Blog
A Minneapolis Net Zero Victorian Home?
This one-hundred-year old home in Minneapolis was remodeled to be net zero, meaning it produces as much energy as it consumes over the course of a year. Truly a role model for what can be done--and needs to be done--for our existing building stock.
7 Last Minute Sustainable Gift Ideas
Everyone knows when the holidays are coming, just like every year we know when taxes are due--yet somehow many of us wait until the last minute to take care of these things. Here's an article I wrote for Rise to help readers with some unique ideas for gift giving this...
Do Single Use Plastic Bans Make a Difference?
My from the Editor article for Rise, about our office's single use ban on plastics. Some people think it doesn't make a difference...read on!
Sustainable Home Gift Guide
In the spirit of the holiday season, it's a great time of year to think about gifts for the home. Here's the Sustainable Home Gift Guide, which includes 12 unique ideas for a holiday gift. I wrote it for Rise and we published today, because it's 12 days until...
Most Inspiring Net Zero Energy Home
I had the honor of visiting with Mark and Kate Hanson and touring their home and gardens earlier this year. Here's the story I wrote about their inspirational home and site--and how it serves their community in Roseville, Minnesota.
GreenBuild Expo 2018: Highlights and Lowlights
I attended the world's largest gathering of green building experts in mid-November. Here are my thoughts about it in my From the Editor column for Rise.
Cleaning Products for a Healthy Home
Excerpted from my book and re-published by Mother Earth News. Keeping a clean home and a healthy home should go hand in hand; learn how to skip the harsh chemicals while still getting a powerful clean.
How I Became the Editor for Rise
Rise (www.buildwithrise.com) is a website devoted to helping homeowners turn any home improvement project into a sustainable one. Based in Canada, its Founder, Matt Daigle, found me because he was searching on the Internet for a book on sustainable homes. Mine hadn't...
What You Didn’t Know About Your Floors: The Surprising Truth Behind Carpets and Hardwoods
Written for House Method. Even though hardwoods are thought to be safer and cleaner than carpet, they may not be as safe as you think. We reviewed the health implications of carpets and hardwoods and talked to a few allergy experts about which flooring type is better...
Healthy Home Tip #6: Look for No- and Low-VOC paints, sealants, adhesives and coatings
You know that new paint smell? Does it every give you a headache or irritate your sinuses? That’s because most paints contain VOCs – volatile organic compounds. VOCs are a class of carbon-based compounds that readily become volatile under ordinary atmospheric...
Healthy Home Tip #5: Do Not Use Antibacterial Products
Why do we use anti-bacterial soaps and cleaners? Because we are all basically germophobes, and we believe that using these types of cleaners will help keep our families healthy. Antibacterial products have taken off in the market place, primarily due to advertising...
Healthy Home Tip #4: Make your own household cleaner
Let’s start with the obvious question: what is wrong with household cleaners? The big picture answer, which will span the rest of the tips in this Season, is that there are at least 83,000 chemicals on the market today, and for the most part they are not well...
Photo credit: Paul Crosby