from recycled glass, ecoaim there was simple: lowering friendly paint and a dual flush gas and electric bills for tribal toilet among other things. members through application Around the corner I ran of whole house thinking. into Larry Goldberg from the “It all got kicked off by the nascent Northcoast Green Energy Upgrade California proTrades Association, an offgram,” said Shawn, “that was shoot of Plan-It Green working the catalyst to get the green with the Redwood Coast job training going.” Energy Authority on greenThe state-funded program ing the construction industry. is described as a “one-stop“Part of that is home analysis shop for home improvement to see if homprojects that eowners qualify lower your for various state energy use, and federal conserve water incentives for and natural what’s known resources, and as ‘whole house make your retrofits,’” Goldhome healthier berg explained. and more comClipboard in fortable.” — Hector Osorio, hand he asked Their latest Alternative Building if I might want initiative is Center, Eureka to have my something they home analyzed. call “PowerI signed up. Saver Loans,” The end result federally supwas a home visit this summer ported financing similar to a from Hector, accompanied by home equity line of credit. Shawn Ellsworth of ComfortQualified homeowners can get able Efficiency, a general up to $25,000 to use for encontracting business currently ergy saving measures including focused on energy retrofits. insulation, air sealing, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air They brought along Josh Sarandos, a trainee who came conditioning) systems, and out of the AmeriCorps VISTA solar photovoltaic systems. Humboldt Green Building While Shawn and I talked Program, a pathway to green funding, Hector and Josh were jobs. They brought along a readying the blower door, a truckload of energy analysis red plastic sheet that filled the gear, the toolkit for whole doorway with a fan built into house work. the bottom half. “We’re going Shawn had just completed to suck the air out of your an energy retrofit in Eureka, house,” explained Hector. one of five homes he tightened Shawn got more specific, up through a program funded explaining the settings to Josh. in part by the Yurok Indian “The reading we’ll get will be Housing Authority (aka YIHA, the equivalent of a 20-milepronounced yee-haw). The continued on next page
“The house is a whole system.”
• LEED Accredited Professionals • Low Impact Development/Green Building Code • "Green" Soil and Ground Water Clean-ups
PIERSON'S CONTINUES TO BUILD ON A 49-YEAR TRADITION OF SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF HUMBOLDT COUNTY BY OFFERING MANY SAFE, ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY, AFFORDABLE AND SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS LIKE:
• NATURAL STONE flOORING • AIR &WATER PURIFICATION PRODUCTS • NON-ToxIC INSULATION • RECLAIMED &RECYCLED LUMBER • BENEFICIAL INSECTS • SOILS, FERTILIZERS &AMENDMENTS
• CLEANING PRODUCTS • BATH &KITCHEN FIXTURES • CANNING SUPPLIES • SEEDS &BEDDING PLANTS • POTS &PLANTERS • PEST CONTROL PRODUCTS
do it green guide 2011
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