Monthly Archives: March 2013

Seattle’s Tool Libraries – Open for Lending!

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Seattle’s tool lending libraries are yet another inspiring example of how our neighborhoods (and our neighbors!) are taking sustainability and resilience into their own hands. A ‘sharing economy’, ‘collaborative consumption’, or ‘underused asset utilization’, call it what you will, because sharing is contagious!

These tool libraries offer pay-what-you-can community access to a wide range of tools, training, and advice, as well as ongoing classes & workshops, fixer collectives, and neighborhood gatherings. They also aim to inspire people to participate in community projects such as park restorations, and pursue sustainability at home through energy improvements, water harvesting and edible landscaping.

West Seattle Tool Library
Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, 4408 Delridge Way SW, Seattle, WA 98106
Membership $40 (discounts for seniors, students and low income)
library@sustainablewestseattle.org or (206) 317-4671

ToolLibraryPNA Tool Lending Library
Phinney Neighborhood Center, 6532 Phinney Ave N, Seattle, WA 98115
PNA membership – individual ($30-$99), household ($60-$99), business & more. PNA members may borrow tools for a modest suggested weekly tool maintenance fee listed with each tool. (206) 783-2244

NE Seattle Tool Library & Bike Shack
10228 Fischer Pl NE
Membership $40 (discounts for seniors, students and low income)
info@neseattletoollibrary.org or (206) 524-6062

Capitol Hill Tool Library
1552 Crawford Place, between Pike and Pine
Membership by donation

Ballard Tool Library
7549B 15th Ave NW
Membership $35

Interested in starting a tool library in your community? A good first step is to contact your local neighborhood association and see what’s already in the works. Additional resources include the Tool Library Starter Kit, created by Share Starter and the West Seattle Tool Library, and ‘How to start a tool library in your community’, an online webinar featuring a number of tool library founders around the country.

For your additional reading pleasure, tool library headlines…

Tools are costly and take up space. Tool libraries are popping up so people can share – Washington Post

DIY Heroes: 10 Backyard Builders Changing the World – Popular Mechanics

Must See Projects! 2013 Green Home Tour

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The 3rd annual Green Home Tour, hosted by the Seattle Chapter of the Northwest EcoBuilding Guild and Built Green, is an event you absolutely don’t want to miss! Dozens of homes in and around Seattle, an impressive display of green & healthy systems and features, do-it-yourself information and resources, tour guides and project teammembers on-site to answer questions, and it’s all FREE!

Saturday, April 27th, 11am to 5pm

There will be upwards of 30 projects on the tour this year (so we can’t list them all!), but here’s our selection of must-sees!

Ballard Passive House by Hammer & Hand | Velocipede Architects
The impressive and rigorous German Passivhaus standard is said to be the ‘bar’ for energy efficient homes, and this 1880 sf home in Ballard is one of only a handful that have been built to this standard in Seattle to-date. Can a home really be heated by a system as small as a blow dryer? Well, go see for yourself!

Madison Park Remodel by Green Canopy Homes
These guys are experts at taking tired old homes and affordably re-vitalizing them! The details of this latest project haven’t been released yet, but rest assured it won’t disappoint! Get do-it-yourself ideas on how to improve your home’s energy efficiency, comfort and aesthetics on a tight budget.

MRCCityCabinsCity Cabins at Columbia Station by Martha Rose Construction
Martha Rose has been pushing the green building envelope here in Seattle for over a decade now, and her latest project of 4 high-performance townhomes, dubbed the ‘City Cabins’ is no exception. South facing, super energy efficient, wired for solar pv, and as icing on the cake, detached garages with vegetated roofs!

Clearwater Commons by Cascade Built | Banyon Tree Designs
Yes, we’re a little biased here as we’re helping to market this project, but now that phase 1 construction of 4 new green homes is complete, it’s worth a peak! This 7 acre site is also home to the Mini-B Passive House, a community workshop and gardens, and an impressive stream restoration project.

Grow Community Bainbridge by Asani Development | Davis Studio Architecture + Design
This is an exciting new Bainbridge Island neighborhood of net-zero energy, solar powered homes, endorsed as the first residential One Planet Community in the country. Carbon independence, resource sharing, walkability and healthy living! Who could resist?!

For a full list visit of tour sites in Seattle, on the Eastside and beyond, visit www.nwgreenhometour.org. Maps will be provided closer to the date!

Maybe we’ll see you out and about!