Shooting Ways of Commuting in the East Village

We were among friends when Lynnae, Carrie, I and COSC board member Jenny McCoy joined Urban Ambassadors for their "Shoot Your Commute" project in the East Village. The rising temperature gauge made for a  steamy, yet beautiful, day for a bike ride in sunny Des Moines.

The photo concept originated in Germany and illustrates the amount of space consumed by various modes of transportation, which is comparable to the size of their carbon footprints.

View a time-lapse video here and photos here, which document the process.

Shoot Your Commute final images will be available at the Aug. 30th COSC connects at Jasper Winery when we partner with Urban Ambassadors and USGBC Iowa Chapter to address "Envisioning Sustainable Des Moines" with special guests Greater Des Moines Partnership. Join us by RSVPing on Facebook.

- Siobhan Spain, COSC

Rehabbing with Joe & Diane

Joe Hogue works on his Des Moines home.
Photo by Rodney White/The Register

So far in 2010, more than 700 permits have been issued for residential conversion, remodeling and repair projects. That's already up nearly 30% from last year.

The Des Moines Rehabbers Club's mission to promote neighborhood revitalization and restoration is timely, so when I saw they were hosting a monthly club meeting this morning, I decided I'd better check it out.

I arrived at a gutted two-story north-side home in time to hear the introduction by Des Moines Rehabbers Club founder Steve Wilke-Shapiro. Homeowners Joe and Diane Hogue are following the current surge in DIY (do it yourself) home remodeling projects in an effort to extend the life of their renovation budget. Since the foreclosed home was in bad shape when they bought it, they decided to expose every beam, pipe and doorway to realized the full extent of its structural needs. The couple both have full-time jobs and chip away at the renovation to-do list together on nights and weekends.

Joe's tour of the home gave attendees opportunities to ask questions about floor leveling issues, when to hire a contractor, what he's learned about remove siding and so on. It also gave the owners a chance to solicit advice on how to tackle forthcoming projects. The conversations were informative and congenial, which contributed to a satisfying Saturday morning outing. To learn more about the Hogue's project, read this article in the Register and be sure to visit renovatedsm.com.

As Steve mentioned at the beginning of the meeting, COSC and Preservation Iowa is bringing Bob Yapp to Des Moines this fall. We'll post details soon!

- Siobhan Spain, COSC

"COSC connects" Launch a Great Success!

Thanks to everyone who turned out for the launch of our quarterly social gathering titled “COSC connects” on Monday, June 7th, at the Des Moines Social Club! The Green Living Project Mobile Tour: Expedition in Central America presentation complimented the evening well. Diane Cutler helped us document the evening - click here to access our Flicker photo gallery.

Join COSC at the Natural Living Expo

COSC's Green Speaker Series

Natural Living Expo, March 27-28, 2010
Polk County Convention Complex, Des Moines, IA

Center on Sustainable Communities (COSC) is Iowa’s trusted educational resource for sustainable building. Join us for five discerning workshops on advancing our state’s building practices. Let’s build a greener Iowa - the benefits are abundant and attainable. 

Our FREE Green Speaker Series schedule:

Saturday, Mar. 27 at 11:00am

MAINTENANCE FOR A HEALTHY HOME
Green building expert Jacob Kvinlaug teaches how to create a healthier, more comfortable living environment by discovering sustainable ways to accomplish home maintenance projects.

Saturday, Mar. 27 at 1:00pm
CONSUMER INTRO TO QUALITY HEATING & COOLING
Cenergy conducts this workshop on how to save money, maintain efficient HVAC systems, improve indoor air quality and make informed decisions when purchasing a new system or retrofitting an existing one.

Saturday, Mar. 27 at 3:00pm
HOW TO CHOOSE A CONTRACTOR
Learn how to ask key questions, gauge expertise and find resources to help determine the right sustainable building contractor for your project. Led by Jacob Kvinlaug and Linda Schemmel.

Sunday, Mar. 28 at 1:00pm
EXISTING HOME ASSESSMENT
Taught by Dave and Julia Fish of FISHAUS Craftsman Builders, this workshop gives insightful information on evaluating a house as an integrated system – establish priorities for greening a home.

Sunday, Mar. 28 at 2:00pm
SUSTAINABILITY AT IOWA CAMPUSES AND BEYOND
Students and directors who are making a difference on campuses across the state join COSC’s Executive Director Lynnae Hentzen to discuss visions for a sustainable Iowa and how Iowa can support these ambitions beyond academic careers.

Find COSC's Green Speaker Series on Facebook and www.icosc.com.

The COSC Re-Building a Sustainable Iowa sessions are offered temporarily for free thanks to funding from IDED and HUD. Read the press release here.

Listen Up: Talk of Iowa talks home improvements with Bill McAnally

COSC's green building instructor Bill McAnally gives his expert insights on winter renovation projects and improving energy efficiency. The Iowa Public Radio "Talk of Iowa" segment is chock full of valuable, and timely, information. Here it all here.

Below, Bill and Linda Schemmel of City of West Des Moines discuss the West Des Moines Affordable Green Demonstration Home for the project's video production series (coming soon!).