Sierra Pine’s Medite II and Medex, Excellent Eco-Friendly Plywood Alternatives

Posted on August 31st, 2007 in building materials by Green Talk

medite

Photo courtesy of SierraPine

This is the third installment of my top ten list of green building products contained on ThisNext.  As I indicated in my prior posts, I would only recommend products that I used to build my house a couple of years ago.  There are some great eco-friendly products that exist today that did not exist when I built.  However, if I had to build again I would still use these ten products I listed on ThisNext.

 

My third item on my favorite building products’ list is Sierra Pine’s no added formaldehyde medium density fiber board.  At the time, when I built, Sierra Pine had two brands of this MDF called Medite II and Medex.  Both Medite II and Medex are medium density fiberboards, which are comprised of post industrial/pre-consumer recycled wood fibers bonded together with a formaldehyde free resin (glue).  Medex can be used in high moisture applications.

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A Recycled Content Countertop That Looks like Granite

Posted on August 29th, 2007 in building materials, countertops by Green Talk

env-sunset

Photo from Environ Biocomposites’ website of a Product called Sunset

 

 

Just to give you a recap, ThisNext, a shopping network where people list their recommendations for products that they like, asked me to give them a top ten list.  (See, “What’s Next in Green Internet  Shopping?”)   I provided them with a list of my favorite products that I used when I built my house. Number 2 on the list is the Environ biocomposite® product line.  (Remember, I listed the products in a rambling fashion, so the products are not ranked.)

  Environ biocomposite® products are made out of recycled newspapers, soy based resin, and color additives.  According to their website, they offer 8 different colors, such as emerald, lapis, and vermillion.  I chose a product called Sunset for my desk countertop.   It looks just like brown granite.  Why did I choose this product?  I wanted a countertop that was eco-friendly and strong, but had the look of granite.  According to the literature that I had, the Company touted their product was stronger than oak.   The product, Sunset, compliments my cabinets that are a lighter shade of brown.

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A Paint Primer Like No Other

Posted on August 27th, 2007 in building materials, paint by Green Talk

pcan_primecoat

Photo courtesy of AMF Safecoat 

 

When I was asked by “ThisNext” to list my favorite green products, a lot of products started running through my head.  There are a lot of great products out there, but I only wanted to provide ThisNext’s readers with ones that I had personally used.  A couple of years ago, I built my house using a lot of green materials.  At the time, I struggled to find acceptable low or nontoxic green products.

 

 Today’s consumer has so many more choices than I did.  So, I thought if I had to rebuild my house all over again, would I have used my top 10 choices?  My answer is yes.  I love these products and I know you will too. Please bear in mind that the list below is not ranked and is merely my ramblings of products that I like. As I mentioned in my prior post, What’s Next In Internet Green Shopping?, I will be explaining my top ten choices over the next weeks. 

AMF Safecoat Products

 AMF Safecoat product line is geared towards people who suffer from allergies and chemical sensitivities; so, you can imagine the quality of the formulation of these products. I highly recommend their products to anyone wishing to live a low toxic lifestyle.   The Company makes paints, sealers, stains, cleaners, and many more products.   I used many of their products such as their stains and sealers to name a few, but my favorite one has to be their New Wallboard Primer HPV.  This primer is for new drywall. 

 The benefits of this primer are as follows:  does not contain any formaldehyde, low odor, dries quickly, and solves finishing problems so your top coats of paint go on smoother.  In addition, it seals in the off gassing of the drywall and drywall compound.  After you are done priming, the wall looks like you painted it with white paint because the coverage is that good.    It is very thick, so you can thin it based upon AMF’s instructions. 

Just the other day I had to use this primer.  My sliding doors were being replaced.  They are adjacent to fixed panels, where the wood pieces between the overlap of the sliding doors and fixed panels were never painted.  Off came the doors, and I had very little time to paint the exposed wood before the workers had to install the new doors.  I put the primer on, and it quickly dried. 

Unfortunately, I did not have time to put on a coat of white paint on top of the primer.  Honestly, you would never know that the wood was painted with only primer (except if you are a painter…)  Next:  Environ Biocomposite Countertops

Related Post:  What’s Next In Internet Green Shopping?

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What’s Next In Internet Green Shopping?

Posted on August 23rd, 2007 in building materials, shopping, shopping website by Green Talk

Photo courtesy of ThisNext.com 

The other day I received an email from Kristopher Dukes asking if I would post my top ten shopping choices on a website, “ThisNext.”  Who is Kristopher Dukes, I thought? Or for that matter what is “ThisNext?”  Had someone big discovered me?  (Stop dreaming, I reminded myself.)   

 Who is Kristopher Dukes?  Is Kristopher a he or a she?  When I went to the site, I immediately discovered she was a “she” who loves wearing 5 inch heels (because she loves standing tall), and

a penchant for soy lattés (more of an addiction than a marketing tool).    A published writer since she was 10! (“I was publishing — writing, editing, illustrating, and distributing — a muckraking magazine on playground scandals”) Since then, she has published in many notable fashion venues.  Her blog is a combination of sass with fashion.  So why did this savvy trendy person contact me, who spends her time looking up green products and has a perpetually dirty knee from kneeling in the dirt? 

 Believe me, I asked her since our worlds are so different.  She replied, “how we pick profilees — we like the best of industries, tastemakers of all verticals.”  Did I tell you she had good taste? I was on cloud nine.  “They like me, they really like me” a/k/a Sally Field’s acceptance speech… I was just thrilled that someone contacted me to put my choices on a website.

 Still thinking I was special, I went to ThisNext to find out that it seemed like hundreds of people have posted their recommended products.  What is This Next about? 

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Rethinking the Use of Plastic

Posted on August 20th, 2007 in environment, environmental websites, plastic by Green Talk

plastic trash

Photo by Zainub Razvi by permission under the Creative Commons License Attribution 2.0  

I was recently surfing the web and found this really interesting website, Fake Plastic Fish, which will make you rethink your use of plastic.  Why start a blog about plastics?  The author, Beth Terry, wrote in an email to me the following: 

 “I was at home recovering from a hysterectomy, and facing the realization that I would never have children.  (I had already chosen not to have children several years before, but this surgery brought home to me how final it was.)  I was thinking about what I could do to birth something else positive in the world, and it was in that frame of mind that I read the article, “Plastic Ocean,” and my heart just broke.  So, at home recovering, I had time on my hands, the desire to make positive change, and the idea that I could do something about plastics in my life after reading that article.  It all just came together.”

 Reading this email from Beth just tore me apart.   My heart hurt for her to feel that finality in her life.  At the same time, I was impressed by Beth’s inner strength.  Instead of wallowing in her sadness, Beth harnessed all those emotions and created this amazing blog about our plastic consumption.

  What is this blog about with a name like Fake Plastic Fish?  Beth writes in one of her blog posts:

“But I am not making a vow to give up all plastic this year or any year. My project will be a bit different from some of the more extreme “resolution” blogs out there. Instead, I’m looking at this as more of a learning experience… for me and for anyone who cares to follow this blog. I want to see what the possibilities are, for eliminating plastic waste, sure, but also for alternative uses for plastic that already exists, for ways of recycling and reusing, and for non-plastic substitutions.”  

 I encourage everyone to read this site.  It has really opened my eyes as to our plastic consumption and its effects on our environment.  Since reading Fake Plastic Fish’s posts,  I have tried to make an effort to not buy plastic that I intend on throwing out.  Many plastics you can not recycle in certain areas; so where do they end up?  They end up in our landfills or worse yet, litter our world.

 Plastic bags have received a lot of negative publicity lately.  Read Beth’s post on “Be Careful on the Reusable Bags Bandwagon.”  You can find comments about this post on her website. Happy reading.

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Name that Plant If You Can

Posted on August 16th, 2007 in Gardening by Green Talk

Name this plant?

We are going to play a game called Name that Plant.  I am not sure what type of plant this is in the above picture.  So, I need some help from my readers. Here is the history behind the mysterious plant.

I bought seeds from Heirloom Seeds a couple of years ago when I started my garden.  Heirloom Seeds carries certified organic and regular non-hybrid heirloom seeds.  I planted mesculum salad mix in June and could not understand why the seedlings did not grow.  For all of you that are gardeners stop screaming at this post.  I know.  Who plants mesculum in the beginning of June?  It can’t take the heat.

  Gardening is a trial and error process for me with alot of phone calls to my neighbor for help.  A few weeks later after I planted my “lettuce”, something was growing that had jagged leaves and a purple stem.  This had to be my lettuce, I thought with a big grin on my face. 

See, my garden has grown despite all of my goof ups and I believe Mother Nature is just stronger than us.  Weeks go by, and this lettuce is growing and growing.  I kept thinking this is odd.  Isn’t it supposed to be kind of bunched up?

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Stroll Over To Ruby Lane, If Vintage is Your Game

Posted on August 14th, 2007 in environmental websites, vintage by Green Talk

    vintage fabrics
  Photo of Vintage Fabric by Lebonbonmulticolore, used by permission under the Creative Commons Attribution  2.0 License

I recently visited a website that I think Green Talk readers would enjoy.  It is called Ruby Lane.  On this site are many vintage items including fabric, drapes, clothing, collectibles, jewelry, and purses. In addition there are antiques and fine art.  I have only named a few of the categories since there are so many to mention.

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The Journey to the Green Kingdom–How did I Get Here???

Posted on August 11th, 2007 in About, environment by Green Talk

sunflowers

Photo by Az~Kate, used by permission under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 license

Do you ever get up in the morning, and know you need to take care of something? Last night, I was on some people’s blogs and admiring how I was able to get to know them through their posts. It was so easy for them to let their readers into their lives. I felt like I was listening to an old friend tell me a story.

 So, I started to read the “About“ sections of their blogs to learn more about the authors of the different blogs. My favorite “About“ pages were the ones that were personal.  So, I questioned my own blog. Do people understand why I am writing this blog? Do my readers feel that they know me? Have I become an old friend to them?  Does my own About page tell my story?

  I knew the answer.  My About page only tells you why I started Green Talk but nothing about how I got to this green station in my life. I decided simply telling you that I built a green house and wishing to help others was just not good enough. I want my readers to know the why. So I decided to dish. My story is not as exciting as the Brad/Jen/Angelina triangle or as sexy as Dr. Christian Troy of Nip/Tuck (go ahead and click on the link and you will see why I mention “Dr Troy”)  …Read on…

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Terra Cabinets, A Socially Responsible Company where Greening Your Closets is a Priority

Posted on August 9th, 2007 in New Jersey green, building materials, closet systems by Green Talk

terra cabinet's
Photo courtesy of Terra Cabinets

(Note: this is part three of a series on Do You Get A Headache When You Walk Into Your Closet?)

Terra Cabinets located in New Jersey was started by a brother and sister team combining twenty five years of experience in the cabinetmaking field.  They pride themselves on their social and environmental practices at their company.  Their company is socially diverse, workers are paid a living wage, and they source their materials locally to be in compliance with LEED standards. 

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California Closets–Even the Big Storage Boys are Going Green

Posted on August 5th, 2007 in building materials, closet systems by Green Talk

california closet
Photo courtesy of California Closets

(Note this is Part 2 of a series on “Do You Get A Headache When You Walk Into Your Closet?“)

I was recently reading an article in Good Housekeeping about a NYC architect, who remodeled his townhouse using many green materials.  What caught my eye is that the family used California Closets to create and install their closet systems.  I nearly dropped off my seat.  California Closets, who is well known for all of their storage solutions for the home and garage, is producing green storage systems??  

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