GreenDream - The Art of Green Living
Learning to live lighter on the planet.
It has been said that the greenest building is the one that’s already built, because so much energy is embodied in the existing structure. There is some truth to that statement and greening an existing home or building can be the shortest route to energy efficiency, long-term savings, increased comfort and environmental healing. I would say that the greenest building is one that’s already ... Read More
Good leadership is important. It can make or break a community, a nation, even our world. As citizens we depend on leaders to establish policies and standards that make our community safe. They must balance the immediate needs of many while keeping an eye on long-term trends that will shape our future. It’s not an easy task and there are more opposing opinions (some with very loud voices) that ... Read More
I try to keep the tone mostly warm and friendly here but what drives me to write is very serious. We are facing… no, strike that. We are creating a planetary emergency. Let me state a few facts and then tie them all together. The Earth has an energy imbalance due to added greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. Just like adding a blanket on cold night, the gasses trap heat so less of the sun’s ... Read More
Imagine you had some great products to sell. They were the best available in terms of value and longevity. They helped protect people’s health and improved their quality of life. They were so good that the people who actually found out about them agreed to buy as many as you could make for the price you were asking. Sounds like a great scenario right? Now add one little twist. The sales could ... Read More
My last column about the season of giving suggested that Green Living can be a wonderful way to express our appreciation to those we care about. Just after I wrote it, a friend sent a wonderful email providing a real world example of exactly what I had in mind. I’ll refer to this couple as Jenn and Rob. The excitement in Jenn’s email was obvious. She mentioned “a Merrier Christmas ... Read More
As homes become more efficient, the portion of energy used for water heating is growing larger. Collectively, the amount of energy expended on this simple task is astounding and much of it is wasted. There are many options for improving the efficiency of our water heating systems, including insulating the water heater and pipes, avoiding setting the thermostat higher than necessary and using low ... Read More
October is my favorite month in Southern Nevada. The summer heat is waning and the cooler nights are delightful. It also happens to be National Energy Awareness Month. It sounds like the perfect time to visit and learn about solar homes, don’t you think? The American Solar Energy Society (ASES) agrees, and their annual National Solar Tour happens this weekend on Saturday, October 6th. Tours will ... Read More
Since the dawn of time the core of human existence has been fueled by fire. Human beings have always loved gathering around the hearth, whether a small fire in a cave 50,000 years ago or the latest induction stove in the kitchen. We started by burning wood, but more recently added coal, oil and natural gas to the mix. In one mistaken turn down a dead-end road, we even invented the most ... Read More
Keeping cool can be a challenge during our hot summers, especially when faced with high energy bills. Modern air-conditioning systems use a lot of power and that’s why making our homes more energy-efficient can be so rewarding. Efficiency can only go so far though, so it’s good to have other options for chilling-out while saving some dough. One of the most effective ways to reduce summer ... Read More
In days of old, even kings and queens did not have the luxury of hot and cold running water and flush toilets had not even been imagined. Modern technology has come a long way since the outhouse moved in-house, but there is always room for improvement. Toilet technology is no exception. I like to find new ways to do things more efficiently and decided to do some research. I also had an ulterior ... Read More
Your help is needed to pass BDR 955, a bill to label genetically engineered foods in Nevada! This bill would give Nevadans the right to know if genetically modified organisms are ... Read More
There will be a showing of the award-winning documentary film Flow at UNLV's SEB Auditorium on Tuesday, March 19th at 7 PM. It will be followed by a panel discussion. I'll be ... Read More
Recycling has been in the news a lot lately. Pilot programs have run for years and finally, after overwhelmingly positive results, local governments are adopting residential ... Read More
Electric vehicles are hitting the road in ever-increasing numbers. Most are conveniently charged at home but when you're on the road and need a little juice, it's nice to know ... Read More
Lately it’s difficult to think about anything except the recent horrific events in Japan. My heart goes out to everyone involved. Disasters like the earthquake and tsunami are mostly unavoidable; ... Read More
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