Computation doesn’t come naturally to me. Nor does basic physics. Yes, that’s right, I’m not a math or science person (although eons ago I did manage to successfully complete advanced calculus). But in order to do my job well, which includes tracking and analyzing household energy use to determine the impact of home performance upgrades,… continue reading ->
The Green Home Guide, published by the US Green Building Council, is an amazing resource for anyone undertaking a green home improvement project–whether the project is big or small, whether it’s DIY or through a contractor. I particularly like their articles, which are extremely informative and accessible.
Terrene sells sustainable building supplies at its showrooms in Newton and Braintree. Their selection of green products includes carpet, flooring, cabinetry, window treatments and paint. My experience with Terrene has only been positive: I have found their products to be extremely high quality and their green credentials to be impeccable. The staff is also extremely helpful.
Green Depot in Stoneham sells sustainable building supplies. Although their store is oriented towards contractors, I highly recommend that anyone interested in doing green home improvement check out their selection of products.
Freecycle is an excellent resource if you’re looking to reduce your waste. Freecycle, which is a grassroots, online movement, is dedicated to keeping good stuff out of landfills. Freecycle networks exist in a number of MA towns and cities. Members give and get stuff from each other for free by posting items online. Each network is moderated by a local volunteer and membership is free.
Energy Federation Incorporated is a MA-based non-profit that provides products and services to help people conserve energy and water. EFI’s online store sells energy efficient lighting, low-flow shower-heads, and other conservation-related products directly to consumers. Many products that EFI sells, like dimmable CFLs, are hard to find at retail stores.
The Boston Building Resources is a nonprofit dedicated to reusing good-quality used and surplus building materials. They accept donations of everything from used sinks and cabinetry to surplus lumber, and they resell them to the public at low prices. If you are undertaking a home improvement project, check with the resource center before you throw your old stuff away.
Recycling is great. But reusing is better. Lots of stuff that we throw in the recycling bin everyday could be reused first, then recycled. Think about all the paper that comes home from school–the worksheets, the classroom newsletters, the scribbled masterpieces. If the paper is blank on the back, turn it into scrap paper and recycle it only after it’s been written on both sides. The list goes on: Yogurt cups make great paint cups, mustard jars are great for salad dressing, egg cartons are great for starting seedlings. Remember: reduce first, then recycle.
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If you’re like most committed recyclers, you know what to do with your run-of-the-mill recyclables, like plastic containers, glass jars and junk mail. But what about electronics, plastic bags, and old carpeting? These are some of the many materials that are recyclable in theory but hard to recycle in practice. If your local recycling center doesn’t take your hard-to-recycle item or can’t direct you to someplace that will, check out Earth911′s recycling center database. You can search by material and zipcode.
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