4 Years Old

EcoSpaces just celebrated the completion of four years in business supplying Green Building Materials to our community, and what an adventure it has been. We threw a party with beer and wine to thank our past clients, woo some new ones, and celebrate that EcoSpaces is still standing. We opened our doors in 2007, when contractors were still pulling down more money than lawyers in this town and property lots were selling for over a million dollars.

Yes, Telluride is, and has always been, a boom/bust town, and now seeing it in retrospect, little did we know, just a year after we opened our doors we would be heading into the greatest economic down turn since the great depression in this country. The bubble did not pop right away here, and sustainability and green building simultaneously gained popularity and press. So we wondered, even if people were starting to be strapped for cash, would they still choose a comparable but SUSTAINABLE product in the end? Other boutique green building showrooms like ours were falling from grace just at the same time that the big banks started their infectious toppling motion. Our mantra was “Stay above water so we can be in position to dominate the upswing.”

I think we have been able to hang in because 1) we intentionally created a lean business brokering materials and drop shipping them to the job site instead of warehousing anything. 2) We boot strapped during the slowest part of the recession and cut back on all staff and many other expenses for that very slow time. 3) We were very fortuitous to find an angel investor who believed in the concept of our business and had invested capital into this start up. Each year, our business has grown; people are still building and remodeling, yet fewer numbers. Of course we have seen fewer building permits, more projects halted based on lack of loan funding, and foreclosure has found too many people in our circles confronted with hard luck.

We are school teachers turned entrepreneurs, we learn as we go, and feel that we have earned our honorary MBAs as we have been forced to study web design, marketing, social networking, cold calling, communications, psychology, contact management and project management systems, outside sales and much more. It has certainly been an education and there is an abundance to learn. We even hired Allison Wollfe of Vibrant Planet, who coaches on business strategies, marketing plans and communication techniques for companies focused on social and environmental innovations. After a slew of interviews conducted with architects, designers, developers, contractors, and realtors, asking them pointed questions about their interest and commitment to the type of building materials we carry the findings were important for the growth of the company.

What we learned was, in this economy, people are way more money conscious than they are green conscious. They are first most concerned about getting an affordable product, next they want it to be aesthetically pleasing, durable, and finally it is an added bonus that it is green. This was surprising to us, but also good to learn. We therefore decided to market our business as a design showroom providing innovative and aesthetically original materials that are durable, affordable, as well as sustainable. We learned that the “Conscious Consumer” (those already committed to Sustainability) is a very small percentage of people, and it is the people who are currently building and purchasing building materials are who we need to market. We have weeded out our product line to be able to offer comparable like priced products that are also “green” to those that are conventional. An example would be a product like our Beetle Kill Pine siding (taken from standing dead Pine trees devastated by the bark beetle epidemic) producing a product that looks like reclaimed barn wood, compared to a standard virgin pine siding product. Yes, some products still are a bit more in upfront cost but will stand up and last a whole lot longer like our 50-year roofing product than cheaper materials that may need to be replaced sooner.

When we started, we said that we wanted to be in business long enough that these green alternative building materials were no longer “alternative” but more the norm, and we could see the overall trend in building shift to a more sustainable one, and thus be forced out of business as our niche market went fully mainstream. But, for now, it seems like we still have work to be done, helping to offer Green Building Materials as a viable option to people living in homes.

RePurpose Art Show

What do you do with all of your extra stuff? I have always felt, while other developing countries struggle to obtain some basic needs, American’s are challenged with the opposite: how to get away from all the stuff that we accumulate in order to live a more simple life, free of clutter. I must admit, I even have a draw in my kitchen named the “odds and end drawer” designated to stuff that doesn’t really have a place to go. One of the simplest and most effective steps one can do for the green movement, that is, even more valuable than recycling, is RE-USING, finding a new purpose for the item you no longer need to transform it somehow into something that serves you. An old door can be used as a tabletop or a headboard. Left over tiles can be made into decorative stepping-stones, use salvaged windows to make a small green house. It takes a bit of creativity, but is also very rewarding. And this is why, in the spirit of Reusing, EcoSpaces Green Building Design Showroom is having a RE-PURPOSE art show that has inspired artists to create art for art sake with green building material extras.

Mosaic artists, sculptors, art teachers, jewelry makers and kids have pillaged a mountain of outdated samples. Cut-offs, already made from recycled materials such as glass countertops, beautiful exotic cork and bamboo flooring samples, recycled porcelain tiles and hand died silk fabrics, were taken back to studios and given yet another life as art. “We are constantly being exposed to the latest and greatest green building materials. And, therefore, we have gathered an excess of beautiful samples that we no longer need.” Says Joanna Kanow, founder or EcoSpaces. “We also wanted an excuse to throw a party to celebrate three years in business serving the community by supplying sustainable green building materials to architects, contractors and home owners and new greener building in our area.” Local artists of all ages will be displaying mosaics, sculptures, elaborate hot plates, window coverings, mobile, Zen floor mats, hard wood boxes, recycled class and concrete planters, and more. There will be a silent auction for most of the student art, to raise money for the Telluride School Art Department in order to purchase more supplies to make art. Prizes from EcoCleaners, The Garden Store, Cindy Bread, China Rose Tomboy Coffee and Counter Culture will be awarded for: most functional, most recycled, most original and other door prizes for those attending this reception. The RePurpose art show takes place Thursday, September 23, at 4:00pm at the EcoSpaces Green Building Design showroom in Lawson Hill Business Center. Call 970-728-1973 for more info.

Green Kids

"Walking the talk" is the most exciting challenge about owning a Green Business. For my standards: I should not be seen walking out of the coffee shop with a disposable cup, I don't want to be caught using another plastic spoon. Really, I shouldn't be driving a car, and my house should be off the grid. But, can I do it all and be non impact girl at all times? It is hard! I did make a new years resolution to not use plastic bags any more, and I have succeeded at this, but it has been quite the effort...electing to not buy more food that I can juggle in my arm span.

Just like when I was living in Spain trying to learn their language, I found that the more you learn (about the language) the more you learn you have to learn. This is the same about living Green. When you are up on the subject, you can find that almost everything we buy, breath, eat, drink, drive, and or live in is somehow bad for the environment. I know too much about which plastics not to drink out of, heat up, or dish wash....I know what toxins are disguised in my children's pajamas, toys, snacks. And, I know I should be wearing a medical mask if I am ever to walk into a newly painted or carpeted building not built green.

Sometimes, being educated on what is Green, Eco, or Non-toxic can also make one feel stuck when trying to be a conscious consumer. I do give credit that we actually have a conscience about this, and the thought process (guilt) actually occurs before throwing my vegetable scraps down a garbage disposal, or letting my kids play with balloons that will eventually end up in the land fill until their children have children . It must be liberating to those who toss their McDonald's dinner remains out their car window on the highway, without even a thought about how poluting this is. I wonder, how many people out there still do not care or make decisions on how their actions are having a greater impact on the earth. 30%? 50%? 90% of the population?

Anyways, we were celebrating our daughters 3rd birthday party! Now, parties, of any kind, can end up creating mountains of waste. Knowing that there were going to be 30+ guests enjoying a Sunday afternoon picnic with us at our pond, I did want to host a memorable event. Do I feed other kids non organic crappy snacks, even though I try to feed my kids mostly healthy and organic? Do I serve beer to the adults, even though I don't drink alcohol? Do I get cheap party favors, since everyone else traditionally gives these out in a cute little bag at the end of parties? Last year I sent everyone home with a locally grown peach...

Trying to walk the talk and be the most Green is a challenge, but in the end, it is worth it. As, I feel that I have to be the example I hope to see in the world. No party favors this year. Swimming was the party!

Traveling Green with kids

Just back from a two week trip on the road with the family touring the West a bit. Weddings, Birthday Parties, Birth of a new Baby, visiting good old friends and grandparent! This, was a trip celebrating all things sweet in life. But, being the Green conscious person that I am, I am always aware of if I am living up to my standard of treading lightly on this earth. Add, two kids, a few air line flights, a rental car, and eating out more, I begin to wonder how much harm we are doing by being on the road. At home, we have our scene pretty dialed: garden, fire wood, well water, hybrid vehicle, minimal energyuse, we eat at home, and pack our meals with local organic produce, compost, etc. But, once on the road, it is difficult to make a zero waste impact with the family in tow. And, away from our sustainable island, you also realize how much of the outside world is not even slightly concerned with how much environmental impact they are having on the overall well being of the planet. Depending on where I was traveling, I got the sense that it was not a top priority to most to take the extra steps to live green. Before reaching for the 8th plastic fork in the take out food world, I made a mid course correction on our travel trip with the kids, and here were some of the green tips I thought we could share: Everyone needs their own re-usable water bottle, and packing 1 extra is also a good idea since inevitably someone will loose one. Do not accept bottled water! Do carry your own utensils and even a re-usable container for left overs. Bring the stroller and the scooter and walk as much as possible. Also, make sure to bring your own re-usable bag for marketing and cup for cafes. But the bottom line is, the most green traveling you can do it NOT travel. But, that is the hardest life style change to give up of them all.

Colorado’s first Legal Rain Catchment System Built on Hastings Mesa

By Joanna Kanow

Last fall, one of the most litigious cases found in Colorado courts made legal the act of catching rain from the sky. What was once considered criminal in Colorado, (stealing water that was rightfully owned by someone else before it made it to earth), is now free for all residents to harness. A home being built on Hastings Mesa, just outside of Telluride, is the first in the State of Colorado to be issued a legal permit for a rain catchment system.

Kelli Petersen, currently of Mill Valley, California, is finally building her green dream home, and feels privileged to have found a spot and a community supportive of a sustainable life style. It was the 2008 MountainFilm Festival, she reflects, with its focus on water, which inspired her to realize her catchment opportunities. Petersen began working with Stewart Goforth, of Montrose Water Factory, in the fall of 2009 to design her home with a cutting edge rain catchment system. In order to design a successful system, careful calculations and intimate collaboration between architect Sundra Hines, of Hines Designs, and Eric Dickerson of DCI Construction, had to be established in order to create a successful whole house rain catchment system. They had to estimate the water needs for the household, average yearly precipitation for that particular microclimate and equate in possible drought years. Using this precipitation data, they figured the maximum surface area of catchment available to determine the amount of water that can reach storage. The two full time residents will live solely off the water harvested.

For this home, rain and snow is diverted into gutters off of the surface of the oxidizing metal roof. It is then fed into five 1,500 gallon storage tanks engineered into the foundation of the home, which is highly insulated with styrofoam blocks. The house is plumbed with non-reactive piping that will not be harmed by the acidity of rainwater, and low flow fixtures are implemented wherever possible. Finally, Stewart Goforth has designed the filtration and disinfection process that will then make the water safe for drinking without the use of chemicals. The water will be tested for bacteria per state mandates to maintain a high-standard of drinking water free of any threat of water-borne contaminates. This filtration process is designed to offer safe, friendly high quality water in a self-contained low maintenance environment.

I asked Petersen, who lives comfortably in the Bay Area and works with biotech companies studying cancer treatments, why she decided to build a green home that will actually take more effort to live in. She will have to monitor her solar and water storage systems frequently, as well as reduce her natural resource use, and even may have to hike or ski into access her front door. She responded, “It will be a very comfortable way to live, and we are willing to work at our lifestyle to make it happen.” She added, as if these sentiments were the consensus “It is currently a trend for everyone, at the moment, to think about what we can do differently to give back to society somehow. It’s what we can do right now to be more sustainable.”
When this type of thinking becomes the norm, and this kind of building is no longer considered “Alternative,” implementing sustainable designs into our built environment will then attribute to significant positive environmental shifts in the current unsustainable “norm.” And as Goforth likes to remind us, “It’s water. It’s life. Without water, that’s it.” Imagine the satisfaction now, when it rains; money saved, independence, and to those who reside in the home...a house warming gift from the sky.

Joanna Kanow is the owner of EcoSpaces: Green Building Solutions: Telluride’s source for Green Building Materials. Providing non- toxic, sustainable, renewable and recycled products to the community. EcoSpaces’ Green Design showroom is located at the Society Turn Business Center in Telluride, and also serves the greater US on www.EcoBuildingMaterials.com. Call 970-728-1973 to arrange an appointment.

Catch Your Water from the Sky

Colorado’s first Legal Rain Catchment System Built on Hastings Mesa

By Joanna Kanow

Last fall, one of the most litigious cases found in Colorado courts made legal the act of catching rain from the sky. What was once considered criminal in Colorado, (stealing water that was rightfully owned by someone else before it made it to earth), is now free for all residents to harness. A home being built on Hastings Mesa, just outside of Telluride, is the first in the State of Colorado to be issued a legal permit for a rain catchment system.

Kelli Petersen, currently of Mill Valley, California, is finally building her green dream home, and feels privileged to have found a spot and a community supportive of a sustainable life style. It was the 2008 MountainFilm Festival, she reflects, with its focus on water, which inspired her to realize her catchment opportunities. Petersen began working with Stewart Goforth, of Montrose Water Factory, in the fall of 2009 to design her home with a cutting edge rain catchment system. In order to design a successful system, careful calculations and intimate collaboration between architect Sundra Hines, of Hines Designs, and Eric Dickerson of DCI Construction, had to be established in order to create a successful whole house rain catchment system. They had to estimate the water needs for the household, average yearly precipitation for that particular microclimate and equate in possible drought years. Using this precipitation data, they figured the maximum surface area of catchment available to determine the amount of water that can reach storage. The two full time residents will live solely off the water harvested.

For this home, rain and snow is diverted into gutters off of the surface of the oxidizing metal roof. It is then fed into five 1,500 gallon storage tanks engineered into the foundation of the home, which is highly insulated with styrofoam blocks. The house is plumbed with non-reactive piping that will not be harmed by the acidity of rainwater, and low flow fixtures are implemented wherever possible. Finally, Stewart Goforth has designed the filtration and disinfection process that will then make the water safe for drinking without the use of chemicals. The water will be tested for bacteria per state mandates to maintain a high-standard of drinking water free of any threat of water-borne contaminates. This filtration process is designed to offer safe, friendly high quality water in a self-contained low maintenance environment.

I asked Petersen, who lives comfortably in the Bay Area and works with biotech companies studying cancer treatments, why she decided to build a green home that will actually take more effort to live in. She will have to monitor her solar and water storage systems frequently, as well as reduce her natural resource use, and even may have to hike or ski into access her front door. She responded, “It will be a very comfortable way to live, and we are willing to work at our lifestyle to make it happen.” She added, as if these sentiments were the consensus “It is currently a trend for everyone, at the moment, to think about what we can do differently to give back to society somehow. It’s what we can do right now to be more sustainable.”
When this type of thinking becomes the norm, and this kind of building is no longer considered “Alternative,” implementing sustainable designs into our built environment will then attribute to significant positive environmental shifts in the current unsustainable “norm.” And as Goforth likes to remind us, “It’s water. It’s life. Without water, that’s it.” Imagine the satisfaction now, when it rains; money saved, independence, and to those who reside in the home...a house warming gift from the sky.

Joanna Kanow is the owner of EcoSpaces: Green Building Solutions: Telluride’s source for Green Building Materials. Providing non- toxic, sustainable, renewable and recycled products to the community. EcoSpaces’ Green Design showroom is located at the Society Turn Business Center in Telluride, and also serves the greater US on www.EcoBuildingMaterials.com. Call 970-728-1973 to arrange an appointment.

EcoSpaces and Earth Day

Earth Day is one of my favorite holidays: it is non-denominational, not consumer driven, and isn't based around a fictitious cartoon character that I have to convince my children is real and comes in the night.

Earth Day is a real day, and should be celebrated or honored every day of the year, though, none the less, it is still quite honorable that this holiday is recognized on April 20 around the globe each year to acknowledge the vibrant, delicate, and natural resources that supports our very existence.

This year is the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson democrat from Wisconsin in 1970. "Our environment was simply a non-issue in the politics of the country. All across the country, evidence of environmental degradation was appearing everywhere, and everyone noticed except the political establishment. The environmental issue simply was not to be found on the nation's political agenda. The people were concerned, but the politicians were not," reflects Senator Nelson in 1969. Ironically, this sounds disturbingly familiar to the political situation of today. This was 40 stated forty years ago, before scientific evidence of a devastating climate crisis were defined like the precarious environmental predicament we find ourselves in now.

Earth Day was born riding the wave of anti-Vietnam war protests, teach-ins, and activism, as a nationwide grassroots demonstration was organized on behalf of the environment. The American people finally had a forum to express its concern about what was happening to the land, rivers, lakes, and air - and they did so with spectacular exuberance. The fight has not stopped, after all of these years, and the movement is still gaining momentum. Are you yet a part of it?

Now more than ever is it imperative that the masses of people inhabiting the globe take the time to acknowledge the earth, it's natural resources that we use ever day, and our relationship to it, so that maybe we can say on earth day, 40 years from now, we turned this climate crisis around, thanks for all of you who are making the environmental difference in your life on this Earth Day and every other day of the year. Building with green building materials is one of the ways people can make a difference and make choices that help the planet. Visit http://www.EcoSpaces.net to see the latest in Green Building Materials that are healthy for you, your home, and the environment.

green+building

Educating on Green Building

"Learn as you Go" is our business motto, as my business partner and I are relatively new to the business world. We were both teachers before getting into this Green Building Business, so we were never concerned with getting clients, because out clients/students would just show up every day weather we liked it or not. It has been a logical path, though, that has brought us here to owning EcoSpaces: Green Building Solutions, a Green Building design, supply showroom that offers green building materials to those who live and work in structures. Before classroom teaching we were teaching environmental educations, feeling that the most effective way to create environmental awareness was through the children. We are still educating, but now to adults who use money, and we hope to teach this new crowd how to spend their dollars on products that are healthy for the earth. Sales and marketing do not come as naturally as teaching does to us. It has been a great marriage of business with a socially conscious outcome that keeps us motivated, knowing that we are not just selling "things" for the sake of consuming. We are passionate about what we do in order to try and introduce products to people that they can enjoy in the decor of their home for many decades that ultimately are healthy for the home owner, the home, and the environment. Please visit our web site http://www.EcoSpaces.net,if you are one of those people who is interested in building your home and life green.

Many Houses

It is great to get away, travel, and step out of this reality that I have made for myself here in Telluride, CO, running a design, supply, green building showroom and trying my damnedest to distribute Green Building Materials to construction projects around the country. I always laugh that I started my business and now all of the hours, meetings, screen time, worries, inspirations and challenges that arise from this entity called "EcoSpaces" are all my inventions. We are trying to offer the "alternative" Green Building Material for almost every commercial building product out there. Though we only are interested in distributing building materials that are non-toxic, sustainable, renewable, recycled and recyclable in an attempt to address and take action on the global warming crisis. Sometimes, it gets frustrating trying to convert the old-timer contractors to choose counter tops made from recycled glass instead of granite, paints that are non-toxic, or carpeting that can be recycled before the homes next remodel. Fortunately, there is already a culture out there who do not need to be sold on this stuff and come seeking us out. But, this last trip to San Diego, leaving my small exclusive ski town behind, I realized the potential of what we are doing. There were houses every where, as far as the eye could see. Modern, stylish, artistic ocean front beach houses to villages of tract homes on the other side of the highway. Everyone lives in a house, an apartment, a structure! Everywhere, around the globe. So, even if each house used one of our energy star windows in it, or one sono tube sky light, or even one water aerator on their faucet, or a rain catchment barrel off their gutter to water their garden with, not only could we, EcoSpaces be making a great living, but also, we, the human population on the globe, could also be making a significant impact in turning this climate crisis around. The sprawl of Southern California did give me hope that there is still a great potential for change. I just need to figure out how to get these products out there. Visit http://ecospaces.net/ if you happen to be one of those already sold on the idea. Here's how you can contact us info@EcoSpaces.net 877-727-1973

Sick Home Syndrome

When asked to pick my scent of choice to deodorize my vehicle at a local car wash, one of my choices was “New Car Smell.” Funny, how common this, and other smells associated with toxic off gassing are to all of us, like “Brand new shoes” or “Fresh coat of paint. Not funny, to my friend, Becca who compromised a year of poor health due to these particular pollutants.

Becca and her fiancé moved into their redone home when she was 27 years old. They did a simple “lipstick remodel” replacing carpets, wallpaper, paint color, they refinished the floors, and purchasing new furniture. But shortly after moving in, she felt extremely ill. She could barely get out of bed. “Out of the blue,” she said, she began to experience irregular heart palpitations, blurred vision, joint discomfort in her knees and hips, extreme fatigue, and unexplainable weight gain. Her otherwise healthy skin coloring turned grey, and she experienced uncontrollable tremors on the left side of her body.

After months of doctor visits with various specialists, weekly blood panels, IV cocktails, she shared, “I was diagnosed with everything under the sun, including Epstein Barr and Lymes Disease.” She finally realized that the only time her symptoms improved was when she was away from the house. Without input from her medical specialists, all who were looking at isolated symptoms instead of addressing environmental causes, she realized that the toxins in her modern new home were in fact making her sick. Formaldehydes in the carpeting and insulation, VOCs in the paints and finishes, chemicals emitting from glues and adhesives, and mold from the ventilation system were poisoning her indoor air quality, and compromising her immune system. Her own bedroom that she retreated to for weeks and months when she was ill, was in fact making her sicker.

The World Health Organization (WHO) first recognized Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) in the early 1980s. Besides the symptoms that Becca experienced, one can also suffer from itchy skin, rashes, eye irritations, nose congestions, and swelling of the throat. The symptoms often go undiagnosed by medical professionals and can completely disappear when people move from buildings in question.

Some researchers have speculated that Sick Building Syndrome is related to the energy crisis of the 1970s, which resulted in tight building envelopes. True, energy efficiency experts tell us to insulate, caulk and seal drafty windows and doors, as to not let precious heat or cooled air escape. But, locked in a tight indoor envelope, is actually doing your health a disservice if the materials you are sealed in with are toxic and have no where to escape. Becca reflects, “Who would ever stop to think that your couch is covered in Teflon for stain resistance, and each time you sit on it, it breaks down, and you inhale it?” She was also surprised to learn that granite countertops leach radon gasses into your kitchens as well. Buyers beware: manufacturers are now labeling products “Green” simply because they have let them off gas in a controlled environment before bringing them to market.
Every building material has an MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet), which is the equivalent to nutritional ingredients listed on food products, but rather tells you what is in your building material. Take the advice of Michael Pollan, author of “Omnivores Dilemma:” if there are more than five ingredients (in your food), and if you cannot pronounce any of them, it is probably not healthy for you. Look for MSDS such as these green products like BioGlass counter tops: 100% recycled glass, BioShield Penetrating sealer: Linseed Oil, Lead-free dryers, and Essential Oils and Earth Weave carpet: wool, hemp, jute and natural rubber. Chemicals to watch out for are formaldehydes and Volatile Organic Compounds and other multi syllable chemicals that are often common in mainstream building materials.

After experiencing a full year of compromised health as a result of Sick Home Syndrome, Becca is now careful to make non-toxic choices for her home and family. “I would rather spend more money up front on a clean product that lasts,” She admits, she would rather live in an older home that has had decades to off gas, and prefers that her home is a bit on the drafty side. Becca moved to the Telluride area in search of a healthier life style, and today she is able to enjoy her days and her family “symptom free.”

They Company Car...A hybrid

The old Subaru was on the verge, our second child was on the way, and it was clear that it was time for a new car. Being in the Green business it is imperative that we “walk our talk” and live to the utmost greenness, especially if we are going to slap our company car magnet on a petrol fed automobile touting “Green Solutions.”

After taking Kim Wheel’s Low Carbon Diet seminar about ways to minimize our carbon foot print, I learned that no matter how well you recycle, use canvas grocery bags, or have the right light bulbs in your house…. if you drive a car or especially fly in an airplane, you end up ranking gluttonous and obese on the carbon diet. So, when it came to buying the company car, we decided that the next best thing we could do was to use a hybrid vehicle.

We rolled away with the latest in automobile technology, the Toyota Hybrid Highlander, on a 2 year lease, with the thought, that after two years, better technology will inevitably be available and we would trade it in for an even more efficient car. As part-time local filmmaker, Chris Paine, uncovered in his documentary “Who Killed the Electric Car?” advanced alternative fuel technology already exists but was squashed in order yield to those still profiting off of big oil. So, we are forced to wait patiently for politics, gas prices, and global warming to get severe enough in order for this ready alternative technology to reemerge.

The hybrid motor is designed to reduce air pollution and considerably improve fuel economy. Batteries in hybrid vehicles are recharged partly by the gas engines and partly by regenerative braking; a third of the energy from slowing the car is turned into electricity. I like this feature when my gas light is blinking, and I can glide from town down Keystone on battery power alone to get to the Saw Pit mercantile, my loyal-independent, non-multinational corporate conglomerate, local gas fill up station.

Practically speaking, our Hybrid is a good car, very safe, rather reliable, and has no problem passing sports cars on Dallas Divide. At best, our 4 wheel drive hybrid SUV, gets 28 miles to the gallon on the open road, 24 mpg pulling our pop up trailer to secluded camping spots, and 23 mpg in winter wearing four studded tires while running the heater. This is nothing to feel “green” about, really. Politicians are saying, it is a small step in the right direction. But actually, I feel that this is a pathetic advance in the potential and the urgency for lower carbon emitting vehicles. When your house is burning down (or your earth is burning up) you don’t take small steps towards safety, you run fast, taking big steps to get out of the inferno. At this rate, we will never meet even the most insignificant goals made at the Copenhagen Climate Summit to reduce the global temperatures by two degrees. Remember, that in preparation for world war II President Roosevelt mobilized our country to ramp up for war, rapidly building air crafts, machinery, military gear, not to mention the a-bomb in order to effectively end a war and change the world forever. We face this type of urgency for change right now.

We wait to see if the Obama administration, the economic crisis, the global warming threats, the war in the middle east now in its 9^th year over oil, and the tumbling banks and automotive industry might heed way to propel alternative energy and fuel efficiency to the next level quickly. I have read that there are some new compact hybrids that are celebrating getting max 40 mpg. Remember, however, there were automobiles made twenty years ago (before the trend of over sized gas guzzling vehicles) that got close to that same mileage It seems like competitive products like smart phones, prosthetic, and even head lamps have advanced their cutting edge technology greatly in this time, but our cutting edge car has been stuck dead in its design. Come April, when our lease runs out, three years later, we will not be turning it in for a higher tech vehicle as we thought, because still no such thing exists.

Joanna Kanow is owner of EcoSpaces: Green Building Solutions: a green building materials design/supply showroom and distribution center. EcoSpaces is located at 162A Society Turn in Lawson Hill. 970-728-1973 www.EcoSpaces.net and is Telluride;s source to Green Building Materials.

Telluride Locals attend GreenBuild 2009

Once again, a small delegation of Telluride's green building advocates converged on the world's largest Green Building conference and Expo that happened this year in Phoenix, Arizona.  After all, the town of Telluride, Mountain Village and San Miguel County governments have recently adopted Green Building codes for new construction slated to be erected any were in the vicinity of this world class ski resort. Currently, any new commercial construction in Mountain Village now needs to be built according to LEED standards.  "LEED is the internationally recognized green building certification which provides third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance in energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental air quality, stewardship of natural resources and sensitivity to their impacts." So it is imperative that some of us living, building, and working towards sustainability in this region,  stay abreast to the innovation of this movement.

The National Greenbuild conference takes place every year in a different US city. This year, 27,373 people attended from 78 countries featuring three days of great educational sessions, stirring speeches, inspiring networking, and an Expo hall filled with hundreds of new green products to see.  It literally took me two full days to visit over 1,8000 booths touting the latest in green building materials.  Of the most impressive products I found this year was a new architectural software called AutoDesk, which enables architects and designers to perform whole building analysis to optimize energy efficiency before the building is even built.  There were several advances in photo voltaic technologies including solar panels as thin as a wax paper, cylindrical tubing panels that allow the sun to hit them from any, and full roof systems imbedded with solar panels that come ready to install as  one unit.  I was impressed with tiles made from recycled airplane metal, and roofing tiles made from recycled rubber tubing used in automobile parts and plastic from baby diapers, and countertops made from recycled glass that are now taking the place of quarried granite. I met the programmers from www.GreenKonnect.com,  a new Green Building social network that connects architects, builders and contractors to discuss their opinions after using green building materials new to the industry.   This year, we had to beware of a few green-washing manufacturers who were there primarily to take advantage of the economic boom in the green building industries trying to get a piece of the pie.   Based on a 2009 study by the USGBC and Booz Allen Hamilton it is projected that green building will pump $554 billion into the American economy over the next four years.

 

The event included addresses by the Assistant to President Obama for Energy and Climate Change Carol Browner, as well as the keynote speaker, Al Gore.  He was preaching to the choir but stated it quite eloquently, "We still have a climate crisis, an economic crisis and a national security crisis ... they are united by the thread of dependence on carbon-based fuel, you pull that thread and the crises unravel."

 

Anyone I turned to in the Convention Center shared his or her passion for their work in this field.   I met with architects who are rebuilding the lower 9^th Ward in New Orleans, with green affordable housing for the original tenants. Rani Guram, an architect and designer also working with EcoSpaces, attended workshops on green affordable housing and came out feeling, "That there is an overall movement to make green building affordable to all."  I spoke with an engineer from the Coast Guard who was in charge of greening military bases, a mandate now from the Federal government. I discussed the topic of "socially conscious business" with companies who make this a transparent value of their overall business plan. I met a man who specialized in "Green Relief Housing" which are units that can be shipped on a pallet to any disaster or refugee site in need of housing.  Sansy Franklin, EcoSpace's showroom manager, was inspired by the Cradle to Cradle manufacturers like FLOR carpet tiles, who she said, "Are being thoughtful about what more they can do (in terms of being an environmentally conscious manufacturing plant) while still putting out quality products while being cost effective."   It was enlightening to be exposed to so many people dedicated to this environmental cause.

 (If you are interested in taking part in next year's GreenBuild conference taking place in Chicago in November 2010, please contact EcoSpaces who will donate a free pass to attend the Expo to anyone interested in being part of this Telluride delegation for Green Building.)

Green Real Estate

Green Real Estate
By Joanna Kanow
Executive Director, EcoSpaces LLC

You are shopping around for a new house to call home for your family. You are about to take out the hugest loan of your life and invest the biggest chunk of change into a piece of real estate that you will be paying off for the majority of your adult life.

Your real estate agent presents you with one house where you would never have a utility bill, you rarely would need to run the heater or air conditioner, the air quality would be pure due to the care put into building the home with non-toxic and sustainable materials. Furthermore, many of the recycled materials used for decking, flooring, roofing etc. need not be replaced during the lifetime of the house because of their outstanding durability. You would actually be saving money due to the efficiency of the home, and could qualify for more on the purchasing price for a Green Home like this. The other house is conventionally constructed, and cannot guarantee these things. Which would you choose?

Green Real Estate is another niche market that is popping up during this green revolution where certain brokerages are dedicated to showing clients the health benefits and financial rewards of a green built home. Green brokers focus on selling houses that have cared to include eco-friendly features and efficient technologies, are certified as Energy Star Rated or LEED Certified, and that are designed to be healthy for the home owner and the environment. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Eco Homes are the hot sell right now even when the real estate market is slow. Christian Thomas, owner of Green Door Living Green Real Estate Firm based out of Denver, Colorado reflects that in this market, homes that integrate green features are more of a premium, have creative marketing points, and seem to move faster in this sluggish real estate economy. Jill Masters is Telluride’s only certified Eco Broker, which entails taking a course and a test to earn this title. Although she admits that there has only been one LEED certified home for sale thus far in Telluride, she hopes that future building begins to trend towards the green and has put her self in position. She notes that the town of Telluride has already started building Green Affordable Housing units that cost local owners merely nothing to heat in the winter. The Telluride Association of Realtors has also just recently added a line to their MLS listings that gives buyers the option to state if their property is Eco Friendly.

Although there are not yet any stringent certifications or regulated criteria that validates that a home is truly green, beyond the U.S. Green Building Council’s stringent and voluntary LEED certification, there are some characteristics of a home that do help the value and the sale of a Green Home. If you are shopping for a home ask if the home was built using non-toxic, recycled content and/or renewable resources. Inquire if it is Energy efficient, built with a tight envelope, includes energy efficient appliances and windows. Homes that derive most of their space and water heating from the sun using Solar Power are very desirable as well, as these features diminish utility bills altogether. Also note which way the home is oriented to understand what kind of passive gain the house may have in each season. You may also ask if the home includes HVAC, ventilation and filtration systems that are designed for optimum indoor air quality. Inquire about the insulation and ask for past heating bills. Homes that incorporate some of these features can drastically reduce operational costs as well as possibly qualify you for a special Eco Mortgage.

Energy-efficient mortgages are one of the most beneficial and under-utilized programs the consumer can find and capitalize upon in today's real estate market. An energy-efficient mortgage can add an additional 15% of a home's appraised value to the principal of a new loan or a refinance, often at no additional cost, no compromise in the loan-to-value ratio for the borrower, and sometimes at a better rate. The first steps to qualifying for an energy efficient mortgage is to have a certified energy rater come and conduct the analysis of your property. Energy raters, such as Lotus Energy Solutions based out of Telluride, can also run a blow door test to find areas that need to be resealed and a they use an infrared camera to take pictures that show heat loss in hard-to-detect areas. Taking these steps not only alerts the home owner of how energy efficient their house is overall, but also could afford the buyer more purchasing power on a loan, as well as savings in the future.

Once again, being Green can save you some green, and help save the planet at the same time. Buying green in finally economically advantageous, as well as healthy for you, your home, and the environment.

Refrigerator Down

Was there a rotting dead skunk sitting in its own vomit in my dishwasher?  When I walked into my kitchen I was enveloped with a putrid cloud of odor that smelled worse than rancid hard boiled eggs.  It did not take me long to open the freezer door to discover the bacon was warmer than my leather  car seat in the summer with windows rolled up. The ice cream was blue with something not meant to be a topping, and the ice tray could have housed tropical fish.  Our Refrigerator/ Freezer has been a solid member of our household for the past 15 years living with our family as a loyal  member.   I have interacted with it on a daily bases for longer than I have my own two daughters.  I rely on my fridge just like I do my own heartbeat, expecting it to work for me on a continual, round-the-clock basis.  Yes, I may be co-dependent, for the moment it stops working for me, disaster sets in.

I had to toss out hundreds of dollars of groceries: the poor chicken breasts, dead for no cause.  The bottle of ketchup that chilled in the door for at least half a year had to go, too. Those frozen bananas for smoothies now brown sticky warm soup. Learning that you need to purchase a new fridge is like the clutch going out in your truck:  an unexpected expense that needs to be addressed rather promptly in order to regain normality back into your life.  So, time for a new fridge, what to do?

When faced with the reality of having to buy a new refrigerator, only consider appliances that are certified Energy Star. Since there is not a moment in the day that your refrigerator is not drawing energy, it is best to find one that has a low annual energy use.  Top mounted freezer use less energy than similarly sized side-by-side models, even if they are both rated energy star. 
Refrigerators fewer than 25 cubic feet should meet the needs of most households and obviously over sized refrigerators will use more energy.  Know that some new model refrigerators are eligible for rebates through San Miguel power. 
When sending your no longer loyal appliance to the land of dead appliances, be sure you dispose of your old refrigerator properly. Cooling equipment, such as refrigerators, freezers, dehumidifiers and room air conditioners involve refrigerants and insulating foams that release ozone-depleting substances and greenhouse gases once in a landfill. Older appliances may also contain PCBs, Freon or mercury. Federal law requires the removal and proper disposal of refrigerants but not foam products.  Thankfully, there is a once a year town Spring clean up put on by the New Community Coalition that accepts old refrigerators for a small charge.  If you are unable to hold on to your now hazardous piece of waste, you can call Best Appliances in Montrose who, for $45, will remove the freon in your refrigerator and then deliver it to Recla metals to be recycled.  A pick up fee may apply.
When my loyal fridge went down, I immediately called the appliance Doctor to see if he could resuscitate it.  He shop vacuumed 15 years of shmutz out of the coils and vents and prescribed rest, and then a restart in 24 hours.  Luckily, our fridge   did come back to life and I was able to swiftly avoid replacement. Though, now that I am over educated in the world of refrigerators, I know that my fridge, built 20 years ago uses 70% more energy than today's energy-efficient model.  The dilemma, dump it for a newer energy efficient one or let it keep wasting energy but avoid the repercussions of the hazardous waste it contains and those effects on the environment. Every green-minded environmental consumer is always faced with these lesser of two evil decisions.   None the less, give your fridge the respect it deserves, as we hope it will live with your family for many decades to come.  

EcoSpaces Green Film Series

EcoSpaces Green Film Series

As our effort to get the message of sustainability and green living
out to our community, we have been hosting a monthly FREE GREEN FILM
SERIES at the Wilkinson Public Library. We have been very thrilled
with the turn out and the engaging discussions to follow the films.
We have screened: "The Eleventh Hour", "Addicted to Plastic", and a
short montage focusing on "Solutions to Global Warming". This week's
free film in the Program Room is "Recipe for Disaster". We plan to
continue to bring you thought provoking, innovative and
environmentally conscious films as part of our mission to educate our
community about the need for environmental awareness.

We all know what we should be doing for the environment, but do we
always do it? It is finally widely accepted that the burning of
fossil fuels and the excess of carbon emissions is causing an
environmental crisis. It is honorable is you carry your own canvas
bag home full of groceries, or opt to fill your reusable thermos mug
for your daily latte as your personal effort to curb the global
warming crisis. These things are all good and we appreciate your
efforts, which are essential for becoming part of the change. Though,
filmmaker, John Webster, feeling a moral obligation to personally take
responsibility for their family's contribution to climate change,
convinces his wife and two young sons to rid themselves of all oil
based products for a year.

"Recipe for Disaster" is this weeks free Film at Wilkinson Public
Library. It is a fantastic film for the whole family, or anyone who
is trying to live lighter on the planet. During this year-long
oil-fast, the family remains in mainstream society, continuing their
suburban lives in Finland, while attempting to have a net zero gain of
carbon emissions, a feat that consists of a commitment to the
environment far beyond canvas shopping bags and re-usable mugs. In
this comedy of errors, the Webster family find themselves testing
their values, will power and happiness, while changing their
comfortable life style in the name of the earth.

Obviously, the first thing to go is the family car, that has been
essential for transporting kids to school, parents to work, groceries
and larger items back home. They take to public transportation, with
kids in tow, as many as six times a day. The must grow accustom to
walking the last leg home during the icy dark winter nights while
pushing a stroller filled with their rations.

Since all plastics are derived from oil, all food wrapped in plastics,
products packaged in plastics, and materials made of plastics are also
off limits in the Webster's home. The first dilemma: getting
un-packaged toilet paper. At every hurdle, Jon's wife seems ready to
abort this crazy and inconvenient experiment. Though, when she
encounters an industrial office supply store, she purchases 3 bicycle
wheel size rolls of toilet paper and carts them home victoriously.
The kids adapt to: brushing their teeth with home-made tooth paste,
eating fresher unpackaged foods, and accepting modestly wrapped
Christmas presents, since scotch tape is no longer accepted in this
family.

The filmmaker is constantly crunching the numbers to come up with the
calculations on how successful they are in reducing their carbon
footprint. They are clearly making less of an impact on the global
condition, but despite their complete life style changes on this
strict carbon diet, the numbers indicate that they still need to
tighten their belts. That is when dad declares that the heater must
go too!

"This well paced and humorous film documents the comedy of errors
that result from a do-gooder's well-intentioned plans that at times
seem impossible to implement and at other times stretch the patience
of his family to a breaking point. Yet, the film gives a surprising
demonstration of what the individual can do to avert a climatic
catastrophe." Reviews say.

Bring the whole family and come see this free movie Monday night at
6:00 PM at the Wilkinson Public Library. Sponsored by EcoSpaces Green
Building Solutions and The New Community Coalition, together:
Empowering Sustainable Choices. 85 minutes long with some English
subtitles.

--
Be Well,

Daniel Kanow
EcoSpaces "Green Building Solutions"
Telluride, CO USA
(O) 970-728-1973 (F) 970-728-8007

Green Building Materials
Green Building Design Consulting

"Be involved in a Movement"

"The Three Little Pigs" thinking about Green Building

"Three Little Pigs" thinking about Green Building

The "Three Little Pigs" have taught countless generations about the concept of green building.    When we re-tell this story to our children we are also planting lessons on long term investing, sustainable consumer choices, conservation of natural resources and healthy living. The theories of straw bale, stick frame and adobe construction are introduced to each generations this way.

 

The piggy that built his house out of straw chose the quick, cheap and easy way to put up his home, which may not have cost him an arm and a leg but ultimately did cost him his arm and his leg.    If only he sought council from his more business savvy brother who built out of brick, he could have greatly improved his quality of his life.  For, the Piggy who built with brick measured his long-term return on investment.  He spent more in upfront costs for quality materials in order to assure energy efficient and maintenance free structure for the future.  He also was keen to the trends in real estate sales, sensing that green built homes would be more marketable for resale. The moral to the story is: build a durable house with renewable materials, build it well, invest in quality products, and live a healthy life.

 

The catch is, sometimes you have to spend more on your initial investment for materials in order to insure savings in future operational costs. Unfortunately, there is a "consistent disconnect" in peoples' minds between the higher up-front costs of building green and the ensuing savings in operating costs. Overcoming this is fundamental to understanding the value of green building.  Building with Green Materials generally costs 1-5% more up front for buildings complying with LEED certified standards. So, why choose the green sustainable building product and spend a bit more now?  Because you will be richer for it in the long run with a healthy home, healthy family, and healthy wallet for the duration of each subsequent year you live in that house.

Improving insulation is one of the first places homeowners can start greening.  Creating a tight building envelope by retaining the heat in winter and cool air in summer will save you considerable money over time.  In choosing insulation make sure to select formaldehyde free to assure healthy indoor air quality.  Consider the cotton insulation that is made from post-industrial waste from blue jeans.  Roll in this bat insulation yourself (no gloves or full boy protective suit needed.) This soft blue jean material is soaked in borax, which is pest and fire retardant. Also, Tax Credits are now available for those who buy the indicated type of insulation.

Doors and Windows are the next place to spend and save.  Fix those unwelcome frigid drafts in your house that refreeze you after stepping out of a warm shower.  Once again, you can reduce your energy bill by 15% when using Energy Star qualified materials for windows with a U-Factor of .35 or less. Clawson Windows make energy efficient windows as well, they are made with sustainable harvested woods from Montana to match floors or trim. Tax rebates of up to 30% are available for Energy Star windows that have a U factor of .30 or less. 

If it is time to replace your roof there are many green choices that you should know about.  Firstly, you should be mostly thinking about color! Light colored shingles will prevent increased heat transfer in the attic.  A lighter shade roof could save your between 20- 40% in summer energy costs. EcoStar roofing tiles are made from 95% recycled plasticfrom the automotive industry and are molded to look exactly like shake or slate tiles.  This roof comes with an unheard of 50-year warranty, as the recycled rubber tiles are practically invincible to wind, ice, and snow.  Some roofs also qualify for a discount of up to 35% on your homeowners insurance.

It is clear that the repeated annual savings and the payback returns are what are most enticing about choosing green building materials.  We all may want to help save the environment, but if we can do it by saving our money, then the decision is just a lot easier.  Green building is no longer just an added expense for environmental die hards.  Now it makes practical economic sense to be choosing materials that are durable, sustainable, maintenance free, non-toxic that will continue to make a return on your initial investment.  And of course, you can live happily every after like the Piggy who built green. 

Addicted to Plastics

On April 20, 6 p.m., Telluride's Wilkinson Public Library in collaboration with The New Community Coalition and Joanna and Daniel Kanow's EcoSpaces continues its Green Film Series with "Addicted to Plastic: The Rise and Demise of a Modern Miracle." The program opens with a trailer of "Bag It," another look at the shrink-wrapped world we live in, a work-in-progress by local Suzan Beraza.

From styrofoam cups and boxes to tote take-out to artificial organs and the credit cards we use to buy them (often referred to simply as "plastic"), the demand for plastic in our culture is so great, my tortoise-framed sunglasses could become an endangered species. For better and for worse, no invention in the past century has had more influence than these synthetics, affecting nearly every ecosystem and invading nearly every nook and corner of human society, including our dinner table, where the toxic chemical compounds on land and in our oceans travel up the food chain and wind up in our food.

In 85 minutes, the documentary details plastic's path over the last 100 years and provides expert interviews on practical and cutting edge solutions to recycling, toxicity, and biodegradability. Not just another eco-horror film, however, "Addicted" also offers hope in many forms, such as plant-based renewable bioplastics.

In the mid-1990s, Joanna Measer Kanow and husband Daniel were teaching in a one-room, off-the-grid schoolhouse powered by solar and hydropower in the little town of Whale Gulch, California, while living in a solar-powered cabin overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The couple were green crusaders long before "green" became fashionable.

In August 2007, the Kanows opened EcoSpaces, a green building design and supply showroom selling everything from roofing tiles made from recycled rubber to look exactly like slate or shingle to insulation made from recycled denim from blue jeans and so much more. Now EcoSpaces has also morphed into a nexus for change in the region, working with the TNCC to help educate our community about ways to live sustainably by offering workshops, lectures, demonstrations, and films such as "Addicted."

To learn more, click the "play" button and listen to Joanna speak about her business, this film and other EcoSpaces events and projects. (Also check out TNCC's website for ways to recycle plastic, especially yogurt containers.)

For more info and to hear a live recoded interview with Joanna Kanow about this topic please go to

http://www.tellurideinside.com/2009/04/wilkinson-public-library-green-film-series.html

Thank you to www.TellurideInside.com for their interest in our business and what we are trying to do here in the world of living green!

The adventures of living off the Grid

LIFE IS AN ADVENTURE WHEN LIVING OFF THE GRID

I was inspired to write this article in the dark.  Old style: pencil and paper by candle light, in solidarity with the other 60 million people all over the world participating in Earth Hour, a global outcry to turn the lights off for just one hour in a symbolic action to bring awareness to the threats of global warming.

 

For me, this was a small exercise in "conservation" that helped me recognize all of the lights and energy that I ordinarily consume at this evening hour. Though, for those people already living off the grid, that is, creating their own energy from the sun, wind, or water to power their houses, they live this experiment daily.  There are more people using alternative energy in San Miguel County than you may have guessed.  They may elect to do it for a variety of different reasons, but overall they love the experience.

 

Kelsey Holstrom, daughter of Kris and John, is a 16-year-old Telluride High school sophomore who has lived off the grid for her entire life.  She lives in a house that gets its power primarily from 16 solar panels, a small wind generator, a back up gas powered generator and is heated by wood.  Her home and organic farm, sit atop the breathtaking Hastings Mesa at 10,000 feet, in a community where the majority of her neighbors also make their own alternative power as well.  This teen is clearly wise beyond her age when it comes to understanding her personal impact on the earth and is already instilled with the knowledge and awareness of sustainability. Conservation is as common to this teenager as talking on the phone, of which hers is charged from the sun.  She admits that she has shorted-out the whole house by blow drying her hair  and drawing too much of a  load from the system when other appliances were running.   Besides having to charge her Ipod, computer, cell phone, etc. one at a time, she does not feel deprived, rather she feels privileged to be able to live comfortably in one of the most beautiful spots in the area.  She has taken her passions to a student run organization called YES: Youth Empowering Sustainability, where she hopes to convince the school district to adopt even greater sustainable energy practices and help to provide a model to her peers that teaches an awareness about all kinds of.  Kelsey shares, "It is gratifying to live this way knowing that we are not contributing to the global issues of pollution and climate change, and to not be dependent on any one else's oil." She hopes to one-day write a book about utilizing and respecting the earth instead of fighting and controlling it.

 

Ryan Smith, local DJ and bar tender is building his first home in the Two Rivers deed restricted area of Ilium Valley.   He has elected to install a grid-tied solar electric system.  This type of system does not call for a generator or batteries, which can be toxic and difficult to discard.  Instead, the grid is  used for back up power on days the sun does not produce enough. Smith passionately believes that "It is irresponsible to build any other way right now." His 8 solar panels will produce all the energy he will need for his 1,200 square foot house.  He and architect, Gabe Ciaffre, have designed an advantageous south facing building, using passive solar techniques, a very tight building envelope, LED and Compact florescent lighting, and energy efficient appliances, so that power bills will be obsolete. The entire system, with rebates and a generous installer, only cost him around $7,000. To boot, at the end of each year, the electric company will send him a check if he has generated more power from the sun than he has used. According to San Miguel Power, there are currently 42 net meter accounts in the county, that is, grid-tied homes like Ryan's.

 

The Ward family is a committed bunch to the off the grid life style, living comfortably in the extreme climate of East Ophir with their two young kids in the most rugged and wild of locations.  Their 16 solar panels and battery bank require fairly low maintenance. Twice a year they add distilled water to the batteries to prolong their life.  During big storm cycles or very short cloudy days in winter, their back up generator kicks in automatically, making their alternative energy system rather convenient.  The only effort really is the attentiveness to energy use: nothing is kept plugged in (which create "phantom loads" that draw constantly from the system), and it is mandatory that every light is turned off immediately when not in use. Larkin, 4 and Caleb 2, already are fully aware of the meaning of conservation, and will tell stories when they are older of how their cloth diapers were dried by the heat of their wood stove, fueled by scraps from dad's wood shop. Andy Ward originally started living in a solar and hydro powered Yurt to experience financial freedom from utility bills, though for Amy Ward, the satisfaction is in the environmental benefits. She says, " I feel comfortable with my impact on the planet. It is a truly joyful way to be because it makes you recognize your place on the planet.  We are so thankful we get to live in such a beautiful place, surrounded by national forest on all sides, yet just a half a mile away from our amazing community." The family moved into a "main steam" powered house for a bit, though decided that they liked the adventures of living partly up Ophir pass even more, so they moved back into an off the grid home to raise their kids.   Their house is not accessible by car in the winter, so the kids are driven by snow-mobile into "town", though sometimes they get to sled down the hill to meet their carpool.

         There is no better time to go solar than right now. The local and federal government is handing out fat rebates and tax credits to motivate and stimulate people to decorate their roofs with solar panels and start making their own energy.  The New Community Coalition in partnership with San Miguel Power is offering a $1,500 rebate for solar thermal (hot water) and a $3,000 rebate for solar electric, which are only available until mid June.  The Federal government is also offering a 30% tax credit which has recently been extended to 2016.  The discounts are great and the sun in shining.  And life is rich with adventure when you are making your own power!

--
Be Well,

Daniel Kanow
EcoSpaces  "Green Building Solutions"
Telluride, CO  USA
(O) 970-728-1973   (F) 970-728-8007

Green Building Materials
Green Building Design Consulting

"Be involved in a Movement"

Our New Non Profit Branch

We are happy to announce that EcoSpaces now has a non-profit educational branch to our business thanks to The New Community Coalition. It only make sense for our socially and environmentally conscious business to have a component that reaches out to the public in ways to help educate the masses about the benefits of green building and green living in a way that is healthy for the home owner, the home, and the environment.  After being on sabbatical from a career in environmental education, and classroom teaching, my "teacher" gears are starting to turn again and I am very excited about the opportunity to help educate my community about green buildings and the options that are now available to them. 

EcoSpaces Educational MIssion:

The mission of EcoSpaces Educational is to make alternative green building materials the "main steam" We will do this by providing the  public with free education about green building materials that are now readily available to them in their community.  We will  introduce and expose consumers to the sustainable, renewable, non-toxic, recycled and recyclable choices materials that are healthy for the individual, their home as well as the environment. 

We plan to provide our community with workshops, lectures, demonstrations, films, and festivals that will give our community access and empowerment to greening our homes and thus our community.


Listed is our wish list for EcoSpaces Educational events that we would like to sponsor:

Tabling: bring our educational tabling display to conferences, workshops, schools, festivals, etc.  as a way to expose the masses to readily available green building materials in a hands on display.
•    Weekly presence at farmers market
•    Presence at Blue Grass Festival
•    4corners green building festival


Monthly articles will be submitted for publishing in the Daily Planet as well as our web site blog related to living Green associated with green building .

Organize a green home tour
•    one afternoon in summer, meet on bikes
•    tour 6-10 homes in town that have used a green building material.  Tour invited to see these materials in a finished form.
•    ride to picnic on valley floor

Promote alternative energy with the human powered smoothie maker
•    An exercise  bike that powers a blender
•    Will accompany our educational table
•    Enjoy an organic fruit smoothie while learning about alternative energy and green building

Green movie series at the library
•    Sponsor green movie night in conjunction with the Wilkinson Library
•    Invite the community to share in free showings of films (documentaries) that highlight green living and green building

Internship position
•    Offer summer internship position to student passionate about the world of green building
•    We would expose a student to many angels of the green building world in order to empower him/her to many aspects of our business to  inspire the student to find a direction they are interested in through their exposure to the field.

Non Profit Web Site:  Construction Material New life
•    Create a website where local builders can post extra building materials that would other wise end up in the landfill. People interested in salvaging materials for building can look here, too. This would not be a brokered deal, rather a free service to swap goods and reclaim materials.
•    The EcoSpaces Green Community web site will help keep the community connected to green events, workshops, etc. available to them in their community
•    A Green Blog will also be available
•   

Provide Workshops:
•    women's carpentry workshop with Rodney Porsche (book shelves)
•    Do it yourself workshops: Flor carpet install, clay walls, denim insulation,  or cork floors

Revitalize Green Bucks (small scale)
•    Partner with Koto to conduct community greening activities (cock and seal, trash pick up, restoration projects, valley floor etc) 5 hours of volunteer work in exchange for concert ticket. 
•    Mountain Film, Film Fest etc. could get involved

Kinetic Sculptures powered by Alternative Parade and Race
•    A call to contestants to build (out of recycled material) a vehicle that uses energy only from alternative energy (no automobile engines allowed)
•    Parade down main street and race to the mine (or down the bike path)

Donate Green Building Materials at cost
•    Obtain funding so that we can offer green building materials at a considerable lower price to schools, hospitals, Habitat for Humanity, non profits etc as show pieces to encourage others to use green building materials and build healthy build environments for our community.

2009 Green Build Conference in Arizona
•    Help to make this conference available to others in our community by offering discounted registration fees (through group rates)
•    Offer an essay contest or application for entrance into this event.

EcoSpaces Solar Panel
•    Obtain grants to acquire solar panels for in front of our store in order to off set our coal powered energy that runs our showroom currently.   Grid tie by creating our own power from the sun.


Long Term Projects
Green Building Conference in Mountain Village Conference Center
•    Obtain $10,000 sponsorship money to host a Green Conference
•     guest lecturers, workshops, LEED classes, education
•    A arena to expose local people working in the field of greening our community
•    Telluride as model sustainable community
•    A green weekend, events all weekend long around the theme of sustainability.



--
Be Well,

Daniel Kanow
EcoSpaces  "Green Building Solutions"
Telluride, CO  USA
(O) 970-728-1973   (F) 970-728-8007

Green Building Materials
Green Building Design Consulting

"Be involved in a Movement"

Lights Out

Have you unplugged lately?

Telluride  was the first city street on the globe to be illuminated with street lights, thanks to the advent of AC/DC power conceived right here in our very own Ames Valley. Currently, almost every occupied home in this county is "lit" long after the sun has dropped.

The abundance of electrical energy flowing freely into our homes now allows us to watch a DVD, while on-line shopping, while nuking popcorn in the microwave as our clothes and dishes are washed spontaneously without even touching them. Around here, your fully charged cell phone that you nuzzle with every day, your warm blown dried hair in the winter chill, and your home brewed coffee machine, like all other electrical appliances, are charged by coal power burned at our neighboring Nucla power plant.


Today, in our current environmental and economic crisis, sustainable can simply be defined as "USE LESS!" Once dedicated to sustainability, as an attempt to heal the planet, you will also find that healthy personal, physical, and emotional benefits that follow from the practice of Living Green. Have you unplugged lately?

    My friend Margaret, after working for the peace Corp in Honduras, retuned home to the typical American urban environment to see if she could maintain a connection to the natural rhythms of nature among a culture that does not support it.  Thus, as a way to practice energy conservation, sustainability, and living simply, she vowed to not use electricity after the sun went down.  She says, "Electronics seem to keep us constantly busy feeling that there is no end to work that could be done."  The sun became the natural bell that signified the workday was over, instead of flicking on the lights and keeping the day going longer than it needed. She found that you get your computer work, laundry, and phone calls done during the day, so you can then enjoy time to unwind, be with family, share conversation, and relax.   Think, how many electronics are on in your household at night?    By disconnecting, saving a little energy, burning a little less carbon, she was also able to connect in a meaningful way with her family, enjoy the present moment, and her body, as noticed she was always well rested as bedtime came at a normal hour when darkness set in. This experiment in unplugging is uncommon in American households, as we seem to let our electrical appliances suck time and energy away from us.  Unplugging, simplifying, getting in tune with the natural cycles are not new concepts.  They are rather ways of life to which we strive and struggle to return to. 

Every Friday, Jews celebrate Shabbat fully submitting to a day of rest from sundown to sundown, where all electronics, cars, or anything that "burns a fire" is turned off, in order to spend time with family and on spiritual enrichment. Furthermore, let us celebrate the Amish for all the energy they conserve for the greater good.  Their religion restricts access to television, radio, and telephones since the Inception of these electronics as an effort to keep the modern world from intruding into their home life. 

As the green movement gains momentum, find a small way to get involved.  If you are not moved to change your habits in the name of the health of the planet, you may find that placing the health of yourself first is also a means to living green, and is healthy for you, your home, and the environment.


--
Be Well,

Daniel Kanow
EcoSpaces  "Green Building Solutions"
Telluride, CO  USA
(O) 970-728-1973   (F) 970-728-8007

Green Building Materials
Green Building Design Consulting

"Be involved in a Movement"