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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 color=blue
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:blue'>Interesting.</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face="Book Antiqua"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua";color:blue'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face="Book Antiqua"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua";color:blue'>Christine Gray <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 color=black
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:
12.0pt;margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>A Tale of Two Houses<br>
<br>
House 1:<br>
<br>
"The four-bedroom home was planned so that 'every room has a relationship<br>
with something in the landscape that's different from the room next door.<br>
Each of the rooms feels like a slightly different place.' The resulting<br>
single-story house is a paragon of environmental planning.<br>
<br>
"The passive-solar house is built of honey-colored native limestone and<br>
positioned to absorb winter sunlight, warming the interior walkways and<br>
walls of the 4,000-square-foot residence. Geothermal heat pumps circulate<br>
water through pipes buried 300 feet deep in the ground. These waters pass<br>
through a heat exchange system that keeps the home warm in winter and cool<br>
in summer.<br>
<br>
"A 25,000-gallon underground cistern collects rainwater gathered from<br>
roof urns; wastewater from sinks, toilets, and showers cascades into<br>
underground purifying tanks and is also funneled into the cistern. The water<br>
from the cistern is then used to irrigate the landscaping around the<br>
four-bedroom home, (which) uses indigenous grasses, shrubs, and flowers<br>
to complete the exterior treatment of the home.<br>
<br>
In addition to its minimal environmental impact, the look and layout of<br>
the house reflect one of the paramount priorities: relaxation. A spacious<br>
10-foot porch wraps completely around the residence and beckons the family<br>
outdoors. With few hallways to speak of, family and guests make their way<br>
from room to room either directly or by way of the porch. 'The house doesn't<br>
hold you in. Where the porch ends there is grass. There is no step-up at<br>
all."'<br>
<br>
The house consumes 25% of the energy of an average American home."<br>
(Source: The Chicago Tribune, April 2001 as published in Cowboys and Indians<br>
Magazine.)<br>
-------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
House 2:<br>
<br>
"This 20-room, 8-bathroom house consumes more electricity every month<br>
than the average American household uses in an entire year. The average<br>
household in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region>
consumes 10,656 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year,<br>
according to the Department of Energy. In 2006, this house devoured nearly<br>
221,000 kWh, more than 20 times the national average. Last August alone, the<br>
house burned through 22,619 kWh, guzzling more than twice the electricity<br>
in one month than an average American family uses in an entire year. As a<br>
result of this energy consumption, the average monthly electric bill topped<br>
$1,359. Also, natural gas bills for this house and guest house averaged<br>
$1,080 per month last year. In total, this house had nearly $30,000 in<br>
combined electricity and natural gas bills for 2006. (Source: just about<br>
anywhere in the news last month online including Reuters & AP)"<br>
<br>
<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>PLEASE Scroll down..</span></b> <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>House 1 is the home of George and Laura Bush,
in Crawford,<st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Texas</st1:place></st1:State>.<br>
<br>
House 2 belongs to Al and Tipper Gore, in Nashville, <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Tennessee</st1:place></st1:State>.<br>
<br>
<br>
</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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