The green product resource for your home remodel.

The momentum around eco-friendly EcoTop “paper” countertops continues to build as Klip BioTechnologies is locking up distribution agreements that will take this green countertop product “mainstream”, and make it incredibly easy to obtain for our home projects. 

As many of you know, and write often to us about, it is very difficult to easily buy “green” products for our home remodels.  Thus many of us just purchase what is most easily available from our contractors, Home Depot, or other — at the last minute.  (Come back later this week as we tell of our most recent difficulties trying to obtain UltraTouch insulation from Bonded Logic!)

Today, EcoTop is available to order by directly calling Klip BioTechnologies at 1-253-507-4622 in Washington.  At the moment all homeowners receive factory direct pricing.  Lead-times are running three weeks, for the present earth-tone neutral colors:  Snow White, Ivory, Cashew, Palamino, Pecan, and Jet Black.  Soon EcoTop will be available in a Charcoal, Concrete Grey, Espresso Brown, and Thistle Green.  

Sample Kits can be ordered from EcoTop for $30, and if you decide to purchase EcoTop the $30 will come off the price of your final order.  Klip BioTechnologies did tell GetWithGreen.com that the Sample Kits are on backorder, so contact them now if this is how you are planning on evaluating their product.

Remember that this product differs from Paperstone and other fiber countertop products in that it uses a completely new fiber system, a newly developed resin, and is manufactured with patent pending processes.

Finally, the team over at Finehomebuilding.com is running a great “paper” countertop overview in their most recent edition.  See the article at:  Paper counters look and feel like stone.  (Note: you might need to register to get the article.)

More news out of the K/BIS show in Chicago this week.  GROHE is making a low-flow splash with the announcement of their WaterCare® line of low-flow faucet options. 

The company is introducing more than 60 low-flow faucets and shower products at the show.  Including GROHE WaterCare® kitchen faucets, lavatory faucets and shower products to help us homeowners reduce water consumption by up to 30 percent without sacrificing performance or comfort they say.  Additionally, GROHE has also announced their status as an EPA WaterSense Partner.

Americans use an average of 100 gallons of water each day, enough to fill 1,600 drinking This post continues… �

Just this week Sub-Zero announced their website coverage of design elements for making your kitchen “greener”.  Several weeks ago we stumbled upon this site before it was announced, and wrote about it in our article:  We know you want Sub-Zero, what is their eco-friendly story?  

The details of the Sub-Zero site are below - we think you should take a look!  Their product performance will surprise you in terms of energy efficiency, and make sure you check out our previous Sub-Zero article as we went one step further into Sub-Zero’s Energy Star compliance. 

Microsite Provides Practical Applications to Make Your Kitchen a Fresher, Greener Environment

MADISON, Wis.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Americans are moving toward living greener lives. Eating habits and purchasing choices are changing and evidence now points to consumers seeking ways to create green environments in the home. Sub-Zero and Wolf’s Web sites have long provided tips and expertise in all things relating to refrigeration, cooking and kitchen design; but recently, the companies incorporated another facet to their already robust online tools, the microsite: GrowAGreenKitchen.com.

GrowAGreenKitchen.com was built to provide consumers, builders This post continues… �

Recycled glass tiles are gaining in popularity, and let’s just face it — the unique patterns and colors are beautiful.  We’ve taken some time to compile a list of manufacturers to help you quickly source tiles for your kitchen or bath.  Enjoy! 

Aurora Glass

Aurora Glass Architectural Accents include glass tiles and drawer knobs made from 100% recycled glass. Aurora Glass is a program of St. Vincent de Paul of Lane County, Inc. All profits from sale of Aurora glass support homeless and low-income people through emergency services, housing, jobs, training, and other charitable endeavors in Portland, OR.  Products can be purchased directly on the company’s website. 

Bedrock Industries 

Blazestone® tiles are made by hand from 100% recycled glass, most of which is post-consumer content. They come in all types of shapes an sizes, as well as mosaic pieces. Color varies with the recycled glass materials used, but the company notes that they do not use pigments.  The Bedrock Industries Price List offers pricing details.  Products are shipped in recycled This post continues… �

 2008 is fast approaching, and the team at GetWithGreen.com is stopping now to recognize a few of our favorite eco-friendly home improvement products for 2007.  These products are assembled together under one roof:  GetWithGreen.com’s 10 Best Green Home Remodeling Products for 2007. 

GetWithGreen.com’s 10 Best Green Home Remodeling Products for 2007 consists of manufacturers (or categories) who deliver eco-friendly products, which make our planet a greener place.  These products help us conserve, help us reuse, help us recycle, or help us become less reliant on existing harmful resources.  We also looked heavily at the popularity of these products with you, our readers.     

Let’s give a GetWithGreen.com Thumbs up to our 10 Best Green Home Remodeling Products for 2007:

1)   Cyber-Rain – “The smartest, greenest, and easiest irrigation system on the planet.”

The Cyber-Rain XCI System caused quite a bit of stir at GetWithGreen.com in 2007.  It was one of the most widely read stories, and for good reason.  Resetting the sprinkler timer at every change of season, or for un-seasonal weather changes, just isn’t practical – and we don’t do it!  Instead we just let our sprinklers turn on when it is not necessary, and we waste our most precious resource.  The Cyber-Rain XCI System made it to our list because it automatically adjusts our sprinklers depending on the weather forecast, thus greatly reducing water usage, and associated needless run-off.                                      

2)   EcoTop- The next generation recycled paper and wood composite countertop

Countertops are one of the most popular remodel topics on the web today, so it was only fitting that one material made it into the GetWithGreen.com 10 Best for 2007.  This year we’ve talked about just about every type of alternative to granite, and our top pick for 2007 is the new material called EcoTop.  Following up success at PaperStone, Joel Klippert has another winner here with EcoTop.  We expect big things from his team in 2008 as their color pallet increases, and they go broader in distribution!  Again we expect this one to be a game changer in 2008, and probably This post continues… �

Terrazzo style countertops are eco-friendly greener alternatives for your kitchen or bathroom remodel.  These countertop products are made from recycled components such as glass and porcelain, and held together with special mixtures depending on the manufacturer (usually a resin or a cement).

But how are these countertops actually made?  How are the colors mixed?  How is the glass polished so that it is not sharp?  Here is a fantastic video on the process, and a great overview of these beautiful products. 

Click here to watch the video of Tim Whaley and EnviroGLAS on NBC.

Read more about EnviroGLAS and other manufacturers on GetWithGreen.com…

• Meld USA delivers ecoX concrete to homeowners
• More on EnviroGLAS & IceStone eco-friendly countertops
• A Green alternative to the Granite Countertop

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.

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… This post continues… �

Continuing with our trend of bringing you the most up-to-date information about greener countertop materials, GetWithGreen.com sat down with Joel Klippert to discuss his new company and countertop product - EcoTop!

In the Beginning

Before we get into the details of EcoTop, we need to introduce you to EcoTop creator, Joel Klippert.  While Joel’s product is just now hitting the market, Joel is by far no stranger to eco-friendly countertops.  In 2001 Joel founded KlipTech Composites, Inc., and produced the well know PaperStone countertop product.  At the time Joel wanted a strong, durable product made out of recycled materials.  Being an early innovator in the eco-friendly countertop market, Joel’s team created the best product they could offer at time given that supporting suppliers (e.g. paper, wood, & resin) were less interested in our environment.  Pushing forward, Joel brought PaperStone to market, and since that time it has grown to what we all know it as today. 

In 2007 Joel left the PaperStone team, and went underground founding Klip BioTechnologies, LLC.  Klippert was not sitting idle, instead he was continuing his longtime goal of advancing countertop materials even further.  Joel was set on a mission to create the most durable and color fast countertop material on the market, and one that had mass consumer market appeal.  The product had to appeal to his family, their friends, and the mainstream residential market, or it was not going to be a success in his mind. 

Joel assembled a dream team of inventors and This post continues… �