(StatePoint) Going “green” has increasingly moved from a trend to a global initiative. But the best place for individuals to start minimizing their impact on the environment is in spaces where they spend the most time.
Here are some ways people are reducing their carbon footprints at home and work.
Flooring
For homeowners, there are many different types of green or eco-friendly flooring options today. For example engineered wood floors have a wood veneer, which uses far less material than solid hardwood floors. They’re also more dimensionally stable.
Today’s modern laminate floor options are made from recycled wood fiber. There are many more eco-friendly options -- ranging from bamboo and cork to natural linoleum, sisal fiber area rugs, seagrass and coir mats (made from coconut husks) -- along with stones and tiles, carpeting and natural wood.
These modern trends are offered by brands like Floor Coverings International, a mobile flooring franchise, which also offers greener options in traditional hardwoods. Their “Epic” option uses 50 percent less newly harvested wood than conventional flooring and is sourced from domestic forests. Epic
See Page 6: Go Green (shorthand for Environmentally preferred, Peak performance, Installation advantages, Complete product offering) is certified at Cradle-to-Cradle Silver, eligible for LEED credits and meets GREENGUARD indoor air quality requirements. More information can be found at http://www.FloorCoveringsInternational.com and http://www.Flooring-Franchise.com.
Lighting
The lighting industry is going green. GE recently announced that it will stop selling traditional lightbulbs by the end of 2016.
Residential LEDs -- especially ENERGY STAR rated products -- use at least 75 percent less energy and last 25 times longer than incandescent lighting. Widespread use of LED lighting has the greatest potential impact on energy savings in the United States. By 2027, widespread use of LEDs could save us more than $30 billion at today’s electricity prices.
Luckily, pioneering companies like LED Source are actively retrofitting major chains and other businesses with LED lighting. As North America’s first franchisor of LED lighting, they are helping businesses go green and save money in the commercial, entertainment, and residential markets. More information can be found at http://www.ledsource.com.
Shop Green
A new green retail revolution is giving homeowners more earth-friendly choices. At the forefront of this movement are brands like SuperGreen Solutions, a franchised chain that offers a one-stop-shop for a range of energy efficient solutions for commercial and residential customers, as well as expert advice and guidance through in-home consultations on the best products for each customer.
They also offer rebate advice, tax credit guidance, sales, installation and after-sales service. More information can be found at SuperGreenSolutionsFranchise.com.
There are many ways to get on board this important trend and go green. Start by making smart swaps and upgrades to improve efficiency and lower bills.
