Thursday, May 24, 2007

Nine Ways to have a Healthier Home

This article was in my Inbox yesterday, and it fits so nicely with my focus on healthy environments and creating a beautiful home, I just had to share it. Enjoy- and for more tips on energy saving ideas or sustainable resources, click on the link to my web-site on the right side of the screen - Sesshu Design Associates.
Until next time, be well and happy!
p.s. I am starting a new series on eco-friendly resources for your new home or remodeling project. I will be discussing sustainable and recycled options, chemical free building materials, and many other ideas and products. Look for it here soon.

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

New eco-tips for Warm Weather

To coincide with Earth Day, independent certifier the Greenguard Environmental Institute, which governs the world's only guide to low-emitting products, has published a series of tips designed for a sustainable and environmentally-friendly welcome to Spring.
This article published in Interior Design magazine has several tips for spring cleaning with safe, friendly cleaners to tips on saving energy and more.
Now that warm weather is here, especially in the desert southwest, we have more need to conserve energy and lessen the strain on our utility companies as well as our pocketbook.

Enjoy the longer daylight and have an eco-friendly day!

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Blue Jean Insulation is Green

There is a local Chandler, Arizona company creating insulation for your home that is better than typical fiberglass insulation - better for you, better for your home, better for the planet. It is all-cotton insulation, made from the recycled scraps from blue jeans, among other things. Unusable scraps that end up on the cutting room floor of jeans factories, instead of being sent to a landfill and taking up space there, are scooped up and shipped to the Bonded Logic plant in Chandler to be recycled into insulation batting for your home.
The soft cotton fibers, unlike fiberglass which is made up of shards of glass and formaldehyde (among other things) are safer to install and much healthier for the occupants of the building. Formaldehyde is a known toxin that continues to off-gas for days, weeks and even months after installation. This UltraTouch insulation has no VOC concerns, and its soft fibers are non-irritating or itchy to work with.
The all-cotton batting is also a superior sound insulator and provides maximum thermal performance. This is great news for anyone living near a freeway, or the airport for instance. It is fully ASTM fire rated and fungi resistant.
Ultratouch contributes to several LEED points for qualification as environmentally responsible building. Being made from 85% post-consumer recycled materials which initially come from a rapidly renewable, sustainable source, it is perfect for anyone looking for environmentally friendly options. An additional earth-friendly bonus for local builders is that it is manufactured right here, which also lowers the carbon footprint from shipping.
The "blue-jean insualtion" is available locally from aka Green at 8100 E Indian School, in Scottsdale. Their phone is 480-946-9600. Visit them on the web at www.akagreen.com.
If you are building a new home, or thinking about adding some thermal protection to your existing home, check this product out first.