Bamboo Cabinets, wanna know more?..

In a follow up to yesterday's blog, we wanted to provide some more information about Bamboo Cabinetry.  We hope this information helps the general consumer but also any cabinet makers or otherwise entrepreneurs who want to get into the bamboo cabinetry game.  As we mentioned yesterday, cabinetry is a large U.S. industry.  Economists are predicting that it will grow rather nicely over the next five years after a previous five years that saw a drop than recovery.  This a great time for eco-friendly cabinet makers (small and large) to enter the industry and start saving the planet one cabinet at a time.

Besides being eco-friendly and non-toxic, bamboo is a great material for cabinetry for several reasons.  Attractive to many people, the natural bamboo patterns make for brilliant looking kitchen and bathroom cabinets.   Strong and durable, bamboo will last longer than both MDF and plywood.  Because bamboo is so strong  smaller panels can be used making bamboo cabinets much lighter than those made from other materials.  Bamboo is also far superior when it comes to termites.  Though termites will eat the celluse in bamboo, they're much more likely to go after any wood that is in their vicinity.  Because of the structure of bamboo, termite treatments are far more effective at eliminating the colony.  Did you know that a good deal of pre-manufactured cabinetry comes with termites already in it?   Sounds crazy, but it typically takes at least 5 years for termites to even make their presence known.

Buying bamboo cabinetry in the United States can be a little challenging but the options are continually increasing.  Large cabinet manufacturers like Masterbrand and Kitchencraft produce their own line of bamboo cabinetry and these brands can be found at kitchen cabinet dealers around the country.  There are also RTA bamboo cabinets available for purchase on-line from The RTA Store and Domain Cabinets Direct.   Custom bamboo cabinetry is probably the most difficult to find as many custom cabinet makers don't yet have experience with bamboo plywood.   Working with bamboo plywood is much like working with any other plywood.  Bamboo panels can be found in brands like Teragren, Plyboo, Kirei, CaliBamboo, and Nadurra.

We hope the use of bamboo cabinetry and other eco-friendly cabinetry continues to grow in the United States.  We look forward to the day when foreign toxins are no longer ear marked for U.S. landfills!

Non-toxic Cabinetry, the bee's knees!

The United States cabinetry market may exceed $18 billion with in the next 5 years.  That's a lot of cabinetry, and if came from China as most cabinetry does, that's a whole lot of formaldehyde...and who knows what else.  The worst part of it all is that these foreign toxins will eventually end up in an American landfill.  Now, that's not to say that all the cabinetry made in the U.S. is non-toxic.  Often times U.S. cabinetry manufacturers will use materials that contain formaldehyde and other toxins.   China has looser standards so the cabinetry from China is possibly far more toxic.   All in all, you can get harmful cabinetry that is made almost anywhere in the world.   But you'll be happy to know you can also get eco-friendly cabinetry that isn't toxic at all!

Our favorite eco-friendly cabinetry at Paper Plane Co. is definitely bamboo. Bamboo cabinetry has many advantages other than just looking mighty cool.  Of course, bamboo is eco-friendly because the bamboo plant is highly sustainable.   Did you know that when growers harvest bamboo they cut it off near the bottom of the stalk and then the whole plant just regrows...trees don't do that!  Lighter and stronger than wood, bamboo will not wear easily and is great for high traffic areas.   It can be stained just like wood and in the end it's easily bio-degradable because it doesn't have any chemicals.

Other eco-friendly cabinetry options being sold today include reclaimed wood, strawboard, and wheatboard.   Strawboard and wheatboard are both manufactured from agricultural waste and are completely eco-friendly.  The Chinese manufacturer Ronbow manufactures a line of bathroom vanities that are made from strawboard.  Otherwise, it's still pretty rare to see these materials used in the manufacturing of cabinetry.  Hopefully, the use of these and other eco-friendly materials will continue to expand because our landfills are tapped out on formaldehyde and other toxins.

Green Friendly Wall Finish, we have a long way to go...

Traditional wall finishes consist of building materials like plaster and stucco.  Historically, plaster was used on the inside of the home and stucco used on the outside.  The two are made from the same base materials:  lime, sand, and water.   Sometime over the years lime was replaced with cement to add durability.  Plaster and stucco continued to reform through the years improving durability and workability.  Now a days, stucco and plaster in their traditional forms are rarely used on the interior or exterior of the home.  Modern versions of these materials are available in products like Liquid Stucco, which is described as a specially formulated acrylic medium texture finish.   And on the interior of the home, products like Homax Wall Texture have replaced traditional plaster products.  Homax products are typically comprised of things like calcium carbonate (limetone) and mica.  These products or their predecessors wouldn't be considered eco-friendly or sustainable by modern standards.

There are also alternative wall finish products available like American Clay.   American Clay is made in Albuquerque, NM and is described as a natural clay plaster product that is non-toxic an sustainable.   This wall finish is 100% natural with no VOCs, it absorbs odors and is durable and mold resistant.  The current cost of this product when compared to standard wall texture and paint can make it quite difficult to justify.  An American Clay starter kit that  covers a 500 sq ft space costs a whopping $750.  To give you some perspective, that amount of wall texture and paint would probably be under $50.   In theory, this product would be a great eco-friendly alternative.  But since the components of American Clay are vaguely described as a proprietary blend of aggregate, clays, and preservatives: we're not exactly sure about their claim of sustainability.    American Clay having no VOCs is certainly an advantage over the competition, but the cost of this product would likely need to be far more effective to have mass appeal.

All in all, interior and exterior wall finishing products have a long way to go to become eco-friendly and cost effective.  Our hope is that there are eco-friendly manufacturers out there working on products that focus on utilizing recycled components rather than aggregates or acrylics.    Just like every other area of building materials, we feel it's just a matter of time!!

Now we have choices in Eco-friendly Paint!

Eco-friendly paint may have been a novelty building material 5 to 10 years ago.  Now a days, the selection is getting wider by the fiscal quarter as plenty of paint manufacturers are jumping into the eco-friendly paint arena.   One of the pioneers of the eco-friendly paint industry is called Eco Paints.  Started almost 25 years ago, EcoPaints has a client list that includes the likes of Westminster Abbey, The London Olympic Village, and The Googleplex.   ECOS Paints also operates under the brands, Lullaby Paints and Air Pure Paints.  Ecos Paints have zero VOCs but also claim to be 12500 purer than other non-VOC paints.   Not only is the paint eco-friendly but the ECOS Paint's can is also made from 100% recycled content and is recyclable.

Mythic Paint of Hattiesburg, MS launched on the market in 2007.   Mythic Paint was the result of over six years of intensive polymer research performed by the University of Southern Mississippi.   They claim to be the world's first high performance, zero volatile organic compounds (VOC), zero toxins and non-carcinogenic paint.  Recently, one of the larger players in the paint industry, Benjamin Moore, jumped into the eco-friendly paint market with a product called Natura.  Natura also has zero VOC's even after tinted.  It's available in any Benjamin Moore color and functions as all Benjamin Moore paint.  These paints are competitively priced with traditional paints.

Farrow & Ball changed its paint to a water-based formula and it significantly reduced the solvents in its products to low and zero VOC. Colors are derived from natural pigments, as well as other natural ingredients such as china clay, lime putty, and linseed oil.  Another product was developed in the UK by Marston & Langinger after the garden rooms company found most paints were too toxic to use for its greenhouses.  Both of these paints are on the higher end of the price scale.

I think it's pretty safe to say the eco-friendly paint market will continue to grow.   If we have paint products that are safe,the same cost, and function the same as VOC omitting paints shouldn't we only be using the safe products?  Hopefully every paint manufacturer in the world is working on their eco-friendly paint, the technology is here!

The future of eco-friendly building materials.

To analyze the future of eco-friendly building materials it's probably important to first consider the history of the eco-friendly effort. It sometimes referred to as the green movement, started long before this latest eco-friendly push. When you examine economic history it can be said that some type of green effort follows almost every economic downturn. Consumers are forced to scale back, food budgets are adjusted, remodeling plans and trips are cancelled. We naturally burn less carbon which possibly helps green movements gain steam. Obviously, the great depression was during a time when we were very unaware of climate change and our impact on the environment. But it can be said that green movements ignited following recessions in the 70's, 80's, 90's and now again following the most recent great recession. Even though green conscious people always remain vigilant, many humans resort back to less eco-friendly practices as economic conditions improve. The reality is we burn more carbon when economic times are good by consuming more products, remodeling, building, and traveling more.

So, what makes this latest eco-friendly push any different than the past? You should be happy to know there are major differences between now and prior green efforts. First, eco-friendly manufacturers are for the first time producing Earth friendly products that compete on both price and quality. In many cases you can actually save money by using more eco-friendly options. Second, scientists are discovering things that make dramatic leaps forward in energy production. For example, researchers recently discovered a polymer that makes solar panels 100 times more effective than they have been. That is going to make solar power a far better option for consumers in the very near future. Finally, for the first time in our history manufacturing industries that are the biggest polluters are no longer considered sustainable businesses. This is acceptance that eventually these heavy omitting businesses will have to change their manufacturing processes or some day they will no longer exist.

The EPA states that the four biggest contributors to green house gas pollution are electricity production, manufacturing & industry, transportation, and agriculture. Electricity production and transportation have historically received the most attention. Solar panels, advanced batteries, and modern electric motors have all made effective strides at reducing greenhouse gas pollution and researchers continue to improve other alternatives. Manufacturing and industry seems to have received the most entreprenuel attention in this latest green effort. More products than ever are being manufactured utilizing recycled content. Whether it's plastic from detergent bottles, glass from windows, wood from barns, rubber from tires, paper from used newspapers, it's being used to manufacture a high quality sustainable building material.  In addition, manufacturers  have figured out ways to use our bio-waste to make things like paneling and cabinetry.  Our generation has an incredible opportunity with this latest green movement to keep our foot on the gas until real progress is made for our environment. The solutions and products are available, we just need to use them. At Paper Plane Co. we are extremely proud to be a part of this effort in our specialty, eco-friendly building materials, paperplaneco.us

An eco-friendly flooring substitute for linoleum...

Swiss flooring manufacturer Forbo offers an eco-friendly flooring option to replace linoleum called Marmoleum.  Marmoleum is a 98% bio-based, 78% recycled content and it contains all natural ingredients like linseed oil, limestone, tree rosins, natural pigments, wood flour and jute.   In addition, Marmoleum is allergy and asthma friendly certified because it's naturally anti-microbial, anti-bacterial and anti-static.  The DIY flooring is an easy installation as it clicks together requiring no nails or glue.   Marmoleum is available in planks (12" x 36") and tiles (12" x 12").   Marmoleum has both thermal and acoustical insulation properties and is available in a range of 24 designer colors.  It makes for a beautiful green flooring choice for kitchens, rec rooms, bedrooms, living rooms, basements and offices.  Yes, it's linoleum, but it's not the drab flooring found in older homes. Marmoleum is all natural and comes in a rainbow of beautiful colors.  For more information about Marmoleum flooring please visit www.forbo.com

Marmoleum is a break through product that is manufactured in Germany and it's available all over the U.S.   Linoleum flooring isn't exactly our first choice in flooring but with an eco-friendly option like Marmoleum it can now definitely be considered.  Other eco-friendly flooring options available include reclaimed wood, bamboo, cork, and recycled glass.   For more information about reclaimed wood and bamboo flooring in South Florida please visit paperplaneco.us

Eco-friendly drywall revisted, we have options!

Last month we blogged about the eco-friendly drywall options available.  As you probably remember there really wasn't (to our knowledge at the time) a viable eco-friendly drywall option available on U.S. market.  Well, thankfully we were happily wrong!  Our new friends at The ReWall Company in Des Moines, IA are producing two eco-friendly drywall replacement options that are not only viable,  but in many ways are far superior to traditional drywall.  I'm sure you probably also remember from our previous blog that traditional drywall is a big ouch for our environment.  The manufacturing of drywall ranks as the third highest green house gas producer for building materials.   ReWall's ground breaking drywall replacement products are called NakedBoard and EssentialBoard

ReWall EssentialBoard is a structural rated panel product made of 100% recycled material derived from milk cartons and other beverage containers and cups.  The content is shredded and compressed, giving the user a sustainable and superior performing panel. The ReWall EssentialBoard is made of a water resistant core and surfaced with paper facing on both sides.   ReWall NakedBoard is a prefinished interior wallboard made of 100% recycled material derived from milk cartons and other beverage containers and cups.  It is a durable, moisture-resistance sustainable solution made of a polycoated paper waste without a facing material.  The shreds of recycled paper are left exposed, creating an exclusive design that says “recycled” at first glance.   For more information about ReWall's products please visit www.rewall.com

If the world massively converted it's drywall usage to eco-friendly products like EssentialBoard and NakedBoard we would take a nice sized step in improving our environment.  Eco-friendly replacement products made from 100% recycled materials offer a double positive impact to our environment.    First, the high level of green house gases produced during the manufacturing of drywall are eliminated.   And second, the recycled content avoids being added to a U.S. landfill.  These are likely the types of changes that will be needed to combat climate change, big thank you to The Rewall Company for making it an actual possibility!   Please check back at paperplaneco.us for Rewall products available in South Florida.

Why do we need our forests?

We depend on our forests for survival because they function as essential filters for our air and water.  Not to mention nearly 1.6 billion people throughout the world rely on forests for their livelihoods.  Forests cover over 30% of the world's land area and are home to nearly half of the world's species and 70% of animals and plants.  Forests are essential for our planet and fortunately there are organizations like the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) who are committed to assuring their survival.  The FSC is an non-profit independent organization that protects forests for future generations.

The Forest Stewardship Council was developed after the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio failed to produce an agreement to stop deforestation.  A group of businesses, environmentalists and community leaders came together to create the FSC.   The FSC sets standards for responsible forest management through a voluntary program.  Today, more than 380 million acres of forest are certified under FSC’s system, including more than 150 million acres in the US and Canada.  For more information about the FSC please visitus.fsc.org

Many people don't know that deforestation and forest destruction is the second leading cause of carbon pollution, creating over 20% of total greenhouse gas emissions.  In the United States, much of our forestland is privately owned.  If these landowners can’t earn a living from these forests, they may eventually destroy them for homes, ranches, farms, or real estate developments.  This would only add to the green house gas emissions caused from deforestation.  Even though the total acreage of forests in the US has remained relatively stable, certain parts of the country are seeing significant declining forest coverage. For example, the US Forest Service estimates 12 million acres of forest in the Southeast U.S. will be lost to suburban real estate development between 1992 - 2020.   We can help lower our dependance on forests by purchasing eco-friendly building materials and products that are made from recycled, sustainable, or rapidly renewable materials.

LED lighting, a more eco-friendly lighting option...

LED lighting is a rapidly advancing technology that uses energy more efficiently than conventional lighting but also can help save energy in indirect ways, such as with air-conditioning costs.  LED lights use small, powerful sources of light that illuminate when electrons move through semiconductor materials. They shine in only one direction and only produce a small fraction of the heat of fluorescent and incandescent lights.  This not only makes them more eco-friendly than other lighting options but LED's have a much longer lifespan as well.

Because LED lighting is more energy efficient their use reduces utility bills. As of 2011, an Energy Star-qualified LED bulb has an average operating cost of $1 per year.  Compared to annual costs of $1.20 for an Energy Star-qualified compact fluorescent bulb, $3.50 for a halogen incandescent bulb and $4.80 for a traditional incandescent bulb. In addition, because a Energy Star-qualified LED bulb has a longer life there is much lower turnover of bulbs in your house.   LED lights last a minimum of 15 times longer than a traditional incandescent bulb to a maximum of 25 times longer.  LED lighting is clearly the most eco-friendly lighting option available today, well the 2nd most (sun!)...

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Explored

Since we're big fans of the environment we wanted to have a better understanding of the things that create greenhouse gas emissions, not just in the U.S. but around the world.   We're experts in eco-friendly building materials but we're always striving to learn more about our environment and climate change.  This blog posting is a summary of what we've learned and we hope it brings more awareness to what we can do to combat climate change.  Most people understand that the burning of coal and oil creates a significant amount of our global greenhouse gas emissions.  But many people are unaware that things like deforestation and land clearing for agriculture make up a whopping 17% of the world's total greenhouse gas emissions (in the form of carbon dioxide).  That's more than transportation (planes, trains, and automobiles) which makes up roughly 13% and not that far off energy supply (electricity creation) which constitutes nearly 26% of world's greenhouse gas emissions.  The other large contributing categories to world's greenhouse gas emissions includes industry at 19% and agriculture at 14%.   Emissions from industry mostly include fossil fuels burned on-site at facilities for energy needed for manufacturing.  While greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture primarily come from the management of agricultural soils, livestock, rice production, and biomass burning.

U.S. emissions statistics are a little different than the rest of the world.  The U.S. emissions are made up of electrical production 32%, transportation 28%, industry 20%, agriculture 10%, and commercial and residential 10%.  Commercial and residential greenhouse gas emissions are created by businesses and homes primarily from fossil fuels burned for heat, the use of certain products that contain greenhouse gases, and the handling of waste. It's obvious from the statistics there is a lot that can be done to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change.   By using eco-friendly building materials in our homes and businesses we can  impact all of the major categories of green house gas contributors.    For more information on greenhouse gas emissions please visit www.epa.gov