Green or Greenwash?
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 themselves as environmentally friendly. It was time of bringing world-wide attention to the need for environmentally sustainable life practices. And it ushered in a new word to the English language which has been surfacing recently in home magazine articles: “Greenwashing.” Greenwashing is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as...
Read MoreLEEDing The Way
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 architects, builders, and owners. Buildings constructed to LEED standards are the most environmentally sustainable buildings in the world…that’s right: in the world. LEED for Homes is the newest of the LEED programs, and will be released for use in February 2007. A pilot study was initiated last year to formulate...
Read MoreThe Site
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 sun. With views primarily to the east or west, and our abundant vegetation, it’s often difficult to develop a design that captures both the water views and the sun. Early site analysis can help determine the possibilities. When choosing a site for a new solar home, it’s essential to first consider...
Read MoreRule Number One
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 simple rules that form the basis of green construction: (1) Build no larger than you need; and (2) insulate as well as you can. Today, let’s talk about rule number (1): In the 1950s the average home in the United States was 983 square feet. With each decade, house size has increased. The 2005 census posted a record average size of...
Read MoreWhat is Green?
At last..the moment we’ve been waiting for.”Green” is becoming a household word. Walk through most bookstores or scan the magazine and newspaper racks and you can pick up the beautiful “Green Interiors” and “Natural Home” magazines, dozens of books on the topic.and even check out a story about local builders in Green Bay touting the virtues of green-built homes. But time and time again I’m still asked, “Exactly what is a green/sustainable home? The two terms are interchangeable.) What makes it different? How can it be better than...
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