By Matt Weafer
VENT Magazine
Millions of Americans crack the tops to bottles of water at least once a day (if not more often) while they exercise, during a commute to work, a lunch break, a business meeting or at the movies as a healthy alternative to sugary sodas, sports drinks and tap water.
But there’s another element to the story — the environment.
Producing and packaging bottled water requires three to five times more water than will fit in the bottle, according to Calif.-based Pacific Institute.
And while recycling water bottles helps reduce the impact, only 12 percent of bottles were recycled in 2003, according to a 2007 MSNBC article. That number has likely risen in the past six years, but recycling plastic also requires a significant amount of energy and non-renewable resources.
According to a report on the Pacific Institute’s Web site, “More energy is needed to fill the bottles with water at the factory, move it by truck, train, ship, or air freight to the user, cool it in grocery stores or home refrigerators, and recover, recycle, or throw away the empty bottles. The Pacific Institute estimates that the total amount of energy embedded in our use of bottled water can be as high as the equivalent of filling a plastic bottle one quarter full with oil.”
Americans purchased 31.2 billion liters of bottled water in 2006. The Pacific Institute estimated that the energy required to produce those bottles equals approximately 17 million barrels of oil.
On top of the energy required to create, fill, package, ship and recycle the bottles, and the tons of non-recycled plastic bottles sitting in landfills, waiting 1,000 years before they start to decompose, the chemicals in the plastic bottles are potentially harmful to consumers as well.
Though the Food and Drug Administration regulates water before it enters bottles and once a year as it sits in the bottle, certain harmful contaminants such as phthalates or Bisphenol A can leach into the water as the bottles age, especially if the bottle is reused by the consumer.
Debating the health benefits of bottled water compared to tap water is difficult considering the number of water sources, state regulations, types of bottles and the amount of time a bottle of water sits on a shelf.
Bottled water is monitored by the Food and Drug Administration and tap water is monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Both organizations apply stringent standards to water quality prior to marketing.
However, municipalities, such as Owensboro Municipal Utilities, monitor water quality daily, typically the same day a resident consumes the water.
And while bottled water companies use buzzwords like pure and natural, accompanied by images of free-flowing streams and picturesque mountains, many bottles of water are filled from the municipal water providers in the manufacturer’s city. The water is then, though not always, filtered.
Owensboro’s water source is an underground aquifer. The water filters naturally through the earth and is then pumped out, monitored and sent to homes in the city.
With some high-end bottled waters costing close to $10 per gallon, a mark-up of nearly 10,000 times, tap water is a more environmentally- and economically-friendly option.
According to OMU’s Water Quality Report for 2007, there was only one violation of water quality during the year. The presence of coliform bacteria, a natural contaminant, rose to 5.88 percent. The standard is no more than 5 percent. And once, noticed, the system was flushed, refilled and retested, showing no signs of the contaminant.
The International Bottled Water Association touts bottled water as “one of the safest and most regulated food products on Earth.”
This statement does not mean that bottled water is of better quality or safer than tap water. With the emergence of inexpensive home water purifiers hitting the market, tap water is a better environmental and economical option than bottled water. And with a sturdy thermos, it’s just as convenient.
Did you know?
The FDA reported that bottled water sitting in the sunlight does not leach chemicals linked to breast cancer into the water, unlike recent articles and viral emails have reported.
Showing posts with label Green. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Green. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Lighter Living: Slouching economy hurts recycling opportunities
By Matt Weafer
VENT Magazine
The green movement permeates our society so thickly that the average consumer has bent their focus from buying the newest trendy item to curbing their carbon footprint.
Reduce, reuse, recycle has been the moniker of environmentalists for years. And regardless of the newest environmentally-friendly car or energy-saving appliance, recycling remains one the most beneficial activities for an eco-conscious lifestyle.
But Owensboro residents are limited.
The recycling center now located at the Public Works Building on W. 5th St. only accepts newspaper, cardboard, aluminum cans, steel cans, clear plastic and opaque, colorless plastic.
What about the other five types of plastic? Or glass? Or even computer products, fluorescent lights and hazardous wastes?
Unfortunately, Downy Ward, manager of the Owensboro Sanitation Department, said, currently, there is not a market in the area for glass and other recyclables. And hauling the material would not only put out a significant amount of particulate matter from the trucks but would also be fiscally irresponsible as the city’s trucks cost $4 to $5 per mile.
The recycling industry as a whole has taken a hit along with the rest of the economy.
“Everybody wants to do the right thing,” Ward said. “People’s hearts are in the right place . . . (but) the bottom has dropped out of the market.”
Owensboro sells its recyclables to local recycling distributor Resource Recycling.
“They dictate the amounts and quantities of what we recycle based on the industry that will accept it,” Ward said.
Glass and the other types of plastic are “tremendously hard to recycle,” Ward said. And there are no industries nearby to which Owensboro can sell its post-consumer product; therefore Resource Recycling does not accept those items.
And the industry is struggling so much that Resource Recycling has suspended payment on newspaper and cardboard, so the Sanitation Department collects those at a loss.
The largest buyer of recyclable paper product is China, Ward said. And along with the rest of the global economy, China’s production of recycled paper products has either slowed or stopped, which means Resource Recycling cannot sell the recyclable newspaper and cardboard.
In the meantime, Resource Recycling is stock-piling paper waste until it can find a buyer, Ward said.
“We’ve tried to talk to local paper companies like Scott Paper Co. about purchasing recycled paper,” Ward said. But the city can’t produce enough product at the purity level the companies request in order to create a viable relationship.
With the economic slump, businesses and industries trim excess costs and in many cases, industries can purchase virgin resources significantly cheaper than recycled.
Regardless of the troubled market, the Sanitation Department is still accepting the same six items, including agricultural waste such as leaves and grass clippings at the Sports Center.
Home Depot offers recycling drop-off for compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). GreenWorks Recycling, located at 101 E. 9th St. recycles e-scrap such as old computers, cell phones, game consoles and other technological hardware.
Ward said that he’s waiting to hear from the Western Kentucky Correctional Complex about purchasing recycled, glass cullet to use in refilling culverts and other applications. The Sanitation Department would then begin accepting glass.
For the other recyclable products, the solution, Ward said, is to increase demand for recycled material.
“If people say, I want to do what’s right and pay that extra cost, then there’s a market and a factory that can sustain itself,” Ward said.
While the motto is reduce, reuse, recycle, there’s another unspoken step, buy recycled products to maintain the demand.
As the recycling industry continues to grow, more options will become available to Owensboro, but in the meantime, Ward said, “The best thing you can do is try to reduce the amount of virgin product you consume,” and when you can, buy recycled products.
VENT Magazine
The green movement permeates our society so thickly that the average consumer has bent their focus from buying the newest trendy item to curbing their carbon footprint.
Reduce, reuse, recycle has been the moniker of environmentalists for years. And regardless of the newest environmentally-friendly car or energy-saving appliance, recycling remains one the most beneficial activities for an eco-conscious lifestyle.
But Owensboro residents are limited.
The recycling center now located at the Public Works Building on W. 5th St. only accepts newspaper, cardboard, aluminum cans, steel cans, clear plastic and opaque, colorless plastic.
What about the other five types of plastic? Or glass? Or even computer products, fluorescent lights and hazardous wastes?
Unfortunately, Downy Ward, manager of the Owensboro Sanitation Department, said, currently, there is not a market in the area for glass and other recyclables. And hauling the material would not only put out a significant amount of particulate matter from the trucks but would also be fiscally irresponsible as the city’s trucks cost $4 to $5 per mile.
The recycling industry as a whole has taken a hit along with the rest of the economy.
“Everybody wants to do the right thing,” Ward said. “People’s hearts are in the right place . . . (but) the bottom has dropped out of the market.”
Owensboro sells its recyclables to local recycling distributor Resource Recycling.
“They dictate the amounts and quantities of what we recycle based on the industry that will accept it,” Ward said.
Glass and the other types of plastic are “tremendously hard to recycle,” Ward said. And there are no industries nearby to which Owensboro can sell its post-consumer product; therefore Resource Recycling does not accept those items.
And the industry is struggling so much that Resource Recycling has suspended payment on newspaper and cardboard, so the Sanitation Department collects those at a loss.
The largest buyer of recyclable paper product is China, Ward said. And along with the rest of the global economy, China’s production of recycled paper products has either slowed or stopped, which means Resource Recycling cannot sell the recyclable newspaper and cardboard.
In the meantime, Resource Recycling is stock-piling paper waste until it can find a buyer, Ward said.
“We’ve tried to talk to local paper companies like Scott Paper Co. about purchasing recycled paper,” Ward said. But the city can’t produce enough product at the purity level the companies request in order to create a viable relationship.
With the economic slump, businesses and industries trim excess costs and in many cases, industries can purchase virgin resources significantly cheaper than recycled.
Regardless of the troubled market, the Sanitation Department is still accepting the same six items, including agricultural waste such as leaves and grass clippings at the Sports Center.
Home Depot offers recycling drop-off for compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). GreenWorks Recycling, located at 101 E. 9th St. recycles e-scrap such as old computers, cell phones, game consoles and other technological hardware.
Ward said that he’s waiting to hear from the Western Kentucky Correctional Complex about purchasing recycled, glass cullet to use in refilling culverts and other applications. The Sanitation Department would then begin accepting glass.
For the other recyclable products, the solution, Ward said, is to increase demand for recycled material.
“If people say, I want to do what’s right and pay that extra cost, then there’s a market and a factory that can sustain itself,” Ward said.
While the motto is reduce, reuse, recycle, there’s another unspoken step, buy recycled products to maintain the demand.
As the recycling industry continues to grow, more options will become available to Owensboro, but in the meantime, Ward said, “The best thing you can do is try to reduce the amount of virgin product you consume,” and when you can, buy recycled products.
Monday, March 9, 2009
The Home and Garden Show emphasizes eco-friendly
By Matt Weafer
For the Messenger-Inquirer Home and Garden Show catalogue
While the venue may be smaller than last year, the Home and Garden Show will not lack in quality.
This year the Home Builders Association of Owensboro’s annual Home and Garden Show will start at 5 p.m. March 6 at Mid-America Jet at the end of Tamarack Rd. in the Mid-America AirPark.
“This is our first time in the venue,” Associates Council President John Sublett said. “We feel really good about the show. We did have to downsize a little bit but we feel like the quality of our vendors has increased as our actual size decreased.”
Expecting at least 69 vendors so far, the show will feature the newest trends and techniques and services available from local businesses in the home and garden industry.
“I think the Home and Garden Show is a great avenue for consumers to go out and look at the products available in Owensboro,” Mark Schmidt of Mark Schmidt Remodeling said. “(People) see products on HGTV and want those for a project, but in reality it takes longer for products to be ordered and received than it does to do the job.”
The Home and Garden Show is an opportunity for vendors to advertise their new products and services, and for consumers to research the market before they build their new privacy fence, in-ground pool or dream house.
“A lot of these products (on HGTV) are pricy, too,” Schmidt said. “Make sure you’re looking at products that are easily accessible to the community. And that’s what’s good about the Home and Garden show.”
For this year, Sublett said vendors are focusing heavily on environmentally friendly services and supplies.
“I think we’re going to see an emphasis on the green building and green cleaning (industry),” he said. “We’re seeing an increase in availability of environmentally friendly products and services here in the Owensboro area for our community.”
Sublett said the influx of environmentally friendly options at the Home and Garden Show is due to a combination of local interest and the national trend of eco-friendly living.
“That was unplanned,” he said. “As we were looking at some of our vendors, that’s what we were noticing. Our vendors are reflective of a national trend of environmentally friendly building and products.”
The environmental options available at the show range from recycled materials for home building and décor, Energy Star appliances, and other energy-saving and eco-conscious items.
“Specifically,” he said, “we have a new vendor bringing in new solar technology that hasn’t been readily available in the area.”
That vendor is World Class Renewable Energy, and will be located at booth 127.
Carpets Unlimited will also display recycled carpeting.
There will also be several new vendors this year.
“Especially with the economic downtown, we’re seeing a lot of newer vendors who are coming into our show who are vary eager to show off what they do for the folks in Owensboro,” Sublett said.
And many of the new vendors are from outside of Owensboro but offer services in the city and the area.
“We’re attracting these visitors outside of Owensboro because we put on a good show,” Sublett said. “They wouldn’t be coming back if they weren’t generating business from people.”
Sublett said the show also attracts residents from other counties as well.
“I think we always do a quality show,” he said. “Per size, we have probably the best show in the state.”
The Home and Garden Show is open from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, March 6; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on March 7; and noon to 4 p.m. on March 8.
Tickets are available at the door, $3 for adults; children 12 and under enter free.
Reprinted with permission from the Messenger-Inquirer
For the Messenger-Inquirer Home and Garden Show catalogue
While the venue may be smaller than last year, the Home and Garden Show will not lack in quality.
This year the Home Builders Association of Owensboro’s annual Home and Garden Show will start at 5 p.m. March 6 at Mid-America Jet at the end of Tamarack Rd. in the Mid-America AirPark.
“This is our first time in the venue,” Associates Council President John Sublett said. “We feel really good about the show. We did have to downsize a little bit but we feel like the quality of our vendors has increased as our actual size decreased.”
Expecting at least 69 vendors so far, the show will feature the newest trends and techniques and services available from local businesses in the home and garden industry.
“I think the Home and Garden Show is a great avenue for consumers to go out and look at the products available in Owensboro,” Mark Schmidt of Mark Schmidt Remodeling said. “(People) see products on HGTV and want those for a project, but in reality it takes longer for products to be ordered and received than it does to do the job.”
The Home and Garden Show is an opportunity for vendors to advertise their new products and services, and for consumers to research the market before they build their new privacy fence, in-ground pool or dream house.
“A lot of these products (on HGTV) are pricy, too,” Schmidt said. “Make sure you’re looking at products that are easily accessible to the community. And that’s what’s good about the Home and Garden show.”
For this year, Sublett said vendors are focusing heavily on environmentally friendly services and supplies.
“I think we’re going to see an emphasis on the green building and green cleaning (industry),” he said. “We’re seeing an increase in availability of environmentally friendly products and services here in the Owensboro area for our community.”
Sublett said the influx of environmentally friendly options at the Home and Garden Show is due to a combination of local interest and the national trend of eco-friendly living.
“That was unplanned,” he said. “As we were looking at some of our vendors, that’s what we were noticing. Our vendors are reflective of a national trend of environmentally friendly building and products.”
The environmental options available at the show range from recycled materials for home building and décor, Energy Star appliances, and other energy-saving and eco-conscious items.
“Specifically,” he said, “we have a new vendor bringing in new solar technology that hasn’t been readily available in the area.”
That vendor is World Class Renewable Energy, and will be located at booth 127.
Carpets Unlimited will also display recycled carpeting.
There will also be several new vendors this year.
“Especially with the economic downtown, we’re seeing a lot of newer vendors who are coming into our show who are vary eager to show off what they do for the folks in Owensboro,” Sublett said.
And many of the new vendors are from outside of Owensboro but offer services in the city and the area.
“We’re attracting these visitors outside of Owensboro because we put on a good show,” Sublett said. “They wouldn’t be coming back if they weren’t generating business from people.”
Sublett said the show also attracts residents from other counties as well.
“I think we always do a quality show,” he said. “Per size, we have probably the best show in the state.”
The Home and Garden Show is open from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, March 6; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on March 7; and noon to 4 p.m. on March 8.
Tickets are available at the door, $3 for adults; children 12 and under enter free.
Reprinted with permission from the Messenger-Inquirer
Owensboro builders and suppliers offer energy-saving alternatives
By Matt Weafer
For the Messenger-Inquirer Home & Garden Show Catalogue
Go green.
If the new millennium had a moniker, that would be it.
The trend of green construction has filtered into Owensboro. Now, not only have residents’ interests in recycling grown, but so have their interests in building to reduce their carbon footprint and save a dollar or two.
And the hero that makes this all possible — Energy Star appliances.
Energy Star, an organization stemming from the Environmental Protection Agency, sets a standard for energy efficiency in home appliances, conserving electricity and water and reducing greenhouse emissions.
Energy Star also sets a standard of tests during construction to ensure a home is sealed tight to minimize loss of energy through the heating and cooling system.
“The thing about green building that I see more than anything is (people) talk about the green building products you use,” Rick Bivins of JMJ Construction said. “This is green. That’s green. The problem is they don’t see the whole picture. What we’re putting in this building is important, but if you use all green materials but it’s not energy efficient, you’re defeating the purpose.”
Energy efficiency in a home is achieved by reducing energy consumption through appliances including heating and air conditioning units, and by reducing loss of energy through weak insulation, windows or leaky air ducts.
Ray Chambers of Green River Appliances said the biggest energy-savers are Energy Star refrigerators and washing machines.
He said, some of the new refrigerators reportedly “use less electricity than a 60-watt bulb.”
Executive Officer of the Home Builders Association of Owensboro Richard Stallings said, “The technology is out there to make sure you have the most energy efficient home possible, and we have contractors to counsel customers on new homes and existing homes.”
While many recycled and eco-friendly products dominate the housing market currently, Bivins and Chambers agreed the best way to create an environmentally friendly home is to decrease energy-consumption.
“These houses are going to be around for 100 years,” Bivins said. “I think it’s as important or more important to build energy-efficient homes by using good windows — the best windows you can find — good insulation and good heating and air.”
Chambers said some of the new French door refrigerators can save homeowners up $800 in energy savings over a five year period, and front-load washing machines can save up to 8,000 gallons of water annually.
Also, the new washers use around 14 gallons of water per load compared to the 40 gallons used by top load washers.
“The average front load washer will spin out about a quart more water out of the clothing which will require less drying time,” Chambers said. “Less time is less energy, and that protects our water supply as well.”
Stallings said the state currently offers a $500 tax credit for homeowners who upgrade insulation, windows or doors for more energy-efficient models.
“If you have a lot of duct leakage, it’s going to take more energy to heat and cool your house,” Bivins said.
With JMJ construction, he said, the company uses an Energy Star certified heating and cooling installer to make sure the ducts are as tightly sealed as possible to minimize leakage.
“We use several products that they say are green,” Bivins said. “But they call everything green. They a call a car green because it’s a midsize car and not an SUV. What we do is we build as energy-efficient as possible within financial reason. There’s other ways you can build tighter and more energy-efficient but most people couldn’t afford to build that house.”
And while building energy-efficient is an investment, the benefits pay off.
“It’s pretty amazing how energy star products will pay for themselves,” Chambers said.
More than a billion and a half products carrying the Energy Star label have been purchased, Chambers said.
“That’s going to obviously prevent some greenhouse gas emissions,” he said. “Those products that have been purchased are equal to taking 20 million cars off the world. And we will all benefit from it and our grandchildren, too.”
With more than 1000 manufacturers building products for the Energy Star program, the options in design and performance range to suit any need.
“There are a lot of green products out there,” Neal Tong of Neal Tong Building and Remodeling said. “Some of them better than others, some of them more economical than others and will pay you back sooner. But the green building practices are a good thing.”
And according to Chambers, “Energy Star is here to stay.”
Reprinted with permission from the Messenger-Inquirer
For the Messenger-Inquirer Home & Garden Show Catalogue
Go green.
If the new millennium had a moniker, that would be it.
The trend of green construction has filtered into Owensboro. Now, not only have residents’ interests in recycling grown, but so have their interests in building to reduce their carbon footprint and save a dollar or two.
And the hero that makes this all possible — Energy Star appliances.
Energy Star, an organization stemming from the Environmental Protection Agency, sets a standard for energy efficiency in home appliances, conserving electricity and water and reducing greenhouse emissions.
Energy Star also sets a standard of tests during construction to ensure a home is sealed tight to minimize loss of energy through the heating and cooling system.
“The thing about green building that I see more than anything is (people) talk about the green building products you use,” Rick Bivins of JMJ Construction said. “This is green. That’s green. The problem is they don’t see the whole picture. What we’re putting in this building is important, but if you use all green materials but it’s not energy efficient, you’re defeating the purpose.”
Energy efficiency in a home is achieved by reducing energy consumption through appliances including heating and air conditioning units, and by reducing loss of energy through weak insulation, windows or leaky air ducts.
Ray Chambers of Green River Appliances said the biggest energy-savers are Energy Star refrigerators and washing machines.
He said, some of the new refrigerators reportedly “use less electricity than a 60-watt bulb.”
Executive Officer of the Home Builders Association of Owensboro Richard Stallings said, “The technology is out there to make sure you have the most energy efficient home possible, and we have contractors to counsel customers on new homes and existing homes.”
While many recycled and eco-friendly products dominate the housing market currently, Bivins and Chambers agreed the best way to create an environmentally friendly home is to decrease energy-consumption.
“These houses are going to be around for 100 years,” Bivins said. “I think it’s as important or more important to build energy-efficient homes by using good windows — the best windows you can find — good insulation and good heating and air.”
Chambers said some of the new French door refrigerators can save homeowners up $800 in energy savings over a five year period, and front-load washing machines can save up to 8,000 gallons of water annually.
Also, the new washers use around 14 gallons of water per load compared to the 40 gallons used by top load washers.
“The average front load washer will spin out about a quart more water out of the clothing which will require less drying time,” Chambers said. “Less time is less energy, and that protects our water supply as well.”
Stallings said the state currently offers a $500 tax credit for homeowners who upgrade insulation, windows or doors for more energy-efficient models.
“If you have a lot of duct leakage, it’s going to take more energy to heat and cool your house,” Bivins said.
With JMJ construction, he said, the company uses an Energy Star certified heating and cooling installer to make sure the ducts are as tightly sealed as possible to minimize leakage.
“We use several products that they say are green,” Bivins said. “But they call everything green. They a call a car green because it’s a midsize car and not an SUV. What we do is we build as energy-efficient as possible within financial reason. There’s other ways you can build tighter and more energy-efficient but most people couldn’t afford to build that house.”
And while building energy-efficient is an investment, the benefits pay off.
“It’s pretty amazing how energy star products will pay for themselves,” Chambers said.
More than a billion and a half products carrying the Energy Star label have been purchased, Chambers said.
“That’s going to obviously prevent some greenhouse gas emissions,” he said. “Those products that have been purchased are equal to taking 20 million cars off the world. And we will all benefit from it and our grandchildren, too.”
With more than 1000 manufacturers building products for the Energy Star program, the options in design and performance range to suit any need.
“There are a lot of green products out there,” Neal Tong of Neal Tong Building and Remodeling said. “Some of them better than others, some of them more economical than others and will pay you back sooner. But the green building practices are a good thing.”
And according to Chambers, “Energy Star is here to stay.”
Reprinted with permission from the Messenger-Inquirer
Owensboro builders and suppliers offer energy-saving alternatives
By Matt Weafer
For the Messenger-Inquirer Home & Garden Show Catalogue
Go green.
If the new millennium had a moniker, that would be it.
The trend of green construction has filtered into Owensboro. Now, not only have residents’ interests in recycling grown, but so have their interests in building to reduce their carbon footprint and save a dollar or two.
And the hero that makes this all possible — Energy Star appliances.
Energy Star, an organization stemming from the Environmental Protection Agency, sets a standard for energy efficiency in home appliances, conserving electricity and water and reducing greenhouse emissions.
Energy Star also sets a standard of tests during construction to ensure a home is sealed tight to minimize loss of energy through the heating and cooling system.
“The thing about green building that I see more than anything is (people) talk about the green building products you use,” Rick Bivins of JMJ Construction said. “This is green. That’s green. The problem is they don’t see the whole picture. What we’re putting in this building is important, but if you use all green materials but it’s not energy efficient, you’re defeating the purpose.”
Energy efficiency in a home is achieved by reducing energy consumption through appliances including heating and air conditioning units, and by reducing loss of energy through weak insulation, windows or leaky air ducts.
Ray Chambers of Green River Appliances said the biggest energy-savers are Energy Star refrigerators and washing machines.
He said, some of the new refrigerators reportedly “use less electricity than a 60-watt bulb.”
Executive Officer of the Home Builders Association of Owensboro Richard Stallings said, “The technology is out there to make sure you have the most energy efficient home possible, and we have contractors to counsel customers on new homes and existing homes.”
While many recycled and eco-friendly products dominate the housing market currently, Bivins and Chambers agreed the best way to create an environmentally friendly home is to decrease energy-consumption.
“These houses are going to be around for 100 years,” Bivins said. “I think it’s as important or more important to build energy-efficient homes by using good windows — the best windows you can find — good insulation and good heating and air.”
Chambers said some of the new French door refrigerators can save homeowners up $800 in energy savings over a five year period, and front-load washing machines can save up to 8,000 gallons of water annually.
Also, the new washers use around 14 gallons of water per load compared to the 40 gallons used by top load washers.
“The average front load washer will spin out about a quart more water out of the clothing which will require less drying time,” Chambers said. “Less time is less energy, and that protects our water supply as well.”
Stallings said the state currently offers a $500 tax credit for homeowners who upgrade insulation, windows or doors for more energy-efficient models.
“If you have a lot of duct leakage, it’s going to take more energy to heat and cool your house,” Bivins said.
With JMJ construction, he said, the company uses an Energy Star certified heating and cooling installer to make sure the ducts are as tightly sealed as possible to minimize leakage.
“We use several products that they say are green,” Bivins said. “But they call everything green. They a call a car green because it’s a midsize car and not an SUV. What we do is we build as energy-efficient as possible within financial reason. There’s other ways you can build tighter and more energy-efficient but most people couldn’t afford to build that house.”
And while building energy-efficient is an investment, the benefits pay off.
“It’s pretty amazing how energy star products will pay for themselves,” Chambers said.
More than a billion and a half products carrying the Energy Star label have been purchased, Chambers said.
“That’s going to obviously prevent some greenhouse gas emissions,” he said. “Those products that have been purchased are equal to taking 20 million cars off the world. And we will all benefit from it and our grandchildren, too.”
With more than 1000 manufacturers building products for the Energy Star program, the options in design and performance range to suit any need.
“There are a lot of green products out there,” Neal Tong of Neal Tong Building and Remodeling said. “Some of them better than others, some of them more economical than others and will pay you back sooner. But the green building practices are a good thing.”
And according to Chambers, “Energy Star is here to stay.”
Reprinted with permission from the Messenger-Inquirer
For the Messenger-Inquirer Home & Garden Show Catalogue
Go green.
If the new millennium had a moniker, that would be it.
The trend of green construction has filtered into Owensboro. Now, not only have residents’ interests in recycling grown, but so have their interests in building to reduce their carbon footprint and save a dollar or two.
And the hero that makes this all possible — Energy Star appliances.
Energy Star, an organization stemming from the Environmental Protection Agency, sets a standard for energy efficiency in home appliances, conserving electricity and water and reducing greenhouse emissions.
Energy Star also sets a standard of tests during construction to ensure a home is sealed tight to minimize loss of energy through the heating and cooling system.
“The thing about green building that I see more than anything is (people) talk about the green building products you use,” Rick Bivins of JMJ Construction said. “This is green. That’s green. The problem is they don’t see the whole picture. What we’re putting in this building is important, but if you use all green materials but it’s not energy efficient, you’re defeating the purpose.”
Energy efficiency in a home is achieved by reducing energy consumption through appliances including heating and air conditioning units, and by reducing loss of energy through weak insulation, windows or leaky air ducts.
Ray Chambers of Green River Appliances said the biggest energy-savers are Energy Star refrigerators and washing machines.
He said, some of the new refrigerators reportedly “use less electricity than a 60-watt bulb.”
Executive Officer of the Home Builders Association of Owensboro Richard Stallings said, “The technology is out there to make sure you have the most energy efficient home possible, and we have contractors to counsel customers on new homes and existing homes.”
While many recycled and eco-friendly products dominate the housing market currently, Bivins and Chambers agreed the best way to create an environmentally friendly home is to decrease energy-consumption.
“These houses are going to be around for 100 years,” Bivins said. “I think it’s as important or more important to build energy-efficient homes by using good windows — the best windows you can find — good insulation and good heating and air.”
Chambers said some of the new French door refrigerators can save homeowners up $800 in energy savings over a five year period, and front-load washing machines can save up to 8,000 gallons of water annually.
Also, the new washers use around 14 gallons of water per load compared to the 40 gallons used by top load washers.
“The average front load washer will spin out about a quart more water out of the clothing which will require less drying time,” Chambers said. “Less time is less energy, and that protects our water supply as well.”
Stallings said the state currently offers a $500 tax credit for homeowners who upgrade insulation, windows or doors for more energy-efficient models.
“If you have a lot of duct leakage, it’s going to take more energy to heat and cool your house,” Bivins said.
With JMJ construction, he said, the company uses an Energy Star certified heating and cooling installer to make sure the ducts are as tightly sealed as possible to minimize leakage.
“We use several products that they say are green,” Bivins said. “But they call everything green. They a call a car green because it’s a midsize car and not an SUV. What we do is we build as energy-efficient as possible within financial reason. There’s other ways you can build tighter and more energy-efficient but most people couldn’t afford to build that house.”
And while building energy-efficient is an investment, the benefits pay off.
“It’s pretty amazing how energy star products will pay for themselves,” Chambers said.
More than a billion and a half products carrying the Energy Star label have been purchased, Chambers said.
“That’s going to obviously prevent some greenhouse gas emissions,” he said. “Those products that have been purchased are equal to taking 20 million cars off the world. And we will all benefit from it and our grandchildren, too.”
With more than 1000 manufacturers building products for the Energy Star program, the options in design and performance range to suit any need.
“There are a lot of green products out there,” Neal Tong of Neal Tong Building and Remodeling said. “Some of them better than others, some of them more economical than others and will pay you back sooner. But the green building practices are a good thing.”
And according to Chambers, “Energy Star is here to stay.”
Reprinted with permission from the Messenger-Inquirer
Friday, February 20, 2009
Make your spring cleaning green
By Matt Weafer
Messenger-Inquirer Owensboro Today
This spring when you’re pulling out the couch to attack the annual aggregation of dust bunnies, emptying out the garage and wiping down the shelves of your refrigerator, consider the environment.
Every year, we break out the Pine-Sol and the vacuum cleaner attachments and go to town for spring cleaning for a fresh start to the new life of the new year. Why not make that fresh start even better by transforming your home into an eco-conscious living space?
The trick to establishing a greener home that is both easy to maintain through the year and functional is to create an infrastructure that supports recycling and a lighter eco-footprint.
Organize a recycling center in your home
Recycling is a breeze with a designated home recycling center that contains bins to separate and store waste until you take them to the city’s recycling center.
Clear out a space in your home, such as a corner in the garage, a broom closet or even the trunk of your car to store recyclables.
Owensboro only offers recycling for seven items at the recycling center: clear plastic, opaque non-colored plastic, cardboard, newspapers, magazines, steel cans and aluminum cans.
Some local retailers, including Wal-Mart, offer recycling for plastic grocery bags.
Make your trip to the recycling center an activity as regular as going to the groceries.
Avoid harmful cleaning products
Most household cleaning products contain harmful chemicals including carcinogens, endocrine disruptors (which can cause ADHD, infertility, challenged immune systems, miscarriages, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and other cancers) and neurotoxins (which affect brain activity, causing headaches and loss of intellect).
While many cleaning products tout “natural” and “organic” in their names, those terms are not clearly defined to mean safe for you or the environment. And manufacturers are not required to list every ingredient in the product.
Researching safe cleaning products can be overwhelming, time consuming and frustrating. So look for cleaning products that don’t contain the warning signal words “caution,” “warning,” “danger” or “poison.” These terms indicate that the product is harmful or fatal.
Instead of reading ingredient lists, look for cleaning products that say on the front “contains no . . .” volatile organic compounds (VOCs), Alkylphenolethoxylates (APEs), Formaldehyde, Organochlorines (OCs), Styrene or Phthalates.
Also, though this may be disappointing to many people who love the smell of fabric softener, look for fragrance-free products.
In 1986 the U. S. National Academy of Science identified the ingredients in many manufactured fragrances as carcinogens and neurotoxins that are the primary cause of disease in humans along with insecticides, heavy metals, solvents and food additives.
Start a compost pile
When you chop lettuce and peel onions while fixing dinner, don’t throw the waste in the trash.
Start a compost pile in your backyard — or side yard if you don’t have a back yard. Or consider starting a community compost bin if you live in an apartment.
The compost pile can be kept neat and is easy to manage if started properly. Discard waste into a small area on the ground contained by some two-by-fours or some chicken wire about two to three feet high.
Keep the pile damp but not soggy, and cover it with a thin layer of dirt.
The best compost contains 75 percent brown material (leaves, saw dust, dye-free paper towels and napkins) and 25 percent green material (vegetable and fruit scraps, grass clippings in small amounts, egg shells, tea bags, and coffee filters) with a thin layer of dirt on top. Toss a couple of earth worms in there to speed up the process.
Rotate the pile with a pitchfork or shovel every two weeks. The bottom layer of the pile is ready to use every few months.
Minimize utility consumption
While you power through the house with your vacuum cleaner and dust rag, look for any electronic appliances that sit unused for significant intervals and unplug them.
Virtually every electronic appliance draws phantom power even when turned off. DVD players, TVs, computers, radios and cell phone chargers when not in use still draw electricity.
Desktop computers are one of the biggest energy leaches in your home.
If your entertainment center plug-ins are stashed behind a shelf unit, consider plugging them into an easily accessible surge protector so you can turn it on and off when you go to sleep or leave for school or work.
If you haven’t already, go ahead and switch you incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescents (CFLs). They have decreased in price significantly since they first hit the market and you will earn your money back quickly as they last longer and use less electricity.
And when you hit the bathroom and kitchen, screw an aerator onto your faucets. They decrease water consumption and are easy to attach. Shower head aerators are available as well but may require a little more to install them.
Reprinted with permission from Messenger-Inquirer.
Messenger-Inquirer Owensboro Today
This spring when you’re pulling out the couch to attack the annual aggregation of dust bunnies, emptying out the garage and wiping down the shelves of your refrigerator, consider the environment.
Every year, we break out the Pine-Sol and the vacuum cleaner attachments and go to town for spring cleaning for a fresh start to the new life of the new year. Why not make that fresh start even better by transforming your home into an eco-conscious living space?
The trick to establishing a greener home that is both easy to maintain through the year and functional is to create an infrastructure that supports recycling and a lighter eco-footprint.
Organize a recycling center in your home
Recycling is a breeze with a designated home recycling center that contains bins to separate and store waste until you take them to the city’s recycling center.
Clear out a space in your home, such as a corner in the garage, a broom closet or even the trunk of your car to store recyclables.
Owensboro only offers recycling for seven items at the recycling center: clear plastic, opaque non-colored plastic, cardboard, newspapers, magazines, steel cans and aluminum cans.
Some local retailers, including Wal-Mart, offer recycling for plastic grocery bags.
Make your trip to the recycling center an activity as regular as going to the groceries.
Avoid harmful cleaning products
Most household cleaning products contain harmful chemicals including carcinogens, endocrine disruptors (which can cause ADHD, infertility, challenged immune systems, miscarriages, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and other cancers) and neurotoxins (which affect brain activity, causing headaches and loss of intellect).
While many cleaning products tout “natural” and “organic” in their names, those terms are not clearly defined to mean safe for you or the environment. And manufacturers are not required to list every ingredient in the product.
Researching safe cleaning products can be overwhelming, time consuming and frustrating. So look for cleaning products that don’t contain the warning signal words “caution,” “warning,” “danger” or “poison.” These terms indicate that the product is harmful or fatal.
Instead of reading ingredient lists, look for cleaning products that say on the front “contains no . . .” volatile organic compounds (VOCs), Alkylphenolethoxylates (APEs), Formaldehyde, Organochlorines (OCs), Styrene or Phthalates.
Also, though this may be disappointing to many people who love the smell of fabric softener, look for fragrance-free products.
In 1986 the U. S. National Academy of Science identified the ingredients in many manufactured fragrances as carcinogens and neurotoxins that are the primary cause of disease in humans along with insecticides, heavy metals, solvents and food additives.
Start a compost pile
When you chop lettuce and peel onions while fixing dinner, don’t throw the waste in the trash.
Start a compost pile in your backyard — or side yard if you don’t have a back yard. Or consider starting a community compost bin if you live in an apartment.
The compost pile can be kept neat and is easy to manage if started properly. Discard waste into a small area on the ground contained by some two-by-fours or some chicken wire about two to three feet high.
Keep the pile damp but not soggy, and cover it with a thin layer of dirt.
The best compost contains 75 percent brown material (leaves, saw dust, dye-free paper towels and napkins) and 25 percent green material (vegetable and fruit scraps, grass clippings in small amounts, egg shells, tea bags, and coffee filters) with a thin layer of dirt on top. Toss a couple of earth worms in there to speed up the process.
Rotate the pile with a pitchfork or shovel every two weeks. The bottom layer of the pile is ready to use every few months.
Minimize utility consumption
While you power through the house with your vacuum cleaner and dust rag, look for any electronic appliances that sit unused for significant intervals and unplug them.
Virtually every electronic appliance draws phantom power even when turned off. DVD players, TVs, computers, radios and cell phone chargers when not in use still draw electricity.
Desktop computers are one of the biggest energy leaches in your home.
If your entertainment center plug-ins are stashed behind a shelf unit, consider plugging them into an easily accessible surge protector so you can turn it on and off when you go to sleep or leave for school or work.
If you haven’t already, go ahead and switch you incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescents (CFLs). They have decreased in price significantly since they first hit the market and you will earn your money back quickly as they last longer and use less electricity.
And when you hit the bathroom and kitchen, screw an aerator onto your faucets. They decrease water consumption and are easy to attach. Shower head aerators are available as well but may require a little more to install them.
Reprinted with permission from Messenger-Inquirer.
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