Cash crop: Growing your own vegetables can save you money. That’s according to Pennsylvania-based seed seller, Burpee, which recently delivered a cost-analysis study showing gardeners can harvest $1,250 in vegetables for every $50 they spend on their vegetable gardens.
In honor of this beneficial discovery, Burpee will offer The Money Garden, a $10 variety seed pack for new and experienced gardeners. Each pack contains six easy-to-grow varieties capable of producing $500 worth of groceries.
The Money Garden is set for a January debut exclusively at www.burpee.com.
Energy star: The Zero Energy Idea House, an eco-friendly project in Bellevue, is moving right along.
Crews have completed site preparation and the foundation and now the home is taking shape thanks to SIPs, better known as structural insulated panels, an alternative to traditional stud framing.
“We expect to have the entire structure of the house built out in less than three weeks,” said Donna Shirey of Shirey Contracting, the Issaquah-based builder behind the project. SIPs have shortened traditional construction scheduling by weeks.
Made of expanded polystyrene, SIPs do not absorb vapor and cause mold. They can be custom cut for every project, so there is less construction waste.
Other green features include solar panels and solar hot water; a 1,200-square-foot vegetated roof; a planted retaining wall; Energy Star lighting, windows and appliances; rainwater harvesting; a small wind turbine; and in-floor radiant heat.
Designed by Clinkston Brunner Architects of Seattle, the home will also be equipped with a monitor that displays energy useage in real time, a tool that will help homeowners, Donna and Riley Shirey, modify their consumption habits.
Watch the project evolve at www.ZeroEnergyIdeaHouse.com. Public tours will start this spring. Follow The Herald’s Eco Geek blog at www.heraldnet.com/ecogeek for updates.
Herald staff
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