This green home completed in 2008, can be found in Venice, California. The builder Tom Schey called it 737conserve. Even though this place is huge at 4500 sq.ft. of living space it has several green features worth noting.
For starters the insulation is made by Ultratouch Recycled Denim which is non-toxic. The large solar array will power the heating and cooling system, plus the appliances, sound and security systems, and the pools variable speed pump. The pool water will come from a natural underground stream. That stream will also be pumped into drip lines to feed the drought tolerant landscaping.
This place was built to conserve, from water usage to energy efficiency systems. But it must be said that the size of the place would go against the grain of the tree hugger. Take away a zero from the square footage and your foot print would be ideal. But with our Texas sized appetites big sells.
A lot of people shop at second-hand furniture and clothing stores to save money and to find interesting items that are no longer available in popular stores. However, the next time you shop at your local second hand shop keep in mind that you are also being an eco-friendly shopper. Furniture manufacturing companies have a huge negative impact on our environment and we would do well to buy less newly manufactured furniture and instead take a look at second-hand shops for alternative choices. On the other hand, there are also several furniture companies who deal with recycled materials, so before you buy your next piece of furniture do your research and look around in second hand stores, you might be surprised by the quality of furniture you’ll find.