39 Sanibel St., built by Southern Structures, Inc., is a beautiful new home in I’On that, thanks to its rooftop garden, is helping improve I’On’s environment!
Living roofs, as you may have heard, offer many benefits to the buildings, neighborhoods, and cities in which they are placed; Atlanta, for example, has recently seen an increase in green roofs on city and commercial buildings to combat the urban heat effect, which is especially distinct there as a result of the city’s extensive sprawl. Living roofs, or green roofs, can also capture rainwater, reduce runoff, produce oxygen and trap carbon dioxide, increase a home’s insulation (thereby decreasing its’ energy consumption), and lengthen a roof’s lifespan. Not to mention, of course, that they can make an excellent resting point for tired migrating birds!
If you’d like to take a look at this exceptional home, give I’On Realty a call at 843-884-3080, or e-mail us at info@ionvillage.com.
Click here for more pictures.
Filed under: I'On Group on October 10th, 2008 | No Comments »
Ten years ago, the idea that architecture could help save us from destroying our planet might have seemed ridiculous, or at best, unlikely. Nowadays though, it’s become clear that every single aspect of civilized human life has the potential to either help or harm us - and it’s up to everyone to make conscious choices about which direction they want to go. William McDonough, a Virginia based architect, is one of those people who stand out in their enthusiasm for taking us as far as possible in the right, the green, direction.
McDonough calls his design philosophy “Cradle to Cradle,” a term coined by Walter Stahel in the 1970s to describe a system of industrial and/or commercial creation that is essentially waste-free. (The carpets we use in our Mixson homes are Cradle to Cradle certified.) McDonough takes this one step farther, though, by seeking to create buildings that produce oxygen and energy, and sequester carbon, having a positive net effect on the environment instead of just a neutral one. William McDonough + Partners, McDonough’s architecture and community design firm, has done some incredible work, including reinventing the Ford Motor Company’s Rouge complex into the ultimate in green design. The truck assembly plant is now topped with 10.4 acres of green roof, making it the largest living roof on the planet. Who knew an American truck assembly plant in Michigan would set a standard for green building?
To read more about McDonough’s projects, click here.
Filed under: I'On Group, Mixson, Urban Sustainability on October 6th, 2008 | No Comments »
Many of you in I’On are well aware that for the past several months, an extremely active group of volunteers have been tirelessly helping to register Charlestonians and Mt. Pleasanters to vote. Well, it all officially ends this Saturday, with over 125,000 newly registered voters across the state of SC - and that calls for a major celebration! Beginning at 8am and ending at 12 noon this Saturday, October 4, Alex’s Restaurant at 302 Coleman Blvd, Mt. Pleasant, will be the last stop for voters who still need to register. Registration is free, and there will be forms and assistance available to all, whether you need to register for the first time, register at a different address, or register under a new name. Read more »
Filed under: Events, I'On Group, I'On Village, Press releases on October 1st, 2008 | No Comments »
Picture from Treehugger.com
Not only does Ben and Jerry’s support small farms, donate tons of money to charity, have a bus outfitted with solar panels, and refuse to use milk from cows treated with Bovine Growth Hormone - among countless other environmental and social achievements - they are now the first company in the US to use the Greenfreeze technology, a cleaner refrigeration technique than the typical hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) technology that’s been used since CFCs were discovered to be contributing to ozone depletion. HFCs were marketed as the safe alternative to CFCs but, no surprise here, it was shortly found out that HFCs help speed up global warming. The Greenfreeze technology was developed in the 1990s by German Greenpeace researchers shortly after this discovery, but was illegal in the US until this year.
Read more »
Filed under: I'On Group, Mixson, Urban Sustainability on September 30th, 2008 | 2 Comments »
We just heard about these great events at 10 Storehouse Row in North Charleston - below is information from Jenny Wiedower.
Midday Cafes, Fridays in October and November
11:30 am - 1:30 pm
Location: 10 Storehouse Row, 2120 Noisette Blvd, North Charleston, SC 29405
Website: http://www.navyyardsc.com
Email: jwiedower@navyyardsc.com
Free live music Fridays at lunchtime at 10 Storehouse Row!
Take a break from the office and enjoy fresh air and live music in a casual setting over your lunch break on Fridays this October and November. Read more »
Filed under: Events, I'On Group, Mixson, Press releases on September 29th, 2008 | No Comments »
On Sunday, Oct. 12 from 10am-12pm, Charleston County Recycling will have a booth at Pep Boys in West Ashley (1550 Savannah Highway) with representatives available to answer questions about making your driving more environmentally friendly. Of course, the most effective way to make your transportation more environmentally friendly is to drive as little as possible, or even not at all, as some Charlestonians are doing - but if that’s not in the cards for you yet, head on over to Pep Boys on the 12th to learn where and how to recycle your used motor oil, get tips on getting better gas mileage, and hear why you should never, EVER dump used motor oil in the trash, down a storm drain, or anywhere else other than the correct recycling container. Read more »
Filed under: Charleston SC Green Living, Events, I'On Group, I'On Village, Mixson, Morris Square on September 29th, 2008 | No Comments »
Save the date - on November 22, 2008 Keep North Charleston Beautiful will be hosting an Arbor Day Beautification Event at Quarterman Park, from 8 am to 12 pm. This is a great opportunity to get out, volunteer and meet people from your community. Volunteers will:
- Plant a Garden
- Prune Landscape Material
- Weed Flowerbeds
And a special tree will be planted in honor of volunteers!
Please call 745-1073 if you or your group want to volunteer.
<!–[if !supportLists]–>
Filed under: I'On Group, Mixson on September 26th, 2008 | No Comments »
Here’s your chance to get involved and ensure you and your neighbors have clean air! The City of North Charleston is holding a public meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 30 at 6:30 pm to discuss the proposed expansion of Kinder Morgan, a massive energy transportation company which transports coal into Charleston.   The company doesn’t have the best environmental record, so it’s up to all of us to make sure that clean air protections will be in place if the expansion proposal does go through.  Â
The meeting will be held at the North Charleston City Hall at 4900 LaCross Rd., in the City Council Chambers. SCDHEC’s Bureau of Air Quality and Kinder Morgan will both make presentations, and the public will have a chance to ask questions and comment on what they hear.Â
Filed under: Events, I'On Group, I'On Village, Mixson, Morris Square on September 25th, 2008 | No Comments »
Value
“These days man knows the price of everything, but the value of nothing.”
         ~Oscar Wilde
Through the first eight months of 2008, the media has been reveling in stories about how we’re in a major disaster because house prices are going down and mortgages are increasingly harder to obtain. Unfortunately, few reporters put these stories in context.Â
When someone speaks of value, we often jump to the conclusion that person is talking about economic value - price. But value expressed in this economic term of exchange is nothing more than monetary value. There are numerous other types of value - aesthetic, family, and cultural values among them. And people value different things differently. “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure”, as the saying goes. Read more »
Filed under: I'On Group, I'On Real Estate, I'On Village on September 23rd, 2008 | No Comments »
This comes from our friend William Hamilton…
Click october-11-change-up-flyer-standard for the event flier.
Concert for Change Announced for October 11 in Mt. Pleasant
For Immediate Release
Mt. Pleasant, SC- Music of Hope and Community focused on the November elections will fill the air at the Amphitheater in the I’On Community in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina on Saturday, October 11 during the concert for change. The concert is free and open to the public. It will begin at 5 pm and end at 6:30. The amphitheater is located at 100 West Shipyard Road, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464. In case of rain, the concert will be held the following day at the same time.
Read more »
Filed under: Events, I'On Group, I'On Village, Press releases on September 23rd, 2008 | No Comments »
