Tarmy, James (2019, August 9) Eco-mansions can hold hidden bargains for buyers.  Retrieved August 25, 2019, from https://www.latimes.com/business/real-estate/story/2019-08-07/eco-mansions-bargains-home-buyers

Although the mansions were built using expensive environmentally friendly materials, energy efficiency can increase by a factor of three, thus reducing overall costs of the house.  However, using eco-friendly materials doesn’t always lead to a higher cost of the house. “Whether it’s the kind of tiles you use … any of those premiums aren’t showing a return in the market right now,” says Compass real estate broker Aimee Scher.  This means that potential homeowners can rest easily knowing their investment will pay off.  

This relates to environmental science by showing the public that there’s more potential for them to reduce their carbon footprint.  However, these houses were made of environmentally friendly building materials this isn’t some modification they can make. Nonetheless, this article was eye opening to see how much everything we have in our life has an environmental impact.  It made me happy to know that there is more that a person can do to reduce their carbon footprint other than get solar panels on their house. I didn’t know that the materials in which you made your house could affect your energy efficiency by that much.

Kuffner, Alex (2019, August 25) Rhode Island making the push to become unofficial seat for offshore wind industry. Retrieved August 25, 2019, from https://www.southcoasttoday.com/news/20190825/rhode-island-making-push-to-become-unofficial-seat-for-offshore-wind-industry

Rhode Island has set a goal of increasing their renewable energy to 1,000 megawatts by 2020.  Rhode Island plans on using a multitude of renewable energies like solar, wind, and other sources.  In order to do so, many wind turbine companies from the UK have now set up shop in Rhode Island, bringing in at least 7,000 jobs. Commerce Secretary Stefan Pryor saying, “We’re excited that wind energy companies are interested in Rhode Island’s emerging innovation ecosystem”.

I chose this article because of Rhode Island, being the smallest state, is trying to be at the forefront of renewable energy in the United States.  When I think of it I imagine David and Goliath with Rhode Island facing against climate change on its own. I find it inspirational that such a small state like Rhode Island is taking such large steps in the direction of renewable energy.  Admittedly it is easier for Rhode Island to take up renewable energy than it would be for a bigger state, the scales are very different. But the message Rhode Island sends is an important one, that even the little guy is playing his part in this climate change crisis.   

Gose, Joe (2019, April 23) When Office Buildings Go Beyond Green. Retrieved August 25, 2019, from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/23/business/commercial-real-estate-leed-certification.html?searchResultPosition=1

With the onslaught of the internet, the third party review industry has grown.  This industry has come to meet the housing industry. The United States Green Building Council rates buildings sustainability through their Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program.  This certification ensures potential customers that the building is sustainable, and environmentally friendly. In an attempt to cater to the 21st century tenants, landlords seek these certifications to ensure that tenants know they understand technology.  

I chose this article because it focuses on the root of the problem, human congregation in cities.  If humanity had stayed in the countryside, then our civilization as a whole would have much more time to fix it’s mistakes.  That aside, making a whole building environmentally friendly has always interested me. I can understand how a person can modify their house to minimize its carbon footprint, but a whole building seemed like too big a task.  Overall, I think it is a very intriguing concept going forward given how much energy apartment buildings take up. I found this article to be quite eye opening in that there are so many changes people can make that have an environmental effect.  Where a person lives, what type of home it is, or even what website they use to find reviews.

Cision PR Newswire (2019, May 19) Agilyx and Amsty Continue to Revolutionize the Recycling Industry. Retrieved August 25, 2019, from https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/agilyx-and-amsty-continue-to-revolutionize-the-recycling-industry-300814803.html

On March 19th, company Agilyx sent it’s first truckload of recycled styrene monomer to AmSty a styrene monomer producer.  Agilyx is leading the way in chemically recycling difficult-to-recycle plastics along with other innovations. Amsty, based out of The Woodlands, Texas is one of the largest styrene monomer and polystyrene producers in the western hemisphere.  This celebrates the beginning of a long-term partnership between the two companies in order to better dispose of these environmentally dangerous plastics.

This article is a prime example of environmentally friendly technologies being put to work.  Although recycling isn’t as glamorous as solar or wind power, it’s arguably just as important.  Recycling is the closest our modern society can get to sustainability. We have created so much plastic in the world and none of it has the capacity to biodegrade so the only sustainable option is recycling.  Instead of making more plastic to sit in the ocean, AmSty partnered up with Agilyx to do something to help the planet. In my opinion, this article was a pleasant surprise. I normally don’t think about how important recycling is in the process of making our world a better place.  But in reality it really is one of the leading technologies we can use to help save our planet.

Sheehan, Tim (2019, August 23) Solar is coming to all new California homes.  How many in Fresno already get power from sun? Retrieved August 25, 2019, from https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article234162737.html

In the city of Fresno, home builders are scrambling to get their building permits before January first.  After January first all homes in the state of California must be built with solar photovoltaic systems according to the new statewide building standards.  This article also focused on the pricing of the solar panels saying that they would add about $9,500 to the value of a house. However, by adding solar to a home a person can save up to $19,000 in energy.  In the end, the benefits vastly outweigh the costs.

This article relates to environmental science in that it discusses one of the most well known eco-friendly technologies, solar panels.  Solar panels themselves model nature by converting the light of the sun into usable energy. In my opinion, I’m really happy that we have this legislature in place to force Californian’s to use renewable energy.  I think it’s a step in the right direction and we need more bills like this one to be passed. Without this legislature, there would still be people willing to make sustainable changes, but not on this scale. Putting this into law boosts not only the economy but also gives the earth more time to heal.