Kermit was wrong, according to Oakland North’s Melanie Mason. With smaller steps in conserving energy and water consumption, it’s kind of easy being green – and not an all-or-nothing proposition.
Take a look at this great video report about the Greening Oakland Homes Fair last Saturday, where attendees and vendors considered making improvements to neighborhood homes. The fair consisted of exhibits, lectures and time to learn about what could and should be done.
“I think the real green thing is to work with what you have,” declared Wooden Window President Bill Esser, a vendor exhibiting at the Fair. “I think it’s accessible,” agreed Rockridge resident Jean Follette, adding “you can do small projects and not have to do your entire house.”
Our Oakland reported that “one of the main [fair] takeaways is that it pays to look at the process in 3 stages: better sealing of the building and ducts, then correctly sizing HVAC and appliances, and then consider things like solar panels.”
Greening Oakland Homes aims to “educate neighbors about home energy and water conservation, so they are no longer mysterious or difficult to do,” explained Laura Anderson, director of the group, to the Montclarion. “And we want to promote green-building practices, which can be a challenge for homeowners to tackle on their own.”
Right now, Greening Oakland Homes consists of fifteen active volunteers including a physicist, an engineer, and a couple of contractors. “The idea is create something that lives, and serves as a resource for different neighborhoods,” Director Anderson told Oakbook.
“The fair was aimed at average homeowners here in Oakland,” said Our Oakland’s Gene Anderson. “I’ve been following green building for 5+ years as part of the work for the addition I built and remodel…but I learned some things, too.”