Being a green builder is a constant search for more ecological ways of doing things. That’s why we listened when Justin Hall-Tipping told us that in the future, all energy could be sustainable, green, and free. Justin Hall-Tipping, CEO of Nanoholdings, gives a TED talk about the energy applications of carbon nanomaterials. It’s worth a watch, if […]
A Future of Free Energy Read More »
Carbon footprint. CO2 emissions. Low carbon. Carbon neutral. More and more, businesses eagerly attach themselves to buzzwords like these in order to present an environmentally-friendly face to today’s green-conscious market. I learned a new one the other day: “carbon offset.” What is it? Carbon offset providers, like carbonfund.org, offer companies and individuals the opportunity to
The Cost of Your Carbon Footprint Read More »
The Native American concept that all our actions today will effect seven generations to come is profound. Green builders understand this naturally. We build homes that may last hundreds of years, protecting families for many generations. Each nail, each brick is a respectful nod to our ancestors who taught us the wisdom of sustainable building
Seven Generations – Forever Young Read More »
Here is a crap article by the New York Times arguing that in order to stop global warming we need to pick between either sacrificing (consuming less) OR picking greener options of consumption (so we can consume the same). My response? Duh! We need to do BOTH. And even then we may not have a
Is Green Building about Sacrifice or Being Realistic? Read More »
Here’s a cool event that we recently got wind of: A one-night sustainable landscaping forum, organized by the NY Urban Green Council. Eco Brooklyn builds green homes–literally. In addition to energy-efficient, eco-friendly building, Eco Brooklyn installs green roofs and sustainable landscaping. We adapt greenery to the urban landscape by incorporating native plants, vertical gardens, green
Sustainable Landscaping Forum with Urban Green Read More »
Part of being a green contractor means studying emerging technologies offering more eco-benefits than conventional construction. In this case we’re looking at old technologies: the rammed earth wall, one of humanity’s oldest building techniques. When it comes to walls, a couple of rammed-earth techniques are available as alternatives to your standard insulation-filled 2×4 frames: The Earthship model uses
Two Rammed Earth Walls Read More »
Unable to sleep at 4am in New York I came accross this video of an abandoned town renovated by a small group of utopians. It is one of the most inspirational green building stories I have seen in a long time. So often green building is housed withing the capitalistic context where it is just another product to
True Green Building Read More »
Here’s to every immigrant worker in the world. Did you ever think that countries were created to create cheap immigrant workers? Here at Eco Brooklyn we love immigrant workers. Not because they are cheap labor. Eco Brooklyn pays based on talent alone, not nationality, race or sex. And if you have a family to support
First 2000, and now 2012: Years in which people think the world might possibly end. The world probably won’t end with a bang, but might just crumble beneath the accumulated consequences of our actions. Meanwhile, American politicians’ opinions of science, especially climate science, are at an alarming low. Sometimes TV makes me wonder if there
Building For the Climate Apocalypse Read More »
As New York green contractors, we’re always interested in emerging innovations, but take special interest in locally-developed technologies because we believe that green solutions should have a local focus. An effective way to build green is to ensure that each building make the best use of the environment in which it’s located. In New York
Your Walls Could Be Filled With Mushrooms Read More »
