Green homes have been all over the news in the last few years. The benefits of going green with building and remodeling are a huge perk for the environment, which is a given, but now we’re starting to see the long term money saving advantages that home owners can reap by going green as well.

According to a new article in the Calgary Herald, green homes are gaining a ton of momentum as an economic bonus for consumers. Some of the issues before concerned with green homes and money were based on the fact that green building was less common, and …read more

“Mom, you’ve got to stop using paper plates,” the youngster told his mom. “You’re wasting trees and causing trash.”
“He’s really learning about ‘going green’ from school,” the mom remarked.  “They’ve got a big program about saving the environment.”

Many schools are emphasizing the “green” theme, including those where I do substitute teaching.  Youngsters are informing their parents and looking for ways to be green at home.
This is great, as long as it isn’t carried to extremes.  Parents have to take into account cost, time savings, and their lifestyle, as well as environment practices.  Sometimes you also can’t change all at …read more

I recently reviewed two killer off grid home books at RiverWired. Both are so good, I’m going to recommend them as perfect holiday gifts for an eco-friendly pal (or maybe as a gift to yourself).
The books:

Both by Lori Ryker; both delightful; both major eye candy for home lovers. Check out the full reviews:

Off the Grid
Off the Grid Homes

[images via Amazon]

So since I recently found my new favorite real estate website we’re going to have to visit at least once in a while. Or at least until we all our own great green abodes.
My green picks of the week include:
This Off-Grid Solar Mountain Retreat Dome Home in Saguache, Colorado. Domes already have that unique flavor going for them. This one is extra special due to that cool offset doorway. Very slick. Plus, I do like the color, which seems to have been kept natural, yet looks sort of orange.

Learn more about this off-grid solar home.
My second green pick this week …read more

Green Homes for Sale! This site rocks. Of course, I can see myself spending WAY too much time browsing and dreaming at the site, but it might be worth it. Some of the homes featured are amazing. Many are a little off the beaten path; both literally and figuratively. I’m actually considering buying a home next year, so maybe I’ll find my house (right – many are a little bit costly). Still I gathered some nice choice homes up for you, just in case you’ve got some spare cash and a love of green hanging around.
This first off grid lake …read more

For the last 2 years, the pilot study rating for residential LEED has been going on. Now the U.S. Green Building Council has the revised residential LEED rating goals and system ready to go. The revised system’s goal is to help architects and designers achieve a whole house approach to green living.
LEED has traditionally been applied to commercial structures – and some don’t think the LEED standards are entirely well thought out. Still, there are obvious benefits if we can achieve green homes, and LEED is offering one checklist for that goal. This is a good tool for consumers …read more

Is Offbeat Homes really my favorite blog?
As in blogs I write; not read because that would be a whole other discussion. I think about this a lot because most professional bloggers I know do have more than one blog. I think that there are some pros and cons to playing favorites.
Is it even fair to play favorites? How do you judge one blog over another when content varies so drastically? And what about job stability. How will your other employers like it when you blurt out, “Guess what? My other blog rocks so much more hard core than the …read more

In case you haven’t heard, West Coast Green is coming on full force this year.
West Coast Green, the largest residential green building conference in America recently released it’s full line-up of presenters and exhibits for this year’s show taking place on September 20-22, 2007. The show, which will be held in San Francisco, has two days worth of educational programs for builders and designers in the industry and then allows homeowners in on the final day (wish I could go).
Sadly, I cannot go and I’m guessing this won’t fit into most of your schedules either. So I’m hoping that up …read more

Or so that’s what I hear. Heard, to be exact, last night on the Red, Hot, & Green special on HGTV. I’d like to take this moment to point out that I did list this show as an “Offbeat Hot” last week. Turns out I was right. This show was very cool.
I felt that the show didn’t cover too much in terms of new green ideas per say. There were very few ideas discussed that were new to me, and probably fewer that would be new to the average green builder. What was cool and unique about this show is …read more