Floating Cities of the Future?

Some coastal cities are running out of room inland, while others are losing their land due to rising sea levels.  Innovative architects are conjuring up some fantastical solutions, like Lilypad by Vincent Callebaut (pictured above).  These self-sustaining cities will produce their own energy, utilizing wind turbines, solar panels and water turbines. Lilypad will house 50,000 […]

Transforming Wastelands into Public Parks

Current state of Gowanus Canal (pictured above) A promising plan for the polluted Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn, New York will transform this Superfund site into an 11.4 acre park of greenways, recreational open spaces and wetlands.  The future park, dubbed the Gowanus Canal Sponge Park, will use wetland plants to remediate polluted waters.  Wow!  The […]

Inexpensive Way to Heat Your Pool!

Aaahhh, the power of the sun! An industrious homeowner recently posted his work on a do-it-yourself project to heat his pool.  Basically, he mounted a regular garden hose to a 4×8′ sheet of plywood, painted it all matte black and wrapped it in bubblewrap.  It sits in the sun and heats up while a cheap […]

Today’s Low Flow Toilets Add Style and Water-Efficiency to the Bathroom

Looking for low-flow, but high performance from your toilet?  The stylish high-efficiency toilets on the market now are sure to make your bathroom remodel, or selection of fixtures for a new home, more sustainable. It’s important to conserve water considering we flush about 30% of a household’s potable water down the toilet!  Replacing an old […]

What’s Wrong with Rain?

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. […]

Eco-Friendly Garden Fountains

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 […]

Green Kitchen and Bath Makeovers, Part II

In part I of my series on eco-friendly kitchen and bath makeovers, I focused on easy and inexpensive ways to update these much lived-in rooms.  In the next few posts, you’ll find helpful information for those of you who need to undertake more substantial improvements.  Here, I’ll focus on the important aspects of saving energy […]

Tips for Saving Energy (and Money) With Older Water Heaters

Older tank-style hot water heaters are not very efficient, but there are some simple things you can do to save energy, reduce pollution and save money on your utility bill.  A tank-style water heater works to keep the water in the tank hot around the clock, even when hot water is not needed.  But since […]

Controlling Mold and Moisture

All of the recent rain storms pouring down upon us here in Southeastern Pennsylvania, has lead me to think about excessive moisture build-up and mold issues in the home. Even though mold plays an important role outdoors (to break down dead, organic matter such as fallen leaves and trees), it can cause problems indoors. Mold […]

Increase Your Home’s Water Efficiency

Water bills too high?  Concerned about conserving water?  A recent government survey showed at least 36 states are anticipating local, regional, or statewide water shortages by 2013.  That’s a bit daunting, but, you’ll be happy to learn that wasting water is easy to avoid.  There are many simple things you can do to minimize your […]

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