October is National Energy Awareness month and this year’s theme is “A Sustainable Energy Future; Putting All the Pieces Together.” The idea is to encourage everyone to see how they fit into the big picture.
Home and Garden
I’m writing this column from the heart of California’s Sierra Nevada range near Yosemite National Park. It’s beautiful here and not as hot as Las Vegas in early September, but there is ample evidence of rising temperatures as the effects of climate change become increasingly obvious.
Perspective is an interesting thing. If you’re too far away from something, you don’t see the details. If you’re too close, you miss the big picture. In my experience, the best strategy for maintaining a healthy perspective is to keep both in mind. Look at the big picture and use it as a guide as you handle the necessary details.
DEAR GAIL: I read a lot about green and sustainable design, but how can I incorporate it into my home? I’m not able to remodel, but would like to do what I can. — Jamie T.
If there’s one thing Las Vegas is known for, it’s change. Although our green building awareness got off to a slow start compared to some other cities, we’ve managed to turn that around. Many are surprised to learn that the rate of green building is accelerating rapidly in Southern Nevada, now home to some of the largest green building projects in the world.
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We’ve all heard a lot about green jobs lately. But what exactly is a green job? When are they coming? Where can a person find one? A lot of people want to know how they can make a living while making a difference.
Green, sustainable, eco-friendly and now Regreen. These words describe an industry that is growing while much of the design/build industry is slowing down.
Here’s a summer riddle for you: What’s clear and fresh and very clean, all blue but still completely green? If you guessed a swimming pool, you’re right. But what’s green about a clean pool? The green isn’t from algae but from the energy saved by using a variable-speed pool pump.
Hiking is one of my favorite activities since I love reconnecting with the natural world. Safety is always No. 1 so I try to avoid paths that get too close to dangerous cliffs. Call it self-preservation. I’m also not a speed demon, preferring to savor the experience — noticing the details.
Back in the ’60s, Bob Dylan sang “The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind.” At the time, I don’t think he had renewable energy on his mind, but wind energy is certainly a large part of the answer to today’s energy puzzle.
I doubt there’s anyone who has not been affected in some way by the current economic crisis. This is a big deal — a game changer of major proportion. Things are tight and getting tighter, causing many of us to re-examine our lives and our assumptions about what we’ve so often taken for granted.
It’s exciting to see the transformation taking place in the home-building market. Perhaps the best example is the new Villa Trieste development by Pulte Homes. Located in Summerlin, this community of 185 homes is leading the way when it comes to responsible building in Southern Nevada.
It’s safe to say that green has hit the mainstream in a major way. Newspapers cover it, radio shows talk about it and there are even entire cable television networks devoted to the topic. Green living is the new paradigm that will continue to progress until it has become standard operating procedure.
I love winters in Southern Nevada! In fact, just about anytime from October to June is fine by me, but deep winter is special. I suppose it’s a stretch to call our relatively mild and brief period of cool weather “deep winter” but hey, it’s all we’ve got.
