As George Harrison sang in 1970, “All things must pass…” and so it is with my involvement as the originator and author of the Green Living column in the Las Vegas Review Journal (though this site will remain active). After nine years and 234 consecutively-published RJ columns I am hanging up my Green Living keyboard […]
Energy Slaves of Modern Culture
When I explain to people that I have not purchased electricity for ten years, they are envious. When I tell them I have not bought gasoline or oil or a smog check for four years, they are amazed. When I tell them they can do the same thing simply by shifting their priorities, they yawn. […]
Climbing the Ladder of Awareness
Reflection is common at the end of the year. Reviewing the Green Living columns for 2014 led me to take stock of almost nine years of consecutive biweekly publication. This is column number 232. Their purpose is to plant seeds of awareness that will grow into positive change in our community. The fruit of those […]
Important Home Maintenance
What happens to a home when it is not properly maintained? After a while, things tend to start falling apart, don’t they? Most of us take care of our homes. We take pride in them and want them to last. We care about how they look. And we certainly care about resale value. Some may […]
Top 5 Things To Do
From my perspective, there is quite a gap between what is occurring in the world and the actions, or lack thereof, of the general public in the United States. Even those who understand the severity and potential harm of things like climate change and peak oil often behave as if somehow their personal actions do not matter.
I think we are living in a time where every single choice we make is meaningful. Question the carbon footprint of everything you do, buy and eat; then go for the lowest carbon solution. Sometimes that means *not* doing or buying anything at all.
There is nothing wrong with laying back and watching the clouds instead.
Local Food Movement Growing
Local food production is one of the most important elements of a sustainable community. Since we are situated in the Mojave Desert, most of our food is grown elsewhere and that needs to change. Fortunately, the local food movement is well underway and gaining momentum!
Whether you surround your home with an edible landscape, grow veggies in the garden or want to learn more about getting involved in the many options available, I encourage you to check out each of these organizations and the people behind them. They are part of the growing local food movement in Southern Nevada, an essential part of the sustainability puzzle. More and more pieces are fitting together thanks to them.
More Humans, Less of Everything Else
The extraction of “unconventional” fossil fuels, whether through fracking, deep-water drilling or the unimaginable waste of Canadian tar sands, has provided much of the motivation in my personal life to methodically reduce our family’s CO2 footprint. Since the baseline year of 2000, we have managed to reduce our contribution to greenhouse gasses by approximately 90%. […]
The Real Value of a Solar Home
Solar energy systems are becoming increasingly popular. Many factors are driving the trend: lower system costs, improved performance, environmental awareness and new options for system acquisition. I’ve received a ton of calls and emails about the issue lately, especially regarding the topic of solar leases. People want to know if they are making the right […]
Southern Nevada Solar Home Tour – 2014
The largest climate change march in history recently took place in New York City. Over 400,000 people joined together to demand genuine action on the issue. Hundreds of thousands more participated in coordinated events around the globe. This is no longer considered the radical fringe. It is time to stop using fossil fuels. Even those […]
When You Get, Give
Helping Others is the Key to Your Own Success What’s the best way to live a satisfying, fulfilling life? It’s simple. Do your best to help others achieve the same. Would you like to live in a greener, healthier home but you need some ideas or motivation? On September 27th, you will have an opportunity […]