Category Archives: gaia

Weatherizing Your Home – So much to do so little time

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More tips today and tomorrow. Then we move on.

http://life.gaiam.com/article/top-5-places-top-25-ways-weatherize-your-home

Top 5 Places & Top 25 Ways to Weatherize Your Home

Excerpted from the Solar Living Sourcebook by John Schaeffer. See the book for a helpful cutaway illustration pointing out 42 places to weatherize that are discussed in this weatherization article.

Short of printing your own money, weatherization and insulation are the best bets for putting cash in your wallet — and they’re a lot safer in the long run than counterfeiting. Weatherization, the plugging and sealing of air leaks, can save you 25 to 40 percent on your heating and cooling bills.

The average unweatherized house in the United States leaks air at a rate equivalent to a four-foot-square hole in the wall. Weatherization is the first place for the average home owner to concentrate for the most benefit with the least effort and expense. You’ll save money and help the planet!

The following suggestions are adapted with permission from Homemade Money by Richard Heede and the Rocky Mountain Institute.

1. In the attic

  • Weatherstrip and insulate the attic access door.
  • Seal around the outside of the chimney with metal flashing and high-temperature sealant such as flue caulk or muffler cement.
  • Seal around plumbing vents, both in the attic floor and in the roof. Check roof flashings (where the plumbing vent pipes pass through the roof) for signs of water leakage while you’re peering at the underside of the roof.
  • Seal the top of interior walls in pre-1950s houses anywhere you can peer down into the wall cavity. Use strips of rigid insulation, and seal the edges with silicone caulk.
  • Stuff fiberglass insulation around electrical wire penetrations at the top of interior walls and where wires enter ceiling fixtures. (But not around recessed light fixtures unless the fixtures are rated IC [for insulation contact]). Fluorescent fixtures usually are safe to insulate around; they don’t produce a lot of waste heat. Incandescent fixtures should be upgraded to compact fluorescent bulbs).
  • Staple Radiant Barrier under the rafters or joists to reflect 97 percent of the radiant heat that strikes it
  • Seal all other holes between the heated space and the attic.

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Go there and read the other 4 sections. More tomorrow

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This Piece On Weartherproofing Is Pretty Good – But I am skipping all of the types of caulk

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Look  just buy good caulk. That is it. Nothing lasts for 25 years so do not believe that. Usually caulk lasts for six or seven years. That’s it. So do not pay 6 $$$ per tube. But, if you pay 3 or 4 $$$ you are in the right range. If you can get that exact same type of caulk on sale all the better.

http://alsnetbiz.com/homeimprovement/info10.html
The average house–even when well-insulated–contains cracks and gaps between building materials that add up to a hole about 14 “square (Fig. 1). In the winter, those gaps may make the house drafty and chilly. All year long, a leaky house not only wastes energy, but can lead to water damage and provide a path for insects. Inside this document you will find information about: 
  • Weatherproofing Basics
  • Types of Caulking
  • Using Caulking
  • Types of Weatherstripping
  • Installing Weatherstripping

WEATHERPROOFING BASICS

  • In all the discussion of insulation and R-values, don’t forget that poor weatherproofing is often a more important source of discomfort, as well as high heating and cooling bills. 

  • Some air leakage can be prevented during construction by using housewrap or getting a tight fit between framing members, for example. Once the house is built, however, the remaining gaps must be sealed. Gaps around doors and window sashes should be weatherstripped, and gaps between permanent building materials sealed with caulking.


FIG. 1 – Where caulking should be applied, from the Sunset book, Insulation and Weatherstripping, © Sunset Publishing Corp.

TYPES OF WEATHERSTRIPPING

  • The greatest source of air leakage in most homes occurs around doors, windows, and access hatches, such as the ceiling opening from the living area into an unheated attic (Fig. 4). Weatherstripping can be a delicate job because those openings need to be fitted loosely enough that the door or window operates freely, yet tightly enough that air leakage is stopped. 

  • The type of weatherstripping you’ll use depends on the location and the type of opening. Three types of weatherstripping are common: 

  • Compression–Compression weatherstripping (Fig. 5) is used to seal swinging doors and window sashes. It consists of a molded strip (it may be wood, aluminum or rigid vinyl) with a flexible vinyl bulb along one side. As a rule, compression weatherstripping is the most durable type available. 

  • V-Type Strips–V-shaped weatherstripping (Figs. 6 & 7) is fitted against the side of the door or window jamb so it presses against the edge of the door or sash and forms a seal. V-stripping may be vinyl or bronze. 

  • Foam–Foam weatherstripping (Fig. 8) is used to seal either swinging or sliding doors or windows. It comes in various sizes with an adhesive backing on one side. It is fastened to the edge of a door or window stop, or to the bottom of a sliding window sash. 

  • Thresholds and Door Bottoms–A threshold fills the gap between the floor and the bottom of a door. It may have a built-in vinyl bulb. If not, it must be used in combination with a door bottom (Fig. 9), mounted on the lower edge of the door.

 

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So if you want to read about all that caulk or look at the pretty pictures about how to install weather stripping. Please go to the sight and look. More tomorrow.

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Save Energy Save Money – This was true in 2007 and it is true now

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This is an older piece but it just shows the relevancy of this type thinking. It is short but geez the concept isn’t tough. Like the others it doesn’t talk about taking windows and rooms out of service, but then I am just old fashioned.

http://www.diylife.com/2007/11/29/dodge-the-draft-weather-proof-your-home/

Dodge the draft! Weather-proof your home

by Diane Rixon, Posted Nov 29th 2007 9:00AM

Home heating costs are expected to be sky-high this winter as oil prices continue to soar. Are you ready to fight back? One thing everyone can do is weather-strip windows and doors.

First, look for drafts and determine to what extent weather-stripping is necessary. In an old house like mine, it’s pretty-much a given. In newer houses or homes that have been weather-stripped in previous years, check anyway. That’s because cracks can appear anywhere at any time.

Not sure if you’re feeling any airflow? Try holding a lit candle or match up to the spot in question. If the flame quivers, you’ll know you have work to do! One determined couple recommends the following two-pronged method: one person holds the candle up while another stands on the outside blowing air from a hair dryer in the direction of the candlelight. Not a bad suggestion, huh?

The second step is to decide how to stop those troublesome gaps. Smaller cracks can be caulked up. Other problem areas may need weather-stripping applied. Retailer Lowes has a bunch of great tips on its website. Basic pointers and pics can also be found at DIY Network. A wonderful summary of weather-stripping options can be found here, as well.

Finally, don’t forget your doors. Drafts coming in under exterior doors can be minimized by installing draft sweeps. These are lightweight aluminum strips that attach with screws to the bottom of the door, usually on the indoors side, effectively blocking the flow of cold air inwards. Use a hacksaw to cut the sweep to the correct size for your door. Remember to leave a little breathing room at each end so that the sweep does not catch on your door frame.

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More tomorrow.

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Getting Your Garden Ready For The Spring – One advantage of fall gardening

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Like it says at the end of the article, if you end your gardening in late fall then get it ready for early spring. Myself it is October and my Broccoli is just coming in now. YAHOO.

http://msucares.com/lawn/garden/vegetables/fall/index.html

Young Plants

The hot, dry weather in July, August, and September is hard on germinating seeds and young seedlings. Germination and seedling survival is improved if one of these methods is used:

• Water a day or two before planting so seeds are planted in moist soil. Watering after planting can cause the soil surface to pack and crust.

• Plant seeds in moist soil and cover with moistened, non-crusting materials: a mix of peat moss and vermiculite or composted sawdust and sand. Keep the surface moist during germination and seedling establishment.

Plant three to five seeds of the small-seeded vegetables like broccoli and cabbage at the recommended final plant spacing in the garden row. Once the seedlings are established, thin the seedlings to one plant at each location.

Transplants

Start vegetable transplants for the fall garden in individual containers, such as peat pots, small clay or plastic pots, or peat pellets. Setting out plants without disturbing the root systems reduces transplant shock.

Protect young plants from the sun for a few days. You can use bare-root transplants from thinning the seedling row, but be prepared to provide water and shade until they become established.

A fall garden is open to attack by insects and diseases just as the summer garden. In some cases, the insect problems are worse. Worms (cabbage loopers and imported cabbage moths) are serious problems on fall cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and collards. Control these leaf-eating worms with one of the biological sprays. Squash bugs are troublesome on fall squash and pumpkins.

Fall vegetables need fertilizer just as much as spring and summer vegetables. Don’t count on the fertilizer applied in spring to supply fertilizer needs of vegetables planted in late summer and fall. Fertilize before planting and side-dress as needed.

As the danger of frost approaches, pay close attention to weather predictions. Tender plants often can be protected from an early frost and continue to produce for several weeks. When a killing frost is inevitable, harvest tender vegetables.

Green tomatoes that are turning white just before turning pink will ripen if stored in a cool place. Pick these tomatoes, wrap them in paper, and use them as they ripen.

Don’t abandon the garden when freezing temperatures kill the plants. Clean up the debris, store stakes and poles, take a soil test, and row up part of the garden to be ready for planting early spring Irish potatoes and English peas.

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Go there and read. More next week.

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The Joys Of Fall Gardening – But how long does it last

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So when to plant and when to harvest, that is the question? This information is for North Carolina but is probably applicable to all.

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8001.html

Table 1. Fall Vegetable Planting Guide.

Vegetables Suggested Planting1 Suggested Cultivars Inches Between Plants Planting Depth (inches) Cold
Tolerance2		 Days to
Maturity
Asparagus (crowns) Nov. 15 to Mar. 15 Mary Washington, Jersey Giant, Jersey Gem 15 6.0 — 2 years
Beets July 15 to Aug. 15 Ruby Queen, Early Wonder, Red Ace, Pacemaker II 2 0.5 to 1.0 Semi-hardy 55 to 60
Broccoli July 15 to Aug. 15 DeCicco, Packman, Premium Crop, Green Duke, Emperor 18 0.5 to 1.0 Hardy 70 to 80
Brussels sprouts July 1 to 15 Long Island Improved, Jade Cross Hybrid 20 0.5 to 1.0 Hardy 90 to 100
Cabbage (plants) Aug 1 to 15 Round Dutch, Early Jersey Wakefield, Red Express, Red Rookie, Sweetbase 12 0.5 to 1.0 Hardy 70 to 80
Cabbage, Chinese Aug. 1 to 15 Pak Choi, Mei Ching, Jade Pagoda, China Pride 12 0.5 to 1.0 Hardy 75-85
Carrots July 1 to 15 Danvers Half Long, Spartan Bonus, Little Finger, Thumbelina, Scarlet Nantes 2 0.25 to 0.5 Hardy 85 to 95
Cauliflower Aug 1 to 15 Early Snowball “A”, Violet Queen, Snowcrown 18 0.5 to 1.0 Semi-hardy 55 to 65
Collards July 15 to Aug. 15 Vates, Morris’ Improved Heading, Carolina, Blue Max 18 0.5 to 1.0 Hardy 60 to 100
Cucumbers, pickling Aug. 1 to 15 Carolina, Calypso, Liberty (mtns.), County Fair ’83 10 1.0 to 1.5 Tender 40 to 50
Cucumbers, slicing Aug. 1 to 15 Poinsett 76, Sweet Slice, County Fair ’83, Salad Bush, Fanfare 10 1.0 to 1.5 Tender 40 to 50
Kale Aug. 15 to Sept. 1 Green Curled Scotch, Early Siberian, Vates, Dwarf Blue Curled Scotch, Blue Knight 6 0.5 to 1.0 Hardy 40 to 50
Kohlrabi Aug. 1 to Sept. 1 White Vienna, Grand Duke Hybrid 4 0.5 to 1.0 Hardy 50 to 60
Lettuce (leaf) Aug. 1 to Sept. 1 Grand Rapids, Salad Bowl, Buttercrunch, Red Sails, Romulus 6 0.25 to 0.5 Semi-hardy 40 to 50
Lettuce (head) Aug. 15 to 31 Great Lakes, Ithaca 10 0.25 to 0.5 Semi-hardy 70 to 85
Mustard Aug. 1 to Sept. 15 Southern Giant Curled, Tendergreen, Savannah 2 0.5 to 1.0 Hardy 30 to 40
Onions (seeds) Sept. 1 to 30 Texas 1015, Granex 33, Candy 4 0.5 to 1.0 Hardy 130 to 150
Onions (sets or plants) Sept. 1 to 15 Ebenezer, Excell, Early Grano 4 — Hardy 60 to 80
Radishes Aug. 15 to Sept. 15 Early Scarlet Globe, Cherry Belle, Snowbells, White Icicle 1 0.5 to 1.0 Hardy 25 to 30
Radish, Diakon Aug. 15 to Sept. 15 April Cross, H. N. Cross 4 0.5 to 1.0 Hardy 60 to 75
Rutabagas July 1 to Aug. 1 American Purple Top, Laurentian 4 0.5 to 1.0 Semi-hardy 70 to 80
Spinach Aug. 1 to 15 Hybrid 7, Dark Green Bloomsdale, Tyee Hybrid 6 0.5 to 1.0 Hardy 50 to 60
Turnips Aug. 1 to 31 Purple Top White Globe, Just Right, Tokyo Cross Hybrid, White Egg, All Top 2 0.5 to 1.0 Hardy 55 to 60

Published by

North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service

 

Distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May and June 30, 1914. Employment and program opportunities are offered to all people regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. North Carolina State University at Raleigh, North Carolina A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.

 

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More tomorrow.

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Worm Farms At Work – You can do it too

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If your workplace has a cafeteria or a food service this is serious business and a potential money maker.

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2009/04/09/538667/a-posting-about-composting-at.html

Welcome to Get Green, the Herald’s blog about making the newspaper more environmentally efficient and friendly. We offer some of our experiences about the challenges and successes of “greening” the Herald, as well as tips you can use at home. Questions? Comments? Got your own tip to share? Contact Eric Degerman via 509-582-1404 or edegerman@tricityherald.com.

A posting about composting at work

By Eric Degerman, sportstricities.com

I’m not so sure about bringing a case of worms to the office.

However, if it’s good enough for Gail Everett and the City of Richland, I’m game.

And I’ll it will serve as a test to see just how thoughtful my fellow employees at the Herald are.

Last month, I visited Gail — Richland’s environmental education coordinator — at city hall to talk about getting a compost bin started at Herald headquarters.

Lo and behold, she’s not the only one working in her small office. There are a bunch of happy worms dining on her discards of fruit.

With that inspiration, I’ll launch composting efforts at the Herald later this month. I need to acquire a suitable bin, then start creating a new home for some worms. Then, I believe Gail will be adopting out some of her “co-workers” for me to take to the Herald.

Ironically, these worms love newsprint. (Recycle your favorite newspaper joke here.)

— Eric Degerman is the Herald’s online managing editor who makes regular trips each year from Richland to Clayton-Ward in Kennewick so that he can exchange his household recyclables for money to buy beverages produced from Columbia Valley grapes and hops.

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Fall gardening next week.

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Climate Change Messed Up My Vacation – Well not completely

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I tried not to say too much about our recent 2 week vacation, but I have to tell you that I think people are being too paranoid. The last time we did a big vacation, I posted from wherever we were. This made it obvious we were gone and even where we were exactly and nothing bad happened. This time I just hinted at it and again nothing happened. I just checked the stats and my being gone and not posting did not effect them either which bums me out but that is another story.

But how did the destabilization of the weather ruin my vacation. Well to start with I called people in Montana and asked them about the best time to schedule an off season vacation there. I had originally planned on the last week in September and the first week in October. Everyone there said that could be dicey so I moved it back to the last two weeks in September. Had I stuck to my guns we would have had to miss a day or two to morn Cate’s fathers death but we would have also missed a late season heat up. As it was, everything after South Dakota was packed. Hotels, tourists sites, you name it. The prices were expensive, and the little kids were jumping around the hotel rooms. To top it off the road through Glacier National was cut in the middle for road work so we drove around the park to Kalispell. This was the farthest point on our drive and exactly when we receive word of Frank’s demise. So that meant that we got in the car and drove for 4 more days. Cate did see glaciers and we did stop at the Crazy Horse monument on the way back, but it was warmer in Montana then it was in Illinois.

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More tomorrow.

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Transition Community In Houston – One of hundreds around the US

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I leave you this week in Houston. An oil ton if there ever was one. Got to love a group that is trying to do without hydrocarbons altogether. They claim they are moving to a new site BUT I couldn’t get there yet, so here is a sample of their old site.

http://transitionhouston.wordpress.com/

Movin’ on…

The website subgroup of the Outreach and Education Action Group has been working on an updated website for Transition Houston for some time, and all that effort is paying off!  We are going to concentrate our information share and move content to the new site:  www.transitionhouston.org.  Please bookmark that location and check with us often for news about Transition in the Houston region, Neighborhood Initiative and Action Group updates, calendar, newsletter archive, and more!

Once again, the new Transition Houston website:

www.transitionhouston.org

 

There are several other options for connecting with us.

We are on Ning.

We are on Facebook.

We are on Twitter.

And you can subscribe to our Newsletter!

Permaculture goes mainstream, hope rises

Sometimes little things give hope that progress is possible, and that maybe “if we act as communities, it might just be enough, just in time,” to quote the Cheerful Disclaimer.  This last week the little thing for me was the discovery of permaculture by the New York Times.  Now, I’m not so naive to believe that seeing permaculture in the mainstream press is going to make a lot of difference immediately, although I wouldn’t be surprised to see a surge of interest in permie classes across the country with long-term benefits to both participants and the environment (FYI, classes are offered here in Houston by the Permaculture Guild of Houston, through Urban Harvest).

I think the important point is that awareness is growing in our country:  awareness of our ecosystem impacts, awareness of the lack of sustainability in our lifestyles and economy, and also awareness of that which is missing in our lives–community, connection, purpose.  Permaculture is a positive response to that growing awareness, as is the permaculture-based Transition movement.

There are a couple of opportunities to join with others in our Transition Houston community this week and next.  Please avail yourself of these options to increase your awareness and find connection with a community of folks working for a resilient Houston region.

Transition Houston Hub meeting, Tuesday, August 2, 7:00pm to 9:00pm

Green Film Series Presents Blue Gold: World Water Wars, Tuesday, August 9, 6:30pm to 9:00pm

Transition Houston Hub meeting, Tuesday, August 2, 7:00pm to 9:00pm
We hope to see you at Tuesday’s Transition Houston meeting, which will feature a guest speaker in addition to news from the Transition Neighborhoods and Action Groups.

We are very fortunate to have Peter Wang, League of American Bicyclists Cycling Instructor, as our guest speaker.  Peter is considered a local biking expert.  He’s everywhere as a go-to guy for media interviews about bikes, and has been involved in a lot of bicycle issues.  He is risk-averse–exactly the kind of guy you would want to help you practice being safer!–and has taught a lot of these safety classes.

Peter will present a video screening followed by a discussion. The video is Enjoy The Ride, about essential bicycling skills.

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More whenever.

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Transition Communities Up North – Get going Canada

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I love Brit speak. Some groups are not undecided they are mulling things over. Anyway there is a great list at the end of this article so go check it out.

http://citizenactionmonitor.wordpress.com/2010/09/23/canadas-transition-communities/

Canada’s Transition Communities

23 Sep

No 67 Posted September 23, 2010

IMPORTANT UPDATE, Jan. 7, 2011: Ten *NEW* communities added to the List of Canadian Transition Communities (below).

What is a Transition Community?

The following text is excerpted and adapted from Ball’s research paper, Transition Towns: Local Networking for Global Sustainability?

The Transition Movement, promoting an action-based approach to (local) sustainability, has in the past four years grown to incorporate a large network of individual Transition Initiatives. Informed by ideas and values within environmental organizations, yet, in its practical organisation it is distinct from past models of sustainability by incorporating broad grassroots support in a diverse range of places within the framework of a coherent networking model.

Sustainability challenges the dominant, market-based capitalism of industrial society, on economic, social, environmental and ecological grounds, citing devastating ecological and environmental exploitation. Sustainability, in contrast, calls for production and consumption within long-term ecological limits.

While local sustainability has become a politically important goal, in practice neither top-down government nor grassroots community models have gained widespread uptake or success: the former have failed to connect with or involve a grassroots public; the latter generally have few resources and limited capacity.

The Transition Model, a non-governmental community-led model, advances an action-based approach. With its fast-growing network of Initiatives, the Transition Movement is akin to a non-profit franchise operation, combining the advantage of a centralized support base with the capacity and resources of a decentralized networking organization.

The Transition concept, co-founded by Rob Hopkins, who has a background in permaculture, builds upon a core thesis: that the modern industrial capitalist economic and social system, based upon cheap oil and resources, is unsustainable, making a major restructuring of economy and society imperative, and inevitable. Transition contends that citizens and communities need to act proactively and positively at the local scale, in a process of ‘Transition’ and ‘Powerdown’ to build localized and resilient communities in terms of food, energy, work and waste. The vision holds that decarbonized local communities will be resilient in their capacity to “hold together and maintain their ability to function in the face of change and shock from the outside.” Transition is modelled to be a self-organizing community-led model, for people to “act now and act collectively.”

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More tomorrow.

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