As if Los Angeles needed another reason for bragging. It’s now home to the nation’s largest urban rooftop solar energy program, and it could make you money while helping to support clean energy initiatives in the state.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the program, called Clean L.A. Solar, makes it possible for Los Angeles’ Department of Water and Power to now pay its customers if they generate solar energy via rooftop solar panels.

The Los Angeles Business Council is the driving force behind the program, and hopes that it will generate 150 megawatts of solar energy, “enough to power about 30,000 homes,” reports the Times. “The council hopes to attract investments totaling $500 million from a growing list of companies that want to invest in L.A.’s push to go green by setting up large clusters of rooftop solar panels.” And the solar energy program hopes to expand, rapidly. “Clean L.A. Solar proponents have their sights set high, aiming to expand the initial 150-megawatt goal over the next several years to 600 megawatts.”

The move comes as a result of the state’s mandate to generate 33 percent of its electricity through renewable resources by 2020. If everything goes smoothly, the Clean L.A. Solar program should help the city reach 25 percent of that goal by 2016. As well, the program will create more than 4,000 jobs for Angelinos.

Another benefit of the program is that it could also be extremely helpful to the city’s lower income neighborhoods. Some of the city’s poorest areas also have the highest amount of light available, making homes in those neighborhoods prime candidates for solar rooftops.

The program will pay 17 cents per kilowatt-hour initially, decreasing to 14 cents, according to the Times.

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Keep in touch with Jill on Twitter @jillettinger

Image: hsld

The post The City of Angels Launches Largest Solar Energy Rooftop Program (And it Pays) appeared first on EcoSalon.

Brad’s got some advice on how to cut your utilities from $300 to $30. 

Remember that hoopla a couple months ago when Brad Pitt fessed up to spending the majority of the 90s surfing the couch with a spliff in his hand? The juiciest bit of that interview, covered by gossip rags and I do believe CNN, was that he maybe inadvertently dissed his ex-wife. But the most interesting quote was buried at the end of the interview.

Talking about his houses in New Orleans, he claimed that, “People…who were used to dealing with $300 electric bills, are now paying $30, sometimes nothing.”

Now that is news worth reporting. Why? Because it’s based in reality.

We all have bills to pay and it sucks to fork out more to energy companies than we have to because of shoddy construction or, worse yet, significant failings on our part.

“You build it tight, sealing it; you build in the direction of the sun and the wind; and you use solar and water collection. It’s not that hard to do.”

Brad Pitt, thank you for pointing that out. You’re so sexy and smart.

Well, EcoSalon. You’re quite the looker, too.

Oh, stop flirting.

The next time you find yourself building a house from the ground up, we know that you’ll be taking Brad’s advice. In the meantime, here are 14 other ways to make the abodes in which we reside now more energy efficient this winter so that we, too, can save beaucoup bucks like Brad.

1. Unplug: roughly 75 percent of energy consumed by home appliances occurs while they’re turned off but still plugged in.

2. Drop the Thermostat: every degree you lower in winter and raise in summer can reduce your heating and cooling bills by 1 percent or more. Per the EPA, a programmable thermostat that allows you to set temperatures for different times of day can save you about $150 a year.

3. Get a Blanket: If your water heater is more than seven years old, wrap it up in an insulation blanket to prevent the release of up to 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide.

4. Insulate Your Pipes: if your pipes are warm to the touch, insulate them and you’ll end up paying less for hot water. Hardware stores offer pre-slit pipe foam.

5. Close Off Drafts: sealing drafts and upping insulation can reduce your bills by up to 20 percent, per the EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy.

6. Clean Your Furnace Filters: a dirty filter restricts airflow and increases energy demand. Not very sexy, but pretend we’re Tyler Durden.

7. Double the Pane: replacing single-pane windows with energy-efficient double panes can reduce your heating costs by up to one-third. Or get an air-trapping door sweep, which is really cheap.

8. Get Better Bulbs: a quarter of our energy used goes to lights. Per the U.S. Dept. of Energy, if every household replaced one traditional bulb with an energy-efficient CFL, we would save $600 million in utility bills. For us, that’s a $30 savings for each bulb.

That was nice, but you know what really turns me on? Insulation.

9. Neutralize Your Footprint: for every pound of carbon dioxide your home releases, you can fund an environment-friendly endeavor that reduces the amount of greenhouse gases released into the air. They’re called offsets, which can be calculated and purchased at Carbonfund.org and Terrapass.com.

10. Swing Both Ways: a ceiling fan set to rotate counterclockwise creates warm air because air pooled near the ceiling (remember: heat rises) is circulated back into the living space, which could save you 10% on heating costs.

11. Use Storm Windows and Doors: installing them can increase your energy efficiency by 45%.

12. DIY Insulation: also very cheap are seal it yourself window insulation kits.

13. Buy an Energy Monitor: TED (The Energy Detective) is expensive, but according to the company you’ll save 15%-20% on each bill, which could amount to hundreds of dollars each year.  

14. Grow a sweater.

You don’t get more energy efficient than this.

Images: Arch Digest; Parade; IMDB; The Washington Post

The post Brad Pitt Talks Utilities + 14 Ways to Cut Cold Weather Costs appeared first on EcoSalon.

The evolution of windows toward sustainability.

It’s something you probably don’t think about very often – windows. They tell us a lot about a building, from its age and style to how energy efficient it is. An average home may lose 30% of its heat or air-conditioning energy through its windows, which is inexcusable considering how technology has improved since the first windows.

It wasn’t until the late 17th century that glass windows became common in homes. They were strategically placed and sized depending on geography and the sun (south-facing windows let in more light) to keep the home a comfortable temperature year round. Windows were small because glass was expensive and small meant less chance for heat to escape.

The current technology can be overwhelming and there are entire courses offered on the intricacies of the energy-efficient window. But suffice it to say that preventing air leakage, reducing condensation and increasing insulation are part of the package. Glass is stronger and thicker allowing for the use of larger slabs – entire walls can be windows. The Farnsworth House is a prime example.

Over time, windows have evolved from a mere hole in the wall to crucial components of a building’s energy efficiency rating. Here are a few of the ways that windows have changed for the better:

1. Stronger glass allows for larger windows. More natural sunlight helps regulate a building’s temperature, as in the new Virgin America’s new eco-luxe terminal at SFO.

2. Sealed window frames prevent condensation and air leakage.

3. Non-toxic gases (i.e. argon) used as filler between pieces of glass prevent loss of hot or cold air.

4. Double or triple glaze windows (storm windows) drastically improve insulation and temperature regulation.

5. Low-e glass coatings let in just the right amount of sun – because in warm climates we want the sunlight but not the heat, while in colder areas we welcome the sun’s heat and want to capture and keep it.

All of these factors improve the energy efficiency of our buildings and add credits toward LEED certification. And you thought windows were just for pretty views.

Image: dorena wm

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We’ve heard the frustrated cries of cash-strapped friends: “I want my home to be more energy-efficient but it’s so darn expensive!” and “I would buy furniture that’s made from recycled materials but right now all I can afford is that particle board dresser from IKEA!”

However, Dan Phillips is out to prove that eco-friendly homes can be both affordable and attractive.

The Huntsville, Texas man formed Phoenix Commotion and has built over a dozen homes using at least 80-85 percent of recycled or salvaged materials. Picture ceilings lined with a geometric cacophony of picture frame corners in every color, floors made from old wine corks, and address numbers made from cattle bones (we did mention he’s in Texas, right?).

And the best part is that the owners (primarily minimum wage workers who would otherwise float from apartment to apartment or mobile home to mobile home) are required to participate in the building process so they’ll feel a sense of pride in ownership.

Phillips’ wild, whimsical creations follow two simple rules: they must meet building codes and follow the laws of physics. He keeps homes small and simple and tries to maintain a level of energy efficiency, which makes them attractive to future buyers. The rest is left to his imagination and that of the new homeowner.

Images: Phoenix Commotion

The post Huntsville Hero: The House That Dan Phillips Built appeared first on EcoSalon.

Fashion Takes Action, led by Kelly Drennan, recently hosted their first Canadian designer award called Design Forward. Each designer was hand-selected by FTA based on a set of criteria including materials used, carbon footprint, ethical production practices, design aesthetics and any extra “eco-initiatives” they’ve implemented, like energy efficiency and organic hang tags.

After the first round of judging by over 4,000 visitors to the FTA site, the top three went on to an even more scrutinized judging by three judges including model, activist, writer and TV personality Summer Rayne Oakes, sustainability consultant Lorraine Smith, and yours truly.

The judges rated the top three (Laura Chenoweth, Nicole Bridger and We3 (twigg &hottie) in various categories including:

• Materials Used
• Production
• Design
• Special Features
• Transparency
• Accountability

All scorecards were then emailed to Price Waterhouse where they were tabulated. And this past Thursday the winner, Nicole Bridger, was announced.

What did Nicole win? A lot. $50,000 worth of prizes including a three-month national PR campaign, provided by Third Eye Media, participation at Nolcha Fashion Week’s Ethical Fashion Preview in NYC this September, $1000 in eco-friendly fabric supplied by Telio (to make a sample collection to show in NYC) and a look book photo shoot with full creative team including photographer, models, a stylist and a hair and makeup team.

I caught up with Nicole Bridger over the weekend and asked her a few questions. Here’s what she had to say:

Being under such scrutiny suddenly as a sustainable designer, were you worried?

Worried about what? I guess that would mean no. I just do my best to make our clothing as eco as I can and I feel secure in that. I can only do my best and our motives are authentic, so what’s to worry?

Did you start out as a designer designing sustainably or was it something you evolved into?

I started out in University as a designer who used natural fibers because I was conscious of the impact synthetics have on the planet. The term “sustainable designer” didn’t come up until later on.

Do you think it’s important to be a role model to other designers, to show how things can be done? That it can be done eco-friendly but also very fashion forward?

Absolutely! I believe it will eventually be the norm. It is so important to show that it can be done and the more people that jump on board the better, the industry will grow and more fabrics will become available.

How do you feel this award will now help you?

It certainly helps with getting noticed and with the trip to New York City, that means getting recognized on a global level. Our company is ready now for growth and we are looking for more clientele.

What is your favorite part of the award?

That it exists now, it is a sure sign that things are evolving.

In a perfect world, how do you see your line evolving?

Eventually we will be a lifestyle brand that people can rely on to be sustainable and Fair Trade no matter what the product they are purchasing. We will have global retail outlets and create co-operative fair trade factories in third world countries to help those in need.

The post And the Design Forward Winner Is? appeared first on EcoSalon.

Earth Day is less than 24 hours away and it’s a great time to get your house in shape and figure out ways to make your little corner of the world a little greener. Whether your new to low-impact living, or could write your own book on the subject, take a look at this list of home-greening tips and see if there’s a project you might want to tackle.

1. Dial down energy consumption

Keeping your thermostat in check is pretty common advice when it comes to lowering your energy consumption. For instance, setting your air conditioner at 78 degrees during the summer can save you 3 to 5 percent more energy than keeping the temp lower. Now is also a great time to put all your home electronics on power strips so you can shut your computer or stereo down completely when your not using it. Electronics plugged directly into a wall continue to draw trickles of power even when turned off, which wastes energy and cash. Curious about how much overall energy you use in your home? WatzzOn is a cool little web-based application that can help you figure it out.

2. What about our furry friends?

Don’t leave Fifi out of your Earth Day shape-up. The pet care industry is filled with eco-friendly products like organic dog biscuits and natural kitty litter. Of course, the number one earth-friendly thing you can do for the planet is to get your pet spayed or neutered. I know it’s tough to resist the urge to have mini versions of your beloved cat running around, but the responsible thing to do is not contribute to the pet overpopulation problem. Make that appointment today, Fifi will understand.

3. Clean the house without holding your breath

If you’ve got a dozen bottle of harsh household cleaners under your kitchen sink, make a pledge to replace them with environmentally safe cleansers as they run out. You can buy them commercially from most big name grocery or retail stores, but if you really want to know what goes into the cleaners your using, just make your own.

4. Don’t forget the laundry room

Green blog Low Impact Living says a home’s washer and dryer can produce as much as 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide in a single year of use, so get in your laundry room and figure out how to cut that figure down. If you’re able to, start by drying your clothes on a clothesline. If that’s just too much of a time commitment, then see what you can do about your washing machine. Whenever possible, wash clothes in cold water. They’ll get just as clean, but without using extra energy to heat your wash water. If you’re really ambitious, you can even collect the grey water from your washing machine and use it to water plants and grass.

5. Waste not, want not – water, that is

Speaking of water, grab a two liter soda bottle, fill it with tap water and sink it into your toilet’s water tank. You’ll use less water in the bowl with every flush. Spend a few minutes installing low-flow shower heads and faucets for an even bigger water savings.

6. Funny-shaped light bulbs are no laughing matter

Replace all the light bulbs in your home with compact fluorescent bulbs for a huge energy savings of up to 75 percent. The corkscrew bulb may look goofy and 23rd century, but who really sees them beneath a lampshade anyway, right?

7. Ditch the paper towels

It’s habit to grab a wad of paper towels to mop up kitchen spills, but maybe it’s time to cease and desist. Frugal living blogger Maya over at SimpleMom took the plunge and says she loves her completely paper-free kitchen. She relies exclusively on cloth towels and napkins that she washes regularly, so check out her system if you want to know more. Our own Susan Johnston took SKOY cleaning cloths for a test drive and says they work “just as well as – if not better than – a regular paper towel.” That’s all the convincing I need to give it a try.

8. Compost is your friend

After dinner, you’ve got to discard piles of vegetable peelings and other food-related detritus anyway, so why not drop it into a compost pile and use it on your garden or lawn? Composting drums are widely available, but if you want to show off your DIY chops, make your own bin instead.

9. How does your garden grow?

Use Earth Day as a nudge to start your own garden. Nothing beats fresh tomatoes and crunchy radishes in a salad and in fact, they’re on the list of the 10 easiest vegetables to grow at home. If you’re already rocking a great garden patch or don’t have the space to get your garden groove on, how about a little vertical planting instead? The setup requires little to no soil and will make just about any bare wall look really awesome.

10. Green up your home office

If you work from home, you’re already making great strides toward a more positive impact on the planet – no air-polluting commutes, for instance – but are there ways you can improve your home office even further? Probably. The same power strips you used for your home electronics are perfect for your home office. Add your computer, monitor, router, printer, even your electric pencil sharpener to one and shut everything off at the end of your workday. Look around for eco-friendly accessories for your must have gadgets and cell phone. For instance, Hypercel makes a line of smartphone cases designed to extend the battery life of your favorite devices so fewer used batteries end up in our landfills (plus the company has great in-house recycling policies). For a comprehensive look at all the ways you can green your home office, don’t miss Planet Green’s Work From Home Guide.

How will you get your house into shape for Earth Day? Share your tips in the comments below.

Images: HGTV, turtlemom4bacon

The post 10 Tips to Get Your Home in Shape for Earth Day appeared first on EcoSalon.

Of all the things I’ve come across as we near an increasingly greenwashy Earth Day, one stands out because of its simplicity and transparency. The founders of Energy Circle, a home-energy efficiency ally whose staff all test and use the products they sell in their own homes, will make their home energy use public, broadcasting it both through their website and live on Twitter at EnergyCircleKW.

They’ve hacked their best-selling device, The Energy Detective, a “real-time home electricity monitor that is the equivalent of a digital stethoscope,” so that the data can be sent out, with information about what the data means – giving it real world relevance to you and me.

The Energy Detective is a device that monitors energy use down to each appliance, and doesn’t cost much, making it more likely to be used by a broader segment of the population. Rather than promoting some perfect uber-green house out of reach of the everyday person, the founders’ house is your average American home – built in the 80s, with an addition in the 90s. It’s got lots of air leaks and other flaws in the design.

They’ve had an energy audit done (check this great piece to learn more). Like many people, they’ve made progress with CFL and LED lights and low-flow shower heads. But they still have lots to do and they intend to make their house an example.

While things like Google Power Meter are coming at some point, perhaps even this year, Energy Circle is interested in bringing the public several “right now” options to be able to take an active hand in making better choices when it comes to their home energy use.

A 49-second customer service credo clip, featured on Energy Circle’s store page, is an unusual move, emblematic of their personal, accessible approach. If you’re looking for concrete, easy to do things for Earth Day and beyond, Energy Circle is a solid start.

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Paul Smith. Follow Paul on Twitter!

The post Guest Post: Paul Smith on Energy Circle Makes Their Home Energy Use Public via Twitter appeared first on EcoSalon.

With the current barrage of amazing new green building projects, it’s nice to see the old-timers are getting in on the action as well.

More specifically, the most famous profile on the New York skyline – the Empire State Building. This Wonder Of The Modern World looks set to impress the next generation of eco-friendly architects by being the focus of a major efficiency overhaul. Excitingly, not only are the redevelopers shrinking the building’s energy footprint by over a third (and in doing so saving $4 million a year – now there’s a utility bill), they’re also using the experience to trial new techniques, including:

– Viewing the tenants as an important element of a green building, by offering incentives and an automated tenant energy management system to let occupants see how much energy they’re going through.

– Constructing “green suites” to showcase green innovation within office and residential space.

– A performance-based retrofitting contract – so the redevelopers are legally obliged to follow through all their planned energy savings. This also serves as a template for further redevelopment contracts.

For the specifics, take a look at the report at Greener Buildings. To our minds, there are still a few elements missing. Where are the vertical gardens? Any room on that famous roof for a lawn or two? And doesn’t one of the tallest buildings in New York deserve the mother of all wind turbines? (I hope these are in the plans and I’ve just missed them).

The biggest implication? The world’s landmarks are suddenly ripe for a high-profile lick of green. Take the top of the Eiffel Tower, where it gets so windy it makes the structure sway – that’s a lot of electricity to harvest.

Image: Eric Mayville

The post The Empire Strikes Back: Renewing Our Landmarks appeared first on EcoSalon.

An outspoken crusader for environmental causes for years, Prince Charles could easily be dubbed the “Green Prince“. But while he’s been busy turning his home green, running his car on white wine, and pleading the cause to anyone willing to listen, his folks’ house – sorry, palace – is an environmental nightmare.

Buckingham Palace was recently given the worst possible score (0 out of 10) in an energy efficiency report completed by a team of surveyors from renewable energy firm Navitron.  One hundred and seventy buildings around London were reviewed and Buckingham came dead last.

Thermal imaging showed the palace haemorrhaging heat from every possible surface, including the roof, walls, and curtained windows. Of course, this isn’t all that surprising, given that the palace was built in 1820. But maybe it’s time to do a little retrofitting – they could start with draught-proofing the windows and adding some secondary glazing. With 600 rooms in the palace these renovations might cost more than a few quid, but think of what they’ll save in power bills.

Image: Starry Eyed Ali

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