Everyday Green Home

I'm Marla, the Green Home Coach. Thank you for joining me today for another chapter of my book, Living Green Effortlessly: Simple Choices for a Better Home.

Simplifying has been high on my list right now, and my book can help you make some simple choices for a better outcome!

With the help of my book, we will be covering another set of systems and features of your home to help you make the best of them, either as they are or if you plan to upgrade them.

In this episode, we will be covering Chapter Three: Energy Efficiencies. How Can You Be Comfortable and Get the Most for Your Energy Dollars? I know that is something we are all trying to do, so be sure to stay tuned for more!

Where do you start when you want to start greening your home?

You should start with whatever is affecting your comfort right now. If you are cold, some of the systems that come into play are the building envelope, the heating and ventilation system, the windows, the window coverings, and even the ceiling fan.

This chapter

This chapter is about the systems that make up your home and the resources to help you get the most out of those systems. I hope to open your eyes to a whole new way of thinking about your home.

Why direction matters in your rooms and with your home

The room that I work in is the furthest in the house from the heating and cool air from my air-conditioning unit. That means that I don't get quite enough warmth in here in the colder months. So I sometimes need to get some additional warmth from a little heater. That shows me that there are some things that I also need to do to improve things in my home!

Windows

Windows are an important part of our homes. They give us views, warmth, and ventilation. If the sun is shining on your house, use it for heat and light wherever possible. That is where the direction that the front of your home faces, or its orientation, comes into play.

The rooms that face north

The rooms that face north will get the least amount of natural light. They will be colder and darker, so you need to keep the shades open to bring in as much natural light as possible.

Ensure that your north-facing rooms are very well sealed, have good lighting, and use light colors to decorate because they will reflect the light and make the darker areas in your home look lighter and brighter.

The east and west windows

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, so those windows tend to get a glare. You can shade the windows with blinds or other window coverings to keep things cool in the summer. And a dense, dark floor will soak up some of the heat from the winter sun and release it back into your home to help keep it warm in the colder months.

Outside solar screen window covering

I found a solar screen window covering. It goes on the outside of the window to take the glare off of my east window. It works very well, and I can still see the beautiful view right through it!

South

The south side of your home will get the most sun at any time of the year, so you will need to shade as much as you can on the south side of your home in the summertime. Overhangs on your roof will be a solution if you are building or remodeling. Or you could use solar screens, awnings, trees, or trellises with plants growing on them to make some shade for an existing home.

Easy to maintain windows

It is a good idea to buy the best quality windows that your budget will allow. Easy to maintain has become very important, as well as durability. Be sure to use Energy Star windows when you are replacing or building. You can go to the Energy Star website for more information.

Bamboo screens

Tightly-woven bamboo screens, placed on the outside of your windows in the summer, can stop up to 75% of the sun's heat from reaching your windows.

Windows are important for natural light

Let the daylight in through as many of your windows, skylights, and sun tubes as possible. Daylight is the combination of sunlight, light diffused by the earth's atmosphere, and light reflected from the ground or other surfaces. Remember that the higher the source of light, the deeper into the room it will go.

A tip

Windows that slide sideways or up and down do not usually seal as well as casement windows.

LED Lights

LED lights last for a long time, they do not cost a lot, and there are also many different colors to choose from. And LED lights have great dimming capabilities.

Heating

There are many choices that you can make for your heating system. Any improvement that you make to your heating will save you money. The most important thing is to ensure that you have good insulation and air sealing and your heating and cooling unit has been sized correctly for your home.

Air conditioning

You can use ceiling fans to keep your air-conditioning needs in check.

Thermostats

Great, programmable thermostats are available today. So, take advantage of them because they will save you both energy and money.

Appliances

Buy the most energy-efficient appliances that your budget will allow.

Referral Links:

My website Green Home Coach

Book: Living Green Effortlessly

Facebook Group: Love Your Everyday Green Home

EGH Window Treatments

Thermostats +

Energy Efficient Window Treatments

Home Depot Eco Options

I'm Marla, the Green Home Coach. Thank you for coming to learn about how you can take advantage of all that I have to share with you to make your home healthier, more comfortable, and safer.

This podcast series is about my book, Living Green Effortlessly- Simple Choices for a Better Home.

I wrote the book because I understand that making more educated and better choices about our homes can have a big impact on how we live in our homes. By making some simple changes and better choices, we can have far healthier and safer outcomes.

This series will incorporate my book, and it will cover the basics of all the systems and features of your home. We will also explain how to make the best of all the features. In each session of the series, we will cover another chapter in the book. We will read some excerpts from the book and the stories that go along with them.

Today, we will be covering Chapter Two: Your Comfort, Health, and Safety: Start Where You Live. Stay tuned for more!

Between you and the outdoors

Between you and the outdoors are the roof, the walls, the windows, the floors, and the doors. Those keep you safe, warm, and comfortable inside your house.

The roof and gutters handle the rain and snow and keep you dry. Inside the walls, under the roof, and in the basement ceiling, there is insulation. That acts as a sweater for your home. It keeps the wind out and the heated air inside during the winter. and it keeps the cooled air inside, in the summertime.

An envelope of protection

No matter what it has been made of, your house surrounds you with an envelope of protection from the elements. Even so, there are still places in that envelope where the outdoor elements can get in, and where the energy that you are paying for can get out. That costs you money, makes you uncomfortably cold in the winter, and too hot in the summer.

Sealing and insulating

Focus on sealing and insulating the envelope of your house.

Our homes are our everything

Since Covid, our homes have become our everything. They are where we work, play, cook, gather, relax, and work out. How our home structure supports all these activities is critical to our lives, especially when we are living so much harder in our homes.

Doing things differently

Now, after spending so much time at home, it would be the time to consider if you have changed the way you think about your home, or if there are any things about it you might want to change or do differently.

My aim

I aim to help you to find the things you can do to make your home more comfortable, healthier, and support you better.

A tight home

A tight home is an efficient home. Using quality building materials is necessary to prevent having moisture problems, components wearing out, or pollutants in the air.

Finding air leaks

It can be hard to find air leaks in your home. You could consider hiring a pro like a home energy assessor or auditor to help you find them, or you may want to go the DIY route to find the leaks and seal them yourself.

Materials

Your local hardware store will be very happy to assist you in finding the right materials for your particular application.

Insulation

Insulation works better when the air leaks get plugged. So look out for tiny holes in the insulation of the attic. If you find any, plug them up to help you stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Air quality

A tight building envelope does not allow for any fresh air to enter the home unless you make it happen.

Good ventilation

Many health problems can get tied to breathing contaminated air. To protect your health, your home needs to have good ventilation. You can achieve that by either opening the windows or with the HVAC system.

Anti-allergy filters

Getting custom-made anti-allergy Green Screen air filters for your HVAC system is one way for you to start improving the air quality in your home. (The coupon code is greenhomecoach.) You can also add an air purifier and an advanced filtration system if you need to do so.

Bathrooms

Don't forget to run the exhaust fans in your bathrooms whenever they get steamy. Or have an automated system put in place.

Plants

Plants also help to clean the air. NASA put together a list of about ten plants that work well for doing that.

Cleaning

Dust, which carries germs, is mainly comprised of dead skin cells, so you need to get it out of the house. Vacuuming works best, and the next best way is to use a damp microfiber cloth.

Cleaning products

You can refer to the Environmental Working Groups list for ranking non-toxic products that you can safely use to clean your home or to find other things that you may need.

You can also find recipes on the internet or in books to make DIY cleaning solutions.

Simplify, simplify, simplify is my motto. Remember that living a little better and a little greener is easier than you think.

Referral Links:

My website Green Home Coach

Book: Living Green Effortlessly

Facebook Group: Love Your Everyday Green Home

HVAC Energy Efficiency

Green Cleaning

Green Screen HVAC Filter - Coupon Code: greenhomecoach

Home Depot Eco Options

Air Purifying Plants, According to NASA

This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself.

I'm Marla, the Green Home Coach, and I welcome you to the first unit of teaching based on my book, Living Green Effortlessly: Simple Choices for a Better Home.

I would like to talk to you about green homes and explain why they are the best homes of all. I'd also like to tell you how easy it is to green your home, and if you want to go all-in and create your own dream green home, we can talk about that too. Are you ready to learn more about green homes and how to have one? Then stay tuned!

This series will cover some of the highlights of my book. And it will help you to learn about what you may be able to do in your home.

Today, we will be covering Chapter One: What Is An Everyday Green Home?

Life happens in your home

Your home is your refuge, and it is also the place where life happens. Our homes have a secret life with all the complexity of modern life. We could unknowingly be living in, building, or remodeling a home that is not in our best interest. It may be something big, like old lead paint or mold, new paint, and cabinets that off-gas, or the small stuff, like the leaky toilet, drafty window, or the products you use to clean and sanitize.

Having a greener home does not have to be hard or require sacrifice. A green home is not all or nothing. It starts with making smart choices about products and materials as you live in, build, or remodel your home. Just making a different choice - an appliance, plumbing, a lighting fixture, or even paint - can set you on the course to a home that works better for you and yours.

With the help of my book, Living Green Effortlessly: Simple Choices for a Better Home, I will cover the basics of the systems and features of your home and explain how to make the best of them.

My primary goal in writing this book is to help you improve your comfort, health, and safety in your own home.

Choices

Our choices, in terms of location, design, materials, and heating and cooling methods, have a direct effect on our health, that of our family, and of the community in which we live.

We are all part of the natural system

Despite all the modern conveniences, we are all still part of the natural system that creates, sustains, and perpetuates this living earth. Now is the time for us to look at all the systems in our homes to see if they are truly serving our needs as well as the needs of the earth.

Going green

Going green is not only about energy. It's about living healthier lives and taking responsibility for all our actions.

Common sense

Having a green home is about common sense. You want your home to look and feel and perform well. You want to live in comfort and safety, breathe easier, and feel healthier by reducing pollutants, toxins through better airflow systems and quality material choices. You also want to feel comfortable with the temperature by providing a well-sealed and insulated shell with better heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems.

Save time

Save time using materials, fixtures, and finishes that perform better, last longer, and require less maintenance.

Save money

You will save a lot of money on energy and maintenance costs.

A higher selling price for a green home

You will get a higher selling price for certified green homes. And as you gain more knowledge, you will start understanding the value of owning a green home more and more, so you can point out all the features to a potential buyer.

Our homes are a system of systems

Our homes are a system of systems. Understanding how all the systems work together, how they support and depend on each other, and how to care for them and maintain them is crucial to maintaining your health, comfort, and safety in your home.

Your home is a system

Your home is a system, and so changing one thing will impact others.

Home Energy Professionals

It's time to bring in a home energy professional when you want to do a remodel, do something that could impact the systems in your home, get an energy assessment, or have your home evaluated. They will help you understand the priorities and tell you what you can fix to give you the biggest bang for your buck.

You will find them through your local utility company.

How Well Does Your Home Perform?

Adding up all the utility bills will let you know how well your home is performing. Don't forget the water, sewer, and trash bills!

Cutting the waste and being efficient

Cutting the waste out of your home, and becoming more efficient with how you use resources and energy, will save you money and allow your resources to go a lot further.

Electricity

Use your electricity and everything else as wisely as you can. If you only use what you need and no more, you will make sure that there's enough to go around, and you won't be wasting a valuable resource.

Online energy tools

You can go to www.energystar.gov or Building Performance Institute for Homeowners to find out what you need to know and get some tools if you're not yet at the point where you need to bring a professional home energy assessor in to help you.

Referral Links:

Book: Living Green Effortlessly

Facebook Group: Love Your Everyday Green Home

Curated collection for you

A Bit of BS (Building Science) about your home

Energy Star Savings at Home

Building Performance Institute for Homeowners

This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself.

Welcome to another episode of the Everyday Green Home Podcast! This will be my last podcast for the year, and what a year it's been! When we look back on this past year, my hope is that we are able to see the silver linings that were in amongst all the challenges that we faced in 2020.

I'm pulling another great episode from the archives for today's show. It features my regular guest and co-host, Tony Pratte from The Sound Room, and this podcast will be all about green labels.

It's easier than ever now to have a green household. However, many companies and labels provide misleading information. How do you know if your products are clean? One simple way is to see if it has a green label.

So, in this episode, Tony and I discuss what green labels are and why you should care...spoiler alert, the biggest reason you should care is for peace of mind! That is something we all need right now. We also discuss other labels and companies that provide certified clean and sustainable products and how you can integrate them into your home.

I know you're really going to enjoy this show!

Green labels, explained

Green labels are labels that show third-party certification for a product, an entire assembly, and sometimes even an entire building. The relevance of the third-party is that they are a separate entity saying that the green label is what it's saying it is.

Why we should care about green labels

If third-party certifications did not exist, every company could make any claim at all about a product, even if those claims were not true.

Greenwashing

"Greenwashing" is a term that was coined around ten years ago when everyone started coming out with all these new "green" products. The idea behind greenwashing is that claims were made about products that were not necessarily true, but the manufacturers were wanting to catch a ride on the popularity of all things "green".

Many customers believe that what they read on labels is true, and therefore make purchases based on those claims.

The beauty of third-party certifications ("green labels") is that those certifications actually back up the claims.

Regulations around claims

The FCC, or Federal Communications Commission, has regulations about what claims are allowed to be made.

In addition, the AMA (American Marketing Association) also has rules that prohibit marketers from making claims that are not true.

An industry issue

A lot of people, including those in the industry, do not understand what the terms mean, they don't understand the value of those terms, and therefore, they do not know how to talk about them.

Instead, the terms are thrown around loosely without understanding the consequences that come behind that.

Meaningless words

There are a lot of words used in the food and personal care products categories. One word that is meaningless is "natural".

The goal of green labels

The goal of green labels is to give the consumer confidence that what they are purchasing is what has been claimed for that product, material, or home.

A green label shows that research has already been performed by an independent party so the consumer doesn't have to do their own research. This gives the consumer peace of mind.

Green labels for the home

Many of the products that I curate for you in the Everyday Green Home store have these green labels on them!

For products that I list that do not have a green label, be assured that I have taken them through the same vetting process that we use in the National Green Building Standard to ensure that those products meet the requirements of what we would use in a green home certification.

The reason why all products don't go through a green certification process

The reason is similar to why not everyone goes through the organic certification process: it's expensive and time-consuming. Therefore, many small family farms choose not to go through this process.

However, it's an instant marketing flag and is often worth the effort.

Green and sustainable?

The following labels wrap around all the different characteristics we can find in homes: energy-efficiency, water-efficiency, resource-efficiency, toxin-free or lower toxins, and recycled materials.

Green home certification

Look for the Energy Star label when you are shopping, because Energy Star covers thousands of products, as well as complete home certification. You can be assured that you are getting a product that is at least 20% more energy-efficient than its standard non-certified product.

WaterSense is to water what Energy Star is to energy. My simple advice to people I'm working with towards green certification is to choose all WaterSense plumbing fixtures and toilets in your home or building and you're done!

Many people think these products will be a lot more expensive than their non-certified counterparts, but that is not the case. In addition, you get that extra quality bump because you know somebody has taken the time to go through the process of certifying them.

Greenguard

Many people have not heard of Greenguard, but if you see this label you can be assured that the product has fewer toxins in it and it meets the California rules for air quality.

The Greenguard certification now applies to a variety of products. Who doesn't want to breathe easier?

The trend for airtight houses

New construction houses are becoming more airtight, and if we're recirculating fresh air into it, we need to be very careful about what is inside our house because we're locked up inside with it!

If you do more on the energy-efficiency side, with a little bit more thought it can also be better for the indoor air quality side.

Cradle to cradle certifications

This certification is different from the others because it is based on a book based on the same name. It's an efficient way of using resources.

Other green labels

There are other green labels out there, and I urge you to pay attention and read labels. Green-labeled products are designed to make your life easier and better.

There are green-certified homes, too!

Food and personal care products are two more categories in which we'll be seeing a lot more future certifications.

Links:

Green As You Go - Paint By Numbers

Green Living – Saving Ourselves

Green Your Holiday Gift Giving

Curated collection for you

Did you know if you go through EGH for your Amazon and Home Depot orders, you help EGH?

This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself.

Today, Steve Hengsperger, the founder of Tersano, the company that created the iClean, is joining me as my guest for the show.

Steve started Tersano back in 2002, and they work with ozone technology for water treatment.

Ozone has been used for quite some time in water treatment systems on a large scale. Municipalities use it, bottled water manufacturers use it, and it is also in hot tubs and Olympic swimming pools. Tersano has taken that technology and miniaturized it so that it can purify your water at home for drinking.

In 2003-2004, the EPA, FDA, and USDA all came out with their statements about using ozone to sanitize produce and surfaces, so Tersano came up with a quick prototype for a home cleaning and sanitizing system.

Be sure to stay tuned today to find out all you need to know about the small cleaning device that Tersano created that uses ozone technology for cleaning and sanitizing your home. It is chemical-free, completely non-toxic, and works incredibly well!

People were more interested in their home cleaning system

At the first trade show that they took their appliances to, the retailers were more interested in their home cleaning system than their water purifying system.

A big thing happened in 2006

In 2006, a big thing happened in the company.

Three people died from E. coli on spinach.

Steve was at a food event in New York City, and Time Magazine came by. They asked some questions about their product and what it could do with fresh produce. They then took it and tested it at the University of Florida.

A Time Magazine Best Invention award

The product killed 99.9% of E. coli on spinach, so they got a Time Magazine Best Invention award that year.

Measuring the chemical levels in the air

A hygienist went to Steve's home and measured the chemical levels in the air in the cupboard in which he kept his cleaning products. The results that came back were off the charts!

A small cleaning device

So, Tersano created a small cleaning device that is quite different from the way that most people are cleaning right now. It takes water and alters it, chemically, to create ozone. That water works well to clean and disinfect your home.

A paradigm shift

Selling his product through a retailer fifteen years ago was challenging. And it still is because it is a paradigm shift.

The beauty of the technology

The beauty of the technology, from a sustainability standpoint, is that it reverts the water and oxygen. The old system did it within about fifteen minutes, and their new system does it instantaneously. And it leaves no residue so that when you have finished, you do not need to worry about your children or your pets getting affected by any chemicals.

Selling around the world

In the last twelve years, their focus has been on selling the product on the commercial side, around the world.

How the technology in the iClean cleaning device works

There are two diamond electrodes inside the device, and as the water passes by them, they split some of the oxygen molecules. The extra oxygen atoms then re-combine and create O3, which is an oxidizer, like bleach or hydrogen peroxide.

A safe and natural process

It is a simple, safe, and completely natural process, and it can cause you no harm.

From a cleaning standpoint

From a cleaning standpoint, the extra oxygen atom attaches to dirt and breaks down the bonds, making it easier to wipe away.

From a kill standpoint

From a kill standpoint, it attaches to a bacteria, a virus, or a mold and either penetrates the cell wall or explodes it.

The iClean cleaning device

The iClean cleaning device replaces all your everyday cleaning products. You can use it to remove dirt, germs, and odors from your home. You can use it on floors, carpets, glass, stainless steel, and even the toilet. It will kill up to 99.99 percent of all germs, molds, viruses, and bacteria, so the cleaning and disinfecting happen all at once.

Using the iClean mini on plants

Cut flowers last four times as long when they are placed in the ozone solution rather than in water. And plants also survive better when they get watered with the ozone solution.

Produce

You can spray the surface of all your fresh produce with the ozone solution. It breaks down the pesticides, and it will prevent problems like E. coli and make the produce taste better and last considerably longer.

Links and resources:

Get the clean facts about COVID-19

iClean® mini - Use Code: greenhomecoach

DOWNLOAD: iClean® mini - Product Info Sheet

Tersano's Mission

How-To Guides

Welcome to another episode of the Everyday Green Home Podcast! It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is almost upon us again! With all that has happened this year, I feel that it is vital for us to focus on all the things for which we can feel grateful.

I have been keeping a list of all the things I'm thankful for, like my family, friends, and my precious husband! I'm also grateful for resources, my skills and experience, and for the plentiful abundance that I am so fortunate to have in my life.

Today, I am bringing back a podcast from earlier this year. It is with my guest co-host, Tony Pratte, from The Sound Room, and it's about having a no-touch home. I feel that it is relevant right now in the middle of this crazy pandemic because we have all become so much more aware of the things we touch. Having many of the things in our homes automated helps a lot when it comes to cleaning, preventing cross-contamination, and the spreading of germs. It can also be fun, safer, energy-saving, and a lot more convenient. And there are many DIY options available.

Tony Pratte is very knowledgeable about no-touch technology. In this podcast, he talks about three of the things that are most important to implement in a no-touch home. Those include internet and wifi, which form the backbone of a smart home, and the easiest places to start when automating your home. Stay tuned for more!

Technology for the masses

The pandemic has forced people to understand what Tony and his company, The Sound Room, does. They are bringing technology to the masses.

The quality of the internet

Since the pandemic started, the quality of the internet in everybody's house has become paramount because a good quality internet signal is what allows people to work from home.

Wireless world

Currently, we are progressing further and further along the route of wireless internet inside the house. Tony saw some statistics a while back that brought that to light for him. The statistics showed that sixty-five percent of people under a certain age will never plug into a hard-line internet connection.

Wireless internet coverage

Everything in a no-touch home starts with making sure that you have good wireless internet coverage in the house.

Do-it-yourself

If you are a do-it-yourselfer, you will find all the products you need online. The main thing that you will need is a wireless router. The chances are that a good wireless router will provide enough internet coverage for a smaller house. If you have a bigger house you will need either a mesh system consisting of a router and access points or a wireless extender to make the wireless signal go further and reach all the rooms in the house.

Checking the strength of your internet signal

Once you have the wifi in your home up and running, the easiest thing to do is to take a smart device like a smartphone or an iPad, log onto your wireless wifi network, and walk around the house. By doing that, you will be able to check the strength of the signal in all the different areas of the house and verify that you have good internet coverage in all the rooms.

Different ways to make your home more of a smart home

Smart or connected homes are designed to simplify your life and make things easier so that you don't have to touch anything as often. The three easiest things you can add to a smart home are thermostats, lighting, and sound.

Thermostats

You won't have to touch your thermostat if it knows what to do. You can program smart thermostats, and many of them will also learn your patterns. Currently, there are many different wifi thermostats available. Tony's company, The Sound Room, uses mostly Ecobee thermostats.

Do-it-yourself smart lighting systems

Several different kinds of do-it-yourself smart lighting systems are available. They have modules that plug into the wall, and you can then plug a lamp into the module and automate it. It can also be tied into voice-control.

Smart homes versus controlled or automated homes

A smart home has a feature in it, like the thermostat or lights, that has an app that you can put on your smart device and control it remotely. You may need to have different apps for all the things you want to control.

Controlled homes have a controller that operates all your different devices. The controller allows everything to work from the same app, and it lets you create scenes. Scenes allow you to select your preferred sequences with the devices in your home and bring them together to create an experience. So, for example, if you say "Good morning." it might turn on the thermostat and some lights and disarm your security system.

Voice and app control

Voice control and app control make it a lot easier for people with limitations or disabilities to have more of a sense of independence and freedom.

Smart home and connected home technology

Smart home and connected home technology provide an extra layer of safety and peace of mind for the homeowner.

Sound

For do-it-yourself sound, Tony recommends Sonos. The Sonos app will guide you step-by-step through the installation.

Voice command module

The voice command module allows you to control the thermostat, the lighting, and the sound systems.

Creating a scene

Sonos, Nest, and Ecobee integrate with a bridge called Caseta, made by Lutron. Those are all available from Home Depot, and they will allow you to create scenes.

Links and resources:

Smart Home Products Curated by Marla

Hand Sanitizers Curated by Marla

From Smart Home to Connected

This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself.

Welcome to another episode of the Everyday Green Home Podcast! I am excited today to have Casey Grey as my guest!

Casey is the founder of The Conscious Builder. It is based in Ottawa and has a podcast and a YouTube Channel. Casey has been in the construction industry for over seventeen years, and he has had his business for a little longer than ten years.

Both Casey and his business have been growing and evolving. Casey has managed to carve out a great little niche in sustainable building that complies with the Canadian Passive House, Net Zero, and R-2000 certification standards, and his business continues to grow in that area. At The Conscious Builder, both their renovations and their custom homes comply with Canadian certification standards.

Casey is joining us today to share his story and talk about the building industry, climate change, advances in technology, and what you need to focus on when you are building or renovating a home.

Why Casey decided to become a builder

Growing up, Casey thought he would become an engineer because he loved to build things. He ended up getting into building instead because engineering was design-focused, and Casey was good at building and wanted to get involved as a hands-on person.

Improving the building industry

Casey is working to improve the building industry as a whole, and he wants to make sure that other people know how to build. He loves it that he got forced into that world with other people who he says are smarter and better than him, and he gets to learn from them.

Climate change can create some problems

From talking to other experts, Casey has learned that the unusual weather patterns that we are currently seeing are the extremes of climate change. Those extreme weather patterns can sometimes create problems which make it a lot more challenging for Casey to build homes.

3-D printed houses

Casey likes to follow technology, and there have been a lot of really cool things happening lately, like 3-D printed houses.

Renovations

People are often astonished to find out that you can certify a renovation as sustainable, green, and energy-efficient. It is not always easy to do those renovations, however, because many things cannot get figured out ahead of time.

Learning from doing renovations

Casey recommends that younger people who are getting into construction should find a small company that does major renovations. There is a different level of skill required for that, but they will learn way more from that than they would from building a new home.

Comfort

Casey builds and renovates for comfort. He points out that when you have a comfortable home, you will also have an efficient home.

Casey's specialty

Casey's specialty, for the most part, is making sure that people have airtight, well-insulated, comfortable homes with HVAC systems that work well. He explains that the most important part of a house is the part that you do not see hidden behind the drywall and the cladding.

Something important that people often overlook

When it comes to heating and cooling systems, most homes have systems that are too big. That leads to short-cycling, which means that your house will get up or down to temperature quicker than it needs to, and the furthest rooms in the house will never reach the correct temperature.

A properly sized system

A properly sized system will run for longer and save you energy because it will work efficiently throughout the whole house.

Online education about building science

A lot of education and some tools are available online if you would like to learn more about building science. Casey is working on a resource called The Conscious Builder Academy, so keep your eyes open for that.

Building a house

Casey explains that a lot more goes into building a house than most people think. To build your own home, you will need to understand how the whole system works, apart from simply following the prescribed building codes. And it will also be a good idea for you to hire an energy advisor.

An integrated design process

Casey believes that the best way to build a home is to use an integrated design process, and that would involve bringing all the contractors on board right from the start.

Links and resources:

The Conscious Builder

The Conscious Builder - YouTube Channel

Understanding Green Building Standards

Listen to me on Casey's Podcast!

Buy Stuff for Your Home - Curated by Marla

I am celebrating fall today! So many things we associate with fall, like the fall harvest, and fall food, focus around the idea of community, which in this time of the pandemic, has taken on a whole new meaning.

The source of food has become a hot topic lately, and people are trying new ways to meet their food requirements. I, for one, in my efforts to avoid the discomfort of going into grocery stores, have learned the joys of curbside pickups, supporting the smaller stores in our area, and going to farmer's markets to enjoy the bounty from our local farmers. That inspired me to pull this podcast with Chelsey Simpson from Urban Agrarian out of the archives and put it out into the world again! I know you are going to love it!

Chelsey is a local business owner in the Oklahoma City area. She is the co-owner of Urban Agrarian, a delightful non-traditional grocery store that primarily stocks locally-sourced products.

Chelsey tells us all about the stores she co-owns, she explains what it takes to find the very best locally-produced products, and we discuss the importance of buying local.

About Urban Agrarian

Chelsey explains that her grocery store is not a traditional one because almost everything they sell in it is sourced locally, from Oklahoma. They have recently expanded their line a little, however, to include some more nationally-sourced products because of the pandemic and due to customer demand.

Locally sourced

For most of the twelve years that the Urban Agrarian has existed, all their products have been almost 100% locally sourced, which is unusual.

Small grocery stores

Both of the Urban Agrarian stores are small. They are each only about a thousand square feet, so the size of the stores puts them in a slightly different situation from most other grocery stores. They are still traditional grocery stores, however, and a lot gets packed into them. You can go there to buy your milk, eggs, steaks, tortilla chips, snacks, and a whole lot more.

Source-verified

Chelsey does her best to curate. Beyond thinking about the store as being local, she also likes to talk and think about the store as being source-verified. That means that she knows virtually all of the people who make the products that they sell by their first names!

Creating a different experience

It takes a lot more work to do all the individual sourcing of the products, but Chelsey feels that it is worth it because it creates a very different experience for her customers.

Food hub

Urban Agrarian is not only a grocery store. It is a food hub. The term food hub describes that they are doing the curating, aggregating, and sourcing of their products in such a way that their customers can have healthy choices without having to have a vast range of products from which to choose.

Grass-fed beef from BF Farms

One of the products sold by the Urban Agrarian is grass-fed beef, supplied by Jane, Doug, and their daughter, from BF Farms in Oklahoma. Their whole family speaks very proudly about the excellent quality of the meat that they supply and the hundred-year heritage that the family has on their farm.

High mineral content

The land that Jane and Doug own in north-central Oklahoma has very high mineral content. And that has promoted excellent grass growth, which adds even more nutritional value to the beef and lamb that they sell.

A close partnership with BF Farms

Chelsey and her business partner were very closely connected with BF Farms when the Urban Agrarian stores were getting built. A dropped ceiling got put into one of the stores. It was made from some wood from an old barn on the farm.

The effect of the pandemic

For safety reasons during the pandemic, the Urban Agrarian stores were closed to walk-in customers because the stores are so small. To assist their customers, however, they made their products available through call-in orders.

Working in local food systems

Chelsey grew up on a farm, and she has been working in local food systems for about the last fifteen years. After seeing her family and their multi-generational farm struggling, she found herself drawn to that kind of work, even though she did not plan to go into it.

A great way to connect

For Chelsey, Urban Agrarian is a way to connect with how people are keeping their homes and their lives healthy and focused.

Buying local is important

There are many good reasons to buy local. Although local is not synonymous with organic, you are more likely to find chemical and pesticide-free organically grown produce if you buy local. Organically grown food is not only good for your health but also the health of the soil and the health of the people working on the land.

Urban Agrarian is not exclusively organic

Urban Agrarian does not exclusively sell organic groceries. They primarily sell source-verified, local groceries, and they are very pro supporting local farmers and farmer's markets.

Complex answers

A lot of the answers about how things are grown and how animals get raised are quite complex. So consumers need to decide for themselves what their priorities are and what matters the most to them. Urban Agrarian makes that very easy!

Referrals/links:

Urban Agrarian

Know Where Your Food Comes From

Find a Farmers Market Near You, from PBS

I have pulled one of my favorite instructional podcasts out of the archives for today! It features my great gardening friend, Jackie Marie Beyer, of the Green Organic Garden Podcast, as my guest. I do not have a green thumb, and this show has helped me a lot with gardening!

Jackie started the Green Organic Garden Podcast in 2015. Her initial motivation was to give her husband, their head gardener at home, a platform for teaching people how to garden. He has a lot of gardening knowledge to share, and when Jackie started her podcast, she knew very little about gardening.

Jackie is now my resident expert for all things gardening! Over the last five years, she has done more than 300 interviews on the Green Organic Garden Podcast with some of the most incredible gardeners who have all shared their knowledge! And although Jackie works full-time as an elementary school teacher, she has found that she is spending more and more time in the garden each year.

In today's episode, Jackie will be talking to us about some of the things that we can do for Mother Nature that will help people learn, and she will tell us about some of the easier vegetables to plant indoors. Be sure to stay tuned for more!

The Organic Oasis Guidebook

There are all different kinds of gardeners. Jackie and her husband wrote a book called The Organic Oasis Guidebook to help people grow vegetables because growing vegetables is a different learning curve from gardening.

Jackie's husband's goal

Jackie's husband grew up on a cattle ranch. His current goal is to grow as much food as he possibly can to supplement the produce that they need. It involves intense gardening, and Jackie refers to his garden as his "mini-farm".

Jackie explains why her podcast is so successful

One of the reasons why Jackie's podcast is so successful is because of all of her amazing guests and their willingness to share their tips, their expertise, and their gardening secrets.

Authentic, garden math problems and challenges

Jackie is an elementary school teacher, and for the last two years, she has been posting videos online, with authentic, garden math problems and challenges for her students to solve.

Carrots

Carrots are easy to grow but hard for adults to plant because the seeds are so tiny. Carrot seeds fit very nicely into the hands of little kids, however.

Kids

Contrary to popular belief, Jackie knows that kids love eating freshly harvested fruits and vegetables!

Indoor gardening

Jackie's favorite things to grow indoors are herbs in pots on her window sill. She loves to have basil plants growing indoors at all times.

Arugula

If you grow arugula indoors, you can start picking and eating the leaves when they are still tiny, and you will get lots of flavor out of them. The leaves will keep on growing until they eventually reach the size of a lettuce leaf.

Cherry tomatoes

You can grow cherry tomatoes indoors. Cherry tomato plants might be a bit too big for a window sill, but you can grow them in a pot on the floor next to a window. Then you can also put the plant outside on the patio in the summer.

Seeds, versus starter plants

Gardening is a bit like an experiment, and some seeds are easier to propagate than others. Growing vegetables from starter plants, if you can find them at a farmer's market, will be faster than growing them from seeds.

Sprouts

Jackie likes to start growing her sprouts in December. You can buy a seed sprouter, or you can make one from a large mason jar covered with a piece of window screen fabric. Place a layer of organic radish, alfalfa, broccoli, or any other sprouting seeds on the bottom and soak them in two inches of water for twenty-four hours. Then, pour the water out and rinse the seeds in clear water every day until they have grown big enough to get eaten.

Bigger container gardening

It is possible to grow your herbs and vegetables in all kinds of different containers, and some people even like to plant their vegetables in specially designed cloth bags because they are easier to haul around.

Soil health

With container gardening, you have more say about the kind of soil that you use because you can decide from which source you want to take it.

Companion planting

Marigolds are good for planting with tomatoes because they put out a strong scent that repels the bugs that eat tomato plants and leaves. Nasturtiums are also good companion plants for planting next to vegetables in containers to repel bugs.

Container plants

Vegetables that grow above the ground are better for planting in containers. Root crops, however, usually do better growing in outdoor beds.

Referral Links and Products:

Green Organic Garden Podcast

Free Ebook on Organic Gardener Basics

Other Podcasts with Jackie: Organic Gardener and Grow Outside with Jackie

EGH Shop - Self Watering Planters

EGH Shop - Seed Sprouting Jar Kit

EGH Shop - Seed Sprouting Lids

This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself."

Today, I am excited to introduce you to Autumn McMahon, the Manager of Marketing and Member Relations at Oklahoma Electric Cooperative (OEC).

Autumn has a relatively new podcast as part of her role at OEC. It launched in April this year, around the same time as the pandemic changed the world. Surprisingly, it turned out to be a good time for her to launch a podcast!

In today's episode, Autumn shares how she has been using OEC's "The Current Buzz" podcast to meet her members where they are at and deliver a lot of useful content to them in a short amount of time. She also discusses what keeps her motivated and what she has learned from OEC's members. I am sure you will enjoy our conversation, so stay tuned for more!

Content is getting consumed at a much higher rate

Autumn's marketing content is getting consumed at a much higher rate right now than ever before. Because people are at home now, and they are in front of a screen more often.

Figuring out new routines

Many people used to listen to podcasts while they were commuting or while they were out getting some exercise. Things have changed due to the pandemic, however, so everyone has had to find their new normal and figure out new routines.

Shorter podcasts

Autumn has found that having shorter podcasts tends to play better for her listeners now than it has ever done in the past. So she tries to pack a lot of good content into a shorter length of time to meet the different demands that people have on their time.

Members

OEC is cooperative, so they do not have customers. They have members.

Members want green homes

At OEC, they have seen that the members are getting younger and more educated. They are consuming media differently, and they want to learn more about how to green their homes.

A higher level of detail

Having a podcast allows you to tell people more in a shorter amount of time and to dive deeper into the content. So Autumn has used her podcast, in addition to more traditional marketing streams and social media, to reach her audience with a higher level of detail.

Learning new things

Autumn feels that she has found her rhythm with the podcast. It feels like a conversation, and it has allowed her to chat with people about a vast range of different topics. It has also provided her with an opportunity to learn new things and fine-tune her skills.

Podcasting

In today's world, you can share your opinion about anything. Podcasting is a great way to talk to people directly and tell them what you want them to know.

Making podcasts interesting

There is a wide variety of topics and many things you can do to make podcasts interesting. But the main thing is to remain true to yourself in whatever you do.

Guests

Autumn likes to use the feedback from the members to help choose the guests for her podcast.

A simple solution for cleaner air

I was a guest on Autumn's podcast, and I explained that a simple solution for having better air quality in your home is to get the list of NASA plants that are good for cleaning out the air inside your house. It's super simple, but it makes a big difference.

Thinking creatively

Thinking creatively about how to answer people's questions before they have even asked them is a good quality for a podcast host to have.

Marketing

Autumn oversees the marketing team at OEC. They do some traditional marketing like magazines, their website, and social media marketing. They also have a branch that works with the commercial members of OEC and energy efficiency.

The true heart of service

The true heart of service is what motivates Autumn, and it underscores what truly makes her happy to be at OEC.

The goal

The goal of OEC is to be good stewards to their members and provide safe and reliable electricity while continuing to move forward with innovative energy solutions. They want to find ways to help people take better care of their homes, and save money while doing that.

The marketing goal

Their marketing goal is to educate the community and their membership about the heart that is OEC.

Volunteer work

Autumn's volunteer work is always about kids. She currently serves as the President on the Mary Abbott Children's House board, which is a non-profit that works with child victims of abuse.

Links and resources:

OEC - Oklahoma Electric Cooperative

OEC The Current Buzz Podcast

OEC Electric Vehicle Resource Hub

OEC Home Energy Audit Consultation Program

Energy-Saving Lighting on Everyday Green Home Shop

Solar Chargers and Lights on Everyday Green Home Shop

"This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself."