EcoGeek has just written an article on how one can now go to Walmart (and select) Sam’s Club stores to arrange for solar panel installation.

Essentially this is done via a KIOSK system. You enter in your information and the self service kiosk will generate partners contracted with Walmart to sell and install solar panels in your home.

Some argue it is not feasible for the average American to add solar panels to their homes, as the price of install is still too high. When the prices come down abit more, widespread adaptation will be seen.

Will this increase use of solar energy in American homes?

I’m sure it will some, but i concur with those who argue the price is still not within the reach of many. Kiosk or no kiosk. It will create awareness and buzz though.

Via: [EcoGeek]

All Natural, Alternative Energy, america, Earth Friendly, Eco Friendly, ecogeek, Green News, Home and Garden, Homes, kiosk system, sams club stores, self service, solar panel installation, solar panels, use of solar energy, walmart All Natural, Alternative Energy, america, Earth Friendly, Eco Friendly, ecogeek, Green News, Home and Garden, Homes, kiosk system, sams club stores, self service, solar panel installation, solar panels, use of solar energy, walmart

Wind power is brilliant, but there is so much opposition against wind farms and even when they get planning permission, a wind farm can be seriously expensive mean that the return on the investment makes for a long wait.

However, in the Netherlands, researchers from the Delft University of Technology are working a working model of variant of the wind farm, except this time, they are using kites to generate enough power for around ten homes, which is around ten kilowatts per ten square metre kite. The kites are tethered to a generator this produces the electricity.

In the longer term, there are plans, which could hold more kites and rise up to 30,000 feet in the air producing around 100 megawatts of electricity.

Source [Inhabitat]

 

 

 

Alternative Energy, Arts and Entertainment, Consumerism, Eco Friendly, electric, electricity, Energy Efficient, Energy Saving, Homes, kilowatt, kilowatts, kite, netherlands, Technology Alternative Energy, Arts and Entertainment, Consumerism, Eco Friendly, electric, electricity, Energy Efficient, Energy Saving, Homes, kilowatt, kilowatts, kite, netherlands, Technology

This type of housing was first at the end of the Second World War; it was a temporary solution to the housing shortage. However, in parts of London these houses still exist and are loved by the people who in them.

Now prefabs are making a comeback, they are very different to the houses of the 1940’s as they should be, but could these homes be the new eco friendly way of living? Some people think yes and it is easy to see why as they use sustainable materials and do have such an impact when they are built.

Therefore, it would seem that the circle of sixty years is now complete but with one exception, this time it is hip to live in a prefab these days.

Source [Eco Friend]

 

 

 

Arts and Entertainment, Buildings, Conservation, eco, Eco Friendly, home, Home and Garden, Homes, Sustainable, sustainable materials Arts and Entertainment, Buildings, Conservation, eco, Eco Friendly, home, Home and Garden, Homes, Sustainable, sustainable materials

It was a dream of the Prime Minister Gordon Brown to develop eco towns in the UK; this would have been the first major building projects in the country since the 1960’s. However, these plans have been put into limbo simply because it is believed that many of these developments were not green enough.

Originally there were to be around ten of these eco towns, but this has been cut down to around two and even those may not get the go ahead either. This is a significant blow not only for the building of eco friendly projects, but for the UK housing market too.

Nevertheless, thinking up an eco town is one thing, putting it into practice is another with transport, utilities and the established local area. However, there is still a need for new homes and surely, the best way is to build eco friendly new homes rather than the alternative.

Source [Telegraph]

Arts and Entertainment, Buildings, Conservation, Eco Friendly, Eco Friendly, Environment, Green, Green Architecture, Green Design, home, Home and Garden, Homes, housing market, project Arts and Entertainment, Buildings, Conservation, Eco Friendly, Eco Friendly, Environment, Green, Green Architecture, Green Design, home, Home and Garden, Homes, housing market, project

It seems that the Scottish authorities have not heard about Donald Trump and the fact that nobody says no to him.

His plans for $2 billion golf resort on the Scottish coast were rejected last year; this was because the 1,400 acre location at the Balmedie Beach in Scotland is regarded to be rather special. Needless to say, the thought of 950 homes, 36 villas and 500 large houses on a shared site with two eighteen-hole golf courses and a 450 bedroom hotel did not go down very well with the locals.

However, Donald Trump is back with a plan and this time he means business. His revised plan includes specs to make Balmedie Beach more sustainable. He’s even going as far as offering a free electric Smart car to every new home owner! I wonder how the panel is going to receive his pitch this time around. Only time will tell!

Source [Ecorazzi]

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This is a very interesting design in the concept stage at the moment but never the less this could be very useful for virtually anyone who uses light, which is everyone basically! The designers Faludi Design estimate that the cost of these lights could be around $20, which is a great price by anyone’s standards.

Ideal for:

Children studying
Pre-dawn food preparation
Cottage industry
Night market stands
Homes (especially homes with outhouses)
Bicycle or animal travel
No doubt much more

Alternative Energy, Arts and Entertainment, Camping, designers, Eco Friendly, Electronics, Food, home, Homes, lighting, solar, table Alternative Energy, Arts and Entertainment, Camping, designers, Eco Friendly, Electronics, Food, home, Homes, lighting, solar, table

We hear about green living these days and while most of us tend to want it because it is the fashion trend of eco-friendly living, a lot has to be said with regards to how we should go about building green and eco-friendly homes. By eco-friendly living we of are course referring to the type of home environment that we have starting from raw materials all the way to the type of stuff we have inside our homes which include appliances and furniture.

Eco-friendly is not all about having organically made stuff or even buying products from an eco-friendly approved company. The manner of living as well is important which covers the area of conservation and using alternative means that include recycled products that can take the place of high costing consumer items that really give us more problems in the end rather than solutions.

So what do we need for eco-friendly compliant green homes? Here is a good article on Green living written over at Newsday.com.

Eco Friendly, Eco Friendly, eco_friendly_homes, fashion_trend, Green Architecture, Green Architecture, Green Design, Green Design, Green Living, Green Living, Green News, Green News, Home and Garden, Home and Garden, Homes, Homes, home_environment, raw_materials, recycled_products Eco Friendly, Eco Friendly, eco_friendly_homes, fashion_trend, Green Architecture, Green Architecture, Green Design, Green Design, Green Living, Green Living, Green News, Green News, Home and Garden, Home and Garden, Homes, Homes, home_environment, raw_materials, recycled_products

Peach pip or pits can really serve more rather than finding their way in the trash chutes. Put your imagination and creative mind to work and you will come up with good designs that can improve your homes. In this case, peach pit flooring can bring something new and elegant as far as improving the overall home design you currently have.

Glued onto a surface with a silica sand and resin mixture, this peach pit flooring offers a totally new dimension as far as applying an eco-friendly touch towards homes that are gearing towards the green compliant standards most people are taking up today.

Peach pip floors (aka peach ‘pit’ floors to us yanks) have a long history in South Africa and the warm, natural materials made an early impression on South African gallery owner Allah le Roux. He caught his first glimpse of this unique organic finishing technique as a child on a visit to Klein Zoar in Cape Town. Decades later, in 2004, he bought an 19th century house in Paarl, in the Western Cape, and made his first objective to restore the home with this traditional peach-pip flooring.

(Source) Inhabitat

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It is well known that the former Baywatch actress has a green streak running through her and what better way to prove it than developing five acres of prime water front land in her home town of Ladysmith in Canada. She has teamed up with Geoff Courtnall the ex hockey player to build eighty three eco friendly housing units.

“Environmentally friendly features include a geothermal heat exchange system and pavement that is water-permeable, and a recirculating pond and stream to prevent heavy runoff’, said development manager Peter Laughlin. To minimize the building’s footprint on the site, plans call for one seven-storey condo building, and two four-storey condo blocks. One of those four-storey blocks would be built into the bank on the waterfront, rising to just one level above ground, he said. The townhouses would be built in one- and two-level buildings. ‘The density proposed is less than is permitted under the current zoning’, Laughlin said. ‘We have tried to leave large areas of green space and preserve as many trees as possible.”

Source [Ecorazzi]

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This is for anyone who is trendy and hip, this item can be placed virtually anywhere in the home and it will look cool enough to be thought of as begin a designer item. So you are able to save the planet through buying eco friendly products and at the same time get your self some really nice household items too.

This bin is made from one hundred per cent recycled metal and has been fitted with rubber padded feet, which will stop the bin from scratching the surface.

Priced at $20

Source [Eco Fling]

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Now this stuff is great although there are certain problems with cardboard furniture, these are strength, fire and water resistance, these three factors would be able to destroy the furniture and good part of the home too. This is a bit of a worry if you are setting up home in a new place etc.

However on the other hand these items are going to be totally recyclable when they are finished with which it’s a great point. All in all, these pieces of furniture are going to be both good and bad, but totally cool all at the same time, there is not many pieces of furniture that you can say that about is there?

Source [Eco Friend]

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It’s great to see items made from tyres, we say this a lot and it seems there are more and more designers seeing that the material used to make the humble car tyre can also be used to produce some excellent items that can be used both in the home and outside.

Each rug uses around 130 to 140 inner tubes from bicycle tyres that have been discarded. Made in India by hand and loomed by hand too.

Priced at $1,150.00

Source [Plush Pod]

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Olive oil is a wonderful product, but it does not have to always be used in cooking, as there are a number of other applications that you may not know and you will be surprised at the amount of jobs and solutions which can be done with a bottle of olive oil.

Shaving

Shine stainless steel

Remove eye makeup

Prevent wax from sticking to a candle holder

Care for your pet

Moisturize cuticles

Treat dry skin

Unstick a zip

Dust wooden furniture

Silence squeaky doors

Of course if you are going to use olive oil for these applications then it is advisable that you buy a larger bottle at the store, otherwise you may run out at the wrong time.

Source [Hippy Shopper]

All Natural, All Natural, candle_holder, cooking, cooking, Eco Friendly, Eco Friendly, eye_makeup, Home and Garden, Home and Garden, Homes, Homes, Kitchen and Bathroom, Kitchen and Bathroom, olive_oil, wooden_furniture All Natural, All Natural, candle_holder, cooking, cooking, Eco Friendly, Eco Friendly, eye_makeup, Home and Garden, Home and Garden, Homes, Homes, Kitchen and Bathroom, Kitchen and Bathroom, olive_oil, wooden_furniture

Flip flops are not very eco friendly they get lost in sea and break into bits which is not very nice for the wildlife because they can choke on the smaller pieces. But what do you do with all of those flip flops that do not get sold?

Make furniture out them is the answer which is not only eco friendly but the furniture is so cool that it will look brilliant in any home or office, like this ottoman. Its multi coloured, looks like it could have come off of Star Trek and is just stunning to look at. It is such a great concept and because of the materials can be used outside too!

Priced at $315

Source [DWR]

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Recycling old pieces of metal etc is nothing new. But when they are put together and turned into something else entirely which is useful and stylish too.

The main part of the body is made from some sort of a metal bottle, which is very handy because where the bottle had a screw top this, can now be used as an easy opener so that the money can be taken out.

Priced at $68.95

Source [Novica]

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