We all want to be green these days. Helping to preserve the environment has become a top priority in the lives of many people. Becoming environmentally conscious can give you both peace of mind and extra money in the bank. It’s become quite well known that conserving energy and saving money go hand in hand; most environmentally aware changes that we make also result in reduced energy bills.
Most people love the look of a rich, green lawn. Imagine looking out your front window and seeing that beautiful deep green color, and then going outside and feeling the soft lushness beneath your bare feet. Because many people harbor this little fantasy, a green lawn is one of the most important selling points in a home. Unfortunately having a green lawn can be quite expensive, time consuming to maintain, and put a lot of stress on the environment. Fortunately, there is a better alternative out there: replacing your grass with moss.
Compact fluorescent bulbs have made a huge impact on the environment. They have saved a countless amount of money and make it easy for people to become involved in protecting our environment. Compact fluorescent bulbs have been a real money saver for families and now account for a huge amount of energy savings on power bills. While fluorescent lighting has been around for years, compact fluorescent light bulbs have only just recently come on the scene. They offer many advantages over traditional incandescent lighting and have had a great surge in popularity.
Water is a scarce commodity. We are slowly depleting our underground aquifers, and global warming is affecting the surface bodies of water that we use for our water supplies. As it becomes more scarce, the importance of saving water is becoming ever more essential to the earth’s survival. While there are many ways we can save our water, there is a way to increase our water supply for free—by collecting rainwater from roofs and using it for some of our household needs.
There is no doubt that a fresh coat of paint brightens up a lot of things, and your walls are no exception. Whether you live in an apartment or house or condo, your walls will definitely benefit from the TLC that a new paintjob can bring. One of the unfortunate downsides of a fresh coat of paint is the noxious odor and harmful compounds in traditional paints.
The newest controversy in home building today is probably right in your kitchen. The most coveted material of the new century—granite—has also become the most hotly debated. And the fight isn’t over whether or not granite can give your kitchen enough re-sale power to legitimize its cost, but whether or not this tiny bit of luxury can kill you.
Bamboo flooring has been touted as an environmental miracle material: relatively inexpensive, hard-wearing, and from a fast growing and renewable resource. But is bamboo flooring the green building material it is cracked up to be? We take a look at what bamboo flooring is, where it comes from, and the pros and cons you should consider before installing a bamboo floor.
A Closer look at some of the concerns with CFLs: Mercury, Cost, Aesthetics, and Disposal
If you’ve started to look into building green, you have no doubt come across the name LEED. The LEED certification name is referenced by manufacturers, builders, retailers, and consumers alike in promotional, editorial, and casual conversations. But what is LEED certification? Who issues it and what are the criteria used when considering what is a LEED certified building?
Earthships are sustainable homes designed to interface with their environment. Traditionally, they are built in a circular or U shaped layout and constructed using recycled tires packed with dirt, which weigh about 350 pound each when packed properly. The idea of Earthship housing was created by Mike Reynolds, founder of Earthship Biotecture, in the 1970’s as a response to his desire to live off the grid and help the environment. For this to be possible he felt that his house had to do three things, first he had to provide a sustainable existence while using recycled building materials indigenous to the planet, secondly, he would have to generate his own utilities, and the last thing was to make sure the average person could duplicate his design without having prior construction knowledge.
Did you know that nearly 5 million tons of carpet (about 1.9 billion square yards) was produced in the United States in 1999 using non-renewable petroleum based synthetic fibers, and in that same year 2.4 million tons of the same fibers were discarded into landfills (enough to carpet New York City,) and that it took on average 10.1 gallons of water to produce 1 square yard of carpet (ultimately becoming toxic waste.) These numbers would be staggering if 1999 represented an industry anomaly, but they don’t, they are a culmination of an industry that has always been determined to grow.
On May 4, 2007 at 9:46pm, the town of Greensburg Kansas was devastated by an EF5 tornado (about 205mph.) The twister was almost 2 miles wide and travelled nearly 22 miles before dissipating. The next day the town of 1400 found 11 people dead and countless more injured; 90% of their town was leveled and the majority of business’ laid in ruins. So what does a town do when it’s been destroyed? Greensburg Kansas chose to become the first city in the U.S. to build green, with an eventual goal of becoming a sustainable community.