DOS CEIBAS Planning Green

This video is the 1st of a 4 part series featuring Dos Ceibas entitled "Conscious Living." These videos by MTV Networks tell the story of our collaboration with BigPrototype as we explore sustainable strategies building custom tropical homes here in Rincón, PR.

Some of these strategies are dramatic, like the green roof on the Little Malibu House. Others, like orienting each home to take advantage of the prevailing trade winds, are more subtle, but equally significant.

The videos are airing on Logo Network and are part of the launch of the Saturn VUE Hybrid.

Shot in Rincón, PR in December 2008, the videos would not have been possible without the help of the Uncharted Studio's Tony Dooley who saved the shoot.

Check out the video above or watch it here, then please share it with friends and family.

Little Malibu House at Night

The Little Malibu House, the first of 8 unique custom designed residences at Dos Ceibas in Rincón, PR, is finally nearing completion. This house includes a number of green strategies to reduce its impact on the environment and to make it easier to maintain for its owners.

It's been a group effort. Many thanks to Johnno for his help and for this great photo.

Want to know more? Interested in being a neighbor? It's not too late. Your custom dream home in the tropics awaits... Contact Ali to learn more.

From the Big Screen to the Little Screen

While Salva Tres Palmas was on the big screen, my sister Sharon appeared on NBC's the Today Show to talk about healthy eating habits.

Sharon appears 90 seconds into the video.

One thing I learned from watching was how to choose the right type of carbohydrates. Sharon, a registered dietitian, said to choose carbs that are high in fiber and low in sugar (who knew?). Her rule of thumb for selecting carbs, which I really thought helped clarify things, was:

Pick carbohydrates that contain more than 3g of fiber and less than 10g of sugar (per serving).

Learn more from the video or at sharonrichter.com

Happy snacking.