in the know - yankton press & dakotan

(MS) -- Even in a down market,individuals recognize the long-term, cost-saving value of buildinga home with sustainable materi-als. Survey findings show thatover the next five years, the greenbuilding market in North Americais expected to double, with up to20 percent of us insisting on theuse of sustainable materials.

“A green home uses less ener-gy, water and natural resources,”says Todd Blyth at Nudura, themanufacturer of insulated con-crete forms. “It creates less wasteand is healthier and more com-fortable for the occupants.Equally important benefitsinclude lower energy bills,reduced greenhouse gas emis-sions, and less exposure to mold,mildew and other indoor toxins.As a result, the net cost of owninga sustainable home is comparableto the cost of a conventional one.”

When talking to your builder,ask for materials and systems thatmeet established green criteria.Such building materials are identi-fiable if they're rated by LEED, theLeadership in Energy andEnvironmental Design organiza-tion. LEED encourages and accel-erates global adoption of sustain-able green building and develop-

ment practices. It provides a third-party certification program, set-ting an international benchmarkfor the construction and opera-tion of high performance sustain-able buildings.

“Concrete is a good place tobegin,” says Blyth, referring to theNudura building system.“Concrete walls are far superior inperformance than the old woodframe method. A home that beginsits construction with efficient, pre-assembled, interlocking concreteblocks will deliver significant,ongoing benefits to your lifestyle,to the environment, to your oper-ating costs, and to the overallresale value of the house.”

Nudura forms, can be orderedin a variety of sizes and shapes sothat home can be built to anydesign. As important, concretewalls eliminate the risk of moldgrowth and allergens, so commonwith wood. This concrete systemprovides a superior sound barrierand is resistant to thermal bridg-ing, where outside cold travelseasily through walls to createuncomfortable cold spots, drafts,and mustiness. It is also reportedthat concrete walls like these areup to nine times stronger, far morefire resistant, sound resistant, andwill reduce energy costs by up to70 percent.

Courtesy of Family Features

Whether it’s out of concernfor the environment or for adesire to live a more naturallifestyle, more people are mak-ing green decisions for theirhomes. In Gallup’s annualEnvironmental Poll (2008), 28percent of Americans saidthey’ve made major changes totheir lives to protect the envi-ronment, while 55 percent saidthey have made minor changes.The most common changesinvolve recycling, conservingfuel, using less electricity andmaking homes more energy effi-cient.

Another step people are tak-ing is to buy eco-friendly ormore natural products for theirhomes. A recent Yahoo greenliving survey found that 57 per-cent of respondents have madegreen purchases within the lastsix months.

There are simple and afford-able steps you can take aroundthe house that will helpimprove the environment ofyour home as well as the earth.

Step One: Understanding Natural

A growing number of compa-nies have come out with“green” or “natural” products.But because these terms do nothave regulated definitions orstandards, it’s important toknow what label claims meanwhen making buying decisions.

For example, when TheClorox Company introduced itsline of Green Works naturalcleaners, it listed all ingredientson the label and defined what itmeans by natural: ingredientsthat are plant-based, biodegrad-able and not tested on animals.

Check a company’s Web siteand look for product reviews

for more information about theproducts you want to buy tosee if they live up to theirclaims.

Step Two: Take Simple Steps

You don’t have to give yourhome a top-to-bottom instantmakeover. Take small steps tomake your home more energyefficient and natural. Each oneyou take makes the next oneeasier.

Here are some simple stepsto get you started:

• No running on empty. Loadthe dishwasher after everymeal, but only turn it on whenit’s totally full. Running severalsmaller loads instead of a fullload wastes both water andenergy.

• Foil spills. Line the oven,broiler and burners with alu-minum foil for easier (and lessharsh) clean up.

• Green cleaning. Use naturalcleaning products made fromplant-based ingredients. JoshDorfman is a green lifestyleexpert and author of “The LazyEnvironmentalist.” He placesseveral Green Works naturalcleaners on his “50 Best GreenProducts” list. “I like the GreenWorks Natural BathroomCleaner and Natural All PurposeCleaner,” he says, “becausethey’re natural cleaners that arealso effective in getting the jobdone.”

Think reuse! Recycling isgreat, but it still consumes a lotof energy. Before you toss, askyourself: “Is there anything elseI can use this for?” (Storingtoys, sorting change, craft proj-ects, etc.)

Buy recycled. For paperproduct must-haves, purchaserecycled, unbleached paper

towels or napkins. Kitchentrash bags made from recycledmaterials are becoming morewidely available as well.

Car smarts. Save water bycutting the number of times youwash the car each month, andmake sure to turn off the faucetbetween rinses. And think twicebefore hopping in the car for aride to the store. Try shoppingonce every one or two weeksinstead of making multiple trips

for just a few items. Limiting thenumber of trips helps save gasand money.

Step Three: Get the Family Involved

It’s easier to make changesin the household routines ifeveryone is on board. Talkabout why you want to makethese changes. Get feedbackfrom the kids on what steps youcan take together to make yourhome healthier and greener.Everyone can pitch in: have thekids help with online researchand decisions about new prod-ucts. Even the littlest ones canhelp sort the recycling.

Making your home a littlegreener will not just make youfeel better about your home, itwill make your home a betterplace to live.

For more tips on greener living,visit greenworkscleaners.com.

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Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan ■ Tuesday, March 24, 2009www.yankton.net PAGE 5B

Simple steps towarda more natural home

In theKnow...

Here are some definitionsof terms associated with greenand natural claims.

Renewable Resources — Anatural resource qualifies as arenewable resource if it isreplenished by naturalprocesses at a rate that’s equalto the rate of consumption byhumans.

Biodegradable — Abiodegradable material issomething that has the abilityto safely and relatively quicklybreak down into the raw mate-rials of nature and disappearinto the environment.

Sustainable — A sustain-able product is somethingmade from renewableresources, which means theycan grow back quickly and canbe harvested with minimalharm to the environment.

Petrochemicals —Petrochemicals are chemicalproducts made from raw mate-rials of petroleum.

Definitions courtesy of the makersof Green Works Natural Cleaners.

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