The Green Giants of Wall Street

Big, familiar firms in our corporate landscape are taking surprising steps to help the environment, among other nifty projects.

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A House Made of Straw

A few people in the Washington area have been building things -- walls, homes and even, good heavens, a school --out of straw. Some designers say straw is ideal for "green" building because it recycles farm waste and saves energy by keeping interiors cool.

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Back-to-School with a Recycled Backpack!

Several manufacturers are now making backpacks, satchels, and other bags from recycled materials. There are retread bags, made from old tires and inner tubes. Or, you can try a bag made from recycled soda bottles. Of course, you can always get a recycled luggage tag. For more info check out the ABC News story by clicking the below link.

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Rethinking Flying

Airplanes operate on petroleum fuel, which means they release large amounts of carbon dioxide when they fly. Commercial air travel is currently responsible for a relatively tiny part of the global carbon footprint —just 3.5% of total greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

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Global Survey Shows 'Green' Construction Costs Dramatically Lower Than Believed

This is technically good news..."green" construction actually costs much less than real estate and construction analysts may have initially judged. Apparently costs of green construction were overestimated by 300 percent! Hopefully, now that this information has been clarified more governments and builders will undertake more green construction projects.

Local Government goes Greener

Erie County, New York (population of around 925,000) has passed a law requiring county officials to purchase Energy Star appliances when possible. This is a positive first step by a local government. More local governments need to commit to using more energy efficient appliances and technology. As voters, let's encourage our governments to follow in Erie County's footsteps.

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Green Products are Big for Back to School

Stores are hoping that parents and students will add one more item to this year's back-to-school shopping list: saving the planet.

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The Less It Smells, the More It Costs

Painting may be all about looks, but the price is partly driven by another sense -- smell.

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Evangelicals and Environmentalists Find Common Ground

LONGWOOD, Fla. -- At 8 on a Saturday morning, just as the heat was permeating this sprawling Orlando suburb, Denise Kirsop donned a white plastic moon suit and began sorting through the trash produced by Northland Church.

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Going Green Without Starting From Scratch

Consumer interest in green construction has continued to grow, but few people can afford to build an environmentally friendly house from the ground up. They don't have to, says architect Kelly Lerner, co-author of 'Natural Remodeling for the Not-So-Green House.' To find out more about this design...

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Green Remodeling for your Bathroom

Planning on remodeling your bathroom? Well, give it a green makeover. LoHud.com has some excellent tips on how to make your bathroom at home more green, and, hence, more environmentally friendly. According to Robyn Griggs Lawrence, bathrooms are a great place to start green remodeling because they are small and allow you to do creative things with water. Here are some tips you can use in your new green bathroom:

• Install wheatboard cabinets. Wheat is rapidly renewable. If you insist on a wood cabinet, look for one that has the Forest Stewardship Council Logo certification, which will indicate that it comes from a sustainable forest.
• Use natural flooring products, such as bamboo, cork, or natural linoleum. You may also try recycled glass and porcelain tiles.
• Make sure you use non-toxic paint, with low volatile organic compounds.
• To reduce water usage, try low-flow showerheads, faucets, toilets or aerators.
• You may want to get a countertop made of recycled materials. This is also recommended for tiles.
• Lastly, switch to using compact fluorescent or LED bulbs, rather than incandescent light bulbs.

Using these tips from LoHud.com, will let you live green in your bathroom and allow you to help the environment daily.

Find a Green Realtor for your Green Home

An article on Examiner.com discusses how some real estate agents are undergoing additional real-estate training on how to market green homes. Agents are recognizing that green-conscious home buyers are seeking out homes that have green-friendly touches. Homeowners who are selling their homes, who may be green-conscious, may want to work with a realtor who is knowledgeable about green issues, if they want the green touches made to their home to be highlighted and not just ignored. Some of the things that real estate agents with green knowledge can educate home buyers on are energy efficient appliances, non-toxic paint, green roofing and flooring, green heating and cooling, land lead and radon issues to name a few. If you are seeking a home and trying to live green, it is important to look for green-friendly touches in your future home. Find a real estate agent who understands why living green is important, and let them guide you to the right home.

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Starbucks is Trying to Serve Greener Coffee

Starbucks is trying to go greener, though it's not easy. According to an article on Forbes.com, Starbucks does not calculate its carbon footprint every year and has actually only did it once in 2003. But, Starbucks executives are concerned about reducing their carbon emissions and have tried to conduct progress checks. In 2003, Starbucks released 295,000 tons of carbon, although it left out the 81,000 of carbon used in transporting coffee materials and disposing of solid waste from its figure because it are only concerned with the emissions it can control in its stores and plants. As big as it sounds, that 295,000 is a small carbon foortprint according to the Carbon Footprint Project, which follows 1,000 companies.
Starbucks has promoted going green among its customers in campaigns, such as "Green Umbrellas for a Green Cause" and the Planet Green Game. It plans to begin monitoring some of its equipment later this year, by installing meters on coffee machines, refrigerators, filtration systems, and other equipment. These are steps in the right direction.
As consumers, let's support companies who are making an effort to go green and that make it easier for us to live green.

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