Connecticut Green Living

Energize Connecticut is more than a mantra we shout during a thunderstorm, for United Illuminating in conjunction with Eversource has sponsored a competition to promote sustainable homes in the state. This year, the seventh annual competition, the Energize staff cite 17 remarkable green Connecticut homes that were entered in the competition, and each touts an inspiring story about how it became what's called "zero energy" (one hundred percent sustainable). Some placed a large emphasis on renewable energy and others on highly efficient design, says Energize Connecticut . Five winners have been plucked for the statewide design and build competition for single and multi-family homes. This year’s competition featured homes from across Connecticut built between June 1, 2016 and January 31, 2017. In this national initiative, participants built high efficiency homes that consume little to no energy by using sustainable building practices. “With new renewable energy techn...

In its first-ever endorsement, the eight-year-old U.S. Green Chamber of Commerce promotes Hillary Clinton. According to the Chamber's president Michelle Thatcher, the choice was clear even if it wasn't always easy. After all, representing businesses means representing people of various political orientations. "First and foremost, it was a hard decision because we are such a varied membership, so the biggest implication of course we want to make is to have an effect. The numbers are still so close – this is why we put this out there. We put the country even ahead of our own non-profits," says Thatcher. She says that while endorsing Clinton "wasn't on the forefront" of the Chamber's planning, it made sense from a sustainable business perspective, as well as buinesses and practices they promote. "To do otherwise would be extremely risky," she says. The Chamber's endorsement follows the lead of hundreds of nationally prominent organizat...