TIPS FOR WINTER

Tips for a Green and Warm Winter Home

  by Chris Keenan
The winter months are on their way, and with the current climate changes taking place around the world, it seems more areas are susceptible to extreme winter weather. Heating one’s home makes up a large percentage of the average family’s utility bills, with gas prices skyrocketing through the roof. The good news is there are ways to stay warm while conserving energy, while saving money in the process.
Draft-Proof Your Home
The first and foremost way to keep the warm air inside and the cold air out this winter is by draft-proofing your home. This means sealing up any leaks you may have in your home. Properly insulating your windows, doors, plumbing and wiring holes and fireplace dampers is simple and doesn’t take much time at all. All you need is a tube of exterior silicone caulk or some insulation strips. For the space between your doors and the floor, an inexpensive door sweep on the bottom of the door should be sufficient.
One major problem area in almost every home is the garage – it’s virtually impossible to keep it warm. Don’t let that deter you from insulating the windows and garage doors, especially if your garage is someplace subjected to people going in and out of often. The number one way to keep cold air out of the garage – and your house – is by keeping your garage door shut. Remember, the point of having a heater is to warm the inside of your house up- so quit letting all the warm air out!
Install Storm Windows
Storm windows can cut the heat loss in your home by 25 percent to 50 percent. Installing storm windows (or clear plastic barriers) on your windows creates dead-air space inside the window, providing great insulation for your home. Installing storm windows on the outside can increase the inside temperature by 30 degrees during the winter, which is definitely a great way to keep the inside of your home more comfortable.
Use Your Fireplace Wisely
Although fireplaces seem like a natural way to heat up your home and hearth without using your heater, the truth is most people end up losing the majority of warm air – or 90 percent of the fire’s energy – through the open flue when using their fireplace. That’s a lot to loss! Fireplaces are practically useless as heating devices, but if you really want to use yours, turn your thermostat down first so your heating system won’t keep attempting to replace the warm air lost through the chimney. A roaring fire in the fireplace can keep you warm – if you’re huddled right in front of it. Unless you are planning a get-together around your fireplace, the best option is to just not use it too often.
There are many other ways to conserve energy and save on your utility bills this winter. If you do your research on tips for saving money and energy during the Winter months, you will do fine. Remember, the best way to keep yourself warm is to layer on the clothe – snuggle up under a blanket in your warmest sweater, and enjoy a mug of hot cocoa! Layering yourself with warm clothing and drinking hot beverages will keep you warm from the inside out.

What is ECO FRIENDLY flooring?????

We hear a lot of buzz today about sustainability and eco-friendly products, but what does it really mean? To take an in-depth look at “green”, there are a lot of factors to consider, from impact on the global environment to the potential effect on you and your family. We also have to delve further than the immediate answers, into the future impact of harvesting and utilizing resources.

Logging Practices

Wood of any kind is a sustainable resource, due to durability and the ability to replace what was used. In fact, using a one-to-one comparison, a good quality hardwood floor can easily last for a hundred years or more, the time it takes to re-establish the same old-growth resource ready for harvest. The problem lies not in using wood for flooring, but in irresponsible management of forests…the triumph of greed over common good. Poor environmental planning in the past has led us to the brink of crisis. Ecosystems depend on trees, and deforestation threatens some of the most delicate and vital ecosystems on the earth, like the rainforests that produce an estimated 40% of the oxygen we breathe and provide homes for thousands of species.
Today, legitimate logging operations have embraced the environmental issues and are using responsible practices to maintain healthy forested areas with diverse growth capable of sustaining the ecosystem, but illegal deforestation is still commonly practiced in many countries. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) estimates that 50% of imported U.S. hardwood originates from illegal – and environmentally devastating – logging practices. This wood is cut in one country, often the tropics, Africa, Russia, or Southeast Asia and exported to another, often China, to be processed before import to the U.S.
Recently, the Lacey Act was amended making it illegal to import, sell and purchase illegally sourced timber and wood products, including wood flooring.

Carbon Footprint

The phrase “carbon footprint” in general refers to the amount of carbon dioxide that’s released into the air during harvesting, processing, transport, and utilization of a resource. To measure the total carbon footprint of wood flooring, you have to follow the process from the cutting of the tree to the installation on your floor…and potentially beyond, if formaldehyde is used in the processing. Even some of the most environmentally sound and sustainable types of flooring can generate a significant carbon footprint due to transportation issues, since much of the flooring in use in the United States is shipped from China.

Global Warming Gases

The most significant thing to consider from both a global and a personal perspective are the emission of greenhouse gases. Some floor products contain chemicals that are dangerous to the environment and potentially dangerous to your family. Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are chemical compounds commonly found in flooring materials, adhesives and finishes. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that the air inside homes typically contains up to 5 times more VOCs than the air outside.
Some VOCs are suspected or confirmed carcinogens and have been proven to cause allergic reactions or respiratory complications. Symptoms of exposure include irritation of eyes, nose and throat, headaches, nausea, allergic skin reaction, fatigue, dizziness, and loss of coordination. Serious reactions can include damage to the liver, kidneys, and the central nervous system.
If you’re having a new floor installed, ask about the products and request those with the least VOCs, then make sure your house is well ventilated during and for a few days after the installation, just to be sure. Children are most vulnerable, so if your child complains of headaches or shows any other kind of reaction, consider staying elsewhere until the installation is complete and the house is aired out.

Green Choices

Sustainability is an important factor in green flooring. Choices such as bamboo and cork are beautiful, durable, and easily replenished.
Bamboo is a fast growing member of the grass family that replenishes itself from the roots and is ready to harvest in just five to seven years. It produces beautiful flooring with the natural look and durability of hardwood, versatility of installation, and a rich variety of grains and color choices to suit any design aesthetic. Bamboo grows almost anywhere and is unrivalled in oxygen production, producing almost 30% more oxygen than a comparable hardwood forest area.
Cork is harvested from the bark of cork oaks, and harvesting does not harm the tree – in fact, replacement of the removed bark begins immediately and continues for nine years until it’s ready to be harvested again. Cork is harvested without the use of polluting machinery, and most cork flooring is already recycled from used wine corks. For a truly green choice, look for cork flooring manufactured without VOC-producing chemicals.
Reclaimed wood is also a viable green option. Old buildings or homes that are being torn down often have gorgeous hardwood floors or siding that can be rescued and restored for new and environmentally responsible use. A little elbow grease and polish is often all it takes to refinish an old wood floor to its original glory.
Laminate flooring can also be a greener option. Rather than harvesting slow growing or rain forest species, laminate flooring is created with a photograph of these species and produced with a core of wood generally harvested from managed forests. To ensure an even greener profile for your laminate floor check that the core material is harvested from forests managed according to FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) Standards. The manufacturer or retail salesperson should be able to provide information on whether your wood flooring product is FSC compliant.
Another sound eco-friendly choice is porcelain tile. Manufactured of recycled materials, porcelain tiles can be made using a combination of glass, stone, and even plastic. Tile manufacturers grind their own industrial waste and waste from other local manufacturers to refine the powder used to cast the porcelain. Choose VOC-free adhesives to ensure your family better, more breathable air.

Your Impact on the Environment

The good news is that consumers have the ability to impact the market and positively influence the environment by simply choosing flooring and flooring products made from sustainable and environmentally friendly materials. Consumers drive the market, and you can use your dollars responsibly to cast a vote for a better environment for your family and for the earth.

AND REMEMBER GUYS AND GALS PLEASE TURN OFF LIGHTS IN ROOMS THAT ARE NOT BEING USED!!!!

THE Appliance of Green Science

You don’t have to just watch information about being eco-friendly, in the developing green world the very appliances you get your TV fix from can be green themselves.
For every appliance you currently have in home, there is a green counter-part out there somewhere. Everything from televisions, through fridges and microwaves, to computers can be given a green stamp of approval thanks to great initiative eco inventor. It is now more possible than ever to enjoy and profit from the technological age without hurting the environment.
The majority of green appliances work on the basis that they consume far less power than their standard rivals. With a basic appliance, up to 50% of the power available can be being used even if the appliance itself is turned off or on the dreaded stand-by. Green appliances are designed to counteract this, some reducing their energy consumption – when compared to non-eco items – by up to 60%. The less power used, the less of a strain on the planet’s resources, and this can only be a good thing.
There is even the option to eliminate your reliance on electricity and energy totally by replacing certain items for those that use an entirely different source of energy. There is now a multitude of solar-power and wind-up electronics available, from torches to radios, and even mobile phone charges. At present there is no way of fully running a major domestic appliance from solar or wind up energy, but considering the huge leaps in innovation from green inventors in recent years, it is surely only a matter of time.
Becoming eco-friendly can sometimes to be kind to the environment but not to your wallet. Although it’s easy to understand why people may assume purchasing green-specific electronics would be more expensive, this isn’t actually the case. Most appliances are the same price and provide the same features with only a small difference in price. However, this can be saved on your energy bills as you will be using less power in the long run thanks to the unique design of green electronics, so you will actually save more in the long run. Helping you to save the world and to save a few pounds into the bargain.

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER!!! Read some coollllllllll ideas to make your summer a Green one!

1.. Steppin' light
Find local activities with low environmental impacts like a trip to the local park, woods, zoo, ballgame, or beach with friends to relax. Time spent with friends and family can be a great way to catch up and have fun. Picking up that new book you've been meaning to read while lounging on the deck is another great way to pass the time and leave a smaller footprint behind. The Deathly Hallows ought to keep you busy for a little while. Once you've gotten out of the city, check out our guide on How to Green Your Outdoor Sports.
2. Cool and easy
Air conditioning can offer much-needed respite from the heat and can make sweaty nights bearable, but be sensitive to overuse. Turning up the thermostat a few degrees on your AC is a great way to save tons of cash while making the planet a cooler place at the same time.
3. Up in your grill
Love to BBQ? Propane burns much cleaner than either wood or charcoal briquettes. If you can't resist charcoal, try a natural product like those produced by Cowboy Charcoal--much cleaner than your traditional briquettes. Of course, when you're done grilling, use natural cleaning products such as SoyClean organic grill cleaner to keep your summer as chemical-free as possible. Tests show it's just as tough on grime as traditional cleaners, but won't leave that chemical residue behind to leach into your next burger or grilled tomato. Plus, if you want to give your neighbors something to gossip about, try a solar over from a company like Solar Cookers International. How to Green Your Meals has some tasty advise, as well.
4. The local roundup
Buy food locally. Farmers markets are great places to shop, and ensure that the veggies you're eating hot off the grill or mixed in a salad haven't traveled thousands of miles just to reach your plate. That cuts down on the use of fossil fuels, which leads to significantly reduced levels of pollution and resource depletion over your typical tomato bought at the local supermarket. Websites like Local Harvest can help you find one in your area, even if you've never seen one in your life.
5. The green plate special
Use reusable dishes rather than plastics or Styrofoam. If you absolutely must use disposables, make sure to pick up compostable varieties beforehand to put in the compost bin when you're through. For more, check out Where to Get This Stuff below.
6. Greenie bikini
You don't have to go so far as wearing a biodegradable or solar bikini to make your summer accoutrements more sustainable. Look for eco-friendly products like clothing, swimsuits, sandals, towels, and skin care. Each of them is a step in the right direction, and you might just fall in love with a product or style you never knew existed. Lots more to learn at How to Green Your Wardrobe.
7. Charge!
Pick up a solar backpack or device like the Freeloader or the Solio to take with you on day trips. That way, whether you're at the beach or on the go you'll be able to run and recharge a wide range of portable devices on solar energy. Save a buck by cutting out the electric company and giving your rechargeables the solar power they deserve. More green power tips and a roundup of solar chargers and other products can be found here.
8. No poison, please
Remember those carefree days of running alongside the DDT truck as it sprayed the happy townspeople and iced all the bugs? Well, we're a little smarter now, so use products like garlic barrier to ward off mosquitoes. Traditional products certainly do the job, but they can end up turning your backyard into a deathtrap for every other kind of living thing that drops by for a visit. That means birds, butterflies, ladybugs, and even the family dog gets an unhealthy dose. Not to mention yourself, the kids, the neighbors' kids, and even your bratty nephew who lives down the block. Make sure to apply it when you think it won't rain for several days, and the garlic alternative should treat you right. Planting rosemary is a natural and low-tech way to block skeeters. Then there are always the big guns like the Mosquito Magnet.
9. Wet and wise
Water usage levels are a big deal throughout much of the U.S. and the summer drought season can really make things tough. Be certain to watch what you use, water plants only when necessary, and take a few minutes to install a low-flow showerhead. They're simple steps that can make a big difference. For more, check out How to Green Your Water.
10. The greener road
Have to travel long distances to arrive at your dream destination this summer? Consider making it by road or rail rather than by plane, but be sure to offset your carbon emissions no matter what mode of transportation you choose. Companies and non-profit groups like Terrapass, Climate Care, MyClimate, Native Energy, and American Forests all offer ways to offset the damage done when you pick up and travel to places unknown. How to Green Your Carbon Offsets is a great launch pad.

Getting familar with Green Products- Check out Nurazzo's Green story !

Made Green in the USA
The Green Solution There's no question about it: Building green boosts your bottom line. That's why high-performance terrazzo tile from Nurazzo® are the best solution for your commercial flooring needs. Our Marble Line is manufactured using natural marble chips from local quarries.. Our Crystal Collection uses 70% post-consumer recycled glass from regional recycling centers. Our Recycled Marble Collection is created using 100% post-industrial recycled marble aggregates. Installing Nurazzo® flooring can contribute to the points needed for LEED certification -- the recognized standard for measuring building sustainability. When you choose Nurazzo® terrazzo tile, you're demonstrating to your customers and the world that your building project is truly "made green in the USA." The Facts About Nurazzo® and LEED Certification Choosing Nurazzo terrazzo tile can help your project qualify for LEED Certification: Nurazzo® terrazzo tile is guaranteed durable for 20 years. Our terrazzo flooring provides significant savings over traditional flooring products. Our Crystal Collection uses 70% post-consumer recycled glass from regional recycling centers. Ref. LEED Materials and Resources 3.1 and 3.2 Materials Reuse - 5% and 10% (1-2 points) "Reuse building materials and products to reduce demand for virgin materials and to reduce waste. "Use salvaged, refurbished or reused materials such that the sum of these materials constitutes at least 5% (or 10%), based on cost, of the total value of materials on the project". LEED Materials and Resources 4.1 and 4.2 Recycled Content - 10% and 20% (1-2 points). "Increase demand for building products that have incorporated recycled content material, thereby reducing the impacts resulting from extraction and processing of virgin materials". LEED Innovation in Design 1.1 to 1.4 (1-4 points) "for exceptional performance above the requirements set by the LEED for New Construction Green Building Rating System and/or innovative performance in Green Building categories notspecifically addressed by the LEED for New Construction Green Building Rating System". Our Recycled Marble Collection is created using 100% post-industrial recycled marble aggregates yielding a 70% recycled product. Use of our Recycled Marble Collection contributes towards LEED project points. We recycle all water used in our state-of-the-art factory. Ref. LEED 3.1 and 3.2 Water Efficiency "Maximize water efficiency within buildings to reduce the burden on municipal water supply and wastewater systems. Employ strategies that in aggregate use 20 (or 30%) less water than the water use baseline calculated for the building" (1-2 points)". We use regional materials. Our marble is locally quarried, and the recycled glass used in our Crystal Collection comes from local recycling centers. Ref. LEED Materials and Resources 5.1 and 5.2 Regional Materials. (1-2 points) "Use building materials or products that have been extracted, harvested or recovered, as well as manufactured, within 500 miles of the project site." We recycle the waste material from our manufacturing process by grinding and reusing it. Ref. LEED Materials and Resources 2.1 and 2.2 (1-2 points) "Divert construction and demolition debris from disposal in landfills and incinerators. Redirect recyclable recovered resources back to the manufacturing process. Recycle and/or salvage at least 50% (or 75%) of non-hazardous construction and demolition debris." For more information about getting LEED certification for your building project, visit the Building Green section of the NRDC website.
Copyright © by Nurazzo®. All rights reserved. 1-888-NURAZZO (687-2996)

REMINDER TO ALL WE ARE NOW RECYCLING PAPER, CANS, AND BOTTLES IN BINS...KEEP UP WITH THE GOOD WORK! PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO READ WHAT RECYCLING YOUR CANS COULD MEAN.

Aluminum Recycling Facts

	A used aluminum can is recycled and back on the grocery shelf as a new can, in as little as 60 days. That's closed loop recycling at its finest!
	Used aluminum beverage cans are the most recycled item in the U.S., but other types of aluminum, such as siding, gutters, car components, storm window frames, and lawn furniture can also be recycled.
	Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV for three hours -- or the equivalent of a half a gallon of gasoline.
	More aluminum goes into beverage cans than any other product.
	Because so many of them are recycled, aluminum cans account for less than 1% of the total U.S. waste stream, according to EPA estimates.
	An aluminum can that is thrown away will still be a can 500 years from now!
	There is no limit to the amount of times an aluminum can be recycled.
	We use over 80,000,000,000 aluminum soda cans every year.
	At one time, aluminum was more valuable than gold!
	A 60-watt light bulb can be run for over a day on the amount of energy saved by recycling 1 pound of steel. In one year in the United States, the recycling of steel saves enough energy to heat and light 18,000,000 homes!

Rapidly Renewable Materials (LEED MR Credit 6): What are they?

As a Flooring Contractor we only deal with a few credits in the LEED rating systyem, in the next few weeks I will be focusing on each one . The first one we are going to look at is.........

Rapidly renewable materials are natural, non-petroleum-based building materials (petroleum based materials are non-renewable) that have harvest cycles under 10 years. Such materials include bamboo, straw, cork, natural linoleum products (such as Marmoleum), wool, wheatboard, strawboard, etc. In the LEED green building rating system, LEED MR Credit 6.0 states that rapidly renewable materials must be equal to no less than 2.5% of the cost of a building project in terms of value. Additional LEED MR Credits may be earned for using specific percentages of recycled content, regional materials or a combination.

Some green building materials products are comprised of a composite of rapidly renewable materials and recycled content such as newsprint, cotton, soy-based materials, seed husks, etc. Environ Biocomposites creates a line of rapidly renewable composite materials for various LEED Materials and Resources credits including: LEED MR Credit 4.1, LEED MR Credit 4.2, LEED MR Credit 5.1, LEED MR Credit 5.2 and LEED MR Credit 6.0.

Getting Familiar with Cradle to Cradle design in the flooring world

The Cradle to Cradle Certification evaluates and improves products by thoroughly assessing and optimizing materials and production processes. Certification means a healthy, safe, effective and quality product that is recyclable again and again.
As a non-consensus standard, Cradle to Cradle was not created by the carpet industry or any other specialty group. Founded and administrated by MBDC, Cradle to Cradle is an independent, multi-attribute product certification based on the Cradle to Cradle design protocol, a scientifically based, peer-reviewed process used to assess and optimize products and processes to maximize health, safety, effectiveness, and high quality reutilization over many product life cycles.
Cradle to Cradle is open to a wide variety of products – not just carpet – which allows for stringent criteria during the evaluation process that does not focus on one industry in particular.
The categories used to evaluate products include:

• Environmentally Safe and Healthy Materials
• Efficient Use of Water and Maximum Water Quality
• Use of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
• Instituting Strategies for Social Responsibilities

McDonough + Partners: Cradle to Cradle

What is LEED anyway????

Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) is an internationally recognized green building certification system, providing third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies intended to improve performance in metrics such as energy savings, water efficiency, CO₂ emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.

LEED has evolved since its original inception in 1998 to more accurately represent and incorporate emerging green building technologies. LEED NCv1.0 was a pilot version. These projects helped inform the USGBC of the requirements for such a rating system, and this knowledge was incorporated into LEED NCv2.0. LEED NCv2.2 was released in 2005, and v3 in 2009. Today, LEED consists of a suite of nine rating systems for the design, construction and operation of buildings, homes and neighborhoods. Five overarching categories correspond to the specialties available under the LEED Accredited Professional program. That suite currently consists of:
Green Building Design & Construction

• LEED for New Construction
• LEED for Core & Shell
• LEED for Schools
• LEED for Retail: New Construction and Major Renovations
• LEED for Healthcare

Green Interior Design & Construction

• LEED for Commercial Interiors
• LEED for Retail: Commercial Interiors

Green Building Operations & Maintenance

• LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance

Green Neighborhood Development

• LEED for Neighborhood Development

Green Home Design and Construction

• LEED for Homes

LEED also forms the basis for other sustainability rating systems such as the Environmental Protection Agency's Labs21.
After four years of development, aligning credits across all LEED rating systems and weighting credits based on environmental priority, USGBC launched LEED v3,^[5] which consists of a new continuous development process, a new version of LEED Online, a revised third-party certification program and a new suite of rating systems known as LEED 2009. In response to concerns that LEED's requirements are cumbersome and difficult to learn, in 2009 USGBC supported the development by BuildingGreen, LLC of LEEDuser, a third-party resource that contains tips and guidance, written by professionals in the field, on applying LEED credits and the LEED certification process.

Remember Guys and Girls we are recycling single stream now ( bottles, cans, paper) in recycling containers so please get in the habbit!

Green Fact #1:
If the entire population of the United States washed their clothes exclusively with cold water (instead of hot), we would save $3 billion in energy costs annually and cut national CO2 emissions by over a full percent!

Another great marketing tool to show customers ! Share with theme our involvement in the project

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekimUpPXms0

Check out this article on Stoddert School

http://inews6.americanobserver.net/articles/stoddert-elementary-leeds-way-green-design
Job completed by our affilate company Allstate Floors of  DC
A great article to share with clients to show we know LEED!

Welcome to our new Blog

Hello Allstate Floors employee's ! We are kicking off a campain here to create a greener work place . What does that mean for you???? Here is what we have in mind

* Start a recycling program here Single stream ( paper, bottles, cans)
* Awareness of energy consumption ( turning off lights in unused areas)
* Starting  in the process of deveirting our construction waste to landfill

We belive these few small things can start us on a path to being a Greener bussiness and hopefully impower you to practice these principle at home and in the world!

So as a way to create a fun approch to sending green info and hearing feed back I set up this Blog. I will be posting different things weekly to check out on all different things related to being GREEN!