The saddest picture story ever told

Offered without comment, seeing as I just got my 401K statement.


The Crisis of Credit Visualized from Jonathan Jarvis on Vimeo.

Cave for sale

In this economy -- and by the way, news stories with the phrase "in this economy" now outnumber news stories that lack it -- more and more people are being forced out of their homes. Even if you live in a three-bedroom cave that was once a concert venue.

But if you are in the market and looking for a unique green home in Festus, Mo., note that, per the listing,

Geothermal and passive solar keep the home comfortable year-round without a furnace or air conditioning. In spite of the vast size of the home, our energy costs here run about the same as they did in our 800 square-foot starter home. The home naturally stays a little cooler than the average above-ground home, but we found that we acclimated quickly and easily.

If I were in Missouri, I'd ask them to show me.

New expansion joint filler is 100% recycled

W. R. Meadows' new expansion joint filler is made of 100% recycled synthetic rubber. According to the company, its new Eco-Joint product can be used in "roadways, airport runways, sidewalks, pavement patch repair, driveways, flooring, parking lots, plazas, flatwork, patios, and curbs." And it can be used to satisfy the requirements for several LEED credits.

You know you've hit the mainstream when ...

... they come out with a "For Dummies" book for you. You can buy "Green Business Practices For Dummies" from Amazon for $14.95, or, if you really are a dummy, from the publisher for $21.99.

Amazon also recommends to me "Green Building & Remodeling For Dummies."

Insert your own 'soy' joke here

Fomo Products, a sealant and adhesive maker, has a new line of insulation made of 10 percent soy. According to a press release I got this week (there's no online version I can find, so sorry, no link), the eco-friendly plusses include:

• Benefits the atmosphere by replacing one pound of petroleum-based polyol with one pound of soy-based polyol resulting in a 5.6 pound CO2 increase. [sic -- I think they mean "decrease"?]
• Stops air infiltration to increase energy savings and decrease HVAC costs.
• Blocks out allergens and pollutants from entering buildings, improving indoor air quality
• Contributes to LEED credits and ENERGY STAR® certification.

The company is eager to brag about its green cred -- the graphic with this post came from the company's e-mail press release. But I have to say, the grammar purist in me wishes they had put in a comma and lowercased the 'R': "Soy, you want to start a revolution?" Or even better, give it the whole nine Beatles and go with "You soy you want a revolution!"

Although I suppose not, since too many people who got the reference would have responded, "Don't you know that you can count me out."

New video for VOC-free wood restorers

Remember all those hours as a kid playing with Play-Doh? With my three-year-old often up to the elbows in it, I couldn't help but be reminded of modeling clay when I saw the video for WoodEpox, a wood reconstruction product that you can shape and carve to repair gaps and holes in damaged wood. The maker, Abatron, is promoting WoodEpox and its sister product, LiquidWood, a wood strengthener, with a new video.

The products are being touted as green because they contain no volatile organics and emit no foul smell. WoodEpox is kind of sticky, though, and not as easy for kids as Play-Doh -- the company recommends disposable gloves and rubbing alcohol to smooth it out. Here's the company's video.

If you want your own DVD of the video, just ask.

Water-saving faucets to Moen for

Fixture maker Moen has launched a Web page focussing on water conservation, sustainability, and presenting a green face to the world. The site boasts of the company's green efforts, lists earth-friendly products, and includes industry associations and company policies.

There's also a video, but seeing as this is a family-friendly blog, I won't comment on its porno-style soundtrack or the sexy shower scenes. :-)

Affordable housing org goes green in the Great White North

Habitat for Humanity Canada is teaming up with RenewAbility Energy to install energy-efficient hot water heaters in new homes built by the Canadian branch of the affordable housing organization in 2009. The system works by using outgoing hot waste water to heat incoming cold water. According to the company, the system can reduce energy costs by 20 percent to 40 percent.

Here's a video on the system: