Thursday, January 14, 2010

"Green Homes and Green Savings": Jan 16, 2010

Join us for a candid conversation and educaitonal experience with Ron Huges!

Ron Hughes, owner and president of HERS, Inc. ( http://www.hersinc.com ), resides in Little Rock. He is a certified HERS Energy Rater, RESNET certified Green Rater, NAHB Model Green Home Verifier, member of the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET). He was first certified as an energy auditor in 1981 by the State of Missouri. He has been a residential energy efficiency consultant since 1983 when on contract to the Arkansas Energy Office.

He is a member of the Home Builders Association of Greater Little Rock, the US Green Building Council, the Arkansas Disability Coalition, the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials and the Rural Rental Housing Association. Ron has held a Class B HVACR license in Arkansas.

HERS is an acronym for home energy rating systems. Much like miles-per-gallon stickers on cars, HERS programs are designed to rate the relative energy efficiency of houses and provide information on the performance and operating costs of homes based on analysis and testing. In addition, such programs can provide improvement recommendations along with their potential savings.

Ron has been involved in developing, implementing and managing HERS programs since 1987 as Director of Energy Rated Homes of Arkansas, a nonprofit organization funded by the Arkansas Energy Office to promote energy efficiency. He was later president of Energy Rated Homes of America (ERHA) and was instrumental in establishing HERS programs in numerous states and helping ERHA grow to be the most widely used rating system for both new and existing homes in the country. The goal was a national, uniform rating system for homes.

Over time ERHA evolved into the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET), a 501(c)3 organization who’s mission is “to ensure the success of the building energy performance certification industry, set the standards of quality, and increase the opportunity for ownership of high performance buildings.”


“It’s OK to look back, but don’’t stare.”

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Becoming a fan on Facebook

I want to encourage you to become a fan of Susanne's Garden Moments on FACEBOOK. It is so easy. I would love to have you join me.

Let's not keep Susanne or her garden or (some of) her moments a secret. OK?

I look forward to seeing you there or reading about you here. Susanne

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Today's Susanne's Garden Moments in review

What did you think of Susanne's Garden Moments Radio Show today?
Susanne: My goal today was (1) to invite listeners to join me in building a sustainable (virtual) community, (2) to ask them to search Susanne Fortune on Facebook, sign up to be my Facebook Fan, connect to my BLOG and (3) to think of how each could take their own sustainability to a new level, personally, in their home, garden, community, work. I ask people to commit in whatever they were doing and to do more.

What do you mean when you say sustainability?
Susanne: For me and I hope this is what the listeners heard me say today. It means taking small steps toward saving the environment, simplifying and enriching one's life in an awareness to nursture ourselves and our earth. That might be (1) exercising more, (2) eating local foods, (3) being outside in the fresh air, (4) recycling more or if you are not recycling...start. It might mean (5) building and planting a Square Foot Garden in the Spring, but thinking and planning for it NOW. (6) It might mean building a Square Foot Garden for someone else to help them learn how to garden and in the process....help feed their family!!

Sustainability means promoting simplicity by educating ourselves and supporting each other to help "settle us down" to what is really important. Does that make sense? Often people will say, "I don't have time." Maybe that is it....I think sustainable means to save energy personally and collectively as a group.

How do you envision this whole idea?
Susanne: Well, it is not a new idea, it is just a concept that I would like to help organize. I really believe in family, community, groups, people. I really believe that a group, if they put their heads together around their own idea, the outcome can be a powerful thing. We have all seen that from time to time so I ask what is possible here? I do need others to come along with me.

How will you know if it is successful?
Susanne: Hmmmm. We will get ideas flowing in, ideas with heart and passion, we will learn from the people inside and outside the group, we will build trust and respect, to name a few. Perhaps other sustainable communities will spin off, maybe Garden Moments Clubs will pop up all over the place because people will want to supplement their family's meals with fresh vegetables that they planted. People will get into it and want to help others plant 4x4 foot gardens to supplement other family's meals.

Sorry, I get carried away. Let us leave it at that. I believe in small steps sometimes and big steps at other times. Please mark this day down, January 2, 2010. This day has small and big implications! I can't wait to see what happens.

Susanne Fortune

New Radio Stream Online; 88.3 KABF F.M.

Join us for Susanne's Garden Moments today from 12 noon from 1:00 p.m. CST or 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. EST- June 2, 2009 at http://radiotime.com/station/s_31318/KABF_883.aspx

Let's get the New Year started right and "Make It Clean and Green"! I am so looking forward to 2010! See you all there!

Terence