Nissan Leaf EV

WOW, there are 22,000 people in North America that have contacted Nissan since the unveiling of their Nissan Leaf EV. In early 2010, Nissan will start taking reservations for their Leaf EV - it sure does look great. I actually drive a Nissan Sentra, and I get great gas milage, which was a real selling feature for me. The Leaf EV will get about 100 miles per charge, which is good if you don't drive more then that in a day. I am willing to bet if Nissan got that up to 500 miles per charge, these cars would fly off the lots.

Copper Sinks - great at killing bacteria

Heare is a really beautiful copper sink, and it is great at killing 99% of the bacteria within two hours. Copper is also used for countertops, evetroughs, and lining rain barrels for the same reasons.

This sink is hand hammered, and made from 100% recycled copper by Native Trails. With the winter season coming, so are the bugs, and a sink link this would help tremendously in cutting down on those bugs. Please note, you can not just leave the dishes in the sink, and hope the copper does the job...LOL. You must actually wash the dishes in hot water and use soap.

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre in New York City, is looking at using copper in different applications throughout the hospital, because copper kills 99% of bacteria within two hours. I am sure there will be more hospitals looking at doing the same thing.

Manitoba Hydro Place - So Impressive

Wow, I am so impressed with this design. Take a look at Manitoba Hydro Place, designed by Kuwabara Payne Mckenna Blumberg Architects, with Architect of Record Smith Carter Architects. I am so impressed, this is one beautifully designed building, and very GREEN.

If you have ever been to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada in the winter, then you know how cold it gets there, and how long the winter can be. Heating gets to be pretty expensive too, and this building has been designed with great GREEN features, to help keep the costs down. Manitoba Hydro Place, relies mostly on "passive free energy" (sun heat). Take a look at the 377 Foot tall "Solar Chimney". It is very efficient at drawing air out of the building during the shoulder seasons, and in the summer it uses the stack effect. Then, in the winter, fans draw the exhaust air down, and use it to preheat all the incoming cold air, and warm the parking garage.

Depending on the season, there is even a 24 metre tall waterfall in each of the atria, which humidifies or dehumidifies the incoming air. In colder temperatures, recovered heat from the exhaust air, and passive solar radiant energy are used to warm the fresh air, which is then drawn through the raised floors, and into the office spaces through under floor fan units.

Humans, computers, appliances and other sources of heat cause the air to rise, it is then drawn north and exhausted by the solar chimney. In the shoulder seasons, the building relys entirely on ourdoor fresh air, using automatic and manually operated windows.

This building uses a closed loop geoexchange system with 280 boreholes 400 feet deep; which cools or heats water which is piped through the thermal mass of the concrete floors, heating/cooling the space in the building. The podium rooftop has deep soil intensive green roofs and accessible terraces, which creates a lush landscape outdoors for employees to enjoy.

Go Green & Check your Furnace

Winter is coming, and with it we all bundle up to stay warm. It is time to get that furnace checked, before the coldest day of the year arrives, so you know that when you need it, the furnace will be keeping you warm. Direct Energy, will come out to your house, and give your furnace the once over, and make sure their are no carbon monoxide leaks, which could kill your family. You may also decide to go green, and get an Energy Efficient Audit, to find out where exactly your home is leaking heat, and how to fix it.

Did you know that most homes, if you add up all the heat leaks, they would amount to the size of a basket ball - WOW! You can go green, by turning down your programable thermostat, just a few degrees while you are at work, and when you go to bed, you could save between 5-10% on your heat bill. You may need to put new Sweeps on your doors, and recaulk your windows. Your furnace filter should be replaced every 90 days, or cleaned every 90 days, depending on what type of filter you have.

Dig out a few extra blankets to put on your bed, and keep one handy when watching TV. Change your socks to warmer ones to wear around the home, as damp ones will only make you cold. Eat dinner by eco green candle light a few times per week, and all of these things will help keep your energy bill in line. Also, do your laundry late at night or off the peak periods, and do line drying instead of using the dryer, will all contributes to going green and keeping your bills low.

Time to Harvest your Vegetable Gardens

I know it is hard to believe, with all the beautiful weather we have been experiencing, that it is the last of September, and time to start tending to that yard work before winter hits us.

It is HARVEST TIME, and this time my carrots did not grow as big as I had hoped, so I will be pickling them, as they are the perfect size to pickle and enjoy at Thanks Giving. My zucchini on the other hand, is huge, and really delicious, so it will be cooked up on the BBQ with many other vegetables, and I may even bake a cake with it. The onions, well they are great, very delicious, and again will be cooked up on the BBQ with other vegetables. I should tell you, that I take the green tops off the onions and chop it up, and then freeze it to be used in omlettes. Everything that can be used is used or composted. I planted onions around all my vegetables this year, as they are great at keeping the rabbits away, and so now I have a lot of onions to eat. My tomato's have never tasted better, they are so sweet, and that is because they are home grown and vine ripened. I just love fresh tomatos in a salad or a sandwich.

It is also time to get those trees in your yard watered, so they can make it over the winter. Once the leaves have fallen off the trees, you can mulch them into your compost bin or into your garden. Don't forget to turn off those outside water tapes and drain them, so they don't freeze, and remember to drain the watering hose too, so it does not freeze. Well I am doing all my yard work, I tend to check out the windows and doors, to see if they need to be re-caulked, so I am not losing any heat this winter.

Collecting Wages from Unethical Companies

There are so many unethical companies, refusing to pay their employees wages, after they lay them off, I thought I would make this suggestion. Yes, I know it is a recession, but that does not give these companies the right to not pay you what is owed. Your bills don't go away, just because these unethical companies won't pay up. Being Green, means showing respect to everyone, and everything on Gods planet. We all must be good stewards of planet earth, and paying our bills on time is part of this picture.

The first thing I suggest you do, is to document everything. Dates, times and what happened, along with any witnesses to the events. I would also suggest that you contact the labour board for your city, province, or state. If you work a government job, then contact your union representative, as they will have more pull then you do on your own. If you work for a charity, then contact the Chairman of the Board, and let them know what is happening. If you are being discriminated against, document it, and then contact Human Rights.

If, you are still unable to collect wages that are owed to you, then the next step is to collect all your pay stubs, and photocopy your last pay check, provided it is a check. Write down your story, explain how much money is still owing to you, and why you feel it is still owing to you. If the unethical company has taken too much money off your pay check for taxes, and any other discreprencies.

Then phone REVENUE CANADA, or the IRS if your American, and ask to speak to an agent. Get an appointment to come in and talk to them, and take all your documentations with you. When you get there, be sure to be on time, and use your manners.

The agent will go through everything with you, if they agree with you, they will tell you to deposit your last pay check in your bank account, if it has not already been deposited. They will also tell you, that when you file your income tax for this year, you will be given a credit for the amount of money, that Revenue Canada feels you are owed.

Then they will FREEZE the unethical companies bank account(s), this usually takes about a week. They take that long, because they are waiting for your pay check to clear, before the funds are frozen. After this happens, the unethical company will be notified that they will be audited. In some cases, the company is forced into bankruptcy. This is nothing to worry about, as these companies, charities, or any other business should not be in business, when they do not know how to treat people with respect. The more unethical companies that are put out of business, because of poor business practices, the less likely good, honest working people are to end up working for them, and that is good business.

One last thing, don't bother telling the company what you are prepared to do, as in most cases, they will not believe you. Besides, the element of surprise is best, as they will not know what hit them, and you will be able to get some satisfaction knowing another person will not fall prey to them.

Moving on, the next job that you take, ask lots of questions, and pay attention to how your gut feels. If you are unable to sleep, and feel uneasy about that job that you just interviewed for, then perhaps you need to ask more questions, or maybe that job is not for you. Check with the better business bureau, and see what their track record is. Also, google the company, and see if there are any complaints about them. In other words, really do your homework, and see if they are the company you want to work for, or if they are just a "washroom break" to the next job?

Ultimately, you want to work for a company that pays fairly, treats all their staff well, offers benefits that include medical, dental, holidays, where you feel comfortable to work, and where you feel like you really belong, as you spend a lot of time there everyday. When you find that great position, hang on to it, and treat the company with the same respect that you recieve. I even offer silent blessings to everyone I work with, as it really changes the atmosphere at work, and I am happier being there.

Many Blessings & Success to your next great job.

LEED Certified Commercial Buildings More Popular

Canada is experiencing a surge of interest in LEED certified commercial buildings. In Toronto, will undergo renovations that will help apply for LEED status, and thus it will eventually help get those commercial buildings rented out again.

According to Avison Young, most tenants are looking to reduce costs, and the focus is on retro fitting older buildings to make them more energy efficient. Vacancy's in green buildings don't stay vacant long, as the tenant is happy to be saving money, and the owner is happy to be making money again.

There is a partnership between B.C. Hydro, the Ministry of Energy and BOMA to make 17,000 commercial buildings more energy efficient. The B.C. Government wants to see a reduction by 1/3 greenhouse gasses by 2020. Presently, commercial buildings make up about 5% of B.C.'s emissions, and the goal is to reduce energy demand by 9% per square meter of commercial space.