recommended resources

-- Recommended Resources -- 

Here we are nearly mid-way through February 2017... how are you feeling about the new year? I like to challenge my readers to avoid negative information and seek out positive sources of information, entertainment and networking opportunities by offering these posts - recommending resources that may just inspire you, bring a ray of positivity to your day or offer a positive point to bring up in conversations as the week progresses.

Buildings (with the construction, deconstruction, waste, maintenance, upgrades and energy consumption) add up to quite the impact on the health of our environment. There are all kinds of small and large things that people can choose to do to improve their residence that we highlight in our "Trash Talk" book series (see links at the end of today's post). I encourage you to check out the books and apply whatever ideas work for your situation. We have done those activities for every rental home and our 2 owned homes in our lifetime... leaving behind a slightly more eco-friendly home for the next people to enjoy, and hopefully improve upon. 

In this 1978 1800 sq ft house that we bought 6 years ago, for instance, we have achieved a good eco-rating and reduced our electric and gas bills from $160 and $100 / month to $60 and $49... despite my long, hot showers. We could, and will, do more to improve this, but it is nice to see the economic difference that small improvements can make.

Check out these green-building design related lectures: 

This presentation by Thomas Heatherwick on alternative, energy efficient, green space architectural design, ends with a wonderful project you have to see: 

http://www.ted.com/talks/thomas_heatherwick

Next, Michael Pawlyn shows us amazing projects involving solar, architecture, biomimicry, water collection, desert remediation, flower blooming – amazing stuff.

http://www.ted.com/talks/michael_pawlyn_using_nature_s_genius_in_architecture

And to close out today's post, I'll offer this 5 minute video re: designing apartments and condos focusing on eco-living and quality of life:

  http://www.ted.com/talks/moshe_safdie_how_to_reinvent_the_apartment_building

https://www.createspace.com/3849039

https://www.createspace.com/3852051

     

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