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What a bright Idea
The general public now knows that Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFL) are more energy efficient than traditional incandescent lighting. This is old news. CFL’s provide more light with less power, less coal is burned and this means less CO2 is going up into the atmosphere.But D2E has not devoted a blog entry to these little money savers, so here it is. And to the left is a close up of a CFL in Lorelei’s apartment. Below you can see a full photo of the über cool lamp that she found on the sidewalk in Cambridge, with the side table that was also found on the Cambridge sidewalks. This lamp has to be circa 1960. Free-cycled furniture and CFL’s, how can you go wrong?
Aside from helping the environment we should note that you can also save money. Although some name brand CFL’s are somewhat more costly ranging from $7-$20, in the long run they save you money while helping the environment. If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars.
There are those skeptics however, that argue that CFL’s are just as bad for the environment because they contain Mercury and become hazardous waste once they have served their purpose. (We like skeptics, by the way. Skeptics help us get to the truth.) The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), suggests that CFLs of 25 watts or less, the equivalent of a 100-watt incandescent bulb — contains no more than 5 milligrams of mercury, the size of the tip of a ballpoint pen. Even though the amount is minimal it is vital that these bulbs be disposed of properly.
You can find a location where you can drop off these CFL’s here.
If a CFL breaks do not use a vacuum to clean up the mess, and
- Ventilate the room by closing all interior doors and opening all exterior doors or windows to the outside.
- Remove all materials you can by wearing disposable gloves and scooping up the glass and powder with a stiff paper or cardboard. You can then pick up smaller fragments using duct tape. Grab a damp paper towel clean the surface once then clean it again this time adding a dish soap, dry it all up and dispose of the paper towel.
- You can pick up a mercury-absorbent container linings for broken CFL’s, if and when they are available.
Not all CFL’s are the same, they come in many different shapes and sizes and are used for rooms around the house. With the popularity of CFL’s and the growing consciousness of the environment there are even newer light bulbs coming out like electron-stimulated luminescene (ESL), so check out your options. If you don’t believe in the benefits of using CFL make your own test. I have, so far I haven’t found the need to replace any light bulbs I bought the ones I have in March.
This post is courtesey of our wonderful summer intern, Nathalie. We miss her!
When old is new again
One person’s trash is another person’s treasure. Sometimes it is a clever designer finding a new use for an old thing – other times it is curb-side shopping, and other times it is passing on your old stuff to organizations that can redistribute it. It’s all good.
One of the great things about this blog is that it keeps us actively looking for sustainable businesses, products, organizations, events and news around town. We learn something new each day at D2E and we love sharing it.
Since finding new owners for old goods is clearly sustainable, today we wanted to feature More Than Words. This is a student-run organization that sells donated books. It’s simple: you have some old books that are cluttering your home, they can sell them to raise money. High school students learning how to run a business.
Beauty in simplicity.
Embrace the different shades of green
Some like to hike, others like to bike. Embrace your shade of green and let your friends find their own.
Since the resurgence of environmentalists – shall we say since the premier of An Inconvenient Truth - people have been more actively changing their daily habits. I’ll admit that I am one of them. Though I was raised to be aware of politics, care about human rights and be good to the earth, the amount of attention the media has been giving the environment has helped keep me über-aware of my own impact.
So slowly but surely I have been changing my habits. I eat less meat (I am contemplating going back to being a vegetarian, but have not yet made the move). I don’t buy bottled water. I use my travel coffee mug religiously. I recycle. I use my own bags for groceries. I ride my bike to work or take public transportation. I am in the process of setting up my compost bin. This compost bin is taking longer than I would like. I seem to be quite tired at the end of each work day and I need to set aside some time to put this together. In the meantime, I will admit that I have been hording veggie scraps in old Chinese take-out plastic containers. I am hiding them from my husband so that he does not get grossed out. So don’t tell him.
I have learned that it is easier to change one habit at a time. Taking on too much change all at once can lead to frustration and failure. So once I get the compost bin up and working, my next step is to take on a volunteer job. I am trying to work my schedule so that I can spend some time on ReVision farm. I love what they do, and want to be a part of it.
I am inspired by people every day, and that motivates me to change much more than having someone tisk-tisk me. At this point I would say my shade of green is a sea foam green. I am not a light green, nor am I a grassy green nor a dark emerald green. I have made some great strides in the past year, but I have a way to go.
So back to letting everyone be their own shade of green, Beth Teitell was doing a story for NPR on green shaming/environmental harassment. She called me for some information. I mentioned to her that while attending seminars to learn more about sustainable business people were shaming the fact that we all had to meet instead of having a webinar. I can see their point, but we are human and we still need to interact. There are times when a webinar is appropriate, and there are times when we should meet face-to-face. Anyone that has had to run their own business knows the importance of networking.
You can hear the story, titled “Is an enviromaniac loose in your office?”, on
the Marketplace website. Check it out – I’m sure there are many of you out there that can relate.
In the meantime – keep up the good work.
Boston Bikes & Builds Green
What a beautiful August morning in Boston! I met up with the Bike Friday convoy and biked with the crowd all the way to City Hall Plaza. The weather was perfect, I met lots of other bike enthusiasts and I enjoyed a free bagel, banana and coffee. My convoy started in Lexington and picked up people along the way. We were the largest convoy so we each won a T-shirt. What more could a girl ask for? Well, a photo with the Mayor of course.
Lorelei from D2E with Mayor Menino. I love this guy. Besides all the great work he is doing with Boston Bikes, he is working to make the urban affordable housing green as well. This guy is the real deal.
Erin Ailworth reports in today’s Globe:
“The mayor is the leading mayor in the country in the creation of affordable housing,” O’Connell said. “And now he has become the leading mayor in the country in the greening of affordable housing.”
A big congrats to Nicole Freedman who is heading up Boston Bikes. She organized the event and we had a great turnout this morning. I’m still all pumped up on adrenalin and ready to conquer the work day.
Local Events Worth Noting
1) Leave your car at home and reap the benefits with Go Green Streets
2) Join your community to help weatherize a neighbor’s house
(yours could be next)
3) Jump on the bus and visit the Red Fire Farm Tomato Festival
4) Expose your kid to gardening at the Growing Center Playgroup
5) Put on your best bamboo shirt and attend the Boston Vegitarian Society Dinner
1) GO GREEN STREETS
Leave your car at home on August 29! WEAR GREEN and COMMUTE GREEN (walk, bike, bus, carpool)! Check out our website for this month’s raffle items (including a $15 gift certificate at Harvest Coop) and discounts at other local businesses for those who participate! www.GoGreenStreets.org for more info or to sign up your company or school!
2) WEATHERIZATION BARN-RAISING
At the home of Steve Miller and Sally Benbasset
Sunday, August 10 3:00–6:00pm
92-96 Henry Street, Cambridge
If the federal government won’t cut carbon, let’s do it ourselves!
- Help to weatherize a neighbor’s home (a skill you can take back to your own home), while you party with neighbors.
- Learn how to install pipe insulation, a programmable thermostat and more.
- Meet the brand-new CEO of Cambridge Energy Alliance in his first public appearance. Ask him about the direction of the Energy Alliance while drinking lime rickeys!
- Enjoy live music and pizza.
A group of Cambridge-area residents has come together to form an Energy Co-op. Our goal is to work together to make our neighborhoods more energy efficient. We are also exploring possibilities for district energy systems in which neighbors share renewable local energy.
We’re looking for the next home to weatherize. You supply the materials and pizza. We do the work. Come talk to us about it.
For more information contact Steve Morr-Wineman at swineman@gis.net.
3) RED FIRE FARM TOMATO FESTIVAL
TOMATO FESTIVAL – Red Fire Farm has been putting on a tomato tasting for eight years now, and it’s grown into a huge event on the farm with three live bands, four chefs, crafters, local producers with samples, food vendors, 75 tomato varieties to taste and lots more going on. A highly recommended time to visit the farm!
Saturday, August 23rd, 12-5pm
Barn Contradance (with some of the members of Wild Asparagus, I hear!) 7:30-10:30pm
Check out the Tomato Festival page of the website for more details.
4) GROWING CENTER PLAYGROUP
Every Friday through August 29 (except July 4); 10 am-noon
Play! Play! Play!…at our drop-in playgroup. For children age 0-5 years of age and their caretakers. For more information, contact Aileen Bellwood at 617-623-0097 or growingcenter@aol.com
5) BOSTON VEGETARIAN SOCIETY DINNER
Join the Boston Vegetarian Society at Veggie Planet for a delicious four-course vegan dinner among friends new and old.
MONDAY, AUGUST 4, 2008
Veggie Planet, 47 Palmer Street in Club Passim
Harvard Square, Cambridge
6:40 PM – Arrive, check-in, socialize
7:00 PM – Chef Amy Swanson introduces the menu
7:10 PM – Dinner begins
RESERVATIONS REQUIRED.
Please email Info@BostonVeg.org and give name(s).
“Plethora of Zucchini” MENU – using the freshest locally grown ingredients available.
- Salad of Zucchini and Yellow Squash Ribbons with a Fresh Herb Vinaigrette
- Chilled Zucchini Soup topped with Fried Basil Leaves
- Entrée of Baked Stuffed Zucchini with a White Bean, Local Bread and Herb Filling accompanied by a Farm Fresh Tomato Ragu
- Dessert of Chocolate Zucchini Cake and a Special Non-Zucchini Surprise
No animal ingredients
$25 includes tax and beverage. Service is extra. Pay on site after the meal. Cash or check (made out to Veggie Planet) only; No credit cards.
Meet others in BVS – never hesitate to arrive alone to a BVS dinner!
Love all the great things happening in our area!
Recycling Electronics
I’ve mentioned before that Lorelei has a tendency of collecting items in her office until she finds a recyclable destination for them, she refuses to throw things that can be recycled. The most recent items in her collection consists of a cell phone with it’s charger, a key board, and a mouse. Good news is we found a destination for them!
There are several companies that accept donations of electronics, and will even give you cash for these items. Take for example Second Rotation, all you have to do is fill a form stating the condition of the item you want to donate/sell and send it to them via a free shipping service. Within a week Second Rotation sends you an email telling you how much you can get paid for your donated item. Funding Factory has a similar concept and everything (other than the shipping of the item) is processed digitally when you sign up for a free account online, if you don’t want the cash they have a reward system where you can accumulate points and get stuff.
These companies find various destinations for these electronics. Phones that are still functional are re-used and those that are not, are taken apart re-using parts for other items. You never know where your donation can end up, take for instace Brittany Bergquist and brother Robbie from Norwell, Massachusetts. They began the Cell Phone for Soldiers program, in 2004 which allows the troops in the Middle East to call home with a prepaid cell phone. It’s people like Robbie and Brittany that make a difference, now it’s our turn, no use throwing your cell phones sending them to landfills, when you can be responsible, and down to earth.
Sustainably yours
Nathalie Zegarra
Sustainable Carpets
Today Down:2:Earth has compiled a helpful list of sustainable carpet companies that are healthy for your home. The main problems with carpets is that once used, they generally end up in landfills. And some carpets contain backings with PVC’s which contain petroleum and are a danger for your health, especially if they are in your home. Now that I think of it, whenever we find something that is bad for the environment, it is bad for us humans as well. So let’s clean house!
Thankfully technology has brought the carpet industry a step further by implementing manufacturing processes that allow for more environmentally friendly productions. As consumers it is our responsibility to know how some companies are more sustainable than others, while understanding what goes into their manufacturing process, and the energy involved producing these carpets.
While these questions can’t always be easily answered we have done some research to help you make up your mind for the purchase of your next carpet.
Lees Carpet/ Mohawk Carpets
These two companies have partnered up and are a leading sustainable carpet company. Some of their technologies, like Lees’ Duracolor stain-resistant dye technology, will keep your carpet clean and make it last longer. Durability is something we look for. Most of their carpets are either made from recycled bottles or from recycled carpets – even better! Their backing system contains no PVC’s and they make them from recycled materials such as window shield wipers. They even use tires to make outdoor carpets. Mohawk company shows to have a social commitment as well as an environmental commitment by donating 25 cents per square yard sold from selected carpets for cancer research. They pretty much recycle everything in their manufacturing process from beginning to end. Wow – we applaud this.
Milliken Flooring Company
Are sustainable in their attempt to reduce their energy consumption and water usage by 50% in their manufacturing process. Since 1999 they have had zero waste dumped into landfills. Their carpets have no VOC off gassing and their backings are PVC free. Milliken’s Earth Square is a closed loop system where all carpets are made of 100% post consumer product.
Shaw Carpets
This company re-uses their carpets at a larger scale. They have a system where carpets are collected, brought to a central location where they are sorted into different fiber streams and then recycled to become new carpets. Their green label plus assures there is no off gassing emitted from their carpets. The fibers that they use for their carpets are nylon, polypropelyn, wool, and nylon type 6 which is used in their recycling system. As a company Shaw carpets has come up with green edge initiative which is a list of all the things they do as a company to be sustainable. For instance using dyes that are less toxic and need less water, and using epic hardwood floor made from recycled wood.
Interface Flooring Systems
Was the first company to come up with modualr carpet systems, this concept in environmental in and of itself because it eliminates the need to replace an entire carpet floor if there is only one section that is damaged. As a company they came up with Mission Zero which seeks to eliminate any sort of environmental damage the company may be causing by 2020. Finaly Interface uses recycled vinyl backing for their carpets which some claim is damaging to your health. They have great designs to boot – and we love that.
That’s all for today, tune in next week to find out about more sustainable items for your home.
Sustainably Yours
Nathalie Zegarra
Sustainable Flooring
Down:2:Earth has compiled a list of what flooring types are eco-friendly and sustainable.
First let me share with you some facts on why flooring isn’t good for the environment:
Traditional flooring negatively impacts the environment because it uses valuable natural resources and harmful chemicals. Its production can use wood and water at an extremely fast pace that often leaves the resources unsustainable. The production can give off dangerous petroleum by-products and the treatments and finishes for the wood can give off many volatile organic compounds that include carcinogens such as formaldehyde.
Some alternatives and why they’re better:
CONCRETE
Many homes have concrete bases underneath their floors. One new eco-friendly flooring trend is to leave the concrete exposed, stain it, seal it, and leave that as the floor. It never needs waxing, is easy to clean and removes the need for carpeting. It can also be energy friendly: during the day, concrete absorbs heat from direct sunlight, conserves it, and releases it through the night. Despite what many may think, concrete does not have to be dull. Check out this design on concrete from Transparent House.
BAMBOO
Bamboo’s vitality makes it a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to traditional flooring. The plant is fully grown within three to five years whereas a hardwood tree can take 40 or 50 years to mature. If the plant is cut correctly and responsibly in a manner that leaves enough of the stalk and roots intact, the plant can regenerate. Also, the plant doesn’t need lots of chemicals such as fertilizers or pesticides to grow. An important aspect of Bamboo, however is the that it grows in warm wet climates in Asia which means it has to be transported all the way from Asia which which has a significant ecological foot print. Nothing is perfect, but these are some better options to consider.
CORK
Cork can be a renewable and recycled alternative to traditional flooring. It is either harvested from a tree as bark and the tree re-grows the bark for the next harvest or it is made from the waste from wine cork factories. Cork is an excellent insulator so it conserves heat and has exceptional memory, meaning it retains minimal marks when dented. Air pockets in cork make the product soft to walk on and reduce the wear and tear on the floor since the cushioning prevents shoes from grinding on the flooring. A unique advantage is its noise-canceling, which is great for music studios.
RUBBER FLOORING
It is important to note that there are two types of rubber, one is synthetic made with petroleum, and the other is natural rubber, which is removed from the sap of the rubber plant. These rubber plants are found in sub-tropical climates like Brazil. The rubber is compressed then sold. It is important to know what part of the world the rubber comes from and it’s manufacturing process because some rubber floorings may contain PVC, plasticizers, or halogens. Rubber flooring is ideal for high traffic areas, although not so much for kitchens where grease and water become slippery.
RECLAIMED WOOD
Reclaimed wood is wood that has been taken from existing buildings, which is then refinished and recut. It can come from old barns, factories, warehouses, boxcars, wine barrels, and from the bottom of riverbeds. Reclaimed wood is great for several things that range from making furniture to installing new floors. At the same time reclaimed wood can be regarded as reliable because it has already weathered the elements, so one can be sure of its stability. See this great example.
Good luck with the renovation! Hope this week’s issue of sustainable home was helpful, until next week.
Sustainabily yours
Nathalie Zegarra
Boston Green Building Resource
We were able to talk to the vendors one on one and ask about their products. The event had a great turnout and was very informative. Kudos to our friends at the Nexus center who did a wonderful job organizing the event.
Here are some photos of the exhibitors.
Boston Green Building
Museum of Science – Green Trail
See you at the next event.
Nathalie Zegarra
Paint without Poison
If you are a homeowner or just renting something we all do is paint our house. Most people think about the color they would like and nothing else. They don’t think about the company they are buying the product from, or how the paint is made, or even what chemicals it may contain, and whether these are harmful to your health.
Sound familiar?
Take for instance Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC). These compounds are solvents that are found in most paints and are emitted through fluids such as paints, varnishes, cleaning liquids, disinfectants, which all release organic compounds. These compounds have proven to be a public health hazard, and are a contributing factor to the ozone.
At d2e we think it’s important to question how sustainable your paint products really are, for this reason we have compiled a list of sustainable paint companies for your home.
Old Fashioned Milk paint contains only natural ingredients. The milk paint is made from milk protein, clay, earth pigments and lime. It is biodegradable and comes in 20 colors. It contains no VOC’s or harmful toxics whatsoever.
What makes Aura paints eco-friendly is that when it dries, it releases only one third as much in VOC then your regular paints. Aura features something called Colorlock which means it has full washability in all sheens, and has minimal odor, and one hour recoat time. Best part is these are available in 3,300 colors.
This company is run by Meredith Erinson was one of the first companies in the U.S that makes natural clay paints. These paints contain no VOC’s. Sustainability for this company comes for the shared responsibility of choosing premium raw materials to produce a product that does not harm the environment or the household in which it is used.
Green Planet Paints does not contain petroleum, in fact their paints are Soy-based and contain waterborne alkyd resins. Since it is a small company they produce small batches of customized paints so that the waste is minimal.
They have paints for both interiors and exteriors, what makes this company sustainable is it’s use of clay paints, milk paint and lime plaster finishes. They have both low VOC, and zero VOC paints. As part of their theme on sustainability they feature natural colors for the home which can be viewed on their website. These paints are Green Seal certified and are a non-profit organization setting standard for environmentally responsible products.
All of Mythic Paints are low VOC’s their paint is both sustainable, and still has high performance. Their patented technology is scientifically formulated to offer qualities of water-based paints without the need for toxic solvents. This is what avoids the bad smell. Their paint does not contain lead, mercury, formaldehyde, or other known toxic materials.
Until next week!
Nathalie Zegarra
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