energy

Green Products and ROI

By Walker Wells / On October 14th, 2008

Financing isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you here the term green building. Instead it's usually solar panels, bamboo flooring, or a piece of plumbing equipment you're not sure you really want to understand. But just like other building materials, green products cost money. What makes them different is that green products typically provide a greater return on investment than conventional products.

Building the Green Community Around the Green Building

By Walker Wells / On October 7th, 2008

So, you're approaching green as part of your mission, you're using the integrated design process, and you've tweaked the financing structure to cover the added costs. Voila! A solid green project, right? No quite. There's one more, often ignored, element needed to guarantee the long-term success of a green affordable housing project.

Cap, Baby, Cap

By [node:field_contributor] / On September 5th, 2008

Political conventions are largely mass entertainment for the party faithful, punctuated by self-serving interpretations of both current events and history. Like summer big-budget movies, this year's Democratic and Republican sequels were replete with familiar heroes and villains, funny costumes, and predictable dialogue. But instead of "I'll be back" or "Make my day", this year's installments will be remembered for a punchline of a different kind — "drill, baby, drill."

McCain and Palin's Environmental Policies

By [node:field_contributor] / On September 2nd, 2008

"I beg to disagree with any candidate who would say we can't drill our way out of our problem," says Alaska Governor Sarah Palin - What his VP pick says about McCain's environmental policy

800 Million Brains

By [node:field_contributor] / On July 28th, 2008

A Harvard economist, Edward Glaeser, reviewed The Dominant Animal in the right-wing newspaper The New York Sun. Mixed in with some praise (and some not unreasonable criticism) was the following statement:

Low tech better than high efficiency?

By [node:field_contributor] / On July 24th, 2008

Last week we returned to Comanche Creek. As I explain in the book, Comanche is the site of a long-running restoration project aimed at improving the habitat for the struggling Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout. It employs an innovative in-stream restoration methodology developed by Bill Zeedyk which protects eroding stream banks through the use of sticks and rocks - and not much else.

What We Know Now

By [node:field_contributor] / On June 19th, 2008

Unintended consequences. Do we wish we knew then what we know now? I encounter the phrases often while investigating environmental and health impacts of the materials that go into consumer products. News this week reminded me why it’s time to retire these crutches, take a close look at history and consider the big picture as we try to solve our biggest environmental problems.

And Then There Were Two

By [node:field_contributor] / On June 18th, 2008

Yes, it finally happened. We’re down to two in the race. The others have dropped out, the final holdout brushed aside and the main event begins. Of course I’m talking about the NBA finals. Great east-west rivalry with two teams that have very different DNA and game plans. Sounds a bit like the Presidential race, but whatever your “home team,” let me offer some advice to the next President no matter whose jersey he wears.

The Malthus Question, Starting with Bob

By [node:field_contributor] / On May 11th, 2008

In last week’s blog post, I promised to wrestle with the time-honored Malthus Question: Does population growth outrun food supply? The old question is coming back as soaring food prices spark discontent, bread lines, and even riots around the world. I’ll try to answer this question decisively in the next 400 words.

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