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”

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

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.

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.