> The ultimate water-saving toilet is a hole in the ground. The high-tech version of that is the outhouse, and the high-tech version of that is the composting toilet. None of these use water, and the waste eventually decomposes back into soil good enough for your garden. Of course, these are not such attractive or possible solutions for public situations, so the R&D for low-flow toilets never ends.
> The renewable energy field is changing as fast as any tech field. It’s hard to keep up with it as a professional, and as a homeowner, you can never be sure what’s current. If you have been thinking about installing solar power for years, and have a quote hanging around from 2007, get another one. Better yet, get a solar quote every year, says my solar-powered friend, Tor Valenza.
> Until mortgage brokers and appraisers are on the same page as eco-friendly builders, energy raters and homeowners, green building will stall or grow at a snail’s pace. These five parties must work in concert to bring the value of an energy efficient home to where it should be, a place of honor, not invisibility. I am thinking of selling my home to move to Arizona, and I wonder if my solar domestic hot water, passive solar greenhouse and low utility bills will matter. Will someone with cash need to buy my fabulous home? This is a common problem slowly getting solved around the country. We need to step up this process, maybe by building energy efficiency into building codes, like Taos, NM has done.
> Living in the land of Earthships in Taos, NM, I love to hear about alternative homes around the world. Being a recycling junkie, I love hearing about buildings of recycled materials. I was really excited to find this article yesterday about a lawyer-turned-architect building homes for the needy of PET bottles and a lot of unusual materials. My favorite part? She has been asked to go to Haiti to help out.
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Nice post Nan…as always :)
Can you imagine composting toilets in the big city? Who knows…one day it might be part of some fully sustainable building or something. ;)
Thanks, Tara! I think composting toilets are absolutely doable in a city. I haven’t thought out the infrastructure, but I’m sure I’d figure something out! lol
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