With the rising amount of carbon emissions, government policy makers and organizations have been searching for a solution. One of the programs dedicated to environmental sustainability is LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. This organization ranks buildings on a rating scale based off of efficiency, recycling, and overall “going green.” If the structure [...]
With the growing number of hybrid and electric vehicles on the road, it’s easy to see that driving green is becoming more than a passing trend. As of 2012, more than 13 million hybrids, plug-in hybrids and all-electric vehicles have been purchased in the United States, according to Electricdrive.org, a transportation association. But before you [...]
A bit of great news reported by David Worthington on SmartPlanet today; Home energy retrofits reduce healthcare costs. “Wegowise, a start-up that identifies energy efficient homes by analyzing utility data, has partnered with a national non-profit to upgrade low-income housing around Baltimore, Maryland. A recent pilot project produced an unforeseen result: emergency room visits among residents [...]
There is a mantra for encouraging more sustainable habits of consumption and disposal: reduce, reuse, recycle. It has a nice ring, but it’s missing a fourth imperative: rethink. Like most children, I learned how to rethink and repurpose – to upcycle – before I lost all my baby teeth. Among some of my most ingenious [...]
A quick update on Apple Inc.’s data center in the foothills of North Carolina reveals that the 20 Mega-watt solar cluster is nearing completion. Sitting next to the new data center built for iCloud, Apple estimates this cluster will produce sixty percent (60%!) of it’s power needs onsite. To do that, they are constructing what will [...]
In late June Fairwinds Farm was the site of a first for Maine: the installation of a Series 20 dual-axis AllSun Solar Tracker. The tracker is mounted with 20x 240 watt solar electric panels, for a production rate of 4.8KW – however, the incredible performance increase by the tracking system improves its performance by 30-40% [...]
In the chilly, post-holiday calm of January, I moved with my boyfriend to Portland’s charming East End. I fell quickly and hard for our new neighborhood, which has been likened to the San Francisco of the Northeast. The comparison, I suppose, refers to the hillside bay windows and spectacular views. And lest we forget, the [...]
Airbus is pushing forward innovations in air travel. Their new concept plane, the airplane of the future, could take flight to new heights in comfort and efficiency with biomimicry at it’s core. Solar power, energy harvesting seats, active panels that go from opaque to transparent on command, purely plant-based materials and more. Yes, if you’re [...]
On July 26th, ReVision Energy officially unveiled Maine’s first public solar powered electric vehicle charging station, attracting what must have been the largest gathering of electric cars in Maine outside a dealership! A trio of Chevy Volts was there – ReVision’s own, that of our sister company ReVision Heat, and a fleet vehicle from Central [...]
Kitchen renovations can be as daunting as they are exciting. With so many choices to make on what to update, sometimes the choice on how to renovate is overlooked. If you’re ready to give your kitchen a redo, and you’re looking to go green, here are five essentials for your fresh new kitchen: Induction Cooktop Aside from [...]