home improvement
Green Rooftops
Minnesota is home to nearly 100 green rooftops. That's a million square feet of live plants on top of buildings rather than hot, hard roof surfaces. Green rooftops make roof membranes last longer while reducing energy costs and managing storm water. Expect to see the number of green roofs in the state double or triple over the next decade.
DIY SOLAR PART II: SOLAR WATER HEATERS | Sun Like it Hot
If you already live a greener lifestyle by doing some of the simpler things like insulating your home, replacing old appliances with more efficient ones, driving less, and buying locally, then what is the next step? Maybe you can lower your greenhouse gas emissions by installing a solar water heater. Solar water heating is one of the least publicized but most cost-effective renewable energy options. According to Windy Dankoff of Conergy, solar water heaters capture six times more energy than solar electric at a third the cost. This is why solar water heating offers excellent economics.
Using the Sun Wisely: Solar Shades & Energy Saving Awnings
It's 10 a.m. on a Saturday and I'm cooking an egg on the sidewalk, not in Death Valley but in St. Paul, and in a solar oven. The pace of solar cooking allows me to parent, write and ponder our civilization's future without burning my egg. I am using no natural gas and producing no carbon dioxide in the process. But the sun is not always available and a crispy solar pizza is still a dream.
