The average American home consumes:
13,127 feet of framing lumber
6,212 feet of sheathing (OSB, plywood, etc)
13.37 tons of concrete
2,335 square feet of exterior siding
6,144 square feet of interior wall materials (sheetrock)
3,100 square ft of roofing material
source: The National Association of Homebuilders
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Concrete idea
Syndecrete looks like concrete, but is two times as strong. The product comes from fly ash, which is a byproduct of coal produced by power plants. The look is amazingly similar without the potential of cracking, which often occurs in concrete countertops. It’s a smart reuse of an otherwise wasted product. Available at Bourget Brothers, Santa Monica, California, 310-829-4010. |
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Winter coats
The leading provider of environmentally responsible, sustainable and non-polluting paints and stains, AFM Safecoat, recently introduced its new Ayurveda Essence line. Like Safecoat’s other paints, this line also seals the surface of the wall to reduce potential offgassing, yet it appeals to your spiritual side, with color combinations such as Mesomorph/Pitta/Fire and Endomorph/Kapha/Water and Earth. Available at Measure for Measure, Bridgeport, 382-0774.
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Lumber support
Mountain Lumber Company uses salvaged material from old buildings, mills, factories, temples and breweries that have “outlived their usefulness.” The company’s creed is that there is no need to cut down fresh trees when there is already an abundance of existing lumber and, as a bonus, the wood is naturally weathered by a century or more of use and has a particular character not seen in newer structures. Mountain Lumber Company, Ruckersville, Virginia, 800-445-2671;
mountainlumber.com.
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Palm reading
Durapalm is a renewable, plantation-grown tree that is abundant throughout the world. The palms produce coconuts for up to 80 years and are then cut down, making their palmwood available for a variety of uses. Smith & Fong Plyboo makes a beautiful, textural woven product from Durapalm that can be used as a wall covering for cozy spaces, such as dens or living rooms. Smith & Fong, San Francisco, 415-896-0577; plyboo.com.
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