CasaSugar -- Home sweet home.

Brad Pitt's Got Architectural Digest Covered

casasugar — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 13:00:27 -0800

Brad Pitt's been spotted on many a magazine cover for his latest movies and tabloid-famous family, but now the star graces the cover of the January issue of Architectural Digest. The star with a passion for architecture who's contributed eco designs for Dubai and worked with Global Green on affordable housing is making the leap to the shelter magazine world. Pitt shares the cover with one of the 150 eco-friendly homes in New Orleans that he is helping to sponsor and build through his Make It Right Foundation.

To find out more about Make It Right, as well as to see images of some of the homes that have been constructed,

Recycling Fact and Fiction: Can You Tell the Difference?

casasugar — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 07:00:56 -0800

Recently, I was inspired by a Popular Mechanics article that cleared up a lot of the misinformation around recycling. Think you can spot the facts from the fiction? Then take my quiz! Source

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 Beta: Yumi & Lauri blanQuette

casasugar — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 07:45:22 -0800

Interested in a throw that's a step above the ordinary? Then try the Y&L blanQuette, a lightweight blanket resembling an oversize plush Turkish towel. Made of 50 percent organic cotton and 50 percent bamboo, the blanQuette measures in at a generous six-and-a-half by almost five feet wide. It's available in five different collections: The St. Moritz, Nevis, Laguna, Milan, and Furano, which each feature varying colors and patterns. Each blanQuette sells for $195 to $235.

Yumi & Lauri was founded by mother and entrepreneur Laurie Suzuki, who was inspired to turn Turkish towels into something more luxurious and versatile — which led to the birth of the blanQuette. Her commitment to eco-friendly practices also contributed to the organic content of the blanQuette.

I recently had the opportunity to test out a blanQuette from the Laguna collection. To hear my thoughts on it,

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?

Would You Get Married on a Farm?

casasugar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 06:15:18 -0800

According to a recent New York Times article, farms are quickly becoming a popular wedding venue for many couples. There are many advantages to a farm wedding, including a reduced price tag. According to the article, "Farms Are For Lovers," "Farm weddings can cost a fraction of nuptials at more traditional sites, because couples usually take care of services like catering and music. And small farmers like pulling out the hay-covered welcome wagon because it helps them survive."Would you choose to have your wedding on a farm? Source

Would You Get Married on a Farm?

Definitely. It looks like fun, and I love the idea that it's a green wedding option, too.

I had my wedding on a farm!

Maybe, but I'm more traditional.

Nope, not for me!

Other. I'll tell you in the comments.

Garden Therapy: New Garden Boxes From Old Wood

casasugar — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 04:30:00 -0800

This Summer, I used part of a friend's redwood fence to build an additional garden box. Craftster member Emilyhell was lucky enough to try something similar thanks to some generous friends with a remodeling project. She writes, "My boyfriend and I got some old recycled redwood for free from some friends who were replacing their deck. We built these five-foot-square planter boxes and just today finished planting our fall/winter vegetable garden."

I love the kneeling/sitting area that Emily and her boyfriend built with the top, flat piece of decking. This will help them to lean over and brace themselves when they're harvesting all of their yummy veggies. What a smart, eco design. Nice work!

Source

Garden Therapy: Little Farm in the Big City

casasugar — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 08:00:06 -0700

Imagine the possibility of creating a low-maintenance, beautiful, and productive farm in the middle of a city. Such is the reality for homeowner Jennifer Carlson, a Seattle resident who turned her backyard into something extraordinary. For photos of her smart landscaping and gardening ideas, as well as some adorable animals, check out the slideshow. For even more information, head over to This Old House to see blueprints and more photos. Any city dwellers who wonder how they can turn their small patch of yard into something productive will delight in Carlson's home. Source

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,

Guess What These Chairs Are Upholstered In?

casasugar — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:00:34 -0700

I love this relaxed, cozy dining room in Danny Seo's Delaware River cottage. Danny upholstered the chairs himself using an unexpected, upcycled item. Can you guess what it was?

Garden Therapy: A Craftsman Garden

casasugar — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 12:00:50 -0700

Lou Dixon, designer and owner of Bio-Friendly Gardens, has a distinctive style, whether he's working on a modern minimalist garden or a tropical California design. I love his use of eco-friendly materials, natural hardscape, and drought-tolerant and native plants in his gardens. Recently, Lou showed me a garden that complements a Craftsman home. Take the tour with me.

Garden Therapy: California Tropical

casasugar — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 09:15:26 -0700

Lou Dixon, owner and designer of Bio-Friendly Gardens, recently gave me a tour of one of his client's home gardens. The owner, a chef and horticulturalist, loves tropical foliage. Her garden features a delightful mix of tropical plants, succulents, more traditional flowers, and lush trees. What's even more impressive is that her garden stands up to life with two large dogs. Take a tour of her lush space.

How-To: Live Green Like Jessica Alba

casasugar — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 06:15:36 -0700

InStyle currently has a great feature on celebrity interior designer Kari Whitman and her eco-friendly ideas for Jessica Alba's home. Whitman is known for her creative use of salvaged artifacts (like the vintage chandeliers shown here) that she finds by scouring antique shops, flea markets, and her clients' homes. For example, she says, "For Jessica Alba's house we bought almost every piece used." Snatching up second-hand pieces isn't the only way she has greenified Alba's home, though. To hear some of her other tips and tricks,

On the Market: Danny Seo's Delaware River Cottage

casasugar — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 06:15:39 -0700

I've been tracking some of the cool changes that Danny Seo has been making in his new home, but I'd forgotten about his cute Delaware River cottage. Danny had been holding on to it for a while, but now he's ready to sell, which means that some lucky person can snap up this two-bedroom, one-bath, 1,076-square-foot bungalow cottage in Erwinna, PA.

To find out more about this property, and for additional photos,

Garden Therapy: A DIY Compost Bin

casasugar — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 13:00:32 -0700

Craftster member Gwydion has inspired me to use the extra lumber left over from some home projects to build a new compost pile. I'm tired of wrestling with my flimsy plastic composter, which seems to never stay in place and whose top always folds into the compost itself. Yuck! Gwydion DIYed her compost pile for a fraction of the cost of one she'd buy in a store.

To find out how she did it,

Love It or Hate It? Ovetto Bin

casasugar — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 12:00:32 -0700

Italian architect Gianluca Soldi, who is deeply involved with environmental issues, designed the Ovetto Bin ($255) to make recycling easier and more organized, offering three segregated divisions for your different types of recycling. A friend of mine has been advocating just this sort of thing for a while now, a functional recycling bin that makes recycling not a chore but a thoughtless routine. While I'm certainly pleased with the advent of an alternative to those useless blue office bins, I'm not keen on Ovetto's looks. I'm sure it jives with the design elite, but I'd like to call for something that blends in with the rest of our kitchens, not one that looks like a dinosaur egg/Saarinen table fusion. I want to see something so ordinary that its aesthetics are almost an afterthought, that aims to actually get people recycling rather than win design awards in Milano.

Love It or Hate It? Ovetto Bin

Love it

Hate it

Undecided

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.

Guess What This Is Made From?

casasugar — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:00:46 -0700

This pretty floral design was constructed by artist Mark Langan from a recycled material. Can you tell me what that material is?

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

Found It! Ruler Chair

casasugar — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:00:40 -0700

Recently, when I told you how to make an easy message board, readers were more interested in the chair than the how-to. And for good reason: it's unusual, cool, and looks like it was made from yard sticks.

Curious as to where you can find it? 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

DIY: Make Your Own Eco Outdoor Fire

casasugar — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:00:51 -0700

As the nights get chillier, many of us crave the warmth of an outdoor fire, but might be concerned about the pollutants that a roaring wood fire produces. Leave it to green designer Michelle Kaufmann to create a solution to this problem. She's come up with a great, inexpensive, and very modern-looking way to create an outdoor fire on your patio, deck, or in your yard.

Here's What You'll Need

A few cans of Eco Fuel
A big metal or ceramic planter box
River rocks

To find out how to do it,

Top Design, Episode Six: "Eco-Offices"

casasugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 09:15:08 -0700

In the latest episode of Top Design, the remaining designers tackled a project near and dear to my heart: renovating a space in a green fashion. Guest judge Danny Seo, whose green designs and ideas I love, offered the contestants advice on remembering the R words (reduce, reuse, recycle, repurpose, and be resourceful, among others) in their spaces.

The designers were challenged to use all materials in the office (including ugly desks and bad carpet). They were also given fabric remnants to work with instead of new fabric as well as low VOC paint. Contestants were paired with clients and challenged to renovate their office spaces in an environmental manner.

Some designers were gung-ho about this challenge, while others were immediately put off by the idea. In particular, Eddie came off as a snob, calling his client a dork, berating him for his use of the word "funky," and then repeatedly uttering "Ew" as he had to do the demeaning work of going through boxes of fabric remnants. Oh, the horror!

To see who won and who had to leave the show,

Casa Interview: Tyler Velten

casasugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 07:45:16 -0700

Tyler Velten, a student at the Yale School of Architecture, was recently featured in the New York Times article Lighting Changes Everything. However, Tyler wasn't interviewed for his architectural projects. Instead, his artistic re-use of found objects and repurposing of Craigslist furniture and even the hated plastic bag were featured in the article. Tyler recently found some time between his busy school schedule to answer some questions for CasaSugar about his home design experiments.

CasaSugar: What was the first object you found that inspired you to start augmenting your apartment?

Tyler: We moved into the apartment knowing I was going to play with the space. It is a gorgeous apartment with great natural daylight. When it was empty, it felt more like a studio than an apartment. The first task was to somehow distract attention from the white walls. We found a kitschy brass table lamp complete with a tattered latex shade on the street. Instead of placing it on an end table or dresser (which we didn't have), I hung it from the wall. Lizzie [Tyler's wife] has teased me for years about taking it down. As a relic from our first days in the apartment, the lamp simply cannot be replaced.

For the rest of my questions, and to find out how Tyler's wife feels about his experiments,

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.

Source

The Card Shop: Thank-You Cards From Two Trick Pony

casasugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 08:30:44 -0700

Laurie Mee and Carrie Siegel, the co-owners of Two Trick Pony, create delightful card designs that are screen-printed by hand on 100 percent post-consumer waste recycled paper with water-based inks. I love the retro look of their designs, and the straightforward perfection in the cards' sentiments.

Since I'm in the middle of writing thank-you cards to our wedding guests, my eye was particularly drawn to these thank-you cards ($16 for six cards and envelopes). They're graced with a simple, pretty design rendered in perfect Autumnal shades. I find that everyone appreciates a thank-you card now and then, be it for a dinner party or a random act of kindness. Why not stock up so your generosity can run rampant?

Coveted Crib: West Coast Green Harbinger House

casasugar — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 11:00:45 -0700

You might not know it from looking at this photo, but the Harbinger display house at this year's West Coast Green is made from shipping containers. What's equally impressive is the beautiful interior design, which was done by Ecofabulous. Take a look at the slideshow for the gorgeous, eco interiors.

Casa Verde: Whyr'hymer Furniture

casasugar — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 07:00:47 -0700

One of the highlights of West Coast Green for me was meeting Brandon Morrison, the designer and craftsman behind Whyr'hymer Furniture, an eco-furniture design business he owns and operates with his wife, Sundeep. I love their furniture's lines, which in some pieces are very Arts and Crafts-inspired, and in other designs, seem to blend this sensibility with a modern aesthetic.

All of the furniture from Whyr'hymer is made from FSC-certified wood, and the finishes are either water-based or natural waxes and oils. And the couple makes everything by themselves in their West Hollywood studio. Nothing is outsourced in their creations. Of course, this means that these pieces are going to be more expensive, but the quality of each piece is obvious. And, as someone who's been lucky enough to sit in one of Brandon's well-designed chairs, it's an amazingly comfortable experience as well.

To see a video of the couple designing and building furniture in their studio,

Check Out West Coast Green!

casasugar — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 14:00:00 -0700

Earlier today, I told you that I'm hanging out at West Coast Green, a green building conference in San Jose, CA, which explores ways to make all structures more sustainable. If you live in the Bay Area you should certainly get your butt over to the San Jose Convention Center and learn all you can about sustainable home construction and design, as the conference ends Saturday. But, whether or not you're in the 'hood, you can still hear about what's going on thanks to this video from Day 1:

For more information, check out the West Coast Green website.

Casa Verde: A Self-Contained Home

casasugar — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 06:15:09 -0700

Today, I'm hanging out with other eco-minded folks at West Coast Green, a green building conference that explores ways to make all structures more sustainable. I'll be snapping pics of some cool furniture pieces too, so tune in next week to see what I've found!

This year at West Coast Green, one home that everyone is eager to check out is this house made from five 40-foot-long shipping containers, which combine to form a 1,700-square-foot, 2-bedroom home. You wouldn't necessarily know that the home is made from shipping containers just by looking at it though. The company responsible for building these houses, SG Blocks, prides itself on its expertise in converting something that once sat on the deck of a ship into a functional, well-designed home.

For more photos of real-life SG Blocks homes,

Casa Verde: A Handmade Home Gets Some TLC

casasugar — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 06:15:18 -0700

Last year, I told you about my brother's handmade home, which he built in an eco fashion for a surprisingly small amount of money. However, nothing much had been done with the home's interior. This year, he and his wife made a lot of interior changes in the home to spruce it up. To see what this previously unfinished home looks like now, check out the slideshow.

Name This Tree

casasugar — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 10:00:28 -0700

The five-pointed leaves of this hardwood tree should give it away.

Park(ing) Day: 10 Hints For Your Own Park

casasugar — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 07:00:12 -0700

Last week, I told you all about my plans for Park(ing) Day. Now an international event, Park(ing) Day turns parking spots in urban areas into temporary parks, as a way to highlight the need for green spaces in cities, as well as to show how much physical room cars take up.

My Sugar friends and I had a great time at Park(ing) Day! Since several of you told me that your interest was piqued, and that you might want to participate in this event next year, I thought I'd give you some tips on how to make your Park(ing) Day as easy and stress-free as possible.

To see my tips, as well as a huge gallery of photos,

Casa Quickie: Coffee Grinder Two-in-One Tip

casasugar — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 14:00:32 -0700

If your coffee grinder is coated with coffee bean residue, or if it's suffering from dull blades, there's an easy solution. Grind up a cup of uncooked white rice in your coffee grinder. Not only will it clean the grinder, it will also sharpen its blades.

Source

Midday Muse: What's Old Is New Again

casasugar — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 12:00:37 -0700

Yesterday, I told you about the passing of famed landscape architect Robert Royston. Royston's concern for the public's need for green spaces is perfectly expressed in this video, which explains the ideas behind the 1955 construction of Palo Alto's Mitchell Park.

What really strikes me about this video is that half a century later, the same issues that Royston outlines in the video (which he narrates) are even more important. Public space, access to nature, community gathering places, and spaces in which one can exercise and reinvigorate are necessary for our health and well-being. What's the park situation in your town?

How Do You Get Your Green?

casasugar — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 07:00:48 -0700

My participation in this year's Park(ing) Day has really got me thinking about the lack of green spaces in urban areas. Growing up in the country, it never really occurred to me that some people just don't have access to the green grass I was so tangibly familiar with. While there are a handful of wonderful parks in San Francisco to visit, including the vast Golden Gate Park, they simply can't compete with opening your back door to a canopy of trees and plants. Tell me, how is it that you get your fill of green space? Source

How Do You Get Your Green?

I'm a country girl, completely surrounded by green space!

I have a backyard!

There's a park nearby that I hang in.

There are parks near me, but I don't visit them very often.

Honestly, I don't have enough green space in my life.

Other, I'll tell you in the comments.

The Sweet Spot: Park(ing) Day With CasaSugar

casasugar — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 05:30:57 -0700

As you may know, on Friday I participated in Park(ing) Day and created my very own park (complete with sod!) on the streets of San Francisco. You can check out a video of the day here. Ikea was nice enough to sponsor the park, lending me some pretty fab furniture to deck out my Sweet Spot. And, if you want to recreate the look, you can enter to win a $1,000 gift card to Ikea, so you can create your very own indoor or outdoor oasis! To see photos of the very special day (not just another day at the office), check out this slideshow!

In Memoriam: Robert Royston

casasugar — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 11:00:58 -0700

Robert Royston, a beloved San Francisco Bay Area landscape architect, died in his Mill Valley home on Friday. He was 90 years old. Mr. Royston brought a modern sensibility to landscape architecture and public park design. He also loved to create public spaces that served the community, and envisioned his parks as beautiful, multifunctional spaces that could be accessible and useful for people of all ages and interests. In this slideshow, take a look at some of his work over the years, from designing backyard gardens to public parks. Source

Check Out Casa's Park(ing) Day Park!

casasugar — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 10:00:44 -0700

Did you make it to a Park(ing) Day Park on Friday? Several CasaSugar readers stopped by my park on Howard Street in San Francisco, and I spent the entire day chatting with friends and friendly strangers. While I didn't get time to check out a lot of the other parks, I did hear some rumors about some cool spots, including a beach park with a swimming pool and a park that was giving salsa lessons at noon.

Since I knew that most of you were scattered all over the country and world, I had a Sugar pal put together a video with some footage from the day. It was definitely a lot of fun, and I encourage all of you to think about building your own parks next year!

Cool Idea: Park(ing) Day Is Dog-Friendly

casasugar — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 16:00:44 -0700

To get you excited for this Friday's Park(ing) Day park, I thought I'd bring you some cute photos from Park(ing) Day in St. Louis. Of course, I think what really takes this park over the top is the adorable cattle dog. Good thing the CasaSugar Sweet Spot Park will look even sweeter thanks to the presence of the Oz-Dog. Are you going to visit any Park(ing) Day parks in your town? To see if your town is throwing a Park(ing) Day event, check here.

Source

Casa Verde: Advice From a DIY Bride

casasugar — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 07:45:21 -0700

As many of you know, I got married in August, and took it upon myself to throw a wedding that was as DIY and green as possible. To see some of my tips for throwing your own green or DIY wedding (or big party, for that matter), check out the slideshow.

Casa Verde: Ronald McDonald House Goes Green

casasugar — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:00:20 -0700

While I may have some criticisms of LEED, the USGBC green building program, there's no question that the program is an important step in the right direction. Hopefully, thanks to green building guidelines and programs, green building will someday soon become a standard part of any construction project, and not an afterthought.

Austin, TX, has the oldest regional green building program in the country, with its Energy Star program established in 1985, and the green building program evolving from it six years later. Now, the city's Ronald McDonald House, which provides housing for families whose children are suffering from serious illnesses has been recognized for its new, healthy, and green building.

Austin is now home to the first green Ronald McDonald House in the world. It's also is the first building in Austin and only the third in the state of Texas to attain the highest level of green building recognition awarded by LEED — the Platinum certification.

To find out the green features of this house,

In the News: Green Architecture Has a Ways to Go

casasugar — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 06:15:17 -0700

Interested in getting the lowdown about green architecture? Then I suggest you read the Newsweek article, "The Bad News About Green Architecture." For a good while now, the reporting of green architecture practices has been nothing less than greenwashed, and I've been waiting for a mainstream publication to address our country's problem with its perception and definition of "green" architecture. In "The Bad News About Green Architecture," writer Cathleen McGuigan points out that "LEED rating" is an over-trumpeted catch phrase these days ("more than 16,000 projects are now registered with the U.S. Green Building Council as intending to go for a LEED certification"), and LEED isn't stringent enough with its awards — a long-held truth.
But more importantly, she stresses that building green if you're building big (i.e. McMansions), or unnecessarily, isn't green at all. There are various plans to build green resorts in Las Vegas, including the 8.3-million-square-foot Palazzo Resort Hotel and Casino, likely motivated by the tax rebates that come with passing LEED certification. While that makes a great talking point in local papers, it still takes "tons of jet fuel that will be used to deliver millions more tourists to Vegas each year," and countless un-green materials to keep the place up and running once it's built. To hear more of my thoughts,

What's the Carbon Footprint For McCain's Mansions?

casasugar — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 10:00:03 -0700

You might remember that presidential candidate John McCain couldn't recall how many homes he owned. Given that, he probably doesn't know what the carbon footprint of these homes is either. Can you guess? Source

In the News: Grad Student Bakes Green Power in Pizza Oven

casasugar — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 07:00:48 -0700

One of the main reasons that green power hasn't taken off is its high price tag, but Australian PhD candidate Nicole Kuepper may be changing that. This green-thinking student has discovered a way to produce solar cells using a pizza oven, nail polish, and ink jet printers.

According to the The Sydney Morning Herald:

Ms Kuepper realised a new approach would be needed if affordable cells were to be made on site in poorer countries: "What started off as a brainstorming session has resulted in the iJET cell concept that uses low-cost and low-temperature processes, such as ink-jet printing and pizza ovens, to manufacture solar cells."

While it could take five years to commercialise the patented technology, providing renewable energy to homes in some of the least developed countries would enable people to "read at night, keep informed about the world through radio and television and refrigerate life-saving vaccines". And it would also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The inspiring Kuepper was awarded the British Council Eureka Prize for Young Leaders in Environmental Issues and Climate Change for her solar power development, as well as a $10,000 study tour to Britain. I'm always proud of girl geeks, and since women are underrepresented in the sciences, I am doubly impressed by this young inventor. Congratulations, Nicole!
Source

Casa Verde: Emily Deschanel's Eco Finds

casasugar — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 06:15:14 -0700

Actress Emily Deschanel recently shared her favorite eco home finds with Green With Glamour. A staunch supporter of animal welfare, women's rights, and environmental causes, Deschanel also has impeccable taste when it comes to eco interiors. Check out the slideshow for the products she shared with Green With Glamour. Source and Source

Casa Verde: Hexayurt for Temporary Shelter

casasugar — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:00:32 -0700

I love to find examples of good design that's working for a good cause. In the case of designer Vinay Gupta's Hexayurt, those two elements are definitely present. The Hexayurt is, in Gupta's words, a "microbuilding." Gupta's design is a small, strong, and economic structure that can be erected in about two hours, and is made from easily accessible materials such as insulation board, plastic, and cardboard. The Hexayurt has a high R-value, which means that it is relatively comfortable in high and low temperatures.

Gupta's designs for the Hexayurt are in the public domain, which means that they are available for free download. While the Hexayurt was originally envisioned as a refugee shelter, it's recently gained popularity at campsites at the desert festival Burning Man.

To see a video explaining the Hexayurt,

How-To: Ten Household Uses For White Vinegar

casasugar — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 07:00:26 -0700

Not so long ago, I told you about some of the ways you can use baking soda around your house. Now, I've got some great uses for another eco-friendly product: white vinegar. Not only is white vinegar eco, it's also cheap: You can buy a gallon of white vinegar for less than $3.

The word "vinegar" is from the French term vin aigre, meaning "sour wine." White vinegar is made from allowing a distilled alcohol, like white wine, vodka, or gin, to oxidize. This changes the chemical components of the alcohol, making it more sour, but also more useful.

To find out how you can use white vinegar for your household cleaning,