“Going Green” column published in Spirit Seeker magazine
Each day, as the sun rises and travels across the sky, an immense amount of energy is lavished on our planet. An oft-cited statistic is that more solar energy falls on the earth in one hour than what is used by the entire population in a year. In fact, most (almost half) of this energy…
Back in the early 80’s, I wrote a term paper on integrated control systems for the home. At the time, this was leading edge technology that promised the ability to program thermostats, security, lights and appliances, and control these devices remotely. Since then, much of this has become an affordable reality. Programmable thermostats are about…
With the holiday season upon us, you might be thinking about more eco-friendly gifts to give this year. You can head to the mall or Walmart and certainly find any number of possibilities, or you could make the shopping trip a unique experience that rewards you, the giver, as much as the recipient. It’s always…
What if every single act of design and construction made the world a better place? That’s the fundamental question posed by the International Living Building Institute, which created a new building standard that seeks to promote true sustainability in the world’s built environment. When the leaders of Washington University’s Tyson Research Center in Eureka started…
I remember as a child the commercial about a popular glass-cleaner encouraging the viewer to “bring all the sun in.” There is an energizing feeling to have bright, natural daylight pouring into a room. While dark, quiet spaces may have their place, a well-lit room is an inviting space to work and play. Studies in…
The feeling of fresh, warm water on your face in the morning shower is soothing, refreshing and invigorating. The feeling of sunshine on your shoulders is equally therapeutic – in modest doses of course. Imagine combining these two to naturally warm water with sunshine, and you have a match made in heaven. We’ve actually been…
Did you know that in the average home, about half of the energy consumed is wasted? There are a number of contributors to this phenomenon, including inefficient lighting & appliances and bad habits, but the main culprit is the shell of your home. Your biggest energy expense it heating and cooling your home, so the…
Since most of us spend an average of 90 percent of our time indoors, it’s important to create a healthy environment in which to live. While we may not have enough control or influence over our work environment, we can certainly make healthier decisions about our homes. Many newer homes are built much “tighter” than…
The traditional incandescent light bulb has long been a symbol for an idea, as in “when the light goes on.” Since Thomas Edison invented the incandescent light bulb in 1879, this technology has become the dominant standard for electric lighting. The filaments in the bulbs are heated to incandescence by an electric current, which is…
Rain garden in St. Stephen’s Lake Park in Columbia, MO (Photo courtesy of Steve Johnson, Executive Director of the Missouri River Communities Network) Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone? They paved paradise, and put up a parking lot! Joni Mitchell warned us years ago about…
