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ABOUT THIS VIDEO
Meet Juan Beltran, a former Iraq war veteran who became a quadriplegic
while serving in the war. Despite his injury and the challenges that he
faces everyday, Juan is thankful that his time in Iraq taught him the
importance of living a low-impact lifestyle that minimizes dependence on
nonrenewable resources. Alongside his wife and daughter, Juan is in the
process of building a sustainable home that will not only reduce his
family's footprint, but also greatly reduce their utility bills. Visit
the Beltrans at their eco-home & farm in Chino, California and see
how one family is looking ahead to the future. DIG DEEPER
- Visit the U.S. Green Building Council’s Green Home Guideline for valuable tips & guidelines on green remodels, renovations and new construction, including a Q&A forum with building professionals.
- As Juan said, composting is probably one of the easiest steps you can take in creating a more sustainable home. Whether you live in an apartment or in a single-home resident, composting is a simple & effective way to reduce your solid waste production while diverting valuable resources away from a shrinking landfill. And best of all, you'll end up with fertilizer that is totally free of petroleum-based ingredients. Get started by visiting this U.S. EPA compost tutorial page, by checking out this helpful guide from organic gardening or, by perusing this about.com website.
- When purchasing new appliances and electronics, choose only the Energy-Star approved items: These will provide the most energy-efficient options available on the market. Use this link to calculate savings you can earn with Energy-Star products and other energy-efficiency options.
- Consumers who install solar energy systems (including solar water heating and solar electric systems), small wind systems, geothermal heat pumps, and residential fuel cell and microturbine systems can receive a 30% federal tax credit for systems placed in service before December 31, 2016.
- The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) provides low-income families aid in building new or retrofit structures that are energy efficiency updates that will permanently reduce their energy bills. (This is different than the low-cost "weatherization updates" of existing structures, e.g., insulation and air sealing, to reduce air leakage.) Learn more at this USDOE website.
- Despite the Great Recession of 2009, the U.S. solar industry had its best year ever. For job training and placement in the solar industry, visit BootsOnTheRoof.Com.
- These days, the opportunity to raise some of your own food is available no matter how small your house or apartment! In general, the average 300 sq. ft. garden will provide approximately $600 worth of produce in a single year! Click here for creative gardening tips in all areas, small and big.• Solar installers make a median salary of $42,600. Industry analysts estimate that wages for entry-level solar PV installers are about $12-$15/hr and vary by location, with crew leaders making between $20 and $25 an hour. With a growing movement to seek alternative sources of energy, eco-homes & farms all over our nation will be seeking expert knowledge and hands-on skills in this field of renewable energy.
- Looking for a career in the green building arena? Kickstart your search by visiting the U.S. Green Building Council’s website.
- Finding new wood furniture that has not harmed wildlife or local livelihoods during harvest can be daunting if you don't know what to look for. Support stores that can verify FSC certified woods, the only verifiable certification that guarantees responsibly harvested woods.
- A recent story to share about Tim Goodrich, a veteran who returned from the Middle East and switched to buying an all-electric Nissan Leaf.
Tagsalternative energy, At Home, BP, california, chickens, Chino, clean energy, compost, eco-home and farm, egg, fertilizer, food, gardening, goat, home, home garden, Iraq, Juan Beltran, locavore, oil, oil spill, passive power, pesticide, petroleum-free fertilizer, renewable energy, save money, self-sufficient, solar, sustainability, sustainable, US Green Building Council, water reclamation, your home, your lifestyle
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