My wife and I are building a “green” home (if there is such a thing) and are wondering what has worked for people in the past.  These are the features we are putting in for our budget:

1. Active solar
2. passive solar design
3. Solar water heater
4. sealed crawlspace
5. “cool” attic (we live in NC) — meaning the attic temp. is guaranteed to be within 3 degrees of the house
6. lycene insulation sprayed in
7. Energy star everything
8. no-VOC paint and water-based poly for the floors

Things we could be better about:  I don’t know where the wood floors are coming from, but I am assuming they are from sustainable tree “farms”.  Our impression of the builder is that they care about the energy features, but they don’t so much care about the chemical “features” of the home.  We had to ask for those things and are paying extra (but not too much more, Home Depot, for instance, sells a no-VOC paint.)  Also not sure they care about the notion of sustainable forest stewardship, but I guess you can’t have everything.  So, my question is, what other things should we think about and are reasonably priced?  For instance, I was considering installing a rain water collection system.  Have more or less decided against it b/c we are on septic/well, so I figure all the water that comes off the house is going back down to the well eventually anyway.  Is that false?

My other big concern is the house is currently in a development where the power produced by the solar panels is sold back to the energy company.  I still am not convinced this model makes a lick of difference in the scheme of things.  What does Progress Energy do with the power produced?  Does it actually reduce one iota the amount of energy their coal plants produce (considering there will be 30 houses in the neighborhood each with a 2kW system)?  Or is this just  “green-washing” by the power company to say they are solar friendly?  Granted, my bill will be less, and that is cool, but I am still skeptical about whether it is actually better for the environment.  My understanding of electrical production is that the power companies pretty much can produce as much energy as they want, pretty much anytime they want and can slough off energy in the grid.

Eventually, I think I will consider switching the system to an off-the-grid approach whereby we install enough panels to supply all of our needs.  We will have a propane powered generator as backup, so I am confident we could live off the grid w/ enough panels (maybe 1kW more, but I need to do the calculations.)  I also know that I can plug directly into the panels at any time, which I will probably do when it is convenient (i.e. the plugs will be outside.)

At any rate, are we fooling ourselves?  I know reducing the energy we use is a good thing, so the well-insulated house and energy star appliances are all good.  I also know using the low VOC stuff is good.  And the Solar Water heater makes A LOT of sense.  Same goes for the passive solar design.  For centuries, people built around the sun, only recent did builders forget how to do that.  I guess I’m just not convinced yet on the active solar model being employed.

Popularity: 1% [?]

EU Concerned About Google’s Street View Images - Yahoo! News

Yeah, the EU is concerned that Google is infringing on it’s territory…  At least, that is the feeling I got in Amsterdam.  There were cameras darn near everywhere in that city.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Sigh, I have had to test on Windows XP and Vista lately.  What a miserable experience.  How do Windows users live with the constant messages asking for permission, etc?  My guess is they turn them all off…  I wonder how much productivity increase would be had in the enterprise if people didn’t constantly have to fight their computer.  At least XP is better than Vista, which is the king of annoyance.

Working on Windows is sorta like driving a Ferrari your whole life and then going to your garage one day and finding a Pinto that you have to drive.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Kick the oil habit and make your own ethanol - Yahoo! News

Kind of interesting idea.  I like the “off the grid” element to it and the fact that it allows consumers to have control.  Still, not sure how well it will work and I doubt I would be an early adopter since I don’t drive hardly at all anymore since I started working from home (less than 5000 miles in the last 6 months.)  Still, my wife drives a fair amount for her job.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Grant’s Grunts » Consumer Services and Warranty Activation Services Phone Calls

So, got another of these calls today, this time from a Ft. Lauderdale # 954-424-9037.  Actually made some “progress” with them by playing dumb.  Saying things like “I want the lower interest rate, but just need a little more information.”  I asked the guy how he got my name and he says the reason I got the call is b/c I am in good standing with the major credit companies.  I asked him how he knew that and he said they have agreements with them.  Now, I actually think he is lying, but…  he also said they sent me a letter 45 days ago, which I may have seen, but probably threw out w/o opening.  He kept dancing around the question, which he obviously would, b/c he doesn’t know what’s going on higher up.

Other curious things:  He said they were Consumer Services, but the call said “Card Holder Services”.

I don’t know about you, but if I were Visa and Mastercard, I would be pretty pissed at these guys, either that or they are giving ‘em our information.  Although, I will say, it is pretty clear they don’t actually have any of our information, at least I don’t think so.  I think the operators are trained to “fish” for information, kind of like cold readers.

The guy finally got pretty frustrated w/ me when I said “I might be interested, but I need to know more information” and he said “I already told you everything” and I said “I guess I am not interested then.”  To which he responded “You’re obviously smart, so I’m not sure why you don’t get it”  :-)  And then added, “why didn’t you say you weren’t interested to begin with?”  I told him I wasn’t interested because I didn’t have enough info and then I ended the call.  At least I had the satisfaction of being the one to hang up!

At any rate, I think it’s time to write a letter to the NC Attorney General and also to my Visa and Mastercard companies.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Roger Clemens apologizes for ‘mistakes in personal life’ - Yahoo! News

Gotta love the modern celebrity apology for nothing!  I apologize for making mistakes in my life!  Nothing specific, just all the mistakes I’ve made, like, that one time, when I was 5 and I stole a cookie from the cookie jar when Mom said not to do it.  Or that time when I threw a fastball high and inside on purpose and nearly took of the guy’s head.  Beautiful!

Does this strike anyone else as the tip of the iceberg?  I mean, why bother, don’t you think it is just going to pique people’s curiosity even more as to the vagueness of it all?  Just one more thread to pull, you know?

Popularity: 2% [?]