Archive for the ‘Interior Design’ Category
January 8th, 2009
The Best CFL Bulbs for Indoor Lighting
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Switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs is one of the easiest money-saving eco-changes you can make, which is why we at Low Impact Living want everyone to upgrade to these energy-efficient bulbs. After all, CFL bulbs are even available in dimmable versions — and easier to recycle than ever.
Still, some early adopters got burned by the less-than-pleasant light from some of these new CFL bulbs. Now, many CFLs work great — and we’ve put together a guide to shine a light on the best bulbs. While personal preferences obviously play a big role in deciding which bulb gives the most beautiful light (for all I know, perhaps you’ve always wanted a slightly greenish-hued light in your living room), here are the CFL bulbs that have gotten top marks from the average user:
n:Vision Soft White. This bulb most consistently gets raves, even winning the highest rating from from Popular Mechanics. A New York Times review also named this n:Vision bulb as a crowd favorite. The bulb comes on immediately and provides a warm, pleasant light bright enough to read by — though a Grist review complains of “a more garish hue coming out the top.”
n:Vision bulbs are available exclusively at Home Depot; a 4-pack costs $6.88. However, Technical Consumer Products, the company that makes n:Vision bulbs, has a similar, more widely-distributed line of CFL bulbs called SpringLight that also gets top marks from reviewers. A 3-pack of SpringLight soft white bulbs costs $6.99 at Amazon.
Philips Soft White. This bulb got top marks from Katherine Wroth at Grist, who calls this bulb the “gentlest” of the ones she tested. She says the bulb was easy to look at and remained cool to the touch.
Because it’s dimmer, this bulb does not work as a reading light — So if you want a Philips bulb to read by, try the Philips Marathon, which ranked high in Popular Mechanics‘ review. You might also consider the Philips Duramax, a somewhat yellowish light that gets an A- in blogger Shahine’s review.
MaxLite MicroMax. This bulb scored high in Popular Mechanics‘ review because it “excelled at rendering colors. Because it’s a smaller bulb, you might find this bulb handy for tight spaces. Each bulb costs $3.95.
The New York Times‘ review recommended the similar, but slightly bigger MaxLite SpiraMax.
Sylvania Daylight Extra. Popular Mechanics says this bulb, like the MaxLite, renders colors well with its “nice icy white” light. For those who want a brighter bulb, the Sylvania appears to be the best pick, though Popular Mechanics does note that the light may be too bright for a heavy reader. A pair of bulbs costs $9.95.
Overall, soft white CFL bulbs are more popular than bright white bulbs, because the latter can often be too garishly bright. Still, the bright whites could be useful for places like your garage or bathroom. Have a CFL bulb you love — or love to hate? Share your review in the comments!
Popularity: 7% [?]
December 21st, 2008
Winter Solstice 101: Celebrating Nature
Growing up in the suburbs of Virginia, I didn’t even hear of Winter Solstice till 9th grade or so. I associated this mysterious Winter holiday with equally mysterious people…pale nerdy folks who liked to wear purple velvet clothing and buy dragon figurines and miniature crystal balls from New Age bookstores at the mall. They called themselves Pagans, and more specifically, Wiccans. Though I wasn’t raised Christian, I still took on the same dismissive attitude as my local Bible-toting community, thinking of people who worshiped nature as eccentric, campy folks who should be left alone to perform their inconsequential hocus-pocus spells and rituals.
As I got older and became an environmentalist, the Winter Solstice did strike a bit more genuine interest within me; friends of mine- scientists, yogis, Christians, Jews, and treehuggers alike- were celebrating the Solstice in nightclubs, houseparties, and quiet gatherings in nature. I liked that Winter Solstice revelers were actually acknowledging some natural phenomena, something about planetary movement and time. I have been invited repeatedly to these soirees over the years, but never attended- the “hokiness” factor of my childhood kept me closed to the exploration.
Well, Winter Solstice 2008 will be my initiation into this ancient holiday. This year, on December 21st, the first night of Hanukkah will coincide with the first night of Winter Solstice. My friend Glennie Rabin will gather her predominantly gentile tribe together as she always does to celebrate the Jewish holiday and educate us on the traditions and the meaning of Hanukkah. I, the shiksa eco geek, will be there to share with everyone the ancient history, traditions and significance of Winter Solstice…
The word solstice is derived from sol, meaning sun, and sistere, to make stand still. Winter Solstice is also known as Midwinter, the marking of the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. (Due to the 23.5 degree tilt of the Earth, the Southern Hemisphere simultaneously experiences the exact opposite.) In the northern sky during Winter Solstice, the three stars that make up Orion’s Belt (also known as the Three Kings or the Three Sisters) align with Sirius, the brightest star in the eastern sky. Beginning with the Summer Solstice, the Sun makes a decreasingly high arc across the sky from sunrise to sunset until the Winter Solstice. Then for three days, the Sun does not change it’s positioning on the horizon, hence the “stand still.” The Solstice ends when the Sun begins its ascent into the northern sky and days grow increasingly longer. This natural phenomenon led many cultures to celebrate a sun reborn from Mother Earth and a return to light at this time of year.
Many cultures from all over the world mark this planetary positioning with festivals, ceremonies, and feasts, bringing light and merriment to the darkest period of the season. The Germanic Yule, the Roman Saturnalia, the Persian Yalda, the Chinese Dōngzhì, and so on. Some even say the birth story of Christ is an analogy based on the astronomical phenomena of Winter Solstice. The Sun God reborn from Mother Earth became the basis for the story of God’s son born from Mother Mary. These theorists consider the three wise men visiting the exalted son of God at his birth as a metaphor for the grouping of stars referred to as the “Three Kings” aligning above the sun as it rises again in the northern sky. Hanukkah, also called the Festival of Lights, lends to easy comparisons with Winter Solstice; the addition of candles to the menorah with each passing day representing the return to light following the shortest day of the year. A similar comparison can be made for the kinara and the seven candles of Kwanzaa.
The true beauty of Winter Solstice is that no matter what your religious beliefs are, everyone can witness the planetary movement and appreciate the passing of the shortest day of the year together. Since Winter Solstice is celebrated all over the world in such a wide variety of ways, there are a few traditions that I’d like to recommend for first timers:
- Adorn your house with brightly colored paper lanterns and red candles
- Decorate tables and walls with winter foliage like evergreen boughs, holly, bay, oak, laurel, and mistletoe
- Take a walk outside in nature to witness the Solstice itself
- Share a feast with people that bring cheer to your heart amidst the dreary winter
- Let go of old resentments, guilt, pain, and aspects of yourself that you no longer need, by writing them on pieces of paper and setting them aflame in a fireplace or ashtray
- Take a moment to turn out the lights and candles and sit in a dark, meditative silence, appreciating this quiet time in nature
- Relight the candles and express wishes for the new season
In the mayhem of the modern world, it is easy to miss the sun as it rises and sets, or be unaware of the extreme quiet happening in the forests and fields at this time of year. Acknowledging the phenomenon of Winter Solstice can be a way for all people to collectively tune in to the natural world from which we come, and honor the cycles that undeniably effect us all.
Popularity: 3% [?]
December 18th, 2008
Eco-Friendly Wood for the Greater Good
If you are planning a home improvement project, chances are you’ve spent some time thinking about how to make that project a green one. You’ve probably started thinking about countertops or tile made from recycled material, no-VOC paints, and Energy Star lighting, appliances and windows. But have you thought much about one of most basic but critical parts of your project, the wood you use?
Wood is likely to be one of the biggest components of any significant remodeling or new construction project. And, if grown and harvested correctly, wood is a sustainble product - what is cut can then regrow. Unfortunately, in today’s global forestry markets much wood is harvested in unsustainble ways that contribute to global warming, damage or destroy ecosystems, and kill threatened or endangered wildlife. And manufactured wood products like plywood and particleboard often contain harmful chemicals that can impact your family’s health for many years to come.
Fortunately, there are some fairly easy ways to ferret out what’s green vs. what’s not when you’re talking about wood. Where did the wood come from and how was it harvested? What type of tree does it come from, and what is its lifecycle? And what if any chemicals does the wood product contain? We’ll go through each of these questions and give you some pointers.
Popularity: 2% [?]
December 16th, 2008
New FreeGreen House Model: The Comfortable Cape
One of the biggest complaints I hear from folks who visit Low Impact Living is, “I want a green house but I don’t want an ultra-modern, Jetson’s house.” (Okay maybe I editorialized the Jetson’s part….but the rest is true.) Not all fans of green building are into steel bars and sheets of glass and industrial aesthetics.
So I’m very happy to have found out about the new Comfortable Cape model from FreeGreen. This house is sure to please even the most traditional among us. Can you smell the salt air? Have a sudden craving for clam chowder? Now you can have a cutting-edge green home that is warm and cozy, too.
The Comfortable Cape is the second home FreeGreen is releasing based on SIPS. What is a SIP you ask? A SIP is a Structural Insulated Panel, and it is a leading green building material and technique. SIPs are generally made with some kind of foam interior and hard siding, creating a sandwich material. These panels give excellent durability and insulating properties to a building. Thus they are very energy-efficient, and also cut down on the use of wood for framing.
If this Cape model is too traditional for your tastes, FreeGreen has many other models on the more modern side of life — like a suburban loft and a Smart Box model (pictured at right). You can see the other FreeGreen home plans here.
I’ve written about FreeGreen before – this is a new, innovative company that is giving away green home plans. You don’t need an expensive architect; you just join FreeGreen and download the house plans. You can customize them to your desired number of bedrooms, baths, and pick the green features you want, including geothermal, a green roof, radiant heat and much more. It’s a really slick service that brings green homes to us folks who can’t afford a custom green dream home.
Popularity: 2% [?]
December 10th, 2008
Use Slipcovers To Save Furniture From Landfills
In today’s disposable society, I don’t like to think about how much perfectly-usable furniture must end up in landfills each year - just because people change their minds about the color, or the fabric looks slightly worn or faded. That’s why I think slipcovers are a great idea, as they can extend the life of old armchairs and couches by giving them a complete change of look.
Ready-made slipcovers are inexpensive to buy and are machine-washable, which means they can last for years. They’re designed to fit over the top of existing upholstery, so they can completely hide unattractive fabric, unfashionable patterns, tears or stains.
There’s even a line of organic slipcovers available now. These are available from Sure Fit and come in only sofa and loveseat sizes at the moment, although I would imagine the range will be extended in the future. There’s a choice of two fabrics made from organic cotton; one in solid neutral colors and the other has a striped pattern. I hope that the ever-growing interest in organic textiles will encourage other slipcover companies to start offering eco-friendly products too.
One popular misconception about slipcovers is that they don’t fit well and look untidy. It’s certainly true that “one-size-fits-all” covers might be too loose on some items of furniture - after all, there’s no such thing as a “standard size” couch. However, this can usually be overcome by tucking all the extra fabric into the crevices at the back and sides of the seat to get a snug fit. A good trick here is to use a wooden spoon to push the material deep into the gaps. Then roll up some old magazines and put rubber bands around them. Insert these into the crevices to make sure the slipcover stays in place and prevent it becoming easily untucked.
Some seats are a bit more of a challenge. For instance, pre-made slipcovers are made for conventional sofas and chairs with cushioned arms. So, if your couch has wooden arms, you’ll need to add your own DIY padding to get a slipcover to fit. This is easy enough to do. You just need to tie something soft, such as an old blanket or towel, around each arm to make them cushioned enough for a slipcover to fit neatly.
Another handy tip for getting a slipcover to look smooth and wrinkle-free is to lightly dampen any creases with water, using a plant-mister if you have one. Then simply use your hands to smooth out the creases.
With a little imagination and creativity it’s possible to use slipcovers on almost any style of seat. So, if your furniture is starting to look a little tired, think twice about throwing it out. Why not see if you could give it a new lease of life with some slipcovers?
Popularity: 3% [?]
