According to Andrew Brunning, former Junior Partner and National Account Manager at National LED Direct, CFLs are inefficient as light sources, in part because of the power factor, which is the ratio of real power to apparent power within an electrical circuit. Power utilities only charge for real power consumption, but “apparent” power (energy that gets lost in the distribution system as current flows back to the load) also draws energy from the grid. CFLs suck almost 50% more current from the grid than incandescent lights, due to their additional apparent power usage. And even though residential customers are not charged for apparent power usage at time of posting, this could change. “I feel that, as more people switch to CFLs, there will be more and more of a combined strain on the power grid,” Brunning says. If enough people were to make the move to CFLs, power utilities may start charging for this additional apparent power usage.

Some major airlines in the USA have been changing fluorescent cabin lighting to LEDs, because of the 2-3X spike in amperage that CFLs draw when turned on, which consumes extra power and fuel. This and other similar discoveries have led some to believe that CFL surges cause the bulbs to draw significantly more energy than other light bulbs, although evidence shows this increase to be negligible or non-existent.

According to Brunning, CFLs are troublesome when installed in rooms where the lights get switched on and off regularly, because the built-in electronics quickly wear out. Since the bulbs are only rated for a certain number of on-and-off surges, with repeated use they have a short lifespan.

When accounting for a CFL’s entire life cycle, another problem presents itself—disposal. Compact fluorescents contain mercury, plastic and lead, and the glass is coated with phosphorus. Recycling them with other standard recyclables is not an option. At some point, cleaning up this heavy metal and plastic mess will take loads of energy, presenting yet another problem for future generations to take care of.

CFLs work less efficiently in extreme temperatures, too. For most home applications this isn’t a concern, but if using high wattage CFLs in recessed fixtures, the bulbs can cause a buildup of heat too great for the bulbs to handle. Compact fluorescents are also sensitive to vibrations. If used in applications such as garage door openers and ceiling fans, they will fail more quickly than other options. Of course, the quicker a bulb goes out, the quicker you have to replace it. And since CFLs require more energy to manufacture than incandescent lights, they should have a longer life to be considered efficient.

Looking beyond energy efficiency, CFLs present health hazards due to their production of dirty electricity; high frequency transient spikes in the electrical current that have up to 2,500 times more energy than a typical 60 Hz electrical signal. According to the research done by Trent University professor Dr. Magda Havas, people with diabetes who were exposed to dirty electricity experienced raised blood sugar levels. When placed in a cleaner environment, their blood sugar dropped. It was also shown through testing that patients with multiple sclerosis have worse neurological symptoms when exposed to dirty electricity, and asthmatics can experience worsening symptoms.

You get what you pay for. While CFLs may be cheap, they don’t live up to the energy-efficiency hype. They are not much more than a bridge technology, filling the gap between incandescent lights and LEDs. LEDs are a truly energy-efficient option. Their lifespan is about four to eight times that of a CFL. They use half the power of compact fluorescents, are mercury-free, produce half the CO² emissions, and do not emit harmful EMF radiation. With prices dropping and the technology improving, LEDs are the best bet for those wanting to improve their home’s energy efficiency.

Clean, fresh food is great, but locavores also create jobs and pump fresh revenue streams into rural and ailing economies. The long-term implications are buoyed by a proactive, natural flow of resources not tethered to bailouts and band-aid subsidies.

Taking food from local farm to local table chokes the harmful effects long-haul distribution places on the environment. Less flying, driving, fuel – and preservatives – also make for a better product. Restaurateurs can serve zucchini picked that morning by a trusted source. Buying local can feel good and taste better, but the locavore movement’s economic impact on local communities may be the best part.

Where to Find Local Food

Traditional green pastures like King County in Seattle are flush with farmers’ markets, farm-to-table restaurants and discriminating buyers. King County farmers’ markets are pulling in an estimated $30 million annually, and city blocks of locally grown food turn open-air markets into churches and nightclubs – hubs for civic engagement.

Business development types from other cities targeting new growth engines should use Seattle as a blueprint. Entrepreneurs could bump into a winning business plan in King County while out getting a cup of coffee. Although lumped with other renewable initiatives, both ends of the political spectrum agree on clean, fresh food as an economic driver.

Reach and adoption shine a bright light on local food, too. Seattle makes the perfect test market for anything eco-friendly. But the locavore movement enjoys universal appeal, spreading to areas without a Prius population.

Cleveland, anchoring the Rust Belt and ranked the third “least green” city in the U.S. by “The Atlantic,” allows landowners to grow squash and raise chickens without a permit. Computer programmers are becoming farmers and Cleveland policymakers tagged local food as an economic savior. With unemployment in Cleveland at a two-year low, is the bump in local food a coincidence?

Seattle and Cleveland make strange bedfellows, yet both reap the health, communal and monetary benefits of local farming. What about your city? With demand and support present, what would stop a suburban quarter-acre backyard from becoming a turnip factory for downtown restaurants?

What is driving the locavore movement. And, what challenges face thriving local food systems and communities curious about boosting their bottom line. Decades of nationwide and global food distribution networks must be broken. Numbers must back up claims of local economic boons. Reigning philosophies and academic theories clash, pitting localism against globalism. What about political backing? Or do growing farms, co-ops and other NGOs even need subsidization. All of these questions are making me hungry. So let us examine what makes local food so appetizing.

Why Local Food is Better

Local food travels better. Getting from farm to table fast locks in both taste and nutrients. Food targeted for a local distribution loop requires fewer chemicals and additives – less processing, healthier returns. Urban, and other micro-farm concepts usually break ground with sustainable practices producing organic products.

Buyers note the relationships built with local growers forge a unique bond: trust and awareness. You know where your food is coming from. Micro-farmers often sell door to door and restaurant buyers can visit farms to sample the merchandise.

Local food builds community. Ever been to a farmers’ market? The experience does not look or feel like a trip to the supermarket. Yes, you take home food. But you also take home some food science, civic pride and maybe a few new friends.

Local food is eco-friendly. Food can travel 2,500 miles to get to your plate. Communities like Boulder County in Colorado are measuring “food miles,” buying agricultural land for preservation and sustenance. More farmland means fewer developments, and farmers tend to be more sustainable than developers.

A local food system becomes a strategy to reduce a city’s carbon footprint. Community investment in local farming also hedges against volatile oil and food prices.

Why Local Food is Good Business

Michael Shuman, a Stanford-bred business-development specialist, is a champion of local food systems and has uncovered some shocking statistics supporting the locavore movement. According to Shuman, local food is cheaper and producers are scaling operations fast. Under the current global system, 73 cents of every dollar spent on food goes to production, distribution and advertisement. The farmer pockets seven cents.

Buy local and start flipping that equation. More money for the producer, and more room for competitive pricing. And with the average U.S. metropolitan area growing less than 5 percent of what they eat, local food screams opportunity.

Shuman completed studies on Cleveland, Detroit and New Mexico, quantifying the economic impact localized food can make on a community. What if Cleveland produced 25 percent more of its food locally? A seismic shift occurs: $4.2 billion in revenues, $125 million in taxes, and 27,000 new jobs. No wonder Clevelanders are tilling their backyards. Shuman’s work is in high demand. Baltimore and Florida want him to work similar magic – a one-man stimulus package for a jagged U.S. economy.

But Mr. Shuman, we have been applauding Walmart’s sustainable initiatives for years and aren’t they sourcing food locally? According to Shuman’s work with the Community Food Enterprise (CFE), a nonprofit partially funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, local businesses keep dollars in local circulation, stick around longer, and have a higher obligation to the community at large.

And, his theories apply to developing countries forced to export the bulk of what they produce. So both proximity and ownership matter, and several interesting business models are proving localism goes well with food, making Shuman’s thinking enlightened and capitalist – not just old-world nostalgia.

New Models for Old Business

Community-Supported Agriculture – The U.S. stole subscription farming from Switzerland and Japan. The concept delivers weekly supplies of fresh produce from local farms, guaranteeing cash flow for the producer and healthy, seasonal food for the subscriber. Subscribers pay in advance. Buyers build both business and community ties with local farmers, while taking the labor and guesswork out of shopping.

Food Co-ops – The Oklahoma Food Cooperative took local food distribution digital, with a website linking growers to buyers. A statewide network mobilizes delivery of thousands of products to established locations each month. The supply chain gets squeezed and farmers can focus on what they do best. Although still in its infancy, the co-op model has spread to five other states, including Canada.

Farm to Order – Larger farms unable to compete on a global scale for commodity crops like corn and wheat have reimagined their businesses as niche providers for local restaurants. Harvest based on demand. Whether growing heirloom vegetables or trendy ingredients, this model works best without a middleman – sell direct.

Enter the USDA

A grassroots, independent streak runs through most of the locavore movement. But the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has admired local food from afar. Not jumping on the bandwagon, but issuing a reminder in 2009 that $1.24 billion of grant and loan money, earmarked for rural governments and nonprofits, is gathering dust in their coffers. Always looking for new ways to revitalize the U.S. agriculture base, the government sees huge potential in developing local food systems.

The notion of cutting time and distance from farm to table is not revolutionary. Still an institution in Europe, and a former pillar of rural America, sourcing food locally from trusted sources got lost along the way to a flatter world, a global economy. But the prospects in the U.S. for job growth, better food and a cleaner environment become impossible to miss.

“Buy Fresh, Buy Local.”

How would you define green investing?

A fair definition would be any business model that improves the environment in some way.

Given the focus of your fund, why do you think there is a need for green investing?

We’re currently facing headwinds in terms of resource constraints. Those are real. Resource prices are telling us that we’ve hit those constraints. And so right now, unlike any other time in the past, green investing has a real economic benefit. Carbon continues to stall. It just feels like we can’t get the will on a global basis to get this on the table. But that all aside, the real question is how much economic value are we losing by degrading environmental resources at such a fast rate and trying to find in our capitalist model a price for that. The fact that the economics are telling us that we need to be environmentally conscious. That I think is a watershed moment for green investing.

Does green investing go beyond cleantech?

This is where everyone’s definitions change. I think of the umbrella in four different areas. The largest is resource efficiency—broadly defined as technologies or processes that enable economic functions to be done in a less resource intensive manner. It doesn’t have the glamor content to it, but as I found it, the less glamor, the more exciting the investment opportunity. It’s about the little things all adding up.

Then I would classify alternative energy on its own. Here is where you have the winds, the solars, and you’d also have things related to battery technology that would replace today’s current combustion engine. Then there’s the water spectrum, in terms of global clean water and water resource efficiency. Finally, healthy living, which I’d categorize as organics. I’m sure I’m missing a couple, but I think that most green investments can be categorized under any one of those categories.

How will carbon trading impact green investments in the future?

I had a lot of hope for carbon investing but I’m resolved to the fact that it’s not going to happen. That makes me sad, but I almost have to deal with it and move on. Utimately, Europe is not going to stand alone on carbon trading unless America comes on and America doesn’t have the will right now unless China and India make big concessions. If you hate bureaucracy and all that politics is, this is the epitome of it. We still need to move forward on that front, but I think it’s going to be trickier.

How about down the road in the far future?

Carbon was going to be used as a tool to incentive other forms of production that currently can’t be incentivized because they can’t reach that scale. Technological innovation requires an increase in quantity. Ultimately, the greater output you’re producing, the lower marginal costs you’ll get. The problem with clean technology in a lot of areas is chicken and egg. You can’t get the scale because it’s uneconomic at today’s prices. So you never get the scale and you never get lower costs. So what carbon was enabling was a circuit breaker in the sense of let’s get these guys economical and let’s push the cost curve down. Solar is the best example of that. Though it’s not carbon so much as countries enabling solar tariffs for installing solar, but costs since 1997 to today have fallen 50% and they’re projected to fall another 50% in the next five years.

What is the current state of green investing in North America?

Troubled. I want to have a better perspective on it, but I’d say completely troubled. In America, in terms of where the political discourse is right now, the consensus is that it is toxic. You’ve got a democratic group and a republican group that are nowhere near coming to a consensus, nor is there even the opportunity for them to come to a consensus. It’s almost like you’re dealing with two different churches or schools of thought that don’t even want to see eye to eye. In my view that’s a toxic environment in terms of getting clean initiatives through. On one side of the argument, the republicans have framed it that cleantech is part of the fat of the government. With the tea party, this whole free market fundamentalism has really taken hold in America. George Soros writes so eloquently about this and given that he’s such a wealthy person and he derides this concept so much, you really just get an idea. To coin Che Guevara it really is, “a free fox among chickens.” So not only are the poor marginalized in this whole free market fundamentalist scene, but the environment is marginalized as well.

What about Europe?

Slightly less troubled than America. America is troubled for philosophical reasons. And Europe has philosophical unity in terms of understanding the overall need and where it has to go, but their problems are completely economic. The economic malaise, to put it lightly, which teeters on economic paralysis, can never be good for clean tech. To be totally blunt, clean technology still requires some form of subsidization or incentivization at the current point. If you’ve got countries, not just companies, that are potentially going to go bankrupt it’s going to be tricky.

Are there any growing markets you are keeping an eye on?

Anything to do with energy storage. Longer term I’m very bullish on anything that will replace petroleum. Lithium and copper are probably the most interesting for me.

So if you were to bet on any horse in the cleantech race, where would you put your money?

If it’s just in terms of market share, I think it’s going to be a very close tie between some form of hybrid battery technology or electrification of vehicles and solar technology. It will really depend ultimately on what the price of oil is.

Realistically speaking, I think the biggest winner in cleantech is copper. From an investment perspective, I think it makes a lot of sense. Some recyclers such as Unicor in Belgium are fantastic. We’re going to need every ounce of this stuff. The technology aspect can’t be underplayed. Technology requires connectivity and the connectivity is currently driven by the only cost effective metal we know—copper.

Are there any particular companies you’re interested in?

I like pretty boring things. I like LKQ. They’re the largest auto parts recycler in the United States. Currently today in automobiles, recycled parts represent less than 10% of the overall replacements. In the trucking industry, recycled auto parts represent over 50% of the auto parts. So for me there’s a huge opportunity gap. People often say, “that’s amazing technology, tell me more.” Refrain from the whole technophile thing. The benefits for the environment with an investment such as this are multifold.

Piaggio, I love the whole scooter thing. I think these kind of bridge technologies make so much sense. Also, natural gas vehicles. That’s one area where the convergence of economics really plays a part. Since natural gas today is much cheaper than oil, the dollar per MMBTU for natural gas offers so much more value than oil. And it can reduce emissions by over 20%. So you’re getting a cost decrease of upwards of 20-30% and you’re reducing emissions by 20-30%.

For the average investor, how would you suggest balancing their portfolio with green investments?

I suggest first measuring your risk tolerance and getting a good gauge of your downside. Talk to a good financial planner to get that gauge. That planner can help you understand how risky cleantech funds and assets are relative to more mainstream investments and from there you can make the risk return tradeoff in terms of how much you can handle. It all comes down to risk tolerance and clean tech is highly risky, I can’t stress that enough.

SOLAR POWER 

As long as you own a home and qualify, a third party provider such as REC Solar will enter into a contract with you to install and maintain a PV system on your property at no cost. Under a solar power purchase agreement (SPPA) they own the panels and charge you a set rate for the electricity that their system generates. A solar lease is the same except you pay a fixed monthly rate to rent the system regardless of how much power your panels produce.

Pros:

Free – First and foremost, the greatest benefit to leasing is not having to pay the substantial upfront costs of purchasing and installing a solar PV system (aside from possibly paying a small installation cost). But, is it really yours? No. You can’t say you actually own it, but should you generate the funds at some point in the future you may be able to buy the system from them.

Predictable pricing – The two most common pricing options under these arrangements are fixed price and fixed escalator. You could choose to lock in at a fixed rate, which may result in higher initial costs, but can save you in the long-term as electricity prices rise. The fixed escalator alternative translates to a lower initial cost, with slight annual increases. Either option means you can count on a predictable electricity rate for years to come.

Minimal concerns – You neither have to worry about your system not performing up to par nor concern yourself with the complicated permitting process and installation and maintenance headaches.

Cons:

Lack of ownership – You don’t actually own the system under this arrangement. And since it isn’t yours, you’re at the mercy of the contract and can’t do what you want with the panels.

Incentives – Government tax credits and rebates offered by utility companies go to the third party provider, not you.

Contracts – If you don’t like dealing with paperwork and signing contracts, this type of arrangement could cause aggravation.

Additional costs – Putting panels up on your home may raise your property taxes.

WIND

Green energy providers such as Bullfrog Power buy up electricity from wind farms and other renewable energy sources, then resell that electricity to you. You continue purchasing energy from your local utility and the provider uses your funds to add green energy to the grid. It’s a simple setup that doesn’t require much work at all on your part.

Pros:

Backing the right cause – By supporting green energy producers you not only increase their sales, which leads to more wind farms, but you avoid putting money into the pockets of coal, nuclear, and other dirty energy providers.

Easy – Making the switch is as simple as filling out a form that you can cancel at any time. If you cannot install a wind turbine on your property or if you just don’t like the idea of having one, this avoids the hassle.

No NIMBYs – Wind turbines have sadly been stigmatized as noisy eyesores. The not in my backyard factor stops many a wind turbine from ever spinning a blade. Going this route allows you to use wind energy without the headaches associated with putting up a turbine.

Cons:

Cost – Purchasing power from a green energy provider means that you’re still paying your regular energy bill as well as a premium to the green energy provider on top of that.

Invisible – People won’t know you’re powering your home by wind unless you tell them. Do you enjoy advocating on behalf of renewable energy? If so — and you don’t like openly advertising that you buy green energy — this may not be the choice for you. If, on the other hand, you like to stand on the soapbox and spin soliloquies about the benefits of green power, here’s your chance!

No sight to see – To some people, staring into a wind turbines’ spinning blades until they enter a trance is quite a thrill. Going this route means you won’t have your own turbine to look at, but you would be contributing to the building of turbines at a wind farm somewhere nearby.

The Microbial Home employs the permaculture design principle of self-sustainability; viewing the home as a biological filter which processes and recycles what would normally go out the door or down the pipes as waste. Some of the concepts — such as methane digestion — are not new or highly-advanced technology, as you could see them in the developing world, but Philips has added some high-tech bells and whistles to their conceptual design which inject a heavy dose of future shock.

City green-waste collection programs and backyard composting are great, but wouldn’t it be better if your waste never had to leave your house? The Microbial Home’s kitchen features an integrated chopping surface, waste grinder, and gas cooking range. Simply cut your veggies and scrape the refuse into the grinder. The refuse gets fed to a methane digester that breaks it down. The resulting biofuel is then pumped into the cooking range to cook your meal. It’s not exactly “instant trash to fuel”, but over time it’ll produce the fuel you need to cook — without it leaving the kitchen.

Now you can save water, exercise your bowels, and power your kitchen all at the same time, using the one-liter squatting flush toilet. This holy throne from the future channels excreta to the kitchen’s methane digester to add even more power to your cooking range. Sound gross? According to Philips “the [squatting flush toilet] provokes discussion and evaluation of toilet taboos and ablution habits.” Maybe we just need to talk about scat some more and we’ll realize that what goes in must go out. So why not let it go back to the kitchen from whence it came?

Beyond the environmental benefits, this toilet style and squatting will quickly become your bowel’s best buddy. Studies into toilet behavior reveal that those who squat have significantly less chance of getting colorectal cancer. Not to mention the fact that squatting opens up the bowels to a more natural evacuation position.

Forgot to add carrots to your salad? No problem — just reach down into the vegetable storage system built into the dining table and pluck one out. Using a twin-walled terra cotta evaporative cooler with varying wall thicknesses, the larder will keep foods with different storage needs fresh without refrigeration. “This concept shows how, without any recourse to energy-intensive or synthetic chemical technology, we can extend the shelf-life of our food,” Philips states on its website. “It has an educational effect, as it revives forgotten knowledge and techniques of storing and preparing food.” Indeed, people have been using root cellars for thousands of years to keep their foods fresh. This “futuristic” concept is really just a remembering of days past.

The Microbial Home also features a funky urban beehive which attaches to a window, letting you see the bees at work; a bio-lighting system that uses bioluminescent bacteria fed with methane and compost from the methane digester to provide low-intensity light; a super-futuristic health monitoring system which tracks your health by analyzing your scat, urine, and other bodily secretions while you go through your daily bathroom routine; and a plastic waste up-cycler that uses fungus to break down and metabolize heaps of plastic trash. It can even make mushrooms out of your plastic bags.

So the next time you bring a plastic bag into your house, think about its potential lifecycle in a Microbial Home: Eat mushroom – defecate – turn excreta into fuel – use fuel to power your kitchen – cook next plastic bag. Philips calls its conceptual design an exploration into “far-future lifestyle scenarios.” While it may seem a far way off, the idea of a self-sustainable ecosystem that uses one output to power the next input couldn’t be older — it’s been around since the beginning of time. It is just how nature always has and always will work.

Western Oregon University
Ackerman Hall, home to about 330 students of Western Oregon University, can not only brag about its green standing, it has the certification to prove it. In August of 2011, the dorm was awarded the LEED’s Platinum ranking from the U.S. Green Building Council, and is the first large-scale residence hall to do so. Its amenities include a rain water harvesting system used for toilet flushing, solar panels used to heat air and water, occupancy sensors which turn off lights when residents leave a room, and bathrooms fully equipped with low-flow water devices, including toilets and sinks. In addition, the dorm includes an outdoor courtyard, with a surface made from recycled glass which allows water to be absorbed into the soil. Green concerns were even noted during the building’s construction, as trees removed from the building site were later repurposed inside the dorm. Overall, Ackerman Hall uses only 25% of the water and 35% less electricity than average dorms of comparable size, and setting the bar for green dorms of the future.

Arizona State University
Students of Arizona State University have a unique opportunity in the Hassayampa Academic Village, as the university has made a green center suited uniquely for the climate of Phoenix. More than just a freshmen dorm, it also includes tutor centers and study lounges. To save energy, Hassayampa was built with reflective materials, especially the roof. Low-flow water equipment including toilets and faucets reduce water use by 40%. Lastly, the site was designed with native and drought resistant plants in mind. As such, these plants reduce the need for irrigation by 50%.

Unity College
Once completed, the TerraHaus at Unity College in Unity, Maine set a precedent as the first college residence in the US to be designated a passive home, using effective passive solar design and using 90% less energy than a standard code compliant building. 10 students of the college spend their time as residents educating and informing others to the benefits of the Terrahaus. Among its green auxilaries, the home is equipped with a solar heat pump instead of oil for heating and cooling, superinsulation, and three pane windows.

Emory
Emory University, a private research school in Atlanta, Georgia, is no newcomer to the circle of green colleges. In July of 2008, Emory was named to Princeton Review’s Green Honor Roll, based on the college’s transportation, waste management and energy sources, and with the completion of Evans and a Few Halls shortly after, their place is certainly cemented. A combined bed-count of 292 means more than a handful of incoming freshmen get the opportunity to live out the learning experience these dorms can offer. Both halls have solar capabilities for energy usage and employ a rainwater harvest system. Ultimately, these efforts have led to both dorms receiving a Gold LEED rating.

Pitzer College
The three newest dorms of Pitzer College, located in Southern California, have made national headlines for both their green efforts and the style they’ve been pulled off in. The key to the design of these dorms was simple, water. For this, drought tolerant landscaping and storm water recycling were the first step. The student-run organic gardens, cactus landscape and rooftop gardens both benefit the buildings and organically tie-in the structures to their surrounding mountain environment. The buildings themselves, each three stories tall, were built with recycled steel, carpeting, insulation and cement, and the rooftop is equipped with PV panels that generate 28,067 kilowatt hours of renewable energy annually.

Berea College
The EcoVillage holds a unique spot on this list as it exemplifies a truly green community. Though built with only 50 suites for student living (comparatively small to others on the list), the EcoVillage has far too many scholastic amenities to labeled a simple dorm. Instead, it seeks to be a completely green scholastic community, with a common house, a child development lab and a Sustainability and Environmental demonstration house, in addition to housing. With it’s green efforts, energy usage has dropped more than 75% in total and per capita water usage by 75% as well. These numbers have been accomplished with the use of PV panels, wind powered electric generators and passive solar design.

University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina’s West Quad, home to roughly 500 undergraduates, was built with a mission in mind – to prove that green dorms can be just as cost effective as traditional dormitories. The total cost of the building was $30.9 million, a figure comparable to other dorms its size, though using 45% less energy and 20% less water and built with recycled cement blocks, copper roofs and interior carpeting. Also included in that price tag is an outdoor amphitheater, a storm-water filtration and management system and a turf roof, which cools cools the building by absorbing heat and reducing rainwater runoff.

Plymouth State University
Plymouth State University in Plymouth, New Hampshire, has set a goal that in within seven years, the campus will be carbon-neutral. As part of meeting this, the university built the Langdon Woods Residential Complex, two residential buildings with more than 100 thousand square feet and housing for 347 students with differing room design and living accommodations. Energy usage is regulated with motion-sensitive lighting and heaters that turn off when windows are open, and conservation efforts like passive solar design elements, low-flow faucets and waterless urinals also play a part. The biggest step toward their goal of carbon-neutrality comes in the buildings’ heat supply. The buildings are heated completely from waste heat from a nearby co-generation plant, recycling the energy for additional use. For each of these efforts and more, the Langdon Woods Residential Complex has earned a LEED Gold status.

Salem State College
Marsh Hall, the newest dormitory in Salem, Massachusetts’ Salem State College, proves to be a progressive step forward for the university. Costing an estimated $57.5 million, the sophmore dorm has earned a LEED silver status for their environmental efforts. Chief among them is the building’s roof, which includes several inches of soil and a top cover to absorb rain and save energy. Other parts of the roof are covered with thermoplastic membranes to deflect heat and save energy. The building’s construction also contributed heavily to their LEED status, with carpets made from recycles fibers, and furniture made from recycled steel and plastic. At the benefit of students living in the dorm, touch screen monitors are also available to monitor the collective energy usage of the residents.

Drew University
McLendon Hall, a six floor dormitory housing 159 students is one the most recent green steps taken by Drew University. The building shares many amenities as other dorms on the list, like water-saving sinks and showers, construction from recycled materials, and reflective roofing. However what makes McLendon Hall stand out from the others is a geothermal heat pump which supplies the dorm’s heat. The first of it’s kind installed on a university dormitory, the pump consists of a network of water-filled pipes which travel 420 feet into the ground, effectively using the planet’s internal temperature of 55 degrees. During the winter, this system will draw heat from the ground while in the summer, heat will be pushed into it. In total, the geothermal systems have been recorded to use and impressive thirty percent less energy than traditional heating and cooling systems.

Whether you’re lucky enough to be living in one of these super-green dorms or somewhere else, here are several steps you can take to make your living space a little more eco friendly:

• Instead of buying linens and towels with polyester, look for items filled with or made from organic wool or organic cotton, especially organic cotton sheets, curtains or towels. These items have been noted to be both softer and healthier because of the lack of pesticides.
• Take a look at the lightbulbs currently in your room and replace them with CFLs. These will increase energy efficiency and increase the lifetime of your bulbs. I personally prefer the soft light 40 Watt versions with outer rounded filter, they just feel better on your eyes.
• When looking for furniture, from couches and beds to drawers and shelves, consider purchasing used items, or especially at local stores. Buying used is just another form of recycling. Buying local cuts down on the impact of nationwide transportion. Plus, as everyone knows, vintage never goes out of style.
• Plug all of your electronics into a single power strip, and practice turning it off at night or while you are away on the weekends. Be wary however, to monitor the heat of power strips and avoid overloading outlets.
• When shopping for a minifridge, microwave or any other appliance, try to buy only Energy Star approved items. Also, share these with your dorm mates to make friends and conserve power. Over holiday breaks empty, clean and unplug these items.
• At the end of the year, when it’s time to head back home, store your items locally as an alternative to shipping them home if you live out of state. While you’re at it, reuse packing supplies, especially boxes, which can easily be attained for free from grocery stores or copy centers.

Dow Powerhouse Solar Shingles

Description: Roofing shingles that not only protect your home, but also generate power.

Price: $10,000-$15,000 for a complete system in states that offer solar subsidies. Colorado is the first state to sell the shingles that are manufactured in Michigan. Contact a home builder.

The lowdown: In my last job as a business reporter in Michigan, I was able to tour the pilot factory in Midland, Mich. where the shingles are manufactured. A massive plant is currently under construction in Midland to address, what company officials estimate to be, a $5 billion market by 2015.

The technology is impressive. If you close your eyes and hold the shingle, you wouldn’t know the difference between a solar shingle or an asphalt shingle. After sliding off the line, workers test the shingle to see how much power it can generate by holding it under a special light. The shingle is then shipped, according to the power it can generate.

Are you going to buy this for your husband, wife or best friend for the holidays? Probably not. The hefty price tag is a rough estimate, and varies depending on you state’s solar subsidy and how big of a system you wish to install on your house. My recommendation (unless you’re a millionaire), only seriously look into this technology if you’re building a new home. Right now in Arvada, Colorado a subdivision of 50 homes by D.R. Horton Builders, is going up, and each home will feature an array of solar shingles.

While impressive, only time will tell if this technology is worth the cash.

2012 Mitsubishi MiEV

Description: The newest electric vehicle that is being touted as the “most efficient electric vehicle in its class.”

Price: Starting at $21,625, as high as $24,000 from your Mitsubishi dealer.

The Lowdown: As far as electric vehicles go, this one isn’t getting any nods for its design. It looks like a jelly bean on wheels. But for those looking to tool around town, this cute little ride can go nearly 65 miles on a single charge.

With any car purchase, you need to take into consideration where and how you’ll be driving. I drive up and down a mountain each day, so you’re not going to see me behind the wheel of this car. If you drive across windy bridges, I’d also be cautious. It looks light enough for a gust of wind to blow it right over. (That’s an exaggeration, but it’s not built for four wheelin’.)

Mitsubishi is saying the vehicle is designed for shorter city commutes. It can be powered through a 120V/15A power outlet. If you do opt for an EV or PHEV this season do check out CarStations for all your charging station needs.

What makes the MiEV especially appealing are the bonus features that come with it, including the auto company’s “Approaching Vehicle Audible System,” to alert pedestrians (apparently this car is really quiet), a rear-view camera with factory navigation system and a power outlet to plug in a laptop or other appliances. Nifty.

At about $22,000, the Mitsubishi is more affordable than its competitor, Nissan LEAF. So if you’re in need of a second commuter car, Plug-in with this Mitsubishi and go wild. And if you wind up getting one pre-holiday party, check out our list of top LED holiday lights and deck your ride with boughs of holly!

Logitech solar-powered wireless keyboard

Description: A wireless keyboard that doesn’t use batteries.

Price: $72 from Logitech.com

The low down: I’m surprised we haven’t seen more things like this. A solar powered, wireless keyboard that is not only perfect for offices with plenty of natural light, but also for bloggers working out of their parent’s basements. The keyboard eliminates batteries by being able to recharge from the sun or artificial light. Logitech says it can stay charged in the dark for at least three months… Wow, that’s a lot of homework right there.

I saw this keyboard at a tech shop in a Colorado mall and laid my hands on it to see how it feels. It’s safe to report that it feels like a normal keyboard. It’s thin profile also jazzes up your home office.

Most wireless keyboards (at least with Macs, which I use) run through Bluetooth Technology, which is great. This keyboard, however, is a little different. You have to plug in a USB receiver that the keyboard’s 2.4 Ghz wireless technology will pickup. The good: great range and most likely, zero interference or dropped signals. The bad: It takes up a USB spot. That might not be a big deal to some users, but for me, when I think wireless, I think one piece of equipment and nothing else to worry about. To each their own.

I haven’t used this keyboard, but there have been some reviews that it has weak keys that can pop out after some serious use. Tread  type softly!

Nest learning thermostat

Description: A high-tech thermostat that adjusts according to your personalized schedule. This easy-to-install device creates a custom seven-day schedule based on your manual programming. And it looks pretty chic.

Price: $250 from Nest.com

The Low Down: Newer homes today are coming with a dashboard that allows the owner to control energy use in the home. Most of those dashboards are tech-savy enough to control your home’s energy from anywhere in the world using a smartphone or tablet. So, what makes this device any different? It attempts to learn your patterns so you don’t have to worry about turning up the heat in the morning and cooling down the house at night.

Right off the bat, it wins for design. The brushed metal, simple design resembles the likeness of Apple products, which makes it even more appropriate that you can use your iPhone to adjust your home’s temperature. The company is also headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif near Cupertino, Apple HQ.

On the first day of using your new thermostat, it will ask some basic questions like your zip code, if it should start by heating or cooling your home first and what are the lowest and highest temperatures you prefer. To adjust the temperature, you simply grip the device with your thumb and index finger and turn right for heat and left to cool down. After picking a temperature, the device will recognize what time you performed the adjustment and will “learn” it’s first pattern in your customized weekly schedule.

When it says it learns, it really learns — from when you’re at work, when you get back from work — and it will heat up and cool down in time for your arrival. Of course, you need to let it know when, so it can learn your schedule. Its auto-away feature helps you save on energy costs significantly, while maintaing a comfortable home.

Are you saving energy? If you see the little green leaf on the digital display, then yes. The company claims that just one degree can cut energy use by 5 percent.

After a week, you have your custom schedule, but growing up in Michigan, I know that weather is fickle. When you purchase the Nest, you also get a Nest.com account which allows you to change your home’s temperature from any computer or device (remember, you can use your iPhone or iPad — I’m not sure about Android devices right now.)

This seems like a pretty cool gadget that can save you some money in the long run. If this review doesn’t persuade you in any direction, the company has a great website and blog. Check it out at nest.com.

Grassy Lawn Charging Station

Description: A gimmicky charging station for your smartphone, iPod and digital cameras for those who want to show off their true green color. Your daily devices appear to be growing out of a desktop-sized bed of grass.

Price: $25 from thinkgeek.com

The Lowdown: When I decided to put together a list of alternative energy gadgets, I had to find the greenest gadget for the geekiest of environmental enthusiasts. Does this charging station save the planet? No. Is it anymore energy efficient than just plugging in your devices into the wall? Not at all. But will this look awesome in your cubicle or on your home desk? Hell yes.

This is probably an easy stocking stuffer or small gift for someone on your shopping list. It does keep your charging area clutter free. You simply snake your cables through the artificial grass, and have the receiver plug into your devices. You provide the cables. Real grass would have been nice but hey, who wants to mow the lawn inside?

Now that I’m responsible for my own household, I can see why people get anxious about power outages. Essential appliances like furnaces, air conditioning units and refrigerators rely on electricity. And God forbid you have any type of vital medical equipment like oxygen machines plugged in. Losing power can be more than just a brief distraction; it can threaten your comfort, finances and health.

The solution to outages are backup generators but they come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Since our network is all about green, eco-friendly products and services, we’re going to skip the standard lot and explore backup generators that use renewable or clean burning energy sources.

Before we jump in, let’s cover the basics: Generators typically come in two types: portable and built-in. Built-in systems are hardwired into your home and designed to run major appliances, if not the entire house. These units should be installed by a licensed professional, as they’ll require significant electrical know-how. Portable generators are smaller, cheaper units that you can wheel out on an as needed basis. They typically provide less power and are aimed at running select appliances.

When deciding what type of generator (or generators) you’ll need, the best place to start is in measuring how much electricity is required to keep critical devices online. You can simply add up the wattage required to run these select appliances but it’s a good idea to build in extra capacity. Consider this, according to Consumer Reports numbers, a central air conditioning system sucks up about 5,000 Watts, a window AC guzzles 1,000 Watts, a water heater drinks 3,000 Watts and a refrigerator uses 600 Watts. That’s a lot of energy for a backup generator! You could use significantly less electricity by purchasing a small top loading freezer unit, personal AC and electric blanket for short term use and save a bundle on generator costs.

Home generators cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars for small, portable, gas-powered units to tens of thousands of dollars for large, built-in models that require additional equipment like wind turbines.

Solar Generators:

One of the most basic types of renewable energy powered generators is the solar generator. In fact, the smallest solar generators can fit into a backpack and charge your cell phone or laptop battery. Because solar charging relies on photovoltaic cells as opposed to gas engines, they are quiet and clean.

Solar generators produce energy from the sun and rely on surface area to scale in production. Because of this they rely heavily on energy storage (backup batteries), which means that powerful units have a large, heavy footprint. Solar units are also more expensive than gas generators, with small, portable units starting around $1,000.

The solar powered generators that I’ve seen are primarily portable or semi-portable units designed for smaller appliances like televisions, computers, phones, lights, and sometimes refrigerators. The battery unit typically has several 120 V outlets to plug your appliances into, and you may be able to hardwire it into your home grid (electrician recommended).

A company called Powersource offers a wheeled solar generator with 1,800 Watt inverter. The company advertises the unit for powering such appliances as refrigerators, televisions and lights. That model retails for cose to $1,900. SunRnr of Virginia offers a series of larger solar generation systems ranging up to 7,000 Watts. The company’s offerings start at $3,800.

Natural Gas Generators:                

Though the inclusion of the term “gas” makes natural gas sound dirty, the EPA says that it is one of the cleanest burning fuels out there. Natural gas generators also tend to be compatible with liquid propane which makes them versatile.

Generac is a large manufacturer of natural gas back-up generators that earned a Seal from the Good Housekeeping Research Institute. Generac’s Guardian series is a line of built-in, natural gas generators that range in size from 8 kW to 60 kW. The automatic standby generators detect when there’s an outage and kick in automatically to keep your power flowing smoothly. Prices start at around $2,000.

Wind Turbine Generators:

If you have a sizable piece of property and want to back your power supply up with energy sourced from wind, you might consider turbine systems. Wind generators designed for back-up use are smaller and less expensive (though still plenty expensive) than units designed to power an entire home. They generate electricity from wind and store it in battery packs for emergency back-up use.

Wind turbines are more of an investment than simple gas or solar powered generators you can wheel out from your shed in a pinch; they require dedicating land to a tower and turbine, an extensive installation procedure and hefty expense. The advantage of a wind turbine system is that energy produced beyond what’s needed to charge the batteries can be pumped into the grid and used to lower your energy bills through net metering.

Bergey Windpower offers the 2kWHome Sure System, which combines a 60-foot tower, turbine, inverter and eight-battery pack for up to 12 hours of essential-load back-up. The system produces between 160 and 300 kWh per month, depending upon wind conditions. It comes with a $16,000 price tag (plus installation and accompanying equipment costs that Bergey estimates between $3,000 and $9,000).

Southwest Windpower offers the 2.4 kW Skystream 3.7 system, which costs between $15,000 and $18,000 installed, but does not work as a back-up generator. This system delivers up to 400 kWh into your grid, cutting down on your reliance on (and payment to) your local power provider.

When weighing the up front costs posed by wind solutions remember to factor in any federal or state incentives given to renewable energy purchases. Don’t forget to research the sun and wind exposure before jumping in along with any zoning restrictions on height.

Step 1. Preparing Your Garden

If you have a pre-existing gardening area we suggest you approach it as though it may be contaminated. Paint that has peeled off nearby houses, engine exhaust, pesticides, and all kinds of other nasty things can work their way into soil over time, polluting the ground. In order to counteract these effects, it’s best to dilute the soil you have by adding some good stuff: compost, grass clippings, aged manure, shredded leaves, etc.

An alternative method to in ground is raised bed gardening. This approach lets you create a soil environment from scratch, controlling each and every ingredient that goes into it. It also tends to keep the soil warmer which supports many types of plants. These can be built from scrap material you may already have laying around the house like lumber, brick, or concrete blocks. Be creative. The end result is a box, so we’re not talking about rocket science here and it doesn’t have to be perfect. Our only suggestion is that the sides of your raised garden should be about 8 to 12 inches above the ground around it.

A third option, for those of you with really limited space could be to set up what is called a “container garden”. These consist of large flower pots, buckets with drainage holes in the bottom, or planter boxes. Don’t feel limited by style here, literally anything can become a planter: used tires, old plastic swimming pools, milk jugs, pop bottles… If you don’t mind looking a little cluttered you can really cut down on costs here by recycling old buckets. You get the picture. Just make sure you add some drainage holes to the bottom and place them in some sort of catch dish to hold any remaining water. And remember that 8 to 12 inches is the optimal depth for the root growth of most plants.

Advice from Mike Lieberman (Blogger and Urban Gardening Enthusiast): Just get started. Do something. Don’t wait for the perfect time, place or conditions because they don’t exist. Now is the perfect time, so get started.

Tip: You can purchase amazing, inexpensive, 100% recycled garden pots from Seeds of Change.

Step 2. Choosing Your Dirt

Potting soil mixed with organics (compost, shredded leaves, grass clippings, etc) is usually a good starting point. Whether this is mixed in with existing dirt in your garden area or used to fill recycled containers depends on your situation. If you are using a container, however, leave about an inch of room between the dirt and the rim of your planter.

Tip: Starting your own compost is easy, great for the environment, and will really help your plants to flourish.

Step 3. Choosing Your Plants

If you are short on outdoor space, there are some great plants that grow indoors like culinary herbs (rosemary, cilantro, basil, parsley and chives), arugula, tomatoes, peppers, bush beans, and lettuce. You’ll just need to place them on windowsills or other areas of your home that receive ample sunlight.

Tip: Grow lights can be an invaluable asset if your space doesn’t get a lot of natural lights but don’t let them run up the electric bill. Watch out for cold nights and cover your plants to keep them alive.

Step 4. Planting Your Vegetation

When you’re choosing seeds you have a tonne of options. Almost every vegetable can be grown in a container, which means they can all definitely be grown in a garden area. Tomatoes, lettuce, broccoli, carrots, you’re imagination is the only limit here. Most seed packets come with specific details like optimum sun exposure, watering directions, etc. so we will spare you the specifics. Regardless, seeds should be planted roughly a half inch below the surface. And if you just can’t wait for a seed to sprout, you can always head over to a nursery and pick up some plants to re-plant into your own space.

Ask around for what types of plants work in your area of the world, keep an eye on the weather patters and be sure to plant during the right season (or start indoors at a smaller scale first).

Tip: If you are really tight on space, remember that different kinds of herbs can be grown in the same container. They get along really well.

Step 5. Watering Your Plants

Do the planet a favour and skip the sprinklers, they are wasteful and can be quite expensive. Instead, it’s best to water your plants by hand with a recycled milk jug or watering can. In addition, a layer of mulch placed around the plants will help keep the soil hydrated.

Tip: Over-watering is the fastest and most common way to kill your plants. Avoid this by letting the soil dry our before you take out the water again.

Step 6. Protecting Your Garden

A fence is a very effective way to protect your garden from both human and mammalian intruders. For the latter, extending the fence 6 inches into the ground and reinforcing it with wire mesh will ensure that critters won’t be able to dig their way in.

Tip: Thorny bushes or hedges can make really great natural fences if you aren’t a fan of man-made ones.

If you need some more inspiration and something pretty to look at, check out urbanhomestead.org. It’s a website that chronicles the homestead of the Dervaes family. They grow enough food to sustain themselves and are able to sell the leftovers to local restaurants. It’s more than plants though, they’ve got chickens, goats, ducks, and even bees. Oh, and they brew their own biodiesel! How’s that for inspiration…

Want to take your self-sufficiency one step further? Learn how to raise chickens in your own urban space, many cities allow for them and eggs are a great source of protein. Chickens also keep harmful bugs away from your plants. Pair that with a garden and you’ve got two food groups taken care of.

West is the best. That’s been the common thinking about geothermal, and though this study doesn’t alter that, it reveals impressive geothermal capability in the east as well. West Virginia could be as geothermally endowed as it is coal rich. Other hot spots include the Appalachians, Gulf Coast, and northern Louisiana.

How Geothermal Power Plants Work

Earth’s constantly hot core radiates heat towards the surface. Sometimes it actually flows to the surface as lava, but usually remains below, heating up underground water reservoirs, in some cases as hot at 700ºF, creating steam. Geothermal power plants have traditionally tapped into the easily accessible locations where hot springs and geysers occur because they need to access water as a heat transfer agent, but advanced technology called enhanced geothermal system (EGS), sometimes referred to as engineered geothermal power plants, have changed that.

Today’s systems can make use of dry rock by digging injection wells, then pumping water down those wells, so it gets heated up by the hot rock. High pressure sends the water coursing through porous rock and back up through production wells. As geothermal technology improves, power plants will be able to drill deeper to get to the hotter part of the Earth’s crust and make better use of cooler heat sources.

Geothermal heating and cooling can also be used at the micro level and is an excellent way to stave off hot summers or cold winters without cranking the gas or AC. Check out our geothermal guide for homeowners for more info.

An Alternative to Coal

It’s estimated that the United States contains the greatest recoverable coal reserves in the world — 273 billion tons — making it the country’s most abundant energy resource. Easy access to cheap coal has caused its use to triple in the past 30 years, now accounting for approximately half of the country’s electricity generation. According to Energy Information Administration (EIA) projections, coal dependence isn’t likely to decline anytime soon. It’s projected to grow at an average rate of 1.1% to 1.5% annually heading towards 2025.

Coal abundance isn’t the only reason for its proliferation. Many states in the east have huge reserves, but aren’t as resource rich when it comes to cleaner forms of energy, such as solar or wind. Given the economics, these states naturally turn to coal. With America’s geothermal capability in the public consciousness and advanced technology making access to geothermal resources easier, geothermal can displace a huge chunk of coal power usage in the future if acted upon.

The brightest ray of hope that comes from the study is perhaps that the major coal-producing states, which aren’t renewable-resource rich, can turn to geothermal as a viable alternative form of energy. This constant power source lies underfoot at all times and the technology is there to effectively tap it, all that’s needed is the will to do so and a bit of up front capital strategically invested.