonderful items here, but please be sure to check out our entire Green Holiday Gift Guide online. We are adding more gifts every day so please check back.
Before you get to giving the gifts, first you’ll need some holiday lights. See our selection of eco-friendly holiday lighting here. LED lights are incredibly energy efficient and will last for years. You’ll also need some eco-friendly gift wrap. You can always reuse the paper you saved from last year (you did save it didn’t you?) or some good old newspaper. But if you’re looking for something a bit more festive, may we recommend Green Girl Gift Wrap? Green Girl Gift Wrap (pictured above) makes 100% recycled wrapping paper for all occasions. They have beautiful, high-quality, affordable products. We love that their mission is to produce “Guilt Free Gift Wrap.” AND they donate 10% of their profits to environmental protection. Done!
Have some little ones on your list who are eagerly awaiting something great to get their hands on? We have just the answer: the amazing toys from Imagiplay. All Imagiplay toys are “earth friendly, child safe and people kind.” They make their toys from natural rubber, sustainable bamboo, and formaldehyde free fiberboard. They test every material and paint in their products to insure it meets or exceeds US and European standards. And the toys are just plain fun. We love the Monkey Tree pictured here. Check out Imagiplay’s amazing array of wonderful children’s toys.
We think this is such a cool item– check out the Brave Space Designs Coat Range. This functional and eco-cool item is made from scrap Walnut and FSC-certified Maple. It resembles the snow-capped mountain peaks of the Grand Tetons. This is a functional landscape for your home that leaves little impact on the actual frontier. The mountain range’s peaks enable you to hang four or more items. Connect them end to end to extend your range! The surface is treated with a durable non-toxic water based finish. Who wouldn’t love it?
Do you have a prized pooch on your holiday list? Well Earth Dog has the greatest selection of dogy goodies we’ve seen yet. Earth Dog manufactures the finest quality hemp collars, leashes, harnesses, beds and chew toys for dogs. Their eco-friendly dog products are all handmade in the USA.
Everyone loves to get lovely candles. Sunbeam Candles are made of 100% beeswax and they come in a gorgeous array of colors. All of Sunbeam’s candles are hand-poured in small batches and they seek out the purest ingredients available. Everything is from the earth — the wax, wicks, and oils. Better still, they are made by a company that powers their operations with solar energy!
How about getting somebody you care about something they can really use?? Everyone needs a set of durable, stylish, re-usable grocey bags, and Baggu Bags are just the ticket. Using one Baggu for one year replaces 300 to 700 disposable bags. And one Baggu holds the contents of 2 to 3 plastic grocery bags. We particularly like Baggu Bags because they are super durable, lightweight and have a nice big gusset in the bottom so they will sit flat when they are filled. We have tried a lot of bags and these are great. Get a set in fuschia or olive for your friend and send them eco-shopping for years!
Okay, sometimes you can’t give that girl on your list some grocery sacks, no matter how green she is. So you can give her another great eco-bag option: a gorgeous Hau Hauz Bag. Hau Hauz bags are made from 100% linen and each item is hand-block printed with nature-inspired patterns created by Finnish designer Satu Makonnen. They are sustainably made and uber-stylish. This is a sure win with the eco-lady on your list.
Well, happy shopping and happy holidays!
Popularity: 1% [?]
