The original natural family living magazine, founded in 1976. Reader-supported
and trusted by thinking people around the world who want positive alternatives
to high cost, high consumption lifestyles for themselves and their families.
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||
|
from Natural Life Magazine, January/February,
2006 Millions of us are renovating our homes every year, spending more money annually on renovation than on new home construction. Since buildings are responsible for 40 percent of worldwide energy flow and material use, how you remodel can make a big difference to the environment. Kirk Smith, founder of the Greenhouse Crisis Foundation in Washington, D.C., has said that American homes and apartments account for the largest share of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by all sources worldwide. Upgrading insulation, furnaces, cabinets and fixtures like water heaters and toilets means less fossil fuel pollution and reduced resource depletion. It can also save you money in the long-run. However, renovations can be fraught with unintended consequences like indoor air pollution. There are many aspects of home renovation, but here are some tips for undertaking flooring and painting projects in a healthy, environmentally friendly way. Green Reno Basics A green renovation involves two interrelated concepts. One is to be as earth-friendly as possible by using sustainable and/or recycled materials, and to reduce energy and water use by employing measures like solar and geothermal heating, high-efficiency lighting and green roofs. The other is to create a healthy living space by using nontoxic alternatives to conventional building products. The key to making a building green is to ... To read the rest of this article, subscribe to Natural Life's digital edition. Rolf Priesnitz is the Publisher of Natural Life Magazine. He also has close to 40 years experience in the construction industry. Read his complete bio. |
|||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
