Things Are Good


Inspirational and good news.

Soy Habitats for Humanity

A company built a house to show off soy products and other environmentally friendly building techniques for the modern home and they have chosen to donate their model home to Habitat for Humanity.
The Soy House was built to showcase environmentally friendly, soy-based products used in home construction. It includes products such as spray foam insulation, [...]

January 25th, 2010
Topic: shelter Tags: , , , ,

An Introduction to Green Roofs

Want to get the low-down on something that could be above your head? Well here’s what you’ve been looking for: an introduction to green roofs!
Roof types
There are two basic types of roof greening covers: intensive (roof gardens) and extensive. Intensive planted roofs have a greater depth of growing medium to support a wider range of [...]

December 4th, 2009
Topic: shelter Tags: , , ,

Cyclists Can Raise Property Values

Providing a safe place to lock up bicycles can increase the rental and property value of a home or apartment complex.
To a cyclist like myself this seems painfully obvious, but to people living in the world of the car I guess, well, they don’t understand and need to be told this be a real [...]

November 6th, 2009
Topic: Transportation, shelter Tags: , ,

Old Jeans, New Insulation

Good news everybody! Your old pants could be worth more than you thought!
Students at University of Memphis have been collecting used denim for insulation in housing for Habitat for Humanity. So hang on to your old clothes so you can make somebody else’s house a little warmer.
Read more.
“It’s a project called ‘Cotton: From Blue to [...]

October 22nd, 2009
Topic: shelter Tags: , , , , ,

Dow to Sell Solar Shingles

When I started Things Are Good many years ago I also wrote a short paper on creating a company based on selling shingles for roofs that have solar panels in them. I think DOW read my paper ;) because next year they’ll be selling solar shingles.
$20 million invested in the company from the American government [...]

October 6th, 2009
Topic: Energy, shelter Tags: , , , ,

Building Green Homes is Cost Effective

The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston has done a study on the real cost of building a green home and they have busted the myth that building green is too costly. The bank has concluded that building green doesn’t break the bank, so to speak.
The intuitive view of most people might be that building green [...]

June 25th, 2009
Topic: shelter Tags: , , , , ,