Tree Care Solutions with Rubbersidewalks

I love it when someone finds a unique solution to a common problem, reusing materials that would have normally been discarded as trash.

So often do we see trees planted in urban areas and then concrete sidewalks laid directly next to them. The trees struggle for air and water therefore developing invasive root systems under the concrete and, eventually, the sidewalks are uplifted by the roots. Local governments end up spending enormous amounts of money both on sidewalk maintenance and/or tree removal.

Rubbersidewalks are becoming popular in California, Florida and New York. They are not only an economical solution but they are easy to install as well. Unlike concrete, Rubbersidewalks' pavers can be lifted for tree root trimming then replaced. Crews can easily trim tree roots every two or three years while roots are still in the offshoot stage and there is no damage to the health or stability of the tree and, because of rubber’s flexibility, it allows for the sidewalks to bend when the tree roots grow. Rubber is lighter and more resilient than concrete, therefore tree roots get sufficient water and oxygen through the paver seams. Modularity and the unique relationship between Rubbersidewalks and tree roots results in maintainable sidewalks and a flourishing urban forest. Rubbersidewalks is made from 100% recycled tire rubber and is also available for residential use.

Tree Care Solutions with Rubbersidewalks (TreeHugger)

Bob's Solar Project

Here's a good blog for all aspiring green do it yourself(ers). Bob Goodsell of Ann Arbor, Michigan has documented his experience of converting his house over to using solar power. Check it out.

This blog documents my solar-power project. Hopefully it will inspire others to undertake similar projects and provide enough detail to help them get started. I live in a 1200 square-foot ranch-style house in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Bob's Solar Project

Recycling Electronic Media

In our modern electronic age, disposing of old electronics and media items such as CDs and DVDs has become a challenge. When done properly these can yield many reusable materials. Here are some suggestions for recycling your electronic media.

The University of California, Davis collect CDs so that their reprocessors can extract the 20mg of gold found on the recordable versions. Their R4 recycling program also suggests imaginative ways to ‘reuse’ CDs. Such as scarecrows for the garden patch, as coasters, Christmas tree decorations, letterbox markers or even as mosaics to make a disco ball. We also came across a DIY enthusiast, who uses 300 disks to make 4' x 8' solar concentrator to boost solar panel output!

However with your business needs, you might try GreenDisk, who have long dealt with software publishers to recover their obsolete software. They partner with non-profit agencies with recycling centers who create jobs for workers with disabilities. Seems the CDs and CD cases are ground and reprocessed into products like CD holders and other office goods.

Q&A. Recycling Electronic Media (TreeHugger)

PBS: This Old House - Green Renovation

The PBS show This Old House is currently doing a "green renovation" project in Austin, TX. You can watch the weekly progress on your local PBS station and also follow along on their project website. The techniques used on this project may help you green your own house some day.

Fit for a Family of the '00s

Beginning February 8 on PBS, tune in to This Old House for this unprecedented 'green' renovation.

HOUSE PROJECTS | THIS OLD HOUSE

Roofs Paved with Green

I think this is wonderful concept with many benefits; green roofs will help reduce pollution, provide a green space for office and apartment dwellers to enjoy, and also help protect the building/roof from heat, cold and rain.

Pollutant-filtering plants embedded into paving stones are set to change the skyline in the Bronx... For Joe Hagerman the transition from streets to rooftops has been a natural one, conceptually speaking. Over the past year he has researched how his Biopaver design, which embeds pollutant-filtering plants into city paving stones, can be adapted to improve green roofs. The result is a streamlined system that he believes is easier to install and provides better insulation. It will soon be put to the test on a New York City school, where Hagerman hopes to demonstrate its benefits—not only for the future of green-roofing but also for the local community.

Roofs Paved with Green

Gas Saving Gizmos That Really Work

Why wait for fuel cells? You can get fuel-efficient technologies now... Whether you want to pump less jack out of your bank account every time you fill up your tank or pump less CO2 into the atmosphere every time you drive, you have plenty of reasons to improve fuel economy. Of course, you can put yourself on the waiting list for a hybrid—clearly, the most fuel-efficient technology available nowadays. Or you can look for a vehicle with other high-tech features designed to increase mpg.

Gas Saving Gizmos That Really Work

Green: The Next Big Thing

So what is the Next Big Thing?

[Kleiner partner] John Doerr said to me: 'Are we going to have any more Googles?' And I said: 'You're damn right we are, because we are at the point of new wealth creation when it comes to green technology.' John used to say Google is the greatest legal creation of wealth, and I think the greatest legal creation of wealth today is in the green area -- not just in the U.S. but in the developed world. We have been looking at a lot of things related to new fuels, such as ethanol, fuel cells, advanced battery technology, and new ways of using biotech to make fuels.... There will be an enormous amount of new [green] technology, new wealth, and we are trying to create the Googles, the Microsoft (MSFT )s of the new era. [Even] the garbage stream has a high value.

Green: The Next Big Thing