Save Even More on Utilities with a Composting Toilet

Posted on May 16, 2012 by darachilds

Much has been said about saving on utilities with a green home, and wastewater/greywater recycling is no exception. There was a time when the biggest innovation in bathrooms in the U.S. was indoor, flush toilets that used a lot of water to flush away undesirable waste, which went to a wastewater treatment facility. Later, we had low-flow toilets, and it’s now pretty standard for a green home to have toilets that help recycle the grey water for use in watering landscaping.

For many years now, Scandinavia has had composting toilets, due to the lack of topsoil and the climate there. What can a composting toilet do for an American green home? We wondered about this a bit. A composting toilet can eliminate or greatly reduce the need for not only composting bins, but garbage disposal, wastewater disposal, and the fees that go with it.

Composting toilets do not smell bad. The suction is much greater to allow for larger debris, like food scraps to be composted. There are few, if any, chemicals needed to help the decomposition along, as in a septic system, because the system itself is set up to decompose/ compost the waste, which is then used to water landscaping. It is not used to water kitchen gardens. People using composting toilets in their homes report between 25 and 60% reductions in their water, wastewater, and garbage collection bills. Since the wastewater does not go to a treatment facility, it also helps to reduce the amount of waste treated in these often aging facilities, and keeps rivers and streams cleaner.

You’ll Never Regret a Green Sunroom

Posted on March 17, 2012 by darachilds

Sunrooms have been much-advertised in areas where summer heat is oppressive and humid. Imagine the things you can do with the space inside a green built sunroom. These rooms are open to sunlight for as long as possible during the day, while controlled climate inside means you can grow cold-weather leafy greens and other cold-weather vegetables. You can grow hot-weather vegetables, like tomatoes and cucumbers, even corn, if you wanted to, in indoor flower beds and containers. You can set up an irrigation system that uses grey water, like from showers and laundry, saving that resource for later use.

Anything you’d choose would grow, at nearly any time you choose. And the smell of growing things is soothing, a pleasantly-spiced air ripe with growing things is an appealing thought. From roses to rhubarb, or orchids to okra. With a height enough ceiling, you could even plant fruit trees inside, if you wanted. No going out in the heat or the cold or during bad weather. Built up beds with a watering system allow people with arthritis or back problems to over exert and overwork themselves, causing pain.

Imagine the fresh, clean air in your home from these indoor gardens. You can place benches or chaise lounges in places around the b eds, to enjoy the garden or the flowers as much as possible. A sunroom with well-sealed construction keeps more energy in. This means you can easily get the energy you need from solar panels, so you aren’t running up the utilities. Consider a green room or a sunroom when you build your home. You won’t regret having one.

Green Home Construction Expected to Rise to Five Times Current Levels by 2016

Posted on March 1, 2012 by darachilds

Building Associations and Government reports alike tell the story. In 2011, estimated green construction (including remodels) was $17 Billion. In 2016, that number is expected to rise to between 87 and 114 Billion Dollars in the U.S. alone. This means there is not only a good outlook for the economy, but that people are seeing the benefits had by their friends and neighbors who have green homes. As word of mouth spreads about the energy efficiency, energy savings through production of energy, among the other great benefits of having a green home compared to a traditional home. The ease of taking care of the landscaping that comes from the natural surroundings, and the lack of a huge lawn to care for, as well as the readily-available grey water used to water the plants in the landscaping, only add to the appeal, especially with today’s ever- active lifestyle. It seems that by mid-century, there will no longer be a traditional builder available, but that all new homes will be built around green concepts and design. This will be good, not only for families and other consumers, such as businesses and schools, but for the Earth herself.

Is There a Best Time of Year to Buy a Home in Houston?

Posted on February 23, 2012 by darachilds

IS There a Best Time of the Year to Buy a Home in Houston?

Some markets have a good time of year and a bad time of year to buy or begin construction on a family home. Houston’s market is high in the top 5 list of cities whose real estate market never slows down much compared to other parts of the country.

For example, in the Northeast, you might get the best price in winter, when weather is cold and gray, and roads are more icy and dangerous. Houston’s housing market, not so much, because the winters are not so harsh or nearly so long. Economic growth has to be considered, also. Houston has reclaimed its oil-capital title in the US, and in response to this, and the numerous corporations re-locating both headquarters and families here, Houston is still growing. In fact, Houston has been recovering from the 2008 downturn much quicker than most other parts of the country.

Due to the bursting of the housing bubble, appraisals are much more fair than they were in 2008, so if you plan to buy, build, or even just rent a home when you re-locate, you can be assured you likely won’t end up under water with your mortgage like people have ( and still are!) in other places. The short answer to the question of ,”When is the best time of year to buy or build a home in Houston?”, is: right now. Right now, interest rates are lower than they have been for decades, appraisals are fairer than they have been in several years. There are fewer foreclosures or abandoned homes in Houston than you’d find in say, Detroit, Michigan, or Las Vegas, Nevada. If you’re relocating to Houston, this is the best time to buy or build a home in years!

Resistant to Green Building because of Recycled Materials? Don’t Be!

Posted on February 15, 2012 by darachilds

Resistant to Green Building because of Recycled Materials? Don’t Be! Our culture for many years now has fallen prey to the Ad Men on Madison Avenue, believing that new is always better, recycled or used items are for us to donate to the poor, and that most people would be ashamed to admit they had anything old in their home which wasn’t an antique. This does retail giants like Neiman Marcus and design houses like Prada and Tiffany’s a great service, bringing them new clientele and millions-even billions in sales every year. Owning used items or re-using items has a sort of stigma attached to it, doesn’t it? We think others will either call us a cheapskate, or they will feel sorry for us because we have cast-off this or that, and we worry that others may say that our job is not going as well as we say. We worry about the whispers behind hands, the rumor mill, and the clothesline grapevine. Why? It’s true that we are social animals. It’s also true that an executive on his or her way up needs to impress the higher-ups in the company. In today’s volatile financial and employment environment, it’s actually smarter to reuse things, and even repurpose and reclaim things. This can often put more money in our pockets to be used for retirement or emergencies. Repurposing and reclaiming building materials is smart, not chintzy or shabby. Here’s why: • There are only so many natural resources to go around, and with now 7 Billion people on the planet, this becomes even more important to sustaining all of that life. • Using reclaimed bricks and reclaimed wood in floors and kitchen or dining room tables helps to create a unique appearance that allows your personality to shine through, while still impressing guests, including the boss and your colleagues in business. It doesn’t cost any less. In fact, depending upon the look you want, it can be more expensive than new materials. • The appearance of your newly constructed green home will be unique among others, without being ostentatiously so. It makes the home look refined, elegant, and cozy, no matter the size. Still not sold on the idea? Consider this: In addition to the benefits described above, repurposed and reclaimed building materials are carefully inspected and chosen by your builder in wholesale shops that specialize in reclaimed materials. Everything from reclaimed wood flooring to reclaimed and very ornate crystal chandeliers, the likes of which cannot be found in home building stores meant for the mass-market or the Do-it-Yourself type can be found in these shops, lumberyards and wholesale brickyards that specialize in reclaimed bricks. These materials are still as strong, if not stronger, than the day they were made. They have unique character that helps bring the feel you want in your home, and you can rest assured that your builder as well as the Pickers and Buyers of these materials are choosing only the best and sturdiest materials. Using reclaimed, recycled or re-purposed items in the construction of your home is just as safe, if not safer, than choosing all new materials. In addition to all of this, you have the satisfaction of knowing that very few unclaimed natural resources were used in the building of your home, leaving them for future generations. None of the reclaimed materials you used in your new home went to the landfill, so it did not expand, thereby saving natural habitat for wildlife and preserving space for native plant life. Don’t be resistant to using recycled materials. Embrace them. The stigma attached to pre-owned or used items was created by the Ad Men on Madison Avenue to sell more products for their clients. It does not always have our best interests at heart. Resistant to Green Building because of Recycled Materials? Don’t Be! Our culture for many years now has fallen prey to the Ad Men on Madison Avenue, believing that new is always better, recycled or used items are for us to donate to the poor, and that most people would be ashamed to admit they had anything old in their home which wasn’t an antique. This does retail giants like Neiman Marcus and design houses like Prada and Tiffany’s a great service, bringing them new clientele and millions-even billions in sales every year. Owning used items or re-using items has a sort of stigma attached to it, doesn’t it? We think others will either call us a cheapskate, or they will feel sorry for us because we have cast-off this or that, and we worry that others may say that our job is not going as well as we say. We worry about the whispers behind hands, the rumor mill, and the clothesline grapevine. Why? It’s true that we are social animals. It’s also true that an executive on his or her way up needs to impress the higher-ups in the company. In today’s volatile financial and employment environment, it’s actually smarter to reuse things, and even repurpose and reclaim things. This can often put more money in our pockets to be used for retirement or emergencies. Repurposing and reclaiming building materials is smart, not chintzy or shabby. Here’s why: • There are only so many natural resources to go around, and with now 7 Billion people on the planet, this becomes even more important to sustaining all of that life. • Using reclaimed bricks and reclaimed wood in floors and kitchen or dining room tables helps to create a unique appearance that allows your personality to shine through, while still impressing guests, including the boss and your colleagues in business. It doesn’t cost any less. In fact, depending upon the look you want, it can be more expensive than new materials. • The appearance of your newly constructed green home will be unique among others, without being ostentatiously so. It makes the home look refined, elegant, and cozy, no matter the size. Still not sold on the idea? Consider this: In addition to the benefits described above, repurposed and reclaimed building materials are carefully inspected and chosen by your builder in wholesale shops that specialize in reclaimed materials. Everything from reclaimed wood flooring to reclaimed and very ornate crystal chandeliers, the likes of which cannot be found in home building stores meant for the mass-market or the Do-it-Yourself type can be found in these shops, lumberyards and wholesale brickyards that specialize in reclaimed bricks. These materials are still as strong, if not stronger, than the day they were made. They have unique character that helps bring the feel you want in your home, and you can rest assured that your builder as well as the Pickers and Buyers of these materials are choosing only the best and sturdiest materials. Using reclaimed, recycled or re-purposed items in the construction of your home is just as safe, if not safer, than choosing all new materials. In addition to all of this, you have the satisfaction of knowing that very few unclaimed natural resources were used in the building of your home, leaving them for future generations. None of the reclaimed materials you used in your new home went to the landfill, so it did not expand, thereby saving natural habitat for wildlife and preserving space for native plant life. Don’t be resistant to using recycled materials. Embrace them. The stigma attached to pre-owned or used items was created by the Ad Men on Madison Avenue to sell more products for their clients. It does not always have our best interests at heart. Resistant to Green Building because of Recycled Materials? Don’t Be! Our culture for many years now has fallen prey to the Ad Men on Madison Avenue, believing that new is always better, recycled or used items are for us to donate to the poor, and that most people would be ashamed to admit they had anything old in their home which wasn’t an antique. This does retail giants like Neiman Marcus and design houses like Prada and Tiffany’s a great service, bringing them new clientele and millions-even billions in sales every year. Owning used items or re-using items has a sort of stigma attached to it, doesn’t it? We think others will either call us a cheapskate, or they will feel sorry for us because we have cast-off this or that, and we worry that others may say that our job is not going as well as we say. We worry about the whispers behind hands, the rumor mill, and the clothesline grapevine. Why? It’s true that we are social animals. It’s also true that an executive on his or her way up needs to impress the higher-ups in the company. In today’s volatile financial and employment environment, it’s actually smarter to reuse things, and even repurpose and reclaim things. This can often put more money in our pockets to be used for retirement or emergencies. Repurposing and reclaiming building materials is smart, not chintzy or shabby. Here’s why: • There are only so many natural resources to go around, and with now 7 Billion people on the planet, this becomes even more important to sustaining all of that life. • Using reclaimed bricks and reclaimed wood in floors and kitchen or dining room tables helps to create a unique appearance that allows your personality to shine through, while still impressing guests, including the boss and your colleagues in business. It doesn’t cost any less. In fact, depending upon the look you want, it can be more expensive than new materials. • The appearance of your newly constructed green home will be unique among others, without being ostentatiously so. It makes the home look refined, elegant, and cozy, no matter the size. Still not sold on the idea? Consider this: In addition to the benefits described above, repurposed and reclaimed building materials are carefully inspected and chosen by your builder in wholesale shops that specialize in reclaimed materials. Everything from reclaimed wood flooring to reclaimed and very ornate crystal chandeliers, the likes of which cannot be found in home building stores meant for the mass-market or the Do-it-Yourself type can be found in these shops, lumberyards and wholesale brickyards that specialize in reclaimed bricks. These materials are still as strong, if not stronger, than the day they were made. They have unique character that helps bring the feel you want in your home, and you can rest assured that your builder as well as the Pickers and Buyers of these materials are choosing only the best and sturdiest materials. Using reclaimed, recycled or re-purposed items in the construction of your home is just as safe, if not safer, than choosing all new materials. In addition to all of this, you have the satisfaction of knowing that very few unclaimed natural resources were used in the building of your home, leaving them for future generations. None of the reclaimed materials you used in your new home went to the landfill, so it did not expand, thereby saving natural habitat for wildlife and preserving space for native plant life. Don’t be resistant to using recycled materials. Embrace them. The stigma attached to pre-owned or used items was created by the Ad Men on Madison Avenue to sell more products for their clients. It does not always have our best interests at heart.