Time for a Change?

A change in climate, generous tax advantages for individuals and businesses, outdoor activities year round . Many are still looking to move to Nevada and the reasons are many. When making the change, consider the advantages of making your next home or business green. Nevada has all the wind, sun and geothermal energy necessary to live efficiently and save money. 

Homes are more affordable than ever, upgrades are becoming more affordable with more options than ever before. Roof shingles are now solar panels to be pleasing to the eye and the planet. Wind power is accessible is smaller and more efficient packages. Supply your new home with the best quality appliances have them pay for 

themselves with tax incentives and energy savings.

The world isn't going to fix itself so it is up to us to make smart financial decisions and eco friendly choices. In the future, we will all be looking at smart homes for many reasons. Currently, the recession is constantly on everyone's mind. Many people never want to allow themselves to be beholden to the actions of others. Home buying needs to be an informed process. Outdoor & Resort Properties' agents are educated about the Northern Nevada real estate market bringing the best resources in smart home buying.

Times are changing rapidly. The real estate market is showing signs of recovery. Is it time for you to make your change too?

Kids Go Green

To end Earth Day, I must say my kids finally get it. I mean UNDERSTAND! Hellelujah!!!

I have to give some show on Nickalodeon credit. They say something like, turn off the lights for 98 seconds and we'll save the planet. I'm writing and the kids run around the house like short lunatics to turn off lights and realize the only light on is the turtle's. They're bummed.

But it opened a door for them to understand why we are always fussing to turn off the lights, don't waste, hang the towels after showering, refill a water bottle, etc. etc. Yes, we are parents and it is our job to ride you obnoxiously, but we know what we're doing! And bless them, the light went on in their little heads.

We talked about the reasons we do what we do. It saves our family money and helps keep our planet a cleaner place. We don't live in a dirty house and we don't want a dirty planet. I was quizzed about what we've done to be more "Green". They eventually walked away listening to recycling water, changing the light bulbs, benefits of Energy Star appliances, manure in the garden instead of commercial fertilizers, building an arbor versus installing A/C and on and on and on.....

I feel for them. But maybe. Just maybe. I won't have to fuss as much about turning off the lights when they leave a room.

Earth Day 2009

Today is Earth day. It may not be a day to go out and celebrate for everyone, but it can be a day to look at your life and see what can be changed.




Reduce/Reuse/Recycle, time to make a plan to practice the 3 'R's?


Help the economy and shop for Energy Star appliances?


Put your home through an Energy Audit?

There are many ways to take care of the planet. With the world the way it is today, it is also a great time to exert control over our actions that will save money. There are many advantages personally and globally to making those changes now.

CO2 Formally Declared a Pollutant

Today in the New York Times:
The Environmental Protection Agency on Friday formally declared carbon dioxide and five other heat-trapping gases to be pollutants that threaten public health and welfare, setting in motion a process that for the first time in the United States will regulate the gases blamed for global warming.

What I don't understand is how this can be a defined a pollutant when it is also naturally occurring. There must be a measurement defining a level that has to be reached for CO2 to be a pollutant, but no one is stating what that is or even if they can measure it.

We all want to save energy and keep the planet clean. But I want to see more information about the standards and measurements used to make declarations like this. It just doesn't make sense that we jump from decreases our impact on the planet (good) to a necessary gas for life to function is a pollutant (bad). Huh?

I remember basic earth science studied in school stating CO2 was necessary for life on Earth. Has everyone forgotten this basic lesson?

From Merriam Webster, the definition for carbon dioxide

Freedom

What going green means in my neighborhood: FREEDOM.

Northern Nevada has an abundance of sunshine and wind. Buying land to build a dream home may not have power access. But solar and wind power are becoming more affordable every day. Bringing power out to a remote parcel of land can be very cost prohibitive. You have to have easements granted, purchase power poles, have them installed, line run etc. This process can easily begin at $20,000 if you are within a mile of a power line. Further out is obviously more expensive.

Many homes in remote areas take full advantage of the wind and sun by using both a wind turbine and solar panels. Since they are off the grid, they store power via batteries, unlike others who are able to sell their excess back to their power provider. Many homes off the grid still have a back up generator. For the more challenging environments a generator is security against all elements!

Of course, this has a downside too. Traditionally, banks like homes to be on the grid. There are many lenders who are more educated about green power than before but it still saves time and money to work with an experienced Realtor when it comes to buying properties like these.

Switch Your Home to Solar Power

Dream: Green Home

Finding a green home is getting easier. But it still seems that to truly be efficient, most homes need a great amount of work. If you're interested in having the most energy efficient home possible without tearing it apart, building is the best option.

With the economy going crazy and the real estate market going up and down, there are great deals available. Many people invested in land for their future dream home and have changed their mind. Northern Nevada has every opportunity listed for vacant land right now. It is definitely a buyers market so that leaves the door open for strong negotiations in the buyers favor. One of the major factors for this when buying land, is many parcels are owned, free and clear, by the seller. If not, many lenders required substantial money down on vacant land, so the sellers still have room to negotiate their asking price.

Outdoor & Resort Properties, LLC has several listings for vacant land that are an excellent start to building your ultimate dream (and green) home!

A good start:

20500 Toll Road
Virginia City Highlands NV 89521
40.13 acres

This property has views to envy. Snow capped Sierra Nevada Mountains, Reno city lights at night, PRIVACY!
It also comes with a start. Rural Northern Nevada can be tricky when it comes to accessing water. This property has the well and septic installed. The impressive part is the solar converter installed. That is a big investment so you can worry about home plans instead of the necessities required!

Department of Interior on Wind Power

Today in Atlantic City, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, speaks on the value of wind power on the East Coast. “Yes, we can build a clean energy future,” Salazar told the summit, “but it will require American energy, American ingenuity and American courage to tackle our dependence on foreign oil and the growing perils of climate change.” Read more here.


We definitely need more exploration into this technology. Currently, it takes alot of windmills to provide a modest amount of power. But once upon a time, we couldn't imagine having powerful personal computers in our homes. Increases in technology happen by leaps and bounds when there is a desirability fueling it's demand. With more research into the productivity and possibilities for a low cost source of energy happening, we are definitely heading towards a Greener tomorrow.

Obviously, I'm a fan of windpower. I see it as a major competitor for energy supply in the future. Unless the world ends, we will always have wind.

So let's build it, the wind will come!

Global Warming Argument

I've been part of several discussions about the validity of the Global Warming argument. I have read very articulate information by experts on both sides of the argument. Figuring out who is right can be very difficult since I'm not a scientist, or expert on the enviroment.

But.

1. We can't depend on oil forever. There is the entire 'peak oil' concept. Obviously, there isn't an unlimited supply and oil is supplied by a limited number of consortiums. That is too much concentrated power to have over our needs.


2. It is obvious that the world climate is changing. It is obvious we are trashing our only planet. What is wrong with making it cleaner, just in case Global Warming caused by people is real?

Some people are vehemently opposed to the idea of Global Warming. My question is, if the effects of changing our practices make the world a better place, why are people foaming at the mouth every time the subject is brought up? I just don't get it. And when I don't get it, I want a reasonable argument why.

From the Global Warming Hoax blog... "But, my friends, carbon dioxide is NOT a pollutant. It is a naturally occurring trace gas essential to life on earth. Simply reducing CO2 levels does nothing to reduce real pollution. It does nothing to clean up our streams and rivers from dangerous mercury contamination. It does nothing to prevent sewage from polluting our drinking supplies. It doesn’t fix holes in the ozone layer, nor does it stop landfill chemicals from leaching into ground water. Even if CO2 levels plummeted in the next 20 years, we’d still have pollution problems."

Gotcha! That makes sense. There are scientist in this world, analyzing the data presented about Man-Made Global Warming, and wanting people to understand this issue isn't the biggest, baddest evil to our planet. CO2 is necessary for our planet to exist. I would still argue that everything has to be in balance and too much anything can be a bad thing. But, he (and others) go on to argue that we can put all of our energy into decreasing CO2 levels when we have other real pollutants being ignored.

Ultimately, all arguments are about balance. We can't forget to dispose of chemicals properly, pick up litter to keep them out of streams, etc.

My Definition of Carbon Footprint

From Economics 101: Every decision we make in life has a cost.

1. Take a drink of soda? The cost can be calories.


2. Try a new shampoo? The cost can be disatisfaction, or a real expense in price change.


3. Ride a bicycle? Increased exhaustion.

These are just examples of how every decision we make daily has a cost.

I mention this because this the thinking necessary to understand the concept of a Carbon Footprint.

I've read some pretty complicated definitions of Carbon Footprint, but many seem to make the eyes cross before even getting to the end. SO many people throw the term around. I have come across more than a few people that admit they really can't define what it means. I'm going to break it down in the way that I understand Carbon Footprint to work.

A Carbon Footprint is the affect of every decision we make in regards to the environment. What is the cost to the environment for transportation, home heating, our choice of groceries, etc?

Break it down a bit more....

There are two types of Carbon Footprint: Primary and Secondary

Primary is a direct cost to the environment: Driving a vehicle with a combustion engine emits exhaust to the atmosphere causing an increase in greenhouse gas.

Secondary is an indirect cost to the environment: When buying imported groceries, the additional transport requirement increases greenhouse gas.

Every choice we make, be it the regular 'paper or plastic', has a cost to our environment. To make a difference, people have to learn to look at the cost of decisions made every day. The difficulty is there are so many choices we have always taken for granted.

It is going to take time, but I believe knowledge is power. And with knowledge, understanding our habits can make changing our daily choises easier.

Save Your Receipts!

The tax credits for increasing the energy efficiency of your home are growing. It only makes sense, that to encourage Green Living, the IRS would allow for more energy efficient deductions. As well as the energy savings monthly, tax savings is the best way to convince everyone to save energy!

From the Energy Star website
The only energy efficiency improvements that are eligible for a tax credit in 2008 are:
geothermal heat pumps (30%, up to $2,000)
solar water heaters (30%, up to $2,000)
solar panels (30%, up to $2,000)
small wind energy systems (30%, up to $4,000)
fuel cells (30%, up to $1500 per .5 kW of power capacity)

Tax credits are available at 30% of the cost, up to $1,500, in 2009 & 2010 (for existing homes only) for:
Windows & doors
Roofing (metal & asphalt)
Insulation
HVAC
Water Heaters (non-solar)
In addition to the 2008 credits already available…

Please read more at the Energy Star website for more details

A Conversation About Wind Energy

I was part of an interesting conversation the other day about windmill farms. Our town, Virginia City, is in a raging debate about allowing a wind energy project to take place in our county. So far, I understand the majority to be against the project. Personally, I think it would be great, but a neighbor mentions 2 opposing opinions that I found to be legitimate concerns.

First, Virginia City is a historic town. The rest of the world is changing, but our local economy really depends on not seeing that change take place here. Wind projects have a large visual impact and that would be a contradiction to the ‘old West’ goal of the town. Talk about a rock and a hard place.

Second, they are an oddity. That is the exact word used and I thought it fit well. Using the example of driving to Palm Springs, you see massive wind farms that are just different from anything you see in nature. From a distance, you may compare the vast expanse of windmills to cranes that are moving their wings, but never actually taking off in flight. Up close, they are massive and intimidating. Describing them as an oddity seems to fit.

Then the conversation turns again. Why are they white? If the windmills were painted a more natural color, they would blend into the environment more, becoming a bit less of an oddity.

Today I googled this question and I haven’t found an expert answer as to why the windmills are white. I have found that others question this too when communities do not complain about noise or danger. Instead, communities complain that they are ugly.

I hope our county could find a location that will work. That will only happen if a compromise is met to enable the windmills to fade into the background and not be a contrary existence to the historic objective of our community.



*Technically, I should say wind turbine. But many people still think of them as wind mills so I share this story as it took place.

Radiant Barriers

Checking out the EcoBroker website for what's new and interesting in Eco-Friendly homes, I come across something I haven't hear of before. Radiant Barriers? This is a way to improve the efficiency of your insulation and it is an affordable upgrade.

The Radiant Barrier is an additional layer of insulation. In the warmer months, the barrier reflects heat from being absorbed into the attic area. During the cooler months, it can help prevent heat from escaping through your roof.

Costs range from .02 to .31 a square foot, depending on location of installation, manufacturer and whether you hire the work out or do it yourself.

Read more on this technique for maximizing energy efficiency at their site.
EcoBroker Radiant Barriers

More on Passive Cooling....

In addition to making the most of shade to cool your home, attic fans do alot of work to minimize heat build up.

Adding an attic fan can run in range of price, from $100+. I think the most Eco friendly option is a solar attic fan kit. There are a variety of options on the market, usually running $200-$300. You can choose from options that install on the roof or gable. By choosing solar, you also save installation cost by avoiding having to run an electrical source to the fan's location.

There are many advantages of adding an attic fan.

• First and foremost, you help the environment by lowering energy consumption cooling your home! If you have air conditioning, an attic fan allows heat to exhaust from the attic so the air conditioning unit doesn't have to work so hard.


• You can extend the life of your roof. Roofing is exposed to tough conditions externally. When the heat builds in your attic, the roof materials suffer from the inside as well.


• In cold winter climates, the fan helps exhaust humidity. Snow loads can melt from the bottom up and turn to sheets of ice. I have experience with ice building up on a northern corner of my roof until it backed up under my shingles. Now I know why!


• Humidity buildup in the attic can be prevented. Humidity can cause mold growth in the attic that may eventually extend to the walls. By exhausting the humidity you have decreased the climate mold requires to grow!

Popular Mechanics has an outstanding article to give you an idea of what installation of an attic fan entails. Click on the picture for a link to the article!

Passive Cooling is Beautiful Too

When we bought our house, we were faced with deciding the best way to keep it cool on the occasional hot periods we have. At our elevation, 6200 ft, we have cool nights. Our house is also protected from sun by a high hill on the western side that gives us early shade. But, we still have those periods where the house is sweltering in the summer.

We had a friend who offered to install A/C for us since all the ducting was already in place for the heating system. That would still cost a couple of thousand dollars for the condenser, as well as the electricity and noise. I have no idea where we would put it because the layout just didn't accommodate that addition. Plus, I hate electric noises that are non stop. So we politely declined.

For the same initial investment, we built an arbor across the southern and western sides of our house. During the summer, we drape it with fire-resistant cloth and it does a wonderful job cooling the house. Yeah, no additional electric expense! Plus, it is a really attractive addition to the house.

By going this route, I am still able to take advantage of passive heating in the winter. The shade is not permanent like a roof would be, so when we remove the cloth in the fall, the sun is able to subsidize our heating. The best of both world's in trying to live an Eco friendly lifestyle!

The minute the fabric went up and cast it's shadow over the windows, the house dropped 20 degrees. At the time, I didn't understand that this concept had a name....passive cooling.

Every home has different needs.

You can find many more passive cooling solutions at

Build It Solar.

A Real Estate Agency that Understands Your Needs

To those who want to live smarter, not harder...
To those who don't like waste and inefficiency...
To those who don't know where to start buying or selling...
To those who dream of their perfect green home, but don't know where to begin...

Outdoor and Resort Properties is the Certified Eco-Broker who understands your needs and will help guide your through the changing real estate market.

More people are becoming aware of their impact on our planet. Real estate decisions have a major influence on the health of our planet. When looking for help in living an Eco Friendly Lifestyle, always choose someone who is current on the latest technologies and research. This is an excellent way to advance your desire to enjoy a clean and free life.

Protecting the Garden

this is a cross post with Outdoor and Resort Properties lifestyle blog

The wind is howling, shingles are flying off roof tops and I'm spending my time shopping for information on bamboo fencing to protect my vegetable garden this summer. Seems fitting.

In the past, I've attached plain canvass drop cloths to my fence around my raised beds. It was an affordable solution to slow the winds and provide relief from the sun for more tender plants. Over time the winds ripped the fabric from it's anchors (½ x5x8 blocks of wood, screwed to each other from both sides of the fence) This method did work for a couple of years, and it worked well but I want to try something that is less of an eye-sore, eco-friendly and sturdier.



For several years now, I've been looking at bamboo fencing. Well, looking and waiting for the price to come down. It has become more readily available, so now you can find rolls 6X15 feet long for as low as $59. These rolls are bamboo poles attached together by galvanized wire. Dealers offer various accessories but for my purpose they won't be necessary. I simply need something to attach to the existing fence, that will allow air to circulate, filter sunlight and decrease the power of the punishing winds.

This is still a lot more expensive than canvass but I think it will meet my needs. In the long run, I hope the cost of investing in bamboo fencing will justify itself!

Recycle Your Water

Recycling water can be one of the best ways to help the environment. Especially for those of us who garden, live on a well and have to maintain a septic system.


A couple of years ago, our clay became so saturated with moisture from snow melt, that our leech field was unable to do it's job. With that comes the most awful situation of having your septic tank back up. (A quick primer: septic tank has 2 chambers, the first holds solids, the second is overflow for fluids which overflows into a series of hole pipes allowing the fluids to filter and 'leech' back into the ground.) We called in help. We had our septic tank pumped. We had our leech field lines blown out. But the professionals could only advise contacting an engineer to design a system to prevent this from happening.


Since I didn't have $40-60K sitting around, I researched alternative methods to solve my problem.


Between the research, professional advice and looking at our micro-climate, I realized we have a problem with how much water the ground could sustain. I managed to convince my husband that the quickest solution was re-routing our water softener and washing machine water through a 500 gallon tank for distribution at our convenience.


This solved two problems.


First, our softener system left salt residue in the water which could be causing our leech field to glaze, much like pottery. There was no way to really know this without bringing in serious equipment to dig up the field and analyze the soil. Nope, I didn't have time, or money for that. But, most professionals will recommend you NOT route your softener water into your septic system.


Second, we were using the mass quantity of laundry water to dilute the salt water, as well as penetrate our clay soil. Clay can be full of nutrients but is so compact that it holds water (instead of draining) or it can dry out to the point of water not penetrating the surface.


This water is wonderful for helping my natural landscaping receive the water it needed in times of drought as well as saving me a lot of money fixing a system that wasn't necessarily broken. It just needed an owner that was smart enough to work with the environment!

Conserving Energy: Appliances

Investing in Energy Star appliances has many advantages. You save on energy consumption, and you save money. One of these advantages should be important to everyone, if not both. From tax credits to smaller fuel, or electric bills, this is something I'm always amazed people still do not consider.

There is also the need for maintenance of your appliances. Hot water heaters have an anode that prevents corrosion inside and needs to be replaced to extend the life, and efficiency of your hot water heater. If you are a do-it-yourself type of person, the biggest expense is time. If you need to call in a repair man, you may want to consider the expense of the work, versus replacing your heater.




Another important item everyone should have is a long skinny bristle brush for cleaning the lint out of the dryer to cleaning the coils on your refrigerator. A repairman once told me that if we don't clean our coils, we'll have higher a higher electric bill and have to replace our refrigerator sooner. I haven't been without one since. But I find the brushes flexibility really helpful for sweeping out the lint that stays in the dryer vent and the stuff that stays behind when I clean the screen. It is a handy tool that everyone should have around.



Sometimes the simplest things can do the most good in being a good conservator of our planet.