Cashmere Cottage

I designed this 500 sf cottage that for my client Tara to build on her daughter’s property in Cashmere Washington.  Nestled in the mountains, this DADU (detached accessory dwelling unit) (i.e., extra home on the property,) is small enough to be affordable but large enough to feel like home.  The tall ceiling created by the steep shed roof allow an abundance of light to flood in on three sides of the home, allowing Tara to witness the beauty of the surrounding land throughout the day.

Although compact, this home sports a shower AND a tub as well as a full kitchen and separate bedroom.  Designing small homes has been my passion in the last few years as I look for ways to simplify our lives, transition into one level housing, while keeping the quality of life that we have worked so hard to obtain.  As more and more people want to live off the grid, we are researching and specifying more solar panels, heating systems with reduced costs such as infrared heated ceiling panels, and rain water harvesting.

Adjustments to the design have been made at the suggestion of her fantastic builder Reid of R Squared Construction LLC, that further customize this special place for Tara.

My Green Toilet Water 2.0

OK, we’ve been here before, February of 2010 to be exact.  That is when I announced my big plan for harvesting the rainwater from my roof, putting it through a filtering system and using it for flushing my toilets.  All disguised as a waterfall.  A good idea, I thought.  Well, back in 2010 I ran out of money to finish the project and the tanks have been sitting my back yard since.

Much has changed in the last four years and Seattle is on board with rainwater harvesting.  (If you remember, rain barrels used to be the only option.)  In 2013 the city of Seattle created a program called RainWise where large rain barrels (called cisterns) are encouraged to be used for watering your gardens, and/or directing rainwater to the sewer or conveyance channel.  There are REBATES available for homeowners who participate in this program and live within a specific area.  There are some requirements:  a minimum of 400 sf of roof area must be directed to one cistern, you must used a licensed bonded contractor from the list of authorized contractors, etc.  These are easy requirements to fill and I encourage everyone that qualifies for the rebate to participate.   In fact, even if you do not qualify for the rebate you should participate.

My project was always a bit more comprehensive, the big tanks have to be placed under ground and I will have meters to monitor the water useage, etc.  It helps to remind everyone why I am doing this in the first place – because it makes me crazy that we use treated, drinkable water to flush our toilets.  Many of my home projects wind up being more than the initial design….the gutter waterfall has turned into a rockery waterfall/small pond, and I’m thinking about building an ADU (attached dwelling unit) that incorporates the harvesting system.  Hopefully, with the help of the city of Seattle I may be able to start this project up again!

Going Green, Christine       

Creating healthy living choices – My new favorite appliances

Calling these small units appliances may be stretching it but I use them every day and they have changed my health for the better.  Coincidently both were Christmas gifts. The first one was from my dad – a single induction burner with accompanying cookware.  My first reaction was “but dad, I already have a stove, a nice gas one that works really well.”  “Oh but this is different, it is better, I saw it on a commercial” (two for one plus shipping and handling) he said.  Reluctantly I accepted the gift bringing it to my office to experiment cooking at work.   WOW! I am sold!  ’ NuWave Precision Cook Top’ is better than any other cook top I have used.  Plugged into a regular outlet the unit has an internal fan that keeps the fire alarm from going off.  Place your pot or pan on the unit and you can boil water INSTANTLY.  No more waiting for the water to warm up, induction cooking is truly instantaneous and safe.  Once you remove the cookware the cook top stops heating the pan, you can touch the cook top and it is not hot, you will not get burned.  I have known about induction for a while and always regulated this type of cooking to the ‘good for when you get older’ category.  I knew about the safety, however I did not realize how much faster the cooking process is.  Your food starts cooking immediately after turning on the burner.  This cook top came with 2 non stick (safe) frying pans which make washing dishes a joy.  I also received a ‘pot’ that has 3” sides that can cook an entire meal.  While you are cooking your dinner, you can place the steamer unit (same size, also comes with the package) on top of the pot to steam your vegetables.  A single glass lid fits both the pot, the steamer and the large frying pan. I do not need any oil to cook my food, I am eating healthier and washing less dishes.  Plus it uses up to 90% less energy than the typical gas or electrical cook top.  I even have a fondue accessory that fits onto the pot that holds the fondue sticks (also came with the package.)  What a bargain! ($19.95 for everything). 

My second ‘appliance’ was obtained at a Christmas gift exchange from my Aunt Jane.  This small blender/mixer is cute and portable.  But since I didn’t really blend food, it took me a while to appreciate it.  Now I use it every day and it has also changed my health.  With Bella’s Rocket Blender, I can make a single serving (or half single serving) smoothie and guess what?  After blending, turn the cup over, remove (unscrew) the blade and the cup turns into your drinking cup.  There is also a top that you can screw onto the plastic cup if you want to take the juice to go.  So, besides being very small and portable, you do not have to wash a blender AND a cup, it is one and the same! My morning breakfast has changed from a ‘breakfast burrito’ to a very yummy and healthy smoothie created from Vanilla Yogurt, Vanilla Metafuel (Univera meal replacement), 4 oz of Xtra (Univera antioxidant energy product) 3 oz of Aloe Gold (Univera immune system protectant) and 3 oz of water.  When I feel wild and crazy I will add in fresh blueberries (more antioxidants) and/or cocoa nibs (more antioxidants). The last time I went through the drive through at McDonalds the cashier said, ‘where have you been, we miss you!’  ‘Sorry’, I said, 'I am working towards a healthier lifestyle!’ Between daily yoga, a healthy diet, and my life changing supplements, I am going to live forever!’ (I’m going to learn how to fly – FAME!) - I think I just dated myself,

Eating green, Christine

Sustainable Design is Dead - AIA terminates credit requirement

One of the questions I have often been asked by clients, colleagues and other professionals, is ‘how long is this green thing going to last’?  Is it a fad, a movement or is it a real change in our society?

For the past 10 years it has been a growing movement and has influenced our society from organic food to recycled glass counters.  Most manufacturers that have any interest in being in business have re-evaluated their manufacturing processes and carefully calculated the LEED* points that their product qualifies for.  Most manufacturers proudly advertise their level of ‘green.’

I have noticed, however, a split in some of the professionals that work with building products on a daily basis.  There are many architects, interior designers and contractors that have decided that they are not going to participate in the ‘green thing’.  (I am always shocked!!  REALLY?  Not at all???)  I have found that for most, it is a reluctance to learn new values, new design ‘rules.’  And to stereotype, it is the same group of people that say ‘why should I learn Autocad, I’m going to retire soon anyway.’  But, they are not retiring, they are active, working  professionals in our community.

So it is with apprehension that I read the announcement that AIA** has allowed the sustainable design education requirement to sunset at the end of calendar year 2012.  What? AIA is not promoting sustainable design?  This is what they said:

“Recognizing that sustainable design practices have become a mainstream design intention in the architectural community...AIA members will no longer need to complete the sustainable design requirement to fulfill their AIA continuing education.”

I’d like to think that sustainable design practices are main stream, but honestly, how many sustainable homes have you seen built lately?  Don’t they look suspiciously like the homes that were built 10 years ago?  Has the building industry changed? How many compostable toilets have you sold?  Or even HET’s? Do you even know what an HET is?

My point is that although sustainable design is much more frequent and accessible than it has been in the past, it is hardly main stream and the professionals that need this education the most are the ones that have long been out of school, the ones that would be required to take these courses as part of their continuing education.  I vote to keep those requirements.

Trying to Keep Green

Christine

 *LEED : Leadership  in Energy and Environmental design, a green building certification system established in 2000 by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC)

 **AIA: Based in Washington, D.C., the AIA has been the leading professional membership association for licensed architects. emerging professionals, and allied partners since 1857.

To LEED or not to LEED - 2.0

FOR those of you that were around when USGBC had the original LEED* test, you will remember the day that they decided that we had to re-take the test all over (two of them) and sign up for 30 hours of continuing education from the new ‘educational arm’ of USGBC. Oh, and by the way, we were given six months to get on board or get left behind.  We were labeled ‘heritage’ professionals by the internal workings of USGBC, but because of laws that govern accreditations we were still allowed to use our earned LEED AP appellations.

Many LEED AP’s ** chose not to retake all the tests (you would first have to take a test to be called a ‘green associate’, then IF you were part of an existing LEED project you were allowed to take a Specialty test.) Some, like me, were disillusioned by the very apparent economical purpose of this change in the program and chose not to retake the tests.

So, it was with humor that I received an email last week from the Green Building Certification Institute offering ‘FREE’ six hour training webinar that will earn me (apparently no tests involved) a LEED AP Specialty accreditation.  Though later in the document it states ‘complete all six hour-long webinars in the series by Oct 27, 2013…’ and I was unable to determine on the website which 6 hour webinars applied.  Their classes range from $80 to $550 so determining which classes is important. Oh, and by the way you still will need to take 30 hours of continued education every 2 years. It is apparent that USGBC figured out that most of the 155,270 LEED APs were not going to comply with the new system unless they were offered the ‘upgrade’ for free.J

*LEED : Leadership  in Energy and Environmental design, a green building certification system established in 2000 by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC)

**LEED AP: LEED Accredited Professional, a person who has demonstrated knowledge on the LEED green building certification program by passing a test.

Keeping Green

Christine

KBIS goes Green

Straight from Chicago’s KBIS---- This year’s Kitchen and Bath Show featured more Green product than I remember in recent history! MANY manufacturers have realized that not all consumers are made of money and that there is a big market for ‘affordable’ remodeling options.

Kohler came out with a new product called the ‘Hydro Rail shower column’  which looks like a hand shower bar, but is actually a ‘plumbing bar’  that allows you to select any shower head and add it to the top of the bar and any hand shower and add it to the bar, without having to re plumb your shower wall.  In other words, you do not have to remove the old valves and add new valves just because you want to change your shower head and/or want to add a hand shower.

Another super cool solution to the hand shower re plumbing issue is solved by Delta .In2ition features a detachable handshower, which can run separately from or simultaneously with the showerhead.  It comes with its’ own diverter allowing you to select the shower head and hand shower, showerhead only or handshower only. The handshower ‘docks’ inside the shower head and is held in place with magnetic force.  There is a pause function to save water while you are lathering as well as the super impressive stretchable hose!

Finally, another great remodeling product is the new flexible drain pipe from Kohler.  PureFlo features a flexible overflow ell as well as a drain ell for easy installation to fit various bath angles.  In laymens terms, it reduces plumbing costs by not having to move the tub drain.   It offers standard 1 ½” OD flexible tubing and you can choose from a number of tub drains and overflow trims to finish off your remodel!

 Keeping Green,

Christine

The cost of the Cloud

I learned and interesting fact the other day.  10% of all the electricity consumed in the United States is consumed by data centers.* That’s a lot!  If you are like me, you have been using software that you do not purchase and install on your computer, rather you pay a monthly fee and sign onto it through the internet (the cloud), with the software company providing backups of your information at their data center.**  Recently, I have been moving all my working files onto another server ‘on the cloud’.  This way, I can access all of my information from any laptop or telephone in any part of the world, as long as I have internet access.  Besides saving on paper and printing supplies, I no longer have to update/replace my ‘server’ computer or my network software, or the separate back up drive that I have to support my now one person office.  In other words, I am gaining a lot of flexibility and computing power while saving lots of money on hardware and software.  (Dropbox offers 2MG for FREE)*** 

In one of our Green Lunches, I was intrigued by Scott Hammond’s demonstration of a LED dimmer  that did not have to be wired into the wall or use batteries.****  ‘How can that be?’  Kinetic energy.  Simply the energy created by flipping the rocker switch creates enough energy to communicate to the receiver to turn the light on.  ‘Wow,’ how can we harness that kind of energy for other things?

So, what I learned, is that even as we are reducing our energy use via conservation, recycling, and mass transit, we are increasing our energy use through the use of cloud technology.  I also learned that there some ‘old fashioned’ renewable sources of energy that we can explore.  We have delved into wind power, hydro power and solar power, but this is the first I have heard of kinetic energy.  Am I behind the times or are we missing a simple free source of energy?  Now about harnessing gravity......

 Keeping Green,

Christine

My latest obsession with water

I just realized something other people may have already known - that I have an obsession with water.  Years ago I pursued a business where I would visit home owners, do an energy assessment of their home focusing primarily on water usage and show how much water they were using and purchasing.  Then I would show them HET (High efficiency toilets) and faucets that use less gpm (gallons per minute) and give a comparison on how much water (and money) they could save by changing out their fixtures as well as educating them on water saving habits.  I really wanted to change our community, one toilet at a time. 

Then I became obsessed with the use of colored light and music in a showering experience.  (Kohler DTV programs colored lights and showering experiences).  I designed a very unique shower complete with a stone garden wall overlooking a waterproof mural of the Spanish countryside on the walls, stone floor mimicking a terrace, preset with colored lights, body sprays, and music (Battlestar Gallactica) to make the ULTIMATE showering experience. 

In 2010 I started my Rain Water Waterfall / rain water harvesting to be used as toilet water project.  I purchased a couple underground water storage tanks and designed (with help) a system to collect rainwater by punching holes in my gutter creating a waterfall in front of my music room windows.  The rainwater would collect in a ‘pool’ that filtered the water and directed it into storage tanks which were to be piped to my home and pumped up to the plumbing wall of my home.  And I would have clean toilet water that had been recycled from my roof.

My concern with the lack of potable water in most of the world directed me into learning about sustainability and becoming a LEED AP.  My family history of manufacturing medical machines that use electricity on our body engrained in me the basic understanding that our body is made of water…. I have been talking and writing about water for a very long time.

So it should not have been a surprise that my newest venture is to design and build and operate a hydro Spa featuring a sauna room, a steam room, a warm ‘floating’ pool with a 12’ waterfall, complete with soft music & lights, in the building that also houses a Wellness Center and a hot Yoga school.  I am REALLY excited about this venture and look forward to the day that I invite all of you to my grand opening!

Keeping Green,   Christine

Is Sustinable Green Energy the key to our nation's defense?

“The next time we want to go to war, maybe we wouldn’t even need to bomb a country.  We could just, you know, turn off its power.’  Liam O’Murchu, Symantec Security Response

War, civil disobedience, and politics have all been significantly affected by technology.  It seems that the more dependent we are on technology, and/or our grid of energy, the more vulnerable we are.  It also follows that as we get ‘more efficient’ we tend to centralize the power source, build large power plants, etc.  If ‘one’ could stop all communications by taking out cell towers, if ‘one’ could starve a country by stopping transportation, if one could win a war by cutting off all energy….

Our latest snow/ice storm reminded us how dependent we are on electricity for light, heating, and cooking.  Electricity is a big part of our daily existence.  When the grid goes down, we all go down.  (Gas stations closed due to the power outage)

‘Alternative’ energy sources in individual homes or buildings such as solar, rain water harvesting , geo thermal, etc are one way to de-centralize our energy use.  When the grid goes down, we are still functioning, we still have water, electricity, heat and cooling.  After reading the quotation by O’Murchu, I began to wonder if our government had thought about our centralized energy vulnerability.  Probably.  Then I wondered if that vulnerability had been behind our country’s recent Green Energy push.  Probably.   And here I thought that program was to help ‘save the world.’  Oh well!

Keeping Green!

Christine

The Grid and those trying to loosen the stranglehold of government

The Grid – Those trying to loosen the stranglehold of government and Those who never were on the grid

It is interesting to me that with our struggle with energy, (too expensive, pollutes too much, need to lower our needs, etc) our government laws and codes often prevent us from getting off the grid. 

The Bullitt Center being built on Capitol Hill is being hailed as inspiration as it will provide all its own water, process all is own sewage, balance out a net zero on electricity, etc. But as Denis Hayes commented “This building was illegal to build in Seattle three years ago.” He was still trying to persuade health officials to allow the building’s drinking fountains, sinks and showers to use treated rainwater collect on the roof.  The health department wants a level of chlorine that contradicts the Living Building Challenge’s prohibitions on toxins so the center will currently be built with a hook up to city water.  The city granted several code exceptions for this building, specifically height restrictions that prevented the use of higher ceilings to maximize the use of natural light.

THEN there are the monks in Cambodia.  One hour from Cambodia’s capital is a village with eight monks and 10 orphans who have electricity in the first time in their lives – from solar panels.  The solar panels were donated and installed by a NGO (non government organization.) There is a good chance these monks will never be on the grid, and it is increasingly clear that some societies can jump frog the grid entirely as well as jump frog the accompanying government regulations.

Somehow, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Keep Green,  Christine

My Peace - My Space - My Energy Savings

Sometimes you cannot be the person who invents new energy sources or figures out how to take wheat board and make it into edible salad croutons.  Sometimes you are just the person who follows the mandatory recycling/composting rules, watches documentaries on global warming and takes walking vacations in Spain (my father said, you call that a Vacation?)

How can I still make a difference?

My Peace – meditate for inner peace.

My Space– it is suggested that low-tech actions such as weatherizing homes and installing more-efficient water heaters could reduce household carbon emissions by 20% within 10 years.

Appliances – BIG energy savings can come by replacing old appliances with energy efficient EnergyStar appliances. (dishwashers, washers, dryers, refrigerators, etc)

Toilets– need I tell you again? Replace the old water wasters with HET (High Efficiency Toilets) and watch your savings on your utility bill.  Installing a HET can save up to 22,000 gallons of water per year. 

Water Heaters – install more efficient water heaters

Insulate – my home, like many other older home had NO INSULATION in the exterior walls. When remodeling, add insulation and watch your heating bill dwindle.

Windows – replace old windows with the double paned variety, no more drafts!

Plumbing Fixtures– look for the WaterSense label to curb your water usage.

Leaking pipes & faucets– can waste as much as 7 liters a day.

Yard – selecting plants that coordinate with our weather will reduce watering costs

Rainwater harvesting – collecting rainwater, primarily from your roof, can offset your irrigation/yard watering costs.  If you want to go further, you can install a filtration system and plumb the water back into your home to be used to flush your toilets.

New Habits – turn off the water when you are brushing your teeth, take shorter showers, use the dishwasher only when you have a full load, thaw frozen food in the microwave

My Energy Savings – makes me happy and brings me full circle to my inner peace…..I am just ‘me’ and that is okay.

To LEED or Not to LEED

Definition -  LEED:  Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a green building certification system established in 2000 by the United State Green Building Council (USGBC)     LEED AP:  LEED Accredited Professional, a person who has demonstrated knowledge on the LEED green building certification program by passing a test.

In 2008 USGBC decided to SIGNIFICANTLY change the accredited professional program.  They decided that the education and accreditation of individuals would need to be done by a separate company, the Green Building Certificate Institute (GBCI).  GBCI set up a new certification program, first you have to take a test to be a ‘Green Associate.’ Those who pass that test can have the appellation ‘Green Associate’ after their name.  Has anyone heard of a green associate? (Do I want to look like Kermit or do I want to look like a professional?)

After passing the Green Associate test you can take a Specialty test IF and only IF you have documented experience on a project registered or certified for LEED.  Meaning your name has to be on the documents turned into USGBC as being part of the team working on a registered project.  In other words, you have to have worked on a LEED project before testing to be a LEED accredited professional.

My dilemma is that I spent thousands of dollars and many hours taking seminars, buying books and studying to pass the original LEED exam and now I am being told that I have to take the tests (and pay for them) all over again.  Plus, I do not have documented experience on a LEED project, so I am not allowed to take the Specialty test. 

Let’s look at some statistics to reflect on:

*As of 2011 there are 155,270 LEED Accredited Professionals

*As of 2011 there are 8,668 certified LEED projects, in other words there are around18 accredited professionals for each one project.  WHY ARE THERE SO FEW LEED PROJECTS?  Could it be that the weight of the documentation and cost of documentation, commissioning and registration make it prohibitive for most businesses?

*In 2008 those of us ‘heritage’ professionals (those who passed the original test) were told we had 6 months to switch over, take the new tests and commit to the new organization requirements. 

*THREE years later, the requirements for compliance have changed, and the current deadline for compliance is October 27, 2011.

*THREE years later 84% of the LEED APs (original test) have not switched over (129,681 LEED Aps with no specialty of a total of 155,270 accredited professionals.)

I believe in green building, I believe in testing and showing qualifications for accreditation.  I believe in the framework of credits that USGBC has established (and continue to change) for evaluating green building projects.  I do not believe in restricting access to the program to a few ‘CHOSEN’ that work at large architectural firms that work with large businesses or municipalities.  If the majority of businesses cannot afford to participate in the program because of the high cost of registration, commissioning and documentation AND the majority of heritage LEED APs do not qualify to take the specialty test because of the exclusivity of opportunities to work on LEED projects, then WHO is this program FOR?  WHO benefits? And WHO loses?

Water Conservation in the Wet Northwest

As my relatives in Minot North Dakota are being flooded out of their homes, I feel sadly blessed that we have been spared the wrath of natural disasters that have hit the world this year.   Who was it that said, 'take care of nature or nature will take care of you?' Actually, I think it was me.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a fanatic about water conservation.  I hit several brick walls in my efforts to implement conservation programs over a large population base, mainly because the cost of water to us is so low.  We do not have an economic incentive to conserve water.  We conserve water only when/because we want to do the 'right thing.'

Recently I received a couple publications from Seattle Public Utilities that gave me a glimmer of hope.  The first was the Drinking Water Quality Report which reported that our drinking water was very clean, that it costs us LESS than a Penny a Gallon to have water delivered to our taps, and that we have one of the best drinking water systems in the nation.  Quite impressive.  In the very last paragraph, however,  SPU noted that elevated levels of lead and copper are often found in our drinking water due to corroded plumbing systems.  ALERT!  SPU is working hard to get clean water to you, but if you actually want to drink or cook with clean water you need to confirm that you do not have corroded plumbing.  In a city that is mainly compromised of older homes, I would guess that there lots of households that have not replaced the plumbing in their homes.  Health Tip of the Day: When you remodel a kitchen or bath, due yourself a healthy favor and replace as much of the old plumbing that you can afford to.

The second flyer had a section on a new program that was MY IDEA (thank god someone is implementing it!)  Qualified customers in Seattle can get a FREE water-efficient toilet and have it installed by a licensed plumber for FREE if they meet income guidelines.  (My program did not offer the toilet nor the installation for free, so this is actually a better program) Household income for 2 people can be up to $3,273 a month to qualify. PLUS, the picture that is in the flyer is the stylish Kohler Persuade toilet.  I am hoping this is the toilet being given away, but even if not, it indicates that it is probably a Kohler toilet and that is a good thing.  American made, family owned company in Kohler, Wisconsin, Kohler has made an effort to meet and beat the WaterSense guidelines for water conservation and have a large array of HET's available.  HET is tech talk for High Efficiency Toilets.  Who said I wasn't a techy?  Ciao!

Green Talk - Nature's Free Energy

Can I ask a dumb question? Since we are YET AGAIN in an crisis over the cost of ENERGY, both in dollars and in the effect on our environment, (nuclear radiation, oil spills), why are we not maximizing the FREE energy of the sun and rain? 

Yes, I know, solar panels are expensive and rainwater harvesting systems can also be pricey.   Plus, I have been informed that our electrical bills are 'too cheap,' and our water and sewage bills are 'too low' to make it worthwhile to conserve water and electricity.    Correct me if I'm wrong, but haven't we built big damns to generate this cheap energy?  Damns that destroy our wildlife and block salmon and other fish upstream to spawn?  Also, we (taxpayers of King County),  have built a new sewage treatment plant so 'we need to use it' since we have already paid to have it constructed.  That's like saying we 'can't afford' to recycle because we built a new landfill and we have to fill it up. What is wrong with this?Rainwater storage tanks that will be buried

I'd rather invest in solar energy and rainwater harvesting at my home than pay for a bigger sewage plant.  How can a regular home owner afford solar panels and rainwater harvesting systems?  Our government could offer heavy tax credits for the installation of these systems into homes.   The home owner would benefit by receiving an energy harvesting installation (sun and water) along with ETERNAL SAVINGS on utility bills.  Germany does it. That's why Germany is so energy independent.  Why can't we do it?  What, you say? Our government can't afford to give us tax credits?  Then why are we currently giving $35 BILLION in tax breaks to the oil companies?  Just tell me why.  I'd really like to know.

Comments can be posted at /design-inspirations-blog/2011/4/11/green-talk-natures-free-energy.html#comments  

Stormwater - Stormwater is a big polluter in our area.  Stormwater is rain and snow melt that runs off surfaces such as rooftops, paved streets, highways, and parking lots. As water runs off these surfaces, it can pick up pollution such as: oil, fertilizers, pesticides, soil, trash, and animal waste. When stormwater goes into a storm drain, it is not treated. It goes directly into Washington waters. Rainwater harvesting and treatment reduces stormwater pollution.

Cabinetry & Formaldehyde

Did you know that 'regular' cabinetry off gasses urea formaldehyde into your home for up to five years?  And, if you have a done a great job insulating and weather proofing your house, those voc's (volatile organic compounds) don't leave the house, you simply breathe them into your lungs.  This is one example of why EPA has determined that the indoor air quality of our homes is 5 TIMES worse than the exterior air quality. 

The quick solution is to purchase cabinetry that is made with a plywood box.  Careful, there is plywood available that DOES have added urea formaldehyde in it.  Make sure that the plywood that you are paying extra for (and you will be paying an up charge) is formaldehyde free.

There are other options to complicate our decisions:  there is a new particle board (EcoCore) that consists of 100% recycled materials that also contains no urea formaldehyde.  There is also 'Environmentally Preferred Particleboard' which has extremely low amounts of urea formaldehyde.  Or, you can purchase cabinets and allow some time to 'air them out' in an area that circulates air out of the home (open the windows?).  They will still off gas into the years, but the majority of the formaldehyde will be gone.

Many of you may be asking the same question that I asked - why do all these products have urea formaldehyde in them?  And why can't we use 'solid' wood?  The answer is that solid wood reacts to water and moisture in the air which causes warpage.  That is why, if you order a 'slab' style door, it is never 'solid' wood, it is a wood veneer on a substrate that does not warp.  And, that is why cabinet boxes are not made of solid wood, because they would be constantly expanding and contracting and warping.  The materials that do not warp significantly are plywood (many layers of wood) and particle board.  Particle board is made up of many particles that are held together with binding agents.  Most of these binding agents contain urea formaldehyde.  That is why some plywood and most particle board off gas voc's.  Sometimes, by solving one problem, we seem to have created others.

Breathe well & Have a Happy Thanksgiving,

Christine

Is God Green? Is Sustainability the next religion?

As you read this article, I will be in the process of embarking on a religious pilgrimage in northern Spain.  Although I have not been particularly religious in the past, family health issues, my obsession with water conservation and my recent research into frequencies has led me to more questions than answers.  Thus, it was with divine timing that I was made aware of the new book ‘Dark Green Religion: Nature Spirituality and the Planetary Future’ by Bron Raymond Taylor.  As I wait for the delivery of this book (available only on line) I’ve been scouting the reviews:

Taylor ‘clarifies a belief system which many people adhere to, and in doing so provides an ethical framework for making decisions, especially about the environment and about our relationship to it.’  Dark green religion is defined as ‘the belief that nature is sacred, has intrinsic value, and deserves reverent care.’  ‘DGR may be a new phrase, but Taylor shows that it is an ancient force that has been rumbling in the depths of human consciousness for centuries.’  ‘The real possibility of DGR becoming a dominant force of world change is considered in the book’s final pages.’

When I return from my pilgrimage, I will write my own review of this book. Who knows, when I return, I may still be a regular ‘tree hugger’, but I will certainly be an ‘enlightened’ one.

Why radiant heat flooring is the better choice

Why is radiant heating a better choice than forced air?  There are many reasons but the first is that radiant heat does not aggravate allergies.  Forced air systems blow the dust and pollen around so that you can sneeze in all rooms of your home.  Radiant heat is the favorite with those with asthma and those concerned with the indoor air quality.

If you are installing a new radiant heat system, you will be able to select a thermostat that is programmable (turn the heat in the bathroom on at 5:30 am, shut it off at 8:00 am).  That way you only pay for the heat when you need it.  But the best feature of radiant heat has to do with how heated air flows.  Unlike what you may think, radiant heat does not rise evenly over a heated floor. The heat travels sideways until it finds a vertical surface to rise up against - such as your body or a wall.  That means most of the heat supplied in a room will be heating your body as opposed to heating dead space.