Low Hanging Fruit for Green Building

USGBC Green Home Guide. April 5, 2012. By Cassy Aoyagi: Sustainable landscaping saves time and quickly produces both cost savings and health benefits for existing buildings as well as new construction. Of all the tricks of the trade, replacing a thirsty, traditional lawn – or not planting one in the first place – has the most profound total cost benefits.

First, the benefits. Simply swapping a traditional lawn for a native grass can eliminate the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides, which can adversely effect the health of children and pets.

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Pasadena Showcase House of Design Revealed

ABC 7. By Adrienne Alpert: A cactus older than the villa stands at the entrance of the Robbins House, a Spanish-style retreat built in 1927 for a family that traced its roots to colonial times. Only the third owner lives there now.

It’s this year’s Pasadena Showcase House of Design for the Arts, bringing in dozens of designers who show off their very best ideas. (Clicking to watch will launch ABC sound.)

Garden Features Beyond the Gnome

eHow. March 7, 2012. By Kendra Osburn: No green thumb? Check out these fun, no-grow garden features.

Consider something other than the traditional hardscape patio. “Permeable patios and walkways require less maintenance and can add to the sensory experience of seeing, smelling and walking through your garden,” Aoyagi says. “Striking permeable materials include criba, mulch, gravel, decomposed granite, and reclaimed tumbled glass.”