CNN Money: Green homes face a red light
By Les Christie
Lots of people, especially those trying to battle high utility bills, believe in energy-efficient homebuilding.
But there's something holding green technology back: It simply costs more to include it than it adds to resale value. Appraisals for newly built green homes do not fully reflect the cost of green technology, and the lower appraisal values mean buyers often cannot get the full financing they need from banks.
SFGate.com: State Adopts Greenest Building Codes in U.S.
By Marisa Lagos
Newly constructed hospitals, schools, shopping malls and homes in California will be some of the greenest in the world, after a state commission voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the most stringent, environmentally friendly building code standards of any state in the nation.
The new code, dubbed Calgreen, will take effect next January and requires builders to install plumbing that cuts indoor water use, divert 50 percent of construction waste from landfills to recycling, use low-pollutant paints, carpets and floorings and, in nonresidential buildings, install separate water meters for different uses.
Sustainable Industries: California Green Building Code: A Small Step Forward
By Nick Zigelbaum
Currently, there is no precedent for a California ‘green’ building standard as compared to a traditional building standard. But the state is on the cusp of adopting a state-wide California Green Building Standards Code (CGBSC), which outline both mandatory and voluntary energy efficiency, water efficiency, resource efficiency and air-quality building standards.
Earth 911: Family Recycles Home for $100,000
By Amanda Willis
After tearing down their 2,250-square-foot home in Danville, Calif., Mike and Tricia Barry walked away with more than just a clean slate. The couple received a $100,000 tax write-off as well.
Instead of tearing down the home and sending it to a landfill, the Barrys opted to have the home deconstructed piece by piece and recycled into new homes.
California Deconstruction and Building Materials ReUse Network hauled the excess material to organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and Corazón, which builds homes in northern Baja California, Mexico.
The New York Times: Calif. Solar Effort Flags in Frozen Housing Market
By Colin Sullivan
California's ambitious solar-energy rebate program is slumping in the state's deep, prolonged housing crisis. Builders of new homes filed 139 rebate applications in January and 159 in February, according to California Energy Commission data. That is down from 709 in December and 485 in November last year.
Wall Street Journal: Eco-Friedly ... and Frugal
By Anjali Athavaley
Appliance makers are pushing a new wave of energy-efficient products this year that has consumers paying $1,299 to save $90 annually. But instead of simply marketing them as "green," companies are now pushing their products' potential cost savings, in an attempt to attract penny-pinching consumers during the economic downturn.
Los Angeles Times: California Officials Launch 'Green Chemistry' Initiative
By Margot Roosevelt
Is that laundry soap truly "environmentally friendly"? Was that mattress treated with toxic chemicals? Is that sweatsuit fashioned from organic cotton? Is that lipstick "natural"?
California officials launched a sweeping green initiative on Tuesday to inform consumers exactly how hundreds of thousands of products sold in the state are manufactured and transported and how safe their ingredients are.
Mercury News: Solar-power Industry Remains Hot in California
By Matt Nauman
California has more than half of the solar capacity in the United States, and the state ranks as the world's No. 4 solar entity after Germany, Spain and Japan.
The New York Times: Back at Junk Value, Recyclables Are Piling Up
By Matt Richtel and Kate Galbraith
The economy is in the doldrums, but one of the most dismal indicators of economic stagnation is a story on NPR radio and in the New York Times today.
Yahoo! Green: Recycling by Mail
By Lori Bongiorno
There are now more recycling options than ever for conscious consumers looking to responsibly dispose of unwanted stuff.
Fast Company: Message in a Bottle
By Charles Fishman
Americans spent more money last year on bottled water than on ipods or movie tickets: $15 Billion. A journey into the economics--and psychology--of an unlikely business boom. And what it says about our culture of indulgence.