Date: 07/08/2010 | Source: The Epoch Times
Source: The Epoch Times/Adam Miller
It is the twenty first century and the concept of green building – which may have sprouted as a trend from a select group of forward thinkers – is slowly becoming standard practice. If going green is the future, it seems that the future has arrived. And it is here to stay. According to McGraw-Hill Construction’s 2009 Green Outlook, “The overall green building market (both non-residential and residential) is likely to more than double from $36-49 billion in 2009 to $96-140 billion by 2013.” The report says that 70 percent of consumers report they would be more inclined to purchase a green home in a down market. “It is likely that green will reach the mainstream of the global marketplace and achieve critical mass.” So why is green building growing so rapidly? It seems the awareness of climate change, with eyes also focused on other pressing environmental issues, is driving society to find a sustainable way of living, and fast.
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Date: 07/08/2010 | Source: Everything Long Beach
Source: Everything Long Beach
After being approved by the City Council last December, Long Beach’s first solar trash cans debuted at an installation ceremony on Wednesday. Three solar trash cans – installed in Downtown Long Beach, Belmont Shore and Bixby Knolls – are part of a pilot project that will last six months. “I am pleased our City, the Downtown Long Beach Associates and the distributor WAXIE have partnered to bring these bins to our City,” said 2nd District Councilmember Suja Lowenthal. “These solar trash bins are an innovative and sustainable approach to collecting trash and increasing recycling in the Downtown.” The solar-powered bins are both a trash compactor and collection unit which squeezes refuse to just 20 percent of its normal volume. The containers, which have the same blueprint as regular trash cans but can compact about 150 gallons of trash into a 32-gallon bin, are expected to reduce costs by requiring fewer trash collections and maintenance. The bins come side-by-side with recycling units to collect bottle, can and paper for recycling.
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Date: 07/06/2010 | Source: USA Today
Source: USA Today
The Environmental Protection Agency says the typical U.S. household spends nearly 20% of its utility bills on cooling, but it can significantly lower that amount. EPA has its own cooling tips, including installing a programmable thermostat, running ceiling fans counter-clockwise, getting rid of incandescent lights, insulating your home and closing its window curtains or shades when you leave to reduce heat gain. If you absolutely need air conditioning, ServiceMagic offers these five tips for keeping your system running efficiently.
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Date: 07/06/2010 | Source: Forbes
Source: Forbes
In England there is a building made with insulation that can be inflated or deflated to adjust to outside temperatures. The New York Times Co. building is draped in shades that automatically adjust to the movement of the sun. The point of a building is to keep its inhabitants comfortable: Humans want to be warm (but not too warm) and dry. The problem comes in providing heating or cooling, and replacing the light lost when the sun is shut out. The solutions are becoming ever more creative. To keep people comfortable and happy in a way that limits the amount of energy needed, architects and engineers are coming up with new materials, technology and approaches to building design, construction and management. Here are 10 of the most notable examples, compiled by Brendon Levitt, an architect with the San Francisco Bay area firm Loisos + Ubbelohde.
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Date: 07/06/2010 | Source: Marketwire
Source: Marketwire/Getty Images
More people than ever are looking for more natural ways to keep their homes clean and free of harsh chemical fumes and residues. But there is still plenty of confusion about the best way to do that. With so many products making vague claims, it can be hard to make an informed decision. What works? What’s truly natural? This guide to greening your clean will help you make smarter, more natural cleaning choices for your home. There are a lot of product labels that use words like “eco-friendly,” “organic,” and “nontoxic.” Unlike the food world, when it comes to cleaning products, these terms are largely unregulated, so they can be misleading. Want to know just what is in your cleaner? Here’s a glossary of common natural ingredients and what they do in home care products.
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Date: 07/06/2010 | Source: The Washington Post
Source: The Washington Post
President Obama announced the award of $1.85 billion in loan guarantees Saturday to two solar power companies that he said will create thousands of new jobs. In his weekly address, Obama said the money from the Energy Department will help the U.S. transition to a “clean energy economy” that creates hundreds of thousands of jobs in the future. “We’re going to keep competing aggressively to make sure the jobs and industries of the future are taking root right here in America,” Obama said. Abengoa Solar will receive a $1.45 billion loan guarantee to build a solar power plant in Arizona that will create 1,600 construction jobs and 85 permanent jobs. The power plant will be the first of its kind in the United States and could generate enough energy to power 70,000 homes. Abound Solar, based in Loveland, Colo., will receive a $400 million loan guarantee. Click here to read more about the Energy Department’s Solar Power Funding.
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