energy
Earthy event
The 18th annual Crestone Energy Fair begins tomorrow and runs through Labor Day. Crestone is a mountain town nestled between Salida and Alamosa that boasts more than 60 houses made of straw bale, cob, adobe and cordwood, or constructed using alternative building methods. The town’s four-day energy fair will feature speakers, hands-on workshops, and information about alternative energy and natural building. The event is free and open to the public, with the exception of the Sustainable Home Tour, which costs $15. Information at .
money
Remodeling tips
Alan J. Heavens, the real estate and home improvement writer for The Philadelphia Inquirer and president of the National Association of Real Estate Writers, has just published “Remodeling on the Money – 15 Innovative Projects Designed to Add Value to Your Home” (Kaplan, $19.95). Unlike his first book, “What No One Ever Tells You About Renovating Your Home,” which was a cautionary tale for prospective remodelers, this is a how-to guide that outlines exactly what kinds of improvements will produce large long-term payoffs.
space
Help for car clutter bugs
., a business that offers products to manage cable, wire, hardware and other home or remote office equipment, suggests these solutions to help keep your car from developing that “lived-in” look:
Device armor. Pelican Micro Cases are small enough to fit into a glove compartment and designed to protect cellphones, PDAs, pagers, MP3 players and other personal gadgets.
Cableyoyo. This tiny reel is ideal for extra cord length in cars where there’s always a cellphone charging from the cigarette lighter or an iPod plugged into the CD player.
Velcro One-wrap Cable Wraps. Also ideal for the trunk or glove compartment, this product can help organize jumper cables, toys and other small objects that are cluttering up your car’s storage compartments.
