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"Going
Green--Traveling Clean", AAA Touch, May/June 2008
You recycle aluminum
cans and newspapers and take empty printer cartridges back to the
office supply store--in exchange for a ream of recycled paper.
Maybe you've even bookmarked articles about hybrid cars. But when
you hit the road, your conscience nags. How can you travel more
gently on Earth?
Whether your idea of a
great trip is sipping cool drinks on the beach, hiking remote trails
or sightseeing in national parks, there are plenty of eco-friendly
options to green up your next trip.
Contact for
complete article.
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"Hawaii's
Veggie Fuel," E/The Environmental Magazine,
Few people associate
clean transportation with the smell of French fries sizzling in hot
grease, but used vegetable oil can be converted into an alternative fuel
with many environmental advantages.
In 1995, the Hawaiian island of Maui became concerned about
environmental and health problems resulting from restaurant grease
clogging its landfill. Operators complained that static-pile fires were
becoming more frequent, and the oil could leak into groundwater. Robert
King, owner of King Diesel on Maui, spearheaded the formation of Pacific
Biodiesel (PacBio) in 1996. |
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“Going
Green,” Country Lifestyle, May/June 2008
Talk “green” to garden lovers and they first think
of lush, bountiful plants enjoyed and shared with passersby. Proud
Homeowners might wonder what’s better than a manicured lawn shaded by
leafy trees and surrounded by shrubs and flowers. The answer: Knowing
that your landscape investment actually provides multiple advantages for
you and your community—some you might not even realize.
Contact for
complete article.
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“Martin
Magic,” Country Lifestyle, January 2008
As early
as January, the first purple martins start arriving in Texas. They
migrate here after wintering in South America for five months, primarily
in Brazil. The earliest arrivals are the oldest males, resplendent with
their iridescent purple feathers. On sighting these "scouts," martin
landlords start readying their housing - important for purple martin
conservation and a popular late winter activity
in central Texas.
Contact for
complete article.
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"Tips for Safe Spring
Cleaning," Erickson Tribune, January 2008
Mixing bleach and
bathroom cleaner won’t make your tub sparkle, but it will give you a
quick lesson in household hazards. Chlorine and ammonia can be a
deadly combination. Despite warnings, improper use of household
cleaning products resulted in many calls to Poison Control hotlines
during cleanup from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, a situation that is
likely to be repeated as people clean up in the aftermath of fires,
tornadoes, ice storms, floods, and other natural disasters.
Even if you never have to worry about the fallout from severe
weather conditions, you’ll probably be spiffing up your home in the
annual “spring cleaning” ritual. What potential hazards lurk behind
your cabinet doors? How can you avoid problems?
Contact for
complete article.
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"A
House Made from Paper: Were the Three Little Pigs Right After All?"
E/The Environmental Magazine, January/February, 2006.
Forget the
old saying that people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.
Now you can live in a paper house that’s so strong stones won’t make a
dent.
Ask Kate Thayer and Clyde Curry of Marathon, Texas about the advantages
of building with recycled paper. For the past four years they have been
testing and building with various forms of papercrete, manageable-sized
bricks made of recycled paper products and Portland cement. “We didn’t
invent the idea of mixing paper and concrete,” says Curry. “We’re just
experimenting with how to use it.” |
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"House of Cards"
USA Weekend, March, 2005.
A variety of eco-friendly
paper-based building materials under development offer a lighter,
cheaper alternative to concrete, with no loss of durability. "Papercrete"
combines recycled paper -- from magazines to greeting cards to junk mail
-- with cement for a lighter version of traditional building blocks,
sometimes for as little as $1 per square foot. Contact
for complete article.
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"New Life for Old Tech"
Better Homes and Gardens, April 2004
More than 3 million tons
of electronic waste - computers, televisions, fax machines, stereos,
camcorders, cellular phones, VCRs, and more - are laid to rest in
landfills each year, according to the United States Environmental Agency
(EPA). Consumers are creating a huge electronic junkyard, which could
pose a serious health and environmental hazard.
Electronic products
contain hazardous materials that pose risks if deposited in landfills or
incinerated. Some products, such as computer screens and TV sets contain
4 to 8 pounds of lead, a heavy metal that is toxic to humans. Other
everyday products also contain toxic materials, such as cadmium,
mercury, nickel, zinc, and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs), all of which
have been known to enter the waste stream and could end up in our
drinking water.
Contact for complete article |
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"Rainwater Collection" Country
Lifestyle, August 2004
Richard Heinichen's well water in
Dripping Springs was so hard and corrosive that he says, "It turned our
hair into fright wigs and our blue jeans into cardboard." And it tasted
disgustingly of sulfur. So in 1994, in search of better quality water,
Heinichen installed a rainwater collection system at his home.
Collecting rainwater may seem like a step
back in time, when rain provided soft water for a luxury shampoo or
water was stored in cisterns to keep the garden from wilting during dry
spells. Harvesting rainwater is an old idea that has once again found a
niche, and it's especially effective in arid regions like Central Texas
where water conservation is important for both landscape and home uses.
Contact for complete article
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