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The Most Useless Energy-Related Home Products

November 27, 2009 in Save Energy, Save Money by Jennifer | No comments

There’s an interesting list up over at Green Building Advisor about the most useless energy related products around. The list is pretty cool but I don’t agree with all of it. Of course I’m not an official green building advisor or anything.

Blogger and advisor Martin notes the following as a waste of money and not great energy savers to boot…

  • Tyvek ThermaWrap
  • Fafco plastic solar collectors
  • Passive fresh air inlets
  • Vinyl siding laminated to rigid foam
  • Powered attic ventilators
  • Programmable thermostats
  • Inexpensive LED lamps
  • Foil-faced bubble wrap
  • Power factor correction devices
  • Vent-free gas space heaters

I’m not so sure I agree with the whole programmable thermostats being useless argument. Martin notes that they’re not totally useless — “they’re just unnecessary and insufficient.” He also notes that “Study after study has shown that installing programmable thermostats makes no difference in energy use.” Mainly because homeowner behavior is far more important than the hardware. However on the flip side I’ve known people who have used them and note that they have saved money. I had one in a previous home and while I didn’t feel it saved as much money or resources as the programmable water heating thermostat I also had, it still did save money on my energy bill. It may depend on how you use the device along with your normal habits surrounding electricity use.

I also think that powered attic ventilators can work to reduce costs in a newer home. My pal installed one and his energy costs are lower than before BUT he has a newer and soundly built home. Martin notes that most aren’t as efficient because  most U.S. homes have leaky ceilings so instead of helping the ventilators commonly draw conditioned indoor air into the attic through ceiling cracks which of course will increase not decrease costs. He also notes that canned foam to seal leaks in your ceiling or additional insulation for your attic floor will be more useful.

In any case, if you disagree or not it’s a good read. He makes some excellent points and it’s lame to waste money on what won’t work for your home.

The Four Energy Saving Areas in Your Home

November 24, 2009 in Save Energy, Save Money by Jennifer | No comments

Basically, you’ve got four major energy saving opportunities in your home…

  1. Lighting
  2. Appliances and electronics
  3. Heating & cooling
  4. Water heating

save more energy

You could, of course, break it down even more. Each of us has hundreds of ways we could be saving more energy, but the above four are major and a good place to start.

For lighting you can save more by incorporating day lighting into your home with energy efficient windows, skylights, and light tunnels. You can buy energy efficient bulbs and keep the lighting to a minimum or as needed basis. You can also remind family members to simply turn off the lights.

Appliances and electronic equipment makes up about 20% of your home energy usage and costs so it’s smart to purchase energy efficient versions of things like televisions, microwaves, refrigerators, washers and dryers, audio equipment and anything else you plug in. You may be able to get rebates on many of the items you buy. To further use these items efficiently, use them sparingly – i.e. hang dry many clothes instead of using the dryer each time. Plug all items in one space into one power strip then turn the whole darn strip off when you leave the room. Also, cook wisely – you don’t need the stove for everything.

For heating and cooling think ahead of time. Make sure you build or buy a home that’s got energy saving features such as good orientation, evergreen windbreaks, try passive solar design, and weatherize properly for winter. Also little adjustments such as turning the heat down a few notches adds up over time.

Heating your water can actually account for as much as 25% of your energy use. Try a solar water heater or the next time you upgrade, upgrade to the most efficient model you can. Insulate your hot water pipes and heater, install a water timer, and do the little things like taking shorter showers.

If you do all of the above it will not only save you energy but it will put money directly in your pocket – good timing with the holidays here.

Ten easy ways to green Christmas

November 19, 2009 in Holiday by Jennifer | No comments

Christmas is one of those holidays that’s actually pretty darn easy to green up. Simple choices can lead to a green Christmas and a more meaningful holiday celebration. Following are some ideas…

green your christmas

1. Green your Christmas tree: There are so many choices when it comes to the tree that it can seem hard not simple, but it all comes down to a few bits of info…

  • Reusable plastic tree = not so green.
  • Cut trees from a conventional farm = ok, but still not too green.
  • Cut tree from an organic farm = greener.
  • A living tree = green!
  • Alternatives like a wreath, small tree, plant, or other recyclable option = green.

To get an in-depth look read the most eco-friendly Christmas tree.

2. Green your lights: No matter where you like to place holiday lights, LEDS save you energy and look beautiful as well.

3. Green your wrap: Reuse last year’s Christmas wrap; use the comics; use a reusable container; use wrap made with recycled paper.

4. Green your greetings: Don’t send cards this year, call your loved ones instead or send an e-card. Make cards with recycled craft supplies. IF you really want to send a paper card, send one made of tree-free paper, plantable paper, or choose from the many recycled Christmas card options available.

5. Green your holiday baking: Use organic ingredients and eco-safe bake ware. No time to bake? Find the most Amazing Organic Holiday Cookies.

6. Green your shopping: Don’t shop like mad. Make a small list of meaningful gifts you’d like to get and stick to it. OR make crafty homemade holiday gifts. You can also give many gifts that actually give back.

7. Green the toys: If you’ve got kids, Christmas toys are likely on your list. Make sure you get safe, lead-free, non-toxic toys this year.

8. Green your Christmas stocking: This year use an eco-friendly Christmas stocking AND stuff it with safe fun green treats.

9. Green your holiday supplies: Plan on using goods for the holidays that are made with recycled materials or that can easily be recycled. You’d be surprised at how many options there are for a nice recyclable holiday season.

10. Green your Christmas mindset: The biggest challenge surrounding getting green for Christmas is simply wrapping your mind around a new way to celebrate. Read I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas and/or Celebrate Green for ideas about how you can celebrate in a fun way while keeping it green and meaningful.

How are you greening your Christmas this year?

Cons of Building or Buying a New Green Home

May 21, 2009 in Green Building by Jennifer | No comments

This month we’ve been sorting out which is better: remodeling green or buying or building a new green home. So far we’ve looked at…

Today the last part of our series – the cons of building or buying new. However, stay tuned because soon I’ll post some resources that will help you out, no matter your final decision.

CONS OF BUILDING OR BUYING A NEW GREEN HOME:

The obvious first con of going with a new green home is cost. Green homes can cost more at the start than conventional. In the long run a green home will save you money, but start-up costs can stop some people cold. According to CNN Money, if you went as green as possible, a green home might cost you 20-30% more than a traditional home, but don’t forget there are shades of green in-between as well. You’ll also get tax credits. Green Prefab can also be an affordable way to build or buy green.

Side note: I built a green home and the costs were not more than a traditional home – but keep in mind that we built small as well (also a green feature). Additionally a piece at Ecomii notes that green costing more is a myth. According to this piece; “The chief complaint most people have with green building is cost… This is not true — but it’s a common misconception promoted by ignorant architects and contractors who are afraid of building in a different way. Good architects and contractors know how to save their clients money. The client sets the budget, and a project should come in at or below that budget. With a clear direction of budget, there is no reason you can’t build a green building for the same price as, or less than, a traditional building.” Read more.

OTHER CONS:

Read the rest of this entry »

Pros of Building or Buying a New Green Home

May 18, 2009 in Green Building by Jennifer | 2 comments

Last week we started looking at remodeling green vs. buying a new green home or building a new green home. So far we took a peek at:

This week we’re moving on to pros and cons of building or buying a new green home. Later we’ll round it all up and look at some resources for both.

Building or buying a new green home does have many pros…

Green home will almost always (if you build within size reasons) cost less to operate. Your energy, water, and other maintenance costs will all likely be lower in the long term. You can also save money with green building tax cuts.

Green homes last longer than a typical conventional (non-green) home.

Green housing can meet the needs of the community both in terms of affordable to run housing and in terms of keeping the community healthy.

Green structures are healthy for the people who live there and are healthier than conventional homes for the people who build them – i.e. cut down on indoor air pollution and involve fewer toxic materials during the building process.

If a home meets typical current green building standards, green building offers opportunities during the building process to save energy, cut greenhouse gas emissions, conserve natural resources, improve air and water quality, and reduces construction waste. Green building can also use up resources that might just be tossed – i.e. materials from a home deconstruction.

Green homes can be more relaxing. For example, a super energy efficient home is comfortable for the people living there and causes less stress because there’s not always a concern about how to cool or heat the home.

Green building or buying a new green home involves a learning curve for sure, but it’s not as hard as some think. Read the following for tips and ideas…

What is an ENERGY STAR qualified home

May 11, 2009 in Green Building, Save Energy, Save Money by Jennifer | No comments

An ENERGY STAR qualified home is a simple concept. For a home to earn the ENERGY STAR qualified rating, it must meet strict guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. ENERGY STAR homes need to be at least 15% more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC). These homes usually include additional energy-saving components as well that can pop their energy efficiency rating up to 20–30% more efficient than your standard home.

The major features of an ENERGY STAR home include:

  1. Effective Insulation
  2. High-Performance Windows
  3. Tight Construction and Ducts
  4. Efficient Heating and Cooling Equipment
  5. Efficient Products
  6. Third-Party Verification – this simply means that an outside qualified party (Home Energy Rater), conducts “Onsite testing and inspections to verify the energy efficiency measures, as well as insulation, air tightness, and duct sealing details.“

WHY BUY OR BUILD AN ENERGY STAR HOME:

  • It can simplify the green home buying process. Since it’s ENERGY STAR you have fewer decisions to make, because a home needs to meet eco-specifications to qualify.
  • Compared with standard homes, ENERGY STAR qualified homes have much lower owner costs when it comes to energy and water use.  You can also save money with lower financing options.
  • According to ENERGY STAR< energy efficient homes are a smarter investment, “To date, more than 6,500 home builders have partnered with EPA to construct nearly 940,000 ENERGY STAR qualified homes. The trend is clear. By choosing a home with the ENERGY STAR label, you can be confident that it will have an increasingly valued feature when the time comes to sell.” Of course they’d say that, but really green home are doing well on the market, so it’s not just company fluff.
  • You’re helping to keep the planet green. Houses can generate more greenhouse gas emissions than your car.

If you’re building, not simply buying an ENERGY STAR home you can check out some home plans that are Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR rating or click here to find home builders and developers that build ENERGY STAR qualified new homes, lenders that offer energy efficient mortgages, utilities that offer special incentives to buyers, and home energy raters that can verify the energy efficiency of a home.

You can take a tour of an ENERGY STAR home to learn more about the features offered.

Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency Improvements

April 21, 2009 in Green Building, Green Your Home, Save Money by Jennifer | 2 comments

If you made eco-changes to your home in 2008, then you were entitled to some tax credits, but not many. 2008 energy efficient credits included:

  • geothermal heat pumps (30%, up to $2,000)
  • solar water heaters (30%, up to $2,000)
  • solar panels (30%, up to $2,000)
  • small wind energy systems (30%, up to $4,000)
  • fuel cells (30%, up to $500 per .5 kW of power capacity)

THE BETTER NEWS:

Now is an excellent time to plan for eco-home changes. Energy efficiency improvements that are eligible for a tax credit IF you make the changes January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2010 include: Read the rest of this entry »

Easy ways to use solar energy at home

March 22, 2009 in Alternative Energy by Jennifer | No comments

Some people freak at the thought of solar, thinking, “Uh oh… complicated!” In reality, there are some super easy ways to incorporate solar energy use into any home plan.

Go outside: Solar Illuminations offers a huge selection of outdoor ready solar lighting choices. From Solar ‘Teardrop’ Lantern Lights that look great as a welcome light or even in a garden to solar powered house numbers and letters, this place has everything you need to solar up your outdoor living spaces.

Tunnel style: I’ve written about tunnel-minded solar lights before, but seriously I LOVE them. Solar sun tunnel lights work well in all sorts of spaces and for as small as these tunnels are, they provide huge amounts of light – especially to a smaller space like a bathroom or closet. Plus, these tunnels can be installed quickly.

Get wet: Solar powered pool products are great to consider now that summer is on the way. Think about getting a solar swimming pool cover that heats your pool sans non-renewable resources or get a solar powered pool heater.

BONUS: Learn about solar powered attic fans – super easy to install and cost efficient.

Green Spring Cleaning Tips – Clean Green and Healthy

March 9, 2009 in Green Cleaning by Jennifer | 1 comment

Spring cleaning is coming up asap, so it’s time to start considering your options. Of course many of us will partake in a little spring cleaning at least, but that doesn’t mean we need to scour our homes with toxic chemical cleaners.

For spring cleaning this year try the following…

Learn how to find non-toxic and natural cleaners over chemical laden toxic junk. If you’re going to buy cleaners from the store make sure you figure out first if the product is an actual earth-friendly cleaning choice.

Reconsider your cleaning tools. You can make better choices than typical non-eco-friendly sponges. You can purchase spray bottles to reuse over and over again (fill with homemade cleaners) vs. buying plastic toss away bottles, and you can even purchase an eco-friendly broom.

Experiment with some of your own homemade air fresheners or simply push those windows open. Fresh air is actually the best natural way to scent your air (ah, crispy).

During spring cleaning start new healthy home habits such as in-kitchen composting to use your scraps, not wearing shoes in the house or if god forbid you smoke inside, stop it!

Plan some easy and earth-friendly DIY home projects designed to save you money and green your home.

Don’t stop inside. Get out and green audit that yard and garden. For tips read…

Learn more:

Are you doing any spring cleaning this year, or better yet, planning any cool green home projects? Let me know in the comments…

Quick Energy Saving Tips for Empty Rooms

February 27, 2009 in Save Energy, Save Money by Jennifer | No comments

We all know that we should turn off the lights when we leave a room. However, there’s more you could be doing in order to save energy on empty rooms.

Close off the vents in unused or less used rooms of your house.

Make sure the doors aren’t leaking cool air into your home via a large bottom opening. If you can feel cold air coming into your home from an empty room, place a towel or a made to order door draft stopper like the one below.

In unused rooms with fireplaces make sure you close the damper.

In empty or less used rooms close the drapes or blinds so that less cool air comes inside, which can result in air leaking under the door and into your used rooms.

Unplug items in underused rooms – i.e. lamps and TVs.

Is There an Ideal Sustainable Home?

January 30, 2009 in Sustainable Building by Jennifer | No comments

Sustainable housing is not a new idea, but there are many different ideas surrounding the term sustainable building, some of them always changing (think LEED). People have varied sustainable plans when designing a house, but in reality you can narrow sustainability down to some basic ideas.

The best sustainable housing is…

Sustainable at each level. From choosing a site and clearing the land. Your choice of materials and your building ethics (i.e. recycling waste). Your energy system and landscaping. At each level of the planning and building process there are sustainable aspects you can consider.

A sustainable home has a light footprint and takes up less space. You can sort of build a green McMansion but that majorly defeats the true purpose of sustainable design.

The best sustainable materials are locally acquired, efficient, and recyclable. You can go further by choosing materials that have been reclaimed and by using only what you need. For example, two sinks in the bath, may be overkill.

Sustainable housing requires less fuel to heat or cool and maximizes natural vs. non-renewable resources for energy. Wind, solar, proper landscaping, window quality, and more are all ideas surrounding sustainable energy for housing.

Sustainable housing makes the most of water use with things like water efficient appliances, rainwater systems, and low-water landscaping.

Interior design is also a consideration. Non-toxic paints, clean air techniques, reclaimed floors, sustainable furniture, and more all contribute to overall sustainable design.

In my opinion, sustainable design also adds to the land integrity instead of claiming aesthetics from said land. This is not an across the board idea, but it makes little sense to overtake nature with design.

To learn more about sustainable design read:

Cuddling & Other Tips for Saving Energy in Winter

December 14, 2008 in Save Energy, Seasonal Tips by Jennifer | 2 comments

Today we got snow here in Oregon, and trust me it’s freezing. This led me to think a little about winter and energy saving. Cuddling is of course an effective way to stay warm in winter but in case you’re not feeling all that cuddly, here are some other energy saving options.

  • Seal gaps or cracked seams in exposed ducts.
  • Clean or replace your furnace filters monthly.
  • Place window shrink wrap on non-energy efficient windows. You can also hang heavy blankets up with strong nails and this will block quite a lot of the chill.
  • Keep everyone gathered in a few rooms. Heat those rooms and shut the doors on rooms that no one is in.
  • If you leave turn off the heat! Once you return, your heater will quickly heat back up. There’s no need to heat an empty house – NOTE unless you have pets – don’t leave them freezing.
  • Lower your water heater. If you lower it to 120 F you can save money. Typically, a 10 F reduction on your water heater can save up to 5% on your heating, and no one needs their water set above 120.
  • Insulate any hot water pipes that lead from your water heater.
  • Install low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators – which is not a direct heat energy saving, but the less hot water used, the more you save.
  • Don’t underestimate clothing – a nice cozy sweater means you can keep the heat down. It’s not tank top weather!

Need more winter energy tips?

Quick Energy Saving Tip – DIY Energy Audit

Green Your Home On the Cheap

Quick Green Home Tip: Turn Down the Thermostat

Green Action for Autumn – Sealing Your Home for Winter

Is it snowing and chilly where you are?

Quick Energy Saving Tip – DIY Energy Audit

November 30, 2008 in Save Energy, Save Money by Jennifer | 1 comment

You can hire someone to run a home energy audit for you, or with the help of Home Energy Saver, you can actually do an energy audit easily by yourself.

At Home Energy Saver, you enter your zip code, and what shoots out is a typical round up of energy costs in your area. For example, after I enter my zip code, it shows that the average home’s energy costs are $1395 a year, while an energy efficient home in the same area costs about $737 a year.

There’s also a graph that shows which appliances typically drain the most energy in your area.

Next there are some questions to answer – all were pretty easy, so you don’t need technical know-how for this audit. Questions like…

  • Does your house have foundation or floor insulation?
  • Do you have a clothes washer?
  • How many freezers do you have?
  • What kind of heating equipment do you have?
  • And so on.

After filling out all the answers, the site will show you where you can make changes, cut costs, and save more energy. It’s a really nice site, and even if you aren’t planning on making any immediate changes, it’s cool to know your options.

Visit Home Energy Saver

Three Eco Roof Additions

November 4, 2008 in Green Building by Jennifer | No comments

If you’ve got a house, then I’m guessing you also have a roof. Here are three roofing options that are sustainable and can help you to save on energy costs:

Solar-Powered Attic Fan: A solar attic fan will save you money by achieving better energy savings; also since they’re run by the sun there’s no charge to actually run them. A decent solar attic fan can reduce the strain on your normal cooling system – be it an air conditioner or plug-in fan. There’s no hard wiring required either, which means a semi-handy DIY individual will be able to handle the entire install. See an install.

Solar-powered attic fan options…

Metal roofing: Metal is not exactly the perfect sustainable material. That said, metal roofing lasts forever, which really reduces the amount of materials ending up in our landfills. If you’re a good green citizen, you can look into recycling – 100% of metal roofing material is recyclable. Also, metal roofing comes in various colors; don’t assume you’ll be stuck with something looking like a tin can (although, that can look cool).

Locate metal roofing:

And something I’ve already discussed at RiverWired, Roof Whitening for Energy Saving.

*Bonus fun – green roofs!

Basics of Green Roofs for Residential – Green Roof Home Companies

The Basics of Green Roofs for Residential – Green Roof Homes

Largest Green Roof in NYC

What Uses Up the Most Water in Your House?

October 19, 2008 in Furniture & Appliances, Water by Jennifer | No comments

In most older houses the answer to this question is… The toilet.

Regular old toilets used to use a ton of water – up to seven gallons per flush. If you’ve remodeled your old house bathroom, or bought a brand new house it’s likely you have a new toilet, and that’s good news because newer toilets use far less water per flush (usually less than 2 gallons).

Options for older toilets… And by old, I do mean old. Models since the mid 90s have used less water. If you have a toilet older than say 1995 or so, that’s when you need to be concerned.

Replace it: Your best option, hands down is to replace your older toilet for a nice new model. You can upwards of 2000 gallons of water per year by changing out your toilet. Preferably you want to get a dual-flush model (available in the U.S. from Kohler and Caroma U.S.A), a water sense approved model, or an ultra low-flush. There are also some nice composting and waterless toilets available, which will save you even more money and water.

Besides water, there’s that additionally bonus that a water efficient toilet will save you lots of cash over the years. Costs to buy and install a new toilet (or 2 or 3) can seem high, but you’ll get back that money quickly. Visit Conserve Water Utah, to see a list of water efficient toilets.
Read the rest of this entry »

Questions for A Green Home Remodel

September 29, 2008 in Sustainable Building by Jennifer | 1 comment

If you’re thinking of a green remodel for your house, there are some basic questions to consider.

General home questions:

What don’t you like about your current home?

What do you adore about your current home?

Do you have enough space? Too much space?

How efficient is your current insulation solution – is your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer without having to use huge energy drains?

Is there mold in your home? Other problems? Before a remodel, you do need to plan for the costs of taking care of current problematic issues.

What sort of alternative energy options appeal to you – how much work are you willing to put into alternative energy upkeep?

Window questions:

How much natural light does each room receive?

Is energy efficient glass used for all your windows?

Is it even feasible to change window placement if you choose – can skylights or solar lighting be implemented?

Are windows properly placed with roof overhang, or other sun blockers?

Outdoor living:

How can you bring more of the outside environment indoors?

Can you green renovate your landscaping during your remodel?

Money issues:

How much can you afford to spend on green renovations?

How are you spending now on utilities?

Will green renovations cost as much to build a new green home or relocate to a green home? If so, which choice is best for you?

How much money will green renovations save you in the long run – and how long until you recoup your costs.

What eco-benefits will a green remodel have and does that increase the worth of the remodel to you?

This is just a start. These questions will get you thinking, but the best thing to do if you’re considering a remodel is to speak with a green remodeling professional or a builder who has green know-how.

Get Great Green Deals for the Home

September 9, 2008 in Green Your Home by Jennifer | No comments

If you’re in a shopping sort of mood and need some goods for the home, be sure to check out ShopGreen at PriceGrabber.com. You can find all sorts of goodies at PriceGrabber, but it’s very cool that they now have a green section. There’s a devoted area just for home goods such as Eco-Friendly Flooring, Energy Star Cordless Phones, and more.

It’s silly to pay more then you have to, and you don’t have to if you use PriceGrabber. To insure you’re getting real green goods; products that are low-impact and environmentally-friendly, items featured must fall into one of the following categories…

  • “Energy Star-compliant products
  • Products made from organic or recycled materials
  • Products made from environmentally-friendly materials including hemp, bamboo, soy, and seagrass
  • Biodegradable products and compost bins
  • Products with low usage of natural resources including LED light bulbs, low flow showerheads/toilets, solar power, and cloth diapers
  • Products made by noted environmentally-conscious companies like Patagonia”

So when shopping, visit ShopGreen at PriceGrabber.com, and see what sorts of green deals you can pick up on the cheap.

Beat Summer Heat Forever

August 18, 2008 in Green Your Home, Save Energy by Jennifer | No comments

Maybe not forever, but long-term solutions sure beat here and now solutions. You can make some changes to your actual home that will save you energy, cut heat inside the house, and keep costs lower in the long run.

beat summer heat

Buy window awnings: Awnings block more sun than you might think, without compromising too much incoming window light. If you go with awnings, choose opaque or light colored material, that’s tightly woven.

Make your landscaping work for you: Just like you can block cold winter wind with trees and bushes, you can also block the summer heat. Tall trees, big shrubs, and even well-placed vines can block quite a bit of sun and heat. To learn about green landscaping visit the EPA.

Curtain the outside of your home: Drapes inside cut heat, but there are also woven mesh screens that you can hang outside to block sun. Visit North Solar Screen to learn more.

Paint your home right: There are no clear studies but it stands to reason that lighter colors reflect the sun, and thus heat, so painting your home a dark color is not the best choice for hot climates.

Try some film: Window films are a little weird to use, but do block heat well.

Quick Green Home Office Tip

August 18, 2008 in Home Office, Quick Green Home & Garden Tips, Save Energy by Jennifer | No comments

If you’re looking to green your home office experience, you can start with the energy factor. Even when your computer, printer, and lamp are plugged in, they’re draining energy. That costs you money and resources.

Unplugging is a possibility, but also a pain if you’ve got a ton of office equipment. Charges, lamps, electronics, and a radio; it’s a lot to remember.

What to do: Invest in one simple power strip, like the ecostrip. Once you’re ready to leave your office, you can simply turn off the powerstrip, rather than unplug each and every cord. This is a simple green tip that can save you money, time, and resources.

Green Building Resources & Green Living Tips

July 29, 2008 in Alternative Energy, Decor, Save Energy, Sustainable Building by Jennifer | 1 comment

I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but Best Green Home Tips used to be located in a different spot, at the RiverWired network. Over there, we looked at many a green building and remodeling tip. I thought that if you missed these posts, it would be cool to catch you up to speed.

green living

Following are some of the best posts that you may have missed the first time around…

Green building:

Green home interior:

Alternative energy & energy saving:

This catches you up on about half of the green building blog. Later this week, I’ll post a second batch of great links that can help you to build and live green.