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Consumers can avoid eating pesticide residue on fruit and vegetables by buying organically grown at local farmer’s markets or growing your own. According to the report on Yahoo below, there are many pesticides and chemicals that remain in our fruit and vegetables even after peeling them! It’s not hard to grow your own and Farmer’s […] Continue reading → A new natural & organic restaurant opened recently in Austin, Texas called Terra Burger. With 2 Austin locations, Terraburger allows you to get healthier choices in fast, convenient food. I visited the location at 10611 Research Boulevard (aka 183) on the northbound access road in between Great Hills Trail and W. Braker Lane near Costco. They […] Continue reading → My home in Leander, Texas is one of the ponds on the Austin Pond Society Night Tour tonight, 7/18/09 from 8:00pm to 11:00pm. My Home, an Austin Pond Society Feature This Austin, Texas event is great for people who like looking at beautiful yards & water features. It’s a great way to get ideas for […] Continue reading → With record setting high heat, drought, and lake levels getting lower and lower it seems that xeriscaping would be all the rage in Central & South Texas but it’s not. Who started the fad of growing these expansive water hogging St. Augustine (“carpet” grass) lawns anyway? I have yet to know the full history behind […] Continue reading → what’s a carless person to do? Taking the bus may be the best current option. Here is the BT Interurban website to guide you through the process. There is WiFi on the bus system for laptop use in route and bicycle racks to carry your transportation to the next destination. Bus tickets are available at HEB grocery storelocations in San Marcos, New Braunfels and Kyle. The two bus routes run along IH 35 between Austin, Texas and San Antonio, Texas with stops in San Marcos, Texas in Hays County. Continue reading → Sometimes new green jargon is a lot for the newly green to feel comfortable with. Net zero is a term with many definitions but all run in a similar vein. In a nutshell, net zero means no overall energy consumption or “net zero” and zero annual carbon emissions. In other words, even though some energy is used, the energy is from renewable energy sources and no energy is purchased from the grid or external energy producers because the home produces as much energy as it consumes. Continue reading → A Valence Press Release announced that Valence Technologies, Inc. of Austin, Texas as well as China, Northern Ireland & Las Vegas, Nevada chose Leander, Texas as the site for their $585 million dollar facility. Valence has applied for an Electric Drive Vehicle Battery & Component Manufacturing Initiative Grant as part of the Recovery Act. Continue reading → According to the Indoor Air Quality Association problems with the air inside a home may cause the home’s occupants to have issues with both comfort and health even causing Sick Building Syndrome (see the US EPA site ). One friend of mine said that she had to rethink things when she was diagnosed with allergies and chemical […] Continue reading → Austin, Texas will soon be having the 2009 Cool House Tour. This year there are twelve projects that will be on the tour. Homes were chosen for the tour based on their being examples of green building. Continue reading → The new Austin Energy Audit in Austin, Texas is getting mixed reviews. I personally think that the ROI or Return on Investment can be great with energy efficiency improvements and I think an energy audit can be a great starting point for needed information on where and how your home is losing energy. Continue reading →