Archive for February, 2010Environmental hero, Dan Phillips, started a Texas construction company that builds low-income houses solely from salvaged pieces. The company, Phoenix Commotion, has been around for 12 years and is responsible for the construction of 14 homes. Each house sits on a lot that was either donated or purchased at a reasonable price. Phillips claims that over 80% of the materials are recycled, coming from previous construction projects and giant trash heaps. In this case, one can confidently state that trash really can be beautiful. Some creative ideas:
Scrap Wood Siding
Cattle Bone Chair
Total Read Time: 3.5 Minutes Where do you even start when trying to create a more sustainable business? I have to say being an online business, made it much less challenging. That being said, even companies focused on minimalism can run into obstacles when doing simple paperwork, spreading the word through print media channels and even making business cards. So how does Verde Lifestyles rate? Well, for starters, the only paper we have is receipts and legal documents. I bought a small binder for record keeping and it’s barely half full at this point. We use online resources such as Base Camp and Highrise (37 Signals) to keep track of our customers and mange projects. We don’t own a brick and mortar and our vendors ship our products from their facilities, which cuts back on costs and the use of other resources. BUT…. We certainly have room for improvement. Even with the few print items we have used, it was interesting trying to find greener options. We’ve now started to make as many purchases online as possible and save our receipts in pdf format. So electronically we’re covered, but I thought it would be much more interesting to do a case study on the decisions we’ve made as a company versus others. I didn’t want to focus as much on the green qualities, but rather how decisions were made. What motivates individuals and businesses to make sustainable decisions? Business Cards: When we decided to order business cards we knew we wanted them to be as eco-friendly as possible. After a small amount of research, we decided to order cards printed on FSC certified 100% recycled paper with vegetable dye ink from Greener Printer. Of course they are located in California so they had to be shipped across the country, but the packaging was minimal and we were okay with a little extra cost for greener cards. Because of the design of the cards we were unable to fit the recycled icon on the back. We based our decision on the assumption that it doesn’t necessarily reflect poorly on a green company to not have clearly visible recycled icons. We knew they were, even though others may have not even thought about it. Where’s the line of making customers aware of your company’s policies versus overly promoting your self as green? When is it necessary to point out your efforts? Product Decisions: Ryan and I try to consider the environmental impact of our own ‘consumer behavior’ and reflect that in the decisions we make on a daily basis. I suppose another reason for writing this blog post is to let our customers know that if they have any doubt about our products or general questions, that we are here to answer them. Amongst many other additions to the site, we will be rolling out a section dedicated to our manufacturers so customers know exactly where the products come from. Postcards: We are starting discussions with some local schools and charities to see how we may be able to further our cause and plan to plant a tree or two each year for what little accidental and unfortunate business decisions may make. Stay tuned for more info on the company and a blog coming out asap with pictures and some stories from our launch last week. You should follow us on Twitter here! Related Articles: 7 Hot CEOs & Their Cool Green Companies Every once in awhile I like to add completely random pictures to my post. This week I watched my all time favorite movie, Pride & Prejudice, for probably the 10th time. When studying abroad in London, I also took a Pride & Prejudice “tour” to places where they filmed the movie. So ok I’m a little obsessed. But without further ado, this is an image from the Peak District in England.
As many of you know, the building materials we use for our homes and the chemicals we clean them with impact our health and the planet. But what about our home decor? Materials used for our bedding, bath towels, and decor have an equal affect on the environment as the structures that hold them. Wondering what materials you should use in your home? Eco friendly bedding includes comforters, duvets, mattress pads, pillows, and blankets. For these items, natural fibers such as organic cotton and wool would be the most appropriate. Traditionally grown cotton causes harm to both the environment and laborers because of the extensive use of pesticides and other chemicals. Certified organic cotton is grown without the use of chemicals protecting both laborers, the surrounding land and people who might have allergies to chemically treated fabrics. Another quality that’s important to consider is water based inks for specially styled bedding. Verde’s organic cotton and non-toxic dye selection includes duvets, pillow cases, and blankets and their comforters and mattress pads have an organic cotton cover with an organic wool filling. Note: Not all wool is considered equal. Superfine merino wool is thought of as being the softest wool and is itch-free. Why wool is used most often in bedding is that its warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Its also hypoallergenic, mold and mildew resistant, and biodegradable, making wool not only eco-friendly but practical.
Materials used most often for rugs includes bamboo, jute, organic cotton, and recycled materials. Bamboo is a remarkable resource because of how fast it grows. Some species can grow up to 3 feet a day! Bamboo is also durable, so rugs made of this renewable resource are often suitable for indoors or outdoors. Jute, another natural fiber, is harvested from the hemp plant. This durable material is anti-microbial and anti-mildew which is perfect for entrance way rugs. There are also products on the market made out of recycled materials such as plastic water bottles and tire rubber. The type of material just depends on where the rug is going. You might not want recycled tire rubber under your feet in a bedroom!
Lighting: As for candles, my one tip would be to avoid paraffin! Soy is a much healthier option. It burns longer, cleaner, and without soot. You know how when you walk into a candles store and you immediately have a headache? Thats not the case with soy candles. Its not necessarily the fragrance thats nauseating but the combination of the fragrance and the type of wax.
The emphasis for accents is often on recycled content. Accent pieces can be made of recycled glass, reclaimed steel, or ceramic with non-toxic paint for example. Whether your redecorating, buying a gift, or treating yourself its important to consider the life cycle of a product as well. We’ve mentioned materials used in common home decor products, but manufacturing standards and recycling options are important too. Some products may not be recyclable at the end of their use, but can last over 20 years while others may last only 5 years and can be easily recycled. Next time you make a purchase consider what it is made of, how was it made, and what do I do with it after its served its purpose.
I am so excited to announce our new Community! Check it out and let us know what you think! Our online community lets you connect with people and groups that are already active in the green movement. Whether you’re looking to volunteer locally, donate to a special charity, or just chat with some cool urban eco-lovers, it’s all here. After you create your profile, you can become involved in causes and events, and share stories with others about how you made a difference.
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