Pure Shelter

Testing 4 "Easy" Less Messy Composters

email@gwendolynbounds.com (Gwendolyn Bounds) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:01:00 +0000

Today we test "composters" in The Wall Street Journal -- looking at units that make the practice faster, less messy and even, mildly entertaining.

You'll find worms, a bearded dragon and Sputnik (or a close relative) making appearances in the video above.

And in the story, you'll find a 6-Step cheat sheet for composting -- and a glimpse at the future of "smart" trash cans. Plus, links and prices of the product we test.

ABC News Video: "Winter-Proofing" Your Home

email@gwendolynbounds.com (Gwendolyn Bounds) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:45:00 +0000

There are good tax incentives available now for "winter-proofing" your home now through 2010. Among them, a 30% federal tax credit up to $1500 for certain energy efficient home improvements including:

Windows and Doors
Insulation
Roofs (Metal and Asphalt)
HVAC (heating and cooling equipment)
Water Heaters (non-solar)
Biomass Stove (wood stoves, pellet stoves)

For more details, we explore this on ABC News. Get the details and find out what qualifies at the government's Energy Star Web site.

Cash Back for Replacing Your Grass?

email@gwendolynbounds.com (Gwendolyn Bounds) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:49:00 +0000

Last week in the Wall Street Journal and on CNBC, we reported how many communities are offering financial incentives to get homeowners to dial back water consumption at home -- particularly outside when it comes to watering grass.

One perk in some towns: cash for replacing your lawn with more "water-efficient" landscaping.

The incentives range from rebates and nursery gift certificates to water bill credits. You can find some of them here on the Environmental Protection Agency's Web site. I delve into them more on ABC News' "Good Money."

The EPA plans to expand it's "WaterSense" label this Fall to include new homes that consume about 20% less water than a typical new home. The criteria, as currently written, would limit the amount of turfgrass builders can plant. And that has many in the turfgrass industry opposing the proposal, saying it would portray grass as "bad" and that a one-size-fits all approach isn't the way to go.

Read more in today's WSJ about this Turf-War.

Scotts New "Natural" Weed Killer In the Pipeline

email@gwendolynbounds.com (Gwendolyn Bounds) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 14:57:00 +0000

A natural weed killer made from thistle fungus ... roach killer derived from soybean oil ... water-saving grass seed mixed with coconut fibers. These are some of the "natural" lawn and garden solutions in the works and on shelves from Scotts Miracle-Gro -- the world's largest player in this market.

Some critics say Scotts' roots in synthetic chemical solutions make its full-force entry into the natural market amount to too little, too late. Others cheer the arrival, saying a strong commitment to naturals by a monolith like Scotts could dramatically alter the face of the industry, and the environment and human health, for the better.

We discuss the opportunity here on CNBC and check out WSJ.com for two videos that give a sneak peak into Scotts' labs as well as a rare in-depth interview with its brash-talking CEO Jim Hagedorn at his Marysville, Ohio home where you can see the one bare spot in the grass chieftain's own lawn. (Note: we had to do a lot of "bleeping" during the interview.)

Testing "Natural" Pest Control Methods

email@gwendolynbounds.com (Gwendolyn Bounds) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 15:45:00 +0000

This summer, I've been waging war against carpenter ants, wasps and cabbageworms by testing a new lineup of "natural" pest control products as chronicled in a recent Wall Street Journal story. Increasingly, well-known insecticide manufacturers, retailers and even professional pest-control services are rolling out solutions whose active ingredients are derived from materials like animals, plants, bacteria and minerals, many of them considered potentially safer to humans, pets and the environment than their synthetic-chemical counterparts.

Here's a list of common ingredients you'll find on the labels of natural products and the types of pests they target.

How To Start a Food Garden (With No Digging or Weeding)

email@gwendolynbounds.com (Gwendolyn Bounds) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:58:00 +0000

After six years of being a homeowner and swearing every year that I'd start a food garden, this year, I finally did.

On my deck.

Call it lawn-chair gardening. From container kits with premeasured fertilizer and watering gauges to compact potato and lettuce-growing bags that can be toted around, the gardening industry is angling to green the thumbs of reticent, and younger, first-time growers. The new items are intended to save time, water, fertilizer and space -- and make it hard to mess up.

You can read more in today's WSJ story, "For a Green Thumb, Just Add Water." In a photo slideshow, I demonstrate how some of the products work. Will report back come harvest time.

UPDATE: Watch as we take lawn-chair gardening to Central Park on Good Morning America where anchors Sam Champion and Elizabeth Vargas and I walk through some of the latest growing tools.

Lawn Mowers that Don't Use Gas

email@gwendolynbounds.com (Gwendolyn Bounds) — Tue, 26 May 2009 21:01:00 +0000

Recently I've been testing a spate of "gasless" outdoor power tools: trimmers that run off lithium-ion batteries or propane, chainsaws that work on nickle-cadmium batteries and mowers, including a $3299 riding one from Ariens, propelled by electric motors and lead acid batteries.

In this Wall Street Journal story and video, you can see many of the tools in action and get a glimpse of where they perform well and where they fall short. The goal of the new breed of outdoor equipment is less maintenance, fewer emissions.

Channeling Your Inner Lumberjack...

email@gwendolynbounds.com (Gwendolyn Bounds) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 18:36:00 +0000

For the last month, I've been playing Paul Bunyan and learning to split wood. Good for the muscles, not so good for the fingernails.

But as I wrote in today's WSJ story, learning to split logs is a road to a bit of economic independence if you have a steady source of wood and a high-efficiency wood stove or fireplace insert. To get through the eight large trees that needed splitting, I tested a raft of tools from a 4lb maul to a gas splitter that cuts with 26 tons of force.

Judging from what retailers and manufacturers tell me, I'm part of a growing number of homeowners trying to ride out the economic storm by becoming more self-sufficient and tackling more complex home improvement projects. As Larry Kudlow points out on CNBC, even Ronald Reagan split his own logs sometimes.

Wear goggles and sturdy boots!

Former Presidents Split Wood Too...

email@gwendolynbounds.com (Gwendolyn Bounds) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:49:00 +0000

Larry Kudlow and Melissa Francis of CNBC weigh in on my wood-splitting technique...and that of former President Ronald Reagan.

Photo from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum archives.

Should There Be a Universal "Eco-Label?"

email@gwendolynbounds.com (Gwendolyn Bounds) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 21:21:00 +0000

With the proliferation of products being pitched as "green," there's been a surge in the number of third parties offering eco-labels as validation, as I discuss in yesterday's WSJ story. By one count, more than 300 labels exist putting their seal on everything from coffee and wood to cosmetics.

As such, some are exploring whether there should be an "Eco-Label" run by the federal government, including Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California. Meantime, the free market isn't waiting around and retailers are adopting their own label programs.

Drawing by Michael Witte for The Wall Street Journal.

How Your Home Can Qualify For Bailout Cash

email@gwendolynbounds.com (Gwendolyn Bounds) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:00:00 +0000

For those homeowners who feel they are falling between the cracks with the federal government's various stimulus efforts, my WSJ story today outlines some potentially lucrative tax credits available for various energy efficient home improvements.

The credits are available for everything from adding qualifying insulation and windows and hot water heaters, to solar panels and geothermal systems. However, some credits are available for a limited time period -- 2009 and 2010 -- so if you are in the market for some of these improvements or systems, now might be a profitable time to take the plunge.

How to Keep Your Older Home Competitive With New Ones -- From Energy Bills to Technology

email@gwendolynbounds.com (Gwendolyn Bounds) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 14:15:00 +0000

In today's story and video in The Wall Street Street Journal, I look at the trend of "future-proofing" in homes -- that is, adapting new building science to older homes so they don't become obsolete in a fast-changing market.

The story offers 5 steps experts recommend considering before you tear down sheetrock or exterior siding, replace kitchen cabinets, buy a new hot water heater, build a new media room or paint a wall or refinish a floor. More on this, from a Good Morning America report late last year.

Rating Furniture Cleaning Services

email@gwendolynbounds.com (Gwendolyn Bounds) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 13:29:00 +0000

In yesterday's piece, my Wall Street colleagues and I tested upholstery cleaning services that come to your house and spit-shine the furniture. It's a route more consumers are taking to save money and make their furniture last longer in tight economic times.

While all our wares turned out a bit brighter, we found some spots -- coffee and ink for instance -- tougher to delete. We also found some services touting "green" and "organic" solutions, though there is still confusion in the marketplace about what this exactly constitutes.

More Signs of Green Building Moving Mainstream

email@gwendolynbounds.com (Gwendolyn Bounds) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:23:00 +0000

Even in the economic downturn, continued momentum in the green building movement on several fronts indicates more mainstream demand.

In today's WSJ Developments blog, I wrote about the opening of the new Green Depot store in Manhattan. I visited the store prior to its opening; its like a 3,500 eco-Home Depot boutique, complete with a no-VOC (volatile organic compound) paint bar where you can get any color mixed, refillable non-toxic cleaning solution soda fountain station, organic children's bedding and all sorts of green, non-toxic building materials -- insulation, flooring, cabinets -- under one roof.

In the post, you'll find links to other sites really reaching for the consumer as opposed to the builder.

The New Gentler Breed of Snowblowers

email@gwendolynbounds.com (Gwendolyn Bounds) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 19:48:00 +0000

Today in The Wall Street Journal, I wrote about my recent testing of snowblowers and the surge in demand of multiple models across the U.S. Driving sales: a heavy bout of early-season snow and, surprisingly, the recession, which is forcing people to make sure they get to work on time. It's also due to manufacturers courting more women by making models more user-friendly.

The video above shows several of the models tested in action. I also discussed the trend on CNBC with Larry Kudlow.

To dig deeper...

Here's a Consumer Reports study and ranking on snowblowers.

Is Your Home "Future-Proofed?"

email@gwendolynbounds.com (Gwendolyn Bounds) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 18:11:00 +0000

How do you "future-proof" a house?

On this Good Morning America video today, I discussed 5 strategies to make an old home competitive with new ones -- both on the sales front and energy efficiency.

We looked at kitchen cabinets, paint, insulation, lawncare and appliances during the segment and discussed some of the new laws coming into effect that are helping trigger the future-proofing trend.

29 Green Gifts -- How Do They Rate?

email@gwendolynbounds.com (Gwendolyn Bounds) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 22:36:00 +0000

To analyze just how green some of the eco-gifts on the market are this holiday season, we enlisted a trio of experts to help us analyze them in today's Wall Street Journal story.

Panelists included staffers from the not-for-profit Green Seal environmental certification group (greenseal.org); the not-for-profit Rocky Mountain Institute (rmi.org), which focuses on energy conservation and sustainability; and David Johnston, founder of Boulder-based green building consultancy What's Working Inc. (whatsworking.com).

And here's a list of 10 green home improvement items on the market this year that have an eco-bent and could fit in a stocking.

Images: Herman Miller LED light courtesy of Design Within Reach; GE Caulk Singles courtesy of caulksingles.com.

Green Homes for the Middle Class

email@gwendolynbounds.com (Gwendolyn Bounds) — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:17:00 +0000

After attending the GreenBuild Expo in Boston, I wrote this blog post for WSJ's Developments about an Austin, Texas builder tapping into the green market for middle class homes. (Think $225,000 -- ranging from 1600 to 3500 square feet.)

I also spoke about the topic on CNBC in this video.

How Truly "Green" Are Eco-Friendly Drycleaners?

email@gwendolynbounds.com (Gwendolyn Bounds) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:21:00 +0000

A wide swath of professional clothing cleaners who offer "greener" alternatives to traditional dry-cleaning are popping up, as I discuss in today's WSJ story.

They use everything from silicone and CO2 to hydrocarbons and high-tech washers to get clothing clean without using "perc" -- the short-hand term for a solvent typically used in dry-cleaning. Perc has been labeled a probably human carcinogen and is being more closely regulated by the EPA and many states.

I spoke about this on CNBC in this video and wrote about issues surrounding home prices and possible air quality issues in a blog post for WSJ.com.

To dig deeper ...

CO2 cleaners are listed at findco2.com
Wet-cleaners at professionalwetcleaning.com
GreenEarth cleaners at greenearthcleaning.com
There's also nodryclean.com, which lists various cleaners by method, and igreenclean.org

These blogs discuss "green cleaning:"
organicclothing.blogs.com
livescience.com
care2.com

Others:
America's Best Cleaners-- certifies cleaners national for quality standards
National Cleaners Association -- represents U.S. cleaners

Image from Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Saving Energy on the Cheap

email@gwendolynbounds.com (Gwendolyn Bounds) — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 17:21:00 +0000

Energy experts have preached taking small eco-steps for year to trim energy bills -- but does it work?

The good news, is yes. By taking a few small steps outlined in my story today in The Wall Street Journal, I've cut my electricity consumption by 687 kwh this year, saving $86 in the last 2 months alone. Keeping that up for a year, I'd rack up about $500 in savings -- or 40% of last year's total power bill.

The steps didn't take much effort: turning off printers and computers not in use, upgrading to Energy Star appliances when old ones needed replacing, swapping a stand-up freezer for a chest model.

To dig deeper...

Michael Blue Jay -- One man's Web site with strategies on cutting energy costs.

Recyclemyoldfridge.com -- Web site that lets you calculate how much electricity an old appliance consumes and how much an upgrade to Energy Star model will provide.

Energy Department Guide -- Strategies from federal government to reduce energy consumption and waste at home. (May take a few moments to load)

Appliance consumption -- A link from the federal government's Energy Star program to see how much electricity individual appliances consume.

UPDATE: Here's a cheat sheet short version with 5 quick tips for Good Morning America as well as a video.

Image by Whirlpool.

Don't Do Windows? Call a Pro. (Just Watch Out for Scratches)

email@gwendolynbounds.com (Gwendolyn Bounds) — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 13:01:00 +0000

In today's Cranky Consumer column in The Wall Street Journal, a handful of colleagues and I enlisted several national window-washing franchises to help us wipe the years of grime from our windows.

To our surprised, these shops are armed to do a whole lot more -- from cleaning gutters and power-washing the driveway, to polishing your chandelier (if you've got one that is).

All went mostly well, and the services were surprisingly affordable: $175 to $460 in our tests. But we did encounter one pitfall: scratched glass. It can happen when the window cleaners "scrape" to get tough dirt or paint flecks off glass. They are supposed to ask for a scratch waiver to be signed (none of ours did), just in case.

Scratching seems to happen more with tempered windows that get debris trapped on the surface during the tempering process, but as one franchise teaches its members, it can happen if a razor blade isn't sharp or if the cleaner rubs the blade in a back and forth motion, rather than in one direction. We learned this the hard way.

To dig deeper ...

5 National Window Franchises

Fish Window Cleaning
Window Genie
Window Gang
Squeegee Squad
Dr. Glass

International Association of Window Cleaners

Grass Warfare: Taking Your Lawn Organic

email@gwendolynbounds.com (Gwendolyn Bounds) — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 18:43:00 +0000

Three years ago, I undertook an experiment to convert my backyard into an "organic lawn." The goal: getting the soil and grass healthy enough using natural ingredients made from plant, mineral and animal sources versus treating it with synthetic fertilizers and toxic herbicides that could potentially be harmful to humans (particularly kids with developing immune systems), pets and the environment.

Early on, it was slow going battling weeds -- as this video here from July 2007 shows. The producer was John Perugini. (Email: perugini(at)mac.com)

But now, as my story in yesterday's Wall Street Journal explains, my lawn care regimen has turned pretty boring. I put down natural herbicide in the spring and fall, fertilize a couple of times, hand-weed a bit, and that's it. This podcast delves into it more.

There's a battle picking up across the country between homeowners who use organic methods and those who don't. Expect to see more challenges to state laws which prevent local communities from banning pesticides at the residential level.

To dig deeper...

My 3-year journey chronicled in The Wall Street Journal:
2006 spring
2006 summer diary: Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI
2006 fall
2006 slideshow
2007
2008

Organic Gardening magazine

Beyond Pesticides -- lists studies on health hazards associated with pesticides, links to organic landscaping resources and community groups.

Safelawns.org -- a site devoted to promoting non-toxic, non-synthetic lawn treatments.

Pestfacts.org -- counterpart to organic movement. A trade group representing makers and suppliers of pesticides and fertilizers.

GMA Video: Wood Stoves & Solar Water Heating

email@gwendolynbounds.com (Gwendolyn Bounds) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 22:14:00 +0000

This morning I was down at the studios of Good Morning America discussing wood and pellet stoves as well as solar water heating. We shot part of the segment up near where I live in a small store called Home & Hearth in Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.

Here's a link to the video.

Retro Heat: the Wood Stove Returns

email@gwendolynbounds.com (Gwendolyn Bounds) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 17:15:00 +0000

It's not your grandfather's pot-bellied stove. In today's Wall Street Journal, I talk about how high heating costs are sparking a rush to buy wood and pellet stoves -- as well as other heating appliances that burn corn, cherry and olive pits and hazelnut shells.

On the high end, there are soapstone masonry heaters with built in ovens and benches. (Pictured above from Tulikivi) They burn wood too but the soapstone absorbs the heat and then releases it long after the fire has burned out.

Personally, I'm retrofitting my own downstairs fireplace with a small HearthStone soapstone-plated wood stove that fits directly on the hearth. It burns far more cleanly (the EPA now regulates stove smoke emissions) and efficiently than the old 1970s fireplace insert I previously had. My house uses oil for its main fuel source, and prices have skyrocketed.

Want to figure out the most cost-effective fuel for your home? Try these two links, which have calculators:

U.S. Energy Information Administration
Pelletheat.org

Solar Energy for the Home

email@gwendolynbounds.com (Gwendolyn Bounds) — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 18:31:00 +0000

Like most homeowners, I'm facing a winter of record-high heating bills, and not liking what I see. And, like many of you, I've been wondering about some of the "renewable energy" options that are supposed to wean my house off fossil fuels, help the environment -- and lower the bills.

In my July 19th About the House column for The Wall Street Journal, I explore various solar options for the home using the sun's free heat. These include solutions for domestic hot water as well as electricity. (Click the image above to see a larger diagram of a solar water system.)

On CNBC's "The Call," the host Trish Regan and I explore the topic further and you can see video of solar panels being installed. For those wondering whether we'll still care about renewable energy if oil prices fall, check out the discussion going on at WSJ's Developments blog.

To dig deeper...

dsireusa.org -- Lists federal and state tax credits and rebates for renewable energy options
seia.org -- Solar Energy Industries Association
findsolar.com -- Department of Energy sponsored site that lists certified solar installers by state
nabcep.org -- North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners lists certified installers
solar-rating.org -- Lists certified solar-equipment manufacturers
www.eere.energy.gov/solar -- Primer on solar technologies from Department of Energy