CFLs - Plain English on those fancy new light bulbs

A lot of people ask me about Compact Florescent Lightbulbs (CFLs). I have to admit we haven't gone 100% CFL, but as our bulbs die, we will likely be moving that way. It's a great way to save money and reduce your carbon footprint.

I know a lot of you are asking questions about how you safely recycle CFLs since they have a minute amount of Mercury in them but Home Depot recently announced that they will accept CFLs for recycling.

Further, use of regular bulbs actually contributes more mercury to the atmosphere (where it does the most harm). The EPA has a good fact sheet on CFLs and Mercury.

Enjoy the Video

Noisette and Oak Terrace Preserve Featured in Cottage Living Magazine

The July/August edition of Cottage Living magazine features Noisette and Oak Terrace Preserve. The article is short and sweet and highlights 9 other communities around the country collectively named as their Top Ten Cottage Communities for 2008.  

Check out the Cottage Living Article Here

Also see the Charleston Post & Courier Article here.

Bioswales at work!

Yesterday we had a front of heavy rain move through Charleston. These were really heavy sheets of rain. In many communities, all of that rain water would be redirected into the storm water runoff systems in a short period of time. All of that storm water treatment would have meant more expense to the taxpayers and less fresh water being absorbed where it fell. In Oak Terrace Preserve, that water is actually captured by a series of systems that helps make sure that fresh rain gets returned to the water table without a trip to the water treatment plant.

One of the mitigation methods being used in Oak Terrace Preserve is the construction of bioswales. Bioswales are landscape elements designed to remove silt and pollution from surface runoff water. They also allow water to settle and filter into the water table over a longer period of time than would normally happen using traditional storm water runoff systems.

So here is a photo of a bioswale in action. About 24 hours after heavy rains, the water in this bioswale have lowered considerably. in another 24 hours, this water will be gone. The water doesn't hang around long enough to be a mosquito nest, but it does allow the ground to absorb the water slowly. In the coming months, these bioswales will be seeded with plants that enjoy being moist but can survive in dry conditions. The plants will fill in to be an attractive landscaping feature while the bioswale helps the environment and our tax dollars. Less storm water treatment means less expense for the taxpayers.

Plumbing Work

The plumber has been hard at work. The Pex tubing used for plumbing in most modern homes is being used in ours as well. Please see a link below for a PDF file on the green advantages of Pex as a plumbing material. You're looking at the connection for the clothes washer.

Some of the major green advantages of PEX plumbing systems over traditional copper systems include:

• Over fourty years of testing and use, so it is a proven material
• It is less expensive and uses less energy and raw materials for its production.
• PEX tubing is lighter than most other plumbing materials which means less mass being transported from the manufacturer to the construction site.
• Its flexibility calls for fewer fittings and an easier install by the plumber

Here's the link for Pex:

http://www.ppfahome.org/greenbuilding/PEX_green_brochure.pdf

More Buzz

It's been nearly a week since we've been by the house but I know plumbers have been "plying their trade" and folks were working on the porch when we were there last.

Doing a little internet browsing this morning, I ran accross this article (North Charleston – SC’s Most Sustainable City?) on the Blog site Get Inspired Charleston. If you get a chance, check out their other articles. Nice to hear about the good stuff going on in Charleston.

Progress in Oak Terrace

Take a minute to look over the press release about Oak Terrace. It's in the "News" section of the Oak Terrace Preserve website (http://oakterracepreservesc.com/).

"Businesses find 'green' practices can help their bottom line"

The Charleston Post & Courier carried this article today.

Businesses find 'green' practices can help their bottom line

It's nice to see a more in depth article on the green/sustainability movement from a business perspective in Charleston. The article takes the time to highlight the increased awareness and interest on the part of companies to use green, local and sustainable products in their production. Several Examples include Coast Brewing, a local craft brewer who will be using organic hops and grains and bio-diesel for the brewing; EverGreen Concepts, a firm that help builders and renovators loacate and use local and sustainable products; local builders like the Verdi Company; neighborhood development efforts like Oak Terrace Preserve; and companies creating new products from recycled materials like Fisher Recycling.

Charleston's growing green movement isn't completely unique but the grassroots and broader support for sustainable and local materials bodes well for business and the environment. The growing desire for energy efficient and healthier homes is long overdue.

Charleston Area Home Builders Association Encourages Members to go "green"

Last month, the Charleston Regional Business Journal reported that that the Charleston Trident Home Builders Association "is encouraging its members to participate in the EarthCraft House program." The EarthCraft House program was developed by the Southface Energy Institute and is a "blueprint for healthy, comfortable homes that reduce utility bills and protect the environment."

All of the homes being built in Oak Terrace Preserve must meet or exceed the EarthCraft standards.

Here is a link to the full article Homebuilding association pushes members to go ‘green’ on how and why the Charleston Trident Home Builders Association is encouraging it's members to build more homes using the EarthCraft standards.