What is Green Building?
Green building products provide a high quality, environmentally sensitive alternative to conventional offerings. “The Seven Seeds” listed below allow you to easily convey the green attributes of Green materials and enable consumers to easily choose which products best fit their personal green building needs.
Products that lower operating costs, save electricity, and ensure that your energy dollars are well spent.
It’s no secret that energy consumption creates a strain on natural resources and is extremely expensive. According to the U.S. EPA, the power used by the average home throughout the year produces twice as much greenhouse gas pollution, as the average car. But there’s hope! There are easy ways for you to conserve energy both at home and at work.
Products that lower operating costs, save electricity, and ensure that your energy dollars are well spent.
Examples: Natural Cotton Fiber Insulation, Tankless Water Heaters, Solar Lighting Kits, Energy Star Windows, Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs, Low-Flow Showerheads
Products that allow you to conserve and protect our most precious of natural resources. Water is our most precious natural resource. It is the source of all life and the mediator of all natural processes on Earth. And yet excessive water use is probably one of the most overlooked environmental issues. Can you believe that over 40% of the drinking water that is used in our homes is flushed down the toilet? Another 30% goes down the drains of our sinks and showers. If we take a closer look at our regular water use, we see that there are plenty of simple ways to incorporate water saving strategies into our everyday lives.
Ever heard of urban runoff? It is one major reason that pollutants and sediments end up in our water supply and is one of the leading causes of impairment in rivers, lakes, and estuaries. Greenmaker offers innovative products that help minimize runoff. It has been estimated that if all U.S. homes installed water saving fixtures, water use would decrease by 30%, saving approximately 5.4 billion gallons of water per day. What are water saving fixtures, you ask?
Products that allow you to conserve and protect our most precious of natural resources.
Examples: Dual-flush Toilets and Low-flow toilets, Low-flow showerheads and aerators, Permeable Pavers
Products that help you create an indoor environment that is free from the toxic compounds found in most conventional building materials and finishes. Increasingly, Americans are paying attention to the quality of the food they put into their bodies and onto their children’s’ plates.
The organic food movement has become a mainstream phenomenon. Isn’t it just as important to make sure that the products you put into your home and office aren’t introducing hidden dangers to your health? We think so. When you consider the amount of time that the average American spends indoors, the importance of evaluating our interior product choices becomes starkly apparent.
We should take indoor air quality seriously. Paint interior walls with zero-VOC paint, there are a wide selection of paints, stains, and other products that will improve air quality and keep your family and coworkers safe. Even small painting or staining projects can result in a slew of toxic chemicals being released into your home. Use materials that can reduce or eliminate the negative impact that conventional materials can have on indoor air.
You can to get the look you’ve always wanted for your home or office without compromising your health.
Products that help you create an indoor environment that is free from the toxic compounds found in most conventional building materials and finishes.
Examples: Zero-VOC, Low Odor Paints, Formaldehyde-Free Cabinetry, Non-Toxic Stains, Sealers and Adhesives
Products that keep usable materials out of landfills. We’ve all heard about recycling. Many of us have recycling bins in our homes and take part in regional recycling programs. Purchasing recycled products is an excellent way for everyone to play an important role in the success of the recycling process. As consumer demand for environmentally sound products grows, manufacturers are meeting that demand by producing high quality recycled products.
Most of us recognize the importance of recycled goods. Why use something new when you can choose a recycled product instead?
Products that keep usable materials out of landfills.
Examples: Cotton Insulation, Cork Flooring, Countertops, Tile
Products that are made from renewable natural resources, reducing strain on our limited natural resources. It seems almost too obvious to mention, but all of the products we buy require the use of natural resources for their production. However, many of the resources we use are only available in limited quantities. Often, these sources do not grow back or regenerate fast enough to maintain healthy levels while also being used to produce large quantities of industrial and consumer goods.
Whenever you’re buying a product, it is important to be conscious of what resources are being used to make it, how readily available those resources are, and how quickly the resources can be renewed.
For instance, one benefit of using bamboo is the rate at which it renews itself. Rapidly renewable material is generally defined as having a harvest rotation of 10 years or fewer. With a harvest cycle of 3 to 5 years, bamboo clearly fits into that category.
By comparison, most hardwood species used for flooring reach saleable size in 50 to 100 years. By using rapidly renewable materials we ensure that we will not overextend the finite supply of natural resources and the ecosystems of which they are a part.
You can find and use lasting, durable materials such as flooring, insulation, and solvents that are made from rapidly renewable materials. In addition to being rapidly renewable, the impressive durability of these materials means less frequent replacement, less waste, and lower long-term costs.
Products that are made from renewable natural resources, reducing strain on our limited natural resources.
Examples: Bamboo, Cork, Linoleum, and Hardwood Flooring, Soy-Based Solvents, Soy-Based Insulation.
Products that grow the local economy and reduce the pollution and costs associated with transporting goods.
Everything has to come from somewhere. These days much of what we buy, from apples to paint, is being produced in remote locations. By buying things that are not made or distributed locally, we create a strain on local economies, widen the gap between production and consumption, and foster a great deal of waste and pollution by having to transport goods from far away.
On the other hand, when we buy products that are locally produced we contribute to the economic and social strength of our local communities. Minimizing pollution and fostering vibrant local communities are important components of environmental sustainability.
Always buy products from local sources whenever possible. Everything from tile and countertops to paint and household cleaners can be provided locally are available to you. As a part of the green lifestyle, we strive to reduce waste and strengthen community whenever possible. We invite you to join our community - we are committed to preserving our natural resources and quality of life.
Products that grow the local economy and reduce the pollution and costs associated with transporting goods.
Examples: Tile, Paint, Cabinetry, Soy-Based Solvents, Household Cleaners
Products that are designed to cause no harm throughout their entire lifecycle - from extraction and manufacturing to use and end of use phases. It’s great to buy products that are made from recycled material, but can those products be re-recycled once they are no longer usable?
Just as everything must come from somewhere, everything must also end up somewhere. By being conscious of the reusability of the items we buy, we can reduce the amount of material that ends up in landfills. It’s important to choose products that are biodegradable or are capable of being reintroduced into the production stream once you are finished with them. Anticipating the future impact of our actions is a major part of what it means to be green.
Buying products that have been designed with their entire lifecycle in mind is a great way to ensure that the choices you make today will not contribute to environmental degradation further down the road.
Products that are designed to cause no harm throughout their entire lifecycle - from extraction and manufacturing to use and end of use phases.
Examples: Linoleum, Drywall, Biobags and Composters
