Concentration of CO2 in the Atmosphere

How Safe Is Your Indoor Air?

Barbara and Greg Whitchurch

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) refers to the quality of the air within buildings, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of the occupants. A home that’s healthful for the occupants has the proper moisture level, is pest-free, contaminate-free, and well-ventilated with filtered outside air.

Health effects of […]

SWA’s Top 10 Tips for a Healthier Indoor Environment – Part 2

Lauren Hildebrand

The evidence in support of more healthful buildings is overwhelming. Children living in green housing have significantly lower incidents of asthma. In the workplace, we see greater employee productivity, with staff that are more engaged, creative and innovative, and less likely to leave for a competitor. And, the same concepts can be applied […]

The Clash between Oil and the Future

Pumping oil. Image: mexicinstitute.wordpress.com

Dr. Alan K. Betts

Global ocean temperatures set a new record in 2018, beating the previous record set in 2017. New studies show that both the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets are melting faster than ever, so that sea-level rise is accelerating. In the third week of January, the […]

Our Planetary Garage

Smog surrounding Los Angeles. Image: Wikimedia Commons

John Bos

Here’s a question: how dangerous is it to operate a gasoline engine in a closed garage? The answer is very dangerous, life-threatening in fact. The carbon monoxide emitted by the engine – your lawn mower or snow blower – can reduce the […]

Vermont Ski Museum Hosts Climate Change Discussion

A section of the 35-tracker solar farm at Smugglers’ Notch Resort, with the ski trails on Madonna Mtn. in the background. Image: Smugglers’ Notch.

Roger Lohr

The Vermont Ski & Snowboard Museum in Stowe, Vermont is hosting a Red Bench Discussion on April 11th at 6:00pm on the topic of “Actions […]

The Climate Crisis – More Complex Than Simple Solutions

George Plumb

There have been many commentaries recently about what is happening to the Earth caused by climate change. Most of the commentaries focus on what needs to be done about reducing our greenhouse gas emissions and include suggestions such as putting a carbon tax on fossil fuels, moving to renewable energy, or weatherizing our […]

AeroBarrier™ – An Air Sealing System That Fills the Gaps

The Aerobarrier spray system in action. Photos AeroBarrier™

Sean Flynn

The Problem

As a custom home builder in the high-end market for the past 20-plus years, I have watched the emphasis on energy efficient building practices grow to the point where a blower door and tape roller have become as standard in the […]

Is The Glen House the Greenest Getaway in the White Mountains?

How the Recently Opened Hotel is Modernizing a Century-Old Legacy of Sustainability

Since opening last fall, The Glen House has welcomed guests looking to take in thewinter splendor of Mt. Washington. Image: Mt. Washington Auto Road.

By Chris Gillespie

If you’re looking for a year-round destination to enjoy the natural beauty of New […]

ThermoLift Heat Pumps

Paul Schwartz, CEO/Co-Founder of ThermoLift, showing a prototype unit. All photos courtesy of ThermoLift

George Harvey

Some things are both counter-intuitive and extraordinary. To understand them, we really need to have a grasp of science. So I hope no one minds if I start with explaining a couple of […]

The Benefits of Geothermal Energy

Jesse Cook

Sick of high heat bills in winter and outrageous cooling costs in the summer?

There is a solution that cools and heats your home more quickly and for less money. It’s called geothermal energy.

Geothermal systems take advantage of the unlimited, free energy from the earth. They provide even, constant temperatures year-round […]