• Typical cheap sponges made with toxic and non-renewable polyurethane. These sponges won’t biodegrade and will last and last in a landfill.
• Animal derived sea sponges which some people have an issue with because they are living at one point and some don’t.
• Sponges made from wood pulp cellulose. These will biodegrade, and are non-toxic, but some say they encourage logging because they’re made with tree pulp. However, they’re a better choice than polyurethane sponges.

There are better choices:

I used to buy wood cellulose sponges when I did buy a sponge (rarely) and now I haven’t bought one in over a year. They’re just not so necessary. I use old rags to clean with, and old washcloths if I need to wash a dish. Since I have a dishwasher, I really don’t need a sponge too.

Some people worry about how clean you can clean with a cloth vs. a paper towle or sponge, but you can get things clean so long as you use your rags correctly.

If you’re looking for more ways to cut down on sponge use try rinsing your dishes right away (after you eat) which means no scrubbing before the dishwasher. You can also grow and harvest your very own loofa plant – yup right at home.

What sort of sponges are you choosing and why?

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Blisstree

What to use instead of sponges

If you’re lost read this for a quick run down: Will $100,000 Build A Good Green Home?

Post from: Blisstree

Have You Been Following the 100K House?

Around the start of the month I posted this; Blue and Green Pittsburgh Home. It was a cool home and a good post except I said this, “In the usually not-so-green nor innovative Pittsburgh…” yup, me just not thinking.

Honestly, I was thinking. I was thinking that many things I read about Pittsburgh report that much of the architecture is stuck in the past; and is not uniquely eco-friendly. However, have I been to Pittsburgh — no. Also, when speaking of the building process my experience is Northwest and Southwest based so that’s me off base as well.

So, I get a comment after I posted from a concerned Pittsburgh citizen who tells me,

“Your comment “the usually not-so-green nor innovative Pittsburgh” couldn’t be more wrong. Pittburgh is a leader in green building. There are more LEED certified buildings in Pittsburgh than most other cities in the country — it ranks #7. Additionally, a first-of-its-kind program in the country–the Green Building Products Initiative–is beginning its second year at the innovative Green Building Alliance in Pittsburgh.”

Yikes. So I email said commenter and tell her my views and the fact that I’m not so keen on LEED standards because they do make it a smidgen more complicated than need be (you know they do). She emails back and was super nice. Turns out she’s working with Green Building Alliance and the Green Building Product Initiative. She gave me some of her points about where Pittsburgh is making waves in green building and she wasn’t off base so I told her I’d adjust the post. This is my official adjustment though because I felt it deserved it’s own post.

It took me longer to do this though than I told her it would because over the last two weeks I’ve been looking up green building issues in Pittsburgh and to tell you the truth websites covering the green building movement there are few and far between. That said just because Pittsburgh doesn’t have green homes featured every which where doesn’t mean that they are not in fact making headway.

I did check out the Green Building Alliance and the Green Building Product Initiative and both were useful sites if you are interested in eco-friendly building. What I was looking for were a few more unique home examples. I did see some and will likely be showing a few soon I just didn’t see many. However, because of time constraints I haven’t had time to search for architects at places like Low Impact Living.

I was going to post this today and then low and behold but what should appear but a press release about the $100k house. I’ve been talking a while so I’ll just list the main points.

A team consisting of a developer; Postgreen, Interface Studio Architects, Level 5 Construction, Hyperion Bank are attempting to design, build and possibly sell an affordable modern and green home in Philadelphia, PA. Hmmm, speak of the devil right.

Stats from their site include:

• “new construction home on infill lot (18′ x 60′)
• 2 stories and 1,000 square feet
• 2 beds and a bath
• $100,000 or $100 per square foot construction budget
• conforms to LEED (silver?) and possibly other”green guidelines””

I have a few thoughts on this but this post isn’t about that so I’ll fill you in later. For now you can check out their blog 100k House to get the low-down and form your own opinion. I’ll absolutely be reading their blog — it should be interesting.

Anyhow, the gist of this post is that it’s a good deal that many places are trying to build in a more eco-friendly manner; Pittsburgh as well. I appreciate the original commenter who made me think and who was exceptionally nice even though I put down her city. Also, I do apologize if that comment upset anyone else — sometimes I just type while I’m thinking instead of thinking before I type.

Hopefully, we’ll see more green building coming from everywhere in the future and ideally we can dump all the standards because people will build green as normal not the exception and we won’t even need to discuss it. That to me sounds good. I don’t like how green is so “in” it should just be; you know.

Ok, as always if you have thoughts, hate me or adore me; I like all comments so go ahead and say what’s on your mind.

Post from: Blisstree

When you apologize to Pittsburgh are flowers appropriate?

CAKE!

First off my pal Marye at Baking Delights has absolutely nothing related to architecture but she does have something way offbeat; A Car Cake! Not a cake with a little toy car on it, not a car cake the size of a shoe box but an entire life size car cake! It does not even look like cake — I kid you not and it’s a must see.

DUTCH

It’s Dutch week at MoCo Loco and in one amazing post they have something for every offbeat guy and gal around. I’m talking crazy squirrels, a pitcher that pours from midair, blue sand castles, and more. In ONE post. Go see.

BEAUTY

Inhabitat has the most beautiful post; TEHAMA GRASSHOPPER Rehab by Fougeron Architecture. It’s a warehouse turned home that is stunning.

WOOD

Alternative Building Services has a nice read about how building with wood can be eco-friendly.

CO2

Blog like you give a damn, as always is, blogging like they give a damn with great information about the newest Alliance for Climate Protection advert: Black Balloons – Making CO2 Real. Nice ad.

HUH?

And in ‘links that really don’t belong here, but I’m posting it anyhow’ I think you should visit one of my favorite non-architect blogs Cranky Fitness. Why? Well, because it was maybe one of two blogs that made me actually laugh out loud this week. I don’t read blogs just to laugh mind you but it’s nice when it happens. The post you need to read is called, Really, Really, Random Friday. It follows a nice cynical science slant the whole way through and is very funny.

Short and sweet links this weekend. Enjoy.

Post from: Blisstree

What the Cool Kids Are Reading