Green Park(ing) for Human Space - 09/25/07 11:39 AM

Normally San Francisco offers tough parking challenges for those silly enough to drive a car in this fair city. The past Friday, the challenges became that much tougher with Park(ing) Day. In this case the 50 some odd “parks” (temporary repurposing of a metered parking spot turned into mini parks and social meeting spaces) and “plazas” (larger “parks” that occupied two spaces and contained diverse public amenities) made it that much tougher to find a spot.
Rebar, the San Francisco arts collective, created the statement day in 2005 and groups such as David Baker + Associates, San Francisco Bike Coalition … (5 comments)

Build It Green Home Tour San Francisco 2007 - 09/24/07 11:20 AM
If San Franciscans and out-of-towners didn't get enough Green Home examples at the just concluded West Coast Green then yesterday's (Sept. 23) Build It Green Tour would have sent them completely over the Green ledge. The modest seven home tour offered up a smorgasbord of Green homes, condo, new construction and remodels with a Green slant.
Probably the busiest home on the tour would have been the much talked about San Francisco Sunset Idea house. We got some ideas from this remodel job. Even from the outside we could see the 52 foot tall (1.8 kW) wind turbine energy system which … (2 comments)

Organic Architect Freed Gets Fiesty - 09/21/07 10:32 AM
 
It's not like Organic Architect Eric Corey Freed needs more publicity but we feel obligated to dole out some props. As one of the West Coast Green noted speakers his "An extremely unusual look at Green building" certainly caused a stir during day one. We knew that we were in for a Freed special when he started his talk with his recent quote, "Guilt is no way to sell environmentalism." We agree. As he says it's time to do something, and that doesn't mean buying carbon credits.
His speech, divided into convenient bite sized pieces, brought up unusual and startling … (2 comments)

Green Miracle in San Francisco - 09/20/07 11:33 AM
To us or anyone living in San Francisco it almost seemed like a miracle. There it was: a one bedroom, new construction home with a great location right across from city hall with a $249,000 price tag. Did we mention that it's Green? Michelle Kaufman's fab Green pre-fab with a name that sounds like a cool car (MKLotus) had many people Green with envy wishing that they could live there.
Alas, the house will only be there to kick off and exist at that spot during West Coast Green so no need to rile up your real estate agent. However, we can … (4 comments)

Green San Francisco mini mall - 09/12/07 10:54 AM
It could be considered the country’s (or at least San Francisco’s) first Green mini mall or mini Green department store. Over on Polk Street, near a lot of mass transit and foot traffic, the recently opened Green Home Center had eco-sexuals checking out not only the shops but the interior as well.
Talk about making use of density, the small retail space combines several sustainably minded companies in one space. The Green concept shops offer Green minded consumers kitchen and bath cabinets with low or no formadlyldle and FSC wood (Brand Kitchens & Designs), Green bedding and furniture (Eco-terric), reclaimed wood … (2 comments)

Rainbow bio-fuel - 09/04/07 12:05 PM
I know that many other cities have their bio-fuel stations but here in San Fran, we're lagging behind others. However, we can see it now, shopping for organic apple cranberry granola and flax seed oil while fueling up a bio-diesel car. It’s been a slow process but bio-fuel users will soon (hopefully) be able to fuel up their bio-diesel cars at SF’s own Rainbow Grocery.
The market has been dealing with permit issues where they currently anticipate an opening timeline of anywhere from three months to 12 months.Even when it does finally open, don’t look for a fancy 24/7 fueling station. … (8 comments)