Global & historical perspective on the planetary impacts of human development on the environment. It is important to get out of our bubbles, and think about the problem as an aggregate of global action: a relatively tiny decision on your part to conserve, let’s say you buy an energy star rated front load washing machine or FSC Certified lumber for your next build, that decision DOES have a global impact.
{ 3 comments }
Some things are easily taken for granted, and countertop are one of them. When thinking about sustainable building and combating global warming, countertops probably do not rank up high on the list…but there are green options out there that are beautiful AND sustainable. For the 2139 39th Ave sustainable house I chose a Vetrazzo recycled glass product :
“All of the glass used in Vetrazzo is recycled, and it makes up about 85% of the total material. Most of the glass comes from curbside recycling programs. Other glass comes from windows, dinnerware, stemware, windshields, stained glass, laboratory glass, reclaimed glass from building demolition, traffic lights and other unusual sources.”
Other choices include Sonoma Cast Stone’s Earthcrete which combines high recycled content and lower Portland cement use to manufacture some really interesting looking surfaces; Richlite a company that builds a very chic line of FSC Certified Paper countertops and CaesarStone whose line of Quartz surfaces pushes the sustainable product envelop and is featured in the bathrooms of 2139 39th Ave.
You have choices other than granite shipped from God knows where, or laminates made up of God knows what. Choose wisely, because every remodeling step is an opportunity to build sustainably.
H
{ 2 comments }
I am very much in a graywater mood atm…there are so many freaking smart people out there doing cool things that we can all do to save water, save money, save or future….really its just a question of lighting fires under our collective asses and getting to work. Here is one fookin interesting idea from Brac Systems for a home graywater system that seems to be a straightforward, low maintenance approach to leveraging your existing water use with conservation. Me likey!
{ 0 comments }
Gray water is one of these things that takes real commitment. It is not an easy retrofit like solar pannels, once those are installed they pretty much run themselves. But a water catchement system is a lifestyle change. One book I read back a while ago, Design for Water by Heather Kinkade-Levario, is a great starting point. And there are devices out there that you can use for a retrofit if you are going to go this route…I have a few hogs I bought on sale that I am going to hook up soon, they are pretty cool and if you have a way to get them installed I recommend them. The Chronicle has a good piece today on Graywater as wel, and while it might not be at the top of your list when it comes to your next remodel, maybe you can think about ways to intgrate it.
{ 3 comments }
I was talking with one of my friends at SI yesterday about the drought – made me think again about how large our water problems are, but also how hidden the problem can be since the state is so big, and users are often so separated from the storage facilities they just don’t get how significant it is. And all each of us has to do to help out in our own homes is to do the little, simple things, like buy a energy star rated front loading washer the next time we need a new appliance. Here is a great Guerrilla Reporting Vid from socal, props to the person who made this.
{ 1 comment }