Looking toward 2012, we want to give our readers a preview of what’s new on the eco-friendly kitchen and home products scene. We’ll be presenting some of the innovation highlights we see on the market from now up until the 2012 International Builders Show in early February so stay tuned. We will be presenting several examples of sustainable and stylish eco-products each week, so please check back to view these that will transform your kitchen and home into a greener environment!

InkSinkErator Kitchen Food Disposer
Did you know that almost 19 million tons of food waste is deposited in landfills every year in the U.S.? Well, waste not, want not. That’s the motto when it comes to making our planet greener, especially for managing food waste.

If you don’t like throwing out food, one choice is to compost, but sometimes that’s not practical for a busy lifestyle or if you’re just overall lazy. Well, thanks to InkSinkErator, there is now an easy way to dispose of your food, all in an eco-friendly way.

Since food waste is already composed of 70 percent water, grinding it up and sending it down your sink drain doesn’t sound horrible, right? Then, you should try InkSinkErator’s food disposers. Here are its eco-benefits:

• Contributes to holistic waste management strategies
• Keeps food scraps out of landfills
• Averages less than 50 cents a year in electricity
• Accounts for 1 percent or less of a household’s total water consumption
• Helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• Capable wastewater treatment plants can turn food waste into biosolids and fertilizers

InkSinkErator offers a variety of disposers to help transform your household into an eco-one and help you from sending food to landfills! Be sure to visit InkSinkErator in person at IBS in Booth W4543.

Photo Credit: InkSinkErator

Looking toward 2012, we want to give our readers a preview of what’s new on the eco-friendly kitchen and home products scene. We’ll be presenting some of the innovation highlights we see on the market from now up until the 2012 International Builders Show in early February so stay tuned. We will be presenting several examples of sustainable and stylish eco-products each week, so please check back to view these that will transform your kitchen and home into a greener environment!

Foremost Bathroom Cabinets
Is your bathroom looking for a makeover? Does it need new cabinets? Well, why not check out Foremost, which provides all your bathroom necessities. From vanities and cabinets to toilets to laundry collections your bath will be transformed into a room right out of a catalog.

A variety of cabinets are supplied with decorative hardware, a wide range of sizes, different stains and most come assembled. Less work the better, right?

The best part about Foremost is its green initiatives. Committed to recycling, some products are crafted from raw materials like saw dust and wood chips. Many of the products are also shipped and packaged with 100 percent recycled materials. Foremost also meets California Air Resource Board standards. To read about all its other sustainable endeavors, click here.

Foremost also offers eco-friendly indoor and outdoor furniture such as home and office décor, patio sets and food service products including refrigerators, griddles and fryers to name a few.

If you want to learn about Foremost in person visit them at IBS in Booth W105.

Photo Credit: Foremost

Looking toward 2012, we want to give our readers a preview of what’s new on the eco-friendly kitchen and home products scene. We’ll be presenting some of the innovation highlights we see on the market from now up until the 2012 International Builders Show in early February so stay tuned. We will be presenting several examples of sustainable and stylish eco-products each week, so please check back to view these that will transform your kitchen and home into a greener environment!

Schluter Systems Kitchen Counters
If you already have kitchen counters installed, but need that perfect finishing touch, then Schluter Systems probably has what you’re looking for, especially in sustainability.

To make sure your kitchen counters stay protected and look designer sheik, Schluter provides eco-friendly finishing and edge protection profiles for countertops. With at least 10 options provided, your counters will have the best protection possible.

For over 35 years, Schluter has integrated recycled materials into its products, along with recycling scrap and regrinding materials in production. Even its office space benefits the environment through using geothermal technology for heating and cooling systems, which in turn eliminate harmful emissions.

Schluter not only offers finishing’s for countertops, but also for walls. Other products you can purchase include shower systems, edge protection for floors, waterproofing membranes and finishing profiles and gutters for balconies and terraces.

To learn more visit Schluter Systems at IBS in Booth W721, or go to its website at www.schluter.com.

Photo Credit: Schluter Systems

Looking toward 2012, we want to give our readers a preview of what’s new on the eco-friendly kitchen and home products scene. We’ll be presenting some of the innovation highlights we see on the market from now up until the 2012 International Builders Show in early February so stay tuned. We will be presenting several examples of sustainable and stylish eco-products each week, so please check back to view these that will transform your kitchen and home into a greener environment!

Gerber Plumbing Fixtures
Looking for the perfect way to redecorate your bathroom, kitchen and home can be stressful, especially when you have to go store hopping. Well, to save you time and the running around, check out Gerber Plumbing Fixtures.

Gerber offers a range of fixtures including bath drains, bathtubs, showers, toilets and faucets. Basically, whatever you need in plumbing, they have it.

Now, you’re probably asking yourself “what’s so great about Gerber?” Well, let us tell you. First off, to see all of their green products, click here.

Not only is Gerber a member of the U.S. Green Building Council, but also an active partner with the EPA’s WaterSense program. They place a strong focus on green solutions for both commercial and residential.

For example, with the high-efficiency Gerber Ultra Flush 1.1gpf toilet, it uses 30 percent less water than the standard 1.6gpf toilet. Gerber faucets also use water-saving, low-flow aerators brining water flow down to 1.5 gallons per minute.

As some people like to say, “go green or go home,” and with Gerber you get to go home with a green product! Gerber Plumbing will be attending IBS and you can find them at Booth W4017, so be sure to stop by and say hi!

Photo Credit: Gerber Plumbing Fixtures

Looking toward 2012, we want to give our readers a preview of what’s new on the eco-friendly kitchen and home products scene. We’ll be presenting some of the innovation highlights we see on the market from now up until the 2012 International Builders Show in early February so stay tuned. We will be presenting several examples of sustainable and stylish eco-products each week, so please check back to view these that will transform your kitchen and home into a greener environment!

Eagle Roofing Products
If you’re looking for a new roof or an eco-friendly way to transform your home, then maybe the way to go is with products from Eagle Roofing.

You can choose from the Standard Weight Roof Tile, the Lightweight Roof Tile or if you want to stay committed to the environment the Eagle Solar Roof.

With the Eagle Solar Roof, not only will your home be up to date, it provides a way for you to produce your own power through a system that protects your home all while creating energy.

Here are just a few ways a solar roof impacts the environment:
• Prevent 300 lbs. of coal from being mined Prevent 600 lbs. of CO2 from entering the atmosphere
• Prevent 210 gallons of water from being consumed
• Prevents NO and SO2 from being released into the environment

Eagle Roofing doesn’t stop there when it comes to green building. They also offer Energy Saving Roofs and Cool Roof Tile that is Energy Star certified.

If the above doesn’t persuade you, then maybe the fact that Eagle Roofing was used in building a home on ABC’s hit “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” will!

Overall, your home will have a higher performance, with low energy costs. Can’t get much better than that! For more information, be sure to visit Eagle Roofing’s Booth, W300, at IBS and ask how you can transform your home into an eco-savvy atmosphere.

Photo Credit: Eagle Roofing

Photo Credit: Graff

GRAFF^® – Where Faucets Meet Eco-Elegance

When decorating your kitchen or bathroom, faucets matter and not only for design, but for water conservation. Well, thanks to GRAFF now you can unite style with saving the environment.

If you’re looking to replace your faucets, then check out the Corsica faucet. A more traditional choice, it comes in a variety of colors like Polished Nickel and Steelnox^® Satin Nickel. In addition to its design, the Corsica is available with a G-9300 water-saving aerator spout reducing the water output from 2.2 to 1.5 gpm.

Now you can save water and look good doing it!

Creative Systems Lighting – Bringing Brightness in a Green Way

A Longer lamp life, energy-efficiency and saving money are three things CSL^® or Creative Systems Lighting offers when it comes to lighting systems.

One particular product by CSL is the LED ECO-Downlight Mini. It features a 1-3/8-inch aperture, one of the smallest aperture recessed products on the market today. In addition, it contains an integral proprietary 120V LED driver, meaning it is 90 percent efficient with an average lamp life of 50,000 hours. It also has ENERGY STAR fixtures, ensuring cooling, which in turn reduces HVAC expenses giving a longer lamp life and reducing maintenance costs! 

Energy-efficient and a money saver? Sounds like the way to go when installing a new lighting system!

Photo Credit: Corbett Tango

Corbett Lighting – Uniting Style & Sustainability

Sometimes lighting fixtures can be hard and not fun to pick out, but when it comes to Corbett Lighting that all changes!

Just one of the many products from Corbett, Tango is created from laser-cut metal and then formed into a seamless sphere adding uniqueness to the home. Besides its stylish look, Tango contains an innovative, concealed high-performance LED light source. The LED bulbs use less energy and lasts longer. So, you know what that means? No more having to stand on a chair, struggling to change that bulb all the time! 

Tango’s texture bronze exterior and silver leaf finish interior presents a nice contrast and will brighten up your kitchen space.

Boston: The Best Convener Photo Credit: USGBC The Center for Green Schools

The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council recognizes recipients for their efforts to green U.S. school infrastructure and sustainable learning environments.  

The U.S. Green Building Council’s Center for Green Schools, working in conjunction with its founding sponsor, United Technologies Corp., released its inaugural Best of Green Schools 2011 list recognizing school administrators and government leaders in 10 categories for their efforts to create sustainable learning environments.

Recipient schools and regions from across the nation – from K-12 to higher education – were recognized for a variety of sustainable, cost-cutting measures, including energy conservation, record numbers of LEED^® certified buildings and collaborative platforms and policies to green U.S. school infrastructure. Their commitments to measurable and innovative sustainable building goals serve as models for schools and campuses everywhere. 

“The Best Of Green Schools 2011 recipients represent high notes for the green schools movement over the past year and were selected from the thousands of examples of leadership we have seen from schools, districts, campuses, cities and states,” said Rachel Gutter, director of the Center for Green Schools at USGBC. “Tomorrow’s future leaders are in school today. This year’s designees recognize the importance of educating high-performing, 21st century leaders in high-performing, 21st century classrooms. Why green our schools? Three words: education, sustainability and jobs.” 

According to published reports, green schools save on average $100,000 per year on operating costs – enough to hire two new teachers, buy 200 new computers, or purchase 5,000 textbooks. On average, green schools use 33 percent less energy and 32 percent less water than conventionally constructed schools, and if all new U.S. school construction and renovation went green today, the total energy savings alone would be $20 billion over the next 10 years. 

“Our commitment to green schools is a reflection of our belief in the importance of energy efficiency, sustainability and education,” said Sandy Diehl, vice president, Integrated Building Solutions, United Technologies Corp., and a Center for Green Schools advisory board member. “These leaders are taking action today to help improve our schools by saving energy and tax dollars and by creating healthier environments for students and teachers.” 

The recipients include: 

Moment for the Movement – U.S. Department of Education, Green Ribbon Schools: Green Ribbon Schools is the first comprehensive and coordinated federal initiative to focus on the intersection of environment, health and education.

Region – Sacramento area: Mayor Kevin Johnson has led the charge to bring together mayors and superintendents from across the Northern California region to create a $100 million revolving loan fund for green school retrofits. 

State – Ohio: With 315 LEED registered and certified projects, including 19 schools registered in 2011, Ohio leads the nation with more green school projects underway than any other state. 

City – Philadelphia: The School District of Philadelphia made significant steps in 2011 toward the greening of the city’s 291 public schools. 

School – Lake Mills Middle School (Lake Mills, Wis.): In March 2011, Lake Mills Middle School became the first public school in the nation to achieve LEED Platinum certification. 

Collaborators – Kentucky Reps. Jim DeCesare (R) and Mary Lou Marzian (D): This bipartisan team has led Kentucky’s green school efforts and is a model for teaming on green school collaboration. Together, they’ve worked with their colleagues in the Kentucky General Assembly to unanimously adopt resolutions in support of green schools, and have encouraged other states to work across party lines on similar efforts. 

Convener – Boston: In September 2011, Mayor Menino hosted the Research Summit on Childhood Health and School Buildings, which brought together a team of interdisciplinary researchers to explore the connection between school facilities and student health. Boston’s public school district is also home to one of the first Center for Green Schools Fellows – a sustainability coordinator who will work within the school district for three years, bringing together faculty, administration, facilities staff, teachers and students to advance whole-district sustainability initiatives. 

Policy makers – District of Columbia City Council: In May 2010, the Washington, D.C. council unanimously passed the Healthy Schools Act of 2010, building upon the District’s existing LEED Silver requirement and encouraging schools to achieve LEED Gold certification. 2011 updates to the bill included participation in the U.S. Department of Education’s Green Ribbon Schools program, making D.C. the first – before any state – to sign up for the voluntary federal program. 

K-12 Innovation – Public-Private partnership in Illinois: A report outlining a plan to green all K-12 schools in Illinois was released in March 2011 as a result of a public-private partnership commissioned by the Illinois’ General Assembly’s October 2009 adoption of House Joint Resolution 45. 

Please visit centerforgreenschools.org/bestof2011 for more information on each of this year’s recipients.

Photo Credit: Zephyr

Looking toward 2012, we want to give our readers a preview of what’s new on the Eco-friendly kitchen and home products scene. We’ll be presenting some of the innovation highlights we see on the market from now up until the 2012 International Builders Show in early February so stay tuned. We will be presenting several examples of sustainable and stylish eco-products each week, so please check back to view these that will transform your kitchen and home into a greener environment!

Zephyr^® – The Next Generation of Kitchen Hoods

Kitchen hoods can be bulky, adding zero-style to your cooking abilities, and use up more energy than needed. Well, if you’re looking for a change, than we have the answer! 

The Modena Island is part of Zephyr’s Next Generation Europa Collection and represents a floating island crafted from steel and glass. This innovative range hood, which houses the industry’s first DC brushless motor, inhabits several sustainable qualities, such as: 

• Most advanced Bloom ^TM HD LED light bulbs (25,000–hour lifetime) and electronic LCD controls
• Consumes 77 percent less energy, but with 30 percent more power
• Exceeds ENERGY STAR requirements
• 80 percent more efficient than other hoods 

Doesn’t seem like it can get much better than that! Zephyr not only offers the perfect blend of architecture and style, but also presents a modern way of sustainability.