Cities run entirely on solar power, countries generating electricity through volcanoes, and hotels built underground to keep cool are not fantasies of the future—they exist right now, in some of the most remarkable green-pioneering places. (Photo courtesy of TripBase, Inc.)
[imagebrowser id=18]
Editor’s Note: This is an excerpt of “Greenest Places on Earth,” courtesy of Tripbase, Inc.The earth, like a teenager, is mostly covered in oil, grease and noxious pustules. Occasionally though, you can see a small sign of hope for the future in a clean, vigorous area, glowing with health. In the teenager it’s generally where the acne medication has taken hold, but on the Earth it’s those places where eco-friendly attitudes, words, and thoughts have been put into practice.
Most Eco-Friendly Home: Bear Creek Dome
Geodesic domes had a brief surge of popularity in the 1950s, but they still aren’t a usual shape for a home. This is a pity, because they’re really exceptional for eco-friendly purposes. The Bear Creek Dome in North Branch, Minnesota, has all the usual benefits of a geodesic dome, including increased strength while only using 40% of the lumber of a usual home, and natural heating and cooling. Bear Creek Dome ups the ante by incorporating 16 inches of insulation and triple-pane windows to prevent energy loss. Despite outside temperatures of over 90 degrees, inside the dome the owners enjoy a balmy low 70s—without any air conditioning or power use. Their yearly heating costs are less than $900, despite the bitterly old Minnesota winters.
Read about the most eco-friendly country, city, development, and hotel on TripBase.
For related story: Hippies vs. Treehuggers: the Battle for America’s Greenest City
]]>
