Sierra Club Green Home

6 ways to set the stage What’s underfoot is a big deal. Your floors cover hundreds–maybe even thousands–of square feet, affect the look of every room, can use heaps of materials, and therefore come with a big price tag. Fortunately, they also offer you a chance to make positive esthetic and environmental changes. The key [...]

Floors made of tile, concrete, and stone are long-lived and perfect for some kinds of healthy green homes. Here’s a materials primer to help you decide whether they are a good choice for you.

Ceramic and porcelain tile are made primarily from clay, an abundant although nonrenewable natural resource.

For the salmon, the climate, and your wallet Most of us take water for granted. But using more than we need costs us money and harms the environment by depriving other creatures of this vital liquid. In California, for example, so much water is drawn out of the rivers that some fish species are threatened [...]

There’s no shortage of energy to be saved in the world of computers. Today almost 90 million U.S. homes have at least one computer, and about 65 million new ones are shipped to homes and businesses every year. Computers and their attachments (“peripherals”) vary widely in their hunger for electricity. An efficient laptop, for instance, uses only 20 percent as much energy as some desktops.

A smoke alarm can make the difference between life and death. Every home should have smoke alarms in good working condition; in fact, many cities and states require them. You should probably also have at least one alarm for carbon monoxide (CO)–a colorless, odorless gas emitted by fuel-burning devices that has been dubbed the “invisible killer.”

The most common type of mattress, the inner-spring, is made with a host of synthetic materials in addition to its metal springs. The outer fabric is polyester or cotton/poly “ticking.” Then there is polyester batting (sheets of stuffing), and layers of foam, including polyurethane foam, latex, or visco-elastic foam…

Whether you want them to boil water or make a feast, most new ovens and cooktops (together called “ranges”) use about the same amount of energy. Gas ranges are a tad more efficient than electric ones, but not enough to make much of a difference in your utility bill. You may want to consider scrapping your old range because it has, say, an energy-hogging pilot light.

There must be something in the water in high schools across the world nowadays. How can it be that high school students are solving some of recycling’s biggest mysteries- mysteries that have stumped multiple degree-holding scientists?

When it comes to electronic gadgets, Americans can’t get enough. We want – no, need – to be connected at all times. We must have the latest and greatest electronics. But what happens to the old ones?

Fact: One could go down to their local landfill and find everything they need to furnish a new house, if they wanted to. Old computers, ragged couches, lamps, and even ovens are thrown into landfills across the country each year. While properly separated recyclables go to recycling centers, items that are not recycled end up in overcrowded landfills. So why aren’t more people recycling?