Extreme Real Estate: Green Houses
It wasn’t so long ago building a “green” house using sustainable materials and high efficiency utilities was just a trendy idea touted by environmentalists and shelter magazines but rarely taken seriously by the average homeowner. However, it just isn’t so cheap to heat and cool a house anymore and with water shortages becoming more commonplace it may not be long before H2O becomes a commodity worth more than oil and gold. Going green doesn’t sound like such a far-fetched notion anymore, does it?
Creative Green Construction Doesn’t Have to Be Expensive
We spent $200,000 to build a turnkey, solar powered, off-grid home, which included $37,000 for the land. This was far less than what most people in the area paid for a conventional home. And the only utility bill was filling up the propane tank once a year.
"You have to find a good agent that can help you hunt those things out."
In Northern Virginia, you don't need to look any further than the EcoBroker certified agents of the NOVA Green Team to help you with your green real estate needs.
FREE Cell Phone MLS Access! Sign Up Here
Click the phone below to access every listing on your cell phone for FREE!
Monday, June 8, 2009
Friday, June 5, 2009
Green Living Tips And Information
5 Great, Green Indoor Climate Control Tips
Here are 5 easy-to-employ, eco-friendly strategies to help you keep the temperature at a comfortable level while you cut air conditioning (AC) costs and pride yourself on protecting the planet…
4 FUN Ways to Grill Greener This Summer
Did you know that there are a few easy steps you can take to not only green your grilling habits, but also make you the star grill master (or mistress) of your block?
Green/Simple Living
The Green Living section explores everything from organic and fair-trade foods, water conservation and composting to energy-saving strategies and ways to help create a greener, more sustainable planet.
Living Green 365
The Living Green 365 Team and our partners are excited to pass on timely, simple, and fun ideas to lead healthier and more sustainable lives, 365 days a year.
The Top 10 green living myths
Lots of these have been argued before — Is local food always greener? Are paper bags better than plastic? — and there’s not always one “right” answer to them. But let’s look at the list and then get your opinion.
Green Living Toolkit
Get the tips and tools you need to help to bring a little green into your life.
Here are 5 easy-to-employ, eco-friendly strategies to help you keep the temperature at a comfortable level while you cut air conditioning (AC) costs and pride yourself on protecting the planet…
4 FUN Ways to Grill Greener This Summer
Did you know that there are a few easy steps you can take to not only green your grilling habits, but also make you the star grill master (or mistress) of your block?
Green/Simple Living
The Green Living section explores everything from organic and fair-trade foods, water conservation and composting to energy-saving strategies and ways to help create a greener, more sustainable planet.
Living Green 365
The Living Green 365 Team and our partners are excited to pass on timely, simple, and fun ideas to lead healthier and more sustainable lives, 365 days a year.
The Top 10 green living myths
Lots of these have been argued before — Is local food always greener? Are paper bags better than plastic? — and there’s not always one “right” answer to them. But let’s look at the list and then get your opinion.
Green Living Toolkit
Get the tips and tools you need to help to bring a little green into your life.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Green Renovations
MY REALLY GREEN RENOVATION
Being Green-and-Frugal During Our Renovation
One of our goals when we embraced frugality two years ago was to save up for this renovation. Now that we’ve attained those finanical goals, we are continuing to be pennywise with other areas of the renovation. In addition, whenever possible, we are trying to make the greenest choices. Here are some of the ways that we’re acting both green and frugal during the renovation process:
Have a green renovation story of your own that you'd like to share? Drop us a line at info@novagreenteam.com, and maybe your green renovation story will be featured here at NOVA Green Living!
Being Green-and-Frugal During Our Renovation
One of our goals when we embraced frugality two years ago was to save up for this renovation. Now that we’ve attained those finanical goals, we are continuing to be pennywise with other areas of the renovation. In addition, whenever possible, we are trying to make the greenest choices. Here are some of the ways that we’re acting both green and frugal during the renovation process:
Have a green renovation story of your own that you'd like to share? Drop us a line at info@novagreenteam.com, and maybe your green renovation story will be featured here at NOVA Green Living!
Monday, June 1, 2009
A Green Future
The Future is Green
Thoughts on the coming of a society that is in balance with nature and the magnitude of the problems in the way; facing the reality that the present world's population has moved beyond the earth's carrying capacity, the looming peak in world oil production, green alternatives, and the least painful paths to a sustainable society.
Architecture 2030
Architecture 2030, a non-profit, non-partisan and independent organization, was established in response to the global-warming crisis by architect Edward Mazria in 2002. 2030’s mission is to rapidly transform the US and global Building Sector from the major contributor of greenhouse gas emissions to a central part of the solution to the global-warming crisis. Our goal is straightforward: to achieve a dramatic reduction in the global-warming-causing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the Building Sector by changing the way buildings and developments are planned, designed and constructed.
15 (More) Future Wonders of Green Technology: From Spinning Towers to Seawater Greenhouses
As the world increasingly focuses on sustainable initiatives, green architecture is a booming industry. Everything from single-family residences to giant 1.2-million-square-foot complexes complete with giant skyscrapers is getting the green treatment, and the innovation that iss going into these plans is more complex than ever.
Green Your Future
Mapping a Green career path
Thoughts on the coming of a society that is in balance with nature and the magnitude of the problems in the way; facing the reality that the present world's population has moved beyond the earth's carrying capacity, the looming peak in world oil production, green alternatives, and the least painful paths to a sustainable society.
Architecture 2030
Architecture 2030, a non-profit, non-partisan and independent organization, was established in response to the global-warming crisis by architect Edward Mazria in 2002. 2030’s mission is to rapidly transform the US and global Building Sector from the major contributor of greenhouse gas emissions to a central part of the solution to the global-warming crisis. Our goal is straightforward: to achieve a dramatic reduction in the global-warming-causing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the Building Sector by changing the way buildings and developments are planned, designed and constructed.
15 (More) Future Wonders of Green Technology: From Spinning Towers to Seawater Greenhouses
As the world increasingly focuses on sustainable initiatives, green architecture is a booming industry. Everything from single-family residences to giant 1.2-million-square-foot complexes complete with giant skyscrapers is getting the green treatment, and the innovation that iss going into these plans is more complex than ever.
Green Your Future
Mapping a Green career path
Friday, May 29, 2009
Bowing In The Wind?
How Does a Wind Turbine Work?
Wind turbines operate on a simple principle. The energy in the wind turns two or three propeller-like blades around a rotor. The rotor is connected to the main shaft, which spins a generator to create electricity.
Small wind turbines blow out big sales
Sales of turbines big enough to serve a single home or office building grew rapidly last year and are poised for even faster growth this year, according to a report from the American Wind Energy Association
Home Wind Turbines Are A Worthless, Dangerous, Wasteful Vanity
This writer just looked at the wattage on a newly purchased Revlon brand hairdryer: Rating was 1985W. That's roughly equivalent to twenty, 100-W incandescant bulbs...surely more than a whole residence-worth of what's actually lit at any one time... or to over one hundred forty (14W-rated, 60W incandescant equivalent) compact flourescent bulbs.
More States Offer Rebates for Home Wind Turbines
Altogether, says Mr. Stimmel, some kind of financial incentive for residential small wind is available in about 17 states, though in some cases the incentives are offered through utilities rather than directly by the state itself.
Wind turbines operate on a simple principle. The energy in the wind turns two or three propeller-like blades around a rotor. The rotor is connected to the main shaft, which spins a generator to create electricity.
Small wind turbines blow out big sales
Sales of turbines big enough to serve a single home or office building grew rapidly last year and are poised for even faster growth this year, according to a report from the American Wind Energy Association
Home Wind Turbines Are A Worthless, Dangerous, Wasteful Vanity
This writer just looked at the wattage on a newly purchased Revlon brand hairdryer: Rating was 1985W. That's roughly equivalent to twenty, 100-W incandescant bulbs...surely more than a whole residence-worth of what's actually lit at any one time... or to over one hundred forty (14W-rated, 60W incandescant equivalent) compact flourescent bulbs.
More States Offer Rebates for Home Wind Turbines
Altogether, says Mr. Stimmel, some kind of financial incentive for residential small wind is available in about 17 states, though in some cases the incentives are offered through utilities rather than directly by the state itself.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Green Cleaning
Complete 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets
The Purex® Complete 3-in-1™ Laundry Sheets Refill has 43% less packaging than the products it replaces. If every American bought just one Purex® Complete 3-in-1™ Laundry Sheet Refill instead of even one bottle of liquid detergent2, we could prevent the equivalent of 91 million detergent bottles (27 million lbs), originally destined for landfills, from being produced - keeping over 8 football fields worth of packaging out landfills.
Survey Shows "Green Washing" is Everywhere
"We are enthusiastic that consumers are becoming more environmentally savvy," said Linda Brown, executive vice president of Scientific Certification Systems of Emeryville. "We need to be building environmental literacy and training consumers and decision-makers how to make environmental choices."
Cleaning Green
Avoid products with labels that carry unsubstantiated or vague claims such as "ecologically friendly" or "nontoxic," according to the Green Guide Institute, now part of National Geographic. The term "biodegradable" also is meaningless. (The Guide compares cleaners at www.thegreenguide.com. Click on "Buying Guides.")
The Purex® Complete 3-in-1™ Laundry Sheets Refill has 43% less packaging than the products it replaces. If every American bought just one Purex® Complete 3-in-1™ Laundry Sheet Refill instead of even one bottle of liquid detergent2, we could prevent the equivalent of 91 million detergent bottles (27 million lbs), originally destined for landfills, from being produced - keeping over 8 football fields worth of packaging out landfills.
Survey Shows "Green Washing" is Everywhere
"We are enthusiastic that consumers are becoming more environmentally savvy," said Linda Brown, executive vice president of Scientific Certification Systems of Emeryville. "We need to be building environmental literacy and training consumers and decision-makers how to make environmental choices."
Cleaning Green
Avoid products with labels that carry unsubstantiated or vague claims such as "ecologically friendly" or "nontoxic," according to the Green Guide Institute, now part of National Geographic. The term "biodegradable" also is meaningless. (The Guide compares cleaners at www.thegreenguide.com. Click on "Buying Guides.")
Monday, May 25, 2009
Green Tests And Quizzes
Have some fun - and maybe learn something - with these Green Tests and Quizzes:
Test Your Green IQ
Test Your Energy IQ
How Green Are You?
Personal Footprint
Big Green Switch Recycling Quiz
Sixteen Revealing Green Travel Quizzes
Test Your Green IQ
Test Your Energy IQ
How Green Are You?
Personal Footprint
Big Green Switch Recycling Quiz
Sixteen Revealing Green Travel Quizzes
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)