Old Wooden Mountain bridge wallpaper
According to McGraw-Hill, saving energy is a big motivator for saving water. Indeed, heating water requires approximately 10 percent of all building energy use in the U.S., mostly in the residential sector. When you add the energy to treat and pump water, it represents approximately 6 percent of national energy consumption, about half as much as all cars and trucks use.
At home, I’ve got a great 1.5 gallon per minute Roadrunner showerhead by Evolve. Based on flow rate, this showerhead saves more than 40 percent of the water and water heating energy compared to a code minimum….
There also some tips for retrofitting some other water saving devices. Showerheads, if the old one is not rusted on anyway, are an easy upgrade. Even those of us that don’t excel fix-it up projects should be able to handle the HydroRight dual flush toilet kit ( scroll to bottom). Installing a waterless urinal might pose more of a challenge. Interesting bit of trivia – waterless urinals harbor less bacteria then those with water. Used all together the author claims these devices can cut your water usage by as much as 70%.
There were “earth friendly,” Terra Ware cutlery and plates made from a “plastic alternative” cornstarch resin (24-piece cutlery pack, $2.39; 15 9-inch plates, $3.99). The plates were also labeled both microwave safe and cut resistant. Right below it were apple green Preserve plates (10 7-inch plates, $3.99) that were BPA free, recyclable No. 5 plastic and reusable.
A visit to the paper products aisle turned up even more options. There were Penley compostable cutlery (24 pack for $1.69), Whole Foods’ own 365-brand sugarcane fiber bowls marked biodegradable (25 for $2.99) and 365-brand plastic cups made from No. 1 recyclable material (20 for $1.99).
All these options were great, but they were confusing. What’s the difference between biodegradable and compostable? Is compostable better than recyclable?
Turns out that labeling something biodegradable is sort of like labeling chicken “free-range.” It’s good but not necessarily as good as it sounds. Compostable is better than biodegradable because the standards are stricter.
These compostable products are better, but if you don’t mind doing some packing regular washable dinnerware is still the greener choice.
This home is so environmentally friendly, the building itself was recycled
“We knew we didn’t want to build from scratch,” Sharon said.
The couple said they wanted to avoid the energy waste involved in new home construction. They also desired the sense of history and the warmness they say accompanies an old home.
Today, their 3,300-square-foot home is a work in progress.
…The Toys also hope to add additional renewable-energy sources, including another wind turbine and an earth tube, which would bring air in to a heating-and-cooling system that is ground temperature year-round. They also hope to enclose the air space of the porch ceiling, which spans almost three-quarters of the exterior, for the same purpose.
They get their get their interior heating and cooling via geothermal. Not an option available to everyone, but nice way to go if you have that option.The Toys are a great example of where we as a culture should be headed in green building. That is greenifying older homes rather then build new.
tangledwing 