Dreaming of a Green Christmas?

For many people the holidays are a time of excess. Excessive drinking, excessive eating (I had three desserts at Thanksgiving... ok?), excessive shopping etc. And every holiday season that amounts to a 25% increase in landfill waste. So, here's a short list to help make your holidays a little greener and in turn give a gift to mother earth.

Street Fashion Bunny Rabbits

The intent of this blog is to provide my readers some insight into green ideas for their home and other related news along the way. But I'm veering a little off course here today. Anyone who knows me and my love of rabbits will understand.

Besides rabbits, I am fascinated with Japanese pop culture. From the gothic lolita to their obsession with Gundam, I can never get enough of their- what would you call it- crazy inventiveness? But when I found out that every November, in Yokohama, they hold a 2-day "Rabbit Festa" with 8,000 visitors and a rabbit fashion contest, my admiration grew to new heights. Street fashion bunny rabbits? Are you kidding me?

Ten No-Cost Ways to Winterize Your Home

Well, winter seems to be knocking here in Southern California and I'm sure it has already moved in and crashing on the couch of all my Midwest friends and family. So, I wanted to compile a quick list of free and easy tips that will save you money and keep you warm this winter.

Re-Nest "Green Architect" Blog Competition

In an earlier post I mentioned that I am competing to become a "Green Architect" blogger for Re-Nest, an online home decor magazine. Well, they just posted my second article entitled "Go Green, Save Green". Check it out. Comments are more than welcome.

GreenHab is a Semi-Finalist! Please Show Your Support and Vote

Link: Which company do you consider most deserves to be amongst the five finalists of the Idea Café’s Eighth Small Business Grant?

GreenHab is a semi-finalist for a small business grant! We can definitely use the funds and are really excited to make it this far. Please help us and show your support by going to the link above and voting. Registration is required, but you can opt-out at any time (a confirmation e-mail is all I've received from them since registering in June). Voting closes on November 1st so please, get those votes out. Thank you!

You can also read more about us on the Idea Cafe's blog and cast your vote there.

Great News for California on Blog Action Day- AB 758 Passed!

Last month I wrote about Assembly Bill 758 and how it would require the California Energy Commission to develop and implement a comprehensive program to achieve greater energy savings in existing buildings by March 2010. I also asked that you send a letter to support this bill and urge Governor Schwarzenegger to sign.

West Coast Green Innovations

**UPDATE Oct 14, 2009: This article has been submitted to Re-Nest for their "Green Architect" blog competition. Please check it out here

I'm back from the West Coast Green conference held in San Francisco this weekend and I'm so excited to share with you some of the great innovations out there. The top three that really caught my eye are:

Support 758, Boost the Economy and Save the Environment

On Monday I posted an article from The Huffington Post regarding a correlation between energy efficiency and job opportunities. Over the last year, 1 in 5 California workers who have lost their jobs came from the construction sector. Assembly Bill 758 could put these people back to work.

Go Gophers!

Just wanted to give a shout out to my aluma mater, the University of Minnesota, for their new, LEED silver football stadium. It is the first LEED certified collegiate or professional football facility in the country! See story below.

http://bit.ly/SnIfE

"A Win-Win for Energy Efficiency and Jobs"

Please read: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matt-petersen/a-win-win-for-energy-effi_b_290346.html

I completely agree with what Matt has written. We hope to contract several of these out-of-work construction workers for green remodels, retrofits, PV installations etc.

Thanks Global Green USA for sponsoring AB 758. The future is looking greener!

PARK(ing) Day

It's that time of year again! Today is Park[ing] Day, where citizens, groups, architecture firms and others take a city parking space and turn it into a park. Anyone can participate, though it is strictly a non-commercial project, intended to promote creativity, civic engagement, critical thinking, unscripted social interactions, generosity and play. Make sure to visit one of your local parks, or create your own, as it only lasts one day.

http://www.parkingday.org/

locations in LA


http://www.communitywalk.com/parkingdayla

Official Website Launch!

Well, we did it! Greenhabdesign.com is officially up and running. You can also find us at greenhab.us and greenhab.me. So, go with what sticks and spread the word! I would like to thank all of my friends and family for their suggestions, support and love- especially you, RB.

So, check it out and please send any comments or suggestions you may have. Thanks again!