“Greening” Your Home
With renewable energy at the forefront, homeowners are becoming more interested in making their homes “green”.
Although the number of folks who are considering solar heating and hot water systems is still relatively small; the number of people looking to use “greener” products – environmentally friendly, recycled, sustainable products – in home projects is on the rise.
There’s no way around it, green products are more costly than traditional materials, but for good reason. The time and effort it takes to grow and harvest trees responsibly; collect and recycle materials so they may be used in new applications while reducing landfill waste; and the manufacturing of products using renewable resources is significant.
Yet, more people are realizing that it’s an investment that will help to maintain the health and beauty of the earth and all living things in the future. Homeowners can incorporate green products into their homes in ways that are easier than they
may think. Oftentimes, you need only to look down at the surface you are working at or standing upon.
Environmentally Friendly Carpets and Flooring
From hardwood floors to carpeting, there are flooring products available now that take care of the environment and look beautiful. Stylish new environmentally friendly carpeting is now made in part from post consumer nylon carpet.
These high quality carpets stand up to traditional carpets in looks, performance and function. They are extremely durable and stain resistant. Not only does recycling carpet reduce carpet waste in landfills by hundreds of millions of pounds each year, it also reduces an enormous amount of energy that would otherwise be utilized. Hardwood flooring that is obtained from wood grown in America has become very popular.
Domestic wood is obtained from forests that have a very good growth to harvest ratio and are not in danger of being over-harvested and depleted. Oak and white oak; birch, maple and walnut are a few of most popular woods. Other lines of hardwood flooring available include those that are “Verified Sustainable” and come in many different types including hickory, beech and cherry. Cork and bamboo hardwood prefinished flooring are two other options for homeowners looking for unique, green flooring.
Recycled for the Better
One of the hottest new green surfaces is IceStone®. IceStone offers flooring and other durable surfaces such as countertops, tabletops, vanity tops and shower walls made from 100 percent recycled glass in a cement mix.
It’s twice as strong as marble and extremely durable. IceStone has attained the coveted “Cradle to Cradle” certification. . “Cradle to cradle” certification is a distinction signifying environmentally-intelligent design has been obtained by the utilization of environmentally safe and healthy materials; renewable energy; material reutilization and social responsibility.
Another unique surface material is CaesarStone®, which is made from 93 percent natural quartz. CaesarStone has proven to be a much more practical choice for countertops than marble or granite because it is scratch, stain and heat-resistant. Due to its non-porous characteristics, it’s also the only product (of its kind) on the market that is Kosher.
If you’re looking into green products for your home, be sure to key in on the buzzwords used such as: “renewable”; “sustainable”; “recycled” and “cradle to cradle certified” which are indicative of a manufacturer’s (and in turn the product’s) friendliness to the environment. Whether you are building new or remodeling, take some time to consider using green products.
Read more about them. Do some research. Chances are, you’ll be far more inclined to use green products when you understand how much less of an impact they make on the environment.
