Habitat for Humanity

On Saturday, December 15, Habitat for Humanity celebrated the completion of nine affordable, eco-friendly homes in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. The homes, which were built with the help of volunteers on a once-vacant lot on Marcus Garvey Boulevard, are constructed of eco-friendly building materials, including cabinets partially made of sunflower seeds and counter tops made of recycled glass. As part of its nation-wide eco-initiative, Habitat for Humanity has assembled a Green Team Leadership Group, a group of about thirty experts in energy efficiency, green building, architecture and construction. Three principles guide Green Team building projects:

1) energy efficiency, including wise use of construction materials
2) sustainability
3) maintenance of good indoor air quality

The team encourages builders and designers to construct homes with minimal impact on the environment. Team members also urge affiliates to incorporate a plan for reclaiming and recycling leftover materials, minimizing the use of natural resources and reducing the impact on the land.

Beyond the physical structure, they also address human health issues, striving to create buildings that are free of toxic materials and that can be heated and cooled with the least amount of energy. In cities around the country, Habitat for Humanity is incorporating green features like improved insulation, Energy Star appliances, fluorescent light bulbs, solar panels, and low-e panels into many of the homes it builds.

Habitat for Humanity has always been a great organization, and now that it's going green, it's only getting better! This holiday season, if you're looking for a good cause to which to donate, consider Habitat for Humanity, and if you do, be sure to commend them on their green initiative.

Clearing the Air

For those of us that want to have the air we breathe in our homes be as clean as possible, air purifiers are an appealing solution. Most of the new ‘green’ buildings that are going up have very sophisticated air exchange systems but it’s easy to retrofit your current home too! Air purifiers can help alleviate some air quality problems, such as dust, pollen, allergens and mold spores. While there are limits to their effectiveness they can certainly improve your air quality. They do not remove VOCs (volatile organic chemicals) but you can control that with the paints and varnishes you use. Air purifiers can not remove combustion gases from the air, and are ineffective at eliminating all of the toxins in tobacco smoke.

If you decide to buy an air purifier, you can choose either a whole-house or room unit. Consumer Reports recommends whole-house purifiers if you have forced-air heating or cooling systems: systems that use recirculated air rather than air pulled in from the outside. Otherwise, room air purifiers work almost as well. The best measure of air-purifier effectiveness is the Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) certification system established by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers. The higher the number, the better the cleaning rate. Consumer Reports considers ratings above 350 excellent and those below 100 poor.

If that seemed a bit dry, maybe some information on humidifiers will help. Humidifiers increase humidity levels in your home, helping eliminate the dry air that can irritate the passages in the nose and throat and exacerbate dry skin. If you live in a house a humidifier/dehumidifier can be attached to your heating and cooling systems. Just remember to drain and clean your humidifier frequently to avoid the growth of bacteria. Consumer Reports has a handy humidifier rating section. Among other things, they recommend that you choose a model with a humidistat, which shuts the humidifier off when the set level is reached, so the humidity level doesn't get too high. Remember, moist air is good; a moist house is not!

Eco-Friendly Paint

Everyone loves the look of a new coat of paint. But did you know that the smell of a freshly painted room comes from the toxic ingredients used as solvents in most conventional paints. These compounds, which are known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), include benzene, formaldehyde, kerosene, ammonia, toluene and xylene, known carcinogens and neurotoxins. The majority of household paints are either alkyd (solvent/oil) or water (latex/plastic/emulsion) based. Alkyd paints contain 32 to 42 percent VOCs, while latex paints contain only 2 to 5 percent. However, latex paints can contain other preservatives, fungicides, and dangerous solvents .

While latex paints are generally preferable to oil-based paints, an even better option is the use of natural paints, which are usually made from citrus or other plant ingredients, milk protein, or clay. Because most natural paints do not use petrochemicals and are free of preservatives and biocides, they tend to be better for the environment and for your health. However, they take a lot longer to dry, are more difficult to apply, and are often more expensive than conventional paint. Also, natural paints are best suited for drier areas, as they are less resistant to mildew and molds.

The Green Guide offers this primer on some natural paint options:

Natural milk paints are virtually odorless and are made using the milk protein casein and lime to which are added earth pigments." They contain no solvents, preservatives or biocides, though some do have synthetic ingredients like acrylic and vinyl. They come in powdered form and once opened or mixed with water, they should be used quickly, as they can mold if left to stand for a few weeks.

Whitewashes, which only come in white, contain only lime paste, water and salt. They are a low cost option that, like milk paints, are more fragile and are best applied to plaster, cement or stucco walls.

Recycled paint, often a bargain at under $10 per gallon, is created when a few types of paints are consolidated into one. According to the Waste Watch Center, recycled paint should have a minimum of 50% recycled content and be available in consistent colors. However, because several paints are mixed together, recycled paint is often best suited for areas where consistent color is not required.

Natural paints are generally more difficult to find than conventional paints, but the following are a few good places to start looking:

Bioshield offers about 50 varieties of solvent-free paint.
The paint giant Sherwin Williams offers the eco-friendly Harmony line.
AFM Safecoat makes VOC-free paints that use pigments based on the ancient East Indian Ayurveda healing system.
Benjamin Moore also has a line of low-VOC paints.