Reduce, Recylce, Reuse

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

When I think of green homes, I think of a home containing an indoor greenhouse for growing plants. But that is not necessarily true. Green homes are environmentally responsible homes. The U. S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has created a program called Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, in an effort to move the homebuilding industry toward sustainable practices. Homebuilders can earn points by reducing construction waste, installing energy efficient lighting, and reducing water usage. The USGBC hopes to transform the practices of the building industry by giving the homes receiving the most points certified ratings.

According to a study conducted for the EPA, the residential construction industry generates 58 million tons of waste per year. A Near - Zero Energy home, built in New Jersey, used foam insulated concrete rather than using wood studs and siding for the walls. These are plastic foam forms that hold concrete in place while it hardens, and they remain in place afterward to offer extra insulation. The insulation keeps the heat and cold out of the house by trapping air in the holes of the foam. Using concrete for the structure eliminates

the need to cut down trees which is a definite green advantage.

Contractors are working hard to reuse pieces of wood and drywall to cut their costs during new home construction. Companies are reclaiming old wood from demolished houses, buildings, and barns, that are being cut and sanded into wood flooring. This saves trees and reuses wood that would have just been thrown away. Wheat straw is a waste product from agriculture which is now being used to make bathroom and kitchen cabinets. The straw is chopped and glued together with adhesives and pressed into shaped. The cabinets look and feel just like wood and are made from 85% renewable materials.

About half of the polyester carpet In the United States is made from recycled plastics. It takes five two - liter bottles to make one square foot of polyester carpet. Once the bottle is used, it can be recycled by cutting it into pieces, then cleaning it and remelting the pieces. Once the plastic is warm it can be molded to make new bottles or spun into fibers to make carpet or even clothing. Not only does recycling bottles save us from extra garbage it