What West Coast Green is to the world of green building, the NW Flower and Garden Show is to the world of horticulture. For many years now, it has been one of the best shows in the US, if not the world. And this year may be the last (founder's fatigue, I hear). Hopefully, someone will buy out the production rights and continue the tradition. But like many people, I am going this year in part to make sure I don't miss my last chance.
Sadly, Anne Lovejoy is not on the agenda; but Dan Hinkley and Melinda Myers are. And I'm sure some of the other speakers will be great discoveries, if not old favorites. Whatever the speakers cover, the display gardens will speak volumes about the possibilities for shaping the outdoor spaces that nourish us. Wonder if the Rain Hogs that caused such a buzz at West Coast Green will be on offer? In drizzly Seattle they'd be very practical.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Michelle Kaufman, role model
The Sunday San Jose Mercury News today spotlighted Michelle Kaufmann in its Career and Education section's "on the job" box. The 5-question interview didn't provide an opportunity to discuss Michelle's expertise in pre-fab housing. She did mention the greening of architecture as a driver for new career opportunities, and need for architects to re-think their work, to make their services more accessible (ie, affordable) to average homeowners.
Some mention of her book, Prefab Green, or way of recognizing that she stands out as a leading green architect, would have pleased me. Biggest surprise? Learning that her award-winning, high-profile firm has been on the scene only 7 years. Remarkable the impact one professional can have in such a short period of time.
Some mention of her book, Prefab Green, or way of recognizing that she stands out as a leading green architect, would have pleased me. Biggest surprise? Learning that her award-winning, high-profile firm has been on the scene only 7 years. Remarkable the impact one professional can have in such a short period of time.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Not So Big Christmas
Now that I live in a Not So Big House (under 1000 square feet for 2 people, and no yard, garage, or storage unit, it's a little easier for friends to accept my aversion to accumulating 'stuff.' Those that have visited can see how little wall and counter space there really is, and our ongoing effort to pare down the gizmos and decor that quickly become clutter.
Christmas is the most challenging time. Like so many Americans driven by commercial burnout and financial uncertainty, we're looking for ways to strip off the stress from the holiday, to find the spirit beneath the noise and glitter. It helps to have Jewish friends as role models, to experience with them tuning our Christmas can be like. Whether Channukah overlaps the 12 days or not (usually not much, sometimes not at all), it always falls during the cold and dark of early winter. The lighting of candles for the Festival of Lights helps me hold the faith in the light returning and our ability to all have enough in lean times simply by sharing with each other. Gifts are nominal, almost an incidental element.
Celebrating the solstice with songs, stories and a shared meal followed by a give-away (used treasures and hand-made items especially appropriate here) reinforces this notion that winter holidays are really ways to get together and remind each other that family and community carry us through hard times, whether grief or financial stress, health crises, or just short days with too much rain or snow.
So Christmas here will follow the Not So Big model, with the house open to friends to come cook together, drop in to visit and drink hot cider, sing a few carols, and swap stories. Will there be presents to unwrap? A few. I'm heading to town today for the Sunday paper, to get news and the comics. Should be plenty of funnies to wrap the stocking stuffers, concert tickets, and other written promises of good times in 2009.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Living Wall Review
Basha Osinski, landscape architecture student at UC Berkeley Extension, took West Coast Green's 'dare greatly' challenge to heart. She decided to begin testing and reviewing a variety of green building products for landscaping, such as ELT's living wall system.
An example installation of the system was shown at the conference as a backdrop to the keynote speakers. (see for example, video of David Suzuki, Jerry Brown, Susan Susanka, or Al Gore on Green To-Do's You Tube channel).
For Basha's first test, she has purchased 4 units and planted them. They will be hung outdoors during the SF Bay Area's wet season, and monitored through rain, cold, wind, and eventually a long dry spell with occasional hot peaks (spring, summer and fall).
Basha's introduction to the product, in a short video:
An example installation of the system was shown at the conference as a backdrop to the keynote speakers. (see for example, video of David Suzuki, Jerry Brown, Susan Susanka, or Al Gore on Green To-Do's You Tube channel).
For Basha's first test, she has purchased 4 units and planted them. They will be hung outdoors during the SF Bay Area's wet season, and monitored through rain, cold, wind, and eventually a long dry spell with occasional hot peaks (spring, summer and fall).
Basha's introduction to the product, in a short video:
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Greywater Guerillas
Some of the most practical sessions at West Coast Green 2008 occurred not in the 100-seat conference rooms but in the midst of the bustling tradeshow floor, at the Demo Stage. Winner of the "Dare Greatly - Now" category was surely the Build Your Own Greywater System session presented by Laura Allen of the Greywater Guerillas.
In California, the Uniform Plumbing Code does permit residential greywater use. But the requirements are not feasible (financially or practically, especially in retrofit cases) for most homeowners. And of course renters are unlikely to get landlords to invest in costly retrofits, even with significant savings on water bills. What then can an ecologically-minded, resourceful renter or homeowner do, without running afoul of the local building department?
Enter the Guerillas, who invite you to join the Water Underground. The too-brief half hour session introduced participants to several of the most low-tech, low-cost, low-profile changes to home plumbing that individuals can make to divert waste water from sinks, showers and washing machines for beneficial uses such as flushing toilets and irrigating landscaping.
In down-to-earth terms, Allen also included some key details for success in each simple retrofit, including what can and cannot safely go down the drain, pipe sizing and materials, and where to find fittings. For those who live in the Bay Area, hands-on events are also held periodically. For aspiring guerillas out of the area, GG's website and publication do provide illustrated do-it-yourself instructions and plans.
In these days of drought, floods, and climate crisis, we can't afford to waste water by towing the modern line of rainwater-as-waste, all water in the house needing to be potable, and all water from home drains requiring treatment at a municipal plant. Literally anyone can implement the simplest of the Guerillas' suggestions; and courage is built one success at a time. Go ahead - I double-dog dare ya.
In California, the Uniform Plumbing Code does permit residential greywater use. But the requirements are not feasible (financially or practically, especially in retrofit cases) for most homeowners. And of course renters are unlikely to get landlords to invest in costly retrofits, even with significant savings on water bills. What then can an ecologically-minded, resourceful renter or homeowner do, without running afoul of the local building department?
Enter the Guerillas, who invite you to join the Water Underground. The too-brief half hour session introduced participants to several of the most low-tech, low-cost, low-profile changes to home plumbing that individuals can make to divert waste water from sinks, showers and washing machines for beneficial uses such as flushing toilets and irrigating landscaping.
In down-to-earth terms, Allen also included some key details for success in each simple retrofit, including what can and cannot safely go down the drain, pipe sizing and materials, and where to find fittings. For those who live in the Bay Area, hands-on events are also held periodically. For aspiring guerillas out of the area, GG's website and publication do provide illustrated do-it-yourself instructions and plans.
In these days of drought, floods, and climate crisis, we can't afford to waste water by towing the modern line of rainwater-as-waste, all water in the house needing to be potable, and all water from home drains requiring treatment at a municipal plant. Literally anyone can implement the simplest of the Guerillas' suggestions; and courage is built one success at a time. Go ahead - I double-dog dare ya.
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