Articles

Between 1950 and 2000 the world's population doubled. In that same period global use of fresh water tripled, not only because of the population boom, but also due to increased consumption in manufacturing and electricity production. However, thanks to a group of...

The heat index registered 110 in Wausau today, so I thought a stroll through cooling technology might be a nice diversion. Most people today think we have only two options on hot days like today: stay inside a closed, air conditioned building; or be...

Just as eyes are the windows to the soul, windows help create the soul of the house. They are what give the home personality, and help integrate the home's interior with the world outside. Regardless of the size or style of home being considered, there is...

The National Trust for Historic Preservation defines a potentially historic building as one that is at least 50 years of age. There are exceptions, but in general no building is considered historic unless it is 50 or older. This threshold was set to prevent...

Maybe it's all the pirate stories I heard as a kid, or the tales of Ali Baba woven by my second-grade music teacher..but the quest for hidden treasure has always drawn me in. I'm not an antique collector by any means. But I am smitten with finding good bits...

Draft-dodging (ok, have I got your attention?) through proper use of insulation... is one of the most important ingredients of a home; yet it doesn't get a lot of press. It's not glamorous or highly visible. An article entitled "insulation" probably...

In 1990, on the 20th anniversary of Earth Day, the event became a global celebration, with people around the world rejoicing in gains made in environmental awareness, as well as protesting against companies that were harming the planet while advertising...

LEED stands for "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design" and the program is under the direction of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED was created in the early 1990s to provide technical guidance and building performance testing for...

When most people think of "green" or "sustainable" homes, they usually have in mind a solar home. Not all sustainable homes have the opportunity to employ passive or active solar. The coastlines of Door County certainly offer challenges that often defy the...

One of the hardest things about planning a sustainable home is knowing where to start. There is so much information available about solar, wind, geothermal, tax rebates, building materials.on and on and on..that it can be overwhelming. But there are two...