Sustainability: Building a brighter future

The need to evaluate how we produce, how we dispose, and how we build has been a hot topic in the recent years. LEED registration for green businesses, Energy Star ratings, alternative energies, and efficiency are the sectors of green that we hear most in the building industry. Unfortunately, a very important component to the 21st century green-conscious person is so often overlooked; Salvage. There are so many great resources and products available to help put a little more emphasis on Reduce and Recycle’s middle brother. Building materials account for an enormous percentage of our landfills. For a 2000 square foot home, approximately 8000 pounds of waste gets dumped into the landfill. By finding creative ways to reuse more and more of that material, the strain of our waste is reduced and we have furthered the goals of sustainability.

Liberty Valley Doors
This company is making a lot of noise in the building world with their salvaged products “Eco-Door”. Beyond the sustainable products, they have made huge leaps as a company to green their company. They went so far as to hire a sustainability manager and purchased a hybrid company car.

Bedrock Glass
All of their products are created from 100% recycled glass. They make immaculate glass tiles, tumbled rock glass for landscaping and crafts, lawn and garden gifts, and they offer mosaic classes to get people having fun while supporting a noble effort.

Habitat Reuse Store
One of the saddest facts about the construction world is how few of us really know about important businesses like this one. This is in essence a resale store for your leftover, otherwise discarded building materials. The Reuse store even has deconstruction crews, contractors that safely disassemble your room or house rather than mindlessly bulldozing it down or burning it. They remove any and all useful products, which is so much more than we expect, recycle what they can and save the landfill from another wasteful project. They offer store credit for donations, and more importantly tax breaks for contractor donations.

$1500 Tax Credit
When there is a need to really motivate people to better their homes (or to spend money in a recession), the government waves money in front of them. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, includes this federal tax credit of up to 30% of your qualifying home improvement project up to $1500. There are many loopholes and stipulations as many government programs have, but through Windsor Windows guide above it makes it pretty clear what you need to do and what you can expect.

Sustainability, as it has progressed thus far, is simply the first trickle of raindrops before the big storm; a storm of planet-awareness and responsible business practices to wash away the hundred year sin of the ignorant industrial revolution. From the revolution of pollution, waste, and surplus to the revolution of technology, computers, answers, and awareness; now we march ahead into the Green Revolution. It will be a revolution of reversing the damage, building a new future, protecting our children’s inheritance, and putting to good use all we have learned in the Tech Revolution to solve the problems of the Industrial Revolution and move forward at peace with the planet.