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Everyday Green Home

108 Episodes

30 minutes | 6 days ago
Your Comfort, Health and Safety: Start Where You Live
I’m Marla, the Green Home Coach. Thank you for coming to learn about how you can take advantage of all that I have to share with you to make your home healthier, more comfortable, and safer.  This podcast series is about my book, Living Green Effortlessly- Simple Choices for a Better Home.  I wrote the book because I understand that making more educated and better choices about our homes can have a big impact on how we live in our homes. By making some simple changes and better choices, we can have far healthier and safer outcomes.  This series will incorporate my book, and it will cover the basics of all the systems and features of your home. We will also explain how to make the best of all the features. In each session of the series, we will cover another chapter in the book. We will read some excerpts from the book and the stories that go along with them.  Today, we will be covering Chapter Two: Your Comfort, Health, and Safety: Start Where You Live. Stay tuned for more! Between you and the outdoors Between you and the outdoors are the roof, the walls, the windows, the floors, and the doors. Those keep you safe, warm, and comfortable inside your house. The roof and gutters handle the rain and snow and keep you dry. Inside the walls, under the roof, and in the basement ceiling, there is insulation. That acts as a sweater for your home. It keeps the wind out and the heated air inside during the winter. and it keeps the cooled air inside, in the summertime. An envelope of protection No matter what it has been made of, your house surrounds you with an envelope of protection from the elements. Even so, there are still places in that envelope where the outdoor elements can get in, and where the energy that you are paying for can get out. That costs you money, makes you uncomfortably cold in the winter, and too hot in the summer.       Sealing and insulating Focus on sealing and insulating the envelope of your house.  Our homes are our everything Since Covid, our homes have become our everything. They are where we work, play, cook, gather, relax, and work out. How our home structure supports all these activities is critical to our lives, especially when we are living so much harder in our homes. Doing things differently Now, after spending so much time at home, it would be the time to consider if you have changed the way you think about your home, or if there are any things about it you might want to change or do differently. My aim I aim to help you to find the things you can do to make your home more comfortable, healthier, and support you better.  A tight home A tight home is an efficient home. Using quality building materials is necessary to prevent having moisture problems, components wearing out, or pollutants in the air. Finding air leaks It can be hard to find air leaks in your home. You could consider hiring a pro like a home energy assessor or auditor to help you find them, or you may want to go the DIY route to find the leaks and seal them yourself. Materials Your local hardware store will be very happy to assist you in finding the right materials for your particular application.  Insulation Insulation works better when the air leaks get plugged. So look out for tiny holes in the insulation of the attic. If you find any, plug them up to help you stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Air quality A tight building envelope does not allow for any fresh air to enter the home unless you make it happen.  Good ventilation Many health problems can get tied to breathing contaminated air. To protect your health, your home needs to have good ventilation. You can achieve that by either opening the windows or with the HVAC system. Anti-allergy filters Getting custom-made anti-allergy Green Screen air filters for your HVAC system is one way for you to start improving the air quality in your home. (The coupon code is greenhomecoach.) You can also add an air purifier and an advanced filtration system if you need to do so. Bathrooms Don’t forget to run the exhaust fans in your bathrooms whenever they get steamy. Or have an automated system put in place. Plants Plants also help to clean the air. NASA put together a list of about ten plants that work well for doing that. Cleaning Dust, which carries germs, is mainly comprised of dead skin cells, so you need to get it out of the house. Vacuuming works best, and the next best way is to use a damp microfiber cloth.  Cleaning products         You can refer to the Environmental Working Groups list for ranking non-toxic products that you can safely use to clean your home or to find other things that you may need.  You can also find recipes on the internet or in books to make DIY cleaning solutions. Simplify, simplify, simplify is my motto. Remember that living a little better and a little greener is easier than you think. Referral Links: My website Green Home Coach Book: Living Green Effortlessly Facebook Group: Love Your Everyday Green Home HVAC Energy Efficiency Green Cleaning Green Screen HVAC Filter - Coupon Code: greenhomecoach  Home Depot Eco Options  Air Purifying Plants, According to NASA    This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself.
27 minutes | 13 days ago
What Is An Everyday Green Home?
I’m Marla, the Green Home Coach, and I welcome you to the first unit of teaching based on my book, Living Green Effortlessly- Simple Choices for a Better Home. I would like to talk to you about green homes and explain why they are the best homes of all. I’d also like to tell you how easy it is to green your home, and if you want to go all-in and create your own dream green home, we can talk about that too. Are you ready to learn more about green homes and how to have one? Then stay tuned! This series will cover some of the highlights of my book. And it will help you to learn about what you may be able to do in your home.  Today, we will be covering Chapter One: What Is An Everyday Green Home? Life happens in your home Your home is your refuge, and it is also the place where life happens. Our homes have a secret life with all the complexity of modern life. We could unknowingly be living in, building, or remodeling a home that is not in our best interest. It may be something big, like old lead paint or mold, new paint, and cabinets that off-gas, or the small stuff, like the leaky toilet, drafty window, or the products you use to clean and sanitize.  Having a greener home does not have to be hard or require sacrifice. A green home is not all or nothing. It starts with making smart choices about products and materials as you live in, build, or remodel your home. Just making a different choice - an appliance, plumbing, a lighting fixture, or even paint - can set you on the course to a home that works better for you and yours.  With the help of my book, Living Green Effortlessly- Simple Choices for a Better Home, I will cover the basics of the systems and features of your home and explain how to make the best of them.    My primary goal in writing this book is to help you improve your comfort, health, and safety in your own home. Choices Our choices, in terms of location, design, materials, and heating and cooling methods, have a direct effect on our health, that of our family, and of the community in which we live. We are all part of the natural system Despite all the modern conveniences, we are all still part of the natural system that creates, sustains, and perpetuates this living earth. Now is the time for us to look at all the systems in our homes to see if they are truly serving our needs as well as the needs of the earth. Going green Going green is not only about energy. It’s about living healthier lives and taking responsibility for all our actions.   Common sense Having a green home is about common sense. You want your home to look and feel and perform well. You want to live in comfort and safety, breathe easier, and feel healthier by reducing pollutants, toxins through better airflow systems and quality material choices. You also want to feel comfortable with the temperature by providing a well-sealed and insulated shell with better heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems. Save time  Save time using materials, fixtures, and finishes that perform better, last longer, and require less maintenance. Save money You will save a lot of money on energy and maintenance costs.  A higher selling price for a green home You will get a higher selling price for certified green homes. And as you gain more knowledge, you will start understanding the value of owning a green home more and more, so you can point out all the features to a potential buyer. Our homes are a system of systems    Our homes are a system of systems. Understanding how all the systems work together, how they support and depend on each other, and how to care for them and maintain them is crucial to maintaining your health, comfort, and safety in your home.  Your home is a system Your home is a system, and so changing one thing will impact others.  Home Energy Professionals It’s time to bring in a home energy professional when you want to do a remodel, do something that could impact the systems in your home, get an energy assessment, or have your home evaluated. They will help you understand the priorities and tell you what you can fix to give you the biggest bang for your buck. You will find them through your local utility company. How Well Does Your Home Perform? Adding up all the utility bills will let you know how well your home is performing. Don’t forget the water, sewer, and trash bills! Cutting the waste and being efficient Cutting the waste out of your home, and becoming more efficient with how you use resources and energy, will save you money and allow your resources to go a lot further. Electricity Use your electricity and everything else as wisely as you can. If you only use what you need and no more, you will make sure that there’s enough to go around, and you won’t be wasting a valuable resource. Online energy tools You can go to www.energystar.gov or Building Performance Institute for Homeowners to find out what you need to know and get some tools if you‘re not yet at the point where you need to bring a professional home energy assessor in to help you. Referral Links: Book – Living Green Effortlessly Curated collection for you A Bit of BS (Building Science) about your home Energy Star Savings at Home  Building Performance Institute for Homeowners This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself.
41 minutes | a month ago
Signposts for Better Choices - Green Labels with Tony Pratte
Welcome to another episode of the Everyday Green Home Podcast! This will be my last podcast for the year, and what a year it’s been! When we look back on this past year, my hope is that we are able to see the silver linings that were in amongst all the challenges that we faced in 2020. I’m pulling another great episode from the archives for today’s show. It features my regular guest and co-host, Tony Pratte from The Sound Room, and this podcast will be all about green labels. It’s easier than ever now to have a green household. However, many companies and labels provide misleading information. How do you know if your products are clean? One simple way is to see if it has a green label.  So, in this episode, Tony and I discuss what green labels are and why you should care...spoiler alert, the biggest reason you should care is for peace of mind! That is something we all need right now. We also discuss other labels and companies that provide certified clean and sustainable products and how you can integrate them into your home. I know you’re really going to enjoy this show! Green labels, explained Green labels are labels that show third-party certification for a product, an entire assembly, and sometimes even an entire building. The relevance of the third-party is that they are a separate entity saying that the green label is what it’s saying it is. Why we should care about green labels If third-party certifications did not exist, every company could make any claim at all about a product, even if those claims were not true. Greenwashing “Greenwashing” is a term that was coined around ten years ago when everyone started coming out with all these new “green” products. The idea behind greenwashing is that claims were made about products that were not necessarily true, but the manufacturers were wanting to catch a ride on the popularity of all things “green”. Many customers believe that what they read on labels is true, and therefore make purchases based on those claims. The beauty of third-party certifications (“green labels”) is that those certifications actually back up the claims. Regulations around claims The FCC, or Federal Communications Commission, has regulations about what claims are allowed to be made. In addition, the AMA (American Marketing Association) also has rules that prohibit marketers from making claims that are not true. An industry issue A lot of people, including those in the industry, do not understand what the terms mean, they don’t understand the value of those terms, and therefore, they do not know how to talk about them. Instead, the terms are thrown around loosely without understanding the consequences that come behind that. Meaningless words There are a lot of words used in the food and personal care products categories. One word that is meaningless is “natural”. The goal of green labels The goal of green labels is to give the consumer confidence that what they are purchasing is what has been claimed for that product, material, or home. A green label shows that research has already been performed by an independent party so the consumer doesn’t have to do their own research. This gives the consumer peace of mind. Green labels for the home Many of the products that I curate for you in the Everyday Green Home store have these green labels on them! For products that I list that do not have a green label, be assured that I have taken them through the same vetting process that we use in the National Green Building Standard to ensure that those products meet the requirements of what we would use in a green home certification. The reason why all products don’t go through a green certification process The reason is similar to why not everyone goes through the organic certification process: it’s expensive and time-consuming. Therefore, many small family farms choose not to go through this process. However, it’s an instant marketing flag and is often worth the effort. Green and sustainable? The following labels wrap around all the different characteristics we can find in homes: energy-efficiency, water-efficiency, resource-efficiency, toxin-free or lower toxins, and recycled materials. Green home certification Look for the Energy Star label when you are shopping, because Energy Star covers thousands of products, as well as complete home certification. You can be assured that you are getting a product that is at least 20% more energy-efficient than its standard non-certified product. WaterSense is to water what Energy Star is to energy. My simple advice to people I’m working with towards green certification is to choose all WaterSense plumbing fixtures and toilets in your home or building and you’re done! Many people think these products will be a lot more expensive than their non-certified counterparts, but that is not the case. In addition, you get that extra quality bump because you know somebody has taken the time to go through the process of certifying them. Greenguard Many people have not heard of Greenguard, but if you see this label you can be assured that the product has fewer toxins in it and it meets the California rules for air quality. The Greenguard certification now applies to a variety of products. Who doesn't want to breathe easier? The trend for airtight houses New construction houses are becoming more airtight, and if we’re recirculating fresh air into it, we need to be very careful about what is inside our house because we’re locked up inside with it! If you do more on the energy-efficiency side, with a little bit more thought it can also be better for the indoor air quality side. Cradle to cradle certifications This certification is different from the others because it is based on a book based on the same name. It’s an efficient way of using resources.  Other green labels There are other green labels out there, and I urge you to pay attention and read labels. Green-labeled products are designed to make your life easier and better. There are green-certified homes, too! Food and personal care products are two more categories in which we’ll be seeing a lot more future certifications. Links:  Green As You Go - Paint By Numbers Green Living – Saving Ourselves Green Your Holiday Gift Giving  Curated collection for you  Did you know if you go through EGH for your Amazon and Home Depot orders, you help EGH? This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself.
34 minutes | 2 months ago
A Whole New Way to Clean and Sanitize with the iClean with Steve Tersano
Today, Steve Hengsperger, the founder of Tersano, the company that created the iClean, is joining me as my guest for the show.  Steve started Tersano back in 2002, and they work with ozone technology for water treatment.  Ozone has been used for quite some time in water treatment systems on a large scale. Municipalities use it, bottled water manufacturers use it, and it is also in hot tubs and Olympic swimming pools. Tersano has taken that technology and miniaturized it so that it can purify your water at home for drinking.   In 2003-2004, the EPA, FDA, and USDA all came out with their statements about using ozone to sanitize produce and surfaces, so Tersano came up with a quick prototype for a home cleaning and sanitizing system.  Be sure to stay tuned today to find out all you need to know about the small cleaning device that Tersano created that uses ozone technology for cleaning and sanitizing your home. It is chemical-free, completely non-toxic, and works incredibly well!  People were more interested in their home cleaning system At the first trade show that they took their appliances to, the retailers were more interested in their home cleaning system than their water purifying system. A big thing happened in 2006 In 2006, a big thing happened in the company. Three people died from E. coli on spinach. Steve was at a food event in New York City, and Time Magazine came by. They asked some questions about their product and what it could do with fresh produce. They then took it and tested it at the University of Florida. A Time Magazine Best Invention award The product killed 99.9% of E. coli on spinach, so they got a Time Magazine Best Invention award that year.  Measuring the chemical levels in the air  A hygienist went to Steve’s home and measured the chemical levels in the air in the cupboard in which he kept his cleaning products. The results that came back were off the charts! A small cleaning device So, Tersano created a small cleaning device that is quite different from the way that most people are cleaning right now. It takes water and alters it, chemically, to create ozone. That water works well to clean and disinfect your home. A paradigm shift Selling his product through a retailer fifteen years ago was challenging. And it still is because it is a paradigm shift.  The beauty of the technology The beauty of the technology, from a sustainability standpoint, is that it reverts the water and oxygen. The old system did it within about fifteen minutes, and their new system does it instantaneously. And it leaves no residue so that when you have finished, you do not need to worry about your children or your pets getting affected by any chemicals. Selling around the world In the last twelve years, their focus has been on selling the product on the commercial side, around the world. How the technology in the iClean cleaning device works There are two diamond electrodes inside the device, and as the water passes by them, they split some of the oxygen molecules. The extra oxygen atoms then re-combine and create O3, which is an oxidizer, like bleach or hydrogen peroxide.  A safe and natural process It is a simple, safe, and completely natural process, and it can cause you no harm. From a cleaning standpoint From a cleaning standpoint, the extra oxygen atom attaches to dirt and breaks down the bonds, making it easier to wipe away. From a kill standpoint From a kill standpoint, it attaches to a bacteria, a virus, or a mold and either penetrates the cell wall or explodes it. The iClean cleaning device The iClean cleaning device replaces all your everyday cleaning products. You can use it to remove dirt, germs, and odors from your home. You can use it on floors, carpets, glass, stainless steel, and even the toilet. It will kill up to 99.99 percent of all germs, molds, viruses, and bacteria, so the cleaning and disinfecting happen all at once. Using the iClean mini on plants Cut flowers last four times as long when they are placed in the ozone solution rather than in water. And plants also survive better when they get watered with the ozone solution. Produce You can spray the surface of all your fresh produce with the ozone solution. It breaks down the pesticides, and it will prevent problems like E. coli and make the produce taste better and last considerably longer.  Links and resources: Get the clean facts about COVID-19 iClean® mini - Use Code: greenhomecoach DOWNLOAD: iClean® mini - Product Info Sheet Tersano's Mission How-To Guides  
35 minutes | 2 months ago
Gift of a No-Touch Home with Tony Pratte
Welcome to another episode of the Everyday Green Home Podcast! It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving is almost upon us again! With all that has happened this year, I feel that it is vital for us to focus on all the things for which we can feel grateful.  I have been keeping a list of all the things I’m thankful for, like my family, friends, and my precious husband! I’m also grateful for resources, my skills and experience, and for the plentiful abundance that I am so fortunate to have in my life. Today, I am bringing back a podcast from earlier this year. It is with my guest co-host, Tony Pratte, from The Sound Room, and it’s about having a no-touch home. I feel that it is relevant right now in the middle of this crazy pandemic because we have all become so much more aware of the things we touch. Having many of the things in our homes automated helps a lot when it comes to cleaning, preventing cross-contamination, and the spreading of germs. It can also be fun, safer, energy-saving, and a lot more convenient. And there are many DIY options available.  Tony Pratte is very knowledgeable about no-touch technology. In this podcast, he talks about three of the things that are most important to implement in a no-touch home. Those include internet and wifi, which form the backbone of a smart home, and the easiest places to start when automating your home. Stay tuned for more!   Technology for the masses The pandemic has forced people to understand what Tony and his company, The Sound Room, does. They are bringing technology to the masses. The quality of the internet Since the pandemic started, the quality of the internet in everybody’s house has become paramount because a good quality internet signal is what allows people to work from home. Wireless world Currently, we are progressing further and further along the route of wireless internet inside the house. Tony saw some statistics a while back that brought that to light for him. The statistics showed that sixty-five percent of people under a certain age will never plug into a hard-line internet connection. Wireless internet coverage Everything in a no-touch home starts with making sure that you have good wireless internet coverage in the house.  Do-it-yourself If you are a do-it-yourselfer, you will find all the products you need online. The main thing that you will need is a wireless router. The chances are that a good wireless router will provide enough internet coverage for a smaller house. If you have a bigger house you will need either a mesh system consisting of a router and access points or a wireless extender to make the wireless signal go further and reach all the rooms in the house. Checking the strength of your internet signal Once you have the wifi in your home up and running, the easiest thing to do is to take a smart device like a smartphone or an iPad, log onto your wireless wifi network, and walk around the house. By doing that, you will be able to check the strength of the signal in all the different areas of the house and verify that you have good internet coverage in all the rooms. Different ways to make your home more of a smart home Smart or connected homes are designed to simplify your life and make things easier so that you don’t have to touch anything as often. The three easiest things you can add to a smart home are thermostats, lighting, and sound. Thermostats You won’t have to touch your thermostat if it knows what to do. You can program smart thermostats, and many of them will also learn your patterns. Currently, there are many different wifi thermostats available. Tony’s company, The Sound Room, uses mostly Ecobee thermostats. Do-it-yourself smart lighting systems Several different kinds of do-it-yourself smart lighting systems are available. They have modules that plug into the wall, and you can then plug a lamp into the module and automate it. It can also be tied into voice-control. Smart homes versus controlled or automated homes A smart home has a feature in it, like the thermostat or lights, that has an app that you can put on your smart device and control it remotely. You may need to have different apps for all the things you want to control.  Controlled homes have a controller that operates all your different devices. The controller allows everything to work from the same app, and it lets you create scenes. Scenes allow you to select your preferred sequences with the devices in your home and bring them together to create an experience. So, for example, if you say “Good morning.” it might turn on the thermostat and some lights and disarm your security system. Voice and app control Voice control and app control make it a lot easier for people with limitations or disabilities to have more of a sense of independence and freedom. Smart home and connected home technology Smart home and connected home technology provide an extra layer of safety and peace of mind for the homeowner. Sound For do-it-yourself sound, Tony recommends Sonos. The Sonos app will guide you step-by-step through the installation. Voice command module The voice command module allows you to control the thermostat, the lighting, and the sound systems.  Creating a scene Sonos, Nest, and Ecobee integrate with a bridge called Caseta, made by Lutron. Those are all available from Home Depot, and they will allow you to create scenes. Links and resources: Smart Home Products Curated by Marla Hand Sanitizers Curated by Marla From Smart Home to Connected This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself.
39 minutes | 2 months ago
The Conscious Builder with Casey Grey
Welcome to another episode of the Everyday Green Home Podcast! I am excited today to have Casey Grey as my guest!  Casey is the founder of The Conscious Builder. It is based in Ottawa and has a podcast and a YouTube Channel. Casey has been in the construction industry for over seventeen years, and he has had his business for a little longer than ten years.  Both Casey and his business have been growing and evolving. Casey has managed to carve out a great little niche in sustainable building that complies with the Canadian Passive House, Net Zero, and R-2000 certification standards, and his business continues to grow in that area. At The Conscious Builder, both their renovations and their custom homes comply with Canadian certification standards. Casey is joining us today to share his story and talk about the building industry, climate change, advances in technology, and what you need to focus on when you are building or renovating a home. Why Casey decided to become a builder Growing up, Casey thought he would become an engineer because he loved to build things. He ended up getting into building instead because engineering was design-focused, and Casey was good at building and wanted to get involved as a hands-on person.  Improving the building industry Casey is working to improve the building industry as a whole, and he wants to make sure that other people know how to build. He loves it that he got forced into that world with other people who he says are smarter and better than him, and he gets to learn from them.   Climate change can create some problems From talking to other experts, Casey has learned that the unusual weather patterns that we are currently seeing are the extremes of climate change. Those extreme weather patterns can sometimes create problems which make it a lot more challenging for Casey to build homes. 3-D printed houses Casey likes to follow technology, and there have been a lot of really cool things happening lately, like 3-D printed houses. Renovations People are often astonished to find out that you can certify a renovation as sustainable, green, and energy-efficient. It is not always easy to do those renovations, however, because many things cannot get figured out ahead of time. Learning from doing renovations Casey recommends that younger people who are getting into construction should find a small company that does major renovations. There is a different level of skill required for that, but they will learn way more from that than they would from building a new home. Comfort Casey builds and renovates for comfort. He points out that when you have a comfortable home, you will also have an efficient home. Casey’s specialty Casey’s specialty, for the most part, is making sure that people have airtight, well-insulated, comfortable homes with HVAC systems that work well. He explains that the most important part of a house is the part that you do not see hidden behind the drywall and the cladding. Something important that people often overlook When it comes to heating and cooling systems, most homes have systems that are too big. That leads to short-cycling, which means that your house will get up or down to temperature quicker than it needs to, and the furthest rooms in the house will never reach the correct temperature. A properly sized system A properly sized system will run for longer and save you energy because it will work efficiently throughout the whole house. Online education about building science A lot of education and some tools are available online if you would like to learn more about building science. Casey is working on a resource called The Conscious Builder Academy, so keep your eyes open for that. Building a house Casey explains that a lot more goes into building a house than most people think. To build your own home, you will need to understand how the whole system works, apart from simply following the prescribed building codes. And it will also be a good idea for you to hire an energy advisor.  An integrated design process Casey believes that the best way to build a home is to use an integrated design process, and that would involve bringing all the contractors on board right from the start. Links and resources: The Conscious Builder The Conscious Builder - YouTube Channel Understanding Green Building Standards Listen to me on Casey's Podcast! Buy Stuff for Your Home - Curated by Marla
38 minutes | 3 months ago
Knowing Your Food with Chelsey Simpson from Urban Agrarian
I am celebrating fall today! So many things we associate with fall, like the fall harvest, and fall food, focus around the idea of community, which in this time of the pandemic, has taken on a whole new meaning.  The source of food has become a hot topic lately, and people are trying new ways to meet their food requirements. I, for one, in my efforts to avoid the discomfort of going into grocery stores, have learned the joys of curbside pickups, supporting the smaller stores in our area, and going to farmer's markets to enjoy the bounty from our local farmers. That inspired me to pull this podcast with Chelsey Simpson from Urban Agrarian out of the archives and put it out into the world again! I know you are going to love it! Chelsey is a local business owner in the Oklahoma City area. She is the co-owner of Urban Agrarian, a delightful non-traditional grocery store that primarily stocks locally-sourced products.  Chelsey tells us all about the stores she co-owns, she explains what it takes to find the very best locally-produced products, and we discuss the importance of buying local. About Urban Agrarian Chelsey explains that her grocery store is not a traditional one because almost everything they sell in it is sourced locally, from Oklahoma. They have recently expanded their line a little, however, to include some more nationally-sourced products because of the pandemic and due to customer demand. Locally sourced For most of the twelve years that the Urban Agrarian has existed, all their products have been almost 100% locally sourced, which is unusual. Small grocery stores Both of the Urban Agrarian stores are small. They are each only about a thousand square feet, so the size of the stores puts them in a slightly different situation from most other grocery stores. They are still traditional grocery stores, however, and a lot gets packed into them. You can go there to buy your milk, eggs, steaks, tortilla chips, snacks, and a whole lot more. Source-verified Chelsey does her best to curate. Beyond thinking about the store as being local, she also likes to talk and think about the store as being source-verified. That means that she knows virtually all of the people who make the products that they sell by their first names!  Creating a different experience It takes a lot more work to do all the individual sourcing of the products, but Chelsey feels that it is worth it because it creates a very different experience for her customers. Food hub Urban Agrarian is not only a grocery store. It is a food hub. The term food hub describes that they are doing the curating, aggregating, and sourcing of their products in such a way that their customers can have healthy choices without having to have a vast range of products from which to choose. Grass-fed beef from BF Farms One of the products sold by the Urban Agrarian is grass-fed beef, supplied by Jane, Doug, and their daughter, from BF Farms in Oklahoma. Their whole family speaks very proudly about the excellent quality of the meat that they supply and the hundred-year heritage that the family has on their farm. High mineral content The land that Jane and Doug own in north-central Oklahoma has very high mineral content. And that has promoted excellent grass growth, which adds even more nutritional value to the beef and lamb that they sell.  A close partnership with BF Farms Chelsey and her business partner were very closely connected with BF Farms when the Urban Agrarian stores were getting built. A dropped ceiling got put into one of the stores. It was made from some wood from an old barn on the farm. The effect of the pandemic For safety reasons during the pandemic, the Urban Agrarian stores were closed to walk-in customers because the stores are so small. To assist their customers, however, they made their products available through call-in orders. Working in local food systems  Chelsey grew up on a farm, and she has been working in local food systems for about the last fifteen years. After seeing her family and their multi-generational farm struggling, she found herself drawn to that kind of work, even though she did not plan to go into it. A great way to connect For Chelsey, Urban Agrarian is a way to connect with how people are keeping their homes and their lives healthy and focused. Buying local is important There are many good reasons to buy local. Although local is not synonymous with organic, you are more likely to find chemical and pesticide-free organically grown produce if you buy local. Organically grown food is not only good for your health but also the health of the soil and the health of the people working on the land.  Urban Agrarian is not exclusively organic Urban Agrarian does not exclusively sell organic groceries. They primarily sell source-verified, local groceries, and they are very pro supporting local farmers and farmer’s markets. Complex answers A lot of the answers about how things are grown and how animals get raised are quite complex. So consumers need to decide for themselves what their priorities are and what matters the most to them. Urban Agrarian makes that very easy! Referrals/links: Urban Agrarian Know Where Your Food Comes From  Find a Farmers Market Near You, from PBS
40 minutes | 3 months ago
Grow Inside with Jackie from the Green Organic Garden Podcast
I have pulled one of my favorite instructional podcasts out of the archives for today! It features my great gardening friend, Jackie Marie Beyer, of the Green Organic Garden Podcast, as my guest. I do not have a green thumb, and this show has helped me a lot with gardening! Jackie started the Green Organic Garden Podcast in 2015. Her initial motivation was to give her husband, their head gardener at home, a platform for teaching people how to garden. He has a lot of gardening knowledge to share, and when Jackie started her podcast, she knew very little about gardening. Jackie is now my resident expert for all things gardening! Over the last five years, she has done more than 300 interviews on the Green Organic Garden Podcast with some of the most incredible gardeners who have all shared their knowledge! And although Jackie works full-time as an elementary school teacher, she has found that she is spending more and more time in the garden each year. In today’s episode, Jackie will be talking to us about some of the things that we can do for Mother Nature that will help people learn, and she will tell us about some of the easier vegetables to plant indoors. Be sure to stay tuned for more! The Organic Oasis Guidebook There are all different kinds of gardeners. Jackie and her husband wrote a book called The Organic Oasis Guidebook to help people grow vegetables because growing vegetables is a different learning curve from gardening. Jackie’s husband’s goal Jackie’s husband grew up on a cattle ranch. His current goal is to grow as much food as he possibly can to supplement the produce that they need. It involves intense gardening, and Jackie refers to his garden as his “mini-farm”. Jackie explains why her podcast is so successful One of the reasons why Jackie’s podcast is so successful is because of all of her amazing guests and their willingness to share their tips, their expertise, and their gardening secrets. Authentic, garden math problems and challenges Jackie is an elementary school teacher, and for the last two years, she has been posting videos online, with authentic, garden math problems and challenges for her students to solve. Carrots Carrots are easy to grow but hard for adults to plant because the seeds are so tiny. Carrot seeds fit very nicely into the hands of little kids, however. Kids Contrary to popular belief, Jackie knows that kids love eating freshly harvested fruits and vegetables! Indoor gardening Jackie’s favorite things to grow indoors are herbs in pots on her window sill. She loves to have basil plants growing indoors at all times. Arugula If you grow arugula indoors, you can start picking and eating the leaves when they are still tiny, and you will get lots of flavor out of them. The leaves will keep on growing until they eventually reach the size of a lettuce leaf. Cherry tomatoes You can grow cherry tomatoes indoors. Cherry tomato plants might be a bit too big for a window sill, but you can grow them in a pot on the floor next to a window. Then you can also put the plant outside on the patio in the summer. Seeds, versus starter plants Gardening is a bit like an experiment, and some seeds are easier to propagate than others. Growing vegetables from starter plants, if you can find them at a farmer’s market, will be faster than growing them from seeds. Sprouts Jackie likes to start growing her sprouts in December. You can buy a seed sprouter, or you can make one from a large mason jar covered with a piece of window screen fabric. Place a layer of organic radish, alfalfa, broccoli, or any other sprouting seeds on the bottom and soak them in two inches of water for twenty-four hours. Then, pour the water out and rinse the seeds in clear water every day until they have grown big enough to get eaten. Bigger container gardening It is possible to grow your herbs and vegetables in all kinds of different containers, and some people even like to plant their vegetables in specially designed cloth bags because they are easier to haul around. Soil health With container gardening, you have more say about the kind of soil that you use because you can decide from which source you want to take it. Companion planting Marigolds are good for planting with tomatoes because they put out a strong scent that repels the bugs that eat tomato plants and leaves. Nasturtiums are also good companion plants for planting next to vegetables in containers to repel bugs. Container plants Vegetables that grow above the ground are better for planting in containers. Root crops, however, usually do better growing in outdoor beds. Referral Links and Products: Green Organic Garden Podcast Free Ebook on Organic Gardener Basics Other Podcasts with Jackie: Organic Gardener and Grow Outside with Jackie EGH Shop - Self Watering Planters EGH Shop - Seed Sprouting Jar Kit EGH Shop - Seed Sprouting Lids This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself."
33 minutes | 4 months ago
Women in Podcasting with Autumn McMahon
Today, I am excited to introduce you to Autumn McMahon, the Manager of Marketing and Member Relations at Oklahoma Electric Cooperative (OEC).  Autumn has a relatively new podcast as part of her role at OEC. It launched in April this year, around the same time as the pandemic changed the world. Surprisingly, it turned out to be a good time for her to launch a podcast! In today’s episode, Autumn shares how she has been using OEC's "The Current Buzz" podcast to meet her members where they are at and deliver a lot of useful content to them in a short amount of time. She also discusses what keeps her motivated and what she has learned from OEC's members. I am sure you will enjoy our conversation, so stay tuned for more! Content is getting consumed at a much higher rate  Autumn's marketing content is getting consumed at a much higher rate right now than ever before. Because people are at home now, and they are in front of a screen more often. Figuring out new routines Many people used to listen to podcasts while they were commuting or while they were out getting some exercise. Things have changed due to the pandemic, however, so everyone has had to find their new normal and figure out new routines. Shorter podcasts Autumn has found that having shorter podcasts tends to play better for her listeners now than it has ever done in the past. So she tries to pack a lot of good content into a shorter length of time to meet the different demands that people have on their time. Members OEC is cooperative, so they do not have customers. They have members.  Members want green homes At OEC, they have seen that the members are getting younger and more educated. They are consuming media differently, and they want to learn more about how to green their homes.  A higher level of detail Having a podcast allows you to tell people more in a shorter amount of time and to dive deeper into the content. So Autumn has used her podcast, in addition to more traditional marketing streams and social media, to reach her audience with a higher level of detail. Learning new things Autumn feels that she has found her rhythm with the podcast. It feels like a conversation, and it has allowed her to chat with people about a vast range of different topics. It has also provided her with an opportunity to learn new things and fine-tune her skills. Podcasting In today’s world, you can share your opinion about anything. Podcasting is a great way to talk to people directly and tell them what you want them to know.  Making podcasts interesting There is a wide variety of topics and many things you can do to make podcasts interesting. But the main thing is to remain true to yourself in whatever you do. Guests Autumn likes to use the feedback from the members to help choose the guests for her podcast.  A simple solution for cleaner air I was a guest on Autumn’s podcast, and I explained that a simple solution for having better air quality in your home is to get the list of NASA plants that are good for cleaning out the air inside your house. It’s super simple, but it makes a big difference. Thinking creatively Thinking creatively about how to answer people’s questions before they have even asked them is a good quality for a podcast host to have. Marketing Autumn oversees the marketing team at OEC. They do some traditional marketing like magazines, their website, and social media marketing. They also have a branch that works with the commercial members of OEC and energy efficiency.  The true heart of service  The true heart of service is what motivates Autumn, and it underscores what truly makes her happy to be at OEC. The goal The goal of OEC is to be good stewards to their members and provide safe and reliable electricity while continuing to move forward with innovative energy solutions. They want to find ways to help people take better care of their homes, and save money while doing that. The marketing goal  Their marketing goal is to educate the community and their membership about the heart that is OEC. Volunteer work Autumn’s volunteer work is always about kids. She currently serves as the President on the Mary Abbott Children’s House board, which is a non-profit that works with child victims of abuse. Links and resources: OEC - Oklahoma Electric Cooperative OEC The Current Buzz Podcast OEC Electric Vehicle Resource Hub OEC Home Energy Audit Consultation Program Energy-Saving Lighting on Everyday Green Home Shop Solar Chargers and Lights on Everyday Green Home Shop "This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself."    
40 minutes | 4 months ago
Green is Mainstream with Suzanne Shelton
For the month of September, I have selected new and past guests on the podcast to showcase women who are making a difference. Today, I’m bringing yet another show that I really loved out of the archives for you to enjoy. This podcast was recorded back in May of 2017 with Suzanne Shelton, the founder and owner of Shelton Group, which is one of the leading marketing communications agencies, exclusively focused in the energy and environmental arena. They are sustainability marketing experts! In our conversation, we spoke about the work that Suzanne’s company does with market research and polls, and how it has given them a chance to gain an understanding of what people are thinking, their perceptions, and what they are doing in terms of energy and the environment. The pandemic has raised our awareness of the health, wellness, and safety issues that we have in our homes. This has become more and more important as we look to support the companies that reflect our values in what they are doing. It is still relevant, and it applies to our current situation. I hope you enjoy it! The energy space Suzanne started the company 25 years ago. About eleven years in, she realized that they needed to focus on being the best at something, rather than trying to be all things to all people. They had done a lot of work in the energy space, and looking at where it was heading they realized that there were going to be a lot more environmental problems. It was something they felt passionate about so they decided to focus exclusively on that arena. Polling Americans Today, Shelton Group is well known for polling Americans and Canadians, to understand their thoughts and perceptions, and what they are doing in terms of energy and the environment, and how that shapes their buying preferences. Edgy campaigns Shelton Group is well known for edgy creative campaigns to help people make informed decisions, and for their research work. Mainstream Talking sustainability used to be a niche. Now it has become mainstream. That means that the cost of green fixtures for homes has come down. Top five The top five of the thirty-six “nice to have” features that people want in their new homes save either energy or water. Greener homes without breaking the bank Shelton Group has figured out how to build beautiful homes that are greener and more energy-efficient, without breaking the bank. Commercial construction In commercial construction currently, you have to search to find contractors, developers, and architects who are not using sustainability principals. Residential construction There’s more of a challenge with sustainable practices within residential construction. Millennials entering the home buying market, however, are often more aware of things like indoor air quality issues and chemical content issues. Basic expectations When people don’t ask questions, it doesn’t mean they don’t care. Most people simply assume that their basic expectations in terms of sustainable practices are being met in the construction of new homes. Asking the right questions Homeowners sometimes don’t know the right questions to ask builders. They just want to know that their family will be happy, healthy, and safe. Builders want to sell homes Builders want to sell homes so they build what they believe will sell. There are studies that show that certified efficient and green homes sell faster, they sell for more money, and they retain their value better. Effective marketing To do effective communications, and effective marketing and advertising, you have to understand what people are thinking. The data that Shelton Group collects tells them that. They can even compare what people are thinking about today with what they were thinking eight years ago. New questions They ask new questions every year because new issues come up. Results The results of the studies fuel the development of Shelton Group's creative campaign work so that they can build the right campaigns and marketing materials to sell more products, build brands, and create social movements. Most people believe that climate change is real 64% of Americans believe that climate change is happening and that it’s caused by man. And 51% of Americans are concerned and feel anxious about it, which means they want to do something about it. Only 6% understand that the leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions in this country is from the energy we generate to use to heat and cool our homes. Making a positive impact on the environment People need to understand that the best way that we can make a positive change to the environment is through our homes. Links and resources: Shelton Group Market Research Reports Buy Stuff for Your Home, Curated by Marla Spotlight Companies to Support on EGH Podcast
35 minutes | 4 months ago
Purse Power with Donna Miller
This month, I am enjoying highlighting so many women who have made a difference! My guest for today is Donna Miller, the founder of Purse Power. Donna has made a difference in my life, and also in the lives of many other women!  Donna is a former Human Resources Executive who spent thirty years in Corporate America. A few years ago, she and her sisters came to the blinding realization that women make 80% of all the purchasing decisions. They understood that it meant that if women collectively choose to buy only from the companies that actively promote women, and they could create a funding stream for battered women’s shelters in the process, they could shatter glass ceilings and change women’s lives in a matter of quarters rather than decades. That was how the idea for Purse Power was born. Since then, they have started doing presentations about what they have been trying to create, and they have built a national platform of more than 750,000 women-owned and women-led businesses. And they have also created a Google Chrome extension with Carnegie Mellon, to find those businesses when you’re shopping online, and some phone apps to show you where the women-owned businesses are when you are physically near them. I invited Donna to join me today to talk to us about Purse Power, to share what she’s been doing during the pandemic, and to discuss how women can come together to drive change very rapidly. Point of sale Purse Power is trying to give people who want to support women-owned businesses information at the point of sale to help them know who they want to be buying from.  Women align with greener choices Women tend to align themselves with greener choices because of the health and wellness aspect, and those choices help women to feel empowered. Driving change in the green and sustainability industry In the green and sustainability industry, there is currently a lot of thought process that’s going in the direction of women driving change.  One out of four women Donna points out that one out of every four women in America gets impacted by domestic violence, and they need help. People are willing to help If you would like to accomplish something, you need to let the people around you know what you are doing and what you need. You will be amazed at how connected people are and how much they will help. The power of connection Donna’s approach to building a network and building connections is to go at it from being helpful to the people you are trying to reach, and also to the people you want to partner with. Understanding who she is trying to get in touch with, and what they want and need, worked very well for Donna. And then she would find a way to bring them all together to share best practices and insights and build a sense of community. Donna’s magic Donna’s magic for making a difference in this world lies in figuring what your life is all about, planning backward from there, and being bold. Insight The thing that gave Donna insight into what she wanted to do was to use Stephen Covey’s idea of beginning with the end in mind.  Making a difference She discovered that she wanted to make a difference for women, and she has been doing that ever since then. Let’s Share the Journey When the coronavirus pandemic started, Donna realized that many of the entrepreneurs in her network would be struggling. To understand the issues they were facing, to offer them support, and to share some resources, she created a webcast called Let’s Share the Journey, where some of the leading thinkers in the nation share their journeys and their ups and downs, and answer questions. A hub Donna has acted as a hub for connecting people, and that has worked very effectively in her journey. Networking and reconnecting  Zoom has been a good platform for people to reconnect with their old connections in a new way. Staying in contact It is important to keep in contact with the people in your network consistently and build a relationship and rapport with them over time because you don’t want to connect with them only when you need something. A great way to connect Offering to help and asking people what they need is a great way to connect with them and to add value to your business. Purse Power There are currently 758,000 companies registered in Purse Power’s directory. You can use Purse Power to list your business, if you are a woman, and to find women-owned and women-led companies. Links and resources: Purse Power Purse Power - Register Your Business  Let's Share the Journey - Coronavirus Resources Donna’s LinkedIn Everyday Green Home - Shop Products from Women Owned / Led Businesses 
29 minutes | 4 months ago
The Toilet Talk Podcast with Angie Mendica
Welcome to the Everyday Green Home Podcast! Today, I’m happy to be sharing a very humorous podcast that I pulled out of the archives. My frequent co-host, Tony Pratte, and I recorded it in St. Louis, back in the spring of 2017.  In this show, Tony and I interview Angie Mendica, who works with Crescent Plumbing Supply in St. Louis. We met Angie through the Homebuilders Association in St. Louis, and Angie and I were also together in the Professional Women in Building Council.  Angie is very funny, and she is a delightful person to have around in any situation! She has been with Crescent Plumbing Supply for about a decade, and her role is to educate people about the benefits of their plumbing products. A big part of what she does is talking about toilets.  Today’s episode focuses on the quantity of water that we use in our homes. We discuss the importance of saving as much water as possible, and we talk about the benefits of having the right kind of plumbing fixtures and a good toilet. And Angie explains how we can have it all with long-lasting water-efficient plumbing fixtures designed to complement your home and look fantastic.  Why plumbing fixtures are so important Water-efficient plumbing fixtures are important because they make it easy for us to use less water, and they help us to waste a lot less water. And having plumbing fixtures that don’t leak and work efficiently helps us with our water goals and saves us money. A lot of water is used and wasted in America each year According to the EPA, the average American family uses about 300 gallons of water a day. That adds up to an average of around 109 500 gallons of water per year. We also need to bear in mind that a typical home leaks between 200 and 20 000 gallons each year, and we are paying for it! Crescent Plumbing Supply offers many different products and services Crescent Plumbing Supply covers all aspects. Their residential side offers homeowners many different products and services, and they also have a large commercial side. A timeless product that conserves water Many homeowners go into Crescent Plumbing Supply looking for timeless, functional products, and they are delighted when they discover that those products also conserve water.  Kohler toilets Water-efficient toilets and plumbing have come a long way since the early 1990s. Crescent Plumbing Supply are suppliers of the Kohler toilet. In 2011, Kohler came out with an efficient new water-saving flushing technology with a canister type of flushing mechanism that is very efficient. The cleanliness aspect Apart from their bulk removal aspect, Kohler toilets also have a cleanliness aspect that sets them apart from any other one on the market. Dual flush toilets Dual flush toilets typically have a half flush option for liquid waste and a full-flush option for solid waste. There have been several different generations of dual flush toilets. Things have progressed a lot since they first came out, and the ones that are available today work very efficiently even though they use very little water. Kohler product suites Kohler has product suites available where everything is coordinated and matching. That includes the faucets, the sink, the toilet, the showerhead, and even the recessed mirror, and they come in a variety of different styles. A lot of engineering goes into creating an efficient toilet Angie was impressed with one of the engineers at Kohler when she had the opportunity to go there for some training a few summers ago. His job was to engineer the best toilet on the market, and the trainees could flush the toilets he created and those created by engineers from other companies. The trainees were much more impressed with the toilets designed by the Kohler engineer than they were with those designed by their competitors. Kohler signature stores There are Kohler signature stores all over the country. There are designed for end-users and they are there to create a buyer’s experience and give people a first-hand example of what their options are. Educating people about Kohler products Kohler products constantly get updated, so you can rest assured that all their water-saving fixtures and fittings work extremely efficiently. And they often host educational events to keep homeowners and plumbers informed about their latest products. A great reason to work with a company like Crescent Plumbing Supply A great reason to work with a local company like Crescent Plumbing Supply (or a similar local plumbing supply company in your area) is that they understand the systems of plumbing, and they know how all the various parts impact the system as a whole. And they can help plumbers and homeowners to select the very best quality products that will solve all their problems and function efficiently for many years to come. Links and resources: Referrals/Links: Blog Referencing Podcast - Water Usage Relates to Energy Usage: How Much Water Are You Wasting? Curated by Marla: Low Water-Use Plumbing Products Crescent Plumbing Supply WaterSense from US EPA
53 minutes | 4 months ago
The Toilet Talk Podcast with Angie Mendica
Welcome to the Everyday Green Home Podcast! Today, I’m happy to be sharing a very humorous podcast that I pulled out of the archives. My frequent co-host, Tony Pratte, and I recorded it in St. Louis, back in the spring of 2017.  In this show, Tony and I interview Angie Mendica, who works with Crescent Plumbing Supply in St. Louis. We met Angie through the Homebuilders Association in St. Louis, and Angie and I were also together in the Professional Women in Building Council.  Angie is very funny, and she is a delightful person to have around in any situation! She has been with Crescent Plumbing Supply for about a decade, and her role is to educate people about the benefits of their plumbing products. A big part of what she does is talking about toilets.  Today’s episode focuses on the quantity of water that we use in our homes. We discuss the importance of saving as much water as possible, and we talk about the benefits of having the right kind of plumbing fixtures and a good toilet. And Angie explains how we can have it all with long-lasting water-efficient plumbing fixtures designed to complement your home and look fantastic.  Why plumbing fixtures are so important Water-efficient plumbing fixtures are important because they make it easy for us to use less water, and they help us to waste a lot less water. And having plumbing fixtures that don’t leak and work efficiently helps us with our water goals and saves us money. A lot of water is used and wasted in America each year According to the EPA, the average American family uses about 300 gallons of water a day. That adds up to an average of around 109 500 gallons of water per year. We also need to bear in mind that a typical home leaks between 200 and 20 000 gallons each year, and we are paying for it! Crescent Plumbing Supply offers many different products and services Crescent Plumbing Supply covers all aspects. Their residential side offers homeowners many different products and services, and they also have a large commercial side. A timeless product that conserves water Many homeowners go into Crescent Plumbing Supply looking for timeless, functional products, and they are delighted when they discover that those products also conserve water.  Kohler toilets Water-efficient toilets and plumbing have come a long way since the early 1990s. Crescent Plumbing Supply are suppliers of the Kohler toilet. In 2011, Kohler came out with an efficient new water-saving flushing technology with a canister type of flushing mechanism that is very efficient. The cleanliness aspect Apart from their bulk removal aspect, Kohler toilets also have a cleanliness aspect that sets them apart from any other one on the market. Dual flush toilets Dual flush toilets typically have a half flush option for liquid waste and a full-flush option for solid waste. There have been several different generations of dual flush toilets. Things have progressed a lot since they first came out, and the ones that are available today work very efficiently even though they use very little water. Kohler product suites Kohler has product suites available where everything is coordinated and matching. That includes the faucets, the sink, the toilet, the showerhead, and even the recessed mirror, and they come in a variety of different styles. A lot of engineering goes into creating an efficient toilet Angie was impressed with one of the engineers at Kohler when she had the opportunity to go there for some training a few summers ago. His job was to engineer the best toilet on the market, and the trainees could flush the toilets he created and those created by engineers from other companies. The trainees were much more impressed with the toilets designed by the Kohler engineer than they were with those designed by their competitors. Kohler signature stores There are Kohler signature stores all over the country. There are designed for end-users and they are there to create a buyer’s experience and give people a first-hand example of what their options are. Educating people about Kohler products Kohler products constantly get updated, so you can rest assured that all their water-saving fixtures and fittings work extremely efficiently. And they often host educational events to keep homeowners and plumbers informed about their latest products. A great reason to work with a company like Crescent Plumbing Supply A great reason to work with a local company like Crescent Plumbing Supply (or a similar local plumbing supply company in your area) is that they understand the systems of plumbing, and they know how all the various parts impact the system as a whole. And they can help plumbers and homeowners to select the very best quality products that will solve all their problems and function efficiently for many years to come. Links and resources: Referrals/Links: Blog Referencing Podcast - Water Usage Relates to Energy Usage: How Much Water Are You Wasting? Curated by Marla: Low Water-Use Plumbing Products Crescent Plumbing Supply WaterSense from US EPA
42 minutes | 5 months ago
A Place to Dream, Design, and Discover with Sheridan Foster of Elemental Green
I’m excited to share today’s podcast with you! This show originally aired two years ago, back in 2018, and Sheridan Foster, the founder of the digital media company, Elemental Green, is my guest. We have a great conversation today about how Elemental Green makes it easy for you to make sustainable choices that are better for you, which will also enhance your living experience. Going green is a constant learning curve. Sheridan and I are passionate about everything related to green homes, and we both love connecting people with information. We hope you will enjoy learning about greening your home, and discovering how it will improve your health and wellness, and make your life a lot more comfortable! The founding vision for Elemental Green  Sheridan founded Elemental Green with the vision that every home can be a greener home. She created the company as a resource for homeowners, builders, and designers so that they can make every decision, for either a home-build or a renovation, more sustainably. Elemental Green is a web-based resource Elemental Green is a web-based resource with a presence on social media. The richest set of information is available on their website, Elemental Green. There, you can see the topics that they’re featuring in either products or educational articles. You can also search the website for a specific product. The fundamental role of Elemental Green The fundamental role of Elemental Green is to connect people who are looking for solutions, with real products that are currently available. They partner with various brands and bring their solutions forward to make people aware of them at the very time that they are looking for solutions. An educational piece A large part of Elemental Green is an educational piece that is there to assist people in understanding what green means.  An inspirational piece There is also a beautiful, inspirational piece to Elemental Green, where they show people lovely homes and suggest that they incorporate some of the sustainable features in their homes.   Green is not only about energy Green is not only about energy. It is also about all the different materials that you bring into your home. So, becoming aware of the chemicals in the products you use, and of how sustainably the things you buy are manufactured and sourced, is a big part of living green. Going green saves people Many people think that going green is only about saving the planet. Sheridan clarifies that by explaining that the planet is simply a place for all of us, as people, to live, so going green is just as important for the wellbeing of people.  Helping people understand that the benefits are real Both Sheridan and I are working hard to help people understand that the benefits of greening are real, and it is also beneficial for their families and their communities. A great solution to a frustrating problem Elemental Green was born out of the frustration that Sheridan experienced when trying to make sustainable decisions for her home-build. Every decision involved hours of research to find a list of solutions for ways for her builder to make things greener. An educational tool  Initially, Sheridan saw Elemental Green as a potential educational tool for homeowners, and she also saw it as something that architects and builders could use as a simple resource. New materials Elemental Green is helpful because it keeps up to date with all the new materials that are coming out every day.  Elemental Green makes it easy to find products      Elemental Green makes it very easy for you to find green products. It features articles about various green topics, and share links to hook people up with the products that are related to the topic. Good choices made easy Sheridan understands that if it’s hard to make good choices, you’re going to go with what you already know. So Elemental Green is there to make it easier for you to make good, sustainable choices.  A better option Once you know that there’s a better option, there’s no reason not to use it. And you gain so much by having a green, sustainable home.  Sustainable products are good quality A sustainable product is a quality product, and it will last for a long time, so even if it costs a little more than a conventional product, it’s worth it!  Links and resources: Elemental Green Affordable Green Homes Hub Curated by Marla: Things You're Gonna Love for Your Home Sheridan Foster Interviews Marla Esser Cloos    This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself.
44 minutes | 5 months ago
Renovation Angel with Steve Feldman
A few years ago, I met Steve Feldman, the Founder, and CEO of Renovation Angel, on a panel presentation at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS). Steve has had an interesting career path with an unusual twist, and in 2001, he stumbled into an incredible market that nobody else was doing at the time. He is joining me on the podcast today to share the fascinating story behind Renovation Angel, and to talk about its process and achievements, his grand vision, and the positive way the project impacts the whole community. Our conversation will give you something new to think about regarding ways to recycle and reuse things in the home. Steve’s colorful background Steve used to be a rock and roll DJ back in 1979. His first job was playing classic rock from eight in the evening until one in the morning, at a radio station in Westerly, Rhode Island. He stayed with the radio station for eighteen years, moving up from a DJ, to Program Director, to Sales Manager, and finally to Senior Marketing Manager for three stations, where he was selling radio advertising and doing the marketing side of the radio. Doing fund-raising for recovery Steve is also a recovered addict. He has been in recovery for thirty-two years now, and he shocked the radio industry in 1998 when he announced that he was leaving his respected position to do fund-raising for addiction recovery.  A thirty-million dollar loss He started his fund-raising in Greenwich, Connecticut, where he managed to find a very wealthy donor who was worth one hundred million dollars. Then, in the 2001 stock market crash, his donor lost thirty million dollars, so she gave Steve his final check, and wished him good luck. A great idea The next-door neighbor of Steve’s wealthy donor was the queen of Iran, the wife of the Shah. And in her driveway was a sign, saying “Demolition in Progress”. Steve was curious, so he drove up to the mansion, only to find that there was nothing there apart from a huge pile of bricks. That sparked the idea for him to start earning money in a bad economy, rather than asking people to donate it to his cause. An innovative way to earn money He decided to make some money by getting kitchen fixtures and furniture donated out of mansions that were being demolished or renovated.  An article in the Greenwich Time newspaper Steve shared his idea with a real estate agent who knew the editor of the Greenwich Time newspaper. The real estate agent then spoke to the editor, and so, in October of 2001, the Greenwich Time did an article about his idea.  Learning how to recycle kitchens After the article came out, Steve got thirty-six phone calls, from architects, builders, designers, real estate agents, and even from hedge-fund managers. So he spent the next four years learning how to recycle kitchens, and how to sell them. Growing the program Steve’s program started to grow from word of mouth only because he did not have a website, or even a name for the program, at the time.  Running a full-time program Then, in 2005, he decided to see what would happen if he ran his program on a full-time basis. So he obtained some seed money and started running the program with the name, Green Demolitions. The darlings of Greenwich The Green Demolitions team became the darlings of Greenwich, and within three years, they grew to have thirty-five employees and stores in Connecticut, the Catskills, and the Poconos. The banking crisis The enterprise grew, and they were recycling hundreds of kitchens. And then, the banking crisis happened in 2008. They were fortunate, however, in that the New York Times had done a full-page article on Green Demolitions in April of 2008, which allowed them to get some notoriety in New York City. Changing and growing Over the next four years, things changed. Steve transferred the entire operation to the name, Renovation Angel and, in 2012, he and his team moved into a 43,000 square foot store in Fairfield, New Jersey, and they expanded into nationwide recycling.  They got a lot of celebrity support, and the operation continued to grow from strength to strength. Fantastic achievements In fifteen years, they have recycled over 7000 kitchens, created over $25,000,000 worth of new recycling jobs, and they have written checks for $2.3 million to charities helping addiction recovery, youth at risk, and homelessness. Links and resources: Renovation Angel  The Luxury Bargain Hunter’s Club Miele and Renovation Angel Create Exclusive Recycle & Rebate Trade Program to Promote Sustainability Green Kitchen Accessories You'll Love From Everyday Green Home This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself.  
41 minutes | 5 months ago
Oklahoma Green Schools with Sara Ivey
The desire to create a green and healthy environment comes to everyone from a different place, and for many of us, it was something in our childhood that initially sparked our interest. My guest for today, Sara Ivey, spent much of her childhood playing outside, and gardening, composting, and recycling was the norm in her family home while she and her brother were growing up.  I invited Sara to join me on the podcast to talk about the Oklahoma Green Schools Program, to discuss the role she plays in the Department of Environmental Quality, and to explain the importance of helping our children understand where all their resources come from. About Sara Sara wears several different hats. In her first role, she is the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Green Schools Program, which involves working with schools all across Oklahoma and helping them to go green in a way that best suits each school. In her other role, she is the Education Coordinator for the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, and that meshes very well with the Oklahoma Green Schools Program. The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality graciously allows Sara to work on the Oklahoma Green Schools Program under the umbrella of the Education Coordinator. Recycling  When Sara was very young, her parents introduced her to gardening, composting, and recycling, even though recycling was not very cool, or common in the 1980s. Her parents used to drive their recycling to a drop-off point on Saturday mornings. Water is a precious commodity When Sara was in college, she became interested in environmental topics. She grew up in New Mexico, so she was always aware of how precious water is as a commodity, and so became very interested in water resources and started studying everything she could about the environment. That ultimately led her to where she is today. A wasteful society We live in a very wasteful society, and although living a green life seems very natural for some of us, it is still a relatively new way of living. Our grandparents did not live in that same way as we do now, so they generally have a much better grasp on how to use resources wisely. School children need to understand where the resources come from Every school kid is going to grow up to be a consumer, and one day, they will be making all the decisions. That’s why it is so important for them to understand where all the resources come from, as early on as possible, so that they can make the best decisions, and set themselves up in the best way possible. About the Oklahoma Green Schools Program The Oklahoma Green Schools Program got started by a group of interested parties with different areas of expertise. They were energy experts, architects, and people who knew a lot about water, and they wanted to help the schools that did not have the expertise to understand how to save resources, like water, energy, and landfill spaces. Six steps to certification They wanted the schools to be able to say that they got certified as green schools, so they created six steps to certification. And they also made flags to promote the program within the schools. The Oklahoma Green Schools Program is not just for students The Oklahoma Green Schools Program is not only there for the students. It is for the school as a whole. It is to empower both the students and the teachers in a way that they can make a difference. The five investigations for Project Learning Tree The Green Schools Program has five areas of investigation for schools in partnership with Project Learning Tree. They are: Energy Environmental quality School site Waste and recycling Water Changing the lights can make a difference It is interesting to discover how much energy gets saved by changing from using light bulbs to using LED lights. Lights out lunches After doing energy investigations, schools come up with all kinds of innovative ways to save energy. A novel idea was to have Lights Out Lunches once a week where only natural light was allowed in the cafeteria. Form a Green Team and involve school staff stakeholders When creating a Green Team, it is a good idea to get the maintenance workers and the administrators of the school building involved from the outset so that they will be willing to work along with the team to help make a difference. Trash Audit The Oklahoma Green Schools Program encourages the schools to do a trash audit, to sort the recyclable items from the waste, and to get to know exactly how much food is being wasted and thrown away.  There are many resources available for activities at home The Oklahoma Green Schools Program was designed for use in almost any kind of educational scenario so that everyone can participate. And there are many different resources available on their website that can be used by homeschoolers, for activities at home.  Referral Links / Resources: OK Green Schools Project Learning Tree Engage Your Students in Greening Their School Checklist of Environmental Actions for Schools i-Tree Design Tool DEQ’s Environmental Education Program NEED Curriculum Resources Oklahoma Recycling Association Join Us for Monthly Green Schools Webcast Opportunities Sara’s emails: sara@okgreenschools.org                        sara.ivey@deq.ok.gov  
39 minutes | 5 months ago
Pivot to Homeschooling with Beth Brown and Keri Knutson
Life has changed in so many different ways for everyone as a result of the global pandemic, particularly in the area of schooling, which has become a big issue for most parents. So I invited Beth Brown and Keri Knutson to join me today to talk about some solutions.  Beth and Keri both have children in school, and they have been doing a lot of work to solve the current problems around schooling. They are with me today to share what they are learning and experiencing and to talk about the innovative ideas that they have come up with for educating children in the best way possible under the present circumstances.  About Beth Beth is a creative person, and she has a background in interior design. She is currently involved in social media management, and she works from home as a virtual assistant.  This year, she has decided to home-school one of her children. About Keri Keri is a teacher by trade, and she has been working in different capacities in the field of education for the last seventeen years. For most of that time, she has been teaching children from kindergarten to second grade in public school. She has also taught preschool, and, for the past eight years, she has also been an adjunct professor at the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO). Keri has three kids at home, and right now, she is taking a break from public school teaching to work on her doctorate. Conversations about schooling Beth and Keri live in the same neighborhood. There have been several neighborhood meetings held there recently, to talk about the changes that are happening in the school district and the different ways that everyone is choosing to deal with the current situation.  Two main options for parents Three months ago, most of the parents in the Deer Creek School District got two main options for schooling. The first is that the children can return to school in August. And if any incidences of COVID occur in the schools, they can return to doing distance learning for as long as necessary. The second option is for parents to keep their children at home, and go ahead with virtual schooling for the whole semester. A third option A third option was offered to the parents of children from the seventh grade upwards. That is for an academy, where children from the seventh to the twelfth grades can do a blended school option. That means that they can do certain things, like band and special science classes, on the school campus, and everything else can get done at home. Things vary in different places around the country Things are different, however, in different districts, and different areas around the country.  A split schedule Schools in Beth and Keri’s area have now decided to opt for a split schedule based on state recommendations, to ensure that proper social distancing can take place if necessary. That means that if they reach an orange level, as determined by the Department of Health, they will create a split schedule so that only half of all the students are present in the school building at any given time.  The underlying issue The underlying issue is that parents are trying to do what is best for their children, while also juggling their work and their lives at home. There is a lot to consider, and even more to be done, and it can all feel very frightening and overwhelming.  Beth’s decision Beth has two children at home. Her daughter is thirteen, and, like most of the other kids of her age, she wants to go back to school full-time, so Beth is allowing her to do that.  Beth has decided, however, to keep her second-grader at home, and go a hundred percent virtual with his schooling. Although she does not relish the idea, she has chosen to embrace her role as a parent, to have a great attitude, and to make the best of a difficult situation. Lots of options There are lots of options, and ultimately it is up to the parents to weigh them all up and make the best decision for their children and themselves. Bear in mind that things always go better with a positive attitude! Links and resources: Referrals: When Coronavirus Pivots Education Plans: How to Set Up a Homeschooling Space Anywhere Working and Learning from Home During the COVID-19 Outbreak At-Home Learning Resources for the COVID-19 Outbreak How to Turn Your Living Space into a Home Office, Home School, and More During Coronavirus 101 Free Resources for Home-Schooling During COVID Crisis CuriosityStream/CNN - Use code "CNN" for 25% off annual plans. Thousands of documentaries, all on-demand, all for less than $15/year! Collection of Fun & Useful Websites for Your Classroom
36 minutes | 5 months ago
"Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" Has a New Sibling...Refuse! with Tony Pratte
Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. A couple of years ago, my regular co-host, Tony Pratte, and I did a podcast about these three Rs. The idea behind this trio of actions is to extend the life of an item so that we don’t keep on having to manufacture new ones.  Well, there’s a fourth ‘R’ now, and that’s REFUSE, which gives us the power to refuse to act in any way that will add to the current global crisis. This global pandemic has changed so much about our day-to-day living and almost everything that we used to think normal has changed in some way. In fact, Tony feels that the only thing right now that is normal is chaos! Join us in the conversation to learn how this is the perfect time to look at everything in a different light and to consider doing things in a new and better way.  Tony’s bio Tony is the Director of Builder/Contractor Relations at The Sound Room in St. Louis, Missouri, where he is responsible for building relationships between home builders and The Sound Room System designers to help create the ultimate home experience.  Tony has been working in the construction industry for more than eighteen years. During that time, he has been building relationships, and he has become a valued part of the construction team, assisting his builder clients with delivering their customers’ dreams. He is currently a member of the Home Builders Association of St. Louis and Eastern Missouri, where he also served as a member of the Board of Directors from 2007 to 2011. His specialties are builder development, industry networking, and interior design.  A disposable society Although the manufacturing of products creates jobs and brings in revenue, one of the problems with wealthy economies is that the general mindset becomes one of a disposable society. And as a result, everything becomes disposable, and people feel that they need to keep on buying new things. The fourth R The fourth R stands for Refuse. You can flat-out refuse to buy or use things that you don’t need. This action is closely linked to Reduce, and the whole idea is for us to refuse to use single-use items, like straws, plastic bags, and disposable cups, any longer.  Latest and greatest mindset Many of us have even adopted the “use it and throw it away” mindset for some big things, like TVs, for example, or computers or phones because technology is always changing, updating and getting cheaper. And some people think they must always have the latest and the greatest of everything available. A practical example of reuse If you buy a new TV, something needs to happen with the old one. It could get donated to someone who needs it, or you could sell it at a garage sale. Broken items don’t get fixed Today, most people don’t even think about having anything repaired. And the prevailing mindset of most companies, when it comes to old technology, is to no longer manufacture any replacement parts because it works out cheaper to buy a brand new item. So people often end up with their old equipment on their hands, and they don’t know what to do with them.  Recycling electronics Once a week, a couple goes around to the electronics business where Tony works to collect old electronic equipment for recycling. They break it down, strip out any usable parts, and sell them on the internet as replacement parts.  Repairability Repairability also plays into the three Rs because it conserves resources, and it extends the reusability of items.  Plastic  Plastic is everywhere! It is useful, and it changed our lives in the previous generation. Single-use plastic items, however, have also contributed to the “throw-away” mindset. So, the way we use plastic, and how we treat it has become a big concern for many of us. Learn to refuse We all need to refuse to buy things we don’t need. And we also need to refuse to use single-use items, like plastic straws and water bottles. Remember, you can make a change by just saying “no”.  Links and resources:  The Sound Room Alternatives to Single-Use Plastic Bags from Everday Green Home Single-Use Plastics 101 Electronics Donation and Recycling 
33 minutes | 6 months ago
B Corporations - What They Are and Why They Matter with Gail Garey
Companies that pledge to be a force for good! That's exactly what B Corporations do. Gail Garey, founder of Impact 360 Strategies, shares what B Corporations are, and how her love of the outdoors and her corporate background set the stage for her work with B Corporations.     Her mission is to guide and empower business professionals to accelerate environmentally friendly and socially responsible sustainable business practices that improve the bottom line and create positive social change.    Gail provides some tips to assist people in taking the right action. She also shares valuable information about the things that we all can do in our busy lives to make a positive change in the world.  Gail’s bio Gail is the founder of Impact 360 Strategies. Her mission is to guide and empower business professionals to accelerate environmentally friendly and socially responsible sustainable business practices that improve the bottom line and create positive social change.  Gail’s background Gail has worked primarily in the corporate world. She left her corporate career a few years ago to pursue a career more aligned with her passion. Nature is Gail’s therapy Nature is her therapy, so Gail has always loved being outdoors. She loves running, going hiking with her dogs, and skiing cross-country in the winter. And, even though it can be a challenge because north-west Colorado gets a lot of snow, she also loves working in her garden.  Gail was hosting a video series Gail interviewed Marla some time back, for a video series that she was hosting called Let’s Save the Planet, Easy Everyday Tips to Empower Yourself, and to Protect the Environment Now. And, out of that video series has emerged a bi-monthly email that Gail now sends out regularly, containing tips about the kinds of changes that we all can make, as individuals, to make a difference, and to live a more environmentally conscious life.   Some great work is being done Gail points out that there is a lot of great work getting done by both individuals and companies in the environmental space right now, in terms of fighting climate change, doing research, and taking various actions. Launching a consulting business Gail is excited to launch her consulting business, Impact 360 Strategies. Impact 360 is a consulting firm that is going to guide and empower business professionals to accelerate environmentally and socially responsible, sustainable business practices that will improve their bottom line and create positive social change. A strong tie Our health and wellness are closely tied to that of the community in which we live, and also the rest of the world. Any action that is taken by any of us adds up and ultimately helps to change how things are in the world. So any small change you make can ultimately result in a big difference for the environment. Our health The state of our health is tied intrinsically to the health of the planet. So it is in our best interest to be aware of how the choices we make influence our immediate environment, and the whole world. You can choose There are many programs available that allow us to get to know what all the different companies are doing. That gives lets us choose who we want to align ourselves with and where we want to spend our money. The B Corporation Movement B Corporations all have a B Corporation certification. The reason why Gail loves the B Corporation movement is that it is the way that we, as consumers, can get to know the difference between a good company and one that does good marketing.   Growing people’s awareness of B Corporations Part of what Gail’s consulting firm focuses on is increasing the awareness of people about the B Corporation movement and working with purpose-driven companies that want to become certified as B Corporations.  What a B Corporation is B Corporation is the certification of a company. B Corporations are companies that marry profits with purpose. They are committed to working for environmental and social benefits, as well as making a profit.  A rigorous, independent, third-party verification process with the non-profit entity, B Lab ensures that those companies meet the highest verified standards of social and environmental performance, legal accountability, and transparency. The successful companies get a logo to inform people that they are, indeed, B Corporations. Links and resources: Gail’s Website B Corporation - A New Kind of Business That Balances Purpose and Profit B The Change - The Stories of People Using Business as a Force for Good Everyday Green Home's Products From B Corp Companies
35 minutes | 6 months ago
Eating for Health - Ours and the World with Hannah Levbarg
You can make a bigger difference than you think to the environment by making small changes to what’s on your plate.  We’re talking about food today, and we have Hannah Levbarg joining us to talk about how to green your plate. Hannah will be discussing the benefits of plant-based nutrition, and she will explain the effects of a plant-based diet on the environment. About Hannah Hannah is a realtor in Sante Fe, New Mexico, with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services. In her spare time, she is a passionate amateur in plant-based nutrition, and how the way we eat affects the environment.  Hannah is originally from Austin, Texas, and she went to Oklahoma University. Most of her friends and family are still in Austin.  Health issues in Texas In Texas, there’s a huge population of twenty to forty-year-olds being hospitalized for COVID, and many of them have issues with being overweight, diabetes, and early-stage heart disease.  Hannah’s passion for food Hannah has a huge passion for food, and she’s been an avid cook for all her life. She’s always had a broad palate, and she particularly enjoys ethnic cuisines.  How Hannah became interested in food Hannah was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2017. She was carrying too much weight at the time as a result of her job and her lifestyle, so she decided to get things under control by setting herself off on a course to maximize her health.  Packing more produce into her diet Hannah made an effort to optimize her health. She started watching vegan cooking shows to get some inspiration for ways to pack more produce into her diet because she thought that would help. She had no intention of going vegan at the time, and she didn’t think she was a fit for that kind of lifestyle.  A rabbit hole of information Hannah got taken down a rabbit hole of information that included a lot of medical data about diet, nutrition, and disease patterns.  Changing the way she was eating Two years ago, Hannah realized that she had to change the way she was eating. When she discovered that there were correlations between diet and some of the biggest killers, like diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and heart disease, her husband also agreed to go along with a radically changed diet.  Since then, Hannah has been learning whatever she can about eating for optimum health. A certificate in plant-based nutrition This spring, Hannah got a certificate in plant-based nutrition from eCornell. She chose to do that particular course because it counts as medical continuing education for medical professionals. So, although she’s not yet a nutritional expert, she is a pretty well-schooled amateur.  Environmental impacts  Hannah started learning a lot about environmental impacts shortly after she and her husband changed their diet to a plant-based one.  When the UN also released their 2018 report on climate change, it strongly implicated animal agriculture in many of the environmental problems that we are currently experiencing. A big change in diet Hannah thinks that it was probably a lot easier for her to change her diet than it would have been for most other people because she has been a life-long cook, and she knows how to handle all kinds of food.  Following a plant-based diet can be socially isolating Hannah discovered that following a plant-based diet can be a bit socially isolating. Even so, she advises people who are interested in doing it to impact their health, to go all the way with it because in that way they are likely to see results very quickly, and that is very motivating. It’s not so hard to do if you know how to cook Hannah explains that making the change is not so hard to do. All you have to do if you’re used to roasting a chicken and a tray of vegetables, for example, is to take off the chicken, and rather have some puy lentils with the roast vegetables, and perhaps some nut cheese.  If you know how to cook, it’s not that hard to tweak things around and make sure that you’re getting all the things you need in your diet. The Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine Hannah follows The Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine. They have exam room podcasts that you can check out on Facebook or YouTube, and they have been talking a lot about how easily the coronavirus can live in packaged cold meat. Although cooking destroys the virus, you will still be handling it beforehand. Making a change for the better   Hannah points out that we don’t need to eat meat to be healthy, so this is an ideal opportunity for us to make the change to a plant-based diet. It will be healthier for everyone and a whole lot better for the environment. Remember - a small change can make a big difference. Links and Resources: Hannah's Website  Hannah’s YouTube Channel  The Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine  NutritionFacts.org  The China Study by Dr. T. Colin Campbell
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