Press Room
Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality
Spring brings the urge to clean your house, tackle long-deferred maintenance tasks and freshen your decor, but it’s also a good time to focus on the quality of your indoor air. Jennifer Schwab of Sierra Club Green Home offers these tips for breathing easier this season.
Merry Christmas, Earth
“It’s stuff that you live as opposed to have,” says Jennifer Schwab, chief sustainability officer for Sierra Club Green Home. But if you are going to give material items, Schwab can suggest environmentally friendly options there, too.
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Espousing the green lifestyle (Part I)
The Los Angeles Go Green Expo brought together eco-conscious products and professionals to promote a “green” lifestyle. Read what Sierra Club Green Home Chief Sustainability Officer and Go Green Expo panelist Jennifer Schwab said about the value of buying local and American-made.
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Improving Energy Efficiency Through Imaging
Sierra Club Green Home’s Jennifer Schwab on Lunch Break introduces us to technology developed at MIT that can determine the energy efficiency of a home or building by taking an infrared image of it, including where the energy leaks are.
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Affordable Solar Panels Can Save You Money
Founders of Sierra Club Green Home Jennifer Schwab and Gordon Wangers show you how solar panels on their home have saved them money.
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Dodge the draft and cut home heating costs
You don’t have to invest thousands in high-tech insulation or a super-efficient furnace to cut home heating costs. Just sealing drafts could lower your bills 3% to 18%, according to Danny Parker, a research scientist who works with the Department of Energy.
If you can easily slide a sheet of paper between a door (exterior, basement, or attic) and its frame, it needs weather stripping, says Jen Schwab, Chief Sustainability Officer for Sierra Club Green Home.
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Greening Your Kitchen
Okay, so you buy organic food, shop at farmers’ markets, and fill the recycling bin every week. It also makes sense to go green when it’s time to remodel your kitchen, especially when the choices you make can save you some green by slicing your home’s energy use. Besides reducing your carbon footprint, some greener choices work far better than conventional products while improving indoor air quality in the bargain.
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E-Readers VS. Old Fashioned Books—Which is Greener?
A relatively new phenomenon is the E-Reader, be it Kindle, iPad, or a number of other new competitors coming into the marketplace. When you think about it, these devices would seem to be more environmentally friendly than your typical paper and cardboard book, even a paperback.
Jennifer Schwab, Chief Sustainability Officer for the Sierra Club Green Home, appeared on “Good Morning America” to discuss whether we Should be buying our loved ones e-readers or traditional books this holiday season.
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Energy-efficient homes, courtesy of federal tax credit
“In these times, people may not look to do something aesthetic with their homes, or buy furniture or do anything that represents excess,” said Jennifer Schwab, Chief Sustainability Officer for Sierra Club Green Home, a website with advice for home-owners.
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Green Your Caffeine
Can you believe that every day, citizens of our planet down 2.5 billion cups of coffee? And that in America alone, more than 450 million servings of “joe” are quaffed daily?
Jennifer Schwab, Chief Sustainability Officer for the Sierra Club Green Home, appeared on “Good Morning America” to discuss several things you can do to have less impact on the ecosystem while still getting your morning fix of java.
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Graduation Gowns Made from Recycled Plastic Water Bottles
Thousands of members of the class of 2010 all across America will be wearing, or have recently worn, graduation caps and gowns that are either bio-degradable or made from recycled plastic.
Over one hundred schools have decided to go green-gown and every student we spoke to thinks it’s a great idea.
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Just One Thing: Green Cookware That’s Good for You and the Environment
If you’re planning to replace your cookware, think carefully about it. Before you rush off to buy the next hot item, consider alternatives that are healthy not just for you but for the environment.
Jennifer Schwab, Chief Sustainability Officer for the Sierra Club Green Home, appeared on “Good Morning America” and discussed some of the healthy alternatives with Sam Champion during the “Just One Thing” segment.
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Composting, the next recycling?
It’s ‘Green Week’ on NBC, and Thursday will mark the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. We’ve come a long way since we first started thinking about the impact our daily lives have on our planet, but environmentalists say Americans are still the most wasteful people in the world.
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Green graduation: Gowns now recycle or biodegrade
For years, eco-conscious campuses have been trying to reduce the environmental impact of commencement ceremonies by using less electricity or printing programs on recycled paper. Now, academic apparel manufacturers are jumping in with “green” options, ranging from disposable gowns that decompose quickly in soil to gowns made of recycled plastic bottles that can be reused or recycled.
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Living Green Expo
Sierra Club Green Home’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Jennifer Schwab, is interviewed on Channel 8, Las Vegas at Living Green Expo.
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Consumer lights could get boost from green technology
It took 10 years and dozens of sales calls from a range of vendors before James Felice finally got what he wanted: an LED light that would deliver energy savings, while showing the artwork in his gallery to its best advantage.
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More Green In Your Pocket
Green is here to stay, but adopting an environmentally friendly lifestyle can be daunting for families on a budget. Sustainable fabrics can be expensive, and eco-friendly cleaners aren’t always the most affordable option. Faster than you can say, “Sure, I’d love to live a greener more sustainable existence, but gosh darn it, it’s just so expensive,” we’ve pulled together the best seven ways to cut costs when you’re trying to be environmentally conscious and keep a bit of extra green in your pocket.
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Go Green And Stay In The Black
You can buy office furniture made from recycled materials (expensive), or you can buy desks and chairs recycled through thrift stores (cheap). Yet another option: “Find a neighbor who is closing their business–unfortunately there are plenty of those,” says Jennifer Schwab, Chief Sustainability Officer at Sierra Club Green Home, a nonprofit organization aimed at environmental education.
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What can Sierra Club Green Home do for you?
Home and Living is happy to announce an interview with Jennifer Schwab, Chief Sustainability Officer for Sierra Club Green Home. Trained as an accountant, Jennifer worked in tax consulting at Ernst & Young before making a career change to pursue her passion for all things sustainable. Inspired by worldwide outdoor and adventure travels, Jennifer decided that environmental preservation would become her life’s work.
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Sierra Club Green Home’s Jennifer Schwab gives advice on green living made easy
Star-Telegram talked to Jennifer Schwab, SCGH Chief Sustainability Officer, about the best ways to go green this year. With her help, they have come up with ways you can help save energy, water and landfills this year — without a lot of pain.
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Sierra Club Green Home featured in The Colorado Springs Independent online
Announcement: Jennifer Schwab, Chief Sustainability Officer for Sierra Club Green Home, who will be speaking Wednesday about new green trends and affordable ways to save money on bills.
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Jennifer Schwab hits AOL’s Shelter Pop
How to tell if a product isn’t as green as it claims? Pay attention to the smell, says Jennifer Schwab, Chief Sustainability Officer for Sierra Club Green Home.
“If the aroma is pungent, it is safe to say that the furniture was manufactured using a high amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and chemical toxins,” she says. “Some VOCs are known carcinogens, and they can cause many health problems. I have noticed this with some Pottery Barn items.”
She also suggests that you pay attention to furniture tags and don’t be afraid to ask the sales associate for information. “Do your research,” she says. “Ask where was it manufactured, by whom, how far away did it have to travel to reach its final destination, and are fair trade practices used to manufacture the product?”
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Sierra Club Green Home hits Consumers Digest
Jennifer Schwab was quoted as a national recycling expert by mentioning “When there are fewer buyers, recyclables are often dumped in landfills, warehouses, junkyards and incinerators.” To see more of what Jennifer had to say about “The Great Illusion”, as it pertains to recycling today in America, visit this month’s Consumers Digest.
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Sierra Club Green Home on BlissTree.com
The article highlights tips from SCGH and Jennifer on going green this spring for under $40. The story links the tips to various articles found on the SCGH site. While we initially offered these tips as a way to encourage an interview with Jennifer, the writer ended up using the content directly in her article instead.
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Going Solar is Getting a Bit Easier
Sierra Club Green Home’s Jennifer Schwab is interviewed by CNBC about the introduction of do-it-yourself solar panel installation kits at Lowe’s home improvement stores.
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SCGH.com is referenced in Ty Pennington’s “At Home” Magazine
If you’re reading the latest volume of Ty Pennington’s “At Home” Magazine (Volume 11, Number 4), you may see scgh.com being referenced as their glossary point of reference in their pop quiz!
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Living Green: Furnishing Your Home
Recently we spoke with Sierra Club Chief Sustainability Officer Jennifer Schwab about green living. She provided us with a great insight on the often toxic details of traditional furnishings and she offered tips
on how to make your home safer with green purchases.
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Sierra Club makes suggestions on the best way to make your own compost.
“Composting isn’t Green 101,” says Jennifer Schwab, Chief Sustainability Officer for the Sierra Club’s Green Home Web site, which instructs visitors on composting. She admits, too: “When bugs and stuff get on it, as much as I’m a green person, I get disgusted by that.”
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Jennifer Schwab helps This Old House teach others about getting cash back on energy savings.
“If you live out West, you might consider solar,” says Jennifer Schwab, Chief Sustainability Officer for Sierra Club Green Home; local rebates, lease-to-own deals, and monthly payment plans are making the investment more affordable.
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Jennifer Schwab tells you about your Earth-Saavy Supper,
Self Magazine, October 2009
“Copy this plate for a full belly and a cool planet,” says Jennifer Schwab, Chief Sustainability Officer for SierraClubGreenHome.com
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SCGH warns homeowners about drywall by Jennifer Schwab, The Huffington Post Friday, August 14, 2009
This is not another case of “everything causes cancer.” Believe it or not, a limited number of homes, mostly built between 2004 and 2006, seem to have walls that give off poisonous fumes. How and why? It seems that drywall imported during that period…
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Sierra Club Goes for the Green in For-Profit Venture by Todd Woody, Fortune.com Monday June 08, 2009
At Fortune’s recent Brainstorm Green conference, Green Wombat had a chance to get a guided tour of Sierra Club Green Home — the new for-profit online venture of the venerable Sierra Club — from Jennifer Schwab, the startup’s sustainability director…
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Sierra Club Green Home in the June 2009 issue of Kiwi Magazine
Within the “Planet-Friendly Birthday Parties” cover story, Jennifer Schwab is introduced as Sierra Club Green Home’s Chief Sustainability Officer with a quote on how having a plant helps kids understand “the connection between nature’s raw materials and the finished product.” Jennifer’s commentary continues throughout the piece on subjects including game time, giving back, and budget friendly green birthday tips…
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Review: sierraclubgreenhome.com by Peggy McMullen, The Oregonian Monday June 08, 2009
Created with the well-known environmental group Sierra Club, the site is designed to help teach ways to make homes more energy efficient, environmentally sustainable and healthy; the quiz is one part of that educational process…
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The Sierra Club offers tips on going green around the house. By Paul Young. May 16, 2009
The Sierra Club has launched www.sierraclubgreenhome.com, designed to provide a better understanding of how — and why — a greener home might translate into financial savings, a healthier environment and a sustainable future. The main page includes a rotation of lengthy articles about issues of the day, such as “Home Health Hazards” and “Besting Solar Myths.” But the site’s real value is in its interactive functions, which offer step-by-step instructions…
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A New Green Home Page. March/April Issue.
Even the executive director of the Sierra Club has found it challenging to fix up his home in an ecofriendly way. In late 2007, when Carl Pope was meeting with a group of donors, he mentioned that he wanted to make his home more energy efficient but was having trouble finding green products, services, and contractors. The donors suggested that the Club lead the charge to help consumers make more-sustainable choices…
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Earth Week Juggle Tips: Living a “Greener” Life. By Rachel Emma Silverman. April 24, 2009.
…The Sierra Club recently launched a very comprehensive Web site called “Sierra Club Green Home,” full of money-saving tips for making your household more environmentally friendly. (It also has quizzes to determine your home’s carbon footprint and environmental health.)
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Home Green Home With The Sierra Club. By Tom Zeller Jr. March 30, 2009.
Two of the most frequently asked questions I receive from readers look something like this:
1) “I want to try to improve the efficiency and sustainability of my home and the products I purchase, but I don’t know where to begin finding out what’s available, and what sorts of incentives there might be for me. Is there a centralized resource for this sort of information?”
2) “Why is being green so expensive?”
Valid questions both – which is why I was intrigued by an invitation to chat with the principals behind a new Web site bearing the imprimatur of the nation’s oldest and arguably most influential environmental organization: the Sierra Club.
Watch the video.
Read the article.
View PDF.
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Ensure Your Home is Healthy for you and your Kids. May 4th, 2009.
As parents, we are always concerned about the health of our kids, but oftentimes it is difficult to determine the safety of everyday products found at home. To help ensure that you are creating a healthy home environment for your family, we have tapped Jennifer Schwab, Chief Sustainability Officer for Sierra Club Green Home, to provide the following handy tips that will help make your home more sustainable and healthy…
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Green Your Home With Sierra Club’s Green Home.
The Sierra Club is the United States’ oldest and most trusted environmental group, and they are continuing their tradition of ecological excellence with a website that can help the consumer turn their drafty, old town home into a lean, green, energy-savings machine.
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Sierra Club Green Home. Posted by Sarah Rich. April 4, 2009.
In 1892, when John Muir founded the Sierra Club, the only “web” he knew about was the kind spun by spiders, and social networking was something people did by riding horse-drawn buggies between each other’s houses. But Muir’s seminal environmental conservation organization has kept up with the pace of change…
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Join the Club: Green Your Home with sierraclubgreenhome.com. April 3, 2009.
It’s nice to be proud of your home. That’s why you clean the bathroom and fluff the cushions. But if you go through such lengths to keep your house looking clean, why wouldn’t you put in the extra effort to make sure it’s running clean as well? Chances are, you just don’t know where to start. Well, whether you are still learning about CFLs or shopping for solar panels, the Sierra Club is here to help. Their robust new site, sierraclubgreenhome.com, boasts everything you’d need to green your home – a carbon counter, educational literature, a video library, a database of nearly 1,000 service providers in 47 states, and more. Whether they succeed as the WebMd of the green-home world remains to be seen. But they definitely know more than the high-school kid working at Home Depot.
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Sierra Club Launches Interactive Home Greening Website. By Laurel Petriello. March 26, 2009.
The Sierra Club is making it easier than ever for homeowners adopt energy efficient home practices. This month, the organization launched Green Home, a Web site dedicated to helping US residents take the guesswork out of greening their homes.
The interactive site brings the green movement to a personal level by allowing users to see the effects of their current living practices and help plan for their future home health and energy efficiency…
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Sierra Club Green Home Simplifies Sustainable Living, Bringing Green within Reach. March 25, 2009.
Sierra Club Green Home (SCGH) today launches its new Web site, www.sierraclubgreenhome.com, designed to educate Americans on how to make their homes more energy efficient, environmentally sustainable and healthy. Created with Sierra Club – America’s oldest, largest, and best-known environmental organization – SCGH aims to help aspirationally green citizens become more environmentally conscious…
