Learning and loving it.

Yesterday I was able to meet with a man who does sustainable building. Wow, I probably made a fool of myself I was in such a state if awe. To my credit I was able to keep up with words like R19 and R50, I know R50 means kick ass insulation.
R50 good / R19 not good at all. This man's primary job is not green building. This is what was so cool. He is passionate about this. I love to talk to passionate people. I am attracted to passionate people like I am attracted to puppy's, I get owey gooey around them.
On my way home last night I found out I am going to have a little extra money to put into my house. This means insulation and other energy saving add ons. I so don't want to get this wrong. It's not a lot of money to most people, but big to my budget. So I called him sheepishly and said "Um hey um do um you think um you might um want to consider um letting me hire you to be a consultant on my house" The last part was said at warp speed. This wonderful green guru is building thirty five homes with solar power in Little Rock Arkansas of all places. My budget is like .5%of what one of his houses will probably cost. So I mustard up the courage and asked and he is coming to my house to advise me. I told him I was thinking I needed insulation (soy based and cellulose) and some storm windows. He said " Wait don't do storm windows until I look at your windows" Unless you are a greenie like me you may not be getting how exciting this is to me to have this man come look at my windows.
This man makes charts and graphs and is in HOME POWER magazine. A magazine that from what I can tell is all about solar power. This is my own ED Bagley Jr. fantasy.
I will keep you posted on what he says..........tune in next week.

Helpful hints on frugality and the environment:

1. Make a rule one light per person in the room, less is good more is unacceptable.

2. Give the gift of green this year, not money but compact florescent lights and air cleaning plants, Peace Lilly's are good. You can divide them, use a knife cut the roots and transplant. Spray paint an old clay pot silver for the Holidays. An almost free gift.

3. Make a consious decision to go to resale shops on a regular basis and pick up what you see that you need. Resale and thrift shopping is not about going in for what you want like retail, you have to get it when you see it.

4. Buy from local craftsman and artist this year for the Holidays.

Namaste'
Courtney