The ending of World War II brought profound changes to this nation culturally, economically, and architecturally. The ensuing baby boom, rising car culture, and new technologies all thrust America into a new era. The mid-20th century in America would be a time of exceptional growth and expansion. The generation of Americans that lived through...
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Commerce
Mid-Century Architecture — The New Old Structures
Microgrids and Security – Fortifying the Smart Grid
If you pose the question, “What keeps you awake at night?” to people at Homeland Security, the Department of Energy, or many utility resources in this country, you’ll get an answer about securing the grid. Physical security concentrates on protecting assets from tampering and destruction – like transmission lines, vital substations, and the equipment...
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Comprehensive, Wind-Powered ‘Green’ News
Renewsing (motto: Reducing, Reusing, Recycling, ReNEWSing) is a project of Canvas Dreams, whom we work with to offer wind-power web hosting to our clients. The site aggregates RSS news feeds from the many participating green companies who host their web sites on wind-power. The site is a fantastic source for green news – covering...
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B the Change: Local Foods Infrastructure Supports More Than Just Farming By Chris Roberts, Co-Founder of Barkwheats
There was a article recently written regarding “agroecological farming”, that while a mouthful to say is fairly simple in it’s premise. Take care of the land, and it will take care of you. It’s a statement that I fully believe in, and I believe that going back to supporting small scale, organic agriculture is...
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Great Companies and Products are REMARKable!
As I type this sentence there are thousands of web sites being launched. Some of them may be your competitors. In the age of globalization, social media marketing and general information overload, how can a small business get noticed? Our answer: By being REMARKable. Read the full post
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Webservations: Comments to Sustainable Business Oregon
08/06/2010 2:06:10am – Yesterday, I received a phone call from the Associate Editor of Sustainable Business Oregon, asking if we’d like to comment on their article about the greening of datacenters. The full article can be read here. Below is my comment. — As the … Read the full post
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Carats with a Conscience: Better Know The Clarity Project
So you’ve finally found the right partner, with shared values, goals and intentions. Now you need a ring. However there are so many issues beyond fit, design and clarity. The traditional diamond industry is awash with problems from exploitative auction houses to the influx of blood diamonds, which originate in war zones and finance...
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Simplify
A Few Simplifying Tips from ZenHabits Three-box decluttering. Declutter a room, drawer, shelf, desk. Use three boxes to sort. Quickly go through each shelf or drawer or flat surface at once, putting things into three separate boxes: Trash, Donate, Maybe. Create a no-distractions zone. This is great for when you want to do some...
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Portland Reduces a Major Building Fee! OMG!
Previously in this column, we discussed Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) in our entry titled A Little Place for Mom. ADUs are often called “mother-in-law” apartments, and a major hurdle for homeowners in constructing one is the $7,500 to $12,000 in city systems fees imposed. The Portland City Council passed an ordinance on March 3...
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Wood Flooring and Finishes
As more and more consumers ask for eco-friendly or green flooring, it is an easy choice to pick woods that make minimal impact on the earth and also create a healthier environment for you and your family. Knowing that timber is one of the earth’s only truly renewable resources, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)...
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