This resource guide contains lists
of books, articles, videos, magazines, newsletters, magazines, and organizations
that will help your and your neighbors learn more about creating sustainable
neighborhoods. We have included general references on subjects such
as cohousing and ecovillages at the beginning of the Guide, then listed
the remainder of the resources by suggestion. Because addresses, phone
numbers, and Web sites change from time to time, we have tried to provide
multiple access points for each listing. If a Web site or phone number
is no longer in service, you may want to try writing.
Cohousing, Ecovillages, New Towns, and Suburbs
Suggestion 1. Sponsor community dinners
Suggestion 2. Establish a community newsletter, bulletin board, and community roster
Suggestion 3. Establish a neighborhood watch program
Suggestion 4. Start neighborhood investment clubs, community sports activities and restoration projects
Suggestion 5. Form weekly discussion groups
Suggestion 6. Establish neighborhood babysitting coop
Suggestion 7. Form an organic food co-op
Suggestion 8. Create car or van pools
Suggestion 11. Create an asset inventory
Suggestion 12. Tear down fences to creating community greens
Suggestion 13. Plant a community garden and orchard
Suggestion 14. Establish neighborhood composting and recycling
Suggestion 15. Plant shade trees and windbreaks to create a more favorable microclimate
Suggestion 16. Replace asphalt and concrete with porous pavers and greenery
Suggestion 17. Establish a more edible landscape
Suggestion 18. Start or join a community-supported agriculture program
Suggestion 20. Begin Community-wide Retrofitting for Efficiency
Suggestion 21. Solarize Your Homes
Suggestion 22. Create a Community Energy System
Suggestion 23. Alternative Water and Waste System
Suggestion 24. Establish an environmentally friendly transportation strategy
Suggestion 25. Create a common house
Suggestion 26. Create a community-shared office
Suggestion 27. Establish entertainment for the community
Suggestion 28. Reclaim streets
Suggestion 29. Retrofit garages and rooms, creating apartments
Suggestion 30. Create a mixed-use neighborhood
Suggestion 31 - Foster Diversity
Cohousing,
Ecovillages, New Towns, and Suburbs
Publications
Alexander, Christopher, Sara Ishikawa
and Merry Silverstein. A Pattern Language: Towns Buildings, Construction.
New York: Oxford University Press, 1977. A classic with great insights
on people-friendly design.
Arendt, Randall G. Conservation Design
for Subdivisions. Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 1996. An interesting
look at ways to create more environmentally sensitive subdivisions.
Baxandall, Rosalyn, and Elizabeth
Ewen.. Picture Windows: How the Suburbs Happened. Boulder, Co.: Basic
Books., 2000. Interesting look at the history of suburban development
Beldon Russonello and Stewart. Choices
Between Asphalt and Nature: Americans Discuss Sprawl. The Biodiversity
in partnership with The Nature Conservancy: Washington, D.C., 1998.
Findings of 20 focus groups across the United States that show how Americans
feel about life in the suburbs.
Boehland, Jessica. "Cohousing:
How Green is My Village?" Environmental Building News Vol. 11 (9);
1, 10 - 17. Great overview with loads of valuable information.
Chiras, Daniel D. "Cohousing:
A Model for the Suburbs," Mother Earth News, June/July, 2002, p.
57. A brief look at cohousing - what a cohousing community is and how
we can benefit from them.
Chiras, Daniel D. "From Suburbia
to Superbia!" Mother Earth News, June/July, 2002, pp. 54 -56. An
overview of ways to make suburbs more people-friendly and environmentally
sustainable.
Communities Directory: A Guide To
Intentional Communities and Cooperative Living. Rutledge:
MO: Fellowship for Intentional Community, 2000. Includes cohousing and
other intentional communities. Corbett, Judy and Michael Corbett. Designing
Sustainable Communities: Learning from Village Homes. Washington, D.C.:
Island Press, 2000. Learn from two of the pioneers of the movement.
Duany, Andres, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk,
and Jeff Speck. Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline
of the American Dream. New York: North Point Press, 2000. Examines creative
ways to alter the course of urban and suburban development primarily
through neighborhood development.
Hanson, Chris. The Cohousing Handbook.Point
Roberts WA: Hartley and Marks, 1996. A great book for people who want
to learn more about cohousing or start their own cohousing community.
Hildur, Jackson and Svensson, Karen
(eds.) Ecovillage Living; Restoring the Earth and Her People. City:
Devon, England: Green Books, 2002. A full-color guide to ecovillages
around the world.
McCamant, Kathryn, Charles Durrett,
and Ellen Hertzman. CoHousing: A Contemporary Approach to Housing Ourselves.
2nd ed. Berkeley,Ca; Ten Speed Press, 1994. Very thorough examination
of cohousing communities and steps needed to establish one.
Norwood, Ken and Kathleen Smith,
Rebuilding Community in America: Housing for Ecological Living, Personal
Empowerment, and the New Extended Family. Berkeley, California: Shared
Living Resource Center, 1995. A valuable discussion of what it means
to live cooperatively.
Roseland, Mark, and Maureen Cureton,
Heather Wornell and Hazel Henderson, Toward Sustainable Communities:
Resources for Citizens and Their Governments. Vancouver:, B.C.: New
Society, 1998. One of the best resources for how to create livable,
sustainable communities.
Organizations
Beddington Zero Energy Development
c/o Peabody Trust, 45 Westminster Bridge Road
London SE1 7JB. Tel: 020 7922 0239. Web site: www.bedzed.org.uk. For
information on a truly inspiring ecovillage in the United Kingdom.
Center for a New American Dream,
6930 Carroll Avenue, Suite 900, Takoma Park, MD 20912 Tel: 301-891-3683
or 1-877-68-DREAM Web site: http://www.newdream.org/contact.html. Great
site for resources and ideas on sustainable pr
The Cohousing Network. Address: P.O. Box 2584, Berkeley, Ca. 94702.
Tel: (51O) 486-2656.
Web Site: http://www.cohousing.org. Offers a wealth of information on
cohousing, including a list of cohousing communities in various stages
of development with contact information. They also provide a connection
to consultants and developers. For a list of cohousing organizations
in other countries and various regions, see the CoHousing Network's
Web page. Check out the Organizational Resources on their web page.
Congress for a New Urbanism. The
Hearst Building, 5 Third Street, Suite 725, San Francisco, Ca. 94103-3296.
Tel: (415) 495-2555. Web site: www@cnu.org. This nonprofit group actively
promotes new urbanism, development based on the neighborhood model.
EcoVillage Network of Americas: http://ena.ecovillages.org.
Web site of Global Ecovillage Network: www.gaia.org/ Provides a wealth
of information on ecovillages throughout the world.
Global Ecovillage Network. U.S. Contact:
The EcoVillage Network of the Americas. EarthArt Village/Institute,
64001 County Road DD, Moffat, Co. 81143. Tel: (719) 256-4221. Web site:
www.gaia.org/. For information on ecovillages in your area and around
the world.
Hockerton Housing Project Trading
Ltd., The Watershed, Gables Drive, Hockerton, Southwell,
Notts NG25 OQU For information on a small housing development that incorporated
many of the environmental aspects of Superbia!
The Trust for Public Land. 116 New Montgomery St., 4th floor, San Francisco,
Ca. 94105. Tel: (415) 495-4014. Web site: www.tpl.org. Provides a wealth
of information on the protection of land for parks, gardens, greenbelts,
and riverways, all vital to successful and liveable communities.
Urban Land Institute..1025 Thomas
Jefferson St., NW, Suite 500 West, Washington, D.C. 20007. Tel: (800)
321-5011. Web site: www.uli.org. Provides information on urban revitalization,
smart growth to limit sprawl and its impacts, and sensible transportation
Cohousing
Consultants
The Cohousing Company, Charles Durrett
and Kathryn McCamant, 1250 Addison Street #113, Berkeley, CA 94702 Tel:
(510) 549-9980 Web site: www.cohousingco.com. Pioneers of the cohousing
movement, this firm works with resident groups and developers to form,
facilitate, design and build cohousing communities.
Kraus-Fitch Architects, Inc, Environmentally
Inspired Design, 110 Pulpit Hill Road | Amherst, Ma 01002 | Tel: 413.549.5799.
Web site: www.krausfitch.com/ Integrates architecture with community,
environment and quality of life, offer a full range of services with
an emphasis on ecologically sound and socially responsible design.
Cohousing Resources, LLC 9813 NE Murden Cove Drive Bainbridge Island,
WA 98110 Phone: (206) 842-9160 Web Site: www.cohousingresources.com
Has assisted more than 35 cohousing groups across the country with all
aspects of the cohousing development process.
Wonderland Hill Development Company 745 Poplar Avenue, Boulder Co. 80304
Tel: (303) 449-3232, Web site: www.whdc.com/ Largest cohousing developers
in the U.S.
Abraham and Associates, 1460 Quince Avenue, Suite102, Boulder, CO 80304
Tel: (303) 413-8066 Web site: www.abrahampaiss.com/ Provides public
relations and community building expertise.
Shared Living Resource Center, Parker Street #9, Berkeley, California
94704-2841 Tel: (510) 548-6608, Web site: www.sharedliving.org/ An introduction
to living in Ecological Sustainable Village Clusters
New Urbanist/ New Suburbanist Builders
The Cottage Company, LLC 8215 41st Avenue, NE, Seattle, WA. 98115. Ph:
(206) 525-0835, email jim@cottagecompany.com. A development company
and construction company based in Seattle, Washington, and focused on
the inplementation of "pocket neighborhoods" of cottages and
"not-so-big" homes.
Holt & Haugh, Inc., 1200 NW Naito Parkway, Portland, OR 97209 Ph:
(503) 222-5522. His company has been nationally recognized for the development
of Fairview Village.
Superbia! Consultants
The Sustainable Suburbs Project at The Sustainable Futures Society.
We offer workshops, seminars, speeches, slide shows, and consultation
on creating sustainable suburbs. We're looking for neighborhoods that
are interested in partnering with us to obtain funding to pursue the
ideas discussed in this book. For more information contact Dave Wann
at (303) 216-1281 or Wanndavejr@cs.com or Dan Chiras (303) 674-9688
or danchiras@msn.com.
Suggestion 1. Sponsor community dinners
Magazines
Cohousing Journal, available from
The Cohousing Network, has articles on common meals, The Cohousing Network.
Address: P.O. Box 2584, Berkeley, Ca. 94702. Tel: (51O) 486-2656. Web
Site: http://www.cohousing.org. The best source for seeing the day-to-day
life in cohousing.
Communities Magazine #96 (Fall 1997)
Breaking Bread in Community Dinners at the Sharingwood Cafe; Wildcrafting
in Our Yard; Tastes of Short Mountain; Dining in Cohousing; Contact:
Diana Christian 52 Willow St
Marion, NC 28752-4840 Tel: 828-652-8517 communities@ic.org
Online Resources
The Slow Food Movement. Web site:
www.slowfood.com. For information on thinking about food as a way to
create community.
For creative ideas on how to get
community dinners started, word-search on the web for "community
meals," "common meals," "progressive dinner,"
and "communal dining."
Suggestion 2. Establish
a community newsletter, bulletin board, and community roster
Neighbors Aware of Their Environment
(NATE). Web site: www.geocities.com/neighborsaware/about.html. This
web site is a free service designed to allow neighbors to create a free
online Neighborhood Bulletin.
Suggestion 3. Establish
a neighborhood watch program
To establish a Neighborhood Crime
Watch Program, contact your local police office or county sheriff's
office.
National Sheriff's Association Neighborhood
Watch.A valuable web site that offers much useful information on neighborhood
watch programs. Be sure to check out "Other Resources" for
a list of articles and success stories, law enforcement links, federal
agency links, and more. Web site: www.usaonwatch.org.
Neighbors Aware of Their Environment
(NATE). Web site: www.geocities.com/neighborsaware/about.html. This
web site is a free service designed to give neighbors a chance to inform
fellow neighbors of what is going on around their neighborhoods - for
example, to alert one another about potential dangers or crimes.
Suggestion 4. Start neighborhood investment clubs,
community sports activities and restoration projects
Organizations
For information on backyard wildlife
programs, see resources listed under suggestion 16.
Suggestion 5. Form
weekly discussion groups
Wheatley, Margaret J., Turning to One Another: Simple Conversations
to Restore Hope to the Future. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler, 2002.
A great book for examining why communication is at the core of community.
Northwest Earth Institute, Discussion Course on Choices for Sustainable
Living, Guidebook. Portland, OR: Northwest Earth Institute, 1999. These
discussion courses will build bridges between you and your neighbors.
Northwest Earth Institute, 506 SW Sixth Avenue, Suite 1100, Portland,
Oregon 97204 Tel: 503/227-2807, Web sit: http://www.nwei.org/ Courses
consist of 7 to 12 people who meet weekly for about an hour to discuss
readings from a course book. Course books, each about 100 to 150 pages
in length, contain a diverse collection of essays, articles, and book
excerpts organized around weekly themes to create lively discussion.
*Seeds of Simplicity, P.O. Box 9955, Glendale, CA 91226, Phone &
Fax: (818) 247-4332 1-877-UNSTUFF. Says founder Cecille Andrews, "Being
happier with less focus on trappings is easy when it saves you money,
benefits the environment, teaches children meaningful values and helps
others in need." Her study circles can help you find this path.
Suggestion 6. Establish
neighborhood babysitting coop
Online
Resources
http://mt.essortment.com/babysittingcoop_rvzh.htm
A few good ideas for organizing a coop.
http://www.geocities.com/babysitting_coop/
How to set up a babysitting coop in your area.
Suggestion 7. Form
an organic food co-op
Online
Resources
Jim Williams' listing of food co-ops: links to co-ops with web pages,
http://www.columbia.edu/~jw157/food.coop.html
Listing of food co-op web pages:
http://www.ncba.coop/ntlfood.cfm
Listing of links to food cooperatives: retails, distributors, other
lists, and pet food co-ops, http://www.wisc.edu/uwcc/links/foodlinks.html
Food Co-op Directory: listing of U.S. and Canada food co-ops, http://www.prairienet.org/co-op/directory/
Suggestion 8. Create
car or van pools
Metro Planning Commission. Moving
Towards More Community-Oriented Transportation Strategies in the Bay
Area: A Guide to Getting the Information. Metropolitan Planning Commission,
Oakland, California, 1996. This guide discusses improving streetscapes,
transit stop designs and using infill development, mixed-use development,
and networks of streets and paths for bikers and pedestrians.
Organizations
Transportation Alternatives, 115
West 30th Street, Suite 1207, New York, NY 10001 Promotes Walking, and
Environmentally Sensible Transportation Bicycling. Tel: 212-629-8080Web
site: www.transalt.org/
Community Transportation Association
of America, 1341 G St NW, 10th Floor, Washington DC 20005. Phone: (202)628-1480
http://www.ctaa.org/
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Network (EREN) Transportation Site
Offers information on transportation technologies including reducing
miles traveled and alternative fuel infrastructure. http://www.eere.energy.gov/EE/transportation.html
Building Livable Communities through
Transportation. This is an initiative of the Project for Public Spaces,
with information on streets, transit, national and regional programs,
and publications on transportation and livable communities. http://www.pps.org/Transportation/livable_transportation.htm.
Online
Resources
Carfree.com This website provides
background information on the concept of car-free cities, discusses
related issues, and offers links and lists of print resources on alternatives
to automobile transportation.
Suggestion 9- Create
a neighborhood work-share program
Brandt, Barbara. Whole Life Economics:
Revaluing Daily Life. Gabriola Island, B.C.: New Society Publishers,
1995. A discussion of the intrinsic values. Money is an indicator of
these values, but it isn't the value itself.
Cahn, Edgar S. No More Throw-Away
People - The Co-Production Imperative, Washington DC: Essential Books,
2000. A discussion of how Time Dollars were developed into a practical
and powerful tool for community transformation.
Suggestion 10. Create a mission statement
Kretzman, John P. and John L. McKnight,
Building Communities from the Inside Out: A Path Toward Finding and
Mobilizing a Community Assets. Chicago, Illinois: ACTA Publications,
1997
Shaffer, Carolyn R, and Kristin Anundsen,
M. Scott Peck, Patricia Backlar, Creating Community Anywhere: Finding
Support and Connection in a Fragmented World. City?: Perigee, 1993
Suggestion 11. Create
an asset inventory
Berman, Morris. The Reenchantment
of the World. New York: Bantam Books, 1984. Discusses how to become
re-connected with one's immediate surroundings.
Sobel, David, Map-Making with Children: Sense-of-Place Education for
the Elementary School Years, Crystal Lake, Illinois: Heineman, 1998
Green Map System. PO Box 249, New
York, NY 10002 . Tel: (212) 674-1631. Web site: www.greenmap.org. Provides
assistance in developing asset inventories, specifically "green" assets in a community.
Organizations
CUBE, Center for Understanding the
Built Environment, 5328 W. 67th Street, Prairie Village, KS 66208
Tel: (913) 262-8222 Web site: cubekc.org
Bolder Steps
Suggestion 12. Tear
down fences to creating community greens
Publications
Drayton, Bill. "Secret Gardens," The Atlantic Monthly, June, 2000. On line at www.theatlantic.com/issues/2000/06/drayton.htm.
An excellent article that describes the many benefits of creating community
greens.
Cooper Marcus, Clare, "The Neighborhood
Approach to Building Community: A Different Perspective on Smart Growth." Western City Magazine, March 2001. How to create cooperative spaces
in your neighborhood.
Organizations
Community Greens. 1700 N. Moore Street,
Suite 2000, Arlington, VA 22209-1939
Tel: (703) 527-8300 Web site: www.communitygreens.org/. A nonprofit
organization that facilitates the development of community greens in
residential neighborhoods in the United States.
Suggestion 13. Plant a community garden and orchard
Publications
Abi-Nader, Jeanette and David Buckley,
Kendall Dunnigan and Kristen Markley. "Growing Communities: How
to Build Community Through Community Gardening." Available online
at http://www.communitygarden.org/
Ableman, Michael. On Good Land: The
Autobiography of an Urban Farm. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1998
How grower Ableman preserved a farm that was totally surrounded by suburban
development.
Ambler, Wayne, Carol Landa Christensen,
Larry Hodgson, Peter Loewer, and Ted Marston. Treasury of Gardening.
Lincolnwood, IL: Publications International, 1997. This book contains
a wealth of information on landscape design that will be useful as you
transform your yard into an edible landscape.
Bartholomew, Mel. Square Foot Gardening.
Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press, 1981. How to optimize your yield on small
plots of land.
Bradley, Fern Marshall, ed. Rodale's
All-New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press
1992. A compendium of organic gardening techniques - a classic.
Butler, Karan Davis. The Complete
Vegetable and Herb Gardener, New York: Macmillan, 1997 An accessible,
comprehensive resource with lots of lists and high-yield approaches.
Chotzinoff, Robin. People With Dirty
Hands, Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons, 1997 A book that celebrates
the passion of gardening: ordinary folks who can't stop growing.
Denckla, Tanya. The Organic Gardener's
Home Reference. Pownal, VT: Storey Communications, Inc., 1994. Contains
a wealth of information on fruits, nuts, vegetables, herbs, and pest
control. A nice book to have on your potting bench or the arm of your
easy chair in the winter.
Hemenway, Toby. Gaia's Garden, A
Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture, White River Junction, Vermont: Chelsea
Green Publishing Company, 2001. A whole-systems approach to gardening.
Jeavons, John. How to Grow More Vegetables.
Berkeley: 10 Speed Press, 1991.Excellent reference, compiles 30 years
of meticulous research on Biointensive growing.
Payne, Karen and Deborah Fryman, Cultivating Community:Principles and
Practices for Community Gardening as a Community-Building Tool, http://www.comunitygarden.org.
Discusses how to structure and manage a community garden.
Shapiro, Howard-Yana and John Harrisson. Gardening for the Future of
the Earth, New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell, 2000. Literally grounded
in the principles of sustainability.
Smith, Shane. The Greenhouse Gardener's Companion, Golden, Colorado:
Fulcrum Publishers, 2000 How to operate a solar greenhouse, from planting
to harvesting.
Wann, David The Zen of Gardening in the High & Arid West, Golden,
Co: Fulcrum Publishers, 2003 Tips, Tools and Techniques for growing
everything from peanuts to poppies.
Organizations
American Community Gardening Association,
100 N 20th. St. 5th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103-1495. Tel: (215) 988-8785.
Web site: http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu. A nonprofit organization
that offers a wealth of information on community gardens. Be sure to
check out their web site for tips on starting a community garden.
City Farmer, Canada's Office of Urban
Agriculture. Web site: www.cityfarm@unixq.ubc.ca. This site contains
information on many topics, especially resources for starting a garden
at a local school, even lesson plans. Great resource for teachers and
interested community members.
Suggestion 14. Establish neighborhood composting
and recycling
Stell, Elizabeth, Secrets to Great
Soil: A Grower's Guide to Composting, Mulching, and Creating Healthy,
Fertile Soil North Adams, MA. Dimensions Press, 1998 A good, basic resource
for learning how to compost.
Martin, Deborah L. The Rodale Book
of Composting. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press, 1992. Contains all the fundamental
wisdom from half a century of experience.
Organizations
Ecological Engineering and Design,
152 Commonwealth Avenue, Concord, Massachusetts 01742-2968 USA. Tel:
9978)/369-9440 Web site: http://www.oldgrowth.org/compost/products/large
(The Compost Resource Page).
Suggestion 15. Plant
shade trees and windbreaks to create a more favorable microclimate
Damstad, Wenche E., James D. Olson,
and Richard T. Forman. Landscape Ecology: Principles in Landscape Architecture
and Land-Use Planning. Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 1996. A useful
textbook on the subject.
Lipkis, Andy and Katie Lipkis. The Simple Act of Planting a Tree: Healing
Your Neighborhoods, Your City, and Your World. Los Angeles: Tarcher,
1990. A great book from the founder of Tree People, an organization
that knows the overall value of trees.
Moffat, A. S., Schiler, M. and the Staff of Green Living. Energy-Efficient
and Environmental Landscaping. Appropriate Solutions Press: South Newfane,
Vt., 1994. An excellent reference with an abundance of information on
landscaping strategies and plant varieties suitable for your climate
zone. This book also lists solar tables that will help you determine
the path of sun at different times of year in your area.
NREL Landscaping for Energy Efficiency.
DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 1995. DOE/GO-10095-046.
Provides a decent, though somewhat disorganized overview on the topic.
Stein, Sara Bonnett. Noah's Garden:
Restoring the Ecology of Our Own Backyards. New York: Houghton Mifflin,
1995. Explains how urban and suburban lawns wipe out entire communities
of plants and animals, and what we can do about it.
Stein, Sara Bonnett. Planting Noah's
Garden. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1997 Shows how people are helping
to restore backyard ecosystems.
Striefel, Jan and Wesley A. Groesbeck.
The Resource Guide to Sustainable Landscapes. Salt Lake City, Ut.: Environmental
Resources, Inc., 1995. Excellent resource.
Vivian, John. "The Working Lawn:
A Step Beyond an Expanse of Green," Mother Earth News, June/July
2001, 66 - 74. A guide to converting lawn to a productive landscape.
Organizations
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
4801 LaCrosse Avenue, Austin, TX 78739. Tel: (512) 292-4200. Web site:
www.wildflower.org. Offers a wealth of information and assistance on
planting native wildflowers.
National Arbor Day Foundation. 100
Arbor Avenue, Nebraska City, NE 68410. Web site: www.arborday.org. Promotes
tree planting efforts in the U.S., and gives free trees to new members.
National Wildlife Federation's Backyard
Wildlife Habitat Program. 11100 Wildlife Center Drive Reston, VA 20190-5362.
Tel: (703) 438-6000. Web site: nwf.org/backyardwidlifehabitat. Superb
source of information on establishing backyard wildlife habitat program.
See their newsletter, Habitats.
Suggestion 16. Replace
asphalt and concrete with porous pavers and greenery
Bay Area Stormwater Management Agencies Association and Tom Richman
Associates. Start at the Source: Design Guidance Manual for Stormwater
Quality Protection.New York: Forbes Custom Publishing, 1997.
Organizations
Low Impact Development Center. 5010
Sunnyside Ave., Suite 200, Beltsville, MD 20705. Tel: (301) 982-5559.
Web site: http://lowimpactdevelopment.org/ A nonprofit organization
dedicated to maintaining and enhancing pre-development hydrologic regime
(water flows) in urban and developing watersheds.
Middlesex County Extension Center,
1066 Saybrook Rd. BOX 70, Haddam, CT 06438, Phone: (860) 345-4511 Good
resource with case studies of alternative pavements and surfaces. Web
site: http://nemo.uconn.edu/about.htm
Suggestion
17. Establish a more edible landscape
Bruchklackher, Ann E. "Mind
Your Mulch," Natural Home, March/April 2003, pp. 70 - 71. A short
but informative article on eco-friendly mulches.
Creasy, Rosalind, and Marcia Kier-Hawthorne.
The Complete Book of Edible Landscaping. San Francisco: Sierra Club
Books, 1982. Considered the basic resource on this subject.
Glickman, Marshall. "Xeriscaping
for Everyone," Natural Home, March/April 2003, pp. 66 - 69. Great
introduction to the topic.
Kourik, Robert, Designing and Maintaining
Your Edible Landscape Naturally; Santa Rosa, CA: Metamorphic Press,
1986 Getting started with herbs, berries, and fruits in your yard.
Mollison, B. Perma-Culture Two: Practical
Design for Town and Country in Permanent Agriculture. Tagari Books:
Stanley, Tasmania, Australia, 1979. A seminal work in the field of permaculture.
Also see resources listed under suggestion
14.
Suggestion 18. Start or join a community-supported
agriculture program
Publications
BioDynamic Association. Community
Related Agriculture. Kimberton, PA: BioDynamic Association. A brochure
that outlines the organization and planning of community farms, CSA
and subscription farms. Available from the BioDynamic Association, PO
Box 550, Kimberton, PA 19422. Tel: (800) 516-7797.
DeMuth, Suzanne. Community Supported
Agriculture (CSA): An Annotated Bibliography and Resource Guide. Beltsville,
MD: Alternative Farming Systems Information Center, 1993. Available
from the Alternative Farming Systems Information Center (AFSIC). National
Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD 20705-2351. Tel: (301) 504-6559.
Groh, Trauger and Steven McFadden.
Farms of Tomorrow-Community Supported Farms, Farm Supported Communities,
1990. Farms of Tomorrow-Revisited, 1997. Basic text and updated version
on CSA in general and on several BioDynamic farms in particular. Available
from the BioDynamic Association, listed above.
Henderson, Elizabeth and Robyn Van En, Sharing the Harvest: A Guide
to Community-Supported Agriculture. White River Junction, Vermont: Chelsea
Green, 1999
Iowa State University Extension Service. Community Supported Agriculture:
Local Food Systems for Iowa (PM 1692). Ames, Iowa: ISU Extension Agency.
Available from ISU Extension Distribution, 119 Printing and Publ., ISU,
Ames, IA 50011-3171. Tel: (515) 294-2945.
Iowa State University Extension Service.
Iowa Community Supported Agriculture Resource Book for Producers and
Organizers (PM 1694),Ames, Iowa: ISU Extension Agency. Available from
ISU Extension Distribution, 119 Printing and Publisher, ISU, Ames, IA
50011-3171. Tel: (515) 294-2945.
Kane, Deborah. Maximizing Shareholder
Retention in Southeastern CSAs: A Step Toward Long-Term Stability, 1997.
Athens, Ga.: Institute of Ecology. Available from the Institute of Ecology,
University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-2202.
Milstein, Sarah. "Creating a
Market: Community Supported Agriculture," Mother Earth News, February,
1999. This article is geared toward farmers, but contains a lot of useful
information for members of CSA. .
Towley, Tamsyn and Chris Beeman.
Our Field: A Manual for Community Shared Agriculture,. 1994. Covers
many important topics. Guelph, Ontario, Canadad: University of Guelph.
Available from Tamsyn Towley, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario,
Canada N1G2W1. (519)824-4120 ext. 8480, fax (519)763-4686.
UC Cooperative Extension. Community
Supported Agriculture, Making the Connection. Auburn, CA: UC Cooperative
Extension. This guidebook covers CSA design, member recruitment, creating
production and harvest plans, setting share prices and legal issues;
incorporates ideas and strategies of successful CSA farms. Available
from UC Cooperative Extension, attn: CSA Handbook, 11477 E. Ave., Auburn,
CA 95603.
Van En, Robyn. Basic Formula to Create
Community Supported Agriculture. Chambersburg, PA: Van En Center For
Community Supported Agriculture, 1992. An 80-page handbook/start-up
manual including sample budgets, job descriptions, community outreach
tactics, bibliography, and more. Available from Van En Center For Community
Supported Agriculture. See organizations.
Van En, Robyn and Cathy Roth. Community
Supported Agriculture. Univ. of Mass Cooperative Extension Publication
C-212. A basic introduction to CSA. Available from Bulletin Center,
Cottage A, Thatcher Way, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003.
UMass Publication Office. Tel: (413) 545-2717.
Magazines
and Newsletters
Growing for Market: News and Ideas
for Market Gardeners, Fairplain Publications, PO Box 3747, Lawrence,
KS 66046. Tel: (913) 841-2259. Regular stories on CSA.
The Community Farm: A Voice for Community
Supported Agriculture. 3480 Potter Road, Bear Lake, MI 49614. Tel: (616)
889-3216. Contains a lot of practical information on CSA.
Biodynamics: A Bimonthly Magazine
Centered on Health and Wholeness. BioDynamic Assoc., PO Box 550, Kimberton,
PA 19442. Tel: (800) 516-7797. Classifieds offer lists of positions
for CSA growers, etc.
Videos
CSA: Making a Difference, Van En
Center for CSA c/o Wilson College, 1997, Available from Center for Sustainable
Living, 1015 Philadelphia Ave., Chambersburg, PA 17201. (717) 264-4141
ext. 3247.
It's Not Just About Vegetables, Downtown
Productions and Jan Vandertuin. 1986. Available from Downtown Productions,
22 Railroad St., Great Barrington, MA 01230. (413) 528-9395.
Shared Farming: Towards a Sustainable
Community, CSA Canada. Available from CSA Canada, Box 353, St. Adolphe,
Manitoba, Canada R5A1A2.
Organizations
Alternative Farming Systems Information Center. Web site: www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/csa/.
This web site offers a wealth of information on community supported
agriculture, including a link to a site that you can use to locate a
farm near you.
BioDynamic Association, PO Box 550 Kimberton, PA 19442. Tel: (800) 516-7797.
Web site: internet http://www.his.com/-claymont/bd/assoc.html. A major
proponent of CSA in North America, which publishes a bimonthly newsletter,
sponsors conferences, provides a catalog of resources, and maintains
a large CSA database.
CSA Center. For a list of community-supported Agriculture Farms in your
area check out this web site: www.csacenter.org/csastate.htm.
CSA Farm Network, Steve Gilman. 130 Ruckytucks Rd., Stillwater, NY 12170.
Tel: (518) 583-4613. West, PO Box 363, Davis, California 95617. Tel:
(916) 756-8518, Web site: www.caff.org. CSA information on the West
Coast. Promotes CSA in the Northeast.CSA
Community Supported Agriculture of North America at the University of
Massachusetts Extension. Web site: www.umass.edu/umext/csa/. Check out
their web site for a wealth of information, including an extensive list
of resources.
CSA Works, 115 Bay Road, Hadley, MA 01035. Tel: (413)586-5133. Provides
assistance to the farmers needed to run efficient CSA enterprises.
Just Food, 625 Broadway, Suite 9C, New York, NY 10012. (212) 677-1602,
fax (212) 505-8613, e-mail justfood@igc.org. Helps connect Northeast
CSA farmers and New Yorkers; provides start-up and ongoing support to
farmers and core group members.
Madison Area Community Supported Agricultural Coalition (MACSAC), 4915
Monona Dr. Suite 304, Monona, WI 53716. Tel: (608) 226-0300 Web site:
www.wisc.edu/cias/macsac. Coalition of community activists, representatives
of organizations supporting sustainable agriculture and farmers in the
Madison area that educates the public about CSA; publishes an annual
CSA directory, and provides support and networking opportunities to
CSA farms.
Robyn Van En Center for Community Supported Agriculture c/o Wilson College,
Center for Sustainable Living, 1015 Philadelphia Ave., Chambersburg,
PA 17201 Tel: (717) 264-4141 x3247. Provides information, handbook,
video, slide show and information on CSA development and promotion,
research compilations, etc.
Suggestion 19. Create a car-share program
Organizations
Car Plus A European nonprofit organization that works with communities,
local authorities, and partner associations to promote and support development
of car clubs - car sharing programs in the United Kingdom. Their web
site contains a welath of valuable information. Address: The Studio,
32 The Calls, Leeds, England LS2 7EW. Tel: 0113 234 9299. Web site:
www.carclubs.org.uk/carplus/index.htm
City CarShare. A nonprofit organization that promotes car-sharing in
and around San Francisco. Tel: (415) 995-8588. Web site: www.cityshare.org/about/
Flexcar. A company that operates car-share programs in California, Maryland,
Oregon, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and the state of Washington. Web
site: www.flexcar.com
Zipcar. A company that operates car-share programs in Boston, New York
City, Washington, D.C., and Denver. Tel: (800) 494-7227. Web site: www.zipcar.com
Suggestion 20 Begin Community-wide Retrofitting
for Efficiency
Creating Energy-Efficient Buildings
Publications
Chiras, Dan. "Retrofitting a Foundation for Energy Efficiency,
The Last Straw 38 (Summer 2002), p. 10. Describes ways to retrofit foundations
to reduce heat loss.
Carmody, John, Stephen Selkowitz, and Lisa Heschong. Residential Windows:
A Guide to New Technologies and Energy Performance. New York: Norton,
1996. Extremely important reading for all passive solar home designers.
Fine Homebuilding. The Best of Fine Homebuilding: Energy-Efficient Building.
Newtown, Ct: Taunton Press, 1999. A collection of detailed, somewhat
technical, articles on a wide assortment of topics related to energy
efficiency including insulation, energy-saving details, windows, housewraps,
skylights, and heating systems.
Hurst-Wajszczuk, Joe. "Save Energy and Money - Now," Mother
Earth News, October/November 2001, 24 - 33. Useful tips on saving energy
in new and existing homes.
Lstiburek, Joe, and Besty Pettit. EEBA Builder's Guide-Cold Climate.
Minneapolis, Mn.: Energy Efficient Building Association, 1999. Superb
resource for advice on building in cold climates.
_____. EEBA Builder's Guide-Mixed Humid Climate. Minneapolis, Mn.: Energy
Efficient Building Association, 1999. Superb resource for advice on
this climate.
_____. EEBA Builder's Guide-Hot-Arid Climate. Minneapolis, Mn.: EEBA,
1999. Superb resource for advice on building in hot arid climates.
Mumma, Tracy. Guide to Resource Efficient Building Elements. Missoula,
Mt: National Center for Appropriate Technology, Center for Resourceful
Building Technology, 1997. A handy guide to materials that help improve
the efficiency of homes and other buildings. Available in updated versions
online and free at www.crbt.org.
National Association of Home Builders Research Center. Design Guide
for Frost-Protected Shallow Foundations. Upper Marlboro, Md.: NAHB Research
Center, 1996. Also available on-line, as indicated in the text in chapter
2.
Pahl, Greg. Home Heating Basics. White River Junction, Vt: Chelsea Green,
2003. A useful overview of home heating.
Scheckel, Paul. Home Energy Basics. White River Junction, Vt: Chelsea
Green, 2003. An overview of energy consumption and conservation in homes.
Wilson, Alex. "Windows: Looking through the Options," Solar
Today May/June, 2001, 36 - 39. A great overview of windows with a useful
checklist for those in the market to buy new windows.
Wilson, Alex, Jennifer Thorne, and John Morrill. Consumer Guide to Home
Energy Savings, 7th ed. Washington, D.C.: American Council for an Energy-Efficient
Economy, 1999. Excellent book, full of information on energy-saving
appliances.
Yost, Harry. Home Insulation: Do It Yourself and Save as Much as 40%.
Pownal, Vt.: Storey Communications, 1991. Extremely useful book to read
for anyone building his or her own home.
Organizations
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. 1001 Connecticut Avenue
NW, Suite 801, Washington, D.C. 20036. Tel: (202) 429-0063, Web site:
www.aceee.org. Numerous excellent publications on energy efficiency,
including Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings.
Building America Program. U.S. Department of Energy. Office of Building
Systems, EE-41, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, D.C. 20585.
Tel: (202) 586-9472. Leaders in promoting energy-efficiency and renewable
energy to achieve zero energy buildings.
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Clearinghouse. P.O. Box 3048,
Merrifield, Va. 22116. Tel: (800) 363-3732. Great source of a variety
of useful information on energy efficiency.
Energy Efficient Building Association. 490 Concordia Ave., P.O. Box
22307, Eagen, Mn. 55122. Tel: (651) 268-7585. Web site: http://www.eeba.org/.
Offers conferences, workshops, publications and an on-line bookstore.
Southface Energy Institute, 241 Pine
Street , Atlanta, Georgia 30308 Tel: (404) 872-3549 Web site www.southface.org/
This institute promotes sustainable homes, work places and communities
through education, research, advocacy and technical assistance.
U.S. Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency's ENERGY
STAR program. Tel: (888) 782-7937. Web site: www.energystar.gov.
Energy-Efficient Heating Systems
Publications
Chiras, Daniel D. The Solar House: Passive Heating and Cooling. White
River Jct., Vt: Chelsea Green, 2002. See chapter 4 for a discussion
of energy-efficient heating systems.
Gulland, John. "Woodstove Buyer's Guide," Mother Earth News
(December/January 2002), 32-43. Superb overview of woodstoves with a
useful table to help you select a model that meets your needs.
Lyle, David. The Book of Masonry
Stoves: Rediscovering an Old Way of Warming. White River Junction, Vt.:
Chelsea Green, 1984. This book contains a wealth of information on the
history, function, design, and construction of masonry stoves.
Malin, Nadav, and Alex Wilson. "Ground-Source
Heat Pumps: Are They Green?" Environmental Building News 9 (July/August
2000), 1, 16-22. Detailed overview of the operation and pros and cons
of ground-source heat pumps.
National Renewable Energy Lab. "Geothermal Heat Pumps," published
on-line at http://www.eren.doe.gov/erec/factsheets/geo_heatpumps.html.
Great overview of ground-source heat pumps.
Siegenthaler, John. "Hydronic
Radiant-Floor Heating," Fine Homebuilding, October/November 1996,
58-63. Extremely useful reference. Well written, thorough, and well
illustrated.
Wilson, Alex. "A Primer on Heating Systems," Fine Homebuilding,
February/March1997, 50-55. Superb overview of furnaces, boilers, and
heat systems.
Wilson, A. "Radiant-Floor Heating: When It Does-and Doesn't-Make
Sense," Environmental
Building News, January 2002, 1, 9-14.
Valuable reading.
Organizations
Geo-Heat Center, Oregon Institute of Technology, 3201 Campus Dr., Klamath,
Or. 97601. Tel: (541) 885-1750. Web: www.oit.osshe.edu/~geoheat/. Technical
information on heat pumps.
Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium, Inc. 701 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Washington,
D.C. 20004-2696. Tel: (888) 333-4472. Web site: www.ghpc.org. General
and technical information on heat pumps.
Hearth, Patio, and Barbecue Association. (Formerly the Hearth Products
Association.) International trade association that promotes the interests
of the hearth products industry. 1601 North Kent Street, Suite 1001,
Arlington, Va. 22209. Web site: http://hpba.org. Offers lots of valuable
information.
Masonry Heater Association of North
America. 1252 Stock Farm Road, Randolph, Vt. 05060. Tel: (802) 728-5896.
Web site: www.mha-net.org Publishes a valuable newsletter and has a
web site with links to dealers and masons who design and build masonry
stoves.
Radiant Panel Association. Professional organization consisting of radiant
heating and cooling contractors, wholesalers, manufacturers, and professionals.
1433 West 29th Street, Loveland, Co. 80539. Tel: (970) 613-0100. Web
site: www.radiantpanelassociation.org
U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Geothermal Technologies. EE-12,
1000 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20585-0121. Tel: (202)
586-5340. Carries out research on GSHPs and works closely with industry
to implement new ideas.
Suggestion 21 Solarize Your Homes
Chiras, Daniel D. The Solar House:
Passive Heating and Cooling. White River Jct., Vt: Chelsea Green, 2002.
A comprehensive guide to heating and cooling homes naturally.
Chiras, Daniel D. "Build a Solar Home and Let the Sunshine in," Mother Earth News, August/September 2002, pp. 74 - 81 A survey of passive
solar design principles and a case study showing the economics of passive
solar heating.
Chiras, Dan. "Tapping into the Sun," Natural Home, March/April
2003, pp. 78 - 81. A brief introduction to passive solar heating with
ideas on retrofitting homes for passive solar.
Energy Division, North Carolina Department of Commerce. Solar Homes
for North Carolina: A Guide to Building and Planning Solar Homes. Raleigh,
N.C.: North Carolina Solar Center, 1999. Available on-line at the North
Carolina Solar Center's web site.
Miller, Burke. Solar Energy: Today's Technologies for a Sustainable
Future. Boulder, Co.: American Solar Energy Society, 1997. An extremely
valuable resource with numerous case studies showing how passive solar
heating can be used in different climates, even some fairly solar-deprived
places.
Olson, Ken and Joe Schwartz. "Home Sweet Solar Home: A Passive
Solar Design Primer," Home Power, August/September 2002, 86 - 94.
Superb introduction to passive solar design principles.
Sustainable Buildings Industry Council. Designing Low-Energy Buildings:
Passive Solar Strategies and Energy-10 software. SBIC, 1996. A superb
resource! This book of design guidelines and the Energy-10 software
that comes with it enables builders to analyze the energy and cost savings
in building designs. Helps permit region-specific design.
Magazines and Newsletters
Backwoods Home Magazine. P.O. Box 712, Gold Beach, Or. 97444. Tel: (800)
835-2418. Web site: www.backhome.com. Publishes articles on all aspects
of self-reliant living, including renewable energy strategies such as
solar.
Home Energy Magazine. 2124 Kittredge Street, No. 95, Berkeley, Ca. 94704.
Great resource for those who want to learn more about ways to save energy
in conventional home construction.
Home Power. P.O. Box 520, Ashland, Or. 97520. Tel: (800) 707-6585. Web
site: www.homepower.com Publishes numerous articles on PVs, wind energy,
microhydroelectric, and occasionally an article or two on passive solar
heating and cooling.
Solar Today.. ASES, 2400 Central Ave., Suite G-1, Boulder, Co. 80301.
Tel: (303) 443-3130. Web site: http://www.ases.org/solar/. This magazine
published by the American Solar Energy Society contains a wealth of
information on passive solar, solar thermal, photovoltaics, hydrogen,
and other topics. Also lists names of engineers, builders, and installers
and lists workshops and conferences
Videos
Buildings for a Sustainable America. A concise overview of passive solar
buildings and their benefits. Available from the Sustainable Buildings
Industry Council (SBIC), 1331 H Street NW, Suite 1000, Washington, D.C.
20005. Tel: (202) 628-7400. Web site: www.sbicouncil.org.
The Solar-Powered Home with Rob Roy. An 84-minute video that examines
basic principles, components, set-up, and system planning for an off-grid
home featuring tips from America's leading experts in the field of home
power. Can be purchased from the Earthwood Building School at 366 Murtagh
Hill Road, West Chazy, N.Y. 12992. Tel: (518) 493-7744. Web site: www.interlog.com/~ewood.
Organizations
American Solar Energy Society. 2400 Central Avenue, Suite G-1, Boulder,
CO 80301. Web site: http://www.ases.org/solar/. Publishes Solar Today
magazine and sponsors an annual national meeting. Also publishes an
on-line catalogue of publications and sponsors the National Tour of
Solar Homes. Contact this organization to find out about an ASES chapter
in your area.
Center for Building Science,. Web site: http://eande.lbl.gov/CBS/CBS.html.
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Center for Building Science
works to develop and commercialize energy-efficient technologies and
to document ways of improving energy efficiency of homes and other buildings
while protecting air quality
Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technologies (CREST). CREST,
1612 K St. NW, Suite 410, Washington, D.C. 20006. Tel: (202) 293-2898.
Web site: http://solstice.crest.org. Nonprofit organization dedicated
to renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable living.
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Clearinghouse. P.O. Box 3048,
Merrifield, Va. 22116. Tel: (800) 363-3732. Great source of a variety
of useful information on renewable energy.
National Renewable Energy Lab.. NREL, 1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, Co. 80401.
Tel: (303) 384-7349. Web site: www.nrel.gov/buildings/highperformance.
Center for Buildings and Thermal Systems. Key players in research and
education on energy efficiency and passive solar heating and cooling
North Carolina Solar Center. Address: Box 7401, Raleigh, N.C. 27695.
Tel: (919) 515-3480. Web site: http://www.ncsc.ncsu.edu. Offers workshops,
tours, publications, and much more.
Solar Energy International. Contact them at P.O. Box 715, Carbondale,
Co. 81623. Tel: (970) 963-8855. Web site: www.solarenergy.org. Offers
a wide range of workshops on solar energy, wind energy, and natural
building.
Sustainable Buildings Industries Council. SBIC, 331 H. Street NW, Suite
1000, Washington, D.C. 20005. Tel: (202) 628-7400. Web site: http://www.psic.org/.
This organization has a terrific web site with information on workshops,
books and publications, and links to many other international, national,
and state solar energy organizations. Publishes a newsletter, Buildings
Inside and Out.
Suggestion 22 -- Create a Community Energy System
Please also see resources listed under suggestions 20 and 21.
Publications
Gipe, Paul. Wind Power: For Homes and Business: Renewable Energy for
the 1990s and Beyond.: White River Junction: Vt.: Chelsea Green, 1993.
Comprehensive, technical coverage of home wind power.
Hackleman, Michael and Claire Anderson. "Harvest the Wind," Mother Earth News, June/July, 2002, 70 - 81. A wonderful introduction
to wind power.
Jeffrey, Kevin. Independent Energy Guide: Electrical Power for Home,
Boat, and RV. Ashland, Ma.: Orwell Cove Press, 1995. Contains a wealth
of information on solar electric systems and wind generators-and it
is fairly easy to read.
Komp, Richard J. Practical Photovoltaics: Electricity from Solar Cells.
3rd ed. Ann Arbor: Mi.: aatec Publications, 1999. Fairly popular book
on PVs.
Peavy, Michael A.. Fuel from Water: Energy Independence with Hydrogen.
8th ed. Louisville, Ky. Merit, Inc., 1998. Technical analysis for the
engineers and chemists.
Potts, Michael. The New Independent Home: People and Houses that Harvest
the Sun, Wind, and Water. White River Junction, Vt.: Chelsea Green,
1999. See description in Chapter 11.
Sagrillo, Mick. "Apples and Oranges 2002: Choosing a Home-Sized
Wind Generator," Home Power #90, August/September, 2002, 50 - 66.
An extremely useful comparison of popular wind generators with lots
of good advice on choosing a wind machine that works best for you. A
must read for anyone interested in buying a wind generator.
Schaeffer, John and the Real Goods Staff. Solar Living Source Book.
10th ed. Ukiah, Ca.: Real Goods, 1999. Contains an enormous amount of
background information on wind, solar, and microhydroelectric.
Seuss, Terri and Cheryl Long. "Eliminate Your Electric Bill: Go
Solar, Be Secure," Mother Earth News, February/March 2002, 72 -
82. An excellent discussion of solar roofing materials.
Videos
An Introduction to Residential Microhydro Power with Don Harris. Produced
by Scott S. Andrews. P.O. Box 3027, Sausalito, Ca 94965. Tel: (415)
332-5191. Outstanding video packed with lots of useful information.
.
An Introduction to Residential Solar Electricity with Johnny Weiss.
Good basic introduction to solar electricity. Source: listed above.
An Introduction to Residential Wind Power with Mick Sagrillo. A very
informative video, especially for those wishing to install a medium-sized
system. Source: listed above.
An Introduction to Solar Water Pumping with Windy Dankoff.A very useful
introduction to the subject. Source: listed above.
An Introduction to Storage Batteries for Renewable Energy Systems with
Richard Perez. This is one of the best videos in the series. It's full
of great information. Source: listed above.
Newsletters and Magazines
Home Power Magazine. See listing above.
Solar Today. See listing above.
Wind Energy Weekly. Newsletter published by the American Wind Energy
Association listed under organizations.
Organizations
American Solar Energy Society. See listing above.
American Wind Energy Association. 122C Street, NW, Suite 380, Washington,
D.C. 20001. Tel: (202) 383-2500. Web site: http://www.ogc.apc.org/awea/.
This organization also sponsors an annual conference on wind energy.
Check out their web site which contains a list of publications, their
on-line newsletter, frequently asked questions, news releases, and links
to companies and organizations.
Beddington Zero Energy Development. See previous listing.
Hockerton Housing Project. See previous listing.
National Wind Technology Center of
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory. 1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, CO
80401-3393. Tel: (303) 275-3000. Their web site is: www.nrel.gov/wind/index.html.
Their web site provides a search mode, so you can check out their site
and provide a great deal of information on wind energy, including a
wind resource database.
Solar Living Institute. P.O. Box 836, Hopland, Ca 95449. Tel: (707)
744-2017. Web site: www.solarliving.org. A nonprofit organization that
offers frequent hands-on workshops on solar and wind energy and many
other topics.
Suggestion 23 -- Alternative Water and Waste
System
Publications
Banks, Suzy and Richard Heinichen.
Rainwater Collection for the Mechanically Challenged.
Dripping Springs, Tx.: Tank Town
Publishing, 1997. Humorous and informative guide to above ground rainwater
catchment systems.
Campbell, Stu. The Home Water Supply: How to Find, Filter, Store, and
Conserve It. Pownal, Vt.. Storey Communications, Inc., 1983. Good resource
on water supply systems, although it is dated. Unfortunately, it has
very little about catchwater or graywater systems.
Del Porto, David and Carol Steinfeld. The Composting Toilet System Book.
Center for Ecological Pollution Prevention: Concord, Ma., 1999. Contains
detailed information on composting toilets and graywater systems.
Jenkins, Joseph. The Humanure Handbook. A Guide to Composting Human
Manure. 2nd ed. Grove City, Pa.: Jenkins Publishing, 1999. Excellent
resource. Well worth your time.
Ludwig, Art. Creating an Oasis with Greywater: Your Complete Guide to
Managing Greywater in the Landscape. Santa Barbara, Ca.: Oasis Design,
1994. Firly detailed discussion of the various types of graywater systems.
Ludwig, Art. Building Professional's Supplement: Your Complete Guide
to Professional Installation of Greywater Systems.Santa Barbara, Ca.:
Oasis Design, 1995. Contains a wealth of information on graywater systems,
including important information on safety and chemical contents of detergents.
Solar Survival Architecture. "Catchwater." Earthship Chronicles.
Taos, N.M.: Solar Survival Press, 1998. Focuses primarily on catchwater
systems for Earthships, but has ideas that are relevant to all homes.
_____. "Greywater." Earthship Chronicles. Taos, N.M.:.Solar
Survival Press, 1998. Focuses primarily on graywater systems for Earthships,
but has ideas that are relevant to all homes.
_____. "Black Water." Earthship Chronicles.: Taos, N.M.: Solar
Survival Press. (1998). Provides an introduction to the black water
systems under development by SSA.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. US EPA Guidelines for Water Reuse.
Washington, D.C. U.S. EPA, 1992. Publication USEPA/USAID EPA625/R-92/004.
You can obtain a copy of this document at US EPA National Ctr. for Environmental
Publications, P.O. Box 42419, Cinncinati, Oh. 45242. Tel: (800)489-9198.
Web site: http://www.epa.gov/epahome/publications.htm.
Videos
Rainwater Collection Systems. A brief, informative video that comes
with a 50-page booklet that provides more details on systems and provide
information on equipment and suppliers. Available from Garden-Ville
Nursery, 8648 Old BeeCave Road, Austin, Tx. 78735. Tel: (512) 288-6113.
Organizations
American Water Works Association. . Address: 6666 W. Quincy Avenue,
Denver, CO 80235. Tel: (303) 794-7711. Web site: http://www.awwa.org..Concerned
with many aspects of water, including water reuse. Publishes proceedings
from their water-reuse conferences.
Rocky Mountain Institute. Address: 1739 Snowmass Creek Road, Snowmass,
Co. 81654. Tel: (970) 927-3851. Web site: http://www.rmi.org..Check
out the catalog of this outstanding organization for publications on
water efficiency and water reuse.
Suggestion 24. Establish an environmentally friendly transportation
strategy
Transportation Alternatives, 115 West 30th Street, Suite 1207, New York,
NY 10001 Promotes Walking, and Environmentally Sensible Transportation
Bicycling. Tel: 212-629-8080Web site: www.transalt.org/
Neighborhood Transportation Planning
Resources. Provides great links to a wealth of resources for rethinking
neighborhood transportation. Web site: http://www.ar.utexas.edu/cadlab/handyweb/NTransPlanLinks.html
Suggestion 25. Create a common house
See cohousing resources listed earler,such as Cohousing Journal, available
from The Cohousing Network, listed above.
Fitch, Laura. "Home Officing
at Pioneer Valley Cohousing." Cohousing Journal, Winter 2001. Excellent
article on the benefits of community offices.
Suggestion 26. Create a community-shared office
See cohousing resources such as Cohousing Journal, available form The
Cohousing Network, listed above.
Suggestion 27. Establish
entertainment for the community
Burnham, Linda Frye and Steven Durland, The Citizen Artist: 20 Years
of Art in the Public Arena. Gardiner, N.Y.: Critical Press, 1998 An
anthology on performance art, art for activists, and art for building
community.
Cleveland, William, Art in Other
Places: Artists at Work in America's Community and Social
Institutions. Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts' Arts Extension
Service, 2000 Describes how community arts programs have been used to
address some of our most pressing issues.
Communities Magazine #107 (Summer
2000) Song, Dance, & Celebration, Contact: Diana Christian 52 Willow
St., Marion, NC 28752-4840 Tel: 828-652-8517 communities@ic.org A good
issue from a magazine with 30 years of reporting about intentional communities
from urban co-ops to cohousing groups to ecovillages to rural communes.
Organizations
Community Arts Network (CAN) PB 308,
Virginia Tech, Blackburg, VA. 24061. Tel: (540) 231-6594, Web site:
www.communityarts.net. Promotes art as part of education, political
life, health recovery, and community regeneration.
Ecoartspace, Supports art that raises
environmental awareness, provides links to other organizations. Web
site: www.ecoartspace.org
Suggestion 28. Reclaim streets
Publications
Appleyard, Donald. Livable Streets.
Berkeley: University of California Press, 1981. A good source of information
from the pioneer in street reclamation.
Beatley, Timothy. Green Urbanism:
Learning from European Cities. Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 2000.
Worthwhile reading.
Burden, David. Street Design Guidelines
for Healthy Neighborhoods. Sacramento: Center for Livable Communities,
1999. A publication from the folks at Local Government Commission, and
excellent organization.
Burrington, Stephen and Veronika
Thiebach. Take Back Your Streets: How to Protect Communities from Asphalt
and trffic. Boston: Conservation Law Foundation, 1995. Good reference
on street calming.
Engwicht, David. Street Reclaiming: Creating Livable Streets and Vibrant
Communities. Gabriola Island BC, Canada: New Society Publishers, 1999.
Offers valuable insights on the changes that have occurred in our cities
and suburbs with the rise of automobile's popularity, and ways to reverse
them, regaining streets and creating more livable communities.
Organizations
Better Environmentally Sound Transportation. 510 West Hastings St.,
Suite 822, Vancouver, B.C. V6B 1LB. Tel.: (604) 669-3869.
The City Repair Project. P.O. Box
42615, Portland, OR 97242. Tel: (503) 235-8946. Helps facilitate intersection
repair and much more.
Creative Communities International.
7 Fletcher Parade, Bardon QLD 4065, Australia. Tel: (617) 3366 7746.
Visit all three of their web sites: www.lesstraffic.com for resources
on street reclaiming, www.traffictamers.com to encourage kids to walk
to school, and www.playforchange.com, which invites people to change
the world by playing a range of simple games.
Home Zones. Address. Web site: www.homezones.org.
Provides assistance on street calming efforts in the UK and other European
countries.
Living Streets Initiative. Pedestrians
Association. 3rd Floor, 31-33 Bondway, London SW8 1SJ. Tel.: 020 7820
1010. Web site: www.livingstreets.org.uk. Promotes the safety of the
walking public and the comfort and general amenities of pedestrians
Walkable Communities. 320 S. Main
St, High Springs, FL 32643 (386) 454-3304. Web site: www.walkable.org.
Dedicated to helping whole communities, from large cities to small towns,
or parts of communities, become more walkable and pedestrian friendly.
Suggestion 29. Retrofit
garages and rooms, creating apartments
The references in this section will help you create a healthy, environmentally
friendly structure.
Publications
Baker-Laporte, Paula, Erica Elliot,
and John Banta. Prescriptions for a Healthy House: A Practical Guide
for Architects, Builders, and Homeowners. 2nd ed. Gabriola Island, B.C.:
New Society Publishers, 2001. Contains a great amount of useful information.
Bower, John. The Healthy House: How
to Buy One, How to Build One, How to Cure a Sick One. 3rd ed., Bloomington,
In.: The Healthy House Institute, 1997. A detailed guide to all aspects
of home construction.
_____ and Lynn Marie Bower. The Healthy House Answer Book: Answers to
the 133 Most Commonly Asked Questions. Bloomington, In.: The Healthy
House Institute, 1997. Great resource for those who just want to learn
the basics.
Center for Resourceful Building Technology Staff. Reducing Construction
and Demolition Waste. Missoula, Mt.: National Center for Appropriate
Technology, Center for Resourceful Building Technology, 1995. A guide
for builders and homeowners on jobsite recycling.
Chiras, Daniel. Green Building, White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green,
2004. A highly readable book that describes the steps needed to create
environmentally friendly homes.
Chiras, Dan. "Green Remodeling: Keeping it Clean. Solar Today,
May/June, 2001, 24 - 27. Describes a strategy for remodeling a home
to prevent indoor air pollution.
Chiras, Daniel D. The Natural House:
A Complete Guide to Healthy, Energy-efficient, Environmental Homes.
White River Junction, Vt.: Chelsea Green, 2000. Contains a wealth of
information on natural building with discussions of the pros and cons
of each one.
Edminster, Ann and Sami Yassa. Efficient
Wood Use in Residential Construction: A Practical Guide to Saving Wood,
Money, and Forests. New York: Natural Resources Defense Council, 1998.
Describes how to reduce lumber use by 30 percent without compromising
the structural integrity of a home. Available in print and online at
www.nrdc.org/cities/building/rwoodus.asp
Hermannsson, John. Green Building
Resource Guide. Newtown, Ct.: Taunton Press, 1997. A goldmine of information
on environmentally friendly building materials. Reader beware: not all
building materials in books such as this pass the sustainability test.
Holmes, Dwight, Larry Strain, Alex
Wilson, and Sandra Leibowitz. GreenSpec: The Environmental Building
News Product Directory and Guideline Specifications. BuildingGreen,
Inc.: Brattleboro, Vt., 1999. Guideline Specifications make this an
extremely valuable resource for commercial builders and architects.
Magwood, Chris and Peter Mack. Straw
Bale Building: How to Plan, Design, and Build Straw Bale. Gabriola Island,
British Columbia, Canada: New Society Press, 2000. A wonderfully written
book on building straw bale in a variety of climates, especially northern
climates. Contains a fair amount of information on plastering.
Myhrman, Matts and S.O. Myhrman.
Build It with Bales (Version 2.0): A Step-by-Step Guide to Straw-bale
Construction. Tucson: Out on Bale, 1998. A superbly illustrated and
recently updated manual on straw bale construction. Contains a fair
amount of information on wall preparation, plasters, and plastering.
Oblensky, Kira, Garage: Reinventing
the Place We Park. Newtown, CT: Taunton Press, 2001
Steen, Athena S., Bill Steen, David
Bainbridge, and David Eisenberg, D. The Straw Bale House, White River
Jct., Vt.: Chelsea Green, 1994. Contains a wealth of information on
straw bale construction, wall preparation, and plasters.
Sustainable Buildings Industry Council.
Green Building Guidelines: Meeting the Demand for Low-Energy, Resource-Efficient
Homes. Washington, D.C.: SBIC, 2002. General guide to green building,
covering many important topics.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality. Washington, D.C.: EPA,
1995. Very helpful on-line publication for those interested in learning
more about indoor air quality issues and solutions. You can access it
at www.epa.gov/iaq/insidest.html
___. A Citizen's Guide to Radon.
The Guide to Protecting Yourself and Your Family from Radon. 2nd ed.
Washington, D.C.: EPA, 1992. A very basic on-line introduction to radon.
Available at: www.epa.gov/iaq/radon/pubs/citguide.html
_____. What You Should Know About Combustion Appliances and Indoor Air
Quality. Washington, D.C.: EPA, undated. A great introduction to the
effects of indoor air pollutants from combustion sources. Available
at: www.epa/iaq/pubs/combust.html.
_____ and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The Inside Story:
A Guide to Indoor Air Quality. EPA Document No. 402-K-93-007. Washington,
D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1995.
Wells, Malcolm. How to Build an Underground House. Self-published, 1994.
Overview of earth-sheltered building.
Wells, Malcolm. The Earth-Sheltered
House: An Architect's Sketchbook. White River Junction, Vt.: Chelsea
Green Publishers, 1998. Great little book on earth-sheltered design.
Magazines and Newsletters
Mother Earth News. 1503 SW 42nd St., Topeka, Ks 66609. Tel: (800) 678-5779.
Web site: www.motherearthnews.com. Publishes a wide assortment of stories
on green building from natural building to solar and wind energy to
natural swimming pools to green building materials.
Environmental Building News. BuildingGreen, Inc., 122 Birge Street,
Suite 30, Brattleboro, Vt. 05301. Tel: (803) 257- 7300. Web site: www.BuildingGreen.com.
The nation's leading source of objective information on green building,
including alternative energy and back-up heating systems. Archives containing
all issues published from 1992 to 2001 are available on a CD Rom.
Environmental Design and Construction. 81 Landers Street, San Francisco,
Ca. 94114. Tel: (415) 863-2614. Web site: www.EDCmag.com.Publishes numerous
articles on green building; geared more toward commercial buildings.
Natural Home. 201 Fourth St., Loveland, Co. 80537. Web site: www.naturalhomemagazine.com.
Publishes numerous articles on green building, especially natural building
and healthy building products, with lots of inspiring photographs.
Online Sources
For online information on manufacturers,
contact Austin's Green Building program at www.greenbuilder.com/sourcebook/
You can also contact the Center for
Resourceful Building Technology's e-Guide, which provides a searchable
database on green building materials and their manufacturers at www.crbt.org.
The National Park Service Sustainable
Design and Construction Database provides brief reviews of over 1,300
products from over 550 manufacturers at www.nps.gov/dsc/dsgncnstr/gpsd.
Yet another online source is Oikos
Green Building Product Information at www.oikos.com/products.
Wholesale and Retail
Outlets
Building for Health Materials Center.
P.O. Box 113, Carbondale, Co. 81623. Tel: (970) 963-0437. Web Site:
www.buildingforhealth.com. Offers a complete line of healthy, environmentally
safe building materials and home appliances including straw bale construction
products; natural plastering products; flooring; natural paints, oils,
stains, and finishes; sealants; and construction materials. Offers special
pricing for owner-builders and contractors.
EcoBuild. P.O. Box 4655, Boulder,
CO 80306 Tel: (303) 545-6255. Web: www.eco-build.com. This company located
in Boulder, Co. works specifically with builders and general contractors,
providing consultation and green building materials at competitive prices.
Eco-Products, Inc. 1780 55th Street, Boulder, Co. 80301. Tel: (303)
449-1876. Web site: www.ecoproducts.com. Offers a variety of green building
products including plastic lumber.
Eco-Wise. 110 W. Elizabeth, Austin,
Tx. 78704. Tel: (512) 326-4474. Web site: www.ecowise.com. Carries a
wide range of environmental building materials, including Livos and
Auro nontoxic natural finishes and adhesives.
Environmental Building Supplies.
1331 NW Kearney Street, Portland, Or. 97209. Tel: (503) 222-3881. Web
site: www.ecohaus.com. Green building materials outlet for the Pacific
Northwest.
Environmental Construction Outfitters.
44 Crosby Street, New York, N.Y. 10012. Tel: (800) 238-5008. Web site:
www.environproducts.com. Sells an assortment of green building materials.
Environmental Home Center. 1724 4th
Ave. South, Seattle, Wa. 98134. Tel: (800) 281-9785. Web site: www.built-e.com.
Offers a variety of green building materials.
Real Goods. 13771 S. Highway 101,
Hopland, Ca. 95449. Tel: (800) 919-2400. Web site: www.realgoods.com
Sells a wide range of environmentally responsible products for homes
from solar and wind energy equipment to water efficiency products to
air filters and environmentally responsible furnishings.
Planetary Solutions. 2030 17th Street,
Boulder, Co. 80302. Tel: (303) 442-6228. Web Site: www.planetearth.com.
Long-time green building material supplier. Offers paints, flooring,
tile, and much more.
Organizations
American Institute of Architects. 1735 New York Ave., NW, Washington,
D.C. 20006. Tel: (800) 242 - 3837. Web site: www.aia.org. Their National
and State Committees on the Environment are actively promoting green
building practices, and have been for many years.
BuildingGreen, Inc. 122 Birge St., Suite 30, Brattleboro, Vt. 05301.
Tel (800) 861-0954. Web site: www.BuildingGreen.com. Publishes Environmental
Building News, GreenSpec Directory (a comprehensive listing of green
building materials, Green Building Advisor (a CD Rom that provides advice
on incorporating incorporating green building materials and techniques
in residential and commercial applications), and Premium Online Resources
(a web site containing an electronic version of its newsletter.
Building Industry Professionals for Environmental Responsibility. 5245
College Ave., #225, Oakland, CA 94618. Web site: www.biperusa.biz. A
national nonprofit organization that promotes environmentally sustainable
building.
Center for Resourceful Building Technology. P.O. Box 100, Missoula,
Mt. 59806. Tel: (406) 549-7678/ Web: www.crbt.org. A Project of the
national Center for Appropriate Technology. Promotes environmentally
responsible construction.
Ecological Building Network. 209 Caledonia Street, Sausalito, Ca. 94965-1926.
Tel: (415) 331-7360. Web site: www.ecobuildnetwork. Seeks ways to build
environmentally sustainable shelter in wealthy industrial and nonindustrial
nations.
The Healthy House Institute. 430 N. Sewell Road, Bloomington, In. 47408.
Tel: (812) 332-5073. Web site: http://hhinst.com/index.html. Offers
books and videos on healthy building.
National Association of Home Builders
Research Center. 400 Prince George's Blvd., Upper Marlboro, Md. 20744.
Tel: (301) 249-4000. Web site: www.nahbrc.org. A leader in green building,
including energy efficiency. Sponsors important conferences, research,
and publications. For a listing of their books contact www.builderbooks.com.
National Radon Hotline. Tel: (800) SOS-RADON. Web site: www.epa.gov/iaq/contacts.html.
Calling this number or contacting their web site will give you access
to local contacts who can answer radon questions.
Suggestion 30. Create a mixed-use neighborhood
Publications
Calthorpe, Peter, The Next American
Metropolis: Ecology, Community, and the American Dream, Princeton Architectural
Press, 1993
Calthorpe, Peter, and William Fulton,
Robert Fishman, The Regional City: Planning for the End of Sprawl, Washington,
D.C.: Island Press, 2001
Duany, Andres, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk,
and Jeff Speck. Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline
of the American Dream. New York: North Point Press, 2000. Examines creative
ways to alter the course of urban and suburban development primarily
through neighborhood development.
Hall, Kenneth B. and Gerald A. Porterfield,
Community by Design: New Urbanism for Suburbs and Small Communities
. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1995
Organizations
Local Government Commission, 909
12th Street, Suite 205, Sacramento, California 95814 Tel: (800) 290-8202,
(916) 448-1198, Web site: www.cnt.org/. This organization keeps track
of innovations in land use, New Urbanism, Smart Growth, and livable
communities. Their newsletter is well worth receiving.
Suggestion 31 - Foster Diversity
Organizations
Rocky Mountain Institute, 1739 Snowmass
Creek Road, Snowmass, Colorado. Tel: (970) 927-3420 Web site: www.rmi.org/
A non-profit organization whose mission is to create a sustainable society.
RMI's Green Development staff promotes diverse neighborhoods.
Center of Excellence for Sustainable
Development, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency
and Renewable Energy, 1617 Cole Boulevard, Golden, Colorado Tel: (303)
275-4826 Web site: www.sustainable.doe.gov. Promotes Mixed-Use, Diverse
communities.
