Recent Green Living Posts | By Steve Rypka on May 20th, 2010  Back in the days of old, taking a warm shower was a luxury that few could afford on a regular basis. Water had to be fetched from a well or stream, then heated by fire from wood chopped by hand in the forest (assuming there was one nearby). It took a lot of effort to make it all happen, but oh, how sweet the reward!
As an adventurous teenager, I lived briefly in a small, humble abode (actually the term shack is more accurate) on the slopes of the dormant Haleakala volcano on Maui. There was no running water inside, but plenty outside in the form of a small mountain stream. A short walk down a verdant path, through trees laden with fruit, led to a clear, natural pool at the base of a semi-circular twenty-foot cliff. From the top, a beautiful waterfall poured into the pool – my personal, all natural shower. Continue reading Personal Waterfall. By Steve Rypka on April 8th, 2010  Every cloud has a green lining. They say that every cloud has a silver lining. That might be even more appropriate here in the Silver State, since the clouds caused by the housing market have caused more than a passing shadow. However, the sun is beginning to peek through, and it’s shining a bright light on some activities in the housing market that not only have a silver lining, but perhaps even gold or platinum. I’m talking about two projects, one quite old (by Las Vegas standards) and the other brand new. Both are equally exciting and represent a new wave of housing development that is just getting underway in Southern Nevada. Continue reading Housing’s Silver Lining. 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 December 17th, 2009  Children will benefit most from the lessons we learn now. 2009 has been a year of learning. With economic challenges at every turn, many have been forced to do more with less. People have downsized, minimized, economized and localized. In a sense it could be considered a sort of natural correction. As we move forward into the New Year we should not forget these important lessons. For example, average home size has been growing for decades. Now there is a greater appreciation of the “smaller is better” concept. Homes that provide for our needs without being lavish or oversized make a lot of sense, not just for the occupants but for all of society. It’s much easier and less expensive to make a small, efficient home completely energy independent. I can’t count the number of people that have complained to me about high energy costs but who fail to make the connection to the size and efficiency of their home. Continue reading Lessons Learned. By Steve Rypka on August 13th, 2009 I recently attended a series of seminars designed to inform realtors, lenders, appraisers and builders about the importance of energy efficiency and green building. The program, hosted by the Green Alliance/Nevada Energy Star Partners, featured Sam Rashkin, the national director of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star for Homes program. The seminars were very informative and those in attendance definitely gained a leg up on the future of our housing market. I’ll write more …(more) Continue reading Corn, Oil & Electric Rates By Steve Rypka on June 4th, 2009 We’ve all heard a lot about green jobs lately. But what exactly is a green job? When are they coming? Where can a person find one? A lot of people want to know how they can make a living while making a difference. While I believe that any job in any company can be “greened” with the right attitude and attention to detail, there are some that fall squarely in the green job category. …(more) Continue reading HomeFree Nevada By Steve Rypka on May 21st, 2009 Here’s a summer riddle for you: What’s clear and fresh and very clean, all blue but still completely green? If you guessed a swimming pool, you’re right. But what’s green about a clean pool? The green isn’t from algae but from the energy saved by using a variable-speed pool pump. Most swimming pools use a significant amount of energy. First of all, it just takes a lot of power to pump water and a …(more) Continue reading Green Pools are Great By Steve Rypka on May 14th, 2009 Hiking is one of my favorite activities since I love reconnecting with the natural world. Safety is always number one so I try to avoid paths that get too close to dangerous cliffs. Call it self-preservation. I’m also not a speed demon, preferring to savor the experience – noticing the details. Did you know that a ponderosa pine gives off a scent similar to butterscotch? You have to get real close to the bark …(more) Continue reading House Like a Tree By Steve Rypka on April 23rd, 2009 I love a good challenge. The bigger the problem, the more fun it can be to solve. The most elegant solutions are simple, effective and often right before our eyes. Such is the case with water. For decades, we’ve focused on engineering “more is better” solutions that “improve” nature and bend it to our will. There are still plenty of folks around who subscribe to that antiquated approach. Big bucks, powerful pumps, long pipelines …(more) Continue reading Desert Water Solutions By Steve Rypka on March 12th, 2009 I doubt there’s anyone who has not been affected in some way by the current economic crisis. This is a big deal – a game changer of major proportion. Things are tight and getting tighter, causing many of us to reexamine our lives and our assumptions about what we’ve so often taken for granted. I’ve heard there has been an upswing in the use of public libraries. This makes perfect sense, since a local …(more) Continue reading Read a Book, Kill A Watt | The Clark County Library District is sponsoring a series of five presentations on Green Living to be held at the West Charleston Library. I hope you can join us!
Download the flyer (PDF). Green Transportation: Getting Over Oil Thursday, 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. |
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