| |||
 An early model of UNLV's design for the Solar Decathlon. Image courtesy of Eric Weber, School of Architecture, UNLV Competition. It’s as old as life itself. For many, the word brings to mind mega-events like the recent Super Bowl. As big as that mega-event is, there are other kinds of competition that carry much more weight in the big scheme of things. One such competition is the Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon. It’s …(more) Continue reading The Super Bowl of Solar   My previous Green Living column focused on the benefits of recycling and the transition to an enhanced single-stream system that dramatically increases participation and reduces waste. Perhaps this is a good time to look closer at what that really means. When we recycle we save energy, improve air and water quality and reduce our need for raw materials. We could rebuild our entire commercial air fleet with just three months’ worth of the aluminum …(more) Continue reading Consider the Lowly Carpet  One commentTags: green building - health - home ecology - indoor air quality - landfills - plastic soda bottles - recycle - waste - water bottles.  I am so excited! Finally, after what seems like an eternity, my community (Sun City Anthem in Henderson) will have an opportunity to participate in a new program that really makes a difference. Every homeowner in our area will benefit and the results promise to be spectacular. It will make lives easier, improve the community and help strengthen our country. It won’t add a dime to the monthly budget. I’m talking about Republic Services’ …(more) Continue reading Recycling for Freedom 25 commentsTags: change - city of henderson - community effort - lifestyle - mindset - recycle - republic services - responsibility - sun city anthem - the commons - waste.  I love the concept of Green Living. For me, it is a simple, common-sense approach to life that improves our daily lives while acknowledging and addressing major issues like climate change and the overall sacred balance of life on Earth. Glancing back over this year’s past columns confirms that it is a topic with great diversity. There are a few recurring themes such as green building, renewable energy and resource efficiency since they have …(more) Continue reading Learning to Live in Place 5 commentsTags: change - fossil fuel - George Monbiot - internal combustion engine - lifestyle - mindset - post-carbon - responsibility - transition - transportation.
However, the results of our unrestrained embrace of modern chemistry are everywhere. They can even be observed in the bloodstream of newborns, where laboratory tests on samples collected by the American Red Cross from randomly selected babies showed an average contamination of two hundred industrial chemicals and pollutants. The list includes many chemicals found in cleaning and beauty products, plus other sources like pesticides, plasticizers, flame retardants and stain repellents. Continue reading Green Your Clean.
Gift-giving is at the core of the holiday season and the best gifts also happen to be the greenest, but perhaps not in the way you might think. Green gifts can represent the best we have to give while reducing the more harmful aspects of our collective consumption. Continue reading Green Gifts From the Heart. 3 commentsTags: buy nothing day - commercialization - corporations - green gifts - holiday season - local - sustainable.
I’ll never forget seeing my first straw bale home. The natural feel of the walls and the thick, inviting window ledges seemed to envelope those inside. I remember speaking with one homeowner as he proudly displayed his solar heating and cooling system. Yes, in the extremely hot climate of Tucson, AZ he cooled his home using passive and active solar technology and design, with very little electricity. I learned a lot from that conversation. Continue reading Solar Home Tour.  Mojave? What Mojave? There's no desert here... The choices we make about where and how we live have a tremendous impact on our environment, community and economic well-being. If we choose wisely, we can minimize the negative impacts while maximizing value. They go hand in hand. Well-designed, efficient spaces can be beautiful, functional and comfortably provide for our needs. Architect and “Not So Big House” author Sarah Susanka defined a relationship with “home” that is driven by quality not quantity. This is a timeless message that is often lost in our culture of consumption and growth. The term “bigger is better” means little when it comes to Green Living. Continue reading Right Sized Homes. Every home should have a library. It doesn’t even have to be an entire room; just a special place to keep your books will do, or perhaps it’s simply A library is potentially the greenest part of any home. The knowledge contained in books can profoundly transform lives and many can help us learn to live in sustainable ways. The best books take us on a journey of discovery, presenting new ideas that excite and motivate in ways that other mediums simply cannot do. All that is required is an open mind and a bit of time. Reading the right book at the right time can even save your life. Continue reading Health: People and Planet.
Continue reading Our Tragic, Plastic World. |  Download the flyer (PDF). Green Transportation: Getting Over OilThursday, May 31 6:30 p.m.The future of transportation is exciting and changing rapidly. Learn how people are saying adiós to the gas pump, saving money and helping the environment.  | ||
Learning to live lighter on the planet. Copyright © 2012 GreenDream Enterprises - All Rights ReservedThis website is powered by 100% clean, renewable energy. Site design and green hosting by GreenDreamWeb.com. | |||
a cozy spot to read your latest treasure from the public library. The point is to value the experience of reading good books.
One thing that distinguishes human beings from other species, according to human beings anyway, is our use of tools. There are a few other animals that use primitive tools but they are quite limited in number and scope. We, on the other hand, are so damn smart! Not only did we invent shovels, we used them to dig up stuff that could power the shovels so we didn’t have to hurt our feet anymore. We found fossil fuels and ushered in the Age of Oil.
Recent Comments