We’ve all heard the benefits of solar power: reduced energy bills (some states and provinces even allow you to generate power and sell it back to the grid or offer grants to homeowners), less demand on already stressed city power grids, it’s a form of renewable energy. Solar power seems so, well, perfect—if only I knew it were right for my house. Then I’d get on it right away. I would, really!

Well, this let’s-put-it-off excuse is no longer valid thanks to website Roofray. Using Google satellite data and information provided by the National Renewable Energy Labs, Roofray allows you to determine what type of solar-based system is optimal for your home before slapping down money on an actual system.

It’s pretty simple: enter your address and up pops a satellite image of your home’s rooftop. Next, using the Roofray tool, draw solar arrays and slope and, voilà—power per square foot and total peak power come up, in chart form, along with more metrics including projected performance, financial analysis, average monthly utility bill (after solar is added), total cost summary and—key, really—estimated time until the solar array is paid off.

Of course, these are all estimates, so take your calculations in stride. Also, don’t just try one size; play around with different-sized arrays and placement. Then, take what you’ve discovered, talk to some experts in your area and start earning cash - and helping conserve resources - thanks to that brilliant ball in the sky.

Thinking outside the box. I know, we’re all sick of this tired, old cliché, but Yale University graduate student Elizabeth Turnbull really did think outside of the box—in this case, the box being your typical dormitory or ghetto-ized student housing unit.

Estimating her housing costs for the year at $14,000, Turnbull brainstormed on more creative ways to live and spend that money. Her insightful solution: build her own house. After all, Turnbull’s major, Forestry and Environmental Studies, emphasizes shrinking carbon footprints and waste, and what could be greener than building a tiny, transportable house?

The new home is eight feet by 18 feet, built atop a flatbed trailer. Features include a small sleeping loft, a study room, kitchen and bathroom, plus some storage and (apparently) a designated “living room.” Seems a little cramped, but a neat idea.

Ever the idealist, Turnbull has installed solar panels to power up her cellphone and computer—free, off-the-grid power—and heat the house with propane. More ecological features include a recycled (and recyclable) aluminum roof, sailboat sails for ceilings (brilliant idea!), a composting toilet and salvaged fixtures and finishes for a total cost of $8,000.

While not the first to conceive and build a tiny, portable house—she was inspired by California builder Tumbleweed Tiny House Co.—she is certainly the youngest (age 26) and likely the first college student to do take such a green approach to living expenses.

Kids these days.

It’s official: I’ve entered my Carlsberg years. it seems like only yesterday conversations with friends revolved around derelict landlords, overdue philosophy papers and who did what at weekend house parties. But these, as it turns out, were minor stresses compared to thirty-something worries over marriage, new homes and—the crux of the matter—home renovations.

Renovating a home is a rite of passage most of us go through, the lucky ones at least, and yet few things in life create such high stress as figuring out what projects to set in motion, how to pay for it, and whether or not to hire a contractor. It can be overwhelming to say the least, especially since most of us have never encountered anything of this sort before, which often results in nothing getting done. Sad but true, this is the new wing-night chat.

Not surprisingly, the web is full of blogs created by newlyweds with renovation on the brain, whether they’re greening their lives or trying to turn an old home new, complete with his and her shopping trips. But for every keen couple there’s a flipside—those who barely made it and those that broke down, thanks, no doubt, to the fantasy world of home renos depicted on TV.

Rather than planting a few platitudes on how to manage stress (count to 10, breathe deeply…as if this ever works), let me leave you with one tidbit of real reno advice: plan ahead. Like everything else in life, remodelling is all about deciding on a plan of attack and executing it.

Project derailment (and that other D-word) is avoidable with preparation, so before saying “I do” to that bathroom fix-up, make sure you’re both in tune.

It used to be, find a weed, douse it with a toxin-laden chemical liquid, and bask in the glory of your pristine, green yard. Just don’t step on the cancer-causing grass.

A few years ago I was weeding a cottage yard—dumb, really; cottages should be rustic-looking—when I noticed the bottle of weed killer had a corrosive symbol. “Don’t touch this stuff!” it seemed to scream, “or your hand will melt away.” Which got me thinking: if it’s this bad, this corrosive, should I really be dousing the yard with it?

Luckily, most of us have climbed out of the Middle Ages when it comes to responsible gardening, helped by a growing number of municipal bylaws banning cosmetic pesticides. For most of us this means not stressing over a few rogue dandelions; for others, it means finding new ways to weed.

Of course, horticulturalists have been weeding for centuries, long before the likes of Roundup and other chemical killers, and they did just fine. Like cooking, the key to organic gardening is understanding your ingredients. For example, lemon juice is an effective killer because of its acidity; same goes for vinegar.

Still on the cooking comparison, organic gardening is as much about method as it is ingredients. Unlike synthetic products, these naturally acidic liquids are non-selective, meaning if you spray wildly, you will likely harm your plants and grass as well as the weeds, so be careful to direct your weeding nozzle at the weeds.

Your mowing method is also important. Forget creating a golfing green; high mowing—cutting off no more than a third of the grass—shades out sun-loving weeds and encourages root development tough enough to withstand summer heat waves. As a general rule, don’t cut any shorter than three inches.

Of course, there are a million green-gardening tips and techniques out there; the key is to find what works for your yard and your region. And really, even if a few weeds pop up here and there, is it so bad? Maybe the key isn’t total lawn domination, but a nice, gentle democracy.

This Sunday is Father’s Day, and while not every dad pines for tools, nothing says “I love you, Mr. Fix-it” quite like a new tool.

But rather than getting him a tool he won’t use or that’s beyond his abilities—hey, let’s not embarrass him on his one day to be king—look for a simple-yet-cool tool. Here are the Top 3 slightly ridiculous, over-the-top tools for Father’s Day:

Titanium Hammer: You’ve heard him mention “titanium” in reference to golf clubs, but this lightweight yet tough-as-nail material is not limited to sports equipment. This 15-ounce hammer feels as light as a squash racquet but packs a punch. Take a close look and you’ll notice a few special features, including a side nail puller and a magnetic nail starter. But the best part of this gift is you can tell him, “Honey, this hammer has 10 times less recoil than steel.” Go ahead, tell him that.

Solar Robotic Lawn Mower: When I was a younger I wanted an Omnibot 2000, a robotic servant that could carry drinks on a tray. While I never got one, I am pretty sure it was pure novelty anyway.

That said, robots have come a long way since ’83. Husqvarna, best known for chainsaws, recently unveiled its Automower, a fully automatic mower that operates itself by following a path set out by an invisible wire. What’s more, this mower runs on a rechargeable, solar-powered battery; when the mower require more power, it simply drives itself to the charger and basks in the sun till it’s time to get back to work.

SawStop Table Saw: There’s nothing funny about losing a finger to a saw blade, and yet finger-cutting accidents are common whether your dad’s a pro or Mr. Butterfingers. Luckily, there is a solution in SawStop, an electronic detection system that detects human flesh in a millisecond, stopping the blade as soon as contact is made. The website features a video showing what happens when a hot dog hits the blade. Now that’s progress.

Last week Toronto hosted the Green Living Show, a consumer show featuring everything from greywater irrigation systems to renewable energy (solar, wind, water) to food made from organic ingredients. In other words, everything you need to live the eco existence, including a keynote address by none other than Bill Clinton, who headlined with top tips for living green.

Mixed in with the usual contenders—chemical-free cleaning supplies, organic sauces served up with pretzels (what show would be complete without these freebie stalls?), the seemingly un-ironic car companies touting their hybrid vehicles—was a single vendor selling a basic, low-tech idea: The Living Wall.

Like any wall system, The Living Wall acts as both a privacy screen and a noise dampener, except instead of being built out of synthetic materials (brick, steel, iron) this wall is made from willow shrubs that grow quickly, is easy to maintain (the stalks keep their shape and don’t require special watering) and are hardy enough to survive the both the heat of Houston and the frigid wrath of Winnipeg.

The concept behind The Living Wall is quite old, derived from the basic recipe of combining two-year-old willows with wooden posts, which provide stability and force the shoots to project upward and straight. The Wall can be as long as you want, planted as a single line or in rows for added privacy, or in combination with other organic wall systems (see more pictures here). Willows have a lifespan of about 30 to 40 years, so replanting is necessary; other than that, the only maintenance required is gentle trimming.

Completely organic and graffiti-proof, this carbon-dioxide absorber establishes itself quickly, blends in with nature and is cheap to build and maintain—clearly a winning combination when it comes to landscaping.

My father-in-law designed and built his own house a few years ago, a job that began with clearing and levelling the land. He did everything himself, with the exception of bringing someone in to help with the foundation pour. Not bad for a guy in his 50s.

I thought of him while reading a recent press release sent out by publisher John Wiley & Sons, creator of the iconic black-and-yellow For Dummies series of reference books. Pitched to “those frustrated and hardworking souls who know they’re not dumb” but lack technical knowledge, this hugely successful series of books—150 million in print; more than 1,000 topics—has ventured deeper into the realm of eco-building with Green Building and Remodelling for Dummies, written by Eric Corey Freed, a LEED-accredited architect.

This useful book helps navigate the reader through the onslaught of “green” building materials and systems, covering everything from water and heating to energy conservation to selecting “green financing experts.”

The timing couldn’t be better. Green building has gained a steady foothold among regular homeowners who see the value in energy and water efficiency. What’s more: not only are we renovating from a green perspective, we’re simply renovating more, period. According to statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau, Americans spent approximately $230 billion on remodelling in 2007; up in Canada, more than $17.3 billion was spent in 2007, with 39 per cent of all homeowners taking on a renovation project in 2007, according to Statistics Canada. Across North America, homeowners are staying put and fixing up, not moving on.

With all the greenwash out there, having a calm, even-toned tome written for the everyman is certainly appreciated. Add to this Wiley’s other eco-themed books—Solar Power Your Home For Dummies—and other home-reno titles such as Building Your Own Home For Dummies, Home Improvement All-in-One For Dummies, plus books on bathroom and painting—and you’ve got a well-rounded foundation for environmental building.

I say “foundation” because, really, would anybody be comfortable beginning such a huge project with only a few Dummies books as technical guides? Imagine your contractor showing up with one of these books. Staying put is one thing; deciding to build your own house after watching a few episodes of Flip This House and reading the For Dummies book … well, is this really a smart idea?

Most of us know the benefits of using compact fluorescent light bulbs instead of traditional, less-efficient incandescent bulbs. Compact fluorescents last up to 10 times as long as incandescent bulbs and use far less energy, making them the right choice for the earth and your pocketbook.

Compact fluorescents work by passing a current through a tube filled with a trace amount of mercury and argon gas, an inert, colourless, odourless and nontoxic gas. If you’ve ever purchased windows, you know the benefits of argon gas: reduced heat loss in winter and decreased heat gain in summer.

When I was a kid I thought argon gas was some sort of Superman-strength fume that protected against, I don’t even know, aliens? Turns out I was partly right; the gas does have superhero strength, as in light force.

Luxim, a company that specializes in developing high-efficiency lighting, recently revealed its newest project: a Tic-Tac-sized bulb that gives off as much light as a street lamp but is ultra-efficient thanks to, you guessed it, argon gas, as well as a component called a “puck.” When electrical energy is delivered to the puck, the puck acts like an electrical lens, heating up the argon to a temperature of 6000 degrees Kelvin, and turning the gas into a plasma that gives off light.

Conventional light bulbs and high-end LEDs get around 15 and 70 lumens per watt, respectively. By comparison, the plasma bulb uses 250 watts, and achieves around 140 lumens per watt, making it incredibly bright and highly efficient in its light distribution.

So while you might not need such bright lighting in your home, this tiny bulb offers a brilliant glimpse into the future.

In a follow-up to Jay’s previous post, I was incredibly excited to hear the announcement today that Sony Canada is trying to divert 100% of its products from landfills by offering customers various options for disposal. According to their press release, you can do it one of three ways: drop your “end of life” (a fantastic term that calls to mind a yellow ’80s-style Walkman grinding out the final notes of a Hall & Oates cassette) products at a pre-approved recycling centre; bring them to a Sony Style store; or mail them in to the company.

Probably the best part about this is that the offer extends to any Sony product, so that old-school TV that you’ve kept for years in the hopes that it’ll be of use again someday can finally stop taking up space in the basement. Now it’s just a question of where to recycle all of those cassettes …

Every spring my street puts on a block-long yard sale. It’s a day-long event and often the entire neighbourhood can be found sitting outside in raincoats, shivering as we sell $2 books and household junk. I’ve found some great stuff walking through the driveways—computer speakers, a ratchet set—and yet, for every useful item, there are dozens of broken, seemingly useless objects being sold. Who wants a computer hinged with a “Doesn’t Work—$10” sign? Believe me, I’ve seen this.

Now I say “seemingly useless” because while these broken items might not sell to Joe Consumer, they are sometimes useful to non-profit organizations and other community-minded groups. So rather than simply throwing out old stuff, or wasting away an entire day for a $40 profit at your garage sale, consider donating your stuff. Now that it’s all organized, this should be easy enough to arrange. Here are a few options.

Building Materials

Depending on where you live, there are likely dozens of resell stores and drop-off centres for used—but still useful—building materials such as windows, doors, paint, tools, you name it. Habitat For Humanity, for example, sells donated materials through their ReStores and uses the proceeds to fund Habitat projects, while at the same time reducing the amount of waste sent to the landfills. If you’re looking for a ReStore near you, you can find options in Canada, as well as the U.S.

Computers and electronics

There’s nothing worse than seeing an old computer monitor sitting on the curb getting soaked by the rain. As PCs have dropped in price, many of us are upgrading our clunky desktops with tiny laptops. In fact, some municipalities have made it illegal to throw away computer parts without paying for a disposal fee. So while you won’t get much for a massive monitor, you can still donate it to a school, shelter or retailer that will fix it up and sell the “renovated” machine at a discount, often donating part of the funds to charity.

Computers With Causes takes your computer and gives you a tax receipt, just like you’d get with any registered charity. Computer Hope offers a similar service, as does ReBoot Canada.

Furniture and Household items

Almost every community has a Goodwill or Salvation Army drop-off centre for used couches, chairs, carpeting, dishes and toys—things that wouldn’t necessarily sell in your neighbourhood yard sale but would be useful to less-fortunate or simply frugal people (hello, students). We’ve got the links at the top, but you know your own Sally Ann.

For a more comprehensive list of donation spots near you, for every purpose, visit CharityVillage (Canada) and the Household Goods Donation Program in the U.S.