Green Home Improvement 101

Going green is a buzzword that's become more mainstream in our culture and products. Home improvement products have been following that trend for some time now, but unfortunately with all of the buzz, there are lots of unscrupulous and false claims about being environmentally friendly. This is called green washing and it's become rampant in the building industry. So what's the deal and how can the average homeowner and consumer find green building products for their next home improvement project? Use these tips and advice from Construct101.com on going green the right way and prevent the green washing.

Sustainability

One of the most important aspects of green products is sustainability Mining, chopping down old growth forests and drilling for oil are all unsustainable processes for obtaining building materials. Eventually they will run out. So how can you tell which products are sustainable and which ones are a waste of natural resources?

Research. Take a look at the products by calling the manufacturer, exploring their websites and asking sales associates which products are sustainable and which ones are not. You can also visit Greenwizard.com for the latest and greatest in building materials and products, allowing you to make an informed decision.

Recycling

Many so-called green building products claim that just because they use recycled materials, they are green. The fact is recycled products are more environmentally friendly than brand new products-but plastic is plastic. Whether it's recycled or not, if it uses unsustainable natural resources, then it's not very eco-friendly.

Recycled materials that use 100% post consumer waste often require vast amounts of energy to ship, process and remanufacture making them less attractive as a green product. Instead opt out for pre consumer and post industrial recycled products as they require less energy to recycle.

Packaging

Another important aspect of going green when completing your next home improvement project is packaging. It may be the greenest product you can buy, but is it covered in non-recyclable plastic packaging? Packaging is often overlooked when finding environmentally friendly building materials and products.

Locality

Huge warehouse home improvement centers are following the green trend and capitalizing on consumers who want green building products. Even if the product is 100% recycled, sustainable and has no packaging, is it still green if it has to travel thousands of miles by boat, truck or plane?

Finding local building materials not only reduces greenhouse gases through less vehicle emissions, it also saves money on them too. Cheaper and eco-friendly building materials and products are more than likely right around the corner of your home. Go local and help save money and the planet.