Our Aim

We want to make a difference. We are in the fortunate position of being able to build a home from scratch. We hope that the many hours of research and the lessons that we have learned will help others change the way they live.

This website has been created to educate you, the consumer, by helping you differentiate fact from fiction. Most information on the Internet isn't regulated, nor is it checked for inaccuracies. Many companies spin clever marketing campaigns to sell their products and services. There are so many 'Green-Washing' campaigns, and catchy 'Green' advertisements to draw your attention. Who are we all supposed to believe? Our website will provide you with facts based on real-life occurrences, as opposed to 'mis-information' driven by shareholder dividends and sales people looking to make commissions.

One fact rings true, and almost everyone in business agrees: by adopting a 'Green' lifestyle, you can protect the earth and safeguard the environment for future generations. Did you know that being 'Green' also improves the indoor environment of your home, and your family's well-being?

The 'Holistic-Green' philosophy for the 'Green Log Home' is born from real-life experiences, and countless hours of research. We are not scientists, nor do we claim that our choices are the best ones for you. These experiences are intended to point you in the right direction, by providing information that will enable you to make informed choices and decisions.

Major changes don't happen overnight. Taking small steps, and altering your current lifestyle will eventually lead to greater cost savings, a self-sustained existence and a healthier home.

Follow our progress, as we film the making of the 'Green Log Home'. Learn how to: find, purchase and build on the most appropriate parcel of land; deal with realtors, surveyors, engineers, contractors and manufacturers; learn about making sustainable choices, and last, but not least, discover how to make your home a safer place to live in.

Join us on our adventure!
Regards,
Fred and Natasha Ruckel

Our Story

"The significant problems we face cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them"

- Albert Einstein

Our goal is to build a green log home by the end of 2010, in time for Christmas. This home will be like no other. Not a fancy, large luxury home, but one that is green, very friendly to the environment and completely self-sufficient. From solar power to geothermal heating and cooling, we aim to show how, step-by-step through various processes or through small changes that it is possible to save energy and preserve the environment for future generations.

Early during our planning process when we were watching "The Inconvenient Truth", presented by Al Gore, it hit home that we should consider a more 'green' approach with the way we live our lives.

The whole move to 'go green' was something that we spent much time researching. Was following this route really viable when building a new home? Would this cost more to build? Would this save us money in the long run? We had a significant amount of information gathering to do, we both knew that ultimately if what Al Gore and the current 'green movement' were saying was true, we should then take note and act on this. Now don't get us wrong, this statement is not driven by our current lifestyle, that is to say that neither of us live without our modern conveniences!

We soon gained an understanding of all the costs for our project and put several spreadsheets together to enable us to work out a budget. We obtained all sorts of cost estimates such as electricity, clearing land, surveys, permits, building, construction, materials, the list goes on and on, but this gives you a rough idea of what we had to contend with!

"Energy production and energy consumption cause more environmental damage than any other peacetime activity on earth."

- Christine Ervin, U.S. DOE, 1996