The Wonders of Strawbale Construction

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Joyce Benson    |    Add a Comment
Tag(s): Conserving Resources, Education, Green Building, Greening the Home

Strawbale construction is beautiful, energy efficient, long-lasting and environmentally-friendly.  Its non-toxic, natural materials are sourced from an agricultural waste product that is typically burned.  By utilizing strawbales as a building material, we can reduce pollution and maintain air quality, indoors and out.

If you’re an ambitious do-it-yourself type, you can even build your own strawbale home.  Learn more about the many benefits of strawbale construction and how you can attend an inspiring workshop, perhaps for free…

Read More >>

Greener Pastures for Old Books

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Joyce Benson    |    Add a Comment
Tag(s): Conserving Resources, Going Green

The following is a guest post by Alexis Bonari

Take a look at those old, heavy textbooks on your shelves.  How many trees had to be cut down to produce them? Make sure those resources didn’t go to waste by leaving the books to collect dust on your shelves.

Keeping a library of books can contribute to a significant impact on the environment:  Think of all that paper being created and printed to publish the millions of books that are released each year.  There are a number of things you can do to help lessen your impact:

Read More >>

Kick off the Summer with Earth-friendly Festivities

Posted on May 30, 2011 by Joyce Benson    |    Add a Comment
Tag(s): For Kids, Green Living, The Great Green Outdoors

It’s hard to believe another year has passed and it’s Memorial Day again.  While honoring the memory of American soldiers killed in combat, we also welcome the warm weather and sunny skies that indicate the unofficial start of summer.

Here are some easy green tips that honor the Earth and help reduce your impact this summer.

Read More >>

Planning a Greener Landscape

Posted on May 20, 2011 by Joyce Benson    |    Add a Comment
Tag(s): Green Design, Greening the Home, The Great Green Outdoors

If you’re trying to make your landscape more sustainable, one important thing to do is to reduce the size of your lawn and add more native plants, trees and shrubs.  Native plants are beautiful and low-maintenance, plus they provide proper nourishment and habitat for beneficial insects, birds, bees, butterflies and wildlife.  Read on for garden plans that will transform your yard into a lovely oasis using native plants.  First learn the many reasons why lawns are bad for the environment and what you can do to help:

Read More >>

Eco-Chic Bathroom Upgrades

Posted on May 15, 2011 by Joyce Benson    |    1 Comment
Tag(s): Green Design, Greening the Home, Kitchens And Baths

Planning a bathroom remodel to transform your tired, old space into a sustainable serene spa?  Today’s marketplace has just about everything you need to create an eco-friendly, luxurious lavatory, from design details to construction components.  In this post, I’ll concentrate on the latter, with a future post focusing on the finishing touches.

Please donate usable items from your bath to a place like Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore or an architectural salvage yard.  Animal shelters are always in need of old towels, if those need replacing too.

Read More >>

What’s Wrong with Rain?

Posted on May 11, 2011 by Joyce Benson    |    Add a Comment
Tag(s): Going Green, The Great Green Outdoors, Water

You may be thinking that there’s nothing wrong with rain, unless of course we’re getting too much, but that’s not what I’m talking about here….  Yes, it is a life-giving precious resource, but it is also a conduit for pollutants that make their way from our lawns, streets and parking lots into our fresh watersheds.

Pollutants such as pesticides, fertilizers, heavy metals, trash, motor oil, brake dust, chemicals and even heat from paved surfaces can wreak havoc on our water supply.  Rainwater travels downhill directly into waterways, or it is captured by storm drains where, most of the time, it goes straight into our rivers and lakes.

So, what can we do to help the situation?

Read More >>

Creating “Green” Outdoor Spaces

Posted on March 30, 2011 by Joyce Benson    |    4 Comments
Tag(s): Green Design, The Great Green Outdoors

Well, we’re officially into spring, even though Mother Nature is still throwing curve balls at us.  But soon enough we’ll be able to enjoy warmer temperatures and spend more time in the great outdoors.  Looking to beautify a bland backyard?  Keep in mind these eco-friendly elements that are sure to add some pizzazz to your outdoor spaces.

Read More >>

Go Green for Saint Patrick’s Day!

Posted on March 17, 2011 by Joyce Benson    |    1 Comment
Tag(s): Events, Going Green

My top 5 St. Patrick’s Day tips to bring out your green side are:

1. Enjoy nature by taking a walk in the park.  Maybe you’ll even come across a lucky four-leaf clover!
2. Make some homemade Irish soda bread with all natural and organic ingredients.
3. Walk, or take mass transportation, to your favorite Irish pub to celebrate the holiday.
4. Try some beer made by eco-friendly brewing companies, like Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (California), Great Lakes Brewing Co. (Ohio), New Belgium Brewing (Colorado), Kona Brewing Co.(Hawaii),  Full Sail Brewing Co. (Oregon), and the Alaskan Brewing Company.  Please drink responsibly and don’t forget to recycle those bottles and cans!
5. Save energy and turn off the lights before you pass out tonight!

photo by MsBarrows

The Future is Prefab Eco-Friendly Homes

Posted on March 16, 2011 by Joyce Benson    |    2 Comments
Tag(s): Conserving Resources, Green Building, Green Design

The following is a guest post by Mariana Ashley, a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about online colleges. She loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to mariana.ashley031@gmail.com.

To some this sounds like old news, to others this sounds like gibberish. What is a prefab eco-friendly home? The term prefab simply means prefabricated. Components of a structure are manufactured offsite in an industrial facility. Once the structure is designed and constructed offsite, it is shipped to the building location and erected there. Prefab housing is not a new concept. Having components of the building process take place in a factory has been a part of home construction for decades now. However, in recent years, prefab housing has become synonymous in many ways with a modernist aesthetic and sustainable design. There are four central factors that make prefab eco-friendly homes the wave of the future: smart design, smart materials, affordability, and fashion.

Read More >>

Homeowners Go Green with Solar Roof Shingles

Posted on March 15, 2011 by Joyce Benson    |    Add a Comment
Tag(s): Energy, Greening the Home

The following is a guest post by Alan Parker, a blogger based out of New York, NY, who writes about alternative energy, green business, sustainability, and climate change.

It’s no secret that homeowners throughout the nation are looking for ways to go green or at least to cut down on their power bills.  As a result, the solar technology industry in the last five years has grown exponentially as homeowners invest in conventional solar panels for their roof.  Yet many of these households are encountering problems, as their panels become the object of theft.  Further, many homeowner associations don’t allow traditional panels on roofs because they jut up and can be seen by neighbors.  This is preventing people from trying solar power, but some companies offer solar shingles as a solution.

Solar roof shingles integrate easily with regular asphalt shingles and are not mounted on racks like traditional panels.  Since they are installed directly onto the roof, they are much harder to steal.  Here’s a comprehensive look at the more common shingles available.

Read More >>