Despite the free fall in housing prices nationwide, green homes are still red hot

Newsweek, March 8,2008

The predominant color in the building industry right now is red, not green. America's housing markets remain in free fall, as the foreclosure crisis continues and more homeowners discover their mortgage debt exceeds the value of their house. Last year the average home builder laid off a quarter of its employees; this year the industry estimates it will sell just 632,000 new homes, its lowest total since 1992. But amid this gloom, there's buzz about consumers' shifting demand toward "green homes"—and how builders with this expertise remain busy despite the bust. In a 2007 survey by the National Association of Home Builders, home buyers said they'd be willing to spend an additional $8,964 on a home if it could cut their utility bills. Throughout the industry, there's a sense that consumers have finally reached a tipping point. "It's taken almost as a fait accompli, that green building is where the market is headed," says Michelle Moore, senior vice president at the U.S. Green Building Council.

The House passes energy bill to Senate

WASHINGTON — Offshore oil drilling, which has dominated energy debates in the U.S. presidential campaign, is now coming to the Senate.

The House late Tuesday approved on a 236-189 vote legislation that would open waters 50 miles (80 kilometers) off the Pacific and Atlantic coasts to oil and natural gas development -- if the adjacent states agree to go along.

The legislation now goes to the Senate, where Democratic leaders are expected to mold it to their liking in the next few days...

"How much new drilling do we get out of this bill? It's zero. Just zero," declared House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio. "It's a hoax on the American people. This is intended for one reason ... so the Democrats can say we voted on energy."

The bill would not share royalties from energy production with the adjacent states, which Republicans said would keep states from accepting any new drilling off their beaches. Republicans also cited Interior Department estimates that 88 percent of the 18 billion barrels of oil believed to be in waters now under drilling bans would remain off-limits because they are within the 50-mile (80-kilometer) protective coastal buffer.

Freedom isn't free: one vet's message

From John McCain's speech:

America, stand up. Stand up. Stand up!
And fight.
Nothing is inevitable here.
We're Americans.
And we never give up!
We never quit!
We never hide from history.
We make history!

ClimateMaster donates geothermal systems to Habitat for Humanity development

Systems by Oklahoma City-based ClimateMaster are helping make Hope Crossing "green.” ClimateMaster is donating geothermal systems for all of the eventual 215 homes in the addition, which was developed at NE 83 and Kelley Avenue by Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity.

"ClimateMaster has stepped up to the plate in a big way and I'm very appreciative to them for their generosity and the active role they have taken in supporting this project,” said Ann Felton, chairman of Central Oklahoma Habitat.