SustainYou

Compare this example zero energy solar home with the one posted blow. Which do you think would have a lower operating carbon footprint? Which would take less energy to build? Which one would you like to live in? —> Share your thoughts! Comment below…

I like this concept, I like it a lot. Just make sure it is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certified wood.

It was the middle of June 2006. When, full of fearless spirits after graduation, the vagabond Dave Holman and Jason (shaggy) Lord set out to travel the world in carbon neutrality… The Carbon Neutral hippie van was consummated. One crazy Idea on sunday afternoon lead to the the last minute e-bay score and a trip to Indiana to bring the carbon neutral baby home.

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A green perspective is featured in this ‘NY Times Magazine.

Is building natural, using “green” products a way to fulfill sustainability in your home?  Perhaps a home is not just what’s inside walls but the community of what is around your home as well.  Add Organic, mix in some green design with a kazzam of local and Bam!

As part of the greenhouse studio project, the Co-op is putting a new 100 amp electrical panel in the studio.  Building code states that these electrical wires must be buried 18″ or more below the ground and put in conduit.  The traditional way would be to buy 2″ PVC pipe in 8ft sections from Home Depot, glue it together with highly toxic solvent glue, bury it and be good to go.  The idea a burying toxins in our yard, where we grow our food, does not have much appeal…..

 This link shows conduit and piping options that are PVC free.

For more about the possible hazards of PVC check this link out.

Look for the green electrical install video coming this summer.

Did you take your vitamin today? 

If you did, then you ate poo, Lac bug poo to be precise.  The shiny coating you see on many vitamins is shellac.  Shellac is excreted from the lac bug and found mostly in Asia.

Shellac is an excellent finish for wood.  When fresh, shellac is very water resistant, durable and safe for human consumption.  Unfortunately in the realm of paints, stains and finishes, (Green Guard Report) , shellac has been replaced by engineered polymer based finishes such as polyurethane, spar varnish, and acrylic.  Look on the back of these cans…”Known to the state of California to Cause Cancer.” Read the rest of this entry �

Greywater Easy — So Simple, why isn’t this everywhere!? 

Coming to the Co-op Bathroom remodel

Many of us have intuition on sustainable building materials,  That gut feeling that tells you: wood siding is better vinyl, more insolation is better… 

Unforunately, buildings are so diverse and complex that is it nearly impossible to rightfully select the best choice for any product.  Environmental analysis and lifecyle analysis for building materials are often hard to come by or even non-existent.  This green building guide is a good place to get you on your way!

Pull kink…pllop blup….plop…mummm water…sometimes.

One of the 6,584,321 things that have broken in the co-op is out kitchen sink. At first it was a very good zen meditation practice on patience and serenity. Pull the handle slowly, wait and you would be rewarded with water. Now pull 20 times, maybe water. Perhaps it was the French beget left in the pipes from soldering this summer… nope, bread clear…

While perusing the (cringe) local Menards store, I was tempted by the new pull out handle faucet that was only $80. Sweet! fix the problem once and for all. However I told myself “you get what you pay for.” The co-op reinforced the decision.. Surely paying $25 for a new plunger part was the responsible and environmental choice. One over-packaged part shipped from CA to MN and $25 later the old faucet kerplops.
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