Julia Monk, founding principal of BBGM and designer of Vdara Hotel and major portions of ARIA:

We give clients a discount if they are going to be building a LEED certified structure. A major focus at City Center was lighting. We used fluorescent lamps which give off a similar glow to conventional bulbs, the latest advancement in LEDS which use only one third the energy but last 10 times longer. Low flow toilets in rooms, electronic window shades to reduce heat gain, low VOC paints, coatings, sealants and non-formaldehyde wall paneling. Recyclable fiberglass ceiling tiles, wall coverings, CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) certified carpet padding, strawboard sub-flooring, FSC wood floors, low-E glazed windows, Caesarstone countertops, the list goes on.

I asked Monk if they considered cutting back during construction as the economy tanked. She said, “We never wavered on the sustainability issues. We look at City Center as a long term commitment which will weather the storm until the economy recovers.”

Adam Tihany, designer of Mandarin Oriental interiors, Union bar in ARIA:

We compare Mandarin to the design of a custom Brioni suit, not an off the rack Armani. The Mandarin brand whispers, it doesn’t shout. There is a lot of perceived value, as a non-gaming six star property. It was never an option to forego green, despite the economy. This venue should open up the city to a whole new customer who otherwise would have snubbed it.

All woods, lighting, plumbing and HVAC systems at the Mandarin are green. From my own personal experience, the spa, all 30,000 feet of it, is absolutely exquisite. My previous favorite Mandarin Oriental was Tokyo, but this new property goes a step beyond.

David Rockwell, architect/designer of Crystals retail center:

We designed Crystals for the person who doesn’t necessarily need to shop but is motivated by impulse. We wanted to create the feel of a park, from the flower carpet to the benches, reclaimed wood stairs, and plants and foliage. MGM allowed us to be creative and take risks. People watching was a priority. I noticed as a student that people walk in a gentle arc, from looking at footprints in the snow. The flower beds and other major design features follow this idea.

The HVAC tubing is all located in Crystals’ floor, and only heats and cools up to about seven feet. This is very energy efficient so as not to waste power and fuel to heat and cool the huge open spaces in the center of the mall, as would be the case with a traditional forced air system. Crystals also earned an FSC award for its use of sustainable woods, some of the most beautiful you will ever see.

Cesar Pelli, architect of ARIA:

Our firm has been designing green buildings for some time, my son Raphael was on the forefront of green building. Bobby Baldwin (MGM CEO) was very open to creativity, taking on a very complex and demanding program, and he educated me as to how a casino works, which is very specific. All rooms needed to have great views in a limited space. People move in different ways, at the gaming tables, bars and restaurants, and pools. We think ARIA makes all the other locations on the Strip look tired.

WET, leading designer of water features for commercial spaces, CEO Mark Fuller explained:

We debuted five new creations at City Center. The wall of water you encounter upon approaching ARIA, entices the visitor. It uses compressed air instead of pumps, which uses 80 percent less water although it costs more up front. All the water is recycled of course, through a reverse osmosis process

. Also noteworthy is “Glacia” a popsicle-like ice sculpture creation found inside Crystals mall which changes from day to day depending upon temperature. WET is a very specialized company, they have over 250 full time staff doing nothing but building water features.

Michelle Quinn, art curator and gallerist said, “I worked directly with the architects so that the art was not an afterthought. Spaces were specifically created for the sculptures.” Over $40 million is rumored to have been spent on art. A special energy efficient digital screen display by Jenny Holzer, found downstairs at ARIA’s valet pickup area, is done with LED lighting to save energy. Another piece mounted behind the registration desk at ARIA, by environmental artist Maya, depicts the Colorado River as Nevada’s water source. It is made of reclaimed silver to represent The Silver State. One can spend half a day just touring the art pieces, which are mostly contemporary and created with sustainability in mind.

GENSLER, global architecture, design and sustainable building firm: Talk about herding cats, can you imagine trying to manage the design and construction of all these elements simultaneously? While MGM Mirage CEO Bobby Baldwin and his staff deserve much of the credit, they hired the esteemed firm of Gensler to handle the day to day coordination. This covered everything from the art, water features, architecture, retail placement, the list goes on. So how about getting all those egos to play in the same sandbox together? This gargantuan task was conquered by Bobby Baldwin at the helm with Gensler as overall coordinator. Speaking of green, the tricks Gensler applied were quite innovative including fresh air blowing at the base of each dealer station and slot machine in the casino; special ventilation to purge smoke from the ARIA gambling area; and a special system by Control 4 which allows guests to voluntarily “green their stay” with the press of a button (thermostat settings, re-using linens, low lighting, etc.).

So when I pressed Nellie Reid, Sustainability Director of City Center, whether there were reservations on the scope of the property and the greenness of it all, she does not hesitate. “We designed City Center as a 20, 30, even 50 year project, not just in the here and now. That’s why we aren’t in a panic about the current economic climate. This project, unlike some others in Las Vegas, should have a much longer shelf life.” Under Reid’s direction, City Center, the world’s largest LEED certified project, received 267 total credits out of 268 they applied for. I would put my money on her. And let’s hope for the sake of all Las Vegas, she’s right!

Your request is being processed…

Jennifer Schwab

Director of Sustainability for Sierra Club Green Home

Posted: January 15, 2010 12:17 PM

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Regarding our visit to the grand opening of City Center Las Vegas a few weeks ago, we talked about how spectacular the entire development is – from its architectural design to its green standpoints. Here are some more observations and architect interviews about this trendsetting space, perhaps the world’s best example of cutting edge green design:

Julia Monk, founding principal of BBGM and designer of Vdara Hotel and major portions of ARIA:

We give clients a discount if they are going to be building a LEED certified structure. A major focus at City Center was lighting. We used fluorescent lamps which give off a similar glow to conventional bulbs, the latest advancement in LEDS which use only one third the energy but last 10 times longer. Low flow toilets in rooms, electronic window shades to reduce heat gain, low VOC paints, coatings, sealants and non-formaldehyde wall paneling. Recyclable fiberglass ceiling tiles, wall coverings, CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) certified carpet padding, strawboard sub-flooring, FSC wood floors, low-E glazed windows, Caesarstone countertops, the list goes on.

I asked Monk if they considered cutting back during construction as the economy tanked. She said, “We never wavered on the sustainability issues. We look at City Center as a long term commitment which will weather the storm until the economy recovers.”

Adam Tihany, designer of Mandarin Oriental interiors, Union bar in ARIA:

We compare Mandarin to the design of a custom Brioni suit, not an off the rack Armani. The Mandarin brand whispers, it doesn’t shout. There is a lot of perceived value, as a non-gaming six star property. It was never an option to forego green, despite the economy. This venue should open up the city to a whole new customer who otherwise would have snubbed it.

All woods, lighting, plumbing and HVAC systems at the Mandarin are green. From my own personal experience, the spa, all 30,000 feet of it, is absolutely exquisite. My previous favorite Mandarin Oriental was Tokyo, but this new property goes a step beyond.

After cutting open the yards of plastic packing tape, I was appalled to find acres of bubble wrap, then those absolutely impossible Styrofoam “peanuts” which will still be in the landfill 200 years from now.
After all this, a nice glass vase from a relative who shall remain unnamed. She means well, and this lovely object d’art did survive the trip, but what do I do with this pile of unsustainable, non-green, mostly not recyclable, plastic and Styrofoam packing materials?

And so it goes for millions and millions of packages, not to mention one of the biggest culprits in this assault on the environment, electronics products. Think about all those big, dense pieces of Styrofoam that are used in almost every electronic product package to secure the ends of the item. Admittedly, they help keep the DVDs, TVs, stereos and computers in one piece. And what about moving? Most of the cardboard boxes can be recycled, but the reams of tape, peanuts, foam and other packing material usually
cannot.

What’s a consumer, and for that matter, a manufacturer, to do? The answer can be found in some relatively new products and services that entrepreneurs are developing to address these problems.

To make moving a truly green experience, inventor Spencer Brown of Costa Mesa (Orange County) CA, has developed a totally recyclable moving system. The company is called, appropriately, Earth Friendly Moving. His concept is RECO-PACK, a sustainable bin that holds your stuff, they come in different sizes and can be delivered directly to your door, then picked up and moved or stored. When you’re finished with them, Earth Friendly Moving retrieves the RECO-PACKs, puts them back in inventory and re-uses them.

This business has the earmarks of a winner. An idea that solves a problem, can be run profitably and is scaleable. “I am a product designer at heart, and I knew the moving industry was inherently wasteful. It seemed to me that we needed a sustainable solution,” Brown explains. “We deliver environmental
consciousness in a box. Our solution is cheaper, faster and easier. If you provide this, the consumer will choose the green alternative.”

Back to my box of foam noodles. I happened to meet Brian J. Pio, an entrepreneur who is making his bet on IPG/ERi, a startup out of Phoenix which offers fully sustainable, recyclable packaging for all products
including fragile items and electronics. The secret sauce is molded fiber and sugar cane-based, environmentally friendly material. It feels like a strong, yet light weight molded paper/cardboard to the touch. Pio claims his firm has done extensive testing on a variety of consumer electronics products with very favorable results. And in most applications, the cost to switch to molded fiber is the same or even less than traditional foam. However, his experience selling manufacturers on switching from foam to his new
product has been mixed. Most of the mid- and upper-level managers he speaks with seem to consider making the switch to green packaging a low priority.

Pio had been involved in the packaging industry for years and as a green guy saw the need to move away from foam.

“Where the rubber hits the road, companies continue to do what they always have done…. It’s about established supply chain relationships and taking the path of least resistance. Disappointing but not surprising. The reality of course is that using foam packaging is a broken model that needs fixing.
Styrofoam is not biodegradable, very difficult to recycle and almost always ends up in landfill.”

Molded fiber products offered by IPG/ERi, BeGreen Packaging (which uses bulrush fiber to make a similar type of product) and other firms boast full recyclability, produce no off-gassing or toxic materials during manufacturing, can be made into virtually limitless shapes, and protect the contents comparably to foam. Clearly there is a place for this cost-effective, environmentally friendly material in most of the packages we receive or purchase every day. “Given that we can deliver molded fiber for the same or less than foam, it seems a no-brainer that industry would make the switch, and consumers would be thrilled to be able to recycle the packaging,” Pio concludes. Sure makes sense to me, too.

So how do Pio and other green packaging pioneers persuade manufacturers of products that we buy to make the switch? It will probably take time, perhaps government regulation, and public opinion. The voice of the consumer must be heard. So, to help you join our “Packaging Police” and send a message to companies still using foam, feel free to poach this letter, below, and e-mail it to the VP of Marketing and/or CEO of the companies at fault.

“Dear CEO/CMO:

I recently purchased your (product name and model number) and was very disappointed to find it packed in hard foam packaging material. I realize you must protect this product during shipping, but there are cost-effective ways to accomplish the same result. (Name of company) really needs to investigate MOLDED FIBER packaging materials. They are fully recyclable, environmentally friendly and produce no toxins during manufacturing. They are also the same or even less expensive than traditional foam. And
importantly, testing proves molded fiber will protect your product during shipping to keep it safe and secure.

As your customer, I am committed to reducing my carbon footprint and (Name of Company) needs to do the same to win my business going forward. I sincerely hope you take this to heart, as I plan to purchase my (insert type of product) in the future from companies that use sustainable packaging materials.

Thanks for taking time to read this. Please respond at (insert your e-mail address).

Sincerely,”

If you know of other companies doing innovative things to help the environment by changing our established practices, let me know as we may highlight them in future My Inner Green columns. Thanks!

By replacing your mass produced hygiene products and investing in eco-friendly ones, you can make a positive impact on the environment, your family, and your wallet. Make sure to read more than the price tag of your hygiene products, as most are not biodegradable or handmade. Purchase products that are marked cruelty-free (not tested on animals), organic, eco-certified, and made out of recycled content. Also, look for products marked paraben-free. Parabens, similar to phthalates,have been reported by the Food and Drug Administrationto cause tumors, hormone malfunction, and other health issues.

Follow the guidelines below to green your shopping list.

1.  Make-up Galore

Most cosmetics can clog your pores and causevarious skin irritations because they are petroleum based. Such make-up also negatively impacts the environment because it promotes the extraction of a non-renewable resource, petroleum or crude oil. Purchase items that are labeled organic, cruelty-free and petroleum-free. Organic products are made from plant materials and do not include pesticides, harsh chemicals, or preservatives. Let your eye-shadow reflect your respect for nature and wildlife.

2.  Your pearly-whites

Popular toothpastes include fluoride, sweeteners, and artificial preservatives that give you that ‘ahh, fresh’ feeling. Artificial cleaning solutions are not only an empty investment, but they’re also bad for the environment. Chemicals can concentrate in your septic tank or local water source. Many environmentalists confirm that a little baking soda on the end of your toothbrush gets the job done just as in commercial toothpaste. If you prefer to use a store bought toothpaste look for one that is fluoride-free or lower in fluoride, especially for children, according to the American Dental Association. It is reported that a high dose of fluoride can discoloration, decay and can damage tooth enamel. In addition, shop for a paste with no artificial preservatives, sweeteners, coloring, or harsh abrasives. Most green toothpastes are organic and may contain interesting ingredients like seaweed extract, ginger, cinnamon, or even tea tree oil.

3.  Feminine Products

There are numerous feminine product options available but the best ones are marked as 100% USDA Organic and contain the Leaping Bunny Logo which is used to identify various items as free of animal testing. Organic products do not include the bleaching agent dioxin, a known carcinogen and pollutant. If you are looking to eliminate packaging waste, reusable options are also available. You can get more knowledge on such products online and in local stores.

4.  Care for your locks

Shampoos, hair conditioners, hair gels, and styling mousses haves been modified numerous ways to accommodate consumers’ desires. Currently, there are many natural and herbal products available. Avoid artificial waxes and protein-stripping enzymes when purchasing hair products. The best way to ensure that you are applying an all-natural product to your hair is by using homemade herbal recipes like henna or honey mixtures. When shopping, look for paraben-free, organic hair products that are made with fruits or vegetables.

5.  Deodorants

Conventional deodorants are usually made in bulk and include aluminum, which prevents our sweat glands from producing perspiration by inducing cell inflammation. Studiesshow that such artificial inflammation can be bad for your health, so shop for aluminum-free products. In addition, handmade and vegan de odorant options are available in stores nationwide. Buying a biodegradable, natural deodorant will decrease your ecological footprint when the time comes to dispose of your antiperspirant.

To Learn More Visit

Phthalates: The “Rubber Ducky” Chemical

Green Cleaning… Not Just For Spring

Children Toys

Turn Your Pet into a Greenie

10 Quick Ways to Green Your Home

]]> http://www.sierraclubgreenhome.com/featured/pretty-in-green/feed/ 9 http://www.sierraclubgreenhome.com/go-green/lighting/solar-and-other-exterior-lighting/ http://www.sierraclubgreenhome.com/go-green/lighting/solar-and-other-exterior-lighting/#comments Sun, 14 Mar 2010 18:42:23 +0000 tyra http://sierraclubgreenhome.com/?p=265 How to be safe and save energy

A few well-placed outdoor lights can make you feel more secure at night. They can help the pizza guy find your door and keep you from tripping over the cat when you’re taking out the garbage.

Poorly used lights, on the other hand, can rob your neighbors of a good night’s sleep, disrupt wildlife, and waste precious energy and hard-earned cash. They may even be harmful to human health. Light at night can interfere with the production of melatonin, a hormone that inhibits the development of tumors. So researchers suspect exposure to well-lit nights may increase a person’s risk of cancer.

Light has even become a form of pollution that extends far beyond our neighborhoods. Shining upward, it causes moisture and particles in the air to glow. This “sky glow” obscures stars and planets, interfering with astronomers’ work and keeping people living in urban and suburban areas from experiencing the wonder of a truly dark sky.

Fortunately it’s not so hard to keep those rays where they belong. Whether you want to light a walkway, driveway, entry door, balcony, deck, or patio, here are some ways to make your effort effective and efficient.

Top Tips

At home

• Investigate. Go outside on a dark night and take a good look at your exterior lights. Are any of them unshaded–either bare bulbs or bulbs behind clear glass shades? Do any of the light fixtures point light up toward the sky, or let light stray horizontally onto a neighbor’s property?
• Use outdoor lights only when and where needed. Don’t go overboard with the number of fixtures you install, and don’t leave them on all night. Use timers and motion sensors to limit the amount of time they are on.
• Use the least amount of light needed, not the most. Overlighting is a nuisance to your neighbors and a waste of your money. Use the lowest wattage bulbs to get the job done.
• Light from the top down, not from the bottom up. Lights that point up to the sky waste energy, create glare, and obscure views of the night sky.
• Shield. Add shields to bare floodlights, and replace clear shades with diffusing shades.

When shopping, look for

• Energy-saving bulbs. Replace higher-wattage bulbs with low-wattage CFLs. Keep in mind that you’re not likely reading or knitting outdoors. So it’s appropriate to use fewer watts than you would inside. Compact fluorescents or LEDs are more energy efficient than incandescent and halogen bulbs.
• Shielded fixtures. You want to send light downward, not up into the sky or horizontally into your neighbor’s window. So use shielded fixtures. The International Dark-Sky Association has a seal of approval program for shielded outdoor lighting fixtures.
• Weather worthiness. When choosing a CFL, check the label to make sure it’s meant for outdoor lighting. Bulbs are available that can be used in temperatures as low as -10°F and as high as 120°F. At the cold end of the scale, they may take longer to reach full brightness.
• Solar power. Solar-powered LED pathway lights are handy for remote areas where it would be expensive to run wiring. A small photovoltaic panel on the light fixture generates electricity when exposed to sunlight. The electricity is stored in an internal battery to power the light bulb after dark. Solar lights usually use LED bulbs, although some use very low wattage CFLs that put out a bit more light. Most solar lights are dim-they put out just enough light to allow you to follow the walkway without tripping. But they’re handy because they don’t require any wiring or installation know-how. Performance varies; shop around and make sure you buy from a store with a good return policy.Many solar lighting products come mounted on a stake that you push into the ground; others have brackets for wall mounting. Most products need at least four hours of direct sunlight to power the light for six to ten hours that night, but some may need even more. Other solar-lighting products include motion-sensing security lights and solar stepping stones.

Other Considerations

Low-voltage lighting is popular for walkways, landscaping, steps, and other areas. It can be professionally installed, or kits are available for DIYers. These systems typically use low-wattage halogen lights and run on 12 volts instead of the regular 120-volt household current, making them very safe–there’s no concern about electric shocks. The wiring can either be buried or laid on the ground and covered with mulch.

Benefits…

…to you
Low-contrast lighting is better for security purposes than bright lights that create obscuring glare, dark spots, and shadows. Some research also indicates that outdoor lights on motion sensors do a better job of deterring crime than lights that are on all the time.

…to your wallet
Shielded fixtures don’t cost any more than unshielded fixtures. Energy-efficient CFLs also keep your outdoor lighting costs down, and they are available for a pittance–as little as 50 cents a bulb at many discount retailers. In the nation as a whole, badly designed outdoor lighting results in $4.5 billion a year in wasted electricity. If you have 5 incandescent light bulbs outside your home, your share of that waste is about $150 per year. Switch to CFLs and start saving immediately.

..to the Earth
In addition to disrupting melatonin production in humans, electric lighting at night can interfere with the mating, foraging, migration, and predation behaviors in other species, which can potentially disrupt entire ecosystems. Even plants may not be immune from the effects of lighting up the night. According to some studies, trees that are lit all night may not respond appropriately to signals of winter dormancy. And don’t forget the carbon emissions, which contribute to global warming.

Common Mistakes

Burning gas lamps. Decorative natural gas lamps look romantic but they’re big polluters. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, burning eight lamps all year uses as much natural gas as it takes to heat an average size home for a full winter.

Getting Started

If you are in the market for a shielded fixture, check out the International Dark-Sky Association’s seal-of-approval program.

Related Products & Services

• CFLs
• Lamps
• Lighting controls
• LED

While other little girls were into Barbie, I was idolizing Chrissie as the world’s coolest rock chick. I think of her as a true pioneer, back in the day when MTV actually played videos. “Back on The Chain Gang” and “Middle of the Road” may have been bigger hits, but the anti-development anthem “My City Was Gone” has a blues rock riff that still inspires me.

My mother told me about VegiTERRANEAN and I was immediately on board. I must admit that despite my green leanings, kicking the meat habit has not been easy. Nevertheless, onward we went for our vegan meal.

Surprisingly, VegiTERRANEAN is not a tribute to Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders. There are a select few bits of memorabilia, a guitar on the wall type of thing, but Hard Rock Café it is not. The room is loft-style, swank by most city standards, with concrete floors, curved chain link walls and subdued blue lighting. It is dominated by a long bar serving a great selection of local microbrews and some organic wines. A little bit of SoHo in Akron.

The interior of VegiTERRANEAN.

Intrigued by my outstanding meal of garbanzo beans and tomatoes, I set up an interview with Chrissie. I wanted to get the scope on the little veggie haunt in Akron. She is a real rock star, so I have, well, edited her comments a bit to clean up the language, lots of F-bombs. Hynde is not your typical celebrity turned restauranteur, however. She made it clear: “I am not in this to make money.” Her cause celeb is to reduce meat eating and its negative impact on humans and the environment.

“The vastness of American geography and the car culture have made everything less dense, why should you always have to drive to get some groceries? Why don’t we eliminate factory farming?” She spreads the word through her music. “It was never supposed to be man vs. nature,” she told me by phone from VegiTERRANEAN’s bar. “We are meant to be stewards of the environment. A meat eater on a bicycle has a worse impact on the environment than a vegetarian driving a Hummer. Your body is confused as a meat eater.”

Chrissie Hynde performing.
She may well be right about this. Recent articles in The New York Times and London Times examine the wide-ranging environmental impact of raising cows, slaughtering them and delivering the meat to market. Scary stuff that can convince you to come over to the meatless side. I will admit that since reading The New York Times article, I have sworn off my previously beloved hamburgers and have dramatically reduced my meat intake across the board.

So how was my meal at VegiTERRANEAN? Spiced tomatoes and chick peas with baby arugula, tofu feta and crustini. Fresh tomato and artichoke bisque with fresh dill. For the main course, fresh whole wheat linguini carbonara with smoked “gardein” chicken, asparagus and leeks. “Gardein” is a type of garden grown protein, actually quite tasty and fulfilling in a tofu sort of way for us “gotta have meat” types. Prices are moderate, the food was fabulous — kudos to executive chef J. Scot Jones — but the service was on the uneven side at best. Let’s just say the kitchen operations could use a tune up.

VegiTERRANEAN is kosher and vegan friendly. Let’s hope this type of eatery becomes more common, organic food is a great alternative for lowering the methane emitted during meat processing. To date, Karyn’s Raw Foods in Chicago and VegiTERRANEAN in Akron are my two favorites. When I asked Chrissie about plans for expansion – she said “definitely but in a better economy.” Two places that could use a VegiTERRANEAN or like concept — Las Vegas and downtown Los Angeles — both had appeal to her. She liked the idea of “tricking people into vegetarianism through good food”. Through her hard work, dedication to animal rights, and understanding ecological systems — she is certainly on the path to helping us all eat better.

If any of you have favorite organic restaurants in your area, please comment to let others know about them. Thanks for reading!

If you have a baby, whether you breast feed or use infant formula, you will probably use a baby bottle at some point. And probably quite a few baby bottles. If you have a toddler, “sippy cups”–those no-spill cups with lids and a spout–are de rigueur to avoid disasters. But some scientists suspect that the material commonly used for baby bottles and some sippy cups, polycarbonate plastic, could be harmful to your baby’s health.

Here’s what we know: Up until 2007, about 90% of the baby bottles sold in the United States were made of polycarbonate plastic. Unfortunately, one of the components of this type of plastic is bisphenol-a, or BPA, a chemical that can leach into whatever liquid is in the bottle or cup. Water at room temperature leaches a little BPA–boiling water, 55 times as much. BPA mimics the hormone estrogen, and animal studies have linked low levels of it to hyperactivity, learning disabilities, early onset of puberty, increased diabetes risk, age-related neurodegenerative diseases, and certain cancers, including breast cancer. Studies have also confirmed that babies have low levels of BPA in their systems.

What we don’t know is whether that BPA poses a significant health risk to those babies. While scientists study the matter, you may want to choose among the safer options below.

Top Tips

At home

• Replace scratched or worn bottles. At the very least, replace scratched or worn bottles, which appear to leach more BPA than new polycarbonate bottles.
• Don’t heat. Never add boiling water to polycarbonate baby bottles or sippy cups because it will increase the amount of leaching.

When shopping, look for

• Safer materials. If you can get your baby to accept a new kind a bottle, get rid of all your polycarbonate bottles. A number of baby bottles and sippy cups on the market are BPA-free, and more are becoming available.
  • Safer plastic. Try these plastics, which you may be able to identify by a number stamped in the recycling symbol on the plastic: low-density polyethylene (LDPE, #4), polypropylene (PP, #5), polyamide (PA, #7), or polyethersulfone (PES, #7).
  • Plastic bottles with drop-in liners. In these baby bottle systems, a disposable drop-in liner made of safer plastic touches the formula or breast milk, and the hard outer part is polycarbonate plastic. Typically, the liner is polyethylene plastic. This isn’t a perfect green solution, however, because the liners are single use.
  • Glass. This option also has its pros and cons. Most parents who use glass baby bottles have reported little to no breakage, but a risk exists. Also, glass bottles are heavier than plastic.
  • Stainless steel. Food-grade stainless steel has not been shown to leach into stored foods, so it’s a great option for sippy cups.
  • Nipples made from silicone. Silicone nipples are durable and don’t leak chemicals into the air or your baby’s mouth. They are also free of BPA and phthalates, easy to clean, and can be thrown into a dishwasher. If your baby doesn’t like the firmness of silicone, latex rubber nipples are a possible second choice. But latex has some downsides: it tends to break down faster than silicone, with cracks and fissures in which bacteria can grow; some infants have an allergic reaction to it; and it contains N-nitrosamines, which can cause cancer. The Food and Drug Administration established standards to protect infants from this chemical in 1985, but low levels still remain in latex nipples.
• Check all parts. Make sure all the components are BPA-free, not just the main part of the bottle or cup.

Avoid

• Polycarbonate plastics, which are among the #7 plastics, and can leach BPA.
• Aluminum. Aluminum sippy cups, particularly the lower end knock offs, may be lined with a resin that contains BPA.

Other Considerations

• The fact that BPA mimics estrogen is not some startling revelation. Along with diethylstilbestrol (DES), it was investigated for use as synthetic estrogen in the 1930s. The stronger chemical, DES, was chosen–first as way to prevent miscarriages and later as a contraceptive. After millions of women had taken it, DES was found to cause reproductive defects and increase the risk for rare cancers in their daughters.
• It’s important to keep in mind that BPA’s adverse effects at low levels of exposure have only been shown in laboratory animals. In 2007, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration declared that current levels of exposure to BPA were safe. But some scientists and health advocates disagree. Due to growing public concern, a number of retailers have pulled polycarbonate plastic baby bottles and similar items from retail shelves.

Benefits…

…to your health
If you choose one of the safer options for your child’s bottles and cups, you won’t have to worry about who is right and who is wrong in the debate over the health effects of BPA.

…to the Earth
All of the plastic options on the market are made from petroleum. Using glass or stainless steel cups and bottles will shrink your personal oil consumption a bit. You’ll also produce less waste, since glass and steel products are reusable and recyclable.

Common Mistakes

Avoiding all #7 plastics. While #1 through #6 all identify single types of plastic resins, #7 just means “other plastic.” So, just because a product is labeled with #7 doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s bad. For instance, some of the new corn-based plastics, which are considered safe for food contact, are also #7.

Getting Started

Many large retailers offer a selection of BPA-free baby bottles and sippy cups. Whole Foods has eliminated polycarbonate plastic baby bottles and sippy cups. Other large retailers, including Wal-Mart, Toys ‘R Us, and CVS have announced plans to eliminate BPA baby bottles and sippy cups from their store shelves over the next couple of years.

Water bottles and other plastic containers

If there is one clear message coming out of this gathering, it’s that we need to assign a price or cost to carbon emissions, and soon. Almost all the speakers agreed that be it through a direct tax on carbon — which would affect the average consumer at the pump and on their energy bills — or the cap and trade model, which auctions off “permits to pollute” to all businesses that emit carbon, we need to enact some serious legislation on this immediately.

Other provocative subjects discussed included wind energy, natural gas, nuclear energy, other types of alternative power, synthetic genomics (I will admit I had a hard time following J. Craig Venter’s rocket science, but it involves using genomic research to discover new ways to produce energy) and not incidentally, water.

In fact, one of the best speakers was Patricia Mulroy, General Manager of Southern Nevada Water Authority. She explained that even with the winter rainfall we have been enjoying, Lake Mead (which supplies water for most of Southern Nevada) will be at dangerously low levels by 2016 and Hoover Dam may stop producing electric power. Scary stuff indeed. Mulroy added that water conservation efforts have been quite successful so far, including incentivizing citizens and developers to remove grass and replace it with low-water landscaping. Southern Nevada’s water requirements have been reduced by almost a third since 2002, quite an amazing statistic. My comment is this: for those who think climate change is a myth, what do you propose we do about a situation like this? Even with strong conservation measures in place, we are running out of water…

I am one of many who were wondering whatever happened to T. Boone Pickens’ wind energy initiative? Well, the answer is oil prices that were $125 a barrel ended up around $80 and thus the math no longer works. Pickens had 648 wind turbines on order from GE, he was able to negotiate that down to 324 and those will indeed be arriving on his doorstep. He will deploy them but the problem with wind energy remains transmission. Of course, Pickens has now moved on to natural gas as our savior. This concept had a number of supporters in the room but was far from unanimous.

Tom Albanese, CEO of Australia-based Rio Tinto, one of the world’s largest mining companies, believes in clean coal and thinks it can be part of the energy solution. (As Director of Sustainability for Sierra Club Green Home.com, I must add that I strongly disagree.) Gregory Boyce, CEO of Peabody Energy which is one of the largest coal companies in the world, gave statistics showing just how married to coal American, Japanese, India and Chinese industrial companies are. Albanese made a very strong point that businesses and investors have been preparing for a cost on carbon for quite awhile now, and not having legislation in place leaves a giant question mark going forward for everyone. This point was echoed by top V.C. John Doerr, who ought to know since he has deployed hundreds of millions of dollars into Cleantech over the past nine years.

One of Doerr’s early investments was Bloom Energy, which makes a fuel cell technology called the Bloom Box. This self-contained power unit runs off natural gas and provides enough energy, off the electric power grid, to run a large industrial facility and eventually, a smaller unit will power homes. Bloom has used up over $400 million of investor capital already and the audience was mixed on whether the Bloom Box will ultimately be commercially viable. Stay tuned on this one.

The final speaker was Energy Secretary Steven Chu. I was hoping he would address the important question raised by Rio Tinto’s Albanese: now that the world’s leading companies have braced themselves for assigning a cost to carbon emissions, when will that be, what will that entail, and how will it be administered? His answer: I am optimistic that energy legislation addressing this issue will be passed this year. And that America still can win the worldwide race to lead the green economy. “The Clean Energy movement is ours to lose. China is moving quickly; they see this industry as a huge export opportunity,” he added. “This is an incredible economic opportunity for the United States. We have to rebuild our energy infrastructure to make us energy independent.”

When we get out the rags and the wash buckets, we have the best of intentions. Cleanliness is a virtue, right? And healthy too! Well, if you use conventional cleaning products, perhaps not. Have you ever cleaned your shower or oven and then had teary eyes, burning nasal tissues, an itchy throat, a headache, or dizziness? Guess what? All of these symptoms and more could have been caused by chemicals commonly found in household cleaners. Some cleaners even contain suspected carcinogens and reproductive and developmental poisons. Some are thought to cause asthma. According to the American Thoracic Society, using conventional household cleaning sprays once a week may increase the risk of developing adult asthma, and may be responsible for one in every seven adult asthma cases. The higher the concentration of cleaning products in indoor air, the greater the risk that a child will develop asthma.

Some conventional household cleaners also sully the environment with ingredients that can contaminate the air, water, and soil when they are manufactured, used, and thrown away. Cleaning products with phosphates, for example, can cause “dead zones” in lakes and streams. Triclosan, a chemical used in antibacterial cleaners that has been shown to interfere with thyroid function in animals, is now polluting more than 60% of U.S. streams.

Top Tips

At home

• Make your own. It’s easy to make your own green cleaning supplies using basic ingredients such as baking soda, lemon juice, liquid castile (or vegetable-based) soap, vinegar, and salt. Though some take a little more elbow grease than conventional cleaners, they are a lot safer. Try some of these simple homemade green cleaning supplies:
  • Creamy soft scrub. This is a great mild abrasive cleaner, and can be used for most tubs, showers, toilets, countertops, and sinks, including stainless steel, Corian, Formica, engineered quartz, and glass. Should be used sparingly on fiberglass. Mix 1 cup baking soda with 1/4 cup liquid castile (vegetable-based) soap in a glass jar. You can add more soap if you want a creamier soft scrub. Stir. Add 2 teaspoons vegetable glycerin (available at most natural food stores and many drugstores) if you want it to keep it for up to a year; otherwise, it will harden. You can add a couple of drops of a favorite organic essential oil (extracted from plant parts) if you want a pleasant scent–or try almond or peppermint castile soap.
  • All-purpose green cleaner. Combine 2 cups white vinegar with 2 cups water in a spray bottle. Again, you can scent with a few drops of essential oil. As with all acidic solutions, do not use this on marble. It will destroy the finish and can even etch the surface. Another option is 3 tablespoons baking soda dissolved in warm water in a spray bottle.
  • Scouring powder. Mix 3 parts baking soda with 1 part borax (found in the laundry aisle). Keep handy in a shaker jar and sprinkle with some essential oil if you like. Borax should not be ingested, so store out of reach of children, and can cause skin irritation in some people.
• Ventilate, ventilate, ventilate! While cleaning with conventional cleaners, open windows and doors to allow air to circulate. This will reduce the buildup of chemicals.
• Follow directions. If you must use a strong chemical, make sure you understand the safest possible way to use it.
• Try microfiber cloths. Microfiber cleaning cloths are made to trap dirt and grime. They can absorb oils and hold many times their weight in water. They can eliminate or reduce the use of conventional cleaners for floors, furniture, and dusting–and can be used over and over. Made of synthetic fibers derived from petroleum, they are not a renewable resource, but then neither are conventional cleaners.
• Green your towels. Use cloth instead of paper towels. Good ones can easily be made by cutting up old T-shirts, towels, or sheets. If you prefer paper towels for certain tasks, make sure they’re made from post-consumer recycled fibers and free of chlorine bleach. If every household in the United States replaced just one roll of virgin paper towels with 100% recycled ones, we’d save 544,000 trees!

When shopping, look for

• Warning labels. U.S. manufacturers don’t have to list all ingredients, but they are required to warn you about the dangers of certain cleaning products. “Danger” and “poison” labels are reserved for the most hazardous ones. Products with “caution” or “warning” are slightly safer. Cleaning products that don’t have any of these labels are generally the safest. Also look for specific hazard warnings such as “vapors harmful” or “may cause burns.” Be careful, though. Our current labeling system gives you a heads-up about certain short-term dangers, but it won’t help with chemicals with long-term effects, such as asthma or reproductive harm.
• Honest advertising. “Natural,” “earth-” or “eco-friendly,” and even “nontoxic” aren’t regulated terms in the United States, so they don’t mean much. Look for specific claims such as “contains no phthalates,” “phosphate free,” and “biodegradable within 10 days.”
• Minimalist packaging. Opt for products that don’t waste resources on excess packaging or that use recycled materials.
• Watkins Products. J.R. Watkins, a partner of Sierra Club Green Home, offers great eco-friendly cleaning products at many retailers all around the country.  Buy them direct on J.R. Watkin’s website and save money while also supporting Sierra Club Green Home.

Avoid
Ingredients and products you should try to avoid include:

• Air fresheners. Conventional air fresheners can contain hormone-disrupting phthalates, cancer-causing chemicals such as formaldehyde and benzene, and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as d-limonene that can irritate your eyes, skin, and respiratory system and cause headaches, nausea, and dizziness.
• Alkyl phenol ethoxylates (APEs). These chemicals are found in laundry detergents, all-purpose cleaners, and stain removers. They are “surfactants,” which form a bridge between chemicals that don’t readily mix, allowing products to remove dirt from surfaces. But unfortunately APEs break down into hormone-disrupting chemicals. They are found in household dust, and some pass through our sewage treatment plants to wind up in our steams and rivers. APEs and their breakdown chemicals in streams and rivers harm wildlife. The European Union and Canada have banned some types of APEs from cleaning products.
• Antibacterial products. Antibacterial products are not any more effective than plain soap and hot water, except in situations involving immune compromised individuals. And they have serious downsides. The commonly used Triclosan is causing deformities in tadpoles in U.S. lakes and streams–and has recently been found in human breast milk. In addition, Triclosan may encourage the growth of “superbugs” by promoting the growth of bacteria that are resistant to it.
• Chlorine Bleach. Sold by itself and as an ingredient in many household cleaners, chlorine bleach is irritating to the lungs and eyes and responsible for numerous poisoning incidents every year. Once in a wastewater treatment system, reacts with other chemicals, potentially forming even more-harmful substances.
• Fragrances. Skip that” mountain fresh” scent created by synthetic fragrances. Many air fresheners contain hormone-disrupting phthalates.
• Glycol ethers. Found in glass cleaners, floor cleaners, and oven cleaners, some glycol ethers are reproductive toxicants. One of the more common one is 2-butoxyethanol (aka butyl glycol or butyl cellosolve), which can damage the nervous system, kidneys, and liver and be absorbed by the skin from the air.
• Monoethanolamine (MEA). A surfactant found in detergents, all-purpose cleaners, and floor cleaners, MEA may induce asthma attacks.
• Petroleum distillates. Typically used as solvents, petroleum distillates are found in metal polishes and adhesive removers. They can cause temporary eye clouding, as well as long-term damage to the nervous system, kidneys, and eyes.
• Phenol and cresol. Often found in disinfectants, phenol and cresol can cause diarrhea, fainting, dizziness, and kidney and liver damage.
• Phosphates. Largely phased out of most laundry detergents, phosphates are still found in dishwashing detergents. The nutrients they add to our water systems can result in increased growth of algae and plants, as well as an increase in the bacteria that feed on the algae and plants when they die. These bacteria rob the water of its dissolved oxygen, killing fish and other aquatic organisms.
• Spray cleaners. While convenient, spray cleaners are more closely linked to asthma and respiratory irritation than similar liquid cleaners. The fine sprays of droplets of cleaning products have been linked to increased risks of asthma, but using a similar cleaner in a non-spray form has not shown any increased risk. A simple switch can protect your respiratory health.

Benefits…

…to your health
Asthma and allergy sufferers frequently feel healthier after eliminating conventional cleaners.

…to your wallet
Homemade cleaners are easy on the wallet. If you decide to buy a cleaner, however, opting for one all-purpose cleaner (a green one, of course!) is a lot cheaper than buying a host of specialty cleaners.

…to the Earth
Saying no to conventional cleaners will reduce the amount of chemicals that wind up in our environment.

Common Mistakes

• Believing what you see on the package. Don’t spend more on pretty pictures and vague claims about being earth-friendly. If you want to buy greener cleaners, make sure they’re really greener than conventional cleaners. Look for specific claims regarding the product’s “greenness.” Steer clear of problem ingredients. Check out reliable online resources, such as goodguide.com, before you go shopping.
• Obsessing about germs. Despite all the hype, we don’t need antibacterials in everything from toothpaste to clothing, and really don’t need them in our cleaning products, because soap is safer and just as effective for most people.

Getting Started

• It probably is the most earth friendly to use up the cleaners you already have, but you should get rid of any that you suspect are making you sick. Don’t pour them down the drain! They may well need to go to a hazardous waste site.
• Do you really need a dusting agent, a window cleaner, a countertop cleaner, a tile cleaner, four different scrubs, and so forth? Try replacing some of your specialty cleaners with all-purpose cleaners.
• Try a homemade cleaning recipe. Scared to get started? Try this: to clean your microwave, put some slices of lemon in 1 microwaveable cup of water. Heat on high for 3 minutes. Let sit for 3 minutes. Open up the microwave and wipe clean! The steam loosens any grime and the lemon kills germs and has a pleasant scent.

Related Products & Services

• Clothes washers
• Personal care products

Strong and beautiful, wood is the material of choice for all kinds of home projects, from building a crib to finishing a basement to constructing a whole house. What’s more, wood is a renewable resource. But even though a tree can be replanted to replace one that gets cut down, wood consumption does have consequences. Here’s how to use this marvelous material in ways that help maintain lush forests, abundant wildlife, and healthy people.

Top Tips

At home

• Waste not, want not. Try not to buy more wood than you need, and remember the first rule of carpentry: “Measure twice, cut once.” When you have leftover wood, keep it in a scrap pile that’s protected from the elements and use it for other projects, or donate it to someone who can use it.

When shopping, look for

• The FSC label. When buying lumber and wood products, look for products with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) label. That’s how you know the wood came from forestry operations that meet strong environmental, social, and economic performance standards. A few major home improvement chains now carry FSC lumber and other wood products.

• Strong wood from small trees. High quality beams, boards, panels, and trim can be crafted from flakes, chips, and strips of wood that are pressed and glued together. Some well-known forms of this wood, like particle board, are not high-quality products and can’t be used for structural purposes. But most engineered wood is stronger than solid wood, as well as lighter and straighter. And it comes from fast-growing, small-diameter trees, reducing the demand for the older, larger trees that are so important to healthy forests.
• Healthy adhesives. It’s important to know about the adhesives used in engineered wood products like plywood, particle board, and its stronger cousin, medium-density fiberboard (MDF). Some are much safer than others. The most common adhesive is urea formaldehyde, a chemical that can be emitted from these products for years after they’re made. What’s wrong that? For a start, it’s carcinogenic. It can also cause allergic reactions and irritate respiratory systems. Some panel manufacturers have switched to less toxic polyurethane or soy-based adhesives, although these products can be harder to find and may cost more. If you can’t find a panel that’s specifically labeled as having no added urea formaldehyde, consider exterior-grade plywood. It’s made with phenol formaldehyde, which emits less than urea formaldehyde. Or use oriented strand board (OSB), which is usually made with a polyurethane adhesive.
• Wood from wastes. A few companies make sheet-panel products (similar to particle board and MDF) out of straw or recycled newsprint instead of wood. Straw is an agricultural waste–what’s left over after rice, wheat, rye, and other grasses are harvested.
• Salvaged wood. Or you can use salvaged wood from factories, houses, and other structures. It’s often high quality–especially well-aged beams and boards fashioned long ago from huge, old trees–but can require a lot more preparation than new lumber. If you are thinking of using salvaged wood for structural purposes, check with your building department first. Local building codes may not allow you to use it for building roofs or load-bearing walls.

Other Considerations

• “Structurally insulated panels” (SIPs) are a relative newcomer to the home building scene, but they’re catching on fast because they dramatically speed up construction time and improve the home’s energy efficiency. A SIP consists of a thick layer of rigid foam insulation sandwiched between two sheets of “oriented strand board” (OSB), which is made from strands of wood arranged in crisscrossing layers and bound with an adhesive. Using SIPs can greatly reduce the time it takes to build a conventional wood-framed home. They lock together tightly, providing excellent insulation and reducing air infiltration.
• If you’re building a major addition or a brand new home, you’ll save a lot of wood by using advanced framing techniques (also called “optimum value engineering,” or OVE). These practices make it possible to use 15% to 30% less wood without sacrificing strength or durability. Common techniques include framing corners with two studs instead of three and framing walls with 2 x 6 inch studs spaced 24 inches apart instead of the more conventional 2 x 4 inch studs spaced 16 inches apart.

Benefits…

…to you
SIPs speed up construction time and lower costs. Advanced framing techniques can reduce lumber costs by 15% to 30%.

…to your health
Engineered wood products made without added urea formaldehyde keep your home healthier.

…to the Earth
Using less wood and choosing wisely among the salvaged, engineered, and FSC-certified options reduces pressure to harvest forests, which store carbon dioxide and provide critical habitat for wildlife.

Common Mistakes

Buying painted wood. Think twice before buying salvaged wood covered with paint, which may contain lead. You can test for lead-based paint with inexpensive swabs available at hardware stores.

Most of us are not strangers to recycling. We are familiar with the multi-colored bins and the appropriate way to sort our recyclables. Despite our dedication and commitment to recycling, many items are ultimately diverted out of our recycling bins to landfills.

Before depositing any unwanted items into the bin, you should determine if they are accepted by your local recycling center. Most will provide you with a list of items they collect in each designated bin (ex: plastic #2 in the blue bin). Even though some can appear recyclable, they may in fact be sorted and placed into the trash. By acknowledging the following items as non-recyclable you may continue to make appropriate choice by investing in alternatives, reusing the items, or by simply reducing your consumption of them.

Common things which are actually non-recyclable

• Pizza boxes
  Reason:
  Even though pizza boxes are made out of recyclable cardboard, once the paper comes in contact with food oils and animal byproducts it can no longer be recycled. Simply stated: water and oil don’t mix in a paper slushy. A grease stained pizza box can cause a whole recycling bin to be contaminated and ultimately be diverted as trash.

Best alternative:
The most eco-friendly and fun substitute for a hot-and-ready pizza, is to make one yourself. This will allow you to eliminate the unnecessary packing associated with a ready or frozen pizza.

• Styrofoam
  Reason:
  Recycling centers do not collect styrofoam because the chemicals required to breakdown the product are extremely toxic. If processed, it can only be chopped or compressed into other styrofoam products. In addition, styrofoam is not biodegradable, thus when thrown away it can contaminate water ways, soil, and poison wildlife.

Best alternative:
When confronted with styrofoam at a restaurant (take out boxes, cups, plates, etc.), opt for an aluminum or paper container. In packages, styrofoam peanuts can be replaced with old newspapers, plastic bubbles, and even textiles.

• Plastic coat hangers
  Reason:
  It is difficult to determine what type of plastic is used to create hangers, thus recycling centers will not accept them. Even if marked, centers will sort your recycling bin and dispose of your unwanted hangers because the recycling machine can be damaged by wedged hangers.

Best alternative:
When shopping for a substitute, purchase 100% FSC certified wood hangers. Bamboo is a highly recommended wood due to its renewable and sustainable qualities. If you truly want to invest in an eco-friendly way to store your clothes, invest in a standing closet or organic hanging canvas shelves. Or, use a green dry cleaners that recycles the metal hangers for you. Many cleaners do provide re-use of hangers if they are returned in a neat stack.

• Mirrors
  Reason:
  The glass used for mirrors is non-recyclable due to its chemical composition. Since mirrors are made out of various components, there is not easy way to disassemble them for recycling. In addition, mirrors may contain various levels of lead, which if recycled and leached can pose a threat to the environment.

Best alternative:
If you are looking to purchase a new mirror, invest in one that is distinguishably marked lead-free. The best alternative would be to buy a vintage/antique mirror or to relocate an old mirror to remodel the room.

• Juice boxes
  Reason:
  According to the University of Michigan, Americans consume 4 billion juice boxes a year, all of which end up in landfills. Juice boxes which contain bright graphics and metallic insulation are non-recyclable because the bonded material are inseparable, thus preventing the recycling process to take place.

Best alternative:
When purchasing juice, get the kind which is sold in a recyclable plastic container. Avoid buying small individual bottles, packs, or boxes, instead purchase a large gallon of juice to refill your glasses or reusable bottles.

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Learn More:

Eco Water Bottles

Recycling by Force

Raising Healthy Children

Water Conservation Overview