CLIMATE

Earth a bit cooler; no trend seen

The fact that the climate has cooled slightly has provided ammunition to doubters of global warming. But scientists say warming will resume.

WASHINGTON REPORT

More money for green improvements

The government is pushing for energy conservation in housing -- and even `locational efficiency' benefits.

SHARKS

Florida looking to reel in the ultimate fishing thrill -- shore-based shark fishing

The pursuit of the sea's most fearsome predator remains for many the ultimate fishing thrill, but shark fishing is coming under pressure as shark numbers plummet worldwide.

Renewable energy gets push in Florida Legislature

Florida electric companies would have to rely on an increasingly heavy mix of wind, solar and biomass to generate their power over the next 11 years, under a proposed rule state regulators voted to send to the Legislature late Thursday.

ENVIRONMENT | FLORIDA LEGISLATURE

Florida land-buying program faces budget ax

Legislative leaders plan to freeze the Florida Forever program that has saved some of the state's choicest lands.

Thin rooftop panels help house produce its own power

Flexible, thin film solar panels offer increased efficiency, better hurricane resistance and can be installed like conventional roofing materials.

GOING GREEN

In experiment, hydrogen power fuels Miami home

A switch was pulled and the shelves of equipment murmured softly and turned on the lights. A house in Miami's Bay Heights quietly went off the grid and onto hydrogen power.

Couple lives green in their Key Largo dream

South-facing small windows and Bahama shutters, light paint and a white roof offer clues to the character of this house within a hammock: It is a ''green'' home that proudly wears a photovoltaic system and thermal water heater on its roof and envelopes a 7,500-gallon cistern within its walls.

Kendall house is a model of efficiency

Albert Harum-Alvarez, a software designer and consultant, grew up in Kendall and has spent years planning his home among the trees. Now under construction, it will catch the southeast breezes, use a geothermal pump for optional air conditioning, and employ a composting toilet system. Harum-Alvarez believes it's the greenest home in Miami-Dade County.

CERTIFICATION

Interest in going green is growing

Standards now qualify homes, commercial buildings and neighborhoods to be green. Certification is gaining in popularity.

BUILDING GREEN

Habitat homes designed with efficiency in mind

Pompano Beach houses will reduce water use and energy costs.

How to build a green home

If you are building a home, there are ways to make it energy-efficient: Orient it so the long axis runs east and west. Limit west-facing windows.

Two '60s houses are models for green living

This is one in a series about living green. Next week, we explore contemporary green homes. Forty years ago, Gwladys and Eugene Scott combined their lives and families and set out to design their dream house: a Japanese-inspired home in a South Florida hammock. It was to be without air conditioning, using salvaged pine beams, and open to the trees.

ARCHITECTURE

Parker honors nature in his work

Legendary architect emphasizes use and beauty.

Air conditioning changed everything

Half a century made all the difference. We went from designing with the climate to defensively shutting it out while shutting ourselves in, and today we are paying the energy price.

Tips for living without air

Living without air conditioning has its challenges, and with experience, Joyce Gann has learned how to do it.

How to retrofit older homes

How can you retrofit a concrete block house with few windows to be more resource-conserving? ''It may not be practical to add a porch, but it might be practical to add shade trees on the south and west sides,'' suggests Janet McIlvane with the Florida Solar Energy Center in Cocoa.

Go native: Florida friendly landscapes thrive with less water

Wise use of native plants can go a long way toward reducing outdoor water use while celebrating the place you call home.

APPLIANCES

Switch to water-friendly appliances is on tap

How many times a day do you flush a toilet? How long are your showers? How many loads of laundry do you wash a week?