Eco-Friendly Garden Fountains

Posted on July 6, 2010 by Joyce Benson    |    Add a Comment
Tag(s): Greening the Home, The Great Green Outdoors, Water

Whether you’re creating a relaxing outdoor “room” in a large backyard or making the most of a small balcony, the soothing sound of a bubbling fountain adds tranquility to any space.  They’re great for drowning out street noise or serving as a water source for birds.

Fountains that include solar-powered pumps are easy-to-install and don’t require electricity to run.  Water use is even minimized because the flow of water is recirculated through the fountain for a continuous supply.

From classic to contemporary designs, today’s solar fountains are available as  table top models, free-standing and even compact floating fountains for pools and ponds.

Earth-Friendly Fencing

Posted on June 30, 2010 by Joyce Benson    |    2 Comments
Tag(s): Conserving Resources, Greening the Home, The Great Green Outdoors

Whether you’re looking for privacy or just a solution to contain the kids or pets in your yard, there are plenty of low-maintenance, eco-friendly fence options.  Fences made from natural or recycled materials are readily available.  The right fence can even be used to create a zen-like backyard oasis, as shown here.

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Recycled Metal Sculptures Add Pizazz to the Landscape

Posted on June 24, 2010 by Joyce Benson    |    Add a Comment
Tag(s): Greening the Home, Reclaimed Materials, Recycling, The Great Green Outdoors

If you’re looking for something special to spruce up your home or garden, recycled metal sculptures offer artistic flair combined with eco-friendliness.  These individual artists create one-of-a-kind works of art, most of which are even functional:

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Cash for Caulkers!

Posted on June 24, 2010 by Joyce Benson    |    Add a Comment
Tag(s): Energy, Greening the Home, Money Saving

Looking for some extra cash to complete those home improvement projects?  A great incentive is the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010, dubbed “Cash for Caulkers,” which is expected to clear the Senate this summer.  Get rebates for hundreds or even thousands of dollars depending on which energy-saving strategies you tackle.  Get all the details, clearly spelled out, at SoftwareAdvice.com.

Rooftop Gardens: A Growing Trend

Posted on June 21, 2010 by Joyce Benson    |    Add a Comment
Tag(s): Food, Greening the Home, Greening the Office, The Great Green Outdoors

Gardening for urban dwellers and businesses is often challenging, but utilizing unused space on the rooftop offers an innovative solution to bring fresh veggies to the table.  Products designed for such purposes, from hydroponic systems to recycled plastic bins, are now more easily accessible.   MSNBC has the full story here.

Recycled Glass Rocks the Landscape!

Posted on June 21, 2010 by Joyce Benson    |    1 Comment
Tag(s): Recycling, The Great Green Outdoors

Tumbled, recycled glass (with no sharp edges) can be integrated into landscapes to create striking focal points.  Imagine its use in fountains, fire-pits, fish ponds, pathways, mulch beds and gardens.  Add color to beautify desert-scapes without the use of thirsty plants!  From post-consumer bottles to post-industrial window scraps, recycled glass is available in a wide variety of colors and sizes for all sorts of applications.

Since glass takes about 1000 years to decompose, recycling is the perfect solution.  It’s ideal in the landscape too, since it doesn’t fade or need replacing year after year.  Plus, it’s a deterrent to garden pests, such as slugs, since they don’t like to crawl on it!

Where to find it:

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Green your Backyard with Eco-friendly Furniture, Part II

Posted on June 10, 2010 by Joyce Benson    |    Add a Comment
Tag(s): Green Furnishings, Reclaimed Materials, Recycling, The Great Green Outdoors

In Part I of this series on eco-friendly outdoor furniture, I focused on those made with reclaimed wine barrels and other sustainable woods.  Here, innovative creations made from recycled skis, snowboards and HDPE plastic are highlighted.

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Today’s “Green” Homes Will Surprise You

Posted on June 2, 2010 by Joyce Benson    |    Add a Comment
Tag(s): Green Building, Greening the Home, Money Saving

Looking for something interesting to read this summer?  Author Sheri Koones highlights 25 high-style, eco-friendly homes in her new book titled, “Prefabulous + Sustainable.”  Here, you’ll see how energy efficiency and green materials are used to create beautiful, cost-effective homes.  Check out WalletPop for the full scoop.

photo by Roger Wade Studio

Lower Cooling Bills this Summer

Posted on May 27, 2010 by Joyce Benson    |    Add a Comment
Tag(s): Energy, Greening the Home, Money Saving

This Spring we’ve had a taste of what summer will bring — high temperatures and humidity.  The good news is that there are lots of simple things we can do to beat the heat and still keep our energy bills in check.  Following these tips will not only reduce your expenses, but also benefit the environment.  By lowering energy usage, you’ll reduce pollution and greenhouse gases associated with electricity generation.

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5 Energy-Saving Retrofits

Posted on May 26, 2010 by Joyce Benson    |    4 Comments
Tag(s): Energy, Greening the Home, Greening the Office

Wondering how you can make your business or home more energy efficient?  Houston Neal’s article, on softwareadvice.com, explains how 5 “green” retrofits will reduce energy usage in commercial, industrial and residential markets.