More than one year later…

Blogging has challenged me. Between facebook, twitter, and many other social media tools I use on a regular basis, blogging fell by the wayside. So, why am I back?

Tomorrow’s Earth Day. It’s more important than ever to celebrate this day everyday, but tomorrow’s a great reminder for the small steps we can take to make a smaller environmental impact on our sweet little Earth.

Blogging is not the only thing challenging me. Becoming a little greener is too.  Case in point: a hail storm hit Central TX a few weeks ago. Our home (we moved in the past year) was hit pretty hard and needs a new roof.  I looked at metal roofing (briefly) and a few other options like the Certainteed  Solaris shingle. Although the 30% rebate was tempting, I just couldn’t justify another $4K toward a new roof that might help reduce the roof temperature a few degrees in our hot summer sun. So, I went with fairly standard, 30 year shingles. At least we’ll fix the venting issues the current roof has…

In the interest in full disclosure, I have some additional areas of improvement for verde living:

1. I’m no longer carpooling

2. I forget my cloth bags for the grocery store all of the time

3. I chose a low-cost energy supplier for our new place, not a green energy supplier.

4. Installed a new lawn in the backyard. Went with the moisture sucking St. Augustine instead of Zoysia or Buffalo grass. Why…we have lots of shade, it was cheaper, and I wanted some yard areas for the kids to be kids.

My recent decisions were often based on short-term monetary debate. When it comes down to making a purchase, green cash has won over green decisions for me lately.

On a more positive note, here are some great things we’ve done since we moved:

1. Replaced 9 out of 12 windows with Energy Star, Low-E, Argon Gas filled double pane windows from Simonton…pricey, but well worth it.

2. Installed several native plants and landscaping in the same yard we installed in the back.

3. We have a garden in waiting…can’t wait for some homegrown tomatoes.

4. Replaced 90% of the incandescent bulbs in this new house with CFLs.  They didn’t go into the trash since they still worked, but some person took them off our hands…carbon dispersion vs. sequestration.

There’s a quick update. Regardless, I’m back and feeling more obligated to make some bigger changes for a verde living lifestyle.

Tags: carpool, challenges, grass, landscaping, windows

From Fast Company – Another Inconvenient Truth

David Roberts’ article on greenwashing in the March issue of Fast Company provides a fresh perspective on living green. Sure, we can buy eco-friendly, organically grown, green products all day long,  but that’s not the point, as Roberts argues. Maybe it just comes down to assessing our culture of consumerism and asking the question, “do I need it?”

Here’s an excerpt: “The challenge of green living is similarly simple: Achieve the same quality of life using less stuff and less energy. A truly green consumer won’t buy 8,000 square feet of bamboo flooring because the label said it had been hand-rubbed by Nepalese children for a fair wage; she’ll dump the McMansion and try to live in a walkable area close to work”

Tags: greenwashing

John Doerr: Seeking salvation and profit in greentech

Watch one of the leading Silicon Valley venture capitalists, John Doerr, present his lessons learned as it relates to the climate crisis. Doerr makes a compelling and personal call-to-action for businesses, governments and individuals to get serious about going green.

from www.ted.com posted with vodpod

Tags: community, Green Living, green tech, ted talks

Less than 20 percent

In a recent blog post from the Austin American-Statesman, journalist Andrea Lorenz reports that less than 20 percent of the residents in Round Rock, Texas currently participate in the city’s curbside recycling program. Wow. Even with the amazing amount of attention “green” is getting these days, we have yet to hit a tipping point in a majority of communities when it comes to one of the most basic green things to do – recycling. This report is a follow-up from an earlier article on the state of recycling in Williamson County (the county in Texas in which we live). I’m glad to see this issue is being recognized and discussed, which is progress in my book. We have a long way to go. In the meantime, take an active role in your community to identify gaps and opportunities to bring some verde living to your neighborhood. Your voice is important in this quest to be a little greener.

Tags: community, government, Green Living, recycling

Five Ways I Want To Green My Home

As I stated in my first posting on Verde Living, this blog is here to document topics, tips, and personal anecdotes on making a little less of an impact on our planet. This includes things we’ve done in our family’s quest to live a little greener. Here are five things on my wish list to green up the home we live in:

1. Radiant barrier for the attic. With the hot Texas summers, this should be a prerequisite of any new home built. Our home is 10 years old and well insulated, but one visit to the attic during the summer months and you can feel the heat just seeping inside.

2.  Tankless water heater. The first time I saw a tankless water heater was when I lived in Spain for a summer in a study abroad program. Tankless water heaters are popular because of the space limitations in many European homes. We are late adopters in the U.S. on a “technology” that just makes sense. Heat the water you need when you need it.

3.  Front loading washer and dryer. Maybe it’s just good marketing by the likes of Kenmore, Whirlpool, LG and Maytag, but I’m a believer. Again, the product just makes sense. Front loading washers require less water, less detergent, and ultimately are gentler on your clothes. I’m thinking going old school on the dryer (clothesline/drying rack), but with two kids and a wife who does most of the laundry, this may be a hard sell.

4. Portable solar charger. It seems like every one of my kid’s toys need batteries these days. Install of buying new Energizers every couple of weeks or months, a battery charger would be huge in reducing battery consumption. Charging via solar would make this even better.

5. Solar panels.With subsidies and tax breaks, solar panels are getting easier to obtain, but they are not yet a commodity. Still, a small set of solar panels to help supplement energy use would be sweet.

There you have it…my wish list for my green(er) home. Let me know things you’ve done to make your home a little greener.

Tags: Green Living, home, house, radiant barrier, solar, tankless

Great John Muir Quote

“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, one finds it attached to the rest of the world.” – John Muir.

I think that effectively sums up my posting on tradeoffs. View it here.

Next time you are in the San Francisco area, be sure to visit Muir Woods. It’s amazing.

Tags: environment, great quotes, Green Living, muir woods, tradeoffs, world

Four Easy Ways to Reduce Your Trash

The concept of recycling is still a novel idea for many. It’s probably the easiest step to take to reduce the amount of waste sent to local landfills. In our community, trash is picked up twice a week. It means that over 100 times a year a garbage truck (which probably doesn’t get the greatest gas mileage) swings by our house to pick up our trash. Nice convenience or just a huge waste (pardon the pun)?

We are currently placing our trash curbside on average once a week through some minor changes we’ve made with a goal to only have to put out trash once every two weeks. If you are trying to reduce your trash each week, here are steps we’ve taken to do so for the average week:

1. Curbside recycling. Our curbside service takes aluminum, tin, paper, and most types of plastic.

2. Recycle everything else you can. We currently take our glass and a few other items to a local recycling center.

3. Paperboard, you’re next. All of those cereal boxes and pretty much anything else on the “inside” aisles at the grocery store are recyclable. It’s just that most curbside services don’t take them. We have some room for improvement on this one.

4. Compost! All vegetable and fruit waste now makes its way to our homemade compost bin (that’s a future post). We eat our fair share of fruits and veggies, so those rinds, peels, and anything else now go back into our yard…eventually.

If you have handy, simple tips on how you’ve reduced your trash output, please comment!

Tags: compost, environment, Green Living, recycling, trash

Tradeoffs

When it comes to tackling the huge challenge of identifying viable options for renewable energy resources, there are hidden costs in most of the options currently being proposed. With large government subsidies helping to seed investment in ethanol, farmers in Iowa may be some happy campers. But for the dairy farmers or cattle ranchers who buy corn for their livestock, they all of a sudden have met some fierce competition. The result – the commodity market has seen explosive growth. For most of us, we’ve felt that in our grocery bill.

This brings me to the debate facing many landowners here in Texas regarding wind farms. A recent article in the Austin-American Statesman cited the lack of regulation in the wind farm industry in this state (the United States #1 provider of wind energy), equating it to the oil rush 100 years ago. Most recently, the debate has made its way to the Texas Hill Country. Energy providers would like to build a series of wind farms in Texas’ Hill Country. Known more for its picturesque hills than its wind, many landowners have put up a fight and won.

Tradeoffs. I have to agree with the landowners in the Hill Country who fought this battle. The Hill Country is a popular tourist destination known for the rolling hills, wildflowers, quaint towns, and wildlife (much of which serves the hunting industry). Sure, this sounds like the traditional debate, “I support it, but I don’t want it in my backyard.” But take a quick look at wind data in Texas, which suggests there are more responsible and profitable locations for wind farms across the state. I lived in one area for a couple of years – the Panhandle – where the wind never seems to stop blowing.

My hope in this quest for renewable energy resources is that responsibility, not just profitability, is at the forefront of these debates. Let’s hope that responsible decision making doesn’t go blowin’ in the wind. Some tradeoffs will be needed as we chase renewable energy sources. At least the chase has begun…
Image courtesy of the TX General Land Office

Click to enlarge

Tags: environment, Green Living, texas, wind energy, wind farms

Top 10 Ways to Go Organic For Your Yard

Yes, it’s still pretty cold around most of the U.S., but I figured it’s never too late to be thinking about the spring. For us in Texas, it’s really only six or eight weeks away. I figured I would share the top ten ways that I’ve been able to go green on the green stuff outside…the yard.

Here’s my top 10:
1. Never bag your grass clippings. It’s food for the lawn. It’s free fertilizer.

2. Raise your mower’s cutting height slightly higher than you might be used to. It helps reduce water needs and promotes stronger root growth.

3. Fertilize only with organic fertilizers (preferably, customized for your region’s soil types). If you mulch your grass clippings, it’s likely you are providing enough food you may not need to fertilize. In Central Texas, many local nurseries offer organic fertilizers that cost just about the same as many of those useless weed and feed products.

4. Prevent weeds with an organic pre-emergent: corn gluten. In Central Texas, I apply it mid-October and mid-March.

5. Fight fungus with cornmeal. Yep, corn again…the wonder drug. While you’re at it, add some dry molasses to “sweeten” your lawn. It helps drive ants away.

6. Reduce the amount of grass you have to mow. This has many positives, but I have to admit, I like grass.

7. Mulch. Many city recycling programs offer free mulch. This is a great way to keep those plants quenched during the warm days and warm during the cold days.

8. Xeriscape. Plant as many native plants as possible and reduce the water needs of your yard!

9. Mow electric. Full disclosure, I don’t have an electric mower, but I’ve borrowed my mom’s before. Her Neuton mower is great for most lawn sizes. It’s quiet and you don’t smell like gas afterward. If you can’t make the switch, just mow after 5 and keep that mower tuned up.

10. Plant native trees. This is my favorite. Just be sure you plant the right species for your weather and the right size for your lot. Here’s a great resource for us Texans: http://texastreeplanting.tamu.edu/index.html

Many thanks to programs that have taught me a ton (Central Texas Gardener) and for pioneers like Howard Garrett and John Dromgoole. Although I’ve never met them personally, their wisdom and resources have been instrumental in helping me grow organic.

I hope that helps you go and “grow” green. Your yard, pets, kids, neighbors, and Mother Earth will thank you.

Tags: environment, gardening, lawn, yard

Not made in China.

Well, they may or may not be made in China, but plastic bags aren’t allowed anymore. This is progress..who knew it would come from China? Does it take the government to invoke this change or will companies just follow the responsible lead of Whole Foods?

Those .99 cent grocery bags are handy.

Tags: china, plastic bags, reusable bags