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Archive for the 'Green at home' Category

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In recession’s shadow, solar power shines

March 16th, 2010, 11:38 am by

The green, festively painted trucks roll out of SolarCity’s Santa Ana warehouse one behind another every weekday morning, carrying racks of solar panels, installation gear and solar workers — many of them new hires, a wonder in a region reeling from recession.

Workers at SolarCity in Santa Ana load a truck for installation work.

Employment also is up at SunRun, which helped local partners add 100 solar jobs in 2009 in the Los Angeles-Orange County area and says it expects to add 200-300 more this year.

The companies appear to be riding a wave of good fortune for the solar-power industry. Incentive programs backed both by the state and federal government, a rise in consumer interest and a drop in costs seem to be converging to keep solar installers busy bolting panels to rooftops across the country.

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Posted in: Green at home • Green business • Green jobs • • | 4 Comments »

New Fullerton homes: affordable and “green”

February 3rd, 2010, 7:20 am by

Fullerton’s latest housing tract holds out promise to moderate-income buyers: the homes will be affordable and “green.” heritagewalkgoc

The city and The Olson Company broke ground Tuesday on the 2 1/2-acre site of the development, called Heritage Walk. Some of the planned 34 homes should be completed and sold within the year.

“It’s becoming important for everyone to focus on the environment,” said Kimberly Prijatel, vice president of development at the Seal Beach-based Olson Company. “So we’ve just started incorporating that into the plans for our designs.”

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Posted in: Green at home • green building • Green business • Green events • green technology • • • | 11 Comments »

In race to build “green” home, a winner

January 29th, 2010, 3:33 pm by

A man who spent a year building the ultimate “green” home in Costa Mesa has won his prize: He’s the first homeowner in Orange County to receive the nation’s highest rating under the LEED green-building program. blanchard2goc1

Real estate developer Steve Blanchard, 35, was engaged in a kind of friendly rivalry with other O.C. builders to obtain the coveted platinum LEED rating (for “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.”)

But as he reached the finish line — he was notified Thursday of his victory — Blanchard said he wanted to start the race all over again.

“I actually like the hunt now more than the kill,” Blanchard said Friday, as he waited in his green home for solar-power workers to arrive. “I’m anxious to go and do another one of these.”

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Posted in: Green at home • green building • | 2 Comments »

Birds killed, others saved in HB oil spill

January 28th, 2010, 2:13 pm by

The count so far: 21 birds dead and five rescued from the scene of a crude-oil spill in Huntington Beach, while investigators continue trying to determine the source of the oil. scaupss

Friday’s spill of nearly 700 gallons in a flood-control channel drew Huntington Beach officials, the Coast Guard , the state Department of Fish and Game and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which is now in charge of the operation. Booms have been erected to corral the oil while the agencies continue to remove it.

They’re recovered three to four barrels so far — 126 to 168 gallons — said EPA on-scene coordinator Robert Wise. The total spill was estimated at 16 barrels, or 672 gallons.

“We’re still trying to figure out where it came from,” Wise said.

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Posted in: Environmental law enforcement • Green at home • Green events • Water • Wildlife and the natural world • • • • | 2 Comments »

O.C. companies hit L.A. green expo

January 20th, 2010, 12:40 pm by

The “Go Green Expo” returns to Los Angeles this weekend, and Orange County companies — with some unusual offerings — will be among some 300 exhibitors. ampedbikes

The Expo, billed as “the nation’s premier green business and sustainable lifestyle show,” runs Jan. 22-24 at the Los Angeles Convention Center; last year’s drew about 10,000 people.

While Friday is reserved for business-to-business exhibition, Saturday and Sunday are open to the public. The price: $10 for adults, kids under 12 free.

The exhibitors include Amped Bikes from Santa Ana, which sells kits to convert any bicycle into an electric, motorized version.

The company acknowledges that non-motorized bikes might be considered greener than anything with a motor on it.

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Posted in: Green at home • Green business • Green events • Green products and services • pollution • | 1 Comment »

The “green house” effect: green home on sale for $1.7 million

January 19th, 2010, 1:09 pm by

One of Orange County’s first all-green houses has hit the market in Huntington Beach. The price: $1.7 million. It has its own “power plant” — a solar power system — green building materials and energy-efficient appliances. Huntington Homes blogger Marilyn Kalfus tells us the full story.

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Posted in: Alternative energy • Green at home • green building • • | 2 Comments »

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