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Casa Verde: Cameron and Cameron Talk (and Walk) Green

casasugar — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 11:00:31 -0800

I have yet to catch an episode of Sundance's Iconoclasts series, which pairs celebrities or leading innovators from two different industries to chat about their passions and creative processes. But, after seeing some clips of season four, which couples long-time environmental advocate Cameron Diaz and Architecture for Humanity cofounder Cameron
Sinclair, I think I've been wooed. This season, the series follows the two to New Orleans and Biloxi, MS, to take in the environmental impact of Hurricane Katrina. While Diaz may be an eco-conscious gal, she's not exactly an expert, so Sinclair, whose global organization works to find sustainable architectural solutions to humanitarian crises, is really the force in this pairing. It's refreshing to see him getting some face time and interesting to hear his perspective on an environment which has been so monumentally devastated.

To see a clip of this show,

In the News: Cabins Go Green

casasugar — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 07:00:19 -0800

In a recent New York Times article, "A Cabin Is Not a Shack," writer Louise Tutelian reports on the emerging trend to green second homes, or "cabins" as these houses are identified. One such cabin featured in the article, which is pictured below, was built in Montana using only local and reclaimed materials.

The article maintains that currently, cabin culture is defined by the following:

Ditch the deer heads and moose antlers. Put away the caps with flaps. There is nothing musty, creaky, saggy or squeaky about the new cabin culture. Across the country, cabins are being reimagined in sustainable yet stylish ways. Some combine industrial materials like mesh, oxidized steel and concrete with traditional wood. Others employ reclaimed or recycled material to stay eco-friendly and keep costs down. “Turnkey” models arrive fully constructed, ready to be dropped onto a site. Still other cabins are off the grid, but with the comforts of home. And despite the advances in design, cabin owners want the same thing they always did: a place that provides an escape into the natural world.

To tell me what you think about this trend, and read why I think it's nothing revolutionary,

Casa Verde: Method Potpourri Ornament

casasugar — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 13:00:20 -0800

Method never ceases to impress me with its well-designed, eco-friendly products. I've been waiting to see what it had in store for us this holiday season and I'm charmed now that I have. Method's new Potpourri Ornament ($10) is a tin ornament filled with compostable wooden beads. You can reuse the ornament for years to come after the beads have lost their scent. The ornament is available with a Spiced Pear or Winter Berry scent. If it smells as good as it looks, I'm sold. The scent of Christmas trees is so festive, though, that I'd probably hang this ornament elsewhere in the house. What do you think?

Casa Verde: Got Junk Mail?

casasugar — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:00:37 -0700

One of the clever editors at AT:SF recently decided to turn her junk mail into something much more lovely. She started out with some of the papers that were cluttering up her mailbox.

To see what she created and learn how to turn your junk mail into something gorgeous,

Casa Verde: What's in These Jars?

casasugar — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 10:00:00 -0700

Recently, I've been experiencing some seasonal nesting urges, which have had me in the garden, sewing pillows, and reupholstering chairs. This is another of my ongoing projects.

To see what's inside these canning jars,

Casa Verde: A Coveted California Garden

casasugar — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 07:45:43 -0700

Lou Dixon, owner of Bio-Friendly Gardens, a landscape architecture firm in Berkeley, CA, creates gardens that are both beautiful and eco-friendly. A trained horticulturist, forester, and entomologist, as well as a landscape architect, Lou works in garden styles ranging from modern to Craftsman to traditional Japanese. No matter what garden style Lou works in, however, each of his projects is marked by beauty and consideration for location. Lou recently showed me around his latest project. Check out the slideshow for more photos.

Casa Verde: Radiant Floor Heating

casasugar — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 04:30:41 -0700

Many of you were intrigued by my definition of radiant floor heating, but you wanted to find out more about how it worked. Instead of trying to explain the concept abstractly, I thought I'd show you an explanation. I know that when I first heard about radiant floor heating, it seemed a little confusing. When I saw it installed, though, all of the pieces clicked into place.

To see the video explaining this energy-efficient home heating method,

Casa Verde: Michelle Kaufmann's Quick Construction

casasugar — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:00:34 -0700

Whether she's making cool eco craft projects or designing innovative homes, Michelle Kaufmann is definitely one of my eco heroes.

Michelle designs green, prefab homes that are both beautiful and cost-effective. These homes are guaranteed to achieve either gold or platinum LEED ratings, the two highest ratings from the US Green Building Council. And since the homes are prefab designs, they can also be quickly erected.

Want to know how quickly they can be built? Then

Casa Verde: Eco DIY Ideas

casasugar — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 09:15:29 -0700

Recently, I interviewed Tyler Velten, whose apartment had been featured in a New York Times article about designing on a student's budget. Tyler has a lot of cool, creative ideas for making eco changes on a budget. Check out some of his household experiments in the slideshow. Photos Courtesy Tyler Velten

Casa Verde: Fast Thermostat Facts

casasugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:00:06 -0700

If you're concerned about keeping a green home, energy efficiency goes hand in hand with eco home products and concepts. And since it's getting chilly again, I thought I'd give you a little refresher on ways to keep your house as energy efficient as possible. It's generally recommended that, to save money on heating, try to keep your thermostat set at a reasonable 68 degrees. Every degree warmer you set your thermostat will increase your energy use by 6-8 percent, which also means a rise in your heating bill. So, instead of notching up the thermostat, take a quick tip from me and layer up instead.

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