{"id":2406,"date":"2014-12-15T23:24:16","date_gmt":"2014-12-15T23:24:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/homekraft.com\/?p=2406"},"modified":"2021-12-07T10:40:21","modified_gmt":"2021-12-07T18:40:21","slug":"is-your-home-eco-conscious","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/homekraft.com\/is-your-home-eco-conscious\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Your Home Eco-Conscious?"},"content":{"rendered":"
After assembling a work crew to build an eco-friendly home from the ground up, Amy Holmwood observed that not all of the contractors were green to the core. A company hired to install insulation made of recycled newspaper used a diesel generator to power the equipment instead of a cleaner, greener power source like solar. \u201cThey\u2019d gone into business to provide this green service but they hadn’t thought things through,\u201d says Holmwood, of Bethesda, Md. By contrast, her lawn care service uses electrical equipment charged by a solar panel on the company truck. But what powers the truck? Is it a hybrid? If not, is it fair to call the company\u2019s green cred into question? Or is it good enough to be greener than most?<\/p>\n
When it comes to employing eco-friendly service providers, trust but verify. Find out exactly how green a company really is and how to determine which service is \u2018green enough\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\u201cGreen is the new gray \u2013 we can\u2019t talk in absolutes about what is a perfectly green solution and what is not,\u201d says Dave Feldman, executive director of Bethesda Green, which promotes green business models and sustainable living. However, short of doing complex carbon footprint calculations, consumers can identify greener-than-most service providers by asking the right questions.<\/p>\n
HOUSECLEANERS<\/h2>\n
Toxic or chemical cleaners are the principal concern, so \u201cask for a comprehensive list of the products they use and a list of ingredients for each,\u201d says Laura Klein, editor-in-chief of EcoSalon.com<\/a> and\u00a0OrganicAuthority.com<\/a>. Especially when hiring a small, independently owned service, clients can usually specify which cleaning products to use, including natural agents like vinegar and baking soda, but that doesn\u2019t ensure the company uses them across the board.\u00a0Maid to Clean in Bethesda, Md., only uses \u201cneutral\u201d products like vinegar and water, baking soda, and the brand-name cleaners Bon Ami and Simple Green. The company does not use alcohol-based cleaners, ammonia, bleach or scented products.<\/p>\n
HEPA vacuums catch dust particles and allergens instead of releasing them back into the air.\u00a0Some brand-name products are green in name only. In its Guide to Healthy Cleaning, the Environmental Working Group looks beyond marketing claims and rates more than 2,000 products in a searchable database at www.ewg.org<\/a>. (Of the 29 Simple Green products anaanalyzed, 19 received D\u2019s and F\u2019s, while six earned A\u2019s and B\u2019s.) The online guide includes a label decoder to translate technical terms and ad hype.<\/p>\n
CAR WASHES<\/h2>\n