Suzanne Champion ---> Columbus Ohio Real Estate

Isn't it interesting that old ways of harnessing energy from our planet are coming back into style after years out of the spotlight? Some of the older - and cleaner - forms of converting kinetic energy to electrical energy are getting another look.

Most who are interested in Green concepts know about the renewed interest in wind energy using sleek, futuristic-looking windmills that are very different in style from the old ones we remember from Don Quixote movies and depictions of the Netherlands.

Another old standby, hydroelectric power, is also getting some attention - in this case for its potential to create jobs. The news source Business First of Columbus reports that there are plans to expand the use of hydroelectric plants along the Ohio River.

The Columbus-based power company American Municipal Power-Ohio has ordered turbines for power plants along the river from a York, Pennsylvania manufacturer, and there may be another factory added in the state of Ohio.

So, this interest in cleaner and Greener power can be a source of new jobs as well as cheaper power, and there is a broader plan by AMP-Ohio to expand the portion of its power that comes from renewable sources - in fact, the plan is that there will be FREE power in 35 years from the hydroelectric sources when their debt service has been retired.

Who couldn't like that view of the future?

Read the Business First story here.

There's no doubt that you'll be hearing more and more about Green from now on...Green Living, Green Building, Going Green. "Green" is a blanket term incorporating several practices that are aimed at making our environment healthier - from a more responsible, sustainable use of our natural resources and a reduction of waste, to a less toxic atmosphere both outdoors and in.

"Green" can directly impact our health as we reduce the pollution we come into contact with. One method of doing this is improving the air inside those boxes we call homes. Did you know that indoor air can be 4-5 times more polluted than the air outside?

Current air-improving Green Building practices may include:

• Using low-VOC materials, such as paints and carpeting, that don't offgas great amounts of volatile organic compounds into the air.
• Installing direct-vent fireplaces and furnaces which are designed to give off heat without affecting indoor air quality.
• Installing timered fans to remove excess moisture - discouraging mold growth and effortlessly saving on energy.
• Installing an exhaust fan in the garage to remove automobile and other fumes and discourage them from entering the home.
• Making use of a radon reduction system that encourages this radioactive gas to bypass the inside of your home.

Here in Columbus Ohio, all of these items - and lots more - are standard in every home built by Sovereign Homes. ALL their homes are built Green! Yes, we here in Central Ohio are on the cutting edge.

Contact me to set up a tour through Sovereign's NEWEST house model. It has the Green features you (and maybe your home's future buyer) are looking for. Then pick out the style and location that's right for you!

If you think energy costs will be going down, then maybe this message isn't for you.

If you want healthier indoor air, energy savings, and a home built with caring for the planet in mind, I'd like to talk to you!

Whether you "believe in" global warming or not, there are good arguments to be made in support of building a less toxic environment, reducing waste, and reducing the production of things like plastic that never break down completely.

With the increasing interest in moving away from wasteful, toxic side effects of business practices that are still rooted in the 19th Century model of the Industrial Revolution, our new "green collar" job sector is going to grow. Emerging growth sectors which provide new-tech jobs is a happy feature of our relatively fast-moving response to new information about the big picture beyond our own personal back yard. It's a given that old-tech thinkers who have personally profited from practices that are becoming outdated are going to grouse about potential changes and a slowing of their old-tech gravy train, even if the new changes promise benefits on a bigger-picture scale. We've heard plenty of moaning in that direction already. However, all the complaining and cynicism in the world isn't going to stop progress. Old technologies routinely become obsolete...the manual washing machine, the car phone, the 8-track tape player. It's a fact of life, and now we're not looking for just a better mousetrap, we're looking at the wider effects on the planet of building it.

The point is - new ways of doing business are a source of job creation, and no matter what you think of "green," that is the direction many of the new jobs are going to be coming from. Some existing jobs will also get a boost as those skills are called for in the service of new purposes.

This Green Collar Blog makes note of a recent report on Ohio's potential in green-collar jobs by Robert Pollin and Jeanette Wicks-Lim of the Department of Economics and Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst; it was commissioned by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

A page of the report specific to Ohio can be found here.

I count it as good news to hear that Ohio is positioned to benefit from this new economic direction.

When you hear about "Green" homes...are you thinking about something built out of straw?

Do you think you're signing up to become a hippie if you build Green? Will your deed restrictions require a home-grown garden of organic veggies? Will there be somebody timing all your showers to make sure you save water?

What about the way these houses look...will they be some kind of weird-looking yurt?

.... And WHAT WILL THE NEIGHBORS THINK??!

...Relax.

Green homes don't have to look any different from a "regular" home. (It is true that in some areas, homes can be built with straw-bale construction, but that's not what I'm talking about here.)

There are all different degrees of Green and many Green features function behind the scenes without anyone ever noticing...except maybe in lower energy bills and better air quality at home.

Living in today's Green home can offer you a lot of peace of mind - you know you're not breathing harmful paint fumes, radon's being directed out of the home where needed, you're even avoiding carbon monoxide being put into the air by your gas appliances in the first place. And there's LOTS more.

There are MANY advantages to building Green, and I'll be discussing further details in future blog posts to explain WHY and HOW a home is being considered Green. (And YES...some homes are Greener than others!)

If you believe energy costs are going back down...then I completely understand why you would have no interest in a Green home. If you would like to learn more about one of the latest trends in building that can benefit you both now and in the future - get in touch with me today!

PS...you may also be surprised at how AFFORDABLE Green can be. Ask me how!