Get Comfortable Air Conditioning

in Build Green - Air,Build Green - Energy,Build Green - Home,Energy Efficiency,Home Improvement,Indoor Air

Relative Humidity is part of indoor air comfort

Your Turn:  How come I’m comfortable with the air conditioning temperature but my husband keeps complaining that he’s still hot?   Maria, Fayetteville, NC

My Turn: To a green builder, your family’s comfort is a critical part of indoor air quality. It’s said Americans spend an average of 90 percent of their time indoors so the environment inside your home better work for the family.

Truthfully there could be a handful of different causes working alone or even in concert to prompt your husband’s comment.

Since you have a crawl space, look to see if there’s any water under there. Read More

Decoding Green Labels

in Bathroom,Build Green - Home,Free Green Build Stuff,Green Building,Green Products,Home Improvement,Kitchen

What IS true green vs. greenwashing?

This label in a duct cleaning company ad caught my eye last week. Got any idea what the image means?

I do and now, you’ll know…. Read More

Watersense Kitchen Faucet Guerrilla Tactic

in Build Green - Water,Build That Green Blog,Water Saving Plumbing

My water bill last December doubled and I blame my kitchen faucet. When the bill came I wasn’t surprised actually, just annoyed.  Six months later and it still bothers me.

It did have something to do with the 17 house guests that stayed for Christmas. (yes, of course I love my relatives)

The fact that we constantly cooked that week, kept our Energy Star dishwasher dutifully cycling away.  Any remaining dirty dishes got hand washed.

You know the drill: a kitchen volunteer scrubs, suds then rinses with the hot water running – - often straight down the drain.

Not to discourage free help but, how does one tactfully approach grown men and young adults about their thriftless dish washing technique?

In this instance I chose to shut up, wait for the bill but that’s not all…

Until we replace our kitchen faucet with a conserving WaterSense model, here’s the exact guerrilla tactic I used.

Read More

2011 Energy Rebates for Appliances

in Uncategorized

Attention: Alabama, Louisiana, Tennessee, Virginia & West Virginia Residents

Here is the updated 2011 State list of Rebates for Energy Efficient Appliances.

It’s a sign of the times, my friend… just five southeastern states are currently offering appliance rebates. But hey, if you are ready for a new refrigerator, clothes washer, dish washer or freezer NOW is the time to collect your rebate.

Don’t wait until you file your taxes – You’ll be too late. Do it as soon as possible, because otherwise, somebody else will scoop up this FREE money left on the table…Right?! 

To claim it simply replace your older, inefficient home tools with Energy Star® qualified appliances. This is all compliments of your State government, so you can feel good about saving green by going green.

Here’s a quick summary of what’s happening in the southeast. For other states or more information go to this site: Rebates, Tax Credits, & Financing
Note: This is the ONLY official Department of Energy-sponsored Web site; be cautious of other “fake” Web sites.

ALABAMA: Mail-in rebate program.

Eligible products include
* Refrigerators
* Freezers
* Clothes washers
* Dishwashers
* Room air conditioners

LOUISIANA Grab your mail-in rebate for the following products:

*  Refrigerators
*  Freezers
*  Clothes washers
*  Dishwashers
*  Room air conditioners
*  Gas storage water heaters
*  Gas tankless water heaters
*  Electric heat pump water heaters
*  Solar water heaters (electric and gas back-up)
*  Gas Furnaces
*  Central air conditioners
*  Air source heat pumps

TENNESSEE: Mail-in rebate program:

Eligible products include
* Room air conditioners
* Central air conditioners
* Air source heat pumps
* Gas Furnaces

VIRGINIA: Claim your mail-in rebate for these appliances:

* Refrigerators
* Clothes washers
* Gas storage water heaters
* Gas tankless water heaters
* Heat pump water heaters
* Gas furnaces
* Air source heat pumps

Virginians must certify that the replaced appliance was properly disposed of and/or recycled.

WEST VIRGINIA: Claim your rebate by mail.   Increase the rebate amounts for some appliances by buying models with efficiencies beyond the current Energy Star level.

Buy from participating retailers, and provide proof that the replaced appliance was properly recycled.

Eligible products include
* Refrigerators
* Freezers [closed]
* Clothes washers
* Dishwashers
* Room air conditioners [closed] Read More

Thanks for being a Build That Green Fan

in Green Building News

You and all of our Facebook Fans
really encourage me to
‘bring you the Best of the Green’

Thanks! – -  Kim

Become a Fan

Native born with a Johnny Depp vibe for your Garden

in Build Green - Water,Build Green Lawn Yard,Build That Green Blog,Gardening,Landscape,Native Plants

Heuchera  x ‘Plum Pudding’  Coral Bells

How about a very hardy native plant that tolerates shade and sun, isn’t too picky about soil pH, is drought tolerant and adds a sense of the ‘Johnny Depp’ scallywag to your garden?

Enter Heuchera x Plum Pudding coral bells. [hew-chair-a]

With unique shiny, dark purple ruffled leaves and silver marbling, Plum Pudding imparts a feeling of handsome mischief in your landscape. (Something akin to Depp’s pirate Captain Jack Sparrow, me thinks)

This perennial has a neat mounding habit growing up to 8 inches and spreading up to 18 in. Soils slightly acidic to neutral soil pH of 6.5 to 7 make this improved native plant particularly happy.

Include these masculine deep purple leaves in your planting design to add visual depth and weight to your garden color schemes.

Plum pudding coral bells is especially popular for its richness as it looks great next to a wide variety of garden plants. Consider a Pirates of the Caribbean themed planting with yellow, white, lime greens, soft pink, or silvers.

Summon up great landscape drama by pairing it with other deep violets (like native wood violets) or strong pinks (with Heuchera ‘Miracle’ coral bells). Plant it in masses or as a border edge for best effect.

Maybe create a steamy tropical theme by… Read More

Let’s Breath Easier about Air Fresheners

in Air Quality,Build Green - Air,Indoor Air

The so-called air fresheners really don’t improve your home indoor air quality; instead, they release chemicals that numb your olfactory nerves or coat your nasal passages with oils.

Here are Seven Better Solutions:

  1. Invest in a HEPA air filter.
  2. Put a few drops of natural essential oils on some cotton balls and place them in a pretty bowl or hidden in a corner.
  3. Add a few house plants to literally clean your indoor air. You may recall that plants produce refreshing oxygen in exchange for carbon dioxide.
  4. Fill a plastic spray bottle 3/4′s full with distilled water, add some drops of your favorite essential oil and shake.
  5. Make an herbal sachet: take an odd sock or piece of pretty thin fabric and fill with dried herbs like lavender and sage and tuck it in a corner. When the herbs start to lose their power, compost them.
  6. Temporarily open your windows for a cross-breeze.
  7. Adapted from Real Estate Agent’s bag of tricks: Microwave an apple filled with cinnamon. The house will smell like apple pie and besides, you’ll have a healthy snack for later!

Among the chemicals in commercial air fresheners: formaldehyde, 1,4 dichlorobenzene, and petroleum distillates.

Now, what’s that you smell?

Gardening Scoop on Soil

in Build Green - Water,Build Green Lawn Yard,Gardening,Landscape

See a World in a Grain of Sand and Heaven in a Wildflower – William Blake

Your Turn: Spring is here – What do I need to do to get my garden soil ready? – L. Graham Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY

My Turn: Just like any successful indoor project, preparation before planting pays off literally for years.  Granted it is more fun to plunge a plant into the ground straight away, but I beg you  – prepare first.

Hands down your best investment is to get your soil tested.  Get instructions and soil sample boxes from  your local Cooperative Extension service (www.extension.org/faq/4048). The evaluation is FREE in my state, but I’ve heard some offices charge $5 to $20 depending upon the analysis.

Don’t rely on visual clues. Bad dirt looks like good dirt.

Unbeknownst to you, plenty of essential nutrients can be out of whack. And balanced pH, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) are the four key building blocks for your gardening success.

The happiest garden soil is that which is enriched organically. Humus (rotted leaves and such) provides a critical framework for minerals to bond to. Organics also nourish the real heavy-lifters – the microbes and bacteria.

Here’s an excellent ‘How-to’ guide to improve and cultivate your garden soil quality. In clear language it covers  mulches, compost and even, compost tea!

It’s called Teaming with Microbes. I think in fact it’s an essential book for understanding your soil web and growing your garden.

Finally, these critters have a better chance to flourish if you avoid watering with tap water.

Then you’ll be good to grow.

I’m curious, what organic stuff do you add to improve your soil?

Earth Day 2011 Freebies for Green Homes

in Free Green Build Stuff,Green Building News

Snatch up these Free Give Away’s Now

There’s no better feeling than having help with your home remodeling project. Here is your chance to improve your home and celebrate Earth Day 2011.

Instead of a shot gun approach with a bunch of random stuff, why not get a little strategic?  You can use Sneaky Solar Strategies that Pay Over & Over as your Guide.

Here’s how to get started:

  • Download the FREE Book.  (For immediate delivery enter your email address in the box to your Right)  Then find these pages for the listed topic.
  • Leverage the most Home improvement benefits (Page 3):  ENTER “Green Home Makeover” Sweepstakes at Seventh Generation. Have a chance to win a $10,000 green home makeover plus hundreds of environmentally friendly items.
  • Tame Solar Roof Item 4 (Page 15): GET: Free brewed coffee or tea from Starbucks. Bring in a reusable mug  or ask for Starbucks “For here” cup and they’ll pick up the tab!
  • Cooler Window Item 1 (Page 16) ):  ENTER “Refresh Your Nest” Sweepstakes at TARGET. You may win a $50,000 home makeover or hundreds of other prizes including eco-friendly trips, green appliance makeovers, pet food a year’s supply of detergent and much more.
  • Why your air conditioner may run a lot. (Page 14) ):  GET discount on Energy Star appliances and other stuff from  Kmart.  Discounts FRIDAY, 22 April ONLY ON-LINE on everything from air conditioners to TVs.
  • Turn over an Energy Efficient Leaf (Page 19):  GET free tree from Lowe’s. They are giving away one million trees on April 23rd ONLY. Visit a local store to get yours.

There’s nothing more fun than getting FREE stuff for your home!

Let me know which ones you take advantage of, or if you know of any other cool Earth Day goodies!

Radon: Radiation Exposure is Completely Preventable

Tweet Trace amounts of radiation from Japan was detected by State officials in the southeastern states. This air pollution fallout, of course, is from fuel degradation at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant in Japan. Turns out, we are exposed to radiation every day from man-made or natural materials.  Regardless, this trace amount of ionized reactor radiation […]

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