So, if I haven’t yet convinced you to make a pledge to Blogging ‘Round the Clock (and there’s still lots of time), hopefully I’ve shown you that the Earthways Center is a great place to visit if you’re in St. Louis. Currently, they’re open to the public every 3rd Saturday and Sunday of the month, and do a thorough tour with lots of information on green building and sustainable living. Admission is $2.00 (free for Missouri Botanical Garden members).
I fully intended to have pictures from the Earthways Center for you today, but, wouldn’t you know it, my camera batteries died as I tried to take my first picture… Still, since I hadn’t been there since the last Home Energy Festival, I thought I’d join a tour group and see what else I could find out to pass on. Some of the things I learned:
- They have seven different types of sustainable flooring throughout the building. Among them are bathroom tile made from recycled auto glass, cork tiles, bamboo and recycled glass terrazzo…
- If you’re looking to find out ways to conserve energy and make your home more sustainable, a “whole house audit” is the best way to get information. Most of us are familiar with the various energy audits available through out utilities, but the whole house audit take a systems approach and looks at all of the variables.
- High-efficiency windows shouldn’t necessarily be at the top of your list for rennovations. Currently, their high costs means that you won’t likely recoup your investment in energy savings. Look at other conservation measures before splurging on those windows…
- Their refrigerator is a Sun Frost, which is actually designed for keeping medical supplies in impoverished areas. The good news — it’s incredibly efficient. The bad news — a repair person will likely say “What’s a Sun Frost?”
That’s just a smattering — it was an incredibly educational tour!
Pledge update: I’m still taking them, and will be through July 12th. Remember, anything helps. A $.10/post pledge should work out to $5.00, and I’m happy to have lots of those…
Also, taking my cue from those NPR pledge drives, I’m certainly open to matching/challenge pledges. Feel free to email me with ideas…
Contributor update: We’re holding steady right now, though I’m certainly willing to accept posts from other bloggers not yet committed. I fell behind on sending out invitations, but if you’re interested and haven’t heard from me, let me know…
Thanks again for your support!
Technorati tags: Blogging ‘Round the Clock, St. Louis, green building, sustainability