Green organizations

(Descriptions drawn from language on each organization's web site as of 2009)

• USGBC- U.S. Green Building Council founded in 1993, has more than 15,000 members. Non-profit organization of building professionals that promotes sustainability, how buildings are designed, built and operated, encouraging environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to work and live. USGBC has developed programs and services, working closely with industry and research organizations, and federal, state and local government. The USGBC developed the LEED rating system (see below) and Greenbuild, a green conference that promotes the green building industry, and supports environmentally responsible materials, and sustainable architecture and public policy. For info USGBC
• LEED — Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design developed in 1998 by the U.S. Green Building Council, LEED provides standards for environmentally sustainable construction known as the LEED rating system. LEED has defined a national standard for green building design. The LEED rating system is based on achieving a certain number of points, which are allocated for design choices defined within the LEED standard. LEED’s design criteria include: site selection; efficient use of water, energy and atmosphere; materials and resources; indoor environmental air quality; and innovative design. The intent of the LEED standard is to provide a design guideline and third-party certification tool for green buildings. Products cannot be LEED certified — only buildings. LEED-certified buildings have higher initial costs but these can be mitigated by savings incurred over time due to lower operational costs. Additional payback is a healthier environment. Studies show an initial investment averaging 2 percent will yield 10 times that in savings over the structure's lifecycle. Program incentives include tax credits, reduced permit fees and low-interest loans. For info on LEED points
• FSC — Certified-Forest Stewardship Council an independent non-profit organization established to promote responsible management of the world’s forests. FSC certification verifies wood products originating from a well-managed forest therefore making it sustainable. Recognized as the most rigorous and only certification system, with an established chain of custody certification, ensuring the wood is harvested from a certified forest. For info Certified-Forest Stewardship Council
• Build it Green a non-profit membership organization whose mission is to promote healthy, energy-and resource-efficient building practices in California. It works with mainstream stakeholders in the housing industry to accelerate adoption of green building practices. Build it Green offers trusted green-building training, tools, technical expertise and partnership opportunities for public agencies, builders, developers, architects, contractors, affordable housing advocates, real estate suppliers and homeowners. For info Build It Green
• BuildingGreen.com The online GreenSpec® Directory lists product descriptions for over 2,000 environmentally preferable products. They provide independent research to ensure that product descriptions contain unbiased, high-quality information. Unlike other directories, they do not charge for listings or sell ads, but they do charge for a yearly subscription. A great source for the trades and for consumers who plan to build or remodel. For info BuildingGreen
• GreenPoint Program provided by Build It Green is a rated program that provides an objective, third-party verification system that equips consumers to find green homes, understand green benefits and recognize green features. Trained and certified raters evaluate whether new and existing homes meet program standards. Conservation of natural resources, increased energy efficiency and improved indoor air quality are a few of the benchmarks a new home must reach to qualify. For info Build It Green
• Greenguard The Greenguard™ Environmental Institute, a nonprofit certifier of products with low emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), has created the Greenguard Standard for Children & Schools™, which sets emissions criteria for building materials, furnishings, finishes and cleaning products to be used in schools and day care facilities. For research on healthier products for your home Greenguard
• Energy Star an international standard for energy efficient consumer products. First created as a United States government program in 1992. Since then Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Taiwan and Europe have also adopted the program. The Energy Star logo appears on computers and many appliances that can save up to 30 percent in energy consumption. For info Energy Star
  
  

"The first rule of sustainability is to align with natural forces, or at least not try to defy them." Paul Hawken

Renew, reuse, rethink, respect, recycle . . . each step moves us toward a sustainable future

For humans to live sustainably, the earth’s resources must be used at a rate at which they can be replenished. We must meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. In order to achieve true sustainability, we must also consider many levels of biological organizations: wetlands, prairies and forests. Our expression of similar organization in human design is seen in living and work spaces such as eco-villages, sustainable cities, sustainable agriculture, sustainable building and renewable energy. Awareness is the beginning of change. We must all do our part. Reading this guide may be your first step toward better choices for your family and for our environment. Let’s get started!

Greenhouse Gas and Global Warming

The term "greenhouse gas" can be misleading. Greenhouse gas is a gaseous ring that encloses the mass of the earth. Greenhouse gas is essential to regulate Earth’s temperature; without it, our planet would be cold and uninhabitable. Since 1750 there has been an increase in consumption of fossil fuels, new forms of land use and agriculture, which has caused an increase in atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide. These levels are rising at such an alarming rate that it has negatively impacted the levels of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere; the result is global warming. Scientists believe the last half of the 20th century has been the hottest period in the northern hemisphere in the last 500 years. For info Greenhouse gas

Ecological Footprint

This is a method of tracking human demand on nature or specifically how much land is needed to produce resources used, and absorb the waste generated. This measure is used for both human consumption and buildings. During your remodeling you can make a difference by making smart choices for your home. Lowering your consumption of energy and water, and thoughtful product selection, all contribute to lessening your ecological footprint. For info Ecological footprint

• The chart shows calculations reflecting average consumption of one person from various nations of the world, as published in WWF’s Living Planet Report. The global average used by each human is 5.6 acres.
  
  Ecological footprint: land needed per person
  

  	Country	Acres
  	American	24
  	Australian	19
  	German	12
  	Italian	9
  	Mexican	6

• VOCs also known as volatile organic compounds, are among the most complex and troubling indoor air pollutants, as their health effects are difficult to pinpoint. VOCs can be found in manufactured and synthesized products, especially paint, stains and adhesives that are applied wet.
• Formaldehyde an organic compound consisting of oxygen, carbon and hydrogen. It emits a colorless gas that has a distinctive pungent odor. It is used in many building supplies such as countertops, paint, adhesives and even cosmetics. Although useful, formaldehyde has been found harmful to humans.
• Off-Gassing that unmistakable “new rug smell” or “new car smell” that makes you woozy. The smell is caused by a release of a gas or vapor into the air during the process of aging, evaporating or decomposing. Many building materials, flooring, plastics, furnishings, paints and fabric finishes off-gas in your home, releasing potentially hazardous chemicals include VOCs (volatile organic compounds). This evaporation can continue for years after installation, which means you continue to breathe these chemicals while you work, sleep and relax in your home or office. Health risks range from temporary eye irritation to organ damage. Off-gassing abates over time, and you can minimize your exposure to off-gassing chemicals by purchasing products marked no-VOC, and by airing out newly painted or carpeted (untreated wool or cotton excluded) rooms for a few days before settling in. The best approach is to select products low in VOCs. For info Blueegg off-gassing