At Elements of Green we love what we do.  Our clients are passionate about their homes and about the design changes they envision and we get to be involved in these sustainable remodels as well as new construction projects.  Unfortunately, we do not always get to see the finished project.  When the opportunity to see the finished project presents itself, we love to share the results with the rest of you.

This project is especially exciting due to the family history of the home.  The house was built by the father of the current owners.  It was imperative to the owners that the results of the upgrade respect the character of the original home that the cabinets be maintained and yet bring the home into a more modern and livable configuration.  In this home we were able to obtain pictures of the kitchen before and after the work was complete. 

Note the beautiful handy work in the cabinetry over the peninsula.  The cabinets over the penninsula were removed and the old vinyl flooring was replaced with bamboo.

The cabinets are now painted a beautiful clean white and new recycled glass countertops by Travina are installed in the kitchen while new Higuera chocolate bamboo countertops are installed on the peninsula and buffet.  This has completely opened up the space.  We installed bamboo flooring throughout all the living space adding a nice cohesive flow to whole home.  The backsplash is a recycled ceramic tile that was also used on the fireplace mantel nicely tying the two rooms together.

Please share your project pictures with us so we can post them here letting others see the fine work you have done to your living spaces.

My wife and I are evaluating replacing our existing can-light bulbs with new LED replacements.  As we have been looking into the LED bulbs we find the color is now very good, the bulbs are dimmable and the look of the bulb is acceptable.  The price is coming down too, but they are still expensive so I wanted to analyze what the payback might be.  I did some research and came up with a Cost Savings Calculator that we have been using.  I thought you would find it helpful so we shared it with you.  If you find this helpful please let us know.

Click image for an active calculator

June 10, 2011

Carcinogen list expands: includes Formaldehyde

12th Report on Carcinogens

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius released the 12^th Report on Carcinogens on June 10, 2011.

The Report on Carcinogens (RoC) is a congressionally mandated, science-based, public health document that is prepared for the HHS Secretary by the National Toxicology Program.

The report identifies agents, substances, mixtures, and exposure circumstances that are known or reasonably anticipated to cause cancer in humans.

The strong-smelling chemical formaldehyde causes cancer, while styrene, a second industrial chemical that's used worldwide in the manufacture of fiberglass and food containers, may cause cancer, the National Institutes of Health says.

The NIH said Friday that people with higher measures of exposure to formaldehyde are at increased risk for certain types of rare cancers, including those affecting the upper part of the throat behind the nose.

Most paint labled as VOC free contain formaldehyde --- and off-gas for 8-10 years after application.

Elements of Green your locally owned green building products store expands their offerings with a new line of sustainably built cabinetry called ESC.  These cabinets are built to AWI Premium grade construction standards, using a completely formaldehyde free construction practice.  This means they are built to last and built to improve the health of your environment; to back this up Elements of Green offers a 10 year warranty if self-installed or 25 year warranty if we install them for you.  You see the secret with cabinetry is a solid foundation, if the cabinets are properly leveled and then secured to the wall they will last.

Along with this introduction of ESC cabinetry we are pleased to announce the expansion of the offering; previously we offered a somewhat limited selection of options such as drawer

The builder said to me “Then your products are all about feeling good.”  “Yes, but not how you are thinking”, I replied.

Today it was announced that UL studies show we have only 3 minutes to evacuate a burning house do to all the artificial and caustic chemicals in the products that furnish our homes.  Why are we letting ourselves continue on this path?  Watch this story by ABC News, if this isn't enough reason to change our interior furnishings back to more enviromentally friendly and responsible products I don't know what is.  And if this isn't enough for you then read this study.  This is not a new study, but it is still relevant.

American Babies Born Polluted, Study Says

Fire Clay Tile, Debris Series

The Debris Series features over 112 glaze colors and contains over 60% recycled materials, creating one of the most beautiful, sustainable ceramic products on the market. Our colors are unique and stunning, and the tile is truly sustainable - Made in the USA using locally sourced post-consumer and pre-consumer waste materials which we up-cycle into the highest quality ceramic tile. The result is a terra cotta

Babies are born pre-polluted with potentially harmful levels of phthalates and Dioxins, as well as other chemicals that may possibly cause lifelong health problems.

For their weight, children eat, drink and breathe more than adults - so pound for pound they take in a greater quantity of toxic contaminants. A small exposure translates into a big dose. Children are not “little adults” - their developing brains and bodies, their metabolism and behaviors make them uniquely vulnerable to harm from toxic chemicals.

www.chej.org | www.besafenet.com/pvc