MJs Feng Shui

Feng Shui -- the original Green discipline

2010-07-06T09:07:00.000-05:00

Every feng shui training that I've taken includes a unit on indoor air pollutants. Think about it: if the atmosphere inside your house is full of toxins, how does that affect the chi? Getting rid of industrial chemicals in your house will do more to improve the feng shui of your living space --and your health-- than will hanging a crystal or moving the bed!

One major source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) polluting your house is the dishwasher. The name brand dishwashing powders or liquids give your dishes a chemical bath to make them look "sparkling fresh." When the dishwasher is in its "dry" cycle, it off-gases VOCs through the vents, directly into your kitchen. You can make a positive change by switching to a non-toxic, plant based dishwasher soap. Seventh Generation makes these products, as does Earth Friendly Products. (We like Wave Organic Lavender Auto Dishwasher Gel).

And to clean tile or linoleum floors in kitchen and bathroom, here's a quick, inexpensive cleaner that you can whip up in a few minutes:

NON TOXIC FLOOR CLEANER*

Ingredients:
2 gallons hot water
1/4 liquid non-toxic dish soap
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup baking soda
6 drops peppermint oil
big plastic bucket

Fill the bucket with 2 gallons of very hot water.
Add the vinegar, baking soda, and liquid detergent. Add 6 drops of peppermint oil.** (Or, for a variation, you can add orange or eucalyptus oil.)
Stir it up and start cleaning.

If you have left over solution, use it to clean the toilets.

*best on tile; not for wood or laminate.
**If you don't have essential oils, you can purchase a basic aromatherapy starter kit over at Lake Mountain Annex. (At the bookstore, look in Feng Shui Enhancements.)

Essential Oiling

2010-02-15T09:18:00.000-06:00

Finally got my act together to try this, and it works! Opened up some of the little bottles in my Essential Oils kit because I ran out of cleanser for the kitchen counters. Put 10 drops of tea tree oil and 5 drops of eucalyptus oil in a spritzer with about 3/4 cup of distilled water. Voila! Cleaned the counter up good. Smells great. Then, I thought, why not try it on the butcher block? Works there, too. Non-toxic and highly antimicrobial.

I was on a roll. Why not add a few drops of lavender oil to the bath? Ahhhhhh.....

I had been somewhat deterred from trying things because the formulae in the Essential Oils Handbook were a bit more complicated than I was ready for. I only have the basic oils that came with the kit, so I couldn't whip up all the concoctions that I read about. But the book was helpful, because the author, V.A. Worwood, gives a complete run-down on all the properties of the different oils. Bottom line: you can experiment and come up with your own concoctions.

Just about every yoga and pilates studio that I've gone to uses a tea tree oil mist to clean their yoga mats, so I figured I could start with that. Then I added eucalyptus because 1) I love eucalyptus, 2) it's a tree!, and 3) the book says that eucalyptus oil is antimicrobial, antiseptic, and deodorizing. Since Tom cooked scallops with pesto last night, a little deodorizing was in order.

So, if you're ready to wean yourself away from commercial cleaning products--to save money and be healthier--you could try experimenting with the essential oils.

(The book and essential oils kit is available at the Lake Mountain Annex Store.)

Snuggle Up, Part II: Beds

2010-02-06T12:38:00.003-06:00

Where does the bed go? That's the A-Number One question I hear from clients who want to feng shui their bedrooms. Good question but-- trickier than it sounds.

Feng shui says:

The bed should be in the "command position," kitty-corner from the door
There should be access to the bed from either side (i.e., the bed is not pushed against one wall)
It should not be under a beam
It should not be in front of a window
It should not be facing a bathroom
The bed should have a solid headboard (not slatted)
the footboard (if there is one) should not be higher than the mattress

Lotsa rules. Yes, there are good reasons for these guidelines. Unfortunately, physical constraints posed by the actual floor plans of contemporary houses and apartments make it hard to follow all the recommendations. One wants the effects of good chi flow to support health and relationships but one may be stymied by room size, intrusions or extrusions of bathrooms, walk-in closets, awkwardly placed windows or electrical and cable plugs. (One reason people hire me. . . ;-))

The bed position is both the starting point and the key to success. Architect Vincent M. Smith writes: "As strange as it may sound, every couple I have know who later divorced or had a very difficult marriage had a major problem in the Feng Shui of their bedroom. In most instances, it has been the location of the bed."

Here are the best bed positions:
1st preferred:

Here the bed is in the "command position," facing the door and having the widest view of the room. It's a great place for a bed, but the position also creates a new challenge. To wit: it creates triangular spaces behind the headboard and on either side of the bed. So by positioning the bed correctly, you are violating the rule about having a solid surface behind the headboard. It's a problem because you don't want this corner to fill up with stagnant chi (not to mention dust bunnies). But there are a lot of ways to compensate and balance out this problem. One solution is to place an uplamp on the floor and hang a delicate mobile (e.g., bamboo fish) from the ceiling. Short round stools may serve well as nightstands on either side of the bed.

2nd preferred:

The bed faces the door but is not in the "command position." This is still considered a good position for the feng shui of a bedroom. You should be aware,though, that the side of the bed with the shortest pathway to the door is considered the "doorkeeper" position. The person who sleeps on this side may feel more responsibility for the family. To compensate for this inequality, increase a sense of balance, and solidify the relationship, make sure that the bed has a single, solid headboard and nightstands on either side.

3rd preferred:

Similar to the number 2 position, this placement gives a direct view of the door but not the widest view of the room. Also, one side of the bed has less space around it than the other does. This can lead to inequality in the relationship and additional feng shui remedies should be employed to prevent disharmony.

Here is the worst place for your bed:

Notice that the bed directly faces the bedroom door. This is referred to as the "corpse position," in China. The equivalent in English would be to isay the occupant is leaving the premises "feet first." Of course, you also wouldn't want to have one side of the bed pushed up against the wall as in this drawing, but that is a secondary issue. Even if the door were in the center of the opposite wall, positioning the bed in the corpse position is bad feng shui. It will make the person feel vulnerable and uneasy, negatively affecting sleep and rest patterns.

That covers some of the basics for bed positioning in feng shui. If you want to read more, I recommend, SantoPietro's Feng Shui: Harmony by Design and Smith and Lyons' Feng Shui: A Practical Guide for Architects and Designers. Both these books (and others) are available at the Lake Mountain Annex Bookstore.

The next post in this series will be about using color and texture to enhance your bedroom's positive feng shui.

Good chi, everyone!

Snuggle Up: The Bedroom Series, Part I

2010-01-18T11:06:00.001-06:00

Lake Mountaineers have been calling for Feng Shui'd bedrooms. Since there is a large body of material devoted to bedrooms in the different feng shui schools, I will devote a series of posts to the topic.

To begin: What are bedrooms for? Why are they so important in Feng Shui?

Bedrooms have clearly defined core functions. The Primary Purpose of the bedroom is to support physical renewal through sleeping, sexual intimacy, and recuperating from illness. These are all restorative activities that reinvigorate one's mental and physical being. Anything that detracts from these purposes of a bedroom undermines a person's health and comfort.

Thousands of pages in feng shui books have been devoted to the proper set-up of the bedroom. This is because bedrooms are complicated! Here are some of the things that affect the feng shui of a bedroom:

Physical features of the room (room shape, placement of windows, closet doors)
Wall and ceiling colors
Light and ventilation (overhead fans, window facing direction)
Sound conductivity of walls and flooring (insulation quality)
Location of the bedroom within the house (traffic patterns)
Bed placement (on door wall or not)
Connected master bathroom (sinks and/or toilets visible from the bed)

All facets of your bedroom should contribute to a relaxation response--not to a fight-or-flight response. So, if you're having trouble sleeping or getting up in the morning, having relationship (or the lack thereof) issues, chronic illness, lack of energy-- by all means, feng shui your bedroom!

To start, eliminate from your bedroom those objects that make you think of work, that get you wound up or stressed, that represent unfinished projects, or that call to mind relationships (past or present) that don't belong in your bedroom.

The two big bedroom feng shui no-nos are ubiquitous: televisions and computer work stations. Many, many people have these in their bedrooms. Often people resist the idea that there's anything wrong with a TV or computer in the bedroom. If this happens to apply to you, consider this:

The last thing you see at night and the first thing you see in the morning is your laptop and a pile of work papers lying on a desk in your bedroom.
You fall asleep to the ball game and are startled awake when the local news blares a story of violent assault that occurred nearby.
You set the TV timer and are almost asleep when a commercial suddenly comes on at twice the volume of the normal program.
Your computer and television are turned off, but they are still drawing power. Those electrons are humming around you while you sleep.

These machines are invading your personal sanctuary! They keep you connected to the daily buzz and make your body and mind strain to achieve a relaxed state.

Just try moving the TV and/or computer out of the bedroom on a trial basis. Try it for a week. Bring in some books or program your iPod with relaxing, sleepy music to listen to before you turn in.

If you're not ready for the big move, even on a trial basis, take a piece of fabric (or tablecloth, or curtain panel) and cover up the TV or computer before you go to bed. That way, you won't be looking into a black hole or at a pile of unfinished work when you wake up.

Please Help Rescue Efforts in Haiti

2010-01-13T19:38:00.002-06:00

Hello, Lake Mountaineers. The people of Haiti need our help. Here are two ways to donate quickly to reputable organizations involved in disaster relief. Pre-set donations (added to your phone bill) can be sent via text message or you can choose your own amount to send through Google check-out. On the Google page there is also updating news feeds and other information.

The following organizations are accepting SMS donations in the US only:

SMS text “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10 to Red Cross relief efforts
SMS text "YELE" to 501501 to Donate $5 to Yele Haiti’s Earthquake Relief efforts

Donate to UNICEF or CARE via Google check-out.

Thanks, everyone.

Need a lift?

2010-01-03T13:41:00.002-06:00

I know, I know . . . you're having that sinking "gotta go back to work now" feeling. Holidays are over, we're back at the roost.

So if you need a little lift to spark up your mood, here's a simple tip.

Eat a tangerine --or orange, or clementine. Save most of the peel. Put this rind into a small china or crystal dish and place on your coffee table or night stand.

That's it.

Tangerine rind is used for space clearing. Orange oil is used is numerous remedies and for cleaning. The orange-y aroma will add a little freshness to your room and hopefully lighten your mood!

Now let's go back to work.

Happy New Year, Bollywood-style

2009-12-31T10:32:00.000-06:00

Your Health on Feng Shui - Part III

2009-12-27T11:35:00.003-06:00

Let's continue with an analysis of the new hospital room layout proposed by the Kaiser Permanente study group. As I mentioned in my previous post, major aspects of this layout accord with feng shui principles. Let's look at how relevant bagua sectors map on to the "zones" of the proposed redesign:

Locating the Nursing Zone in the Helpful People gua is extremely . . . helpful. Ditto for siting the Family Zone in the Relationships gua. I would recommend moving the side table that is north of the bed to the south end; then move the headwall zone up twenty-four inches so that the bed overlaps with the health gua to a greater extent. Centering on health makes sense if you want to support healing.

What's the big problem with this layout? See it? The bathroom is in the Wealth/Prosperity gua. As we know, there is no easier way to flush your wealth down the drain than to spend time in the hospital. That process doesn't need any help. So I would concentrate feng shui cures in Toilet/Shower zone to counteract the energetic tendencies of this area.

Project Photo Gallery - new at the Annex

2009-12-26T09:35:00.001-06:00

I have two new slideshows posted at Lake Mountain Annex Photo Gallery. Since I always forget to do the "before" pictures, you'll just have to use your imaginations. The "Cape Cod Rental" was a vacant "from the bottom up" design job. The house's interior color was a dingy beige--the previous tenants were smokers. Given the frequent cloudy, foggy days on the Cape, I wanted to brighten up the interior. With successful results, I think you'll agree.

"Feng Shui Bathrooms" have slides of three different bathrooms. They were all L-shaped , small bathrooms and the remodel budgets were miniscule. I worked my magic mostly with new lighting, paint, and accessories.

Anyway, have a look and let me know what you think. You can post comments here, but not at the Annex . . . for technical and practical reasons.

Your Health on Feng Shui, Part II

2009-12-25T10:12:00.001-06:00

This is Part II of my discussion of the recent New York Times article on Kaiser Permanente's health-conscious redesign of its medical facilities.

Everyone has had the experience of visiting a sick friend or relative at the hospital. Even private rooms suffer from harsh lighting, unpleasant sounds emanating from other rooms or the hallway, lack of privacy and storage space, and a dearth of seating for visitors. Much of the space is taken up with medical equipment whether or not this equipment is needed or in use. Kaiser's team gives these examples:

The problems that Kaiser's consultants identified include: overly-bright lighting, too many "hard" spaces," a surplus of intimidating equipment, lack of storage space, inflexible seating and/or furniture placements. I looked at the photos and saw the same problems but I identify them in the vernacular of feng shui: too much yang (hard surfaces, overly bright lighting, straight lines and perpendicular planes); too little yin (variable lighting, soft surfaces, curves); placement of furniture and objects that impede chi flow (inflexible, obstructing arrangements), no connection to nature (no fresh air, no wind or bird sounds), an overabundance of "metal" energy (white and stainless steel surfaces, exposed wires, cords, tubing). As you can see, my assessment mirrors that of the Kaiser consultants.' However, the language of feng shui goes deeper in considering multiple dimensions of design problem and solutions.

Consider Kaiser's floor plan for a redesigned hospital room:

What an improvement over the standard hospital room! This new floor plan is much more adaptable. The new "family zone" features an easy chair that can be transformed into a cot for a family member who needs to stay with a sick relative for long hours. There is an additional chair and enough open space for physical therapists to work with the patient in the room. Medical equipment in the nursing zone is tucked away in cabinets and out of view of the patient, both as she enters the room and as she reclines in bed. The pathway from the bed to the bathroom is short and direct. The angled door facilitates entry in a wheelchair or with two persons side-by-side.

Focusing on patient needs rather than bureaucratic requirements led the design team to identify multiple functional zones and to build in connections between them. Identifying sectors and working with their connections is fundamental in feng shui, although our sectors or "guas" go beyond simple functionality.

In Part III I will compare the design zones of the above floor plan with the bagua.

Check out the Annex!

2009-12-21T19:26:00.000-06:00

I created a new website for feng shui information that doesn't fit here at the blog or on the Lake Mountain site. At the Lake Mountain Annex, you'll be able to access (and download) article reprints, hand-outs, and information sheets on feng shui topics. If you are interested in feng shui books but don't know which ones to buy, stop by the Annex bookstore. These are books that I have read and can recommend; I have written capsule descriptions of each to help you make your selection. In addition to books, I selected some very affordable feng shui products that you may be interested in.

Take a look around. If you have ideas about other things you'd like to see at the Annex, let me know!

Yuletide Commeth

2009-12-20T14:40:00.000-06:00

With music to brighten up the darkest night of the year . . . . Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr!

Your Health on Feng Shui

2009-12-16T12:05:00.009-06:00

Kaiser Permanente in California has taken a major step towards improving patient health. The non-profit health corporation realized that the experiences of patients in its facilities were stressful and unpleasant--exacerbating, rather than ameliorating illness. Recently, Allison Arieff reported in the New York Times on a large-scale collaborative study by KP's National Facilities Services (NFS) group. The study group found that "even the most seemingly innocuous details -- a dead potted plant in a reception room, an ill-fitting hospital gown, a blaring television-- can contribute to an unpleasant experience." Despite Kaiser's "Thive" campaign, their clients were not flourishing. Interviews with patients and hospital workers elicited scores of complaints: passageways were confusing, waiting rooms were depressing, exam rooms were intimidating. In other words, Kaiser found out that their environments suffered from bad feng shui.

Feng shui places the person-place connection at the center of the discipline. And that is the approach that Kaiser is now embracing. Historically, medical buildings were design for efficiency and to reinforce the authority of medical experts. Consequently, waiting rooms provided linear seating, hard plastic seats, and fluoresenct overhead lighting, just like a bus station. "Amenities" like dated magazines and blaring TVs were afterthoughts. Initial contacts between patients and medical staff were impersonal, with interactions across glass-enclosed booths or mediated by sign-in sheets. Sharing the waiting room with coughing, sneezing patients for an hour or more does not have a positive effect on anyone's health. Who benefits from a physical arrangement like this? Not the patients, not their health.

After two years of study and (I assume) hundreds of thousands of dollars spent, Kaiser came up with an analysis and design strategy that a good feng shui consultant could have given them in a few weeks. But at least they're moving in the right direction.

In subsequent posts, I will review Kaiser Permanente's plans for the hospital room redesign. They got a lot of things right! But there are still tangible and intangible improvements that can be made additionally with the conscious application of feng shui principles.

Additional reading: For those interested in the BTB school's approach to this topic, read Nancy SantoPietro's Feng Shui and Health: Anatomy of a Home.

Say Hello to the Holly King

2009-12-13T20:09:00.001-06:00

Surrounded, as I am, by sons of the Emerald Isle, it's no surprise that the Celtic traditions of the Winter solstice pique my interest. So as we get closer to the Winter Soltice, let's give a thought to the Holly King, whose reign will end with this phase of the solar cycle. Get into the spirit of the season--bring the holly and berries into your house to protect it from malevolant faeries. Just in case.

The Holly King:

Cute guy , huh?

Chilly on the beach

2009-12-11T16:27:00.002-06:00

Corporation beach in Dennis MA

Hail, Fellow Northern Hemispherians!

2009-12-09T16:09:00.002-06:00

The Winter Soltice approaches. This year, for us Northern Hemisphere types, the soltice will occur at 4:57 pm on December 21.

Many peoples celebrate the Solstice eve--the longest night of the year. It is a both an astronomical and a cultural event. On this date, the North Pole is pointing away from the sun and experiences twenty-four hours of darkness. Elsewhere in the Northern hemisphere, sun appears at its lowest point in the sky making for the shortest day and the longest night of the year.

I'm writing a series of posts on the winter soltice which I'll be posting over the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, here's a musical interlude to keep you entertained:

Late Fall

2009-12-03T16:42:00.000-06:00

It's been a mild fall on Cape Cod. Nice to arrive in Dennis (after the long drive from Chicago) and see our front yard looking like this:

Pre-emptive De-cluttering

2009-11-28T18:03:00.001-06:00

Ah, the holiday season is upon us. Retailers are hoping for a strong buying season. But even moderate shopping and gift exchange means more stuff coming into your house. If you've ever felt oppressed by excessive clutter, now is the time for action.

Here's a strategy you might try:

Get two medium size boxes and pick a room. Fill up box #1 with items that are chipped or broken, have missing pieces, or are no longer functional. Fill the box #2 with things you haven't used in the past year, things you have outgrown, things that someone gave you that you never used.

Walk down to the dumpster with Box #1 and dispose of it. Put Box #2 in the car so you can stop by Goodwill, Salvation Army, or Vietnam Vets, the next time you're out.

This should take less than an hour, and you'll feel better. You have just lightened your load and opened energetic pathways.

If you have trouble getting started or letting go of these items, get more tips at clutterfree.com.

If you're really having trouble with clutter and need to see a professional, call Kim Alexander at All Your Ducks in a Row.

The Meaning of Art . . . and Attachment

2009-11-09T19:59:00.001-06:00

Feng Shui has an unique perspective on art. Art works, in feng shui, are about energy, attachments and attractions. Contrast this with conventional, western connections to art. An "art collector" may appreciate a piece of art for its aesthestics, as an economic investment, or for the status she attains by assuming this elite role. Artists' relationships with their own art pieces are similarly complex. Not to mention . . . artists' relations with other artists and their works! Think: Georgia O'Keefe and Alfred Stieglitz.

Energetically, works of art are powerful. Feng shui practitioners must carefully consider, not only the placement of the work within the space, but also its elemental and symbolic aspects. The "right" painting in the "right" space can energize a room and create a tremendous sense of comfort and welll-being for its inhabitants. Or . . . an "important" painting that does not lift the chi of the person who gazes upon it daily can have just the opposite effect. Here's an example.

I acquired this original theatrical poster of Mrozek's 1964 play "Tango" while traveling in Poland during martial law in 1982. I schlepped the poster with me to New York, Chicago, and Columbia, SC, where I finally got it framed. I hung it in two different apartments in Chicago. And then I started to wonder about it. This poster held a lot of memories of rather exciting times in Warsaw, Krakow and other Polish cities where I hung out with the avante garde theatre crowd. It reminded me of my friend Stefan and the crazy times we had in Amsterdam and New York before he died of AIDS.

Over the last couple of years, the Tango poster started to bother me in a background sort of way. So I took a look at it with my feng shui eyes. I realized that, theatricality aside, this was a picture of indecision. Even more: it was about empty promises and unfulfilled expectations (see the empty suits on either side of the rocking-horse figure). And the play itself is about how the younger generation's hopes and ideals are invariably dashed by reality. OK, so I'm not liking the symbolism.

What about the placement? OMG! This painting is square in the middle of the Career/Business Success gua! So even though it goes with my color scheme. . . Tango's time is up. I have been "rocking back and forth" with my employment situation and the past fifteen years of work racked up many unfulfilled expectations. And millions of empty promises. Time for a change.

Here's the new painting in the Career gua:

Smooth sailing. And roses.

About those house plants

2009-11-02T08:42:00.042-06:00

Houseplants are a feng shui good, aren't they? They add fresh oxygen to stuffy rooms, absorb EMF around computers and TVs, uplift the chi of a space? Don't feng shui recommendations almost always include "add a plant"?

There's always a but . . .

Let's face it, our intentions to prune, repot, propogate or fertilize these houseplants don't always translate into action. But since we are planning to take care of the greenery, we don't actually get rid dying, unkempt plants. We (and by "we" I mean "me") just let them limp along in a half-dead state.

Maintaining house plants and pets can be a challenge if you travel a lot. I don't have a solution to the pets issue, but I think I'm making headway keeping the plants alive and healthy. My solution: get rid of high maintenance plants and buy seasonal annuals in pots. Annuals will only last a few months anyway, so you can remove them before the next long trip.

These mums bring the energy of the fall season indoors. When they finish blooming it will be time for all of us to move on. Holly and berries, anyone?

Oppressed by White Doors

2009-10-31T22:32:00.002-05:00

All the doors in our condo were painted white. These are tall doors (7 3/4 feet) constructed of pressboard with a French colonial wood trim tacked onto the upper and lower panels. And did I mention-- they were Painted White. A blight upon my hallway.

Aesthetically, these doors always bothered me; now considering them from a feng shui perspective, I see even more problems.In this narrow hallway, the overly tall doors create a proportional imbalance. The white color and vertical trim accentuates this by highlighting the feature (tall doors in narrow hallway) creating the imbalance. The focal point is a door at the end of the hallway. Logically, this door should open to a major destination, like a master bedroom. In fact, it is a utility closet containing the hot water heater. So this hallway does nothing but create confusion.

Here's the first change we made:

Tom (bless his heart!) took the doors down, pulled off the trim, sanded and refinished the surfaces to smooth them out. Then he painted and rehung the doors. What did I do? I picked the color and taped around the doors with blue painter's tape. So, give Tom the credit for this change.

Painting the doors green has changed the feeling of this hallway. Chi has calmed down, the doors seem more organic and less oppressive.

Green works for a number of reasons. Green portals symbolize growth and development. So this is a good choice for people who want to make a major change in their lives. The dark green harmonizes with the olive green of the walls and the light misty blue of the ceilings. The juxtaposition of the two greens here (walls and doors) removes the hard edges formed by the contrast of green walls and white doors previously.

The next steps for this hallway: we will install an ten inch convex mirror in the corner near the ceiling at the end of the hall. In the mirror, you will be able to see the doors to the master bedroom and the study that are around the corner. And we need to change the lighting. I"ll post pictures when we finish the transformation.

Green Expo 2009 - Odds n Ends

2009-10-27T12:07:00.000-05:00

I want to mention new choices for eco-friendly countertops and flooring before closing the door on the Green Expo for this year. I'd like to introduce two vendors of recycled glass surfaces for countertops, tables, backsplashes, fireplace surrounds, etc. This is the NEW BIG THING after granite.

About that granite--besides being played out as a fashion trend, it is a non-renewable resource. Less of it comes from the US these days, and transporting rock from India and Egypt so that your countertop can claim top status is not helping the planet. 'Nuff said.

Recycled glass is the featured ingredient but different vendors use different "recipes" for their final products. All the recycled glass slabs share the advantage of not using off-gasing resins, i.e., no VOCs. They are heat resistant, durable, and have a modern, clean look (like granite). Recycled glass slabs are in the same price range as granite.

For those of you in the Chicago area, Gilasi is worth taking a look at. Gilasi manufactures in the City limits, allowing employees to take advantage of public transportation and bike lanes to get to work. They use locally sourced materials, including waste glass collected from local businesses through the City of Chicago's Waste to Profit network. If you live in Andersonville and want to see how this looks installed, stop by the Swedish American Museum on Clark Street. The Swedes used Gilasi chi saffron for their reception desk. Or if you're going downtown(ish), you can head over to the Chicago Center for Green Technology at 444 N Sacramento. They're also using Gilasi for their reception desk.

Portlanders (OR) have a cool company near home. InFuez, Inc. manufactures Fuez sustainable surfaces, a product that combines recycled glass with "clean" concrete and fly ash (a by-product of coal power plants). The InFuez production process runs on 100% wind energy! The recycled glass slabs are created through a multi-step process which ends in curing and polishing the slabs. This results in a highly durable surface that has luster similar to granite.And you get 5 LEED points, people. If you have any questions you can contact greg at fuez dot com.

OK, floors. Everybody knows about bamboo now. Selections have gotten much better in terms of quality, price, and color options. Mr.Bamboo has now introduced a glueless, self-locking system for a floating bamboo floor. Cool! So if you are worried about VOCs in the glue, you may want to consider the floating bamboo flooring.

That's it until next year. If you want the full list of vendors from the Expo, you can visit their site.

Positive Chi - Feng Shui Halloween

2009-10-25T09:58:00.005-05:00

Do you see any Halloween decorations that are creating positive chi?

Veronica sent this photo of her jack-o-lantern in the shape of a baobob tree:

Veronica says: "it is a baobab tree although Alex calls it the haunted pineapple! Pretty funny actually. But the Baobab is a magical organism that has much lore surrounding it. I am absolutely enthralled by it and try to celebrate its presence on earth as often as possible. It is the tree of life. I saw one in Zambia that was roughly 2500 years old (predating jesus christ). AMAZING!"

And here are some decorations on the 1200 block of W Hood St in Chicago:

What do you think?

What's not energy efficient? Old, leaky windows!

2009-10-24T13:00:00.003-05:00

This is the time of year when numbers on utility bills bring on shock and disbelief. So let's talk energy efficient window treatments. (I don't have the budget to talk energy efficient windows.)

Heat lost through your windows can account for twenty to forty percent of your heating bill. In Chicago, we do the old shrink-wrap-plastic-covering-the-windows every year. The tape holding the plastic in place creates a seal for about a week.

Aren't there more attractive options?

I have three types of insulating shades that I recommend to clients, depending on the window's location and view. I will discuss these in ascending order of their R values. (The R value is a measure of thermal resistance. The higher the R value, the better insulation a given material provides.)

Mylar shades (R value about 4.2)
These shades work well for windows that receive intense sunshine at some point during the day.They're most important in the summer when you're trying to cool your rooms, since they block 99% of UV rays, reduce heat by 74%, and glare by 90%.

Transparent mylar shades are made up of three ultrathin layers of polyester. The inside layer of this "polyester sandwich" is laminated with thin heat reflective aluminum coating. The two outer layers are made from glare reducing sheets of dyed polyester. The aluminized mylar fabric and the insulation of the air space between the shade and glass create a thermos bottle effect on windows. It reflects heat away from the windows (to the outside) during the summer, but during winter months, 25% of heat is reflected back into the room.

Just remember that the shades will appear translucent--allowing you to see outside during the day, but allowing others to see in if you have room lights on at night.

Cellular Shades (a/k/a honeycomb blinds, R value range 3.1 - 5.6)
Cellular shades are often referred to as "honeycomb" because a cross-section of the shade looks just like a the structure of a bees' home. The cells, or "honeycomb" pockets, trap heated air and this is what creates the insulating effect. Honeycomb shades come in single, double or triple cell models. Single cell are the least insulating (R values in the 3s). You should buy at least a double cell shade if you are trying to conserve heat. The triple cells are bit more expensive but the better brands have an impressive R value over 5.

The other nice feature of cellular shades is the way they filter light. If you need a blackout shade, you can get a two or three cell model with an opaque backing. But most people will choose the translucent shades which give the room a pleasant ambiance.

Insulating Roman Shades (R value 6.5)
I was introduced to this product at last week's Green Home Expo. I talked to Peter Lundquist, (peter at heatsavershades dot com) the Chicago area rep for HeatSaver Thermal Shades. These shades provide impressive insulation as well as sound absorption. Installing these shades would give you a greater amount of insulation (R=6.5) than installing new double-hung, dual pane, krypton fill windows (R=5.0) HeatSaver shades are custom manufactured locally and there are many fabric options to choose from. However, there is only one style: Roman shades with pull cords. In construction, these shades combine the elements of a mylar shade and a heavy drape. There are four components: a thinsulate layer (like in Tom's North Face jacket) with aluminized mylar sheets on either side. This insulation is encased in a polyester fabric lining with linen or your choice of fabric on the outside.

I'm personally not a huge fan of Roman shades but . . . if my house had patio doors and large windows in a den or living room that felt cold all winter, I'd jump on this bandwagon.

So, if it's freezing in your living room and you can't afford new windows, you might want to contact Peter. And, of course, hire me to help you pick the right colors and textures!

Highlights of Chicago's Green Home Expo 2009

2009-10-18T14:43:00.004-05:00

Sponsored by the Historic Chicago Bungalow Initiative, this year's Green Home Expo at the Merchandise Mart was a great success. The Expo was well organized and well attended. Not to mention, it was free! If you are interested in next year's event, you could sign up for their newsletter:
Historic Chicago Bungalow Association and Green Home Expo

Here are some highlights of the Expo:

"Green" products and building materials
I spoke to Jenny Babcock of Greendepot Environmental Living and Building yesterday at the Greendepot booth. They have a wide variety of non-toxic and environmentally reponsible products that you can use in your home for day-to-cleaning or for large scale remodeling. Greendepot's "ice melt" is a product that many dog owners will want to stock up on soon. It is an effective substitute for road salt and it will protect your pet's paws. They have a showroom in Chicago (2500 N Pulaski) and many of their cleaning products are available at Whole Foods. There is a lot of information on their website, so you may want to have a look:
www.greendepot.com

Cecilia, from Healthy Green Goods in Evanston, told me about Dr. Marny Turvill, a pediatrician who started the company to help people become chemical-free in their homes. Healthy Green Goods offers an interesting new service called Healthy Green House Call. They will send an expert to your house to evaluate all the cleaning and personal care products that you use and suggest healthier alternatives. And you get a 10% off coupon!

Energy Efficient products and services
We like solar! Tom's the solar pioneer, having installed his system on the Cape house more than twenty years ago, but it's fun to see how the technology is improving. Tom spoke to Joe from Solar Service Inc. (I listened) about their company and how they have adapted solar technology for our chilly northern climate. Joe is enthusiastic about the promise of solar energy and very knowledgeable about current governmental programs and rebates. Solar Service Inc has information for homeowners and commercial property owners on their website.

Other cool stuff
Other vendors at Expo displayed goregous hand-crafted cabinetry, Amish-made furniture, custom screens, thermal shades, floating bamboo flooring, recycled glass countertops, biofoam insulation--lots of good stuff. I'll post more over the next few days.