The Green Machine When I first began writing this column three years ago, I thought I would
concentrate on green building techniques and materials. And while this
sustainable approach is always simmering on my back burner, I haven’t been a
purist to the green theme. My heart’s in the right place, but sometimes
conventional solutions (i.e. resource guzzling and/or toxic) are the easiest
and only answer to remodeling riddles.
It’s a relief, however, to find those who don’t take the easy way out and
remain true to the sustainable creed. A bunch of the faithful gathered at the
Green Builder Conference this weekend. Familiar organizations and businesses
staffed many of the booths: Texas Infinet, a service provider specializing in
“progressive information” (512/288-5223); the Sustainable Building Coalition,
an Austin-based affiliation of designers, builders, and landscapers; and
distributors of Faswall, a building material made from recycled and waste wood
chips bonded in cement
(K-X Industries, Inc., 803/642-9346). These folks
keep slugging away year after year to answer the question, “How do we shelter
all these people that keep popping up, without wrecking the earth?”
Newcomers — at least new to a lazy heretic like me — also caught my eye,
like:
1. The Texas Coal Ash Utilization Group: This consortium of utility companies,
coal combustion by-products marketers, and university researchers is working to
find ways to recycle the 13 million tons of material generated from burning
coal at electric power plants. Fly ash can be used to replace some of the
cement in concrete. Bottom ash is a substitute for sand or aggregate in
concrete blocks and clay brick. Gas flue ash can be made into wallboard and
used in road base. Currently, only 84 percent of these by-products are
recycled. The rest ends up in our landfills. (Contact: James Merkel
210/349-4069.)
2. American Environmental Health Foundation: Okay, so this non-profit
organization has been around since 1975. But it’s the first time I’ve seen
their catalog of products, which include lighting, clothing, pet supplies,
pollution-detection kits, and more. Since I’m currently in the final stages of
a remodeling project (where I try to cover up my mistakes with a coating of
some kind), I was particularly interested in their selection of enviro-friendly
paints, stains, and sealers. Profits from the sale of products goes to fund
research and education in the field of environmental medicine. (For a catalog
and more info: 800/428-2343)
3. Bamboo: Those who find a use for pesky plants and animals are my heroes.
(Although I still don’t think I can eat nutria.) I’ve waged more than one war
against encroaching walls of bamboo, but I never thought about transforming it
into gorgeous floors and furniture, Fortunately, Amati Bambu did. So have
plenty others, judging from the income, food and housing bamboo provides for
2.2 billion people worldwide. (Amati Bambu: 905/477-8822.
Environmental Bamboo Foundation: www. kauai.net/bamboo/whybamboo.html)
I’m here at Suzebe@aol.com or The Austin
Chronicle, PO Box 49066, Austin, TX 78765.
This article appears in November 15 • 1996 and November 15 • 1996 (Cover).