{"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

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With car washes, use of chemicals is a secondary concern, behind water consumption. A company truly committed to \u201cgreen washing\u201d \u2013 in the positive sense \u2013 will reclaim and reuse water; collect roof rainwater and invest in an ample water reclaim system for recycling carwash wastewater, says John O\u2019Connell, manager, Go Green Car Wash, Olympia, Wash.<\/p>\n

According to O\u2019Connell, the majority of carwashes are equipped with a 3,000-gallon reclaim system or smaller, which can\u2019t keep up with water demands on busy days. For high-traffic carwashes, a reclaim system of at least 12,000 gallons is needed to give solids time to settle before the water recirculates, he says.
\nGenerally speaking, older carwashes \u201chave inferior equipment,\u201d O\u2019Connell says, so to satisfy cleanliness expectations \u201cthey have to use stronger chemicals.\u201d
\nMoreover, \u201cIf you visit a wash that has older equipment and isn\u2019t computer-controlled, each\u00a0vehicle gets chemicals for a 30-foot vehicle whereas at a modern wash each vehicle is scanned at entry\u201d and chemical and water use adjusts accordingly, he adds.
\nTouchless carwashes \u201care not eco-friendly due to the fact that you have no brush or agitation, so these washes use chemicals that are four times stronger than a tunnel type of wash\u201d and cannot reclaim used water, O\u2019Connell says.<\/p>\n

Beware of carwashes that try to sell squirt-on extras like rain shields and wax conditioners. \u201cIf you really want to be green, just purchase Rain X at an auto store and apply it to your windows \u2013 no need to apply it to the whole vehicle,\u201d O\u2019Connell says. And \u201call newer vehicles have a factory clear coat and do not benefit from water-based wax or conditioner add-ons.\u201d<\/p>\n

LANDSCAPING SERVICES<\/h2>\n

Eco-friendly lawn services can be tough to identify because so many conventional companies incorporate the word \u201cgreen\u201d in their name and marketing as a reference to grass, not environmental practices. And when choosing a service, a host of environmental concerns are at stake, from chemical applications (fertilizers, herbicides,\u00a0pesticides) to small-engine emissions.\u00a0In just one hour of use, a gas lawnmower emits the same volume of pollutants as 40 cars, says A.I.R. Lawn Care owner Zack Kline, citing EPA data.\u00a0His Bethesda-based company uses STIHL and Mean Green electric lawn care equipment and a solar-powered charging unit to reduce noise and air pollution.<\/p>\n

Along with emissions, conventional lawn care creates waste including 300 pounds of clippings annually for a 1,000-square-foot lawn.\u00a0Concerned homeowners should look for a landscaping service that uses native plantings and integrated pest management; recycles clippings into compost or mulch; and takes measures to reduce water use and prevent runoff.\u00a0Many services apply chemicals only as a last resort, and some use organic fertilizers and pest- and weed-control methods exclusively.<\/p>\n

Analyzing and optimizing soil composition in yards, beds and garden plots from the get-go helps reduce maintenance requirements altogether, Kline says.<\/p>\n

Find a Local Contractor<\/h2>\n