Recent Green Living Posts
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By Steve Rypka on November 4th, 2010
 When we have a choice to make, taking the high road means choosing the honorable or ethical course over some lesser alternative. In terms of housing efficiency, Nevada has a choice to promote an ethical path toward increased home energy efficiency and savings, or to maintain the dismal and expensive status quo.
I’m referring to legislation passed in 2007 to require a professional home energy audit whenever an older home is sold in Nevada. The requirement could be waived if both seller and buyer agreed to do so. To allow time for the industry to prepare, the activation date was set for January of 2011. I won’t bore you with the torturous details, but the bottom line is that due to opposition from industry trade groups, primarily the Nevada Association of Realtors, it may not happen. This would be a tragic outcome for the citizens of Nevada.
Continue reading Energy Audits are the High Road.
By Steve Rypka on October 7th, 2010
 October has been officially proclaimed Energy Awareness Month – again. The first proclamation was in 1991 and now for the second year in a row by President Obama. It’s good to reinforce the concept of energy awareness, and by proclaiming the same month again and again, our leaders are also setting a good example by recycling October, a valuable, limited resource.
All kidding aside, energy awareness is of vital importance to everyone. Most of us don’t think much about our energy use except when it’s time to pay the bills. Many complain about the high cost but do they really understand what we get in the bargain?
Continue reading October is Energy Awareness Month.
By Steve Rypka on September 23rd, 2010
 Years ago, I travelled to Arizona to attend solar home tours. First it was Tucson, then a year or so later, Flagstaff and Prescott. Each one was a great experience. I met homeowners who benefitted from doing things differently. Best of all was their willingness to share their experiences with others.
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.
By Steve Rypka on August 12th, 2010
 An increasing number of homeowners in Nevada have something to smile about every month – their power bills. This is especially true during the heat of summer, when air-conditioning drives energy use sky high. The number of solar-powered homes is steadily growing, signs that the industry is heating up as the price of renewable energy continues to come down. Overall, interest in green building, energy efficiency and clean power has never been greater. The paradigm shift that was once but a glimmer in the eyes of a few is gaining momentum while transforming our homes, our communities and our lives.
Continue reading Clean, Green and Moving Forward.
By Steve Rypka on April 12th, 2010
Want to make sure that you don’t miss out on any of the events that are being scheduled for Earth Day? The Southern Nevada Group of the Sierra Club (Toiyabe Chapter) has created a special website just for EarthDay – check it out at EarthDayLV.com. The site is aiming to list all the local events that will be happening around Southern Nevada to celebrate Earth Day. Events are being added every day so check …(more)
Continue reading Earth Day in Southern Nevada
By Steve Rypka on January 14th, 2010
 They say the dream of the older generation was to pay off a mortgage, while the dream of today’s young families is to get one. In this economy, that’s no joke. That dream is now taking on new dimensions that include managing the ever-rising cost of energy and water.
In today’s home market, a lot of variables go into determining the price of a home, but some of the most common “features” are often only cosmetic: granite countertops come to mind as an example. Typical real estate listings are so homogenized that each one looks nearly the same as the next. That’s understandable when most home builders use a formula designed to deliver a product that looks good, meets code and has all the basics that most buyers expect.
Continue reading Appraising Green Homes.
By Steve Rypka on October 8th, 2009
By now, the concept of sustainability is one that most people are familiar with. Though there are many ways to define a sustainable society, there is really only one alternative to it. Basically, you’re either on or off the bus. By definition, being unsustainable only lasts for so long. It’s the ultimate dead end.
What does that mean in the current context of our lives, our homes and communities, and life as we know …(more)
Continue reading Transition Town
By Steve Rypka on September 10th, 2009
I’m writing this column from the heart of California’s Sierra Nevada range near Yosemite National Park. It’s beautiful here and not as hot as Las Vegas in early September, but there is ample evidence of rising temperatures as the effects of climate change become increasingly obvious.
The wide-spread bark beetle infestation in the western U.S. has resulted in large numbers of dead or dying trees. And California’s fire season is now seemingly without end, …(more)
Continue reading Living Lighter to Save the Pika
By Steve Rypka on July 30th, 2009
Perspective is an interesting thing. If you’re too far away from something, you don’t see the details. If you’re too close, you miss the big picture. In my experience, the best strategy for maintaining a healthy perspective is to keep both in mind. Look at the big picture and use it as a guide as you handle the necessary details.
With regard to Green Living, the big picture is the health of the planet …(more)
Continue reading 2009 National Clean Energy Summit
By Steve Rypka on June 18th, 2009
If there’s one thing Las Vegas is known for, it’s change. Although our green building awareness got off to a slow start compared to some other cities, we’ve managed to turn that around. Many are surprised to learn that the rate of green building is accelerating rapidly in Southern Nevada, now home to some of the largest green building projects in the world.
While some have argued that the idea of a green casino …(more)
Continue reading Las Vegas Green Building Tour
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