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Entries from December 1, 2006 - January 1, 2007
"Rustle the Leaf" Environmental Comics
A preacher once said that he used humor in his sermons in the hopes that he could slip a spoonful of truth in when folks opened their mouths in laughter. Environmentalism is a topic that benefits from such a strategy. "Rustle the Leaf" Environmental Comics serves the purpose well by using humor to convey a serious message that tends to polarize people, which their "10 Words" slogan addresses (pictured above left).
The strip has received many accolades. As one fan wrote, "We are delighted with the strip and the characters---important points are powerfully driven home, and with cuteness! Who woulda thunk it?"
I am delighted to feature the strip on my site in the hopes it'll empower a few eco-evangelists out there in spreading the message.
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Print2007 Goals: save money on energy bills and get back money from IRS
2007 is the year for homeowners to take advantage of IRS tax credits by upgrading their homes using qualified energy-efficient products placed into service by Dec. 31, 2007.
Federal tax credits for energy efficiency range from $2000 for solar panels and solar hot water heaters to $500 for many types of home improvements including adding insulation, replacement windows, and certain high efficiency heating and cooling equipment (see chart).
A tax credit can provide significant savings. It reduces the amount of income tax you have to pay. Unlike a deduction, which reduces the amount of income subject to tax, a tax credit directly reduces the tax itself.
Add to the tax credit the energy bill savings and you can see the incentive for adding a New Year Resolution to your list.
Knowing where to start with green renovations is the key. Some houses will benefit from more insulation, while others might need new windows or a new HVAC system. Every home is unique so it's important to engage a qualified energy inspector. My partners at The Hoots Group can assist with your home performance evaluation. You can also visit Southface's Home Performance page for help in finding a local qualified energy inspector for the Atlanta area.
I'm dreaming of a Green Christmas...
For the last several years it has been a custom for my family to visit one of the local Christmas Tree farms near our home in Hampton, Georgia and cut a live Christmas tree. Although this might not seem the most eco-friendly option, it actually is, since the farms plant two to three new trees on average for every one that is cut. Of course, "Plant a Tree" is on too many "Save the Planet" lists to count, but I confess to feeling melancholy every time I take the dead, dry tree to the recycling center every year. And, especially in this age of climate crisis, it just seems out of harmony with the season to cut down a perfectly good, oxygen-producing, CO2 absorbing organism. It's also ironic that this annual tree sacrifice has become central to the observance of Jesus' birthday when you consider that Abraham, father of the faith, planted a desert evergreen as an act of worship.
Of course the greenest option would be to not buy a tree at all, but it would be easier to nail Jell-O to a tree than tamper with that tradition. Artificial trees are also out due to fact that they are typically made of PVC, one of the most hazardous consumer products ever created.
So this year we bought a live tree with a root ball which we'll plant after the holidays. We simply plunked the tree down in a Number 2 galvanized wash tub for the brief stay in our living room (that's my daughter April with her dog Sugar in the photo with the tree). An unpredicted fringe benefit: it was the easiest tree to stand straight in my history of putting up Christmas trees and a Falcons Linebacker couldn't knock it over.
By planting our live Christmas tree we'll give a gift back to Earth by off-setting our carbon-footprint by 2000 lbs. of CO2 per year!
Burke Sisco
We planted our Christmas tree in my Sister-in-Law's back yard on Dec. 27. It was definitely more work that chunking a dead tree but it was worth it to win the "inner struggle to do that which we know we should vs. doing that which is easier, less challenging, less noble" (thanks, Dave Ponce of "Rustle the Leaf").
I'm happy to report that as of today the tree is doing fine and seems to be taking well to it's new home...
Exemplary EcoHome near East Lake MARTA Station
If there's anyone who deserves the title "EcoHome Guy", it's David Southerland. His home at 156 Mellrich Avenue stands as a model of best practices for sustainable, energy-efficient, environmentally-friendly Intown Atlanta living. His website on the home is so informative and educational that I've included it as a permanent resource link for this blog.
His home taps heavily into the principles of Southface's Earthcraft® green-building program and the Not So Big® philosophy.
The home is packed with sustainable and environmental technologies including:
- Low VOC paints and carpets
- On-demand hot water heater and energy-efficient appliances
- Solar lighting tubes and super energy-efficient windows
- Foam insulation
- Grey- and rainwater cistern
- Xeriscaping
The list could go on. Visit David's site for more details.
The thing that truly puts the home at the pinnacle of sustainability, in my opinion, is that it is also location-efficient. As you may know, I am a big proponent of trail- and transit-oriented living (as the title to this post attests) and have a blog devoted exclusively to the lifestyle. David understands that the "home is a system -- within a system" and sought just the right infill lot that would be within 1/4 mile of a MARTA Station, thereby empowering him to use bike and/or transit for more of his transportation needs.
As David puts it so eloquently, "156 Mellrich has been designed to be an innovative, groundbreaking house, utlizing many different techologies together in ways that yield a cumulative total benefit bigger than they would have measured alone."
Nuff said. You da EcoHome Man, David!
