Archive for the ‘Green Living’ Category
November 4th, 2008
Green Home Design in Missouri: Massey Modern Design
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Recently I had the pleasure of interviewing Jordan Massey, founder and CEO of Massey Modern Design/Build, based in St. Louis Missouri. Jordan is one of several brave individuals working to bring green design to the good people of Missouri. As a Kansas City native myself, I tip my hat to Jordan, and wanted to share some of his interesting experience and insights with you.
Q: Thanks for speaking with me, Jordan. Can you tell us a bit about how you got interested in green design?
Jordan: Well I watched my own home being built about four years ago and I was really pretty disgusted. I saw all of the waste and the wood used and I thought there had to be a better way. I had been listing to NPR and reading Dwell Magazine and was learning about sustainable architecture and building. I was working in finance then and it wasn’t my passion– not what I wanted to do long-term. So I made a decision to jump ship and get into green design.
Q: Who are your green design inspirations?
Jordan: I idolize Michelle Kaufman. And I love the work that Kieran Timberlake is doing. And I love Ray Kappe.
Q: And what were your first steps to starting your own endeavors?
Jordan: I wanted to start my own business and my dad had been talking about sustainable construction, too. I had been interested in SIPS and ICF from way back…my dad got me started on researching sustainable building materials, that led me to getting started.
I wanted to start a company that designs and builds green houses. We had studied LEED NC (New Construction)– this was before LEED for Homes existed– and we got fired up about that. We started by forming a company that did building demolition and reclaimed the materials. That was and is Modern Development and Reclamation, Inc. That service didn’t exist in St. Louis at that time. We reclaim and warehouse the building materials and then resell them. We see really strong demand for recycled materials now, which is great. We help people realize you don’t need to spend $3000 for recycled glass! And you can still get the LEED points.
Then we started Massey Modern Design/Build. We started by designing the Genesis House– that’s our flagship home. The house is cutting-edge green—built with ICF & steel. It will have solar panels, a living roof, a tankless water heater, high efficiency HVAC systems and LED lighting. We’re very focused on air quality as well, so it’s all no- or low-VOC. It took us over 18 months to design it and we’re getting ready to start building it. It’s an amazing home. We’re working with Matt Belcher of Belcher Homes, who is a great established builder here in Missouri.
Q: I love the look of the Genesis. Are there a lot of folks in St. Louis looking for modern green designed homes? I think we’re spoiled out here in Los Angeles….how’s it out your way?
Jordan: Welllll….I have to admit there’s not a lot of modern design out here. We’re trying to get people on board. But there’s a lot of push-back. Consumers here don’t know about sustainable or green building. They don’t like “curly light bulbs” and they don’t want to use a shower they think won’t get the job done. We’ve got a lot of work to do out here in the Midwest. People are more concerned, sadly, with living for today rather than to think about what the world will be like for their children.
Q: Any other challenges?
Jordan: Well it’s hard to find contractors in St. Louis who are familiar with the sustainable materials and practices we’re looking for. Like working with SIPs. And the banks in the Midwest are scared of these types of green building projects– they don’t understand them. They think that if the project goes wrong and they have to take it over, they won’t know how to finish it. What we really need are private investors or established home builders to get involved. That’s the path we’re taking now.
Q: Are you part of the USGBC in St. Louis?
Jordan: Absolutely. It’s a very active chapter. We’ve had lots of great LEED programs for members—really educational. We’re a very supportive group. We help connect one-another, and get our names out in the community. (Editor’s note: you can visit the St. Louis USGBC chapter by clicking here.)
Q: Well I wish you huge success, Jordan! Good luck and thank you for bringing green design to the Midwest!
November 3rd, 2008
Introducing the New Electric Motorcycle, the GPR-S
Written by Adam Shake, courtesy of Gas2.org
A zero emissions street legal Electric Motorcycle for light commuters and motorcycle enthusiast alike, the new GPR-S is an Electric Motorcycle with a 14.2 kilowatt electric drive system. “How about power,” you ask? The Lithium batteries allow this light weight electric motorcycle to briskly accelerate to freeway speeds.
I bought my first motorcycle at the age of 16. It was a Honda Rebel 250 cc bike that on second thought, should never have been driven at highway speeds.
I’ve had a few bikes since then, but my dream has always been a Harley. A big Harley. A big, low, loud Harley that I could throw the heels of my boots on the forward controls, lean back, and cruuuuise. But I’ve never thought about getting an EV bike until recently.
Here are the stats on the GPR-S
| Motor: | Etek-RT |
| Peak Power: | 19 HP |
| Battery Capacity |
3.3 kWh |
| Top Speed: | 60-70 mph (Gearing Adjustable) |
| Range: | 35 / 60 miles (Power / Economy) |
| Brakes: | Dual Hydraulic Disk |
| Charge Time: | 4 hours with stock on board charger or 1.5 hr W/ Optional speed charger with integrated BMS. |
Dimensions:
Overall Length: 1900 mm
Overall Width: 670 mm
Overall Height: 1135 mm
WheelBase: 1315 mm
Seat Height: 750mm
Max Wt Capacity: 560 lbs
Battery Weight: 90 lbs
Curb Weight: 285 lbs
Frame:
Powder coated steel with braced aluminum swing arm.
Running:
Front Wheel Travel: 95mm
Rear Wheel Travel: 110mm
Stock Front Tire: IRC 90/80 x 17
Stock Rear Tire: IRC 110/80 x 17
Brakes-front & rear: Hydraulic Disc
Front Brake: 290mm
Rear Brake: 200mm
Suspension:
Front Suspension: Inverted 35mm, 110mm travel
Rear Suspension: Dual oil coil spring shocks, 115mm travel
Drive Train:
Direct chain drive
Riders:
Two passenger
Options:
BMS speed charger
Travel case rear and sides
Wind shield
Hand bar options: Upright (Stock), Upright wide, Clip on’s
Wheel options: Alloy racing mag (stock), wire wheels.
Motor options: The Electric GPR-S comes stock with a heavy duty PM motor called the Etek-RT. The Electric GPR-S uses an industry standard Nema C-face motor mounting system that is compatible with not only the Etek type motors but almost every 6.7 or 8″ motor on the market today. This means upgrading to an AC Induction system, or a sepex regen system is as easy as bolting in a after-market motor and controller kit.
Color options: Red Metallic, Blue Metallic, Burgandy Metallic, White, Black Metallic, Silver Metallic.
Though I am more of a Cruiser guy, this looks like one cool bike, and at about $8,000.00, it’s a steal. In the mean time, I’ll be watching for Harley to go electric.
Source and Photo Credits via Electric Motorsport
November 2nd, 2008
Do More with a Smaller House
Written by Dawn Killough, courtesy of GreenBuildingElements.com
Smaller homes are energy efficient, use less materials, and take up less land. But how do you make a 1,200-1,500 square foot home on a small lot appealing for a buyer?
Forest Creek Development in Parrish, Florida has discovered the secret. Their cottage program offers homes no larger than 1600 square feet, all on lots that are 27 feet wide. And, they are selling like hotcakes!
Here are some ideas on how to design a small home that has market appeal:
1. “Let the light in” - Window walls and windows set high up on the wall let in lots of light, allow the placement of furniture, and make the spaces seem larger.
2. “Make the indoors private” - Placement of windows is key when homes are so close together (as close as one foot in Forest Creek). Stagger window placement in each house so no one has to worry about being looked in on.
3. “Reserve outdoor space that’s private” - High outside walls allow families to have privacy in their yards, as well as their houses.
4 . “Don’t forget the front porch” - Porches are a luxury item that add value to a home. The cottages at Forest Creek offer 50 square feet of front porch area for neighborhood socializing.
5. “Keep it open” - Wide hallways and vaulted ceilings add an open feeling to a house.
6. “Build a simple structure” - All the cottages at Forest Creek are square. Architectural details are installed only on the front of the house, reducing costs.
7. “Landscape it right” - Pay attention to the streetscape and overall look of a development to make homes more appealing.
For more information on the Forest Creek Development community and how they implemented the above measures, see the article published by Housing Zone.
October 31st, 2008
Green Cheese?
Okay, okay. ‘Green’ next to ‘cheese’ might typically elicit a gag, but if you’re thinking of green in an environmental sense and not the fuzzy gorgonzola you forgot in the back of the fridge, then it’s decidedly a good thing.
Specifically, eating locally produced, or “green” cheeses is not only good for the environment, but beneficial for local economies—not to mention a delight to the tastebuds.
Twenty years ago or so Americans first discovered the joys of European cheeses. At that time, it seemed difficult to find American-made cheeses that rivaled their counterparts from across the pond. Since those days, a bevy of cheese artisans have sprung up around the country from unlikely spots such as Louisiana and Indiana to more predictable states such as Vermont and Wisconsin. And the cheeses these craftsman are creating are not just good for American cheeses, but have become considered damn good by international standards. Moreover, the cheeses don’t have to travel across the ocean, thereby reducing their carbon, er, hoofprint.
A greater number of Americans are also shunning mass produced food sometimes marked by inferior quality and unhealthful additives and often linked to environmental degradation. It only makes sense: mass produced cheeses generally come from factory-like farms which can overwhelm the surrounding area. Smaller-production cheeses boast makers that can’t afford to harm the environment. And for animal-lovers, the fact that cows, sheep and goats typically spend their days outdoors is another plus.
The Midwest is a leading producer of premium cheeses. One of the finest is Wisconsin producer Roth Käse which creates award-winning hard cheeses such as gruyere which is known for its nutty, bold flavor. Other small companies like petite Prairie Fruits Farm near Champaign, Illinois, create super-premium goat’s cheese, the products ending up on the tables of some of the finest restaurants in the country.
Larger, but artisanal producers such as Carr Valley Cheese distribute their creations at finer grocery stores, specialty food stores and farmer’s markets (or on-line at CarrValleyCheese.com.) In the case of much-in-demand Pleasant Ridge Reserve, the gruyere-style cheese is produced only in the summer and is featured in multi-star restaurants. From one batch to the next, this rare cheese tastes different—but is always considered a masterpiece of culinary art. Collectively, Wisconsin cheese producers receive the lion’s share of national awards, and for products ranging from traditional cheddar to hard ewes’ milk cheese.
Perhaps the best collection of artisan cheeses can be found at GreatAmericanCheese.com, but many local stores and restaurants have begun to carry them as well. For some of the largest collections, check out New York City’s Murray Cheeses ( MurraysCheese.com), open since 1940, or Oak Park, Illinois’ Marion Street Market (MarionStreetCheesemarket.com).
Restaurants such as Chicago’s Spiaggia, Eno, BIN 36 and Sepia boast evolving artisan cheese selections, stocking uber-tasty and hard-to-find domestic creations such as Tarentaise from Vermont’s Thistle Hill Farm and Green Hill from Sweet Grass Dairy in Georgia, Berkshire blue from Massachusetts, and Feliciana Nevat from Louisiana. And on the West Coast, Santa Monica’s Whist at Viceroy offers artisan California cheeses such as Haystack Mountain Red Cloud and earthy Truffle Tremor (a personal favorite), while San Francisco’s Foreign Cinema restaurant ups the ante by sourcing all ingredients locally, including California cheeses such as Cowgirl Creamery’s triple crème Red Hawk.
If you balk at the price you might pay for a premium cheese, consider that neither dairy farmers nor cheese producers rank anywhere near the top (or even bottom) of the Forbes richest list. For many, producing flavorful, unique cheeses represents a labor of love. The cheese they create, free of antibiotics, hormones or unnatural feed, tastes different from year to year, dependent upon what flowers and grasses the animals eat—and is decidedly greener than cheese that has to travel a great distance.
Artisanal producers, utilizing Old World, craftsman techniques, concentrate on quality over quantity, sometimes raising rarer Jersey cows which yield half the milk of traditional dairy bovines. Milk from Jersey cows produces tastier cheeses, and that, along with the animals’ diet and how they are treated, leads to more flavorful, richer tasting products.
Similar to the watershed Judgment of Paris in 1976 when American wine first bested French wine in a blind tasting, American cheeses are now winning international tasting competitions. And as American cheeses age, they’re likely to get even better—and greener. Which, strange as that may sound, is a good thing.
October 30th, 2008
Terracycle Turns Trash into Green Office Supplies
What does worm poop have in common with a pencil? Both are products made by an eco-company called Terracycle — and both are made from waste!
Terracycle’s a company that made its name with zero-waste eco-fertilizer, feeding organic waste to worms, then selling the resulting nutrient-rich fertilizer in used plastic bottles at mainstream stores nationwide. Now, Terracycle’s applied the same zero-waste philosophy to office products — and is bringing them to the general public through a partnership with OfficeMax!
Stop by your nearest store, and you’ll be able to find an abundance of eco office supplies, including:
>> Tree-free paper, made from 100 post-consumer banana peels, straw, or coffee leaves, which works with laser or ink-jet printers and copy machines.
>> Eco-pens, made from 100% recycled paper, 100% recycled plastic, or corn-based biodegradable plastic.
>> Used newspaper pencils and colored pencil packs made from 100% recycled newspaper.
>> Folders, binders, and index dividers, all made of 100% recycled materials (80% recycled steel for the metal part of the 3-ring binders).
>> Trashcans made of 100% recycled e-waste, like crushed computers and fax machines.
While we at Low Impact Living would love to see all-green office stores in every neighborhood, we’re happy that existing mainstream stores are helping to make green products readily available to the general public. You can find the OfficeMax nearest you via this store locator.
And don’t forget to give a read to our recommendations on 10 Ways To Green Your Office.
October 30th, 2008
Green Halloween Roundup: Top 10 Posts About Going Green On Halloween
Written by Reenita Malhotra, courtesy of Eco Child’s Play.com
Even if you have not really thought about it yet, going green this Halloween is an easy and sustainable exercise. To make it even easier for you, I have put together this cheat sheet of Top 10 Green Halloween posts that were created in the last month. Have a wonderfully green holiday!
1. Eco-Libris: Book review of ‘Celebrate Green!’ (or: How to Green Halloween)
This post was originally published on Eco-Libris blog on October 27th.
2. How To Have A Green Halloween
This post was originally published on the Green Gorilla blog on October 27th.
3. Go Green This Halloween: 5 Spooky Kids’ Crafts
This post was originally published on Eco Child’s Play on October 20th.
4. Make this Year a Green Halloween
This post was originally published on Eco Child’s Play on September 22nd.
5. ChicoBag - Helping to Green Your Halloween
This post was originally published on Sustainablog on October 7th.
6. Have a Green Halloween : EcoLocalizer
This post was originally published in Ecolocalizer on October 7th.
7. Green Family Values: A Fair Trade, Alternative Halloween
This post was originally published on Green Options on October 24th.
8. Green Halloween Tips: Tricks to Make Your Halloween a Treat for Mother Nature
This post was published on About.com on October 29th.
9. The Green Halloween Edition
This post was published on Treehugger on October 21st.
10. Trick-or-treat For Good
This post was published on GreenHalloween.org on October 29th.
Editor’s Note: Low Impact Living also published a Green Halloween guide— How to Make Your Halloween Less Scary
