Category: Design

Solar-Powered Town

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Here’s a fine example of an entire community that runs on solar power and readily withstands the impacts of climate change, to boot.  While neighboring parts of Florida – and actually entire countries – are ravaged by increasingly powerful storms, as the sun always comes out and shines, this community enjoys a calmer quality-of-life experience.  Comments afterwards.

 

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This 100% Solar-Powered

Town in Florida Left Virtually

Unscathed After Hurricane Ian

 

Kristina Zagame

Eco Watch

October 7, 2022

 

Hurricane Ian caused mass destruction to Southwest Florida, taking dozens of lives and leaving millions without power.… Keep reading

Why lawns?

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Here’s an interesting article about lawns, and the environmental problems they’re creating.  The data provided is extensive.  The question:  How addicted are we to tradition and habits that simply no longer make sense?  Comments afterwards.

 

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There’s a water crisis.

Why do we still have lawns?

 

An American dream meets a changing landscape

Dan Zak

The Washington Post

August 24, 2022

 

Lawns, still, somehow.

The planet has accelerated its revolt against us and still we tend our lawns, one part of Earth we can control.… Keep reading

E-cars vs Gas: Actual Costs

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We all grew up using gas-powered cars.  We might have questioned mileage numbers and maintenance costs, but the industry and the supporting infrastructure was based on using gas.  As e-cars finally gained sufficient acceptance, perhaps largely due to Tesla, the oil industry – and any established industry fighting for its survival – shifted the focus on range per charge, time to recharge, and even costs.

Sometimes, the established industry is still the best choice; it didn’t gain acceptance for nothing.  And sometimes it’s difficult to separate fact from fiction when “the usual” is challenged. … Keep reading

The Building Code Problem

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One of the biggest threats to changing what we’re doing to fight climate change – which is no longer “sometime in the future, maybe” … comes from corporate interests to keep things as they’ve been, to maintain profitability.  Change, of most any kind, is a threat.  You might think of building codes as affecting only new construction; it affects everything. Comments afterwards.

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With Time Running Out To Cut Carbon From Buildings, Industry Just Tightened Its Grip

 

Mundane as it may seem, the future of U.S.

… Keep reading

Sustainability & Fun

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I see “Sustainable Living” as living 100% with what Earth provides, in physically sustainable ways – which I’m finding isn’t really all that difficult to do – and also maximizing our quality-of-life experience.  I stumbled on this article from The Guardian about how David Beckham is working with a company that takes great cars of yesteryear – cars with wonderful styling and upholstery – and changes them from gas to electric.

Years ago, I almost bought a cherry red ’55 T-Bird that had been converted to electric. … Keep reading