Amanda Lopez was the first Ecobroker Certified real-estate agent in Baltimore City and County, specializing in energy efficiency and sustainable design of Baltimore properties. Lopez of City Life Realty located on West 36th St. focuses on already-established historic communities, such as Hampden, Belair-Edison, Dickeyville, Arcadia and Bolton Hill.
Two friends told me about this last Friday, so I had to check it out. It’s an excellent tour of the "tipping point" effects of climate destabilization — something even the IPCC predictions don’t account for. Leo Murray’s animation and narration makes the very complex science of climate feedback easy to understand and visualize in stark terms. While it does give a glimpse into probable scenarios of species extinction, climate refugees, and other human misery, Murray also tells us it’s not inevitable. This is not the time to panic, he says — this is the time to ACT!
On a related note, David Orr came to Baltimore on October 1 to give a talk about climate change policy. He and a group of experts have been briefing the two presidential campaigns as part of the Presidential Climate Action Project . On their website, you can view and download policy papers on what the next Transition Team has to do in order to hit the ground running in the first 100 days in office. Look through their "Climate Action Briefs" on topics such as the role of small business in addressing climate change, national security in a changing environment, the moral case for energy efficiency, and the great potentials of a new "green" economy.
While it’s very good news that the best minds in the U.S. are coming together on this, Leo Murray’s video is a timely reminder that we have spent the last 20 years waiting for government and industry to fix this problem. The message is loud and clear: it is up to US to act, and we must act NOW.
Aurora Energy, Inc. is a Columbia, Maryland-based solar-energy company specializing in solar thermal and solar electric installations. Its website includes an extensive photo gallery of previous projects, detailing the construction of solar water-heating systems, solar paneling, and solar signage at various residential and commercial sites, both locally and nationally.
top photo by: eric stocklin; bottom photo by: mitro hood
The musician owners of a 1960s-era house are planning extensive renovations to the living spaces on the first floor. They are committed to using low-impact, non-toxic, sustainable materials. They also desire to wean themselves off fossil fuels, so energy efficiency is a high priority.
As part of a long-range master plan by Gabrielli Design Studio , the first phase was a small addition to the kitchen. Built on the existing foundation of a dilapidated screened porch, the structure is post-and-beam with infill strawbale walls and fiberglass-clad windows . The green (planted) roof drains to a chain drain and a rain barrel.
The new room brings daylight deep into the kitchen, while sweeping views upwards along a steep hillside to the sky. The straw walls are clad in lime plaster, the floor is the existing concrete, finished with a natural, plant-based stain and beeswax.
The next phase was going to be a kitchen renovation. But the new room has changed the character of the existing kitchen so dramatically, the owners may not need to renovate it for a long time.
Working with this family has been an inspiration. During the year we worked together on this project, they also chipped away at wasteful practices all around the house. Using tips from friends and from green websites such as Lime , they reduced their electricity use by 64%! What a difference a little curiosity and a lot of motivation can make in a household’s budget, as well as the health of our planet.
Sun Mar specializes in self-contained waterless garden and toilet composing units. Baltimore has a Sun Mar dealer located off the Avenue in Hamden at 3313 Elm Ave. As fresh water becomes more scarce due to over-consumption, our treatment facilities will not be able to support the amount of water we flush everyday. Our waste is 90% water and becomes a health hazard because bacteria grows in water. By relieving that moisture through ventilation it can be returned to the earth as much needed fertilizer.
Elysian Energy LLC, which specializes in energy-use assessment, helps homeowners determine their home’s carbon footprint, gauge its amount of energy-use, and take cost-cutting and eco-friendly steps to curtail wasteful energy practices. With the mantra “Lower bills, lower impact, higher value”, Elysian Energy particulary seeks to offer renewable energy technologies to its clients, as well as carbon impact mitigation. Utilizing their services both reduces local pollution from the energy supply sector and supports a local small business focuses on sustainability.
Solar Panels Plus is a Apricus solar systems distributor located in Chesapeake, VA. Apricus is a global dealer with it’s U.S. branch in Branford, CT and it’s manufacturing plant in Nanjing, China. Solar Panel Plus offers extensive heating and cooling options, as if purchasing panels just to heat your home wasn’t enough you can also consider a solar pool heater, fancy!
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