When I explain to people that I have not purchased electricity for ten years, they are envious. When I tell them I have not bought gasoline or oil or a smog check for four years, they are amazed. When I tell them they can do the same thing simply by shifting their priorities, they yawn. […]
More Humans, Less of Everything Else
November 1, 2014 by /
The extraction of “unconventional” fossil fuels, whether through fracking, deep-water drilling or the unimaginable waste of Canadian tar sands, has provided much of the motivation in my personal life to methodically reduce our family’s CO2 footprint. Since the baseline year of 2000, we have managed to reduce our contribution to greenhouse gasses by approximately 90%. […]
Resilient Self-Sufficiency: The Garden Pool
September 8, 2014 by /
Some may think my concerns are misplaced but for those who follow the science and pay attention to actual facts, we are living in a time of extreme and rapid change. Nothing like this has ever happened before. Climate change is not just about polar bears, penguins and Greenland’s melting ice. Climate change harms people, […]
Clean Energy: Renters Can Do It Too!
May 2, 2013 by /
One of my recent columns prompted a reader named Paul to write, “I want to move toward a greener lifestyle, especially want to incorporate solar. But since I am renting a house, I’m concerned there’s little I can do without installing things on a house I don’t own. Any ideas?” This is an excellent question […]
Shake and Fold: Drying Your Hands Without Using a Whole Tree
February 7, 2013 by /
I watched a really cool TED talk the other day. You know about TED, right? It is one of the most inspiring places on the web – a nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. The original concept focused on talented people from the areas of Technology, Entertainment and Design, thus the name. Now it is […]
Liking Las Vegas
January 10, 2013 by /
I’ve lived in Southern Nevada for about 35 years and, I must admit, I’m really starting to like it. I suppose it takes time for anyone to settle in, but in this case, it is the transformation of the community that is making the difference for me. Ever since Bugsy Siegel’s heyday, there has been […]
Living Green in Las Vegas
November 15, 2012 by /
There are a lot of paths to choose from when it comes to Green Living. That’s part of what I like about it. There’s sort of an ethic or mindset that guides one’s choices, but the options are almost endless. There is no single solution to creating a sustainable community and I never tire of […]
Solar Power and Lifestyle Choices
September 20, 2012 by /
I was recently contacted by a woman who had purchased a home with a solar electric (photovoltaic or PV) system on the roof. Let’s call her Britt. She had found my name in the paperwork left by the previous owner since I did the initial consultation and site survey. Britt sounded very nice on the […]
Recycling for Freedom
January 12, 2012 by /
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 […]
Learning to Live in Place
December 29, 2011 by /
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 […]
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