EQUITY GREEN

Pickens Has A Solution

 

If you have been living in a cave the past couple of weeks, then you missed T. Boone Pickens' plan (see video above) for reducing our dependence on foreign oil.  T. Boone is an oil tycoon that made more money on crude than many of us can even begin to comprehend.  Now, he is backing alternative energy (wind, solar, etc.) as a way for us to successfully survive and not put every penny into our gas tank.  On a different note, ff you want some perspective to our current situation, check out this article in the NY Times written on December 1, 1990.  Seems like the airlines complain about the price of crude oil regardless of price.  That industry is jacked up anyway. 

Maine Earns Title as Top Energy Efficient State

 

According to a study by Texas A&M professor Jerry Jackson, Maine and other New England states lead the country in office building energy efficiency.  The study is the first of its kind to attempt to rank the states on their energy use.  Each state's rank is determined by the percent of buildings that exceed Energy Star's 75th percentile energy efficiency standard.  The data for the study is taken from the MAISY Utility Customer Energy Use State Database, which report on a sample of commercial buildings across the country on measures such as building energy use through the use of space heating, air conditioning, interior lighting, water heating, etc. 

+Top 10 Energy-Efficient States:  New England's Energy Efficiency Leads to Double Digit Cost Savings [yahoo finance]

Focusing on Zero Energy and High Efficiency

Check it out:

++Building An Energy Efficient America:  Zero Energy and High Efficiency Buildings [Download Full Report at Environment America]

Also, if you didn't get your hands on a Wall Street Journal today, you missed an opinion piece written by T. Boone Pickens titled "My Plan to Escape the Grip of Foreign Oil" where Mr. Pickens outlines his 10-year plan to reduce America's reliance on foreign oil by more than 1/3 over the next 5 to 10 years.  Very interesting piece and well-deserved dialogue.  He sees the writing on the wall and feels an extreme urgency to get out from under the shadow of foreign oil.

++My Plan to Escape the Grip of Foreign Oil [WSJ]

Are Gas Prices Causing A Suburbian Exodus?

Well, maybe not a mass exodus right now but people are definitely re-thinking their commute time and cost, which may result more people moving closer to work and big cities.  Many times, moving closer to the city means smaller homes, less square feet and less commute time.  However, prices can be higher than in the suburbs.  So, for those looking to buy a home, are you willing to pay a little more for a house to cut down on travel time and commute costs?  That's the question people are asking.  A move like this could be worth an additional $30,000 towards the purchase of a home...

Green Guru Challenge [Michelle Kaufmann on YouTube]

Michelle Kaufmann recently posted a video on YouTube calling people out to participate in a "recycle in style" challenge.  She wants to see your creativity in making re-use of everyday items and/or things you might normally throw in the trash.  To participate, make a video and post it in response to hers on YouTube.  

Greensburg House X

 

++Greensburg House X [Flickr]
++Greensburg Greentown [website]

Rotating Skyscrapers

Woman Uses Retired 747 To Build Dream Home

Real Estate Appraisers Must Learn To See Green Value

"A challenge for green finance is the ongoing struggle among appraisers and underwriters to understand the value and risk of sustainability."--Scott Muldavin, Executive Director of the Green Building Finance Consortium in San Rafael, CA. 

West Coast Green 2008 [San Jose]

 

It's back!  Welcome to the largest residential green building movement get-together!  Featuring over 380 exhibitors, 6,000 industry professionals, and this WCG is featuring a "Homeowner Day" where the public can have full access to the tradeshow.  Click for a list of the speakers and exhibitors.  West Coast Green is an opportunity to share best practices and get ideas on the green movement.   

++West Coast Green [website]
++West Coast Green:  mkLotus Showhouse [Dwell blog]