Solar Energy Resources & Links

DIY Solar Heater - from Instructables
 

Solar Decathlon - The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon challenges 20 collegiate teams to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient, and attractive. The winner of the competition is the team that best blends affordability, consumer appeal, and design excellence with optimal energy production and maximum efficiency.
 

Solar Water Heaters -  Solar water heater information from the US Department of Energy
 

Solar Energy Industries Association
 

The Fiber Optic Association

 

Wind Energy Resources & Links

American Wind Energy Association
 

Wind Powering America - provides high-resolution wind maps and estimates of the wind resource potential that would be possible from development of the available windy land areas after excluding areas unlikely to be developed. Here you will find an 80-meter wind resource map for the United States with links to state wind maps and a chart showing the wind resource potential for the United States.
 

DIY-Energy.org - Wind Energy - an information site that gives a good breakdown on various types of energy. They write and publish articles which will be helpful to those looking to purchase a renewable energy system for their home or business.

Geothermal Resources & Links

Geothermal Energy Association
 

Geothermal Resources Association

Recycling Resources & Links

Recycling Facts.org - helpful information on ways you can reduce, reuse, and of course recycle.
 

Earth 911 - is a privately owned, for-profit company that specializes in providing consumers with accessible and actionable recycling  information across the country. Their Recycling Directory is the most accurate and comprehensive  directory of its kind, and contains information for recycling over 240  different products that are free for consumers to use on our website,  toll-free and bilingual hotline (1-800 CLEANUP) and our free iPhone  application (iRecycle).

Crafty Nest - author Monica Ewing has created a great DIY site with great products using salvaged, reused, or green materials whenever possible.
 

Green America - 21 Things You Didn't Know You Could Recycle
 

YouRenew - Recycle your electronics and perhaps even get paid!

ecycler - a free match-up website to connect those who have things to recycle and those who are the collectors of recyclables.
 

1*800*Recycling.com - the recycling location search engine and is a dynamic recycling and green living-focused website that makes recycling, conserving, reusing and living wisely easy. 1-800-RECYCLING.com features comprehensive recycling location database that gives the user the ability to easily assemble a recycling to-do list.
 

Steve Trash - Rockin' Eco Hero - Trash & Recycle Show, resources, study guide and green links - Steve Trash is the 2011 EEAA  Environmental Educator of the Year Award Winner
 

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle -- Paper Making Arts and Crafts - learn how to recycle old paper and other items right in your own home or classroom, giving that paper a new life and purpose? Paper that you may have considered throwing away can be transformed into boxes, trays, toys and small, lightweight furniture

Water Conservation Resources & Links

Stormwater Management Solutions - from City of Portland, Oregon's Green Street program

Cistern Water Filtering
 

The Homestead Cistern - from Mother Earth News
 

Watersense - a public-private partnership sponsored by the EPA
 

Water Facts and Tips - publication from the Sunnyslope County Water District in California
 

Virginia DCR Stormwater Design Specification - Rainwater Harvesting

Rainwater Harvesting for Irrigation Water - publication published by Alabama Cooperative Extension System [Alabama A&M and Auburn Universities]

Land Management Resources & Links

National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service

Conservation Buffers - Design guidelines for Buffers, Corridors and Greenways - 146 page PDF from the USDA
 

Alabama Rivers Alliance -  an organization that works to achieve healthy rivers, healthy people, and a healthy system of government for the state of Alabama.

Protecting Existing Landscape Trees from Construction Damage - article from Texas A&M Agriculture Department

Backyard Wetlands - from the National Association of Conservation Districts

Backyard Conservation - download the full color 28-page booklet from the National Resources Conservation Service

Maryland's Stormwater Program: Managing for Results - online presentation with great information and photo examples

Virginia DCR Stormwater Design Specification - Grass Channels

Virgina DCR Stormwater Design Specification - Wet Swale
 

Best Ways to Deal With Swales - beautiful photos giving ideas for swales from This Old House
 

Permeable Pavement - good information on permeable pavement choices from the National Association of Home Builders
 

Alabama Water Watch - educates citizens about  water issues in Alabama  and the world. It promotes citizen volunteer water monitoring and personal  involvement in watershed stewardship through environmental education,  protection and restoration, and advocacy.

Eco-Friendly Lighting Resources & Links

Recyle Your Compact Fluorescent Bulbs with Ease - good resource article from PlanetGreen.com
 

Illuminating Engineering Society - their mission states that it "seeks to improve the lighted environment by bringing together those with lighting knowledge and by translating that knowledge into actions that benefit the public." Lots of educational articles on lighting

Green Modular Homes Resources & Links

Modular Home Building Council - a specialized group operating under the auspices of the National Association of Home Builders [NAHB]

Smart Control Systems Resources & Links
 

Solar Decathlon 2011 Winner - article on University of Maryland's use of smart control systems in their "WaterShed" entry at the Solar Decathlon in Washington, DC
 

Smart Home Savvy - Home Automation made easy - authored by free-lance writer Victoria Nicks who works to thoroughly investigate, explain, evaluate and test various types of technology for consumers.
 

Smart Homes Conserve Resources, Increase Convenience - article from HGTVPro.com, the site for home building professionals

Miscellaneous Green Resources & Links

Energy Kids - features more than 100 pages of fun educational content for kids, parents, and teachers. Kids can learn about energy and challenge their brains with energy Sudoku, crossword puzzles, word searches, and the new "Energy Sliders" game. Teachers can submit energy lesson plans, share their expertise and get chosen as contributor of the month. The site also features energy-related stories, hands-on activities, and research articles for the classroom.
 

Energy Resources - developed by Andy Darvill  of North Somerset, England, who was a teacher of Science (with a Physics specialism) at Broadoak Maths & Computing College in Weston-super-Mare for 16 years. Great mini-site on different energy types with online quizzes for each page and GCSE exam-style questions.

Alabama Green Progress Report 2010 - from Green Resource Center
 

Energy Solutions for Small Farms -  a guide is intended to serve as a resource to help farmers increase profits while decreasing some of the harmful environmental effects of farming.
 

Chilton Research and Extension Center - one of fourteen Alabama Agriculture Experiment Stations in the state associated with Auburn University.
 

Little Kids, Big Difference - founded in 2007 by environmentally-conscious kids who wanted to make the planet a better place for all living things
 

LEED - Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design - a certification program is run by the US Green Building Council (USGBC). It concentrates on improving performance in energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, materials selection, sustainable site development, and water savings
 

Energy Star - a  program created by the US Environmental Protection Agency that certifies and labels products as energy efficient [20-30 percent less energy than than standard products].
 

Alabama Environmental Council - for a clean and healthy Alabama. The Council works for a healthy environment with an emphasis on clean air, efficient and renewable energy and improved waste reduction practices. They run the Recycling Center in downtown Birmingham and offer water barrel workshops.
 

National Mesothelioma Awareness Day - Mesothelioma Life Expectancy
 

EcoHome -- Your Source for Green Products + Technology A Magazine of the American Institute of Architects