Hey, this is awesome that a big network like DIY is finally paying attention to green issues!

Sorry not to see more activity here (!!) My wife & I are in Hopkinsville, KY and are going green - but on a real budget. When we do a house project, we really suss out what it means to do it 'green'. I'm 51 with a fused back, but for our 2 bedroom do-overs we found hardwood under the wall-to-wall carpeting (even under the glued-down indoor/outdoor UNDER the wall-to-wall in the dining room). The floors were drum sanded and re-finished: we think that beats even sustainable bamboo flooring, right? Cost was $60 for the drum sander rental and paper, and another$100 for finishing materials and tools. We did all our own work.

We had a really dry summer - our answer? $60 for 4 55 gal used plastic barrels and plumbing to make a rain barrel system. I put a gutter on the back of the garage for $112 for the fascia and aluminum guttering. For $172 and 1.5" of rainfall we get 200 gal of water for gardening. There'll be more if the system proves out next year (always more gutters lol). That relieves cost of water and keeps rain water out of the city sewage system as well as getting local gardening going ( we have a small truck garden every year - how more green can you get [corny, oops LOL]).

But now I'm thinking about solar hot water heating for the cellar - just to reduce the amount of gas that we use. I think I can make a collector/heater for under $100 and plumb in some more barrels with an automotive heater core and temp. switch for a fan that'll do the job.

See - that's GREEN, not spending a lot of money. And it's sure DIY not getting contractors to build something, right?? And there are a lot more OLD houses than new ones; and a lot more people without $100K for all the new green systems to go in. So - let's see some affordable, really green alternatives, eh? Maybe that'll get more people thinking and RRR'ing - maybe save a Polar Bear in the end (wouldn't that be nice?).
Jim Roberts, Hopkinsville, KY

I would like to see solar pannels and wind power for electricty as part of the Greenhome. A root celler to store plant seeds and vegetables,and can aso be used as a storm shelter.
All rooms on one level. Not everyone can live in a two story house due to some type of health or physical problems.

The property should be on a lake or have an artesuion spring.

Enough land to have a garden and also to be abel to raise some chickens,turkeys,etc to be abel to live off of the land . This does not have to be a large farm type,just enough land to where a family can provide for their family. IN other words get back to the old way of life that our ancestors lived,but with modern conviences.

Now that the 2007 Blog Cabin has been given away to a very lucky family we can get down to business talking about the 2008 Green Home that is being built.
Tonight on the show they said that the 2008 DIYnetwork Blog Green Home has already started to be built.
I would like to find out if this is truly the case and if so where it is being built and what happened to the idea of having viewers vote on the design of the home/cabin and floorplans. Or is this not going to be done like the last one where we got to vote on just about everything. Just trying to find out what is going on.
I had so much fun voting last time and learning new things and met nice people along the way. Are Amy and any of the DIYnetwork crew going to be a part of this one too or will you guys be handling all of this 2008 Green Blog Home/Cabin being built? I am just trying to follow the program. Thanks. Kathy Seals

Yes i would like to know what is going on with the vote as well. I caught the 2007 cabin half way through. now im ready to give input myself. will the same 2 brother contractors be working on this project?

Hey Jim-

WOW- that's great al' that you've been able to do (and plan to do too!) I'm impressed, especially with a fused back. And to answer your question, yes, all of those things are much more green options, especially refinishing your existing wood floors. When you think about all of the resources that go into the harvesting, manufacture, shipping, and sale of new flooring there is really no comparison. Plus it is no doubt much more in tune with what the house originally looked like (but probably fell out of style at some point). I assume you used a high quality water borne finish to round out the green'ness of it all?

Peter