Pretty soon here, I’m going to be reviewing Thames & Kosmos Green Power House – a Discovery Store toy. However, this kit is not so much a toy as a full on model home / eco-experiments activity project. There’s a lot to this activity kit though, so before I review I’m going to cover the basics.

Power House provides an introduction to sustainable energy sources and teaches basic concepts and principles in physical science. Using the kit will teach you about, and how to use heat and light energy from the sun, wind power, and electrochemical and plant energy.

The Power House …read more

Lately I’ve had off-grid living on the brain. Probably because I read WAY too many green building / home books, which without fail, contain an abundance of self-sufficient homes to obsess over. I’ve also been thinking about off-grid in an urban context. When I lived in Humboldt and New Mexico I knew plenty of folks who were living off-grid to varying degrees but most of them lived in fairly rural areas so that was my example.
I currently don’t live in a rural area and for various reasons, I won’t be moving to a rural area anytime soon. So the question …read more

There’s a pretty slick read up at the New York Times – Praise the Lord and Green the Roof by Joseph Huff-Hannon.
Trust me, I am not someone who will urge folks to read religious related anything. Religion = fine but not my bag. However, what is possibly my religion would be green, and as you might know, I’m a huge fan of green building and structures in particular. So, in my opinion, if you mix nuns, composting toilets, and green convent planning, you get a religion-related fun article well worth a read.
Go take a look, and learn about the journey …read more

So, it’s been awhile since we did one of these round-ups. We’re due. Here’s the green we’ve been writing elsewhere that may interest Tree Hugging Family Readers.
Building, buying, or remodeling your own green home:

The best green real estate site!
Reclaimed & Salvaged Home Building Material Use
What Makes A Building Material A Green Choice?
Home Wind-Power Turbines Going Mainstream
35 Ideas for Building A Greener House
Will $100,000 Build A Good Green Home?
Green Building – How Much Would You Guess Is Going On?
Green Homes for Less Money

Home & Living:

4 Green DIY Alternative Energy Home Projects
How to Flush Your Toilet …read more

Are you into green design or know someone who is?
The very popular Holiday and Spring Fair events at the Grand Central Terminal in New York are going green. The competition judges — world-renowned designers and architects — are looking for a green design that incorporates and highlights the historic integrity of Vanderbilt Hall.
If you’re a designer, don’t miss the opportunity to be part of this exciting collaborative effort between USGBC New York, leaders at Grand Central and designers like you.
What could be more fun than incorporating something green into something old?
The deadline to enter is May 30, 2008. …read more

I HATE when people call me “Jen” I usually won’t answer. I don’t know if Peggy hates being called “Peg” but guess what, my title rhymes! Neat-o. It could almost be a song. Now that would be cool. Actually someone did write a song for me once, and it had stuff about squirrels in it, and bike helmets, so it was a little green I suppose… but I digress.
The reason for the rhyming title is that Peggy and I actually write quite a lot of green articles and blogs, we’re not just green at this blog. In any case, …read more

I don’t know if we’ve ever discussed this – how can you find out if you live in one of the greener cities in the country? How about out of the country? Well, different places have complied lists with varying results. Who you believe depends on if you like their methods, have insider info, or just plain do or don’t trust a source.
That said, here are some places you can look:

America’s 50 Greenest Cities: This list complied in February by Popular Science, used a fair methodology (I’d say), ranking cities on issues like energy methods, transportation, number of building certified …read more

Many of the things that are talked about in connection with greening your home can also apply to greening your church — recycling, using green cleaners, practicing green lawn care, eliminating disposable products when possible and making sure the building is energy efficient. Of course, churches are composed of groups of people who may not all agree on every issue, but the first step in greening a church is calling attention to the matter.
Resources for greening your church:
•Get LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified. Your church can decide how green it wants to become and pursue the chosen …read more

I have a nasty flu. Nice Valentine’s Day surprise, huh? I’m not feeling very lovable but green architecture almost always makes me happy – so let’s go there.
Besides this blog, I also write Offbeat Homes for b5media. I write a lot of green architecture posts there that I’m torn about – i.e. should I post it here or at Offbeat. It’s hard when you write something sustainable and have two blogs the post would fit. That said, if it’s about a house, Offbeat almost always wins. Except today. I thought for Valentine’s Day, I’d round up a good bunch of …read more

Today we have a special guest post from Fast Growing Trees Nursery!
According to The Department of Environmental Protection, evergreen windbreaks are the most effective component in cutting winter heat loss. Research indicates that heat energy savings of up to 40 percent are possible resulting from diminished wind velocity and reduced air infiltration into your home. Considering the U.S. average, that could mean a savings of as much as $400 per winter!
Location is the most important factor in effectively planting a windbreak. The evergreens should be planted north and …read more