Going Green

We're been reading a lot lately about going Green. Its in the paper that the Charlotte is looking to go Green and we've been trying to figure out exactly what that means. Apparently, that means using technology and alternative building materials and methods for conservation of resources and minimizing the human impact on the planet. There are some really neat products out there that actually cost the same or less than many of our existing products or they offer such energy and water savings that they pay for themselves in a matter of years. We've learned about Green Roofs, Rainwater Harvesting, Grassy Pavers (asphalt replacement things), Solar Hot Water Heaters, Solar Arrays, Insulation Materials, etc.
Check out these cool local (mostly local) websites that we found on the subject:

Brea Water Systems
Green Roofing
A Information Site
Discovery Place's Green Roof
Grassy Pavers

This is neat stuff. I wonder if computers and the Internet were the boom of the last twenty years will Green be the boom of the next twenty?

We're Back

So we recently had a baby which allowed for much less time on the Internet. Well, now we're getting back into a routine and I'm hoping that we can post here more often. I will say that as hot as it is outside right now (we're breaking heat records in Charlotte this week - 104 Degrees), I am looking forward to when our son is old enough to be running around the fountain with the kids in the center of Birkdale. It looks like a lot of fun and it is amazing how packed that center can get with moms and kids. I jokingly tell my wife that the water fountain is like the dog park but for kids.
Other than this past week we've had a great summer. It wasn't too hot, mid-80s mostly. I was personally expecting the heat to be much worst here during the summer. I guess that we are far enough back from the coast and close enough to the mountains that we are usually spared the extreme heat and humidity.
Anyways, if you have young kids and are coming to Birkdale, definitely have them bring their swim suits because that fountain looks like a blast.