http://green-home.info Ideas for Sustainable Living Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:32:38 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Architect and MIT professor in practice Shelia Kennedy has developed a type of "solar textile" that can be used to create solar-powered curtains. These curtains would capture sunlight during the day and use it to help power the home. Her company, Kennedy & Violich Architecture is using thin-film photovoltaic material. ... http://green-home.info/solar-powered-curtain/ One issue that many homeowners frequently struggle with is whether to replace an older refrigerator with a newer, more energy-efficient model. The issue could be looked at from two standpoints - what will save the most money, and what will be better for the environment. The impact on the environment ... http://green-home.info/should-you-replace-your-refrigerator/ The newly-launched Planet Greennetwork is launching a new show called Greenovate, featuring green renovation projects that will not only add value to your property, but save energy and keep environmental impact in mind. From the website: Saving over 40% on energy bills while also increasing property value by 25% sounds ... http://green-home.info/greenovate-new-series-from-planet-green/ Every Man Jack is a line of men's grooming products launched in 2007 with sustainability in mind. They are the creation of Method's former VP of Marketing, Rich Viola. Based in San Francisco and carried by Target stores across the country, Every Man Jack sells shaving gel, shaving cream, body ... http://green-home.info/every-man-jack-grooming-with-sustainability/ CNN.com brings us a story of "the real estate equivalent of the hybrid Hummer". At the Windemere on the Lake development in North Stamford, Connecticut, builders are trying to create a few dozen "eco-mansions" at an average scale of 8,000 square feet apiece. As contradictory and hypocritical as this may ... http://green-home.info/can-a-mcmansion-be-green/ The smart use of natural daylight can be very effective in reducing electrical use from lighting fixtures during the day. Traditionally windows and skylights have provided natural sunlight to the interiors of buildings, and more recently, solar transport "tubes" have gained in popularity. A new breed of sunlight transport mechanisms ... http://green-home.info/sunlight-transport/ UPDATE (5/22/2008): WE CAN NO LONGER RECOMMEND THESE BULBS. After about two months, over half of the LEDs have stopped working in all bulbs tested. Cyron has ignored emails requesting a refund or replacement. In trying to make our home more energy-efficient, we have replaced most of our incandescent ... http://green-home.info/replace-your-mr16-halogen-track-lighting-bulbs-with-energy-efficient-leds/ Looking for podcasts related to green home building, remodeling, eco-friendly home products, and energy savings? We have assembled a list of our favorites: HIZ (Home Improvement Zone) Current Energy Report Current Energy’s principal partner Joseph Harberg, General Manager Chad Vickers and David Yates from the Home Improvement Zone, discuss practical ... http://green-home.info/green-home-podcasts/ The United States switched to using 1.6 gpf toilets in the 1990s, greatly reducing water consumption compared to older models, which used 3.5 or more gallons per flush. There have been advances since then, more common in other parts of the world, such as 1.6 gpf / 0.8 gpf ... http://green-home.info/new-water-saving-toilets-from-home-depot/ NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) completed a study of houseplants' ability to scrub the air of pollutants and improve air quality in sealed indoor environments. The NASA Clean Air Study was commissioned to find ways to clean air in space stations, but the results are ... http://green-home.info/top-plants-for-improving-indoor-air-quality/