By Megan McLaughlin
Whether you’re buying your first fixer-upper or you’re looking to remodel your current home, planning and building that dream addition or updating an outdated room can be costly, to the environment, that is. If you’re looking for yet another way to take part in greening our world, turning to the Green Building Resource Guide may be your best bet.
“The Green Building Resource Guide is a database of over 600 green building materials and products selected specifically for their usefulness to the design and building professions, rather than merely their green material content.” Clearly, a lot of effort has been put into this guide, to make building with green materials, just as effective as building with materials that aren’t safe for the environment or that could be better for the environment.
The Green Building Resource Guide is offered for a 30-day trial period. The CD-ROM allows you to initiate searches and modify your exact needs; this can save you time and money during the planning stages of your project.
In many cases, these materials are not only better for the earth, they are also better for you. For example, within the Green Guide Photo Gallery, a photo displays a project where formaldehyde-free laminated sheathing was used. Many first-time users of this guide may be surprised at how practical some of these materials are.
Did you know that newspaper can be used as loose-fill insulation? You’ll find yourself saying, “Why didn’t I think of that?” And the beauty of it is…you don’t have to, because the green guide will do the thinking for you!
Green Building Resource Guide; Eco-friendly Building
Reduce, Reuse, Reinvent…the Hand Bag
By Megan McLaughlin
Some people couldn’t care less about style and fashion, but those who do are constantly searching for new and unique ways to reinvent themselves and their wardrobe. Staying on top of the latest trends and styles can get pricey, but perhaps you are just in need of quality instead of quantity. Designer Ilanit Neutra, dares to tread a road less traveled with her interesting and eco-friendly hand bags.
Graphic and Industrial Designer, Stylist and Set Designer, Ilanit Neutra “is recognized for the exceptional quality and style of her creations.” A new and different way to reduce and reuse, Neutra began creating handbags from used tires. Her design involves using the rubber inner tubes of old truck tires. These handcrafted pieces are each unique in their own way. You will have to see it for yourself to believe it, but apparently, these old tire tube bags feel soft and silky!
As stated on the Neutra website, “every tire tossed away is an irreversible environmental devastation, as tires are made from non-recyclable materials.” Although, you may not be able to get your hands on one of these handcrafted pieces, it’s refreshing to see that someone is turning trash to treasure and besides, its fun just to peruse these designer bags!
To learn more about clothing and style that speaks to you (and the environment), check out this blog about AuH2O Designs. See how one woman is saving the world, one recycled t-shirt at a time and how she got her business off the ground.
Windy Cities
By Megan McLaughlin
Humans have been using wind power for thousands of years with no signs of stopping. Wind power plays an important role in our society and its use is growing rapidly.
According to Wikipedia, Wind produces about 1.5% of worldwide electricity use, but this percentage is growing. In fact, it has doubled since 2005. “In several countries it has achieved relatively high levels of penetration, accounting for approximately 19% of electricity production in Denmark, 10% in Spain and Portugal, and 7% in Germany and the Republic of Ireland in 2008.”
The United States is working toward using wind energy more frequently. Wind energy professionals are constantly working on new products and methods. Thanks to the WINDPOWER Conference and Exhibition, these professionals are able to gather each year to exhibit and promote new products and services and to learn and discuss the latest industry developments. This year, WINDPOWER is being held in the windy city itself, Chicago, from May 4th through 7th.
The WINDPOWER Conference and Exhibition has grown immensely over the years. In 2001, 1,000 people attended WINDPOWER. Just last year, over 13,000 people attended and according to the Why Attend section of the WINDPOWER site, “The United States wind energy industry installed 8,358 MW in 2008.
This means that wind energy capacity in the U.S. grew by 50% in one year and has grown by an average of 32% annually for the past five years.” It’s the growth of conventions like this one that are inspiring people and educating them to learn the best ways to give our earth the attention it deserves.
Get some facts and stats about wind power here. Also, take a second to learn how non-professionals are getting involved in wind energy solutions too! Check out this blog; Wind Power for the World.
The Green Screen
By Megan McLaughlin
Filmmaking can be very costly for those making the film and for Mother Nature. However, in recent years, filmmakers, production companies and studios alike have made a few steps in the right direction and are continuing to find ways to make filmmaking more environmentally sound.
This past November, Universal Studios Hollywood unveiled a solar powered electric cart. According to ecorazzi.com, “The new vehicle will help provide workers with a speedy way to travel through the park without all those nasty emissions.” In addition to greening their film sets, Universal has begun to make changes to their theme parks too. This is all thanks to “Green Is Universal,” Universal’s very own campaign which strives to make Universal (and our world) a greener place. You can read more about Universal and the ways they are working to protect the environment on the Green Is Universal section of their website.
If a major corporation like Universal has the means to green filmmaking, so do smaller, independent film sets. The Greater Philadelphia Film Office began a “Going Greener” campaign in 2007. This campaign strives to offer information to productions so that they can learn how to reduce their waste. Now, they have taken this campaign up a notch by launching SETS (Setting Entertainment Toward Sustainability). “SETS will not only help each department lessen their production's environmental footprint, but it will also provide you with information applicable to your everyday life.” This campaign has begun to offer tips for each aspect of production and more.
If you want to read more about Hollywood and film production, check out this article on Experience.com about Financing Film and TV.
Honest Tea is the Best Policy
By Megan McLaughlin
Okay, so reinventing yourself isn’t easy and neither is reinventing your diet - it can be time consuming and expensive - but taking small steps can be simple, cost saving and rewarding. If you love the environment, love trying to eat and drink healthily and are mildly to moderately obsessed with tea beverages, Honest Tea is something you might like to try (if you haven’t already, of course).
For those who have never heard of Honest Tea, let alone, tried it, you are in for a real treat. Their mission statement – “Honest Tea creates and promotes delicious, truly healthy, organic beverages. We strive to grow with the same honesty we use to craft our products, with sustainability and great taste for all.” To put it simply, Honest Tea offers delicious, good-for-you beverages that won’t burn a whole in your pocket or the ozone layer.
In order to offer you the best products, while maintaining a green outlook, Honest Beverages calculated their carbon footprint. They accounted for carbon emissions from electricity used in drying tea leaves, diesel ship emissions from transporting leaves all around the world to the United States and that’s just the beginning. You can read all about the process, other things they account for and the results on the Green Energy section of the Honest Beverages website.
The kids pouches are also a great idea, because Honest Tea is working to make them recyclable. They have teamed up with TerraCycle to turn the used pouches into unique bags! Organic, environmentally aware and certainly delicious, Honest Tea is definitely worth trying. My personal favorite is the Honey Green Tea – “just a tad sweet.”
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