SanJoseGreenHome.com

Whether you live in San Jose or any other part of the world, energy is an essential part of our lives. Our bodies need it to function and stay focused, and our homes need it for lighting, powering appliances, electronics, heating, cooling and even charging our cell phones. Most of us don’t even think about energy until a power outage occurs and we find ourselves reading our favorite novel under the candle light.  Yet another punch of reality may settle in when we are faced with that ever bigger utility bill. 

Did you know that residential buildings account for nearly a quarter of the worlds carbon emissions (21%)?  Nationally, energy prices in the residential building sector have maintained the highest in relation to other well known sectors such as transportation, industrial, and commercial buildings. The state of California is ranked among the top states in the nation for highest energy costs – only coming in lower than some east coast states and Hawaii.  

So what can we do to lower the pain on those energy bills and go easy on the environment?  Well, one way is to start being mindful of it and applying some “controlled conservation.”  It is easily one of the best methods of reducing high energy costs.  It includes shutting off lights, taking shorter showers and using energy at off peak hours.  This just the tip of the iceberg for energy conservation but most of us don’t do it.  Why?  Well, controlled conservation can (more…)

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In the heat of San Jose summer, most people don’t want to turn on their ovens unless it’s absolutely necessary. I know I don’t.  A lot of cooking is done with a microwave, but the air inside a microwave also heats up pretty good, and let’s face it, the food just does not taste as good.

One awesome way to avoid this extra heat and unnecessary use of resources is to use a solar oven.  I first discovered it when watching a show called “Living with Ed” on Planet Green.  The guy is green out of his mind and has all these fun ways of saving energy.  He has one of these solar ovens in his backyard which of course causes regular tension with his lovely wife who is a style freak.

So what is a solar oven, you’re asking yourself.  A solar oven or solar cooker is a device which uses sunlight as its energy source. It uses no fuel and they cost nothing to run.  It’s simply a box, lined with tin foil or other material, insulated on the outside to keep the heat inside, which sits out in a strategic position in your backyard, where it will get the most sun. Ever gotten into a car – especially a black one – after it’s been sitting in the sun for a few hours? It’s extremely (more…)

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We love our electronics, don’t we?  There seems to be hundreds of new and improved gadgets hitting the market every day.  Today however, the headaches of recycling computers and the rest of the e-waste abound.  It also happens to be one of the most controversial issues.  You see, it appears our spending and recycling habits affect much more than our local landfill.

For years now we have been stuffing our homes, cars, offices, pockets wit the most exiting technologies that makes our lives easier and more fun.  Like our own bodies thought these items tend to age and eventually brake down.  So what do we do with them? 

It’s easy to recycle paper, plastic and aluminum cans but how do we recycle a computer and all of its components?  Or that grandma’s TV from the world war two era?  There are no bins in our drive way to toss that tv, vcr, fax machine and all those crazy gadgets we bought a year ago on a Christmas binge.  So where does all this “e-waste” go?  Unfortunately, most of it heads straight into the nearest dumpster. 

According to Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (SVTC), electronic discards is one of the fastest growing sector of our nation’s waste stream:

- There are 500 million obsolete computers in the U.S. alone.
- 130 million cell phones are disposed of annually.
- 20 – 24 million TV’s and computers are stored annually in homes and offices.
- Only 10% of unwanted and obsolete computers are recycled.

Now, as eco mindful earthlings we make an effort to recycle them somehow, don’t we?  Some of us will even find a local e-waste recycler and happily rub our palms after we drop of our age old computer at the (more…)

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Although we may be disciplined shoppers, able to go into any store and spend only a few minutes there, picking out what we need, purchasing it, and then leaving, the same is not always true with our children, is it?  In fact it probably never happens.

Children, much more than adults, are impacted by the commercials with which they are bombarded during every cartoon show or “kid-safe” show that they watch.  The advertisers are super skillful these days at getting deep into the psyche of our children and plant the seeds that eventually sprout into a compulsive, insatiable consumer. 

Understandably, kids also have a lot less discipline than adults. They see something, they want it now and it’s as simple as that.  They can go on whining about it till they get what they want.  And then of course there are parents, who compensate the lack of attention to their kids by buying them every possible toy on the planet.  “What’s that little Suzy, your Barbie version 2.1 is outdated?  Oh the new Barbie has a new hair cut style?  No problem here’s the latest Barbie, version 2.2.  Hope you’re happy for another 3 days.”  Meanwhile the old Barbie that we purchased last week is on its way to spend an eternity in (more…)

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The drawbacks of traditional landscaping are evident everywhere these days.  They include air (lawnmowers, transportation) and water (fertilizers and pesticides) pollution, harm to biodiversity, consumption of natural resources like water, impacts to public health and safety and just down right cost and labor intensive.  So more and more folks are discovering the joys of sustainable landscaping. 

Many seek that wonderfully sharp and fully natural look for the yard but what really is sustainable landscaping and what can it do for us?  Sustainable or “green” landscaping is essentially landscaping that considers things like water conservation, the use of all natural resources and the selection of proper plants to beautify a piece of land while still making it work with the surrounding ecosystem. 

In the beginning this may sound a tad complex but rest assured – it’s not.  There are countless things that we can try at home on your own.  Keep in mind these two words – Conserve, Design and Protect.  Conserve means conserving resources like water and using a composting bin to recycle natural yard waste into organic fertilizer.  Protect means preventing or reducing processes that degrade or pollute the environment and harm regenerative capacity of our ecosystems.  Design means designing your landscaping in harmony with the natural environment, and in a way that it enhances the sustainability features of your home.

For instance, if you are planning on redoing the landscaping in your yard, consider the placement of deciduous and evergreen trees.  We’re in California; there are plenty of them out here in the nature already.  If you plant deciduous on the south and east sides of your home, you’ll be able to get shade during the summer while still keeping (more…)

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Here’s a great story about the process of designing and building a sustainable home.  Also see comments below.
TIP: Make sure to click on the little X button to remove the translucent ad banner on the bottom of the video. 

You’ll be amazaded how Rivoli’s rebuilt their home in  Portland.  They had a big goal – to make their home a “Zero Net House”.  This means that the carbon footprint of the house was virtually – zero.  An amazing amount of detail went into their project.  Not only they recycled most of the old house they re-used a large part of it for the new construction.  The architect did an amazing job by designing a home with tons of natural sunlight.  The Ravioli’s discuss eight different categories they had to think of to make their home truly Eco friendly.  Watch the video if you have 5 minutes, you’ll enjoy it.  Cheers.

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