CasaSugar

Casa Verde: Ikea's Going to the Bicycles

CasaSugar — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 05:30:12 -0700

Great news: You can now carry your flatpacked Ikea goods home on your bicycle - at least if you live in Denmark.
According to Inhabitat, Ikea has partnered with the Danish bicycle company Velorbis to provide Danish customers with bikes outfitted with special trailers. Ikea decided to do so after discovering that about 20 percent of its Danish customers already ride bikes to Ikea stores. Now, customers can borrow a trailer and bike for a small deposit fee and load up their wool rugs, bookshelves, and other products in the trailer. Since I've been seeing more and more folks in the Bay Area transporting goods on bike trailers, this seems like a logical next step for eco-minded retailers. I would love to have this option at my local Ikea. Would you?

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Coveted Crib: A Strawbale Home

CasaSugar — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 07:45:48 -0700

Strawbale is a natural building method that uses bales of straw to create a thermal mass, which provides an incredible insulating effect in a home. The straw is often placed between a post and beam wooden frame, and then covered with stucco or a natural earthen plaster. Not only are these homes extremely eco and energy efficient, they're also surprisingly graceful in form. To see what I mean, check out the slideshow. Source

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Casa Verde: Florence Lofts

CasaSugar — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 05:30:53 -0700

Florence Lofts, a new green building live/work complex in Sebastopol, CA, combines green building practices and technologies with a peaceful and lush indoor and outdoor space. Take a look at the slideshow for all of the details.

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Casa Verde: Sleek and Green Furniture

CasaSugar — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 16:00:46 -0700

Environment Furniture Inc. creates compellingly sleek furniture that's also notable for its eco-conscious design. Located in Los Angeles, the company sources much of its furniture from reclaimed and recycled wood. This wood, Peroba Rosa, is a native Brazilian hardwood and is used in most of Environment Furniture's pieces. The Peroba is reclaimed from abandoned and run-down homes, barns, and buildings in Parana, Brazil, and the age and condition of the wood gives the company's furniture an added level of richness.

While some companies who claim to be green simply aren't, Environment Furniture is actively defending its green status. You can download the company's environmental report, "Pathway to Sustainability," from their website, as well as read their sustainability newsletter. The company also notes that when they exhaust their stock of reclaimed Peroba, they will tradition to other South American reclaimed woods, while also purchasing FSC-certified plywood and FSC-certified teak veneer for use in their furniture. Take a look at the gallery for some of their stunning pieces.

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Do You Use Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products?

CasaSugar — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 04:20:18 -0700

Now that we've wrapped up our method giveaways of eco-friendly and non-toxic cleaning products, I'm wondering how many of you use similar earth-friendly products to keep your house shiny and scrubbed.

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Casa Verde: 21 Eco-Friendly Home Improvements

CasaSugar — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 11:02:22 -0700

I'm always looking for new ways to make my home greener, so thanks to Tdamji for pointing me to this list of 21 eco-friendly home improvements. (By the way, if you haven't checked out Tdamji's Minimal Harm - For the Love of the Planet group, I highly recommend it.)

This 21-green salute will help your conscience and your pocketbook, saving money and increasing your home's value. How many of these tactics do you use in your home? Tell me in the comments section below, or share some of your own ideas.

Consider installing solar panels. If you decide to buy some, consider used ones, as they are quite a bargain and even after as long as twenty years have been known to produce a good percentage of the power that was generated when they were brand new.
Replace all the standard light bulbs in your home with compact fluorescent ones. These energy-smart bulbs use 70 to 75 percent less energy than the incandescent kind and last up to ten times longer!
Roof improvements. Believe it or not, research indicates that roof color and the type of material used can help to lower attic temperatures. Light-colored tile roofs outperform the shingle ones when it comes to decreasing temperatures.
Install a motion detector outside to replace your outdoor lighting. Outdoor lights left on all night waste energy and disturb wildlife.

For the rest of the list, read more

Don't waste water. Check your home carefully for leaky faucets and get them repaired as quickly as possible. Use cold water when laundering clothes and adjust your clean threshold if you possibly can. Those jeans of yours can probably be worn a few more times than usual before washing them, and can't that towel be dried off at least one more time before throwing it in the hamper?
Install low flow showerheads. They are a worthwhile investment (especially if you live in a rented space, because you can take them with you). They cut down on water usage and save energy costs.
Create a compost pile in your backyard. Mix food wastes with dirt and use a shovel to turn the pile over every week or so to give it some air. Turn throwaways like eggshells, coffee grounds and spoiled vegetables into soil and garbage into something useful.
Install an aluminum-clad storm door. This type of door is energy-efficient and will help to insulate the entryway of your home.
Some considerations when heating and cooling our homes: Invest in a high-efficiency HVAC system that is Energy Star certified and install it in your home. This will greatly reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses emitted. It will also shave your utility bill enough to make you smile reasonably broadly.
Clean out your air conditioner filters or replace them regularly. A dirty filter will hamper the airflow, costing you more to run your system.
Consider investing in and installing an automated thermostat. High-tech thermostats are well worth the cost, and what you spend, you will get back over time in lower energy bills.
Install glass doors for your fireplace. Glass doors are safer than fireplace screens. They also reduce the amount of heat that escapes through the chimney from your home.
Use power strips for your home computers. Even after you turn off your computer, power continues to flow to peripherals like printers and scanners.
Install more fans in your home. Ceiling fans can help reduce your family's dependence on air conditioning during the summer, and they are also helpful in the winter as they can push heat down from the ceiling.
Do an "energy audit" in your home and make a list of what needs to be done to get things up to "green par." Take that list to your online supplier or local hardware store and enlist their help in buying needed supplies.
Insulate your home. Doors and windows are two of the most obvious areas of concern when it comes to home energy conservation. Use weather-stripping.
Seal off unexpected trouble spots. Sometimes the less obvious spots in your home can be a source of energy loss and you will need to be thorough in order to seek out and destroy them! Check out the areas around light switches and electrical outlets.
Live by the code of the 3 Rs; Refuse, Reuse and Recycle. Keep these three things in mind whenever you buy, use or discard anything.
Stop a leak. Organize a "stop a leak day" on which everyone in your family tightens, insulates, replaces, caulks or does whatever else is necessary to make your home as "watertight" as possible.
Add insulation to your hot water heater. Don't forget that the standard water heater found in most homes is on all the time. Adding some extra insulation will save more energy than you would think and knock up to 15 percent off the costs of heating water.
Consider window tinting to reduce the glare of the sun. First of all, it will reduce heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer. Tinting will also eliminate up to 99 percent of damaging ultraviolet rays and reduce the fading of your fine fabrics and furnishings.

Do You Compost?

CasaSugar — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 04:20:06 -0700

Yesterday, I gave you guys a brief introduction to composting, so I'm curious how many of you separate your organic yard waste and food scraps.

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Casa Quickie: Shower Caps as Bowl Covers

CasaSugar — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 08:45:25 -0700

You know those disposable shower caps you get in hotel rooms? Rather than tossing them out, try using them as an alternative to not-quite-clingy-enough plastic wrap when covering food and bowls. This probably goes without saying, but please, unused shower caps only! They're also really easy to wash and reuse.

Casa Verde: Eco Bags Reusable Produce Bags

CasaSugar — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 13:45:54 -0700

Though I prefer to use cloth tote bags instead of plastic grocery bags, it always feels hypocritical to then fill those fabric totes with plastic produce bags. But until recently, the free plastic baggies were the only way to protect your fruit and keep your veggies from getting battered.

Today, however, I was excited to discover these Eco Bags Reuseable Produce Bags. The set of four bags ($14) includes two lightweight produce bags and two net sacks made from organic cotton. Not only will they cut down on landfill waste, but the eco bags are also washable, so you don't have to worry about them getting too grimy over time.

How Green Is Your House?

CasaSugar — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 10:36:08 -0700

Are you a devoted follow of the eco-friendly doctrine or just paying lip-service with some lightweight changes around the house? Take my quiz and find out how green you are.

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Do You Recycle?

Yes. If my city recycles it, I will not throw it in the trash.

Yes. I recycle cans, newspaper, and bottles.

Usually, if I remember.

I hardly ever recycle, if at all.

Do You Compost Your Food Waste?

Yes, and I use the compost in my garden!

Yes. I participate in a city composting program.

No, but I want to start.

What's composting?

What sort of groceries do you buy?

Mostly locally grown produce and organic foods.

A mix of local produce and packaged foods.

Whatever they sell at my local grocery store.

I eat out most of the time.

Do you use CFLs?

Yes, all over my house!

I use a mix of CFLs and regular bulbs.

No, but I want to switch.

What are CFLs?

What's your take on "standby" power?

I turn off all electronics when I'm not using them, and I turn off power strips and unplug chargers or any other "phantom loads."

I don't leave my electronics on standby.

I don't really worry about it.