For years Americans have been eating out more and more. With the current economic downturn, Americans are re-thinking how they spend their money as they look for ways to reduce expenses. One significant change we’re seeing is as a country, Americans are spending more time at home. This change is healthy in many ways, as we’re spending more time with family and friends and eating eating healthier. Congratulations everyone! READ MORE

Green is one of today’s hot, trendy topics that everyone is talking about. You might wonder which comes first, people talking about green or businesses promoting green topics through traditional media channels. A potential problem exists because everyone is using green terminology but there are very few standards to insure there’s real value behind this green terminology.

Some industry associations are beginning to create certification programs like the National Association of Home Builder’s Green Programs. There are also lots of non-profit websites related to going green. READ MORE

A building is green when it has been designed or modified to meet defined criteria for  sustainability. A typical green building uses 30 percent less energy, 35 percent less carbon, 30 to 50 percent less water and generates 50 to 90 percent less waste.

While most people believe that green building relates to the building and the health of it’s occupants, there are also studies showing that productivity is enhanced in various ways. READ MORE

Going green today is like putting money in the bank. You’re spending money today, to save even more money in the future through reduced energy costs for heating, cooling, hot water and more.

The easiest way to a green home is to use the latest green technologies in new home construction or major renovations. The concepts behind green building aren’t new. There were solar homes in the ’80s, government regulations on percentage window coverage for years and a good remodeler always looks for ways to recycle materials being removed from a home. When we put an addition on our home, my builder reused all of the kitchen cabinets, with the corner ones ending up in a bedroom closet. READ MORE

Regardless of today’s environment, we should step back and remember how good our lives are in the US. I’m always watching out for good news (there is way too little of it because bad news sells), and just had to share this book with you when I saw it on Time’s Top 10 list.

They are showcasing a new book, America at Home.

The book contains more than 25o photos taken by 100 of today’s leading photojournalists plus a few amateurs. What’s great is each photo captures the emotions you would expect to find at home including family rituals, and all the ways we work, play and interact with friends, family members and family pets. What the America at Home book illustrates is how we personalize our homes to reflect who we are, and the values important to us. READ MORE

Basements are an interesting part of your home, as most of the time they are below ground level, often called “below grade”.  This makes it challenging to get natural sunlight into basements although sometimes, when the ground is sloped, one basement wall will support a sliding patio door for sunlight and access. Even then, what often happens is this door is under a deck so light is still a problem.

In order to bring some natural light into the basement, there are different windows that are installed at the top of the wall. Some may be just above ground level (pictured in the foundation here) and others require a well to be dug out around them to provide enough sunlight. READ MORE

Tissues and most paper products can be made with recycled paper which is called “post-consumer”. These post-consumer products are very similar to those made with new materials. When products are manufactured using discarded products and materials, they consumer fewer raw materials in the manufacturing process.

If you’re seeing a lot more written about GREEN and wondering what it all means, it’s going to take some time to sort it out.  Products are green, companies are green, homes are green … but what does it all mean? I’m not an expert but thought I would share my journey in learning about green. Everyone is claiming to be green as that’s one of the hot trends right now. Most companies and products aren’t really green … but there aren’t a lot of standards in place to define how you need to support your claims. READ MORE