Mysterious, Glowing Clouds Appear Across America’s Night Skies

Wired magazine has run an article about how our sky is changing, possible due to global warming.

This really catches my attention, "fundamentally new phenomenon in the temperate mid-latitude sky." The picture of the Eiffel Tower is of fireworks, except you can also see Noctilucent clouds lit up in the background. These appear after sunset and before sunrise and can be seen at twilight and early night.

Addtional links (check out the photos):
Noctilucent cloud, Wikipedia

Noctilucent Cloud Sighting, YouTube

EarthMatters: Noctilucent Clouds, watch the video.

Noctilucent Clouds, Night Sky Observer

Green burials

The things you learn online! The green movement has even moved into the death business by greening up burial (or cremation).

I had no idea how bad for the environment a persons death and internment could be. Check out how they are turning a negative into a positive.

Shipping boxes turned into homes

I've seen some pretty cool designs for turning those big shipping containers (picture ocean going ships laden with them) into summer homes or even mini-homes. But this is the first I've noticed for taking several and making a normal sized and normal looking home. This would certainly appeal to main stream America.

I won't dwell much on the fact that we import so much and export so little that these shipping containers get stuck in this country.

Anyway, check out this article. Be sure to click to see the finished house, the video and the other photos. No one would ever guess it had been made from four shipping containers. It's also interesting to note that it takes half the time to build as a comparable home.

Energy efficient home

I don't know how many of you read CNET but they have highlighted a few things lately that really perked my interest. One of which is this super energy efficient home.

Photos: Modeling the uberefficient house

Follow the link from the above site to view the construction of an Earthship. Earthship homes are self-sustaining and completely off-the-grid.

Book: Virtuous Consumer

Book I like:
-The Virtuous Consumer: Your Essential Shopping Guide for a Better, Kinder, Healthier World by Leslie Garrett

I love Soy Candles

I really love soy candles! I've always liked candles in theory but my allergies haven't. Soy candles have been much gentler on me than the traditional ones made from paraffin wax. Paraffin wax is made from oil by-products and often includes stearin mixed in.

So why use soy candles? Regular candles can give off small quantities of toxic fumes and chemicals, some of which are carcinogenic. Soy candles burn cleaner and will usually give off fewer fumes (but note when shopping what scents and additives have been added to your soy candles). Soy candles are also natural and biodegradable. They burn cleaner leaving less soot and ash residue in your home. Soy is a renewable energy resource that is part of our sustainable agriculture. Finally and maybe the best part is that it reduces our need for oil (with all its economic and international complications).

The only downside to soy candles is that they cost more than traditional candles. However, they also burn 30-50% longer, which nicely off-sets the cost. But shop around, I've been able to find candles cheaper locally than those offered by places like Amazon. Although Amazon does have soy tea lights which I haven't seen elsewhere.
25 Soy Tealights

Official Soy Candle web site - I thought the name was a bit over the top given how many individuals and companies are making soy candles. Turns out that it is the Iowa Soybean Association and a number of manufacturers. The most useful part of the site is the map to find who sells soy products. Just click on your state and scroll down the list. The site is designed a bit funny but the info is good.

SoyCandles.com - News about the 'industry' and provides information not only on the products available but how to make your own.

For a history of candles see Wikipedia.

See Wikipedias take on Soy candles.

Ripping music to save space

If you haven't ripped all your music CDs by now you should. Do a search on 'saving space by ripping music' and you will get lots of links about saving space on your PC. But ripping music can save what I call "premium space". Premium space is the living space located at and adjacent to the best locations in your home. It's ground zero of where you do most of your activities or relaxing, which includes the space around your entertainment system or your computer desk. You can maximize this space by ripping all your CDs to your PC, thereby getting rid of all the CD towers or stacks of CD boxes. It also makes your music mobile, easy to access and to play. I don't know about you, but anything I can get off my computer desk is a relief.

Unfortunately, because of copyright laws, I can't recommend throwing your original CDs away, but you can take all of them out of their jewel cases and file them in a more compact storage case. I ended up putting my CDs and their liners in 3-ring binders and stashing them in a far corner of my study. I have them if I ever want to rerecord the music or prove I have 'fair use' rights, but they aren't taking up prime space.

As for empty jewel boxes, check with your local library to see if they can use your empty jewel boxes. Mine will take some and they use them to repair CD cases that get returned broken by library patrons. Every little bit of reuse helps, particularly with jewel cases, which may not be recyclable where you are.

This site has two ideas on recycling old jewel boxes. Another person says the only practical reuse is as picture frames.

Other sites have suggested that you offer the boxes to non-profits who may be able to sell them.

Micro Homes

The m-ch Micro Compact Home I pointed out in my last post isn't the only micro home out there. Given that the housing trend has been to ever larger homes I find the micro homes surprising. But there are a number of factors that are leading people to consider micro homes. First is the economic slump, people simply can't afford McMansions at this time. A second is the need for energy conservation both because of global warming and for personal cost savings. Third, the homes themselves cost less to purchase and site, lot sizes can also be smaller, and since many are prefabs they take far less time to become move in ready. Fourth, micro homes cost less to maintain and have less to clean. Fifth, many of them are built with sustainable materials and have a 'light' footprint on the environment.

They are obviously not for everyone, families with children, those with lots of personal possessions, who like to entertain large groups, or those who have hobbies that require a lot of work space would not enjoy living in a micro home.

-Tumbleweed House Company
-Micro Homes
-Top 5 Tiniest Prefab Homes
-Why Live In A Micro Home?
-Americans Seen Living Large in 'Micro Homes'
-Small Sells: Homes on Micro-lots Prove that Size Doesn't Matter

Micro compact home

There's small, and then there's SMALL! The m-ch Micro Compact Home is a compact cube that's designed to have zero wasted space. It reminds me a bit of a ship or a camper, where everything has it's place and nothing is left loose. Admittedly it is designed for "short stay living for students, business people, sports and leisure use and for weekenders."

See the company web site above or this article for more details about this micro home,
Deconstructions: Micro Compact Home: A little metal cube takes an energy-efficient approach to Lilliputian living.

Small-space Solutions from This Old House magazine

There is a magazine I like called, This Old House. But don't let the word 'old' stop you. This magazine has new ideas for both older homes and for those not yet built!

The online articles are usually a series of 'slides' for you to scroll through. Here's a few samples:

Little Big Ideas - has some basic but classic ideas for making the most of your home.

14 Kitchen and Bath Space Savers - ideas for maximizing space.

Entertaining in Small Spaces - is a review of party friendly products that have maximum impact for minimal storage. Number three is the folding kitchen island/cart I've had my eye on for my own kitchen. Number five can serve has a hall table until a dining table and four chairs are needed for guests.

This Old Studio Apartment - check out what this person did with only 450 sq. ft.! Never say your place is too small again.

In the May 2009 print edition of This Old House (sorry this article isn't available online), Keith Pandolfi lists 9 tips for saving space, including;

• Painting the crown molding to match the ceiling paint in order to widen a narrow room


• Placing "large mirrors facing each other to create the illusion of more space."


• Maximize square footage and natural light by adding bay windows.


• "Use tall furniture and built-ins to draw the eye upward."


• His ninth suggestions is that you incorporate a spiral staircase, but in other article and books I've seen people add storage or shelving under the staircase. One such book showed how they built drawers under the treads, a large cascading chest of drawers if you like. You could do both and really maximize a small space.

Living Green Magazine

Living Green magazine is an online magazine that focuses, unsurprisingly, on green living. If you want to learn more about green living, eco-friendly products, and sustainable solutions for all levels of commitment, then this is the magazine for you. The fact that it is free, online, and has articles to meet every level of interest doesn't hurt at all.

You can subscribe via email so that you don't ever miss an issue. Best of all you won't have old magazines cluttering up your house or requiring recycling when you are done reading!

Gardening and global warming

If articles like this don't convince you that global warming is real, Climate Change Already Affecting America: Government Study, then the fact that our most standard tool for determining if a plant can survive winters in an area ought to.

According to this article Warming Shifts Gardeners' Maps, the hardiness zone maps that gardeners use to determine what will grow in their area has changed since it was last published 18 years ago. This is an example of climate change that affects me personally every time I choose a plant for my location. I can't think of a plainer, more practical, no nonsense way to show the changes in our environment. When plants that never use to be able to survive the winters in your area now can, how can you deny that our climate is warming?

Be sure to move the tab under the map in order to compare the changes.

For those of you who are gardeners you may want to also refer to the American Horticulture Society's Heat Zone Map. Rather than based on winter hardiness it is a guide to heat tolerance. For even more accurate results try their interactive heat zone map based on Zip Codes.

Greenpods - modular homes

There's many choices these days for energy-saving sustainably built homes. One of the new choices is the Greenpod.

Greenpods are compact, custom-built, modular homes that are designed for energy efficiency, improved indoor air quality, and sustainability. Their vision statement says they choose their materials carefully to maximize "indoor air quality, durability, and environmental responsibility." I like that they emphasize indoor air quality because anything that improves air quality usually helps reduce my allergies.

Their designs utilize movable walls, multi-purpose furnishings, lighting (such as solar tubes), and passive solar for reduced heating costs that creates spacious looking living spaces while also reducing the home's environmental impact. Each pod also uses low flow plumbing. Additional green-living options include gray water recycling, rain water storage, roof gardens, or living roofs.
You can also use 'Diamond Pin foundations" with their Greenpods, which they claim further reduces the ecological footprint of their homes. This article explains why this is a better method for green building.

Their pictures of the Greenpods' interiors certainly look very spacious but their samples floor plans don't provide measurements. I did find on their web site that their pods are 14' or 15' wide, with the standard pod measuring 14' by 48'.