COUNTERTOPS: Counter Intelligence from Home Improvement Magazine

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Written by GetGreen · Filed Under Countertops · 1 Comment

BOXES: Reused and recycled cardboard must be part of your remodel!

November 28, 2007

cardboard box recycled Your remodel start is looming (and that is a good thing). It is now time for you to move out of the house, and hand your keys over to your Contractor. You start your car to make the trip down to U-Haul for some boxes, because this weekend is the packing weekend. STOP!!

?Each year, over 40 million Americans undertake the rigor of moving, whether across the city, the state or the country. If half of those people reused their moving boxes, either by repacking them, giving them to friends, family or selling them to a company such as EcoBox, no fewer than 200,000 trees and almost 300 million gallons of water could be saved. If only a quarter of them reused their moving boxes, over 100,000 trees and almost 150 million gallons of water could be saved.?

Before you pack, check out EcoBox.

ecobox logo What started as a small venture selling boxes from the trunk of a Buick Riviera, EcoBox has now become a vibrant online storefront, with multiple brink-and-mortar storefronts in Read more

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Written by GetGreen · Filed Under Uncategorized · 13 Comments

HOLIDAY LIGHTS: 100+ Best Places and Best Reasons to Purchase LED Lights

November 23, 2007

holiday LED lights You are in the midst of your remodel, or about to start. The holidays are here. Time to hang the holiday lights. Like the other greener choices you are making, please make a choice to ”GetWithLED’s” for your holiday lights.

To make it easy, GetWithGreen.com has compiled the most comprehensive one-stop shop on the web to cover all of your holiday lighting needs. We have turned over webstones across the internet to bring you:

The most in-depth list of online stores offering LED Christmas Lights.
A comprehensive list of internet articles that offer you all that you will ever want to know about LED Christmas Lights
Answers to 10 Frequently Asked Questions about LED Christmas Lights, including lead content. (some information provided by HolidayLED’s.com - one of the true all-around holiday light sites on the web)

And…remember to turn your holiday lights off when you go to bed!

GETWITHGREEN’S TOP PLACES TO SHOP FOR LED HOLIDAY LIGHTS

(Images: The Home Depot)

GETWITHGREEN’S LIST OF TOP LED CHRISTMAS LIGHT ARTICLES
GetWithGreen.com searched the web and handpicked some favorite stories and articles about holiday lights and LED holiday lights. Check out what we found by clicking on the links below:

WiseGEEK.com: What are LED Christmas lights?
Inhabitat.com: LED Christmas Lights
Gizmodo: The Pros and Cons of LED Christmas Lights
Treehugger: Pine Cone LED Christmas Lights
MeAndMyDrum: LED Christmas lights have a bright future
Ciphers by Ritter: LED Christmas Lights and How to Fix Them
Environmental Defense: Decorate with Energy Saving Christmas Lights
Suite101.com: Save with LED Christmas Lights
Suite 101.com: The Benefits of LED Lighting
Wikipedia: Christmas Lights
About.com - Frugal Living: LED Christmas Lights: Just the Facts
Green Options: LED Christmas Tree Lights (compilation of LED Christmas light lighting posts ? many from HolidayLEDs.com)
AChannel: Converting to LED Christmas Lights (video)
TerraPass: Deck the halls with solar-powered LED Christmas lights (there is a little voting engine on this site and the results read 90%+ consumers are looking for solar powered LED lights ? MANUFACTURERS AND SELLERS TAKE NOTE!!
Hippyshopper: Oliver Heath?s eco friendly LED Christmas Lights (video)
LED Center: LED Christmas Lights from Philips (overview of the actual LED mechanics)
Caroline Bourke: A Guide To The Benefits Of LED Christmas Lights
Erin Covert * Hands On: Why should you switch to LED Christmas Lights (we really like how she extracted the billing data from PG&E)
Residential Landscape Lighting & Design: LED Christmas Light Strings
Instructables.com: USB powered Christmas lights
Christmas Lights and Holiday Lights: Christmas Light Bulbs (history of Christmas lights)
LoveToKnow: Christmas Lights
Lightbulbs.com: Christmas Lights and Holiday Lighting (overview of different types of lights & terminology)
Brite-Lite: LED Holiday Lights (nice overview of holiday light bulbs)

TOP ”10″ QUESTIONS ABOUT LED CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

Why Should I Switch to LED holiday Lights? (from HolidayLED’s.com)

Added safety – Lamps always remain cool to the touch. Because holiday lighting is often used in close proximately to combustible materials (dry evergreen trees) this feature can greatly reduce the risk of holiday fires.
Solid-state reliability. No longer will you have to worry about one lamp ruing your whole string.
Longevity – L.E.D. lamps are rated for up to 200,000 hours of use while standard incandescent lights typically last for only 2,000 hours.
No glass bulbs to break. LED lights are encased in an nearly indestructible epoxy casing.
No filaments to burn out. Unlike incandescent bulbs there is not filament to burn out so they last much longer and won’t be damage or ruined if you drop them or step on them.
Extreme energy efficiency, uses only 10% of the electricity required to power traditional incandescent. For a typical household this will mean a cost savings of $20.00 or more during the standard 30 day holiday season.
Nearly indestructible, solid epoxy lenses. High-quality LED lights can withstand the force of a tractor trailer without breaking.
Rust proof, Zinc-coated lamp contacts. The lamp components will not rust when used outdoors or in moist environments.
Uses standard house current (120 VAC, 60 Hz). No need for an electrician or expensive power converters.
No transformer required. Allows for simple installation and use.

Will LED holiday lights look the same as my standard incandescent lights (from HolidayLED’s.com)

Most people find that the LED lights are more brilliant than their old incandescent lights, but the color and overall appearance is generally very similar to standard incandescent string lights.

Can LED Christmas lights be attached to my old incandescent string lights? (from HolidayLED’s.com)

LED string lights contain a tiny fuse which is built into the string. Because incandescent lights draw so much more power than LED strings it is likely that the incandescent lights will blow the fuse in the LED string. We do not recommend that you use your LED strings with old incandescent strings for this reason.

What are the Top Reasons to go greener with LED Christmas lights (from HolidayLED’s.com)

holiday led lights eco-friendly Save the Earth
LED string lighting uses approximately 90% less energy than standard incandescent string lights. An average sized Christmas tree illuminated with incandescent string lighting for a 30 day period will consumer approximately 75kW of energy. The same tree illuminated with LED string lighting for the same period will use only 7.5kW of energy. This is an energy savings of 68.5 kW of electricity per year for a single Christmas tree. The energy savings even more significant for the many homes who decorate extensively with string lighting.

In addition to the energy savings offered by LED string lighting, the product is also a more earth-friendly because of its long life-cycle. HolidayLEDs LED string lighting will last for 50,000 hours or more. This means that the average household will need to replace and dispose of their Christmas lighting much less often, decreasing waste.

Save Your Family
LED string lighting produces very little heat and remains cool to the touch even after hours of operation. As a result, LED lights are much safer to operate in close proximity to combustible materials such as Christmas trees. This is because LED technology directly creates light simply the movement of electricity through the circuit. Very little heat is produced.

In contrast, an incandescent lamp creates light by moving electricity through a conductive material which creates electrical resistance. The resistance of the conductive material creates heat which in turn produces light. Simply put, an incandescent lamp produces heat and light is merely a by-product of the process.

From 2000 to 2004 the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reported that Christmas trees, both natural and artificial, were the first item ignited in 300 of the reported home fires. These fires cause 14 civilian deaths, 21 injuries, and $16.5 million in property damage. These figures are especially significant when one considers that the average Christmas tree is only illuminated for a maximum period of 30 days each year.

In addition, the NFPA reported that holiday decorative lighting directly caused an additional 170 home structure fires in the same period with various materials being the primary source of ignition. These fires caused an additional 19 civilian injuries and $5.5 million in property damage. The use of LED holiday decorative lighting can greatly reduce the risk of accidental home fires during the holiday season.

Save Your Money
Based on the recent national average cost of electricity, it will cost the average household $9.00 for a 30 day holiday season to illuminate a single Christmas tree with 5 strings of 25 lamp incandescent string lights. In contrast the cost to illuminate the same Christmas tree for the same period of time with LED string lighting would be $.90. This may not seem like a lot of money but the average household typically illuminates more than just a Christmas tree. Many homes will use in excess of 50 strings of lighting during the holiday season. This would increase the cost savings to nearly $90 per season.

Perhaps more importantly is the cost of the lights themselves. Because LED string lighting will last nearly 10 times longer than standard incandescent string lighting, this means the consumer will have to replace Christmas lights much less frequently. At an average cost of $5.99 per 25 lamp string of incandescent string lighting, this would mean that the average household would spend approximately $300 for lighting to last that same period that would cost only $100 if LED string lighting were used.

And for you holiday lighting fanatics out there (you know the ones whose homes single-handedly cause regional blackouts) the costs savings cannot be ignored.

Save Your Sanity
The holiday season should be a time of joy, relaxation, and family gathering. Unfortunately, the tradition of illuminating Christmas trees, homes, and landscaping during the holiday season can be a stressful undertaking. This is because traditional incandescent string lighting is susceptible to failure for any number of reasons.

Unlike incandescent lighting, LED string lighting is very durable and rarely fails. This is because LED lighting is constructed of solid state components which are not easily damaged by external shock. In fact, LED string lamps are encased in a nearly indestructible epoxy shell which has proven to withstand the weight of a tractor-trailer. Incandescent bulbs can be damaged or broken if simply dropped on the ground.

In addition to the near indestructible lamp, HolidayLED.com LED string lights are connected with a firm and durable tangle-resistant wire which will relieve you of the miserable chore of untangling the Christmas lights you retrieved from the attic.

Why are some colors of LEDs more expensive than others? (from HolidayLED’s.com)

The cost of LED string lighting varies from color to color because different semi-conductor materials are used to create the different colors. Some semi-conductor materials cost more than others and the cost to manufacture the product varies depending on the type of semi-conductor used. White LEDs are the most expensive because red, green, and blue are combined together to make a white LED.

green led multi-color led white led christmas light

HolidayLED’s.com Energy Scrooge Calculator (from HolidayLED’s.com)

Standard incandescent holiday lights are inefficient, costly, and bad for the environment. Making the switch to LED Christmas lights will not only save dollars off your holiday utility bill but it will also do more than you think for the environment. HolidayLED’s.com developed the Energy Scrooge? Calculator to help illustrate the impact your choice to switch to LED Christmas lights will have on our environment.

holiday led logo After HolidayLED’s developed this calculator and ran a few tests they actually couldn?t believe the results?they seemed too good to be true. So, they decided to handicap the race a little bit to give incandescent lights a bit of a head start. But it is still no contest.

In case you are interested in checking HolidayLED’s math, here are the assumptions made by the Energy Scrooge? Calculator:

The average cost of electricity is $.11 per kilowatt hour.
An average set of standard incandescent mini-lights consumes .8 watts of electricity per bulb. (*The Energy Scrooge? calculator only compares LEDs to incandescent mini-lights. The numbers are much larger if comparing LEDs with larger C7 or C9 incandescent bulbs.)
HolidayLEDs.com LED Christmas lights consume .072 watts of electricity per bulb.\The average life of a set of incandescent Christmas lights is about 2,000 hours.
The average life of a set of LED Christmas lights will be 25,000 hours. (*Actually our lights are rated for 50,000 hours.)
We did not take into consideration the cost to replace the incandescent lights during the 25,000 hour life of the LEDs. You would have to replace your standard incandescent lights 12 times during the average expected life of a set of LEDs.
We did not consider the cost of incandescent replacement bulbs.
A single mature tree will absorb 13 pounds of carbon dioxide each year.
1.55 pounds of carbon dioxide is created to produce 1 kilowatt hour of electricity.

To try out the Energy Scrooge Calculator, simply add a product to the shopping cart and it will calculate the savings. (*Adding a product to the cart does not require you to login, create an account or in any way obligate you to make a purchase on HolidayLED’s.com.)

Should you recycle your old Christmas lights? Or should you just throw them away?

The answer is YES. Where can you recycle them? GetWithGreen.com suggests contacting your local ACE Hardware, as they are collecting them locally for our community in Northern, CA.

Additionally, we have contacted The Home Depot, and they are going to get back to us on their present program (for example, in Canada they just completed a program for bringing in your old lights and getting a discount on new LED lights).

Finally, while the shipping costs and emissions may be prohibitive to some, the team at HolidayLEDs.com also has a recycling program. Read more about HolidayLEDs.com recycling program.

What is all this talk about a “Timer” for my new LED Christmas lights?

GetWithGreen.com wants to remind us all that holiday lights (no matter what kind) consume energy. Do your part by buying LEDs. At the same time, please only keep them ”On” when necessary. Don’t forget to turn them “Off” when you go to bed.

You can avoid having to remember by simply purchasing an inexpensive timer at your local hardware store (or at one of the online stores we mentioned above). Using a timer, the LED light string plugs into the timer, and the timer plugs into your light socket. You can set the lights to turn “On” at anytime you specify, and turn “Off” around bedtime. Please don’t leave your lights on all night long!

What if I am too tired and filled with turkey to hang and recycle holiday lights this year?

If you just don’t have the energy this holiday season to hang your new LED Christmas lights, and time to dispose properly of your existing energy hog lights, GetWithGreen.com found The Christmas Light Pros.

Do holiday lights contain lead? (from HolidayLED’s.com)

As the holiday season is approaching many people are asking questions about new lead warning labels that are showing up on certain electronic devices including holiday lights. These warning labels can be found on many common household electronic devices and are alarming to people because it is a new label and warns that the product contains lead. With recent recalls of children?s toys manufactured in China which were found to contain lead most consumers have cause to be concerned. However, the new warning label does require some explanation.

The warning labels are the result of lead being added to a list of toxic materials that require disclosure pursuant to California?s Proposition 65. This law requires all products sold in the State of California that contain any amount of a listed toxic material to contain a warming label.

One product that is now required to bear the warning label is holiday lights. Most all Christmas lights contain some amount of lead. In fact, they always have contained some amount of lead but no one was aware of it until California law required its disclosure. The lead in holiday string lights is used as an additive to the Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) wire covering. The lead acts as a heat resistant insulator and also used to help stabilize the coloring of the wire. All PVC contains some sort of metal stabilizer including lead, cadmium or tin. Christmas lights have contained lead since they have used PVC as an insulating coating and pose no danger with normal use. Lead containing PVC is used in many common household applications including the PVC piping used to deliver our drinking water, other electrical cords which are insulated with PVC, and even car keys.

The warning does not mean the lights are not safer for their intended use. In fact, the U.S. government has determined that they are safe when properly used. However, because the lights contain some lead it is wise to follow some simple rules to limit the risk of exposure:

Do not allow children to handle the lights.
Always wash hands thoroughly after handling the lights.
Make sure curious toddlers are kept away from the lights and other items that may contain lead.

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Written by GetGreen · Filed Under Landscaping, Lighting · 7 Comments

KITCHEN & BATH: An eco-friendly detail you probably forgot about

November 21, 2007

You will already be under extreme pressure during your kitchen and or bath remodel to keep the contractors moving. In fact, it is likely that if your contractor is unfamiliar with “greener products” they will route you toward their faithful legacy vendors in the process. If you don’t believe us, wait and see when it comes to kitchen cabinets! Kitchen and bathroom cabinets are one area where standing your ground will take some effort. Taking time to introduce your contractor to your eco-friendly idea of Neil Kelly Cabinets will be an effort (worth it if you are prepared to work a bit more for what you believe in).

Once you’ve locked in your cabinets, GetWithGreen.com wanted to share with you an eco-friendlier supplier of cabinet fixtures and knobs. We met the team from Nature’s Hardware last summer at the West Coast Green show in San Francisco. Owner Lorraine Vitkauskas walked us through her products, and gave us the scoop on her business that has been offering greener products since 2001.

eco-friendly knob eco-friendly knob 2 eco-friendly knob 3 eco-friendly knob 4 eco-friendly knob 5

Nature’s Hardware offers a comprehensive line of handles, knobs, coat hooks, and more. Many of which are made from recycled and or sustainable materials such as glass, metal, and bamboo. The cabinet hardware is nicely categorized on Lorriane’s site, and each product write-up provides a considerable amount of detail. In some cases you might find it a bit difficult to find detailed information about the recycled content of some products, but by simply calling the Nature’s Hardware customer service line they will answer any specific questions you might have. Or, we have compiled the list from their Collection right here at GetWithGreen.com… Read more

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Written by GetGreen · Filed Under Bathrooms, Kitchens · 4 Comments

COUNTERTOPS: Meld USA delivers ecoX concrete to homeowners

November 15, 2007

concrete countertop meld usa Working our way across the country to give you in-depth product information related to eco-friendly countertops and products, today we are stopping outside Raleigh, NC where we sit down with Michael Bustin, co-founder and lead material designer of Meld USA.

Meld USA

Since their inception over seven years ago, Meld USA has been manufacturing pre-cast concrete surfaces, furnishings, fixtures and accessories for high impact living, working and entertaining environments. Michael?s background in designer concrete came as a result of a 16 month stint in the industry marketing and selling artistic concrete products on a national level for a West Coast concrete artisan in the late 90s. With Meld USA, he and his brother, Peter Bustin, set out to deliver premium made-to-order modern concrete products and materials to clients across the nation. Since that time their business has grown, and Meld USA has delivered 35% of their products directly to homeowners and 65% to well known commercial clients such as Safeguard, Cosi, Merck Pharmaceutical, Anthropologie, Northwestern Mutual and many more.

ecox countertop concrete The company?s first concrete product formula was known as extremeconcrete®, an award winning modern concrete material. Extremeconcrete was a proprietary mixture of sand, Portland cement, water, fibers and other modern concrete ingredients. Extremeconcrete began selling in 2002, was nationally trademarked in 2004, and is still available today.

In 2004, a family member, urged the two brothers to take their products one step further in an effort to do more for our environment. Read more

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ROOFING: Leaves beginning to fall, and RainTube picks up top honors!

November 14, 2007

Fall is here and the leaves are starting to fill your gutters, unless you have RainTube that is. We covered this product several months ago, and it remains one of our favorites here at GetWithGreen.com.

This week the RainTube team garnered several awards at the Green Building Industry Awards. Read on below, and make sure you check out RainTube’s product made from 100% recycled materials…

RainTube product recognized for outstanding achievement in environmental sustainability — Wins Four International Green Building Industry Awards.

GLI Systems Inc. of Jacksonville, Oregon, manufacturer of the RainTube Gutter Protection System, has been awarded an unprecedented four 2007 Green Building Pages Benchmark Sustainability Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Environmental and Social Sustainability. The awards were presented at the US Green Building Council ?Build Green Exposition? in Chicago, the world?s largest building products exposition focused on sustainable, eco-friendly building products and methods. RainTube won in four of seven categories including:

The top award ? The Sustainable Product Award ? for the highest overall product sustainability rating,
The Global Climate Change Award,
The End of Product Life Award, and
The Installation, Use and Maintenance Award. Read more

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Written by GetGreen · Filed Under Roofing · 4 Comments

LANDSCAPING: Don’t use chemicals, try this weedblocker!

November 13, 2007

Stop! Don’t spray those chemicals on your yard…year after year! Four years ago we put down a biodegradable weed blocking solution just under the soil of our planters. As a result we have not seen weed for four years. Further, we have not noticed any water runoff as a result either. Check out a more eco-friendly alternative to using chemicals for your backyard or front yard landscaping efforts!

rhimax weedblock eco-friendly alternative chemicals One solution that just gained wider distribution today is EnviroCycle’s Rhimax 100% Organic WeedBlock. Today EnviroCycle and Easy Gardener Products, Inc. have reached an agreement for Rhimax(TM) durable, organic paper to be distributed by Easy Gardener Products under the brands WeedBlock(R) Biodegradable Mulch and LANDMASTER Biodegradable Paper Mulch.

EnviroCycle launched its new paper product, Rhimax(TM), a tough and organic paper in spring 2007. The durable paper is an eco-friendly product and meets all the requirements to be labeled officially “green.” EnviroCycle designed a completely green manufacturing process that begins with 100% post-consumer, organic waste. Through a chemical-free production process, yielding zero environmental discharge, a multi-use, sustainable product is developed. The paper is OMRI Listed(R), meaning certified organic by the Organic Materials Review Institute.

These new Easy Gardener products are perfect for Read more

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Written by GetGreen · Filed Under Landscaping · 2 Comments

HEATING / COOLING: Is it easy to install a programmable thermostat?

November 13, 2007

Do you use a programmable thermostat in your home? Or do you use one of those ancient-looking round thermostats with the little slide lever on the bottom? The kind that you push all the way to the right, or all the way to the left depending on how cold or hot you are. You know, the same kind that you leave in the ”On” position when you drive off to work? If you haven’t done so, please look into a programmable thermostat. Among many other great features, you can schedule when they turn “On” and when they turn “Off”. You can purchase one at your local Home Depot, Ace Hardware, or Lowes for under $25, and they can save you $$ — before or after you remodel.

Programmable thermostats are also easy to install. If you don’t believe us, Ed Begley, Jr. and the Home Depot Eco Option environmental program created this short video to show you how:

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Written by GetGreen · Filed Under Heating / Cooling · 1 Comment

APPLIANCES: Whirlpool Continues Steady Commitment to Energy Efficiency

November 12, 2007

Whirlpool discusses their continued effort toward doing some things better for our environment, and thus allowing us to do something a bit better during our home remodel…

CEO speaks about delivering on environmental promise through innovative approaches to design, manufacturing and product lifecycles at first-ever global forum

BENTON HARBOR, Mich., Nov. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) is the appliance industry’s leader on energy and water efficiency, and consistently demonstrates this commitment through action. This week, Whirlpool is the founding sponsor of the Alliance to Save Energy’s first ever Energy Efficiency Global Forum & Exposition (EE Global), bringing together leaders from the five regions of the world to forge new partnerships and develop strategies on energy efficiency in Washington, D.C.

Jeff M. Fettig, Whirlpool chairman and CEO and the co-chair of the inaugural event, will deliver a keynote address focusing on the Company’s leadership and the importance of energy efficiency in the appliance industry. Others speaking at the forum include the Honorable Samuel Bodman, U.S. Secretary of Energy; James R. Leape, general manager, World Wildlife Fund; James E. Rogers, chairman and CEO, Duke Energy; Colin Dyer, CEO, Jones Lang LaSalle; the Honorable Mark Pryor, U.S. Senate; the Honorable Georgina Kessel, Mexico’s Secretary of Energy.

“We continually strive to understand and manage the environmental effects of our business, not only by creating new and innovative products that consume less energy and water, but also by improving our processes and using materials that minimize the impact on our planet,” said Fettig.

Whirlpool is the only manufacturer of appliances that brings Read more

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Written by GetGreen · Filed Under Appliances · Leave a Comment

ROOFING: Looking for an eco-friendly alternative for a flat roof?

November 11, 2007

Do you have a flat roof, or an area of your roof that is flat? Some of us do, and when you talk to almost any roofer they will give you standard options such as tar and gravel, or large asphalt sheets. Both of which are not good for decreasing urban heat. Well there is an option that is a bit greener. Foam. Yes a foam roof.

Cedric, and his wife Mai, in Redwood Shores, CA, recently installed their foam roof as an alternative to tar and gravel. Using a product from Sierra Spray Foam Roofing the couple simply removed the gravel from their existing room, and applied the foam product from Sierra Spray.

spray foam green roof spray foam green roof alternative
OLD ROOF NEW ROOF

GetWithGreen.com does not know the chemical breakdown (environmental friendliness) of the actual foam contents itself, or its sustainability, but we like the other eco-friendly positives Read more

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