You already know why utilizing solar energy to power your home is an awesome decision: it reduces the need for nonrenewable oil, diminishes greenhouse gas pollutants, and ultimately puts money in your pocket by not being dependent on the utility provider. Unfortunately, solar panels are like hybrid vehicles: right now most owners are those who have dispensible income and and a concern about the environment.

That’s right. Beginning this fall, government rebates will be available for the purchase of energy efficient household appliances, such as dishwashers, washing machines, and refrigerators. After the huge success of the cash for clunkers program in breathing life back into the auto-industry, as well as into our commitment to cleaner air, we should be hopeful that this program will have a similar effect.

Over the past few years we’ve been hit by a wave of new eco-friendly product labels, designed to help consumers pick out the most sustainable brands. But in the long list of certifications, one of them stands out as the most comprehensive: Cradle to Cradle.

We can pretty much all recognize that particular odor, the ‘new carpet’ smell. Whether in a new office building or a renovated room in the house, it’s usually advisable to immediately ventilate the space so that head-ache inducing smell can dissipate. So what is causing that, anyway?

You’ve found your dream home, but the furnace is older than you are.  There is no need to wait to make your home energy-efficient.  With an Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM), homeowners can roll the cost of energy efficiency improvements right into the mortgage.
Because increasing energy efficiency lowers monthly expenses, homeowners with EEMs can qualify for [...]

Rainwater harvesting is “the process of intercepting storm-water runoff and putting it to beneficial use.” Pretty simple concept. Oddly enough, it is illegal in some states. The Colorado legislature, in its 2009 session, legalized rainwater harvesting for residents with private wells. Other states and municipalities are in the process of changing their laws.

Parades, picnics, fireworks, add family and friends—seems like a perfect 4th of July. As I watched and experienced all the events yesterday, I wondered what we could have done differently.

So you thought it was that swarm of cars on the freeway or that refinery’s smokestack belching black fog that was the major contributor to CO2 emissions. Well it turns out that it isn’t cars or even industry that is the biggest contributor to this CO2 mess … it’s buildings.

In spring of 2008, without much fanfare, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) kicked off its “Green Building Strategy.” Later in the year the agency produced a formal document outlining its commitment to green building and the strategy for promoting it.  I say:  “better late than never…”
The strategy puts forth five objectives:

to inform building decisions with [...]

More and more people are certainly finding a way.  Consider the experience of the Porters of Massachusetts. Through creativity and good old fashion hard work the Porters were able to fulfill a dream and a commitment to the environment by building their green home.  They acknowledge that they spent a fair amount of time [...]