Splinter Free Living

Wooden decks and railings are hard to maintain, not to mention being splinter territory. What’s more, they’re not usually environmentally sustainable due to their use of premium forest products.   For this reason alone Recycled composite decking is by far the best and coolest alternative to wood.   This stuff looks like wood but feels like heaven.  Manufactured from old plastic bottles makes it durable and resilient.

Many manufacturers use a dense mixture of reclaimed plastic and wood fibers.  One of the big companies in the industry, Trex, estimates that it prevents over 300,000 tons of plastic each year from ending up in the landfill.  Billions of plastic bags from grocery stores are transformed into decking material instead of littering our streets and parks.  Some companies, like Trex, take sustainability to the next level by operating their facilities with renewable energy and fueling their trucking fleets with biodiesel.  Recycled Composite Decking is made of all sorts scrap wood and plastic, from sawdust to polyethylene (styrofoam) to  milk cartons.   In addition to decking, municipalities and businesses have discovered the benefits of using recycled composite material for park benches and picnic tables.  Composites have certainly made their mark on college campuses across the country, as schools are embarking on reducing their environmental footprints.

This material has a long life span, and won’t warp, rot, or crack.  The days of restaining, refinishing, and seasounal repairs are gone.  If you want a deck that is resistent to the elements yet promotes the integrity of the planet, then recycled composite is probably right for you.

This article was first published on Build and Rebuild. To continue reading, please view the original post at Recycled Composite Decking.

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Pearly white molding neatly lining the ceiling and floors—a classic interior decorating touch that we all know and love.  Most homeowners choose different types of wood, painted white, for their molding in their new homes—and why wouldn’t they?  That has been the only option . . . until now, that is.  We now have a new product that looks identical to wood, but has recycles wasted materials—Introducing recycled styrofoam molding.

Post-consumer cups and packaging materials are now being transformed into elegant pieces of molding.   The process involves melting down the slew of white fluffy stuff into a near-liquid that settles in molds as long, solid pieces.  According to some estimates, polystyrene (the technical name for Styrofoam) waste products make up nearly a quarter of the trash in landfills. Now all of the styrofoam that comes with a new computer that aren’t traditionally recycled can actually be broken down into smaller parts and recast as totally new products.

The best part about a wood-alternative like styrofoam?  The light weight molding requires no fancy equipment like hammers and nails or saws and sandpaper.  All you need is some caulk, and the molding should stay adhered to your ceiling or wall for upwards of 30 years.  What’s more, the product is typically less expensive than wood.  Don’t you love it when the small changes you make to green your home are good for the environment, and your wallet.

For more information about the recycling process, check out PlanetGreen’s interview video with Todd Sutton.

This article was first published on Build and Rebuild. To continue reading, please view the original post at Recycled Styrofoam Molding.

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Proper landscaping is as important to energy and water efficiency in a home as anything else.  And eco-friendly mulch is the easiest way to keep that landscape healthy. Using mulch in flower beds, around sidewalks, and around trees is great for controlling erosion, keeping in the moisture, and making your plants look fabulous.

These days shredded tires, peanut shells, and pine bark and other recycled materials are all being used for sustainable landscaping projects instead of the traditional composition.  Of course, your environmental footprint will most likely be greater in the long run if you have to buy an eco-friendly mulch that’s been shipped halfway around the world, but there are easy ways to create mulch with your own recycled materials.

Old newspapers make great mulch. Just shred them into small strips and spread the strips around your flower bed.  Due to their tendency to clump when wet, however, its often recommended to apply them as a bottom layer, and then add different mulch on top.   They will biodegrade over time and add nutrients to the soil.

Peanut shells, if you have enough of them, also work.  They make a great mulch due to their chemical composition.  You can mix them with leaves or compost to make a nice-looking finish.  However, according to gardeners, they’re not good food for worms and therefore the natural nutrient cycling is not as effective.  What’s more, there is often a risk of mold accumulation with peanut shells that can spread to your plants and harm them.  Therefore, nut shells are not necessarily the best bet for your mulch, but they definitely work.

What about recycled rubber? Old tires are filling up landfills across the US—what better way to give them new purpose than to add them to your home’s landscaping?  You can buy preshredded rubber at your nearest garden center or you can make it yourself.  It is insect-resistant and aesthetically appealing.  Rubber mulch applications are particularly common on playgrounds, but they are just as good for your sophisticated landscape bedding.

Pine bark and pine needles are the best tree materials for mulch. They have a high moisture retaining capacity and keep away insects.  The substances’ high acidity contributes well to plants that require increased acid in the soil.   Pine bark also retains its color longer than most other tree barks, meaning that it needs to be replaced less often.

While pine makes a great mulch, other tree products that have the same characteristics might be slightly more sustainable.  Eucalyptis, for example, grows rapidly like bamboo and is highly abundant, allowing it to be harvested and regenerated in a more predictable manner than pine.  But remember, it is usually more sustainable and simple to use whatever product grows nearest you.

Unfortunately, however, mulch can never beat the advantages of the compost pile. You can create a compost bin with food waste and yard clippings, then spread it throughout your flower beds.  This is by far the most nutrient-enhancing mulch option for plants.

When in doubt, you can mix together most organic substances to create a fine looking and eco-friendly mulch.

This article was first published on Build and Rebuild. To continue reading, please view the original post at Sustain Your Sustainable Landscape With Mulch.

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Okay, toilet talk probably isn’t your favorite topic. When you think about the fact that the average American wastes 7,665 gallons of water each year just flushing the toilet—suddenly toilet talk raises to the level of appropriate and relevant conversation.

I remember seeing compost toilets out in the middle of a national park. It made sense there and I was willing to do my part by tossing in a handful of compost material after I finished my visit to the outhouse. But there are several versions of these no-water, environmentally-friendly toilets available for purchase and home installation.

What is a composting toilet?

A toilet which use little or no water and treats toilet wastes on-site for reuse as valuable compost.

How do they work?

Composting toilets use “oxygen loving-bacteria present in human waste to do the work.” They do not require water hook-ups and they let nature’s decomposition process reduce waste by about 90 percent. With the proper installation and equipment, there is no odor, nor do you have to use bugs or worms to aid the process.

A composting toilet can be used just like a regular toilet. The biggest difference is that you toss in a scoop of compost mix after each use—instead of flushing. You do have to empty the compost tray occasionally, but you are emptying environment-enhancing composted soil. There are many different designs of composting toilets, but all carry out this basic process of aerobic decomposition.

There is a free on-line book entitled The Humanure Handbook. It probably is in the category of “too much information,” but if you’re serious about the specific workings of composting toilets—this may be the book for you. Another excellent resource is the “Composting Toilets Systems Book” that gives you info and options for not only composting toilets, but for installation of greywater systems as well.

What do they cost?

Many individuals make their own very inexpensive versions. There are several companies that make compost toilets that won’t leave you yearning for the “olden days” of flush toilets. They are good looking and highly functional. They started at about $1500 and go up to about $3000, but that is a drop in the bucket compared to installing a septic system or a city-wide sewer system. When you start calculating water savings (each American spends about $30 a year just on toilet water) and the positive environmental impact (no waste, just a usable end product), composting toilets become a very attractive option.

Are they approved by health authorities and do they meet building codes?

Check with your municipality. If you have access to a city sewer system, you’ll need to ask a lot of questions. Some municipalities allow them—those who are well-informed and have experience with composting toilets. In areas where there is no sewer system available and water is limited, there is usually no problem. Some building codes require, at a minimum, that the septic system be installed and then you can install your composting toilet —a ridiculous waste of money, I know. There are many individuals and organizations working to change these outdated, environmentally unsound building codes and requirements. Perhaps you can be the first in your area to help educate and get the changes made.

The final word

If you only trust government recommendations, then you’ll want to visit the EPA’s “Water Efficiency Technology Fact Sheet: Composting Toilets.” It’ll give you some history as well as the pros and cons of owning a composting toilet.

This article was first published on Build and Rebuild. To continue reading, please view the original post at Recycling #2 . . . And I’m Not Talking Plastic.

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Saves you and the environment some green

Rainwater harvestingis “the process of intercepting storm-water runoff and putting it to beneficial use.”  Pretty simple concept.  Oddly enough, it is illegal in some states.   The Colorado legislature, in its 2009 session, legalized rainwater harvesting for residents with private wells.  Other states and municipalities are in the process of changing their laws.  You’ll need to do a little research to determine what is lawful in your state.  Whatever the case, I don’t think the police are going to show up at your door if you choose to harvest rainwater.

Why would I want to harvest rainwater anyway?

According to the EPA, a homeowner can save 1,300 gallons of water a month.  That will help with your water bills or reduce stress on your well.  You can use the water in your evaporative coolers, to water plants, your lawn, your pets or livestock.  It reduces your carbon footprint by saving on electricity to pump water and then deliver it to your home.   Besides, it simply makes good sense to have water stored to guard against times of drought or emergency.

So I’m building or rebuilding a home and want to incorporate this.  How?

You can begin by designing your home, buildings, and surrounding landscape to maximize the amount of rainwater catchment.   You can do it like Jerry Brock of Monte Sereno, California and use four gravity-fed 5,000 gallon tanks.  Or, there are companies like Rain Harvesting Systems (RHS) that specialize in elaborate and wonderful systems for your home or commercial building.

You can do it like people have been doing it for thousands of years—with some type of cistern.   Cisterns, now, aren’t some Biblical clay container thing , but are usually some type of composite plastic.  Here are some links to places you can buy one and also some “do it yourself” harvesting systems.

http://www.plastic-mart.com/class.php?cat=187

http://www.rain-barrel.net/category/rainwater-harvesting

http://www.ehow.com/how_5126202_harvest-rain-water.html

http://www.off-grid.net/2009/06/20/how-to-harvest-rainwater/

Bottom line:  it can be as simple as putting a big bucket out under your rain gutter and using the water for dry spots on your lawn.   Get an elaborate rainwater harvesting system or get a container with a cover (keeps mosquitoes from breeding and slows evaporation) and do your part to help your budget and your planet.

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