Category Archives: Health
Many toilet cleaners, antibacterial sprays, and drain cleaners contain harmful chemicals that if inhaled, can lead to breathing problems, irritation, and more serious health problems. At the same time, air fresheners and other cleaners can contain DEA and TEA chemicals that can lead to serious health problems. It is possible, however, to still be able to maintain a clean and sparkly bathroom, while avoiding unnecessary chemicals. This can be achieved through using alternative, eco-friendly cleaners, which can be applied to particular jobs.
The ground is now covered by impervious streets and buildings, which do not allow rainwater to leech into the aquifer below. In some parts of the country the natural aquifers have been irreparably damaged due to over use without replenishment. The use of water is becoming more and more restricted every day. The recycling of water as part of the green movement is gaining popularity in the United States.
The Beverage Marketing Corporation recently reported that 9.1 billion gallons of bottled water were sold in the U.S. just last year. That’s just over twenty-nine gallons per person.
Construction equipment is a leading contributor to dangerous diesel pollution. According to the US EPA Clean Air Act Advisory Committee, “A single bulldozer engine can emit as much particulate matter as more than 500 cars.” As diesel exhaust carries carcinogens, soot (scientifically referred to as “fine particulate matter”) and ozone smog-forming compounds, diesel-powered construction equipment leaves our society more susceptible to asthma attacks, strokes, lung cancer, heart attacks and premature deaths.
The basement is a great place to apply green remodeling techniques. Due to its underground location, it is a very different space than the rest of the house. It collects a lot of moisture, which can lead to rot, mold, and harmful off-gassing. It is also susceptible to flood damage. By keeping your remodeling efforts green, you can mitigate some of these common issues. Read on to learn how to go green when remodeling your basement.
Flower pollination is essential to maintaining the high crop yields needed to ensure that food remains affordable for the majority of people. When we consider that the European Crop Protection Association claim that “honey bees are the valuable pollinators of agricultural crops worldwide,” news that their populations are in decline should be a major cause for concern.
Despite “greenwashing” by even the biggest and least environmentally committed fast food chains, it’s difficult to evaluate just how green a restaurant is behind the scenes. While the most obvious green issues for restaurants involve the food offerings, many other elements affect the sustainability of a commercial kitchen, including energy efficiency, water efficiency, decor, takeout containers, cleaning practices, insect and rodent control, food preparation procedures and waste-handling.
If you visited our site yesterday, you will have read Part I of our guide to getting a clean sparkly kitchen while avoiding buying more unnecessary nasty chemicals.
Today we’re posting the second half of that article, by starting off talking about scummy sinks and looking at how you can clean them really effectively with what’s already in your cupboard!
When you walk along the cleaning aisles of the supermarket, you’d be excused for thinking every surface in our kitchens, bathrooms, toilets and bedrooms all needed a different cleaning fluid! Each one costs a tidy sum and I dread to think about the chemicals contained in them.
The tower at Rush University Medical Center opened in January 2012 designed by Perkins + Will. It is the largest new construction health care facility in the world to receive LEED gold certification. Its shape takes form from a butterfly but it received high sustainable remarks in tons of other areas as well including green design, construction and operation.
Visitors have always traveled to St. Petersburg, Florida to experience the Dali Museum since it opened in 1980. In January of this year, 2011, the New Dali Museum opened and is receiving an exceptional response. The doors opened 1-11-11 at 11:11am for people to enjoy an incredible art collection within a building that is its own masterpiece.
DAtE is a global architectural competition meant to find solutions to the problems occurring due to climate change. “Climate change refers to the variation in the Earth’s global climate or regional climates over time scales ranging from decades to millions of years. Changes may be driven by internal processes, external forces or, most recently, by human activities.” This is the third competition of its kind all originating in the Philippines with the winner being announced in early 2011.
In a small town remotely located on the eastern edge of the San Luis Valley large eco-friendly ideas are taking root. The place is a close-knit community of approximately 130 people, called Crestone, Colorado and the concept is a better living and built environment for everyone.
Many different elements are part of the everyday life there. They are internationally known for alternative buildings and have approximately 100 sustainable homes is the area.
A locally sourced place for customers and clients to go to purchase a large variety of natural materials, consult experts and experience the ‘green’ materials first hand is Originate. This is a natural building materials’ showroom located in Tucson, Arizona. “Originate specializes in interior finishes that are environmentally friendly, non-toxic, durable, and made from natural and renewable resources.”
The tsunami shelter designed by Miguel A. Serrano called The STATIM shelter system, in theory, is a good idea but a better solution is required and some of the issues are addressed here.
In Paradise Valley, Montana, experienced builder, Pouwel Gelderloos and family designed, built and are marketing the first “hybrid” house. It is a hybrid because it can be completely self-sustaining (off the grid) but is also connected to the grid incase the need should arise for additional energy sources.
Adaptive re-use plus brownfield reclamation are key factors in land conservation and reducing unnecessary sprawl. These are good for the economy, communities, and the environment. More plans need to be implemented and the importance stressed that this is our one chance to re-do and un-do our environmental impact so that future generations can make their choices.
Premier Copper Products is a company looking to better their surrounding world with beauty, creativity and sustainability. Today the company sells an ever-growing range of 160+ products, including kitchen, bar/prep, and bathroom sinks, bathtubs, faucets, drains, light fixtures, switch plates, and tiles.