Home Remodeling: A Perfect Time to Go Green

Going green has come to mean everything from buying compact florescent lights to installing a solar array on your roof. Each brings its own set of benefits and unique price range. A perfect time to begin your transition to “green” is when home repairs and remodeling are needed. And you don’t even have to spend a lot of money to transition from products that are unsustainable and damaging to the environment to those that have been made from recycled and/or are produced with proven sustainable methods. But to choose your products, you will have to do your homework. Identify your project, create a list of items needed, and then research an ever-growing list of green alternatives. Review the choices for a wide variety of recycled and environmentally friendly products from local and chain building suppliers. This research can most likely be done on the websites of these stores, which will save you time and gas in the process.   Repair or Update Your Porch or Deck – Look for a ‘green’ label on your lumber. The Forest Stewardship Council approves wood products that are taken from a healthy forest by identifying them with a green logo with their initials, FSC, and a half-check/half-tree symbol. If you want a more worry-free deck or porch, you will want to choose wood that has been treated to resist insects and rot with a copper formula, ACQ, and not arsenic or chromium.   New Floors – There are several choices for new and durable floor coverings. Bamboo, cork, and what is called ‘true linoleum' is three. Bamboo grows profusely across the world and therefore is considered a viable renewable resource. Cork flooring is a byproduct of the wine industry – made from the wasted cork after wine corks are punched out. Both bamboo and cork are durable, reduce noise, and are easy to maintain. True linoleum is made from wood and cork "flour", limestone dust, rosin (from pine trees), and colorants all mixed with linseed oil (from flax seeds) and baked onto a jute backing. An acrylic sealant is added as a topcoat. Presumably, when it's time to remodel, true linoleum can be shredded and turned into compost.   New Countertop for a Green Kitchen – Changing your countertop might not seem like a significant move from conventional to green, but if you are considering a new one then you should consider Paper Stone. Its name says it all because it is a countertop created from recycled paper fibers and resin, but is durable and heat resistant. It looks and performs like stone but doesn’t require land-damaging quarrying.   Greening Your Bathroom – A simple change of water fixtures in your bathroom can help to conserve water use. Most households consume 75% of their yearly water intake in the bathroom with showers, toilets, and sink. Simple steps don’t even involve new fixtures, like turning off the water while shaving or brushing your teeth. However, if you really want to reduce water waste, replace worn shower heads with a low-flow or adjustable water head and replace old toilets with full/half flush systems.