The past few months we’ve been exploring different opportunities to embrace sustainability. We examined a number of trendsetting advances in Germany that can be applauded and built upon, including an energy independent community and an ultra-efficient home that produces enough energy to also charge an electric vehicle. One thing that many Americans have come to…
Sustainability is generally defined as “meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.” Our abundant fossil fuel resources have been an enormous energy reserve that we’ve been able to use to build and grow with, and yet we have to recognize the finite nature of those fuels. Debates may…
Germany is once again leading the world toward a more sustainable future, introducing an ultra-efficient home capable of producing twice as much energy as it consumes. The surplus energy can be used to charge an electric vehicle, or be exported to the grid. The house was designed by a team lead by Professor Werner Sobek…
It’s exciting to see more and more people embracing sustainability. St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay recently demonstrated leadership in the area by convening a Sustainability Summit December 6-7 at the Missouri Botanical Garden and the Missouri History Museum. The event brought both experts and interested citizens together to discuss their ideas and formulate a plan. …
The Energize Missouri Homes program, made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, was introduced last year to offer significant financial incentives to improve your home’s energy efficiency. This included energy audits, insulation and air sealing, and heating and cooling upgrades. These improvements save you money on…
Imagine the days when, if you needed hot water, you put a kettle or pot (or several of each) on the stove and heated as much water as you needed. Of course, you may also have needed to add some fuel to the fire, assuming it was already going. I suspect this was a strong…
With evidence of climate change becoming more prevalent, there is a growing awareness and desire to reduce our “carbon footprint.” While there continues to be debate in the mainstream about the cause and effects of climate change, the scientific community is overwhelmingly undivided on the subject. In America, buildings are responsible for about 39% of…
When GM recalled all of their leased EV1 electric cars in 2002, there was quite a bit of speculation about the conspiracy that killed the electric car. Many owners begged to keep their vehicles, but had no choice but to surrender them to GM to be crushed or put in a museum. This fall, we’ll…
The sun continues to rise in Missouri! Since 2008, when Missouri voters passed the Renewable Energy Standard by a 2 to 1 margin, the solar industry has been growing rapidly across the state. This citizen initiative created a rebate program that requires investor-owned utilities like Ameren and KCP&L to pay a $2 per watt rebate…
Last week, my 11-year-old daughter surprised my wife and me in a store with a handful of seed packets. “Let’s grow our own vegetables this year!” My mind raced in the moment, excited about the fact that this child, who we have a tough time getting to eat her vegetables, actually wanted to grow some….
