Archive for January 20, 2006

Steelcase Joins EPA Climate Program

January 20, 2006 at 11:59 pm · Filed under Heating and Ventilation, Home building on the Web, Interior Design Ideas

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Steelcase is a big furniture manufacturer on the right track. Its environmental line (kudos for having such a thing) includes Pathways Architectural Solutions. Shown here is the Pathways Privacy Wall–all materials in Pathway (containing 25-30 percent recycled content) are easily disassembled and can be recycled at facilities throughout the U.S. Then there’s the Pathways Access Floor. Its hi-tech design allows for underfloor air distribution, which decreases energy use up to 30 percent over traditional methods. We’ve also previously mention the sustainable strides they have made with the Think chair.

Now, they have signed on to The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Climate Leaders Program. The Climate Leaders program is an industry-government partnership with big environmental ideas they hope to develop long-term, comprehensive corporate climate change strategies. By participating in the program, Steelcase has pledged to continue reducing its corporate-wide greenhouse gas emissions.

[tags]climate, design, environment, interior, eco-friendly[/tags]

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Protect your Garden with Beneficial Bugs

January 20, 2006 at 11:50 pm · Filed under Home building on the Web

Plant the right flowers to attract beneficial insects.

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COOL MATERIALS: Expanko Cork

January 20, 2006 at 2:18 pm · Filed under Green Building Tips, Green Home Building, Home building on the Web, Interior Design Ideas

Something old is new again! Cork enjoyed two heydays this past century: once in the roaring 20’s and again in the late 60’s & early 70’s. Overdue for a comeback, Expanko is leading the way with new innovative patterns of their Artistico Collection. Not only is it light weight, durable, and beautiful, but as a renewable resource, it is ultimately sustainable.

Cork primarily comes from the cork oak trees in Western Europe, but an estimated 5.4 million acres are grown worldwide. Once a tree reaches 25 years, it’s stripped of about 50% of its bark; this happens every 9 or 10 years, until the tree naturally ends its lifespan at around 250 years. How many other trees can be harvested 25 times? Obviously not limited to flooring, cork has been used for many products, notably wine stoppers, fishing equipment, and bulletin boards (although for a more artistic use, check out Studio 1AM.)

Expanko uses 80-100% post-industrial waste from the wine stopper industry for their flooring content. They grind the cork into various sized granules, and then bake them to achieve three distinct tones – no dyes, no chemicals, and no VOC’s to give off fumes. The granules are then compacted into more than 20 different patterns. Sealed at the factory with water based matte polyurethane, all recommended finishes, sealers, and adhesives are water-based and eco-friendly.

+ Expanko Cork Flooring

[tag]building, cork, flooring, renewable, eco-friendly, home, construction[/tag]

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Start Saving with OrganicCoupons.org

January 20, 2006 at 2:14 pm · Filed under Home building on the Web

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Our friends over at The Green Apple have started a new website called OrganicCoupons.org. It’s very similar to their first venture, yet this one has more of a national approach to it. Each week various discounts and coupons are offered to visitors or you can sign up for their newsletter and have them emailed to you. At the end of each quarter, OrganicCoupons.org donates part of their profits to various non-profit organizations. The site just launched about two weeks ago so it’s still in the beginning stages and they are adding a few pages, but for the most part it’s ready to use. ::OrganicCoupons.org

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PREFAB FRIDAYS: The Clever MINI Home

January 20, 2006 at 11:33 am · Filed under Green Building Tips, Heating and Ventilation, Home building on the Web, Smart Home Building

They say that good things come in small packages, and where the new MINI home is concerned, we concur. The compact 480-sq-ft design from Clever Homes makes minimalist living efficient and elegant. With an open floor plan, abundant natural light, and interior details supplied through partnerships with a number of well-regarded manufacturers, this little pad packs a lot of perks.

The MINI is the tiny offspring of Clever Homes’ earlier NowHouse, which was first created as a demonstration home in 2004. The original NowHouse offered real-life evidence of the possibilities for building high-tech, affordable, green dwellings that could compete with the best new home designs. With its super-flexible modular structure and cutting-edge smart technology, NowHouse heralded the next generation of prefab, one where all these ingredients fit into something MINI-sized.

Among the treasures in the MINI-home package come EcoTimber bamboo floors, Whirlpool appliances, and Kohler plumbing fixtures. Customizable design means that you can add components like carports and roof decks, or reconfigure the dimensions to fit within site restrictions.

In keeping with a green ethic, each home utilizes highly-efficient Structural Insulated Panels, low- and no-VOC paints and finishes, formaldehyde-free particleboards, and sustainably-harvested exterior timber. The fully recyclable home can also be designed to include such self-sufficient eco features as graywater and rainwater reuse, radiant heat and solar power….

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Katie Ulanov Rugs

January 20, 2006 at 11:20 am · Filed under Home building on the Web, Interior Design Ideas

Katie Ulanov hand-tufted rugs blend bold colours with artistic upbeat prints. The richness of the 100% New Zealand naturally dyed wool used to make these rugs adds depth to the already vibrant motifs. Apart from being an accomplished designer…

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Plant a tree when your child is born

January 20, 2006 at 11:07 am · Filed under Green Home Building, Home building on the Web, Lawn and Garden

Planting a tree when you child is born is an old tradition that carries on today. Watch this tree, (a Blue Spruce) grow taller right along with your child. The kit comes with a 32 page booklet which contains instructions and background information. A portion of the proceeds is donated to organizations dedicated to the planting of trees. All materials used are organic and recycled or recyclable.

$6.00 at Eco Express

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The Ecostreet Blog

January 20, 2006 at 11:01 am · Filed under Green Home Building, Home building on the Web

The EcoStreet.com Blog is a platform for news and comment on all things eco-friendly and sustainable. We invite anyone interested in contributing to The EcoStreet Blog to contact TreeHuggerMum, you don’t need to be a writer or journalist, you just need to be able to string a few words together, and be passionate about the environment and sustainable living.

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Ecostore – No ‘Nasty Chemicals’

January 20, 2006 at 9:50 am · Filed under Green Home Building, Home building on the Web

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Remember when we brought you news about the Organic Guy line of blokes personal care product, that included a long list of ingredients they wouldn’t use? This time around we have a New Zealand enterprise heading down the same road. No parabens, propylene glycolphosphates, nitrates, chlorine, ammonia, enzymes, synthetic perfumes, coloring or dyes, optical whiteners or brighteners or chemical preservatives. Phew! Thought I was going to run out of pixels there, for minute. Instead, Ecostore use simple mineral salts, renewable vegetable based surfactants and essential oils which are highly biodegradable. And they spread these ingredients across a diverse range of merchandise: household cleaners, laundry products, personal care, pet care and organic gardening supplies. The company also sponsors community projects in the vein of their “Growing Organic Kids” initiative whereby school kids get real hands-on experience in growing an organic garden. And they learn about the art of composting and recycling, and an understanding of sustainability, zero waste and other organic principles. ::Ecostore

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