“Going Green” column published in Spirit Seeker magazine
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….
We’ve all heard the adage “You are what you eat.” As we acknowledge and embrace the truth of this assertion, many of us are starting to take a closer look at what we put into our bodies. Whether you’re exploring fresh foods, raw foods, organic foods, or simply more natural foods that haven’t had all…
On the eve after April Fool’s Day, all of the green people in St. Louis made a lunar landing on the Moonrise Hotel on The Delmar Loop . While this sounds like science fiction, the Green Ball was the place to “celebrate the earth under the moon.” The event raised thousands of dollars for the…
Geothermal heating and cooling systems are becoming increasingly common as a smart way to heat and cool buildings. The big reason for this is a 30 percent federal tax credit that effectively reduces the cost by that much. They’re not for everyone, but according to the EPA, geothermal systems are “the most energy efficient, environmentally…
Honey bees may seem mildly threatening on a summer day, but for the most part they just go about their business and leave us alone. The interesting thing is that their business is big business, involving not just honey production but pollination of about $15 billion in crops each year, representing a third of our…
