Alternatives / Guides

...alternatives? Alternative eco-friendly ground covers to grass Alternatives for grass - ground covers! Choosing an alternative to grass as a backyard play area for kids is not reserved for ‘hardcore environmentalists’; there are very sensible ground-cover alternatives that actually save a lot of maintenance, c...

...alternatives to MDF made with natural materials, including hemp rigid board panels and plant-based rigid foam panels. But rice, which ranks second in terms of grain production worldwide, offers a great opportunity to make use of agricultural waste materials that are currently an ecological burden. So, the completion ...

The most common kitchen counters you will find in homes are traditional laminate countertops. And they certainly live up to the adage ‘you get what you pay for’, as most of them still contain a lot of formaldehyde and they aren’t very durable. Maybe the latest generation of laminate countertops for kitchens & bathroom...

Vapor Barrier + Air-Con = Damp Moldy Walls So here's a little known fact that most HVAC installers won't tell a potential new client for central air; Polyethylene vapor barriers in combination with air conditioning in homes can rot walls because of the condensation they may cause. This is why if you have a newer hom...

Home Energy Generation, which option is best? How the electrical grid is fed near you will be a huge factor in determining the carbon footprint of your home, with or without your own renewable power generation such as having solar panels on your roof . If you live near a windfarm, that's where most of your power com...

...alternatives on the market now than the toxic paints we used to apply to our walls. For more information see our pages on safer paints , or you could even make your own DIY safe no VOC natural paint with our guide here . Formaldehyde Formaldehyde is one of the more commonly found contaminants in homes, and is used ...

...alternatives: Glass shower doors Choosing healthy and durable flooring materials Choosing green kitchen countertops Wood or metal siding for exterior cladding Fiberglass window frames Wooden baby toys and chairs There are a lot of toxic materials in homes and they have a cumulative effect on indoor ai...

...alternatives. Finding healthier furnishings: This, unfortunately, is not an easy feat. The old adage of 'buy local' may help you here; look for products made with natural materials such as wool, cotton and jute. You could also check with manufacturers to determine the nature of the flame retardants in their product...

...alternatives to XPS and spray foam whenever possible, even considering the negative impacts there was often little choice but to recommend them as sometimes there were no suitable replacements. As dedicated green builders, it will be much easier to recommend foam in those situations now, knowing that the environmental ...

...alternatives to pesticides etc. Check local bulletin boards and community centres for groups in your area, and watch our events page for workshops on everything from rainwater harvesting and urban farming to installing renewable energy sources. 3. Eat local and get started in urban farming. Buying from food co-op...

...alternatives, such as slab-on-grade , raft-slabs or screw piles . If a lot can only handle alternative building types, then that should be reflected in the asking price and if it isn't, it should be reflected in your offer. Contacting a local geotechnical engineer would be wise as they might have knowledge and experien...