Brilliant recycled glass tile from modwalls

We had the pleasure of meeting with Sarah Graves from modwalls at the West Coast Green show this week.  Modwalls is a a manufacturer of recycled glass tile, located in Scott’s Valley, CA.

modwalls just announced the availability of their Viridian recycled glass mosaic tile modwall glass tile.  The Viridian line is SCS Certified for a minimum of 98% pre-consumer recycled content.  Contents include old windows and windshields.  The Viridian recycled glass tile series comes in two lines: Viridian Pearl & Viridian Industrial.

Viridian Pearl Viridian Pearl Series recycled glass tile consists of 1″ tiles that carry an iridescent sheen.  The display at the show was beautiful.  The tiles are attached to mesh, and carry a price tage of $25.95 sq. ft retail.  The finish on the Pearl line appears to be targeted for walls and backsplashes.  There are eight different colors available today.  It seemed a bit slick for a bathroom floor.  That is where the Industrial line comes in!

Veridian Industrial Like the Pearl Series, the Industrial Series recycled glass tile is made of 1″ tiles attached in a square foot mesh.  These tiles carry the same $25.95 retail price tag.  The difference is that Industrial line have a non-slip matte finish that will work nicely on your remodeled bathroom floor.   The Industrial line also has eight different colors.

For a lot more on recycled glass tile, see our list of 6 other recycled glass tile providers on GetWithGreen.com

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LIVE Textiles covers up your windows with eco-friendly treatments

LIVE Textiles came into existence last year.   At West Coast Green this week, the company is showcasing their collection of beautiful, colorful and original prints on natural, sustainable and certified organic fabrics made from cotton, linen, hemp, and bamboo.  These fabrics are designed for the home interior market for all types of window treatments, pillows, bedding and light upholstery.

The founders of LIVE Textiles are four women with backgrounds in design, art, and biology committed to producing beautiful interior fabrics which are healthy for us homeowners, and the environment.  One of the founders has a degree in Biology and my work for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) doing research on the Columbia River salmon runs, and say it has given her first hand knowledge of how pollutants, chemicals, pesticides and fungicides in run-off and waste-water can impact the quality of our rivers and oceans.  

The fabrics used by LIVE Textiles are grown and processed without pesticides, chlorine bleach or formaldehyde.  They digitally print with water based ink and our printing process does not release any VOC’s, solvents or wastewater according to the company.

LIVE Textiles digitally print with water based ink/dye in the USA. The printing process has minimal wasted ink/dye says LIVE. It has a higher fixation rate, above 90% as compared to traditional printing processes that have a fixation rate of 65-70%. Conventional printing uses carriers to bind the dye to the fabric which then needs to be scoured off along with the 30% excess dye in very contaminated waste water. With digital printing the ink/dye is dried to set the print but does not require curing ovens, scouring solvents or salts, all of which are highly contaminating. Digital printing with water based ink does not have the air emissions related to traditional printing such as solvents, acetic acid from curing ovens, combustible gases or particulate matter , and does not require any waste water release. Since digital printing requires fewer steps and no costly recovery process to clean waste water entering our streams, it has lower power consumption and therefore lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Pricing for the coverings range from $65-165 yard retail.   LIVE Textiles also has a configuration tool on their site where you can build your own fabric color patterns.  It is really nice, and you should check it out!

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Dimmable Flourescent bulbs from Lithonia Lighting and Lighting Concepts

At West Coast Green this week, Light Concepts is showcasing the L7XFD: a dimmable, 6″ fluorescent recessed downlighting fixture. The latest innovation in recessed downlighting offers the energy savings and lamp life of a fluorescent fixture, and delivering that in a dimmable fixture.  We are told this product is now available and retailing for <$100 per can.

According to the company, the L7XF dimmable is compatible with almost any dimmer switch and boasts a wide selection of trims. ENERGY STAR qualified and Title 24 compliant, Lighting Concepts says homeowners can save $100 against its incandescent counterpart, based on operating three hours per day at $0.10 per KwH over the life of the fluorescent versus incandescent bulb.

The company is also showing seven other fixtures for the decorative fluorescent market will also be present at West Coast Green, including award-winning Elliptis and Izoro—winners of the ALA Lighting for Tomorrow award in 2007 and 2008, respectively.  The products can be purchased on their website.

The company offers quite a bit of information on their site about how to work with the color of fluorescent lights. 

Lithonia Lighting: an Acuity Brands Company (NYSE: AYI), is North America’s largest manufacturer of lighting equipment for commercial, industrial, outdoor and residential applications. Acuity Brands, Inc. owns and operates Acuity Brands Lighting. With fiscal year 2007 net sales of approximately $2.0 billion, Acuity Brands Lighting is one of the world’s leading providers of lighting fixtures and related services and includes brands such as Lithonia Lighting®, Holophane®, Peerless®, Mark Architectural Lighting®, Hydrel®, American Electric Lighting®, Gotham®, Carandini®, SpecLight®, MetalOptics®, Antique Street Lamps™, and Synergy Lighting Controls®.