The Luzia Energy Report

The Luzia Energy Report
by Luzia, Inc.

When buying, selling, or making improvements to your home, you can plan, budget, and capture the value of energy efficiency with Luzia.

Whether you are selling your home and want to display its energy advantage or you own the home and want to get an at-a-glance reference for your home’s energy systems, Luzia’s technology brings all of your information in one place.

The Luzia Energy Report gives your home a personalized score powered by ENERGY STAR® that ranks the home’s energy bills as compared to similar homes. The profile describes the home’s heating and cooling systems, lighting, insulation levels and windows, and major appliances, along with their efficiency levels. A Savings Summary with an estimate of your possible savings from small steps to major upgrades, including their return on investment and other statistics highlight your home’s energy friendly ways.

The Luzia Energy Report gives you a simple, effective way to know your home’s energy friendly features and achieve the next ones. Luzia works with you in a short turnaround time so you receive your home’s Luzia Energy Report and can begin using the information.

Selling your home? Showcase the energy friendly features with a Luzia Energy Report.

Home buyers or owners, get the energy facts for your home with a Luzia Energy Report. Use your report to make informed upgrades and save on home improvement costs using rebate and tax credit resources.

Get the power of home energy information you can use with Luzia. Visit www.LuziaEnergy.com to see a sample report or email, request@luziaenergy.com, to get started on your own personalized report.

“I am very excited about the Energy Report, it’s been very well received,” claims Erin Green, marketing agent for PRG.

Meet Lara Greden, PHD

Meet Lara Greden, PHD
by Shelley Hawes

Lara Greden was inspired by energy efficiency at a young age. Growing up on a farm in Pine City, MN, her family was at the forefront experimenting with home energy systems; Their home integrated high thermal mass passive solar design elements.

Greden’s interest moved toward the engineering end of construction, eventually leading her to graduate school in Building Technology at MIT where she concentrated on computer modeling for designing energy efficient buildings. The results led her to question how to communicate their results.

About a year ago, Lara and husband/business partner Bruno Miller became inspired while looking for a car and checking CARFAX reports. They thought to apply the idea to homes and soon partnered with George Matthews, a software engineer, to develop the Luzia Energy Report.

Not just a checklist, the Luzia Energy Report includes Energy Star’s benchmarking system; the Home Energy Yardstick. It is a marketing and educational tool that measures how improvements are actually performing. When making energy improvements at home, it helps to ask the question “Does it work?”

Fireplaces

Fireplaces by Tulikivi
pronounced: TOO-lee-KEE-vee

Technically known as masonry fireplaces, or heat-storing fireplaces, there is no better material for building a fireplace than soapstone, nature’s most heat-retentive material.

Long used in their native Finland and the surrounding Scandinavian countries, Tulikivis are catching on in the United States, as people discover the efficiency and environmental friendliness of this form of heating.

Wood-burning fireplaces have been around since, well, man discovered fire, but a lot of government jurisdictions are banning them because they are polluting. The way we look at fireplaces, or biomass-burning appliances, science speak for a fireplace that burns wood or other living or once-living material, is rapidly changing.

There are several reasons why masonry heaters like Tulikivi are winning converts and approval. At its core is the way it burns the wood. A fire burns hot and fast inside the Tulikivi, causing the near total consumption of the wood, thus resulting in very little smoke and particulate matter, and Tulikivis surpass the toughest air quality standards in the world.

In a Tulikivi, the fireplace will generate sufficient heat to warm the room for as much as 24 hours after a two hour fire is out.

Earlier this year President Obama signed into law a 30% tax credit up to $1500 for consumers who purchase a biomass-burning appliance of at least 75% efficiency. The key word in this new legislation is efficient; hence, Tulikivis qualify for the tax credit.

For more information visit www.tulikivi.com.

16 Ways to be Green and Save Green

Check out these simple ways to save without sacrificing

By Heidi DeCoux

1. Go out for dessert instead of dinner. Dinners out can get expensive but it’s no fun to stay in every night. Eat dinner at home and go out for dessert. To save time and reduce the temptation to go out to eat, make up large batches of food and freeze it in individual serving containers. This way you can heat up a homemade gourmet meal in minutes, then go out for a yummy dessert afterwards.

2. Reuse and borrow instead of buy. Need a special tool for a project or maybe a hedge trimmer or tent? Go to www.neighborrow.com to find someone near you who will happily lend you theirs, free of charge.

3. Turn down (or up, depending on the season and climate) your thermostat before you leave your house. Shut the vents off in rooms that you do not use during the day, such as bedrooms or family room and keep the doors closed. No sense in wasting energy heating or cooling rooms that are not being used.

4. Have a clothing swap with friends. Invite your friends to clean out their closets, bring over their unwanted clothing and accessories along with a dish to pass. Lay out everyone’s clothes. Eat, mingle and shop — for FREE! You’ll probably leave with at least a couple of new fun pieces to add to your wardrobe, and you’ll have a fun and free night out. Simply donate all of the leftover items to charity, and at the end you’ll have saved and feel good about finding a home for the things you were “done” with.

5. Unplug items you are not using. Even if they are off they are still pulling current. This cost savings will add up to more than you think. If you don’t want to continually be unplugging items, invest in a Smart Strip, which is different from standard power strips because it doesn’t pull electric current when off. You will probably cut your electric bill in half and definitely make Mother Nature happy. Visit www.clearsimpleliving.com/cutyourelectricbill for more details.

6. Be a miser. Don’t run your water continuously when washing dishes or brushing your teeth. Wash all your clothes in cold. It’s better on your clothes and they typically come out just as clean. Use a little pre-spot if needed. If you are replacing any of your appliances, purchase energy and water efficient models.

7. Before paying full retail price or even sale price for anything, check Craigslist.com, eBay.com and HandMeDowns.com.
Added bonus: It’s great for our environment when we redistribute items instead of tossing things out and remanufacturing new things. For examples of what you can get for super cheap, visit www.clearsimpleliving.com/buyused.

8. Get cash-back rewards on all of your purchases. How much do you spend at Target or Walmart each month? We spend about $100 a week. Target offers a 3.5% cash-back reward (I’ll share with you the secret on how to get it). For us, that’s a savings of $182 a year. I can get three massages for that! Target is just one of 600 stores that offer cash-back rewards.

To find out more visit www.clearsimpleliving.com/cashbackrewards. You can get a cash-back reward at just about every store you shop in. That can add up to huge savings at the end of the year.

BONUS: The rewards are automatic, no paperwork to fill out. Some of them are even given in the form of a discount when you check out.

9. Get your hair cut and colored at a school. It will save you a bundle (especially on color services). The student is monitored closely by an instructor. The Aveda Institutes and Juut Academies are great places to go and they utilize the best in natural products. At the Juut New Artist Academy its students have graduated from cosmetology school but are in a 30-week advanced training course required by all Juut Salons. Haircuts at the Juut Academy are a little more expensive than the Aveda Institute, but you get a more trained cosmetologist cutting or coloring your hair. Haircuts at Juut Academy run about $25 www.juut.com/locations.aspx. Haircuts at Aveda Institute (www.avedainstitutemn.com)run about $15 and usually include a scalp massage and make-up application. These schools also provide color, facials, waxing and massage treatments.

10. Save on travel! Instead of skipping your vacation, just learn to travel better for less. For the guaranteed cheapest hotel rate and cheapest Carnival Cruise rates, book your travel through www.GreatDestinationDeals.com.Bookmark the website on your computer so you have it handy when you need it. They also offer incredible (and usually unbeatable) last-minute deals. There is no magic bullet for the cheapest airfare, but www.Orbitz.com and www.PriceLine.com are usually good bets. Package deals are almost always cheaper. If you need hotel and/or car with your flight, then www.GreatDestinationDeals.com is usually your best bet for getting the cheapest rate on a package deal.

11. Use alternative healthcare options. Health care is a huge expense for many of us and there are cheaper and better options. For some examples visit www.clearsimpleliving.com/alternativehealthcare.

12. Hire it out! I know, it seems counterintuitive. The reality is, if you focus on what you are really good at and hire out all of the little “tasks” that need to get done you will be more efficient, probably more happy and will earn more money. Consider hiring out your yard work, snow removal, housekeeping, laundry, errand-running and any other chore you despise. Leave it to the professionals who love to do your chores and can probably do them better and faster than you can. To find a professional in your area, visit the www.PreferredVendorNetwork.com. This is a directory of the “best of the best” professionals. Professionals do not pay to be listed. They get listed based on the services they provide. Another great resource is Angie’s List.

13. Save with coupon codes. Find current coupon codes for the items on your shopping list at www.currentcodes.com. In the market for a new personal paper shredder? www.ShredYourPapers.com offers a Best Price Guarantee, plus you can use coupon code “Friends” to save 10% on your order.

14. Save on groceries without clipping a hundred coupons and still being able to buy organic and local. For details visit www.clearsimpleliving.com/saveongroceries.

15. Trade labor. Have a project that needs to get done? Trade labor with a friend. Think about what skills you have and who you can offer them to in exchange for their skills on your project.

16. The number one way to save money is to be organized. How many times have you lost paperwork that has cost you time and money, lost a receipt for an item you wanted to return, lost rebate paperwork, had to pay to get an important document replaced, and so on. If you want to be able to find any piece of paper in your home in 30 seconds or less, get my Fast-Filing Method audio program. This home filing system is inexpensive and easy to implement. Spend your life being productive and doing what you love, not searching for paperwork.
Enter coupon code “Article” to save 25% on your order – www.ClearSimpleLiving.com

Heidi DeCoux is a professional organizer, public speaker and presenter of the Fast-Filing Method audio program. For tips and solutions on how to make your life easier, calmer and more organized, sign up for her FREE e-newsletter. Just go to www.heididecoux.com and click on e-solutions.

Common Questions about Geothermal Energy

What is geothermal energy?
There are two types: high-grade and low-grade. High-grade geothermal energy is the heat of the earth’s pressure that turns water into stream. Old Faithful at Yellowstone National Park is an excellent example. Low-grade geothermal energy is the heat within the earth’s crust. This heat is actually stored solar energy. Geothermal taps into this low-grade geothermal energy and delivers big energy savings when heating, cooling and making hot water.

What is a geothermal heat pump?
A heat pump is a mechanical device used for heating and cooling, and that operates on the principle that heat can be moved from a warmer temperature to a cooler temperature. A geothermal heat pump uses the earth to warm us in the winter and cool us in the summer.  You already have a heat pump in your home—your refrigerator. If you put your hand behind it you’ll feel the heat that has been removed from the food inside the refrigerator. This is the same principle that Geothermal uses to move heat to and from the home and earth.

We know a geothermal heat pump can heat, but can it also cool my home?
Yes, one of the reasons a heat pump is so versatile and efficient is its ability to heat and cool as one system. With a flick of a switch on your indoor thermostat the geothermal heat pump changes from heating to cooling.

How do I get the heat from the ground into my home?
There are several types of systems that gather the heat from the ground. The most commonly used are open-loop and closed-loop systems.

Can a heat pump provide 100% of my heating and cooling needs?
Heat pumps can provide 100% of your heating and cooling requirements. All heat pumps will show significantly improved energy efficiency.

Can a geothermal heat pump heat my hot water for my home?
Domestic hot water is available with the use of a heat pump for pennies a day or even free. A hot water desuperheater is a heat exchanger built into the heat pump and is designed to remove high temperature heat from the refrigerant gases. A typical hot water desuperheater will generally provide 120° F water and can supply most of the domestic water needs depending on the amount of consumption.

Can geothermal do snow melting?
Yes. Snow melting on sidewalks and driveways is becoming more popular and can be incorporated into the overall geothermal system design.

Can I heat my pool?
Yes. Indoor and outdoor pools are easily and inexpensively heated with heat pumps.

How can a geothermal heat pump have efficiencies of 350-400%?
For every dollar spent you get $3.60 worth of free heat back from your loop field. We are not creating heat, we are simply moving solar energy that is stored in the earth’s crust to your home or business.

“Geothermal heat pumps can be installed in existing homes located in the city as well as in a suburban or rural setting.  Part of a geothermal system is the earth loop heat exchanger.  This is used to capture heat from the ground in the winter and to remove heat from the home in the summer.   Even though a city lot will be smaller than a suburban or rural lot, there should be enough open area in the yard to install a vertical earth loop heat exchanger.”
—Bob Donley, ECONAR GeoSystems, Sales Manager

Journey to the Center of the Earth

The facts on geothermal

By Michael Anschel

Hundreds of miles below the surface of the earth, a great sea of molten rock flows around the core of our planet. This infernal ocean produces incredible heat and power, which occasional breaks through the crust of the earth spilling out, forming new islands. For generations we have talked about the potential that lies beneath the surface and have pondered how to tap it. While journeys to the center of the earth remain in the realm of sci-fi, we have found a way to tap one small portion of the earth’s inner potential.

Geothermal systems have been around for hundreds of years in various forms. Iceland has a long history of tapping into geothermal power to run its processing plants and provide cheap power to industry. In fact, much of the world’s aluminum production, which requires massive amounts of energy, takes place in Iceland for that reason.

In Minnesota we have a healthy winter, which at times can run a little long, and a spring and fall that can be very chilly. So Minnesotans have the heat on 75% of the year. Conventional heating systems rely on fossil fuels to generate that heat and as we are all now aware, this adds to the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which has a negative impact on our planet.

In the search for alternative methods for heating and cooling our homes, it seems only natural to turn to the wind the sun and the earth. While sun and wind have been getting most of the press, the stoic earth makes its quiet contribution. Ground-source heat pumps or geothermal heat pumps have been serving as heating and cooling systems for homes for years, and with the advances in technology in recent years they have finally come into their own.

1 Looking at a home you would never know that it is getting its heat from below the surface of the earth. 2-4 Drilling rigs come in various types and sizes depending on the conditions below the ground. In the event that you run into fractured limestone, the rigs may change to use air pressure to assist the drilling process and punch through that old rock. Because the well is quite small (around 8” in diameter), drilling rigs can be quite small to get into urban neighborhoods. After the pipes have been installed in the well, it is filled with a grout that both improves contact between the pipes and the soil and protects any ground water from infiltration from the surface. 5 A properly designed geothermal system in Minnesota will typically combine the efficiency of the ground source heat pump with a high efficiency boiler or furnace.

Tapping Into the Earth’s Heart

A small white box sits in the utility room of the Miller home. A red light shows the temperature of the water. Two heavily insulated pipes rise out of the box and head out towards the foundation where they exit the home and split into four smaller pipes. Those pipes travel out into the yard about eight feet under the snow-covered grass, spreading away from one another, making an abrupt 90-degree turn and heading straight down into the earth. They travel down for 180 feet before heading back up and returning to the home where they deliver the newly captured heat to the home. There is hardly any sound as the pump moves the water along its subterranean journey. This is a geothermal heat pump at work.

“We have yet to truly tap the potential of the earth for renewable energy,” says Jim Cusack, general manager of UMR Geothermal of Maple Plain. “The systems we design and install take advantage of a small fraction of the ground’s power.”

So what exactly are these systems, and how do they work? Most of us are already quite familiar with the principles behind this technology. In fact you are so familiar with and interact with it on such a routine basis, that you probably aren’t even aware you are doing it. Go stand next to your refrigerator. Do you feel that warm air coming out of the bottom? Your refrigerator doesn’t make the air or food cold, it extracts heat from the contents of the fridge and expels it into your home. The same principles are at work in your air conditioner (if you have one). As air passes over a coil of refrigerant, heat is extracted from the air and stored in the refrigerant, which then runs to the exterior where the heat is then released into the air.

A heat pump is really just like an air conditioner that is running in reverse. Instead of removing the heat from the inside and expelling it outside it is picking up the heat from outside and bringing it inside. Below eight feet, the earth maintains a constant 55 degrees, extending down for miles, with almost infinite storage capacity. Ground-source heat pumps draw heat from the ground in the winter and expel heat to the ground in the summer. Imagine thousands of little shopping carts running through the pipes and each one picks up 5 degrees of heat which it then brings back home. Pretty soon the heat starts to pile up and soon your home is warm. Simple, right?

So how do you determine if your home is suitable for geothermal? Well, the first step is to measure and evaluate your home to determine its heat loss using something called Manual J. “If the house is not well insulated and performing well, then a ground-source heat pump probably is not the best option,” Cusack explains. The next step is to perform blower door and infrared scan tests of the home, which will tell you how the house is actually performing and help identify leaks and areas of reduced insulation. “Most homeowners can actually achieve a significant performance increase in their homes with $2,000-$5,000 in insulation and air sealing, and that is the better investment,” Cusack says.

If the house is efficient, then the next step is to test the soil. “In order to ensure good performance from these systems,” Cusack says, “we need good, wet soil. The more water the better, in fact the best systems are those that are installed directly into water saturated conditions. Municipal drilling records can give us a good idea of what to expect, which is critical,” Cusack explains. A typical soil bore will cost between $1,000 and $2,000, but is critical. “If we hit bedrock after 50 feet we may have to drill another 200 before we get into the water table. The cost of the drilling may become prohibitively expensive at that point,” Cusack says. The same is true for the large field loop systems that are buried in an excavated area that is around 8-12 foot deep. If the soil is dry and sandy, the system will not perform properly and would consume more energy then it saves.

Once you get the green light from these three tests, the rest is easy. Like so many things, the secret to success lies in the preparation. So why aren’t there more homes with these smart systems installed? There are a number of reasons and cost is one of them. The return on investment can vary depending on soil conditions, the performance of the home, and the design of the system, ranging from 7 years to 25 years. The return will be longer for a newer, more efficient home that is replacing the heating system than it would be for an older, less efficient home. Other considerations are the value an advanced system like this adds to your home as well as the benefits to society from consuming less energy.

There are also some myths surrounding ground-source heat pumps that create confusion among homeowners. The most common is that they cannot provide enough heat for homes in Minnesota. A properly designed system can provide plenty of heat for the home, but it may not be the best thing for the environment. It all goes back to that concern about carbon in our atmosphere. The problem is that the geothermal system uses electricity to pump the water and some systems come with auxiliary electric element heaters. In Minnesota we get most of our electricity from coal plants, which release large amounts of carbon and consume large quantities of water. Electricity from coal experiences an almost 80% loss in transmission, which would make a 100% efficient electric heater only 20% efficient in practice—not so great.

A properly designed geothermal system will run at an efficiency between 360% and 560%, which helps offset the carbon released and is the reason geothermal heat pumps are considered a good alternative technology. The reason to combine a natural gas furnace or boiler with a geothermal system is to take advantage of the natural efficiencies of both and reduce the overall emissions created by your heating system. There is a second advantage and that is access to less expensive energy through the utilities’ dual-fuel program.

It takes study to fully understand the nuances of geothermal heat pump systems and that is why working with a professional who has experience with these systems and experience with a wide variety of homes is important. Remember the three steps before starting—then enjoy the warmth of our wondrous planet.

“Geothermal heat pump technology is one of the most efficient, cost effective and potentially environmentally friendly ways to cut high heating, cooling, and hot water costs. With the new 30% federal tax credit, there has never been a better time to install a geothermal heat pump system!”
—Brian Urlaub, Regional Manager, Enertech, Inc.

Common systems in Minnesota

Horizontal Loop
This is a common installation where there is plenty of land to work with. The pipes are laid 8-12’ deep trenches in long loops that can stretch 500 yards or more. Soil conditions must be right for this installation or the efficiency will be too low, resulting in a higher carbon footprint.

Slinky Field Loop
This is another variation on the horizontal loop that can be installed in a trench, fully excavated field, or a pond. It is most appropriate for water installations, however these are largely prohibited in Minnesota lest water temperature rise and disturb that ecosystem.

Vertical Loop
Pipes carrying water run out from the home about 8’ below the yard and then plummet 150-250’ down into the ground before looping back up and into the home again. These systems are most commonly found in urban environments where available land may be limited. The backyard of the average home has plenty of space to accommodate the wells required

Bearing Fruit

Fruit trees pay sweet dividends

Disappointed with the stock market? Can’t decide which green technologies to invest in? Plant a fruit tree this spring and you’ll be rewarded with fresh delicious fruit for years to come. Fruit trees provide not only shade, beautiful flowers and delicious produce, but also the satisfaction of knowing you’ve grown it yourself.

Trees planted this spring may start bearing fruit in just a couple years, and soon you’ll be sharing their bounty with friends and neighbors.

Not all fruit-bearing plants and trees can survive the subzero cold of Minnesota winters, but there are a number of great varieties that will do just fine. Here are a few easy-to-grow choices to get you started. Check with your local nursery for specific varieties that do well in your area.

Apples—One of the most dependable fruit trees in Minnesota, apples are easy to grow and will begin producing fruit 2-4 years from planting. If you have deer in your area, be sure to protect the trunks of your trees with fencing. Look for these apple varieties: Centennial, Chestnut, Goodland, Haralson, Honeycrisp, Hazen, Prairie Magic, Red Baron, Red Duchess, State Fair and Sweet Sixteen.

Plums—Sweet, juicy plums make great pies, desserts and even wine, but picked off the branch at the peak of ripeness, nothing beats the taste of a home-grown plum. Look for Gracious, Pembina, Pipestone, Toka and Underwood varieties. Toka plums are known as the best pollinators. Plant one along with other varieties to ensure a good crop.

Cherries—While most cherry varieties aren’t able to survive a Minnesota winter, the Northstar and Bali varieties are hardy to -50°. Great for pies and good to eat, the dwarf trees only grow 7-10 feet tall.

Chokecherries—The small red berries are prized for making outstanding jelly and syrup, and they are a favorite of birds.

Currants—More of a shrub than a tree, Red Lake currants are vibrant red and make great jelly and syrup. They can also be seen adorning gourmet desserts in upscale restaurants.

“When planting fruit trees, one critical factor to remember is how deep to plant the tree. The answer is to plant it as deep as the original container — the root graft area. This is detectable usually by different colors or textures in the bark of the tree trunk. If the soil is not well drained or compacted, dig a hole larger than the container your fruit tree came in. A foot to 18 inches is all that is normally required.

To enjoy the fruits of your labor, you will want to keep unwanted critters from looking for that free lunch. If you have deer in the area it is suggested you fence the tree in so that deer are unable to reach over and munch. Metal-meshing wire tree trunk protection will help keep rabbits and rodents from stripping away the bark.”

- Greg Buell, of Buell’s Garden Center and Landscape Centers, has been winning awards for his landscape designs for 26 years. You can contact him at www.buells.com

Planting Books

Minnesota gardening expert Melinda Myers helps you plan, plant and maintain a healthy garden with the Minnesota Gardener’s Guide. Featuring full-color photographs, this reference book gives you everything you need to know about growing fruit, vegetables and flowers in Minnesota. ($25) Available at all major booksellers and Amazon.com.

Whether you’re planning your first tree or want to start your own apple farm, Michael Phillips tells you everything you’ve ever wanted to know about growing apples in The Apple Grower: A Guide for the Organic Orchardist. ($40) Available at all major booksellers and Amazon.

Smart and Bright

Making the grade with LED lighting

By LouAnn Berglund Haaf

LED…What’s all the buzz about? I talk to Alison Hirtz of Ferguson Lighting Showroom in Plymouth and you will find out.  “LED is where lighting manufacturers are heading. It has come a long way since it was first introduced both in style and engineering,” she states. “The color LED lighting emits has come a long way as well.  Gone is the cold color that you would associate with the mega mart. This new era of LED isn’t your typical Christmas LED light that everyone is familiar with. Now we have a product that feels warm and inviting. It’s a product that fits right in with other residential incandescent applications, from chandeliers (even crystal chandeliers), accent pendant, under-cabinet lighting, recessed lighting, exterior light (think of the new 35W bridge) to more commercial interior applications that seems to go unnoticed as LED.”

Designed with standard light bulb bases (aka Edison bases), LED bulbs are designed to retrofit practically any existing fixture. Great thing is, the latest LED light bulbs now produce about the same amount of light per watt as compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs). However, unlike incandescent bulbs and CFLs, which splash light in all directions, LED bulbs are directional. They concentrate their light only where you want it.

A regular 40-watt incandescent bulb burns through a lot more energy than it needs to produce the light it emits. A large percentage of the energy that goes into a 40-watt bulb is wasted as heat. LED light bulbs, on the other hand, generate very little heat, instead transferring most of their energy directly into light.

How to start using LED bulbs
Just like anything that involves change, start slow. Buy one bulb and swap it out with existing bulbs in different areas of your home. See how the light works in each area with the new light and go from there. LED bulbs are more expensive than traditional incandescent, but once you understand the facts and the savings for your pocketbook and the environment, you’ll be hooked.

LED Edison-base lightbulbs are available locally at most lighting showrooms, local hardware stores or lumber yards. Call for availability: they are more expensive than regular bulbs, so the quantity they stock may be lower. www.homedepot.com, www.lowes.com

Some facts about LED light bulbs
• LED: light-emitting diode
• Light the color of daylight
• Use only 2-10 watts of electricity (CFL or incandescent uses 1/3rd to 1/30th more)
• Long lasting: up to 30,000 hour bulb life
• Cool running (warm to the touch)
• No fragile filaments
• Directional lighting
• Works with sensor-activated lights
• Instant on and off
• A bulb for just about any retrofit application, indoor or outdoor

OUTDOOR LIGHTING
Offering both wall-mount, post versions and walkway lights, outdoor LED fixtures will slide effortlessly into any design you can dream up. www.progresslighting.com Retail price: $386 to $635

RETROFIT BULBS
It’s relatively easy to make the switch, and there’s plenty of varieties to pick from—one to fit any need that you may have, from very low light needs (1 watt) to recessed, task lights, lamps, ceiling fans and the list goes on.

INDOOR LIGHTING
Brushed nickel, bronze, shades in a variety of shapes and colors—that is the new era of LED lighting for the home. Add streamlined undercounter task and ambient lighting and all your bases are covered (see undercounter examples on the oppostie page). www.progresslighting.com, www.kichler.com Retail pricing ranges from $190 to $650

All The fixtures pictured are available locally at:
www.ferguson.com • www.creativelighting.com • www.cartierlighting.com and other wholesale showrooms. check manufacturers’ websites for more local distributors: www.kichler.com • www.progresslighting.com

Eye Candy

Add some quick sparkle to your space with these great local finds

Instant glamour! This tufted wool rug with its metallic thread adds just enough sparkle underfoot.  Wool is known for its durability and lasts for years. It comes in a variety of sizes and would update a dining room or a powder room in a wink with its versatile palette.  $99 to $749  www.westelm.com

You’ll appreciate the subtle sheen and fresh feel of this organic duvet cover that is free from pesticides, toxic chemicals and dyes.  The color is soothing, the style is sophisticated.  Duvet covers start at $99 for a twin. www.westelm.com

Swap out those dated doorknobs with unique antique doorknobs in a variety of textures, styles and sheen.  Reuse with old world charm and elegance.  $12 to $100   www.archantiques.com

For the ultimate in elegance, this chest will dazzle with its detailed, hand-applied finish.  Each piece is unique and hand-crafted, avoiding the harsh chemical finishes of factory manufacturing.  $2199  www.wisteria.com

Ready to dispose of that old chandelier?  Wait, here’s a better plan.  Jazz it up with these magnetic crystals that cling to any metal surface.  Be as subtle or as “over the top” as you want.  Use one on a ceiling mount, several on sconces, or as many as the fixture allows. These baubles are available at Petunia’s in Excelsior.  $xxx  www.petuniasonthird.com

Before you leave that old chest “curbside” apply a coat of glossy black Benjamin Moore low VOC paint and add these crystal knobs. There’s nothing quite like treasure hunting for the perfect hardware at Architectural Antiques. You’ll be amazed at the results.  They come in a variety of colors and sizes.  $15 each  www.archantiques.com

Go back in time with these antique mercury glass urns. Their silvery aura reflects the surroundings and will jazz up any style of decor.  No worries…it’s not real mercury, but silver nitrate, which has no harmful effects to people or the environment. Offered in a range of sizes.  $69  www.wisteria.com

These hand-crafted metallic Chinese garden stools are a great addition to any room that needs an extra perch for the coffee cup, yet are strong enough for extra seating. They can serve a double life outdoors as well…a truly versatile piece.  Ceramic, while hard to find, is always a great alternative to plastics and resin.  $129  www.westelm.com

Check out this fun mirror-encrusted drapery panel. Even a sheer panel on a window will help keep the cold outside while spreading its softly diffused light into your home. Try some of these natural sheer linen panels in a room in need of a bit of bling on these gray Minnesota days. price ranges from $35 to $51  www.westelm.com

Here’s a last-minute find:  You may want to make a trip to The ReUse Center. This non-profit enterprise is committed to waste reduction by saving reusable building materials from the landfill.  Twin Cities’ top remodelers bring in great materials daily.  You’ll be amazed at what you discover.   2801 21st Ave. S. Minneapolis  www.thereusecenter.com.

Roses are red, violets are blue, can they be green?

By Terry Engels

Green is the new red. The cut flower industry has traditionally used chemically intensive means to obtain a quality product, and since 1991 has been centered out of the United States.  Question is, if you want to be more green-minded, how do you go about it?

There are easy options to pursue. Buying local is the first choice for the freshest product, and one that doesn’t require enormous transportation costs.  Many local florists offer flowers grown organically by area boutique growers from late spring through the fall.  However, winter does present its problems for Minnesota Valentine flower enthusiasts.  Enter Len Busch Roses, a local grower that provides not only the freshest roses but also lilies, tulips, alstroemerias and gerbera daisies to local floral wholesalers. Year-round production in their area greenhouses makes this possible.  They promise a quality product thoughtfully produced with regard to the environment and their employees. “We believe all results should happen under the umbrella of stewardship to the world in which we live, by serving people and managing our resources wisely.”

This is not a certified organic grower. However, their expressed concern for various aspects of the growing process mirrors those who seek Fair Trade, Demeter, and Veriflora certification. (See sidebar for definition of terms.) Many area florists speak highly of their flowers and the process by which they are produced.

One such retailer is Jennifer Zierke of Prairie Crocus Design, LLC, Eden Prairie. She promises sustainably-produced, eco-conscious flowers for her customers, and thinks that Len Busch Roses is topnotch.  Jennifer can also obtain Fair Trade and Veriflora certified flowers. “Fair trade flowers have a beautiful scent,” she states.  “They come direct to me and do not sit in a warehouse.” She offers to craft hand-done “green” arrangements for Valentine purchasers.

There are of course a number of online options, from mass producers to the more personal Organic Bouquet, the first online source for sustainable flowers, started in 2001. According to spokesman Gerald Prolman, “This is a matter of supply and choice, rather than supply and demand. The more we make it available, the more people ask for it.”

For flowers from a family farm try the web’s first grower-owned organic flower source, in Chico, CA. “Growing our flowers organically just makes sense to us since our family lives and works on the farm everyday,” says Marc Kessler, who operates California Organic Flowers with his wife Julia.

Consumers should be aware there are issues when using online services.  One is loss of control of the outcome. There are many steps in producing a bouquet beautiful enough to express the fondest emotions, from selection to trimming to arranging a unique collection, according to Kate Thomssen of St. Paul’s Stems & Vines. This is the kind of service that no mass-market source can guarantee.

If you do choose to use an online source, make sure you are getting what you are promised.  Check out the terms listed on the below to assist your choice.

Terms to know when buying green:

Organic: A way of growing plants that evolved post-WWII from the ideas of J.I. Rodale, which promote sustainability by attention to soil care and use of natural rather than artificial chemical products.

USDA Certified Organically-Grown: Refers to a designation awarded by the US Department of Agriculture to growers who maintain strict standards such as three years of chemical-free production, use of certain approved fertilizers and plant care products, and organic seeds.

VeriFlora Certified: The VeriFlora Certified Sustainability Grown label is a guarantee that flowers and potted plants have been produced in an environmentally and socially responsible manner, meeting the highest standard for freshness and quality. These standards are overseen through an independent inspection process.

Fair Trade: An international movement that promotes fair prices and environmental stewardship in the developing world. Begun in Europe in the 1960s, it ensures that small producers get a fair price for their goods, long-term contracts which provide real security, and support to gain the knowledge and skills that they need to develop their businesses and increase sales. It does not necessarily mean certified organic, but participants agree on ecostandards.

Fair Trade Certified: The official endorsement from the independent, third-party certifier TransFair USA that a product has been purchased according to International FairTrade criteria. These criteria are established by FairTrade Labeling Organizations International (FLO) which makes annual inspection visits to ensure that companies honor these standards.

Demeter Biodynamic Certified: Demeter certification represents a historic internationally-based whole-farm approach to agriculture. A not-for-profit organization, it is the only certifier of Biodynamic farms, processors and products. Some European flower sources use this certification.

Terms like All-natural, Eco-friendly, and Sustainable have no universal meaning, so there is no real guarantee of what they mean to the consumer.

Jen Zierke of Prairie Crocus Designs notes that Fair Trade roses are labeled on each stem with certification and origin.

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