Founder and president of Gaiam Real Goods and cofounder of the Solar Living Institute in Hopland, Calif., John Schaeffer is a renewable energy and green living pioneer. His life's work was inspired when, on a commune where he lived for bit in the late '70s, folks flocked to his place to watch Saturday Night Live via his solar-powered TV. Today he lives outside Hopland with his wife, Nancy Hensley, in a passive-solar Rastra-block home named Sunkawk, built mostly from recycled materials amid a permaculture oasis powered by solar and hyrdo-electric. View John's video bio.
John Schaeffer
Learning from the Lavender Labyrinth
When I get stressed out I head directly to our Lavender Labyrinth. We planted our labyrinth in the middle of our 2800 tree organic and biodynamic olive orchard and 8-acre vineyard. From its gorgeous vantage 800 feet above the Hopland Valley, it is comprised of 700 “Provence” variety lavender plants that have grown up exceedingly ... read more
Not Ready For Solar? Buy Green Power & Get Started!
Living completely off all grids (electric, water, phone, internet, and social) as I have for many years, I get spoiled and jaded all in green. And selling as many solar systems as we at Real Goods do to folks in California and Colorado where the rebates make it pretty much a no-brainer, makes me forget ... read more
The Joy of Shunning Gas Stations
Every time I pass a gas station I count my blessings. Since I’ve had my own biodiesel tank at my house for the last two years, I’ve almost never had to endure the dubious honor of queuing up in line to fill up my car with fossil fuels shipped from politically unstable countries in the ... read more
Tips for Starting Your 2008 Garden!
I recently attended one of my favorite gatherings: the Biodynamic Association of Northern California (BDANC) winter meeting. The meeting was at the Frey Ranch in Redwood Valley, which is a phenomenon in itself — about 1,000 acres complete with biodynamic vineyards and organic winery, olive trees, organic gardens, chicken and other poultry farming, and ... read more
SLI Adds More Green Jobs Training, Fuels Solar Growth
The Solar Living Institute just published its amazing 2008 class schedule. This nonprofit is doing more to promote solar energy than any other organization I know of — especially with its recent focus on green careers and green workforce development. The green jobs sea change applies to folks from all walks of life, from freshly-out-of-school graduates ... read more