Waste generated by home demolition and construction is huge. But if handled properly, much of it can be reclaimed and reused.

“Freecycling” is an Internet service for people to trade things locally. There have been plenty building materials being traded between members (free membership). Internet auctions (like eBay) often have used construction materials too.

Houses that are set for demolition or are under remodeling are good places to search for used building materials in your neighborhood.

There are often local companies or organizations who sell recycled or used construction materials at a fraction of their regular prices.

There have been a lot of progress in the technology to reconstitute construction waste into new products. Look for the construction material recycling programs in your area.

If you plan to build or remodel a home, make sure to hire professional builders who are willing to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Plan ahead to reduce construction waste. Practice deconstruction rather than demolition. When you do have some “junk” after finishing the work, try to find out who need them or sell on eBay before recycling.

For more information, including recycling resources, click here.

If you are building a home, or it’s time to replace the old siding on your house, consider using fiber-cement siding.

Fiber-cement siding has been around for a while, although their benefits just started drawing attention from builders and homeowners.

Fiber-cement siding is composed of cement, sand and wood fiber (often from recycled wood fiber). It comes in a wide range of colors, finish and styles that resemble conventional siding products.

Fiber-cement siding is a great green building material not only because of its  composition, but also its durability and longevity. It often outlasts conventional materials for decades.

Fiber-cement siding resists many common hazards, including fire, wind, rain and insects. It won’t rot in humid areas. No termites can undermine it.  And it is virtually fire-proof. Fiber-cement won’t release toxic chemicals like other materials do.

In addition to its durability, fiber-cement holds paint much better than other materials. It doesn’t need to be re-painted for about 25 years! All these contribute to its low-maintenance and low cost in the long run. 

Because fiber-cement is made of inert materials, even if it eventually ends up in a landfill, it does not endanger the environment.

To learn more, click here.

One thing we all can do to help save the environment is to use less paper and reduce paper waste. Here are some tips on how to do so.

1. Stop junk mail from coming to your mailbox.

2. Receive and pay bills online if possible.

3. Use online catalogs to shop. Subscribe to online version of a magazine.

4. Print on both sides of paper. 

5. Print on the blank side of used paper. Save used paper with blank space to make notes on.

6. When printing, change the margins of the documents to use less paper.

7.  When possible, fax digitally rather than using paper.

8. Bring reusable bags for grocery shopping.

9. Recycle office paper, newspaper, catalogs, magazines, and phonebooks.

10. Reduce kitchen paper waste by using cloth towels and napkins instead of paper ones.

11. Use shredded paper as padding when shipping.

By reducing paper use and waste, we are saving hundreds of millions of trees each year, as well as energy used to produce and transport paper. We are also helping decrease air and landfill pollution to our earth.

See more ideas, go here and here.

The holiday season is approaching again. While we all love holidays, it is also a time with huge waste of energy and materials.

Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, one million extra tons of garbage is generated each week in the U.S.

However, with a little green thinking and effort, we might be able to reduce that figure significantly.

1. Christmas tree

Plant a small potted tree and use it for Christmas each year.

Although artificial trees cost un-renewable energy to produce, if you can use it year after year, it shouldn’t be too bad.

If you must have a real cut tree, most cities have a program to recycle it into mulch and compost.

2. Lights

Switch to LED Christmas lights. They are 90% more efficient than traditional ones. They also last longer and emit little heat.

3. Gift wrap

Save wrap from previous years and reuse it.

Use newspaper, old calendars, posters, magzines, or catalogues as gift wrap (better yet, skip the wrapping).

Recycle any wrap that is no longer useful.

4. Other

Recycle greeting cards, gift tags, and especially cardboard or use them for crafts.  Avoid using disposable tableware. Save and reuse holiday decorations.

Hope we all have a greener holiday this year. For more green holiday ideas, click here.

Compost is the result of decomposition of organic matters by micro-organisms. Well constructed compost is the best organic fertilizer and soil conditioner.

While compost is available commercially, it is quite easy to make it in your backyard.

To start, pick a spot close to the garden or kichen to build a frame or to put a compost bin.

For the micro-organisms to work, you have to provide them food.

Composable materials fall into two categories: soft “green” with Nitrogen (kichen wastes, grass clippings, manure, etc) and woody “brown” with Carbon (dry leaves, twigs, straw, hay, coffee ground, etc).

Now layer materials into the compost bin like a sandwich: one part of “brown”, three parts of “green” and a thin layer of soil which contains millions of micro-organisms. Water the pile and keep layering.

In a few days, the pile will begin to heat up when the bacteria start working. After 2-3 weeks, the pile will shrink.

To facilitate the process of composting, turn the pile from time to time to mix the content and provide air. Add water when it looks dry.

Your compost will be finished in a few months. By making your own compost, you reduce kitchen, garden, and yard wastes and save the energy used to transport and package commercial compost.

For an excellent video about composting, click here.

Jewelry is a matter of personal taste, to each his or her own. There are many eco-friendly jewelry designs from vintage, repurposed, recycled; why not do green steps and look good at the same time! We would end up filling many less landfills while styling a knockout piece of jewelry. Some green steps are absolutely gorgeous. Make a statement that you are good to the planet as you accessorize. Here is one example of jewelry fashions for your green steps in an irresistible blend of function and style, some recycled wonders and some will make you wonder what they were thinking. This stunning Berry Coil bracelet is fashioned from Columbian red choclo seeds that are strung on an interior coil made of recycled Columbian pesos.

Happy Green Living!

1000 Green Steps love unique design, especially when it comes to things related to food Well, now 1000 Green Steps come up with an idea of Riverside Design Group through their Plates With Purpose. Plates With Purpose is a series of specially designed glassware that is made out of post-industrial, pre-consumer recycled glass. A portion of the profits from their sales goes to non-profit groups.

Each piece is hand-cut, hand-coloured and shaped to give this one-off effect. They come in 11 different themes, to benefit 11 different charities.

The other plates are equally charming. Each theme is associated with a different charity. The butterfly is for Forbes Hospice, the elephant for the National Autism Association, the forget-me-not is the Alzheimer’s Association, the healing garden is the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, the heart is for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Pittsburgh, the ladybug is for United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation, the stars are the Persad Center & Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force, the wheat— Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and the sunflower–Pennsylvania Organization for Women in Early Recovery–Tree Design plate go to help the Court Appointed Special Advocates.

Happy Green Living!

1000 green Steps know that almost every woman knows that recycling in their kitchen would be a good idea. The problem is that green steps are not always easy or convenient! Who really wants to lug a bag full of aluminum cans out to the recycling bin (especially during the cold winter months?) No one. Luckily, this aluminum can crusher makes your green steps much less daunting! Simply crush all empty cans and store them until enough have accumulated for a single trip out to the bin.

Happy Green Living!

Hey folks! 1000 Green Steps had found some new types of cell phone and 1000 Green Steps really understand if you want to change yours with a new one. With that coming, do you know what is going to happen with your old cell phone that doesn’t even sell? Well, there are green steps you can do with your old ancient cell phone:

Fist, you can reuse it and tell the (blog) world why you have done that on Kept. It’s a sweet little web site that urges people to “keep the stuff you’ve already got. To use it. To wear it. To celebrate it!”

OR, if you can’t even stand its existance , you can go SMARTLY donate it to some good will company.

Lifeline for Africa collects used phones and sends them to Africa. Some phones will be refurbished, and donated directly to charitable groups in Africa. Others will be refurbished and sold to make money for the charities.

Woodland Trust will receive a donation for every phone it receives. The money will be used for protecting forests.

~Happy Green Living!~

Hey, it’s the beginning of August again! Which means it’s the official time to start getting the kids ready for school. There is this tingling feeling all over me when it comes to buying new school supplies at the beginning of a new school year. It’s just it has to be brand new to live up the year right? There’s nothing better than to buy your children some new eco friendly school supplies!

First of all, recycled paper and binders might make a good option for your kids. After all of those green stuff you bought, don’t forget to aim for a waste-free lunch to top it all sweetly.

Happy Green Living!