Sustainable Hardwood Flooring

Posted on August 15, 2011 by Joyce Benson    |    1 Comment
Tag(s): Green Design, Green Furnishings, Greening the Home

Hardwood floors are not only very appealing, but they are durable, easy-to-clean and long-lasting.  Whether you need new flooring for a historic property or a new build, hardwood flooring is a great option for many rooms in your home.  The best flooring is made from sustainably-harvested woods with finishes that won’t compromise indoor air quality.

By choosing these products (from local dealers), you’ll be supporting the green economy and keeping clean air inside your home.  Be sure to avoid wood flooring originating from the rainforest, unless it is FSC-certified, to guarantee against devastating deforestation.

Read More >>

How to Be Green by Lowering Your Cooling Bills

Posted on August 9, 2011 by Joyce Benson    |    1 Comment
Tag(s): Energy, Greening the Home, Money Saving

In Part I of this series on lowering your summer utility bills, I focused on the quick and easy fixes that anyone can do.  In this post, I’ll concentrate on strategies that cost a bit more upfront, but will save you money in the long run. 

Not only does saving energy save you money, but it also benefits the environment by minimizing pollution caused by electricity generation.

Read More >>

Today’s Low Flow Toilets Add Style and Water-Efficiency to the Bathroom

Posted on August 7, 2011 by Joyce Benson    |    Add a Comment
Tag(s): Conserving Resources, Kitchens And Baths, Money Saving, Water

Looking for low-flow, but high performance from your toilet?  The stylish high-efficiency toilets on the market now are sure to make your bathroom remodel, or selection of fixtures for a new home, more sustainable.

It’s important to conserve water considering we flush about 30% of a household’s potable water down the toilet!  Replacing an old toilet with a new efficient model is definitely a green stride!  You can actually save thousands of gallons of water, and lower your water bills or impact on your septic system, by making the switch!

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) makes selecting a new water-efficient toilet easy by labeling such models with the WaterSense logo.  “Products are independently certified by a third party to confirm that they meet EPA’s criteria for efficiency and performance.”

You’ll find dual-flush toilets which use as little as .9 gallons per flush for “#1″ and 1.6 gpf for “#2″, as well as single flush models which use as little as 1.28 gpf!  Older toilets use between 3.5 – 5 gallons per flush!  The new high efficiency toilets are available in a variety of styles and price points by countless manufacturers, such as TOTO, American Standard (pictured above–Cadet 3 model), Glacier Bay, Kohler, Pfister, Sterling, Villeroy & Boch, and Zurn, just to name a few.

Quick tip:  Some local water utility companies even offer rebates for replacing old toilets!

Source:  EPA WaterSense

Eco-friendly Tile Options

Posted on August 4, 2011 by Joyce Benson    |    Add a Comment
Tag(s): Green Design, Kitchens And Baths, Recycling

Whether you’re renovating an old house or upgrading in new construction, there are many options for new green flooring and wall tile.  A wide variety of shapes, sizes and styles, from traditional to contemporary, are available.

Tile not only adds value to your home, but it is long-lasting, easy-to-clean and attractive.  Plus, tile can be used in high traffic areas, many times outdoors, and of course in interior rooms.   It looks great in any room of the house, including kitchens (backsplashes, countertops, flooring), living rooms (fireplace surrounds, stair risers), baths and laundry rooms (wall surrounds, flooring) and foyers (flooring).

Many of the following tiles are made in the U.S.A and even qualify for LEED points if your project is adhering to the U.S. Green Building Council’s guidelines.

Read More >>

The Value of Street Trees

Posted on August 3, 2011 by Joyce Benson    |    Add a Comment
Tag(s): Greening the Home, The Great Green Outdoors

Tree-lined streets are not only appealing, but they add value to adjacent homes and businesses.  And, the benefits don’t stop there.  Trees provide much needed shade during the hot summer months and reduce the heat-island effect in cities.  They provide homes and food for songbirds.  Trees even clean pollutants from the air and help to manage stormwater.

Here are some interesting tidbits:

Read More >>

Locally Quarried Stone Countertops

Posted on July 29, 2011 by Joyce Benson    |    Add a Comment
Tag(s): Green Design, Greening the Home, Kitchens And Baths

Natural stone countertops certainly add a luxurious feel to any kitchen or bathroom.  In addition to their beauty, they are also very durable and long-lasting.  Natural stone, when sealed with low VOC finishes, add to good indoor air quality and low maintenance needs.

Most stone is imported, adding to the environmental impact, but I’ve found a few good resources here in the U.S. for locally quarried slate, soapstone and marble countertops. 

Read More >>

Earth-friendly House Siding

Posted on July 14, 2011 by Joyce Benson    |    1 Comment
Tag(s): Green Building, Greening the Home, The Great Green Outdoors

We all want our home exteriors to look attractive and protect us from the elements, so when it’s time for new siding, remember that there are siding options that have less of an impact on the environment than others.  Whether you live in a charming bungalow or a cool modern abode, there is an eco-friendly siding option for your home.

Some factors to consider when looking to purchase new siding include:  lifespan, maintenance and the source & manufacturing of the siding materials.

Read More >>

Easy Ways to Lower Your Cooling Bills, Part I

Posted on July 8, 2011 by Joyce Benson    |    Add a Comment
Tag(s): Energy, Greening the Home, Money Saving

The dog days of summer are here, but you can still stay cool and save energy by implementing some quick and easy fixes.  Of course, if you want to go the extra mile and make your home even more efficient, you can do such things as insulating your attic and replacing old hvac equipment with new Energy Star-rated models.

I’ve compiled a list of things to do ranging from easy & inexpensive, to higher investment actions, and everything in between.  Here, Part I will focus on the quick and easy fixes, some of which cost nothing to do!

Read More >>

New Uses for Old Windows

Posted on July 1, 2011 by Joyce Benson    |    Add a Comment
Tag(s): Green Design, Green Furnishings, Greening the Home

If you’re replacing your old windows with new energy-efficient ones, don’t throw them away!   You can donate them to architectural salvage yards or use them for new projects.  I’ve compiled a list of amazing things you can do with them that will add instant character to your home.

Read More >>

A Greener Path

Posted on June 30, 2011 by Joyce Benson    |    1 Comment
Tag(s): Green Design, Reclaimed Materials, The Great Green Outdoors

Looking to create a new garden path or walkway through your yard?  There are several earth-friendly materials to choose from which will add instant charm to your property.  You can create elaborate or simple designs with these materials too.  Another sustainable characteristic of the following path materials is that they are permeable and allow rainwater to filter through into the ground below to recharge aquifers.

Read More >>